The second book in the Iron Seas series is a bit different than the first — a little faster-paced and less angsty because Yasmeen and Archimedes simply weren’t those types of characters — but I hope just as fun for everyone! As per usual, I’m going into hiding online so that I don’t obsess over reviews and rankings and all of those things that can easily drive an author mad, but I’ll be checking @replies on Twitter, my Facebook pages, blog comments, and my e-mail.

Readers and bloggers — please feel free to post links to your reviews in the comments! I won’t be seeking them out (see going-into-hiding note above) but I know that a lot of readers like to read reviews/discuss what they did and didn’t like about the books, so I’m happy to make those reviews easy to find.

Don’t forget that I have a rudimentary Iron Seas guide now!

Click here to read an excerpt. Here’s the official description and bits:

“Rising star Brook has created two completely mesmerizing characters whose journeys in this gritty and treacherous world make for heart-stopping fun!”
—RT BookReviews ½!

Named one of Publishers Weekly’s “Best Books of 2010,” The Iron Duke introduced the gritty, alluring adventure of the Iron Seas. Now, Meljean Brook returns to the world where nanotech fuses with Victorian sensibilities — and steam.

As the mercenary captain of the Lady Corsair, Yasmeen has learned to keep her heart as cold as steel, her only loyalty bound to her ship and her crew. So when a man who once tried to seize her airship returns from the dead, Yasmeen will be damned if she gives him another opportunity to take control.

Treasure-hunter Archimedes Fox isn’t interested in the Lady Corsair — he wants her coldhearted captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. To reclaim it, Archimedes is determined to seduce the stubborn woman who once tossed him to a ravenous pack of zombies, but she’s no easy conquest.

When da Vinci’s sketch attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco — and straight into their enemy’s hands. But as they fight to save themselves and a city on the brink of rebellion, the greatest peril Yasmeen faces is from the man who seeks to melt her icy heart…

My agent, Roberta Brown, just announced this on Publisher’s Marketplace, so I think it’s okay if I announce it here, too — Berkley has bought three more books in the Iron Seas (steampunk) series. It’s ridiculously awesome news, and I kneel in the direction of New York, where my amazing editor Cindy Hwang resides, and give thanks, and all kinds of stalker-y adulation that will probably make her scared to see me next summer at RWA, but what the hell. What’s the point of sharing great news if you can’t frighten at least a few people with the force of your jubilation?

Really. This means I’ll actually have books that I’m paid to write after the Guardian series is done, and I’ll be able to feed my kid without turning tricks (or whatever it is that I’m supposed to do for money instead of writing). SO HAPPY!

I opened up Twitter this morning to some awesome news: The Iron Duke has been selected as a Best of 2010 Romance by Publishers Weekly. I’m in great company — check out the list:

The Forbidden Rose by Joanna Bourne
The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
The Heir by Grace Burrowes
Barely a Lady by Eileen Dreyer
Trial by Desire by Courtney Milan

The Ow! part is the wisdom teeth update. It’s not so bad, except that I can’t open my mouth wide enough to eat a piece of bread. Sigh. Who’d have thought I’d ever get tired of chocolate pudding?

THE IRON DUKE hit a few trade romance lists this week (#3 at Borders, #6 at B&N, and #13 Bookscan) which none of my books have ever done before (er, obviously not on the trade list, but the mass market list.) Thank you all so much! It’s simply awesome news, and means that I don’t have to cross my fingers quite so tightly in hopes that my publisher will be interested in seeing more Iron Seas books after Lady Corsair’s.

In other news, the round one contest for Moira Rogers’ and Vivian Arend’s Fall Frenzy is coming to an end on October 15th. THE IRON DUKE is just one of many, many books (and a gift certificate) available to win — and round two runs through October 31st.

And my final news: Stay tuned next week, when I will have five days devoted to steampunk romance, brought to you by the ladies who are currently writing it. If you wanted to know what is available in the genre, these ladies are coming to tell you. It should be a lot of fun.

Normally I’d quote a bunch of reviews, but this time I’m just going to say: HOLY CRAP, JUST LOOK AT THE COVER.

Read an excerpt here (oh, and see more reviews, too.)

***I’m making this a sticky until I get back***

Below, I’ve listed all of the events I know that I’m going to attend. I’m pretty certain that there are a few more that I will have to fill in, but for the life of me, I can’t remember everything that I signed up to do.

Anyway, the only other biggish conference that I’ve been to was RWA in San Francisco, and although I had a great trip, I was kicking myself because I didn’t get to spend a lot of time chatting with anyone, especially the people that I’ve met online. So, here’s the thing: If you see me, please feel free to come up and say hi! Also, I imagine that *scheduling* meetings will end up being difficult, and although I’d love to pen in a sit-down with everyone possible, I’d hate it if something came up and I was late and I stiffed someone.

But I can drink an unlimited amount of coffee and diet coke. Seriously. If you see me, and you want to hang out for a little while, I’d LOVE that. Even if I’m chatting with someone else, say hi and take a seat! And if we’re at an event, feel free to ask me what I’ll be doing afterward. Chances are, I’ll have some free time.

My schedule is after the jump (and subject to additions and changes):

…is really freaking good. And it comes is such a pretty little tin, too. ::hearty eyes::

Demon Forged received a Reviewers’ Choice nomination in Paranormal Fiction. Too awesome.

Congrats to my fellow Odd Shots authors, Ilona and Nalini, for their nominations. (Luckily, we aren’t in the same categories, or it’d be ALL OUT WAR! Tee hee.)

First of all, Must Love Hellhounds hit #18 on the New York Times list. This is very cool, and I want to thank everyone who picked up the anthology. I hope you enjoy it!

Secondly, today’s Friday, so I’m over at the Odd Shots talking about a review of Demon Forged. Yes, I’ve been Klausnered. And not only has she managed to get everything wrong, she’s thrown in something … a little special.

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

18

Timestamp: 2009-08-07 07:03:00 UTC

Comment #18 was… ANGELA T, who asked for MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS. I will get that out to you, Angela, as soon as a copy hits my door.

Thank you to everyone who entered. If you’re looking for another chance to win a book (mine this time, though) I am running my monthly contest (the CONTESTS link at the top of the page), and I’ll be back month next to blog and (I’m sure) give away tons more books.

This post will remain up through the weekend, then disappear again until I resume blogging. Right now I’m working on the steampunk, and I just realized about ten minutes ago that I opened the book with the right idea, but the wrong scene & almost no tension. So I’m fixing it, and it’s already much more fun — for the book and for me. When I come back I’ll hopefully have more information about the new series and the Guardian book following DEMON FORGED.

Thank you again for all of the spectacular birthday wishes!