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…

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!

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?

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.

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

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):

Friday, July 9

Noon: Will expect to arrive at the hotel and register.

Noon – 4:00: Lunch, then Borders interview

8:00 – 8:30 Costume Ball (I will be going as a dork.)
8:30 – 10:00 Blogger/Reviewer Mixer

Saturday, July 10

9:00 Romance Reader Roundtable (I think I’m signed up for this.)

Come visit with editors, book buyers, bloggers, reviewers, and other readers–let them know what you love, what you’re over, what you’d strangle the friendly neighborhood bookseller to get your hands on!

10:00 Monsters & More Semi-Charades

You don’t have to know charades, or have a good knowledge of Urban Fantasy or Paranormal Romance, to have fun playing Monsters & more! Players draw slips with the names of monsters, heroes, heroines, etc. and try to get their team to quick say the name though descriptions, hints, and pantomimes (anything but names/book titles) – in this thrilling, silly, super-interactive event! Authors participating: Carolyn Crane, Carolyn Jewel, Cathy Clamp, Jessa Slade, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Nicole Peeler, Terri Garey.

12:00 Book Fair (I will have a limited quantity of DEMON BLOOD to sign!)

3:30 Betwixt and Between — Paranormal Authors Tea

Cathy Clamp, Christine Feehan, CL Wilson, Erin Kellison, Gabi Stevens, Jeaniene Frost, Jeanne C. Stein, Keena Kincaid, Lynda Hilburn, Melissa Mayhue, Meljean Brook, Nalini Singh, Nicole Peeler, Shannon K. Butcher, Terri Garey, Veronica Wolff.

(I think this is by lottery; 75 people will win a ticket to this.)

5:00 – bedtime: ?

Sunday, July 11

10:00 Brunch

11:00 – leaving: ?

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.)

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.

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!