adult fiction backlist - Taryn Fagerness Agency

 ADULT FICTION
BACKLIST
General Fiction………………………………….……………………..…..page 1 Historical Fiction……………………………………………………………page 6 Thriller, Mystery & Suspense….……………………………………..page 9 Science Fiction & Fantasy…………………………………………...…page 13 Paranormal & Science Fiction Romance………………………..page 14 Romance……………………………………………………………………….page 18 ◦ FICTION ◦ ◦ General Fiction ◦
HAUNTING JASMINE by Anjali Banerjee Berkley, February 2011 ◦ Book in print, 292pp “Banerjee’s opulent prose is as colorful as Auntie’s cherished keepsakes, and gently ironic supernatural elements...add dimension to a romance that spins refreshingly into a quirky, surprising denouement.” – Publishers Weekly A call from the past brings divorcee Jasmine Mistry home to Shelter Island to run her beloved Auntie’s bookstore, which is believed to be haunted. Jasmine then embarks on a mystical journey, urged along by her quirky family, and guided by the highly emotional spirits of long‐dead authors. She is moved to heal her broken heart when she falls unexpectedly in love with an enigmatic young stranger. In redefining the meaning of everlasting love, he urges Jasmine to reinvent herself in a place she calls home. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet), Italy (Rizzoli) ◦ Publisher has world English rights CATFISH ALLEY by Lynne Bryant NAL, April 2011 ◦ Book in print, 336pp Roxanne Reeves has always strived to be the perfect upper‐class Southern woman. That is, until she’s assigned to create an African‐American Tour in Clarksville and meets Grace Clark, an 89‐year‐old African‐American woman who wants nothing to do with Roxanne. How can Grace possibly go about teaching this woman about African‐American history when Roxanne barely acknowledges that blacks exist? But during their weekly visits to historical sites, they discover that friendship often comes in unlikely packages, and the two women set out to heal a wounded society segregated by race for far too long. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency)
◦ Publisher has world English rights 1
BLOOD ORANGE by Drusilla Campbell Kensington, July 2005 ◦ Book in print, 337pp * Over 100,000 copies sold! When Dana Cabot’s seven‐year‐old daughter goes missing, she can’t help blaming her husband’s controversial defense of an accused abuser for playing a role in the abduction—and it shows in the strain on their marriage. But then a shocking event offers a clue to what really happened to Bailey—and Dana’s unwitting part in it. (Agent: Angela Rinaldi, Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights BONE LAKE by Drusilla Campbell Madison Park Press, 2007 ◦ Book in print, 353pp * An exclusive main selection of Doubleday Book Club and The Literary Guild! * Over 50,000 copies sold! Eleven‐year‐old Callen grew up in a world filled with intolerance and hate—
until the night a devastating fire put her in the custody of the FBI. Separated from everything familiar, Callen now stubbornly clings to the teachings of the white supremacist cult that raised her, even as she starts a new life with her aunt. (Agent: Angela Rinaldi, Angela Rinaldi Literary Agency) UNEXPECTEDLY MILO by Matthew Dicks Broadway, August 2010 ◦ Book in print, 352pp “When it comes to endearingly odd protagonists, no one beats Matthew Dicks….Reading a Matthew Dicks novel always proves to be an unadulterated joy and Unexpectedly, Milo is no exception.” – BookPage Milo’s marriage is failing, and he can’t figure out why. After all, he’s managed to hide his weird compulsions from his wife for over three years, but when Milo finds a video camera and a bag of tapes on a park bench, and begins to watch the apparent video confessional of a woman unburdening her deepest secrets, he connects with this stranger in a way he’s never done with a real person. He decides to do something radical: to help this stranger by attempting to solve a mystery that has secretly plagued her for years. (Agent: Taryn Fagerness, Taryn Fagerness Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet) DON’T LET ME GO by Catherine Ryan Hyde Transworld UK, September 2011 ◦ Book in print, 320pp Once a promising young dancer on Broadway, Billy Shine now lives in a cheap apartment and he never goes outside. Ever. Until Grace, a sweet but noisy nine‐year‐old whose mother is a drug addict, comes along and he and the whole building get involved in Grace’s care. But it all backfires when they realize they’re only enabling Grace’s mom to stay high. So, together, they come up with a plan: they will have to confiscate the one thing her mom holds most dear...they will have to kidnap Grace. (Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Hungary (Pioneer Books), Netherlands (De Kern), Portugal (Publicaçoes Europa‐América) 2
SECOND HAND HEART by Catherine Ryan Hyde Transworld UK, September 2010 ◦ Book in print, 300pp Nineteen‐year‐old Vida has spent her whole life preparing for her death, unlikely to receive the donor heart she needs. Richard is a 36‐year‐old man who just lost his beloved wife, Lorrie, in a car accident and hasn’t addressed his grieving. The two are bound by Lorrie’s heart, which is transplanted into Vida’s chest. When they meet, Vida declares that she loves him, and Richard dismisses her as a foolish child, but later wonders: is it possible to access trace memories from a donated heart? By the time Richard understands that cellular memory is an accepted theory in many scientific communities, Vida has gone off to follow where her new heart is guiding her. (Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British (Transworld), China (Beijing Mediatime Books), Korea (Seoul Cultural Publishers), Poland (Nasza Ksiegarnia, Portugal (Publicaçoes Europa‐América), Thailand (Post Publishing), Vietnam (Nha Nam) THE HARDEST PART OF LOVE by Catherine Ryan Hyde Transworld UK, new edition published April 2011 Originally published by Simon & Schuster 2000 ◦ Book in print, 464pp “Ryan Hyde spins her tale so effortlessly that the reader closes the book with a quiet sense of elation, and only later notices that Electric God is still there, etched on the psyche, like the imprint of a lightning bolt upon the eye.” – The San Francisco Chronicle Hayden briefly has it all: a wife and daughter he adores and a baby on the way. But when his son dies at birth, a deep anger emerges, robbing Hayden of everything. Years on, Hayden is living in self‐imposed exile. He’s just lost his beloved dog and is now losing Laurel, the only woman he’s loved since. But just as Hayden’s rage rises again, a young figure from the past emerges, forcing him to re‐visit his long‐buried childhood. (Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British (Transworld) MY JANE AUSTEN SUMMER by Cindy Jones Avon, April 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp “An invitation to get lost in Austen all over again. Janeites will have great fun watching how Cindy Jones cleverly interweaves a very modern romance with the characters, themes, and scenes of Austen’s masterpiece” – Lynn Shepherd, author of Murder at Mansfield Park Lily Berry is stuck in a cycle of loss—her mother to cancer, her boyfriend to an earth mother, and her job to negligence from reading too much Jane Austen. In order to avoid her father’s remarriage, Lily wrangles an invitation to a Jane Austen literary festival, where actors reenact scenes from Mansfield Park. She flies to England, but is exposed as an amateur among professional actors, and her romantic affairs aren’t as fulfilling as she’d hoped. She is forced to confront the question of whether she is the protagonist in her own life or a merely repeating the same foolish mistakes in every new chapter. (Agent: Laura Rennert, Andrea Brown Literary Agency) 3
LIPSTICK AND OTHER STORIES by Alex Kuo Soho Press, July 2003 ◦ Book in print, 182pp * National Book Award Winner! * 2002 American Book Award Winner! His memory—his mind, really—is blocking and altering his recollection of what transpired in the early forties in Chongqing. What he remembers about his mother is especially jagged and conflicting. Such repression is a theme Alex Kuo pursues in many of his stories. Likewise censorship and state terrorism, ideology and dissidence. (No agent) THE MAN WHO DAMMED THE YANGTZE: A Mathematical Novel by Alex Kuo Haven, June 2011 ◦ Book in print, 180pp “This fast paced political thriller offers a much needed fresh and multidimensional examination of student unrest on both sides of the Pacific. By switching points‐of‐
view Kuo shows a literary craftsman at work and proves once again that fiction counts.” – Ishmael Reed A political and environmental novel, bound to raise eyebrows on both sides of the Pacific. Two finite‐numbers mathematicians—a Chinese woman and a Chinese American man—become disillusioned with teaching. She goes to work in China’s Three Gorges Dam, he for Westinghouse in Pittsburgh. Unknown to each other, they struggle to balance their personal values against the global corporate determinism of dam building. (No agent) DEAREST by Carole Marshall Transit Publishing/Cogito, July 2011 ◦ Book in print, 224pp Amelia Payne, only child of Maize the Clown and Jonah Payne, the owner of Payne’s Magic Shop, is being driven mad by the oddball characters that frequent the shop, an increasingly silent father, her mother’s unexplained desertion, and the loss of her best friend. On the advice of her occasionally lucid Grandpa Toby, Amelia “imagines a better way” and designs a normal life on the other side of the country. But when a friend reconnects with her asking for help, Amelia is forced to revisit her past, landing her back in the thick of jugglers, mimes, and magicians. And she discovers she must come to terms with her past, even if it means coming face‐to‐face with her own imagination. (Agent: Sally van Haitsma, van Haitsma Literary) ◦ Publisher has world English rights FREE TO A GOOD HOME by Eve Marie Mont Berkley, July 2010 ◦ Book in print, 304pp Free to a Good Home’s Noelle Ryan works as a veterinary technician at a New England animal shelter, helping pets find the perfect homes. If only it were as easy to find the same thing for herself. After discovering that she can’t have children and watching her marriage fall apart after, Noelle feels as forlorn and abandoned as the strays she rescues. Noelle is left with only her Great Dane, Zeke, to comfort her. But when a carefree musician named Jasper gives her a second chance at love, Noelle 4
comes to realize that home is truly where the heart is. (Agent: April Eberhardt, of Kimberly Cameron Associates) HICK by Andrea Portes Unbridled Books, April 2007 ◦ Book in print, 245pp * Los Angeles Times bestseller! * Best Adult Book for High School Students selection by School Library Journal! Foreseeing a hopeless future, cagey 13‐year‐old Luli McMullen bolts headlong from the heartland, aiming for Las Vegas where she expects to find herself a sugar daddy. Almost immediately, crooked‐bodied Eddie Kreezer, a roving obsessive with a violent streak, and a fading but lovely grifter named Glenda begin to do battle for Luli’s head and heart. On their perilous journey westward, Luli is introduced to drifters, lowlifes, strippers, speed freaks, gold‐diggers, and a Libertarian with a dog named Karl. Part coming‐of‐
age story and part raggedy picaresque, Hick leads us down broken roads through a world that seems to this extraordinary and indomitable young girl dangerously uncharted. (Agent: Sally van Haitsma, van Haitsma Literary) CLUB RULES by Andrew Trees St. Martin’s, March 2010 ◦ Book in print, 288pp “[A] modern day Gatsby tale….Club Rules is a fascinating look at privileged society.” – ArmChairInterviews.com In Eden’s Glen, an iconic world of privilege and ease, the Winthrop family is at the top. But even the Winthrops are not immune to the pressures that underlie the clean, calm surface of life in paradise. The events that follow reveal that even money and position cannot save their charmed world. Club Rules is an elegant and moving novel, by the author of Academy X, about marriage and the price of a bourgeois American life. (Agent: Judith Riven, Judith Riven Literary Agency) SECOND HAND by Michael Zadoorian Norton, March 2000 ◦ Book in print, 272pp “Incisively humorous and surprisingly poignant, this is a quirky, surprisingly tender coming‐of‐age tale.” – Publishers Weekly While most people scramble for the newest and the best, Richard searches for the odd and obsolete—and sells it at his second‐hand shop on the edge of Detroit. Richard’s mother has died, and left behind a valuable house full of packed‐away junk—including some old photos that will change everything Richard thought about his parents. And then there’s the hip, thrift‐attired woman who comes into his store with more than junk on her mind....Suddenly some very unexpected things are entering Richard’s life, including some surprising revelations about love and loss—and what’s really important in life. (Agent: Sally van Haitsma, van Haitsma Literary) ◦ Foreign sales: France (Fleuve Noir) 5
◦ Historical Fiction ◦
THE DARLING STRUMPET by Gillian Bagwell Berkley, January 2011 ◦ Book in print, 384pp “Richly engaging portrait of the life and times of one of history’s most appealing characters!” – Diana Gabaldon, author of the bestselling Outlander series Witty and beautiful, Nell Gwynn was born into poverty, trading her mother’s treacherous grasp for the life of a prostitute at a young age. Before long she finds herself drawn into the enthralling world of the theater, where she earns a place in the King’s Company. Her comedic talents and endearing personality catapult her to fame, winning the affection of legions of fans—and the heart of her leading man. But it is when she catches the eye of the most powerful man in all of England—the King himself—that her life is transformed in ways she could never have imagined. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British 2 books (Avon UK), Czech (Beta), Hungary (Nouvion Trade Sociedad Anonima), Poland (Bellona), Turkey (Artemis/Alfa) THE SEPTEMBER QUEEN by Gillian Bagwell Berkley, November 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp “Bagwell may be one of the newer writers in the historical fiction genre, but she is one of the most talented. Her love and knowledge of the time period shines through as well as her beautifully written words and descriptive details. This novel is guaranteed to be a favorite among historical fiction readers!” – Pittsburgh Historical Fiction Examiner The author of The Darling Strumpet returns to 17th‐century England, a nation in the throes of civil war. Cromwell’s army is on the king’s scent and Jane must transport him, disguised as her manservant, to safety. As she places herself in harm’s way, with peril awaiting at every turn, she finds herself falling in love with the gallant young Charles. And despite his reputation as a breaker of hearts, Jane finds herself surrendering to a passion that will change her life forever. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British (Avon UK) THE QUEEN’S PAWN by Christy English NAL, April 2010 ◦ Book in print, 378pp “Treachery, betrayal, lust—and an unusual and compelling love story, beautifully told.” – Karen Harper, author of The Queen’s Governess A historical novel of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine and the one person she loved more than power—her rival for the throne. Estranged from her husband, Eleanor sees a kindred spirit in the determined young girl, Princess Alais, who is sent to wed her son. But as Alais grows to maturity and develops ambitions of her own, Eleanor begins to see her as a threat—and their love for each other becomes overshadowed by their bitter rivalry, dark betrayals, conflicting passions, and a battle for revenge over the throne of England itself. (Agent: Margaret O’Connor, Innisfree Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign Sales: Germany (Weitbild), Turkey (Grup Ekvator Yayincilik) 6
TO BE QUEEN: A Novel of Eleanor of Aquitaine by Christy English NAL, April 2010 ◦ Book in print, 400pp With captivating and lyrical prose, the author of The Queen’s Pawn delves into the early life of the legendary Eleanor of Aquitaine...Duchess at 15, Eleanor of Aquitaine marries the King of France. But will she find that she must pay too high a price to be queen? Although Louis VII is enamored of his bride, the newly crowned king is easily manipulated by forces in the Church. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Eleanor fights for her freedom and for the love of her life. In the arms of Henry of Normandy, Eleanor may finally find the passion she longs for, and the means to fulfill her legacy as Queen. (Agent: Margaret O’Connor, Innisfree Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights THE TRIUMPH OF DEBORAH by Eva Etzioni‐Halevy Plume, February 2008 ◦ Book in print, 368pp “Etzioni‐Halevy breathes fresh life into a time period when women ruled both by spiritual force and by feminine wiles….This novel will be devoured by lovers of historical fiction and romance alike.” – Library Journal In ancient Israel, war is looming. Deborah, a highly respected leader, has coerced the warrior Barak into launching a strike against the neighboring Canaanites. Against all odds he succeeds, returning triumphantly with Asherah and Nogah, daughters of the Canaanite King, as his prisoners. But military victory is only the beginning of the turmoil, as a complex love triangle develops between Barak and the two princesses. (Agent: Judith Riven, Judith Riven Literary Agency) THE GENTLEMAN POET: A Novel of Love, Danger, and Shakespeare’s The Tempest by Kathryn Johnson Avon, September 2010 ◦ Book in print, 336pp “In The Gentleman Poet, Kathryn Johnson weaves a marvelously original story that combines history, adventure, and a young woman’s growth to produce a rich and atmospheric tale.” – Mary Jo Putney, New York Times bestselling author of Never Less Than a Lady En route to the Americas in 1609, Elizabeth Persons, a young servant girl, sees her blinding headache as an ominous sign. Sure enough, a hurricane tosses the Sea Venture on to the shores of the Bermudas, the rumored home of evil spirits and dangerous natives. As time passes—amidst the hardship, mutiny, adventure, and a blossoming love between Elizabeth and the ship’s cook—she despairs being rescued. But she makes friends with a poet traveling under the name William Strachey, who back home is known by a different name: Shakespeare. And from their adventures comes the stuff of great plays. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) 7
JOSEFINA’S SIN by Claudia Long Atria, August 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp “[A] superb debut….[T]his is a moving tale of women seeking to balance competing passions of the heart, body, and mind in the lavish setting of a 17th‐century Mexican court.” – Publishers Weekly Josefina, a sheltered landowner’s wife, accepts an invitation from the Marquesa, but she is overwhelmed by the Court’s complicated world. While fighting off aggressive advances from the Marquesa’s husband, she finds it difficult to stay true to her marriage vows when she becomes involved in a secret affair with the local bishop. Amidst this drama, Josefina is unexpectedly drawn to the intellectual nuns who study and write poetry at the risk of persecution by the Spanish Inquisition—especially Sor Juana Ines de al Cruz who helps Josefina change from a grounded wife and mother to a woman of so much more. (Agent: April Eberhardt, April Eberhardt Literary) THE LAST PRINCE OF THE MEXICAN EMPIRE by C.M. Mayo Unbridled Books, May 2009 ◦ Book in print, 448pp “Mayo’s reanimation of a crucial period in Mexican history should satisfy history buffs and those in the mood for an engaging story brimming with majestic ambition.” – Publishers Weekly As the American Civil War rages north of the border, a group of Mexican conservative exiles and clergy convince Louis Napoleon to invade Mexico and install the Archduke of Austria, Maximilian von Habsburg, as Emperor. Childless and desperate for an heir, Maximilian offers a substantial amount of money to the parents of two year old Agustin, in exchange for custody of the boy. The half‐American toddler becomes a prince, although his parents become dissatisfied with the arrangement and beg for him back. Maximilian’s reluctance to return the child to his distraught parents, even as his empire began to fall, ignites an international scandal. (Agent: Christina Ward, The Ward & Balkin Agency, Inc.) ◦ Publisher has world English rights THE LAST TIME I SAW PARIS by Lynn Sheene Berkley, May 2011 ◦ Book in print, 220pp “The Last Time I Saw Paris is an absorbing, suspenseful, and delightful debut. Lynn Sheene has delivered a fantastic romantic thriller, which perfectly balances convincing historical research with page‐turning thrills. It is an absolute joy to read.” – David Liss, bestselling author of The Devil’s Company May 1940: Fleeing a glamorous Manhattan life, Claire Harris arrives in Paris with a romantic vision of starting anew. But Claire didn’t anticipate the sight of Nazi soldiers marching under the Arc de Triomphe. In exchange for false identity papers, Claire agrees to aid the French Resistance, and spends time in the company of Thomas Grey, a mysterious Englishman working with the Resistance. Her socialite values begin to shift, but deception and betrayal force her to flee once again—this time to fight for the man she loves—praying she survives long enough to see Paris again. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Brazil (Ediouro), Catalan (Columna), Italy (Fanucci Editore), Poland (Otwarte), Spain (Planeta) ◦ Publisher has world English rights 8
◦ Thrillers, Mystery & Suspense ◦
ENDANGERED by Pamela Beason Berkley Prime Crime, December 2011 ◦ Book in print, 320pp “What a blast! If you like your mysteries packed with action, adventure, suspense, and romance, Beason’s Endangered will light your fire. I can’t wait for the next!” – Ann Charles, award‐winning author of the Deadwood mystery series Summer “Sam” Westin nudged a boy down a dark path toward a man she presumed was his father, and now he’s missing in the Utah wilderness. As a wildlife biologist/writer, her first cougar story becomes the centerpiece of a media campaign that targets the cats as prime suspects in the boy’s disappearance. If Sam and the park rangers can’t redirect the investigation, both the boy and the big cats will be sacrificed. Can Sam uncover the truth in time to save them both? (Agent: Curtis Russell, P.S. Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany 3 books (VGS) ◦ Publisher has world English rights HOMINID by John C. Boland Perfect Crime, September 2011 ◦ Book in print, 350pp “[S]uperior science fiction thriller….Boland’s taut atmospherics, especially in the scenes set on Ewell Island, are top‐notch, and the evolutionary themes he explores are easily accessible to nonscientists.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review Archaeologist David Isaac joins a team excavating a crypt on a remote island where a colonial‐era family lies buried. By local lore, the family were “devils.” The expedition’s leader hopes to revive his career by proving they were murdered by neighbors in a burst of religious hysteria. But these cadavers harbor an older and deadlier secret. And nobody is prepared for what is about to emerge. (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) SUCKERPUNCH by Jeremy Brown Medallion Press, August 2011 ◦ Book in print, 300pp * USA Book News Finalist in the Adventure/Thriller category! “[A] smartly constructed, well‐told crime novel.” – Booklist On the night before his first fight on a major card, mixed martial artist Woody’s past comes back to haunt him when he helps his old partner‐in‐crime Lance by accompanying him to a meeting with a bookie to whom he owes money. But the tables quickly turn when the illegal bookmaker realizes who Woody is and bets on him to win his fight—or else his girlfriend, who the bookie has kidnapped, will die. Not knowing who to trust, Woody must tap into his instincts and street smarts, as the fight getting to the cage will be tougher than anything he has ever faced inside it. (Agent: Margaret O’Connor, Innisfree Literary) ◦ Publisher has world English rights 9
PAPA’S PROBLEM by Patrick Kendrick BluewaterPress, September 2008 ◦ Book in print, 322pp “Pat Kendrick has masterfully blended a tale of historical fiction, intrigue and love surrounding a murder mystery and has skillfully woven it all into a twisting and turning, roller‐coaster ride of a plot. He brings old Key West and Papa Hemingway to life along with his own colorful and likable detective, Emmet MacWain….[Y]ou can taste the fish on the grill and smell the blood dripping on the hardwood floor.” – Brent Braunworth, author of Blood, Guts and Tears In depression era Key West, Ernest “Papa” Hemingway becomes embroiled in a plot that involves illegal gambling and smuggling refugees when he finds himself the suspect in the murder of a Cuban prostitute. Working with the mysterious former Scotland Yard inspector, Emmet MacWain, they must delve into the dark side of this sunny paradise and find the answers that may help save hundreds of innocent lives as well as their own. (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) MR. KILL: A Sergeants Sueño & Bascom Mystery by Martin Limon Soho Crime, December 2011 ◦ Book in print, 368pp On a crowded train from Pusan to Seoul, the brutal rape of a young mother sparks rage on the powder‐keg peninsula of Korea. Eyewitness accounts indicate the culprit was most likely a U.S. serviceman, but by the time Sergeants George Sueno and Ernie Bascom, U.S. Army investigators, are called in to join forces with a ruthless Korean homicide investigator known as Mr. Kill, the rapist has disappeared and anti‐
American fervor in this proud Asian country is threatening to explode. (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights WOMAN OF ILL FAME by Erika Mailman Heyday Books, February 2007 ◦ Book in print, 257pp “The whodunit aspect makes Woman of Ill Fame a page‐turner, and Mailman manages to keep the reader guessing. Yet it’s the depiction of early San Francisco that propels this thriller above its genre, in the manner of historical fiction such as Caleb Carr’s The Alienist.” – San Francisco Bay Guardian Looking for a better life, Nora Simms sails from the East Coast to gold rush San Francisco with a plan for success: to strike it rich by trading on her good looks. But when a string of murders claims several of her fellow women of ill fame, Nora grows uneasy with how closely linked all of the victims are to her. She must distinguish friend from foe in a race to discover the identity of the killer. (No agent) ARK OF FIRE by C.M. Palov Berkley, December 2009 ◦ Book in print, 387pp “Nonstop action and clever plotting power this thrilling debut….Fans of Dan Brown and Steve Berry will be enthralled.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review Photographer Edie Miller is eyewitness to a murder—and the theft of an ancient Hebrew relic known as the Stones of Fire. Fearing the D.C. police are complicit, she turns to historian Caedmon Aisquith for help. At first she neither 10
understands the breadth of the crime or the true value of the astonishing work of art that could lead the bearer to the most valuable relic of all…the Ark of the Covenant. Marked for execution, Edie and Caedmon must follow the clues of the quatrains if they are to discover the truth and stay alive. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British (Michael Joseph/Penguin), Czech (Metafora), Germany (Blanvalet), Italy (Newton Compton), Poland (Bellona), Russia (Exmo), Slovenia (Anu Elara), Spain (Bòveda), Turkey (Pegasus) THE TEMPLAR’S CODE by C.M. Palov Berkley, November 2010 ◦ Book in print, 544pp Historian and former MI5 intelligence officer Caedmon Asquith and his research assistant, Edie Miller, are approached by Dr. Jason Lovett, an archaeologist who claims that in the early 14th century, the Knights Templar brought the Emerald Tablet—an ancient Egyptian text containing the secret of creation—to a secret colony in the undiscovered New World. Dr. Lovett needs Caedmon’s help to decipher Templar symbols, but before he can go into detail, he’s murdered. Before dying, he thrust a digital voice recorder into Edie’s hands, which leads Edie and Caedmon on a dangerous journey as they follow encrypted clues around the world, as a shadowy force follows their every move. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: British (Michael Joseph/Penguin), Czech (Metafora), Germany (Blanvalet), Hungary (Nouvion Trade Sociedad Anonima), Italy (Newton Compton), Poland (Bellona), Turkey (Pegasus) THE TEMPLAR’S QUEST by C.M. Palov Michael Joseph/Penguin UK, November 2011 ◦ Book in print, 528pp “Heart‐stopping suspense, ancient mysteries, and rollercoaster action...a book that will have you cheering as you read.” – New York Times bestselling author James Rollins Finn McGuire finds himself framed for a string of murders moments after he uncovers the legendary Medallion in an ancient Syrian chapel. The culprits are a group of Nazi SS descendents known as The Seven who will stop at nothing to possess the pendant...and the Holy Grail. Their wish? To resurrect the Third Reich. And Finn has to stop them. The stakes are high, for the fate of mankind hangs in the balance if he fails. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Czech (Metafora), Italy (Newton Compton), Serbia (Evro Giunti) CUT TO THE QUICK: The First Julian Kestrel Mystery by Kate Ross Felony & Mayhem, April 2010 Originally published by Viking 1993 ◦ Book in print, 320pp “Period atmosphere, polished dialog, ever‐present class distinctions, and sprinklings of Regency romance make this a nice series opener with an unusual hero” – Library Journal Julian Kestrel is the walking definition of a Regency‐era dandy. He cares about little beyond the perfection of his tailoring, he lives for the bon mot, and his life has the specific gravity and the fleeting charm of a soap‐bubble. At least that’s what he’d like you to think. In fact, it rather suits Kestrel to be perpetually underestimated, particularly when, as in this instance, his weekend at a glamorous country estate is spoiled by a dead girl’s body being found in his bed. (Agent: Christina Ward, The Ward & Balkin Agency, Inc.) 11
◦ Foreign sales: France (Libraire Des Champs‐Elysees), Italy (Mondadori), Japan (Kodansha), Sweden (Kommentus) A BROKEN VESSEL: The Second Julian Kestral Mystery by Kate Ross Felony & Mayhem, April 2011 Originally published by Viking 1995 ◦ Book in print, 368pp * Winner, Gargoyle award in the category of Best Historical Mystery 1994! “For this swaggering walk on the dark side of a gilded era, Ms. Ross writes vividly of the sights, sounds and depravities of the day.” – The New York Times Julian Kestrel, the dandy detective of Regency London, is most decidedly a man of the world and, through his valet, Dipper, reformed Cockney pickpocket, is not without ties to the underworld. One such connection is Dipper’s sister Sally, a prostitute who accidentally happens across the possibility of murder while picking her clients’ pockets. Since Sally isn’t quite in the position to go to the police with her knowledge, she and Julian must chase the clues all through London, from glittery parlors to the dank halls of a home for fallen women. (Agent: Christina Ward, The Ward & Balkin Agency, Inc.) ◦ Foreign sales: Fracne (Libraire Des Champs‐Elysees), Germany (Goldmann), Italy (Mondadori), Turkey (Bilge Kultur) WHAT BURNS WITHIN, book 1 in the Nolan, Hart & Tain series by Sandra Ruttan Dorchester Publishing, April 2008 ◦ Book in print, 384pp “Ruttan manages to keep multiple leads…on the same page admirably: she doesn’t drop too many clues in their laps or allow the tension to flag...the straight proceduralism from Ruttan serves the story well through the rewarding climax.” – Publishers Weekly Three Vancouver constables—son‐of‐a‐sergeant Craig Nolan, bombshell in the boys’ club Ashlyn Hart, and stolidly antisocial cop Tain—are drawn together as the rapes, arsons, and child abductions they’re working on begin to converge when the body of one of the abduction victims is found at the site of the one of the arsons. (Agent: Curtis Russell, P.S. Literary) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Japan (Shueisha) ◦ Taryn Fagerness Agency controls all foreign rights except: China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan. THE FRAILTY OF FLESH, book 2 in the Nolan, Hart & Tain series by Sandra Ruttan Dorchester Publishing, October 2008 ◦ Book in print, 335pp “An unflinching look into the dark heart of family dysfunction, The Frailty of Flesh raises difficult questions and shuns easy answers. Sandra Ruttan writes with passion and honesty about every parent’s worst nightmare and the result is an emotionally wrenching experience.” – Sean Chercover, author of Trigger City and Big City, Bad Blood In the aftermath of the case that reunited them, Hart and Tain find themselves standing over the body of a murdered child, just days before Christmas. The investigation takes a startling turn when the brother of the victim identifies his older sister as the killer, but there’s much more to the crime than meets the eye. (Agent: Curtis Russell, P.S. Literary) 12
◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Japan (Shueisha) ◦ Taryn Fagerness Agency controls all foreign rights except: China, Germany, Japan, Korea, The Netherlands, Taiwan. ◦ Science Fiction & Fantasy ◦
KINDLING THE MOON: An Arcadia Bell Novel by Jenn Bennett Pocket Books, July 2011 ◦ Book in print, 275pp “Delicious characters, fun twists, and fiendish risks...This smart, stylish debut really delivers. Loved, loved, loved it!” – Carolyn Crane, author of Double Cross Being the spawn of two alleged murderers isn’t easy, but free‐wheeling magickian Arcadia “Cady” Bell knows how to keep a low profile. Hiding out for seven years, she’s carved an incognito niche for herself slinging drinks at the Tambuku Tiki Lounge. But when surveillance footage of her parents surfaces, she receives an ultimatum and must prove their innocence. Unfortunately, the only witness to the crimes was an elusive Æthyric demon, and Cady has no idea how to find it. She teams up with Lon Butler, a sex‐magickian demonologist, and their research soon escalates into a storm of conflict. If Cady can’t clear her family name soon, she’ll be forced to sacrifice her own life...and no amount of running will save her this time. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) MISERERE: An Autumn Tale by Teresa Frohock Night Shade Books, July 2011 ◦ Book in print, 350pp “Miserere is about redemption and the triumph of our best impulses over our worst. It’s also about swords, monsters, chases, ghosts, magic, [and] court intrigues. It’s also really, really good.” – Alex Bledsoe, author of Dark Jenny Lucian Negru deserted his lover Rachel in Hell in exchange for saving his sister Catarina’s soul, but Catarina doesn’t want salvation. She wants Lucian to help her fulfill her dark covenant with the Fallen Angels by using his power to open the Hell Gates and lead the Fallen’s hoards out of Hell and into the parallel dimension of Woerld. When Lucian refuses, she imprisons and cripples him. Determined to rescue Rachel, Lucian flees, but Catarina’s wrath isn’t so easy to escape. With the help of his “foundling,” a girl from earth named Lindsay who learns to use her growing powers under Lucian’s tutelage, Lucian journeys through the dangerous Wasteland to find Rachel, who believes that Lucian has already become one of the Fallen himself. (Agent: Weronika Janczuk, D4EO Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights DREAM WAR by Stephen Prosapio Kindle e‐book edition, July 2010 ◦ E‐book in print, 352pp “Comparisons to Michael Crichton are spot on.” – Geoffrey Edwards, author of Fire Bell in the Night 1980. Hector Lopez joins a CIA enterprise capable of entering dreams and extracting information. Lopez saves hundreds of hostages’ lives by dream‐linking to terrorists and foiling their plans. When the Red Brigades, an Italian terrorist group, kidnaps a US General, Lopez and his team execute every technique available for extracting information—including one that links our world to a dimension never meant to be discovered, the Spatium Quartus. In the present day, the Sogno di Guerra—a Red Brigades sect—plans the slaughter 13
of millions. And they have the help of Luzveyn Dred, the entity ruling the the Spatium Quartus. Aided by an aging expatriate, a recovering alcoholic, and a mysterious girl, Lopez must overcome memories of past failures and defeat evil—in this world as well as in the dimension of nightmares. (Agent: Taryn Fagerness, Taryn Fagerness Agency) GHOSTS OF ROSEWOOD ASYLUM by Stephen Prosapio Otherworld Publications, June 2011 ◦ Book in print, 280pp Zach Kalusky, host of TV’s Xavier Paranormal Investigators, is ecstatic when he’s given the opportunity to explore the most haunted site in Chicago for a Halloween Special: Rosewood Asylum, a place made off‐limits by the government. But there’s a catch: the network forces him to partner with the more dramatic—but less ethical—Demon Hunters. Now, Zach must fight for his show’s integrity while trying to protect his own secret: that he, himself, is possessed. At Rosewood they experience extraordinary paranormal activity, but are the occurrences authentic or staged? To put the pieces together, Zach must risk of his own life while at the same time push his team to find answers. (Agent: Taryn Fagerness, Taryn Fagerness Agency) ◦ Paranormal & Science Fiction Romance ◦ GRIMSPACE: A Sirantha Jax Novel, book 1 by Ann Aguirre Ace Books, February 2008 ◦ Book in print, 320 pages “Grimspace is an exciting, evocative, and suspenseful science‐fiction romance, reminding me of Firefly and Serenity. Characters and worlds you’ll think about long after the book is done. Fascinating!” – Robin D. Owens, RITA Award‐winning author of Heart of Dance As the carrier of a rare gene, Jax has the ability to jump ships through grimspace—a talent which cuts into her life expectancy, but makes her a highly prized navigator for the Corp. But when the ship she’s navigating crash‐lands, and Jax is accused of killing everyone on board, she’s imprisoned until a mysterious man breaks into her cell, offering her freedom—
for a price. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet), Japan (Hayakawa), Turkey (Artemis/Alfa) WANDERLUST: A Sirantha Jax Novel, book 2 by Ann Aguirre Ace Books, August 2008 ◦ Book in print, 320 pages Sirantha Jax is a “Jumper,” a woman who possesses the unique genetic makeup needed to navigate through grimspace at speeds faster than light. When the government asks her to journey to the planet Ithiss‐Tor and convince them to join the Conglomerate, she takes it. But, she’ll have to contend with Syndicate criminals, a stormy relationship with her pilot, man‐eating aliens, and her own grimspace‐
weakened body. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet), Turkey (Artemis/Alfa) 14
DOUBLEBLIND: A Sirantha Jax Novel, book 3 by Ann Aquirre Ace Books, September 2009 ◦ Book in print, 320pp “An irresistible blend of action and attitude. Sirantha Jax doesn’t just leap off the page—she storms out, kicking, cursing, and mouthing off. No wonder her pilot falls in love with her; readers will to.” – Sharon Shinn, national bestselling author of Reader and Raelynx As a “Jumper” who navigates ships through grimspace, Sirantha Jax is used to kicking ass first and taking names later—much later. Not exactly the obvious choice to sell the Conglomerate to the Ithtorians, a people whose opinions of humans are as hard as their exoskeletons. And Ithiss‐Tor council meetings aren’t the only place where Ambassador Jax needs to maneuver carefully. Her lover, March, is frozen in permanent “kill” mode, and his hair‐trigger threatens to sabotage the talks—not to mention their relationship. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet), Turkey (Artemis/Alfa) KILLBOX: A Sirantha Jax Novel, book 4 by Ann Aguirre Ace Books, September 2010 ◦ Book in print, 368pp Though Sirantha Jax has succeeded on Ithiss‐Tor things still look bleak. Somehow, the Morgut know that the Ithtorians no longer command the fleet they once did, and the war has begun. Humans are dying, and the Conglomerate hovers on the ragged edge of disaster. Desperate times call for desperate measures. It will take an armada to drive back the dark threat hiding among the stars. It will require a return to the days of empire, when combat jumpers stood ready to carry battle ships to the enemy. And once she’s trained, Jax will show the universe exactly what she can do. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Turkey (Artemis/Alfa) AFTERMATH by Ann Aguirre Ace, August 2011 ◦ Book in print, 320pp During the war against murderous, flesheating aliens, grimspace “jumper” Sirantha Jax decided to go it alone. The cost of her actions: the destruction of modern interstellar travel—and the lives of six hundred Conglomerate soldiers. Now she’s on trial from dereliction of duty, desertion, mass murder, high treason...and her life. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights NIGHTFALL: Book 1 of the Dark Age Dawning trilogy by Ellen Connor Berkley Sensation, June 2011 ◦ Book in print, 336pp Jenna never thought that her father’s predictions about the end of the world would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her—one that includes the strong, stoic ex‐Marine named Mason who owes a lifedebt to Jenna’s father. Skilled and steadfast, he’s ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince…until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack. As 15
technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion—a flame that will see them through the violence of a new Dark Age. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet) ◦ Publisher has world English rights MIDNIGHT: Book 2 of the Dark Age Dawning trilogy by Ellen Connor Berkley Sensation, September 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp Three years of wandering the postapocalyptic wasteland has stripped Dr. Chris Welsh of hope—until he encounters Valle de Bravo, a haven of civilization amid the chaos of the Change. Soldiers there take their orders from Rosa Cortez—
and the last thing Rosa needs is a feral loner upsetting the town’s tentative balance. However, she lets Chris stay, and as bloodthirsty raiders strike again and again, Chris and Rosa battle hellhounds and dust pirates while also fighting desperate attraction. To save them, love must overcome the pain of the past—and build a future in this brutal Dark Age. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet) ◦ Publisher has world English rights DAYBREAK: Book 3 in the Dark Age Dawning trilogy by Ellen Connor Berkley Sensation, December 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp It’s been 12 years since the Change, and Penelope Sheehan is one of the few still practicing magic for the good of humanity in this dark, dangerous world. But she needs the help of a shapeshifter named Tru, who is a creature of instinct and impulse, living only to satisfy his senses—ignoring the scarred heart nobody has ever reached. Fighting alongside the last holdouts of humanity, they will unleash a passion that tempts them to risk everything for love. But if they succeed, Tru and Pen will hold the power to brighten the Dark Age for all time. (Agent: Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet) ◦ Publisher has world English rights LEGEND OF MICHAEL: A Zodius Novel by Lisa Renee Jones Sourcebooks Casablanca, May 2011 ◦ Book in print, 416pp One of an army of human soldiers injected with alien DNA, Michael is a legend within this new race, split between good and evil. Cassandra holds the key to Michael’s power, and his pain. With loyalties divided and against insurmountable odds, Cassandra’s heart propels her to Michael’s side—but can her love do anything but destroy him? (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Egmont) 16
THE STORM THAT IS STERLING: A Zodius Novel by Lisa Renee Jones Sourcebooks Casablanca, November 2011 ◦ Book in print, 352pp Sterling Jeter has remarkable powers and has shown himself to be just about indestructible. But beautiful, brilliant Rebecca Burns can see that deep down, he’s just a man. Sterling and Rebecca’s teenage romance was interrupted, but years later the heat between them flares back to life. Even though it endangers everything they’re fighting for, it’s impossible to resist picking up right where they left off. (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Egmont) DARK FUTURE by KC Klein Avon Impulse, October 2011 ◦ Book in print, estimated 300pp *First Place winner of the Maryland Romance Writers’ Reveal Your Inner Vixen contest 2009! *Finalist in the From the Silicon Valley Romance Writers’ Gotcha and Heart Romance Writers’ Golden Gateway contests! *Top Ten Finalist in the Romantic Times/Brava Writing with the Stars contest! Awakened in the middle of the night by her buffed‐out future self, Kris Davenport is told she must save the world by saving the life of ConRad Smith, a callous, untrusting military commander—and the world’s last defense against an alien invasion. But first she must convince ConRad she’s not a shapeshifter spy. (Agent: Jill Marsal, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) SINS OF THE FLESH: Book 1 in the Sins Series by Caridad Piñeiro Grand Central, October 2009 ◦ Book in print, 328pp “[A] compelling and scintillating tale of mad scientists, devoted doctors and wounded warriors. There isn’t a thing missing in this imaginative and fast‐paced love story.” – RT Book Reviews Caterina Shaw’s days are numbered. Her only chance for survival is a highly experimental gene treatment—a risk she willingly takes. But now Caterina barely recognizes herself. She has new, terrifying powers, an exotic, arresting body, and she’s been accused of a savage murder, sending her on the run. Mick Carrera is a mercenary and an expert at capturing elusive, clever prey. Yet the woman he’s hunting down is far from the vicious killer he’s been told to expect. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Japan (villagebooks, inc.) STRONGER THAN SIN: Book 2 in the Sins Series by Caridad Piñeiro Grand Central, October 2010 ◦ Book in print, 324pp “A love story like nothing you’ve read before! This premise is utterly unique, and so original and brilliant that I wish I’d thought of it first. Caridad Piñeiro is breaking the mold with her Sins series. If you want something wonderfully different, do not miss Stronger Than Sin.” – Maggie Shayne, New York Times bestselling author Dr. Liliana Carrera nearly lost her life to Wardwell scientists. She won’t let 17
them harm other innocent victims, like her new patient, Jesse Bradford, the former pro athlete whose injury forced him to undergo Wardwell’s experimental gene therapy. Now Jesse’s gorgeous body is superhuman—but his strength comes at a price. With Wardwell threatening his family, Jesse can’t tell Liliana all he knows. Yet he can’t resist her compassion…or her healing, erotic touch. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights THE LOST by Caridad Piñeiro Grand Central, August 2011 ◦ Book in print, 270pp Orphaned as a child, Adam Bruno has no memory of his name or his family, only of a deadly night that found him alone in the desert. But he does know he’s different—gifted with incredible powers that no other human possesses—until one day when he meets a Marine Sergeant Bobbie Carrera, a woman who was wounded, emotionally and physically, in Iraq. Bobbie attempts to save him from two attackers and immediately they feel an intense attraction to one another, and Adam senses that she has powers too. But their attraction places them in danger as a race of millennia‐old energy gatherers descends on the Jersey Shore to find their lost son who is necessary for the continuation of their race. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Turkey (Tual) ◦ Romance ◦
ALL THE PLEASURES OF THE SEASON by Lecia Cornwall Avon Impulse, December 2011 ◦ E‐novella available Lady Miranda Archer was determined to marry a wealthy, aristocratic man. But being one of the unpredictable Archers, she couldn’t help falling in love with the most unsuitable man in London, Gilbert Fielding, a penniless second son with no title at all, a man who couldn’t possibly marry her. Giving up all hope of ever being wed to the man she loves, she chooses instead to marry the ton’s most eligible bachelor, the handsome, rich, and titled Earl of Kelton. But Miranda’s new husband, as Gilbert soon discovers, is not at all what he seems. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) SECRETS OF A PROPER COUNTESS by Lecia Cotton Cornwall Avon, April 2011 ◦ Book in print, 384pp “Cornwall’s luscious Regency romance has just the right blend of mystery, manners, and passion…With truly nefarious villains, plenty of action, and a dash of glamour, this tome is a seductive read.” – Publishers Weekly Isobel Maitland’s late husband’s will placed her firmly under his family’s iron control, and remarrying against the wishes of her formidable mother‐in‐law will result in Isobel losing her son. But one night at a masked ball, Isobel gives in to temptation and lets an innocent flirtation turn into a steamy encounter with Phineas Archer, a man who may hold the reputation of the most incorrigible rogue in town, but as a spy for the crown, he merely plays the role of a fool to learn the most closely guarded secrets of the ton. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) 18
◦ Publisher has world English rights ◦ Foreign sales: Germany (Blanvalet), Russia (AST), Thailand (Love Publishing) TRUE NORTH by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, November 2010 ◦ E‐book available The first time Travis North lays eyes on Liana McDermott, she’s wearing the most hideous bridesmaid dress he’s ever seen. He doesn’t immediately recognize the world‐famous model who is attending her cousin Enid’s wedding at the country club he owns. Thanks to Enid’s shameless matchmaking, Travis and Liana become acquainted and later embark on a two‐week fling intended to be free of emotion and entanglement. As Liana’s return to work gets closer, however, Travis wonders how he’ll ever let her go when the time comes, while Liana considers whether he might be her “true north.” (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) THE FALL by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, December 2010 ◦ E‐book available Dr. Ted Duffy has finally met a woman who makes him ache with desire. Too bad she’s dating his best friend of 20 years. This simple premise has momentous consequences for Ted in The Fall, a story that explores the bonds of friendship, the expectations of family, and the power of love to unite and divide. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) THE WRECK by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, March 2011 ◦ E‐book available Carly Holbrook and Brian Westbury are weeks away from their high school graduation. The young couple plans to marry before they head to college, and their future seems bright with promise. Everything changes one spring night when their six closest friends, including Brian’s younger brother, are killed in a fiery car accident that Carly and Brian witness. The trauma leaves Carly unable to speak, and Brian is forced to make unimaginable decisions about a future that once seemed so certain. With Carly incapable of going forward with their plans, Brian leaves home—and Carly—for good. Fifteen years later, disturbing new clues indicate the accident that wrecked so many lives wasn’t an accident at all, bringing Brian home to face a past—and a love—he’s never forgotten. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) MAID FOR LOVE: Book 1 in The McCarthys of Gansett Island series by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, May 2011 ◦ E‐book available Maddie Chester is determined to leave her hometown of Gansett Island, a place that has brought her only bad memories and ugly rumors. Then she’s knocked off her bike on the way to her housekeeping job at McCarthy’s Resort Hotel by Gansett’s “favorite son,” Mac McCarthy. He’s back in town to help his father with preparations to sell the family resort and has no intention of staying long. When Mac accidentally sends Maddie flying over the handlebars, badly injuring her, he 19
moves in to nurse her back to health and help care for her young son. He soon realizes his plans for a hit‐
and‐run visit to the island are in serious jeopardy, and he just may be “maid” for love. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: France (J’ai Lu) FOOL FOR LOVE by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, June 2011 ◦ E‐book available Joe Cantrell, owner of the Gansett Island Ferry Company, has been in love with Janey McCarthy for as long as he can remember. At the same time, Janey has been dating or engaged to doctor‐in‐training David Lawrence. When things go horribly wrong between David and Janey, she calls her “fifth brother” Joe, one of the few people in her close circle who lives on the mainland. Janey decides a few days with Joe is just what she needs before she goes home to the island to face her parents and family with the news of her broken engagement. It was bad enough for Joe loving Janey from afar, but having her in his house is pure torture. Will he take advantage of this opportunity to show her what they could have together? (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: France (J’ai Lu) READY FOR LOVE by Marie Force Independently published E‐book, July 2011 ◦ E‐book available For four of the best summers of his young life, Luke Harris was in love with Sydney Donovan, a wealthy seasonal visitor to Gansett Island. Then Sydney went off to college and never came back. She married another man and had two children while Luke remained on the island, working at McCarthy’s Gansett Marina and wondering what had gone wrong between him and the only woman he ever loved. Fifteen months after Sydney suffers the tragic loss of her husband and children, she’s returned to Gansett to figure out what’s next, and that may very well be a rekindled love affair with the one man from her past she’s never forgotten. But is she ready for a second chance at love? (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) ◦ Foreign sales: France (J’ai Lu) AN HEIR OF DECEPTION by Beverley Kendall Independently published E‐book, April 2012 ◦ E‐book available “What drives this surprisingly deep novel are its revelations and their aftermath...Highly recommended for historical romance fans.” – Library Journal, starred review After three years of carousing and debauchery, Alex Cartwright, heir to the Duke of Hastings, has put his life back in order. But the return of the very woman who introduced him to the darkest side of hell brings not only the painful, haunting memories of bittersweet love and abandonment, but the son he never knew he had....Threatened by the revelation of a secret that could destroy her family’s place in society and forever tarnish a dukedom, Charlotte fled England on her wedding day five years ago. Now, although it appears that secret is safe, when Alex discovers her other secret—their son—Charlotte has an altogether different battle ahead. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) 20
A LADY’S CHARADE by Eliza Knight Independently published E‐book, August 2011 ◦ E‐book available, 366pp Following King Henry V’s victory at Agincourt, loyal Lord Hardwyck is ordered by the King to abduct and forcibly wed Scottish heiress Lady Chloe. But Chloe manages to escape Lord Hardwyck’s clutches. Fleeing alone and on foot, she eventually reaches England, and finds herself on the estate of the man she recognizes as having laid siege to her castle. She decides to disguise herself as a servant girl and join his household in the hopes of avenging herself for the loss of her family and home. But Lord Hardwyck recognizes her immediately, and so begins a tense battle of wits and wills. (Agent: Kevan Lyon, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency) 21