Thank you all so much for celebrating the launch of my two new websites! I have goodies to send out to all who commented, tweeted, signed up for my newsletter, etc. With the greatest of trepidation, I’m going to send out my first newsletter in a day or two, so the following list only has blog commenters and Tweeple. I need snail mail addresses for Terrio, Elyssa Papa, Gillian Layne, Amber E., Limecello, Barbara Elness, J.K. Coi, Katiebabs, P.J., Reverend Melinda, Tammy D., Julie, Katie, Marsha Jones, Margay, Jana J. Hanson, Tiffany Clare, Keira Soleore, Sara Lindsey, Vanessa Kelly, Bookpassion, Tessa Dare, Joanne Kendrick, Cristen, and Lois. If you would send your address to maggie@maggierobinson.net I shall attempt to get a packet to you before Christmas. Or the New Year. Certainly before Groundhog’s Day. *g*

And now…the winner of an as-yet-to-be-published, basically invisible ARC of Mistress by Mistake…Reverend Melinda, who commented on the first official blog post!

Tempting Eden (also just a figment of my imagination) goes to katieday26 from the newsletter sign-up! As soon as I get my hot little hands on real live books, they will be in the mail to each of you.

Look for a contest coming up in February to kick off the Mistress count-down!

I’m expecting electronic copyedits any day now for Tempting Eden. Mistress by Mistake’s came on comforting paper with little red squiggles. As a former English teacher, I felt right at home, but this old puppy is ready for some new tricks. I also got a couple of revision suggestions from my Berkley editor, which I’m to incorporate in the copyedits. So I’m reacquainting myself with Hart and Eden, who have been with me in all their glory since around March of 2007. I keep hacking away at them, and they keep hacking right back. It seems I’ve rewritten this book a whole lot of times, and the characters never cease to surprise me. At this moment I’d almost like to start from scratch…can I be addicted to revision?*shudder*

I’ve also realized I’ve written 5 more couples since Eden’s wicked stepfather popped into my head, not counting the crazy novellas I dabbled with. But Hart and Eden will always be special to me. I was pretty mean to poor Eden, and she’ll probably never forgive me, even though she got her happy ending. But I’m a sucker for tortured characters.

Who do you prefer, the tortured hero or the tortured heroine? Who’s your favorite unhappy person cured by love?

And I’m not talking about myself. I’ve denied myself time to read lately, because I’m trying really hard to finish the current project (17,000 words to go!). In addition, I’ve worked on the back cover copy for Any Wicked Thing (with the help of several editors, my agent and my crit partners…it takes a village), ordered gorgeous bookmarks, finished copy edits for Mistress by Mistake, came up with a novella synopsis, and stared at my new websites like a lunatic way too many times. I have a stat counter now, and all I can say is thank you so much to all of you who’ve clicked on here (over 1,000 hits this week, and they’re not all me, I swear*g*), signed up for the newsletter or left a comment. I’ll be getting in touch with everybody in the coming weeks (including the Twitter people who spread the word) to send you some goodies. If you comment on this post too, you’re on my list. Still celebrating the Grand Unveiling!

But I’ve wandered off topic. Gee, who could imagine that? I finished a marvelous book, first published in 1981, Eva Ibbotson’s A Countess Below Stairs. Nowadays I guess it’s considered a YA, but as an OA, I loved every wonderful word. It was magical. I’m also reading Mary Jo Putney’s 1989 The Rake and The Reformer. I’m not very far along, but I am going to love this book. I know I’m in such good hands, and with Signet Super Regency on the cover, how could I go wrong?

December’s RT paid tribute to writers who’ve been bringing it for over two decades. What books or writers have you loved for a long time? What have you read recently that you think will be a future classic? RT has called Courtney Milan’s Proof by Seduction “a book for all time!”

As you’ve just discovered, I’ve got a new delicious, lush, romantic site, thanks to the incredible Frauke Spanuth of Croco Designs.

To celebrate my new home, I’m offering a special something (when I get my special somethings) to everyone who comments below and/or links to my new sites and/or tweets and/or signs up for my newsletter (which will be published very infrequently, LOL). I’m talking bookmarks, coverflats and/or other rare and wondrous things to be distributed amongst you (and a few ARCs will be included—be the first on your block to read Mistress by Mistake or Tempting Eden!). You’ll have to be patient, since at present I have exactly 1 coverflat and only good intentions, but I do swear to fulfill my promise. Everyone will get something, and I’ll do a random drawing for the books.

So, click above on whatever strikes your fancy. I’ll still be here when you get back. I imported my MRMR icon for sentimental reasons. I hope she likes the new place!

Last Friday, I (Maggie Robinson) got the beautiful Mistress by Mistake cover. This Friday, I (Margaret Rowe) got the absolutely tempting, equally beautiful cover for Tempting Eden, my June 2010 Berkley Heat release. I feel overwhelmed and grateful and giddy. Kudos to my editor Kate Seaver and the Berkley art department. The cover gods have got me covered! Thanks so much to everyone who had a hand in creating this exquisite cover. I only hope my words will live up to the beauty outside.

Somehow, I don’t think next Friday can top the past two, LOL.