A title, nostalgia, and lots of cool etcetera

Have you heard?  If you’ve poked around on Goodreads or Amazon, you know that Book 3 has a title… Something About You.  Here’s a little more about the book, which releases March 2nd:

FATE HAS THROWN TWO SWORN ENEMIES…

Of all the hotel rooms rented by all the adulterous politicians in Chicago, female Assistant U.S. Attorney Cameron Lynde had to choose the one next to 1308, where some hot-and-heavy lovemaking ends in bloodshed. And of all the FBI agents in Illinois, it had to be Special Agent Jack Pallas who gets assigned to this high-profile homicide. The same Jack Pallas who still blames Cameron for a botched crackdown three years ago—and nearly ruining his career…

…INTO EACH OTHER’S ARMS

Work with Cameron Lynde? Are they kidding? Maybe, Jack thinks, this is some kind of welcome-back prank after his stint away from Chicago. But it’s no joke: the pair is going to have to put their rocky past behind them and focus on the case at hand. That is, if they can cut back on the razor-sharp jibes—and smother the flame of their sizzling-hot sexual tension…

________

In other fun and exciting news, both my books were recently reviewed very positively by the Chicklit Club.  Practice Makes Perfect, in fact, received their highest score–only 12 out of over 525 novels reviewed by them have received 9 out of 9 stars.  And they named Just the Sexiest Man Alive as one of the books they’d most like to see made into a movie.  Thanks Chicklit Club– I’m honored and thrilled!  (See the reviews for both books here, and I’m doing an interview with them that should post this week.)

Also exciting was a new review of Just the Sexiest Man Alive from Romance Reader at Heart.  JTSMA scored a Top Pick rose– their highest mark!  Thanks RRAH!

Beth Kery is guest-blogging over at Romance Novel TV today, with a great column on author inspiration.  If you haven’t yet heard about my inspiration for Practice Makes Perfect, and you’re curious, be sure to check Beth’s blog out.

And now for the nostalgia part of this blog…  At RWA, author Colleen Gleason and I got into a discussion about some of the earliest books that inspired us, and discovered that we both used to be big fans of the Trixie Belden books.

Trixie

For those of you who’ve read the Trixie Belden books, you’re probably taking a walk down memory lane right now, thinking about Jim Frayne (the original bad boy hero–ooh…he’s a runaway, but secretly a millionaire) Honey Wheeler, and all the other Bob-Whites.  If you haven’t read the books, in a nutshell, Trixie Belden is a headstrong thirteen year-old with an uncanny knack for stumbling upon mysteries that she and her friends have to solve.

Talking to Colleen got me thinking about the TB series and I began poking around on eBay (always a dangerous endeavor), and I bought a few of the books with the thought that I might try to collect all of the series.  I read the first book over the weekend, and wow–did that ever bring me back in time about twenty years.  Brought back a lot of memories… by the way, what the heck are “dungarees”?

So now I’m curious–do any of you have similarly nostalgic feelings for a particular book or series?  And anyone else out there a former Trixie Belden fan?

23 thoughts on “A title, nostalgia, and lots of cool etcetera

  1. Colleen says:

    I’m impatient. Waiting until March 2nd seems cruel. (Love the description.)

    I have never read Trixie Belden. But now you have me wondering…

    “Dungarees” – Every time I hear that word (which is not often) I think of my grandfather who used it instead of “jeans”.

  2. Stacy ~ says:

    Wow! I just love the back cover blurb. Now just waiting on the cover….

    I didn’t read all of the Trixie Belden books, but I did read some. And wasn’t Honey crushing on Trixie’s brother, or am I remembering it all wrong? I do remember the book about All Souls’ Day and also the one about the Tower of London. Now I want to go back and relive those days of Trixie and the gang. Thanks for the memories….

    In similar “classic” news, I’m reminiscing about Anne of Green Gables over at my place. I have the movies on VHS but I think it’s time to upgrade. Well worth the price 🙂

  3. Stacy ~ says:

    Btw, I probably shouldn’t say this to a former lawyer (who’s lawyer husband visits the blog) but I totally stole the back cover blurb and put it on my blog. Worth the punishment LOL.

  4. Julie says:

    Katiebabs: Trixie Belden is a lot like Nancy Drew, only she’s not as much of a Ms. Goody-Two-Shoes. More stubborn than I remember Nancy Drew. More moxie.

    Colleen: You’re right. I just went and looked it up in the dictionary. Dungarees are “a sturdy, often blue denim fabric.” “Jeans” is so much better.

    Stacy: Steal away! Thanks for posting the back cover on your blog. Berkley is still finalizing the front cover, but it should be any day now…

    In terms of TB, if I recall correctly, Honey crushes on Trixie’s oldest brother Brian, Trixie gets with Jim, and Mart (Trixie’s next older brother) gets with another rich girl that shows up somewhere later in the series… maybe Diana is her name…? I totally could be remembering this wrong, but I feel like the book referred to the teenage couples as “special friends.” Too funny.

  5. Lea says:

    Something About You sounds wonderful Julie! I can’t wait for it to be published.

    So looking forward to seeing the cover art!!

    Ah yes, Trixie Belden, I remember her well.. And, yes I was a fan.

    I also loved the Nancy Drew / Hardy Boy series.

    However, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings trilogy soon stole my heart. lol

    I hope this note finds you well.

    Best
    L

  6. april says:

    My dad says dungarees. We tease him constantly for it (well, we’d tease him anyway).

    The third book sounds great! I have Just the Sexiest Man Alive en route and I’m waiting impatiently for it. I HAVE to read my bookclub book, but I’m hoping to bring JTSMA on vacation with me. It can be my reward for finishing my bookclub book (which I always finish, but I’m a procrastinator & sometimes I finish it WHILE at bookclub). It’s a long one this time so I’ve moved it up to top priority even though it’s not the night before yet. Yes, I’ve pulled all-nighters to finish bookclub books. I thrive under pressure!

    Anyway, thanks for the cover blurb! When can we expect a cover? I know, I’m demanding.

  7. Liza says:

    Love the back cover blurb! I have added it to my TBB list already.

    I did read Trixie Belden, but read more of the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books.

  8. Maya M. says:

    My fond nostalgia moment is of ‘The Blue Castle’ by Lucy Maud Montgomery, my favorite title of hers. Sure, everyone loves ‘Anne of Green Gables’ (they shoot you here in Canada if you don’t) (just kidding) (but not really) but for some reason TBC always gave me a more satisfied feeling at the end.

    Off to check out ‘Chicklit Club’ now – a new-to-me site…

  9. Julie L. says:

    Oh, the blurb sounds great! I can’t until it’s released – and kudos on the Chicklit Club – I’m not surprised one bit, frankly, they both deserve every accolade they win!

    I was a Nancy Drew wannabe in 5th grade – couldn’t get enough of her, but I never read Trixie Belden books.

  10. rigmarole says:

    Gleeps, yes, I adored the Trixie Belden mysteries.

    Now, of course, I amuse myself wondering who I would have slashed if I had understood the concept back then. Jim/Brian? Mart/Dan? Regan/somebody? Or maybe I just wanted him for myself….

  11. tennismom mary g says:

    Hey Julie
    Just wake me up on March 2 will you? The new book sounds awesome!! When are you going to give us some excerpts. You gotta give us something.
    I have fond memeoties of Trixie Belden, the Bobbsey Twins, Donna Parker (my grandfather gave me one for Chrsitmas & I was hooked on reading from then on) & of course Nancy Drew with the great cover pictures & titles like The Whispering Statue. These were originals not hand-me-downs Miss Too Young to know.

  12. Julie says:

    Lea: I’m a fan of the LOTR trilogy as well, although, while I read The Hobbit when I was younger, I didn’t read the LOTR series until much later.

    April: I’m the exact same way! I always, always finish my book club book– even if I don’t particularly like it. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that you enjoy JTSMA…

    Liza and Elyssa: Thanks! I agree SAY is a cool acronym.

    Maya: I’m not familiar with The Blue Castle… I’ll have to look into that. The Chicklit Club has a very cool website– lots of fun stuff, so definitely check it out.

    Julie: I read a lot of Nancy Drew as well… but for some reason I don’t remember much about the series other than the fact that she had a boyfriend named Ned, right? Or am I remembering that wrong?

    rigamarole: Too funny! I, myself, so had a crush on Jim back in the day…

    Keira: I know, six more months. But I’ll be doing lots of fun stuff through the blog, contests and such. I promise. 😉

  13. Rowena says:

    Wow, I’m really excited about this…I’m working on a book watch post for this book but I wanted to wait until I got a cover to go with it!

    Woo hoo, this is so exciting! It sounds soooo super good!

    I’ve never read Trixie before either. Hmm.

  14. Kara C says:

    Wow, Julie, but that third book sounds great! Can’t wait!
    I’ve always been a reader, but didn’t read the TB series. Really wanted to be Harriet the Spy for a while though! lol

  15. Angela T. says:

    I loved the Trixie Belden series! I don’t know how many times I read them all. Also, the Hardy Boys books and the Nancy Drew series. They’re all great children’s books.

  16. Kim says:

    The new book sounds really interesting. Will it have the same humor as your first two books? I’ll be interested in seeing the cover.

    I’ve never read the Trixie Belden series.

  17. colleen gleason says:

    You know I’m a big Trixie fan, Julie. We might have to fight over that hottie Jim.

    I’m working on a project now with a sort of tribute to Jim–wherein the hero is a redhead like Mr. Frayne. I think with Prince Harry being so attractive, and even Rupert Grint being cute in his own way, a red-headed hero will bring to mind more than just a pasty-faced freckled guy. 🙂

    My fave TB book was Cobbett’s Island or the Emeralds one–in both of them, Jim actually made it clear he had it for Trixie.

    I LOOVE the sound of your third book, Julie, and am looking forward to it. I have been pimping your books to all my regular reader friends too, because I really enjoyed them so much.

  18. Julie says:

    Hopefully, I’ll have the cover to share very soon. We just got a great author cover quote, and I think that was the last piece Berkley was waiting for.

    Kim: yes, definitely. The same humor as my first two books, just with a suspense subplot added in for some extra excitement. 😉

    Colleen: I love that you’re doing a hero that’s an homage to Jim Frayne!! And I can’t believe you remember the TB books so well… although, after re-reading the first one, I was surprised how much of the story came back to me.

    And thanks for the kind words about my books– glad you enjoyed them!

  19. SarahT says:

    ‘Something About You’ sounds really interesting. I like your new title! I’ve never heard of Trixie Belden and I’m off to look the series up!

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