Thought I’d give everyone a heads up that there are lots of fun giveaways going on this week.  (And who doesn’t love a giveaway?)

First, as part of her blog anniversary at Novel Thoughts, this week Fatin is giving away a copy of both Just the Sexiest Man Alive and Practice Makes Perfect.  How exciting to be included as part of her anniversary celebration!  Thanks, Fatin– and congrats to Novel Thoughts on turning two!

Second, I’m doing an interview over at Book Talk with J & J, where I talk about everything from how I got started in writing, to “when” I’d travel back in time, to the things I do in my free time.  And I’m also giving away a signed copy of Practice Makes Perfect.

I believe both giveaways run this entire week, so be sure to check them out and spread the word to anyone who might be interested.

On another note, have you heard?– Beth Kery’s newest book, Paradise Rules, releases October 6th.  She’s running a contest that starts today and runs until October 5th where she’s giving away all sorts of fun stuff (more info on the contest can be found here).

Want to know more about Paradise Rules? Beth has a beautiful trailer for the book that I’m delighted to share for your viewing enjoyment:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWSw1SQ81d4]

Ahh… Hawaii.  Could there be a more perfect location for romance?

Happy reading everyone!

Booklist just put out its list of the Top 10 Romances of 2009 and–wow!–they picked Practice Makes Perfect!!!

Funny story about how I found out:  I was on Twitter, and I saw Eloisa James’s tweet that her book had made the list.  Curious to see what the other books were, and having no clue that PMP had been chosen, I pulled up the list.  When I scrolled down and saw Practice Makes Perfect, I yelled out “Holy [beep]!”  Unfortunately, my two year-old was sitting right next to me, eating breakfast.  Oops.   He laughed when I covered my mouth, obviously catching on that Mommy had just said A Very Bad Word.

So on Wednesday, when he starts toddler “school” and he’s throwing out “holy [beep]’s” all over the place, I’ll have to cite Booklist in my defense to his teacher.

But in all seriousness, thank you Booklist.  This is such an honor!

Here’s the link for the entire Top 10.

Hooray!  We’ve got a cover for Something About You.  It’s so great to see one’s book–and characters–come to life.  And I gotta hand it to the Berkley art department, I think they did a fantastic job with this.  Sexy and sophisticated.  Here it is:

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…

AVAILABLE MARCH 2ND FROM BERKLEY

_____________

So. . . what do you think?

So New York Times bestselling author Sandra Hill, who writes hot, funny contemporaries with sexy heroes, graciously read Something About You in–no joke– about two days.  Here’s what she has to say about it:

Julie James rocks!  Something About You is spiced with smart banter and sizzles with sexual tension.  You’ll laugh out loud and wish you had an FBI agent of your own.

I’m so appreciative she took the time to read the book and for the fabulous quote! Thanks so much for that, Sandra–seriously, you’re the one who rocks.

I think I’m going to start running monthly contests very soon, leading up to the release of Something About You.  I already have a fun idea in mind for the first contest–something to do with hotel rooms, since a hotel room plays such a key part in the book.  So make sure you check back for that.

In other news… I’ve started writing Book 4.  And doing research, which frankly, has been a blast.  Since the heroine in Book 4 owns a wine shop, yesterday I shadowed the owner of a local wine store I shop at.  The owner, Denise, was unbelievably generous with her time and answered all my pesky questions.  And when she was busy with customers, I “observed” (aka sat on a stool and drank wine), which was not exactly the toughest day of work for me.

So tonight I begin my first of four wine appreciation classes. . .  again for research purposes, of course.

Who knew research could be such fun?  The heck with lawyers, I should’ve written about a heroine who owns a wine shop three books ago.

On other notes, I’ve started reading Double Play by Jill Shalvis, which I’m really enjoying, and watched the first episode of Dexter.  Not sure I’ve taken to the show quite yet, although my friends keep telling me to stick with it.

So how about you?  Watching/reading anything good these days?

Thought I’d share a great website I recently discovered:  The Chicklit Club. They emailed me to let me know that they had reviewed both Just the Sexiest Man Alive and Practice Makes Perfect and really enjoyed them both.  As I mentioned in a previous post, Practice Makes Perfect, in fact, received their highest score–only 13 out of over 525 novels reviewed by them have received 9 stars.  And now I know you’re asking, “What are the other 12 books?”  (Because I wanted to know, too.)  So here’s the list of their top-pick books:

• Bridget Jones’s Diary – Helen Fielding

• Can You Keep a Secret? – Sophie Kinsella

• Jemima J – Jane Green

• Just Friends – Robyn Sisman

• Little Earthquakes – Jennifer Weiner

• Practice Makes Perfect – Julie James

• Something Borrowed – Emily Giffin

• Thanks for Nothing, Nick Maxwell – Debbie Carbin

• This Charming Man – Marian Keyes

• The Devil Wears Prada – Lauren Weisberger

• Where Rainbows End – Cecelia Ahern

• The Household Guide to Dying – Debra Adelaide

• Twenties Girl – Sophie Kinsella

So this is one of those moments as an author that’s a little surreal and when I get a little giggly.  I mean that’s my book there, on the same list as Bridget Jones’s Diary. Wow.  The Devil Wears Prada, Something Borrowed?  These are some really good books.  So thanks, Chicklit Club–honestly, I’m blown away.

I recently did an interview with The Chicklit Club, which you can find here.  Since they don’t have a comment section, if you check out the interview and want to ask me any follow-up questions, feel free to ask away in the comments to this blog.

And here’s where I need some help from you guys… The Chicklit Club asked if I wanted to do an Author Pick for my favorite “chick lit” book of 2009.  I already have two books in mind, but I’d love to know what you guys think, maybe some suggestions I should check out before making my official decision.  The book can be either women’s contemporary fiction, which includes contemporary romance, or traditional “chick lit.”  And it has to have been released in 2009.

Got any suggestions?