May 22, 2010

Getaway With Dee

Come with me to Biltmore, North Carolina--the location of my latest release, Maid to Match!

Instead of a book tour this year, I'm hosting a readers' event so we can all get together and hang out! We're going to dress in Victorian costume and go to a Gilded Age Party. At the party we'll play Victorian Parlor Games (like the ones Tillie & Mack played in the book). We'll learn how to wield a lady's fan. We're going to have a book swap. And a Victorian expert is going to dress me in full Victorian costume starting with bloomers and chemise!

The next day we're going to have dinner together and then go on a private tour of Biltmore mansion.  Check it out:

Can you believe it? I'm so excited!

All the specifics are at GetawayWithDee.com. We also have a brand new Getaway With Dee facebook page with photos and videos and a discussion forum. Be sure to "like" me once you get there, then click on the "Discussion" tab and join in on the fun!

So what do you think? Would you like to come with me? Be sure to sign up right away. Space is limited and we expect to sell out!

Let me know what you think!

posted by Deeanne on 05/22/2010 - 7 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

May 17, 2010

New Book on the Shelves!

Maid To Match is officially on the shelves! It's about two servants who work at Vanderbilt's chateau in North Carolina at the turn of the century. When our heroine, Tillie Reese, is asked to tutor our hero in proper servant etiquette, the resulting sparks threaten Tillie's efforts to be chosen as Mrs. Vanderbilt's lady's maid. After all, the one rule of the house is no romance below stairs!

If you haven't read Maid To Match yet, we have an excerpt here and a brand new EXCLUSIVE excerpt for my Circle of Friends. (click on the open book)

If you have read it, leave a review in our comments section below or come over to my Chat Room where we have a lively discussion about the book going on!

posted by Deeanne on 05/17/2010 - 11 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

May 09, 2010

A Spoonful of Sugar

Mother’s Day at our house was kind of quiet. Greg was out of town. The college kids hadn’t made it home. And I had a plane flight out to meet with my publisher. So, I figured the kids would be off the hook. But low and behold, look what I woke up to.

CUPCAKES! My 23 yo daughter (the one that majored in graphic design) stayed up until 4:00am making them. The cupcakes are frosted green and make up the “ground.”  Some of the “flowers” are made of vanilla wafers decorated with cut up marshmallows which she painted with dyed sugar. Others have petals made of jelly beans and m&n’s. The butterflies are constructed with the chocolate you dip strawberries in. Is that just the cutest thing ever? 

And if that weren’t enough, she grouped them around scented body lotions and an adorable pink watering can filled with yellow tulips. 

I just couldn’t believe it when I walked into the breakfast room. I haven’t been able to bring myself to eat one of those cupcakes. They’re way too pretty! She had some extra put aside, though, and it ends up she made them from scratch with rice flour and birch sugar because she knew I’d been trying to eat healthier. Can you believe that?

What about you? How did you (and your mom) celebrate Mother’s Day? 

posted by Deeanne on 05/09/2010 - 15 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

May 02, 2010

Exciting News

This week heralded some exciting news for me. I found out that A Bride in the Bargain was nominated for a Christy award--the highest award of distinction for fiction in the Christian Industry. The two books I'm up against are not only by two talented authors, but are by two dear, dear friends.

Tamera Alexander is a fellow Bethany House author who is as sweet as pie. She had two books nominated! And Julie Klassen, whose authored The Silent Governess, was also nominated. She is my editor at Bethany House and edited A Bride in the Bargain!

So I feel like I can't lose. No matter who takes home the award, I'll be so very pleased. The award ceremony will be in St. Louis this year on June 26th.

On the heels of that news, I found out that A Bride in the Bargain also finaled in a readers' choice contest sponsored by Borders Bookstore. The Readers' Crown award, as they are calling it, is only open to romance novels. Bride finaled in the Historical category along with some great authors. The winner will be announced at RomCon, a romance readers' convention in Denver on July 9th.

I'm pumped! :)

***

On April 18th, Erin from Chesapeake, VA won an ARC (Advanced Reading Copy) of MAID TO MATCH--my new historical coming out in June. Congrats, Erin! Megan of Inola, OK won the ARC for the week of April 25th. Congrats to Megan as well!

As of yesterday, ChristianBook.com has Maid To Match available and I expect the other online venues and brick-and-mortars to follow within short order. So our ARC giveaway has come to a close. It's always so fun to hear from you, though. So keep your comments coming. I read every single one!

posted by Deeanne on 05/02/2010 - 22 comments - Post a Comment    RSS FEED

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