Yay! Hey, I must bounce occasionally, and a new book on the shelves is definitely bounce-worthy, I think.

Release Day!!!!


Barnes and Noble
Books-A-Million
Borders
Amazon

4 1/2 Stars!!!
"This final installment in Stenzel's puca/druid magical series is a great finale, full of magic, familiar faces, some humor, some mystery, hot sex and wonderful characters. This is a story created to be read quickly yet savored slowly, because once it's over, there is no more."

--Romantic Times BOOKReviews


I'm really excited about this book (yes, yes, we've already heard . . . so tedious) AND I'm giving away free books to celebrate!

I'm blogging about BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HEART PLACE over at Fresh Fictionand Deadline Hellions today.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of one of the two prequels to this book: either Pandora's Box or The Druid Made Me Do It.

To double your chances (and why not?), leave a comment on both of the blog posts.

Thanks for celebrating with me!

Natale

www.NataleStenzel.com
 

Mere days from now I'll likely be giggling in front of a bookshelf at my nearest bookstore (and probably six others within driving distance) and admiring Mr. Abs over there on the cover of my February 24 release, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HEART PLACE. Seriously, this book is so special to me. Not only do I love the characters for their own sake, but the world itself has grown by leaps and bounds in my imagination. For first-time or just curious visitors to this world I've created, I've added some (I hope) helpful insight in the form of a Pandora Series Primer. I'd love to add to it if anybody has questions or suggestions.

So back to that new release of mine . . . and, oh, how it captured my heart. My hero Tremayne is a mysterious, seemingly emotionless enigma who grows immensely in this book. He was first hinted at in Pandora's Box, presented himself full-fledged and yet still a sexy mystery in The Druid Made Me Do It, then found his own story in my current release, Between a Rock and a Heart Place. Honestly? I didn't expect to like Tremayne as much as I did, given that his first role was jailer to my beloved puca Riordan, from Pandora's Box. He's had some growing to do, but I think he's really outdone himself. Poor guy broke my heart over and over again. It was so unexpected. As my heroine Daphne grew to trust and love him, I did, too.

Oh, and poor Daphne. All she ever wanted out of life was a chance to run her own life, for pete's sake. As an only child of feuding and exiled Druids -- the dethroned king and queen of the weirdo cult, in her opinion -- all Daphne wants is to start a life far away. She wants to work and live among normal people who live in blissful ignorance of the existence of magic-wielding Druids, shape-shifting pucas, and temperamental faeries. At long last, she has a chance at exactly that, has everything lined up. (You know this isn't going to work for her, don't you?)

A stray thunk with no ordinary cornerstone and suddenly Daphne's a non-practicing but hereditary Druid wielding puca powers and trying to suppress a lifetime's worth of rage. The Druids won't let her leave town now that she's wielding undisciplined shape-shifting and mind control powers -- a virtual powder keg just waiting for a stray spark to incite flaming chaos.

What's to prevent this chaos? This is where things get sticky. You see, powerful nature spirit Tremayne has been charged with helping her learn how to control her powers or, failing that, destroying her in order to protect everyone else. Given that Tremayne's only been obsessed with understated rebel Daphne ever since he first laid eyes on her months ago, this could be a little tricky. True definition of a rocky romance? I would think so.

These two go through a lot together, more than an author would normally ask of a romantic couple. Honestly, I wrote the ending in a rush, not really even realizing how it would come out as I did so. Writer's nirvana, I guess, or maybe just a subconscious finally kicking in and telling me how this story really should end. It was risky. Read it. You'll see exactly what I mean. I hope you like it.

Cheers!

Book Signings!

Saturday, March 21, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Books-A-Million
9131 Midlothian, Turnpike
Richmond, VA

Saturday, April 4, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
4600 Commonwealth Center Parkway
Midlothian, VA 23112
 

Friday, April 10, 2009
6:00-8:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Short Pump Mall
Richmond, VA
 

Saturday, April 11, 2009
1:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
5501 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
 

Natale's (tentative) Blog Schedule:

February 24: Fresh Fiction

February 24: Deadline Hellions

February 25: Muse Interrupted

February 28: Love is an Exploding Cigar

March 2: Paranormality Universe

March 3: Yankee Romance Reviewers

March 5: Deadline Hellions

March 7: Book Talk

March 23: Deadline Hellions

April 2: Deadline Hellions

April 3: Much Cheaper than Therapy

April 6: author Lori Devoti's blog

Yeah, yeah, I get it. As a romance novelist, I should really be gushing hearts and flowers in preparation for Valentine's Day. I'll even admit I enjoy certain aspects of the tradition, but there have been times when I have not. I'm more a proponent of the other 364 days of the year being romantic. Doesn't mean we can't have some twisted fun with it, though. So. I offer for your entertainment fourteen plus two reasons to hate the 14th:

(1) The greeting card companies are owned by our enemies, who plot to weaken us with sugar and romantic goop and subsequently destroy our commercially sentiment-besotted culture.

(2) Chocolate is yummy but fattening and we're still working off the Christmas cookie flab.

(3) Conversation hearts are addictive and leave gunk on our teeth.

(4) Santa Claus is jealous of the attention and ransoming next year's loot.

(5) The Easter Bunny is colluding with Santa.

(6) The holiday vomits red and pink like Barbie with a bad stomach virus. Is it any wonder that the next holiday celebrates green, the color on the opposite side of the color wheel? Like salt battling sugar, it helps chase away the red nausea.

(7) Your significant other underproduces ("here's a teddy bear, sweetie lumpkins"), thereby giving that wench another opportunity to one-up you ("see my 50,000-karat diamond? I have another like it in my other earlobe.").

(8) You consistently underproduce ("what, no diamond?!"), in spite of your best efforts. Who needs one more reason to cave to performance anxiety?

(9) You have no significant other. Doesn't even matter if you're fine with that state of affairs, because everybody thinks you're lying to yourself and/or others so they put you on suicide watch (or worse, set you up on a blind date or offer you a pity, fifth-wheel invite to glom onto their plans).

(10) You're indecisive, and that's way too long to spend in the greeting card aisle. Hours of your life, gone forever. Think what you could have done with that precious time.

(11) You work in a greeting card store and these people. Will. Not. Leave. It's just paper and ink. Pick. One. Pay. Cashier. Leave.

(12) The mascot is Cupid. Seriously? A naked baby with bad aim wielding a weapon targeting our hearts? How is this a good thing? Wouldn't we so much rather have fuzzy bunnies bringing chocolate or jolly bearded men bearing gifts? Or even a leprechaun with bottomless pots of gold coins and green beer?

(13) Give Charlie Brown a break. That empty mailbox just breaks my heart. Every time I see it, I want to whomp that little red-haired girl upside the head. Is a pity card too much to ask? And whatever happened to 'only if every child in the class gets one'? It's a good rule.

(14) It's complicated. Give the wrong card (or, worse, the right one!) and that message is out there. Too soon?  Too much? Too little? One card could change the course of a relationship. Er, no pressure, though.

Okay, there's the fourteen, you might be thinking if you've read this far. So where are these other two? Did Natale forget? Can't she add fourteen plus two and call it simply sixteen? Or is it just true that writers can't count beyond their ten fingers?

No -- I have toes, thanks -- and besides, it's really an insidious plan of mine, although we can call it a contest. You see, I want somebody else to come up with the other two. So give me one good reason:

Why should we hate Valentine's Day?

I'll be giving away a free book to each of the two funniest responses. Winners, announced 9 am February 12, get to choose between a copy of Pandora's Box (book one) or a copy of The Druid Made Me Do It (book two). [Segue to shameless promo] These are the first two books in my series of funny paranormal romances; look for the third book, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HEART PLACE, to hit bookstores February 24! For details on entering and the usual fine print (you can keep your first-born), click on my contest page.

Until then, Happy Valentine's Day! Or not... Hey, whatever you want. It's totally up to you. No pressure. (Honey, I'd like a diamond for each ear and maybe one on my wrist too, 'kay?) (Stop sweating. I'm kidding. Sapphires and opals are prettier.) (What a whiner. Of course I'm still kidding. I do shamelessly accept chocolate, however.)

Good luck!
......

 
www.NataleStenzel.com

Book Signings!

Saturday, February 7, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Books-A-Million
9131 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, VA
(Group signing)

Valentine's Day!!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
12:00-3:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
Short Pump Mall
Richmond, VA
(Group Signing)

Saturday, March 21, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Books-A-Million
9131 Midlothian, Turnpike
Richmond, VA
(Signing my new release!!)

Saturday, April 4, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
4600 Commonwealth Center Parkway
Midlothian, VA 23112
(Signing my new release!!)

Saturday, April 11, 2009
1:00 PM
Barnes & Noble Booksellers
5501 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
(Signing my new release!!)
 

In just a little over a month, BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HEART PLACE will be hitting bookshelves everywhere! This is the third book in my series of funny paranormal romances featuring sexy, shape-shifting pucas, unexpected Druids, temperamental faeries and, sure, even a flabbergasted human or two. This latest book features heroine Daphne, a human suddenly burdened with magical powers she doesn't want and can't control, and Tremayne, her sexy new guardian, who's a whole lot more than he seems.

Between a Rock and a Heart Place is already available for preorder online and will hit brick-and-mortar store shelves on February 24. If you'd like a preview of this story or a taste of the two previous ones, check out the free reads:


To read an excerpt from BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HEART PLACE, click here.


To read an excerpt of THE DRUID MADE ME DO IT, click here


To gain a "Druid's Eye View" of Janelle and Kane's story, via a special feature on my publisher's website, click here.

To read an excerpt of PANDORA'S BOX, click here

To read "The Secret Blog of Pandemina Dorothy Avery" via a special feature on my publisher's website, click here.


I've also been busy setting up book signings and blog dates. I love talking to readers, both in person and online. Here's the line-up:

Book Signings!

Saturday, February 7, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Books-A-Million
9131 Midlothian Turnpike
Richmond, VA
(Group signing)

Valentine's Day!!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
12:00-3:00 PM
Short Pump Mall
Richmond, VA
(Group Signing)

Saturday, March 21, 2009
1:00-3:00 PM
Books-A-Million
9131 Midlothian, Turnpike
Richmond, VA
(Signing my new release!!)

Natale's Blog Schedule:

January 28
Deadline Hellions

February 24
Fresh Fiction

February 28
Love is an Exploding Cigar

March 3
Yankee Romance Reviewers

March 7
Book Talk

April 3
Much Cheaper than Therapy