I think I’m a trifle confoosled. It’s possible that Blastoff Day was yesterday. Or possibly last night. Oh hell, never mind, pass the dried frog pills.
Hope all you Over There had a super election experience. It sure turned out interesting… Thank heavens for The West Wing, aka “American Politics for Aussies 101″.
The point is - that my baby’s out there! Yay! In good bookstores everywhere. And here’s the photographic evidence. Thank you, thank you, ladies. I absolutely LOVED seeing these!
First, here’s Clynax, bless her, in the store with The Flame and the Shadow. Geez-Louise, they look good together! :-) Note also that the book is in the SF and Fantasy section. That’s because Berkley published it in their Ace line. (Like they do with Charlaine Harris. heh heh) Mind you, I suspect there are a few SF/F fans out there in for a bit of a shock! Look, look, I’m right next to Tolkien on the next shelf. Poor old dear is probably spinning in the grave.
Next up is our good friend, Dani, who’s, um, camera shy. In this first pic, she used her camera-phone to immortalise The Flame and the Shadow in the bookstore. I think Cenda looks particularly elegant and beautiful in that company, don’t you?
And here we have The Flame and the Shadow where it belongs - on Dani’s bookshelf at home, keeping excellent company by the looks of it.
If there are more sightings, please, please send me any photos. It’s such a pleasure to see them - and you. *beams*
Want more? Read Chapter 1.
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How fast is your heart racing? Your book is in books overseas! That is absolutely fantastic, Denise. Congratulations on the release. How soon do you think they’ll start translating into different languages?
Hi Elaine, I’m pretty wired, that’s for sure.
The entire concept simply boggles my tiny mind. 
Which is why the photos are great - they make it REAL. As for foreign rights, they can’t start soon enough for me - you get good money for that!
So cool to see Flame on the shelves. Congratulations again.
Hey Danielle, thanks so much. Looking forward to celebrating with you!
Haven’t found it yet, wasn’t on the shelves at B&N, and I couldn’t find anyone at the information desk…I finally left grumpy.
And yes I’ll keep checking…*sighs*
Hi Denise,
I have my copy too but it took the “Borders” dude to find it! It was stuck in the Science Fiction section in our town! I never would have found it without help!! Happy release!!!
Have a great weekend,
Susan B.<–NE Georgia, USA
PS Love the horse racing as hubby is a Journeyman Farrier or Equine Podiatrist as he calls himself!!
I am in total awe… I just read the scene where I’ll just put it this way, you learn why the Duke’s name is Gray and you really begin to understanding the dynamic between Gray and Shad. You use enough of that foreshadow stuff (see some of English class does sink into the heads of children) that it isn’t a complete surprise. However, there was enough of a twist that it made a much richer story.
How do you do it? I have never been abused but for some reason early in life I made that emotional split that Duke/Shad undergo and your description of how it “works” was so right on the money it is uncanny. It must be an author thing
as I’m sure you can think of books you’ve read that take you places you’ve never been, places that may not even exist, but somehow seem so perfectly reasonable.
You seem to have that unique combination of being able to tell a good story, create characters that one cares about, the ablity to hook the readers emotions, and a beauty of word usage. This combination may never win you a big readership outside of the romance market but it will always win you readers in it.
I know of absolutely no one writing erotica today who uses the “sex scenes” to tell the story without making it seem in anyway contrived. The other thing these scences never ever make me feel “dirty” which other authors have actually managed to do despite my no longer virgin reading material.
(Needless to say I don’t buy their books again.)
Anyway after that intense part of the book I needed to “talk” to someone about it and I thought what a good time to write a fan letter. And, really the desire to discuss a book is a sign of a book that has throughly captured one.
Needless to say Denise, I’m only half way through and I think you have out done yourself. Hopefully your editors told you the same thing.
Yay Denise
congrats lovey.
Denise, I’ve seen the artwork on the wall, but I have to say, seeing it on the book in a bookstore and on someone’s bookshelf is just so specials. Congratulations. I’m looking forward to adding you to my keeper shelf. Fi
Meg, I can’t bear that you couldn’t find it!
Look in the Science Fiction and Fantasy section. Because Berkley decided to bring it out under the Ace imprint, that’s where it will probably be. I must admit I was surprised, but I do believe it’s a compliment. At least, that’s how I’m taking it. Hey, Charlaine Harris and Jim Butcher are with Ace.
Oh, Susan, thanks for persevering! As I said to Meg, that’s where it will be, because the senior editors decided they wanted it in the Berkley Ace imprint. I’m still a bit bemused - but not as bemused as some SF&F fans are going to be. Hah! It’ll do ‘em good!
Sorry, Susan, I should have said - equine podiatrist?
I don’t follow horse racing at all, but there were camera shots of the big race that gave me the shivers. One from ground level in the grass, just as over twenty huge, glossy horses came thundering around the curve in a bunch. It was fabulous and soooo sexy, in a big, heavy, hoofy kinda way. 
And the horses looked so very beautiful parading in the ring beforehand, all groomed to within an inch of their lives.
Oh, Jenny, you’ve just about rendered me speechless. Those who know me will tell you that isn’t easy! *sniffle*
I love it when readers “get” what I’m trying to do. Not everyone does, but obviously, we’re on the same wavelength here. I think the key to making emotional/psychological states believable is what writers call “deep point of view”, where it reads almost like a stream of consciousness, as if you’re inside the person’ head.
And everyone has an imagination, I just push mine for all its worth, trying to get inside those heads. And really, what happens with Gray and Shad is similar to what everyone has, just made concrete in a way you can only do with fantasy. Which is what I’m saying over at Romance Novel TV.
http://www.romancenovel.tv/wordpress/2008/11/06/fantastic-fantasy-by-denise-rossetti/
As for the sex… Every line, every paragraph, in a book has to earn its keep by advancing the story in some way. If a sex scene doesn’t, it’s just gratuitous and therefore a waste of space.
And yes, that bit was intense. I hated doing all that to Gray, and goddess help me, he isn’t even real. I’m in a bad way. *chuckle*
Let me know how you go with the rest of it.
Thanks, Eleni. Your support is wonderful.
Hi Fi. Yep, I thought those photos were pretty special too. I’m very grateful for them. I guess it’s all actually true, my book’s in a bookstore. Wish my author copies would arrive. Grrr…
Update….went back to B&N today…there was actually someone at the info booth…and no they do not have the book in stock, but they would be more than happy to order it for me.
Looks like I’m going to have to order it….*sighs*
Oh nooooo, Meg!
I’m so sorry about that. Wish I could reach over a long arm from here and give a few people a wake-up thump for you. Thank you for persevering. You’re wonderful! I can just imagine what getting here is going to be like. *sigh* Haven’t asked yet - but I will.
Hey I got it….B&N finally got it in!
Will send ya a pic just as soon as I figure out how to get my webcam going…..shows how often I use use it.
That’s great, Meg!
Hope you decide it was worth the wait. And I can’t wait to see the pic, but don’t go to too much trouble over it. Whatever’s easy. 
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