RITA® Nomination for A Dark Love! A Dark Love has been named a finalist for a Romantic Suspense award from Romance Writers of America. Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony July 31st at RWA's annual national convention in Nashville, Tennessee (I'm going!). Warning: more shameless author self-promo ahead. A Dark Love was also named one of the top five mass-fiction titles of 2009 by Publishers Weekly. They had this to say about my debut thriller: "Carroll develops what could be a stock story of an abusive marriage into a pulse-pounding romantic thriller with a strong, inspiring heroine determined to save herself."The book was given a starred review when it was released late last summer. A Dark Love has just been re-released in Germany, as a national book club edition under the prestigious Diana Verlag imprint of Bertelsmann/Random House, and will make its Italy debut from Mondadori (thanks to my daring agent, Stephanie Cabot and her wonderful team at The Gernert Co.). And Riptide, my second thriller, which was published in October, has received some really nice praise. It got three stars from Romantic Times BookReview, who said: "Carroll is a strong writer whose ability to construct a scene and weave a tale rivals the best in the business." See the Books section for details about the plots of both of these books, available at bookstores everywhere from Avon Books. I'm enjoying every minute of this. And trying to work up the courage to try on a gorgeous Armani jacket I bought a million years ago at Bergdorf's in New York to wear to a black-tie gala in Britain's Warwick Castle (I made it into the pages of Hello! magazine that night, mostly because I spilled champagne by accident on the Features Editor. He was a very forgiving sort.). Different life, different times. I suppose the jacket would be considered 'vintage' now... here's hoping it fits so I can wear it to RWA's big do in Nashville. More than anything, I'm really happy that my work is coming to the attention of new readers. I've been an avid reader for my entire life. I was a shy kid whose idea of a perfect Saturday was having my mother drop me off at the Dix Hills Public Library on Long Island and leaving me to browse. She'd pick me up, hours later, with a stack of books in my arms so tall they were hard to balance. I still remember the fun I had, choosing which to read first. I would spread them out on the living room rug all around me, close my eyes and run my fingers across the covers, vowing to read whichever one my hand rested on when I opened my eyes. Yup, I was a real nerd. Throughout my life, books have been there for me. Even in those dark hours of the night when nobody else is around. I learned at a young age to lose myself in the printed page, to pass the time and hunker down and they helped me to weather every storm.... choosing a title to bring along on vacation or a long flight or (wow, was I naïve to listen to the birthing coach) packing to bring during labor (hah!) were always big decisions for me. In the end, I always opted for the sure-thing: a fun thrill read. So, that's what I write. I love to hear from fans who say they stayed up late reading my books. It's such a good feeling to know my stories provide entertainment for readers who, like me, want to relax and forget their cares for a while in the pages of a book. I was moved to tears when a nurse friend brought one of my tender romances along to give to patients to read while they were getting their chemo treatment. I can't tell you what it means to me to know that my debut thriller captured the attention of serious, avid readers who took the time to read it and do first-round judging for RWA's RITA contest. When I entered, I was happy in the knowledge that doing so would bring A Dark Love to the attention of even a handful of new readers. I didn't expect a nomination! No matter how it turns out, I'm thrilled just to be in the running. Can't wait for that road trip to Nashville! And in the meantime, I'm working hard to stay focused on my next book, another thriller, set once more in New York City and the Hamptons. Watch this space.... Enjoy, and thanks for dropping by. All best wishes,  |