Trade Me, by Courtney Milan, is out today. You should get it. Now.

Many of you know that Courtney Milan writes really good historical romance. I have read most of her published work, and what I have not read, I own anyway. To varying degrees, I have liked all of what I’ve read by her–yes, she is yet another author I love whose books I haven’t reviewed much. I suck, okay?

Anyway.

Ms Milan announced late-ish last year that she was writing a contemporary novel. And it so happens it’s NA. In first person narrative, of course.

Alternating first person to boot.

Some readers wondered what was up with that, and Ms Milan kindly explained why she was taking a break from historical romance–a very brief one, as she still has the first title in her next historical series, the Worth Saga, scheduled to come out in a few months.

Here is the blurb, from the author’s website:

Bull’s eye

As I posted the other day, there are a number of reasons why I love Nora Roberts.

There is the fact that she is a professional through and through–which I have cause to know first hand (or as first hand as online interactions can be,that is).

Back in the day, Ms Roberts would read and post frequently to Karen Scott’s blog, to Dear Author and to Smart Bitches, participating in conversations on a variety of topics. It was not rare that some idiot or other tried to get a rise out of her by baiting her–subtly or otherwise–and I don’t believe I ever saw her behave unprofessionally.

Once or twice she did lose her cool, to be sure, but even then she never crossed the line of civility and never ever descended to the level of the trolls attacking her.

Why I love…

Nora Roberts (at least some of the reasons)

And I just melt at how her husband says, “and…and I love her.” What else is there to say, after all?

Hey, Ms Stiefvater, a friend for you.

Interesting times to be a reader, let alone one who likes to share her thoughts on what she reads.

Via Merriam, in the long ass thread that  won’t die¹ over at Dear Author, we find that author Cassandra Duffy apparently agrees with Ms Stiefvater. It would seem that only learned people who get paid for it should have the utter gall to share their opinions with the world. But worry not, for as long as the stupid reader paid for the book, this author doesn’t mind too much².

(click to enlarge)

What my tiny little mind finds so entertaining is that, reading between the lines, as long as the opinions are positive, it’s all good for ignorant and unpaid bloggers with nothing to do to share their worthless opinions.

Or perhaps Ms Duffy is herself a bitter twat who doesn’t understand that sharing her disdain for readers in this manner can, indeed, loose her the readers that the negative review didn’t.

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¹ Scratching 800 as I write this.

² Rachel Carsman Thompsom (who wrote the post Duffy was commenting on) finds Duffy’s opinion hilarious. For a PR and social media consultant, this doesn’t seem very savvy.