The Good, The Bad and The Unread: Guest Author: Maureen McKade

first book, Winter Hearts, was published by Avon in 1997.

It was a historical, which she followed up with quite a few historicals.

But they weren't JUST historicals... they weren't just romances...

they were

WESTERNS!!!!

Then something went terribly wrong, well not really but her last two books were romantic suspense.

Don't get me wrong, I am sure they were wonderful romantic suspense books but they weren't, you know... westerns.

At a time when you can get ice water in hell faster than you can find a new western romance, Maureen McKade is doing the impossible.

She has written a western! And not only is it a western... it is a SERIES! And it is by Berkley, really it is enough to bring a tear of joy to my eye.

A romantic western series! Did I mention that yet? Can I get a sqquuuee!

A Reason to Live hit shelves on September 5 and has a fab review from THE super librarian. If that isn't enough to make you pick up a new western, I have some nifty info on what's next, some great blog posts, a very cute Q &A and a nifty contest!

And just for Kristie... here is proof Avon hasn't changed it's historical cover look in 10 years *g*. Well, that isn't true because these days they are shirtless in Regency England, not that I am bitter about that or anything.

15 Comments:

This gal's books rock!

Emmy Martin

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 08:15:00 AM
Maureen McKade's books are so much fun to read. I am along time fan of her book

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 08:41:00 AM
I'm so bad - I've had MOB and DNH in my TBR forever. In my defense, I have actually read OB, and liked it quite a bit....

By Wendy, at 9/07/2006 08:48:00 AM
LOL - they were bad 10 years ago and they are just as bad today aren't they? I swear they have about 4 or 5 stock poses they use for every single one of their books. And each one of them makes me cringe. At least put them in a step back for pete's sake. I like the new covers from Berkley sooooooo much better. They convery much more that it's a western.
Another comment - I had no idea Ms. McCade had such a large backlist - yea for me!! And I don't know how I missed so many of them. I'm thinking it's because a lot of them never made it to the shelves here. Because if I see them - I will buy them. Of course it could have been because of the covers back then.

By Kristie (J), at 9/07/2006 08:48:00 AM
I've added quite a few of Ms. McKade's books to my wishlist. It's been a while since I've read a western, so it'll be good to get back to them. There's a lot here I'm excited to read!

By Dev, at 9/07/2006 10:47:00 AM
Thank you all for adding my backlist to your wishlists. My style has changed somewhat over the past ten plus years--now I'm more inclined to write grittier stories. With A REASON TO LIVE, I tackled PTSD and tried to portray the people post Civil War in a more realistic sense. In TO FIND YOU AGAIN, I dealt with a woman who lived with the Lakota Sioux for so many years not as a captive but as someone who was more or less adopted by the tribe. Then I had her return home to find she wasn't comfortable there anymore, especially with all the prejudices. Funny how both of these are "journey" books and IMHO, my best books to date.

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 11:11:00 AM
I love Maureen McKade's books and western romances!

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 11:31:00 AM
Sounds great! It has been awhile since I read a good western romance. I will have to take a trip to the booksore when I can. Since i am in my 8th month of pregnancy I have been home more trying to get things ready for when my baby girl comes home in October.

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 03:05:00 PM
Cherie--Congratulations! Do you have a name picked out for her yet?

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 03:56:00 PM
Oooohhhh I like grittier. The older I get the more I appreciate those deeper issues that characters experience.

By Kristie (J), at 9/07/2006 04:22:00 PM
It has been quite some time since I've read western romance although I cut my romance reading teeth with Janet Daily and the Calder stories.

Sounds like it might be time to pick some up again. I've always loved cowboys and grittier sounds good.

By Sherry, at 9/07/2006 08:10:00 PM
Sherry--I have some of the Calder books in the trade paperback size from years ago. Those were some of my favorites.

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 09:14:00 PM
I mentioned on another post that I so love historicals, especially westerns and love too, to find backlist, so thanks for the list here because I'm off to find these!
Nice you being here Maureen!
Cathie
http://tbranxiety.blogspot.com

By Anonymous, at 9/07/2006 10:59:00 PM
What is your take on covers Maureen? Do you like the clinch? Do you think they sell well?

Did you cry when you saw your old avon ones or shout with glee?

I really love the cover for A Reason to Live. Am I the only one that starts to sing rod stewart when you see the title for the next book?

By sybil, at 9/08/2006 01:13:00 AM
Sybil--When I wrote for Avon, I asked my editor about non-clinch covers but was told that's what sold their romances and that romance readers preferred them. From readers I've talked to, it was more of a 50-50 split--some loved the clinch, some preferred a landscape or flowers or hero-only cover. My early clinch covers wasn't what I would've chosen. I really like my Berkley covers--readers don't have to be embarrassed to be reading them in a public place. :)

By Anonymous, at 9/08/2006 11:26:00 AM


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