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Edge, a digital-first single-title romance line from Entangled Publishing, takes its lead from their popular Select imprint but gives its novels an edge in the marketplace by bringing great stories to readers at reasonable prices in a quick-and-easy way. Whether sexy or sweet, traditional romance or love and lust with a women’s fiction bent, at the center of every Edge book is heart. From Urban Fantasy to Contemporary Romance to Science Fiction Romance, Edge has a book for all romance readers—and right at their fingertips! As they say, all’s fair in love and war. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books are coming next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, and like their Facebook page.
Today I’m happy to be featuring Edge’s April 28th releases!!

Call of the Siren by Rosalie Lario

Demons of the Infernum #4 

Special $0.99 Introductory Pricing!

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Siren-demon hybrid bounty hunter Dagan Meyers swore he’d never settle down. Tying himself to one woman is so not his bag. Until he meets the gorgeous angel Lina, and can’t think of being with anybody BUT her. The last thing Lina wants is to develop feelings for the smooth-talking man she knows will eventually leave her. But as they battle a growing darkness—a powerful dark fae who’s harnessed untold power—Dagan and Lina find that love may be their greatest weapon against the evil that threatens to destroy them all.

Giveaway

Just A Kiss by Ally Broadfield

Novella Only $0.99!

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Charlotte Lightwood has one season to find a husband or she’ll be forced to marry her guardian’s loathsome cousin. With no title or dowry, she doesn’t have much hope of making a good match. Sebastian Wilkinson, the Earl of Marley, has been the most eligible bachelor on the marriage mart for more years than he cares to count and is very aware of his duty to marry a woman who will add to the wealth and stature of his title. Sebastian makes Charlotte an offer she can’t refuse: he will pretend to court her to help her attract more suitors in exchange for her advice about which ladies he should pursue. As they work together, their mutual attraction grows. When they realize they just might be perfect for one another, they must decide whether to bow to the dictates of society or follow their hearts.

Giveaway

The post Spotlight and Giveaway–April Edge Releases! appeared first on Manga Maniac Cafe.

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The world's greatest rock band received a meager attendance this Saturday at my local theater. My husband and I and four other couples had the place to ourselves when we donned our funky glasses for U23D. The hype promised me I'd feel like I was right there; I loved the film, but 3D didn't bring it for me.

Before anyone eggs my blog, let me state for the record I LOVE U2. I would enjoy their rockumentary in any D--my DVR is set to record all things U2 and Bono (which is how I caught Chastity Bono on Sell This House)--I'm just saying that the 3D effect didn't heighten my experience.

Settling into the beginning of the movie was the same as trying to see a 3D figure emerge from those weird prints in the 1990s. There weren't any affectations for the movie, which I was glad of; it was pure U2. I liked seeing common things, like Larry Mullen Jr.'s iced tea in a glass near his right elbow and a handwritten note taped to the top of Edge's keyboard. In fact, I would have liked to have seen more of this kind of detail. Who handed Bono his bandanna? Who kept refilling Larry's tea? What were they doing right before the show and where did they run to right after? Inquiring fans want to know!

The perspective from the stage was outstanding. Looking at the number of people in the audience and knowing that not one of them was a computer-generated being was overwhelming. Cell phones held in the air caused the arena to look like a perfect night filled with stars. (Sidenote: I once went to a concert where the couple in front of me had no cell phone or lighter. They lit paper matches and held them till the matches burned down to their fingers.)

Audience members' hands seemed to be right in front of me. I hate when anything obscures my vision--like those annoying girls who sit on guys' shoulders. You never see guys doing that. At least, that's what I thought until the film showed three bare-chested guys sitting on top of other guys' shoulders, swinging their shirts around, belting out the words. Wherever Bono went, hands stretched out to him, even from ten or fifteen people deep. At times, the people on the floor ebbed and flowed, like tides in the ocean. I can only imagine what it was like to have been there.

The show ended with Yahweh, a reflective, prayerful song. We stayed (and so did those eight other people) until all the credits rolled. No clips at the end. Just the feeling of wanting more.

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I've been working on my follow-through the past couple of months or so. I've finally got my studio pulled together (after years of dingy white walls), I've got my file back-up system running smoothly, I've registered for a couple of writing retreats, and I'm actively writing.

There are still a couple of things on my "Things That Haunt Me" list, but it's looking better every day. :-)

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This coloring book was my first freelance illustration job for the children's market. I was delighted when they asked me to bid on the project. I was also clueless on what to bid! Really no idea at all. So along with clueless, I was nervous, anxious and a little panicky. I considered turning the job down. Instead, I decided to do a little research. I asked my coworkers, family and friends for advise (Howdoya, whatdoya, howdoya???) and I searched the library for books on pricing. Then I gathered all my notes, mustered up my courage and submitted a bid. They replied, "Your bid is too low, raise it a bit and get started."

That was 16 years ago. The illustration below is for the same client (for a workbook for teens) that I finished last week. We have worked together on dozens of projects over the last 16 years. They are a total delight to work with! Their continued support and faith in my work helped me take the step of finally leaving my day job and going full time freelance. I will be forever grateful for these kind and generous folks. And also grateful that I followed through on that first bid!

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A recurring theme this year for me has been 'following through' on keeping myself up-to-date in all aspects of the business. It is always important to reassess regularly, this but this year has been very concentrated for me in the "upgrade, upkeep and streamline" department!

Accounting... I finally found a CPA who can provide all of the services that i need, after much hemming and hawing. Finding a CPA is a lot like finding a new dentist. I now have help with navigating through the (new to me) quarterly income tax filings. I also upgraded my QuickBooks software.

Studio... A HUGE boost for me was upgrading my studio with many long-awaited, some much-needed (and one downright indulgent!!) tools to help me better serve every aspect of my work! Having the tools I need right there when I need them is key to maximizing my productivity and workflow, and by association, customer service. You can do more for your clients at a moments notice, and with a smile on your face, with the right tools at your disposal. Now, I am fully prepared for everything and anything that comes my way! All I have not been able to stock up on is hours in the day...but I usually cross that bridge when I get to it! :)

Software...I finally upgraded all of my creative software!! I also took the plunge on Painter X. I decided to begin developing a digital style for several reasons. For one thing, versatility - - there are so many tools immediately at your disposal. Ease of delivery is another: native digital files takes away the scanner 'middleman', and, knowing how uneven scanning results can be with traditional watercolor media, this was a boon to me.
Regarding the ongoing 'controversy' re: traditional vs. digital media, my opinion is simple: tools are tools, no matter how you slice it. There is no 'filter' for creativity! The creative process is the same, and tools are tools. Digital art takes just as long to create, and in my opinion it's just as 'manual' a process, when it comes to mark-making. The beauty of it is the fact that you have all of the aformentioned tools at your disposal, you can save several versions or a single work, and you can work with as many layers as you want. So, much easier to edit. Yipee for technology!!

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Does anyone else have a step in their process that they don't enjoy?
For me it's picking out the colors for my illustration. Should I use fabric here, should I use felt?
What color works best, should I make this blue or green?
Sure, I can do a color comp on the computer but for the most part I continue on with my love/hate relationship of physically picking and choosing colors by hand.
This is what my table usually looks like at the very beginning of a project. I haven't even tackled the fabric and embellishments yet!



Following through and trusting that it will all come together is getting easier but I still don't enjoy this part. I envy those that do!
=o)


Here is the result of the jumble of felt above.

I wish I could share the entire illustration. Hopefully soon.

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With work deadlines, you don't have much choice but to follow through. It's tougher when it comes to personal projects. I drew these little mouse babies quite awhile back, and I always had this nagging idea that I wanted to put "real" clothes on them. I love how so many illustrators use mixed media, and I was itching to try my had at adding fabric swatches to my watercolor. It's taken me months, but here they finally are. It may seem trivial, but this idea wouldn't go away, and I had to attempt it just once, to satisfy my curiosity. By following through, I found a technique that I really like, one that I may use again.

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