Phyllis A. Whitney, the grande dame of American gothic fiction who contributed to the rebirth of the genre in paperback and who wrote more than 70 mysteries and novels for readers of all ages in a career that spanned six decades, has died. She was 104.

The best-selling author’s “Thunder Heights” is considered the first of the modern paperback gothic romance novels, according to “13 Mistresses of Murder,” a 1986 study of mystery writers.

Be sure to check out Shirley Tallman’s blog. It’s so interesting to read the behind the scenes of these famous and accomplished authors. If you do not know, Shirley Tallman is also a screenwriter. She and her screenwriter partner have recently sold a movie script to Tom Cruise’s production company. If you haven’t read her Sarah Woolson Mysteries you are missing out. THE CLIFF HOUSE STRANGLER is her latest release.

http://www.shirleytallman.com/blog/index.cfm

 Check out her blog, and leave some comments.  She loves to hear from readers.

It has been a long time that a paranormal romance (has this ever happened?) has entered primetime TV. Moonlight is a spectacular drame filled with everything a paranormal romance lover would want, tortured heroes, spunky heroine, and lots of surprises. I actually didn’t watch this show when it first aired. I bought the episodes on itunes and watched them on my ipod. :-)I’d love to hear what other people think of this sexy paranormal series. Sounds like a second season will come after the
Writer’s Strike is resolved!

I’ve been very way of electronic readers. I love the look and even the smell of new books. Even being surrounded by books can make me happy, or walking slowly through my favorite bookstore. Well, after Christmas I took the plunge and ordered my Amazon Kindle. It’s a pricey little piece of electronic but I knew it was important to investigate how it could help me while reading and reviewing books for Romance Designs. Apparently everyone else wanted a Kindle at the same time, so I only just received it yesterday.

If you order a Kindle, be sure to NOT buy a book cover, charger, or computer connector. It already comes with all these accessories. After turning it on and having a personal welcome from the head of Amazon, I was on my way. I went straight to the Amazon store which Kindle conveniently provides a wireless connection to free of charge, and purchased a book for the kindle.

 Once you figure out how to navigate around, I was surprised at how nice it actually was. There are page next/previous conveniently located on either side, and the screen is extremely easy to read.

I discovered later that reading in bed can only be easily done if you sit up. I must be a lazy in-bed reader. The Kindle often times will slip out of its cover if you want to read in an odd position.

In any case, so far so good! I think I’m pleased. The Kindle provides 100% privacy if you want to read your favorite romance and not have people oogle the covers. It also allows you to “carry” dozens of books electronically.

I guess I’ve graduated to the electronic age now.

Does anyone else have an electronic reader? Let us know how your experience has gone so far with it!

We noticed that Cassie Edwards’ website at www.cassieedwards.com has been taken down and readers are now being directed to her MySpace page. There is no official word from her regarding the current plagiarism controversy surrounding her.

Sundays with Jane: PBS’ MASTERPIECE THEATRE TO PRESENT “THE COMPLETE JANE AUSTEN”

According to the PBS website:

“MASTERPIECE THEATRE has good news for Jane Austen’s millions of fans: PBS’ beloved British drama series will broadcast adaptations of all of Austen’s six novels, plus a new drama based on her life. It’s the first time in television history that her books have been broadcast as a complete collection.

Beginning in January 2008 on PBS, MASTERPIECE THEATRE is inviting viewers to tune in on Sunday nights for “The Complete Jane Austen”: new presentations of Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Mansfield Park, and Sense and Sensibility. The lineup will also include the acclaimed Emma starring Kate Beckinsale, and Pride and Prejudice, the Emmy award- winning miniseries that made Colin Firth a heartthrob.

Miss Austen Regrets, a true story based on Jane Austen’s own letters and diaries, will be part of the four-month marathon.

“Once we sealed the deal on the four new Austen adaptations, we decided we had to complete the package with Emma and Pride and Prejudice,” says MASTERPIECE THEATRE executive producer Rebecca Eaton. “The biopic Miss Austen Regrets is the frosting on the cake: an intimate portrait of the remarkable woman behind these wonderful stories.”

Almost 200 years after her death, Jane Austen’s popularity continues to soar, with two feature films about her slated for 2007, and numerous books and articles analyzing her appeal.

“MASTERPIECE THEATRE is the perfect fit for this ground-breaking television event,” said John Wilson, Sr. Vice President and Chief TV Programming Executive for PBS. “I know that I’m saving my Sundays in January for this incredible collection of Jane Austen stories, as I know millions of MASTERPIECE and Austen fans will do as well.”

Four of the titles—Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Emma and Pride and Prejudice—were adapted by celebrated screenwriter Andrew Davies, whose Bleak House on MASTERPIECE THEATRE was one of the most acclaimed television dramas of 2006.

“Presenting Austen’s novels consecutively is a brilliant idea because they reinforce each other—and they’re not too long,” says Davies. “Airing all of Dickens would take five years!”

Mansfield Park is a coproduction of Company Productions and WGBH Boston. Persuasion is a Clerkenwell Films production for ITV in association with WGBH Boston. Northanger Abbey is a coproduction of Granada and WGBH Boston. Sense and Sensibility and Miss Austen Regrets are coproductions of the BBC and WGBH Boston. Pride and Prejudice is a coproduction of the BBC and A&E. Emma is a coproduction of Granada and A&E.”

Wow! Hot story on the presses so check it out:

Smart Trashy Bitches Blog  (source site)

Nora Robert’s weighs in

 Yikes..what do you think? As of press time of this blog I could NOT access Smart Bitches Trashy Books. I’m sure with all this press, it’s dragging their website down.

 Romance Designs has no official statement regarding this matter. We are just delivering the “news”.

I always look forward to the months of December and January. It’s the one time of the year when I can take some time off (guilt-free!) and enjoy family and a few lazy days by the fire. This year, I have a mountain of books waiting to be read. Some of them have been there for some time, as others bump up on my TBR pile for various reasons.

This holiday season I’ll be reading:

COMPLETE ABANDON by Cheryl Holt

THE MacCARRICK TRILOGY by Kresley Cole (all 3 books!)

QUEEN OF DRAGONS by Shana Abe’

WHAT LOOKS LIKE CRAZY by Charlotte Hughes

What are you reading? Why did you select it? How did you like it? Please share with us and our readers. We can’t wait to hear what you are reading next.