J. Ellen Smith visits the Diaries

The Morgan Diaries were lucky enough to run into J. Ellen Smith, owner and publisher of Champagne Publishing, at the local Starbucks. We weren't stalking! We'll keep saying that until the Restraining Order says different. After we agreed to pay for her Orange Cream Frap and a pumpkin cream cheese muffin, she allowed us to ask her a few questions. We later found out it was a delaying tactic until the police arrived to escort us away. But we got the interview and Morgan O got a new pair of handcuffs from a very nice police officer (who looked suspiciously like Dylan McDermott - rawr!). All in all a great day for The Morgan Diaries.

TMD: Ellen would you mind telling our readers a bit about Champagne, other than the little bubbles in fancy wine which tickles our fancy. (Morgan O loves those bubbles just a tad too much...)

Ellen: One day, while having vanilla lattés with a friend, we sat and complained about the latest thing we'd read. Same plot, same formula... ho hum boring. We chatted a while about the types of books we'd like to read. It was around that time that the idea that would become Champagne was born. Several more months of research ensued, and then it was time to either put up or shut up. I'd been saying for two years that I could do it, and I decided that the time had come.

Champagne Books came into being in early 2005, initially as a romance only publishing house, and has since moved into acquiring other genres. It's been fun adding a whole new mix to our author loop because we now have some very creative guys that come to our chats and take part terrorizing... er... chatting with the readers.

TMD: As a Canadian based publisher, have you noticed whether or not trends between our two countries seem to run in the same direction?

Ellen: The trends are very similar. You must remember that in this day and age of the internet, the boundaries that used to block many outlets are no longer there. We interact with readers and authors all over the world, and that is what drives us.

TMD: With so many e-publishers folding, how has Champagne managed to stay competitive in this turbulent market?

Ellen: Good question! Let me know when you figure it out, okay?

Seriously, we continue to turn out a quality product. We're quite picky about editing and books that do not meet our standards simply do not get contracted. Our editors are dedicated to creating bestsellers, and sometimes that makes the editing process painful on both the author AND editor, but it is all worth it in the end. Our cover art is probably some of the best in the industry, and that is in part thanks to our amazing art director, who has steadfastly refused to bow to pressures to compromise his vision for us. He is absolutely, 100% in charge (except for those times when I am) and I trust his judgment implicitly.

We keep our prices competitive and don't rush to move faster than we're prepared to go. And then there are the authors. Champagne authors are some of the finest that I know, and I'm so proud of each and every one of them. Without our fine stable of authors, we wouldn't be where we are today.

TMD: With so many publishers turning more toward Erotica, than straight romance, do you feel there is still a place in e-books for a purely romantic novel?

Ellen: Definitely. And our sales prove it every day.

TMD: Another question along that vein. For the past few years paranormal romance has dominated the majority of e-book sales. Do you think this is a fad, or do you see it as a viable extension of the market like Historicals, Suspense, and Contemporary Romance?

Ellen: I used to think it was a fad, but it's turning out to be a bona fide subgenre of the romance genre. Our paranormals do very well, especially ones that include shape shifting, DNA altered stud muffins, or cats that talk. Science Fiction romance is another strong seller for us.

TMD: Champagne has attracted an amazing array of authors who consistently put out well crafted stories. Do you feel a close bond between a publisher and its authors is a vital component in making a company successful?

Ellen: Thank you!

I would have to say that yes, I do believe it's important, especially in the early days. When we first opened with a handful of authors, we were all striving toward the same thing. All working hard to be recognized. While we are still moving in the same directions today, it is harder to maintain the same degree of 'closeness' as our house grows. As that happens, we rely on our editor/author relationships to pull through the tough spots, and of course we have a wonderful author liaison lady (Kat) who takes care of a lot of issues that I am not able to get to anymore.

But my authors always know how to find me if they truly need me, and know I'll never turn my back if they've got an issue, need to brainstorm, or just want to vent.

TMD: With your company based in Canada, how do you manage to stay competitive with American publishers when it comes to the print side of the industry?

Ellen: Quite frankly, I don't consciously try to stay competitive with American publishers. I stay competitive within our own small press field by simply paying attention to trends, watching prices and keeping our costs as low as possible, so that higher print costs are not passed along to the consumer. I communicate quite regularly with other small press publishers which also helps with competitiveness, consistency and whatnot.

TMD: Every publisher has established a Yahoo Group to aid in promotion. How important is the reader/author relationship in the epublishing industry?

Ellen: It's VERY important. E-readers are an extremely loyal bunch once they find an author(s) that they like, but often the way they find them is through the social channels such as forums, Yahoo Groups, chats, etc. These types of promotional opportunities are crucial for an author to establish him/herself in the field.

TMD: As a veteran of the epublishing game, where do you see the industry heading in let's say the next five years?

Ellen: I think we're going to see more and more electronic books. Our youth have been raised on technology, and reading on an electronic device is becoming commonplace. The market is going to explode in the coming years, and I look forward to seeing it when it does, but in the mean time, I do think that readers enjoy a printed book in their hand. I doubt that will change in quite some time.

But hey, did you ever watch Star Trek and see those nifty devices that Picard and company carried around? Won't be long before everyone has something as smart as that.

TMD: Is it true you can tell a Canadian likes Moose Head by the antler marks on his thighs? <<= blame this one on Morgan O, she's from Alaska.

Ellen: Well I don't know about those folk up there in Alaska, but remember this, Canadians dismiss all beers under 6% as "for children and the elderly."

TMD: Ellen, thank you for joining us at TMD and not leaving in spite of that last question. Before we're handcuffed…I mean tie up this interview, do you mind telling our readers some of the upcoming events they can find Champagne's authors attending?

Ellen: Oh certainly! We have a live chat coming up at FAR (Fallen Angel Reviews) on Halloween, so I would like to invite everyone to come out for an evening of spooky tales, masquerade games and the occasional vampire visitor! Come early, stay for as long as you'd like because once we get chatting, the Champagne crew is hard to shut up. Chat starts at 9pm EST.

Now do remember, if you need bail money, my number is..... never mind. I have no money. I keep giving it to all the authors.

TMD: Thank you again for joining us and the offer of bail money, but I think Morgan O worked something out for us. For our readers if you’d like to check out some of the fabulous books offered by Champagne Publishing we’ve included the addy to their website below, as well as the addy to the Champagne Yahoo Group so you can keep up to date on all the new releases coming up.

http://champagnebooks.com/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/achampagnetoast/

TMD brings you a 5 day weekend

The Morgan Diaries
is kicking off its Grand opening in style.

Join us starting Wednesday as we bring you interviews, guest blogs,
and our first ever review featuring Jasmine Haynes’ newest novel, The Fortune Hunter.

Here’s a rundown on all the fun:

Wednesday: J. Ellen Smith joins us for our first interview.

Thursday: Lynne Connolly Guest Blogs with a taste of her newest book, Cat’s Eyes

Friday: Valerie Bongards of Love Romances and More brings us our second interview.

Saturday: The Fortune Hunter Reviewed as only Jmo and Morgan O can do it!

Sunday: Jenna Leigh brings her own brand of insanity along with an excerpt from her book The Last Legacy.

That’s too much fun for one Blog but do we care?
We might not respect ourselves come Monday but what the hey!
We all deserve a 5 day weekend every once in awhile!

News from TMD

The Morgan Diaries is proud to present, our first interview. Join us on Wednesday October 17th as we sit down with J. Ellen Smith, owner and publisher of Champagne Books. She discusses not only her company but gives her views on the state and future of Epublishing. This is definitely a can’t miss opportunity and the kickoff of TMD’s commitment to bring our readers interviews with the people making a difference in Romance today.

The Morgan Diaries,
where romance is more than a genre…
It’s a way of life.

Join the Morgans at Love Romances Cafe tomorrow

Have you ever wondered what two Morgans do when they’re not writing or blogging? Well, truthfully we procrastinate a lot—a whole lot, but tomorrow we made a solemn promise to do something constructive with our time. No, we’re not cleaning the house or doing high maintenance yard work. Who do you think we are the Cleavers?

Tomorrow, you can find us chatting with some of our very good friends at Love Romances Café for the entire day. We’ll be talking about Jmo’s book, How Wicked Can She Go? If you think that’s enough reason to show up, the best is yet to come. We cordially invite you to come. Yes, Morgan O is about to unveil exclusive first look excerpts from Halo in her Pocket, a must read if there ever was one! So join us tomorrow for a lot of fun, some fantastic authors and the craziness you come to expect from Morgan times two.


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LoveRomancesCafe/

Shameless Promo

What a butt!

I just have to brag on cover artist Rene Lyons. She did an awesome job on my cover. Better than what I was thinking.

Halo in Her Pocket releases in just two weeks. Am I excited? You betcha! Here's a tiny excerpt:

From: Halo in Her Pocket by Morgan O'Reilly, Copyright 2007

Devyn shook her head, and gathered her purse and discarded shirt. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into these things.”

“Because you have the hottest bod in town.”

“Only because you made me wear jeans that won’t let me breathe and sandals that won’t let me walk like a normal person. Now I look like a slut.” Especially after their two hours spent in the spa right after lunch, which included new hair, new makeup, manicure and pedicure. This shirt was the last touch to the new Devyn. But, hey, it made Ginger happy. Devyn did feel a little better about how she looked.

“A classy slut.” Ginger kissed her on the cheek then pushed her out of the cubicle.

“Gin!” she protested, stumbling in the four inch sandals Ginger had shoved onto her feet earlier.

She fell against something hard and warm. Strong arms wrapped around her and a deep chuckle rumbled under her cheek. Devyn’s hands flew out to grasp thick biceps of iron in an effort to regain her balance.

“Whoa there! I got you.”

“Oh, God, I’m so sorry…” her voice trailed off as she looked up into deep brown eyes. Dark, melted chocolate eyes. Sinful, make-a-girl-roll-over-and-beg eyes. Eyes so deep they made her mouth water, her body liquefy, and her inner imp try to think of ways to make him take her over his knee and spank her.

Effortlessly, he lifted her just enough to set her straight on her feet, but he didn’t let go. The way her pulse started pounding it was a good thing. Already shaken by Ginger’s words, any blood remaining in Devyn’s head surely rushed to her nether lips and made them throb with aching need. The reaction was so intense that it felt as though the hard seam of her jeans pressed tight between the petals of her labia. All she had to do was rock her hips forward to increase the pressure on her clit and she’d probably climax. Then again, she didn’t seem to be the only one, if the hard protuberance behind her rescuer’s zipper was any indication. The way it pressed against her abdomen was quite obvious.

Large hands grasped her waist as the devil’s eyes stared down at her.

“I’m… I’m awfully sorry… about… t-t-that,” Devyn stammered.

“Why? I’m not.” His deep voice was quiet, the rumble in his chest teasing her hardening nipples.
She was wrong about the location of her blood. All of it rushed to her face making her feel dizzy for yet another reason, and it made her angry. She was not a blushing virgin, nor was she a dimwitted, ditzy female.

Before she could get worked up, that small, crooked smile of his blasted the rising wind of indignation from her sails.

Ginger left the dressing room and bumped Devyn’s shoulder, jostling her even further into the stranger’s arms. “Well now, this is what I call a fortuitous event.”

Her friend’s amused observation pulled Devyn from her stupor. Stepping back, her gaze dropped, taking in the rest of him before staring at the floor. A crisply-pressed, ivory cotton dress shirt, unbuttoned at the neck, was tucked into black jeans riding low on his hips. Not obscenely tight, they still molded to his lower body in a way that said they were old friends.

“I agree,” the stranger said smoothly. “May I have the pleasure of your name?”

Devyn looked up again. Sun-streaked hair in a variety of shades from warm honey to bleached blond curled over his ears and the collar of his shirt. Warm, just like his tan and burning eyes. High, sculpted cheek bones and a square jaw showing the glint of a golden, five-o’clock shadow. He looked clean and smelled even better with a hint of leathery fragrance clinging to his skin. And tall. Even with her extra four inches of height from the sandals, she still had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze. Six two? Three?

“My silent, yet adorable, friend here is Miss Devyn Wynne. I’m Ginger Gladstone.” Leave it to Ginger to ignore awkward situations and emphasize Devyn’s single state. “And you are?”

One of the warm hands moved from Devyn’s waist to shake Ginger’s hand. “Shane DeVilbiss.” His attention returned to Devyn a moment later. “Pleased to meet you, Miss Wynne.”

Like warmed honey, his voice flowed over her, causing her body temperature to shift once more, this time back to her core as his large hand returned to her waist and pulled her closer. Her fingers flexed as she realized she still gripped his muscular arms.

“Likewise,” she said, and recalled her polite smile. “Now that we’re acquainted, maybe you should release me.”

“I don’t know. I think this style of greeting works just fine.”

“Any friendlier and we’d be in bed,” she laughed weakly. Yeah, she could see him in bed, his dark eyes looking up from between the curtains of her long hair hanging down, her thighs straddling his hard body as he…

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

What is the future of books?

As with all our blogs we really want to bring you some topics we hope you can empathize with. I hope this will be one, because I would really like to get some views from you on this topic. Well here goes.

For the past few years I’ve noticed a decline in the amount of new readers I see in the bookstore aisles. What alarms me is the fact I see very few younger readers and when I do they seem to congregate at the Manga shelf. I’m not knocking Manga because the way I see any reading is better than no reading at all. Even my own daughter to my shame does not read unless she is forced to—usually by gunpoint.

Books are only around to this day because there has been a renewable source of people wanting to read them. With this newer generation, I’m finding a reluctance to stretch their minds and let their imagination paint a new world for them to discover. I’ve heard, I’d rather watch the movie than read the book so many times I want to scream. Harry Potter aside I haven’t seen children get excited over a book in years. Growing up, I couldn’t wait for the new Hardy Boys book to come out. I loved solving the mystery before they did. As I grew older my worlds expanded to Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Romance. Nothing was sacred when I wanted some to while away a few hours.

What I’m getting at is where is the world going to? If our children, our future, don’t have anything to spark their creative juices, where will we find the next Gene Rodenberry, the next Stephen King or any author that makes us think, cry or fall in love with something bigger than ourselves. Most of our scientific advances have come from people who read H.G. Wells and said to themselves we can do that. Hell, the cell phone in your pocket is a product of Star Trek. I’m still waiting with baited breath for my lightsaber btw.

If books are becoming a thing of the past, what will take their place? Call me crazy but my money’s on Video Games. Don’t give me that look. I’m serious. If you’ve ever sat down and played a modern video game you’d know they have highly developed story lines, amazing graphics, and as much as I hate admit it, force our children to reason out decisions to achieve their goal. The downside is they might have to kill a hooker or two to do it. But, the point is with our children turning away from reading as a source of entertainment, video games are in my opinion the future of books.

Scary thought. One day instead of reading the new Kenyon book, you might be forced to pick up a joystick and play it out on the PS300. I might be going off my rocker but I can’t see any other conclusion to the trend we as a race are following. We have evolved past words to become a visually based form of sentient life form.

We’ve come full circle don’t you think? Our ancient ancestors expressed themselves with pictures painted on cave walls. Now, our children are expressing themselves with pictures on a 52” flatscreen.

So the question is, are you ready for a future without a book in your hands?

I’m not. My eyes go buggy if I play Resident Evil for longer than 3 hours, then again they do it after 3 hours of reading. Maybe I’m just old, but don’t quote me on that.

Jmorgan

Jmorgan.

What We Write and Where to Get It

You know, JMo, we forgot to put in a plug for our books. How the heck did that happen?

So, to rectify that little blot on our record...

Available now for J.Morgan - How Wicked Can She Go? You can get this delish romp at Dark Eden Press right now! A most wicked look into the Southern League of Witches and what it's like to be a modern day, card carrying member. (Feel free to jump in with more details, JMo.)

Available soon, as in October 26, just under two weeks, my debut as Morgan Q. O'Reilly will be on the e-shelves at Dark Eden Press. Halo in Her Pocket is a novella, set under Alaska's Midnight Sun. There's an excerpt over on my website: http://morganqoreilly.com/ if you want to go and read it.

There's more under the Coming Soon topic. I'll let JMo list his contracts once he's ready to announce them, but mine, all at Dark Eden Press (hmmm, this is sounding more and more like a plug for the publisher - hope Deb notices!):

January 1, 2008 ~ Frozen.
A full length novel, set on a planet far, far away, five hundred years in the future, this one also has a paranormal twist. A feisty princess who'd rather be anywhere than on the iceball known as Nordia, she's been called back thinking her father is dying. Not on the planet thirty whole minutes, she meets The One she's been promised to in The Profetia. How long can she last before he figures out she's The One he's been searching for these past long ten years?

TBA Spring 2008~ A Rich Investment. Book 1 of the Rich series.
Contemporary Romantic Suspense, this is book one of a very exciting erotic romp up and down the West Coast. So far, there's plenty of fun rolled up into 8 books. I just have to rewrite from Book 2 onward as they're still in rough draft form.

So there you go. I know JMo has more books contracted, so I'm sure he'll jump in here with his own list, but this should get us all started.