- From the Desk of Adam C. Mock -

Man, time flies, doesn’t it? Seems like just the other day my family and I were painting ourselves as mimes for Halloween, and then shortly thereafter we were gathering with family to celebrate Thanksgiving, the birth of our Savior, and finally the New Year.

And now, we’re already 31 days into 2010! I gotta say, I miss the wonderful gift of timelessness that comes with being a kid. You know, back in the days when your mom or dad would tell you that you had five more minutes to play and that was equivalent to six hours in your mind? Or even that your birthday was one month away, which pretty much meant you’d be eating cake tomorrow?

But with adulthood comes the knowledge of time and how to steward it to get the most out of life.

The wife and I spent our time this past Saturday watching the Miss America Pageant on TLC. We were rooting for Miss Illinois, Erin O’Connor, whom Medallion sponsored with Triple Threat Mentoring www.triplethreat.org last year on her road to the pageant. Unfortunately, Erin would not make the final fifteen and the crown would instead go to Ms. Caressa Cameron from Virginia.

Well, good on ya, Caressa! Your rendition of “Listen” by Beyonce caught the judges’ attention, and your caution to parents about curbing TV time and video games in order to combat childhood obesity was just what the doctor ordered.

Apparently, someone over at Apple ordered a giant iPhone, because on January 27, Steve Jobs unveiled the $499 iPad.

Besides a name that implies digital feminine protection, the iPad promises to give Kindle and other e-readers a run for their money. It runs a program called iBook, through which you can buy, read, and organize your e-books in easy fashion. The iBook store carries books from HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin, Hachette Book Group, and Macmillan. We’re looking forward to adding the Medallion name to that bunch soon, so stay tuned.

Something else to stay tuned to? This newsletter every month to see all the fun contests and news we have to offer. Last month we had a caption contest for this photo:

And the winning caption is from Juli Schatz:

“Here at Medallion, we pride ourselves in providing our authors with hands-on editing!”

True dat, Juli. Tru dat. Your copy of The Front Porch Prophet is in the mail! Being a Medallion author is hard work and requires a lot of tough love from our editors to develop the best book possible. This photo is just a taste of what Medallion tough love looks like!

So what are we offering up this month? Listen to our one-of-a-kind ACTION INTERVIEW with author Kathy Carmichael as we use locations, sound effects, and characters from her book Diary of a Confessions Queen to completely transform your listening experience. It’s MORE than just an interview; it’s an exciting experience that will draw you into the fictional world of Kathy’s newest release. We’re not just going to TELL you what the book is about. Instead, you’ll EXPERIENCE what the book is about and get a greater feel for the comedy and suspense you can expect when you read Diary of a Confessions Queen.

After you’ve heard the action interview, let us know what you thought of it at feedback@medallionpress.com. What other books would you like to see action interviewed?

Or you can simply sound off here. Did you love the action interview or hate it? Vote as often as you’d like and let us know what you think!

Also, check out what contest our fearless vice president, Heather Lewis, is bringing to you in her new release newsletter. We’re looking for the best of the best when it comes to your romantic stories, and we’re willing to reward you with a book of your choice for it, so don’t be shy!

And with Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s a great time to show that certain someone how much you care with a new Medallion book! Trust me: a simple equation of reading a few paragraphs of one of our romances by candlelight plus throwing in a little of the bubbly equals “brownchickenbrowncow.” Know what I’m sayin’?

As always, check back on the fifteenth for more Medallion love and laughs!

Peace and love,
Adam C. Mock
President
Medallion Media Group

Feel free to request my friendship on Facebook or follow me on Twitter. I’ll make you feel like you’ve been held for 30 seconds.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ADDam.mock
Twitter: http://twitter.com/AdamMock

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It’s February, and you know what that means . . . Valentine’s Day! Everywhere you go, there are hearts and reminders to show that special someone in your life that you care! How about showing us the love and becoming our friend on Facebook or following us on Twitter?

Speaking of love, you know what we would love? To hear from you, our readers, fans, friends. This month, there is even a free book up for grabs if you send us your most romantic story. That’s right! It’s a contest to see who has had the most romantic, heartwarming, gushy, mushy, and all-that-lovey-dovey-stuff story. So start typing and send it in to contests@medallionpress.com. (For deadlines and all that small-print stuff, click here.)

Are you a Medallion Press Insider? If you are, then you already know what “Casting Call” is. If you are not a Medallion Press Insider and have no clue what I am talking about, then you need to click on this link and go sign up right now! I mean, you wouldn’t want to miss out on new, exclusive content and the chance to cast your vote on polls, would you?

Beginning in April, look for the NEW “Casting Call” polls in our Insider newsletter or the “Casting Call” logo on our Web site to vote on what celebrity you would like to see as the main characters in your favorite Medallion books. New polls will be posted on the first of every month, and you will have three weeks to cast your vote. Then look for the final results, unveiled exclusively in our first-of-the-month Insider newsletter. If you don’t sign up for the Insider newsletter, you will never know the final results! Sign up now so you don’t miss any of the action.

We are sending a lot more love your way this month with our two new releases. Both titles were also shown the love by two different industry publications. Our first release, Emerald Embrace, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly; and Diary of a Confessions Queen received a starred review in Booklist magazine. The stars are shining brightly on these two releases, so be sure to check them out!

Nineteen years ago Shannon Drake released her book Emerald Embrace. Well, it’s back in print and better than ever! With new chapter illustrations by Yevgeniya Yeretskaya and a beautiful new cover, this is one you surely won’t want to miss! Gee, did I mention this one received a starred review in Publishers Weekly, too?

PW Starred Review
“Readers will thrill to this tale, a brilliant testament to Drake's versatility.”
~ Publishers Weekly

Devastated over the premature death of her dearest friend, Mary, Lady Martise St. James ventures to the foreboding Castle Creeghan in the Scottish Highlands to dispel rumors surrounding the young woman’s demise and retrieve a lost emerald. Beneath the stones of this aging mansion lurks a family crypt filled with sinister secrets. Locked within this threatening vault is the answer to the most dangerous question, and the promise of the most horrifying death.

Amid jaded suspicion, underlying threats, and the dreaded approach of All Hallow’s Eve in 1865, Martise encounters a witch’s coven and meets Lord Bruce Creeghan, the love of her friend’s life. Mysterious, yet passionate, Mary’s husband elicits a deep desire and a profound fear in the core of her soul. He knows . . . something. And it’s up to Martise to reveal what he hides from her prying intrusion.

Lord Creeghan wards off the invasion of his private fortress, yet he cannot resist his magnetic attraction to the beautiful sleuth. As strong as the inevitable pull toward the catacomb beneath their bed, an overwhelming obsession propels them into disheveled sheets of unquenchable hunger and lust. While savoring an affair that cannot be denied, Martise must discover whether her lover is a ruthless murderer or a guardian angel.

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Séances, skunks, murder . . . Just another day in the life of Amy Crosby? Or maybe it’s the mayhem of an on-scene radio interview with Kathy Carmichael, author of Diary of a Confessions Queen. Listen to the fun and craziness in this month’s edition of Medallion Press Radio!

Did you remember that I said this one got the Booklist starred review?

Booklist Starred Review “ . . . Carmichael (Hot Flash, 2009) has created a thrilling whodunit in her trademark sassy, breezy style. Readers will enjoy her unique blend of humor and suspense.”
~ Shelley Mosley, Booklist

Seven years ago Amy Crosby’s husband, Dan, disappeared under baffling circumstances in the little town of Independence, Kansas. No marital dispute. No warning. No suicide note. As bizarre as taking out the garbage and never coming back.

She has no hope of seeing him again and presumes he’s dead. So Amy begins legal proceedings to have the inventor of unusual devices declared deceased. Simple . . . That is, it would be simple without his valuable patents and insurance money.

What starts as a normal procedure turns into a fiasco. With her take-it-in-stride, confessions queen sense of humor, she endures blackmail, threats on her life, and repeated burglaries. Then someone close to her is murdered, and she realizes that an enemy wants to do more than frighten her. Whoever has an interest in her husband—everyone from his business partners to his family members—isn’t playing games.

Sexy police detective Brad Tyler is assigned to the case . . . in more ways than one. Amy teeters on a precarious line between convincing him of her innocence and seeking his protection. An overpowering attraction makes their relationship a high-stakes race against the clock to find the killer. Coffee, tea, or murder, anyone?

The buzz is brewing for this title! Here is what everyone is saying:

“I have never laughed or cried so hard as I have with this truly wonderful book!”
~ Kathy Boswell, Managing Editor, The Best Reviews

“I must confess, this is one funny book! The perfect combination of mystery, romance, and humor.”
~ Kimberly Llewellyn, award-winning author of Tulle Little Tulle Late

“Kathy Carmichael writes the most intriguing, funny, wonderful books.”
~ Kathy Boswell, Fresh Fiction

“This is a story for readers who love layers of kick-ass humor in a cozy mystery. It’s a winner for Carmichael and her distinctive style.”
~ Wil A. Emerson, Crime and Suspense Magazine

“Mystery fans who enjoy bright women working through their problems and solving crimes along the way will love Amy. Carmichael (Hot Flash) knows how to deliver a zinger of a tale with plenty of action.”
~ Library Journal

Till next time . . .

We wish you all the love this Valentine’s Day!

TTFN!

Heather Lewis
Vice President
Medallion Press, Inc.