Reviews

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#9999CC" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#336666" FACE="Arial" ><B>Welcome to the World of Kate Douglas</B></FONT><B>     </B><B>|</B><B>     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Welcome to the World of Kate Douglas"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="home.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Kate Douglas"><U><B>Kate Douglas</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id51.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="DEMONFIRE"><U><B>DEMONFIRE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id52.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="HELLFIRE"><U><B>HELLFIRE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id53.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NOCTURNALCrystal Dreams"><U><B>NOCTURNAL~Crystal Dreams</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id56.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="STARFIRE"><U><B>STARFIRE</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id54.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="My Older Titles"><U><B>My Older Titles</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id32.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Last of the ORourkes"><U><B>Last of the O'Rourkes</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id34.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cowboy in My Pocket"><U><B>Cowboy in My Pocket</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The story behind the cover..."><U><B>The story behind the cover...</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="On Wings of Love"><U><B>On Wings of Love</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id36.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Honeysuckle Rose"><U><B>Honeysuckle Rose</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Whats next?"><U><B>What's next?</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="More about Kate"><U><B>More about Kate</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Reviews</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id50.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Misc photos"><U><B>Misc photos</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="id55.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="old updates"><U><B>old updates</B></U></A><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Symbol" ><B>½</B></FONT><A HREF="http://www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance"><U><B> Erotic Romance</B></U></A><B> </B></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#A6CAF0" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I><B>Older </B></I><I><B>Reviews</B></I><I><B> & Interviews</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>(All from books prior to my NY career)</B></I></div> <bR> <div> I have an interview up at <A HREF="http://www.aromancereview.com/debden/den0902.phtml" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.aromancereview.com/debden/den"><U>ARomanceReview</U></A> for anyone interested in reading more blatant promotion by Kate Douglas! My thanks to Features Editor Celia for some terrific questions and the opportunity to talk about my favorite subject<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>: </B></FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>WRITING ROMANCE AND ROMANTICA!</B></I></FONT></div> <div> <I><B>Reviews for all my erotic romances can be seen at </B></I><A HREF="http://www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance"><U><I><B>www.katedouglas.com/eroticromance </B></I></U></A></div> <div> Follow the links at the end of each partial review for the complete text. I'll be posting these as they arrive~~</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="24b52820.jpg" border=0 width="82" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></I></FONT><I><IMG SRC="15253160.gif" border=0 width="83" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </I><I> </I><I>4 1/2 stars</I></div> <div> ".....I loved this story. It is a delight to see this miss-matched pair slowly but surely slide into love, and when the so calm Seamus lets go, he does so with a bang. It is a very well written story full of succulent details and layer on layer of character build-up, chock-full of high sensual tension and a tablespoon of suspense...sigh."</div> <div> <I><B>Reviewed by MamaZ (Patricia Zuca Ramirez-Haley) for </B></I><A HREF="http://timeless-tales.net/review.php?200304299 " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://timeless-tales.net/review.php?200"><U><I><B>Timeless Tales Reviews</B></I></U></A><A HREF="http://timeless-tales.net/review.php?200304299 " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://timeless-tales.net/review.php?200"><U><B> </B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="24c50820.jpg" border=0 width="80" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"></B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> 5 Roses!</I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> "...a delightful romantic adventure that takes Ramsey and Rose cross-country and into love. Their experiences range from funny to poignant to downright dangerous, and the plot twists are many and unexpected. But it is the love which grows between these two that cements this story — a real, up and down, scary as all get-out thing that catches both of them by surprise... I highly recommend this book to any romance fan. It’s funny, heartwarming and touches something fundamental in our hearts. Don’t miss it."</div> <div> <I><B>Reviewed in May 2003 by Celia. </B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/index.php?app_state=show_event&bookid=2033" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/in"><U><I><B>A Romance Review</B></I></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <I><IMG SRC="24b52820.jpg" border=0 width="82" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> 5 Roses!</I></FONT></div> <bR> <div> "...Oh my! Kate Douglas does it again in this sequel to her charming romance Honeysuckle Rose...This is a wonderful, emotional romance, featuring two spellbinding characters. The heat is there, in the love story and in the solid and suspenseful plot that runs beneath. If you’ve ever wondered what all the fuss is about when it comes to romance novels, you should definitely read this one. Kate Douglas has penned yet another winner. No surprise to those of us who have enjoyed her work in the past, and certainly a welcome addition to her titles that already grace our bookshelves."</div> <div> <I><B>(Reviewers’ note: This book is also available in print – </B></I><I><B>ISBN#0-7599-3806-7).</B></I><I><B> </B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Reviewed in May 2003 by Celia. </B></I></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/index.php?app_state=show_event&bookid=2034" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviews/in"><U><I><B>A Romance Review</B></I></U></A></div> <div> <I><B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><IMG SRC="24451820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></I></FONT><B>Last of the O'Rourkes</B> </div> <div> <B>Romantic suspense</B> </div> <div> <B>ISBN: 0-7599-3806-7 </B></div> <bR> <div> .....Seamus is a refreshing hero and a decidedly non-alpha-male...a nice change for readers tired of the masterful males that populate the romance world...an exciting and romantic tale. A tightly plotted mystery and believable characterizations further enhance the story.<FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.romantictimes.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.romantictimes.com"><U><I><B>Romantic Times May 2003 </B></I></U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><I><B>4 Stars <IMG SRC="245410e0.gif" border=0 width="65" height="14" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></FONT></div> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="14e5a6b0.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="107" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>On Wings of Love</B></FONT></div> <div> <B>by</B><B> </B><B>Kate Douglas</B></div> <div> <B>Hard Shell Word Factory</B></div> <div> <B>January 1, 2000</B></div> <div> <B>ISBN #1582005907</B></div> <div> <B>196 pages</B></div> <div> <B>Add to TBR stack</B></div> <div> ~~The fast-paced story has plenty of suspense, heart thumping drama, and a powerful seductive relationship between the two main characters. Kate Douglas has written a clever tale of two strong characters who learn to work together and trust one another. You will enjoy reading this contemporary romance in the great outdoors.</div> <div> <B>Reviewed by</B> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="http://sr.thebestreviews.com/review10842" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://sr.thebestreviews.com/review10842"><U><B>Sharon M. Bressen</B></U></A><B>   February 17, 2003</B></FONT></div> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="24251820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">COWBOY IN MY POCKET  </div> <div> by Kate Douglas </div> <div> 5 Roses<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><IMG SRC="1ae1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1af1f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b01f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b11f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1b21f270.gif" border=0 width="31" height="39" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> April 2001</div> <div> ISBN: 1-58200-634-2   </div> <div> Hard Shell Word Factory </div> <div> "I spent most of this book laughing, sighing, and even wiping away the occasional tear - it is just perfect!! Michelle is everything anyone could ever want in a heroine - she's spunky, determined, confused and in serious lust with Tag! For his part, Tag is major hero material, being tough, smoldering, sensitive, baffled and sensual by turns. Yummy!! Add some adorable ranch critters, two tough-yet-tender (and oversexed) seniors, and a seriously hunky New York literary agent into the mix and you've got several hours of marvelous escapist entertainment. </div> <bR> <div> Kate Douglas has produced a wondrous tale with Cowboy In My Pocket - it is, without doubt, full of everything we read romances for!! Please rush to your nearest store or eBook source and grab it - when you've finished laughing you'll feel like you've been on vacation with Michelle in glorious Colorado. Note to Ms. Douglas, you've got to tell us what happens to Mr. Studly, Mark Connors!! Any New Yorker who can look that good in beaten up blue jeans deserves a story of his own!!! "</div> <bR> <div> Reviewed in April 2002 by Celia for<A HREF="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviewdb/index.php?app_state=show_event&bookid=529" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.aromancereview.com/reviewdb/i"><U> A Romance Review</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="15151820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="15351150.gif" border=0 width="81" height="21" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> Romantic Times Magazine TOP PICK for August 2001</div> <div> Cowboy in My Pocket</div> <div> Kate Douglas</div> <div> Contemporary Romance</div> <bR> <div> Kate Douglas bills her romance as a "gentle parody of contemporary category romance" but in doing so creates a delightful love story that proves there's a good reason why certain plot devices become clichés --they really work on an emotional level....the author might have thought she was poking fun, but the romance reader has the last laugh with this sparkling romantic comedy!</div> <div>     <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >reviewed by Gerry Benninger</FONT></div> <div>     for <I>ROMANTIC TIMES MAGAZINE</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div>    <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#9900FF" FACE="Times New Roman" >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</FONT></div> <div> <IMG SRC="14e5a6b0.jpg" border=0 width="90" height="107" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="14f31160.gif" border=0 width="49" height="22" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></FONT></div> <div> <B>ON WINGS OF LOVE</B> </div> <div>  <B>Kate Douglas</B> </div> <div>  <B>Hardshell.com</B> </div> <div>  <B>May 2001</B> </div> <div> Read the entire review at <A HREF="http://www.romantictimes.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.romantictimes.com/"><U>Romantic Times Magazine:</U></A></div> <bR> <div> ...Despite the sparks that fly, danger and mystery help throw them together and their passion ignites. Besides the initial “don’t underestimate me because I am a woman” theme, this is an intriguing and satisfying read. </div> <div> —April Redmon</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <IMG SRC="11551820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5">4 ½ Stars </div> <div> COWBOY IN MY POCKET </div> <div> Kate Douglas </div> <div> Hardshell Word Factory </div> <div> 0-7599-0126-0 </div> <bR> <div> Contemporary Romance </div> <bR> <div> ~~~COWBOY IN MY POCKET is an unabashed spoof on the conventions of contemporary category books. Unfortunately, this shows through in the beginning of the story to the point it's distracting. However, Ms. Douglas proves once more that she is an author to watch as by the end of this story, she'd moved me to tears with a poignantly funny ending. Once the tongue in cheek set-up is through, the characters become real people with reasons for their actions that relate to the plot not the spoof. For a book with everything - amnesia, marriage of convenience, cowboys and ranching - COWBOY IN MY POCKET is a good pick. </div> <bR> <div> Reviewed by: </div> <div> Karen Larsen </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.scribesworld.com/reviews/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.scribesworld.com/reviews/"><U><B>Scribes World Reviews</B></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12a51820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5">  </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Cowboy in My Pocket by Kate Douglas may be a spoof, a take-off on all the clichés of contemporary romance novels but it is a darned good read.  In fact, it may be the most enjoyable romance I've read in months.</FONT></div> <div>      I bought the book intending to have a good snicker at the unrealistic themes that are currently mandatory in contemporary romance. I did have a number of laughs at the extremes to which Kate pushed her hero and heroine.</div> <div>      However, even knowing that it was a satire, I got involved with Lee (Michelle) and Tag. They are thoroughly believable and appealing characters. Tag is (without being larger than life) the ultimately appealing loner Cowboy hero and Lee was his emotional match.</div> <div>      Kate Douglas is immensely talented. Not only is she funny but she can write a sex scene that'll knock your socks off. (If that's what you want it to do.)</div> <div>      Cowboy in My Pocket is a novel which will delight and surprise you. As a bonus, its characters will live in your memory long after the laughs are gone.</div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.deelloyd.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.deelloyd.com"><U>Dee Lloyd </U></A></div> <div> TIES THAT BLIND- Eppies 2000 Award - Best Contemporary Romance</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="11751820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5">COWBOY IN MY POCKET </div> <div> Kate Douglas </div> <div> Romantic Comedy </div> <div> Hard Shell Word Factory </div> <div> ISBN1-58200-634-2 </div> <div> April, 2001 </div> <bR> <div> ~~~Love at first sight endures in this magical adventure that will leave the reader entranced between alternate gasps of pain and sweet connection. </div> <bR> <div> The language is especially poignant when describing the appearance and inner embrace of both the land and its struggling, determined ranchers. One can feel the magic that has drawn so many adventurers out west, where the roads and grassy ranges seem limitless and the heart is free to shed its false veneer. </div> <bR> <div> Enjoy every page of this wonderful, funny, and endearing novel, which is sheer delight coming from this writer's talent. </div> <bR> <div> Reviewed by Viviane Crystal </div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/theritelifestyle/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.geocities.com/theritelifestyl"><U><B>The Write Lifestyle</B></U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="11982820.jpg" border=0 width="130" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></B></div> <div>      "Have to tell you, I'm in the middle of HONEYSUCKLE ROSE. I had a hard time deciding to read later and watch In Harm's Way tonight. It's easy to see why </div> <div> it's an EPPIE winner. I'm loving it!"</div> <bR> <bR> <div>                      ....email from author Ginny McBlain</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >                       </FONT> <B>BEAR HUGS</B>, <A HREF="http://www.hardshell.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hardshell.com"><U>Hard Shell Word Factory</U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="11b51820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Cowboy in My Pocket</FONT></div> <div> by</div> <div> Kate Douglas</div> <div> Contemporary Parody</div> <div> ISBN-ebook: 1-58200-634-2</div> <div> ISBN-paperback: 0-7599-0126-0</div> <div> Published by Hardshell Word Factory, April 2001</div> <bR> <div> ~~~And that's just the beginning of Cowboy in My Pocket which is purported to poke fun at the romance novel industry. Kate Douglas doesn't miss a trick when skewering the clichés rampant in the current market. From stereotypical characters and hackneyed plot devices to implausibilities and marketing ploys (cowboy hero, amnesiac heroine, marriage of convenience) to the auburn-haired heroine being depicted as a blonde on the cover art, very little is left sacred.</div> <div>       Douglas doesn't go over the top in her send up of the romance genre, however, which led me to a sobering realization. After the prologue, where Douglas gently lampooned the editorial process, this deliberate parody of a contemporary romance became more and more similar to efforts that are</div> <div> serious in nature -- albeit poorly crafted ones. Food for thought, hmmm?</div> <div>      Call me disappointed, but I was hoping for something over the top. Being aware of the story behind this story, I know that it is indeed a parody. I can see where the major house publishers didn't immediately tumble to the intent of Cowboy in My Pocket, though. And that's more food for</div> <div> thought, isn't it?</div> <bR> <div> (Read the story behind the story at <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="http://www.rejectioncollection.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.rejectioncollection.com"><U>www.rejectioncollection.com</U></A></FONT>.)</div> <div> Laura Novak; May 4, 2001</div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.romancejournal.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.romancejournal.com"><U>The Romance Journal</U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="11d51820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></div> <div> Kate,</div> <div> Read the excerpt and loved it! I'm going to buy the download because you</div> <div> were terribly naughty to leave us with her passing out like that. <G></div> <div> I love your heroine. She's wonderfully fiesty and I love any woman who</div> <div> can stare a man in the eye and tell him to 'cut the crap.' </div> <bR> <div>                   .....email from author Barbara Phinney--</div> <div>                  Author of <B>ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE - </B></div> <div>                  a romantic comedy that will warm your heart</div> <div>                  Avail Sept 2001 <A HREF="http://www.hardshell.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hardshell.com"><U>Hard Shell Word Factory</U></A></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="12151820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >"I giggled, chortled, snickered, guffawed, chuckled, and just plain laughed</FONT></div> <div> all the way through "Cowboy in My Pocket." I even choked up a bit at the</div> <div> end, because I *love* nice happy/sappy endings. However, Kate, I can</div> <div> understand why nobody in the paper world bought it--is there anyone at all</div> <div> you didn't poke fun at? What a wonderful book! It's warm, poignant, and far</div> <div> more than simple satire. I give it an extra-wide grin and one hankie."</div> <bR> <div>              ~~~email from Judith B. Glad, author of </div> <div> <B>               </B><A HREF="http://www.judithbglad.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.judithbglad.com"><U><B>THE DUCHESS OF OPHIR CREEK </B></U></A></div> <div> <B>                                             </B><A HREF="http://www.judithbglad.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.judithbglad.com"><U>and </U></A></div> <div> <B>               </B><A HREF="http://www.judithbglad.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.judithbglad.com"><U><B>T</B></U></A><A HREF="http://www.judithbglad.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.judithbglad.com"><U><B>HE QUEEN OF CHERRY VALE</B></U></A></div> <div>                Notable New Authors of 2000 finalist,</div> <div>                National Readers' Choice Awards 2000 finalist.</div> <div>                Both from Awe-Struck E-Books <A HREF="http://www.awe-struck.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.awe-struck.com"><U>www.awe-struck.net</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="13e51820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5"></B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Hi, Kate,</FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> I'm so glad my car needed to be serviced. There I was, sitting outside the Service Department waiting room--couldn't get to my computer, or my job, or my messy house--so I could just sit, with a perfectly clear conscience, and read "Cowboy In My Pocket." Delightful book. Just as I'd think, "Oh no! She wouldn't..." You did! That book was a real hoot. A very well-written hoot. I loved it.</div> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="441" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=CENTER HEIGHT= 100 ><NOBR><div> <B>~~~</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >email from Eloise Barton, author of</FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.eloisebarton.com " TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.eloisebarton.com "><U>FINDING MARIAH</U></A> - 2001 Eppie Finalist</div> <div> Hard Shell Word Factory 2000 YA Suspense</div> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="14051820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Kate,</FONT></div> <div> I'm posting this publicly, 'cus I just had to let everyone know, if you </div> <div> haven't read Cowboy in my Pocket, ESPECIALLY if you're a romance writer, get </div> <div> thee to the Hard Shell store and BUY it now!! I read it in darned near one </div> <div> sitting, chuckling often, laughing out loud more than I have reading anything </div> <div> lately. And when a NY editor (a character in the book) can make me cry, well, </div> <div> that's good writing. I'll say no more. Get this book.</div> <bR> <div>                  email from <A HREF="http://www.annemanning.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.annemanning.com"><U>Anne Manning</U></A>, author of~~</div> <div>                  The Raven's Lady - EPPIE 2000 Winner, Best Paranormal Romance</div> <div>                  Ripples - "powerful and moving " J. Izatt, Romance Communications</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <IMG SRC="14251820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="arial" ><B>A reviewer, a lawyer from Beverly Hills, July 23, 2001, </B></FONT></div> <div> <B>Radiant Romance However You Take It</B> </div> <div> Cowboys, amnesia, runaway brides, marriages of convenience, mistaken </div> <div> identity, huge white stallions with room for two, cover models that don't </div> <div> match the characters they portray...the cliches of the romance genre, you </div> <div> say? In COWBOY IN MY POCKET, Kate Douglas takes these tried and true </div> <div> conventions of contemporary romance novels and uses them to create a satire </div> <div> that can be enjoyed as humor--or felt deeply as any serious contemporary </div> <div> romance. When Michelle Garrison, Manhattanite and ace category romance </div> <div> novelist, has a manuscript rejected for lacking a sense of setting, she is </div> <div> pressured to go to a Colorado dude ranch to soak up a little atmosphere. When </div> <div> a car accident causes her to lose her memory, she falls into a marriage to </div> <div> save the ranch scheme by too gorgeous to be true, marriage-shy Taggart </div> <div> Martin. From there on, Ms. Douglas has found a way to have the reader say, </div> <div> 'Oh, no, not that one,' as each convention of the genre lines up for </div> <div> exposure. Yet, as you read on, you find that you begin to warm to Tag and </div> <div> Michelle and secondary characters Coop and Lenore and want everything to turn </div> <div> out all right. It takes a very special writer to write a book that can draw </div> <div> the reader both intellectually and emotionally. Ms. Douglas is that kind of a </div> <div> writer. What starts out as an exploration of the conventions of romance turns </div> <div> into a sensual and emotional original that shines--and, in its way shows why </div> <div> these tried and true conventions still work. This book is available in both </div> <div> electronic and paperback versions. Whichever version you prefer, get this </div> <div> book. Special order it if you have to; it's worth the wait. </div> <div> -------------- </div> <div> Posted to Amazon.com by <A HREF="http://www.elisedeeberaru.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.elisedeeberaru.com"><U>Elise Dee Beraru</U></A>,</div> <div> The Hero's Best Friend-- <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.awe-struck.net</U></FONT></div> <div> Remember My Love-- <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><U>www.hardshell.com</U></FONT></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <IMG SRC="14451820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0">~~~And ANOTHER wonderful e-mail!</div> <div> Kate, Kate, Kate!!!</div> <bR> <div> I just finished reading Cowboy in My Pocket, and can't find enough superlatives to describe this wonderful book. You made me cry when the foal was born, you made me cry again when they fed him for the first time, you made me grin with pleasure (VBG) over Lenore and Coop's late in life romance, and you made me sigh (and perspire, LOL!) over Tag and Lee's troubled romance. I know you said that book was just a spoof, but it's so, SO much more than that. It's an absolutely fantastic romance written by an expert romance author with a fine, fine touch.</div> <bR> <div> Honestly, guys, if any of you haven't read that book, you have got to get it and read it. It was one of about sixty e-books I have on my hard drive, and it was exactly what I needed to get me out of the funky mood I was in. I knew this book really had grabbed me when I started it last night and had to close it down because I got company, then this morning when I went back to it, I remembered exactly which page I was on last night. Kate, you have no idea what a coup this is for you. I NEVER remember what page I was on, even with my own books. But this time I did. You really hooked me. It's gotta be</div> <div> the best romance I've ever read, even if it did have the cowboy, the amnesia, the marriage of convenience, and the ending cracked me up even while it seemed absolutely right to me, because I'd gotten so deeply into these peoples' hearts and lives.</div> <bR> <div> Thing is, it had way so much more than those elements. It had tenderness, real honest to God people that even I believed in (sarcastic, jaded thing that I am three fourths of the time), and a lovely, gauzy romance. The perfect way to spend the morning. Tell you one thing, if it's true that it got rejected by one of the Big Three, it can only be because you ran up against one of those bloody editors who takes herself WAY too seriously, because this was one fun book to read. (Can you tell I absolutely loved it?)</div> <bR> <div> Their loss. E-publishing's gain, no doubt about it.</div> <bR> <div> Your biggest fan,</div> <div> Beth Anderson <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><U>hotcluebeth@earthlink.net</U></FONT></div> <div> Visit my author website: <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><U>http://www.bethanderson-hotclue.com</U></FONT></div> <div> NIGHT SOUNDS, ISBN # 0-7433-0097-1</div> <div> MURDER ONLINE, ISBN # 0-7433-0068-8</div> <div> Frankfurt Award Nominee, EPPIE 2001 Finalist</div> <div> SECOND GENERATION coming fall, 2001</div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <IMG SRC="14851820.jpg" border=0 width="81" height="130" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" >Cowboy In My Pocket</FONT></div> <div> Review by William Amos</div> <bR> <div> Last February, moved by the approach of Valentine's Day, I wrote in my column <I>Night Thoughts of an eNovelist</I> about the phenomenal acceptance and success of the romance genre in the realm of epublishing. More than that, I credited the genre with being the engine that has driven epublishing from the very beginning. Though not a huge fan of romance novels - okay, I had never read one - I ended the piece with an invitation to my readers to recommend one that would serve as a good introduction to the field. The response was overwhelming in its generosity ("Let me send you a copy.") and self-promotion ("Let me send you <I>mine</I>."). And that's fine: the enovelist must exploit every possible opportunity to promote his or her work. That's part of the business.</div> <div>      The romance novel that jumped out of the pack is Kate Douglas' novel <I>Cowboy In My Pocket</I>. When Ms. Douglas offered it to me, she warned me beforehand that it was a send-up of the genre - a carefully constructed collection of every cliché in the field. And clichés there are aplenty: a beautiful amnesiac; a ruggedly handsome cowboy/rancher named Tag with a thing against commitments; a faked marriage that blossoms into love; sex scenes, almost-sex scenes, and post-sex scenes; another fellow waiting in the wings; and a happy ending. On top of all this, Ms. Douglas adds some quirky touches that make the book come alive: an elderly ranch hand who reads romance novels; a lonely matriarch who falls for the aforementioned ranch hand - and who in turn has loved her silently for decades; an editor who becomes the cowboy's rival, and so on. Scarcely a page goes by without some new wrinkle coming out of left field. That's part of the charm of this book. It delves into its clichés and plot manipulations with reckless abandon and comes up with a heckofa story that in the end makes a wacky kind of sense.</div> <div>      The plot could have been dreamed up by P.G. Wodehouse if he'd been brought up on a dude ranch rather than in England. Michelle Garrison, a romance novelist, is having trouble writing convincingly about the American West. Her agent convinces her to spend some time at a dude ranch and learn some ropin', ridin', and cowgirlin'. She suffers an auto accident on the way to the ranch, loses her memory, and shows up at a neighboring ranch just in time to be mistaken for the bride in a staged wedding, arranged with a woman who hasn't arrived. Getting married, you see, is the only way the hero, Tag Martin, will be allowed to inherit the ranch from his widowed grandmother. He doesn't want to git hitched, and intends to send our heroine on her way once Grandma goes home. After the wedding, Tag and his old ranch hand discover the mixup but must keep it going for the time being. In the meantime, Lee Stetson (the only name our gal could come up with, not remembering her own) is falling for Tag, Tag is falling for her, the ranch hand is finally getting in good with Grandma, and the old girl is finding happiness below her station. It's a romp through relationships whose participants either can't or won't tell the truth. In between roundups, birthin' horses, and sex on horseback, Lee's memory is slowly coming back, but before that happens we glimpse some serious questions that confront a woman with no past: Who am I? Do I have a husband, a family, waiting for me somewhere? The tension of not knowing adds depth to a relationship that otherwise would have been quite ordinary. Lee does indeed get her memory back, but I won't spoil the satisfying denouement by revealing it to you. Rest assured there is a happy ending.</div> <div>      As I said, <I>Cowboy</I> was written as a send-up, a joke, purposely piling all the familiar cliches of the romance genre in one big heap and challenging the alert reader to laugh along with the author. That part didn't work for me, and there's a perfectly good reason why: I have no ken of the conventions of romance writing in the first place. As far as romance novels are concerned, I'm as much a virgin as the genre's heroines used to be. I took the whole book seriously, happily wading into the joke, not knowing when my leg was being pulled. That I still enjoyed the book, liking it on the level of a fine, entertaining story in its own right, is a testament to Ms. Douglas' skill as a writer. If you are a romance aficionado, you'll see right through it. And I'll bet you'll like it very much, too.</div> <bR> <div> Review by William Amos, author of <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/wpamos/seedofjoy/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.geocities.com/wpamos/seedofjo"><U>The Seed of Joy</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B>Read Lynn Coddington's review for the April 15, 2001 issue of the </B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><A HREF="http://www.hotcoco.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hotcoco.com/"><U><I><B>Contra Costa Times</B></I></U></A></FONT><A HREF="http://www.hotcoco.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hotcoco.com/"><U><I><B>:</B></I></U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> "Cowboy in My Pocket,"<FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" > </FONT></div> <div> by Kate Douglas (Hard Shell Word Factory,</div> <div>  $10.95 paperback,</div> <div>  $6 diskette,</div> <div>  $4 downloadable e-book).</div> <div> Kate Douglas has written a category-type romance to redeem with laughter some of those trying experiences authors have with editors. Her dedication says it all: "... to all romance authors, especially those whose editors have admonished them to 'write the book of your heart.' (With the caveat, 'so long as it has a cowboy hero, an amnesiac bride and a marriage of convenience.')"</div> <bR> <div> "Cowboy in My Pocket" has a cowboy hero, an amnesiac bride, a marriage of convenience, and every silly plot device ever drawn upon by category authors constrained by well-intentioned but marketing-controlled editors looking for a good hook.</div> <bR> <div> Michelle Garrison is a successful New York romance writer whose editor has rejected her latest manuscript on the grounds that it isn't an authentic Western. This is a hoot in and of itself. Every one of my novels, all set in the West in places I've lived for years, has gone through copy edits where many of the details were "corrected" by someone who'd probably never willingly set foot west of the Hudson River. Reality aside, Michelle's editor sends her off to a Colorado dude ranch to learn her stuff.</div> <bR> <div> On the way, Michelle has a car accident and gets thumped on the head. She wakes up thinking she's a barrel-racing honey named Lee Stetson, and hitches a ride with a tough-talkin' senior citizen who thinks she's an actress hired for a very special job. Thus she stumbles into the Double Eagle ranch and Tag Martin's desperate plan to pretend to marry someone to appease his dying grandmother, who won't sign over the deed until he's married. So that takes care of the cowboy, the amnesiac bride and the marriage of convenience.</div> <bR> <div> The best story about this story, though, is that Douglas has reported that a junior editor at Harlequin/Silhouette actually wanted to buy this book. Now I know a lot of those editors are young and not as wise or wicked as the wily romance authors they work with, but I can't help wondering if she truly didn't get it, or if maybe she liked the parody. Her senior editor must not have thought it was funny enough to risk, though. She put the kibosh on "Cowboy in My Pocket" pronto.</div> <bR> <div> Fortunately for readers, Kate Douglas didn't let that bury her baby. Take a look on <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Times New Roman" ><U>www.hardshell.com</U></FONT> at this goodhearted dig at every Western romance cliché on the books, up to and including the love scene on horseback. It's worth a chuckle or two.</div> <div> <B>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</B></div> <div> <FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B>(</B></FONT><I><B>remember when you read the next one...this is SUPPOSED to be clichéd</B></I><B> </B><I><B>! It's a parody!)</B></I></div> <div> Romance Reviews Today </div> <div> COWBOY IN MY POCKET - Kate Douglas</div> <div> Hard Shell Word Factory</div> <div> April 2001</div> <div> ISBN: 1-58200-634-2</div> <div> Contemporary Romance</div> <bR> <div> Double Eagle Ranch, Colorado</div> <div> After forty-three successful books, cowboys are in, so are babies and marriages of convenience. Only Michelle Garrison's editor doesn't like her newest book, a western romance. After a power lunch where her editor tells her everything that's wrong with the new book Michelle is packed up and sent to Columbine Ranch, a dude ranch in Colorado, to learn what it's like to be a "real" cowboy. While driving to the ranch, Michelle is caught in a flash flood, losing not only her rental car and luggage, but her memory as well.</div> <bR> <div> Taggart Martin is faced with a dilemma, get married or lose his beloved ranch. The Double Eagle means everything to Tag, and he's determined to convince his grandmother that he's adhered to her demands. When his foreman drags in a muddy, befuddled young woman Tag thinks this is his bride-to-be. </div> <bR> <div> Soon the marriage of convenience isn't all that convenient and his bride turns out to be someone altogether different... but does any of that really matter?</div> <bR> <div> There are times that COWBOY IN MY POCKET reminds me of a bad country-western song. You know; trains, rain, momma, babies, marriages gone sour, dogs and booze. It's just too "convenient" having a book about a </div> <div> romance author that has all the tried and true plot elements used in romances dumped into one book. I wondered if perhaps this wasn't an autobiography. There is the cowboy element, the marriage of convenience, </div> <div> the fake preacher who turns out to be a real preacher, the grandmother forcing a marriage for an inheritance, amnesia… it's just too over the top.</div> <bR> <div> On the other hand, Kate Douglas CAN write. Her dialogue is spiffy and the book is so full of clichés it's funny. Ms Douglas has dreamed up some fabulous characters also, including Michelle/Lee Stetson and Tag, of </div> <div> course, but also the foreman, Coop and grandmother Lenore... now there is a real love story. Coop and Lenore have been in love for over 60 years... unrequited.</div> <bR> <div> Although I thought COWBOY IN MY POCKET was a bit stereotypical and over the top, I would read another book by Kate Douglas without hesitation.</div> <div> Judith Rippelmeyer</div> <bR> <div> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</div> <div> <B>COWBOY IN MY POCKET</B></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.hardshell.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.hardshell.com/"><U><B><U>Hard Shell Word Factory</U></B></U></A><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Times New Roman" ><B> - </B></FONT></div> <div> <B>ISBN: 1582006342 - eBook</B> </div> <div> Kate Douglas has produced another winner with COWBOY IN MY POCKET. The plot and the characters will draw you in like a fly to a spider web. You will quickly become entangled in the many exciting adventures awaiting you throughout this novel. </div> <bR> <div> Romance author Michelle Garrison is crushed when her latest novel is rejected due to inaccuracies of western lifestyles. She makes a reservation at Columbine Camp, a local dude ranch, to research her subject. </div> <bR> <div> Unfortunately on the way to the ranch, her car crashes. Miraculously she is unharmed -- or so she thinks. The first person to pull over with an offer of help seems to recognize her and proceeds to inform her that she is late for her wedding to Tag Martin. Tag Martin? Who is Tag Martin? As a matter of fact, who is she? She seems to have no memory. Suddenly a name pops into her head -- Lee Stetson. That must be her name then. Or is it? </div> <bR> <div> Taggart 'Tag' Martin has got to find a bride right away. The deed to his ranch, the Double Eagle, depends upon it. His Grandmother has threatened to deed the ranch to charity if he isn't married before he turns forty. He decides to buy a bride, and he does not intend to reveal this fact to his Grandmother. When he meets his intended, 'Lee Stetson', Tag is unaware of the mystery surrounding her or that she possesses the power to turn his life upside down. That marriage of convenience may just end up being the glue that brings two unwitting people together to find their heart's desire. </div> <bR> <div> Kate Douglas has penned a witty yet poignant tale with COWBOY IN MY POCKET. Be sure to add this latest novel by Kate Douglas to your library of 'must reads'. </div> <div> ~~Suzie Housley,<A HREF="http://www.myshelf.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.myshelf.com"><U> MyShelf Reviews</U></A></div> <div>              Columnist: <A HREF="http://www.myshelf.com/columns/beneaththecovers.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.myshelf.com/columns/beneathth"><U>Beneath the Covers</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>