Three Cheers For The Cynsters!

Since I was reminiscing yesterday, I figured I'd keep on doing just that. You see, while I have a lot of books coming up this summer, my spring isn't quite so busy.

So, I thought it might be fun to go back and talk about some books I worked on when I first began at Avon back in '97. And, no, I can't believe I've been here more than ten years. They've flown on by.

I'm going to start with Stephanie Laurens' DEVIL'S BRIDE. This is the first in her series about the Cynsters. When I arrived at Avon, this was the manuscript that was sitting on my desk. (It had been acquired by my very wise predecessor.)

When you first begin a job, you don't have so much to do, so I was able to begin reading the manuscript right away. I think I could even read in the office, which doesn't happen so much these days. Once I got pulled into the story about Devil Cynster, the Duke of St. Ives, and finishing governess Honoria Wetherby, it was very hard to get me to come up for air.

Did I know that this first Cynster novel would start a phenomenon? I wish I could say I was that brilliant. Still, I knew that Stephanie Laurens was onto something wonderful. She created a world that, once you entered, you didn't want to leave. And that, I did know, is the hallmark of something amazing and special.