Kerrelyn Sparks – författare

If it was still beating. Angus MacKay has been undead for almost five hundred years and it''s not often something, or someone, surprises him. Until Emma Wallace. The sight of this luscious agent from the CIA''s elite Stake-Out team was enough to stop Angus in his tracks. But then he discovers that she''s a vampire slayer, intent on killing the "monsters" who killed her parents. And it''s Angus''s job to stop her.

The only good vampire is a dead vampire. It''s been Emma''s motto since she committed her life to the destruction of these things. Now Angus MacKay wants to convince her differently.

Sure, he''s a sexy Highland warrior who seems to have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, complete with brogue, kilt, and sword, but he''s also one of them. And it''s her job to kill him.

The war is on, but will it end in the destruction of one or both of them . . . or in total surrender to a passion for the ages?

Three signs that something is very different with your mew man:

1. He sleeps all day . . . which would be annoying except he''s so attentive at night.

2. He''s attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.

3. He never seems to age.

Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There''s something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she''s never been with a man so charming, so attractive . . . so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn''t after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.

So what if he''s a bit older and usually regards a human female as dinner, not a dinner date? Yes, Roman Draganesti is a vampire, but a vampire who lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn''t have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop–sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren''t going well for Shanna Whelan either...After witnessing a gruesome murder by the Russian mafia, she''s next on their hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral because she''s afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she''s found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman''s fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her...

Who says a vamp can''t have it all?

Darcy Newhart thought it was a stroke of genius—the first–ever reality TV show where mortals vie with vampires for the title of The Sexiest Man on Earth. As the show''s director, Darcy''s career would be on track again. And she can finally have a life apart from the vampire harem. Okay, so she''s still technically dead, but two out of three''s not bad. Now she just has to make sure that a mortal doesn''t win. If only she wasn''t so distracted by a super–sexy and live contestant named Austin...

But Darcy doesn''t know the worst of it. Austin Erickson is actually a vampire slayer! And he''s got his eye on the show''s leggy blond director. Only problem is, he''s never wanted any woman—living or dead—as badly. But if he wins her heart, will he lose his soul? And if it means an eternity of hot, passionate loving with Darcy, does that really matter anyway?

Vanda Barkowski is in trouble.

As the owner of a hot nightclub, she''s more unconventional than most of her fellow vampires, and if some think her a little out of control, then so be it. But after three former employees filed a complaint about her temper, Vanda is sentenced to an anger management class. Worse, Phil Jones agreed to be her sponsor. Phil, the mortal who is forbidden to her . . .

If Vanda knew who—or what—Phil really is, she''d reconsider her attraction to him, for his true nature is wilder than anything she''d ever imagined. He has tackled the beast within and now is the perfect person to help Vanda with her rage . . . if only he can keep his cool when she makes him so undeniably hot. But with rogue vamps on the loose, will they ever have their forbidden nights?

Nothing''s sexier than an man who can keep a secret.

A typical bachelor party is all about beers and beautiful women. A vampire bachelor party is no different -- except the men are drinking Blissky (whiskey-flavored synthetic blood). And no one can throw a party quite like Jack, the illegitimate son of the legendary Casanova. But when the party gets out of hand and the cops show up, Jack has some explaining to do . . . if only he wasn''t struck speechless by the beauty of Officer Lara Boucher.

Lara is sure there''s something more than a bachelor party going on. What is Jack hiding? And why is he so interested in the recent disappearance of young women all over town? Her investigation uncovers more than she wants to know, especially about this modern-day Casanova. But if she''s ever to make detective, she''ll need to expose all his secrets . . . if only her heart wasn''t on the line.

Olivia''s packing list:

FBI psychologist Olivia Sotiris was looking for a cool ocean breeze, sand between her toes, and a break from her crazy, chaotic, and sometimes all-too-dangerous life. But when she escaped to the small Greek island of Patmos, all she got were meddling grandmothers trying to marry her off. Can''t they see that none of the men around interests her—except Robby MacKay?

Robby''s packing list:

1. Synthetic blood2. More synthetic blood3. Jogging clothes(even vamps have to stay in shape!)

Robby needs to cool off, too, since all he can think about is revenge on the Malcontent bloodsuckers who once held him captive—but then he meets Olivia, the beauty with wild curls and a tempting smile. When a deadly criminal from a case back home tracks her down, Robby will have to save her life—along with giving her a first time she''ll never forget . . .

Toni Davis''s Christmas wish list

1. Springing my best friend from the psych ward.

2. Living somewhere that doesn''t have coffins in the basement. Occupied coffins.

3. Finding Mr. Right. Please make him tall, dark, handsome, and alive.

This Christmas isn''t so merry for Toni. Her best friend''s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she''s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.

Although Ian''s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk.

How can a dead man be so damn sexy? Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

SUGARPLUMS AND SCANDAL brings together the best of romance and mystery in one delightful collection of Christmas tales. In the expert hands of six of Avon''s best storytellers, the holiday season takes on an air of love and scandalous surprises! Filled with Christmas miracles, romance, and suspense, this will make the perfect gift for both romance and mystery fans. Each author brings their own unique voice and characters to the collection, as well as their fan followings.

All I Want For Christmas is My Two Front Teeth – Lori Avocato

The Lords of Misrule – Dana Cameron

The Ghost of Christmas Passed – Mary Daheim

Partners in Crime – Cait London

Holly Go Lightly – Suzanne Macpherson

A Very Vampy Christmas – Kerrelyn Sparks

“Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit….Wickedly fun.”—Booklist

Paranormal romance fans adore New York Times bestseller Kerrelyn Sparks and her wonderfully witty Love at Stake series—and now she soars to heavenly new heights with Vampire Mine! The passionate tale of a beautiful fallen angel and hard-hearted immortal warrior who find redemption and rapture in each other’s arms, Vampire Mine belongs on every romance lover’s “keeper” shelf, right next to the works of Lynsay Sands  and Katie MacAlister, not to mention the Sookie Stackhouse novels of Charlaine Harris.

“Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit.”—Booklist

“Can’t wait for the next book in the series!”—New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands

Nobody does supernatural love stories featuring virile vampires and sexy shapeshifters better than Kerrelyn Sparks! Paranormal romance fans—like Lynsay Sands, superstar author of the Argeneau vampire family novels, who calls Sparks, “an absolute delight!”—simply cannot wait to sink their teeth into a new Love at Stake novel. With Wanted: Undead or Alive, New York Times bestseller Sparks takes the passionate action way out west, as a vamp and a werewolf go undercover at a Wyoming dude ranch...with sizzling results!

So what if he''s a bit older and usually regards a human female as dinner, not a dinner date? Yes, Roman Draganesti is a vampire, but a vampire who lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn''t have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop–sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren''t going well for Shanna Whelan either...After witnessing a gruesome murder by the Russian mafia, she''s next on their hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral because she''s afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she''s found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman''s fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her...

Who says a vamp can''t have it all?

Darcy Newhart thought it was a stroke of genius—the first–ever reality TV show where mortals vie with vampires for the title of The Sexiest Man on Earth. As the show''s director, Darcy''s career would be on track again. And she can finally have a life apart from the vampire harem. Okay, so she''s still technically dead, but two out of three''s not bad. Now she just has to make sure that a mortal doesn''t win. If only she wasn''t so distracted by a super–sexy and live contestant named Austin...

But Darcy doesn''t know the worst of it. Austin Erickson is actually a vampire slayer! And he''s got his eye on the show''s leggy blond director. Only problem is, he''s never wanted any woman—living or dead—as badly. But if he wins her heart, will he lose his soul? And if it means an eternity of hot, passionate loving with Darcy, does that really matter anyway?

If it was still beating. Angus MacKay has been undead for almost five hundred years and it''s not often something, or someone, surprises him. Until Emma Wallace. The sight of this luscious agent from the CIA''s elite Stake-Out team was enough to stop Angus in his tracks. But then he discovers that she''s a vampire slayer, intent on killing the ""monsters"" who killed her parents. And it''s Angus''s job to stop her.

The only good vampire is a dead vampire. It''s been Emma''s motto since she committed her life to the destruction of these things. Now Angus MacKay wants to convince her differently.

Sure, he''s a sexy Highland warrior who seems to have stepped off the cover of a romance novel, complete with brogue, kilt, and sword, but he''s also one of them. And it''s her job to kill him.

The war is on, but will it end in the destruction of one or both of them . . . or in total surrender to a passion for the ages?

Three signs that something is very different with your mew man:

1. He sleeps all day . . . which would be annoying except he''s so attentive at night.

2. He''s attacked by sword-wielding assailants, yet insists he can handle it on his own.

3. He never seems to age.

Heather Westfield has always lived a quiet life, but that all changes when she helps a very handsome, very mysterious stranger. There''s something not quite right about Jean-Luc, but still, she''s never been with a man so charming, so attractive . . . so wonderful. Now if only a murderous villain wasn''t after them, they might get their happily-ever-after.

Toni Davis''s Christmas wish list

1. Springing my best friend from the psych ward.

2. Living somewhere that doesn''t have coffins in the basement. Occupied coffins.

3. Finding Mr. Right. Please make him tall, dark, handsome, and alive.

This Christmas isn''t so merry for Toni. Her best friend''s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she''s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.

Although Ian''s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk.

How can a dead man be so damn sexy? Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

Nothing''s sexier than an man who can keep a secret.

A typical bachelor party is all about beers and beautiful women. A vampire bachelor party is no different -- except the men are drinking Blissky (whiskey-flavored synthetic blood). And no one can throw a party quite like Jack, the illegitimate son of the legendary Casanova. But when the party gets out of hand and the cops show up, Jack has some explaining to do . . . if only he wasn''t struck speechless by the beauty of Officer Lara Boucher.

Lara is sure there''s something more than a bachelor party going on. What is Jack hiding? And why is he so interested in the recent disappearance of young women all over town? Her investigation uncovers more than she wants to know, especially about this modern-day Casanova. But if she''s ever to make detective, she''ll need to expose all his secrets . . . if only her heart wasn''t on the line.

Vanda Barkowski is in trouble.

As the owner of a hot nightclub, she''s more unconventional than most of her fellow vampires, and if some think her a little out of control, then so be it. But after three former employees filed a complaint about her temper, Vanda is sentenced to an anger management class. Worse, Phil Jones agreed to be her sponsor. Phil, the mortal who is forbidden to her . . .

If Vanda knew who—or what—Phil really is, she''d reconsider her attraction to him, for his true nature is wilder than anything she''d ever imagined. He has tackled the beast within and now is the perfect person to help Vanda with her rage . . . if only he can keep his cool when she makes him so undeniably hot. But with rogue vamps on the loose, will they ever have their forbidden nights?

Kerrelyn Sparks’s Love at Stake series continues with The Vampire and the Virgin—as a battle-weary immortal finds true love while on a well-deserved vacation. Funny, dark, and sexy, this eighth paranormal romance from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author is proof (O) positive that Sparks is going stronger than ever! Charlaine Harris/Sookie Stackhouse/True Blood aficionados will eat this one up. No time is better than now to drink in the heat and the humor of Kerrelyn Sparks—and to learn why Lynsay Sands (of the Argeneau vampire family novels fame) calls Sparks, “An absolute delight!”

“Sparks skillfully infuses her writing with a deliciously sharp wit….Wickedly fun.”—Booklist

Paranormal romance fans adore New York Times bestseller Kerrelyn Sparks and her wonderfully witty Love at Stake series—and now she soars to heavenly new heights with Vampire Mine! The passionate tale of a beautiful fallen angel and hard-hearted immortal warrior who find redemption and rapture in each other’s arms, Vampire Mine belongs on every romance lover’s “keeper” shelf, right next to the works of Lynsay Sands and Katie MacAlister, not to mention the Sookie Stackhouse novels of Charlaine Harris.