DAILY CONTEST #8 – HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Dec
30
2009

Today’s book is Anya Bast’s fabulous anthology – HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS (so many great authors in this one!)

Four bestselling authors invite readers to spend the night with these never-before-published novellas spiced with sexy romance and paranormal passion. So come in out of the cold and experience the thrill of a soul-stirring new tale of the Breeds from Lora Leigh, a return to the beguiling world of the Mageverse from Angela Knight, and two more mesmerizing and unexpected stories of sensual surprises and seasonal spirits from Anya Bast and Allyson James.

Anya’s novella is titled Sweet Enchantment. It provides a first taste of the world in which her new Dark Magick series is set.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What do you all think of anthologies? A way to revisit old characters with established authors and to find new ones? Do you only buy for the lead author? Do tell!

I’ll choose a winner via random.org and post it first thing in the morning. WINNERS HAVE SEVEN DAYS TO CLAIM THEIR PRIZE!

88 comments to “DAILY CONTEST #8 – HOT FOR THE HOLIDAYS”

  1. van P.
    December 30th, 2009 at 1:31 pm · Link

    i like to buy anthologies for authors i already know and to discover about new authors.



  2. Sara C
    December 30th, 2009 at 1:42 pm · Link

    I love anthologies. Typically I buy them for an author I know, but in the process I find more authors that I like. 🙂



  3. Biki
    December 30th, 2009 at 1:43 pm · Link

    I really enjoy opening an anthology just because it’s a great way to introduce myself to new authors I might not have read before. My worry has always been that half the authors aren’t my cup of tea. =/

    But I’ve found a few amazing authors I can’t believe I never picked up! I recently read an anthology and it was a taste of a few authors I wanted to read but kept lagging on picking up the books.



  4. limecello
    December 30th, 2009 at 1:48 pm · Link

    All of the above! I used to not like anthologies as much because they were too short :X Also maybe I just read ones that were the “first efforts” of novel writers. I love how quickly I can read them – what with less time and no attention span.
    Also, when the anthologies have a grouping of a few of my favorite authors. And discovering a new “must check out” author is always nice too. :X Not to say I haven’t found some lemons… but shhh.



  5. Melissa
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:16 pm · Link

    It depends on my mood. . . sometimes I like anthologies and sometimes I’d prefer a traditional longer book. It really depends on how much time I have to read and what I’m looking for.



  6. Lisa B
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:16 pm · Link

    I enjoy anthologies. I don’t always read every story but it’s a good way to discover new authors and enjoy ones i already know. Once i find a new author i like i am usually hooked and start looking into all their books.

    Lisa



  7. Wrighty
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:17 pm · Link

    I do enjoy anthologies. It’s great for when I want something quick to read. While the lead author is usually the one that gets my attention I’ve found a lot of new authors this way and gone on to read their books.



  8. sharon
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:35 pm · Link

    Anthologies are a tricky breed. I usually buy or leaf through at the bookstores for the lead author(s). When written well, they can be a really good read. However, I don’t like when there are too many stories smushed up into one anthology making stories too short. Overall, I find that anthologies are a great way to discover new authors!



  9. Estella
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:42 pm · Link

    I love anthologies. I buy them for the lead author and end up discovering new authors to read.



  10. Tracey D
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:49 pm · Link

    With anthologies, I usually buy to catch up with old characters but end up discovering new authors. And they usually have a lot of books in a series and I need to catch up!



  11. Collette
    December 30th, 2009 at 2:58 pm · Link

    I like anthologies but I’m always a little wary of purchasing them. I tend to go to the library for them so if I don’t like all of the stories, I don’t feel too badly about having dropped cash for it.



  12. alba
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:14 pm · Link

    Hi Lauren
    I’m a huge anthologies fan as long as they have at least 1 of my favorite author. Introduces me to author I may never have read 9 time out of 10 I buy the other authors books they too become keepers…..
    Have a good one Ann



  13. Brenda B. Hill
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:20 pm · Link

    I ck the authors on anthologies and if i like 2/3 of them I will buy otherwise ck out at library. I have found new authors by reading them and will continue to read. I like being introduced to new authors and read almost every thing from paranormal, romance, suspense, mystery, YA, and combinations.

    misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com



  14. Armenia
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:22 pm · Link

    Anthologies provide for me a sample of an author’s writing. And for one who’s works I’m acquanted with the stories are a revisit to some of the characters in their stories. I generally love anthologies. 😆



  15. Nastassia
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:43 pm · Link

    I love anthologies , although they have to at least have one o my favourite authors . Sometimes I find new authors in anthologies , for instance I found Sunny in an anthology.



  16. Tracy
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:44 pm · Link

    i enjoy anthologies, because it’s a nice way to get a quick read from a bunch of different authors under one cover, and find new authors to love! Thanks for the giveaway.



  17. Tracy
    December 30th, 2009 at 3:47 pm · Link

    I usually enjoy anthologies because it is a nice way to get a quick read from a bunch of authors under one cover. It is also a nice way to be introduced to new authors. Thanks for the giveaway. 😀



  18. Sara
    December 30th, 2009 at 4:04 pm · Link

    Anthologies are great summer reads – like when I’m away – they are quicker to read – and still satisfy the craving for a good book!



  19. Erika
    December 30th, 2009 at 4:13 pm · Link

    I like anthologies because they allow me to read a whole story in a short amount of time. I don’t like leaving books unfinished, so reading a complete story from an anthology doesn’t take as much time as a regular book. If there is one author I really enjoy, I’ll buy the book just to read hers, but also read the others to see if it’s worth buying their books.



  20. MichelleKCanada
    December 30th, 2009 at 4:19 pm · Link

    I have a few anthogies but I don’t normally buy them as a rule. I get to far invested in the stories to jump around.
    However if you are dying to read something buy a new author that you maybe haven’t read before, that is a great opportunity!



  21. Diane Sadler
    December 30th, 2009 at 4:35 pm · Link

    Yes I read anthologies though I usually pick it up because there is at least one author I enjoy



  22. Deidre
    December 30th, 2009 at 5:02 pm · Link

    I love anthologies, especially for getting acquainted with new authors, or new to me at least. I almost always find at least one that I must search out more books for.

    Deidre



  23. Debby
    December 30th, 2009 at 5:45 pm · Link

    I enjoy anthologies. I ususally buy them based on one author but then I get to meet others I have never read before. Great introduction.



  24. Kainani
    December 30th, 2009 at 6:25 pm · Link

    I enjoy anthologies but I do admit I only buy it if it’s an author my familiar with and/or characters from a series I’m following. However, I find this a good way to introduce myself to new authors. Normally there is one or two new author(s) in a anthology that I am not familiar with.



  25. Asheleigh Deramo
    December 30th, 2009 at 6:34 pm · Link

    What do you all think of anthologies? A way to revisit old characters with established authors and to find new ones? Do you only buy for the lead author? Do tell!

    actually i’ve never bought one. or read one but i have seen some i would love to read. hopefully i will get one soon =D i’d love to read this one



  26. Mel K.
    December 30th, 2009 at 6:41 pm · Link

    I like anthologies. I find new authors and read anthos with authors I know. I just got MY ZOMBIE VALENTINE and I’ve read books by the authors so I know it’ll be a fun read.



  27. Tia
    December 30th, 2009 at 7:09 pm · Link

    I read anthologies as a way to find authors that are new to me. I don’t like it when a popular character is in one of the short stories because it is usually not long enough to flesh out the story. Also, it is easier to find a bad anthology than a good one. There are usually only one or two good stories in them.



  28. Llehn
    December 30th, 2009 at 7:15 pm · Link

    I do enjoy anthologies. Sometimes they are mini vacations for characters you love when they are doing something they wouldn’t normally do in full length novels. It’s nice to see them in such a setting.



  29. Beth
    December 30th, 2009 at 7:26 pm · Link

    I definitely buy the anthology if one of the authors wrote a story that belongs to a series they are working on.
    If that is not the case, then it totally depends on the blurb for the stories whether I buy it or not. If I don’t want at least half the stories in the anth. then I am a lot less likely to spend my money on it.



  30. Dianna F
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:12 pm · Link

    Sometimes Anthologies are good. When the stories are good enough to pull you in and still finish a line of thought then I am all for them. I have read a few that just made me wonder what was going on.

    I buy an anthology for any author in the book. Sometimes the lead author is not even one I have ever read before.



  31. Karin
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:15 pm · Link

    I love anthologies. There are times I buy them for a specific author or story and other times when I buy for more than one author or story. Either way, I’ve found some of my favorite new authors through anthologies.



  32. stacey smith
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:23 pm · Link

    I Belive that it Helps me Find new Authors While still injoying some of My Fave’s two. :grin:Happy New Years
    sasluvbooks(at)yahoo.com



  33. Lisa G
    December 30th, 2009 at 8:30 pm · Link

    I like anthologies. I like to get a sample of different authors so I can see what their stories are like. I do confess…I do buy it for the main or lead author. 🙄



  34. Carol
    December 30th, 2009 at 9:09 pm · Link

    For me, anthologies are to discover new authors as well as to revisit old yet beloved characters. However, I think the novellas in the anthologies shouldn’t be too short. There’s one anthology which has ten over authors and after reading two or three stories, I gave up. Couldn’t hold my interest.



  35. Lori T
    December 30th, 2009 at 10:50 pm · Link

    I do like anthologies. I think that it is fun to buy for one of your favorites, but lots of times you are very lucky to find some really great new authors.



  36. kel
    December 31st, 2009 at 1:11 am · Link

    I tend to borrow anthologies more than buy them but think they are a great way to catch up with old fav’s and find some great new authors as well.



  37. Heather F.
    December 31st, 2009 at 1:21 am · Link

    It depends on the authors involved in the anthology as to weather I buy it or not. If all of the authors are ones that I buy regularly or have a series that I love, then I will but it. If there are authors that I have’t read before in the book, then I will wait and get it trough the library. I do love reading novellas that are part of a series, as get a peaks as to whats happening in that world while the author finished the next in the series.



  38. blodeuedd
    December 31st, 2009 at 3:26 am · Link

    I read one this xmas and I did find it a great new way to get a taste of new authors. Though I am not that thrilled about short stories