Nowadays, they've got all the elements of a great novel - drama, suspense, romance, engaging dialogue. Plus, you'll get some visuals to go with it. Graphic novels aren't just for teenage boys now. We've enjoyed not just the japanese shojo manga love stories like Fruitsbasket and Ceres, but also American comics like Strangers in Paradise, that read like a soap opera, going on for volumes and volumes.

This week, Dabel Brothers Productions (DB Pro) announced that they are about to release one of our favorite paranormal romance series in graphic novel form! Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake, the short but tough vamp executioner that finds herself in a love triangle with a master vampire and a werewolf shapeshifter.

The series from DB Pro will faithfully adapt the Anita Blake novel series into a monthly comic book, starting with the first book, GUILTY PLEASURES, and following the story of what critics have hailed as the “R-Rated Buffy” vampire hunter series. The first issue will hit comic book stores this June.

More at: BRETT BOOTH NAMED AS ANITA BLAKE ARTIST

Dabel Brothers Productions is known for focusing on adaptations of full-length novels to graphic form. We were surprised to note that some of their past projects included favorites like the love story between the dragon and the knight, Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma.

Just this past week, the comic company announced that they will be adapting the first five novels in Kinley MacGregor's (AKA Sherrilyn Kenyon) Lords of Avalon series - about King Arthur's court.

Well known for her historical romances (which are quite good, we might add), Pamela Britton has made an excellent foray into contemporary romance with her series on race car driving, starting with Dangerous Curves. Now in her latest installment, In The Groove, we've got another tale of a NASCAR driver and the woman he falls in love with. Britton even gets the character naming spot on with her almost cringe-worthy racer names like Lance and Blain.

Race and romance fans alike will enjoy!

The Raider was the eight novel in her Montgomery saga. Set in colonial New England in 1766, a masked patriot, known only as the Raider, is being hunted by the British. Beautiful Jessica Taggert is thrilled by the attentions of her gallant hero, even has she is disgusted by his alter-ego, the drunken Alexander Montgomery.

The Barbie set is actually quite elaborate, what with long tousled, windswept hair and all that:

Barbie® doll wears a violet blue dress that falls off her shoulders with a neckline trimmed in white lace and the violet blue taffeta bodice is boned and fitted. It laces up the front in lilac satin ribbon to finish in a bow just under the bust. An overskirt of periwinkle chiffon is pulled up at the left hip to reveal a very full underskirt of violet blue floral jacquard. A sash of teal iridescent chiffon falls around the edge of the overskirt. A small bouquet of lilac and white flowers covers the area where the two chiffon fabrics come together. She has long blond tousled hair. Ken® doll has long brown windswept hair. He is wearing a sheer white cotton shirt and tight black pants accented with a black belt. Black knee high cuffed and buckled boots complete his ruggedly handsome look.

More At: Jude Deveraux The Raider Barbie & Ken Giftset

Perhaps it was Fabio-Ken, or maybe it was the more recent Legolas-Ken that made the plain old generic Ken, you know, Barbie's boy toy, feel like he needed a makeover of his own...

Barbie has gone through a number of changes over the past half-century. But Ken, with his shiny pecs and glassy eyes, has been just about the same for the longest time.

But over time, his look has gotten, for lack of a better word - old. He's faced competition from other men, some with real, brushable hair.

But now his agents have announced that he's turning over a new leaf, to make him more of a hottie for his blonde bombshell, Barbie.

More At: Barbie's Boy Toy Gets Makeover

Rakes & Rogues Top Five Reasons to Attend:

• Workshops! More than 100 sessions have been planned to help you improve your writing and chances of getting published
  
• Network and Party with romance's finest authors
  
• Autographs! More than 450 authors will be attending the Readers for Life" charity book signing
  
• Cheer on your favorite authors at the 2005 RITA and Golden Heart Awards
  
• Meet and review your work with editors and agents
  

Rakes & Rogues Top Ten Most Interesting-Sounding Workshops:

• Villains Revealed: Creating Characters that Resonate with Readers - Tami Cowden
  
• People Will Talk: Writing Snappy Dialogue - Sabrina Jeffries
  
• What Not to Write: The Alfred Hitchcock Approach to Writing a Compelling Story - Samantha Saxon
  
• My Internet Is Bigger Than Your Internet - Janet Spaeth and Kacie Jossart
  
• When Bad Covers Happen to Good Books - Susan Wiggs (moderator), Jennifer Crusie, Sandra Hill, Anne
  Stuart, Maggie Crawford, Diane Moggy, Andrea Cirillo, and Maggie Kelly
  
• Darlin’, Your Fangs Are Showing! - L.A. Banks and Monique Patterson
  
• Kiss My Cliché - Eloisa James and Teresa Medeiros
  
• Arriving, Surviving, Thriving: It Ain’t All Chocolate, Sex, and Cheetos - Kylie Brant, Cindy Gerard, Roxanne
  Rustand, Mary-Theresa Hussey, and Donna Bagdasarian
  
• It’s My Party, and I’ll Lie if I Want to! - Celeste Bradley and Nicole Byrd
  
• How Your Character Can Sin and Get Away with It: Motivation, Regret, and Redemption - Leanne Banks
  and Cindy Gerard

The Romance Writers of America 25th Annual National Conference takes place from July 27-30, 2005.

Find out more about this conference on the RWA Conference Website.

Best First Book Finalists

A Man in a Kilt by Sandy Blair
Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie
American Idle by Alesia Holliday
The Runaway Duke by Julie Ann Long
Do Me, Do My Roots by Eileen Rendahl
Time Off for Good Behavior by Lani Diane Rich

Best Traditional Romance Finalists

The Game Show Bride by Jackie Braun
The Bowen Bride by Nicole Burnham
Gino’s Arranged Bride by Lucy Gordon
Christmas Eve Marriage by Jessica Hart
The Last Minute Marriage by Marion Lennox

Best Short Contemporary Romance Finalists

We’ve Got Tonight by Jacquie D’Alessandro
A Family of His Own by Liz Fielding
Miss Pruitt’s Private Life by Barbara McCauley
Hers for the Weekend by Tanya Michaels
Like a Hurricane by Roxanne St. Claire
Tall, Dark and Texan by Jane Sullivan
When He Was Bad by Jane Sullivan
Meeting at Midnight by Eileen Wilks

Best Long Contemporary Romance Finalists

A Family Christmas by Carrie Alexander
Body Search by Jessica Andersen
A Marriage of Majors by Elizabeth Ashtree
A Real Hero by Jean Brashear
John Riley’s Girl by Inglath Cooper
The Cop/Texas Outlaws by Jan Hudson
Joint Forces by Catherine Mann
Hidden Agenda by Maggie Price

Best Inspirational Romance Finalists

Grounds To Believe by Shelley Bates
Gabriel’s Discovery by Felicia Mason
At the Scent of Water by Linda Nichols
Hero in Her Heart by Marta Perry
A Nest of Sparrows by Deborah Raney

Best Novella Finalists

“Father and the Notorious Miss Newman” in A Wife for Papa by Lynn Collum
“Midsummer Night’s Magic” in Man of My Dreams by Virginia Kantra
“Surrender” in Essence of Midnight by Julie Elizabeth Leto
“The Edge of Memory” in Mysteries of Lost Angel Inn by Kathleen O’Brien
“The First Kiss” in Lady Whistledown Strikes Back by Julia Quinn
“Out on a Limb” in Mistletoe and Mayhem by Christie Ridgway
“Wolf Moon” in Moon Shadows by Nora Roberts
“Daydream Believer” in Man of My Dreams by Maggie Shayne
“Her Best Enemy” in Night’s Edge by Maggie Shayne

Best Regency Romance Finalists

Rules of Love by Amanda McCabe
A Passionate Endeavor by Sophia Nash
Moonlight and Mischief by Rhonda Woodward

Best Short Historical Romance Finalists

The Countess Bride by Terri Brisbin
My Seduction by Connie Brockway
The Unexpected Wife by Mary Burton
Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskie
Princess Masquerade by Lois Greiman
A Wanted Man by Susan Kay Law
My Favorite Thief by Karyn Monk
A Lady of Distinction by Deborah Simmons

Best Long Historical Romance Finalists

My Pleasure by Connie Brockway
The Linnet by Elizabeth English
Moon in the Water by Elizabeth Grayson
Shadowheart by Laura Kinsale
Highlander Unbound by Julia London
To Find You Again by Maureen McKade
Wedded Bliss by Barbara Metzger
The Butler Did It by Kasey Michaels
Beloved Imposter by Patricia Potter

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements Finalists

American Idle by Alesia Holliday
Do Me, Do My Roots by Eileen Rendahl
Time Off for Good Behavior
A.K.A. Goddess by Evelyn Vaughn
The Ocean Between Us by Susan Wiggs

Best Romantic Suspense Finalists

Body Double, Book #1 War Games by Vicki Hinze
Mimosa Grove by Dinah McCall
Have You Seen Her? by Karen Rose
I’m Watching You by Karen Rose
Colder Than Ice by Maggie Shayne
Code Name: Princess by Christina Skye
Just Past Midnight by Amanda Stevens
Fatal Error by Colleen Thompson
Shady Lady by Elizabeth Thornton

Best Paranormal Romance Finalists

Come to Me by Lisa Cach
Blue Moon by Lori J. Handeland
Wet & Wild by Sandra Hill
The Immortal Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Divided in Death by J.D. Robb
Visions in Death by J.D. Robb
Shadow Fires by Catherine Spangler
Heart of the Hunter by Tina St. John

Best Contemporary Single Title Finalists

An Irresistible Bachelor by Jessica Bird
Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
Golden Lies by Barbara Freethy
Daisy’s Back In Town by Rachel Gibson
In the Mood by Suzanne Macpherson
This Can’t Be Love by Kasey Michaels
Street Smart by Tara Taylor Quinn
Blue Flame by Jill Shalvis
Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Short Contemporary Series
A Long Hot Christmas by Barbara Daly

Long Contemporary
Series Coming Home To You by Fay Robinson

Paranormal Romance
Heart Mate by Robin D. Owens

Inspirational Romance
Beneath a Southern Sky by Deborah Raney

Romantic Novella
" I Will" from Wish List by Lisa Kleypas

First Book
The Border Bride by Elizabeth English

Regency Romance
Much Obliged by Jessica Benson

Short Historical Romance
Tempt Me Twice by Barbara Dawson Smith

Long Historical Romance
The Bridal Season by Connie Brockway

Romantic Suspense
The Surgeon by Tess Gerritsen

Contemporary Single Title
True Confessions by Rachel Gibson

Long Contemporary
Forever Ago by Anne DeStafano

Paranormal
The Blackstone Diaries by Sandy Blair

Inspirational
A Place to Call Home by Merrillee A Whren

Short Historical
His Majesty, Prince of Toads by Nadele Jacobs

Long Historical
Unmasked by Diane Perkins

Romantic
Angel on the Run by Dianna Love Snell

Contemporary Single
Midnight in the Princess Bed by Laron K. Glover

Long Historical
Once A Thief
Kimberly L. Snoke

Best Short Contemporary Series
TAMING THE OUTLAW by Cindy Gerard (Silhouette)

Best Long Contemporary Series
TAKING COVER by Catherine Mann (Silhouette)

Best Paranormal Romance
CONTACT by Susan Grant (Dorchester)

Best Inspirational Romance
NEVER SAY GOOD-BYE by Irene Hannon (Steeple Hill)

Best Romantic Novella
"To Kiss in the Shadows" in TAPESTRY by Lynn Kurland (Berkley)

Best First Book
SHADES OF HONOR by Wendy Lindstrom (St. Martin's Press)

Best Regency Romance
A DEBT TO DELIA by Barbara Metzger (NAL/Penguin Putnam)

Best Short Historical Romance
THE BRIDE FAIR by Cheryl Reavis (Harlequin Historicals)

Best Long Historical Romance
STEALING HEAVEN by Madeline Hunter (Bantam Dell)

Best Romantic Suspense
THREE FATES by Nora Roberts (Putnam)

Best Contemporary Single Title
NO PLACE LIKE HOME by Barbara Ann Samuel (Ballantine)

Best Short Contemporary Series
THE KNIGHT'S KISS by Nicole Burnham (Silhouette)

Best Long Contemporary Series
THE TOP GUN'S RETURN by Kathleen Creighton (Harlequin)

Best Paranormal Romance
SHADES OF MIDNIGHT by Linda Fallon (Kensington)

Best Inspirational Romance
AUTUMN DREAMS by Gayle Roper (Multnomah Publishers)

Best Romantic Novella
"Prisoner of the Tower" in THE WEDDING CHASE by Gayle Wilson (Harlequin)

Best First Book
BACK ROADS by Susan Crandall (Warner Books)

Best Regency Romance
PROSPERO'S DAUGHTER by Nancy Butler (Signet)

Best Short Historical Romance
WORTH ANY PRICE by Lisa Kleypas (Avon)

Best Long Historical Romance
THE DESTINY by Kathleen Givens (Warner)

Best Romantic Suspense
REMEMBER WHEN-PART 1 by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam & Sons)

Best Contemporary Single Title
BIRTHRIGHT by Nora Roberts (G.P. Putnam & Sons)

Novel with Strong Romantic Elements
BETWEEN SISTERS by Kristin Hannah (Ballantine)

RBL Romantica Top Listings - By year, genre!

The Romance Reader's Top 100 Romances of all time - Nominated by readers!