Erotica romance author Maya Banks has inked a “multi-million dollar deal” with Berkley Books for a new trilogy.

Trident Media Group executive vice president Kimberly Whalen negotiated the deal with Berkley executive editor Cindy Hwang. Here’s more from the release:

Berkley will publish simultaneous digital and trade paperback editions of each book. Brilliance Audio has acquired audio rights in a six-figure deal … The new trilogy will be set in Houston, Texas amidst a world Banks originally created for the Sweet Series. Focusing on the lives and friendships of a closely intertwined group of people, the series will explore the friends’ tragedies and triumphs as well as their darkest fears and secrets.

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Romance novelist Maya Banks has landed a 7-figure deal with Penguin’s Berkley Books imprint. Starting in 2013, Berkley will release a new erotica trilogy by Banks (pictured, via)–the Breathless series.

Book one, Rush, will hit bookstores in February 2013. The sequels Fever and Burn will follow in April 2013 and August 2013. Executive editor Cindy Hwang negotiated the deal with Trident Media Group literary agent Kimberly Whalen.

Here’s more from the release: “In this new trilogy Banks brings her talent for writing edgy, seductive, and darkly sexual novels to a story that will appeal directly to a wide group of readers.  The series follows three billionaires—Gabe Hamilton, Jace Crestwell and Ash McIntyre—who are best friends and business partners.  The men dominate both in the boardroom and in the bedroom.  Each novel in the trilogy will explore the relationship of one of the men as he discovers the woman he will love.”

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Could you design a book trailer using just kids’ toys? Romance author Tessa Dare created the book trailer embedded above for fellow romance author Maya Banks–only using props from her daughter’s bedroom. What do you think of the final product?

Dare explained more about this project: “Last year, I’d made an amateur book video using my kids’ toys. People seemed to enjoy it. So when Operation Auction happened, I offered up a similar video as an auction item. To sweeten the deal, a lot of bloggers also promised to post the winner’s video. Maya made a VERY generous bid to win it, and I could not have been more thrilled. Making a video for her Highlander trilogy was a dream come true. Who could resist the chance to dress up Ken dolls in kilts?”

The titles in Banks’ Highlander series include In Bed with the Highlander (August 2011), Seduction of a Highland Lass (September 2011) and Never Love a Highlander (October 2011). The first video Dare created was for her Stud Club trilogy. For both videos, Dare used toys, stock music, low-low-budget special effects, an iPhone and a Macbook computer. (Via Jane L)

This year’s Romance Writers of America annual conference will not focus on digital publishing, as GalleyCat editor Ron Hogan summarized in an essay last month.

A number of writers, publishers, and readers have organized a rogue digital conference on July 16 at 8 a.m. in the same hotel. Entitled “Think Fresh, Think Digital,” the line-up includes Sarah Wendell of SmartBitchesTrashyBooks, (who was quite recently profiled), Jane Litte from Dear Author, Angela James, executive editor of Samhain Publishing, and the authors Maya Banks and Lauren Dane.

Here’s more from the post: “While we have some great sponsors including: Books on Board, Red Sage Publishing, Samhain Publishing, Quartet Press, and Smart Bitches, this is a streamlined event and we would ask you to bring your own tea, coffee, hashbrowns or donuts. That’s right, it’s BYOTCH-D.”