If a little dreaming is dangerous,
the cure for it is not to dream less
but to dream more, to dream all the time.
~Marcel Proust

This month as we ring in a new year, we take time to salute our fabulous sub-genre authors who dared to dream of new and different worlds, who pushed the envelope of imagination and created gems of rare quality. The following are the 2003 P.E.A.R.L. finalists, those titles the paranormalromance listers have nominated as the best of the best in ten sub-genre categories.

ANTHOLOGY

CHARMED DESTINIES: Harlequin
Catherine Asaro, Mercedes Lackey, Rachel Lee
DREAM QUEST: LTDBooks
J. C. Wilder , Linnea Sinclair
LOVER BEWARE: Berkley
Christine Feehan, Eileen Wilks, Fiona Brand, Katherine Sutcliffe
MIDNIGHT PLEASURES: St. Martin's Press
Amanda Ashley, Maggie Shayne, Ronda Thompson, Sherrilyn Kenyon
PARADOX II: LTDBooks
J. C. Wilder, Rosemary Laurey
THE ONLY ONE: Leisure
Christine Feehan, Susan Grant, Susan Squires

FANTASY / MAGICAL

DESTINY'S SEDUCTION : Isabo Kelly -- LTDBooks
HEART THIEF: Robin D. Owens -- Berkley
SHADOW MAGIC: Karen Whiddon -- Love Spell
SPELLBOUND: Kathleen Nance -- Love Spell
SPELLBOUND IN SEATTLE: Garthia Anderson -- Love Spell

FUTURISTIC

HEART THIEF: Robin D. Owens -- Berkley
SHADOW CROSSING: Catherine Spangler -- Love Spell
THE STAR PRINCESS: Susan Grant -- Love Spell
UNRAVELED: C. J. Barry -- Love Spell

SCIENCE FICTION

SKYFALL: Catherine Asaro -- Tor Books
THE MOON'S SHADOW: Catherine Asaro -- Tor Books
UNEARTHED: C. J. Barry -- Love Spell

SHAPESHIFTER

BENEATH A RISING MOON: Keri Arthur -- Imajinn Books
DANCE WITH THE DEVIL: Sherrilyn Kenyon -- St. Martin's Press
DARK MELODY: Christine Feehan -- Leisure Books
DARK SYMPHONY: Christine Feehan -- Berkley
NIGHT EMBRACE: Sherrilyn Kenyon -- St. Martin's Press

NOVELLA or SHORT STORY

A Wulf's Curse: Ronda Thompson -- St. Martin's Press
Dark Descent: Christine Feehan -- Leisure Books
Phantom Lover: Sherrilyn Kenyon -- St. Martin's Press
The Immortal Warlock: M. A. duBarry -- Amber Quill Press
The Star Queen: Susan Grant -- Leisure Books

TIME TRAVEL

A GARDEN IN THE RAIN: Lynn Kurland -- Berkley
ALMOST AN ANGEL: Katherine Greyle -- Love Spell
CHARMING THE HIGHLANDER: Janet Chapman -- Pocket Books
THE VERY VIRILE VIKING: Sandra Hill -- Leisure Books
WEDDING THE HIGHLANDER: Janet Chapman -- Pocket Books

EROTIC

BEFORE NIGHT FALLS: Jeya Jenson -- eXtasy Books
DREAM JOB: Cassie Walder -- Ellora's Cave
SCHENTE NIGHT: Brenna Lyons -- eXtasy Books
SEASCAPE: Stephanie M. Burke -- Ellora's Cave
THE BLOOD RUBY: M. A. duBarry -- Amber Quill Press
THE SAILMASTER'S WOMAN: Annie Windsor -- Ellora's Cave

Garthia Anderson: SPELLBOUND IN SEATTLE -- Love Spell
Janet Chapman: CHARMING THE HIGHLANDER -- Pocket Books
Marianne LaCroix: LADY SHEBA -- Extasy Books

OVERALL PARANORMAL

DANCE WITH THE DEVIL: Sherrilyn Kenyon -- St. Martin's Press
DARK MELODY: Christine Feehan -- Leisure Books
HEART THIEF: Robin D. Owens -- Berkley
NIGHT EMBRACE: Sherrilyn Kenyon -- St. Martin's Press