4 Star Rating

Gwen Masters Interview

2009-07-14T09:32:00.002+01:00

How would you describe yourself? Who is Gwen Masters?

I’m the girl next door with a sensual twist. I’m southern to the core, passionate about what I believe in and sometimes foolhardy enough to speak before I think. I’m funny when I drink and annoying when I’m tired. I love chess even though I lose most of the time. I sometimes have a one-track mind. I drive too fast but always wear my seat belt. I’m a devoted mother, an avid lover, a dedicated conservationist, and the kind of friend who never forgets to bring the wine.

What sort of books did you enjoy as a child and what do you like to read now?

As a child, I read voraciously. I still do. I love to open up a book and spend hours losing myself in it. It’s one of life’s ultimate guilty pleasures, to lose oneself in another world for a while.

When I was in elementary school, I devoured anything by Madeline L’Engle –- A Wrinkle in Time was something I loved so much, I checked it out of the library over and over, until the librarian told me I had to let someone else have a crack at it. Then I moved on to A Swiftly Tilting Planet – Lovely! I read all the Nancy Drew books. I discovered my cousin’s cache of Piers Anthony novels, and he was kind enough to let me have full rein over his collection. Then it was Stephen King, and I got good and hooked on those. To this day I’m a huge Stephen King fan.

I also read a lot of books on forensics. My mother was very interested in everything concerning that. She went back to college while I was a teenager, to pursue a degree in criminal investigation. It wasn’t unusual to hear stories about autopsies and crime scenes while we were sitting around the dinner table. It sounds strange to say that now, but that’s just the way it was – my mother was just telling us about her day, and that was part of her day. I think that’s why I keep coming back to writing crime novels. I’m working on one right now, tentatively titled Serial Rodney, which definitely comes from all those dinner-time discussions.

I like to spend my time on novels that have a time-tested historical or cultural impact. I love The Great Gatsby and The Grapes of Wrath. I enjoy biographies or anthologies of classic literature. I just finished Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, and I loved it. It is filled with layer after layer of political, cultural and moral statements. I can’t get it out of my head – I’ve been dreaming about it. I love novels like that, the ones that take up residence in my head and stay awhile.

What were your dreams or ambitions as a child? How do these compare with where you are now?

I always wanted to be a writer. That dream was always in the back of my mind, and I was always working toward it in some way, whether I realized it or not. I had a few ambitions on the side, but those never went into a serious “could I really do this?” kind of thought.

For quite some time, I wanted to be a jockey – and then I shot up to my current height of five feet, four inches at the age of twelve, and I knew I was going to be too tall for the big-league equestrian races. I listened to WSM on my radio at night and wanted to be Loretta Lynn. I went through a phase of wanting to work in radio or the music business, and I actually tried that out in high school – it was great, but my mind was always wandering a bit too much. In college I spent time working with film and theatre, everything from stage production to running the projector in the campus movie house. It intrigued me, but it didn’t become my passion. I was already writing up a storm by then anyway, and I knew what my career path would be.

Do you think you were "born a writer"? Or did the writing bug take awhile to find you?

I think I was born into it. My mother was always writing something – she still does, when she has the time. My grandfather always had a book in his shirt pocket. The dashboard of his truck was a veritable library of them. The bookcases in the house were filled to bursting. My grandmother is very romantic about her books, very protective. To this day she has a volume of good poetry on that old end table next to her favorite chair. In an atmosphere like that, being a writer was something that came as natural as breathing.

Are there any particular authors who've been influential to your work?

There are quite a few. In order to become better at any job, at any craft, you have to look at the others who are doing it. I’ve read passages in certain novels and thought, okay, I need to work on character development, because this is how you do it! I’ve read novels and thought, alright, this has been done to death, how could it be spun in a different way?

I read House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III and I was blown away by it. Not a single word is unnecessary. It’s so tightly written, it pulls you in immediately and doesn’t let go. I love the intricacy of Anita Shreve – she can pack an enormous wallop of emotion in one simple sentence, just by clever placement in the story. Barbara Kingsolver is one of those who writes so vividly, it’s hard to imagine that novels like The Poisonwood Bible are fictional. That book is so real, you can feel the heat, you can hear the tongues, you can taste the dirt. It’s gorgeous. I want to write like that.

Have you seen an evolution in your writing? What steps did it take?

I used to be a very romantic kind of girl, the wine-and-roses thing. My first manuscript was like that. To be honest, it was bloody awful. Instead of condensing a minor thought down to one sentence, I was writing whole unnecessary paragraphs. I was following every cliché. I’ve gotten away from that over the years, thank goodness. I hardly recognize my writing from back then. My work has become much more polished.

I have been fortunate to have great editors, ones who challenged me to explore and experiment with my style. My writing has become grittier, edgier, and my romantic pieces are realistic, not idealistic.

I’m content with where I am now, but every day my work is growing, changing, becoming. My style has evolved into something that fits me well, and I’m happy for that.

What was it about your genre that interested you enough to choose to write in it and not in another genre?

I’ve written in many genres, but erotica has always held my attention more than the others. I think it comes down to the challenge of it. Writing about sex, and making it believable, is much more difficult than it seems. Writing about sex and creating a story around it, where sex is a natural or necessary element, is even harder.

Those who don’t like erotica will often say that sex isn’t necessary to tell a story – I like to create stories that aren’t complete until you have the eroticism there to fuel the fire. It’s great fun, and a great challenge, to make sexuality a central and necessary part of the tale. My story “A Changing Skyline” came about like that. How could I write a tribute story, especially one about such a national tragedy, and make it sensual? If you take the sex out of that story, you lose the power of it – the sexuality is an absolutely necessary thing. It’s so much fun to write that way.

What do you find helps you when inspiration is lacking and motivation even more so?

A change of atmosphere always seems to do the trick. I once wrote 35,000 words in a week while I was out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but trees and squirrels and dirt roads and countless acres of a gorgeous lake. Taking a day trip out to the woods refreshes me. Driving into the city puts me in a different mindset. It’s always good to rattle the familiar cage into something new.

As a writer do you have any eccentric habits while writing?

I’m not sure that it is a habit, but I tend to lose myself so deeply in the story that I won’t notice if someone is in the room with me. Sometimes I don’t hear the phone ring, even though it is right there on my desk, right beside my computer. Sometimes I forget to eat or sleep. I print out things, too – obsessively. I make a hard copy every five pages or so. I do that because ultimately, I don’t trust the technology to truly save my story for me. I like the feeling of papers in my hands, the certainty that I have a record of what I have written.

What do you think is the most important piece of advice to writers trying to turn their hobbies into professions?

Don’t let up. Stay prolific. Write even when you don’t want to do so. Even if it is just writing a story based on your grocery list, about a woman wandering the aisles of the supermarket, do it. The more you write, the more you grow into the craft.

And don’t be afraid to submit! I’ve always seen rejections as opportunities to place my story elsewhere. Have the confidence that your story or novel WILL find a home, and learn to be patient with the search.

How do you market yourself, and what have your experiences in self-marketing been like?
I do everything I can to make myself accessible to my readers. I talk to bookstore owners, booksellers, clerks at used bookstores. I network with authors, with readers, with those in the publishing industry. I talk to people about the stories, the novels, the plans for the future. I have learned that nothing works as well as good, old-fashioned personal contact.

If you could assemble your fans and readers, say, in an interview, what would you like to say to them about how to improve their erotic perceptions?

No one knows what turns you on more than you do, so get to know yourself. The sensuality doesn’t come from the books. It doesn’t come from videos, toys, lingerie – all those are the trappings of bolstering an erotic life, but that is not where it is born. The sensuality comes from within. So foster it by getting to know that vixen inside. Learn what touches feel good, learn what thoughts turn you on, open your mind to anything and then decide which of those anythings is just perfect for tripping your personal triggers. Confidence is the sexiest asset you have, and once you know yourself, your confidence will flourish.

For more of your erotic/interesting scenes do you visualise them before you write them?

Oh, absolutely. What great fun that is! Sometimes I get so turned on while I’m writing, just by the visions in my head, that I have walk away from the computer to calm down. It’s been said that the largest and most powerful erogenous zone is the mind, and the more I visualize, the more sexy I feel, and the more I want to write.

The relationship dynamics that you create for your characters. Are they drawn from your own personal experience or are they more reflective of how you see couple's in society today?

It’s a bit of both, really. I certainly have written about my own experiences and my own relationships, as I did with Sex & Guitars. But others have been out of my realm of experience. For instance, when I wrote the short story “Homecoming,” it wasn’t drawn from my own personal experience. I’ve never been in a marriage that fell apart and then was built back up, like the characters in that story – but I’ve seen friends go through it, and I’ve seen them come back together when everyone else had written them off to the land of divorce. I write about all sorts of things that I have never experienced, such as a gay couple fighting to be recognized as married, or a woman seeing her husband off to war, or a man having sex for money. The basis for the stories are absolutely endless.

It's said that there is a little part of the writer in that what he/she has written. Do you agree with this? And, if so, which areas of your novels does this relate to?

It’s very hard for me to sit down and create a completely fictional piece, without any background of myself in there. I can’t help but put a bit of myself into my characters, even if it is just the emotions I’m feeling at the time. My writing style has evolved to reflect that tendency. I will work on a dozen different projects at once. Let’s say I have five or six short stories working at the same time, and I wake up in a terribly bad mood. I will instinctively turn to a story that is about anger, or loss, or someone seeking revenge. If I am in a sad kind of mood, I write a tender, sad story that might not turn out well in the end. If I’m happy, it’s a romantic kind of slant. So the characters reflect me at that given time, the emotions are real, but the story itself – the situation, the place, the actions – might be completely fictional.

With the internet there has been what I believe an increase in the amount of sexual related sites available e.g. blogs and journals. Do you feel that this has helped to liberate more women with their own sexual feelings?

I think it has certainly given women a forum to speak out about, and a place to find information that they might not have been able to obtain otherwise. Where else but the internet can you find a group of people who are readily, willingly and openly discussing anal sex? Where else can you find a group of women talking loudly about their affairs, their dissatisfactions, their discoveries of their own inner selves? These are not the kind of discussions you usually have in the back room of the public library, or even over an intimate dinner with your closest friends. The internet gives a forum for such things.

But those forums should, hopefully, foster change where it really matters. The internet allows such easy anonymity, and I wonder how many of those women move their internet world into their bedrooms? How much difference do those forums make when the computer is turned off and those women move back into their normal, everyday lives? Regardless, having a place to talk about the frustrations and the joys is priceless, and the start of something very good, very revealing, and very empowering.

And finally, what are you currently working on and what are your goals for the future?

I just finished a novel for Black Lace, which I’m incredibly excited about. It’s the tale of a woman who has been hurt very badly by a man who was always in love with someone else, and her trust and faith have been shattered. She meets a man with a taste for BDSM, and she slowly learns how trusting with your body can ultimately lead to trusting with your heart. It’s a novel about accepting our mistakes and our flaws and learning to heal despite our fears.

Currently, I’m working on a few varied projects. One is a romantic novel based in a very small town in South Carolina, where the status quo is fiercely guarded until a liberal teacher shakes things up. I’m also working on a novel about a woman who is desperate to leave her past behind, and finds allies in the most unlikely places. I’m revamping an old novella for publication, but that’s turning into more of a novel, actually. The short stories are coming along as well – right now I’m working on about a dozen different ones.

Gwen Masters is a Tennessee woman who revels in finding sensuality in everything around her. She is the author of a handful of novels and too many short stories to count, most of which have appeared in print sometime over the last dozen years. She writes songs from time to time, enjoys long autumn nights and likes her lemonade made the true southern way, with fresh lemons and just enough gin to make things interesting. For more information on Gwen and her work, visit her website: www.gwenmasters.net.

Thanks for the interview, Carrie!

Reviews on their way!

2009-07-02T10:12:00.004+01:00

The Gift Girls by Chloe Thurlow
Flexi slim blue wave - Traditional vibrator

The review of the vibrator will be coming first ('scuse the pun ;)) and I apologise for the lack of posts to this blog! If I don't have anything to review...:)

Keep an eye out for the upcoming reviews!

Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz

2009-06-10T22:19:00.002+01:00

Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz
Review by Erika Ayala

Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz will be the newest novel by this world-famous author. Come June 2009, his fans will line up the stores-patiently waiting for another of his suspense thrillers. With what I've heard, this new one promises to be his best yet.

In Relentless, Koontz introduces us to Cullen Greenwich (known as "Cubby" to his closest friends) and his perfect life and family. He has a loving wife, Penny, who is an author and illustrator of children's books. They have an intelligent six-year old son, Milo ("Spooky" to his parents), and a dog named Lassie who is almost part of the family. Cubby is a best-selling novelist and there is nothing else in this world that could make him any happier.

But his perfect little life becomes a little less like it when Sherman Waxx gives his successful new book a bad review. It's not supposed to affect him that much since it's just one bad review, but Waxx is known to make or break your career and your life. Cubby tries shrugging it off but when he accidentally sees where the recluse Waxx eats his lunch. Curiosity kills the cat and in this case, it could cost Cubby more than what he had originally bargained for.

Sociopaths like Waxx is a usual in Koontz novels but he seems to offer more this time. Koontz' flair for destroying our glass-cased lives is what he specializes in and he doesn't seem to fail us here. I wonder if Cubby's profession has something to do with Koontz being a writer. He is, after all, known for injecting a part of him in his books and I don't think this will be any different. June seems so far away for a novel that promises to get all of us hooked. Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz could just be the most anticipated suspense-thrillers of the year!

For more information, check other Relentless - A Novel by Dean Koontz book reviews

Erika Ayala works part time for a consumer review company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erika_Ayala

Animated Reality - Musings for Music by Renny Dolan

2009-05-26T18:05:00.002+01:00

Animated Reality - Musings for Music
Renny Dolan

"Poetry with a heart that anyone can relate to."

Renny Dolan believes that many will be able to relate to the poetry that's written in Animated Reality because each poem tells a story of past emotions, life and the innocence of childhood. I can see and feel the passion that lie behind the words of these poems. But, for me, the memories end there.

However, that doesn't mean I cannot appreciate what is written here. It will undoubtedly hold a special meaning for many readers. It's easy, too, to be wary of poetry; to avoid even attempting to make sense of it. But, Animated Reality is one such anthology that shouldn't be avoided. It should be embraced. It's inspiring, thought-provoking and a delight to read.

Let this be the one poetry collection you read this year.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://www.squidoo.com/bookreviewing
http://fourstarrating.blogspot.com/

Talking Heads by Reid Laurence

2009-05-21T09:49:00.002+01:00

Talking Heads
Reid Laurence

Raymond Mort is lonely and because of this, several people must pay with the ultimate price: their life. But, Raymond doesn't seem to be your average serial killer. He kills, yes but he doesn't do it for sexual gratification or power. He does it for company. Solve this social problem and he'd be right as rain.

Talking Heads follows three major episodes in Raymond's life and is not a story about your average crime. It's funny, witty and strangely sad. It's one of the few times when
you're reading about a serious crime against humanity that you find yourself actually rooting for the bad guy.

Talking Heads is a gripping novel in so many ways and it will leave you wanting more from Reid Laurence. He is, for sure, my favourite author in this genre.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://www.squidoo.com/bookreviewing
http://fourstarrating.blogspot.com/

Reviews coming up!

2009-05-16T09:08:00.002+01:00

New book review request added:

Animated Reality - Musings for Music by Renny Dolan

Book review in progress

Talking Heads by Reid Laurence

Book reviews are a little bit behind (but not much!) due to personal circumstances. Please do bear with me :)

Please note, also, that I do not answer emails about the progress of review requests. Do not worry, though! You will receive your review!

Love from A to Z by P.G. Forte

2009-04-30T10:41:00.003+01:00

P.G. Forte has been a favourite of mine since I started to read her fiction many years back in my career as a reviewer. So, I'm usually under no illusion that when I receive her latest work I'm going to get an incredible sexy and steamy ride with a twist. P.G Forte's latest novel will have you hooked on her style and wanting more.

Love from A to Z places you right into the action of lust, intrigue, passion and loathing. The protagonist, April, is a woman that knows her own mind as she clearly shows her contempt for her cousin on a night out on the town. But, something goes wrong, something that will change her life forever.

Love from A to Z will, at times, leave you breathless with desire. You'll find yourself rooting for April, hoping that nothing will spoil her new found love, but wincing at the inevitable breakdown of her relationship with him as the truth of April's life slowly starts to emerge.

A terrific, sexy read from start to finish.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://www.hentracks.co.uk
http://fourstarrating.blogspot.com/

Squidoo Lens plus Reviews

2009-04-27T10:29:00.002+01:00

Image by rekha6 via Flickr

I wanted to post a little bit about what you would receive if you requested a Squidoo Lens plus Review.

A Squidoo Lens is a one page website that is packed full of information about a topic of the author's (or lensmaster's) choice. So, if you purchased a Squidoo Lens plus review package from 4 Star Rating, you will receive:

A Squidoo Lens already published on the subject of your book with the review included. In this Lens I will add all sorts of promotional information e.g. your blog feed, links to your book sale pages, links to your work, author details etc.

There is so much more you can do with a Squidoo Lens that it's impossible for me to list them all here. However, Google loves Squidoo and it's an excellent way to get the word out about your book and everything about you as an author.

When you purchase a Squidoo Lens plus review from me I would work on creating and publishing a squidoo lens just for you and your book and then would transfer the completed lens over to you. All you would need to do is sign up to Squidoo (It's free!), let me know your lensmaster profile username and then I would transfer your completed lens over to you. You will then be able to add to it and edit it to your heart's content.

Squidoo Lenses are so easy to promote. Once the URL is indexed by Google, the traffic to your lens will increase and so will the sales to your book ;)

So, if you are interested in requesting a Squidoo Lens Plus Review please go here: How to request a review.

Or, if you would like more information, please do leave your question in the comment section of this post :)

Review Requests are back!

2009-04-01T09:56:00.003+01:00

Just to let everyone know that Review Requests are now back on!

Also, it is possible now to request a Book review PLUS a Squidoo Lens!

Please go to: How to Request an Express Review for more details!

Luckily, I've managed to get my paypal account sorted (they were extremely helpful) so all is back to normal now.

I look forward to your requests :)

Review Requests are on hold

2009-03-26T10:19:00.002Z

Image via Wikipedia

This is just a quick announcement to say that all review requests are on hold until a problem with my paypal account has been resolved.

You can read more about this on my Squidoo blog, Squid Ink.

I apologise for any frustrations that this may cause but I hope for this to be sorted out ASAP.

Thank you!

Upcoming Reviews

2009-03-16T08:51:00.002Z

Here are details of upcoming reviews:

In the Driving Seat by Richard Savage

Talking Heads by Reid Laurence

Love from A to Z by P.G. Forte

For more information about my services as a Book Reviewer, please visit: Carrie White, Book Reviewer

Book reviews and Squidoo

2009-03-05T20:29:00.005Z

Cover via Amazon

This is a quick little post to let you all know that I am no longer running the book reviewing service from a main website. From now on, all book review requests will be taken from this blog :)

I shall very soon set up a Squidoo lens review request which will enable authors to pay for a Squidoo lens plus the review of their book, if they so wish.

For examples of Squidoo lenses published in this way, please visit:

Fear the Stranger by Hector Clark

Legendary Horrors by Various Authors

How to Write a Dirty Story

Squidoo Profits Step by Step Guide - Review

On completion of the lens, a free account would be required for me to then transfer the lens to you (the author.)

The price of this service would be $150.

More information will be published shortly :)

Fairy Tales Can Come True edited by Natasha Brooks

2009-02-26T09:21:00.003Z

Fairy Tales Can Come True
Edited by Natasha Brooks

Fairy Tales Can Come True is an anthology of erotic fairy tales that feature some childhood stories you will undoubtedly recognise. However, these once familiar stories have now been spiced up tremendously and, after heating up ready to be served, are accompanied by a side dish of tenderness and passion. But, as with true fairy tales, there could well be a moral within these stories. The question is: can you find them?

This collection has been lovingly smattered with humour sprinkled throughout like fairy dust and as such makes this particular offering from Editor, Natasha Brooks a definite joy to read. Just when you think it’s all over you will find an added bonus at the end of the book: read up about the authors, take a fun trivia test about other fairy tales and read through an extract of Pussy Tales written by the editor of this anthology. Brilliant!

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://www.hentracks.co.uk
http://fourstarrating.blogspot.com/

Dark Enchantment by Janine Ashbless

2009-02-24T09:44:00.002Z

Dark Enchantment
Janine Ashbless

Take a journey into the darkness that is the erotic paranormal with Janine Ashbless’ Dark Enchantment. I love to read stories or novels that are different from the usual and this anthology definitely fits that bill. Cold Hands: Warm Heart, one of its stories, left a definite impression on me purely through the behaviour of its characters and its resulting conclusion; it carries a nerve-jangling moral within.

This collection of short stories is dark, and it does enchant but it also gives a lot more to its readers. It brings the power of raw imagination and pure unadulterated lust to the forefront. It will chill you and excite you and, without a doubt, you will find yourself drawn into the very being of the characters that inhabit the sinister, lustful world of Dark Enchantment.

This anthology is definitely the way to go if you want something sizzling with the contrast of something icy to while away a few hours; a highly recommended read.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer

http://fourstarrating.zxq.net/
http://www.hentracks.co.uk

Reviews coming up!

2009-02-16T20:37:00.003Z

This is just a quick post to let you know that I will have two reviews ready very shortly :)

The two books are:

Dark Enchantment by Janine Ashbless.
Fairy Tales Can Come True Edited by Natasha Brooks.

I'm enjoying both these books, for different reasons.

Dark Enchantment has similarities to my own erotic horror anthology but it's definitely not as morbid! It does, however, help me figure out what the best course of action is to make my own anthology more marketable.

Backlinks, traffic and reviews

2009-02-10T09:16:00.005Z

Image via CrunchBase

Book reviewing is slow at the moment whilst I work out just what I need to be working on first. There has been no shortage of books to review and not all of them have come from my site.

In fact, Myspace has been good at putting me in touch with publishers and authors whilst Facebook has been a complete loss.

I've now deleted my account on Facebook and have concentrated my marketing efforts on Squidoo.com.

Another site that has been useless at directing traffic to any of my sites is Zimbio although the backlinks that the site provides is good. Weird how some things work for some people and not for others.

So, I promise you that I will have a book review for you very soon. I'm currently reading a really good book of erotic short stories. Its different to what I've seen around before and I'm enjoying it. So, you can be assured that it will be a good review :)

If you're an author, publisher, editor, writer or reader and you would like to be my friend on Myspace, then please do visit my profile: Four Star Rating

Still reviewing books

2009-02-02T09:40:00.003Z

It's been a long time since I wrote anything of interest on this blog. I'm still reviewing books (I have a pile of them here to get through) so a review or two will be coming shortly.

For the latest news and updates, please do visit my lens: Carrie White, Book Reviewer

With regards to the marketing side of things:

Reviews of anything are not so interesting to read unless you happen to be looking for a particular something so most of my review Squidoo lenses are on the brink of falling off the edge of the barrel into the abyss.

I have, as stated here, obtained a few copies of some blog commenting software to help increase my backlinks and interest to some of my book related lenses and sites.

Also, I'm really wondering if I need a main website to host my review service on. I don't get a lot of traffic to it so it will be no great loss to remove it from the internet.

Any thoughts?

A Country Girl by Jeanne Ainslie

2009-01-28T09:45:00.000Z

A Country Girl
Jeanne Ainslie

'A Country Girl', a sequel to Canadian author Jeanne Ainslie's 1975 novel 'Angela', is a very frankly written account of an innocent girl's experience of both love and sex in a rural community. It is published as erotica but I have difficulty regarding it as such due to its very explicit descriptions of the sexual act. For me, erotica is passionate and romantic; two things that I feel that this novel lacks. Ainslie's writing has been touted as 'classic erotica in the tradition of Anais Nin' but I feel that it is missing a little of the warmth to be found within the works of Nin.

To get the most out of 'A Country Girl' it's necessary to read it carefully as the style in which it is written can be confusing at times. The lack of quotation marks can make it difficult to distinguish between speech and narrative and it does appear a little too clunky at times - almost as if it is a text book exercise in style. I have to admit to not liking this approach at all. Given also that it is a sequel I wonder how much one needs to have read the first novel 'Angela' and in not having done so how much have I missed?

Although I give 'A Country Girl' an average 3 star rating that is not to say that it does not have some redeeming qualities - and to be fair it is perhaps just not to my taste. So, if you have read the first book and are keen to know how Angela's story progresses or if you're looking for something raunchy, clear in its intentions and dripping with sex at every page turn, then this novel is definitely for you.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://fourstarrating.zxq.net/index.html
http://www.hentracks.co.uk

Book Review Carnival Issue 6

2008-12-07T18:51:00.002Z

Book Review Carnival Issue 6 is up and live!

Check it out at: Imaginary Lands

My latest book review is featured :)

Now, must get on and change this template again! :(

Legend of Witch Bane by Kevis Hendrickson

2008-12-03T14:12:00.001Z

Legend of Witch Bane
Kevis Hendrickson

Legend of Witch Bane is a beautifully illustrated story of witchcraft; a land of fantasy inspired by many of the great fairytales of their time. The conflicts within the family structure are overcome with love and support and the novel itself teaches many valuable lessons of life.

Anyr is the main protagonist of the Legend of Witch Bane and she displays great courage and pluckiness that will instil respect and admiration in all who read this story. Her love for her siblings is admirable and she receives that love back tenfold. Many times that love is tested and sacrificial choices have to be made, but at what cost?

Legend of Witch Bane is a story that all can enjoy whatever their age. A clear pronunciation guide at the beginning of the novel helps with the more difficult names so making it easier for the younger readers to understand and enjoy. I would recommend Legend of Witch Bane to readers of all ages.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://fourstarrating.zxq.net/index.html
http://www.hentracks.co.uk

Legendary Horrors - Review

2008-11-19T23:06:00.006Z

'A tourist unlocks a terrible secret that has plagued a small town for generations. A man desperate to hold on to his love makes a deal with too high of a price. A quiet vacation in a cabin turns into a nightmare for an elderly couple. An investigative reporter gets the interview of the century...with the boogeyman. Plus classic tales from some of the masters of horror.'

We all remember the horror stories of old, don't we; the legendary stories of vampires and werewolves written by the Masters of Horrors, for example, Guy De Maupassant and Théophile Gautier?

Well, how about adding those classics together with a new set of apprentices of horror?
Do they compare?
Do they achieve the ultimate in fear and horror?

Editor, Julie Ann Dawson needed to find horror stories for this anthology with a modern spin but that were also inspired by the classic greats of The Vampyre and The Mummy's Foot to name just a couple.

As someone who enjoys the horror genre immensely, I was particularly impressed with this collection simply because it steered away from the usual, more conventional means of horror fiction. I'm a great lover of psychological horror and the horror of the unknown which include mythical beasts and wild, out-of-control cross-breeds.

My belief is that anyone can write or put together a collection of stories of the 'stab and shoot me until I bleed to death' type horrors but it takes greater skill to put a writer's imagination to the test and also to play on the reader's greatest fears.

So, the question is:

Has Julie Ann Dawson achieved her objective?

My answer:

Without a doubt!

Legendary Horrors by Various Authors, Edited by Julie Ann Dawson

Belts, Buckles and Pajamas by Michele LeBlanc

2008-10-14T19:27:00.001+01:00

Belts, Buckles and Pajamas
Michele LeBlanc

It is notoriously difficult to get into someone's head especially if they suffer from mental health 'difficulties'. No one can begin to guess the ways in which the human brain deals with such trauma; there are infinite possibilities. However, Michelle LeBlanc has done a remarkable job as she relates the story of Daphne, a young woman trying to deal with her past when she was sexually abused by her father.

There is usually a complex relationship between a patient and her therapist with the patient needing to trust her 100%. Ms LeBlanc has captured this well and with sympathy.

Belts, Buckles and Pajamas is an intriguing story of remarkable courage and faith. It will undoubtedly provoke deep emotions in all its readers. One you cannot afford to miss.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://fourstarrating.zxq.net/index.html
http://www.hentracks.co.uk

Book Review Blog Carnival has gone live!

2008-09-29T09:23:00.004+01:00

You may have noticed a link (or graphic) to Blog Carnival in the siderbar to the left. This is another method of blog promotion you can use.

This is what Blog Carnivals are all about:

'...someone takes the time to find (or collect submissions, lol) really good blog posts on a given topic, and then puts all those posts together in a blog post called a "carnival. Blog Carnival simplifies carnivals for two kinds of people:

People who read and contribute to blog carnivals, and
People who organize and publish blog carnivals.'

So, I thought I would join one! I've never really managed to join a carnival before, basically because I never felt that my posts were that interesting enough to post. Ahem...(someone must be interested, surely?) Well, anyway, the Book Review Blog Carnival is ideal for me at this blog mainly because all they need for submissions to each issue is a post about a book review. Simple! I can do that! Lol! :)

So...

The first issue of the book review blog carnival has now gone live and you can read it here.

To submit to the Book Review Blog Carnival, you can do it here.

Now, I really must get writing another review so I can submit to the next Issue which will be held at Novel Bloggers.

River Bones by Mary Deal

2008-09-25T09:10:00.005+01:00

River Bones
Mary Deal

Author, Mary Deal has set her latest mystery novel in her hometown of Sacramento River Delta; a very clever move that really brings this novel alive. By using personal memories and emotions, she has created a tale of intrigue that is breathtaking and its all set in a beautiful, authentic backdrop.

River Bones reads as though it has been written in a 'skirting' style: the narration continuously dances towards key facts before flitting back, again, to the storyline. This can keep the reader on their toes but it has to be used with caution; too much and you risk losing a valuable affect. By focusing on how supporting characters were connected to Sara, my attention was drawn away from the killer so it didn't feel like I was reading a suspense novel.

Whilst River Bones isn’t a typical 'on the edge of your seat' thriller, it will hold you captivated and it will appeal to those, too, who generally read outside of its published genre of suspense.

Carrie White, Writer & Reviewer
http://fourstarrating.zxq.net/index.html
http://www.hentracks.co.uk

Book Reviewing - Share the Fun

2008-09-24T19:38:00.000+01:00

You may already know that I've worked as a book (amongst other things) reviewer now for over 8 years (and counting.)

What you won't know is exactly how I go about reviewing any books (adult toys, websites, blogs) that happen to come my way.

So, in this Lens, I'm going to reveal some of the methods I use to complete a review. Enjoy!

http://www.squidoo.com/howtoreviewbooks