Bea's Book Nook

True to Life: A Guest Post by Naomi C King

2012-03-08T08:00:00.005-05:00

Today, romance author Naomi King is visiting us to talk about how accurate, or true to life, are Amish romances. Amish romances are a sub-genre that have become very popular in the past few years. As with any story inspired by real world people, events, things, etc. some people question the accuracy and authenticity of those stories. Naomi will address that in her post.

A little bit about Naomi, from her website:

I’ve called Missouri home for most of my life, and most folks don’t realize that several Old Older Amish and Mennonite communities make their home here, as well. The rolling pastureland, woods, and small towns along county highways make a wonderful setting for Plain populations—and for stories about them, too! While Jamesport, Missouri is the largest Old Order Amish settlement west of the Mississippi River, other communities have also found the affordable farm land ideal for raising crops, livestock, and running the small family-owned businesses that support their families.

Like my heroine, Miriam Lantz, of my new Seasons of the Heart series, I love to feed people—to share my hearth and home. I bake bread and goodies and I love to try new recipes. I put up jars and jars of green beans, tomatoes, beets and other veggies every summer. All my adult life, I’ve been a deacon, a dedicated church musician and choir member, and we hosted a potluck group in our home for more than twenty years.

Like Abby Lambright, heroine of my new Home at Cedar Creek series, I consider it a personal mission to be a listener and a peacemaker—to heal broken hearts and wounded souls. Faith and family, farming and frugality matter to me: like Abby, I sew and enjoy fabric arts—I made my wedding dress and the one Mom wore, too, when I married into an Iowa farm family more than thirty-five years ago! When I’m not writing, I crochet and sew, and I love to travel.

I recently moved to Minnesota when my husband got a wonderful new job, so now he and I and our border collie, Ramona, are exploring our new state and making new friends.
I’d love to hear from you! Email me from here on my new site, or write to me at Charlotte Hubbard/Naomi King, P.O. Box 18731, West St. Paul MN 55118. I hope you enjoy reading my new Amish books as much as I love writing them!

***********************************************************************************

True to Life

Are Amish novels true to life? Short answer: yes—and no.

If it’s an escape into a simpler time you’re looking for . . . an idyllic, pastoral world where families gather around the table to eat wonderful home-cooked meals in tidy farmhouses, and their conversations aren’t interrupted by cell phones and text messages, that’s an accurate portrayal of everyday life for Amish folks.

They don’t wear watches. They travel only as fast and as far as their horses can pull their carriages. The rhythm of their days and lives is more in sync with the world as God created it—and for those of us who are addicted to Facebook and shopping online with our iPads, this lifestyle sounds rather gratifying and serene as we sit with our electronic devices feeling vaguely . . . isolated. Considering how many kids most Amish families include, and how older parents often live in the same house with a married son and his kids, isolation is not a problem for them! Cell phones and hand-held games don’t allow the kids to splinter off into their own little worlds, so they actually hold conversations with the people around them.

But does a reader get the real skinny on the Plain life when she reads an Amish novel? The whole truth? Nope. By nature and faith, Old Order Amish don’t reveal or share details of such rituals as wedding ceremonies or the falling of the lot (their method of letting God decide who will become a preacher or a bishop, the leaders of their community) to outsiders because these events are sacred—not to be defiled by those who haven’t committed themselves to the church. So, while many best-selling authors write of Amish weddings and Sunday services—even those authors who live near Amish communities, or who have relatives who’ve left the Plain faith—some of the details are made up. Or written around.

But then, isn’t that the very nature of a novel? Fiction is all about entertainment and escape, and it allows for a certain amount of wiggle room and drama: the whole point of a novel is to make your reader say “I couldn’t put it down.” A good novelist knows better than to belabor the stench of an Amish hog lot when you’re downwind on a hot summer day, or to dwell on the high incidence of genetic disorders and infant mortality among the Amish, who intermarry more than the English (non-Amish) population.

So the wedding scene in ABBY FINDS HER CALLING, for example, presents details of the ceremony I could glean from research and talking to my source fellow in Jamestown, Missouri—the largest Old Order community west of the Mississippi River—but the fact that my Amish books are set in Missouri also means that some of my details about clothing, weddings, and community life may differ from what Beverly Lewis or Marta Perry present in their Lancaster County-set tales. Missouri Amish, for instance, marry at any time of the year rather than waiting until the traditional month of November, when the harvest work is done, as most Amish in the Eastern states do.

And, when folks have read the premise of ABBY, I’ve heard a whisper or two about “oh, a nice Amish girl wouldn’t get pregnant before she was married.” Well, Amish kids have the same raging hormones the rest of us did at that age. And a lot of readers belong to a generation when premarital sex and pregnancy was not talked about—when girls “disappeared” to a distant aunt’s during their pregnancy, and came home empty-armed to try to catch a husband while keeping their sin a secret. So a lot of Amish stories that deal with this issue follow the same pattern because that’s how most Amish communities still deal with this predicament.

ABBY FINDS HER CALLING, however, takes a different path: love and forgiveness override Old Order rules as the Lambright family decides to support young Suzanna’s decision to keep her baby, despite the shame her behavior has brought upon them . . . despite her betrayal of James, her would-be groom, who lives across the road and must deal with his feelings as the father of his fiancée’s child finally comes forward.

Another interesting issue also affects how true-to-life an Amish story will be: editorial preference. Because I’m currently writing two different Amish series for two different publishers under two names, I’ve discovered that my two editors have different ideas about what is Amish and what is not! Or, put differently, each editor has her own vision for which details feel right (homemade bread exclusively, dark colors only for clothing, for instance) and which realities burst that idyllic bubble she wants to live in as she immerses herself in my books. These ladies have asked such questions as “Would an Amish room be painted yellow?” or “You mean they really would use Velveeta—or Cool Whip—in this recipe?”

So part of my job as a writer involves ferreting out answers to those questions and working the relevant details into my stories in a convincing way. I subscribe to The Budget, the national weekly Plain newspaper. I research online and by asking questions of authors I consider better experts on some Amish topics. I have quite a collection of factual books about these fascinating folks, as well. I’m also blessed to have that fellow in Jamesport, Missouri who’s a mere email away when I have questions. I do my best to present true-to-life characters in situations Plain people would find themselves in.

But I’m not Amish, so my Amish fiction is flawed. (I suppose this parallel holds true for those who write vampire novels . . . or serial killer thrillers, or pirate stories . . .) So my mission is to write engaging, compelling stories about the characters I’ve created in Cedar Creek and Willow Ridge, Missouri. And if I give my readers moments of delight and awe, while immersing them in a world where faith and family mean everything, and where God is in control so all is right with the world—even when that world seems to tilt askew on its axis during times of crisis—then I’ve done my job. If, for a few wondrous hours, my readers can forget their hectic schedules and heartaches and some unpleasant realities they wish they didn’t have to deal with, I have indeed lifted them up. And if they’re clamoring for the next book in my series (ROSEMARY OPENS HER HEART, 10/12) they’re happy—and so am I!

***********************************************************************************

Abby Finds Her Calling

By: Naomi C King

ASIN: B006G3CB52

Published by: LAZYDAY PUBLISHING

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, AMISH, INSPIRATIONAL

Format: EBOOK, KINDLE, NOOK, PAPERBACK

Length: 305 pages, 555 KB

Release Date:MARCH 6, 2012

Website

Facebook

Buying Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository
My Review of Abby Finds Her Calling

Review of Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King

2012-03-08T08:00:00.004-05:00

Publisher: New American Library
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Series: Home At Cedar Creek #1

Buying Links: Amazon The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from the author's website):

The first in a warm-hearted new series featuring two Amish families and their community in Cedar Creek, Missouri.

The Lambright family’s eldest daughter, Abby, runs her own sewing shop. There, she mends the town’s clothes and their torn relationships. But the town maidel has sworn off any suitors of her own because of her unrequited love for James Graber, who is about to marry her younger sister, Zanna…

On the wedding day, Zanna is nowhere to be found, breaking James’ heart. Zanna has brought shame to her family, but there’s more in store for them when they discover how far she has fallen. Long-buried secrets come to light, and they test the bonds of the Cedar Creek community. Abby is at the center of it all, trying to maintain everyone’s happiness. But will she ever find her own?

Teaser:

Emma released her to hang the new dress on a peg where it wouldn't get wrinkled. She ran her fingers over the fabric...a new dress, the matching V-shaped cape, and a crisp white apron, as well. The expression on her face made James realize how perfectly Abby had pleased his sister. Emma had so little time to sew, and was so used to putting Mamm and Dat's-and his-needs before her own, he couldn't recall the last time she'd worn something new.

And wasn't that on of the things Abby Lambright did best? She quietly watched, and waited for just the right time to share her love and her talents...

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

Recently, Amish romances have become a very popular, and best selling, sub-genre of romance. While I typically stay away from religious themed romances, I do enjoy, on occasion, a "clean" romance, minus all of the sex. Hey, even an avowed smut hound such as myself needs a break now and then. Lynn Kurland is my favorite author of clean romances. The blurb for this sounded intriguing, and I was curious about this new variety of romance, so I gave it a try.

First off, I liked how respectful King is to the Amish way of life and her acknowledgement in the story that the Amish are no more cookie cutter, or problem free, than any other segment of American society. Moreover, faith does not mean that there's a lack of doubt or that you automatically do the right thing. Living the way you have chosen, whatever path that may be, has challenges big and small and we see that clearly in this story. There's doubt, fear, anger, pettiness, gossip, etc. But, all of the characters strive, in their own way, to overcome these challenges and live by the code, or Ordnung, of their faith. Some, such as Abby, are stronger than others, but all are imperfect.

Imperfection, is in fact, integral to the story. James' fiance, Zanna, who is Abby's younger sister, has made some mistakes and on her wedding day, shocks her family and the Cedar Creek community. The repercussions of her actions resound throughout the story and effect every one. The story is told primarily from the perspective of three characters: James, Zanna, and Abby, with most of the time being spent with the latter two. I would have liked a little more time spent in James's head as I felt I knew him the least.

You might wonder if an inspirational story would be overly sweet and this one came close, but King manages to avoid that pitfall. Although billed as a romance, it also lives up to it's name: Abby does indeed find her purpose in life. In addition, there's a main romance, the ending of a romance, the start of another romance (that's book two) and an unrequited romance. Also woven in are Abby's and Zanna's relationships with each other and the rest of their immediate family, James's relationship with his family, and their relationships within the larger community of Cedar Creek. It's a lot to work in and I'd have liked more time spent on the main romance (can't really say more without spoilers) but overall, I enjoyed it. The characters are likable and real, the stories are relevant and fascinating, and I enjoyed learning more about the Amish in general and the Amish of this particular community.(You can read more about this in Naomi's guest post.)

I received a paperback for review from the publisher.

Spotlight On: Every Time I Think Of You by Camryn Rhys

2012-03-07T07:00:00.002-05:00

Please welcome romance author Camryn Rhys to the Nook today. Her new novel, "Every Time I Think Of You", came out on February 13th, just in time for Valentine's Day. Camryn grew up on the border of Canada and the US, and still hasn’t decided which country to call home. She splits her time between the Alberta and Montana Rocky Mountains, with friends and family in both beautiful locations. After running her own restaurant for several years and acquiring advanced degrees in writing, foodie romance seemed the only logical option. When she’s not watching the Food Network, she’s reading a romance novel, or if absolutely necessary, working as a consultant. Someone has to put really excellent food on the table.

Book Blurb (from the author):

Madison Bishop’s fantasy man, Drew Wingate, doesn’t know she exists. Unfortunately, when he does recognize her curvy hotness, he’s in the midst of a celibacy challenge; the outcome of which could make or break his career. He’s not allowed to talk about the challenge until it’s complete, but Madison is just so delectable, and so … willing. But when Madison takes his reticence as some kind of game-playing, she wonders if she’s been all wrong about the man of her dreams.

Every Time I Think Of You

By: Camryn Rhys

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

ASIN: B0078IKOIK

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE

Format: kindle

Length: 139 KB

Release Date: February 13, 2012

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Blog

*********************************************************************************************

EXCERPT **18+**

Madison Bishop placed the still-warm vibrator on the vanity and stared at her naked reflection with a dry smile. “Congratulations, honey. You’ve just popped your own cherry.”

She thought that sentence would be funnier if she said it out loud. It wasn’t.

“How does it feel not to be a virgin anymore?” Madison cranked the hot water in the bathtub to full blast and watched the steam curl toward her.

“It feels great, Bob,” she mimicked, touching the tip of the pink silicone that had just been inside her. Even with the smooth echo of the bathroom, her voice sounded flat. “And now I’m going to Disney World.” When the bath was full, she climbed in, pressed the jets button, and let them go to work on her aching body.

The vibrator had been a gift, as had the body wash, though not from the same friend. And the lingerie had come from a different friend. The lube from another.

Okay, ladies, I get the message.

The water didn’t remain hot for long, so she rinsed off more quickly than she wanted to and curled into her plush, purple towel. She’d gotten into bed half an hour ago, apparently with her virginity intact. And now, she was climbing back in, still wrapped in a slightly soggy bath towel, her cherry gone, vibrator still in her hand. She’d expected to feel different. Other than a little soreness at the point of impact, she felt exactly the same.

Cleaner from the bath. Still hungry. And a little sore inside, in places the vibrator couldn’t reach.

It was a talented little machine, but not that talented.

Spotlight On: The One by Cheryl Robinson

2012-03-06T00:00:00.007-05:00

Today we're featuring a new romance, "The One" by Cheryl Robinson, which was inspired by reality tv and shows such as "The Bachelorette". Cheryl was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan and resides in Ocala, Florida. She has a bachelor of science degree from Wayne State University. The One is her eighth novel. Her passion for writing was sparked while taking a fiction writing course as a college elective. She began her literary career by self-publishing two novels before acquiring a literary agent and then a publishing deal with New American Library (an imprint of the Penguin Group) who published six of Cheryl’s eight novels. She is currently writing her ninth novel, Like Mom.

Book Blurb (from author):

A fateful encounter with a savvy young producer lands aspiring writer Olena Day the role of America's bachelorette on the new reality show The One. There are just two problems: Olena despises reality TV, and technically she's not single. What could she possibly hope to gain? A book deal? But Olena's made it clear; she won't resort to the stereotypical antics often portrayed by women on reality TV. But ratings rule and the producers have plans of their own to assure the show's success even if it means exposing some of Olena's long-held and most embarrassing secrets.

Jason Nix is a former NFL superstar turned TV sports commentator. He's been dating Olena off and on for almost a year. Financially, he's set for life, but he isn't happy. When Olena's preoccupation with reality show stardom puts their relationship on the rocks, he meets a young woman from Dallas who captivates him in ways no other woman has. There's something about the makeup-free, Bible-toting Texan that Jason can't seem to get enough of, and soon makes him wonder whether she's too good to be true, or if the real problem is she's not Olena.

Step behind the scenes of the highly competitive and unique world of reality dating shows, in this relationship-driven page-turner that keeps delivering surprises.

The One

By: Cheryl Robinson

Publisher: Rose Colored Books

ISBN: 9780984711000

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE

Format: paperback, kindle

Length: 352 pages, 843 KB

Release Date: January 31, 2012

Website

Facebook

Book Quiz

There will be a live chat with the author on Saturday March 31st. Click here to RSVP, and to join the chat once it's live. Click here to read a blog post with more details about the chat. If you leave a comment on that post or or on this post or on both posts, you'll be entered to win a $50 Amazon GC from the author. **corrected drawing details**

Review of Black Howl by Christina Henry

2012-03-05T20:20:00.001-05:00

Publisher: Ace Fantasy
Release Date: February 28, 2012
Series: Black Wings #3
Buying Links: Amazon The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from book cover):

Something is wrong with the souls of Chicago's dead. Ghosts are walking the streets, and Maddy's boss wants her to figure out why. At the same time, the pact that Maddy unwittingly made with the local werewolves comes back to bite her when their alpha is kidnapped. As Lucifer's heir, she should be able to discover who-or what-is responsible for both occurrences, but the fallen haven't been too happy with her since she agreed to harbor Gabriel's half brother, Samiel.

And while work is bad enough, Maddy has a plethora of personal problems, too. Now that Gabriel has been assigned as her thrall, their relationship has hit an impasse. At least her sleazy ex-fiance, Nathaniel, is out of the picture-or so she thinks...

Teaser:

When it was over, all the demons were gone.

I fainted.

I woke up in Gabriel's arms, everyone huddled around me at the edge of the forest.

"What?" I croaked. My throat was very dry. I felt like I hadn't felt in a long time-like my magic had run out, and that it would take a good long time for it to come back.

"You fell out of the sky," Beezle said. "For some reason, everyone's concerned."

"I can get up," I said to Gabriel.

"I am not sure that you should," he replied.

"Well, we all know how Maddy feels about what she should do," Beezle said.

I pushed to my feet and immediately stumbled. My legs felt like jelly.

"You see how well she listens," Beezle said.

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed the first book, "Black Wings", in this series; it wasn't great but it was good and I looked forward to more. I somehow missed the second book, but happily that wasn't a problem with this book. Henry worked in information about the second book, without doing an info dump, so that I had no trouble keeping up.

Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first one. I did like the continued world building, the relationships between Maddy and her friends as well as those with her enemies, and the twists and turns in the story. Maddy is loyal, stubborn, and not one to back down from a fight; which leads to what I didn't like.

Maddy is impulsive, careless, reckless, and ridiculously contrary (see teaser above for an example). She doesn't stop to think and has a teenagers attitude about rules - she thinks that they don't apply to her, unless they're in her favor and then she's all about her wants, her rights, her needs. There were times when I didn't like her very much, she was so childish and careless. Yet, she's fiercely loyal and keeps her word, despite the cost to herself (or others). She's a mix of vices and virtues, and a bit of a contradiction at times, which makes her human, so well done there, Ms Henry.

What really bothered me were the cliches and stereotypes, which were plentiful: 1) Reckless, know it all heroine, check; 2) love triangle, check; 3) mega-powerful and powers still increasing heroine, check; 4) magic can fix anything, do anything, check; 5) lack of female friendships but every male (or so it seems) is drawn to her and can't get enough, check. You get the picture.

Henry has an original world, interesting characters, and a good mix of political intrigue, mythology, religion, action, humor, and romance, but then undermines it all with the cliches. The ending, wow, I didn't see that coming. If Henry stays true to the ending and doesn't backtrack or magically fix it, well, it and an earlier story twist, will make for a fascinating and eventful change in Maddy's world. I will definitely read the next book, in hopes that Henry can pull it off.

I received a paperback from the publisher for review.

Spotlight On: The Shoppe of Spells by Shanon Grey

2012-03-05T06:00:00.007-05:00

Today we have the pleasure of featuring a new PNR, "The Shoppe of Spells", by Shanon Grey.

Shanon weaves romance and suspense with threads of the paranormal. THE SHOPPE OF SPELLS is the first in her series, THE GATEKEEPERS, about the quaint town of Ruthorford, Georgia and its very special inhabitants. PENNYROYAL CHRISTMAS ~A Ruthorford Holiday Story~ is out in e-format as well. MEADOW’S KEEP is due to be released this spring. Under contract with Crossroads Publishing House, her books are available in e-format and print at most booksellers.

Shanon spent her life on coasts, both the beautiful Atlantic and the balmy Gulf. Hurricane Katrina taught her the fragility of life and the strength of friendship, family, and starting over.

She just found out that her son salvaged notes and pages of her original novel, Capricorn’s Child, which she thought has been destroyed with everything else. (Ironically, a neighbor found her marriage certificate in a tree.) She plans to resurrect her original novel one day.

She currently lives in Coweta County, Georgia, trading the familiarity of the coast for the lush beauty and wonder of the mountains, where her husband fulfilled her lifelong dream—to live in a cottage in the woods, where inspiration abounds.

Book Blurb (from author):

The Gatekeepers Series, Book One

When is a whole more than the sum of its parts? When it has ties to the quaint little town of Ruthorford, Georgia—as Morgan Briscoe discovers when a cryptic message threatens to change her life forever.

Morgan’s relatively normal life is turned on its ear when she learns not only that she is adopted, but her birth parents are dead and she now holds half-interest in a business with their ward, Dorian Drake, who, despite his riveting good looks, can barely conceal his hostility toward his new partner.

Morgan discovers that she is more than she seems and together she and Dorian have the ability to control a portal to another dimension. Unable to contain their growing attraction, Morgan and Dorian dance around their desires and her burgeoning abilities, until danger forces them to face their destiny.

The Shoppe of Spells

By: Shanon Grey

ISBN: 9780615571621

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, URBAN FANTASY

Format: paperback, ebook, kindle

Length: 320 pages

Release Date: November 23, 2011

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Goodreads

*************************************************************************************

EXCERPT

Morgan lay motionless, listening, struggling to define what woke her. A faint hum, almost imperceptible, thrummed through her body, battling the very rhythm of her being. There was something familiar about it. Was that hum from a smoke alarm going off in the distance?

The air crackled around her.

She released the breath she’d been holding and opened her eyes. Damp curls clung to her neck as she shifted up on her elbow and scanned the room. Streaks of light spiked beneath the closed bedroom door—the only light penetrating the room’s inky blackness.

Panic seeped into her sleep-fogged brain. Fire! She threw back the covers, felt a slight tingle as something brushed against her leg, and watched a faint violet outline disappear into the darkness. Thank God, her cat was in the room with her. Morgan swung her legs over the edge of the bed, felt the soft carpet under her toes and tried to remember all the rules about fire as she rushed closer to the spikes of light snaking toward her feet.

She reached out and patted at the door with her fingertips. The wood was cool to the touch. Her heart hammered as she watched the sparking light sizzle across her feet. Not hot, exactly…more…electric. Her mouth went dry. She forced her hand around the doorknob and, not getting a shock, turned it and pulled the door toward her.

Blinding white light, like that from a welder’s torch, filled the doorway, forcing her to shield her eyes.

“It’s okay,” a deep voice cajoled, “I’ve got you. Close your eyes and let me guide you.”

Squinting, she looked down and saw a strong hand reach through the light toward her. She eased her hand forward to meet his. As their fingers touched, a sudden flash of violet, followed by a bolt of energy exploded between them, thrusting her backward—into nothingness.

Her arms flailed, her hands grasped, seizing empty space.

Morgan screamed—a soundless howl, as her breath was sucked into the void.

She tumbled backward, plummeting into a black abyss.

With a jolt, she sat up in bed, drenched in sweat.

Review of Spirits Rising by Krista D Ball

2012-03-04T15:07:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Krista D Ball

Release Date: January 3, 2012

Series: Spirit Caller

Buying Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble Smashwords

Book Blurb (from authors website):

Rachel Mills has one wish in life: for the spirit world to shut up and leave her alone. She thought her move to a remote fishing village in Northern Newfoundland would help.

Population: Twenty. What could go wrong?

Instead of peace, however, she relocates to a land of superstition, the air alive with the presence of others.

When a local teenager accidentally summons the spirits of the area, including those from a thousand-year-old Viking settlement, all supernatural breaks loose. As the spirits stalk her and each other, Rachel finds herself in over her head. With the help of Mrs. Saunders, her 93-year-old neighbour, Rachel has to put aside her own prejudices long enough to send the spirits back to rest, or risk being caught in the midst of a spirit war.

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

Rachel has the ability to sense ghosts and spirits. Sometimes they bother her, sometimes they don't, but she's always aware of them. She makes no secret of her ability but doesn't advertise it either. In the village she moved to recently, she's made a few friends, but also at least one enemy: someone has been posting fliers on her front door, denouncing her as a witch and a devil worshipper.

Rachel is the protagonist of this story but not the hero. She doesn't have special powers, but she does have knowledge and it's that knowledge that helps save the day. Getting rid of the spirits who are rampaging in the village, thanks to a foolish teenager, takes almost the entire village. Rachel is surprised, and grateful, at how much support she receives. At times while reading the story, I felt like I had missed a book and started the series in the middle. I would have liked more back story, more world building. I never got Rachel's attraction to Jeremy or why she wanted to kick him out of her life. The way she acted, it seemed as if he had done something to her, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

The characters were well written and Mrs Saunders was a hoot, I hope we see more of her. The story has a Newfoundland feel to it or so I assume since I've never been. But it didn't feel like it could have been set anywhere and the details added to the story. Rachel is not perfect, she has flaws and her first attempt to get rid of the spirits is unsuccessful. I like that she's not a kick ass or powerful heroine, but more normal and realistic. She has a strong moral code and a willingness to work hard, though asking for and accepting help can be difficult for her. She's just a nice, normal girl. It's a good start to the series and I'm looking forward to the next one.

I received a Kindle book from the author for review.

In My Mailbox #20

2012-03-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

Won

I won this in a Twitter giveaway that Thea did. I enjoy this series very much and I'm really looking forward to reading it.

Bought

I bought these for my classroom, though the Yuko-chan book is better suited to pre-school II classroom. I'll show it to those teachers and let them borrow it if they're interested.

Kindle Freebies

Review

Several friends talked me into reading this series a while back and I've been glad they did. While I don't love it, I do enjoy it. I'm looking forward to reading this, the final book in the series.

Another good book week, how was yours?

Review of Defending Jacob by William Landay

2012-03-03T16:47:00.002-05:00

Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: January 31, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive. Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

Teaser:

He looked off towards the trees. "Do you know what bothers me, Andy? About being here, in this place? It's that for a while-for a few minutes, maybe just a few seconds, I don't know how long-but for some amount of time my son was alive here. He was out there lying in some fucking wet leaves, bleeding to death. And I wasn't here with him. I was supposed to be here to help him.That's what a father does. But I didn't know. I was off somewhere, in the car, in my office, talking on the phone, whatever it was I was doing. Do you understand that, Andy? Do you have any idea how that feels? Can you even imagine it? I saw him get born, I saw him take his first steps and...learn to ride a bike. I took him to his first day of school. But I wasn't here to help him when he died. Can you imagine how that feels?"

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

I admit, one of the attractions for me about this book was that it's set in Massachusetts, the state I grew up in and currently live in. Sadly, it doesn't have much Massachusetts flavor though I did recognize the place names, and I appreciated that Landay used the local name for one of the state highways and not the official name (You can always tell a tourist or a newbie to the area by what name they call that highway).

The book also got off to a slow start. The action starts off quickly enough but the first hundred or so pages are very, very dry, and I kept putting the book down. Then it slowly picked up and I ended staying up all night, until 2:34AM, reading it. Once Landay gets beyond the details of how the DA's office works and begins exploring family dynamics and community dynamics, the story becomes engrossing. (I kept thinking of Jane from Dear Author as I read this, as I know she can be very picky about the accurate portrayal of lawyers and the law. I kept wondering what she'd have to say. The author is a former Massachusetts DA so it's presumably accurate.) It's told entirely from his perspective, so we learn details as he does and follow his thought processes. We feel his pain as he does what he thinks is best to prove Jacob not guilty, and cracks begin emerging in his family. As I read about what his family endured within their town and the way that friends and acquaintances reacted, my heart broke a little. The conclusion of the trial was a bit deus ex machina, and the final ending was both a surprise and yet not. Landay dropped subtle hints throughout the story so that I thought I knew where the story was going but I was only partially right. Despite the slow start, the book was fascinating and engrossing, well worth the read.

I received a hardcover from the publisher for review.

Review of Vampires in America: The Vignettes, Vol. 1

2012-03-01T08:00:00.006-05:00

Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: February 9, 2012
Series: Vampires in America 5.5
Buying Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

**Spoilers for earlier books!**

From award-winning author D. B. Reynolds come nine stories of seduction and intrigue set in her Vampires in America universe. Note: This is a 122 page compilation of SHORT STORIES, not a full-length novel.

For the first time in print … The Vampire Vignettes From New Year’s Eve on the beaches of Malibu, to love in a penthouse over Manhattan, and a challenge fought on a snowy night in Montreal, Reynolds takes us behind the scenes with seven steamy Vignettes featuring her ultimate alpha Vampire Lords and their beautiful and independent mates.

And Never Before Published – Two brand new, full-length short stories. You Belong To Me follows Duncan and his mate Emma as they consolidate power in his new territory, while generating plenty of heat in private. And then it’s time for The Wedding, as readers join Rajmund and Sarah for their big weekend ... and Cyn’s girls-night-out bachelorette party. Unfortunately, some local kidnappers have other plans, and Cyn and Sarah will have to outwit their abductors before Raphael and Raj start hunting, and the entire wedding is ruined!

Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

“What, you’d rather a bunch of hunky vampires hanging around all the time?”

“Hunky? Did you just say hunky?”

“Let’s pretend I didn’t,” he muttered, opening the door and stepping into the hallway in front of her. “I still think the Amazons are a good idea, you being the first female vampire lord and everything. It would make a statement.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered right back at him as he finally cleared the hallway and stepped aside to let her leave the room.

My Thoughts:

I'd read some of these vignettes on D.B.'s blog, but some I'd missed. I was happy when she announced that they would all be collected into an anthology. I love when an author's short stories are collected into one book, it's so much easier that way. All of these stories are set in between books so if you haven't read the books, do not read this until you do. They are spoiler heavy. Because of this, they don't really work as stand alones, but if you have read the relevant book, each story then works. They are hot, heavy on the steamy love scenes, and give a little more insight into each of the characters. I liked the last story, the wedding story, the best simply because it had three of the female leads together and we got to see them interact and see how their males all deal with each other. I enjoyed all of the stories but my favorites were the ones that DIDN'T have Rafael and Cyn because (takes cover) they are actually my least favorite couple in the series. The stories with Sophia and Colin, Raj and Sarah, and Duncan and Emma were my favorites. I loved seeing them together, seeing the bumps in their relationships and of course, the yummy love scenes. If you enjoy the books, you will enjoy these little glimpses into the lives of the different couples. Go buy!

I received a Kindle book from the author for review.

Chat with M.J. Rose!

2012-02-28T19:23:00.000-05:00

Author M. J. Rose has a new book, "The Book of Lost Fragrances", due out on March 13th. On Tuesday March 6th, she'll be at BookTrib doing a live chat at 3PM EST to discuss the new book and her older books. Click on the picture above for more information.

On March 21st, stop back here as we participate in the blog tour for "The Book of Lost Fragrances". We'll have a brief excerpt from the book and a short Q&A with M.J. See you then!

Dusty Reads #7

2012-02-28T08:00:00.077-05:00

Dusty Reads is a weekly meme hosted by Giselle at Xpresso Reads where we spotlight a book sitting in our TBR pile. My TBR breeds when I'm not looking, I swear. Ok, I add to it, I confess. I just can't resist. Between ebooks (darn those kindle freebies, lol) and print books, I have somewhere around four hundred that I haven't yet read. Eeep. And yet, I keep buying and borrowing books. And occasionally, winning them. :)

Following the success of "The Merlot Murders," Crosby returns with another tale of suspense set amidst the vines of the Virginia wine country, as Lucie Montgomery discovers that uncovering a killer can bring a harvest of danger.

I bought this back in the fall at my library's used book sale. I like cozy mysteries, especially food related ones. :) I haven't read this author before, with any luck I'll enjoy her. I may do this one the next time I need a break from reading review books.

Giveaway: Heart Signs by Cari Quinn A CBLS Blog Barrage

2012-02-28T08:00:00.065-05:00

Erotic romance author is here today promoting her new story, "Heart Signs". I have one copy up for grabs. Interested? Read on. :)

BOOK BLURB:

Rory Fowler has taken Sam Miller’s billboard orders for the last two years, but they aren’t to advertise, they’re love notes to his wife. Sam’s most recent billboard about his wife’s passing hits Rory hard. When she calls Sam to offer condolences, it sets off an unexpected chain of events that ends with Rory in Sam’s apartment...and his arms.

Reading Sam’s love letters tugs Rory into the romance between him and his estranged, now-deceased, wife. Their lives soon intertwine so completely that Rory wonders how she’ll ever forget the man who makes poetry out of emotions she’s fought to dismiss. And plays her body even more skillfully than he writes love notes.

Consumed by guilt and grief, Sam is shocked by the feelings Rory arouses in him, sexually and otherwise. Now he’s not thinking about yesterday as much as he’s looking forward to tomorrow. He’s just not sure if he’s capable of moving on...or if the woman who helped him find the will to really live again will be by his side.

HEART SIGNS

BY: Cari Quinn

PUBLISHER: Ellora's Cave

GENRE: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA

FORMAT: Ebook

LENGTH: 45,000 words

RELEASE DATE: out now

BUYING LINKS: Ellora's Cave Amazon Barnes & Noble

AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.cariquinn.com

You can also Friend Cari on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads under Cari Quinn as well!

See here for more tour stops.

***********************************************************

Excerpt

“Yes, I remember you.” Sam’s long pause encouraged her knee to jitter more. “I thought you were a man, Rory.”

“Why? Because I like sports?”

“No. Of course not. Well, maybe,” he admitted. “You know so much about them.”

“Yeah, I do. Women enjoy sports. Newsflash—some even play them.” Rory hoped she sounded as if she were teasing rather than irritated. She wasn’t mad. More than anything she was a little amazed. She couldn’t believe they were finally having an actual conversation.

Some women idolized rock singers or movie stars. Other than her long-held and unavoidable crush on Tom Brady, the only man she’d ever crushed on from afar was Sam Miller.

Another woman’s husband. Or he had been. He still was, she supposed. And always would be. Death didn’t erase what had come before and she had no doubt that he’d been completely, irrevocably in love.

“I know that. But the kind of shows you watch—”

“You mean the ones with potty humor?” She shrugged, knowing he couldn’t see her. “What can I say? I have a juvenile outlook on the world.”

“Thanks a lot.”

The amusement in his tone bolstered her self-assurance. “Maybe you didn’t think I was female because I don’t put smiley faces at the end of all my sentences?”

She most certainly was not a smiley face girl. Actually she’d be more likely to use emoticons if they indicated less politically correct gestures. The occasional well-placed graphical middle finger, for example. Not that she’d ever do that with customers, but some of her interfering relatives like her boss? A definite possibility.

“No, because of your name. Rory isn’t usually feminine.”

“Neither am I.”

***********************************************************

Adult Excerpt 18 plus

“I’m definitely hungry.”

Sam flicked a look toward the door that led to the kitchen. “I might have stuff for a sandwich.”

Rory walked her fingers up his belly, stirring all sorts of appetites that had nothing to do with food. “Not hungry for a sandwich, Sam.”

He took a long breath. If he could’ve picked the ideal woman to have a one-afternoon stand with, Rory would’ve been the perfect choice. She made things so easy.

God, it had been forever since anything had been easy.

“Okay. Good.”

“Would you rather just go sit and talk?” His pained expression must’ve given him away because she laughed. “I’m fine with hanging out for a while. We’re both buzzy from the accident.”

Was that why he felt so electrified? “Wasn’t barely one. Just a bump.”

“Enough to get our hearts racing. That and the sunshine set the right conditions for some harmless feelings of attraction.” She shrugged. “Not surprising the rush turned into something else.”

She was giving him an out. Yes, adrenaline and excitement had carried him through the ride home and into the house. But now nerves were winning. And that small voice at the back of his mind that told him he shouldn’t bring anyone into his world, not when he’d likely lock them right out again afterward.

But she wasn’t asking for a lifetime commitment. They didn’t have to be any more to each other than they were right now. She knew the score. If they both found release and moved on without any hard feelings, what was the problem? Whether they attributed it to drive-by lust or the aftereffects of a fender bender didn’t really matter.

Thinking too much had gotten him into the stasis he’d lived in for over two years. He wanted out. Could even smell the scent of freedom beyond the barred gate inside his head. He just needed to reach for it.

“I’d rather not talk. Or hang out. If it’s all the same to you.” He cleared his throat. Kiss her, dolt.

Instead she stepped into him, tipping her face upward until their mouths brushed. Her soft lips heated under his, encouraging him to press his tongue against their parted seam. She made a sound of acquiescence, of excitement. The deeper he slid, the more she made the noise. Almost a purr. Carefully, he reached up to hold her head in his palms, tilting her so he could explore. She tasted like grape bubblegum. Sweet, a little wicked. A lot sexy.

This would be okay.

His heart was pounding so fast that eventually he had to break their kiss to breathe. Then he came back for the next round, using his thumb to stroke her lower lip while he licked the upper. Again that whimper in the back of her throat. His hard-on grew, straining against his well-worn jeans. If he hadn’t been afraid of scaring her, he would’ve tugged down the zipper to give himself room.

Then she did it for him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bestselling, multi-published author Cari Quinn wrote her first story--a bible parable--in 2nd grade, much to the delight of the nuns at her Catholic school. Once she saw the warm reception that first tale garnered, she was hooked. She attempted her first romance in junior high, long before she'd ever read one. Writing what she knew always took a backseat to what she wanted to know, and that still holds true today.

Though she also fires up her computer as a graphic designer, proofreader and editor, she can't resist the lure of disappearing into a world of her own creation. Now she gets to pen sexy romances for a living and routinely counts her lucky stars.

The only thing she loves more than writing is hearing from readers! Please contact her through one of the ways below.

Email: cariquinnauthor@gmail.com

Ready to win? First, read the giveaway policy, then proceed to the Rafflecopter widget to enter.

**a Rafflecopter giveaway**

Lung Update

2012-02-27T18:52:00.000-05:00

So today I went back to the asthma specialist who might do the lung surgery. I was supposed to see her last week but she had to cancel. I did go in and get the testing done that she had ordered, a chest X-ray and a pulmonary function test, the full length version (it had been about 3 or 4 years so she wanted a baseline).

We reviewed those results and the results of the tweaks to my regimen. There was minor improvement, enough to be encouraging, for her anyway. I was less sure but she seemed pleased. I got excited thinking that maybe now we could talk surgery dates but no, not yet.

Apparently, and this was NOT made clear to me at our first visit, if I am approved for this surgery, I will be part of a research project. So, my next step is to meet with the research protocol nurse for, oh yay, more testing and screening. Those, according to the doctor, will be at their expense, not mine. The really awesome news? If I am approved, I don't pay for the surgery, they do. :) Although the procedure was approved by the FDA in 2010, most insurance companies are not covering it yet, so if I want the surgery, I need to meet the protocol requirements. Oh please, oh please, oh please!!!!

So, still no firm decision, much less a date of any kind, but slow progress forward. The research nurse had today off so I'm waiting to hear from her to set up an appointment. There's a part of me that wishes I had picked a doctor at a hospital closer to home. It's a 52 mile round trip, with traffic it can take up to 90 minutes to get there, and parking at the hospital is not cheap. Add in the time I miss at work for each appointment and it's rapidly getting expensive. But if I get the surgery, and the surgery works, it will be worth it.

in my last blog post about my lungs, I mentioned a 3D model that the doctor had showing asthmatic lungs versus normal lungs. I remembered to take a picture today.

I am, of course, the one on the far right, labeled "severe". See all those extra dark pink layers? That's the smooth muscle and the more asthmatic you are, the more of it you have. The surgery will burn away some of those excess layers, which should make my lungs less reactive and thus cause fewer flares and attacks.

So, more waiting, not something I've ever been good at. I'll update the blog as I know more.

Review of Fair Game by Patricia Briggs & A Giveaway

2012-02-27T08:00:00.032-05:00

Publisher: Ace
Release Date: March 6, 2012
Series: Alpha & Omega #3
Buying Links: The Book Depository
Amazon

Book Blurb (from Amazon):

Patricia Briggs, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Mercy Thompson novels, "always enchants her readers." (Lynn Viehl, New York Times bestselling author) Now her Alpha and Omega series-set in a world of shifting shapes, loyalty, and passion- brings werewolves out of the darkness and into a society where fear and prejudice could make the hunters prey...

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

"Me," Charles said, his voice dark and gravelly as if it had traveled up from the bottom of the earth, his eyes a bright gold. "You need me."

He kissed her again, his hands roaming from her jaw down her neck and shoulders. His hips pressed forward, and he released her mouth as he slid his body up until his sex pressed, hard and full, against hers. She jerked involuntarily, and he laughed in the same deep way that he had spoken. She growled at him, wolf to wolf.

My Thoughts:

Awesome. Buy NOW!!

I love Patty's urban fantasy books. Her Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorites and when she started this spin-off I was very excited. It's a paranormal romance and Anna and Charles' romance is both sweet and hot, especially in this book! I was uber-excited to be sent a copy for review, but also hesitant because I love this series so much. What if I didn't love the book and couldn't give it a glowing review? I love the series so much it would have hurt to not be able to give it a great review. Happily, that was not a problem.

"Fair Game" has it all - romance, action, character development (I wanted to smack Bran!), humor, a solid mystery, and some Boston flavor. I have really enjoyed watching Anna grow and watching the relationship between her and Charles. They have come a long way. Their romance, and the time spent in the world that Patty has created, are the reasons that I read this series. There's a lot of twists and turns, and the ending...OMG. I can not wait to see how that plays out. I wouldn't change a thing.This is an excellent book, you need to read it. But, do it when you have time. I picked it up late at night and ended up reading straight through until 5AM. Worth. Every. Minute.

Some favorite quotes:

Anna Shrugged. "...Drugging or incapacitating one of us for long without killing us is extremely difficult." "Holy water," said Pat the former FBI agent and now Cantrip agent. Anna didn't roll her eyes but she let Charles feel her exasperation. "I could drink it every day for a week-and do it while living in the Sistine Chapel."

The name on the collar he wore was Brother Wolf. Bran had disapproved. He liked the names to be less truthful, more friendly and cute. Unusually, Charles's brother had told her, Charles had held out until his father gave in.

He'd heard Anna approach, felt the slight sway of the boat. It had been easier to be with her when he was in wolf form. Brother Wolf was not torn; he knew that they could protect her from anything-but his wolf was like that: confident. Charles was not so sanguine.

I received a hardcover from the publisher for review.

***********************************************************

Thanks to ACE Books, I have one signed copy of the anthology, "On the Prowl", which contains the short story, "Alpha and Omega", that started this series.

To enter, use the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight On: Cornerstone Deep Echoes by Charlene A Wilson

2012-02-27T07:30:00.084-05:00

Today we are featuring fantasy author Charlene A Wilson and her new book, Cornerstone: Deep Echoes, a fantasy romance. "Cornerstone Deep Echoes" is part of the Chronicles of Shilo Manor series. It was released on February 15th, by Class Act Books.

A little about the author from her website:

Hi, I’m Charlene. *waves hand* You can call me Char or Charle as long as we’re becoming friends.

I was just working on revisions and could really use the break. I swear my eyes are rooting into the “stare at the screen” position. *blink blink*. *smile*.

You want to know about me? Really? Well… Sit back and relax. I’ll get you a cold drink.

Though my life began in Tampa, Florida, I’ve lived all over the United States and even spent some time in England. Sure do miss the fish and chips.

I started writing in my youth when my vivid dreams stayed with me long after I had them. The people and worlds were so amazing and detailed it was like I knew them inside and out. You can meet them in my books. They’re alive there now, learning, loving, and experiencing everything they deserve.

Yes, I’m one of those authors whose characters speak to them non-stop. Conversations, thoughts, dreams… They all let me know what they should be doing in their lives. If I veer from their suggested path, they gnaw at my conscience until I change a whole section of the story to accommodate them. (Aumelan – World Beneath the Rock is a prime example. Chad and Salana insisted they belonged together, and Tarah just wouldn’t agree to a sweeter disposition. It altered the entire outcome.) I may someday admit to the original draft. But I doubt it. They run the show.

I currently live in a small community in Arkansas. Yes, cows wander the field across the street and I can sit on my deck in my robe if I wish without worry of probing eyes. I’ve worked in a variety of settings, from bookkeeper to detention deputy. Wow, to all the different personalities I’ve met.

I’m a mother of two children, a gray cat named Chester, and a fuzzy black dog named KooJo. I love to spend time with my family and write, write, write.

Book Blurb (from the author):

Mianna’s return heals Cole’s soul and he promises to follow her for the rest of his existence. But the past isn’t what he believes. The fight for her has only begun.

Lord Dressen’s obsession grows as unexpected knowledge is revealed. His search for Mianna has spanned six life times and he won’t give up now. The courts stand behind him. Power pulses through his veins. Determination peeks and not even Cole Shilo can stop him. He will win his prize.

Struggling to stay ahead, Cole’s anger explodes. Nothing is sacred when it comes to keeping his love—not even covenants made with gods. But, through all his efforts, lofty or damned, the truth remains. Will echoes of another life cause him to fail?

~ * ~

“Every breath you take is a song to my soul.”

Cornerstone Deep Echoes

BY: Charlene A Wilson

ISBN: 9781935048916 ASIN: B007A3R6IY

Publisher: Class Act Books
Genre: FICTION, FANTASY, ROMANCE
Length: 330 KB, 278 pages
Format: Kindle, paperback

Release Date: February 15, 2012

Author site: http://CharleneAWilson.com

Blog: http://CharleneAWilsonblog.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlene-A-Wilson-Romance-Author/162568770441255

Twitter: http://twitter.com/AuthorCAWilson

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/charlene-a-wilson/15/989/1b8

Class Act Books: (kindle) http://bit.ly/xcEBuy

Class Act Books: (paperback) http://bit.ly/yhaY6j

Amazon: (Kindle) http://amzn.to/CDEchoesk

Amazon: (Paperback) http://amzn.to/CDEpb

Read on for an excerpt.

************************************************************************************

EXCERPT

Exhaustion racked Cole’s body. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to cleanse his lungs. The harm he’d caused Anna pulsed through his fatigued mind in fits of memory—distorted flashes that reminded him of the deceit, broken covenants, and ethereal anger. Pressing his palms onto his brow, his head sank deeper into the pillow. Did his actions really cost her soul six life times?

He dragged a hand down his face and blew air through his pursed lips. He’d bound her soul and even with his formidable skill with spells, he was unable to undo his wrong. Whatever cost Arylin saw fit to impose, he was grateful for the intervention. Only the Goddess of Love, with her boundless benevolence, would have found a way for them to continue their souls’ progression.

The God of Life’s fury rang in his ears as scenes of the night before haunted him. “You have defiled that which is sacred. No Meridian shall cause my child’s death without promise of rebirth. Griffin, I demand justice!”

His gaze returned to his love at his side and he listened to the sweet sound of her steady breathing. Strands of sleep-messed hair fluttered along the pillow each time she exhaled. Griffin, as God of Conformance, had every right to end him when Taravaughn called for justice. Surely, that was the desired punishment. To sentence him to serve her for the rest of her natural life only echoed Cole’s heart’s intent from the start.

As the morning sun’s light inched up the comforter’s patchwork pattern, he hitched his knee around her legs, forming his body to hers. For Arylin to return Anna’s soul to a previous life blessed them both beyond his dreams. It freed the binding and... He buried his face in her long waves and the scent of roses filled him. He had Mianna back.

“Mianna.” His whisper warmed his lips as it pooled against her neck.

She stirred and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Cole.” Her sleepy eyes fluttered open but closed as if her lids were too heavy. “Have you been awake long?”

He smiled as the sound of her voice dispelled his mind’s troubles. “A while. How are you feeling?”

Her hand lifted and she brushed his long hair with her fingers before resting it at her side. “So tired. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired.” Her soft voice turned to a mumble. “You couldn’t have given me a better wedding gift but,” she drew a deep breath, “what did it do to me? What does Unsigh mean?”

Cole blinked to the side. She doesn’t know what Unsigh means? He lifted his head to peer at her cherubic face. Did she say wedding gift? Realization flushed his senses. Arylin returned her memory to our wedding night. We truly are starting our life together over.

He pulled the comforter up to her chin and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Unsigh means one heart, my love. It joins our passion when you create the symbol and utter the spell. It’s an enchantment only you can call on.”

“Oh,” she breathed. “It’s amazing…really. It’s just…I’m so…” As she drifted back into sleep, Cole’s brow furrowed. Mianna’s spell had never caused her fatigue, not even when her soul called upon it in Anna’s lifetime.

A spray of sun’s rays pitched across his face as they hit the wide dresser mirror. With a scowl, he squinted at the glare and twitched his hand at the window. The crepe sheers whipped closed followed by a thick swish from the burgundy drapes. The room plunged into darkness. As his eyes adjusted, dim light from the vanity area competed with the beams’ peek through the gaps around the window coverings. He sighed and sat up, resting his arm on his knee.

Perhaps it was everything she’d been through and she just needed rest. She’d experienced more trauma in the last week than he had in the last twenty-five hundred years. Her life as Anna had hardly been easy—abandonment, loss, and then manipulated by a man whose attention she’d refused. He raked a hand over his scalp. Then to nearly lose her life while they tried to unbind her soul, only to be saved by grace at the price of six life times’ progression…

Cole gazed over at the petite form beside him. He shook his head and brushed the dark hair from her face. How could Anna’s features be so similar to Mianna’s? The gentle slope of her nose, the curve of her bowtie lips. He tilted his head and gently stroked her cheek with his finger. Or was it the love he held in his heart that colored his view? A smile blossomed from his lips and he leaned to her, touching his brow to hers. His black hair fell to the pillow like a sheet of satin, deepening the shadows. No matter the reason. He had her back. And he vowed to never lose her again.

~ * ~

A satisfied grin tugged at Lord Dressen’s lips as he looked out over the gathered noblemen. Low voices filled the stately hall. Marble bracing columns led way to the arched beams in the domed ceiling. Sunbeams poured through the twelve-foot windows, filling the space with a yellow haze. The gold that framed the life-sized portraits along the walls appeared to glow, accenting their subjects.

The turn-out was as hoped. He had the majority of the Grand Marshals’ court in attendance and every member seemed dedicated to support him. His heavy brow furrowed and he lifted his chin. Cole Shilo, you’ll pay for taking Anna from me.

The dull rumble of conversation subsided as he stepped to Officiator’s stand and took his chair at the center of the table. He nodded to the two uniformed gentlemen who stood guard at the entrance and they stepped out, closing the doors behind them.

Lord Carrington tugged at his vest as he strode up the center aisle. A more trusted friend he’d never had. The tall man moved with trained temperance. An admirable trait; grace under pressure. Taking his place at Dressen’s side, he leaned to him with a hushed voice. “Ninety-nine are in attendance. Lord Standish’s men are the only ones not to sign in.”

“We can do without them. What are twenty-two votes against ninety-nine?”

Carrington nodded and ran a hand along his tailored beard. “One concern I feel I must voice, Kyle.” He looked at his friend and his brown eyes twitched. “Standish may not hold the court’s majority, but he’s a strong believer in tradition. The men here control a vote, but many of their wives and family are faithful to the Gods, including my own. They practice religious rites and that encompasses the Shilos as Sentinels. If this isn’t handled with care it could become nasty.”

Dressen sighed and he glanced at the portraits that lined the room. Every Grand Marshal that had held a senior position was portrayed. His gaze gravitated to the depiction of Sylis Shilo at the center of the hall. The founder seemed to watch his every move—his coal hair, onyx eyes, and square features set firm. Dressen sneered. A wizard surrounded by noblemen.

“Sentinels.” He scoffed. “They’re aliens. Nothing more. And their own laws protect us from their dimension’s powers. What superior race agrees to such an arrangement? They’re weak. Their kind has no place on Terra.”

“Never-the-less, the faithful could rise up to protect them.” Carrington looked down at his cufflink as he straightened the gold piece. “And I’ll be frank. Even though I see nothing wrong with how you achieved your goal with the girl, many will see it otherwise. Having the wizards bend her will as a servant was one thing, but calling for total compliance pushed the agreement’s intention.”

Dressen scowled. “The Wizards of Shilo Manor accepted my bid as any other. She broke the law and she was harvested. With the new curfew in play, she was no different from the homeless.” He softened his voice. “It was the only way to get her past the idea that my standing separated us. Once she joined the household, she admitted she wanted to be with me all along. She told me she loved me. Always had. She was happy.”

He looked at his comrade and his narrow features leered. “Cole Shilo’s desire to have her took her from me.” He pointed a finger to accentuate his view. “I know he has her up at that manor.”

Lord Carrington cocked his head. “We have no jurisdiction within the walls of the Sentinel’s home.”

“You just deal with the charges.”

“The only real proof we have is the vision you shared from that night she disappeared, Kyle. And that’s another issue. You were only able to share it by way of the magical means Cole Shilo gifted you.” His friend quirked his cheek. “There’s talk of a loss of integrity at the expense of…”

“A thief?” A growl rumbled in Dressen’s throat as his blood seethed.

“A Sentinel, Kyle. You have to view this from these men’s perspective. I know you’re not religious, but religion is going to play a large part in what they decide.”

“Then use their beliefs against them. Look into the covenants the wizards have made. Their long lives will show something. In two thousand years, no man can live without error.”

Carrington ran a finger under his collar as if it suddenly became too small. “I’ll make the assignment. But how do you expect to get to the girl if she’s up there?”

A crooked smile crept its way to Dressen’s lips. “I’ll find a way. You just start by calling them in for questioning and I’ll do the rest."

In My Mailbox #19

2012-02-26T13:21:00.000-05:00

Won

I won this in a Random House giveaway.

Library

Kindle Freebies

Bought

As you can see, I had a very good book week. How was yours, what did you get?

Review of Devils' Den by Leonard D Hilley II

2012-02-25T17:28:00.000-05:00

Publisher: Deimosweb Publishing
Release Date: October 9, 2011
Series: Adventures of Justin McKnight #1

Buying Links: Amazon

Book Blurb:

Evil has resurrected in the quaint, rural community of Cider Knoll, Kentucky. The day after a country pastor is ritualistically murdered, a teenage boy vanishes inside an enchanted cave—Devils' Den—that has long been rumored to be haunted. The local sheriff is baffled on how to continue the search and rescue when the only clues end at a mysterious wall inside the cave. Then an unexpected man shows up with an age-worn book that has disturbing revelations about identical phenomena that have occurred every twenty years for the past one hundred forty years. And according to the predictions set inside the book, they have little time to find the boy before he becomes the next victim.

Reviewed By: Bea

My Thoughts:

Devils' Den is an odd mish mash of horror, dark fantasy and high fantasy. The parts didn't mesh well overall, veering rapidly from one genre to the next, though the horror and dark fantasy elements worked better together than the high fantasy elements. To be honest, I liked the high fantasy elements the best. That realm, the Underwood, has potential, but I'd like it best separated from the dark fantasy and horror elements.

Despite being set in Kentucky, it never had a local feel to it. It could have been any rural small town in the US. The author lives in Kentucky so that was particularly disappointing to me. Though there was one expression used repeatedly that may be a local one - "mashing the gas pedal".

Hopkins mashed the accelerator.

John mashed the gas

Every time a character's driving was described, there was mashing. It was odd and kind of funny, I had images of mashed potatoes under the gas pedal.

Anyway, the story as a whole was disappointing. The characterization was superficial, the pacing was slow, the genres an odd mash-up, and the copy editing lacking. While I enjoyed reading about the Underworld and it's people, especially the butterfly faeries, I didn't enjoy it enough to read more in this series. If the story had been straight horror and better edited, both for content and mechanics, I might have liked it, but as it is, it didn't work for me.

I own this ebook.

Godsends: A Guest Post by Marcus Lopes CBLS Blog Tour

2012-02-25T08:00:00.002-05:00

Today we have author Marcus Lopes visiting us. His debut novel, "Freestyle Love" was was released in the fall and he is currently busy touring blogs, talking about it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marcus Lopés is originally from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. His writing has appeared in Canadian and international literary magazines. Freestyle Love is his first novel. A novelist, essayist, poet, painter and singer-songwriter, Lopés lives in Sherbrooke, Québec.

*******************************************************************************

Godsends

I am at the beginning. And it’s terribly frightening. I’ve been faithful to my writing ever since 2003, when my first essay was published. I was living in Ottawa, Ontario, at the time, and I had to sandwich my writing in and around my day job. Fluent in English and French, staying employed in Ottawa — the nation’s capital — was easy for me. When I moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec, in 2010, finding employment proved difficult despite my skill set. So I made the decision then to focus on my art — writing, painting, music. Was this providence at work? Maybe.

At the beginning, I’ve given myself over to the universe, no longer resisting the path laid out before me. The nine-to-five world never felt right to me, like I was immured in a dark abyss that day after day held me down, sucked the life out of me. But I did what was necessary to survive — to have food on the table and shelter over my head. In the past two years, pursuing my art, there have been good times and not so good times, but through it all I’ve learned to keep the faith. Some days my faith is tested, yet when I hold on to faith, all that I need is supplied — not too much, not to little … but just enough.

Giving myself over to providence, I write every day. Rain, sleet, snow, or a bright sunshiny day, I write. Sometimes I park myself at my desk in my office area upstairs, other times I settle in at the kitchen table. When there are too many distractions around the house, I pack up and head to Le Tassé, the neighbourhood coffee shop.

Despite my successes — publication of my short stories and poetry, and now more recently my debut novel, Freestyle Love — there are days when I still doubt myself. Am I really a writer or am I just playing at it? My successes don’t seem to matter. Maybe I’m not the writer I thought I was after all …?

On days like these, when doubt swarms over my body, I am thankful for my godsends. My godsends are my friends, spread out across North America, who are friends to me and my writing. Like my friend Heather-Anne who, as I’m writing now, sends an e-mail to say how proud she is of me. Heather-Anne, like my other godsends, reaches out to me (without asking) at the time that I need encouragement the most. She is, as Julia Cameron puts it, a “believing mirror” whose support has been constant.

Messages from my godsends, like the one I received from Heather-Anne, get me back to the page, help me to stay focused. And in the age of Twitter, Facebook and a plethora of other social networking sites, staying focused is sometimes difficult.

As the day winds down, I am settling in for a quiet evening. It was a productive day. I stayed the course, putting in time at the page, the easel and the piano. Doubt still lingers, but I’m not discouraged, thankful for the god-sent blessings — in friendship, in life, in work — that keep flowing in my direction.

*******************************************************************************

FREESTYLE LOVE

By MARCUS LOPES

ASIN: B006G3CB52

Published by: LAZYDAY PUBLISHING

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA, M/M/M, INTERRACIAL/AFRICAN-AMERICAN

Format: EBOOK

Length: 308 KB

Release Date: NOVEMBER 29, 2011

Author Website: http://marcuslopes.ca/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/WriterPainter

Buying Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble AllRomance

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: C791 by Eve Langlais

2012-02-24T08:00:00.006-05:00

Romance author Eve Langlais is back today, celebrating her newest release, "C791". A little about Eve, from her website:

Hello, my name is Eve. I'm a stay at home mom who works as a webmistress/customer service rep and in between juggling my three kids, hubby, and housework, I write really raunchy stuff--usually with werewolves lol.

I was born in British Columbia, but being a military brat, I have lived a little bit everywhere--Quebec, New Brunswick, Labrador, Virginia (USA) and finally Ontario. My family and I currently just outside Ottawa, our nation's capital.

I am the first person to admit I am totally boring and lead a mundane life. Seriously. My idea of fun is shopping at our local Walmart lol. I like to play video games, cook, and read. My inspiration, hmm, I guess you could say hubby as he is a total alpha male which means I often want to club him over head with a frying pan. But, despite his ornery, 'I-am-man' nature, I love him dearly. I do have a twisted imagination and a sarcastic sense of humor something I like to let loose in my writing.

I'm writing romance, my way. I like strong alpha males, naked chests and werewolves. Lots of werewolves. In fact, you'll notice most of my multi partner stories revolve around great, big, overprotective Lycans who just want to please their woman. I am also extremely partial to aliens, you know the kind who abduct their woman and then drive them insane...with pleasure of course.

My heroines, they kind of run the gamut. I have some that are shy and soft spoken, others that will kick a man in the balls and laugh. Many of them are chubby, because in my world, girls with curves ROCK! Oh and some of my heroines are a teeny tiny bit evil, but in their defense, they need love too.

Some of my work does push boundaries and cross lines. Good and evil aren't always clear in my tales, and in some cases, I've stomped on well known religious ideologies. Have I mentioned my imagination is a tad bit warped?

I tend to have a lot of sexual tension in my tales because I think all torrid love affairs start with a tingle in our tummies. And when my characters do finally give in to the needs of their flesh? Well, let's just say, you shouldn't be reading my stuff at work. The door is wide open, explicit and hot. Really, really hot.

I love to write, and while I don't always know what my mind is going to come up with next, I can promise it will be fun, probably humorous and most of all romantic, because I love a HEA.

Thanks so much for coming by and checking me out. I wish you many hours of happy reading--and sexy times with your partner.

BOOK BLURB:

Machines aren’t supposed to feel, but this cyborg can’t help falling in love.

Assigned as a specimen collector for a captured cyborg, Chloe is intrigued by the machine disguised as a man. Kidnapped during his daring escape, he takes her on an erotic adventure and shows her that despite the chip in his brain, his humanity is not completely lost.

Formerly known as unit X109GI, Joe is on a quest to discover his origin. While he doesn’t find the answers he’s looking for, he does discover that affection and lust aren’t just for humans. But when it comes to a battle between logic and love, which side will the cybernetic organism--once a man--choose?

Evaluating his feelings will have to wait though, because the military isn’t done with Joe. When they threaten the one thing he wants above all else, he’ll discover something shocking that will rock the new cyborg nation—and fuel a desire for vengeance.

C791

By Eve Langlais

Published by: Eve Langlais

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA, SCIENCE FICTION

ISBN: 978-0-9869154-6-8

Format: MMP ebook - Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, EPUB, Mobipocket

Length: 42,350 words

Release Date:FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Buying Links: AllRomance Amazon BookStrand

Author Website: http://www.evelanglais.com/

******************************************************************************************

EXCERPT **This is for adults, 18+**

The sight of Chloe and Seth so at ease with each other, and worse, touching each other set something off inside Joe, a combination of irrational anger sprinkled with a covetousness he’d not experienced but had heard of. Jealousy.

Whatever the name for the emotion, he found himself unable to halt it as he ripped Seth away from Chloe’s side and sent his fist into the grinning face. He maintained enough control to not beat his friend to a pulp — barely — but he couldn’t stop himself from slinging Chloe over his shoulder and stomping off to their room.

“What the heck was that about?” she exclaimed as she dangled down his back.

“You seem to have forgotten who you belong to.”

She didn’t say anything for a moment. “Are you jealous?”

“No.” Yes!

“It’s normal to feel that way. It just never occurred to me you would.”

“I don’t. Jealousy is a human emotion. I am a cyborg. We are above such petty wastes of our time.”

“Really. Well then, someone should probably explain that to Seth’s face,” she drawled.

“This is not entertaining. You were practically inviting him to take ownership of your body.”

“I was not,” she exclaimed, and a small rational part of him knew she spoke truly, but he’d lost the ability to decipher logic from madness where she was concerned.

Arriving at their room, he tossed her onto the bed and quickly tore at his clothes.

“What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes wide, but not with trepidation if the protruding nipples through her shirt were any indication.

“Showing you who owns your body.”

“Me.”

“Wrong answer,” he growled. “I do. And it seems I must show you.”

He fell on her, and despite her previous defiant answer, she welcomed him with open arms and a fierce kiss. Her legs spread wide to accommodate his body, but while he’d denuded his frame, she remained dressed. Their hands met at the closing to her pants, their impatient battle to remove them more of a fumbling parody. When he finally managed to strip them from her, he was ready to sink himself into her. He retained enough wits though to realize she required preparation for his penetration. With sex bots, that never proved a concern as they arrived to service pre-lubed. Human females however, according to his studies, required stimulation to achieve the same state. He slid a hand between her thighs and, to his relief, found her already soaking wet. It pleased him, on a level he did not understand, that Chloe achieved this state around him without means of manipulation.

He wasted no more time. He propped himself above her and thrust into her sex. Oh, the exquisite, unexplainable feel of her channel clamping tightly around his cock. He would never tire of it. Never tire of her. But did she feel the same about him? He had to know.

“Tell me who you belong to.”

Her eyes opened part way, her lids heavy with arousal. “Why do you care?”

He rammed into her hard. She gasped.

A growl left him. “Do not toy with me. You are my female. Not Seth’s. Not anyone else’s. Say you belong to me.” He almost roared the words, desperate to hear her say it.

For a moment defiance flashed in her gaze. “And if I don’t?”

******************************************************************************************

The giveaway is open internationally, the winner will receive a PDF of the book. You must be of legal adult age for the country you reside in.

Please read our Giveaway Policy.

To enter, see the Rafflecopter widget below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fun New Videos for H.P. Mallory's "Witchful Thinking"

2012-02-21T19:39:00.001-05:00

The other day I posted an excerpt from a forthcoming humorous PNR, "Witchful Thinking", by H.P. Mallory. It goes on sale in a week, on February 28th. Mallory's first few books were self-published but she was recently picked up by Random House. As part of Random's celebration of "Witchful"s release, there are three zany videos up on YouTube. Each video is a mini, light-hearted lesson being a witch. Check them out and see what you think.

Lesson #1

Lesson #2

Lesson #3

There are two more books coming shortly: Something Witchy This Way Comes, July 31, 2012 and The Witch is Back on September 25th, 2012.

Review of The Summoner by Layton Green

2012-02-20T15:32:00.002-05:00

Publisher: First Ward
Release Date: December 8, 2010
Series: Dominic Grey #1
Buying Links: Amazon The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

A United States diplomat disappears in front of hundreds of onlookers while attending a religious ceremony in the bushveld of Zimbabwe.

Dominic Grey, Diplomatic Security special agent, product of a violent childhood and a worn passport, is assigned to investigate. Aiding the investigation is Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults, and Nya Mashumba, the local government liaison.

What Grey uncovers is a terrifying cult older than Western civilization, the harsh underbelly of a country in despair, a priest seemingly able to perform impossibilities, and the identity of the newest target.

Himself.

The first work in a globe-hopping series whose protagonists investigate the world's most bizarre and dangerous cults, The Summoner is a stylish, haunting novel of mystery and suspense that will linger long after the last page is turned. 95,000 words (approximately 350 pages).

Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

It wasn't her nature to self-congratulate, but she’d played her part well. She had the feeling Grey would find what she needed. He was young, but had a competent air to him, and she recognized a quality in him she knew all too well, because she possessed it herself. Dominic Grey was a survivor.

My Thoughts:

"The Summoner" is a book that's hard to describe. It's mostly a mystery, but it's more than just that. There's philosophy and theology, and a fascinating look at voodoo and related religions. All of this is woven into the story; it adds to the mystery and also illuminates the characters. At times, Green has not only the characters but the readers questioning what is real, what is paranormal or magic, and is there a difference. The story is plot driven, not character driven, but the main characters are well done and I look forward to seeing them again in the next book, "The Egyptian" (sitting in my review pile). The main characters - Dominic, Nya, Viktor are complex and multi-layered. The secondary characters are not as complex but still well written. The story is set in Zimbabwe and it feels like you are really there; the country is not just atmosphere but part of the story.

As the story went on, I kept changing my mind about who the villain was. There were many viable options and then something would be revealed or would happen that would appear to eliminate one, then later on they became a viable suspect again. I did consider the character who was revealed as the villain but discarded him/her. Green really kept me hopping, keeping up with the possibilities and the twists and turns. The language is occasionally over the top, but most often is descriptive. He knows how to show us, and not just tell us. This is a complex, chilling story, with a lot of depth. It will make you think and it will make you feel.

Some quotes:

CIA had recruited him. They loved his profile: he’d lived almost his whole life abroad, spoke three languages, had no relevant family ties, scored high on the I.Q. tests, and was already trained in self-defense. Not trained, according to his former commander, but extraordinary. Gifted.

Cults conjured for Grey the worst religion has to offer: manipulation, gullibility, charlatanism.

Judeo-Christian tradition is rife with similar beliefs. You’ve simply been conditioned to Christian doctrine. Concepts such as resurrection, prophecy, the Virgin Birth, turning water into wine—these don’t sound fanciful or outlandish to you, even if you’re not a believer. They’re part of your milieu.”

A sinister curling of his lips caused a finger of oily unease to crawl down Grey’s spine.

The mask had been stained the disquieting color of boiled flesh, as if the dye had magically captured the flush of a finger just after it had been dipped in the saucepan.

The city writhed during the restless evening hours, stumbled past midnight, and then finally slumbered.

I received a Kindle book from the author for review.

Boskone 2012

2012-02-19T17:47:00.003-05:00

Isn't that gorgeous? I love the colors in it and it has a slightly mysterious look to it. It's a Daniel dos Santos original and graces the cover of this year's Boskone program cover.

I attended my first Boskone con yesterday, with Avangyline from Kelley Armstrong's board, her husband X and their daughter A. Avangyline, X and I went to Arisia last year and had so much fun, that though we couldn't go to Arisia this year, we met up for Boskone. Their daughter didn't come last year but when I met her this year, it was if we'd met before. Avangyline has been talking about her for years on the KA board and facebook, and posting pix on facebook. She was a sweetie, and full of energy despite an encounter with a sword during the sword fighting demonstration. (she was perfectly OK, no worries.)

Anyway, Boskone runs Friday night through late Sunday afternoon this weekend, every February (it's a three day weekend here in the US). It's put on by New England Science Fiction Association. I confess, I hadn't heard of them before, but if Boskone is an indicator, they do good work.

The con is at held at the Westin Waterfront, the same location as Arisia. Getting there should have been easy enough but Oh. My. God. the Boston MBTA was NOT cooperative. Though, I should confess that I didn't check their website first. I don't go into Boston often and usually take the T when I go so I didn't expect a problem. Turns out the station I parked at was open ONLY for parking. That station and corresponding trains are closed on the weekends for remodeling. Two helpful employees later, I was on a free shuttle to the next open station, three stops away. From there it was a smooth, standing room only ride to the station where I needed to transfer. That's where I had more problems. I couldn't find the correct track for the direction I needed to go. An employee saw me looking confused and offered to help. It went downhill from there. He was rude, and insisted that the line I wanted didn't exist, and acted as if I was an idiot for thinking it did. Meanwhile, I'm thinking that I've ridden on the damn line so I know bloody well it exists. I nodded and when he walked away, ignored what he told me and eventually found what I needed.

Anyway, I finally made it to the hotel. I tried to check my coat, as I had last year at Arisia, but was snootily informed by a man at the front desk that "coat check is not provided for Boskone participants" Oookay. Guess our money isn't good enough. I went upstairs, registered, got my badge and program, and began plotting what workshops I wanted. The con is a medium to small sized one but they had a selection of panels, even a knit-along. No description was given and I didn't go, but hey, talk about variety! There was one on ebook publishing (tempting but I ended up passing), the making of book covers (again, tempting, but skipped), trends in YA lit (interesting, more below), readings by a wide assortment of authors, an art show (pieces ranged from meh to OMG that's amazing), a kids area that A really enjoyed, filk panels and a concert, etc. The focus naturally was on science fiction but fantasy was there too along with horror.

I attended, with avangyline, a panel on all of the SF/F/H shows currently on TV. We talked about what was good and why, what wasn't and why, new ones in development, etc. It was late in the afternoon, and I'd been up late the night before, so I drifted off a few times but it was good.

I also went to a FAB event with author John Scalzi and artist Daniel dos Santos. The idea was that John would be interviewed while Daniel painted a portrait. This is the program description:

In this unique mega-mixed-media event, our Official Artist Daniel dos Santos will both interview and simultaneously create a fabulous painting of our Guest of Honor John Scalzi. We considered requesting that John also be suspended facedown in a tub of Coke Zero and Daniel ride a unicycle, but you can only take fan service so far.
Daniel dos Santos, John Scalzi

Audience members asked questions, nothing was off limits, as Daniel quietly sat and painted. John was effing hilarious. If you ever have the chance to hear him speak, DO IT!!!!!!!!! That event alone was worth the cover charge and the hassle of getting there. I didn't get a close up look of the final painting but it looked excellent from my seat at the back of the room (the event was packed).

The YA trends panel was very interesting. There was a lot of discussion about speculative fiction in YA - is it too dark (no, was the general consensus), it's appeal, and what it's lacking (issues; it tends to be relationship driven, heroic quest driven, or both), and is it on the way out (no, but dystopian is becoming a hot subgenre). YA spec fic books can be very dark but they are still not as dark as the issues books which deal with rape, incest, drug abuse, death, etc. Mention was made by some panelists that they'd like to see the YA spec fic books incorporate more of these issues, while one panelist described them as "sanitized" compared to issues books. It was mentioned that many YA books offer hope that you can overcome anything, that you move forward and grow, and even the spec fic YA books have their own type of HEA. There was also discussion about the marketing of YA books. There's been a marked upswing in marketing YA books, even older ones such as The Giver by Lois Lowry and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, to both young adults and adults. It's becoming common to have marketing campaigns for both populations. Along those lines was a discussion about how lines between young adult books and adult books have become blurred. Basically, the topics and contents are the same whereas before they weren't. One panelist said her definition of a YA book is one that has an adolescent protagonist. It was an excellent workshop and could easily have gone several hours.

ETA: I was reading a scene in a book earlier today (2/21/12) and it reminded that I forgot to include this in my post. I mentioned the art show and gallery. One artist, and I didn't write down his name, darn it, had some pieces that were eye catching, a little gruesome and thought provoking. You know how butterfly collectors like to kill and display their catches? Well, this artist (I wish I'd taken one of his cards!) made (or maybe bought) display cases and instead of butterflies and moths, made resin fairies, pixies, etc., and had them pinned and displayed in the same fashion. The detailing was exquisite and the look of agony on their faces was horrific. Each case had a metal plaque with the type of fae on it and a small card next to the box with where the collector found it, the date and some info about that species. It was well done and only confirmed my hatred for butterfly collections.

All in all, I thought Boskone was well done. The printed program was easy to read and use, signage was excellent, registering was easy, a good mix of panels and participants and there was even a con suite with free munchies (healthy food as well as snacks), comfy chairs, and tables but sadly no coat check. If you like sci fi, and live in or near the Boston area, it's worth attending.

Excerpt from H.P. Mallory's New Book, "Witchful Thinking"

2012-02-19T15:02:00.003-05:00

Thanks to Random House, I have another excerpt to share with you all today. This one is from her new paranormal romance, Witchful Thinking, the third book in her Jolie Wilkins series.

From H. P. Mallory—the exciting author of Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble—comes her new paranormal romance featuring the sassy, self-deprecating witch Jolie Wilkins.

Jolie thinks she’s seen it all, but life continues to spring surprises. The latest shocker? She’s just been crowned Queen of the Underworld. Jolie may possess a rare gift for reanimating the dead, but she doesn’t know the first thing about governing disparate factions of supernatural creatures. She can barely maintain order in her own chaotic personal life, which is heading into a romantic tailspin.

First there’s sexy warlock Rand, the love of her life, from whom Jolie is hiding a devastating secret. Then there’s Sinjin, a darkly seductive vampire and Jolie’s sworn protector—though others suspect he harbors ulterior motives. As the two polar opposite yet magnetic men vie for Jolie’s affection, she must keep her wits about her to balance affairs of state and affairs of her heart. Overwhelmed, under pressure, and longing for love, Jolie decides it’s time to take charge—and show everyone that this queen won’t take jack.

The book goes on sale February 28th. Enjoy the excerpt!
Witchful Thinking: A Jolie Wilkins Novel by H. P. Mallory (Free Excerpt)

In My Mailbox #18

2012-02-19T13:30:00.000-05:00

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.

I had a quiet book week, which was nice. I have a lot of reading to do and I took on more work at my part-time job. I did have several books come in at the library, but haven't had a chance to pick them up.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Kindle Freebies

I've read Clarissa Yip before, but not S.J. MacIver. I like romances, and here I've got a nice mix: one inspirational and one erotic. :D

Review

Jax, Liz and I ALL want to read and review this book. The determining factor will be which of us has the time to do it. At the moment, I have possession. Mwahahaha

How was your week? What did you get?

Bea's Book Nook

True to Life: A Guest Post by Naomi C King

Review of Abby Finds Her Calling by Naomi King

Spotlight On: Every Time I Think Of You by Camryn Rhys

Spotlight On: The One by Cheryl Robinson

Review of Black Howl by Christina Henry

Spotlight On: The Shoppe of Spells by Shanon Grey

Review of Spirits Rising by Krista D Ball

In My Mailbox #20

Review of Defending Jacob by William Landay

Review of Vampires in America: The Vignettes, Vol. 1

Chat with M.J. Rose!

Dusty Reads #7

Giveaway: Heart Signs by Cari Quinn A CBLS Blog Barrage

HEART SIGNS

BY: Cari Quinn

PUBLISHER: Ellora's Cave

GENRE: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA

FORMAT: Ebook

LENGTH: 45,000 words

RELEASE DATE: out now

BUYING LINKS: Ellora's Cave Amazon Barnes & Noble

AUTHOR WEBSITE: www.cariquinn.com

You can also Friend Cari on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads under Cari Quinn as well!

See here for more tour stops.

***********************************************************

Excerpt

***********************************************************

Adult Excerpt **18 plus**

Ready to win? First, read the giveaway policy, then proceed to the Rafflecopter widget to enter.

Lung Update

Review of Fair Game by Patricia Briggs & A Giveaway

Spotlight On: Cornerstone Deep Echoes by Charlene A Wilson

In My Mailbox #19

Review of Devils' Den by Leonard D Hilley II

Godsends: A Guest Post by Marcus Lopes CBLS Blog Tour

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: C791 by Eve Langlais

Fun New Videos for H.P. Mallory's "Witchful Thinking"

Review of The Summoner by Layton Green

Boskone 2012

Excerpt from H.P. Mallory's New Book, "Witchful Thinking"

In My Mailbox #18

Adult Excerpt 18 plus