I'd like to welcome back to the blog author Kylie Brant, whose 4th book in the Mindhunters series is out November 2nd. Kylie was here just about a year ago talking about the release of the first 3 books in the series, and now she's back to bring us the next installment in this riveting series. I'm really excited about having her back at the blog, as she's one smart cookie with a taste for blood. Okay, not really, but that sounded deliciously creepy. And speaking of which, Kylie is here to talk about......REDRUM.
Everything I Know about Murder I Learned from Writing
Oh, that sounds ever so much more ominous than it is :) Because despite my research, I'd be the worst homicidal maniac in the world. Too lazy, for one thing. Can't you hire that sort of work out? I don't even clean my own house, LOL. Plus, despite years of weight strengthening I'm the weakest person in the world. I can barely lift my (fairly stocky) two-year-old grandson. I'm definitely not up to wrestling an unsuspecting victim to the ground to enact murder. I've got a bad back. And neck. Not to mention the carpal tunnel that would make wielding a knife troublesome. My deadliest trait might be my innate ability to drive people crazy, but in my defense, for some it's an exceedingly short trip :)
But it's amazing the tidbits a writer runs across in the course of research. Need a body defleshed and don't happen to have a vat of acid handy? Get yourself a body sized plexiglass case and fill it with dermestid beetles before putting the corpse inside. (Although if you have the time, isolated space and a large amount of lime, you could always dig a shallow grave and top it with lime.) Wondering how long a severed thumb will keep? Three days, give or take in a cold environment. I'm told one can keep it in a baggy on ice. And in case you've ever entertained the burning question of when the best time is to commit murder, you might be interested to know that a body will bleed out quickest first thing in the morning, upon rising because the body is still warm from the bed.
And what sort of person finds these pieces of trivia fascinating? Well, um...me. But purely from a writing standpoint, I assure you!
Given that I come from a fairly ordinary background, I need to do a great deal of research to write some of my plots. Luckily, with the Internet that sort of research is made easier. It especially simplifies finding the experts I need to answer my questions regarding specific plot elements. I've gotten assistance from hostage negotiators, police detectives, private investigators, state police directors, criminal lab managers, forensic anthropologists and a forensic linguist, to name a few. Although I think I have a vivid imagination, it's amazing some of the ideas I get from some of them :) To my knowledge, I've never actually spoken to anyone with first hand knowledge of committing murder but given some of my experts' backgrounds, they have insightful tips for my stories that certainly wouldn't have occurred to me.
My most recent bout of fascination is with the area of forensic linguistics. As a writer I'm intrigued by words and their nuances anyway. So an occupation that involves doing threat assessments (how likely is it that the author will carry through on the threats?) and author analysis of ransom notes currently tops of my list of If Only I'd Known These Jobs Existed....
All these random bits of knowledge come in handy when cooking up my plots and for entertaining (if unappetizing) dinner conversation. And who knows? Maybe some day I'll be offered a gig riding along with homicide cops, ala the TV show Castle!
Whether writing suspense, contemporary or historical, authors often have intriguing bits of trivia in their books. What's the most interesting thing you've learned from reading a romance book?
No one knows the patterns and nuances of communication like forensic linguist Macy Reid. She is also an expert on kidnapping, having experienced firsthand the stark terror of being abducted when she was a child. So she is the perfect investigator to be called in when a Denver tycoon's eleven-year-old daughter is abducted—for the second time.
The biggest stumbling block for Macy may be a member of her own team: Kellan Burke, the wisecracking, rule-breaking investigator who relishes getting under Macy's skin. Their styles couldn't be more different; the attraction between them more explosive. And when it becomes apparent that Macy can't solve the case without confronting the demons from her past, Kell is just the man to take her there—and back.
I've traveled the world, lived on two continents and in eleven cities.I've met my childhood hero, twice. I wore a uniform during wartime, though I never fired a shot. Thanks to my husband, I've flown an airplane. I'm a wife, and mother.I'm owned by two crazy cattle dogs, both of which I rescued from puppy prison. Right now I live in the beautiful Black Hills, the Oglala Sioux call Paha Sapa. I have a Celtic Connection with a Gaelic speaking friend. I write what I love to read.
Those of us who write undoubtedly have a passion for it. Why else would we put ourselves through the difficulties of creating a cast of characters with seemingly insurmountable problems?
As an author of historical romance, I have noticed the high volume of paranormal books lining the shelves of our local bookstores. Publishers and readers alike clamor for these stories and though the saturation level is high, there doesn't seem to be any sign the genre is tapering off. Moreover, it's not just bricks and mortar stores packing them in. E-book sites all over the internet display page after page of paranormal titles and what once thought a fad is now a cornerstone of the billion-dollar a year romance industry.
No doubt, it sounds as if I'm opposed to such books. However, I write erotic paranormal under the pen name Marie March and have four titles due out this year. As well, I eagerly await the next Sookie Stackhouse adventure from Charlaine Harris, and the last installment in Karen Marie Moning's Fever series. What I enjoy about these authors is their ability to create stories in which I'm able to suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in an all too real fantasy-world.
This brings up the question of writing strictly for profit of playing to the room. Should an author who stands out in his or her own category write to a specific market? From what I have read and heard, most Editors view this as a no-no. Yet, how many publishers out there, big and small, have calls out for paranormal manuscripts above anything else? With werewolf, vampire and shifter stories in demand the conclusion may be any submission will have a better than average acceptance rate. Such logic will set anyone up for disappointment and failure.
As a romance writer, you have to enjoy reading what you set out to write. With a paranormal, you have to believe in the unbelievable yourself otherwise the rudiments of your story just won't work. Therefore, I believe success in any form of writing depends on the blend of two essential elements…your talents and interests.
The lush landscape of the Scottish Highlands holds great beauty, but also great peril. Therefore, when Lady Arabella Wyndmere is spirited away from her English home, she is right to fear for her heart and her welfare. Held to a deathbed vow, Laird Connal MacRae is honor-bound to deliver Lady Arabella unsullied, to his deposed older brother, as a prize to soothe his ego. Nevertheless, Connal cannot deny the burning ache the spirited beauty has awakened in him. However, something far more dangerous stalks from the shadows. And in a climate of treachery and betrayal; the greatest risk of all could be surrendering to the depth of feelings of unexpected love.
New Releases under Marie March:
INSATIABLE release date 29 July 2010 Publisher: Red Rose Publishing
Cavyn Sinclair is a centuries old vampire in search of conquest, but women are scarce in the wilds of Montana's Glacier National Park. Then he discovers a faint light trail left in the wake of an exotic creature he never thought to encounter.
To stay amongst her kindred, Loveday a Nymphomaniac in service to the House of Triune is forced to pay tribute to Medb on Beltane by participating in sexual revelry with any male she encounters, climaxing in Medb's name.
When Cavyn and Loveday come together the sex is raw and explosive. However, will they be able to sustain their passion or will Loveday fulfill her needs with Cavyn's nest mate Priscilla?
No matter how decadent the sex, Loveday longs for the freedom to choose her own destiny. Cavyn aids Loveday's bid for freedom, yet the payment Medb demands may be more than Loveday is willing to pay.
CHASING the NYMPH release date 17 Sep 2010
Publisher: Whispers Publishing
Ava an elite nymph of the coterie must take part in ceremonial sex to achieve orgasms for tribute to the Goddess of sexual revelry and intoxication. The orgasmic energy travels through her chain, the Filament of Light, transferring the rapture upon Medb and ensuring the continuation of Medb's life force.
Bastien is a fallen archangel, assigned to the Chaser Leagues tasked with capturing, and perhaps executing runaway nymphs. He has come to the temple bearing the Goddess an extraordinary gift in the hopes of buying thirty days with one nymph of the legendary coterie. In reality, he is infiltrating the temple to abduct Ava, but first he has to convince the nymph he is not what he seems.
When the two come together, it's unlike anything either has experienced. Nonetheless, Ava is unable to reconcile her unquenchable lust for Bastien, and the abhorrence she feels for his lethal profession.
Will Ava overcome her revulsion and forgive Bastien's deadly past, or will she decide love is too high a price to pay?
Special guest author Sydney Somers plus a contest!
Today I'm excited to have special guest Sydney Somers joining us. She's here to talk about what she sees while she's writing *g* She's also having a contest, so please be sure to check it out.
I see dead people.
Okay, technically I don’t— though the people in my head aren’t exactly alive in the traditional sense—but it just sounds cooler than, I hear voices.
I have this keychain that says, I live in my own world. But it’s okay they know me here, and it sums up my creative life perfectly. I’ve been writing stories for most of my life and it always starts with a voice, a line of dialogue usually, that quickly unravels in my head like a movie trailer. Flashes of action and snappy one-liners at first, a glimpse at the hero or heroine, and before I know it I’ve got a full cast running through my head. Which would be fine if I ever just had one idea percolating at a time…but that’s another blog post altogether.
A question every writer hears a lot is, “Where do you get your ideas?” My answer? From the voices in my head. Something might trigger it all in the beginning, a song, a line from a book I read or a show on television. Sometimes even from a book I just finished writing. But once those people come to life in my head they do not shut up. Ever.
Not that I’m complaining. I adore my job, at least I do on the days when I don’t want to douse my laptop in gas and set the damn thing ablaze. But that usually stems from the problems translating what I see and hear in my head to the written word. Writing would be some much easier if I had a machine like the one in Stephen King’s the Tommyknockers where the machine just picks up my thoughts and does all the work.
When I’m writing hardcore and have a good handle on the characters, my head is rarely quiet. While that keeps me pretty motivated most days, it can also be a serious pain in the ass. It’s a miracle when I cook a meal and something doesn’t end up burnt, overcooked or stuck to a pan. And the laundry…okay, maybe the voices don’t interfere with that, I just like to pretend they do.
So before I head back to my writing cave to exorcise the demons, er, tell my characters’ stories, I’ve got a download of Dark Obsession to give away.
All you have to do to enter the contest is just name one of the other 3 books in the Shadow Destroyers series. (Hint: can be found at Sydney's website). Contest open to anyone. Will end on Friday, July 23rd at 5pm CST. Good luck!
Guest spotlight: my pal Liza from Blogging By Liza
I've known Liza online for awhile, and was very lucky to meet her in person around Memorial Day last year when she came to Chicago. I had fun hanging out with her, parading down Michigan Avenue and hitting Border's. Then eating at PF Chang's - YUM. Liza is really sweet and has read a ton of books. And I'm thrilled to have her visit this weekend :)
Stacy: Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
My name is Liza and I live in Nashville, TN. I’m currently single and waiting for my Mr. Right.
I would say I’m a reader first, and only in the past year become much better about blogging, which is helping me to be a better writer…I hope.
Stacy: Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
Yes. My blog is called Blogging by Liza (not very original, I know, but didn’t know much about blogs when I started). Here is the link http://lizasblog-liza.blogspot.com/.
I started my blog to keep up with all the books I read each year. I try to post about books as soon as I finish reading them, but usually have a finished stack before I post. Most of my entries are about books, but I started posting about my life a bit more in the last year, as well as TV, movies, and my TN Titans. So I guess I would say my blog is a bit of a hodge-podge of books, television, movies and my life.
Stacy: What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
I’m currently reading Night Keepers by Jessica Andersen. I’m early into the story, but really like it so far and would totally recommend it. I’ve also just started reading KT Grant’s Lovestruck (ebook).
Stacy: What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
Gena Showalter’s The Darkest Lie (06/29/10), Leslie Parrish’s Cold Sight (7/6/10), Ally Carter’s Only the Good Spy Young (06/29/10), and Carly Phillips’s Kiss Me If You Can (7/27/10) Also really excited about Larissa Ione’s Sin Undone (8/24/10), Silver James’s Faerie Fire (9/17/10), and Carolyn Crane’s Double Cross (9/28/10)
Stacy: What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
I’m totally in love with the Wicked soundtrack and all the music from the TV show Glee. I’ve also been listening to lots of country music lately. I especially love Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Lady A, Kenny Chesney, and Miranda Lambert.
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
I have many blogs I follow daily, but the ones listed below, along with twitter (mslizalou) and facebook are my guaranteed stops each day:
Stacy: What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
I’m completely addicted to Diet Mt. Dew. I’ll pretty much drink any diet soft drink with the exception of Diet Pepsi, which tastes like flat Diet Coke to me. If we are talking an adult beverage, I’m good with a nice glass of red wine or a light beer. My favorite beer (not light) is Blue Moon with an orange wedge.
My dad’s homemade pizza is probably my favorite food ever. If eating out, I am always happy with Mexican food, Italian food, sushi, or a cheeseburger.
I have lots of favorite tv shows (of course several ended last month). My must see shows each week are Castle, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, The Biggest Loser(my one reality show vice), Grey’s Anatomy, Glee, NCIS, Cougar Town, The Mentalist, Chuck, Gossip Girl, Royal Pains, and Bones. I don’t get to watch all of them each week, so my DVR always has something ready for me to watch. Right now I have almost the entire final season of 24 waiting for me as well as the final episode of Lost waiting to be re-watched over and over again. Also need to catch up on True Blood On Demand-HBO.
Stacy: Which hottie out there is to die for?
Some of my favorite hotties right now are Gilles Marini, Joe Manganiello, Hugh Jackman, and Ryan Reynolds. All so very yummy!!!
Stacy: Favorite restaurant?
My favorite “chain-type” restaurant is Maggiano’s. I could probably eat there every week and never get tired of the food. My favorite local restaurants are all owned by my friends and located in downtown Franklin , TN. Red Pony is an upscale American-fare restaurant, Sol is an authentic Mexican restaurant, and 55 South is a Cajun restaurant, so I can pretty much eat anything I want at any given time.
Stacy: What is your idea of a romantic gesture from your sweetie?
Currently single, so no romantic gestures coming my way right now. I think helping to take care of the everyday stuff is the most romantic, not that a fancy dinner out isn't wonderful too. ;)
Stacy: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I’m extremely shy when I first meet people for the first time in person. Going to RWA in July is going to make me step outside my comfort zone in a big way. However, I have no problems talking to perfect strangers in bookstores to offer up books to read or get reading suggestions.
Thanks for asking me to be a part of your guest blogger series. Liza
Thanx Liza! It's been such a pleasure having you here, and between you and another Tweep, thank you for the heads up on Joe Manganiello ;) I wish I was going to RWA this year :( But next year I hope to see you again!
Well, here we go. This is the "in"famous Lime, in all her glory. No introduction necessary really, other than to say she totally cracks me up. For those of you wondering, yes I have met her in person, and yes, she is this green. But it looks good on her.
Stacy: Thank you for agreeing to be a victim, er, guest on my blog :)
VICTIM?!?!? I don't think I like this! Anyway, hello Stacy and Star Blazer Friends!
Stacy: Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
My name is Limecello. I'm super random and over think everything.
For the name... :) I decided on it because I love citrus, and I love vodka. Well, it makes a good story, right? Anyway, I'm a reader, and a blogger. First of all, Limecello is not my real name. Although I will answer to it, or Lime. I seem unable to escape nicknames where ever I go. I'm decently educated, but am currently job searching... so ... keep me in mind if you know anyone is looking, please. :P Anyway, I've been in school way too long, so my academic background is the biggest "part of me." I've got degrees in Political Science, Chinese, and... Law. I'm not an aspiring author or anything, and if I wanted to be one... I'd probably have to wait something like 30 years for people I've made angry with my reviews to retire etc. :X
Soo... how did I actually choose this name? I wanted something unique, and I do like citrus, sugar, and vodka. I like Italian food, and then Roman/Classical history and all... I was going for Limoncello, but that blog was taken, so I had to adapt. It's ok. I like limes more anyway. So, there's my story. Nobody recognizes me when I put names on my badge anyway. And, yes, I know limoncello is the real Italian but ... there's no way to do that with Lime. And there's no Latin for lime... (Yes I did think about it. A lot.)
Stacy: Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
Do I have a blog? Well, yes. I have a few. I have one on blogger even, but I don't use that much. Really, I consider "my blog" to be my twitter account. Otherwise for a real blog, I'd consider that to be a review blog I'm part of - The Good, The Bad, [and] The Unread. It's owned by Sybil, who also uses/used the name "redwyne." She's fantastic. She also loves to be mean to me. (N.B. Only Sybil gets to be mean to me. But that's also because she can dish it as well as take it. And provides books.) As for how I'd describe it? Well, mostly it's a review blog. It's also a place for ranting and randomness, which is why I love it so. We're a pretty diverse group of reviewers, and we all like different things. (Although of course there is some overlapping taste. That makes everything more interesting.) I also ... am/was watching Law Abiding Citizen, and got really, really distracted. How would I describe it? Well actually, one of the authors from somewhere some time described it best. (Ah - it was Karen Templeton):
“TGTBTU always reminds me a bit of the first floor of Macy’s (the NY flagship store) at Christmas - crowded and crazy and buzzing with energy and good vibes - but dang, these people love them their books.”
I love the honesty of the blog, and that reading is tantamount. We have no agenda, and you're freely able to disagree with others and reviewers there without repercussions. No name calling. (Or if there is, it's the duckies making fun of each other.) I'm actually still not quite sure how I became a duckie, but have been one for 2+ years now? O_o [Interesting post by Lime here]
Stacy: What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
Ummm... I've been in a horrible, awful, terrible, no good very bad reading slump :(
Anything I've read recently has been ok though - a few new Silhouette Desires... generally by authors I review... And a few random ebooks. Maybe if I answer this question on a different day... [Still nothing a few days later, sadly.]
Stacy: What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
I would say Love in the Afternoon but I've got Married by Morning and I haven't even read it yet... but yeah - I'll go with LitA because it's cool shortened, and I love Lisa Kleypas, and Sybil said it's awesome.
Oh and Erin McCarthy's upcoming NASCAR books. I don't even like NASCAR! (No really. I truly don't. But I really enjoy her books. Wild, right?) I'm excited about HelenKay Dimon's new book - yay nontraditional hero! And erm, more of Lauren Dane's Seattle books. Well, the guy's stories. I'm really against never ending open ended series. Oh and Hawke's book by Nalini Singh, but that's not really soon to be released... ok so ignore everything I said except for LitA. Hey, I never said brevity was one of my gifts.
Stacy: What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
My entire music library gets played on shuffle if/when I listen to it, so... that would be nothing. Or, a list of 800+ songs. And I'm not writing that down. :)
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
BUBBLESPINNER. Hulu. Twitter! Swagbucks. Food 52. The NYT. A few others. Yeah um actually I don't really do that much online. Or, I spend my time doing all the same thing. Run down? Bubble spinner is amazingly awesome and the spawn of the devil. Stay away. It was really hard when I started and I couldn't figure it out, but now I get to level 20, but still can't quit. Hulu for TV watching, since I can't read these days. Twitter is self explanatory. Swagbucks, more for searches. It's how I can feed my book habit while being poor. You get points just for being online, and I've made ~$350 in 16 months, basically for doing nothing. I can't complain. Food 52 gave me the best recipe for sugar cookies ever. It's also nice to drool over some of the awesome stuff I won't make, and I bond with my sister over the crossword puzzles. (We do them online.) NYT is also self explanatory - I mean even a flaky girl like me has to stay somewhat in the know.
Stacy: What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
Beverages - I like adult beverages and trying new things. Recently the blue hawaii was butchered so I'll say... blue motorcycle. Or... my own drink inventions. Dark rum, passion fruit juice, ginger ale, seltzer, and a splash of lime juice. Delicious. Or a boozy fruit smoothie. Or something I haven't had yet. I always like to try new drinks and am open to suggestions. I like the fruity sweet ones though. In fact if the bartender seems competent, I often say "make me something good."
TV show... well. I love Iron Chef. I also watch/like Bones, Burn Notice, White Collar, Justified, Human Target, So You Think You Can Dance, Giada at Home... Simply Ming, and Avec Eric.
Stacy: Which hottie out there is to die for?
You know, a few years ago I'd say Raoul Bova. But.. now? No. How about... Andy Whitfield. Matthew Bomer. A number of the guys playing for the World Cup *fans self*
Heh. I'm blanking, but I feel like I should mention at least one more super hot guy by name. Takeshi Kaneshiro - for the international love. Also because he can speak so many languages, jerk. Anyway, also as a nod to fashion - he is/was Armani's face for one of their fall lines - the first time an Asian male fronted an international campaign. Yup, he's that hot. (To get the full effect you have to watch Returner where he's wearing that awesome leather duster. Friends made me watch it in college, and... well I should thank them.)
And Andy Whitfield - well if you saw Spartacus: Blood and Sand you' know why. If not, go google some pictures of him. No it's ok. I'll wait. And Matthew Bomer... he's just so charming and suave in White Collar. And he's also gorgeous. I'd take him. Oh, and I can't forget to mention Henry Cavill. No explanation necessary. Srsly.
Stacy: Favorite restaurant?
Oh... this one is tough. I'd say... Lola in Cleveland - it's Michael Symon's restaurant. It's absolutely fantastic. Everything about it. Otherwise, Harvest, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The chef is Mary Dumont - who I "discovered" watching Iron Chef. And yup. I totally went to Boston just to eat her food. (Kidding. Though for some of the chefs I might.) I'm about to hit the Greenhouse Tavern and am very excited. (Also in Cleveland.) Another one is Corduroy in DC - the chef is Tom Power. I know less about him, but his food is great. Fair warning - they enforce a dress code. Yes there's a story. Oh well.
As you can see, I like doing things in threes. Anyway, thanks for inviting me to play on your blog today, Stacy! And thank you everyone else for actually reading my babble! Whee! :D
Well I don't know about you, but I'm still recovering LOL. That Lime, she's a whirlwind, and an entertaining one at that. Thank you Lime, it's been a fun ride. But I suppose I should be nice to you, since it's your birthday soon..... :p
Please welcome one of my international pals and favorite tweets, Susi Sunshine! We tend to like a lot of the same books, and she clued me in about some of the dirty in the "Sweet" stories by Maya Banks ;) She was among the first group of new people I remember tweeting with, and cannot imagine Twitter without her. And today I learned quite a few interesting things about her. Here, I'll let her tell you....
Stacy: Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
I'm Susi, okay actually I'm Susann but only my mom calls me that way when I was a really bad girl. I live with my boyfriend and my cat in Magdeburg Germany. I'm a smalltown girl who moved into the "big city" *snort* after finishing highschool. I'm also an avid reader: I was as a child, made a break while being in puberty and started to read again when I met BF. He's also the one who made me read in English. It all started with us realizing that our knowledge of the English classics was very limited, so we started to read Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Oscar Wilde just so we can say we read them. After a few books I realized that perhaps I needed a pleasure read from time to time too so I just ordered Twilight and I was caught. I couldn't stop after these books.I spent most of my time reading, blogging or on twitter and try to get the real live done in the times in between.
Stacy: Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
Yes I have. The Geeky Bookworm was born a year ago when I just couldn't hold the love I felt for the books back any longer. It's my small place in the world wide web and I try to keep it just like that. I like to review the books I loved and I'm keeping track of the books I read there. I also love to talk about that geeky things I love in my life, be it a lovely USB gadget or a hunky science fiction guy. From time to time some guest authors come over but I mostly only do that when I can find the time beside the university and work. I also started blogging on Book Lovers Inc this year in January. We are a group of 12 book bloggers at the moment and we try to talk about as many book as we can. =) We thought it would be a great idea to get the Book Lovers of all genres together and I would have never thought that it would work so quickly. We are still small but a growing community but we have some great guest authors from time to time and giveaways to feed the addiction of our readers. [2 awesome blogs!]
Stacy: What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
I'm reading Shades of Midnight by Lara Adrian at the moment. I really like it so far. It's book 7 in her Midnight Breed series and her books are getting better and better. I just learned yesterday that this book hit the German Spiegel bestseller list on place 3 on the release day so you see we Germans love her books. I recommend her series to all the vampire lovers out there.
Stacy: What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
So we have Hot Finish (Fast Track #3) by Erin McCarthy. I so can't wait to read this book. [Yes, me too!] I loved the first 2 books and Suzanne was hilarious so far so I think her book will be a blast. And I can't wait to get my hands on Alpha (Shifter #6) by Rachel Vincent. This series has me so hooked and it's the last book so I hope Mrs. Vincent made all the right decisions. LOL, just kidding.
Stacy: What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
Oh that one is easy: I can't get enough of Peter Fox at the moment. He's a German HipHopper and I love his album Stadtaffe at the moment. My favorite song at the moment on this one is Alles Neu (Everything New) - wonderful song with a great message. Also I'm an addict to Beatsteaks and there albums Smacksmash and Limbo Messiah are always on my mp3 Player. They are German too but their lyrics are English so be sure to check them out. ;)
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
Amazon, Twitter, YouTube, GoodReads and book blogs. For the last one it's hard to choose a favorite. I think it depends on what I read at the moment and how much spare time I have. There are some blogs on my nicely called No. 1 blogger list in google reader those I visit every chance I get what unfortunately is not that often at the moment. But I still love them all even if I don't have the time to leave a comment at every visit.
Stacy: What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
Okay I'm a coffee addict of the worst case. I can't live without it. My best friends always ask if I already had coffee first thing when she calls me in the morning and she knows why. ;) Favorite food is mashed potatoes with fried eggs sunny side up. Yes, I'm easy that way. LOL Favorite TV show EVER is Star Trek Next Generation but at the moment I'm addicted to Two and a Half Men.
Stacy: Which hottie out there is to die for?
I'm all for Obi Wan Kenobi also known as Ewan McGregor. *dreams*
Stacy: Favorite restaurant?
We have a wonderful greek restaurant in my hometown Staßfurt called Athos II. I love it there. Owned by a very nice family and their dishes are just perfect. I don't have any pics here and it is in a very small town so no website. Sorry about that.
Stacy: What is your idea of a romantic gesture from your sweetie?
I love when he does the small things like writing a txt that he misses me or making me surprise dinner when I get home late from work. He can be such a sweetheart when he wants to but most of the time he is just the smartass I love.
Stacy: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Okay the online people would be surprised to learn that I'm 1,82m (that should be 6 feet I think) and no I'm not kidding and not many women here are that tall. Most real people are surprised that I'm vegetarian.
Most of you all already know Katiebabs, from Babbling About Books, who's made the rounds around . But now she's also a published author. Woo hoo! Kate is definitely one of my favorite people and bloggers, and I'm thrilled for all the good things happening for her right now. To top it all off, it's her birthday, so give her a shout-out here,or at Twitter: www.twitter.com/katiebabs
Heeeeeere's KATE!
Stacy: Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
I go by many names, but the majority of people on-line know me as Katiebabs aka KB. In the real world I'm known better as Kate. I'm a redhead, who's a little eccentric and reside in northern New Jersey, about 30 minutes outside of Manhattan. My background is as a pop culture junkie who lives and breathes reading and writing.
Stacy: Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
My blog, Babblings about Books and More! Has been live since September 2008 and you can find it at http://kbgbabbles.blogspot.com/. Babblings is a place where you can kick off your shoes, relax, and chat about whatever is on your mind. But more often than not, it's a place to talk about books.
Stacy:What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
I've started reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett based on all the raves reviews. My next few reads will be a few much anticipated YA novels that I hope deliver.
Stacy:What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
I have two most anticipated books that I'm yearning for. Blameless, the third book in Gail Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series that will be released on September 1st and Carolyn Crane's sequel to Mind Games, called Double Cross that comes out on September 28th.
Stacy:What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
I can't get enough of Lady Gaga! All I listen to is Telephone and Just Dance. I think I have a bad girl crush on her. [See below for some Gaga of a sort :) ]
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
I'm a total Perez Hilton junkie. I visit his site three times a day. But if we are talking blogs, my top five to visit are The Book Smugglers, Lurve Ala Mode, Kris 'n' Good Books, Smexy Books, Smokin' Hot Books and of course yours! [Well that goes without saying LOL. J/K. Thank you Kate *g*]
Stacy:What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
I'm a coffee and pretzel addict to the extreme. Right now my three must watch shows are Burnt Notice on USA, Dexter on Showtime and Mad Men on AMC.
Stacy:Which hottie out there is to die for?
It's a toss up between Ryan Reynolds and Richard Armitage. Hugh Jackman as a backup just in case.
Stacy:Favorite restaurant?
Cheesecake Factory or PF Changs. You leave full and satisfied in ways no other restaurant can. [Love both these places too. Another reason we get along so well].
Stacy:What is your idea of a romantic gesture from your sweetie?
Knowing how I take my coffee and going out of his way to buy me a cup even if I didn't ask. But if he wants to make me dinner, I'm all for that.
Stacy:What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I can read palms and am usually very accurate when I give a reading.
Today I have CEE, another one of my online pals, visiting today. I've known Cee for quite some time, probably since around the time I first started my blog back in 2006. We both have a deep and abiding love for Sam Starrett and our iPhones *g* Cee loves to bake and I love seeing pictures of her creations, and she goes on some pretty nifty vacations which make me very jealous, but I still like her LOL.
Stacy: Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
I'm C Squared - since my initials are CC - and I'm a reader/blogger. I'll leave the writing to others, thanks. :)
Stacy: Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
I do have a sadly neglected blog - C Squared's All-around Blog (http://csquareds-blog.blogspot.com/) - most of my posts are about traveling, gadgets, the occasional bit about TV shows or movies, and there's a little bit about books, too. You might find more book stuff by me (and the other Duckies) over at The Good, The Bad and the Unread (http://goodbadandunread.com/) - when I review, that's where the reviews go.
Stacy: What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
I just started reading Gena Showalter's The Darkest Passion and I'm enjoying it so far. I like the Lords of the Underworld series...what's better than a tortured hero? And I would consider housing a demon pretty much torture.
Stacy: What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
Hmm...it isn't being released soon enough but I have to say Karen Marie Moning's ShadowFever is at the top of my "I want it right now!" list. December is toooooooooo far away. :-D Some things that are coming soon that I'm also looking forward to are Jennifer Ashley's Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage and Erin McCarthy's Hot Finish. [All excellent choices.]
Stacy: What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
GLEE soundtracks seem to be coming up pretty regularly. And something a bit more obscure that I highly recommend is Appalachian Journey. It's hard to describe but it's a cross between classical, bluegrass, chamber music and Americana - as put together by Yo-yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor with some help from James Taylor and Alison Krauss.
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
My usual stops are at the Book Binge, Kristie J's Ramblings on Romance, TGTBTU (of course), Ames' Thrifty Reader, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, and Dear Author. And your blog, of course *bats lashes*. :-D [Flatterer! LOL. You really don't have to say that, I'll still like you :D ]
Stacy: What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
Favorite food: peanut butter Favorite TV show: during the summer, So You Think You Can Dance; during the regular season, I like Chuck, Fringe, Castle and a few other things.
Stacy: Which hottie out there is to die for?
Did I mention I really like Castle? And a lot of the reason is Nathan Fillion. But just hotness for its own sake - Jensen Ackles. Yowza! And did I read he got married recently? :*( [Yes. *sob*]
Stacy: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Well, it might not be a surprise but I'm a big ol' geek. I love me some gadgets and can talk Apple stuff for ages with like-minded folk. LOL Never let Mac people start talking when there is something new coming out. Just sayin'. LOL
Thank you for stopping by Cee, it's been fun! So, I forgot to ask: what vacation spot is next on your agenda?
Welcome to my world :) Today's spotlight feature is something new, something I think is a lot of fun: the opportunity to "get to know" some of our friends out there in blogland a little bit more. You get to spend a few minutes finding out some interesting things you might not already know about my special guests and fellow friends.
When I came up with the idea, and asked for volunteers, I never thought I'd get many responses. But all these wonderful people came through for me - they must love talking about themselves as much as I do LOL. And I'm completely thrilled about it. I can't wait to post each guest spotlight. And please, if you haven't been contacted yet, believe me, I'm working on it. You will all get your chance :) I want you all to be included.
So without further adieu, let's get started. Take it away Marg!
Stacy:Feel free to tell us about yourself: name, background, etc. Are you a reader/blogger/writer?
My name is Marg, and I live in Melbourne, Australia. I am a reader, and have been since I was a young child, and have been blogging for over 4 and a half years. I am single mum who works full time, so reading and blogging is what I do in my ‘me’ time.
Stacy:Do you have a blog? What is the name/link and how would you describe your blog?
I actually am part of a couple of different blogs. As well as my own blog at Adventures of an Intrepid Reader , I am also part of Historical Tapestry which is a blog that focuses on historical fiction, and just recently I just started the Australian Book Blogger Directory. There are a few different aims with that project. The first is to connect Australian bloggers who might have similar tastes in reading, or similar locations. The second aim is to facilitate blogger meetups, maybe with a view to having a national meet up at some point in the future, and the third is to try and connect with Australian publishers.
At my blog you will find a lot of conversation about books, and reading. I tend to read across a variety of genres so you could find talk about romance, historical fiction, YA, fantasy, reading challenges – a bit of everything really. I tend to have moved away from straight reviews, although I do still have some of those. I co-host the weekly meme, Library Loot, which “encourages bloggers to share the books they’ve checked out from the library”. I also have also cohosted the Virtual Advent Tour for the last four years where people share their holiday traditions with others. That’s become a part of my holiday tradition and usually kicks off on 1 December each year!
Phew! I need to have a lay down just looking at all that! [You are one BUSY woman!]
Stacy:What book(s) are you currently reading? Would you recommend it?
At the moment I am reading For the King by Catherine Delors which is about the investigation into an assassination attempt on Napoleon, and also The Shadowy Horses by Susanna Kearsley. The latter is an author I discovered last year, and I just love her books. Within reading the first two pages of the first book I read by her, which was The Winter Sea (also published as Sophia’s Secret), I knew I would love her writing, and I haven’t been disappointed yet! This one is a timeslip novel about an archeologist who goes to Scotland to try to find a lost Roman legion and once again I find myself immersed in the world that Kearsley has created.
Stacy:What is your most anticipated soon to be released book?
At this stage, I would say it is probably Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins which is due out in October. It’s YA dystopia and I can’t wait to read it and see what happens! I am also looking forward to Faithful Place by Tana French (she writes gritty mysteries set in Dublin) and the next Lisa Kleypas novel Love in the Afternoon (despite the fact that I still haven’t read Married by Morning yet).
Stacy:What's playing nonstop on your iPod rotation right now?
At the moment there is a lot of Powderfinger. They came to prominence in Australia in the late 1990s when I lived in the UK, and I never really got the attraction until I recently started listening to them and thought wow, they are good! Of course, I figured that out just as they announced they were breaking up!
The other albums I listened to a lot recently have been Keith Urban (http://www.keithurban.net/) – just love his music. He is one of the few artists I will go and buy the album straight away without waiting for a couple of singles first. [LOVE Keith Urban!]
My most recent obsession is English band Mumford and Sons . I have been listening to their album, Sigh no More, for about six months now and it still feels fresh.
Stacy: What are your favorite places to visit online?
I would be lying to myself if I didn’t say Twitter! (http://twitter.com/MargReads) I resisted joining for so long because I was worried about adding another time suck into my computer time, but I really love it! Lots of good conversations, and getting to know other bloggers better has been awesome.
I also enjoy spending time at Historical Fiction Online although I have been neglecting it for a while now). This is a forum for historical fiction lovers and has a great mix of readers and authors.
Stacy:What are some of your favorite things: beverage? food? t.v. show?
If you want to find your way into my heart then cheesecake or cupcakes are probably the way to go!
Stacy: Which hottie out there is to die for?
Now that’s an easy one! The one, and only, Richard Armitage! I have been obsessing over him for a couple of years now, and I don’t see that abating any time soon! For a little while there I was so obsessed that I only would watch Richard Armitage DVDs on my DVD player, and it broke when I finally tried to play something else. Many of my friends knew of my not so secret obsession, to the point that one of them made this picture for me for Valentine’s Day a couple of years ago. I actually don’t think I have posted this before even on my blog (so you have an exclusive!)
Stacy: Favorite restaurant?
That one where I am with Richard, which I presume is in some small English village somewhere. When I am not living in dream land, I really love seafood, so give me some prawns, or some fish, and I am one happy girl.
Stacy: What is your idea of a romantic gesture from your sweetie?
I haven’t had a sweetie for a very long time now, so right now, just coming home to someone at night and getting a hug, or holding hands sound romantic right about now.
Stacy: What would people be surprised to learn about you?
Once upon a time I was quite adventurous. I loved the thrill rides at theme parks, went bungee jumping and white water rafting in New Zealand, and traveled around Europe by myself, before settling in the UK for five years.
These days I am much more boring and sensible and do things like pay the mortgage and constantly hand out money for my son so I have to do my traveling armchair style, and live vicariously through others.
One of the legacies of living in the UK is an appreciation for soccer, so I got up at 4.30am during the World Cup to watch Australia play. We won’t talk about the results though!
Thanks for inviting me to do this Stacy. Now, I think I will go and watch something with RA in it!
Thank YOU, Marg! It's been a real pleasure. And I'm glad I got to know a bit more about you too :) And yes, I think we all should go watch something with Richard Armitage in it ;)
I am really excited to be rolling out a brand-new feature here at Stacy's Place. I kept debating on how I wanted to do this but I just decided to let myself go with the flow. It might not end up being a regular feature, but it is something I'll be doing for awhile.
Basically, I turned to my pals in the blogging/Twitter community and asked if I could spotlight some of the people that I "chat" with on a regular basis. It would be a "getting to know YOU" post, and perhaps introduce you to some bloggers/readers you or even I aren't currently familiar with but might really enjoy.
And the response has been overwhelming! Thank you all :) If I haven't emailed you yet, please do not worry, I intend to. I just didn't want to have a bunch of responses but only post a few at a time. So I might be holding out just a little, especially to keep some of the responses current :)
And if you want to participate, please let me know! All you have to do is either leave me a comment or send me an email with the subject line of: GUEST BLOGGER to me at TRELAINASTARBLAZER AT YAHOO DOT COM
Guest blogger Julie on "The Seduction of Informercials"
Well I'm going to be working in D.C. this week with limited blogging time, and so I'll be posting some book alerts, as well as a topic by a guest blogger. My good pal Julie is here to talk about what's on her mind these days. She was here before with a post about reading OCD (of which I personally suffer from), and so I am thrilled to have her back. Take it away, Julie!
Who hasn't caught themselves flipping through channels just to stop at an infomercial??
They grab your attention with their fast talking and pretty faces. They reel you in with the ease and fun of their product. Then cap it off with double the order and free shipping. Who can pass up that kind of deal??
They are on every weekend but all the really good ones are on late at night. Being an insomniac, I've gotten quite the education.
Did you know that there are exercises you can do without moving?? Heck, if I can get a six-pack like her without leaving the couch, sign me up.
Have you seen that magic towel that can soak up every last spilled drop without dribbling. Boy, I could use that.
Oh and the knife that can cut through EVERYTHING, even a car, without getting dull. Just think of the possibilities.
After watching enough of these you start thinking you're missing out if you don't get it. Sure I've gotten sucked in more times than I'm comfortable mentioning. (Honey, I hope you're not reading this) I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt but even I have a hard time believing you can drop 10 pounds in a week without moving or changing your diet. (If someone has tried it please let me know how it went) However, I applaud the creativity and ingenuity it takes to think up these products and make it sound so enticing.
I just got the Smooth Away which removes body hair without chemicals or razor rash. It uses flex crystals which were engineered in Europe (sounds impressive, huh?). I'll let you know how it goes.
Have you ever bought something sight unseen, as it were?? What was the last product you bought over the TV?? And did it work??
Guestblogger Jules on OCD, or as I see it, a.k.a. known as 1-2-3 disorder....
Today I have a guestblogger, the lovely Julie, whom I met about 2 years ago at Michelle's place. I've been patiently asking (pestering the hell out of her, really) to write up a blog for me because I find her posts to be funny and and perceptive, and I figured she'd come up with some great topics, and today's blog is definitely one that I can relate to (see Jules, I told you it would be good!) She's also one heck of a poet, and maybe if I can find a way to blackmail her, she'll come back and let me post some of her "classic" odes *g*.
So without further rambling from me, heeeeeere's Jules!
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There is a show on the Discovery Channel called "MythBusters". They take an urban legend or myth (pop rocks and soda, anyone?) and recreate it to see if it's true or not. That's what I would like to do, a little myth busting. If I say to you the words Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, what do you think of? The common answer is a clean house, alphabetized spice cabinet, etc. HA! Let me bust that myth right now.
My name is Julie and I have OCD. Yes, the cleaning and hand washing are definite traits of OCD, they are only a few. Much to my family's dismay, my house is not the spotless paragon that is imagined of this neurosis. I work full-time, am a soccer, basketball, and cheerleading mom (three girls and not one could pick the same sport), have dinner on the table every night (true, four out of seven days it comes from bags with the golden arches on them but hey, I am not Superwoman), and other fun life stuff. My point being unless you come over Saturday afternoon, you will see shoes and coats thrown wherever, the occasional homework paper on the floor, and you may want to think twice about wearing white gloves when crossing the threshhold.
My major malfunction deals with order, not necessarily everyone's idea of order, just mine. It could be papers lying down that aren't stacked "correctly" (staples are my nemesis) or canisters that aren't arranged biggest to smallest. :shiver:
My biggest deal is reading books in order. I HAVE to read 1-2-3 or I get completely discombobulated. I'm not sure when it started exactly but I know it happened when a book by a little known author named Julia Quinn caught my eye and made me buy it. It was "To Sir Philip, With Love". I didn't know anything about JQ or the Bridgertons but as I was reading, I got this horrible feeling and the book stopped making sense to me. I finished it but it left me cold. I went to JQ's website and sure enough there were FOUR books before this one. I went to Amazon immediately and bought her entire back list. Usually I don't go quite that far but I couldn't make the same mistake twice by missing something.
Since then, I can't just go into a bookstore on the spur of the moment. I have to know specifically what I'm looking for. I can't just pick up a new to me author because what if I'm picking up a series already in progress. I get my books primarily by recommendations. I kid Stacy and others about putting me in the poor house with their wonderful recs but truth be told I would be sitting here crying in my beer without them. I have a firm motto: No matter what the author says, there are no stand alone books. If I keep that in mind, maybe I won't misplace any more of my loose screws.
Do you have any fun quirks that drive others crazy?
Are you a 1-2-3 reader or am I a few sandwiches short of a picnic?
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Thanx Jules, for coming out to play today. I hope you decide to come back - you are definitely welcome anytime.
Last week, my pal Kati came up with the idea of "switching" blogs, so today she posted something from me, and I'm posting something from her. I adore Kati; she's smart, funny, gives great recs, and is an all-around cool person to know. I just wish she read much slower. Then again, she wishes I watched more t.v., so I guess we're even *g*
Kati: I’ve known Stacy a little over two years. We met at Michelle Buonfiglio’s Romance: Buy the Book blog because of our mutual love of romance novels. We share a lot of the same tastes, and generally have the same reactions to most books. We, for the most part, have strong feelings about authors like Lisa Kleypas and Suzanne Brockmann (although Stace loves her a little more than me), we loves us some blue collar heroes, we love the alpha hero, and we despise weak and stupid heroines.
Every once in a while as a romance reader, I read a book by an author I love that is a clunker. This happened to me recently with Laura Lee Guhrke’s "The Wicked Ways of a Duke". Guhrke is a sure thing for me. Prior to this book, I’ve never read a book by her that I didn’t love and isn’t on my keeper shelf. Sure, she uses some conventions that make romance readers crazy, and yes, there was some hoopla over "The Marriage Bed". But me? I love her. She writes consistently likeable heroines and compelling heroes.
"The Wicked Ways of a Duke" didn’t work for me because it employs the one romance convention guaranteed to make me throw a book at the wall…romance by deceit. I have a very hard time with any hero acting as one thing, but really being something else. In the case of this book, he pretended to fall in love with the heroine because he was a fortune hunter. Unforgivable? No, many books feature this premise. But for me, it went on too long, and since we as readers were in on it from the start, it created a kind of knot of tension in my stomach as I read. I felt more and more sorry for the heroine as she fell in love with this man who really bore little resemblance to who he really was. Did she get her vengeance? Umm, sort of. But in the end, she lied to him as well, and to me, two wrongs don’t make a right.
Anyway, there was much gnashing of teeth at my house as I persevered, sure that somehow Laura Lee Guhrke would pull the story out. She’d either have the hero grovel enough to satisfy me. Or, she’d somehow tie up the issue in a way that would make the resolution believable. Alas, no, the book ended and I stomped off to my computer, shot an email to a friend of mine who reads a lot of romance complaining bitterly about the book, and I tossed the book directly into the give away bag.
Has the experience turned me off of Laura Lee Guhrke? No. I still love "Guilty Pleasures" with a passion. It’s a total comfort re-read for me (I love ugly duckling stories, and this one is a masterpiece). Will I buy her again? Yes. Once. After that, she becomes an author I look for at the Used Bookstore. But if that happens, I’ll be sad about it and regret it. She’s written some wonderful romances that I adore. But hey, $8.00 only goes so far these days, and I am unwilling to spend money on authors who consistently disappoint me.
What about you? What books were you disappointed in?
When a beloved author "steps off the path" what do you do?
In a recent online conversation with a well known author, I mused that I loved "old school" romance, and offered up Judith McNaught as someone who writes terrific alpha males. She came back to me and said that she didn’t think of McNaught’s heroes as alpha. That got me to thinking, what is an alpha male? I think of them as a leader of men, as one who is decisive, and driven and single minded in his pursuit of what he wants.
To me, Royce Westmoreland, from McNaught’s A KINGDOM OF DREAMS, is a prime example of an alpha: he is a leader of men, his moniker is the "Black Wolf of England." He is entrusted by the King to protect his interests. He gives no quarter on the battlefield, and, until he meets Jennifer Merrick, the daughter of his enemy, in his personal life. When he meets Jenny, she turns his life upside down. He takes her as his captive, and she hides a knife in order to kill him. He punishes her by setting her to work sewing his mens’ garments; she sews the arms closed and slices holes in thier blankets. She inadvertently kills his horse in an escape attempt. He has no idea what to make of her.
So of course, he has to marry her.
Not really, he’s ordered to marry her, and he does -- by kidnapping her, stealing a priest and forcing him at knife point to conduct that marriage. He gives no quarter. But as their relationship grows, he finds himself making small concessions to make her happy. In the end, he practically sacrifices his life to keep a promise to her. To me, he is the very definition of an alpha male.
What’s your definition of an alpha male in romance?
Who are some of the best examples of alpha males in romance?
Special guest blogger: MaryKate, resident book pimp
Today I thought I'd do something I've never done before: invite a special guest to blog about whatever they heck they wanted to say. I asked MaryKate because having known her for about the last year, I love her enthusiasm for the books she reads, and how eloquently she describes some of her favorite stories. This is the first, but hopefully not the last, of her posts as a guest. Take it away, MK!
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Confessions of a Book Pimp
Did you ever finish a book, heave that really satisfied sigh, and turn to your significant other, roommate, family member or friend, and realize that while they love you, they just don’t give a damn about the terrific story you just finished? Or, if they really love you, they show polite, if distant, interest in what you’re saying. Yeah. Me too.
That’s why I was thrilled to find blogs like Romance by the Blog and Stacy’s Spot. Here I found smart, interesting women, who shared my passion for romance. As I got more comfortable, I began to realize that it was OK for me to offer opinions about the books I read. Then, as I really hunkered down and got situated, I started to gush. As the discussions continued, I realized that being someone who is never short an opinion, the women I was hanging out with knew a whole lot about romance; had differing or similar opinions, and read a lot like I did. What a thrill! It was during this time that I met Stacy, and she dubbed me "the book pimp." See, I’m a gusher by nature. I gush over babies, I gush over puppies, and I really gush over a romance that’s moved me. When Stacy asked me to blog about book pimping, I was thrilled. As I said, I’m never short an opinion. So here, I present to you a few of the books that I’m most looking forward to in the next few months.
First and foremost is "Lover Revealed" by J.R. Ward. This is by far the best paranormal series (with the possible exception of the In Death series by J.D. Robb) that I’ve ever read. The books are set in Caldwell, New York, where a group of vampires, the Black Dagger Brotherhood, are tasked with protecting local civilian vampires from the Lessening Society, basically an soulless group of vampire slayers. In this series, Ward has created an intricate and fascinating mythology. It is incredibly well drawn, and no detail is too small to be overlooked. But more than that, from her mind has sprung some of the most vivid and compelling heroes that I’ve read in recent memory. They are big, brawny and extremely alpha. "Lover Revealed" tells the story of Butch, the only human ever allowed to infiltrate the Brotherhood. If you haven’t read the series, I can’t recommend it strongly enough. "Lover Revealed" is the fourth of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and to fully appreciate it, you need to read the books in order. They are "Dark Lover", "Lover Eternal", "Lover Awakened" and "Lover Revealed".
The next series I would recommend is the Psy/Changling series by Nalini Singh. A newcomer to the paranormal genre, Singh writes contemporary series romance for Silhouette as well. The first in the series is "Slave to Sensation", and it’s a doozy. The book tells the story of Sascha Duncan and Lucas Hunter. Sascha, a Psy, is a member of a society who have programmed themselves to function without emotion. She meets Lucas Hunter, a panther changling, who is the alpha of a local Leopard clan, when the Psy and the leopards agree to work together on a real estate venture. Sascha is sure that she’s going insane, all of her life she has hidden that she feels emotion, which is forbidden in her society and could get her institutionalized for the rest of her life, if she were to be found out. The changlings suspect that a member of Psy society has been kidnapping and murdering their women, and Lucas is intent upon using his professional relationship with Sascha to access the secrets of her world. But he doesn't count on his reaction to her. Although the Psy/Changling world is complicated, at no time does Singh, the author, sacrifice the story for exposition. Both Lucas and Sascha are fully drawn, complicated, noble characters with great loyalty to their people. The sexual chemistry between them is incindiary and the love scenes are both beautifully written and very hot. Singh's second book in the series, "Visions of Heat", will be released on March 6th, and features another Psy female and one of Lucas' sentinels, Vaughn. If you're a paranormal fan, and aren't reading this series, you are seriously missing out!
The last book I'll recommend is by a romance newcomer. She is Shannon K. Butcher, and is married to Jim Butcher, who writes the acclaimed Sci-Fi series, "The Dresden Files." Shannon's first book, "No Regrets", is a fast-paced, exciting romantic suspense. It is the story of Noelle Blanche, a cryptologist who has been offered a grant by the government to decrypt a code. This grant brings Noelle to the attention of The Swarm, a terrorist group interested in the decrypted code as well. David Wolfe is a retired special forces expert who left the military after the Swarm captured, tortured and murdered his wife. David dedicated his remaining time in the military to wiping out the Swarm, and he thought he was successful until they resurface, showing interest in Noelle. David agrees to protect Noelle from the Swarm, and there begins a fantastic road trip story. Noelle is one of my favorite types of heroines, socially awkward and brilliant. The nice thing is that she doesn't exhibit any of the mindless twit behavior that a lot of these heroines do. She gratefully accepts David's help and does what he tells her to. David is my favorite type of hero. He's tough, tortured and broody. He's also a "man's man." The author deftly weaves the two personalities together, allowing the reader to discover more about the characters as they learn about each other. This is a fantastic debut novel, and one I'd wholeheartedly recommend.
So, that's it. I hope that you'll try one of the books I've suggested, especially if you've never read any of these authors. I think you'll like them, and find them worth your hard earned romance dollars. Good luck, and happy reading!
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Thanx MK! With any luck, the book pimping will become a regular feature. I look forward to more of MaryKate's recs :)
