Unicorns Are in the World Again

Book Cover Experimental

2008-02-13T18:51:00.002-06:00

This was posted on January 30th, but I just found it today. If you're interested in book covers and what people think about them, check out this "unscientific" survey from Jeff VanderMeer. Jeff is an SF author, so the book covers in question are scifi/fantasy covers, but it's interesting to read people's opinions. And of course, some people have no idea what romance is.

Upcoming -- A Lady's Secret by Jo Beverley

2008-01-24T21:42:00.000-06:00

A Lady's Secret by Jo Beverley
Signet, 1 April 2008

Description: When Robin Fitzvitry, the fun-loving Earl of Huntersdown, encounters a cursing nun in a French inn, he can't resist the mystery. He offers to help Sister Immaculata reach England, expecting amusement on the tedious journey home from Versailles. Petre d'Avernio is not exactly a nun, though she has spent years in an Italian convent with her mother, whose death has left her in danger. She must find the only person who might protect her-her true father, an English lord who does not know she exists. The gorgeous earl Robin Fitzvitry will be a dangerous ally, but she's glimpsed her pursuers and must race to the coast. She will resist him, use him, and eventually escape him with her virtue and secrets intact-she hopes.

Read an excerpt here

My thoughts on the cover: I have not read every book that Jo Beverley has written, but I have read a lot of them. She is an author who I think consistently produces high-quality and enjoyable books. She is also a nice person online, and though that doesn't always influence my book buying, it's a lot easier to give my money to someone who is friendly and informative in her interactions with readers. I also have to say that I love this cover. I think it is sexy but classy. I am far from an expert, but I like that the clothing at least has the feel of something historically accurate. I'm not a stickler, but I do get tired of modern dresses and obviously dyed-looking hair on the cover of books that are supposed to be set in the Georgian or Victorian eras. And no men with half-open shirts on the cover either. I like the lace and ruffles on his shirt. It's realistic. I do find the cutting-off of the faces a little odd, but I supposed it's better than cutting them off at the neck. I know that the publisher is trying to go for the everywoman feel, where the reader can imagine themself as the heroine. I am not that kind of reader, but I understand the desire somewhat. It really isn't much different than walking out of a zombie movie and having the "what I would do" talk, which I've had more than once. And a side benefit of the headless woman trend -- it's hard to be inaccurate to the actual book contents that way.

In Search of the Unusual -- Snake Agent by Liz Williams

2008-01-14T21:55:00.000-06:00

I finished reading Snake Agent a few days ago, and I thought it was a great read. I've been a little underwhelmed by the more traditional stuff these days (in romance, fantasy, and urban fantasy, which are my primary reading genres), and so I've been on the lookout for new authors and not necessarily edgier, but more unusual books. And sometimes older books as well.

So when I saw this book at Borders on my last visit, I picked it up. The author sounded a little familiar, and when I got home I looked her up. It turns out this is a paperback reissue of a hardcover book (same title) originally issued in 2005, with two sequels. It was published by Night Shade Books, which is a specialty press for sci-fi and horror. I think it's possible that this is one of their first mainstream paperback releases.

Anyway, the book -- I really enjoyed it. It's a blend of science fiction, fantasy, mystery and horror, and it does the whole thing quite well. It's sort of urban fantasy set in the future with some heaven/hell mythology and a Chinese setting. It was the fact that the main character, Wei Chen, is Chinese that interested me in the book. I don't know if the author is Chinese (part or full or not) and it doesn't really matter to me because it is very clear that she has done her homework on the setting and on the character.

The Publishers Weekly review called Chen "a crack paranormal crime investigator" and they are on target. He actually uses police procedure to investigate the crime (the stealing of innocent souls for use in a brothel in hell), and you get a feel for the real-life rivalry between law enforcement groups when he's forced to collaborate with a vice cop from hell and an assassin of demons who works for the government.

Another nice touch was that his relationship with his wife was really realistic, IMO. No sunshine and roses, just two people (spoiler alert: well, not really two people, because his wife is a demon) trying to make it together and work out their differences and understand each other's needs.

I'm very much looking forward to the reissued paperback editions of the next two in the series, The Demon and the City and Precious Dragon, to be released in February and March 2008, respectively.

This looks interesting .... Night Child by Jes Battis

2007-12-14T19:06:00.000-06:00

I ran across a future release listing today on Amazon.com for a book called Night Child by Jes Battis, and I didn't recognize the author's name, so I googled him/her. It turned out to be a guy, who happens to be a professor, and here's his website: http://www.sfu.ca/~jbattis/.

And here's the blurb he has for the book that got me really interested: "What would a vampire courtroom look like? How do you test a demon's DNA? Tess Corday answers these questions as an OSI (Occult Special Investigator) working in the city of Vancouver. Using a mixture of cutting-edge forensics technology and old-fashioned magic, Tess solves all manner of violent crimes within the supernatural community. If someone unlawfully kills a goblin or a warlock (and there are plenty in the seedier districts of town), she gets the call. But when a routine murder investigation leads Tess to a thirteen-year-old girl named Mia Polanski, her life is plunged into chaos. Mia is trapped in the middle of a turf-war between vampires and necromancers, and as she struggles to protect the innocent girl, Tess finds herself getting closer each second to a conspiracy that could rock the mystical world. All she has to do is stay alive. But first she needs to unravel the mystery of the NIGHT CHILD."

I love paranormal romance, urban fantasy, and the variations of these genres that I've been reading for the last few years. But there's been a little too much repetition lately. This seems like it might be an interesting perspective. Here's to hoping it will be. It's released May 27, 2008 from Ace.

Last Minute Cover Modifications

2007-11-30T21:13:00.000-06:00

Past readers of this blog will know that I'm fascinated by book covers. I'm doubly fascinated when a book cover is commissioned, created, released publicly, but then changed before printing. What issue or concern or feeling prompts these changes? Does the author ever have a say in the change? Do publishers have focus groups or something to make this type of decision for them? I know I miss some of these changing covers, but I usually try to save copies when I remember it happening. Here are a couple cover changes I've seen recently:

The Down Home Zombie Blues by Linnea Sinclair -- The red cover is the original, and the blue the second one that it should be released with (I haven't bought my copy yet to find out for sure). The obvious changes are the much larger typeface of the author's name, a more minimized focus on the title (which might seem an odd title to some readers, though not to me), and a much more romance-friendly picture with a heroine who is now not holding a gun.

Mine Till Midnight by Lisa Kleypas -- The white cover is the original and the blue cover is the cover actually released. I think it's just a coincidence, but it is funny to me that both of these covers are now blue. As a library worker, I see a lot of books, and blue is definitely a popular choice, partially because it implies comfort. I really like the change in this particular cover because of the more obvious contrast in color. The picture itself is almost the same (her arms are in different positions, but the dress and the necklace seem unchanged). But the new blue matches the title much better and it doesn't seem washed-out as the first does.

Cover Trend #2 -- Cutesy Covers

2006-09-17T22:30:00.000-05:00

This trend has obviously been around for a little while now, but with the resurgence of paranormal in the last couple of years, there has of course been a flood of humorous paranormal books, all of which seem to be graced (ha!) by these cutesy, cartoon covers. Sometimes they look alright (like the cover of I'm the Vampire, That's Why), but usually they just look goofy, physically impossible, or juvenile.

Maybe I just don't like them because I'm usually disappointed by the humorous paranormal books I read. It seems like everyone online raved about Date Me Baby One More Time by Stephanie Rowe, and though I liked it, I didn't think it was anything to rave about. I guess I just can't escape the feeling that writers often try too hard when it comes to humor.

Dead End Dating
by Kimberly Raye
Ballantine, 29 August 2006
and
Dead and Dateless
Ballantine, 30 January 2007

I'm the Vampire, That's Why
by Michele Bardsley
Signet, 5 September 2006

Sex and the Single Ghost
by Tawny Taylor
Kensington, 6 September 2006

Girl's Guide to Witchcraft
by Mindy Klasky
Red Dress Ink, 1 October 2006

Must Love Dragons
by Stephanie Rowe
Warner, 1 November 2006

Light My Fire
by Katie MacAlister
Signet, 7 November 2006

Bit the Jackpot
by Erin McCarthy
Berkley, 5 December 2006

The Good Ghouls' Guide to Getting Even
by Julie Kenner
Berkley, 3 April 2007

Cover Trend #1 -- Naked Male Chests

2006-09-11T19:08:00.000-05:00

I know I've said this before, but one of the most noticable trends in romance covers that I've seen recently is that of the naked male chest. I think it is part of the trend toward more sensual, sexual romance, because they are especially common on the erotic and paranormal novels. I don't mind these covers, but I don't love them either. In some ways, from my view, it's no better than the women with their hair flying and their dresses falling off on the old clinch covers. What do you guys think -- do you hate them, love them, find them annoying?

Slave to Sensation
by Nalini Singh
Berkley, September 2006
I know everyone's already seen this book everywhere else, but I haven't shown the cover here yet, and I am looking forward to it. I didn't see it in the bookstore when I was there last week, but hopefully it will be there tomorrow. So far, the reviews I've read for it have been positive.

Parallel Heat
by Deidre Knight
Signet, 3 October 2006
I have the first book in this series, though I haven't read it yet. I have hopes that it will be good, or at least well edited, because I would really expect no less from such a high-profile agent.

Dark Defender
by Alexis Morgan
Pocket, 28 November 2006
I haven't read the first book in this series, nor have I really heard much about it. Have any of you read her other book?

Midnight Surrender
by Karen Harbaugh
Dell, 28 November 2006
I was wondering if Harbaugh would be an unfortunate loss from the publishers' tendencies to drop non-hot-selling midlist authors because we haven't seen a new book from her since 2003. I really enjoyed her other books, so I'm happy to see this one listed.

Harmony's Way
by Lora Leigh
Berkley, 5 December 2006
Here's another that I have the first book, Megan's Mark, but I haven't read yet.

The Nymph King
by Gena Showalter
HQN, 1 February 2007
Showalter is an interesting author to me because she doesn't rely on series and connected books to write her stories. Every new book is a new story, a new idea. She's not the most literary writer, but she tells a fun story and I don't feel like she's trying to hook me with a minor character all the time so I'll buy the next book.

Legacy of Stone
by Vickie Taylor
Berkley, 6 March 2007
Taylor really has had one of the more original ideas in the influx of paranormal/fantasy romance from the last few years, so I have to follow her for that reason alone.

Interesting Sales to Nocturne

2006-08-29T18:35:00.000-05:00

Erica Orloff's THE HALF-BLOOD COUNT, about a dhampir -- half vampire, half human -- and a comparative religion professor searching for her lost brother in Prague, who must help each other in order to survive a band of vampires, to Silhouette Nocturne, for publication in January 2007.

Lisa Renee Jones's THE BEAST WITHIN, in which the hero leads the Knights of White fighting in a battle of angels to vanquish the soulless Darkland Beasts who took his wife and his life before he was saved by an immortal, to Harlequin Nocturne.

Patrice Michelle's RESURRECTION, in a world where vampires are long thought extinct, a librarian's fictional novel opens the floodgates for the Sanguinas' return, to Ann Leslie Tuttle at Harlequin Nocturne, in a three-book deal.

Rhyannon Byrd's LAST WOLF STANDING, confronting the a fierce band of hunters and protectors, half-human and half-lycan, to Ann Leslie Tuttle at Harlequin Nocturne, in a three-book deal.

Paranormal Romance

2006-08-27T14:50:00.000-05:00

The Grail King
by Joy Nash
Lovespell, August 2006
It's set in 130 AD Britannia, and features the clash between Druids and Romans. All of us readers that complain about the same old thing (regencies) over and over have got to pick this one up. The first in a new series, I hope it sells well enough that publishers will actually start picking up more interesting and varied stories like this one.

The Falcon's Bride
by Dawn Thompson
Lovespell, 29 August 2006
This looks interesting because it's not a historical/modern time travel, but a historical/historical one. A young woman in 1811 is transported to 1695 to meet that man she is told by a gypsy that she is destined to marry, and perhaps to save.

No Rest for the Wicked
by Kresley Cole
Pocket, 31 October 2006
I haven't yet read A Hunger Like No Other, but I have it in my TBR stack. I think Cole has a great concept with the merging of vampires and valkyries, and hope that the follow-through is equal to the idea.
Description: Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire -- a nightmare in his mind -- against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead. When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow -- accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings -- particularly lust -- emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill. The prize of the month-long contest is powerful enough to change history, and Kaderin will do anything to win it for her sisters. Wanting only to win her, forever, Sebastian competes as well, taking every opportunity -- as they travel to ancient tombs and through catacombs, seeking relics around the world -- to use her new feelings to seduce her. But when forced to choose between the vampire she's falling for and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

She's No Faerie Princess
by Christine Warren
St. Martin's, 31 October 2006
Description: Queen Mab's niece, Fiona, has long been bored to tears by the intrigues of Court life. She'd prefer to cut loose at a punk club, knock back a few Thai beers, and hook up with a likely lad of similar interests. But when Fiona goes AWOL, she only gets as far as Manhattan's Inwood Park before a nasty demon nearly puts a permanent crimp in her plans—and a dark stranger sparks her desire... All work and no play make Tobias Walker one cranky werewolf. After six months of doing his part to keep the peace during the delicate negotiations between the Others and humankind, he'd like nothing more than a good night's sleep—preceded by an enthusiastic mating session. The alluring woman he rescues in the park might be the answer to his most lustful prayers, but only if they can both stay alive long enough to find out who wants her dead and why. Now, Fiona and Tobias must unravel a tangled web of treachery that spans branches of the Fae, Other, and mortal worlds, all the while falling into a dangerous attraction that could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship—or the end for them both...

Must Love Dragons
by Stephanie Rowe
Warner Forever, 1 November 2006
I thought that Date Me Baby, One More Time was a fun read, though I am never really blown away by humorous books, so I will definitely pick this one up. I can't miss something that has a dragon heroine.

Prince of Ice
by Emma Holly
Berkley, 7 November 2006
I am really looking forward to this book. I love Emma Holly and I think this one looks like it has an interesting premise. I also think Emma Holly is one of the few authors that I can believe will write about a real courtesan.
Description: A sensuous and dangerous world where a human courtesan becomes the flesh and blood property of a demon prince. Soulmates, lovers-and victims of an unnatural desire that could drive them both insane.

A Babe in Ghostland
by Lisa Cach
Pocket, 26 December 2006
One line (A heroine who can communicate with the dead, and a hero with a mansion full of ghosts.) is all the description I can find for this book, but I like Lisa Cach, who is willing to try something new in just about every outing. She is definitely not an author who will try to run a series into the ground.

Upcoming Fantasy/Paranormal

2006-08-25T11:38:00.000-05:00

Witchling
by Yasmine Galenorn Berkley, 3 October 2006Description: Meet the D'Artigo sisters: half-human, half-faerie, they're savvy-and sexy-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But their mixed-blood heritage short-circuits their talents at all the wrong times. Delilah shapeshifts into a tabby cat whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who's still trying to get the hang of being undead. And Camille is a wicked-good witch, except her magic's as unpredictable as the weather, as her enemies are about to find out-the hard way.

Eyes of Crow
by Jeri Smith-Ready
Luna, 1 November 2006Description: She was born to die . . . again and again.
For Rhia was bound to the Spirit of Crow, gifted with the foresight of Death's approach and doomed to the isolation of one feared and set apart. There must always be one whose magic can ease the passage of the people of Asermos to the Other Side. But to be the guide her people require, to truly know the depth of her gift—her curse—Rhia must surrender herself to the wisdom of the Great Forest . . . and drink deeply of Death itself.
And though two powerful men stand ready to aid her, even to love her, the Aspect of Crow demands unthinkable sacrifices from the one who walks its path.

Jacob: The Nightwalkers
by Jacquelyn FrankZebra, 28 November 2006Description: Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers, the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer.
Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He's heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total, until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York City street. Saving her life wasn't in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses in him. But the moment he holds her in his arms and feels the soft explosion of her body against his, everything changes. Their attraction is undeniable, volatile, and completely against the law. Suddenly everything Jacob has ever believed is inflamed by the heat of desire.

The Becoming
by Jeanne C. SteinAce, 28 November 2006Description: Anna Strong is trained for anything-until she's attacked one night, only to awaken in a dark world that exists between the living and the dead. Here, Anna struggles with her love for the two men who inhabit the realms of each: Max, a human DEA agent, and Avery, a Night Watcher who joins Anna in pursuit of the vampire who changed her life. Now, as her two worlds collide, fate plunges Anna into the ultimate battle between good and evil where survival is not just for the living.

Interesting Paranormals to Look Forward To

2006-08-22T22:57:00.000-05:00

Sylvie Kurtz's PULL OF THE MOON, SPIRIT OF A HUNTER, and HONOR OF A HUNTER, to Denise Zaza for Harlequin Gothic Romance (Pull of the Moon) and Harlequin Intrigues.

Eve Silver's THREADMASTER, about a deadly sorcerer battling both the threat without and the darkness within, and the woman who has the power to steal his magic and doom the world, to Warner.

Shiloh Walker's UNDER REALM, the launch of an edgy alternative fantasy series, to Berkley Sensation, in a two-book deal.

P.C. Cast's two more installments in her GODDESS SUMMONING series, a re-telling of Persephone's story and the legend of an Amazon queen and her love affair with Hercules, to Berkley.

Andrea Wilder's FEARLESS, amid Ireland's struggle for independence, an Irish chieftain and the daughter of a faery queen discover than in the face of treachery, love must be Fearless, to Dorchester LoveSpell.

Sharie Kohler's debut paranormal ONCE BITTEN, NEVER SHY, in which a mousy school teacher finds herself with a newfound aggression and a libido in hyper-drive after getting infected by a werewolf, to Pocket.

Dawn Thompson's THE BROTHERHOOD and THE RAVENING, in the Blood Moon series, and THE BRIDE OF TIME, to Dorchester Love Spell.

Gena Showalter's THE DARKEST PASSION, about a man who is cursed to die every night only to awaken knowing he'll have to die again and the woman who finally saves him, and two other books for the Lords of the Underworld series to Harlequin.

Joy Nash's books 2 and 3 in the Druids of Avalon series, sequels to The Grail King, in which Druid and Roman ancestors of King Arthur fight for the secrecy of Avalon, the magic Druid isle, Excalibur is forged, and a young Merlin explores the forgotten powers of the Old Ones, to Dorchester.

Maggie Award winner Helen Brenna's THE SUN HUNTER, about a beautiful antiques dealer, the man who disappeared from her life six years ago, and the mystical Incan statue that lands him back on her doorstep, to Harlequin.

Jeaniene Frost's HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE, half-vampire, half-human, a woman out on a routine hunt to avenge her mother by killing vampires meets a different kind of vampire who manages to capture her, and they form an uneasy alliance to uncover the mysterious disappearances of young college girls, to Avon.

Urban Fantasy

2006-08-20T12:44:00.000-05:00

Swarmthief's Dance
by Deborah J. Miller
Tor, 15 September 2006
Description: Long ago, there was war in Heaven. Rann, guardian of the Underworld, fought with the Nulefi, and in that battle the Nulefi were defeated. But though their bodies were destroyed, the spirits of the Nulefi remained, and they wander the world of Myr, cloaked in the shattered form of the Swarms, waiting for the moment of their revenge. Now they have re-awoken, remembering the glory and power of their ancient daysand one human boy, Vivreki, has witnessed that rebirth. The Swarm calls to him, pleads with him, whispers to him the secrets of a vanished age. To Vivreki this seems a miracle, but to his masters it is heresy. For very few now honour the elder gods, and those who still do keep silent about it. In fear of his life, Vivreki is hidden away from those that would kill him for his special knowledge. His memory is erased, his past denied, and a new life started for him half a world away. But the Nulefi have not forgotten Vivrekihe alone can hear them, and now he alone can save them. And as the Nulefi struggle to reach their only ally in the world, Herrukalfather of the godsdiscerns the rise of a new power on Myr. He will not tolerate another war, so even if the price of peace is the destruction of creation itself, then Herrukal will break the world. And only Vivreki can stop him.

Glass Houses
by Rachel Caine
Signet, 3 October 2006
Description: From the author of the popular Weather Warden series. Welcome to Morganville, Texas. Just don't stay out after dark. College freshman Claire Danvers has had enough of her nightmarish dorm situation, where the popular girls never let her forget just where she ranks in the school's social scene: somewhere less than zero. When Claire heads off-campus, the imposing old house where she finds a room may not be much better. Her new roommates don't show many signs of life. But they'll have Claire's back when the town's deepest secrets come crawling out, hungry for fresh blood

Greywalker
by Kat Richardson
Roc, 3 October 2006
Description: Harper Blaine was slogging along as a small-time P.I. when a two-bit perp's savage assault left her dead. For two minutes, to be precise. When Harper comes to in the hospital, she begins to feel a bit ...strange. She sees things that can only be described as weird-shapes emerging from a foggy grey mist, snarling teeth, creatures roaring. But Harper's not crazy. Her "death" has made her a Greywalker-able to move between our world and the mysterious, cross-over zone where things that go bump in the night exist. And her new gift (or curse) is about to drag her into that world of vampires and ghosts, magic and witches, necromancers and sinister artifacts. Whether she likes it or not.

Retrieval
by Jeanie London
Tor, 3 October 2006
Description: Nina is dead and must make amends.In life she refused to use her unique ability to see whether a soul ascends to Heaven or descends into Hell. Now, as a guide through the Passage between the living and the dead, she steers departing souls to Purgatory. But peace is hard to come by, even in the afterlife. Good and evil are fighting for control over the Passage--and Nina is determined not to let Hell take over. Roman breaks the dead guy rules.With his devilish charm and angelic looks, the newly-dead Roman can rally souls to fight-but on which side? His new Soul Retrieval Unit sounds like a good idea, but even in death, temptation lures Nina farther from salvation . . . or is she choosing Heaven by placing her soul in her lover's care?

Spellbinder
by Melanie Rawn
Tor, 17 October 2006
Description: There is magic in the big city...literally. New York City has a small, and by preference discrete, population of witches and wizards who live and love and go dancing just like everyone else. Holly McClure is one of them, a successful writer who tries to ignore her heritage, except when the local Magistrate needs her special gift in his coven. Holly is far more interested in Evan Lachlan, the handsome federal marshal who works with her best friend, assistant district attorney Susannah Wingfield.But trouble is coming to the City in the form of a black coven run by a murderous psychopath, and deputy marshals and ADAs are powerless to deal with that kind of crime. The danger to Holly is extreme, for her special gift is the power of her blood to strengthen and bind any spell, for good or for evil. Holly's passionate love affair will be derailed by those who want to drain her for their own purposes. In the end it will be magic against magic, and Holly McClure will have to risk all for life and love.

Watchers in the Night
by Jenna Black
Tor, 31 Oct 2006
Description: Vampires. They hunt in every major city, hidden by the crowds, shielded by disbelief. They are Killers, and their prey is human. Not all vampires are Killers. The Guardians of the Night sacrifice the superior physical and psychic strength that comes with feeding on humans to protect them. But the Guardians walk a thin line, for even a single kill could leave them helplessly addicted to murder.
When detective-turned-P.I. Carolyn Mathers was left at the altar, she never once thought her fiancé had been turned into a vampire. Two years later, Gray reappears, bringing murder, mystery, and an unbelievable tale of Guardians, blood-thirsty Killers, and his own transformation with him. And he's been accused of murder.
A first-rate P.I., Carolyn is determined to help. Gray won’t allow what he is now to taint her -- but Carolyn vows to never let him go again. But will helping Gray mean becoming a creature of the night?

Bloodring
by Faith Hunter
Roc, 7 November 2006
Description: In a novel filled with lush imagery and exhilarating action, Faith Hunter creates a near-future world caught in the throes of an ambiguous apocalypse-where a woman with everything to hide finds her true destiny revealed.
As humanity struggles with religious strife and seraphs and demons fight a never-ending battle, a new species has arisen. "Neomages" are human in appearance, but able to twist left-over creation energy to their will. A threat to both humans and seraphs, they are confined in luxurious Enclaves.
Thorn St. Croix is no ordinary neomage. Nearly driven insane by her powers, she is smuggled out of an Enclave and now lives among humans, channeling her gift of stone-magery into jewelry making. But when Thaddeus Bartholomew, a dangerously attractive policeman, tells her that her ex-husband has been kidnapped, Thorn risks revealing her identity to find him. And for Thorn, the punishment for revelation is death.

Thoughts about this kerfuffle

2006-08-14T20:45:00.000-05:00

Note: I haven't read the book in question, nor do I know the author or the reviewer AT ALL. These are just general thoughts about the discussion here and here.

A plot that involves a female cop going undercover as a stripper to discover her sexuality is not original or innovative, not one little bit. Am I the only person who thinks this is a huge cliche, inside and outside of romance? Telling me something that stupid just makes me think that you are stupid, or at least not very widely read.

Just because you're married to someone who happens to do something for a living doesn't mean you know anything more than the basics about it, no matter how proud you are of them or how much you identify with them or with what they do. Do you think my husband knows enough about how a library works to write it convincingly? NO. Do I know enough about how railroad companies work to write them convincingly? NO. My husband and I and his best friend were all in the Army together. Despite being surrounded all the time by three people who were all active-duty Army intelligence personnel for a number of years, how often do you think I get irritated by the way our friends sometimes misrepresent or misunderstand the things that we did? Frequently. Basically, having a connection to something ON ITS OWN does not mean you can write it well. That's why authors/writers should indulge in a little something called research.

The tsk, tsk attitude that people get (authors and readers) when they see an opinion that they don't like is really annoying. Luckily, I don't review books here that frequently (and this gives me one more reason not to), so I don't have to deal with it. But I get tired of seeing discussion about books hijacked by people who want to be everybody's mother or their priest. I've got both, thanks, and I'm sure most of the reviewers have one/both themselves.

Trilogies

2006-08-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

I really like the trend that publishing houses are going to where they release an author's series with the early books close together, a month or two apart each. I wouldn't like it if the author has just rushed to get the books out, but when it is a new author, or an author who clearly knows her pace and is able to produce frequently and in quantity, then it is great.

These books come out closely enough to one another that it is easier to keep up with the stories. Sometimes when books come out a year or so apart, especially dense fantasy and urban fantasy/paranormal books, I feel like I have to reread all of the previous books just to remember what's going on. But when a new series begins with the books released together (like Naomi Novik's Temeraire series) then it is easy to keep up and I can read the next book while I am still interested in it.

These are three upcoming trilogies that have caught my eye.

The Circle Trilogy by Nora Roberts
Morrigan's Cross, Dance of the Gods and Valley of Silence
August 29, October 3, and October 31, 2006
I don't read every Nora Roberts book because she has a very distinctive style that would permeate alot of my reading if I read every book, and I like variety too much. I think she's a great writer though, and so when I see something of hers that has a premise I find interesting, I will usually pick that up. This one alternates between 12th-century Ireland and modern New York and involves vampires, witches, and Irish mythology -- sounds great.

The Candace Steel Vampire Killer Series by Cameron Dean
Passionate Thirst, Luscious Craving and Eternal Hunger
October 31, November 28, and December 26, 2006
These books definitely have an Anita Blake feel (the series name, the titles, the covers) but they still look interesting. I do hope they aren't too much of a clone of the AB series, but I will definitely give the first one a try, if only in the hope that they will deliver what the AB series doesn't anymore. The covers are not bad, but they are a little on the lurid side, especially that second, red and yellow one, which is just awful.

Sara MacKenzie's Ghost Trilogy
Return of the Highlander, Secrets of the Highwayman and Passions of the Ghost
July 25, October 1, and December 1, 2006
These are time travel stories set in Scotland, so they could be terrible, but then they could be good as well. This is a new author (as far as I can tell) so I think I'll give them a chance. I'm not a fan of Outlander (more because I couldn't get into it than any real dislike) so I won't be comparing it to that, but I do hope these at least try to be somewhat accurate and don't go into the whole "Ooh, a big tough Highlander man is whisking me away, I will now swoon" type of story. I guess I'll just have to wait and see. Oh, and the covers of the 1st and 3rd are terrible, but the second one looks okay (maybe because that guy has the most clothes on of the group), but really, what was the art department at Avon thinking when they came up with these?

Silhouette Nocturne (and a couple Bombshells)

2006-08-08T00:12:00.000-05:00

I'm really looking forward to the new Silhouette Nocturne line. I actually wonder a bit that it has taken Harlequin this long to establish a line like this. Paranormal romance is so HUGE right now, and has been for long enough, that it seems a little behind the curve to start a dedicated line now.

I know that they have had a few other paranormals published here and there in their other lines (a few in Bombshell, some Intrigues, one that I know of in Next, and the old Dreamscapes miniline), but I actually get frustrated trying to find the few paranormal needles in the haystack of all the Harlequin lines.

Harlequin doesn't provide a list of the paranormal titles that they occaisionally produce (at least, no list I've ever found), which means I'd have to look through the list every month trying to figure out which are paranormals and which I might be interested in. And honestly, with the number of books they now produce, that's just too time consuming. So I really like that they are going to finally have this line. I know there will still be a few here or there that I miss, and hopefully word-of-mouth will bring most of them to me, but the new line should mean that most paranormals will be sent to that line's editor. At least, let's hope so.

It will be two books a month for now, which I wouldn't mind seeing increase for more variety. Looking at the early books, I know McKenna, Korbel and Child are series staples. Hauf and Piniero have done some great paranormals in the past, so I look forward to their entries. And Lisa Childs is a name I don't think I've done before.

In October:

In November:

In December:

And some paranormals coming soon from Bombshell:
On September 12th:

On October 10th:

I want, I want, I want

2006-07-25T18:30:00.000-05:00

I went through a phase for a while where I was having a really hard time finding anything to get interested in ... this happens to me sometimes. I don't like the look of any of the books I've brought home, I can't get interested in the online discussions about books, and even books by authors I KNOW I love just don't sound quite right to me. About the only thing I've read for a two or three month period was manga.

But I decided I had to get back into my favorite thing, and amazingly I got lucky and found a couple of great books that have me excited about reading again. The only problem is that some of the books I really want to read RIGHT NOW aren't out yet. But I want them NOW! *whines*

Valley of the Soulby Tamara Siler Jones
Spectra, 31 October 2006
Jones' blend of fantasy and mystery is really perfect. Not so much fantasy that you feel you have to have a dictionary for all the places, people, and concepts shown within, and not so much mystery that the world-building and characters seem perfunctory. I love this series, and the unique and fascinating hero that Jones' writes about.

Angel in a Red Dress
by Judith Ivory
Avon, 1 October 2006
I know I am far from the only person who loves Judith Ivory, but she is the author of one of my absolute favorite romance books (Black Silk, not the typically-favorite Beast). She is a very talented writer who I can only be grateful that she writes historical romances when they are waning and so many authors seem to be leaving for greener pastures.

Blood Bound
by Patricia Briggs
Ace, 30 January 2007
Still a long wait for this one. I loved Moon Called, and I feel like I've been waiting for this forever, even though I know it's only been a few months.

Demon Angel
by Meljean Brook
Berkley, 2 January 2007
Brook's short story in the anthology Hot Spell was the best in the bunch, and really showcased the potential she has as a storyteller, and world-builder, and she has a great blog too.

Grave Surprise
by Charlaine Harris
Berkley, 26 September
I know most everyone is familiar with Harris' Sookie Stackhouse series, and I've enjoyed it too, but I actually liked the first of her new series, Grave Sight, more than Sookie. I guess for me, I found Harper to be more of a relatable character than Sookie, and I enjoyed her relationship with her brother, and her reticence and her feeling of responsibility to her "gift."

New Moon
by Stephanie Meyer
Megan Tingly, August 2006
I know there were many people online who enjoyed Twilight (and if you haven't read the version of the first chapter from Edward's point of view that is at her website, go there now). It's really an incredibly good, suspenseful, romantic book that is a great young adult novel and transcends the label at the same time. I've been recommending it to young people and adults alike.

Irony

2006-07-24T19:56:00.000-05:00

Is it just me, or does it seem ironic (irritating? unsurprising?) that the authors come out of the woodwork to jump into discussions like this or this, but when a discussion like this comes up they are nowhere to be found? Right now there are 62 comments on that last post, and not one by a recognizable, New York-published author (and you know they all saw it and the other posts circulating in the blogosphere).

Oh wait, I know why they're not there. Because the first "discussion" was about a meanie reader beating up on the poor author. But the new "discussion" is just about the unimportant issue of inclusion/exclusion in romanceland and who deserves to be part of the "in crowd" and they all really don't want to be the last-kid-picked-for-the-kickball-team. I've realized it now -- for most authors, an internet presence is either 1 - marketing to readers or 2 - networking with other authors. It's all mercenary.

Upcoming From Publishers Lunch

2006-03-23T22:10:00.000-06:00

Lots of little tidbits about interesting upcoming books, mostly from Publishers Lunch, but some from other places on the internet. Most of these have very little info available at this point, but some of the authors have more on their websites.

Chris Marie Green, writing as "Crystal Green," sold her Vampire Underground series to Berkley.

Sasha White's LUSH, a contemporary erotica anthology of three novellas centering around a gallery specializing in erotic art.

Bella Andre's WINE, WOMEN AND SEDUCTION and CONSTANT CRAVINGS, erotic romance.

Kim Harrison and Marty Greenberg, editors's HOTTER THAN HELL, an anthology of erotic paranormal stories by today's leading romance writers.

Heather Waters' DEVIL'S POSSESSION, a paranormal historical, in which a woman declares a dead man the sire of her child rather than admitting to a violent assault.

Alesia Holliday's dark paranormal romance ATLANTIS RISING, about a race of Atlantaen warriors tasked to protect mankind in its darkest hour.

Cathy Mulvany's SOMETHING WICKED, about a young journalist who, while searching for the truth behind an ancient Paiute legend, discovers that vampires are real.

Karen Kelley's DOUBLE DATING WITH THE DEAD about a psychic and a skeptic stuck in a haunted hotel with two sex-starved ghosts to Kensington Brava.

Sylvia Day's contemporary erotic novella, A FAMILIAR KIND OF MAGIC, about a rogue Familiar and the warlock who tames her, to Avon.

Louisa Burton's HOUSE OF DARK DELIGHTS, in the tradition of Arabian Nights and Anne Rice's erotica, comprised of linking stories and characters set in a mysterious French chateau and spanning several historical periods, to Bantam.

Pamela Aidan's originally self-published Fitzwilliam Darcy trilogy, based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, AN ASSEMBLY SUCH AS THIS, DUTY AND DESIRE, and THESE THREE REMAIN, all seen from Darcy's point of view, to Touchstone Fireside.

Katie MacAlister's GHOST OF A CHANCE, part of a new darkly comic paranormal mystery series set in her popular Otherworld, to NAL, in a two-book deal.

Elizabeth Hoyt's THE RAVEN PRINCE, a tale of a widow, an Earl, and a scandalous brothel in Georgian London, to Warner, in a two-book deal.

Julie Kenner, Johanna Edwards, and Serena Robar's FENDI, FERRAGAMO AND FANGS about three teenage supermodels who happen to be vampires, to NAL.

Cait London's trilogy of paranormal romantic suspense thrillers about triplet sisters stalked by a psychic vampire, to Avon.

Janice Maynard writing under a pseudonym's NAUGHTY HOUSEWIVES, about three desperate and unhappy wives fighting for what they want and need, who will go to any lengths on their sexual odysseys, to Berkley Heat.

Marsha Moyer's next two novels, continuing the story of Lucy Hatch and country singer Ash Farrell, to Three Rivers Press.

Maureen Child's DUSTING FOR DEMONS, in which a very unexpected birthday gift leaves a thirty-something single mom dealing with the chore of demon killing amongst her daily to-do list, to NAL.

Sasha White and Saskia Walker's KINK, an erotic anthology, featuring White's WATCH ME about a married woman, her exhibitionism, and the husband who catches her at it, along with Walker's SEX, LIES, AND BONDAGE TAPE, in which a backstage media secret leads to sex games, to Berkley Heat.

Eve Silver's DARK PASSIONS, the story of a woman haunted by tragedy, forced to accept the protection of a ruthless smuggler bent on vengeance, to Kensington in a three book deal.

Aisha DuQuesne's THE SINGER, the first title in a new series of sensual crime thrillers, to Bantam Dell.

Sunny's MONA LISA CRAVING, book three of her erotic paranormal Mona Lisa series, and BITE ME TENDERLY, the first book in her new Lucinda, Princess of Darkness erotic paranormal series, to Berkley.

Shannon McKelden's VENUS ENVY, about a goddess-turned-fairy godmother who isn't about to let any reluctant Cinderella get in her way, to Tor for their new chick lit line.

Vickie Taylor sold two more "gargoyle romantic suspense" novels to Berkley.

Anne Kelleher sold fantasy trilogy "The House of the 13th Moon" to Luna.

Sarah Hoyt, writing as Sarah D'Almeida, sold three books in a Three Musketeers mystery series to Berkley/Jove.

Faith Hunter's BLOODRING and two more novels in a "sexy urban fantasy series" went to Roc.

C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp's TOUCH OF EVIL, the first in a new vampire/shapeshifter world, plus two more in their award-winning Sazi shapeshifter series, to Tor Romance, in a three book deal.

Favorite Shojo Manga

2006-03-18T18:44:00.000-06:00

I just added a listing of my favorite manga series to my sidebar this week, and thought I would take the time to tell a little about them. Today I'm going to talk about the shojo manga in the group, and I will talk about all of them a little at a time. These are listed in no particular order.

Tokyo Boys & Girls
by Miki Aihara
Published by Viz
Mimori finally gets in to the school she's been dying to attend, and things start off well with her making friends with one of the most beautiful girls in school, but she ends up as the class president and singled out by three boys and her teacher for reasons that aren't so good. And to top it all off, she reunites with a boy she knew from elementary school, but he's out to get revenge for her "bullying" of him. The problem? She doesn't remember any of it.
There will be 5 volumes total.

Beauty is the Beast
by Tomo Matsumoto
Published by Viz
Eimi's parents move for work, and she decides she doesn't want to change schools, so she moves into the school dormitory, where she meets new friends, and a new crush. The problem? Wanibuchi, the guy she has a crush on, has a secret life and is really hard for her to figure out.
I'm pretty sure there will be 5 volumes total.

Boys over Flowers
by Yoko Kamio
Published by Viz
Tsukushi Makino is a girl who gets into an elite high school that is mostly full of the spoiled children of rich and powerful families. She almost immediately runs up against the F4, a group of four incredibly popular boys who basically run the school, and they vow to get rid of her as they have others before her. But Tsukushi doesn't lay down easily, and the leader of the boys falls in love with her. The problem? He won't admit to loving a "commoner" and she has a crush on another boy.
There were 36 volumes in Japan, 19 are published/scheduled so far in the US and it is still going strong.

Fruits Basket
by Natsuki Takaya
Published by Tokyopop
Tohru Honda is orphaned and tries to live alone until a boy she goes to school with invites her to live with his family. She agrees to take care of their house, and finds out that the family is under a curse (they turn into the animals from the Chinese zodiac when they are touched/hugged by someone of the opposite gender). She sees the pain that this curse causes the members of the Sohma family and wants to be friends with all of them.
There will eventually be 19 volumes or more.

Imadoki! Nowadays
by Yu Watase
Published by Viz
Tanpopo is going to start at a new school that is mostly for rich kids (sounds a bit like Boys over Flowers at First, but is handled differently) and so decides to check out the school before the first day. When she's there, she meets a guy who is planting flowers on the school property and she makes friends with him. But the next day when school starts, he completely ignores her and she vows to become his real friend. The problem? He thinks everybody is as fake as the rich kids he goes to school with, and there's another girl out to get him before Tanpopo does.
5 volumes total

Kodocha: Sana's Stage
by Miho Obana
Published by Tokyopop (out of print)
Sana is a child actress who is frustrated with the bully at school who runs the classroom. Sana is a really happy kid, and Akito is really gloomy, and their opposite natures cause problems as they each try to get control over the other. But their clashing creates some romantic sparks and a little bit of mutual understanding.
10 volumes total.

Mars
by Fuyumi Soryo
Published by Tokyopop
Kira is an artist who is very introverted, and Rei is the "bad boy" who sees a picture she drew and becomes interested in her. As their relationship develops, secrets from both of their pasts come to the surface and threaten their growing relationship.
15 volumes total.

Tagged

2006-03-17T05:10:00.000-06:00

... by Keishon and CW.

Four Jobs You Have Had In Your Life

1. Public Library Clerk/Teen Programmer
2. Intelligence Analyst in the U.S. Army
3. Bookstore Clerk
4. Telemarketer

Four Movies You Would Watch over and over:

1. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
2. Pirates of the Caribbean
3. Willow
4. The Last Unicorn !!!

Four Places You Have Lived

1. Kansas City, Missouri
2. San Antonio, Texas
3. Sierra Vista, Arizona
4. Clearfield, Utah

Four TV shows you Love to Watch

1. Battlestar Galactica (though the finale made me really mad)
2. Deadwood (really missing it right now)
3. Grey's Anatomy
4. CSI

Four Places You Have Been On Vacation:

1. Rockport & Port Aransas, TX (visiting Steve's parents)
2. South Padre Island, TX (for vacation)
3. Wisconsin (when I was a kid)
4. Nova Scotia, Canada (to visit grandparents)

Four Websites You Visit Daily

1. CNN
2. Amazon
3. Anime News Network
4. My blog -- so I can blog-hop

Four Favorite Foods

1. Hamburgers from Burger King
2. Cookie Dough
3. Strawberries (fresh!)
4. Spaghetti

Four Places You Rather Be Right Now

1. On the beach in Port Aransas, TX
2. On a cruise in the Caribbean
3. At an anime convention
4. Sleeping

Vampire Books To Look Forward To

2006-03-16T14:12:00.000-06:00

With the surge in popularity of paranormal books in general and vampires stories in particular, there are always, always more books on the horizon for the vampire lover. Though I don't like every vampire book I read (by far, because there are always duds, especially when many authors just jump on the bandwagon, rather than write what they love), but I do enjoy vampire stories.

I think my preference is mostly because vampires are exotic and dangerous. I like nice guys in real life and in books, but I definitely enjoy reading about men/creatures who are slightly dangerous. They are of course even better when paired with a woman who is strong and slightly dangerous herself. I have enjoyed books where the woman was the vampire and where both have been vampires, and even seek those out because they promise something different and usually a woman I can respect.

A few of these are out already, but there are also a number that are upcoming

The Devil's Knight
by Lucy Blue
Pocket, 28 February 2006
Second in the Bound in Darkness series, I like that this series is set in Medieval times. I haven't yet read My Demon's Kiss.

Lover Eternal
by J. R. Ward
Signet, 7 March 2006
The highly anticipated sequel to Ward's Dark Lover, this one is out already. It's terrible, but I still haven't got around to reading Dark Lover, though I have it on my TBR pile.

A Hunger Like No Other
by Kresley Cole
Pocket, 28 March 2006
I am really curious about how Cole is going to write her heroine in this one, described as a half-Valkyrie/half-vampire who is destined to marry a man/werewolf warrior who has spent his whole life fighting the vampires. Though this sounds somewhat inspired by the movie Underworld, I think it looks interesting. I haven't read any Cole yet. And I really like this cover -- menacing yet sexy.

Past Redemption
by Savannah Russe
Signet, 4 April 2006
The sequel to Beyond the Pale. It's interesting to me that three of the most interesting new series in paranormal/vampire stories (Ward's, Russe's and Viehl's) are both published by Signet. Somewhere out there is an editor who not only has good taste, but who anticipated the interest in romance/urban fantasy/mystery series.

The Burning
by Susan Squires
St. Martin's, 4 April 2006
Squires turns to the story of a psychic woman who is thought to be insane, and a vampire who must hunt his own kind. Squires is a very talented author, and she's been blessed with some beautiful covers for this series.

Keep Me Forever
by Rosemary Laurey
Kensington, 6 April 2006
I really enjoyed Laurey's first books in this series. I read them when they were originally published by a small press, and was thrilled when they were reprinted in paperback.

Vamps in the City
by Kerrelyn Sparks
Avon, 1 May 2006
I really like the cover for this one, and even though I haven't yet read Sparks, I might have to pick this one up for the cover alone. I hope the author doesn't dance around her premise -- the heroine has been in a vampire's harem for four years -- because that would pretty much turn me off the series. I know this is a "funny" rather than serious series, but it'll be disappointing if she's set this up only to back out of it.

Definitely Dead
by Charlaine Harris
Ace, 2 May 2006
I love the Sookie Stackhouse series and have anxiously been awaiting this latest entry.

Even Vampires Get the Blues
by Katie MacAlister
Signet, 2 May 2006
I read the first couple of books in this series, and thought they were fun but not really my speed. This one is the latest in her series.

Dark Need
by Lynn Viehl
Signet, 6 June 2006
Viehl's series has been very good in my opinion, and I look forward to each of her new releases. Her science fiction novel, Blade Dancer, is in my top favorites across all genres, so I'm pretty loyal to her from now on.

Hunting the Hunter
by Shiloh Walker
Berkley, 30 June 2006
Walker is another Ellora's Cave author that is making it into the print publishing world. This books has a man hunting down a woman that he believes killed his best friend, and she just happens to be a vampire. Definitely sounds interesting to me. And I love this cover.

Be Mine Tonight
by Kathryn Smith
Avon, 1 July 2006
First in a new series, by the usual historical author. I haven't seen a whole lot of details on this one yet, but I am very interested in it.

Bad Boys

2006-03-12T17:04:00.000-06:00

I have enjoyed a number of the Bad Boys books from Kensington. They're not all great, but I've been introduced to a few new authors through the series, which is definitely the strength of the series. Kensington has done an incredible job branding this series and using it to introduce new authors (and at a high price too, a double success!). It's too bad that more publishers don't try to follow this excellent example, because they would probably find it successful as well. Each title markets the next, and in an industry where there is actually very little effort put into marketing by publishers, every little bit of recognition and goodwill on the part of the readers/consumers should be grabbed and held on to as much as possible.

Bad Boys in Kilts
by Donna Kauffman
March 2006

When Good Things Happen to Bad Boys
by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and HelenKay Dimon
April 2006

Bad Boys of Summer
by Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy and Amy Garvey
June 2006

Bad Boys Southern Style
by JoAnn Ross, E. C. Sheedy and Jill Shalvis
July 2006

Viva Las Bad Boys
by HelenKay Dimon
August 2006

Texas Bad Boys
by Rosemary Laurey, Karen Kelley and Dianne Castell
September 2006

A Few Upcoming Paranormals

2006-03-07T22:10:00.000-06:00

First, here are a couple of series titles that have caught my eye.

Deep Blue
by Suzanne McMinn
Silhouette Intimate Moments, 1 February 2006
McMinn's PAX League series looks interesting, and though I know this isn't the first one, I really like the cover. It is very striking, and definitely got my attention on the shelf at Borders.

Something Wicked
by Evelyn Vaughn
Silhouette Bombshell, 14 February 2006
I really like that Harlequin is mixing the occasional paranormal in with the Bombshell line. I like the lack of focus on romance and relationships as the main action in the books. There is usually still a romantic element, but they remind me more of urban fantasy novels from sci-fi publishers than they do of packaged, series romance.

Familiar Escape
by Caroline Burnes
Harlequin Intrigue, 14 March 2006
I was amazed to see that Burnes has been writing this "Fear Familiar" mini-series for Intrigue since 1990! Because they just don't stay available for long, I know I won't be able to read the whole backlist, but I do think I will try to pick this one up and see if it's any good.

And here are the single titles I'm looking forward to:

Dates from Hell
by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Kelley Armstrong and Lori Handeland
Avon, 1 April 2006
I like these anthologies that mix traditional romance authors with the new paranormal-with-romantic-elements authors. I think it really helps to direct readers who might not otherwise realize that the other genres are as good as their normal comfort genre. And I think that the vision of the editor seems to help the authors stretch a little bit outside of their boundaries. I'm looking forward to this one, which I think has a strong group of authors.

Date Me, Baby, One More Time
by Stephanie Rowe
Warner Forever, 1 May 2006
I hope this is the good kind of funny paranormal, but I guess I'll see when it comes out. Here's the blurb for this one: "IF YOU THINK LIFE IS COMPLICATED, TRY IMMORTALITY. Justine Bennett is cursing her life. She’s the Guardian of the Goblet of Eternal Youth, she hasn’t left the house in ages, and it’s been over 200 years since she’s had sex. Oh, and the Goblet has shape-shifted into an espresso machine named Mona. Not exactly the stuff grand destiny is made of... Derek LaValle is worried. Due to a family curse, he’ll be dead in the space of a week unless he finds the Guardian of the Goblet of Eternal Youth and beheads her. Which wouldn’t be a problem if she weren’t so sexy, smart... and ready to behead him right back."

Animal Instincts
by Gena Showalter
HQN, 1 May 2006
Playing with Fire
by Gena Showalter
HQN, September 2006
Gena Showalter is an author who writes entertaining books, but not usually keepers. The reason I keep coming back to her is because she has such a great imagination. This is not an author who is going to get caught writing ten books in a series with every possible friend-of-a-friend getting their own book because she doesn't know how to start something new. Every book Showalter writes has a new and interesting, imaginative premise. Oh, and every time I check out her website, I wonder if other authors are holding out on us or if she's just got really good friends in the art department. She has cover art before her books are even listed on Amazon!

Almost a Goddess
by Judi McCoy
Avon, 1 June 2006
Most of Avon's historical covers really suck (and not in a funny vampire way), but this cover is actually really cool. I thought at first glance that it was an HQN book because it looks like one of their covers, but it really is Avon. This is the story of Kyra, the Muse of Good Fortune, who is banished from Olympus for bad performance, and is sent to Las Vegas, where I guess they figure people could use good fortune.

When You Believe
by Jessica Inclan
Kensington, 6 June 2006
Reason to Believe
by Jessica Inclan
Kensington, October 2006
The subtitle for these books is "A Novel of Magical Temptation", which sounds really interesting to me. I don't know much else about these books (which her website says will be part of a trilogy) but they have great covers and look really interesting. I really like how they look side by side.

Angel with Attitude
by Michelle Rowen
Warner Forever, 1 July 2006
The shoes make me think of Hermes, the messenger god -- it would be really cool if this book was a play on that myth. Nope, it's not about that -- I found a blurb at the author's blog -- "Falling naked into the killer whale tank at MarineLand is always bad news, but it's a real bummer when you've just been kicked out of Heaven. Former angel Valerie Grace is determined to reverse her banishment -- Earth's just no fun. Her best friend is a slightly perverted human-turned rat, and she's being tailed by a sexy Tempter Demon named Nathaniel, who's trying to lure her to hell with kisses that are almost worth the trip. With the talking rodent sneaking peeks down her shirt and Nathaniel getting more irresitible every minute, this ex-angel has only one hope: find the stolen Key to Heaven and go home. Then the oddest thing happens -- Nathaniel starts to show signs of loyalty and love. And soon Val is asking herself if it is such a bad thing to have the hots for a demon."

Boys' Love

2006-03-04T20:47:00.000-06:00

So I finally got a chance to see Brokeback Mountain. I went with a friend from work. I absolutely LOVED it. It was an amazing movie, beautifully filmed, directed just perfectly. Jake Gyllenhaal was great, but Heath Ledger just blew me away. He definitely deserves an Oscar for that performance. When I looked at that movie screen, I didn't see Jake and Heath, but Jack and Ennis. I was so completely lost in that movie that someone could have bombed the theatre and I wouldn't have budged. I cried a lot too because it's a very emotional story. It's been a week since I saw it and I am still thinking about it.

My friend likes arty or literary movies, but I was still a little unsure over how she would feel about the love story, but she enjoyed it. She didn't like it as much as I did, because I think she was still somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of a homosexual relationship. It's just not something that's all that open or visible in midwestern America even now.

It's amazing to me how some people can watch a movie as powerful as Brokeback Mountain and only be concerned with the fact that it was two men in love instead of a man and a woman. Two of the other ladies at work saw the movie as well (separately from us) and they didn't like it, and that was the basic reason -- they had a hard time watching two guys. I just wonder why they went to see it in the first place. And it's pretty clear that they love each other. You don't choose who you fall in love with in life, so why not someone of the same gender as you? That doesn't bother me at all. The more love in the world, the better.

Anyway, the movie made me decide to finally try out some of the anime out there that deals with Boys' Love (or shonen-ai as it is called in Japanese). Here are a few of the titles I've watched or become interested in.

Gravitation
The beginning of this series is available on the Anime Network on Demand, which I get through Time Warner Cable. I've watched the first five episodes so far, and it's really good. I've heard a lot about this series from other anime fans and is a huge favorite in the anime community. I can see why. It's the story of a young man whose band is just starting to break out and his relationship with an older male novelist. Eiri Yuki (the novelist) is a great character, very realistic is the sense that you don't always know what he is thinking, that sometimes it's hard to read his actions that actually show that he has affection for Shuichi.

Loveless
So far I've only seen one episode of Loveless, but if that episode is an indication of the quality of the full series, then I've found a new addiction. Absolutely gorgeous art, interesting characters, and an intriguing story. A brief description of the story -- "Ritsuka is an alienated sixth grader: his older brother Seimei died under mysterious circumstances; his mother is prone to irrational, violent rages. Two years ago, Ritsuka underwent a change he doesn't understand that's left him unsure of his own existence. Soubi, a mysterious college student, appears and announces he loves Ritsuka and will do anything for him--and that he knows how and why Seimei was killed. With Soubi as his protector, Ritsuka enters a supernatural battle against the forces of the sinister Septimal Moon."

Sukisho and Kyo Kara Maoh are a couple of other shonen-ai anime series that I am really interested in checking out.

If you prefer books, there is always shonen-ai manga. Loveless (there will eventually be six volumes) and Gravitation (12 volumes, all released) were both manga series' before they were anime series' and Loveless is finally being released in the U.S. by Tokyopop. I picked up the first volume already and hopefully will have some time to read it this week.
Demon Diary is a Korean fantasy series that deals with the relationship between a young demon lord and his mentor. I've read three volumes (of seven) so far and am really enjoying it.

Anxiously Awaiting

2006-03-01T22:33:00.000-06:00

This is a pretty diverse group of books that I am looking forward to -- mostly because of the authors involved. Most are titles I've known about for a while, that just seem like they are forever on the horizon.

Hide in Plain Sight
by Michele Albert
Pocket, 25 April 2006
I discovered Albert after being pointed to her blog at some point because she likes anime. So after reading her for a while, I decided to try out one of her books, which was One Way Out (which, interestingly, came out a year ago today). Since then, I've read some of her backlist and look forward to anything from her in the future.

Duke of Scandal
by Adele Ashworth
Avon, 1 May 2006
Ashworth is one of the few romance authors who I feel consistently writes outside of the romance box -- despite the uproar over her last book and the "virgin widow" issue. This keeps me waiting for each of her books. I hope the cover looks better "in the flesh" than it does here.

Lying in Bed
by M. J. Rose
Harlequin Spice, 1 June 2006
I have enjoyed Rose's mysteries and I like that she is an author comfortable with pushing boundaries and trying new things. When I heard about the Spice line, it was this title that interested me. And I do like the cover. Very elegant.

Kushiel's Scion
by Jacqueline Carey
Warner, 12 June 2006
When I first read Carey's Kushiel's Dart, I couldn't believe how good it was, and how emotional the ride through that trilogy was. And though I have both of the books she's written since then, I haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I was waiting for this one, which is finally in the near future.

Mysteria
by MaryJanice Davidson, Susan Grant, P. C. Cast, and Gena Showalter
Berkley, 30 June 2006
I feel like I am frequently one of the few romance readers who actually enjoys anthologies. I like the chance to try new authors, and I like the chance for authors to explore ideas that wouldn't always work as a full-length novel. I look forward to this one because Grant is consistently good, Showalter is a fountain of amazing ideas, and Cast and Davidson are both good storytellers (though I also have a hit-and-miss relationships with each). A good group of authors.

Whispers of the Night
by Lydia Joyce
Signet, 30 June 2006
Joyce is one of the most unique voices to emerge in the last few years in romance. This probably pegs me as a reader type, but I think it's quite possible that Joyce will fit in the Ivory-Gaffney-Kinsale-Ashworth-Chase group in the future.

Code Noir
by Marianne de Pierres
Roc, 30 June 2006
I like science fiction as much as I like romance, and one of my favorite sci-fi books of last year was de Pierres' Nylon Angel. It was a dark book -- the world isn't a happy place, there are people barely making it, the media runs everything and the only truth is what the TV says is truth. Parrish is a true kick-ass heroine. That's a term that's been tossed around a lot in romance-land lately and is rarely lived up to, but here it fits absolutely. I'm very much looking forward to this sequel.

The Next
by Dan Vining
Berkley, 1 August 2006
Vining's debut novel, The Quick, was a basically a supernatural mystery, but the supernatural elements were blended in so well that it actually took me a while to catch on to them. No scary monsters or legendary creatures shoved down your throat, just some mysterious men called Sailors who existed in the world alongside everyone else. Figuring out the primary mystery and the mystery of who and what these men are/were made for a great book.

Movies Coming Soon

2006-02-26T14:15:00.000-06:00

Beowulf
1 January 2006 -- limited
This one already came out in limited release, but it didn't play anywhere around me. But since it has Gerard Butler and Sarah Polley, I really want to see it. I've always like the Beowulf story, and most adaptations haven't really been very good. This one may disappoint as well, but I'm definitely going to check it out on DVD.

Something New
3 February 2006
This movie is already out, and one of these days I'm going to get around to seeing it. I like the idea -- addressing the fact that so many African-Americans don't get married, and addressing the issue of inter-racial relationships and marriage. And it looks really sweet.

Inside Man
24 March 2006
This movie has three incredible actors in it -- Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, and Jodie Foster -- and Foster is very choosy about the type of movies she picks, so I have very high hopes for this crime thriller. I like movies where it's not readily apparent what everyone wants or what they're willing to do for what they want, which is the impression I have of the movie.

The Wild
14 April 2006
It seems like Disney's annual animated movies are coming out earlier and earlier every year, but I suppose that is okay because it means they aren't competing so much with the slew of summer movies. Steve and I have no children, but we love to go see animated movies. Keeps the kid inside alive.

Silent Hill
21 April 2006
Silent Hill is a very good and scary video game series about a woman who searches for her daughter is a nightmare of a town. It was very atmospheric and menacing as a game and I hope that translates to the movie. And Sean Bean is in it.

X-Men 3: The Last Stand
26 May 2006
Steve and I absolutely loved X-Men 1 & 2 and we're really looking forward to this one. I hope they do a good job in their treatment of the Dark Phoenix storyline. And I'm excited to see Beast, one of my favorite X-Men characters, appear in this one.

The Break-Up
2 June 2006
I think it's interesting that there was so much speculation that the drama surrounding Mr. and Mrs Smith because of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie would kill the movie and that maybe they were too distracted to act well in the movie. But I haven't seen any of that speculation about this movie, despite the fact that Aniston had her rebound relationship with Vaughn. I do think the movie looks good, and with Vince Vaughn in it, I'll probably be able to get Steve to see it with me.

Click
23 June 2006
I admit freely to being a big fan of Adam Sandler. Yes, that means I have a juvenile sense of humor, but I find him hilarious. And his latest few movies have had a nice theme/point as well, so you feel like you're watching a movie that has something to say on top of being funny. And the amazing and equally hilarious Christopher Walken is in this one as well.

A few mysteries I'm thinking about reading

2006-02-17T23:13:00.000-06:00

What Angels Fear by C. S. Harris
NAL, 1 November 2005
I'm waiting for the paperback version of this one to come out, because I rarely by hardcovers, and never from debuts until I know more about them (I know that Harris is Candice Proctor, but a new genre counts as a debut for me). I've heard good things about this regency mystery so far.

The Delilah Complex by M. J. Rose
Mira, 1 January 2006
I really enjoyed The Halo Effect which was the first book I read by Rose. I thought that having a sex therapist as a protagonist might turn out to be just a tease or titillation, but Rose did a great job of making her well-rounded, and interesting person, and the sexuality that was included was an integral part of the story and of the character. This one has Dr. Snow consulting with a group of women who run a sex club where a man was murdered.

Driven to Murder by Judith Skillings
Avon, 1 February 2006
The main character is a woman in a racing pit crew, which sounds interesting to me. Also, the author is a automobile-restorer, which means she has some idea of what she's talking about with cars, which gives me some confidence in her handle on the subject. Definitely sounds enticing, despite the stereotypical "woman running" cover.

Deshi by John Donohue
Onyx, 7 February 2006
This is the follow-up to Donohue's book Sensei, where a martial arts student has help from his brother, an NYPD detective, to track down a "ronin," a masterless samurai who is killing people. Looks like they both have lots of details on Japanese culture and martial arts.

Deadman's Poker by James Swain
Fawcett, 25 April 2006
I've been watching a lot of the World Series of Poker on ESPN with Steve lately, so gambling and poker interest me a lot right now. Gambling was always a big no-no growing up, so I know very little about poker. I didn't even know the basics of Texas Hold'em before watching the WSOP. It looks like Swain has a whole series based around gambling, so I'm going to have to check one of these out.

Awesome Covers

2006-02-07T21:33:00.000-06:00

These are all books I took notice of because they have beautiful covers. Some are by authors I'm already interested in, and some are by authors I've never read before. But for me at least, the marketing department struck a perfect note with these covers.

The Exiled by Posie Graeme-Evans
Atria, 14 June 2005
This looks like a straight historical cover, like Phillipa Gregory's, but I think Graeme-Evans writes historical/romance hybrids.

Shadows and Strongholds by Elizabeth Chadwick
St. Martin's, 29 November 2005
Chadwick is a historical author, but I have enjoyed her books. She is usually very lucky and gets beautiful covers. The dress on this woman is just amazing.

Vanquished by Hope Tarr
Medallion, 1 February 2006
I loved Tempting by Tarr (which I also thought had a gorgeous cover), and am glad to see that she's going to be published again. This is one of the few nice covers I've seen from the new Medallion Press.

The Bride Ship by Deborah Hale
Harlequin Historicals, 1 February 2006
I think that Harlequin has really improved its covers over the last few years, and that is definitely evident in the Historical line. This one is just very classy. I love this image, the sunset, the ship approaching the shore, and the woman waiting with excitement? nervousness? anticipation? There is so much room for imagination in this cover.

Shadow Touch by Marjorie M. Liu
Leisure, 1 February 2006
and
The Red Heart of Jade by Marjorie M. Liu
LoveSpell, 4 July 2006
Liu has been especially lucky in her book covers. And considering that Dorchester is often a throwback with its covers, these are just stunning. The spiderweb and the onion-domed palace on the Shadow Touch cover are amazing and atmospheric.

Duchess of Fifth Avenue by Ruth Ryan Langan
Berkley Sensation, 7 March 2006
I have never read a book by Langan, but the covers all feature a soft-pastel-look. This one fits well with her branding. I like the Cinderella-like image.

Vertigo by Lauren Baratz-Logsted
Delta, 26 September 2006
I saw this cover on the Knight Agency blog. The woman looks very vulnerable and sad set off against the hardness of the checkered background. Very cool.

Naked Male Chests

2006-02-05T15:59:00.000-06:00

The Warrior by Judith E. French
Leisure, 29 November 2005
This cover is definitely an improvement on French's last two covers, which I thought had some weird-looking guys. This one looks a lot like Brad Pitt in Troy.

The Lion's Daughter by Loretta Chase
Berkley, 3 January 2006
I'm so glad that someone finally decided to reissue Loretta Chase's older books, which I really like and only have used copies of. The covers are all right, but I wish they had avoided the open-shirt look for this guy. It's the epitome of what people make fun of romance covers for. From Steve: Looks like he's about to star in Riverdance.

Destiny by Helen Kirkman
HQN, 1 March 2006
Kirkman's books have all had bare-chested guys, which I guess is a form of branding for the author. HQN usually does a pretty decent job of making them look classy. I like the tattoo on this guy also.

My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys by Lorraine Heath, Georgina Gentry, and Teresa Bodwell
Kensington, 1 March 2006
The bare-chested-guy-look seems to be one of the new standards for western romances (see Diane Whiteside's last couple of books). I guess they're trying to create a sexy-cowboy look. I like the black-and-white look for a historical. From Steve: Totally speechless.

Deep, Dark and Dangerous by Jaid Black
Pocket, 7 March 2006
I find Black to be an enjoyable writer. She isn't the best at craft or characterization, but she is definitely an author/publisher who pushes the limits of erotic romance. I do find it interesting that she is the founder of Ellora's Cave, but is published by a mainstream romance house. That's fine for authors, but doesn't it seem weird for a publisher/executive?

Sword of Darkness by Kinley MacGregor
Avon, 28 March 2006
There's something about this cover that I don't like -- it may be the weird green wash, like the guy's been coated with ectoplasm or it may just be the guy, who looks a little too creepy for me. From Steve: There can be only one.

Sighs Matter by Marianne Stillings
Avon, 1 April 2006
I've always thought Avon was weird with it's titles that are plays on movies or sayings. This one doesn't work too well. Obviously they're riffing on "size matters" but the title just doesn't work on its own. And I think this is one of the first times I've seen the naked-chest guy on an Avon. And this looks like he has a girl hand.From Steve: When I think about you, I touch myself.

Captives of the Night by Loretta Chase
Berkley, 2 May 2006
Another reissue from Loretta Chase, once again with a guy with an open shirt. From Steve: Stalker City.

Hell on Wheels by Karen Kelley
Kensington, 6 June 2006
I like this cover. Rather than rely on the overdone conventional romance covers, they went for something a little high-concept. The cover matches the title really well, and I like the slightly-blurred with sunglasses guy. It leaves room for imagination.

The Sea King by Jolie Mathis
Berkley, 6 June 2006
This is a pretty cool cover. It shows the guy nicely but doesn't try over-hard to be sexy. Looks like we can look forward to at least one new Viking romance. I'm pretty sure this is Mathis' first book. From Steve: Bitch, where's my shirt? or *licks nipple* Which way is the wind blowing?

Some Interesting Paranormal Romances

2006-02-02T10:37:00.000-06:00

Though I love historicals and enjoy some contemporaries, I have found that my absolute favorite genre in romance is the paranormal/alternate reality genre. I like stories with vampires, vampire hunters, werewolves, shapeshifters, demons, succubi, witches, superheroes, legendary creatures, retellings of fairy tales or myths, monsters, aliens, spaceships, other worlds, or just about anything out-of-this-world.

Jewel of Atlantis by Gena Showalter
HQN, 1 February 2006
I like Gena Showalter's books because even though she's not the most amazing writer, she produces entertaining novels out of a variety of interesting ideas. Grayson James is supposed to retrieve a lengendary jewel from Atlantis, but is assaulted by monsters of all kinds in his quest. But it is the mysterious woman who speaks in his head that has him worried.

Flesh and Stone by Vickie Taylor
Berkley, 7 February 2006
I have had Carved in Stone sitting on my TBR pile for ages, even though it sounds great and people keep raving about it. I don't know why I keep putting it off. I guess I'm a little worried about being disappointed if the great idea doesn't turn out well.

The Waterlord by Dawn Thompson
LoveSpell, 28 February 2006
Becca is saved from death by a mysterious stranger who is a "Fossegrim: creatures driven to find ecstasy with human women and then vanish forever. From their world, humans never returned." This is her second book and sounds interesting, so I will probably read it, though I may wait to get it from the library.

The Saint by Melanie Jackson
LoveSpell, 28 February 2006
I absolutely love Jackson's paranormal books, so I am definitely on the list for this one.

Working for the Devil by Lilith Saintcrow
Warner, 1 March 2006
Here's the first line of the blurb: "Tough-as-nails necromancer Dante Valentine has a problem: the devil wants her to catch a rogue demon and, for the duration of the task, she must be accompanied by a demon assassin named Japhrimel." Now that definitely sounds good to me. I am waiting anxiously for this one.

Parallel Attraction by Deidre Knight
Signet, 4 April 2006
Jared is an exiled alien king trying to retake his nation. They use time travel to travel to the past to find the one woman who can save them. I think this book looks interesting, but I can't help but be skeptical of the blurbs provided by other authors: how can you really expect an objective viewpoint for a book by the author's agent. I just don't see them saying no. But I still think this looks interesting.

Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh
Berkley, 2 May 2006
Megan works as a deputy sherriff in New Mexico, where she can hide from her ability to feel others' emotions. But she finds out that people? who are of the Feline Breed are dying. This is the first print book from the Ellora's Cave author that a lot of readers rave about.

Three Things that Bug Me Online

2006-01-30T20:43:00.000-06:00

I've been in the mood to rant today, and I don't think I've had one here since I started up again, so tonight you guys get to find out a little of what bugs me in the online world and blogosphere. I'm going to be circumspect and not actually use certain romance author's names because frankly I don't want them (or their friends or fangirls) googling themselves, finding my website, and giving me the same crap that some gave Keishon a little while ago. I could handle it if it came, but why bother?

1. This one comes mostly from reading discussions about the James Frey thing. I can't stand it when people say something like "You don't remember everything you ate a month ago, do you?" as a response to people complaining about Frey's fabrications/exagerations in his book. Whether you think Frey was lying or not, saying something like this is just stupid. This person can't come up with an actual thought or argument to back up their viewpoint (and there are plenty of valid ones they could use) so rather than be logical or reasonable, they go for trying to ridicule the other person. The sole purpose of a rhetorical question like that is to try to make the other person look ridiculous, to make it look like they have irrational expectations that no one could meet, and therefore Frey's isn't so bad. Major pet peeve for me. People, learn how to debate. Go read a book about actual debate -- not just arguing or trolling or steamrolling.

2. A certain author (whose books I sometimes like and sometimes don't) made a statement a couple of weeks ago about whether it is appropriate for readers to review books. The merits of that argument have been debated back and forth, and personally I think anyone who doesn't disagree with her is just an idiot with a chip on their shoulder, but that's just me. That's not what bugs me. What bothers me is how that comment was made and her behavior afterward. I was always taught that when you are having a discussion/debate/argument with someone, you do it in a polite manner. Cursing, insulting, demeaning language or behavior is inappropriate, especially with someone you don't even know (and who really knows anyone online?). So thinly-veiled insults and insinuations disguised as humor just piss me off. A lot of what was said around the blogosphere during that discussion was brushed off as attempts at humor by people making the comments and by some reading them. I don't buy that. There are some people who want to say their mean piece but not look bad for it, and pretending to be making a joke is the way they do it. They say their mean little comment that makes them feel better sitting at their computer at home in a way that looks humorous, and then when they're called on it, they say "I was just making a little joke, why are you taking it so seriously?" Stroking their sad little egos the whole time. And who's going to call them on it without looking like they can't handle a little ribbing? This is the epitome of passive-aggressive behavior -- from Wikipedia: "Someone who is passive-aggressive will typically not confront others directly about problems, but instead will attempt to undermine their confidence or their success through comments and actions which, if challenged, can be explained away innocently so as not to place blame on the passive-aggressive person." Sounds like little mean insults passed off as jokes to me.

3. There is a huge difference between speculating/talking about an idea/impression and slander or libel. If you don't understand the difference then you need more time socializing with real people. The whole thing about The Queen of Romance at the AAR Reviews Board just drives me nuts. Nobody said they'd heard she was screwing the pool boy, they said it seemed like the photo was a little too close to the character. I think it's pretty clear that the publisher was trying to use the photo as a part of the marketing of the book and the Queen herself even said that the photo was an attempt to establish the persona of her alter-ego as opposed to her normal one. If that's not saying it's tied to the series, and therefore the character, then what else does that mean? Ultimately, however, it's not this that bugs me so much as another aspect of the whole argument: that some readers just can't handle open discussion that might be critical of authors (and especially, horror of horrors, a top romance author) and that when faced with informed, rational opinions and discussion, they can't manage to respond in kind. If someone writes a thoughtful, four-paragraph post that you don't agree with, you don't respond with "what's wrong with you that you speculate like this, you must have personal issues that you can't handle, you should see a shrink instead of posting" or some other such crap. That's not discussion, that's insult and doesn't have any place in a reasonable forum.

The sad thing is that even though I have my own opinions about all of these situations, I am completely respectful of the opinions of people on the other side in each because they all have useful points to make. And the issues that don't can always spark discussion about other interesting issues, so it drives me nuts when good discussion is hijacked by idiots.

So what do you guys think about these situations? Do the things that bother me irritate others, or is this just a part of my own idiosyncracies?

Upcoming Contemporary Romance

2006-01-29T14:38:00.000-06:00

I don't read nearly as much contemporary romance as I do historical or paranormal romances. I think that is mostly because I don't always enjoy the modern settings. I usually like to feel like I am reading a story about someone very different from me, either in place or time or in fundamental differences in life. It's not as easy to have that feeling of difference in a contemporary.

I tend to avoid romances with military settings or military men (despite being married to a wonderful one) because after four years in the US Army, I'm just too close to the subject matter. It doesn't seem romantic to me; it's either horrifying or boring. And too many romance authors get major things wrong that they could find out with simple facts from an average servicemember or veteran (one not too long a veteran, if it's a modern romance) quite easily. So military romances (and Navy SEALS or special forces, ugh, mostly jerks who cheat on their wives and get divorced in real life) count for a lot of contemporaries, and they're out.

So, of what's left, I usually read a few each year, either hot romances or from new authors or the few contemporary authors I've come to enjoy (Rachel Gibson, Julie Kenner, Deidre Martin).

Untamed by Kathleen Lawless
Pocket, 20 September 2005
I really like this cover, so I'll probably try to check out the book, even though her first book, Taboo, got a D- at AAR.

Take Me by Bella Andre
Pocket, 15 November 2005
Here's another great cover, also from Pocket. I brought this one home from the library on Thursday.

Cheating at Solitaire by Ally Carter
Berkley, 6 December 2005
I reall like this cover. I like the title as stitching on her jeans, I like the Ace of Hearts hinting at romance.

The Manolo Matrix by Julie Kenner
Downtown Press, 1 February 2006
Haven't had a chance to read Givenchy Code yet, so I'll have to find time to fit that one in before I hit this one.

Sex, Lies, and Online Dating by Rachel Gibson
Avon, 1 February 2006
Rachel Gibson is one of the few consistently good contemporary authors I've found.

Playing Easy to Get by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jaid Black, and Kresley Cole
Pocket, 7 February 2006
Will probably pick this one up at the library. Black and Kenyon aren't the best writers, but they are entertaining. Haven't tried Cole yet.

The Penalty Box by Deirdre Martin
Berkley Sensation, 7 March 2006
I like Martin's hockey romances. I am a big fan of the Dallas Stars, and when the NHL was on strike, I was really mad. Reading books with even a little hockey actually helped.

Big Trouble by Marianna Jameson
Signet, 2 May 2006
This is a new author to me, but I like the sound of this one. From the author's website: " It features Joe Casey, the smart-mouthed stud-muffin brother of My Hero's hero, Chas Casey, and former computer hacker turned digital security expert, Naomi Connor, who has been waiting twenty years to be forgiven for an adolescent mistake. Joe is the one man who can absolve her—if only she could make him believe that people really can change."

Concept Art for Moon Called

2006-01-27T20:27:00.000-06:00

I found an amazing thing today: a tutorial on painting that shows the evolution of the cover art for Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. It is direct from the artist of the piece, Dan Dos Santos, and is intended as a tutorial on painting, but it is an amazing find for anyone interested in book covers, art, or Moon Called in particular.

Dos Santos turned the tutorial into a PDF document that you can read online. It is very extensive, with 15 steps and lots of art. Quite fascinating. Go check it out NOW.

And Now for ... Werewolves

2006-01-26T21:05:00.000-06:00

Vampires have reigned supreme for a while in the paranormal romance world, but we are finally beginning to see a surge in the popularity and presence of werewolf romances. This ground was tread a few years ago by Cheri Scotch with her werewolf trilogy, and Susan Krinard has been writing about them for a while, but it's now coming into it's own.

It's likely that they won't appeal to a lot of readers for the same reason that some don't like vampire romances. The vampire-haters complain that they can't imagine reading a book about a woman falling in love with someone who is technically dead.

The werewolf-haters, however, will complain that they can't imagine reading about a woman falling in love with a man who turns into a monster and eats people. Which is exactly the problem I fear with werewolves coming to romance. I think it's fair to say that many authors tone down the parts or themes in books that some readers might call "not romantic" or "too realistic" or "gross", etc. And after slogging through book after book from LKH with Richard the whiney werewolf, I don't think I can take that from these upcoming books.

Oh, and if you're looking for something to read right now, here are a few werewolf stories I've enjoyed in the past:
The Werewolf's Kiss by Cheri Scotch -- first in romance trilogy
Canyons by P. D. Cacek -- horror
Bitten by Kelley Armstrong -- horror/romance
Wild Blood by Nancy A. Collins -- horror
Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause -- teen
The Passion by Donna Boyd -- romance/horror
Naked Brunch by Sparkle Hayter -- humorous mystery
Tempting Danger by Eileen Wilks -- romance

And here are the ones I'm looking forward to that are new or due in the near future:

Kitty and the Midnight Hour by Carrie Vaughn
Warner, 1 November 2005

Moon Called by Patricia Briggs
Ace, 31 January 2006

Crescent Moon by Lori Handeland
St. Martin's, 7 February 2006

Wolf at the Door by Christine Warren
St. Martin's, 7 March 2006

Master of Wolves by Angela Knight
Berkley, 4 April 2006

Midnight Desire by Emma Holly
Berkley, 1 August 2006

US/UK Book Covers

2006-01-24T15:20:00.000-06:00

Anyone who spends any time on my blog knows that I am fascinated by book covers. One of the things that particularly interests me is the differences in book covers around the world, and especially between the United States and the United Kingdom. We're so alike but also so different and it's amazing to see the differences in how books are marketed. On all of the books below, the US edition appears on the left, and the UK edition on the right.

The Borgia Bride by Jeanne Kalogridis
I really like both of these covers. I prefer the script from the US edition and I like that the title and blurbs are set off from the picture. But I think I prefer the photo from the UK cover. The US one definitely has the historical feel, but the UK cover feels more informal and intimate.

1776 by David McCullough
The typeface for both the author's name and the title are the same on both editions, but the color is slightly different and they used a totally different picture. The picture on the US cover is a pretty iconic American scene, so that is probably why it doesn't appear on the UK cover, which is a little more general.

Red Lily by Nora Roberts
Both of these covers are boring, with the plain lilies on the front. The US cover, with the dominance of yellow is more striking and would attract my notice more in the bookstore. I also think it's interesting that the publisher is not using the NR seal in the UK apparently.

Predator by Patricia Cornwell
The images on both of these covers are really creepy. The old guy on the US cover is weird and anonymous looking. The wire and the polaroid on the UK cover are disturbing. Which is fitting for a mystery/thriller. The green cover of the US edition is very striking, and since so many covers are blue, it will stand out on the shelf or on a table.

Mary, Mary by James Pattterson
I don't think there is really anything special about either of these covers. You can tell that the US cover is one designed solely for the bookstore market. The million-dollar patterson name is large and in white print on a dark background, and the title is very large so that the devoted bestseller readers will notice that it is a new title. The UK cover is one that I can imagine somebody asking for, saying "it's a blue cover with a car on the front" which could describe any number of books.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
This one has been a huge book club book here, so I was curious about the UK book cover. I wonder if it has been such a fad read there? Anyway, very different feel to the covers here. I think the US cover emphasizes that this story takes place in a third-world nation with the city pictured on the front, where the UK cover focuses more on the boy who is one of the main characters.

Movies Coming Soon

2006-01-21T16:39:00.000-06:00

Okay, it's been a while since I did a movie update, and I have a bunch of posters waiting in the wings to show you all. So here are a few:

Tristan and Isolde
January 13th View the trailer
This movie is already playing, but I hadn't talked about it before, so I wanted to highlight it anyway. I always loved the Wagner opera and the legend. And I love medieval stories/movies.

Firewall
February 10th
View the trailer
I think that Harrison Ford is starting to show his age a little -- he looked a little frail the last time I saw him -- but I'm sure with makeup we'll never know. And I've like Paul Bettany ever since I saw him in A Knight's Tale as Chaucer. He nearly stole the show.

Ultraviolet
February 24th
View the trailer
When I first heard about this one, I thought it would be an adaptation of the UK tv show I heard good things about, but it isn't. I know a lot of people didn't like the two Resident Evil movies, but I love zombies, and I thought Milla Jovovich was a great action heroine, so I look forward to seeing her again in this. And the costumes look awesome.

Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
March 31stView the trailerSteve and I love animated movies, and the first Ice Age was great, so we'll definitely see this one. And that squirrel is just hilarious.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
July 7th View the trailerPirates was one of the best movies of the year in 2003 (can you believe it's been that long?) and Pirates 2 looks just as good. Love the costumes, love the revival of pirates in a fun way. And Johnny Depp made that movie -- I was glad he finally got a big blockbuster and some attention from critics.

Lady in the Water
July 21st View the trailerThe Village didn't get very good reviews, but I liked it. Joaquin Phoenix and Bryce Dallas Howard were both great, and she's in this one as well. Some people say the fact that there is a twist in Shyamalan's movies is too predictable, but it's not like we know going in what that twist will be, so I just enjoy myself.

Eragon
December 15th The book Eragon was written by a 19-year-old, and lots of those who liked Harry Potter enjoyed it. I didn't get around to reading it, but I am looking forward to the movie -- have to see anything with dragons. I just hope they do a good job with the dragons.

Charlotte's Web
December 20th The original was one of my favorite movies, and one of my favorite books when I was a kid, and I think I could still sing Templeton's "the fair is a veritable smorgasboard, orgasboard" song, so I am looking forward to this new treatment. It was moved from June to December to capture the holiday family market, and probably to corner the Oscar for animated film.

Books by Bloggers

2006-01-18T23:16:00.000-06:00

One of the things that I enjoy about blogs is that I have found new authors through their blogs. Some of the authors below I had already read before I discovered blogs -- S. L. Viehl and Rachel Caine are two.

Others I know I would have picked up without a blog -- like Lydia Joyce -- because their style of book appeals to me in general, but the blog made me more aware of them.

There are others who had been published earlier, but that I never got around to reading -- like Monica Jackson and Brenda Coulter -- but their blogs made me interested in their books.

And then there are the new authors, the ones just beginning in the publishing world -- like Meljean Brook, HelenKay Dimon, Sylvia Day, and Diana Peterfreund -- that I feel are my real finds in the publishing world. All of these authors are new, and have just had, or are looking forward to having, their first published book. Reading their blogs has made me aware of their talent, and ready to enjoy that talent as soon as it's available. I think blogs might be a small opportunity for a talented author to avoid slipping through the cracks that seem to open up for too many new authors in the publishing world. A blog helps them build a fanbase before they even make it into print.

So here's my nod to some of the authors whose blogs I enjoy -- a listing of some of their new and upcoming books. And I have more for another day.

The Music of the Night by Lydia Joyce
Signet Eclipse, 1 November 2005
Read Lydia's blog
I really enjoyed Joyce's first book, The Veil of Night, and its Gothic atmosphere. I also loved that she threw off a lot of the formulaic elements of romance and wrote a unique, mature story.

Hot Spell with a story by Meljean Brook
Berkley, 1 November 2005
Read Meljean's blog
Okay, a little bit of gushing is about to start -- last night I stayed up late and read Meljean's story in this book, and it soared above my expectations. I loved, loved this story. I love her presentation of the mythology of angels (or rather, Guardians) and vampires. I loved that her heroine wasn't conventional, that she had made serious mistakes, a detail that probably wouldn't fly in a lot of conventional romances. I loved that she was willing to do the unexpected with the story and with the hero. And I loved that Anthony loved Emily from the beginning and that her bad decisions didn't make that love waver for a moment. I just wished it was longer. Meljean, if you read this, please tell me you're going to write more in this world! (And how cool is it that with that company, the cover art is based on Meljean's story.)

Mr. Right Now by Monica Jackson
Dafina, 5 December 2005
Read Monica's blog
Monica Jackson is an author who had been around for a while, but who I had never read. Admittedly, I had never read an African-American romance before I read one of hers -- not intentionally, because I read SF by AA authors, but more because I didn't see it much on the shelves at the bookstore or the library. So I read In My Dreams (which I was surprised to discover was a paranormal, because that cover looks like straight contemporary) and discovered that she was very realistic, down-to-earth, and imaginative.

Devil's Due by Rachel Caine
Silhouette Bombshell, 1 January 2006
Read Rachel's blog
I starting reading Caine's books before I started reading blogs, and though she doesn't post as frequently as other bloggers, she does a great job of keeping readers up on what she is working on.

Rebel Ice by S. L. Viehl
Roc, 3 January 2006
Read Sheila's blog
PBW is one of the most interesting, regular, and useful author blogs out there, and probably one of the most frequented. Though I don't always agree with her opinions (about reviewers and industry awards, for example), I think her honesty, her candor, and her willingness to help new writers is invaluable.

Bad Boys Ahoy! by Sylvia Day
Brava, 1 February 2006
Read Sylvia's blog
This is Sylvia's first book and is a collection of three stories, one of which features a former courtesan, which combined with the fact that in real life Sylvia was a Russian linguist in the intelligence field in the US Army -- and since I was an intelligence analyst and my husband was a Persian linguist in the Army, I think that's just cool and something to be commended -- leaves me dying to read this book. And Amazon lists it as already shipping, but it isn't in my local bookstores yet!

A Family Forever by Brenda Coulter
Steeple Hill Love Inspired, 1 March 2006
Read Brenda's blog
I don't normally read inspirational romance, mostly because I was raised a Mormon kid with strict parents so Mormon fiction was about all I was allowed to read for a long time, which turned me off any religious fiction for a while. However, Brenda seems to be a very well-adjusted, un-self-righteous (I know that's not a word, but I couldn't think of something better) type of person, and I think I'll probably try this one.

When Good Things Happen to Bad Boys with a story by HelenKay Dimon
Kensington, 6 April 2006
Read HelenKay's blog
It seems like I've been waiting forever for HelenKay's first book to come out, and April still seems a long time away. And it features a female architect, which sounds really cool. She's also got a collection of stories, Viva Las Bad Boys, coming up in August

Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund
Delacorte, 27 June 2006
Read Diana's blog
Diana's book sold at auction for a what Publishers Marketplace calls a "significant deal" -- between $250,000 to $499,000 -- which is a lot for a first time author. Though cash paid only doesn't get my hopes up, the fact that she's represented by The Knight Agency (another online discovery) does interest me, because they represent a lot of good and promising authors.

Everyone Deserves to Be Loved

2006-01-18T19:39:00.000-06:00

The idea that everyone deserves to be loved, and that everyone who wants love can have it is at the center of my reasons for reading and enjoying romance. It is partly because of this belief that I enjoy romances with heroines who are or were courtesans.

I can trace my enjoyment of the courtesan theme to my reading of Sleeping Beauty by Judith Ivory. In the hands of Judith Ivory, any theme, plot device, setting, or character seems fresh and new and believable, and she did an excellent job with Coco in Sleeping Beauty. She is such a well-crafted and interesting character, and not at all like the typical romance heroine who won't admit or go after what she wants, and half the time doesn't even know what she wants.

And that is the very reason that I like courtesan heroines. They are typically at little older, a little more mature, sexually experienced enough that their first orgasm is not the sole reason they fall in love. I feel like they are actually the hero's equal, whereas oftentimes in historical romances I don't feel like the hero and heroine are on equal footing. Quite frequently I feel like I am just watching a man fall in love with an almost-childlike woman who just wants to be protected and secure.

But not so with the courtesan, who typically has already managed to financially secure her own future, and who understands that the world isn't all roses, but that she can handle the things that are not rosy. She doesn't need a hero, she just needs love.

Here are a few new and upcoming books involving courtesans that I have found:

The Courtesan by Susan Carroll
Ballantine, 26 July 2005

Games of Pleasure by Julia Ross
Berkley, 1 November 2005

The Mysterious Miss M by Diane Gaston
Harlequin Historicals, 1 November 2005

The Courtesan by Julia Justiss
HQN, 1 December 2005

The Courtesan's Courtship by Gail Ranstrom
Harlequin, 1 January 2006

In the Company of the Courtesan by Sarah Dunant
Random House, 14 February 2006

Heads up on Future Titles

2006-01-17T22:10:00.000-06:00

Publishers Lunch has a lot of stuff for authors, agents, and editors that has to be paid for, but they also offer a free daily and weekly email that gives tidbits of book deals. Its only a fraction of what the full subscription contains, but sometimes I find nice little gems listed on that weekly email. Here are a few that I've gleaned lately:

Talia Gryphon's SHADOW THERAPY, the first of a series about a paranormal psychologist and sexy blonde, who is drawn into the case of a 'Fangxiety' ridden vampire who hopes to save his soul through therapy and, of course, her body, to Ginjer Buchanan at Ace, in a pre-empt, for three books, by Joe Veltre at Artists Literary Group (NA).

ENCHANTED, INC. author Shanna Swendson's next two books in her chick lit series, continuing the corporate adventures of a magic immune woman, her wizard boss, and their battle to capture a rogue wizard who now fancies himself the next Steve Jobs, to Allison Dickens at Ballantine, in a very nice deal, by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency (NA).

USA Today bestselling author Julie Kenner's THE GOOD GHOUL'S GUIDE TO GETTING EVEN, first in a series, in which a bookish high school junior seeks revenge on the cool group of senior class vampires who transformed her into one of the undead, to Ginjer Buchanan at Berkley, in a pre-empt, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group (world English).

Lauren Baratz-Logsted's VERTIGO, the story of a Victorian-era woman who begins an innocent correspondence with a prisoner, but soon finds herself trapped in an erotic web of intrigue and lust, to Danielle Perez at Bantam Dell, in a very nice deal, at auction, in a two-book deal, by Pamela Harty at The Knight Agency (world).

Jina Bacarr's BLONDE GEISHA, about an American girl who becomes a geisha in 1895 Japan, the men who loved her, and the geisha-sister who nearly died for her, and a second erotica, to Susan Pezzack at Harlequin Spice by Roberta Brown of the Brown Literary Agency.

Nalini Singh's SLAVE TO SENSATION, about a young woman born to a race without emotions and her encounter with a group of sensual changelings, and a second untitled book, to Cindy Hwang at Berkley, in a nice deal, at auction, by Nephele Tempest of The Knight Agency (NA).

Julie Kenner, Kathleen O'Reilly and Dee Davis's BOYS FROM HELL and GIRLS FROM HELL, two anthologies about the sons of Satan in a fight for the keys to hell and the woman that will get in the way and the follow-up featuring the daughters of Satan, in a pre-empt to Susan Allison at Berkeley, by Kimberly Whalen at Trident Media Group (world).

Upcoming Fantasy/Paranormal

2006-01-16T14:56:00.000-06:00

Giants of the Frost by Kim Wilkins
Warner, 1 January 2006
Victoria Scott is a scientist in the Sea of Norway, where she finds that mythic creatures are real and that she is part of an ancient conflict that might end with her death. Love the icy, wintry cover.

Sebastian by Anne Bishop
Roc, 7 February 2006
This is the first in a new series by Bishop that deals with the romance between a young woman and a male succubus (which should be called an incubus, but for some reason isn't), mirroring the conflict in their world. I think this guy is a little weird looking, but the desert setting is intriguing.

Sharper Than a Serpent's Tooth by Simon R. Green
Ace, 28 February 2006
"Private Eye John Taylor is the only thing standing between his not-quite-human mother and the destruction of the magical realm within London known as the Nightside." I like the covers for this series -- they have a very branded, unique look, and the font for the title always makes me think of Nine Inch Nails.

Nightlife by Rob Thurman
Roc, 7 March 2006
Cal and his brother Niko try to stay one step ahead of their mysterious father in a world where monsters are real. This cover is really cool, very atmospheric and gothic, with a The Crow-type feel.

Doppelganger by Marie Brennan
Warner, 1 April 2006
This sounds like an interesting idea: In the world this book is set in, when a witch is born, a copy or doppelganger of her is also created, and in order for the witch to become a master, she has to destroy her doppelganger. Overall, I like this cover -- she kind of has an Underworld/Bloodrayne look going that works with the Urban Fantasy-type genre.

Wolf Who Rules by Wen Spencer
Baen, 4 April 2006
Finally, finally, finally! The sequel to Tinker, which I loved, is on its way. Windwolf, the elven noble that Tinker became involved with, tries to keep the peace in Pittsburgh, which has been completely stranded. And Tinker has her own problems to deal with. I never like Baen's covers -- they are a little too 1970s sci-fi for my tastes, with too much crowded onto the cover, and they don't have very good artists.

Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher
Roc, 2 May 2006
The eighth book in the Dresden Files, Harry has to deal with movie monsters that come to life. Nice cover, though the last few covers for this series have seemed very similar.

Touch the Dark by Karen Chance
Roc, 6 June 2006
Cassandra can see the future and communicate with the dead, which means that lots of people, and vampires in particular, are after her. She goes to the vampire senate for protection, and ends up working for a seductive master vampire. I like this cover, which is really similar to the covers that have been coming out on the sexy paranormal books every since the new LKH covers -- the smoke and the tattoo are cool.

The Virtu by Sarah Monette
Ace, 30 June 2006
Sequel to Melusine, which was the story of a magician and a cat burglar/assassin. I like this cover -- it definitely conveys the idea that the book is about a thief, and I like the action pose. The guy looks alright, but the long hair, Fabio look isn't really to my taste.

Upcoming Historical Romances

2006-01-14T00:44:00.000-06:00

Here is a peak at a few of the new and upcoming historical romances that have caught my eye. All of these caught my attention either because of the author's name or because of an attractive cover.

The Maid of Lorne by Terri Brisbin
Harlequin Historical, 1 January 2006
I think the cover of this book is beautiful. Harlequin Historicals tend to have really nice covers. Harlequin has this weird division between beautiful covers and absolutely hideous covers, and if I were an author, I'd hope to have a cover like one of the historicals. The only problem with this one is that I think it would have looked better not cut off at the neck. Most of the time the headless-woman look doesn't really bother me, but on this one it is pretty obvious.

Lady Anne's Dangerous Man by Jeane Westin
Signet Eclipse, 3 January 2006
This is another one where it was the cover that caught my eye. I think the gown that the woman is wearing is gorgeous, and it looks Renaissance to me, though I am far from an expert on historical details.

The Devil's Watch by Anne Stuart
Mira, 1 February 2006
I like the colors of this cover, they convey a mysterious feel that fits with my image of Stuart's books. I think it has been a while since Stuart has written a historical, and there are lots of romance readers looking forward to this one.

Lady of Sin by Madeline Hunter
Dell, 28 February 2006
The cover for this one is pretty boring, but I've heard snippets from others online that this one may be a return to Hunter's more rich writing style. Here's to hoping.

Devil in Winter by Lisa Kleypas
Avon, 1 March 2006
I think this cover is pretty, though it looks more like a straight historical than a romance. Lisa Kleypas is an author I usually read, though I don't run to buy her books the day they come out. She's had a few I loved, and a few I didn't enjoy at all.

Lord Perfect by Loretta Chase
Berkley Sensation, 7 March 2006
Loretta Chase is such an exceptional author that it just seems criminal that she should get saddled with a cover like this one. This guy is weird-looking enough without his shirt hanging open while he stands in the front door soliciting like a gigolo. Ugh, it's so horrid I don't know what more to say.

The Taming of the Duke by Eloisa James
Avon, 1 April 2006
Eloisa James is another hit-and-miss author for me. And this is another awful, awful cover. The huge, billowing shirt is one problem, but the true problem here is those phantom, floating hands. Where did they come from? I see no other hint of a person (woman?) behind this guy. And I don't think James writes paranormals, so there's something really wrong here.

Lady Danger by Sarah McKerrigan
Warner Forever, 1 April 2006
I'm not really big on the "medieval-woman-fights-as-well-as-any-man" genre, but I do like the look of this cover.

Playing with Polls

2006-01-13T17:24:00.000-06:00

Okay, everybody please bear with me while I try to figure out how to incorporate a simple polling feature into my blog. I'd love to have you guys' opinions on which books and movies that I highlight sound the most interesting to you. I also think it would be fun to start up a "Most anticipated release of the next month" feature where I list the big books coming out and everyone votes for the book they are most looking forward to. What do you guys think?

What book do you think sounds the most interesting?

Make your own poll

Vampires Never Die

2006-01-10T16:05:00.000-06:00

The vampire subgenre isn't going anywhere anytime soon as far as I can tell. Eventually, like all fad genres, I think it will slow down, just like Viking romances and Medieval romances have slowed down for now. But I do think that the genre is well-liked enough that it won't completely disappear.

Right now, however, we are definitely at the pinnacle of the success of the theme. It seems like a new author starts a new vampire series every month, and there are multiple vampire series running into four, six, and even more than ten books. And they're all still in print.

Here are some of the upcoming vampire books that have caught my eye:

High Stakes by Erin McCarthy

Berkley, 1 August 2006

I think this is McCarthy's first paranormal novel. Didn't she win one of Lori Foster's publishing contests?

Overall, I like this cover. The bright colors will draw attention to it among its friends, and green is an uncommon color for a romance/chick lit book so it will stand out. The bats and the title pun make it pretty apparent that this is a humorous vampire book. The only thing I don't like it the cyclops girl. I know they're going for the trendy-hairstyle look, but it turns out looking weird.

The Hunter's Prey by Diane Whiteside

Berkley, 7 February 2006

Diane Whiteside started out as an ebook author of paranormal romance/fiction, but her traditionally-published romances to date have all been realistic romances (I'm pretty sure). This is her first collection of vampire stories. I don't realy like this cover -- I'd feel like I was reading porn if I read this in public, and for the cover alone, I'd be surprised if the public library I work at bought it, but I would like to read it because I enjoyed one of Whiteside's ebooks I read a couple years ago.

The Vampire's Seduction by Raven Hart

Ballantine, 28 March 2006

This one isn't romance, it's listed as horror on the Random House website. The info I've been able to find on it is that it's about a vampire named William who finds out that his sire is coming after him to kill him and everything he loves. You can read short comments about the book at Romance Reader at Heart.

Tall, Dark & Dead by Tate Hallaway

Berkley, 2 May 2006

Okay, here's another one from Berkley (they've got a thing for vampires I guess) and another one that is not a romance. It sounds similar to Charlaine Harris' books, including that fact that the guy that the heroine (a witch) meets just happens to be a vampire. Interestingly, all of the blurbs at the author's website are from romance authors.

30 Days of Night: Rumors of the Undead by Steve Niles and Jeff Mariotte

Pocket, 28 February 2006

Also not a romance, I'm really looking forward to this one. It's an original novel set in the world of the 30 Days of Night comics. The fact that Steve Niles, the writer of the comics, is listed on the book cover makes me hopeful that the book will be true to the comics, which were excellent, but I will miss the fascinating art of the comics.

And of course, there are more new entries in ongoing series' coming up as well:

Dead and Loving It by MaryJanice Davidson

Berkley, 4 April 2006

Undead and Unpopular by MaryJanice Davidson

Berkley, 6 June 2006

(Looks like Berkley is trying to match the success of Davidson with the books listed above.)

Unpopular is 4th in the Undead series

Dead and... is a collection of stories combining her werewolf and vampire worlds

The Damned by L. A. Banks

St. Martin's Griffin, 24 January 2006

6th in the Vampire Huntress Legends series

Fangs but no Fangs by Kathy Love

Brava, February 2006

Sequel to Fangs for the Memories

Desire After Dark by Amanda Ashley

Zebra, February 2006

3rd in a series after Shades of Grey and After Sundown

Master of Darkness by Susan Sizemore

Pocket, 31 January 2006

4th in the Primes series

Seduced by the Night by Robin T. Popp

Warner Forever, 1 June 2006

2nd in the Night Slayer series

Ladies in Costume

2006-01-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite trends among book covers lately is one in the historical romance market: having a single woman in period costume on the cover. However she appears, whether only a partial view, from the back or the front, displaying only a portion of the face, I like the fact that these covers seem to say one thing:

This is a story about a woman.

She may go on an adventure. She may solve a crime. She may go dancing at a ball. She might be a governess or she might be a lady. She could live in Regency London or the American West. And though we the reader know that she will fall in love (because this is a romance) and there will be a hero to die for (we hope), ultimately it is she who is the focus of the story.

Romance frequently deals with women's friendships, women's hardships, women's opportunities, and women's adventures, which I very much enjoy. And I enjoy reading about a hero, a man to fall in love with, a man to imagine and to enjoy a story about, but when I read, I am not picturing myself with the man in question (I know there are readers who do, and I have no problem with that, but the fact that I don't definitely influences my reading choices and favorites). The hero should be her hero, not my hero or anyone else's hero. For me to enjoy a romance, the heroine must be unique, the hero must be unique, and they must be meant for each other. I like it when the man and the woman aren't perfect, because if he's a man any woman can fall in love with, what's so special about that?

A major part of the reason I read romance is because it is about women. When I read, I am enjoying the heroine's journey to falling in love with the hero and finding or discovering what she wants in life. And that is a big part of the reason I like these book covers. They remind me that this book is about a woman falling in love.

(That, and I always enjoyed playing dress-up as a kid.)

2005 Movies I Missed

2006-01-05T23:40:00.000-06:00

Steve and I didn't see quite as many movies in the theatre in 2005 as we usually do. A big part of that is that he works a lot and when he works he is gone for long periods of time. Which means that when he is home, a lot of the time he'd rather hang out at home than be surrounded by crazy people at the theatre.

We did manage to see all of the big, you-must-see-this-on-the-big-screen movies like King Kong, Batman Begins, Harry Potter, War of the Worlds, etc. But we missed a lot of the small movies that I enjoy that often only play in one small theatre downtown in Kansas City. Here are the 2005 movies that I missed, but still intend to see:

Walk the Line -- We both love Johnny Cash, and I have thought Joaquin Phoenix is a great actor ever since we saw him in Gladiator. I don't know how we haven't made time to see this yet, but I kind of think of it as a "quiet", reflective movie and I guess I'm just waiting for the right mood.

Brokeback Mountain -- I am dying to see this movie. So much that I just might have to make some time to see it tomorrow. This one is still in limited release here, which means I'll have to drive my truck in the narrow streets downtown to get to a grungy old theatre to see it, both of which I hate, but it's worth it. I love movies with western settings, I think both of these guys are great actors, and I have heard and read amazing things about this movie.

Capote -- Have read reviews that say that Philip Seymour Hoffman deserves the Best Actor Oscar for his role as Truman Capote. I also thought that In Cold Blood was a fascinating, revolting book and am curious as to how Capote is portrayed.

Derailed -- This one isn't quite as "serious" as some of the others here, but looks like an interesting thriller. And Clive Owen is just hot, hot, hot and can't be missed.

The Ice Harvest -- John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton both have an offbeat humor that I enjoy. And Ice Harvest is set in Kansas City. Looks like this one will be a quirky, interesting movie.

Jarhead -- I'm really interested in how well the movie portrays Swofford's memoir of the Gulf War. I also was impressed by the similarity of feeling of the basic training/military experience that I saw in the preview with my own experiences in the Army. There was a lot that seemed familiar. And now that a few years have passed for me, I won't mind being reminded of that and being thankful I never saw anything harder than that. I hope this is a well-done movie, because for many people, this is the closest they will ever come to understanding much of what our young men and women are going through in Iraq and Afghanistan right now.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang -- Here's another quirky movie that got an extremely limited release. I guess I will be forced to wait for the DVD to see it, but I have always liked Val Kilmer and look forward to seeing him in this one.

Memoirs of a Geisha -- Still playing here, thank goodness. Must find the time to see it. I find it interesting that a lot of the actresses in this Japanese-set movie are actually Chinese, but I guess acting is acting. I've become such an anime fan in the last year that I feel like I am a fan of many things Japanese by default, including Japanese-set movies.

The Constant Gardener -- This movie has two incredibly good actors and looked like it would be a very intriguing and even romantic movie from the preview. I will have to see it on DVD.

A History of Violence -- It seems like this movie wasn't at the theatre for very long. Have seen some lists where Viggo Mortensen has been mentioned as a potential best actor. And this one is based on a comic book.

Hustle & Flow -- Steve wasn't as interested in seeing this as I was, which is why we never saw it in the theatre. As soon as the DVD is out, I will bring it home, and I think he will end up watching it with me. The previews looked excellent.

I'm back!

2006-01-04T12:55:00.000-06:00

Well, it's been exactly six months since I last wrote in my blog, but I think I'm finally ready to get back to it.

I'm not trying to make any excuses about the time I have stayed away, but for the few people who might be interested (thanks to Sybil and Maili for being good friends and emailing me while I was away), I thought I'd tell you a few reasons why I've been absent.

1. Life got in the way. I know I'm not the only one with a hectic life, but between work, college classes, friends and family I was just spread too thin for a while. My brother and his wife had their second child, my husband started a new position at his job, I was working full-time and going to school full-time during the summer, then we finally went on a much-needed vacation.

2. Once all of that stuff evened out, I realized that I was a little burned out on all of it. Between posting on my blog, trying to keep up with all of the blogs on my blogroll, keeping up with discussion board postings, staying on top of the latest controversy, etc., I was spending way too much time online. The sad thing is that I actually enjoy doing all of that, but I just don't have the time. If I didn't have to work, I'd probably be glued to the computer screen.

3. I was spending so much time online talking about books, that I didn't spend any time reading them anymore. Which for me was a really bad realization. So I spent a lot of time this fall reading the books I've been talking about, and seeing the movies I've been looking forward to. I've also been working on some new projects for work.

With all of that said, I've decided to start back up again. I miss my blog. I miss my book covers and my movie posters. I miss talking about what's new in romance and sci-fi. I just won't be quite as active everywhere else this time, and just like before, I won't be posting every day. But I am glad to be back. I've probably permanently lost some readers, but I didn't start doing this for other people in the beginning, so I'm not going to worry about that too much.

To the people who've kept checking up on me or who've kept a link to me on their sidebar -- Thank You.

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Seven

2005-07-04T00:12:00.000-05:00

Bloodrayne -- An adaptation of the successful videogame of the same name, starring Kristanna Loken (who was the cyborg in Terminator III). No A-list names attached to the movie, but a bunch of good character and supporting actors, which makes me have hopes for the movie. Rayne is a half-vampire who who is trying to avenge her mother's rape by the King of the Vampires, definitely an interesting storyline.
Teaser Trailer
No date yet, but likely late 2005

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe -- Finally got to see the trailer the other day at the theater attached to War of the Worlds. Looks like this one is going to be great. Between this and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I think this will be a good year for intelligent adaptations of children's works.
December 9th

The Corpse Bride -- Along with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the second Tim Burton/Johnny Depp team-up of the year. And I'm glad Burton is doing another movie with the stop-motion animation he used for The Nightmare Before Christmas. This one is an adaptation of a Russian folk tale where a man finds himself married to a dead woman -- creepy, but I like that Burton gothic flair.
September 23rd
Trailer

V for Vendetta -- I showed the teaser poster before, but here is the new poster. I'm really looking forward to this graphic novel adaptation.
November 4th

2046 -- This is a Chinese movie I've heard some good things about. It will be a limited release, so I hope I'll see it in Kansas City so I don't have to wait for the DVD. Here's the blurb from Yahoo: Chow Mo Wan moves from being a gambler to a pulp fiction writer, and '2046' follows him through various liaisons with several beautiful women. Merging past, present, and future, '2046' is at once the number of the hotel room in which the couple from Wong Kar-Wai's 'In The Mood For Love' conducted their extra marital encounters, and the date of Hong Kong's final integration into China.
August 5th (limited)

Elizabethtown -- I just saw the trailer for this movie I hadn't heard a whole lot about. It stars Orlando Bloom and Kirsten Dunst (who I really liked in the tennis movie Wimbledon). Here's the blurb: After causing the Oregon shoe company he works for to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, Drew Baylor (Bloom) is fired for his mistake, and promptly also dumped by his girlfriend, Ellen (Biel). On the verge of suicide, Drew is oddly given a new purpose in life when he is brought back to his family's small Kentucky hometown of Elizabethtown following the death of his father, Mitch, as it falls to him to make sure that his dying wishes are fulfilled. On the way home, Drew meets a flight attendant, Claire Colburn (Dunst), with whom he falls in love, in a romance that helps his life get back on track.
July 29th

The Fog -- A remake of the John Carpenter movie from 1980, being produced by John Carpenter, which I think is pretty cool. It will be interesting to see how it is re-imagined. The story is about dead sailors who come under the cover of fog and kill the residents of a small town. It stars Tom Welling, who my husband and I really like as Clark Kent in the show Smallville.
October 14th

Heads Up From Publishers Lunch

2005-06-30T21:45:00.000-05:00

I don't subscribe to Publishers Lunch. If I was an editor, author, agent, bookseller, or some type of publishing professional, I probably would because it seems like PL has access to a lot of inside information. Using PublishersLunch gives you a major heads up on seeing what trends are dominating in publishing, which authors are getting contracts, which editors are selling, and an estimate of how much money certain types of manuscripts go for.

I do get the free teaser emails that PL sends out. The daily teasers are hit and miss for usefulness, but I do like the Lunch Weekly emails. They usually contain a few of the big deals of the week, and they cover genre fiction. Mystery, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, young adult and other often-overlooked genres get mentioned.

In the last few weeks, there have been a few sale announcements that have caught my interest:

In Romance:

Shannon McKelden's VENUS ENVY, about a goddess-turned-fairy godmother who isn't about to let any reluctant Cinderella get in her way, to Natasha Panza at Tor, for their new chick lit line, in a nice deal, by Deidre Knight at The Knight Agency (world English).

Linda Winstead-Jones' romantic fantasy trilogy CHILDREN OF THE SUN, taking up the tale of the generation following the protagonists of her trilogy SISTERS OF THE SUN, to Christine Zika of Berkley, by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates.

C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp's TOUCH OF EVIL, the first in a new vampire/shapeshifter world, plus two more in their award-winning Sazi shapeshifter series, again to Anna Genoese at Tor Romance, in a very nice three book deal, by Merrilee Heifetz at Writers House.

Marta Accosta's BITE ME a humorous, sexy contemporary novel about a Latina aspiring writer, who finds love and acceptance among a family of sophisticated vampires, to Maggie Crawford at Pocket, in a very nice deal, at auction, for two books, by Julie Castiglia at The Castiglia Agency.

In Sci-Fi/Fantasy:

Author of HAMMERED, Elizabeth Bear's BLOOD & IRON, WHISKEY &amp;amp;amp; WATER, a contemporary fantasy about the ages-old war between the realms of Faerie and the human mages of the Promethean Society, told from the point of view of the pawns who will be instrumental in deciding the fate of both worlds, to Liz Scheier at Roc, in a nice deal, by Jennifer Jackson at the Donald Maass Literary Agency (world English).

Co-founder of the UK's Orange Prize Kate Mosse's LABYRINTH, a thriller that connects two mysterious worlds in contemporary and Medieval France, featuring two heroines born centuries apart but linked by a common destiny, to Leona Nevler at Putnam and Berkley, for publication in spring 2006, by George Lucas of Inkwell Management, in collaboration with Lucas Alexander Whitley.

Fantasy and science fiction novelist Sean Williams' ASTROPOLIS TRILOGY, a pan-galactic gothic space adventure framed by a single murder mystery set in the far future, to Ginjer Buchanan of Berkley, by Richard Curtis of Richard Curtis Associates (NA). Foreign rights handled by Danny Baror.

Being published in the UK:

26-year-old James Palmer follows the crazed romantic figure of THE BLOODY WHITE BARON, a Russian aristocrat who crossed Asia to conquer Mongolia in the footsteps of Ghengis Khan, to be finally deposed and executed by Trotsky's Red Army., to Neil Belton at Faber & Faber, by Jon Jackson at Gillon Aitken Associates (UK/Commonwealth).

Movie Rights sold:

Film rights to Elizabeth Kostova's forthcoming THE HISTORIAN, to Sony, for producers Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher at Red Wagon, in a major deal, for seven figures, at auction, by Sylvie Rabineau, on behalf of Amy Williams at Collins McCormick.

Dan Simmons's epic horror thriller CARRION COMFORT, pitting a concentration camp survivor and a Southern sheriff against an army of mind vampires, optioned to Michele Gavras at director Costa-Gavras's K. G. Production, by Relevant Entertainment's Michael Prevett, on behalf of Richard Curtis Associates.

In Non-Fiction:

Dr. Chris Lavers' THE NATURAL HISTORY OF UNICORNS, presenting the mythical evolutionary history of the unicorn from 400BC to the present day, to David Roth-Ey at Harper, at auction, by Rebecca Winfield at the Rebecca Winfield Literary Agency (NA).

Authors of THE GOVERNMENT MANUAL FOR NEW SUPERHEROES Matthew David Brozik and Jacob Sager Weinstein's THE GOVERNMENT MANUAL FOR NEW WIZARDS, the second in a series of parodies of consumer-information guides (and of the audiences they serve), to Lane Butler of Andrews McMeel, by Robert Shepard at the Robert E. Shepard Agency (world; excl. UK/Commonwealth).

Three Very Good Reads

2005-06-25T21:09:00.000-05:00

I've read three and a half books in the last week (and started one more that I gave up on), which is more than I've read in a long time. A huge part of this recent interest in reading for me has been that I have been reading new authors and trying new genres. All five of these books are by authors I have never read before. I'm going to try to stick to this for a while until I feel good about reading again. It's not that I have started to grow bored or uninterested in books in general, but that the books I had been picking up for a long time were too much of the same old thing being recycled. I really needed this injection of freshness.

The short version on the one I put down: I've been trying to find some chick lit that I would like. I still haven't decided against the genre because I rarely do that, and I know there is good stuff out there, but I picked a major stinker. It was Dating Can Be Deadly by Wendy Roberts, a mix of chick lit and mystery that I had high hopes for. But the heroine was everything I hate in heroines, and after reading the first few chapters, I decided to skim ahead. Yep, still the same 100 pages later. Not for me. I don't expect perfect characters (two of the books I enjoyed have less than perfect characters) but I do expect characters I can understand and at least respect. Obviously, the characters here were not for a reader like me.

Oh, and the one I am halfway through is Hammered, which you can see on the right. It's science fiction and so far, it's quite good. And from another debut author.

But now that the bad and the business is out of the way, here are my three good reads from this week:

Hide Your Eyes by Alison Gaylin -- I read this one over the weekend. It is a mystery, and by a debut author. Samantha, the main character, is not at all a perfect person, and I like that. She went to Stanford, but she works in a movie ticket office and teaches at a preschool because she likes to. She's got some interesting and odd friends, but they aren't cariacatures. She sometimes does stupid things, but she isn't stupid about doing it (does that make sense?), for example, she leaves her wallet on a chair at the subway and it's stolen -- yeah, it's stupid, but she doesn't sit around giggling about it and saying "oh, funny me" to herself. She goes to the cops and reports it. Like a real person might do. The mystery plot is well-crafted, Samantha is a far from perfect investigator, which also makes sense (what normal person spends their free time solving crimes?). And there's a very nice romance with the cop who tries to help her out. If you like romance and mystery, this is a good one to pick up.

Here's the blurb from the book cover and the author's website:

New York Rule #1: Don't get involved.
Samantha Leiffer already has a self-centered self-help guru for a mother, a cadre of off-kilter Greenwich Village pals, and an ex-boyfriend who cheated on her with both sexes. She doesn't need more grief. But when she accidentally spies two people dumping a dubious-looking ice chest into the Hudson River, she has an unsettling feeling about its contents...

New York Rule #2: Don't make eye contact.
So, not being the kind of girl to let some psychos get away with murder, Sam sets out to unravel a mystery - and is soon being stalked by a sinister, shadowy figure who's wearing one-of-a-kind mirrored contact lenses...

New York Rule #3: If you must break Rules #1 and #2, get some help from New York's Finest.
Now, aided by a hard-as-nails (but still very hot) homicide detective, Sam is poking into some unsavory places - and finding out more creepy stuff than she ever wanted to know...

New York Rules #4 and #5: Don't expect anything to be what it seems ... and when necessary, fight like hell.

Ghosts in the Snow by Tamara Siler Jones -- PBW links to and talks about this author's blog frequently, and I thought the premise sounded interesting. Since I am a fan of both fantasy and mystery, and I like seeing cross-genre books, I brought it home from the library. It was good enough that I am going to order a copy for myself.
Dubric Bryerly is the head of security at the castle in the town of Faldorrah. He is responsible for dealing with criminals and solving crimes, including murder. When a servant girl is found murdered one morning, he has to try to find out who did it before more bodies pile up. And they do.
The plot starts out as a pretty standard mystery plot, but as you read you realize this isn't a standard mystery story. It is technically a fantasy, but you aren't bashed over the head with fantasy elements. Early on, you find out that Dubric sees the ghosts of the victims killed at the castle. That is part of how he knows that there is a murder to be solved. As the story goes on, other little fantasy elements are included, but they never take over the characters and the plot, which are the most interesting parts of the book. Dubric is a complex character, with a painful past. His assistants, the people who live in the castle, and the killer and victims are all fully drawn characters, not just cardboard cutouts. If you like mysteries, don't worry if you are a big fan of fantasy, because the fantasy elements are minimal. And there's a nice romantic subplot involved, even though the girl bugged me some of the time.

Here's the blurb:

Dubric Bryerly woke to find a ghost next to his bed this morning. It's the fourteenth this year.

Thus begins Dubric Bryerly's entrance into the most chilling investigation of his long career as the head of security at Faldorrah's castle keep. Not long after the first body is discovered, savagely disfigured, a second comes to light, also violently mutilated. And over the next few weeks, another, and another, and another. Each one announced by the arrival of a silent, gruesome ghost that only Dubric can see. Haunted by these silent spectres, and his dark secret, Dubric must use the rudimentary forensics available to him to uncover the identity of a ruthless serial killer living within the very castle walls and bring him to justice before he kills again. But the killer seems to be practically invisible, leaving no sign of himself even as he slips past a guarded post to kill again -- and all signs point to the worst of all possible suspects, the king's own grandson. As the pressure mounts, so does the danger...will Dubric manage to find the killer before another girl dies, or before the frightened and frustrated castle inhabitants rise up against the very man sworn to protect them?

A combination of forensics, fantasy, and sheer horror, this fast-paced "historical" thriller will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Fall From Grace by Megan Chance -- Thank you Tara for sending this to me, and thank you to everyone who has recommended this on AAR and on their blogs. Megan Chance has been around for a while (and this is a book that's been out for a while -- 1997), but I've never read one of her books before. I am so, so glad that I did.
I loved this book. It is not a perfect romance, and the HEA is somewhat ambiguous. You know they are together, but you don't really know exactly what happens to them. But that's okay, because what I loved about this book is that the characters are so original and so real. Basically, Lily is twelve when her parents are killed by outlaws. But one of the outlaws feels bad about, so he takes her home with them. And she is raised as an outlaw. One of the other outlaws is 15 at the time, and basically falls in love with her immediately. Fast forward twelve years (and a marriage to the once-15-yr-old, Texas) and she's finally found the chance to break away from them. But it doesn't turn out the way she planned, and Texas comes after her. Up until this point, he has been completely in love with her, but she still sees him as part of what has come to be a suffocating, horrible life. And he does take her for granted and I think in many ways sees her as his pet. When he captures her and finds out she betrayed them, at first he is understanding and forgiving. But she finally breaks through that trust and he realizes she really hates them. He decides that he must take her back to the outlaws for them to decide what to do with her.
The great thing about this story is that Chance took two people who aren't perfect, who are both killers, and who both have desires and dreams for their own lives, and brought them together. This is not the story of the perfect girl who is innocent and sweet, and so deserves to be swept away by a rich, handsome, perfect-lover type of man. If you want that type of book, don't get this one. This is the story of two people who have made some bad decisions, whose lives haven't turned out the way they want for themselves, that find out that they can find some of what they want together.

Here's the blurb:

Lily lost her childhood the day the Sharpe gang murdered her parents and "adopted" her. Soon, Lily the Cat was wanted by the law. But Lily betrayed the outlaws. And then she deceived Texas Sharpe,--the man who loved her, married her, and defied his father for her. But although he desired her like no other, she used him, and his love. And he was about to show Lily just how ruthless a man betrayed could be ...

2005 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs!

2005-06-23T23:33:00.000-05:00

Woo-hoo! Just finished watching the game. This series, and this whole year, has been very exciting and very nerve-wracking. After game six, Steve and I were both worried about this Game Seven. The Spurs are an excellent team, but sometimes they struggle in big, stressful games. But they pulled through. And it's great that it happened in San Antonio. And it was cool to see David Robinson congratulate Tim.

For the third time, Tim Duncan is the MVP! Only three other players have gotten the MVP trophy three times -- Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Shaquille O'Neal -- pretty elite company.

Gregg Popovich -- the fifth coach in NBA history to win three championships!

People keep saying that San Antonio is the most international team in the NBA and a big part of that is because of these two excellent players -- Manu Ginobili from Argentina and Tony Parker from France.

Robert Horry has had some pretty amazing plays in this series.

Bruce Bowen has gotten a lot of crap about being a rough player, but he has also really delivered and been an incredibly steady player.

Nazr Mohammed is new this year, and was brought in to help fill in the hole left by David Robinson, and he has done an excellent job.

Pre-Pub Cover Changes

2005-06-21T09:05:00.000-05:00

Pre-Publication changes in cover art aren't uncommon, but they always catch my eye and make me wonder why, especially when the original covers have already been released online. Now, none of these authors are a big name (yet), but I would imagine that the original cover flats would be collector's items of some kind if they were available.

How often do you see changes in cover art before they hit the shelves? I know it is standard practice a lot of the time to change cover art between a hardcover and a paperback, frequently because the consumers vary between the two formats, or because the cover art might be decided to be stale or a bad fit for the different size. It's also standard to change cover art for different editions (how many different version of LOTR can there be?). But how often do you just see a complete revamp of cover art for one edition?

Crazy Hot and Crazy Cool: You've probably all seen these by now, but they still shock me when I look at them. I really can't believe that this cover art was changed. I really like the original art (on the left). I think the art on the right (and presumably, what we will see on the shelves) is boring and ugly. Seems like they are trying to go for a less-romance, more chick-lit James Bond feel, probably with a hope for a more mainstream audience. Which I am fine with, but can't it be done with nice cover art?

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire: I posted the original cover a couple of weeks ago, but I recently noticed that there is a new cover up at Amazon.com. A very, very different cover. The first cover is more playful, emphasizing that the book is humorous. The second is a complete departure. The covers make these seem like two totally different books. The title is obviously humorous or satirical, but the new cover, the one on the right, doesn't really look like it would be humorous at all. Are they trying to confuse me?

Moon's Web: Just saw this new cover today. The web and wolf motif stayed, but I think it's interesting that the dynamics of the couple were changed. In the original, they are together -- implying that they are united against whatever threat/mystery they are faced with. But the newer cover, on the right, shows the heroine in the foreground and the man as a shadowy presence. Seems like a totally different kind of story. And am I the only one who noticed that the couple isn't black anymore? Did the publisher decide that people won't buy the book if the couple on the cover is black?

US/UK DVD Cover Differences

2005-06-17T17:51:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone who reads this blog is as equally fascinated with the differences between US and UK products as I am, because I've discovered that not only are book covers different, but DVD covers are different as well. Some of these differences are small, but some of these covers are significantly different. I tried to find a variety of different types of movies. In all cases the US version is first, and the UK version second. Oh, here's a question for anyone in the know: what is the number in the circle on the bottom of the covers?

The Untouchables: The same picture of Kevin Costner is used, but the UK version cuts out Al Capone. I think I prefer the UK version, which seems more stylish. The gun silhouette seems more like something you'd see on a James Bond movie though.

Constantine: I've seen two different versions of the UK cover -- the other one used the same picture of Keanu Reeves. I like the black and white sides of the US version, but I think I prefer the UK version with the angel wings. Wish I had that one.

Edward Scissorhands: Very little difference here. So little that I wonder why they even bothered. The picture has just been flipped. I like the US cover where the colors are more vibrant.

Elektra: Same picture, different background. I kind of like the "Born to Fight. Trained to Kill." blurb on the UK cover.

The Forgotten: The UK cover is more mysterious. The US cover seems to focus more on the star, which doesn't surprise me, because in the US the star often seems to be treated as the most important part of a movie.

House of Flying Daggers: Great movie, btw. I like both covers. I think if I had the choice, I'd probably pick the US one. I think the choice of such a different cover design is interesting. the US one seems to focus more on the battle/action sequences, whereas the UK one has more of a historical feel to me.

Nip/Tuck: When this US cover appeared, I immediately hated it. If anything, one of the images from the credit sequence at the beginning of the show would have been nice. The UK version is so much better.

Ray: The US cover has more of a blues/jazz feel to me. I like the UK cover, but I guess I've seen the US poster art so long that anything else just doesn't feel right.

Shaun of the Dead: I like the US cover because it includes his friend and his girlfriend on the front. And because it has Shaun in his uniform. And I love the blurb on both.

The Terminal: I like the UK cover because it makes more of the airport setting. Looking at the cover, you automatically know what kind of terminal is being referred to. And I like the blurring of all the people around him, emphasizing the constant change.

Wanting Something New

2005-06-14T19:23:00.000-05:00

Lately when I look at new books, and when I look for new things to read in the romance genre, I find that the most important consideration for me is innovation and originality. Many online romance readers complain about the same-old-same-old in romance, and I count myself among those readers.

I actually like the Regency setting, but I am getting tired of it. Some say that we over-romanticize the Regency, but I think there is a certain amount of that, and expectation of that in all romance, and in all literature. So it's not the romanticization (is that a word?) of the Regency that bothers me, but that so many authors seem to buy into the same romanticization. Everyone does rakes, everyone does Almack's, everyone does heroines that don't want marriage. All of these things can be good in small doses, but I find that I am happiest with a book when it uses some of these conventions, but also switches things up. One of my all-time favorite romances, The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase, has many of these conventions, but her rake is a true libertine, a man who is living a throw-away life for his own pleasure. And the heroine may not want marriage, but she also is living outside of society's norms in many ways and I appreciated seeing this glimpse of a non-ton hero and heroine.

I am actively looking for new hooks or premises in romance. Vickie Taylor's Carved in Stone caught my attention (despite the cover I dislike) because the hero is a gargoyle. Now when have you seen that in romance, or much of anywhere, before? If you have, tell me, because I want to read more romance novels with great ideas like that. I look forward to what Gena Showalter has upcoming because every one of her stories seems to have an original premise.

The blurring of genre boundaries is another factor I've been looking at in romance. I've long read books in other genres, and it's refreshing to see romance authors try to bring what's great in other genres into romance, rather than just leaving. The 2176 and Crimson City series from Dorchester, and authors like Melanie Jackson, bring science fiction and fantasy ideas into traditional romance stories. Or how about this upcoming series from Susan Grant (always innovative) -- "The first two books in a romantic comedy suspense featuring strong, smart women...and the aliens who love them!"

It's not just in the paranormal/alternate reality romances that I've seen innovation, either. Authors like Tracy Grant combine what I love about historicals, mysteries, and romances together. Authors like Emma Holly and Jaid Black bring the daring ideas and sexual freedom of erotica into romance.

I find that my favorite authors are the ones like these that think outside of the box, along with the authors who are extremely gifted at crafting words and stories. Laura Kinsale and Judith Ivory are such high-calibre writers. They bring the incredible prose of literary fiction into romance. Anyone outside of romance who looks down on it ought to read them. Yeah, there's crap (like any type of fiction), but there are gems as well.

So, where have you guys seen innovation lately? New authors, new ideas from established authors, anything that has caught your eye. I'd love some more ideas and some more books to look forward to.

Cover Gallery

2005-06-11T21:33:00.000-05:00

Because, obviously :) , book covers are one of my favorite things, here are a few upcoming books that have caught my eye.

Confessions of a Lingerie Addict by Jennifer Ashley
Dorchester, May 31st
I like the idea of a once-shy girl opening up to her sexuality, as long as it is by her own choice, and not because the "hero" forces her to do it. This one is out already, but I haven't picked it up because I wanted to see what others think about it. Anyone read it yet?

Carpe Demon by Julie Kenner
Berkley, July 5th
I like this little blurb: "What would happen if Buffy the Vampire Slayer got married, moved to the suburbs and became a stay-at-home mom?" I think this is a book that could be really good, or really disappointing, depending on execution.

Dare to Love by Yahrah St. John
Arabesque, July 5th
I don't know much about this one, but I like this cover, and Monica has really made me realize more about my buying habits and makes me want to step out of my comfort zone. This is a new-to-me author. Looks like this is her second book.

Over Her Dead Body by Kate White
Warner, July 11th
From the cover, I'd peg this as a chick-lit-mystery, but I'm not familiar with the author. Looks like this one is the fourth in a series, but I like this cover a lot. And it got a starred review in Publishers Weekly.

The Bought Bride by Juliet Landon
Harlequin Historicals, August 1st
The title and cover blurb make me a little leary, I think execution could go either way on this one, but I do love the cover. And it's only $5.50, so I will probably go ahead and pick it up.

Have Glass Slippers, Will Travel by Lisa Cach
Pocket, August 30th
I like this whimsical cover, which is drawn but not cartoony. And I have liked Cach's books, particularly her latest two.

The Smoke Thief by Shana Abe
Bantam, September 27th
Another one I don't know much about, but I've been meaning to try an Abe book (anyone know how to do the accent?), and I like the cover. Looks like a fantasy romance, two of my favorite genres.

Dear Penelope by Sharon Ihle
Leisure, September 30th
Another one I don't know much about. But I like the cover a lot, and I have enjoyed romances that revolved around letters (My Dearest Enemy by Connie Brockway). And I've always like the name Penelope, she was my favorite character in Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series. (Anyone else seen Club Dread, where that guy pronounces her name as Pee-na-lope instead of Pen-el-o-pee? That just cracks me up.)

Stuck in Shangri-La by Kasey Michaels
HQN, November 1st
I liked The Butler Did It, though not enough for it to be a keeper, so I will probably read this one to see how Michaels contemporaries are. Anyone else noticed how nice the covers for HQN and Harlequin in general are looking lately?

Card Sharks by Liz Maverick
NAL, November 1st
I didn't care for Maverick's Adventures of an Ice Princess. The heroine was the epitome of all that has made me leary of chick-lit-style books. I'm not bashing (really, Maili, I'm not), because I have found a couple of chick lit and chick-lit-romance books that I have enjoyed, like MJD, but I really don't like the vapid, shallow, shopping, trying to trap a guy type like the one in Ice Princess. And I don't know that this one is actually a romance, but I do like the cover.

Strictly Taboo by Jaid Black
Berkley, December 6th
I've got One Dark Night sitting on my bookshelf and one day I will get to it, but I think I will still buy this one. I want to support erotic romance now that it is becoming popular, and Black is an author who has been around for a while (in e-books). This one has three original short stories, one a historical, one contemporary, one futuristic.

My Sagging Bookshelves

2005-06-09T20:51:00.000-05:00

So I've been going through my books to decide what I'm keeping and what I'm willing to trade now that we've started this new Yahoo group for trading with readers. It's been great so far and I have lots of books that I've been looking for for a long time on the way to me.

But while going through my books, I realized I have a problem. I've long known that I have too many books, that I can't stop buying new books. I can't go into a bookstore, or even a Wal-Mart without walking out without at least one book. That's not the problem (well, my husband might think it is), my problem is that I can't let go of books once I get them.

My bookshelves are stacked two rows deep, with books stacked on top, books stacked on the floor around the shelves, books covering what used to be my coffee table. Books stacked on the computer desk, on the dining room table, books in my car.

One night, I was going to sleep and I heard a crash from the guest bedroom. You know what it was? It was one of the bookshelves collapsing. Books were all over the floor. How pathetic is that? I know I need more bookshelves, but I don't have anywhere to put them.

This means, of course, that I should be trading or bringing some of these books to the library or the UBS. But I never know when I'll want to reread a book I enjoyed. What if I decide I want to reread it in five years and it's out of print? Then I'll be scrambling around to find it like I look for Judy Cuevas books now. And then I have at least a couple shelves worth of TBR books. Don't know when I'll get to them, but I know I want to. I'd hate to trade them away, then hear that they're great and wish I had them.

So am I the only person with this problem? Has anyone else ever had bookshelves collapse on them? And how do you guys force yourselves to pare down your collections?

RWA Brouhaha

2005-06-07T16:17:00.000-05:00

I am not a member of RWA, nor am I an author (published or unpublished). I would someday like to be a writer, but I am too busy right now. I know, everyone says this, but I decided I want to get my degree. And I work full-time. I can only do two full-time things at a time, so writing and/or having children/family will have to wait until the degree is done.

But that is beside the point. The combination of my interest in writing in the future, and my interest in free speech and freedom of information (only enhanced since working in a library) makes me interested in this whole business from RWA right now.

Rumors are flying, and real information is few and far between. I haven't personally seen any official statements from RWA, but then, they don't answer to me. Of course, from what I've seen, they don't seem to think they answer to their own membership, which is sad.

Blogs with comments/information about RWA's new "graphical standards" and the related drama:

RTB
Jordan Summers
PBW
Booksquare
Lee Goldberg
Tod Goldberg
Alison Kent
Holly Lisle
Brenda Coulter
Monica Jackson
Shannon Stacey
Shannon again
Kate Rothwell
Jo Leigh
Tracy Sprayberry

Here's the one comment I made on RTB:
"I don’t know what federal regulations people are referring to when they say that this policy has to do with RWA worrying about complying with federal laws. COPA applies to information on the internet for COMMERCIAL purposes, which wouldn’t apply to RWA, and CIPA applies to access to the internet in libraries and schools, neither of which RWA is. So my question would be, what ACTUAL laws is RWA supposedly trying to comply with? And if it is, why isn’t it fighting them, as they would be de facto censorship, and therefore RWA’s responsiblity to protect its members from?"

And this is the part that does confuse me. What federal regulations are people talking about? I've read in some places that federal laws are the reason these decisions have been made. But I've read in others that that protest is just a straw man, and the actual reasons are different. If the real reason is that some people in RWA just don't want erotic romance authors included or sitting next to them, or accepted the same way as them, and those people are the ones running RWA and being elected to run RWA, then I don't think the people being lobbied against have a chance. This past election, and the number of states that passed resolutions against gay marriage proves that ideology trumps logic and compassion. If that is the case on the national scale, then it most definitely will in a conservative group like RWA.

What do you guys think? Anyone heard anything about the reasons behind this whole thing? Anyone think there are correlations between this and the national political landscape?

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Sei

2005-06-05T20:48:00.000-05:00

Four Brothers: I think this story of four adopted brothers who set out to find their mother's murderer sounds like a fresh idea. Mark Wahlberg has turned out to be a surprisingly good actor, and I'm looking forward to seeing Andre Benjamin (from Outkast) in a movie.
Read more here. Aug. 12th

The Island: This sounds a lot like Logan's Run, but I think it will be good, and hopefully not too much of a copy. I like Ewan McGregor (despite his turn in Star Wars), and though I don't really care for Scarlett Johannsen, she is a good actress. Oh, and the gorgeous Sean Bean is in it.
Read more here. July 22nd

The Transporter II: Jason Statham is returning for this sequel to the intense-action movie The Transporter (2002). This time, instead of being hired to kidnap someone, the sons of the people he works for are kidnapped, and he has to find them.
Read more here. Sept. 2nd

Hustle & Flow: I just saw the movie trailer for this one while watching The Longest Yard (which I enjoyed). It's about a blue-collar pimp who wants to be a rap star, but it isn't as easy as he thought it would be. Oh, and Ludacris, whose music my husband enjoys, is in it as well.
Read more here. July 13th

16 Blocks: Bruce Willis is a cop who has to escort a witness (Mos Def) from police custody to a New York courthouse 16 blocks away. But there are plenty of people who never want them to get there.
Read more here. TBD 2006

The Brothers Grimm: Heath Ledger and Matt Damon actually look like they could pass reasonably for brothers, so that is a plus. And Monica Belluci and Jonathan Price are supporting. The premise is that the Grimm brothers were actually scam artists, tricking villages into paying them to save them from magical creatures that they told stories about, but then they are hired to deal with a real magical threat. Which is a lot like the plot for Dhampir by Barb & J. C. Hendee.
Read more here. Aug. 26th

Endgame: Cuba Gooding, Jr. plays a Secret Service agent obsessed with finding out who killed the President he was supposed to protect. Great supporting cast (James Woods, Burt Reynolds, Angie Harmon).
Read more here. Sept. 9th

I also thought I would add links to my previous
Movies to Look Forward To columns for anyone who missed them:
Part Five
Part Four
Part Three
Part Two
Part One

SciFi by Women

2005-06-04T20:29:00.000-05:00

Science Fiction used to be a genre almost entirely written my men and for men. The few women who wrote science fiction has to use male pseudonymns or use their initials and hide their gender. Women rarely were in leadership positions or won major awards.

The genre is still dominated by men, but there are many women writing science fiction now as well. The current president of SFWA is a woman, Catherine Asaro. The Nebula and Hugo Awards for 2004 were won by a woman (Lois McMaster Bujold's Paladin of Souls won both) as was the Philip K. Dick Award (Gwyneth Jones' Life). The Campbell Award this year was won by a man, but two of the five finalists were women. Though some men think women are too stupid to write science fiction, there are many, many women out there proving that that isn't true.

I started reading science fiction about four years ago, and I have read many different authors, but I tend to gravitate more toward the female authors. I enjoy the speculation and the ideas and the science and the cool gadgets that both men and women use to populate their worlds, but the women whose books I read tend to bring more humanity and more connection to their books (this isn't universally true, but is a tendency that I have seen in science fiction). Part of this may be that if men inject relationships into their books, they'll no longer be a member of the boys' club, whereas women have never had that worry (the reverse of this is that some women who are stretching the boundaries of romance are being treated like they aren't part of the girls' club by other romance authors).

I know most of the people who read my blog are romance readers first and probably most, but in case you were wondering about or interested in reading some science fiction, take a look at my favorites on the sidebar or at these interesting books that have caught my eye. Some are established authors, some are new, but these are recent books that I have on my TBR stack or am planning to buy as they come out.

Contact Imminent by Kristine Smith
November 2003

Apocalypse Array by Lyda Morehouse
May 2004

Grasp the Stars by Jennifer Winegert
July 2004

Marque and Reprisal by Elizabeth Moon
September 2004

Banner of Souls by Liz Williams
September 2004

Crossing the Line by Karen Traviss
November 2004

Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair
April 2005

Buried Deep by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
April 2005

Cagebird by Karin Lowachee
April 2005

Scardown by Elizabeth Bear
June 28, 2005

End in Fire by Syne Mitchell
June 30, 2005

Nylon Angel by Marianne de Pierres
July 5, 2005

A Brother's Price by Wen Spencer
July 5, 2005

War Surf by M. M. Buckner
August 30, 2005

Rebel Ice by S. L. Viehl
January 2006

The Modern Bodice Ripper

2005-06-02T18:54:00.000-05:00

The bodice ripper or clinch cover seems to be a romance staple that no one wants to get rid of just yet. Publishers keep putting them on covers, authors say that they sell books, and readers say they like the eye candy.

Personally, I can't stand them. To publishers and authors I say: I don't buy them. I see these covers online and at the store, and I usually skip right past them. The authors I read frequently aren't usually stuck with clinch covers. That's probably partly because of the type of books I read (often cross-genre) and partly that I avoid certain publishers who specialize in clinches. I know I'm not the only reader who avoids these covers.

So yes, they may be selling their books to the people who like clinches, but they are also missing out on sales to large-volume readers who don't like them. They are also missing out on the library market. There are still a lot of libraries and librarians who don't buy romances. And part of that can be blamed on clinch covers and the bad image that they have and that they convey.

Readers who like the clinch covers are a different issue. Obviously, everyone has different tastes and everyone has different ideas about things. But the clinch covers propogate the very views of romance that we frequently fight against or are frustrated with. If you don't want someone to deride your romance reading, why are you holding a book that just begs for derision? And why, when women complain all the time about men objectifying women, do we paste pictures of half naked men in typically phallic, patriarchal images on the covers of our books? And why, when women complain all the time about the unrealistic expectations and images of beauty out there, do we put typical white, slim, big-breasted, same-old-same-old women on the covers of our own books?

I would like to see the clinch disappear. But since I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon, I wish publishers would stick to the compromise that is sometimes applied to books: Put the clinch picture on a stepback and have a classy front cover. Don't put the clinch on the back of the book, because that's equally as visible and irritating as the front, if not more so because sometimes I'm tricked into getting one when I buy books online. On the stepback, the people who want it can ogle it, and those of us who don't like it can ignore it or cut it out at our own choosing.

And in case you think I'm over-reacting to the continued presence of clinch or bodice ripper covers (and because I can't have a post without pictures), here are a few recent ones that I've seen:

April 2005
Avon

May 2005
Love Spell

July 2005
Avon

August 2005
Love Spell

April 2005
Leisure

March 2005
Avon

June 2005
Zebra

July 2005
Avon

March 2005
Leisure

June 2005
Avon

April 2005
Zebra

February 2005
Avon

June 2005
Love Spell

January 2005
Avon

May 2005
Avon

April 2005
Love Spell

These vampires just won't die ...

2005-06-01T21:40:00.000-05:00

I know there are lots of romance readers out there who can't stand vampires. Maybe you can't forget the fact that they are technically dead. Or maybe you get sick of the sub-genre cliches like "soulmates" and the redemption-by-virginity idea. I like vampire stories, and those things bug me too. I read a lot of them, and sometimes I am burned by these stupid conventions that stick to the vampire sub-genre. There are certain authors who have raked in the money (or at least the publications) from books with vampire heroes, but they are no longer on my TBR pile, let alone my buy list. No more Christine Feehan, no more Amanda Ashley, no more Lynsay Sands, no more Katie McAllister, and sadly no more Laurell K. Hamilton.

If you're interested in trying some vampire novels of excellent quality, that aren't necessarily of the romance persuasion, here's my list of recommendations, gleaned from my keeper shelf:

Minion by L. A. Banks

Dhampir by Barb and J. C. Hendee -- medieval fantasy vampire with the beginnings of a romance

Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore -- romantic vampire comedy, Moore is absolutely brilliant at humor

Way of the Wolf by E. E. Knight -- vampires in space

Kiss Me Forever and Love Me Forever by Rosemary Laurey

Sunshine by Robin McKinley

Midnight Blue by Nancy A. Collins -- falls under the horror subgenre called Splatterpunk, not for the faint of heart or stomach

This Dark Paradise by Wendy Haley

Of Saints and Shadows by Christopher Golden -- vampires and the Catholic Church is a cliche, but this is well done

In the Forests of the Night by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes -- the author was 15 when she wrote this, but you wouldn't know it

Fevre Dream by George R. R. Martin -- vampires on a riverboat by an excellent fantasy and scifi author

I know these have been recommended to death by romance fans, but I can't leave them off of the list because I enjoyed both:

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris (first in the Southern Vampire series)
Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson (I read this when it was first published as an ebook and loved the expanded book version)

And here are a few vampire novels on the horizon that have caught my attention:

Waltz With a Vampire
by Maggie MacKeever
Sept. 1st
This one is clearly meant to be humorous from the cover, which could result in either a hit or a miss, who knows. But I like the combination of regency, vampire, and humor, and it's a new author (for me).

Be Mine Forever
by Rosemary Laurey
July 5th
I enjoyed her first two (I read them when they were published by Avid Press and titled Walk in Moonlight and Rapture in Moonlight). I'm glad she was picked up by one of the big publishers and hope to see more from her.

Fangs for the Memories
by Kathy Love
Sept. 1st
Another new-to-me author, and another humorous vampire.

The Forbidden
by L. A. Banks
July 1st
I've really enjoyed this series. I've read the first two, I have two more sitting on the bookshelf waiting for some time, and I've already pre-ordered this one.

Highland Vampire
by Hannah Howell, Andrienne Basso and Deborah Raleigh
Sept. 1st
I like anthologies, and I'm not familiar with Basso, but the real reason this one is on my list is because of Deborah Raleigh (who has published lots of Regencies as Debbie Raleigh -- I was a little surprised to see her in a Brava lineup).

The Historian
by Elizabeth Kostova
June 14th
I mentioned this one in the UK/US post, but there's lots of publisher and book industry buzz and hype for this one. I hope it follows through.

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
by Kerrelyn Sparks
August 1st
Another humorous vampire. Another new author.

The Hunger
by Susan Squires
Oct. 4th
Susan Squires is a romance author who takes risks. She likes to jump around and try different subgenres, which isn't very common for romance authors. She's done medievals, vampires, a futuristic, and a contemporary romantic suspense.

Out of the Night
by Robin T. Popp
Sept. 1st
Her first book was a futuristic, Too Close to the Sun, which I haven't read.

Private Demon
by Lynn Viehl
Oct. 4th
The sequel to If Angels Burn. I've really enjoyed Viehl's work as S. L. Viehl and as Jessica Hall.

The Remarkable Miss Frankenstein
by Minda Webber
July 30th
Another new author. Another humorous vampire. They are everywhere this summer/fall.

Courting Midnight
by Emma Holly
Oct. 4th
Third in her midnight series, I didn't love the first one, thought the second one was good but not great. I'm still going to read this one because Holly is a daring writer.

Undead and Unappreciated
by MaryJanice Davidson
July 5th
I've enjoyed the Undead series, so I will read these. Though I don't think I will buy them in hardcover. They're a little too light for hardcover prices (for me).

Undead and Unreturnable
by MaryJanice Davidson
Oct. 25th

Thoughts on Memorial Day

2005-05-30T09:49:00.000-05:00

I know a lot of people have posted things about Memorial Day, and though I don't usually do things like this, I wanted to post something about it because it has been on my mind. I don't like flags and ribbons and other stuff like that on my car and I don't like wearing pins or ribbons on my shirt because things like that are so easy to do and are usually the full extent of what people do. They put a ribbon on their car and think that that makes them patriotic and supportive of soldiers. I don't like that kind of self-deception or two-faced kind of attitude. People who see me in passing may very well think I'm not patriotic or supportive, but that is far, far from the truth.

I served my country. My husband served. My father served in WWII. My father-in-law served during Vietnam (though he didn't go there). His father served in WWII and was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge. My brother-in-law who raised me is a career airman. Memorial Day and Veterans Day are important days in our family.

So if you have the opportunity today to say thank you to someone who served or is serving their country, then do so. It doesn't matter what country you live in. All nations (well, most) have armed forces, and in most nations they are voluntary. Yes, many of these people see an opportunity for travel or for a better life or for money for college, but they also have pride in and feel duty to their country. They protect everyone's homes and everyone's family. And they frequently sacrifice quite a lot. Even the soldiers/airmen/Marines/sailors who live and work stateside work long hours, have stressful jobs, and are on call 24-7/365 days a year.

And don't forget about them tomorrow or next week or a year from now. Post 9/11 everyone was talking about supporting the troops and sending things to soldiers overseas, but that has dropped off quite a bit. And did anyone do all of that before 9/11? It is sad that it takes such a tragedy for people to appreciate what is being done for them, and for everyone. I served in the Army for four years, before 9/11, and not once did anyone but my family and friends ever say thank you or send me anything. I'm not crying for myself, but if I, working stateside, in a huge city, never felt or saw thanks from the people around me, then most other soldiers didn't have that either.

And don't let politics keep you from being appreciate of their service either. There were plenty of things that the President, or Congress or the Army did while I was active duty that I didn't agree with. Service members don't have a choice about those things, and they have no control over them. Frequently they serve and sacrifice despite being opposed to politics going on at the time. And they usually hope they can be part of things changing for the better.

I'm sorry that this may sound like a lecture, but it has been on the front burner for me for a long time, and especially today.

Here's a song that I have been listening to occasionally for a few weeks, and that I wish had been out while I was in the Army. It is very moving and makes me feel proud of the things that Steve and I did in the Army.

Lyrics to:
American Soldier
by Toby Keith and Chuck Cannon
See the music video here.

I'm just trying to be a father
Raise a daughter and a son
Be a lover to their mother
Everything to everyone
Up and at 'em, bright and early
I'm all business in my suit
Yeah, I'm dressed for success
From my head down to my boots

I don't do it for money,
there's still bills that I can't pay
I don't do it for the glory,
I just do it anyway
Providing for our future's my responsibility
Yeah, I'm real good under pressure,
being all that I can be

And I can't call in sick on Mondays
When the weekend's been too strong
I just work straight through the holidays
And sometimes all night long
You can bet that I stand ready
When the wolf growls at the door
Hey, I'm solid, hey I'm steady
Hey, I'm true down to the core

And I will always do my duty,
no matter what the price
I've counted up the cost,
I know the sacrifice
Oh, and I don't want to die for you
But if dyin's asked of me
I'll bear that cross with an honor
Cause freedom don't come free

I'm an American soldier, an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy,
I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the frontlines,
sleep in peace tonight
American soldier,
I'm an American soldier

Yeah, an American soldier, an American
Beside my brothers and my sisters
I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy,
I will always do what's right
I'm out here on the frontlines,
so sleep in peace tonight
American soldier, I'm an American
An American
An American soldier

In Memory of Emmett Bernard Sanderson

Keishon's TBR Challenge

2005-05-28T19:20:00.000-05:00

I know I'm cutting it close for May, but I finally got to Keishon's TBR challenge, which is a Regency for the month of May. (I'll try to do this earlier next month.) I chose A Magnificent Match by Gayle Buck because it occurs partially in Russia, has a Russian hero, and because the heroine is atypical.

Now, because you all probably know by now that I pay close attention to covers, I have to say that I hate this cover. The painting is terrible! The horses are nice, because they are important to the story, but the hero and heroine look old. Maybe the clothes are true to the Regency (I wouldn't know), but they don't look appealing to me at all. If I hadn't had someone recommend this book to me, I wouldn't have picked it up at the bookstore. The problem with a lot of these traditional Regencies is that they all look the same. There is nothing to distinguish them from the hundreds of others out there.

Anyway, to the story. A Magnificent Match is the story of Megan O'Connell. She is an 19-year-old Irish girl who is the youngest of four children. Her father is one of the few Irish families to hold on to his lands, and they supplement their income by breeding horses. The people in her family are all selfish and live separate lives. Her father is wrapped up in his horses, her mother in society, spending most of the year in London. Her oldest brother is married and following in her father's footsteps. Her sister fell in love and eloped with a man no one else can stand. Megan's brother Colin is now a captain in the Lifeguards. Everyone else, and especially her mother, is so wrapped up in their own lives that Megan is virtually ignored. She's 19 and she hasn't had a Season, and the possibility does seem that probable.

So when the opportunity arises to visit a friend of her mother's, a princess who once visited London, in St. Petersburg, she decides to make the most of it. This is where I decided I really liked Megan. Here is a heroine, who rather than martyr herself to her family, decides that she has to be like them or she will end up miserable and un-cared-for. She manipulates her mother very adeptly into paying for a new wardrobe for herself and her companion, gets an expert maid to accompany them, and convinces her father to extend her a letter of credit. She proves herself to be resourceful, clever, and realistic, yet still behaves within the mores of the day. All of this means that I can forgive her for acting like a teenager a couple of times later on, especially since she still is one.

Megan visits St. Petersburg, is a great success, gets 11 proposals, none of which she accepts. The princess gets mad at her for not marrying one of them, and sends her back home. It's only when Megan is being sent away that her son Mikhail realizes that he has feelings for Megan that are more substantial than he has felt before. Here's another thing I liked about the book. Mikhail is a prince and we are told that he has had many lady friends over the years, but we aren't bashed over the head with it. In fact, I don't think he is once described as a "rake".

So Mikhail follows Megan back to London. The romance between them is very well-done by the author. It is clear they both have feelings for each other. Megan doubts that Mikhail really loves her, but she's not one of those "I'm not good enough for you" heroines. Their courtship plays out across the London Season.

There is also an interesting secondary story between Megan's oldest brother and his wife Sophronia, who have been estranged. I liked Sophronia, who learns to stand up for herself. It was also refreshing to see an author describe a troubled marriage where things weren't solved overnight.

Usually I prefer a little sex in my romances. I lean toward steamy stories most of the time. I have a few Regencies and other "sweet" romances on my keepers shelves, but I don't search them out. This book is definitely "kisses only", but I still felt the romance and the connection between them. With their positions in society and with the time period, but mostly because of their own characters and how they were presented, I didn't mind at all.

I don't usually grade books that I read. If I want to read them again, I keep them (if I bought it) or I purchase a copy (if I got it from the library). If it was really good, I'll add the author to my watch and buy lists. If I don't keep a book, its probably a C grade or so. I guess my absolute favorites are A's. This is probably a B+/A- book. I really enjoyed it, but it doesn't quite measure up to my absolute favorites. I will definitely read it again.

More US/UK cover differences

2005-05-28T16:59:00.000-05:00

I talked before about the differences between covers of books published in the US and the UK. The subject is interesting to me, so I have been collecting a few more covers that are different. Some are substantial, some understandable, and some differences so subtle that I can't really figure them out. In all cases, the US cover is first, and the UK cover second. I'd love to hear everyone else's thoughts on these.

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters: The picture on the UK cover is on the BBC production of the movie, which as far as I know is not available in the US as of yet. Why not? Because it's about lesbians in Victorian times. I've come across a lot of people who think such things just "didn't happen back then." I think it's sad that Americans can't handle subjects like this. Noticeably, glancing at the US cover, you wouldn't even know it's about lesbians at all.

The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova: Here's a book that's gotten a lot of notice and a lot of buzz for its debut in July. Reportedly, the author got 2 million for it, and it's already on the way to being made into a movie. The rich tones of the US cover imply the combination of vampire and historical, and the hint of a face is interesting, even if it is sideways. I like the font and the script on the UK cover though, and the drops of blood, which draw notice to the vampire theme.

In the Company of Cheerful Ladies by Alexander McCall Smith: I have a few friends who love Smith's books. The UK cover looks more like it would be true to African folk art (though I have no idea whether it is or not). The US cover just seems so clean, it looks more like a beach resort.

Lifeguard by James Patterson: Okay, here's one I don't know why they changed. Both show a lifeguard's shed (what do you call it?). Do they have lifeguards in the UK? I really don't know. I've never lived near the beach. Are they significantly different from place to place. Also, one cover emphasizes the sand, and the other the sky. I like the US cover, it looks warmer.

Lost City by Clive Cussler: Okay, both have a submarine, and I prefer the one on the UK cover, but that design behind Cussler's name is distracting. Though I don't really like the plain black and white either. I don't really like either cover here.

Olympos by Dan Simmons: If I were to judge solely on the covers, I would think the US book was a fantasy, and the UK book a science fiction. Interestingly, Ilium and this sequel are a combination of fantasy and science fiction. Does sci-fi sell better in the UK? Is that why the emphasis on it more? I think fantasy is on an upswing more than sci-fi in the US.

Something Rotten by Jasper Fforde: Man, there is a huge difference between these two covers. If I were to go just on impressions, the UK cover has more of a humorous appearance that the US cover doesn't have. They both have books, and they are definitely both odd covers. I think I do prefer the US cover here.

Ten Men by Alexandra Gray: Okay, the first cover is of the US hardcover edition, the second of the US paperback edition, and the third of the UK edition. Obviously the publisher rethought the emphasis from the hardcover to the paperback edition, moving from showing multiple men to focusing on the heroine. But why the background difference between the US and the UK. I've heard that the most popular color for book covers published in the US is blue. Maybe blue doesn't sell as well in the UK.

The Traveler by John Twelve Hawks: These covers are probably the most different of the covers I've shown today. Traveler is also a book with a lot of buzz. Though at heart a sci-fi novel, it is being published by Random House's regular fiction imprint rather than by their Sci-fic imprint. They are obviously trying to find a mainstream audience for it. The UK cover has more of a sci-fi feel to it. Looking at the US cover, I wouldn't even guess that it was sci-fi, but I've heard it is supposed to be sort of like The Matrix. Oh, and why the different spelling on "traveler/traveller"?Is that the normal spelling in the UK. I guess I never noticed it before.

Waiting

2005-05-24T19:03:00.000-05:00

I thought I would post the covers of a few romance books that I am looking forward to. Some of these covers aren't on Amazon.com yet, so I don't know if everyone has seen them.

Awaken Me Darkly: I enjoyed Showalter's The Pleasure Slave. I was excited about this one when she first mentioned it on her site. The first Mia Snow: Alien Huntress book. I've seen blurbs that say that it has a kick-ass heroine and is similar to Alias, Buffy, and Anita Blake. I know that the "kick-ass heroine" is "in" right now and doesn't always apply where it is used, and I have my reservations about the comparisons used, but I have high hopes for this one.
June 1st

Beyond the Pale: This is a new author and I don't know much about the book, but I think it looks really interesting. I know I've mentioned it her before, but it's going to be out pretty soon, and I really, really like the cover.
June 7th

Love Underground: Don't care for the cover, but I love books based on or about myths, particulary Greek. And the Persephone/Hades story is one of my favorites. Fields will be a new author for me, but since it's a MMPB, I can't pass it up.
July 5th

Heart of the Dragon: Another Gena Showalter book. I know putting a couple of her books on her makes me look a little like a fangirl, but she comes up with some interesting and unique ideas. When I read a blurb for one of her books, I can see that she is actively interesting in bringing freshness to romance and in telling a story that is different from the hundred other books coming out each month. And hey, a heroine with a tattoo -- that's cool.
Sept. 1st

Kick Ass: Another anthology, clearly trying to capitalize on the knew affection for kick-ass heroines. Two authors who I enjoy are included here -- Davidson and Knight (like Showalter, trying new things for romance). Ford will be new to me, and Shayne is hit-and-miss.
Sept. 6th

The Master: I have really enjoyed Jackson's Wildside romances. I voted for The Traveler as my favorite romance of 2003 at AAR's annual survey.
Sept. 30th

Hot Spell: An anthology with a great linup of writers. Emma Holly is always great. I am pretty sure this is the first book from a new York publisher for Ellora's Cave regulars Leigh and Walker. And it has a novella by Meljean Brook. I really enjoy her blog and am looking forward to this one.
Nov. 1st

The Royal Pain: I thought The Royal Treatment was cute. Some people have said online that Davidson's voice wears a little after a while. I am not a huge fan of humorous books, so I knew going in that I couldn't read her books back to back or I would get tired of them. I give myself a few weeks and a few other books in between and I have really enjoyed them.
Oct/Nov 2005

Funny Flash

2005-05-23T23:45:00.000-05:00

My husband discovered flash animation on the internet a couple of years ago. I have no idea how people make them, nor do I know where they find the time, but there are some really clever people out there (along with some really stupid people, of course).

But by far the funniest flash animation I have ever seen is

The End of the World.

If you haven't yet have the pleasure of watching it, you have got to click on that link. Once it finishes loading, just click on Start. Warning: A little crude and not PC, but nothing horrible. If you dont' have the Macromedia Flash Player installed, it should prompt you. And make sure your volume is turned up (I turn mine off all the time).

For those who have or like cats:
I'm a Kitty Cat
The Laughing Cat

My favorite series of videos:
Neurotically Yours -- a series starring a goth girl and her crazy squirrel Foamy

And in honor of Star Wars Episode III:
The Star Wars Gangsta Rap. It's been around for a while, but it's great.

If you're interested in more ways to waste your time (not always PC, not always clean):
Stupid Videos
Newgrounds
Funny Junk
Albino Black Sheep
Atom Films

Tagged by HelenKay

2005-05-23T10:18:00.000-05:00

Total Number of Books I Own:

Probably somewhere around 1500 -- mostly romance and fantasy. Fledgling science fiction and mystery collections. A nice selection of books on mountaineering/Mount Everest/arctic settings/dogsledding. A complete collection of Louis L'Amour books. Lots of vampire books of all genres. A lot of books on the Lord of the Rings novels. About 100 classic literature novels and plays. Lots of books on mythology -- mostly Greek, Roman, Norse, and Slavic. A bunch of D&D books. A few thrillers, historicals, erotica. A collection of religious/spiritual novels and titles that are probably better classified as my husbands, along with the Stephen King novels. Oh, and some military history.

Last Book I Bought:

Well, I order some things online and pick some up at the bookstore.
From Amazon.com:
Awaken Me Darkly by Gena Showalter is on the way

I recently pre-ordered:
Private Demon by Lynn Viehl
The Master by Melanie Jackson
Hot Spell by Emma Holly, Lora Leigh, Shiloh Walker and Meljean Brook

And at the bookstore I picked up:
Wild at Heart by Patricia Gaffney
Finders Keepers by Linnea Sinclair
The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry
Her Way: Young Women Remake the Sexual Revolution by Paula Kamen

Last Book I Read:

It's never just one, is it?
In My Dreams by Monica Jackson
Dragon Precinct by Keith R. A. DeCandido
Ice Hunt by James Rollins

Five Books That Mean A Lot To Me:

Mythology by Edith Hamilton -- One of my favorite books of all, I like to reread parts of it all of the time. All of my characters in online games, paper RPG games, my handles, and my login names are taken from mythological characters in this book. Mythology provides the basis and inspiration for so much of writing and storytelling, I love going back to this book. It was also the catalyst for my interest in mythology in general.

The Last Hellion by Loretta Chase -- My favorite romance. I know lots of others who liked Lord of Scoundrels better, but The Last Hellion, closely followed by Ravished by Amanda Quick and Black Silk by Judy Cuevas/Judith Ivory, will always be my favorite.

The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien -- An amazing series, one of the books I've had the longest. Reading The Hobbit in junior high sparked my interest in fantasy and helped bring me back to reading.

The Gunslinger by Stephen King -- One of the first books my husband told me I just HAD to read. I'd tried a few Stephen King books before, and though I thought they were okay, I didn't really look for more. But The Gunslinger just drew me in. Steve and I have listed to all of the Dark Tower books together while driving on vacations. A great thing to share.

Seven Summits by Dick Bass, Frank Wells, and Rick Ridgeway -- I find this narrative of Bass and Wells' quest to become the first to ascend the highest mountains on each of the seven continents to be inspiring. Yeah, they had the money and the time, but the quest took years and took multiple attempts for them to be able to do it. They were amateurs and they were in their 50s. They set out to do it, and they kept with it until they were able to make it possible. And when they failed on Everest, they didn't just quit. They went back again and again until they made it.

Tag Five People To Do This:

Who hasn't done it or been tagged already? It seems like everyone already has. But I haven't seen anything from any of these gals:

Laurie
The Other Beverly
Rosario
Keishon
Anne E.
Jaynie
Tara Marie
Sandy

So consider yourselves tagged if you haven't already been.

None of my business ...

2005-05-22T17:05:00.000-05:00

But I noticed today that there are three new columnists at RTB. I don't know how long they've been there. I visited on Friday to read Laurie's column, and I didn't notice them then, but I wasn't really looking.

Anyway, the new columnists are:
Deidre Knight -- an agent for the Knight Agency
Sandy Oakes -- reader whose blog I read regularly
Sarah Wendell -- reader and along with Candy, one of the Smart Bitches, one of the hippest and most interesting blogs out there right now

I think they are all great additions and I'm glad to see this new wave of readers and non-authors at RTB. It is great and really helps diversify the site. The guest columns that have appeared in the last few weeks have been excellent, interesting, and provocative (as have some of the regular columnists' essays).

Star Wars ... with some small spoilers

2005-05-22T10:07:00.000-05:00

Steve and I went to see Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith at the opening night midnight showing. We've seen all of the new Star Wars movies at midnight, along with the Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and X-Men movies. If you've never gone to a midnight showing of a big fan-based movie like one of these, you are missing out. People dress up in costume. The theatre is full of people who have probably been waiting for the movie for years. Cell phones never ring. No screaming babies. People cheer when the picture flips on and when the opening title is shown. It's a lot of fun.

But anyway -- about the movie.

I was disappointed.

Anybody who has seen all five other Star Wars movies knows going in what this one will be about, so it wasn't that. I loved Titanic and The Perfect Storm knowing exactly what was going to happen. I knew that Anakin would betray everyone, that he would go to the Dark Side. In fact, I was looking forward to the making of Darth Vader.

But man, it was so cheesy and melodramatic. All of the Star Wars movies have been cheesy in small ways, but this one was all the way through. And it's weird to see this cheesiness and melodrama juxtaposed against such serious, adult subject matter. On one hand, everyone is dying, children are being murdered, the issue of a peaceful government being turned into a dictatorship is being played out on screen, yet everyone is being completely flip about the whole thing.

Anakin waffles back and forth so much that I felt like he was a bouncing ball Obi-Wan and Palpatine were throwing back and forth. If he was talking to Obi-Wan, then he was with him. But the minute Palpatine talks to him, then he's with him and Obi-Wan and Mace Windu are just "the man" trying to keep him down. And yeah, he's lustful for power, but any sane person could see that the things he wanted were unreasonable under the circumstances. Palpatine puts him on the Jedi Council, demanding that they break the tradition of voting for their own members, and then when they won't make him a master Jedi, he gets mad a them for changing tradition. Hello -- they didn't start it, why should they bend to it?

And why, when Anakin is so lustful for power that he turns on his lifelong friend and the woman he loves, would he so completely, knowingly subjugate himself to Palpatine. He's just hired muscle in the end. I wish it had been explained better.

Continuity errors bug me too. General Grievous is a cyborg general for the droid army. I know he has a human heart, but he doesn't have human lungs, so why is he coughing through the whole movie? And why, when a Jedi is hanging from a wall over a cliff, does he suddenly forget that he has telekinetic powers? And why, when Jedi can sense danger, don't ANY of them sense the attack, a galactic plan, coming and protect themselves?

And worse, everything is a path to the Dark Side according to this movie. "Fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side." "Attachment is a path to the Dark Side." Anakin goes down because he falls in love and he's afraid to lose her. Love leads to murder and dictatorship, how encouraging.

And it's painful to see these actors deliver such awful lines. Padme actually says to Anakin, "You're breaking my heart." Who says stuff like that? I know they're young, but they're not in junior high anymore. And Obi-Wan, when they get caught in a droid ship, "How does this keep happening? We're smarter than this." And Anakin later on, "What have I done?!" Which lasts about five seconds before he's killing again.

I love the ships they create for the movies. I loved Mace Windu's parts. I love the costumes and the settings they create. I still love Star Wars because it's such a huge epic story, because it's nostalgia, because it's one of the more interesting things that's come out of Hollywood in the last few years. But why oh why couldn't Lucas have somebody help him write the damn thing? I know he wants to maintain control, but he royally sucks as a writer. He's great with ideas, and really, really bad with words. It just ruined the whole thing for me.

Another cover trend ... couples

2005-05-21T20:58:00.000-05:00

I talked before about the trend of having shirtless men on romance covers, but another that I've noticed recently is the half-naked couple on the cover. I'm not talking about the bodice ripper historical covers -- those have been around forever and are still around. They have the wind-blown hair (going in more than one direction), the buttonless and open shirts, the gowns falling off of the heroines.

The new covers I'm talking about are much more modern looking. They look more like the covers I sometimes see on Black Lace or Blue Moon erotica. Some are historicals, but these new covers seem to be equally as common with contemporaries. These have a lot more class than the bodice rippers (though I still don't know that I would read them on the bus). The couple is often shadowed enough (like the Fetzer, the Clare, and the Moning" that the book doesn't scream "Hey, there's sex in this book!" It just says it politely.

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Pyat

2005-05-12T19:54:00.000-05:00

The Legend of Zorro -- I know I already mentioned this one, but the teaser poster was the only poster available before. The new posters for the movie were released last week. I think they are both excellent.
September 23rd

Cars -- This one isn't out for a while, but I saw the teaser trailer before The Incredibles. It looks like it will be cute, as usual with Disney/Pixar movies.
Jue 9th, 2006

The Da Vinci Code -- This was a big book, and I think it will probably be a big movie. Ron Howard directing, starring Tom Hanks, Ian McKellan, Jean Reno (from the Professional), and Alfred Molina so far.
May 19th, 2006

Flightplan -- Jodie Foster's next big movie. Sean Bean will be in it too, as the Captain. Foster's daughter disappears mid-flight, and everyone thinks she is crazy.
Fall 2005

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire -- This is probably my favorite book in the series. I'm looking forward to the dragons, and tons of other things. The book was long, so I know a lot will be cut, but that will be okay. Yet another new director, Mike Newell. The official website is up, with a teaser trailer.
November 18th

Kiss, Kiss, Bang, Bang -- Looks like an interesting movie. "A petty thief (Downey) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Monaghan) and a detective (Kilmer) who's been training him for his upcoming role..."
Sometime in 2005

Land of the Dead -- The fourth movie in George Romero's zombie series, the zombies have taken over the world and the few survivors try to stay alive in a walled city, but the zombies start to mutant, and some of the survivors are unstable.
June 24th

Unicorns Are in the World Again

Book Cover Experimental

Upcoming -- A Lady's Secret by Jo Beverley

In Search of the Unusual -- Snake Agent by Liz Williams

This looks interesting .... Night Child by Jes Battis

Last Minute Cover Modifications

Cover Trend #2 -- Cutesy Covers

Cover Trend #1 -- Naked Male Chests

Interesting Sales to Nocturne

Paranormal Romance

Upcoming Fantasy/Paranormal

Interesting Paranormals to Look Forward To

Urban Fantasy

Thoughts about this kerfuffle

Trilogies

Silhouette Nocturne (and a couple Bombshells)

I want, I want, I want

Irony

Upcoming From Publishers Lunch

Favorite Shojo Manga

Tagged

Vampire Books To Look Forward To

Bad Boys

A Few Upcoming Paranormals

Boys' Love

Anxiously Awaiting

Movies Coming Soon

A few mysteries I'm thinking about reading

Awesome Covers

Naked Male Chests

Some Interesting Paranormal Romances

Three Things that Bug Me Online

Upcoming Contemporary Romance

Concept Art for Moon Called

And Now for ... Werewolves

US/UK Book Covers

Movies Coming Soon

Books by Bloggers

Everyone Deserves to Be Loved

Heads up on Future Titles

Upcoming Fantasy/Paranormal

Upcoming Historical Romances

Playing with Polls

Vampires Never Die

Ladies in Costume

2005 Movies I Missed

I'm back!

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Seven

More Links for Maili

Heads Up From Publishers Lunch

Three Very Good Reads

2005 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs!

Pre-Pub Cover Changes

US/UK DVD Cover Differences

Wanting Something New

Cover Gallery

My Sagging Bookshelves

RWA Brouhaha

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Sei

SciFi by Women

The Modern Bodice Ripper

These vampires just won't die ...

Thoughts on Memorial Day

Keishon's TBR Challenge

More US/UK cover differences

Waiting

Funny Flash

Tagged by HelenKay

None of my business ...

Star Wars ... with some small spoilers

Another cover trend ... couples

Movies to Look Forward To, Part Pyat