tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53207052433930673102024-03-14T06:09:22.309-04:00My Kingdom for a bookBook review blog, mostly paranormal romance, but other genres as well.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-71050303577747776432013-09-18T21:56:00.000-04:002013-09-18T21:56:20.853-04:00Spiritwalker Trilogy by Kate Elliott<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I lick up books for lunch, slurp them for supper, and dine on them for dessert. I go through books so quickly that even I have a hard time keeping up with what book I'm reading. It's a rare book that keeps me reading for more than two days. I just finished a trilogy that kept me reading for more than a couple of days.<br />
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I cannot say enough good things about this trilogy. It was a Steampunk fantasy-loving feminist's dream. It also helped that one of the main characters shares my name!<br />
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It had romance to please my sappy romantic heart. The romance was not an overwhelming part of the series, but enough to satisfy. There were two remarkable things. One of the cultures in the book allowed women to have TWO husbands. The women in the novels also were able to have sexual assignations without anyone in the book calling them sluts. At the same time, the women in the novels were mostly without the right to own property.<br />
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I loved the Steampunk aspect, of course! Trolls were portrayed in a way that is very different from the way they have been in any other book I've read. I have always thought of them as being huge, hulking creatures with little intelligence. They were learned, brilliant beings who were scientists and lawyers. The author described them as something I imagine being a cross between a velociraptor and a giant bird. They conveyed themselves by way of airships and experimented with black powder.<br />
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There were political undercurrents that jive with my current political leanings. In addition to the main plot, there was political fomentation going on. There were pamphlets printed and speeches given on the corner, complete with hecklers who were easily dismissed by the female orator. Women demanded the same rights as the men. I loved watching the progress of the "radicals" and their ideals.<br />
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This is the third in the Spiritwalker Trilogy, so if you're interested in reading, start with <em>Cold Fire</em>, the first in the series. If you're a feminist, a Steampunk lover, a romantic, or a fantasy lover, this is the trilogy for you!Beawhizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17895875856275192529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-46620601279474262402012-10-03T16:49:00.002-04:002012-10-03T16:49:56.919-04:00Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle Cards<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="254" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uUg7hk4MTS4/UGyfKatkepI/AAAAAAAAAp8/GB4gAjK3irQ/s320/images.jpeg" width="199" />I received a copy of the Wisdom of the House of Night Oracle Cards for review last week. They were created by P.C. Cast, one of the authors of the House of Night series, and Colette Baron-Reid, an author of several books about Tarot and oracle cards. There are 50 cards included, and a guide book. </div>
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My first reaction was WOW! These are some gorgeous oracle cards. They have silver edging, and the illustration blew me away. One of the subtle things they did that I love was that the House of Night symbol was present somewhere on every card. </div>
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The guidebook is 127 pages long. It contains a short story about the Oracle of Nyx, the purpose of the cards, some examples of ways to read the cards, and an interpretation of each card. For the cards, there is a short message from Nyx, then a longer explanation of the card and some words of wisdom about the subject on the card. </div>
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Overall, this is a fantastic item, and worth the price tag! It's not only a fun way to work through your problems, it's also a beautiful collectible for a fan. I recommend these to both fans of Tarot/oracle cards and fans of the House of Night series.</div>
Beawhizhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17895875856275192529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-58095679436163517812012-09-18T14:09:00.002-04:002012-09-18T14:09:47.556-04:00Stuff Bea Likes #24: Thorlos Socks<em>This is a series from my separate blog, Stuff Bea Likes. I'm trying to simplify my life, and that includes my blogs! If you want to see any of my other entries(which include such awesomeness as Leonard Nimoy, Wil Wheaton, and 3 Musketeers Truffle bars), please head to <a href="http://stuffbealikes.blogspot.com/">Stuff Bea Likes</a></em>.<br />
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I received a pair of Thorlo socks a couple of years ago through someone else's blog giveaway. I don't remember which blog, unfortunately! I am not a runner, so I didn't think much about them or wear them often. They were also a bright orange, and it's not a color I wear often.<br />
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Fast forward to a couple of months ago. Due to an excess of driving on a road trip in poor shoes, I developed plantar fasciitis. It's pretty painful, and it's the worst in the morning. It comes with a lot of heel pain, and there aren't any quick fixes. I've tried a lot of them. I've iced it, I've worn shoes nearly around the clock. It's hard for a barefoot oriented type person such as myself to wear shoes all. the. time. I've tried a couple of products meant to pad the heel. I've worn a night splint to keep it flexed during the night. I've gotten a measure of relief from these methods combined, but it wasn't until I put these puppies on that I was truly happy with the way my feet felt!<br />
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The padding in the heel is marvelous! It provided more support and cushion than any of the other products I've purchased. I sometimes end the day with residual heel pain, but not the day that I wore my Thorlos. I ended up wearing them two days in a row just to keep myself pain-free.<br />
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I bet they're awesome for runners, too! I don't think I'm going to take it up as a past-time in order to find out, though.<br />
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<em><br /></em>Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-63007645358154959992011-09-26T18:45:00.000-04:002011-09-26T18:45:51.843-04:00Guest Post by Jaz Primo!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XrxCWJKwHk/ToEAB0z4vZI/AAAAAAAAAQE/w4vNje3UhxE/s1600/Jaz+Primo+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XrxCWJKwHk/ToEAB0z4vZI/AAAAAAAAAQE/w4vNje3UhxE/s1600/Jaz+Primo+Photo.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Paranormal Fiction is Out of This World!</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Hi, everyone! I'm Jaz Primo, author of the urban fantasy <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunset Vampire Series</i>, and I'm proud to be with you today to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart: Paranormal Literature. The paranormal genre has become a mainstay in today's popular literature, and has exploded into a multi-million dollar industry in less than a generation. The paranormal segment of literature is among the fastest-growing genres in the world today. In fact, the genre has grown so large that it's no longer merely relegated to the sole label of "paranormal." In recent years, paranormal elements are bleeding ubiquitously into the romance, urban fantasy, young adult, and even science fiction genres with wanton abandon. But what is the essence of paranormal literature that has launched into the success that is has today? Let's examine this further...</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The dictionary loosely defines paranormal as phenomenon "unable to be explained by science and therefore mysterious." The umbrella of elements that fit neatly underneath the canopy of paranormal are numerous. In recent years, a host of paranormal creatures are once-again abound in modern literature, including vampires, all manner of were-creatures and shape shifters, ghosts and revenants, angels and demons, fairies and fae, humans with psi-abilities, aliens, and undead creatures such as zombies. And yet, that merely touches the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Human folklore from around the world is replete with references to other-worldly and under-worldly beings and entities, thereby creating a wealth of creative sources for aspiring authors to draw from. One question remains: Why does it seem that paranormal literature is so popular all of the sudden?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As previously noted, human history is riddled with folktales, stories, and parables that include references to paranormal creatures and elements. People are inherently drawn to mysterious stories, and in the past, such references were used to help explain the functioning of the universe around them or to gain clearer insight into the human condition. One only has to look back to the Greek and Roman cultures, or Native American tribal histories, to see how strongly paranormal beings or stories have influenced or shaped the development of those societies. Granted, we have no way of knowing if ancient peoples fully believed in such gods and creatures, but it is apparent to archaeologists and sociologists that those cultures were greatly influenced by them. Today, though were are deemed far more technologically advanced in explaining the nature of the universe around us, people are still drawn to the mystique and intrigue surrounding paranormal entities and the creative stories surrounding them. While the exact catalyst for a renewed interest in all things paranormal is difficult to determine with precision, it is worth venturing that both film and television should receive some of the credit in capitalizing on an initial societal interest, and subsequently growing that following using visually-captivating creations via the latest technological advancements in visual and auditory special effects.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And yet, special effects and entertainment industry executives aside, no matter the mechanisms for feeding people's hungry paranormal appetites, the truth remains that compelling prose by equally-captivated writers and authors is at the root of paranormal's recent success. Without sound story and character development, people's minds would not be tempted to continue delving into such mysterious realms. As the author of vampire-related paranormal and urban fantasy storylines, I can only hope that readers will continue to be smitten with all things paranormal!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hope that you have enjoyed our brief discussion of the paranormal genre. And hopefully you will appreciate the review of my debut novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunrise at Sunset</i>, on this blog and consider reading my <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunset Vampire Series</i>. The first novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunrise at Sunset</i>, was published in October 2010, and the second novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Bloody London Sunset</i>, was published in May of this year. A third installment, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Summit at Sunset</i>, is being released this November. All novels are available in both trade paperback and multiple eBook formats from major retailers including as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, and Apple iBookstore. My sincere thanks to Beatrice for her review and for the opportunity to appear on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Kingdom for a Book</i>. And, of course, many thanks for her support of the Romancing Your Dark Side Paranormal Blog Tour that I'm currently participating in with six other wonderful authors.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Before I go, here's the teaser for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sunrise at Sunset</i>:</div><div class="MsoNormal">When is a bloodthirsty predator the best protection against a psychotic killer? </div><div class="MsoNormal">When the predator is both a vampire...and the woman you love.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">“We vampires are focused and tend to shape our own realities.”</div><div class="MsoNormal">My name is Katrina Rawlings, and I am a vampire. I declare that with neither pride nor ego. I am simply nature’s most dangerous predator. On occasion, it’s a very valuable quality. It helped me protect Caleb Taylor one day when he was very young. But that single, traumatic day is behind him now; wiped from his memory, or so I hope.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Caleb has finally matured into a rather striking young man, and believe me, I like what I see. I’ll readily admit that there are issues for us to confront and overcome, though a sense of mutual commitment isn’t one of them. I’m feeling hopeful for our future together, in fact. But an adversary from my past has returned to haunt me, and she’s trying to get back at me through Caleb. That was her first...and last...mistake. I’ll protect my Caleb at all costs, and I’ll make her regret the day she was born.</div><div class="MsoNormal">So, I suppose that I’m not just a vampire. I’m about to become someone’s worst nightmare!</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You can also find or follow me at the following locations!</div><div class="MsoNormal">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>http://www.jazprimo.com/</div><div class="MsoNormal">Blog:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>http://primovampires.blogspot.com/</div><div class="MsoNormal">Facebook:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/The-Sunset-Vampire-Series/223514840998333 Twitter:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>@jazprimo</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-92007509365380540092011-09-19T11:45:00.010-04:002011-09-19T11:45:00.946-04:00Promise by Kristie Cook plus Giveaway!<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jRHiK9-RKFQ/TnZyYH5eovI/AAAAAAAAAP8/CK6j4g3U9nA/s320/PROMISE+front+-+lo+res.jpg" width="201" /></div><br />
I am part of the Romancing Your Dark Side Tour, and today I am reviewing Kristie Cook's first novel in the Soul Saver series, <i>Promise!</i> I'm also giving away an e-copy of this book, and I'll include instructions on entering the giveaway at the end of my review.<br />
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Alexis has moved many times during her childhood because of her special abilities. Her mother refuses to tell her exactly what she is, but she is not human. She is able to heal faster than normal, and when she's angry, she's got enough strength to knock a nasty ex-boyfriend across the room with one punch.<br />
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She and her mother Sophia move to Florida where Alexis is already enrolled in college. On her first day of class, she literally runs into Tristan. She has a knack for knowing who is good and who is evil, and Tristan screams good guy to her. They begin getting to know one another, despite the misgivings of Alexis's mother. As time goes on, her mother is forced to start answering some of the big questions that Alexis has about who and what she is.<br />
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I'm not sure what I expected of this book, but I was blown out of the water! I really loved it. I started out feeling like it was more a novel that belonged in the Young Adult genre. The more I read, the more I felt like it was for grown-ups, too. <br />
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The romance was perfect for me. It moved slowly with the those moments that make your heart(and other parts) tingle! I'll be honest, there was a little bit of a wet panty factor going on. There wasn't a lot of profanity. It's not something I usually notice the presence or absence of, but one of the characters said "son of a witch!" a lot, and that made me chuckle a little. No one I've ever known has used that particular phrase when they were trying to avoid cursing. Toward the end, the f* bomb got dropped a few times, and that startled me.<br />
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I got the feeling that the author was a Christian. It doesn't bother me--I've read multiple Inspirational fiction novels, and even some paranormal that include characters who claim Christianity as their religion. I've also read some overly preachy sci-fi. I did not at all feel like this author was preaching at me, trying to convince me that Christianity was right. It was an undertone in the book instead of being an overtone.<br />
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The writing got better as I got farther into the book. There were some times at the beginning that I noticed some places where I would have written a sentence or two differently. The story pulled me in quickly enough that I quit noticing any places where editing might have been needed.<br />
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Overall, I highly recommend this book! I liked the characters, the story was strong, and the writing was strong as well. If you like the Sookie Stackhouse novels, Jessica Anderson's Skykeepers novels, and the Anita Blake novels, you will most likely enjoy this novel. It's not really like any of those books--it's a twist I haven't really read in any novels before.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-23335132142154538612011-09-11T16:32:00.000-04:002011-09-11T16:32:24.511-04:00Remembering 9/11/2001<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-angSaMnXjNo/Tm0ONCLWfPI/AAAAAAAAAP4/qL6-N7k5wC0/s320/firemen-flag-091201.jpg" width="275" /></div><br />
I have not watched any news coverage about the attacks on September 11, 2001 since that day. I've rarely talked about my memories with anyone. I don't want to follow the crowd of people who are talking about their experiences, but it seems like it is time.<br />
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I was late to work at the small private college where I worked that morning. My brother had been sick and was home from school. I don't think he had anything to do with my tardiness, but I don't remember.<br />
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I listened to the radio during my drive and heard the announcers say that a plane had flown into the first of the Twin Towers. My first thought was that it was a joke! It was at the same time the cruelest joke I could imagine.<br />
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I reached my office still very disbelieving. It was much quieter than normal. I found one of the professors at a TV, and then I believed. They were showing the smoke, the collapse of the towers. The people walking out of the cloud of dust from the Twin Towers' collapse. The worst was the people choosing to jump from the top of the Towers and die as opposed to waiting for the buildings' collapse.<br />
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We watched hours of coverage that day. They replayed the same scenes over and over. There was a girl there whose father worked in the Twin Towers. She was beside herself with worry over his safety. I knew nobody in New York City, no one who worked in the Towers, and I watched with numb detachment. I don't remember if I cried or not.<br />
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It didn't stop with the Twin Towers, either. We heard about the Pentagon being hit and the plane that was bound for Washington, D.C.<br />
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The stories were, and still are heartbreaking. I am proud beyond measure of the Fire Department and Police Officers in New York City. They heroism, their bravery exemplifies what a Fire Fighter or Police Officer should be. They are among the noble professions. Those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice that day are among the saints, I truly believe. There is no more tragically magnificent way to die than to die saving the life of another. <br />
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I am a child of the cold war, but I remember nothing of it. The first tragedy I remember is the explosion of the Challenger. I remember the Oklahoma City Bombing vividly. After 9/11 happened, a bombing seemed so much less terrifying than using airplanes filled with innocents to commit terrorism. It was also terrifying simply not to know <strong>who</strong> had committed these crimes against the American people for so long, even though there were suspicions.<br />
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My world has always been safe. September 11th changed that.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-89051292411975920552011-09-09T08:00:00.016-04:002011-09-11T15:35:10.349-04:00A Grief ExaminedWhere there is great love, there is also great sorrow.<br />
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I am one of those people who has a great capacity to love others. I have found so very many wonderful people in the world! I consider myself very lucky and I would never trade my friends for anything in the world. I would even dare to say that my friends are more awesome than your friends! Just kidding. I hope that you have friends as generous, caring, and reliable as mine.<br />
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At the same time, it hurts to have so many wonderful friends. It hurts to live most of the way across the country from my friends. I miss my California friends all the time. I wonder how their school years are going and if my little gang is getting together at Canter's diner to have lunch or dinner without me. Just being friends on Facebook isn't enough. I want to be close enough to go out to dinner with them, too.<br />
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It also hurts when they die. I had a dear friend from California pass away over the weekend. She was smart and funny. She was generous with her heart and her home. She was everything you could want in a friend. She was diagnosed with cancer about a week before she died. If cancer is the thing that's going to get you, it's the best way to go--right away before the chemo, surgery, and pain can eat away at your joy in life. At the same time, she deserved the right to fight! I can't find words for my hatred of cancer.<br />
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I've begun to wonder how much grief one soul can absorb and not completely unravel. I feel like I've barely recovered from one loss when another hits. It is magnified so many times, an algebraic effect. Every time someone I love dies, I remember the pain of all those other deaths. I re-live the grief of the other deaths on top of the new one.<br />
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I think that some people have the inclination to draw away from others and close their hearts to loving new friends and family. I don't do that, but my greatest wish is that the people I love stop dying. <br />
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<strong>Rest in Peace</strong><br />
Sandy McCoy<br />
Ron Bramon<br />
Harold Sweet<br />
Margaret Reese<br />
Helen Classcles<br />
Avery Edward Adkins McCoy<br />
Amy Rion Chesbro<br />
Anne O'Donohue LainhartBeatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-87974769342618244092011-09-07T22:01:00.001-04:002011-09-07T22:03:21.165-04:00Developing a Title, Guest post by B.K. Walker<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vVwgVA9Y1-I/TmggQLNcEvI/AAAAAAAAAP0/67u5rtzA_dg/s320/RYDS-BK.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><b><i>First, let me apologize for the tardiness of this blog post. A dear friend of mine passed away over the weekend, and I've been somewhat mired in grief over that. </i></b></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><i>Secondly, I have 2 e-copies of B.K. Walker's <u>Night Secrets</u></i></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><i> to give away! Anyone who comments on this post, follows me publicly on Google Follow, votes in my poll, follows me on Twitter, and retweets the contest will be eligible. Please leave one comment per entry! In addition, each person who comments will be entered in a contest to win a free Kindle! Check out <a href="http://www.vbtcafe.com/">www.vbtcafe.com</a> for more information and for an expanded schedule of the Romancing Your Dark Side book tour!</i></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><i> </i></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><o:p><b><i> </i></b></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I think this has to be the second worst thing in writing, editing being the first. Title creation does take some time and creative thinking. We want the title to be catchy, to make a reader think "What's this about?" If you were looking to buy a book, the first thing you look at is the cover, the second thing the title. If a title said something like, "The Life of Copper Dugan", that isn't so interesting, but if it read, "The Life and Times of Copper Dugan" or "Would the Real Copper Dugan Please Stand Up", now that's more likely to have the reader turning the book over to find out more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">So how do we authors come up with titles? It's a process, and sometimes we have the title before we even write the story, but that's a rare occasion, at least for me. Usually the title will come to us in an "Ahh hah" moment during the writing process. Other times, we have to work it out, sit down and really think about our story, what does it tell, what words would represent it best. Sometimes it's easy to come up with a title, other times it's mind boggling. For Night Secrets, it was easy to come up with the title as Night Secrets, a club in the story plays a significant role in the storyline. This is where a lot of the action takes place, not to mention that it's also a secret underground where vampires seek sanctuary. This making it the basis of all of the Night Secret books, it was an easy decision.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">For Near Suicide, the main character was in such a turmoil that her entire life she thought about committing suicide, and when I revised this I just needed to think of something that also represented being Near Suicide, and with the cover I developed, Death Upon Me was what became close to tell what the story was.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Immortyl Kisses is based on the kiss of an immortal, and just to change it up a bit I changed the spelling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Dares And Dreams, again was based on a bar in the book, where a lot of the action takes place. I have a tendency to lean towards a specific name in my storyline that I can create a decent title from.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">I usually find something in my story that I can base a title on though. An overall theme that is both intriguing and telling of what the book is about. I will admit too, that I've even used a Title Generator. These are fun because it just randomly generates a title, and if I see one I like, and many times I do, I can pick one that best fits my story. The trick is for me, if it makes me want to find out more from a book, then most likely a reader would too. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Find BK Walker:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1831525609</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Twitter - @bk36</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.vbtcafe.com/">www.vbtcafe.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://authorbkwalker.blogspot.com/">http://authorbkwalker.blogspot.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.immortylcafe.com/">http://www.immortylcafe.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><a href="http://www.bkwalkerbooks.com/">www.bkwalkerbooks.com</a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">BK Bio:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">BK Walker currently lives in Central Pennsylvania with her three children, Brittney, Hunter and Danny, her dogs Rancid, Sadie and Haven, a cat named Whiskers and a goldfish named Fat Albert. She has always had a love for reading and writing, even as a child she created stories reading them to her stuffed animals. With a love for vampires and werewolves, you will not be disappointed with her writing as she mixes up the paranormal juice. Aside from writing, BK also supports Indie Authors organizing virtual book tours, helping them to market and promote their work. Her book review site, BWB Reviews, is just another small way she contributes to the reading world. With many stories floating around in her head, she writes when she gets the time between working as a Pediatric Home Care Nurse, being a single mother, and continuing her college education in Graphic Art Design. When BK's not fighting with her muse, Mouthy Mary, who has much to say way too often, you will find her at a baseball game with her children, or relaxing with a good book in her hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Night Secrets Blurb:</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Keara Crosby had the perfect life. Her family was not hurting for anything. When her parents are suddenly killed, Keara must learn to live without them. After mourning their death for two months, Keara starts to live again. She follows her favorite band, hangs with her best friend Jared, and falls for the new kid on the block.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">When her favorite band is playing at Night Secrets, a new club downtown, she takes her first outing since her parents death and finds this mysterious boy watching her. Mesmerized by his lapus blue eyes, she can't help but feel drawn to him. Her body responds to him in ways she never thought possible, and she needs to figure out why. What is it about Channing that has her yearning for his touch?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 6.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Not only is Keara drawn to Channing, but the owner of Night Secrets seems to be drawn to her. Giving her special treatment, she can't help but wonder what he's hiding, and the sense she's seen him before. When she's attacked in the parking lot, her world turns inside out, literally. Keara will soon learn that secrets of the night, just may be the death of her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Excerpt:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tonight was the night ‘Shot In The Dark 357’ would be</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">playing at Night Secrets. I wasn’t exactly sure where it</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">was downtown, so I drove around earlier today to see if I</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">could find it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was on the south side of town, in what used to be an</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">old abandoned, run down factory. Pretty much in the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">middle of nowhere, I wondered how they thought they</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">would make any business out here. They did fix it up nice</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">though with the outside being black, with a shiny exterior</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">that reflected like a mirror around the entire building.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Painted on the left corner of the front, were the words</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">‘Night Secrets’, angled in a white ghostly script that</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">dripped beneath each letter like wet paint from a paint</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">brush.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but think how perfect the name was, as</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">the whole place put off a secretive, seductive effect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Tonight would be their grand opening. No wonder</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Buddha seemed so excited, they were the band chosen</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">for the grand opening.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I rummaged through my closet looking for the perfect</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">outfit. It would have to be black, to match the theme of</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">the club. That seems to be all I wear anymore anyways.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Black.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I settled for black jeans with a baby tee that sported</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">‘SITD 357’ in florescent green, with my new Buddha</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">hoodie. I straightened my hair, pulled money from my</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">wallet along with my ID to place in my back pocket.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Doing a quick turn around in the mirror, satisfied, I</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">headed to the club.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jamison met me at the bottom of the stairs, holding</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">my keys. “Thank you Jamison.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Anytime Miss Keara.” He grinned.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I smiled and kissed his cheek. “Don’t wait up.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling into the club I couldn’t believe all the people</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">surrounding the building. The parking lot was full, people</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">lined up from the door of the club, down to the street</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">corner. It was going to take forever to get inside.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove around in circles for fifteen minutes before I</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">finally found a parking space and pulled in, centering my</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">car perfectly between two others. Turning off the Jeep,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">nervousness swarmed me. <i>I wished Jared could have</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">come. </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Jared had made plans to go to dinner with Russell</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">though and he was going to try and stop in before the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">night was over.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I anxiously looked around the parking lot, pausing on</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">my rear view mirror. <i>‘Him’</i>. <i>What is he doing here? </i>Our</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">eyes locked in my mirror. His eyes seemed to glow even</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">brighter than before in the moonlight and again I couldn’t</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">bring myself to look away. He was beautiful.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Demanding my eyes to blink, which took extreme</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">effort it was almost like being hypnotized by ‘him’. When I</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">reopened my eyes, he was gone. I took a steadying</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">breath wondering if I imagined it, then departed from my</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">car to wait in that dreadful line.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a lot of excited chatter in the long line.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Everyone was waiting in anticipation, not knowing what</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">to expect once they got inside and a lot of talk on how</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">great it looked from the outside.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stood there listening in to a couple of girls, watching</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">their reflections through the building. Feeling someone</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">grab my arm I turned sharply to see who it was, meeting</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">dark eyes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sorry. I thought you were my girlfriend.” He was</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">my height with long dark brown hair, a go tee, and silver</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">hoops in his ears. His voice was deep, mysterious with</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">an edge to it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“It’s okay.” I answered, eyes wide with surprise.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After several seconds, he loosened his grip on my</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">arm, looking around in search of his girlfriend. Watching</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">him walk away, feeling bad he had lost her in this</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">treacherous line, I noticed he kept glancing back at me</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">causing a bit of unease in my gut. <i>Why does he keep</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">looking at me? He already established I wasn’t her.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Keara!” I heard my name being called. I looked to</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">see where Buddha was, already recognizing the Irish</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">tone.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Hey Buddha.” I yelled back, raising my hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Aye. Come on girl. Yer comin’ wit me.” He grabbed</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">my hand and led me inside. “Wait till ya see this place. It</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">so grand.” He said with enthusiasm.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following behind him, I realized I’d probably follow</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Buddha to the ends of the earth. As long as he had his</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">drums.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked past a bouncer checking ID’s at the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Very very tall, an obvious well built body builder his arms</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">were huge, the muscles bulging from under the sleeves</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">of his tee. He was wearing dark glasses and I wondered</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">how he could see in this darkness. He gave Buddha a</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">nod as we passed by.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He didn’t even ask to see my ID Buddha.” I</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">whispered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He'd be a weird one. I 've not ’eard em speak much.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Buddha whispered back.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We walked through the main doors into an entry way</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">coming to a narrow hall, coat racks lining each side.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">There were several doors on either side of the hall after</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">the coat racks, with tinted double glass doors at the end.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">That’s where we were heading.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buddha opened the door and stood off to the side</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">waiting for me to pass. I smiled at him, “Thank you.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">“It’s me pleasure. Wait till ya see this bloody place</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Keara.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t believe it. This place was beautiful. You</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">would never know it was an old factory the way it looks</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">now. As soon as you walked through the doors, you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">could hear music playing. A mild classic rock, not too</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">loud, yet not too low you couldn’t hear it at all. In the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">very front of the room, just past the doors, were a set of</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">stairs, leading to a circular bar. The bar was shiny and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">black, and sat about five feet off the ground floor. The</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">platform that surrounded the bar was big enough to have</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">five people standing next to each other with their arms</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">outstretched and was full of people.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were tables on the ground floor, all stationed to</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">be able to see the stage that was off to the back. The</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">floors were glossy black, with the words Night Secrets in</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">the center with the ghostly dripping effect as on the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">outside of the building. The stage too was black, with the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">white letters again against the back wall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was just the ground level. As I looked up, there</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">were three more levels of floors, all able to overlook the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">stage. It was almost like a cell block, without the cells.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Each level had a railing to keep patrons from falling, and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">there were people hanging on them looking down to the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">ground floor. Large screen televisions hung on the wall</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">and from the ceiling, displaying the video to the song that</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">was playing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was in complete awe. It was beautiful, shiny and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">new. “It’s amazing.” I managed after realizing Buddha</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">was staring at me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I told ya. Ya wer n’t gonna believe this here place. It’s</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">purdy awesome eh?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I don’t think there are words to describe it Buddha. It</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">must have cost a fortune!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I’m sure it did. I ‘ave n’t met tha owner yet, but I ‘ear</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">he’s purdy extravagant.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I continued to look around. This place was just too</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">amazing. I have never seen anything so….amazing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Wow. Just wow.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Buddha excused himself to go get sound checked.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Wandering around like a kid in a candy store, wanting to</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">see everything they had, I went up the first flight of stairs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">to the next level. The stairs were cement, but had black</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">carpet lining them. At the top of the stairs, the walls were</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">of that mirrored black like outside. A bar centered in the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">middle, in the shape of a horseshoe and the floors were</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">shaped in a half moon, with stairs at each end. There</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">were several doors again off the back wall, and tables</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">lined up in between the doors. Black stools lined the bar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Again the bar was shiny black, and this time I could</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">see that Night Secrets was engraved in the wood of the</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">bar, which was stained black, the letters stained white,</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">and a clear lacquer finish on top. Behind the bar were</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">mirrors, and in front of the mirrors were shelves lined with</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">liquor.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bartender here was built, much like the bouncer</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">at the door. His hair was black, his skin was pale, and</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">he too wore dark sunglasses. <i>What was up with the</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">sunglasses? How can they see? It’s just as dark in here</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">as it is outside. Weird.</span></i></div>Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-49641899868237398972011-08-10T15:37:00.001-04:002011-08-10T15:37:51.744-04:00Steampunk!<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="172" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ipru8gcof-c/TkLcNu9gjeI/AAAAAAAAAPs/Hz3pz1PLA5g/s200/3+Gear+Necklace.jpg" width="200" /></div><br />
On my Twitter profile, I describe myself as someone who thinks there should be more Steampunk in the world. The more Steampunk I see, the more I think it's awesome. Steampunk is one of the coolest parts of the sci-fi/fantasy world. There is so much you can do with it!<br />
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My first real exposure to Steampunk was at Dragon-Con a couple of years ago. The coolest this I saw was an awesome modded Steampunk wheelchair! I'd love to see some more Steampunk in movies. Wild Wild West with Will Smith and Kevin Kline is the best example of Steampunk in movies. Unfortunately, it was more hokey than cool. The Golden Compass had some Steampunk elements, but those were more in the book than the movie.<br />
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My dad fell in love with Steampunk, too. He has some skill with a soldering iron, so he's started making his own Steampunk jewelry! I am glad that he has found something to occupy his time since he's retired. I also think that his work is pretty awesome. The photo on this blog post is one of his creations. He has just started his own Etsy shop, and I hope that my awesome readers will check it out! He is <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/GearsandGlassGuy">Gears and Glass Guy</a> on Etsy. Click on his shop name for more photos of his Steampunk jewelry. He plans to have stained glass pieces up soon as well!Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-22670646145860444872011-08-04T08:00:00.003-04:002011-08-04T08:00:16.208-04:00A Wild George R. R. Martin Appeared!<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWmspqTQ1SQ/TjoCG3cZwGI/AAAAAAAAAPo/_jTMIlw4e8c/s320/grrmresized.jpg" width="320" /></div><br />
The signing last night was fantastic. I went with my little brother, the guy in the dark blue shirt behind me. It was cool to get to spend time with my brother. He is 14 years younger than me, and sometimes we don't have a lot in common. He turned 18 in May, and it's getting easier.<br />
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One of the things we DO have in common is that we're both big fans of George R. R. Martin. I discovered his books in the paperback racks of the Los Angeles Public Library's Central Branch. I took it home with me and encouraged my roommates at the time to read it, too. After we had all three read the books, we played "Cast that Character" and chose our dream actors and actresses to play Sansa, Arya, Tyrion, and the rest. I've continued to recommend the series to everyone I know who reads fantasy. I badgered both of my brothers into reading A Song of Ice and Fire. My little brother even gave up his W.o.W. account this spring so that those funds could go to paying for HBO.<br />
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Martin's Q & A session was short because there were so many attendees, but he answered some of the FAQs. His favorite character is Tyrion, and he's the easiest to write. He loves the HBO show and writes one show per season. My friend <a href="http://www.themothertongue.blog.com/">Heather</a> asked a question about women in his books, and received a very nice response. Basically, he said that his books are based on history and the women in his books have a lot to overcome(!).<br />
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Martin had great things to say about our local independent bookseller, which was awesome. The store guy says that he <i>requests</i> to come to our bookstore. We were his last stop on the tour. He said that a non-reader lives only one life, and a reader lives thousands. Such true words!<br />
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Unfortunately, there were so many people who were there that there was no personalization or photos. Well, other than the guy at the end of the line snapping people. I very much wish that I had still been in town during one of his earlier signings at the book store! I am amazed at his stamina. He signed books for over 600 people, and with a limit of 3 books each. I am sure that not everyone had more than one book--my brother and I each had one. If he did, he would have signed over 1800 books! The really amazing thing is that he did it in only <i><b>two hours!</b></i> Even with those downsides, I am very, very glad that I went to the signing. It was by no means a waste of my time, and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-52744122949616235592011-08-01T15:49:00.000-04:002011-08-01T15:49:26.726-04:00I'm collecting authorsMy newest hobby is going to book signings! You know what your favorite actors and actresses look like, but who knows what their favorite author looks like? I'm out to discover what my favorite authors look like and hear the sound of their voices. As of last Saturday, I met author #5. On Tuesday, I'll be meeting author #6! I am very lucky that my local bookstore has a host of signings for awesome authors.<br />
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It is a lot of fun to meet these authors. They sometimes read from their latest book, but most of them simply take questions from the audience. You get a chance to ask them personal questions when you get to the table to get your book signed. You can usually get your picture taken with the author as well. That's pretty awesome if you ask me.<br />
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I was really impressed with Jim Butcher who was the author I saw on Saturday. I thought he was really funny. There were a lot of fans there. They did the order of signing by giving us tickets that were alphabetized. My ticket was I, and it took 2 1/2 hours before we got a chance to see Mr. Butcher. I can't even imagine spending 2 1/2 hours signing my name, smiling for the camera and making small talk. If I ever make it as an author, I would totally sign books and take photos for 2 1/2 hours or more if my fans could wait for 2 1/2 hours to see me!<br />
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In 2008, I met<br />
<ul><li>Diana Gabaldon (who said that her grandmother shared my name, very cool!)</li>
<li>Peter S. Beagle (who went to school with two of the writing instructors at my alma mater, Gurney Norman and James Baker Hall. I had to give him the unfortunate news that James Baker Hall had passed away.)</li>
<li>I got a peek at Charlaine Harris while asking for her publicist's information</li>
</ul>In 2010, I met<br />
<ul><li>Kelley Armstrong!</li>
</ul>In 2011, I have already met<br />
<ul><li>Kim Harrison (who is a fellow Dr. Who fan!)</li>
<li>Jim Butcher</li>
</ul>and will meet George R.R. Martin tomorrow! <br />
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If you've never met an author before, do it! It's an excellent experience!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h981DvnDuK8/TjcDEAvobOI/AAAAAAAAAPc/rWp7vqsBlv4/s1600/DSC_0207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-h981DvnDuK8/TjcDEAvobOI/AAAAAAAAAPc/rWp7vqsBlv4/s320/DSC_0207.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>(My brother took this picture, so it's totally his fault that it came out blurry!)Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-50516659299996054542011-07-28T22:31:00.000-04:002011-07-28T22:31:02.130-04:00Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tSJmtL7Q7XU/TjINSo5CBmI/AAAAAAAAAPY/CQFMTwNVQsM/s320/deadreckoning.jpg" width="214" /></div><br />
I have been a fan of Charlaine Harris for several years. I'm probably one of the last to join her fandom. I started reading after the first season of True Blood. I knew that Anna Paquin had been cast as Sookie while I was reading the books, and I could hear her in my mind as I was reading. I hadn't seen the show at the time, but I have now. I have to admit that I was disappointed in Paquin as Sookie at first, but I feel like she is coming into the character finally in this fourth season. I appreciate the show and the books as separate entitites now.<br />
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I think I'm probably one of the last to read this book as well! It was my first time reading a book as an ebook. I don't have an ereader, so I was reading on my computer. My feelings on ereaders is an issue for another post, however.<br />
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The book <em>felt</em> shorter than the rest of the books. However, that may be because I was reading it on my computer. It was apparently 247 pages long. It was a very typical Harris novel with plenty of sex, blood, and violence. I always enjoy her books, and they never fail to deliver. They keep me turning the pages, and I am always sad when the story is over.<br />
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Sookie is living with her fairy relatives Claude and Dermot while happily dating Eric. Things are never quiet for long in Bon Temps, however. During Sookie's shift at Merlotte's, someone throws a molotov cocktail into the bar. Meanwhile, Eric is struggling not to let Victor, the regent of Louisiana anger him enough to make his death a certainty.Underneath all of this, Sookie has to wonder if her fairy relatives have ulterior motives for living with her. They claim that they become more powerful when they live together, but Sookie is not convinced. She also discovers that Sandra Van Pelt is out of jail and (yet again) gunning for her. Sookie also finds out some things about her heritage that are unexpected. It all culminates with a very bloody, gory battle.<br />
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Sookie has some serious issues that she has to deal with. I don't know how I would deal with it if I were in her situation. She has more tolerance, more perseverance than I would. There are a lot of issues associated with the paranormal that aren't necessarily predictable, but I think Harris has done a good job of anticipating those things. She doesn't show relationships with vampires as being any easier than relationships with other humans, and I appreciate that about her novels. I feel like there is a depth to the Sookie series that is lacking in many other paranormal novels and series.<br />
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Obviously, I highly recommend this book! I love Harris's novels and had the opportunity to see her if not speak to her at Dragon-Con. Sometimes I am surprised that novels like these come from an older lady like Harris! If you haven't read these books yet, go pick them up NOW. They are fantastic!Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-76210175114989555662011-05-31T19:41:00.000-04:002011-05-31T19:41:40.071-04:00Black Blade Blues by J.A. Pitts<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hmSl77_ASaM/TeV207SAQDI/AAAAAAAAAPU/E8otgTEzzuY/s320/blackbladeblues.jpg" width="209" /></div><br />
I've been thinking it for quite a while and I've probably mentioned it, but Urban Fantasy is definitely my favorite subgenre. This book just reminded me of that fact!<br />
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Sarah is a blacksmith who works shoeing horses during the day, moonlights as props master for a local film company, makes swords for fun, and is part of a Society for Creative Anachronisms(SCA) group on the side.<br />
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She's purchased a black sword at auction and after it is shattered during a movie scene, she decides to reforge it. She has an audience consisting of her girlfriend and a man who claims he is a dwarf. Things grow steadily stranger after the dwarf asks her to slay the dragon using the sword. Apparently, the dragon is an investment banker!<br />
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This is my newest favorite book. I couldn't put it down. I really loved the characters. I totally understood Sarah's dual feelings about her sexuality, her upbringing versus the truth of who she is. Her relationship with her girlfriend seemed very realistic to me. I do have a friend who would complain that all lesbian relationships are portrayed in a very angsty, abusive light. I felt like Sarah and Katie's relationship was surely angst-ridden, but I wouldn't say that Sarah's behavior was abusive. It was more confused.<br />
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In addition, I've thought that the fantasy genre could always use more lesbians. I'd say the same about gay men, but they just aren't macho enough for sword fights. Fencing, yes. Sword fights, not so much. It would be totally awesome if the next book had some gay guys in it. I won't have long to wait-the next installation is coming out soon, and I am very excited!<br />
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Sarah reminded me of Buffy in some ways. She was reluctant to stand up and take her place in the overall story. Once she did, she kicked ass and took names. She also pushed herself to her limits. Sarah is the kind of person that I would like hanging out with, and that's really at the heart of what I liked about this novel. I don't want to read books about people I don't like. It's distasteful.<br />
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At the same time, Buffy was someone who couldn't have a "normal" relationship. I don't feel that way about Sarah. I think that while there was a lot of indecision and figuring things out in this book, she won't have the same problem in the next book.<br />
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In addition to liking the heroine, I have to say that I felt like there was a twist in this story that I didn't expect. There were some questions raised that weren't answered, and I am looking forward to having at least some of then resolved. I liked the elements of pop culture that were included, too. It was really cool how the author took a skill that is somewhat archaic and turned it into something that made our character that much more vital. I am a knitter and while I enjoy the craft of it, it's not something that is altogether useful in the grand scheme of things. Blacksmithery is important in small circles, but not in the grander scheme of things. I guess it's an appreciation for the finer, more obscure arts that appeals to me.<br />
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If you like urban fantasy, you'll like this book! If you've ever been to a Ren Faire or are a member of SCA, you'll like this book! If you're a fan of Viking mythology, you'll like this book! If you're looking for something new to read, go find a copy of this book. You won't be sorry!Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-89605339722866436612011-03-16T20:27:00.000-04:002011-03-16T20:27:13.421-04:00The Last Eunuch of China by Jia Yinghun, Translated by Sun Haichen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vrg59otltr8/TYFJL0h2YrI/AAAAAAAAAO4/kd4qrXQ_1Po/s1600/last+enuch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vrg59otltr8/TYFJL0h2YrI/AAAAAAAAAO4/kd4qrXQ_1Po/s320/last+enuch.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>I'd been looking for this book for months before I finally put my hands on it through the Interlibrary Loans at my university library. It seems like a strange subject to read about, but the history is absolutely fascinating. Chinese history is one of the areas where my education is lacking.<br />
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For hundreds of years, China was ruled by an emperor. Traditionally, the imperial family was served by eunuchs. It was considered proper to have eunuchs, especially for the imperial wives and concubines because castration was seen as putting a stop to sexual desire. Eunuch-hood was seen as a possible way for peasant families to get rich, and would often castrate their young boys and send them to the palace for training as eunuchs.<br />
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Sun Yaoting was castrated <em>at the age of 7!</em> in the early 1900s shortly before the imperial family was dethroned. How horrible to have gone through that pain and suffering(two MONTHS of recovery time with a quill stuck in your urethra!) only to discover that it was for nothing! Sun Yaoting was sent to the palace by way of a nobleman anyway, when he was a teenager. He was able to serve the royal family for quite some time until the People's Liberation Army claimed China.<br />
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Yaoting's life was really interesting. He talked about the imperial family in what seemed to be a very frank light. He had plenty of negative things to say about them. At the same time, I had to wonder if there was <strong>more</strong> negative to say about them simply because of censorship in China.<br />
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Likewise, there was much to say about being a eunuch. There were some eunuchs that served the Imperial family who had families before they were castrated. Others adopted children. Yaoting talked often about eunuchs who would have affairs with maids. Obviously, castration does not remove physical desire.<br />
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The book was written in a rather formal style. For the most part, it was a very good translation. There were some times when I could tell that it was translated, but those were few. I was left with a desire to read more about the imperial family of China, especially that of the last emperor.<br />
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I would recommend this book for anyone interested in history, especially Chinese history.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-77426305349788032782011-02-16T12:00:00.019-05:002011-02-16T12:00:03.790-05:00Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TVIUGZIh3fI/AAAAAAAAAOs/KIdRZj0szro/s1600/dragon+bones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TVIUGZIh3fI/AAAAAAAAAOs/KIdRZj0szro/s1600/dragon+bones.jpg" /></a></div>I love Patricia Briggs Mercy novels. I knew that she had written other books before that, but I hadn't been able to find a copy of <i>Dragon Bones</i> at my local library. I did find a copy at my local Barnes & Noble's bookstore. I read it right after I bought it, and I'm currently on my second read because I just bought <i>Dragon Blood.</i> I started to read the latter only to realize that it had been too long since I had read the first to remember important details. Long story short, I'm reading it for the second time. It's just as good this time around as it was the first, which is not surprising because Briggs has a deft hand at the pen.<br />
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We meet Ward just before his father dies and he inherits rule of the keep at Hurog. Ward has been feigning mental disability since his father beat him unconscious around the age of 10. When his father dies, he inherits not only rule, but keep of the family ghost, Oreg.<br />
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Ward decides to keep his true intelligence a secret from his uncle Duraugh. That decision ends up being a mistake when the king's lover Garranon and Garranon's brother Landislaw show up at Hurog in search of a missing slave. Throughout history, Hurog has been a refuge for slaves, and Ward keeps that tradition.<br />
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In order to thwart Ward, they declare him incompetent to rule and drug him in order to transport him to the kingdom's asylum. Ward escapes, along with Oreg, his father's butler Axiel, the slave woman, and his sister Ciarra. Along the way, they pick up Tosten, Ward's younger brother who escaped their father's wrath after attempting suicide. Ward took him from Hurog and hid him years ago in order to save his life.<br />
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The little band heads toward Oranstone, where war is brewing. Ward's reasoning is that war heroes are harder to kill. Along the way, they learn to fight and face mighty betrayal.<br />
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I love this book and its sequel! I really wish that there were more books to it. At the same time, I do feel like the storylines were wrapped up well. I didn't feel like there were any loose ends, I just want more of these characters' stories. I wanted to be part of Ward's band and fight for right. Of course, seeing dragons would just be icing on the cake. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes Patricia Briggs, loves dragons, and wants a happy ending where the good guys win.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-89022284996344009732011-02-04T22:49:00.000-05:002011-02-04T22:49:58.168-05:00Words Sway MeI just finished reading a stunning and heartbreaking novel about what might happen if an EMP was detonated over the U.S. Very realistic depiction, in my opinion. I don't know what was worst; imagining this happening for real in my life, the deaths of the elderly, the cannibalism, the need to lock people up in asylums/sanitoriums again, or the death of a child due to lack of insulin. I could very easily turn into a survivalist if I think about it that much. Then again, I would head for my friend Shannon's house in the event of an apocalypse--she would have plenty of green things growing. And a catapult or trebuchet for defense. Plus, those Baker boys are something fierce!<br />
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My mother has always said that words are weapons for me. I can slice you to pieces without ever touching you. I try to use my power for good, but it doesn't always work. I guess it follows that words affect me in the same way. I cry much more easily while I am reading a well-written book than I do when I'm watching a movie. <br />
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There are books that I have been reading and re-reading for 10-15 years where the characters seem like old friends. There are books I can no longer read because of the deaths of those beloved characters. There is a book that haunts me, that I love, that was probably my introduction to the genre I most love; fantasy. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Last Unicorn</span> by Peter S. Beagle. It is such a book of humanity and haunting beauty. I want to read it again and again, to hold the words close to me. I can't bear it, though. The unicorn's story is too tragic. There is both great hope and great despair in the tale.<br />
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I marvel that this one story can absorb so much of myself. I marvel that this author has woven such a tale! Such a deft hand at the pen. Where does his story come from? I want desperately to have the same skill at writing a tale, the same power to bring tears, to have someone read and re-read my words fifty, a hundred times because of their weight, their aura, their transcendence. I fear that I have nothing so pure and amazing within me. I fear that I have that skill within me, but no story to tell. I fear that I have the story, but cannot find the right words.<br />
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Words hold me in their grip, tightly. I live my life along their edges. They susurrate over my tongue, whisper in my ears, grip my soul in both their hands and haul me under the deep blue of their gluttonous mouths.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-84842959985773119922011-01-12T22:34:00.000-05:002011-01-12T22:34:54.974-05:00Dying Sucks by D.D. Barant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TS5mPYcuCeI/AAAAAAAAAOU/3okihZe1Ujc/s1600/Dying_Bites.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TS5mPYcuCeI/AAAAAAAAAOU/3okihZe1Ujc/s320/Dying_Bites.jpg" width="197" /></a></div>I just finished this book, and I can't wait to read the next by this author! It was probably the best book I've read so far this year. I know we're only a couple of weeks in, but it was still a great book. I would highly recommend picking it up soon.<br />
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Jace has a dream that a man is telling her to choose the three things that are most vital to her job. She picks up her gun, some bullets, and her laptop, and walks through a door only to find that it wasn't a dream after all. She's been sent to another universe for her expertise in criminal profiling.<br />
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This universe is very similar to ours, but magic and supernatural creatures are real. In fact, vampires and werewolves make up most of the population. There are also Golems, constructed beings animated by the spirits of animals. Humans are a very small minority. Jace has been brought to this version of Earth in order to find a killer who has been murdering vampires and werewolves. 'Pires and weres aren't susceptible to the same mental illnesses that humans are, so the law enforcement agencies aren't equipped with the knowledge and experience necessary to find killers like Jace is.<br />
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There are so many characters in the book, and it makes it a very intricately, interwoven tapestry of a story. The author has very obviously thought in detail about what changes would result from a population composed primarily of vampires and werewolves. She writes about different books, music, and television shows. There are differences in history, certainly. It was fascinating to think about how it would be different, and the author's depiction was easily believable.<br />
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The part that I felt was somewhat unbelievable was that <i>all</i> the men in this universe seemed to be sexually interested in Jace. Werewolves, vampires, humans. It didn't matter--they all wanted her! I don't really remember how the author described her, but it just seems unrealistic that all of them would be interested in her. It was almost as if she felt like a romantic aspect was expected. I can accept that, but it was just distracting that all of the men wanted to get into Jace's pants. I would have been quite happy with the book if there were no romantic aspect to it!<br />
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I would totally recommend this book, especially for those who enjoy Kim Harrison's novels. The series is plot-driven, and I am looking forward to finding out what the next serial killer Jace and her colleagues track down is like.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-33233770009661194732010-12-20T08:00:00.003-05:002010-12-31T01:22:46.756-05:00An Update in the KingdomThere haven't been a lot of reviews in the Book Kingdom lately, and I apologize for that. Things have not been going well on this end for a while. In the past three years, 9 of my family members have passed away. Some were from natural causes or illnesses. My great-aunt and great-uncle were in their nineties. One of my uncles died in an accident.<br />
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This weekend, my cousin passed away. She was 35 years old, and was the victim of a violent attack. My family is quite obviously devastated. It makes blogging take a very far backseat to everything else. I've been doing a lot of reading because it helps to keep the grief at bay, gives me time to process. A lot of it is re-reading books I've already read. It's like spending time with old friends, a comfort. <br />
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The plan is to return to regularly scheduled reviews starting after Christmas. New reviews will be posted on Mondays, with specials at other times during the week as they occur.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-61656388759564557052010-12-06T06:42:00.001-05:002010-12-06T07:27:54.291-05:00Staying Dead and Curse the Dark by Laura Anne Gilman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TPzEltkMoDI/AAAAAAAAAOE/HILgLxXYNu0/s1600/curse+the+dark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TPzEltkMoDI/AAAAAAAAAOE/HILgLxXYNu0/s200/curse+the+dark.jpg" width="128" /></a></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TPzEe84BqmI/AAAAAAAAAOA/I9bNMna4e5s/s1600/staying+dead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TPzEe84BqmI/AAAAAAAAAOA/I9bNMna4e5s/s200/staying+dead.jpg" width="128" /></a>I think that these books are one of the most interesting concepts that I've read in a while. I picked them up thinking they were going to be paranormal romance. They are definitely paranormal, but there's not anywhere near as much romance as I expected. Don't get me wrong, there <b>is</b> romance. It's a much smaller part of the novels than usual. This one fits much better into the newer urban fantasy subgenre. It's quickly becoming my favorite genre overall. Who doesn't like it when a heroine kicks some major baddie butt? <br />
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Wren is a Retriever. If someone has something stolen and wants it back, she's your go-to girl. Her partner Sergei handles the business side. Wren is the Talent of the partnership, handling Current in order to get the job done. Usually, a Talent of her caliber is governed by the Council. Wren operates outside of Council boundaries as a Lonejack, one of many freelance magicians in the city. She is also a friend to the Fatae, the supernatural beings who live in the city. As a side-effect of her Current-use, she shorts out the fuses in her apartment on a regular basis, can't use cell phones, and can only use dial-up for her internet connection. <br />
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In <i>Staying Dead</i>, Wren is asked to retrieve the cornerstone of a building that includes protective spells. She has to get information through her unusual sources: a four foot tall demon with white fur and red eyes that looks like a miniature polar bear, and a wizzart, a Talent user who has taken in too much Current and has gone insane as a side effect. She ends up encountering a ghost in a deadly situation.<br />
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In <i>Curse the Dark</i>, her task is to retrieve a particularly nasty parchment that makes anyone who reads it disappear. It has been stolen from the House of Holding, a building where no magic can be worked that is guarded by monks. Wren and Sergei track the parchment across Italy and back to the United States where they discover it has ended up in their own city. Meanwhile, the Council, the Lonejacks, and the Fatae are at odds. Fatae are being beaten by a hate group, and lives are at stake. <br />
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I have to say that I was not a fan of Gilman's writing at first. In <i>Staying Dead,</i> she does a poor job of explaining her version of magic, and doesn't do a very good job of setting up the mythos of her novels. I was totally confused about what she was talking about for the first ten or fifteen pages. The writing was unclear and not set out in a logical way. As I kept reading, the writing got better, and I was hooked by the end of the first book. It is very clear that Gilman has set these books up as a series. There are quite a few events in the novels that have no resolution and even seem out of place at times. <br />
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I really enjoyed both books, and I would highly recommend them. Gilman's novels are plot-driven as opposed to being character-driven, and I don't read enough of that type of book in the paranormal romance genre. I think that I would totally not be able to be a Talent in Wren's world--I couldn't give up my electronic gizmos! Be prepared to be confused at the beginning of the first book. It's worth it to muddle through to the magicky goodness on the other side.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-57804287668923993972010-10-16T13:38:00.000-04:002010-10-16T13:38:48.631-04:00Born of Fire by Sherrilyn Kenyon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TLndQ0LH_RI/AAAAAAAAANU/28SKeTeWkRg/s1600/born+of+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TLndQ0LH_RI/AAAAAAAAANU/28SKeTeWkRg/s320/born+of+fire.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I love Sherrilyn Kenyon's books. I think that when I began delving into the world of paranormal romance, her Dark Hunters series was one of the first I discovered, along with J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood. It has been a while since I read through the Dark Hunters books, and I plan to pick them up again here soon. The TBR pile never gets smaller...<br />
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I hadn't read any of Kenyon's League novels until now. I picked this one up because of a conversation I overheard at a Kelly Armstrong signing, actually. I've read a few futuristic novels, but most of them are at best oddly done. Kenyon's was fantastic. I had no problem with believing in the setting like I have in other books.<br />
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I loved the characters, too. How can you not love a man named Syn? I loved the wordplay between him and Shahara about what the C.I. stood for. The characters were intelligent, and they were people I could have quite happily spent time with.<br />
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Here's a quick synopsis: Shahara is responsible for the care and feeding of her three siblings as the oldest. One of her sisters has a gambling problem and has landed herself in the hospital. In the future, hospitals won't continue to provide care if you don't pay. Shahara has only a few days to come up with the money to pay for her sister's health care or they will turn her out, resulting in her death.<br />
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Shahara, a bounty hunter, takes a contract for C.I. Syn. Syn is convicted of the rape and murder of Kiara, the daughter of a government official. Shahara doesn't know that Kiara is still alive and in love with Nyk, one of Syn's compatriots. She's already convicted him in her mind and is committed to bringing him in. Syn convinces her to let him go, but then Shahara strikes a deal with some of Syn's enemies. The two of them learn about each other as they search for the evidence that will keep Syn safe.<br />
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If you like Kenyon's Dark Hunter novels, you will certainly enjoy this book. I think that if you've read other futuristic novels and think they're hard to swallow, this one will make you try again.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-62805340447152990652010-09-19T13:40:00.000-04:002010-09-19T13:40:17.736-04:00Hornet Flight by Ken Follett<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TJZAELlV0FI/AAAAAAAAAMw/j0fPqC-2tjU/s1600/hornet_flight_us_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TJZAELlV0FI/AAAAAAAAAMw/j0fPqC-2tjU/s320/hornet_flight_us_cover.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>I have a huge TBR pile, as does pretty much any book blogger or reader. I've been working my way through slowly but surely. I think I'm about 5 books into a box that holds at least 50...It's a marathon, people!<br />
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I would say that most of the books I'm going to be reviewing for a while are books that are a little older. I'll try to throw in some other books--I've got a Sherrilyn Kenyon book and a new Elizabeth Moon book review coming up soon. There will also be an interview!<br />
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But on to the book! I have a confession. I love reading about World War II. It's an absolutely fascinating time period. There was so much going on, so much corruption, so much amazing sacrifice, and so much triumph of the human spirit. Most of the time, the books that you find about this time period are set in Germany. This book was set in Denmark. <br />
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I learned a lot about Denmark's history reading this book. I know that the author does quite a bit of historical writing, so I'm assuming that he's historically accurate. I'm just thinking in terms of the big facts--Denmark's king gave up to Nazi occupation with no resistance. The Nazis occupied with little difference in the country other than to institute a curfew, require ration cards, and prevent the Air Force from flying anything other than gliders. There was a Danish resistance, and the Author's Note at the back states that the Danish resistance was the most successful resistance during the war. <br />
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There were quite a few characters in the book, and Follett kept jumping about telling their stories in different places. I had a bit of trouble keeping up with exactly where each person was because I am not familiar with Denmark and its cities other than Copenhagen. The people were very distinct, and I had no difficulty following who he was writing about.<br />
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The main characters were Hermia, a British government official who has helped to set up Danish Resistance, her fiancee Arne, and Arne's younger brother Harald. Arne and Harald are pulled into the Danish Resistance despite Hermia's attempts to keep them uninvolved. Harald takes a shortcut through the German camp one night and discovers a radar array that is helping the Germans shoot down the RAF planes. He is asked to take photos by one of the resistance members, Poul, who is then blown up by a vengeful Danish police officer.<br />
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Harald is left with no way to get the photos to Britain, although he tries to meet up with Hermia who has crossed over into Denmark because her resistance fighters have been disappearing. He has fallen in love with Karen, the twin sister of one of his classmates and is living in an abandoned monastery on the family's property after a fight with his very conservative Puritan father. Karen's family has an old Hornet Moth airplane stored in the monastery, and Harald's only chance to get the photos to the British in advance of the next raid is to repair the airplane, steal the gasoline, and fly to England with the film.<br />
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The book was exciting and interesting. Of course, it was made even more so because I enjoy the time period. I was never quite sure what was going to happen next, and if there would be a happy ending or not. I would absolutely recommend this book, especially if you are interested in World War II history.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-70386896010577132972010-09-03T22:57:00.000-04:002010-09-03T22:57:08.627-04:00The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TIGk4pH1jYI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Bbi0pG6SgQo/s1600/uk-deedpaks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TIGk4pH1jYI/AAAAAAAAAMo/Bbi0pG6SgQo/s320/uk-deedpaks.jpg" /></a></div>Have you ever read a book that drew you in immediately, that captured your heart and your imagination so deeply that it brought you to tears? I just finished reading this trilogy for the 3rd, possibly 4th time, and am transported to another world, inspired, and no less entranced than I was the first time I read the book.<br />
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Originally written as three novels, <u>Sheepfarmer's Daughter, Divided Allegiance, and Oath of Gold</u>, Moon's trilogy is the story of a common girl who leaves home to join the army instead of fulfilling the betrothal her father has arranged for her. I feel like saying anything more than that about the novels will spoil the story!<br />
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There are so many things I love about the trilogy that it's hard to narrow it down. I love that there are women who are active in the military in a medieval fantasy. I appreciate the casual treatment of a homosexual relationship. I love the sword fighting! There's magic, elves, royalty, the fulfillment of the daydreams of a young girl. I think I most love the epic triumph of good over evil. The good guys and the bad guys are easy to identify, and that's something I wish was true about "real" life. How amazing is that book cover, btw? It's the UK version, and I wish it was available here in the States! I would buy it in a heartbeat. <br />
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This is on my list of Top 5 Books I would want on a deserted island. If you've never read it, go pick it up! Right now!Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-1060537930058270012010-07-24T22:11:00.000-04:002010-07-24T22:11:15.638-04:00Mind Games by Carolyn Crane<div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TEuW6CYBjBI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Lw7DgURnhh8/s1600/Mind_Games.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hw="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/TEuW6CYBjBI/AAAAAAAAAMY/Lw7DgURnhh8/s320/Mind_Games.JPG" /></a></div>This book is so full of twists and turns and moral dilemmas that my mind is boggled. <br />
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The heroine, Justine, is a hypochondriac obsessed with a malady called vein star syndrome. Her mother was convinced that she had it, despite a lack of symptoms and died because of it when Justine was 13. Justine drives away friends, colleagues, and boyfriends with her trips to the ER, her constant research, and general paranoia. <br />
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Then she meets Packard. He's the head of a group of disillusionists, people who take their own paranoia and push that negative energy into others. Justine is able to push her fears about vein star syndrome into Packard and maintain a normal life. For a time. <br />
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Justine doesn't want to join Packard's group, but is forced to when she realizes that she must continue to zap her fears into Packard or risk brain damage. She ends up helping to break down criminals who have committed horrible crimes and yet can't be convicted. These criminals become different people, those who work for good due to the degree of their disillusionment. <br />
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Justine feels uneasy about her position in the group and the disillusionment that she causes. At the same time, she is drawn to Packard and committed to finding his nemesis, a man who has trapped him in a restaurant for the past 8 years. Then she meets another man who challenges her ideas about disillusionment and about Packard. <br />
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I have to admit that this novel really challenged my ideas of good and evil. I wasn't sure who the good guys and who the bad guys were. The morality of the groups' actions was a fine grey line, and I wasn't sure where anything fell. At the very least, I'll be thinking about what constitutes good and evil for quite a while.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-43107999384964838572010-05-25T13:05:00.000-04:002010-05-25T13:05:16.920-04:00Get Your Towel!<a href="http://www.towelday.org/" target="_blank"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_W9h3QOoRX2k/S5gLqItmn7I/AAAAAAAABZE/vzObdHu34HY/TD_bannerAd_486x60.jpg" /> </a><br />
It doesn't seem like it to look at the books I review, but fantasy is my favorite genre. I love all things mystical and magical. I love Sci-fi as well, but I have trouble getting a mental image for what the author is talking about sometimes. I prefer my sci-fi on television so I can see what they're talking about.<br />
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One sci-fi book that I fell in love with is <i>Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy</i>. What's not to love? Vogon poetry? The meaning of life? Towels, anyone?<br />
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I found out (via Facebook, naturally!) that today is Towel Day. I thought I'd mention it on my blog because it's a reading thing and I take every opportunity to flaunt just exactly how geeky I am.<br />
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So, grab your towel and get your thumb ready to honor the late Douglas Adams, author of Hitchhiker's Guide and its subsequent sequels. No Vogon poetry, please.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5320705243393067310.post-67431988131260607362010-05-13T14:37:00.004-04:002010-05-13T15:29:48.195-04:00Warrior Ascended by Addison Fox<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/S-xHTSz6oZI/AAAAAAAAAMA/z1mI8ay6SoI/s1600/Warrior+Ascended+COVER.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 198px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6Vi6TE3rDdU/S-xHTSz6oZI/AAAAAAAAAMA/z1mI8ay6SoI/s320/Warrior+Ascended+COVER.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470826044140986770" border="0" /></a><br />The first in the Sons of the Zodiac series and the debut novel for author Addison Fox, <span style="font-style: italic;">Warrior Ascended</span> sets the bar high for the series. Themis, the Greek goddess of Justice has been allowed by Zeus to create 12 groups of 13 immortal warriors to protect humankind from evil. However, he has pitted her against his daughter Enyo, goddess of war.<br /><br />Immortal Leo warrior Brody Talbot is working undercover as an archaeologist on a mission to translate the Prophecy of the Summoning Stones. He meets Ava Harrison, curator of the stones' exhibit and daughter of the archaeologist who originally discovered the stones, Russell Harrison. Brody is immediately drawn to Ava, despite her horrid gray sweater. He follows her home and protects her from Enyo's warriors, the Destroyers.<br /><br />Eventually Brody is forced to reveal exactly who and what he is to Ava after his lion tattoo manifests itself in the middle of the streets of London in order to aid Brody in fighting yet another set of Destroyers. She accepts this supernatural aspect of Brody's with much less questioning than I would have, presumably because each time she gets near one of the Stones, she sees visions.<br /><br />Brody and Ava end up fighting to avert an Apocalypse, and I began wondering how she will top that for her next book! Buffy did it show after show, so I have no doubt that Ms. Fox can as well. I can just imagine the warriors asking Themis what they're going to do and Themis replying "Same thing we do every day, boys. Try to save the world from an Apocalypse," a la Pinky and the Brain.<br /><br />This was a quick, enjoyable read. I will definitely pick up another one of Ms. Fox's books again in the future. If you like astrology, romance, and the paranormal, you'll enjoy this book.Beatricehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09516633480445477001noreply@blogger.com0