Amazing Second Books - The Melting Pot As an author who writes and adores reading books that are part of a series, I am well aware of the painful fact that second books often fall shor... Terms of Endearment - A Piece Of My Mind A Piece of My Mind, Author, Bennet Pomerantz, Writer's Life Up Close and Personal with Leslie Budewitz, An Interview Leslie Budewitz is the only author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction—the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, for Dea... Flavored Butters - Inside the Cookbook Flavored Butters, by Lucy Vaserfirer, is packed full of knowledge and it's all about butter. The introduction contains a lot of useful informatio... Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance February 2016 New releases in popular series this month include: Ghost Talker: The Ghost Seer Series by Robin D. Owens, Runaway Vampire: An Argeneau Novel (Arg... James Scott Bell, Author of How to Make a Living as a Writer - Behind the Scenes James started out in law, but came to realize this wasn’t the avenue he needed to take. He turned to writing and through a long career has ... Try A Dragon For Speed Dictation Writing - Indie Pub It There’s a new trend sweeping through the indie author industry, one that seems to promise a genuine advantage: Dictating your work using vo... Time Traveler's Wife – Apples to Oranges In honor of Valentine’s Day, this month we will be discussing an unconventional love story that spans the test of time, backwards and forwa. Hearts Afire - Romance for Valentine’s Day! - The Romance Zone Hello, Romance lovers! You are so fortunate to be a reader these days—so many, many great books and authors to choose from. Like a giant bo...
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Time-Travelers-Wife-byJessie-Smith
Time Traveler's Wife – Apples to Oranges In honor of Valentine’s Day, this month we will be discussing an unconventional love story that spans the test of time, backwards and forwards, with the The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. The character of Henry has the amazing ability to time travel. At first this should seem appealing but there are issues with his condition. He can’t control where or when he goes and he can’t bring anything with him so most of the time he has to figure out how to survive naked, alone, and often freezing in harsh Chicago winters. Life was lovely and bitter before he meets Claire, a woman that has spent all her childhood with him and wants to share his future. She is a constant in his non-linear life and their love story is amazing to read in Audrey Niffenegger’s 2003 debut novel and to watch in the 2009 movie starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. So which one did I love best? Drum Roll Please…… the Movie. The movie removed the rough, darker edges of this storyline in favor of focusing on the intense love and devotion between Claire and Henry. What do I mean by rough edges? Here are a few examples:
Other Relationships In the movie, Henry and Claire have a wonderful relationship through the ups and downs of life. In the book, their previous relationships are used as metaphors that their lives could have been worse if they hadn’t found each other. Henry had a dysfunctional relationship with Ingrid and Claire’s relationship with Gomez crossed the line. Ingrid showed the audience the darker side to dating a time traveler who wasn’t in love. Gomez represents a path Claire could have taken if she hadn’t met Henry. Plus, there is an entire storyline thread that was removed about her abusive dating history with a high school jerk and Henry’s violent response. All of these other relationships serve to show that what Henry and Claire have is special, even if there was no time travel involved in their relationship. In the movie, they skipped all those other relationships and focused on just showing the audience that they loved each other and worked on being a couple with a complicated lifestyle without comparing them to others.
Blurry age lines during Time Travel When 20 year old Claire meets 28 year old Henry in a library, it’s very clear that they are going to couple. In the movie, she shares with Henry that he has been with her for all childhood and she gives him the green light to move their relationship to the next level. Nearing the end of the movie, there is one time jump to where Henry kisses an 18 year old Claire. In the book, Henry hasn’t quite ended his relationship with Ingrid before he starts a physical relationship with Claire and there is a time jump where a 40+ Henry has sex with an 18 year old Claire. Because I’m a hopeless romantic, I’m not a fan of those rough edges.
The dangers of Time Travel In the novel Henry has both of his feet amputated after a bad time travel experience which leaves him feeling defenseless and fearful of his next time jump. In the movie, Henry has a bad time travel experience which leaves him injured and temporarily in a wheelchair. This injury is revealed through a series of montages so the audience doesn’t stop to think about all the negative consequences for Henry. This allows Henry the time get closure in his life and to make plans to help Claire and his daughter deal with life without him.
Bittersweet Ending
In the book, it ends with a time jump to the future where Henry finds out that Claire, in her eighties, is still mourning his loss and waiting for him. In one sense, that showed that their love was timeless and that was a very powerful message. On the other hand, in the book, Henry made it very clear to Claire that he didn’t want her to pine over him forever. Even though he knows his time is near, he makes sure that she is surrounded by family and friends to be comforted when he is gone. The movie ending is a final goodbye when Claire is middle aged and Henry stresses the point that she can’t wait for him anymore. Then Claire and her daughter take a walk and their future seems full of possibilities. I enjoy a story that ends on hope and not bittersweet. The DVD includes a special feature that delves into the reasons why the movie chose to remove or enhance certain elements from the book. I love that Rachel McAdams was a huge fan of the book and that Ron Livingston tried to be true to the book version of Gomez while making the necessary changes to his movie character. This is one of my favorite movie adaptations but Night Owl Vote Casters overwhelming preferred the book with 67% of the votes. The book is awesome so I can certainly understand why they would prefer the 500+ page love story with all its complications. I appreciated that the ability to time travel was explained more in the book but I was swayed by the amazing movie chemistry between Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana as Claire and Henry. Next month let’s discuss a book/movie that has been receiving a lot of attention during this year’s awards season. Since there are so many books/movies getting awards this year, it was a tough decision but I have selected the Martian by Andy Weir which recently received 7 Academy Award Nominations.
Columnist: Jessie lives in Oregon and writes to avoid the rain. She only feels compelled to kill her characters when she starts a new diet and if she hates the ending of a TV episode she’ll rewrite it to give everyone a happily ever after. Currently Jessie is an unpublished author but she works tirelessly to removed two letters – un – from that word. Column book and movie tape drawn by Evangeline Owen
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Try-A-Dragon-For-SpeedDictation-Writing-by-Tracy-Cooper-Posey
Try A Dragon For Speed Dictation Writing - Indie Pub It There’s a new trend sweeping through the indie author industry, one that seems to promise a genuine advantage: Dictating your work using voice recognition software. The most popular dictation software is Dragon Naturally Speaking, published by Nuance. The more recent Windows operating systems come with dictation software built in, but most authors prefer the commercial version. Because of the name of the software, and the fact that there is a short adjustment period needed when you first start using the software, authors are calling this process “training your Dragon”. Using dictation software seems to be a perfect solution. Once you’ve got used to speaking your books aloud, you can reach fantastic speeds. One author promises you can reach 5,000 words an hour, relying heavily on dictation software to reach those speeds. Why is increasing the speed at which you “write” (dictate) books a good thing?
It’s tied in with the prolificacy advantage that indie authors have. (For more on prolificacy, see my March and April columns from last year). As our books are forever available, the more back-list books we have out there, the more sales we make. Because readers that are new to your work don’t tend to check publication dates, any book of yours they read will feel new to them. The more books you have available, the more they can indulge in the new reader habit of binge-reading everything they can get their hands on. Also, if you have many books available, you can get very creative with your promotion and discoverability strategies, including making some books perma-free, leaving some in the KDP Select program and not others, bundle books, going in boxed sets with other authors, and more. Have many books available therefore increases both your sales and your discoverability quotient (which in turn increases your sales). It’s pretty hard to argue that being prolific is not a good thing. (And if you’re of the “fast writing = bad writing” persuasion, please read this post and many more like it.) Being prolific is a matter of:
1. 2.
Spending more time writing, and Writing faster in the time you have.
Dictation software immeasurably improves the speed at which you write.
Dictation is not for everyone. I have spent a few weeks getting to know and love my own dragon, as well as read a lot of books, blogs and writer group posts focused on improving fiction dictation. It’s a sharp learning curve, and there’s some strategies that help, including: 1.
You have to know how to write a story. If the whole story-writing process is still squeaky new to you, then learning to dictate at the same time might be too much to deal with. Once you’ve written a couple of books, and have a better handle on narration, dialogue, action, etc, including where all the punctuation should go, then you might be ready to try dictation. Alternatively, train your dragon on work that “doesn’t matter” – a throw-away book, emails, blog posts – anything but your fiction.
2.
You have to know what you’re going to write before you write it. This means plotting your story ahead of time. If you’re a pantster and have no intentions of changing, then you might find that trying to dictate your book at the same time you’re trying to figure out what happens next is too complicated. Having said that, I do know one pantster who owns a dragon. They outline ahead only a page or two, or half a scene or so, then “write” up to it. That still gives them plenty of space in which to discover the story.
3.
You have to be prepared to re-learn old tricks. This is for the veteran writers out there, who are twenty, thirty or more books into their careers. This is the wall I hit hard myself. I am a ten fingered typist, and I learned in high school, which was too many years ago to mention here. Typing is invisible to me. I don’t think about it at all. I watch the monitor, think about what I have to say, and the words appear. My fingers move independently of my mind, which is purely engaged in telling a story. I can even backspace and correct small errors without even noticing that I’m doing it, and without interrupting the flow of my story-telling. On the other hand, dictating my book is not invisible, and I suspect it won’t be for a long time. (It did take months to learn to type proficiently, after all.) That means that what I’m writing is a little bit clunky right now, and feels incredibly slow (even though I’m still reaching word counts far beyond my very efficient typing speeds). If you’re in this boat, and you really want to dictate your books, then be prepared for a learning curve and some frustration – more than the newer writer and less proficient typist might experience. Give yourself a longer time to get comfortable with the software before calling it a failed experiment.
4.
You have to think ahead of your mouth. When you write using a keyboard and pen, you tend to think of the first few words of the next sentence, then write them down, then think of the next few words. It becomes an almost seamless operation where the words in your head flow and so do the words on the page. When you’re dictating, it does work the same way, but you have to think in whole sentences, instead of fragments, or vague ideas that you work out on paper.
You work (and sometime rework) the sentence in your mind, then speak it aloud for the software to write down. It’s a very different way of working, and it’s part of the adjustment and training you have to go through. Some writers just can’t make the adjustment. Writing is so much a process of exploration for them, they simply can’t build whole sentences in their mind before speaking. Also, sitting there in dead silence, while you figure out what to write next can be a little scary. It makes you feel like you’re “stuck”, that you’re not working fast enough. But the software doesn’t record those silences. It just sits and waits for you to speak. Usually, even with all the unrecorded silences, you’ll still be far ahead of your typing word count when you’re done for the day. It’s a matter of trusting the process and relaxing.
There is a bit of an investment involved in switching to dictation. You have to buy the software, and also a decent headset. I found the corded one that came with the software was uncomfortable and the cord wasn’t long enough. I invested in a Bluetooth wireless headset, and it was well worth the money, but it’s still an upfront cost before you even start to experiment with dictating your books. Do some research, if you’re at all curious. There are several books available, including 5,000 Words Per Hour: Write Faster, Write Smarter: Write Faster, Write Smarter by Chris Fox, and Dictate Your Book: How To Write Your Book Faster, Better, and Smarter (Growth Hacking For Storytellers) by Monica Leonelle. There are also a ton of blogs and groups discussing dragon training, including a very long board chat on Kboards (search for “training my Dragon”). In the end, though, your only option is to try it out for yourself. If you do decide to make the jump, give it a serious try – give yourself weeks, if not months, to make the adjustment. You’ll be working against some heavily-set habits, but if you can overcome them, the time and frustration is well worth it.
Tracy Cooper-Posey writes vampire romance series and hot romantic suspense. She has been nominated for five CAPAs including Favourite Author, and won the Emma Darcy Award. She published 35 titles via legacy publishers before switching to indie publishing in March 2011. She has published over 45 indie titles to date, including her latest fantasy romance, The Branded Rose Prophecy. Her indie books have made her an Amazon #1 Best Selling Author and have been nominated four times for Book of the Year. Byzantine Heartbreak won the title in 2012. Tracy has been a national magazine editor and for a decade she taught romance writing at MacEwan University. An Australian, she lives in Edmonton, Canada with her husband, a former professional wrestler, where she moved in 1996 after meeting him on-line. Her website can be found at http://TracyCooperPosey.com.
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/James-Scott-Bell-Author-OfHow-To-Make-A-Living-As-A-Writer-by-Lizzie-T-Leaf
James Scott Bell, Author of How to Make a Living as a Writer - Behind the Scenes This month we have the pleasure of James Scott Bell taking time from his busy schedule to answer a few questions. James started out in law, but came to realize this wasn’t the avenue he needed to take. He turned to writing and through a long career has evolved into not only fiction, but also books to help other’s achieve their dream of a writing career. In addition, he presents seminars on writing at various conferences. James, in your book, How to Make a Living as a Writer, you share a few secrets for writing success. Would you be kind enough to share some here? I strongly believe in writing to a quota. It is advice I took seriously early in my career, and I think it is perhaps the biggest single factor in whatever I’ve been able to accomplish. There’s no greater feeling than looking back after a period of months and seeing a full book there. My standard advice on this is for anyone who wants to write to figure out, within their own schedule, how many words per week they can comfortably write. Then up that by 10%. Make that a weekly goal, and chop it up over the number of days you actually get some writing done. Try to have a developmental mindset, too. Don’t work on one book until it’s finished and edited. Have at least one other project that you’re nurturing (or sometimes even writing). Have a weekly creativity time, half an hour at least, where you do nothing but try to come up with exciting concepts for a new novel. These don’t have to be full-on summaries. They can be just one line, such as What if a great white shark started feeding on tourists at a popular beach resort? Soon enough you’ll have a treasure trove of ideas, so many that you can’t get to them all. Your real test will be choosing which ones to actually write. When doing so, pick projects that have the happy intersection of your own excitement and some commercial appeal. Repeat over and over the rest of your life. You stress the importance of a business plan for authors. At what point in their career do you suggest one create a plan? Right from the jump. A business plan should be reviewed periodically, and tweaked, but it’s much better to have some kind of plan at all times. What kinds of books do you plan to write? How productive can you be? Where do you want to be in five years? What goals will help you get there? What steps will to take toward the achievement of your goals? I’ve written monographs to help writers with goal setting. Some new authors think all that is needed is write the book and readers will come. What are your thoughts on the need to market books?
You’ve heard of the two-drink minimum? I advise writers to think in terms of the five-book minimum. You need five quality books to begin to develop a devoted readership. There are very few debut hits, ever. So you write your book and do a few marketing things, knowing that marketing is not as important as a book that gets good word-of-mouth. But do basic things like having a nice, easy-to-navigate website, and a way for happy readers to sign up for your email updates (I don’t like the concept of “newsletters.”) The most important thing is to produce the work on a steady basis. With quality controls. If an author is considering self-publishing and doesn’t feel they need an editor, do you think they are making a mistake? This is one of the quality controls I am talking about. Every writer needs an outside source of editing if they’re serious about making it in this game. A good place to start is with beta readers. These are non-professionals who like to read and will give you feedback on the manuscript. At some point an experienced freelance editor ought to be engaged. This is the biggest single expense for a self-publishing writer, but one should view it as an educational outlay. And it’s tax deductible, of course. Do some research and ask for recommendations to find the right editor for your needs. Writer’s Digest has a service called 2d Draft that may be the ticket for some. There is a bit of controversy on which is the best route for an author—traditional publishing or selfpublishing. What are your thoughts? Do you think a combination of the two works? Either way, a writer needs to know the challenges. A traditional house is a good way to get distribution into bookstores, and perhaps a bit of marketing. But these days the contracts can be very one-sided and the advances tight. Writers should work with a good agent and also know what’s going on with contracts. Understand that failure to sell enough books might mean the publishing house drops you, yet keeps the rights to your books forever. Unless you’ve managed to negotiate a favorable reversion clause. A writer getting a traditional deal should also offer a plan to self-publish shorter works (which won’t violate the non-compete clause) as a way to gain readers. It’s a win-win. Self-publishing offers instant gratification, but also the risk that you might publish “too soon.” The grinder of submission and rejection that was the norm in the traditional world was also a good way to force you to become better. My advice here is to be really hard on yourself and your writing. A rule of thumb might be getting four out of five beta readers to tell you they absolutely love your book. Then you can consider it for publication. How important is a book cover? What about the blurb? Both are obviously important. It’s mainly important not to have a bad cover, which is easy to do. Hiring a good designer with a track record and portfolio is essential. The $250 - $500 that it will cost is money well spent. And there’s an art to writing the book description. If you’re going to try it yourself, spend a good deal of time studying what big publishers have put up on Amazon. That’ll be an education. Do you have a few quick tips for authors on how to manage their time? As it happens, I’ve also written a monograph on managing time. The key is prioritizing. You have to be clear about your most important tasks, assign them a certain amount of time, and calendar them. Planning for the week on Sunday afternoon is a good idea. Speaking of time, I know yours is valuable. Do you have any other information you would like to share with us. No one can tell you not to be a writer. So don’t stop being one. As long as you can type and have stories to tell, you’re a writer. Keep writing and studying the craft, the two tracks upon which success runs. What’s the best way to keep informed of your upcoming work? I send out the occasional email to my readers, who are always the first to know about my new books and deals. People who sign up HERE will be entered into drawing for a free book.
You can also follow James on Twitter and Like him on Facebook through these links. Twitter | Facebook
How to Make a Living as a Writer It's the best time on Earth to be a writer More writers are making money today than at any other time in history. For centuries few have been able to support themselves from the quill or the keyboard alone. Not anymore. With the rise of ebooks and indie publishing there are now more opportunities than ever for writers to generate substantial income from their work. And there is still a traditional publishing industry that needs new talent to keep growing. In How to Make a Living as a Writer, you'll learn the secrets of writing for profit and increasing your chances of making a living wage from your work. Here are some of the subjects covered: - The 7 Secrets of Writing Success - The 8 Essentials of Your Writing Business - How to Reach Your Goals - Keys to a Winning System - How to Stay Relentless - Unlocking Your Creativity - How to Write More, Faster - Comparing Traditional and Self-Publishing - How to Go Traditional - How to Go Indie - How to Form Multiple Streams of Writing Income - How to Write a Novel in a Month - How to Choose Non-Fiction Subjects - How to Keep a Positive Mental Attitude - Resources for Further Study And much more, all to help you write what you love and earn what you’re worth. James Scott Bell has made a living as a writer for nearly two decades, and shares with you everything he knows about the best practices for turning your writing dream into a reality.
Columnist Lizzie T. Leaf: Award winning author, Lizzie T. Leaf started life in Kansas, sprung to adulthood in North Carolina, and currently shivers through the winters in Colorado. Since discovering the fun of writing paranormal, she plays with creating vampires, faeries and other immortals. When she needs a touch of reality, her Contemporary Erotic Romances come into play. Her most recent release is Nordic Heat, available at http://amzn.to/1owng5k If she’s not creating mischief for paranormal beings, or getting under the covers with her erotic heroes, she can be found exploring the other genres she wants to write. She is a member of RWA and has served as President for the Heart of Denver Romance Writers and VP of Programs. Lizzie loves to read, spend time with her family and travel with her best friend husband. Links: www.lizzietleaf.com http://lizzietleaf.blogspot.com https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.t.leaf http://twitter.com/lizzietleaf http://pinterest.com/lizzietleaf/boards
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Urban-Fantasy-ParanormalRomance-February-2016-by-Roxanne-Rhoads
Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance February 2016 Winter seems to drag on forever. February. Still cold here in Michigan‌ Still bundling up and reading under my blankets every night.
What are you reading?
I just finished The Witches of Cambridge by Menna van Praag, the review will be posted soon here at Night Owl. What a delightful read.
Next up on my reading list is Wickedly Powerful: A Baba Yaga Novel by Deborah Blake.
New releases in popular series this month include: Ghost Talker: The Ghost Seer Series by Robin D. Owens, Runaway Vampire: An Argeneau Novel (Argeneau Vampire) by Lynsay Sands, Bitter Bite (Elemental Assassin) byJennifer Estep, SEAL Wolf In Too Deep by Terry Spear, and Blood in Her Veins: Nineteen Stories from the World of Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter.
A new release touring with Bewitching Book Tours this month is, The Deepest Well by Juliette Cross.
This month we have Kelly Martin, Emily Night andNikki Rae with us for the Super Quick Author Interviews.
RR: Welcome Kelly, let’s start with the name of your newest release and genre/category it falls into. KM: Well, I've had 2 releases come out in less than a month lol Heartless came out in mid January and Soulless (book 2) in February. They are paranormal/supernatural/horror books fitting for readers 13 and up. RR: Can you describe your main character in 3 words? KM: Hmmm Gracen is scared, brave, and heroic. RR: Can you describe your heroine in one sentence? KM: Hell wants her; Heaven has to stop her. RR: Can you describe your hero in one sentence? KM: There is a very fine line between good and evil. RR: What kind of paranormals or paranormal elements are in your book? KM: Demons, angels, psychic visions, and something that I can't talk about ;) Of course, it could all be all in Gracen's head. We really don't know for a good part of the book. She doesn't even know. RR: Without giving away details, Can you describe one interesting scene in your book in less than two sentences? KM: "Jessup Hart Blackwell ate my brain every night. He never ate my heart because he said I didn't have one." RR: In two sentences or less can you tell readers something unique about your book? KM: The thing that is unique about it is the twist I can't talk about. It is so hard talking about Heartless and Soulless because I want to talk MORE, but if I say anything, it gives spoilers.
RR: Can you list three adjectives that describe your book as a whole? KM: Unusual, Strangely emotional, thriller RR: What’s the heat level of your book? KM: Probably none of these lol. Romance isn't the main focus of book 1. Though it does come more in book 2. It would be more 'romance' than anything--but not entirely sweet. Well... he can have his moments of sweetness so okay... sweet (in a really weird way) romance. RR: And last but not least, where can a reader purchase your book? KM: HEARTLESS (book 1) Amazon US | Kobo | iBooks | BN | SOULLESS (Book 2) Pre-order price 99 cents until 2/16 - Amazon US
RR: Next up is Emily Night, Hi Emily. Please tell readers the name of your newest release and genre/category it falls into. EN: When in Gnome is a paranormal romance. RR: Can you describe your main character in 3 words? EN: Adventurous, Optimistic, Inexperienced RR: Can you describe your heroine in one sentence? EN: Evie is a friendly and free-spirited college graduate on a mission to find herself. RR: What kind of paranormals or paranormal elements are in your book? EN: Gnome is a town full of paranormal creatures, so all sorts: fairies, witches, vampires, werewolves, psychic, shapeshifters, etc. RR: Without giving away details, Can you describe one interesting scene in your book in less than two sentences? EN: At the beginning of the book, the reader learns right away that Daniel is a psychic, but he never leaves the property. Late in the story, Evie learns why and that Keiran’s affectionate nickname for Daniel may have a double meaning. RR: In two sentences or less can you tell readers something unique about your book? EN: The story takes place in a small town in coastal Mississippi that is full of paranormal creatures. RR: Can you list three adjectives that describe your book as a whole? EN: Magical, Mysterious, Fun RR: What’s the heat level of your book? EN: From sweet to sizzling RR: And last but not least, where can a reader purchase your book? EN: When in Gnome is available in both print and Kindle version. The Kindle edition can be purchased on Amazon.com, and the print edition can be purchased on Amazon.com, CreateSpace.com, Barnesandnoble.com, and Bamm.com. The Kindle edition is available for free to those who purchase the print edition on Amazon.com as part of the Kindle MatchBook program.
And our final author taking part in this month’s Super Quick Author Interview session is Nikki Rae. RR: Welcome Nikki, please tell readers about your latest release. NR: The Crow Box is a New Adult, Dark Paranormal Romance with elements of horror and psychological suspense. RR: Can you describe your main character in 3 words: NR: Artistic, determined, and dark. RR: What kind of paranormals or paranormal elements are in your book? NR: There are so many! The Crow Box borrows certain folklore and aspects of a bunch of different paranormal beings and phenomena: incubi, ghosts, visions, animal spirits, hallucinations, missing time, and all kind of goodies! RR: Can you list three adjectives that describe your book as a whole? NR: Spooky, sensual, and Poe-like. J RR: And last but not least, where can a reader purchase your book? NR: Amazon, my friends! RR: Thank you ladies, for taking part in this month’s SQAI’s.
Columnist Roxanne Rhoads: Story strumpet and tome loving tart...Roxanne Rhoads is a paranormal romance author, book publicist and owner of Bewitching Book Tours. Visit her at Roxanne's Realm and Bewitching Book Tours.
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Flavored-Butters-by-PamelaRobinson
Flavored Butters - Inside the Cookbook Flavored Butters, by Lucy Vaserfirer, is packed full of knowledge and it's all about butter. The introduction contains a lot of useful information, including the difference between salted and unsalted butter and why you need to know that.
There are a few pictures in this book, but they are few and far between. I didn't miss them as much as in a regular cookbook, because these are all butter recipes. They wouldn't be drastically different and I don't know that they are essential in this case. The chapters pages, or headings, do have pictures and a preview of what to look for in that chapter. One of my favorite recipes is the garlic butter. Recipe as follows: 8 Tablespoons of unsalted butter softened, 2 large garlic cloves grated on a microplane, 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel or other finishing sea salt. Blend together, form into a log and refrigerate. As the author mentions, this recipe can be used in so many ways- on bread, steak, or even used as a sauce. A dessert section at the end of the book was a pleasant surprise. I have my eye on the hazelnut praline butter. There is a handy index at the end that has the recipes listed in alphabetical order. I think every cook could find several recipes to use immediately in this cookbook.
PURCHASE ON AMAZON
Columnist Pamela Robinson: Pamela is an author and reviewer.
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Up-Close-And-Personal-WithLeslie-Budewitz-An-Interview-by-Toni-LoTempio
Up Close and Personal with Leslie Budewitz, An Interview Leslie Budewitz is the only author to win Agatha Awards for both fiction and nonfiction—the 2013 Agatha Award for Best First Novel, for Death al Dente (Berkley Prime Crime), first in the Food Lovers’ Village Mysteries, and the 2011 Agatha Award for Best Nonfiction, for Books, Crooks & Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law & Courtroom Procedure (Quill Driver Books). She lives in northwest Montana with her husband, a musician and doctor of natural medicine, and their cat Ruff, a cover model and avid bird-watcher. Tell us a little about your background I started writing at age 4, on my father’s desk. Literally---I didn’t yet grasp the concept of paper. Happily, my parents were amused and my mother, who is 89, still gives me notebooks and pens for Christmas. After college in Seattle and law school at Notre Dame, I practiced in Seattle for several years, then came back to my native Montana. I still practice law part-time for a small firm, primarily in personal injury and business litigation, with some criminal, insurance, and employment work. My husband, a singer-songwriter and a doctor of natural medicine, is also a Montana native, and we live in the woods in the NW corner of the state, on the road to Glacier National Park. Although we had dogs for many years---Border Collies and a Remoyed (a Samoyed and Retriever mix)---we are currently supervised by a ten year old Burmese cat. Tell us a bit about your Food Lovers Village series. Where did the idea come from?
After that early experience on my dad’s desk, it took me another three decades to decide I really did want to write seriously, and more than fifteen years before I held my first book in my hands. In the interim, I wrote several unpublished manuscripts, although a few were agented and came close, and published half a dozen short stories. After my nonfiction guide for writers,Books, Crooks & Counselors: How to Write Accurately About Criminal Law and Courtroom Procedure (Quill Driver Books, 2011) was published, I decided that as much as I love helping other writers get the facts about the law write—er, right—I wasn’t through telling my own stories. I love the light-hearted subset of traditional mystery sometimes called the cozy, and decided to try that genre. Foodie fiction is popular, and I love to eat and cook, so I created a village obsessed with food—in Montana, of all the unlikely places. Erin Murphy manages Murphy’s Mercantile aka the Merc, a specialty regional foods market in her family’s hundred-year-old building in the village of Jewel Bay. The village is inspired in part by the town I live in, and while there are even more great places to eat on the page than on our streets, it’s actually not too far from the mark! Happily, the locals have embraced the books. As a college student, I fell in love with Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Later as a young lawyer working downtown, I tried to eat my way through the Market at least once or twice a week. I’d start at the front entrance with a slice of pizza from DeLaurenti’s walk-up window, browsing the covers of the magazines at the First & Pike Newsstand— eyes only until my hands were clean! I’d sip a sample cup of tea at Market Spice while watching the fishmongers throw salmon and amuse the crowd with their comedy
routine, pick my produce and cheese for the week, and end with dessert—a hazelnut sablé from Le Panier, the French bakery, or a Nanaimo bar from a now-departed shop in the warren off Post Alley. So naturally, when I thought about setting a mystery series in Seattle, the Market beckoned. I created my own spice shop, influenced by the ones that exist there and shops I’ve visited in other regions, but with a flavor all its own. Pepper Reece is the poster child for the adage “life begins at 40.” After thirteen years of marriage, she discovered her police officer husband and a meter maid—she still can’t say “parking enforcement officer”—in a back booth in a posh new restaurant practically plugging each other’s meters when he was supposed to be working an extra shift. She moved out and bought an unfinished loft in a century-old downtown warehouse. Then the law firm where she’d worked in HR, managing staff, imploded in scandal and took her job with it. She tossed her office wardrobe, cut her hair, and bought the Spice Shop, a forty-year-old institution that had lost its verve. What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as a writer and what inspires you and keeps you motivated? Motivation is---or was---the biggest challenge for years. Not because writing is hard, though it is, but because I was going through a period in my life where nothing seemed to come to fruition. Ultimately, in my writing life, I broke through that barrier with the short stories and my nonfiction book. Staying motivated day to day isn’t hard at all. Writing is the thing I most love doing. To paraphrase Gloria Steinem , it’s the one thing I do where, when I’m doing it, I don’t think I should be doing something else. Joseph Campbell said “Never underestimate the value to the Universe of a fully realized life.” This is mine, and that’s motivation aplenty. I’ll confess though, that right now, I’m starting a new book, waiting for edits on another, and launching a new series, and staying focused is a challenge! You are also a lawyer, which career is the bigger challenge? They’re so different---they both have their own challenges. I do appreciate that in mystery writing, I can kill people without going to prison. What is a typical workday for you and how many hours a day (or week) do you devote to writing?
Alas, at the moment, there is no such thing as typical---not with three books at different stages and several law firm projects in progress. Generally, though, I write ten pages a day, five or six days a week, and fit in promotion when I can. During the run-up to launching a new series, though, that sort of flips for a few weeks! But I don’t want to let the new story get too far away from me, so I try to get in some writing time every day. Even half an hour will give me a few paragraphs or a page, and keep the story moving in my head. If you could take only three books with you for a year-long writing retreat in a gorgeous setting with no library, which three would you take? I have no idea! What advice do you have to offer to an aspiring author? Read, study, write, repeat. Join a writers’ group and learn from other writers. Focus on the craft first---might not be a bad idea, if you’re working on a novel, to finish your first draft before you start delving into the publishing business. Only then can you understand the options and the many paths to publications, decide on your goals, and begin making choices. What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done? Carrying a 60 pound backpack 60 miles over the Continental Divide, on an eight-day trip with my husband and brother through the fabulous Bob Marshall Wilderness in Montana’s Northern Rockies. Also the most amazing trip I’ve ever taken and the greatest physical challenge. What’s one thing your readers would be surprised to find out about you?
Probably that I don’t view any of my characters as based on me, even though I try to give them some of my own experiences----what they do with them is up to them! Where can we learn more about you and your books? I’ve got a lovely new website, www.LeslieBudewitz.com, a seasonal email newsletter, and a blog called Law and Fiction that blends fun stuff for readers and info for writers who want to get the law right in their fiction.
Columnist: Toni LoTempio While Toni Lotempio does not commit – or solve – murders in real life, she has no trouble doing it on paper. Her lifelong love of mysteries began early on when she was introduced to her first Nancy Drew mystery at age 10 – The Secret in the Old Attic. She lists among her favorite mystery/suspense writers Erle Stanley Gardner, Mary Higgins Clark and James Patterson, as well as EJ Copperman, Steve Hockensmith, Victoria Laurie, Ali Brandon, Rita Mae Brown, Miranda James and Sofie Kelly to name only a few! Toni is also passionate about her love for animals, as demonstrated with her four cats: Trixie, Princess, Maxx and, of course, ROCCO, who not only provided the inspiration for the character of Nick the cat in the Nick and Nora mystery series, but who also writes his own blog and does charity work for Nathan Fillion’s charity, Kids Need to Read! Toni’s also devoted to miniseries like The Thorn Birds, Dancing with the Stars, reruns of Murder She Wrote and Castle (of course!). She (and ROCCO, albeit he’s uncredited) pen the Nick and Nora mystery series from Berkley Prime Crime – the first volume, MEOW IF ITS MURDER, debuted Dec. 2, 2014. She, Rocco and company make their home in Clifton, New Jersey, just twenty minutes from the Big Apple – New York. Visit them at www.catsbooksmorecats.blogspot.com orwww.tclotempio.com
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Amazing-Second-Books-by-CMorgan-Kennedy
Amazing Second Books - The Melting Pot As an author who writes and adores reading books that are part of a series, I am well aware of the painful fact that second books often fall short on the story experience delivered in the first book. Like the sagging middle of a poorly written novel, second books often only offer a mere holding pattern for the satisfying ending you pray the author will deliver in the third book. My two selections this month buck the trend and offer up GREAT stories that make you want to reread the first book, while you eagerly await the third installment of the series. Let’s add the richness of great world building and storytelling of second books to the melting pot. *** In my first Melting Pot column, I featured a collection of short stories by Daniel José “DJ” Older. In that column, I stated that he was ‘one to watch.’ Well, Mr. Older has most definitely delivered on the promises he made via his short stories in his debut work titled: Salsa Nocturna. Trust me, his short stories were merely the appetizer before the main dish. Half Resurrection Bluesreintroduces us to Carlos Delacruz, the half-dead lead featured in his Bone Street Rumba Series. Midnight Taxi Tango picks up just after the action in Half Resurrection Blues. Not to worry, though, you can pick up the second book without having read Mr. Older’s previous two works. Like his other books, Midnight Taxi Tango is written with the flow of slam poetry that almost glides across the page. His descriptions are so ‘on point’ you can literally feel the grime and smell the stink of New York City’s underbelly. Latin, Afro-Caribbean, African-American, and other black and brown skinned flavors are spilled all over this novel. AND - I HIGHLY recommend the Audible version of the book, because Mr. Older does his own narration. Really, this book is not to be missed if you are a fan of Urban Fantasy novels. Midnight Taxi Tango: A Bone Street Rumba Novel by Daniel José Older The author of Half-Resurrection Blues returns in a new Bone Street Rumba Novel—a knife-edge, noir-shaded urban fantasy of crime after death. The streets of New York are hungry tonight... Carlos Delacruz straddles the line between the living and the not-so alive. As an agent for the Council of the Dead, he eliminates New York’s ghostlier problems. This time it’s a string of gruesome paranormal accidents in Brooklyn’s Von King Park that has already taken the lives of several locals—and is bound to take more. The incidents in the park have put Kia on edge. When she first met Carlos, he was the weird guy who came to Baba Eddie's botánica, where she worked. But the closer they’ve gotten, the more she’s seeing the world from Carlos’s point of view. In fact, she’s starting to see ghosts. And the situation is far more sinister than that—because whatever is bringing out the dead, it’s only just getting started. ***
The Red King has issues. Serious issues. His city’s primary water supply is being poisoned by two not-so-happy serpent demons and Caleb Altemoc is dispatched to assess the situation. He didn’t count on falling hard for an edgy, risk taking, adrenaline junky, cliff runner named Mal. This story takes place in the same world where contracts are bound with magic and gods are mix of machine and deity featured in his first book: Three Parts Dead. However, the events of this book take place before the events in Three Parts Dead. Confused? Don’t be. There are a total of five books in the series and they are purposely being released out of order, but the story telling is so strong and consistent you could pick up any of the books and start reading without feeling lost. Two Serpents Rise features a mix of Central and South American indigenous cultures and religious mysticism. Caleb harbors powers even he isn’t fully aware of, which makes him the perfect man for the job. You’ll love going along for the ride as he works his way through the maze of schemes within schemes of political intrigues. By the way, the last book in the series is due out this year, but somehow I have the feeling that Mr. Gladstone has a few more writerly tricks up his sleeve. Two Serpents Rise (Craft Sequence Book 2) by Max Gladstone In Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone, shadow demons plague the city reservoir, and Red King Consolidated has sent in Caleb Altemoc—casual gambler and professional risk manager—to cleanse the water for the sixteen million people of Dresediel Lex. At the scene of the crime, Caleb finds an alluring and clever cliff runner, Crazy Mal, who easily outpaces him. But Caleb has more than the demon infestation, Mal, or job security to worry about when he discovers that his father—the last priest of the old gods and leader of the True Quechal terrorists—has broken into his home and is wanted in connection to the attacks on the water supply. From the beginning, Caleb and Mal are bound by lust, Craft, and chance, as both play a dangerous game where gods and people are pawns. They sleep on water, they dance in fire...and all the while the Twin Serpents slumbering beneath the earth are stirring, and they are hungry.
Columnist: C. Morgan Kennedy I have a confession to make. I’m a time traveler. I love flinging myself into the future, then hurtling fast to an alternative past. In my usual time-space-dimension, I’m a mechanical engineer and business woman. So, I have a natural penchant for hover cars and steam or aether powered engines. Though I was born in the wrong era, I’m actually a child of the sixties – 1860, 1960, 2060. My stories feature strong women, who know how to wield their minds like weapons. Their men are smart and often controlling….but, rest assured, my female leads give them a run for their money. They strive to follow their hearts and dreams for the betterment of themselves and their loved ones. Like my life, all of my stories feature a diverse cast of characters. With my business partner, Therese Patrick, I work to demystify marketing principles for my author friends. Our first book, Author Marketing 101 Guide & Journal, was published by Gazebo Gardens Publishing and released in October 2013. Steampunk, futurist, blerd, artist, author, and marketing maven…a real creative force of nature – that’s me in a nutshell. Keep tabs on my adventures via my blog, Morgan’s Mix Tape, on my website:http://www.cmorgankennedy.com.
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Terms-Of-Endearment-byBennet-Pomerantz
Terms of Endearment - A Piece Of My Mind The English language has a deceptive air of simplicity; so have some little frocks; but they are both not the kind of thing you can run up in half an hour with a machine. --Author Dorothy L. Sayers A few months ago, I wrote a column and used the term “A hack job”. When that column came out, I got emails. Many wondered what a ‘Hack Job’ was. To some I explained, it was a job for quick cash. This bagged the question, why did I write something for quick cash. The long and the short of it was, this British publisher offered me an opportunity I couldn't pass up...so I took it. As I stated in that article, I was not truly proud of it. The three books I wrote were written quickly and I did not expect these books (which are long out of print) to haunt me. The HACK work was not my best, it surely was not my worst. However I tend to not mention those books on my resume. The money was good and paid a FEW mortgage payments and a few dinners out. The use of language is something we have to find a happy medium with. I still use the term NEAT or NEATO…does that term make me old fashioned or strange? I don't think so. Most other people do assume so. A newspaper editor I had many years ago, once told me, “Bennet, use nickel words instead of half a dollar ones...and watch the slang, it will get you in trouble!” Note I have never been in trouble for using florid language...maybe once. I wrote an audio review and I used the term Myopic. The term (from Webster’s dictionary) Myopic is an adjective meaning shortsighted in every sense...usage in a sentence whether you need glasses or a new attitude, if you can't see the forest for the trees, you're myopic. I wrote, “I would say if I was myopic in my review, I would state this was a good college try. However I am not so myopic about this project.” The person whose audio in the same paragraph in the book I reviewed said “You used the word myopic is the sentence twice. Then he again messaged and said “What's Myopic?” So watch your language and be careful how you say it. Reach for the Stars
Columnist: Bennet Pomerantz has covered the Audio medium for the last 20 years. He has syndicated newspaper columns, AUDIOWORLD and "Movies of Your Mind", in Affaire De Coeur Magazine. In which he showcase his vast and diverse knowledge of the spoken word medium. He is also known as a media review critic (books, music, graphic novels, DVDs, CDs) in his weekly syndicated newspaper column "A Piece of the Page". He also is a ranked media reviewer for Amazon.com.http://www.facebook.com/bennet.pomerantz1 / E-mail:audioworld@yahoo.com
https://www.nightowlreviews.com/V5/Magazine/FreeBooklovers-Mag-Feb-2016/Articles/Hearts-Afire-by-Cathryn-Cade
Hearts Afire - Romance for Valentine’s Day! - The Romance Zone Hello, Romance lovers! You are so fortunate to be a reader these days—so many, many great books and authors to choose from. Like a giant box of assorted chocolates that just keeps filling in no matter how many you devour. Here are some sweets, rich treats and a few nutty confections I’ve enjoyed.
A Colorado cowboy sound good? Radio Rose by Stephanie Berget. Change of Heart Cowboys, Book 1. Contemporary western romance. When life has taught two people not to trust, can a little town open their hearts? Cowboys and aliens … on a dark, deserted highway, it can be hard to tell the difference. Especially when Rose Wajnowski makes her living as a night DJ chatting about alien encounters with folks in tinfoil helmets. Her listeners are eccentric, to say the least. But she’s happy—sort of—with her solitary life. Until a midnight car crash and a blow to the head has her seeing tall, handsome extraterrestrials instead of stars. Adam Cameron, raised by his narcissistic grandfather, got out of Tullyville, Colorado the day he turned eighteen. He’s back ten years later for the reading of his grandfather’s will, but he’s not happy to be home. Except for meeting the pretty little brunette who nearly ran him down with her car on that dark highway. Adam is about to be pulled into a contest for a vast fortune and the future of a town he’d just as soon forget. But the quirky inhabitants of Tullyville desperately need his help if their town is to survive. Luckily for him, this cowboy has feisty Rose at his side, and in his arms. As they work together, both Rose and Adam will learn some important lessons about trust and the real meaning of family.
And let’s head up to Montana for another great series! Redemption Series Box Set, Books 1 - 5: Clearwater County Collection by Bonnie R Paulson. Contemporary sweet western romance. Romancing Redemption - Facing a life of prostitution or homelessness, Rosie must make a choice that will keep and her sister safe in the wilds of an unforgiving Montana. Riding for Redemption - Desperate to find her place in the world, Sara Beth dreams of applying for the Miss Wrangler Montana competition, until a near fatal accident may steal her dreams. Resisting Redemption - Lisa chases dangerous fun over boring responsibilities. Love is the last thing she expects to find, especially with her past revolting against her future.
Regretting Redemption - Mary's never been completely honest with anyone--especially herself. Her newly found sisters don’t understand. Rewarding Redemption - Jenny has memories of a happy childhood, of love and laughter. Then her mother’s death took everything away and created a monster in the man Jenny called dad. Now she has a treasure to find and sisters to look after.
The Montana Rockies are the setting for a thrilling tale of suspense. Dead Again by Tracy Cooper-Posey. Romantic suspense. They killed him once--they'll stop at nothing to do it again, this time for good. Murder. Organized crime. Corruption. Their deadly tentacles reach even into the quiet splendor of the Montana Rockies. Sophie Ryerson, divorced mother of two, is struggling to make a go of her small town café and raise her children. The man she loved is dead—has been for ten long years. So when a drifter with his face shows up in Serenity Falls, she must be imagining things. Jack Laubreaux saved her life after their plane crashed in the rugged Rockies, but he died of his injuries--didn’t he? The man who calls himself Martin Stride wants a job and a warm place to sleep for the winter. That’s about all life has to offer him these days. He would have stayed out of this small Montana Rockies town if he’d known Sophie lived here—too dangerous for her. His pursuers let him live, as long as he settled for not having a life. But this time, he can’t seem to make himself walk away. Which means he’ll have to protect Sophie and her family, with no one to depend on but a corrupt small town sheriff who wants her too. Small town law enforcement isn’t equipped to handle a deadly Chicago crime lord whose power extends into state government and beyond. Can Jack assemble them into a team? Because this time, he’s not running. This time he’ll reach back into his former life, stirring up the power elite until he reaches the rot at their dark core.
Let’s move on to the Idaho Wilderness – with a Native American heroine who’s a real witch! The Twenty-Sided Sorceress by Annie Bellett. Box Set Bks 1-3 Gamer. Nerd. Sorceress. Book One- Justice Calling: Jade Crow lives a quiet life running her comic book and game store in Wylde, Idaho. After twenty-five years fleeing from a powerful sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her powers, quiet suits her just fine. Surrounded by friends who are even less human than she is, Jade figures she’s finally safe. As long as she doesn’t use her magic. When dark powers threaten her friends’ lives, a sexy shape-shifter enforcer shows up. He’s the shifter world’s judge, jury, and executioner rolled into one, and he thinks Jade is to blame. To clear her name, save her friends, and stop the villain, she’ll have to use her wits… and her sorceress powers. Except Jade knows that as soon as she does, a far deadlier nemesis awaits. Book Two- Murder of Crows: They say you can never go home again. If only that were true… Game store owner and nerd sorceress extraordinaire Jade Crow knows death stalks her in the form of her murderous exlover, Samir, a sorcerer who wants to eat her heart and take her power. With the help of her friends, and sexy tiger-shifter Alek, Jade trains for the inevitable confrontation.
Until her estranged father shows up begging for help. Someone or something is murdering the crow shifters of Three Feathers ranch and her father believes sorcery is the only way to stop the killings.
Faced with an unknown foe, a family that exiled her decades before, a deepening relationship with Alek, and Samir’s everpresent threat, Jade will need all the power she’s gained and then some to stop the Murder of Crows.
Book Three- Pack of Lies: Let sleeping dogs lie. Wolves, on the other hand…
Recovering from a broken heart and coming to terms with her family history, all sorceress Jade Crow wants is to resume running her comic book store and gaming with her friends. With a town full of strange wolf shifters, a hundred-and-fifty-yearold peace accord hanging in the balance, and the Justice who broke her heart back in her life, Jade’s plans go out the proverbial window.
Wolves are killing wolves, innocent human lives are caught in the crossfire, and not everyone in town is who they appear to be. As the bodies stack up and the doubts build, Jade and her friends race to find the true killer.
Now about some sweet, sweet New Orleans style southern mayhem? With all the hi-tech these boys pack, you’ll swear they do magic. Chuckles guaranteed along the ride. Wrong Number, Right Guy. The Bourbon Street Boys, Book 1, by Elle Casey. Contemporary romantic suspense. When a mysterious text message summons May Wexler to a biker bar in downtown New Orleans, she knows something is very wrong. Her sister has sent out an SOS, but when May gets there, she’s nowhere to be found and May is the one in trouble—she’s wearing pink espadrilles, she’s got a Chihuahua in her purse, and she sticks out like a sore thumb in the middle of a shootout.
After tall, muscular Ozzie comes to her rescue, May has no choice but to follow him to safety. At the headquarters of his private security firm, the Bourbon Street Boys, she finds a refuge for the night—and the offer of a job. But it’s not long before a gun-toting stalker isn’t the only complication in May’s life: the more time she spends with Ozzie, the less she can deny that they’ve got some serious chemistry.
A wrong number got her into this mess…Will it also get her the right guy?
And last but not least, if you’re like me, and just about to go starkers from cabin fever—what happens to us northerners toward the end of a long winter—here’s a staycation treat for you. Hawaii, here we come! Hawaiian Heroes Series, by Cathryn Cade. Walking in Fire - Born to defend his people, he will sacrifice everything—for her. Nawea Bay, a remote Hawaiian paradise, is just the haven Melia Carson needs to escape the chill of heartache. Instead, she finds herself swept up in a tropical heat wave, fueled by her unexpected attraction to a handsome native she meets on a snorkel tour. He’s big, powerful, hot enough to melt her defenses—and he’s not all he seems. How else could he survive an injury that should have killed him…and why does she dream of him garbed in ancient native dress and wreathed in flames? Rolling in the Deep - Desire as deep and dark as the sea…danger as close as a heartbeat. Daniel Ho’omalu’s intimidating physique, tribal tattoos and mane of black braids frighten most women before they get close enough to discover he likes to play rough. Pile on his perilous vocation as one of a secret society of island guardians, and he’s painfully aware he may never find a mate. One look at Daniel, and Claire Hunter knows she’s found the man of her sensual dreams. Without hesitation she sinks her teeth into the challenge of landing the big Hawaiian in her bed. But while he clearly wants her, he won’t bite back. Blooming in the Wild - Dangers in Paradise. On Hawaii’s Big Island to supervise a photo shoot for her sporting goods company, Bella Moran is looking forward to relaxing with her newfound family. As the island works its magic on her Ho’omalu blood, though, something strange begins to happen. In her dreams, she is at one with the untamed rainforest, able to command the trees and flowers with a terrifying power. Unfortunately, she finds no rest in her waking hours, dealing with the sexy, boy-in-a-man-suit star of the shoot, Joel Girand. Burning up the Rain - Her powers could save her island…or bring their love crashing down.
Despite her successful career, Lalei Kai-Ho’omalu has always considered herself mere decoration in a dynamic Hawaiian family, with none of their powerful gifts. Destined for life in the background as a useless, upper-crust wife. Desperate to escape her mother’s latest matchmaking attempt, Lalei acts on her sizzling attraction to a guest at her cousin’s island wedding, making him a bold offer he can’t refuse. A no-strings, no-holds-barred affair on Nawea Bay with the sexy Hawaiian beauty is just the break California Realtor Jack Nord needs from his fast-paced career—and an inner darkness he’d like to forget. Just for a while. Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy these fun, romantic reads … and some chocolates too. Cathryn Cade
Columnist: Cathryn Cade Best-selling author of sci fi romance RT 4.5 Stars and Night Owl Reviews TOP PICK http://www.cathryncade.com Goodreads, My Website,Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest And sign up for My Newsletter for a chance to win goodies!