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Featured Reviews
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Interview Jeaniene Frost!
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PNR/ UF Vampires Un-Fanged
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Info and News Bid Borders Farewell
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Tantalizing Tales Very Sad Story
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Opinions Prices of eBooks
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Young Adult Reincarnation
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Technology Disappearing Bookstores
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Romantic Suspense New Books to Look For
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New Releases
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Erotica Straight Girl
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No Short Story This Month ď Œ
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Cover Reveal
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Books into TV Harry Potter
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Hunks
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Self-Published Author Jessica Sorensen
Paying Her Debt by Emma Shortt Genre: Contemporary Review by: Sarah H 4 Hoots Paying Her Debt is a love story that’ll leave you wanting to know what happens five or ten years down the road. Andy has been burned in the worst way by a former boyfriend and friend. She’s working her butt off at two jobs to stay afloat and pay off her debts. She’s trying to overcome and conquer her past demons and I applaud her for doing so. Alexander comes off as really arrogant and prickish at first, but he grows on you. He’s been burned in the past by ladies attracted to his money, and it’s turned him into a love-em and leave-em player. He doesn’t know why, but after he fires her from the grocery store he owns, he can’t stop thinking about her. I love Andy and Alexander together. She gets to explore her wicked sensual side, and he thinks he’s finally found the submissive he’s always been looking for even the story doesn’t get too much into the D/s subject. Parts of the story will make you hot, parts will make you cry, and parts will make you mad. The author does a great job making you care for her characters and how everything works out. I’d definitely read something by Emma Shortt in the future. Irresistible by Anne Nicholas Genre: Paranormal Romance Review by: Kyami 5 Hoots absolutely loved Irresistible! This novella is unequivocally true to its title. I was enchanted from beginning to end. When the instinctual nature of shifters mating is well written; it touches me on a primitive level. A bond between two people that is truly irresistible and unbreakable is a profound thing, making you wish life imitated art. The conventional shifter romance seems to always mate shifters within the same breed or with humans. I love how Annie Nicholas stepped outside the box and mated two entirely different species. Marie Laframboise is a sexy siren, and Maxwell Cox is a ruggedly handsome werewolf. It’s a nice change for both characters to be highly sexual and extremely confident. I enjoyed them both trying to fight and resist their natural instinct to claim the other. The erotic sexual energy transcends the pages and my only complaint is I wanted more. If you are looking for a fun, quick, intriguing paranormal romance; keep this one on your radar.
Being Ariana by Cristal Ryder Genre: Erotica Review by: Charity 5 Hoots Being Ariana is a sexy story that is impossible to put down until you have reached the end and found your satisfaction. Ellie is the respectable business woman by day and sexy vixen by night that star in many women’s fantasies. The mere thought of Tom makes me want to melt into a pleasure puddle. Theasexual build-up between the Tom makes me want to melt into pleasure puddle. The sexual and will will having you build-up between the characters is intoxicating and craving release for Ellie. craving release for Ellie. The Explicit warning is really unnecessary. The characters have dominating personalities, but this is not BDSM. The light bondage scene was merely foreplay and did not continue for more than a couple paragraphs. The dialog is in good taste and feels right for the situation. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this story and highly recommend it for lovers of Erotica. I look forward to reading more from Ryder. Fatal Consequences by Marie Force Genre: Romantic Suspense Review by: Karia 5 Hoots
It is official: Marie Force has been added to my must read authors (those who I would read even they wrote the phone book)... Sam and Nick are too cute for words, but don’t tell Sam I said so or she may shoot me. I also want to pillage her kille shoe collection (they’re in storage
anyway…so she may not notice). Take interesting three dimensional characters full of wit, fun and friendship, add in a great suspenseful plot and pepper it with some yummy romances and you have the Fatal series. The sub-plots and characters are so full and complementary to the overall story you don’t even see where the Sam/Nick story begins and ends…they are woven together so perfectly. This third story in the series is the best so far. I enjoyed the interplay between Sam and her colleagues chasing a bold and particularly vicious serial killer almost as much as I enjoyed the romantic scenes between Sam/Nick, Tommy/Chris, and Freddie/Elin. I was on the edge of my seat several times (scrolling like mad) because the plot and suspense were that good. If you haven’t found Marie Force yet…get on it. The Fatal series is a great romantic suspense series to start this summer. The story goes even further as Force has sections on her website where the readers can vote on their wedding ideas for Sam and Nick. I voted for the Vera Wang dress. Enjoy!
In Total Surrender by Anne Mallory Genre: Historical Romance Reviewed by: Lexi 4 Hoots
The Pack by Jason Starr Genre: Urban Fantasy Reviewed by: Dori 4 1/2 Hoots
It is rare to find a character so exquisitely written that they practically spring to life off the page. That is exactly what Mallory has created with Andreas Merrick. He is a dark, handsome, scarred (physically and
As a newcomer to Jason Starr’s work, I had my doubts that he could entice me with a story about werewolves in New York City. I’m here to say I was completely wrong. The Pack held me captive until the very last page. Starr’s writing style allows you to become the main character, Simon Burns, and see through his eyes how nothing truly is what it seems.
emotionally), loyal, (to the very few he considers his) badass. The majority of this book is from Andreas’s point of view. You will get a glimpse into the dark underbelly of London. Even darker is the man in charge. Revenge is what drives him, uncaring about what gets in his way until he sees Phoebe. She perplexes him to no end, light and goodness the antithesis to his black soul. For reasons he cannot explain, she drives him to an insanity that he can’t help but grasp like a drowning man would grab a life raft. Phoebe is an anomaly, brilliant, beautiful, trusting, and determined. Taking on the role of head of house and overseeing the family business have fallen on her shoulders. As a business strategy she has sought out Andreas, never expecting to find a man that finally makes her feel alive. She persistently places herself in his way, wearing him down until neither can walk away. This is a welcome change to the usual female narration. Getting to see how the story unfolds from Andreas’s point of view lets you feel his thirst for vengeance and see how bleak his future appears. It is interesting to see how his mind works and how hard he tries to resist and protect Phoebe. It will give you hope to see a man resigned to his lot in life picturing what it would be like to laugh freely, hold a child on his lap, and lovingly thread his fingers through is wife’s hair. One of Mallory’s best, she will curl her characters claws into your heart for good or bad. If you have read the previous books in the Secrets series, you will truly enjoy Andreas’s story. If you have never picked up a Mallory novel, this is a great place to start.
Simon Burns has an unassuming life. He is married to a woman he loves unconditionally; he has a son which neither he or his wife spend much time with and he has worked for the same company for seven years hoping for a promotion. Unfortunately for Simon, one event changed his life forever. He is fired under the guise of his position and is eliminated, his wife Alison decides it is the perfect time for him to spend more time with his son Jeremy, and be a househusband. Still angry about his firing, Simon struggles with his new duties and Alison’s criticism of his first few days at home, but he is determined to make it work. Simon decides to take Jeremy to a different park for a change of pace, where he meets three single dads and their sons. This chance meeting is the beginning of a downward spiral for Simon and his family. Starr has created some of the most fascinating and complex characters that most would identify as members of their own family. Although Simon’s character is the focus of the story, I am fascinated with Michael’s off putting demeanor. He is a man of few words and has a dark side, which makes him irresistible. Alison is my least favorite character of the book. Her neurotic way of handling her life choices is enough to drive a person to drink. Yet, the choice to have her behave in such a manner adds to the appeal of the book. The Pack is a great start to a promising new series.
Forever by Maggie Stiefvater Genre: Young Adult Reviewed by: Angela 4 Hoots Forever is the final book in this trilogy by Maggie Stiefvater. I loved Shiver, longed for more in Linger, and I’m disappointed with Forever. When you come to the end of a great series, you automatically have high expectations. Those high expectations are sadly shattered with the ending of Forever. I truly enjoyed reading from each character’s POV. I’ve been rooting for Isabel and Cole since reading about them in Linger. Though, their ending is NOT what I wanted, by a long shot. Grace and Sam’s ending is equally frustrating, but it does end with hope… The pages of Forever are piled with action, need, desire and resolve, but not everything is resolved. I find this review to be the hardest of many I have written. It’s hard not to say what I didn’t like without spoiling the end. On that same note, it’s hard to say what I loved without spoiling the ending as well. I think this is what we call an impasse. I’ll end with this: Forever is a must read, if only to know how the character’s journey ends. Grace and Sam continue to share the unspoken connection in the way they stand next to one another, the way they look at one another and the way they love one another. Two people who truly belong together… Forever.
Vampires Un-Fanged
In the world of paranormal reading, television, and movies, Vampires have evolved from monstrous, hideous killers, to sparkly, tender lovers. Now I’m not saying all vampires sparkle and are tender, nor am I saying they were all hideous back in the day. My first experience with vampires was terrifying and stuck with me for a long time. When I was young, very young, I saw the movie Fright Night. This movie scared the tar out of me and continued to do so for years. So much so, I didn’t watch The Lost Boys until a few years ago. Why am I writing about vampires now? Because they’ve changed and so have I. My next memorable experience regarding vampires involved Anne Rice. I read Pandora, The Vampire Armand, and Vittorio and fell in love with bloodsuckers. Rice’s vampires were beautiful, had great sex, emotions, and didn’t always kill – this was a big change from anything I had ever heard regarding vamps. Then there was Buffy. Buffy and Angel changed everything for me making me want more, to the point of near obsession. I wanted to read and watch everything I could about vampires, and still do! Since then, I’ve read books where vampires can be out in the sun, they might sparkle, just get tired, or they may burn. Some vampires can go outside feeling no affects as long as they wear a ring or some other charmed piece of jewelry (Vampire Diaries and the best episode of Angel evah!). In other instances, a heavy sunscreen can be used to thwart the effects of the sun (Blade & The Gates). Vampires can also eat food at times, only needing small amounts of blood to survive, sometimes every day, or sometimes every few weeks or so. Most vampires feed from humans, but some can only feed from other vampires of the opposite sex, (BDB) or their mates (Midnight Breeds). I even read a few stories where they drink animal blood, or get blood from blood banks. Vampires are also now known for being passionate lovers. They have soul mates, finding their one and only. Vampires bond with their lovers, taking blood during intimate situations to heighten arousal and pleasure. Anne Rice’s vampire seemed to be mostly homosexual, but in some stories now, gender doesn’t matter if the partner(s) are male or female (Anita Blake – Jean Claude is one randy devil). As well as being preternaturally fast, super strong, and having exceptional heightened senses (smell, vision, hearing), vampires can also have special gifts or powers. Some have powers to control the elements (Vampire Academy) and others have magical powers. Most commonly, vamps have psychic powers – telepathy, empathy, precognition, and mind control. The way to become a vampire has changed as well, too. In some instances vamps are born, some naturally turn at a certain age (House of Night) and others are changed. Origins of vamps also vary greatly. Vampires can be a bit of everything fallen angles, aliens (Monere: Children of the Moon), demons, Knights of the Templar (Darkyn), and current or former humans. Vampires have been forever changed in the world of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance literature, television, and cinema. Readers and viewers now look out for their vampires and want them to “get the girl,” or make it through the story unscathed. Personally, I’m no longer afraid of these fanged, blood thirsty creatures – I’d invite them in and wish for a wicked good time!
Please read. This article is completely unedited and will change your life. Condolences and a special thank you-NRR What is the definition of a legend? Well according to Wikipedia its this: A legend (Latin, legenda, "things to be read") is a narrative of human actions that are perceived both by teller and listeners to take place within human history and to possess certain qualities that give the tale verisimilitude. Legend, for its active and passive participants includes no happenings that are outside the realm of "possibility", defined by a highly flexible set of parameters, which may include miracles that are perceived as actually having happened, within the specific tradition of indoctrination where the legend arises, and within which it may be transformed over time, in order to keep it fresh and vital, and realistic. I know this months article was supposed to be about psychic vampire’s. But I wanted to take this time to embark upon a true legend to me, my son Ethan Sylvester Moorman. Why? Well I guess you can say this a dedication to him, for his life was cut extremely short. Although he only lived this life for two short weeks, that time was still full of both love and life. I want to be sure that he knows how many lives he touched and how very many hearts are now broken now that he is gone. I want to make sure you readers realize how much of a legend all of your children truly are. And that they are. Think of all the possibilities they have from the day they are born, their life is a miracle from the first breath they take. Many of you already know this, but there are still some who do not. I happened to be one of those. Some of us single mom’s find ourselves stressing day in and day out about where our kids’ next meal is coming from. Will I have enough to pay this bill or that? Why won’t this baby stop crying? I am so tired, when will I get some sleep? How did I pick such a loser to be with that now I have to raise and support these kids on my own? Stop asking those questions. Regardless of the situation you find yourself in, remember how very precious that child is to you, because one morning you literally wake up to find your child not breathing. Then you will be wanting nothing more than to have your only worries being stress. There is absolutely nothing compared to losing your child. The best way I can come to describing it is to say you will find yourself being completely hollow inside. And that is only the beginning. But it took my nine year old daughter to point out that at least we did have two whole weeks to be with him and see his beautiful face. Where are you now though, Ethan? I wish so badly that you could tell me. I wish that you could tell Mommy that you are okay, and that you are not suffering, that when you left me it didn’t hurt you. Are you in line, waiting to be reincarnated into your next life? Have you started one already? If so, please take our love with you. Is the wind that is blowing through my hair right now you my little love? Have the Gods and Goddesses embraced you with open and loving arms? Have they made you a part of nature, where you will truly have immortality? Or is it true that there is only the one God? If so, are looking down on me from Heaven? If you are know that you Mommy and sister’s love you still and always will. They say that everything happens for a reason. I am not buying that hogwash right now. Some things just happen and there is no explanation or reason for it. So every time you look into your child’s eyes know that you looking at a Legend right in front of you. A legend, that you have created. Every breath they take is a miracle, and you have no idea what extraordinary things they may grow up to do. Also remember this, they don’t come into this world with a time stamp. You don’t know how truly limited your time with them might be.
Reincarnation: To Be or Not to Be? Have you ever wondered if you had a past life, if you were someone brilliant, a part of royalty, or a simple lone peasant? I have many times especially after reading the Fallen series by Lauren Kate and The Eternal Ones series by Kristen Miller. Both story’s plots are based in the mysterious world of reincarnation. I have always known the bases of reincarnation. You come back as another person, animal, plant ect in your next life. However, after reading both of these tantalizing stories I wanted to know more. This is where we start, a little brief on what exactly is reincarnation. Most cases of reincarnation begin when the child is 3 to 7 years of age and have had a violent or untimely death in their past life. Between the ages of 2 and 4 the child will speak of their past life with a great deal of passion. The child will begin to recall events, people, and places that they have never seen or heard of before. One professor, Ian Stevenson, has conducted over 2500 reincarnation cases. According to his claims the child’s story usually matches up to a deceased’s pervious life. Between the ages of 4 and 7 the child will begin to forget their memories or in some cases speak of them no more. Pretty creepy huh? I have to say just this bit of my research gave me the chills, however, if you as curious as I am lets continue. The same professor concludes that birthmarks on young children are actually where the mortal injury was in the past life. Now he’s not talking about just any birth mark. These are special birthmarks they have interesting color variations, are in perfect shapes, or are up off the skin. Stevenson’s reasoning sprung from the many studies he has work with. When Stevenson checked the deceased person’s medical file he found that the fatal wound was exactly where the birthmark was on the child. He also found the same conclusions with various deformities. I told you it became creepier, but let’s continue shall we? In a few cases Stevenson has conducted the mother of the child had a dream before she became pregnant of a child saying they will be born to them. In the majority the child simply remembers a previous life. If this behavior is encouraged the child will become uncomfortable with the new life. For example if the child was from a rich family and has been reborn into a poor one the child might ask to be waited on and refuse certain elements of the life. If in a previous life the child had an addiction, that very addiction may become apparent early on in the child’s life. Most of the time the child’s stories are pushed aside because parents and teachers believe the child to simply have an overactive imagination. Therefore are not well studied as they should be. There are many different thoughts and opinions on this subject especially when religion is involved. In this article I simply wanted to cover the basics, if you would like more information on reincarnation you can visit these websites: http://www.neardeath.com/experiences/reincarnation01.html (Ian Stevenson) and http://www.comparativereligion.com/reincarnation.html (World Religions). I hope this little brief on reincarnation has helped you understand more about it and will help you as you journey with Luce and Haven through their past lives in The Eternal ones and Fallen series. Best of luck!
As the summer is winding down, I am starting to make plans for the fall. One of my favorite to do items is to make my Christmas Wish List. Top of my list: New books! This year, I have committed to reading new authors and striving to discover some new and ‘new-to-me’ series for 2012. I have put together a few Romantic Suspense Authors and series that I hope you try out this fall! Marie Force is one of the authors that I discovered this past year. Her Fatal series from Harlequin’s Carina Press is fast paced, fun, romantic, and full of plot twists and turns. Her lead characters, Washington, D.C. police detective Sam Holland and Senator Nick Cappuano, are real, three dimensional personalities with friendships and coworkers that add not only to the main character’s development, but enhance the story with true sub-plots. Each story builds upon the relationship of Sam and Nick from Sam’s ill fated marriage through to their wedding. The suspense is generally upfront and center with quick witty dialogue and fast paced action sequences. Sam’s fellow police officers provide much needed comic relief, as well as, some steamy scenes throughout the books. I highly recommend you try Ms Force this year. FATAL AFFAIR, FATAL JUSTICE, and FATAL CONSEQUENCES are currently available with FATAL DESTINY set for release on September 5, 2011 and FATAL FLAW in February 2012. I discovered Shannon McKenna in 2006 with her book Hot Night. Her uber-macho, chest pounding alpha males drew me in, but it was her writing style that had me hooked. She writes in an effortless way that blends both the strength and vulnerability to her characters. Her action is fast, her love scenes are super steamy, and her plot lines are never predictable. The women are all different with no specific "type"; they are complex, sweet, and loving but have backbone. Ms. McKenna’s McClouds and Friends series from Kensington Publishing is absolutely fantastic. In this series, we meet my girl-crush...Tamar! Man do I love her and her book Ultimate Weapon. If you have not yet discovered the magnificent Shannon McKenna try her out this fall...I love her books, I love her men and I love all of her women and that makes McKenna stand out for me! Get started with Behind Closed Doors, Standing in the Shadows, Out of Control, Edge of Midnight, Extreme Danger, Ultimate Weapon, and Fade to Midnight. The eighth installment in the series, Blood and Fire, is due out September 27, 2011. If you love action, suspense, and strong characters…you will love Pamela Clare’s I-Team books published by Berkley. Her action sequences quite literally had me on the edge of the sofa rooting for the characters to survive. Ms. Clare’s writing career began as a columnist and investigative reporter and she eventually became the first woman editor-in-chief of two different newspapers. In writing her I-Team characters, Ms. Clare draws on this deep knowledge base of investigative journalism and creates wonderfully rich and realistic characters. I started with the fifth book in the series, Breaking Point, and I was totally hooked. I have since hunted down the previous four books, Extreme Exposure, Hard Evidence, Unlawful Contact and Naked Edge. While Ms. Clare claims to be an avid reader of Historical Romances (and indeed she has written several), she writes fantastic romantic suspense. Check her out. I discovered Cindy Gerard’s Black Ops series with the short story “Leave No Trace” in the Deadly Promises anthology (written along with my favorite author of all-time, Sherrilyn Kenyon). Her characters jumped off the pages and their fierce battle for survival was almost as compelling as their passion. I vowed then to read more of the Black Ops Inc series. My hunts at local thrift stores and used book shops have yielded great success. I finally collected the first five stories: Show No Mercy, Take No Prisoners, Whisper No Lies, Feel the Heat, and Risk No Secrets. The latest book in the series, With No Remorse, has just been release in August by Pocket Star. This book series has been added to my stack of winter reading.
If you have any new authors to recommend or series you love, please drop a comment. I am always looking for a book to read. Happy reading! Some other great read ideas:
Sherrilyn Kenyon’s BAD series (Loved it!)
Lori Foster’s Law and Visitation series (Loved them both!)
Stephanie Tyler’s Hold Trilogy (New to me)
Bella Andre’s Hot Shots Men of Fire series (New to me)
What’s a Straight Girl Like Me Doing in Gay Erotica Like This? One day I was chit chatting with some of my friends on Goodreads, when someone recommended a book with a warning of “gay erotica.” For some reason- that my therapist will have to figure out- I immediately assumed it was female on female (F/F) erotica. The idea of it being a male on male (M/M) book didn’t register with me. I mean, why would a female be interested in that? More importantly, how could I respond that I would not be interested in reading M/M erotica without sounding like a homophobe? Seriously, that entire “back door” thing just was not an avenue I was interested in taking a drive on. Truth be told, I was a little stunned that my friend would not only be taking that drive, but that she apparently owned a piece of the highway, and wasn’t ashamed to talk about it. My curiosity was piqued and being that I am dedicated to investigating the erotica world for you, our loyal readers, I had to investigate some more. Had my friends gone mad or I was I living under a rock? I am going to start this article with a fascinating fact I read while starting my research. Most M/M erotica is written by women, for a female audience, and not for the gay man. Let that sink in. It’s an audience that authors are learning is HUGE and what readers really want. In thinking about it, I suppose one does not have sex with a vampire to write good paranormal romances right? So in future articles as I interview popular authors who have written gay erotica, I’ll be asking them about that particular fact and their thoughts on it. Where does their inspiration come from? How do they research their characters? Since gay erotica is now easier to read with the onset of e-readers, I’m anxious to report back to you how authors get into this genre. It’s amazing the information you can get from the internet in this day and age, and specifically, from the Goodreads message boards. I am constantly turning to them for research. Once again, I found myself on the “gay” message boards talking with people to gather information for this article. Interestingly, one of the largest gay erotica message boards on Goodreads has almost entirely female moderators. Does that strike you as strange? It did me. A thread was started by a member asking if any of the members had any “real” gay friends or family members. That very thread made me understand that there were a lot of straight members that were being questioned. Most responses stated that there was at least one gay person in their lives somewhere along the line. Some spoke of sons, daughters, nieces, and nephews; people that are relatively close to them. I began to think it was really neat that they were reading gay erotica to learn more about their gay loved ones. Adding another layer of understanding is always a great thing. I read another thread which asked how people first got into reading gay erotica. I’m going to list some of the books that made people jump into it, (in case you want to try it out) but I feel I have to add this warning: many, if not most people, said once they started reading gay erotica, they never turned back to other genres. They found “vanilla” romances to be boring. If I were questioning them, I would ask if by boring, they meant the sex, the romance, the writing, or the story itself. I guess those things are like art, it’s completely subjective. One member said she was in a bookstore purchasing a boxed set of H.G. Wells’ stories (so we have a classical reader) and on accident, she picked up a copy of Slave Boy by Evangeline Anderson, (another title frequently mentioned by this author is The Assignment) and thinking the title was provocative and thinking the blurb on the back of the book was funny, she bought it as a “goof.” She further states that now, she “goofs off” frequently. Similar stories were reported with the books in the Blood Tie series by Jennifer Armintrout (these are more horror story type books and not for the faint of heart); Front Runner by Patricia Nell Warren, and Soul Mates by Jourdan Lane (and so many other titles and wonderful authors). Are you a J.R. Ward lover? Many members in this thread reported the characters Butch and V, (two male vampires) in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series,
had a sexual tension between them that was sizzling hot, and even better than the chemistry between Butch and his female lover. Two other vampires in the series, Quinn and Blay, are the subjects of screams for a story just about them. Some members also reported that their first exposure to gay erotica started with the very popular author, Anne Rice, and her book Cry to Heaven. This book has received excellent reviews and was first published in 1982. We can’t forget the world of reading blogs in this quest either. There are many blog reviewers helping to get the word out. Many, many readers in the thread we are talking about took the recommendations from bloggers that gay erotica was uber hot. Then there is fan fiction. This is where readers pick up where a book left off (or characters) and write their own stories. There is a specific section of fan fiction referred to as “slash” fiction. Slash fiction is between M/M characters from a book that are having a romantic or sexual relationship. F/F stories are called “femslash.” Yes, there is a lingo out there to become familiar with. In getting back to my original assumption of gay erotica being lesbian, there are many books in this genre as well. In the historical romance area, there is one writer in particular that I am consistently pointed to, and that is Sara Waters who has written such books as Tipping the Velvet and Fingersmith. I have added both of these books to my TBR list and I’m putting them close to the top. They sound very interesting and their reviews are marvelous. These books both contain heavy lesbianism. I do have to say though, that for reasons which are discussed below, F/F books are not as popular with female readers as M/M books. The basic question still remains though: Why? Why are straight women attracted to this gay erotica world? I read somewhere that in porn, gay men are usually more aesthetically pleasing because that is what attracts a gay man. Well, in my STRAIGHT world, an aesthetically pleasing man is A-Okay by me too! Many women obviously feel the same because M/M porn is very popular with women. I’ve read about viewing nights for gals with martinis. But that’s visual. So let’s talk for a minute about the visual ties of it. The subject of last month’s article I wrote regarded titles, book covers, and the eye candy that was on them. An author was mentioned in that article, Lorelei James, and a title in one of her series is Rough, Raw and Ready. That’s not an ad for a pedicure cream (per se). Check out the cover though. Not too hard to look at, is it? The cover pictures two lovely cowboys and a woman, which indicates there will absolutely be a ménage scene. However, you may not know, there also happens to be an M/M scene. The product warning (which is adorable) reads: “Warning: This book contains unbelievably explicit sex including multiple cowboy/cowgirl/cowboy ménage scenes, juicy, hot, male on male action, a bucketful of politically incorrect situations, and true Western ideology.” This just about covers everything a girl could want right? The only other thing they could add would be an 80% off everything sale at your favorite designer boutique. Other reasons for the attraction are kind of obvious if you think it through. What is one thing that drives you nuts about your gender (if you are a lady reader)? For me, it’s the drama that many women carry with them; the cattiness and the manipulation that my fellow sisters always seem eager to carry out. There is none of that in M/M erotica. Or at least, that’s what I am to understand. Another tidbit to consider? There’s an element of taboo to it that may attract. Do you want a benefit? How about the fact, by reading M/M scenes, you may be learning something that might bring a new spark to your bedroom. Reading from a male point of view will probably be new and interesting to you. I have one downloaded M/M erotic book on my Nook, and one F/F book that I am reviewing for Nocturne Romance Reads. I am really anxious to read both of them in order to see where my feelings wind up. I hope this article persuades you to give it a try too. I think it’s important that, even if you don’t enjoy it, you try it and give it a go. It may lend an element of understanding and hopefully an element of enjoyment. Please let us know how it goes for you!
Cover Reveal! *Click here for the Battle of the Covers: Vote for your favorite!
You would have to be living on a different planet to have never heard the words Harry Potter. Over the course of 14 years the Harry Potter franchise has taken the world by storm with books, movies, video games, novelty items etc… The Harry Potter brand is at an estimated worth of 15 billion and the first person who should be acclaimed for the glory is the author, J.K. Rowling. Rowling’s life story is a true rag’s to riches tale. In 1995 she was unemployed, recently divorced and trying to raise her daughter. She sat in front of her old typewriter and put together a story that had come to her years before while on a train which turned out to be Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. After submitting her work to 12 publishing houses, all of which rejected her, Bloomsbury a small publishing house in London picked up the book after a chairman’s eight year old daughter reviewed the first chapter and asked for more. Fast forward to present day and she has written 7 books to the series which have sold over 450 million copies, 8 movies that have broken box office records and won numerous writing awards. Rowling’s books helped bring adults and children together in their reading and caused a worldwide phenomenon. Rest assures, she no longer would have to do her writing on a typewriter as she is now what you would call a billionaire. In July 2007 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows was released being the seventh and final installment to this very popular series. Fans were excited to see the wizard’s Harry and Lord Voldemort have their final showdown. Bloomsbury spent a reported 10 million in trying to keep the contents of this novel a secret; however someone leaked photos of 759 pages just a few days before the release. This piracy did not interest the Potter fans as they went out and bought their copies making it the fastest-selling book ever selling 15 million copies in a 24 hour period. Readers were beyond satisfied with the final book to Harry’s story. Rowling delivered all the elements that fans loved of her writing style, simply an imaginative thrill ride that you could get lost in. When it came to filming The Deathly Hallows producers decided to break the story into 2 parts so the character’s story and the series as a whole would have proper closure and not all be crammed into one movie. The film was written by Steven Kloves, directed by David Yates and produced by David Heyman, David Barron and J.K. Rolling. Both movies were filmed back to back starting in Feb 2009 – June 2010. Released in July 2011 to theaters in 2D, 3D and IMAX the second part was budgeted at 125 million and on opening weekend broke records making a estimated 483 million worldwide. Currently it is the 27th highest grossing film of all time along with film critics giving an overall rating of 8.4/10. Not only is this great story to thank for these high ratings and unbelievable profits but so are the talented cast of characters that have captured everyone’s attention. The cast is: Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter/Rupert Grint as Ron Weasle/Emma Watson as Herimone Granger/Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort/Alan Rickman as Professor Severus Snape/Helena Bonham Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange/ Jim Broadbent as Horace Slughor/Robbie Coltrane as Rubeus Hagrid
Now, after hearing all these facts it is time for that all important question. Do I prefer the book or movie? BOTH, the movie and the book go hand in hand in my opinion. If you have never read the books but loved the movies, then you need to read the entire series. The Harry Potter books are told so brilliantly! If you loved the books and never saw the movies, then what are you waiting for? These movies capture the essence of the books and will more then likely have you want to reread the entire series. The Deathly Hallows is a terrific end to this clever series, both the movie and the book will give all the Potter fans closure. To all the Potter fans out there recently J.K. Rowling announced that in October a new website called Pottermore will be up with new Potter information and also a place you can buy the entire Harry Potter book series in e-book format. So never fear Harry will be near!
And the Winner for August is‌
As Sundown from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Retribution!
Vote for the September Hunk now! Featuring Bruno Ranieri from Blood and Fire by Shannon McKenna!
NRR: Can you share with us how you got started in writing? I’ve been writing since I was old enough to write and haven’t stopped since. I started out writing short stories, and then in high school moved on to poetry. A couple of years ago I decided to try and write a book, which turned into The Fallen Star. NRR: How were you inspired to write The Fallen Star? I know this gets said a lot, but the idea came from a dream I had about a girl who, up until recently, couldn’t experience emotions. Eventually, that idea grew into The Fallen Star. NRR: What advice can you give to aspiring authors? Read as much as you write. You can learn a lot by studying the work of other authors. Also, revising your work is a must. The first draft of The Fallen Star was nowhere near what it is today. NRR: What authors/books helped inspire your writing? Many YA authors have inspired me to write. Like I said, I’ve always loved to write, but it wasn’t until a few years ago that I was introduced to the YA genre, and I realized what kind of novels I wanted to write. NRR: Can you share with us the storyline of The Fallen Star? Sure. The Fallen Star is about Gemma, an eighteen year-old girl who is anything but normal because up until recently, she has never been able to experience emotions. While she struggles to deal with her newfound emotions, Alex enters her life and sets of a feeling of electricity in her, making her life even more complicated, especially because Alex seems to hate her. When Alex pulls Gemma into a world full of Death Walkers, Foreseers, vampires, and other paranormal creatures, she discovers there’s more to her than she could have ever possibly imagined, and she’s left trying to come to terms with who she really is. NRR: What is your guilty pleasure? Cheesecake, Mocha Coconut Frappuccinos, Java Monsters…basically anything that has sugar or caffeine in it. THE FALLEN STAR is a one of a kind story readers won't want to miss! Packed with action and secrets around every corner, pages will be flying as readers will not want to wait another second to unravel the lies told to Gemma all her life. This novel is loaded with originality. While the different classifications of creatures and people can be a bit confusing and cluttered at times, once readers get sucked into the novel and learn more about the Keepers, Foreseers, etc. following the story just becomes that much more interesting. Gemma has been told lies all her life. Now the mystery that is her past is slowly coming to light. This book is fast paced and a mystery that will have fans rushing to see who did what and why. Only, every time a new lie is brought to light, another presents itself keeping the readers on their toes every second! The cliffhanger at the end is brilliant. Unfortunately it made me want to throw the book because there were no more pages! –Lenore
NRR: Can you share with us how you got started in writing? I’ve wanted to be an author since I was twelve and began scribbling down some of my stranger dreams to make little stories out of them. Problem is, I’m a procrastinator with a short attention span. I would start a story, get bored, start something else, get bored with that, etc. I repeated this pattern for almost two decades, always telling myself that I’d actually finish a story and try to publish it “later.” Right before I turned thirty, it hit me that I’d done nothing toward making my dream of being an author become a reality. At about the same time, I dreamt about a half-vampire woman arguing with a Master vampire man about why she’d left him years before. When I woke up, I couldn’t stop thinking about those two people and what had led them to that point (not to mention how a half-vampire and a full vampire even existed in the regular world). Writing their story eventually because the first novel I ever finished – and my first published book – Halfway to the Grave. NRR: What would you say is the most challenging part of writing a popular and successful series? Maintaining balance. You don’t want each book to be exactly the same as the last, but on the other hand, deviating too much will have readers crying foul because then you’ve altered what they’ve come to love. It’s helped that I look at each book like a stepping stone to a final destination. I know some of the books will be more romance-heavy because that’s where they fall in the path, and for the same reason, some books will be darker, and some will be more action-based, etc. But they’re all leading to the same place – the series conclusion, and once it arrives, readers will be able to look back and say, “Ah, I see where X was hinted at in the previous books…” So there is a method to my madness, lol. NRR: What is your guilty pleasure? Ha, so many things! I love caffeine and fried fatty foods. My husband jokes that I should dedicate a book to coffee, Pringles, Fritos, and Excedrin because I’ve never written anything without consuming a lot of those four. My other guilty pleasure would be Crumbs red velvet cupcakes. I love them but I don’t have a Crumbs near me, so about twice a year I pay an exorbitant amount of shipping fees to have them sent as a special treat.
NRR: How many more books can fans expect to the Night Huntress series? There will be a total of nine books featuring Cat and Bones as the main characters. After their storyline wraps up, they may appear again as side characters in a spinoff novel, but I don’t intend to carry their stories past nine books. NRR: What is a day in the life of Jeaniene Frost like? Right now, because I’m trying to finish a book while dealing with upcoming release craziness at the same time, it’s like this: Roll out of bed around eight or nine. Start coffee machine. Get coffee. Sit bleary-eyed in front of laptop cleaning out inbox while waiting for coffee to kick in. Deal with any business issues (there are always several). Reply to reader questions. Do an interview or a blog post. Check Amazon rankings and fret over whether the new book’s rankings are worse than the last book. Answer more incoming emails. Remember that I forgot to eat. Make breakfast (or lunch, depending on how late it is). Realize I haven’t showered. Get showered and dressed. Go to inbox, answer more emails that have come in, deal with more business issues that have come up. Walk the dog. Look at the clock and realize it’s after two already. Start to edit new chapter I wrote last night. Edit, edit, edit. Look at clock and realize it’s almost four and I haven’t written any new words yet. Panic. Start to write new chapter. Write, write, write. Get called to dinner by hubby. Eat dinner. Walk dog. Get back to book. Write, write, write. Look at clock and realize it’s after nine. Save new work (always back up!), walk the dog one last time, get ready for bed, and watch TV with hubby for an hour or so until I pass out. *wink* Glamorous, no? NRR: Can you share with us the storyline to One Grave At A Time? (Spoiler warning for anyone who hasn’t read the previous book, This Side of the Grave!) The story opens with Cat still dealing with the repercussions of her new connection to ghosts and her uncle suddenly being one when her friend, Fabian, asks for a favor: Help a ghost he’s smitten with kill an evil former witch hunter who’s continued his murderous ways as a phantom. But how do you kill someone who’s already dead? To complicate matters, a new “operations consultant” is sniffing around Cat’s old team and seems particularly interested in her. For the back cover description, book trailer, and to read the first 20%, go here: http://jeanienefrost.com/books/one-grave-at-a-time/ NRR: What can fans expect to see from you next? After One Grave at a Time is my novella in The Bite Before Christmas anthology with author Lynsay Sands. It’s almost half a book and features Cat and Bones trying to have a normal Christmas at home, but then an unexpected guest drops a bombshell about Bones’s history that even Bones didn’t know about. Once that happens, expect more mayhem and surprising revelations. On a personal note, I’ve been itching to reveal these things about Bones’s history but haven’t found a way to in the Night Huntress series, so I can’t wait until The Bite Before Christmas comes out and I can finally let readers in on the secret. After that, in spring 2012 is the first book in the new Night Prince series called Once Burned. It features Night Huntress side character Vlad – yes, the Vlad - as the hero and a new character named Leila as the heroine. When I first started writing about vampires, I swore that I would never, ever touch the Dracula mythology. Then while I was writing the third Night Huntress book, Vlad popped into my head (and a scene) fully scornful of his fictitious legend and threatening anyone who called him Dracula. Now he’s getting his own series. Just goes to show that you should never say never :). Thank you for joining us! Thanks so much for having me!
We Bid BORDERS Farewell By now probably everyone, or at least everyone who reads, has heard that the giant bookstore chain BORDERS is closing down and liquidating its remaining 399 stores. To some this may seem like a shock, but to others it is no surprise at all. For those who aren’t familiar with the industry, and some who are, there are a lot of questions swirling. What is BORDERS? According to Wikipedia, the free on-line encyclopedia: Borders Group, Inc. is an international book and music retailer based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The company employs approximately 19,500 throughout the U.S., primarily in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores. The original Borders bookstore was founded in 1971 by the Borders brothers and was located in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Borders continued to grow and expand and in 1997 they opened their first international store in Singapore. Borders (UK) Ltd became one of the top booksellers. In April 2005, Borders Group opened its first franchise store with Malaysia's Berjaya Books in Kuala Lumpur. All that key point information is all well and good but what is BORDERS and why will it be missed? For those who are familiar with the large bookstore that question is simple…the atmosphere. A large bookstore is a nice place to physically browse through books, magazines, and other media. BORDERS is also a great place to relax, read a book, and possibly have a cup of coffee while you are doing it. Why is BORDERS Closing? In reality, the closing of Borders has been coming for the past five years. After looking into the company it became widely apparent that BORDERS has been in a business downfall for a few years now. The last time BORDERS made a profit was in 2006. Some key red flags have been popping up for years including BORDERS taking out High interest loans and their stocks were continually dropping. One major hurtle they forgot to jump for until it was too late was the ebook industry. Not only were they late bloomers, but they didn’t even open their own e-book store until July of 2010. After talking with several (previous) BORDERS customers on social networking sites I had an overwhelming response to why they thought the chain was closing. Several thought they were just copying Barnes and Noble and failing. One Customer, Derek, from Yahoo Q&A, sums it up nicely. “Their closing is largely due to mismanagement.” The company expanded beyond their means in the early part of the last decade. They neglected to create a relevant online presence for years and partnered with Amazon to do it for them.
They ignored a burgeoning e-reader market and tacked on a lastminute attempt with a brand the public had no familiarity with. They abandoned the varied niches that customers came for and focused solely on big hit bestsellers which could be bought at competitors and any supermarket or drug store at a lower price. They invested heavily in unrelated products like games and toys that languished on shelves in disinterest. They went through a revolving door of upper management, each requiring enormous bonuses, signing deals, and golden parachutes that cost more than most of their stores made in a year. They adopted a member program that left customers confused, particularly older customers who do not have email. They helped create a culture of seeing bookstores as community centers rather than stores, encouraging people to use the product as much as needed without any payment.” So the closing is not really a shock, but it is still sad. Some 19,000 people will be out of jobs and loyal customers will have to find somewhere else to shop. Any bookstore, and especially one as large as BORDERS, is a blow to the publishing industry. We are sad to see them go, but just because they are please don’t stop buying books. Find another bookstore in your area or buy on-line but please continue to support this industry. Important Ending Dates: February 16, 2011 Borders applied for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Borders Group announced on July 1, 2011 that it had found a bidder. Within days Borders creditors rejected the Direct Brands takeover bid July 22, 2011 Borders started closing its remaining 399 stores with a phased roll-out July 29, 2011 the Borders Digital Audiobook Store has been discontinued. The ability to create new accounts or purchase content from this site has been disabled.
Taking Out a Second Mortgage to Buy eBooks! Okay people, have you noticed lately the increase in price for digital editions of our favorite books??? I have, some are listed the same price as hard covers and more than that of paperbacks. Some may ask how can this be???? Well to be honest, I don’t get it either, but this is what I have come up with! GREED and consumer demand!!!! You see, now that we have entered into the digital age and the literary world has finally caught up, publishing houses are getting a bit nervous! Their profit is dwindling because readers are going to more green/economical/sane alternatives. Call it what you will; the truth is, we get really tired of waiting for a new release, and adding to that, we have to pay through the roof for it! Well, late last year, publishing houses started looking into profit and losses, deciding then, to set prices of eBooks in order to recoup the costs of author advances, marketing, and paper production. Yes that’s right, recovering the costs of paper production on digital copies! I can see why they do this, if sales are down on paper and hard covers, they have to make-up the difference somehow; hence the increase in eBooks. Essentially there is no cost to an eBook after production and yet we see the rise in price; the only logical explanation to this rationale is cost recovery. As paper sales have decreased, eBook sales have skyrocketed. In return, monies lost in paper and hardcover sales are now being made up by the increase of eBook sales- and then some. One would think, if there is no after cost production, and the sheer volume of eBook sales have increased, then there really shouldn’t be a need to increase eBook pricing this much to cover the costs. By volume alone, these ‘sunk costs’ should be recovered and still keep digital editions at a reasonable price. I believe this is where the greed portion comes in into play! Alternatively, I can look at it from a publishing stand point. You have a well known author like JR Ward, Richelle Mead, or Lora Leigh, etc… these authors have set a name for themselves and offering their books at a lower price may decrease their value or worth, so, publishers will set those books at a rate worthy of their name. Economic models on pricing support this mentality. Why give away the bus for free when there are those who will pay full price for a fare! So, with the combination of greed and consumer demand, we get a hefty hike in eBook pricing. I don’t think the publishing industry realizes this; but we as consumers make that extra upfront expense of buying an eReader to take advantage of lower costs in literature. If they would sit back and evaluate their pricing models and see that if more consumers are paying that upfront expense for digital reading and set production accordingly; pricing books of all types accordingly, everyone would win. This being said, do I think eBooks should be $0.99; absolutely not! That my friend, is considered robbery from the one responsible for that piece of work. Should they be $15, no this is robbery from the one ending up with the copy. Find that happy medium in pricing that will make everyone happy. From my readings, that would be an average of $6 for an eBook! In most cases, this pricing is right in line with paperbacks and will still give publishing companies the same end result. Money in their pockets and enough to cover the sunk costs as well! If they keep up at the rate they are going with this pricing model, they will price themselves right out of business; and us consumers will find ways around the price hike and still get the end result!
The disappearing brick and mortar bookstore and its impact for today’s reading community. About 20 years ago there were a number of familiar bookstore chains filtered throughout most cities and towns in the US; nestled within malls and as standalone shops. Does anyone remember Walden Books, B. Daltons, or Crown Books? During the 1980’s – 1990’s these bookstores were some of the premier venues. They carried an array of mainstream, as well as, an eclectic mix of hard to find titles. I still can remember running down to B. Dalton to get the latest editions of Candlelight Ecstasy Romances. Overtime, declining sales and deeper discounts by rival booksellers forced most well known chains of the 1980’s, as well as, some independent booksellers to close up shop. Brick and Mortar stores left in the wake of closings included Barnes and Noble, Borders, Books A Million, and Powell’s Books. I know you’re thinking, how can I include Borders given their current situation. I am only including them because up until a year ago, they were still a viable brick and mortar shop. In late the 1990’s, bookselling was prosperous and booksellers flocked to acquire a flagship corner space in malls. By mid-2000, almost every mall in a major city or town featured either a Barnes and Noble or a Borders Books. While business was booming for booksellers, technology was expanding. The internet had taken off and customers were beginning to migrate towards convenience shopping. Leading the charge was a little known company by the name of Amazon. It’s online presence launched in 1995 with the sale of its first book. Amazon changed the way we shop; physical browsing became a thing of the past, its online reviews provided convenience in making selections and its foresight would change the face of publishing, as well as, how we consume goods in general. On November 19, 2007 Amazon launched its groundbreaking Kindle, e-book reader; adding yet another spike in the impending demise of the brick and mortar bookseller. Originally scoffed at and presumed destined to fail, the first generation Kindle has over the years, given way to countless new versions of the product and added a quaking feeling in the hearts of Amazon’s competition. In the mid-2000’s you could say the competition began to see the writing on the wall. In an attempt to garner a portion of the growing digital sales and answering the growing consumer interest in digital e-books, a number of kindle comparable e-readers were brought to market. In 2006 Sony introduced its first e-reader, In 2009 Barnes and Noble the Barnes and Noble nook, and in 2010 Canadian based bookseller Kobo announced its Kobo e-reader. In addition to the dedicated ereaders introduced, a number of tablets also hit the consumer highway including the iPad powered by Apple’s Mac OS, and a number of Android based devices. It’s now 2011 and the digital age is here to stay. I myself use my iPod Touch and nook to read ebooks and listen to audio-books. I can shop whenever I like and start listening or reading within moments. It would seem from the time line above, that given the history of the ever changing business model, and technology’s firm grasp of how we navigate our busy lives; one could surmise that in the next 5 – 10 years the traditional brick and mortar bookseller will be a tiny player in a larger digital scheme.
Check Out These New Releases Coming in September! Not all releases shown
Sept Releases
Historical Romance
Week of Sep t 27
Week of Aug. 1 & 8
Week of Sept 5
Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy
Week of Sept 27 Week of Sept 5 Sept releases
Romantic Suspense
Teens/ Young Adult
Tiffany intended to write this month’s short story. In light of events, this month’s story has been postponed. Look for “Devil in Red Heels” by Angela McPherson coming in October!