Final Sunday Book Blog of 2008

One of the things that I've been enjoying about my time off is all of the extra time that I have for reading.  I usually read about 2-3 books per week anyway but it's been great to just read and not worry about writing.  Although, I have to say that this month the publishing world seems to have some kind of a dry spell because I haven't been impressed with my local Barnes and Noble.  So I've been re-reading some oldies but goodies.  I love re-reading.  No matter how many times I read a book, if I enjoy the writing, I can always allow myself to be swept up in the story again. 

But the slump is over!

I bring to you two books (whose due dates should technically be in January but were shelved this week) that I truly enjoyed.

Stay the Night (Darkyn Book 7) by Lynn Viehl

When undercover FBI agent Chris Renshaw meets the elusive but oh-so alluring Rob one night in a smoky nightclub, she had no idea that he is the elusive art thief that she has been chasing.  That's why she allows herself to be swept away in an incredible night of passion unlike any that she has experienced before.  And why she needs to walk away the next morning.  When Robin of Locksley awakens to find his bed empty, he is not pleased, especially when he finds out that he's been deceived by Chris.  But circumstances forces them to work together when the book that they've booth been pursuing is stolen from under Robin's nose and on Chris's watch. A stunning act of betrayal propels them to join forces on an international romp in search of the book and a passion that cannot be denied.

Okay, well, this is no my best description.  In fact, it's really just bare bones because there is so much happening in the book that no blurb could encompass it all.  I really enjoyed this book and Ms. Viehl's writing.  She truly weaves the plot lines from the different books seamlessly.  There are also surprises galore throughout the story.  My only qualm is that there is no description of Chris and Robin's first night together which I gather was amazing since Chris says that she had things done to her body that no man has done before.  But this fact is forgiven by a very artful and very sexy m/m scene that comes out of left field but explains so much.

I am very sad because it seems like this might be the end of the Darkyn series.  She is branching out into a series of book based on the Kyndred (you have to read the book to find out what means).  I'm looking forward to see where this goes.  My only complaint is that I wish she would put out more books a year but I'm sure that she doesn't have a tone of control over this, plus she writes in multiple genres.

This is not a book for someone new to the series.  In fact, if you haven't read the previous Darkyn novels, don't even pick this up.  Start with book one and work your way through them.

RATING: RUN

Witch Heart (Elemental Witches, Book 3) by Anya Bast

When Claire, an elemental witch from an alternate universe, is pushed through a dimensional portal and into Chicago, it's no wonder that no one believes that she's being pursued by demons and lock her up in an insane asylum.  But she's used to captivity.  On Eudae, she was little better than a slave.  But she manages to get a message to the other Earth witches and is rescued by Adam Tyrell.  The attraction between them is immediate.  Claire is unlike any witch Adam has known.  She's way more powerful, all four of the elements are hers to command.  Her powers do not prevent her from being pursued by demons who want the Elium, a powerful weapon, which was thrust into her just before her Demon master pushed her through the portal.  But being pursued by demons does little to dampen Adam and Claire's desire for each other as they let their passion explode while at the same time working overtime to save her life.

I love this book.  I loved the previous two books. Anya Bast creates powerful characters and love scenes so hot, they practically scorch your fingers.  That's what I love about writers who come out of e-pubs.  They know how to craft a love scene.  The romance genre is moving towards hotter sex scenes and the e-pubs were and are at the forefront of what the public wants.  Adam and Claire are good with each other, and not just in bed.  I liked the story line.  Even though it's paranormal, it's not that far-fetched (if you get passed the whole alternate world thing).

Rating: Run

Well, Happy New Year!  I'll be back soon with more Harmless Smut, Reviews, and Observations the week of January 5th.  

Merry Christmas!

As a treat, I present to you the worst Christmas song ever!!!!  I just had to share it.  I bawl my eyes out every time I hear it.  Who wants that for Christmas? 

Oh, and if you find that you're missing me, I blogged at Colorado Vixens.  Check me out.  I will be back here at Harmless Smut after the new year.

I DID IT!!!!

50,157 (my count)

50,002! (Official NaNo Count)

WOO-HOO!!!!!

The bad news is that I'm not done with the book.  I was thinking that it would be a Harlequin Blaze and in order to do that, I need to add 5-10k.  I'm not going to think about that now.  I just want to celebrate my victory.

Thanks to everyone who cheered me on and if you are NaNo-ing right now, good luck.  You can do it!  

I had to share this

I got this link from Dear Author (via the Smart Bitches).  It made me laugh so I thought I would pass it on.  

And no, I haven't started writing yet.

Romance Apologia

HOME STRETCH!!!

I had hoped to be done yesterday but that was not to be.  Damn 'Ugly Betty' Season 2 on DVD.  I was hooked, glued.  So I got zero words on Monday.  

SIGH!

What can you do?

My word count as of now is 47,746.  But that's according to my word processing program.  According to the official NaNo website, I'm something like 150 words behind.  So today I'll do about 2,500 words just to be on the safe side.

And the best part?  I'll be finished!  Not like last year when I got 50,000 words but it still was only about 1/3 of the book and took me another year to finish.  This will be my 4th or 5th completed ms.  The second in 2 months.  (Brushing my shoulders off.)

Now, I didn't say that it was a good one.  It needs some SERIOUS work and even then may end up as free read here at Harmless Smut.  But we'll try.  The weirdest part is that this time around, the love scenes came the easiest for me.  And there are a lot of them.  I think at least 4 maybe 5 or 6.  My characters were like horny bunnies.  (Isn't that the same thing?)

Well, I'm off to write.  I may update this later tonight once I'm finished.  You may hear my scream of triumph.

Still Sick, Still Writing

Seriously, I feel like the postman.  Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor hail, nor the fact that your body is trying to expel all of your internal organs through your mouth will keep me away from my appointed duty.

I am soooo looking forward to NOT WRITING next month.  Although, I do have this BDSM story that's been pushing it's way forward.  Who knows where that might lead?

Anyhoo, my word count?

42,617!

Boo-YA!

Bitchslapped by Life

So, I've been sick as a dog since Tuesday night.  My body wants to expel my lungs by way of my mouth and I've been coughing so much that I'm pretty sure that I have a hernia.  Added to that is the fact that I can't breathe.  Right now I love Afrin so much that I wish it had a penis so I could fuck it.  I'd even take him in the ass.  That's how much I love him.

Needless to say that I did not write on Wednesday.  I slept.  I did write yesterday but I didn't post because my internet is down and they could come to fix it anytime between now and the time monkeys start flying out my cooch.  

My word count?  37,043.

I should be done by Wednesday (my goal so I don't have to worry about it over the holiday) so no worries.  

Oh, and I got an 'I Love Your Blog' award (icon coming) from my wonderful and Lovely CP Helen Hardt.  Although, honestly, if I hadn't won, she and I would have had words.  LOL

So thank you Helen and hopefully I will feel better enough in the next few days to do some awarding of my own.

Later Gators!

Bitchslapped by NaNo!

Okay, so yesterday I was bragging about how I made NaNo my bitch.  Well, she struck back.

Today was the most horrendous NaNo day yet.  Every.  Fucking.  Word.  Was.  Torture!

Seriously, I got in my 2k words but it was like pulling out my eyelashes one by one.  I'm at 34,254.

Well played, NaNo.  Well played.

NaNo and Injuries

My word count?

32,189!!!

Injuries?

1

I think I have NaNo-induced carpal-tunnel syndrome.  Seriously!  I can barely write.  My wrist is on fire.  Still, I carry on, a silent soldier in the NaNo war.  

But I wrote 3,140 words today.

NaNo is my bitch!!!

NaNo Update

25,338!

I'm on a roll.  And my characters have just gotten busy just again.

NaNo Word Count and an Excerpt

So today you all get a double dose of goodness.

My word count...22,526

And the excerpt?  Well, that's just because I'm feeling insecure and in need of validation.  So heap on the praise  I need it.  Please be aware that this is an UNEDITED excerpt.

WARNING EXPLICIT CONTENT AHEAD

“I’m just going to take a quick shower and change out of these smelly clothes.  I’ll be right back.  Unless you want to join me?” She asked with a wink over her shoulder.

An image of her, naked and soapy, rose in his mind.  His cock swelled and hardened.  Wild lust clawed at his belly and he knew that he wasn’t going to be able to wait for her to clean herself up.  He wanted her.  Here.  Now.  On the floor, against the wall, hell bent over the couch he didn’t care.  All that mattered at this moment was getting his dick inside her hot, clenching channel.    

He caught up to her at the bedroom door.  He spun her around and yanked her into his arms.  He used her startled shriek to his advantage by thrusting his tongue deep inside her mouth.    

She melted against him.  Their tongues tangled with each other, each sliding over the other playfully.  The taste of her caused his head to swim.  She was rich and dark on his tongue, like the most exotic chocolate he’d ever eaten.  He wanted to savor her but he knew that this tie, he may not have the patience.

He adjusted his hands until one gripped the back of her head and the other cupped her bottom, settling her securely against his raging hardness.  She moaned and wriggled closer, fitting him tightly at the juncture of her thighs.  

This time he groaned.  He pulled his mouth away.  She whimpered and tried to recapture it but he eluded her.

“God, you feel so good.  You taste like candy, Vixen.  I could get addicted,” he rasped against her throat as he nibbled his way down.  Her skin was salty from her workout but was oh so sweet.     

Her only response was to moan and allow her head to loll backwards, giving him greater access to the flesh he craved.  He took full advantage.

He dipped his head into the space created between her full breasts by the confining spandex of her bra.  He lapped at the hollow.  He felt goosebumps explode across her skin.  She clutched at his hair in an effort to bring him closer.

He didn’t want to but he released her head and brought his hand down to cup her.  He kneaded the soft mound that overfilled his palm.  She shuddered.  

He smiled against her skin.  

He loved this.  Loved that he had the power to make her shudder, make her moan, and yes, before the day was over, he was going to make her scream.

He used his thumb and forefinger to pluck at the distended nipple that was clearly visible against the fabric covering it.

“Yes,” she hissed, pressing herself deeper into the caress.

“You like that?” he asked with another pinch between his two digits.

She bobbed her head up and down.

“Do you want me to lick you?”  

Another tight squeeze.

“Yes,” she said.

“Do you want me to suck you?”

A pinch.  A pluck.

“God, yes,” she moaned.

“So responsive,” he said as if to himself.

“Please,” she groaned, her frustration evident in her voice.

He didn’t need to be asked twice.  Using both his hands he yanked down the offending, letting it rest beneath her breasts so that they were offered up like a feast to his lips.

Before she could do more than gasp, he hand one of the brownish-pinkish nubs sucked deeply into his mouth.  

She let out a small shriek.  He ignored her and sucked harder.  He used his other hand to toy with the opposite nipple.

Her breath came in great shuddering gasps that boomed in his ears. 

He pulled his mouth from her nipple so that he could use the flat of his tongue to lap at her.  She made incoherent noises that told him that he was driving her out of her mind.  He reveled in the power he had over her.  Her body belonged to him.  It was his to do with as he wanted.  He couldn’t be sure but he would bet even money that no man had ever made her feel the way he did.

Not even her precious Jerome.

He caught one swollen bud between his teeth and nipped it.

“Oh, God!”  

Her knees weakened and he had to release the captive flesh in order to secure an arm around her waist, lest both of them fall to the ground.  He kept a tight hold on the nubbin between his teeth.  He bent her back over his forearm so that more of her was available to his ravenous mouth.

When he felt her legs could once again support her weight, he released her.  He pushed her breasts together so that he could swing back and for between each tempting morsel more quickly.

His scalp ached from the death grip she had on his hair but he didn’t care.

“Let’s go to the bedroom,” she said.

He shook his head.  “Too far.  Here. Now.”  

He shoved her against the wall and settled himself between her legs.  He felt her heated center through the layers of fabric separating them.  He rubbed the ridge of his cock against the moist heat of her.  

She lifted one leg so that it rested on his hip, opening herself wider to his caress.

“You are so hot.  I can’t wait to slide deep inside of you.”

“Please,” she moaned again.  

He reached his hand down the front of her shorts until he cupped her center.  Her panties were soaked.  He pushed them aside.  She was slippery with her arousal.  His mouth watered as he remember the fresh peach taste of her against his tongue.  The first chance he got, he was going to bury his face in her fiery honey again.  Right now, he had other plans for her.

His thumb found the small mound of inflamed flesh hidden beneath a hood.  He used it to thrum against it.  

She let out a small shriek and trembled in his arms.

He smiled against her neck and did it again.  This time, he slid his index finger into her.  Her heated flesh sucked at the buried digit.  He added a second finger and a third until he felt she could take no more.  He pulled back to look at her.  

If she was sexy when she was sweaty from her workout, then she was downright lethal in her arousal.

Her head thrashed against the wall.  The flush that had been in her face was now spread down her neck and over her breasts.  Her nipples, still wet from the attention of his mouth, stood out tight and hard.  

Awesome! 

He wanted more.  He wanted to make her come, to have her juices running down her thighs where he could lick it up.

He used the heel of his hand to rub circles around her swollen clitoris even as his fingers pumped in and out of her.  She rode his fingers.  

“Look at me,” he commanded.

Her eyes snapped open.  They had gone almost black.

“That’s right,” he said, using one hand on her hip as a guide.  “Take what you want.  It’s all yours, Vixen.”

Her hips pumped against him.  Her chest heaved as she struggled to get oxygen into her lungs.  He saw the moment her climax overtook her and held his breath.  It was one of the most beautiful sights of his life.

She hunched forward on his hand and shuddered through the orgasm bursting inside of her.  Her tight tunnel milked his fingers.  He couldn’t wait to feel that around his cock.

He waited until the spasms stopped and she was leaning her head against his chest, slowly recovering her breath.

His fingers were slick with her juices.  He raised them to his mouth and licked.  His eyes fluttered shut.  She was as delicious as he remembered.  

He couldn’t wait any longer.  He needed to be buried deep within her.  He reached for the front placard of his jeans.  Her hands beat him to it and pushed his away.

He cocked his head to the side.

“My turn,” she said.

In the Interest of Full Disclosure

Because I want my blog to be a true representation of a writer's life, I want everyone to know the good and the bad.

Unfortunately, today I only have the bad.

I just received a (second) rejection on one of my erotic novellas.  Really my only erotic novella because I don't write them often.  It sucks.  I've been waiting for 8 weeks for a reply and I crossed my fingers that it would be good news.  I guess it just wasn't meant to be.  Maybe after NaNo, I'll try submitting it again.  

I need to look on the bright side.  It could be a good thing.  I recently entered my romantic suspense in the Golden Heart contest through RWA and I'd have to rescind it if I got a contract for 20,000 words or more.  So, now I wait until March to hear if I'm a finalist.  It's a long wait but it won't kill me.  

This rejection won't kill me.

It just maimed me a little.

NaNo Update

20,665!

I'm working it!

NaNo Day 10

Yeah, I'm almost caught up.  

16,085.

I'll try to do the rest today but if not, I have the whole day off tomorrow!

Later gators!

Monica

Behind (Again)

So, I'm at 13,036 and I needed to be at 15,003 yesterday.

SIGH!

I'm know.  I should be working.  I have 2,000 words to catch up with.

I just had to share this

I just wrote this and it made me giggle so I thought that I would share it.

"As much as he wanted to believe that his semen had superpowers, he knew that such a dramatic transformation wasn’t possible overnight."

Back on track

11, 689!

Met my goal for the day.  I'm totally caught up.

My story however????

We'll see how it develops.  I'm not sure about it yet.  It's times like these I wish I were a plotter.

NaNo Word Count Day 6

So, I'm behind in my word count. 

9023 (should be 10002)

Will work harder tomorrow.

 

GOAL: 2426.  Can do.  

Did 2,803 today.

Oh...

And he's also the reason I have 3300 words to write today.

GO-BAMA!!

I know that there is a lot of talk out there in Romacelandia about the role of authors and politics and until today, I have been mainly silent (on the internet, but talk to me in real life!) but after last night, I can no longer hold my tongue.

I have never been prouder to be an American than I was last night at 9:15 pm MST when MSNBC announced that Barack Obama was the next President of the United States of America.  I laughed, I screamed (loudly), and I cried (profusely).  In fact, I'm becoming a little teary-eyed even as I write this.  Last night was historically significant in so many ways.  When I think that just 40 years ago, my grandfather didn't have the right to vote, young Black men were brutally slain just for whistling at a White woman, and one of the most prolific voices of our times was shot down just because he dared to declare that Black people were citizens of this nation and deserved to be treated with equanimity, my heart aches.  I honestly never thought that I would see this day in my lifetime.  

And while I know that this victory in no way completely heals the racial tensions in this nation, it goes a helluva long way.  Now, when I have my children, I can truly tell them that they can grow up to be anything they want in this world, including the President of the United States.   

And it won't be a lie.

God Bless President Obama and God Bless America!

Day 3

5,171

I'm awesome! 

LOL

Word Count

Okay!  

Back on track!

2,529 words today.  Only behind 804 words behind.  Should be able to make it up tomorrow.

NaNo or Bust

My first NaNo day was a burst.  I got like 60 words which means today I am aiming for 2500-3000 words.  I learned this last week that I can comfortably do 2,000 words per day so I'm not worried about catching up.  Last year I started something close to a week late and I finished 3 days early.  

Does that make me prolific?  (I don't think so.  It took me a year to finish it.)

Speaking of my WIP, currently titled 'Prey for Darkness' by the way, I took a giant leap and entered it into RWA's Golden Heart Contest.

Wish me luck!

Okay, enough procrastination.

ON TO NaNo!!!!

It Has Officially Started

NaNoWriMo!!!!

Get out there and start writing people.

Monica

I'M DONE!!!

Yay!

I am finally, finally, FINALLY done.

139,743 words and 540 pages.  But it's done.  

I can't tell you how happy I am.  

And it's good.  IMHO.  I have some major revisions and some scenes I want to add (in December) but it's done.

Now, onto NaNo!  I'm looking forward to it because my current WIP so dark, I want fun and sexy.  That's what I'm going to write.

I will be posting my daily word count.

It didn't work

I'm not going to make it.  

SIGH

Tomorrow is another (the last) day.

The End Is NEAR!!!

So I have been struugling to finish my current WIP so that I can move on to NaNoWriMo and I think I've made a breakthrough.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  I think (hope) that I can be done tomorrow.  Which would be great because that would give me one good day off before I do NaNo.

Wish me luck!

That Dreaded Word- CROSS-POSTED

When I was deciding what to write this week for the blog, I was thinking initially that I would do something to go along with Helen's NaNo theme, but as I am a Panster and not a Plotter, this blog will once again go awry.

So what am I going to talk about?  Well, my least favorite part about being an author.

Research.

The reason that I have been thinking about this is because I am in the process of completing my as of now 131,055 word monstrosity.  It's a bit of a departure for me.  There's a lot less sex than normal for one thing.  (Although the H/H do have some pretty good down and dirty in a stairwell.  Didn't see that one coming.)  Plus, it's a romantic suspense which I'm not all that familiar with but thought that I wanted to try because I read so much Linda Howard, Elizabeth Lowell, Linda Castillo, and numerous other RS writers that I thought...What the hell?  (Of course lately all I've been reading is historical romance but rest assured, I will not be attempting this genre.)

As a writer, I should know that actually doing something is not as easy as it looks.  Or in this case writes.  I want my story to be authentic.  I don't want to be a published author and getnitpicky letters from people highlighting all of the mistakes that I've made.  (SIDE NOTE: I've 'heard' from some authors that fans, especially historical romance fans, will send these kinds of letters.  I know how they feel  Every time I read a story about a social worker [my day job] I want to pull my hair out at all of the inaccuracies.  I've stopped myself from actually writing a response.  Barely.)  

And you would think with the amount of 'Law and Order' that I've watched in my life (seriously, I'm sure I've seen every single episode at least four times) that it wouldn't be that difficult.  

I know in my head, that I should try to meet with a homicide detective and interview him.  But the truth is, I'm scared.  (And lazy.  We should never forget lazy.)  Helen, Vi, and Trish would probably laugh to hear me say this because while I do consider myself outgoing, it take a bit of effort (and the right environment) before I'm completely comfortable letting out 'The Full Monica' as it were.  I haven't the vaguest idea how to go about interviewing someone for research purposes.  I kick myself for not taking some sort of journalism class in college.

I know, I know.  I can find this stuff on the Internet.  But A) there's that lazy thing and 2) I want specific answers to MY questions.  Not have to sift through massive amounts of data to find what I need.  (But that does seem to fit in with the laziness.  I'd have to do a lot of work to gather the data before tossing everything that I didn't need.)

So I put it to you out there in Blogger World.  

Any advice for a novice author about  how to go about doing in-person interviews?

Save the Contemporary!

Okay, I am a big fan of contemporary romance. I write it and I read it. But as the Smart Bitches point out, they seem to be a dying breed. Most publishers seem to want to go with what's popular. Of course! They want to make money. And what's popular right now is paranormal, erotica, romantic suspense, and other 'sub genres.' The problem is that straight forward contemporary romance has now been dwindled into a sub genre.  

So Erin McCarthy has teamed up with Smart Bitches and Dear Author for the 'Buy a Contemporary, Save the World' campaign to celebrate the release of her new book 'Flat Out Sexy' which is a flat out contemporary romance. Now, I love Ms.McCarthy. Her books rock! Very sexy. So of course, I want to do my part. (And possibly win $100 along the way.)

So go out! Buy Contemporaries! They miss you!

FREE BOOK!

Hey all of you aspiring authors, Donald Maas, literary agent extraordinaire, is giving away a free downoad of his book, The Career Novelist.

If you haven't heard of him, he wrote the book that should be on every novelist's bookshelf, Writing The Breakout Novel.

CHECK IT OUT!

This reminds me...

If you've read The Colorado Vixens' blog you know that our Viola is a very innocent person and Helen and I are the bad influences on her.  And if you read my blog about Sex, you would know that Helen and her webmistress Laura took it upon themselves to show her some porn which absolutely shocked out little Vi.  (And if you believe any of that I have an Alaskan Bridge for sale on Ebay.)

So when I saw this clip over at the Smart Bitches website, it made me think of them.  It's porn that presented in a 'Safe for Work' manner.  

It's like getting the best of two worlds.  Helen gets her porn and we keep our little Vi innocent as pie.

 Enjoy!

Diesel's SFW XXX Party Clip - Watch more free videos

LIFE

So, you might be wondering where the hell I've been.  Well, I'll tell you. 

The Sunday Book Blog and really all blog entries are on hold right now as I finish up my current WIP.  I'm at 120,000 words and I should have been finished a month ago but I got lazy, plus my job was starting up again so it made it harder.  I'm determined to finish this and I'm giving myself another two weeks.  I can do it.  I need to do it.  I'm even eschewing Jeopardy! (one of my favorite shows) to get it done.  Don't worry, you will definitely know when I'm finished.  You'll probaby hear my roar of triumph.

I am also gearing up for NaNoWriMo.  But more about that in later posts.

PLUS, I may have some VERY good news soon.  Keep your eyes out.

Later Gators

Sunday Book Blog(s)

Sorry about being out of touch but I've been such a slacker and since my job has resumed, it's been crazy.  So here is the Sunday Book Blog for the past TWO weeks.  Yup, folks, your math is right, it's FOUR books that I am going to review.

And without further ado...

Noah by Jacquelyn Frank

As King of the Demons, Noah prides himself on his self-control and his sound mind.  So when the dreams that he has been having of his Mate for the past six months suddenly stop, it drives him over a precipice and causes him to commit a heinous act.  One that he can neither forgive himself for nor can he ask others to forgive him.  But he cannot deny the incredible pleasure that having Kestra in his life brings.  They are as different as night and day.  She a highly trained mercenary and he a King more at home among his books than on the battlefield.  Together they must find a way to be together and fight against those that would pull them apart.

Now, I first want to start off by saying that I love this series.  My personal favorite was 'Elijah.'  I don't know why but something about that story got to me.  

I enjoyed getting to know Noah.  Although he has been in all of the books, you've never really gotten a true sense of who he is other than he is a Scholar King.  And I thought that Kestra was a good match for him, both in temperament and vibe.  I liked their romance.

Now, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that I was disappointed in some aspects of the book.  

This book marked the end of the 'Nightwalker' series and Ms. Frank will be moving on to the 'Shadowdweller' series.  That being said, I was expecting big things out of this book.  For the first three books, there was this great storyline going on with Ruth and her daughter Mary who betray their demon kind because Jacob inadvertently killed Mary's Imprinted Mate.  That sends these crazy bitches into a tailspin and they set out to wreak havoc.  This storyline culminates in 'Elijah' where Mary gets killed and Ruth vows revenge on Jacob and Bella and Gideon and Legna's children whom it has been prophesied will usher in a new era of peace.  Great story, right?  Too bad it ends there.  If I remember correctly, Ruth had a bit part in Damien and Syreena's story and she is almost an afterthought in 'Noah.'

Huh?

What happened to her?  Is she working with the Vampires to overthrow all the Nightwalkers?  

And what's with that library that they found buried deep in the ground that was said to contain some crazy knowledge and prophesies?

And was Kestra a mercenary?  Her background other than what happened when she was 17 years old (read the book) was sketchy at best.  Why did she turn to merc work after getting out of the Marines?  Those questions just niggled at my brain. 

There are so many loose ends in 'Noah' that by the end, although I thoroughly enjoyed the story, I wanted to rip out my hair.  To me it seemed as though both 'Damien' and 'Noah' were stand alone stories and didn't really fit in with the story arc created in the first three books.  Which is fine but as a reader, when I hear that a series is ending, I want everything wrapped up in a neat bow and this book just didn't give me that.

But that will not stop me from reading her next series.  I love Ms. Frank's writing.  I love Jacki (I met her last year which is how I got started reading the books).  So while I am disappointed, it won't stop me from gobbling up her next book and hope that I get some of the answers to my questions there.

Rating: Speed Walk

Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh

Dorian Christiansen has nothing good to say about the Psy.  They covered up for the psychotic killer who murdered his sister and even though Dorian exacted his revenge, his hatred for the Psy has not diminished.  Ashaya Aleine represents everything that the Psy stand for.  So deep in the Silence protocol that Dorian doubts that she even has a heart.  But that doesn't stop him from wanting her.  She's like a fever in his blood but to look at her, he was sure that ice ran in hers.  So when Ashaya enlists his help to save her son, he has no choice to to repay a debt.  And when Ashaya soon follows her child, she and Dorian are trapped in a world of pleasure and torn apart by the fact of their very natures.  

There are no words to describe how much I love this book.  Ashaya and Dorian are in my heart.  I cried, I laughed, I fell in love.  To see Dorian struggle with the knowledge that Ashaya is his mate and that she is Psy was heartbreaking but not nearly as much as watching Ashaya try to bury her love for her son and deal with her sister.  

Sniff.

The tension between Dorian and Ashaya is palpable.  They're drawn together and yet repelled.  They are the epitome of opposite attracting especially when Ashaya is determined to hold onto the Silence protocol, something that Dorian believed contributed to his sister's death.  

Great storyline.  Consistent plot.  Steady worldbuilding.  Everything that a paranormal romance should be.

Rating: Sprint like you're that Jamaican dude who blew people away at the Olympics. 

Bound by Light by Anna Windsor

The only thing that Astraroth demon Jake Lowell wants more than to be human is Merilee Alexander, the broom of the Manhattan Sibyl triad.  But after two years with no success, Jake has decided to put that dream aside and join his brothers on the OSU team of the NYPD.  Unfortunately, that puts him in constant contact with Merilee since her triad sisters are pregnant and not able to fight with her.  

Psychics are disappearing all over Manhattan and it is up to Jake and Merilee to find out the reasons why.  Especially since Merilee is very much afraid that she might be next on the madman's list.

This was a very enjoyable end to a very enjoyable series.  Jake and Merilee practically scorched off the pages.  I found the story to be completely engaging and like the two before this book, very unique.  This was a cohesive trilogy that unlike some other trilogies, gave each couple their own arc and separate story but still managed  to keep everything together.

Rating?  RUN

And I saved the best for last...

Dark Curse by Christine Feehan

Lara Calladine has endured a lifetime of pain in just the first eight years of her life.  Held hostage by her father and grandfather and used as nothing more than food, with the help of her aunts, she was finally able to escape.

Nicolas De La Cruz can feel the darkness covering his soul.  The call of the Vampire echoes in his head.  His last duty?  To relay a message to the Prince of their people before choosing the dawn.  When he meets Lara on the streets of a Carpathian village, he cannot help but call her to him, the dark hunger rising in his blood.  The Vampire can no longer be denied.  However, at the sound of her voice, colors explode before his eyes and long-dead emotions flood into his heart.  She is it.  The one that he has been searching centuries for.  She is is Lifemate.

Bound together, Lara and Nicolas must work to find her aunts, expose the experiments of a madman intent on causing the destruction of all Carpathians,  and save their race before it's too late.  For either of them.

Christine Feehan is a genius.  Plain and simple.  I await every single one of her 'Dark' books with bated breath.

And the sex?  OMG, the woman is a master.  I wish that I could write love scenes like she does, which such intensity and sensuality.  I'm still stuck on the ones that I have to write for my WIP.  I need to go back and read her some more to get inspiration but her books are never at the library.  They all get stolen.  That's how good she is.

I really enjoyed this story because I liked the humbling of a De La Cruz.  If you've ever read Ms. Feehan then you would know that these brothers give new meaning to the word 'Chauvinist' even in the Carpathian world.  And while other Lifemates have 'tamed' their De La Cruz brothers, none have been humbled and truly changed like Nicolas was.

Rating: Pull a Usain Bolt.

Until next time...

OH!  And check out to Vixens Blog to find out if you're the winner in our contest.

CONTEST

Hello! I just wanted to let everyone know that my fellow CPs and I are running a contest on our blog. Tell us your best 'Vixen' moment. The winner will recieve a $25 gift certificte to Barnes and Noble, some chocolate, and possibly some bath products. So drop by and leave us a comment to enter to win.

www.coloradovixens.blogspot.com Monica

Speaking of Foursomes...

Who would be in yours?  You've already read mine.

Hostage to Pleasure

I'm entering a contest to win a gift certificate from Nalini Singh.  With that money, I'm going to buy that book.  I have been waiting for so long.  I love her books and of you haven't read her, all of her Psy/Changeling books deserve a RUN!!!  

Look at this cover?  Can you BLAME me?

*Tongue wagging*

Seriously, I have not been disappointed by any of them.  

I especially love that this is going to be an IR romance.  Race is such a malleable concept in these books that it doesn't make any difference but to those of us who are trying to get our IR mainstream, this is huge!

Now onto the show:

In order to win the contest, I have to answer one of three questions.  So, of course I'm going to answer them all.

A) Which fictional character would you most like to hold hostage?

Hmmm...this is a tough one.I would say that I would hold Roarke from J.D. Robb books hostage.  That man sends total shivers down my spine and the thought of him, naked and bound and at my pleasure?  Uh, hell yeah!  I would do things to him that would be illegal in several states but since he's from the future, I'm hoping that laws are more lackadaisical.  Plus the thought of such a strong man at my mercy is intoxicating.  He's probably never had to submit to a woman the way that I would make him but I can guarantee that he would enjoy me.

B) Which fictional character would you like to be held hostage by?

Another tough one, but I'd say Mr. Rochester from Jane Eyre.  He has such a brooding sexuality that I just know that he's intimately familiar with all the tricks to make a woman weep with pleasure.  As you are all VERY familiar with, the tortured hero (sorry to use that phrase so much but I can't think of anything better), makes me oh so happy.  And I'm not opposed to a little bit of bondage, or D/S.  Bring on the handcuffs!

C) Which fictional world would you most like to be held hostage in?

I don't think that that world has been invented yet.  It's a world in which men fall all over their feet for the big girls and skinny bitches can't get dates.  But alas, such a world doesn't exist so I'll just have to invent it myself and until I do, I'll stay in this world.

Wish me luck!

Sunday Book Blog

This week I have not two but three books for your reading pleasure.

So without further ado...

Insatiable Desire: The Demonborn by Rita Herron

Synopsis:

When he was a child, Vincent Valtrez witnessed his mother's death at the hands of his father--or so he thinks.  Twenty years later, he's no closer to the memory.  So when Vincent, an FBI agent, is called back to his hometown to investigate a series of seemingly unrelated murders that psychic Clarissa, a girl from his past, believes to be the work of a serial killer, he fears that those memories will come back.  Together they solve the mystery of his past and his potential future.

Um, I left out a lot in this synopsis.  Like the fact that Vincent was born from a demon father and Angel mother, therefore making him a Demon Lord.  His father, Zion, is going to be the new leader of Hell and needs his son by his side to make the transition permanent and rule the earth.

Oh, maybe I didn't leave anything out.

This books marks a departure for Ms. Herron.  She usually writes romantic suspense and this is definitely a paranormal.  Which I think is great.  I always believe that artists should be constantly expanding and growing.

I enjoyed the book.  It was very sensuous.  The sex was definitely amped up.  Plus, I really do like books that use 'fuck' to describe the act.  I'm sick like that.  The hero is tortured, which I adore.  The heroine is a match for him.  I think the story was inventive and I liked her 'voice.'  

Only two issues.  One, while I enjoyed the sex scenes, I think that there was a big build-up to it but the while the scene was good, I was left wanting just a bit more.  And second, this is a trilogy where the next book won't be out until 2009 which sux great big donkey balls.

My new rating system: Walk, Speed Walk, Jog, Run

This book?  Speed Walk

First You Run by Roxanne St. Claire

Synopsis

Adrien Fletcher, a bullet catcher, is on the hunt for woman.  Only not in the way you might think.  He's on the trail of a woman who was sold through the Black Baby market thirty years ago and finding her might just save a woman's life, literally.  What he finds is Miranda Lang, a linguist who's new book about the Maya calendar is majorly pissing off some people.  In order to see if she's the woman that he needs, he's going to need to get close to her, very close, in order to find a tattoo marking her as the woman he needs.  And Adrien is more than up to the job.

While Miranda may not be the one he wants, he is definitely the one she needs when death and mayhem start to follow her everywhere she goes.

This is the beginning of a second set of trilogies and it's a good one.  I always love a good bodyguard story.  And the introduction of the Maya calendar angle was ingenious.  I learned something new which makes me happy.

I also enjoyed the H/H combination.  There was enough suspense at the end of the book that will make me want to read the next one.  Which is out now.  That's awesome!

Verdict?  Speed Walk

Fairyville by Emma Holly

Psychic Zoe Clare sees ghosts and fairies.  Fortunately, that's not so odd in the town of Fairyville Arizona.  But for all her psychic abilities, she still can't figure out how to get her landlord/manager, Magnus Monroe, to see her.  What makes it worse, is that she seems to be the only woman in the town whom he hasn't...sampled.  So when her high school flame comes back to town, she seizes the opportunity to make him jealous and get some sex all at the same time.

Okay, I love this book.  I LOVE EMMA HOLLY.  Her books are what got me started in erotica because she does it so well.  She is the queen of threesomes and foursome and somehow manages to do it in a way that's both classy and romantically satisfying.  Usually, I don't like the multiple partner angle but she manages to keep the romance between the two couples while at the same time serving up some steamy sex.

This book has everything, M/M, M/F/M, and the oh-so popular M/M/F/M.  Now that was something new.  Three guys and a girl?  HELL YEAH!!!

My ultimate foursome you ask?  Well I'll tell you.  Me (of course), Gerard Butler, my new hotness James McAvoy, and Anderson Cooper.  Although, I would substitute AC for either of the Colins (Ferrell or Firth).  

*SIGH*

Now that is heaven.

Rating?  RUN!!!!    

Until next week!

I am...

So behind it's not even funny.  But the good news is that I am close to being finished.  I think I'll be done in a week.  I just have to get my heroine kidnapped, reveal the stalker/killer, put in just a little twist, and get the H/H back together after she told him to go fuck himself.  Literally.  That's not a lot.

Right?

100,000!

I hit the magic number.  My current WIP is officially the longest that I've ever written.  

Too bad that I'm 2,000 words behind.

And I have at least another 10,000 to go.

But I met the goal that I set a few weeks ago to get to 100,000.  

YAY ME!!!

Acheron!

Okay, this book was so good that it deserved an early Book Blog all its own!

First let me tell all of you that I want to be Sherrilyn Kenyon when I grow up!  Not only the multi-NYT bestseller part, but also just the fact that she is such a wonderful person. She was here in Colorado last night doing a book signing and I got to meet her.  At first I wasn't going to go but then I decided that I really wanted to see her in person and I am so glad that I did.

First, can I just say that very rarely do any really big authors come to Denver.  Sherrilyn had come twice this year and she's coming back in May for my local RWA chapter's conference.  That's just one reason she rocks.

Secondly, she is so nice and funny!  I was laughing the whole time.

But I think the most important part about why I loved her was just how gracious and lovely she was.  She took the time to talk to everyone.  She took pictures with us, she chatted, and she encouraged me to keep up with my writing.  When I left the bookstore, it was almost 10:30 (30 minutes after closing time) and she was still going strong.  She had at least another hour or so of work left and I'm sure that her hand was dead this morning.

That's the kind of author that I want to be.  Not only surrounded by adoring fans, but to be that accessible and welcoming and just so...awesome.  She was awesome.  

So on the off chance that Ms. Kenyon ever reads this blog, thank you so much for your time and your patience and your grace.  I will always have that and the fuzzy picture that my crappy camera phone took to remember you by.

Now on to the review:

Acheron by Sherrilyn Kenyon 

I'm not going to bother with a synopsis here because there is so much going on in this book that it would be impossible to do it justice.  I will just say that this is a book that I have been waiting years for and I was not disappointed.

If you read my previous book blog, you know that I love me a tortured hero and Ash delivers that in spades.  The first couple hundred pages had me in tears almost constantly.  When you read about Ash's past, if you can maintain a stiff upper lip then there is something seriously wrong with you.  I haven't cried this hard since Valerian's story.  And before that, Zarek's.  

*SIGH*

Tortured heroes so do it for me!  

And something that I found interesting is that for a while, Ms. Kenyon was able to make me not only like Artemis, but root for her.  But then she took it all back.  I hate Artie with a vengeance matched only Ash and his new woman.  (And if all of this means jack shit to you, go read the books!)

Now this is not a book, it is a tome written in four parts.  It's over 700 pages and worth every bit of lost sleep that I got from reading it.  It took me a day, more or less.  Not only because I'm a fast reader but because it was an amazing book and I didn't want to put it down.  

But this is not only about Ash but his heroine.  I won't reveal her name or anything about her other than to say that I think that they meshed so beautifully together that they were literally made for each other.  (Okay, I will give you a hint.  She has been in a previous book but you will never guess which one.  So read them all.)

My only qualm is that I wish that she had been able to cram in a few more love scenes between Ash and his lady.  Not only because I'm a bit of a pervert and would do anything to get more descriptive about Ash but also because I just loved them together so much.  But I got over that because this time, I cried at the HEA.

This book could be read as a stand alone.  There is a lot of backstory but it's nothing that a novice to the Dark-Hunters couldn't follow.  But my advice is to read them all from the beginning.  You get to know Ash before you get to know him.  

I'm only sad that now the mystery is gone for me about Ash.  But there is always Savitar and Jaden.  

Please, Ms. Kenyon, let there be Savitar and Jaden.

Screw the rating system.  

RUN.  DO NOT WALK.  DO NOT PASS GO.  BUY THIS BOOK!!!!!

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm probably going to go read it again.

Sunday Book Blog

Here it is, another Sunday Book Blog brought to you on an actual Sunday.

The other day I was talking to my friend and she was looking for something new to read and she was asking me for recommendations for books to read and I have to say that I was stumped. What do you recommend for the novice romance reader? I don't really know anything about her general fiction choices. Does she like mysteries? Thrillers? Who are her favorite authors? I do know that she likes David Sedaris. (As do I because, seriously, I want to be as funny a social commentator as he is. In my other writing life, I want to have a hilarious monthly column in Vogue or The New Yorker, even though I've never been to New York.)

As I was talking to her, I commented on the fact that while I really don't read too much fiction outside of the romance genre, within it, I'm very well read. I read historical, contemporary, romantic suspense, paranormal, interracial, and assorted other subgenres. The only things that I don't really go for are Sci-Fi or time-travel. The latter because I really can't see going back to a time without indoor plumbing or modern dentistry. Plus, as a Black person, going back in time for my people is not an appealing thought.

But my book choices today reflect my diversity. We have a romantic suspense and an historical.

Now on to the books.

First up:

Trial by Fire: The Firefighters of Station Five by Jo Davis

Synopsis:

In the small town of Sugarland, Tennessee, an arsonist is on the loose. Kat McKenna is housesitting for friends when she comes by one night to find the home ablaze and calls the fire department. Inside, the firemen make a deadly discovery, a body handcuffed to the bed and burned alive. One of the firemen is Howard Paxton, six-foot-six-inches of rugged fire hunk.

For Kat and Howard, the attraction is instant and undeniable. Howard has some serious trust issues but Kat is willing to accept them for him. What she doesn't know is that Howard has somehow become the target of the deadly arsonist's rage. Can they find out who is doing the killing and why they want to punish Howard before it's too late?

This is the first of a series (obviously!). The next book doesn't come out until May 2009 which really ticks me off because that's like nine months instead of the usual six. I just hope I can remember that I really liked this book and I would dearly love to read anything by Ms. Davis again.

Okay, can I just say that I love the name Howard as hero's name? I've never considered it sexy before but when it comes attached to some prime beefcake like in this story, I really can see myself moaning that name. (That's my litmus test for hero names. What do they sound like when you moan them?)

I liked the story, especially the chemistry between Howard and Kat. The love scenes were good, very good. They did call this a romantic suspense but I'm not quite sure that it was 'romantic suspense' mainly because to me, the definition of the genre is such a nebulous thing. This storyline could just as easily have been classified as a straight contemporary. But what do I know? I'm just a struggling writer.

My advice: GO BUY IT!


Next up:

Sins of a Duke by Suzanne Enoch

Synopsis:

When Sebastian Griffin, the Duke of Melbourne, is asked by Prinny to become the liaison to an unknown Central American country, he's not happy. Especially when he finds out that part of the duties is to squire the princess, Josefina, around Society. Josefina is unlike any woman he's ever known and despite the fact that she smacked him in public and she continues to challenge him at every turn, he cannot deny his desire for her. But he also can't escape the feeling that something is amiss with this newly crowned royalty.

But is Josefina really a princess? And what will happen when the entirety of England becomes aware of the potential fraud?

I don't remember if I've ever read Ms. Enoch before but I will definitely read her again.

Now, this book was the last in the series and I have to confess I try not to read books like that but this story was entirely self-contained that I had no problems diving in.

My first chuckle was the the name of the island that Josefina and her family were the supposed rulers of was Costa Habichuela, the Bean Coast. It just made me laugh.

And Sebastian is my favorite kind of hero. Total staid Alpha Male with hot undercurrents of sensuality just waiting to bubble to the surface. There is something about a man who is forced to keep a tight reign of his baser desires that drives me crazy. He was kept from being a total buttoned-up frump by his daughter and their obvious affection. It was nice to see their interaction. And a surprise considering the way that Society, especially Dukes, behaved towards their children back in the day.

The only thing better is the brooding, tortured Mr. Rochester type.

*SHUDDER*

Sexy.

Anyway, I liked the H/H combination. Josefina was just the type to shake up the uber-conservative Sebastian. And the love scenes were well-written and enjoyable.

Can I just tell you that in my opinion, historical romances were way ahead of the curve when it came to the level of sensuality in stories nowadays. I remember reading Linda Lael Miller, Susan Johnson, and Amanda Quick specifically because they were so much more descriptive. It took contemporaries a few years to catch up, and now exceed, historicals.

But back to the Duke.

GO BUY IT.

Until next week!

Sunday Book Bias

So about ten minutes after I completed the Sunday Book Blog this week, I realized that all of my 'reviews' are very biased in that I have not-and WILL NOT- review a book that I don't enjoy. And that is a very conscious effort on my part for many reasons.

One, I don't read books that I don't enjoy. I have no qualms about putting down a book 1/2 way through or even 3/4 of the way and never picking it back up again ever. My time is precious and I don't waste it.

Two, I don't get paid to review books. Please refer to reason number one. I don't read books I don't like and I don't waste my time. Getting paid to review books is not wasting my time. There are several websites that do reviews very well. A couple of my favorites: Karen Knows Best, Dear Author, and Smart Bitches, Trashy Books. I suggest that you visit them religiously like I do. These women are on it. They have all the buzz in the industry and they're just smart and funny peeps.

And three, I'm in the business. I hope to meet them someday and I want to make a good impression. I'm trying to get the stink eye from Carolyn Jewel at the next RWA conference. I don't need to be boxing in the lobby. I will throw down.

So that's a 'Just In Case' someone wants to knock me for my 'reviews.'

Writing is Hard!

Especially when you have 3,000 word days because you're lazy as shit.

Sunday Book Blog

Okay, after all that hoopla about this not being a book review blog, here I am with two new reviews. I really shouldn't be writing this. I'm 5,000 words behind on my WIP but I'm in massive denial about it. So...

Pfft!

Today's books:

Bound by Flame (The Dark Crescent Sisterhood Book 2) by Anna Windsor

The second book in the series starts off a few months after the first book. Creed and Riana are married. Cynda, the heroine, and Marilee have moved to the townhouse once owned by Creed and Nick, the heroine and Creed's twin brother demon. The house has now become the HQ for the OSU and the Sybils. The book starts out with Cynda and Nick meeting with an informant. It soon turns into an invisible demon attack. Turns out, the Legion or someone else, is targeting fire Sybils like Cynda and Nick is assigned to be her bodyguard when her sister sybils are not around. She's resistant at first (of course!) but after seeing the devastation of other Triads, she relents. Nick and Cynda and the rest of the Scooby gang must work together to see who is targeting the fire Sybils. All sorts of mayhem ensues, especially when one of the demons that they are hunting turns out to be Creed and Nick's brother, Jake. Oh, and Cynda has been ordered out of a relationship with Nick. Is Jake the bad guy? Will love conquer all?- (Of course, it's a romance novel!)

All in all, I enjoyed the book. I really like Cynda, she reminds me of the heroine in my current WIP. The relationship between them is also very interesting. One thing that I found curious was that although Cynda is a fire Sibyl, the chemistry between Riana and Creed from the first book, is way more explosive. I thought that it was quite the dichotomy. A strong addition to the trilogy and I only have to wait a couple more weeks until the next book.

GO BUY IT!

My Wicked Enemy by Carolyn Jewel

In a world of Mages and Fiends, Carson Philips is as lost as a babe in the woods. Practically held hostage for years by a powerful Mage, Magellan, Carson has been helping him for years without her knowledge. One night, she witnesses just how evil Magellan is and goes on the run. Fortunately, she is found by Nickodemus, a powerful Warlord. Unfortunately, he also wants to kill her. Along with Magellan's thugs. The good news is that he doesn't kill her, the bad news is that Magellan has been slowly poisoning her for years so that he could suppress her use of her magic but still be able to draw it from her and she only has a little while to live. Together Carson and Nikodemus must stop Magellan from his evil plotting and find a way to save Carson's life before it's too late.

First off, this book was a real lesson of world building in the paranormal. It has some crazy complications. The synopsis that I gave you is really bare bones because so much is happening in this story that there is no simple explanation. How Carson gets saved is also weird and I'm not sure I understand it. I would give you more info but too much can ruin the book and I want you to discover it for yourself.

There was one part that I didn't enjoy. At times in the book, it seemed like there was going to be threesome, which I don't object to, but it came so late in the game that it kind of put me off. And the heroine does have sex, I think, with someone other than the hero. But it wasn't clear if it was happening in reality or in her head like some super hallucination. Either way, it grossed me out.

Well, two parts because one time Nikodemus and Carson were having sex and and he turned into his demon self and the author chose not to give us a description of what he looked like. Big downer.

However, the rest of the book makes up for these lapses and I am definitely looking forward to reading another one of her book.

Buy it.

Man, I need a ratings system.

P.S.
Aren't you proud of me for getting you the Sunday Book Blog on an actual Sunday?

Yay me!

Not Just Smut

Okay, so this blog is going to be more than a book review site. I promise. I'm just really working hard on finishing my book before I have to go back to work in two weeks. I'm at 80,000 words and doing 1500 words per day until I reach 100,000. The problem is that I think this book is going to be longer by at least 10-20k words but I can't deal with that now. If I think about it, I go directly to Revision Hell and that sucks because I could be there for months and no progress made.

So, onward an upward. I will keep you informed as to my progress. In the mean time, check me out with my critique partners on our blog, Colorado Vixens. I did a little information dump over there about us and our writing.

See you later.

Sunday Book Blog (on a Wednesday)

Sorry about the last post. My Internet is kind of wonky and so my blogging had been put on hold but I did find enough of a signal to send this.

This weekend I discovered a new author. Anna Windsor.

Well, I didn't 'discover' her so much as ran across her book at Barnes & Noble and the book sounded good.

Bound By Shadow (The Dark Crescent Sisterhood) Book 1

Synopsis:

A Trio of Demon Hunters called Sybils are out protecting Manhattan. The lead warrior Princess, Riana, meets NYPD homicide detective, Creed, as he is on the hunt for the killer of a senator's son. Creed is part of a super secret division of the NYPD that deals with the occult. She instantly senses that he's a demon but she also knows that he's the sexiest man she's ever met and they have a problem keeping their hands off each other. But can a Demon hunter and a Demon ever find happily ever after?

Let me just say that I loved this story. It's inventive in a way that very few paranormals are anymore. Paranormals seem like they are a dime a dozen but there are new voices that stand out among the pack, like Ms. Windsor and Nalini Singh (who if you haven't read, you need to go, run, not walk, to buy ALL her books!) The plot is also engaging. Not a dull moment in my opinion.

It's also dark, which I like. And the sex scenes are awesome! In part because Ms. Windsor used to write for Ellora's Cave (something we may have in common in a few months).

But what makes me absolutely ecstatic about this trilogy is that the books are coming out in June, July, and August. NO WAITING!!! I enjoy trilogies but I have to say that waiting six months between books can be so frustrating! I don't always remember that I want to read the next story.

Her next book, Bound By Flame (The Dark Crescent Sisterhood Book 2) is already out. And Bound By Light (The Dark Crescent Sisterhood Book 3) is out August 26th but is available for pre-order.

So GO BUY IT!!!

Good News!

So, as you you, my novella was rejected by Kensington but I decided to power on. I submitted to two e-pubs. And I have heard back from one of them. I made it past the gatekeeper and my partial is now in the hands of an acquiring editor.

Holy Shit!

Wish me luck!!!!

Join my Gorup!

Click to join Monica_Kaye

Sunday Book Blog

I know that this is going to be a very popular feature of the Smut Blog (as I've decided to call it in just this last second). As usual, I spent a day at BN. Can I just say again how much I LOVE bookstores?

Anyhoo, my book blog will appear every Sunday or as close as I can get. This week we have two of my favorite authors, La Nora and Angela Knight.

First, can we talk about Nora Roberts? Anyone who is anyone in publishing should know about her. She is one of the most successful authors in romance let alone any other genre. The woman is a marvel. She puts out something like 3 books a year. That is amazing. One of the things they tell aspiring authors is that they should be prolific. Well, Nora is the definition of prolific. I hope to model my career after her and anyone who wants to write any type of popular fiction should feel the same.

Tribute by Nora Roberts

The Summary:

Cilla, a washed up former child star, moves to Virginia to rehab the house that once belonged to her grandmother, a famous Hollywood starlet who tragically killed herself in the prime of her life. Once there she meets Ford, a graphic novelists, who sees her and decides to use her as fodder for his latest project.

All seems well. She finds some letters in the attic that leaves her wondering if her grandmother's death was really a suicide. Then someone starts a campaign of intimidation to get her to leave. She and Ford fall in love. They solve the mystery of her grandmother and everyone lives happily ever after.

Okay, first off, I enjoyed the story. I'm rarely disappointed with Nora. I think there was only one, Northern Lights, that I wasn't able to get through. I really liked the H/H. Nora does a really good Beta hero that I hope to emulate (because in my current WIP my hero is a Beta hero). Ford is not a macho guy but he's steady and sexy in a geeky way (again, love the geeks).

I only have a couple beefs. First, the sex scenes could have been a little more. Had some oomph. Also, I think it was a bit too long (it was told in 3 parts). The story with the grandmother was interesting. I didn't like the way it ended. There was some loose ends for me. But overall it was an enjoyable read and if you like Nora, you'll like this.

I still don't have a rating system. I want one fun and kitchy like on Talk Sex with her Hibachi of Love. But until then, just go buy it.

Warrior: The Time Hunters

The Summary:

Jessica, a 21st Century artist, is seemingly targeted for death by 24th C. art thieves so they send Temporal Enforcement agents to save her. It turns out that it's not so simple as art theft. Actually, it's a big, bad, mercenary who tries to kill her. The time agent, Galar, is assigned to guard her until they can figure out why she was targeted by these people. They fall into bed and fall in love. Meanwhile, the assassin is still on the loose and wants Jessica. Jessica, meanwhile, has been infected with Alien DNA and they think that she's a traitor. She gets involved in some sort of religious war and ends up happily ever after with Galar.

Oh, Angela. Another one of those always on my must buy list.

I liked this story. It seems to be an offshoot of Jane's Warlord (a book I LOVED with a passion!!!!!). I liked the H/H. The sex scenes were HOTT! I did get a bit confused in the plot. I'm not sure what the Selas (read the book!) actually were. It seemed just a bit thin to me and some things were too easily resolved. It left it open-ended because I think it's the start of a new series. I'll definitely read the next one.

I say buy it. The reviews on Amazon are extremely favorable. And it's Angela Knight. Enough said.

Writing is a Business

There once was a time when all an author had to do was worry about their writing. They stayed holed up in their office, chain smoking, frantically bent over an IBM Stylus II (that's a typewriter for all of you born after 1982). At least that's the image I have in my head, a type of Truman Capote-ish wonderland where the work was all that mattered. I'm sure that is all a part of my own feverish imagination. But it's nice to have a dream.

That was a long time ago. These days authors have more on their plates than just churning out engaging stories. They also have to worry about promotions and websites and blogs and all manner of non-writing activities. That can be hard to balance. Especially of you're like me and you have a full time job and a life. Okay, okay, I exaggerated about the whole 'having a life' thing.

Now some people, like La Nora, either don't do a lot of promotion or they can afford to hire people to do the job for them. But promotion is a HUGE part of a contemporary author's life. Whatever the genre you're in.

This mean making bookmarks and magnets and ordering pens and creating book trailers. In my opinion, part of the reason for this is Americans are reading less. According to some study that I read last year, less than 50% of us even read a novel last year. In fact, I think it was closer to 25%. Another reason is the rise of e-pubs. Now don't get me wrong. I love e-pubs. They are the main source for the erotica that I read. But there is something about the feel of a book in your hand, the smell of a bookstore or a library. It brings such a sense of contentment, it's indescribable. But we'll get to that later.

Even agents want to know that you're serious about your craft. They look for people who have websites and blogs and are members of their genre-specific writer's associations (Like RWA). They want you in critique groups.


This is a delicate balancing act that all authors are coping with. It's why I have this blog. And why I'm working on a website. It's par for the course. And I've never played golf.