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Jen (That's What I'm Talking About) has
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New-To-Me Authors
2013 reading goal:
15 new-to-me authors.
1) Stacy Gail
2) Heather Massey
3) Sidney Bristol
4) Ann Mayburn
5) Thea Harrison
6) Virna DePaul
7) Mary Quast
8) Molly Harper
9) Eleri Stone
10) PJ Schnyder
11) Kait Ballenger
12) Denise L. Wyant
13) Lucy Monroe
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Showing posts with label Lyrical Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lyrical Press. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Review: Return of the Fae by Lynn Cahoon
Return of the Fae
Author: Lynn Cahoon
Release Date: June 21, 2013
Council Series #2
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Paranormal Suspense with Romance elements
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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A witch in training, a hunter on the prowl, and a world in jeopardy.
Learning the rules of being a witch takes years, but Parris McCall needs to master them in only weeks. Knowing how to wield her magic is the one thing she has to keep her grandmother safe and herself alive.
Ty Wallace is going mad with his desire for Parris, but he has to maintain an emotional distance from her. She’s a distraction in his quest to find Coven X before they grow too strong, taking The Council and everyone he knows down with it.
As Parris labors through the academy manuals, the couple takes a trip to find Ty’s mentor. He’s their only hope in helping Parris with her studies. To their dismay, the old man has disappeared. Their only clue comes from a witch banished for actions against The Council. When they return, not only do they find their own lives threatened, but casualties in the war between the covens have risen. And a new life hangs in the balance.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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Lynn Cahoon brings us the second book in her Council series with suspense, romance, and spells full of power. Return of the Fae lives up to its name. We do see the fae returning to Ty and Parris. We also see things between the couple intensifying, making the heat index 3 out of 5. They’ve got awesome chemistry, but ‘real life’ called, and they had to answer.
Per Amazon, this title is estimated to be a mere 113 pages. I’m guessing that’s why it felt like I was done reading before I even settled in to my spot on the couch. I continue to want more of Parris & Ty’s story. I want to see the happily ever after. I did purchase the first book in the series, A Member of the Council. I was glad I did, too. I like starting a series at the beginning. I do feel like Ms. Cahoon did a good job filling in back story as needed, however.
What worked for me was the chemistry between Ty and Parris. They seem as natural together as peanut butter and jelly. Jason Mraz & Colbie Callat (see video here). Tequila and lime. You get the idea. I think what I liked the most about this couple was the way they seemed to auto-bond – whether they would admit it or not – and it was all casual. Not intense beyond your most wild imagination. The suspense was perfect. Pacing – awesome. Secondary characters were set up just right. With enough involvement to keep things interesting, yet not take away from Parris and Ty. In fact, their relationship was enhanced by the others involved in the story. None of the characters were superfluous. They were all planned and purposeful.
What I wasn’t too keen on was the hot/cold of Ty. Make. Up. Your. Mind! It’s cool if he doesn’t want to really get involved with Parris until things have settled…but don’t sleep with her in the interim. Not. Cool. I see where it has value in the plot, but couldn’t there be another way to increase the romantic element?
Even though there was one little element with which I struggled, I really enjoyed Lynn Cahoon’s newest title in the Council series, Return of the Fae. I look forward to reading future titles in this series.
VampBard’s Rating:
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Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)
Purchase Info:
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Review: Dream On by Renita Pizzitola
Dream On
Author: Renita Pizzitola
Release Date: March 4, 2013
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Romance, novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Emory Bennett owns a lucrative dreamwalking business. Trained in weaponry and Muay Thai, she spends her nights entering the dream realm resolving her clients’ nightmares, whatever they might be: bad guys, scary beasts, or the classic forgot-to-wear-my-pants nightmare. Her jobs get complicated when a gorgeous man keeps appearing requesting her help.
Grayson, a fellow dreamwalker, is stuck in the dream realm while a stranger inhabits his body. He needs Emory’s assistance in the waking realm, which he can’t visit if he can’t get back into his body.
Once Emory is convinced Grayson’s not a figment of her imagination, they concoct a plan to lure the body snatcher out. But as Emory begins to fall for Grayson, the line blurs between him and the stranger who inhabits his body. She must keep it together to get close enough to discover his secrets, or divide her very soul if she can’t bring the man she loves back.
What B is talking about:
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Walking through other peoples’ dreams can be risky sometimes, but Emory Bennett wouldn’t trade her job for anything. As a dreamwalker, she fights the demons that plague the innocent in their sleep, helping them find peace that carries over into their waking lives. But, when another dreamwalker starts following her on her journeys, asking for her help in reclaiming his body, she’ll have to fight her greatest battle yet, and one that could cost her everything.
Similar to the idea of “lucid dreaming,” Dream On takes place more in the dream realm than the waking world. Emory is one of a few, rare people, known as “dreamwalkers,” who are able to leave their body in spirit and enter the dreams of others. In Emory’s case, she’s turned her skills into a successful business, even though she tends to keep her abilities a secret, only opening up to a few people she really trusts. Although there are risks, Emory is more than capable of taking care of herself, whether waking or dreaming.
This premise has a lot of potential for some great adventures on its own, but Ms. Pizzitola goes quite a bit further by introducing Grayson, a dreamwalker whose body has been stolen by someone else. Unfortunately, neither Grayson, nor Emory, have much to go on at first, leaving Emory to go undercover in order to get information from the man who’s stolen Grayson’s body. The real danger to Emory was, thankfully, revealed slowly, giving the suspenseful nature of Dream On plenty of time to develop.
One of the things I would have liked to have seen more of in Dream On is the history and origins of the dreamwalkers. Aside from a brief mention about Emory’s mother teaching her how to use her gift, there’s not much mentioned about how the dreamwalkers came to be, leading me to think the ability is a genetic trait. Yet, they seem to be rare enough that Grayson’s presence is a complete surprise to Emory. I found the idea of the dreamwalkers very interesting, but finding out more about them would have lent additional depth to the story.
Emory and Grayson are a lot of fun to read, though, their easy rapport and verbal swiping at one another providing needed humor and a sweet intimacy in all the right places. Emory is the perfect “tough girl”-turned-awkward-love-interest, and Grayson shines as the wounded hero who’s determined to make the most of the surprising attraction between them both. Although Emory’s stubbornness works to his advantage, he does realize the danger he’s put her in, more so than she does, and gives her plenty of chances to leave him to his own devices. Of course, Grayson’s chivalry does allow for an interesting internal struggle; his jealousy of his own (possessed) body’s proximity to Emory making him more willing for her to continue to put herself in harm’s way if it means she might actually be his, body and spirit, if they succeed.
Having never read anything by Ms. Pizzitola before, I found Dream On to be a solid introduction to her work. The novella is short, but suspenseful, and has enough flirty romance to keep things fun. Emory and Grayson are a well-written couple, for the most part, and compliment one another in both personality and ability. Although there were a few issues that affected my connection to the story as a whole, I enjoyed immersing myself in the dreamwalkers’ world, and hope that there will be more from Emory and Grayson, and maybe other dreamwalkers, too, in the future.
B’s Rating:
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Purchase Info:
Author Guest Post: Renita Pizzitola
Renita is here today to share a bit about her new release Dream On (March 4, 2013, Lyrical Press). Please help me welcome Renita to That’s What I’m Talking About.
First off, thanks for having me on your blog! I’m excited to stop by and get a chance to talk about my new Urban Fantasy Romance, Dream On.
Dream On features a dreamwalker named Emory. Basically, a dreamwalker is someone who can separate their spirit from their physical body and enter the dream realm. Emory has taken this ability and turned it into a lucrative business. She spends her nights entering the dream realm and ending nightmares. Of course not all nightmares are the scary kind, but there’s not much she can’t handle. When a man enters her dreams asking for her help, she’ll face her most difficult challenge. Turns out he’s a fellow dreamwalker and has been body-snatched. Another spirit has taken residence in his body, leaving him trapped in dreams and he wants her help to lure the other guy out. Emory is used to taking on bad guys in nightmares, but this job crosses into her physical life, and eventually her emotional one as well.
I thought I’d share an excerpt from Dream On. This scene between Grayson and Emory takes place shortly after she’s met Alex, the spirit residing in Grayson’s body.
Excerpt:
Closing my eyes, I practiced what to tell him, reminding myself not to mention the kiss.
Over and over again, my mind replayed what I planned to say, all while envisioning a park. Sleepiness settled over me and I drifted off.
I walked along a sidewalk and stopped, laughing at a funny squirrel. It was huge. I’d never seen such a large squirrel.
“Interesting.” I turned at the sound of Grayson’s voice. He walked up beside me and tilted his head to the side, observing the chubby squirrel make his third attempt to climb a tree. “Do you think this is your subconscious way of telling you people should stop feeding the squirrels in the park?”
I laughed. He was probably right. But that word did something else--it stirred something in my memory. Subconscious. What was it about my subconscious I needed to remember?
“I kissed Alex.” I blurted. My hand flew to my mouth. Oh no. No, no, no. My mental prep had the opposite effect. Instead of helping me guard my private thought, it made it a front-runner.
“Um, okay. So, how was I?”
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t supposed to say that. It’s just, well, I tried to prep not to...and well...it just came out. I’m sorry.” Mortified, I turned away. I was used to being in control during dreams. On the rare occasions I wasn’t, at least it was just a dream. Did my clients feel like this when I invaded their dreams?
“It’s okay. I--” He cleared his throat. “I, uh, I don’t know what to say. I guess you two hit it off?”
“No. Well yes, maybe a little. See, I thought if I kept him drinking, he would divulge more information. Problem is, I drank a bit too much, and when it was time to go, he kissed me. I had a slow reaction time.” I shifted my eyes downward. “Or something like that.” I met his gaze, but looked away. “And to answer your question, good.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth again. I was stuck in my own forgot-to-wear-my-pants dream. Embarrassment overwhelmed me, as my mouth became a slippery slope of mortifying confessions.
Grayson chuckled. “Good to know.”
“Next time we get together, let’s meet in a client’s dream, okay?”
“Really? But I much prefer this.” He grinned.
“Me, not so much.”
“Let’s sit down.” I nodded and we found a park bench. “So, besides the fact I will one day make you an awesome lover, did you find out anything else?”
My cheeks burned. I had no intentions of things going any further with Alex, and Grayson’s implications infuriated me. “It was a mistake. I’m not hooking up with your body. I was drunk. It won’t happen again.”
“I wasn’t talking about my body.”
Dream On
March 4, 2013
Lyrical Press
Her quest begins when she closes her eyes.
Emory Bennett owns a lucrative dreamwalking business. Trained in weaponry and Muay Thai, she spends her nights entering the dream realm resolving her clients’ nightmares, whatever they might be: bad guys, scary beasts, or the classic forgot-to-wear-my-pants nightmare. Her jobs get complicated when a gorgeous man keeps appearing requesting her help.
Grayson, a fellow dreamwalker, is stuck in the dream realm while a stranger inhabits his body. He needs Emory’s assistance in the waking realm, which he can’t visit if he can’t get back into his body.
Once Emory is convinced Grayson’s not a figment of her imagination, they concoct a plan to lure the body snatcher out. But as Emory begins to fall for Grayson, the line blurs between him and the stranger who inhabits his body. She must keep it together to get close enough to discover his secrets, or divide her very soul if she can’t bring the man she loves back.
Thank you so much, Renita, for stopping by and sharing a little of your new release with us today!
Find Renita online ...
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Review: A Kiss for A Cure by Sidney Bristol
A Kiss for a Cure
Author: Sidney Bristol
Release Date: Feb. 4, 2013
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Fuller Center #1
Genre: Sci-fi Romance, Novella
Format(s): e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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What’s a girl to do when her parents gift her with a man for Christmas?
Caught between two kingdoms, Jordan has given up the privileged world of intergalactic court life to become an interstellar biologist researching space sharks. Unexpectedly saddled with a husband from a race who are rumored to be sex fiends, her life is yanked in a direction she doesn’t want.
But Cai isn’t human and he must have the emotional feedback of a mate in order to survive. Charged with protecting Jordan, can he win her heart and keep her safe from harm?
Will they survive the challenges that arise…sexual, emotional and political? Time is ticking away and it’s not on their side.
What I’m talking about:
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Living alone on a space research center, Jordan didn’t plan to do much for the Christmas holidays. In addition, as the illegitimate daughter of two powerful parents (who were forbidden to marry) from neighboring kingdoms, Jordan is used to being alone. So when Jordan discovers that the package from her parents contains a male - a husband none the less, she doesn’t know how to respond.
Cai is from a race of people that requires emotional feedback and physical intimacy in order to survive. Agreeing to marry Jordan seemed like an ideal opportunity to Cai, and he can’t understand why Jordan finds the situation so appalling. Now he’s stuck between wanting Jordan and wanting to give her the freedom she desires.
I completely adored A Kiss for a Cure. The opening sequences as Jordan watched her “present” open to reveal a man were priceless. The humor was subtle but stellar. Lines like “Sane people did not receive men in boxes for Christmas from their parents,” made me smile and sometimes laugh out loud.
I am a science-nerd at heart, and sci-fi is my first love. I totally geeked out over the wonderful play-by-play as Jordan attempted to scientifically break down Cai and his race's need for physical and emotional feedback. Her responses as a scientist and her need to find a “cure” were perfectly played. The premise behind the story and Cai’s “condition” was well thought out and presented to the reader in an effective and entertaining manner.
The story is full of wonderful descriptive scenes such as the pair’s trip to the space reef (yes, there are sharks in space!). In addition, it is light-hearted scenes such as the reef excursion that allow the couple to develop their friendship. Not only is it fun to read, but the tender moments permit for an emotional connection between the reader and the characters.
Because Jordan has had a strained relationship with her parents most of her life, the conversation she has with her mother about Cai is especially touching. Ms. Bristol finds an effective way to convey important facts needed to further the story and blends it with an emotional punch that drew me even further into her world.
Overall, A Kiss for a Cure is a wonderful little story. The characters are well developed in the confines of a novella. The plot is expertly crafted with an enjoyable blend of humor, romance, science and action. The scientific premise behind the story was well planned and not hokey in the least. I adored Jordan and Cai right from the get go, and the ending was ideal for this couple. I hope that Ms. Bristol makes a return trip to The Fuller Center soon.
My Rating:
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Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)
Author Guest Post: Sidney Bristol
Hello Readers! Today I bring you author Sidney Bristol. It can never be said that Sidney has had a ‘normal’ life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she loves, writing, reading and belly dancing.
I had the pleasure of hanging out with Sidney while attending AAD2012 in New Orleans and look forward to seeing her again. Today Sidney is here to talk about her latest release, A Kiss for a Cure (Lyrical Press, February 4, 2013, Sci-Fi Romance). Please help me welcome Sidney to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Thanks so much to Jen and her team for hosting me! I had the great pleasure of meeting Jen last year in New Orleans at Author’s After Dark. Her pictures don’t do her justice, she’s way prettier. I’m just a tad bit jealous of her hair.
I’m touring around the interwebz talking about my latest book, a science-fiction romance called A Kiss for a Cure. I’m really excited about returning to my science-fiction roots. Ages ago when I was a fledgling writer the first thing I wrote was bad sci-fi fan-fic based off the Predator movies, if you could make a romance out of aliens with mouths that look like the toothy entrance to the afterlife. What I wouldn’t pay to be able to have some of those pages back!
A Kiss for a Cure is nothing like Predator! It’s actually kind of an awesome book, and here are five reasons why I think you should read it:
1) It’s – IN SPACE! Everything is better in space. Really. Just look at movies like Star Wars, anything Star Trek, Spaceballs, The Fifth Element, Aliens or a lot of other sci-fi horror movies. In space you can get away with a lot.
2) There are sharks. In space. No really, I worked out the fictional science for there to be sharks, several types of them, alive. In space. It’s like the futuristic version of Shark Week. In space! How cool is that?
3) My hero is hot. I feel like the book cover is awesome, but Cai is so much hotter. Long hair, buff alien dude, and completely confident about his cooking, dancing and singing skills on top of all the booty kicking he does. What isn’t to love?
4) There’s a dramatic rescuing. Of course there is! It’s an exciting, Shark Week in Space book! There has to be a dramatic rescuing. It’s in the rule book. So there isn’t a rule book, don’t hate on me, but if there was one, it would be in there!
5) My heroine might, or might not, blow stuff up. That’s the problem when you have a super intelligent scientist for a heroine. Jordan has the know how to do some serious stuff, but doesn’t quite think through how her decisions might play out. Good thing she has a sexy alien at her back.
There are more reasons why A Kiss for a Cure should be in your shopping basket, but I’ll let you mull over those a bit. Cheers!
Kiss for a Cure Lyrical Press | Barnes and Noble | Amazon | iTunes
What’s a girl to do when her parents gift her with a man for Christmas?
Caught between two kingdoms, Jordan has given up the privileged world of intergalactic court life to become an interstellar biologist researching space sharks. Unexpectedly saddled with a husband from a race who are rumored to be sex fiends, her life is yanked in a direction she doesn’t want.
But Cai isn’t human and he must have the emotional feedback of a mate in order to survive. Charged with protecting Jordan, can he win her heart and keep her safe from harm?
Will they survive the challenges that arise…sexual, emotional and political? Time is ticking away and it’s not on their side.
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Excerpt
Jordan froze, staring at the seven-foot-long box wrapped in silvery paper. The one sent by her parents. Her heart pounded so hard she could hear it. No, that pounding came from the box. From inside the box.
Blood drained from her extremities. Her chest constricted until she panted for breath.
What had her parents done this time? She clenched her hands and gritted her teeth. In the history of bad, over-the-top and gaudy presents, she feared this might be the worst.
She turned her back on it and put a hand to her stomach. She needed to sit down, preferably on something soft and forgiving, but her furniture had yet to be delivered. The only furniture in her new quarters was her bed. Everything else was packed up in the utilitarian beige plastos she’d purchased secondhand from a shipper to get her things to university. They showed their age with scrapes and dented sides, but they were so sturdy nothing had ever been broken in moving them from place to place. Plastos were stacked against the walls, in groupings in the middle of the floor, and in her bedroom. Everywhere. Her new quarters looked like a cargo hold.
Again, the pounding came from the box, but louder. She jumped and spun to face the box. Whatever was in there wanted out. She leaned against the wall and stared at the silvery paper. Light from the floor-to-ceiling windows made glimmering patterns against the surface of the package. She could escape the room, since her upgraded quarters had a real bedroom and a kitchenette, but whatever was in the box would still be there.
Sucking in a deep breath, she crept toward it until she could touch the top with her fingertips. It was cool against her skin, even through the paper. Bending, she put her ear against it and gently rapped. The box rang hollow.
Maybe she’d heard something in the Center clanging. There was always the chance there was construction going on over the holidays since most people were away for several weeks. Or maybe one of her plastos had fallen.
Something knocked from inside the box.
Sidney, thank you so much for stopping by!
You can find Sidney on line at:
You can find Sidney on line at:
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Heather Massey
Hello Readers! Today I bring you author Heather Massey. Heather is a lifelong fan of science fiction romance. She searches for science fiction romance adventures aboard her blog, The Galaxy Express. She’s also an author in the subgenre. To learn more about her published work, visit www.heathermassey.com.
When she’s not reading, she’s watching cult films and enjoying time with her husband and daughter.
Today Heather is here to talk about her latest release, Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts (Lyrical Press, February 4, 2013, Steampunk/ Western Romance). Plus... Heather is offering a copy of Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts to one lucky commenter, details below. Please help me welcome Heather to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Expectations play an important role when starting a book. Even if you’re about to read a familiar genre you enjoy, there are still mysterious twists and turns a story can take. As in life, there are no guarantees in fiction.
But what if a book covers unfamiliar territory? How will you know if it’s truly up your alley? You won’t always figure out the answer one hundred percent, but often it helps to obtain information beyond the cover and blurb. As a fan of some very niche subgenres, I know how important it is for readers to learn about new-to-them books/authors so they can make an informed decision.
Steampunk romance is a recent phenomenon and readers are still trying to figure it out. Therefore, I’d like to present a number of elements I included in Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts, my new Western steampunk romance from Lyrical Press. This story has steampunk and romance, but what does it really tell you about what kind of reading adventure to expect from it? I will provide some of the (non-spoiler) answers in this post.
To begin, here’s the least you need to know: Violet Whitcomb, an inventor’s daughter, joins forces with mysterious gunman Logan McCoy and an automaton gunslinger to rescue her father from the clutches of an evil overlord known as the Iron Scorpion.
Edisonade influences
The steampunk genre has roots in Edisonade-style stories. Victorian-era people were fascinated by technology and engineering and their interest was channeled into tales about inventors and their fantastical devices.
Edisonade tales have a reputation for action/adventure and stylish trappings such as brass goggles, airships, and automatons. Steampunk can also include those elements but it isn’t solely defined by them.
Two of the main characters of Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts are an inventor and his daughter. I began with a basic Edisonade trope (i.e., the inventor) but subverted it through the heroine’s gender. During the adventure, the reader is introduced to a Weird West world of fantastical steampunk devices.
Action-adventure elements are a significant part of the story as well. The heroine and hero are on a quest and face dangerous obstacles each step of the way. Unlike the Edisonade stories of old, the heroine in this tale gets an equal share of the action!
The penny dreadful motif
Penny dreadfuls were a 19th century form of genre fiction. Printed on cheap paper, the publications featured sensational stories generally aimed at adolescents. Penny dreadfuls were affordable, serialized stories. Young folk read them to escape the drudgery of their daily lives. Who could blame them?
No matter the negative judgments aimed at the consumption of penny dreadfuls, they were entertaining and introduced their readers to all kinds of different worlds.
I incorporated a penny dreadful motif into Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts not only for fun, but also as a way of informing readers about the heroine’s personality. Her experience as a reader of penny dreadfuls impacts the plot and her relationships with other characters—often with unexpected results.
Western film homages
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| Man With No Name |
While developing this story, I thought it’d be cool to feature an automaton gunslinger in action. And what if he looked like Eastwood’s Man With No Name from director Sergio Leone’s classic Western film A Fistful of Dollars (1964)? Hence, Arthur the automaton was born, a quirky sidekick for the hero and heroine.
A “sweet” heat level romance
Given the story’s tone, action-adventure elements, historical setting, and characters, a “sweet” heat level romance seemed a natural fit. Since erotic romance has gone mainstream, the heat level of Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts is an important item to know going in.
The story has plenty of sexual tension, though, and the sweet heat level challenged me to discover fresh ways to incorporate the push-pull nature of the hero and heroine’s attraction into the narrative. Some of them are “hidden” in plain sight. If you decide to read Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts, I challenge you to spot them all!
Now it’s your turn. In the form of tags, tell me about your favorite Western, steampunk romance, or any other book/film/television show in any genre you think people should know about.
Giveaway Time!
Leave a comment for this post and you’ll be entered in a random drawing for a chance to win a digital copy of Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts!
* Winner’s choice PDF, ePub, or .mobi.
* The deadline to enter is 2/28/2013.
* Please include your email address and preferred format.
Now for the blurb:
The West just got a whole lot wilder.
A woman on a mission... Scientific achievement isn't enough for Violet Whitcomb. Life working alongside her renowned scientist father is filled with intellectual challenges, but what she truly craves is love and adventure. She’s resigned to a fate of academic pursuits…until a fateful trip across the American frontier changes everything. A rogue inventor known as the Iron Scorpion kidnaps Violet's father and she alone is left to plan his rescue.
A man with a secret... Logan McCoy knows firsthand going up against the Iron Scorpion is suicide, but he can't let Violet waltz into the villain's lair alone. She may be a stranger, but she's also the most compelling woman he's ever known.
A perilous quest... Their attraction is undeniable, but their alliance turns contentious when Violet insists on including a third partner on their mission: her father's latest invention and the world's most advanced automaton, Arthur. The reason for Logan's resistance isn't clear until Violet comes face-to-face with the Iron Scorpion's diabolical devices, and by then, it's far too late.
Heather, thank you so much for stopping by today!
GIVEAWAY details...
Heather is offering to one lucky commenter a copy of Iron Guns, Blazing Hearts. To be entered, please leave a comment for Heather. Please also leave your email so she may contact the winner. The contest is open until February 28, 2013. One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the comments left on this post. Contest opened to all, except where prohibited by law. Heather will announce the winner in the comment section after the contest is over.
You do not need to be a google friends connect follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Review: The Celtic Knot: Suit of Cups by Shannon MacLeod
The Celtic Knot: Suit of Cups
Author: Shannon MacLeod
Release Date: Dec. 31, 2012
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Arcana Love #1
ISBN: 978-1616504298
Genre: Fantasy Romance with Paranormal & Suspense elements
Format(s): paperback (400 pages), e-book
Book Source: Publisher
About the book:
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Sometimes, love lasts lifetimes.
Lily’s whole life is planned out. She’ll live, if not happily, at least ever after. Working as an insurance agent with her college sweetheart and longtime boyfriend, Lucas, she’ll eventually marry him and together they’ll take over the family agency. Then she and Lucas will start raising little insurance agents of their own. But something is missing…
At her best friend's urging, she decides to do one last wild thing before committing her life to a future of policy endorsements--she takes a part time job reading tarot cards at a local Renaissance Faire theme park. Lucas is completely unimpressed and disdainful of her fascination with the mystical, but has no doubt she'll settle down once they're married. Enter Ian Kelly, mural painter, actor and…witch. He and Lily have a chance meeting at the park, and the attraction is immediate. They have a history…a lot of history. Several lifetimes of it, in fact, and their business together is unfinished.
All three have secrets, one of them deadly. Add in heaping helpings of magic, mayhem, Cuban sandwiches, one large Irish family and one very demanding feline for a story of love so strong, it’ll take more than one century to contain it.
What VampBard’s talking about:
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Always a sucker for foreign languages, I found Celtic Knot: Suit of Cups to be a nice, light read for a cold winter's afternoon. Full of suspense elements and flashbacks, Ms. MacLeod has crafted a tale to entertain and lift up the reader.
I always like a story wherein love transcends time. I always like a story with foreign languages...especially Gaelic. However, what I liked the most about Celtic Knot: Suit of Cups was the Realization factor. Where Lucas realized that Lily wasn't his anymore (or actually didn't...), where Ian realized he loved Lily, and when Lily realized she was head-over-heels, I-wanna-have-your-babies in love with Ian. And they've been in love for more than a lifetime. HEAT INDEX: 2. Not the hottest, but it's a sweet read in that area.
The beginning of the story finds Lily in a relationship with Lucas, her boss and long-time boyfriend. They both wear promise rings – promising to retain their virginity until they're married. Lily, however, feels as though the 'promise' is on her side and Lucas is getting action on the side. When Lily meets and falls in love with Ian, it's obvious that she's totally over Lucas. However, it seems as though Lucas is a bit unstable. It seems as though Lily is looking for the right time to tell him they're over. Lucas seems to completely lose it when she does tell him. The simmering anger, masked with hurt, is his helm. He also steeps his resolve to win her back with the facade of her returning to him after she gets the Irishman out of her system. What I hate most about Lucas, though, is the over-the-top crazy he exudes throughout the story. The dude is DANGEROUS. It was interesting to me, finding the clues pointing to Lucas' insanity.
Lily's realization that she was attracted to Ian was a revelation for her. She'd been with Lucas since high school, and she got virginity ring when she was 13. She didn't have much experience with men, except for Lucas. In her mind, she expected to marry Lucas and live happily ever after. Until she realized that to Lucas, she was a possession. Ian showed her the erroneous thinking, and from that point, there was no looking back. Lily realized that Ian SHOWED her how much she was loved by his deeds and the way he expressed his love. His actions, his emotions. By giving of himself. That, she realized, was the way she wanted to be loved.
Ian realized that he loved Lily, and he found that he was simply miserable without her. Even though he thought that he wasn't ready for commitment, he realized that he wasn't capable of the alternative: life without Lily. Through a couple trials and tribulations, hospitalizations, Ian and Lily persevered. Ian realized that he was being loved from the depths of Lily's soul. He realized that she was part of who he was, and was destined to be with her.
I realized that the flashbacks were actually memories of former lives almost immediately. I enjoyed the way the memories evolved over the course of the book. I enjoyed the way the memories were anchored in the present. I also thought that the flashbacks were an excellent method by which the author used foreshadowing in this story.
Over-all, I really enjoyed Celtic Knot: Suit of Cups as a light, yet complicated enough to not insult my intelligence title. Kudos to Ms. MacLeod for finding the perfect balance between love, paranormal and suspense while keeping things light! The next title in the Arcana Love series is The Gypsy Ribbon: Suit of Wands, coming 2014, and is about Ian's brother, James...the rock star. I'm definitely getting my hands on this title!
VampBard’s Rating:
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Purchase Info:
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Serenity Woods
Hello Readers! Today I bring you author Serenity Woods. Serenity lives in the sub-tropical Northland of New Zealand with her wonderful husband and gorgeous teenage son. She writes fun, flirty, and sexy romances in a variety of romantic sub-genres. She’s won several writing competitions and is a member of the Romance Writers of New Zealand. She would much rather immerse herself in reading or writing romance than do the dusting and ironing, which is why it’s not a great idea to pop round if you have any allergies. You can check out all her books at www.serenitywoodsromance.com.
Today Serenity is here to talk about first kisses and her latest release, Mr. Insatiable (Lyrical Press, Jan. 28, 2013, Contemporary Romance). Plus... Lyrical Press is offering a copy of Mr. Insatiable to one lucky commenter, details below. Please help me welcome Serenity to That’s What I’m Talking About.
The First Kiss is the Sweetest…
Hi there, thanks for having me on your blog today!
Kisses are, arguably, the most important part of a romance novel. From sweet romances to erotic, most have lots of kisses, because we all recognise that the moment when the hero and heroine first kiss sets off the chain reaction of events that will eventually lead to the happy ever after we all desire.
When I first started writing romance, I submitted to the magazine My Weekly that, at the time, was accepting novellas for their Pocket Novels line. A fellow writer told me she’d had a rejection from them because “it doesn’t have enough kisses” and I thought ah, there’s the secret! And that little tip has stayed with me through all the twenty-plus stories I’ve written. No matter whether I’m writing a sweet story or a racy one, readers want kisses! And the first one has to be long, slow, and hold all the promise of the relationship to come.
I’ve often compared writing about the hero and heroine to writing about ice skaters. Do any of you remember Torvill and Dean? They were the British ice dancers who were the highest scoring figure skaters of all time during the 1984 Winter Olympics. For me, the reason they were so fascinating as ice dancers was that whereas other couples would often separate to opposite corners of the rink and do their thing, Torvill and Dean remained glued to each other, and although they weren’t romantically involved, they had real chemistry on the ice. This is how I think of my characters—I try to keep them together as much as possible, and let the chemistry speak for itself.
Anyway, enough of me rambling on. What’s special about Mr. Insatiable? It’s steamy, romantic, set in exotic locations (Auckland, New Zealand and Beijing, China), with a likeable, feisty heroine and a hero who’s just…well…gorgeous, sexy, slightly kinky, and who loves the heroine with every fibre of his being. Yeah, I’m an incurable romantic. I’ve been called worse things.
And here’s Enya and Kit’s first kiss, just so you can see what I’ve been waffling about.
All their life they’d flirted, joked, kidded around. He didn’t think she was serious, and of course, she wasn’t. Was she? Her gaze slid to his lips again. What would it be like to kiss him? Would it feel as if she were kissing Tristan, sister to brother? Or would it heat her up from the inside, as it had in the dream?
Concern flickered on his face now. “Come on,” he said. “Spit it out, O’Donnell. You’ve never talked about kissing me before. What’s on your mind?”
She looked away. Down in the foyer, Lisette giggled as Tristan whispered something to her while they waited for the next guest. She could tell Kit part of the truth, at least. She longed to confide in him, to ease the burden. “Andy and I broke up last week.”
For a second, he said nothing. Eventually she looked up.
“Fuck,” he said vehemently. “Oh love, I’m so sorry.”
He pulled her into his arms, wrapping them around her. She leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment, enjoying the unfamiliar closeness as he stroked her back and kissed her hair. After ten seconds or so, though, she bit her lip. It wouldn’t do to let him see her in tears. She’d cultivated a spirited, courageous persona, and she didn’t want to ruin that fragile facade now. Kit hadn’t seen her cry since she was fifteen, and she had no intention of changing that any time soon.
Still she lingered, liking the warmth of his hand on her back, the vibration of his deep voice against her ear as he murmured, “Ssh, it’s okay.”
When he paused to kiss her hair again, she whispered, “Do you think I’m attractive?” It was a provocative statement, but the need for reassurance after her breakup was too great to resist.
Kit stilled, and she wondered whether she’d overstepped the invisible boundary they’d erected over the years. Just like Tristan had always done, Kit had commented on her burgeoning figure as she’d grown up, made lewd comments when she’d worn a bikini and teased her about the generous size of her breasts, but it had always been done in a brotherly way, in front of the rest of the family. He’d never crossed that line and been suggestive or touched her inappropriately. When they were alone, he was the perfect gentleman, honorable and polite, and even if he did continue to tease her, she’d never felt uncomfortable with him. Sometimes she’d wondered whether he actually realized she’d grown up.
He moved back and looked down at her. Even though she wore three-inch heels, he towered over her, his shoulders broad beneath his jacket. She waited for him to make a joke, laugh, or look uncomfortable at being asked to say something personal like that.
Instead, to her surprise, he cupped her face with his hands. Looking into her eyes, he held her gaze for a moment, his blue eyes alight with desire. To her astonishment, he smiled wolfishly and lowered his head.
She stood, transfixed, as he pressed his lips to hers. They were firm and warm, and she waited, breathless, while he kissed her, his mouth moving across hers with tender affection. Her mind raced. He was only trying to comfort her. Brother to sister. As if she were kissing Tristan. Yeuch.
Only it wasn’t yeuch. And it wasn’t remotely like how she imagined kissing her brother would be.
She rested her palms on his chest, surprised at the firmness of his muscles beneath her fingers. She’d seen him shirtless in the summer, hugged him and given him teasing pushes a gazillion times, but she’d never touched him. With his lips still slowly brushing hers, and her heart thudding, she moved her hands up and traced his collarbone beneath the white shirt, and then lifted her hands over his shoulders and around his neck, expecting him to draw back, laughing.
Instead of pulling away, Kit’s arms came around her, strong and tight, his hands sliding down her back to her hips. He pulled her against him, and to her complete and utter shock, pressed the hard length of his erection against her, obvious proof he didn’t feel as if he were kissing a sibling either.
Enya’s mouth opened and she gasped, inhaling sharply when his warm tongue brushed hers. For a second she froze, completely taken aback by his reaction, as confused as she had been in her dream by what he was doing and her reaction to him. He stilled, but before he pulled away, desire shot through her, and her instincts took over. Plunging her tongue into his mouth, she threaded her hands through his hair, pressing herself against him, molding her body to his.
Kit groaned, his hands tight on her butt. Unfamiliar yearning swept through her, and she tightened her hands in his hair, grazing her teeth against his bottom lip, pleasure mounting as he deepened the kiss.
She’d forgotten about the heels. She didn’t wear them very often, and when she lifted herself on tiptoe to press her breasts against his chest, she lost her balance. His weight pushed her back the six inches to the wall behind her, and she hit it with a jolt hard enough to make her gasp and break the kiss.
Kit stepped back. “Shit.” He ran both hands through his hair and then surveyed her, hands on hips, apparently lost for words.
Enya pressed shaking fingers to her lips, her head spinning.
I kissed Kit Fawkes!
She met his gaze nervously. Would he apologize or get angry because she’d turned his comforting peck into a full-blown embrace? Accuse her of threatening their friendship?
Instead, his lips curved.
Lyrical Press is kindly offering a copy of Mr. Insatiable to one lucky reader. So leave a comment below to enter and tell me—am I right? Is the first kiss the sweetest?
Serenity x
Holy WOW! That was hot! Thanks for stopping by and sharing with us today, Serenity!
You can find Serenity on line at...
Website: http://www.serenitywoodsromance.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Serenity_Woods
Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/author/serenitywoods
Barnes & Noble Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/serenity-woods
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/SerenityWoods
And now for the GIVEAWAY...
Lyrical Press is offering to one lucky commenter a copy of Mr. Insatiable. To be entered, please leave a comment for Serenity answering the question: Is the first kiss the sweetest? Please also leave your email so I may contact the winner. The contest is open until February 18, 2013 at 11:59PM EST. One (1) winner will be randomly selected from the comments left on this post. Contest opened to all, except where prohibited by law.
You do not need to be a google friends connect follower of my blog, but it is always appreciated.
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