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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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Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Author Interview - Jill Myles
Today I have the honor of bringing to you one of my favorite authors and tweeps, Jill Myles. Jill has been an incurable romantic since childhood. She reads all the ‘naughty parts’ of books first, looks for a dirty joke in just about everything, and thinks to this day that the Little House on the Prairie books should have been steamier. (Now you see why I *heart* Jill?!)
After devouring hundreds of paperback romances, mythology books, and archaeological tomes, she decided to write a few books of her own – stories with a wild adventure, sharp banter, and lots of super-sexy situations. She prefers her heroes alpha and half-dressed, her heroines witty, and she loves nothing more than watching them overcome adversity to fall into bed together. Please help me welcome Jill to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Jill, welcome and thank you for stopping by.
Jill: Thank you! I’m happy to be here.
Twimom: Congratulations on the release of My Fair Succubi (my review HERE), your third book in the Succubus Diary Series. What were your inspirations for creating a story about the creation of a succubus using a vampire and fallen angel?
Jill: First, I should tell you how I work. You know how they say ‘spaghetti to the wall’ method? That’s kind of how I write. I throw stuff on the page and hope that it turns into something cool. Sometimes it really, really doesn’t, but sometimes it works out well. For the Succubus Diaries, I had a couple of different concepts swirling around – mostly fallen angels and vampires. And I thought to myself, well, if I want both of those in the story, it has to make sense. So I had to really think hard as to how they would all pull together. Inspiration hit when I was at a restaurant with my sister, and I realized that a succubus was the perfect ‘between’ character to be torn between the two parties.Twimom: Great writing method - it works for you!
So... In your current release, your heroine, Jackie, makes a choice between her two hot males: Angel Noah and Vampire Zane. Without giving away anything, can you tell me which of the two characters is your favorite? Was one easier to write than the other?
Jill: It’s hard because I don’t have a favorite of those three. I really enjoy all three of them. That being said, I try to flip between the heroes for each book to showcase them. So book 1 was a mix of the two men, book 2 was more Noah centric, and book 3…well, I won’t spoil it for you!
Twimom: Writing love triangles can be difficult, I imagine. When you started writing the series, did you always know with whom Jackie would end up? Did you find yourself waffling the outcome or pulling for one side or the other? Have you had many readers speak out for “Team Noah” or “Team Zane?”
Jill: Actually, writing a love triangle was totally a bad call for me, because I keep trying to have her pick both. ;) It’s easy to write an indecisive character when you’re a totally indecisive author! In all seriousness, when I created both men, I didn’t want one to be obviously ‘better’ than the other. A lot of the time, it’s painfully obvious who the heroine should be with in the love triangle, and I really wanted to mix that up a little. Whoever she doesn’t pick isn’t going away, of course – she is tied to both men whether she likes it or not, and the relationship will continue to adjust.
Twimom: Well, I’d love to pick both... Noah and Zane sandwich *evil grin* Can you tell my readers what’s up next for Jackie and the gang?
Jill: I can’t say yet! Or can I say, more of the same? More adventure, more jokes, more hot guys, more sex…
Twimom: That’s allowed. I have to tell you I really enjoyed how you ended My Fair Succubi and I’m looking forward to new adventures! On twitter you’ve mentioned other works in progress. Can you tell me a little about any upcoming releases and/or plans?
Jill: This is actually probably the worst time frame for me to talk about stuff because dates are still being ironed out! I have a new series (but the old series isn’t going away!) that is more romance than the Succubus Diaries. These books are about human girls that work at a dating agency for supernaturals. It’ll be a good leaping-in point for people that want to try my writing but aren’t sure they’re into fallen angels and vampires. No firm details yet, just that the first book is coming out in 2011.
Twimom: Oh, what a fun premise! I can’t wait to read it!
I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What was your favorite read in 2010? What types of books do you enjoy reading?
Jill: I’m a big fan of Meljean Brook and so THE IRON DUKE totally blew me away. I think I read DEMON BLOOD about four times this year too. And I adored Kresley Cole’s DEMON FROM THE DARK. Ooooh, and Loretta Chase and Kristan Higgins and Lisa Kleypas’s books this year. Basically I read a little bit of everything in romance, along with a little bit of YA and horror.
Twimom: Glad to know I’m not the only Meljean stalker fan out there! What upcoming release are you most excited to read?
Jill: SHADOWFEVER!!! (cue foaming at the mouth) I read the FEVER series earlier this year and it just blew me away! I can’t wait for this book! After that, I’m really excited for Kresley Cole’s next that hits in February, and Meljean Brook’s next Guardian book, and Ilona Andrews’s next Kate Daniels book and…
Twimom: Hmmm... your list of books looks a lot like mine for 2011! Jill, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. As always, it was wonderful chatting with you.
Jill: You are always a pleasure to talk to, Jen!
Readers: You can find Jill on line at
Her Website: http://jillmyles.com/
Her Blog: http://jillmyles.com/blog/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jillmyles
Monday, January 10, 2011
Review: My Fair Succubi
My Fair SuccubiAuthor: Jill Myles
Release Date: December 28, 2010
Publisher: Pocket Star Books
Succubus Diaries Series Book #3
ISBN: #978-1439188194
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (340 pgs), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the author for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
Living as a succubus has a bit of a learning curve, but with sexy fallen angel Noah to scratch her sensual Itch, Jackie Brighton is finally starting to feel ahead of the game. She almost doesn’t miss her gorgeous vampire master Zane – or his sinful, teasing mouth. She’s trying to convince herself of that, anyway.
But Jackie’s past mistakes catch up with her, spinning her life out of control once more. Just as her friend Remy’s inner demon comes out to play, Noah and Jackie are arrested by the angelic Serim Council. When Jackie seizes the chance to escape, she falls right into Zane’s waiting arms. As she’s pulled into a game of cat and mouse between vampires and angels, she finds she must also finally choose between the two men in her life. Can she decide between Noah and Zane, or will she lose everything she’s ever wanted? Because there’s more at stake than just her heart…
What I’m talking about:
This is the third book in Jill Myles’ wonderful Succubus Diaries series. It picks up about 6 months after the end of Succubi Like It Hot with Jackie and Noah on an archeological dig in Mexico. From there, they are whisked away by the Serim Council and once again, Jackie finds herself in the center of trouble.
This is a marvelous culmination of events that began in Gentlemen Prefer Succubi and continued in Succubi Like It Hot. It brought together various plots and concluded storylines. YES! Jackie chooses, but the adventures are not over. Although a “new-to-the-series” reader picking up this book can enjoy it, I don’t think s/he will enjoy it nearly as much unless one starts with the first book. I highly recommend this series to anyone that is looking for a fun, hot paranormal romance.
Once again, the story is told from Jackie’s point-of-view. I actually enjoy Jackie and her selfish, flighty behavior. I know a lot of fellow readers that want to smack Jackie around a bit, but I find her attitude and sense of humor make me laugh. Although she can be a bit annoying at times, I honestly want her to be happy. What frustrates me most about her is that she doesn’t always share what is in her heart with those around her. She is too scared to make a decision that could “mess things up.” This causes her more grief in the long-run.
But how can Jackie’s life be that bad when she has Noah and Zane! *sigh* These are two of the most perfect male romance heros, and together they are ideal! I want a Noah and Zane sandwich, please. Both males grow emotionally during this story. And I was cheering for both as I read the story. Ms. Myles does such a wonderful job balancing these two men - which is hard to do in a love triangle.
Noah, the angelic blond - the rock, the steady. First we see him go all Dom on Jackie (and WOW was it hot!!), and then he grows a pair and makes Jackie choose. Noah won’t take back seat any longer and he really captured me in this story. Here is a perfect example of the “new Noah”:
As if sensing my emotions, Noah moved back up and his hands brushed the tears spilling over my cheeks. I felt his breath whisper over my mouth, felt him press another soft kiss to my upper lip. “Don’t bee sad, Jackie. I can’t stand to see you sad.”
“Then close your eyes,” I said tightly, though the tears were already drying. It had been a command, if a subtle one.
And then we have Zane, oh my sweet, dark, vampiric Zane... Last we saw him, he’d given up Jackie to protect her from the sadistic Vampire Queen. But neither Zane nor Jackie could move on completely. We see a lot more of what makes Zane tick and WHY he chose to turn Jackie into a Succubus.
New comer Ethan provides additional fun for the reader and for Jackie’s best friend, Remy. I really like where these two characters appear to be headed. And the way Ms. Myles ended the story was perfect for me.
This story had it all - humor, action, super hot smex, gorgeous males and an emotional impact. I had a few tears in my eyes during this one. There were only a few things that bugged me (Jill, you know what I’m talking about!), but overall a superb read. I will tell you that my rating of this book was heavily influenced by the fact that I’ve read all three books in this series, and once again, I recommend that you do the same!!
My Rating:
READERS: Please stop by tomorrow when I have an interview with My Fair Succubi author, Jill Myles.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sunday Snippets #40
Love My Way by Bridget Midway
Publisher: Phaze Books
November 2008
“I don’t want this man’s affections. Why would I want to be a part of this show?”
“You could promote your dancing and get tons of work from the exposure. Plus, as I alluded to before, you can last in this competition for as long as you like. Want to leave out of the first round? Do something to get disqualified like admit you’re an actress. He is adamant that he wants no actresses. My suggestion is that you do everything you can to hang in the game until you reach the top three or four. Then, start pulling back so that you can be eliminated. Or maybe you want to win.”
“And why would I want to do that?”
“To give him the treatment he gave you at the auditions. To stand up for those of us who want so badly to put this man in his place in a public forum. You can do that. Win, then dump his ass right on TV. Revenge is a dish best served cold.”
Ananda wasn’t a vindictive person, but the lure of exacting revenge on the asshole who’d refused to recognize her talents did skip through her thoughts.
“I don’t know. That’s really not my style.”
“Okay, let me tell you the prizes. You’ll get trips, a car with a driver, your own American Express Black Card.”
Ananda blinked. “An Am Ex Black Card? What’s that?”
Darnell must have known. He dropped his bags and fell to the floor in one of his classic over-the-top faints. Ananda turned her back on him.
“It’s one of their most prestigious cards. You would be expected to dress a certain way and keep Mr. Morton happy. You would also be getting jewelry, a cash prize, and you would stay in the mansion for at least one year, even if it doesn’t work out.”
“How much is the cash prize?”
“Last I heard, it was up to five million dollars.”
“Five mil—” Ananda stopped herself. Her dear friend had just lifted himself from the floor. News that she could win that much cash would make him drop to the floor and twitch with convulsions.
“All of that to be his girlfriend?”
Carter cleared his throat again. Ananda sat on the edge of the ratty sofa.
“You would be more than just his girlfriend. I don’t know if you’re aware of this or not. Mr. Morton is involved in a different kind of lifestyle.”
“What kind is that?”
“Ever heard of BDSM? Bondage and discipline?” Ananda’s throat went dry like Carter had opened her mouth and dropped a ton of sand into it.
“My God. He’s looking for a sex slave? They’re going to air something like that on national TV?”
“No, of course not. On premium cable.”
No way could Ananda bow down to any man, especially not to Eagan Morton. Her mother would kill her, not to mention what it would do to her dignity and pride.
“Thanks, but no thanks.” She was about to hang up the phone when Carter spoke again.
“Room and board paid for. You’ll be living in the lap of luxury. You can jumpstart your career finally and get the man that could make something happen for you to help you. Eagan is looking for a true submissive. I’d say play along, and then when you get toward the end, let your true self come out. No harm. No foul. If you don’t want to do it for revenge, at least think about your career. There’s nothing to lose.”
Except for her self-respect, her morals, her lunch, if she looked at Ego at all.
“I’d like to think this over.”
Friday, January 7, 2011
Contest Winner - I Dream of Genies
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for my review of I Dream of Genies and my interview with author Judi Fennell. I especially want to thank Judi for stopping by for the interview and Sourcebook Publishing for generously donating two (2) copies of Judi’s new release, I Dream of Genies, for my giveaway.Every person that commented on the review or interview was entered into the contest - one entry per person. The winner was selected using random.org.
The Winners:
Olivia Cunning
Robin K.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I’m sending both winners a message; please email me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address so Sourcebook can send you the book! You have until Wednesday January 12, 2011 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Just Because...
Greetings dear readers. Today I've got a post JUST BECAUSE. No books, no thoughtful conversation... Kris this is for YOU!
For those that aren't following KrisNGoodBooks on Twitter OR visit her delightfully witty and at times, down-right naughty BLOG, you are missing out! She is my kind of lady and makes me laugh a LOT! I mean look what she did to her cat in herChristmas Krismas Card! And where does she find stuff like THIS and THIS?
Anyhow, I *heart* Kris. So when she was talking about how hot the weather was Down Under, I wanted to help her out and send her something nice. I mean, that's what friends do, right? So I found something special and sent it her way... Yet when I suggested she post it on her blog, she denied me *sniff* *sob*.
But since it was all kinds of awesomeness AND because Kris dared me, I'll post it here... What do you all think? Don't you think Kris should keep it?
Anyhow, thank you to the Huffington Post for providing the photo! And with that image now burned in your mind... Have a good day!
For those that aren't following KrisNGoodBooks on Twitter OR visit her delightfully witty and at times, down-right naughty BLOG, you are missing out! She is my kind of lady and makes me laugh a LOT! I mean look what she did to her cat in her
Anyhow, I *heart* Kris. So when she was talking about how hot the weather was Down Under, I wanted to help her out and send her something nice. I mean, that's what friends do, right? So I found something special and sent it her way... Yet when I suggested she post it on her blog, she denied me *sniff* *sob*.
But since it was all kinds of awesomeness AND because Kris dared me, I'll post it here... What do you all think? Don't you think Kris should keep it?
Dude, I give you TWO THUMBS UP!
Anyhow, thank you to the Huffington Post for providing the photo! And with that image now burned in your mind... Have a good day!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Review: I Dream of Genies
I Dream of GeniesAuthor: Judi Fennell
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Sourcebook Publishing
Book #1 in Genie series
ISBN: #978-1402241895
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (416 pgs), e-book
I received a copy of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From the author’s website:
He needs to change his luck, and fast! Matt Ewing would gladly hunt down a fortune in lucky pennies if he thought it would help save his business. But for all his hoping, Matt’s clueless when his long-awaited lucky charm falls in his lap in the form of a beguiling genie. He just can’t believe that this beautiful woman could be the answer to his prayers…
She’s been bottled up for far too long! Spending 2,000 years in a bottle would make any woman a little stir-crazy. So when Matt releases Eden from her luxurious captivity, she’s thrilled to repay him by giving him the magical boost he needs…
But for all her good intentions, Eden’s magical prowess is a little rusty and her magical mistakes become more than embarrassing. And though Eden knows falling in love will end her magic and immortality, she can’t help but be drawn to the one man who wants her just for herself…
What I’m talking about:
Eden is a genie - one that broke the Code and was imprisoned in her bottle for close to 2,000 years with only a talking cat for company. She sits in an antique store window, and her favorite part of the day is when handsome Matt runs by on his daily jog. When a freak accident suddenly sets her free and into the arms of Matt, she takes advantage.
Eden and Matt both feel a strong connection. She blames her magic at first, but soon they realize they cannot deny their mutual attraction. However, there is no time for lengthy courtships or even a night on the town. Eden is a fugitive and is soon captured by the evil Faruq, who returns her to the magical realm of Al-Jannah.
Welcome to a world of magic, adventure, sexy genies and talking animals. Ms. Fennell blends pop-culture references and old world mythology to create Al-Jannah. It’s like Easter morning as you discover all of these little eggs she has cleverly written into her story.
I cannot help but laugh out loud at Ms. Fennell’s humor. A genie named Eden (thank you Barbara) and a Ewing (who shot JR?), this story is fill with enough pop culture references to make E! News proud. As Judi mentioned in her interview HERE yesterday, she grew up on TV shows like: Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Munsters, Addams Family. She transforms and transplants her childhood influences into a witty, campy love story.
I have to admit it did take me a while to fall into the story. The characters didn’t grab me right from the start, but I’m going to blame it on school vacation and dealing with two kiddos glazed over from too much TV and post-Christmas let-down. Once I was able to sit down and read without distraction, the story started to grow on me. Matt and Eden are cute... butterflies and kittens type of cute. Yes there is passion and some hot smex, but they are Darrin and Samantha at heart. Their mis-adventures are a joy to read and easy to digest. There are no hard-to-follow side plots and every piece of the story comes together in the end.
I Dream of Genies is campy yet clever - humorous yet tender. It’s a fun read and the ending melted my heart. I look forward to seeing what Ms. Fennell has planned next from the world Al-Jannah.
My Rating:
3.5 stars: Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of I Dream of Genies to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks for sponsoring the giveaway of Judi Fennell’s latest book. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of yesterday’s interview or today’s review of I Dream of Genies. One entry per person. Winners restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from now until 9:00 PM EST on Friday January 7, 2011. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org.
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Monday, January 3, 2011
Author Interview & Giveaway - Judi Fennell
Today I have the honor of bringing to you author Judi Fennell. Judi is an award-winning author and writes what she calls “fairy tales with a twist.” Her romance novels have been finalists in Gather.com's First Chapters and First Chapters Romance contests, and have won numerous RWA Chapter Awards, including the FF&P Prism Award, and the New Jersey Golden Leaf Award. Judi lives with her family in suburban Philadelphia, PA, where she is working on the next book in the Genie Trilogy, Genie Knows Best, set for release in November 2011. Please help me welcome Judi to That’s What I’m Talking About.
Twimom: Judi, welcome and thank you for stopping by.
Judi: Thanks so much for having me!
Twimom: How long have you been writing and how did you start? What are your inspirations?Judi: I’ve always written. My first story was about a raindrop and written on that big, yellow, lined paper in first grade, complete with illustrations! I won Honorable Mention in a Caldecott Award contest, and wrote my first romance in 9th grade. But I started writing for publication in 2003, joined Romance Writers of America in 2004 and sold my first series in 2008.
Twimom: You upcoming release, I Dream of Genies, is the first book in your new romance series featuring magical genies. What first attracted you to the concept of a heroine in a bottle?
Judi: I’m a child of the 60s and 70s. I grew up on Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Munsters, Addams Family… campy humor, magic, and love stories. As to what gave me the original idea, I honestly can’t pinpoint it. I just woke up one morning with an idea about a genie who got freed unexpectedly from her bottle, heard the Indiana Jones theme, and there you go.
Twimom: I love all of those shows as well! Can you tell us more about your future plans for this new series?
Judi: The nice thing about magic is that it has all sorts of possibilities. The bad thing about magic is that it has all sorts of possibilities. You have to be careful; magic can solve all your problems, so there has to be a reason for it not to work. I’m pretty surprised at all the ways you can have magic not work. There are two more stories under contract: Genie Knows Best and Leave It To Genie (you can see my sitcom influences), and a bunch of others floating around my head. Now I just have to finish those books and write the proposal.
Twimom: Sounds great! I see you have another series which is about life under the sea. Please tell me more about this interesting looking series.
Judi: My Mer series came out in 2009 and 2010. The trilogy (so far) is about 2 Mer princes and their sister, and the humans who fall in love with them. In Over Her Head is about Erica, a marina owner who’s afraid of the sea and Reel, the second son heir to the throne who have to find some diamonds, escape a sea monster and deal with the death edict on their heads by the Mer royal council.
Wild Blue Under is the story about Reel’s twin (and older) brother, Rod, (yes, their names are supposed to make you chuckle; what can you expect with a father named Fisher?) who has to return a lost mermaid to the sea. The problem is, Valerie not only doesn’t know she’s a mermaid, but she lives in Kansas because she thinks she’s allergic to the sea. When a flock of dive-bombing peregrines and an albatross with an agenda set out to thwart Rod’s plan, the fate of the Mer world is up in the air—literally.
Catch of a Lifetime is about their sister, Angel, a “humanologist” who ends up stuck on land thanks to a hungry shark and encounters Logan and his six year old son, Michael. All Michael wants for his birthday is a mermaid, but all Logan wants is normal in his world. A mermaid is definitely not normal. But when Michael is lured away as bait for the mermaid by the shark, Logan comes to find out that a mermaid is just what he needs—in more ways than one.
There are two more sisters in the royal Tritone family and readers have been asking for their stories, so I’m hoping to get to write those as well. As for future books? Well, as I’ve said to my editor, it’s a big ocean out there.
Twimom: Hmm... those sound exciting *adds to To Be Read Wish List* Do you write any other genres?
Judi: Right now, no, although I have a lot of ideas for other stories: Romantic Suspense, Contemporary, and YA. All I need is more hours in a day…
Twimom: I always like to ask authors about their reading habits... What types of books do you enjoy reading? What was the best book you read in 2010?
Judi: I’ve always read anything I can get my hands on, but I have to say that aside from reading my fellow paranormal romance authors, I gravitate to Romantic Suspense and thrillers. Best book I’ve read this year, hands down, is Kate Brady’s. Actually, both of her books (she was a debut author last year): One Scream Away (she won the RITA Award for Best First Book), and Last To Die. Couldn’t put either of those down.
Twimom: Excellent! What upcoming 2011 releases are you most excited to read?
Judi: Mine. Because that will mean it’s finished and edited. ;)
Twimom: LOL! So true, so true! Judi, once again thank you so much for taking the time to tell my readers a little bit about yourself and your writing. It was wonderful chatting with you.
Judi: My pleasure. Thanks so much for having me and I hope everyone enjoys the (magic carpet) ride in my whole new world!
Readers: You can find Judi on line at
Her Website
Her Blog
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) copies (two winners) of I Dream of Genies to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Sourcebooks for sponsoring the giveaway of Judi Fennell’s latest book. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s interview or tomorrow’s review of I Dream of Genies. Winners restricted to US and Canada mailing addresses, only. Contest open from now until 9:00 PM EST on Friday January 7, 2011. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org.
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