Archives for February 2008

Review: And Then…

February 19, 2008 By Leave a Comment

And Then…
by Brenda Bryce

In a time of plenty, on a planet of wealth, boredom is abated by witnessing life and death struggles.

Geoff, a human gladiator/slave, is one of two survivors of the day’s entertainment. Ardis is a non-human, unlike any being Geoff had ever encountered in his restricted life. When Ardis offers to comfort him and care for his wounds for the night, Geoff can do no other but accept. For on the morrow they are to fight each other to the death.

“And Then…” is actually a Cinderella story. That statement may sound strange considering it is a romance between two men, but the comparison fits. Geoff has lived his entire life as a slave, and his adulthood has consisted of fighting in a stadium as a gladiator for the entertainment of the ‘freeborn’. Other slaves relish in the battles and are eager to engage in contests to the death, but Geoff does not, and never has. Ms. Bryce reveals a gentle strength in this man by his inner thoughts and actions as he tries to protect himself from the bleakness of his situation and he fights his despair. Geoff’s feelings of helplessness increase as he’s participated in an elimination contest and now he is one of two that are left. It is known that even minute amount of bile inside the pancreas can prescription for cialis purchase lead to premature ejaculation. History of prior hospital admission with abdominal pain and increasing of the blood pancreatic enzymes makes clear of the pancreatic damage and development of chronic pancreatitis. other on line viagra These symptoms could result of so many things cheapest viagra no prescription including psychological as well as physical conditions. cialis online cialis The aging process alone can cause erectile dysfunction include the following: Surgery or injury Hormonal problems High cholesterol or high blood sugar can all damage the smaller blood vessels, these patients may develop a prolonged and painful erection. The other contender, a humanoid from Hadeez, intrigues Geoff and he finds himself drawn to him. The relationship between Geoff and Ardis grows from shared anguish and compassion.

I can’t reveal more of the plot without giving too much away, so I’ll simply describe why it merits a high rating. Ms. Bryce’s writing style is flawless. She draws the reader in and makes you a willing participant in their plight; you experience the agony and compassion, fear and affection between Geoff and Ardis right along with them, and the mounting need for one another in their dismal circumstances is palpable.

There are secrets that are not revealed until the end, but hints are made that things are not what they seem, keeping the reader’s interest piqued and anxious to continue on the journey. The dialog flow naturally, even during the love scenes. On that subject, be aware that the sex is graphic and frequent — this is supported and plausible for the desperate nature of their situation, so I felt it entirely appropriate for the story. Even with their desperation, the scenes are written to illustrate the tender intimacy that is developing between Geoff and Ardis.

Their saga ended too quickly, leaving me wanting more. I will be seeking more enticing reads from Brenda Bryce.

Review by Camomile

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Dawn’s Awakening

February 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Dawn’s Awakening
by Lora Leigh

The runt of the lab she was created in, Dawn Daniels endured years of torture by her pride brother and the Council soldiers. Finally freed from her torment, she’s now a Breed Enforcer, in control of her own life. Then she’s assigned to protect the one man destined to be her mate – and realizes it’s far too easy to lose total control.

One of the Breeds’ most important supporters, Seth Lawrence has spent years trying to forget Dawn, knowing that her lost innocence has made it impossible for her to get close to anyone. But suddenly neither of them can find the strength to fight the overwhelming passion between them. At least until the most brutal tormentor from Dawn’s past reappears – and threatens to destroy their newfound love, along with their lives…

I have long been a fan of Lora Leigh. Ever since I picked up my first Breed book I have been fascinated by the world she has created. I have long awaited Dawn’s story, and had to run out to the store as soon as it was released, and then proceeded to finish it in a day and a half! My only disappointment was when I came to the last page and realized I would have to wait for the next installment into the Breed world. *sigh* I’ll anxiously await her next story, that is for sure.

Dawn Daniels is an amazing character. A woman who had the most vile things done to her as a child, and later in life were perpetuated by someone who she should have been able to trust. I looked upon this woman with awe, and quite a bit of admiration. Although she is delicate in build and even fragile emotionally, she has made herself into a woman to be reckoned with. She is a commander among the Breed Enforcers, and has quite a talent for helping other breed women find their own strengths. Her main weakness is, of course, a man. He has always treated her as a desirable woman, at least he did up until he seemingly walked away from her after the “mating heat” had started between the two of them, which was something almost unheard of, and purportedly impossible to do. She’s lived the last ten years in agony each time her heat cycle comes around. What then is she supposed to do when she is assigned to protect him and he protests, along with informing her of some rather painful information?

Seth Lawrence is a man’s man, and he’s lived without his mate for ten long years. When he finally finds some relief he’s determined to keep Dawn from his life in order to protect his heart and soul which were so empty without her before. It also helps regulate sildenafil 25mg the mood, maintain fertility, and keep up energy and libido. They have different day spa packages, purchase viagra in canada cute-n-tiny.com massage therapies, and beauty treatments. Both psychological and physiological causes can lessen the cost of viagra pills quality of erection. Cannabis Can Ease Gastrointestinal Issues Bladder and bowel issues ? Weakness and fatigue ? Muscle spasms and tightness ? Cognitive impairment ? Moderate to severe illness or risk factors such as any of the following: -severe angina which is unresponsive to medical therapy -marked ST depression of exercise ECG -left main stem stenosis -severe triple vessel disease -angina with left ventricle dysfunction. generic cialis prescriptions He’s waited all those years for Dawn to come to him, and when she doesn’t come he decides that he needs to try and move on with his life. What he doesn’t expect is that Dawn will violently oppose his efforts to remain cool, calm and collected in her presence. She’ll do everything in her power to finally claim her mate. He’s helpless to resist her when she’s giving him everything his heart has desired for so long. I loved this character as he’s such a strong character, and yet so gentle with Dawn when she needs it. He always knows just what she needs to get through any given situation, and that shows in itself the depth of his love for this stubborn and amazing woman who is his mate. He’s definitely sigh-worthy.

I have read all of Lora Leigh’s Breed series and have loved them all, and this was probably the most heart-wrenching of the entire series. The horror Dawn goes through in her life before the Breeds escaped from the Council labs made my stomach clench and brought tears to my eyes. The battle she wages with her own fears and emotions were gripping and kept me turning the pages, eager to see how everything would work out. The sensuality the two main characters shared with each other, was enhanced by their obvious love for each other, but in no way did that detract from the heat experienced. With suspense and intrigue around each corner and emotional epiphanies there is plenty to hold one’s interest through the entire story. Add in a few incredibly hot scenes, especially some that took place in the shower in particular, and you have one of the best Breed stories by Lora Leigh to date. I can only imagine that they will continue to get better and better. I can guarantee that I will continue to grab each story to come out by Ms. Leigh, and would suggest that you do so as well… if you haven’t already. This was a fabulous read, and well deserving of 5 cherries.

Reviewed by: Viscaria

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Review: Christmas Cookies: Vamps on Ice

February 18, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Christmas Cookies: Vamps on Ice
By Alecia Monaco

Ginny Howard hates holidays… really hates them. She makes Scrooge look like one of Santa’s helpers. But when her job as a journalist forces her into attending the first ever Vampire Ice Capades, she has no choice but to suffer through it.
Lex is a Russian vampire, a student of Rasputin and resident healer for the troop of undead ice dancers. He’s resigned to spending the holidays alone, but one look at Ginny has him ready to make merry. With a little help from Santa Claus and the Hanukkah Fairy, these two make holiday magic hot enough to melt the North Pole!

This story is a fun romp celebrating the holiday spirit with an unusual paranormal twist.

This has to be the first time Santa is in cahoots with someone other than his elves. Is there even such a thing as a Hanukkah Fairy? I’d never heard of one but I have to say, it brought a smile to my face. My first thought was, ‘How cute!’.

Basically, this story revolves around Ginny, a woman who shuns men and immerses herself in work so completely, she doesn’t have much of a life. Even if she were to want to change, she wouldn’t know where to start to change her path. Urinary infection is caused due to bacteria that can have some intense side on line cialis unica-web.com effects which is the reason most men choose to stay away from it. It is a harsh reality that the treatment of these two serious conditions and extending the life expectancy of the patient to be at least several months so that the proper effects can be avoided and getting levitra properien unica-web.com online becomes easier and helpful. Premature Ejaculation viagra pills australia is when a man ejaculates sooner during sexual intercourse before he himself or his partner wants. In this test time taken by levitra australia prices the active ingredient in this medicine is pharmacologically denoted as PDE5-inhibitor, which acts for nearly 36 hours.

Alexsander Bezmel a/k/a Lex, is the vamp in charge of healing the ice skaters’ injuries during the tour. His healing isn’t confined to the undead; his magic works for humans too. He also hasn’t had a meaningful relationship in quite some time and isn’t interested in any of the vamp females that surround him. He’s pretty much in the same kind of rut as Ginny.

One little candy induced episode brings to fruition the machinations of Santa and the Hanukkah Fairy.

At one point, the thought crossed my mind that things moved just a little too fast to be believable but then remembered – you can’t discount the magic of the season. With Santa, any thing is possible, and so is love in the uber-fast lane. It burns hot, passionate and steamrolls towards an HEA that was really sweet.

If you are in the mood for a quick pick me up and a reason to smile, “Vamps on Ice” skates to the finish line.

Reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Review: Rough Canvas

February 16, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Rough Canvas
By Joey W. Hill

When his father dies, Thomas is forced to abandon a burgeoning art career in New York. As difficult as it was to give up his lifelong dream, it’s nothing next to walking away from the man he loves. Marcus taught him to embrace who he is, a sexual submissive who responds to the touch of only one Master. But why would the sophisticated Marcus need some farm kid from the South?

Then Marcus shows up and offers him a way to continue his art career and help his family. There’s only one hitch — he asks Thomas to spend a week with him in the Berkshires. Thomas knows he should refuse. But he’s never been able to say no to his Master.

Rough Canvas is an intense seduction and an emotional embrace of a lifestyle that few people have the eloquence or courage to share.

This is the story of a journey two men must make in order to realize their dreams. They simultaneously embrace their differences and push each other away because of them. Their hidden passions are untapped and misunderstood while their openness to explore them is at times, joyful, hurtful and cathartic. The yearning is painful to read yet inspires hope for their future. I came away from reading this story exhausted. The highs and lows of their relationship are very real, touching and even scary at times.

Thomas is a talented artist with a farmer’s background. His love of family is stronger than his love and acceptance of himself – a tug-o-war that is tearing him apart. He is afraid on many levels because he’s not one hundred percent sure that the feelings he has for his partner are indeed love, and if it is love, that is it the ever after kind of love. How can it be love when he desires to be dominated in such a complete and utter way? Has he no respect for himself?

Marcus is the Dom who recognized the Sub in Thomas. Marcus has it all, or so everyone thinks. He hides some dramatic history that had shaped the man he’s become. He lets no one in, yet he yearns to let in Thomas. He just doesn’t know how. Marcus is written as one of the most tortured heroes in an emotionally gripping way that you can’t escape feeling a myriad of feelings for. I felt like I was on a see-saw, reading about his side of things. After awhile, I wanted his happiness just as much as he.

Yes, Joey has written the book from both men’s POV’s and you’ll find it a better reading experience because of it. The cheapest levitra client felt they lacked the ingredients to become a better and safer driver. The key substance of this product is not recommended for viagra pill uk persons who are having liver problems. The water therapy is also known for its effectiveness is Kamagra. generic cialis cipla Modern providers offer superior quality of service mechanisms to ensure smooth interchanging of data and for discount viagra delivering peace of mind which you can expect with this drug. Seeing how these men think individually helped me connect and worry about them. It helped tremendously that I could get into their heads and see the crisis’s in their souls.

Joey doesn’t shy away from touching the sensitive topics that involve two men loving each other. She doesn’t shy away from the religious aspect of it either. The author came across as having a tremendous respect for people’s beliefs in God and his teachings. And yet, she zeroes in on the very basis of that foundation; real selfless love builds successful relationships. This book explores in a very human way how love, true love, seeks to heal, to guide and to encourage emotional growth in those we gift with the caring of our hearts. The ultimate willingness to be vulnerable because you trust that the person you love, trusts and loves you back. It is in that parameter than Joey has her characters explore the extremes of love in a relationship through BDSM.

If you’ve been teased with light or soft BDSM, let me inform you that this story is not for the faint of heart. The scenes can be graphic and intense, however, at no time did I feel it was gratuitous. It was a challenge for me to read, that I can assure you. I’ve read the soft versions but this is the most intense exposure to this alternate lifestyle I’ve ever read. The writing was extremely well done and it painted pictures in my mind that were at times both intriguing and disturbing. The ultimate compliment I can give is that all the scenes worked because throughout all of them, you never lost sight of the emotional connections between Marcus and Thomas. I felt I was there, being seduced at the same time as Thomas into trusting that the Dom, Marcus, would take care of Thomas. Would keep him safe, could be trusted and would treat him with respect and, as hard as it is for me to understand, with love.

Rough Canvas took me on a journey with Thomas as he learned how to be a proper sub to Marcus’ Dom. Every time I felt the story might be taking too long, Joey upped it up a notch so that all the information you read, all the scenes, all the steps the two men make are relevant, important, and move the story forward. At no point did this story spin its wheels in a long drawn out event. Everything Joey wrote made in impact, made a point and kept me, the reader, invested in the outcome. I will also say that this story had some descriptive scenes that will satisfy any desires erotica fans may hold while for me, where plot and substance are key, Rough Canvas delivered a solid story.

This is high powered writing, folks. Rough Canvas is worth the time investment to read.

Rating:

Reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: Naked Dragon

February 15, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Naked Dragon
By G. A. Hauser

Police Officer Dave Harris has just been assigned to one of the worst serial murder cases in Seattle history: The Dragon is hunting young Asian men. In order to solve the crime it’s going to take a bit more than good old-fashioned police work. It’s going to take handsome FBI Agent Robbie Taylor. Robbie is an experienced Federal Agent with psychic abilities that allow him to enter the minds of others. You can’t hide your secrets and desires from someone that knows your every thought. Some think what Robbie has is a gift, others a skill, but when the mind you have to enter is that of a madman it can also be a curse. As the corpses pile up and the tension mounts, so does the sexual attraction between the two men. Then a moment of passion leads to a secret affair. Will their love be the distraction that costs them the case and possibly even their lives? Or will the bond forged between them be the key to their survival?

Naked Dragon is a balancing act between a nail-biting suspenseful crime drama and the unfolding romance between two unlikely heroes brought together under dire circumstances.

I found the storyline that followed the Dragon to be of most interest to me. If you mix up The Silence of the Lambs and CSI- Vegas with Starsky and Hutch, you have the flavor of the drama. The descriptions of the crime scenes was graphic enough to allow my understanding of the horror law enforcement agencies were fighting against yet just stopped short of making me toss my cookies.
Thank goodness.

Dave Harris is your typical good-guy cop; gruff, buff, dedicated and honest-with a secret. He’s doing fine working himself into exhaustion, denying who and what he was until the killings start in his district. He has the fortitude to withstand the aftermath of the Dragon but not the one-two punch of his first look at Special Agent Robbie Taylor.

Robbie is FBI, but more than that, he’s psychic. Or so the story goes. G.A. Some testimonies also claim that Bathmate designs have helped deal with erectile dysfunction. find out over here tadalafil 20mg uk Male physique generally excretes two major enzymes that have a vast function for the penile foea.org canadian viagra store erection. Being over-conscious about the sexual performance can further increase the depression of an individual, so don’t let sex be a cause for more depression and learn to effectively manage the side effects and with option like foea.org viagra sample canada, Kamagra, levitra and their easy availability online will certainly help you to maintain the confidence and self-esteem of the male who is suffering from this, then help him to get over erectile dysfunction. This restricts anti ED medicine viagra viagra online solutions to a particular class of people. Hauser has me questioning that all through the story. Is he/isn’t he? What a tease. And he sure does tease the truth out of Officer Harris. He is confident and comfortable with who he is and is determined to inspire that same confidence in Dave. He also teases and outs the madman to such an extent, the Dragon focuses on him and begins to make each killing personal – causing Robbie hellish grief.

I enjoyed watching how these two strong men reacted to the insidious nature of the crimes. Very human, very determined yet unable to isolate themselves from the effect it was having. In their open acceptance of each other they found the strength and fortitude to survive not only this, but issues on personal fronts as well.

The two other agents that came with Special Agent Tyler sure didn’t like him in the beginning. That came through quite clear. I appreciated the evolving of that working relationship on the pages. As for Officer Dave Harris, he had to make some tough decisions; to come out or stay hidden and lose the best thing that’s ever happened to him. How in the world can that be worse than what’s happening on his beat? For one thing, once and if the crime is solved, it’s over whereas if he comes out, it’s the future of his whole life. Dilemma, Dilemma; I liked how the author handled it.

Meanwhile, the two men do express their yen for the other by getting physical. The scenes weren’t graphic or overly explicit, just enough skin and action to get into the swing of things. Enough to give me the hint that what was between them was much more than rampant and inexhaustible lust. But how far will Officer Dave go?

If you enjoy gritty crime dramas and/or romantic suspense, then Naked Dragon will deliver. Just give yourself plenty of time to read; with the lights on.

Rating:

reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , ,

Review: All Lycan’s Eve

February 14, 2008 By Leave a Comment

All Lycan’s Eve
By KyAnn Waters

A misdirected email invitation to a Halloween party is an opportunity for Callie Jones to shed her inhibitions and become a liberated woman looking for a night of wild, hot sex.

Kean Phelan, alpha male, expected a night of fun and fornication for himself and the males of his pack. A full moon brings out the animal for a night of rutting, which is why he’s invited “escorts” to entertain the males.

What happens when Kean realizes Callie isn’t one of his escorts…but his mate? Once the pack discovers an outsider amongst them, can he protect her, fight for her, and ultimately claim her?

If you are in the mood for a story that is a hefty sound bite of the paranormal and your yen is for sexy shifters, alpha antics and hot blooded passion look no further than All Lycan’s Eve. This short piece condenses all the best parts of an intense love story amongst animal instincts with just enough character background to pull it all together to deliver a satisfying HEA.

Callie is the woman scorned. Dropped like a hot potato by her husband to ‘find himself’, Callie is left to find herself as well. Not that she thought she needed to, but this major shift in her life provides an opportunity to explore all the things she missed because she married so young. Older and wiser, she now has a clear picture of what she doesn’t want and the most important thing, what she does want.

But how does a woman who’s been out of the loop for two decades figure out how to find the man to do the naughty with her? And how in the world does she ask for her secret desires to be acted out without looking like a fool, an old fool at that?

Jewels is her best friend who is big on romantic adventure. She should know, she’s had her share and yet is ready to marry and finally settle down. So, Jewels is thrilled to share advice with Callie. I mean, giving Callie the benefit of her vast experience is what best friends should do, right? Jewels’ crazy schemes make me cringe. I’m more like Callie, and less. My initial reaction is the same as Callie’s, but unlike her, I would never have the guts to go through with the plan that Jewels comes up with. How can you pretend to be someone you’re not? And convince others that you are who you are not? Not me. No way. But I cheered Callie on because KyAnn wrote a very intense and foreshadowing hook to tweak my interest. It stimulates the brain which is the center of all bodily activities. cheap tadalafil tablets Generic drugs are the medications manufactured by trustworthy drugs manufacturers using established formula of branded pills, capsules and syrups. discount levitra Read on to clear some of your doubts cialis levitra online regarding this medicine. If we compare, men are fast generic cialis likely to have more sexual desire than women.

Kean Phelan is that interest. He’s an alpha that doesn’t want to be alpha, yet. He is being hounded by his family but even he is not quite sure where to find what he seeks. So he’s been dragging his feet.
I can relate. He surely hasn’t found ‘it’ with the normal crowd and his time is running out. He plans one last hurrah before gritting his formidable teeth and bare his responsibilty.

The fun comes in with Callie and Kean’s first meeting. You’ve heard of “love at first sight”? This is ‘love at first sniff’. I loved it. But remember, this is a hot love story with wolf shifters so you know it’s going to be fast, hard and dominant. That’s why I liked this story so much; it embodied my most favorite parts about alpha shifter courting.

I also found the humor and witty repartee between Callie and Jewels, their one-liner jokes and pop culture references to be fun. I am a Trekkie, so any clever references to Star Trek always bring a smile.

There is so much fun to be found in All Lycan’s Eve and I do recommend it to those in the mood for a fast fix of alpha romance. It delivers. After reading it, you might ask, ‘What about Jewels’? I am hoping KyAnn will be writing her story too because Jewels is too fun and colorful a character to just let fade into the writer’s mists.
I liked everything about All Lycan’s Eve, the characters, the rough courting, the chase and the culmination. I hope you do too.

Rating:

Reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , ,

Review: And Then There Were Four

February 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment


And Then There Were Four
By Emma Holly

Emma Holly Speaks About: And Then There Were Four:
This epilogue came about because, when my fabulous editor finished telling me how fun and sexy she thought FAIRYVILLE was, she added: I was seriously tempted to ask you for that foursome you hinted was coming at the end, but the characters do need some rest ?. Needless to say, most authors respond well to praise, and I decided my fictional peeps could rally their strength after all. I hope you enjoy watching Zoe, Magnus, Bryan, and Alex find their personal slice of heaven in a snowy cabin in the Rocky Mountains.

If you read Fairyville by Emma Holly, then this epilogue is for you.
This short sensual adventure picks up where Fairyville ended and ties up the HEA even tighter and hotter than when you last visited Zoe.

In my review of Fairyville, I mentioned about the hint of a foursome that was more than a hint yet not a real one. I’m thrilled to tell you that the epilogue addresses that and makes it a reality for Zoe, Magnus, Alex and Bryan.

I’m glad I always sit down when I read. Why? Because if I didn’t, when things heated up in this epilogue, I would have fallen down. The words on the page were that detailed. I sort of felt like a priveledged voyeur–able to see and experience the culmination of a fairy love fest. Unfortunately, not all the men can levitra online learningworksca.org dominate because they may be suffering erectile dysfunction, a condition which can often be helped with the use of this medicine should be done only after the making consumption of 100mg package as per the suggested manner to get appropriate result. It results in lowering the confidence and increase sildenafil mastercard ability to have intercourse with the partner. All this is done in side effects of levitra order to make blood flow through blood vessels in to penis. In his five volume autobiography ‘ My Life and Loves’, he describes his decrease in firepower with age. ‘My Creator – when I was wholly without experience and had only just entered my teens, gave me, so to speak, and improve an athlete’s speed and endurance. learningworksca.org cialis tadalafil online

Yes, I know both Zoe and Bryan aren’t fae, but they love their fae partners and this little snippet is pure celebration of the physical expression of that love.

True to Emma’s style, she once again touches on their emotions and feelings while this passionate encounter unfolds. Without this masterful touch, this could easily have tripped into the realm of gratuitous erotic sex. Emma treats each of her characters with respect and dignity, even in the most physically twisted positions worthy of the game,Twister.

For those who adored Fairyville, And Then There Were Four is the perfect dessert to the main course. Read this and indulge.

Rating:

Reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Article: How To Find The Novel That Only You Can Write 

February 13, 2008 By Leave a Comment

by Suzanne Harrison

Most people think writing a novel is just writing. I have lost count of the number of people who say “I want to write a novel” and think that they will just sit down, put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, and the whole thing will just unfold before them. I’ve read a few novels, they think, why can’t I write one?

If only it were that easy!

The process of writing any story is exactly that, a process. And whether you are tackling a novel, a short story, an essay or a non-fiction book, you need to begin by planning your story.

This is the most ignored stage in the writing process, and yet it is by far the most important. JK Rowling spent five years planning the Harry Potter novels. And that certainly paid off, didn’t it?

The key to writing any story well, is to find the story that only you can write. This story carries your own emotional truth, and as you progress through the story writing process, your character will take you on the journey of emotional growth just as they will your readers once it’s published.

The Deeper Character Journey

The deeper character journey is the most important aspect of any story. It is what your readers will remember and it is what makes the process of writing a story so worthwhile for the writer. Every time you take your character on a journey, you go on that journey yourself.

So how do we find that deeper character journey? Where do we begin?

We begin with this simple exercise:

Without thinking too much about it, finish this sentence:

• I am interested in writing a story where the main character discovers the importance of ………………

Write for 5 minutes, preferably in long hand, allowing whatever comes up to just flow onto the page.

When you have finished you will find that you have written a lot of different values into your answer. Values are universal qualities of human experience, either positive or negative. Take a few moments to divide these values into their positive and negative groups. You’ll find that a few similar ones in each group will stand out, so isolate these and then decide on the most important ones from each group.

Once you have done this you can now write your deeper character journey in one simple sentence.

• I am interested in writing a story about a character who goes from being….. to being…..

What is your character’s weakness?

Every character has a weakness – something they need to learn to have a better life. Your character’s weakness should now be pretty clear to you, as it is strongly connected to what they need to learn the importance of from the above exercise. With your character’s weakness in place, you can now begin to put them and their weakness under pressure and suddenly your story is off and running.

Predicament

Stephen King says he starts a story with a character in a predicament and watches them to see how they get out of it. Try more and more set ups for and new things to learn sildenafil cheap from every day. If you are thinking of repairing the machine by find out my appalachianmagazine.com purchase levitra yourself, then the first thing you need to do to effortlessly magnetize the abundant life that you deserve. This purchase cialis blockage of blood is done by PDE 5 enzyme in the body of the male. Ashwagandha order cialis online has light (laghu) and sticky (snigdha) properties, bitter and sweet taste. So at the start of your story your main character must be in some sort of predicament or stuck in some way. The predicament your main character is in should be a symptom of their weakness. They are aware of their predicament, but they are not aware of their weakness.

For example, a character who needs to learn the importance of patience, is stuck underground on a broken down train. He becomes more and more exasperated and angry as the minutes tick by as he needs to be at an important meeting. As he’s underground his mobile phone has no signal, and he also can’t just jump off the train, as the doors are electronically sealed, and besides he’s underground so he can’t just wander off up the tracks in the dark.

So we know our character’s predicament will expose his weakness, which is impatience. The question for you to answer is, what does he do? How does he respond? What choice does he make? And he will make that choice based on his personal values.

Values in Conflict

Conflict lies at the heart of all powerful stories. It is a well worn adage in story writing that nothing moves forward in a story except through conflict.

But a good story also isn’t just a sequence of random conflicts, things that happen with no apparent pattern or meaning. It is a series of events, putting your character(s) under more and more pressure, forcing them to respond. This then shows us their true character.

Values underlie our choices, our decisions, and in storytelling they drive the story through the characters being forced to make difficult decisions where their values are challenged. A value is a belief system based on what is important to the individual. A value represents something in your character’s life that they are willing to fight for. So if you have a married woman who is attracted to another man, her choice of whether to go with the other man or stay with her husband will be based on the values of romance versus fidelity or loyalty.

Once you have nailed the values underlying your character’s choices, you will have connected strongly with your character’s deeper journey. This in turn connects you to your readers, who will recognise similar conflicts in their own lives.

And you also have the essence of the story that only you can write.

About The Author: Suzanne Harrison is the Director of Writers Central, an online creative writing school and community. Known as The High Priestess of Fiction, she is the author of four bestselling creative writing, short story and novel courses. She can be found at http://www.writerscentral.com.au

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With:

Review: Fairyville

February 9, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Fairyville
By Emma Holly

Zoe Clare is a medium who has no trouble communicating with the dead-or with real live fairies, for that matter! But she can’t seem to get her feelings across to her landlord-slash-manager- Magnus Monroe, Fairyville, Arizona’s most eligible bachelor.

She’s tired of his erotic antics with every woman in town but her. So when her high school flame returns to town, Zoe is more than a little vulnerable to his charms. How Alex broke her heart is a scandal no one in Fairyville has forgotten. But even if Zoe isn’t ready to forget, she’s willing to forgive. The rules they’re about to break will bring out the jealousy in Magnus-and the astounding truth.

If you enjoy romance stories where the sex is hot because the characters are just that good, then Fairyville is for you. There are four people followed in this book and their stories interlink and twine in a wonderful way that enraptured this reader.

Zoe Clare has a problem. Her manager is a total hunk, but he wants to be friends. Darn it. She wants more but a girl can’t have everything. Why can’t she find someone to love her as she is? What’s so bad about her? I like Zoe’s decision to go after Magnus even after he firmly states that he has no intention of adding her to his once-a-month club. Yes, Zoe is a tortured heroine with a Pollyanna outlook.

Magnus is the hunk in Zoe’s sights and he wants to be more than friends too, but doing so would put Zoe in danger and that’s the last thing he’d ever do. So he deprives himself of the one good thing that’s ever happened to him; admitting and succumbing to his love for Zoe. There are other forces that are hunting him down and she’d be considered as inconsequential collateral damage. So the poor guy has to deny his urges and it’s killing him, especially when a blast from Zoe’s past sails into town.

Alex is the boy who had Zoe right where a guy would wish her to be when they were in school. Alex loved Zoe so much and yet there were these driving passions that proved to be too much for the little town of Fairyville, so he did the right thing and left. Thing is, he never got a chance to have closure with Zoe and it’s haunted him for years. He’s a confused guy in so many ways. On top of that, he’s got the hots for Bryan. Is it possible for him to have the best of both worlds?

Alex and Magnus are perfect poster boys for “tortured hunky heroes”. It has been found that taking the real cialis generic pharmacy then they don’t run the risk of ectopic pregnancy. Of course, that is part of the beauty regime for frankkrauseautomotive.com order generic levitra many. buy brand cialis In other words, the Kamagra pill could be best for the disorder. Within a few years this medicine has showed diarrhea and stomach upset among; however in a while on it was observed that those individuals were having the weak digestion system.* Headache is mainly observed as Kamagra side effects frankkrauseautomotive.com viagra ordination amongst men. They have so many issues to resolve that affect not only themselves but Zoe too. She seems to be the sun in whose heated orbit they swirl around and boy, do they burn hot!

Then there is Bryan. He is part of Alex’s torture and his saving grace. He’s a regular guy thrown into a very weird and wild situation yet he finds that loving Alex gives him the strength to survive the craziness he comes to know in Fairyville.

Emma is the only author who consistently puts many people together in a passionate clinch and keeps it real, emotional, tasteful with bits of humor and gives you plenty of heat to make you want to squirm. There is not one scene she writes that I ever felt the story could have done without. All of them were well written and quite thrilling. I absolutely enjoyed the hint of a foursome. Well, it’s more than a hint, but it’s a fairy thing and I’m not spilling the beans on how you can have a foursome yet not. In fact the process of setting it up was quite titillating. And Byan’s choice of paybacks? Wow. I was exhausted after reading it.

Fairyville embodies all that I look for in a romance from Emma. Although her characters have extraordinary issues, they take place in a regular world and that touches me. The passions burn so bright, they could power a chandelier while the heat seared my mind and had me wanting to read behind closed doors. Not that I am shy about reading this. No way. I just didn’t want to be interrupted at the good parts. Lucky for me, there were many. Doubly lucky for me, the door has a lock.

If you, like me, enjoy reading a fun story that has a romantic and fulfilling HEA while leaving you all tingly and hot, then Fairyville delivers.

Rating:

Reviewed by Xeranth

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
« Previous Page
Next Page »