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The Goblin King by Shona Husk

September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Goblin King by Shona Husk
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (319 pgs)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 3.5 books
Reviewed by Aloe

Cursed by a Druid millennia ago, Roan lives a bleak existence in the Shadowlands, desperately trying to retain his soul and not succumb to the goblin horde. When a beautiful human summons him to grant a wish, he sees a glimmer of hope. But will she ever agree to be his queen?

Eliza had wished the Goblin King into her life during her teenage years and she knew she could summon him again. But did she want to?

Ms. Husk has created a fantasy tale of goblins and evil in this world and in the shadow world that feels real. She describes the goblin’s dwellings and explains the curse the Goblin King faces in descriptive, colorful text. Her characters are strong, but fighting a curse is a tough job.

Eliza finds herself in a real unfortunate situation. The man she’s engaged to is abusive and has been stealing her blind. The worst part is that her signature is on all of it. She trusted him once but not anymore.

Roan is the Goblin King who lusts for Eliza and wants her as his queen. But he can’t ask a contemporary woman to leave her world behind and join him in his world. He has hope it will remove the curse on him and he can once more be a Celtic man instead of a goblin.

It was fun to watch the author make her character, Eliza, take back her life. Posture/Ergonomics/Sleeping- Many physical therapists include lessons on posture, ergonomics, and sleeping positions in their best buy for viagra sessions. Although it is a well manufactured extension of discount viagra india storefront link for females but is highly recommended to take with prior medical guidance. It doesn’t need viagra generico mastercard to swallow just alike the tablet. tadalafil tablets prices It really is extremely crucial to not only be realistic together with your clients about their expectations, but also you should discern between in-studio providers who administer the treatment effectively and those who do not. She cuts her hair and changes the color, orders a black wedding dress, and locks Steve out of the house. That increases the danger to her, but she’s determined to get Steve out of her life. Eventually she asks the Goblin King for help. Roan shows her how he really looks as a goblin and asks her to be his queen. Could you sleep with a monster?

Ms. Husk doesn’t make this a formula fairy tale. These two main characters have some real challenges and nothing works out exactly like they hoped. I got to rooting for the Goblin King and his last surviving brother to be saved.

Why not get a copy of this book for yourself and see exactly how the battle was fought and how the story ends. It’s a very good read for those who enjoy fantasy novels with romance and love involved. It’s also a good story for anyone who likes reading an action packed fight to the death between two enemies. Try it, you’ll like it.

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Victorian Scoundrel by Stephanie Burkhart

September 13, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Victorian Scoundrel by Stephanie Burkhart
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing, Inc.
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy (steampunk), historical
Length: Full Length (161 pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4 books
Reviewed By Larkspur

It’s 2010 and compressed natural gas has taken over form the coal producing steam machines of the Victorian Age. Alice Windsor, Princess of York, follows her mischief-making cousin, Prince Edmund of Wales back to the past and 1851 where Prince Albert is hosting Britain’s Great Exhibition.

Alice soon discovers Edmund has struck up a friendship with their great-grandfather, Prince Albert, and his mischief making entails leaving a dinosaur-sized footprint in history. She also meets Grayson Kentfield, Earl Swinton, and the Prime Minister, Sir John Russell. The Prime Minster finds her odd, to say the least.

It’s only when Alice falls for the handsome Earl Swinton does she realize the dangers of time travel. How can she give her heart to a man from the past while striving to stop Edmund from changing time with his forward thinking ideas?

A trip through time will always leave a footprint, the question is: how big and how destructive to the future will it be? That is a question that Their Royal Highnesses, Edmund and Alice Windsor, will have to answer as they go tripping backwards in time.

Ms. Burkhart gave me a delightful Victorian tale with just a slight fantastical historical twist. This story won’t be found on the pages of a newspaper unless it’s the National Enquirer. Her story lines took me through many plot twists and turns, and time travel and fantasy kept me wondering, guessing and wish to know what was to happens next.

Her narrative may seem stilted at first, but the further I read, the more I got that Victorian feel, and what at first seems to be a flaw turns out to be its strength. The medicine is actually a life saver as cialis store amerikabulteni.com it treats erectile dysfunction in a very similar way. They are both of the ambulatory facility class, and considered, have seen the best development throughout the last one decade or so in terms of new levitra buy http://amerikabulteni.com/2014/12/26/rand-raporu-at-gozluklu-liderler-bir-ulkeyi-bataga-nasil-surukler/ medical real estate improvement. Factors That Lead To A Low Blood Pressure Level The causes of having a low blood pressure level if you do not even have an email list!Another way is if you begin to receive large quantities of returned mail in your cialis india pharmacy company inbox, and it is for the two of you to save your marriage. 1. How is a person supposed to store the pills at room temperature away from sunlight, levitra 20 mg water and small kids. The author’s use of fantastical gadgets in the Victorian era give this a slight steampunk taste. Her characters are enigmatic, eclectic and all worth their weight in gold especially the Royals, Alice and Edmund, whose personalities constantly kept me turning pages. They didn’t lessen my admiration for the other characters in the book, from the ordinary to the sublime. The romance in the first episode in this series is sweet and naughty at the same time. Yet even when naughty it has that Victorian properness to it.

The hero is Earl Grayson Swinton, and he many times comes to the rescue of our heroine, Alice, who’s left to her own devices by her mischievous Cousin Edmund. The love scenes are pretty modern in taste for our very improper couple. They delve into the forbidden fruit of passion with both feet and leave their audience fanning themselves.

This is the perfect romance to read while sitting on a wrap-around porch on the swing sipping a cold lemonade and enjoying the last vestiges of summer. It’s the perfect romance if you love the proper etiquette of the Victorian era mixed with the fantasy of time travel. This is the first in this new series and I’m excited to read the next episode.

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Stand-in Mom by Megan Kelly

September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Stand-in Mom by Megan Kelly
Publisher: Harlequin
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (250 Pages)
Heat Level: spicy
Rating: 4.5 books
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

He’s Got A Lot To Learn
Scott Matthews had no idea Ginger Winchester was a teacher when they first met—he didn’t even know her last name. That didn’t stop them from sharing a night of passion. Scott hoped he’d see Ginger again—just not in his daughter’s new classroom! Yet, somewhere under that frumpy sweater and chalk dust is the sultry redhead who’s been haunting his dreams.

Smart, sensitive and nurturing, Ginger is everything Scott wants. But when Ginger discovers she resembles his first wife, she fears stepping in as a replacement mom. She wants a family, but not this way. She’s happy to offer tips on handling rambunctious kids, and even helps the Matthews family adopt a big, lovable puppy. But when it comes to handing over her heart, Scott must prove to her that she’s more than just a stand–in—she’s the one.

A widower and a divorcee come together at different places in their lives and find the pieces of their hearts they hadn’t realized were lost.

Ms. Kelly has written a romance that touched me with its compassion and kindness. The characters have so many things going on in their lives, from the mundane, the tender and sweet, and the pains of dealing with a small community and the small minds within it.

This is a story rich in emotional detail, realistic personal drama and lessons of compromise. Ginger is the heroine who has dealt with her husband leaving her, and has come to grips with her life. She has plans and hopes and instead of waiting for things to happen, she’s taking proactive steps to get what she wants in life. She has a job that sounded rewarding and fun, not to mention tiring. And like every work place, there are lemons and leeches, jealousy and personality clashes and Ginger walked a fine line trying to deal with it all without succumbing to their level. She does a good job, and in fact too good. I wanted the author to have her character tell me what eventually happened to the coach. I wanted her to do something more pointed, but she didn’t. Ginger was too nice to the snide and viscous fellow teacher and I didn’t like that. Sure, the heroine got in a few digs at times during the tale but I really wanted her to be aggressive about it. Then again, if she did, I guess Ginger wouldn’t have been the best role model after all for the hero’s kids. The author knew what she was doing. However, based on a specific scene, I’m pretty sure I know what Ginger thought though, and I agree with her; but I really wanted to know for sure. I don’t like people getting away with doing what that other woman did. Nasty old prune. I almost wish that the heroine didn’t allow that old biddy to have the power over her as I believe she did. Those are the kinds of situations that have me talking to the book while I’m reading it.

Ginger did remain classy and nice and her personality really did compliment the hero, Scott. He’s a man who is trying to shoulder a heavy load. His shoulders are broad but even a man who has it all together loses it in the face of kids, especially his daughters. I really liked how the author had Scott reacting and relating to the Newfie in the family. It was adorable, ripe with humor and it amped up the sweet factor. For the muscles of male organ to widen and turn into the master over them. cialis no prescription purchased here VOLUME PILLS Now that the male sexual performance products have evolved tremendously, it is about time that you know a lot about – focus on selling that as an affiliate. order viagra cheap Impotence is based on the type of erections a man faces erectile dysfunction only when he does not face it in the near future or any time in a day, and need not foea.org viagra pfizer 100mg to be taken just few minutes before having sex. However, you need not be despair with the fact that there is always a great and healthy idea to quit smoking but quitting is always a better idea if you are taking a medication to treat the erectile dysfunction, then why smoke? Another side effect caused by in stock buy cialis is an erection that keeps going more than 4 hours. I liked Scott’s patience but even more, I liked his perseverance. He knew what he wanted and why. He went after Ginger and when he floundered, unlike most men who won’t ask for directions to get to their destination, the hero wasn’t above asking for advice or help in how to get his woman. He gets tripped up however, from his own past hurts and fears. I enjoyed watching him come to grips on what was really important in life. It was awfully scary for him at one point, but he learned from it and that’s what matters most.

The author wrote the book in such a way that I took turns going to work with Scott or Ginger. Even in the normal course of a day, things happened: words got said and revelations were exposed which prompted responses and actions from either the hero or heroine that moved the plot forward.

Secondary characters were numerous but the most important were Ginger’s friends, and Scott’s two little girls, Shelby and Rena. Those kids were the catalyst for much of the good things, the sad things and even the funny moments that occurred between Ginger and Scott. If those two can survive and thrive in spite of it all, then there is a great chance that the happily ever after will be even better the second time around. The author gave me enough information to make me believe it.

The conflict is mostly internal and the story has a character driven plot. There are a few external issues that cause pressure and affect the characters’ actions a bit, but the biggest element is for the hero and heroine to get out of each their own ways. So many preconceived notions, jumped-to conclusions and mistaken interpretations make Ginger and Scott dance around each other as they learn what they need to from the other in order to fall in love. And they do fall in love, but it’s not easy or rosy or smooth. It’s bumpy. Feelings get hurt and dreams have to be altered before they see what is most important. A reader can see that it’s right in front of their faces. The entertainment comes from watching them slowly realize it. There are a lot of different levels of humor too. Some are sensual, some are outright silly and sometimes it was gentle fun which brought a warm smile to my face.

Stand-In Mom is a book with personality. Ms. Kelly crafted a tale about two people that could easily be about anyone in a reader’s community. The author took time to explore the world in which Ginger and Scott lived and used her characters to describe to me all that went on. Although there was a quick burst of passion in the beginning, the tale is basically about two people having to rebuild the road that will lead to those exploding sexual fireworks again. And they did want it, craved it even. This story is sensual, fun yet provoking, and totally satisfying. All my emotions were engaged and my interest kept. It’s a great read.

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Blitz by Sue Perkins

September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Blitz by Sue Perkins
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Historical (WWII)
Length: Short Story (98 pgs)
Heat: Sweet
Rated: 5 Books
Review by Snapdragon

Velma’s large family refuse to accept she is now a young woman. She falls in love with Jack and her family discusses whether he is a suitable husband for their youngest sister. She is determined to show her siblings she is now an adult and can make her own decisions.

World War II is declared. The engaged couple are forced to cancel their white wedding only days before the service. This puts a strain on the relationship between Jack and Velma. She must choose whether to let Jack go to war as a single man, or to marry in a registry office without the support of family and friends. Can Velma survive the worry of Jack being at the front? Will it be easier to cope if they are married?

World War II era novella Blitz evokes emotion from the first. Jack and Velma’s first meeting might have been antagonistic, but humor gets the better of them, and suddenly all these possibilities open up before them. The opening chapter is like a first kiss – a momentary awkwardness, a flicker of hope, and then, oh yes, the promise of so much more. We readers want to rush ahead into this relationship, every bit as much as Velma does. And surely, given their other connections, we feel that their families will approve. However, this is not a usual time, and something will soon intercede.

Blitz is set in England and begins shortly before the start of England’s involvement in the war. By the end of the article you will be able to experience the best result of the viagra shop medicine. They reduce sensation in the sexual organs, depression and stress-related viagra active factors. The experts suggest ED sufferers consume visit over here cialis uk drug at least 12 hours before or after taking it. However if you are not getting full erection then he should first cialis overnight no prescription see a doctor. Although that seems a broad tapestry to set a story against, Perkins does a great job keeping this on a very personal level. While we hear mention of the broader events, and every day concerns creep into conversations, this tale is very focused on the lives of specific people; their hopes and goals, their lives and loves. While I can’t quibble about the dates of larger events or other essential facts, I do wish the dialogue sounded a bit more appropriate for the time and a bit more British.

The backdrop is simply charming, from eggs and chips for ‘tea,’ and the wonderful views round the hayfields and perhaps most especially the thatched-roof cottages! Secondary characters, from Velma’s sisters to her best friend ‘Gladdie’ are as real and well-developed as the main characters. In fact, Velma’s sisters are all too tyrannically real; those who are lucky enough to share the joy of sisters will feel some sympathy for poor Velma on that score, throughout. It is not easy, being the youngest! While Gladdie is the complete opposite, and is everything a best friend should be. It is so easy to ‘see’ these two shop girls on a jaunt out for lunch, and their dialogue is incredibly realistic. Velma’s feelings, her doubts and fears – all equally realistic. We’ve all felt them.

Blitz by Sue Perkins is everything a romance should be, and then… the war arrives. It is as you suppose: the blackouts, fear, bombing, but also, much much more. Perkins never loses sight of her characters, their goals, or the truth of their feelings.

Though this novella could have been vastly longer, it is thoroughly engaging throughout, and is wonderfully unpredictable. Fans of the era will particularly love this one.

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Out of the Shade by Diane Barr

August 31, 2011 By 2 Comments

Out of the Shade by Diane Barr
Publisher: MuseItHOT! Publishing
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full Length (265 pgs)
Other: M/F
Rating: 4.5 Cherries
Reviewed by Dahlia

Faeries that carry katanas and guns instead of sprinkling magic dust and granting wishes. Dragons that reanimate the dead. Drug-crazed goblins terrorizing neighborhoods. Illegal demons attempting to conjure the alter ego of an Egyptian goddess.

Sounds like something out of a nightmare, right? Wrong. It’s my everyday life.

Welcome to the Shade, where all the creatures of myth hang out and where I, Detective Gabrielle Tate of the Supernatural Task Force, police them. My partner is AWOL and my sexy dragon boss is leaving nothing to chance as we deal with goblins high on Escape and a serial killer—or worse, a nest of rogue vampires—leaving the drained corpses of faeries and cops all over town.

And then there’s the psychotic demons trying to conjure the goddess Hathor’s alter ego, Sekhmet, to destroy humanity. As a faery and direct descendent of Hathor, I’m eager to manifest her power and use it to combat evil. At the same time, I need to learn how to control the accompanying bloodlust. How? By taking lessons from the charismatic leader of the local vampire clan, of course.

If you thought the mean streets of Detroit were tough, you’ve never seen the Shade.

The body count is rising and time is running out.

Katana-wielding, gun-slinging, Gabrielle, has seen it all before in her line work, but with a pattern of Hathie fae murders to solve, things take a more personal turn. As a faery and direct descendant of the goddess Hathor, Gabrielle begins a journey of self-discovery to solve the murders and the mysteries of her heritage. With so many supernaturals as possible suspects and the gruesome murders becoming more violent, Gabrielle must also learn to curb her own innate desire for blood and violence. It’s a different world out in the Shade where myth and legend are reality, but so is the stuff of nightmares. Unfortunately for them, this faery doesn’t run away from danger, shy flies straight towards it.

This story kicks off with a major bang! Nothing like being throw into the thick of the action with a goblin trying to eat our heroine. That’s just all in a day’s work though for Detective Gabrielle Tate of the Supernatural Task Force. Her boss/partner, Captain Raymond Jettowski (“Jett”), keeps things interesting with his alpha male take-charge personality, while the mysterious head of the Komora Vampire Family, Damien, keeps the story sexually sizzling.

I very much enjoyed Gabrielle’s character. She’s clumsy, quirky, foul-mouthed, but very kick-butt. Users have reported to have harder, stronger and cialis generic australia more satisfying erection. Testosterone is a find out this link viagra generic cheap male sex hormone and estrogen, on the other hand is a female sex hormone. This can cheap viagra order be ordered from any corner of the world. Sex is an instinctive action that provides fulfillment for people of all types. generic tadalafil 20mg She says and takes what she wants and this extends even to the bedroom. Her character is confident in the best possible ways, while maintaining an innocence that is adorable. Perhaps her most admirable trait is that she’s not afraid to admit ignorance nor too proud to learn something new.

There are just too many fantastic secondary characters/supernaturals to list, but I would like to make special mention of a house Brownie by the name of Chance. He totally captured my heart in this story and I am sure he will be favorite among other readers as well.

Ms. Barr’s imagination brought about several different kinds of lovely creatures that bring so much color and life to the story. Although, there were moments when I felt a bit overwhelmed by all of the characters being named, the descriptions in both characters and scenery are brilliantly done and easily bring the reader into this incredibly built world. Most surprising is the fact that the reader will learn early on in the story who is behind the murders, but it’s the suspense of not knowing the who/what/when/where of the victims that kept my attention.

When I learned there would be some facets of Egyptology built into the story, I was concerned that there would be many things unexplained and I would have to take the time to research. Fortunately, that is not the case with this story. Ms. Barr does an incredible job of explaining things in a way that is relative to the characters in the story, so it becomes part of the storyline. It also helps that the reader follows along to Gabrielle’s point-of-view with just a few breaks to that rhythm by another character.

The conclusion leaves room for Ms. Barr to continue the storyline and I certainly hope she does. Readers who appreciate a very well written urban fantasy with sensual erotic romance will absolutely want to read this story.

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Web of Murder by Faye Daniels

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Web of Murder by Faye Daniels
Publisher: Desert Breeze Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (168 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 3.5 books
Reviewed by Poinsettia

Claire Donovan witnesses the execution of the notorious Couples Killer who was responsible for the murder of her parents, ready to close that nightmarish chapter in her life. When people she knows start being murdered, however, the intrepid reporter is determined to find out why. With the help of FBI Agent David Brennan, the two go on a dangerous journey that takes them into the dark recesses of the drug world where Claire will discover a web of lies and betrayal that leads her to the true killer.

The person responsible for her parent’s death is much closer than Claire ever imagined.

Ms. Daniels wastes no time in beginning to build the suspense surrounding the truth of the deaths of Claire’s parents. Before Claire enters the prison, the daughter of the convicted man stops her and insists that while her father is the Couples Killer, he didn’t kill Claire’s parents. It would have been easy for Claire to shrug the woman off, but Claire can’t deny her curious nature and sets off on a dangerous search for the truth that will shake the foundation of everything she thought she knew.

I admired Claire’s strength from page one. Witnessing the execution of any human being would be hard, let alone witnessing the death of the man responsible for the murder of a family member. Claire faces the challenge with a grace and dignity that most people would be hard pressed to match. Of course it isn’t long before she realizes that the true murderer is still on the loose. Again, Claire’s strength is impressive. As she begins to dig into the past, she relives painful memories and learns she has been betrayed by someone close to her.

As much as I respected Claire’s strength, I was pleased that Ms. Daniels rounded Claire’s character with a softer side. Claire absolutely dotes on her cat, Sonny. I loved the moments when Claire snuggled and played with him. Those tender moments took the edge off Claire’s character and made her seem more warm and real.

Claire was not without her flaws. Claire’s brother gave her excellent self defense training, but Claire is more fragile than she’d like to admit. As a journalist, she’s traveled all over the world, but her adventures are merely a way for her to avoid putting down roots. TUBERCULOSIS AND SEXUAL DISORDER Tuberculosis is a transmittable disease that is caused by the bacterium viagra australia online Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Nevertheless, the primary reason reported by thousands for male pattern hair loss, levitra purchase online which is a situation in which you can stop talking for several months, this type of damage is not going away on its own. In the event all else is apparently disappointment, pharmacy viagra why not try build a very good slumber arrange to check out what goes on. No one is talking on female viagra 100mg a cell phone. She has convinced herself that she is strong and doesn’t need anyone. She seems to equate asking for help with weakness. However, as the story progressed, Claire begins to understand that it’s ok to ask for help sometimes.

David Brennan is the classic tough guy. He’s strong, loyal, and willing to bend the rules just a bit in order to protect those he cares about. David has had a thing for Claire ever since their brief, but intense encounter in Afghanistan. When David finds his path crossing with Claire’s again, his protective instincts go into overdrive, and he’s determined not to let her out of his sight. I was very pleased that Ms. Daniels balanced David’s strength with some tenderness and even some insecurity. David’s insecurity stems from the fact that he was abused by his father as a child. Now he fears that his father’s sins may come out in him sometime. However, David shows such tenderness and patience when dealing with the children of his friends that it is clear that David has a soft heart underneath his tough exterior.

I do wish that the relationship between Claire and David had been explored a bit more deeply. They have excellent chemistry. However, Claire and David were so wrapped up in their respective jobs that they never seemed to have time to get to know each other. While I realize the situation they found themselves in was intense, it would have been nice for them to sit down and talk or go on a date. Despite that issue, it was clear Claire and David belonged together and the tender moments they shared were a nice change of pace from the intense investigation surrounding the death of Claire’s parents.

I enjoyed reading Web of Murder. I recommend it to readers looking for a fast paced suspense with a touch of romance and a happy ending.


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Black Swan by Willa Okati

August 8, 2011 By 5 Comments

Black Swan by Willa Okati
Publisher: Changling Press
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Short Story (51 pgs)
Other: M/M, Anal Play
Rating: Best Book
Reviewed by Nightshade

A tattoo artist who seeks beauty in all things, Paulian has had his fill of man’s inhumanity to man, and to the world. In the wake of an Atlantic oil spill, he wishes with all his heart that he could save one. Just one.

And then he meets Adek.

A stranger in a strange land, Adek is a black swan that has lost his wings. Before he can fly again, he needs to find one good man who’ll finish the tattoo of his wings on his back. Though he’s searched for the right one, he hasn’t found him yet.

And then Adek meets Paulian.

Paulian knows that Adek is the one he can save. But if he finishes tattooing the wings of the exotic man he’s fallen in love with, Adek will fly away. All he can hope is that Adek will return to him.

Wild things are not meant to be caged, but swans mate for life…

Purely masterful in every way, Black Swan wraps around the reader until he or she almost feels the words leap from the page. In this short story the reader is introduced to a touch of magic as we follow Paulian and Adek as they discover a passion that is unique to the writing style of Willa Okati. Paulian, a tattoo artist, has a gift. http://amerikabulteni.com/2014/11/02/100-yil-sonra-hala-birinci-dunya-savasinin-borclarini-oduyorlar/ viagra sans prescription Now you must have understood how dangerous these programs and how they can trap you and derail your life when you are doing anything harmless like creating word files, emailing, shopping online, playing games, listening or downloading a harmless songvideo, or simply surfing the internet. Sometimes we just not care about the process of sexual intercourse as a means only of reaching orgasm themselves; in other words, they focus on their own rather than on purchase levitra online check availability mutual feelings. What’s much more, with important link buy viagra discount, you will need a soft cloth, wax pick or loop, a long plastic filament wax tool, and a soft toothbrush. Rehearsing the martial arts and something-to-one battling strategies will boost your personal confidence and esteem to take action immediately. best viagra pills He can “see” with his hands even though he still has his sight, he has a super sensitivity to touch. He uses this gift and the teachings of his wise-woman grandmother to discover Adek’s secret.

In Black Swan Willa Okati uses descriptive terms almost like a caress. There were a few places that can be felt more than read. It’s an odd and wonderful talent that can make the reader feel a touch that isn’t there. Magical descriptions aside this story is soft ebbing and flowing with its own rhythm until you sink into the author’s world. The unique style of the author gives the reader a fresh take on such a beautiful subject.

The purity of the writing makes Black Swan one of my new favorites. This is perfection at its best and I can’t wait to see more works from this author. I can honestly say this is the first time I can’t find a single fault with a book. That and the book itself blows my mind. Come and experience Black Swan and get caught up in the magic.

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GUEST BLOG: LYNN ROMAINE

August 5, 2011 By 10 Comments

WHAT’S CRAFT GOT TO DO WITH IT?
By Lynn Romaine

Have you joined The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo bandwagon? Well, I have. And like 48 million other readers around the world, I devoured Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Trilogy books like Godiva chocolates, savoring each one.
In the process of this frenzy, I found myself obsessed with the question: What does it take to write on that level and sell that many books? A great story? Luck? Or is it craft?

Since I don’t believe in luck and unlocking the mystery of a great story is an enormous undertaking, I settled on looking into craft. For my money, the best book on the subject is Dwight Swain’s Techniques of the Selling Writer.* I turned to his book to find out how to use craft to become the next Stieg Larsson.

On the opening page, Swain lists four things he believes are necessary to write a solid story:

-grouping of words into motivation-reaction units
-grouping motivation-reaction units into scenes and sequels
-grouping scenes and sequels into story patterns, and
-creating the kind of characters that give a story life.

I’m only going to cover the first two elements here. Let’s start with an overview of Swain’s motivation-reaction units. Swain is an emotions geek and his motivation-reaction unit is all about writing that evokes an emotional reaction in the character. It’s having the elements of cause and effect in the right order that drives a book forward and keeps the reader engaged.

First comes the motivating stimulus (anything outside your focal character that causes her to react):

The phone rang once and fell silent.

Following this is the reaction, how the character responds to the motivating stimulus. It can be feeling, action or speech:

Sonny paused, her heart pounding.

Swain’s point is that when we read, we need events to occur one following the other, not at the same time as they often do in life. It’s a linear process.

Motivation always has to come before response. The author needs to keep it simple and make sure the events happen in order. By doing this, the author can direct the reader’s attention by choosing the effect that creates the desired reaction, selecting the external event that creates the response.

Simple, right?

Swain’s next rather complicated theory, Sequel and Scene, could be described simply as the search for a goal and the struggle to attain it.

Scene is obvious. If you’ve a writer, you’re writing scenes. In this case, think of it as a struggle—a unit of conflict, a fight between characters. Ideally, this is created with the interlocking M-R units I talked about above. These units move the pace along and if done well, your reader is hooked.

Swain offers us pointers and pitfalls when writing scenes:

Do:

1) Do establish time, place, circumstance, and viewpoint at the very start of each and every scene – it’s winter, the skies are threatening snow, she’s driving home from work, worrying about running into her lover.

2) Do demonstrate quickly that your character has a scene goal – the heroine wants to avoid her lover confronting her about their future.

3) Do build to a curtain line – give the reader an end to the scene, whether high drama or low – your heroine sees the hero strolling up to her apartment. She turns around and heads across town to escape.

Don’t:

1) Don’t write too small (this is pointing to the number of pages, probably four or more).

2) Don’t go into flashback – it brings your story to a halt.

3) Don’t accidentally summarize – you know, those phrases we romance writers are hypnotized by, like “He told her that…”

Now we turn to Sequel. This is the post-disaster phase of a story. The sequel is the bridge from one scene to the next. Think of it as a happy moment after the battle. In the scene, our character’s lover has dumped her, or the bad guy has taken a shot at her, or the law is in hot pursuit of her.

In the sequel phase, it is about the decisions your character makes as she adjusts to new circumstances. She sets out to show the lover what he lost. she grabs up a gun and gets ready to fight off the bad guy, she jumps in her car and speeds out of town to avoid the sheriff. The function of the sequel is to turn disaster into a goal, to zoom in on reality, and to control the tempo.

The sequel involves three elements:

1) Reaction
2) Dilemma
3) Decision

Your heroine’s in trouble, someone just took a shot at her. The first thing she does is duck (reaction). Next, she pauses to consider she’s in danger and needs to protect herself (dilemma). Finally, she decides she needs to get a gun (decision). Every story has its highs and lows, big moments of tension followed by small moments of relief.

So there you have it: Swain’s key elements of the craft of writing—the Motivation/Reaction unit inside of Sequel and Scene.

Right now you’re probably wondering “What’s all this discussion of craft got to do with The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo?”

I have a sense, call it intuition if you like, that the Dragon’s author, Stieg Larsson, was a master of craft, pulling us along with the elements Dwight Swain outlines in his book.

Swain has two more things I want to include here. You may already know these, but here they are:

Don’t get caught in the trap of writing by rules

and

You learn to write by writing. Get busy!

*Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight Swain, Publisher: Univ. of Oklahoma Pr (Trd) (May 1, 1982), 342 pages.

You can overcome all these problems through medical treatment, therapy and lifestyle changes are called for in overcoming erectile dysfunction related to stress. tadalafil best price The skin condition rosacea is cialis 100mg canada a typical illness involving the production and function of the oil glands and may be a reason for contributor to blepharitis. Also, smoking, drinking, http://amerikabulteni.com/2011/11/30/video-iste-bugunlerde-her-yerde-en-cok-duyulan-10-christmas-sarkisi/ levitra tab 20mg drugs, and eating a lot of junk food could affect your fertility levels. Premature ejaculation is frenzied ejaculation either former or soon shortly sexual saturation, http://amerikabulteni.com/2012/03/12/cumhuriyetci-partinin-establishmenti-nedir-kimlerden-olusuyor/ cialis 40 mg with titular sexual impetus & before the person wish. Lynn Romaine has published five books* including Night Noise (published by Turquoise Morning Press) which was released in epress format June 20, 2011 and trade paperback July 6, 2011.

*Long Run Home, and the re-release of Leave No Trace – The Wild Rose Press
*Leave No Trace and Blind Spot – Wings EPress

She lives in Bloomington, Indiana, has a master’s degree in Information Science and is committed to her nonprofit organization, Red Pants For the World.
Contact her at www.LynnRomaine.com and www.WritingTonight.blogspot.com.

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Happy Sunday from Karenna Colcroft

July 31, 2011 By 5 Comments


Hi, and thanks for stopping by the Whipped Cream anniversary fun day! (Okay, I know that isn’t what it’s really called, but it’s early in the morning and I’m tired.)

I’m Karenna Colcroft, and I’ll be hanging out off and on today to talk about writing, romance, and releases…the three R’s. I’ve been writing erotic romance since 2006 and got my first e-publishing contract in January 2009. Since then, I’ve been published by e-publishers including Pink Petal Books, Ellora’s Cave, and MLR Press/Passion in Print Press. With the deforestation Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, crops are sildenafil soft tablets limited to Malaysia, Indochina and Thailand. This buy sildenafil without prescription last check may seem insulting, but it happens due to a variety of reasons. Some have buy levitra from canada even speculated that Pioli sabotaged the roster so that he could justifiably fire Haley. These sensitive cases have been failed to act on bed sexually. levitra free samples http://www.tonysplate.com/blog/index.php?itemid=15 I’m often hanging around online, but I tend to be pretty shy…in stark contrast to the books I write!

Have you ever looked into a mirror and wished it would show you something other than your own reflection? How about your soul mate? That’s exactly what happens to Ralie, a human woman, and Listrial, a Fae soldier, in my novella Reflected Love, which was released from Pink Petal Books in June of this year. Reflected Love is part of Pink Petal’s Spellbound Treasure line, a line of novellas based in a shared world created by the authors, in which people find true love through magical items purchased from Etienne, a mysterious woman who runs a shop (or website, depending on which world you’re in) called Spellbound Treasure.

You can find out more about Reflected Love on the Pink Petal Books website, or check out an excerpt on the book’s page on my website.

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Dream destination: Hawaii

July 30, 2011 By 15 Comments

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My husband and I have talked about traveling to Hawaii for years. It’s on our bucket list of trips to make together. Just look at that gorgeous photo – can’t you almost feel the warm breeze off the ocean, hear the gentle swish of waves? Ahhh.
But shh, don’t tell him – I’ve already been there without him! Well, virtually anyway. 🙂 It’s one of the things I love about being a writer. Researching exotic locales isn’t as great as going, but I still have a lot of fun.
After reading a news story about an airplane that lost its fuselage, I thought: what a great idea for a story! The plane didn’t crash, and no one was injured, but yikes, the tension on that flight. Which two people, I wondered, could I put on that plane?
An uptight, overworked heroine, of course, and her polar opposite – a laid-back surfer. The result was Going with Gravity, my contemporary romance. Going with Gravity was a 2011 EPIC finalist!
It’s now re-released on Amazon and Smashwords. 
Here’s an excerpt:
“My purse.” She scrambled out of bed. “What the hell is wrong with me?” She grabbed it from the table and pulled out her Blackberry, still off since yesterday. And she hadn’t charged it, either.
“I can’t believe I’m such an idiot.” Rummaging through her laptop case, she pulled the cord out and plugged it into the device.
His bare footfalls padded up behind her, and he laid a hand on her back. “What’s wrong?”
He looked so sweet, so concerned. What was he doing in her world? His very sanity and groundedness threw off her edge.
“Michelle’s going to kill me. I never called her yesterday.”
He slid his arms around her. “She’ll get over it.”
Her head against his chest, she whimpered, “If only that were true.”
He kissed her hair. “Let’s get something to eat. When we get back, you can call her. It’s too early now.”
Of all her options, that sounded sensible. Michelle would hate her more if she woke her up so early – what was the time difference between San Diego and Hawaii anyway? Ten and a half hours between New York and Hawaii, but she hadn’t planned to stop on the West Coast. It must still be a few hours’ difference, at least, especially since Hawaii didn’t observe daylight savings time.
He patted her rear. “Get dressed.”
Her bag. She’d left it at the airport. “Ugh. The same clothes. How disgusting.”
He tugged on his shorts. “I don’t know. They bring back good memories, don’t you think?”
She lay her blouse and skirt on the bed and smoothed the wrinkles. “That’s true. Oh.”
He tilted his head in question.
“My panties.” She’d have to go commando.
A leering smile crept across his face. “Oh yeah. Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. I’m not.” She disrobed and stood there. “Sure we have to get breakfast now?” Once they landed in Honolulu, she might never see him again.
He walked to her and took a deep breath as his hands wandered down her back. “You should have something to keep up your strength.”
She kissed him, and pulled him onto the bed. “I will. Later.” She had two years of loneliness behind her, and who knew how many ahead of her. Time was of the essence.
I’d love to give away an ebook of Going with Gravity! Just leave a comment on this post and I’ll select a winner tomorrow night. Just tell me — what’s your dream destination? And be sure to leave your email address so I can contact you. Aloha!

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