The Dancing Dove

Monday Mini Reviews - July 6

2010-07-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late post, I had a dentist appointment today. *Shudder*

Inferno by Dante Alighieri - 4.5/5 Doves
This is the story of a man's journey through Hell to eventually reach Heaven. I absolutely loved this book. Dante had a great imagination and gives us very vivid descriptions of the nine circles of Hell. His descriptions allowed readers to picture exactly what he was describing. The only downfall of this story, is that it is heavy on Italian history. Many of the things he mentions would've been recognized by his audience, but modern Americans require footnotes to get even a little bit of understanding. There is also the heavy influence of Christianity which can distract from the piece. Highly recommended!

And Then There Were Two by Jude Mason - 3/5 Doves
And interesting Sci-Fi/Fantasy short. It was a pretty good beginning, but the way it ends leaves me with more questions than answers. This probably would've been good as a full novella or novel, but as it is now, it's an incomplete story. The story has no real beginning, middle and end. Rather, it only has a middle.

Spoils of War by Aleksandr Voinov and Raev Gray - 4/5 Doves
After Achilleus, the legendary Greek warrior, falls in battle, Ares comes to collect his soul. I really enjoyed this book. Voinov and Gray did a great job with the descriptions. I wish the piece had been longer, since it only took me about twenty minutes to read it. Definitely recommend for those M/M lovers with an interested in Ancient Greece or Rome.

Interview with Rowan Speedwell

2010-07-08T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to welcome author Rowan Speedwell to The Dancing Dove! This interview was actually supposed to go up about two weeks ago but things got a little mixed up. Sorry for the long wait, but here it is!

The Dancing Dove: Where/When was your first book published?
Rowan Speedwell: May 7, 2010 from Dreamspinner Press.

TDD: What was it like when your first book was published?
RS: Well, I read the email and then sat there for a few minutes, hyperventilating and shaking my hands, which had gone numb with shock. Dreamspinner was only the second place I’d submitted it, and it was only three weeks after the submission. I’d been prepared to wait months and then get rejected a dozen times before I found a publisher; all the Creative Writing classes I’d taken all said that your first novel would take at least a year to find a publisher AFTER you finished the book. For me, it was a matter of the book being in print less than a year after I STARTED it. Which was amazing and unbelievable!!

TDD: What was your inspiration for “Finding Zach”?
RS: A Public Service Announcement – actually, a poster of a young, dark-haired man in prison, seen from behind with his hands cuffed behind his back. It was something about not buying guns for felons, but it struck a chord with me—what if it wasn’t anything so mundane as a prison? What if he were being held hostage? How much worse could I make it…? It all sort of snowballed from there. I blended in some elements of a previous (unfinished!) story and came up with the general premise, of a young man trying to find his way back from a horrible experience. Then I tried to ask questions about how the recovery process would work, what would be his feelings, how would the people around him react, what would I do if it were someone I loved who went through that? I’ve had issues that I’ve had to deal with through therapy—the panic attacks were described from personal experience—and so that’s where that came from. In many ways it’s a very personal book, even though the actual events and characters—and even the setting—are outside my ken. (I’ve only ever been through Colorado by train…!)

I started “Zach” as an exercise to see if I could write—and finish!—a book I would enjoy reading. Even though I’ve read it about six hundred times now, I still like it!

TDD: Is there any chance of a sequel to “Finding Zach”?
RS: Mmm… Maybe not a novel, but I’d like to check in on Jerry, David’s ex. I rather liked him. And a couple of people asked me what happens to Brian.

TDD: What made you start writing M/M fiction?
RS: I’ve always found the heroes more interesting than the heroines, whether I’m writing them or reading them. I only started reading m/m a couple of years ago and just loved it—I get to have two heroes and no heroines to distract me! For some reason it makes it easier for me to get deeper into the story. I care more about the characters. There’s more risk, more danger, more angst—and a lot of the time more humor, more honesty, more reality. It may be something about the way humans are hard-wired, but the psychosocial needs of women in regards to relationship seem to depend more on the social courtship rituals. It probably has to do with their need to build social networks for the support of their offspring. Men, not so much. Makes for a different dynamic.

When I started thinking about Zach, I knew right away he was gay; it wasn’t as if I’d just taken a female character and “switched” him the way some writers of m/m do, but an organic part of Zach’s personality. I think what happens to Zach during his captivity is more devastating because he IS gay. Neither David nor Zach is the slightest bit effeminate; they are what they are and they just happen to be gay, too.

TDD: How often do you write?
RS: Five days a week. I try to write at least a thousand words a day, even if I have to throw out most of it the next day. I think about the story constantly, so that when I have the time to actually write, it’s productive time.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
RS: I think if it were my full-time job, I’d probably never write. I’m a procrastinator, so having a very tight schedule actually means I get more done. I’m a law librarian and database manager. I write on my lunch hour.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
RS: No, those are places I read!! Actually, the library IS where I write, since I’m a librarian, but only on my lunch hour. Sitting in front of a computer all day is my job; when I clock out for lunch, I pull up my story and get to work for an hour. Then I go back to work. Of course, I’m THINKING about the story all the time!!

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
RS: Of the actual writing process, the part where I have to throw out huge amounts of text to get the story back on track. That’s sad, but it’s part of the game. I can deal with that. The hardest part of the whole thing is the marketing—I’m SO not a self-promoter. And you really have to sell yourself these days to get your name out there. The whole social media thing is not me.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
RS: I’m working on a Regency / Napoleonic-era historical involving my two favorite hero tropes of that genre: the dashing rake and the heroic cavalry officer. It’s very different from Zach: different setting, different time, different pacing. I’m not sure how it will be received, but I hope to have at least the first draft done by the time this interview is posted.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
RS: I have a Facebook page called “Friends of Rowan Speedwell” and a blog. I’m also on Goodreads and GLBT Bookshelf. I have a LiveJournal account but so far it’s inactive, and I’m too skeered to Tweet.

I hope to have more stuff published soon!!

Thanks for your time, Ralph!!

Thank you for joining me, Rowan! I wish you the best of luck with your work!

You can purchase Finding Zach on Amazon.com

It's July!

2010-07-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

Yup, it's finally July! First, I'd like to congratulate kbcutter for winning a copy of A.B. Gayle's Mardi Gras!

Next I'd like to thank all of my loyal viewers. And since I'm such a statistics dork, here are some stats from July!
From June 1 - June 30 we had 622 unique visitors!

Our most popular pages for the month are:
The Homepage - 343 views
The Martin and the Wolf Giveaway - 154 views
Miles and the Magic Flute Giveaway - 101 views
Interview with Aleksandr Voinov - 88 views
The Mardi Gras Giveaway - 88 views
Interview with Anne Brooke - 53 views

This month I have a few things planned! Look forward to a book review for Finding Zack by Rowan Speedweel and one for Luke by Jan Irving. Also look forward to an interview with Rowan Speedwell and some authors from Untreed Reads and editor A.B. Gayle.

Thanks again for visiting us! Don't for get to check out The Daisy Chain, and M/M romance podcast put together by Blip!

Book Giveaway - A Certain Pressure in the Pipes

2010-06-30T09:18:00.000-07:00

Author Clancy Nacht was kind enough to offer up her newest release, A Certain Pressure in the Pipes. Sorry for the delay at posting this one!

Also, don't forget that the giveaway for A.B. Gayle's Mardi Gras ends at Midnight EST tonight!

Story Blurb:
Conrad Lloyd's father, Governor of an old west town, wishes his son wasn't so interested in inventing, or men for that matter. It isn't until Conrad meets Ezhno, a Native American inventor, that Conrad thinks he can find sexual and intellectual fulfillment all in one man. Will they find their way together despite the societal and familial divide that threatens to keep them apart? Or will Conrad have to satisfy himself with his steam-powered Pleasuring Machine?

You can find out more about A Certain Pressure in the Pipes and read an excerpt on Noble Romance's website.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on July 7.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc.) I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

If you'd like to know more about Ms. Nacht, you can read her interview with The Dancing Dove or listen to her interview with The Daisy Chain podcast.

Monday Mini Reviews - June 28

2010-06-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! I'm sorry for the lack of content lately. Real life has gotten in the way once again. I'm going to try and get everything back on track this week, I promise.

Congrats to Harper Bell who won the giveaway for Anne Brooke's Martin and the Wolf! Also congrats to Tracy who won Heidi Cullinan's Miles and the Magic Flute! Keep your eyes open for another giveaway tomorrow!

And finally, on to our mini reviews!

Neighbors by Victor J. Banis - 3.5/5 Doves
A cute story about a woman who wants to get to know her lesbian neighbor. There wasn't very much plot to the story, but it was a good relaxing read. It felt more like a glimpse into a person's life than an actual story. A well written story and great for those times when you just want a quick, simple read.

Sonny's Blues by James Baldwin - 3.5/5 Doves
A literary story about an African American man who tries to understand his younger brother. I enjoyed reading the story of the two brothers and reading about them trying to understand each other. The story really makes you think about things like drug abuse, African American culture and even Jazz music.

Dead Man Rising by Lilith Saintcrow - 4/5 Doves
The second book in Saintcrow's Dante Valentine series. I didn't enjoy this book as much as the first, but I still enjoyed it. The first half of the story was a little boring and I kept setting the book down and taking a break from it. But the second half more than makes up for it. The second half is full of action and keeps you wanting more.

The Devil's Right Hand by Lilith Saintcrow - 3/5 Doves
This is the third book in the Dante Valentine series. I didn't much like this one compared to the others. It felt like Danny was whining the majority of the time - either about how she was going to turn back into a human, how she was lied to, or how she felt used by the Devil. Not much really happened in this book which really bugged me. The first two had clear plots that were finished by the end of the book, but this one had you going "Okay… where's the rest of the story?"

Book Question and Giveaway!

2010-06-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Author and editor A.B. Gayle has offered up a copy of her upcoming release, Mardi Gras, to any of my readers who answer two opinion questions! Mardi Gras will be released on June 28 from Noble Romance.

Blurb:
Fifty year old Damien, an American novellist, journalist and blogger has arrived in Sydney to write a story about the 2010 Mardi Gras.

He is travelling incognito because in a recent blog he criticised the relevance of the parade and bemoaned the fact it had drifted so far from its roots as a commemoration of the Stonewall Riots - the first time the fairies fought back.

He is met at the airport by Simon, a young Australian who has been asked to look after him and give him a real "Taste of Australia."

Set against the backdrop of Sydney and its world-famous and colorful Mardi Gras, the two men find they have a lot more in common than either at first realize.

What are the questions you ask?

1) What do you think of stories done in First Person (I, me, we, us, etc.)? If you don't like them, why don't you like them? Is it because you can't identify with a narrator who is of a different sex, age, ethnicity, etc?

2) What do you think of stories done in Present Tense? If you don't like them, why don't you like them?

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment with your answers to the two questions. Contest closes Midnight EST on June 30.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc.) I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries. Please include a link to where you've shared the contest.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Interview with Barbara Sheridan

2010-06-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

Author Barbara Sheridan was kind enough to do an interview with The Dancing Dove this week!

The Dancing Dove: Do you have a favorite book? (Of those you’ve written.) If so, why is it your favorite?
Barbara Sheridan: I think it would have to be Silk & Poison which I co-wrote with Anne Cain. The characters Shu & Toshiro are two of my favorite and their fictional universe spawned many other books and characters.

TDD: I noticed you’ve co-written a lot of books. Do you prefer to co-write or write solo?
BS: Co-writing is a lot of fun in the same way that reading is fun because you’re not quite sure what will happen next and where the other writee will take certain scenes or characters.

TDD: What made you start writing M/M fiction?
BS: I think I have to “blame it” on Anne Rice. I so loved Louis and Lestat back when I read Interview With the Vampire when it first came out and I hated that she let them drift apart.

TDD: How often do you write?
BS: I try to daily, but for the past few weeks I haven’t written a word. Just not been feeling the fictional love.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
BS: Writing is it for the present. My last regular paycheck job was in retail. I was downsized.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
BS: My “office” also known as a corner of the diningroom.

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
BS: Knowing that something in a book is “off” but not quite knowing how to fix it.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
BS: Aleksandr Voinov and I have started a third book in our espionage series with Dreamspinner Press. I’m trying to work out a few research things for a book that ties in to the Beautiful C*cksucker books with Noble Romance.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
BS: On the solo front I have an historical western novella coming From Dreamspinner on June 30th It’s called MOST WANTED and Aleks and I have two things upcoming RISKY MANEUVERS from Loose Id on July 6 and we should soon be editing FIRST BLOOD book two in our spy series with Dreamspinner.

Readers can find out more on the above at my website. There's also some exclusive web content tied into the books I co-wrote with Anne Cain at our Dragon’s Disciple site.

Thank you for joining me, Barbara! I wish you the best of luck with your books.

You can purchase Beautiful C*cksucker II - Such a Good Boy, Blood Brothers, and Clean Slate at Amazon.com

Interview with Clancy Nacht

2010-06-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Today, I’d like to welcome author Clancy Nacht to The Dancing Dove!

The Dancing Dove: Where/When was your first book published?
Clancy Nacht: My first book, "The Night Caller" was published April of 2009. Before that I was writing fanfiction like a fiend and sort of used to the slings and arrows of criticism. Or so I thought. Like an impatient dork, I self-published and not in the cool Smashwords way, but in the "paying someone more than is reasonable" way. I did buy some editing and con friends into helping me, but I also found out the hard way that people love taking pot shots at self-published titles. Since then I've been published with Ravenous Romance, Noble Romance, Clies Press, and Dreamspinner Press.

TDD: What was it like when your first book was published?
CN: Scary, exciting, but also a little like a drop in an ocean (pre-oil spill.) As exciting and big of a deal as it was to me, the literary world doesn't fall at your feet. But that said, the first commenter I got from someone who understood it? Magic. And even bigger rush than seeing my words in print.

TDD: Do you have a favorite book? (Of yours) If so, why is it your favorite?
CN: Such a "Sophie's Choice" question. I love them all for different reasons. Even that first, black sheep novel because it was something I really believed needed to be published. I really loved "Tricky" published by Noble Romance because those characters were so difficult, so bitter and hurt and angry over a past they each had their own flawed interpretation of. Plus the voice of the main character, a male prostitute, was so strong. But I also have a huge soft spot for a short story I wrote in "Bedknobs and Beanstalks" called "Jack and the Giant Peenstalk." Obviously, that story is much less serious.

TDD: What made you start writing fiction?
CN: It sort of spawned out of role playing, following through on plots that I thought would've been much more interesting had they gone a different way. I was working from home at the time and killing time while waiting for clients to get back to me. After my father died, it turned into a form of therapy. I could work through feelings of regret, loss, anger, poke fun at myself, my situation, the world in general, it just sort of crept up on me. Anymore these stories get in my head and won't go away. Writing's become an exorcism.

TDD: How often do you write?
CN: I try to write at least an hour every day. Usually I write for a couple. Now that I have a regular day job (speaking of therapy, "Dead End Job" sort of covers my feelings on my day job) I have to steal time over lunch or in the evenings.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
CN: Hah! Speaking of.... Yeah, I have a sort of bureaucratic nightmare day job. I'd love to write full time. If there are any virgins to sacrifice, please point me in their direction. They're pretty scarce here in Austin.

Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
I have several desks in the house and I also write at my work desk or in the park, or on my couch, really anywhere. It changes a lot. Makes the netbook my most important asset.

What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
I have a love/hate relationship with editing. We're on an up cycle right now, but I'm sure he'll find some way to do me wrong. I love it when I'm bereft of ideas and I just want to make the ideas I have shine. I hate editing when I have other stories chomping my brain stem.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
CN: Oh well I have a cyberpunk scifi story that's almost finished. The last one of those I wrote didn't go far, but I put it on Smashwords as "Stay." Someone called it innovative, which I'm so proud of. This one has more romance involved but there's a lot going on, a lot of issues involving an alternate reality where the ozone layer went away and an alien race came in that saved us, but there's more subtle politics going on there with technology and tracking and people who are Subversives, people who want to live their lives as they see fit.

The other is of a similar vein, in that it's post-apocolyptic with zombies, but this time it's magic that's the culprit. It's very cracky and fun, but it has some real human moments and some real human issues with gay rights.

Then I have a co-written May-December DILF story that I'm pretty proud of because I feel like you see a wider range of homosexual behavior that doesn't completely center around penetration. It has a lot of themes of regret, on doing what you're told to do rather than what you want to do and then experiencing life as it's meant to be. I really love it. It says a lot of things I want to say, I hope it broadens readers minds a little beyond the traditional romance trope. The December gentleman is dealing with coming to the close of his life having done everything he was supposed to do, his regret. The May man is dealing with the loss of his best friend and with how life goes on, how he finds love and finds his own way. I love how they fit together though they're opposites in some ways. But they turn out to be just what they need.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
CN: Upcoming is "A Certain Pressure in the Pipes" on Noble Romance, which is a m/m Steampunk story set in the US in the Gilded Age. It centers around an unusual Indian and a bratty Governor's son who are both inventors and both a little different. It's pretty hot and funny. I think it's a perfect summer read. I would call this very low angst and a whole lot of fun and silly and lusting over the hot alpha Indian. It's out June 28 from Noble Romance. I love the story and the publisher, so I hope everyone else loves it as much as I do.

Please feel free to see what I'm babbling about on my website, Twitter, or Facebook.

Thank you so much for joining us, Clancy! I wish you the best of luck with your writing. =)

You can purchase The Night Caller and Bedknobs and Beanstalks on Amazon.com.

Book Giveaway - Martin and the Wolf

2010-06-18T08:11:00.000-07:00

Author Anne Brooke was kind enough to donate a copy of her new release, Martin and the Wolf for me to giveaway!

Story Blurb:
When thirty-six-year-old lecturer Martin meets the mysterious Lucas at a neighbor’s midsummer party, the attraction is instant and hot. The two men soon start a relationship, but Martin is puzzled by Lucas’ behavior. He’s not like any man Martin has ever known—indeed, sometimes Lucas hardly seems human at all—and Martin wants to find out why.

But on one August night, when Martin tracks Lucas to the depths of the local park, he discovers eye-opening, fantastical realities about his new lover and the pack of strange wolves Lucas runs with than he had ever thought possible. Can Martin handle the truth?

You can find out more about Martin and the Wolf and read an excerpt on Amber Allure's website.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on June 25.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc.) I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Idaho Pride - Review

2010-06-17T13:38:00.000-07:00

Title: Idaho Pride
Author: Sarah Black
Series: N/A
Rating:5/5 Doves
Review:

After an attempt to diffuse an explosive situation, Lee Hunter and Jeremy Sheridan end up taking the heat for the conflict and become friends. While researching a tragic local story for Jeremy’s magazine, Idaho Pride, Lee agrees to mentor Luis, a troubled young intern. But Jeremy has a problem of his own: a jealous ex-lover who threatens not only Jeremy and Lee's new romance, but also the fledgling family they're trying to create.

I loved the characters in this novel. Black was able to create two very different characters who both seemed real. They each had their own quirks and personalities and you could easily tell them apart. Even the side characters she created had a pretty good amount of depth to them.

I really enjoyed the plot of this book. It had mixings of a few different genres - romance (duh), suspense, and a little bit of mystery. For the most part, all of her plot ideas were fleshed out and meshed together well. Usually when I read a novel like this with multiple plots mingling, some of them aren't fleshed out, but Black managed to make all of her plots work and seem like they were straight out of real life.

The only real problem I had with this book was it wasn't long enough! There were so many things I wish she would've gone into detail about. I would've liked to have seen more about Captain McClain and his son, and the article for Idaho Pride. I also would've liked to see more about Julius - did he still try and convert BLANK or did he finally come to understand homosexuality?

Also, the blurb is very misleading. Jeremy's ex-lover wasn't that much of a threat to the relationship. In fact, there wasn't even much focus placed on him. The ex-lover is merely one of many plots instead of the main plot point like the blurb makes it out to be

The book was very well written and very much enjoyed. I would highly recommend this book for any fans of contemporary M/M romance. If you like your romance to have a good amount of plot in it, this is the book for you.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

You can purchase Idaho Pride at Amazon.com

Book Giveaway - Miles and the Magic Flute

2010-06-15T05:44:00.000-07:00

The wonderful Heidi Cullinan was kind enough to donate a copy of her newest release Miles and the Magic Flute to be given away!

Here's the blurb for her book:
When the forest behind a Minnesota pawn shop turns out to be the doorway into a faerie paradise, Miles Larson doesn't see any reason to complain. He's bankrupt, single, and living in a trailer in his backwoods hometown after being laid off from his big city job: yes, he could use a little downtime in a homoerotic dreamland.

But Miles soon learns that in the faerie world nothing is quite as simple as it seems. The beautiful faerie man who has captured Miles's heart might also be after Miles's soul. The frightening beast-man who chases him through the forest is actually a noble-hearted human under a terrible curse. And at the center of it all is the deathly beautiful Lord of Dreams, a faerie so powerful that if Miles so much as looks at his face, he will be lost in dreamland forever.

The only hope for Miles's escape lies in a magic silver flute, an enchanted instrument that holds the answer to the faerie lord's defeat. But even if Miles is smart and strong enough to wield it, will he dare? All dreams must stay in dreamland, and when the cold light of truth dawns, if there is no reality beneath the love he's found in the faerie realm, Miles will have to return to his own world—alone.

You can find out more about Miles and the Magic Flute and read an excerpt on Dreamspinner's website. The novel is available in PDF format.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on June 22.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc.) I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Interview with Noah Bogdonoff

2010-06-15T05:13:00.000-07:00

The Dancing Dove: Hello, Noah! Welcome to The Dancing Dove. Thank you for joining us today!
Noah Bogdonoff: Thanks for having me! It’s always nice to think that there are people reading my writing.

TDD: Where/When was your first book published? What was it about?
NB: “Number Theory”, my recently-released short story, was actually my first published work. It’s available in eBook form from Untreed Reads (more about that later). “Number Theory” is a story that I think needed telling. It’s about self-awareness – the moment in a boy’s life when he gains the knowledge that allows him to truly look at himself and see everything. Until that moment, the narrator has been strictly defined and in turn allowed himself to define everything strictly. So I guess “Number Theory” is about opening up to the world around oneself.

TDD: What was it like when your first book was published?
NB: Astounding. I’m not the best writer that I know. I have friends who write circles around me and haven’t been published yet. So that was weird. But it was also really exciting. Only a few days after having submitted “Number Theory” to Untreed, I got this incredibly complimentary email from the man who is now my editor, Jay Hartman. At the time, I was at a friend’s house and embarrassingly ran around going, “WHAT. AAHHHHHHH!” This story might be my first published work, but it’s not the first thing I’ve submitted for publication. Untreed’s positive feedback was so affirming. Jay and the CEO of Untreed Reads, K.D. Sullivan, literally walked me through everything I could possibly want to know about getting published digitally and were very cautious not to pressure or rush me. It made the experience that much better.

TDD: What’s it like being published at such a young age?
NB: In a word: confusing. At first, I was tempted to conceal my age. While I love to hear it, part of me really rejects the idea of being “good for an 18-year-old”. You know? My age is helpful in writing for young readers and young characters, but I don’t want it to directly influence my readers’ views of me.

The other thing is that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or pressured into staying “safe”, writing the same thing again. Because I’m so young and impressionable, my writing style changes easily. My interests change easily. As a young author, there’s this pressure to – I don’t know – find a comfortable place and stay there. The pressure obviously comes from myself. Jay and K.D. have been supportive of my branching out, but there’s always the fear that I’m a one-trick pony.

But it’s also awesome. Can’t pretend it isn’t!

TDD: What made you start writing fiction?
NB: Reading fiction! Pretty much as soon as I began reading, I began writing. Especially once I learned to type on my family’s old Apple II. I started off with these horribly cliché fantasy novels (and I do mean novels. I was much more prolific back then) and as my life view expanded, so did my concept of writing. It’s progressed from the need to imitate and “be like” my favorite authors to the urge to tell a story, or a feeling, or an image. There’s always something I’m trying to get at. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail, and sometimes I find something new.

TDD: How often do you write?
NB: Depends. Since getting published, I’ve done some writing every day. Before that, I would go weeks or months without touching a story and then write thousands of words in a night. Sometimes it spills out, sometimes I have to squeeze it. I’ve never felt pressured to write, so we’ll see what happens now that I’m published!

TDD: Do you plan on writing full time or will it just be a hobby of sorts for you?
NB: That’s really hard to say. Will writing be my only career path? Probably not. I’m also planning on being an actor and a research anthropologist, and maybe a linguist while I’m at it. Heh. My interests are way too varied for me to even think about a full-time career. Everything’s a hobby and everything’s my life. I’ve noticed that I start to suck when I get too serious about anything. I lose perspective, I lose that sense of fun. So writing will always be a hobby for me, because I couldn’t bear to make it un-fun. I wouldn’t mind it being a lucrative hobby, though!

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
NB: I don’t have a laptop, and writing longhand is too slow for me in most cases, so no. I write in front of my desk. When I go off to college next fall, this all will change and I’m kind of worried about that. But I’m also not one for ritual. I love being torn away from my habits (usually that’s the only way I can kick ‘em), so college should produce some new and interesting effects on my writing.

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
NB: A favorite English teacher of mine once said, “I don’t like writing. I like having written.” I don’t completely agree, but I will say this: writing is annoying. If the words aren’t flowing and the sentences aren’t interesting, my writing is crap. Usually I develop plots in the same way I develop sentences – spur-of-the-moment and randomly. If my sentences are lousy, so are my plots, and thus my stories. So my least favorite part would be getting in the mood. Because I don’t know how.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
NB: Yes! I’ve just finished a story titled “A Shallow Warning”, which is nothing like anything I’ve ever written. It’s inspired by the author Kelly Link. It’s also probably the piece of fiction I’m most proud of, which is stupid because it’s almost incoherent. It’s magical realism and has the same basic moral center of “Number Theory”, but is much more complex. Hopefully you’ll see. I’m also co-writing a sort of supernatural novella with Andy Frankham-Allen that’s called “Through a Glass, Darkly We See”. Never co-written before, so that should be fun. And I’m tossing around a few more stories just for the heck of it. Oh, and a novel that I conceptualized with my best friend, but that’s years away from seeing the light of day. I hope you’ll check them all out when they hit!

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
NB: All I have to say is: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Getting published has been so strange and so rewarding. The responses I’ve gotten to “Number Theory” have blown my mind. I can’t express how appreciative I am for the support of Untreed Reads and, most importantly, anyone who reads my work. And thank you for having me!

If anyone would like to drop me a line, my email is lordcoweh@gmail.com (can you tell I wasn’t prepared for professional life?). I want to hear anything you have to say. No, really. I do.

Thank you so much for joining us, Noah! I wish you the best of luck with everything!

You can purchase Number Theory on Amazon.

Monday Mini Reviews - June 14

2010-06-14T08:09:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our second Monday Mini Reviews! I've got five short stories to review this week, four of which are from my Study of Fiction course.

Stay tuned later this week for an interview with the author of Number Theory, Noah Bohdonoff.

Cathedral by Raymond Carver - 3/5 Stars
There wasn't really anything special about this one. It felt like the author was trying to portray a value or theme, but to me all I saw was a guy who likes to complain and smoke pot.

Everything That Rises Must Converge by Flanner O'Connor - 3/5 Stars
Another mediocre short story. I got the anti-racism theme for this one, but the story itself wasn't very likeable. I didn't really like either of the two main characters and if I wasn't reading this for a class, there wouldn't have been anything to keep me reading it.

The Conversion of the Jews by Philip Roth - 4/5 Stars
This was my favorite out of the three stories. It was very well written, had a clear moral and kept me interested! This is a story I'd highly recommend for those who are interested in literary fiction. Although it has a clear religious bias, it doesn't try to push the religion or smother you with it like some books do. It's a great book for younger readers as well since it teaches them to question things rather than blindly follow what others tell them and to think for themselves.

Number Theory by Noah Bogdonoff - 4/5 Stars
This was a cute piece of literary fiction. It was short and sweet with a little bit of m/m thrown in for flavor. It could've used some more details, but the author definitely has talent. I look forward to reading more from Noah.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven by Sherman Alexie - 4/5 Stars
I really enjoyed reading this story. It was another literary fiction piece that I had to read for my Study of Fiction class. It has a clear theme (cultural identity) and is pretty easy to relate to, even for those who aren't part of an ethnic minority. It was also an interesting read that made you want to keep reading.

Amazon Links

2010-06-12T06:44:00.000-07:00

At the bottom of some of my posts now you may see a link that says "You can purchase BOOKTITLE at Amazon.com." These are new links that are part of the "Amazon Associates" program. Each time someone buys a book through those links, I'll get a percentage of the sale. My goal for this program is to make some extra money to put into the blog for a domain name and a new, professional layout. I figured these links would be more relevant to my readers than just spamming the page with ads. (Plus, if you're not interested, you can easily ignore the link, unlike giant banner ads.)

If these links become a problem, please let me know and I'll take them down.

Interview with Raev Gray

2010-06-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

Today I’d like to welcome author Raev Gray to The Dancing Dove!

The Dancing Dove: When was your first book published?
Raev GrayThe ink is still wet on my m/m cred! “Test of Faith” was my first bound book published. It came out officially on May 3 of this year. Before that, we (Aleks and I) released “Spoils of War,” our Greek myth-inspired short, on Smashwords.

TDD: How does the co-writing with Aleks work? Do you alternate between chapters, does one person write it and the other go in and edit it?
RG: We’ve done it a couple of different ways. A lot of our work was written roleplay-style, with each of us controlling specific characters. I’d write maybe 50 words, then he’d do the same. For our more recent stuff, we’ve tried a different method. We share characters and do the story round-robin style. He’ll write 250 words or so, then I’ll add to it. For either method, we use(d) Etherpad. That’s now defunct, but there are a couple of clones we’ve been eyeing. You can’t beat programs like that for real-time collaboration. I can see what Aleks is typing as he’s typing. It’s sort of spooky, but it’s very convenient.

TDD: Out of all of your characters, do you have a favorite?
RG: Abdul Basir from “Test of Faith” is definitely one, and Lucian from Blood Run Cold. I also love Micah from Chaosborn, one of our WIPs. I tend to become absolutely infatuated with at least one character per story. Usually it’s the one who does whatever the hell he wants and screw everybody else, or the one who’s so f’ed up he almost can’t bear his own company. (Sometimes that happens in the same character.) I find character neuroses fascinating.

TDD: What made you want to write M/M romance?
RG: I’m a “why not?” kind of person. When Aleks and I first started writing together, it (the project that turned into Blood Run Cold) was basically crack-fic, a crossover between two of our more amusing characters (they turned into Lucian and Frederik). I never considered publication, to be honest, until Aleks mentioned it. I blame him for my addiction.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
RG: *laughs* You could say writing indeed is my full-time job. I teach writing. This summer, I’m teaching two classes of non-native speakers for a special program at my graduate alma mater, and starting this fall, I’ll be teaching full-time at a community college.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
RG: Oddly, I don’t have a special place I like to write. I write long-hand, so I can do it anywhere: at my desk at work, outside, at home on my bed, on the couch, at Starbucks (no dirty thoughts!). Anywhere suits me just fine. It really depends on my mood. I like a little background noise most of the time. It can be music or just the white noise of people talking.

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
RG: About halfway through, I’ve usually tied myself in a Gordian knot and have to pick my way out of the hot mess I’ve made of the plot. I’m a problem-solver by nature, so eventually I get it untied, but I find it really frustrating. I actually don’t mind editing so much. Again with the problem-solving.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
RG: Oh, do I. Actually, I’m working on a couple of solo urban fantasy projects under the pen name Vivien Weaver, which I use for non-erotic work. One is part of a series, and one is a serial novel slated for Candlemark & Gleam, a new publishing venture run by the awesome K.S. Olcott. Aleks and I always have several projects on the burners, as well. I won’t get started, or I’ll be here all day. For fans of “Test of Faith,” I plan on writing an Abdul-centric prequel sometime before the year is up, too.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
RG: I’m everywhere. You can find me on Facebook, at LiveJournal, Twitter, and Wordpress (all raevgray) and at http://raevgray.weebly.com. My email is raev . gray at gmail.

I also do graphic design—I made the covers for all of our work thus far. My graphic design site is http://raevgraydesign.weebly.com. I take commissions, although because this summer is extremely hectic because I’m moving in August, I can’t put a real rush on anything at the moment. August, though, I should be well settled.

If you’re interested in my non-erotic urban fantasy work, my pen name, as I mentioned above, is Vivien Weaver. Still working on most of that stuff, but I plan on making a website eventually with outtakes and maybe some free stuff. I’ll post updates about that on my Wordpress.

Thanks for having me, Ralph! It’s been a pleasure. I’d also like to thank all of our/my readers. You guys seriously make my life with your reviews and comments. I’m so happy to know and interact with so many amazing people.

Thank you so much for joining us, Raev! I enjoyed interviewing you and I wish you the best with your books.

You can purchase Blood Run Cold and Test of Faith on Amazon.com

Promote Literacy

2010-06-07T07:04:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon a charity called We Give Books today. Through their website, you select a charity to sponsor, and then you get to read free books online to and with your child. With every book you read, a book is donated to the charity you chose. The best part? It's completely free to you.

There are a mix of different books for all children from infants to age 10. If you have children, or just enjoy reading children's books, check out the site for yourself. You can visit We Give Books here and support the literary charity of your choice.

Interview with Aleksandr Voinov

2010-06-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

The Dancing Dove would like to welcome author Aleksandr Voinov! Aleks was kind enough to take a few moments out of his busy schedule to do an interview with us! I hope you enjoy it. =)

Aleks is the author and co-author of many popular M/M romance books including "Test of Faith," "Special Forces," "Spoils of War" and many others. Aleks has written about 13 novels and has published with five German publishers. He has been called a "workaholic speed-writing freak."

The Dancing Dove: When/where was your first book published?
Aleksandr Voinov: That’s a tricky question, since I published five fantasy/sci-fi paperbacks in Germany. I think the first one was in 2001ish, but I had two short story sales before that. The first sale ever was when I was around 15/16.
The first English-language fiction sale was a historical m/m short story, “Deliverance”, which is about a Templar choosing between faith, hour, love and obligation. “Deliverance” went into the “Forbidden Love” anthology by Noble Romance.

TDD: What was it like when your first book was published?
AV: I think I was high for about three weeks to actually see something solid with my name on it. I did what everybody does – run around telling everybody, expecting the world to stop and worship me and I thought I was God’s gift to literature. It took a few years to beat that out of me.

TDD: I see that you have a book coming out soon with Carina Press. What’s it like working with the new publishing house? Are they any different than the smaller M/M publishing houses?
AV: My editor, Deborah Nemeth, originally worked at Samhain, so I met her when I subbed something to Samhain which she turned down. We stayed in loose contact and then she told me that she’s going to join Carina. So I subbed to them because Deborah went there, rather than because of the publisher.
The editing process itself was super-smooth and very pleasant. Deborah has a real passion to support the writers she works with (it’s a co-prodcution with the awesome Kate Cotoner). So far I’m well impressed with Carina.
Are they different? I’ve had limited experience with other UK/US publishers. What’s definitely different is the contract. Carina’s contract is more modeled after Harlequin’s, so you sign different rights away and the royalty rate is also quite different.

TDD: You’ve been published with a whole slew of publishing houses, is there one that’s your favorite or that you prefer to work with?
AV: So far, I’ve had mostly positive relations with publishers. Noble Romance is great, Dreamspinner and Carina, too. I’ve had a bad experience with one publisher – basically their acquisitions editor was rude and told me I write like a beginner, which means I’ll never sub to them again. After twenty years of publishing, that was the singular case where I felt the publisher was full of sh*t.

TDD: I know you’ve tried your hand at self-publishing through Smashwords with “Spoils of War.” How did that work out for you?
AV: It worked out great, actually. We self-published “Spoils of War” (which is co-written with Raev Gray and deals with Achilles meeting Ares after having been killed) because we donated the story to eXcessica and didn’t have the exclusive rights anymore, which means we couldn’t sell it to a traditional publisher. On the whole, we’ve made as much money from that release as from selling it to a publisher. I was certainly surprised how well it worked, and there will be other books that we’ll self-publish if we don’t find a good fit with any of the publishers.

TDD: The book was offered at “Set Your Own Price,” how well did it sell? Did a lot of people actually pay for it or did more take it for free?
AV: That was a very interesting experiment. Most people took it for free – around 50-60% of them. However, those that DID pay paid enough that the average download for that story came out at around $2.50 – which, you’ll agree, is a lot of money for a short story of less than 7k words. So some people just paid a tenner, or a fiver. Some people emailed me and said they felt guilty for paying too little – because after they’d read it, they felt it was worth a lot more. If you calculate that a short story of similar length cost around 99 cents or maybe $1.29, I call that a resounding success. (And it surprised the hell out of me).

TDD: Out of the books you’ve written and co-written, do you have a favorite?
AV: Oh hell, that’s not easy. I love them all, in different ways. The thriller “Clean Slate” with Barbara Sheridan is high up the list, because it’s the kind of campy action fun with a dark psychological edge that I’d love to read more of. The historical novella “Test of Faith” with Raev Gray is some of the best and intense stuff I’ve ever done – even if publishers didn’t like it. Or, rather, they liked it fine, but asked for a different ending, which would have sold more copies but would have broken the story.
The historical “Lion of Kent” with Kate Cotoner was just so intense to write – the story is brimming with flavour and life and was just pure joy to write. One of my favourites ever is “Collateral”, which is a fanfiction novel I wrote with Gileonnen. That novel helped me avoid burn-out – I was in a bad place, creatively, in 2008, and “Collateral” (and Gil) reminded me that writing can be fun. Shocker, I know.
Generally speaking, the current favourite is the one I’m writing right now (trite, I know, but I have to love them or I wouldn’t find the discipline and faith to do it). I don’t write stuff I don’t believe in and I don’t like spending time with characters I don’t love/or love to hate.

TDD: What made you want to write M/M romance?
AV: I’ve always done it. With two exceptions, even my fantasy/sci-fi releases had a strong gay relationship at the core. But since I was writing for what the publisher thought were teenagers (fantasy/sci-fi has a lot of bad press in Germany), I couldn’t really explore the “icky” relationship, let alone write the sex. Doesn’t mean my characters weren’t doing it, but I had to exclude those scenes. With the stuff I’m writing and selling as “m/m romance”, I can finally keep the camera on when the guys do it.

TDD: How often do you write?
AV: I’m a compulsive-obsessive workaholic, so I get huge guilt-trips when I don’t write every day. Right now my life’s out of whack because I just moved into my own house and that was a huge project that consumed the muse and any creativity I have left goes into buying and placing furniture. I hope to be back to normal, but I keep sending my co-writers emails where I apologize that I’m “no good” at the moment.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another job?
I like to say that I live off writing, but truth is, I actually get a pay cheque for being a financial journalist reporting on stuff in markets that most people have never heard about, and even more people don’t care about. Which is fine. I also earn some money teaching advanced creative writing (so that publisher telling me I write like a beginner didn’t go down too well).

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy chair?
AV: My desk, which has a huge flatscreen and faces a window looking out over the garden – before that, I was staring at a crème-coloured wall. But I can write in just about any location (apart from the office – I never want to get caught writing sex while at work, that would be just too weird. Also, the office is probably the least sexy place in the universe. At least ours was).

TDD: What part of the writing process is your least favorite?
AV: Writing blurbs. Condensing those thousands and thousands of words into 100-200 suspenseful words is a high art. I’m a trade journalist by profession, not a marketer, so that’s two totally different ways of writing.

TDD: Can you tell us about one of your works-in-progress?
AV: That one’s actually a solo project and called “Iron Cross” – it’s the story of a US Spitfire pilot getting shot down over France in 1941, where he meets a German officer. That one is very close to the bone, since I’m dealing with some family history there and my national history, or maybe “trauma” is the better word. Especially the latter part of the book, when Germany is in ruins and the German officer is only kept upright by his sense of integrity and his love for another man will be a pain to write. But it’s a story that hasn’t been done and needs to be told. Some stories choose you, rather than the other way round, and that one kicked down my door and demanded to be written, even though I thought it’s madness to try and write such a novel. However, it might be the one book, the best I’ll ever do, so I better get to it. Sometimes you just have to face it and grow with your challenges. This challenge is huge.

TDD: Do you have anything else you’d like to tell our readers? (Upcoming releases, giveaways, contact info, exclusive website content, etc.)
AV: Ah, yeah, more about me is on www.aleksandrvoinov.com, which has all the links and background info, and there’s a few free stories there (such as “Collateral”). My blog’s on www.aleksandrvoinov.blogspot.com. I hang out a lot on Goodreads and Facebook. Next release is “Risky Maneuvers” with Barbara Sheridan from Loose Id in July, and “The Lion of Kent” with Kate Cotoner in August. In September, Dreamspinner is going to release “First Blood”, the sequel to “Clean Slate”. I did mention I’m a compulsive workaholic, right?

Thanks for having me!

Thank you for joining us, Aleks! I wish you the best of luck with everything.

Everything Under the Sun - Review

2010-06-03T15:03:00.000-07:00

Title: Everything Under the Sun
Author: Rachel West
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:
What do you do when you have every choice in the world at your fingertips and no idea what you want?
Ever since Chris Bennett graduated high school a year ago, he's been trying to figure out what's next. His lifeguarding job has kept him busy, and in southern California, poolside isn't a bad place to be. But he's spent most of his time thinking about Seth, the former classmate who became something more for a few brief moments last summer. Now Seth is back, but he seems to be running toward Chris and running away from him at the same time. Meanwhile, Chris is increasingly drawn to Alex, his gorgeous new neighbor who puts up a sexy, confident front but may be harboring a few romantic demons of his own.
Chris doesn't know which direction to go, either in life or in love. But by the time he figures it out, will the right person still be around to want him back?

I really enjoyed the plot of this one. I was curious throughout the entire story to see which character Chris would end up with. Normally in a story like this, I have a favorite that I really want him to end up with (and if anyone mentions a certain book with sparkling stalkers, I will shoot them. Multiple times.) but in this I kept flip flopping over whether I wanted him with Alex or Seth.

I liked the characters in this book. Each one felt real and believable to me. Seth, however, seemed to be a bit bi-polar and his constant flip flopping got on my nerves a bit. Also, why is it romance novels have either a fag hag (a girl that the gay guy is best friends with and he tells everything to) or a really swishy gay guy that the guy tells everything to? I probably would've liked the book a lot better without Marty.

There were a couple things that the author didn't explain that I would've liked explained. We have no real sense of any of the character's pasts. We only get a brief glimpse of Alex's relationship with his ex, which really bothered me. The whole situation with his ex bugged him throughout the novel, but near the end, it was kinda just swept under the rug. I also have no idea how Seth and Chris met, or their past relationship. And the brief mention of Chris's father could've been left out since it was never really elaborated on.

*Warning: Spoiler Ahead. If you wish to avoid this, skip down until you see the end tag.*
The big thing that bothered me though, was Seth. We don't really know what happens with him at the end. Does he go back to Maine and never look back? Does he find a guy of his own or does he end up with a woman? Does he stay friends with Chris? Do him and Alex ever get along? So many questions! (Sequel maybe?)

*END SPOILER*

I did like this book over all. It was very well written and kept me wanting to read more. For once, I don't like the cover Dreamspinner Press did for this book. The three boys look poorly photoshopped together. Maybe the regular cover artist was sick that day? Either way, I'd definitely recommend this book. If you like a sweet contemporary romance with a good amount of sex, this book's for you!

Interview with Anne Brooke

2010-06-02T05:52:00.000-07:00

Today I’d like to welcome author Anne Brooke to The Dancing Dove! Anne was kind enough to take the time out of her busy writing schedule to do an interview with me.

Short bio:
Anne Brooke’s fiction has been shortlisted for the Harry Bowling Novel Award, the Royal Literary Fund Awards and the Asham Award for Women Writers. She has also twice been the winner of the DSJT Charitable Trust Open Poetry Competition. Her latest novel is The Hit List, a romantic comedy about friends, family and fantasy hit lists.

The Dancing Dove: What was it like when your first book was published?
Anne Brooke: My first book to be published was my gay psychological thriller, A Dangerous Man, and I was hugely excited about it! I actually ran round the house dancing when my author copies arrived and I couldn’t stop looking at it. Which just goes to show how seriously sad I am!

TDD: Where/When was your first book published?
AB: A Dangerous Man was published in 2007 by a small UK publisher. I’m now thrilled to say that a new edition is set to be published in the US (and worldwide) later this year by Cheyenne Publishing, so I’m very much looking forward to that.

TDD: Do you have a favorite book? (Of yours) If so, why is it your favorite?
AB: Actually, I think I’d have to choose A Dangerous Man. It’s one of the darkest of my gay thriller novels, and I had the voice of my main character, artist/prostitute Michael Jones, in my head for so long that he all but took over. Which could on occasions be scary! Especially for my long-suffering husband. Even now I can hear Michael’s voice every so often, but he’s a whole lot stronger (and odder) than me so it can be useful sometimes …

TDD: Can you tell us a little about your upcoming book Martin and the Wolf?
AB: Yes, Martin and the Wolf is a fantasy short story about how different love can be. When 36-year-old lecturer Martin meets the mysterious Lucas at a midsummer party, the attraction is instant. The two men soon start a relationship, but Martin is puzzled by Lucas’ behaviour as he’s not like any other man he’s ever known. When one night, he tracks Lucas to the depths of the local park, Martin realizes more eye-opening truths about his new lover and the pack of strange wolves he runs with than he'd ever before thought possible.

TDD: What made you start writing fiction?
AB: I’ve been writing poetry for years, but then in 2000 I stalled due to personal reasons. After several months of being unable to write poetry, I complained bitterly to my mother about it (as usual!) and she told me to stop feeling sorry for myself and just to write prose instead. Brutal but it worked. I’ve been writing fiction ever since, and the poetry came back too in the end. Phew!
TDD: How often do you write?
AB: I try to write something every day, even if I’ve only got time for a poem or a haiku. I also try to continue whatever short story is on the go during half my week, and then the other half is spend on the current novel. On Sundays, I usually work on my spiritual novel, The Prayer Seeker’s Journa;, which I am blogging here: http://theprayerseeker.blogspot.com.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
AB: From Mondays to Wednesdays I work as an Executive Assistant in the Student Care Services department at my local university (and those are the evenings I tend to devote to short story writing). On Thursdays and Fridays, I spend as much time as I can writing the current novel, and aim to complete about 1000 words per day. I also work as a regular reviewer for Vulpes Libris book reviews – http://vulpeslibris.wordpress.com.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
AB: In terms of fiction, I always – or almost always! – write on my computer in the spare room. Beyond it, I can see out to the local woods, so that’s always very comforting when things aren’t going smoothly. Occasionally, I’ll write in longhand, but that’s rare. For poetry, I always write it out on paper first and then transfer to the computer. I couldn’t ever write poetry directly to the screen – I don’t know why but the very thought makes me go all peculiar!

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
AB: Struggling with where a novel/story section is going – I hate it when the ideas dry up or when a scene just isn’t working out. I start to panic, thinking I’ll never solve it, but my husband is always very calming and supportive which is great. These days, I tend to leave it for a bit and write another scene or another story entirely, and when I come back to the one that was causing the problems, it doesn’t seem so bad.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
AB: Yes, at the moment, I’m writing the third book of my ongoing fantasy trilogy, The Executioner’s Cane, and I’m about one-third through. The first of the series, The Gifting, has been accepted for publication by Bluewood Publishing in New Zealand, so I’m thrilled about that. I’m also writing a lesbian erotic short story, Butterfly Girl, which is in the very early stages but I think I’ve got the ending in mind now, so that’s a relief. Alongside all this, the ongoing prayer novel continues, as does the poetry. So I’m keeping busy!

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
AB: Thanks very much for the interview – the questions have really made me think. I can be contacted via my website at http://www.annebrooke.com which has a contact page and where all information on me and my writing can be found. I also blog regularly at: http://annebrooke.blogspot.com. Upcoming books are:

Angels and Airheads (gay fantasy short story) on 12 June at Torquere Press.

Martin and the Wolf (gay fantasy short story) on 13 June at Amber Allure Press.

The Boilerman and the Bride (romantic short story with erotic content) on 4 July at Amber Quill Press.

Tuluscan Six and the Time Circle (gay fantasy short story) on 18 July at Amber Allure Press.

Plus Cheyenne Publishing will bring out the new edition of A Dangerous Man in the autumn.

Many thanks for reading!

Thanks again for joining us, Anne! I wish you great success with your books.

Interview with Kate Cotoner

2010-06-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

Today, I’d like to welcome author Kate Cotoner to The Dancing Dove. Kate was kind enough to stop by and do an interview with me.

The Dancing Dove: What was it like when your first book was published?
Kate Cotoner: It’s a terribly unglamorous answer, I’m afraid *g* As is usual with small presses, release dates aren’t set in stone and I didn’t know when the story would be published. I went on holiday well out of range of the internet and when I came back I’d had a series of increasingly worried emails from my editor saying ‘um, where are you, we want to release this in a few days!’ I was a bit ‘OMG’ about it but fortunately the edits were extremely light, about twenty minutes’ work. So when release day came around, I was just pleased that we’d managed to beat the deadline!

TDD: Where/When was your first book published?
KC: It’s a wee short story called Enslaved, about a crusader and a Saracen, which I wrote in response to an anthology call from Torquere Press. The anthology didn’t happen, but Torquere published the story as a standalone in September last year. There was a limit of something like 7000 words, and if I could do things differently I’d have extended it a little as the characters were interesting guys in an interesting situation and time.

TDD: Do you have a favorite book? If so, why is it your favorite?
KC: Of my own? (I hope so, because I couldn’t pick my favorite book from anyone else—the list is too long!) Hmm, this is difficult, because generally as soon as I’ve finished a story I kind of forget about it and move on. I have a couple of unpublished books that I love, but they need editing! So of my published works, my favorite is ‘Conduit’, which is actually a short story in the anthology Echoes of the Future (Noble Romance). It’s a dystopian sort-of cyberpunk story about a baseline human cop, Ismail, who’s called upon by his ex-husband Toki, who’s a genetic upgrade and former city-state oligarch, to investigate a portable AI criminal who wants to wipe out all the baseline humans in Dun Eideann (Edinburgh). I never thought I’d write sci-fi, it was one of those genres that did nothing for me, but the anthology editor Aleksandr Voinov invited me to write something and I gave it a go. First attempt was rubbish, second attempt I nailed it, and I like the characters so much I want to continue writing about them. That doesn’t happen very often!

TDD: I see that you also have a book published in Chinese (forgive me if I’m wrong with the language, I’m horrible at telling them apart). Was the writing process any different for that book? Can you tell us a little about the book?
KC: You’re right, it is Chinese *g* It’s called Fire On The Mountain, though the title is slightly different in Chinese to fit a particular proverb. A Taiwanese friend and I had a fiction column on a huge Chinese site called MyFreshNet, where readers vote for their favorite stories—I would write the stories in English, my friend translated them—and we were pretty popular, especially since I was something of a ‘novelty Westerner’. I decided to try and write a story geared towards a Chinese audience, but using a European setting. I tend to write a lot hotter than the average Chinese BL story, so we had some pretty funny comments on the erotic content! Eventually the story was picked up by Uei-Shiang, which is the biggest BL publisher in Taiwan. The process was slightly different in that I had to sometimes amend the thinking or behavior of the characters to better reflect Chinese attitudes, and my friend pushed me to explain certain things—usually turns of phrase or general knowledge stuff—that a Westerner takes for granted. The story itself is about an archaeologist and a museum curator ‘armchair historian’ who both want the permit for a particular dig site in Greece. They’re sent to excavate together and end up fighting off antiquities thieves and dealing with the machinations of Greek gods as they argue their way into bed and into love. It’s very tongue-in-cheek and it’s a story that was a lot of fun to write.

TDD: What made you start writing fiction?
KC: I guess it’s the desire to entertain and educate, in a way—in terms of myself and the reader. All fiction should entertain, and I believe fiction has a didactic purpose, too. When I read a book, whether it’s Wolf Hall or The Brazilian Playboy’s Secret Mistress, I like to be able to learn something from it—doesn’t matter what, I just like to finish the book thinking, ‘wow, I never knew X ’. Maybe this has something to do with the fact that I first started writing stories for my friends at the back of English classes in school!

TDD: How often do you write?
KC: I try to write every day, but sometimes that doesn’t happen. Everyone says you should write every day, and for me it’s true—I find that if I have significant time away (longer than a week), it takes forever for me to get back into the groove and I’m constantly being distracted by things like washing up or folding clothes or checking Twitter!

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
KC: Writing is more of a hobby. I have two day-jobs—I work in a museum as an archivist, researcher, and exhibitions organizer, and I also do freelance academic and technical editing. I used to edit erotic romance for an e-publisher, but had to give that up due to time restrictions. There are only so many hours in the day, after all…

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
KC: I have a space screened off in a bedroom—literally I have a folding screen that’s pulled out to mark the area, and behind it I have my very untidy desk and a laptop and a printer that needs to be replaced. The writing space used to be beside the window, but my optician told me that positioning a laptop near a source of sunlight is a bad idea—it’s better for your eyes if the area around the laptop is slightly darker. So now my writing space is at the back of the room.

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
KC: Honestly, this changes from story to story. Sometimes I fuss about the start, sometimes I get bogged down in the middle, sometimes I can’t find the right title, sometimes I fret about whether or not I’ve gathered up all the loose ends as I go towards the end of a project… Editing is usually an interesting process, and I usually learn something from it, even if I often wish there could be a consistent set of rules applied across all publishers, just to make authors’ lives easier!

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
KC: Sure—I’m working on two novellas for Torquere at the moment, one called The Puppet Master, which is set in the coffee houses of early 17th century Istanbul. The plot revolves around the owner of a coffee house who’s in love with his friend, a puppet master of Karagöz theatre (Turkish shadow plays). I love Istanbul and the period of Ottoman rule is something I find particularly interesting for its uneasy and often hypocritical marriage of public morality and private excess.

Still in the planning and research stage is a story tentatively entitled Malachite, for Torquere’s Color Box line—I picked, yep, you guessed it: malachite! I really enjoy the concept of this series, and have contributed two books towards it—Thunder (violet) is already out, and The Imperial Cat (kikujin, olive green) is due to be released in October. Malachite will be set in the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt and the plot revolves around the copper mines of Sinai.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers?
KC: I have a bunch of releases coming up in the next few months! Four of ‘em *gulp* ranging from contemporary to historical to paranormal. First up is Hand of Glory (June 12, from Torquere Press), a contemporary mystery/suspense about an architect and an Anglican priest who are trying to unravel the mystery of a rather grisly artifact, a Hand of Glory (the hand of a criminal chopped off after death and used as a candle to light the way for thieves!). It’s my first attempt at writing a ‘sweet’ romance, too.

Later in June there’s The Fall of a State (date TBA, from Dreamspinner Press), a historical set in ancient China about an Emperor and his new favorite, a qin player (a qin is a type of zither), set against the backdrop of palace politics. This is based on actual historical personalities.

Then in July there’s a contemporary paranormal, Basilisk (July 7, from Torquere Press), a light-hearted romp about an American in London who accidentally gets caught up in the secret underground world of Greek gods and who ends up partnered with a sweet-natured but ultimately deadly basilisk.

Finally, there’s The Lion of Kent (August, from Carina Press), co-written with Aleksandr Voinov, a historical set in 12th century England about a medieval squire determined to win his spurs and impress his lord. This is the first in a trilogy about the most typical and symbolic of masculine medieval pursuits—hunting, tournaments, and crusading—and Lion of Kent explores the first of those themes.

Interested readers can always check out the latest updates and excerpts on my website: www.katecotoner.com.

Thank you, Dancing Dove, for having me here today and for such a fun interview!

Thank you, Kate, for joining us today! I wish you great success with your books!

Monday Mini Reviews

2010-05-31T16:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the first installment of our Monday Mini Reviews!

Keeping Promise Rock by Amy Lane - 5/5 Stars
One word: Amazing. I loved the detail Lane put into this work. Her characters felt like they were real people and I really cared about them. Each one had their own unique personality, too. I love how we got to see their relationship evolve from childhood through adulthood. Lane even brought me to tears a couple times. Highly Recommended.

Rough Ride by Carol Lynne - 4/5 Stars
This was a pretty good story. It wasn't great, but it had a good mix of plot/sex. It was also fairly angst free. If you've liked the earlier Cattle Valley books, you'll probably like this one too.

Play On by J.M. Synder - 3/5 Stars
I think this is the worst of her Playing the Field books yet. I didn't much care for any of these characters, and the way they spoke annoyed me to no end. Her characters felt extremely shallow, immature and uneducated through out the piece. There's not much going on is this story besides non-stop sex.

Interview with Sam C. Leonhard

2010-05-31T00:00:00.000-07:00

I'd like to welcome Sam C. Leonhard, author of "Tainted Blood", to The Dancing Dove today! Sam has agreed to do a short interview with me today.

The Dancing Dove: What was it like when your first novel, "Tainted Blood,” was published?
Sam Leonhard: Actually, submitting the first four chapters to my publisher rather than the publication date was the most exciting part, and when they asked for more, I was thrilled. Three weeks later, they agreed to publish it, and I couldn’t stop yelling Hooray. It is my first novel and Dreamspinner Press was the first publisher I contacted… I simply couldn’t believe my luck. Somehow, I still can’t believe it, especially because English is not my first language.

TDD: What is the novel about? Where/when was it published?
SL: It is a fantasy novel and was published on May 3rd, 2010 by Dreamspinner Press. Basically, it is about a murder mystery, portals to other worlds, runes, and magic – that sort of stuff. I am a big fantasy fan and I felt the genre could do with a bit of gay love, which is an integral part of the story.

TDD: What inspired your novel "Tainted Blood"?
SL: About three years ago, I began writing fanfiction, and I stumbled upon a page where readers could leave reviews. Reviews, now, are a big motivation for me, but eventually, I wanted to write something original. "Tainted Blood" was inspired by a scene I couldn’t use in the fanfiction world. It is the scene with the centaurs – a bit too cruel and too bloody to be used in my fandom, so I wrapped my own story around it.

TDD:What made you start writing fiction?
SL: I read my first fantasy novel with twelve, loved it, and never grew out of it. I enjoy playing with words, I enjoy twisting fate, and it was wonderful to find fandom, where people tick just like me. Writing fanfiction was and still is great, but eventually I learned that writing about characters someone else invented is not wholly satisfying. So now I create my own worlds, my own stories, and make my own characters beat the fate I invent for them.

TDD: How often do you write?
SL: I try to write on a daily basis, but don’t always make it. Sometimes, half a week passes before I manage to open my notebook. If I don’t write for too long, I get miserable, I must admit. I guess I just need my fix.

TDD: Is writing your full time job or do you have another occupation?
SL: I don’t know if I would like writing fantasy novels to be a full-time job. At the moment, it is my way into other worlds. I can leave reality behind for the time being, and this might very well change if I had to do it for a living. I am working as a technical editor, which earns me my bread and butter. When at home, I spend some of my time as a fantasy author, which is very satisfying. Perfect combination, in my opinion.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
SL: I prefer to write at home, and mostly on the couch. Occasionally, I choose the armchair in the dining room, but only if the living room is too hot. Writing outside doesn’t work for me, although I always have a pen and paper on me in case I have an idea about the next chapter. Writing things down helps me to concentrate on the task ahead, and that I can do everywhere.

TDD: What's your least favorite part of the writing process?
SL: Writing is what I love to do, and when I am not at my notebook, I think about the story and the next chapters. The only part I have my problems with is getting myself kicked into editing a story I consider finished. Reading and rereading and rewriting and correcting is not what I like to do. Editing and reworking a story, awaiting and incorporating feedback is a very important part of the writing process, but I don’t like it anyway.

TDD: Do you have any works-in-progress you'd like to tell the readers about?
SL: I am working on the sequel to Tainted Blood, which is my first priority at the moment. In addition, I am writing a story about an assassin. The main character, Rage, is usually a man who does the job he got paid for without questioning it. This time, though, he makes the mistake of feeling sorry for one of his victims, a young girl deeply hated by her father. Instead of killing her, Rage saves her, and has now to deal with a spoiled princess, a jealous lord, an annoying cat, and a very cruel, sadistic killer. The content is adult, but the love story between Rage and the gardener’s son is only a small part of the plot. I will post a draft blurb on my LiveJournal next weekend, hoping I can gather some early feedback.

TDD: Do you have anything else you'd like to tell the readers? (Contact info, upcoming books, exclusive website content, etc.)
SL: I made it to Facebook only recently, so anyone who likes can find and friend me. I’m always happy for feedback, and whoever likes can mail me directly. As soon as there are news concerning the sequel to Tainted Blood or Rage, I will put it on my LiveJournal and on Facebook. Also, I plan to post the first chapter of Tainted Blood to a friend’s website; under all reviewers I will raffle two PDF-copies of the novel. I’ll announce on Facebook and LJ once the chapter is up and give a link to the site as well.

Thank you very much for the interview!
Sam C. Leonhard

You can contact Sam at the following places: Facebook, LiveJournal or by email at sc.leonhard (at) googlemail (dot) com

You can learn more about Tainted Blood at Dreamspinner Press’s website. Information about the Ebook can be found here here. Information about the Paperback can be found here.

Thank you so much for joining us, Sam! I hope everyone enjoyed the interview. =)

Update

2010-05-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

I have some good things planned for next week! I'm starting a new thing called "Monday Mini Reviews" where I'll post short reviews and ratings for a few books I've read recently. It won't replace my normal reviews, but it'll allow me to put reviews of books that I either liked or didn't like but don't have a whole lot to say.

I've also got three interviews coming up next week. So far I have the following authors scheduled:

Sam Leonhard on May 31
Kate Cotoner on June 1
and Anne Brooke on June 2

I'm going to try and do more interviews with people from the literary world - authors, editors, beta readers and possibly some publishers. If you're any of the above, please feel free to email me to schedule and interview.

I've also got a couple book reviews planned for next week, too! Keep any eye out for those. ;)

Short Fiction Piece - William Cooper

2010-05-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, guys! My name is William Cooper. My first story - Broken Bones, Mended Hearts - was released today from Dreamspinner Press.

Blurb:
When Noah wakes up in the hospital, he's relieved to see his best friend Mark at his side. Mark's always been there for him—ever since a school bully tried to steal Noah's lunch money. Is it too much for Noah to hope that Mark will want to be a more permanent part of his life?

You can find out more about Broken Bones, Mended Hearts on Dreamspinner's website.

In order to celebrate, I'm posting this short piece exclusively here, on The Dancing Dove. I hope you enjoy it.

***
Josh had his arm around my waist as the two of us walked down the sidewalk. The street lamps cast a romantic glow on everything. Most of the shops along the main street were closed, except for the few that remained open late.

I glanced up at Josh’s face; he looked even more handsome with the bright white moon behind him. “I can’t believe you picked such an expensive restaurant for our Valentine’s dinner.” Every year we went out to dinner for Valentine’s Day, and each year we switched who got to decide – this year was Josh’s year. “You know we don’t need to go to fancy places to enjoy ourselves.”

Josh pulled me closer to him, planting a kiss on my cheek. “I know, but I wanted tonight to be special. We’ve been dating for six years now.”

My heart rate sped up. God, even after six years he can still make me hard as a rock with a single kiss.

The two of us walked along in silence for a little while longer. There were other couples walking around, enjoying the rest of their Valentine’s Day evening.

“Where are we going?” I asked after a few minutes.

“To the park.”

I looked over to see a huge grin on Josh’s face. “Why are we going to the park? It’s nearly eleven.”

Josh’s grin got even bigger. “You’ll see . . .” He leaned over and kissed me again, this time on the lips. I eagerly kissed him back, probing the inside of his mouth with my tongue. I groaned when Josh pulled away from me.

“We’re in public, remember?” he chastised.

I blushed and wished we were heading home, rather than to the park. The two of us continued walking towards the park, Josh still with his arm around my waist.

When we got to the park, Josh led me to a secluded area by a small lake. The crickets were chirping as the two of us gazed at the lake. The night sky was littered with stars, giving us plenty of light to see by.

As I enjoyed the serenity of the lake, Josh stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I leaned back against him, content to just stand in his arms. Sex with Josh was always amazing, but nothing compared to just holding each other.

Josh turned me around to face him. “Tyler . . . You know I love you, right?”

I nodded. God, I hope he’s not breaking up with me. That would be such a shitty way to end a perfect evening.

Josh grinned and backed away. He fished in his pocket for a moment before he knelt down onto the grass. In his hand was a dark blue box containing a small ring. “Tyler Barret, will you marry me?”

Is he serious? My mouth went completely dry as I tried to avoid falling over. One glance was all it took for me to see that he was very serious. I smiled at Josh and pulled him into an embrace. I pressed my lips to his, letting our tongues entwine.

“I’ll take that as a yes?” he asked when we pulled apart.

Both of us panted from the intensity of the kiss. “Yes, it’s a yes. This was the most perfect night ever. Of course I’ll marry you, Josh!” I hugged him again. “I love you.”

I felt his arms tighten around me. “I love you, too.”

Everything felt right in my world.

***

Thank you for reading! You can visit my website at www.WilliamACooper.com

Author Fan Letter: Tamora Pierce

2010-05-17T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Author Appreciation Blog Crawl continues today. Kassa started this crawl on her blog and has 29 blogs lined up. Yesterday was Obsidian Bookshelf and today, is me!

Choosing an author for this letter was extremely hard. There are many authors that I love reading and think write amazing books. In the end, I decided to go with the author whose books I've read multiple times.

Dear Tamora Pierce,
I started reading your books after one of my friends told me how great they were. She went on and on about the books trying to get me to read them. (I think the only thing she didn't do was beat me with them.) After I finally gave in, I was hooked.

I want to use my letter to let you know that I absolutely adore your books. You've done a great job of creating magnificent fantasy worlds with great detail. I truly appreciate all of the effort you've put into creating both your Tortall and Emelan worlds. You are, by far, my favorite fantasy author. (And one of my all-time favorite authors!)

You've created realistic characters who accomplish their goals without being cliché. Each of your characters has a unique personality. I love how I can tell all of your characters apart by their personalities and even by just reading a few lines of dialog. I also like how your characters aren't perfect, they all have their flaws - Kel's fear of heights, Alanna's height, Tris's weight, Daine's youth - you've shown women that they don't need to be perfect super models to be successful. You've given us females who start at the bottom rung and are able to work their way to the top, not from relying on men but by working hard and never giving up.

I've really enjoyed watching your writing style grow and change through out your career. It's interesting to see how similar yet how different your style is between Alanna: The First Adventure and Bloodhound. I really appreciate all of the work you've put into perfecting your writing and it definitely shows. I'm eagerly awaiting you next releases to see how it has changed again.

I hope you continue to write for many years to come! I'm always anxiously awaiting your new books. I like how you put the time and effort into your books. Rather than pumping out half a dozen books a year, you can tell that you spend time and put a lot of effort into your books. (Though if you find a way to clone yourself and put out six books a year, I won't complain!)

Thank you for allowing us to read your master pieces!

Ralph

Don't forget to check All I Want and More tomorrow for the next post!

New Blog!

2010-05-13T18:09:00.000-07:00

Author Roseanne Dowell has a relatively new blog I thought you guys might be interested in. She's doing a lot of interviews with people in the book industry - publishers, authors, agents, etc. A few Dreamspinner authors will be being interview their this month! (Including William Cooper!)

If you're interested in reading these interviews, you can find her blog at http://roseannedowellauthor.blogspot.com/

Also, look for some exclusive content from William Cooper to be posted here this weekend!

Chaos Giveaway - Broken Bones, Mended Hearts

2010-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Chris over at Stumbling Over Chaos is having another book giveaway! This time she's giving away a copy of William Cooper's Broken Bones, Mended Hearts! Head on over to her blog before May 18 at 7PM CDT to enter for your chance to win!

Plot summary:
When Noah wakes up in the hospital, he’s relieved to see his best friend Mark at his side. Mark’s always been there for him – ever since a school bully tried to steal Noah’s lunch money. Is it too much for Noah to hope that Mark will want to be a more permanent part of his life?

About the Author:
William Cooper is a new author to the M/M genre. BB,MH is his first book and will be released on May 19 from Dreamspinner Press! You can learn more about William and his book on his website

New Poll!

2010-05-08T07:13:00.000-07:00

I just put a poll on my sidebar to see what you guys would like to see more of. Do you want more interviews, book reviews, giveaways, something else? If you'd like to see something not listed in the poll, please feel free to comment here and let me know what you want. Please be honest, I can't grow my blog without feedback from my wonderful readers (and Chris). ;)

Those of you reading through a feedreader will have to visit the site in order to see the poll!

Out of Bounds - Review

2010-05-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

Title: Out of Bounds
Author: T.A. Chase
Series: Love of Sports
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review:

Professional basketball player Kasey Johnson makes a point of keeping his sexual preference under guard and out of the public eye. Empty, off-season flings are all he can look forward to until he retires. He figures his secret is safe-until he meets Ingram Fletcher, a nightclub owner who ignites a passionate inferno in his body.
Gram has lusted after Kasey ever since the long, tall basketball player was traded to Phoenix a year ago. But with Kasey-s twin brother running interference, up until now Gram-s been unsure if it-s safe to make a play. Then some incidental contact in the crowded club leads to a kiss that starts Gram wondering if a relationship is possible-now, and beyond March Madness.
A romantic weekend together answers that question. Now the only one remaining is if Kasey is ready make a fast break out of his comfort zone.

The main reason I rated this book so low was the lack of plot. This was definitely more of a porn without plot book than a romance novel. There wasn't much romance, just a lot of sex and the characters magically falling in love. The sex started barely a couple pages into the story and continued for most of the book.

The plot that was there was very thin. Most of the scenes that weren't sex, were about Kasey whining about what would happen if his team mates found out he was gay. Kasey worries over this for a while and doesn't really do anything about it. Through out the whole novella, I really wanted to smack Kasey and yell "GET OVER IT ALREADY."

The characters were fairly one-dimensional. I don't really know anything about Kasey or Gram, I don't know any of their personality traits, their backgrounds, nothing. The relationships were really weak - the characters fell in love after doing nothing but have sex. Even the relationship between Kasey and his twin brother's relationship was week. You didn't feel the love between the two like you would between brothers.

This isn't a book I'd recommend unless you're looking for a book that doesn't have much plot. If you like your books to have a good balance of plot and sex, I would pass on this book.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Birthday Book Giveaway - Ryland's Sacrifice

2010-05-06T09:34:00.000-07:00

I meant to post this sooner, but the winner of my last giveaway was Lily! Sorry for letting everyone know so late but finals got in the way of everything.

Today is my 20th birthday, so to celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway that I was supposed to host for Earth Day! Kim Dare has allowed me to giveaway a copy of her ebook Ryland's Sacrifice. This is the first book in her Thrown to the Lions series. It was published February 2010 by Resplendence Publishing.

Here's the blurb for her book:
Principles don’t pay tuition fees. When Ryland’s math scholarship disappears overnight, he has two choices. He can borrow money from fellow student Jason Burrows, who has very interesting ways of collecting debts. Or, he can volunteer to be thrown to the werelions.

One night spent playing the part of a willing human sacrifice will give him enough money to finish his PhD. It seems like a good deal—right up until the moment he finds himself naked, blindfolded, bound and surrounded by lions.

You can find out more about Ryland's Sacrifice and read an excerpt on her website. The novel is available in PDF format. If the winner already has a copy of this book, they may choose another from her backlist.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on May 13.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc. I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Book Giveaway - Cow Pie Bingo

2010-04-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Earth Day, Addison Albright has agreed to let me giveaway an ebook copy of her short story Cow Pie Bingo. Cow Pie Bingo was published on April 10, 2010 by Smashwords. The story will be available in most formats, and the winner can choose which format they prefer.

Here's the blurb:
Evan lets a co-worker talk him into working a kissing booth at a charity fair. Not quite sure what to expect, he certainly doesn't count on meeting Gary, or kissing him, considering his past. Kissing is what he ends up doing, though, along with playing cow pie bingo for a good cause. Will Gary end up being more than a six-ticket ride?

You can find out more about Cow Pie Bingo and read an excerpt on Addison's website.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on April 29.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc. I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment. If you don't include an email address in your post or on your Google Profile, Chris's Blog Gnomes will turn your post into kitty litter for the Chaos Cat.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Interview with Carol Lynne

2010-04-21T06:23:00.000-07:00

Carol Lynne is one of my favorite authors. She writes a lot of lighthearted, easy read books. It's nice to be able to relax with one of her books and not have a lot of angst or confusion. This month, she's the featured author over at the M/M Romance group on Goodreads.com After talking to her a couple times over here, I asked her if she would mind doing an interview about her writing and specifically, her Cattle Valley series. So, here is the interview with Carol Lynne!

General Writing Questions

The Dancing Dove: What was it like when your first book was published?
Carol Lynne: Incredibly scary. Writing my first book, Branded by Gold, was a fluke. I did it because I was bored and out of stuff to read. I had absolutely no idea how much that single book would change the direction of my life.

TDD: What made you decide to write M/M romance?
CL: When I wrote Branded by Gold (M/M/F), I realized I much preferred writing the relationship between the two men. The next two books I wrote, Gio's Dream and Sex with Lex, gave me a chance to explore that side of writing. It wasn't hard to decide that's the direction I wanted to take. Besides, I can't stand the terms used for female girly parts.

TDD: How often do you write?
CL: Writing is my full-time job, and I take it incredibly seriously. I usually write 12 hours per day, seven days a week.

TDD: Is there a certain place you like to write? The beach, the library, a comfy spot on the couch?
CL: I write in my comfortable chair in the family room most of the time. I do spend a great deal of time writing on my covered deck when the weather permits.

TDD: Have any writers heavily influenced your writing style?
CL: Hard question. My style is pretty much my own, I think. I write the way I like to read, simple. LOL I am incredibly inspired by authors in this genre. Sometimes I read stories and fall more in love with the structure of words on the page than the actual story.

TDD: Are you "out" about what you write to friend/family/neighbors/etc.?
CL: Yes, for the most part. I mean, all my friends and family know what I write. This year I finally came out to my children's school teachers and principal. That was quite a big issue because both of my daughters attend Catholic school. I'm not sure what they say behind my back, but they've all been incredibly supportive to my face. LOL

Cattle Valley Questions

TDD: Where did you get the idea for Cattle Valley?
CL: I wanted a setting where being gay was the norm so I could focus on the characters and their stories. I came up with the idea out of necessity but soon found Cattle Valley to be so much more than I'd hoped. I get emails all the time from people who wish such a town existed. I've actually had several emails from people who truly believed it did. I think the Cattle Valley website goes a long way in making it seem real, although, damn, I wish there was a town with so many hunks.

TDD: Is the setting based off a real location?
CL: Nope. When I decided to create the town, I sat down and drew up a blueprint. I charted store locations, the park and municipal buildings. I wanted to make sure Deb's Diner was always across the street from the Sheriff's station, so it seemed like the easiest way to remember it.

TDD: How many books do you have planned for Cattle Valley?
CL: Right now, I have agreed to write installments through June of 2011. That should put me right around 25 for the series, but it could easily go beyond. It depends on the readership. I don't want to bore people, and I don't want to “jump the shark” like one of my favorite series, Happy Days did.

TDD: Do you have a favorite couple from your Cattle Valley series?
CL: Ooh, that's a hard one. I have favorite characters, definitely. Rio is my muse for this series. Originally it was Nate, of course, but the more I wrote Rio's character, the more I fell in love with him. I also have a crush on Kyle. His love story with Gill was one of my favorites to write.

TDD: You've got such a variety of characters in the series, how do you manage to keep them all straight?
CL: I have an incredibly long character sheet. When I add a new character, I add him to the sheet along with as much information as I can at that time. I update the sheet as I go along. There have been several character screw-ups along the way. I almost swallowed my tongue when I realized I had two Ryan's in Cattle Valley, but I finally gave myself a break. In a town the size of Cattle Valley there is bound to be more than one person with a particular name. Still, it is a sore spot for me. LOL

TDD: Care to share anything about the next Cattle Valley book?
CL: The next book is Neil's Guardian Angel. I will tell you that Neil and Ben will get a lot of help from Garron and Sonny from the Good-time Boys series.

Carol Lynne's novel Firehouse Heat is the sixteenth installment in the Cattle Valley series. It was release on April 12,2010. You can find out more about this series on the Cattle Valley website. This is Ms. Lynne's 50th novel with Total-e-Bound Publishing.

Special Delivery Winner

2010-04-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cecile for winning the Special Delivery giveaway! I will be in touch with you soon with your free copy. =)

Keep an eye out for a few giveaways today and tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day! Also look out for an interview with Carol Lynne. =)

Heaven

2010-04-16T19:02:00.000-07:00

Title: Heaven
Author: Jet Mykles
Series: Heaven Sent
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

Desperate to save his family's hotel, the Weiss Strande, Tyler and his best friend sink their hopes and what's left of their money into a new venture: a nightclub at the hotel. The White Room must succeed, or the hotel will go under. Against all hope, they manage to sign the mega-popular rock group Heaven Sent to play the grand opening. Already a huge fan of the group, Tyler couldn't be more excited to welcome them to his hotel. He's not at all prepared for the bomb of lust that hits him when he's finally face-to-face with the painfully gorgeous lead singer, Johnnie Heaven. Johnnie's probably the most beautiful person he's ever seen, but Tyler is straight. He's feeling a misguided form of hero worship, right? When Johnnie invites Tyler to his room to play video games, their shared passion, Tyler jumps at the chance. He and Johnnie have a great time with the games, but Tyler soon discovers that Johnnie aims to introduce Tyler to a whole new level of game play…

I'm really disappointed in the novel. It was highly recommend by a few friends, but ultimately it left a bad taste in my mouth. Johnnie was way too pushy. He pushed Tyler into doing things that he didn't want and wasn't ready for, yet he insisted that he knew best. Then Tyler magically ended up falling in love with Johnnie. It made me think of Stockholm syndrome.

The characters were perfect and they didn't really have any flaws. Johnnie was the classic rockstar who is perfect in everyway and manages to fall in love with one of his fans. That seemed a little cliché, but it wasn't enough for me to stop reading. None of the characters were really developed, I don't really care about them, nor do they seem realistic to me. The side characters were barely even touched.

Mykle's writing was error free, and there weren't any typos or continuality errors that threw me out of the book. I just wish she had developed her characters a little bit more and added some more plot. The "I'm not gay" plot gets old, quickly. Also, who the hell has sex during their father's wake? That's just rude, demeaning and disrespectful.

I'm not sure I'd recommend this, unless you enjoy books where not much goes on. It was really hard for me to get into this, but who knows, maybe you'll love it.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Dreamspinner iPad Giveaway!

2010-04-15T17:37:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the release of Dreamspinner’s eBooks being added to the iBookstore this summer, Dreamspinner Press is giving away an iPad in a random drawing. Every $10 you spend at Dreamspinner's website between April 15 and May 15 automatically enters your name in the drawing. The more you spend, the more times you’ll be entered. A winner will be drawn at random and announced on May 24.

Good Luck!

Book Giveaway - Special Delivery

2010-04-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Heidi Cullinan has allowed me to offer up a PDF copy of her novel, Special Delivery for giveaway! Special Delivery was published on February 15, 2010 by Dreamspinner Press. It is her second novel published by Dreamspinner Press and I'm am excited to be able to offer it as a giveaway.

Here's a plot summary:
Sam Keller knows he’ll never find the excitement he craves in Middleton, Iowa—not while he’s busting his ass in nursing school and paying rent by slaving away in a pharmacy stockroom. But before his mother died, he promised her he’d grow up to be a good man, so he needs a stable career and a good husband, not a dead-end job and empty sex.

Then Sam meets Mitch Tedsoe, an independent trucker who makes a delivery to a shop across the alley. Innocent flirting quickly leads to an affair, and when Mitch offers to take Sam on a road trip west, Sam jumps at the chance for adventure with his fantasy man... but Mitch also comes with a past. A threesome with the other man in Mitch’s life would have been just another kinky ride, but somewhere between the Mississippi River and the Colorado Rockies, Sam falls in love.

But can a relationship born out of escape and indulgence become something that lasts? Will a fantasy man be willing to settle down into reality, or is the adventure and excitement Sam finds with Mitch just another stop on a delivery man’s journey? For better or for worse, eventually Sam is going to discover the answer, because no matter how far away he travels, eventually all roads lead home.

You can read an excerpt at Dreamspinner's website.

Contest Rules (Borrowed and modified from Stumbling Over Chaos <3<3):
* To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes Midnight EST on April 19.
* If you share this contest (on Facebook, Goodreads, you blog, etc. I'll give you an extra entry for each medium you use, up to three extra entries.
* Winners will be selected by random number.
* You must leave a valid email address with your comment.
* If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
* If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
* This contest is open worldwide!

Vote for Goodreads to win a Webby!

2010-04-14T14:12:00.001-07:00

Hey guys! Goodreads has been nominated for a Webby! The Webby's have been called "The internet's highest honor." Goodreads is competing in the Social Networking category against tops sites Twitter, Digg, Bakespace and Cute as Hell!

Head on over to the Webby site and cast your vote for Goodreads! Voting ends on April 29, so hurry!

http://webby.aol.com/

Don't forget to pass the message along!

(I know I'm posting a lot today, I don't do this every day, I promise!)

Book Giveaway - Son of a Gun

2010-04-14T06:50:00.000-07:00

Chris at Stumbling Over Chaos is at it again! She has a new giveaway up for Son of a Gun by A.M. Riley! Head on over there before April 21 at 7PM CDT for your chance to win!

Plot Summary:
Politics, drugs, and secrets from the past collide in the town of Boerne, Texas, and end in a chase across the Devil’s Backbone.

Stefan Sanchez’s number one reason to leave Texas was closeted deputy Chet Blain. When Stefan returns for the funeral of his best friend, he is confronted by painful memories, Chet’s recriminations, and a hunky Secret Service agent who seems determined to make Stefan’s business his business.

A to Z - Review

2010-04-14T06:30:00.000-07:00

Title: A to Z
Author: Marie Sexton
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Series: N/A
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Review:

Zach Mitchell has been running A to Z video store for years. It's not exactly his dream job, but it's the only job he knows. When his new landlord Tom pays him a visit, he feels an attraction towards the man. But the only person who can see how bad Tom really is, is Zach's new employee - Angelo Green.

The plot of this novel differed from most romance novels. In most romances, we only get the story of the two main characters falling in love - often at first sight. This novel doesn't have the two characters fall in love instantly - rather, Zach is attracted to another man way before him and Angelo even really meet. It's refreshing to see Zach and Angelo's relationship evolve from that of friends and coworkers to a full fledged relationship, with all the bumps and pot holes in between.

I also enjoyed how Angelo wasn't the perfect lover. He came with a past and many problems along with it. Their relationship isn't happy-go-lucky and the two actually have to work to keep is going, much like a real relationship. The way Sexton describe Angelo and had him speak and act got on my nerves. She says in the novel that he's 27, however during the reading he felt more like he was 16. He had immature traits like a teenager, and certainly spoke and reacted like one.

I took a few points off my rating because of the shifting POV and tenses. I absolutely hated reading from Angelo's perspective. Normally I enjoy getting both sides of the story, but this time it got on my nerves. Angelo's POV was set in present tense, rather than past tense like Zach's was. The sentences were also choppy and made me feel like I was talking with a sixteen-year-old who was trying to act tough. The shifting narrative really kicked me out of the book. Zach's POV is easily flowing and had me absorbed in the novel, but when Angelo's came along it kicked me back out.

Overall I still enjoyed this book. If you've read Sexton's preview novel, Promises, you'll most likely enjoy this one too. As a bonus for fans, Jared and Matt from Promises appear in the novel for a little while. I would definitely recommend this novel to romance lovers, especially ones looking for a change from the normal formula romances. I'm certainly glad I took the time to read this one.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Book Giveaway - The Prayer Waltz

2010-04-13T18:52:00.001-07:00

Chris over at Stumbling Over Chaos is once again doing a giveaway! This time it's for the M/M romance novel, The Prayer Waltz by KZ Snow. The Prayer Waltz was published by Dreamspinner Press on March 10, 2010. Head on over there and get your entry in before 7PM CDT on April 19!

Plot Summary:
For eight months, the peculiar circumstances surrounding the sudden death of Steven Brandwein’s lover, an enigmatic ex-priest, have weighted his mourning with mystery. Desperate for emotional closure, Steve makes a journey he’s put off for years: he travels to the town that was once an integral part of his late lover’s life. Steve hopes his pilgrimage will help him better understand Frank, serve as a final farewell, and allow him to move on.

His visit to St. Jerome’s Church one snowy, silent night proves more consequential than he’d ever anticipated. Evan McAllister, an unassuming man still grieving over the death of his son, befriends Steve. As their bond grows, they both make startling discoveries – not the least of which, for Steve, is that he’s ready to love again.

Promises

2010-04-11T20:26:00.000-07:00

Title: Promises
Author: Marie Sexton
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Series: N/A
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

I can't even begin to describe this one so I'm "borrowing" Dreamspinner's summary…
Jared Thomas has lived his whole life in the small mountain town of Coda, Colorado. He can't imagine living anywhere else. Unfortunately, the only other gay man in town is twice his age and used to be his teacher, so Jared is resigned to spending his life alone.

Until Matt Richards walks into his life, that is. Matt has just been hired by the Coda Police Department, and he and Jared immediately become friends. Matt claims he is straight, but for Jared, having a sexy friend like Matt is way too tempting. Facing Matt’s affair with a local woman, his disapproving family, and harassment from Matt’s co-workers, Jared fears they'll never find a way to be together—if he can even convince Matt to try.

This is one of the best novels I've read in a long time. The plot kept me reading and wondering how everything worked out. There were a couple small plot twists I didn't see coming and kept things interesting. I loved seeing the way Jared and Matt's relationship developed through out the novel. I like how Sexton had a great balance of plot vs. sex. Her novel was first and foremost a romance novel, not a porno and I'm grateful for that.

Sexton did an excellent job with her characters. Both Matt and Jared were realistic and likeable characters that I kept wanting to know more about. Even the side characters like Brian and Lizzy were fleshed out and interesting. The only character I was really disappointed about not being developed was Matt's mother. I would've liked to have seen a little more of her personality.

I also have to say that I loved the cover for this novel. It gives a sweet and romantic feeling and isn't all about showing half-naked guys. It really fits how the characters love nature and bike riding and adds emphasis to the fact that this isn't primarily an erotica novel.

I highly recommend this novel to romance lovers. You really get to see their relationship develop and evolve over time.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Custom Ride

2010-04-09T07:47:00.000-07:00

Title: Custom Ride
Author: K.A. Mitchel
Series: N/A
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

Ryan doesn't normally do random hook ups. But when he hooks up with Jeff in a bar during Gay Pride Week, he discovers he wants more. But Jeff isn't out, and Ryan isn't interested in going back into the closet again.

First thing I didn't like was the lack of a lot of plot. 90% of this story was sex, sex, sex. There was a little bit of plot, but it could've been fleshed out a lot more. I wanted to see how their relationship evolved and developed over time. Instead, once they finally start working things out, the story ends. It was really disappointing.

Also, there is no way in hell two six foot plus guys are going to be able to have sex in the back seat of a Camaro. I drive a '94 Camaro and I can barely fit in the backseat by myself and I'm only 5'11.

K.A. Mitchell's writing is flawless though. She kept me interested and wanting to read more. Everything was well written and grammatically correct. I've love the way Mitchell describes everything so that you can picture it.

I recommend this story for people who enjoy erotic romance without a whole lot of plot. If you prefer a lot of plot and less sex, this story certainly isn't for you.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under the age of 18.

Help an M/M Book Win Big!

2010-04-07T13:36:00.000-07:00

Jane Seville's M/M novel, Zero at the Bone, has made it to the championship round of the DA BWAHA Tournament 2010. The book has beaten out tons of straight romances, including the NY Times Bestseller, Catching Fire.

It'd be much appreciated if all of my wonderful followers out there voted and asked their friends to vote! Please post this on your own blog, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Xanga, etc.

Click here to go vote!

Book Giveaway -

2010-03-25T16:42:00.000-07:00

Stumbling Over Chaos currently has a giveaway going for Freeze Frame by Mia Watts! Head on over there before March 31 and get your entry in!

Summary:
Dill Harper can freeze time, but unfortunately, it's a faery gift that only works at the most inopportune moments. Now he's on a case for Harper Security, watching the very delectable ass of Mason Haliday-a man worth having, but one who doesn't want to be had.

When an unknown enemy puts a hit on Mason, Dill is worried. Despite their chemistry under the covers, Mason knows that Dill will not be easy to bring around. How can he convince Mason trust his heart to the man who's been spying on him?

**Note: This book is the third book in Mia Watts' Faerily Imperfect series.

Giveaway Winners

2010-03-21T20:38:00.001-07:00

Yes, I've been very bad at updating. I do have the winners of the Read an E-Book Week giveaways though!

And the winners are...
The winner of Journey to Compromise by Mara Ismine is... Chris!
The winner of The Next Competitor by K.P. Kincaid is... s7anna!
The winner of Spoils of War by Aleksandr Voinov is... Joder!
The winner of Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes is... Sweet Vernal Zephyr!

I shall contact all of you shortly with your winning books! Congratulations to all of the winners. I hope you enjoy your books!

Broken Bones, Mended Hearts

2010-03-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

I'm currently shopping around a short story I wrote called Broken Bones, Mended Hearts. I've already had two publishers offer me contracts too! I'm really excited about this and can't wait to see my name (or pseudonym) in print.

Wish me luck as I venture in to the world of contracts and legal rights!

Book Giveaway

2010-03-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

Libby Drew is currently giving away a copy of her novel State of Mind. State of Mind is a paranormal romance from Dreamspinner Press. You can find out more about the book and the giveaway here. But hurry, the giveaway ends tonight!

Eighth Grade Bites - Review

2010-03-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

Title: Eighth Grade Bites
Author: Heather Brewer
Series: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Vladimir Tod isn't your normal thirteen-year-old. Instead, he's a half-vampire. Vlad's parents died when he was ten and he has no idea of the extent of his powers. The only people who know his secret are his aunt Nelly and his best friend Henry - whom he bit when they were eight. When one of his teachers mysteriously vanishes and the new substitute begins questioning him a little too much, Vlad begins to fear for his life.

You'd think after all the hype over Twilight, I'd be sick of vampire books. Well, actually I am. Except this one was actually pretty good. It was more of an action novel than a love filled vampire-romance novel. It's a little bit juvenile, but you can't expect a deep, though provoking YA vampire novel. The plot kept me interested and I was curious to see what was going to happen next throughout the novel.

I liked the characters of Vlad and Henry. The two really seemed to go well together and the playful banter and jokes added depth to their relationship. I didn't really like the way Vlad opened up to Otis near the end of the book. It seemed forced and I didn't like how trusting he was.

I can't wait to read the sequel and see what happens next. Brewer did a great job of getting her readers excited for the next book. I'd recommend this to anyone who enjoys YA vampire novels that don't follow the same romance plot of Twilight. (And hey, at least this one wasn't badly written.)

Have you read this book? What are your opinions on it?

Ebook Week Winners 1 and 2

2010-03-15T10:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the late post, life got in the way once again. I have drawn the winners for the JCP and Carol Lynne books!

The winner of Hue, Tint and Shade by JCP was s7anna!
The winner of Hell Hath No Fury by Carol Lynne was vslavetopassionv!

Congrats to you both, I'll contact you shortly!

I hope everyone enjoyed Read an E-Book Week and read some really great books! I actually finished a couple books and should have reviews up shortly!

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway Part 6!

2010-03-12T15:43:00.001-08:00

Today's ebook is one I had bought from AllRomanceEbooks to giveaway! It's Dancing in the Dark by Jenna Byrnes.

Summary:
Detective Nick D'Amato has always been content with his lack-of-commitment love life. For a gay cop in the don't ask-don't tell N.Y.P.D., free and easy always seemed the least complicated route.
William, the new man in his life, has Nick rethinking his priorities. Will's perspective on life and love is different than anything Nick has ever encountered, making him that much more desirable.
The two men are compatible in every way except one, and it's a huge divider. Both are stubborn, neither willing to compromise, until a serial slasher enters their lives. A growing stack of dead bodies has the police running in circles, sending Nick and Will into a nightmare that could change their lives forever.

To enter the drawing, become a follower and tell us what your dream job is!
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends on March 16 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway Part 5!

2010-03-11T13:38:00.000-08:00

Read an E-Book Week is almost over! Have you guys read any good ebooks this week?

Today's ebook was donated by Aleksandr Voinov. Aleksandr is offering up his short story Spoils of War. You can read some reviews and an excerpt here.

Summary: When Achilleus, the greatest warrior who ever lived, falls before Troy (or Ilion, as it was known), Ares, God of War, stands ready to take his spirit with him to his palace. There, Ares demands that Achilleus yield to him. But can the embrace of a god and the offer of immortality make Achilleus forget his one true love, Patroklos?

To enter the drawing, become a follower and tell us what you've read so far this week!
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends on March 16 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway Part 4!

2010-03-10T15:22:00.001-08:00

Sorry for the late post, I had to have a wisdom tooth pulled today so I'm a little scatter brained. I hope everyone is enjoying Read an E-Book Week! K.P. Kincaid was kind enough to donate a copy of The Next Competitor for me to giveaway today! Unlike the previous three I've given away, this one is YA!

Summary:
It's the all-important Olympic season and eighteen-year-old American figure skater Alex Grady is discovering that there are many obstacles along the way on his quest to win a gold medal. For starters, he has to get through endless hours of practice under the watchful eye of his stern and slightly terrifying Russian coach. Then he has to contend with his all-American rival, Tanner Nielsen. Tanner has the talent, looks, poise and picture-perfect girlfriend that make him the ideal poster boy for United States figure skating. Alex has the talent and his looks aren't bad, but the filter between his brain and his mouth is missing, and he definitely doesn't have a girlfriend. He doesn't have a boyfriend either, although he finds himself thinking far too much about pairs skater Matt Savelli, which is ridiculous, since goody two-shoes Matt is totally not his type. Besides, Alex doesn't have time to worry about dating, not with the Olympics looming, right? Can he find a way to go for the gold and still remain true to himself?

To enter the drawing, become a follower and let me know what your favorite Olympic sport it. It can be a summer or winter sport.
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends on March 16 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway Part 3!

2010-03-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

Today's book was donated by Mara Ismine! I'll be giving away her story Journey to Compromise.

Note: Book is in PDF format!

Summary:
Mitch has had a bad year: his long term relationship ended, his firm went bust, and he's been drifting since then. His luck hasn’t changed for the better when he gets off the bus in a small town a few days before Christmas hoping to find some work and wait out the holidays before moving on only to find that he has arrived in a werewolf controlled town on the night before full moon. Not the best place for a shape-shifting cougar to be. Finally, against his better judgment, he rescues a young boy being abused by four werewolves in human form…

Mitch is desperate for a change in his luck, but he still has a way to travel before he finds it.

To enter the drawing, become a follower and let me know what your favorite Girl Scout Cookie is! (Or if you don't have a favorite, you can say that.)
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends on March 15 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway Part 2!

2010-03-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

Today is the second day of Read an E-Book Week and I have another giveaway to announce! Carol Lynne was kind enough to donate a copy of one of her newer releases, "Hell Hath No Fury" for us to giveaway

Summary:
Mortals call it Hell, Lucifer calls it The City. It’s a land of good and evil, and Lu is the mayor. He didn’t ask for the job, but someone with some sense needs to keep order, and after going against Archangel Law, Lu knows he must pay the price.
Though his crime may have cost him his Heavenly home, when trouble shows up in The City, his brothers send Lu reinforcement in the guise of a good-looking bodyguard named Dominic Ramos.
Used to having any man he wants, Lu isn’t happy when his charms don’t immediately have the desired effect on Dominic. He sets out to seduce the gorgeous man using every weapon in his arsenal. When a night of unbridled passion culminates in a public coupling, Lu’s feelings on random sex are forever changed.
Who says there aren’t Angels in Hell?

To enter into the drawing, become a follower and leave a comment and let us know what your favorite or least favorite part of Spring is!
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends March 13 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week Giveaway!

2010-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Today is the first day of Read an E-Book Week! Read an E-Book Week is from March 7-13. In order to celebrate, I'm going to be giving away a couple different ebooks each day this week! To find out more about Read an E-Book week you can visit their website. On their site, you'll also find information about different booksellers that are discounting or giving away books this week!

The first giveaway book was donated by Jordan Castillo Price! Ms. Price has offered up a copy of her latest release, Hue, Tint and Shade. Hue, Tint and Shade is the first book in the Petit Morts series that she is writing with fellow author, Josh Lanyon. You can find out more about this book and read an excerpt here.

Summary taken from JCPBooks:
Asking for help can be a challenge for even the best of us, and so it’s doubly intimidating for quiet, introverted Tommy Roth. An online exchange leads to a meeting with a psychic who assures Tommy that his naturally subdued aura is to blame for his timidity. Blue and violet tones are out, and shades of yellow and red are in!
Of course it’s a bunch of baloney, and to make it worse, the intimidating shop clerk overheard the whole conversation.
Just when it seems like Tommy’s life can’t get any more dreary, a colorful character drops out of the sky. Nathan’s so vivid, he seems to good to be true. Is he?

To get an entry into this drawing, become a fan of my blog and leave a comment here about what you like/dislike about ebooks.
If you share this contest, you can also receive up to three extra entries. (One for each place you share it; Goodreads, your blog, LibraryThing, Twitter, etc.) Don't forget to include a link to where you've shared it!

Drawing ends March 13 at Midnight EST.

Read an E-Book Week

2010-03-06T07:43:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow begins the first day of Read an E-Book Week! To celebrate, I'm going to be giving away a couple ebooks for you to enjoy! So keep an eye on the blog for a chance to win a couple different ebooks.

Giveaway Winner!

2010-02-16T08:32:00.001-08:00

Congrats to vslavetopassionv for winning a copy of Marie Sexton's Promises! The book will be sent to you shortly. =) Thank you to Marie Sexton for donating the ebook to be given away!

I hope you all had a happy Valentine's day!

Valentine's Day is Coming!

2010-02-13T05:28:00.000-08:00

Romance is in the air with Valentine's Day coming up quickly. In literature, there is no shortage of romance - even the action blow-em-up novels have a romantic interest. I'd love to get to know my readers a little bit more, so why not leave a comment and answer a few of these questions:

Which romantic couple is your favorite? Is it a classic couple like Romeo and Juliet or a more modern couple like Annabeth Chase and Percy Jackson?
What makes this couple stand out to you?
How will you be spending this ~~Single's Awareness Day~~ Valentine's Day? With a loved one? Curled up with your favorite romance novel?

Don't forget the giveway of Marie Sexton's novel Promises ends tomorrow! Don't forget to get your entry in!

The credit for inspiring today's post goes to Erotic Horizon.

Something new I'm going to start doing is to add a little image at the bottom of each of my non-book review posts to add a little flavor to them.

Image from Erotic Horizon's blog. Copyright belongs to the original artist.

Book Giveaway - Promises and Christmas Intervention Winner

2010-02-07T21:15:00.000-08:00

The winner of Mara Ismine's Christmas Intervention books is vslavetopassionv! Congrats on winning, your books shall be sent to you shortly!

Now, it's time to reveal the second of my February giveaways!

The wonderful Marie Sexton has been kind enough to donate an ebook copy of her new novel, Promises, for us to giveaway! This ebook will be in PDF format only.

Book description:
Jared Thomas has lived his whole life in the small mountain town of Coda, Colorado. He can't imagine living anywhere else. Unfortunately, the only other gay man in town is twice his age and used to be his teacher, so Jared is resigned to spending his life alone.

Until Matt Richards walks into his life, that is. Matt has just been hired by the Coda Police Department, and he and Jared immediately become friends. Matt claims he is straight, but for Jared, having a sexy friend like Matt is way too tempting. Facing Matt’s affair with a local woman, his disapproving family, and harassment from Matt’s co-workers, Jared fears they'll never find a way to be together—if he can even convince Matt to try. (Copied from Dreamspinner's website.)

To receive an entry into this drawing, leave a comment saying your favorite pick-up line. You can be as romantic or cheesy as you want, just have fun and be original! Please also include an email address so that we'll be able to send the book to you. If you're not comfertable posting your email in the comments section, feel free to send it to DancingDoveReviews (at) gmail.com.

This giveaway ends February 14 so get your entries in soon!

Welcome to February!

2010-02-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

It is now the second month of 2010! Woohoo! Unfortunatly, I didn't read too many book in January like I had planned. Even worse, I reviewed very few of those that I did read. I'm hoping to change that this month. Something new I'm going to try and do this year is pick my favorite book from the previous month. My favorite read of January was by far, Without Sin by J. Tomas. It's a young adult, gay romance novel. (Three of my favorite genres all rolled into one!)

So, what can you look forward to this month?
Book reviews! I promise I will start writing more of these. I'm going to be taking a trip to New Jersey this week and I'll have plenty of time to read and write reviews on the car ride up there and back.

You can also expect more giveaways! I'm going to be offering a couple ebooks as free giveaways during the month of February. Since Valentine's Day is in February, all of the giveaways will be romance novels.

You can hopefully expect other book related news on here. I've been following a lot of news stories about books lately and I'll try and pass on the gist of it to you guys!

I hope everyone has a happy February!

Book Giveaway - Christmas Intervention

2010-01-30T16:27:00.000-08:00

Since I've been neglecting my reviews lately, I'm going to make it up to you guys with a giveaway! Mara Ismine was kind enough to donate copies of her ebooks for me to raffle off!

The first giveaway is her Christmas Intervention books. The lucky winner of this giveaway will receive Christmas Intervention Phase 1 and 2. Note: Both of these are in PDF format.

Jase hates Christmas, always has done. His best friend, Rai, has always loved everything about Christmas - until this year. Jase tries to help Rai get into the Christmas spirit and finds that Christmas might not be so bad after all.

There are three simple ways to enter this contest:

1) Leave me a comment here with your email. (If you're not comfertable posting your email, send your email to DancingDoveReviews (at) gmail.com Please include the name you posted on here with.)
2) Become a follower of my blog. (Make sure you tell me you're a follower in your comment!)
3) Spread the news about the giveaway around! Post about it on your blog, on Twitter, on your Goodreads group, etc. Make sure you give me a link to where you posted about it in your comment here so I can verify. (Don't forget to link back here when you tell your friends!)

So that's it! Each person can get three entries into the raffle. The contest ends on February 7th at Midnight EST and the winner will be announced on February 8th!

Good luck and keep and eye on the blog for more upcoming giveaways!

Please Help a Wheelchair Bound Girl

2010-01-30T13:49:00.000-08:00

I know this isn't book related, but I felt like I really should post this. One of my friends is suffering from multiple autoimmune diseases. As a result, she has a hard time getting around; she spends most of her time in bed and is wheelchair bound. She always helps out her friends when they're in need but now she needs some help. She recently got a new wheelchair which makes it easier for her to get around but sadly, it can only be transported with a wheelchair van. Since she cannot afford to get a wheelchair van, she is asking for help. If you have some extra money lying around, even if it's only a few dollars, please donate and help her get a wheelchair van.

You can find out more information and how to donate here: http://www.giveforward.org/freedomdrive

Thank you!

Update: Best selling author, Neil Gaiman was kind enough to tweet about this! http://twitter.com/neilhimself/status/8430697916

Teencrentric Canceled

2010-01-29T13:00:00.000-08:00

Due to "nasty weather" Teencentric is canceled. =[ I was excited about meeting Tamora Pierce and getting my books signed too. =[

iPad

2010-01-28T11:17:00.001-08:00

Most of you have probably heard that Apple revealed it's new tablet - the iPad. Seriously though, what "genius" in marketing named that one? As a side note, I found this quite giggle worthy: Macs + iPad = Macsipad. =)

The media has been heavily marketing this as an "ereader." IMO, this isn't going to corner the market in ebooks like they seem to think it will. For one, it doesn't use e-ink, reading off the iPad's screen is going to be like reading off a regular computer screen. Then there's the weight. It's going to weigh a lot more than a classic ereader (Kindle, Sony, Nook). Also, from what I've heard, they're going to be charging $12-15 for a book rather than the $9.99 that Amazon charges.

On the other hand, it may be useful for artists and for note taking. It'll also probably be good for photo editing and things like that.

The bottom line is, the new "iPad" is basically just a giant iPhone or iTouch, not a dedicated ereader.

Teencentric

2010-01-25T10:43:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted in a while but school has been really hectic. I'm hoping to have some more reviews up by this weekend.

I do have some news for you though! I will be going to Teencentric. Teencentric is a teen reading festival in Spartanburg, SC. Fantasy author Tamora Pierce will be there speaking and signing books. I'm really excited to meet her since she is one of my favorite authors. Teencentric is this Saturday from 1-4PM at the Spartanburg Public Library in South Carolina. I'll probably post about it when I get home so look forward to that!

Hope you're all doing great!

New design

2010-01-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

As you can tell, I've added a few new things to the design of the blog. The biggest things I've added are the new graphics. I have a new banner at the top and a new footer that's below every post. (The footer banner is still being tweaked a little bit.) These two lovely graphics were designed by the awesome graphic artists at Articulate Productions. If you ever need high quality graphics done, I highly recommend them. They do excellent work.

I've also changed a few things on the sidebar. I slowed down the scrolling cover images a tad. I'm also currently looking at a new code for it because it's looking at little glitchy to me. I've also added a "Featured Book". Each month I'll be advertising a newly published book by an author that I love.

If anyone has suggestions for ways to improve this blog, feel free to leave me a message or send me an email. You can contact me at DancingDoveReviews (at) Gmail.com

Happy reading everyone!

Between Brothers

2010-01-10T06:11:00.001-08:00

Title: Between Brothers
Author: J.M. Snyder
Series: N/A
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

Brian hasn't been to his childhood home in over fifteen years. But when his younger brother calls him one day and asks him to come home, he comes running. But Brian hasn't been avoiding his family for nothing - he's been hiding a secret. He's in love with his baby brother, Joey.

The first thing I need to say, is either J.M. Snyder grew up in South Jersey or she did a lot of research. I grow up in South Jersey and I was amazed at how accurate some of her word choices and details were. I've read a couple books by authors from New Jersey that haven't been this accurate.

Snyder also did a great job of creating real characters. I was often very moved by some of the things her characters said or felt. I've never seen characters like hers before - none of them were anywhere near a stereotype. Brian wasn't a perfect character - he had plenty of flaws just like real people do. Joey seems perfect, but since the story is told from Brian's POV, I think that's more of how Brian see's him, rather than how he is.

Her plot was excellent. Though it focused on solely internal conflict, it was excellently done. Most of the time I prefer a mix of internal and external conflict but the internal conflict in this was so convincing and real, it worked. I have to say though, I think my favorite parts of the story were the flashback scenes about the brothers as kids. They were cute and touching and it gave great insight into how the boys grew up. (And made me go "Awwww" out loud.)

The only thing that I didn't like was the tenses. I'm used to reading things in past tense that having this in present tense was a little jarring at some points. I got used to it fairly quickly though and I think it worked pretty well for this story.

To some this up, I absolutely loved this novel. I am really glad I was able to read it and I'd highly recommend it to others. If you only read one romance story this year, I'd go with this one. It's filled with realist characters, plausible situations and great detail. Rather than finding a novel about incest, I've stumbled upon a novel of deep love and devotion between brothers.

FREE book - Alien Cradle

2010-01-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

One of the new things I'm doing on this blog is to post when I come across a free (and legal) book. Some of these books will be ebooks, some will be physical books, some will be temporary, some will be permanent and some will be giveaways. So, without further ado:

Title: Alien Cradle
Author: Jeff Inlo
Link: Download Here
Length: 85,918 words / 250 pages
Genre: Science Fiction
Summary:
Rath Scampion, outer rim scout, explores the barren landscapes of Fenrir just before a Regency Scientific Council plants the seed of a genetically created "alien". Once the colony takes hold, researchers discover the Fenrites advancing at an alarming pace, passing quickly through complex stages of industrial and technological growth. As the experiment spirals out of control, Rath must flee Regency investigators, ending up in the midst of marauders and outcasts. He is caught with no safe haven as the Fenrite disaster spurs on political and military chaos throughout the Regency controlled worlds. (Summary from ManyBooks.net)

All Work & No Play

2010-01-05T09:18:00.001-08:00

Title: All Work & No Way
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Cattle Valley
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Review:

Cattle Valley is a community that is largely gay. The town is one of the most accepting on the planet and that appeals to Ryan, Nate, and Rio. The three men have been in a relationship together and are hoping Cattle Valley's residents will be more open to it than their hometown. Only when they get there, Nate discovers that even Cattle Valley has its problems.

Starting with the basics - the story was definitely interesting and I did enjoy reading it. I didn't spot any major grammar mistakes that would turn a reader off. The only big problem I found with this is that Lynne's plots are starting to all blend together. They all seem to follow the same general formula - People are happy, someone starts trouble, there's a fight, the trouble maker goes to jail and everyone lives happily ever after. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I had spaced her books out, but I've read over a dozen of her books in the past two weeks.

Lynne's novel seem to focus more on external conflicts rather than internal conflict. To me, a good plot has a blend of the two so that you're not overwhelmed and bored with one of them. A romance story that focuses on a bigot and has a sickenly happy couple is only entertaining for so long same with a story that is nothing but angst. That's why I enjoyed Twin Temptations - it had a pretty good blend of internal conflict and external.

The characters in this novel were pretty well developed. I like Nate in particular who acts like a stereotypical gay man, but is a lot deeper than that. The one thing that I didn't like was how Nate brags numerous times about having his fourth degree blackbelt in various styles. It made him seem arrogant when he normally isn't. Also, I've done martial arts for many years and met many high ranking blackbelts and that generally don't brag about their ranks. A true fourth degree blackbelt knows that he still has a lot to learn and he's not invincible.

This one was really hard to rate for me. I kept bouncing between three and four stars. On one hand, I did enjoy the story. On the other hand, the plot is almost the same as her other novels but with different characters. I recommend reading this, but don’t read too many of her books at once or you'll tire of them.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

A Fostered Love

2010-01-04T09:29:00.001-08:00

Title: A Fostered Love
Author: Cameron Dane
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

After fifteen years, Jonah Roberts finally returns to the foster home that he lived in for a couple months. When he was sixteen, he screwed up and ended up being sent to Juvenile Detention. But no matter what, the woman who ran the foster home, never gave up on him. Now, fifteen years later, he's returned to attend her funeral. When he comes back, he finds himself falling for Christian Sanchez - the boy he used to share a room with. Jonah knows Christian used to have a crush on him when they were teens and now he has to face that.

Dane did a great job with her characters in this novel. Both characters were unique and could've easily been real people. Her characters made mistakes and they learned from them, just as real people would. They both faced problems through out the novel - both internal and external.

The plot was good is used a good balance of internal and external conflict that didn't rely too heavily on either. I've got to admit, some of the scenes were sad and did make me cry a little. The flashback scenes were touching and gave us a glimpse into their past and what made them who they are. The story Dane paints is extremely touching - a romantic story that's not just about guys getting off.

I definitely recommend reading this novel. I'm glad it was the first book I read this year, and I'll probably read it again. Be warned though, though they are not related, this is a story about foster brothers falling in love.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

The Slayer's Apprentice

2010-01-03T08:26:00.001-08:00

Title: The Slayer's Apprentice
Author: Zathyn Priest
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

This is a really complex story, and I'm having trouble summarizing it without giving something away. So, I've borrowed the summary from the book's page. (I did not write this summary. It belongs to whomever originally wrote it.)
When Senior Constable Daniel Hart stops bartender Phoenix Love from picking his pocket one evening, it's an inauspicious beginning, but Daniel falls for the beautiful Phoenix anyway. Things become complicated when Detective Paul Somerset, who's been on the trail of Australia's notorious serial killer "The Crucifix Slayer", sets his sights on Phoenix.
Convinced that Phoenix Love is the killer, Detective Somerset pursues him single-mindedly. As evidence, and Phoenix's behavior, point toward Somerset being right, Daniel must protect their fledgling love affair, his own heart and his lover while deciphering whether or not Phoenix actually is the killer. Is Phoenix Love a victim or is his love affair with Daniel doomed to fall at the whims of a monster?

The characters in Priest's novel are extremely complex. Both of the main characters are deep and well thought out. Phoenix in particular is very hard to read and must've taken an immense amount of time to write. I applaud Priest's effort with these characters - he created two completely unique characters that I've never seen anything like.

The plot of this novel was really good. It definitely leaned more towards a mystery novel than a romance and I'm glad. I'm not a big fan of cheesy romance novels and this was able to satisfy my appetite for a romance novel and a mystery novel at the same time. However, it wasn’t all good. There were three or four chapters that were nothing but info dumps. An anonymous narrator gave us the facts of things that happened, and these parts were extremely boring and I kept skimming those parts. They weren't extremely long and did progress the story, but I wish Priest had found a better way to tell this information.

Overall, I'm glad I read this novel. It did seem rather long during certain parts, but during others it seemed really short. This is a good novel for people who want to read a romance novel, but don't want some cheesy superficial story. Though the story doesn't contain sex, I wouldn't recommend reading this if you're under the age of about 15-16 since the story line is very graphic and violent.

(Sorry for posting this late. I got distracted forgot I wrote it. :x)

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T05:56:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all of my readers! 2009 was a pretty good year for me, I met some great new people and I read a bunch of good books. I actually read a total of 151 books last year. (Anyone have a Pokemon flashback there? No? Okay, maybe I watched too much Pokemon growing up...) I also managed to start this blog last August.

Now that it's 2010, I have a couple new things planned for this blog. A new layout is high on my list as well as a banner for the top of the page. I'm also going to try and review more of the books I read. Last year I fell into the habit of putting them off and never getting around to it. Hopefully, this year that'll change. I'm also going to try and improve my reviews by being more specific about what I liked or didn't like in the books. My reading goal for this year is 300 books and I've already started working on that goal. The first book I finished in 2010 was A Fostered Love by Cameron Dane. I should have a review of it up some time today.

I'm also going to start advertising for different authors each month. None of these authors are asking me to and I'm doing this because I believe these authors deserve it.

This month is going to be J.M. Synder. Ms. Snyder has done an excellent job in all the works I've read by her. Her newest novel, Rockstar, is due out this month. You can find out more about this book here. Don't forget to read some of her older titles as well. If you'd like to "test" out her writing before you spend your hard earned money, she has excerpts of her books on her website and also have a good amount of free stories for her fans to read. You can find J.M. Synder online at her website: JMSnyder.net.

Have a great year everybody!

Faceoff

2009-12-31T07:03:00.001-08:00

Title: Faceoff
Author: J.M. Synder
Series: Playing the Field (Book 1)
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Christian is a professional hokey player who wants nothing more than to play in the NHL. When he gets traded from the Richmond Rebels to the Bedford Blizzards, he sees it as just another step towards the NHL. The only person he tells that he requested the trade is his teammate and lover, Ronnie. Now, months later, the Blizzards are playing the Rebels and he still has no clue where Ronnie and him stand.

Since this is so short, the characters are kind of flat. They're not completely cardboard cut-outs, but you don't really get to see the depth in them. They do have some depth however, they're not just brainless hokey players (most of them) and as such, struggle with inner conflict and emotions. It doesn't really detract from the story and is mostly just a side effect of it being so short.

I love how Snyder handled the plot. Instead of lumping all of the backstory into one section, she used flashbacks to give us a glimpse into Christian's past. Alternating between the past and present was an excellent idea, and made this novel much more fun to read. She handled the technique excellently and it was easy to follow which time you were in, unlike some novels.

Over all, I loved reading this novel. Snyder had a good balance of plot and sex, and didn't try to overwhelm the reader with too much of either. No grammar or punctuation errors jumped out at me, nor did any large plot holes. I would definitely recommend this story to romance lovers.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Orphan's Quest

2009-12-29T06:52:00.000-08:00

Title: Orphan's Quest
Author: Pat Nelson Childs
Series: The Chronicles of Firma
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Rokey has lived in the Nobel Contemplative, a place where orphaned boys are sent, since he was two. Ever since he was a child, he wondered who his parents are and hoped of one day reuniting with them. When he fails at a job given to him by the administration, he is sent out of the Contemplative, never to return. He is given a small amount of money and a recommendation for work and is set off alone. Rokey wonders what will happen to him, how he will survive. What he doesn't expect how ever, is to find love and find out someone is after his life.

I found this novel on my quest for LGBT fantasy novels and this popped up. I'm really glad I found this book too, since it was a good read. The story starts out good and sucks you in, but there's a brief lull in the plot right after he meets up with Flaskamper, though it does pick up again shortly after. Some parts of the story were a little hard to pick up at first since the author uses some terminology I'm not too familiar with (he calls minutes minmark, and hours marks), but it didn't detract from the story too much.

The only thing I didn't like during the story was when they would get into trouble. It seemed like every other chapter they were getting into some sort of trouble, but by the next chapter they're escaped pretty much unscathed. It's a little bit too unrealistic to go through all those battles, come out on top, then have what happens at the end, happen.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy the book though and would gladly recommend it to fantasy lovers. Rokey and Flash are loveable characters and I can't wait to see what happens in the sequel, Scion's Blood.

Twin Temptations

2009-12-28T14:05:00.001-08:00

Title: Twin Temptations
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Twins Ryker and Ranger have had tough lives. No one really understands their relationship and most people don't approve of it. Neither of them is gay, but ever since they were babies they've been in love with each other and always sleep together. When Ryker falls in love with Lily, a waitress at the local bar, the two decide to bring her into their relationship.

At first I was going to rate this three stars, because Lynne seemed to be following a single plot thread. Two people fall in love, people disapprove, one person gets violent and attacks them, that person goes to jail, everyone approves of their relationship, happily ever after. That's basically the same plot that all four books in this series follow, but she did mix it up a little in this one. I like how neither of the twins are gay, but they're still in love with each other. It shows that their relationship transcends gender. I also like how she had Ranger having an internal battle, that veered off from the other three a little bit.

I also like how the main external conflict, Jeff, was pushed to the side and given a lesser role to the internal conflicts. I thought that this book would end up being a repeat of the others with Lionel and Lynne surprised me there.

Her characters were once again interesting and fun to read. The other books in the series had left Ranger and Ryker underdeveloped but this book fixed it pretty much. The first three books make Ranger and Ryker out of be gay lovers who have been having sex since they were teens. Twin Temptations, however, shows the true depth of their relationship.

Definitely a book I'd recommend to gay romance lovers. But be warned, to understand parts of this book you need to read the first three books in the series. Also, this book contains twincest which some readers may not like.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18. This novel also contains "twincest" or relationships between twin brothers and may be offensive to some readers.

Garron's Gift

2009-12-26T06:42:00.000-08:00

Title: Garron's Gift
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Garron and Sonny are still madly in love with each other even though they're receiving a lot of trouble from a couple people in town. Sonny decides to take their relationship to the next level and asks Garron to "marry" him. Garron agrees and the two hold a small ceremony on Garron's birthday. That's when everything goes to hell. When leaving the ceremony on Garron's bike, Sonny is shot causing Garron to crash.

This was a pretty good book to read. Not only did it have a nice romantic plot to it, it also had a bit of a mystery plot as well. The thing that really bugged me most though, was how it kept alluding to the twin's relationship but never really told you anything. I'm assuming everything will be wrapped up with them in their book (Twin Temptations), but I would've liked to at least been given something.

I also would've liked a bit better of an ending as well. It leaves you with a cliff hanger and you have to read the next book to find out what happens. I don't really like it when books end that way since it reads more like a marketing ploy than anything.

Over all though, I did enjoy this book. It let me escape the stress of Christmas and easily forget all my problems. I recommend this book for readers who like a good amount of plot in their romance novels.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Love in the Library

2009-12-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

Title: Love in the Library
Author: J.M. Snyder
Series:
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

For bookworm Johnny, a job in the library sounds like heaven. But after shelving books all night, he realizes it's not what he thought it would be. After the cart he's using gets jammed in the elevator, Adam comes to the rescue and it's lust at first sight.

This is a free read on Snyder's website and thus is pretty short. Normally I don't like short stories like this too much because you don't get to see the romance evolve but I really enjoyed this one. I liked how she had them start dating but didn't try to convince the reader that they fell in love in 22 pages. There weren't any major flaws that I could find - good grammar, spelling, punctuation, and good characters that didn't read like cardboard cut outs.

Snyder did a great job with this story. It's a sweet little romance teaser that leaves the reader wanting a full length novel. I'd love for her to take these two characters and expand on their relationship. The little glimpse into their lives that we get is sweet and romantic. I highly recommend this short read to anyone looking for a romantic read to relax with.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Sonny's Salvation

2009-12-23T06:32:00.000-08:00

Title: Sonny's Salvation
Author: Carol Lynne
Series: Good-Time Boys #1
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

When Sonny Good's father died, he left the FBI to return to Summerville, Nebreska and take over the family ranch. One night, while having dinner at the local bar, he meets Garron Greeley for the first time. Garron just moved to town to help his brother run the ranch next to Sonny's.

Though it was a little short, this was a pretty good story. I would've preferred it to be a little bit longer and their relationship a little more fleshed out. As it is, you only get to see a brief glimpse into their lives and not the full scope of their relationship.

The characters were all pretty interesting, not really stereotypes. It probably would've helped if Lynne had developed the side characters a little bit more and given them bigger roles. As it is, you only really get to see Rawley in a detailed way. The twins and Garron's brother only play brief roles.

Not deep literature by any means, but a good quick read. I recommend reading this if you're looking for something short and sweet to read.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Diving in Deep

2009-12-20T07:06:00.000-08:00

Title: Chasing Smoke
Author: K.A. Mitchell
Series: Prequel to Collision Course
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

Ever since he was a teenager, Noah Winthrop has had a crush on Cameron. Cameron Lewis is Noah's older brother's best friend. Cameron pushed Noah away when they were teenagers - insisting that Noah was too young. But when the two get together at Adam's wedding four years later, Cameron isn't able to push him away. The next morning, Noah wakes up and finds Cameron gone. The two don't meet up again until fifteen years later when Noah ends up in one of Cameron's safety classes. And just like the last time they met, sparks begin to fly.

It's been a while since I've rated a book three stars. To me, three stars isn't bad, it's average. I did enjoy reading the book, but I doubt I'll read it again. There were parts of the novel I liked and parts I didn't like, so it kind of balanced out. It was really hard to rate this three stars, I've loved all of Mitchell's other books, but this one just wasn't as strong as the others.

The grammar (spelling, punctuation, etc.) in the novel was good, I didn't spot any obvious mistakes that distracted from the novel, but the characters in this novel are kind of flat. You don't really get to see much of any of the side characters - Joey, Mark or Adam and they aren't really developed at all. Joey reads like a stereotypical gay boy. I imagine him speaking with a lisp and waving his hands around while he talks most of the time. Even the characterization of the main characters - Cameron and Noah - isn't too deep.

The next thing I didn't like was the plot. There really wasn't much plot beyond their relationship. I don't mind that, but I'd like to see them explore their relationship in more ways than just the bedroom. (And no, the scene on the coffee table doesn't count.) There were some really good scenes that I liked, but I would've liked to have seen more. I would've liked to have seen more of their trip to Hawaii and also more interaction with Noah's family.

Overall, I didn't hate this story. I did enjoy reading it, but like I said, it's pretty much a single read novel. If you're into gay romance novels (with sex scenes) it wouldn't hurt to check this book out. You may not fall in love with it, but you probably won't hate it either.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Chasing Smoke

2009-12-19T17:30:00.000-08:00

Title: Chasing Smoke
Author: K.A. Mitchell
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

When he was 17, Trey Eriksson's father was accused of murdering his mother and then attempting suicide. When he had no where to go, the rich Gardner family took him in. That's where his relationship with Daniel Gardner began. Fifteen years later, Trey is still seeking the truth about what happened to his parents and he crosses paths with Daniel once again.

Once again, K.A. Mitchell has done an excellent job of characterization. Her characters a fleshed out and realistic. They have flaws and aren't cookie cutter stereotypes.

I enjoyed the side plot of this. I liked that it wasn't just a cheap romance with nothing but sex scenes. Rather, it had a mystery plot that was interesting and kept the reader wondering. The only thing I didn't like was that it was wrapped up too quickly and easily.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

The Minister's Black Veil

2009-12-13T06:14:00.000-08:00

Title: The Minister's Black Veil
Author: Nathaniel Hawthorne
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

One day, a minister appears before his congregation wearing a black veil that covers his face except for his mouth and chin. This act startles and frightens the congregation and they shy away from him. The only one with a enough courage to confront him is his fiance, but he won't tell even her why he wears the veil.

For my English 201 class, I had to read two short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne - this one and Young Goodman Brown. I have to say, I liked this one far more than Young Goodman Brown. It was written simplistically but artfully. The grammar and tone was easy to read and follow through out the story. The plot was also very interesting and engaging.

Not only was the plot enjoyable, but there was interesting subtext. There was a moral that was easy to understand and didn't leave you sitting there staring at the page in an attempt to figure it out. I'd highly recommend this story to any English majors or those considering majoring in English.

Tigers and Devils

2009-12-12T20:45:00.000-08:00

Title: Tigers and Devils
Author: Sean Kennedy
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

When Simon's friends, Roger and Fran, drag him to a party, he never expects to fall in love. But that's exactly what he does. He meets Declan Tyler, one of the best football players in Australia. It's definitely not love at first sight for the two, but they start a relationship even though Declan is still in the closet. Eventually, the two are outed and you get to see the tolls that takes on their relationship.

Kennedy did a great job with his characters. Both Declan and Simon felt like real people. They both made mistakes and tried to fix them. When they were upset or mad, they acted just like real people would. Even the side characters were pretty well developed.

The plot of this novel was pretty good as well. It was a gay romance novel that wasn't sex, sex, sex. It also have a nice, romantic ending, but wasn't a cheap fairy tale, happily ever after, ending. At times it did seem a little bit long winded, but I did like it nonetheless.

Kennedy also did a good job of portraying the media. They acted just as they would in real life - like obsessed stalkers. It showed how much they invade privacy and twist things for their own benefit.

I highly recommend this novel to romance lovers. I like that it's also appropriate for younger readers since it doesn't have any graphic sex scenes.

Among the Living

2009-12-01T17:53:00.000-08:00

Title: Among the Living
Author: Jordan Casitllo Price
Series: Psy Cop 1
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Victor Bayne is a Psy Cop - a cop with a psychic ability - in Chicago's Paranormal Investigation Unit. In Vic's case, he can see and hear the dead. He's a class 5 medium, one of the highest classes there are. During a murder investigation he meets a non-psychic named Jacob Marks. The two become intimate as they work together to catch a nasty serial killer - one who messes with Vic's power.

I've been told numerous times to read this book and I finally did. And wow. I'm glad I did. The story started out slow with a druggy main character that I didn't particularly like. But as it progressed, I began to like him more and more. Price did an excellent job with his characters - they're unique and interesting. The psychic powers were also handled very well.

My only real complaint is how short the books is. It was only 118 pages in PDF and I wish it had been longer. I want see more of Vic and Jacob's relationship. I also want to see what happens to their partners. I'm going to have to read the next book in the series soon. I highly recommend this book to anyone who like M/M romance.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Evermore

2009-11-23T15:23:00.000-08:00

Title: Evermore
Author: Alyson Noel
Series: The Immortals 1
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

One day, Ever and her entire family are in a car crash. Her mother, her father, her little sister and her dog all die, but somehow she survives. And after surviving, she finds she has new talents. She can see people's auras, read their minds, see into the past and future, oh and she can communicate with her dead sister. Then Damen Auguste comes along and she finds out he has the power to cancel out hers.

I absolutely loved this book. I picked it up from the library this afternoon and finished it in a couple hours. It was engaging, well thought out and I didn't want to put it down.

The characters were pretty deep - not some cookie cutter stereotype. I do think we could have used a bit more depth with Ever's friends, but it wasn't too bad. I also liked the whole flower thing too. That was very romantic and funny.

Though the plot is a little cliched, Noel handled everything in a way that was unique and interesting. Looking back, and thinking about some things it seems a little cliche but it didn't seem so while I was reading it.

The only real fault I can find with the book is when Ever visits Disneyland. Magic Kingdom, is not in Disneyland nor is it in California. It's at Disney World in Florida. I think she probably should have done a little bit more research on that one. (But that might just be because I'm anal about things like that.)

The Vast Fields of Ordinary

2009-11-22T08:46:00.000-08:00

Title: The Vast Fields of Ordinary
Author: Nick Burd
Series: N/A
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

This novel is about Dade Hamilton's last summer at home. He goes to parties, goes to work and meets a few friends. The boy he's fooling around with pretty much dumps him and he meets a new boy named Alex who he falls in love with.

Okay, I liked this book overall but there were a lot of things I didn't like about it. I think there were too many side plots going on and none of them were really developed at all. The whole thing with Jenny Moore was weird, and didn't really have anything to do with the story line. The problems between his parents was also weird and pretty anti-climactic.

I didn't much like the ending either. It seemed rushed and was also a bit anti-climactic. The author had some interesting ideas for the ending, but he kinda just crammed them all together in an overview plot summary. The ending leaves you with a lot of questions - What happened to Jenny? What happen with Pablo? What happened with Alex?

It also seemed like some of the characters were bipolar. One minute they wanted to be his best friend, and then next they were bitching and yelling at him. Pablo and "Fessica" (A crappy name IMO) in particular. The whole scene with Pablo in the milk cooler was unnecessary too. (Don't forget creepy.)

But for some reason, I liked the book over all. I enjoyed Dade's relationship with Alex, and I could relate to some of the things he was going through. The novel was well written, free of any blaring grammatical or punctuation mistakes. Once I got through the first chapter or two, it was a pretty engaging novel. =)

Oleander House

2009-11-11T14:11:00.000-08:00

Title: Oleander House
Author: Ally Blue
Series: Bay City Paranormal Investigations
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

Sam Raintree is a computer tech who has just gotten a job with Bay City Paranormal Investigations. He hasn't even had a chance to see his new apartment in Mobile before he has a job. When he arrives at Oleander House two things happen - he meets a man who he falls for almost instantly and he feels a weird presence in the house - almost as if it's stalking him, waiting to attack.

This book is the first novel in the BCPI series and I absolutely loved it. The characters felt realistic and I really liked them - well, most of them. Even the paranormal investigating was extremely realists - it had a lot of science and factual information instead of just a team of "psychics".

I think the thing I liked most about this is that it read as a paranormal mystery novel and not a cheesy four dollar romance novel. I like my romance novels to have at least an equal amount of actual plot to go along with the romance - not just hot steamy sex - and this novel didn't dissapoint.

I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy paranormal books and don't mind a little bit of MM romance on the side. Bravo, Ally Blue!

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Love, Like Ghosts

2009-11-10T04:45:00.000-08:00

Title: Love, Like Ghosts
Author: Ally Blue
Series: Bay City Paranormal Investigations
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

Love, Like Ghosts follows Adrian, a college student at UNC who is a little different than the rest. While most students would rather be out partying, he'd rather sit in his apartment and do his physics homework. Oh yeah, and he has psychokinesis, the ability to move things with his mind. Then he meets two people who change his world - Greg Woodhall, a theater major that he meets while constructing a haunted house and Lyndon Groome, a ghost who was murdered back in 1905.

Let me start out by saying that though this says it is book 7 in the Bay City Paranormal Investigations, it can be read as a standalone novel. Ally Blue's novel actually lists the novel as related to the series, rather than part of it.

Now, I read this book for the group read for October in the M/M Romance group and I was not disappointed. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down. I'm also extremely interested in reading the rest of this series.

The characters and their emotions were extremely real. The problems that they have and their reactions all are very well thought out and executed and could easily be a real story. (If psychokinesis and ghosts were real of course.) I would highly recommend this book to anyone who likes M/M Romance novels. Maybe even to some of you who don't. This isn't like those trashy two dollar romances you can buy at the drug store - this is a well written and thought out novel.

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Personal Best

2009-10-29T06:27:00.000-07:00

Title: Personal Best: A Going for the Gold Novel
Author: Sean Michael
Series: Going for the Gold
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review:

Wow... where to start....

Let's start with a basic plot summary. Jessy is a swim coach and is called by another coach about a possible job opportunity. That opportunity turns out to be Mike Gauliet. A natural swimmer whose parents were legends before they died. Jessy has Mike move in with him, and coaches Mike to reach his full potential.

Next let's go over the names. It was really annoying to have Michael switching up names for Jessy. One minute he's called Jessy and the next minute he's being called Coach. It was also confusing during the scenes where there were more than one coach. I kept having to reread to figure out who was talking.

Now let's talk about Michael's grammar. I really think this guy needs to go back to high school and learn the basics of writing. "Jessy didn't, hand working him, mouth stealing his breath." That is NOT a sentence! Neither is "He never had, but he wanted, he would let Jessy in."

Okay, let's move on to the sex/plot ratio. Way out of proportion. Now, I know a lot of people like their romance novels crammed with sex, but I like to have some plot sprinkled in there. It started out decently, with a good strong plot, but then the M/Cs get together and the plot is pretty much forgotten. It just turns into sex, sex, sex with about two or three scenes of plot thrown in as an afterthought.

Overall? I do not recommend this book unless you're looking for crappy smut. If you're like me and poor grammar and punctuation make you wanna get out a red pen, I'd stay far, far away from this novel. Ugh. Someone get this guy an editor. =[

** Warning ** This novel contains sex scenes and may not be appropriate for readers under than age of 18.

Kim Dare and Voracious Vamps!

2009-10-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

M/M Romance author, Kim Dare is featured this week as the Author of the Week on Total e-bound! And to celebrate, she's giving readers and chance to win one of her e-books for free! Check out here website here for more information!

Total e-bound is also doing their own contest for Halloween! It's called Voracious Vamps Contest! Enter to win one of 5 £10 e-bound vouchers. Enter here.

The Nanny Diaries

2009-10-03T17:39:00.000-07:00

Title: The Nanny Diaries
Author: Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Series: N/A
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review:

The Nanny Diaries follows the tale of a woman named Nanny as she works for a family called the Xes. Nanny spends her time working for the Xes babysitting their son Grayer while attending NYU. Everything is going pretty well at the start, then the Xes become the family from hell.

Okay, I've had this book on my to-read shelf for a while and I finally got around to reading it. Well, it was very disappointing. The first thing I didn't like was the names. Her name is Nanny, the parents are Mr. X and Mrs. X, the child is Grayer and she calls her crush H.H. which stands for Harvard Hottie. To me, this showed a horrible lack of imagination and it felt like the authors were too lazy to come up with names.

The second thing that I didn't like was Nanny. She spent most of the novel whining and crying. She cried to her parents, to her grandmother, her friends and H.H. Instead of doing something about her problems, she just complains about her crappy life.

The only thing I really liked about this book was little Grayer. He just sounded so cute and I felt really bad for him. His parents really need to be smacked and told to grow the hell up. It's pretty bad when a four-year-old is more mature than his parents.

Overall, I was very disappointed in the book. It was hard to get into, and once I started reading I couldn't wait for it to end. I probably wouldn't ever recommend it to anyone.

Chance to win!

2009-09-26T09:36:00.001-07:00

Misfit Salon is celebrating its three month blogiversary with a giveaway. You can enter for your chance to win
A) a $25 Amazon giftcard
or
B) An AUTOGRAPHED hardcover copy of Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Wiener, The Story Sisters by Alice Hoffman, or The Last Dickens by Matthew Pearl.

This giveaway will end on October 5, 2009 so hurry!

Click here to visit Misfit Salon!

The Martian Child

2009-09-16T10:21:00.000-07:00

Title: The Martian Child
Author: David Gerrold
Series: N/A
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:

David Gerrold is a single gay man who wants to have a family. After searching for the perfect child to adopt, he stumbles upon a picture of Dennis. After looking into adopting Dennis, he begins to have second thoughts. Dennis is a hyperactive child who has a habit of getting into trouble. Oh yeah, and he thinks he's a Martian.

I enjoyed this book for the first half. I like how neither David nor Dennis were perfect - each one had his own flaws. Dennis is hyperactive and can't help but get into trouble and David is constantly worrying that he'll make a mistake and ruin Dennis's life - he desperately wants to help his son.

Like I said, I enjoyed the first half. I wish I could give this book two ratings - one for the first half and one for the second half. (WARNING! Possible spoilers!) In the second half of the novel, Dennis is still insisting that he's a Martian and can make things come true with Martian Wishes. Instead of trying to help Dennis understand himself, and try and help him fit in in the world, David starts to believe his son really is a Martian. I swear, this author started doing drugs while writing this. The dude sits there and starts watching his son closely and comes to the conclusion that his son is an alien that was implanted into a human's womb. The whole Martian thing was a cute subplot about Dennis trying to find himself and explain why he doesn't fit in. It got way out of hand when David started believing that his son really was a Martian.

I still recommend this book. It's a cute story about a man who wants to adopt a son. It shows the feelings that both man and son are going through. Most books will focus on the impact of one or the other, but this novel gives us both sides of the story.

Win a free book!

2009-09-14T16:17:00.000-07:00

Everybody loves a free book! (Okay, maybe not everyone, but I sure do!)
Lynne's Letters is currently having a giveaway! You can enter at her blog to win a copy of either The Help or The Weight of Silence! Head on over to her blog today and enter for a chance to win one of these awesome books. =) http://www.lynnesletters.com/2009/09/book-giveaway-910-917.html

Trickster's Choice

2009-09-06T16:54:00.000-07:00

Title: Trickster's Choice
Author: Tamora Pierce
Series: Daughter of the Lioness
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review:

What do you do when you’re the daughter of two extraordinary people? Alainne of Pirates Swoop is the daughter of George Cooper, the former King of Thieves and now second in command of Tortall's spy network, and Alanna the Lioness, the King's Champion to Jonathan of Conte. Her older brother Thom has followed after his name sake and left to study magic and her twin brother has followed their mother and has set off to become a Knight of Tortall, so where does that leave Alainne? Alainne wishes to follow in her fathers footsteps and become a spy, but he has forbidden it. Eager to prove herself, she sets off on her own only to be kidnapped and forced into slavery. Not long into her slavery a god appear - Kyrpioth the Trickster god and he offers here a wager. If she can keep two girls alive through the summer, he will send her home.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the theme of a confused teen trying to find their way. It's always hard on a person to try and live up to someone else's reputation - whether it's a parent or an older sibling. Tamora Pierce did an excellent job with this novel, just like all of her other ones. The characters are deep, and interesting and her plot is well thought out.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has liked Pierce's earlier novels. Even if you haven't read her novels before, but you enjoy fantasy, you should read this book.

Luck in the Shadows

2009-08-19T07:00:00.001-07:00

Title: Luck in the Shadows
Author: Lynn Flewelling
Series: Nightrunner
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

The novel opens with Alec of Kerry locked in a dungeon and being tortured for information. Though Alec is innocent of being a spy, his captors will not believe him. After a couple days of torture, a young bard is captured and thrown into the dungeon with him.

The young bard turns out to be Seregil, a spy and thief of sorts who helps Alec escape from the dungeon. Freed from captivity, the two steal a horse and try and get as far away as possible. While on their journey, Seregil offers Alec and opportunity - become his apprentice.

The novel was excellently written. The characters were both well rounded and deep. The plot kept me interested and had a few surprise twists in it.

It's a long novel, and I found myself wondering if it would ever end. Yet when I reached the end, I wanted more. Flewelling really grips you with her writing and leaves you wanting more.

Filled with secrets, thieves and treachery, this is a book I'd recommend to any fantasy fans. The novel isn't really YA, nor is it adult fiction, so it can work for both age groups.

The Warrior Heir

2009-08-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Title: The Warrior Heir
Author: Cinda Williams Chima
Series: The Heir Trilogy
Rating: 4/5 stars
Review:

Cinda Williams Chima's The Warrior Heir follows the adventures of Jack Swift after he discovers his role in the guilds - magical armies warring for control. There are five races; warriors, wizards, enchanters, sorcerers and soothsayers. Each race is powerful in its own way, but wizards are thought to be the strongest. For years wizards have ruled over the other races. Two rival clans, The White Rose and The Red Rose constantly fight for control in a Gladiator style tournament known as The Game - instead of losing "precious" wizards in wars; they control warriors and have them fight to the death. As a result of The Game, the warrior race has all but died out. Then Jack Swift comes along - a wizard born without a stone. Desperate to save his life, his family calls on Jessamine Longbranch. Longbranch becomes a Frankenstein like character, experimenting on Jack - instead of giving him a wizard's stone, she implants a warrior's stone.

Published in 2006, The Warrior Heir was Chima's first novel. The novel later evolved into The Heir Series, with The Wizard Heir published in 2007 and The Dragon Heir published in 2008. The Warrior heir has won numerous awards including Voya's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for 2006-2007 and has appeared on American Library Association's popular paperback list for 2008.

The Warrior Heir is filled with twists and turns at every corner - the writing is engaging and keeps the reader interested. Though the book is better written and more engaging than other fantasy book such at Harry Potter and Twilight, it has received much less attention. Not only does the book present an interesting read, it also speaks out against class systems and encourages equality. There are many morals within the story and teaches a lesson while keeping the reader entertained.

Chima created a fictitious world that is both realistic and engaging. Her characters are original and her magic system is exquisite. I absolutely loved this novel and I've gone back and read it about four times now. I highly recommend this novel for those who love fantasy and YA novels.

Stormbreaker

2009-08-09T12:16:00.000-07:00

Title: Stormbreaker
Author: Anthony Horowitz
Series: Alex Rider
Rating: 1/5 stars
Review:

What if James Bond had been a fourteen-year-old kid? Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz answers that question with its main character, Alex Rider. Alex is a normal boy, living with his uncle in London, England. But one day, his uncle is killed in a car crash, and the facts just don't add up. Alex begins asking questions and sneaking around, trying to get to the bottom of what really happened. When meeting with his uncle's boss at Royal and Crown, he finds out the truth. His uncle wasn't a bank manager, he was an MI6 agent, and he wasn't killed in a car crash, he was killed while on assignment. Eager to complete Ian Rider's mission, they send his nephew out into the field.

Released in September of 2000, Stormbreaker is the first novel in a series of spy novels featuring fourteen-year-old, Alex Rider. The novel and all sequels are published by Walker Books. Stormbreaker appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, topping off at #1 for children's series. On July 21, 2006, a film adaption was released, staring Alex Pettyfer at Alex Rider.

As a whole, the novel isn't well written. The author prefers "telling" over showing. Instead of using detail and the senses to give the reader information, he uses what are referred to as "info dumps." Which are basically blocks of information that are vital to the storyline, but the author couldn't think of a way to give you that information so they just tell it all to you. Instead of letting you feel the actions, and make it realistic, Horowitz just says "Alex rider did this. The bad guy did that." It's very boring and unentertaining.

The novel isn't realistic either - the idea of a government agency sending an untrained child on itself if unbelievable. Even in the most desperate of situations, sending in someone untrained is suicide, sending in an untrained child is suicide plus a public riot. Not to mention the "gadgets" Alex receives. Some of them are plausible, such as the yo-yo or even the "zit cream". But the fake GameBoy is just pathetic. Having a computer appear as a GameBoy to transmit images is believable, but having that same computer turn into an x-ray machine just by switching out cartridges is not.

The plot is also predictable. Everyone can easily see what's coming next - it's a straight forward novel with no real twists and turns in it. It's a classic happy, nothing can happen to the main character, ending. It's important for a novel to keep the reader engaged with plot twists, but this novel is one of those books you pick up and know the ending after reading two chapters.

Though not well written, this novel paved the way for similar books. The Young James Bond series, written by Charlie Higson, came out in March of 2005. Fledgling Jason Steed, written by Mark A. Cooper, came out in September of 2008. The novel also spawned several sequel all featuring Alex Rider.

Overall, the book is good for a young child who wouldn't question anything. For an older child or an adult, the novel is very poor quality. Between being poorly written, and not being very realistic, this is definitely not an "all ages" novel. It would be best for someone eight-years-old and under, maybe even younger.

The King of Torts

2009-08-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

Title: The King of Torts
Author: John Grisham
Rating: 3/5 stars
Review:
It really took me a while to get into this book. It started out pretty slow, but it was interesting. I kept reading, and I'm pretty disappointed with the novel.

The novel follows a man named Clay Carter - a lawyer working for the Office of the Public Defender. His job is going no where, his girlfriend and her parents are after him to "make something of himself" which translates into "make our daughter rich." It seems like his life is going no where.

Then he meets Max Pace. The guy pops up out of no where and offers him a case that can make him $15 million. How can Clay say no? And thus, Clay Carter enters the world of Mass Torts.

The main character really didn't appeal to me. He was a guy who had a fortune handed to him, blew it all on stupid shit, made stupid decisions, and basically screwed himself, and yet still comes out unscathed.

Through out the novel, I kept finding myself wanting to smack Clay for the stupid things he does. I would've liked the novel more if it had focussed more on Tequila rather than a greedy man blowing money left and right.

Welcome to the Dancing Dove!

2009-08-09T08:26:00.001-07:00

Welcome everybody, to the Dancing Dove! The Dancing Dove is a bar in Tamora Pierce's novels where the Court of the Rouge is housed. I figured I'd swipe the name to use for my book reviewing blog.

Every so often I'll be posting a review of a book I've read on here. I read all sorts of novel - Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, YA, Horror, etc. So you can find all sorts of books reviewed.