Entries Tagged 'J-L' ↓
March 15th, 2010 — Author Interviews, Contemporary, Cowboy, J-L, Mystery, Western
Keira: What made you decide to write about cowboys?
Joanne: I’ve always loved Western history, and when I first moved to Wyoming, I was amazed to see how much of the Wild West is still alive and kickin’ out here. Libby makes a comment early in the book that moving to Wyoming and seeing a guy wearing chaps is like moving to Austria and finding your neighbors decked out in Lederhosen, and that’s how I felt. Cowboys are the norm here in Cheyenne, especially during our annual Frontier Days rodeo, but at first, they seemed like another, very exotic species to me. I was like a googly-eyed tourist for the first two years I lived here, just taking in all the frontier flavor.
Keira: What does it take to win a cowboy’s heart?
Joanne: Well, it turns out they’re humans like the rest of us, so I think they’re looking for what all men look for—though a tight pair of Wranglers doesn’t hurt when it comes to getting things started! Seriously, though, I think what cowboys want in a wife is different from what they want in a girlfriend. When things get serious, all of a sudden honesty and smarts matter a lot more than looks!
Keira: What makes a hero perfect? What makes Luke Rawlins a hero readers will fall in love with?
Joanne: To some extent, what makes a hero perfect is imperfection—or at least, his own awareness that he has a few flaws, as well as a sense of humor that lets him laugh at them.
What makes Luke special is that the qualities that draw him to Libby are the ones that might drive other men away—her independence and spirit. He also understands that she’s been hurt and he’s willing to wait until she’s ready for a relationship. At one point in the story, Libby tells him to give up, that she’s damaged goods. His reply is simply, “You’ll heal. I’ll help.” I think that’s the heart of the book, and the essence of Luke’s appeal.
Keira: You’ve worked in bookstores all your life; what’s your favorite job in one? What would you say is the biggest perk?
Joanne: It’s hard to say what my favorite job is. I loved management because I could make a difference; I love being a bookseller because I get to sell my favorite books; and I loved being a buyer because it was a lot like shopping!
But the biggest perk? I met my significant other at the store; he was my best customer! And my favorite:)
Keira: Cowboy Trouble takes place in Lackaduck, Wyoming. Is the town fictional and are they lacking ducks there? Does Lackaduck resemble small town life in Wyoming?
Joanne: Lackaduck is a combination of many small towns in Wyoming, with elements taken from each. To some extent, it’s also my hometown of Cheyenne, distilled and condensed.
As for the lack of ducks, I don’t know. I just love weird town names, like Bug Tussle, Kentucky and Burnt Corn, Alabama. I wanted a name that had that kind of quirkiness to it, and Lackaduck just popped into my head and declared itself. A writer’s mind often makes about as much sense as calling a town Bug Tussle!
Keira: This next question is tough. Ready? How do you define romantic love?
Joanne: Oh, that is tough, because to some extent, it’s indefinable. I think the core of it is that the two people in love know, deep down, that they belong together, and that being together makes them complete. Being with that person gives you a feeling of deep satisfaction that makes the stress of everyday life trivial in comparison.
Keira: If you were in a romance novel, what subgenre would you be in and why?
Joanne: I’d be in one of those zany contemporary romances where the heroine always has her head in the clouds and screws up a lot!
Keira: In your opinion, is it tougher to write mystery or romance? Do you do anything in particular to keep track of key points and facts?
Joanne: I think they both have their challenges, and it really depends who you are. I originally started “Cowboy Trouble” as a mystery, but Luke and Libby couldn’t keep their hands off each other and their love story totally took over. Romance just comes naturally to me.
To keep track of the story, I use multicolored sticky notes. I write in the attic, and I stick the notes to the slanted ceiling above my desk. The different colors represent different elements of the story, and I move them around to make changes as the story takes shape.
Keira: What is your secret guilty plot or character type that you love beyond reason?
Joanne: I love gutsy screwball heroines! Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum is probably the best example. My favorite books have a mixture of humor and kick-a** adventure.
Keira: Shameless self promotion time: What’s next?
Joanne: Next is “One Fine Cowboy” which will be released this fall. It’s another cowboy contemporary about a psychology grad student/animal rights activist from New Jersey who goes to a horse-training clinic in Wyoming to learn about inter-species communication. The cowboy who’s teaching the clinic isn’t much for talking, but it turns out he’s an expert in non-verbal communication.
Keira: Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Joanne: Just a big thank you for inviting me for an interview. I love your site – your reviews are fun to read and I think you do a great job of helping readers make informed choices.
And for readers – I hope you enjoy reading “Cowboy Trouble” as much as I enjoyed writing it!
COWBOY TROUBLE by JOANNE KENNEDY—IN STORES MARCH 2010
Fleeing her latest love life disaster, big city journalist Libby Brown's transition to rural living isn't going exactly as planned. Her childhood dream has always been to own a chicken farm—but without the constant help of her charming, sexy, cowboy neighbor; she'd never have made it through her first Wyoming season.
Handsome rancher Luke Rawlins is impressed by this sassy, independent city girl. But he yearns to do more than help Libby out with her ranch…he's ready for love, and he wants to go the distance. When the two get embroiled in their tiny town's one and only crime story, Libby discovers that their sizzling hot attraction is going to complicate her life in every way possible…
Buy: Cowboy Trouble
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Joanne Kennedy has worked in bookstores all her life in positions ranging from bookseller to buyer. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers, and won first place in the Colorado Gold Writing Contest and second place in the Heart of the Rockies contest in 2007. Joanne lives and writes in Cheyenne, Wyoming. For more information please visit http://kennedysmyth.com/ and http://www.cowboytrouble.com/.
Giveaway: 2 copies of Cowboy Trouble are up for grabs. Perfect for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted mystery! Open to US and Canadian readers only. Sorry international readers! To enter ask Joanne a question. One entry per relevant comment; multiple entries allowed. Ends: March 22, 2010. Best of luck!
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March 14th, 2010 — 3 Stars, ARC, Bodyguard, Contemporary, Cursed Lead, Demon, Enemies, Foster/Orphan, Interracial, J-L, Magic Users, Paranormal, Survival, United States of America, Warrior
My Forbidden Desire starts with Harsh (from the first novel) and Alexandrine reconnecting. They are brother and sister. Alexandrine has been certain of Harsh's death for years, she's resentful for his sudden presence and insistence she needs protection from an evil mage... who just happens to be her real father.
Xia, a secondary character in My Wicked Enemy, is a newly freed fiend and the one charged with protecting Alexandrine. When Carolyn said she had refashioned bad boy Xia into a hero I knew I had to read his story! His intense hate, eagerness to kill, and desire to give out pain would be hard to overcome for any writer. Even more so when you planned to pair him up with someone who Xia considers his enemy, no matter how harmless. In my opinion, Carolyn has done a phenomenal job revealing the witch hater’s inner good qualities. Xia is very easily worth the price of the book.
Alexandrine Marit as a heroine is very likeable... despite being a witch. She possesses a great amount of unselfishness, though she has to work for it. The talisman she has found is putting a number on her similar to Golem’s reaction around the one ring in The Lord of the Rings
. Her self-sacrifices pile up throughout the novel – if I were to list them it would seem ridiculous, but I assure it is not. Simply put it is quite the only way to prove her character to Xia.
It took me a while to get into this book. The first chapter or two was pretty rough. I started and stopped twice before finally overcoming the strangeness of the novel's set up. As with Carolyn’s other novels, once you are involved in the story you simply can’t put it down!
Rating: 3 Stars
Buy: My Forbidden Desire
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Originally posted 2009-06-25 03:31:24. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 12th, 2010 — 1 Star, Book Review, Counts, Marquis, Viscounts, Great Britain, Heiress, J-L, Marriage of Convenience, Plump/Endowed Heroine, Regency, Virgin Heroine
I had several issues with this novel. First, there is no chemistry between Ian and Hannah. They are bland. The whole love story is flat. Frankly, I hardly cared whether they liked each other or not let alone loved each other. When they reach the realization and eventual declaration of their love to one another it is unsatisfying and unbelievable.
The book started off slow and never took off. It plods along at a rate that makes snails look daredevil speeding machines. Ian is a Marquis in need money to pay off debts. Hannah wants to please her father by gaining social standing and forget a shallow lover. They agree to marry, an arrangement that suits them both and promise never to bring up the bargain again. Except they do. Every scene. No joke. This creates a pattern that gets old fast.
He’s bitter because he was sold to the highest bidder. It really irks him and yanks on his pride. She’s tired of being seen as a title grabbing, social ladder climbing, merely passable bride. She tries so hard not to give him any reason to be ashamed of her and always sees herself as failing.
The back of the novel promises Hannah to socialize with the ton and another man who wants to win Hannah’s heart. It’s very misleading as neither of these ever really happen. Sure, eventually Hannah meets the members of the ton but it’s not pleasant and they snub her. The man is actually the shallow cad who dumped her for better looking goods at the beginning of the novel. He’s hardly a blip on the radar for how long you have to wait for him to show up and how short he stays.
Rating: 1 Star
Buy: A Bride for His Convenience
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March 9th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, ARC, Contemporary, Cowboy, Crime and Protection, Farming, J-L, Journalism, Mystery, Ranching, United States of America, Western
Joanne Kennedy’s debut novel will put the honky tonk back into your life. Pull up a stool in the Roundup and have Crystal Hayes pour you a beer as I’ve got the latest gossip.
Libby Brown is a city girl with a dream of owning her own chicken farm. When her boyfriend ran off with her boss at the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Libby packed up and headed to Wyoming. In addition to getting her chicken farm started, she works as a reporter for Lackaduck Holler.
Lackaduck is very small town. Neighbors are few and far between as ranches sprawl in all directions. Luke Rawlins is Libby’s sexy new neighbor. He is so typical stereotype cowboy in his whitewashed jeans, chaps, and Stetson hat, Libby can hardly believe he’s real. Aren’t traditional cowboys a myth? Not in Lackaduck!
Hearing about an unsolved local mystery perks Libby’s interest. With her background in crime stories, Libby dives headfirst into solving the case of Della McCarthy. Is she merely a runaway and missing or was she murdered? As clues stack up it begins to look more like the latter and not the former. The top suspects? A taxidermist, a chef, and a veterinarian... the real killer is close and he has his eyes set on Libby.
It's a little predictable as far as the mystery goes as I solved it pretty quick, but I had a lot of fun reading it anyway because of the relationship between the hero and heroine. Luke is a wonderful hero who knows how to handle a nervous filly.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Buy: Cowboy Trouble
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March 6th, 2010 — 4 Stars, Another Planet/Dimension, Book Review, Fantasy, Foster/Orphan, Friends, J-L, Medieval, Regency, Revenge, Survival, Virgin Heroine, Warrior, Young Adult
Choices Meant for Gods is a fantasy adventure romance, the first of three parts. Medieval overtones color the epic tale following a young twenty-year old heroine. Her name is Amanda Chariss. She has long auburn tresses, violet eyes, and holds the Geasa’n, the natural ability to perform magic. Chariss is an orphan, protected and raised by an old wizard named Hrazon.
For sixteen years, Hrazon and Chariss have been on the run from the sorcerer Jamieson Drake. Drake killed Chariss’ mother, Vertigo, and seeks to finish his revenge by obtaining her death as well. She does not trust stability in any form, for life has taught her it disappears in a blink of an eye. Hrazon has done his best to train his ward, but even a powerful wizard and protégé need help.
Meet Rothahn, the Master. He is the head god. His father before him selected Rothahn for the throne before moving aside. Rothahn however is far from holding ultimate power, a fact which annoys him as he thinks it would be useful… at least if only to kill off Godric, his daughter’s husband, and hid the blame.
Nigel, the twenty-eight year old man and our hero also holds the Geasa’n. He is Godric’s son, and Rothahn’s grandson. He, like Rothahn, holds no love for the man who sired him. Noble and kind, Nigel spends his time looking after his family and their holdings. When he meets our heroine for the first time he knows something is about to change in his life.
Julette is an evil goddess known as The Dragon. When her husband gave up the throne she was incensed that he would dare pass the power and glory to Rothahn. Was she not Queen? In league with Drake, Julette is determined to bring about a new world order that would have all mortals bow to her and pray for her deliverance.
Below are my two favorite passages between Chariss and Nigel as they discuss love:
“I fail to see how these simple things tell you you’re in love. Kaylin enjoys my company. Mia enjoys arguing with me. Master Rothahn says I’m compassionate to a fault. I saved Sorne’s life once. Jake told me I’m beautiful. Does this mean they’re all in love with me?”
“If love could be explained that easily, it wouldn’t be real.”
…
“Nigel, let me give you some advice. You don’t want to marry for love because people fall out of love, and then there’s nothing left between them.”
He stared at her in shock. “I believe that’s the most cynical statement I’ve ever heard in my life.”
Watch him break down her walls... sigh.
Rating: 4 Stars
Choices Meant for Gods
Originally posted 2009-06-16 03:43:15. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 5th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, 4 Stars, Book Review, Comedy of Manners, Contemporary, Entrepreneur, Erotica, J-L, Pirate, Rogues and Rakehells, Spectacles, United States of America
Old School romance daydreams + embarrassing contemporary situations * 2 potential heroes = exponential fun.
Inara Lavey writes loving parodies of old school romance for Cassandra to daydream. Of course our plucky heroine (who is the very definition of spitfire) gets caught out time and again. She lands in some very funny situations as she sleep walks during some of them.
Cassandra Devon works in customer relations at a paper product company back in San Francisco and when her skuzzy boyfriend ditches weekend holiday plans she is determined it’s for the last time and dumps his sorry butt. Cassandra calls up her best friend Val and remakes plans to enjoy a holiday with her in Palm Springs.
There she meets:
Connor is the charming Irish rogue who’s passionate personality makes him the ideal romance hero.
Raphael (Rafe) is “the physical incarnation of every romantic hero who'd ever strode, seduced, stalked or swashbuckled across the pages of countless romance novels.”
What did I tell you about Lavey? That's just a sample of her voice. Trust me, her writing is a hoot! Cassie’s internal dialogue is as sassy as any contemporary romance heroine and the daydreams are as equally riotous.
Now the only question that remains is who Cassie will choose: Rafe or Connor?
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars
Buy: Ripping the Bodice
Originally posted 2009-04-23 05:42:40. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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March 3rd, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Cinderella, Erotica, Historical Romance, J-L, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Revenge
Once upon a time, in a land far far away a beautiful girl by the name of Mariella decides to find herself a husband. Not just any husband mind you – but one that will be rich enough to provide her with a sense of freedom. She would love to wake up in the morning whenever she wanted to get up, spend the day pursuing whatever she felt like pursuing, and live a relatively carefree life that up to now she has not had. To find the husband she desires Mariella attends the balls set out for Prince Teodor’s wife hunt.
Never in all her wild imaginings did Mariella expect to find herself kissing the confused but eager Prince. She wasn’t looking to elevate herself in society to the point where wealth became an obligation – and with all the other girls vying for his attention she hadn’t expected him to gravitate toward her! What’s a girl to do when the devilishly good looking Prince proposes? By switching roles – I mean the rules – of course!
In the Glass Stiletto you will find what I think is light D/S. They play with ribbons and take turns being submissive (Teodor more so than Mariella.) Beyond that there aren’t any kinks that I think could possibly be offensive to anyone. There are a few words used in these scenes I would have switched out – surprisingly one of them is sexy; for the setting and the time period I felt seductive would have been more appropriate. Still, it’s hardly enough to nitpick.
I really, really, enjoyed listening the narration of the Glass Stiletto. It made all the difference. The acting in the bedroom was wonderful and a wicked thrill. Kenley knows how to tell a steamy tale that is for sure! If you’re listening in your car, the story may just fog your windows it’s so delightfully naughty.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy the audio here!
Originally posted 2009-04-06 05:33:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 20th, 2010 — 2 Stars, 5 Stars, ARC, Contemporary, Crime and Protection, Great Britain, Guest Reviews, J-L, Suspense/Thriller
By Susan S., Guest Reviewer
Almost Home is a beautifully, captivating read, with plot twists galore and a who done it feel until the very end!
Jordan Weiss (heroine) is an intelligence officer from Washington, D.C. She’s about to embark on a journey, which terrifies her, more than any covert operation she’s ever had. One where she must travel to London and confront a painful past.
Her new assignment is to find the person(s) responsible for a money laundering scheme. Money which is being funneled for illegal activities. But, when her main lead goes missing and people start turning up dead, it’s a race against time to find answers. After all, the Albanian mobsters aren’t known for their kindness. They’ll shoot to kill if anyone stands in their way.
When an old rowing buddy from Cambridge (Chris Bannister) rips open old wounds, Jordan will have to uncover dark secrets, before she can begin to heal. Her ex-boyfriend’s drowning 10 years ago hasn’t been easy on either of them. Jared’s death left grief and unanswered questions in its wake. Chris’s re-emergence has brought along a slew of dangerous potholes. Will Jordan complete her assignment, and maneuver them like a professional operative? Or, will she find herself on the wrong side of a gun wielding mobster.
Recommendations:
You “should” read this novel, if you enjoy Harlequin Intrigue and romantic suspense. Almost Home intermingles elements from the movies Clear and Present Danger
and Oxford Blues
. Jenoff’s novel “may not” be for you, if you like short reads like categories. Or, if you’re hoping to read erotica scenes, or are eager for that happily ever after.
Pam Jenoff is a new-to-me author. Can she write? Oh, absolutely! In fact, her writing is almost poetic. While reading, she had me so engrossed in the story; I’d lose all track of time. Be forewarned though, there is “no” happily ever after. The author leaves us with an unanswered question in the end. Leaving a door open for a sequel, maybe? I’d like to read it, if she does write one.
POV: Heroine’s, first person.
My favorite scene: Jordan has a flash back of an intimate moment spent with Jared. It’s raining; they’re in the ruins of a chapel, making love. The author does a beautiful job of setting that scene up for us.
Almost Home does not have a “developing relationship” between a hero and a heroine. As a contemporary fiction with suspense elements it garners a 5 star rating. As a romance novel, it earns a 2 star rating.
2 Stars, 5 Stars, Fiction, Contemporary, Suspense, ATRIA Books, A Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc., Copyright 2009, Print Pages, 376. ISBN-10: 1-4165-9069-2 ISBN-13: 978-1-4165-9069-9
Buy: Almost Home: A Novel
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February 19th, 2010 — Contemporary, Guest Blogger, J-L
by Robin Kaye, guest blogger
10. Domestic Gods know how to separate laundry, and are man enough to buy and care for fine washables.
9. Domestic Gods like more power...in their women, their cars, their vacuums, and their household cleaners.
8. Domestic Gods do manly things, like lift the couch with one hand to vacuum under it.
7. Domestic Gods don't question their sexuality: being a good cook and knowing how to clean doesn't make them effeminate. It makes them independent.
6. A Domestic God knows the way to a woman's heart is to show he's capable of killing bugs, scrubbing toilets, washing windows, keeping her well fed and well satisfied in bed.
5. A Domestic God knows there's nothing sexier than a man cleaning the bathtub for the woman in his life and then joining her in it.
4. Domestic Gods don't expect their women to be maids unless said women are into playing dress-up. Then, they prefer the French variety--feather duster included.
3. Domestic Gods can fix your car and fix you a five-course meal.
2. Domestic Gods not only respect women, they care for and about them.
And the number one reason women love Domestic Gods is...
Domestic Gods are as good in the kitchen as they are in the bedroom.
Most women I know ask me if Domestic Gods are a figment of my imagination or if they are real. I am here to attest to the fact that yes, Domestic Gods do exist. I know this because I'm lucky enough to be awakened every morning to my very own DG's kiss and a really good cup of coffee.
Let me tell you ladies, a lot can be forgiven when you awake to a good cup of coffee in bed and a kiss every day of the week. And since we live in the real world, it's a good thing because no matter how wonderful a real Domestic God is, he's still a man.
Dr. Mike Flynn, the Domestic God in Too Hot to Handle is nearly perfect. Of course, he's also fictional. Mike is the type of guy who cleans out the refrigerator in the doctor's lounge at the hospital, giving everything questionable the sniff test, washing the coffee cups left lying around, and wiping down the counters. Of course, everyone teases him about it, but Mike takes it all in stride.
In Too Hot to Handle, when Annabelle falls and rips a few ligaments in her ankle, he not only carries her to X-ray and diagnoses it, but he takes her home, cleans her apartment, cooks a hot meal and gives her plenty of TLC. When Mike and Annabelle go away for a long weekend on Westhampton Beach; Mike's the one who plans the meals, fills the cooler and barbecues-among other things.
The thing I love most about Domestic Gods is that no matter how great they are, they're men who are continuously stumped by the women in their lives. Still, they clean to relieve the stress that the rocky road to loves causes. I find chocolate to be the perfect stress reliever, but I'm glad it's not my DG's stress reliever of choice. I don't know about you, but a gorgeous Domestic God cleaning his way through the stresses of everyday life totally works for me.
This giveaway is for 1 copy of Too Hot to Handle and is open to US and Canadian readers. If you would like to be entered for a chance to win please leave a comment below. You'll receive two entries if you leave a comment detailing a special Domestic God moment that was performed by your honey or provide another reason to love Domestic Gods. The winner will be announced Sunday, May 10, 2009.
Originally posted 2009-05-07 05:05:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 18th, 2010 — About, Guest Blogger, J-L
by Pam Jenoff, guest blogger and author of Almost Home.
After the publication of my first novel, The Kommandant's Girl
, I was thrilled to be invited to speak at a number of events, ranging from small book clubs and library gatherings to larger fundraisers. I gamely accepted every invitation, participating in well over 60 events. By the end of the year, I found myself exhilarated but also, well, a little burned out. I realized then that promoting oneself as an author is an important, but time consuming job of its own.
As an author, there is nothing I like better than meeting readers in-person. But these days, with two jobs and a baby at home, I’m much more selective as to the invitations I’m able to accept. I think for most authors, there is a cost-benefit analysis that goes deciding whether to participate in an event. So if you are planning one, the following are my brutally honest tips for maximizing your chances of getting an author to attend:
Ask about timing.
Consider the author’s schedule. For some authors that also have a day job, an evening appearance may be the only option. Does the author prefer an early evening in order to get home to put her kids to bed or a later evening to allow her time between work and the event to eat and regroup? For example, I get up to write at five a.m., so staying late at an event is often not feasible. Also, to the extent you have control over the date, consult early with the author about whether some days are better than others.
Keep it short.
Even if your book normally meets for two hours, understand if the author may only be able to stay for the first forty-five minutes or an hour, and start promptly. This will also give your group a chance to candidly discuss the book further after the author has left.
Consider location.
I am far more likely to be able to travel to an event that is fifteen minutes from my house than an hour and a half away. Perhaps offer to meet at a restaurant or coffee shop closer to the author’s residence. Of course for a remote author, phone or videoconferencing can be a great alternative.
Have food.
Shallow, perhaps, but true. I spent a lot of nights during my first year as an author choking down a salad in a supermarket parking lot because there was no other option for managing dinner between work and a book event. I was always so grateful for the hosts that had light appetizers or even dinner.
Think about group size.
While small, intimate gatherings are fun, it is almost always more beneficial for the author to have a slightly larger turnout. Consider merging with another book club or reading group for the night to ensure a good crowd.
Plan promotion.
Are you going to advertise the event? Have books for sale? If so, discuss these things with the author when extending an invitation. For most of us, writing is the way we make a living and we are usually thinking about how an event can support book sales. I am frequently asked by inviting groups if I have books to sell. I don’t, but I’m so grateful when the group can arrange with a book store or the publisher to have them on hand for people to buy. And I am always happy to promote an event I’m attending on my website and Facebook.
Contemplate contingencies.
I kept participating in book events almost until the day my son was born, and when I couldn’t attend due to early labor contractions, the group I had to postpone was very understanding. Another group however, expected me to travel in a dangerous ice storm rather than reschedule. Take unexpected events into account!
I hope these suggestions don’t sound demanding or petty; that couldn’t be further from what I intended. I love participating in book events and meeting readers and plan to keep doing so as much as my crazy schedule will allow. Hopefully armed with these insider tips, you will have a great deal of success in bringing authors to your future events. I welcome your comments (and invitations of course 
) here or through my website www.pamjenoff.com.
Buy: Almost Home
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February 15th, 2010 — Author Interviews, J-L
Hi Robin and welcome back! I’m so excited to talk to you again. As with before, you’ve wowed me. I am really enjoying your Domestic Gods series. Loved Mike Flynn, who doesn’t? He cooks, cleans, and diagnoses!
Robin: Thanks for having me back to your wonderful blog. I love it here.
How tough was it for you to take side characters from a previous novel and flush them out to be main characters?
Robin: Not hard at all. Even my secondary characters are so real to me. They tend to try to take over the book, so taking a character and giving him or her their own book is somewhat of a relief. I can let go of the tight reign I’ve always had to use to keep my secondary characters from running away with the story.
What was some of the medical research you had to do?
Robin: I have an incredible doctor on speed dial. I schedule my appointments just before noon, and then I take him out to lunch and grill him. We had great discussions about partnerships, fellowships, and how much debt a person incurs becoming a doctor. He told me horror stories about some of the people he knew in nightmare partnerships and from our conversations; I came up with Mike’s conflict. When I’d write a scene like the interview for instance, I’d run it by him. I think that was actually during an appointment. LOL He seemed impressed that I understood both the business and the medical side on the interview.
He’s a wonderful asset and has been really great about it. He doesn’t even seem to mind that all his nurses suspect I’ve used him as the blueprint for Dr. Mike in my book. I haven’t, there’s way too much of an ick factor to do that, but I think he enjoys telling his wife I have. The only time he has a problem with helping me out is when I forget to tell him the person in need of medical care is a fictional character.
This story features some heavy emotional issues. How difficult was that to balance?
Robin: The emotional issues were a challenge. In Romeo, Romeo Annabelle wasn’t a very sympathetic character. At the time, I had no idea she’d be the heroine in the second book or I probably wouldn’t have made her so…difficult. I knew going in I had an uphill battle but even when Annabelle came to me in Romeo, Romeo I knew she had a lot of baggage. The trick was getting it out there in the very beginning without an info dump. I hope I succeeded. After that, everything seemed to flow.
What are some of the themes in your book you feel readers should know about before they start reading?
Robin: Wow, that’s a hard one. I’d love for people to open the book not knowing the theme and discover it as they read, but since I have to give you an answer, I guess the thing I discovered while writing Too Hot to Handle, is that when people grow, their definition of love changes. Annabelle loved her first fiancé, Chip, but looking back, they were both young and their love was immature. It probably would have died a natural death if Chip’s illness hadn’t made their relationship problems seem inconsequential. Two years later, when Annabelle falls in love with Mike, she’s a mature woman who lived through loss and overcame it. The love she shares with Mike is a mature love, one that will last.
In your opinion does love redeem or does it absolve and how does that idea play in Too Hot to Handle?
Robin: You really make my work sound so deep! I love it. LOL
I think love does both. It redeems and absolves. When you truly love someone you accept them, warts and all. Everyone comes into a relationship with baggage and the one thing I’ve learned is that if you love someone, you are able to see their true essence even when no one else can. From the get-go, Mike knows there’s more to Annabelle than meets the eye. He might not be exactly sure of what it is, but he sees it.
In every loving relationship each person has to learn to forgive and accept his or her lover throughout the relationship. That’s something both Mike and Annabelle learn by looking at the situation from the others point of view. I hope that answers the question. I don’t know a way to explain it better without giving the conflict away.
What do you think are Mike’s and Annabelle’s biggest flaws are as characters/people?
Robin: Mike’s biggest flaw is trying to control everything. He’s always been very responsible and tends to take responsibility for everything and everyone. In some respects it’s a quality, but every quality taken to the extreme is a flaw.
Annabelle is very closed and repressed. In a way she’s taken the easy way out, she’s just refused to deal with the hard stuff, the hurt and the loss. She’s really good at avoiding her feeling until she’s forced to when she meets Mike. She’s spent the last two years sleep-walking through life, allowing her family to push her into situations she would never have accepted if she were more in touch with her feelings.
Meeting Mike forces her to overcome the loss of her first love—two years too late. She grows up a lot during the course of the book. She learns to experience both the pleasure and the pain that love brings to a life. She also learns to stand up for herself.
In Too Hot to Handle, you’re really building the world around the characters. There are several who’ve come back to make a reappearance. Will they be in future books?
Robin: Yes, I love my secondary characters. In Too Hot to Handle, we get to see Nick and Rosalie (the hero and heroine of Romeo, Romeo
) Vinny, Aunt Rose and the rest of the Ronaldi clan. They also play a part in Breakfast In Bed, my next book in the Domestic Gods series.
Speaking of future books, who’s next? Rich, Becca, Ben? Tell me Benjamin Walsh is getting his own book! I do love a marriage of convenience romance, especially when it blindsides the guy!
Robin: Breakfast in Bed
is Rich Ronaldi’s book. And rest assured, Ben will get his own book too. I’m going to start working on the fourth book of the series just as soon as I finish the revisions of Breakfast in Bed. I can’t wait!
You're telling me! Don't forget to swing by and check out Robin Kaye's post on the Top Ten Reasons Women Love Domestic Gods for a chance to win a copy of Too Hot to Handle!
Originally posted 2009-05-08 05:25:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 15th, 2010 — Guest Blogger, J-L, Suspense/Thriller
by Cym Lowell, guest blogger and author of Riddle of Berlin.
When a writer crafts a thriller, is there a role that romance should play in the plot? This would be a great question for a creative writing class, along with other plot elements. Why? I can think of at least two reasons. First, there is no formula or stock answer so the question should generate plenty of lively discussion. Second, the lively discussion would be fascinating, reflecting the individual tastes of the participants.
As a practical matter, the thriller genre has enough sub-genres to absorb any level of romance that a reader could want. We have books that are described and promoted as romantic suspense or romantic mystery. There are probably books promoted as romantic thrillers, though none come to mind immediately. There are several that I think are romantic, as will be noted below, but I do not think they are promoted as such.
The place to begin this inquiry is to ask “what is romance?” Is it the subtle intrigue in the evolution of a relationship that seems too bizarre to be possible (this was the case in the now best seller The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova). Or is it the sensuality of James Bond and his “Bond girls?” There are plenty of books that seem to surf on swells of voyeurism as the plots center around sex.
Which of these areas is romantic to you? To me, “romance” is a critical element of the humanity of characters. For me to find kinship and interest in characters, I want to know that they have needs, hopes, and dreams. As a story progresses, I will identify with and be concerned about a character who is brave enough to address the danger in the story that is always on the horizon (after all, we are talking about thrillers). As empathy grows for the character, I am hopeful that he or she will find that dream at the end of the chase. If such elements of humanity are taken out of the character, it generally becomes more one dimensional and my interest is likely to wane.
For every successful thriller writer, there is a different formula that works for that author and the style of story that he or she likes to tell. If the style resonates with a large enough group of readers, then the author will find at least creative success, and maybe financial as well. At the end of the day, fiction writers address what they know, with their own insecurities, hopes, or desires in full bloom for readers to enjoy as they will. Some of us are romantics. Others of us are, no doubt, so insecure in our own lives concerning romance that it is hard to imagine how characters would experience the romance that can only be dreamed of.
What do you want in a thriller in terms of romance? Do you enjoy the intellectual stimulation of genuinely intriguing action story line (First Blood by David Morrell, the classic beginning of the Rambo saga. The only romance in that wonderful book was understanding what made that interesting young man home from war tick. What about the chase to determine the famous Jason Bourne’s identity as the bad guys seek to shut him up forever (The Bourne Legacy by Eric Von Lustbader and Robert Ludlum)? The romance here is often in the nature of liaisons that are consumed in the fire of the action. Do you want to understand the psyche of Jason and the sensuality that be hidden beneath the exterior that is painted vividly? Or the romance could be a bit of prop to establish the humanity of a thriller character, which is a common way in which romance seems to be embraced in thrillers?
I read a lot of books and I am constantly amazed at the prop nature of romance. In this sense, I think of a “prop” as being something that is necessary for the story but really has no role in it. How about romance being the real story and the action parts being the background (Terms of Attraction by Kylie Brant). I loved this book because it was so easy to attach to the characters and wonder what possibility there was between. The needs of both male and female protagonists were plainly established from the first moment. She is a professional killer (a police sniper), who is needful. Can she find it? Don’t you want your protagonists, male or female, to find excitement in their romantic lives? Don’t you want to read of them experiencing what you dream of for yourself? Do you want to see how the protagonists deal with emotions that you have felt in your life, reading the story amazed that fictional characters could experience what you have, then become hooked to see if they handle it better or worse that you did in your life?
For me? I love to combine an exciting thriller story-line with situations in which real people, like you or me, could find themselves ensnared. In my novel, Riddle of Berlin
, the female protagonist sees a likely dead body in the waters of the Seine River in Paris. She strips naked, jumps in, hauls the inert carcass aboard, nurtures it back to health, as her boat traverses the waterways of Europe. She falls in love, as does he with her. Initially, he thinks he died and awoke in Heaven in the arms of angel. “Angels are soft,” he said, “and delicious.”
My conclusion about the role of romance in thrillers is that a fiction writer puts his or her own feelings on paper, whether it is conscious or not. A few months ago, I was honored to be asked to address an African-American reading club. One of the ladies had read Riddle of Berlin and wanted me to address its Christian themes. Frankly, I was delighted to accept but mystified about the suggestion that there were Christian or even religious themes in the book. Upon reflection and preparation, I was surprised to find a wide range of such themes. When I then thought through why they were so apparent when I was looking for them, but not when the words were getting on the page, I had an interesting self-revelation. Religion is an important part of my life, so as I write it is inevitable that such themes find their way into the storyline.
Similarly, romance is a driving force in my life so it is not surprising that it is front and center in what I write.
Buy: Riddle of Berlin
Author Bio:
Cym is a thriller writer who lives on a lake in East Texas. A romantic, he enjoys weaving romance, spirituality, and experience from the world into his international thriller stories. He also enjoys reviewing a wide range of books, including romance stories, especially if the stories expose the souls of their characters.
You can find more information about Cym on his blog, www.cymlowell.blogspot.com and connect with him on Twitter, www.twitter.com/cymlowell.
Giveaway: Cym Lowell is offering two versions of his bookRiddle of Berlin to two readers today. One will get a a signed copy and the other will get an ebook version. Both are open to international readers. If you have a preference, please indicate in your comment. To enter leave a comment or ask Cym a question! One entry per relevant comment/question; multiple entries allowed. Ends: February 28, 2010. Good luck!
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February 12th, 2010 — Another Planet/Dimension, Author Interviews, Dragon, Fantasy, J-L, Magic Users, Young Adult
Warnings... if you weren't curious about Choices Meant for Gods or Sandy Lender before this interview you're going to be chomping at the bit to get this book to devour! Mwuahaha...
1. How did the idea for Choices Meant for Gods first come to you?
Sandy Lender: Way back when I was in junior high or early high school, the evil bad guy, Jamieson Drake, showed me Amanda Chariss. She was standing on a balcony, holding back the curtains as if embracing the morning sunrise and she was beautiful. I fell in love with her instantly. I got her name wrong at first...and I wasn't sure how she met Nigel Taiman at first...but I always knew she'd been running (with her wizard guardian) from this nasty old sorcerer Drake since she was a child.
I've got a notebook somewhere with a scene of Chariss and Hrazon meeting up with Nigel in the forest before they get to the Taiman estate. The names are all wrong but the camaraderie between Chariss and Hrazon is amazing. It shows Nigel instantly falling in love with this young lady, which I think is way too obvious, of course!
2. I'm pretty curious about Chariss. Why is she a heroine readers can get behind?
Sandy Lender: On one hand, Chariss is this amazing, kick-butt, no-holds-barred gal who possesses a well-controlled form of magic (the geasa) through years of training and self-sacrifice. On the other hand, she's just a 20-year-old girl who's been running from a madman since age four when the guy killed her whole family in front of her. She's sympathetic that way. She doesn't think of herself as any great shakes. She's done all this training so she can protect herself; not to impress anyone. She doesn't believe she can do anything great (flaw #1); she can't cook (funny flaw). She loves her guardian wizard like a father and would lay down her life to save his. She's kind to everyone because she just feels that's the right way to be. When she finds a fledgling dragon, she's excited and wants to feed it. She's just approachable and fun, strong and fabulous. There are reviewers on Amazon who state it more succinctly than I can because I'm too close to her. I've had her in my head for 25 years or so.
Oh. And then there's this amethyst on her cheekbone, high up near the corner of her right eye that she was born with. It's a "birthmark" of sorts that seals her fate...
3. What are some of the overarching themes that will drive your Choices trilogy?
Tolerance
Love
Spirituality
4. What are some of the difficulties in world-building?
Sandy Lender: Tracking those darn moons. I have a big ol' desk calendar, though, that I've plotted the moon patterns on so I know when the two moons in the world of Onweald are both full, both waning, etc. I need that information...
Another difficulty was measurements when I've got a flooding river in the mix. I have the evil bad guy in cahoots with an evil bad goddess (because one evil bad guy isn't enough, you know?) and they've got an evil bad army marching toward Chariss's latest refuge. Well, I've got to measure out how long that's going to take so everyone converges on the same place at the same time in Book III. So far, I think I have it timed just so...
5. Of course world-building isn't all work-a lot of it is fun. What's your favorite fantasy element you've incorporated into your world?
Sandy Lender: This is a really great question, Keira! There are a few elements I love...like Malachi, the dragon. I can't go into "why" because I would be giving away a bit of a mystery that the reader is supposed to solve before the end of Choices Meant for Gods. Chariss doesn't solve it (silly girl), but the reader figures it out. Mwuahahahaha.
I will pick: the geasa. I'm one of those funky Southern Baptists (even though I write bizarre fantasy about polytheistic societies - go figure) that believes sorcery and magic are things you best be pretty darn careful about. So, in my fantasy novels, I didn't want to confuse any impressionable minds (teens, etc.) who would be reading by having my "good guys" using sorcery or magic. So I made up a form of magic that comes from the good side of nature in my world. Now, you can argue that we're still using magic, and I agree, but, hey, it's my fantasy world and I'll cheat if I want to. So I made up the geasa as a god-breathed form of power that some people get while they're forming in the womb and some people don't. It's not necessarily hereditary, but many frightened bigots in the world of Onweald fear that it is, and many families have been murdered for producing Geasa'n children. That's where the theme of tolerance comes into play in the series. People who are intolerant and bigoted don't fare so well in my novels...
6. When it comes to the written word and real life, how do you define love?
Sandy Lender: I've just gone through a 17-month divorce, after a 13-year marriage that was mostly devoid of love, so I might not be the right person to ask. He he he. In fact, not long before I filed, my ex-husband informed me that he'd spent most of the marriage resenting me. Nice. So...I think I'll say that love would be NOT resenting the other person.
To be very serious, though, I would define love as mutual affection, respect, and, in romantic love, passion. Isn't it Eleanor in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility
who throws "esteem" into the mix? I agree with the concept. Even for romantic love, the friendship qualities have to be in there or your characters are just having a fling.
In Choices Meant for Gods, when Nigel and Chariss first see each other, Chariss is so distressed over a plot development that's happening that she doesn't really notice too much about him. But Nigel is instantly enamored. He wants to come to her rescue. A friendship builds between the two before Nigel ever announces his intentions. Chariss wouldn't have had it any other way.
7. How did ArcheBooks first hear of Choices Meant for Gods?
Sandy Lender: I had a pitch session with the publisher, Bob Gelinas, at a writer's conference in Southwest Florida. He took my proposal, synopsis, marketing plan, first three chapters, and then requested the full manuscript a few days later. Woo-hoo! That was probably the most stressful interview of my whole life. Bob was a kind person, rather informal, just havin' a conversation about my book, but he probably doesn't realize I was on the verge of cardiac arrest the whole time.
8. Fill in the blank: If you're not writing, you are irritable.
9. What do you hope readers will gain from Choices Meant for Gods and the rest of your trilogy?
Sandy Lender: Even though life isn't always fair, even though we don't always get what we want, there are amazing people we meet during our journeys who lift us up. Without these people, the journey wouldn't be worth much.
10. Is there anything else you'd like to share with us?
Sandy Lender: This might seem a wee bit odd, but in addition to my Choices Meant for Gods, I would encourage folks also to read Jane Eyre,
by Charlotte Bronte. This novel is one of the best ever written. It's my favorite of all time. There are elements in Jane Eyre that influence my writing on a conscious and subconscious level, and folks who have already read the book will probably pick out a few of those elements in Choices Meant for Gods.
Also, thank you so much for hosting me! And thank you to all the visitors who've stopped in to read our interview today. It's been a fun exercise.
Thank you so much Sandy for sitting down and doing this interview with me! I'm so excited about this book and I hope everyone else is too.
If you're interested in WINNING an autographed, hard cover, first edition of Choices Meant for Gods leave a COMMENT on today's post AND tomorrow's post because at the end of each week one commenter (from all the blogs in the tour that week) will be randomly drawn and awarded. It might be you!
Buy: Choices Meant for Gods
To learn more about Sandy and Choices Meant for Gods check out the rest of her blog tour:
Originally posted 2009-06-12 03:39:34. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 9th, 2010 — 4.5 Stars, Book Review, Children, Great Britain, Historical Romance, Kings, Princes, Sheiks, Chiefs, Lisa Kleypas, Queen or Princess, Russia, Scarred Hero, Time Travel
This love story is one of the most endearing I have ever read. Lisa Kleypas spins a tale worthy of mystical magical world of fairy tales. Based on Russian superstition, a prince who is like the Beast in Beauty and the Beast meets the woman of his dreams and learns to love. The bedroom scenes are exciting and steamy. Prince of Dreams is a novel not to be missed.
Despite his wealth, Prince Nikolas did not lead a charmed life. Taught early on the abuses man could inflict, Nikolas is determined to avoid emotions at all costs. Tortured and exiled from Russia, Nikolas makes a new home in England where during his recovery he meets Emma Stokehurst. At the tender age of thirteen, Emma is the girl Nikolas is certain he will wed. She is his destiny.
Nikolas remains on the fringes of Emma’s life as she grows and now at the age of twenty, he is more certain than ever that she is the one for him. Emma is tall and lithe, her body he imagines will match his own to perfection. Her red hair, independence, and forthright attitude remind him of the women back in Russia. Though she has a large dowry, Emma is left alone and dismissed by the male of the species. Everything about her is unfashionable in the eyes of polite society.
When he discovers that a man is wooing her under false pretenses, Nikolas strikes swift and sure, cutting her secret beau out of her life with a single conversation. Everything is working according to his plan as Nikolas seduces and marries the bewitching Emma. Now with her by his side as his wife, he is positive that his life is going to turn for the better. He was wrong.
Emma’s gentle nature and guileless giving is more threatening than the memories of those that tortured him in Russia. She can cause more havoc with a single kiss than Nikolas is comfortable with. His life has been dedicated to suppressing his emotions and the feelings Emma brings out are threatening to destroy all that he’s worked for, so Nikolas does the most hateful thing he can think of… he sleeps with another woman.
But despite the wedge he’s driven between them, the bewildering flashes of déjà vu keep happening to him. Snippets of conversation leave him in a cold sweat and a painting once revealed causes him to faint dead away. When Nikolas awakes he is angry and confused. Destiny has taken him back in time to mother Russia, where he lives life through the eyes of his ancestor Prince Nikolai. It is here in the midst of the past, Nikolas learns to become a better man… Emelia, beautiful Emelia, who is in every way his wife Emma, teaches Nikolas how to love. Disaster tears them apart and sends Nikolas to the future.
Realizing what a mess he’s made of his own life, Nikolas is determined to set things right. But Emma won’t have him. She doesn’t trust in the changes Nikolas has under gone. She won’t love him… won’t let herself love him. This new man who is in every way the man she had hoped he would be can't last, because she knows his nature. As soon as she loved him he’d revert and mock her for her love. After all Nikolas is not a man that can change, he is a product of others hatred and fear, whose innate stubbornness rejects all kinds of affection. But he has changed and he will prove it. If it’s the last thing he does, he’ll make her believe in him; love him as she once did in the past.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Buy: Prince of Dreams
Originally posted 2008-12-07 19:34:48. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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February 6th, 2010 — 3.5 Stars, Book Review, Bride Stealing, Dukes and Earls, Friends, Great Britain, Heiress, J-L, Medical, Mistaken Identity, Regency, Runaway, Soldier, Virgin Heroine
If you're looking for a light happy read though you will like this novel. It's a perfect companion for a long flight or car ride and will keep you entertained.
The romance is a little overblown and the plot devices a little too farcical. There is a whole gamut of standard plots can be found within this romance:
The hero gives up his title and fortune to become a baron’s head groom in a pointless act of revenge against his father. Next our jaded hero falls in love with the artless ingénue. The heroine sucks at female domestic stuff like sewing and refinement. Instead she wants to be a doctor in a time period where that’s impossible… Unless you were a gypsy. There’s gypsies. The hero and the gypsies both approve of her becoming a healer.
A semi-evil ex-mistress turned dowager duchess, having married hero’s brother. A fortune hunting shmuck that pursues the heroine who thinks he’s in love. Our hero finds out he doesn’t mind his fortune and prestige. No, really? He’s happy to take back control and if not lovingly then kindly and open-mindedly looking out for his tenets.
Heroine gets mad at hero just before the resolution because he’s been keeping stuff hidden from her. It’s a pretty ridiculous argument because she’s agreed verbally and nonverbally to his withholding information for the first five sixths of the novel.
What’s nice though is that despite the shortcomings the narrative is extremely engaging. Julie has a talent for drawing you into the story. I was reading it pretty happily. It’s very indulging and fun. Not a runaway success, but highly enjoyable nevertheless. I know, bad pun.
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Buy: The Runaway Duke
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