Interview with romance author Morgan Ashbury Part 1

Morgan Ashbury is an author of erotic romance. Her first book was published in 2007. In just 4 short years, she has published almost 20 books.  I've known Morgan since before she was published and am delighted that she agreed to an interview. It actually turned into a fairly lengthy interview, I kept thinking of "just one more question!", lol. She graciously put up with all of them. I have broken the interview into two parts to make it a little easier to read. This first part deals mostly with her writing and her books, the second part is more general.

Last week, Morgan's publisher, Siren Publishing, announced that she also writes as Cara Covington, bringing her published works to over 20 books.

This is also the first installment of my year long series of interviews with authors who are also members of Kelley Armstrong's discussion board (though they may have a different name on the board). All of the writers are now, or were in the past, part of the KA board's Online Writers Group. That group has been remarkably successful at getting published.

A little bit about Morgan, from her website : 


The only dream I've ever had was to be a published author. It was a dream formed in childhood, and held on to through the business of growing up. Life intruded, as life does, and my dream was put on hold. But now, through hard work, faith, and luck dream has evolved into reality.

Romance is a wonderful genre that accommodates every other. Comedy, mystery, paranormal, suspense, or science fiction, romance embraces them all. Erotic romance gives all of that, and so much more.

For readers who want all the best traditional romance has to offer – great characters, compelling stories and a happy ending – and who crave that extra bit of heat – I invite you to read one of my novels and let me know what you think!

Morgan can also be found on facebook, twitter, and at  goodreads.


Bea: Morgan, thank you so much for being here today, I really appreciate it.

Morgan: Thank you so much for this opportunity!

Bea: Why writing? Would you continue to write if you were no longer published?

Morgan: I think it’s a case that writing chose me, rather than the other way around. I don’t believe it was ever a conscious decision on my part, as I wrote my first story when I was 8.  Would I continue if I was no longer published? Of course. Being an author isn’t what I do, it’s who I am. 

Bea: What is your favorite part of writing?

Morgan: There comes a moment, as you’re progressing through the steps of writing when everything gels. The characters step up to the plate, take over, and the story begins to grow, almost on its own. When that happens it’s absolute magic, and makes everything that might be difficult about this calling worth it.

 Bea: What advice would you give writers who aspire to get published? What is your least favorite part of the whole writing and publishing process eg edits, pr, interviews <big evil grin>, etc?  What is your favorite part? 

Morgan: I am one of those strange creatures who likes every aspect of this process. I can even put on my promoter’s hat when I have to—as so many of your readers who’ve met me at the RT Booklovers’ Convention will know. There isn’t anything about the writing process I don’t like.

My biggest piece of advice to anyone who wants to be a published author is…write. Write every day, at least something. Write and write and write some more. And one more thing. Don’t you ever, ever quit.

Bea: Why erotic romance? What do you like about it? Any plans to write in other genres? What do you say to people who look down erotic romance?    

Morgan:  I love romance. The main thing I love about it is you can find any other genre within its pages; also, romance, with its emphasis on the happy-ever-after, is a reading experience that uplifts. The author of romance can unashamedly portray the human character as very human, and as striving toward the ideals of love, honor, fidelity…the list goes on. Erotic romance just allows me to tell the whole story.

I do, of course, hope to continue to grow as an author; and so I look down the road, and hope to become published in mainstream romantic suspense and mainstream fiction.

As to those who look down on erotic romance, I just shrug. Did you know there are people who look down on all genre fiction as being “transitory” or “trashy”? To them, only literary fiction is worth reading.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. You can’t generally change people’s minds: they have to do that themselves.

My stories are well written, have depth of character, and I have a lot of readers – I can honestly say thousands of readers. I write for them.

Bea: Your first books were straight up romances with an erotic component. You've also done some with fantastic or magical components. You have slowly moved into romance stories that are more erotic, exploring other areas of sexuality including multiple partners and BDSM. What prompted the change?  

Morgan: In the beginning, I wrote romance. Then I wrote erotic romance with one hero and one heroine.

One cardinal rule for every published author is: know who your readers are. The second rule would be: give your readers what they want.

So to answer your question, I adapted my writing to meet the demands of my readers.

Bea: Your novel, "Shackled", came out in January, part of your BDSM series. Did you do much research for it? <grin> (see my review)

Morgan: Mr. Ashbury is always a willing and eager research partner. And, too, the Internet allows one to travel unknown worlds from the safety of an office chair. <grin>

 

Bea: Can you tell us something about your next book? 

Morgan: I do plan to do another story in the “Reckless Abandon” universe. And, I am currently working on “Love Under Two Fly Boys”, which will be the fourth book in the Lusty, Texas series. That series grew, by the way, out of the only two historical books I’ve ever written – the Lost collection books called Love Under Two Gunslingers, and Love Under Two Lawmen.

Ok, I'll end here and post the rest tomorrow. 

Review: Shackled by Morgan Ashbury

Book Blurb: Bethany asks Jordan Fitzpatrick, owner of Reckless Abandon, to find her a Master, agreeing to accept his choice. But never would she have guessed that he’d choose young hard-body Jonathan Steele. Fifteen years her junior and a friend for years, Jonathan soon lets her know, in no uncertain terms, that he is coming for her one way or another.

Jonathan’s sights are on Beth, and though she readily accepts her true sub nature, he knows he’s in for a struggle. Beth has been taught by her late husband that she can only depend on herself--a lesson that will be a challenge for Jonathan to undo.

With the help of best friend Peter Hamilton and the atmosphere of the city’s premier BDSM Club, Reckless Abandon, Jonathan knows it’s a challenge well worth meeting. The only uncertainty is whether or not he can get Beth to completely surrender to him before another does her harm.

My Thoughts: I enjoy reading romance novels, and I am a sucker for a happy ending. I also sometimes enjoy some fun-filled sex mixed in with my romance, be it graphic or mild. Happily, Ms Ashbury can be counted on to provide a fun, enjoyable erotic romance. In recent books she has gotten more adventurous, moving away from a standard M/F romance and exploring  M/F/M couplings, BDSM, sex toys, etc. I can't help but wonder if she did any hands-on research. :P *wicked grin*

     I know very little about BDSM so it was interesting for me to read this story. It's primarily told through Bethany's eyes, with occasional peeks into Jonathan's mind. We never get inside Peter's head, we only see him through Beth and Jonathan's eyes. As a result he was less fleshed out which is unfortunate since he is part of the love story.
    
     We follow Bethany on her journeys as she learns about the Master/sub relationship, and her developing relationship with Jonathan. Jonathan has wanted Beth for a very long time and with the death of  her husband, he is free to make his move. To his surprise, she makes the first move by going to the local BDSM club and requesting that she be given a Master. The owner and manager, who knew she was coming because she'd made an appointment, has Jonathan ready and waiting in the wings. Jonathan gives Bethany no time to catch her breath and immeidately whisks her off. He deliberately keeps her off balance so that she will not have time to over think things, as she's prone to do. Peter, a good friend of Jonathan's and a fellow Master, is biding his time, waiting for his cue from Jonathan to join in the relationship. Peter knows Bethany casually but is interested and he and Jonathan are hoping to convince Beth to accept both of them.

     The love story moves along quickly but doesn't feel rushed and Ashbury has gotten quite good at writing her sex scenes. There were a few thigns that didn't work for me: Beth, who is portrayed as a caring and concerened parent gives little thoought to how her grown children will react to her new relationship and livign arrangement. Now I don't expect that to be a large part of the story but some acknowledgement of it would be realistic and normal. The other part that didn't work for me was the subplot with Beth's sister-in-law Constance. While it did provide some additional dramatic conflict, I don't think it was necessary and it detracted from the overall story.

     Despite those drawbacks, this was a fun, sexy, enjoyable love story and definitely worth a read.


Publisher: Siren Bookstrand                                                      Release Date: January 14, 2011

More info: goodreads

**The author is a friend of the reviewer**

This ebook was received from the author for review.

Author Donna Burgess: The Evolution of the Vampire in Literature

     Bea: Donna Burgess, the author of Darklands: A Vampire's Tale ( a review of which is coming later today), Wandering Star, and The Blue Children: Short Vampire Fiction among others, is joining us today. She kindly agreed to do a guest post and took on the daunting task of examining the evolution of the vampire in litereature. So, get comfy, read on, and then give us your thoughts on the subject, maybe even win something. :P

     Donna, thank you for coming today and talking with us. :)

     Donna: Today's literary vampire bears little resemblance to the horrifying bloodsuckers of folklore or even Bram Stoker's loathsome creation of 1897. Today's vamps are heroic, gorgeous, and can emerge into bright sunshine without becoming a pile of ashes. They hold jobs in hospitals, solve crimes, or manage night clubs. Today's vampire has become an everyday Joe, with not a shred of evil in their conflicted little hearts.

     When was the last time you read or watched a vampire die by the stake? It's a piece of the vampire myth that has become lost in the world of today's urban fantasy novels. Not many of today's vamps carry a distain for garlic or crucifixes any more, either. And a fear of daylight? Hardly. Most modern vampires actually prefer the light (or at least twilight). Capes are not exactly the outerwear of choice for happening 21st century bloodsuckers. And contrary to any notions otherwise, centuries-old vampire men actually prefer the company of whiny high school-aged girls.

     Are these changes to the original lore good or bad? I have a foot planted firmly in both camps. I adore the notion of the sexy vampire who finds himself thrust in the everyday human world. Yet, I sort of miss the aspects of an actual creature of the night, who kills because it's the only way he (or she) knows. 

     We live in the world where everything has become “softer.” We choose softer expressions in language. Nobody is really ugly anymore; they are “aesthetically challenged.” Toilet paper is now bathroom tissue (thanks George Carlin!). And “the Count” from Sesame Street is about as scary a vampire as you are going to get. We are in the era of the “kinder, gentler” bloodsucker. 

     These changes are not necessarily bad. Nothing that brings new fans to a genre that only a short while ago was about as stagnate as Witch Hazel's panties can be bad. Still, there is something in me--something left over from the time when I was a kid and lived on Christopher Lee, “Blacklua” and Grimms Tales of Terror--that really wants to see some old-fashioned, scary, photosensitive vampires who devours any unsuspecting individual who makes the mistake of venturing out after dark. I need a little 30 Days of Night to offset my Vampire Diaries. Good thing there seems to be enough room and enough readers out there for both the evil and the sexy vamp. The lore and allure of the vampire tale is constant evolving. Just think, twenty years from now, True Blood will seem old and lame, too.
 
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                                      GIVEAWAY!!!

Donna is offering 2 copies of her her book Darklands: A Vampire's Tale to 2 lucky blog readers. There's 1 ebook for an international reader and 1 print book for a US reader. To enter comment below, telling us what you think of vampire's in today's literature, and a way to contact you - email, twitter name, etc. The giveaway runs for a week, until midnight EST on Thursday Feb. 17th, 2011.

Review: These Things Hidden by Heather Gudenkauf

Book Blurb: When teenager Allison Glenn is sent to prison for a heinous crime, she leaves behind her reputation as Linden Falls' golden girl forever. Her parents deny the existence of their once-perfect child. Her former friends exult her downfall. Her sister, Brynn, faces whispered rumors every day in the hallways of their small Iowa high school. It's Brynn—shy, quiet Brynn—who carries the burden of what really happened that night. All she wants is to forget Allison and the past that haunts her.

But then Allison is released to a halfway house, and is more determined than ever to speak with her estranged sister.
 
Now their legacy of secrets is focused on one little boy. And if the truth is revealed, the consequences will be unimaginable for the adoptive mother who loves him, the girl who tried to protect him and the two sisters who hold the key to all that is hidden.

My Thoughts: Recently I've been reading a lot of genre fiction, primarily urban fantasies and romances, so I was ready for a break when I picked this up. I had no trouble switching gears to read it. In fact, when I first sat down with it, I thought I'd read a few chapters then put it down to do my chores. Two plus hours later, I put it down, completely finished. I had lost track of time and have no idea what played on the tv that I'd left on. I was utterly engrossed reading this book and that hasn't happened in quite a while. 

     The story gripped me from the start. There are four main characters: Allison Glenn, her younger sister Brynn Glenn, their school peer Charm Tullia, and Claire Kelby, a bookstore owner. The story is told from their viewpoints, with each chapter focused on one of the women. Allison and Brynn's chapters are told in the first person while Claire and Charm's are in third person. I found this worked very well and was quite effective. I can't imagine the story being as compelling or effective told from only one perspective. The multiple narrators and perspectives allows Gudenkauf to slowly unfold the story, revealing a little at a time. It's a cliche, but it really is like an onion, peeling away the layers.  We see certain events from more than one viewpoint, like changing the angle of a camera lens or the lighting you use; something new is revelaed each time.
    
     We don't know initially what Allison's crime is or how she connects to Claire and Charm. Gudenkauf parcels out the information throughout the story but even then, events aren't always as they appear to be. As the story progresses and we learn more about the women and the little boy at the center of everything, I found myself dreading what might come next because I wanted a happy ending for everyone. It was all too easy to imagine the story actually happening, to picture myself hearing it on the tv or on the web. For much of the story I was teary eyed; I empathiszed with all the characters, even when they weren't always likable. Gudenkauf doesn't try to paint any of the characters as perfect or unbeleivable, they all have their flaws and their moments of being unpleasant or unreasonable. This added to the realism and gave it additional depth.

     "These Things Hidden" is not a happy story. Decisions and secrets have consequences, often unpleasant ones, and even trying to do the right thing can cause misery. Yet, the book is full of hope, the possibility of redemption, and the power of love. I loved this book.

Publisher: Mira                                                                          More info: goodreads

Release Date: February 2011

I recieved this book as a print ARC from the publisher.

Review: Winter Wishes by Vivi Andrews, Vivian Arend & Moira Rogers

Book Blurb: A Twist on Tradition

A woman has the Christmas Eve from Hell. Two cat shifters play naughty games. And a witch brings out the beast inside the man. The magic of the season takes on a whole new meaning in these three fantastic—and festive—novellas from some of the best voices in paranormal romance.

Anthology includes:  Tangled Tinsel by Vivian Arend
                                   No Angel by Vivi Andrews
                                   Freeze Line by Moira Rogers

Stories also available for purchase separately.

My Thoughts:  The anthology has a very fluid theme of wishes made at the holidays. The fluidity allows for some flexibility in how the stories are handled. Two of the authors chose Christmas and one chose Solstice. Interestingly, in each story the male needs saving of some kind - emotional, physical, etc. In all of the stories, the characters undergo revelations and grow and change. That's a pretty neat trick for a novella.


Tangled Tinsel

Five miles of leather-clad leg is all it takes to lure Kyle Branegan out from his carefully hidden lifestyle as part of the Cougar Corp, a secret branch of the Shifter Enforcer League. He's hoping for a night of fun and frolic, cat-style, no strings attached. With a sultry swing of her hips, Eloise Scott tangles him up in her ball of tricks, and just when he thinks he's about to get lucky, she cuffs him--naked--to her bed.

An undercover cop in the human police force, El's been given a top-secret mission to keep the big cat under her paw until he's needed to testify in court in the New Year. Her decision to take him home for a quiet Christmas in her sleepy hometown turns out to be far more interesting than she expected. Her parents are suddenly rich, her old boyfriend is sniffing around and all six-feet-plus of sexy cougar male is sleeping in her bed.

And that's before they announce their fake engagement...
 
     This author was new to me. I had never heard of her before. The story felt to me like it was part of a series, set in an established world. I was sometimes lost trying to understand the world. According to her website it's a stand alone, with nothign to indicate that it fits into an existing world. So on the one hand, Arend did a good job of building the world to make it feel so real, but on the other hand, it left me, the reader, confused.

     The story starts very quickly with Kyle following El to a lingerie store after seeing her walk by him. There's a humorous bit involving him imitating a store clerk followed by a steamy make out scene in the store fitting room. They head back to some place a little more private, her place, where Kyle is completely surprised by what happens next.

     At times I found Kyle to be overbearing and condescending, traits that I don't care for in real life or fiction. At other times, he was kind and thoughtful. El is emotionally strong except when it comes to her family. She loves them at teh same time she doesn't understand them and avoids visiting.

     Together, Kyle and El help each other out and discover new things about each other and their families. Despite that, I had a hard time connecting to the characters. Add that to my confusion about the world and it was my least favorite of the stories.

      This novella had the most explicit, and frequent, sexual scenes. (Not a bad thing, just FYI)
     
No Angel

When Sasha's boyfriend Jay is sucked through a fiery vortex to Hell, an angel reveals that she's been chosen as the Champion of Virtue in the battle for his immortal soul. As a perennial offender on Santa's naughty list, Sasha can't believe she's anyone's idea of a girl fighting on the side of the angels. But if she doesn't save Jay, he'll be stuck in Hell forever!

Jay aka Jevroth isn't surprised to find himself back in Hell. His visa to visit the mortal plane expired three months ago, but to steal more time with Sasha he's been ignoring his mother's demands to come home to meet his new stepfather: Lucifer.

Sasha has until dawn on the 25th of December to fight the Legions of Hell and rescue Jay, or be trapped there for eternity herself. But now she must decide if the lying, son-of-a-demon is even worth saving...

     I was hesitant about this story; angels and demons aren't my favorite supernatural beings and the premise seemed fake. To my surprise, I liked the story a lot. It has humor, tension, romance, a glimpse into Hollywood, and two very likable leads. The story flowed right along, never moving too fast or too slow and both Jay and Sasha feel like people you might know in your every day life. Now how many demons can you say that about? :D

     I really liked how both Jay and Sasha tried to be their "best" selves with each other, instead of their real selves. As a result, neither knows the other very well and when they go to Hell, the truth comes out. To the surprise of both of them, they like each other's real selves much better than who they pretended to be with each other. Andrews doesn't hit us over the head with the message but works it skillfully into the story.

     A surprise for me was how likable, and pleasant even, Satan was. Yes, he is The Prince of Lies, but he's also a guy dealing with a conniving wife and a reluctant stepson. Even demons have family problems. Andrews was a new-to-me author and after reading this story, I'll be looking for more by her.

     One fairly graphic sex scene towards the end.


Freeze Line

A twenty-first century ice age dulls the magic that emanates from the earth. Shane Sullivan is a lone wolf above the freeze line; He has no desire to join the packs that range closer to the border, where feral instincts can turn a man into a monster. Not until the winter solstice, when he stumbles across a dying witch who needs his help to get back to her people--and her magic--in the south.

Nadia is a powerful woman in her own world, but drained by her escape from captivity in a northern lab. She knows it's foolhardy to trust a werewolf, but he's her only chance to survive the vast white wilderness. The farther south they travel, the harder it is for Shane to keep the beast within under control, and as their mutual attraction intensifies, Nadia's no longer sure she wants him to.

     I had the pleasure, thanks to a friend and Twitter, of discovering the wonderful writing team who make up Moira Rogers just a few months ago. I'm also very fond of werewolves and witches, they are my favorite supernaturals, so I was pretty sure I'd enjoy this story. I did.:)

     Shane is a decent man dealing, the best way he can think of, with the changes in his life since becoming a werewolf. Nadia is a woman, a witch, just trying to survive. Together, they help each out, saving each other's lives and healing their emotional wounds.  I liked how Rogers didn't rush matters between them but let it build. Despite the fact that I am not a werewolf, nor, rumors to the contrary, a witch, I was able to connect with both Shane and Nadia. I cared about them and wanted to see what would happen.

     The world building in this one also felt like a pre-existing  world but not so much so that I was lost. As far as I can tell,  it's the only story in this world but I'd like to see more.

     Contains several sex scenes of varying graphicness. (I have to say, the Rogers team does an awesome job of writing sex scenes; they have become one of my favorites.)


     Overall, this is a solid anthology, with each story worth reading.


Publisher: Carina Press                                                  

Release Date: November 6, 2010

More info: goodreads

This book was received from NetGalley as an  eARC.

Interview with author Susan Roebuck

Susan Roebuck is "a published author, a book lover and protector of the laurel forests in Madeira."

Originally from the UK, she's traveled to every continent, and now lives outside of Lisbon, Portugal. Impressed yet? She also has been a teacher, a translator, a journalist, a blogger and a devourer of books! Writing from a young age, she's published bits and pieces over the years.

 Perfect Score is an excellent debut novel, and I was very happy when she agreed to answer a few questions. She's my first interview for the Nook!

********

1. In Perfect Score, you have great details in regards to Sam's knowledge of animals, herbal medicine and living on the streets. The same goes for Alex's love of music. What kind of research did you do for a story?

Tons. You know the old fundamental writing rule: write about what you know? Well I broke it. I admit I’m a little like Sam in his love for animals but the only time I rode a horse in my life, it died. Well, not immediately – some days later. However, I do have friends who ride so that bit was easy. And so was herbal medicine. We have lots of woods around here and I was out one day with some friends and a woman I didn’t know very well. She went into raptures over weeds: “St. Robert’s Herb. Fabulous for cystitis. Goldenseal – who’s got a cold?”

I don’t know anyone living on the streets but I got the idea of Itinerant Dan from a story someone told me. Then I read Orwell’s Down and Out in Paris and London which was really inspirational and touching. I love music but have the musical ear of an ant. However, friends come in very handy and I have one who used to play in a band. But to go back to your question: I had to read many books (Bob Dylan’s Chronicles, James Herriot’s vet series are just two). And the internet – what would I do without dear old Google? I do think it took me longer to research than it did to write the book.

2.M/M stories can lead to some controversy - what drew you to writing this one?

It didn’t start out as M/M. Sam was a girl at the beginning – I swear! “Perfect Score” was originally set at the Woodstock Music Festival in 1969. Alex was a musician and Sam was a girl fan. But the story evolved until the end product didn’t resemble the original in the slightest – except the date and I kept to that because I wanted to bring the problem of dyslexia to the fore and how it was so misunderstood even relatively recently. Sorry – back to M/M. It just came naturally because Sam couldn’t have withstood the hardships as a girl so he had a miraculous, overnight sex-change. In any case I believe true love can hit anyone and I have no problems with M/M. Some of my readers have told me they’d never read an M/M novel (ewwww, they say), but they forced themselves to read mine and were truly surprised by the naturalness of the romance which, let’s face it, isn’t the core message of the story anyway and it’s not at all erotic. It’s more about corruption, overcoming hardships, and two people trying to be worthy men in a worthless world (too many wwwws, sorry).

3. I know you are an avid reader, do you have a particular genre that you prefer?

I’m an eclectic reader. I read everything and my favourite is the Ghormenghast trilogy by Mervyn Peake. I’d like to write a gothic novel one day but they’re not very popular just now. I review a lot of romance novels for different websites but on my Kindle at the moment I have: If This is Paradise, I Want my Money Back by Claudia Carroll which was absolute rot and predictable (I hate that); The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton; Angel Time by Anne Rice: Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford; Comfort and Joy by India Knight; A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

4. Do you hope to keep your writing to one genre, or will you try your hand at a variety of them?

A variety. My second novel’s well underway. It’s not M/M (and it won’t be), not terribly romantic but with a bit thrown in. It’s set between the UK and Portugal and those touchy subjects are coming up again: corruption, injustice. The main character’s got some strange powers, but it’s not fantasy or paranormal, and there’s a female bullfighter who’s very bad indeed.

Once that one’s out I’d like to get more risky. Risky, I said, not risqué.

You can find more of her musings on her blog, Lauracea and she contributes to Dream Books LLC blog with interviews, reviews and commentaries on the world of books.

Review: Perfect Score by Susan Roebuck

Review by Jax.

Book Blurb: "Perfect Score" is set in mid West USA in the 1960s and is a story about family relationships, corruption, growing up, integrity, responsibility, and being a man of worth in a society of the worthless. The two main characters are Alex and Sam. Alex, who lives with a wealthy uncle, is a blend of musical genius, stubbornness and firmly believes in his fantasy that his love for Sam is reciprocated. Sam has more direction in his little finger than Alex has in his whole body. He’s strong, yet of small stature and has developed a tough outer-coating after the knocks of a traumatic up-bringing which left him homeless. His one aim in life is to earn enough money to look after his disabled sister. He has no time for a spoiled, rich, guitar player. Sam also stutters and has what is probably a severe form of dyslexia. When Sam unexpectedly disappears, Alex begins a somewhat bungling quest to find him, only to discover that Sam has a fearsome enemy: Alex's powerful and influential yet sociopathic uncle. As Alex spirals downwards towards alcoholism, many questions need answering. Just why did Alex's evil uncle adopt him at age eleven yet deny him any affection? And what's the mystery behind Alex's father's death? Both seem to face unbeatable odds. Are they doomed to follow separate paths forever?

My Thoughts: If you have a problem with same sex relationships, neither this book nor this review are for you. However, I hope that you can push past your issues on that topic and read on.

This is a love story, pure and simple. For anyone who is looking for a 'romance' full of nothing more than throbbing manhoods, move along. While I do enjoy those, this is something sweeter. It is life, with it's pitfalls and heartbreaks, and love that doesn't erase all hurts, but makes them bearable and worth enduring.  It isn't a story that pulls you along at a breakneck pace, but one that you want to savor. I took my time reading this, not wanting to miss the details that make these characters into real people.

Sam and Alex are both amazing individuals, with strong talents and daunting challenges in their lives. There are points in the story that you can't imagine two people more different, and times when you realize they aren't so different after all. I worried for them during the rough spots, and prayed that they'd find their happy ending. It wasn't the perfect fairy tale ending that I would have liked for these friends, but music needs it's high and low notes to make a Perfect Score.

Publisher: Awe-Struck Publishing

Released: September 21, 2010                                   More info:

This PDF was received from the author for review.

Review: Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Book Blurb: Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

     Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for her own mysterious business. But Rachel isn't the only passanger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that's not counting the assassin on their tail.
     A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.    

 New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison was born and raised in the upper Midwest, but has since fled south. When not at work in the Hollows series, she spends her time tending orchids, cooking with some guy in leather, and training her new dog. Her current vices include good chocolate, and exquisite sushi. Her bestselling novels include Dead Witch Walking; The Good, The Bad, and The Undead; Every Which Way But Dead; A Fistful of Charms; For a Few Demons More; The Outlaw Demon Wails; White Witch, Black Curse; and Black Magic Sanction.

My Thoughts:

     I will not put up the video of me doing a happy dance, but I had to stop often to slip into my dancin' shoes! Jenks will forever be my favorite, but that cookie sniffing shoe maker is making a play for my heart! Trent plays a HUGE role in this book, and I say it's about time. He and Rachel have a marvelous chemistry, and their interactions are always my favorites, regardless of the book. To have an entire book of the two of the squaring off against each other, even while working together. Heaven.

     For those of you who have not read this series yet, and are wondering what my fan-girl silliness is all about, I have a challenge for you. Go read the books. What makes them enjoyable is not only the misadventures, the mishaps, misunderstandings and myriad of good-looking men that make Rachel's life crazy, it's Rachel herself. She is the 'everywoman' - who cannot see why her friends see her as special and love her. She looks in the mirror and sees what we all see when we look at ourselves, her own flaws and mistakes. And then she tries like mad to overcome them. Comes to grips with her limits, pushes at them, does her damnedest to what's best and beats herself up when her best doesn't quite do what she hopes, or when she fails to foresee something and things go wrong. Rachel is, in a word, human. And in her rollercoaster of self-doubt and self-discovery, these books full of wonderous fantasy take on an element of reality that balances it all.

Publisher: Eos                                               More Info: goodreads

Release Date: February 22, 2011                 Series: #9 in The Hollows series

This book was read as an e-book ARC from Netgalley.com