Spotlight On: Cornerstone Deep Echoes by Charlene A Wilson

Today we are featuring fantasy author Charlene A Wilson and her new book, Cornerstone: Deep Echoes, a fantasy romance. "Cornerstone Deep Echoes" is part of the Chronicles of Shilo Manor series. It was released on February 15th, by Class Act Books.

A little about the author from her website:

Hi, I’m Charlene. *waves hand* You can call me Char or Charle as long as we’re becoming friends.

I was just working on revisions and could really use the break. I swear my eyes are rooting into the “stare at the screen” position. *blink blink*. *smile*.

          You want to know about me? Really? Well… Sit back and relax. I’ll get you a cold drink.

Though my life began in Tampa, Florida, I’ve lived all over the United States and even spent some time in England. Sure do miss the fish and chips.

I started writing in my youth when my vivid dreams stayed with me long after I had them. The people and worlds were so amazing and detailed it was like I knew them inside and out. You can meet them in my books. They’re alive there now, learning, loving, and experiencing everything they deserve.

Yes, I’m one of those authors whose characters speak to them non-stop. Conversations, thoughts, dreams… They all let me know what they should be doing in their lives. If I veer from their suggested path, they gnaw at my conscience until I change a whole section of the story to accommodate them. (Aumelan – World Beneath the Rock is a prime example. Chad and Salana insisted they belonged together, and Tarah just wouldn’t agree to a sweeter disposition. It altered the entire outcome.) I may someday admit to the original draft. But I doubt it. They run the show.

I currently live in a small community in Arkansas. Yes, cows wander the field across the street and I can sit on my deck in my robe if I wish without worry of probing eyes. I’ve worked in a variety of settings, from bookkeeper to detention deputy. Wow, to all the different personalities I’ve met.

I’m a mother of two children, a gray cat named Chester, and a fuzzy black dog named KooJo. I love to spend time with my family and write, write, write.

Book Blurb (from the author): 

Mianna’s return heals Cole’s soul and he promises to follow her for the rest of his existence.  But the past isn’t what he believes.  The fight for her has only begun.

Lord Dressen’s obsession grows as unexpected knowledge is revealed.  His search for Mianna has spanned six life times and he won’t give up now.  The courts stand behind him.  Power pulses through his veins.  Determination peeks and not even Cole Shilo can stop him.  He will win his prize.

Struggling to stay ahead, Cole’s anger explodes.  Nothing is sacred when it comes to keeping his love—not even covenants made with gods.  But, through all his efforts, lofty or damned, the truth remains.  Will echoes of another life cause him to fail?

~ * ~

“Every breath you take is a song to my soul.”

 Cornerstone Deep Echoes

BY: Charlene A Wilson

ISBN: 9781935048916 ASIN: B007A3R6IY

Publisher: Class Act Books
Genre: FICTION, FANTASY, ROMANCE
Length: 330 KB, 278 pages
Format: Kindle, paperback

Release Date: February 15, 2012

Author site: http://CharleneAWilson.com

Blog:  http://CharleneAWilsonblog.blogspot.com

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Charlene-A-Wilson-Romance-Author/162568770441255

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/AuthorCAWilson

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/charlene-a-wilson/15/989/1b8

Class Act Books: (kindle) http://bit.ly/xcEBuy

Class Act Books: (paperback) http://bit.ly/yhaY6j

Amazon: (Kindle) http://amzn.to/CDEchoesk

Amazon: (Paperback) http://amzn.to/CDEpb

Read on for an excerpt.

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EXCERPT

Exhaustion racked Cole’s body. He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to cleanse his lungs. The harm he’d caused Anna pulsed through his fatigued mind in fits of memory—distorted flashes that reminded him of the deceit, broken covenants, and ethereal anger. Pressing his palms onto his brow, his head sank deeper into the pillow. Did his actions really cost her soul six life times?

He dragged a hand down his face and blew air through his pursed lips. He’d bound her soul and even with his formidable skill with spells, he was unable to undo his wrong. Whatever cost Arylin saw fit to impose, he was grateful for the intervention. Only the Goddess of Love, with her boundless benevolence, would have found a way for them to continue their souls’ progression.

The God of Life’s fury rang in his ears as scenes of the night before haunted him. “You have defiled that which is sacred. No Meridian shall cause my child’s death without promise of rebirth. Griffin, I demand justice!”

His gaze returned to his love at his side and he listened to the sweet sound of her steady breathing. Strands of sleep-messed hair fluttered along the pillow each time she exhaled.  Griffin, as God of Conformance, had every right to end him when Taravaughn called for justice. Surely, that was the desired punishment. To sentence him to serve her for the rest of her natural life only echoed Cole’s heart’s intent from the start.

As the morning sun’s light inched up the comforter’s patchwork pattern, he hitched his knee around her legs, forming his body to hers. For Arylin to return Anna’s soul to a previous life blessed them both beyond his dreams. It freed the binding and... He buried his face in her long waves and the scent of roses filled him. He had Mianna back.

“Mianna.” His whisper warmed his lips as it pooled against her neck.

She stirred and he pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “Cole.” Her sleepy eyes fluttered open but closed as if her lids were too heavy. “Have you been awake long?”

He smiled as the sound of her voice dispelled his mind’s troubles. “A while. How are you feeling?”

Her hand lifted and she brushed his long hair with her fingers before resting it at her side. “So tired. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired.” Her soft voice turned to a mumble. “You couldn’t have given me a better wedding gift but,” she drew a deep breath, “what did it do to me? What does Unsigh mean?”

Cole blinked to the side. She doesn’t know what Unsigh means? He lifted his head to peer at her cherubic face. Did she say wedding gift? Realization flushed his senses. Arylin returned her memory to our wedding night. We truly are starting our life together over.

He pulled the comforter up to her chin and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Unsigh means one heart, my love. It joins our passion when you create the symbol and utter the spell. It’s an enchantment only you can call on.”

“Oh,” she breathed. “It’s amazing…really. It’s just…I’m so…” As she drifted back into sleep, Cole’s brow furrowed. Mianna’s spell had never caused her fatigue, not even when her soul called upon it in Anna’s lifetime.

A spray of sun’s rays pitched across his face as they hit the wide dresser mirror. With a scowl, he squinted at the glare and twitched his hand at the window. The crepe sheers whipped closed followed by a thick swish from the burgundy drapes. The room plunged into darkness. As his eyes adjusted, dim light from the vanity area competed with the beams’ peek through the gaps around the window coverings. He sighed and sat up, resting his arm on his knee.

Perhaps it was everything she’d been through and she just needed rest. She’d experienced more trauma in the last week than he had in the last twenty-five hundred years. Her life as Anna had hardly been easy—abandonment, loss, and then manipulated by a man whose attention she’d refused. He raked a hand over his scalp. Then to nearly lose her life while they tried to unbind her soul, only to be saved by grace at the price of six life times’ progression…

Cole gazed over at the petite form beside him. He shook his head and brushed the dark hair from her face. How could Anna’s features be so similar to Mianna’s? The gentle slope of her nose, the curve of her bowtie lips. He tilted his head and gently stroked her cheek with his finger. Or was it the love he held in his heart that colored his view? A smile blossomed from his lips and he leaned to her, touching his brow to hers. His black hair fell to the pillow like a sheet of satin, deepening the shadows. No matter the reason. He had her back. And he vowed to never lose her again.

~ * ~

A satisfied grin tugged at Lord Dressen’s lips as he looked out over the gathered noblemen. Low voices filled the stately hall. Marble bracing columns led way to the arched beams in the domed ceiling. Sunbeams poured through the twelve-foot windows, filling the space with a yellow haze. The gold that framed the life-sized portraits along the walls appeared to glow, accenting their subjects.

The turn-out was as hoped. He had the majority of the Grand Marshals’ court in attendance and every member seemed dedicated to support him. His heavy brow furrowed and he lifted his chin. Cole Shilo, you’ll pay for taking Anna from me.

The dull rumble of conversation subsided as he stepped to Officiator’s stand and took his chair at the center of the table. He nodded to the two uniformed gentlemen who stood guard at the entrance and they stepped out, closing the doors behind them.

Lord Carrington tugged at his vest as he strode up the center aisle. A more trusted friend he’d never had. The tall man moved with trained temperance. An admirable trait; grace under pressure. Taking his place at Dressen’s side, he leaned to him with a hushed voice. “Ninety-nine are in attendance. Lord Standish’s men are the only ones not to sign in.”

“We can do without them. What are twenty-two votes against ninety-nine?”

Carrington nodded and ran a hand along his tailored beard. “One concern I feel I must voice, Kyle.” He looked at his friend and his brown eyes twitched. “Standish may not hold the court’s majority, but he’s a strong believer in tradition. The men here control a vote, but many of their wives and family are faithful to the Gods, including my own. They practice religious rites and that encompasses the Shilos as Sentinels. If this isn’t handled with care it could become nasty.”

Dressen sighed and he glanced at the portraits that lined the room. Every Grand Marshal that had held a senior position was portrayed. His gaze gravitated to the depiction of Sylis Shilo at the center of the hall. The founder seemed to watch his every move—his coal hair, onyx eyes, and square features set firm. Dressen sneered. A wizard surrounded by noblemen.

“Sentinels.” He scoffed. “They’re aliens. Nothing more. And their own laws protect us from their dimension’s powers. What superior race agrees to such an arrangement? They’re weak. Their kind has no place on Terra.”

“Never-the-less, the faithful could rise up to protect them.” Carrington looked down at his cufflink as he straightened the gold piece. “And I’ll be frank. Even though I see nothing wrong with how you achieved your goal with the girl, many will see it otherwise. Having the wizards bend her will as a servant was one thing, but calling for total compliance pushed the agreement’s intention.”

Dressen scowled. “The Wizards of Shilo Manor accepted my bid as any other. She broke the law and she was harvested. With the new curfew in play, she was no different from the homeless.” He softened his voice. “It was the only way to get her past the idea that my standing separated us. Once she joined the household, she admitted she wanted to be with me all along. She told me she loved me. Always had. She was happy.”

He looked at his comrade and his narrow features leered. “Cole Shilo’s desire to have her took her from me.” He pointed a finger to accentuate his view. “I know he has her up at that manor.”

Lord Carrington cocked his head. “We have no jurisdiction within the walls of the Sentinel’s home.”

“You just deal with the charges.”

“The only real proof we have is the vision you shared from that night she disappeared, Kyle. And that’s another issue. You were only able to share it by way of the magical means Cole Shilo gifted you.” His friend quirked his cheek. “There’s talk of a loss of integrity at the expense of…”

“A thief?” A growl rumbled in Dressen’s throat as his blood seethed.

“A Sentinel, Kyle. You have to view this from these men’s perspective. I know you’re not religious, but religion is going to play a large part in what they decide.”

“Then use their beliefs against them. Look into the covenants the wizards have made. Their long lives will show something. In two thousand years, no man can live without error.”

Carrington ran a finger under his collar as if it suddenly became too small. “I’ll make the assignment. But how do you expect to get to the girl if she’s up there?”

A crooked smile crept its way to Dressen’s lips. “I’ll find a way. You just start by calling them in for questioning and I’ll do the rest."

In My Mailbox #19

In My Mailbox was started by The Story Siren. It's a way to share and highlight all the books we receive, even if we don't review them. l share books that I buy, that I receive for review, get from the library, borrow from a friend, etc.

Click on the covers to see the goodreads descriptions.

Won

I won this in a Random House giveaway.

Library

Kindle Freebies

Bought

As you can see, I had a very good book week. How was yours, what did you get?

Review of Devils' Den by Leonard D Hilley II

Publisher: Deimosweb Publishing
Release Date: October 9, 2011
Series: Adventures of Justin McKnight #1

Buying Links: Amazon  

Book Blurb:

Evil has resurrected in the quaint, rural community of Cider Knoll, Kentucky. The day after a country pastor is ritualistically murdered, a teenage boy vanishes inside an enchanted cave—Devils' Den—that has long been rumored to be haunted. The local sheriff is baffled on how to continue the search and rescue when the only clues end at a mysterious wall inside the cave. Then an unexpected man shows up with an age-worn book that has disturbing revelations about identical phenomena that have occurred every twenty years for the past one hundred forty years. And according to the predictions set inside the book, they have little time to find the boy before he becomes the next victim.

Reviewed By: Bea

 

My Thoughts: 

Devils' Den is an odd mish mash of horror, dark fantasy and high fantasy. The parts didn't mesh well overall, veering rapidly from one genre to the next, though the horror and dark fantasy elements worked better together than the high fantasy elements. To be honest, I liked the high fantasy elements the best. That realm, the Underwood, has potential, but I'd like it best separated from the dark fantasy and horror elements.

Despite being set in Kentucky, it never had a local feel to it. It could have been any rural small town in the US. The author lives in Kentucky so that was particularly disappointing to me. Though there was one expression used repeatedly that may be a local one  - "mashing the gas pedal". 

 

Hopkins mashed the accelerator. 

John mashed the gas

Every time a character's driving was described, there was mashing. It was odd and kind of funny, I had images of mashed potatoes under the gas pedal.

Anyway, the story as a whole was disappointing. The characterization was superficial, the pacing was slow, the genres an odd mash-up, and the copy editing lacking. While I enjoyed reading about the Underworld and it's people, especially the butterfly faeries, I didn't enjoy it enough to read more in this series. If the story had been straight horror and better edited, both for content and mechanics, I might have liked it, but as it is, it didn't work for me.

I own this ebook. 

Godsends: A Guest Post by Marcus Lopes CBLS Blog Tour

Today we have author Marcus Lopes visiting us. His debut novel, "Freestyle Love" was was released in the fall and he is currently busy touring blogs, talking about it.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Marcus Lopés is originally from Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia. His writing has appeared in Canadian and international literary magazines. Freestyle Love is his first novel. A novelist, essayist, poet, painter and singer-songwriter, Lopés lives in Sherbrooke, Québec.

*******************************************************************************

 

Godsends

I am at the beginning. And it’s terribly frightening. I’ve been faithful to my writing ever since 2003, when my first essay was published. I was living in Ottawa, Ontario, at the time, and I had to sandwich my writing in and around my day job. Fluent in English and French, staying employed in Ottawa — the nation’s capital — was easy for me. When I moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec, in 2010, finding employment proved difficult despite my skill set. So I made the decision then to focus on my art — writing, painting, music. Was this providence at work? Maybe.

At the beginning, I’ve given myself over to the universe, no longer resisting the path laid out before me. The nine-to-five world never felt right to me, like I was immured in a dark abyss that day after day held me down, sucked the life out of me. But I did what was necessary to survive — to have food on the table and shelter over my head. In the past two years, pursuing my art, there have been good times and not so good times, but through it all I’ve learned to keep the faith. Some days my faith is tested, yet when I hold on to faith, all that I need is supplied — not too much, not to little … but just enough.

Giving myself over to providence, I write every day. Rain, sleet, snow, or a bright sunshiny day, I write. Sometimes I park myself at my desk in my office area upstairs, other times I settle in at the kitchen table. When there are too many distractions around the house, I pack up and head to Le Tassé, the neighbourhood coffee shop.

Despite my successes — publication of my short stories and poetry, and now more recently my debut novel, Freestyle Love — there are days when I still doubt myself. Am I really a writer or am I just playing at it? My successes don’t seem to matter. Maybe I’m not the writer I thought I was after all …?

On days like these, when doubt swarms over my body, I am thankful for my godsends. My godsends are my friends, spread out across North America, who are friends to me and my writing. Like my friend Heather-Anne who, as I’m writing now, sends an e-mail to say how proud she is of me. Heather-Anne, like my other godsends, reaches out to me (without asking) at the time that I need encouragement the most. She is, as Julia Cameron puts it, a “believing mirror” whose support has been constant.

Messages from my godsends, like the one I received from Heather-Anne, get me back to the page, help me to stay focused. And in the age of Twitter, Facebook and a plethora of other social networking sites, staying focused is sometimes difficult.

As the day winds down, I am settling in for a quiet evening. It was a productive day. I stayed the course, putting in time at the page, the easel and the piano. Doubt still lingers, but I’m not discouraged, thankful for the god-sent blessings — in friendship, in life, in work — that keep flowing in my direction.

*******************************************************************************

FREESTYLE LOVE

By MARCUS LOPES

ASIN: B006G3CB52

Published by: LAZYDAY PUBLISHING

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA, M/M/M, INTERRACIAL/AFRICAN-AMERICAN

Format: EBOOK

Length: 308 KB

Release Date: NOVEMBER 29, 2011

Author Website: http://marcuslopes.ca/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/#!/WriterPainter

Buying Links: Amazon     Barnes & Noble     AllRomance

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: C791 by Eve Langlais

Romance author Eve Langlais is back today, celebrating her newest release, "C791". A little about Eve, from her website:

Hello, my name is Eve. I'm a stay at home mom who works as a webmistress/customer service rep and in between juggling my three kids, hubby, and housework, I write really raunchy stuff--usually with werewolves lol.

I was born in British Columbia, but being a military brat, I have lived a little bit everywhere--Quebec, New Brunswick, Labrador, Virginia (USA) and finally Ontario. My family and I currently just outside Ottawa, our nation's capital.

I am the first person to admit I am totally boring and lead a mundane life. Seriously. My idea of fun is shopping at our local Walmart lol. I like to play video games, cook, and read. My inspiration, hmm, I guess you could say hubby as he is a total alpha male which means I often want to club him over head with a frying pan. But, despite his ornery, 'I-am-man' nature, I love him dearly. I do have a twisted imagination and a sarcastic sense of humor something I like to let loose in my writing.

I'm writing romance, my way. I like strong alpha males, naked chests and werewolves. Lots of werewolves. In fact, you'll notice most of my multi partner stories revolve around great, big, overprotective Lycans who just want to please their woman. I am also extremely partial to aliens, you know the kind who abduct their woman and then drive them insane...with pleasure of course.

My heroines, they kind of run the gamut. I have some that are shy and soft spoken, others that will kick a man in the balls and laugh. Many of them are chubby, because in my world, girls with curves ROCK! Oh and some of my heroines are a teeny tiny bit evil, but in their defense, they need love too.

Some of my work does push boundaries and cross lines. Good and evil aren't always clear in my tales, and in some cases, I've stomped on well known religious ideologies. Have I mentioned my imagination is a tad bit warped?

I tend to have a lot of sexual tension in my tales because I think all torrid love affairs start with a tingle in our tummies. And when my characters do finally give in to the needs of their flesh? Well, let's just say, you shouldn't be reading my stuff at work. The door is wide open, explicit and hot. Really, really hot.

I love to write, and while I don't always know what my mind is going to come up with next, I can promise it will be fun, probably humorous and most of all romantic, because I love a HEA.

Thanks so much for coming by and checking me out. I wish you many hours of happy reading--and sexy times with your partner.

BOOK BLURB:

Machines aren’t supposed to feel, but this cyborg can’t help falling in love. 

Assigned as a specimen collector for a captured cyborg, Chloe is intrigued by the machine disguised as a man. Kidnapped during his daring escape, he takes her on an erotic adventure and shows her that despite the chip in his brain, his humanity is not completely lost.

Formerly known as unit X109GI, Joe is on a quest to discover his origin. While he doesn’t find the answers he’s looking for, he does discover that affection and lust aren’t just for humans. But when it comes to a battle between logic and love, which side will the cybernetic organism--once a man--choose? 

Evaluating his feelings will have to wait though, because the military isn’t done with Joe. When they threaten the one thing he wants above all else, he’ll discover something shocking that will rock the new cyborg nation—and fuel a desire for vengeance.     

C791

By Eve Langlais

Published by: Eve Langlais

Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, EROTICA, SCIENCE FICTION

ISBN: 978-0-9869154-6-8

Format: MMP  ebook - Kindle, Kobo, Nook, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, EPUB, Mobipocket

Length: 42,350 words

Release Date:FEBRUARY 21, 2012

Buying Links:  AllRomance     Amazon      BookStrand

Author Website:  http://www.evelanglais.com/

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          EXCERPT **This is for adults, 18+**

The sight of Chloe and Seth so at ease with each other, and worse, touching each other set something off inside Joe, a combination of irrational anger sprinkled with a covetousness he’d not experienced but had heard of. Jealousy. 

Whatever the name for the emotion, he found himself unable to halt it as he ripped Seth away from Chloe’s side and sent his fist into the grinning face. He maintained enough control to not beat his friend to a pulp — barely — but he couldn’t stop himself from slinging Chloe over his shoulder and stomping off to their room. 

“What the heck was that about?” she exclaimed as she dangled down his back. 

“You seem to have forgotten who you belong to.” 

She didn’t say anything for a moment. “Are you jealous?” 

“No.” Yes! 

“It’s normal to feel that way. It just never occurred to me you would.” 

“I don’t. Jealousy is a human emotion. I am a cyborg. We are above such petty wastes of our time.” 

“Really. Well then, someone should probably explain that to Seth’s face,” she drawled. 

“This is not entertaining. You were practically inviting him to take ownership of your body.” 

“I was not,” she exclaimed, and a small rational part of him knew she spoke truly, but he’d lost the ability to decipher logic from madness where she was concerned. 

Arriving at their room, he tossed her onto the bed and quickly tore at his clothes. 

“What are you doing?” she asked, her eyes wide, but not with trepidation if the protruding nipples through her shirt were any indication. 

“Showing you who owns your body.” 

“Me.” 

“Wrong answer,” he growled. “I do. And it seems I must show you.” 

He fell on her, and despite her previous defiant answer, she welcomed him with open arms and a fierce kiss. Her legs spread wide to accommodate his body, but while he’d denuded his frame, she remained dressed. Their hands met at the closing to her pants, their impatient battle to remove them more of a fumbling parody. When he finally managed to strip them from her, he was ready to sink himself into her. He retained enough wits though to realize she required preparation for his penetration. With sex bots, that never proved a concern as they arrived to service pre-lubed. Human females however, according to his studies, required stimulation to achieve the same state. He slid a hand between her thighs and, to his relief, found her already soaking wet. It pleased him, on a level he did not understand, that Chloe achieved this state around him without means of manipulation. 

He wasted no more time. He propped himself above her and thrust into her sex. Oh, the exquisite, unexplainable feel of her channel clamping tightly around his cock. He would never tire of it. Never tire of her. But did she feel the same about him? He had to know. 

“Tell me who you belong to.” 

Her eyes opened part way, her lids heavy with arousal. “Why do you care?” 

He rammed into her hard. She gasped. 

A growl left him. “Do not toy with me. You are my female. Not Seth’s. Not anyone else’s. Say you belong to me.” He almost roared the words, desperate to hear her say it. 

For a moment defiance flashed in her gaze. “And if I don’t?”

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The giveaway is open internationally, the winner will receive a PDF of the book. You must be of legal adult age for the country you reside in.

Please read our Giveaway Policy. 

To enter, see the Rafflecopter widget below.

Fun New Videos for H.P. Mallory's "Witchful Thinking"

The other day I posted an excerpt from a forthcoming humorous PNR, "Witchful Thinking", by H.P. Mallory. It goes on sale in a week, on February 28th. Mallory's first few books were self-published but she was recently picked up by Random House. As part of Random's celebration of "Witchful"s release, there are three zany videos up on YouTube. Each video is a mini, light-hearted lesson being a witch. Check them out and see what you think.

Lesson #1



Lesson #2



Lesson #3




There are two more books coming shortly: Something Witchy This Way Comes, July 31, 2012 and The Witch is Back on September 25th, 2012.

Review of The Summoner by Layton Green

Publisher: First Ward
Release Date: December 8, 2010
Series: Dominic Grey #1
Buying Links: Amazon    The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

A United States diplomat disappears in front of hundreds of onlookers while attending a religious ceremony in the bushveld of Zimbabwe.

Dominic Grey, Diplomatic Security special agent, product of a violent childhood and a worn passport, is assigned to investigate. Aiding the investigation is Professor Viktor Radek, religious phenomenologist and expert on cults, and Nya Mashumba, the local government liaison.

What Grey uncovers is a terrifying cult older than Western civilization, the harsh underbelly of a country in despair, a priest seemingly able to perform impossibilities, and the identity of the newest target.

Himself.

The first work in a globe-hopping series whose protagonists investigate the world's most bizarre and dangerous cults, The Summoner is a stylish, haunting novel of mystery and suspense that will linger long after the last page is turned. 95,000 words (approximately 350 pages).


Reviewed By: Bea

Teaser:

It wasn't her nature to self-congratulate, but she’d played her part well. She had the feeling Grey would find what she needed. He was young, but had a competent air to him, and she recognized a quality in him she knew all too well, because she possessed it herself. Dominic Grey was a survivor.

My Thoughts:

"The Summoner" is a book that's hard to describe. It's mostly a mystery, but it's more than just that. There's philosophy and theology, and a fascinating look at voodoo and related religions. All of this is woven into the story; it adds to the mystery and also illuminates the characters. At times, Green has not only the characters but the readers questioning what is real, what is paranormal or magic, and is there a difference. The story is plot driven, not character driven, but the main characters are well done and I look forward to seeing them again in the next book, "The Egyptian" (sitting in my review pile). The main characters - Dominic, Nya, Viktor are complex and multi-layered. The secondary characters are not as complex but still well written. The story is set in Zimbabwe and it feels like you are really there; the country is not just atmosphere but part of the story. 

As the story went on, I kept changing my mind about who the villain was. There were many viable options and then something would be revealed or would happen that would appear to eliminate one, then later on they became a viable suspect again. I did consider the character who was revealed as the villain but discarded him/her. Green really kept me hopping, keeping up with the possibilities and the twists and turns. The language is occasionally over the top, but most often is descriptive. He knows how to show us, and not just tell us. This is a complex, chilling story, with a lot of depth. It will make you think and it will make you feel.

Some quotes:

CIA had recruited him. They loved his profile: he’d lived almost his whole life abroad, spoke three languages, had no relevant family ties, scored high on the I.Q. tests, and was already trained in self-defense. Not trained, according to his former commander, but extraordinary. Gifted.

Cults conjured for Grey the worst religion has to offer: manipulation, gullibility, charlatanism.

Judeo-Christian tradition is rife with similar beliefs. You’ve simply been conditioned to Christian doctrine. Concepts such as resurrection, prophecy, the Virgin Birth, turning water into wine—these don’t sound fanciful or outlandish to you, even if you’re not a believer. They’re part of your milieu.”

A sinister curling of his lips caused a finger of oily unease to crawl down Grey’s spine.

The mask had been stained the disquieting color of boiled flesh, as if the dye had magically captured the flush of a finger just after it had been dipped in the saucepan.
 

The city writhed during the restless evening hours, stumbled past midnight, and then finally slumbered.

I received a Kindle book from the author for review.

Boskone 2012

Isn't that gorgeous? I love the colors in it and it has a slightly mysterious look to it. It's a Daniel dos Santos original and graces the cover of this year's Boskone program cover.

I attended my first Boskone con yesterday, with Avangyline from Kelley Armstrong's board, her husband X and their daughter A. Avangyline, X and I went to Arisia last year and had so much fun, that though we couldn't go to Arisia this year, we met up for Boskone. Their daughter didn't come last year but when I met her this year, it was if we'd met before. Avangyline has been talking about her for years on the KA board and facebook, and posting pix on facebook. She was a sweetie, and full of energy despite an encounter with a sword during the sword fighting demonstration. (she was perfectly OK, no worries.)

Anyway, Boskone runs Friday night through late Sunday afternoon this weekend, every February (it's a three day weekend here in the US). It's put on by New England Science Fiction Association. I confess, I hadn't heard of them before, but if Boskone is an indicator, they do good work.

The con is at held at the Westin Waterfront, the same location as Arisia. Getting there should have been easy enough but Oh. My. God. the Boston MBTA was NOT cooperative. Though, I should confess that I didn't check their website first. I don't go into Boston often and usually take the T when I go so I didn't expect a problem. Turns out the station I parked at was open ONLY for parking. That station and corresponding trains are closed on the weekends for remodeling. Two helpful employees later, I was on a free shuttle to the next open station, three stops away. From there it was a smooth, standing room only ride to the station where I needed to transfer. That's where I had more problems. I couldn't find the correct track for the direction I needed to go. An employee saw me looking confused and offered to help. It went downhill from there. He was rude, and insisted that the line I wanted didn't exist, and acted as if I was an idiot for thinking it did. Meanwhile, I'm thinking that I've ridden on the damn line so I know bloody well it exists. I nodded and when he walked away, ignored what he told me and eventually found what I needed.

Anyway, I finally made it to the hotel. I tried to check my coat, as I had last year at Arisia, but was snootily informed by a man at the front desk that "coat check is not provided for Boskone participants" Oookay. Guess our money isn't good enough. I went upstairs, registered, got my badge and program, and began plotting what workshops I wanted. The con is a medium to small sized one but they had a selection of panels, even a knit-along. No description was given and I didn't go, but hey, talk about variety! There was one on ebook publishing (tempting but I ended up passing), the making of book covers (again, tempting, but skipped), trends in YA lit (interesting, more below), readings by a wide assortment of authors, an art show (pieces ranged from meh to OMG that's amazing), a kids area that A really enjoyed, filk panels and a concert, etc. The focus naturally was on science fiction but fantasy was there too along with horror.

I attended, with avangyline, a panel on all of the SF/F/H shows currently on TV. We talked about what was good and why, what wasn't and why, new ones in development, etc. It was late in the afternoon, and I'd been up late the night before, so I drifted off a few times but it was good.

I also went to a FAB event with author John Scalzi and artist Daniel dos Santos. The idea was that John would be interviewed while Daniel painted a portrait. This is the program description:

In this unique mega-mixed-media event, our Official Artist Daniel dos Santos will both interview and simultaneously create a fabulous painting of our Guest of Honor John Scalzi. We considered requesting that John also be suspended facedown in a tub of Coke Zero and Daniel ride a unicycle, but you can only take fan service so far.

Daniel dos Santos, John Scalzi

Audience members asked questions, nothing was off limits, as Daniel quietly sat and painted. John was effing hilarious. If you ever have the chance to hear him speak, DO IT!!!!!!!!! That event alone was worth the cover charge and the hassle of getting there. I didn't get a close up look of the final painting but it looked excellent from my seat at the back of the room (the event was packed).

The YA trends panel was very interesting. There was a lot of discussion about speculative fiction in YA - is it too dark (no, was the general consensus), it's appeal, and what it's lacking (issues; it tends to be relationship driven, heroic quest driven, or both), and is it on the way out (no, but dystopian is becoming a hot subgenre). YA spec fic books can be very dark but they are still not as dark as the issues books which deal with rape, incest, drug abuse, death, etc. Mention was made by some panelists that they'd like to see the YA spec fic books incorporate more of these issues, while one panelist described them as "sanitized" compared to issues books. It was mentioned that many YA books offer hope that you can overcome anything, that you move forward and grow, and even the spec fic YA books have their own type of HEA. There was also discussion about the marketing of YA books. There's been a marked upswing in marketing YA books, even older ones such as The Giver by Lois Lowry and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card, to both young adults and adults. It's becoming common to have marketing campaigns for both populations. Along those lines was a discussion about how lines between young adult books and adult books have become blurred. Basically, the topics and contents are the same whereas before they weren't. One panelist said her definition of a YA book is one that has an adolescent protagonist. It was an excellent workshop and could easily have gone several hours.

ETA: I was reading a scene in a book earlier today (2/21/12) and it reminded that I forgot to include this in my post. I mentioned the art show and gallery. One artist, and I didn't write down his name, darn it, had some pieces that were eye catching, a little gruesome and thought provoking. You know how butterfly collectors like to kill and display their catches? Well, this artist (I wish I'd taken one of his cards!) made (or maybe bought) display cases and instead of butterflies and moths, made resin fairies, pixies, etc., and had them pinned and displayed in the same fashion. The detailing was exquisite and the look of agony on their faces was horrific. Each case had a metal plaque with the type of fae on it and a small card next to the box with where the collector found it, the date and some info about that species. It was well done and only confirmed my hatred for butterfly collections.


All in all, I thought Boskone was well done. The printed program was easy to read and use, signage was excellent, registering was easy, a good mix of panels and participants and there was even a con suite with free munchies (healthy food as well as snacks), comfy chairs, and tables but sadly no coat check. If you like sci fi, and live in or near the Boston area, it's worth attending.