New Signed Limited Edition of The Shining by Stephen King

Subterranean Press announced they are publishing a Signed Limited Edition of Stephen King's seminal novel, "The Shining". The luxurious hardcovers will be published in three formats and will feature over 40 illustrations by acclaimed artist Dagmara Matuszak. The signed editions will be signed by Stephen and the artist. These special editions are not cheap by any means; if you're a hardcore Stephen King fan, they might be worth it. I'm a mild fan at best so I won't be buying any of these but I will say that I've ordered other books from Sub Press and been  pleased with the quality.

Signed Limited Edition of 750 numbered copies, housed in a custom traycase: $450
Signed Lettered Edition of 52 copies, specially bound, housed in a custom traycase: $2,500
Gift Edition of 1500 unsigned copies, cloth bound, housed in a custom slipcase: $95

Preorders for these books will begin in January 2013. News regarding preorders will be sent first from their newsletter, "Notes from the Underground".

The cover, as shown in their email:

Review of The Purple Shroud: A Novel of Empress Theodora by Stella Duffy

Publisher: Penguin Books
Format Read & Source:  Trade Paperback from Penguin Books
Release Date: September 25, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon    The Book Depository   Barnes & Noble

Book Blurb (from goodreads):  

Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore, Stella Duffy’s chronicle of this amazing woman’s early years, delighted readers with its exquisite blend of historical detail and vivid storytelling. Now, The Purple Shroud chronicles Theodora at the height of her power, bringing the ancient world alive in another unforgettable, epic saga.


Theodora and Justinian have been crowned Emperor and Empress, but ruling an empire is no easy task. The two factions of Christianity are still battling for dogmatic supremacy, the Empire’s borders are not secure, and Theodora worries about the ambitions of Justinian’s two best generals. But the most pressing concern is close to home: Constantinople’s two factions, the Blues and the Greens, are beginning to unite in their unhappiness with rising taxes. When that unhappiness spills over into all-out violence, thousands are killed (including someone very close to Theodora) and many of the City’s landmarks are destroyed, including Theodora’s beloved Hagia Sophia. In the aftermath of the riots, Theodora guides Justinian in gaining back the love and trust of the people, her unerring instinct for what the people want proving invaluable. Justinian promises to rebuild the Hagia Sophia to be even more spectacular than before. Theodora comes to realize that being the Augusta is simply another role she must play, though the stakes are much higher and there is no offstage. It’s a role she was born to play. 

Quote:

 
Justinian went on, ‘I will not lose you, Theodora.’

She whispered, ‘No.’

‘Nor,’ he added, loosening his grip just a little, stroking his thumb along her fingers, ‘do I want to lose you to Narses’ idea of what a good wife should be.’

‘The eunuch likes his ladies to be quiet.’

‘It was the eunuch who brought me a grown woman in the first place. We had no call for a malleable girl. Perhaps he has forgotten that. The dutiful Theodora is too placid for our Palace and, I admit, less useful. I miss my adversary, my cohort. I need your mind and your energy more than I need your wifely obedience.’

Theodora smiled then. ‘But you do require wifely obedience?’

Justinian was not smiling when he answered, ‘Yes. A little.’

Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

Just as the blurb says, the first book was a marvelous blend of storytelling and historical fiction. Historical fiction is not my usual genre but the title and blurb caught my eye so I gave it a try. I was glad that I did; I didn’t want the story to end and knew I wanted more; I was delighted to hear Duffy was working on a sequel.

The Purple Shroud picks up about ten years after the first book. Justinian and Theodora’s marriage is still strong but there are problems in the empire.  The religious schisms are not lessening, there are political problems internally and externally, and even their closest advisers are a source of conflict. Theodora is less trusting than Justinian, which sometimes creates problems but Justinian is always Theodora’s first priority. Justinian values Theodora’s viewpoint and encourages her to think for herself even, and especially, when they disagree.

The first book focused on Theodora, her life, her struggles, and her emotions; this book is focused on Justinian and Theodora as a ruling couple. The story is told from Theodora’s point of view except for the very end. There’s a stronger emphasis on the religious and political struggles and oh, the political intrigue! I’m not usually a fan of books high in politics but Duffy has an engaging style and I was captivated the whole way through. Duffy doesn’t forget the personal side of Theodora’s story and she succeeds in making her real. Theodora wasn’t always likable, she made personal and political decisions that I found to swallow. In some respects, she is no longer that little girl who was an acrobat and actress, no longer the teenager who whored to provide for her family; she converted to Christianity, not out convenience but out of strong belief and those beliefs and her passion for her Church drive her actions. However, like many rulers, sometimes her religious morals are subjugated to her political beliefs and political necessity as well as her intense desire to protect Justinian. She does what she believes is necessary and believes that the end justifies the means. Her acting skills are useful as a ruler and she often thinks of her job as a role, a belief that sometimes creates problems for her.

Since this is fiction, Theodora’s emotions, motivations and behavior are a mix of fact and Duffy’s invention. Duffy does an excellent job of bringing Theodora to life and shining a light on this little known ruler. The writing is complex and the story captivating. “The Purple Shroud” is a fascinating and enjoyable blend of love story, political intrigue, and a look at early Christianity.

This review first appeared at BookTrib.

I received this book for review from the publisher.

Sunday Book Share #8

 

I'm participating in both The Sunday Post, hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer, and Stacking the Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Each meme allows book bloggers the chance to share books they've received, and different posts and events at their blog.

I went back to work week and was tired, not surprisingly, but it went well until Friday morning when I had an asthma attack. Ooops. I'm recovering from that, and feeling much better. Of course, life can never be easy and Hurricane Sandy aka Frankenstorm is heading my way sometime in the next day or two. So, I've been working on this week's posts and hope to finish them today. Yesterday I did practical preparations - bought non-perishables, located my candles and flashlights, stocked up on water, etc. So, if I go offline this week, my power has gone out and I'll be back as soon as I can. 

The blog was busy this past week, there was a lot going on. I currently have 2 giveaways going on so be sure to check them out.

Reviews:  Until There Was You by Jessica Scott

Ashes and Wine by Taryn Elliott

Excerpts: Paradise Hops by Liz Crowe

Style Me Sexy by Tara Chevrestt

Interview:  Romance author Samantha Kane

Giveaways: Naughty and Nice Blog Hop

Ashes and Wine by Taryn Elliott

The Devil's Thief by Samantha Kane

Cover Reveals:  Loki's Wolves by K.L. Armstrong & M.A. Marr

Omens by Kelley Armstrong 

Discussion Post:  Anthropomorphism: Genre or Style?

BOOKS

Library

Bought

Review

Unbelievably, I had NO Kindle freebies last week. O_o I know, my jaw almost hit the floor when I realized it. Partly, there were none that interested me and partly it was because I was back at work and had less time for browsing.

Don't forget to leave a link in as part of your comment, and if you're also in the path of Hurricane Sandy,  I hope you'll be safe.

Anthropomorphism: Genre or Style?

After my post last week talking about urban fantasy, a reader emailed me asking if I knew the name for the subgenre of books told from a dog's perspective.

I had to think about it at first. I emailed an author friend of mine who's a regular here on the blog, J.A. Campbell for her thoughts. Turns out, we were thinking along the same lines.

First, what is genre? For the purposes of this post, I'm using this definition from Merriam-Webster's online dictionary:

1: a category of artistic, musical, or literary composition characterized by a particular style, form, or content

2: kind, sort

3: painting that depicts scenes or events from everyday life usually realistically

I'm pretty sure it's not a sub-genre but more of a style. Technically, I think it would be anthropomorphism, which Merriam-Webster's online dictionary defines as

": an interpretation of what is not human or personal in terms of human or personal characteristics : humanization

— an·thro·po·mor·phist noun"

For instance, "Black Beauty" by Anna Sewell is told from the horse's perspective, just as if a human were talking and thinking. Rita Mae Brown uses this device in her cozy mystery series, Mrs Murphy, where the cats and dogs belonging to the main human engage in their investigations into the murders that occur and talk to each other as well as other animals e.g. horses, owls, etc. Speculative fiction author J.A. Campbell also uses anthropomorphism in her Doc Vampire-Hunting Dog short stories. There are plenty of other stories and series that use anthropomorphism but those were the first ones to pop into my mind.

There are different ways of using anthropomorphistic animals. Disney even has them talk like humans (pick the Disney movie of your choice for an example :D). Sometimes, as in the examples I mentioned above, the story is told from the animal's perspective, complete with human style thoughts but they talk normally i.e. barks, meows, neighs, etc. But always, they have been endowed with human characteristics in some fashion.

It's a style that works in different genres - mysteries, mythology and fairy tales, fantasy of most varieties, etc. There's a part of me that would like to see stories told from a dog's perspective as a separate sub-genre, especially as it sees to be occurring more often these days. But at this point in time, I think stories told from a dog's perspective are a style not a genre or sub-genre, and are anthropomorphism.

So, have you read any stories told from a dog's POV? What do you think, is it a style, a genre...? What do you think of it, do you like it? Is there another existing term besides anthropomorphism that would be applicable?

Spotlight & Excerpt: Style Me Sexy by Tara Chevrestt

Please welcome romance author Tara Chevrestt to the Nook today. She's out and about promoting her flirty new book, "Style Me Sexy". She's a deaf woman, former aviation mechanic, writer, and an editor. She love planes, motorcycles, and above all, reading. That led to her love of writing and she thinks she  has the greatest job in the world now... She writes as both Tara Chevrestt and Sonia Hightower. The reason for that is they are different genres. As Tara, she write cleaner or sweeter, and "Ride for Rights" is a young adult historical so when she penned "Sinful Urges" which is a tad on the erotic side, she chose a pen name. And she couldn't have only one book to her name...so Sonia wrote another...and another...

Find her online:

website & blog
goodreads
LibraryThing
facebook

Style Me Sexy 
Author: Tara Chevrestt
Publisher: Whispers Publishing
ASIN: B009WD8UBC
Format: ebook
Genre: FICTION, ROMANCE, CONTEMPORARY
Length: 240 KB
Release Date: OCTOBER 24, 2012

Buying Link: Amazon   

Book Blurb (from author):

Bridget isn't beautiful. At least she doesn't think so. Besides, her ex always told her she wasn't. And she believes him. So when an online romance leads to a blind date, she heads to the salon for a makeover stat.

She's dismayed to discover that her usual stylist isn't available, and she has no choice but to let a man do her hair. Nervousness turns into sexual awareness as the sexy Javier buries his fingers in her tresses.

Javier has been aware of the timid but kind woman for some time and vows to make her see that she's beautiful on the outside as well as on the inside. Will he succeed in keeping his own feelings at bay and style her sexy?

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

Excerpt 

Bridget was grateful to get out from the under the hairdryer. Not only were her eyes beginning to water and tear, but she was looking forward to having Javier wash her hair, to have his soapy fingers massaging her scalp and oh to be at eye level with… Oh, my gawd. He’s gay. He’s not going to want you looking at his… oh, what does it matter? Looking isn’t the same as touching.

She followed him to the sinks and sat in the chair he beckoned her to. He placed a rolled up towel behind her neck before she rested it on the hard edge of the sink. He’s considerate. Deborah never did that. I always had a crick in my neck after washing…

She closed her eyes as the warm water cascaded over her hair. His fingers soon followed, pulling the foil from around the strands, caressing her mane as it fell into the sink. His attentions caused goose bumps to rise all over her body. She felt her nipples harden into little peaks beneath her bra.

Finally, the foil was removed from her hair, and his hands delved deep into her newly highlighted tresses. Oh, yeah. That feels so good. Some sprinkles of water fell onto her face when he rinsed the shampoo from her hair, but she barely noticed. She was noticing wetness growing elsewhere and not for the first time, was glad to be wearing the cape.

Javier, however, did notice the water on her face, for he gently dabbed at the drops around her eyelids with a towel. She opened her eyes, and they sought and met his. It felt like an eternity, but it was only a few minutes. They simply gazed at each other, and Bridget silently prayed that he didn’t notice the increase in her breaths. She tried to take short, measured inhalations, but it was hard to breathe at all with his eyes on hers, with his hands buried in her hair, with the knowledge that should she turn her head just a bit to the left, she would be eye level with his plumbing, and oh, she so wanted to look. How utterly and deliciously naughty.

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

What do you think? Did you like it? It's out now, so if you like, go buy it!

Review & Giveaway of Ashes and Wine by Taryn Elliott

Publisher: Entangled Publishing
Format Read: PDF
Release Date: June 28, 2012
Buying Links:  Amazon  Entangled

Book Blurb (from goodreads):

Before Tessa met Royal Andreas, her bookstore was on the verge of sinking. And before Tessa met Royal Andreas, she didn't mind being single. But Royal brings in business with monthly wine tastings featuring his family's signature vintages--and brings Tessa's heart to a standstill with intense gray eyes that look on her with nothing but cool indifference.

Yet one searing kiss between the stacks gives Tessa a glimpse of the passion smoldering beneath--and a secret pain further revealed when Royal fills in as the musician at a tasting event. Every note of Spanish guitar tells a story of family tragedy, loss, and ongoing suffering that's made Royal afraid to lean on anyone...even if he needs Tessa's sweet flavor more than the richest wine. Only her strength can save him when his world crumbles to ashes. But has Royal learned trust too late to claim Tessa as his own?
 
Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:


I got about 10% into the book, happily reading, and then went, "Oh hell". I didn't realize that a major plot line involved cancer. I go out of my way to avoid books, movies, plays, etc about cancer; they just shred me. Taryn and I talked and I decided to keep reading, see how it went. There were some rough moments, cancer is not fun to read about but it's not the main plot, the romance is. I made it through the book and while it was wrenching at times, it was doable.

Royal and Tessa have been dancing around each other for years but haven't done anything about their mutual interest. Finally, temptation is too much, and the circumstances are right. But of course their relationship doesn't go smoothly; Royal has a huge secret he's keeping from Tessa and he pushes her away again. Trust is a problem for both of them, as is communication. There were times I wanted to slap Royal for being so close-mouthed and for not letting people in. Tessa is a control freak and has trouble letting go and just relaxing.

There's a scene about halfway through the book that had me roaring with laughter. Royal has pushed Tessa away, and she's at a friend's house. She and her friend Mercy (and every time I read that name, I immediately thought of Mercy from Patricia Briggs' books, :D) get rip-roaring drunk, call Mercy's neighbor and just generally make asses of themselves. The scene helps ease the tension in the story, shows us more about both Tessa and Mercy and leads into the next portion of the book. It was a good interval, funny as heck and a very well done bridge into the second half of the book. It also helped me gather my courage to keep reading.

The second half of the book is a mix of hope and despair. Hope for Tessa and Royal as they come together and break down the barriers between them; despair as the person suffering from cancer gets weaker and crankier. Elliott writes beautifully about the pain and numbness and anger that families deal with when a member has cancer. In the midst of all this, Tessa and Royal's love grows and they both learn, with difficulty, to let go and to trust.

Although Elliott perfectly captured the emotional havoc that cancer causes in a family, I didn't completely buy Royal's reasoning for not getting involved with Tessa; it did make sense but I think a little more background into who Royal was pre-cancer havoc would have been good. It would have laid the groundwork for where Royal is emotionally when the story starts. Despite that, "Ashes and Wine" is an emotional ride, a sweet love story, full of humor, grief, joy, loss and hope. Pour yourself a glass of wine and curl up on the couch with it.

 

I received a PDF from the publisher for review.

Follow the tour:  http://www.entangledinromance.com/2012/10/03/ashes-and-wine-blog-tour-and-giveaway/

COVER REVEAL!!! Omens by Kelley Armstrong

Yes, another Kelley reveal. That woman is busy and she's keeping me busy, lol. But I like it cuz I love Kelley's writing.

This is a new series, an adult mystery/thriller with some paranormal elements. From Kelley's site:

Twenty-four-year-old Olivia Taylor Jones has the perfect life. The only daughter of a wealthy, prominent Chicago family, she has an Ivy League education, pursues volunteerism and philanthropy, and is engaged to a handsome young tech firm CEO with political ambitions.

But Olivia’s world is shattered when she learns that she’s adopted. Her real parents? Todd and Pamela Larsen, notorious serial killers serving a life sentence. When the news brings a maelstrom of unwanted publicity to her adopted family and fiancé, Olivia decides to find out the truth about the Larsens.

Olivia ends up in the small town of Cainsville, Illinois, an old and cloistered community that takes a particular interest in both Olivia and her efforts to uncover her birth parents’ past.

Aided by her mother’s former lawyer, Gabriel Walsh, Olivia focuses on the Larsens’ last crime, the one her birth mother swears will prove their innocence. But as she and Gabriel start investigating the case, Olivia finds herself drawing on abilities that have remained hidden since her childhood, gifts that make her both a valuable addition to Cainsville and deeply vulnerable to unknown enemies. Because there are darker secrets behind her new home, and powers lurking in the shadows that have their own plans for her.

Dutton • Hardcover • August 2013

Aaaand, the cover:

Is it August yet?

Interview & Giveaway with Romance Author Samantha Kane

My guest today is erotic and romance author Samantha Kane. She's stopped by for a brief chat and to give away a preview copy of her upcoming book, "The Devil's Thief", an historical romance. Samantha  lives in North Carolina with her husband of fifteen years and three children, two boys and one girl. She spent seven years as a high school history teacher before becoming a full time writer and mom. Ms. Kane has a Master's degree in American History.

She loves to hear from readers, so don't hesitate to  email her.

email: mail@samanthakane.us
website
twitter
facebook
MySpace
goodreads

Bea: You have a Master’s degree in American history, how important is historical accuracy in a historical romance?

Samantha: This is a really good question, and one all historical romance authors have a different opinion about. I'm of the opinion that yes, it does, but exceptions can be made for the good of the story. It is fiction, after all. But if you try to change historical dates or events, then it becomes alternate history. So the gray areas of history--customs, speech, dress--can be altered to fit your storyline, or to make the story more accessible to a modern reader, but don't tell me George Washington was at Waterloo.

Bea: Using a tweet format, tell us why we should read your next book, "The Devil’s Thief".

Samantha: A sexy romp through Regency London. Steamy love scenes, great dialogue, unforgettable characters, and devilishly gorgeous rakes. Only $2.99.

 Bea: What is the most romantic anyone has ever done for you? How would you define romance in real life?

Samantha: Confession time: I am quite possibly the least romantic woman on the planet. I forget anniversaries, I really hate getting flowers (who wants to watch them die?!), I'm PDA phobic...well, you get the picture. My husband, on the other hand, is a big romantic, poor guy. So he keeps trying, lol. But he knows the way to my heart. On our honeymoon he surprised me at dinner the first night with tickets to a St. Louis Blues hockey game. I nearly cried I was so excited. Real life romance? When my husband offers to take the kids somewhere on Saturday afternoon so I can write. And the fact that he doesn't make me mow the lawn, ever. (I LIKE her husband! ~ Bea)

Bea: If you could be a character in a book, which one would it be, and what part would you play? (Romantic lead, sidekick, etc)

Samantha: I'd be the married, wise-cracking, comic relief best friend of the heroine. I'd love to be in Nalini Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

Bea: I see on your site that you’re a member of S.W.A.G., the Steampunk Writers and Authors Guild, but you haven’t published any steampunk. So, why join? Are you working on a steampunk story?

Samantha: I've co-written a western, alternate history steampunk romance with Mari Freeman called Engine Number Nine. We're hoping to have it published next year. It takes place in 1869 in an alternate American timeline, where the United States is still relatively small, and fighting both Mexico and Britain for domination of North America. The hero, Ryder, is a yankee veteran of the Civil War with a clockwork arm, and the heroine, Lucy, is a secret agent for the U.S. posing as a Harvey House waitress with her team of female agents in Texas, as Mexico and America are getting ready to join the first trans-continental railroad. And, of course, I love to read steampunk, as well.


Samantha is giving away one digital copy of "The Devil's Thief" via NetGalley. The preview expires after one month so don't delay in reading it!

Excerpt from The Devil's Thief.

Enter via the rafflecopter widget.