BLOOD ORCHIDS by Toby Neal

January 2012 Amazon Digital Services in tandem with BookSparks PR
Novel
Review Copy (Kindle)

Important Stats
Genre Crime Fiction/Murder Mystery
Re-Readable yes
Recommend to a Friend yes - if they like scary stuff with a psychological twist
If This Book Were a Movie it would be a major Oscar contender with a cast of unknowns who just found their way to stardom.


The Blurb

Hawaii is palm trees, black sand and blue water— but for policewoman Lei Texeira, there’s a dark side to paradise.

Lei has overcome a scarred past to make a life for herself as a cop in the sleepy Big Island town of Hilo. On a routine patrol she finds two murdered teenagers—one of whom she’d recently busted. The girl’s harsh life and tragic death touches a chord with Lei, and she becomes obsessed with the case. The killer is drawn to her intensity and stalks her, feeding on her vulnerabilities and toying with her sanity.

Steaming volcanoes, black sand beaches and shrouded fern forests are the backdrop to Lei’s quest for answers. She finds herself falling in love for the first time—but the stalker is closer than she can imagine, and threads of the past are tangled in her future. Lei is determined to find the killer—but he already knows where she lives.

My Thoughts
Don't read this book at night. Don't read it with the doors unlocked. Don't read it when someone might unexpectedly walk up and touch you on the shoulder because you'll scream.

Crime fiction ranges from cozy mysteries with cats to noir crime fiction, and BLOOD ORCHIDS is anything but cozy. Not quite noir, and avoiding the gore that would throw it into the horror genre, BLOOD ORCHID is sand-between-your-toes realistic crime fiction. Author Toby Neal is a mental health therapist and it shoes in the writing, the mind games and psychological horror of this are worthy of the best in the genre.

-- The Good --
Even if you can't afford a vacation to Hawaii you can go visit with this book. The author incorporates the details of the islands and the culture seamlessly with the page-turning plot. This isn't a book you can put down. The pacing is excellent, the characters realistic, and the action is intense. The main character's POV is perfectly juxtaposed with brief commentary from the antagonist, and that only ups the ante.

--The Bad--
If you're looking for a cozy murder that safe and slightly humorous, this isn't the book for you. BLOOD ORCHIDS is dark. There are layers of this book that touch on some of the most painful and heinous crimes of the human race. The only other complaint I can see is with the names, which are authentic Hawaiian names and not the usual Anglo-Saxon, Biblical derivatives you see in most contemporary fiction. For people who don't like non-standard names or are unfamiliar with the Hawaiian culture, this may be a stumbling block. A pronounciation guide at the beginning wouldn't have gone amiss, but I don't think the names will be enough to turn anyone away from the book.


Who Should Read This Book?
Anyone who loves crime novels, shows like CSI or NYPD, or wants a feel for what it's like to work an intense murder case. Fans of True Crime novels will appreciate the realistic feel of BLOOD ORCHIDS and sci-fi/fantasy fans looking to branch out into contemporary fiction will find the intelligent characters in an exotic setting appealing.


AUTHOR BIO

Toby Neal was raised on Kauai in Hawaii and makes the Islands home after living elsewhere for “stretches of exile” to pursue education. Toby enjoys outdoor activities including bodyboarding, scuba diving, photography and hiking as well as writing. A mental health therapist, she credits that career with adding depth to the characters in the Lei Crime Series.

War and Money a guest post by Alberta Ross

Thank you Liana for letting me guest here today, very kind when you have so much coming up. You have, I know, written before about the necessity of some kind of money/trade in any culture. I had a similar dilemma when inventing the future world for the Sefuty Chronicles.

Money was always going to be a problem in my series. The world’s economy crashed along with ‘civilisation’. Monetary currency ceased to have any value. For decades the population was split, between those within the comparative safety of the City and those outside. Those within the City have, though, traded their independence of self, thought and action for the protection the City promises. The settlements outside have traded-in their freedom of movement for the false security of the landmines encircling their land. Any survivors left with no help at all live the best they can and the strongest, more determined/violent win all.

This was all before my novels begin. War has almost ceased although disputes and battles continue. Now is the time to try to build from the remains and is the time for some kind of currency that has value. I thought a long time about whether money could have any relevance in this new world but decided against it. Trade was the way my world would have to go, trading and bartering.

I have long been intrigued with how early in mankind’s history trade between communities evolved, not just locally but overseas as well. How the real dangers of travel – land, river or sea – were considered worth the risk to bring back some desired, needed commodity. For, in those far off days of early trade, the risks were without doubt great. The history of trade is a fascinating one of daring and courage.

One of the earliest verified was obsidian, black volcanic rock which was so useful for tools and weapons. Flakes of obsidian dating to 12,000 years ago have been found, a hundred sea miles away from the original source and may be among the first traded objects. Many objects have it seems been offered as ‘payment’ in different societies, armbands, tools, shell and woven artefacts. Something with a value, real or imposed, could be/has been used by some society somewhere throughout time. Then there was reciprocal trading of food between societies – the system in my series.

What did my trashed world have to trade? Life outside the City’s walls had plunged back to the middle ages in its basics. I had made life really horrific for them by encircling their settlements with mines. Mobility between communities had completely vanished and they struggled to exist on whatever resources were at hand when imprisoned! Many had perished.

The most valuable commodities they possessed, therefore, were knowledge (contained in books), the ability to read, write and, most importantly, one which the City did not have – the ability to adapt and innovate. Also, each individual settlement had particular foodstuffs, i.e. apples or wool, which other settlements did not.


The City, still able to produce some power, had many skills and a compliant workforce. They had vast libraries, advanced scientific and medical knowledge and the army. They had though inbreeding and, by manipulating their gene pool into peaceful compliance, had begun to lose impetus and innovative behaviours. They were dying out as swiftly as the imprisoned settlements.

Despite initial suspicion from both sides trade began and the Child Exchange Programme was the first organised trade to be set up. Children from the settlements were brought to the City to study either skills such as medicine to take back to their communities or those which could be useful for the City. Children from the City went outside to learn about innovation and adaptability.

Food trade routes were the next to be set up and, as the series continues, these become a more complex network of routes with strategically placed storehouses set up in abandoned settlements against the ‘bad times’. Records are kept to ensure any favours asked are returned in kind.

Retired soldiers have come out to help establish the trade routes and escort the children in safety between settlements and City and offer their services as mine clearers, escorts and law enforcers in return for land to settle on. The settlers agree to this trade-off because of the vital mobility and security offered in exchange.

Sometime in the future more than these simple if essential trade-offs will be needed in my future world and then, well who knows, does the world go back to that love of money which is a root of all kinds of evil? Is it possible to produce a monetary system that will only produce good? Doubtful really given mankind’s propensity to forget the lessons of history!

What do you reckon could we produce a world with ‘money’ without the downsides ?

I am running a give away during the tour.

2 winners of draw will win an e-book edition of
The first two books of the Sefuty Chronicles
Ellen's Tale and The Storyteller's Tale

3 runners up will win an e-book edition of
Ellen's Tale
(unless already read in which case The Storyteller's Tale)

How to win

A comment on each visited host site gives you one chance to win, also on my sites on those days I am posting there during the tour

an extra entry will be given if you mention the post on Twitter or Facebook
an extra entry will be given for a mention of the post/tour on your own blog

Let me know where you have spread the word

Alberta’s Bio
I spent the first part of my adult life travelling the world, the middle years studying and now have settled down to write. From the first part I have endless photographs, memories and friends. From the second I have a BSc Hons, an MA and friends. Now in this part everything comes together.

Over the years my interests have expanded, as has my book and music collection. A short list would include reading (almost anything) science, opera, folk, gardening, philosophy, crazy patchwork, freeform crochet, ethics, social history, cooking (and eating of course) gardening, anthropology, climate change and sustainability.

My parents gave me, apart from a love of reading and music, an interest and curiosity in everything which in itself has become a total inability to be bored and for this I am always grateful.

Alberta’s official website where detail of her books, extracts, readers comments and contact details can be found

Alberta's blogs about writing and self publishing

Blogging about anything she fancies

Alberta can be followed on Twitter @AlbertaRoss

MONARCH Giveaway

For reasons unknown I still have a copy of MONARCH and a swag pack sitting on my desk. I haven't heard from the winner in over a week so we're picking a new winner.

EMILY CASEY!!!!

Please contact me via email with your address so I can send you MONARCH and the fabulous swag pack!

MONARCH giveaway winner

Isn't this a fabulous book? You are going to love this! I feel guilty I don't have one to give to all my followers, but that's okay. You can always go buy your own!






And the winner of the ARC of MONARCH plus the swag pack is.... #6 NAT!

Congratulations!

Send me an email (look left and click the pretty email button) and give me an address to send this to. You are going to love this book!

Winner of the 200 Follower Giveaway!

And the winner is......

dldzioba

Congratulations! Go to The Book Depository and pick out $20 worth of books on me. Email me your wish list and address by next Wednesday and I'll get them in the mail. :o)

For everyone else, we are doing the MONARCH ARC and swag giveaway through Friday afternoon. You do not need to be a follower to win, and I will ship internationally, so go drop a comment off HERE for a chance to win this fabulous book!

MONARCH by Michelle Davidson Argylle (ARC giveaway)

Important Stats
Genre Contemporary Thriller/Military Action/Spies
Re-Readable Yes
Recommend to a Friend Yes
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the movie that wins standing ovations at the Sundance Film Festival, creates legends, and becomes a major holiday action movie.
The Swag Pack An ARC (advanced reader copy) of MONARCH, a MONARCH book mark with author's autograph, and a small poster. Post a comment to win.


The Blurb

Nick’s life as a CIA spy should be fulfilling, but it has only given him unhappiness — a wife who committed suicide and two daughters who resent everything he has become. Now, stuck in the Amazon on the last mission of his career, he must track down Matheus Ferreira, a drug lord and terrorist the U.S. has tried to bring down for years. If he succeeds, he’ll have the chance to start his life over again.

Just when he’s on the brink of catching Ferreira, he’s framed for a murder that turns his world upside down. His only chance of survival lies in West Virginia where Lilian Love, a woman from his past, owns the secluded Monarch Inn. He’s safe, but not for long …

Excerpt
The blood pooling on the floor under the assassin’s back reminded Nick of butterfly wings. It spread from the twin wounds and sparkled in the sunlight filtering through the kitchen window.

The dying man’s words came between gasps. “I’m not the only one, Avery. The others will get you. Both sides.”


My Thoughts
I have such mixed emotions about this book. I was there when Michelle decided to write something for NaNoWriMo. I saw the first drafts. I saw several subsequent drafts. This is like watching my best friend's baby girl head out for prom night. I know all the details and drama and love and work that went into this book. It was totally worth it...

In the end it all came down to style. I love the story. Michelle has a strong Voice and a personal writing style you will see in all her books. It's distinctive and enjoyable.

-- The Good --
MONARCH has a killer opening, literally. I find it hard to refuse a book that opens with a bang and isn't ashamed to flaunt it's body count. And while the action is an unapologetic thriller the characters are refreshingly real. Most books in the thriller genre have tough as nails main character who always has the right answer. MONARCH has characters who, although well-trained, still question their choices. They are at times unsure, and they make mistakes.

--The Bad--
The downside to seeing the early drafts and commenting on them is that I came into reading MONARCH with strong opinions, so I handed my Bad List to DH and asked him to fact check. What it came down to in the end is a style issues. The characters in MONARCH aren't perfect, and that's a big mental switch to make when you walk into a genre with established tropes.

There were points where I questioned whether character was acting their age, and if they weren't if that was an issue or was it part of them - you know - having a personality. Still, this is going to be the largest stumbling block for readers not familiar with Michelle's style.


Who Should Read This Book?
Thriller fans will enjoy this new take on the familiar game of Save The Day. Literary aficionados will appreciate the symbolism throughout the book. And those helpless romantics who are always looking for the silver lining will find their happy ending here.



AUTHOR BIO
Michelle has been writing since a very young age. She graduated from Utah Valley University with a BA in English/Creative Writing in the winter of 2002. To date, she has completed five novels. Bonded will be released Fall 2012 by Rhemalda Publishing.

If she’s not writing, she’s playing with her daughter and husband or taking pictures. If it’s winter, she’s wishing it was summer. She currently resides in the Rocky Mountains.

Michelle is an avid blogger and currently runs her own blog, The Innocent Flower, as well as The Literary Lab, which she co-authors with the amazing Scott G.F. Bailey and Davin Malasarn. She is also an editor/publisher of “The Literary Lab Presents …” series of anthologies, an annual non-profit publication that donates all proceeds to charity.

You can find Michelle at her author site or her blogs:

• www.michelledavidsonargyle.com
• www.theinnocentflower.blogspot.com
• www.literarylab.blogspot.com

Want to win the swag pack? Leave a comment telling us about your favorite fall event. I'm pretty sure Michelle's is the annual butterfly migration. Winner will be by random selection Friday morning.

Changes (Not the Dresden Novel Kind)

I have a few more days before I'm plunging back into Jane Doe editing full tilt. This weekend I'm unplugging, leaving the phone and computer at home, and going away with my husband for three days.

After the experience of line editing EVFiL for submission I know I won't have time to split my time between reviewing and writing full time. At the same time, I am opposed to the idea of shutting down blog tours forever. It's fun to have someone else drop by the blog, and I feel that supporting other authors is beneficial (not to mention friendly).

My decision is to put reviews on hold after October 1st while I focus on Jane Doe. Touring authors will still be welcome to drop by, but I'll be asking them to do a guest post rather then volunteering to review.

If you've already contacted me about a blog tour or review, this does not apply to you.

side note~ If you don't understand the joke in the blog title please, for your own good, go buy some Jim Butcher novels and

The Best Sidekicks in Sci-fi - a guest post by Aubrie Dionne

A sidekick is a companion to the hero. There are great sidekicks in literature (Sherlock Holmes’ Dr. Watson), and in movies (Batman’s Robin).

As I wrote Paradise 21, an unscripted sidekick emerged towards the end! Without giving too much away, this sidekick helps Striker on a mission, and is integral to the plot. You’ll have to read Paradise 21 to see who it is! *wink wink*

Today I want to talk about famous sidekicks in science fiction.

1. Chewbacca and Han Solo in Star Wars

Chewbacca owes his life to Han, and will stand by his side until his death. As an Imperial Captain, Han was ordered to kill Chewbacca and refused. As a result, he became a smuggler, and Chewbacca took his place by his side. Not only does this furry, gentle beast provide comic relief (Princess Leia calls him a “walking carpet”), he makes Han more of a sympathetic character.

2. Doc and Marty from Back to the Future

If it wasn’t for Doc, Marty would have never gone back to the future in the DeLorean time machine to help his parents become better people in life. Not only does he become Marty’s teacher, but also his best friend. This relationship between them is especially poignant in the third movie, when Marty risks everything to save Doc’s life back in the Wild West.

3. Skaara from Stargate

Not as well-known as the first two, this little boy changes Colonial Jonathan O’Neil’s (played by Kurt Russel) life. The Colonial lost his son to a gun accident, and takes the mission to destroy the Stargate knowing full well it may be a suicide and he may not be coming home. After meeting Skaara and earning his respect and admiration, the Colonial learns to live and love again. He returns home a healed man.

4. Gerty from Moon

If you haven’t seen this movie, you have to go watch it right now. It is one of the best sci fi movies I’ve ever seen. Part of what makes this movie so awesome is Gerty, a computer likeness to Hal in Space Odyssey 2001. Voiced by Kevin Spacey, Gerty has as much depth and character as a real human being. You’re not sure of this machine’s intentions until the very end, and the moment I found out gave me goose bumps. He is the ultimate sidekick to astronaut Sam Bell.

Now it’s your turn: what are some of your favorite sidekicks? It doesn’t have to be from a sci fi movie!


Aubie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. She's represented by Dawn Dowdle of Blue Ridge Literary Agency. Her short stories have been featured in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Aurora Wolf, A Fly in Amer, Moon Drenched Fables and various anthologies. Her books are published by Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, Gypsy Shadow Publishing, and Wyvern Publications.

PARADISE 21 is available now. Click through the link to read the first chapter and buy now.

PERCEPTION by Heather Cashman

May 2011 Smashwords Publishing
Novel
Review Copy

Important Stats
Genre Sci-Fi/science fanatasy
Re-Readable probably
Recommend to a Friend possibly
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the movie that gets lost in translation, but sold big overseas.


The Blurb
More than five hundred years after the apocalypse, the survivors of off-grid genetic experimentation have refined their mixed DNA to the point that humans and their animal counterparts share physical and mental links. Varying species have divided into districts, living in a tenuous peace under the President of Calem.

Ardana and her tiger ingenium Rijan leave their life of exile and abuse in the Outskirts, setting out with their twin brothers to redeem themselves and become citizens of the Center. But shedding their past isn’t as easy as they had hoped. When the system that shunned them becomes embroiled in political conflict and treachery, their unique abilities and experiences from the Outskirts make them invaluable to every faction. The runaways become pawns to friends as well as enemies, and with every step it becomes more difficult to tell which is which.


Excerpt
The Outskirts

Near Dark, Day 163, Year 547

Be careful. Rijan’s faint thought echoed from deep in the forest where she hunted with her brother, Adamas.

I will. My thought reached to Rijan, my ingenium. I watched, rapt with admiration for my great white tiger, the other half of my soul. Her vision momentarily clouded my mind: a large buck bounding through the forest ahead and Adamas, my brother Kade’s ingenium, concealed not far distant.

Hearing only the twittering and snapping sounds of the forest behind me, I peeked around the small wooden message board. The area was deserted. Small puffs of dust betrayed my steps as I crept, cat-like, behind the northern row of two-story shops with their owners’ apartments above.

A lifetime of cruelty had ingrained a correlation in our minds: going to see Kade would risk the loss of a few meals. I paused to reconsider and stared at the strange colors of dusk, a bright orange on the horizon that melted into a deep purple. Our mother Maran could no longer beat me, and we would be of age in little more than a ten-day. The news from the message board left me no other option. I blazed down the back of the buildings like fire in dry grass. My legs and chest tightened with the anticipation of seeing him and the fear of possible discovery...

My Thoughts
I went into this book expecting something very different. It was pitched to me as an SFR/sci-fi novel and so I went in with certain expectations. That's why we have genres after all, they help set the stage. Even the blurb doesn't do a good job of setting up the story. But once I figured out what genre we were in (science fantasy is being generous, this is high fantasy with a scientific explanation for magic) then things progressed smoothly.


-- The Good --
The world that Ardana (called Ana for most of the book) lives in is wonderful. The world-building is beautifully done. It's easy to picture the surroundings and slide into the story. I also enjoyed the sense of humor and depth put into a main male love interest (no spoilers). Once he came on scene (a few chapters in) the book really picked up and things fell into place.

By the end of the book I was ready to pick up the next one. I want to see what happens to the characters.

--The Bad--
The novel started rough. I'm usually in favor of starting in the action, but I didn't expect to start in a jungle so I spent the first chapter in confusion. The vocabulary is series-specific, until you understand the new nouns the sentences don't always make sense. Context clues are there, so don't be daunted, just be aware that this is going to be a learning experience.

My other major complaint was that the book felt drafty. I've made this complaint before, often about popular novels. What I saw as a reader was... fluffy. The storyline skimmed right over all the deep drops. My emotions as a reader were never invoked. I never really feared for the characters, because I was never close enough to the characters to feel their fear.

Ana, the POV character is a weak narrator. She starts with the typical refusal to feel emotions, that's something we expect. She doesn't want to get married, and the reader understands why. It's very clear why Ana has these horrible views of commitment, we're told why every few pages. But telling doesn't get the job done. Ana comes off as indifferent towards her persecutors and that leaves the story weak. You can't have a high point if you don't see the low points.

The by-product of Ana's indifference is a sense of separation when the plot starts to move fast and the reader needs to understand why the characters are getting embroiled in the political intrigue of the Tiger District. A dead father's wishes aren't a compelling enough reason to attempt suicide. At least not in my opinion. I didn't understand why the characters didn't walk away, why they couldn't go somewhere new. As much as I enjoyed the adventure I still felt like a baffled spectator rather than a loyal cheerleader.


Who Should Read This Book?
Fans of science-fantasy and epic high fantasy will enjoy the intrigue and world-building. Anyone who enjoys the stories of Vlad Taltos and his companion Loiosh, the Valdemar series by Mercedes Lackey, or the Farseekers Trilogy will enjoy this complex world.



AUTHOR BIO
Heather Cashman graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry but has always loved to write, winning her first contest in the second grade. She welcomes opportunities to visit schools, libraries, and book groups in person or via Skype. Born in Tucson, Arizona, Heather currently lives near Wichita, Kansas with her husband and three children.

FLYING KITE, CRASHING SHIP by Krista D. Ball

January 2011 Museitup Publishing
short story length e-book
Review Copy (PDF)

Important Stats
Genre Sci-Fi
Re-Readable yes
Recommend to a Friend yes
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the off-Broadway production that won critical acclaim. There's a small cast here, but this is made for stage and the generations most talented actors.


The Blurb

Crashing Time Ship.

The Space Commission hot on her trail.
French spies and flying kites.

For Dr. Sally Pescan, this can’t be good.

My Thoughts
This is just a fun story. There's a great juxtaposition of colliding worlds and it's funny! I can't say much more without giving away the whole story. On the whole, my only complaint is the length. I'd love to see this extended, or put on stage. This would make an awesome comedy sketch!


Who Should Read This Book?
Sci-fi fiends looking for some light reading this summer and historical fans who need to get out of their rut.


AUTHOR BIO

Krista D. Ball was born and raised in Deer Lake, Newfoundland, where she learned how to use a chainsaw, chop wood, and make raspberry jam. After obtaining a B.A. in British History from Mount Allison University, Krista moved to Edmonton, AB where she currently lives with her partner, two crazy but likable step-boys, seven cats, and a very understanding corgi.

Like any good writer, Krista has had an eclectic array of jobs throughout her life, including strawberry picker, pub bathroom cleaner, oil spill cleaner-upper and soup kitchen coordinator. These days, when Krista isn’t software testing, she writes full-time in her messy office.

IRONHAVEN by Misa Buckley

June 29th, 2011 Decadent Publishing
novella length e-book
ARC copy (PDF)

Important Stats
Genre Sci-Fi Romance
Re-Readable yes
Recommend to a Friend yes
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the big budget end-of-the-world movie with soaring music scores, dark setting, and possibly Liv Tyler. Possibly Michael Bay or J.J. Abrams would direct, although Jos Whedon would make it even better.


The Blurb
The Earth is dying, and Lucian Hoyt is going to die with it thanks to his parents cancelling his pass aboard the last shuttle off the planet. There is hope, though – a brilliant inventor has come up with a plan to build a ship to evacuate those who’ve been left behind.

That inventor turns out to be Genevieve Scott, Lucian’s bitter ex-fiancée. If they’re going to work together to get off this planet, they need to put their past aside, but even melting the ice between them can’t erase all the scars.


The Author Interview

IRONHAVEN is your first major work to be published. How does it feel to have this in print?

Misa: Awesome, and slightly surreal

1 - Can you tell us, briefly, what IRONHAVEN is about?

Misa: Second chances at the end of the world, lol

2- And why did you decide to write this story? What was the inspiration for a story that's part steampunk and part science fiction?

Misa: Originally it was supposed to be on an alien planet that was cut off from Earth, hence the Steampunk. It was still in the planning stages when I saw the sub call from Samhain. There was less than a month until the call closed, but I decided to write it anyway.

3 - IRONHAVEN (which I have read and love!) is about the humans left behind when the last spaceships leave. Those abandoned by technology know their planet is dying, they've all but given up hope. What did you originally plan for the story?

Misa: Pretty much the same thing, except the humans were supposed to escape BACK to Earth, rather than away from it. I think the most interesting difference is the relationship between Lucian and Gen - originally they were supposed to be together, but in the published version they've been separated for 5 years.

4 - Do you like that twist?

Misa: I do, yes, because it reveals more about Lucian's past and his relationship with his parents.

5- Did it change the dynamics of the story to give those characters so much history?

Misa: Changing the story changed the relationship dynamics, rather than the other way around. I had to come up with a reason for Lucian leaving Gen.

6 - Interesting. On to the personal questions. What's your favorite part of this book?

Misa: Wow. Um. I think Gen's reveal of her scars and Lucian's reaction. It was one of the very first scenes that I wrote, and I really loved him by the end of it.

7 - Are you planning a sequel for IRONHAVEN?

Misa: I'm not, no.

8 - Could we bribe you to write a sequel? I make excellent cookies? :o)

Misa: Well, I never say never (because that's a surefire way of poking the muse) but I've no sequel planned. I do have a lot of OTHER stuff to write, though. *eyes WIP list*

9 - What's the next big thing readers can except to see from you?

Misa: Well, if I don't finish my paranormal Western before the year's out, I have an erotic Steampunk novella out early 2012.

We looks forward to seeing them both!


Author's Favorite Excerpt

The run-down laboratory on Fifth Avenue didn’t so much sit next to the building beside it as lean against it for support.

Lucian stared at the corrugated iron roof and the boarded-up windows in some disgust. He’d not expected this when Drew had explained about the female inventor who, with the government gone and her usual work dried up, now repaired heaters in between designing a starship that ran on alternative fuels. He couldn’t imagine how she did anything in the hovel in front of him.

I wouldn’t house a dog in such a place. He walked over to the ill-fitting door. His knock echoed hollowly. He waited…and waited.

Did he have the right address, or was the woman just was not awake? It was early morning, but not so much that anyone should still be in bed. At least, not in his opinion, but he supposed the inventor might have a different one. He knocked again with as little result. He sighed and glanced around. A passing couple spared him a quick look but didn’t say anything. Still he felt oddly conspicuous, as if he was doing something he shouldn’t be.

He tried the handle. It turned easily. Okay, then. Pulling it open, and wincing at the screech of the hinges, Lucian poked his head through the gap. “Hello? Is anyone home?”

A faint shout came from somewhere within the tangle of machinery and littered benches. Taking it as an invitation, Lucian stepped in out of the cold and wandered around the laboratory. Most of the benches groaned under the weight of a variety of heaters, all in various stages of assembly or disassembly—Lucian wasn’t sure which—but there was one given over to an intricate, clockwork-driven device that he could not make head nor tail of. He picked up a roll of paper and unwound it to find a blueprint. That made no sense either.

He shook his head: he’d been to university and had education in every science and theory going, but the level of intelligence indicated by the blueprint was still far beyond him.

Putting the roll down, he called again. “Hello?”

“One moment.”

Her voice was husky; mid-range feminine with a hint of smoke. It also carried a note that Lucian thought he recognised yet couldn’t quite place. A shadow shifted on the opposite wall, shortening as she came into the laboratory, nose buried in a thick book.

She wore leather trousers spotted with burn marks and grease, and a tightly-fitted blouse under a heavy apron. Her hair was swept up and gathered into a loose bun atop of her head, and the hands that held the book wore gauntlets. She looked up and her mouth dropped open, her eyes widening in shocked recognition.

“Lucian?” she said in barely more than a whisper.

He could only stare. It had been so very long since he’d last seen this woman. Long enough that it had taken seeing her face to identify her fully. Five years too long.

AUTHOR BIO

Misa Buckley is a sci fi geek who escapes the crazy of raising five children by creating imaginary worlds. She loves character-driven stories that have romance, adventure and really hot sex.

When she's not writing, you'll find her watching Stargate SG1 and lusting over Ba'al. She has a thing for bad boys in black leather.

Website: misabuckley.com
Twitter: twitter.com/MisaBuckley
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/misa.buckley

THE SECRET GUIDE TO DATING MONSTERS by Sierra Dean

June 19th, 2011, Samhain Publishing
novella length ebook
Review Copy (Kindle)

Important Stats
Genre Urban Fantasy
Re-Readable if you like the series
Recommend to a Friend if they like the series
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the rom-com that wasn't quiet sure who it's audience was. We'd all watch it for the rocking soundtrack and the eye candy.


The Blurb
Are blind dates supposed to be this bloody?

A Secret McQueen story

They say it's impossible to find a man in New York City. Secret McQueen needs to find two in one night. Of course, it’ll mean pulling off the impossible—find and kill a displaced rogue vampire without disrupting the first promising date she’s had in ages. As a werewolf hybrid used to walking a fine line of survival in the vampire world, though, Secret eats impossible for breakfast.

Somewhere between hello and the first round of drinks, Secret makes her move. Her target, Hollywood’s biggest star, shouldn’t be hard to spot. Just look for swarms of fans. Except every time her vampire liaison, Holden, helps keep her mission on track, her date runs further off the rails.

Either Holden has a hidden agenda, or he knows more than he’s letting on about her quarry. One way or another, Secret is determined to get her man, and meet Mr. Right. Or die trying.

Product Warnings: This book contains a sword-wielding assassin whose barbs are sharper than her blade, a vampire with serious brooding issues but a skilled tongue, and an A-lister with a bad habit of eating his fans. This novella takes place approximately one year prior to the events of Something Secret This Way Comes.


My Thoughts
I've never read any of the Secret McQueen books so I went into this with an open mind. Although this novella is nominally a prequeal to the series, I felt like I were missing the joke. The whole way through I felt like if I just knew these characters a little better this would all make so much more sense.

-- The Good --
For a vampire UF this was actually a fun read. Not to bash the vamps, but the vampire UF books always run a risk of reading like fan fiction for the big names. I was pleasantly surprised to see Sierra Dean built her own world. Secret, the female main character, is almost a female Cal (from Rob Thurman's Cal Leandros series). She openly admits she's a monster, and she doesn't have a problem with it.

I liked that Secret couldn't go out during the day. She wasn't a semi-vamp or a sparkle-pire who was just another devastatingly beautiful uber-human with a blood fetish. She has Voice, attitude, and style, three things I love in a character.

The plot is tight, and the action scenes are well done.


--The Bad--
Really, I still feel like I needed to read the series first. Even though Sierra Dean made the effort to intro this world in chapter one, I'm just not feeling it. I don't know enough about the characters, and the way the book ends doesn't drive me to grab the next one.


Who Should Read This Book?
Fans of the Secret McQueen series, anyone who loves vampire UF, and anyone who loves romance with brooding males.

MAGIC SLAYS by Ilona Andrews

May, 2011, Ace
320 Pages
Personal Copy (Kindle)

Important Stats
Genre Urban Fantasy
Re-Readable Yes
Recommend to a Friend With Qualifiers
If This Book Were a Movie it would be the summer blockbuster that everyone was talking about with a special effects budget the size of the national debt. Curran would be played by some previously unknown non-American actor who would have a meteoric rise to stardom and magazine covers with Beast Lord themes.


The Blurb
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, but she's still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be-now that the Order is disparaging her good name. Plus, many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate's mate.

So when Atlanta's premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. But it turns out that this is not an isolated incident. Kate needs to get to the bottom of it-and fast, or the city and everyone dear to her may pay the ultimate price...

My Thoughts
I'm torn on this one. I love the Kate Daniels series. What the writing team that is Ilona Andrews has done with their vampires and weres is phenomenal. They created a whole new world, and a whole new playbook. It's hard not to love that.

Still, I don't think this is their strongest offering in the series.

-- The Good --
The actions scenes and plot are tight. As always, the book opens with a bang. There are no easy answers. Kate gets hurt, and I'm glad to see Ilona Andrews didn't fall into the trap of making Kate a super woman who heals without a blink. The knee injury hold over from the other books is a good touch, and it keeps Kate real.

I was also impressed by how well this book fits into the over-arching series. There were some points where this looked like a very awkward edition to the Kate Daniel's omnibus. The major antagonist isn't around, neither are his minions. For a weaker author, this would mean a weak book that feels like a fill in, and would probably get overlooked in the grand scheme of things.

Instead, you can see how MAGIC SLAYS fits in. It's not a pivotal book by any means, but it's setting the stage. Ilona Andrews had to get the board set somehow. This is a better option than a chapter of filler telling us how Andrea came back and why The Order is probably right next to Roland on the list of People We Don't Trust.

--The Bad--
The problem with professionals is that they hit the right notes so often that the wrong notes stand in neon. Here's what I thought went wrong as a reader...

~ The scenes were too short. Even the action scenes weren't on par with some of the epic scenes of previous books. Everything felt short and segmented. I'm not sure if that was because of the timeline, or what happened, but it wasn't the best pacing in the canon.

~ The formatting on the e-book was off for pages 48 and 50. I know this because the author's name and page number appear in the middle of the text on those pages. This isn't the author's fault, but it is annoying.

~ The relationship between Kate and Curran was flat. I loved watching this relationship build over the past four books. In MAGIC SLAYS Kate falls back into the same whiny relationship pose she used in book two. Granted, she got over it quick enough, but it felt like a cop out. I hated that Ilona Andrews chose to end the book on a relationship note of, "If you ever do that again, we're through." For two people who have fought this hard to be together I don't find it believable. And if Ilona Andrews plans on breaking Curran and Kate apart there will be a rebellion.


Who Should Read This Book?
I'd recommend this to anyone who is already familiar with the series. Fans will be happy to see Andrea and Julie return full time, as well as revisit the familiar Atlanta they've come to know and love.

For readers new to the series, I'd recommend starting at the beginning - MAGIC BITES - so you can be introduced properly. This is a good book for fans of urban fantasy, fantasy, swordplay, steampunk, or light romance.

Ripping Your Book and Shredding Your Cover

This is the tale of two covers, of my fear of self-published work, of loss, of love, but ultimately of finding a great author by a long and confusing route.

FACT 1: I love Lindsay Buroker's writing style and her books. I am over-the-moon excited about the new book coming out later this year. I think she's a super person, and I'm still picking on her. She gave me permission, so if this sounds snarky, understand it's written with love and you should all go buy her books Right Now!

*waits for you to finish buying*

Ready?

All right.

This tragic tale starts with the Kindle App on my smartphone, a really bad experience with a few self-published novels, and a fear of getting burned again.

I'd just finished a ho-hum book and I was perusing the Kindle "You Might Like..." list for a new title when a cover didn't load.

Usually, a cover sells a book for me. If I see naked bodies, I tend to skip. If I see spaceships and explosions, I'm already reaching for my wallet. Rippling pectorals sell (of course!), but they won't always sell to me. The other thing that doesn't sell is a cover that looks like it was cooked up in the basement by your teenage brother.

I read the first three sentences of the blurb for ENCRYPTED -the book with the unseen cover - and downloaded the sample.

WHAT LINDSAY DID RIGHT: She had good sample chapters. Three whole chapters that hooked me into the story.

WHAT I SAW: When I read I have three things I look for. 1) Character 2) Setting 3) Voice or Tone - I stumbled over the character names, but I liked the setting, and I liked the Voice. The FMC was a cute semi-awkward prodigy who fit the Ugly Duckling Outcast archeotype to a T. She was someone I could relate to, and someone I was willing to read about.

I bought the book.

The cover showed up.



Like I said, I adore Lindsay, but I really don't get what the guy is doing here. He doesn't look anything like I pictured any of the male characters. I can guess who he's meant to be, but what's with the expression? Weird.

Then I read the blurb... I won't put it here because it ruins the story. I wish I could have scrubbed the blurb from my mind!

Three-quarters of the book is spent with the FMC trying to figure out the true identity of Prisoner Number Five. Why read the book if the major source of tension is taken away before you buy?

WHAT LINDSAY DID WRONG: The cover needs a touch up. In fact, last time we chatted she was already looking for an artist. Her later books (FLASH GOLD and ICE CRACKER II) have much better cover art. The second bungle here is the blurb. It gives too much of the book away and if I'd read it in full and see the cover I never would have bought the book.

BUT IT'S A REALLY GOOD BOOK: ENCRYPTED is exactly the sort of sweet romance I love to read. The FMC, Tikaya, is kidnapped by an enemy nation and falls in love with the enigmatic Prisoner Number Five. There is treason, deception, funny lines, and plenty of explosions. It's a perfect fantasy/steampunk novel.

SO I BOUGHT BOOK 2: And the cover was quite pretty.


And I read the first two pages and screamed, "What was that???"

I'd read those pages before. The horrible, awful. no-good, very-bad, impossible-to-pronounce-might-be-a-girl name in a confusing winter setting where nothing was happening.

This was not new reading. This was, "I already threw you against a wall!" reading.

So I checked the cover again and lo, and behold, the older cover shimmered into existence on my Kindle.


I HATE THIS COVER: More to the point, I'd already downloaded the sample chapters onto my Kindle three times. I liked the blurb, but the cover and opening pages had three strikes against it. I couldn't even pronounce the main character's name (still can't - I call her Am). I couldn't picture the setting from the cover or the first page. And I wasn't sold on the Voice or Tone.

I bought the book anyway.

I'd liked ENCRYPTED. I like Lindsay's style. I was willing to give her another shot.

And, you know what?

I LOVE EMPEROR'S EDGE!

Clever characters, intriguing situations, scary monsters, and a complex villain. This isn't just a good book, it's a book I wind up thinking about while I'm running at the gym. I stop to reread this book on a bad day because I love the world Lindsay created.

It's so good I hunted her down and demanded answers about the ending question. And she promised me the answer is coming in Book 2. I bought all the short stories that go with EMPEROR'S EDGE just so I could glean a clue or two.

SO WHAT WENT WRONG?: The original cover for EMPEROR'S EDGE screams SELF-PUBLISHED in big, blinking, neon letters. I've read self-pub books with beautiful sample chapters that fall apart on chapter five. They have a special name: CONTEST BOOK.

Too many of the self-pubbed slush out there isn't ready for prime time. I cringe when I see the reviews that say, "Pretty good if you ignore the grammar and spelling errors. Five stars!"

It doesn't matter if you are self-published, you never want to look like you threw your book together in five minutes or less. Always make the cover professional. Always make the copy inside professional.

I don't care if you are selling the book for 99 cents. If you're selling you owe it to yourself to make the book good.

THE NEW COVER SOLVES THE PROBLEM: Personally, I think the new cover is beautiful. It works well for the story. But even more important, the work inside the cover is professional.

Lindsay didn't cut corners. She didn't rush to self-pub to make millions overnight, or because every agent on the face of the planet told her she should never write again. Steampunk is still stumbling into mainstream acceptance. It's not a huge genre, and it's not widely published by traditional or Indie presses.

In this case, I think Lindsay's work is good enough that she could have been picked up by a traditional publisher if that's what she wanted, but I see her reasons for going the self-pub route.


CONCLUSION: I love this series. I'm anxiously awaiting the new book. I hope Lindsay keeps writing. And I've learned not to judge a book by its cover!

-- You can find Lindsay at her blog E-Book Endeavors and on Twitter as @GoblinWriter --