greenhouse

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“The Black Jewels Trilogy” by Anne Bishop – The last review of the list.

In this final installment of my journey to read through the 10 Fantasy Sagas That Are Wronger Than Twilight, I review “The Black Jewels Trilogy” by Anne Bishop.

Again, I don’t get all the hoopla. Or I’m just a jaded, irredeemable pervert. Either way, I’m enough of an avid fantasy reader to be able to accept the world I’m in when I’m reading the book. Therefore with that said, the romance between the 2000 year old demon and 20 year old woman (because she IS of age when they get together) doesn’t phase me. Especially when you factor in the character Jaenelle Angelline, the female in question. She is no Bella. She is born Witch; with a capital “W” fated with powers the other characters can barely comprehend. Her fated lover; Daemon, loves her from the moment he meets her but honestly, it’s mostly platonic till she’s of age. And I say “mostly” because he keeps dreaming about how awesome she’ll be when Jeanelle grows up. Not to mention she’s so powerful, everyone around her is scared shitless. Jeanelle is not a silly little girl, she’s a force of nature, her spirit is timeless, ageless, and nobody screws with her without paying for it.

Bella is well… Not.

This story was well worth the 1216 page slog and HUGE book I had to carry around for a couple weeks. If you like sprawling fantasy worlds with humor, angst, and good ole fashion magical fun, grab this book. It’s awesome. 🙂 I didn’t find the romance disturbing at all!

Touched by Venom however? I hadda give it up. I returned the book without finishing it because, quite frankly, I didn’t enjoy reading it. It wasn’t the dragon venom aphrodisiac, it was the jargon dropping and slogging through this story which showed no signs of going anywhere. And I don’t have time to read books which are a chore to pick up as you can see from my Shelfari list of books I want to read. That list doesn’t grow so much as mutate and I have a devil of a time keeping up.

In one of my more random reads, I have found a much more disturbing romance than any of the ones I’ve read on that list; Savage Dawn by Cassie Edwards. The premise can be summed up by this simple phrase: “My, Chief Eagle Wolf, that’s some sexy measles you’ve got there.” That’s right, folks, our plucky Caucasian girl, Nichole, who is so garsh derned plucky she’s lost in the West after her parent’s t0wn gets massacred and comes upon Eagle Wolf who is covered in red spots and sick with fever. He thinks it’s small pox but Nichole deduces it’s only measles. But not before checking him out. While he’s sick. Before she even makes the decision to try and help him. Yup… Sexy measles.

And there are Mormons. They seem so random, I skipped the parts I read with them in it. I totally returned this book after the umpteenth time each of our lovers bemoans the fact the other will not be accepted by their respective societies. Didn’t even make it halfway through before I returned it.

In more current news, I have finished the rough edits on Grey City and have resumed writing Greenhouse, sequel to Dreamhunter. I’m making that my focus for now. I’m itching to have both Brood books out at the same time. ^_^ It feels good to be working with my vamps again. I can tell they missed me. 😉

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Ye, gods >_

I’d planned a long entry a couple days ago but then Ma went into the hospital with shingles and well, I freaked out. She’s doing fine so now that I’m calmer I can update the blog with SOMETHING. :p

I’m awaiting a file review for getting Dreamhunter on Kindle and a review of my book from Sorean by . Pardon me for freaking out in both cases. XD I’m trying not to chew my fingernails right off.

Once I’m confident DH went up smoothly, the short stories will start to go up. Eventually, I would like to collect all my short stories in a bound book but for now, Kindle seems to be the way to go for me.

My new 5 page a day goal is going pretty well (the hospital scare where I not only did NOT write, I didn’t sleep… Or eat). I’ve been bouncing back and forth between Greenhouse, Grey City and the lesbian thriller. I’m having such a fabulous time working on them, you have no idea. >D I grab every spare moment I can. 🙂

Since Ma is still in the hospital, I’m walking to the train on weekday mornings. Today I managed to give myself a fabulous blister on my foot so instead of watching Dr. Who on the treadmill, I’ll just sit and watch it. I also have to review Paradise Kiss for you guys.

All in good time, my pretties.

atthequillsmercy

De-lurking? Maybe…

Since I seem to be meeting so many interesting people on Twitter, I’m going to really try and comment on more of their blogs. I’ve added a good chunk of my Twitter follower’s blogs to my Google reader and if you see a comment from some crazy chick named "Lenni" do not me alarmed. It’s my lame assed attempt to be social.

Other than that, I am still working on my second novel for the First Brood series and the lesbian thriller for that anthology query. I am also thinking about posting the rejected steampunk lesbian story I wrote. I still get a kick about an anthology out there for a concept I was already working on, but it’s awesome that it’s out there even if I’m not a part of it. ^_^

I think a LOT about types of characters which are underrepresented or represented poorly. Where are the bisexual, biracial, career women who are in stable relationships? And I don’t think of this just cause I wanna see more people like myself, I really think there’s a terrible stigma against bisexuals to this day. It sucks, but it’s there.

So, I guess that’s my indie writer’s advice of the day: If you don’t see enough of it? Write it. XD

Now, back to work for me. 😉

atthequillsmercy

Wow… 0.0

I randomly logged into Create Space to work on getting Dreamhunter on Kindle (pauses for cheers of joy) and I see that I have a message.

I sold a book. To somebody I don’t know.

I’m sure this has happened before since I’ve sold a grand total of 20 or so copies of DH and I know about 8-10 of them personally (and minus the 4 copies I’ve purchased myself), but I’m still nervous that someone I don’t know has my baby in their hands. I really hope they like it. *chews fingernails*

My ankle is healing nicely and I’m spending the time reading and writing. Mostly, I’ve been working on Greenhouse but of course there are other stories floating around. I’m brainstorming the third book in the First Brood series already but that doesn’t have a title yet.

I’m a little wonky today since last night was hubbsters 30th birthday dinner. I nursed one cherry blossom martini the whole night while he got shitfaced. I also went home early so I could steal Monkeygirl cuddles and he went to a bar and got so drunk (I hear) that people were able to draw on him without his knowledge. I demand pictures, people!! XD

Since it is a rainy and crappy day, I’m sure it’ll be quiet so I can write.

Now that I’ve said that, I’m sure it won’t happen. :p

atthequillsmercy

Keeping the faith – Why I keep going

There are moments where I wonder why I bother to keep writing. Aside for knowing I will go completely insane if I don’t get all these ideas out of my head, it’s really easy to feel you ware writing for nobody but yourself and the 5 people around you who care enough to support your delusion vision. You want to give up

Then fate comes along.

Another patron told me today how much he loved my book and is looking forward to the sequel. 🙂 He told me in completely honest terms that a book never outright made him squeal for more like a true otaku and I get the feeling he’ll be on my ass to get the other one finished asap. XD

I also scrounged up all the notebooks from my short story project and will be updating the site with them over the next few weeks. Not particularly on a schedule just as they get typed and edited.

And here I was feeling all useless and such. 🙂

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Reality Bites (sorta)

Here I am back from my week long girl get away. Eh, it’s not bad to be back. I did miss my family. But man, did I ever have fun. >}

I’m back to writing and typing Greenhouse as I edit Dreamhunter to be put up on Createspace. I also have to finish typing all those short stories and the next bit of Go Away Girls to post on the site. It’s been a busy holiday season what with all the baking I’ve been doing to prepare (and for fun), but since I’m going back to work in the morning, I’ll have my head completely back in the game tomorrow. ^_^

Tomorrow is also Yule, which I look forward to almost as much as Beltane. 🙂 This year will have a full moon as well so I would like to take the kiddo out to gaze at it as long as weather permits. She’s a little young for full on rituals so a little prayer will have to do.

The holidays are certainly taking there toll on me. I can tell because I’m perpetually sleepy and I have a lovely, stress induced sty forming. It doesn’t look bad and I intend to keep it that way, damnit. If I keep soaking it and can manage not to touch my eye, it should be gone in time for the 25th where I will be shuttled around to people who don’t hide from cameras like I do. >_o If not, I’ll have to get creative about my poses. XD

Till tomorrow, lovelies!

atthequillsmercy

I return!

Back at dayjob from a nice vacation to a desk piled high with work. YAY!

That’s right, I said "yay." Taking a break from work is all well and good but I am not the type to stay at home all the time. I will go insane. I did very much enjoy spending quality time with my kiddo. She can really tweak the guilt when she puts her mind to it. "I don’t want you to go back to work ever, ever again." She tells me. A quick explanation if how exactly those shiny shoes that are just like Dorothy’s, came to be in our home and subsequently on her feet, and it was acceptable for me to work. Yah know, as long as I’ve got her permission and all. 😉

Other than playing with her I worked out. A LOT. More accurately, my kiddo worked out with me. I am finally noticing a difference in how I look and feel and how my clothes fit. I am very much looking forward to Samhain this year. I can’t wait to actually be able to dress up with my kid and not feel like a bloated hog crammed into some lycra monstrosity. >_< Anywayz, the P90x I’m using to workout works. It works very well. It hurts like you wouldn’t believe, I can barely keep up, and I have to modify the hell out of some of the workouts because I have bad knees, but it works. It warns against people who are not fit doing it but since I seem to enjoy punishment, I jumped right in. Don’t be like me.

Right now I am reading Anne Rice’s Sleeping Beauty Trilogy. Uhhmmm… I’m gonna withhold my full judgment till I’m completely done with the series (I’m midway through the third one now, they’re fast reads) but I’ll say first off I find the lack of consent completely disturbing. I understand what it means to be a complete slave but these are young men and women given to the royal court by their parents who have no option at all to say "Gee, I don’t think I enjoy being raped in to submission by the kitchen staff. I think I’d like to go home." Just… Wow.

These days, I’m back to working on "Greenhouse." Better get back to it then! 😀

atthequillsmercy

Advice of the day and Super Shortie Saturday

I LOVE Jeff Somers’ books. I got lucky enough to meet him quite by chance at NY Comic Con last year when I had no clue what he looked like. The exchange went something like this:

Me (with fangirlish glee): YOU wrote The Electric Church!!
Mr. Somers (in fear and quite ready to flee from me): Yeeesss…
Me: I LOVE that book!!
Mr. Somers (in very obvious relief): Oh, thank you. That’s great! Here, let me sign that copy for you.

And he did.

This is relevant because I wanted to share this video when Mr. Somers responds to an question about his writing process (which is a question I am often asked and think he has the best response):

I really enjoy what he says about word counts and having the best intentions for the day. I’m not giving up on my word goals but I’m not going to be as hard on myself if I don’t quite make it. But I’m sticking to my guns about cheap RED wine and not cheap white wine. White wine feels like nail polish remover on my tongue.

No, I have not deliberately tasted nail polish remover. I just stupidly put my finger near my mouth after cleaning off my nails.

Now, I’m not sure who’s luckier: Him, who get’s to write all day, or me, who get’s to see all these awesome books coming into the library all day and write whenever there’s a quiet moment to be had… I think I have to say me cause my job sends me to conventions and expos where I get advance copies of certain crazy author’s books. XD

For this week’s shortie? A snippet from the Dreamhunter sequel, Greenhouse:

Raquel smiled. "You don’t know what love feels like, huh?"
"Right to the point as always." Darjeeling grumbled, her cheeks turning the red that was once her hair.
"It’s warm." Raquel held her friend’s chin in one hand while applying muddy gel to Darjeeling’s eyebrows with the other. "You feel an overwhelming warmth when you look at them. You start to see them as brand new again, like they’re a fabulous stranger. If you don’t see them, it shocks you to your core." She smirked at Darjeeling’s bewildered expression." Sound familiar?"

Now, I’m off to do whatever I can while I’m at Dayjob. Tomorrow is Get New Shoes For Monkeygirl and Work On Website day. This clueless author finally figured out what was wrong with the root directory that was making the old page come up instead of the new one. Lookit me, lernin shit.

atthequillsmercy

Brainstorming

I’m not a big user of brainstorming. In school, I used to roll my eyes and groan whenever that was a required part of an assignment. Now it seems I’m fricking CONSUMED by it! I always thought it was a waste of time, still kinda do, but it’s better than staring at the blank page wondering why the hell it won’t tell you what do to. Having a completely disorganized list of ideas is so much more productive. :p

With another short story under my belt tonight will be more "Greenhouse" typing and some brainstorming. I need some erotica ideas, some ideas for my "female friendship" story, and I have a demented idea for "Chick lit for chicks who are fucked up" which I really have to play with. it’s just too fun not to. >}

So as I sit with my newly christened brainstorming notepad (meaning the first one that my fingers hit when I reached out for one) I try to imagine where I want my story to go, what I want the reader to get out of it, and what the characters have to tell me. Very often while I do this, an entire random scene will come out.  Many times I don’t use them but sometimes I do. If I don’t, it’ll end up on a Super Shorty Saturday post like the others. XD I have a ton that I’ve never managed to use. But I keep everything, no matter what. And lucky for all of you lovely people, you get to read it. XD

And don’t forget Dreamhunter is available for purchase. Yes, I will be mentioning that a lot. 😉

atthequillsmercy

SLUMP!!

I’m having one of those spells where I spend more time staring at the wall than writing. I crank out a couple choice sentences and then nada.

I’m sure my inspiration will strike at a completely inopportune time. Until then, I suppose I’ll keep editing and typing up what I’ve written. Somehow, typing up what I’ve written always shakes something loose.

And don’t ask me how the website is coming along. I’ll get there. :p