By Jove - she's done it again

Memory in Death

*Sigh*
There will probably be all kinds of reviews on this one so I won’t do a recap. There's one here and here. Instead I’ll let others better than I do this. But here are my impressions of the latest In Death
While I didn’t find it one of the better ones, I still adore this series – what over 20 books(?) later. Normally with a series this long I would have tired of it ages ago. It happened with Julia Quinn and the Bridgertons. It happened with Stephanie Plum. It happened with Sherrilyn Kenyon. I’m amazed really, that it hasn’t with Eve, Roarke and the gang but I can only be glad I haven’t had my fill yet. I know other readers have tired and dropped out and some haven’t gotten past the first couple. But there are still many of us that may never tire of them. I think part of the appeal is seeing Eve grow and (for her) mellow. I discovered this series about 3 or 4 years ago – the time has blurred and I managed to read them pretty much in order. It was tough at times when book 8 came in long before book 3 and I had to wait impatiently – determined to do it right. I’m a “read the end before I get there” kind of reader so this was an especially tough thing to do. But I’m glad I did.
The Eve Dallas of Memory is not the same Eve Dallas of Naked. She’s still as feisty and kick ass as she was in number one and still ready to get into a knock up take ‘em down fight but her outer shell is much softer these days. She’s always been a marshmallow on the inside but now she’s much softer with those she loves. She is able to tell Roarke she loves him in this book without all that much difficulty at all. And she is beginning to see what he goes through having a cop as a wife.
Memory in Death isn’t the thrill ride that Origin in Death was. In fact I figured it out early on, which I’m usually pretty lousy at. But we get to see more of the inner Eve in this one. And that’s always a good thing. Eve and Roarke actually get to spend more time together in this one and it’s wonderful to see how they are learning to give and take as they settle into marriage albeit a very passionate marriage.
This one still has it’s humour. There is a delightful scene where Eve as penance, directs the holiday decorating. It’s a riot.
I think it’s the growth of Eve that keeps me coming back and again to this series. As well, the mysteries are all different and unique. As long as she keeps writing like this, I’ll keep reading and loving them.


Grade: 4 out of 5


'til later

The Autobuy

Cranky Reader asked what turned out to be an interesting question. I started rambling an answer and then thought I delve deeper into her question. She was asking about new autobuy authors and I started wondering when and what makes an author an autobuy. I’ve read a few readers say that after the release of Passion, Lisa Valdez is an autobuy. I’ve heard the same thing about JR Ward and Dark Lover. I read and loved both of these books but I’m not putting the author on my “auto buy” list yet. Oh I will definitely buy their next books, but I don’t want to declare them autobuys based on one book. There’s a couple of reasons for that. When I take an author off my autobuy list, I’m usually pretty annoyed with their writing. It means they have written a number of books in a row I just didn’t like. And isn't that putting pretty high expectations on a new author? And what if their first book that was really good was just a fluke - kind of like a one hit wonder? And once an author is off – it’s pretty damned hard to get me to try another one by her again. Some of my former autobuys that I don’t really want to read anymore include Mary Balogh (sorry Rosario), Suzanne Brockman, Julia Quinn and Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Those are just a few – but they are all big names that are still going strong – just not for me anymore.
So – how many books does it take to make the author an autobuy for me?

I don’t know.

I think three, but then that number is blown by Tara Janzen. She’s an autobuy after two. Maybe that’s because her two - for me - were both exceptional reads and/or I’m taking into consideration that I loved River of Eden when she was Glenna MacReynolds.
Then I have authors that I buy all of their books, but I don’t call them autobuys. Rachel Gibson is a good example that falls into this group. I have disliked enough of her books that I don’t consider her an autobuy, but I’ve liked/loved enough that I keep trying her.
I don’t know – it’s a cloudy area as to what and how many make an author an autobuy for this reader.
So how about anyone else? What makes an author an autobuy for you? And how many does it take? And once an autobuy is off your list, can they make it back on again?
I’m curious.


‘til later

Release the Hounds

I think BAM is wickedly funny in her reviews. If you’ve never read her reviews – you simply must give them a try. I can only dream of writing something that deliciously hilarious. While I like the reviews Mrs. Giggles does, BAM is the best. She’s been on a bit of a Lisa Kleypas streak - taking on the queen she is - and the only auto buy Avon author I still have left. It can be argued and I won’t disagree, that other authors are better writers. But for me there is something special and unique about this particular book. BAM blogged about her upcoming reviews and I saw that she was getting ready to tackle non other than *horns trumping in the background* Dreaming of You – the book that defines why I love reading romance. There is just something so magical to me about this book.
But even if BAM trashes it, hates it and wants to stomp it into the ground, then burn it and scatter the ashes, I know I’m going to relish her review.

Which brings me to the title of this blog. When I find out romance readers who haven't read this one yet, I've started hounding them to give it a try.
I’m going to hold up the magic mirror that Miss Betty on Romper Room used to use. Hands up all those who have read this book?
Ah, I see quite a few!
Those who read and didn’t like it keep their hands up.
Aha – I don’t see many hands now.
There are a few readers though, who haven’t read this book who are on my list.
Nicole – I made her get a copy
Cindy – who has a copy but is holding off – but you are on the list
Karen S – just recently added. She has issues with the author and although I don’t know what they are, I’m sure they are interesting *grin*. Karen, even if you never read another Kleypas – you simply must give this one a shot. Were we not right about Eve and Roarke?
If there is anyone else who hasn’t read it, you can let me know and I will add you to the hound list.
For those who have read it – here are a few things that might make you sigh. For those who haven’t – hopefully you will be curious enough to want to know what the heck I’m talking about.
Derek Craven
Sarah Fielding
Joyce (boo, hiss)
Spectacles
Dropping the h’s
Matilda
The house wenches
Drain pipe
Dog drawn
The fiancé (mama’s boy)
The House party
Spectacles
The List
Sarah’s parents (I think of the little people that artists make out of dried apples when I think of them)
The turban
The fire
Sigh
So why am I so nutty about this book? And why do I have a list? Well, if anyone who hasn’t yet, decides to read this book and they enjoy it even half as much as I do because I recommended it, it will give me a glow inside that will warm the cockles of my heart that I’ve been able to share something special.

So how about it? Anyone want to warm my cockles?

(and doesn’t that sound indecent)

‘til later

Thursday morning feature

OK – Last night’s Lost. I confess to not really enjoying it. They are turning loveable Charlie into someone we don’t know. And does anyone think he still is using even though he keeps denying it – or is he really having visions. And me? I still think he has a stash somewhere else. And what about Locke getting violent? That was unexpected.
Hurley is adorable isn’t he?
Jack and Anna Lucia?
The plus part of the show though was sigh Kate and Sawyer. He was looking might fine. But when, oh when are we going to have another Sawyer back story? Oh wait. I know – sometime in February.

‘til later

A forgotten addition to the list

Unmasked by C.J. Barry


How could I have forgotten this one? I was filling out my ballot the other day for the AAR Reader Poll and I needed to check my spread sheet on one of the categories for voting. I saw this book rated pretty high on my best of books and then it occurred to me that somehow I missed it when I was doing my favourite books of 2005 list. I don’t know how I missed this one then as I really enjoyed it. I blogged about it at the time so I’m not going to say to much about it again except that it’s a very good book and my favourite futuristic of the year. Plus I want to practice the new thing I learned – placing text next to a picture.





Also Canadian politics, while I find it fascinating, isn’t the most exciting of topics so I wanted to something more interesting to the romance reader visitors.

So really – this is a really a multi-purpose ‘til we get to Lost talk post.


And a qustion. When I open this at work, the blog doesn't show up til the very bottom of the page, long after the pictures are passed. It doesn't at home, but does this do this for anyone else who might be reading? And if it does - for those who know, how would one go about fixing it?


'til later

Coming up - last night's Lost

Election Update - a brief political piece

Well, you needn't have worried. My anguished cries never happened. Thank heavens the Canadian people booted the liberal party out of power. You know that old saying Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Well, that applies to the liberal party. They were in power for twelve years and with that length of time in office, corruption and hypocrisy took over. They became arrogant and assumed they had 'entitlement' to anything they wanted, including wasting billions of tax dollars with no reprecussions. Whether it was taking one's chauffer on a European vacation costing us regular folk thousands and thousands of dollars, or spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on golf balls, ties and other assorted junk. At the same time, the decimated our armed forces and denied health benefits to veterans. I could write for pages on the atrocities that have happened over time.
For years, there was no one to stop them. Twelve years ago, the conservatives were in office and when they were voted out, the party fell apart. It splintered into two different parties, neither having enough power to defeat the liberal party. While supposedly a democracy, Canada wasn't really.

But finally a few years ago, the two spintered parties merged again and began gaining recognition.

There is a third main party, the New Democatic Party. I think of them as more a party of concious than a party of practicality. They believe strongly in universality for all things and while it's very good in theory, I'm not sure how it would work on a country wide basis. We are already one of the most heavily taxed nations and in order to put many of their ideas into practice, most people balk at the thought of the added taxes it could cost. But they are important and I was glad to see them with more seats - at least in my neck of the woods.

We now have a minority government in place with the conservatives in charge. What this will mean is yet to be seen. They can be voted out if the other minority parties band together to defeat them. I hope this doesn't happen. Elections are costly and we just had one two years ago when the liberal party lost seats and became a minority.

Will they be any better? I think they will have to be for a while until power begins erroding them too. But since they don't have a lot of power now, I don't think it will happen right away. A lot of people are nervous of their right wing ideas but since they don't have a majority and they will need the cooperation of the other parties, I don't think that should be a worry.

Hopefully one of the things that will happen is a friendlier relationship with the US government. Arrogance ruled relations between the two governments - and I mean arrogance on the Canadian side. Whether our leaders liked the American leaders or not, as a Canadian, I was embarrased at some of the things that our people in power did or said.
So, today is a new day. I hope things change for the better in this country.

Back to our regular scheduled program shortly.


'til later

January's book challenge - so far

I’m not sure if this is cheating or not. I really wanted to get started on AngieW’s Challenge and was in a slump. I tried 3 contemporary books and couldn’t get past the first page. So I reread a couple of really good ones I liked from last year – the two Crazy books – and liked them even better – but that’s for another day.
I still didn’t want to go back to the 2 that spooked me before and I read good things about Erin McCarthy so I thought I would give this one a try – even though I bought it after the challenge was issued. I didn’t buy it for the challenge – honest!

Title: Houston We Have a Problem
Author: Erin McCarthy
Year published: 2004
Why did you get this book? I’ve seen this author recommended lately and wanted to give her a try
Do you like the cover? Not really
Did you enjoy the book? Not really
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? She is new to me and I’m thinking I don’t think I’ll try her again – but you never know.
Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing it on
Anything else? I don’t know how to put it but I was never really drawn into the story. When I read a book I like to feel that while I’ve not exactly become the heroine, I at least am right there feeling the same feelings. I never did with this one. I felt very disconnected the whole time, always aware that I was reading a book. In fact, I was so detached, I caught a gaffe and I almost never notice those (for those who have read this one, it’s the scene where the heroine is trying to remove the swimming trunks of the hero, but they are “still damp” Well, they couldn’t have been because he never went into the water because of stitches in his leg.)
Josie is an orthapedic resident, who normally very competent, becomes very flustered when in the company of surgeon Houston Hayes. At these times she becomes a total klutz due to her overwhelming attraction to her. Well, wonder of wonders, it turns out he is attracted to her too despite the issues she has with not being a slender model type. He proposes a one-night stand to alleviate the tension between them. She agrees and they have sex under his hall table, which I thought rather disinterestedly must have been pretty darn uncomfortable. He wants more after that. She does but doesn’t think it’s a good idea. He surfs and gets bit by a shark. She helps him out. And so on and so on and so on.
It’s an OK book, but since I have so many TBR and so many TBB that appeal to me more, I think I’ll skip any further books by her for the time being.


Now, since I seem to be out of my slump, I read a second contemporary for the challenge


Title: Her Sexiest Mistake
Author: Jill Shalvis
Year published: 2005
Why did you get this book? I’ve read her books before and liked them
Do you like the cover? Yes, I thought it was cute
Did you enjoy the book? It was…..interesting
Was the author new to you and would you read something by this author again? No, I’ve read her before and yes I will read her again
Are you keeping it or passing it on? Passing it on
Anything else? First off, Jill Shalvis writes wonderful heroes. I’ve read a number of her books and I’ve always quite liked the way she writes heroes. On occasion though, I have issues with her heroines. And I’ve never had so much issues as I do with Mia, the heroine, (and I use this world with some reservation). I. Did. Not. Like. Her! At all!! She was – to put it bluntly – a bitch. A “self-centered, who gives a shit about what you want ‘cause it’s all about me- no one and nothing else but me” bitch.
Mia Appleby and Kevin McKnight are neighbours. Kevin is a wonderful guy, a high school science teacher who teaches summer school and helps out at the local teen centre in the summer. Mia is an up and coming executive at an ad agency. She had grown up poor white trash and was determined to forge a new life. Added into the mix are Mike, Kevin’s younger ‘player’ brother who happens to be deaf, Hope, Mia’s lost, scared and runaway niece and Tess, Mia’s soft-hearted assistant. Mia and Kevin are very attracted to each other and have already given in to the attraction before the book starts. Kevin wants to get to know Mia better, but she wants none of that. No not Mia. All she is interested in is a booty call with Kevin when she has an itch and that’s all she cares about. She’s the female version of “slam, bang, thank you mam – and now I’m outahere”. What he sees in her is a complete mystery to me. If a hero acted with this kind of despicable behaviour, well he would not be a hero – nope – he would be a kick him to the curb scumbag dog. And that’s what I kept hoping Kevin would do to Mia. There is a huge double standard here and it really irritated me. When Hope runs to Mia’s because of her own unhappy home life does Mia understand and welcome her? Of course not- not “it’s all about me” Mia. Instead she makes it clear that Hope is an intrusion in her life she doesn’t want. At one point the book came oh so very close to being shredded. Kevin, being a compassionate guy, understood where Hope was coming from and makes it clear to Mia he really wants Hope to enrol in his summer school science class. But Mia is insistent that won’t happen as she is sending Hope back as soon as she can . Once it becomes clear she is ‘stuck’ with Hope for the summer, she agrees Hope can enrol in Kevin’s class and tells Hope this – if Kevin will still have her in his class that is. Since it was only two days previous to this that Kevin had made clear he would love teaching Hope, it was just plain bitch nastiness that Mia said what she did.
The way this book should have ended would be for Kevin to turn and walk away from Mia. She didn’t deserve him. So she had issues. So what? She was still a cold-hearted mean spirited, high maintenance, not worth the effort bitch.
As I said, for the most part I very much enjoy Ms. Shalvis books – but not when there’s a heroine like Mia.

So – so far my challenge of contemporaries hasn’t been fairing to well. I’ve started another one and if it doesn’t go better, I think I’ll lay aside the contemporaries and look forward to next months challenge.

It' a voting kind of a day

I figured I would make this a real voting kind of a day. It’s election day here in Canada. The polls close at 9:30 this evening so the results won’t be in until past my bed time. But if you should all wake up to a faint scream of horror tomorrow morning around 5:30 am, that will be me if the Liberal party now in charge stays in charge.

And I filled in my ballot for the All About Romance Annual Readers Poll. I always enjoy doing this and look forward to it every year. And then to seeing how many I match when the results come in.
So, since we have no say in the Oscars – I say go forth and cast your ballots in something we all love and have in common and we can vote in!

So – if you’re Canadian – go forth and vote.

If you’re a lover of romance novels – go forth and vote.


‘til later

Recent buys and other ramblings (edited=playing around)

Recent Buys

Many times I buy books based on covers. Such is the case with my latest buys. They're all too gorgeous to simply record on the side this time.


The Captain's Lady by Margaret McPhee

Dang - but I love this cover!!! The way he is about to kiss her with her face cupped in his hands *sigh*. The naval uniform he's wearing. She doesn't have bad cover hair. The colours, the ship - well it doesn't get much better than this one for me. While I don't think this one is a pirate adventure, it does seem to be a high seas adventure.


The Maid of Lorne byTerry Brisbin

I saw this one first on Beverly's blog and fell in love with the cover. This is the way a medieval cover should look. Not like one I featured not to long ago *shudder*. Again, the colours, the dress, the storm clouds, the castle all work together and say "Buy me readers."

I know, I know, I've harped on it before. But why the hell can't Avon get these kind of covers.

And finally
Dead Reckoning by Linda Castillo


Is this a sexy cover or what?


Other Ramblings

I really am going to have to sit down and figure out how to get text at the side of the picture.




I won this one at CW's and
it came in the mail Thursday.
Yummmmmmmmers





I feel like I'm following in Nicole's footsteps here. I had to take Zina to the vet this morning. She had (what I thought) was a nasty cold. Seems it might be something more serious. I really hope not as she's got our hearts completely won over now in just a week. She's on antibiotics now and I have to take her back next Saturday. I was a very proud mother and rather smugly told the receptionist on the way out that Zina was much better behaved than the other cats that were meowing up a storm.


Two weeks later the pulling at my hair all over must be starting to work. I'ts actually a little longer now and I must say I'm starting to really like this hair cut.


'til later

Last night's Lost

Since discussing Lost for Lost’s sake is now frowned on at AAR because of results of a recent reader survey and I need to discuss Lost, I thought for those watchers of Lost – and we are gaining new members every day, I thought I would make Thursdays unofficial Lost days. I’m not one to visit a lot of television-based message boards. I’ve tried but many of them are too “out there” for me.
The drawback is I know some who might visit here that are Lost watchers are episodes behind where they live. That just bites! I wish I could send them to you somehow sigh so you can be current with the rest of us.

So – last night’s episode

I wish they had delved further into Sawyers’s “out of it” statement that he loved her. Was he referring to Kate?
And speaking of Sawyer – now aka James Ford (I like that we finally know his name) when are we going to get another Sawyer (can’t get used to the name change though) get another back-story. I loved the dialogue between him and Locke when he called Locke Mr. Clean
And the mystery of what happened to jack’s marriage is now solved. I can’t see anything happening between him and Kate anymore. Now he and Anna Lucia? Hmmm that’s a thought there.
And where did Michael go? I don’t think The Others hurt him, but he didn’t make it back.
And I loved the bit at the end between Sun and Jin.

'til later

And in the meantime

We got a new addition to the household. We got our kitten on Saturday. She's the cutest little thing. She (a) is litter trained (b) purrs all the time (c) is very affectionate (d) is soft (e) is strictly an indoor cat and (f) doesn't scratch the furniture.

Ron, of course, renamed her as soon as she got in the house. He does that to all animals. Her name was Paula so I don't mind this time. We are now calling her Zina, kitten warrior princess. I've taken pictures with Ryan's digital camera and for your viewing pleasure, here is our new family member








Nope our house isn't sliding into a sinkhole. I just take really, really bad pictures.


Something new I learned. When you put those plastic boxes that Swiss Chalet comes in into the oven, even if it's real low, they will kind of melt around the chicken inside.



'til later

ARRRGGGHHHH

Well, it happened. You never know when one is coming and you don't know what to do when it does. We've all experienced one. We hate when it happens but many times don't know what do when it does.




I am talking




The dreaded SLUMP


I'm in one and it's not pretty. One book I've read so far this year! One! And it's the 13th day. Normally I would have finished at least four by now. I've tried a number of different kinds and genres but nothing seems "right". I hate when this happens.




Arrrgggghhhhh



'til later

Am I missing the boat on this one?

By now we’ve all probably hear the news that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are having a baby. I was watching Entertainment Tonight last night. It was either that or Jeopardy and shallow me – went with ET. They ran a story "celebrating????" their love story.
Now is it just me or is there something fundamentally wrong with a show that promotes and encourages a story where the guy who by all reports is relatively happily married to a beautiful and successful and from what we know of her, warm and charming woman, meets another woman and screws around on his wife.
The point of this isn’t so much against Brad and Angelina. I have my own thoughts on what those two did. But for a major entertainment program to celebrate that adultery is just wrong. Just morally, horrendously wrong.
From here on in it’s Jeopardy all the way.

And while I'm at it. Is it not a scary thing that of all the wonderful movies out right now that the number 1 box office movie of the weekend was Hostel - a graphically diturbingly violent movie? From what I've read on this one it takes graphic violence to a whole new level. Now I know a lot of young people - men in particular - thrive on this kind of movie. I've got two of them myself that will probably see it. But #1? Making the sales it did??? I find that scary.


‘til later

A Bunch 'o Book reviews

I’ve been reading lots and have had a very good run of books lately but haven’t gotten around to blogging about them for quite some time now. I seem to have been on a real historical tear as that’s what most of them have been.

The Perfect Rake by Anne Gracie – I’d had this one in my TBR pile for a while and finally got around to reading it. I’ve read one or two by this author before and quite like them. I liked this one even better. I was barely into it when I knew I was going to have to get the next one too. I think what appealed to me so much about this one is besides being quite funny, had a wonderful hero. Gideon is totally and completely smitten with Prudence when he first meets her and just assumes everyone else thinks she is as beautiful as he does. She has 3 younger sisters who are much more beautiful and she just doesn’t “get” that Gideon adores everything about her. What a delightful book this one is
Grade: 4 ½ out of 5

The Perfect Waltz by Anne Gracie – Since I loved the first in the series so much, I was really looking forward to this one. I liked it just a tiny itsy bitsy smudge less that The Perfect Rake. Again she does a wonderful hero. Sebastian is determined to find a wife and ‘mother’ for his two troubled sisters. Although instantly and immediately attracted to Hope, the heroine, he is set on courting another woman who he thinks would be much better for his sisters. This is a heart-warming story and I’m looking forward to the next book coming up.
Grade 4 out of 5

The one quibble I have with these two books and kept the grades from 5 and 4 1/2 are the sex scenes. It’s almost as if they are tacked on at the end of the story just for sex scenes sake. This is a matter I almost feel semi-responsible for. I am one of many readers who will only very very rarely read a book that doesn’t contain some deeper intimacy and then skip it when it shows up. I just wish the author could have blended the scenes in a bit smoother.

The Courtesan by Julia Justiss: This one I enjoyed quite a bit when I read it but that was a few weeks ago now. When I went to write about it, I had to look up what it was about. That’s not good. But on the other hand, when I did look up the storyline, I very quickly remembered it so that’s good. And I remembered why I quite liked it. I think it’s because this is another story of a soldier and a courtesan and although the Gaston books gets a higher grade, this one was quite well done too. Another reason for confusion – the hero’s name is Jack the same as the Ross book. Anyway, our hero Jack – a returning soldier challenges Belle, the mysterious and infamous courtesan to a duel during her regular practice session. When she accidentally injures Jack in a duel, she thinks in order to make it up to him, she must take him back to her place while he recovers. Jack is captivated with Belle and isn’t above “faking it a wee bit in order to stay with the intriguing Belle.
Grade: 3 ½ out of 5

The Mysterious Miss M by Diane Gaston: This book blew me away. I bought it on a whim when I saw it in the store. I had just been reading on a message board how a few readers really liked this one and since it’s a Harlequin Historical and thus somewhat less costly than some other books, I decided to give it a try. It wasn’t until I saw it got a DIK at AAR that I moved it to the top of my TBR pile.
Wowsers! What a good investment that was. I really wasn’t expecting such an emotional read from Harlequin, but this book was awesome! It was rich and deep and thought provoking. Devlin a younger son and soldier, spent some an “evening” with Madeline, a somewhat exclusive prostitute just before he left for battle. When he comes back he once again visits the gambling establishment where he first met Madeline and is given her to settle a debt. Although at the beginning Devlin just uses Madeline like so many other men had, he was caring. And once he has charge of her, her daughter and her servant, he sets out to make amends for his earlier thoughtlessness. This is a truly wonderful story of redemption, of triumph and of acceptance. I highly highly recommend it. It’s well deserving of the DIK it received.
Grade 5 out of 5

Note: I’m going to have to check out Eharlequin. I’ve never visited
there before but starting Jan 9, Diane Gaston is posting daily excerpts of
another story. Even better yet, she has another book coming out from
Harlequins historicals in February, The Wagering Widow, and one in May and she
also writes as Diane Perkins and I have one of those in my TBR pile – Most
Excellent!!

Night of Sin by Julia Ross: My goodness can this author write! I’m one of the lucky ones who has her entire backlist. Up until My Dark Prince, although she’s always been able to write well, her first two were a bit uneven. But she has fixed whatever was missing before and every book since then has been a keeper. This one is no exception. Wild Lord Jack is the second son who has spent much of his life wandering around and working undercover for the government. When an artefact accidentally end up in the possession of the heroine – Anne Marsh, the daughter of a minister, Jack is the one who comes to her rescue – taking her away on a journey to his country home. During the journey, Anne is determined to find out all she can about attraction between men and women.
Grade: 4 out of 5

Music of the Night by Lydia Joyce: Now while I didn’t like this one quite as much as her debut, The Veil of Night, I loved the fact it was set in Venice rather than England. Rosario did a most excellent review and summation of this book and everything she says – yes.
Grade: 4 out of 5

A Singular Lady by Megan Frampton: I’m not really a reader of Regencies these days although I did cut my teeth on them so to speak. But since Megan Frampton is such a delightful person, I wanted to be sure to read this one. After all, I “know” the author. Once a read the book, I wondered why I didn’t read more of this genre. This was a delightful first book. Titania is smart, intelligent and has a “plan” after she finds out the heinous thing her father did. Edwin who has secrets of his own is another hero who is “taken” with the heroine after their first meeting. I love this kind of story. And I really enjoyed this foray into Regency England. I loved reading her journal to becoming a published author at AAR and now I love her book.
Grade: 4 out of 5

To the Brink by Cindy Gerard: Moving away from historicals, this was my first 2006 book and just like 2005 started out great with To Die For, this is another very good read to get the year started. Gotta love it when that happens. This is the third in a series about 3 brothers and a sister who after all working for their country in either the special forces or the government are now working for the family private detective business named EDEN. This is Ethan the oldest brothers story. When his former wife Darcy, for whom he never got over, calls him and leaves a message that she is in trouble, he drops everything, goes back into Special Forces mode and does whatever it takes to rescue her from the group of terrorists that have kidnapped her. This is a truly a heart in your throat kind of book. I quite liked the first one To The Limit, was so-so on the second To the Edge, but this one is terrific!. While part of me can see where she might be compared to Suzanne Brockman, this is a good read without the distractions I found that caused me to drop Ms. Brockman as an auto buy. The story focuses almost completely on Ethan and Darcy with just a small little bit on what I presume will be the final brother’s story. Their marriage is told very successfully in a series of flashbacks and you can see why these two people who loved and still do love each other very much didn’t make it. I think this one would stand very well on it’s own without having read the first two in the series. There is a bit on a secondary character who I am sure is destined to be the love interest for Dallas, the third brother, whose history can be a bit rough reading, but since I know this is fiction, I could read it. What a great start this book is to the reading year!
Grade: 5 out of 5

So that's it - the bunch 'o books I've read lately. Now I'm going to have to switch gears for a festival of contemporary books. I know I have some.

'til later

Random Ramblings

I went for a haircut Saturday. Now the hairdresser I used to have left and this is the second different hairdresser I've been to since. It took me four visits for my previous hairdresser to cut my hair the way I like it.
I said I wanted it cut shorter on Saturday. It is shorter alright - way shorter. "yikes what did she do to my hair" when I pass a mirror shorter. Contrary to what I keep hoping, pulling at it doesn't make it grow any faster. I don't think badhaircutitiss will work as a reason to miss a month of work.

I was without internet access for a good part of the weekend. The cable box dropped and disrupted the connection. I had to wait for my son who knows these things to come home from a trip away 'cause he's the one who understands this kind of stuff. I was going through serious internet withdrawl. I kept thinking of things I wanted to do or look up only to realize I needed the internet. Serious withdrawl. I was worried that I had somehow broken something when I couldn't get it to work trying different things myself. When he finally made it home and I asked him to look at it, he did and got it working in no time. When I asked him what was wrong he gave me one of "those" looks and said it was turned off. The green light wasn't on.
See - techie I'm not

A show that seems to be gathering buzz The New Battlestar Galectica was one I was getting upset about. It's a show I really want to start watching. But! Although apparently filmed in Vancouver, I couldn't find it on any Canadian channels. Therefore I was most delighted when it was on the cover of Sunday's TV Times. I can watch it. It's on the Space channel, a specialty channel we can get. Hurray!

'til later

I haven’t shared very much of what is going on in my personal life. Instead, I’ve tried to be amusing as well as informative in my posts lately. But every so often I just feel like I need to write about how I’m feeling inside – since this is a journal. I just happen to make it public. Up until just after Christmas things were going very well for Ron. After he had the first chemo treatment, the first couple of days the nausea he felt was very minor and went away with medication. He didn’t feel overly tired and often stayed up later than me. Of course I’m up at 5:30 am. Although I had been dreading the holidays, he was able to enjoy Christmas dinner and the day went pretty good. All through the holidays however, it was in the back of both our minds but pretty much unexpressed “is this the last one we will have?”
He went for his latest chemo treatment last Friday and things are spiralling downward. He hasn’t recovered from it the way he did last time. He started radiation yesterday and will be going for radiation treatment every day excluding weekends five days a week. The real descent into hell has begun.
I see this man I love so very much slipping away from me. He is tired all the time now and has no energy. He is off work (and has been for a while now) and is frustrated he can’t do more around the house. He has always been the better of the two of us at cleaning the house and he’s sees things I don’t that need to be done. I told him to make a list and Ryan and I would do it but then he gets frustrated first because he can’t do it himself any longer and then because I’m not doing it. But I’ve never been good at these things. Because I miss so much time off work nowadays, when I do go, I work longer hours, thus explaining why I’m up so early. I’m tired.
I call him every day now – I never used to be one of those who talks to their spouse on the phone and the past couple of days I call and talk with tears falling. The chemo has affected his vocal chords and while it isn’t so noticeable when I am with him, when I talk to him on the phone I can tell it’s an effort for him to talk.
He’s scared, he’s terrified and so am I but I can’t let him know.
I feel like I’m being split in two. There is still the part of me that needs to laugh; that needs to see the amusing side to life. I come from a family full of laughter. When I was young my parents and sisters and I would sit around the kitchen table long after we were done eating just talking and laughing. My mother had neighbours tell her they were envious of us – they could hear us all laughing in the summer when the windows and doors were open. That part of “me” is so vital and so much a part of what makes me who I am.
But how do I laugh when I see the man I love slowly fading away in front of me? How do I carry on a normal life? My life is not normal anymore. He looks to me for confirmation that everything will be all right and I can’t give it to him. I have to choose my words so carefully.
He has asked me to do internet research on alternative cancer treatment. He doesn’t really understand the internet and says it should be easy for me. It isn’t though. Romance sites I know – the rest is a big mystery. If anyone knows where I could look, I should be ever so grateful.
Yet it’s laughter that gets us through things. When I talk to friends about it, I try and look for and share the lighter side. Like the fact that all the people getting chemo last week were women. That was a very sad fact but it kind of threw Ron for a loop when he noticed he was the only guy in a room full of women. Or the hardest part of the day for me was when the woman next to us who was getting treatment asked me to pass around her rather large plate of goodies to everyone in the room. When I got back to Ron he asked me jokingly if I had fun and with my back to the woman I mouthed a large almost panic stricken NO!!! He knows me you see and he knew it was incredibly difficult for me to approach a room full of strangers one at a time. We shared a quiet laugh over that one.
I’ve never been much of a crier, I’m much more a laugher. I received an email from a friend last night who reads my blog. She thought things must be going very well as it was so upbeat. I started my reply off “Alas, I'm like the clown - Laugh while your heart is breaking”
The laughter is real – it really is. But so now too is the pain.

Where have all the authors gone - Sing it with me

Where have all the authors gone
Long time pa as sing
Where have all the authors gone
Long time ago

You must be of a certain age to once again understand what the heck I’m talking about


Sub title

Top 10 Missing in Action or I really miss them list

No, No you’re probably thinking – not another list! Hey! I said I was a machine

Tom & Sharon Curtis/Laura London: So far I’ve read what four of their books – Windflower, Sunshine & Shadows, Lightning That Lingers and Love’s a Stage. I have one left on my TBR pile. I'm kind of like Cindy. She has a certain book that she isn't reading yet because she knows she's going to love it and she doesn't have one as good to replace it. I have one London left and as soon as I read it, I know that will be the end of the run until I find some more. Each one of these has been such a treasure. I’ve mentioned this wonderful writing couple every time I read one of their books and how much they are missed.

Elizabeth Elliot: What made me think of this list – since I was I list making mode – was reading on cw’s blog her question as to whatever happened to Elizabeth Elliot. I think this is the most frequently asked about author on AAR too as readers continue to discover her books and seek out more. Especially frustrating is we were kind of left up in the air. There is a story just dying to be told about the brother-in-law. She wrote three books and a short story – that’s it. I haven’t read her short story but I read Warlord, and Betrothed, two wonderful medievals and Scoundrel a historical. That’s it! That’s her entire backlist. The last one was published in 1996, ten years ago now. But it just goes to show for all those who haven’t read these wonderful books, the impact that three books and a short story have had on all those who have read her books, that we are still waiting ten years later. If you haven’t read her before, and if you’re a fan of especially medievals – DO NOT MISS HER!

Judith Ivory: Her last published book was Untie My Heart published in 2002. We hear from her from time to time. She participated in a round table discussion at AAR last year, but still – no book and there doesn’t seem to be any on the horizon that I know of. While not quite everyone’s cup of tea, I really have enjoyed her books and I have just about all of them in my collection – most read and loved.

Marsha Canham: I wasn’t sure whether to include her or not. Not because I don’t think she a wonderful writer – she is. I have almost her entire back list and they are fabulous. No, the reason I wasn’t sure if I should include her is we know what happened to her. She retired to spend time with her family. I’ve heard grumblings that one of the issues that prompted her retirement was she didn’t like the way things were headed in the publishing world. Whether that is true or not I don’t know since I’ve never read anywhere she said that. Regardless, she has given us many a wonderful story and if she ever decides to come ‘out of retirement’ she will be most warmly welcomed back. She wrote Westerns (love ‘em), Medievals (‘love ‘em) Historicals (love ‘em) Pirate Adventure (can take or leave those – hah! Fooled you) and wrote them all most excellently

Danelle Harmon: She has a web page and according to the last entry, she had personal reasons for not writing. That was in 2003. She has a wonderful series going about four brothers, The Wild One, The Beloved One, The Defiant One and The Wicked One. I read these all and they were very very good. The latest one was published in January 2001. She also has a few more including a few (RADAR going up) Pirate books. I have couple in my TBR pile thanks to some friends and I’m hoping to get to them very soon. specially if AngieW has a pirate theme month – just for me! like in say June or July to get everyone psyched for the release of Pirates of the Caribbean – Dead Man’s Chest starring Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. That way everyone who doesn’t have a pirate book TBR can get one early enough that it could be considered a TBR book – Stop! Enough! – back to the subject

Ackhem - sorry about that

Kristin Kyle: She’s another author with a very short back list, but the ones she had left a lasting impression on my. Well the ones I’ve read. I still have one TBR if I can past the cover. She had a most excellent Futuristic with Nighthawk and another really good read with The Last Warrior. She also has/had a web site in which she stated she left writing for two reasons. The first reason was health issues, but the second one was much more maddening. She couldn’t get a publisher. Her book sales for the last two books were not very good. And no wonder. The covers were horrid! Whoever decided on those ones should have been shot. She has a wonderful way to tell a story and I still miss her writing very much.

Rebecca Paisley: Her writing can best be described as quirky. I love quirky. A couple of times she went a wee bit over the quirky quota and while I was reading her book I had major eye roll problems but overall I really quite like her books. The last book of hers I have was published in 1996. I would love to see her return to writing

Julianna Garnett: The last book I can find that she wrote was The Laird published in 2002. She also wrote a few other medieval books like Scotsman (I’m wincing just in case Maili sees this), The Vow, The Quest, The Knight, The Magic and The Baron. They were all very entertaining. Before that she wrote a couple of Westerns under the name Virginia Brown. Interestingly enough, while I was looking stuff up at Amazon, I noticed another romance book published in 2005 by Virginia Brown called Deadly Design. It has a picture of a cat on the front. I wonder if it’s the same person? Perhaps Nicole (our cat cover loving reader) might know.

Eve Byron/Connie Rinehold: She came onto my radar years ago with a simply wonderful book Letters from a Stranger about two lonely people who “met” and fell in love by mail. He was a major stationed in Europe at the crossroads in his career and she was a former child beauty queen who had learned to cover her childhood pain in writing letters to strangers. I love this book, it’s a great comfort read. She followed that one up with a most interesting ghost story based on the old poem The Highwayman. I’m vividly reminded of this book every time I hear the haunting song by Loreena McKennit. She disappeared for a while and then resurfaced as Eye Byron. I have one or two of her books. (I must say again – I am giving myself some great books to look for here). The last known book I can find for her is October 1999. To be honest I wouldn’t be surprised is she suffered from Bad Coveritis. Cough *avon* cough

Tamara Leigh: She wrote some wonderful Medievals and then just up and disappeared. And kewl – looks like there are 2 of hers I missed somehow. The last one I have came out in 1996 – The Saxon Bride. Somehow I missed a Medieval Time Travel that come out in 1997 – double kewl and another one Blackheart (wowzers – I’m glad I did this) came out in 2001. Nothing since then from this author. And there are way too few medievals coming out these days.

Hope Tarr: Now I added her because she confused me. She has three books out, all wonderful despite My Lord Jack being one of the considerations for the Worst Cover. Then we had Tempting with a most gorgeous cover. From the ridiculous to the sublime she went. Tempting was published in 2002. Then she seemed to disappear book wise but has still had quite a noticeable on-line presence. I wondered what was going on. Happy news to end with. I checked her website and she has the first in a new series due to come out in July and it looks quite interesting.
Nice to end this on a high note.

Now if I were to sit down with these ten women and one guy this is what I would say

To those of you who decided for one reason or another to quit your writing, I just want to thank you for the hours of reading pleasure you gave me. If you should decide in the future that you have another story you want to tell, please let me know. That would just make my day. For those of you who aren’t writing because the publishing industry done you wrong, is there anything we as readers and fans of your books can do to correct this injustice?


‘til later

A Lean Mean Listmaking Machine

OK, OK - I'm not lean. And I don't like to consider myself mean. But I'm a listmaking machine. I have two more for your reading enjoyment


Top 10 reads from previous years

My previous top 10 list was books published in 2005. This list is those that I read in 2005 that were published before 2005 – in some cases 20 years ago. This months ATBF column at AAR is asking about pre 2004 best reads. I posted there already so I’m going to repeat myself here with four of the books that really stood out for me

Sunshine and Shadows by Tom and Sharon Curtis (published 1996). Although it was written in 1986, I didn't read it until 2005. What a beautiful story it is!! It seems a bit dated, having been written almost 20 years ago now - I smiled when Alan put on a phonograph, but still it has a timelessness about it that raises it way above your average book.

Bliss by Judy Cuevas (published 1995) is another one I read for the first time this year thanks to Robin who read my sad yearnings when it was being discussed once again, took pity on me and sent me a copy. While I was reading it that song kept running through my head "they don't write 'em like that anymore". Now I can understand why this book is so raved about.

Bad Karma by Theresa Weir (published 1999). What an unusual heroine this one had. I loved this book. I remember Ms. Weir posting sometime this year that she had queried her editor or agent about some of her older books being re-released and the answer didn't sound encouraging. What a terrible, terrible shame that is because her old books are wonderful and I really think today's readers would love them too. I have a few of them already but my mission this year – and I’ve decided to accept it, is to get hold of her entire back list.

Bed of Spices by Barbara Samuels (published 1993). This is a medieval story with a Jewish hero who is a healer during the Plague. I don't know if such a book would be published in today’s generic climate but I am so glad I had the chance to read this beautiful story.

Shades of Honor by Wendy Lindstrom (published in 2002) This is the first book in the Grayson brothers series. After reading Lips That Touch Mine, I simply HAD to track down her back list. It took some time and a lot of help but I did get my hands on her older books and this one was wonderful, simply wonderful

Across A Moonlit Sea by Marsha Canham (published in 1996) I don’t know how I missed this one when it came out. Maybe I hadn’t discovered Ms. Canham yet – I don’t know. But after reading The Iron Rose the previous year, I knew I wanted to read this one. One of my few Amazon purchases, it was well worth the money. It was a most excellent rollicking Pirate adventure with a very strong kick-ass heroine. I had a real run of them this year and it was right up there.

Once A Pirate by Susan Grant (published in 2000) Now this one is a pirate adventure with a twist! It’s a time travel pirate adventure!!! Combine the two and when they are done well, although completely unbelievable, you have one heck of good yarn. This one was hard to come by but well worth the effort. Amazing that this is her first book!

The Pirate Prince by Gaelen Foley (published 1998) I can hear the laughter! Yes 2005 truly was The Year of the Pirate for this happy reader. Now you know why I was bummed when I was a day late for Talk Like a Pirate Day. I read 3 old (new to me) ones this year and they all made to my best of list! Although I’ve read Foley for years, I didn’t discover her until her second book The Princess, thus missing this one when it first came out. Another hard to find book, this one too, was well worth the effort.

I Got You Babe by Jane Graves (published 2001) Moving (reluctantly) away from Pirates, this is another book I read for the first time this year and really enjoyed. For some reason you rarely hear about Jane Graves books but she is a real buried treasure for me whether writing series as Jane Sullivan or single titles as Jane Graves. This is the first book in her DeMarco family series and I’d been wanting it for quite some time. I’m so glad I found it! She is an author I highly recommend – well except for one book which I loathed with every fibre of my being (and that would be Wild at Heart) whose name I would love to see get more recognition.

Lightning That Lingers by Tom & Sharon Curtis (published 1991) This couple has got to be the greatest loss to the romance book industry bar none. This book by all rights should not have worked. The hero was a stripper (these days he would be referred to as an exotic dancer – but since the book was written in 91 he was still called a stripper). The heroine was a shy retiring virgin. It is corny, it is dated and it is an absolutely beautiful, moving and rich love story. I adored it. That’s the sign of excellent writers, when they take a book that shouldn’t work; that is full of clichés, and turn out a truly remarkable story.


My Top Ten Turkey’s of 2005

I am very bad for not finishing books I’m not enjoying so I wasn’t sure if I would have enough to do this list. But as I was checking my spreadsheet lo and behold, there are at least 10 that fall into this category. So here they are – in no particular order – the top 10 books I either could not finish or if I did, I did not enjoy. Keep in mind, these are all my personal dislikes and just cause I didn’t like them, it didn’t make them a bad book.

He Loves Lucy by Susan Donovan. I made it over ¾ of the way through this one before I gave up. I like Susan Donovan’s books and I will continue to read them, but I just did not like this one. I was turned off this one at the very beginning when Lucy chocked on the candy. It was supposed to be a funny scene but I found it very sad and upsetting and not the least bit funny. Still, because I like her writing I continued on. But in the end even the good writing couldn’t save this one for me

The Trouble with Valentine’s Day by Rachel Gibson. I have a love/hate relationship with her books. When she is good as she is with See Jane Score, she is very very good, but when she is bad as I found this one, Lola Carlyle Reveals All and Daisy’s Back in Town, she is awful – at least to me. I will also continue to read her books because she can hit them out of the ballpark, and continue to hope she is very good.

The Perfect Desire by Leslie LaFoy. I can’t put my finger really on why this one didn’t work. I think it might be because she is an auto-by author and up till this book every one was a keeper. Maybe it’s disappointment that she seems to be stuck in merry old England when many of her other books were such different and unique settings. I checked her website and while it seems she has been writing series and women’s fiction for Harlequin she does have a historical coming up – not in Regency England. But sigh in Victorian England. Come back Ms LaFoy to America where you belong – I beg of you!!! Come back!

Heart Choice by Robin Owens. This was a DNF for one reason and one reason only. The stupid damn Fam or cat. Now I know the author loves cats. I love cats. They are my favourite animal. I want a cat. I’m presently working on my husband on getting us another cat. If we do I can scan pictures and show everyone just like Nicole and Gambit. I will probably be a dotty old lady with a house full of cats when I’m old.
But by the time I was on the fourth chapter of this book I wanted to yell – “ENOUGH WITH THE FRIGGIN’ CATS ALREADY!!! Is this book a romance or an ode to an obnoxious cat?”

Leaving Normal by Stef Ann Holm. I blogged about this one. Nuff said since I know many people liked this one. To much of a women’s fiction for my taste.

Too Perfect by Julie Ortolon. I blogged about this one too. I don’t want to say anymore because Tara (who's been playing around with her blog I see) bought it and she might like it and then we would disagree. Then I would feel bad and then she would too. The ending was good though. I liked the ending.

The Stone Prince by Gena Showalter I couldn’t finish this one even though I quite liked another Showalter book I read this year and one of Alyssa’s faves, Heart of the Dragon. The heroine is a real twit in this one though. This is the death knell for any book. If the heroine is a twit – that’s it. Adios! Can’t believe I wasted my time, they killed a tree for this? And so on, and so on. I should have know it was really going nowhere when the 30 something virgin heroine kissed a stone statue. Twit!

What do you say to a Naked Elf by Cheryl Sterling. Well maybe not to the naked elf but to the author what I would say is what the heck kind of medication are you on Ms Sterling? Honestly, this was the most – well – for lack of a better word – frantic book I’ve tried to read. It was like the books took place at double speed or something. Zing, zing, zing, I felt like I was a spectator in the middle of a hardball game. This one was faster than I could keep up with. I got about half way through and was too tired to continue.

Lord of Sin by Madeline Hunter - I read and didn’t care for her books since she left medieval times behind. I managed to finish the others, but I got part way through this one and just couldn’t get any further knowing how wonderful her medievals were and how few good ones there are anymore. The books she’s writing now are a dime a dozen and I just don’t want to invest any more dimes in Madeline Hunter. Unless of course she goes back to Medievals. Then I’ll invest a lot more that 10 cents.

My Surrender by Connie Brockway I so wanted to like this book, I really did! I gave it more chances than most books and tried four different times but just could not get into it. Ms. Brockway is an incredible writer and darn it all I should have put her on my top ten authors list. But then of course there was this book. Sigh She is switching to contemporaries and I think this may have been her last historical. I’ll follow her but what a sad way to end a brilliant run of historical books.


Qustion of the Day

Why did they move the office hottie kiddie corner from me. Now we have high walls so we can't see each other but hearing is very good. I love a can of caffine free diet coke in the afternoons. You should have seen the contortions I made trying not to ummmmmmmm


'til later

Author Contests

There are two reasons why this topic came to mind. Renee has as one of her New Years resolutions (along with some other excellent ones) a resolution to enter more author contests. I thought this was a great one and decided to do it too. I enter very few myself. I did back when I was looking for work. I set up an excel spreadsheet listing each one I entered, which month, what the prize was, etc etc. That lasted until I found me a job and then it died very quickly. Since then I think the number I’ve entered I can count on one hand.

Why I don’t enter author contests

Time: it seems I just don’t have the time to go searching for all the contests. This reason is half excuse though, with the amount of time I spend on romance type-sites on the Internet, it really would be a simple matter to start entering.

Prizes: To be honest, the only thing I would want to win is books. Either that or Amazon gift certificates to buy books. As nice as some of the other prizes I see offered are, I’m not really interested in winning it. I figure we only win so many things in life if we are lucky and I don’t want to loose my wins on something I don’t really want and miss out on something I do because my allotted wins are used up. Wacky reasoning there eh?

Not that keen on the author: Many of the authors who offer prizes I’m just not that keen on. I would much rather see someone win who is a real fan of that author and would appreciate the book(s) more than I would. I suppose I could give them away or trade them in at a UBS, but I don’t know – maybe it’s just me and my very quirky thoughts on this, but it just doesn’t seem right to win something I have no intention of keeping

Already have the book: I’m impatient. When I see a book I want at the bookstore, I need instant gratification. Often times I will have purchased a book only to see it being offered as a prize in an author’s contest. And a lot of authors have contests giving away copies of their backlist. Since in many cases I have the entire backlist of an author, I won’t enter. I notice Karen Robards does this a lot. I did enter a while ago to win a copy of One Summer since it’s my favourite book of hers – but alas I did not win. That’s the only time I’ve entered one of her contests.

*Note* there is an exception to this one that I shall explain shortly

Why I should enter author contests

It’s so exciting to win something! Having won a few contests, it is such a rush when you see that you have won something. Brings out the kid in all of us

Trying new authors: Although I am sporadic about entering contests, if an author I’ve never tried before but been curious about has a contest, what a great and inexpensive way to try that author. I should do it more often.

Downside to author contests

Not winning. When the date for the winners comes and goes and you have won, it’s a bit disheartening. I found this out way back when I was entering all kinds of contests and never won a thing.

Out of date contests: I went to one author's website yesterday. I noticed she was having a contest. When I went to check it out, the winner was announced - in June, new contest to follow – and then - nothing. Now this goes along with a blog I did a while ago on updating author websites. If, as an author you are going to have a separate page for contests, at least try and keep it going. Even if you only have 3 or 4 a year, it seems a bad idea to me to have a Winner in June and then further contest to follow and by the end of December there is still no contest. Don’t wait so long to get another one going. To me it showed said author hadn’t bothered to update their web site since the summer, a big no no in my book.

I don’t visit author websites to win contests. I visit because for one reason or another I’m curious about that author. Contests are just a bonus.


Oh, the second reason I thought of this topic????

I WON AGAIN! I WON AGAIN – HAPPY DANCE TIME!!!! I WON AGAIN

I entered the contest at Wendy Lindstrom’s website and found out last night I won the latest one.
Also explanation as to why I entered; although I have all of her books, they are getting a bit ragged (for me) from reading them. Also, since I do so love them, especially Lips That Touch Mine, the one I chose, an autographed copy would make it even more of a keeper than it already is.
So, this is a resolution I'm there for - with a few exceptions


'til later