I’ve finally got some projects finished.  Fundamentals of World Building has a cover and should be available soon from L&L Dreamspell.

And, if you’re heading to Lora Leigh’s Reader Appreciation Weekend Sept. 9-12, I have some goodies as prizes for Trista Michaels’ Treasure Hunt.  One of them is a short story entitled, Corene. It’s a science fiction piece, an off-camera scene from a novel I’m working on.  Far different than my romance writing, but I think the winners will enjoy it.

Corene

As a bit of trivia, the character in the story is named after my great niece, and it is her picture that graces the cover.

I also have another short story up for grabs in the Treasure Hunt.  It’s an erotic romance short story.

Imago

As another bit of trivia, the heroine, Brenwyn, is named after my cousin’s wife, Brenda.  And again, it is her picture that graces the cover.  The tattoos are real, and only a small portion of them are shown.

If you can’t make it to RAW, I’ll have copies at the Roane County Writers Festival in downtown Kingston, Tennessee the first Saturday in October.

Now, off to important stuff.  I’ve got to get my cheat sheet ready for my fantasy football picks.  The draft is next week, and despite my love for the Colts, I know the individual players don’t make the best fantasy picks.  So, my team won’t be the mini Colts.  I do like to win.

Jessie

Is bursting with romance novels.  That’s a given.  But why do people react with a sort of bewilderment when I pull something off the shelf that isn’t a romance novel?  I have police procedurals, thrillers, suspense, and biographies.  I have books on Egypt, football, fairytales, and world mythology.  I have science fiction and fantasy, true crime, and even some Stephen King novels.  And then, there are all the reference books on the craft of writing.

Case in point:  The other night my son and his wife came over.  During the course of conversation, she mentioned something about sound not traveling in space.  I responded with, “Yep, it’s a vacuum.  In fact, that’s in my world building book I’m working on.”  Now, she had learned this in school, like the rest of us, but had forgotten it until one of her classes at UT.  Inevitably, this led to a discussion on Einstein and his theories.  She expressed a desire to learn more, so I pulled, Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson off my bookshelf and handed it to her.  I bought it in hard cover when it first came out, and she looked a little surprised that I had it.  So, we had a good laugh.  I love my daughter-in-law and would never be offended by anything so trivial.  But it is a common reaction.

I read.  A lot.  I, and most romance readers, read across genres.  Heck, I’ll read the backs of cereal boxes, product labels…anything really, if it has words.  And if the words are interesting, whether they relate to romance or Romania, they will probably end up on my bookshelf.

Jessie

Oh. Wow.

I went to the Nashville launch to get this book, and it was well worth the trip. Aside from meeting some really nice people, getting to see all the costumes, and hearing Warchild play, the book is phenomenal.  I started reading it on the steps of the Parthenon (Monday night) and finished it Tuesday night.  The book answers soooo many questions about Ash, his mother, his relationships, etc., and without being a series stopper.  Nick makes an appearance.  And my theory on Nick and his place in future DH novels looks to be on track.  We’ll have to wait and see.

If you’ve never met the author, Sherrilyn Kenyon, you’re missing out on one of the most beautiful people I know.  And if you ever get the chance to hear her speak, it’s truly inspiring and motivational.

Title:  Acheron
Status:  Never loaning out

Have a great weekend!

Jessie

Not whining today! I had a great Labor Day Weekend, and spent time with the kids on Monday. Boomsday was awesome as always, the Vols lost (which was disappointing, but not shattering), and Phaze Fantasies, Vol. VI got a recommended read from Dark Angel Reviews!

https://www.darkangelreviews.com/Phaze_Fantasies_VI.html

Is this a champagne moment? Nah. I reserve the champagne for extreme moments. The last time I drank the bubbly was when the Colts won the Super Bowl. However, I might stop and get something light and fruity to go with dinner. Now, I just have to find out what wine pairs well with salmon.

Jessie

Haydin Konig is the Police Chief St. Germaine, a small town in North Carolina. He’s also the organist and choir director at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church. What he wants to be is a writer of hard-boiled mysteries. In pursuit of his dream, he purchases Raymond Chandler’s typewriter in a vain hope that it will help spur his creativity.

The Circle Trilogy, by Nora Roberts
published 2006

I’m still reading Creation in Death, so I thought I’d go with something from JD Robb’s alter-ego. I don’t normally read Nora Roberts titles, but I won this set at a chapter meeting, and the paranormal elements sucked me right in. Again, not a review, just my personal take.

A man from ancient Ireland, his brother the vampire, the vampire hunter, the shapeshifter, the witch, and a few others are brought together by the Goddess Morrigan to defeat the evil vampire. The stories span a number of time periods and lands.

I enjoyed this trilogy. The ancient and modern, and not quite of our realm, are beautifully woven together. There’s a bit of “mad scientist” feel to the magic, and the characters are true to their personalities.

Status: I recommend them, but they will go back to the prize locker.

Have a great weekend!

Jessie

This is book 5 of the series. I’ve read all of them (several times), and have become totally engrossed in this world and these characters, their struggles.

Vishous is not an easy man to love. Respect, yes, but he has a dark core. Where the other brothers can usually find some humor, Vishous remains passive. His joy is pain, his pain is unbearable.

Then just as his life is turned inside out by a revelation none of the brothers could have predicted, he is mortally wounded. Dr. Jane Whitcomb patches him up, but there are a few complications.

Oh, Wow. This book cost me a couple hours of sleep this week. I had to force myself to close the book and get some sleep at 2:00 a.m. at least twice in the last few nights. Beautifully written, gritty, sensually charged, this book has it all.

Status: Never loaning out.

Have a great weekend, Everyone!

Jessie

Yesterday, DH & I went furniture shopping. I like lots of splashy color. He likes neutrals. He got the slate couch and I got a new bookshelf in lieu of the set I really wanted. I think it’s a fair trade-off.

So, I’ve been rearranging books. This morning, I pulled one book off an old shelf entitled, Standing the Gaff. It’s been in my family forever. Published in 1935, by umpire Harry “Steamboat” Johnson. I’ve never read it. I’ve kept it for sentimental reasons. My uncle Kyle played minor league baseball for a few years, and might’ve made it to the big league if he hadn’t been a mean drunk. By the time I was born, he was pretty much a washed-out has been who lived off my grandparents. He played the harmonica with a natural ability I’ve rarely seen, built model airplanes with perfection, taught me how to roll a cigarette, and died at an early age. Oh, there are plenty of stories there, but back to the book.

Apparently, my dad either bought or inherited the book, and he’s written all through it. Sometimes his name, sometimes baseball stats by inning (probably watching my uncle’s games), the birth years for everyone in my father’s immediately, family and sometimes it looks like he’s just practicing his penmanship. (It didn’t help.)

Between the pages of the book, I found what looks like my grandmother’s recipe for chocolate pie, a free offer cutout from the newspaper for salad dressing which was never sent in, another cutout of an advertisement, and another cutout, my birth announcement. I sat down, handling that small scrap of newspaper with the utmost care and read about the other births at the same hospital, two girls and two boys, and thought about how far we’ve come as the announcements started, Mr. & Mrs. John Q. Doe announce of the birth of… No mention of the mother’s name whatsoever.

This ratty book which I’ve kept for years because of my uncle Kyle, held a treasure trove of bits of my family’s history. What a nice Sunday surprise.

Jessie