I’m angry.  Embedded in our national politics is a battering ram of sexism. The tactic is clear: annihilate strong women. The time has come to stand with women everywhere denied by political party and savaged by the media.  Therefore, the final Okinawa travel blog is on hiatus. 

Please do not take umbrage with the political bent to this blog. Whatever world view we as women hold, liberal or conservative, feminist or traditional, one thing binds us together: our gender.  We are the hands that rock the cradle while aiming to bust the glass ceiling.

The quotations listed below are derived from strong women. They are meant to inspire us to be better than our circumstances. In each woman’s own words, she celebrates our strength, our intelligence and most of all, our gender. Ladies, welcome to The Sisterhood of the Tough Cookie.   

Abigail Adams:  If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.

Charlotte Whitton:  Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.

Faith Whittlesey:  Remember, Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did, but she did it backwards and in high heels.

Margaret Thatcher:  If you want anything said, ask a man.  If you want something done, ask a woman.

Amelia Earhart:  Women must try to do things as men have tried. When they fail their failure must be but a challenge to others.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton:  Social science affirms that a woman’s place in society marks the level of civilization.

Lucille Clifton:  I write from my knowledge not my lack; from my strength not my weakness.

Benazir Bhutto:  The government I led gave ordinary people peace, security, dignity, and opportunity to progress.

Mae West:  A dame that knows the ropes isn’t likely to get tied up.

Mother Teresa: Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton:  Eleanor Roosevelt understood that every one of us every day has choices to make about the kind of person we are and what we wish to become. You can decide to be someone who brings people together, or you can fall prey to those who wish to divide us.

 In my cedar chest is an autograph from Hillary Clinton to my son, Jason, during the 1992 Presidential Campaign.  

Governor Sara Palin, (self described hocky mom):  The difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull is that a hockey mom wears lipstick.   By the way, Governor Palin can field dress a moose!!

And here is a picture of a future tough cookie: my granddaughter, Lily Heitz. 

What happened to summer? It seemed as if only yesterday it was the end of May and school was letting out. Now the kids are heading back.

We have a variety of things to share. First, our very own Kelly, has landed a part in Kiss Me, Kate. She’s been hard at work with practices. Opening night is September 12 (tickets reservations available here: http://www.ardenclubtheatre.org/ ) So if you’re in the Wilmington area, go support our Kelly. Um…is this where we tell her to break a leg?

Next, and no suprise to those of us at RRT, is Sindee. I’ll let tell you all in her own words.

Wings of Desire took first place in the Stroke of Midnight contest (Futuristic/Fantasy/Sci-Fi) and got a request for the full manuscript!

Wings of Desire is a Finalist in the PASIC Book of Your Heart Contest in the Erotic Romance category. It’s going to be ready by Hilary Sares at Kensington. Yay!

And I got my first bit of fan email. The woman said she absolutely loved the excerpt on my web page and wanted to know where she could buy the book. Now if that isn’t an ego booster, I don’t know what is.

Join us on September 18 as Kimberly Killion visits the table. I’m really excited about this one, folks. She’s an all around awesome person.

We will continue with Fiction Friday on September 12 and September 26.

On September 25th, Kelly and Maura will be doing a joint review of Sherry Thomas’s Delicious. If you haven’t done so already, K & M invite you to pick up a copy and join in the discussion.

Here’s to a great September. May you reach your goals and find much success.

Renee

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined.
Henry David Thoreau

While reading through the September issue of RWR, I came across an article that not only piqued my interest but stirred my imagination as well.  “B(u)y the Cover” by Holly Jacobs is an interesting look at just how all those hot, beautiful, wild, sexy, sweet and /or discreet covers make it onto the books we love so well.

Ms. Jacobs takes us through the process employed by several different publishing houses, giving us a glimpse at the decisions that go into making a book look as irresistable on the outside as it does on the inside.  She even offers a checklist from Harlequin aimed at helping an author assist the art department in creating the perfect book cover. 

While reading through the list, I couldn’t help but imagine what I would do with my own book.  When that day comes, how do I want my book represented to the discerning eye of a book lover scanning the shelves for a new read?  What setting descriptions would I include?  How would I adequately describe the mountainous terrain, the cozy seclusion of the tiny, sparsely furnished cabin, or the loneliness and isolation of the world I set my characters in?

And speaking of characters, would I really want to describe my hero as a shaggy, umkempt mountain man, or my heroine as just a slightly bedraggled, but normal, everyday kind of girl?  Hmmm…I guess I’ve got lots to think about before the day comes when I turn in my own AFS (Art Fact Sheet).  Sounds exciting just saying it though!  

Then there’s the suggestion about collecting pictures to send to the art department.  These could include anything from pictures representing what the characters would look like right on down to pictures of actual articles of clothing or specific pieces of furniture.  Just about anything the author sees in her mind’s eye as the story begins to unfold.

Add to that a short and sweet synopsis, and there you go!  You’re ready to see the culmination of all your hard work become the reality of that old adage: One picture is worth a thousand words.  (Or more like SEVERAL thousand words.)

So what do you envision as the perfect cover for your book?  Got any concrete ideas yet?  If not, it’s time to get started.  You never know when The Call might come and your book begins its exciting journey towards publication!    

As I was searching Google Books for some recipes from the Regency era, I came across a book called The Complete Confectioner. If I remember correctly, someone from the Beau Monde RWA chapter posted the link when I was looking for information on marzipan/marsipane a few months back. Just the other day, I discovered I’d bookmarked the link to Google books and found it again. I had a little bit of time, so I perused the recipes and let’s just say there were some rather fascinating finds. I present to you some of the more interesting recipes:

On page 16, I discovered Monkey Biscuits, Not to be confused with monkey business.

Take six eggs and break the whites and yolks separate, and mix the weight of six eggs of powdered sugar with the yolks, and beat them well together, then put the whites in a copper pan, and whisk them well, and put a little cinnamon pounded in with the yolks and sugar with the whites; then take four eggs and the weight of them of sifted flour, then mix and stir them all together; then lay three or four sheets of paper on the plate you bake on; and take a tea-spoonful of batter, and put it on the upper sheet of paper, then make them round and about the size of a half crown piece, and join two of them together with a spoon; and sift powdered sugar over them, and put them in the oven, watch them for they are not long a baking, and when they come out, cut them off the paper while they are hot and put the two undersides of them together

Then on page 53, I found a tasty treat. Brown Bread Ice Cream! Hmm…

I’m including portions of other recipes, because the directions call to follow the same directions as other recipes before it.

Put in one pint of cream into a freezing pot in a little ice, whisk it about till it hangs about the whisk, then take the whisk out and put as much powdered sugar as it will lay on a half crown; stir and scrape it about with your ice scraper till you find it all frozen; rasp two handfuls of brown bread and put it into the cream; then put it into your mould , and put them into your ice to take the shape.

A fun way to get your fiber, I suppose :)

And last but not least, on page 55, I came across Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream. Doesn’t it sound yummy?

Take six eggs, half a pint of syrup, and a pint of cream; put them together into a stewpan and boil them until it begins to thicken; then rasp three ounces of parmesan cheese, mix and pass them through a sieve, and freeze it.

Doesn’t it make your taste buds all curious?

I’m slightly tempted to try the Parmesan ice cream myself. But that will have to be a blog for another day.

If you’re interested in reading the entire book, Click HERE!

Cheers!
Sindee

Hi, Renee here. I’d like to welcome you to Fiction Friday. I’m feeling my way so don’t throw the ink pot at me. Please look over the links, then let me know which excerpt is your favorite in the comments section. Alice will feature the over all favorite on the next Fiction Friday.

We have a few to choose from. Enjoy.

Excerpts:

The Masquerade by Stephie Smith

Rules of Lying by Stephie Smith

Wings of Desire by Sindee Sexton

Soul of Fire by Sarah A. Hoyt

Hellion’s Haven by Renee Lynn Scott

Poems:

To Die by Lauren Murphy

Free Reads:

Opening Her Eyes by Debbie Mumford

Serials:

Fiction Outtake: Bored On the Bus (Trevor’s Song era) by Susan Helene Gottfried
Suzie’s House 3: Rules Are Made to be Bent… by Alice Audrey
Steal Tomorrow Chapter 1, part 1 by Ann Pino

If you’d like to partake in Fiction Friday, please let us know, we’d be happy to save you a spot.

This month, Maura and Kelly perused the RITA winners for their victim, er, book selection. While they all looked promising, the M&K team ultimately decided that Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely was the winning, well, winner. 

Aislinn has a secret that she hides from the world. Both of them. For unlike the rest of her friends, she can see faeries all around. Taught to fear the magical world of immortals by an overprotective grandmother, Aislinn starts to worry when two determined faeries begin to follow her everywhere she goes.

And with good cause. One of her stalkers, Keenan, the Summer King, is convinced that she is the queen he’s been searching for for the last nine centuries, and will do anything to bring her around to his way of thinking. Oh, and if he’s wrong, she’ll be condemned to a cold and bitter life as the Winter Girl. With the help of her best friend, Seth, will Aislinn be able to cling to the familiar mortal life she longs for, or will she succumb to the handsome faery king’s seduction and ascend to the throne of the Summer Queen?

Maura said:

I was excited to read Melissa Marr’s young adult fantasy romance Wicked Lovely. The name alone intrigued me and the idea of a young woman who could see the fairy realm was a departure from my usual reading fare. Marr’s writing style drew me in from the beginning and made it easy for me to understand why she won the Romance Writers of America Rita award for excellence.

The attention to detail in the mythological world Marr created was fantastic. The description of the fairies in their fey world was the epitome of what American romanticists would call the sublime—that mixture of terror and beauty all at one time. The concept of a Summer King and a Winter Queen at odds with each other was also intriguing and the conflict is increased tenfold when the reader learns these two at odds are mother and son. Keenan is a worthy Summer King who knows he must follow the rules of his world: he must find his summer queen or the world as both human and fairy know it will be forever lost in winter’s chill.

Aislinn is a strong heroine who has the blessed curse of being able to see the fairies in their world. She’s been taught by her grandmother also blessed with the sight certain self-preservation skills that she has followed all her life. When these two worlds begin to collide and she’s caught in the middle, she doesn’t know how to handle it at first.

And then there are Donia and Seth—the two characters many authors would draw as minor in light of the romance genre. I expected Aislinn and Keenan to find their soul-mates in each other. Without giving too much away, suffice it to say I was surprised at the twists Marr developed

The characters are engrossing and the story is well written. I love the conflict through the first two-thirds of the book. I was left somewhat disappointed in the conclusion as the resolution seemed a little to light in comparison to the sinister tone created in the first part of the book. Still, this is a book well worth anyone’s reading time. I anxiously await the sequels Marr has planned.

Kelly said:

When Maura and I decided on Wicked Lovely for this month’s review, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I don’t typically read young adult romance. Would there be less language, less physicality? Would the language be simpler, the plots less convoluted? And while I don’t read a huge amount of paranormal/mythologically-based stories, I’d have to turn in my Irish card if I didn’t admit to enjoying the occasional faery story. But most of the faery lore I’m familiar with is incredibly dark and innately sexual. Could that possibly translate to young adult fiction?

The answer is both yes and no. Yes, because Marr has come up with an intriguing spin on the Cinderella story that has been done many times before. Here, our “cinder girl” doesn’t want to be rescued from her dreary life - quite the opposite. And her Prince, or in this case, King, terrifies the bejesus out of her. Not to mention that she’s been having somewhat lustful thoughts for her best friend and fellow mortal commoner. And the evil stepmother is actually Keenan’s mother, the Winter Queen, who not only wants to keep the two apart, but would love to see the future teen Queen meet a grisly end.

But I’d have to also say no, because the execution of this story fell short of the mark for me, particularly in the characterizations of Marr’s major protagonists. Each character, rather than seeming complex, seemed contradictory in nature, which in turn made them difficult to connect to. Aislinn is terrified by the mythical beings that only she can see. Yet she wanders around the city, alone, at night, every night? But for some reason, Aislinn’s fiercely overprotective grandmother allows it, even after Aislinn admits to having attracted the attention of certain powerful faeries.

Likewise, Keenan seems to have residual feelings for Donia, the last woman to risk the test to become his Queen. And yet, at the same time, he sincerely expresses growing affection and yes, even love, for Aislinn. Are we to believe that faeries are fickle in their affections? Not the first time I’ve ever heard that. But it certainly doesn’t endear our hero to me.

On the other hand, I felt the tension of the characters’ situations keenly. Both Aislinn and Keenan, and even Donia and Seth, are torn in different directions, between personal desires and higher duty. Marr keeps us on pins and needles guessing which each character will choose. Still, with an ending that left me feeling dissatisfied and somehow incomplete, not to mention my lingering frustration with the novel’s characterizations, I can’t muster much enthusiasm for the sequel.

If you’ve ever worked at a restaurant or just about anywhere you know that typically there are opening and closing procedures. Sometimes there’s no rhyme or reason and others there’s a set sequence. I’m sure those of you who have a 9-5 job know your procedures like the back of your hand. There’s no way you’d forget to turn on the coffee pot when you arrive, or, let’s say forget to set the security alarm before you leave.

I pretty much have been a stay at home mom all my adult life, but there were times when I’d fly out the door late for an appointment when I’d obsess; did I turn off the iron, close the back door, lock the front door, did I leave the front burner on? There was more than one occasion I’d turn my happy stressed out self back home just to make sure.

My father has been a pilot all my life, jumping in the cockpit is like riding a bike to him, BUT every time before a flight he has to go over the same checklist he’s gone over for the last…well for all my life. It doesn’t matter that he knows it. The checklist is there as a safety precaution so that nothing is missed. Every pilot must follow the list. It’s protocol.

I’ve been spending a lot of time lately thinking about revising. Sometimes I’ll open up a file and just look it over. As an unpubbed author revising my first manuscript it’s a little over whelming to know what I’m exactly suppose to be doing, especially since I was learning how to write while I was writing Hellion’s Haven.

When you first get a story in your head, you just write, or at least I do. I get plot, characterization, and gmc but there are some things I don’t think about, certain elements that I never even considered. Luckily I stumbled across Karen L King’s website where she has a checklist of sorts for elements of a scene, interestingly she even breaks it down.

See for yourself.

Elements of a Scene

Business Elements

1. Show the setting; time and place.

2. Set the mood.

3. Allude to all characters on scene.

4. Foreshadowing; hinting of future events

5. Linking past details and reminding the reader of plot points.

6. Backstory, only when necessary

Dramatic Elements

1. Show character

2. Dialogue

3. Action

4. Introduce Obstacles

5. Raise the Stakes

6. Solve a Problem

7. Sexual Tension

8. Reinforce the conflict

Essential Elements

1. Advance the plot.

2. Character Growth

3. Romantic Development

4. Engage the Reader’s Emotions

5. Entice the Reader into the Next Scene

For me, this is an awesome checklist to use as I’m revising each scene. In fact, I cut through 60 pages in one day, making little notes on where and how I should enhance elements that are lacking. Today, I hope to get through those 60 pages making those changes. I’m finding that Karen’s list has, so far, made me more efficient with my revisions. I hope the efficiency continues, I have been at this for almost a year and I’d like to finish by the end of September. One can only hope.

Is there a checklist you follow when you sit down to write or work on revisions? Care to share? Although I’m excited, I think I could use all the help I can get.

Renee

Sam and I shared our Corona today on the back porch stretched out on the Adirondack chairs. As my pooch lapped the foam from his beer bowl, I thought of Coco another aging golden retriever. She belongs to a friend of mine, Lori Zilmer.

Coco is a lot like Sam: an old timer with hip problems and a taste for booze. The difference is palate. Coco likes scotch and would enjoy hers in a pearl encrusted drinking bowl. Sam happily imbibes his Corona from the gladware. Yet pearls and gladware aside, these two would become great friends if they ever met, just as Lori and I have.

The Zilmer and the Heitz clans have known each other for the past twenty years.  We met in Oceanside, California where we lived and played together in the same small apartment complex. Rick was stationed at Camp Pendleton and Joe worked at San Onofre Nuclear Generating Plant. Time and work eventually moved us apart; yet throughout the years, we’ve managed to keep up to date with phone calls and visits, some as far away as England. It was only natural while in Okinawa to spend time with my old friend.

How do I say this without jumping out of my gladware and sounding, well pearl encrusted?  I don’t know so I’ll just state facts.  Lori’s charming other half is the commanding General on Okinawa complete with all the title allows.  Believe me when I say you haven’t lived until a General’s aid makes you coffee every morning and refuses to allow you to wash the dishes.  Hey Staff Sgt. Kim, if you read this blog I miss you!

I was spoiled for the week I stayed with Lori and enjoyed every solitary minute.  Staying in the General’s quarters was half the fun. The house is believed to have been built on castle ruins. Talk about a dynamite story plot falling into your lap! The mystery and romance alone are boundless. Imagine looking out your family room window to gaze upon castle ruins. No one knows their age or place in history. They were discovered, if my memory serves, as a crew cleared brush on the property. 

Here are a few pictures of the ruins: stone stairs that lead nowhere, half walls, cement benches. What appears to be fog in the second picture is humidity.  The stone bench in the third was too charming not to add.  Lori and Staff Sgt. Kim found this under a cover of brush.

There is also a Banyan tree visible from the house that obstructs the view. You can see its shadow to the far left in the first picture. These trees are sacred to the Okinawa people who believe the spirits of their ancestors inhabit them. 

I’m not sure when the mystery of the castle ruins will be solved. Lori’s a busy woman who chairs a board and spends her remaining free hours envolved with volunteer duties. She does have plans to contact a local historian who speaks English. The hope is that he’ll be able to conduct the research necessary to solve the mystery. 

Below is the final picture I took of the property.  I’m standing in front of the castle ruins looking past the left side of the house to the drive on the other side of the small retaining wall.

The WWII battle for Okinawa typifies the word horrific. There are no polite words to describe the unspeakable conditions our marines and military men endured. The Japanese were a formidable enemy who refused to quit.  The campagin itself became an epitaph to the nightmare of battle. 

Now, seeing our nations’ flags hoisted beside each other at peace leaves me quiet   …  I think that says it all.

Okay guys, I’m signing off till next blog when Lori and I form a two woman invasion party and have a good time American style at Ryukyu Mura and Okuma.  (I don’t get kissed by the Brig. Gen till after Okuma).

Romance Roundtable is pleased to bring to the table, our guest author for the month, J.K. Coi.

When I was little, I wanted to be a dancer. I wanted the tutu and the slippers and the red roses thrown at my feet. I wanted the lights and the music and the crowds cheering my name…

So how exactly did I manage to take these dreams of a life filled with glamour and glitz as the world’s premiere and best loved prima ballerina…and end up with a reality that seems to be so far in the opposite direction? Instead of donning a beautiful costume, doing pirouettes and pliés and practicing my penché, I sit in front of a computer in my pajamas (good day)/scratchy wool suit (bad day), at a cluttered desk in a closet of an office for eight—sometimes eleven or twelve—hours a day.

Granted, I was eight when I wanted to dance, and I’d just seen the Nutcracker on stage with my dad who walked me out of the theatre afterward and let me twirl and twirl on his arm…

*sigh* I’m a ridiculous dreamer. Not only have I never had a professional ballet lesson (was I ever mad at my mom when she signed me up for a jazz class that one time instead), but I also don’t have a coordinated bone in my entire body. I couldn’t even bust a respectable move in college when all you had to do was gyrate a bit and wave your arms in the air like you just didn’t care.

But in fact, I’ve learned that as silly as my earliest dreams might have seemed, they were not wasted, and my reality is not so far removed from those childhood imaginings. I think that in wanting to be a dancer what I really wanted was just to find something to do that I loved. You see, I’ve never met a dancer who didn’t absolutely live for dancing—no matter what style they were performing in. You can see it in their every move on the stage. In the precision of footwork, absolute focus, and in the perfectly toned bodies that reflect the hours upon hours of practice each and every day.

And being an author is a lot like that.

First there are the years of training and rejection as you hone your abilities and learn from the masters. Then there’s more training, more practice while you write and write into the darkest hours of morning. Until you know that you’ve done the very best you can and hope that someone will see the spark in you and take a chance to let you shine on stage. Everyone is watching, everyone can see that you are pouring out your heart and your soul for them…and they’ll judge. From that you’ll continue to learn, always so that your next performance will be better. Because what you really want is to have those people you’ve worked so hard to entertain sitting rapt as you unfold your creation to them, and as you reveal the last acts, wiping tears from their eyes and feeling the same joy that you have felt in every stage of the journey.

It makes me feel eight years old again to have found the thing that I live to do.

So I must ask; how and when did you know what it was that you wanted to do? That you live to do?

Finally, thank you so very much to the ladies at Romance Roundtable for letting me come on board today! I’ve had so much fun, and I’ll be stopping by throughout the day to say hello.

J.K. Coi

Books 1 and 2 of my Immortals series are out now! Find out why these are Immortals to die for!

Also, feel free to visit my website for more information about upcoming books, chats, interviews, reviews, and all things Immortal: http://www.jkcoi.com
I’m also on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/jkcoi and I blog at http://www.jkcoi.blogspot.com, as well as with three of my writer friends at The Vauxhall Vixens.

Evil lurks in the darkest of shadows, but a band of warriors stands ready to defend humanity against hell’s own monsters—Immortal men hand-picked by destiny and taken out of time hold the fate of the world in their hands.

It has been two years since Baron’s initiation into the world of the Immortals, and during that time, he’s been training with them, setting aside his past to embrace the challenges of his new future…a future without Maxine Deveraux.

Maxine is strong, determined, and loyal to a fault. The last person she wants to have to face is Baron Silver, the man who broke her heart, leaving her without an explanation or even a goodbye. But Maxine gave her word to Baron’s brother Jackson that she’d track him down and bring him home…and Max always keeps her promises.

When Baron encounters a vicious vampire who vows to destroy everything he loves, it doesn’t faze him in the least. He gave up everything he loved along with his humanity. But then the demon attacks Maxine leaving her broken and battered on Baron’s doorstep and he realizes there are still things he can lose…and they are things he can’t live without.

~*~*~*~

I can not tell a lie, not even to save face. When my turn came up to review I was ecstatic, until I discovered it was a paranormal. I became nervous, afraid I wouldn’t be able to do it justice. I’m a historical buff, and although I’ve intended to pick up the latest, recommended, must-have reads in the paranormal genre, I always wander over to the newest historical releases.

With my nails to the nub and no more to bite off, I finally dove in an began turning the pages. I can’t totally confess to paranormal virginity, not really, not when I’ve had bits and pieces to taste here and there. But there comes a time in a woman’s life when she moves past the hesitant wide-eyed inexperience to that all consuming hunger-of got to have it, give me more, NOW!

J.K. brought me over that line.

I’m a sucker for a tortured heroine and even more so for a tormented hero. J.K.’s characterization of Maxine and Baron is totally on spot. She totally stayed true to her characters. It was hard not to fall in love with their wounded souls and hope for the best.

I never would have imagined being bit by a vampire could be so sexy, so erotic, yet Coi was able to pull it off.

J.K. begins with a strong dramatic flare, then drops into the heart of the picture, before tearing back to reality.

Immortal Kiss is a realistic lover’s dance of longing and heartache; of hope and disappointment, and finally that of a sense of coming home to the other half of your soul.

I believe authors should use their voice in a positive way to speak out for their beliefs. Coi does just that. She brings to light the pain and suffering of Leukemia, and the hope offered through stem cell research. I applaud her for her efforts.

J.K. Coi has brought me over to the paranormal side and won me as a fan. And in case you’re wondering, I’ve already been to her site to check for upcoming releases. You can bet my calender will be marked.

Renee

There are so many fantastic books out there and not enough time to read them all. We love to share when we find a read that really stands out in the crowd. These are our favorites that we’ve read this month. We’d love to hear about yours!

~*~

Maura

I loved After the Kiss by Suzanne Enoch. The heroine has just the right spunk and the hero isn’t your run-of-the-mill regency aristrocrat. Enoch gives us a twist on the society of the period while maintaining the things I love about the regency Ton. It all begins with a burglary and a memorable kiss . . . and then everything that comes after.

~*~

Alice

In the course of July and the first week of August I read Bleach volumes 5 through 19. As soon as I get near a Hastings, which carries the books, I’ll be buying the next volume, and maybe the next couple. Bleach is Manga with both story and drawings by Tite Kubo. Each volume runs about 190 pages long.

The volumes are all part of a long, drawn out story line much like Suzie’s House. Only I pray I can do Suzie so well. I’m re-reading them now (something I hardly ever do) and finding clear and direct references in Volume 3 that are fleshed out in Volume 17. I found one hook at the end of 3 that has yet to be addressed, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

The series has a strong feel of Japan to it with ghosts that can turn evil and samurai elements to the hero’s alter ego. I’ve always been a sucker for a samurai. The hero’s name is Ichigo. He is the kind of crusty, cynical, angry teen ager that comes from spending a life sticking out like a sore thumb and suffering the tragedy of his mother’s death. He is determined to protect people, and will sacrifice himself with little regard for the pain in order to accomplish that.

In other words, the story underlaying the entire series has good bones. But that isn’t what has caused it to become an addiction not only to me, but to Mr. Al and the kids as well. It’s the sense of humor. Little things like the arrogant animated stuffed lion Kon, the big tough softy Chad who chases cute things like Kon, and the moment when Ichigo orders his female mentor to sit in a corner and act grateful while he rescues her from certain death as that death in the form of a flaming bird balances on the end of his sword. Between the humor, and the hooks - always a big one right at the end of the volume - and the the plot twists I’m completely drawn in.

I totally love the series, but I don’t know that I would recommend it to anyone and everyone. It is violent with one fight scene after another, even if the black and white blood is mostly from ghosts. It uses anime conventions like yelling out the name of a move before or while it is being executed - totally hokey. And it uses the word “Doom” like a sound track thing.

But what’s a little “Doom” in the face of a world class rescue?

~*~

Renee

I’ve had little time for anything other than history, geography, science, driver’s handbooks, and reviewing classic literature books for the kids. Then there was a book on how to make window treatments that Mr. Scott kindly asked me to study.

I don’t mind it though. I went to a lady’s home the other day and sitting on her coffee table was a huge book of world history, I drooled.

My TBR pile is a mile long, all of them historical romance.

For the month of August, the only book I’ve completed is J.K. Coi’s Immortal Kiss, come back tomorrow for my review. I hope to also offer you an insight to her first release My Immortal.

I’ve started Melissa Marr’s Wicked Lovely. Thanks to K & M, I’m hooked.

~*~

Terri

I just read, Killing Bridezilla by Laura Levine. She is the queen of comedic mystery. This is her latest in the Jaine Austen series and a page turner. Her pace is quick, wit is sharp and the take on life in LA can’t be beat. Need a fun beach read, try Laura Levine’s books. You can’t go wrong. Oh, and yes, Jaine does have romantic side stories told with a great amount of humor and warmth.

~*~

Anastasia

My best procrastinating device is reading. I read whenever I can and go through so many books in a month that they all begin to mist in my mind and I can’t remember which was which.

But sometimes, there are those books that shine through the mist. This happened recently when I discovered Janet Chapman. There is nothing that I love more than to discover a great new author (to me) with a finished series. When this happens, I know I’m in trouble. It’s an addiction I’m very helpless to fight.

Although I usually always read Historical Romances, sometimes I do test the waters if a contemporary sounds tempting enough. And this one did. And I was not disappointed. YOU, will fall in love with each and every one of these heroes. Ms. Chapman gives you no choice.

Here is the list. Do like I did, get them all and cruise through then. But don’t forget. You will need a bib. I guarantee it!;-)

The Highlander Series by Janet Chapman

Charming the Highlander
Loving the Highlander
Wedding the Highlander
Tempting the Highlander
Only With a Highlander
Secrets Of the Highlander

Let me know what you think.

~*~

Sindee

I haven’t done much reading this month, but I’ve just finished reading ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy. I usually am not one for Romantic Suspense. This one is labeled “Mystery Romance,” which I feel is probably the same thing. It was very engaging and hilarious. I started reading it Monday at work and finished it Tuesday at work. The sequel is called Guns Will Keep Us Together, and the third, Stand By Your Hitman, will be out in August. Do you notice a theme?Anyhow, the books follow a family of Assassins. The first book is about a single mom/assassin. It was crazy fun.

I’d like to add a book to my favorite list. Only because it was completely different than the other book I mentioned earlier. Over the weekend, I read My Wicked Enemy by Carolyn Jewel. Can you say hot, fast, and a total roller coaster ride. There was nonstop action and adventure and totally sexy. After I was done, I wanted more. I mean that in a really good way!

~*~

Sasha

I just finished reading Cathy Maxwell’s In the Highlander’s Bed. It was a quick read with characters that were easy to become involved with, and the ending left me anxiously anticipating Ms. Maxwell’s next book. The following blurb is from her website:

IN THE HIGHLANDER’S BED

They’re on the brink of ecstasy . . . Placed in the Young Ladies’ Academy by her well-meaning sisters, Constance Cameron feels smothered. She hates England and desperately wants to return to America. Since her sisters have found happiness with their new English husbands, they ignore her pleas. Constance decides to run away and locate a ship to take her home. Escaping into the night, she stumbles upon a handsome Scottish rebel who grabs her. After landing a few good punches, Constance discovers he’s attempting to kidnap her. She goes willingly, thinking she will flee once they get close to the coast.

~*~

Laurie

I’ve read so many wonderful books this month but there are two which really stood out for me:

Christina Dodd’s Into the Shadow

Blessed—or cursed—with the ability to change into a sleek panther, and driven by a dark soul he’s accepted as his fate, Adrik Wilder abandons his family and his honor to pursue a life of wickedness. He excels at every vice, including kidnapping Karen Sonnet to use for his selfish purposes.

But Karen’s spirit and passion make him question the force of his family’s curse. And when a new evil emerges, Adrik must choose whether to enact revenge on his enemies and redeem his soul, or save Karen from a fate worse than death…

This book was a fantastic read with a mysterious, darkly seductive hero, an independent and admirable heroine, and a sexy fast-paced plot. The story grabbed me from page one and I just couldn’t put it down!

Suzanne Brockmann’s Into the Fire

Suspense doesn’t burn any brighter and desire doesn’t run any deeper than when Suzanne Brockmann takes the helm, opens the throttle, and takes readers along for a breathless ride as she breaks the thrill barrier — again and again. With Into the Fire, Brockmann lights the fuse on her most explosive story yet.

Vinh Murphy — ex-Marine and onetime operative for the elite security firm Troubleshooters Incorporated — has been MIA ever since his wife, Angelina, was caught in a crossfire and killed during what should have been a routine bodyguard assignment. Overcome with grief, Murphy blames the neo-Nazi group known as the Freedom Network for her death. Now, years later, Freedom Network leader Tim Ebersole has been murdered — and the FBI suspects Murphy may have pulled the trigger. To prevent further bloodshed, Murphy’s friends at Troubleshooters scramble to find him and convince him to surrender peacefully.

Murphy himself can’t be sure what he did or didn’t do during the years he spent mourning and lost in an alcohol-induced fog. He does know he occasionally sought solace from Hannah Whitfield, a former police officer and the very friend who’d introduced him to his beloved late wife.
But Hannah, still grappling with the deafness that resulted from an injury sustained while on duty, was fighting her own battles. For years Hannah had feelings for Murphy, and one painful night their suffering brought them together in a way neither expected — and both regretted.
But finally, Murphy is ready to rejoin the living. As always, he finds himself knocking on Hannah’s door, and as always, his longtime friend welcomes him back into her home. Yet even as Murphy slowly rebuilds his splintered life, he continues to fight his growing feelings for Hannah. Then he learned of Ebersole’s murder and comes to believe that the Freedom Network has targeted him — and Hannah — to avenge their leader’s death.
Now Murphy must face the terrifying prospect of losing to violence another woman he loves.

As the Troubleshooters desperately search for him, Murphy races toward a deadly confrontation with the Freedom Network and the ultimate choice: surrender his life in the hopes that Hannah will be spared, or risk everything to salvage whatever future they may have together.

I love Suzanne Brockmann. I love how she writes about a community of people that she continually revisits in each new story. Her characterizations are wonderful – each character is unique with definite strengths and weaknesses. Add a on-the-edge-of-your-seat plot, and it goes on my favorites list.

What was the best book you read in August?

During my recent trip to Scotland, we visited the Royal Yacht Britannia, which is no longer in use and has been docked in the Port of Leith, Edinburgh since it was retired.

We were told that it is still furnished as it was during it’s many years of service. I. Don’t. Know. I find it hard to believe. See for yourself…

My apologies for the quality of the pictures, but some of them were taken through glass.

The Queen’s room

Prince Philip’s room

This is the room where Charles and Diana spent their honeymoon. It’s the only double bed on the yacht and we were told that Prince Charles bought it for the occasion…

The hallway where all these rooms are. You can see the two entrances to the Queen’s sun room.

This is one side of the sun room where the Queen would go to relax and supposedly is furnished by her.

The China and Silver Pantries

The estate dinning room.

Her office onboard.

Prince Philip’s office onboard.

Small drawing room next to the larger one.

The larger one used when entertaining.

Stairs to the drawing room. See the elevator doors?

A view from the stairs to the drawing room.

The Royal Barge, used to disembark.

There was much more opened to the public, including the Bridge, crew’s quarters, sick bay, laundry room, engine rooms, etc.

I found a YouTube video which has more pictures and a bit more info. The quality is not perfect though.

So, do you think that it’s plush enough for the Queen of England?

Last Sunday, as our pastor announced the scripture he would be preaching from, my mind wandered.  I kept thinking about what I wanted to blog about.  I thought about the importance of encouragement and the kind of nurturing needed for any kind of growth.  That made me think about the people who have been there for me to offer a pat on the back, a shoulder to cry on, or a firm shove when needed.  And of course that made me think of the Fanlit Forever writers. 

That’s when I actually glanced at the verse I had turned to.  It begins “Beloved, let us love one another…”  Talk about a light bulb moment.  Those few words say it all.  Love is where it’s at, and love is what it’s all about.  Romance writers write about love.  Maybe not exactly the kind of love the apostle John was speaking of, but still, they write about the emotion we all hunger for. 

Not only do romance writers write about love, they also share a lot of love with fellow writers, and that’s an invaluable commodity.  No matter where you are on your own personal writing journey, you will be greeted with open arms and enough acceptance to make your head spin.  And with that acceptance comes the encouragement to write , and the desire to live up to the expectations of your fellow travelers. 

So, to all my fellow writers I say thank you for being there and for writing and encouraging others to the same.  You do a great service to those in need of love whether through your words on paper or through your words of encouragement, and this old world can never have enough love.     

Okay. I have a muse with ADHD. I’d been fervently working on getting my regency historical finished, then I ended up at a road block. My muse, curse his (Yes, I said “his!”) hide, packed his bags and took the first train out of Dodge. Nice guy, really—when he wants to be.

Lucky for me, he got a substitute muse to fill in while he flits around the world. This muse? She’s amazing. I started writing this new story about a month ago. When I started imagining ghosts in bushes, I knew what was happening. Shortly after, Mr. Muse hit the highway on his adventures. I can only hope he sends me a few post cards.

But thank goodness for substitute muses. She keeps me in line. It may not be my historical, but at least I’m writing. And I haven’t written this much in a long time. As I mentioned earlier, I started this book about a month ago and I’m already pushing 20,000 words.

The bad thing about this is Mr. Muse is getting jealous. I’m afraid he may cut his vacation short and kick Ms. Substitute Muse in a not so comfortable spot. He doesn’t like to play fair. I’m clearly more satisfied with Ms. Substitute Muse at the moment, so what’s a girl to do with a jealous muse? Feed him chocolate and cheesecake and tell him to wait in line?

Lately my creative ideas haven’t been flowing too smoothly. I sit down to write and I feel hot and sleepy, my brain sluggish. To wake myself up, I drink tea and diet Pepsi (with lime) and I eat every carb in sight. None are safe. Lately it’s been mostly raisin bread and chocolate chip cookies, but I’m happy to substitute mint chocolate chip ice cream, Oreos, and Fritos. In the end, I still haven’t written that much… and I’m stuffed.

I was talking to a writer friend of mine and asked her what she does to get going on her writing day. She told me an espresso in the morning does it for her and then she’s good to go. I’ve heard some writers swear by exercise before working. Others like to write in spurts, getting up to walk around every half an hour or so to get everything circulating again. And I hear of those who depend on obscene amounts of caffeine to get that brain to do its job.

It’s easy to write when the story is flowing out as fast as we can type. But let’s face it – for most of us, those times don’t happen on a regular basis. Many successful authors will tell us that writing is hard work and you have to give it regular hours even when the words aren’t coming easy. You know… plant your butt in the seat and hands on the keyboard. But that doesn’t address how to stay awake from there on out.

So, do you have any tricks for getting your brain in gear and not waking up hours later with your keyboard imprinted on your face?