Juno Books

According to The Guardian UK, the editors of the Literary Review have awarded the annual Bad Sex prize to novelist Rachel Johnson for “Shire Hell”. Johnson was singled out for her novel’s slew of animal metaphors, including comparing her male protagonist’s “light fingers” to “a moth caught inside a lampshade”, and his tongue to “a cat lapping up a dish of cream so as not to miss a single drop”. Literary Review deputy editor Tom Fleming was also disturbed by the heroine’s “grab, to put him, now angrily slapping against both our bellies, inside”.

John Updike–after the author earned the “unique achievement” of four consecutive nominations–has won a lifetime achievement award for Bad Sex in Fiction Awards. Updike was shortlisted this year for his novel “The Widows of Eastwick”, in which an abundance of sperm greets the performance of oral sex. “She said nothing then, her lovely mouth otherwise engaged, until he came, all over her face. She had gagged, and moved him outside her lips, rubbing his spurting glans across her cheeks and chin,” he writes. “God, she was antique, but here they were. Her face gleamed with his jism in the spotty light of the motel room, there on the far end of East Beach, within sound of the sea.”

Broaduniverse Review (lengthy, so click through to read all):

“…This is a book filled with despair as well as love, loss as well as discovery. It is flawed, but its appeal is undeniable. It is a book which will make you want to discuss it with others, and one which you should absolutely read.”

Broad Universe Broadsheet

Fantasy Debut: One Year Later-Carole McDonnell: A nice recap.

Blogtalkradio Interview with Carole.

The BLOOD BARGAIN page is now available as is its excerpt and media info page. You can also buy it direct from the publisher.

First off, Lori Devoti (author of Amazon ink, Juno 2009) is running 30 Days of Vampires on her blog. it is all in honor of her first vampire story, “The Vampire Who Stole Christmas.” in the Holiday With A Vampire II anthology for Silhouette Nocturne. She has prizes, interviews, excerpts and essays all on vampires. Check it out overall, but…

Second, make sure you read her interview with MARIA LIMA, author of the Blood Lines series for Juno (Matters of the Blood and Blood Bargain that appeared last week.

Maria Lima rings some refreshing changes on the urban-fantasy formula in Matters of the Blood. The two most striking departures from cliché, to my mind, are the heroine’s age (37, rather than early twenties), and the story’s vividly-drawn rural-Texas setting. I loved the locale. Lima does a great job of making the lonely town of Rio Seco real to the reader….

I think my favorite moment in Matters of the Blood occurred when two characters “came out” of the supernatural closet to each other, and one of them didn’t believe in the type of entity that the other confessed to being. It cracked me up, and is unique in the genre; usually, the various types of supernatural beings are all aware of each other’s existence.

Matters of the Blood is quirky, sexy, sometimes quite funny, and worth reading if you’re a fan of urban fantasies with a substantial helping of romance. I look forward to seeing what Lima, and Keira, do next. (4 stars)

FantasyLit

…As the Mor threat grows, Kirin finds herself drawn into the orbit of a dangerous mage with a ghastly scheme. There was a horror element to Nights of Sin all along, but at this point it truly becomes a horror novel, with a chilling twist that brought to mind Anne Rice’s The Witching Hour. This is also when I became completely engrossed in the book and couldn’t put it down. These scenes truly got under my skin and scared me out of my wits, and then the bittersweet climax brought tears to my eyes…

I recommend this book to you if you want to take a trip through the darker avenues of magic, and if you don’t mind an extremely high level of gore. (Think zombie armies.)

I do have to quibble a bit about the cover—I think it makes the book seem more erotic than it is. I was expecting something more in the vein of Kushiel’s Dart based on the cover and title. There are a few sex scenes and some sexual tinges to the magic, but sexuality is not as central to the story as one might guess based on appearances. (4 Stars)

FantasyLit

…and look what #5 is!

TOP 13 PARANORMAL FANTASY RELEASES OF 2008
1. The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison (9780060788704, $24.95)
2. The Iron Hunt by Marjorie Liu (0441016065, $7.99)
3. Legacy by Jeanne Stein (9780441016266, $7.99)
4. The Touch of Twilight by Vicki Pettersson (9780060898939, $6.99)
5. Personal Demons by Stacia Kane (9780809572557, $6.99)
6. Storm Born by Richelle Mead (9781420100969, $6.99)
7. Underground by Kat Richardson (9780451462121, $21.95)
8. Hotter Than Hell by Jackie Kessler (9780821781043, $15.00)
9. Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs (9780441015665, $7.99)
10. One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost (9780061245091, $6.99)
11. Lord of Bones by Justine Musk (97800451462206, $6.99)
12. Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk (9780451462404, $6.99)
13. Ghost Radio by Leopoldo Gout (9780061242687, $25.95)

Yay, Stacy!

because my mother died last Friday. She was 96, so this is not an earth-shaking tragedy. We will, of course, miss her a great deal, but she had a good life. She’d suffered a minor fall in September and then a major fall on October 5 and gone through surgery and a ten-day hospitalization. (The first in her life.) After a month in a nursing home, we feel she decided it was time to go when she realized she wasn’t ever going to regain enough mobility and cognizance to live independently. She did things her way

I have some reviews and things that are not yet up and BLOOD BARGAIN should be hitting stores now, so I am behind on quite a bit. Hope to catch up a little tomorrow, but Friday through Monday will be full with family and funeral and such. Saturday through today we were dealing not only with final arrangements, but with packing up her apartment.

I’m turning off comments on this. The only reason I’m writing about it is just so folks don’t think I’m ignoring them the last few days or those to follow.

Shelf Awareness and others note several “buy books as gifts” campaigns:

• Author M.J. Rose blogs “we need to shout that books are still reasonably priced as gifts rather than whisper it. We can’t just hope consumers get the message.” Using lessons learned in advertising, Rose notes: “no one can buy something if they don’t know it exists and no one can adopt a new idea if they aren’t exposed to it” and “while word of mouth is the most effective advertising tool there is you need to advertise to get the early adopters to know about the product/idea so they can try it and then spread that word.” The campaign, launched by her promotional siteAuthorBuzz hopes to “deliver a half a billion impressions across some of the most popular blogs and reach over 10 million people.”
• There’s also Buy Books for the Holidays.
• Even Random House is launching a “books=gifts” campaign with ads on its Web sites, the New York Times Book Review, the New Yorker, Facebook, YouTube and in e-mail. Various authors will be quoted. Dean Koontz, for example: “Books make great gifts because your friends and family need something thrilling to read other than their 401(k) report.” (Does anyone really think Koontz himself is concerned with his 401(k)? )

Meanwhile New York Magazine, in a list of how to spend less and still live well suggested NOT buying any more books, but to read every book you already own first. Typical money-saving tips almost always encourage using the public library rather than buying books, swapping books with others (yes, you can even do that online these days), and buying used (also greatly facilitated by the Internet nowadays.)

So, if you are in the publishing trade you are depending on folks buying new books (and probably already frugal yourself or possibly unemployed or facing it) you hope people buy new books, but you understand them not doing so. Oy.

Another thing that strikes me about holiday book buying: I spent a couple of months as temp holiday help in a Borders once. I noticed eople were often attracted to the bargain-priced remainders as gifts (something else that doesn’t help authors as far as royalties). At Barnes & Noble there are not only remainders, but thousands of titles published by B&N itself — often attractive, low-priced reprints — that don’t add much (if anything) to the authorial pocketbook and may take sales away from “real” publishers. But then again, B&N has to survive, too…

I’d better stop thinking. I’m getting a headache.

At least it wasn’t in a book…but as I was deleting my usual overabundance of spam, I spotted this in a subject header: “wet grotto of pleasure.”

Now, on one hand, I mean it makes sense clear back to the Greek origins of the word “grotto”.

But, still…

Chris Howard has had prints made of his “Heart of the Sea” (right) for his 7 PM, November 20th signing at Pandemonium Books in Cambridge, MA with Joe Haldeman and Jeff Carver:

Pandemonium Books and Games
4 Pleasant Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
www.pandemoniumbooks.com
(617) 547-3721

So if you are anywhere near, go and get one! (And have Chris sign a copy of SEABORN for you, of course.)

Chris also has another piece of art, “Armored Roses and Ashes”, based on the same “floating woman” that he’s done for an art contest supporting the Susan G. Komen For the Cure foundation for breast cancer awareness.

Brimstone Kiss is the captivating sequel to Dancing with Werewolves. Douglas has populated her Post-Millenium Las Vegas with the most outrageous and outlandish cast of supporting characters this side of the Wizard of Oz. Every page drips with movie and movie star references, sly observations on Vegas and its’ culture. In less capable hands it would come off as a parody but in the world that Douglas has built it simply draws you along wondering what and who you are going to meet next (take special note of the incredible scene with the Bela Lugosi CinSim)….Every character, every situation has a mystery shrouding it. As some are solved even more are uncovered. Each progresses logically from the last dishing out surprise after surprise. Delilah and Ric are also surprised and elated at how well their relationship is evolving….As you can see Delilah’s internal dialogue is always droll and entertaining –-“Babe!” Really offensive language always brought out my Our Lady of the Lake Convent School warrior maid.

Ultimately Ric and Delilah’s love leads them into dire straights and grave consequences. The suspense and events build into a unexpected twist that pulls together many of the main characters in an action-packed climactic finish. Powerful stuff.

Douglas’ knowledge of film and actors spans multiple generations, so she conveniently provides a glossary of references and websites for those interested in finding out more about the Hollywood tidbits she scatters throughout the story. The rich details and inventive mysteries in Brimstone Kiss completely submerge you in the story. Like Delilah and with apologies to Carole Douglas—”Yes!” Now I knew what all the Page Turner quotes were all about.

I would highly recommend readers start with the earlier book in the series and top it off with Brimstone Kiss.

SciFiGuy

Maria Lima creates a plausible and captivating world which is oddly different from ours and yet eerily the same. The rules of logic work equally well in this world where vampires, faeries, and shape-changerscan coexist with humans, most of whom do not even know that strangers live among them….The sense of place in this, the second in the series (after Matters of the Blood), is magnificent. It is set in the Hill Country of Texas and that area is made so real that the reader can see the dust, feel the heat, and smell all the odors of the countryside. The small town where Kiera grew up, Rio Seco, is like small towns everywhere — slow to change, unwelcoming of strangers, cognizant of everyone’s business. (In fact, the first paragraph of the book captures the small town beautifully.) The images throughout this book paint a vivid and indelible picture in the reader’s mind.

The story is told in first person by Kiera. She is a fully developed character, one that the reader can empathize with regardless of her non-humanity….Other
characters are intriguing and sympathetic as well…

I am not fond of paranormal books and most of the time do not read them because I think many of them do not play fair with the reader. Giving a character special abilities can be a cop-out. But these characters are so well developed, their world is so logical and believable, the book is so well-written that I simply suspended my disbelief and accepted and enjoyed this world.

Reviewed on DorothyL mailing list by Sally Fellows

Here’s Malcom as a giraffe…

and Miss Dewie as a devil…

They wish you a belated “Happy Halloween!”

My son, Andrew, lives a few blocks from the White House. My daughter and I were there briefly back in September. It was a warm fall night and Andrew gives a fascinating tour, so we took a walk. Naturally, we took in the White House at night. There were a few other tourists there, too, of course, admiring this symbol of our country and the people who lead it.

Last night people gathered on Pennsylvania Avenue. Jubilant, excited people. Suddenly I saw the White House differently than I had that night in September. It had become a place of hope.

My son, Mark, and his wife Allyson, live near Chicago. Although they weren’t at Grant Park, their hearts were. I’m of an age where THAT place evokes televised memories of chants of “the whole world is watching” while seeing people of my generation and beliefs battered by Chicago cops. Another place transformed for me last night.

My youngest son goes to Arizona State University in Phoenix right now. This was the first election he has ever voted in. He did so, by absentee ballot, as a resident of Ohio. When I hit the speed-dial number for him on my cell phone last night, he answered: “CNN just declared Ohio for Obama.” Which was, of course, exactly why I was calling him.

Now. The work begins.

The Wall Street Journal has published a memo from Len Riggio, the Barnes & Noble chairman, stating that B&N is bracing for a terrible holiday season” and expects
“the trend to continue well into 2009, and perhaps beyond.”

“Never in all of the years I’ve been in business have I seen a worse outlook for the economy,” Riggio continued. “And never in all my years as a bookseller have I seen a retail climate as poor as the one we are in. Nothing even close.” HE also mentions that B&N has suffered from the current financial and credit crisis, “albeit not as severely as most retailers, and certainly not as much as other booksellers.” Sales at stores open at least a year had
fallen recently for the first time in B&N’s history.

Riggio sees that “the decline in retail traffic will affect our business as less people will pass our doors, and competition for the remaining business will become more intense. The result will be a ‘Darwinian’ environment (only the fittest will survive), and the retail species will have to adapt or face extinction. We have and will continue to adapt, and we plan to be around for a long time.”

“[N]ew store openings will be curtailed greatly, and discretionary expenditures will be cut to the bone,” though at the same time “we will not be making Draconian cuts in capital spending.”

He was also assured that the company’s financial foundation is solid: “We still intend to pay out a $50 million dividend to our shareholders this year. In addition, we have a solid balance sheet, excellent standing with the banking community, and more importantly, a large line of unused credit to draw upon. And, even with this year’s large sales shortfall, we will make a decent profit, and end the year without owing a penny to our banks.”

If you live in the US and haven’t voted already (I have!):

Art by Shepard Fairey

If you need further inspiration, see John Scalzi’s Whatever: Some of The Horrible Things That Will Happen To You If You Don’t Vote. (Reason # 1. Your penis will fall off. If you are a woman, you will grow a penis, which will then fall off…)

…Watch out Urban Fantasy, there’s a new girl in town. Stacia Kane’s new series gets a fantastic start in Personal Demons. Megan Chase is an easily empathetic character, partially due to the third person limited narration but mostly because she’s just incredibly likable and an almost absurdly normal person considering her psychic abilities. Megan is shy and self-effacing, socially awkward and fashion challenged — but she’s also a strong and opinionated woman. The scenes between her and the fire demon, Greyson Dante, truly benefit from Stacia Kane’s experience as an author of Erotic Romance novels; they are HOT! However, the sex quotient is not at all overwhelming and fairly limited, which totally makes it even more hot (unlike certain urban fantasy *cough*Anitablake*cough* that might as well be classified as soft porn).

The pacing of this book is close to perfect, I devoured it in near record time not because it’s short, but because it was such an easy and enjoyable read. There were only a few points that I wanted to skip ahead in the opening chapters, but only because I knew the juicy bits awaited me! The secondary characters were incredibly amusing and promised great potential story lines for future novels. Kane quickly establishes the existence of powerful Demon families (very mafia-esque) and a watchdog organization that functions as supernatural law enforcement. The winners of funnest new sidekicks were the demonic cockney triplets - Malleus, Maleficarum, and Spud. These guys offered a laugh at every turn and I grew truly concerned when their lives were in danger.

I’m excited about Stacia Kane’s prospects in the Urban Fantasy genre. Personal Demons is fun, scary, sexy, exciting and everything in between and if the second book, Demon Inside, can live up to the first then Kane will definitely be a must-read author.

FantasySciFi Book Review

Delilah is our point of view character and she seems to the reader to be one that we can trust. She doesn’t delude herself about what she sees and so the reader feels comfortable believing in her. However, Delilah thinks more is going on that what she sees and from the evidence it seems that there are some plot threads that are being woven into the background of the city and the character’s backstory that might suddenly rear up in a future book and become the plot. Because of this sensed layer of background, the world and the characters are rich and easy to believe in.

As you’d expect, Delilah stumbles upon some clues that lead her into danger. She’s had to make some radical decisions that could effect many others. The plot thickens and the tension builds and you find yourself carried along for the ride. Nothing marks a good book more than finding the world outside the pages disappearing for the length of time it takes to finish the book. Douglas has a way of drawing you in and keeping you entertained.

SFRevu

…Clockwork Heart by Dru Pagliassotti is an intriguing tale that pulls you into a fantasy world that is unlike any other. Ondinium is a place that one can easily picture in the future. It is run by the Great Engine, a mechanical engine that all programs and data are run through, it is the heart of the city and keeps things running smoothly. I was fascinated by Taya and her metal wings and thought that her interactions with Cristof were very alluring.
(Five Angels)

Fallen Angels Review