Dreaming In Books

First of all, I just found the two winners of Stolen by Lucy Christopher (with signed bookplate - subject to change, but more than likely will be included).  They are ::drum roll::

Taylor M from The Library Lurker

Ron-Michael P.

Thanks to everyone who entered.  Quite a number of entries, and they were all majorly appreciated!  :)  I'll be contacting both winners for information by email.


Now for the links.

The most important one, and part of the reason I did this post instead of a review, is that Stephanie Perkins is giving away her last ARC of Anna and the French Kiss.  I want this book.  Oh lord I want this book.  So I'm blogging about the giveaway in the hopes of snagging a copy.  False hopes, as there are many many many entrants for this.  Many entrants. 

Stephanie, the author in questioning, cuddling with the last ARC.  She is mocking me with that orgasmic smile.  This makes my probable loss all the sadder, but I will still post the picture.  She also asked me to link to a hot British guy.  I will share the Hot British Guy with you guys.  In fact, a series of Hot British Guys. 

Colin Firth, who makes me happy in many ways that young children cannot know about.  Look at his cravat.  SO SMEXY.

This guy named Hugh Dancy.  Second to Colin Firth.  I like the way he's looking at me.  I know I have a boyfriend, but still.  ::gets shifty eyes::

And there you have it.  If you want to challenge me and lose this contest together, here is the link to the contest.  Remember that I gave you Hot British Men from this. Also, school starts tomorrow.  I have history I have to do still.  This is mainly procrastination.  So be glad I am a procrastinator, or the contest wouldn't have ended for many more days, and you would not have seen sexy British dudes. 

I didn't get many packages this week, but I bought quite a lot of books.  ^.^  I'm only going to show a few, because I don't have access to my camera right now, and that means no picture.  In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren, and please visit her site if you get the chance.  Kristi is awesome.  :) 

For review:

Curse of Arachnaman by Hayden Thorne  (Prizm:  I LOVE Hayden Thorne as you all know, and while I haven't devoured her Masks series yet, she was kind enough to send me a review copy of the book.  It has a signed bookplate.  And....I'M IN THE DEDICATION!  WOO!  So, thanks to Hayden.  Many thanks.)

The House of Dead Maids by Clare B. Dunkle (Henry Holt:  This one is going to be reviewed for the Romantic Times.  Which I'm going to review for!  Squee!  Anyway, I just finished this one today, and it was SO GOOD.  I want to read Wuthering Heights right now because this prequel of sorts just sparked the imagination.  Lovely writing and a lot of history to back it up.  Thanks to the Romantic Times for sending.)

Jumbee by Pamela Keyes (Dial:  This one is for Teens Read Too.  It looks so good.  I can't wait to read it.  The concept sounds so fascinating, and I adore the cover so so so so so much.  It's so tropical and mysterious.  Thanks to Jen from Teens Read Too for sending.)

Bought:

Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble (Sourcebooks:  I LOVE Anastasia books.  So I had to buy this.  Plus I haven't read anything published by Sourcebooks.  There is also going to be a sequel.  I really really hope I like it.  I spent money on it, so that would be nice.)

Other books (images not shown):

The Master by Jean Johnson

The Perfect Poison by Amanda Quick (aka Jayne Ann Krentz)

The Zookeeper's Wife by Diane Ackerman



The Lace Reader by Brunonia Barry


The Best Day of Somebody Else's Life by Kerry Reichs


Bad to the Bone by Jeri Smith-Ready (Found it on clearance!  Too bad it's book two.  I will read out of order because I read the first chapter and LOVED IT!)


So, what was your week like for mailboxes book peeps?  :)  Would love to hear your thoughts and such! 

Adele at Persnickety Snark (Whom I routinely fangirl over because she is awesome and filled with awesome things, plus she is Australian and living in Japan.  That is a combination that wins.  Don't argue with me, because you will lose) has challenged bloggers to write about their review process.

I must take this challenge.  For the children.  And for my sanity.  Because I finished writing an essay last night, and tonight I will probably write the other one.  Which means my mind is NOT in review mode.  Because essays are boring.  They require you to NOT be funny.  Do you know how hard it is to write about To Kill a Mockingbird, which is one of my favorite books of all time, without making a comment like 'Despite Scout's slight obsession with how awesome Atticus is, there is no incest in this book.'  Seriously.  And for another project (which I chose myself because I am masochist like Edward but without the sparkly chest) I am making a book trailer based on The Other Boleyn Girl.  I MOST LIKELY CANNOT MENTION INCEST, SEX, OR OMG PERVERT ALERT PERVERT ALERT KING HENRY THE EIGHTH IS SUCH A PERV.  

As you can see, I need to get out some venting, and thus I will make this post.  It will be long.  Your eyes may rot.  So skim.  Skim like you have never skimmed before!  Unless your eyes are fine.  Then read it as a whole because you love me and enjoy my posts.

Yes you do.  Don't lie.

My review process is pretty straight forward.  I read the book.  Then I wait a few days.  Or a few weeks.  It depends.  Then I write the review.  The correlation between how good the book is and when I write my review depends.  Some books just take me longer  I've had one waiting for two months.  It bugged the heck out of me.  It still does.  It's like a one.  But I just can't write the review.  Part of that is the fact that even after one day after reading, I couldn't remember any of the book.

'Tis quite sad, but that is the life of a reviewer.

Posts go directly to Blogger.  Unless I have internet issues.  Then they go to word, then Blogger.  My non-review posts are all direct to Blogger, because my humor is very on the spot.

Despite this direct affair, I cover a lot of crap with the books.  I usually write my own three paragraphs of summary.  They may or may not sound like the publishers.  This is in no way an attempt to tell the publishers their blurbs sucked (though there may have been one or two times where their blurbs really didn't work with the book, and I called them out on it, but they are not usually meant to be like YOU SUCK).  I just do it to show that I read the book, and that I remember it.  If I cannot remember it...I will use an Amazon summary.  If I cannot remember it, the review will probably not be good.

Then I will go into the characters.  I usually spend two paragraphs on the characters. The main character gets one paragraph, and the others have their own.  If there is a big romance aspect (or if the book IS a romance) then the second paragraph will be long and will deal mostly with the love interest. 

It may or may not involve:  fangirl squeeing, a rant about chest hair (if it's a male), comparisons to other characters (funny or serious), some serious insights, and a random observation about their habits.  This is just how I observe relationships.  Oh, and I will always comment on chemistry.  Because I like to think that the characters are getting their smooch on for a reason. 

The final two paragraphs deal with writing and plotting, because while I focus on those, I think a lot of books are more character trope heavy.  Plotting is also pretty tied in with the characters in my book, and I usually don't have much of an issue with it.  Occasionally I will rant about it if the book really does not do it well.  Or at all.  Like if it's 400 pages about one day of school.  Then there will be trouble.  The final paragraph is usually a quick summary of the review and my main points, along with a comment of wit or snark.  Then I'll do a Cover Comment to show how much I love/hate the cover, and then I end with the Rating and where I got my Copy.  Simple, no?


Negative and positive reviews are also going to be an issue with me.  I am an optimist.

No, not an optometrist.  An OPTIMIST.

I like a lot of books.  A majority of books rock my socks off.  They are like the this amazing THING that I cannot ignore.  Like buttered toast.  Most books just win.

Thus, you will see a lot of reviews.  To compensate for this book optimism, I write detailed reviews that usually talk about everything to prove that I liked it because it was AWESOME and not because I like to suck up and be a brown noser to the publishers.  I'm just an optimist.

However, there will always be those books that I just do not like.  Such as the one I'm avoiding right now.  That will most likely be dealt with this week.  Or Wings.  Oooooh, Wings.  While I respect the work the author puts into writing and editing these books - because there is a lot of time invested in writing a book - I will still call them out if they fail.  As Adele said so gracefully in her post, I will be the one to say 'Get that ugly baby away from me!'  However, I am masochistic and will most likely come back to see future babies of yours of my own accord.  Why?  I do not know.  Maybe I have the hopes that your genes will mess up and give you a pretty baby.  Of course, writing is not synonymous with the baby making process, because writing can easily improve over time.  Genes, however, are pure luck of the draw.

Random off-shot there.

Anyway, I write my reviews.  I am honest in them, and pretty optimistic.  If you don't like them, then that is okay.  I appreciate the lovely comments I get on them, no matter if they are continuous or spastic.  I appreciate them all.  Even those little weirdly spelled ones that may be from a spammer.

I am going to sign off before I start looking like I have a 'thing' for my readers.  So, love to you all.  Hopefully this illuminated some weird part of my psyche you haven't seen yet.  If not, then I must be a lot more one dimensional than I thought.  Toodles.

Hey guys!  Sorry for being so absent yesterday.  Mostly I was just tired...which isn't really an excuse.  That, and I hadn't read an LGBTQ book this week (I'll blame THAT one on the school reading I'm doing last minute).  So I'll be combining yesterdays and today's posts - since they are both rather small.  First up is the blog hop with this week's question:
Do you use a rating system for your reviews and if so, what is it and why?

Yes.  I use a rating system from 1-5 stars, with half's in between (like 3.5, 4.5, ect).  I just use it because it's simple.  I've played around with losing the rating system, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet.  My ratings have definitely become more critical, and I haven't been giving out nearly as many fives as I did starting out.  On the off chance I can get a big redo on the blog and maybe get a URL, I'll most likely chuck this rating system out the window in favor of another one, or possibly just not even do it!  Rating systems are odd, and I often find it hard to conform everything to an exact rating in my mind.  But it's a helpful benchmark for some readers, so I guess it's here to stay.

And for my Rainbow Thursday Link...

My review of Tamara Allen's Whistling in the Dark got reposted at For What It's Worth yesterday!  The blogger loved it for the August Ultimate Reviewer's Challenge, so she asked if she could repost.  Naturally I said yesh.  :)    

Title:  My Soul to Take (Soul Screamers #1)

Author:  Rachel Vincent

Publisher:  Harlequin Teen

We've seen vampires and werewolves and faeries and angels and witches and mutant banana slugs (okay, not mutant banana slugs, but I SO wish there were mutant banana slugs...anyway...) but this is the first time I've read about banshees.  Banshees, while containing a haunting quality about them, are by no means the immediately appealing.  I mean, they scream and then people die.  Or they are already dead.  They are a very misunderstood type of paranormal creature.  I will admit that this premise - and the haunting cover, which is really the shiz - is what made me pick up this series.  Well, that and her background in adult paranormal romance.  Gotta love an author who can write in both of my favorite genres.  This young-adult series starter was just what I needed to get back into paranormals!

Kaylee Cavanaugh  thought her panic attacks were done.  Finished.  After all of the therapy and help she got from her aunt and uncle, she thought things would be okay.  Her friend sneaks off with her into a nightclub almost a year after her last attack, and on the dance floor she sees it.  That surrounding darkness that clouds the figure of one particular person.  She feels the scratching beginning to ascend into her throat.  The scratching that preludes the horrific screaming that comes with one of her attacks.

Before she can scream, Kaylee is whisked outside by a really cute guy from school, Nash.  He holds her and comforts her, and soon enough the scream is containable, if not gone.  She gets taken home, and aside from being shaken up, she's okay.  Until the news the next day shows the woman she saw cloaked in shadows dead on the club's bathroom floor.  It's an eerie coincidence, but she tries to brush it off.

Kaylee begins to get closer to Nash, and despite his reputation as a bit of a playboy, they begin to kind of date.  A random death much like the one Kaylee's panic attack predicted happens the day after, to another pretty teenage girl, and Kaylee begins to suspect that things are not right.  Nash also seems to know more than what he says...and soon, he begins to tell Kaylee about what she really is.  A bean sidhe.  A banshee.

Rachel Vincent is a lot like Richelle Meade.  She's written for adults and started writing for teens as well, and she is well known for having an enjoyable series.  I always seem to mix them up for some reason.  O.o

Anyway, I really enjoyed the characters.  I thought the drama of 'panic attack or banshee' was well done, and I was so thankful that Kaylee didn't take this as something normal.  She had enough evidence and steadily began to accept it.  The disconnect from her father and the flimsy trust she has with her aunt and uncle due to their hospitalizing of her a year before played well, and spoke for how quickly she got attached to Nash.  She's a strong heroine, but not ostentatious, and it works in her favor.

The relationship with Nash was nice, too.  He isn't a total alpha male.  He doesn't randomly stalk Kaylee.  Oh, and he actually has reasons for being near her other than an indescribable like that doesn't make any sense whatsoever.  The only problem I had was that their relationship was really fast.  It was like 'Hi, I'm Nash.  You and I are the same species.  I find you attractive.  NOW WE KISS.  *smooch*'  That was exaggeration, but it was definitely not a slow relationship.  They are teenagers, and as I have experience with the teenage romance, I can forgive that.  Plus Nash isn't an asshat.  I look forward to actually seeing the relationship develop.  Secondaries were good.  None that I would put above the protagonists, though.

My Soul To Take actually went really quickly for me.  I appreciated the fast pacing, and how easy it was to just get lost in the world for a few hours.  The world building was solid, but left more than enough to be expanded upon in later books (which I look forward to reading, by the way).  It was enjoyable, and I especially liked how everything felt pretty solid for a series title.  One could easily stop at this book and not feel majorly left out like some series.

I really enjoyed this YA offering from Rachel Vincent.  It had a lot of strengths, especially for a YA paranormal read, and I felt like it was a great start to a series.  Great concept, good heroine, and fast writing abound, even if the romance is kind of like the fast-food 'Barely talk - Event - Dating' variety.  Reading the next one cannot come soon enough, and I am also even more interested in her adult series, which is about werecats.  Yes, if you like paranormal stuff, Rachel is the authoress to go to.  Unless you don't like banshees, reapers, or fun.  In which case, you are dead to the paranormal romance world for now.

Cover Comments:  These covers are so awesome and haunting and spooky and ooooh.  They make me hyperactive because they are so pretty.  Eye catching and definitely working for me.  Though the dress is kind of taking the traditional banshee route, which Rachel isn't really doing...

Rating:  4.5 Stars

Copy:  Received from Natashya at Harlequin Teen (Thanks so much, Natashya!)

Title:  Waiting for You

Author:  Susane Colasanti

Publisher:  Viking

This is my third read from Colasanti, and I continue to see how good of an author she is.  I've definitely liked some of her books more than others, but they are all solid reads.  Out of the three that I have read, Waiting for You is definitely one of the ones that's more solid.  Her usual cast of characters abound:  the nice, interesting guy that the heroine just isn't interested in right away, the energetic best friend, and the heroine who always has a specific interest that makes her unique.  Colasanti is one of those authors that can breath new life into the framework she uses, and Waiting for You has a lot of new life to it.

Marisa and Sterling have been besties forever.  The beginning of their sophomore year has them excited and nervous.  Especially for the dating.  Both of them hope to snag boyfriends by the end of the year.  Marisa hopes to catch the eye of hottie Derek, though he has a girlfriend, and Sterling is interested in guys just a few years more mature.  They feel like this is going to be the defining year: that something is going to change.

Starting off, the year isn't too bad.  Marisa has reconnected with an old childhood friend, Nash, through partnering in science.  He's pretty cool, and she thinks he has a crush on her - until an incident with a little note makes her realize he may not like her like that.  Derek also begins to show some interest in her during their art class together, and he isn't doing too well with his girlfriend.  All signs point to Marisa possibly snagging the boy of her dreams!

But Sterling is being difficult, and attempting to find a guy in the oddest places.  Nash is also acting oddly, and it isn't boding too well for their friendship.  The only constant seems to be this crazy activist-radio-dude that seems to know everything about everything going on at school.  Sophomore year is proving to be quite the life-changer, but not in the way Marisa expected!

Susane's characters, as previously stated, always have some defining traits.  Marisa, the heroine, is quirky but ultimately likable.  She's laid back and honest, but she's still emotional and interesting to readers.  I warmed up to her as a character really quickly, especially with her friendship with Sterling.  Sterling is a gourmet-level cook and is attracted to older guys.  Where Marisa is calm, Sterling is bold, and they balance each other nicely.  One of Colasanti's better best friendships, in my opinion.  The relationship between Marisa and her parents, as well as Marisa's reaction to their crumbling marriage, is very fine tuned and manages to avoid being over-dramatic. 

Nash and Derek are equally well drawn, and it's obvious that we're going to root for the geek chic Nash.  His collection of bells from other countries (which is VERY cool) and his laughable geekery are adorable, and allow readers to easily fall for him.  Derek manages to be a pretty cool guy when Marisa shows interest in him, and Colasanti knows just when to reveal the parts that make the reader form a final verdict on how his relationship with Marisa should end.  Both of them are real and believable guys, and they aren't too geeky or too jocky to register as cliche.  Colasanti is great at writing real teens, and in Waiting for You it shines really well. 

The writing is just as brisk and humorous as her other books.  Colasanti manages to keep herself solid in this department with every book.  I'm kind of glad it's still just narrating one character, because the dual point of view in When It Happens didn't feel as natural as this one does.  Everything felt realistic, the plot moved ahead really well, and overall I was very happy with it.  The one gripe was that the secret radio dude wasn't much of a secret, but in Colasanti's novels, it's never really about that.  It's about the journey.  Secret Radio Dude was just the inevitable destination of said journey.

So, if the slight mystery of Secret Radio Dude appeals to you, or perhaps the stylings of a nerd chic hero such as Nash (who has awesome bells - har de har har), then this will be the defining Colasanti read for you.  Frankly, they are all awesome and quick and worthy of reading, but this one is definitely one of my favorites.  It's a great summer read, or a good school one, and will keep her fans quite happy.  New ones may just find themselves under the much needed Colasanti obsession like I am.  Her fifth book, So Much Closer, has been announced for March of 2011, and I am very excited.  Very.

Cover Comments:  I love her covers - Susane is truly blessed with a cover fairy.  This one is one of my favorites.  It's so reminiscent of days past and romantic, and I totally pictured Nash with that kind of nerdy but cool style.

Rating:  4 Stars

Copy:  Received from Susane's publicist (Thanks so much to Susane and her publicist!)

Title:  Zombies Vs. Unicorns

Edited:  Holly Black and Justine Larbalestier 

Publisher:  Margaret K. McElderry Books

Zombies vs. Unicorns is a short story anthology about the age old question.  Team Zombie, or Team Unicorn?  I personally prefer Team Unicorn, but Team Zombie can be good at certain times.  Either way, I thought the idea was awesome.  So I naturally jumped on the chance to read it and talk about each story - and whoo, there are some truly awesome stories in this anthology.  Also some not awesome ones.  But 'tis the nature of the anthology.  I will not grade the stories, but I will give my thoughts on them.

 "The Highest Justice" is a blend of the zombie and unicorn tale.  It is mainly a unicorn tale, but there is the flavor of zombie in it as well.  It is a classical fantasy, as Mr. Nix is best known for, and relies heavily on that feel of classic political intrigue and bruteness to get the idea of the the story down.  It concerns a princess, a unicorn she meets, and a zombified queen that cannot rest without closure. 

I thought the themes of the story were done really well.  I haven't read anything by Garth Nix before, but this definitely makes me want to try his stuff out.  The narrative really worked for it, and I easily wished the story to go on.  It was probably one of the better stories in the anthology - certainly in the top of Team Unicorn's.  A strong start to Zombies Vs. Unicorns.

Hey guys!  This is another short edition of In My Mailbox!  It's hosted by Kristi from The Story Siren, and was inspired by a weekly post from Alea at Pop Culture Junkie!  :) 

The only book I got this week was...

Matched by Allie Condie  (Dutton:  Thanks to Allison/Penguin for sending this!  It's dystopian.  And shiny.  And romantic.  And has a cool cover.  Just WIN.)

I've wanted Matched for, like, ever...so I am very very happy about this.  :)  Also, I am interested because the author used to write LDS fiction...so it's not a debut novel.  Very interested indeed....

Oh, and don't forget to enter my Stolen giveaway!  Truly great prize, since the book is like majorly awesome! 

Hey bloggies!  I'm at a wedding today.  Woo, right?  Not really.  I'm not a big wedding person.  Well, with my dad's family anyway...So I'll be at the reception reading and being anti-social.  It's what I do.  :p  Since I cannot be there, I'll be scheduling this post!

You may also wonder why there is no review or anything really important with this post.  Well, I reviewed Stolen over at Dear Author - so there's a review from my perspective.  Needless to say, I liked it.  A lot.  For the shiz.

There is also a more personal reason.  Tonight (Friday, if you have trouble keeping up) I had a wonderful date thing.  A couple of friends went to the movies with Amazing Local Boyfriend and I, and we kept to ourselves generally since there was a group.  We cuddled a lot and - gaspeth - had our first kiss.  Our first kiss!  For both of us!  It wasn't anything like reading about it...but it was none the less wonderful and I would never trade that experience.  :)

We saw Vampires Suck.  It was kinda funny.  But maybe that was because I didn't pay much attention to the movie....

Ahem.  *cough cough*  Anyway, this giveaway is from Becky at Scholastic, so if you comment, give a big thank you to her for me.  You can win one of two copies of Stolen (which is awesome) with SIGNED bookplates.  SIGNED.  How cool is that?

The rules:

• You must be 13 years of age or older - Legal reasons
• You must be in the U.S. - Shipping purposes
• No multiple entries - Bad form, folks

Here's the form link - Go enter!  And comment when finished! 

Hey guys!  I haven't done one of these in forever, and since I've been kind of busy...yeah.  I figured I'd do another two, until football season starts!  Then it's just For Fans of...Friday, making a comeback with the occasional review!  I mean, I'll be at football games for the band, so I can't visit my bloggies until late at night - sometimes not for days at a time, if we have a competition.  The horror!  :(

Anyway, this week's question is:  How many blogs do you follow?

According to my Dashboard, I am following 38 blogs.  It's rather sad.  But I'm not one for social networking like that.   Plus...it will make me sound picky, but I really do only follow blogs that I'll read time after time.  It's not that I don't enjoy your blog, per say, but there are a lot of blogs with a particular reviewing style I just don't like.  Not too long or too short, with a nice summary but more focus on the actual review.  That's really what I write, and I find that I like to read that style of review as well.  It's just what works.  I do follow other blogs if they have awesome posts that aren't reviews, memes, or if they are from authors like Julie Kagawa or Rachel Vincent.  I'd also say that I read other blogs that I can't follow...

So about 50/60 blogs -  Short Answer


Hehe, sorry for being long-winded with that!


Now let's do the hop!  If y'all have met me through the hop, or whatever, please tell me about it in the comments!  I've found some truly awesometastic blogs through the hop...and I'm always so happy to participate!  Just don't link to your own posts in the comments.  I moderate them, but guys...it's not considered good manners unless the blogger asks for post links or likes them.  :p  I don't mind them, but I will most likely look at your blog if I DON'T see one.  :)

Yeah, sorry about that.  Little 2am rant while the morning is still fresh.  Now, on to the hop! 

 Hey bloggies!  Today, for my Rainbow Thursday, I am reviewing one of my best reads so far this year!  Tamara Allen is a great historical author, and y'all better read her books.  I have nothing but good things to say.  This is what happens when I become a fangirl, as you know.  Now, enjoy the gay historical love!


Title:  Whistling in the Dark

Author:  Tamara Allen

Publisher:  Lethe Press

Gay historical romance is pretty much the highlight of my reading life.  I mean, it has everything that I love.  Romance.  Gay men.  Historical settings.  It's just an immensely appealing niche.  A friend of mine basically talked Ms. Tamara Allen up to high heaven, so I had to ask if I could review her books.  Whistling in the Dark is her first novel, set in the roaring 20's, when jazz and radio are just starting to get big.  It's a rich time with a lot of mystery and secret amusement among the younger set, and ends up being a truly marvelous novel on all accounts.

After being expelled from his college for having an affair with a male teacher, Sutton Albright packs his bags and heads to New York City.  He wanders the streets, with hardly any money to his name.  Sutton comes across a small diner, where he manages to get a job as an errand boy.  Working for the diner isn't what Sutton - a piano prodigy and war veteran - had in mind for his life's work, but he can't bear to go home and tell his family the truth about himself.  The fact that he likes men.

Jack Baily is the polar opposite of Sutton.  After coming home from the war, he was left without any direct family, and moved into his fathers old shop.  Jack is restless and doesn't want to sit around selling antiques and useless items.  His technical skills are better suited towards running the contraption gaining momentum known as the radio.  If he can get the one in the shop up and running, and maybe a music player, he could attract more customers and get out of his debt.

Whistling in the Dark is a romantic expose on the lives of two men haunted by the aftermath of World War I, and their struggle to define themselves in a world where liking other men is a crime and indecent.  They may not be able to define themselves as gay, but they know that their hearts will always be searching for someone of the same gender.  When they meet, the chemistry is obvious, and before long Sutton is playing piano again.  This time for Jack.  His skills attract many new customers, but also bring up issues with the relationship.  Especially when Jack doesn't want to get too close.

I wanted to take Sutton home and snuggle him.  I loved his character to bits, and he is the perfect example of a well-written gay man.  He's questioning of himself, but by the end of the book is very assured that he isn't wrong in who he is.  Intelligence is obvious, and his piano playing is a wonderful quality that adds to his depth of character.  The deep connection he had as a war veteran was also really compelling, and I loved how that tied in with Jack's issues.

Jack was definitely the more troubled of the two characters.  His dynamic with Sutton was very well done, though, and he never got too annoying with his issues.  The paranoia of Sutton leaving him for bigger things - and his willingness to sacrifice time with Sutton if it meant him living the high life - was rather adorable and spoke volumes of their feelings for each other.  I liked the secondary characters a lot as well.  A dim-witted store clerk and his girl, the sensible waitress, and the annoying but kind sister of a gang member make for some funny scenes.  They all were important in some way, and the feeling of the characters being connected as a family of sorts really made the book feel well done. 

Allen's writing is a joy to read.  The setting is so vibrant and meticulous without being overbearing.  It's a great balance for a historical novel, and Allen doesn't once break it with an anachronism or stylistic issue.  For a first novel, it's very mature and seasoned.  Every phrase carries a certain weight and importance about it that really speaks volumes about Allen's style and her writing ability. 

Since I cannot be subtle anymore:  Read.  This.  Book.  You will drool over the romance.  You will be amazed at just how good the writing is.  You will become a Tamara Allen fangirl like I am, and there is no stopping it.  This is what quality gay romance is all about, people.  And it doesn't even have any naughty bits, so it's safe for small children.  I know.  It's like the perfect cross-over book.  Now go and buy it and make me a happy LGBTQ reviewer.  :)

Cover Comments:  For a small press cover, it's good.  I like the music notes and the classic photo/snapshot on the front, thought he font is kind of meh. 

Rating:  5.0 Stars

Copy:  Received from Tamara (signed) for review!  Thanks oodles, Tamara! 

Title:  Storm of Visions (The Chosen Ones #1)

Author:  Christina Dodd

Publisher:  Signet

Adult paranormal romance!  You heard right!  I actually read something other than young-adult on occasion.  I read Storm of Visions for the read-a-thon, and it reminded me of why I love the romance genre.  Especially paranormals (and historicals, but I unfortunately didn't get the time to read one of those).  Christina Dodd is a pretty prolific writer by my standards.  She's written a lot of bestselling books, and writes historicals, contemporaries, and paranormals.  A queen of all trades, she is.  This is the first in a series known as The Chosen Ones, and it really had me itching to read more of Dodd.

If there's one thing Jacqueline Vargha knows how to do, it's evade things.  For the past two years, Jacqueline has been running away.  From her mother Zusane.  And from the sexy bodyguard of hers, Caleb D'Angelo.  She's finally settled, working at a winery, when he comes back to claim her.  Escaping from him is impossible, especially when being close to him reminds her of why she fell in love with him.

Caleb has always been there to protect Jacqueline.  Zusane, a Chosen prophet and star-studded debutante, hired him as a bodyguard.  In guarding her, he fell in love with her adopted daughter.  Jacqueline.  Now a new group of Chosen has been gathered, and it's Caleb's job to get Jacqueline to cooperate and use her talents with the group.  Rekindling their fiery romance wouldn't be so bad, either....

The gathering of the Chosen brings new issues.  Jacqueline herself can see the future, but she refuses to have visions like her mother does.  The group of seven newly recruited Chosen finds this out as Zusane sees something truly chilling; the Chosen headquarters being burned to the ground, leaving no one inside alive.  Thousands of written prophecies destroyed, and many lives forever lost in the flames.  This means that someone within the Chosen is secretly working for the Others, who associate with the devil himself.  Jacqueline and Caleb rekindle their lost relationship and band together with six other people in order to discover the reasons behind this atrocity, and the roots of Jacqueline's power.

Christina Dodd writes in an interesting style for this paranormal.  Jacqueline is certainly a strong heroine; independent and worldly without being stupid.  She's a character I really enjoyed reading about, and I thought her reluctance to explore the depth of her powers because of her association with the Chosen and her mother's lack of placement in her childhood.  It felt real, and Jacqueline was smart enough to not deny it completely if the end result was worth it. She still felt like she had some old-school styles, and her weakness in fighting compared to Caleb was pretty receptive of that.   Her weakness (sexually) to Caleb was fun to read about, but I think their relationship was a little thin in some ways.

Caleb himself is a good character.  He's loyal and trustworthy and protective, but doesn't ever smother Jacqueline or become to much of an 'Alpha-male' in my opinion.  No Diana Palmer syndrome with this guy.  His backstory was also nicely done, and I especially loved his mother and her Italian way of living!  That part of the book was a little thin, and I can't help but wonder if I would know more by reading the original Darkness Chosen series by Dodd.  Where I really didn't feel like the book held up between Caleb and Jacqueline was their relationship.  They easily slipped into their feelings for each other, and with Zusane being unable to stop them this time, they managed to admit their love for each other.  It just didn't feel like there was much growth or conflict with it because they knew each other and established a deep emotional connection already.

Dodd's writing was pretty okay.  I didn't like how her first ten or so chapters started with a character name every time.  They were bolded, so I noticed them quite a bit.  More varied sentence structure is just a snobbish preference of mine.  I blame it on my fourth grade English teacher, who told me that starting sentences with the same words was not good.  I heard that a lot.  ANYWAY - aside from that, I loved it.  It was quick and snappy, and I felt like the world building was easy enough to get into that I didn't need to read the Darkness Chosen series to know what the rules were.  The mystery aspect was a little obvious as well, but I didn't think that detracted from the story too much. 

Overall, Storm of Visions is a solid addition to the paranormal market, and while it isn't the best paranormal romance, it holds its own quite well.  I really want to read more books by Christina Dodd now, and I am excited to know she writes historicals and other paranormals.  Her style is modern but still has some old school sensibility there, which makes for a nice blend.  I have the next book, Storm of Shadows, on my shelf as well - and I can't wait to pick up the third!  The fourth is also coming out next month, which means I have quite the series to look forward too!  The secondary characters are definitely worth continuing - especially Charisma.  Whom I will rant more about in the next review.

Cover Comments:  HAWT and with a natural chest.  This cover is just great!  The step-back is pretty cool, too.  Even if I don't really get the whole bridge thing.

Rating:  3.5 Stars

Copy:  Bought (Yep - all by myself) 

On a personal note:  How does reviewing adult books work for you readers?  Am I equipped to review the adult world?  I really had fun reviewing Storm of Visions, and sharing my thoughts on it, but it's up to you guys as to whether you'll see more reviews like this. So comment away!   

Title: The Secret Year

Author: Jennifer R. Hubbard

Publisher: Viking (Penguin)

Debut novels are the best kinds of novels. An author is finally getting published and showing off their abilities, and exactly what kind of voice they are bringing to the writing world. First impressions are some of the biggest things people remember, and a good debut novel makes for a lasting good impression. Jennifer R. Hubbard made her debut at the beginning of this year with The Secret Year, and it has made one heck of a first impression.

An entire year.  Colt and Julia were together for an entire year.  But no one ever knew.  As far as the public was concerned, Colt and Julia were on entirely different social levels.  He lived in the sticks with the rest of the white trash; car skeletons littering the yard in front of his trailer with a dysfunctional family inside.  She lived up on the hill with the rest of the richies.  Until that year, where they met on the bridge close to Colt's house, these two never acknowledged their existence.

Then came the secret year.  And the car crash that killed Julia, and sent Colt into a period of silent mourning.  He couldn't show his love in public, but it was there.  Then her brother sought him out with a journal of sorts; one that contained her thoughts, her poetry, and the acknowledgment of Colt's existence.  Mourning Julia and reading the journal allow Colt to gain insight into who she was - and the sex goddess figure he had created was ruined.  Her insecurities and issues were brought to light. 

It also brings a lot of questions to Colt.  What was their relationship really like?  Can he really get over Julia?  And when is the time to let go?  A realistic piece on the meaning of a relationship, The Secret Year is a debut novel that speaks with a lot of heart and skill.

Colt is my favorite.  There.  End of story.  I am normally not big on male protagonists; they can be given that dumb 'guy humor' cop-out that manages to be literary in the boring sense, or boring and immature.  Guy protagonists are great if written with skill, and Hubbard has mucho skill in this department.  Colt is definitely male, but he isn't a cliche.  His emotions are deep, and he remembers Julia for more than just the sex.  It's a complicated relationship which shows that guys DO put emotional tags onto doing it.  At least, doing it for that long.  His acceptance of other real life issues that his parents don't agree with, and the better understanding he has of love and of the harsh realities that everyone faces make him an agreeable character that does not disappoint.

The status of Julia in The Secret Year is also one that I really felt resonate with me.  Her character is more than a throwaway one.  She had her faults, but was still a good person.  Just too weak to fight the conventions she felt trapped by as a teenager with a wealthy family.  Her affections with Colt were especially interesting, because she was the one emotionally unsound in where they were, due to her lingering feelings for her alcoholic boyfriend.  To have Colt be the stable one who felt the 'purer' affection was a break in gender conventions, and showed that relationships do indeed affect both parties.  Even if people assume the guys are emotionally distant.

Hubbard's writing is crisp and clear.  She, like moi, comes from the Pennsylvania area, and wrote it flawlessly.  The flannel wearing rural guys and the slight class difference that seems so immense anyway.  The general area and the often murky seasons.  Jennifer Hubbard just captures everything so well.  Not to mention all of the raw emotion and angst that were just so brutal.  The plot moved along quickly, and she took just as long as it needed.  No story padding or useless characters.  Everything had a purpose, and it all flowed together beautifully.

The Secret Year is one of those books that just works.  The planets align and a little gem is born.  It explores the complexity of relationships with an excellent male hero and an enigma that he once adored.  Hubbard has a deft hand in writing the setting and the feelings of each character, and plots like a dream.  The Secret Year is a contemporary novel not to be missed; striking in its stark reality. 

Cover Comments:  I really love this cover.  Simple, effective font and a nice image at the bottom.  It conveys a lot of the darker themes and emotions throughout the book.

Rating:  5.0 Stars

Copy:  Received from Jennifer's publicist at Viking books (Thanks so much!!)

Title:  Wings

Author:  Aprilynne Pike

Publisher:  Harper Teen

Twilight.  Ever since I've read that book, it's been a downhill trend for books like it.  I notice every little action of Bella Syndrome (bland heroes) Sparkly Stalker (stalker guys) and various other tropes that are just not cool.  Twilight managed to be compelling with them - or at least masked the issues well enough for me not to notice them.  Wings, however, does not mask all of these issues.  It's a fair book with some strengths, but definitely was less-than-amazing after all of the hype it got.

Moving to Crescent City has brought on big changes for Laurel.  After being home schooled for almost 15 years, her mom feels like she's done all she can.  Laurel doesn't have too much trouble assimilating into the public school system.  She begins to befriend a nice boy named David, who is heavily interested in Biology.  He's really interested in Laurel, who is different from everyone else.  She's an extreme vegan.  She can eat fruits and vegetables, but no meats or other foods.  Even things like coffee make her sick.  Being like that all her life has made it normal, but with the growth of a weird bump on her back, she realizes she may be more than a little strange.  Meeting a strange boy named Tamani, who calls himself a faerie, only makes things worse. 

The bump begins to grow into a huge flower that blooms on her back.  Laurel is freaked, and decides to show David.  He's really the only person she trusts with this information.  With a bit of his science-savvy and some heavy Googling, he and Laurel discover that she is a plant.  But how the hell can she be a plant when she's a human?  Or maybe Tamani is right?  Laurel embarks on a journey of discovery that reveals a natural world she never knew existed...and a darkness that goes with it.

Characterization was bland at best.  Two dimensional.  A real snooze.  The best thing that I can say is that I didn't really notice this until I finished Wings.  Laurel had some semblance of a personality - she wasn't completely stupid, and she had her vegan thing going for her.  Though her character was basically dominated by her faerie self and the forming love triangle between David and Tamani.  David's Biology obsession was pretty cool, and I enjoyed that he didn't treat Laurel badly.  If only he had more personality.  ::sigh::  Tamani was almost non-existent, and I had NO IDEA how he and Laurel got together.

And there lies where I think the book is really lacking.  The love triangle just was not fleshed out enough.  With the second book, I can easily hope for better characterization.  A well-tuned Laurel and some more emotional depth.  But this love triangle makes it really hard for me to want to pick up Spells.  I most likely will, but if I don't get it for review (which would obligate me to it) I'll wait for paperback.  The love triangle just has no sizzle.  No spark.  Twilight was above average because it at least had that for the first three books.  Wings just failed.  Tamani wasn't in it enough to develop a real relationship with Laurel, and David never showed much depth.  I believed his relationship with her...which was probably the only plus.

Pike's writing style itself isn't bad.  Okay.  It moves fast and it isn't bogged down with much fuss or flowery stuff.  I enjoyed the Biology talks and plant science behind the faeries, though.  The explanation of Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter faeries was also nice.  Pike worked well with her mythology, and I have to give her credit for that.  Her characterization just really did not shine, and that's one of the biggest things I look for in a book.  The plot also lacked conflict.  A breezy pace wouldn't be bad, but the second half was a jumble of random fights with goblins or trolls or something (which also had a brilliant scientific background) and a whole bunch of relationship fast-forward.

What Wings lacks is the depth that a paranormal needs.  After all these deep and thought-provoking teen fantasies come out, seeing something so light and depth-less is annoying.  The marketing is pretty much a dead giveaway for what goes on, and that's a whole lot of Twilight in faerie form.  I did enjoy the world-building.  I will come back to the sequel, Spells, in the hopes of seeing improvement in Pike's writing and enjoying the world it's set in.  Though, to be honest, it won't take much to top Wings.  If you're starving for teen paranormals, then have a go at it.  If you could live without them, you can live without Wings.

Cover Comments:  It's so pretty.  I will admit I may continue the series just for the covers...Though add my voice to those that says WTF to the title of Wings.

Rating:  2.5 Stars (It was going to be 3, but I think I was a little too annoyed with some things)

Copy:  Bought (I know!  I always feel bad if I get sent a review book I dislike...but I feel bad when I buy a bad book.  I just don't win with bad books.)

Hey Bloggies!  Did you respond to my previous post where I voiced my questions about reviewing adult books?  If not - THEN DO IT.  Haha.  Anyway, this is my 15th (Still cannot believe I've lasted this long) In My Mailbox post, and I only got two books this week.  Really slow.  ^^;;  But, it gave me an excuse to do the read-a-thon, so I'm not that disappointed.  Both books are tres excellent, so I'm really excited!  In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren.

For review:

Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Scholastic Press)

This book looks SO good.  Plus it's not too long.  Which, for a blogger who will have to deal with a fall release date (meaning school), I will most certainly enjoy it.  Weyn's writing is pretty good, but I haven't read her dystopian books like The Bar Code Tattoo.  I've only seen it in the Simon Pulse 'Once Upon A Time is Timeless' books.  The Diamond Secret could have been a lot better, but I enjoyed The Crimson Thread.  All of the books suffer from a lack of fleshing out due to length requirements, but she and Cameron Dokey really hold that thing up...

Either way, it should be awesome.  Uber thanks to Becky Amsel and Scholastic for just randomly sending it!

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic Press; Hardcover)

YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES!  As soon as the read-a-thon is done, I'm cracking this puppy open and devouring it!  Werewolves!  Romance!  Amazing cover!  I am excited!  If you can't tell, then I may have to give a lecture on the proper use of the exclamation point.  Thanks so much to Maggie's publicist and Trade Publicity at Scholastic for sending it.  :D  I is a happy blogger boy. 

I haven't had much time to read today, but Storm of Visions is going really fast.  I don't know if I'll read another book after it.  Hopefully.  It's a nice, quick read - but definitely with it's fault.  It reminds me why I like romance though.  Always a good thing.  :) 

So, interesting week for sure.  Couple this with the crazy emotional and family problems, and you have a gay teen version of Desperate Housewives playing out.  I'm going to go and read, so until then - later lovelies! 

Ooh...it's like 2am over here (again), and I'm posting downstairs after a near-encounter with my mother, who is already REALLY mad at me.  Hehe.  But the internet and blogging never sleeps!  At least during summer. 

:)

Anyway, this sleepless state has gotten me thinking.  Well, this sleepless state and the read-a-thon book I strayed to.  I finished Howl's Moving Castle which...

WAS SO FRIGGIN AMAZING I THINK I DIED AFTER IT WAS DONE.  IT DOESN'T EVEN HIT YOU UNTIL YOU FINISH READING THAT IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THE BEST BOOK YOU'VE EVER READ IN YOUR LIFETIME.

Sorry.  Fanboy had to take charge for a bit there.  Needless to say, I really liked it.  I was going to read The Adoration of Jenna Fox next, but I was being pulled to an adult book.  So, I picked up Storm of Visions by Christina Dodd, which has been laying around for a while now.

And I'm already almost 1/4 of the way through it.  That's after like half an hour.  I forgot how fast I can read a romance if I actually have time.  Usually I just read them before bed, so they would be really slow-going.  What I thought was....

What if I started reviewing the adult books I read for the blog, as well?  Mostly romance ones - paranormals and historicals, maybe some Debbie Macomber or whatever I can pillage from a yard sale or used bookstore.  Maybe some other genres that I feel can cross-over?  My thoughts now are maybe one a week, label them as Adult Review....just throwing stuff out there.  This is also inspired by Carrie at In the Hammock and Renee from Addicted to Romance.  They are both majorly awesome, and whenever I read their romance reviews I get the urge to read and write reviews for the genre...since Dear Author is pretty much strict YA after that little incident with Sinful by Charlotte Featherstone. 

So...thoughts?  Are there enough adult readers out there that would warrant romance reviews?  Or teens that read romance?  Or just adult books in general?  I know more blogs have been more genre-crossover lately, and that's not a bad thing in my book.  Tell me what you think.   Especially after my features ala What My TBR Doesn't Know and For Fans of... Fridays are kind of on the fringe right now...though the Friday feature WILL come back once school starts so I can relax AND because I won't be home due to the band playing at football games. 

Please comment and discuss....or email me if you feel like talking there.  I'm very personable and talkative.  :p  I'll have my IMM up at a more normal time today - I got like 2 books, anyway - so until then.  Toodles! 

Yesterday I DID NOT make, like, any advancements into my stack.  Sadness.  I finished one book, and it was like a 3.5.   Which is probably why it took me so long.  The book in question was....

It was a pretty book.  I will admit that at present.  Very pretty.  The first 100 pages were pretty conflict-free, but I enjoyed them.  It's very Twilight, but with faerie...plant...things.  Considering a few people I know REALLY hyped up this book, it was a let-down.  I will read Spells though, if only for the great world building and Biology-obsessed love interest that I found interesting. 

BUT.  I feel like complaining a bit about it.  Mostly because I was really hoping the hype and said anti-hype wasn't grounded.  Twilight.  THE ONE THING I DIDN'T WANT TO BE LIKE TWILIGHT.  *sigh*  This is a stream-lined, slightly above average version of Twilight.  And I like Twilight.  Don't get me wrong.  But I wanted Wings to be better.

It had the world building.  But the love triangle was so blase and all the characters have yet to show 3-dimensional sides.  Which made me sad.  Very sad.

I am now about 100 pages (we had to go the mall today, so I didn't get as much read as I would have liked...plus I invested an hour in Final Fantasy X...which was my fault) into Howl's Moving Castle.

Girl, let me tell you - I AM LOVIN' THE DIANA WYNNE AWESOMENESS JONES.  It's not the movie - oh, the movie is definitely here and based off of the book - but BETTER.  It's pure, original fantasy with the fairy tale parody of Patricia Wrede, the adaptation of Robin McKinley, and writing that transcends awesomeness and is pretty much god-like.  Expect a gusher review.  Major gush review.

After I finish Howl's, I'll be tackling The Adoration of Jenna Fox. 

It looks cool.  And fast.  I enjoy fast.  If I can get Howl's and Jenna read...and maybe another book started and finished if I go into power-reader, then I will feel accomplished.  Now if only I had my cell phone and parents that would approve of Amazing Local Boyfriend so I could actually, um, date/hang out with him.  Then I'd be on cloud nine.  But alas.  And school.  Do not forget school.  *shudders*  Starting Monday, I will be back on track with reviews and stuff.  I just felt like sharing my read-a-thon experiences with the masses.  :p 

Hey bloggies!  My review today is going on hold so I can post about the Read-A-Thon I'm participating in!  This is my first read-a-thon, and while I only found out about it yesterday, I figured it would be a good time to find out what they are like.  The boyfriend and I couldn't make plans (long story, not for the faint of heart) and that freed up my weekend pretty good.  Needless to say, I have PILES of books that are mine (meaning I didn't get them for review) that need read.  So, here's my starting stack.  It's subject to change.  A lot.  It's also hosted by The Bibliophilic Book Blog! 

 See?  I overcompensate. 

No jokes about that. 

The books are:

Spice & Wolf Volume 1 by Isuna Hasekura

Deadline by Chris Crutcher

Gone by Micheal Grant

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

Adios to My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer

Evernight by Claudia Gray

Untamed by P.C. and Kristin Cast

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley

The Adoration of Jenna Fox by Mary E. Pearson

Beastly by Alex Flinn

The Maze Runner by James Dashner

The Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus

The Life of Glass by Jillian Cantor

Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan

The Chronicles of Vladimir Todd:  Eighth Grade Bites by Heather Brewer

Paper Towns by John Green

Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles

Wings by Aprilynne Pike

*********************************************************

The other books I will not even bother naming...just because you can either read the titles or they aren't YA books.  I'll most likely read one or two of them...it just depends on my mood.  I also have to read To Kill a Mockingbird, so some of my time may be spent on that.  It's a long list, and I won't get many of them read, but at least it will allow me to shrink the TBR just a bit.  So...any recommendations as to what to read?

I've started Wings, and I plan on getting Howl's Moving Castle next, followed by Eighth Grade Bites and Spice and Wolf.  Any ones I should bump up?  And what's your take on read-a-thons?  Anyone else doing this one? 

Hello bloggy friends and not-friends.  (What?  I doubt all of you enjoy me.  Most of you, yes.  But I honestly doubt you all love me.) 

Two big pieces of news concerning moi, and I think you'll enjoy both of them.  I hope.  If you don't...then just scroll down to a review you missed or something. 

My guest post at 'The Story Siren'!
 Writing Kristi a post was a total blast - though life got in the way and I ended up finishing it at like 2am.  O.o  I hope you guys like it, because it's a big deal for me.  Small presses and all of that.  Since I study the YA, LGBTQ, and Romance genre worlds online...small presses have become a huge factor in things, and there's things that readers should know about them.  Especially YA readers...because we really do not cater well to small presses.  Ranting aside, I hope you enjoyed it.  I tried to be funny, but the 2am jitters may have made that....not work.  Like, at all.



Getting Published in VOYA!  
  I've known about this for a while - I mean, how can you not know you're getting published - but seeing the magazine come in the mail really hit home.  I GOT AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN VOYA!  It had to be anonymous because my parents wanted it to be...but it's there in all of it's glory.  I am really proud of myself because, when I wrote it, I really thought I did things well.  And they took it as a cold submission too, with no changes to it.  Well, aside from spelling and grammar I'm sure.  Either way, commence proud moment and happy dance.  *happy dance*  You can pick up a copy where magazines are sold...I guess?  Your best bet would be to check the local library, as VOYA is a big magazine for libraries - and the book world in general. 


 Other than that, not much has been going on.  I reviewed Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead over at Dear Author this week.   That was fun.  

Did I mention the title of my article is on the cover?  

GOSH JOHN, STOP WITH THE BRAGGING.


Sometimes I have to yell at myself.  This is a blog.  About books.  Not my ego.  (Well, a little about my ego...)  Either way, it is mostly about books versus myself.  I am not a book.  


All of that aside, this week has been crazy and dramatic in real life and not.  It's also Friday the 13th.  There must be irony in my guest post coming up today.  Must.  But, I love irony.  And Friday the 13th.  So it's all good.  Now go and read and do nice things, bloggies.  I'll be back tomorrow with a review of The Secret Year by Jennifer R. Hubbard.  This book made me very happy.  Toodles! 

Hey blog lovelies.  Time once again for a Rainbow Thursday post!  Yay!  You can cheer any time.  Any...time.  This Thursday is a little interview with cooler-than-cool author of Evil?, Timothy Carter!  I got a little fanboy in this one, so it's not as professional sounding as my other ones.  Hehe, hopefully it still answers some important questions.  I know a few of them were answered VERY well.  Try to figure out which ones.  :)  Later on today I have a personal announcement that is pretty exciting and regards LGBTQ stuff, so I'll see you guys then!

 
How in Hell did you come up with the idea for Evil?

The way any writer comes up with stories – a bunch of stuff just came together in my head. I was thinking about things the fanatical side of the church is against, and I was reading an article in a Jehovah’s Witness magazine offering advice to young people to help them stop the sin of ‘self abuse’. I remembered reading in an evangelical book that masturbation was a double sin, because it involved sex with a person of the same gender, namely yourself. I’m serious! It actually said that. I wish I could remember the title of that book. If I do, I’ll let you know so you can find it and have a laugh.

Anyway, I thought about how silly it is to condemn masturbation, and thought about how funny it would be if religious protesters went after people who did it. And lo, the idea for Evil? sprang forth!


Explain the relationship between Stuart and Chester. What was your goal in pairing them up? Are they supposed to stay together after the last page?

Sometimes characters do stuff that you don’t expect. Stuart and Chester just worked, or at least I recognized the potential for comedy with the two of them. I like the way it turned out, the way they both had something to learn from each other. And, I was happy I got to show a gay relationship as being perfectly normal. I tried to portray masturbation the same way.

As for whether or not they stay together after the end of Evil?... I don’t know. Maybe, but it would have to be a long distance thing. And it depends on what I want to do for a sequel, if I actually write one. Let’s say they are at least pen-pals.


A big part of the plot involves a misquotation from the bible. What was your purpose behind that?

It’s not exactly a misquote. More of a misinterpretation. And taking it out of context. Honestly, you can make any Bible verse mean practically anything if you take it out of context!

And that’s pretty much what I’m getting at with this book. So much harm is done because of a few lines here and there from the Bible. With Evil?, I wanted to write a story that makes fun of that.

Stuart is a smart protagonist that still manages to make some mistakes about religion and other things. What makes a good lead character,and is Stuart a good example of that?

Stuart is my best lead character so far. He’s flawed enough to be interesting, but not so much as to be unlikable. The lead character is the person you’re stuck with for the entire novel, so they need to have some likable qualities.

I’m no expert on this. A recently finished novel of mine was turned down because the main characters weren’t likeable. I’m trying to keep the likeability factor in my mind whenever I write, while also trying to ensure they feel real. It’s a tough balance that I managed with Stuart. Hopefully I’ll get it right in my next few books!

Not every person that gets ousted by the townsfolk later in Evil? accepts Stuart, despite their new found experiences in being outcasts. Many of the characters are religious zealots and call Stuart out for minor things. Explain how you went about writing the various levels of character we see in Evil. Was it ever hard to write characters that were so ostentatious and offensive to your own beliefs? ( I know I had a hell of time trying not to swear at them )

It’s never hard to write about offensive people. Well, okay, it can be a challenge to make them believable rather than cartoony. Nevertheless, I have fun with those types of characters because I get to make fun of them. I can show how silly fanaticism is by creating a bunch of fanatics and then simply letting them do their thing.

Out of Evil?, which passage/character/line/anything do you think you did perfectly, or at least exceptionally?

Why, all of it, naturally. I’m just so very brilliant, you know.

Well, okay. The scene I enjoyed the most was the youth group scene in chapter 2. Coming from my own experience, it was as real as I could make it, with very little exaggeration at all.

Oh, and the songs at the end! I loved coming up with them. Maybe a little more exaggeration there, but not that much. Don’t believe me? I was at a Christian camp once where the had kids singing to the tune of Louie, Louie: “Pharoh, pharoh, ooh baby let my people go, ung! Yeah, yeah, yeah!” I swear I’m not making that up!

I know this is asked a lot but…. Why masturbation?? (I believe it’s meant to be a metaphor for bigger things, but that’s IMO)

No! Nobody else has asked me about that yet! Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about that? I guess it’s too, ahem, touchy for most people.

And it’s not a metaphor. Not at all. It’s just a taboo-ish topic that the fanatics are against. I thought writing a book with ‘self-abuse’ as the subject matter would be entertaining, funny and unique. I mean, how many supernatural teen comedies can you think of that deal with masturbation?
That’s what I thought.

Evil? has been recognized as a great book for LGBTQ youth. How was finding that out? Any comments on the rest of the books recognizedfor 2009?


What are some of your favorite LGBTQ books for adults? Teens?


As a writer, what do you think we need to see more of in regards toLGBTQ characters and themes?

I’d like to answer the last few questions together, if I may. I haven’t had all that much experience with LGBTQ fiction. In fact, when I first looked at your questions, it took me a few minutes to realize what LGBTQ stood for!

I’m absolutely delighted that Evil? has been recognized as a good book for LGBTQ youth. I didn’t think of it necessarily as gay fiction, except that Stuart needed to be gay and tolerated by his community to make it funnier when he gets ostracized for ‘spilling’. I tried to write the LGBTQ aspect of it as if it was no big deal. Tanya Huff (Blood Price, Sing The Four Quarters, Long Hot Summoning) often portrays gay characters and relationships in the same way, so I learned from her. Check out any of her books to see what I mean.

Still, once I’d decided Stuart was gay (or, more accurately, when I decided that Chester was gay, and a potential boyfriend for Stuart), I realized I had an opportunity to swing a punch at bigotry. The community from Wernsbridge (and Reverend Feltless particularly) were modeled on the Westboro Baptist crowd (you know, the jerks with the ‘God Hates Fags’ signs who hold protests outside funerals). That worked extremely well for the story, and gave it a bit more depth. Hopefully, I also showed that bigotry against gay people makes as much sense as harassing someone for masturbating.

As far as themes for future LGBTQ novels goes, I’d like to see a few stereotypes turned over. That’s always fun. Otherwise, I’d like to see LGBTQ characters portrayed simply as people, no more or less different than their straight counterparts. And, I’d like to see bigoted characters realizing the error of their ways. I had a go at that theme in the last manuscript I finished. It still needs a lot of work, but I think it will make for a good read.

Flux is a relatively small press compared to most other big publishers. How does it feel to work with them? Do you have a particular like for small presses?

My main like for small presses like Flux is that they are willing to publish me. I’d like to have a big press experience soon, if only so I could compare the two. I will say, however, that Flux has been very good to me. The editing process is always a joy, and their staff are terrific to work with.


A story like yours is unique and definitely not cashing in on the current YA market. What would you suggest for writers that want to write outside of the trends and always-marketable safe zones?

There are always-marketable safe zones? What are they? Quick! I’ve been wasting my time trying to find my own voice when I could be selling out and cashing in!

All joking aside, however, it’s not as easy to cash in as one might like to think. For one thing, trends come and go. If I were to try and write, say, a teen romance with vampires, by the time it hit the stands the whole Twilight thing will likely be staked and dusted. Need proof that trends don’t last? How many boy wizard stories are lighting up the bestseller lists these days? My point exactly.

Plus, if you try to force yourself to write a story that really isn’t your thing, the results will be mixed at best. At least, that’s how it turned out for me. I tried to write a Harlequin romance once (don’t laugh... okay, fine, laugh), to see if I could do it. And because Harlequin seemed easy to get published by. Guess what? I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t interested in writing the types of characters that are expected in that kind of book. And if I’m not interested (read: if it’s not fun), then I’ll find something else to do.

The best suggestion I’d have for writers struggling with this issue isn’t just to write what you know; rather, write what you want. Do your thing, tell your story, and worry about marketing it later.

 That was a very interesting Q and A.  Let me know what you thought of it, readers.  Always glad to hear from you!  Though I've started comment moderation since I started getting a bunch of spam comments.  Especially for Viagra and sex things.  Note:  Those are bad.  Have a happy Thursday.