What Everyone Needs: Someone to Care

Had fun reading Mary Balogh's Someone to Care. No I'm not going to write a review. Actually, I shouldn't even have to say it's good. Her stuff is...mostly because she masterful in setting up her characters to find someone who who will care for them as people not as a means to another goal.

I simply marvel at how Balogh manages to keep her plotlines engaging [not boring], especially since they are romance [one of the most unrealistic forms of fantasy]. I think she and Laurel K. Hamilton [Anita Blake] are the only romance writers I still read from those I was reading religiously five years ago. [Balogh was an outlier since I read mostly paranormal romances.] If anything, Balogh is a leftover from my Georgette Heyer reading of the 1970s.

Writers who want to write romances or include a romantic thread in their books should study how Balogh does it. Readers can just enjoy. Me? I think I'm going to dig into my Georgette Heyers for one of her less well known Regencies instead of the few I still reread regularly.

[Any other Heyer fans out there? What's your favorite book? Frederica immediately comes to my mind, but there are a couple others I can't quite remember the titles of I reread off and on.]

You can check out what other people say about Someone to Care plus read a blurb and reviews. Find both epub and print versions at

Amazon       B&N/Nook       kobo/Rakuten

~~~~~~~~~~~

Other Interesting Reading

Caught a blog by Janet Reid, agent extraordinaire, on white writers writing black characters when someone pushed the politically correct button. No wonder the alt-right calls fuming liberals "snowflakes". In this case, I think they're either fuming about the right thing in the wrong way or just wanted some media time. Whatever, here's the link to Janet Reid's answer to a pertinent question.  --  Granted I'm influenced by the fact I included black kids in classes in There Be Demons. 

~~~~~~~~~~~

My Writing Rut

Wasted almost a full week trying to write a battle scene for the first third of Rendezvous with Demons. Have two chapters of character and world development roughed in, have the wall of the nest broached by explosives, have Britt and Gillen secretly shadowing the Crosssings mages, but... the stupid chapter won't get written.  Result, one more week without any real progress on the novel.

Actually it was for a good reason. Britt and Gillen don't go in and save the day ala the calvary. I'm setting her up to be royally put down... I think. This is written on Wednesday. I'll add something more before I post this. I'm wondering myself what answer I'm going to come up with. Didn't get any more written. Good thing the blog got done on Wednessday when I finished the book. -- Yeah, have been distracted by other things.

Think I feel a little envious of corporate authors who get their publicity done by the company. While trying to write, I've been also juggling promotion. Came up with an ad from my artwork of Vetis. Also think I may have found a new artist to create line drawings of my characters. -- Not that I really expect it to increase my sales. You can check out the ebook of There Be Demons on Amazon, B&N Nook, and kobo/Rakuten.

                                     Artwork                                       ad

Losing Steam: Do Book Series Need Mayhem to Survive?

Yah gotta admire Kevin Hearne. The Druid Chronicles, featuring Atticus O'Sullivan, are now in their eighth book, Staked, and still haven't lost steam. Hearne still manages to surprise even though the actual structure of his books is rather simple -- mayhem and more mayhem, with dollops of humor along the way. Though, sorry to say, Oberon, O'Sullivain's wolfhound, only adds a few weak comments on the human condition in this book.

O'Sullivan's foes are legion: vampires, gods, and magic workers of all kinds. The ever-approaching end of the world or the Norse Ragnarok is approaching, fast or slow. Of course, Ranganook has been approaching for centuries. In this book, you can sort of see a possible ending of the series, if not the world. [Hearne published an excerpt from a new series in this book.]

Am wondering how many fantasy thrillers are laugh-out-loud funny. Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series is one the few I've encountered. I can't remember any others. Hearne's most recent book, Staked, is no exception. Where else would a character be harder to find than "a snake's nuts". Still, I miss philosophizing Oberon. In this book, he's shunted off from the action and makes few comments on the human condition, though he gets regular doses of gravy. Owen, the recently found druid, takes over the comedic bleachers.

[Confession: I laughed out loud when my favorite grumpy secondary character, Owen, complained and many other times as I read. Even got my old man interested in Sullivan's troubles with the various human Pantheons.]

All in all, this is one of the weaker books. While entertaining, it mostly went over the same old territority. No new introductions to complicate O'Sullivan's life. No new insights into his character. His side-kicks showed more growth than the main hero did. Worse, the story lacked the tension coming from imminent defeat. It's a problem when you write a stellar series and the latest episode in only good normal.

Hearne wrapped up lots of loose ends in this book. I cringed every time I read one, especially since Hearne is introducing a new series, the sample of which seemed rather pronderous and cliched. I thought through most of the book that this was the last of the Lost Druid Chonicles. Then, I learned there's a ninth one. So, I'm again waiting for the mass paperback.

Take a look at the sample and read the other reviews:

Amazon         Nook        kobo

[Incidentally, I thought I'd complain about the lack of a search function on the iBooks ap. I've got the link to my shortstories and book, but I can't search for the url of other books in their store.]

~~~~~~~~~

Other Interesting Reading

With a book like Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing, can you guess that Dean Wesley Smith is a rabble-rouser? His recent blog on writer earnings just cements that reputation. Love the way he keeps exposing how the accepted writing paradigms are off kilter and biased by the data collected. It was a lesson for me. I've been bamboozled by putting too much em-PHA-sis on Amazon being the only book seller.

The New York Times [28 January 18] had an important article on bots and fake followers for anyone concerned about keeping their accounts relatively clean. Buying followers, especially among those trying to make a splash or become an influencer on social media is a common practice. A front page article in the New York Times Sunday edition exposes under-the-rock where the media predators play. First, by stealing identities. Second, by selling them. You can read the full article here.

Are you concerned about social media manipulation? One way I often spot fake followers is by their profiles and what they post. 1) the lack of a picture is often a leading indicator.  2) a skimpy profile. 3) an great imbalance between  between followers and who they follow. 4) and probably most important, what do they post. Does it fit your profile and what you want to accomplish with your account?

~~~~~~~~~~

My Wrting Rut

The light bulb went off in my head. Wasn't even thinking about writing as I sneaked a look at the most recent Lee Child Reacher novel. The organization of his storytelling as he switched viewpoints in the first 10% [?] of the novel hit me over the head. Duh. I think it's given me the push I need to stop spinning my wheels on Rendezvous with Demons. Other than that, I'm mostly spinning my wheels, doing all sorts of stuff except writing.

I also got a chuckle from having traveled through "Moose Crossing" [I'm not going downstairs to see if I remember the name Child gave Tie Siding] many times. Of course, the map calls it something different. But the location is right there on the two-lane road...provided you don't blink.

Do YA Attention Spans Need Explosions With Their Fantasy?

Finally, got Karina Sumner-Smith's Towers Fall from the family lending library. The fantasy book was slow in arriving, but I expected to savor it as soon as the night news was over. Instead, I found myself skimming the text in sort of a wave pattern. The book would absorb me, then when a narative meme was repeated two or more times in a row, my reading speed picked up again. The twists and turns and "hanging dooms" when Sumner-Smith switched characters kept me reading.

In short, I never quite abandoned the book for another but was left feeling unsatisfied. The book should have had me staying up past my bedtime as I rooted for the "down-and-outers" to best the snobby elite.

There's loads to like in this well-woven tale--two well- woven protagonists who keep on growing and struggling on their own, secondary characters who keep demonstrating new traits, plus non-stop action. Shai and Xhea are on a short timeline to save the Lower City, rushing from one organic crisis to another.

Yet I skimmed, even though I like to savor moments from the character's worlds. More important. I cried. The characters were so well drawn the usually reluctant tears flowed at the dilemma the Xhea and Shai had to face at the end.

I don't need explosions to keep my interest, but I wonder about teens. Towers Fall has been on the market since 2015 with under 20 reviews. This truely inventive book deserves better.

Try a sample of Towers Fall on:

Amazon      Barnes & Noble       kobo

~~~~~~

Other Reading Adventures

Thoroughly enjoyed re-reading Tamora Pierce's Terrier about Beka Cooper's first case as an apprentice Guard in a "medieval" type port. Didn't get bored once and read way beyond my bedtime. Had forgotten about the insult of "fishpuppy". Beka's shyness makes normal events painful for her, a trait she must overcome if she's to survive as a guard.  -- A great read if you aren't familiar with her books. Terrier is the first book in a trilogy.

~~~~~~~

My Writing Rut

Have been feeling quilty about not writing. There Be Demons has been chewing through my time. Even the social media time I enjoy got bitten. Have managed some nice reviews. But not many sales. But then, the promo is just getting started, and I'm a total unknown. At least, my publisher got the ebook up on Google Play as well as Amazon and kobo.

My conscience is getting soothed by thinking I'm going to to do NaNoWriMo this year--that great sprint in November when writers try to draft a book in one month. Hah. 

Book? A possible third book in The Demon Wars Trilogy...if it gets written. As slow as I write, it may be five years from now before all the pieces are put in place and polished. Did have one new idea. Vetis comes back to woo Grylerrque, his long lost lust, fo the ending fight.

At least, he'll be doing more than checking up on Abraxas. As soon as I had the idea, the possibilities began tumbling through my mind.

Feel a little sad to be leaving Trapper in the middle of his story.

Finders, Keepers?

The Read:  One of the delicious things about used book stores is finding new authors.  The books are cheap enough for this cheapskate to be willing to take a chance on buying -- even if it ends up on the trade pile before it's read.  The question:  "Will the book be a trader or a keeper?" adds a little excitement to the read.  --  I get the added the added value of a possible discovery.

So, the find: Caitlin Kittredge,  Night Life ... set in an imaginary place called Nocturne City where a war between weres, witches, and humans left a huge "non-functional" hole in the middle of a uber-planned community.  The MC is an isolated were who's a detective on the police force who has problems with her boss and colleagues.   So, what's new?  These are the minor nuisances.  Her real problem is a blood witch who's trying to raise a demon and has a were minion to do the serial killings needed for the offering. 

Kittredge has a nice lean style -- with the back story well contained by the action.  1) By the end of the first third of the book, we know she's "unpacked" were with family problems which don't all come from her being a were and why.  We also know she has problems on the job with both the power structure and colleagues.  2)  The middle third, laces murders with clues of who's doing what and reveals the bad guy as being more powerful, socially and occultly, than first thought.  [Personally, I thought he should be shown in action more than being referred too, but that's a quibble.]  3) The ending starts within the last 20% of the book and not only wraps the loose ends, but leaves lots going for the sequel ... including a developing love interest.

I suspect that this may have been one of those super-long drafts chopped into three novels.  Yeah, I'll probably read the sequel in spite of the YA novels waiting on the table and Beka, Terrier on order.

Web Notes:  Didn't really do much web browsing over the week-end.  Easter dinner was at my house so my back/hip creaked along between rests until I managed to get dinner on the table.  Way too much food, but the F2 units have their vegies all clean and ready to stuff in their lunch bags.  --  Doubt that, but I have my lunch vegies in a container waiting.

A couple New York Times articles did raise an interesting question that all writers need to answer.  Is writing fun?  Especially, liked the article about David Remnick, the editor of the The New Yorker, who wrote a book about Obama in his spare time.  Was he worried that editing a major magazine would get in the way of his book writing?  No.  (Coffee took care of that.)  

The guy worried about whether his curiosity would last long enough for him to get the info out of his head.  I guess he liked it enough to finish.  The article mentioned a book called "The Bridge".  [5 April 2010, the business section]

Progress:  Maren's still twisting in the breeze.  Oh, I've shifted words here and deleted words there and added words every where.  But, to what purpose?  Who knows?  Nothin's jelling yet. 

Got a rejection of a short story I'd written last year when I was tried on the "dictum" [that it helps to have sold short pieces to catch an agent's eye] would lead me.  I know I can't write short fiction -- though I've gotten some nice comments on rejected submissions, even for a couple flash fiction pieces.  Whatever, this rejector thought I had "great potential as a writer and shouldn't give up" but that I hadn't developed my villain's character enough.  Guess what?  She was right.  [At least, I think it was a she from the handwriting.]

One problem with writing Maren: I've been wallowing with my search for a villain to carry the story.  I've got my minor nuisances.  I've got my heros.  I've got my side-kicks.  Now I think I've found my friend-enemy villain sitting in a short story.  At least, I'm going to run with it and see where it takes me.

Trivia:  Easter happened with all sorts of jokes about lamb intestine soup.  [A Greek Easter delicacy.]   The hamburgers were great.  Something nice about getting the grill going in April.  My question: why do grill hamburgers taste so much better than pan burgers?