Thursday, June 28, 2012

Feature & Follow #28

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them “hi” in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES > Feature & Follow Friday and get on the waiting list! How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to WordPress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don’t have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

Parajunkee's Feature – Cayce @ Fighting Dreamer

Alison Can Read's Feature - Novel Sounds

And now the Random Question of this week:

Birthday Wishes — Blow out the candles and imagine what character could pop out of your cake…who is it and what book are they from??

As of lately it would be Jeremy from Diane Alberts Try Me. My rendition of him is below. *winks*

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Dirty Little Secret #39


Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!
To participate in the meme all you need to do is:
  1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
  2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
  3. Answer the question proposed! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
  4. Then add your link below.
Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!! Let us know your answer in the comments!
We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

"Half the year has gone by already!
Tell us your favorite books so far!"

I've found quite a few great books this year. I've gotten into Contemporary Romance with Laura Kaye (Her Forbibben Hero>and Diane Alberts (Try Me). I'm hooked on Jodi Redford and many of her books, especially those involving shifters. I'm finding erotic books quite fun as well. I love Felicity Heaton's VET series and Ann Mayburn's series For the Love of Evil. I've discovered shifter books thanks to Dani Harper and her Changlings series. I'm going to take a haitus from tour hosting this fall so I can TRY and catch up on BDB, LOTU, and several other series now on my radar, I still have my auto-buy authors whose books are like sacred to me and always get bumped to the top of my TBR pile, but I have a lot I want to read so I can join all the conversations.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Excerpt + Giveaway - Absolution - Louis Corsair

Good Day everyone. Today I have an excerpt from a chilling paramornal/fantasy story. Along with the excerpt Louis Corsair is offering an eBook copy of Absolution to one commenter here at Picked by Poison. The giveaway is international so it's open to everyone. Our hosts at Dark Mind Book Tours is also host a US giveaway over on their blog during the whole tour, so stop by there as well for more chances to enter.

In 1947, a gangster murders private investigator Raymond Adams. In 2011, he's brought back to life for 24 hours to solve the supernatural murder of a Hollywood Adult film star.

When the son of a Pit Lord is murdered in Hollywood, the celestial beings in charge of the Four Realms ask Raymond Adams to figure who did it and find the victim's missing soul. Without memories of his life, he accepts the case to gain eternal peace. But the job is daunting:

24 hours to nab a killer...
24 hours to find a missing soul...
24 hours to unravel the victim's exotic private life...
24 hours to stop a plot to send the universe into chaos...

With only the help of a possessed cop and a medium, Adams must trek through a Hollywood underground filled with pornography, prostitutes, the homeless, and sadists, along with supernatural monsters. But can he solve the case when his own haunting memories keep surfacing, telling him exactly what kind of man he was in life?

Excerpt

I was in a preparation chamber made completely out of light. I hovered like a cloud watching child-like celestials regenerate and reanimate my corpse. They didn’t bother with new clothes and simply fixed up the suit I had been buried in. When finished, they vacuumed me into my old body, a loving experience I could only compare to dying.

“Cold...” I said and my throat was dry like the Mojave in the middle of summer. They explained my body was mostly dead but this would improve as time passed. To help me with the shivers, the merciful celestials threw in a brown overcoat, shoes, and a fedora.

“Gun,” I said. True I was dead, but the people I was going to deal with were not and I had a feeling they would want to stay that way. Protection was necessary. They gave me a revolver loaded with ten Thunderbolt bullets. I also got a good watch to keep track of time, an enchanted magnifying glass, and a special rune to communicate with the Committee. The big people wanted regular updates on my progress. The celestials opened a portal to the Realm of the Living and sent me through it.

About the Author

Louis Corsair is an eight year veteran of the United States Army. Currently, he lives in Los Angeles, CA and attends Long Beach State University. He also works at the Peninsula Center Library in Palos Verdes, where books have become his family. To him, writing is more than a hobby or a passion; it is the only way to exist—at times life itself.

Where to Buy eBooks of Absolution
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Smaskwords

Where to buy the paperback book
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Createspace

During the tour Absolution is available for $0.99 US

Review

review will be posted as soon as I finish the last 15 pages! No later than wendesday! Thanks for your parience

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, June 21, 2012

Feature & Follow #27

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them “hi” in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES > Feature & Follow Friday and get on the waiting list! How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to WordPress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don’t have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

Parajunkee's Feature – Roxanne @ Books and Blossoms

Alison Can Read's Feature - Head Stuck in a Book

And now the Random Question of this week:

If you could "unread" a book, which one would it be? Is it because you want to start over and experience it again for the first time? Or because it was THAT bad?

For the start over and re-experience the thrill factor it would be Divergent again. I loved reading Tris' changes and the factions. As for the one that was that bad there is two, One series - The Vampire Hunter's Daughter (which was four very small parts, which didn't even make up a novella put together.) and War Against Death by Melanie Card - I'm sorry but to much necromancer terms which I couldn't pronounce to keep the flow going while reading.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Dirty Little Secret #38


Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!
To participate in the meme all you need to do is:
  1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
  2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
  3. Answer the question proposed! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
  4. Then add your link below.
Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!! Let us know your answer in the comments!
We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

"What book would you recommend to to heat up your summer!"

Hmmm. I'd have to agree with Angela, the VET (Vampire Erotic Theatre) from Felicity Heaton is quite steamy for Vamps. I'd say that I also like the steam from Rebecca Zanetti's Dark Protector series, I've only read Hunted, but I can bet the rest as just as good! Happy reaging with whatever you choose to read!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Dirty Little Secret #37


Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!
To participate in the meme all you need to do is:
  1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
  2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
  3. Answer the question proposed! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
  4. Then add your link below.
Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!! Let us know your answer in the comments!
We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

"With the upcoming release of MAGIC MIKE where some of the hottest guys strip nekkid and shake their ummmm assets, we want to know YOUR fantasy cast! If you could choose six of the hottest stars to shake their moneymakers for you, which guys would it be?"

I'm not sticking with the norm as guys I'd like to see bare it all are way different from what is typically normal...so here we go!

I have to have Wentworth Miller in there... his lean body and blue eyes just make me melt! Then Paul walker, Jensen Ackles, Michael Biserta, Fabio Cannavaro, Hrithik Roshan. You can see each below in proper order. YUMMO! *drools and hold up wad of $20's*



Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Twist Review and Guest Post with William D. Hicks

Good Morning everyone. I have a guest here today to talk about Overcoming Writer's Block. Please welcome William D. Hicks!

If you’ve written long enough you’ve experienced writer’s block, so you know how frustrating it is to sit in front of that computer with a blank screen staring back. Hopefully, one of these ten tips will help you start writing again.

  1. Write now. Though writing through the block doesn’t seem rational, sometimes it works. Keep writing. I know it’s coming out wrong. So wrong you want to shred the paper, even though it’s on a computer screen. But don’t. Wait, keep writing. It’s an old writing technique. If you can’t think up anything to write, try doing a mind-dump. Just write everything in your mind, a stream of conscious dump, and see what comes out. Try this for a half hour. Is the block gone? If not, keep doing it. Eventually, you will have written something. While this something might look like what the cat coughed up it might also give you some great ideas for a story.
  2. Be creative. Instead of writing, try painting, or drawing or playing music. Don’t worry about writing for now. You can write tomorrow.
  3. Do the Opposites. Try an old actor’s trick and focus on not doing something. This often becomes the thing you want/need to do. Try telling yourself, “I don’t want to write.” Say that ten times out loud. Then do something else for a half hour. See how much you want to write afterwards. Try writing.
  4. Exercise. This will pump blood into your brain and distract you from worrying. Plus it’s good for you. Once done, try writing.
  5. Do a writing exercise. There are specific exercises available to spur different types of writing, e.g. poetry and fiction. Either buy a book or look online for exercises. It’s amazing the stories that have started as writing exercises.
  6. Listen to music. Really listen to the words. How are they stitched together? Why? What do they mean? Try writing a song.
  7. Go to a movie. Often this triggers an “I could have written that line better” thought. Write some thoughts down about the movie. Maybe even start a story from those thoughts.
  8. Read a book. This often triggers the same response the as #7. I sometimes read a sentence and think, “Why did the author write it that way? I would have done it this way.” Again, that line might spur you onto writing a great story.
  9. Review old unfinished manuscripts. You have them. We all do. Try to rewrite one. Editing might also spur you onto writing. Even if doesn’t, you’ll feel like you’re writing which should stop you from beating yourself up.
  10. Ask writer friends how they’ve beaten writer’s block. If they have no answers, tweet/blog for suggestions. Most everyone has a trick that has worked for them. Try something that sounds appealing to you. If that doesn’t work, try something different.

In the end remember the famous Monty Python line, “And now for something completely different.” Cut yourself from slack and do something that doesn’t resemble writing. Go grocery shopping. Deposit your coins at the bank. Get your hair done. Take a leisurely bath. Don’t get hung up on the fact that you’re not writing. Everyone needs a vacation from time to time, even from what they love most.

William D. Hicks

Killer Flies and Twist

Find the author on Twitter

Twist
As a boy growing up in 1953, Kevin Hull enjoyed playing games with his group of boyhood friends, like the game of "ledge." After one such game with his friend Billy Hawkins, the two find themselves involved in a terrible accident that will forever change their lives.

A work of short psychological horror from our Spectres line.

Review

As a group of friends find out, playing chicken can have dire consequences. This group starts of playing "Ledge" near a building, as some of them excel and others aren't so great, they know one will have to do the dare their leaders tells them or be thrown out of the group for good.

Billy, being the one who lost knows all too well just how far their fearless leader will go is scared out of his mind to do the dare. Kevin bravely steps up to the plate, knowing that this will have a dare that will make any of them respect him, even their leader.

The scares friend, Billy, after learning of the dare, knows this is NOT a smart move and tried desperately to get his friend to back out. However Kevin reassures him all will be fine and their leader, really wouldn't push the dare to far and endanger their lives.

Things go horrifically wrong and the dare end up costing one boy his life. In the aftermath the one who survives has significantly changed. He switches from being scared to being a brave and adventure seeking, switches from being a right handed to being left-handed and he find that he likes foods he once thought were disgusting. In the end he finds out Fate had a huge part in his chances and has to face that his past has lead him to this point. What "that point" is, you have to read to find out. I'll warn you, it made me cry.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Faythe Reclaimed by Lisa Sanchez - Interview

Good Morning everyone! I am thrilled to have Lisa Sanchez here to talk about Faythe Reclaimed, her Hanaford Park #3 series story. So read on for a blurb, my interview and review.

Hello Lisa! I’m thrilled to have you here and thanks for being today’s “Pick”.

Please share a little about yourself, your works and what got you into writing.

Yay! I’m happy to be here! Okay, here goes: My name is Lisa, and I’m a mom to three busy daughters. I love chocolate, reality television, retail therapy and books! I’ve penned four paranormal romance works (The Hanaford Park series, and Cursing Athena) and an erotic suspense, Obsessed.

I loved reading about Gabriel and Taylor, that opening scene where Taylor is unconscious and finding Gabriel being tortured was horrific! What came next was even worse for him. Share a little about that opening scene and what was going on as you were writing that scene.

Yes! I really tortured my characters in Faythe Reclaimed, lol. The opening scene was tricky. I wanted each installment of the Hanaford Park series to be stand-alone. Meaning, you wouldn’t have to read the previous work to understand what was going on. That said, I left off with a cliffie in book #2, so I sort of wrote myself into a corner. I knew I’d have to go back and rewrite the scene where Taylor gets sent back in time, from Gabriel’s point of view. And if you’ve read the book, I’m sure you noticed that everything from Gabriel’s point of view is dark and scary. Also, it’s also good to start a book out with a bang, and a torture scene certainly fits the bill.

When Taylor awoke in the strange place and she went running through the woods, did she realize at all that she was in a different place?

Great question! No. Between the head injury she attained, and the magic Lucian worked on her, she had no memory of where she came from, and no idea of where she was.

What do you think draws people to those brave heroes who face incredible odds to keep their heroines safe?

Honestly, I can only speak for myself. I think these types of heroes are hot! These guys fill a desire that can’t be met in real life. I mean, yes, my guy is awesome and will do anything he can to keep my safe, but the extreme situations we find in fiction make the heroics seem that much bigger.

Bigger, badder and more delicious! *grins*

You introduce us to those Bitches, the Fates, or Moirai, you make them all powerful and unfeeling! What brought the inspiration for their multiple appearances?

There was a lot of magic flying around in this novel. Power like that demands a price, and the Fates represented a balance, or check of that power. If I’d allowed Gabriel to swoop in and whisk Taylor to safety, the book would have been boring. I needed the Fates to ramp up the conflict.

Their punishment on Gabriel is harsh stuff, but he seems to be able to recover and move on after getting over the pain, burn and slow tortures and regenerating his muscles and skin *shudders* Can you share a little about where his powers stem from and what they are?

Gabriel’s tortured past is, unfortunately, what allows Gabriel to withstand the Fates punishments. Shudders is right on the money, lol! Gabriel came from a family of powerful witches and warlocks. His family was part of one of the most powerful covens in Europe. He grew up using his magic to battle demons, vampires etc., alongside his coven members. As far as what Gabriel can do, he can transform his appearance, the appearance of other things/objects, move/manipulate things, and levitate/fly. He can also generate fire to fight with, along with concentrated bursts of energy. Oh! And he can travel through time.

Taylor is thrown into Ingersolls Ordinary, where she is treated for her head injuries and sadly…poison ivy. The people believe she is a healer, Faythe Ellwood and she is sent to help, but trouble brews and follows her through the small town…especially in dealing with Goody Godbert. What a piece of work she is! What can you tell us about her?

You bet! Goody Godbert was a work in progress. When I began writing, I knew I wanted Goody to be the pious, judgmental older lady who dogged poor Taylor at every turn. About halfway through the novel, I learned Goody was not the “Godly” person she presented herself as. Sometimes, villains turn out to be the people you least expect, and I had fun demonizing Goody.

Taylor deals with the demons on more than one occasion. We don’t truly learn about what they are called until later. They are ominous! Where did they come from?

I do a lot of research, lol. Before I began writing, I hopped online and did a search for different magical creatures/demons that might work/fit what I had in mind for the story. When I find something I like, I usually then change things up, create my own story about the creature and what it can do.

Gabriel can’t interfere with the past, and resolves to stay in the shadows. However, he finds he cannot with the demons appearing more and in greater numbers, he find his means to help her. It comes in a way he finds peace, but only after his curse is realized and that it really wasn’t on him. Can you tell a little about the true meaning behind the curse and Nadya.

Oooh…deep question. I like! Okay, so Nadya is a whack job. And honestly, that’s me being nice where she is concerned. After she loses her brother, Stefan, she pretty much falls off the deep end and spirals into insanity. Angry with Gabriel for putting Stefan out of his misery, and filled with vengeance, she places the worst possible curse on him she can think of. She curses his fated love to suffer untold cruelties and persecution before dying, thus keeping them apart.

This is an ongoing series, can you share a little about how many are expected and what new characters we’ll be meeting (without spoilers of course).

I’ve stated all along that my original vision was to write four books. For the time being, Faythe Reclaimed is the final book in the series. I may revisit my Hanaford Park characters in the future and write a story for Jessica, but I don’t foresee that happening this year.

What other projects are in the works?

I’m so excited! I’ve just finished my first contemporary YA. The story is one that’s close to my heart. It features a group of All Star cheerleaders, and covers the very relevant topic of teenage drinking and driving. It’s angsty, and romantic and I’m very excited to share it with all of you. Hopefully this summer!

Lastly the fun questions:

Plotter or pantser?

Panster!

Early Bird or Night Creature?
I’m an early bird.

Are you more like Taylor, Prue or a combination?
Fun question! I’m probably a combination of them both. I have blonde moments for sure, but I don’t get distracted easily, like Taylor.

White, Milk or Dark chocolate?
Milk chocolate all the way, baby!

Coffee Tea or other?
Decaf coffee, please.

Music or quiet while working?
Depends on the scene I’m writing.

Favorite place to sit and write?
I’ve got a comfy recliner I do ninety percent of my writing in. Love it!

Computer or good old pen and paper?
Computer all the way.

Pick your poison (alcoholic drink of choice when going out): Captain and Coke

Thanks for stopping in Lisa, it was great to be able to pick your mind and talk about another hunky Spanish hero and what is to come!
Thanks for having me! This was a lot of fun!

Running through a strange forest with a bloodthirsty demon hot on her heels wasn’t Taylor’s idea of a rockin’ evening. Then again, neither was soaring backward through time and space. Time travel chafed and left a rank, nasty aftertaste. So, when she finds herself floundering amidst a sea of Commandment-loving holy rollers who fling accusations of witchcraft and bedevilment like hotcakes in a diner, finding her way home jumps to the top of her to do list. Too bad she can’t remember who she is or where she came from. And if that wasn’t bad enough, Taylor realizes she’s fallen for Gabriel, the mysterious Latin warlock who came to her rescue.

Battling an identity crisis and lost in a time that’s not her own, Taylor is determined to find her way back to twenty-first century Hanaford Park. But first, she and Gabriel must work together to uncover the dark scourge lurking in the shadows of Salem Village, and in doing so, save their lives, and the lives of countless innocents from a lethal date with the hangman’s noose.

Review

Taylor can't seem to escape trouble, it seems to follow her like a shadow. In this story poor Taylor starts off unconscious and hanging from her feet. Next thing she knows she's injured, in the woods and not alone. A scary creature is breathing down her neck looking at her like a piece of meat for savoring. She hears strange chanting and sees another person in the creatures mouth. But once it catches on to her, its dinner and time for the prey to run! She does and sees a handsome Latino come to her aid and using....magic? Yeah, she's crazy.. or so she thinks until she runs onto the near town and find herself in a town where the people speak strange and they are talking about...demons and witchcraft???

To the people in this town believe she is Faythe Ellwood, a healer from another town here to help with the towns growing demon problem. However, Taylor can't remember who she is or where she came from. When she gets caught up in trying to heal, the people start to think she's a witch and the talk starts to spread.

Now that Gabriel found Taylor again, he doesn't plan on letting anything keep him from her, but the Moirai (Fates) have other plans and intervene, claiming if he continues to twist the strings of fate he'll suffer severe consequences...for each time he interjects he'll loose a pound of flesh and bone...ouch! However, when demons seem to come after Taylor he can't help himself..and he manages to endure the torture of the fates when they transport him back for torture.

Tayor comes to grips with the fact she's stuck and even befriends another future healer, Prue. When threats of Taylor being a witch Prue risks it all and saves Taylor and sends her to Gabriel, he sends her away only to have her facing not one, but two demons. She ends up near death and heavily injured. Gabriel comes to realize that he can't save her and calls in backup. She gets well, but he isn't out of danger yet, the demons are coming more often and in greater numbers. Once again Taylor gets into trouble and Gabe is hurt. However he manages and find out whats going on and sends Taylor back, only to take her place to save her. She's in shock and drained physically and emotionally after everything. She's heartbroken and knows something has happened to Gabriel. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens.

I give this a sold 4 of 5 for the storyline, characters and a heart-felt story of how love finds a way through it all. I was heartbroken over Gabe loosing Taylor again and felt horrible for Taylor who couldn't remember a thign about her past or her own life. Thank you Lisa for delivering a story of fate and love.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Feature and Follow Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the Feature & Follow

Gain new followers and make new friends with the Book Blogger Feature & Follow! If this is your first time here, welcome! You are about to make some new friends and gain new followers — but you have to know — the point of this hop is to follow other bloggers also. I follow you, you follow me.

If you are new to the #FF fun, Feature & Follow Friday is a blog hop that expands your blog following by a joint effort between bloggers. Feature & Follow Friday is now hosted by TWO hosts, Parajunkee and Alison of Alison Can Read. Each host will have their own Feature Blog and this way it’ll allow us to show off more new blogs!

How does this work? First you leave your name here on this post, then you create a post on your own blog that links back to this post (easiest way is to just grab the code under the #FF picture and put it in your post) and then you visit as many blogs as you can and tell them “hi” in their comments (on the post that has the #FF image). You follow them, they follow you. Win. Win. Just make sure to follow back if someone follows you!

Now to make this #FF interesting we do a FEATURE blogger. If you are interested in becoming a Feature click on the drop down link above FEATURES > Feature & Follow Friday and get on the waiting list! How do you follow someone? Well, if you have a preference, state it in your #FF post. A lot of blogs are transitioning to WordPress in which they do not have the luxury of GFC, so an RSS subscription is appreciated or if you choose an email subscription. If you don’t have GFC please state in your post how you would like to be followed.It is also required, that if you participate you must follow the hosts (Parajunkee & Alison Can Read) and the two Feature blogs.

This week is PJ's 100th FF Post and to celebrate we are doing a Giveaway Hop. So Along with the Hop we were asked to do a feature on another Blogger or Book Loving friend. I choose another Blogger who I've met on Twitter and chatted with a bit... DJLibrarian @ Denim-Jacket Librarian Dishes.. or as I now call her, Amy!

Denim Jacket Librarian Dishe

Please Help me welcome her today!!

Amy: Awww, you want to feature me on the 100th FF post? *blushes* That's so sweet!

  1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?
    My name is Amy and I'm a reference librarian outside the blogging world. I've been blogging for about a year and a half, and it's been great! I got into blogging as a means of keeping in touch with one of my old roommates and a dear friend to let her know what I was reading and what I thought of the books. Soon I started testing the waters in the blogosphere to get to know other book bloggers, and I've met some of the most awesome and amazing readers (present company most definitely included).
  2. What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2012?.
    Right now I'm reading Call of the Sea by Rebecca Hart as part of a blog tour to spread the word about her book about pirates and selkies. It's a tough call, but I'd have to say my favorite book of 2012 is The List by Siobhan Vivian since I read it in 2 days. It was just that great. Close runners-up are Underworld by Meg Cabot and The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson.
  3. What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)?
    I think my favorite feature on my blog is actually the meme Top Ten Tuesday from The Broke and the Bookish. This was one of the first memes that helped me on my networking with other book bloggers, plus I love coming up with the lists of Top 10. Beyond that, I have to say I love doing reviews and giving readers the dish on books I've read.
  4. Where do you see your blog in five years?
    I'm hoping that I will still be blogging in five years and giving more people my dish on books. There will most likely be some updates, and I'm hoping to have more guest posts on my blog by then as well.
  5. Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
    Another tough question! I think my favorite post would be my review of The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater and my review of Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. I feel very proud of my reviews for both books and I enjoyed both of them thoroughly. A runner-up post would be my review of Say When by Elizabeth Berg as it was a book completely out of my realm of genres. Reviewing a book in a genre you don't normally read can be difficult, but I think I expressed my opinions clearly.
  6. If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
    Maggie Stiefvater would definitely be my choice of author to have dinner with just because she is so funny and has a lot to say. I met Maggie at two events in April, and that just really made my librarian/blogger year.
  7. What literary location would you most like to visit? Why?
    I think I would want to visit Seattle, Washington because it has so been featured in books for several genres I read. It has the feel of a city of mystery and even the supernatural, plus I've always wanted to go see the EMP Museum and their Science Fiction Hall of Fame.
  8. What is your favorite part about the book blogging community? Is there anything that you would like to see change in the coming years?
    Hands down, my favorite part of the community is the community! I've met some great people through the book blogging community both local and long-distance that I can just feel free to talk about books or almost anything. It's also helped introduce me to more of the local resources I have around my location, such as the fabulous independent bookstores. I guess the only thing I would like to see change is having less fracas among the community. We are people who love books and like to share our opinions with other book lovers. It's best to keep this saying in mind: "Peace, love, and books." That's all bloggers really need. Oh, and chocolate and coffee or tea.
  9. Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?
    Oh, yes, my reading tastes have changed. I'm reading much more young adult literature than I was when I first started blogging, and that's just fine with me. The only thing I'm hoping to do is start reading more paranormal and urban fantasy adult books. I've been acquiring quite a pile of paperbacks that is in need of some attention.

About me

  1. Tell us one non-book-related thing that everyone reading your blog may not know about you.
    I'm a martial artist. I studied a Korean style known as Soo Bahk Do as a pre-teen and teen, and as a graduate student I studied a Japanese style known as Aikido. While I haven't been able to find a dojo in the past couple of years after moving for my job, I'm hoping that a new local Aikido dojo will become my new training grounds.
  2. As a librarian how does it affect your reading preferences?
    While I still generally read within my preferred genres, I also have to explore other genres that my patrons would want in the collection. I know not everyone will enjoy urban fantasy, high fantasy, young adult, paranormal romance, or graphic novels, so I definitely have to keep an open mind and find books within other genres that I might attempt to read to know what to recommend to patrons.
  3. Do you have some influence or ideas on how the public can talk to their library about expanding their selection when a book they would like is not being offered?
    The only thing I can do is recommend that they fill out a Suggest-A-Title online form at least for books that do not have reviews in professional library journals. If I notice there is a gap in certain areas of the collection, I can look for suggestions from patrons as well as what is available to order for that gap. Once that is done, I can make recommendations to our collection development coordinator for possible new debuts.
  4. How do you handle the long queues for heavily requested books if a patron asks about availability?
    First and foremost, I check the system to see if we have multiple formats of books. For some titles, our collection will have them listed in the general collection, classics, large print, ebook, and audiobook. Whatever is the shortest waiting queue, I ask the patron if they mind if the book is large print or audiobook, and if they don't mind, I place the request. If there are long waiting lists, we usually recommend purchasing more copies of heavily-requested books but it always depends on the number of requests for the current items in the system.
  5. What do you like to do in your downtime (besides read of course)?
    Dabbling. No, seriously, I have quite a few other interests besides reading. I love to write, bake, play video games, watch movies, go and visit my uncle's farm and see the horses, go shopping. There's a lot of things I've dabbled in, but reading, writing, and baking are my usual standard interests. While I don't have anything completed, I'm slowly working on two different in-progress stories, so we will definitely see where those go.

And there you have a little about Amy (DJ Librarian) and her blog. Thank you Amy for being my feature this week! Thank you for the feature follow honor! :D

Giveaway is international and located is at the bottom of the post good luck to all who enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Dirty Little Secret #36


Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by Under the Covers. Every Thursday we get to know other bloggers and our readers more intimately by asking them a question hoping to reveal their dirty little secrets. We hope that you will all join us!
To participate in the meme all you need to do is:
  1. Be a follower of Under the Covers.
  2. Create a post in your blog taking the meme image (code above) and copy instructions.
  3. Answer the question proposed! This can be done in any way you like, post a video, write a post etc.
  4. Then add your link below.
Non-bloggers: We want to hear from you as well!!! Let us know your answer in the comments!
We hope you join us and let us know your Dirty Little Secrets!

"Share your experiences with blogging!
List TWO "Don't" and one "Do" when it comes to blogging and reviewing."

Blogging: Don't leave mean comments on the blog or on any posts.

Reviewing: Don't look at what others have said about the book your reviewingand then paraphrase, use your own words and phrases - be yourself.

Do try your best to leave comments when possible if someone says something nice about your blog or a port you've written.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Guest Post & Review - Killer Flies by William D. Hicks

Good Morning everyone. I have a guest here today to atlk about Overcoming Writer's Block. Please welcome William D. Hicks!

If you’ve written long enough you’ve experienced writer’s block, so you know how frustrating it is to sit in front of that computer with a blank screen staring back. Hopefully, one of these ten tips will help you start writing again.

  1. Write now. Though writing through the block doesn’t seem rational, sometimes it works. Keep writing. I know it’s coming out wrong. So wrong you want to shred the paper, even though it’s on a computer screen. But don’t. Wait, keep writing. It’s an old writing technique. If you can’t think up anything to write, try doing a mind-dump. Just write everything in your mind, a stream of conscious dump, and see what comes out. Try this for a half hour. Is the block gone? If not, keep doing it. Eventually, you will have written something. While this something might look like what the cat coughed up it might also give you some great ideas for a story.
  2. Be creative. Instead of writing, try painting, or drawing or playing music. Don’t worry about writing for now. You can write tomorrow.
  3. Do the Opposites. Try an old actor’s trick and focus on not doing something. This often becomes the thing you want/need to do. Try telling yourself, “I don’t want to write.” Say that ten times out loud. Then do something else for a half hour. See how much you want to write afterwards. Try writing.
  4. Exercise. This will pump blood into your brain and distract you from worrying. Plus it’s good for you. Once done, try writing.
  5. Do a writing exercise. There are specific exercises available to spur different types of writing, e.g. poetry and fiction. Either buy a book or look online for exercises. It’s amazing the stories that have started as writing exercises.
  6. Listen to music. Really listen to the words. How are they stitched together? Why? What do they mean? Try writing a song.
  7. Go to a movie. Often this triggers an “I could have written that line better” thought. Write some thoughts down about the movie. Maybe even start a story from those thoughts.
  8. Read a book. This often triggers the same response the as #7. I sometimes read a sentence and think, “Why did the author write it that way? I would have done it this way.” Again, that line might spur you onto writing a great story.
  9. Review old unfinished manuscripts. You have them. We all do. Try to rewrite one. Editing might also spur you onto writing. Even if doesn’t, you’ll feel like you’re writing which should stop you from beating yourself up.
  10. Ask writer friends how they’ve beaten writer’s block. If they have no answers, tweet/blog for suggestions. Most everyone has a trick that has worked for them. Try something that sounds appealing to you. If that doesn’t work, try something different.

In the end remember the famous Monty Python line, “And now for something completely different.” Cut yourself from slack and do something that doesn’t resemble writing. Go grocery shopping. Deposit your coins at the bank. Get your hair done. Take a leisurely bath. Don’t get hung up on the fact that you’re not writing. Everyone needs a vacation from time to time, even from what they love most.

William D. Hicks

Killer Flies and Twist

Find the author on Twitter

Twist
As a boy growing up in 1953, Kevin Hull enjoyed playing games with his group of boyhood friends, like the game of "ledge." After one such game with his friend Billy Hawkins, the two find themselves involved in a terrible accident that will forever change their lives.

A work of short psychological horror from our Spectres line.

Killer Flies The Army plans to use a new breed of flies to protect combat soldiers. But Dr. John Pankow, their creator, is worried that his killer flies are uncontrollable. Will Mother Nature's most genetically-altered weapon be the ultimate armor, or the potential ravager of the entire world?

Excerpt – Killer Flies

“So, you created a vaccine?” General Donner asked.

“Yes, but its effectiveness is only twenty days, or less, depending on metabolic rate. Plus upon further testing this treatment doesn’t work on everyone.”

“Any more questions before I continue?” Pankow waited, no one’s hand went up. “Even though many of my colleagues see little harm in allowing the mix of killer flies with general house flies, I disagree. Currently interbreeding appears safe, because few can survive alone, and without ‘mothers,’ as we call the females, they can’t multiply. But that doesn’t prevent these flies from mutating and forming a new lethal strain. And this would be even more likely if one of the mothers escapes.”

“That won’t happen,” General Bider quickly interjected. “We have one room of mothers which is segregated from all the others.”

“But what happens if one does escape?” Carrie Jacobs, Dr. Pankow’s new research assistant, asked.

Before the doctor could respond, General Willard did. “We’ve taken precautions so that won’t happen; a full bee suit, a security access door, and researchers must go through a sealed room to get at those dangerous mothers. Pardon the pun.”

A slight giggle circled the room. It irritated Pankow. This was serious business, not a place for stupid puns.

“If one female escapes or gets into the wrong hands it will have dire effects. That is why all doors require a key card, and an electrical Flash-Kill system will be installed next year. Funding cuts, you understand, made it impossible to purchase this system until then,” General Bider said, giving no indication he was sorry about the funding issues.

“If one ever escapes it might mean the end of the world,” Pankow finished, allowing his last words to reverberate in their minds.

“I think Dr. Pankow is reading too many science fiction magazines.” General Bider laughed. “These flies will save our soldiers’ lives. We have them under control gentlemen. Are there any questions I can answer?”

Several hands shot up.

Review

Dr. Pankow has every right to be worried. The Military are dead set on using these enhanced flies as a weapon of war, forget the fact they are not completely controllable. Every attempt they have tried at finding a substance which will NOT cause them to go into a feeding frenzy has not been proven effective.

He is not shocked to receive the letter stating that testing is to continue and they are going to be used as a weapon. However, he knows the devastation that can come from this and he takes matters into his own hands. He determines that killing them is the only way to prevent world devastating effects

Unfortunately his protective suit has a malfunction, and his assistant, Carrie Jacobs, can't stop him from entering their holding cell. She has no choice but to release the chemical to kill the flies and severally injure Dr. Pankow. However, things go from bad to worse as pandemonia breaks out as the Dr. is recovering and a female fly SURVIVEd the chemicals and has mates and spread the killer flies out in the world. And within a few weeks, all over the globe.

I won't spoil how it ends, but you can bet it's not good...to find out what happens you need to read this short. It will take less than one hour.

Monday, June 4, 2012

Armchair BEA Giveaway Day!

What an awesome idea! and one that should be fairly easy to participate in!

I'm going to make this super easy, but fun to spread the word about too....

I'm going to giveaway not ONE, or TWO, but THREE either paperback or eBook copies of three Books I'm DYING to read this year. All you need to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below. And please comment with which version you want and the E-mail address for contacting you in the event that you win. The giveaway is International for Immortal Rules and Insurgent. In The Service of the King and Seduced by the Vampire King are only available in eBook format presently, so you need an eReader or Adobe EPUB eBook reader. The Giveaway will be open thru the rest of ArmchairBEA this week.

And now the prizes....

One either Hardcover/paperback or eBook of:
Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa
Insurgent by Veronica Roth

In the Service of the King and Seduced by the Vampire King by Laura Kaye

 

Have a great Armchair BEA day and good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Armchair BEA Introduction Post

Hello all! Welcome to my dark corner of the book blogging world. I am Poison Rose (obviously). I'm honored to be participating in my first BEA event.

Please take a seat and enjoy your dose of Poison for the start of Armchair BEA!

Our first job is to introduce ourselves by answering five (or more) of the requested questions...so here we go!

  • Please tell us a little bit about yourself:
    • Who are you
      IRL my name is Sara. I am a single mom and web designer.
    • How long have you been blogging?
      I've been blogging for close to a year, so my first bloggoversary is coming up in a couple weeks. I'll be having a giveaway and hopefully some other fun things going on. *smiles widely*
    • Why did you get into blogging?
      Blogging to me came after my favorite author, Laura Kaye got published. I have been a fan of hers for many years now. You can read about her beginnings here on My Interview with Laura Kaye. I loved her Fan Fic she has written and her writing style was on par with how I have always loved to see it done, but after she began writing Forever Freed and got published I was hooked and wanted to share my thoughts on her books and others with people all over. I'm thrilled to be doing that for so many wonderful authors!
  • What is your favorite feature on your blog (i.e. author interviews, memes, something specific to your blog)
    I'd have to say the interviews with Authors, I am thrilled that they take valuable time from their schedules to answer questions that us bloggers ask, no matter how crazy they can sometimes be! LOL
  • Which is your favorite post that you have written that you want everyone to read?
    Easy! Interview with CJ Ellisson, Vivian and Rafe.
  • If you could eat dinner with any author or character, who would it be and why?
    Oh, great question! With Author it would have to be Jodi Redford. She is funny, witty, and writes a sex scene that can involve objects one would NOT think can be sexy! Have you seen her guest post about Home Depot?!?!? Read it Here.

    As far as characters I'd go with my first love, Lucien Demarco from Laura Kaye's Forever Freed He was my first true Romance love, and part of what got me into romance again. And got me into Paranormal Romance all around. He holds a special place on my "Book Boyfriends" list...LOL
  • What is your favorite part about the book blogging community?
    Thanks easy all the fabulous bloggers I've met through twitter or Facebook and have kept in contact with through the year since I began my blog.
  • Have your reading tastes changed since you started blogging? How?
    Not as much as one would think. I still try and stay with Romance mostly, but I do go into some of the darker toned books in the PNR genre and some horror as well. I have also delved more into erotica lately as I'm finding some great Authors who can write it how I like it.

And there you have a small dose of whats makes me tick in the book world. I'm delighted to be in the Armchair BEA and sharing my thoughts with you. Thanks for dropping in and I hope you come back soon!