REVIEW: Night of Demons | Tony Richards | EOS (Harper Collins)

Title: Night of Demons
Author: Tony Richards
Website of Author: http://www.richardsreality.com/
Website of Publisher: www.eosbooks.com
Genre: Dark Fantasy
Publication date: 2009
ISBN 978-0-06-147467-5
Length: 390 pages
Format: Paperback
"Sponsored" Review Copy from : Author

Reviewer: Clayton Bye
http://www.claytonbye.com
Alternative-Read.com

Buy now at Amazon.com
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There’s a road that runs like a needle straight through the New England forest. On occasion, a traveler with the right mind set will find a turnpike just where they need it to be. If they can ignore the voices that swell up in their minds, the ones telling them to go back, that they shouldn’t be here, that danger will ensue, then these rare visitors will find a thriving city in a valley that can’t be seen from the main road.

This is Raine’s Landing, where those born here can never leave and where visitors find it almost impossible to stay. You see, the Landing is cursed. Centuries ago, the true Salem witches founded this place and hid it from human eyes. Some time later, an angry inhabitant, punished for certain crimes and burnt at the stake, cursed all of Raine’s Landing’s citizens and their future offspring: if she couldn’t leave the Landing, then no one else ever would.

This week is not going to be a good week in Raine’s Landing. A serial killer is on the run from Boston police. He needs a place to hide so badly, he's able to see the turn pike to Raine’s Landing. And because killing is all this madman is about, he immediately heads for the richest part of the city and his first victim of many. But this is a place of magic and the madman, Cornelius Hanlon, just happens to pick on one of the strongest adapts in the city during an incantation involving a terribly dangerous wand. Fast thinking and an evil mind makes for a quick end to the Sorcerer and a powerful friendship between Hanlon and the living wand.

Make way for the Apocalypse! And while it slowly begins to roll out, troubleshooter Ross Devries, and a handful of other interesting and unique characters do their best to keep Hanlon from destroying their town, or worse. But under the influence of the wand and endued with its power, Hanlon transforms from a serial killer, to a maker of demons and finally to the one of the four horsemen he brings to life—those harbingers of doom, the four horsemen of Revelations who signify the beginning of the end.

Tony Richards has packed a lot of entertainment into his dark fantasy, Night of Demons. Part crime novel and part horror, Richards manages a true fantasy—dragons, swords, magic and a whole town filled with magic-users. But he doesn’t stop there. By weaving this fantasy into a modern setting, Richards creates a story that isn’t quite urban fantasy nor quite swords and sorcery. He creates something unique. Harper Collins obviously rewarded him for his ingenuity.

I enjoyed Night of Demons. There was always enough going on to keep my mind occupied and my fingers turning pages looking for more. The only criticism I have is that for all the gruesome bloodshed, I never really felt uncomfortable. There was no fear factor for me. Is this because the author didn’t take the time to make sure I cared about the people who were killed? Possibly. I know he wanted me to care about Cassandra, Ross’ sidekick, but she wasn’t “onscreen” enough to make that happen. We’re told what she’s like but only get to see one real instance of this.

This flaw aside, Night of Demons is an interesting book full of unique characters like “The Little Girl” (who I will allow you to meet on your own). And in the real world, where I believe the fantasy genre is struggling, Tony Richards brings us something new that allows us to suspend our disbelief. Take that Harry Potter!

 Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight!

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NEW RELEASE TODAY | The Council of Dads | Bruce Feiler |

THE COUNCIL OF DADS (On-Sale: TODAY! April 27, 2010; Price: $22.99 US/$29.50 Can.) is the book Bruce Feiler never expected to write. For years, he has captivated readers with his smart, witty, insightful storytelling chronicling his heart-stopping adventures around the world in such bestsellers as Walking the Bible, Abraham, and America’s Prophet. 

But in 2008, Feiler, the father of two young girls, learned he had a life-threatening tumor in his left femur.  Confronting the possibility that he may not be around to help his daughters grow up, he reached out to six men from all passages in his life and asked them to be present through the passages in his daughters’ lives.  And he called this group of men “The Council of Dads.” 

“I believe my daughters will have plenty of opportunities,” he wrote to these men.  “They’ll have loving families.  They’ll have welcoming homes.  They’ll have each other.  But they may not have me.  They may not have their dad.  Will you help be their dad?”

THE COUNCIL OF DADS is the uplifting story of what happened next.  Feiler introduces us to the extraordinary, far-flung men in his Council and captures the life lesson he wants each of them to convey to his daughters—how to see, how to travel, how to question, how to dream.  He profiles himself as a father, his own father, and his two extraordinary (and quite different) grandfathers—one from the rural South, the other from the urban North.    

And he captures in beautiful, wrenching prose the harrowing journey of his “Lost Year” fighting cancer and trying to salvage his leg.  An aggressive regimen of chemotherapy leaves him nauseated and exhausted, his mind foggy.  In a 15-hour sci-fi surgery, doctors remove several bones from his leg and reconstruct it in a procedure only one person has ever survived.  With unflinching candor, Feiler details not only the physical effects of the disease and treatment, but also the toll it took on his family.  He writes that at one of his lowest points he snapped at his wife and children, then broke down in tears. “I was a wreck,” he writes. “Our home had become a gruesome parade of psychological disfigurement.” But along the way, the wisdom and strength he gathers from his Council, coupled with the beauty and humor he discovers in his own family, transforms his “Lost Year” into a “Jubilee Year” of reconnection and renewal.  The result is an extraordinary tribute to friendship, and a sage collection of advice for how to cultivate our dreams. 

THE COUNCIL OF DADS is a deeply hopeful book, a story of enduring love between a husband and wife and between a father and his daughters.  But most of all it’s a celebration of friendship and a testament to the profound power of human connections.

Buy THE COUNCIL OF DADS today: (See pic to right)

For more information, please visit: www.brucefeiler.com or www.thecouncilofdads.com

BRUCE FEILER is the New York Times bestselling author of nine books, including Walking the Bible, Abraham and America’s Prophet.  He has traveled to more than sixty countries on five continents and is the writer-presenter of the PBS miniseries, Walking the Bible.  With his books, Bruce Feiler has moved readers to take a fresh look at history and far-flung places of the world.  Now, with THE COUNCIL OF DADS, Feiler inspires us to cultivate a deeper appreciation of the people closest to us and revitalize the most intimate bonds in our lives. A native of Savannah, Georgia, he lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Linda Rottenberg, and their twin daughters, Tybee and Eden.

Our review of this book will be coming soon.

April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight!
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Win! Teal Ceagh's Paranormal Romance! - Ends 11th May 2010
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NEW RELEASE: Molly Ringwald's Getting the Pretty Back 27th April

On April 27^th, Harper Collins will release Getting the Pretty Back, a new book by iconic actress Molly Ringwald.  Best known for her roles in the famous John Hughes films from the 80s, with Getting the Pretty Back Molly introduces sides of herself that her fans have never seen – mother, wife, best friend and more.  Full of personal stories and practical advice, Getting the Pretty Back is a must-read for everyone.

Vibrant, fun, stylish, and sexy, the iconic Molly Ringwald weaves together intimate stories and candid advice in a fully illustrated, girlfriend's guide to life, style, and relationships

GETTING THE PRETTY BACK

FRIENDSHIP, FAMILY, AND FINDING THE PERFECT LIPSTICK

By Molly Ringwald

To her millions of fans Molly Ringwald will forever be sixteen. As the endearing and witty star of the beloved John Hughes classics Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, and Pretty in Pink, Molly defined teenage angst, love, and heartbreak. While remembered eternally as the enviable high school princess Claire, or the shy, vulnerable Samantha, Molly Ringwald actually just celebrated her 40th birthday! Facing a completely new, angst-inducing time in her life, she is embracing being a woman, wife, mother of three, actress, and best friend with her trademark style, candor, and humor—and now offers her personal stories and practical advice in the full-color, lushly illustrated GETTING THE PRETTY BACK (It Books, an Imprint of HarperCollins; On Sale: April 27^th, 2010; Hardcover).

Part memoir, part style-guide, Getting the Pretty Back encourages every woman to become "the sexiest, funniest, smartest, best-dressed, and most confident woman that you can be." Whether she's discussing sex and beauty, personal style, travel and entertaining, motherhood, or friendships, Molly embodies the spirit of being fabulous at every age:

On prettiness: "Being pretty can be about style or outer beauty, true, but on a deeper, more fundamental level, it's about learning to take care of yourself again. …At heart, prettiness is a state of mind. It's a way of looking at things, of looking at ourselves. It's the part of you that knows what you really want, that takes risks." 

On birthdays:  "Here's a secret: I actually like my age. Or rather, I like everything that I've learned as those years have accumulated. Whether it has to do with friendship, family, or falling in love, whether it involves acting, fashion, or motherhood, there's nothing I would give up. (Well, okay, maybe I'd pass on the Dorothy Hamill haircut I got in the fourth grade)."

On making friends: "Very often we get stuck saying to ourselves that we are too old. The time for making new friends has passed. We treat friendship like a new language—if you didn't pick it up in middle school, it's too late. Why bother? This is far from the case.  One of the advantages of being older is that you know yourself better—you know what traits really matter to you in a friend, and what you offer to a friendship. You can embrace your differences, rather than trying to fit a mold."

On parenting: "I'm not one to say that my children are perfect, or that I am the perfect parent. There was a long week when my daughter Mathilda's response to any question was "Liar liar pants on fire." This was a vast improvement upon the previously and often used "Nana Nana, butt butt." I don't ask her why she says these things; I know she's picked them up at school. She's just trying them on for size, and eventually she will find the words for what she feels. I trust that. We are all works in progress. And believe me, I'm no expert when it comes to being a mother. I just like to say that my expertise lies in the fact that I am a mother and incidentally, I play one on TV . . ."

 

On looking ahead: "It's up to us to decide who we want to be…hopefully we have enough wisdom to know that we don't need to prove anything anymore, and enough life history to know when we need to try new things, to be the navigator of our own unforgettable journey."

Plus Molly offers tons of unique tips and practical insights:

Fashion Faux Pas that Work • Five Perfect Friend Dates • Iconic Hairstyles in Film • Unconventional Ways to Stay Fit • How to Pack a Carry-on Bag • Parenting Advice to Ignore (Even When It's From Your Own Mom) • and of course,

Finding the Perfect Lipstick…

A reflection of Molly's own personality—vibrant, fun, stylish, and sexy—and gorgeously illustrated by Ruben Toledo, GETTING THE PRETTY BACK is a straight-talking, girlfriend's guide to getting through the murky milestones and identity issues that crop up long after the prom ends.

About the author: Molly Ringwald began her film career at the age of thirteen with her Golden Globe nominated performance in The Tempest. Her extensive film credits include The Pick-Up Artist, For Keeps, Fresh Horses, Betsy's Wedding, Billy Bob Thornton's short film Some People Call It a Sling Blade, Jean-Luc Goddard's King Lear, and the now classic coming-of-age movies Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and The Breakfast Club. Molly has starred in the Broadway production of Cabaret, the Tony-nominated production of Enchanted April, and can currently be seen staring in the breakout television hit The Secret Life of the American Teenager. She lives with her husband, Panio Gianopoulos, and three children in New York and Los Angeles.

GUEST BLOG: Adelle Laudan | Win the IronHorse Rider Series! | +SURPRISE PKGE!

The Ironhorse Rider Series : GIVEAWAY!

About the Series:
After losing his wife in a terrible motorcycle accident, Shane flees from everything and everyone that reminds him of Kelly. He discovers solace in a summer Micmac camp, and with the aid of Chief Gray Owl and the beautiful Tia, Shane’s heart begins to heal. On his journey he is introduced to a world of fire breathers, belly dancers, crystal balls and ghosts from his past. 

A powerful evil presence descends upon the unsuspecting Micmac camp, and Shane joins forces with the spirit world to confront this threat and defend all he has come to know and love. Is Shane strong enough to face such a merciless entity, or is he destined to a life alone, riding in the wind?

About Adelle:

Adelle Laudan lives in Southern Ontario with two of her four children still under wing. Life as a single mom of two teenage daughters is ‘interesting’, to say the least, but a life she wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world. When most little girls dreamed of being a princess in a castle, waiting for their Prince Charming, Adelle dreamed of riding off into the sunset with a leather clad hero on a vintage motorcycle.

There are three things in life Adelle is most passionate about; family, writing, and motorcycles. Come ride the many twists and turns her stories will take you. Be sure to fasten your seatbelt, it’s going to be the ride you’ll not soon forget.

Go here: http://adellelaudan.com/ to learn more about the Author and her books!!

=================================

========

CONTEST:

========

All you have to do is chime in and say hello, ask a question or leave a comment to be included in the draw. If you’d like an extra entry, shout out about this contest and leave the link to where you have in your comment.  If you follow this blog, that's an extra point. And if you follow Adelle's blog, that's an extra point, too! 

Just let us know you do!  

Good luck to everyone!

Closes midnight Wednesday 26th May 2010 - Winner announced the following day! 

Prize: 1 set of print copies of Ironhorse Rider 1 2 3  (Canada & US) or
1 set of eBook copies of Ironhorse Rider 1 2 3 (worldwide)

Extra Prize: Adelle will pick a random winner of a surprise package from her, too! 

Visit Adelle Laudan's blog here!  

http://adellelaudan.com 

http://facebook.com/AdelleLaudan

http://.myspace.com/adellelaudan

http://twitter.com/adellelaudan

  ==================================

 April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight! While you are here why not enter the competitions below, too?
WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN The Path of Innocence eBook! - Ends 6th May 2010
Win! Teal Ceagh's Paranormal Romance! - Ends 11th May 2010
WIN! Any book from Tracy Cooper-Posey's BACKLIST! - Ends 23rd May 2010
AUTHORS/PUBLICISTS post your PR in the AR YAHOO CHAT GROUP! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang! ~http://www.twibes.com/group/READERSandREVIEWERS~Chat and Promo Group~WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK WEDNESDAY? Book Blog Meme!~We are actively seeking staff!~FaceBook~LibraryThing~AmazonUK~GoodReads~ Technorati Categories:Book Review, FREE Books, Competition, Blog,Media, Press Release, Author,Podcast, Interview,Book News, Reviews,Reviewers, WitchGiggles, Aris, Lucille Perkins Robinson, Devlin O'Neill, Clayton Bye,Angelika Devlyn, Michael,Ella Blackhart, Bo Perkins,Giveaway,Yahoo Group, Guest Blog, Publisher, Newsletter, Stumbleupon, MySpace, Promo, alternative-read.com

REVIEW: The Sex; VirtusSaga Bk1 | Laura Tolomei | Extasy Books

Title: The Sex; Virtus Saga Book One

Author: Laura Tolomei 

Publisher: Extasy Books

Genre: Fantasy / Erotica / M/M/F / M/F / Ménage à trois / Paranormal / Series 

ISBN: 978-1-55487-516-0

Format: Ebook

Reviewer: Sassy Brit

Alternative-Read.com

When Prince Caldwell returns home to his estate, Black Rose, he is reunited with a woman, Ylianor Meyer, who both he and his best friend, Chris, knew as children. Unbeknown to him, his mother, Sophia once banished the nine-year-old Ylianor from their estate, on account of her mother's affair with her husband. So Ylianor's rather surprising return rouses suspicions of her carrying with her an ulterior motive that may not be in the Prince’s best interest. To complicate matters further, the reading of his father's Will brings more unexpected news and new problems the Prince's way.

Chris, now the Prince's lover, is none too pleased with Ylianor's untimely appearance, nor is he impressed with the way the girl enchants his lover with her beauty. But is Chris worried for the right reasons or is there a darker side to his love, which the Prince is yet to discover?

With a threat to Ylianor's life hanging over her, the Prince decides to take her along on a trip to visit Lord Fairchild. Unaware why Fairchild, the leader of the Council has summoned the boys, the trio are thrown together on a perilous journey of discovery where they must begin to mend their severed connections and awaken special powers before they can finally understand who they are, mind, body and soul.

Laura Tolomei builds a seductive fantasy world rich in detail where the rules of sex and relationships make for an alluring first book of a series. In a setting that fits the characters perfectly, The Sex pledges the continuing insight into a trio who all need each other, but are still learning why.

I liked her occasional use of the contemporary omniscient point of view. In addition, Laura's world building skills made Sendar's feudal-like society with its destructive energy a real treat for this lover of the fantasy genre. If there is one thing I didn't like, it has to be the Prince's name, Duncan. Unfortunately that's my own personal taste and bears little reflection on the author's ability to write a damned good story, which I hasten to add, this is.

I love the characters with their deep-rooted issues, and the hidden gifts they have to learn to use. Where Laura will take this series, I cannot guess, but I know I'll have fun travelling with her characters, as the Prince, Ylianor and Chris discover what their new lives hold in the forthcoming titles. Meanwhile, I'm left chomping at the bit for more, much like the Prince's horse, Fuzeon, until 15th May, when book two is to be released. Not too long to wait, but long enough!

Book 1 The Sex – now available
Book 2 The Game – May 15 2010
Book 3 The Festival – July 15 2010
Book 4 The Fitting – September 15 2010
Book 5 The Pledge – November 15 2010
Book 6 The Heat - January 15 2011
Book 7 The Trace – March 15 2011
Book 8 The Guardian – May 15 2011 

 April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight!
WIN! WIN! WIN!  WIN The Path of Innocence eBook! - Ends 6th May 2010
Win! Teal Ceagh's Paranormal Romance! - Ends 11th May 2010
WIN! Any book from Tracy Cooper-Posey's BACKLIST! - Ends 23rd May 2010
AUTHORS/PUBLICISTS post your PR in the AR YAHOO CHAT GROUP! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang! ~http://www.twibes.com/group/READERSandREVIEWERS~Chat and Promo Group~WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK WEDNESDAY? Book Blog Meme!~We are actively seeking staff!~FaceBook~LibraryThing~AmazonUK~GoodReads~ Technorati Categories:Book Review, FREE Books, Competition, Blog,Media, Press Release, Author,Podcast, Interview,Book News, Reviews,Reviewers, WitchGiggles, Aris, Lucille Perkins Robinson, Devlin O'Neill, Clayton Bye,Angelika Devlyn, Michael,Ella Blackhart, Bo Perkins,Giveaway,Yahoo Group, Guest Blog, Publisher, Newsletter, Stumbleupon, MySpace, Promo, alternative-read.com

Wagon Wheel of Wonder | Joshua Lamb | Self-published

Title: Wagon Wheel of Wonder
Author: Joshua Lamb
Publisher: Unedited Manuscript
Download: htm torrent
Length: 96 pages
Genre: Philosophy

Reviewer: Clayton Bye
http://www.claytonbye.com
Alternative-Read.com
 

 

Dear readers,

Should you come across the document listed above toss it in the nearest garbage receptacle!

This “manuscript” was either written by someone with serious mental issues, or it’s some kind of prank I don’t understand. In fact, that is my review in a nutshell: Wagon Wheel of Wonder is impossible to understand.

Prospective writers: you should know that reviewers, just like any career-minded person, live very busy lives. If you send “crap” to be reviewed, expect it to end up where all such material meets its fate.

I'm so inundated by review requests I now accept only print versions for review. And the book had better be good. My reviews are based on a full read of the books sent to me. You should also be aware that I always say exactly what I think, good, bad or, as in today’s offering, ridiculous.

I don’t understand, and probably never will, why anyone would ask me to review anything but the very best work they are capable of. Keep that in mind, will you?

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye 2010

 

  April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight!
WIN! WIN! WIN!> WIN The Path of Innocence eBook! - Ends 6th May 2010
Win! Teal Ceagh's Paranormal Romance! - Ends 11th May 2010
WIN!Any book from Tracy Cooper-Posey's BACKLIST! - Ends 23rd May 2010
AUTHORS/PUBLICISTS post your PRin the AR YAHOO CHAT GROUP! ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang! ~http://www.twibes.com/group/READERSandREVIEWERS~Chat and Promo Group~WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK WEDNESDAY? Book Blog Meme!~We are actively seeking staff!~FaceBook~LibraryThing~AmazonUK~GoodReads~ Technorati Categories:Book Review, FREE Books, Competition, Blog,Media, Press Release, Author,Podcast, Interview,Book News, Reviews,Reviewers, WitchGiggles, Aris, Lucille Perkins Robinson, Devlin O'Neill, Clayton Bye,Angelika Devlyn, Michael,Ella Blackhart, Bo Perkins,Giveaway,Yahoo Group, Guest Blog, Publisher, Newsletter, Stumbleupon, MySpace, Promo, alternative-read.com

FRIDAY FINDS: Jill Myles | U Follow - I Follow - Simple as that!

I have Blodeuedd to thank for this Friday Find. Thanks :) 

There's no doubt about it - with this chap on the front I would buy this book whatever it had written in it! But luckily it also sounds a fun read...here's the blurb: Jackie Brighton has a problem. First she slept with a hot guy she met in a bar after too many martinis, then she woke up in a dumpster, where a mugger had left her for dead. Except her one-night stand turned out to be an angel named Noah, and her mugger turned out to be a vampire named Zane - and the combination of angel-sex and vampire-bite has turned her into a succubus.  The upside of being a succubus? She's suddenly a bombshell with hoards of men panting after her, which is a very good thing - because the downside is The Itch: she needs sex constantly. Sure, it might sound like fun. But Jackie's picky about who she sleeps with, yet if she doesn't have sex regularly and frequently, she'll literally die! When Jackie's pulled into Noah's and Zane's pursuit of an ancient halo that will give the Heavenly Host or the Infernal Host ultimate power in the world, she now has two hot guys to scratch her Itch - unless she gets destroyed in the battle for the halo, first.   What's your Friday Find? Sassy:)

 ===========================FRIDAY FUN!=========================== It's Twitter Follow-Friday (@Sassy_Brit) {Please let me know your twitter name in the comments below so I can find you easily - AND follow you back -- THANK YOU!)  andFriday Follow! hosted by One 2 Try, Hearts Make Families and Midday Escapades!

 and a new one I found last week for book bloggers Hosted by Crazy For Books:

ABOUT THE HOP:

This is a weekly event, hosted here, where book bloggers and readers can connect to find new blogs to read.  It's a great way to network with other bloggers and make new friends!  In the spirit of the Friday Follow, I thought it would be cool to do a Book Blogger Hop to give us all bookies a chance to connect and find new blogs that we may be missing out on!  It will also give blog readers a chance to find other book blogs that they may not know existed!  So, grab the logo, post about the Hop on your blog, and start Hopping!!============== If anyone is popping over from Blogger Hops please may I take this opportunity to welcome your to Alternative-Read, I hope you enjoy your stay and most importantly  - if you decide to follow - THANK YOU! 
I aim to get back to you all eventually over the next couple of days, although I am on holiday for two weeks, but I will be there to follow you back - eventually! (If I'm not already!) Why you are here, why not enter one of our free giveaways? Details below!   Have fun, and have a great weekend!  Sassy:)=============

April 2010 - Please welcome Megan Johns our Author in the Spotlight!

WIN! WIN! WIN!

 

WIN The Path of Innocence eBook! - Ends 6th May 2010 Win! Teal Ceagh's Paranormal Romance! - Ends 11th May 2010
WIN! Any book from Tracy Cooper-Posey's BACKLIST! - Ends 23rd May 2010
AUTHORS/PUBLICISTS post your PR in the AR YAHOO CHAT GROUP!~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 
Alternative-Read.com: The "Inside Story" by Sassy Brit and her Gang!
~http://www.twibes.com/group/READERSandREVIEWERS~Chat and Promo Group~WHAT'S ON YOUR DESK WEDNESDAY? Book Blog Meme!~We are actively seeking staff!~ FaceBook~ LibraryThing~ AmazonUK~ GoodReads~ Technorati Categories:Book Review, FREE Books, Competition, Blog,Media, Press Release, Author,Podcast, Interview,Book News, Reviews,Reviewers, WitchGiggles, Aris, Lucille Perkins Robinson, Devlin O'Neill, Clayton Bye,Angelika Devlyn, Michael,Ella Blackhart, Bo Perkins,Giveaway,Yahoo Group, Guest Blog, Publisher, Newsletter, Stumbleupon, MySpace, Promo, alternative-read.com

GUEST BLOG: Historical Suspense | Emma Darcy Award Finalist! | Diana by The Moon | Tracy Cooper-Posey

For a chance to win one copy from Tracy Cooper-Posey's backlist -- and that's a whopping 31 other titles to choose from -- check out the quick and easy rules below!    By the way, if you pick an out of print title, you’ll get an edited ARC – winner’s choice.

Why King Arthur Endlessly Endures.

I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I can’t resist, especially with this book, so I’m going to mention it again.  I happen to know that Sassy lives in one of my favourite cities in all of England.  It’s so thick with history it just crawls with it.  I’ve visited her home town and walked all over the university grounds there, and love, love, love the place.  Every building you bump into is at least a couple of centuries old.  The pub I had dinner at one of the nights I was there was three hundred years old and the owner, when I was talking with her, said casually “Of course, the ghost upstairs is a noisy old bugger if we don’t remember to shut the door at night,” which tends to make your eyes cross a bit once you process the words beyond the casual tone.

If you haven’t clued in yet, I’m a history nut, and Britain is prime hunting territory for me.  Coming from Australia, where nothing is much over sixty seconds old, Britain was like Christmas and Valentine’s Day rolled into one for me.  My friends, who barely read books, let alone history books, couldn’t understand my wide-eyed wonder over old buildings, even older dusty and mouldy books and antiques and when we actually drove through Sherwood Forrest, they didn’t understand why I couldn’t sit still.  Nottingham and York were like boxes of candy for me.  Sassy’s home town...nirvana. 

I could give you a very long list of towns and cities and locations in Britain that just reek with historical significance.  Europe is stuffed full of them, too.  The further east you move, especially as you head south into the Mediterranean basin, the older the history gets and the more fascinating it all becomes.

But I’m just concentrating on Britain today, because it’s been an obsession of mine for years.  I’m not actually an Anglophile.  I like my British history pre-Anglo-Saxon if I can help it, although I’ll take Norman England every now and again, because those feuding Plantagenets are irresistable. 

But King Arthur...

What is it about King Arthur that we just can’t seem to leave alone?  Every ten or fifteen years, the myth of King Arthur re-emerges on the big screen or small, or in books, in bigger and better life, in a new shape or interpretation, and we obsess over Arthur all over again.

Is it the fact that the story is a tragedy?  That you watch this magnificent, quixotic life and know it was all for naught?

Sometimes, I think we’re all caught up in the glory and spectacle of it, but there are versions of Arthur that aren’t at all glorious.  They’re far more closer to what Arthur would have been in fact, and they’re plain, humble, hard struggles for survival, and despite that those retellings are still un-put-down-able. 

I would like to think that Arthur is simply, in the end, a role model we would all like to emulate.  He insisted on doing what he thought was the right thing even though it was against the most overwhelming odds, and the most bitter opposition, and for a small moment in time, he managed to hold his own.  His reward, although he doesn’t know it, is that fifteen centuries later, we still remember him for it.

What do you like most about King Arthur, if anything?

________________________________

Diana By The Moon

HISTORICAL ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

He is Arthur’s man. His duty is his life. She fears and mistrusts him. The only way they will survive is to work together.

Finalist, Emma Darcy Award.

___

Excerpt

Chapter Two

470, one year later

The knife bit deeply into the sheep’s throat and blood gushed from the wound. Sosia pulled the knife out, her hand moving in a practiced sweep and let the animal’s head go. She stepped back. As the sheep’s kicks weakened, the blood flowed onto the earth and formed a large round pool. 

Diana felt her stomach and heart were about to seize. She wanted to cover her eyes and turn away but everyone was watching her so she used the hand she had raised to her mouth to rub at her chin thoughtfully. Hot beads of sweat sprang out at her temples and the need to bathe was almost irresistible. 

Thank god she’d had the foresight to send Minna back to the threshing! If she had seen this… 

Sosia crossed her arms, the hand holding the bloody knife on top and glanced at Diana for approval. She stood a head and shoulders higher than Diana and there was more dignity in her round, protruding cheekbones and squared shoulders, more wisdom in her odd blue eyes and unwavering stare than Diana could ever aspire to—for all that Sosia’s people had been conquered and enslaved three generations ago. 

“Thank you, Sosia. Can you slaughter all the sheep that I picked out? Or do you want someone to help you?”

“This, I can do.” She stooped down to peer into Diana’s face. “They will feed us throughout winter. You know that.”

Diana nodded. The knowledge was burned into her mind from endless worry.

“Diana!” Marcus appeared from around the corner of the barn, his tattered cloak flapping. “They want you at the thresher for counting!” 

“I will come now.” She looked at Sosia and the other women standing around the pen. Some of them looked a little pale too—the women who had not been farmers’ wives, who had spent their days indoors. 

Well, we’re all forced to learn new skills these days. She straighted her spine. “Once Sosia has finished, you will need to hang the carcasses for draining,” she told the women. “Then Sosia will show you how to skin them.” 

Diana took Marcus’ hand and walked slowly, heading for the gates of the villa. She hoped her pace looked dignified but in truth her legs were unsteady. It wasn’t until they turned the corner of the villa wall that she could draw a proper breath. 

Once around the corner she stopped and leaned against the wall, her head hanging.

“Diana? Are you ill?” Marcus asked. “Should I get Sosia?” 

Diana forced herself to breathe steadily. “I’m fine,” she assured the boy and tried to smile. When she could, she straightened and started to walk again. 

She checked the fields as she walked. They were laid out between the villa walls and the old Roman road that ran as straight as an arrow down the middle of the dale, heading for Lindum. Ermine Street, it was called. 

The fields were harvested—a giant achievement. There had been virtually no grain for sowing. Diana had spent days sweeping out the furthest corners of the grain stores, picking up fallen seed one forgotten grain at a time. They had planted less than half the usual fields. But they had grown and the summer harvest would give them a slight surplus for seed. 

Marcus tugged her hand when they reached the yawning gateway, drawing her inside. The gates lay to one side, a pile of broken beams and iron. Every time she saw them, Diana reminded herself to have new gates built. But in a whole year she’d had no time to think beyond the need to provide food for the thirty-one people who were depending upon her to keep them from starving. 

Besides, there was no one here with the strength to hew the trees or the skill to make the gates. Perhaps after the solstice she could go to Eboracum to search for a woodsmith.

But first they must put aside food enough to survive the winter. 

Women had been threshing grain for generations, so this task Diana knew she could leave unsupervised. The small sacks of grain were piled against the wall in rows ready for her to count and record before it was stored, just as it had been all her life. The rows were pitifully few. 

She approached the waiting women. “You’ve finished? Good.”

They gathered around her, pleased with her approval. “No thanks to Alfie’s help!” one jested, pushing at a redheaded woman among them. 

The redhead laughed, pushing back. “I did my share.”

Then came a cry that chilled Diana to the marrow and stopped her heart.

“Saxons!” 

Diana whirled to face the gateway, trying to speak and failing. 

Sosia’s son, a boy of ten, stood on the top of the wall. He pointed toward the Roman road. “Armed horsemen! Lots of them!”

Someone behind her screamed and the sound released Diana’s own fear. Her gaze fell on the sacks of wheat. Dear Lord! The food for winter—if that were stolen they would not survive the year. 

“Quickly!” she told the women. “Take one sack of wheat between two and one child and head for the old beacon at the top of the hill.”

“They’re heading this way!” yelled Sosia’s son.

Marcus tugged her hand. “What about the women in the barn?” 

“Alfie, go by way of the barn and warn them.” Quickly, Diana sent messengers to the scattered pockets of people around the estate. She sent Sosia’s son into the forest to gather the children picking nuts, to keep them hidden among the trees. 

Diana grabbed a sack of wheat and raced through the house for the postern gate that led out onto the hillside behind the villa. She was outside among the trees before a thought bought her to a skidding halt.

Minna!

_________________________

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