Moved to New Website

I just want to say thanks for following me and reading my random thoughts! I have decided to streamline things a little and have a website through Wordpress where I will be doing all new posts :) So if you are still interested in stalking me (I like it!!!), then pop on over and sign up for e-mail alerts for new posts!

Hope to see you there!

Rievew of Angst by David J Pedersen

 I am often surprised by the kind of work that can come from Indie authors. This was one of them! I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend this to anyone that enjoys fantasy. The author's use of language has me cracking up in places (bosomtastic...THAT one should be in the dictionary!!!).

The title of this great book is also the name of its main character. Angst is a 40-something document filer. Not exactly a glorious or exciting profession. And not exactly what Angst had planned for his life. While attending a party at the palace, Angst sees a drunken knight man-handling his friend Rose and he takes a hold of a giant sword that no one has been able to move in centuries and uses it to defend her honor. That one act will send Angst on the adventure of his life.

In the city of Unsel, the use of magic is severely restricted. After hearing of some trouble on the countries borders, Queen Isabelle decides to send Angst on a mission to find out what is going on. In this supposed brilliant move, she thinks she is sending Angst on a mission whereby if he succeeds, he will be knighted with the big blue sword he pulled from the ground. And what 40-something year old man wouldn't want that???

Unfortunately, this mission proves more deadly than any of them ever imagined. Not just to Angst and his friends he chooses to accompany him on this journey, but to the city of Unsel itself. Can Angst be the hero he's always wanted to be and save his friends, his Queen, and his country? Or will the magical forces at work prove too difficult, even for a man wielding a giant magic sword?

Book Review of In Memory of Greed

Please check out this book my Al Boudreau. You can find it in e-book format at Amazon (Kindle) and Barnes and Noble (Nook)

In Memory of Greed takes the reader on a thrill-filled ride that spans three continents. The reader will be swept up in the fast pace, characters, exotic locales, and wondering who will come out on top.

Murkin Mocado, son of a senator and ex-Navy SEAL is framed for a crime he didn’t commit. However, someone thinks they can use his talents for their own nefarious purposes. He is taken from the hospital and flown to Ireland, where he is filled in on his new “mission.”

However, Mocado soon learns through a rather unconventional source that his “mission” isn’t what he thinks it is. This source of information comes from an intelligent, brave young woman by the name of Joelle Barstow. She is rising quickly in the ranks of industrial espionage, and as luck would have it, she is investigating the very men who have hired Mocado. Unfortunately, a series of events has been set into motion that culminates in an ecological disaster that is horrifically easy to believe happening in the world as we know it. 

Boudreau intricately weaves the tales of Mocado and Barstow such that the reader is left on the edge of their seat, wondering if Mocado can stop the disaster, and if Barstow can find those responsible and bring them to justice. 

My only complaint was that the beginning seemed to rushed. I would have liked more information and description, to really slow things down a little more, to put me in the middle of the action, especially with the train wreck. And there were many areas where there were words capitalized (things like lad and thank you) and it threw me at first, but after getting into the story, I attributed it to a quirk of the writer and just ignored them after that.

If would recommend this book to anyone who likes espionage/thriller/adventure/crime novels. The characters are so amazing and the description of Ireland and Kenya blew me AWAY! I felt like I was really there and it really added an element of realism to the novel.

Review of Things to do in Denver When You're Undead

 Things to do in Denver When You're Undead: 5-stars

Are you afraid of things that go bump in the night? Never fear, the Bureau of Special Investigations (BSI) is here to keep the ghouls, zombies, harpies, and vampires under control. Kal Hakala is the best agent in the Bureau, and in this business, that means he has survived longer than anyone else. Dealing with the foul fiends of the Underworld leaves agents with razor-sharp edges and sarcastic humor, a perfect combination to help them stay alive while combating the forces of evil.

Things To Do in Denver When You're Undead introduces the reader to Kal Hakala, an agent in the BSI. Very early on, we learn that his job is unlike any other on the planet: he is in charge of keeping the The World Under from wreaking havoc on the World Above (aka our world as we know it). We also get a taste of his personality, which is acerbic, sarcastic, and brutally honest, everything an agent needs to survive. They don't have time to coddle or play games. Their lives, and ours, are at stake.

While working on the Organ Donor serial murder case, Kal's team begins to unravel something terrifying and sinister, something that can endanger all of their lives, and any civilians that get in the way. Using flashback chapters intertwined with present day, Stone begins to weave a tale, giving the readers tantalizing clues to the truth behind the gruesome Organ Donor murders; a truth that could be the end of Kal Hakala and all he holds dear.

But there is more to Kal Hakala than meets the eye. Something happened to Kal in his past, something that has shaped who is is and gives him tremendous power. But will it be enough to stop the killer from destroying everything he loves?

 I had the great pleasure of reading an ARC e-book copy of this novel. While my students slaved away on their final exams, I sat with my Kindle, reading Things to do in Denver When You're Undead. I laughed out loud a few times and some of the references Stone made to the state of Colorado and also references he makes to other scifi greats (Star Trek anyone?). It probably freaked my students out at first to hear their professor cackling at the front of the room. When I shared a tidbit from the book, they laughed too, which helped to ease a little of the tension. :) If you like quick wit, sadistic charm, and bad ass gadgets, then you will enjoy the hell out of this book...no pun intended.

Thrusters On Full, Captain!

As I sit here watching The Wrath of Khan for about the thousandth time, I am still overcome with that same feeling I had watching the original Star Trek with my dad as a kid. It hasn't waned, nor has it changed at all over the years. I still love the idea of other life in the vast universe (after all, if it was just us, wouldn't it be an awful waste of space? Thank You Jodi Foster), each evolving according to a different set of rules than those that govern Earth. Many things would be different: their body shapes and compositions, intelligence levels, core values, cultures, religions. Would they have recreational activities similar to what we do on Earth? What about their values and customs?

Imagining all of the possibilities has given me endless hours of enjoyment, ever since I was a kid. Star Trek (and of course others since then) fed my imagination. And when Next Generation came out, I was hooked! Imagine it: humanity no longer at war with one another, no poverty, no need to work to for monetary gain. I often wonder what people would do if given all of the necessities of life and the ability to do whatever their heart's desired.

I would like to think that if given that opportunity, humanity might do some very worthwhile things. And Star Trek gave us a hint of that. Exploring the galaxy, meeting and studying alien life forms, and getting into all sorts of mischief. Now, they do encounter danger, and often times have to resort to violence to get themselves out of it, but it's nice that they aren't just running amok in the universe using their technology to take over other worlds and subverting the populations.

The technology of Star Trek has always been awesome. I mean, who wouldn't want a holodeck for crying out loud????? A room that  become anything you wish, from a pristine mountain lake complete with cabin, to a island paradise on some far-away planet. And replicators??? Hell YEAH! Just speak into the computer and it will make anything you want. You want shrimp and steak dinner? You got it! Or is Klingon blood sausage more your style? It can do that too!

I often wished that we really could travel into space and explore all of the worlds out there. Just punch a few buttons and whisk off at faster than light speeds to arrive a few hours later in some distant quadrant of the galaxy, orbiting a strange and unique world.

Can you imagine the excitement of the first person that proves life exists in space? And what that will mean for us here on Earth? I, for one, will be thrilled even if its nothing more than a bacteria. Because it will mean that we aren't alone out here on this beautiful watery jewel. And if there is a bacteria, then couldn't there also be plants of some kind somewhere? And perhaps some kind of creature the likes of which we can't imagine?

I realize that this kind of news will not be greeted with excitement from everyone. Many will be scared of what this might mean, and some may even have their faith shaken to the very core. I mean, I can't think of a single religious doctrine that mentions life on other planets. For some, the existence of life elsewhere may cause them to abandon everything they believed in. And that can make them very dangerous people.

But even with this danger, science must move forward. It is in our nature to explore the unknown. How I wish my math skills and stomach had been much better! I can't imagine how amazing it would be to fly the space shuttle (hell, to just ride on it!!!), to watch as the blue of our atmosphere slowly gives way to the inky blackness of space, to watch as Earth falls further away from the ship, to come upon the moon and other planets, and see Earth from far away.

Perhaps this is why I like to write in the scifi/genre so much. I get to travel to these places in my mind, to create worlds so unlike Earth, and yet harboring life forms that have some very human characteristics ;) Since I can't travel in space to see other worlds, I will simply make them up and populate them with anything I wish, and hope to give readers that same taste I felt when I first saw movies about other worlds :)

The Treadmill of Life

Went on a little excursion this evening to pick up a treadmill. I am so thrilled to have a treadmill back in my life :)

We got rid of the old one because it was falling apart and because the hubby wanted to get an elliptical machine. I was willing to go along. I figured, how different could they be, honestly? Both are ways of getting a work-out. So switch elliptical for treadmill was no big.

Oh how wrong was I!

When I had the treadmill, I ran every single day. I did occasionally run outside but because of my tiny bladder syndrome, I couldn't do it as often as I would have liked. It's kinda hard to run when you have to stop and pee midway and there isn't a bathroom! ;) I have actually had heat exhaustion twice from trying to run being dehydrated. ***sigh*** So the treadmill was the thing I did most. And I enjoyed the hell out of it. When I wasn't watching a TV show, I was rockin' it to the ol' ipod.

The elliptical was lucky to see action a few times a week. And my  husband maybe used the thing once, if even that much. For some reason, I just didn't enjoy it as much as jogging on the treadmill. Now, the treadmill wasn't the only thing I did. I have a Wii Fit and the Zumba DVDs. And while fun and entertaining, the cardio isn't nearly what I was getting when running for an hour every day.

As a result of the loss of my treadmill, I gained a little weight. And it's been bugging the CRAP out of me! And that's knowing I do the Zumba and the Wii Fit. The jogging is just the right thing for me, I guess. I wrestled with the idea of getting another treadmill but with money being so tight I wasn't sure hubby would go for it. But the gaining weight bothered me so I brought it up.

And he was totally fine with it. In fact, he said he'd been wanting to quit the gym membership to save a little money. By getting the treadmill, we both can use it and it will  pay for itself in no time! :D

Another thing I missed about my treadmill was the "writing" I would do in my head while listening to music or watching TV. Sometimes, an entire chapter would work itself out in my head. I always liked taking advantage of mindless tasks to write. I would be so excited to get off the treadmill to get to writing on The Chosen.

So while losing weight is a damn good reason to get to jogging again, I am also looking forward to working through chapters and scenes in my upcoming novels :)

That Character is Such a CHARACTER!

One of the funnest and most challenging thing for me as a writer is bringing my characters to life. It's a lot harder than it sounds, seriously. I thought the hardest part of writing would be keeping the plot going, or making sure there was a good balance of action and explanation, that I kept the story flowing all the way to the end.

But, noooooooooooooooo. Giving all my characters life was the most challenging.

But I had a little help, and I wish I could remember where I found this little tidbit of advice. I have tried doing Google searches but can't find the document I found years ago. So I will just tell you what the website said :)

The exercise called for writing down10 things that you think are fantastic about yourself, and 10 embarrassing things about yourself. ***gulp*** Talk about hideous and painful! You have to accurately describe yourself and describe wonderful moments and painful moments. The last was a list of things that you are passionate about.

Now, the point isn't to make a character that has all of those qualities, but rather to realize that people are not one dimensional. Heroes are not full of good qualities and bad guys full of bad ones. People are a mixture of both good AND bad, and THIS is what is going to give your characters depth and realism so that the reader can relate to them.

The point is to also not use the exact qualities you possess and give these same traits to your characters. But you can use similar flaws and faults, or positive qualities and use the same emotions that are associated. For example, one of my nervous tics is to pick at the dry skin around my fingernails. It got worse when I quit smoking but I have always done that. I do it a LOT when I am nervous or when I am thinking hard about something. One of my characters, Keera Flint, has a similar tic: she is constantly chewing a piece of her gorgeous red hair when she is nervous. So while I didn't have her pick at her fingers, the things that lead to these behaviors is the same.

But there is a little piece of me in all of my characters, which also makes it hard when bad things happen to them ;) I also use personality traits from other people I know, although some of the time, I exaggerate a little.

For you writers: do you tend to infuse your own personality onto your characters or do you tend to give them traits of other people you know?

And for readers: do you feel a connection to the author when you really connect to a character, and make you feel as though you know them better?