Sorry!

If you've lately lost or have not received my blog post via RSS feed, I think the problem has been fixed. If you are feed reader and after this post are still not receiving posts, please unsubscribe and resubscribe to receive again. I think that will fix it.

I apologize for the lag. It took me a while to figure out why it had stopped sending out posts.

~Diana

Thursday Book Review

 

Night Ecstasy - bestselling author Rebecca York is set in New Orleans - the perfect venue for Londoner Jules DeMario. It's a city pulsing with every sort of forbidden pleasure - anything a three-hundred year-old vampire desires. Yet each encounter is a pale imitation of the grand passion he craves. And then he meets artist Taylor Lawson. Taylor has come to the French Quarter looking for an escort to show her the seamy side of New Orleans, something to open her to new ideas. But it's the aura of danger surrounding Jules that intrigues her. In Rosemary Laurey's Velvet Night, police officer Vickie Anderson has come deep into the mountains of Virginia looking for a little peace and solitude. What she gets instead is sexy Pete Falcon. For Pete, Vickie stirs a hunger that is beyond anything she can possibly understand - one he both desires and fears. Keeping Vickie safe from the threat hiding in the Virginia woods is going to be tough, but protecting her from his own deepening desires may be impossible. Linda Thomas-Sundstrom's Midnight Court introduces Christopher Dante, a creature of the night who is as cynical as he is handsome. He's used to Lord Rothchilde's infamous Midnight Courts-gatherings or debauchery, greed, and lust that are merely traps for guileless mortals. But he has no defences against the unearthly beauty of Rothchilde's future bride. Her enchanting innocence is a temptation he cannot seem to resist - and one that awakens the jealousy of his former lover, Elizabeth Rothchilde.

~~

The more I think about this trio of stories, the less sense the third made to me. I really enjoyed Night Ecstasy and Velvet Night, but Midnight Court made little to no sense to me. Dante's feeling were never thoroughly explained, and the emotion between the two characters never once remotely neared "love" for the sake of it being a romance. They played a game through the story, which unfortunately made Dante look like a fool.

Pete in Velvet Night was cute in a very dark, playful tone. I mean, who can begrudge a good looking vamp-guy on a hotrod? Although I wish there had been a little room to witness his part in the capture of the meth lab, rather than watching Vickie sitting on the porch waiting for him.

Jules in Night Ecstasy was sensitive and I think my favorite of the male characters. Their tale took them through a tangle of New Orleans that I'd never envisioned, and it could be fact or fiction, which made the story that much more engrossing.

New Review for Trusting Delilah!!

Trusting Delilah -- 4.5 books!!!!

...more going on than meets the eye, a story that makes the reader think and get involved with the characters. This is one such book. Ms. Castilleja writes with such poignant detail, that you can't help but read on. Her descriptions are rich and her characters very relatable.

  Very classy.

Full review here!  http://tinyurl.com/d56rsc


Buy it now!

Read the first chapter here!

This Week: In Diana's Head

I don't know if it's the rain, or what, but I feel like a slug. Or a slug that's been run over a few times too many. I want to sleep for a week, or three.

I have a very full summer staring back at me. This could be what's bearing down on me, or it could just be the three days of rain we've had. A small glimpse:

 

May 2, 2009      June 20, 2009    June 25, 2009

Kyle Market Days         Hastings                         Books Beyond the Boundaries

Kyle, Tx                           917 E. Hwy 80                Radio Talk Show

9-2p                                  San Marcos                    books beyond the boundaries

                                          4-6P                                  10A CST

 

July 4, 2009      July 18, 2009

Kyle Market Days        The Book Basket

Kyle, Tx                          75 Loop 150 West

9-2p                                 Bastrop, Tx

                                         11-1p

And that's just through July! I know! What was I thinking? *thunk* But that's good, too. I'll be able to get my books out in the hands of readers. I'm expecting a review for Trusting Delilah to come through soon, so that's something to look forward to. Hopefully the story didn't get munched. LOL

Why is it, dogs just love these little stuffed toys? I mean, Rascal goes to town on them. He can destroy one in a matter of days or faster depending on the design. Rawhides, in a week. I guess they don't understand the meaning of "make it last". Okay, coming back from left field now...

I wish I had more to jabber about today, but I just don't have the energy for it. Would someone please bring back spring? I hate this heaviness in the air from the pressure of the fronts bringing rain. We need it, which makes it hard to not really complain too loudly, but I don't like the thickness of the air.

Something else that caught my eye this week: The Amazon purchase of Lexcycle, the creators of Stanza. I don't know what's going to happen with that, but I don't like it. I'm not pro Amazon to begin with, so pretty much anything they do, makes me suspicious.

Okay, now I'm rambling. Hopefully your week will go much better.

Author Signing Next Saturday!

New signings!

I have a new signing!!

I'll be in Bastrop, TX on July 18, 11a-1p. Join me and Linda Mooney for a couple hours of book adoration. LOL

Details on my website! Check the author page. The appearance schedule is beneath the Bio and Contest stuff.

I have a ton more for the local Kyle area, and I'm working outward. If you would like me to come to your town, email me from my website contact form.

Saturday Book News

Druid Quest

Cornelia Amiri

Awe Struck E-Books

http://www.amazon.com/Druid-Quest-Cornelia-Amiri/dp/1587497026/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231646297&sr=1-1

http://www.myspace.com/CelticRomanceQueen.com

 

Blurb:

In first century AD Britannia, the Romans move to crush Queen Boudica's revolt. The future of the mist covered isle and its brave people rest in the hands of two druids whose views are as different as fire and ice.

Arch Druid Rhys, a master of the sacred mysteries, is but a novice in the ways of the heart. Sulwen, a sacred druidess, discovers Rhys, the shape shifter, has evoked a feral desire in her. Though their love is as potent as their magic, is it strong enough to survive their desperate quest.

Excerpt:

Sulwen's essence rose from her like gray smoke from a snuffed candle. She gazed down on her still body, her white skin, and her long, blondish hair. She felt like a heavy cloud as she pushed against the wind and floated into the body of the bird.

She felt small. Compressed. She gazed out of tiny yet sharp eyes. She opened her mouth, expecting a shrill scream, but her beak emitted the caw of a gull. Her teeth were gone. Frightened by it all, she felt as if she had leapt off the cliff and was falling helpless, to her doom.

Hot, almost fevered, her heart hammered alarmingly. She breathed faster than any human. She felt hurried. She needed to hasten, to move swiftly. Sulwen needed to fly. She began to move up and down.

Faster than any human can move their arms, she flapped her wings hard and dove off the cliff. Fighting the urge to shut her new, keen eyes, she worked her wings with all her might until she caught a wave of wind and ceased the frantic flapping.

As she stretched out her wings, her entire body eased. That feels so good. Like lying down on the most comfortable bed, all the tautness and tension in her body rolled off. She rode the wind, arching her wings slightly. Her tiny, light body had the strength and power to defy the pull of the earth and break free.

Sulwen coasted, effortless, across the sky with the speed of an iron pellet fired from a slingshot. She whizzed through the air, breathless. A chariot at top speed seemed slow, compared to the swiftness of flight. She tilted her head up and rode higher. With an empowering freedom, her body ran with little guidance from her brain as she soared beyond the clouds.

As her sharp gull eyes gazed upon the rocky sides of Ynys Mon jutting out of the tranquil blue water, she quivered with joy. She soared above strips of sandy beach, patches of huge white rocks blanketed in emerald green and the blueberry-toned mountain range. Making a large, playful loop in the air, she circled the ancient rocks of Holy Head where she first fell in love with Rhys.

She glided above mountains topped with groves of trees crested with lush green leaves, and slopes covered with dense woodland. Sulwen flew free over splashes of bright blue, she knew as lakes and streams, as well as strips of ebony rocks dotted with green, which stretched into the sea.

Lifting one wing higher than the other, Sulwen turned back to fly over Ynys Mon once more. As she flapped her wings slower and slower, the earth began to pull her closer. She flew past a grey seal basking in the sun on a rock jutting out of the white-foamed water. She soared over a forest as she headed towards Eryri. Sulwen came to a clearing with a small ring of green sparkly standing stones.

With a twist of her wings, she slowed her landing, then spread and lowered her tail feathers to brake to a stop. With feet outstretched,  she landed on top of one of two tallest stones in the center of the ancient ring. Like its mate, the long stone stood twenty hands high.
Glancing to the north, she looked upon Holy Head but to the south across the sea she gazed at the peak of Eryri where Rhys stood, waiting for her sprit to return to her body. Perched on the tall slab-like stone of green schist, she gazed at its mate. At the last Beltaine festival on the Ynys Mon, in the center between the two long stones, Madog stood, beating a bodhran drum as he led her and the other druids in a chant.
She looked to the smaller stones circling the larger two. She had stood there, between her best friends, Goewin and Brisen, holding their hands and dancing around the sacred ring. When the Beltaine sun set behind the stones, the shadows of this and the other center stone stretched across the ground, looking like an ancient giant, like a god.

Reviews:

"Cornelia Amin writes scenes that come alive when battles rage and the people celebrate. Moreover, the love scenes with Sulwen and Rhys sizzle and make the heart rate kick into high gear. The Druid Quest QUEST offers shape shifting, a hint of dragons, magic, and the indomitable spirit of the druids to survive and help humanity. This is a story I'm glad I had the opportunity to read. It is a story of faith, hope, and love." Reviewed by Camellia of The Long and the Short of It Reviews.

"If you enjoy reading about the Celts, don't miss this story…DRUID QUEST is a fantastic look into the life of the Ancient Celts. Cornelia Amiri has definitely done her research before she ever put fingers to keyboard on this one, and it shows." Reviewed by Chere Gruber of Paranormal/Romance

"So as far as fantasy books with a Celtic twist go I recommend reading Druid Quest as you will find yourself falling in love with Cornelia Amiri and her books." Reviewed by Cheryl at Cheryl's Booknook book blog

"Ms. Amiri gives us a very strong woman in Sulwen, who is able to put aside the horrors of her recent past to complete her quest and perform some "sex magic" with Rhys along the way! If you are a fan of the medieval and love a great romance then you will definitely want to take Druid's Quest home with you." Reviewed by Lynda of Simply Romance Reviews

Thursday Book Review

From the nationally bestelling Teresa Medeiros, author of "Fairest of Them All," comes this bewitching time-travel romance that shimmers with love and laughter. An enchantress from seventeeth-century Massashusetts collides with a future beyond her imagining...and with a handsome cynic who's about to learn a lesson in the power of love.

AN EXQUISITE ENCHANTRESS LOST IN TIME
Arian Whitewood hadn't quite gotten the hanG of the powerful amulet she'd inherited from her mother, but she never expected it to whisk her more than three hundred years into the future. Flying unsteadily on her broomstick, she suddenly finds herself among towers of glass and metal, then tumbling from the sky to land at the feet of a man with frost-gray eyes and a seemingly flint-hard heart.

A SKEPTICAL TYCOON OUT OF HIS ELEMENT
Reclusive billionaire Tristan Lennox didn't believe in magic, but he had his own reasons for offering one million dollars to anyone who could prove it existed. Now he finds himself beseiged by fakes, frauds, and an old nemesis ready to leap on this opportunity to destroy him. But the smoky-voiced beauty who appeared to fall from the clouds into his climate-controlled existence is something else entirely---a woman able to enchant his lonely heart with wonder, but who can't possibly be what she seems...
BREATH OF MAGIC

~~~

 

A very suck-you-in kind of story. I'll admit when I first started it, I did not like Tristan. So hard, so removed from anything he was a block of ice. Hell, he locked his best friend in his sensor-locked closet! Supposedly on accident but...

When Arian literally fell from the sky, he was convinced it was all a ploy, a hoax. A way to dupe him in his search for magic. Real true magic. The depth of the plot was very well wound through the story. Deception, yes, but not from the one person Tristan accused throughout the entire story. His lack of faith to the very end was a little tiresome, especially because he kept going after her, which is the vehicle of the book's pacing. The final "rescue" however, was turning enough when he finally accepted his feelings. And it was a fun rescue, so I forgive him for being a jerk. Yes, he was one of those "jerks through the whole story" kind of hero.

Arian was cute. I'll give anyone that. Her fiesty ability to assimilate to any situation thrown at her, and there were some doozies, proved that women can be strong no matter what era they are from.

If you enjoy magic, witches, the occasionally hard-boiled hero, and mischief, with a little time travel for adventure, then definitely look this book up.

Saturday Book news

 

Teri Wilson (www.teriwilson.net)

The Wild Rose Press
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1043
http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/eBook76584.htm

Blurb:
As a child, Simone Littleton adores the European folktale that animals are given the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve. She makes a wish to talk to animals "forever and ever" and, when her pet Dalmatian asks her for a biscuit, she discovers her wish has been granted. Now Simone is all grown up and she uses her unique gift to rehabilitate unwanted horses. When racehorse trainer Chet Wallace rolls into San Antonio, with chocolate eyes and dimples blazing beneath his black Stetson, romantic sparks fly. He is immediately drawn to the beautiful woman who has a mesmerizing affect on both his horses and his dog, but his less than enthusiastic response to Simone's claims threatens their budding romance. It takes a scheming Jack Russell terrier and a dose of Christmas magic to convince Chet she just may be telling the truth.

Excerpt:
“So this is why all your animals are named after artists.” Her gentle voice washed over him, soothing his nerves.
He turned and there she was, hair full of hay like always. She looked particularly welcoming today, though, wearing a soft pink sweater that hugged her curves. Her hair was on top of her head in a ponytail rather than her usual braid. He had to press down the urge to loosen the fastener and let it tumble over her shoulders in thick, blonde waves.
He gulped. Hard. Just looking at her was almost enough to take his breath away. “Happy Thanksgiving, Simone.”
She came closer, ponytail swinging, and stood next to him. Close enough so he felt almost intoxicated by the orchid fragrance. “Happy Thanksgiving. I can’t believe you painted this. It’s breathtaking. When I close my eyes and picture Buttercup in my mind, she looks exactly like this.”
It was a nice compliment. The special gleam in Chet’s eye came not from her kind words, but from the fact Simone stood close to him and looked at him in the way Ted had observed in the kitchen the night before. Yes, there was something between them all right. He felt it in every nerve ending in his body. “Thanks. It’s just a hobby really.”
“You are quite the Renaissance Man, Chet.” She punched him playfully in the shoulder. “You’re just one surprise after another. What am I going to find out about you next?”
“Well, if I told you it wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it?” His gazed locked with hers and he winked.
Reviews:
Do You Hear What I Hear named Fallen Angels Review Recommended Read with a 5/5 Angels rating!
"I was so enchanted with this charming tale that I read it straight through in one sitting. I loved the special affinity for animals, and Simone’s conversations with some of the animals were cute and funny. But the way some of the other people in the story treated Simone almost broke my heart; it seemed so unfair. Human nature often fears and ridicules what they don’t understand so it was very believable. This story is my first taste of the work of Teri Wilson but it will not be my last. Ms. Wilson imparts a style and spirit into her work that I love, and I want to read all her works. If you love magic, romance, and animals, Do You Hear What I Hear? is a must read Christmas story. I highly recommend this enchanting, magical tale! And as a special bonus this book promises to be just the first of a series of books by Ms. Wilson called Hoofbeats and Heartstrings. I can’t wait for the next installment!"
Reviewed by: Stephanie B., Fallen Angels Reviews
Do You Hear What I Hear named Recommended Read by CK2S Kwips & Kritiques with a 5/5 rating!
"I was totally charmed by this book from the first page. Teri Wilson creates a wonderful slate of characters, human, canine and equine, that grab your heart and won’t let go. Do You Hear What I Hear? was well developed and the perfect reading choice for the holiday season when we all need a break from the hustle and bustle and long to curl up in a soft corner with a steaming cup of cocoa and a heartwarming read. I loved the unique career that Simone had developed for herself and enjoyed all the scenes about the horse rescue ranch. While part of a series, this book stands alone.
Animal Rescue organizations have a special place in my heart, so discovering that Do You Hear What I Hear? was benefiting horse rescue was particularly gratifying. As described on the author’s website: Hoofbeats & Heartstrings is a series of romance novels celebrating love, miracles and the beauty of horses. A portion of the proceeds from all the Hoofbeats & Heartstrings novels will go directly to help horses in need at Saddlebred Rescue. For more information about this wonderful organization, you can visit their website at http://www.saddlebredrescue.com/ Do yourself, and the rescue horses benefiting from the sales of this book, a favor and pick up your copy today. You are sure to be enchanted. The second book in the series is due out in March."
Reviewed by Crystal, CK2S Kwips & Kritiques
Do You Hear What I Hear named Night Owl Romance Reviewer's Top Pick!
"Ms. Wilson has penned a wonderful story. I loved how the author came up with the creative storyline of Simone being able to communicate with animals and I was truly heartbroken with how she was treated by most people because of her special gift. I fell in love with Simone not only because of her talent with animals, but also how she was the perfect compliment for Chet. I absolutely adored the choice of names chosen for all the animals, especially the horses. I enjoyed this story so much I just couldn’t put it down. Ms. Wilson wrote every detail with a purpose and in the end, she told a beautiful story of love between humans and animals. I highly recommend this story and eagerly look forward to reading more from this author."
Diana Coyle, Night Owl Romance Book Reviews

Need inspiration?

Have a dream you want to reach for? Think you'll never get that chance?

This is the perfect reason to believe. I favorited it for the sheer inspirational value.

Susan Boyle's performance. I know she's been all over the media, but she has the kind of voice that makes me think of the all the classic singers that I was just old enough to enjoy on TV when my Dad watched the old musicals.

Cheers, Susan. I hope your dream comes true.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Thursday Book Review

Writing with her trademark wit and humour, Elaine Fox brings us another wonderfully charming contemporary romance about a beauty who finally finds love that is more than just skin deep.

Life can be difficult when you're stunningly beautiful. For Roxanne Rayeaux, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, beauty had its costs. Not only did she have to worry constantly about how she looked, but she was considered stupid by strangers. She became romantically involved with a man who turned out to be married. So Roxanne pitched the world of diets and philanderers and moved her orange cat, Cheeto (the closest she could come to that forbidden food) to Virginia to open a restaurant. She went looking for some peace and tranquillity and instead inherited the restaurant's contentious, but sexy bartender, Steve Serrano.

An average joe most of his life, Steve cannot deny Roxanne's obvious physical charms but thinks she is stuck up and pretentious –– not his type. Roxanne, suspicious of Steve's motives after a rash of break–ins occurs at the restaurant and a string of bad publicity appears in the local gossip column, cannot let her guard down around him. Besides he's not her type.

If only they weren't so darned attracted to each other...

~~

 

An easy to read contemporary story about Roxanne wanting to move on from her past as a model and not be that "person" anymore, to prove she can do something more than live on her looks. Of course, there's the "almost" bet between her restaurant bartender, Steve, and his best friend, and you can see the train wreck coming from the gate on that. And that is just the beginning of some pretty strong moments that show Miss Roxanne to have a real temper. There are a lot of (incorrect, by both parties) assumptions that move this story through its paces, and while I can see them being totally realistic, I did want to slap them both a couple times because they were both so assuming the worst of the other. One of the nice surprise elements was Steve had his emotions realized first, and she was left to catch up. It just felt...refreshing.

Overall, a strong story, and I really enjoyed Rita. Did she keep her flambouyant red hair throughout? I wonder how dear Nigel handled that. The historical background of the missing copy of the Declaration of Independence was a wonderful tale of make-believe. And Cheeto was just an ingenuis name for the cat.

New Releases! They're Here!!

If you liked Trusting Delilah, then let me introduce you to Roman's sister, Selene. A doctor that has skills many could envy, and a secret that a few could kill for.

A Trust Earned

By: Diana Castilleja | Other books by Diana Castilleja
Published By: Tease Publishing LLC
ISBN # 978-1-60767-046-9

Word Count: 48,000
Heat Index

Categories: Vampires/Werewolves Shape-shifter Suspense/Mystery

Available in: Adobe Acrobat

Price: $3.99

Selene Aiza is a very compassionate woman by nature, and fiercely protective of those she cares for. A renowned doctor with gentle patient skills, she prefers the wild country of western Oregon and the secluded hospital where she can help the people who truly need her assistance. And in the depths of those wooded wilds she can keep her secrets well hidden.
She is safe until the man she encounters by pure chance becomes the hospital's first choice as co-administrator. Her secrets and her very life fall into jeopardy, and only he can save her. He could also destroy her.

Buy it now!
Read the first chapter here!
EXCERPT:
It was at that moment he knew she wasn’t ill, with her chest rising and falling with ragged gasps.
Her breath was a hot brand against the hand holding her chin. “Bram,” she whispered, a plea of
confusion.
“Selene,” he said, lingering as he stood before her. His head tilted to hers before he realized he
couldn’t stop himself. She gasped as he made contact, a seductive heat that filled him, made him
hungry in a way he had never imagined when his mouth covered hers.
He stepped back in a rush, dropping his hands as if he’d burned himself. Maybe he had. “Oh, God!
I’m sorry,” he gasped. He shook from the power of the kiss, of her lips as they melted against him.
Her eyes flashed at him and she snaked a hand to wrap around his head. “I’m not,” she whispered,
pulling him back down.
She controlled the kiss, the heat, the hunger. It was all Selene as his hands settled at her waist,
holding himself steady. His heart beat with a trip-hammer intensity against his rib cage as she urged
him on. She moaned softly when he pressed himself against her body, the shape of her form filling
him the way her kiss was filling his senses.
She shuddered in his hold when he flicked out his tongue, touching the edge of her soft mouth.
Her reaction shot through him like a liquid fire. He became consumed by her kiss, her touch. He
became lost in her as he took the kiss over from her, feeding off of her. She moaned again, deeper, a
vibration that heated his blood to boiling.
He forced himself to stop, to lift his head. Or he would make love to her.


Buy it now!

Amazon's Answer

Thank you for contacting Amazon.com.

This is an embarrassing and ham-fisted cataloging error for a company that prides itself on offering complete selection.

It has been misreported that the issue was limited to Gay & Lesbian themed titles - in fact, it impacted 57,310 books in a number of broad categories such as Health, Mind & Body, Reproductive & Sexual Medicine, and Erotica. This problem impacted books not just in the United States but globally. It affected not just sales rank but also had the effect of removing the books from Amazon's main product search.

Many books have now been fixed and we're in the process of fixing the remainder as quickly as possible, and we intend to implement new measures to make this kind of accident less likely to occur in the future.

 

SERIOUSLY??? This is the BEST your high dollar PR firms can come up with? A cataloging error? That began well over a month ago according to reports by Mark Probst and others?

Look, I realize you're AMAZON. You're the Cyber Bill Gates. I GET it. Do NOT treat me like the untrained monkey in your test kitchens. Puh---leaze! There is no apology in this for the multitude of people you adversely affected, no explanation of your planned "adult" policy. Don't even try to tell me there wasn't some part of this that wasn't planned. To whoever, in whatever God capacity they reign, wherever they reside, this is a huge #AmazonFail. Your "error" is not an apology nor an explanation.

Keep trying Amazon. Maybe eventually you'll understand that people, like gee, I don't know--us with the money--can shop elsewhere. I don't need you. Never have.

You've assured I never will.

More on Amazon

 

And hopefully it will catch their attention. The SB's have begun a GoogleBomb campaign. Essentially the more links posted, the higher a search term appears when Googled.

The Term: Amazon Rank

From SBTB:

Amazon Rank

amazon rank
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): amazon ranked

1. To censor and exclude on the basis of adult content in literature (except for Playboy, Penthouse, dogfighting and graphic novels depicting incest orgies).

With more on their site here. A new definition has been made to exemplify Amazon's stupidity.

 

If you're not aware of what is happening (I wasn't until this morning), Amazon has decided to remove certain sectors of books from their search engines. Oh, if you dig you'll probably find it, or know each and every book title and author. But 1st and 2nd level searches? Nope, not there. BUT...BUT... You still might  stumble across the title in KINDLE! But not the paperback, or the hardback if there is one. They've effectively taken the books "off the shelf" and the only way you would be able to find one is to ask for it at the counter, if the counter person knew they had them. Many are finding the only way to find their own books is to do a hopscotch search through other books to locate them because they are not showing up even with their own name entered. And forget publisher searches. Entire publisher lists have been removed from the Amazon search engine.

If you want more information on this henieous attempt at deliberate segregation and censorship in cyberspace, visit the following links. I assure you they are very informative.

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/04/12/amazon-rank/

http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2009/04/12/amazon-censors-its-rankings-search-results-to-protect-us-against-glbt-books/

http://karenknowsbest.com/2009/04/12/amazon-god-complex-theyve-stripped-all-gayerotic-fiction-of-sales-rankings/

 

There is also a petition. I signed it as well as sent in a complaint.

 

Why is there a cry over this particular sector's segregation? Because Amazon has with their actions spurned even Young Adult and autobiographies that have nothing to do with gay or lesbian overtures but have left the "horrifyingly violent sport of dog fighting [to] remain ranked and appear on a first page search under “dog fighting”: http://bit.ly/18l70B." And let's not forget every father's favorite Father's day gift: “Playboy: Wet and Wild Complete Collection,” followed by “Playboy: The Complete Centerfolds,” which can also be found on the front page with no difficulty.- Credit Robin. I sure as HELL would not want my child reading either one. Funny. The last time I checked I do have that kind of parenting skill to know what I would want my child to read.

Thank you Amazon for insulting not only my mental capacity, but my parenting.

The Irony?

Not too surprisingly you can openly search for sex toys, sex games, and sexual aids. But not these books.

SRN Easter Chat Cancelled

Dut to Yahoo! picking to do maintenance on Monday, the SRN chat for tomorrow, Monday the 13th has been cancelled. Look for updates for a Mother's day chat in May.

Sorry for any inconvenience to my readers for this short notice of cancellation.

Thank you,
Diana

Saturday Book News

 

The Sacred Order of St. Vlad Wants You!

As the rise in Vampire activity grows, The Vlad Academy is accepting applications for our Fall Term. Now, you too can be the Slayer you’ve always wanted to be. Attend our accredited classes that can set you on the fast track to be staking Vampires at will. Thanks to Federally sanctioned grants and loans, the curriculum offered by St. Vlad’s is at an all time low cost. With the creatures of the night banging on the door, why would you wait for them to knock on your door? Take up the challenge of being the next ‘name edited out due to copyright infringement’ and slay them before they put the bite on you.

Anyone can be a Slayer. That includes you sitting there in your beanbag surfing the net looking for pics of Colin Ferrell. Yeah I mean you. Just read the following testimonial if you don’t believe us.

Love At First Stake

Availabale now from:

J. Morgan

And

Desert Breeze Publishing

Excerpt

“Madam, are you aware you just shoved a sizable stake through my heart!”

I found this to be a most peculiar question since I had — in fact — just slammed that sucker home. Perhaps I’d located the only halfwit Vampire in town to go up against for my first time as an officially sanctioned Slayer of the Holy Order of St. Vlad. It would certainly explain how easily I’d taken the dirty bloodsucker down. Not to say I’m not a fantastic Slayer, but this being my first night on the job I doubted it resulted from anything but dumb luck with a smattering of innate skill. Then again the stupid Vampire theory could prove to blow that out of the water but I didn’t want to focus on that aspect. It was time to focus on the important issue.

I’d just taken down a flipping Vampire not three hours out of the gate!

The euphoria from that alone would quell the little voices pointing out all my inadequacies.

Oops, I had better get back to the Vampire. He was getting a little squirmy. Sitting back on his rock hard stomach, I gave the stake another tap in hopes that the vamp would get the idea he should be dead by now. Or, at the least, stop mumbling obscenities about me under his breath.

Note to self: Try not to think about the rock hard abs or the pokey thing tapping at my back door that was not a stake but just as hard. Both were distracting me, and quite frankly, Slayers shouldn’t be thinking about jumping a Vampire’s bones, especially when they’re in the process of killing them.

“Ouch! That friggin’ hurt!” He slapped at my hands as I added a twist and spin to my tap-tap-tap.

Maybe next time I should bring a rubber mallet or something. The threat of carpal-tunnel haunted the careers of many a promising Slayer, and unfortunately wasn’t covered under our current health plan. If we had a union, this wouldn’t be an issue, but serving a higher good came with certain drawbacks. An inadequate health plan being one of them.

“I should hope so,” I growled through clenched teeth as I tried not to lose my seat. “I’d hate to think I staked you only to have you enjoy the experience.” But with creatures of the night, you really couldn’t be sure. They sucked blood. Who knew what kind of freaky crap they might be into?

Watching him squirm around, I found the lack of him turning to smoke — or a decent pile of ash — disconcerting to say the least. This being my first time actually slaying, I hated to admit it, but I could have missed the heart. You’ll understand if my nerves weren’t all they should be at the moment. Training aside, being this close to a real live vamp had my knees knocking a Tommy-Lee-worthy drum solo. The fact he looked so normal threw me, too. If he had the common decency to look icky, I’d at least know to start screaming my head off. Instead he looked like a cover model. The only thing I was truly afraid of was throwing my legs open and saying “Take me!”, which would kill any chance I had to get First Time Slayer of the Month. Not that I expected to have that honor, but you got a spiffy trophy and a gift card to Starbucks.

Back to work. I gave the wooden missile a good shake, waiting to see if it might pierce an artery, or at the very least, puncture something other than my hopes and dreams. In my defense, the textbooks never actually said what part of the heart you needed to hit. For all I knew, you had to wiggle the thing around until the heart turned all soggy and squishy. Or, maybe using ash had been a big mistake. I’d always thought a good piece of maple did the trick, but the guild only pays for ash. Until I got a few paychecks behind me, I was a slave to The Man. For all I knew a stake took a while to work, like when you take an antacid. Those things take for-friggin’-ever to work. As much as I hated it, I’d just have to stick around until he died.

Bummer, Idol went into the final round tonight.

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Chatting on Monday!

Thursday Book Review

 

To prove her journalistic chops, Libby Monroe ends up in Broken Heart, Oklahoma, chasing down bizarre rumors of strange goings-on and finding vampires, lycanthropes, and zombies. She never expects to fall in lust with one of them, but vampire/single dad Ralph Genessa is too irresistible. Only the town is being torn in two by a war between the undead and Libby may be the only thing that can hold Broken Heart together.

~~

A chuckle-worthy installment to the BH series.

Not many books make me bust out laughing, it's not the way I read, but if it makes me laugh while in the story's hold, then it was funny. I loved Libby's sense of humor and wasn't feeling thrust out of the world because it's been a while since I've read any of the BH books. The cast of characters were cameos from the previous books, among a few new faces. There's always something new popping up, which keeps the reader curious throughout.

Still a delightfully charming and funny series.

This Week: In Diana's Head

The cry of the week: I Survived!!!

It's true! I was a chaparone mom on a field trip for my boy's 1st grade class on Friday. We visited a neat local attraction, Aquarena Springs, a natural springs and aquarium with glass bottom boats and tours. Texas has a few oddities in it, like underground caves and the like. This falls in that categoy. Then after the tours, we all went to a local park for lunch and a couple hours of playing. They played, I came home for about an hour.

Had to check on Rascal. He's now six months, and doing really well. He is housebroken, but I don't trust him for long periods of time, and I was out for about five hours. Two-three hours is about all I'll allow him alone to roam the house, or I put him in my office where his "room" his. He has a small cage that is his "bed". He had his first foray into the wildness that was Market Days too. I took him with us when we went to the Kyle Market Days on Saturday morning. We weren't out long. I'm sure he's been traumatized. LOL

Then... Saturday was Lil J's b-day party that we threw for him and a few friends. We did a package at Chuck E. Cheeses and they had a blast. We hung out for a while. It wasn't bad overall. Mayhem but on a survivable scale. :)

And yes, I survived it all.

Now it's time to get back into the groove and get some writing done. I have a hair over a week until my next release hits ARe (Woooooooooohooooooooooooooo!). Speaking of Market Days above, I'm going to schedule a few stops for the summer to do book signings so if you're in Texas, watch here for updates and locations. I'll also post them on the Appearances section of my website as I get them finalized. I'd love to see you!

Along with writing, I've been invited to submit to a new publisher, and had a second recommended to me. So there might be something new on that front. I'm not rushing into anything, so ... I guess just watch for news. Y'all here will be the first to know.

Thanks for reading! Have a great week.

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Saturday Book News

 

Terry Odell

Five Star Expressions

http://www.terryodell.com/editable_files/WDC.buylinks.html

www.terryodell.com

Blurb:

If someone asks single mother Frankie Castor to clear a room, she'll smile and find a vacuum cleaner.  Ryan Harper uses a gun.  Can they work together when their lives depend on it?

Frankie’s returned to her childhood home in Montana to help care for her mother. Her biggest worries are balancing the budget and the upkeep of an aging home. When she offers a man a ride home from the hospital, she never imagines she’ll end up having to choose between her daughter’s life and matters of national security that could cost the lives of millions.
Ryan returns to his family home to find a way to prove he didn’t leak vital information on a covert ops mission gone south. As he searches for the meaning of a file he’s kept hidden from the mission, he has no idea that international mercenaries have been searching for it—and him. When the mercenaries come after Ryan, he’s torn. Fighting for his country wars with fighting to rescue people he loves.
Set against a Montana mountain backdrop, When Danger Calls is a story filled with action, adventure, and romance, where the stakes keep getting higher and higher.

Excerpt* 

"Do you want me to call the doctor back for you?" Frankie asked.

Still gazing at the floor, he shook his head. "No," he croaked. "I'm fine."

"I'm no doctor, but it's obvious that you're not. Can I get you some water, Jack?"

This time he looked up, and she knew those eyes, bloodshot and full of anguish, recognized her. In the harsh emergency room lighting, she saw they were the color of the whiskey he drank.

"Gladys?"

"Frances, actually. Frankie. Gladys is my bar name. What happened?"

"Car crash. My father."

He shuddered, and beneath the soot stains, his face faded to the color of parchment. Before she could call out, he clutched her forearm. Despite his condition, his grip was strong. She pried his fingers loose, but held on to his hand. It was frigid, and she cradled it, rubbing gently to transfer some of her warmth. He seemed oblivious to her touch.

"Well, then can I call someone for you? Your mother—does she know about the accident?"

With an uneven breath, he sat up straight. "She's dead."

"Oh, my. In the crash? I'm so sorry. I didn't think."

Shaking his head, he said, "No, she died years ago." He stared into space with hollow eyes.

"Let me get someone to help."

"No. No doctor. Need to catch my breath is all."

Still holding his hand, which she noted was warming slightly, she talked to him as if he were one of the stray pets she used to rescue. The words didn't matter, it was all in the tone. "My dad died when I was a kid, too. Somehow, we think they'll live forever, and then something happens and you realize you'll be alone some day. But you still refuse to believe it, don't you? My mom was admitted tonight, but I know she's going to be fine. Same with your father. No way would they both leave us, right?"

Color returned to his face. He gave her a wry grin. "Yeah. Pop's too stubborn to die. Not like this, anyway."

From the counter, the receptionist called Jack's name. He jumped to his feet, letting the blanket fall to the chair. Without giving Frankie a glance, he strode to the desk. Back straight, shoulders squared, probably unaware he wasn't wearing a shirt. Braced for the worst, Frankie thought.

Moments later, a woman in a white coat approached. She smiled, said something, and Jack lifted his head toward the ceiling. For several minutes they spoke in quiet murmurs Frankie couldn't understand. He shook the woman's hand, and she raised an index finger before pivoting and leaving the counter. Jack glanced downward, then leaned against the counter, and Frankie saw the deep breaths he was taking. The woman returned with a green scrub shirt and handed it to Jack. He shrugged into it and shook her hand once again.

When he turned toward Frankie, there was no disguising the relief in his eyes.

She smiled. "I told you he'd be all right."

"The doctor said it didn't look too bad, but they're going to keep him a day or two to make sure. Nothing I can do, and I need to get out of this place." He swayed and grabbed the back of the chair.

Frankie took his elbow. "You're still shaky. I think you should stick around here, where someone can keep an eye on you."

His mouth narrowed. "No, I need to get away. It's complicated, but I don't want anyone to know I'm here." He stared over he shoulder for a moment, as if it took a long time for the words to line up before he spoke. "Can I impose on you for a lift to a motel? I'd like to be nearby." He lifted his arms shoulder height, palms upward, then did a slow pivot. "I'm not armed. And I don't bite. Promise. In a few minutes I'll be out of your hair."

Logic said to give him cab fare. She checked her wallet, and didn't think three dollars would get him anywhere. She remembered his gentle touch on the dance floor. At the moment, he was in no condition to do anything to hurt her, and she'd have him at a motel in a few minutes. Instinct trumped logic. "My car's outside. Can you walk?"

Reviews*"...an action-packed adventure tale with agreeable results." Jay Boyar, Orlando Magazine
“Terry Odell creates adventures that will keep you turning the pages.  A perfect, getaway read from a very talented author.” – USA Today best-selling author Rhonda Pollero

(Link to more:  http://www.terryodell.com/editable_files/reviews.WDC.html )

Thursday Book Review

When Faith Wilding and Mark Halloran discovered as teenagers they could communicate telepathically, little did they know the effect it would have on their lives. They put their romance on hold while Faith built her career as a political thriller novelist and Mark fulfilled his commitment as a member of the elite Delta force. But when his mission is blown and he’s captured by terrorists, Faith is his only contact with the outside world and his only hope for rescue. But will she be able to decipher his clues, find the help she needs and rescue him in time?

~~

A military thriller with all kinds of twists, with its own rules. The romance was decidedly lighter than I would have liked but overall the story had remarkable facets of suspense and intrigue to keep me reading. The paranormal aspect-telepathy-was definitely a well-written one and was very different from most of what I read, being the only form of communication between Faith and Mark.

New contest!

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Trusting Delilah is currently part of the One Hot Shower April Contest! There's tons of goodies and books. Check here: http://www.blazeofbeauty.com/contest.html for the details.