A very respectable review

Just got the buzz for this one tonight, from Romance Junkies. A new review for Trusting Delilah.

This is an action-packed story. The two main characters play well off each other both physically and emotionally. Their secrets are so great that when they reveal themselves to each other it really means something. There aren't many secondary characters in the story, but that's okay. Roman and Del are bigger than life and enough for any reader to handle.

3.5 Ribbons.

Read the full review here.

Is Amazon allowing cyberstalking?

There's a valid complaint against Deborah MacGillivray regarding reviews posted by Reba Belle being pulled. In previous posts at Dear Author.com regarding Reba Belle and other reviewers, it's stated that this author (I hate being in the same category as this person) has stated clearly she has intentionally garnered Reba's personal information, as much as her address, her phone number, her grandmother's last name etc., etc, with the intent to stop her.

She succeded. Deborah Ann permanently had Reba blacklisted for giving out a fair, concise, well written 3 star review.

Reba Belle has been bullied and threatened, stalked and verbally abused. Why? Because she dared to give that 3 star review.

The petition is still live and will be sent to Amazon through Dear Author. If you are against cyberstalking, review manipulation and for Free Speech, then read and sign.



http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/amazon_change/signatures.html

Review : Don't Fence Me In

Lizzie's father had died on the beach of Normandy, her mother she was sure, had died from a broken heart from the loss of her husband, and her brother died in the Korean war. She refused to fall for a man in the service. Until she met her brother's best friend Jeremy, the man who carried that final last letter home to her.

Jeremy is a quiet man, and feels a deep guilt because of Sebastian's death. A death that was only a matter of chance on that day, but to Jeremy, it was his fault.

Through letters back and forth, she'd learned about Jeremy through her brother's eyes, and upon meeting, felt a deeper affection for him because they both had memories of her brother.

This is a very poignant, yet unfortunately short story. I had tears in my eyes nearly from the first page at the amount of emotion and perserverance that showed not only through Lizzie's character, but even through the nearly silent Jeremy. Since her own vow was not to become attached to or involved with a man in the service, her only hope was to keep him company through her letters, silently praying his name never showed up on the casualty lists.

I'm not familiar with the 1950's as an era, but I could easily see the time through Ms. Arkins' words. I just wish it had been longer, giving more time for the character relationship to have more grounding, although the letters and their importance of the era for communication were a nice touch.

A sound 4.0/5

Review : Runner's Moon - Simolif

Sarah Drumman loves the stars. She loves the wonder of the unknown, of the possibility of what could be out there. The possibility that more than us exists is one of her driving passions. In fact, she's convinced alien life forms have landed on our planet and are somehow integrated with human life.

Over roughly seven years, she's tracked several anomalies that could be spaceships, which have landed and then left Earth. She's so sure of her research, that she's betting her tenure at her college, her position, and her future on it.

A near rape is the beginning of a fast paced and page turning read. When Simon interrupts the man's attack on Sarah, she's shaken and set off balance in more than one way. He wasn't just being a good Samaritan for her. She is his one and only life mate, and now that he's found her against all odds on a planet as far from his own as is possible, he'll do anything to prove his heart is hers.

Until she explains her theory of otherworld visitors. Fear of exposure is the only thing stronger than the fear of their past jailers finding the escaped Ruinos people scattered across Earth. One thing has to happen to make Simon and Sarah's bond complete and unbreakable. She must accept his Ruinos form. She doesn't realize how close she is to the truth her research has led her to until her own life is in danger and she must face Simon in his Ruinos shape.

Simon's story of Runner's Moon is a definite winner for me. The action was fast paced, the emotions came across in well written depth and as a reader, it was hard not to crush on Simon Morr. The only thing that caught at me was the sound of the characters' tones as they spoke. In the book, it says Simon learned to cook and to read mostly from cookbooks, since he obviously wasn't American or English speaking. It's a good thing that is mentioned because it explains several points where the tone is almost too exact, too educated. I will admit I haven't read the other books yet, so I can't tell you how Jeb is suppose to sound, but at least two dialogue scenes came across where to this readers inner ear, they sounded very similar, so I can't say if Jeb learned in the same manner or not.

Overall though, I have to give this book a screaming 4.5. rating. It was hard to put it down, easy to understand the Ruinos story background and even though it was the third book, I didn't feel at all out of sequence because I started in the wrong place. I'd been looking forward to reading this installment of the Ruinos stories, and I wasn't at all disappointed.


4.5 / 5

Review : Runner's Moon - Jeberal

One survivor of thirty one. A race unlike anything on earth, yet able to shapeshift to look human with the rise and fall of the moon and sun for protect themselves from detection.

They are Ruinos.

A race that has been enslaved and almost brought to extinction by the Arra. All the survivors of the escape pod prayed for was a chance to live in freedom. After the atrocities suffered for years at the hands of their jailers, freedom held an appeal that they gladly embraced. Except none expected to find a blood mate, the Ruinos' soul mate, among humans.

Jeberal has lived in secrecy, moving to hinder any hunt the Arra may have initiated to find their missing cargo. The last days at his current construction job means it's time for him to move on again. Telling the waitress he's seen every morning for five months leaves him feeling a deep hollowness. Her sadness is something he isn't expecting. He knows she is in trouble, but not used to human customs, doesn't know how to help, until he has no choice but to take her away from her current situation to save her life.

The story that comes is a full throttle exploration of the Ruinos life and history, their fears and triumphs. How can two different species find compatability, much less love? I have to give Ms. Mooney kudos for bringing to life such an enigmatic people, similar yet so distinctly different. The overall detail of the background, to the distinct differences between the two races were gripping. Finding a commonality between the two races to make the emotional and physical aspect of the stories work was amazing. She has garnered a full time fan in me.

Rating: 5/5




--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Review - No one heard her scream Jordan Dane VBT

Jordan Dane:

After award-winning author Jordan Dane sold her first 3-books in auction to Avon/HarperCollins in June 2006, her debut title NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM held more significance. Everyone heard her scream! And this went double when she sold another 3-book series in May 2007 without having one book on the shelves yet.

Ripped from the headlines, Jordan's gritty suspense plots weave a tapestry of vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Her first back-to-back releases are planned for Apr, May and Jun 2008. Jordan and her husband now share their Oklahoma residence with an intelligent canine and two cats of highborn lineage.

In spring 2008, take a front row seat to suspense with Jordan Dane's NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM, NO ONE LEFT TO TELL, & NO ONE LIVES FOREVER.

No One Heard Her Scream

A relentless detective with the San Antonio Police Department is barred from an investigation into the disappearance and murder of her younger sister and forced to take another assignment. Skeletal remains buried in the wall of an old theatre destroyed by arson make an intriguing new case. But when the bones turn out to be of a woman, close in age to her sister, the hunt for a killer gets personal—a vendetta for justice.

A seductive enforcer to the mob, with secrets of his own, stands between the detective and a powerful man she believes is linked to the murder. Will the reluctant henchman become an ally or betray her to his treacherous 'benefactor'? Drawn into the sinister world of human trafficking, the modern-day slave trade, the detective unravels a grim trail of destroyed lives—leaving her little hope for vindication in the death of her sister and a nameless young woman buried alive.




Rebecca Montgomery, a homicide detective who had taken her family and life for granted is destroyed from the inside out when her sister is kidnapped and murdered. She's tossed a cold case unveiled by arson at an old theatre when she is banned from her sister's case for conducting her own investigation too closely to the acting agent. And finds her gut telling her Diego Galvan is more than a mob boss' leashed henchman when she interviews Victor Cavannaugh, looking for information about the building where the skeleton of her case victim is uncovered. A woman who was buried alive.


The entirety of the story can be summed in one word: intense. From dank alleys to secret after-dark meetings, the story is in continuous motion, driving the reader as much as the action drives the next scene. For the fans of CSI, high suspense and drama, this is a must read.

First let me thank you for inviting me to your blog. I love networking with other authors. In fact, on my website is a page FOR WRITERS that has links to various articles I've written on many subjects form Craft to Promotion. Hopefully you'll find some of them helpful. http://www.jordandane.com/writers.php

1. What was your inspiration for the story? For the characters?

Several things influenced me with this story. I wanted to tell the story of a woman homicide detective (Rebecca Montgomery) who had to deal with her own grief and carry on with her job after her sister had become a victim of violence. Because of my detective's emotional frailty, she was caught between good judgement and her undeniable bias when it came to anything that reminded her of Dani, her sister. Becca's emotional handicap interferes with her police training and slants her impartiality—a strong cop with real vulnerability.

And the Natalee Holloway investigation in Aruba shaped the story. I watched the drama played out in the media and witnessed the parents' pain through this ongoing nightmare. I had also visited Aruba during the 1980s and knew something of the layout and terrain. And in my book research, I found many Internet sites that theorized a human trafficking angle to this very compelling case. Human trafficking and the trauma of such an ordeal became a facet to the plot.

As further inspiration, a friend once revealed what it was like to experience the murder of her sister. For her, the horrific experience defined the rest of your life. Her words always stuck with me. So with SCREAM, I depicted a woman detective who carries an emotional hardship that hinders her job performance and touches the way she looks at the world.

2. Being from Texas, and raised in the Valley, I'd love to know what prompted you to place this book on South Padre Island and San Antonio.
   

San Antonio was my old hometown growing up and I've visited Padre Island many times on annual trips when I was in high school. Combining my experiences at Padre and Aruba with what had happened to Natalee Holloway wasn't a stretch, but certainly very sad.

On a brighter note, I still have plenty of family in San Antonio. I make it to Texas every chance I get. If you'd like to see the locales used in my book in digital images, along with excerpts from the book and the significance of these locations to me and my family, you can visit this link on my website: http://www.jordandane.com/scream_photos.php This is my Story Behind the Story. If you've read my book, you'll get a deeper understanding of why I selected certain locales.

3. How long did it take you to get from idea to finished first draft? Did you have to do a lot of research for the investigation details?

It took me a while to think about how I wanted to structure the general idea of the story. I'm not a plotter. I see things unfolding in my mind like a movie once I get into the comfort zone that I can begin writing. But once I started writing this story, it took me only 6 weeks to finish it. I actually wrote this story while I was on medical leave from major surgery (6 weeks at home). I like to say that I sacrificed a body part to sell. For more info on my FIRST SALE story, please visit this link - http://www.jordandane.com/writers_firstsale.php Author Sharon Sala played a big part in how I sold.

4. Who is your largest writing inspiration?
   

Real crime and real life influence me most when I'm writing. I'm constantly working out plots in my head for current projects or future ones while I'm doing ANYTHING—watching TV, eating, sleeping, and breathing. My mind is never at rest.

If you're referring to other authors, I don't really look to other authors for inspiration. I prefer to enjoy what they do as a reader, rather than trying to deconstruct the book. I don't see my style in anyone else. I write the type of stories I want to read.

5. How long have you been writing?
   

I've been writing since 2003 when I first joined RWA. I sold three and a half years later with the help of Sharon Sala. And although I never want to look back with regrets in my life (I'm more of an optimist), I wish I had known the joy of writing before 2003. My quality of life has grown immensely. As an author, I'm more of a listener and an observer. I've slowed down my pace and there is stillness deep in my soul. It feels good.

6.) And the killer... How long did it take to get "the call" on your queries?

I didn't get "the call" like most other pubbed authors. My books sold in auction in 10 days, a whirlwind of exhausting agony. And with the houses that bid on my 3 books, I had an opportunity to talk to each editor and ask them questions on what they liked about my work and how they planned to market my books and if they had career aspirations for me. It was a great opportunity to grill an industry professional. I selected Avon HarperCollins and Executive Editor Lucia Macro who is an absolutely brilliant woman and a delight to work with. Avon had blown me away. They are launching my career by making all three of my books lead titles with huge print runs in mass market, a national ad campaign, extensive online promo, significant ARC distributions, and co-op dollars for store placement. In hindsight, it looks as if I knew exactly what I was doing, but luck played a big part, in my opinion.

But to commiserate with anyone who has gotten a rejection letter, I got PLENTY. I wanted to have that great "guy" attitude when it came to rejection letters—the more the merrier. You have to risk getting your work out there, even if it stings sometimes. And to help ease the pain, I made up a shredding ritual to expel all the negativity once I'd crossed them off my list of proposal requests outstanding. There's a certain empowerment to the ritual that I liked.

I appreciate your interest in my work and I wish all of you the best in 2008! Thanks for supporting a new author.

Diana

WIN! WIN! WIN!

Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour and leave a comment (with your name). Each stop enters you into the drawing to be held at the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th. (Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores.)

Stop by Jordan's website: Jordan Dane says, "By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details."

The Browse Inside Link: http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x

Visit Jordan's contest page: http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

Show up for the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th! Who knows what might be up for grabs there! After all is said and done, this is TWC.

Future date:
March 26 - Renee' Barnes http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

Jordan Dane Contest and News

WIN!  WIN!  WIN! 

Visit each stop of the Jordan Dane Virtual Book Tour and leave a comment (with your name).  Each stop enters you into the drawing to be held at the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th.  (Up for grabs are FIVE $20 gift cards to B&N bookstores.)

 

Stop by Jordan's website:  Jordan Dane says, "By going to my website contest page, you get an exclusive sneak peek inside my book-up to 20% of it. And to celebrate my first release, my publisher is giving you three different ways to WIN MY BOOK or OTHER BOOKS from HarperCollins. Click on the links below for more details." 

 

The Browse Inside Link:  http://tinyurl.com/28nd9x

 

Visit Jordan's contest page:  http://www.jordandane.com/contest.php

 

Show up for the live "Launch P-A-R-T-Y!" on March 30th!  Who knows what might be up for grabs there!  After all is said and done, this is TWC.

 

Next up on the tour:

 

March 22   Diana Castilleja at http://dianacastilleja.blogspot.com

March 26   Renee' Barnes at http://msqtpi.livejournal.com/

March 29   TWC founder Glenn Walker at http://www.monsura.blogspot.com/

  

Jordan has had plenty to say in our TWC interviews.  If you haven't already done so, visit these previous stops for some first-hand info on how to succeed as a novelist:

 

Cricket Sawyer at http://www.Cricketshearth.blogspot.com

Billie Williams at http://printedwords.blogspot.com

Linda J. Hutchinson at http://reviewhutch.blogspot.com

Kim Richards at http://kim-richards.livejournal.com/

Lisa Haselton at http://lisahaselton.tripod.com/reviewsandinterviews/

--
Diana Castilleja
Best Selling Author
http://www.DianaCastilleja.com
Romance that thrives in dark places
http://www.sweeterromanticnotions.com

Author Diana Castilleja Newsletter - Subscribers Wanted!

Hey all!

I'm relaunching my Newsletter! After almost a year, I'm getting it back up and running. It will be a once a month update on what's going on, my latest news, contests and other weirdness. Lots of weirdness

All you have to is sign onto my Yahoo News Group. Yep that's it! No tricks, and no spam. I have it set up as a newsletter distribution file on one of my email accounts, so after you sign up, that's it. But if you want to catch the occasional info and spontaneous announcments, you won't miss any of it!

So come and hang out with me for the latest!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DianaCastilleja/