Associate Reviewer Wanted

It's with some sadness that I'm announcing Allison is leaving the blog. She's got a lot going on in her life and there's just no room for blogging right now. I still have the wonderful Shelly here to help me with all of my menage, erotica and BDSM needs. But I'd like to bring on another reviewer to help out too!

Primarily, I'd love to find a contemporary romance reader.  That doesn't have to be the only genre you review, but it would be a great help.  If you also like older YA, NA, f/f, romantic suspense or any other romance subgenre that I don't usually feature, I'd be happy to use that as well.

Do you review on Goodreads, Shelfari, or Amazon? Are you ready to jump into blogging --or to drop the responsibility of your own blog? If you're interested, fill out the form below and we'll take it from there. If not, I'd be grateful if you help me spread the word. 

*Update* I have had so many great responses, I am taking down the form while I sort through them. Thank you so much!

Over the Rainbow at RT... Well, Almost

It's been a week now since I returned home from my whirlwind adventure at RT in Kansas City.  I met so many amazing authors, industry professionals, bloggers and fellow fans, I could tell stories for hours.  This was my first time at the con and I learned so much about RT magazine, the convention itself, and the rich history of both.  It was amazing to see how far the romance genre has come over the years and what a pioneer RT has been in so many ways.

With the fabulous Marie Sexton

Throughout the convention, I found myself surrounded by diversity. Whatever kind of romance you liked, you could find.  There were panels and parties devoted to contemporary, erotic, YA, GLBT, paranormal, steampunk, inspirational... you name it.  There were authors and fans there from every conceivable subgenre.  It was so welcoming --and very cool.

But as I sat down for the awards banquet, one category was noticeably absent: GLBT.  What's the big deal? you may ask.  They can't have an award for every single thing.  Well, they actually kind-of do.  There are 11 awards for the different kind of Harlequin books alone.   There are separate PNR awards for vampire and shapeshifter romance.  There are individual awards for self-published authors.  There are more than a dozen Historical categories --and one is so specific it is for the best "British Isle-Set Historical."   Yet there is not one single GLBT acknowledgement.

The presence of Dreamspinner and Riptide could not ignored at this conference (and not just because of my mad school-girl crush on Damon Suede.)  The Dreamspinner party was packed.  The Over the Rainbow party was rad --plus I got a fabulous tshirt.  And I am fairly certain I got a Tucker Springs book in my welcome bag.  So where were these authors at the awards ceremony?  M/M romance is big right now. Look at the success of Lover at Last in the mainstream.   It was number 1 on the NYT bestseller list.  Stars & Stripes won DABWAHA. The audience is there, so where is the recognition?

I'm not trying to disparage RT.  The vibe was friendly and inclusive. Perhaps that's why this stuck out to me so much.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.  And be sure to check out the awards list below.  For what it's worth, I agreed with many of the winning selections. Big love to Firelight, Gunmetal Magic, Blade Song and so many other great books.  Maybe next year, Touch & Geaux will get some attention too.

Complete List of RT's Best Book Categories of 2012

First Series Romance                                            Harlequin American
Harlequin Blaze                                                    Harlequin Desire
Harlequin Intrigue                                                Harlequin Nocturne
Harlequin Presents                                                 Harlequin Presents Extra
Harlequin Romance                                               Harlequin Romantic Suspense
Harlequin Special Edition                                      Harlequin SuperRomance
Kimani Romance                                                    Love Inspired
Love Inspired Historical                                         Love Inspired Suspense
Historical Romance of the Year                            First Historical Romance
Historical Love & Laughter                                   Innovative Historical Romance
Historical Paranormal                                            British Isle-Set Historical Romance
Regency-Set Historical Romance                          Scotland-Set Historical Romance
Historical Romantic Adventure                             Sensual Historical Romance
Historical KISS Hero                                              Historical Fiction
Self-Published Historical Romance                       Contemporary Romance
Contemporary Love & Laughter                            Self-Published Contemporary Romance
Vampire Romance                                                  Shapeshifter Romance
Steampunk                                                               Paranormal Romance
Paranormal Worldbuilding                                     Urban Fantasy Novel
Urban Fantasy Protagonist                                     Self-Published Urban Fantasy
Romantic Suspense                                                 Paranormal Romantic Suspense
Contemporary Mystery                                           Historical Mystery
First Mystery                                                            Suspense
Amateur Sleuth                                                        Mainstream Fiction
YA Contemporary Novel                                         YA Urban Fantasy
YA Futuristic                                                            YA Protagonist
Science Fiction Novel                                              Fantasy Novel
Epic Fantasy Novel                                                  Multicultural Romance
Multicultural Fiction                                                Inspirational Romance
Inspirational Suspense                                              Erotic Romance
Sci-Fi Erotic Romance                                              E-book Erotic Romance
E-book Erotic Novella

RT 2013: My Favorite Author Moments

The RT convention may be over, but I have so many fantastic memories from my days in Kansas City! There were too many highlights to talk about all in one post --and I'll get to the Ellora's Cavemen and whatnot on another day.  But for now, I just want to share a few stories about some of the absolutely amazing author moments I experienced during the con.

Gordon & Ilona Andrews

The best three hours I spent over the course of nearly a week in Missouri were in the Westin hotel bar with Gordon and Ilona Andrews.  I can't even begin to describe how genuine and friendly they were.  We talked about the Sookie Stackhouse spoilers, George and Jack, Jim and Dali, and Austrian food.  I drank seven or eight vodka-cranberries. (It was happy hour. Don't judge me.) And though I have no doubt I squeed all over myself, they were extremely gracious and kind. It is so gratifying to find out that such amazing talents are also amazing people.

Delilah Marvelle

Another warm and genuine author: Delilah Marvelle.  After an emotional panel on the heroes in historical romance, I approached her to tell her how much I consistently enjoy her work.  When she thanked me, it was so heartfelt that it made me tear up.  With so many readers/ bloggers/ reviewers and fans out there, it's hard to fathom that just one person's support and praise can make a difference.  She made me feel like mine did and I am so grateful. Such a humble, talented, and lovely woman.    

A big thank you to Jennifer Estep.  Not only did she get up at the ugly crack of dawn to have coffee with me (and my fellow bloggers,) she listened to me as I detailed why I broke up with the hero of her series.  She was patient and understanding as I went on and on about Owen and Gin like they were real people and I was taking sides in their dysfunctional relationship.  Through it all, she sat there stoically and gently tried to explain why she wrote it that way.  She's a real class act and a very nice lady.

Photo-bombing Jennifer Estep

Damon Suede

And last but not least, I still have my embarrassingly overwhelming crush on Damon Suede.  It reared up every single time I saw him.  He is just so damn funny and charming.  I kept telling everyone around me, "I love him so much."  And I do.  (It's real, people! Even if he doesn't love me back.)  He gave me a great, warm hug... and I think I am now even crazier about him than I was before.

 
There were so many other great authors who made an impression, like Jax Garren, Maire (pronounced Moira) Claremont, Kristen Callihan, Karina Cooper, Jaye Wells.  Thank you to everyone for making my first RT a great one.  I'll have more highlights from the con later in the week.

Maire Claremont

Back Hair: An Informal Poll

This is not my husband's back.

Forgive me, readers, but I need you to help me settle a dispute with my husband.  After a spirited discussion about the merits of back waxing, my husband proclaimed that some women would love a man with back-hair long enough to braid.  I argued that he was very, very wrong.

He said, "Just because you talk to, like, 75 women on Twitter, doesn't mean you know everything.  I'll bet if you put the question out there, at least 5% of the women out there would say they find a bear sexy."

I said, "Not back hair, Dave."

He said, "Ask."

So I am asking.  Give me your thoughts on back hair.  Seriously.

My Most Anticipated Books of 2013

I am so late on this post!!  I've already read several of my big OMG upcoming releases.  Like Kim Harrison's uber-awesome Ever After.  That one came out back in January.  Elizabeth Hoyt's Lord of Darkness. Kristen Callihan's Winterblaze.  Patricia Briggs' Frost Burned. Jennifer Estep's Deadly Sting (don't even talk to me about Owen, y'all.)  But I refuse to believe I am too late.  Some of my most anticipated books of 2013 I'm still, well, anticipating.  Here's a look ahead.

Lover At Last, JR Ward. (Releases: 3/26.)  This one is the motherload folks.  Frankly, my numero uno, wet-my-pants most anticipated book of the year.  And it is only a month away.  I put in a vacation request at work for the release day months ago.  I kid you not.  This 11th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series finally gives us the Qhuinn and Blay love story that JR Ward has been teasing us with for years.  I want this book like I want my next breath.  It is going to epic.  (Or I may never get over my disappointment.)

Twice Tempted, Jeaniene Frost. (Releases: 3/26.)  I absolutely adored the first book in Vlad and Leila's love story.  I've been a longtime fan of the Night Huntress world and this new romance has really given the series an infusion of excitement.  I thought it was awesome that Frost chose not to rush an "I love you," in the last book.  The wait will make Vlad's fall even sweeter!

Wrong Ways Down, Stacia Kane. (Releases: I have no idea and it's killing me!!)  I absolutely love the Downside series, and that is thanks largely to Terrible, one of my favorite heroes of Urban Fantasy --or frankly, any genre.  This is the novella from his POV, set between Unholy Ghosts and Unholy Magic.  Just reading the excerpt on Kane's website makes me want to read the whole series again.  This was supposed to release on Valentines Day, but now there's no word on when it's coming out.

Cloak & Silence, Sherrilyn Kenyon. (Releases: I have no idea and it's killing me!!) Another novella that was supposed to be out on V-Day and got pushed back.  This is Kenyon's first stab at m/m and it features two guys from her League series.  It takes place around the same time as the second half of Born of Silence.  I am very excited for this one.

Touch & Geaux, Abigail Roux. (Releases: April 8.)  The Cut & Run series is not just my favorite m/m series, it's one of my favorite series in romance. Period.   The last book was so happy and wonderful and in this next book, Roux promises to rip the rug right out from under us.  I am terrified.  And if I thought I could get this book today, I would camp outside of Roux's house in a pup tent.  --Yes, really.

Heart of Obsidian, by Nalini Singh. (Releases: June 4.) It's got to be Kaleb's book, right??  Fans of Singh's Psy-Changeling series actually stalked the author's website just to see the cover on this one.  (I may have been one of those people.) The cover art did not disappoint.  It's still another couple of weeks, though, before we get the blurb. Marketing genius, ladies and gentlemen. But it could only work on a series this well loved.

Entwined With You, by Sylvia Day (Releases: June 4.)  This book was supposed to be out in December, and knowing it was coming soon was the only way I could reconcile myself to leaving Eva and Gideon when I finished the last book. They are so dysfunctional and angsty and sexy.  It's one of the only contemporary romance series I read.

Styxx, Sherrilyn Kenyon. (Releases: September 3.) I'll admit, I've been kind of on the cusp of quitting the Dark Hunter series, but this 23rd installment has the potential to bring back the magic of the early books.  It's supposed to be kind of a companion piece to Acheron, telling his twin brother's story.  I've missed Ash and the Olympic/ Atlantean mythology.  Plus, Styxx looks like a tortured hero and Kenyon does those so well!

Dark Lycan, Christine Feehan (Releases: September.) This is the first book in the Dark series trilogy featuring Skyler and Dimitri.  I have been waiting for these two to get together for so long, that I honestly had given up on Feehan ever writing their story.  Dark Lycan isn't actually "their" book. That will be Dark Wolf, out in January, but I am intrigued/ anxious about how this all will play out.

Burned, Karen Marie Moning. (Releases: I have no idea and it's killing me!!) I had serious reservations about Dani being able to sustain the lead role in not one, but three books in the Fever world.  But Iced was really, really good. And while I really don't want to see a Dani/ Ryo pairing,  KMM has never let me down.  However this plays out, I have no doubt that I will be satisfied when it's over.  That's the highest compliment I can pay an author.

What about you guys?? Which books are you dying for in 2013??

It's Not Me -- It's You

Reflections from Jen

In any given year, I read somewhere between 350 and 400 books.  And every so often, I find a stand-alone that really rocks my world. But 9 times out of 10, the stories I love most are part of a series.  Over time, a series allows you to invest in characters. You learn their quirks and nuances.  You grow to love them, hate them, or lust after them... but whatever the emotion, they become yours.

I look forward to new installments in my favorite series like Star Trek fans count down the days to their conventions.  Like gadget-nerds camp out the night before an Apple product goes on sale.  Or like Harry Potter fans dress up for a movie premiere.  Hell, I reserved a vacation request months ago for the release of Lover At Last.

Unfortunately, every so often, one of my beloved series lets me down.   I'm not just talking about the random Phury book that stands out as an anomaly to an otherwise fabulous series.  I'm talking about multiple books that just make you ask yourself why the hell you just spent 10-bucks.  Books that make you decide once and for all to break up with a once beloved series.

I've got a few I've already said goodbye to, and others on a watch list.

Anita Blake.  This is kind of THE series that is almost everyone has asked at least once... what the hell happened here?  Granted, not everyone liked the series to start with and not everyone loathes it now, but no one can dispute that the Anita books of today are nothing like the first nine that came out.  It's my understanding that LKH thinks that people who complain about the change in her books are uptight about sex or something to that effect, but... um... I really like reading about sex in books. A lot.  So if that's not the issue, what is it?

It would be easy to say that my problem is that Anita has become a whore, but it's not that simple.  My problem is that the books have changed on a fundamental level.  They started as urban fantasy with no sex in them at all. Anita didn't believe in sex outside of marriage.  They then morphed into urban fantasy with a little sex, in the context of a love triangle. -- I was still down with that. Anita still struggled with her values and her real feelings for two very different men.  Whether you liked Richard (my favorite) or Jean Claude, most people could see the attraction on either side of the coin.

Then came Narcissus in Chains and the books became erotica.  Granted, they are erotica with paranormal elements, but you can't call a series "urban fantasy" when the main character has sex with 10 or more people in the book.  Orgies, BDSM, m/m, exhibitionism, you name it, Anita does it.   Or one of her harem does it.  And I kept reading for a long time, thinking "maybe it will change back." "Maybe Hamilton will fix what she did to Richard." "Maybe..." Hell, I don't know.  But then, Anita adopted a 17 year-old into her sex family. And there was a line in the book about how they'd have sex and he'd want to cuddle before doing his homework or something, and suddenly, I was done.  I haven't looked back.

Kitty Norville.  I really, really enjoyed the early books in this series.  If you're unfamiliar with the series, Kitty is a werewolf DJ, trying to find her way in the supernatural world.  For a time, every single book in the series wow'ed me. Carrie Vaughn gave me an unqualified oh-shit moment in every book. She killed people. She kidnapped people. She shocked me and excited me.  But what she also did was string me along with a love interest that never came to be.

From book one, we're introduced to Cormac, a werewolf killer who has a simmering mutual attraction with Kitty.  The author teases us with it for book after book.  Even after Kitty gets into a serious relationship with another man, we're reminded of what almost-was with Cormac. He's still around. There is still longing.  I've started wishing the other guy dead, even though I like him. Finally, after book nine, I realized, it's never gonna happen.  I feel seriously dicked around.  I'm done.

Chicagoland Vampires.  How I freaking loved this series in the beginning.  It was smart and funny and full of great action. I loved Merit and her friendship with Mallory. I loved her reluctance to be a vamp, how she finally came to love and defend Cadogen House.  And, of course, Ethan.  There was such a great push and pull with Ethan. The highs were so high and then the lows....  (**spoilers ahead**) When Ethan died, I was heartbroken. I cried and cried.  Then Ethan came back to life.. And while there was some WTF-ery there, I thought, "Finally! They will be together."  Only, the excuses continued.  They got more and more flimsy. Until I got to a point where I just didn't care anymore.  The new one came by mail and I gave it to my girlfriend to read for me.  She'll be guest reviewing it for the blog.

On the cusp:

Dark Hunter.  The early books in this series rocked my world. Sherrilyn Kenyon does tortured heroes like nobody's business.  Even when the catch phrases started to get a little predictable.. Even when all the heroines looked at their downtrodden heroes "like they mattered," I still swooned.  Probably all the way through Acheron's book.  (And Lord knows, that book put me through the wringer!)  Then, Kenyon started to go in a new direction. She introduced Thorn and the Hellchasers... she got into Jaden and Azura and Noir.  And I'll admit, I had a hard time following along. But I figured that was the next phase of the story... Then she started pulling in Native American mythology and sprinkling in some of the old characters and the Dream Hunters... with a pinch of the Hellchasers. And frankly, I'm not sure what the hell is going on anymore.

I liked Seth's book. It was kind of a throwback to the familiar favorites.  Plus, Styxx is coming, and it's taking us back into the Acheron world.  I will not miss that, folks.  But where will she go after that?  I'm a little concerned.  The series seems to have lost focus.  One more pantheon comes in, and I think I am out.

Carpathian/ Dark series.  Yes, I still read these. Don't judge me!! They are my guilty pleasure.  Though lately, the pleasure part is fading.  I love the over-the-top love scenes and super-alpha-alpha males.  I love all the interconnectedness of the Carpathians and the reunion books was fantabulous.  (Yes, spellcheck, that IS a word.)  But I started pulling away when we got into the de la Cruz men, none of whom I liked.  Once we got to Zacharias, though, it went to a bad place.  He was such a dick. He abused his heroine. It was too much.  And we've traveled so far away from the characters I love that I feel disconnected.  Feehan needs to get us back to the Carpathian mountains.  She needs to give us that Skylar and Dimitri story.  Or maybe I need to quit reading.

So what about you guys? What series have you broken up with? What killed them for you?

Still in love with some of the series above?  What makes you keep reading?

Share your thoughts, then visit Rachel at Parajunkee and Jennifer at the Book Nympho to see their picks!

AAD: The Bloggers

We've talked about the authors. But I have to tell you that my AAD experience was just as much --if not more-- about getting to know my fellow bloggers. Thanks to social media, like Twitter, I walked into the con already feeling like I "knew" so many people. It was even better to meet them in person.

The first person I met Tuesday afternoon was the lovely Marcela from The Bookaholic Cat. We hooked up at the hotel and had drinks at Pat O'Briens. Marcela is absolutely beautiful and has the most amazing Colombian accent. I loved listening to her talk. But I can tell you that walking down Bourbon St with her is tough on the ego. Every man on the street was looking at her!

Me, Marcela & Julie

I ended up at dinner that night with Jen (Twimom,) Carolyn Crane, Monica (Obscured Vixen,) Teresa D'Amario, and Katiebabs (who has a real name, but no one ever used it.) Jen and Teresa were roommates and a package deal for most of the con. But I have to give a big thanks to both of them for letting me store all of my goodies in their room for days. Jen was also kind enough to walk me to my car in a less than savory neighborhood more than once. Such a sweetheart!

Monica made me feel old. LOL. She is 27 and full of energy and wore hot outfits and was excited to party hard. My 36 year-old tired ass wore jeans and tennis shoes and was in bed by 1:00 on most nights. But I enjoyed hanging out with her.

Teresa, Jen, Katiebabs, Monica, & Me

Katiebabs made me feel like an author insider. We were always talking about industry stuff and what's going on with authors on the publishing end. She also really wanted to see the man-candy that New Orleans is supposed to have. (I hate to disappoint, but it's not exactly as advertised. If I ever see Acheron walking around the city, I'll let you guys know.) I felt kind of bad that she didn't get the show she was looking for, but I think she ended up having a good time with what she found.

It was that night I also met Tori (from Smexy) and Nicole. Two great women!! We ended up back in their room, dishing on books and dirty sex into the night. Nicole always had a stealth drink on hand (and let me try her wedding cake vodka... It was... different.) Tori is so tiny! I know she probably hears that all of the time, but there's a lot of personality in her small package.

Wednesday came and with it, I met Jennifer from The Book Nympho. We chat daily on Twitter, but that did not prepare me for all the times she totally cock-blocked me while I talked to an author.

Me, Sylvia Day & Jennifer

It went something like this:
Me: "Hi, Sylvia Day! It's so nice to meet you, I'm J---"
Jennifer (jumping in front of me): "I'm Jennifer, the Book Nympho. You know, stomp and romp."

or

Me: "Hi Kelly Meding! I'm Jen from R--"
Jennifer (jumping in front of me): "I'm Jennifer from the Book Nympho. Stomp and Romp."

or

Me: "Hi Nicole Peeler..."
Jennifer: "I'm Jennif---"
Me: "Shut the fuck up."

LOLOL. I got her back for it later. I tend to get a bit loud(er) when I drink and apparently, I was yelling her ear off at dinner after the open bar. She may have tweeted about it. God help us at RT next year.

Tori, Mandi, Pamela, Me, Katiebabs, Teresa, Jennifer, Nicole, & Chelsea

Wednesday is also when I met Mandi (Smexy) and Pamela (from Wicked Lil Pixie.)  Mandi is kind of quiet at first, but get a few glasses of wine in there or talk about Damon Suede and she lights up like a Christmas tree.  She made me laugh and I enjoyed her so much. Pamela (who is too nice to tell you that she hates it when you call her Pam) is very kind and sweet and genuinely friendly.  She, Tori, and I were all on a field trip with Adrian Phoenix and we had a few meals together.

Who else did I meet?  (The days kind of blend together.) Julie from Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks was adorable.  Her hair always looked so cute and in place, while mine frizzed to holy hell.  She was sweet and just like she comes across online.  I had dinner with Chelsea from VBC who has a gorgeous tattoo on her shoulder.  And I convinced MamaKitty to jump on the "OMG, It's Kelly Meding" train.

MamaMoon, MamaKitty, Eva, Julie, Marcela & Me

I also hung out with Rachel (Parajunkee) who shared one of my favorite stories of the con about a failed love-encounter with a burn-victim.  That doesn't seem nearly as funny in print, but I promise you --at the time-- it was hilarious.

All in all, I ate like there was no tomorrow and drank like a fish.  I think I went to Pat O'Briens four times --or maybe five.  Cat's Meow was epic.   Thank you Jennifer & Marcela for getting on stage with me.  And to Loupe for your amazing generosity. And to Tori and Mandi for belting out the songs with me from the dance floor!

The experience was amazing, thanks to all of you... and so many others who I couldn't cram in to this already bloated post.  Hugs to everybody! And I hope you'll help me bring the party to RT in Kansas City next year.

If you haven't seen them already, be sure to check out My AAD Author Crushes and "OMG, It's Kelly Meding" and Other AAD Stories.

"OMG, It's Kelly Meding" & other AAD stories

Yesterday, I talked a little about the larger than life authors I fell head-over-heels with at AAD last week. But love comes in many forms. I met many charming, sweet, and (even shy) authors, who didn't have to get big laughs to be memorable.

Let me tell you a little story about Kelly Meding. If you're not familiar with her, she's an Urban Fantasy author who writes the Dreg City books and the MetaWars series. Anyway, I was trying to find Dakota Cassidy's table to stalk her at lunch Saturday, when I passed Kelly sitting quietly at her table. I enjoy her books, so I decided to sit with her instead. Joining us at our table were several other readers and authors, including Andrew Grey, who writes m/m. We talked and ate some surprisingly good mystery-meat (I still don't know what the hell that was.)

Back when Kelly didn't run from me

I recounted the story of running into Jeaniene Frost at the coffee shop and how proud I was that I didn't pounce on the poor woman as she tried to buy her fruit salad. Andrew told me that most authors don't mind being approached if the reader is respectful. He then went on to tell me about his worst fan experience, where two girls trapped him in an elevator during a con, jumping up and down, screaming "Oh my God, you're Andrew Grey." That's when Kelly somberly said, "I wish someone would jump up and down for me."

This was before I screamed her name.

I'll bet you can guess what happened next. The entire table started jumping up and down in our seats, screaming, "Oh my God, it's Kelly Meding." I also did it at the book signing. In the lobby outside of the bar. And I told friends to do it randomly throughout the day. I never knew anyone could turn that particular shade of burgundy. Suffice it to say, Kelly is a blusher.... And she probably hates me now.

Jess, Allison, & PJ

For Thursday's lunch, I sat next to Allison Pang. She teased me by showing me the eARC of Trace of Moonlight on her i-thingie.  (I'm still waiting for that .pdf, Allison!!)

The nicest, most personable author I met was probably Cynthia Eden. She and Katie Reus just came up and started talking to me in the lobby.  Later, Cynthia and I went on an expedition trying to find a poorly labeled meeting room.  She was just so genuine and sweet. (And super pretty.)

I spent some time chatting with the awesome Carolyn Crane, who was very down to Earth... and Amanda Carlson --who I always seemed to find in the hotel bar or on the way to it.

Me with Amanda Carlson

OOOoooh. I met Sylvia Day, who says she is still writing her next Crossfire book and even planned on working on it in her room.  And Jeaniene Frost, who was just as nice as could be. She even talked about a 10 inch cock in her UF panel. (That's my kind of girl!)

There were more. Authors were everywhere.  I was drunk on them (or maybe I was drunk on those free vodka/ cranberries from Mel's open bar.)  But you get the idea.  What blew me away is that some of them actually knew who I was.  That was a really strange feeling.  Cool, but strange.

More NOLA happenings, including my fun times with fellow bloggers, still to come...

AAD: My author crushes

I'm bacccckk. OK, maybe it seemed like I never went away, thanks to the scientific wonder of pre-scheduled blog posts. But I have just returned from five fun-filled days in the Crescent City for the Authors After Dark convention.  I am exhausted and I have no voice left, but I have some really great memories that I am taking away from the event.

On the way home (after I finished reading the epically awesome Stars & Stripes,) I tried to catalogue in my head how I could possibly blog about the experience in any meaningful way. I thought about doing a post about each day of my visit. Then I thought about what my post for Tuesday would be like and it was something like: I drank with Marcela at Pat O'Briens. I ate dinner with bloggers. I walked. I drank again. The end.  So instead of a blow by blow, I'm going to post about the things that stick out as the most memorable parts of the trip.  The first thing that comes to mind: the authors I met and fell in love with.

I left AAD with giant, embarrassing crushes on at least four authors.  Two are women. One is gay. The other is married.  But let's not get caught up in the details.  These folks had Personality with a capital P. And I may or may not have tailored parts of my schedule to stalk gain valuable insights from them throughout the con.

Mark Henry. You had me at The Pussy Eater.  Seriously.

The best panel that I attended was called Guess the Author by the Sex Scene (or something like that.)  Mark and Nicole Peeler completely stole the show.  I can't remember what Nicole read, but it involved a clit that burned a lot while the heroine gave the longest blow-job in history.

 

Meanwhile, Mark read The Pussy Eater with the enthusiasm of a 14 year-old girl at a One Direction concert.  I laughed so hard that I cried.  I am sad to say that I didn't get to spend any more time with Nicole, but I "accidentally" ended up at Mark's table for dinner Friday night.  And at his zombie panel. And the panel on dark humor.

And speaking of dark humor.. Dakota Cassidy was also on that panel (as well as many others I attended.)  It would have been a great segue to say that was where she stole my heart. But the truth is, I fell in love with her during the Bookie awards, when in her acceptance speech, she said, "Where is Jeaniene Frost? --Ooh, I beat you, girl."  

She has this great, fabulous, big hair and awesome eye make-up and she utterly dominated every single panel she sat on. She's just got this presence that is impossible to quantify.  Her voice has this deep, dusky timbre and she is larger than life and completely hilarious.  Loved. Her.

Finally, Damon Suede.  Damon, who walked around in a kilt and flashed his ass at anyone who asked what was underneath.  I got to stand at the table with Mandi, Tori and Pamela while they talked to him at the Open Bar Friday night.  I think he had pants on by then, but he was totally charming anyway. I just kind of stood there with a goofy smile and listened to him talk. He also seriously rocked it out on the dance floor after dinner.

So that's the list.   It's just the tip of the iceberg on the AAD experience. I've got more stories to tell about the great authors and my amazing fellow bloggers in the days ahead.  In the meantime, I'm ready to start unloading some of the mountain of goodies that I took away from the event.

Enter below to win a copy of Dark Frost by Jennifer Estep and an ARC of Hollywood High by Ni-Ni Simone and Amir Abrams. A big thank you to the folks at Kensington for the books.

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I Have Achieved Magic Mike

As of 1:30am, this video seems like a good idea.  I mean, I've been talking about this movie for about six months and a few people told me they were looking forward to hearing my thoughts. So here they are, shot very poorly and with terrible lighting. But at least I don't have to worry about my spelling.

Enjoy it while you can. I'll probably wise up and take it down tomorrow... when I am a bit more sober.

Welcome Allison!

As I first told you yesterday, two new Associate Reviewers are joining Red Hot Books.  Now Allison is here to introduce herself. Please help me welcome her to the blog! And if you haven't met Shelly yet, drop by and say hi!

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Hello, readers! A little about me:

I was born in Wisconsin but am a solid Ohioan at heart, I love Fall in the Midwest! I've been married to the love of my life for four years & look forward to building a family with him. He's from Peru so we speak both English and Spanish at home. My mom is a French teacher, so I grew up with English & French at home - no surprise I love listening to & learning new languages!

I worked at the Public Library for most of my professional life but have recently moved into the corporate world & work as an site integrated planner for CoverGirl; essentially I'm the one who says what mascara to make, how much, & when. I'd try to explain more, but every time I try I literally see eyes glaze over.

My hope & dream is to one day own my own coffee shop/ bookstore so I can do the best of my two favorite jobs I've had - make pretty coffee drinks (I make a mean cappuccino!) as well as talk about & recommend books to people! I have always taken joy in making other people's days & I've found that it's pretty easy to do with a cup of joe & a great book.

I've been reading since I taught myself at age four & haven't stopped since. I have always been & will always be a hopeless romantic so romance is my main genre. Paranormal, Historical, Contemporary, you name it - I like to swoon. A few of my favorites are Lisa Kleypas, Katie MacAlister, & J.R. Ward. I'll branch out occasionally to see what all the fuss is about (I loved The Help!) but no matter what, a well written romance is my idea of the perfect mental vacation. I've considered my own blog but never had the time, so I'm really excited Jen asked me to a part of her blog & hope everyone enjoys my reviews!

Feel free to contact me or follow me on Pinterest or Twitter as I'm on both way more often then I should be!

Welcome Shelly!

I am excited to announce that Red Hot Books is expanding.  Two associate reviewers are coming on board.  Shelly is here now to introduce herself.  Please join me in welcoming her to the blog! Click here to meet Allison.

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I love the written word. I appreciate and enjoy books that make me think and even better, make me wish to be part of the story. Since my mother introduced me to Harlequin romances as a teenager, I’ve since graduated ‘up’ or ‘over’ (however you’d like to say it) and haven’t looked back since.

Folks, I’ve never written a book and trust me, you don’t want me to. The good thing is, I can spot proper English and know how to write smokin’ hot reviews.

I enjoy most genres of romance/erotica but I do have a bias to good IR (contemporary and historical), mf/ mfm /mmf contemporary and/or historical or any book that catches my eye (especially if the cover is super delish).

My name is Shelly. I was born on a small isle in the West Indies moved to Texas as soon as I could and never left.

If you’d like to say hi, please don’t be shy.

Associate Reviewer Wanted

After a lot of soul searching, I have decided to open up the blog for an associate reviewer.  I have loved being the sole voice for the blog.  And I still plan to keep the pace and content that I always have. But there are a few genres that I don't read, and I think it would good for the site to spread its wings a little.

So, I am looking for someone to review Contemporary Romance and/or BDSM titles.  Those don't have to be the only genres you review, but they would be the primary ones.  If you also like older YA, menage, f/f or any other romance subgenre that I don't usually feature, I'd be happy to use that as well.

Don't worry if you don't have tons of experience. If you're interested, fill out the form below and we'll take it from there. If not, I'd be grateful if you help me spread the word. 


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An Open Letter to Sherrilyn Kenyon

Dear Sherrilyn,
   My faith in you is restored.  My opinion of you is, perhaps, is even greater than it was before.
   For the past year, I've felt anxious and more than a little betrayed over the announcement that Darling would have a book with a female HEA.  Obviously, I had not had the opportunity to read Born of Silence to discover what you had in store for the character.  But I felt like you were changing him to make him more palatable to the masses.  It was especially distressing because I have always seen you as such an inclusive writer.  I've always felt like you accepted and embraced all of the world's differences.   But when presented with the chance to write a book that could drive this home in a meaningful way, you didn't.  You made a gay man straight to sell a book.
   I want to say that I've never felt so happy to be wrong about an author.  First of all, I thought Born of Silence was amazing.  You told everyone to trust you, and I didn't. And I'm sorry.  After reading it, I told everyone that it was great and I felt good about the series again.  But now, you have taken it a step further and I truly applaud you.  I am absolutely elated that you are writing a book for Darling's gay friend, Maris.
   Maris was one of my favorite things about Born of Silence.  And I am so proud to see that you are giving him a love story with another man.   I know that not everyone is a fan of m/m romance. That is what makes it brave, though. Especially for a bestselling author who doesn't usually write in this genre.
   I know that I'm just one little reader in a sea of millions of fans. But when I'm wrong, I say I'm wrong. And I give credit where credit is due.  I can't wait to read Cloak & Silence.  Thank you for this.  You were right. I should have trusted you.
   
Love,
Jen

Note: I'm not sure if Cloak & Silence will be a full length book or a novella.  The release date is listed as December 15, 2012. I'll keep you informed. In the meantime, what do you guys think of a Maris book?

An F is an F. But what about a C?

The longer I write reviews, the more confounded I am by star ratings.  When I started rating books, it never occurred to me that different people would interpret them to mean different things.  It's pretty universal that 5 star books are books we really love.  And 1 star books are the worst of the worst.  But the discrepancies come with the numbers in between, especially that intangible 3-star review. 

If I gave a book 3 stars, I thought it was meh... alright... fair... so-so... a "C."  Yet other people have told me that for them, a 3-star rating means the book was good, that they liked it.  I guess it's all semantics, but I'm seriously considering moving to a grade rating system for many reasons.  One, I'll get more nuances in ratings with +/- options.  And two, maybe if I throw a "C" up on a book I thought was so-so, it will be clearer.  Or maybe not.  Undoubtedly, someone will pop up and say "I think C's are good." 

But I'd like to get your thoughts on it before I make a change. Are you guys down with letter grades to rate books?  Would it make things clearer?  Do you care?    

Can I Get Your Vote?

The fine folks at Goodreads are hosting a fantastic contest right now.  It's called the Independent Book Blogger Awards and the winner gets a trip to attend BEA (Book Expo America) in New York this year.  I know several bloggers in our community are entering, but if you enjoy Red Hot Books, I would really appreciate your vote. The contest runs through April 23rd.

Thanks so much for your support. You guys make blogging fun.

Vote for this blog for the Independent Book Blogger Awards!
Vote

What's in a Name?

I don't think you guys know how much I really love this blog. I don't even think I really knew until right now.

In case you missed the hub-bub, last night I discovered there's a blog tour company that uses the Red Hot Book name. And I freaked out. My blog name isn't trademarked. But I am Red Hot Books. As the only person who posts or reviews on the blog, every single thing you see with the name "Red Hot Books" comes from me. Not only on the blog, but on Facebook, Amazon, Goodreads and Twitter. But with my discovery, I realized there was suddenly something out there under the Red Hot Book moniker that WASN'T me. And I had no control over it at all. And it scared me.

I sent an email to the Info section of the tour site just before midnight, then tossed and turned over it for most of the night. I woke up and checked my email. I came to work and checked my email again. I hit Twitter, knowing my blogging buddies would make me feel better, and they did. Then I posted here and got even more support. You guys are awesome.

So I need to tell you now that the issue is being resolved. The woman who launched the tour company has graciously agreed to change the name. Which she didn't have to do... which was part of why I was so freaked out. She didn't have to do it. In fact, it puts her out quite a bit to change her name, her graphics and the things affiliated with her tour business. But she is doing it, because I asked her to.

I don't know what the new name of the book tour company will be, but I hope that my drama doesn't stop you from working with her, if you were already so inclined. Starting and running your own business is tough enough. I would never want to interfere with someone's livelihood, especially someone who is working to accommodate me. I wish her nothing but success and I truly apologize if I caused her or her business any harm.

Anyway, this whole experience has really hit home for me what this blog --and all of you-- mean to me. Thank you for visiting, posting, tweeting and chatting with me every day. Thank you for being people with whom I can share my love of books and sexy men. Thank you for supporting Red Hot Books. I love you.

Give the Readers Some Credit & Stop Working the System

What good is a great book if nobody reads it?  Authors are more aware of this question than anyone.  It's why authors and publicists give out ARCs.  It's why many authors delve into social media. And why as bloggers, our inboxes are filled with more review requests than we could ever possibly read. 

I've seen authors say on Twitter that one of the best ways you can show your support for a book, is to write a review.  Some specifically ask for reviews on Amazon.  I've even had publicists ask me to post there.  And that's no chore for me.  I post all of my reviews on Amazon anyway. I know there are a lot of people who aren't part of the blogosphere or social media or Goodreads. For those people, Amazon reviews are the only ones they read.  Which brings me to my point.

I noticed early on in reviewing, the way people work the system on Amazon. Basically, there are three featured reviews on every book/ product.  Each review offers the question, "Was this review helpful to you?"  And other customers can vote yes or no.  The three featured reviews are the ones with the best helpful-to-unhelpful ratio.  This sounds good in theory, but what if there are 100 reviews?  No one will read them all.  And with just a few well placed unhelpful clicks, anyone (or a small group of people) can push a review onto or off of the main product page.

For a long time, I believed it was only fellow reviewers behind the manipulations. That is, people who wanted their own reviews featured would bump off a more popular one by voting it down and getting their review bumped up.  But now, we know there are some authors in on it too.  Some are having friends bump down negative reviews --or even hiring people to do so.  And they are putting up fake, glowing reviews too.  There are people out there who sell their services to write positive reviews.  Not to mention the dummy accounts set up by family, friends, or even the authors themselves... devised solely as a vehicle to add positive reviews.  It's depressing.

I understand the impulse.  Who is going to buy a book with no reviews?  Or who is going to buy one where the reviews are negative?  These are the obvious questions.  But authors, you are hurting yourselves and other authors much more than you are helping.  It's easy to spot the fake reviews.  They are often about four lines long. They say your book is great with very little explanation as to why.  If anyone is savvy enough to click on the reviewer's name, they'll see that this is one of maybe two posts the reviewer has ever written, assuming it's not the only one they've ever written.   It's insulting.  Not to mention, "It's great. One of the best books I have ever read," isn't a review that will make anyone buy a book. It's meaningless. 

As for the practice of bumping down less flattering reviews, let me tell you a true story.  I read "story X" by a debut author and liked it. It was a four star read.  I reviewed it on the blog, Goodreads, and Amazon. I put it on Facebook. I tweeted about it.  Then my review was bumped down, so that only five star reviews now sit on her product page on Amazon.  And they are those four line fake-reviews.  Anyone with a discerning eye will see those lame ass things and just click away.  Hear me when I say this, I would be 100x more likely to buy a book with a thoughtful, detailed 4-star review, than a meaningless fake 5 star review.  You need to give readers more credit.  We are not stupid.  Even a negative review isn't the kiss of death some people think it is.  I wrote a review a couple of weeks ago for a book that wasn't great for me.  I explained why it wasn't a good fit and rated it accordingly.  Then someone used the Amazon link and bought it straight from my blog.  The things I didn't like in the book, were clearly a selling point to someone else.  Believe in your work. Let the chips fall where they may.

You aren't just hurting yourself, you know.  You're also hurting other authors.  I got a review request a couple of weeks ago to read Fire Baptized by Kenya Wright.  As I do with all review requests, I checked it out on Amazon and Goodreads and found **surprise** a bunch of 4.5 and 5 star reviews.  I almost didn't read it.  Do you hear what I'm saying? I almost didn't read the book because it had too many positive reviews.  But then I looked closer and I saw that the reviews were more detailed than the faker ones I usually see. I liked the blurb, so I said, "what the hell..." and I read it.  And it was awesome. It earned its 5 star reviews AND I ALMOST DIDN'T READ IT.  And that pisses me off.  It also pisses me off that someone else might not read it for the same reason.  Or the same thing could happen with another gem of an indie book, because some other author out there fucked with the system.

I can only imagine how hard it is for new authors. I'm sure you think you're doing what you need to do.  But please think about what I'm saying.  You're aren't fooling us.

My Night With Kresley & Paul

I decided to live a little and take the day off of work yesterday to drive to New Orleans for the Kresley Cole Lothaire signing. And I am so glad I did. It was a fantastic experience.

Kresley Cole was so funny and so sweet. She talked about how dear the Valkyries are to her heart. She joked about how much she is enjoying her time on the bus with cover model Paul Marron. And she made my heart happy by saying the Lanthe and Thronos story will more than likely be a full-length novel.

Of course, I have to mention the eye candy portion of the evening. Paul Marron was sooo nice. He was respectful and charming. (He held the door open for my friend.) He answered rude questions (like the one from the lady who asked him if he was gay.) And he dealt with women of all sizes, ages, and levels of intoxication as they drooled over him. One exceptionally drunk woman begged him to grab her tits for a photo.  He obliged. (No. It wasn't me.)

Paul was patient when my stupid camera wouldn't work and I stood there wrapped around him for a good minute or two. --And while I was there, I couldn't help but notice how slender he is in person. I didn't get his clothes off, but we did spend some quality time together.

Topping off all of this, I got to meet some of my Twitter/ blogging friends like Rachel from Parajunkee, Vanessa the Jeep Diva, Trish (Pickyme), and Patti from Caught in a FAB Romance. I apologize for any, er, inappropriate behavior brought on by my five glasses of champagne. (Let's just pretend that part didn't happen.)

Trish, Vanessa, and me



Patti, Rachel, and me



All in all, it was a fantastic night. Kresley & Paul were both amazing. A big, big thanks to them both for providing such a great experience for fans.