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Welcome to Novelspot. If you're anything like us (and what are the odds of that?) you love to read. We spent a long time scouring the web for sites like this, and couldn't find any, so we had to make it ourselves. Keep in mind, we're essentially lazy, and if such a site already existed, we'd still be in bed with our favorite books. We're always looking for a few good reviewers, so if you want to review for us, let us know. Anyway, Welcome to Novelspot, the book-lovers paradise.

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July

Inevitable Sentences by Tekla Dennison Miller published by Medallion reviewed by Morgan
Wenches in Pantries by AJ Michaels published by Noble Romance Publishing reviewed by Pam

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

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In between writing all my book projects, there's one thing that I continually do: Read! Read! Read!

Most of my ideas, but not all of them, come from reading newspapers, listening to the local and national news, talking with people and research. For me, a successful book is created when I hear something new, unheard of or has never been done before. Although, I've been told by my editor that there's little original ideas or material out there, it is HOW YOUR PRESENT THEM.

I keep that bit of wisdom close to my heart and ten fingers. Even though someone else might've done that--been there--sold that--it doesn't mean you can't take that same subject and turn into something different and wonderful. Take Dracula for example; vampires have been around for centuries in all types of circumstances, characters, soap operas, novels, plays, poetry, the sky is the limit. Or take versions of Frankinstein or Franinstine or however if you want to manipulate using man becomes God theory. It's been done. It's in there. It's your job as an author to present it in a fresh and new point-of-view. Take Harry Potter, The Once and Future King, Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings, The Narnia Chronicles, all these books and media talking about the same thing: good versus evil. It's an endless cycle and an endless source for books.

Amazing Rewards

Hey, I just have to tell you about this tattoo. Yes, I said "tattoo." No, I'm not going to be writing this month about "LA Ink" and the erotic connotations of skin art. I simply have to crow about something very cool that happened to me this week: I found out that I had a fan so enamored of my book Bloodchained that she wanted to get a tattoo of the iconic "carylian" symbol featured on its cover. A tattoo!

This is not the sort of reward I expected to see when I set out to be an author. I think most would-be writers hope for more ordinary things like contracts (as if a contract is ever ordinary!). Well, this year I got my first advance check from a publisher, something I assure you I treasured so much I considering framing it rather than cashing it (but nah, I cashed it). First an advance check, now a tattoo. Man, I'm really amazed at the rewards that come to a person in the writing business.

So I just wanted this month to digress from my usual topics and tell you about the sorts of rewards that authors find really amazing.

Chupacabra--how monsterous is it?

J.J. Massa's picture


I know I’m late this month, but some months are like that. Better late than never, I hope, because here I am. Here’s your monster, either way.

This month’s monster is the chupacabra. I’m never sure if that should be capitalized…I’ve found it both ways. It’s actually a very popular monster—as long as it doesn’t live nearby, of course. The name literally means goat sucker. That’s actually pretty gross, isn’t it?

As far as looks go, the chupacabra sounds pretty ugly. It’s got leathery, greenish or grayish skin, spikes or quills along its spine, a forked tongue, and fangs. There are conflicting reports about its snout and legs. The back legs are said to be really muscular and longer than the front, sort of like a kangaroo’s legs. The front legs are shorter and said to have three fingers or claws. As for the snout, some reports have it short and blunt, others long like a coyote’s. I’m not sure how anyone would actually know if they found one, to be honest. I’ve come across reports that say it’s got smooth, reptilian skin, and others say there are short, course hairs all over the animal’s body.

Novelspot Brings an Author and Publisher Together

I don't normally use this forum to blather about what's happening in my career; what's oh-so-exciting to me is probably boring as dry toast to you. However, this time I'm making an exception, because Novelspot, and this very column/blog, played a key role in making something pretty unusual happen in a writer's life.

I'll give you the back story as succinctly as possible: Girl grows up loving to write. Girl spends a couple decades writing articles, stories, books, selling occasionally, getting plenty of rejection slips. Girl finds publishers for her work but they tend to go out of business without warning. Girl decides she is sick of the frustration, will publish her own work from now on, swears off submissions forever.

Fast forward about three years. Here I am, happily humming along publishing my books with a reasonable amount of success. Then one day (April 13, 2009 to be exact) I get an email that starts out, "I came across your writing as I was searching the Web looking for potential writers to author a book idea. I found your piece 'Bite Me Please: The Erotic Lure of the Vampire' and really liked it."

THE VALUE OF A NAME


If you’re in the middle of writing in a series, there’s a certain comfort knowing you’ve already determined the names of your main characters. Robert Crais knows detective Elvis Cole and his sideman Pike will be his main men. James Patterson will write about detective Alex Cross and his family or, in his Maximum Ride sci fi series, Max and the flock. Even into those stories, however, must come minor characters who also need names.

Because I’ve only written two series, I’m usually faced with the challenge of naming all my players from scratch. I tend to know who my people are before I select their names, and as I browse through possibilities I either sense or make a stab at what fits.

I suppose one might choose the name first and design the person around the name, but I haven’t done so. Nor do I know anyone who has.

It’s important to keep your characters distinctive. Avoid using the names of people you know or those other writers have chosen. Avoid beginning the hero’s and the bad guy’s first names with the same alphabet letter. Vary the number of syllables.

For suggestions, you can search the Internet for the most popular or the most common contemporary male and female names and sometimes locate names from history or foreign countries. In one of my novellas, I used the name “Madison” for a young woman because it was the most popular pick by new mothers for their girls that year. Today I understand “Emma” is the most popular. I haven’t checked the men out yet.

Is a Virtual Blog Tour Right For You and Your Book

Promo101's picture


The simplest description for my idea of a virtual blog tour is: a cyber “tour” which includes various blogs, websites, radio shows, newsletters etc. The more effective sites usually contain themes or content from the book that is being promoted. This “tour” gives authors the chance to reach many people as they travel the world wide web.

A tour includes a series of appearances with blogs, website interviews, reviews or guest posts etc that are posted on various sites during a specific amount of time. Various site owners host you and may ask interview questions about your book or request that you write a piece about a specific part or element of your book.

Benefits of a Virtual Blog Tour

Why would you do a virtual tour? Is it all about book sales? Selling books is only one of the reasons I encourage people to do virtual tours. The following reasons apply to fiction and non-fiction authors – however, some can be utilized more thoroughly by non-fiction and business authors.

• Build credibility
• Increase visibility
• Generate a buzz about your book
• Reach your target audience

Click To Read The Entire Book Review

If you see the first paragraph of a book review that you want to read, just CLICK THE TITLE of the post to read the complete review.

The Courtier’s Secret

Historical romances have long been a favorite of mine and I love to find stories based in time periods that aren’t often visited. Donna Russo Morin’s The Courtier’s Secret is set in France during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King, so it qualified as a must-read for me.

When we first meet Jeanne Yvette Mas du Bois, she is doing a most unladylike thing: fencing. As the story unfolds we see that Jeanne is often doing unladylike things and it is bound to get her into trouble sooner or later.

After being dismissed from her convent school, Jeanne is back with her family who currently reside at Versailles as members of the court of Louis XIV. Her education complete, albeit prematurely due to her conduct, Jeanne knows her father’s primary notion is to marry her off.

It is only the time spent with her Uncle Jules that keeps her sane. Shedding the inhospitable clothing of a well-bred female, Jeanne relishes the freedom of the boys’ clothing she wears during her daily fencing lessons. If her strict father ever knew about her Uncle’s training, she’d be punished within an inch of her life and sold off to the highest bidder.

Always one to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, Jeanne is nearly discovered in her ruse after slipping off in the evening for an adventure dressed as a young man. Her Uncle’s training comes in very handy as she saves the life of one of the King’s Musketeers – a very handsome one indeed.

Instant Attraction

I really enjoy reading about people who push themselves out of their normal routine, people who take risks. Perhaps that is because I myself have trouble taking risks.

I found the perfect story in Jill Shalvis’ Instant Attraction. Her book has not one, but two characters throwing aside their fears and trying something new – sometimes with each other!

Katie Kramer shouldn’t be alive and every day she is reminded of that in so many ways. The sole survivor of a freak accident, Katie has decided to put her quiet life behind her and see what excitement she can find. Her new job at Wilder Adventures couldn’t be more different from her old job as an accountant. High up the Sierras with breath-taking vistas at every turn, she finds her temporary home exhilarating.

As for excitement, being scared awake in the middle of the night by one of the most attractive men she’s every seen definitely qualifies as exciting. Of course, the fact that Cameron Wilder is one of her bosses makes their unusual evening together all the more interesting. A night spent in her boss’ bedroom? How can you top that? Katie aims to find out.

Fresh off of an around the world trip, Cameron Wilder is definitely not expecting to find a beautiful woman in his cabin, let alone his bed. How could she possibly know he hasn’t been with a woman in nearly a year? It was all he could do not to end his dry spell with her the moment he walked in the door and saw her in the bed. No woman had ever slept in that bed and he was thinking perhaps this one shouldn’t sleep there either.

The Night Sarah Came Home

Have you seen the news lately? Can't really avoid it, unless you live in a very remote area. Spring, where I am, is blooming so nicely, kitty cats sit soaking up the warm on window stills, birds fly overhead, and yet there is war, unemployment, murder and mayhem everywhere. This old world suffers so much. I think however, most of us would not want it all to just end. No more squabbles over ancestral lands, water, rights, etc. While it can be pretty ugly out there, there is a lot of remarkable beauty created by the most populous species on this planet too.

Someone else however, William Joseph in particular, had other ideas. The world ended, and according to his version, no one was supposed to survive, except for a few selected people stashed away. It is a classic scenario in Science Fiction: The end of everything we know, and the start of some new menacing world order, fought by a few leftovers to mess up what was supposed to be the beginnings of Paradise.

The Night Sarah Came Home brings home a new twist on the old plot. For one thing, it is staged in New Jersey, an unlikely place to find the remaining group of people. The story centers on them as seen through the eyes of one Kid Eriksson to whom Sarah is his most blessed beloved he still cannot believe is his. Three friends and their girlfriends on a Jersey Beach when the seemingly impossible happens: a flash of light that nearly blinds one of them, and causes all of them for the rest of the night to find every organic being dead. Rotting lumps of gag stinking mess.

The Spy Who Wants Me

Take a sexy as all get out female spy who wears sharp heeled shoes, is very deadly with any weapon and her hands, and not a slouch in the brain department either. Then add the guy who is a brilliant former football scientist with integrity, a nosy family that want grandkids, Black Ops, stolen classified high tech plans that could kill people, kidnapping, and enough sex to rival The Joy Of Sex book on ideas, and you have The Spy Who Wants Me .

Elle Gray and Dr. Beau Ruston can barely control lust from when they first lay eyes on one another. Both are telling lies to do their job, and finally give in to lust, lots of lust. Assuring one another, "It's just sex" between two gun shy folks here. Then there is sex between Elle Gray's brother and his paramour from ten years ago.

Now a book with so much going on can work. Unfortunately in this one, I found myself distracted and tired while reading it, keeping track of all the things and divergent paths the story was taking. The characters were in some ways too pat perfect and flat for me to relate to. The best scenes were when Elle Gray was relating to her blusterous nosy family. That brought out the most touchable side of Elle Gray. Dr. Beau Ruston tended to come off as a horny Apollo hunk of a man, and while everyone talked about his brilliance, I did not see any evidence of it – unless his ability in bed was to show that?

Video Magic

Marge_Anna's picture

Competition and high school; they seem to go hand in hand, no matter how much you'd like them to be separate entities. Competition with friends, enemies, and family members seem to be the way during the teen years. When you've been competing with a perfect older brother for attention from your parents as long as you can remember, it would be great to accomplish something spectacular in your own right. Kimberly Lange is about to get the chance in Vikk Simmons' Video Magic.

Kimberly Lange is competing against the perfect-in-every-way and beautiful Marla Morgan, Drama Diva, for an internship on the senior project. She knows she can do the job better, and that Marla prefers to be in front of the camera, not behind it. But Marla is the best friend of Greg Winters, the super hot senior in charge of the project. Everyone believes there must be more to Greg and Marla than friendship.

Kimberly spent her summer on her own project to prove she's the best person for the internship. Her work pays off and she gets the job. Now, can she do everything to show she is worthy of the chance? Does Marla hate her for winning? Does Marla hate her more now that Greg is showing Kimberly more attention than necessary on the project?

Wenches in Pantries

What do a pretentious Lady, a pampered step-daughter, and a promiscuous maid have in common? I found myself wanting to know the answer when picking up this read.

Wenches in Pantries by AJ Michaels is a novella length historical romance that is broken down into three parts, each part telling of a particular couple. They are all tied together in the story.

This story follows Millie the maid, Poppy the daughter, and Lady Bea wife and stepmother, who must submit to Lord Pennyworth’s strict rules and expectations. They have come to feel like little more than the lordship’s assets and wish for something more. Soon three mysterious men enter into the Pennyworth estate and the women’s lives are changed. The three ladies fine themselves enveloped in the seduction of their suitors, but a secret the gentlemen share may leave the women destitute once uncovered.

While Wenches in Pantries had a lot of steamy encounters, I found it a bit lacking in actual romance. The plot, though entertaining could have been fleshed out a bit more. AJ Michaels does bring in a nice bit of suspense with the three mysterious gentlemen that take on the role of a hero. Overall, it is a good read to consider passing an hour or two of your time with.

Inevitable Sentences

Are you a suspense junkie? Maybe you’re interested in the twisted way the mind of a serial killer works? Perhaps you’re a Law and Order fan, and can’t get enough of the world of crime and punishment. Isn’t it odd how most of those genres feature a tough, grizzled male veteran cop or a young, gorgeous female detective—who is not only too young to know anything about life, but just way too young to be a detective? And why does it always have to be a cop or a former cop? Why not someone like you? After all, you’ve read enough crime novels, watched enough shows you could probably do the job, right? Tekla Dennison Miller allows the reader a chance to solve the motivations of a serial killer in the very ordinary personage of Celeste Brookstone in her novel, Inevitable Sentences.

Celeste Brookstone did not set out to be a crusader for abused women. In fact, she probably sees herself as a bad example staying with an abusive husband until he died, subjecting her daughter to that perverted version of love. Celeste often wonders if she left her husband if her beautiful daughter, Pillar, would still be alive and not dead at the hands of that killer, Chad Wilbanks. All the same, Celeste decides to take over an abandoned lighthouse and make it into a safe house for abused women. Somehow it seems fitting, especially done in her daughter’s memory. She also wants to be close to Hawk Haven where Chad Wilbanks is currently residing. She’s not done with him yet. Maybe the courts didn’t convict him for killing her daughter, but Celeste knows he’s guilty. Chad knows she knows and is amused, which makes it that much worse.