Viking Princess

Best Cover 2011 from Loves Romance Cafe

2012-01-26T20:54:00.001-05:00

I am so stunned that it took me all day to write this blog post. I am so thrilled and honored to have this award. I used Lee Brazil's suggestions on what should be on the cover, so this is most definitely a shared award.

Thank you so much!

In case you are wondering which cover got such an awesome award, it was Loving Jacob. :)

Poesy Rings and the 2012 KMM Fever Calendar

2012-01-20T13:42:00.000-05:00

The Forbidden Game, by LJ Smith is probably my most favorite book (well...books. It is trilogy that has twice been made available in one volume) of all time. It was the book that first made me really love to read. The first time I was moved to tears reading and really cared for certain characters. Before reading this book in the 11th grade, I read mostly books along the lines of the Fear Street series by RL Stine, and his Goosebumps series before that, during my younger years. I love horror. But LJ Smith, she was more of a precursor to paranormal romance. It was also my first taste of Norse influence and thus my love of Norse mythology and Nordic men began.

And Julian. OMG Julian. He's the villain of the books, part of the love triangle, and maybe about 5% of the people I have spoke to who have read this series ever rooted for the other guy (Tom). He's physically perfect, "heartbreakingly beautiful," despite of his flaws: arrogant, mood swings, and that pesky fact that he is the youngest in a race of Shadow Men...beings trapped in a world of ice and shadows, never to be part of our own, that feed on the life forces of those unfortunate enough to get caught by them. Nevertheless, Julian sees Jenny and is instantly obsessed with her because she is everything that he isn't. He seeks to make her his queen in a *between* worlds house he built to protect her from his race. One of his methods of securing her to him is a 17th century poesy ring with the inscrioption "All I refuse & thee I chuse" on the inside of it. It was traditionally a gift from a lover, sometimes used as an engagement or wedding band. It was believed that having the words touching one's skin gave them a sort of power.

I found a poesy ring with this inscription on it. I almost pass out when I saw that the yellow or white gold ones were over $800. But they I saw it was less than $100 for a sterling silver ring and I bought it. I am just going to pretend Julian gave it to me. *squee*

Also, I finally completed the 2012 Fever Calendar for fans of the series by Karen Marie Moning. My second favorite series of all time. Because of work smothering me the past 2-3 months, I had to condense the calender down to 6 wallpapers rather than 12. In celebration to the first Dani O'Malley book being released in October I made sure she was on the calendar page for that month. These wallpapers are also up on Karen's website under the Media section for wallpapers. They are at the bottom of that page.

Things have been insane!

2011-11-05T19:14:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, to those few who actually check my blog often. ;)

I updated my cover art page for last month and this month's covers. I knocked all my November covers out early since I had a few days off. I may have one more to do this month, but the form hasn't made it back to me from the author yet.

Nothing major going on to talk about. Hopefully I can get it together and blog more often. :)

Fare thee well, The Secret Circle, you just lost a viewer.

2011-10-14T02:57:00.003-04:00

About ten years ago I was a Junior in high school. I came upon L.J. Smith’s The Vampire Diaries in a Books A Million store and bought all four novels with lunch money I had saved up by not buying lunch and not having an allowance or a job. I read them within a week, and hunted down every other book Ms. Smith had written. I had to special order The Secret Circle because the store didn’t carry them anymore. But I remember I read the whole trilogy one weekend. I loved to hate Faye, I laughed out loud at the antics of the Henderson twins, and I developed a crush on one Nick Armstrong. The Outsider, the underdog compared to “perfect” Adam (whom I find incredibly boring), and the bad boy who secretly has a heart of gold.

When the CW announced that The Secret Circle would be airing in the fall, on the same night as The Vampire Diaries, I felt a thrilling dose of nostalgia. I am thinking to myself, “what year is this again? I’m not seventeen anymore…but two of the book series that I loved from back then are being adapted and on back to back?!” I knew it wouldn’t follow the books exactly, as The Vampire Diaries doesn’t. And The Vampire Diaries is one of the very rare occasions where the changes help rather than hinder the story/adaption and it becomes more enjoyable. Even though I was very dissatisfied that the Henderson twins and most of the original coven of The Secret Circle (seven girls, five boys) didn’t make the final cut, and completely underwhelmed that out of all the characters taken away a new one was added in, I was willing to hold my tongue and reserve judgment until I saw the show, because I complained about the changed to The Vampire Diaries and I actually like what they have done there (for the most part).

Well, it has been, what? Five episodes now? While some changes I don’t mind, some of the changes leave me a little taken aback. I mean, it is easy to see why the New Salem/Original Salem roots storyline isn’t involved as The Vampire Diaries used Salem witches as THEIR witch back story (despite the fact that Bonnie was descended of Celtic Druids, but whatever), and I am still hoping that Black John will make an appearance sometime before I die or at least get a mention, as the first Klaus name dropping in season 2 of The Vampire Diaries was a wonderful fan moment. But I really do not know if I can bring myself to continue watching The Secret Circle due to the early and uncalled for death of Nick Armstrong.

I don’t care if the “show” storyline benefits from it. I don’t care if he’s not as important as Cassie or Adam or even Faye, because, let’s face it…those are the main characters. Diana is more expendable than those three, especially since she is not quite like her book counterpart. But in my honest opinion, the only important characters were the five that made the cut, minus Melissa who I could give a rat’s ass about due to the fact that she wasn’t in the books, serves no real purpose in the show thus far other than to send a demon into Nick and get him killed because of it. That doesn’t make me like her any more. Now I resent the fact that she is still alive when she never existed in the books.

I feel like killing Nick is a slap in the face to every single reader who was anticipating this series. In my opinion, this would be the same as killing Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries. Or even Eric Northman on True Blood. You just don’t do it. You can’t replace him with a cheap imitation because (most) fans of the books won’t accept it. They will be thinking, “well, sure, he’s great an all…but I’d rather have Nick Armstrong back.” As an additional slap in the face, judging by the summaries of the next few episodes, Nick’s brother is going to become interested in Cassie and make both Adam and Faye jealous. I don’t understand why it became essential to kill off Nick, and then bring in a non-book character in order to fulfill the Nick role. I am almost glad my beloved Henderson twins didn’t make the cut, because surely one or both of them would have died before long, too, just because they aren’t required to have eye-sex with Cassie almost every episode like Adam has to. Because, despite the fact he and Cassie are soul mates, Adam's love of a girl who is NOT his girl friend is totally a trait I find attractive in a guy. (not)

I really wanted to write a totally scathing letter with a cuss word every other word, but I couldn’t bring myself to it. I am above it, but I cannot let my unhappiness go unheard. If you were going for tears with that episode, writers and producers, you didn’t get them. Instead I sat there physically shaking with fury. I was quite literally livid by the time the credits rolled. I honestly do not know if I can even bring myself to continue watching the show because I am that upset. I hope killing him off was worth it, because I am sure there are several other very unhappy fans of the books right now. I wish you the best with the run of the show, but I don’t know if I can enjoy it any longer.

Thanks for ruining my enjoyment of the show within the first few episodes.

Sincerely,

Victoria

P.S. Please do not EVER try to adapt The Forbidden Game, Dark Visions, or Night World. Just leave them alone. Thanks.

Corrected Reseph Wallpaper, with FS version, and updated cover art.

2011-09-27T21:55:00.000-04:00

The Reseph art I did the other night was started at about one AM, finished around four AM. It was dark and cloudy all day yesterday, so when the sunlight hit it today, as I have it making my computer all pretty, I noticed there was a small sliver of the original background clinging to his shoulder like an annoying little leech. I have fixed it, aslo managed to get the glow around the side of his head lessened too from where I lightened his hair. So here is the new one, with a full screen version for those who don't have a wide monitor yet (or want it for your phone wallpaper mwa ha ha) Sorry about that! I blame four AM everything-looks-awesome-with-these-eyes-in-the-dark-itis.

also, the cover art on both pages are being updated as I hit publish, so by the time you see this....it will probably be done. LOL ;)

I think I have developed a "type"

2011-09-26T12:04:00.001-04:00

Wow, it has been about a month since I updated this blog. LOL I am so bad at this. But anywho..

I have come to the conclusion that I have developed a type in reference to my literary boyfriends. Which are many. I live vicariously through my literary love interests. And though I haven't crossed the line of using white out and a pen to change the heroines' names to VICTORIA just yet...one day....I can feel it. hahaha

Spoilers Ahoy, maties!

We all know how much I LOVE my V'luce. (V'lane aka Cruce. Ergo: V'luce) Love him. I love him so much that Karen Marie Moning has even signed several books (and my V'lane poster) with "V'lane is MINE!" to remind me. The only character I think I have been THAT obsessed with before is Julian from L.J. Smith's The Forbidden Game. Who is also the antagonist in that series, but I LOOOOOOOOOOVE Julian. I would say I haven't cried so much in my life in regards to the way TFG ended with Julian, but then....you didn't see or hear me when I finished Shadowfever. It was not cute, people. I had a stuffy nose for nearly a whole day after all those tears.

But then I started to think about it. My favorite characters are usually the hot blonds (sometimes even if they are jackasses), the vikings...unless they are too outrageously evil (the movie Pathfinder, though Ghost, the protag was originally a viking. Karl Urban. YUM), or secondary characters. I love secondary characters. Since a young age, watching She-Ra, my favorite character was her friend Frosta. Not a dude, no...but she was macking on He-Man...who was blond. I wanted to BE her.

So to get back on point...lately I have notices a trend of my favorite characters being evilish. Sure some are destined for redemption, others doomed to pay for their transgressions and others so ambiguous that you just don't know if they will ever get free of their icy prison. And it isn't just in books!

Exhibit A...my bad bad bad boy loves

1. Julian - The Forbidden Game. (LJ Smith) So in love with a human mortal he can't have, he tricks her and her friends into playing a game with him to try to win her for himself.

2. V'lane/Cruce. The Fever Series. (Karen Marie Moning) Marry me. Seriously. Break free of your prison, come out of the book, I will be your princess! Screw Mac!!!!! (um...as in get over her, don't literally do that since you are in trouble for literally do that anyway) ;)

3. Lothaire. Immortals After Dark (Kresley Cole). I knew from the first book I wanted to lick that blond, sexy vampire. The Enemy of Old gets his own book, and breaks the savvy title trend by having a book named for him alone. I need that book. You don't even know....

4. Reseph. Lords of Deliverance. (Larissa Ione). My newest obsession. He is SO EVIL right now. So evil!!!!! I don't know if it is because I just know he's going to have his own book which makes me justify it, or if I was seduced by the blond hair and blue eyes (I am easy that way. I try to deny it, but alas...) I don't know. Only one book into the series and I am already making 3 AM wallpapers after finding a blond knight on fotolia when downloading some images for cover art. (click below to get the full size wallpaper, I even left room on the side for icons. Because I am OCD about not having them cover the actual image...I'm so weird.)

edit: had to fix a glitch on the wallpaper. New one has been added here and the post for 9/27/11

4. Jareth. Labyrinth (movie). very similar to the Forbidden Game in storyline, Jareth falls for a mortal and tries to make her win her own freedom. David Bowie never looked so good. Though I do get highly amused by the crotch shots in that movie.

5. Erik, the Phantom. Phantom of the Opera (Gaston Leroux/Susan Kay/Andrew Lloyd Webber) While he's not sexy...unless he's played by Gerard Butler....I LOVE him. He's crazy, he's murderous...but he just wants to be love. He's so well characterized you can't help but feel sympathy for him. The novel Phantom by Susan Kay tells his life story from birth till death. One of the BEST. BOOKS. EVER. WRITTEN. You will cry the entire way through. And if you don't cry in several parts of that book, you are not human. It's that simple. LOL

6.Stephen Bonnet. Outlander. (Diana Gabaldon). I am probably the ONLY fan of Stephen Bonnet. it's not that he's blond, though that may have helped him a bit. He's a HORRIBLE person and totally deserved his death. However, he is such a three dimensional character that I still mourn the loss of him in the books. Despite it all, he did give Briana the gemstone at the end of Drums when he thought she was carrying his baby (I am a bit fuzzy on events forgive me, it has been a while), and he had a hard life. When he dies the in the ONE way that terrifies him, I cried for him.

7. Damon Salvatore. The Vampire Diaries (LJ Smith/ TV) He's so unpredictable. While I love all of LJ Smith's early novels (not a fan of her Return trilogy), The Vampire Diaries had a lot of unlikable characters in it. Elena was such a snooty bitch, so it was really hard to relate to her or like her. You would think someone that could be evil one second, and calm and civil the next, like Damon, wouldn't be so likable. I retain that those books wouldn't have been interesting at all without him. Even on the show he's a villain one minute, and the antihero the next.

8. Eric Northman. Sookie Stackhouse novels/True Blood. (Charlaine Harris/TV) He starts off antagonistic in the books and becomes the leading man in the last half. The show likes to keep him the antagonist...and I am not even going to go there because it will result in calling Alan Ball a lot of un-nice names.

9. Sam Winchester. Supernatural (TV). usually my fave on the shows I watch would be more like Dean; however, I have been team Sam since the beginning. That was before I realized he was going to be evilish every other season or what not. *sigh* And now my other fave, Castiel, has gone evil too. What is with me!

10. Spike. Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel. (tv). I found Angel boring, overly dramatic and, while hot, brought the tone of the show down to sad most of the time...it got better on his own show, though not by a lot. Spike, on the otherhand, was FUN. Hilarious, hot, and a scene stealer. And strangely, Evil Spike is still my favorite. He hit a patch of Angel-like seriousiness that while I enjoyed him being redeemed, just wasn't as fun as when he was evil.

So, in short, I apparently like the Bad in my Bad Boys more than I thought. And here endeth my random mumblings.

Bored on Sunday? Write an Essay!

2011-08-28T19:49:00.000-04:00

So after a releated conversation on facebook, without anything better to do with my Sunday afternoon I found myself five pages deep in Cruce. Not that I mind, I do loooooove him. But LOL I guess I am NEVER going to be done coming to his defense. MAJOR Fever series spoilers ahead if you found this on accident. I call this essay:

The Brilliance of Cruce:

He Would Have Gotten Away With It If Not For That Meddling MacKayla.

Rarely does an antagonist really make you think twice about all that he has done. Sure, it has happened in other stories, but in reference to Cruce of Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series, there is a gray area of ambiguity that remains in his wake. This area can be taken either way in many instances, and most readers believe the rapes of Aoibheal and MacKayla Lane leave Cruce a closed case that can never find redemption. To some extent I agree; rape is NEVER justified and is a terrible act of selfishness and violence. However, the point of this article is not to focus on the mechanics, motivations, or morality of the rapes, but to analyze the character of Cruce and expose him for who and what he is. As far as redemption goes, Cruce may be able to achieve it, but he is really going to have to work for it.

There is no denying, at the end of Shadowfever, that Cruce is an antithesis of himself: he is revealed to be both incredibly brilliant, but hovering on the cusp of complete insanity. He makes it to his end game, absorbs the Sinsar Dubh and is just moments away of completing all he set out to do a million or so years before. But because he could never drink from the Cauldron of forgetting to escape the threat of insanity, his final moments reveal him not so much as the glorious Unseelie prince who defies everyone to free a wrongly imprisoned race of beings and escapes prosecution for merely existing, but as a mad man who seeks complete and utter control as well as the destruction of anyone who stands in his path.

In a way, Cruce could be a heroic character if certain situations could have been avoided. There is an obvious undertone of the civil rights movement in the series. The Dark Fae were killed and imprisoned for merely being different than the Light Fae, for instance. But freeing the Unseelie was only half of what Cruce is after, he also wants ALL the Fae to be free of the Compact made with the human race, which would, in turn, make the human race victims to the Fae and making the hero of an act of prejudice the dictator in another one. However, as the books go on, his views on humans begin to change. He even works with them closely to keep them safe, fights alongside the protagonists, and is quite infatuated with one human in particular. There is a lot of hope for him to change his views, until the end of Shadowfever.

Though the change is sudden, his whole personality shifts when he drops the V’lane glamour and fully becomes Cruce. Even his dialogue changes from the arrogant, flowy, long sentences used as V’lane to shorter, choppier sentences that are blunt and to the point. For example, the first time we meet V’lane in Darkfever, this is what he says:

“'It is nothing I do, sidhe-seer,’ it said. ‘It is what I am. I am every erotic dream you’ve ever had and a thousand more you’ve never thought of. I am sex that will turn you inside out and burn you down to ashes.’ It smiled. ‘And if I choose, I can make you whole again.” (Darkfever, 154)

He's very articulate and chooses his worrds in order to assure the best impact. That being said, this is the kind of dialogue we get after he drops the V'lane glamour:

“‘They would have killed you. They had never had a human woman. Darroc underestimated their ardor.’” (Shadowfever, 571)

The sentences are very straightforward and defensive. The short, simplistic sentences continue on as Mac pushes to find out why he would take part in the rape at the end of Faefever.

“‘I desired you. You refused me. I wearied of your protests. You wanted me. You thought about it. You were not even there. What difference?’” (Shadowfever, 571)

Again, there is little feeling involved in what Cruce has to say. He appears to not be concerned about how Mac may feel about what he is saying. He is not even giving her the curtesy of putting thought into what he is saying. He says it point blank, knowing all the while it hurts Mac to hear it. Like a machine gun shooting several bullets per second, the short sentences are driven home in a rat, tat, tat, tat quick fashion.

While the whole scene reads out as though, in the presence of the Unseelie King, Cruce is a disobedient child who is merely acting out because daddy just showed up to take the T-bird away, there is more to it. The father-child issue is too obvious and Cruce allows it to be in the forefront to divert the attention away from what lies underneath it. The main reason why he goes from the character we think we know to an almost unrecognizable one in the blink of an eye is summed up into two words: MacKayla Lane.

Cruce has the series of events all set up from the very beginning. He takes over V’lane’s persona and establishes Aoibheal as, first, his concubine, then a Fae princess, then as the Queen. By his own admission, “‘I encouraged where encouragement was useful’” (Shadowfever, 570) He molds Darroc into the perfect scapegoat and diversionary tactic. Cruce ensures that while everyone is watching the Lord Master free the Unseelie, tear the walls down, and hunt the Sinsar Dubh, he can place himself on the chess board and continue moving the pawns around unnoticed. However, he does not consider the fact he would develop feelings for one of the chess pieces on his game board. Inevitably, his feelings for Mac both save and destroy him.

Over the course of the series, as V’lane, he begins to soften towards Mac and form and unlikely “friendship” with the human. He desires her, but he even somewhat respects her wishes and “mutes” his Death-By-Sex mojo on her in order to make her feel more comfortable in his presence. At the same time, while Mac never fully trusts V’lane, she considers him an ally. On several occasions, Mac is even glad to see him; will smile at his appearance or run to greet him. What makes the situation so tragic when she runs to greet the false “V’lane” at the end of Faefever is that instead of saving her from his brethren, Cruce betrays her by participating in the act as well.

His participation is purely selfish. He shows up in the middle of the act, after Mac already begins to turn Pri-ya. His participation in this scene does benefit her in the end, though, and that is because he gives her the elixir that makes her just Fae enough to survive what is being done to her. Does it justify the act? No. But, as a result, Cruce’s elixir saves her life several other times in the series and allows her to be able to live forever alongside Jericho Barrons.

Cruce’s presence is contrasting to the other three princes for several reasons. One being that he is gentle where the others have not had sex for over a million years. Mac states he is the most terrifying of all because of his gentle caresses, but also because she cannot see who it is. Since Mac’s mind was already mostly gone at this point, her fear is moist likely due to the fact that instinctively she knows the person being gentle with her is more than likely someone she knows, and that is why they remain hidden. It is important that Cruce used his true form in this scene; he does not rape Mac in the form of V’lane. V’lane is the handsome, golden prince who lives to obey the command of his queen, or Mac. Cruce answers to nobody, and nothing is going to keep him from what he wants. He takes Mac as himself, but remains hidden still. Not only because no one is aware Cruce is still alive, but because he is not ready for Mac to know him as Cruce despite of what he is doing to her.

The most ambiguous of his actions is in what he plans to do with Mac after the rape has ended. He hovers around as though he is going to allow Darroc to use her in the Pri-ya state to track the book. Yet, he allows Dani to take Mac away when, if he is the shadowy figure that was able to get in her way as it appears he is. He allows Mac’s ally to take her rather than her enemy, all the while he cannot act himself without showing his hand and revealing himself as Cruce. He is furious when the wards keeping Unseelie out of the abbey go down and Jericho Barrons has already taken Mac away. Not only was he willing to be the one to “save” Mac, but he also lost out on a chance to track with Mac’s complete obedience to only him. Because he cared enough to let Dani have Mac rather than Darroc, he made path to the end game more difficult.

When he finally sees Mac again, he apologizes for the sake of his brethren:

“’A thousand apologies could not atone for the harm my brethren were permitted to inflict upon you. It sickens me that you were—‘He broke off, bowing his head even more deeply, as if he couldn’t bring himself to go on.” (Dreamfever, 67).

His head is bowed, he is avoiding all eye contact, and he is not only apologizing for the other princes but for himself. He cannot bring himself to say what it was that happened to her. Not sure if one could go as far to say this is his showing shame for what he did, so much as knowing he took part in hurting her, not being able to admit he took part in it, and knowing humans have a tendency for forgiving over time. Maybe he hoped this would help her, but the fact he bowed at all in her presence showed some respect is there, despite everything that has happened prior to this scene. And is one of many instances that show Cruce cares about what Mac thinks of him.

The moment in which this is really driven home is when Cruce is about to drop his V’lane glamour for good:

“’Still you wear V’lane’s face. What do you fear?’ the king said.

‘I fear nothing.’ But his gaze lingered on me a long moment. ‘I fight for my race, MacKayla. I have since I was born. He would conceal us in shame and condemn us to a half life. Remember that. There are reasons for all I have done.’” (Shadowfever, 570)

Even here, his dialogue begins to get choppy and defensive as the switch is about to occur. After this moment, his attitude makes him uncaring about what he has done or is willing to do. However, his in this instance it is almost as though he is pleading with Mac to remember that he did everything for a reason. He takes a long glance at her, as though remembering her at this moment, before she can grow to truly hate him. At this point she is afraid of him and confused by the turn of events, but it is not until he becomes Cruce that she truly begins to hate him. He is almost begging her to keep what he is saying in this scene in mind as the next one begins to unfold.

In order to make my next point, we must look at how Cruce’s hate for the Unseelie King stems from both the neglect of the king’s full attention or concern and a lack of an understanding of emotions. Because of the Unseelie King’s love of the concubine, Aoibheal, the king does not devote himself to the Unseelie he created and does not really concern himself with what happens to them. Because Cruce does not understand why the king loves this mortal woman more than his own children, the anger continues to build up until, when sentenced to death for merely existing, it overcomes Cruce so completely that it becomes his life’s mission to free his brethren and take his father’s crown; to start over with the Unseelie with a different approach. Cruce believes that by loving a mortal and having no concern for the Fae makes the Unseelie King weak and undeserving of the power he wields. After taking the concubine away from the king and utilizing her as a pawn in Seelie affairs, he becomes comfortable in the V’lane glamour he set in place. He lives the lives of two beings. He is Cruce, calculating, efficient, and struggling to not become a victim of circumstance like the rest of the Unseelie. But he is also V’lane, seemingly loyal to his race, a leader and ,unlike his Unseelie brothers, free.

When he meets Mac and begins to get to know her, he begins to understand what the Unseelie King felt for the concubine. Following in similar footsteps, he alters Mac to where she cannot die, not just because she is useful but because he cares for her. Afterwards, when it results in her becoming stronger and able to see him in his truest form, he begins hoping to take her to be his princess, telling her “’You are queenly in your own right” (Dreamfever, 69). As he hopes to become the future king of the Fae, she would become his queen. Which makes the dual meaning of the following exchange really interesting:

“’Maybe the fourth was you, V’lane. How do I know it wasn’t?’

My skin frosted. When I shivered, crystals of ice fell in a small snowstorm to the sidewalk. ‘I was with my queen.’” (Dreamfever, 73).

To an extent, he was. He was with the woman he would have as his queen during that scene. And when previously she comments that between the queen and herself, she was the expendable one to him, it can be regarded as though he meant the Mac that existed then was expendable in order to find the book. While Jericho Barrons believes the elixir was given to Mac to keep her Pri-ya forever, it does not make a lot of sense to believe Cruce would not have cured her of being Pri-ya after having the book in his possession; he was too proud of her ability to view a Fae in its true form to be satisfied with an empty shell for his queen.

As Cruce began to disregard using Mac for the Sinsar Dubh and planning to keep her for his own, it becomes apparent that his downfall is that he cared for Mac too much. His V’lane glamour allowed him the freedom to care for her. But as Cruce, caring for her would make him weak. One of the themes in the Fever series, especially in Shadowfever, is duality. And Cruce versus V’lane is one of the major examples of duality at work in the series. For example, he even refers to himself as separate entities after it becomes clear he is one and the same:

“’I wanted you to accept me as I was, but—how is it you say?—my reputation preceded me. Others filled your head with lies about Cruce, I endeavored to correct them, open your eyes.’” (Shadowfever, 569)

As long as he is in V’lane’s form, he cannot fully accept himself as Cruce. Whether it is denying his presence in the rape, keeping his existence secret or even making a simple statement about himself, there is definitely a rift between both personalities. Maybe it is because he hasn’t drunk from the Cauldron and is becoming unhinged, or maybe it is because V’lane has become a shield for Cruce. He can do anything in the name of his cause and fall back on the fact that, as V’lane, he has never done those things since V’lane lives to serve Aoibheal. He’s lived a life behind a mask, and now that it is time to take the mask off, what lies underneath may not be overly recognizable to even himself.

To elaborate, the personality shift from V’lane to Cruce can be closely connected to his feelings for Mac. He tells her all he has done is for a reason, then he changes form and does not sugar coat anything else he says. Whereas, as V’lane, he wanted her to want him as he is, as Cruce he seems to want her to hate him. He cannot admit to himself or the Unseelie King he has feelings for a human when he is telling the king he did what he did because the king loved the concubine. He has ultimately trapped himself with a double standard. Had he not cared for Mac, he could have made her Pri-ya at any time and used her to get the book as he ultimately set out to do in Darkfever when he offered her his cuff after trying to seduce her and learning she had a stronger will than he expected.

Cruce would have found a way to get the Sinsar Dubh eventually, but because he develops feelings for Mac, he is trapped within himself. Taking away the freedom the V’lane glamour allowed Cruce forces him into the corner he created for himself by believing that feelings made one too weak to be the king of the Fae. While Cruce may not have been locked away in the Unseelie Prison, he was still a prisoner of his own design. First, he was locked away in the form of a Seelie Prince to keep his existence unknown, and afterwards it becomes represented by the fact that he is now frozen in all his glory beneath the abbey. Should he ever be let out, he will not truly be free until he can stop living for a cause and start living for himself.

The Fever Series: An Overview

2011-08-21T17:13:00.004-04:00

Hello, my name is Victoria Miller, and I am a Moning Maniac. If you think this is a fanbase of tweens and teens, you're in the wrong place. While some teens do read the books, I wouldn't recommend allowing anyone under the age of 18 to do so due to adult content, eroticism, and all that other good stuff you get with an R rating on television and in the movies.

Based on the fact so many articles have been published in relation to Variety's announcement of Dreamworks purchasing the the rights to make feature films based on the five book series (which is one continuous story split into five parts, not a book with four sequels, FYI.) it seems as though the lack of knowledge in the non-book communities has caused a trend of misinformation. While it is an epic story, comparing the series to Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Hunger Games is unfair in that, while those young adult series are all great in their own right, and Harry Potter is, well, it's Harry Potter...., the Fever series is an adult urban fantasy that has little to do with any of the aforementioned teen franchises.

I am going to take this opportunity to enlighten those who are unfamiliar with the story without giving away too much. Probably my favorite thing about this series (aside from my infamous literary love affair with V'lane) is Karen Marie Moning's use of foreshadowing. The major things may or may not be obvious as you read it and think "oh yeah, back when ____happened...," but if you re-read the books you will find you knew something, or something was referenced, from the very beginning. Even from the prologue of the first book. So, avoiding spoiling the really good stuff, this is what you need to know:

The story is told through the eyes of MacKayla Lane. Raised in the fictional town of Ashford, Georgia, Mac begins her story appearing to be a blond "Barbie" type who cares little for much outside of glamour, boys...and fast cars. By the end of the last book we will find Mac has changed so much in so little time that you almost feel sad she had to mature so fast in the ways she was forced to do so (but don't worry, the character development is done VERY well)...if that made sense...my eyes just crossed re-reading that sentence. When her sister Alina is murdered in Ireland, Mac's only clue to what happened is left in a cell phone voice mail. Mac travels to Dublin to solve the murder herself (and seek revenge on Alina's killer) when the investigators close the case.

Upon her arrival, Mac runs into a enigmatic bookstore owner, Jericho Barrons, at Barrons Books and Baubles. Not only does he have the information to help her locate (and learn about) the Sinsar Dubh, an evil book of dark magic created over a million years ago by the Unseelie King himself that is responsible for a slew of violent murders and suicides across Dublin, but Barrons also informs Mac that she is a Sidhe-seer; someone who can see through Fae glamour and, in Mac's case, have other extraordinary gifts.

Together they hunt for OOPs (Fae Objects of Power), which leads to Mac's possession of one of the only two weapons known to be able to kill the Fae: The Spear of Destiny. As Mac learns more about her heritage, upon learning she and her sister were adopted, Mac meets other Sidhe-seers, including Dani (the ONLY teenage character in the books and is too feckin' awesome to be censored into a PG movie) who has superspeed and other enhanced senses, and often wields the other weapon: The Sword of Light. Together they kick so much Faery ass that they eventually lose count.

Mac is not the only person who is seeking the Sinsar Dubh. Barrons wants it for his own reasons, but he isn't one to share secrets willingly. Then there is V'lane, sent, he says, by the Seelie Queen to use the book to restore the falling walls between the Fae and Human realms. He's lethally seductive, so much so that sex with him could turn a woman "Pri-ya" (someone so addicted to Fae sex that it becomes their only function) or could kill them from the pleasure of it. Then there is Darroc, the Lord Master. A former Fae (who's fall is witnessed in The Immortal Highlander, by Karen Marie Moning. Part of the Highlander romance series which introduced the Fae and preceded Charlaine Harris' introduction of fae into the Sookie Stackhouse (TrueBlood) novels; I am looking at you those people about to compare those Fae to Karen's! Don't do it!) who seeks to free the Unseelie from their prison and make the Fae gods among the humans. Christian MacKeltar, part of a highland clan of Druids who seek to keep the walls from falling and forcing Fae and Human realms to collide. And the Sidhe-seers, who may have actually been the reason the book has gone missing in the first place.

Over the course of the books, Mac learns more about the history of the Tuatha De Danann, the beautiful, elitist Seelie and the abominations known as the Unseelie. She must battle the Shades: creatures of no physical form that dwell in true darkness and cannot enter the light. They instantly devour anything living, leaving only a dried up husk behind. Royal Hunters: Dragon-like creatures that look like the classic depiction of the devil, and were responsible for hunting and slaugtering the sidhe-seers before the compact between Man and Fae existed. The Gray Man, an Unseelie so ugly that he steals the beauty of others, leaving them either rotting away or dead when he is through. Malluce, born the son of a wealthy family and claiming to be a real life vampire, but appearances are often deceiving. (please note...Malluce is a very MINOR character with only a small pivotal role in two of the books)

Throughout her journey, Mac steals from Irish mobsters, is tortured and brutalized, lost within the Fae realms, has really, really epic sex, loses everything and more than she thought she had to lose, and may or may not be the key to saving the world from a slightly insane being seeking the ultimate power: the Sinsar Dubh.

And if that isn't enough to keep you glued to your chair while reading, there is always the mystery of Barrons and the eight others like him; what are they? How did they get that way? What is Barrons up to? What the hell does Ryodan look like anyway? What is V'lane or Darroc or the Sidhe-Seers really up to for that matter? Who is responsible for Alina's murder? What happens to Mac in her darkest hour? Who does Mac find herself responsible for killing? What the K'Vruck is a K'Vruck? What happens if she presses IYD (If You're Dying) on the phone Barrons gave her?And finally, just where is the elusive Unseelie King whose book is the cause of everything that is going on?

Want to find out? Catch the fever!

Book 1: Darkfever
Book 2: Bloodfever
Book 3: Faefever
Book 4: Dreamfever
Book 5: Shadowfever

visit karen's message boards at her website for in dept book discussions and more: http://www.karenmoning.com/

Like the fever series, don't miss the two official soundtracks
BloodRush and Shadowsong

and last but not least, please keep major spoilers out of the comments should you reply so those who have yet to read can enjoy the fun of finding out on their own. Thank you!

Fever Series Movie Franchise Picked Up by Dreamworks

2011-08-20T14:47:00.001-04:00

Around the time of Faefever's release there was a lot of buzz around 20th Century Fox buying the rights to the Fever series. The release on it read pretty great...aside from saying Mac was a teenage girl. However, Fox never went through and the rights eventually went back to Karen to resell to another studio. At FeverCon in 2010, when asked about it, Karen stated that she was more protective of the series now than she was then and would only sign on the dotted line if she knew the series was going to be done correctly. Well, it appears something is likely to happen now as Dreamworks Studio released an artcile in Vanity (read it here) stated that Dreamworks has the rights to the movie franchise, which is fantastic. Though they are using the hype around the Harry Potter, Twilight and Hunger Games franchises as a basis to compare it to...Hopefully, this does not mean they are going to gear the series towards a teenage audience, as it is an adult themed series and watering it down for teens would diminish the quality considerablly.

However, I have faith that more Fever in my life can only be better than no more Fever in my life, and a real-life V'lane (if blond) will be the best thing since sliced bread for this Moning Maniac. Here's hoping the project gets a greenlight and goes on to cause more audiences to catch the fever! Congratulations Karen! We all know you're a star, and now it is time Hollywood catches on too!

While waiting for more information, fans are taking to Facebook and Twitter and sharing the news. #FeverMovie on Twitter is the tag currently in use. And some people (I admit to nothing) have already tweeted to Kristen Bell and Katie Cassidy about audtioning for Mac, and Joe Manganiello about Barrons and Ian Somerhalder for Christian or the Dreamy-Eyed Guy. And visited Eric Etebari's Facebook page as well as he is the inspiration behind Jericho Barrons.

On Twitter:
Eric Etebari: @EricEtebari
Kristen Bell: @IMKristenBell
Katie Cassidy: @MzKatieCassidy
Joe Manganiello: @joemanganiello
Ian Somerhalder: @iansomerhalder

Mermaids, Romance, & Adventure... OH MY!

2011-08-09T19:39:00.000-04:00

When I was a little girl, any time I was in water (be it the ocean, the pool, or the bathtub) I was a mermaid. When Disney's The Little Mermaid came out, this increased my inner desire to be this beautiful creature that could see and breath under water. I always thought, hey...that would be so freaking cool.

I was wandering through Books-a-Million (as I often do) when the cover for this book, Siren's Call, Book 1 of the Dark Tides series by Devyn Quinn caught my eye. Even before becoming a cover artist, I have the tendency to impulse buy something that has just down right gorgeous artwork. (I found Virginia Kantra's Children of the Sea novels through their artwork, and I spent a small fortune importing used copies of the original UK Pointe Horror collection covers of the original printing of LJ Smith's The Forbidden Game because their covers were gorgeous) Anyway.... The cover was pretty and I impulsed bought without even reading the description. (I do that when hot blond men grace covers too. It is like a surprise sometimes what the book is actually about. Keeps it interesting.) So...Based on the title I naturally assumed the heroine was a Greek Siren. To keep with the surprise, I didn't read the synopsis before starting to read and the first bit kinda went along with that them....then ta da! The heroine is a mermaid!

While Mermaids are in a lot of folklore and here or there in stories I read or in movies I watch, I hadn't actually read any of the "mermaid" romances. There are a good bit, but they aren't taking up as much of the shelf space as say...vampires or werewolves.

As for the story itself, I felt I could relate to the heroine at several points of the book. She has a personality that is similar to mine. I have the tendency to push people away when they try to get close to me because I can't handle the attention properly and she had the same reflex...God, I didn't know I was that annoying! LMAO. Anyway, I liked the hero too....he was just too "nice" for me to LOVE him. And I am not just saying that because he isn't blond. I would have prefered a bit more of an alpha male, but it wouldn't have worked with her personality very well and he would have pushed her away in his forwardness within the first 20 pages.

Now...slight spoilers ahead, but will refrain from anything major.

The book starts off with the basic paranormal premise: Guy likes girl, she is mutually attracted. One is paranormal. The other figures it out. They deal. They hump. They wake up the next morning all shades of WTF and they deal with that. Enter the antagonist: the evil, super hot blond ex. (Why do they bad apples always have to be blond lately. I object!!!!)

Midway through the book it goes from relationship drama, thank god because I was wondering if it was nearly 400 pages of relationship drama or if something supernatural was going to occur to stir trouble. I got my wish, but it wasn't anything like I thought would happen. At all! Evil Blond Ex is an archaeologist who is using his knowledge of the Mer to seek fame and fortune by looking for historical fact to prove their existence without actually outing the heroine and her family in the process. While he is a loathsome character, he is vastly entertaining and supposedly very attractive so I did enjoy most of his page time.

When they embark on their journey into the Mediterranean sea, it goes from simple paranormal romance to more action/adventure and I think I really really got into it at that point. Things of course do not go smoothly and FINALLY events occur that bring about a story arc to continue through the books other than the fact the heroine has two mermaid sisters. I just ordered a copy of book two, Siren's Surrender. I am looking forward to seeing how things progress. Book three comes out Feb 7, 2012.

And for those wondering about the Sexiness factor. There's a lot of chemistry between the two characters, but the romance is more sweet and intimate than lust bunny humpage every 5 minutes. While it would have been nice to see more intimate scenes between the characters, it got weird there when Blond Hunk of No Good came back into the picture, but I don't think it took away from the characters or the story any.

Covers Added

2011-08-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

Added NINE new covers to the blog and updated the links since I kept putting it off till there were a whole lot. LOL. I would love to stay and go off on a random tangent but I have to work on edits now and clean the apartment. Till next time!

New Wallpaper

2011-08-04T00:19:00.002-04:00

I was feeling like my desktop needed a facelift. So.... here ya go. Tried adding hair over his shoulder and it just looked silly so let's just pretend it is cascading down his back. :) Click the image to get full size.

Melrose Place: a reflection

2011-07-11T21:13:00.002-04:00

Two months of Melrose Place (old and new) on the Netflix instant queue streaming through my xbox and here I am....Kinda sad I finished, and kinda wishing they never did the reboot at all.

One of the few shows FOX has ever kept on the air that I actually enjoyed, even though I technically wasn't supposed to be watching it when my mom and stepdad were. Melrose Place lasted 7 seasons, ending in 1999 I believe. I was in elementary school when it first aired but I still watched. I didn't know what was going on half the time but many things stayed in the back of my mind that I remembered as I rewatched for the first time since the original airing of the show: Michael and Jane as the apartment managers, Allison's roommate bailing and her getting Billy to pay half the rent before starting a romance that never quite gets to flourish, Sydney stirring everything up through blackmail and many other things, Jo and Jake, Jake owning Shooters, Amanda Woodward arriving as the queen bitch who is out to make everyone's life a living hell, Kimberly's crazy antics and more.

My favorite characters then remain my favorite now. Sydney Andrews is a character most hated or loved to hate, but I adored her. She messed up everything, did everything wrong, fell into every bad situation possible from hooking to stripping to being murdered. She came onto the show in season 1 as a recurring character, Jane's sister, and later became a regular until the end of season five when she was killed on the night of her wedding while taking wedding photos before the reception. While the show was still worth watching in the final 2 seasons, without Sydney it was a little less fun...even if they brought in Lexi Sterling to later being the slutty redhead in her place.

Also departing in season 5 was Jake Hanson, played by the very handsome Grant Show. He dated just about every female lead on the show in his five seasons and was one of the few who actually received an HEA ending to his run when his ex and his son he only found out about a few seasons prior come back into his life.

It is hard to say if it is the crazy situations such as the antics of Kimberly, Michael, Sydney, Lexi or Taylor that kept the show so addicting, or maybe it was the relationships such as Amanda and Peter--whose chemistry was off the charts when they first met and were on and off again throughout the series since season 3. So much so that they fake their own deaths in the season finale to escape both of their bad situations and start over fresh in a tropical paradise. *sigh* So romantic. Or maybe it was the characters themselves, more so than their antics. I know any scene that put Peter, Michael, and Sydney in the same place at the same time had me laughing uncontrollably. Peter's sarcasm, Michael's idiotic schemes, and Sydney's presence alone made for fun dialogue and enjoyable TV.

The way the show ended was pretty much a fitting ending full of hope for the characters we had come to love. Peter and Amanda escaped the law and were together finally without anything to get in their way, Kyle and Jane were together and very much in love despite the fact that Jane was carrying Michael's baby and Kyle knew it. Michael got all of Peter's money and was once again chief of staff at Whilshire Memorial, Megan and Ryan were married and reunited with Ryan's daughter. And Lexi was, well...she was probably wishing she could steal Amanda's ability to go out with a bang.

Then the reboot comes along eleven years later and ruins several storylines either by continuity errors and dismissal. The only characters to come back to the show in the reboot were Amanda, Sydney, Michael, Jane and Jo. There were odes to past characters, Michael kept a computer file on past tenants such as Allison and the others. However, the building underwent quite the renovation from the ground up. Plausible, I guess...but it didn't even get that remodeled after Kimberly blew half of it up. No word on HOW Sydney came to owning the building or how soon Lexi sold it after everyone but her got their HEA (or so we thought) in the original finale.

Sydney Andrews died in season 5 of the original series. Samantha was fighting for control of the car from her convict father when they ran her over. It may have been bought that Michael really did fake her death for her, and she had supposedly spent time in jail because of it, but there are soooo many issues that make it not plausible.
-Sydney tells Michael in the flashback where he fakes her death that it was done by someone in her past that will kill her husband if she stays "alive." First of all, it was a freak accident and what connection did she have with someone that escaped from jail for Sam not Syd? AND She finally found love with a man who loved her for her as she was. It is ridiculous that Sydney would allow that to die over such a phony pile of garbage they cooked up to get her back. And then her husband, Craig, couldn't handle life in LA without Sydney with him and killed himself holding the watch she engraved to him as a wedding gift. It makes his whole story arc after the accident meaningless. Not to mention they bring her back to life to make her an alcoholic (which she claims started after her first marriage --to Michael, and she was not much of a drinker on the show after that marriage that I could recall having just watched it prior to the reboot, and a drug addict...which seemed weird for her as she didn't even touch the drugs Kimberly prescribed to her except to drug her sister with them.) and then they kill her in the first episode. I was SO disappointed to see my favorite character brought back to be murdered once again.
-Jane's return has no mention of what happened with Kyle or her baby. Um? hello?

-Jo apparently left the doctor she went to Africa with, did something really great with her talents and went back to fashion photography? Lame. Also she comments that Amanda embezzled from D&D but unless I am having a total brain fart, I don't remember that storyline at all.

-Michael is in yet another marriage he destroys through adultery and even manages to be the reason WHY Sydney was murdered (a second time). He's still up to no good. But it is nice to see one character never changes.

-Amanda is brought back to save the show (again) but this time even Heather Locklear couldn't do it. She's apparently dumped Peter for good, ruining the gorgeous ending of the original show and since Amanda and Peter were pretty much soulmates and always gravitated back to each other it seems off base. Her fortune is gone. No word on if she, like Sydney, went to jail for faking her death (or confessing to a past murder) since she is using the same name and is one of the three owners of WPK.

Not only are the original character storylines kinda out of wack, but the new characters are too. Violet is Sydney's daughter? Please, she resembles Lexi more and is psychotic enough to have been Kimberly's. Not to mention Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is not a very good actress AT ALL. The only characters I cared about were Ella, David and Lauren. The rest I found annoying.

Although you could see that they were trying to match up characteristics of the original cast with the new ones. Ella was the new blond bombshell to replace Amanda (and they even made Amanda the big bad bitch villain to antagonize her....Ella's not Allison Parker, we've seen that story and it is tired.) David was the swave, dashing character like Jake, but Auggie rode the motercycle this time around. However, Auggie was the cook kinda like Kyle was, but the only couple to start the show together like Kyle and Taylor/Jane and Michael was Riley and Jonah. Riley was a mixture of Jo and Samantha and possibly even Megan, it seems like. Jonah was clearly a resurrection of Billy Campbell with his big dreams and inner child. Violet was left having to channel all 3 of the crazy/blackmailing redheads (Sydney, Kimberly and Lexi). Lauren channeled Sydney and Megan's hooker-ing ways as well as being the doctor of the cast.

But.... still, it was a nice try to bring it back. It didn't work. And it was painfully obvious it wasn't going to work. The writing wasn't as clever or witty for one thing. And from the beats of agonizing Ke$ha songs every other ep (okay I counted at least three in the 18 eps that were made), to the trying too hard to draw in the younger crowd through facebook, twitter and modern technology and designs...it just jumped in too deep and found itself floating face down in the pool before it had time to live again...hey, kinda like Sydney. See what I did there?

It's Been Awhile...

2011-07-10T23:41:00.000-04:00

Sorry about the lack of activity on the cyber end of things. Last weekend I moved (again!) and now that I am settling into the change I have time for the fun stuff again. Moved out of my late grandparents' house and into a one bedroom apartment with Bagheera in tow. Added some new covers to the cover art page, and finishing up a 2 month spree of Melrose Place viewing through my netflix account. Will have probably a lenghty post about that later this week. It's been a while since seeing the original, and as I watched it through my elementary and middle school years, some things stuck in my mind while others did not. I am doing a quick rewatch of the reboot that aired on CW 2009-2010 for 18 episodes before being canceled before I post. I think I have 16 episodes left.... :)

As you can see, Bagheera has dubbed the couch as her throne in the new place. Her former throne, the scratching post, is in front of the bedroom window. She feels her royal subjects (mostly me) need to SEE HER at all times though...

2011-06-11T14:06:00.000-04:00

I would like to thank Aislinn Ericsson of The Viking Princess blog for awarding me with this super sweet blog award. :)

The Rules of this award are pretty simple:

1. Thank and link to the person who nominated you.

2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.

3. Pass the Award on to 10 deserving blog buddies.

4. Contact those buddies and let them know.

7 random facts:

-I have never been able to tolerate the taste/textrure of fruit (other than in juices and some pastries) since seeing Snow White and the Seven Dwarves as a child. Maybe it is psychological, who knows.

-I am allergic to wasps.

- All it takes to make me happy is a good book, a cup of hot cocoa and a cozy place to enjoy both.

-I can edit for everyone except for myself. I never see my own typos and mishaps until they are made public.

-I had a gold fish that lived for five years named Sawyer. He (though I suspect he was really a she. I don't know) was named after the character from LOST.

-My obsession with everything Norse began with LJ Smith's The Forbidden Game, which I read in high school.

-My friends and I learned the Elder Futhark and which modern letters they represent and used to pass notes in 11th and 12th grade using them as a way to keep others from knowing what we talked.

Passing the award on to:

Eve Langlais
Ricki Jill Treleaven
Hailey Edwards
Sandra Sookoo
Mia Suarez
Jordy Albert

I don't quite follow that many blogs at the moment so I don't have a full ten.

THOR!

2011-05-07T10:06:00.000-04:00

Let's all take a moment to bask in his hotness.....

*basking*

*wipes away the drool*

Okay. *sigh* That man is HOT!!!!!! Blond, long-haired, and a warrior. Not to mention chisled to perfection with the shirt of.

It is SO not fair to wave that around in my face for 2 hours if I can't keep it, though. I tortured myself well with this one.

After work last night I rushed back to the other side of town and caught the 10:45 showing of the 3D version of the movie (the 2D was sold out). I don't think the 3D version really did much to make me encourage you to spend the money for the glasses. While it did make the picture itself 3D, it didn't any cool hammer flying out over the audience or anything like that. So if you don't want to pay for the 3D glasses, you aren't missing anything significant by passing on them.

My completely unbiased view of the film: I enjoyed it alot. With comic book movies you either have a hit or a miss lately. For example, they can be boring and drag out or they can be interesting and move pretty swiftly. This movie didn't drag out so much. I think the most drawn out aspect was waiting for Thor to get Mjolnir back, but with him being Thor...you know it will happen. I have been aware of the comic premise, but never read the comics. The only comics I am adequetely familiar with are the X-Men ones...and I know some Batman and Spider-man background from the cartoons in the 90s. With Thor all I knew going in was that they were based on Norse mythology, lived in Asgard, Thor was blond rather than redheaded (an improvement mwa ha ha) and Loki was th villain...which is kinda sad. Poor Loki is forever picked on because he's the great deciever and all that. ;) But...I am going off subject a bit. The movie was action packed, entertaining, and fun. I cannot wait for the DVD.

On a biased note: Norse mythology! Blond hotness! AHHHHHH! When can I see it again? ;)

Buffyverse...Why I love it and how things went wrong...

2011-04-25T15:11:00.001-04:00

I am almost done in my massive marathon re-watching of Buffy and Angel. I finished season 7 of Buffy two days ago and am midway through the final season of Angel. I also read volumes 1-7 of the Buffy season 8 comics (the final volume isn't out in the one volume format until the summer, so I don't have the end of that story just yet) but as I sit here watching how Angel completely sold out in his final season, and how volume 7 of the Buffy comics (which is the official continuation of the story, for those who do not know) is a giant WTF on the grounds of 1. not making sense, 2. being really silly and 3. not making sense...I mourn all the things that made me fall in love with these characters in the first place.

Don't get me wrong, I am a HUGE Buffyverse fan. Just seeing it all over again for the first time in at least 5-6 years brings up all the good and all the bad at the same time. And since I don't have many friends who know the shows as well as I do, I feel this is the best outlet to let it out a bit.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

The show was a reimaging of the story brought to us in the movie of the same name. Only the show did it better. It used fighting monsters as a theme of getting through life in high school, and it was entertaining as hell. While Angel's spinoff was a more mature setting in the same universe of storytelling, it never quite had the same appeal as Buffy. Perhaps it is because Angel isn't allowed to be perfectly happy, where as Buffy tries to find happiness in a life of feeling alone even when she is surrounded by people. I am not sure exactly, but if I could choose to watch reruns of Buffy or Angel, Buffy will win out nearly every time.

Pros of BtVS
1. The characters. I liked nearly every character. Nearly. We'll talk about the one I didn't care for later. While the feel of the show changes a bit once they blow up the high school, most of my favorite characters are more predominate in the later years of the show: Spike, Anya, Andrew.

2. The emotion. Nearly anytime Willow cries it rips your heart out. Oz leaving was perhaps one of the hardest episodes for me to get though, though Joyce and Tara's deaths follow almost immediately in my mind as the saddest moments. Anya's being left at the alter. Spike's sacrifice. Xander trying to find Anya as they leave the school building in the final scenes of the show and passing by her not knowing. Xander's telling Dawn she's extraordinary because she gets through it all without superpowers to help her. The list goes on and on.
3. Recurring Characters. Everyone loves when characters return to shows. Back when Spike wasn't a series regular, any episode with him in it was so much more fun to watch than the others, IMO. Drusilla always made it interesting as well. Once Harmony became a vampire she became SO much more interesting and entertaining. Obnoxious, very...but the Harmony/Xander chick fight is good stuff. Super nerds as the villains was amusing, and I enjoyed the episodes with them (minus Warren whom I hated from the beginning of his existence on the show). The ending of "Lessons" in season 7 in which the First appears as a major villain from each season still leaves me with a bit of fangirlish awe.

The Cons

1. Suspension of disbelief only goes so far. It may be my editorness into play but seriously. The town of Sunnydale is constantly referred to as small, nothing there, etc. The only fun place to go is apparently The Bronze....however, Sunnydale has its own airport, mall, museum, zoo, college, medieval Dracula castle and I am sure I am leaving something out. Not only that, but in some episodes Buffy can super jump...in others not so much. Angel can break through heavy doors and other things, but can;t break a tiny padlock on a chain link door. Spike is rendered into a wheelchair when an organ falls on him, yet is beaten by a goddess, thrown off a very high tower among other horrible things and is perfectly fine in a day or few after. Um... yeah. I can't help but notice these things.
2. Riley Finn and the Initiative. At first neither were so bad. In fact, I found Riley utterly adorable...at first until after the episode, "Hush." Then that whole storyline became highly irritating with the Frankenstein monster Adam and evil professor and Riley's insecurities in having a girlfriend stronger than he was. I was SO happy when he finally left the show. Angel and Riley's departures only made me like the show more.
3. Downer Buffy. We have Angel to be all sad and moody all the time, while I do enjoy season 6 of Buffy, her attitude in that one (which is understandable) drives me insane. It takes her an entire season to snap out of it. But truth be told, she had been in that funk since her mother died. She finally got more normal Buffy like and then the potentials started arriving in season 7 and we were back to moody Buffy again. Made me really miss seasons 1-3.
4. "Hell's Bells." There are a good handful of singled out episodes I hate for being really dumb (Beer Bad, for example) but I think one of the worst decisions made in this series was to have Xander and Anya break up on their wedding day. It is so upsetting and was it really all that necessary to make Anya a demon again? I don't see it being all too relevant. They found a few things to do with it, but alas....

Angel

The spinnoff follows Angel after he leaves Sunnydale because he can't be with Buffy because it risks him being evil again and it is holding her back. He reunites with Cordelia, the shallow popular girl from Sunnydale High, and later Wesley, formerly the replacement watcher for both Buffy and Faith. Eventually their little gang gets more members and after 2 seasons of several random storylines and few actual arcs, they get a very strong third season followed by a terrible fourth season, which, in my opinion, ruined the whole show, and concluded with a fifth season that was cancelled after it opened up several storylines without enough time to tie them up.

The Pros

1. Angel himself was usually more enjoyable than when he was on Buffy. There are the die hard Buffy/Angel fans...but they bored me to tears together.
2. Cordelia became such a strong character. Those who hated her on Buffy came to love her on Angel. She found a purpose and, like with every character on the show, sought redemption in her own way. I think Cordelia was one of the few who actually found it. Before they ruined the character...I'll get back to that shortly.
3. Illyria. Was such an interesting character. It brought more of the mythology of that world to light with the demons that walked the earth prior to the evolution of man. It also was incredibly sad to see Fred die, but at the same time the possibilities that character introduced were endless. This is one of the few reasons I was sad to see the show go...that and the fact that there were no other shows to carry on the legacy of the Buffyverse in Angel's absence.

Cons

1. The ruination of Cordelia Chase. season 1-3 built the character up, made her a wonderful woman and a beloved character. Then season 4 arrived. What. The. F***. I get that Charisma Carpenter got pregnant and they needed to work the babeh belly into the script but I can't figure out what the hell happened! It's not so much the fact that she went evil because she wasn't actually herself the entire season. (The exception being "Spin the Bottle" which was very nostalgic to see former Cordelia and Wesley characters again) but her whole presence on the show changed. Almost any scene she was in felt like it was a really bad soap opera. She was either standing or sitting in the foreground or background spouting drama drama drama. One minute "oh, Connor, I want you even though I am practically your mother." The next, "I can't be with you, Connor. It's wrong." blah blah. It was horribly painfully boring, overly dramatic, and exhausting bad. We get her back for one episode in season 5 and then she dies.
2. The ruination of Connor. Even before Angel came out I had a bit of a teenaged crush on Vincent Karthesier. Imagine my happiness of him being on a show I watched. It was really hard to like the character when Cordelia but-not-really-Cordelia the soap opera fake was constantly changing his mind about how to act. The character could have been great. However, he was never given the chance to become a likable character. Which is a real shame. Season 5's few appearances was starting to finally make it to where we could like him, but it was too late because the show was at its end.

3. Selling out. Wolfram and Hart was the villain. Angel's nemesis. So....they all go and work for them? Yeah, I get the inside the belly of the beast scenario and all...but it never felt like the same show once they transferred over. Adding Spike and Harmony helped make the show more fun where as Season 4 was the fun killing monster season of death, but even that couldn't quite same. Partly because the lead female, Cordelia, was gone. They kill off the supporting female, Fred and we are left with a superficial vampire chick, a demon who is a complete mystery, and a backstabbing liaison biotch who was never likable in the first place to fill the female character roles. And I am just going to pretend Angel didn't attempt a relationship with Nina the werewolf because that was just trying too hard to give him normalcy despite the fact that the show had jumped ship at the end of season 3 and hanging on into season five was merely a desperate attempt to keep the Buffyverse alive and well.

Buffy Season 8 Comics.

At least 2 years after Buffy ends as things with characters that were on Angel clash with the season 5 storyline otherwise. For one, Harmony is now a reality tv star which makes the world hate slayers. And, major spoilers ahead for the other reasons I will get to if you continue reading. Please remember, I have not read volume 8 yet so I don't know what happens after volume 7: Twilight

Pros:
1. The storyline continues and they are given the ability to do a little more than a TV budget would allow (Willow, and at one point Buffy, can fly).
2. We find out that Buffy never was in Rome dating the Immortal. That was a decoy disguised as Buffy (another one went underground as Buffy) in a ruse thought up by Andrew, who was stationed there. Because they knew attempts would be made on her life. I like this because I hated the idea that she had moved on from Spike that quickly to another vampire. (notice how I don't care if she moved on from Angel)

3. Warren and Amy are back, together, as villains. Firstly, eww. Second Amy had followed Dark Willow into the woods and saved Warren from dying from shock and was able to use her power as a kinda skin to keep him from dying and being in pain. However, she is dating him and he has no skin. eew. eew. eww. Also, it explained when Amy cursed Willow to become Warren in season 7, Willow was really becoming Warren. A mystical version of the Buffy/Faith body switch except Willow was never going into another body. It was a nice detailed touch.
4. Seeing old characters like Oz, Ethan Rayne, and in the one shot dream sequence...Joyce and Cordelia (in a way to see the Buffy Animated Series artwork and story since the cartoon never was picked up by a network)
5. Xander and Dracula guy-bonding. LOL! Also Xander's wishing to be called Nick Fury amused me.

Cons
1. The errors. Warren makes a reference to something that was The First pretending to be Warren, not Warren himself....however, they later corrected that with Amy pointing it out and Warren saying something like he was just messing with Andrew when he said it. Among other small things. Like WTF happened to Riley's wife. He's in it but she is never mentioned (and he is no longer scarred)

2. Dark Willow will apparently come back, stay alive for 2 centuries without aging, but be out of magic when buffy visits the future and has to kill her. It seemed to me like a silly story conjured up in a reason to bring the Fray storyline back into play. The cover of that volume had dark willow on the cover, so the surprise villain was given away (as it was on the Twilight volume) and they way willow was using magic and flying around was WAY worse than how she was using it prior to becoming evil the first time yet it was all la la la until Buffy went to the future and saw that.
3. Buffy's girl on girl experimentation. Okay, yeah. I get it. In comic form you can do whatever you want with the characters. It just seemed out of character for Buffy, and it was just awkward. However, the dream sequence with Angel and Spike making out was freaking hilarious...esp. with Caleb marrying Buffy to skinless Warren.

4. The Twilight storyline in general. So....this masked guy named Twilight has Amy, Warren and the US military working for him. He has people carving his symbol in their skin and attacking slayers. But....it is Angel. Not Angelus, but Angel. Because the universe wants to reward Buffy for sharing her power and it allows them to have sex (which shoots them into their own dimension to create however they want and be together without consequence). Um..... Look at that shark pit they just jumped over there...
5. Dawn. WTF. They are doing all these erotic covers with Dawn and now her and Xander are in love, but wait for it...when Buffy figures it out she tries to confess her love for Xander which he doesn't buy at all.

Now I hear there is a line of Angel comics that follow the majorly cliffhangery ending of Angel but I am not sure I want to read them or not.... Haven't heard anything about them opinionwise. However, I did find a clip of the Buffy animated series which, humorously, follows the storyline in the comic dream sequence in which Buffy wakes up in the cartoon (the highschool years of Buffy with Dawn included).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNHqkadJ_5Y&feature=player_embedded

Thank you for letting me rant a bit. I feel like my inner geek has been released. LOL

New covers

2011-04-06T16:23:00.000-04:00

Posted two new BP covers today. The Simply Smut cover came out sooooooooo nice! And I may have to invest in the Emerald Fire book when it comes out. I has Norse elements, and we all know how I feel about that. ;)

Still have a few more covers to do this month, and I just sent off finalized edits to LSB sooooo I am going to go be exceptionally lazy for the rest of the day. Dentist appointment in the morning. Due to money I haven't been in about five years. I am not looking forward to the possible cavity count. :(

Trying something new

2011-04-05T18:25:00.004-04:00

First off...I got my Greek Goddess shirt from Torrid today. Boobsaplenty may be my middle name, but goodness I love this shirt. It is a normal cotton shirt, with a high waist, low V neck and toga like sleeves. It has silver and gold sequins around the collar to give it an oldworldly vibe. LOVE IT. Just had to share that.

Secondly, I am completing a freelance project with Eve Langlais right now. She's self pubbing a book and needed edits and cover art, and surprise! I am a cover artist and an editor. So, with the economy being craptastic, me being broke and having to move soon with no money to move, I have added a page to the blog with pricing for free lance covers and edits. It is cheap compared to the ones I googled to see how others price this kind of thing. But as I am just starting out with this kind of thing, there is no way I could even imagine anyone paying me 25 dollars a page!! Good lord!

So, as long as time allows I am willing to work on freelance side projects for those who need the work done and are willing to work with my eccentric self. :P

The cover for Eve's book came out really REALLY good if I do say so myself. It may be one of my best so far.

In other news, absolutely nothing interesting has happened in the past few weeks. No new men in my life. No new job. No new friends. Boooooooring. And this is me ending that brief pity party. hahaha

Bagheera had her first birthday on April 3. She's not a baby kitten anymore, which is sad, but she started her birthday off with a bang: attacking my foot under the covers at 3 in the morning in order to ensure I have to limp to the bathroom to get a bandaid. It looks like a vampire bit my foot. There are 2 red puncture marks that are still bright red. LOL!!!

Stuck between Cruce and V'lane

2011-03-27T12:14:00.000-04:00

Sadly, not literally...but alas. I am. Spoilers for the Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning ahead so if you are reading, plan to read, or just don't want to know...stop now.

So you know the adage "stuck between a rock and a hard place" which is pretty much a reference to the scene in The Odyssey where they find they have to sail between Scylla, a monster on a rock, and Chribdys (too lazy to look up the spelling of that right now), a whirlpool aka a hard place. Well...I find myself in a similar situation. Between Cruce and V'lane. Which is absolutely silly considering they are one in the same. At least, the V'lane we met and knew is. The real V'lane we never knew and cannot judge him as we have no grounds to know what he was like.

You're probably wondering...okay, if they are the same why is she finding herself stuck between the two? Well, I've accepted the fact that what happened happened and all that jazz. I guess the most upsetting to me was that I believed in his goodness so much and then could have dealt with what happened better if it wasn't for his tone change. Once he became Cruce he was so mean and spitting venom and practically twirling an invisible mustache as he carried on. It still shellshocks me to think on it. *sigh*

Anyway, I was in the KMM Zazzle store looking for a new shirt to buy and found myself looking at the Evil Boyfriend designs. There's a V'lane one which is a pretty gold and a Cruce one which is blood red. And that is when I finally had to admit to myself I am torn between them. Either way, I love the character. Despite his tone in the end, who we knew from the very beginning of the story was the same guy. It drives me insane when people say they like him more now than before (mainly because his hair is a different color WTF? Okay, so I have a soft spot for blonds and was a bit thrown when that was taken from him as well, but I can deal. Hair color is hair color. It's the character I fell in love with, not his hair...though that was a plus LOL)

After flipping back and forth between the two designs I eventually picked the Cruce one. I have the V'lane one as a mousepad, got it before Shadowfever came out, joking that I was going to take a sharpie and write nonabove the evil boyfriend part. Guess the joke was on me there... But in the end I realized, that I need to embrace the character that is over the one that was. Despite the fact that it still feels slightly wrong to choose anything over something that has "V'lane" on it. I feel like I am cheating on my literary crush and he's the same freaking character. This is so weird!

But somehow I find it a little strange. I wonder sometimes if I believed he was so completely good because I have the tendency to fall for the villain in a lot of stories. I am almost appalled at how many "villains" I prefer over other characters.

To name a few:
Spike - Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Lothaire - Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series
Layel - Gena Showalter's Atlantis series
Snape - Harry Potter
Julian - LJ Smith's The Forbidden Game
The Phantom - The Phantom of the Opera
Stephen Bonnet - Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series
Jarreth, the Goblin King - Labyrinth
Guy of Gisborne - BBC's Robin Hood

Just to name a few. All of the above had shades of gray despite the bad things they'd done, they had done some good (Bonnet probably being the blackest of the bunch, he did have some good moments..few that they were. He amused the hell out of me though)

And it just occurred to me that at one point I said Julian was a prerequisite for V'lane. LMAO! That statement is soooo ironic right now. Julian was the master of games. Heartbreakingly beautiful, in love with the heroine of the story, and no concept of right and wrong.

Going to bring this post to a close. I felt I needed to write about it, though, as I still feel a bit weird not buying the V'lane merch and going for the Cruce stuff. Let's just hope we get to see more of him (uniced) in the future and get to learn more about him as him. And if most of the characters mentioned above can be so beloved despite the bad deeds they did, I am sure KMM can redeem Cruce. If anyone can, she can.

Short update

2011-03-10T19:49:00.001-05:00

Added 4 new BP covers. It's really hard to pic a fave out of this batch. LOL

Guesting on a Blog Talk tomorrow

2011-03-02T22:49:00.000-05:00

S.E. Holden, one of the authors I have done several covers for at Breathless Press, invited me to an all BP blog talk. I agreed, even though I thought it was just a blog. I didn't realize I'd be calling in and talking in a 2 hour radio show! It's all good, but boy, was I surprsied. The details in the link below. I know it will be airing live tomorrow at 6 PM EST, but I am not sure if you can listen on that link. Once I know the link to the archived file of it I will post it. :)

The info link is here.

A Day in the Life of Bagheera

2011-03-02T11:51:00.000-05:00

Bagheera doesn't seem to be aware that she is a cat. She thinks she is a person most of the time, and if she had thumbs....we'd be in trouble. She picks things up in those little paws of hers all the time. She's a klepto of jewelry, coins, pens, or anything small and easily batted around.

Recently, her favorite game is "make mommy carry me to bed like a little baby." And she succeeds every time in making me do it. She knows I can't deny cuteness, and she plays on it.

But we'll get to that momentarily. Let's start with how the day begins, shall we?

When Bagheera is awake, everyone must be awake. She doesn't like being alone unless she decides to wander off. So some mornings she plays with the miniblinds. Other days she brings in a toy with a bell in it and rolls around the bed with it, and some morning she just crawls on my back (I sleep on my tummy mostly) and purrs loudly into my ear. This morning......my fingers were sticking out from under the pillow...so they had to die.

After I am up she herds me into the living room to open the blinds (the queen must be able to watch her royal subjects, the squirrels, and know they do as she wishes). Then she herds me to the kitchen to feed her. After she is fed, she allows me to do my human stuff for a little while and then, as soon as I get busy on the computer doing something important....she hops on the desk and streeeeeeetches out in front of the monitor. Then she stands there. Sits there. Yawns there. Starts washing herself. Or rolls on her back in front of me and does every cute thing she can think of to distract me...which works just fine until she kicks the speaker behind the desk again and scares her into a panic.

If the phone rings, she attacks it. She cannot stand for it to make noise. If I play my iPod touch without the headphones, she goes after it too. Small rectangles of plastic should not be making noise. She demands anything smaller than she is to obey her in this.

And if I am talking on the phone she tries to distract me. She'll fluff up with her ears back and start hopping around sideways and acting like there is something there that shouldn't be (a voice coming out of some small rectangle of plastic that does not obey her in all things) and carry on till I am off the phone.

When dinner time comes around, if she doesn't get her can food she pouts. You may wonder how does a cat pout? Well...easily. She drops down onto the kitchen floor while you eat YOUR yummy food, and and strikes a melodramatic pose as if she will swoon into a nonexistence should you not give her the food she wants right away. She only gets one can a week (one can lasts her 2 nights).

If I am doing chores, she has to over see them all. Dusting...she has to walk along the freshly dusted surface to ensure her toes come away clean. Laundry...she has to roll in the clean sheets to make sure the static cling sheets worked...and to make sure I don't get sad that my sheets are cat hair free. Sweeping...she wants to ensure that I don't sweep up anything of value. But vacuuming she want's nothing to do with. She hates the vacuum.

Brushing my teeth, however, is her downfall. She is OBSESSED with toothpaste. She will lick it out the sink if you forget to rinse it all out. She will attack you, hold your face still with her paws and smell your face to make sure you have brushed your teeth before bed. And if for some reason there is toothpaste on you when she inspects she will find it and remove it.

But lately before bed she is playing the "I'm so tired I can't move" game to see if I will carry her. It has gone on for two weeks straight. She curls up in the cat bed in the computer room, which I close at night so she doesn't klepto my pens and knock them all under the book cases. When I turn the computer off and stand up she blinks up at me with those sleepy, squinty eyes. Meows, which comes out as a squeaky little MEEP, and climbs out of the bed, makes it 2 steps then falls over on the floor, closes her eyes and squints them open again, purring....like she is sooooo weak and content where she is, knowing I have to close the door and she will be stuck in there. So I pick her up and carry her to the living room or bedroom, where ever my next destination will be, and she is magically wide awake and bouncing off the walls again. I know she is testing me to see if I will do it. She's sneaky, but not that sneaky.

The Art of Procrastination

2011-02-23T17:31:00.002-05:00

Procrastination is an art form. Not everyone can do it well. Somepeople over do it. Some people are too up tight to do it properly and think what they are doing is procrastination, but really they are just taking a break.

So how do you know you are procrastinatiing well?

Let's see....

You have a week off from work, and you think, hey, this will be a great oppertunity to get all that stuff I need to get done accomplished. You reach the end of the week and you are lucky if you even completed one of these tasks completely.

You may ask me, isn't that just being lazy?

Depends on what the tasks are and how much was accomplished.

For example. I am supposed to be editing a book I got for edits last week. I have had it for a week and only edited two chapters. Granted everytime I get started on themand really get my mojo going I get a headache, called into work, or got physically ill and had to go lay down. Those are not excuses because it is incredibly hard to work at the computer when your brain is escaping through the center or your forehead, you are at work with no track changes in which to do said editing or you are keeping the chance of having to clean up regurgitated pasta off of the monitor, keyboard, desk and probably your pet cat who likes to sleep in front of the monitor. Trust me, cleaning throw up off a cat who won't even let you keep your hand if you try to remove an eyebooger from her is not something one wants to do.

So what HAVE I accomplished this past week rather than my edits?

I have read two books. I have watched all my TV shows (I have five that are currently on air and they come on 4 nights of the 7 days of the week). I have managed to do laundry and dust my bedroom, though I never got around to vacuuming it so my task is incomplete. I do wash the dishes daily or every other day depending on how many I use, but the table is cluttered again. I sit down a the computer, facebook is my homepage on firefox. I can't help but get sucked into the distracting hell of liking everything I see!!! I must hit the like button. I must! Then I hop around to the locations that I visit daily. Post a bunch of random nonsense. Make a very deep, thought provocating post to prove I have some sort of brain. Then I open microsoft word. Open the file I need to work on. Get to the part where I left off.

Stare at the screen.

Facebook notifcations blink at the bottom of my page. I have a text from Jenn. That one text from Jenn becomes about 40 incoming and outcoming within 10 minutes. It continues. FB keeps blinking at me. I am told to look at the forum I frequent. I laugh. I respond.

I stare at the document I am supposed to be editing.

Phone rings. I talk for 20 min to an hour with my mom.

I make dinner. I throw things in the sink to soak and get back to several hours later when the water is then cold and only remember to do it because I catch Bagheera trying to drink the soapy water.

I stare at the word document.

I edit a paragraph.

Take random pictures of Bagheera being cute. Post them on FB. Wait for comments.

FB blinks at me again. I respond. I post something else. I see a youtube link. I watch it. I watch a link related then another. I laugh. I then browse IMDB and netflix looking for things I want to watch. I check the forum. I check FB. I look at my blog...but I don't post anything because I don't particually want to sign out of my gmail account and back in with my blog account then sign back into gmail because I am waiting on an email to come in. I get said email. I reply.

I stare at word document. Hit save to make it feel like I have done something to it.

I check the snailmail. I go to the store and buy something I don't need with money I can't afford to waste on something I don't need, all for the sake of buying something and using valuable time I could be working.

I rush home. Stare at word document. Edit another paragraph. I finish a page. I finish a chapter. It was four whole pages long. I close word document because it is now 8 at night and I know the rest of the night I won't work. Plan to do it in the morning. Sleep till noon. Go to work. Come home. Talk to friends, watch show go to bed. Plan to do it the NEXT morning.

Honestly I don't know how I get ANYTHING done.

Neil Dover's "Valentine" MP3 is a free download!

2011-02-14T13:02:00.001-05:00

But it's only for one day only! After today you will have to buy a copy of Shadowsong, the official soundtrack for Karen Marie Moning's Shadowfever to get the song.

If you have read Shadowfever, this is the song playing in Chester's on Valentine's Day when Mac enters the bar.

Even if you haven't read Shadowfever, or any of Karen's books for that matter, you can still enjoy the song. It is very Marilyn Mansonesque, I think. :)

So get it while it's hot! It's FREE, which is awesome. Why not at least try it out? Neil Dover is truly a great find. He can perform various styles of music, and this is merely one of them.

One more note, it has explicit lyrics so please do not download if you are not 18 years of age or older. Thanks :)
the download link is: http://www.karenmoning.com/kmm/valentine.html

Updates and blahness

2011-02-07T11:03:00.000-05:00

Added the lasted cover of the book I am editing currently. I also added four new covers I designed to the Cover Art page. :)

As for the blahness....I haven't been feeling quite as upbeat as I usually do. Those who know me are probably like, when the hell was this chick every upbeat? But alas...I usually am. I try to see the positive side in everything and lately I have been rather down. Not sure why exactly. I have some ideas as to why, but I think it is more than that. I need cheering up but I can't seem to hold interest in anything lately. AHHHHHH! I am hoping this will pass, and pass swiftly.

Faefever fan video: resurrected.

2011-01-31T20:14:00.000-05:00

The quality of this video may not be at its best. Jenn has threatened my life so I have to try to get this posted somewhere where it has sound since youtube disabled the audio. For those who don't know, this is the Faefever video I did for the release of the novel of the same name. Kristen Bell as Mac, Eric Etebari as Jericho Barrons, Jason Lewis as V'lane, and Ian Somerhalder as Christian. This is a fan video, not made for profit. There is a free-use clause that allows this. Just sayin'.

Covers and Editing pages are updated

2011-01-24T12:54:00.000-05:00

FINALLY got those pages updated. All the books I have edited are up, including the one I am working on. Remember, I only edited the LSB ones, I didn't do the covers. But I figure it is more fun to look at with the images. LOL All my cover art stuff is update with links and all. *wipes away the sweat*

I am going to be a busy little bee for the next few months. I still haven't gotten a new job, so I am broke as all hell right now, but I have 6 more books in my queue for editing with LSB. 3 each from two authors I have worked with before. So if I can pull off one every 2 weeks it would work out for the best. I think I might be in zombie territory though, so if I am a bit cranky...not my fault. I may or may not continue with the top ten thingies. It depends on time.

NOLA, Covers, and other...

2011-01-23T10:41:00.000-05:00

It has been a few months since I have blogged. I have been busy, and every time I tried to get my butt over here more things came up. I do have more covers to add to my cover art page, but they probably won't be up today. I will try to get them up near the end of the week.

Christmas went pretty well. I got a crock pot from my mom and I have been going crazy cooking in it. My grandma and grandpa in Florida bought me a HUGE toaster oven that has a rotisserie in it. So now not having a working oven may not be so bad. I just have to figure out how to use the toaster....

Went to New Orleans for the Shadowfever signing. Enjoyed the book a lot. If you haven't read the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, now would be a great time since you no longer have to wait on any of the story. All five books are available! Although, New Orleans itself kicked my arse. The plane kept circling the airport over NOLA and I was about to lose it if we didn't land. First night there I had half a hurricane and was singing Karaoke. After I said I would not do it and if I went on stage with them I would NOT hold the mic. I was holding the blasted mic. And peeps videoed it. *siiiiiiiiigh* We did sing a Fever related song: "Bad Moon Rising" by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

I tore my feet up with blisters during the scavenger hunt, then had to do a ghost/vamp tour which didn't help. The blister on the ball of my foot was the size of a dime. It hurt. My legs were sore from walking, but I kept on trooping. Monday we went on a Voodoo/Cemetery tour. My feet were killing me, I was tired, and the tour was way too long and it was really warm in the cemetery. A group of us left early because the guide was talking about everything but Voodoo and we still had to get back to the hotel, eat something, and go to the signing to collect our books and see Karen and the gang. Yeah, I totally tripped over a grate on the sidewalk and nearly ate pavement. Luckily I didn't break the skin, though my hands and knees and calves are STILL bruised from it. I think my pride hurt the most though...

But over all I had a great trip. I always love hanging with the Moning Maniacs. They are crazy!!!! But I love them. There's lots of pics on facebook (too many of my shame. See...no more drinking for me, first I tubthump with Eric Etebari and now I sing Bad Moon Rising for a crowd. NooOo!)

I am happy to be home though. My sister said Bagheera sat on the table in front of the window in the front room and looked out for the first three days, waiting on me to come home. That broke my heart. I felt so bad leaving her before, and that just tore me up. :(

Monday Ten: Cartoons

2010-11-15T13:26:00.001-05:00

Being a child of the eighties and ninties, I feel like I had access to some of the best cartoons ever to be made. Animation these days isn't up to the same par. They go for simiplar designs, computer animated designs, and the quatlity is just...lacking. There are some exceptions, but only a few made my list.

10. X-Men: Evolution (2000-2003)
Cashing in on the success of the X-Men film franchise, the WB aired a show which cast the majority of the X-Men characters as high school students. Definitely not following the comics in many regards, it was still a fun series. I particularly enjoyed the Brotherhood getting more screentime as major players rather than just as villains. You cared about them like you cared about the X-Men. And while Evolution is the only place to EVER feature a romance between Shadowcat and Avalanche(who was completely revamped from his comic counterpart), it was adorable. But it didn't stop them from giving a nod to comic fans and allowing Kitty to flirt with Colossus later in the season. Sadly, this series only lasted four seasons, but they were able to wrap up their storyline and give a hint as to what could have happened if the series continued. Their introduction of X-23 led to a new comic book series being made about her, thus allowing the Evolution series to live on in some way shape or form. Season 1-3 were made available on DVD, season four is available through iTunes.

9. Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995)
Fox kids was the highlight of my saturday morning cartoon happiness. They had shows I would watch religously, and they really didn't disappoint when it came to superhero cartoons...well, scratch that, I was NOT a fan of The Tick, but that is not what I am here to discuss. haha. Batman was dark. It was one of those franchises that is so easy to follow: rich man who is a superhero at night. The villains were fun. The animation was beautiful. One day I will get around to buying the DVDs, but I just haven't had the extra money yet (I was buying X-Men DVDs instead. oops)

8. He-Man and the Masters of the Universe (1983-1985)
While I much prefered She-Ra at the time, being a little girl, He-Man was MUCH too boyish for me most of the time and there just weren't enough girl characters to keep me interested for long, I still would watch it when waiting for my other shows to come on. Jem, Transformers, G.I. Joe, Thundercats...they are all very foggy and vague in my mind. He-Man and She-Ra stand out vividly, and I will always enjoy rewatching the both of them. Even if Orko annoys the snot out of me. Cringer/Battlecat is my hero. And I want one.

7. Wolverine and the X-Men (2008-2009)
I must admit, the moment I heard that there was a cartoon called WOLVERINE and the X-Men I bitched and bitched and bitched some more. Not only was the X-Men movie franchised focused WAY too much on the character rather than the ensemble itself, but now they are going to devote a whole cartoon to him? *sigh* Well, I was pleasantly surprised by it. The only issue I had with the animation was it was bright and too similar to the last handful of episodes The Animated Series dished out before being cancelled. I like the darker animation of the early cartoons. Call me a cartoon snob. But the storyline was actually really good and they had good reason for Wolverine to be "leading" at the moment. While one would expect Cyclops and Storm to be automatic leaders if the Professor disappeared, Jean's disappearance renders Cyclops useless, and Storm went off to deal with other things. (P.S. I HATED Storm's hair in this cartoon. It was like a giant oval behind her head. Srsly, animatiors!) Unfortunatley, despite ending on a HUGE cliffhanger, and I REALLY wanted to see how they tackled Apocalypse, the show was cancelled after only one season. I blame the fact that they aired on an obscure cable channel not everyone has or watches. Nicktoon Network? Really?

6. Pirates of Dark Water (1991-1992)
This was a very interesting cartoon that didn't get nearly enough attention. A young man discovers he's really a prince and sets out upon a quest. The dark water in the title was actually a "carniverous" form of water that would devour anything it comes across. It has been so long since I have seen this cartoon that the minor details are a bit hard to remember, and as it hasn't been released on DVD I cannot refresh those memories without seeking bootlegs of the cartoon. I really hope they release it on DVD eventually.

5. Aladdin (1994-1995)
Out of all the disney films they have tried making into successful cartoon shows, I think this might have been my favorite. While Tale Spin had an interesting concept, it lacked the originality of the Jungle Book setting. Aladdin was true to it's film roots and was a lot of fun. The Little Mermaid was a bit too..something. I don't know. I never enjoyed it as much as Aladdin. Perhaps it is because adventure seemed more adventurous with swords and magic carpets. And I had a serious crush on Aladdin.

4. Peter Pan and the Pirates (1990-1991)
Okay, Tim Curry voiced Captain Hook. Need I say more? Yes? Okay, well, this is one of those cartoons many people don't remember ever existed. But I loved it. I was always a fan of Peter Pan, and I liked having the chance to visit NeverLand every day after school TinkerBell was actually likable and not green with jealousy over Peter and Wendy the whole time. It was a lot of fun, and completely overlooked when it comes to cartoon awesomeness.

3. Chip and Dale: Rescue Rangers (1989-1992)
Already a big Chip and Dale fan (the chipmunks, people. The chipmunks!) A tv series based on them seemed like a great idea. Throw in two awesome mice and a housefly in a red sweater and you've got a good time. And who didn't think the love triangle between Chip/Gadget/and Dale was just to freaking adorable for words? (I always wanted her to get with Chip)

2. She-Ra: Princess of Power (1985-1987)
Girl Power never was so awesome. And I wish I had She-ra's skirt. She can do flips, cartwheels, kicks in midair, and it NEVER flashes her undies. I am truly jealous. haha. This was probably the first cartoon series I ever truly loved. I wanted to BE her. But I think my favorite character was Frosta, who I think was a queen of a frozen land on the planet of Etheria. There is an episode with her and He-Man that cracks me up everytime I watch it. She is ALL OVER him while She-ra and the other characters laugh, and He-Man blushes and makes excuses to get away. It's amazing!

1. X-Men: The Animated Series (1992-1997)
I would argue that this is the best cartoon ever, or at least the best cartoon about superheros ever, but I will not bore you with such....
Whether it is Rogue and Gambit's love that cannot be acted on because Rogue cannot touch another person with her skin without possibly killing them, Cyclops and Jean's never being able to be married without some catastrophe destroying the day, Wolverine's love fro Jean Grey even though she loves Cyclops more, or...well, you get the picture. The animation was beautifula nd truly brought the comics to life. The look JUST like their comic counterparts. Other than the last few eps where the animation changes and the voice actors for some of the characters (Gambit) changes to the worse, I can't find too much wrong with it. Well, there is a season 3 episode that doesn't air until season 5, and it is confusing because it is part of the Phoenix storyline. But, who can deny the show was much awesome over a delayed episode :P

Updated cover art

2010-11-14T13:52:00.002-05:00

Just updates my cover art page. I am particularly fond of this one:

Monday Ten: Book Series

2010-11-08T19:16:00.000-05:00

Those who know me know that I read A LOT. These are the book series that I have enjoyed the most (thus far)

10. The Sorority - Tamara Thorne
Number of books in series: 3
Reading Order: Eve, Merilynn, Samantha
Genre: Horror

One of my favorite horror authors, Tamara Thorne creates a story of murder and mystery involving the Green Man. It was different from many things I had read before, and I recommend her works to anyone who likes scary stories. :)

9. Children of the Sea - Virgina Kantra
Number of novels in series: 4 in print, more in the works. 2 novellas.
Reading order: novella in Shifter anthology, Sea Witch, Sea Fever, Sea Lord, novella in Burning Up anthology, Immortal Sea
Genre: Paranormal Romance

I must admit I picked this one up for the GORGEOUS cover art. But reading these books is almost like reading a modern fairy tale. The Children of the Sea are Selkies and Finfolk (shapeshifter that change into sea creatures). Different from the typical vampire or werewolf, and the stories draw you in; as do the characters.

8. Sookie Stackhouse Mysteries - Charlaine Harris
Number of books in series: 10 with more in progress, and a book of short stories.
Reading Order: Book of short stories take place at various points in the series. Novel order is: Dead Until Dark, Living Dead in Dallas, Club Dead, Dead to the World, Dead as a Doornail, Definitely Dead, All Together Dead, From Dead to Worse, Dead and Gone, Dead in the Family
Genre: mixed

You may recognize this as the books the True Blood series on HBO is based on. I recognize it as the books I read to drool over Eric Northman. Blond Viking Vampire. Need I say more?

7. Lords of the Underworld - Gena Showalter
Number of Books in series: 6 with more to come, one novella, two short stories.
Reading Order: 2 short stories in Into the Dark anthology, one is a prequel the other can be read at any time. The Darkest Night, The Darkest Kiss, The Darkest Pleasure, The Darkest Whisper, Heart of Darkness anthology, The Darkest Passion, The Darkest Lie
Genre: Paranormal Romance

I love a series with a foothold in mythology. This one is rooted in Greek myth, and the heroes (and a few heroines) are immortal warriors possessed with a demon lord once trapped in Pandora's box.

6. Harry Potter - J.K. Rowling
Number of Books: 7
Reading Order: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Genre: Children's/Young Adult

Such a fun series at time, seriously dark at others. What a ride it was reading Harry's story as the battle between Voldemort and himself drew closer and closer.

5. The Black Dagger Brotherhood - J. R. Ward
Number of Books: 8, more in progress. Insider's Guide.
Reading Order: Dark Lover, Lover Eternal, Lover Awakened, Lover Revealed, Lover Unbound, Lover Enshrined, Lover Avenged, Lover Mine
Genre: Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Such an interesting take on vampires. Complete with a writing style of her own kind, Ward makes her series stand out from others in a number of ways. And she isn't afraid to cross boundaries to do it.

4. Outlander - Diana Gabaldon
Number of Books: 7, one more in progress, graphic novel, and companion.
Reading Order: Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, Drums of Autumn, The Fiery Cross, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, An Echo in the Bone. Graphic novel, The Exile, can be read as a companion to Outlander, starting a little bit before, and ending a fraction of the way through the timeline of the original novel.
Genre: mixed

It is hard to classify this series. It has historical aspects, contemporary segments, time travel, paranormal, mystery, romance, and more. But what makes this series so huge (other than the page lengths of the novels themselves) is the love between Claire and Jamie Fraser. Oh, James Alexander Malcolm MacKenzie Fraser, I love you! It is almost difficult to read another book after finishing these because you become so used to Gabaldon's attention to detail that others sometimes seem lacking.

3. The Dark-Hunter Series - Sherrilyn Kenyon
Books in Series: 19 with more coming soon, 5 novellas, Companion book, short stories, spinoff series, manga series.
Reading Order: can be found at http://www.dark-hunter.com/
Genre: Paranormal Romance, spinoff is YA

Acheron is one of those novels that stand apart from the rest of the romance genre. If those who criticize romance were to read this particular book, they might change their tone. However, do not rush out to read this book without reading the books that precede it. Half the fun of Acheron (er...part one isn't too fun) is piecing together the puzzle pieces collected from previous books. The characters in the series are incredibly fun. One of those series that I rush out to buy the new ones on release day, devour it that day, then pout because I have to wait for the next one.

2. The Forbidden Game - L. J. Smith
Books in Series: 3
Reading Order: The Hunter, The Chase, The Kill
Genre: Young Adult

This is the series that really made me love reading. The series that got me hooked on Norse mythology, and created my first obsession with a book character. Oh, Julian. I still love you!

Definitely the best of all Smith's trilogies and series. The Vampire Diaries gets all the attention, but The Forbidden Game earns your attention.

1. The Fever Series - Karen Marie Moning
Books in Series: 5
Reading Order: Darkfever, Bloodfever, Faefever, Dreamfever, Shadowfever (1/18/2011)
Genre: Urban Fantasy

When a fantastic romance author switches genres, it creates chaos among the readers. Will it be any good? Can she do that? Will we see the characters from her other series ever again? Yes, yes, and yes. She nailed it. MacKayla Lane has to be one of the best heroines of this day and age, even if she was slightly too stupid to live when the first book starts off. She earns our respect, and she earns our tears. When her story comes to an end in January, it will be bittersweet. We've been dying for the conculsion to this story, but when it is over it is over...at least there will be more books set in the Fever world, and a graphic novel. And you know there has to be reasons any series can knock Julian from the top of my list....V'lane. The single most sexiest blond in all of the written universe. I *heart* him.

Monday Ten: Movies

2010-11-01T19:31:00.001-04:00

Going to try something a little bit different. On mondays I am going to go through a sorta top ten of favorites. I feel like I need to blog more often and this will give me something to look forward to blogging about, other than just to say I updated pages and what not. The first one will be my favorite movies. These aren't movies I feel are the best movies ever made, but are my favorites (to date, favorites tend to change since new things are always coming out to surprise us).

10. Fierce Creatures (1997)
Directors: Fred Schepisi, Robert Young

Cast: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline
Why I love it: This was a movie I stumbled across accidently. While still living at home during my college years, I had the television set to HBO while procrastinating from my school work. I don't even remember what movie I was watching prior to this one, but I laughed through this entire movie, went out the following day and bought it on DVD. The animals are soooo cute. The concept was entertaining: to generate more funds, a new director at a zoo decides to focus on only fierce animals because predators are more "interesting" to the public. Of course, they have to do something with the non-fierce animals, and when John Cleese's character ends up with all the animals he supposedly put down, many fun escapades abound. Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Kline's character are 100% convinced he is having sexual encounters with all the women employees of the zoo through the entire film when he isn't.

9. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Cast (Voices): Kathryn Beaumont, Sterling Holloway, Ed Wynn
Why I love it: Does the picture to the left not answer this question? I am biased because I collect Cheshire Cats and adore Alice in Wonderland. But there is a good reason this adaptation beats out the many others, including the Tim Burton 2010 film which I looooooved. I grew up with this movie, I know it practically by heart. Out of the many Disney films I love, this one is my favorite; more so than any of the princess films or even some of their live action movies I watched as a kid (The Three Lives of Thomasina and Charlie the Lonesome Cougar come to mind). It's a fun movie. It's so weird and crazy, but who doesn't wish to visit a Wonderland every once and a while to escape reality?

8. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003)
Director: Gore Verbinski

Cast: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, and Kiera Knightly
Why I love it: Pirates! Romance! Period costumes! Yeah, you will notice a trend of my favorite films. Most of them are period films. I can't help it, but I love period films. All the Pirates of the Caribbean films were fun and action packed, but the first one will always be the best. Meeting Captain Jack Sparrow for the first time was a real treat. I still say Depp was robbed of his Oscar. Maybe he can land yet another nomination with the fourth film in the franchise coming up soon. (Can I just say how happy I am Will and Elizabeth will not be returning for the next film. Feeding my man to the friggin kraken in the second film did NOT endear me to Elizabeth. And Will, well, as much as I do love Orlando Bloom, Will was a little too "good." Or maybe I just prefer dirty, sneaky pirates like Jack Sparrow... ;)

7. Pathfinder (2007)
Director: Marcus Nispel
Cast: Karl Urban, Moon Bloodgood, Clancy Brown
Why I love it: What could Karl Urban do after playing a hot Viking from Middle Earth (who was BLOND!!!) to make me love him more? The answer is simple: play another hot Viking, wear a loin cloth with leather chaps, and run around in furs and sweaty sexiness and wave his sword around. Okay, I am a single woman with raging hormones... I am allowed to lust. Plus, he was a Viking. It is a weakness of mind. The story itself is dark. Vikings come to North America, destroy everything in their path, and a young boy is left behind after being beaten severely for not participating. The Native Americans raise him as his own and he has to protect (and avenge some of them) when the Vikings return. It is hard to watch several scenes, but the cinematography and the stunning beauty of the film itself is amazing. While I have issues with the horned helms, I will give them the benefit of making the Vikings (who are the bad guys in this film, unfortunately) look like demons.

6. Rear Window (1954)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Cast: James Stewart, Grace Kelly
Why I love it: Suspense, drama, a damn good story telling. Anyone who can make watching neighbors out their apartment window interesting is a genius, and Hitchcock is worthy of such a title. James Stewart believes he is the sole witness to a murder and tries to prove it, even though he is stuck in a wheelchair because of an accident. Grace Kelly is the love interest and she is beautiful as ever (damn her). The simplicity of the plot itself makes it work. Current movies have so many plot lines going on that it is hard to keep up with what the main plot really is. Such a direct plot is refreshing to go back to once and a while.

5. Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Cast: Alexa Vega, Anthony Head, Terrance Zdunich, Sarah Brightman
Why I love it: I see this movie as the Rocky Horror Picture Show of the new generation. I hear there are people dressing up in character and acting the film out and singing with it with live audiences. The concept: in the future, a biotech company, GeneCo, supplies organs for transplants when organ failure is at an uncommon high. Afterwards, people become "addicted to the knife" and have several surgeries as fashion statements. Because the organs being transpanted are available through financing, a repoman can come and take the organs back (thus killing people gruesomely) if you don't pay. Despite the fact Paris Hilton is in the movie, it is amazingly good. Plus, Paris' face falls off...it makes it more bearable. ;)

4. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones
Why I love it: Because it is made of much awesome. So much awesome, mind you, that I quote it constantly without realizing it. Lancelot's murderous rampage to the severity of the French taunting, to Galahad's...ahem...great peril at the Castle Anthrax to the Bridge of Death, if I ever want to just spend a few hours laughing, I watch this movie. It is satire and silliness at its best.

3. Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Director: Neil Jordan
Cast: Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas
Why I love it: Well, when reading the book Brad's Louis looks more like Armand in my mind and vice versa, but I will not argue too strongly as Armand in the books bores me to tears, and I would hate to only have Brad to look at in one part of the film. However, the thing that truly makes this movie work for me is Tom Cruise as Lestat. I love Lestat in the books. Love him. Interview is told from Louis' POV, which makes Lestat come off in a really bad light. Despite all this, as much as I am not a Tom Cruise fan, no one else will ever be able to capture this character the way he has. He has truly immortalized the role as his. I do like Stewart Townsend, but Queen of the Damned pained me. He was a hot vampire, but he was no Lestat. This film is beautiful, tragic, and horrifying.

2. Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: Kiera Knightly, Matthew MacFadyen
Why I love it: One of the ultimate love stories ever told, the beauty of the film and the characters make you fall in love with it. Please, marry me Mr. Darcy! I want one! Other than Donald Sutherland's lack of accent, I can't find a single thing about this movie I can complain about. Maybe it is because I am a sappy girl, but I just adore this film. I never read any Jane Austin in school, which is surprising being an English Literature major, but after seeing the movie I had to buy the book. I didn't read it until recently, and I really enjoyed it.

1. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
Director: Joel Schumacher
Cast: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson
Why I love it: It's one of my favorite stories. The Leroux novel, the play, the retelling by Susan Kay... I have always told people that a book or movie never really moves me unless it can make me cry. It is easier to cry to a film than it is to a book. The character of Erik (the Phantom) has always broken my heart. He's seen as an antagonist in most versions of the story, this one included. Susan Kay makes him the protagonist, and any time you view his situation from his side, it is hard not to wish Christine would have kicked Raoul to the curb and frolicked down to the Phantom's lair beneath the Paris Opera House. But the story is a tragedy, and you can't have tragedy if it ends the way you want. The thing that I do have to mention about this adaptation is they make Raoul less of a wuss in this one. He jumps onto a horse and rides bareback to the cemetery to tango with the Phantom. It's a far cry from Raoul of the Leroux novel cowering in the torture chamber wanting to blow his brains out rather than keep fighting to get to Christine. But...he still doesn't believe Christine when she begs him to take her away after the Il Muto production and look what happens because of it. Men, they never listen! :P

That's it, folks. But if you were wondering which films were sadly just short of making the cut, they include (in no particular order): Shaun of the Dead, Bridget Jones' Diary, Sleepy Hollow, Halloween (1978), and The Amityville Horror (1979)

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T10:11:00.000-04:00

mwa ha ha ha ha. Trick or Treating was last night in Savannah. I only had about a dozen trick or treaters, so I have a TON of candy left. I did dress up as the Cheshire Cat last night. I think I was darn cute if you ask me. And it gave me an excuse to wear my Cheshire Cat shoes. :) I ended up losing the tail after a while though. It annoyed me. Went to IHop with my sis and some of her friends for a late snack. Then came home and passed out. I have to get some editing done today because I haven't had any time to work on it, and I have to go into work for redisplay. I am going to wear my cat ears to work. :)

Attaching a pic of my shoes taken at FeverCon for those who haven't seen them. I *heart* them, but then they are Chesh shoes, so I need them. LOL

Hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween. Happy Birthday to Jericho Barrons of the Fever Series as well. Keep your pink cakes hidden so he doesn't smash them into the ceiling. :)

Until next time...

Pumpkin Kitty

2010-10-26T22:05:00.001-04:00

This is Bagheera's first Halloween, and she is soooo intrigued by the pumpkin. She has to keep smelling it. She has to lick it. She has to bat it with her paw to make sure it isn't gonna try to go anywhere. When I put it on the table to carve it, she was ten shades of WTF?! LOL After I got the top of the pumpkin cut out I let her go ahead and smell it before I got to messy with pumpkin guts to get her off the table (she did keep trying to get in the middle of it anyway) She didn't want anything to do with the squishy insides to it, but she had to make sure whatever it was inside that thing was not going to do anything funny in her home. haha.

Not much is going on. Editing. Covers. Siggies on the forum...the same ole routine. Trying to save up money to go to New Orleans in January for the Shadowfever launch. Usually I can bear not going to book event if they aren't reasonably local, but these are my peeps. I would hate to miss this. (plus any party that has V'lane as one of the topics needs me there. I have to keep all these hussies off my Fae.)

Added a few covers to cover art page. Added buy links to current releases. Still need to update author blogs and websites, but let's face it. I'm lazy. I will happen, but I can't tell you when it will happen. LOL!

And to stay on topic with the blog title, check out the cuteness Dacia posted on my facebook profile today:

Big Cat Halloween

Addicted to a book series: new and old

2010-10-14T13:09:00.000-04:00

Still having a hard time adjusting to life post-FeverCon. I can't remember the last time I have had so much fun...probably at the other KMM events and Scotland with other Maniacs. Coming home to Savannah just makes it all so dull here.

However, we did get a crap load of free books at FeverCon. I read Blood Trinity first. It is a new urban fantasy series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love, taking place in Atlanta, GA I loved it! They did such a great job. The men were sexy, Feenix was adorbale, and I can't wait for the next book. I was thumbing through my Dead After Dark anthology which has stories from Sherrilyn Kenyon, JR Ward, Susan Squires, and Dianna Love. The Dianna Love novella is a prequel into Blood Trinity! I didn't know that, but I am about to be devouring it next. :)

I have also started reading the Malory series by Johanna Lindsey. Now, those who know me welll know Johanna Lindsey's Hearts Aflame was my first romance novel. I picked it up because it had Vikings. True, the hero was a Saxon and not a Viking like the heroine, but I still enjoyed the hell out of that book. I've only read a few of her other stories and those hadn't moved me the way Hearts Aflame had. Now...I was wandering through the bookstores a few months ago and saw the cover for the latest Malory novel and almost bought it for the hot cover alone. I decided a trip to the library was in order to check out these Malory books since it seemed to be a series. They didn't have the first one, so I checked out Anthony's book. Enjoyed it (even though it was one of the many "characters spend half the novel pissed off at each other" scenerio that JL books seem to frequent). I registered online with my libnrary chain and had them get book one and three for me to read. book one was good, but shared too much of the same design as book two (re: characters spending half the book mad over a misunderstanding or stubborness). Book three was down right enjoyable. I just finished book four, The Magic of You, and though the hero, Warren, is the epitome of stubborn (re: spends 9/10 the novel in denial and pissed off at heroine for it) I absolutely loved this book. It might be because the heroine took an approach that would have come off as stark-raving CRAZY should someone really take that approach, and made it work.

I don't wanna give too much away, but the short version:

Hero: I was scorned, all women are liars and horrible, and I will never EVER get married. EVER!

Heroine: I want you. Will have you. Will marry you. Will make you love me by practically stalking you.

Hero: Nooooooooo! (*smooches anyway*)

yes. I loved it. And because I haven't taunted Jenn enough today, I think it should be rewritten with the names Jenn and Eric for kicks. :)

FeverCon 2010

2010-10-04T19:25:00.001-04:00

OMG peeps. I am glad to be home, but I didn't want to leave. Aside from the mishaps (which I will get to as we go along) I had a fantastic weekend. I hope there are future FeverCons and everyone who went had as much fun as I did. I am going to put as much info into this blog as possible so I don't have to repeat myself too many times elsewhere. LOL!

I left Savannah at around six in the morning on Thursday morning. I arrived in Atlanta just before ten. Krissy was letting me park at her house to avoid the hotel charge. She wasn't home from dropping her husband off at work, and I got out the car to see if I had gotten close enough to the curb. As I come back to the driver side door, since the house was on a steep hill, the door slams shut and locks automatically. The car is still running. I wanted to cry. Krissy and I had to call Pop-a-Lock and get my car open. What a way to start the weekend.

We get to the hotel (finally) and the struggle becomes getting the cakes for Jenn to the kitchens before Jenn's plane gets to Atlanta. Krissy, Jean, Debbie, and I schemed and came up with the perfect birthday gift for Jenn: a specialized cake with the gag book cover I made for her as a joke on the KMM forum. It came out looking awesome. However, Kat takes matters into her own hands and decides that Eric should know about a certain post she makes regarding her wish for Eric to feed her birthday cake by hand at Fevercon. She prints it out and gives it to him during the signing on Friday (attendees with last names A-L). Jenn had won a raffle to sit at Eric Etebari's table during dinner Friday evening. He introduces himself to everyone at the table to feel out which one of his dinner mates was the birthday girl. I had Anita (who also one the raffle) to hand Jenn a 3.5 inch Jawbreaker (It is REALLY LARGE!) during the meal, and Krissy handed her a glossy 8x10 of the book cover. After dinner Eric surprised us all when he fed her cake and Jenn thinks we have gotten her torture out of the way. (but not by a long shot).

After the concert (which was amazing) we pulled the cakes out at the back of the room we were using. Set them up, but realized we couldn't find the serving knives. While running around looking for a knife, most of the people left to go to the Irish Pub down the block for "Mac Attacks" or "Barrons Beasts" (why were there no V'lane on Morars? *crosses arms*) We tried to get the word out as much as possible, but with a crowd that big it was near impossible. When we got Jenn to the cakes, we sang happy birthday. Eric heard the singing, ran over to where we were standing and laughed at the cake and gave Jenn a birthday spanking (he was shirtless before he was done) with Su's crop. Then we all took off our shoes, and convinced him to take his off. Therefore, we had the classic definition of an orgy with Eric Etebari: more than 4 people in one room without shoes.

Despite the awesome, we never thought Eric was going to be involved. It ended up being the best birthday present we could give Jenn. Thank you Eric for being so awesome! (Click on the pic of Shirtless Eric and Jenn above this and see an animation of the spanking.)

On Saturday we had hour long "lectures" with Phil, Eric, Karen's editor, and Gena and Kresley. Then it was time for the ball. I forgot to pack my Venus razor, but was prepared and had a cheap plastic razor packed in case I forgot ( I had to shave before the drive thursday so it wasn't packed yet) I am so used to how the blade part of my Venus moves with the curves of your leg, that when I was shaving super fast-like to get in and out of the shower to straighten my hair, I took a chunk of skin off my leg right below the right knee. It would not stop bleeding. I bled through 3 bandaids. Luckily my dress covered that up. My costume was me going as myself (AKA V'lane's Concubine). I had a cuff of cruce, and cute freaking shoes, but I had to take them off an hour into it. Therefore, I chickened out of the costume contest, because without the shoes it wasn't worth the embarressment of entering. lol! We won't talk about how I ended up "Tubthumping" with Eric Etebari when I hate the song more than I can describe. Or the fact that I was freaking WASTED.

Sunday we had breakfast with Phil Gigante (because Jordy ROCKS and Phil spoils her shamelessly. He's such a great man.) Eric Etebari took the mic and thanked me for contacting him on Facebook to make him aware of his Moning Maniac following (I suffered the embarressment of all eyes on me yet again, but I am glad he is enjoying the Maniacs and Karen.). Afterwards was the Q&A with Karen. Phil read a section of Shadowfever, and I am not sure how much they want us to talk about that, but it was a long scene featuring the newsletter where Mac is seeing the Seelie and V'lane coming towards her and her monster army. V'lane, Mac, and Darroc were in the scene. V'lane smitted someone. I almost hopped out my chair in V'lane lust. Jill and I were all excited. LOL!

At the signing, Karen signed HE'S MINE! on my V'lane poster (like that will keep me away from the sexiness that is V'lane. pffft) I was loaded down like a mule with signed books, posters, tarot cards, pictures, dvds, and audiobooks. Phil was hadning out pink and white rubber bracelets that say "Girls Gone Pri-ya! Atlanta 2010" LOL! I am finally home, with lots of loot. And in a few hours I am totally going to pass out. I missed Bagheera and my bed, but I am sad the weekend had to end. I love all of you ladies, and I hope to be able to attend many more events and see you all again in the future!

Updates/Coming Soon

2010-09-16T14:46:00.001-04:00

I've updated the Cover Art pages with buy links, and I added the newest books I've completed edits on to the Editing page. I also added a few blogs and websites, I wanted to add more, but I am about to have to leave for work so more will be added at a later time.

I turn 26 this Sunday. AHHHHHHH! I swear I was only 18 a couple years ago. Where did the time go?!

The day after my birthday, Liquid Silver is releasing two of the books I edited. I am sure they didn't do it on purpose, but hey, I thought it was a great present (everyone go buy them!).

The first is a Halloween story by Sandra Sookoo, Hunter's Moon Magic. It's a quick read and it is cute and sexy. I enjoyed it, and so will you.

The second is a longer story, the longest I've edited from LSB. It is called Blood Bonds by Adrienne C. Wilder. It's urban fantasy, featuring dragons and taking place in Georgia. A word of caution, there are a few pretty gorey scenes, so if blood makes you squimish you need to be forewarned ahead of time. Otherwise, it was a very interesting concept. Different from a lot of paranormal/urban fantasy I've seen.

Again, both books come out Monday, September 20, at Liquid Silver Books. Happy reading!

Bagheera

2010-09-15T19:08:00.000-04:00

I don't remember if I ever posted about my new kitty. My sis and her boyfriend bought her for me as an early birthday gift. She's going on five months of age this month, and she's adorable. I named her after the panther in The Jungle Book.

Today she has been acting crazy because this caterpillar is on the window and she can't get it. LOL completely crazy! I have a video of her playing the other night and just going nuts attached after the pics.

Meeting Sherrilyn Kenyon / Book Resolutions

2010-09-10T14:01:00.000-04:00

I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday, but I finally met Sherrilyn Kenyon. I got my copies of No Mercy, Infinity, and the two graphic Lords of Avalon novels signed. I confessed to being the infamous editor of the "Carnival of Rust" fan video, and had a great time!

No Mercy was a great book! I may be bias because Dev has been my favorite Were since the series began, but I really enjoyed the story. I didn't get annoyed with the heroine, which is rare, and I think it is the DH novel I enjoyed the most since Acheron came out.

Now, last week I finished reading Black Hills by Nora Roberts. This is the first NR book I've ever read, it was decent for a contempary. We all know I am not a fan of the contemp. genre. The reason I read it was because the heroine, Lil, was working in a career field I originally wanted. I would have if it wasn't for my near fail in Molecular Bio and having to drop Botany because I just couldn't tell a slide from a fern cell from a slide of an algae cell. I wanted to work with the big cats among others, but mostly the cats. Lil had lions, tigers, cougars, jags, leopards, bobcats, lynxes....yeah. I was in career lust with that book. It was actually quite good, but...

What happened to a good resolution? You go through all 400+ pages of rising action, get to the climax, and have a really unsatisfying resolution. I wanted to know a little bit more about all the major points in the story. It just kinda ended a few pages after the climax. Oh well, we can't always get what we want, can we?

Book Signings and more

2010-09-06T22:04:00.000-04:00

So on Wednesday Sherrilyn Kenyon will be signing in Savannah. Finally get to go to one of her signings myself rather than have a friend get a book signed for me. I am excited! I am told I have to tell her I edited the "Carnival of Rust" Dark-Hunter video, though I might be a bit embarressed. Fan tributes are fun to make, but I still feel nerdy when I fess up to having made them. LOL!

I added 4 new covers to my art page. Please remember I only did the covers on the cover art page, the LSB covers were not made by me. I only edited the book. But they do have some Gorgeous art work, do they not? I am going to be updating buy links on that page and adding buy links to the BP books sometime this month. I keep forgetting (sorry!)

FeverCon is only a few weeks away. I just bought some KILLER hot pink peeptoe heels for the Pink and Black Mac Ball. I can't wait to go hang out with my peeps from the KMM forum again. It's been too long!

New Layout

2010-08-12T22:27:00.000-04:00

As you can see, the blog has been spruced up a bit. Thanks Hailey!!!!!!!! Yes, Hailey Edwards, author extraordinaire, has graciouslly hacked into my blog and made it pretty. These are the reasons I love my friends. They make my blog pretty when I get too lazy to do it myself. LOLOLOL.

2010-08-07T22:54:00.000-04:00

I added recent cover art and updated the books I have edited. I still need to post buy links of the cover art page. I am lazy. Sorry. I have been busy moving and becoming accustomed to my role as Art Director. It's exciting. Hope you enjoy the covers. :) The one in this post is my new personal favorite of mine. Yes, I apparently enjoy tooting my own horn. LOL!

Awesome vs Non-Awesome. I guess there has to be a balance.

2010-07-18T15:58:00.001-04:00

Because being so awesome without non-awesome to keep one grounded can lead to an egoboost perhaps. And I know, I KNOW, I come across concieted online. It's all in good fun though. I am probably the most modest person you could meet if you met me in real life. But since online I can brag about myself without feeling guilty, I will do it anyway and you can't stop me! Well...you can try, but I will probably just ignore your post...because I can. I love the internet. Don't like something, you can remove it forever!

Anywho, guess who is the new Art Director at Breathless Press? Yep, that would be Her Most Awesometastic. AKA...Me. THANK YOU BP, I never thought I would even be considered for such a role. But I love books and I love photoshop, so I guess this is the best of both worlds.

I have a few more covers to add to both the cover art page and the books I've edited page, but I am feeling a bit lazy since, and here is where the non-awesome from the blog title comes into play, I am moving this week. Into my grandparents' house. Trying (keyword there: trying) to get their stuff moved so my stuff can come in. But when I say they haven't cleaned the cabinets or windows, or throw anything away, since they moved in here in the 70s....I am not exaggerating. It is a nightmare. NIGHTMARE! Especially the size of the spiders in this house. And what is the number one thing that makes me afeared? Yup. Spiders. I loath them. They make me want to pee my pants and cry like a little girl, but I have too much dignity to let that happen. Instead I just scream like a bitch and flatten it with more force than necessary.

So I am going to go hang out in the house of horrors, cleaning, squishing demons...er...spiders, and will get those covers loaded by next week. Chao!

Strapless in RT magazine!

2010-06-24T22:16:00.000-04:00

The cover I did for Honoria Ravena's Strapless (Breathless Press) was in an ebook ad in RT Magazine! It is in the the August 2010 edition :) I was shocked! Then I felt a wee bit smug. LMAO

The Forbidden Game: You Never Forget Your First Fictional Love.

2010-06-08T10:23:00.000-04:00

My absolute favorite YA series in the world is back on bookstore shelves after several years of out of printness. The Forbidden Game is a trilogy, rereleased in a 3-in-1 volume, written by L.J. Smith who should be a recognizable name as The Vampire Diaries has become widely popular since the CW picked up a TV series based on her books. The only thing that could make me happier than seeing TFG back in bookstores is seeing it made into a movie. With TVD doing so well, that is promising for her other books. Night World would make a good TV show, but with Vamps and Weres involved, it may be too close to TVD and True Blood for consideration. Secret Circle, The Forbidden Game, Dark Visions, and NoTS & HoV on the other hand are far more original storywise and I can see them being immortalized on the silverscreen. *crosses fingers*

Those not familiar with The Forbidden Game, it is about a girl named Jenny who is throwing a birthday party for her boyfriend. They end up playing a game that causes their worst nightmares to come to life. The Shadowman, Julian, is making them play for their freedom. If they lose, Jenny is his forever.

And Julian is super sexy. He's the first fictional character I've developed a crush on, and this is the first book series that ever made me cry while reading. My love of books can be traced back to this series. Sure I read R.L. Stine like it was candy, but my true love from reading developed through a Shadowman's love for something he could never have.

Updated Blog

2010-06-05T15:12:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Hailey Edwards, I have managed to add pages to display my cover art that I have done with Breathless Press, and display the covers and buy link for the books I edited with Liquid Silver Books. There is also a widget to the right of the blog that has download links from Amazon.com to the books I edited.

Should I keep the Amazon list to only books I edited or did cover art for, or should it include titles I review or recommend on this blog as well? Let me know your opinions.

Computers and Infinity

2010-05-31T10:14:00.007-04:00

Haven't had an opportunity to blog for a while. It isn't so much that I had nothing to say, I just haven't had my computer. I was burning a few CDs for my car and a disc got stuck in the CD drive. I tried ejecting it every way possible, and it was futile. Tried restarting the computer to try again, and the stupid pile of junk decided to read the disc to boot from. Thus, my entire system crashed. (Story of my life. No seriously, this is like a once or twice a year thing for me almost.)

So Best Buy's Geek Squad geeks take my computer and my system restore discs and send it off to Kentucky because it is so dead that the local Savannah Geek Squad can't do anything with it. The computer is still under warranty, so I only had to pay like $140 to get my massive music file backed up to an external (I wasn't losing my tunes again, it just wasn't happening!) I also told them the only other file I needed was my photoshop files, and told them how to get to them, and the fonts.

A week goes by and I get a robot calling me to pick up my computer, so happily I go. Only they tell me that I need to bring in my system restore discs because they replaced the hard drive and it is like a new computer with absolutely nothing on it. So I get mad at them for not telling me that before letting me think my computer was ready for pick up, ask for my external, and take it home. I can't find the restore discs at all. Then I am looking at this file I got from them with my external harddrive, and alas: there are my discs. They had them the whole time and didn't use them.

I was livid. LIVID.

I brought them BACK to the store and gave them a piece of my mind. The dude calls me back 2 hours later and apparently the video graphic card is not working. They can't get an image to show up. So they sent it BACK to Kentucky for two more weeks. The motherboard and the power strip have been replaced this time. *sigh* So when I got the robot call to pick it up this time I called up there and made them check that it was ready to pick up, and what do you know? They still haven't put the restore discs in and got windows going. So I had to wait 3 more hours.

I got a robot call to pick up my computer 3 days after I picked it up. I think it was out of spite at that point. Bastards!

AND they saved my picture folder, which is awesome, but not the fonts, brushes, or gradients I needed for Photoshop. I was not pleased.

I just finished reading Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon, book one of the Chronicles of Nick. It is a Young Adult sorta prequel/spinoff of the Dark-Hunter series. It follows Nick Gautier as a 14 year old. I enjoyed the book a lot, though I have some concerns.

1. There are lots of information tossed out there that will be like candy to Dark-Hunter fans, but confusing to teens who have never read them. They won't have a clue who Jared is, or why he is significant. The same with Stryker. Not unless Nick of the Future, the Dark-Hunter, fully powered Malachai, accidently causes them to show up that early in the timeline due to his meddling, as Simi has shown up in Nicks life ten years earlier. Which leads me to...

2. Future Nick is centuries years old! And apparently has destroyed everyone he cares about because he couldn't let go of the anger in his life, towards Acheron and others. I am hoping that his attempt to change things in CoN will allow his path to change in the other series, because I am already constantly ticked off with him there and I am worried he is about to make me hate him if he doesn't get that worked out.

Is it worth the read? Yes. It is very enjoyable. It will make you laugh out loud throughout.

Oh, I never got the chance to come back and say my final thoughts on Everlong by Hailey Edwards. The book is excellent, very sweet and romantic. It makes you feel warm and fuzzy by the end of the book. If you haven't read that one yet, please do.

Three Days Grace concert

2010-04-10T14:47:00.007-04:00

Adam Gontier from Three Days Grace is so yummy. He really is. *le sigh* Went and saw Three Days Grace, with Chevelle and Adelita's Way as the opening acts, last night at the Savannah Civic Center. The show was amazing! All three bands were wonderful! There was nearly a freaking riot to get the band to play the song aptly named: "Riot."

and they played "The Good Life" which my new favoritest song ever lol, so I was happy.

Not too familiar with Adelita's Way, but they played "Invincible" and "Last Stand" and a handful of others.

I LOVE Chevelle, but I don't know all there songs well. They did play "Sleep Apnea" "Jars" "The Red" "Send the Pain Below" "Vitamin R" and a some other excellent songs.

Three Days Grace went all out. Chevelle had their own back drop and all, but For TDG they had the huge flashy lights, fire, strobes, they just went all out. There new CD cover was on the screen under the lights (and there was a cool green speckled display during the encore) and the drum platform spun around during the drum solo and it had the band name displayed and lit up beneath it. After the drum solo, Adam had sneaked to the back of the crowd and began "I Don't Care," the song he did with Apocalytica, and walked through the crowd of crazy people back to the stage. (I am jealous they got to touch him)

Here is the set list:

Break

The Good Life

I Hate Everything About You

Pain

Bitter Taste

Home

drum solo

I Don't Care

Last to Know

Goin' Down

Just Like You

Never Too Late

Riot

encore:

In the Air Tonight (cover)

Lost in You

Animal I Have Become

I posted more pics and some video clips on my facebook account. If you want longer video clips, you can find some on youtube. Use the keywords: Three Days Grace Savannah. The concert dates are usually listed, and it was April 9, 2010 at the Savannah Civic Center. :)

It was SO worth the money to go. I made it as close as the second row by the time TDG came out. Now that I have seen them and Silverchair, the only other band I have left on my must see list is Seether. :)

Book Pimpin'

2010-04-04T00:32:00.005-04:00

Many of you who know me know that I am good friends with Hailey Edwards. So it may be no surprise here that I am about to pimp the everliving hell out of her first full length novel, Everlong. It was just released last week by Samhain press. I haven't finished it yet (I was behind on edits so I had to get my work done before I could enjoy it) But I have read a good bit of it. She has really, truly found her voice. I am so so proud of her. While I did enjoy her novellas from LSB, Born of Fire and From the Ashes, as her first publications there were some things that could have been polished, but overall they were not bad. However, Everlong is proving to be wonderful. Will give my overall thoughts when I get to sit down and finish the book. :)

Buy Everlong/Read an excerpt

Randomness

2010-03-26T22:13:00.005-04:00

I've been told I have been slacking in my bloging. Bad me! So I have come to amuse my whole whopping 6 followers and whomever else may be lurking in the shadows along my my various stalkers.

I had another crazy dream last night. I think this one involved too much LOSTpidia viewing yesterday along with the fact that I recently bought an X-Box 360 and have been playing games like a madwoman. BUT....there was this hot vampire dude and don't ask me how it went from him stalking me to us being in total video game land and dressed like eygyptians. I also don't wanna know why I ended up chasing him around with one of those toys that is pretty much a long stick with an animal head at the top and you hold a contraption at the bottom that opens and closes the animal head's mouth. Yeah well I had a crocodile one (an egyptian crocodile one, so I am guessing it was supposed to be Sobek) and I was chasing the vamp around letting the toy croc bite his back. And my points went up way high with each bite.

I know, right? WEIRD!

A dream specialist would have a field day with me.

I was blogged about

2010-03-26T01:45:00.003-04:00

Hailey Edwards, author and a friend of mine I like to taunt in my free time (she likes it), has blogged about my awesometastic cover artiness. She was the one that forced... I mean... suggested (with force) that I try for the cover art position at Breathless Press. LOL the entry can be found here: http://cairinehouse.com/?p=1125

Speaking of which, I just got approval on my third cover. And I got a new book to edit from LSB today. Since I am getting crap hours at TR, this is a good thing.

Victoria Miller: Awesometastic editor and cover artist...

2010-03-24T14:17:00.003-04:00

I got a cover artist position at Breathless Press. My first cover is already up on the site.

here is the link to the actual page.

http://www.breathlesspress.com/erotic/forthcoming/eternity.html

Why I love Sandra Sookoo

2010-02-15T20:54:00.004-05:00

Not only is she a wonderful storyteller with likeable characters and interesting plots, but there was a surprise in her latest release from Liquid Silver Books. A dedication to ME. I am so incredibly flattered. Thank you so much, Sandra!

Like hot blond men who shapeshift? Even if you don't read the book anyway. LMAO

buy it here

Oh, the Drama I Live!

2010-02-15T20:30:00.003-05:00

I just fought off yet another cold. I have a bit of a cough still, but the cold is done with finally.

As if that wasn't dramatic enough, the dude I met on Zoosk and went on a date with and fell promptly out of touch with tried to contact me tonight on facebook. I was on my way offline to go to the bookstore to pick up a copy of Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole, so I didn't respond to him. I don't know what my feelings are. He didn't seem to be quick on the uptake and I felt no spark so while I feel bad about the avoidiness, I don't feel bad enough to deal with whatever he has to say right now. Considering it is the day after Valentine's Day (V'lane Day!) when he is trying to contact me, it kinda is pretty obvious he is feeling a bit lonely and I am not in the mood to play understanding potential girlfriend. I am not happy that I am single, but I am happy in my singleness...if that makes sense. I don't feel like I need a boyfriend just to have one, and I am not going to settle just to say I have one.

But whatever. Call me a cold hearted bitch, if you want. I don't like being forced to be or feel what I don't want to be or don't feel. Ya feel me?

Nooooooooooooo!

2010-01-22T14:57:00.002-05:00

Sooooo I have a bad habit of not checking my inboxes at sites I don't use very often. I haven't checked my Youtube inbox since July 2009. In August "Warchild," Sherrilyn Kenyon's brother, contacted me wanting to know if I wanted to work with him in brainstorming an idea for a video for the song he did for "Bad Moon Rising." I see it...today. 6 Months later. I am sooooooooooo upset with myself over that one.

Not to mention I was accused of stealing my own video. WTF?

Random Rambles

2010-01-20T17:43:00.002-05:00

I have two days off from work, thank God. I got a new book to edit in my time off and I find myself procrastinating. I am going to try to get through my read through tonight and start the edits tomorrow and finish this weekend. That is the plan, doesn't mean it will happen the way that I want it to.

I finished Master My Viking. It was cute, but incredibly cheesy. If you want to be humored read it. If you can't take cliched cheesefactors, skip it. It is a good escape for however long it takes to read it. It is a rather short one.

I am also about to start reading book 4 in the Atlantis series by Gena Showalter. I just finished the reread of The Nymph King (aka V'lane of the Sea) before reading the Viking one. LOL Showalter never ceases to amuse me greatly with her writing.

A completely random note to end on.... my roomie and I watched The Power Rangers movie today. We were appalled by how super cheesy it was, despite the fact that we both LOVED it when we were children. LOL ah, how things change when we grow older. I remember being scared shitless by IT as a child, and watched it for the first time since about 6 years ago and was like....pffft. really? LOL

2010-01-16T16:33:00.002-05:00

When a book makes you say to yourself, "Oh my God, are you serious?!" on nearly every page, you don't know if you are reading an awesomely funny book or if it is just so outrageously cheesy that just when you think nothing else could make you blink to reread what you just said, there is a cow pooing in the bedroom to show you that, yes...it did go there. Again.

Angel Lynn's Master My Viking is a book I bought for my Kindle at Christmas time. I haven't finished it yet, but I couldn't NOT blog about this book. And yes, I will be finishing it. Cheesiness aside, it is an enjoyable cheese and not the kind that is just untolerable.

I think the only real issues I have with the book is that, A. all the Vikings seem to be complete idiots. And B. it is a historical Viking romance, yet there are modern slang terms and phrases mixed into both the narritive and the dialogue. Even though "Hel in a hand basket" made me giggle like a school girl because it was a clever way to insert the Norse Hel into a modern phrase, but still...some of the sayings should have been more consistent with the time in which the speakers are speaking.

On the otherhand the quirkiness and humor is what makes reading this book sooo worth it. Cows in a bedroom, the mother and mother-in-law pulling up a chair to "witness" the wedding night between the hero and heroine...yeah, that's funny. The constant use of "humping." Made me laugh because my good friend, Hailey Edwards, uses it to describe the act of sex in online chats.

I think one of the parts that really had me near tears laughing, while being slightly appalled, is when the hero, Sigurd is told by his father that he is to marry a woman that the bride price for was only 2 silver coins. He freaks out trying to figure out what is wrong with the wench. The kicker is the dad tells her she is a bit old, twenty-three, and Sigurd's reaction is, "Siguard slumped low on the bench, convinced now that the woman was defective, else she would've been married off long ago."

Story of my life. *sigh*

I will tell you my thoughts on the book as a whole once I finish reading it. I just had to share this book with you guys. It isn't great writing, no. But if you want some light reading to amuse you, you'll enjoy it.

Disillusionment on a Wednesday morning.

2010-01-13T15:45:00.003-05:00

Today has just been a morning of "wow, really?" My car is still messed up beyond repair, I joined Zoosk on facebook to try to fix my dating-challenged part of my life, but considering the men in Savannah have the idea that women should be curvy in that they have large breasts, but not look like a whale kinda kills that hope for me. There are men on there that think good sex is what an ideal first date should end. Not to mention my job is blah and now my land lord discovered that she we are paying $100 dollars less than we are supposed to, but she wrote the rent into the lease that way. So technically, we are not required to pay more than that until after the lease is up. But I hate drama.

On a less dreary note, or more dreary considering how you look at it.... Georgia Power is having a power outage on early Friday morning. Um....If you have read the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, you may recall from Dreamfever that Savannah was made into a Dark Zone until V'lane saved us from the Shades and the rest of the Unseelie by having the Seelie help the humans in the city restore the power. As much as it amuses me that this is happening now... I have to open the store that morning, so I hope the power is back on by then.

Book Release: Angel's Master by Sandra Sookoo

2010-01-11T13:08:00.002-05:00

Those of you who have not read anything by Sandra Sookoo, be prepared for a lovely historical...with a hot pirate! It will be available through Liquid Silver Books at 7pm tonight. You know you wanna read it. Really, you know you do. ;)

http://liquidsilverbooks.com/

Nail Polish and Bagels

2010-01-08T15:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I don't EAT nail polish on bagels if you got that idea from the title. Eeew. Those are just the two things that I seem to be caught up on at the moment. Bagels...I cannot stop eatting them. All that bread cannot be doing any good, and is probably only packing on the weight I could be losing from not drinking Pepsi anymore. IDK what it is about bagels. They are my new love of the breakfast food world.

As for nail polish.... Lana sent me a link a month or so ago about OPI developing four new nail polish shades based on the new Alice in Wonderland movie. The blue & gold glittered "Absolutely Alice" is stunning. The multicolored glitterey "Mad as a Hatter" is fun and festive. "Thanks so Muchness" is a shinny, beautiful shade of red. "Off with her Red!" is a bland, bright red color, but it has a fun name. I bought all 4. What can I say. I love my Alice in Wonderland. I wish they did a polish based on the Cheshire Cat though, rather than 2 reds. It seems a little redundant to waste a whole polish on a second shade of red. It is like they needed to make up for the Queen of Hearts shade not being that pretty, so they created a prettier red and then couldn't think of a good name for it. "Thanks so Muchness?" Really? Poor Chesh feels snubbed.

2010: the year thus far

2010-01-05T10:20:00.000-05:00

So New Year's Day I drove to Florida to visit my dad. I felt fine when I left, but that night I was hurting everywhere and was running a high fever. The chills and the fever dreams were the worst part. I dreamt of many random things in 15 - 20 minute intervals; my funeral -- because I thought I was dying, the fact that my fever would never end until some math equation was figured out with the pyramids (wtf!), and that little dudes the size of toy soldiers were standing on my back as they removed my bones and replaced them with blue lego blocks.

Yeah. Happy New Year's to me.

I have Bronchitis. I am not pleased. I am miserable, but I am trying to get through. Mayhap after this passes the year will look up.

I am also going to close my websites in the next month or two. I no longer use it often, and 12 dollars a month is a lot to someone who doesn't earn a lot from her job.

Good Luck vs. Bad. Which will continue into the new year?

2009-12-28T19:56:00.000-05:00

So.... You would think the maniac who posted on Eric Etebari's facebook that he was a fan fave for the role of Jericho Barrons if Darkfever, which has been optioned by 20th Century Fox & based on the book by Karen Marie Moning, and have him contact Karen and let her interview him would have pretty darned good luck, right?

Wrong.

Oh, how fate laughs at me. Let me count the ways....

1. Last night the toilet overflowed. Luckily, it was just toliet water, or it could have been worse, but unfortunately the turny knob thing that can cut off the water should it begin to overflow is no longer attached to the toliet. So I had to stand in 2 inches of water trying to soak it up with towels and wring it out in the tub.

2. The US Post Office has misplaced FIVE packages that were coming to me from various parts of the country. FIVE.

3. Car has been acting up. The steering wheel has been all funky. Then the engine was smoking really bad since last Wednesday. Today the engine died on me in the bank parking lot. It let me pull out of my parking space only to promptly die. A few nice men helped me get the car into a parking space until I could get my friend to use their AAA to get me towed to a car repair shop. An old lady threw a fit that we were blocking her in even though we were pushing the car to get it out of her way. The irony? I just placed an order on a rental for the weekend to visit my dad. It is a camry. My piece of crap car that I killed is a camry. The fates are mocking me.

That is my rant for the evening. Let's hope that my luck turns at the start of the new year. LOL.

I'm Back!

2009-11-15T22:20:00.000-05:00

Okay, so after the computer issues I ended up being forced to move or suffer at the hands of psychotic roommates. So I am in a new apartment. Joined an online dating service. HA! We'll see how much that does not work out. And now I am twiddling my thumbs bored.

I did get a good laugh on Halloween though. I worked the closing shift and wore a black wig to be Mac 2.0. LOL some dude told me to have fun when I got off work, and not to forget to dress up. I already was dressed up, and I am not even going linger on the thought that he might be saying I needed to dress up for my own good....

I hope to have more to post about soon, but as of now... I got nothin'

2009-10-06T01:27:00.000-04:00

Sorry I have been absent for so long. The motherboard in my primary computer, the desktop, fried out. Had to buy a new CPU tower. Had my old harddrive encased and turned into an external harddrive and I am slowly getting things back to normal.

The highlights of what has been going down in the world according to moi:

-Won the new Alice in Chains CD from Rock 106.1 in Savannah for having the funniest caption in a picture caption contest that I captioned before knowing it was a contest at all. LOL

-Since most of the new computer was paid for using my shiny, new Best Buy credit card, I used the extra money I scrounged up to buy a cheap futon from Target. It helps with laying in weird angles in bed reading.

-In the last 300 pages of Diana Gabaldon's An Echo in the Bone. I don't want it to end!

-Realized the necklace Bonnie is wearing in episode three of The Vampire Diaries is a necklace I purchased at Target a week or so ago! haha! Bonnie has my necklace!

-I purchased the Chicago Manual of Style: The Essential Guide for Writors, Editors, and Publishers. It is massive and I hope to learn lots from it for my future career as an editor...if I can find a job that is.

-and last, but not least, I had a happy 25th Birthday, despite reaching a quarter of a century in age. LOL

Selkies and Vampires. Mmmmm.

2009-09-11T01:59:00.001-04:00

I am in love with a Selkie Prince. His name is Conn and I would love it if he'd come kidnap me and use me to make selkie babies with him. Yes. It would be nice. LOL!

Conn's story is book three in the Children of the Sea series by Virginia Kantra. There is also a prequel in the Shifter anthology. If you like paranormal romance, and hot shape shifter men.... check out the Children of the Sea!

Also, today was the series premiere of The Vampire Diaries on the CW. I read TVD back when I was in High School. LOVED all of L.J. Smith's books, The Forbidden Game and The Vampire Diaries being the reason I fell in love with reading. I read before finding those books, but I never truly loved to read until finding L.J. Smith. As for the series, with all the changes in character appearances and names and other things here or there I was concerned. However, I am happy with the show and will be watching religiously. Ian Somerhalder NAILED it as Damon Salvatore. I would let him bite me, that dirty dirty vampire! LOL!

I never posted it, but the podcast I was a guest on to talk about V'lane from KMM's Fever series was posted a couple weeks ago. You can listen to it on the Moning Clan Podcast page, or on iTunes. It is episode three.

Fun with the Z-Lo

2009-08-23T22:14:00.000-04:00

So I just got home a few hours ago from my trip to Cincinnati for the Dreamfever signing. It was fun! I was so happy to see old friends and to make new ones. Karen was awesome, Neil, Leiha, and the rest were awesome as well. Julie face dived off the bed during our hotel DrF audiobook listening session. LMAO! Also, Jenn (and her unhealthy attachment to the Z-Lo) got to keep the Z-Lo in our hotel room Friday night. We turned off all the light and turned the Z-Lo on. It lit up the whole room. THEN we decided to play. LMAO!

Podcasting and Contemplating Halloween.

2009-08-12T13:34:00.000-04:00

So, Jordy and Karen (MacKalena, not KMM lol) have invited me to their Moning Maniac podcast. They wanna talk about the incredibly sexy beyond all compare V'lane. I am excited. Of, course they are gonna have to deal with lonnnnng lengthy answers. But I will so be into my element. I love the Fever series. Because it is all first person, the only way we are shown the other characters are through Mac's eyes. Therefore, to really know the characters you have to go back and really study them. V'lane's part in the first 2 books was rather small, but I went into detail on this on the forum. In Faefever, V'lane's personality starts to show more than it has. I am highly anticipating Dreamfever, well of course I am, but with his character....I am just over eager to see what he does.

And I get to talk, live on the air, about V'lane. Soooo in my element...despite sounding 12 years old when recorded. LOL!

So I was thinking about Halloween. No not in the books....well, maybe a little. I have this $250 replica of the Spear of Destiny. I guess it should go to use. Used it in the trailer contest (no results as of yet, sorry peeps) and I may have played with the spear a little last night, hence the photo. I guess I am a Sidhe-Seer for Halloween this year, yeah? LOL

Behind the Scenes: The Fever Trailer

2009-08-11T12:05:00.000-04:00

This was my first time filming footage myself. It showed...a little too much. Esp when I was filming and pointing and talking and forgetting the camera was on when I did. However, it is some of the facial expressions and silly thing captured on film that made the process so much fun. While some of the best moments, like the Cuff of Cruce bouncing down the cobblestones on River Street, Savannah, was not captured...Many good things were. Including the ironicly apropos part of a Seether song I sang along with while filming a Georgia landscape I didn't use. LOL

Hope you enjoy the goofiness. Thanks again to my sister, Tiffany, Joe, Matthew, and Ingrid for letting me film you guys. LOL! click the image below to watch the outtakes.

And the waiting begins.

2009-08-09T23:38:00.000-04:00

We wait....for Dreamfever. For the Bloodrush CD. For the winner of the Trailer Contest to be announced.

And I never learned how to have patience. LOL

Stripes! Lickable Stripes!...and WERES! Wolves and Bears! (Oh My!)

2009-08-04T17:54:00.000-04:00

So My head is splitting open and my back is KILLING me because the only comfortable reading spot in my room is my bed and I can never get comfortable so i end up rollllling all around while reading. Well yesterday afternoon through the wee hours of the morning I was reading Bengal's Heart by Lora Leigh, and then early this morning I ran to the store and grabbed Sherrilyn Kenyon's Bad Moon Rising. I JUST finished reading that one. 2 days in bed with books. I hurt. but they were worth it! :) Between Cabal's licktastic stripes and Fang's yumminess (ok...I was on a major Dev high in that book, because face it. He was in a lot of it!) Yeah...good dreams tonight for me.

Now... Can I get a copy of Dreamfever before I die? Please!!! (I can do a triple book reading season. I don't need a working spine.)

Boredness

2009-08-02T23:05:00.000-04:00

I am soooo bored. I should go ahead and take my nyquil and sleep, but I am not ready to sleep yet. LOL. I actually get a day off tomorrow. I have not had a day to sleep in for weeks! I left for vacation the 12th of July and got back the 29th. Then I worked the past 4 days. Tomorrow I am not working. Leah is staying the night with Shaun so I won't get woken up in the morning (yay!) so I will get to sleeep and sleeeeeeep and sleeeeeeeeeeeeep.

I am elated.

If you haven't figured it out yet...there is no purpose to this post. I am just blogging to blog. For the sake of bloggage everywhere. Soo....I guess I will scamper away before I find a tangent to attach myself to. But before we go...I give you...a LOLcat!

Fever Series Contest Entry is Complete

2009-08-01T09:44:00.001-04:00

I completed my entry to the contest. It isn't my best work, my hands are too shakey to hold a camera and I only had limited filming time due to my trip to Scotland. But I think it was a good effort. Special thanks to Catie who performed an original piece for the video, Tiffany (my sister) for being Mac, Matthew for putting on the blonde wig to play V'lane, Joe for being Malluce and letting us spray his hair with black hairspray to be Barrons. And Ingrid for wearing the Z-lo with class through an Edinburgh close for me. lol. The video is posted on youtube, linked at the bottom of this entry. Please watch it, comment if you want. Someone has gone through the contest entries and given them all bad ratings. None of the entries are over 2.5 stars which is kinda rude considering the time and effort everyone put into these things, regardless of if it is live action or artwork. Not many entries are posted and everyone did wonderful with what they had to work with. It irks me when something is rated low but no one who does so offers the constructive critcism as to WHY it deserves a low rating. *off my soap box*

Enjoy the trailer! and Looking forward to seeing the remaining entries pile up over the next couple of days.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gFsk-bSlTQ

Farewell Scotland!

2009-07-29T09:45:00.000-04:00

I didn't get the oppertunity to keep this and the Scotland blog updated while over there due to the lack of wifi at most of the hotels. Sorry. However, I will share some of my favorite photos with you here. The trip was 2 weeks starting and ending in Glasgow. We went up the West coasts and down the East coast to make it back. Highlights of the trip for me were the Isle of Staffa which had the Puffin colony on the top (yes I hiked my ass to the top to see the Puffins), the castles, Loch Ness, and Pete in Edinburgh. Only met him briefly, but I was smitten by his adorableness. And he wasn't even blonde...LOL

Here are some pics. When the big giant album is posted, I will share the link. I took over 1000 photos.

Scotland Awaits!

2009-07-14T03:01:00.000-04:00

So it is midnight here. It is officially Tuesday. In 9 hours I will be boarding a plane in Jacksonville and flying to Newark, NJ to catch a connecting flight to Glasgow. This is my first venture out of the country and I am both nervous and excited. I am elated while scared. What did I get myself into? What on earth possessed me to watch LOST with my roomie yesterday?!!! My anxiety level is high, but seeing how I will probably never get to leave the country again...I plan on enjoying myself, damn it. Stay tuned here for info and pictures as well as the official Scotland Blog being updated by all of us on this trip:

http://maniacs-in-scotland.blogspot.com/

Filming the Fever Trailer for the contest

2009-07-08T14:13:00.000-04:00

So...as some of you may know....I am filming a trailer based on the fever series for a chance to win a trip to Dublin.

I am pretty sure I am not going to win, because:

a) I am having to rush due to the fact that I am leaving for Scotland next week while everyone else has a full month to prepare and film.

b) I can't hold a handheld steady so my shots are shaky.

c) It rained so our locations got altered to avoid ruining the wigs.

d) I had a limited time to get people to play the roles so didn't necessarily get the best people for the parts. V'lane is a good ole country boy with a big belt buckle and goofy facial expressions. Barrons is scrawny with black spray in hair dye. Yeah...and Mac is taller than he is with her boots on.

So yeah...to those who thought I was a sure thing to win, I hate to tell you but there is no way that I will. I am pretty much doing this for the fun of it. I don't plan to win.

Here is rather comedic scene of Mac nulling V'lane. Sorry for the quality. the camera was pretty clear, it is the blog streaming that decreases it.

(notice the goofy facial expression. grrrr)

2009-07-03T00:48:00.000-04:00

Soooooo....I got props/wardrobe/and equipment ready for this fever trailer video thingy. I got Catie composing the music. And tomorrow I am tracking down the people I am sticking wigs on and squirting with fake blood. I think I have spent...around $500 on this thing and I only have one week to film everything before I leave the country. *sigh* is it wrong that I got a strange thrill out of wearing the V'lane wig? I know. I am a sick sick obsessed girl...

Roommates and their FREAKING family members! UGH!!!!

2009-06-28T00:24:00.000-04:00

So I finally got my headboard out of storage, where I didn't want it to be in the first place. It is damaged in several spots because Stephen's brother's tempertantrums! grrr. He wanted 100 dollars for moving the headboard and he is sooooooo not getting it after the stunts he pulled. He dropped it in the grass...the wood is scratched and bent in places. hell. no.

anyway...See the vanity in the above picture? Where the historically inaccurate hat Mel and Tracey sent me is residing?

Well... Catie's grandmother is obsessively pestering Catie to tell me that I need to give her my vanity. She has offered to pay for it, give me a new bookshelf AND a comfy lounge chair in exchange, and other things. I am like... wtf. I don't have a dresser. I need my vanity!

WTH was she doing in my room anyway?!

*sigh*

Weekend in Atlanta

2009-06-21T16:30:00.000-04:00

This weekend was the Bloodrush event in Atlanta, GA where there was lunch and a booksigning with Karen Marie Moning and then a trip to a recording studio where Karen's husband, Neil Dover, was recording songs for the Fever series soundtrack: Bloodrush. My roommate was originally going to go with me, but had other things come up. Instead, her sister, Christen, went with me.

We drove to Macon on Thursday and stayed the night with Catie and Christen's grandmother. The woman...omg. She told me not to use her pillows because she didn't want to wash sheets AND pillow cases. Then she made Christen and me sleep in the king sized bed in one of the guest rooms together because she didn't want to wash TWO sets of sheets. You think that was the extent of the weirdness? No. She wanted us to go through her tax reciepts from 2008 and record them into a notebook. I am not touching someone else's tax stuff. I just won't. If something goes missing or is wrong I am not going to be held responsible. (we didn't do it).

She also wanted us to keep all our bags in one corner to "not look like a band of gypsies." To dry off all the walls in the shower and the tub to make it look like we never used it.... yes. It was odd.

Anyway... so on Friday, Christen and I go to Downtown Atlanta for a day of sightseeing. We drove into Atlanta and parked in a parking garage for the Lenox Square Marta Station. We got on the Marta to go to the Hard Rock Cafe and got on the train going in the opposite direction. Got off at the next stop and got on the right train. Ate cheeseburgers, I bought a pretty t-shirt, and we were on our way to the aquarium. We read the map wrong and went from Hard Rock alllll the way past Underground Atlanta and had to turn around and find our way back.

We finally make it to the aquarium, and the penguins are not on display except through the special tour which they tell us is extra because they are making room for a dolphin exhibit and the penguins are in the area they are renovating. grrrr.

I got some great pics of the fish and sharks though.

After the aquarium we walked back the the Peachtree Station right by the Hard Rock Cafe and rode the Marta back to Lenox and went to the mall. Everything in there was expensive. Nice mall though.... we couldn't find the way we got in to leave and walked the whole mall (it is 4 levels high).

When we found the car again we spent 45 minutes trying to find our way out of Atlanta and failing horribly. We backtracked our directions in, but couldn't find a way to 75 South. Only North. We ended up taking north and turning around at the next exit after I completely broke down in tears at a red light.

*sigh*

Saturday we didn't have any difficulties following our mapquested directions to the Atlanta Airport Marriott. We drove from there to Joe's for lunch. The appetizer was really good; however, I ended up walking around doing the trivia quiz with all the tables and didn't even taste my meal. Not a single bite of it. oh well.

Jenn got my books signed for my friend and my mom, and we went to the studio for the recording. Whoever was following me to the studio got stuck doing the U-turn I did because the sign wasn't visiable (sorry. I am NOT the person you ever want to follow unless I KNOW where I am going). There were soooo many people in that recording studio that it got hot quickly. We sang the final chorus of a song on the Bloodrush CD, and took lots of pictures. I FINALLY got a chance to say hi to Karen ( I didn't get a chance at all at the resturant ). Sooo Karen said one of these days we'll get the chance to talk for more than a minute LOL.

Didn't get any tidbits myselllllf, but I heard from the others that the Bloodrush booklet has alternate POVs that couldn't be used and she hinted at one being V'lane's (squee!)

2008-12-08T09:40:00.000-05:00

So....I lost my log in information and just got around to requesting a new password. OOPS!! Today is my last day of college classes. I have to complete 2 essays, a take home exam, and one in class exam and I am done! YAY!

I bet you are wondering about the wolf pic.

Yeah. That is Milo. Hailey Edwards named a character in her upcoming Legacy of Blood series after me, and she is mated to a werewolf named Milo. :) Hailey is awesome!

Alrighty, I must go get this class thing taken care of. ;)

Travis-OMFG-Fimmel

2008-10-05T00:51:00.000-04:00

OMGGGGGGGGGG! Travis Fimmel. I love him. Watched him in Restraint yesterday, and he's got such a promising acting career. I only hope to see him in more films, preferably with his long hair back. I mean look at the above pic? That is like Sex personified!!!! If you took everything that made up lust and sex and hotness and put it in human form, you would have that image of Travis freaking Fimmel (don't tell V'lane I said that). and yeah there was no point in this entry except to say how hot Travis was. LOL.

September: A Month Long Birthday

2008-09-30T14:10:00.000-04:00

First I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to wish me a happy birthday. To all the wonderful people who sent a card or a gift, which really wasn't necessary, I loved them! I won't name names since some are to remain un-named. But you all know who you are, and I LOVE them all. I got a TON of books. lots of cute cards, Cheshire cat goodies, and some DVDs.

Thank you! Thank you! THANK YOU!

I am going to be in reading heaven for months....

V'lane's cellphone

2008-09-21T23:31:00.000-04:00

So Karen saw the signature I made with V'lane's voicemail message. I made it up a year ago to counter a suggestion that V'lane was IYD on Mac's cellphone. I said a Fae wouldn't have a cellphone and used the voicemail message as a reasoning as for why they wouldn't have one. lol she even commented on it in my Faefever ARC which made me LMAO!!!!!!

Well, it ends up being that I was right. V'lane tells Mac that there are NO towers in Faery, hence no Fae cellphones.

There was supposed to be a chat on the KMM board tonight, but technical difficulties occured and it has to be rescheduled. Karen did answer a few questions in a moderated thread, and so I, being the smart-ass that I am, ask the following pointless, spoiler free question:

"Say there WERE towers in Faery... how would you describe V'lane's cellphone? (what would his ringtone be LMAO)"

Karen's reply was, and I am not making this up:

"Oh, honey, if it was YOU calling, it would be ' I wanna f--- you like an animal' LMAO! uh, I mean 'Closer'"

I *heart* KMM. she feeds my V'lane obsession. hahahahha.

Attempting this Blog thing....again.

2008-09-21T14:56:00.000-04:00

I tried blogging years ago and never could keep up with it. I am going to reattempt it, but we'll see if that works out or not. I will post more later. Right now I am just setting the account up. :)