The Hot Zone b. Richard Preston

I did not know that Richard Preston was related to Douglas Preston (The Reliquary, The Relic, Codex) but I guess that their passion for thrillers is a family trait. It didn't dawn on me until I read the acknowledgement page and saw Richard thanking his brother on it.

Ok, so The Hot Zone... while it was terrifying, it was not nearly as frightening as its "The Cobra Effect." The first fifty pages are a heavy, ominous decesent into not only the fear inspired by the Ebola virus, but the mystery of its origins on the African continent. As it is a true story, don't expect the pace to speed up, or for there to be any death-defying car chases. Expect a lot of information on biohazard suits, procedures, virus identification and case studies.

I enjoyed this book like I would have enjoyed a Discovery Channel special. It's depiction of an Ebola outbreak in Virginia...Yes, in the United States was intriguing, but no there are no machine guns involved and I don't believe that Preston does more than talk about people being in quarantine. Still, this is definitely in the top 10 of my Biological Thrillers List.

Arrr...Matey! Treasure? Where...

Plot like a Map or FlySeat O' Da Pants? Damn I wish I could plot out a story. Really. Just sit down at the computer and do a bullet list of the potential story to be from start to finish. Do I? Nope. I just sit down at the computer and pray...seriously. My prayer goes something like this:

Muse, Oh my Muse

Vodka should not be neat

betwix such loose, but dainty fingertips

Spare a moment

Give me verse, just a small rivlet

Bigger ocean may it join

The clock hunts me, while you sit

twirling another olive

come, come, please come.

Ok, it's not totally like that but still, I am on page 268 of a novel that I need to wrap up and I haven't a damn clue how. Proper planning might have helped, but no...I've scrapped about three scenes already and well, I'm starting to sneak in a few extra words on other projects (will not work on yummy werecat story yet...uggh ok, anymore...) Some might say shelve it, put it away and come back to it, but if I have to grab that muse of mine and demand that she show me the ending to this story then I will.

I prepared to be rough >:-(

Grrl Power...Yeah...

Well once you get past all of the hair, this is one of my favorite CGI creations (Shallow is my art psuedonym). I call it Happy and well it makes me thus because it touchs on the warrior woman attitude that I felt a great deal of growing up. I call my mom "Maximus."

With the release of my first female-centered novel, I wanted to tell the kind of story that I would like to read, about a female that is not dainty, not necessarily clever, and definitely not spunky. I wanted my character to be a brute force whose feminine side is manifested like a mountain.

As a writer of mainly M/M works, I often hint at strong women in the background, but it wasn't until the idea of Freya came to mind that I decided to write a story about a female.

While I am aware that most of my readers, probably won't touch the book because they prefer reading about the boys, I very much admit to all, that this was wholeheartily a beloved project to work on for me...and that there will be more warrioress stories, more man-handling of pretty boys and maybe even equally alpha men.

Actually, Happy is tied to a fantasy bunny about a villiage priest and the female battle instructor.

Weird? Maybe... but girlz rule!! Oh and if anyone has any referals for strong, big, dominant amazon women who man handle hot men, please drop me a note.

Kiln People b. David Brin

I know that this cover picture looks big, but the actual book seemed pretty, darn big when I picked it up. It's a thick work, and it took me a bit to get through it. Recommended to me by a co-worker, I was told a few brief details, namely that the story revolves around the concept that in the future, a man can transfer memories and a portion of his soul to clay golems. For example, I could make three copies of myself, send one to work, send one to do the house and yard work and another to go to play all day. At the end of the day (as golems have a 24hour shelf life) my golems would return home to inload their memories back to me.

Now, when I started reading this book, I was a little fuzzy about the details. I got that it was about a detective and a case he was one, but I wasn't really and truly impressed. But, I kept reading and well, this book is brilliant. Really!

It's kind of like Blade Runner, well it reminds me of Blade Runner. It blends the myth of the gumshoe detective with conspiracy and the question of 'what is it that makes a man?' The plot gets not only complex, but action-packed! The philosophy posed about the potential and the breadth of a soul is pretty deep and the science fiction (clay folk creation included) is wild.

If you like sci-fi that makes you think (the AVP book series is not one) then check out this book. I'm almost sad that I didn't get to read and discuss this in school, but then not enough attention is paid to semi-contemporary sci fi in school anyway. Not for the reader who wants instant gratification, but a pretty good book.

The Dream of the Beta Reader

Back in the day...ok, so maybe not that long ago, I used to write fanfic. I wrote Gladiator, LOTR, Harry Potter, Underworld and even X-Men slash. I decided to go Original around about 2006 and once I had my first release in 2007, I was hooked. So I hung up my fan fic pen. I enjoyed weaving my own tales, spending days, weeks and months in my own sandboxes and on my own worlds. I still do, but I find myself sometimes missing the community that immediately embraces the fanfic writer.

Now when you post a fan fic, you get comments, replies, praise and all of that fan interaction. Not so much when you're a begining Original Fic writer. (Either that or my readers don't have much to say good or bad) But what I miss the most and what I dream of mostly is....a beta reader.

Whoa, you want input on your writing style, on your story? Write a novella about Legolas and Aragorn or Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. You'll have to turn down beta readers, offering advice on everything from punctuation, sentence structure, continuity, pacing and then some! Whoa, I think. If I had a Beta reader that would allow me to embaress myself less when I turn manuscripts into my editor and would allow me some feedback.

An editor is not a beta-reader and you learn that when you submitt and get a rejection letter. However every once and a while you might get a thorough explaination and advice INSIDE of your rejection letter.

I guess back in the fanfic days, it was all pro bono, dealing in known-shared-and loved universes and done for the enhancement of the community. I know now that I am involved with monetary business, that it would be a bit much to ask for someone to give a free critique, but one can still day dream about the old days...

Conflict as opposed to PWP

I just got back from seeing Hellboy 2 a day ago and while it was a great movie, it was great because of one person. Prince Nuada. Now, while I would looovvvee to write some serious (PWP-porn without plot) fanfic, regarding a beautiful, dark elf, I have a backlog of original fiction that needs to be tended to. Anyway, back to Nuada, I saw him for more than he was...well, just now I did. The man is conflicted, he is the epitome of angst and he is more beautiful (especially when practicing or executing deadly martial arts) because of his convictions. His angst gave the piece depth, purpose and engaged me emotionally. Something that I want to try for in my pieces.

Hell, If I were to use Prince Nuada as inspiration for building better conflict, instead of just hanging his photo on my computer for day dream purposes, I would be better off. You see, I have a love/hate thing going with conflict as in I'm not the best weaver of it. I loose myself to the intro, the attraction, and the mad sex of a work, but unless it's a quickie (25pages) most publishers want conflict in their writers work. The more I think about it, I know that I have gone up against the beast several times and when mentioned earlier, namely in the first few chapters or as a reason behind the main characters hook-up, it goes better, than the wrench in the works process. Currently, I'm working on a piece, where I can not wholly define what the climax is. It might be an internal revelation, it might be a battle royale, but when I tell myself that I can end this piece (already 21 chapters) in 3, I worry that I might not.... maybe I should have just planned it better. I don't really know what the problem is. You see, I write like a mad bastard, but I don't study the technics enough, I think. Sometimes I feel that I need to plot more, daydream less, wait for the muse less as my muse drinks and is occasionaly unreliable.

Still, I love to read and watch conflicts: about vendettas and backstabbing, doublecrossing and revenge. I read thrillers, they're my favorite genre. Yet, once I write, I always think, that my stories could use more, more explosion, a bigger sense of crisis... and then comes another humorous, interaction scene instead. One of these days I intend to do some of those 'conflict in prose' workshops but realizing that there is a problem, I hear is half the battle.

Subterranean b. James Rollins

Well, this was a referral from a coworker, a tale of action and adventure with a dose of anthropology and conspiracy theory involved. This wasn't a half bad read for something that throws in everything but the kitchen sink, but it wasn't the best of books either and it may leave the reader with more than a few WTF moments. Now I could say that the story was about a plucky, headtrong female who takes her young son down to Antartica to explore a cavern that suggests a lost civilization and deep, dark wonders, but truthfully the story's focus changes to this Australian spelunker with Aboriginal blood.

When I say this tale has everything, it really does. It's like Jurassic Park, combined with The Cave, add a dash of Ewoks, and a misguided villian and poof, you get this book! I almost wish that some one would make this book into a movie because really, once you wade through all of the lost civilation, mystical whodo voodoo and the certain death moments, it's really and entertaining ride with enough monsters to shake a decent stick at. If you just need a page turner with wild thrills and not a whole lot of believability, check this one out!

Vacations for Writers...

Personally, I wonder how most writers deal with vacations. Well, if you're a full-time writer, you might spend it relaxing right? If you're a part-time writer, the word vacation might seem scary. I mean, for me personally, when given the choice between going on an excursion, going jet skiing, or eating out at a fabulous restuarant, I can't help wanting to just stay inside and write. 7 Days of nothing but scenery, air conditioning and a Carribean view. Still, every time I open up the laptop, I get the look of guilt.

Just think about it, nothing but comfort, time to write and a beautiful view! I'm not saying that I haven't been down to the beach. Hell, I've been on a lot of adventures this week and haven't done nearly the amount of writing that I should have. I'm refreshed...feeling guilty but refreshed.

Can the two ever equal out? Can I take a few days off of work just to do my own writing vacation...one shall see and can hope.

Riot Grrlz of the World...Unite and Take Over

I remember seeing something about the decline in sales and the dissapointment in fans when a writer switches genres and pairings and while I will admit that I have a lot of M/M pieces out, its not for want of composing something with a rocking female in it. I'm not down with the spunky, plucky, or nubile. My females are bone jarring, hard living machines of enforcement. Anyway, I know folk like to speculate on reasons for writing an MF or an MM, but so that there's no speculations for me, I will say that when I write MM, its definitely more fantasy than when I write MF, that's a bit more close and intimate.

Freya, the heroine in my upcoming release "A Guardian's Desire," is a warrior through and through. She likes to think that she is tough as nails and that nothing can harm her. When she goes against a monstrous beast and almost dies however, she learns differently. By getting to know three, plucky young girls, she learns how to reveal her soft side. But it is her attraction to one gifted, gorgeous, submissive male named Rayne that leads her down the path of no return. For Rayne is a Beta were and what he has he must share with his Alpha, Fenris....who doesn't know the meaning of submit.

Yeah, I'm worried and excited to see how this book turns out. It's a werewolf menage with lots of action, monsters and sex, but I think it has a heart too. Most of all I want to give a fierce portral of a female in my work. Hoping to write more in the future, but they are hard for me.