Morbid Romantic

Book Review & Personal Blog

The winner of the Digital Room 500 custom business card giveaway is:

I have emailed your information to Digital Room! Enjoy the cards.

It is my pleasure to welcome C.L. Talmadge to Morbid-Romantic.net, who is here to give us a lovely guest post about love. She is here promoting her Green Stone of Healing series, of which book four Outcast is to be released in October. And yes, there is even a giveaway at the end!

About The Green Stone of Healing Series

The series features four generations of strong-willed female characters who inherit a mysterious green gem ultimately revealed to mend broken bones and broken hearts, protect against missiles, and render its wearers undetectable.

For more information about each book, please visit http://www.greenstoneofhealing.com/.

During a romance, life often seems brighter, happier, packed with promise and possibilities. The rush of romance is compelling and exhilarating. It’s also so tantalizing that we always crave more of it. We want every day to be full of the excitement and allure of romance.

Why not? Romance is based, at least in part, on love (as well as on lust and self-illusion), and love is healing. Not just in an abstract or conceptual sense, but in a most literal manner. Love is the ultimate healing force in the entire cosmos.

So what is love? All of us feel and perceive love in a unique way. Frequently, the hidden issue between romantic partners is their different understanding of what love is and how love feels to give and to receive. Each side loves the other to the best of that person’s ability. Even so, each side also cannot give to the other the kind of love that the other person can recognize and accept as love. The tragic result? Each side in the relationship does not truly feel loved. Eventually, romance dies.

It might help a great deal, then, to define love. Since love is healing, defining and exploring the nature of love is one of the major themes of the Green Stone of Healing® speculative epic.

At its most basic, love is unconditional. This means no judgments, no standards, no hooks, no exceptions, no expectations, no ifs, ands, or buts. Just love. Other words for unconditional love are grace and agape, which definitely have spiritual/religious connotations.

Because it has no limits, unconditional love is the most powerful essence in a universe that is based on vibration. Everything that exists in our universe vibrates at some level. Unconditional love just happens to be the ultimate vibration — the highest, finest, fastest, lightest vibration possible at any given instant. Other words for this unconditional love-vibration are God, Yaweh, the Great Spirit, Allah, Universal Mind, etc. More spiritual/religious implications.

Unconditional love heals by raising the lowered vibration rates of anyone who comes in contact with it. This ineffable, illusive healing experience has been described by saints and mystics, yogis and rabbis for millennia and regarded as something reserved only for the fortunate (or crazy) few.

That’s not true. The healing power of unconditional love is freely available to all of us, provided we know to ask, know where to look for it, and how to welcome it within ourselves. Since unconditional love is not tangible, we cannot hold it in our hands like we do a lover. Instead, we hold and feel unconditional love in our hearts, with the help of our souls.

Most of us, however, cannot manage this consistently, even though we yearn to feel loved unconditionally. Instead, we and our world suffer from a severe shortage of unconditional love. Such is certainly the case for Helen Andros, first-generation heroine of the Green Stone of Healing® series, and the culture of cruelty in Azgard, the island nation where she lives.

Helen is deeply wounded emotionally and spiritually, and has almost no sense of self-worth. She longs to feel unconditional love, yet when she does so, she cannot claim it for very long. Same goes for the society around her. It is brutal and repressive because the majority of its members regard love as a weakness instead of recognizing that love is the ultimate strength.

Helen and her descendents go all of their lives searching for unconditional love and suffering from doing with out it. Where they could find it and how they could claim it for keeps is explored in depth throughout the series.

C.L. Talmadge is the author of the Green Stone of Healing® speculative epic. The fourth in the series, Outcast, will be published Oct. 1. Vote for the first book, The Vision, through Sept. 25 and get a free e-book on healing, love, and spirituality. Details at her blog: www.healingstonebooks.com/stonescribe.

Giveaway!!

One lucky commenter will be chosen to win an autographed set of all three books in the series. This winner will be chosen at random from all of the comments on C.L. Talmadge’s book stop, so comment for your chance to win!

If you’d like to win, comment with an answer to this question: What is love?

Participating Sites:

September 1: For the Love of all that is Written
September 2: A.F. Stewart
September 3: Wendi Zwaduk
September 4: Laurie J. Edwards
September 5: Deborah Panger
September 6: Lily Stone Books
September 7: Space Snark
September 10: Fang-tastic Books
September 11: Amber Scott
September 18: Inspiration Ink
September 19: Marianne Arkins

I just read an article called How to start blogging, which I want to share with all of you because I feel that the information given is good advice for anyone looking to start a blog or just starting out in the blogging community. I realize that most people who read my blog already have blogs of their own, but it is never too late to redefine why we do what we do and how we do it.

I think that the first statement to determine the focus of your blog is a good one. In deciding what sort of blog to have, one needs to narrow their focus to appeal to an audience. This focus can be as narrow as a topic or as broad as your standard personal blog in which someone can write about anything or everything. But it is important to remember that your blog subjects determine interest and readership. And, as suggested, “Stay focused on why you started blogging.”

As the article astutely points out, blogging takes a period of study. I like that the article suggests that before beginning a blog, you should study other blogs in your topic area. This is a good way to find out what successful bloggers in your area of interest are blogging about and how they do it. Of course it is always good to try to approach blogging from an original and interesting perspective, which the article leaves out mention of. If you want to truly contribute something to the blogging world, as well as become successful at it, you have to find your individual niche. You don’t want to be a carbon copy of what has been done and done repeatedly.

The article suggests keeping a feed reader as a way of maintaining your various subscription. This is a wonderful idea and something often overlooked when one starts out running their own blog. It is far easier to maintain a reader than it is to bookmark a hundred sites and visit daily. A reader keeps everything condensed, organized, and easy for viewing. They are essential for any starting out blogger, especially those in their initial period of study. On the same note: blogrolls. The idea of a link for a link is a great exchange of audience and traffic. Keep one!

Unfortunately, the various blogging platforms suggested are a bit outdated. People no longer really use Movable Type and Type Pad is not overwhelmingly popular. The article would be better and more relevant were it to update itself to meet the current trends in blogging. It says nothing of Blogger, which is very popular, and only mentions the ease and convenience of WordPress in passing. Still, it gives enough information for bloggers to know that they will have to put a lot of thought and consideration into what they choose.

Most of all, I like the advice, “Instead, as a new blogger, start slowly.” This is really key to blogging. Sure, you can post 10 times a day and comment 100 times, but you WILL burn out. If you want to write ten posts a day, feel free to, but save some to post later. You will be grateful for them one day when you have an off day and have nothing to write. Blogs that are successful are updated a lot.

Overall, the article is very clear and succinct. While it does not provide answers, it raises questions and issues that require thought and decision. If anything, the article allows upcoming and new bloggers a quick look into what will go into their new venture so that they can approach it in a manageable way.

We have winners for the contest to win one of five copies of Dark Hunger by Rita Herron…

Out of 73 entries, the winning numbers are:
15, 31, 39, 51, 62

Winners:
DeeAnn S
Chris G.
Marlene V.
Daniel M
Tiffany S.

I am going to email all of you now and request your addresses. Remember, no PO Boxes and no one from any country but the US and Canada. If you do not get my email and you are a winner, leave me a comment here or send me an email at morbidromantic[@]gmail.com. Please send me your address in 3 days or else I will have to choose a new winner in your place. I would like to thank the Hachette Book Group for the opportunity to give out this amazing book.

I would like to thank Loucinda McGary for stopping here at Morbid-Romantic.net as part of her blog tour for The Treasures of Venice. The Treasures of Venice is a book that I am looking forward to purchasing because, let’s face it, the Renaissance is just beautiful. And a Renaissance scene set in Venice, the most beautiful of all. So, welcome Loucinda McGary!

An Up-Close and Personal Interview with Loucinda McGary

Thank you for inviting me to be a guest here on Morbid Romantic. My second romantic suspense novel published by Sourcebooks Casablanca was ‘officially’ released this week, though it has been popping up on store shelves since the last week of August. I’m excited to be promoting The Treasures of Venice, because not only does it make me a multi-published author (that phrase has such a lovely ring to it!), but it is also the first romantic suspense I wrote and is truly the book of my heart.

The Treasures of Venice is unique in the romantic suspense sub-genre because it has a few paranormal elements, and features a dual storyline set in both modern day and Renaissance Venice. Here’s a blurb describing the story:

When American librarian Samantha Lewis and Irish rogue Keirnan Fitzgerald set off to find priceless jewels, they become embroiled in a 500-year-old love story that eerily prefigures their own…

In 15th century Venice, beautiful and wealthy Serafina falls in love with Nino, a young Florentine sculptor. They decide to flee to Padua, and to fund the trip, Nino copies a set of jewels that then disappear.

In modern-day Venice, Keirnan needs Samantha’s help to locate the jewels so he can pay his sister’s ransom. Samantha must decide whether the man she’s so drawn to is her soul mate from a previous life…or are they merely pawns in a relentless quest for a priceless treasure?

Now that you know a wee bit about my book, I thought I’d answer some personal questions. I’ve heard from both reliable and dubious sources that readers like to ‘get to know the real author.’ So I asked my intrepid critique partner Cathy D. to send me some questions she thought readers might like to have answered. So here are my answers warts and all!

When you are reading for pleasure, what is the one thing that will make you put down the book and quit reading?

Glaring mistakes that pull me out of the story. Two examples that spring to mind were both in recent novels written by well-known authors. The first was actually in a book set in Venice and the heroine was running around for hours during Carnevale wearing nothing but a bedsheet – no shoes, no undies, nuttin’ honey! Well, I’ve been in Venice just a few days after Carnevale (that’s why The Treasures of Venice is set at the same time of year) and trust me, she would have had hypothermia after about thirty minutes. The second story had the hero taking his motorcycle for a long drive west of Los Angeles. I’m a native Californian, so I fell on the floor laughing, but you only have to look at a map to see that the only thing a long way due west of LA is the Pacific Ocean!

When you were in Ireland and Venice, did you know you would be setting novels in those places?

Afraid not. I visited long before I started seriously writing for publication. But both places left lasting impressions on me, and I always take photos and keep extensive travel journals on my trips. Pulling those things out stimulated my memories and made me recall the sights, sounds, smells, and other things I experienced. I also bought guide books and maps before I started writing to be sure I had my facts straight. No long drives into the Adriatic or the Irish Sea!

How do you pick names for your characters? Are they family names for the Irish heroes?

Most of my main characters pop into my mind with their complete names – first, middle, and last – intact. Though I will say that my hero Keirnan’s nickname, Sionnach came about when I was looking up some Irish Gaelic phrases. I came across the Irish word for “fox” and thought it the perfect moniker for my clever hero.

I purposely try not to use family names for my Irish characters. Wouldn’t want to insult any relatives (any more than I usually do), or give them an over-inflated ego!

While researching online, I ran across a great website that lists the most common Irish surnames (from 100 year old census records) broken down by county. I use these largely for secondary characters, since as I’ve said, my main characters appear with their names.

Interestingly enough, when Keirnan Fitzgerald popped into my imagination, I knew he was from County Kildare, where they breed many Irish thoroughbreds, and that his father was a horse trainer. Later, when I looked at the most common names from County Kildare, Fitzgerald was on the list!

Trust your characters. They really do know best.

Are you hurt when someone criticizes your books? How thick is your skin?

Even after years of rejections, I’m afraid my skin is still not quite thick enough. Negative reviews do get to me, and no matter how many wonderful, glowing reviews I get, it is the negative ones I remember most. Go figure!

I know not everyone likes the same things, and I really don’t mind when a reader or reviewer says something like, “this story just didn’t appeal to me.” But it is another thing when they attack the genre (if you know you don’t like something, don’t read it!!), or they totally miss what I was trying to achieve with the plot or characters.

Usually, after I read a really negative review, I’ll pour myself a tall, cool drink and hurl a few choice Irish curses as I quench my thirst.

All right, I’m afraid I may have revealed entirely too much of the real me! Do you have any other questions about my writing process? My books? Where I came up with such cool Irish curses? Ask away!

About the Author

Loucinda McGary took early retirement from her managerial career to pursue her twin passions of travel and writing, and sets her novels of romantic suspense in the fascinating places she has visited. She was a finalist in the 2006 Romance Writers of America Golden Heart contest in Romantic Suspense. She lives in Sacramento, CA. For more information, please visit http://loucindamcgary.com/.

Giveaway!!

closed
Loucinda McGary’s The Wild Sight and The Treasures of Venice
I have been given the amazing opportunity by Sourcebooks to give out 1 two book set that contains Loucinda McGary’s The Wild Sight and The Treasures of Venice. There are a number of ways you can win this book, each good for one entry each. For each entry, leave me a separate comment. Also, make sure that you leave me a way to contact you if you win.

1.) Leave a comment below telling me that you’d like to win.
2.) Blog about this contest and leave a comment with the links.
3.) Add me on twitter (@morbidromantic) and Tweet this contest then comment with a link to the Tweet or your username.
4.) Stumble this giveaway or my main site and comment with your StumbleUpon username.
5.) Rate my blog at Blogged. Click here or find the graphic on the sidebar under ‘ranks.’
6.) Add my RSS reader here and leave me a comment telling me that you subscribe to my feed.
7.) Comment on and rate (rating is found in the header of the post) any of my previous book reviews and leave me a comment telling me that you have.
8.) Add me to your Technorati favorites: .
9.) Add me on LibraryThing, Good Reads, Shelfari, Book Blogs, or BookBlips and leave a comment telling me where you’ve added me and (if you can), your username/name.
10.) Answer this question: what would you want to see or do if you went to Venice?

If you do all of the above, you will get ten entries. That’s ten chances to win.

Winners will be selected on 11:59pm EST on September 21st. I will be using Random.org to select the winner. When you win, I will send you an email asking for your physically mailing address, which you have 3 days to respond to before new winners are selected. No PO Boxes. This contest is open to the US and Canada only.

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Since I no longer have the time to post daily about what books come in the mail, I will be doing it on a weekly basis. It would free up a few more precious seconds of my time.

Bitten & Smitten by Michelle Rowan (Paperbackswap)
After a blind date bites Sarah Dearly on the neck and is killed by vampire hunters, she discovers she’s not only a vampire but also has been left to learn the ropes of the night by herself. Thank goodness for wise “master” vampire Thierry de Bennicoeur, who saves her life, shows her to the nearest vampire hangout and wins her heart in the process. Next comes a mix of misplaced trust, stakings and bad double dates, all with the goal of outwitting the vampire hunters and getting Thierry to see that Sarah’s the one for him. Rowen perfectly balances suspense and wit by tossing in one-liners just when the novel could start getting too serious (“I just need to wash my face and brush my fangs first and we can get out of here,” Sarah says). Mentions of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Anne Rice ground the novel and make it a true modern girl’s guide to (vampire) life.

Cleopatra’s Daughter by Michelle Moran (Hardback from author)
After the death of their parents, twins Alexander and Selene and younger brother Ptolemy are in a dangerous position, left to the mercy of their father’s greatest rival, Octavian Caesar. However, Caesar does not kill them as expected, but takes the trio to Rome to be paraded as part of his triumphant return and to demonstrate his solidified power. As the twins adapt to life in Rome in the inner circle of Caesar’s family, they grow into adulthood ensconced in a web of secrecy, intrigue and constant danger. Told from Selene’s perspective, the tale draws readers into the fascinating world of ancient Rome and into the court of Rome’s first and most famous emperor. Deftly encompassing enough political history to provide context, Moran never clutters her narrative with extraneous facts. Readers may be frustrated that Selene is more observer than actor, despite the action taking place around her, but historical fiction enthusiasts will delight in this solid installment from a talented name in the genre.

Fugitive by Cheryl Brooks (ARC from publisher)
When a Zetithian fugitive meets a beautiful Earth woman, their passion may cost them both their lives… Manx is a Zetithian fugitive with a feline gene that gives him remarkable sexual powers. He has been in hiding in the remote jungles of Barada Seven ever since being marked for extermination by the violent Nedwuts. Artist Drusilla arrives on Barada Seven, enticed only by the promise of finding a nature paradise there. But she discovers a wildlife she wasn’t expecting when she encounters Manx. Reckless with desire for the beautiful Earth woman, Manx risks his life to win her as his mate. It’s only a matter of time until the Nedwuts find them, but it will take all of Manx and Drusilla’s passion, skill, and ingenuity to survive.

Shifting Love by Constance O’Day-Flannery (Won in a contest)
Tor debuts its new paranormal romance line with best-selling O’Day-Flannery’s tale of a shape-shifter who works for a mysterious foundation that has been trying to enlighten humankind for centuries. Magdalene O’Shea, who fears that she is destined to end up alone because of her shape-shifting abilities, owns a self-help bookstore, but her secret mission is to teach men to love. While she loves her unknowing clients, she doesn’t fall in love until she meets talented businessman and widower Julian McDonald, the mysterious foundation’s secret pick for their next political insider. Things nearly end in disaster, however, when they fly to Julian’s Bermuda home and Maggie goes for a midnight swim as a dolphin and is captured in a fishing net. When she is rescued by Julian’s housekeeper in barracuda form, she discovers that there are other women shape-shifters who have found love. This combination of romance, adventure, and the paranormal is especially enticing because of its hints of a Da Vinci Code-like secret society.

Shinju by Laura Joh Rowland (Paperbackswap)
Seventeenth-century Tokyo is the setting for Rowland’s debut novel, a murder mystery starring the Senior Police Commander in the district of Edo. Sano Ichiro, a samurai whose academic background puts him at odds with most of his peers, discovers two bodies in the Sumida River, a man and woman bound together in what appears to have been a shinju, or “double love suicide.” The man is a peasant, the woman the high-born daughter of an important official. Told by his superior to close the case without an investigation, Sano, suspecting murder, determines to investigate on his own. He orders an illegal autopsy and learns that the victims did not drown but cannot make his discovery known. Amidst many tribulations, he uncovers a trail of corruption and intrigue that ultimately leads him to suspect a member of a royal family. Replete with convincing details, the setting’s time and place provide lively and diverting passages; the plot, however, twists only occasionally before its fairly predictable, politically rooted resolution. Rowland crafts a competent mystery her first time out, shows sure command of her background material and demonstrates that she is a writer of depth and potential.