Book Review: Twilight's Dawn

Around the House
Not to much to say right now that is happening around the house.  I haven't been writing like I should be which is why my blog posts have been quiet.  I have been harassing Editor Tim though on a regular basis regarding my notes.  I have been thinking about my current projects and the direction they are going in.  I do have some inspiration for updates and new projects as always, so my new project file is always growing.

My Thoughts
I just finished reading Anne Bishop's continuation of the Black Jewels Trilogy/Series, Twilight's Dawn.  I enjoy the twisted and reverse roles the male/female relationship takes through out the series, so I was extremely excited to start reading this new book.  I have actually, been waiting for it.  This is the second installment of short stories which support missing pieces in the Black Jewels Series with the first two taking place between Tangled Webs and The Shadow Queen, and the last two taking place after the events in Shalador's Lady.  As the book progresses, I have to say that I am worried we have seen the last installment of the Black Jewel's series, or at least the last book that deals with all the characters we have fallen in love with.

I have to say that this edition to the series reminds me a lot of Tangled Webs.  It seems just like events in the characters life that do not add to much to the series as a whole.  Too much is left unsaid, and the actual events wrap up too easily for my liking.  There is not enough danger for the characters I love.  On a whole the tales where enjoyable and would have been better read in context with the rest of the stories in the series.  I think taking the individual tales in the order of the books would have added another layer to the events of the books as opposed to reading this novel as a sit down book.  The part that disappoints me the most is that she seems to have used the tales to wrap up the lives of her most beloved characters.  That was hard to swallow since that could mean this is the final installment to the series.  I do hope to see more of what is happening with Lady Cassidy in future books.

Rating 4/5

A Series of Serious

Around the House
I have had a rough week in my world.  I strongly dislike my day job most of the time.  I do not feel that I am well suited for it, so I look to find a place in the world until I am able to join the choir of full time writers that I love.  This past week my car died.  I really did love that car.  It was the first new car I had ever bought, and I had hoped that it would be with me for a few more years.  Alas it will be moving on to greener pastures.  I am not in love with my new car, but I am getting to know it slowly.  Also, I have health issues running around in the family.  My mom might be sick, my niece has an ear infection, and I am have been feeling so run down.  I am hoping that every gets better real soon.

My Thoughts
This last few weeks I have gone back to rereading books that I love.  Books and series that give me great inspirations.  I have been through Harry Potter, Sookie Stackhouse, and I am almost done with Twilight.  Next I will be falling back into the Anne Bishop Black Jewels Series since the new book just came out.  Yes, I will be posting a review when I am finished with it.  Enjoying each of these series has gotten me to thinking about an authors success with a series.  As an author we fall in love and dedicate our lives to a group of characters and when the Series is a success many authors fail to ever produce a piece of work that meets the expectations of the first run.  As the Harry Potter movie series is coming to a close I wonder where J.K. Rowling's next book is.  Is she a one series wonder?  Why is Stephenie Meyer holding on so tightly to the Twilight Saga when Host was a bestselling novel?  Are we only as good as the one series?  I hope not.  So I wonder if being a best selling author of multiple series means not falling so far in love with a series that we can't move on after.  Does James Patterson have the right idea?  I don't know.  I just know that I want to be an author that continues to tell great stories.

"I'm not Bad. I'm just Drawn that Way!"

Around the House
Sunday night has arrived, and I am sad to have to return to work tomorrow. I enjoy the time to myself and my writing.  I didn't get much of it done this weekend, but what I did accomplish makes me happy.  Death's Merchant is coming along great.  I am really getting into the story.  It is really starting to inspire me for the other works that I have coming down the pipe line.  So, after I finish the draft of Death's Merchant I will be editing Pandora's Last Breath and Chronicles of Illumination vol. 1: Hunted.  Both of these books are scheduled to be out in 2011; I just don't have concrete dates yet for them.  I do have to say that I am happy about the emails and responses I am getting regarding my book, Witches, Demons, & Deals.  For those of you that don't know Witches, Demons, & Deals is a prelude to the Chronicles of Illumination, so get on board now.  I looking forward to start seeing reviews being posted on Amazon and BN.

My Thoughts
I watched an interesting movie today and it got me to thinking.  The movie itself isn't important, and I don't remember the title.  It was about an actor that slowly destroyed a promising career in the 70's.  It made me think about how authors fall under the category of celebrity, but are mostly hidden from the publics view.  We don't see them on TMZ or in US Weekly.  We don't hear about all their dirty little secrets.  I have to wonder what skeletons are hidden in these closets.  I find it funny how you can hear about Lindsey Lohan or the Real Housewives which are currently making a fraction of the money James Patterson does, but we never hear about his life.  Are authors all quiet home bodies that don't get into trouble?  I doubt it.  Maybe it is just that our works are more interesting than we are.  I can totally believe that, but for once I would like to see an authors dirty laundry dragged out.  I wonder what that would do to their sales.  I bet they would double over night.

Mind you, I like my privacy.  I think I would cry if I was followed around during my days out on the town.  I like the fact that I can be anonymous and well known at the same time.  I really do hope that the most I ever have to worry about is what I produce being criticised and not what I did on the weekend.  Makes you think that in today's world it really pays to fly under the radar.  Would I get in to trouble as an author or celebrity?  Oh yea.  I don't believe in hiding my thoughts or who I am, so that worries me as social media really takes ahold in this country.  I don't do bad things; I am bad things.

Book Review: Dead in the Family

Around the House
I am an avid reader, so most nights I find myself curled up with a book before bed.  While I am absolutely in love with the digital age and Ereaders now that I have a Nook, there is just something about a hard cover book that I can't let go of for a favorite read.  They are always my go to books when I want something to curl up with.  I find reading to be a great escape, a writing inspiration, and a constant in an every changing world.

My Thoughts
No this isn't my first time reading the Sookie Stackhouse Series or even Dead in the Family.  This is one of those series that I run to every time that I feel the need to curl up with something familiar.  On a whole I give the series a nine out of ten.  It is fun, pleasurable, and interesting every time you read it.  Charliane Harris is a master craftsman for her world including the short stories that support the books which can be found in a variety of Anthologies and a companion book.  Having said that, I am sad to know that she is in the process of winding down the series.

When reading Dead in the Family the first time and then again now I can tell that many of the choices Charliane Harris made in this novel where to begin the wrap up of the series.  This novel seems a bit disjointed when compared to the rest of the series, almost like an extended short story.  While seeing all of our favorite characters is great, it feels like it could have been added to the last book and broken into a short story.  Even reading her new short story "Two Blondes," we get the feeling that this book is missing some of the magic the series has held.  While I understand story lines have to eventually be wrapped up; I wish Dead in the Family had the meandering yet cohesive plot lines that you feel in her other novels.  Placing all of that aside it is still an excellent novel and a great addition to the the series.  I just wish it had been three short stories.

The parts I love of this novel are they she continues to deal with the past and how it affects Sookie's future.  Nothing is just swept under the rug and forgot; it still affects this young telepath every day.  With the abrupt feeling ending of this tale I am curious where the next tale is going to take us.  I am actually itching to get my hands on it.  What I wouldn't give to get a review copy especially after reading the chapter excerpt on her website, http://www.charlianeharris.com/.   I know we are going to continue to see the fun, and have a blast as the series comes to an end.  I just hope she keeps the magic going and leaves us an opening for more short stories and novels for the future.  I always like having hope.

Rating: 6 out of 10 as a novel but 9 out of 10 if they were short stories

Second Stop on the Virtual Tour for Witches, Demons, & Deals

Around the House
Enjoying a Saturday at home.  Responding to some fun emails and seeing what is going on with friends and family.  There is nothing like spending a Saturday curled up with a book and a cup of tea to relax.  I am completely dreading going back to work on Monday.  I am about to call and harass my editor on my new book.  I am dying to hear his thoughts.  He has been too quiet the last couple days, so I am curious what he is thinking.  If you haven't figured it out yet I am extremely impatient.  I have started to look around for an artist to help with cover art and an editor for first round edits, but finding someone local that is into fantasy is slightly hard.  I may see if the local community college has anyone to recommend.

My Thoughts
I was very excited that Walter from Heroic Fantasy agreed to do an interview with me to support my book, Witches, Demons, and Deals.  Walter was actually the first to agree to an interview.  See the link below to enjoy the interview.  Make sure you leave him some supporting comments.

http://walterrhein.blogspot.com/2011/02/words-with-dj-cappella-author-of.html

Walter, thanks again for taking the time out of your busy schedule to interview me.  It was a real pleasure getting the chance to work with you.  I look forward to building a bigger relationship in the future.  Well off to respond to another interview request.  I am looking forward to getting several more completed.  I am then going to go back to working on my current project and harassing my editor.

Going Liquid

Around the House
I just got home from Dinner and a Movie with Katrina Rue.  These nights are always great.  It gives us the chance to talk about our lives, projects, hopes for the future, and cats.  We are big cat lovers.  While talking she got me to thinking about the state of publishing which I will get into in a minute.  We did see "I am Number Four" which looked interesting, but I did not want to see it because the author did not receive proper credit for his book.  It always upsets me when someone creates something whether it is a book, art, movie, or picture and does not get the credit.  I find it shameful that this is still a practice in the publishing industry.  It is time for authors everywhere to stand up and take credit.  No more ghost writing!  Books should be by the writer with interviews or insight by the celebrity or company that asked for the project.  Authors should not be nameless ever.

My Thoughts
Yes, since my original rant I know I have been quiet about the Borders issue.  As a shopper I never really enjoyed the Borders experience I was always a Barnes and Noble guy, but as I see the company going into bankruptcy and closing stores to try and save itself, I am sad.  Not sad they aren't surviving; I think they made lots of mistakes at the top, but sad about what it says for the future of the publishing industry.  Looking around I see that the publishing industry is now where the Music Industry was during the 1990's with Napster.  So much content is free on the Internet or pirated that it is going to make it hard for retailers and consumers to find new great books.  I hope that with the growth in ebooks we are seeing that the publishing industry heads this off before the authors become the real victims.

Also, I worry about the survival of Borders.  If they do go completely out of business leaving mass market stores and Barnes and Noble as the main company to get books I fear that voices of authors are going to become extremely censored.  You can see how this is happening right now.  Look at what Amanda Hocking has done for independent publishing via the Nook and Kindle.  As an author that couldn't get a book deal because her style or story was not what the publishing business was looking for; she ended up quiet until the rise of the ebook.  Now look at her; her books are flying off the digital shelf.  This goes to show you that what consumers are looking for are not what is being produced.  She not only found a place for her stories, but showed the publishing industry they were wrong about censoring her by not granting her agent representation and a book deal.  So with Barnes and Noble as the major book store out there will this problem get worse?  I think it might.  So I call all readers to gather up and really look at the self published/independent authors out there.  They are the voice of the consumer because they write what they love and not what the publishing industry is looking for.  If we buy more of their books we are telling the publishing industry to sit back and reevaluate what they are looking for.  It is time for a change.  So now I am going to get off my high horse and curl up with a favorite book.  I may even write a little while I smile knowing that authors like H.P. Mallory, Amanda Hocking, Jason Letts, and so many others are making a change in the publishing industry by believing in themselves when the industry doesn't.

Blog Tour Begins

Around the House
I am completely wiped out right now.  Between work and the new projects I am working on I am exhausted.  It doesn't help that several weeks ago I gave myself second degree burns with Icy/Hot that are still healing.  They are getting really annoying and keeping me up at night.  Otherwise I can't complain much about what is going on at home.  I just wish there where more hours in the day, but what can you do?  I am excited that I took a three day weekend that I am looking forward to enjoying.

My Thoughts
I am very excited to announce and thank Tracy from Her Ladyship's Quest for the time and effort she put in with me doing an amazing interview on her blog.  She has been a great person to meet.  I look forward to building a relationship with her in the future.  She is just the first to publish an interview I did regarding my book and world.  I look forward to sharing them with you as they come up.  Go see the review by clicking on the link below.

http://www.herladyshipsquest.com/2011/02/witches-demons-deals-new-urban-fantasy.html

I am still looking for places to do review and interviews for this, my first virtual, tour, so any suggestions or requests you have would be great.  I love getting the chance to share my works with people.  I am really looking forward to my tours in the future when I can visit old friends like Tracy and make new ones along the way.  I have to say the writing community has been really positive and great when it comes to requests for interviews and reviews.  I am definitely excited about this new chapter in my life.