April's reading selection

This happens a lot when I am reading!

This month has been taken up quite a bit with writing rather than reading as the Love Landscapes
story is due by 1st May (well it should be I've a short extension to finish up my edits as my four wonderful beta readers have sent me a shed load of comments to consider)

I also had to ban myself from reading anything good... or save it for a reward, which I did...... in fact at one stage I decided that to push myself into writing I was only allowed to read het erotica.... I ended up writing my story in a little under two weeks..... it's just about 20k words so not the longest in the world, and unexpectedly in first person POV - though that did cause a little dilemma, I asked my research assistants to give me a "blow by blow" *snicker* account of someone going down on them so I could get the right reactions for my narrator when it happens for the first time to him........ apparently, all those long winded and descriptive paragraphs you read about how it feels are wrong... because all three of my assistants said, "it starts with a sort of "oh wow" and then your brain goes off line"....

Anyway back to the books.....

Favourite reads this month were three that were someway above four stars for me - Cherish & Blessed by Tere Michaels is two stories that have previously been published in her Faith & Fidelity Series that I'd not read as standalone books.  I am glad I caught up with this series before the 6th book is published. Axel's Pup which is a well written BDSM/paranormal book with a very intersting take on wolf society and finally Restless Spirits by Jordan L Hawk which is a paranormal historical with ghost hunters and as usual with this author some very well written female minor characters.

So the whole list.....

1. Cherished & Blessed - Tere Michaels
2. In Your Eyes - Cardeno C.
3. A Clean Break - Keira Andrews
4. A Way Home - Keira Andrews
5. Axel's Pup - Kim Dare
6. Mark Cooper vs America - Lisa Henry & J.A Rock (r)
7. Brandon Mills vs the V card - Lisa Henry & J.A. Rock (r)
8. Morning Report - Sue Brown (r)
9. Complete Faith - Sue Brown (r)
10. Papa's Boy - Sue Brown (r)
11. Her Dom, her doctor & her daddy - Emily Tilton (m/f pure smut)
12. Out of the Rain - Hollis Shiloh
13. Training Lady Townesend - Annabel Joseph (m/f)
14. To Tame a Countess - Annabel Joseph (m/f)
15. My Naughty Minette - Annabel Joseph (m/f)
16. Under a Duke's Hand - Annabel Joseph (m/f)
17. Restless Spirits - Jordan L Hawk
18. Silver Bullet - Rolf & Ranger (r)
19. all the Falls Chance Ranch short stories - Rolf & Ranger (r)
20. Culpeper's Complete Herbal - Nicholas Culpeper (research)

Writing tunes......

I am in the midst of writing my DRiTC story for the Love's Landscapes event... and as usual have been listening to a lot of music as I write.

Two songs though have stuck in my head during this process, both for very different reasons, and I thought I'd share them here...

The first, well, the first line of the song is something that one of my characters does...

(yeah, I know there had to be a Frightened Rabbit track involved)

The second is a very old favourite that has always resonated for this particular pacifist...

Mad March Reading

Not much was done in the way of reading in March... mainly because I was up to my eyeballs in research for my DRiTC project (which I mapped out - freaked myself out over then had to scale back massively after I wrote 5K and scrapped it in a hissy fit)

Stand out book for me this month was Heat Trap - the third of the Plumbers Mate books by J.L. Merrow.  Followed by another third in a series -  Scrap by Josephine Myles. I also enjoyed the cowboy historical - End of The Trail by Jane Elliot (though this one definitely won't be for everyone as there is some M/F sex in it.

So - the full list

Monsters Under the Bed - Susan Laine
No Enemy But Time - Angel Martinez
Bayne & Lucas - Kayci Morgan (PIFM book)
Dear Mr President - Adam Fitzroy
End of the Trail - Jane Elliot
Blood in the Water - Tami Veldura
Bromance to Romance - Elizabeth Daniels
Until the Bitter End - L.L. Bucknor
Murder 101 - Faye Kellerman (non M/M)
Heat Trap - J.L. Merrow
Scrap - Josephine Myles
Splintered - SJD Peterson
Not Just a Kiss - Jennah Scott
With Abandon - J.L. Langley (r)
More than Just A Good Book - Sloan Parker
This Too - Isla James
Assassins Love - Sammy Goode
Falls Chance Ranch - Rolf & Ranger (r)
Three Traders - Rolf & Ranger (r)
Mustang Hill - Rolf & Ranger (r)

Why yes, I did end the month with some comfort re-reads.... and I've started April the same way.

So far I've managed to stick well to the only 1 book purchase a month rule (though I had 2 new books this month because I forgot I'd ordered Scrap back before Christmas).  However, that's kind of all fallen apart as I got $25 ARe voucher from a friend for my birthday.......... I also picked up some freebies for Earth Month and on Amazon...... which means that I am currently at 272 on the Kindle..... which is hardly much of a dint in the just over 300 I started the year with..... I have a horrible feeling I am going to end up with more books on the Kindle come New Year's Eve this year than I started the year with.......

Finally... February reading....

Better late than never.... I did read books in February... but it was a short month, and there weren't that many of them.........

Favourite book by a long way was Butterfly Hunter by Julie Bozza.... I want to read the rest... damn book buying ban!  The other stand out was my re-read of Hard Tail.  I am always skeptical when I re-read a book I loved that I will not like it as much - no problems here, and this has now made it to my buy in paperback list (which I shall do at the UK Meet in September)

The total list....

1. Butterfly Hunter – Julie Bozzza
2. Science and Fiction – Ray Van Fox
3. Fall into You – Posy Roberts
4. Jackdaw – K.J. Charles
5. Mauled – S.J.D. Peterson
6. The Archers of Kynthos – K.M. Harty
7. A Case of Spirits – K.J. Charles
8. Hard Tail – J.L. Merrow (re-read)
9. Charon’s Dilemma – Eloreen Moon
10. Yarulf’s Duty – Vicktor Alexander
11. Blackbird Knitting in a Bunny’s Lair – Amy Lane
12. El Presidio Drives North – Romero Domashita
13. The Forgotten Holocaust – Scott Mariani (non M/M)
14. Triskelion – Jana Denardo
15. Miles and the Magic Flute – Heidi Cullinan
16. Jaden’s Honour – Sassy Lane
17. Training Season – Leta Blake
18. Murder at Pride Lodge – Mark McNease

Normal Service Will Resume Shortly

I know, its March already and I've not summarised February, or done the book's read list.... and the reason for this tardiness?  It's prompt weekend over at the Goodreads M/M Group.

For the last week the organising team have accepted 200 prompts from members and this weekend they are up for "adoption" by prospective writers.

This year I was going to try for something different - possibly a paranormal or fantasy....... but, well, after trying to ignore a historical for nearly 24 hours I started sneaking a bit of research into my afternoon, then some more, and before I knew it I had a prompt.

So, here is my companion for the next couple of months, and the prompt that has been given to guide us on our way...

As you can see we’re in Scotland. The year is 1745 and the Jacobite rebellion spells disaster for the Highland clansmen who followed Bonnie Prince Charlie into battle against the English.

It’s so not the right time for this man to fall in love which of course means that, inevitably, he does. But with who? A fellow rebel? An English soldier? A man from a rival clan?

I leave the details in your capable hands, dear Author, but if you could find room in your story for a couple of Gaelic endearments and that fabulous horse he’s riding, I’d be thrilled.

Could you please make sure that my lovely highlander finds happiness— even after Prince Charlie has fled the blood-soaked battlefield at Culloden.


So, there we have it... I've already got names for my characters, and the horse (who is called Bran) ... I now just need to tell their story :)

Don't ask me to smile please.........

I have a problem. 

I need to update my driving licence

Not a problem... just send off the form and fee to the DVLA and ta da! they will send you back your new updated photocard and paper licence.

So the problem (well aside from the fact I really object to having to pay a fee for the privilege of updating my licence) ... I need to have a photograph done to send with the licence application.

It's a well known fact that I don't do photographs... being in them that is... I know a lot of people don't like having their photograph taken (and I totally understand this - particularly those who have body image issues) but for me it's a little beyond "not liking" photographs of myself.

Point a camera at me and I will disappear in the opposite direction as fast as I can.... usually I can get out of range before I melt down, but persist with the need to take my photo and I will probably either burst into tears or throw up on you.  It's not simply a case of not liking it, it freaks me out completely.

Yes, I do actually have a phobia of having my photograph taken (which I couldn't find a formal name for - photophobia being the fear of bright light ... and I've had that too in the past when I was sick with PTC/BIH)... This something that's developed over the last ten years or so from a couple of incidents involving cameras wielded by people I didn't know in public places - so not entirely irrational, but it totally feels that way.  

In the next week I need to face this though (it's either that or end up with massive fine for not updating my licence).  At the moment I've managed 3 false starts in going to the photo booth - twice I didn't manage to get to the shop where it is at all, before I parked the car I'd started feeling like I would be sick and started shaking, so just drove around and went homeagain. Today I made it into the shop and to the photo booth, and then straight past it and out the other side of the shop.... I even made it back to the car before bursting into tears. I just couldn't do it.

All I need is a small passport photograph of myself... and I just cannot make myself go and get it done.... at least not just yet... I shall have to have another attempt during the week.

Books for an Arctic January

Better late than never....

Not me, but seriously, this is our weather at present

I am struggling to go online of an evening after work at present - mainly because my kitchen is, well, warmer inside the fridge than out... and the combination of cold and post work tiredness is sending me to the sofa in front of the fire pretty early on in the evening.  So, while I have five minutes waiting for my dinner to cook (white bean chili with rice) I shall finally update on the books I read in January.

This was, of course, the start of my not buying any books this year challenge.... so most of the titles will be old ones.

Favourite book this month was my new purchase - Red Dirt Heart 4 by N.R. Walker - which is the final book in this series and one I am seriously considering buying in paperback to re-read. Honourable mentions to The Fall by Kate Sherwood, Venetian Masks by Kim Fielding, Enigma by Lloyd A Meeker and Winter Hearts by Fyn Alexander.

I will also mention Consent by A.J. Rose, this book has people in two camps - mainly because there is a lot of "on screne" abuse of one of the secondary (female) characters. I personally thought it was very well done, necessary to progress the plot and not overly glamourised, but I do appreciate that it will divide people's opinion - not just because of it being fairly graphic violence against a woman in their M/M book, but also because it takes the focus away from Ben and Gavin and their relationship.  That said, I did enjoy the book.

1. The Last Thing He Needs - J.H. Knight
2. Safe in his arms- Renae Kaye
3. The Fall - Kate Sherwood
4. Venetian Masks - Kim Fielding
5. Blue Mountain - Cardeno C.
6. That Day in Spring - B.J. Sheppard (LL)
7. Red Dirt Heart 4 - N. R. Walker
8. Death Trick - Richard Stevenson
9. Island House - Bru Baker
10. Enigma - Lloyd A. Meeker
11. The Bridge on the River Wye - Adam Fitzroy
12. Window - Ali Maclagan (LL)
13. Winter Hearts - Fyn Alexander
14. Not as Easy as it Looks - Jamie Samms
15. Consent - A.J. Rose
16. Noah - Ben Ryder
17. Flight of Magpies - K.J. Charles
18. Marketing Beef - Rick Bettencourt (LL)
19. Fighting Instinct - Mary Calmes
20. Overkill - Elizabeth Daniels (LL)
21. Waiting, Hoping, Wishing - Nic Starr (LL)
22. Zippadicious - A.R. Noble (LL)
23. Caught Running - Urban & Roux (r)


And so onwards to February and trying to read and stay warm....