BOOK REVIEW/SPOTLIGHT: "Unblocked Episode Three" by Marni Mann (18+)

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Unblocked, Episode Three Blurb:
Derek Block confronts his past. Frankie Jordan's past pursues her. Secrets threaten to keep them apart. They want to let go of each other, but can’t. Their passion is too hot to resist. Things are scorching as real estate gets real… This is Episode Three of the five-episode Timber Towers novella series.


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Unblocked, Episode One Buy Links:
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iTunes

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Unblocked, Episode Two Buy Links:
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Unblocked, Episode Three Buy Links:
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Excerpt:
“If you want me, if you want this, then you have to tell me. And it has to be now.” I looked at her wrist. The bracelet she knew I liked was wrapped around her delicate skin; it was the one I had once asked her to wear. She had worn it today and that told me everything I needed to know. “Because Frankie, I don’t believe you really want things between us to end.” Her cheeks darkened and her pupils began to dilate with need. “If you tell me you don’t want me, I’ll…” She had to know I would respect her despite what I wanted. “…I’ll put you down and I’ll leave your condo. What happened between us won’t affect what we have professionally. I promise. But if you want me, then—”

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My Review:
In part three of Marni Mann's steamy five-part novella series, we get a lot of things cleared up that were left hanging in part two, while there are more things left at the end of this one that will drive you crazy till episode four is released.
Frankie and Derek get more of their hearts revealed, not just to each other but to the readers. We learn about why they fear the love and lust forming between them, and what they believe is at stake...and it's not a building contract.
We see more of Hayden, Derek's sister, and we do find out why Frankie doesn't like her. We also see more of Frankie's sleazy ex (unfortunately), and it gives this story the depth that a lot of erotica shorts don't have.
While, as the story goes on, I think it might've been a better option to release all five parts as one novel, I think having to wait a couple of months between novellas creates a certain sense of joy inside of us when the next book is finally released.
Book three is definitely the sexiest of them so far, and reading it will leave you breathless! There is no denying that Marni Mann is a force to be reckoned with in the erotic romance genre, and she is also a master at giving us "feels". We live Frankie's life, inside her mind and her heart. We fall in love with Derek as we learn how deep his feelings really go. And it's all because Ms. Mann made a wonderful world for us to escape to.

5/5--it just gets better!

BLOG TOUR/BOOK REVIEW: "The Sun, The Moon, and Maybe The Trains" by Rodney Jones

John Bartley is a teenager in the year 1875. He lives with his aunt and uncle and has a very typical life of a young man in that time. When he was younger, he found a ribbon made of a very odd material. Years later, he gets lost in that very spot. When he finds his way back to the road, it's not 1875. It's 2009. He needs to get back home, and 21st Century teenager Tess is determined to help.
What do you do when you're lost in the wrong century?

I've read over a thousand books in my life so far. I've read a few books about time travel, and none have drawn me in like this since Stephen King's Dark Tower series (though it's a vastly different story). You get to know John, his family and his time first, before you join John as his world gets turned upside down.
The characters, each and every one, no matter how brief their appearance is, are integral parts of the story. Each of them are full of originality and they all make the story that much richer.
There's a lot more going on than just an interesting plot. There's the noticeable differences between the times: electricity, cell phones, the Internet, soda, cars and television are just a few things that confuse John. Tess can't wrap her head around the fact that women in 1875 wear dresses down to their ankles, can't vote and most can't even work.
The story is also a reluctant love story. John is at the age where he needs to start courting women, and Tess is a modern American teenager. The reader knows immediately what they realize quite late, they love each other. This is a tale of love that transcends through time and space, literally. 
Science fiction mixed with historical fiction, with an added a dash of romance and a heap of suspense, all culminating to one of the most unexpected endings in literature make this a book you can't afford not to read!

5/5--a masterful piece of work!

Purchase The Sun, The Moon and Maybe The Trains via:

Red Adept Publishing (has all purchase links)

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Richard M. Knittle Jr

1. When/why did you decide to become a writer?

Well 9 months ago my Son Ryder was taken by his birth mother, I let her into my home after she had been living on the streets of Fort Worth, I bailed her out of jail for theft from her own parents.. She took him one day to use him as a peace offering to her parents... I hit Epic Addiction Proportions and had a mental breakdown, The Battle Lost: Ryder's Birth was from when he was born till I invited her to my home, The Battle Lost Friendships Lost is from where book leaves off... That writing was healing for me, I never even imagined that today I am full Fledged and Popular Writer. Let me say this this Ride that has just begun gives me a High better than any drug can imagine!

2. What authors inspired you when you were younger? What books do you enjoy reading today?

I was reading at a college level in 4th Grade I read EVERYTHING I could, J.R.R. Tolkien of course, Mack Maloney of the Wingman Series is awesome.

3. What was the inspiration behind your epic poem The Battle Lost: Ryder's Birth?

My son Ryder of course is a special little boy.. I believe he was born to do do much good.. His smile is magic..I love you Ryder..

4. What can we expect from your next poetry collection?

Next is if you can believe Darker and haunting.. a little secrete I wrote the last verse 6 months ago.. It all came true!

5. Why did you decide to write about your reality?

I am not sure I been told that I have a gift, in fact here I have poem that explains better..

This is called "Hope"

Hope

I was sitting alone in the park one day at lunch and I sat on the same bench where Ryder and I used to play we would sing our song and laugh and play while letting the world go by, those were bright and sunny days of just him and I. Then as I looked up it hit me I was staring right at the tree where I carved out our initials for everyone to see, so I got up and I looked but with all the tears that were now falling it was hard to see then I found it I love Ryder and Ryder loves me. All of sudden a terrible pain began in my chest and I fell hard to the ground it hit me so hard that it knocked me to my knees. I looked around and saw that everyone was watching so I threw my fist up into the air and I lifted my head up to God and I screamed as loud as I could why me? Why would you bring him into my life knowing how much I would care? I gave that little boy everything I had left to give in my heart, in my soul, all my strength that had left don’t you understand he was my reason I am still here my will to live.. I hate you God that wasn't fair at all and now I live with all of these memories that play over and over they are stuck in my head and not like I am in a dream, but now my life is nothing but a living nightmare. I look around with nothing but a blank stare I hear his little voice and I call out to nothing there. Then in a whisper I am sorry God I didn't mean what I said I am finished here I just wish you would take me now because I would rather be dead. I hurt so bad every single day from a heart that's broken and it will never heal and a soul that is dying and can no longer feel.. He is my son no matter what they do he is my little man my little bundle of joy and I miss him so very bad. I am tired of hurting from all this sorrow and regret and feeling so damn lonely and sad and I looked down and I cried. Then I remembered that he once had a son, I felt a hand as he placed it on my head then I felt him as my heart filled with so much love he wanted me to know he was listening from his home high above. He lost his one and only son to pay for all our sins. I smiled and I opened up my heart and I let him back in. I still hurt and I still cry for my son everyday but now I know our lord that is in heaven above is watching and he will let me see Ryder one day because it is fate either here on earth or high above at heaven’s gate and that is what I now Pray every night before I go to sleep... in his name

Amen!

6. What role has addiction taken in your life and what encouraging words do you have for those suffering from it now?

Addiction .. I know it can be beat I walked away from it never looking back, Now I write about it.. Your Heart, Your Mind, Your Creator are all you need to outcast that evil Traitor in fact it is the first verse of the next book.

Preview alert.....

Heart Mind Creator

Your Heart Your Mind and Your Creator
are what you need to outcast, the evil traitor.
Addiction, the evil of darkness unknown
infects your family and will find you alone.
It feeds from your anger, your pain, and your sins
that opens a door that invites it right in.
It changes the way you look at creation
and sets you up to live eternal damnation.
The darkness cares not, if your woman or man
as it spreads its evil throughout this great land.
Turning the rich in to beggars, paupers and thieves
while children become orphans our creator grieves.
He sits high above watching down in disgust
as his creations want nothing more
than money, drugs, and lust
Addiction, the evil of darkness unknown
doesn’t care if you’re poor or a king on a throne.
The darkness it spreads and continues without a fight
while we wait on a hero to help bring the light
that hero is here and is being trained as a fighter
that little boy is strong and his name is Ryder!

I say I understand your pain.. I know you will understand this...

Alone in your darkness with many people around
your demons will find you when you want to be found
it is the comfort they offer while your chaos exist
a persuasive proposal one not so hard to resist
creating a crises of conscience as it fights for your soul
it wreaks havoc in your life while it battles you for control
confusion of your emotions never peace in your head
causing reactions in thoughts that you’re better off dead
the choices you choose are out of desperation and despair
now drowning in guilt you find yourself gasping for air
bringing nothing but destruction with both families and alone
this is mankind’s greatest threat that it has ever known
it spreads like no other through cities and small towns
its name is called addiction and it infects with no cure found
the young and rich even old or poor it doesn’t care who
opens that door it only brings sorrow and heartbreak
and death evermore you can try to outrun it even hide
while you can for it infects every inch of our great land.
your family and neighbors even all of your friends can't
hide from addiction it feeds from our loneliness this evil
must end I know because it had me and my friends like Amy, DeAnna,
Stormie and Blue and many others that we all knew it changes
our thinking while destroying our souls all because we wanted to forget our own lives while we rolled and passed the bowl!

-Richard M Knittle Jr.

7. Would you ever consider writing fiction?

Yes I would, in fact. The Battle Lost goes fictional in book 3.. I just happen to have a preview :)

“He is coming let evil know that they are finished with no place to go”

“I refuse to fail or to give up and I will see my son again. I will not fall or lose my faith because I now lead Gods troops into battle for him. I hear him as he cries out for me he now sees me in his dreams our bond we have it never broke or so it seems.” A father, A solider, and A friend to all, not blood nor distance will keep them apart not even the Mother of Thrall, I have been through hell and beyond and death bygone they should know by now.. They will never break this bond or love of this Father and his Son…

The Man!

I used to be happy once with Ryder but now I'm as sad as I can be
I led my troops through battle and conquered evil as for as you can see
The demons that once roamed this land and over hill and dale
Tried to destroy me and tear us apart and they ended all to an epic fail
My lord and father who art into heaven and hallow be thy name
I know this world that was born to me is dying and going insane
Destroying people by the millions addiction now rules throughout this land
It joins with the Evil Dark Family in Emory as it waits to battle Ryder and The Man
Ryder has grown fast while away from The Man he is sad and feels empty inside
He feels like something is missing from him and the Evil Dark Family has something to hide
At night he dreams about this man who searches for him all throughout the land
He is angry and yet sad as he kills the demons and the darkness with just his bare hands
This man is myth, just a made up tale, his mother says this man he never existed
But Ryder knows that she lies and all that crystal she smokes has made her very twisted
Trading herself for poppy seeds with everyone she comes around
for days and weeks she disappears and hardly to be found
the last few nights when he closed his eyes a vision of this man would start
he could feel each and every emotion from this man in his soul and in his heart
he thought I need to find this man I know he must be real for these emotions that I am feeling are know these are for real

9. What would you be doing if you weren't writing?

IT I've been working with computers over 30 years and enjoy it, and probably haunting someones dreams..
Poets are dreamers right?... We think with our hearts and listen to ours souls. Especially for the ones that touched both.-Richard M Knittle Jr.

10. If you were to write fiction, what authors, dead or alive, would you like to collaborate with?

Wow.. Any Poet from 1600's down lol. I would love to actually work with J.R.R. Tolkien or even Hugh Hefner.. :)

11. Thank you for participating in the interview. Can you please leave the readers with three things that may surprise them about you?

Number 1 would be, you know how you have that one friend that makes everything sexual.. :)
2. would be that I had 5 Bypasses at 41, 5 percent blood flow and no damage to my heart..
3. I want a monkey.. Really I do!

Find Mr. Knittle online via:

Official site (has all other links)

BOOK REVIEW: "Charlotte's Secrets (Demon's Love)" by Maryam Malik

As the Dark Ages reign over England, Julian an ordinary village boy is condemned for Charlotte's mysterious murder, his wife and to his surprise—a princess of royal blood. Oblivious of the presence of a centuries old demon, Julian is imprisoned in Elijah's inescapable dungeon where he waits for the injustice of a gruesome death. But when the young man is rescued at the hands of an unexpected guardian...he learns of his role as salvatoris liberet—the single truth that will alter his destiny forever. As alliances form, secrets unfold, and enemies reveal themselves, Julian must decide who to trust and how far he is willing to go for the only woman he's ever loved.

Charlotte's Secrets is the debut novel from Maryam Malik, and yet it feels like we've been reading her work forever. The story is visual and enveloping, taking you straight from your living room to the Dark Ages on page one.
The story feels similar to the BBC's interpretation of Robin Hood: the girl is murdered and her lover is accused. The big difference between Julian and Guy of Gisborne, however, is that Julian is innocent. He's a determined character, one whom you root for from the beginning. He's romantic, a hero and very endearing.
The characters he meets along his journey run the gamut from interesting to dangerous to diabolical. Ms. Malik easily weaves magic and paranormal elements into the tale, creating a unique world of death, love and magic.
I loved the desperation in Julian's heart, his deep love for the princess. Love drives this story, and it is that, not the thriller elements, that make this worth reading. I love it when a male lead wears his heart on his sleeve!
My only criticism is that I'd love to have seen it written in the third person, so we could've seen different perspectives from all characters, especially the queen.
An excellent debut; I see a very long career in literature for Ms. Malik!

4/5--a great debut!

Purchase Charlotte's Secrets via:

Official site
Amazon
Goodreads

REVIEW BLITZ & GIVEAWAY: "Obsidian Faith" by Bev Elle

★★ REVIEW BLITZ & GIVEAWAY ★★
#BookEnthu
Obsidian Faith by Bev Elle Review Blitz
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Release Date: December 4th, 2014
Hosted by: Book Enthusiast Promotions (http://bookenthusiastpromotions.com @BookEnthuPromo )

#BuyNow:
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#Giveaway:
$20 Amazon Gift Card
Enter here: ➜ ➜   http://bit.ly/1xdQjRW

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#Synopsis:
They were the most unlikely pair to fall in love. . .
A golden boy with a dark past. A bi-racial girl with epic faith. These two weren’t supposed to survive the system, sketchy origins and all.
Trevor Kyle has loved Shanice Bailey forever—from the time they both landed in the Baptist Children’s Home until they were young adults raised by adoptive families that had no resemblance to the worlds from which they came. Trevor has always been her protector and champion even when he was busy pushing her away for her own good.
Shanice has always taken her faith in Trevor seriously. Her childhood oath is strengthened when she learns the true meaning of family. But After Trevor’s adoptive parents die tragically and his bachelor uncle takes him in, she finds that the boy she’s always looked up to has changed, and not for the better. Yet, she can’t bring herself to forget him as her pure childhood love for him blossoms into something more.
The most generous heart and truest faith does not travel an easy path. Just when Trevor thinks he’s found a way to keep his promise to be with Shanice forever, a specter from the past threatens their future plans.

#MeettheAuthor:
Bev Elle the author of sweet and spicy, contemporary romance. A lover of books–many already written, and those she harbors in her very active imagination. Writing is a passion she’s had for many years, but was unable to act upon. Until now. Bev Elle is the mother of three human children and two canines. She is also the lover of one husband :) When Bev isn’t writing in her spare time after work, she is thinking of doing so.

#SocialLinks:
https://www.facebook.com/BevElle1
https://twitter.com/Bev_Elle
http://goodreads.com/bevelle
https://plus.google.com/u/0/settings/plus#+BevElle
http://www.pinterest.com/bevelle5
http://www.bevelle.wordpress.com

#Excerpt:
“You want to be a doctor?” Trevor said.
“No, a nurse. I want to help people get over drug addiction and stuff, but I don’t want to go to school for all the years it takes to be a doctor.”
“That’s cool. Just don’t fall for some doctor and forget about me,” he teased.
“I’d never forget you, Trevor,” she said. “And I’ll never fall for some doctor.”
“How do you know?” he said. “You’ll go off to college and I’ll be as good as forgotten.”
“You’ll forget me first,” she said. “You already have. You’re the one who’s taking Emily Winters to the prom and everything.”
“It’s just another rite of passage.”
“A what?”
“It’s one of those things you’re expected to do at certain ages that transition you from one stage in life to another.”
“Oh, well. I’m not passing any rites with anyone but you,” She said.
“You’re too young to say that, Shanice. You’ve got a lot of growing up to do.”
“So do you.” She protested, just as he expected her to.
“Yeah, but I’m closer to twenty-one than you are, and I’ll be going off to college in a couple of years.”
“I know, but I won’t forget you,” Shanice said with conviction.
“How do you know this?” Trevor asked.
“Because I’m going to be like Amy March in Little Women.”
“Never heard of it,” Trevor said.
“Probably because boys think it’s stupid. But there is a Little Men, and Jo’s Boys and they’re about orphans and stuff. Anyway, they’re classics. Mom read the books when she was about my age, so she gave them to me for Christmas.”
“What does this have to do with you not forgetting me?”
“You’ll have to read Little Women to find out,” she said cryptically.

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#MyReview:

In the Obsidian Collection, one of the stories included was Obsidian Faith by Bev Elle, and it was also one of the two stories I said could easily be expanded. While it was fine on its own, I knew that there was more to Trevor and Shanice's story than was originally told.
Trevor and Shanice meet in the foster care system and immediately take to one anothe, despite a slight age difference. When they both get adopted by different neighbors, they think their ship has finally come in. But when Trevor's parents die I'm a car accident and he has to go live with his unsavory uncle, everything goes downhill.
Trevor is a computer genius, and his uncle threatens Shanice's life if Trevor doesn't comply with his illegal demands.

Like I said, the original short story was great, but I knew that there was more to it, and there was.
This is a love story above all else: Trevor loving Shanice enough that he was willing to give her up to save her life, and Shanice loving Trevor enough that she keeps her faith in him even when he lands in prison. You feel Trevor's pain as he is forced to push the love of his life away. You can also feel his desperation and determination.
Shanice is an admirable woman, staying true to her gut even when everyone told her she was a fool. She's smart, pretty and has a mind of her own. She goes from the perfect little sister to the perfect lover in a few chapters.
The backbones of the story are a considerable knowledge of computer science, much more so than this reader has! It gives the story a very authentic feel.
The second is the religious undertone. The lovers meet as kids in a church-run children's home, and the pastor and his wife adopt Shanice. It is what adds beauty to what us a slightly dark tale, the morals the characters adhere to, even with all the debauchery in the book.
The cherry on top of the cake is the ending, which is very close to making Obsidian Faith a thriller as opposed to a love story.
Is this a story for everyone? No. But it's a story everyone should read.

4/5--excellent!

BOOK REVIEW: "Envious Obsession" by Katie Keller-Neiman

For years Sandy's life has been ruled by her visions. They led her to her soul mate, Eric. They warned her not to trust her childhood friend Aurora. But they were a lie.
She was on the verge of having everything she ever wanted. Just when she was about to have it all, though, it slipped through her fingers.
Sandy is sick. With this revelation, her world crashes in around her. Her visions are written off as hallucinations, symptoms of her illness, not memories of past lives.
But while she may not believe any longer, she is far from safe.
Aurora is not the kind person everyone thinks she is. She is dangerous and obsessed with Sandy, and Todd can't help getting caught in the crossfire.
Protecting his cousin Sandy once seemed so easy for him, but now it threatens to take away everything Todd fought so hard for: his sobriety, his sanity and his future.
The closer he gets to Sandy, the more danger they both are in. Still, he is determined to do whatever it takes to keep Sandy safe.

I loved the first Envious book, with one exception: I didn't think that Ms. Keller-Neiman had explored Todd quite enough. In Envious Obsession, she remedied that, making us go inside Todd's world just as much, if not more than, Sandy's. Todd is one of the most interesting characters I've read about, and his vulnerability and pain make him a relatable and lovable character.
Again, I love that there is such a plain paranormal element to what could have been an excellent story all on its own. But adding in voodoo dolls, animal sacrifices and spells, not to mention past lives, made it so much better! Rarely can you find such a mixture of harsh reality and fantasy that works so we. l and flows so naturally.
Tony and Amelia, characters we also didn't see enough of or at all in the first book, play a huge role in this story as well. This is a truly well plotted tale and the characters could be your friends or neighbors.
The struggles that they all go through are so real and so raw, you'll want to go inside their world and hug them (or slap them, depending). This book and its predecessor could very well be some of the best novels of this generation.
Katie Keller-Neiman's writing is addictive. You won't be able to get enough!

5/5--a wonderful novel!

Purchase Envious Obsession via:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Envious-Obsession-Katie-Keller-Nieman-ebook/dp/B00QSP3NMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239772&sr=8-1&keywords=envious+obsession

Paperback: http://www.amazon.com/Envious-Obsession-2-Katie-Keller-Nieman/dp/1502534541/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1418239772&sr=8-2&keywords=envious+obsession

Website: http://www.katiekellernieman.com/

BOOK REVIEW: "The Man I Love" by Suanne Laqueur

"You never got over her. You just left." 

As a college freshman, Erik Fiskare is drawn to the world of theater but prefers backstage to center stage. The moment he lays eyes on a beautiful, accomplished dancer named Daisy Bianco, his atoms rearrange themselves and he is drawn into a romance both youthfully passionate and maturely soulful. It is a love story seemingly without end. But when a disturbed friend brings a gun into the theater, the story is forever changed. Six lives are lost and Daisy is left seriously injured, her professional dreams shattered. 
Traumatized by the experience, the lovers spiral into depression and drug use until a shocking act of betrayal destroys their relationship. To survive, Erik must leave school and disconnect from all he loves. He buries his heartbreak and puts the past behind. Or so he believes. 
As he moves into adulthood, Erik comes to grips with his role in the shooting, and slowly heals the most wounded parts of his soul. But the unresolved grief for Daisy continues to shape his dreams at night. Once those dreams were haunted by blood and gunfire. Now they are haunted by the refrain of a Gershwin song and a single question: is leaving always the end of loving? 
The Man I Love explores themes of love and sexuality, trauma—physical and mental—and its long-lasting effects, the burden of unfinished business and the power of reconciliation. Through Erik’s experience we reflect on what it means to be a man, a son and a leader. A soul mate, a partner and a lover. What it means to live the truth of who you are and what you feel. What it means to fight for what you love. 

The Man I Love is one of the deepest, most beautiful novels I have read.
You've got love, hate, addiction, death abandonment, PTSD and so much more, all gently shoved into a story about a boy and a girl. You're not reading a book when you open The Man I Love, you're entering a whole different world, filled with these wonderful, realistic and beautiful characters.
This is more than a novel about a shooting, or about two lovers. It's about heart, it's about trust and it's also about dance. Ballet is the central point, how these characters meet and where most of them work. I've never been a huge ballet fan, but reading this gave me a whole new appreciation for the art form.
The supporting characters, Will, James, Eric and Keesja, amongst others, are so amazingly there, they make the story what it is as much as Erik and Daisy do.
Sexual orientation and how it was perceived in the late 80's/early 90's is also a big part of the book, as is Erik's acceptance of it. He goes from a boy who has a bit of a bad taste in his mouth about it to allowing Will and Keesja to slap his behind and make lewd jokes.
That's what, I think, is the biggest thing in The Man I Love: growth. Erik, Daisy and the others do a lot of growing during the decade this novel spans, and it's wonderful to watch in your mind.
This novel was excellently executed with a lot of care. Readers will know this and they will appreciate it so much more because of it.

5/5--a beautiful masterpiece!

Purchase The Man I Love via:

Amazon

Add it on Goodreads!

"Moonlight" by Lisa Kessler is Out Now!

Purchase Moonlight on Amazon!

Purchase Moonlight from Barnes And Noble (NOOK)

The long-awaited day has arrived: you can now purchase the first book in Lisa Kessler's Moon Series: "Moonlight"!
I have reviewed this novel (look in my archives) & can testify that it us a truly magnificent piece of work (and, let's be honest: I am not a fan of werewolves, but Mrs. Kessler made Adam Sloan more than appealing!)
It also includes a dash of danger, death & is a subtle commentary on bigotry in America (think racism & LGBTQA social issues).
I rated it 5 out of 5...I think you'll do the same, reader!

The Power Of Books...

Well, it has currently come to my attention that rapper and icon Kanye West is telling people how much he hates books. Let me post his exact quote below.

 

“Sometimes people write novels and they just be so wordy and so self-absorbed. I am not a fan of books.”--Kanye West

 

I am a fan of books (obviously), and the above statement disgusts me for many reasons. I do NOT know a single novelist who writes to sound "wordy" nor are any of them "self-absorbed". Take people like Stephen King, who has made billions of dollars over the past nearly forty years. He never writes to sound "wordy", he writes because it is what he loves, as he has said numerous times over the years.

Look at budding authors who self-publish or publish with nascent companies instead of big conglomerates like Carol J. Hansen or Lisa Kessler. They want their stories read an enjoyed by people who love books, not to boast or seem self-absorbed in the least. I know both of them and they are kind, humble women who have one thing that sets them apart from most humans (including West): they have TALENT! (If a Kanye fan is reading this, please note it is my personal OPINION that Mr. West has less talent in his whole body than any author has in their pinky finger.)

Books are amazing things that are not unlike magic carpets: you open them up and they take you on the ride of your life. I have been reading on my own since I taught myself when I was three, and before that I was read to by my mother and grandmother. All my life I was taught to love books and to know the power of the written word. To hear that a man that kids idolize is telling them that books are bad and authors are no good makes me sick inside. I learned more from FICTIONAL books than I did in school, and I went to a very good school. You can say that I was self-taught rather than taught by teachers, or you could also say that Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen King and the Bronte sisters were my teachers.

Here is another reason Kanye West's statement upsets me: did anyone read how grammatically incorrect it was? Really, look at it! "They just be"? Does that make any sense whatsoever? How can a dropout who hates books and speaks so atrociously be an "idol" to anyone? He is having a baby with a known skank, uses the "n-word" more than Tony Soprano says the "f-word" in all the Soprano seasons combined, objectifies women and now states publicly that he thinks books are bad. Tell me, is that a man whom you would want YOUR children idolizing?

He speaks so poorly, yet criticizes authors for being too "wordy". Let me tell you I'd rather spend my hard-earned money on a "wordy" person than a man who discourages people to read and expand their minds. Perhaps I am wrong in thinking as I do, but the last time I checked, books were considered a good thing!

Anyway, I shall end my rant here by saying that I love fellow lovers of words and (try) to respect those who see differently. I'd also like to thank Bert McCracken, vocalist for the rock band The Used, for encouraging his fans to read more and get off the Internet/away from drama. He is someone kids should look up to: self-educated, smart, talented and kind.

Remember, books are good, books are fun and books are a gateway to everywhere we ever wanted to go in our lives.

Love words and their writers.

KSR