Rae Lori's Blog, page 37

Of Slumps and Bookstores

So...my brain took a mini trip to dive whole hog into analytical work and now the creative side needs a bit of a boost. Today I went to the bookstore after months of no bookstore visits and mainly online shopping (which I love). It felt great. Our local Borders closed (and I found out the first Borders I went to back home in California also closed, so it was a bummer) and the used bookstore in town that I recently discovered also had to close.



Alas, our Bookman's was still standing and going pretty strong as ever. A great used bookstore with a big selection of stuff is deadly for me and my pocket book, especially if I'm trying to save. I've loved books since I was a child and I'm used to leaving bookstores and libraries with stacks of books under each arm. This time I told myself I wouldn't get as much but...well, you probably know how that ended. ;-)



On the plus side, I ended my reading slump especially in the genre of IR (or interracial romance). I've been gathering the books in the genre for a while but for some reason I couldn't get into any of the new ones I got. Bookman's had an awesome selection of IR books that I had heard about but never had a chance to read. I started loading up and making a mental list of all the books I would read and I suddenly started feeling that bug bite me again. It was an awesome feeling. Creating, even in your mind, is an amazing feeling that's not unlike floating with a sea of possibilities. Works-in-progress (or WIPs) here I come!











Now, don't get me wrong.



I still love online shopping, e-books and my e-reader. But sometimes the brain needs to be cheated with a change of pace to get those creative juices flowing again in an unfamiliar environment.



Next stop...



Back to the writing cave!

Dipping back into the waters

Greetings all!



It has been ages since I popped into my blog for updates! For the past few months, I've been taking a rather unscheduled sabbatical from online. Between working hard at the day job, a new romance and a mini break to gather my creativity back in full force, the time has been flowing by like crazy! A week seemed like a day.



So many things have changed since I last blogged. Our local Borders closed down, the publishing industry has turned on its head and gone e-crazy with all the new readers and paths to publishing. Everyone I talk to has talked about publishing their book via Kindle. Publishers closed down, some are opening. At the same time, agents are becoming publishers themselves! It's definitely a brave new world of publishing after talking about it and speculating about it for so long, it's surreal to see it happen here right in front of my eyes. I love it and it's a bit scary at the same time.



With that kind of liberation in publishing, there also comes new fears and responsibilities. Readers are becoming more careful with their money and the amount of books coming out affords them to be pickier with how they spend their time. One bad indie book can spoil the bunch for some readers and I've heard more than once that many are nervous to venture into indie reading because they don't know what has been tested and recommended. On the flip side, it can cause a bit of stress to put out the perfect product. Even after you put out the best product you can, it doesn't always hit out the park with everyone who reads it, as readers look for different things in books. It's a rough reality every writer comes to terms with which is why I take breaks in between. I love writing and I love bringing out new works, especially when I imagine how excited readers will be as they progress through my stories.



While I'll be taking baby steps to ease back in the public angle, I'll be charging forward behind the scenes on some projects I have lined up. I have a new editor I'm working with who is giving me awesome feedback on my stories, so it's just a matter of getting through each project and then prepping them for release.



I hope you guys will bear with me and hang tight as I bring out new releases and sprinkle in some freebie stories here on this blog.



I have joined the e-revolution with my new Nook Color so I'll be catching up on some reads on my end and hope to be posting some reviews here as well as some recs for you guys out there.



In the meantime, happy reading to you all!

New 'Inheritance' Release Date and some upcoming goodies

Hey folks!



Peeking my head out of the ol' writing cave to check in with the world. First of all, my thoughts and prayers go out to the people of Japan and any loved ones you guys may have out there. The news has been devastating and completely unbelievable. The news likes to repeat video footage and I can only see so much devastation before I have to step away. Japan has such a wonderful rich history and to see this is just.....not enough words to say.



In other news, I have this mind as I'm writing 'Inheritance' which starts out in ancient medieval Japan. So it's rather surreal to see the news of now compared with the events and culture so many centuries ago.



As you guys know, I want to make sure these books are as close to perfection as possible. I had originally planned for an April release of 'Inheritance' but I'm going to bump that back a bit to October which was last year's release date for 'Mortals'. There are a lot of items I want to make sure I tie into this last book and to rush it for next month's release would cheat the reading experience for you good folks out there. And first impressions are the ones that matter, even in books. ;-)



Thanks to all who voted in the excerpts poll! It was split down the middle so what I'll do is post excerpts for those who want it and post a warning for those want to go into the books with a clear eye. That way no one will feel left out. ;-)



Another thanks to those who joined me in celebrating last week's Read An Ebook week! Hope you got your download of Uthiel's Embrace which included an excerpt of Cimmerian City (don't worry, it won't end on a downer note!). I'll be putting Uthiel's Embrace up for download again via Smashwords and at the RavenFire Bookstore for folks who missed the earlier edition.

Happy Read an Ebook Week!! March 6-12, 2011

It's that time again when we celebrate the awesomeness of digital technology and the future of literature.



Yes, it's Read An Ebook Week! WOO HOO!



Check out the history of the event here at the main website. We've come a long way baby and ebooks are more popular than ever. If you haven't tried an ebook, why not dive in now with a great read to load into your ereader, phone or on your computer?



To celebrate, I am offering a copy of my newly re-released fantasy romance novella Uthiel's Embrace!



But that's not all. ;-)



This limited edition features a 2-chapter sneak peek at Cimmerian City, the 2nd edition re-released and expanded version coming very soon. I know some of my readers out there have been dying to check this one out so I thought I'd give you a little treat of what's to come. The Uthiel's Embrace: Read An Ebook Edition is only available this week so grab it while you can!!



In other news for you spec fic romance junkies, be sure to check out the latest Broadly Speaking edition of the Broad Pod where I interview authors Heather Massey, Cate Rowan and K.S. "Kaz" Augustin about the current state and future of speculative romance!



Linkie is here: http://broadlyspeaking.posterous.com/broadly-speaking-romantic-speculative-fictionhttp://broadlyspeaking.posterous.com/broadly-speaking-romantic-speculative-fiction

Winner of Before Dawn Breaks: Escape the Winter! An IR Book Giveaway

Thanks to all who entered the Before Dawn Breaks: Escape the Winter! An IR Book Giveaway! Woo hoo!



The random number generator has spoken and the winner is.....

seelebelle!

Please email me with your addy on where you'd like to receive the books. I hope you enjoy the reads!



Stay tuned for more upcoming contests, news and info here at AWD! :-)

Before Dawn Breaks: Escape the Winter! An IR Book Giveaway

Thanks to all who entered January's Goodreads giveaway. We're doing it again to celebrate the print release of Before Dawn Breaks, my romantic suspense novel!



First the run down:

Alexandra Lyons is a cold, seductive assassin, skilled in the art of killing. Camilla Angelson is a bubbly writer enjoying the quiet life as a recent graduate from college. Both women are the same person. Unfortunately, her former employer, the secret government bureau that hired her, knows this all too well.



Josh Mayer is a former secret service agent looking to pick up the pieces of his life after a messy divorce from a cheating wife and a job of putting his life on the line. Doubling as a restaurateur and an "unofficial" undercover agent, the beautiful female target he is protecting may be the same one he is willing to risk his life and, most of all, his heart to save.



Soon, Josh must put his life on the line to evade an unknown killer that ties them all the way to a money-laundering scheme involving the newest presidential candidate to the White House. Meanwhile, Alexandra's heart is warmed with Josh at her side as she slowly remembers the dark past she left behind.

I'm tossing in some other books into the fray for your reading pleasure. One of which is a favorite of mine by Latrivia Nelson called Dmitry's Closet. This was my first book from Ms. Nelson and I got simply hooked from her awesome storytelling and compelling characters (including Dmitry himself, le sigh). This book is the introduction of her ongoing series including her newest release Anatoly Medlov: Complete Reign which can be read as a standalone story. This book comes from my personal reader shelf. If a book hooks me I buy two just in case I want to loan it out or read one copy and have one in new condition. This was kept nice and new while I read the ebook edition so you'll be getting a brand spanking new version. :-D



Since my book collected is pushing me out of house and home, I have to let some books go to make some space (*sniffles*) so give these books a nice new home. :-)









Before Dawn Breaks and Dmitry's Closet are romantic suspenses while Frost on My Window and The Politics of Love are more contemporary romances ('Frost' is a little more dramatic women's fiction). All of these books come in one bundle so enter now for a chance to have these books on your very own shelf.



All you have to do is leave a comment to be entered.



Folks who follow me here at AWD, on Twitter , or on Facebook will get an extra entry and folks who repost this contest will get an extra, extra entry. ;-)



Normally I host my giveaways via my mailing list members so if you want to sign up for those and for current news about me and my works (including recommended reads off my shelf) mosey on over to this link and join:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dEkzM2tWaWhRZEY3TmpRQ0plNmJBV0E6MA



Happy reading!

AWD Spotlight: Jon F. Merz - Writer, Producer, Ninja, Renaissance Man

[image error] This month at A Writer's Dream we have an extra special guest spotlight.



Jon F. Merz is not only an author but he is also a jack of all trades: writing, producing and even honing his own skills in the ninja martial arts which he uses in many of his own books. As readers here will remember, my first taste of Jon's books was when I read his standalone sci-fi/thriller/suspense novel Parallax (after enjoying his short story Rip) which has become a keeper on my shelf of favorites. Since then I have become hooked on Jon's Lawson Vampire books (a.k.a. The Fixer Files series) and on a day's worth of book glomming, grabbed up half his books available at Smashwords. Jon has since become one of my favorite authors and I am honored to have him stop by here at A Writer's Dream for his January blog tour to celebrate his current release, The Kensei: A Vampire Lawson Novel, available now from St. Martin's Press.



Check out the Q&A after the jump!








Q: Thanks so much for stopping by AWD, Jon! As my readers may know, I'm a huge fan of your work and I am always looking out to share the recs. Why don't you tell us a little bit about your Vampire Lawson series leading up to your newest release The Kensei?



Lawson was born out of a short story I wrote back in about 2000 called "Past Imperfect." It was a blend of my two loves: espionage thrillers and short horror stories. At the time, I was a member of the Zoetrope.com writing site and a lot of folks over there said it ought to be a novel. I took a year to flesh it out and then in early 2001, finally got an agent and had the first novel, The Fixer, and its sequel, The Invoker, sold by May to Kensington Publications in New York. Kensington would later buy two more installments, The Destructor and The Syndicate, but then they dropped the series. I never stopped believing in it, however, and began trying to find another house to set Lawson up at. It's obviously taken a long time, but my editor at St. Martin's is fantastic.



The Kensei is the 5th novel in the series, but each novel is a standalone - meaning that readers new to the series don't have to worry about reading books 1-4 before The Kensei. Daniela, my editor, and I worked very hard to make sure that The Kensei could be read and massively enjoyed by anyone regardless of their exposure to Lawson.



In this book, Lawson's pretty burned out and heads to Japan for some much needed rest and advanced ninjutsu training. But he soon finds himself mired in a Yakuza turf war orchestrated by a shadowy figure known as the Kensei. Together with his human lover and ex-KGB assassin Talya, Lawson has to put a stop to the Kensei's plans for world domination.





Q: How did the idea for the series come about?



After I realized "Past Imperfect" was going to be a novel - and a vampire novel at that - I knew I needed to figure out how to make it more unique than the standard undead immortal vamps that so often populate fiction. So I decided that vampires in Lawson's world had evolved in secret alongside humanity. Where other tribes of early man feasted on the blood of mighty animals they'd killed believing it imbued them with the animal's strength, Lawson's ancestors hunted other humans and drank their blood. Over time, they began to extract the life force energy from the blood - much along the lines of what would be called ki in Japanese or chi in Chinese. This ingestion of life force energy dramatically lengthens their life span and gives them better strength and night vision. They can be killed with wood or wood by-products and I based that on the five-elemental cycle of destruction in Asian philosophy.



The other aspects of Lawson's world - his Fixer Service and various espionage elements are drawn from a lot of my own experiences in the military and private sector security work. Needless to say, I have a hellishly fun time putting it all in there!





Q: You write thrillers really well and I notice you tend to add a little something extra in your stories; like for instance the sci-fi connection with Parallax. Do you have any favorite themes you like to explore in your writing? Do you have any you would like to tackle in any future works?



Yeah, I don't seem to be able to write a straight thriller, lol...I did write two espionage novels way back when, one of which - Shadow Chaser - is actually out on Amazon for the Kindle. My way of letting people see where I came from.



But my mind wanders far too much to be satisfied with a straight thriller plotline. And that stems from my background. Growing up, I read almost every genre imaginable. I started with SF and Fantasy, then moved to mystery and spy thrillers. So, all of those influences are in there and generally pop out when I ask myself "What if-?" before I start writing. Parallax, for example, came about as a result of me thinking about the fact that there have surely been times when two professional assassin would have killed at the exact same moment in time - regardless of location - would something happen to them? Would they develop some sort of bond? That's how Parallax came about. I had a basic plotline: two assassins make a kill. But then I took it a step further, by wondering about what the ramifications of those kills would be...beyond reality, so to speak.



I enjoy it. There's a real freedom in doing that.







Q: Now, the question all writers get. What made you pick up a pencil/pen/keyboard and start writing?



A love of reading was first and foremost what eventually made me want to create my own worlds and characters. They can't be overstated enough.



Along the way to when I eventually started, there were instances when I thought about doing it. I recall writing a creative-type paper in high school that wowed a teacher. And my girlfriend-now-wife had an assignment one time in college that I did for her: writing a short story. I wrote something up about a group of people trapped on an elevator and the professor gave my wife an A+ and wrote on her paper that she ought to be a writer. That was pretty cool.



When I left the Air Force and had more time during my stint in protection work, I figured it would be a good time to try it out. So, that's what I did. And I've never looked back.







Q: What have been your biggest challenges in writing?



The changing industry is pretty damned challenging, let me tell you. It's a long way ago when editors used to hold the power and have the ability to pluck young writers out of the chaff, groom them for bestsellerdom, and eventually break them out. Nowadays, it's more of a business than ever before and the higher-ups want big numbers in terms of sales. That's why it's so important for anyone wanting to get into publishing to realize that it's not just enough to write a great book. You have to hustle. Pimp. Remember the bards from long ago? The court jester singing for his supper? That's all the more what happens these days. Authors need a fan base, a platform, and a willingness to embrace social media if they hope to impress a New York house into taking a chance on them. I know a lot of writers hate that aspect of the business, but it's simply a fact nowadays. if you don't have a Twitter account or a Facebook page, then you need to get one. It's never too early. Establish a brand and then work it. It will yield benefits, regardless of whether you go the traditional publishing route or the indie route.







Q: Can we look forward to any more stories in the Vampire Lawson series?



Tons. Seriously. I have short stories, more novels planned out, and I want to get books 1-4 back into print. But to do that, I need to have really strong sales for The Kensei. Additionally, we're developing the series for television and we're in pre-production on the pilot right now. Lawson is going to be all over the place, so I urge everyone to get on-board right now and enjoy the ride!







Q: What do you have in the works for your readers?



Finishing up revisions on a middle grade/YA boys adventure series that I hope to see placed very soon. More Lawson books and stories, and a fantasy series with a far eastern flavor to it. I also have a few more Rogue Angel novels to write for Harlequin/Gold Eagle and they should be out over the next few years. In other words - quite a lot! Plus, a lot of my other stories and novels are for sale on Amazon for the Kindle.







Q: What would you say has been your most significant achievement as a writer?



Getting dropped by Kensington and hanging in there long enough to see Lawson find a new home at a better house - St. Martin's Press. You don't often hear about an established series getting the boot and then getting a second chance at life in a new publishing house. But I believed enough to make it happen. And I was lucky enough to find a fantastic editor and a wonderful agent, both of whom really believe in Lawson. And now I get to reach out to tens of thousands of new fans and introduce them to Lawson and his world. My fans mean everything to me. So, just knowing that I'll be meeting new ones is really very special to me.







Q: How did you get there?



Perseverance. Discipline. And a stubborn refusal to accept someone telling me that it couldn't be done. If I put my mind to accomplishing something - despite any obstacle - I will eventually get there. It might take a while, lol, but I will reach my goals. I owe that to my military and martial arts background. I simply refuse to stop or quit, even in the face of overwhelming challenge. My father passed when he was 48 and I'm 41 now. He had a lot of personal dreams he didn't get a chance to see come to pass. I'm determined to make sure I see all mine come true - for both me and my father.



Thanks very much for having me on your blog, Rae! :)



Thanks for stopping by Jon! Best wishes on all your endeavors. We look forward to seeing your work in print and on the screen!





For folks looking for a little something different in their vampire reading, check out Jon F. Merz's Vampire Lawson Books and his standalone espionage thrillers. You won't be disappointed!





The Kensei is available now wherever books are sold.





To learn more about Jon F. Merz, check him out on the web!





Official Site - http://jonfmerz.net/blog/

Twitter - http://www.facebook.com/jonfmerzfans

Excuse Me, Miss by Phillip Thomas Duck

2011 IR Reading Challenge

2011 POC Reading Challenge



4.5 - This is a 5 star story for me and my only real complaint is that I wish it was longer and preferably a series!



Mr. Duck wrote from a female perspective pretty impressively while showcasing 'fidelity anthropologist'/sexy decoy Victoria "Vicki" Frost as our narrator and main character. Vicki works to test the fidelity of married men and give their wives some comfort but at the same time, she is hiding secrets of her own which start to unravel when she happens to fall for one of the husbands she's testing.



This was an awesome story. I really liked the way Mr. Duck wrote Vicki as a whip smart yet vulnerable character. Even the guy she falls for is complex yet a good guy who tries to do right that I found myself rooting for them despite the context of their relationship.



There were instances where the transition confused me a little but overall it didn't affect my thoughts on the story. I really enjoyed it and would've loved to have seen more adventures with Vicki and how her situation turned out in the end considering where it left off. I hope Mr. Duck considers giving us another story!



Excuse Me, Miss is currently available in the Kindle Bookstore at Amazon.com

2011 - A Look Ahead

Greetings programs! (Yep, still on my Tron kick ;-))



This year has been rocky for me so far. My computer went ka-boom right smack on the 1st of the month so I've been navigating work in some interesting ways. Besides borrowing a comp from a family member, I'm making heavy use of my Blackberry. For instance, I started writing a novella on it. And not just any novella, a cyberpunk romance. Wild! Bring on the Philip K. Dick inspirations! Technology has come a long way and as I'm rewriting/editing some of my works (too be listed below) right here on the phone. Thank you for Microsoft Office on the go. It's also a great backup device for files I want to bring around with me. I can't help but think how much communications technology is speeding ahead.



This past Christmas, the e-reader market exploded, Amazon went Hollywood, the CES conference that took place just the other week was bursting with upcoming tablet devices and writers are becoming the storytellers of yore once again via online sales. Dragonpage has a wonderful podcast entry on this and the changing face of the publishing industry. I'm looking forward to see how it goes because it looks to be a very wild but interesting ride.



Looking ahead, I have a few projects in the works coming up early this year.



Longer works Inheritance of Ashes (Ashen Twilight Series #3 - Final book) Cimmerian City (Cimmerian Series #1)A Feast of Shadows (Cimmerian Series #2)

Short Fiction Uthiel's Embrace (Re-release)A Day in the Life of Simplicity (Re-release, new ending)

Now, most of my works will be released indie style with all trimmings (editing, professional layouts, etc.) in both ebook and print. I've received a few emails from my readers (Thank you, guys!) asking about when Cimmerian City will be making a comeback.



Cimmerian City was my first novel and probably the one I'm most proud of because it premiered with such gusto for me that it will always hold a place in my heart. Looking back, I think it needed some tightening in the story and a lil bit of expansion. A lot of time has changed in between the premiere and when it went out of print. Much of the climate I describe in the book dealing with corporations and government have come to a head and I'm adding a little bit more tweaks to tie in. Also, I've grown a bit stronger as a writer (at least I like to think so!) since the first release and I think I can bring a better polish with what I've learned  from my writing mentors and from what I've been teaching my students at the novel writing classes. I also like to take my time in making sure that the end product is the best it can be story content wise and editing, which means a few eyes have comb through the text! The last thing I want to do is have a reader disconnect from the story because of some errors! So that's why it's taking me a little time to polish but be sure that both stories in the Cimmerian Series universe will premiere very soon as well the conclusion to the Ashen Twilight series - Inheritance of Ashes.



'Inheritance' is going to be a heavy one. I'm already fussing over a lot of details and backstory because some revelations will be revealed in the first chapter and I want to make sure everything connects up. So expect to see the timeline updated along with some other extra special goodies to come. I'm thinking about adding the timeline and character info in the last book, that way it won't be spoiled for anyone who's still on the first two books. :-)



I'll pop in with an updated post in the middle of the year to see what's ahead for late 2011. Who knows what new developments we'll have by then. Maybe flying cars manned by e-readers and tablets? ;-)

Rae's Best Books of 2010

And here we come to another end of the year. 2010, the year we make contact.



No aliens in sight but there have been tons of fae, historicals, gangsters, some werewolves, speakeasies and a little bit of toe-tapping jazz thrown in just to name a few. So here is my list of the best books I read and enjoyed this year.





Parallax by Jon F. Merz



What happens when two professional assassins - one a Mafia hitman and the other a former German terrorist - kill at exactly the same moment in time? For Ernst Stahl and Frank Jolino the result is a psychic bond that slowly blossoms in each man's mind, enabling them to see into the other's world. Frank Jolino doesn't like what he sees, especially when he realizes that Stahl is headed to his home turf of Boston to kill a scientist who may hold the key to solving the world's deadliest diseases. But for Stahl, there's no other option. Virtually bankrupt and with his son in desperate need of a bone marrow transplant, he's got little choice but to take the assignment. Jolino has other ideas. On the run from his crime syndicate for refusing to kill his ex-girlfriend-turned-government-informant, Jolino sets a plan in motion that will bring the two men face-to-face and gun-to-gun...with no guarantees either will survive.



Parallax is what made me a Jon F. Merz fangirl and I've been gathering his backlist since then. I'm excited to announce that he'll be making a stop here at AWD next month so it'll be an honor to have one of my fave authors on the blog.



With a mixture of awesome action, intrigue and romance, Parallax had me glued to the page all the way to the end. I love books featuring likable anti-heroes and this book had two! I also loved the sci-fi angle in there and the conspiracy of experiments that was uncovered later on down the road. I can see many enjoyable re-reads of Parallax and it has earned my favorite book of 2010!





The Iron King by Julie Kagawa

  Meghan Chase has a secret destiny—one she could never have imagined…

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school…or at home.



When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.



But she could never have guessed the truth—that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face…and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.



 The Iron King was the one that started it all! A rousing Young Adult adventure fantasy with a romance hanging in the wings. I loved it! I first listened to this on audio and remember hanging to each word. I'm a bonafide Fae fan so I had to grab this. I was not disappointed in the least. I loved the characters, the beautiful lush landscape of the Fae and my favorite hero of 2010 - the winter Prince Ash. Yum.



Reading The Iron Queen now makes the first book seem like it happened eons ago rather than just a few months. Meghan has gone through quite the journey and I'm dying to see more of the adventures in this world. I would love to see a movie version but I fear that it will taint my imaginations just a bit. For now, I'm happy to re-read this series as I look forward to the fourth book which features Ash's prequel. If you like YA fantasy with a Fae backdrop, definitely pick up the Iron Fey series!





Gold Mountain by Sharon Cullars



 In 1865, the hope for gold has spurred many to seek their fortunes in California, the place the Chinese call Gum San or "Gold Mountain." Amidst this backdrop, Quiang, a new Chinese immigrant, works the dangerous rails hoping to save enough money to send home to his parents. In town, Leah and Clara, two enterprising women from New York, have plans of their own to grow a restaurant and laundry business. However, both plans go awry when Quiang and Leah meet one fateful day. What starts as a budding attraction soon grows into tumultuous desire despite the cultural and language barriers between them.



Initially resistant, Leah succumbs to passion following a tragic loss that leaves her vulnerable and alone. With hopes for a future that now includes Leah, Quiang embarks on a perilous path as he leaves the railroad behind for a more profitable position as a courier for The Tong, henchmen for the dangerous Triad. Quiang soon finds that navigating the secretive life of a courier brings more danger than he has ever faced on the railroad, dangers that not only threaten to tear him and Leah apart, but may cost them their lives as well.



I loved this book! I had heard about Sharon Cullars work but reading it firsthand, I can see she is definitely a fantastic author. There aren't many historicals much less westerns that feature people of color and I was ecstatic to pick this one up to read the experience and to read an IR from my fave couple mix: AM/BW. This book was a real treat. It had romance, historical detail, suspense and action with a richness that really brought the story to life. I would love to read more historical IRs. My favorite other than this one is Zoe by T.A. Ford which was on my 2009 list of best reads. I look forward to more offerings from Ms. Cullars but in the mean time, I'll be diving into her backlist!



Other faves of 2010: