Reena Jacobs's Blog, page 45

Ghastly Fears

[image error]So I've been sending off review requests to bloggers for Shadow Cat. Of course I can't stop myself from reading the other reviews. Then I got to thinking. Some of these authors get not so great ratings. And if they're like me, they probably think their work is da bomb. What if people hate my story? What if it lands on the piles of DNF? or worse! It gets the F or 1 star ratings. Yikes!

The fears are enough to make many authors hide their works in shame. I could do that. But then I think, what if it is good? If I hide Shadow Cat in a closet never to be seen by others, then I'll never know. Now will I? Well, I want to find out if my writing rocks or that other thing. And even if Shadow Cat crashes and burns, there's always that next book.

For those wanting to give Shadow Cat a test drive, check out my free reads page. Sample it on Amazon or Smashwords.

What keeps you going despite the fears?

Character Interview: Carl Whitman from Anchored + Giveaway[CLOSED]

If you haven't stopped by Rachel Haimowitz's blog, do so! From January 14-24, 2011, she's having her blog tour for Anchored: Belonging Book One. Anchored releases on January 17, 2011, from Noble Romance Publishing. To celebrate, Ms. Haimowitz is throwing one heck of a party and giving out nearly twenty-five free books!

Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder—being a slave—makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.

Daniel's not stupid; he knows there's only one reason a man would pay so much for what little free time he has, and it's got nothing to do with his knowledge of current events. But he's never been made to serve like that before, and he fears he won't survive the experience with his sanity intact.

He finds himself in the home of Carl Whitman, a talk show host whose words fail him time and again when it comes to ordering Daniel to bed. Daniel knows what Carl wants, but it seems as if Carl isn't willing to take it, and Daniel's not willing to give it freely. His recalcitrance costs him dearly, but with patience and some hard-won understanding, love just might flourish where once there'd been only fear and pain. Can Carl become the anchor in Daniel's turbulent life, or will he end up the weight that sinks his slave for good?

(WARNING: This book contains potentially triggering subject matter, including a violent on-screen rape. Please take heed.)

Today Carl Whitman, the talk show host who leases Daniel, is here to chat up with us for a bit.

Reena Jacobs: Thank you, Mr. Whitman, for joining us today. I imagine you have a pretty busy schedule.

Carl Whitman: My pleasure. Always happy to chat with a fan.

RJ: I bet your introduction into broadcasting differed significantly from Daniel's. Tell us a little about how you became a news anchor.

CW: I'm actually a late-night talk show host, although I did get my start in news. Radio, to be specific. I studied broadcasting at NYU, did a 30-minute radio show on the college station my junior and senior year. A lot of current events, a lot of football talk, the occasional interview. Took an internship at a local radio station the summer after my senior year, and ended up staying on there for three years. I was the guy who did the Local News on the 15s, you know? Mostly reading wire reports, but every once in a while I'd get to interview a local celebrity or politician. After that, let's see . . . Moved on to sports reporting with the local evening news, then got a gig morningside as a co-host on the local morning show—slightly bigger market, went from Philly to New York—and it all just sort of took off from there.

RJ: I'm curious about your childhood and your interactions with slaves. Will you share with us a bit about that?

CW: I grew up pretty solidly middle class. My parents couldn't afford their own slaves, but I remember they used to rent a woman from a couple down the street, have her come in and clean once a week, maybe send her out to do the grocery shopping if they were really busy. And they hired slave babysitters for me and my sister from an agency. Since my dad worked a lot of late nights and my mom was getting her Master's degree in the evenings for a few years, there was a lot of babysitting going on. So in a way I guess they were a part of our household, and of course they're just everywhere in restaurants and stores and whatnot. I always knew they were important resources, and my dad raised his kids never to be cruel to a slave—a lot of times they just don't know better, or just don't understand; it's pretty uncommon to see one being deliberately willful. Like dogs, you know? They trust you, and they count on you for their care and safety and affection, and in the end, they really only want to please you. That's a lot of responsibility, and you need to take it seriously. Which is why, to be honest, I hadn't ever really given serious thought to owning my own slave until my career really took off. Suddenly I had no free time anymore, but more money than I knew what to do with. Seemed smart to stop renting someone from an agency and just get my own.

RJ: How did you discover Jane?

CW: So I've got this thing, right? This allergic-to-gluten thing. Makes it kind of hard to eat out. But there was this little restaurant down in the East Village, place called Lefties, they serve the most amazing gluten-free food. I'd go down there maybe once, twice a week, every week, and one day when it's not real busy, I ask the waiter if I can't give my compliments to the chef. So he brings her out, and it's Jane, this quiet, polite little southern belle. And then I see the bracelets and realize she's a slave—well, plus, you know, the whole "Yes sir" and "No sir" and "Thank you, sir" bit she had going on, never looking me in the eye and all. But anyway, this is around the same time the money's piling up and my time is dwindling and I'd made up my mind I needed to buy someone. She didn't come cheap—the owner was pretty fond of her, and frankly I don't blame him—but we shook hands on it that night and I came to pick her up the next day.

RJ: What was your rationale behind keeping Jane's husband?

CW: Husband, eh? I mean, I know I got them rings, but you do know slaves can't marry, right? But anyway, why I kept Dave? *shrugs* They're in love. And yeah, sure, maybe it's true that slaves don't feel love like we do, but still, it woulda been cruel to pull them apart. And I told you what my dad taught us about never being cruel to a slave. Anyway, Dave's not such a bad investment. He's got good skills, and he's eager to please; the agency finds him a lot of work.

RW: Would you ever allow Jane to have children of her own?

CW: I gotta be honest, I really don't want a baby in the apartment crying all hours of the night. Besides, I get the impression Jane doesn't want kids. Don't know why, but she always gets this look when she sees other people's babies, you know? Like it makes her sad. All I know is, she asked me if she could go on the pill, and I got it for her. If she comes to me one day and says she doesn't want it anymore, well, I guess we'd deal with it then. Maybe if I moved to a bigger place, somewhere I wouldn't hear the kid or trip over its toys . . . I mean, it might be kind of nice to have a little critter around.

RJ: Tell us about the first time you saw Daniel.

CW: Hm, well, I guess it was . . . six or seven years ago, maybe? He was a foreign correspondent then with InfoGlobe, just starting to break out into the spotlight. Fuck, he was pretty, and smart, too. They knew they really had something special there.

RJ: When did you first realize you had the hots for him?

CW: *laughs* Oh, I dunno, the instant I laid eyes on him? I mean, seriously, have you seen the guy?

RJ: What draws you most to Daniel?

CW: I know I should be mature here and say "his brain," but . . . I mean, not that it isn't a lovely brain, because it is; he's smart, he can really be hilariously funny when he lets his fucking hair down and relaxes, he's lightning-quick on his feet, a little flirty—and mind you, I don't even think he realizes he's doing it. Guy just oozes charm. He's got a big heart, too, so appreciative of the tiniest little things. And he certainly doesn't hurt to look at, either, if you know what I mean.

RJ: Is there anything about Daniel you'd change?

CW: Sometimes I wish he weren't a slave, you know? But it's not as if manumission is even legal in this country, so even if I owned him I couldn't make that choice. Anyway, poor kid would have no idea how to take care of himself. But he's just so skittish sometimes, and there are things I'd love to do with him, places I'd love to take him, where those damn bracelets just get in the way.

RJ: Why did you lease Daniel rather than flat out purchase him? And are you considering purchasing him in the future?

CW: Hah! I wish I could buy him, but that man is so not for sale. Even if he were, I doubt I could afford him. Do you know how much it costs just to lease him?

RJ: We'll we be hearing more about you and Daniel in the future?

CW: At the very least, you can see us on TV five days a week. And I'm afraid we've been in more than our share of the gossip rags lately too. God only knows why the press is so interested in our sex life, but there you have it, eh? You know what I think? I think they're jealous.

RJ: Thank you again for stopping by today, Mr. Whitman. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on you and Daniel, gossip and all.

You can find my review of Anchored here. Find out more about the men in Rachel Haimowitz and the men in her life on her blog.

Great news! Rachel Haimowitz has offered prizes to two lucky commenters! So what's up for grabs?

1 ebook copy of Counterpoint: Book I of Song of the Fallen OR of Sublime: Collected Shorts (winner's choice).
1 swag pack featuring cover art from Anchored and my other works.

The rules! We love rules, don't we?

Leave a comment on this post.
Leave your email in the post, so I can forward your info to Ms. Haimowitz.
Giveaway ends Sunday, January 23, 2011.

So… want to keep on top of the Anchored Release Party? Here's what's happening.

Complete Anchored Release Party Schedule: http://rachel-haimowitz.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour.html
Yesterday's Blog Tour Stops: http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/ (exclusive excerpt), http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/ (author interview and exclusive excerpt)
Today's other blog tour stops: http://nobleauthors.blogspot.com/ ("official kickoff"), and http://shakirrashaan.wordpress.com/ (book review)
Tomorrow's stops: http://alanchinwriter.blogspot.com/ (Reader Q&A Part I), http://mariesexton.net/ (Reader Q&A Part II)

Character Interview: Carl Whitman from Anchored + Giveaway

If you haven't stopped by Rachel Haimowitz's blog, do so! From January 14-24, 2011, she's having her blog tour for Anchored: Belonging Book One. Anchored releases on January 17, 2011, from Noble Romance Publishing. To celebrate, Ms. Haimowitz is throwing one heck of a party and giving out nearly twenty-five free books!

Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder—being a slave—makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.

Daniel's not stupid; he knows there's only one reason a man would pay so much for what little free time he has, and it's got nothing to do with his knowledge of current events. But he's never been made to serve like that before, and he fears he won't survive the experience with his sanity intact.

He finds himself in the home of Carl Whitman, a talk show host whose words fail him time and again when it comes to ordering Daniel to bed. Daniel knows what Carl wants, but it seems as if Carl isn't willing to take it, and Daniel's not willing to give it freely. His recalcitrance costs him dearly, but with patience and some hard-won understanding, love just might flourish where once there'd been only fear and pain. Can Carl become the anchor in Daniel's turbulent life, or will he end up the weight that sinks his slave for good?

(WARNING: This book contains potentially triggering subject matter, including a violent on-screen rape. Please take heed.)

Today Carl Whitman, the talk show host who leases Daniel, is here to chat up with us for a bit.

Reena Jacobs: Thank you, Mr. Whitman, for joining us today. I imagine you have a pretty busy schedule.

Carl Whitman: My pleasure. Always happy to chat with a fan.

RJ: I bet your introduction into broadcasting differed significantly from Daniel's. Tell us a little about how you became a news anchor.

CW: I'm actually a late-night talk show host, although I did get my start in news. Radio, to be specific. I studied broadcasting at NYU, did a 30-minute radio show on the college station my junior and senior year. A lot of current events, a lot of football talk, the occasional interview. Took an internship at a local radio station the summer after my senior year, and ended up staying on there for three years. I was the guy who did the Local News on the 15s, you know? Mostly reading wire reports, but every once in a while I'd get to interview a local celebrity or politician. After that, let's see . . . Moved on to sports reporting with the local evening news, then got a gig morningside as a co-host on the local morning show—slightly bigger market, went from Philly to New York—and it all just sort of took off from there.

RJ: I'm curious about your childhood and your interactions with slaves. Will you share with us a bit about that?

CW: I grew up pretty solidly middle class. My parents couldn't afford their own slaves, but I remember they used to rent a woman from a couple down the street, have her come in and clean once a week, maybe send her out to do the grocery shopping if they were really busy. And they hired slave babysitters for me and my sister from an agency. Since my dad worked a lot of late nights and my mom was getting her Master's degree in the evenings for a few years, there was a lot of babysitting going on. So in a way I guess they were a part of our household, and of course they're just everywhere in restaurants and stores and whatnot. I always knew they were important resources, and my dad raised his kids never to be cruel to a slave—a lot of times they just don't know better, or just don't understand; it's pretty uncommon to see one being deliberately willful. Like dogs, you know? They trust you, and they count on you for their care and safety and affection, and in the end, they really only want to please you. That's a lot of responsibility, and you need to take it seriously. Which is why, to be honest, I hadn't ever really given serious thought to owning my own slave until my career really took off. Suddenly I had no free time anymore, but more money than I knew what to do with. Seemed smart to stop renting someone from an agency and just get my own.

RJ: How did you discover Jane?

CW: So I've got this thing, right? This allergic-to-gluten thing. Makes it kind of hard to eat out. But there was this little restaurant down in the East Village, place called Lefties, they serve the most amazing gluten-free food. I'd go down there maybe once, twice a week, every week, and one day when it's not real busy, I ask the waiter if I can't give my compliments to the chef. So he brings her out, and it's Jane, this quiet, polite little southern belle. And then I see the bracelets and realize she's a slave—well, plus, you know, the whole "Yes sir" and "No sir" and "Thank you, sir" bit she had going on, never looking me in the eye and all. But anyway, this is around the same time the money's piling up and my time is dwindling and I'd made up my mind I needed to buy someone. She didn't come cheap—the owner was pretty fond of her, and frankly I don't blame him—but we shook hands on it that night and I came to pick her up the next day.

RJ: What was your rationale behind keeping Jane's husband?

CW: Husband, eh? I mean, I know I got them rings, but you do know slaves can't marry, right? But anyway, why I kept Dave? *shrugs* They're in love. And yeah, sure, maybe it's true that slaves don't feel love like we do, but still, it woulda been cruel to pull them apart. And I told you what my dad taught us about never being cruel to a slave. Anyway, Dave's not such a bad investment. He's got good skills, and he's eager to please; the agency finds him a lot of work.

RW: Would you ever allow Jane to have children of her own?

CW: I gotta be honest, I really don't want a baby in the apartment crying all hours of the night. Besides, I get the impression Jane doesn't want kids. Don't know why, but she always gets this look when she sees other people's babies, you know? Like it makes her sad. All I know is, she asked me if she could go on the pill, and I got it for her. If she comes to me one day and says she doesn't want it anymore, well, I guess we'd deal with it then. Maybe if I moved to a bigger place, somewhere I wouldn't hear the kid or trip over its toys . . . I mean, it might be kind of nice to have a little critter around.

RJ: Tell us about the first time you saw Daniel.

CW: Hm, well, I guess it was . . . six or seven years ago, maybe? He was a foreign correspondent then with InfoGlobe, just starting to break out into the spotlight. Fuck, he was pretty, and smart, too. They knew they really had something special there.

RJ: When did you first realize you had the hots for him?

CW: *laughs* Oh, I dunno, the instant I laid eyes on him? I mean, seriously, have you seen the guy?

RJ: What draws you most to Daniel?

CW: I know I should be mature here and say "his brain," but . . . I mean, not that it isn't a lovely brain, because it is; he's smart, he can really be hilariously funny when he lets his fucking hair down and relaxes, he's lightning-quick on his feet, a little flirty—and mind you, I don't even think he realizes he's doing it. Guy just oozes charm. He's got a big heart, too, so appreciative of the tiniest little things. And he certainly doesn't hurt to look at, either, if you know what I mean.

RJ: Is there anything about Daniel you'd change?

CW: Sometimes I wish he weren't a slave, you know? But it's not as if manumission is even legal in this country, so even if I owned him I couldn't make that choice. Anyway, poor kid would have no idea how to take care of himself. But he's just so skittish sometimes, and there are things I'd love to do with him, places I'd love to take him, where those damn bracelets just get in the way.

RJ: Why did you lease Daniel rather than flat out purchase him? And are you considering purchasing him in the future?

CW: Hah! I wish I could buy him, but that man is so not for sale. Even if he were, I doubt I could afford him. Do you know how much it costs just to lease him?

RJ: We'll we be hearing more about you and Daniel in the future?

CW: At the very least, you can see us on TV five days a week. And I'm afraid we've been in more than our share of the gossip rags lately too. God only knows why the press is so interested in our sex life, but there you have it, eh? You know what I think? I think they're jealous.

RJ: Thank you again for stopping by today, Mr. Whitman. We'll definitely be keeping an eye on you and Daniel, gossip and all.

You can find my review of Anchored here. Find out more about the men in Rachel Haimowitz and the men in her life on her blog.

Great news! Rachel Haimowitz has offered prizes to two lucky commenters! So what's up for grabs?

1 ebook copy of Counterpoint: Book I of Song of the Fallen OR of Sublime: Collected Shorts (winner's choice).
1 swag pack featuring cover art from Anchored and my other works.

The rules! We love rules, don't we?

Leave a comment on this post.
Leave your email in the post, so I can forward your info to Ms. Haimowitz.
Giveaway ends Sunday, January 23, 2011.

So… want to keep on top of the Anchored Release Party? Here's what's happening.

Complete Anchored Release Party Schedule: http://rachel-haimowitz.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour.html
Yesterday's Blog Tour Stops: http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/ (exclusive excerpt), http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/ (author interview and exclusive excerpt)
Today's other blog tour stops: http://nobleauthors.blogspot.com/ ("official kickoff"), and http://shakirrashaan.wordpress.com/ (book review) *Tomorrow's stops: http://alanchinwriter.blogspot.com/ (Reader Q&A Part I), http://mariesexton.net/ (Reader Q&A Part II)

Novel Review: Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz

I think Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz makes my third M/M piece of work. I realized early with my experience with M/M writings that contemporary romance style plots don't do it for me (this goes for the traditional M/F romances also). The novelty of a M/M situation doesn't make the storyline unique enough to grab my attention. So when Ms. Haimowitz offered Anchored to me, I was quite a bit apprehensive. Try a few chapters of Counterpoint, she said. If you like it, you can come back for Anchored. Well, I tried a few chapters of Counterpoint. One thing for sure, it was outside my normal reads and had me intrigued. Had me asking, Uh… Ms. Haimowitz. Is that offer for Anchored still open? Before we get down and dirty with the review, the blurb from Ms. Haimowitz's Website.

Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder—being a slave—makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.

Daniel's not stupid; he knows there's only one reason a man would pay so much for what little free time he has, and it's got nothing to do with his knowledge of current events. But he's never been made to serve like that before, and he fears he won't survive the experience with his sanity intact.

He finds himself in the home of Carl Whitman, a talk show host whose words fail him time and again when it comes to ordering Daniel to bed. Daniel knows what Carl wants, but it seems as if Carl isn't willing to take it, and Daniel's not willing to give it freely. His recalcitrance costs him dearly, but with patience and some hard-won understanding, love just might flourish where once there'd been only fear and pain. Can Carl become the anchor in Daniel's turbulent life, or will he end up the weight that sinks his slave for good?

Warning: This book contains an on-screen rape.

First thing I found was Anchored is set in an alternative time-line where slavery is prominent in the present world. Hmm… that was different and enough to keep me reading. Okay, so this was a fictional piece of work. However, reading about slavery in history books in the classroom truly doesn't do justice to what it means to be a slave. Ms. Haimowitz did an excellent job of showing the classes, privileges, and rights (or lack thereof) between the slave and free class. Myself, as an American living with quite a few privileges, it's easy to take for granted the many haves while getting pissy when I have nots. For instance, I've been known to spout off like I've lost my mind when I know there's no major consequence lurking around the corner. Let a slave from Anchored try that.

So characters: Daniel (MC) was a true slave and played the role. He had a few moments when he pushed boundaries, but for the most part was easy to reel back in. At times, it was truly sad. I felt for the guy. Daniel wasn't a protagonist who exuded strength. He was broken in a way which lent itself to a sympathetic audience. His life wasn't perfect, but he dealt. It even got me a little misty-eyed a few times. The realism was something I understood.

Carl, Daniel's co-star, was patient but still a master true and true to the end. He reminded me of bible teachings where slaves were released in the seventh year. But if the slave had a good master, he/she might not want release, so sold himself back into slavery to avoid the stress which came with being free. Carl was that kind of master. He wasn't perfect, but he cared enough that his slaves knew it could be worse elsewhere. By the way, if you stop by after 7 am EST today, Carl agreed to do an interview with me, and Ms. Haimowitz will be checking throughout the day. So don't miss out.

Now the villain, Mr. Foster… he was a mean one. I love villains I can hate with a passion. I can't help but want to learn more about him. How did he get to be so wicked? Mr. Foster had very small parts, but those parts played a significant role in the overall interactions between Daniel and the other characters. Gosh, I'd love to read a story about him with him as a main character or co-star.

Plot wise: When I started this, I was expecting a bit of M on M romance. I got something entirely different. A powerful yank kind of different, but different good. I think it's why I liked it so much. Personally, I found very little of this book erotic until the very end—not much guy on guy action. I was fine with that since I haven't decided if M/M sex in books are for me yet. Still I found myself wiping the fog from my glasses at once time. One thing Anchored did have was a lot of emotional drama. That worked for me, because I'm all about my protagonists going through the fire. I often return to a comment Nalini Singh made on her blog about thinking about the worse you can do to your hero/heroine, then do it. Ms. Haimowitz certainly did that.

Overall, this was a great read. So good in fact, it almost made my 2010 favorites. What held it back? This was my first Happy For Now ending. And I've come to find out that I'm not too fond of those. I don't have to have a Happily Ever After, but I definitely like closure. Now I'm not saying Anchored had a cliffhanger. It didn't. This was a COMPLETE story. It just left me wondering, What will happen to Daniel and Carl now? So, if I were one to rate this, I'd say it's a 5 star read which just barely missed the 2010 Favorites list.

Favorite Lines:

"My god, you're like one of those shivery little wet dogs ridiculous women carry in their purses."
The prod went off again and he thought, God, what I wouldn't give to be someone else right now. Anyone else. Anyone at all.
What the fuck does that mean? Guys like him? He was a slave, just like the doorman. Just a damn slave.

Now this read isn't for everyone. And it comes with a rough label. Still, I highly recommend this to folks who enjoy works by Kitty Thomas but like the M/M flavor.

So… want to keep on top of the Anchored Release Party? Here's what's happening.

Complete Anchored Release Party Schedule: http://rachel-haimowitz.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour.html
Yesterday's Blog Tour Stops: http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/ (exclusive excerpt), http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/ (author interview and exclusive excerpt)
Today's other blog tour stops: http://nobleauthors.blogspot.com/ ("official kickoff"), and http://shakirrashaan.wordpress.com/ (book review)
Tomorrow's stops: http://alanchinwriter.blogspot.com/ (Reader Q&A Part I), http://mariesexton.net/ (Reader Q&A Part II)

Novel Reviw: Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz

I think Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz makes my third M/M piece of work. I realized early with my experience with M/M writings that contemporary romance style plots don't do it for me (this goes for the traditional M/F romances also). The novelty of a M/M situation doesn't make the storyline unique enough to grab my attention. So when Ms. Haimowitz offered Anchored to me, I was quite a bit apprehensive. Try a few chapters of Counterpoint, she said. If you like it, you can come back for Anchored. Well, I tried a few chapters of Counterpoint. One thing for sure, it was outside my normal reads and had me intrigued. Had me asking, Uh… Ms. Haimowitz. Is that offer for Anchored still open? Before we get down and dirty with the review, the blurb from Ms. Haimowitz's Website.

Network news anchor Daniel Halstrom is at the top of his field, but being at the bottom of the social ladder—being a slave—makes that hard to enjoy. Especially when NewWorld Media, the company who's owned him since childhood, decides to lease him on evenings and weekends to boost their flagging profits.

Daniel's not stupid; he knows there's only one reason a man would pay so much for what little free time he has, and it's got nothing to do with his knowledge of current events. But he's never been made to serve like that before, and he fears he won't survive the experience with his sanity intact.

He finds himself in the home of Carl Whitman, a talk show host whose words fail him time and again when it comes to ordering Daniel to bed. Daniel knows what Carl wants, but it seems as if Carl isn't willing to take it, and Daniel's not willing to give it freely. His recalcitrance costs him dearly, but with patience and some hard-won understanding, love just might flourish where once there'd been only fear and pain. Can Carl become the anchor in Daniel's turbulent life, or will he end up the weight that sinks his slave for good?

Warning: This book contains an on-screen rape.

First thing I found was Anchored is set in an alternative time-line where slavery is prominent in the present world. Hmm… that was different and enough to keep me reading. Okay, so this was a fictional piece of work. However, reading about slavery in history books in the classroom truly doesn't do justice to what it means to be a slave. Ms. Haimowitz did an excellent job of showing the classes, privileges, and rights (or lack thereof) between the slave and free class. Myself, as an American living with quite a few privileges, it's easy to take for granted the many haves while getting pissy when I have nots. For instance, I've been known to spout off like I've lost my mind when I know there's no major consequence lurking around the corner. Let a slave from Anchored try that.

So characters: Daniel (MC) was a true slave and played the role. He had a few moments when he pushed boundaries, but for the most part was easy to reel back in. At times, it was truly sad. I felt for the guy. Daniel wasn't a protagonist who exuded strength. He was broken in a way which lent itself to a sympathetic audience. His life wasn't perfect, but he dealt. It even got me a little misty-eyed a few times. The realism was something I understood.

Carl, Daniel's co-star, was patient but still a master true and true to the end. He reminded me of bible teachings where slaves were released in the seventh year. But if the slave had a good master, he/she might not want release, so sold himself back into slavery to avoid the stress which came with being free. Carl was that kind of master. He wasn't perfect, but he cared enough that his slaves knew it could be worse elsewhere. By the way, if you stop by after 7 am EST today, Carl agreed to do an interview with me, and Ms. Haimowitz will be checking throughout the day. So don't miss out.

Now the villain, Mr. Foster… he was a mean one. I love villains I can hate with a passion. I can't help but want to learn more about him. How did he get to be so wicked? Mr. Foster had very small parts, but those parts played a significant role in the overall interactions between Daniel and the other characters. Gosh, I'd love to read a story about him with him as a main character or co-star.

Plot wise: When I started this, I was expecting a bit of M on M romance. I got something entirely different. A powerful yank kind of different, but different good. I think it's why I liked it so much. Personally, I found very little of this book erotic until the very end—not much guy on guy action. I was fine with that since I haven't decided if M/M sex in books are for me yet. Still I found myself wiping the fog from my glasses at once time. One thing Anchored did have was a lot of emotional drama. That worked for me, because I'm all about my protagonists going through the fire. I often return to a comment Nalini Singh made on her blog about thinking about the worse you can do to your hero/heroine, then do it. Ms. Haimowitz certainly did that.

Overall, this was a great read. So good in fact, it almost made my 2010 favorites. What held it back? This was my first Happy For Now ending. And I've come to find out that I'm not too fond of those. I don't have to have a Happily Ever After, but I definitely like closure. Now I'm not saying Anchored had a cliffhanger. It didn't. This was a COMPLETE story. It just left me wondering, What will happen to Daniel and Carl now? So, if I were one to rate this, I'd say it's a 5 star read which just barely missed the 2010 Favorites list.

Favorite Lines:

"My god, you're like one of those shivery little wet dogs ridiculous women carry in their purses."
The prod went off again and he thought, God, what I wouldn't give to be someone else right now. Anyone else. Anyone at all.
What the fuck does that mean? Guys like him? He was a slave, just like the doorman. Just a damn slave.

Now this read isn't for everyone. And it comes with a rough label. Still, I highly recommend this to folks who enjoy works by Kitty Thomas but like the M/M flavor.

So… want to keep on top of the Anchored Release Party? Here's what's happening.

Complete Anchored Release Party Schedule: http://rachel-haimowitz.blogspot.com/p/blog-tour.html
Yesterday's Blog Tour Stops: http://dreneebagbypresentsfirstchapters.blogspot.com/ (exclusive excerpt), http://nightsofpassion.wordpress.com/ (author interview and exclusive excerpt)
Today's other blog tour stops: http://nobleauthors.blogspot.com/ ("official kickoff"), and http://shakirrashaan.wordpress.com/ (book review) *Tomorrow's stops: http://alanchinwriter.blogspot.com/ (Reader Q&A Part I), http://mariesexton.net/ (Reader Q&A Part II)

Blogoversary: Day 7 Winners

Looks like we've reached the last batch of winners. It has been a hectic two weeks, that's for sure. I was lucky to have such a great set of indie authors willing to be so generous with their works. Their contests have ended, but if you haven't heard the book buzz, definitely read through the older blogoversary posts. Also, you'll find a list of indie authors on the left side bar. Check out their websites or works sometimes. You might be  pleasantly surprised.

Many thanks to the readership. As much as I enjoy talking to myself, it's always nice to know folks are out there listening in.

So! How are we wrapping this all up? Well, let's see.

$10 worth of indie eBooks from Amazon plus a book up to $10 from the Book Depository. (International to anywhere the Book Depository delivers)
$10 worth of indie eBooks from Amazon (International)

Without further ado, the winners are !

DarkBloodyVamp ~ You've won a mini- shopping spree at Amazon and the Book Depository.

Maria Guajardo (GABY) ~ You've one the mini-mini shopping spree at Amazon!

haha ready for more fireworks? Gosh I wish I had sound effects.

Emails have been sent to the winners who have until Monday, January 17, 2011 to get back to me.

Don't forget to pick up your consolation prize–Control Freak: Brandon's Story at Smashwords. Use the coupon code HZ25V which is good until February 8, 2011. As a special bonus, I released Shadow Cat the day after the big blogoversary day. Exciting! Readers are welcome to download that work over the next few days for 50% off. Use the code: PE32F on Smashwords. Offer expires Monday, January 17, 2011. Enjoy!

Also, check out the current giveaway featuring L.K. Rigel, author of Space Junque and Spiderwork.

Guest Post: L.K. Rigel on Editing + Giveaway [CLOSED]

If you're an indie author, you've probably heard it before, "You need an editor." Quite a few individuals offer their editing services, but I've had a hard time finding folks to make firm recommendations. Lucky for us, L.K. Rigel joins us today to share her experience with working with her editors.

My Editors
by
L.K. Rigel

I recently published the second book in my In Flagrante Apocalypto series. The first book, Space Junque, was edited by Anne Frasier/Theresa Weir. The second, Spiderwork, was edited by Cara Wallace. Being two completely different human beings, the experience was completely different.

Both of them made the book they worked on better than could have been otherwise.

Theresa is a best-selling author with years of experience both writing and editing. My short story Slurp was accepted to the Halloween anthology Deadly Treats, to be published by Nodin Press next fall. She edited all the stories in the anthology.

Theresa brings a lot of gravitas to the relationship. I trust her judgment. More than editing a book, working on Space Junque with her was like taking a graduate seminar on writing and me being the only student.

Cara hasn't published any novels or edited any anthologies. She has a master's degree in English, years of experience freelance editing, and a highly analytical mind. She is an amazing blurb writer. I will never struggle over a blurb again. I have found blurb heaven, and its name is Cara Wallace.

Because I wasn't taking a graduate seminar from Cara, the editing process went a lot faster with her. And in these heady days of indie publishing, there is a lot to be said for speed. On the other hand, I had a few continuity questions from a couple of thorough readers when Spiderwork first came out. The questions were spot on — enough so that I added another 4K words to the book.

Another beauty of electronic publishing, being able to make corrections and changes.

I enjoyed both styles of editing. What kind of editing experiences have you had? What do you look for in a dream editor?

LK Rigel is the author of the novella Space Junque (In Flagrante Apocalypto 1) and Spiderwork (In Flagrante Apocalypto 2). Her short story Slurp will be included in Deadly Treats, an anthology edited by Anne Frasier coming September 2011 from Nodin Press.

Rigel's writing has appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway.

She lives in California with her cat Coleridge.

BONUS: Ms. Rigel is offering goodies! One lucky winner will receive a copy of her latest work, Spiderwork. As a special touch, if the winner doesn't have a copy of Space Junque (see my review here) she's offering that also. Don't we just love starting at the beginning of a series?

So how do you win? Simple. Fill out the Form

The rules!

You'll earn 1 point for completing the form and additional point if you tweet and leave the link.
You may tweet once per day after your initial entry for an extra 2 points. Use the same form.
Comments are appreciated, but only entries from the form count.
Giveaway ends Friday, January 21, 2011.
Please read the giveaway policy for the nitty gritty.

Anxious? Head over to Amazon for a copy of Spiderwork or Space Junque.

Guest Post: L.K. Rigel on Editing + Giveaway

If you're an indie author, you've probably heard it before, "You need an editor." Quite a few individuals offer their editing services, but I've had a hard time finding folks to make firm recommendations. Lucky for us, L.K. Rigel joins us today to share her experience with working with her editors.

My Editors
by
L.K. Rigel

I recently published the second book in my In Flagrante Apocalypto series. The first book, Space Junque, was edited by Anne Frasier/Theresa Weir. The second, Spiderwork, was edited by Cara Wallace. Being two completely different human beings, the experience was completely different.

Both of them made the book they worked on better than could have been otherwise.

Theresa is a best-selling author with years of experience both writing and editing. My short story Slurp was accepted to the Halloween anthology Deadly Treats, to be published by Nodin Press next fall. She edited all the stories in the anthology.

Theresa brings a lot of gravitas to the relationship. I trust her judgment. More than editing a book, working on Space Junque with her was like taking a graduate seminar on writing and me being the only student.

Cara hasn't published any novels or edited any anthologies. She has a master's degree in English, years of experience freelance editing, and a highly analytical mind. She is an amazing blurb writer. I will never struggle over a blurb again. I have found blurb heaven, and its name is Cara Wallace.

Because I wasn't taking a graduate seminar from Cara, the editing process went a lot faster with her. And in these heady days of indie publishing, there is a lot to be said for speed. On the other hand, I had a few continuity questions from a couple of thorough readers when Spiderwork first came out. The questions were spot on — enough so that I added another 4K words to the book.

Another beauty of electronic publishing, being able to make corrections and changes.

I enjoyed both styles of editing. What kind of editing experiences have you had? What do you look for in a dream editor?

LK Rigel is the author of the novella Space Junque (In Flagrante Apocalypto 1) and Spiderwork (In Flagrante Apocalypto 2). Her short story Slurp will be included in Deadly Treats, an anthology edited by Anne Frasier coming September 2011 from Nodin Press.

Rigel's writing has appeared in Literary Mama and Tattoo Highway.

She lives in California with her cat Coleridge.

BONUS: Ms. Rigel is offering goodies! One lucky winner will receive a copy of her latest work, Spiderwork. As a special touch, if the winner doesn't have a copy of Space Junque (see my review here) she's offering that also. Don't we just love starting at the beginning of a series?

So how do you win? Simple. Fill out the Form.

The rules!

You'll earn 1 point for completing the form and additional point if you tweet and leave the link.
You may tweet once per day after your initial entry for an extra 2 points. Use the same form.
Comments are appreciated, but only entries from the form count.
Giveaway ends Friday, January 21, 2011.
Please read the giveaway policy for the nitty gritty.

Loading…

Anxious? Head over to Amazon for a copy of Spiderwork or Space Junque.

Novella Review: Space Junque by L.K. Rigel

L.K. Rigel offered me a copy of her novella, Space Junque, last week. My response was… maybe . Let me check out the sample, and I'll get back to you. Well, since I'm doing this review, it's obvious I took her up on her offer.

Me. Thinks. Space Junque. Is. A. Space Opera. I've never read a space opera before. In fact, I didn't even know what a space opera was until I stole the term from someone else mentioning this book. Not sure I should admit my ignorance, but oh well. Now it's out. So, I believe the full genre given to Space Junque by L.K. Rigel is paranormal space opera romance? It had all of those elements. Before I get into the review, how about a little blurb action from Ms. Rigel's website:

The DOGs want to destroy the world. The gods want to make a new one. The trick is to survive both.

Warned by her friend Mike Augustine, Char Meadowlark tries to get off planet before a pending eco-terrorist attack, but the Defenders of Gaia strike while she's at the airport. Jake Ardri, pilot of the shuttle Space Junque, rescues her and delivers her to the Imperial Space Station where Mike awaits.

When the DOGs' final onslaught goes global and the material world threatens to implode, the ancient gods reemerge to take control over humanity. Through the ensuing chaos, Char must juggle two men, orbiting eco-terrorists, and a goddess with her own agenda for a new world order.

Will there be room for love in flagrante apocalypto?

There was so much happening in a short period of time, I feel the need to break this review up in categories.

Plot: This was a wild ride. I have to be honest. I started this book not knowing what it was. I didn't even read the blurb. The cover looked all sci-fi like, so I was expecting straight sci-fi, which isn't a genre I read. However, the first few pages caught my interest with the ghosts and all. They kind of reminded me of zombies, but I never really got a full description of them or what the big hoopla was about them. Then the romantic elements hit, which threw me off guard. No more judging a book by the cover. I looked up the book to find out what I was getting into. And here's what I thought.

Sci-fi: This is only the second sci-fi romance I've read. The first was Touched by an Alien by Gina Koch (see review here). Now Space Junque was completely different. The setting was decades in the future, after the earth had experience several ecological disasters. Ms. Rigel even threw in the oil spill of 2010. Very cool. One thing I can say about Ms. Rigel is she doesn't waste words. There were a lot of unfamiliar terms in Space Junque, and I think a few could have benefited from additional explanations. Even so, all the elements were there to give the work a great sci-fi feel to it, just I felt left out of the loop at times. This could be due to my lack of familiarity with the sci-fi genre though.

Space Opera: I had to look up Space Opera to find out what it meant, but I think I have a vague grasp on the genre, so don't fuss too much if I mess up. In terms of the Space Opera aspect (government versus the DOGs), Ms. Rigel did excellent in this area for such a short span of time. I understood what the government (aka empire) wanted. Of course with all governments, there's always the threat of corruption. I do wonder what the DOGs hoped to accomplish with their destructive path. I'm thinking this will be revealed in the next novella Spiderwork. Really, I see Space Junque as an intro to a potential epic saga.

Romance: The romantic aspects were rather low key. Char and Jake had very little face-to-face time together, making it hard to call Space Junque a romance. However, it did meet the happy for now (HFN) requirement, kind of. Again, I'm thinking more will be revealed in Spiderwork.

Paranormal: This was another aspect which blew me away. How in the world do you mix paranormal into Sci-fi? Simple: Space Junque. Now I'm not going to go into detail with this, cause I don't want to ruin any surprises. But from looking at the cover of Spiderwork (yeah I'm still judging books by them even though I said I wouldn't ), the paranormal aspect gets a lot of play in the next novella. In Space Junque we seem to get the intro… a lot of great leading info.

So, my summary of the plot: Basically, it seemed to be the intro of a bigger picture. This book drew me in but left me wanting more. Spiderwork is definitely one to add to my reading list, just to read the rest of this saga. My reclassification of this genre would be Space Opera/Sci-fi with romantic and strong paranormal elements.

Characters: The main star of the show was Char. For the most part, she was well-developed. I understood her motivates and even understood the rational behind her spontaneous behavior. She surprised me a few times, that's for sure, but she was definitely realistic. Well done! Her co-star was Jake. I think there was only one chapter in his POV. So calling him co-star is a stretch. Let's call him a strong supporting character, since I could have done without his POV. I got the feeling his chapter was thrown in to offer back story the reader couldn't obtain from Char. From Char's POV, I think we only touched on his personality. It'll be interesting how he develops in the next book.

Favorite lines anyone?

"I'm not going for your precious parts."
Char had always found children obnoxious and demanding or meek and depressing. This attitude was a flaw in her character, and she always felt vaguely guilty in their presence. (OMG! This is so me.)
"DOGs don't need no stinkin' data links."
"She wants us to submit to her, which will involve lighting a lot of candles and having a lot of sex.

Overall, this was a fun, interesting, and surprising read. I would have liked a bit more world building, but I'm hoping to see more explanations in the next novella. I hesitate to call this a standalone novella. There was so much left up in the air, I think it'll drive folks to Spiderwork in order to find out what's next. Lucky for you (and me), Spiderwork is already available to the public.

Space Junque is available at Smashwords, and Amazon, and Barnes & Nobles.

What was your most surprising read of 2010/2011?

A Round of Words in 80 Days #ROW80 – Update 2

I've long since given up trying to do the two day a week update. Okay. I didn't try… didn't even plan it. So here we are, update #2. If you recall during my first update, I changed my goals. Let's look at them now and see how I'm doing or if I need to make more adjustments.

January: Work on Shadow Cat which includes:

Apply select suggestions *DONE, but if more changes come in, I'll certainly update it.
Develop a marketing plan (This is more of a trial and error. I'm trying a few things to get Shadow Cat some publicity)
Set a release date *DONE (I got itchy fingers and didn't bother with a release date. Shadow Cat is in the world to be loved or hated. Currently, it's available at Amazon and Smashwords. I'm working on Pubit (Barnes and Nobles), but they seem to be a bit backed up. Anyway, I would absolutely love for my readers to download a free sample and check it out. And of course, I'm not against my friendlies purchasing a copy.
Get review requests out. *DONE, but still open to other bloggers willing to do reviews.


February: Work on Stray Cat

Basically just finish the draft I started. Though this is a February thing, I've been chipping away at it. Last check-in I was at 14,720 words. *Today, I'm at 15,792 words. (With Shadow Cat pretty much into the world and the blogoversary giveaways winding down, I'm going to concentrate a bit more on this.


March: TBD

Might work on Trinity's Awakening
Might edit Alley Cat


Bonus Goal: Work on New Adult novel

Maintaining 100+ words a day over at Word Count Union. This is on top of any other goals I have. I'm really liking it. I figured at 100 words a day, I'll finish this novel this year. Last update I was at 17,870 words. *Now I'm at 19,327 words. I'm not going to do the math on that, but I have been keeping up with 100+ words a day.

All in all, my new goals are going quite well. January goals are knocked out. I guess it's time to add a new goal to take it's place. Hmm… Okay. I really need to finish the first draft of Regina's Story. I already know what's going to happen, I just haven't been in the mood to do the sex scene. I also have a short story I wrote called Unprotected which I'd like to wrap up. It's already written, but it needs some major polishing.

January

Write the Sex scene for Control Freak: Regina's Story
Do the first round of edits on Unprotected
Continue to chip away at Stray Cat. (200+ words a day)

Modest goals and very doable, I think.

For those of you who are interested in keeping track of ROW80 participants, head over to the linky.