Jane Litte's Blog, page 1001

Winner of the Kindle Fire for December 2011

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The winner of the December electronic reading device is DM.

The first commenter in December was Jia (334792) and the last one was Anonymous (342603). According to mysql database, the comments started at number 334792 and ended at 342603. Using random.org and those numbers, the winning comment number was 337694 and that was a comment made by DM on The Villian:

A good villain is the hero of his own story. There's no reason we can't have nuanced villains in romance–other than the time and effort...

Sarah's Best of 2011 List

The order here is me going through my reviews in reverse chronological order and listing my A- and B+ reviews (no A reviews — very sad). It was a pleasant surprise, really: I didn't think I'd read that many good books in 2011. Shows you how memory can be a fickle thing. To keep it to ten, though, I had to cut out 4 books. Especially since I added two B reviews because they've stuck in my head more than some of the B+ reviews (that memory thing again).

First, some time travel: Rachel...

2012 Publishing Predictions

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The following are my bold and not so bold predictions for publishing in 2012.  My boldest prediction will be that Amazon will buy Goodreads in 2012.  The most unlikely to happen prediction is Number 10.    What are your predictions for 2012?

1.  More authors will self publish than in 2011.  I suspect that nearly every author will try his or her hand at self publishing new and previously unpublished content, either in novella or full length book form.  After 2012, I suspect that there will be a...

REVIEW: Loving Our Heroes by Jessica Hart, Amy Andrews and India Grey

I feel a bit bad about reviewing this book negatively because part of the proceeds go to a charity but I didn't know that when it was offered on NetGalley so I will just review it like any other book, regardless of the good deed a purchase will bring about.  Maybe just donate that one pound directly?

Last Minute Proposal by Jessica Hart

[image error]I'm not a huge fan of reality tv shows as the basis of romance stories but I don't know if there is anything worse than the reluctant reality tv show...

First Page: Untitled Paranormal Romance

Welcome to First Page Saturday. Individual authors anonymously send a first page read and critiqued by the Dear Author community of authors, readers and industry others. Anyone is welcome to comment. You may comment anonymously.

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For as long as Cali could remember she'd had the good angel, bad devil thing going on.  Of course she didn't actually see little cartoonesque figures sitting on her shoulders trying to persuade her to their point of view, that would just make her bat shit crazy.

No,...

Dear Bitches, Smart Authors Podcast, Episode No. 17. Ridiculousness Threshold: 29 December 2011

 

We're back for one last podcast in 2011, and we're talking about the ridiculousness threshold – the point at which you can no longer accept character or plot insanity and can't enjoy the book. We also talk a bit about books that we love and at the time of recording were reading. So it's a bit in the past but hey, good book recs never go stale.

The music this week was provided by Sassy Outwater, who accosts musicians on the street and finds us . This week's music is called "The Naughty Step" a...

REVIEW: Unraveled by Courtney Milan

Dear Ms. Milan:

Thank you for sending me "Unraveled" for review. I have enjoyed (but been somewhat critical) of your past works but your novella, "Unlocked," was one of my best reads of 2011. Smite's book was hotly anticipated. Part of the problem I had with "Unraveled" was the result of my own expectations and anticipation. I had created my own vision of Smite prior to "Unraveled" through my glimpses of him in "Unclaimed" and "Unveiled." Smite, to me, was a closed off man who held rigid...

Friday Links of News & Deals: Amazon the Bully, Readers in need of help (me), and How to get an ebook refund

News

Bayou Arcana is due out in the UK shortly. I can't find it in the U.S. but it is a "southern gothic" horror anthology that brings together an all female team of artists and all male team of writers. From the Guardian:

"There is a certain sensitivity that you find in women's art that just does not appear in a lot of guys' work," says James Pearson, who edited the anthology, which follows the story of escaped slaves taking refuge in a swamp.

"The way that they interpret the horror has an...

Friday Film Review: Bachelor Mother

Bachelor Mother (1939)

Genre: Screwball Comedy

Grade: B

J.B. Merlin: I don't care who the father is, I'm the grandfather!

[image error]Finding a New Year's Eve movie is tough and I'd almost given up until I remembered this one. It's got humor, dancing, a sweet romance, a cute baby and one determined grandfather.

Polly Parrish (Ginger Rogers), a seasonal employee at the Merlin Department Store in NYC, is mistaken as the mother of a baby left at a foundling home. Determined to reunite mother and son, the...

What Jayne's Been Reading and Watching – November and most of December

[image error]Lawks, it's been ages since I wrote one of these. Mainly because for the past two or so months, I've been in a romance reading, ennui funk. It hits me every few years but I think I'm almost over it and that the light at the end of the tunnel is sunshine and not an Amtrack train.

In Bed with the Opposition by Kathie DeNosky – This one shows that I need to take more care when picking books. Usually I don't like to start a series at the end and that's where this book is. After 3 chapters of...