Jane Litte's Blog, page 1011

Friday Film Review: My Cousin Vinny

My Cousin Vinny (1992)

Genre: Romance/Comedy

Grade: A

"We're famous for our mud."

OMG I love this movie. From the opening credits to the ending ones, this is one of the funniest and best films I've seen. I don't know how many times I've seen it but I laugh out loud each time, delight in the debunking of stereotypes and cheer Vinny and Lisa on in the brilliant final courtroom scene. For a movie that is almost 20 years old, it wears it well.

Two college age New Yorkers – Bill Gambini (Ralph...

REVIEW: A Place Called Home by Jo Goodman

Dear Ms. Goodman:

I am a huge fan of your work and there is rarely a book in your bibliography I haven't responded favorably to.  I've even lamented about the fact that your work doesn't seem to be getting the proper attention.  I am also a fan of the langourous fashion in which some of your books unspool, like a beautifully crafted scroll slowly unwinding.

[image error]However A Place Called Home takes langourous storytelling to new levels and the unwinding was so slow that I felt like I had only moved a f...

What Jennie's Been Reading, Part the Third

By Jennie

Another in my sporadic updates on what I've been reading…

Still reading Bleak House. Still. But: I finished The Brothers Karamazov and it was awesome! Okay, awesome is a bit strong, but finally, a big, important Russian novel that I felt connected to. It makes me want to read The Idiot soon. But not too soon. Also read:

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe: Not sure why I picked this up, except that I'd heard it was better than the average star autobiography. I didn't really...

Agony/Ecstasy Anthology: Sunny Moraine and "Wetwire"

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Because these stories were short and in a large collection, I viewed it as an opportunity to experiment and include stories that I felt were non traditional.  Sunny Moraine's story Wet Wire was unconventional for romance.  Drawing on the influences of perhaps the "Matrix" and Neuromancer, Wet Wire is an erotic tumble down the electronic neurons of space.

I was free-drifting the night Kim neuroburned me. I wasn't looking for him, floating through seas of data without an angle or an object, so...

Thursday Midday Links: B&N Second Quarter Results

Some special deals for romance readers:

Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning * $1.99 * Amazon | nook | Sony | Kobo Devil's Bride with Bonus Material by Stephanie Laurens * $0.99 * Amazon | nook | Sony | Kobo Every Which Way But Dead by Kim Harrison * $1.99 * Amazon | nook | Sony | Kobo Ash by Malinda Lo * $2.99 * Amazon | nook | Sony | Kobo The Secret Diaries of Miss Miranda Cheever by Julia Quinn * $1.99 * Amazon | nook | Sony | Kobo Smooth Talkin' Stranger by Lisa Kleypas * $2.99 * Amazon

REVIEW: The Hedgewitch Queen by Lillith Saintcrow

Dear Ms. Saintcrow,

The blurb for your new ebook, The Hedgewitch Queen, promises "a romantic epic fantasy that centers around a young woman who must advance to the throne amidst court intrigue, conspiracies, and magic." While I love romance, epic fantasy and magic, the phrase "court intrigue" usually gives me pause. However, I've enjoyed your work in the past, and I was curious to see how an author I favorably associate with urban fantasy would treat the trappings of traditional fantasy.

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Wednesday Midday Links: More plagiarism at major publishers

Do you ever wonder where the year went? Me too. It's hard to believe that tomorrow begins the last month of 2011. I would love to post some reader reminiscences about their 2011 year of reading. What they loved. What they hated. How they've seen the genre evolve, either for good or ill. If you have something to say, send it to me jane @ dearauthor.com.

******

LA Times takes a look at other tablets in the $199 range and unfortunately there isn't a really good alternative at this point to the...

Agony/Ecstasy Anthology: Bettie Sharpe and "Each Step Sublime"

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Bettie Sharpe is re-imagining faery tales of old for the romance crowd.  Ember took on Cinderella and Cat's Tale is a Puss 'n' Boots retelling.  Given the rise of darker faery tales in the form of the television series, "Once Upon a Time", and the two Snow White movies (Snow White and the Huntsman looks to be the better of the two), her vision is timely.  Each Step Sublime is the Little Mermaid, Sharpe style.

He stands on the stairs with the ocean lapping his boots. His dark hair is dry, and...

Dear Bitches, Smart Authors Podcast: What We're Reading: November 28,2011

I'm only a couple days behind on this one!!

We're back, with more podcasting fun, this time as we chat about what we're reading. We discuss cursing in romance – and whether there's more cursing and blue language in romance published recently. And we talk football. NFL, specifically, and which players are the most hated.

The music this week was provided by Sassy Outwater, who knows a heaping ton of musicians and finds original music for us for each episode. This week's music is "Sonata for...

REVIEW: Steampunk! edited Kelly Link and Gavin Grant

Dear Authors,

Steampunk is that subgenre I want to love, that I think has so much potential. Unfortunately, we have a rocky relationship. I've attempted to read too many novels in which the steampunk trappings are superficial — put a pair of goggles on someone, mention an airship, and have someone drink some tea seem to be all that's required. It can be disappointing.

This anthology, however, spans the gamut of what steampunk can offer. From the South Pacific or ancient Rome, it takes us to...