L.R. Wright's Blog, page 8

Blog Tour (First Stop): Ordinary Housewife or Deadly Assassin

Hi all!

I'm over at Bri Clark's blog, The Belle of Boise, talking about Alexa Martinez, the heroine of Basement Level Five:  Never Scared.  You can check out my post here. 

Tomorrow I will be over at Mona-Karel's blog.  I hope you all can stop by.

Basement Level Five: Never Scared will be released on April 28th.  You can PRE-ORDER your copy on the BOB website (http://www.blackopalbooks.com/) starting April 14th.

Title Change....and BOOK COVER Reveal!

My debut novel will now be titled, Basement Level Five: Never Scared. I must admit I was torn because my very first draft was called B5, then it morphed into Never Scared.  Now it's the best of both.  I'm so excited to say that the book will finally be published this Spring.  More details will follow.

And drumroll please.......................The time has finally come. My book cover is done. Thanks to Jay Sabo (JS Designs), I have a cover that I love.  



When I first saw it, I was speechless.  Then the tears came.  I feel so blessed and I'm grateful to those who've supported this dream.  
So....what do you think?

Book Review: BEFORE THE DAWN by Beverly Jenkins

From Beverly Jenkins Online!
No Place for a Lady
LeahBarnett can't believe how far fate has carried her: from Boston to the toweringColorado Rockies... and into the life of an angry, ruggedly sexy man.
RyderDamien is not about to welcome this beauty with open arms, however, especiallysince Leah was the one who won the affection of Ryder's late father and now mayinherit his considerable wealth.  Butwhen she stands before him in the flesh - proud, vulnerable, and intoxicatinglylovely - desire replaces hatred in Ryder's heart.  Yet can passion survive this wild land andits dangerous men...and the most breathtaking peril:  untamed love?
My thoughts...
LeahBarnett inherited her mother's tavern, the Black Swan, upon her mother's death.The Black Swan was a Boston establishment that serviced sailors of color. Atthe books opening, Leah is struggling to run the business, barely getting by onthe money coming in.  Louis Montague(Monty), her mother's longtime boyfriend, is near death and convinces Leah tomarry him so that she may claim his Colorado estate. It's not until themarriage is official that Montague surprises Leah with the revelation that heabandoned two sons when he left Colorado. Determined to fulfill his wishes, Leah boards a train to Colorado withCecil Lee (Monty's close friend).
Whenshe arrives in Colorado, she is confronted by Montague's past in the form ofhis son, Ryder Damien. Ryder is angry with Monty and blames him for the deathof his mother, who is a Cheyenne woman. And the make matters worse, Ryderaccuses her of marrying his father for money. Although Ryder is rude and hostile, Leah can't help but be affected by thelonghaired Ryder.  Determined to fulfillMonty's wishes, Leah continues on her quest to claim the inheritance but ishampered by legal issues.  There's acourt judgment against the estate that she must pay off.  If she is unable to pay the debt, she mayforfeit her freedom and her inheritance. Ryder offers her the money...if she'llbe with him.
Beforethe Dawn is an intriguing tale from front to back. The book had everything Iliked in a romance—lies, scandal, regrets, secrets, mystery, and peril aroundthe corner.  It was an adventure.  It raised the hairs on the back of neck...ina 'can't put the book down until I get to the end because I just want to seewho the danger is' kind of way.  Ienjoyed the developing relationship between Ryder and Leah.  I also appreciated the Western United Stateshistory and Native American history weaved into the story. I enjoyed thebreathtaking scenery as well.  Characterslike Seth (the other brother), Cecil, and Samuel made this even better.
Leahwas feisty and definitely up to the challenge of defending Monty's wishes andherself.  But who in their right mindcould resist Ryder? He was the bomb. And I'm glad she couldn't resist him forlong because their love affair was akin to a thrilling spin on rollercoaster.  Loved it. 
Thisis the first book by Ms. Jenkins that I listened to on CD.  I have to say, I enjoyed the experience. Thereader added a layer to the written word and I found myself wishing I could getmy hands on other audiobooks of Ms. Jenkins novels.  In fact, after this one, I picked up Winds of the Storm on CD.  If you like a fast paced adventure with a HOTromance, you'll love Before the Dawn.

Book Review: THROUGH THE STORM by Beverly Jenkins

From Beverly Jenkins Online!
RaimondLe Veq needed to marry to gain his inheritance and restore the fortunes of theHouse of Le Veq, the proud Black New Orleans family whose wealth had beenravaged by the War Between the States. Still wounded by the double-cross of the only woman he ever came closeto loving, he gave the choice of bride to his mother.  But he never expected that she would pickSable Fontaine -- the beautiful former slave he could not allow himself totrust again.
Betrayedand sold to a cruel neighbor, Sable did whatever it took to escape.  With the spirits of her royal Africanancestors guiding her, she made a bold bid for freedom and won.  But along the way she had to hurt thecharming Union Major Le Veq, who had romanced her and championed her.  Now fate has brought them back together in amarriage of convenience.  Can sheconvince Raimond she was never a rebel spy, and that this time, she'd choosehim above all else?
My thoughts...
Thebook opens in Georgia in 1864.  SableFontaine, a house slave sold for $800 to an evil man, escapes.  Along the way, she meets Raimond Le Veq at aslave camp.  Immediately lured in mySable's green eyes, Raimond falls for her. When Sable's freedom is threatened, she takes off rather than risk beingsent back into slavery, leaving an angry and heartbroken Raimond behind.
Yearslater, the two meet again in New Orleans when Raimond's mother introduces Sableto him as the woman she wants him to marry. Raimond cannot hide his anger at Sable, but agrees to the marriage.  Although Raimond doesn't trust her, he can'thelp but be intrigued by her.  Eventually,the marriage of convenience turns into one of love.
Sablewas a remarkable, resourceful, intelligent woman.  She was a descendent of African Queens, andthrough her story, I learned about African royalty.  Raimond was a brat, but he was HOT! He was sotender, so fiercely loyal, so dominating (in a good way)... I couldn't help butlove him. The two scorched up the pages. Amidst the turmoil in their lives, they manage to get past the hurt andanger and just revel in their love for each other. 
Therewas never a dull moment with this delightful cast of characters.  In this book, Ms. Jenkins, introduced us tothe Le Veq clan.  (Well, maybereintroduced for those of us who'd read Indigo.)  The Le Veq brothers were equally handsome yetcompletely different from each other. They also provided a bit of comic relief. And just so you know, the LeVeq brothers are also featured in Windsof the Storm and Captured.  Also, Ms. Jenkins gave us a treat by bringingGaleno and Hester Vachon (from Indigo)back to life and giving us a glimpse into their life during this period.
BeverlyJenkins is an exceptional writer with a knack for storytelling.  I guess it should be no surprise that I lovedthis book.  Through the Storm was so awesome, I read again after I finished—justin case I missed something.  Once again, Iwas transported into a world I could only imagine in my dreams.  Ms. Jenkins does a wonderful job of capturinga reader's attention with vivid imagery, memorable characters, and Blackhistory.  I highly recommend Through the Storm to anyone looking fora fabulous, historical romance.
Myrating: 5 stars

Book Review: VIVID by Beverly Jenkins

From Beverly Jenkins Online!
"It's1786 and Dr. Viveca Lancaster is frustrated with the limits placed upon femalephysicians of color.  When she is offeredthe chance to set up a practice in the small Black community of Grayson Grove,Michigan she leaves her California home and heads east.  The very determined Viveca is one of the fewnineteenth century Black women to graduate from the prestigious Woman's MedicalCollege of Pennsylvania but she needs more than determination to face downhandsome Nate Grayson, the Grove's bull-headed mayor."
My thoughts
WhenViveca (referred to as Vivid by her family) arrives in Grayson Grove after along train ride from San Francisco, she meets up with mayor Nate Grayson.  Their first meeting is challenging, to saythe least. 
Natehas sworn off love after a failed marriage and he immediately notices Vivid'sbeauty.  He mistakes her for an"undecent woman" but is proven wrong when she produces documents stating that she is thedoctor hired to practice medicine in his town.
As thestory unfolds, Nate is unsure if Vivid is a good fit for the town and lets herstay on trial basis.  Vivid is offered thechance to change his mind about a female physician.  Eventually, Nate realizes that Vivid is a wonderfuldoctor and that he can't run from love.
Vividis a wonderful heroine.  She's a smartass (in a good way), poker playing, rifle carrying, intelligent, hard workingdoctor.  She came from a home where herparents taught her to be independent and make her own choices. Reading abouther experience traveling from California in 1976 was awesome.  As always, Ms. Jenkins transports me rightinto her character's world.    
Andthen there's Nate Grayson.  First, let mestart by saying I didn't think I could love a man more than Galen Vachon, thehero in Ms. Jenkins' novel, Indigo.  BUTlet me tell you about Mr. Grayson—steely gray eyes, tall, strong, dark skinned,and a pair of sexy specs.  HOT!  He'smysterious, but intriguing.  And I can'tforget the fact that he is a loving father to his daughter, Magic.  After a while in Grayson Grove, Vivid can'tresist him and who could blame her?
Thisbook is another all-time favorite of mine. The scenery, the budding romance between two opposites, the colorfulpeople of Grayson Grove, and even the danger lurking around the corner are allreasons to love Vivid.  Ms. Jenkins weaves a tale of acceptance andunconditional love while giving us important history lessons about Blackphysicians, politics, and the Western part of Michigan among other things.  By the end, I had bitten off my nails inanticipation of my 'happily ever after.' Vivid was a great ride, frombeginning to end. 
Myrating:  5 Stars

Book Review: INDIGO by Beverly Jenkins

Today is the first of my series of book reviews for my favorite author, Beverly Jenkins.  Before I start, though, I thought I would give a little history of why I love this author so much.  As a little girl, my mother instilled the power of reading.  She was an educator for 34 years before she retired and she always taught me the value of the written word.  It wasn't until much later that we bonded over a book:  Indigo.  One day, during a rough period in my life, my mother handed me a book.  One glance at the African American couple on the cover and I scrunched up my nose.  I was never a romance reader, so I wondered why she thought I would like this one.  When I opened the cover, I noticed a little handwritten note from Ms. Jenkins, herself.  My mother explained that she knew the author.  Of course, that intrigued me even more so I decided to give it a try.  Little did I know this amazing writer and her work would inspire me in ways I couldn't imagine.  I read the book in one day.  And I knew I would be a lifelong fan.   Her books became a 'thing' that I could share with my mom, which means more to me than anyone could ever know.  Over the years, my mother bought and shared many Beverly Jenkins' novels, often writing little notes to me on the inside flap.  My mother was diagnosed with cancer in 2010.  She is still fighting this disease today, but I know that I will always have her little notes in my Beverly Jenkins' books.  For that, I thank Ms. Jenkins.  INDIGO by Beverly Jenkins From the back cover:  "When the notorious Black Daniel is carried, badly injured, into Hester Wyatt's home, there is no questions that he will be cared for and protected.  Once a slave herself, Hester regularly gives shelter to runaways, yet the man of mysteries she now harbors brings greater danger than she's ever known…"African American history.  Betrayal.  Action.  Lies.  Love.  Passion.  This book had them all and then some.  As I mentioned above, Indigo was the first book by Ms. Jenkins that I had the pleasure of reading.  The Prologue captured me and I couldn't put it down.I was amazed at the description of MY town (yes, the book was set in my own town) all those years ago.  Being from the Detroit area, I'd never read a book set in Southeast Michigan.  Ms. Jenkins brought that to me with Indigo.  I found myself transported back to a time that I could never even fathom before I read this novel.  One of the things I love the most is the attention to detail in the history.  It was obvious, Ms. Jenkins had thoroughly researched her facts and infused that knowledge into the story.  Historical fiction wasn't something I ever thought I'd be interested in, but I have to say it was a highlight of my experience reading about the African American plight during slavery, the importance of freed slaves in helping to abolish slavery, and the complex Underground Railroad.  What more can you ask of a book?  Of course, Ms. Jenkins gave me more.  I LOVED the developing romance between Hester Wyatt and Galen Vachon.  And let me tell you, Galen was the MAN!  He treated Hester how she deserved to be treated, with honor and respect.  Ms. Jenkins' description of this fine man made me feel like he was standing right in front of me with his golden skin, muscular body, and French accent.  The minute he called Hester, petite, I was in love.  The heroine, Hester Wyatt, was one of my favorites.  She was strong, determined, and intelligent.  Growing up in slavery, she worked on an Indigo plantation.  Often, slaves who worked on such plantations to extract the dye from the plants, ended up with Indigo stained hands.  Hester had violet colored hands and often wore gloves to hide them until Galen came into her life.  When Galen called her 'Indigo' the first time, I almost screamed.  And his words to Hester: "…as long as it doesn't brand who you are in your heart, the color of your hands, like the color of your skin, is of no consequence."  True words from a true hero.Indigo kept me interested from front to back, which is why I refused to put it down until I finished.  I was invested in Hester and Galen's 'happily ever after', and I wasn't disappointed.  I wanted to know more about this time period and these people.  I've read it multiple times and never grow tired.  I definitely and wholeheartedly recommend Indigo.My rating:  5 stars.

Happy 2012!

So, I'm not going to do a year in review on 2011.  I'm not going to post New Year's resolutions.  I'm just going to get going in 2012.  I've recently bought a new laptop so I can move forward with a few manuscripts.  I've finished 3rd round edits for Never Scared. 
Over the next few weeks, though, I'm going to talk about my favorite author, Beverly Jenkins.  I've read most (if not all) of her books and I have a few favorites that I want to share with all of you.  Every Wednesday and Friday in January, I'm going to review one of her books. 
Also, I'm interested in hearing from you.  If you have a book that has inspired you, I want to read it.  Let me know your favorite books.  This is my year to read, read, and READ some more. 
I'm excited for what's to come in 2012.  I hope to chat with you all more this year.