Penny Watson's Blog, page 48

Sci Fi Amuse Bouche of the Day

I have downloaded quite a few freebie and cheapie books in the last couple of days. Two of them I DNFed yesterday (one had too much sex and not enough story, and one of them had the most irritating character I've ever read and I just couldn't take it anymore). 
But one of them, God bless its delightful soul, kicked total ass. Invasion of Blood by Joseph Mazzenga is a super tasty sci fi amuse bouche. I don't always love sci fi books....especially the ones that try to combine sci fi with romance or erotica. It's difficult to squeeze in a love scene when a four-headed alien is trying to terminate you. But this short little story is superb. It is extremely well-written, has fabulous imagery, perfect pacing and suspense, and a totally fantastic twist at the end. It's the perfect sci fi bite. And it accomplishes what any good amuse bouche should.....it makes me want more tasty treats from this author. (Joe told me he has a paranormal coming out soon....can't wait to read it!).
Invasion of Blood is only $1.95 for Kindle right now--which is a steal. This is a straight-up sci fi/paranormal....no romance. Can't recommend this one highly enough. If you're in the mood for a quick bite (that tastes a little bit like a juicy blueberry tart), then you should definitely check this baby out.
Grade: A
Happy Hippity-Humpity Day,Penelope

Super Cutie Poochies!

I read a super cute quickie story about a dachshund who is stingy with kisses (until the HEA, of course!...hee hee). It's called Lucci The No Smoochie Poochie by Donna L. Sadd. This book is free right now on Amazon for prime members (Kindle version) and it is also available in print on her website. There are some adorable illustrations of her family members and their cutie pie doxies. Loved it!

Here's a photo of her real dachshunds....Lucci, Zoe and CoCo Bellini!



Another favorite doxie book is The Hallo-Wiener by Dav Pilkey. For folks who love dachshunds, this book is a must-have. My kids read it about a million times when they were little. (Just in case you're wondering, the plot involves a weenie dog named Oscar who has to wear a super humiliating Halloween costume).


Any other suggestions for favorite dog books? Let me know!

Have A Weenie-licious Day,
Penelope

"Tonight's as good a night as any."

I am pretty freakin' amazed that I didn't have any zombie dreams last night. Holy Carumba! The season finale of The Walking Dead was just a bit out of control. Especially after the weird creepy thing with its 2 "pets" rescued Andrea. That was hands-down the scariest shizz on the show. Forget about the zombies!

My favorite line was when Daryl asked Hershel if he was ready to die. Hershel said yes. And Daryl said "Tonight's as good a night as any." And then hopped off the porch. That guy is BAD-ASS with a capital BAD-ASS. Yeeeeeee hawwwwwww!!!!!!!

All right....time for Monday morning updates. (Sips coffee calmly).

1. I finished One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry, and Ridley was right. It was 5 stars, all the way. This is not my usual read...it's a Harly, a contemporary, and filled with angsty characters. But I'll tell you this, I lived that book. My heart rate was racing during the explosive first love scene, my anxiety went up when Gabby was getting drunk off her ass at the big holiday party, my tear ducts were leaking (heavily!) when Jon and his brother finally embraced for the first time, after many years of abuse at the hands of their father. It was an extremely emotional and satisfying read.

Grade: A

2. I re-read A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (one of my fav re-reads). This is one of the best paranormal books out there (in my not-at-all humble opinion). Love the Scottish werewolves, love the superficial crazy-ass fey who love their bling and lop off heads without a moment's hesitation, love how Emma the Timid turns into Emma the King Killer. The sex in this book is the hottest stuff going.

Grade: A

Well, it looks like Boston skipped winter and is heading right into summer. It's supposed to be in the 80s this week! Craziness!

Happy Monday,
Penelope

The Martini Club: Aubrey Watt's Moscow Mule

Welcome to another round of The Martini Club! Today's guest is Aubrey Watt, author and lover of take-no-prisoners cocktails. She told me she loved this drink, so I checked it out. I learned a couple of things. First of all, a buck or mule is a cocktail made with ginger beer and citrus juice. This particular one was created in 1941 by the owner of the Cock 'n Bull Tavern in Los Angeles. It is usually served in a copper mug (see photo above). Hot damn....how cool is that! Ginger ale is okay, but if you have ever had fresh, home-made ginger beer, it will literally knock your socks off (they will fly across the room....really!).
Here's Aubrey with her cocktail....thanks, hon! :^)
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Many thanks to Penelope for letting me offer my favorite recipe to the cocktail gods. The drink I'm sharing is one I discovered at Burning Man, and it's tailor-made to cool you off during heat spells in the middle of the desert (or in the middle of a steamy romance)! Please note that this is a Burning Man recipe, so if you don't want your cocktail party to turn into an alcohol-fueled orgy you might ease up on the vodka. Oh, who am I kidding, we all love cocktail orgies. Here it is:  Moscow Mule 1 part vodka1 part ginger beer (Cock 'N Bull is far and away the best brand of ginger beer for this drink)Half a limeServe on the rocks in a copper cup; garnish with lime
Most of my stories are gay erotic romances, and I just finished up a series of short stories about gay cowboys that made me think of this cocktail in particular. I imagine my cowboys herding steer, baling hay, wrangling each other in the hayloft while sweat drips off of their rippling muscles. . . and then leaning back to enjoy a nice Moscow Mule in a copper mug. Mmm.
Cheers to The Martini Club, and I hope this drink cools you down after a hot read!

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Here's the cover and blurb for Aubrey's latest book. Big thanks for the cocktail recipe!

A new western series that goes from steamy to scorching hot!Cal's work at the ranch is hard, and he's not happy to be forced to hire on a city boy. But Brandon turns out to be more than Cal expected, and soon Cal is struggling with his newfound attraction towards his new ranch hand... Here's a coupon code for a free download from Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/136160Promotional price: $0.00
Coupon Code: QR44J
Expires: April 1, 2012 


Thanks, Aubrey!


Happy Sloshy Sunday,
Penelope

Happy St Paddy's Day!

In honor of the holiday, I'm posting a video of the Dropkick Murphys singing I'm Shipping Up To Boston. I love this song!
Don't forget to join me tomorrow for The Martini Club. Aubrey Watt is stopping by with her recipe for a Moscow Mule (not for the faint of heart). For today's beverage, I would recommend a Guinness.

Enjoy the music! Happy St Patrick's Day to All!


Peace and Good Health to You,Penelope

A Tremor in the Force: Ridley's 5 Star Recommendation

For some folks (me) giving out 5 stars is not a big deal. If I like a book, I give it 4/5 stars.

But for some people, 5 stars is reserved for the holy grail of books. A tome of biblical, supernatural powers. (I'm picturing a rare 15th century specimen with gold leaf and unicorn dust on the bindings.)

Yesterday, while I was wasting time on Twitter, something happened that caused a tremor in the force of romance reviewers everywhere. (No, it had nothing to do with that Grey book. Cripes). Ridley, Master Jedi of Romantic Fiction, gave out 5 stars.

5 stars, people!

According to an old urban legend, the last time this happened was back in 1972. No one can actually remember the exact time, date or book.

Ridley is a notoriously hard grader. Recently she actually changed a grade from 5 stars to 2 stars. After thinking it over for several years, she got pissed off about a book and demoted it. (I might be slightly exaggerating that story, but I don't think so).

Anyhow, needless to say, within seconds of seeing this historical tweet, I bought the damned book. It's One Good Reason by Sarah Mayberry (a freakin' Harly!). I was skeptical. A Harly? That good? Really?

Well, I'm at 63% on my Kindle, and the book is phenomenal. In fact, I have no idea what time my kids went to bed last night, because I totally ignored them. And my dog. And my hubby. I was too caught up reading that book.

(Brie from Romance Around The Corner told me that the first book, The Last Goodbye , is also great, and I plan to read that one next.)

Something tells me that Sarah Mayberry is somewhere in the cosmos, with a party hat on, throwing confetti in the air, and doing the cabbage patch dance.

Thanks, Ridley.

May the force be with you.

Happy Friday To All,
Penelope

Moses Supposes His Toeses Are Roses

Yesterday, I had an amazing on-line critique session with Julia Barrett and JW Manus, who took a page of my current WIP and smacked it around. The results? They took a rough hunk of clay and molded it into Michelangelo's David (reference to Spongebob Episode #972). Seriously, it's incredible to see how minor changes yield major benefits in the craft of writing. And it's especially impressive to watch "masters" of the craft at work.

I felt like a newb in the presence of masters.

I felt like a Jedi Apprentice in the presence of Yoda.

I felt like an American Idol wanna-be in the presence of Steven Tyler.

I felt like....well....let's just say that right after we finished our critique, this scene from Singing in the Rain popped into my head. Just in case you weren't sure, Julia is Gene Kelly, JW is Donald O'Connor, and I'm the loser voice coach who ends up with a lamp shade on my head.

Have a happy day, newbs!
Penelope

Black Bean And Corn Salsa

I made one of my husband's favorite recipes this week. It's a great side dish with grilled chicken. I like to grill my corn first, but you can also use steamed corn. Here ya go!


Black Bean and Corn Salsa


Ingredients:

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
3-4 ears of corn, lightly grilled
handful of tomatoes, coarsely chopped (I used multi-colored ones from the grocery store)
1 avocado, just barely ripe, chopped (should be pretty firm, otherwise this gets too mushy)
1 can hearts of palm, cut into chunks
handful of cilantro, coarsely chopped
lime juice
good olive oil
salt and pepper

Once the corn has cooled, slice off the kernels. Gently mix first six ingredients together. Squeeze fresh lime juice on top, and drizzle a little olive oil on top. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Gently toss. Yum! Serve on a bed of greens, or as a side dish with grilled chicken.

Have a heart healthy day!
Penelope

Now That's What I'm Talking About

Remember when celebrities actually had a talent? Acting. Singing. Art. Photography. Writing.

Remember when being classy and elegant was trendy? Instead of making amateur sex tapes?

Oh, there was still tons of drama. And melodrama. And marriages, and cheating, and martinis. But no reality television shows, no embarrassing twitter updates.

Va Va Voom! Now that's what I'm talking about. Kardashians, eat your hearts out.

Hope you all have a glamorous Tuesday,Penelope 

Review of Timeless by Gail Carriger

Timeless by Gail Carriger
In this final installment of the Parasol Protectorate Series, Gail Carriger serves her readers the perfect cup of tea. Brewed just the correct amount of minutes, served at exactly the right temperature, splashed with the perfect amount of cream, and displayed in the most exquisite china tea set. (And possibly accompanied by a delicious and flaky bon-bon). 
I have been enamored with this series for a variety of reasons. It is a charming mixture of humor, steampunk creativity, paranormal politics, historical formality, and delicious characters. Alexia Tarabotti, soul-sucker extraordinaire, is channeling Amelia Peabody in the most fabulous way. They are both perky, no-nonsense heroines, partnered with giant gruff spouses (Conall-Emerson) and producing naughty cherubic infants (Prudence-Ramses). Where Elizabeth Peter's Amelia Peabody Series goes off in a more serious and historical way, Carriger's books are utter silliness. I adore both, for different reasons, but I especially respect the way Carriger has woven together the humor, romance, and steampunk aspects so flawlessly. 
This book charmed the Carhartt pants right off me. Yes, my little buttercups, it's true.
My predictions about the budding romance between Lyall and Biffy were spot-on. (Did anyone really doubt Penelope? I think not). Prudence, the new preternatural baby, is the predictable offspring of a soulless Alexia and alpha werewolf Conall...smart, sensitive, mischievous, and filled with surprising talents. (And of course dressed to perfection thanks to Lord Akeldama). This book is even set in Egypt, further encouraging the Amelia Peabody comparison, but Carriger uses this setting as a back-drop for her over-the-top steampunk vision, whereas Peters uses it to explore her love of Egyptology.
I did think the ending was a bit too abrupt (and of course I'm disappointed that there will not be more books in this series....I would love to see more Prudence!), but otherwise this book was absolute perfection. It even had copious references to beards! ........
*****
The earl could freely play with and, much to Lady Maccon's delight, take care of his daughter any time of the day or night without repercussions. He also grew a very large and scruffy beard, with which she was far less delighted.
"A man's virility is in his beard," he insisted.
To which Alexia replied, "And a woman's is in her décolletage. Yet you don't see me allowing mine to get out of control, do you?"
"If wishes were balloons," was his only response.
****

Hee hee heeeeee......Alexia's only fault.
The perfect ending to a perfectly wonderful series.
Grade: A
Poised for pleasantries,Penelope