Penny Watson's Blog, page 52

It's The Asian Invasion, Baby!

Odd and ends....
1.) As many of you know, I have a Filipino-American hubby, and 2 great adopted Filipino kids. So, basically, I'm the odd (white) man out in our family. Needless to say, we cheer for Asian basketball players (my hubby is currently obsessed with Jeremy Lin), eat tons of Asian food (Thai and Vietnamese are our favorites), and also hope that the Asian contestants on Top Chef will win (we were totally stoked when Hung won Season 3). SPOILER AHEAD (if you haven't watched the latest episode of Top Chef, stop now!): We are pretty excited that not only Paul Qui (2nd from the left, above photo--he was born in Manila! yay!) made it to the finals (I'm rooting for him!), but also Beverly Kim, the slightly Asperger-ish girl who everyone loves to hate (I personally like her). Unfortunately, Edward Lee got booted last night....too bad, because that would have been a 75% Asian final! Sorry, Ed. Note to Ed: NEVER use the canned oysters. That's the kiss o' death.
Go Paul!!!!!!
2.) I finished Kill and Tell by Linda Howard, recommended to me by Julia Barrett. She told me it had the most incredible seduction scenes ever. And she was right. Romantic suspense is not my favorite sub-genre, but this book is sex-ay! Hot and sultry, like a summer's night in New Orleans. If you're looking for a book with intense chemistry between the hero and heroine, a complex suspense storyline, and one of the sexiest love scenes ever, check it out. Grade: A (still fanning myself....whew!)
3.) I just wanted to give a shout-out to Round Pond Estates, the charming small vineyard I toured in Napa Valley. Julia and I had a private olive oil tasting that was wonderful. I came home with four kinds of delicious olive oil (Italian Varietal, Spanish Varietal, Blood Orange and Meyer Lemon). I have been using them every day in my cooking and salad dressings. I also got their Blood Orange Citrus Syrup and Meyer Lemon Citrus Syrup.....I'm going to figure out some kick-ass cocktails to make with these. Stay tuned. If you are looking for a great gift for a foodie in your life, I can't recommend these products enough. Superb!
4.) And last but not least....Valentine's Day! Yep, it's coming up next week. On Feb. 14, I will be posting my review for Dana Stabenow's Restless in the Grave . I will also be giving away a copy of this incredible book to one lucky commenter. So be sure to stop by on Tuesday for the review and give-away. Now, murder might not seem like the most romantic theme for Valentine's Day, but I guarantee anyone reading these books will fall madly in love with Liam! A big, hunky Alaskan state trooper. Schwing!

That's it for now! Have a great day,Penelope

Review of Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley

OK. Let me tell you a story....

Once upon a time, I was flying across the country, from Boston to California. I had 10 hours to kill. I downloaded a sample of Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley on my Kindle because someone told me the hero has a beard. I started reading the sample.

It was bad.

There were typos, the writing was horrible. I was just about to DNF it and move on to the next book, but....

.....something stopped me. It had some itty bitty, teensy weensy, wee little, minuscule bit of something that made me say....

...one more chapter. Because there was some tiny spark in there....the premise made me want to go just a bit further.

Well, I kept reading. And reading. And pretty soon I realized that not only was the writing fine, but the typos were pretty much gone. And the storytelling in this book was like crack on fire. I was addicted.

And then....and then.....

My sample ran out.

Fudge-sicle! I forgot I was reading a sample. And then I tried to download the rest of the book, but I couldn't get Internet connection.

Whimper.

(Story is not over yet).

And then, when I got to Chicago, my Kindle connection worked and I was able to download the whole book. Eureka! So, for 5 hours I read that damned book and I was amazed.

(That when I got to California, I still wasn't finished! This book is like 10 million pages long.)

Anyway, here's the deal with this book. I loved it in spite of itself. It most definitely has a split personality. I think half of this book was actually written by a teenage girl.....piss-poor writing in the first chapter, pages and pages of descriptions of hair, make-up and jewelry details that made me laugh out loud with the absurdity of it (on the plane, no less), everyone is cussing like a sailor (by the end of the book the hero is saying stuff like "Well, shit, that is the shittiest shit I ever shittin' heard"), and the book is like the never-ending story. First part: Cinderella make-over. Second part: Becoming a mom/family girl. Third part: Dealing with weenie ex-hubby and deranged ex-wife. Forth part: Eluding sick bastard serial killer. I got the feeling that Kristen Ashley wanted to make sure she didn't miss any single theme that could possibly be included in this book. So, she included them all.

Also, one of my pet peeves is over-use of the term "baby" in romance novels. In this book, the hero calls the heroine "baby." The heroine calls the hero "baby." The heroine calls her step-son "baby." The brother-in-law calls the heroine "baby." There were more babies than at a neonatal ward.

But the other part of the personality is what interests me. Because, in spite of itself, this book is like crack. Ashley is a truly gifted story-teller. Her writing has that spark, that something special, that sucks you into the book and doesn't let you go. Her story takes you on a crazy, wacky journey, and I loved every second of it. I fell in love with her characters. Even the ones bordering on cliché. This author has a very unique voice. This book is one-of-a-kind. And in this world of formulaic romance, I found this a breath of fresh air (with a pink, ruffled collar and jade beaded necklace).

Also, the hero has a beard. A sexy beard. Which the heroine loves. And gets pissed off when he shaves it. At the end of the book, he is growing back his beard, just for her.

Now, that's true love, baby. Baby. Baby. Baby.

This is the weirdest, craziest, wackiest, beardiest, babiest book I have ever read. And for some damned reason, I loved it.

Go figure.

And that's the end of my story. And it's still not even close to as long as Sweet Dreams.

Grade: A

Penelope

Walking, Talking and Gawking

I'm gawking......

.....at Carolyn Crane's new website design. Carolyn, who is hilarious, quirky and an incredibly talented writer, has been slaving away on her new website for weeks. And....it kicks big-time arse! I am totally inspired to work on my website now. I love her new font for the header, the lay-out, the super fun graphics, the whole enchilada (that's an inside joke since she loves Mexican food). Check out her website and gawk away.

I'm talking......

.....about Linda Howard's Kill and Tell with Julia Barrett. Julia loves Linda Howard, and I have only read one book by her-- Open Season --which I absolutely loved. So next on the reading list is Kill and Tell, which I am assured has one of the sexiest scenes ever. Hubba hubba hubba....


I'm walking.......

.......which just may be the secret to living a long, healthy life. Big thanks to my friend Sandra who sent me this link. I might look like a big dork when I do my walks every day....picture Adrian from the first Rocky movie--BEFORE her make-over. Remember when she had on the knit cap, buttoned-up coat and glasses? That's me. (See photo below).



I might look like a dork, but those walks are the best thing going! Check out this cool vid.......



Walking to the Rocky soundtrack,Penelope

Monday Morning Updates: Sweet and Sassy

Sassy Part:

Conversation with my daughter last night.....

Nat: Mom, what's "Hammertime"??

Me: Uh......

Nat: What's that mean?

Me: Here, let me show you. (Gets MC Hammer videos on Youtube) Watch this. Knock yourself out, kid.

A few minutes later.....

Nat: Mom, watch this new dance move!

Natty starts doing the Hammertime foot shuffle thingie on the hardwood kitchen floor. She's sliding along the kitchen floor, back and forth, back and forth. I am laughing my ass off. Lucy, the weenie dog, is wagging her tail and decides she does not want to be left out of this fun activity, so she latches onto Nat's leg and starts humping for all she's worth. (I know....it's weird that a female dog is humping, but evidently Lucy didn't get that memo). So, Nat is doing the Hammertime foot shuffle, Lucy is humping her leg as she glides across the floor, and I am laughing my ass off.

Who needs the freakin' superbowl?

Now, onto the sweet part....

Believe it or not, I read a Christan inspirational romance yesterday....and I loved it! The Unlikely Wife by Debra Ullrick is a very sweet and touching romance. Sure, it's a little bit heavy on the Christian stuff--there is a lot of praying and sermonizing--but the overall story, which pairs a poor tomboy mail-order bride and a well-to-do farmer out west, is adorable. This is a rated G story, but the sentiment is totally satisfying.

Grade: A

Weekend round-up.....Pats lost, Nat learned how to do the Hammertime Foot Shuffle with a humping weenie dog hanging on her leg, and I read a rated G inspirational romance and I liked it. Wacky!

Happy Monday,
Penelope

I Give My Kidnappers Five Stars

Actual headline this morning.....

"Kidnapped Tourists Praise Their Captors"

According to this article, the Egyptian kidnappers gave their captors tea and dried fruit, had a nice little chat, and even extinguished their cigarettes upon request. The women called their abductors "kind, polite and hospitable."

All in all, a five star kidnapping.

I guess if you're going to get kidnapped, Egypt is the place to go.


Happy Sunday Morning!
Penelope

Review of Mystic Ink by Casey Wyatt

Review of Mystic Ink by Casey Wyatt
I must admit that I was put off by the blurb for this book. For some reason I wasn't in the mood to read about gods, goddesses, sea nymphs and satyrs. This book takes mythological creatures and plops them into a contemporary setting--a tattoo parlor in Mystic, Connecticut. I've read various books with this paranormal premise, including Sherrilyn Kenyon's series, which I loved before it became repetitive.
But I must say, right from the start, Wyatt hooked me with her writing. I'm a sucker for good writing. And this book is extremely well written. It flows flawlessly, the pacing is perfect, the characters are full-bodied and interesting (sort of like a good Merlot...yeah, I still have wine on the brain). It has a lot packed in here....teetering on the edge of too much. Many characters, lots of twists and turns in the plot. But in spite of this, Mystic Ink works. I loved the main characters, especially the adorable hero who is sexy, protective, and fearless. The heroine is spunky without being irritating. The secondary characters are plentiful and colorful. But I think the most important thing here is the pacing. I was sucked into the story, I wanted to find out what was going to happen. It never gets bogged down with too much information (which can happen easily in a complex paranormal story like this). The sexual tension builds nicely, and the love scenes are toasty hot. Wyatt also does a great job setting up the next story. 
This is a great debut novel. I am most impressed with Wyatt's writing expertise and am wondering if she will branch out into other genres as well. I hope so. She's got a new fan.
Grade: A-
Penelope

I'm Back!

Natty made me a Welcome Home sign...hee hee! And got me a really cool terrarium, too.


Napa is so charming! Julia and I walked here on my last night, on our way to dinner at.....


.....Morimoto's Restaurant, where I had the best meal of my life. (And cocktail, made with vanilla vodka, lime juice and pomegranate juice). This dish is called bagna cauda. It had a hot olive oil dipping sauce made with anchovies, surrounded by beautiful vegetables. Heaven!

Super quickie reading update......
**Read Mystic Ink , the debut novel by Casey Wyatt, and I loved it! It's a mish-mash of mythology, romance and suspense. Extremely well-written, with a super-sexy and adorable hero. Can't wait to read the next one.
**Read Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook. This steampunk was okay. Not nearly as good as the first one in the series (The Iron Duke), but it kept me entertained on my airplane ride home.
**Started The Unlikely Wife by Debra Ulrick. I am loving this sweet, inspirational story.
**Did a quickie re-read of Christine Feehan's Predatory Game on the flight home. This is one of my favorite Ghostwalker books, with a handicapped hero in a wheelchair.
**Read Sweet Dreams by Kristen Ashley on the flight over to California. This book is crazy and all over the place. I couldn't decide if it was written by a teenage girl (pages of clothes and make-up descriptions, cussing out the wazoo, and poor writing, especially at the beginning), by a murderous biker dude (over the top serial killer storyline), or a romance-lover (exceptional hero....with an exceptional beard!). But after all was said and done, I freakin' loved it (coz I love wacky stuff, as you know).
Happy Friday! Huge thanks (again) to Julia Barrett for an amazing trip. Thanks, hon!
Penelope
ETA: Check out my interview at Curves Are Fabulous !

The End Of My Journey.....

The view from Marin Headlands.


Julia in front of the Golden Gate Bridge.


Ice plants at Rodeo Beach.


Rodeo Beach. Julia and I collected jade and carnelian.

Heading home to Boston! HUGE thanks to Julia for the greatest trip ever.
Penny

I Left My Heart In San Francisco

Farmer's Market In San Francisco



Golden Gate Bridge


Julia Ate The Raw Oysters....Ack!


Weenie Dog Sighting....Look At That Sweater!

Happy Day, Everyone!Penelope

I Feel Dirty

Here I am, just minding my own business in Napa, California, when I find a disturbing reference to my latest publication.
In an article about....ahem....library porn.
That's right. Evidently, there is a category of pornography all about naughty librarians. According to Avi Steinberg in "Checking Out" (an article he wrote for The Paris Review ), "...it comes as no surprise that the sexy librarian, a fixture of the pornographic imagination, is most at home in books. Each year, new titles are added to the librarian-porn bookshelf. This past season's crop included additions like Hot for Librarian....Lucy the Librarian--Dewey and His Decimal....The Nympho Librarian and Other Stories....A Librarian's Desire.....and soft-core selections like Sweet Magick by Penny Watson."
Oh. My. God.
First of all, Mr. Steinberg spelled my book title incorrectly (it's Sweet Magik). For cripes sake, if you're going to call me out as a pornographer, you could at least have the common courtesy to spell my book title correctly.
Second of all, Sweet Magik is not soft-core porn. It's not erotica. It's not even an erotic romance. It's fantasy romance. Just because a book has some sexy time with a librarian does NOT make it a porno.
Third, I can't believe my Christmas story just got lumped in with The Nympho Librarian. 
I feel dirty.
On a slightly more wholesome note, I got a nice shout-out at RT Reviews, in an article called "Trend Watch: Lumberjack Romance." They mentioned my Etsy collection "For Girls Who Love Lumberjacks." They listed some lumberjacky books, but none seemed quite as beard-inspired as my own WIP, Lumberjack In Love .
Well, I'm off to enjoy another day in Napa with Julia! I'll post more pics soon. :^)
Penny