RealityBypass

So we had great plans for a contest last month around Valentines and then life got in the way and it just didn’t happen the way we expected.  Sooo…we’ve decided to try again.  :)  From now until midnight on St. Patrick’s day, March 17th, all commenters will be tossed into a bucket for a book shaped prize.  As I’m headed off to Disney World next week there is every possibility something Disney shaped may go with the book.  So chat it up.

As well we’re moving webpages.  Hopefully this will be the last time.  We’ve decided that wordpress is a much better blog software for us and we’re actually at our own website, www.realitybypassbooks.com instead of something with a weird .8m or whatnot in the middle.  The move will happen April 2nd though the old page will stay up for archives for a while.

Soo…moving on to our book of the week, Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews.  This is book two in the Kate Daniels series.  Book three Magic Strikes comes out at the end of the month!!!  This series is a lot of fun and a good launch to our week of talking about many things Irish.  I love the use of Celtic mythology in Magic Burns.  It adds a lot of richness to the book and is used in ways which are uncommon in most Urban Fantasy.  Of the Kate books thus far this is the one I’ve come back to read multiple times.  The use of the crow symbology is strong and a very classic Welsh and Irish usage.  Definitely a solid UF contender, and I have the same high hopes for Magic Strikes!

~J

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Age: Adult
Content: Violence, Sexuality
Overall:  Buy!!!

In the past couple of weeks I have discovered two new things which I’m not so sure I should have discovered. The first is FaceBook and the second is Twitter. I got involved in these social networks because I had friends there and because they keep coming up as good ways to promote books, blogs and other creative efforts. I agree they’re a good way to get the word out, but I admit they are also making me feel rather scattered.

Both of these social networks are like having children who keep calling your name and tugging on your sleeve. They want you to interact and play together and check in every 34 minutes because something might be updated. There’s pressure to publish and post and I’m not sure my brain can take it on top of everything else I do all the time. I find it interesting how we often complain as writers about ‘writer’s block’ or being creatively stimied, but I look at the world around us and what is expected from us and sometimes I wonder if it’s not block so much as not being able to hear ourselves think above the din?

What about you, gentle reader? Have you joined up? Are you able to resist the siren song of just one more tweet when you really need to get other stuff done, or are you weak and must you complete your turn in Tiny Dungeons and Dragons?

~Jana

Do not be alarmed….

This is your friendly blog-web-master. Do not adjust your Computer - Set.

Yes, you may get your RSS feeds going a little wacky for us over the next few days, because I’m trying to update the tags so the blog will be easier to navigate. This way if you want to read about book reviews, you don’t have to click on 8 tags.

Hopefully we’ll be settled in another week or two.

~Kristen

3pm Update: …. Yeah. Um. So there’s a nifty tab that says “Tags” which allows me to consolidate and update tags. I wish I’d figured that out 2 hours ago. But at least I fixed the old blogs so if you search them, they’re readable with the new blog colors. But… anyway, lesson here: read the instructions. So the updating IS done, anyway.

So most people know I’ve “changed” jobs. I used to teach high school which was an exhausting and demanding, but rewarding job. However I felt called to continue my studies to hopefully teach literature at the University level. Of course lately this has meant not being home til 9pm, which makes it hard for me to feel terribly creative and ready to hammer out those 1000 - 2000 words.

So tonight I was sitting, staring at the computer screen and trying to ignore the Siren Call of Gauntlet Legend on my PS2… when I look over to see my cat, Cleo, carrying something. She jumps on the desk and I try to figure out what she’s stolen this time. You see, Cleo is a Klepto. She loves to steal things and hide them in her house, especially jewelry. Jana can tell you about the time Cleo stole an earring right out of her ear! So… the cat promptly drops something on the desk in front of me.

It’s my writing thumb drive, which is on a band so I can wear it around my neck.

I think “kitty want a new pair of shoes”! (Or perhaps gourmet food and a new kitty condo). So even the non sentient members of my household think I should stop procrastinating.

It should really come as very little surprise to anyone that I’m a big fan of Urban fantasy books.  Cry Wolf is a second UF series by Patricia Briggs and I found it a fun, and very fast, read.  The plot in this book is fairly simple and the book is carried by the developing relationship between Anna and Charles.  The line between paranormal romance and urban fantasy is very fuzzy in this piece, but it’s well accomplished so didn’t bother me.  I liked Charles from the Mercy Thompson series, and also enjoyed being able to get a better history of Bran, the leader of the North American werewolves.  Anna worked for me though she had some wishy washy moments where I just wanted to whap her on the nose with a rolled up newspaper.  My other big complaint is that there is SO much made of Anna being an ‘Omega’ wolf, but it’s never really well explained to the reader much less to Anna herself.  She can just suddenly do stuff, but the limits and ramifications are fuzzy.  I’d like a lot more filling in of this aspect because it has the potential to be very cool.

I found the way she started the story interesting as it’s starting after many of the events which I expected the book to be about.  I’m not sure this is to the book’s detrement though.  I still have to ponder it and may need a second reading before I’m set on my opinion.

All in all it’s a good first in a series, but there are some places where it feels like a first book and from a well established author I wanted a little more spit and polish.  That said I’ll read the next one. 

~J

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Age: Adult
Content: Violence, Sexuality
Overall:  Buy or Library

Anna never knew werewolves existed, until the night she survived a violet attack…and became one herself.  After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males.  Then Charles Cornick, the enforcer - and son - of the leader of the North American werewolves, came into her life.

Charles insists that not only is Anna his mate, but she is also a rare and valued Omega wolf.  And it is Anna’s inner strength and calming presence that will prove invaluable as she and Charles go on the hunt in search of a roge werewolf - a creature bound in magic so dark that it could threaten all of the pack…

Hiya folks!

I just got in from the Rodeo, one of my favorite events every year in Houston. This year I got to go spend time in a suite with my Dad’s company, which made things all the better. Anyway…

I wanted to share this letter, a famous rallying point during the Texas Revolution. I also think it’s some of the more famous prose from my region. The letter was sent on February 24th and the Alamo was lost with all hands on March 6.:

Commandancy of the Alamo- Bejar, Feby. 24th, 1836

To the people of Texas & all Americans in the world– Fellow citizens & compatriots–           I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — VICTORY OR DEATH.

William Barret Travis Lt. Col. comdt.

P.S. The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.

It was my anniversary yesterday and we’re doing some celebrating today.  :)  Between the celebrating and the fact my brain is arguing viciously with my WIP protagonist today’s blog will be a few links from around the blogosphere.

Amazon Relents on the Kindle text to speech

A great definition of Passion

Writing Excuses talks Fight scenes

~Jana