Author Spotlight: Virgil Allen Moore

Today we welcome author Virgil Moore who is promoting his book, Demon Vampire. Welcome!

Publisher: EruditeSmall Press

Date of Publication: October 2011

Demon Vampire asks the question, if given the choice to have power, grace, and immortality at the cost of your soul, what would you do? What if the choice was easier than you think? Small incremental segments of you childhood for a boost in strength? The ability to protect your loved ones for the corners of your mind that you don't often use? Regeneration for the traits that make you who you are? If faced with a grave decision of morality, what would you choose?

About the author:

Virgil Allen Moore has been writing for seventeen years. He began as a poet and eventually turned to long fiction. In his words "My pen wields visceral morality as I write. I use my poetic knowledge to woo and satiate the minds of the world." His books are written for their vivid imagery and well defined storytelling. He blends old world refinement with a modern feel in a way that gives strength to the core of his novels. With his books, you are left not just with a sense of accomplishment, but a moral choice. The reader has choice over how they feel through the story. The ordeals of the characters are transmuted to the reader, lending a direct sensation of emotion that only the best novels can evoke. When you read his words, you will be rewarded. As he says, "If you enjoy vampires, you will be enthralled by mine."

Purchase links for Demon Vampire
USA Kindle  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0062F60O2
USA Print  http://www.amazon.com/dp/1937438066
UK Kindle  http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0062F60O2/276-7960540-8806063

Links for Demon Vampire: Special Science Report 1192
USA Kindle http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00615IRCG
UK Kindle http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00615IRCG/276-7960540-8806063

Websites
http://demonvampire.com/ 
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12717966-demon-vampire

Dirty Little Secrets by CJ Omololu

by:  CJ Omololu
published by:  Walker Books for Young Readers
publish date:  February 2, 2010

Everyone has a secret. But Lucy’s is bigger and dirtier than most. It’s one she’s been hiding for years—that her mom’s out-of-control hoarding has turned their lives into a world of garbage and shame. She’s managed to keep her home life hidden from her best friend and her crush, knowing they’d be disgusted by the truth. So, when her mom dies suddenly in their home, Lucy hesitates to call 911 because revealing their way of life would make her future unbearable—and she begins her two-day plan to set her life right.

Dirty Little Secrets is one of those "trend" books.  It picks up on the popularity of shows like Hoarders and takes a look at the problem from the standpoint of one of the kids. 

This was a really quick read.  I got through it in a couple of hours.  It was one of those books that wasn't spectacularly great, but it wasn't too bad either.  It was kind of interesting subject matter, but on the other hand I felt like I could have watched an episode of Hoarders and gotten less frustrated with the characters.  Lucy's hesitation to call 911 annoyed me.  I guess I kept thinking about things from the standpoint of the police asking questions.

This might be one of those books to check out from the library this summer.  There wasn't anything objectionable throughout this book, so it's safe for all YA reading lists.

Oxford Messed Up by Andrea Kayne Kaufman

Author: Andrea Kayne Kaufman
Publisher: Grant Place Press
Date of Publication: November 2011


Rhodes Scholar Gloria Zimmerman has come to Oxford University to study feminist poetry. Yet the rigors of academia pale in comparison to her untreated Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, fueled by her overachieving parents and manifested in a deathly aversion to germs and human contact. Her next-door neighbor (who is also, to her mortification, her loomate) is Henry Young, the appealing but underachieving English music student. Still mourning the death of his supportive mother while enduring the mockery of his disapproving and merciless father, Henry is haunted by the unexpectedly serious ramifications of a reckless and tragic youth. Gloria and Henry's relationship evolves from a shared obsession with Van Morrison's music into a desire to fill the gaps in each other’s lives. Yet the constraints of a debilitating illness and the looming revelation of a catastrophic secret conspire to throw their worlds into upheaval and threaten the possibilities of their unlikely yet redemptive love.

Oxford Messed Up was a well written story about two pretty messed people and the love and healing they find in each other.  Gloria suffers from OCD and Henry is a former drug addict who fells like a failure and a fraud.  When they find out they are sharing a bathroom, they begin a tentative friendship.

I really liked Henry and Gloria.  I think they were very good for each other.  This was not a co-dependent relationship. Instead, they both are able to see the potential in each other.  This allows them to begin to change and grow.  I also think it helped that both of them are away from their overbearing and domineering parents.  After reading about Gloria's mother, it isn't any wonder why she has OCD. Henry seemed to have followed right in his father's path into addiction.

While I did enjoy the overall story, I have to admit that the Van Morrison references and song lyrics were lost on me.  I'm not a big fan of his music, so I had a hard time relating them to the story.  Maybe if I had known his music better, I would have liked it more.  Also, I thought that Gloria got over her OCD kind of fast.  I know that Cognitive Behavior Therapy is very effective, but it just seemed too fast.  Especially for someone who has lived this way for so long.

I think readers will enjoy Oxford Messed Up.  It is, in its essence, a sweet love story.  This is the first book I have read by Ms. Kaufman and I look forward to seeing what she comes out with next.

Defending Jacob by William Landay

Author: William Landay, Grover Gardner (narrator)

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Audiobook: Blackstone Audio

Date of Publication: January 2012

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Wow!  That was the only thing I could think of to say when I finished listening to this book.  Defending Jacob will definitely be in my top 10 for 2012.   The book asked a few questions that really made me think.  What would I do as a parent if my child was accused of murder? How much do you really know your own child? Is it really nature or nurture that makes a person act the way they do?  Is our life predetermined by our genetic make-up? 


All of these themes run throughout the book.  Andy Barber finds his life turned upside down when he finds his 14 YO son accused of murdering his classmate.  He knows he is innocent and will do anything to help save his son. Jacob comes from a seemingly stable and loving family. Both parents are well educated and normal. The thing I loved about the book is that it gives the reader a realistic view of what happens to the "accused" family. It was refreshing to see it from the other side. Not just in the initial stages, but more importantly, how they handle the aftermath. 

Each person reacts in different ways.  The father sets off on his own investigation, the mother withdraws into herself and becomes a shadow of what she was before and the son still acts like a typical clueless teen.   I also enjoyed the parts about the trial.  I read that the author was an ADA in Massachusetts, so he brings some authenticity to the book.  I didn't feel like I was reading a Law and Order script.


So, did he do it?  I'm not going to tell you.  You have to read the book for yourself and draw your own conclusions. I often listen to audio books at work.  While I am pretty good at listening and working at the same time, I had to stop working during the last 15 minutes of the book.  It was that good.   Be prepared for a few twists.  This book is no typical court room drama.  Just when you think you have it figured out, the author throws you another curve ball.  I listened to the audio book and I fully enjoyed listening to Grover Gardner, the narrator of the audio book. 



Just a little side note about the one thing that bothered me about this book. If the so-called "murder gene" (or the MAOA-knockout) is carried on the X-chromosome, then it would be passed down from mother to son, not father to son. Males are XY and females are XX. Since it is the male that determines sex, the father would be passing the Y-chromosome to the son, not the X.  I know it may seem nit-picky, but that is the scientist in me. The book does mention chromosome 17 which also may play a part in the murder predisposition, which the father could pass onto the son. But there is no way a male gets the X from his dad.  Yet, while it bothered me, the rest of the book more than made up for it and I was able to give it up to creative license.

Defending Jacob is a book that I know will stay with me for a long time.  If you haven't read this book yet, put it on your TBR list right now!
 

Speed of Light by Lee Baker

Author: Lee Baker
Publisher: Paralight Films
Date of Publication: August 2011


Living the life of his dreams, and married to his longtime sweetheart, Pierce Black has been selected to be the first to pilot the Speed of Light plane. He is destined to make history like John Glenn and Neil Armstrong. Pierce’s idyllic world screeches to a halt when, three weeks before the historic flight, his wife is killed in a tragic car accident. Determined to carry on with the groundbreaking flight in spite of his grief, Pierce is changed forever when, during the flight, his body is transformed into light. The shock throws Pierce into a deep coma and when he wakes time is not relevant to his mind. 


Suddenly able to step into visions of the past, Pierce struggles to make sense of what he sees as he learns that his wife’s death was not an accident, but murder and the murderers are still after him. As Pierce and the beautiful attorney, Vanessa Trace, sort through the bizarre attacks on Pierce and his vivid visions of the past, they cannot substantiate any evidence to his claims. In a frantic race to stay alive, Pierce and Vanessa find themselves matching wits with a conspiracy with seemingly endless resources and a police department convinced Pierce is a murderer, while at the same time they question whether or not Pierce himself is crazy.


Speed of Light was an enjoyable read.  It was actually a pretty fresh idea for a book.  Also pretty different from what I have read lately.  While Speed of Light initially looks like a science fiction novel, it is so much more than that.  There is a mystery to be solved and Pierce is going to use his abilities to solve it.


After his wife is killed, Pierce becomes the first human being to travel at the speed of light.  He comes out of a coma 4 months later and discovers that he has come out of the experience whole, but different.  He figures out that he can come out of his body and move through time to see the past, present and future.  He also finds out that there is a conspiracy in the company he works for.  Risking his life and those he loves he sets out to find out the truth behind his wife's death and his brother-in-law's disappearance.  


As I was reading, I kept thinking this would be a good idea for a movie.  The special effects alone would be very cool.  If you are looking for something different to try out, give this one a shot.

About the Author:

Lee Baker is the president of Sandman Studios, a visual effects and animation company and has taught courses at UCLA Extension, Loyola Marymount University and the University of Utah. He is the author of the illustrated books “Humbug, A Christmas Carol” and “Beau and the Beanstalk,” and now his latest thriller “Speed of Light.” Lee lives in Utah with his wife and five children.

Joint Review: The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes

Author: Julian Barnes

Publisher: Jonathan Cape

Date of Publication: August 2011

Tony Webster and his clique first met Adrian Finn at school. Sex-hungry and book-hungry, they would navigate the girl-less sixth form together, trading in affectations, in-jokes, rumour and wit. Maybe Adrian was a little more serious than the others, certainly more intelligent, but they all swore to stay friends for life.

Now Tony is in middle age. He’s had a career and a single marriage, a calm divorce. He’s certainly never tried to hurt anybody. Memory, though, is imperfect. It can always throw up surprises, as a lawyer’s letter is about to prove.

Throughout this book, Veronica says, "You just don't get it and you never will"  That is how I felt after I read this book.  I didn't get it.  What was the point?  That being said, I didn't really care for it.  If it had been longer than 4 discs, I think this would have become a DNF book for me.  I don't think I could have stood listening to it for much longer than that.  Throughout the whole book, I felt like I was reading a philosophy paper.   I get that the author was trying to prove a point about memory and the part it plays in history.  It just didn't work for me with this book.

The big twist at the end fell so short for me.  I hated the ending.  Just because Tony wrote a letter 40 years earlier in the heat of the moment that made one small suggestion, he should feel responsible for the outcome of 4 other people's lives?  Really? What about those other people's part in their own lives? This book got great reviews, but unfortunately I am not one of those that liked it.

I liked it.  I felt like it was really slow in the beginning, but I stuck it out and finished it and in the end my thoughts were along the lines of it being kinda weird, but overall positive.  It's a super short book, it's less than 200 pages I think.  I listened to the audiobook and it's about 4 hours long, so there isn't a huge time investment here. 

Kari didn't like Tony and I can understand that.  He was very self-centered.  I didn't like Adrian.  I guess because I've known people like him.  People that are so arrogant and above it all because they think they're so much more enlightened than all us rabble.  I felt like he was such a drama queen. 

The Sense of an Ending was the winner of the 2011 Man Booker Prize.  So give it a shot.  Tell us what you thought about it.

Throwback Thursday: Between the Lines by Jayne Ann Krentz

Author: Jayne Anne Krentz

First published in February 1987 by Harlequin Temptation

There was no passion to break her heart, no love to risk and lose. Marrying her boss, prominent businessman Cormick Grayson, was a very reasonable proposition for a woman who d been hurt in love before. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.

At first. But something wasn't right. The heat in Gray s eyes told her there was more to this than a polite, passionless marriage. But Gray's cool, impersonal distance left Amber wondering about the man she d married.

Amber never imagined she d be the one demanding more, yearning to feel things she vowed she would never risk again.

This is the Jayne that I know and love.   As much as I like her Arcane series, I think I like her older novels better.  Between the Lines is a marriage of convenience tale, but from the start you can see that both care about each other.  Gray is actually in love with Amber, but he talks her into marrying him for convenience sake.  She has been pretty hurt int he past and he knows he must take his time to show her she can love again.  Gray is such a great guy, anyone would have to be crazy not to fall in love with him.  I think I liked Amber so much because she isn't a naive virgin.  She has guts and isn't afraid to go after what she wants.  There are a few giggle worthy scenes in this book.  I loved the part when Amber tries to seduce Gray and upon failing, she asks him if he likes women.  His reaction was priceless!

There is a little bit of intrigue and action in this one, but the romance is really the main focus.  If you missed this one, pick it up.  I listened to the audio book.  It was a nice escape and a nice change from her Arcane series.

Blog Tour: Daddy's Home by A. K. Alexander

Author:  A. K. Alexander
Publisher: CreateSpace
Date of Publication: December 2010


A KILLER STALKS HIS PREY.... 
A calculating and deadly killer is in search for what he terms as his perfect family. Preying upon single mothers and their innocent children, the police have dubbed him "The Family Man."

HE WATCHES THEM...HE TAKES THEM...
He plays out his role as the perfect father. When things don't go so perfect in his insane fantasy world, the family man kills.

HOLLY JENNINGS IS ON THE CASE....
Crime Scene Investigator Holly Jennings of the San Diego Police Department is determined to track him down and see that justice is served. With Holly being a single mother herself, this man's crimes are deeply personal to her, and turn more so when a friend and her daughter become the latest victims of "The Family Man." 

Along with tracking an evil killer, Holly is dealing with her own internal demons. She is raising her daughter Chloe alone after the death of her husband--a death she feels guilty for. 

To complicate her life further, Holly is doing her best to avoid possibly falling in love again with charming veterinarian Brendan O'Neil. As Holly delves deeper into solving the murders, she finds herself being sucked into a game of cat and mouse by "The Family Man," that may lead her down a dark path too horrible to bear. One that may cost her gravely-her family, her new found love, and even her life.


I should know better than to start a book like this on a day when I have a million things to do.  I was sucked right in and didn't want to put it down.  Who needs clean clothes anyway, right?  In all seriousness, I thoroughly enjoyed Daddy's Home.  It has everything a reader could ask for in a thriller.  It has suspense, a really creepy serial killer and a kick-ass cop.  There is also a really sweet romance thrown in as well.


I thought Holly was a great character. Holly is a smart, competent and tough cop.  She is also raising her daughter alone.  Her husband was killed when she was pregnant with Chloe.  Not only is she trying to raise her daughter, now she is trying to catch a brutal killer.    I also loved Brendan.  He was so sweet and a great relief to Holly.  I  loved that their relationship progressed  along easily without a lot of angst.  


I don't want to give away too much of the plot.  It has some surprises that will keep you guessing.  While you do know the name of the killer from the start ( or do you?), there is so much more to discover.  I definitely recommend Daddy's Home.  I know I'll be looking for more books by this author!

About the author:

Writing under the pen name A.K. Alexander, Michele Scott  explores the darker side of storytelling. With her daring, frightening and suspensful novels, A.K. Alexander writes for those readers who like to be thrilled and kept in the dark up until the very end…

You can visit the author’s website at www.michelescott.com.

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

by:  Madeline Miller
published by:  Bloomsbury Publishing
publish date:  September 20, 2011

Achilles, 'best of all the Greeks', is everything Patroclus is not — strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess — and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative companionship gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper — despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel and deathly pale sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.
I was amazed by how much I loved this book.  I went in without too many expectations and came out blown away.  We all sort of get a vague education about Achilles in grade school and might pick up a few things here or there, but after reading this book it was like, WOW!  I kept looking stuff up to see if it was historically accurate and everything I looked up was, so this was an exceptionally well researched book.

Song of Achilles is told from the viewpoint of Patroclus, Achilles' sworn companion.  Patroclus begins his life as a disappointment to his father and is eventually exiled to Peleus' kingdom.  This is where Patroclus and young Prince Achilles become fast friends.  The book chronicles Achilles and Patroclus being educated by the centaur Chiron.  In this telling of the story, Achilles and Patroclus become lovers during this period of their lives.  As history tells us, Achilles joins in with the Battle of Troy and eventually becomes a great hero of that war.  The book describes his fight and death in beautiful detail.

I loved the fact that this book was told from the stand point of Patroclus.  That put everything that happened throughout the book through a lens of love.  All the actions that took place were understandable because they loved each other so much.

This is one of my top 3 favorite books I've read so far this year.  I can't recommend it highly enough.  If you're a fan of historical fiction, it's a must read!

Guest Post & Giveaway: Marie Astor

Please welcome author Marie Astor as she tells us what elements make a strong heroine.  She is also promoting her new book, Dance me to the Stars.


Make sure to scroll down and check out her giveaway!  Aren't they pretty!

Marie writes:

What Makes a Strong Heroine?

Thank you for inviting me to the TBR Pile. My name is Marie Astor and I am the author of contemporary romance novels, Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, and Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

Today I would like to talk about writing a strong heroine. There are many traits that make a strong heroine, but for today’s discussion, I’d like to cap the number to the five essential qualities. So, what are five most essential traits of a good leading lady?

1) A heroine should be relatable to by the reader – regardless of where and when the story takes place, the reader has to be able to identify with the heroine on some level. I think that Jane Austen’s novels are the perfect example – the setting may be in a different century, but we still find ourselves relating to Austen’s heroines as they struggle with their misfortunes and claim their victories.

2) A heroine should be likeable, which does not mean perfect by any means! There are many famous heroines who are not perfect in the least– for example, Scarlett O’Hara. Scarlett is scheming, conniving, jealous, and downright mean at times, and yet, as readers, we love her all the same because she has redeeming qualities, which brings to number three:

3) If a heroine has flaws, she must have redeeming qualities in order to make the reader root for her anyway. Again, Scarlett O’Hara is the perfect example here – she may be conniving and scheming, but she is also strong-willed and tough, and she perseveres and stands tall in very difficult circumstances, making us root for her as readers.

4) A heroine should have flaws. Who wants to read about a Goody Two-Shoes? In real life no one is perfect – how many of us can honesty claim to never having a jealous thought or listening to gossip?

And last, but not least – physical appearance is just as important as inner qualities. I believe that there should be a balance between physical appearance and character traits. How does a heroine who is gorgeous, confident and eloquent sound? Boring. But if we had a heroine who is good-looking, but is struggling with insecurities stemming from her past we would want to find out more about her.

These were the guidelines that steered me true when I was writing the character of Claire Chatfield – the heroine of my contemporary romance novel, Dance Me to the Stars. I hope that you will join Claire on her search for her true love – here is a quick blurb to tell you more about the book:

Twenty-eight-year-old Claire Chatfield has everything a girl could possibly wish for: looks, a promising career at New York’s top architectural firm, and an engagement ring from one of New York’s most eligible heir-bachelors! Life should be a dream, but when Alec Brunell, a sexy tango dancer, moves into the apartment one floor above from Claire’s, he unwittingly awakens Claire’s old insecurities, making her question her life choices. Will Claire brave her fears and allow herself to take a chance on Alec, or will she continue to play it safe?

Dance Me to the Stars is a love story about finding one’s perfect match - sometimes following one’s heart is as convoluted as learning the steps of tango.

Dance Me to the Stars is 254 pages in length and is available on Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Me-Stars-Contemporary-ebook/dp/B0078IPNCW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333508381&sr=8-1

More about Marie:

Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre. Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels Dance Me to the Stars, On the Rim of Love, Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

Marie’s latest novel, Dance Me to the Stars, has been selected in the first round of entries in the General Fiction category in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel contest this year.

Currently, Marie is working on her next novel – a first installment in her romantic suspense series. Stop by Marie’s website: www.marieastor.com to sign up for book releases and events. Marie can also be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/marieastorcollection and Twitter: @marieastor.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

by:  Gillian Flynn
published by:  Crown Publishing Group
publish date:  June 5, 2012

Just how well can you ever know the person you love? This is the question that Nick Dunne must ask himself on the morning of his fifth wedding anniversary, when his wife Amy suddenly disappears. The police immediately suspect Nick. Amy's friends reveal that she was afraid of him, that she kept secrets from him. He swears it isn't true. A police examination of his computer shows strange searches. He says they aren't his. And then there are the persistent calls on his mobile phone. So what did really did happen to Nick's beautiful wife? And what was left in that half-wrapped box left so casually on their marital bed? In this novel, marriage truly is the art of war...

I'm a huge fangirl of Gillian Flynn.  I discovered her last year and I wanted to go find her and become her worst nightmare demanding her to write more books...NOW!  I didn't (obviously), but maybe some of my persuasive thoughts made it her way, because now we have Gone Girl.  Yay!  It's all the messed up, dark and dirty storytelling we all love from Gillian Flynn.

Gone Girl surpassed my expectations.  It made me a little afraid of my husband.  It made me a little afraid of myself.  Every now and then, one of those "wow, if I really wanted to I could...." thoughts would pop in my head.  It will definitely make you think about marriage and the people close to you.  The smallest little thing can mean so many different things to the other person.

Gone Girl is told from the alternating viewpoints of Nick and Amy.  This a particularly effective method to get the mindset of each character.  One would think this would give too much away, but Flynn is a master setting up her story, only giving away a little bit at a time.

This book was an amazing thrill ride.  I don't want to talk about it too much, because I don't want to give anything away.  If you like mysteries, or thrillers, psychological suspense, whatever...pre-order this book today!  Gone Girl is one of those books that will burrow into the dark places of your brain and stay there and force you to think about it for a long time.