Book Review: Return of the Rose by Theresa Ragan...

Title: Return of the Rose

Author: Theresa Ragan

Publisher: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.

Pages: 311 (Print), File size: 654 kb

Page Number Source ISBN: 1463610068 ASIN: B004Q9TGG0

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords

Summary from Amazon.com:

Twin sisters are born in Medieval England. One of the infants is dying and is taken to the Witch of Devonshire, who uses supernatural powers to transport the ailing babe to the future. It is the year 1986 when Cathy Hayes, a woman who has lost her child and husband in a car accident, finds the baby at her doorstep, gets her the medical attention she needs, and raises the baby as her own. Morgan grows up in the twentieth century with a mysterious attraction to a hollow suit of armor that stands in the window of her mother's antique store.

Morgan is twenty-four years old when she becomes entangled within the armor's metal plates and is whisked back in time where she is mistaken for Amanda Forrester, a twin sister she knows nothing about. In Amanda's place, Morgan is forced to marry King Henry's favored knight, Derek Vanguard, Lord of Braddock Hall. Abandoned by his mother and having failed as a child to gain his father's love, Derek's heart is as cold as the stone walls of his castle.

In the end, Morgan discovers the true power of love and for the first time in her life she knows where she belongs.

My thoughts:

I have to admit, this book got my attention right away. Yeah, it is a romance. But not a mushy, gushy kind. There were a couple of times when some sexy scenes were back to back, but they weren't overly descriptive, which is what I prefer. I was skeptical at first, with the whole 'being whisked back in time' thing. I still have a bit of a problem with the fact that the historical characters didn't find Morgan's modern clothing a bit more surprising and more deserving of a quick glance. Had any of the characters paid attention, I think they would have noticed some differences between Morgan and Amanda right away.

That's just a minor thing, though. The book's over all flow and style was pretty darn good to hold my attention and make me want to keep reading til the end. There are times when I come across a book, figure I will give it a shot and then I can't finish it no matter what. Return of the Rose, however, caught my attention and held it all the way to the end, making me want to stay up late just to finish it. Not many books do that.

The characters, aside from being a bit too self absorbed, were fairly well developed. The beginning of the book, where Morgan is inside her mother's antique shop was good, I just wish it had lasted a little longer. Perhaps Morgan could have left, interacted with her mother a little more and then the next day get whisked back to the time she belonged. That's just me, though. A couple other spots could have had more attention paid to them, but these are trivial things.  Good book!

I give it 4 and a half skull and crossbones.

Writing Life...

I'm currently in the middle of reading 'Sometimes the Magic Works' by Terry Brooks. I have been trying to read books on writing, always improving my craft, you know.

As I am reading, though, I'm thinking... "Wow, if I were to ever write a book on my writing life, I wouldn't be able to."

Why?

Because I would feel like I am plagiarizing Mr. Brooks. Everything he has said in his book so far is exactly what I would say and how I feel. For those of you who have read this book, you sort of know what I mean. For those of you who have not read it, I'll give you a couple of examples.

First, let me link back to this post I did the other day: here. It talks about the difference between an author and a writer. This is exactly how I feel about it all.

I also like how Terry Brooks talks about writers living in two worlds. Here I thought I just had some major ADD because I will space out conversations, especially while people are talking directly to me. I'll suddenly have a flash of insight and start thinking of my writing world.

'Writers live in two worlds. The real world and the one they're writing about.' How true is this statement for you, as a writer? Just like in his book on writing, I always find myself in situations where I observe and use either the situation or the people in my writing.

I used to love going to the mall and just 'people watch'. I've learned so much from examining human behavior in my life that I can pretty much pinpoint personality traits in the space of a heartbeat. And I capitalize on this in creating my characters. Character creation is so super simple for me because of this. I can usually watch people and tell when they're lying. I used to love watching the show, 'Lie To Me' because I saw what the character saw. Maybe not right away or as quickly, but I could spot it. I also know the types of people I will be able to get along with in the long run and who I need to avoid.

I'm sure I'll be posting more as I continue to read this book. It is one of the best books by a fantasy author I've found. I know how he feels, I know of what he speaks! I feel the same way.

Do you feel like you live in two different worlds? What book on writing do you feel you have connected to the author? Have a great rest of the week!

What Did You Learn...

I sound like Stewie from 'Family Guy' when he's at the baseball game. He catches the fly ball and some kid wants to trade his bat for the ball. Stewie takes the bat, smacks the kid over the head and keeps both the ball and bat, then asks, "What did you learn?"

In this case though, I'm talking about writing. I've been looking back over some old stuff I've written and have winced, cringed and thought, "Oh good lord... what was I thinking?". It makes you think about what you've learned from your craft.

What have I learned? Well, I used to have an issue with changing tense in the middle of a sentence. Have I corrected that? Sometimes I think I have, but once in awhile, I catch myself. That is something I really don't look for. I try to keep a weather eye on my writing, but some things still slip past me.

I've also learned not to use 'was', 'that' or 'then' so much. Same for 'and'. I think I have worked harder at constructing stronger sentences and being more succinct rather than long-winded. Bet you wish I could say the same for my blog posts, huh?

I've learned I am a Writer. I have started reading 'Sometimes the Magic Works' by Terry Brooks. His book on writing. In the introduction, Elizabeth George defines the difference between an 'Author' and a 'Writer'. An Author seeks only to get published and get advances for their work while Writers write and seek to better their work with every book.

Do I agree with that? Perhaps. I agree that I am more along the lines of a Writer because I do try to better my craft with each sentence I write. I honestly don't care if I make money writing. I mean, yeah, I'll take the cash! But that isn't the point of getting my stories out there. I want them to be shared and loved by others as much as I love writing them. I don't think all Authors are seeking a paycheck. I do think there are some One Book Wonders out there, people who have no clue about writing but got something published anyway. Would they be able to do it again? Doubtful. I don't think they know how to work at writing.

I have learned a lot in the last couple of years. Blogging has helped, reading all your blogs has REALLY helped and of course, so have books like Terry's.

So, what have you learned? Would you define yourself as a Writer or Author according to Elizabeth George? Are you a better writer than you were?

Book Review: Build A Man by Talli Roland & Interview...

Hey everyone! I'm excited, because today I am going to review a book by an author I've been really looking forward to reading. Yep, that's right. Talli Roland!

A couple of weeks ago, I bought Build A Man on Amazon.com and after reading it, I purchased the next in the series, Construct A Couple. I can't wait to get started on that one, but I have others to get to first, sadly.

So without further ado, here is a very brief interview with Talli, followed by the review of Build A Man:

Me: This first one is a three part question: I understand this is your third book, correct? How many do you have published, total? How many more are in the works?

Talli: ‘Build A Man’ was my third book, and I’ve recently published its sequel, ‘Construct A Couple’. Next in line is ‘The Pollyanna Plan’ (Autumn 2012) and then ‘Marriage to Measure’ (2013), another in the ‘Build A Man’ series. (I can't wait for the next in the Build A Man series!)

Me: What sort of experience do you have in the plastic surgery world? Did you have to do much research?

Talli: Actually, most of my research was on the job! I worked as a receptionist for two years at a five-star spa that provided Botox and fillers, among other things. A lot of the anecdotes in ‘Build A Man’, while slightly exaggerated, are based on reality. Unfortunately! (That's kinda scary, but funny.)

Me: I know you are married and expecting. (Congratulations!) Is your husband your ideal man? Is there anything you would change about him?

Talli: Thank you. We’re pretty excited! You know, I think he is my ideal man. He doesn’t let me get away with anything, which – while frustrating at the time – is good in the long run. What would I change? I hate when he cracks his toes! *shudder* I’m also not a fan of the snoring. (I'm not a huge fan of snoring from my man either. But, he's ideal for me as well.)

Me: What inspires you to write? Do you have to have complete silence or some noise?

Talli: I’m very much of the mindset that if you wait for inspiration to strike, it’ll take ages to finish anything! For me, the most important thing is sitting down in the chair and getting out the words, regardless of the elusive inspiration. I write in silence, but I love the street noise that seeps in from outside: the roaring double-deckers, whizzing motorbikes, and shrieking police cars are my backdrop. (I'd love to have your soundtrack of background noise! And great mindset. Sometimes, I have to wait for inspiration or I wouldn't get anything written, lol!)

Me: And the last one is always for fun: What is your favorite meal?

Talli: I’m very into beige food right now, and eagerly awaiting the day I can return to coloured food. Right now, I eat a lot of rice and pasta. Boring, right? Sigh! (Nah, not boring, it's good and good for you!)

Me: Concerning the "recipe for perfect English tea", is that how it is really done? Is that your perfect recipe?

Talli: This is an ongoing debate in Britain! Everyone seems to have their own tried and true method of creating the perfect cup of tea. Dare I admit I’m not a fan? I’ve never been able to get into tea, despite many attempts. I’m a coffee girl at heart. (Hmm... I don't think I can keep this under wraps, girl. You're on your own! But, I have to agree. I am a coffee girl as well. Tea is rare, like when it's cold and I'm having a bad day. Otherwise, I prefer iced tea.)

 

Talli Roland writes fun, romantic fiction. Born and raised in Canada, Talli now lives in London, where she savours the great cultural life (coffee and wine). Despite training as a journalist, Talli soon found she preferred making up her own stories--complete with happy endings. Talli's debut novel The Hating Game was short-listed for Best Romantic Read at the UK's Festival of Romance, while her second, Watching Willow Watts, was selected as an Amazon Customer Favourite. Her novels have also been chosen as top books of the year by industry review websites and have been bestsellers in Britain and the United States. Construct A Couple is her latest release. To learn more about Talli, go to www.talliroland.com or follow Talli on Twitter: @talliroland. Talli blogs at talliroland.blogspot.com.
Thanks so much Talli! I can't wait to get into the next couple books in the series. I'm also going to be getting the other books as well because I love your style! Now on to the review of 'Build A Man'!

Title: Build A Man

Author: Talli Roland

Publisher: Notting Hill Press

Pages: 308 (Print), File size: 417 kb

Page Number Source ISBN: 1475081960 ASIN: B00642BCX2

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Amazon UK

Summary from Amazon.com:

Slave to the rich and the rude, cosmetic surgery receptionist Serenity Holland longs for the day she's a high-flying tabloid reporter. When she meets Jeremy Ritchie -- the hang-dog man determined to be Britain's Most Eligible Bachelor by making himself over from head to toe and everything in between -- Serenity knows she's got a story no editor could resist. With London's biggest tabloid on board and her very own column tracking Jeremy's progress from dud to dude, Serenity is determined to be a success. But when Jeremy's surgery goes drastically wrong and she's ordered to cover all the car-crash goriness, Serenity must decide how far she really will go for her dream job.

My thoughts:

I've been a follower of Talli's blog for awhile now. I love her wit and sunny personality and just knew her writing would have these same qualities. I was absolutely correct in assuming this! It took me awhile to get one of her books, but once I did, I read it quickly.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of romance or Chick Lit, for that matter, but this book held onto qualities I DO like of those genres. It focuses more on the characters and the relationships than the gushy, mushy feelings and gratuitous sex every other page. (Sorry, that is my opinion, can't help it...)

I love Serenity Holland. She's cute, she's quirky and she seems like a fish out of water there in the UK. Her current boyfriend, who also happens to be her boss, seems like a decent guy until Serenity is faced with a man she could really be comfortable with rather than instructed on how to dress and behave. Peter, Serenity's boss/boyfriend, is a well developed character and seems like wallpaper. He sort of hangs around. So when Jeremy walks into the clinic Peter owns and where Serenity is employed, you just have a feeling he's going to be a breath of fresh air in that sterile environment. Serenity's pals, Kirsty and Tim are wonderful, even if they do have their own issues. They all stick together and work very well together.

I am looking forward to reading more of Talli's work, simply because she's got a great writing style. She has a great flow with the story, she has well thought out characters and it's light and fun. There are serious moments, too and Talli can certainly tug at the heart strings, then make you chuckle soon after. I had several "Awww!" moments! Very sweet, charming story!

This book is a must read! I give it 5 out of 5 skull and crossbones!

An Award...

Hey everyone! I got an award the other day and figured I needed something to cheer me up. So I am going to post as instructed. Lots of you have this award, I know. And it is going to take some serious time for me to find a couple who don't have this award, so for now, I'll share with everyone. Except Nicholas Milano... he doesn't have the award so he's going to get it whether he likes it or not! Ha! Happy July 7th, bro. Heehee!

Okay so here we go:

Here are the rules:

RULES

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award.

2. List the rules.

3. List seven random facts about yourself.

4. Nominate ten people for the award. And notify them that you've given them an award.

 

Thank you, Kendra over at Flame Writer! I'm now following her, as she's new to the blogging world. So hop on over there! Follow and support!

 

Seven random facts about me... hmm...

 

1. Okay, well I did give this piece of advice to another fellow author/blogger. They were wanting to get back to the flow of their own story after helping someone else. So I suggested this: Talk to your characters out loud. I do this, believe it or not. Hey, you all know I'm weird, so this shouldn't be so shocking! But I do, I speak to them as if they're in the room with me when I am trying to reconnect to them to write. I speak the dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds okay, so why not talk to my characters?

 

2. My favorite color is royal blue, but it isn't my only favorite. My other two are black and red. I went through a whole black and red phase in school. I even had a red bandana until some member from the Bloods told me to never wear it again. Yes, I went to school with Bloods and Crips and had a best friend who was connected to the Mexican Mafia... Ha! Let's see how long I'm around now.

 

3. You all know how much I love the medieval recreation group I belong to. I own several swords. And dragon skulls hang on my walls. I'd decorate my bedroom like the main cabin of a pirate ship if I could!

 

4. Okay, here is something you all don't know. As I sit here wracking my brain trying to find fun facts that won't get me killed... like fact #2... ha ha!  I don't like Pink Floyd. Wow, I think I heard dozens of simultaneous clicks as you all unfollow me. I'm not much of a fan and my whole family gives me crap about it. Lol!

 

5. I met Stephen Baldwin once, while he was working on the 'Young Riders' series in Tucson. I was working at a Pizza Hut when he dropped in with his girl of the week on his arm. All the other waitresses were stunned into silence except me, because I didn't know who he was. So I asked what he wanted. He wanted the pizza in like 10 minutes, which we couldn't do, so I had to tell him sorry. I think he kind of liked not being fawned all over for a few minutes at the very least.

 

6. I used to volunteer for a Historical Fantasy park  in Tucson called Valley of the Moon. I miss that place. I'll have to get you  guys the link to the website. If you are ever in Tucson, Arizona, you MUST visit!

 

7. I'm hooked on the TV series, 'Pretty Little Liars'. I just finished watching season 2 on Netflix and am trying to catch up on season 3. I'll write more about that later, cause now I want to read the books!

 

Okay, so there you have it. Thanks again, Kendra! Hope you gain some more followers. She's also part of Alex's Insecure Writer's Support Group. Have a great rest of the weekend!

I'm Blank Because...

This one will be a fun post. Again, I'm still on those topics from Little Miss Momma. I'm sure I will come up with dozens of other topics over the course of the next couple weeks, but for now this is working for me and scheduling purposes. I'm even going to use her Blank topics.

So here goes.

I'm Weird Because...
when I can't sleep, I'll sleep with my head at the foot of the bed.
I like drinking buttermilk and it grosses my family  out.
I like to eat saltine crackers with mustard on them for a snack.
I still act like I'm a teenager.
I talk to my cats like they're humans and sing silly songs to them.

I'm a Bad Friend Because...
I forget birthdays.
I don't write or call as often as I should.

I'm a Good Friend Because...
I'm always there when you need someone to listen.
I'll never talk about you behind your back.
I'd be in the jail cell with you after the bar fight.
I'll always be honest and tell you what is on my mind.

I'm Happy Because...
I've finally found someone I want to share the rest of my life with.
he loves me as much as I love him.
we still act like newlyweds after ten years.
I have two beautiful children.
my kids turned about better than me in some aspects.
bills are finally getting paid.

I'm Sad Because...
I don't get to see my mom every day.
I don't get to see my daughter every day.
I miss my family.
I wish I could be closer with my sister.
bills are stressing me out.

I'm Excited For...
my book to be published.
future plans with my husband.
summer!
my kids preparing to live on their own (but that is kinda sad as well!)

Feel free to share in the comments your own Blanks!

Insecure Writer's Support Group...

I know it was yesterday. I had planned on posting the day before and failed epically. Then thought, "Oh, I'll post it up in time..."

Pfftt!

I got sick and spent the day sitting on the couch blowing my nose, drinking tea and orange juice and water. I feel slightly better, but very drained.

Anyway, what I wanted to post for my insecurities sort of ties into not posting on time.

Down time.

Everyone will have something come up and interfere with their blogging world. Something will always come up and prevent getting that post up in time. Or, like me, having no time for months on end.

I'm sure I've had angst about this before. Worried about gaining new followers only to have them leave because I can't put up content. I hate when all I can do is put up a post saying, "I'm still here! I'll be back, I promise!" Or lamenting about everything going on in my life, rather than what I'm working on.

Down time is going to happen, no matter what. Now that I have some time these days, I'm looking for content. I'm sort of in limbo as far as my first book release goes. I've got a tentative schedule ready for reviewers and the like for the launch/tour. I've been working on character drawings. I got one done! I'll share later.

So I want to say thanks for everyone who has stuck with me during my down times. I hope to keep posting content, no matter what it is. I'll do my best to make it entertaining.

And check back on Monday! I have a Review/Interview with Talli Roland and her book, 'Build A Man'!

So how do you deal with downtime?

Things You Should Know If We're BFF's...

So this week I am working on some blog posts to kick start my brain for topics. I am making more time to do blogs, now I just need content.

I hijacked a list from Little Miss Momma's blog while Googling for ideas and prompts. And, giving credit where it is due, I'm sharing a link to her page that gave me these great ideas.

One of the topics/prompts is "Things You Need Should Know About Me If We're Going To Be BFF's".

I'm a geek, you all know that. I have a cat named Osiris and one named Gir (from the cartoon Invader Zim). I even named a cat Osmirik, after the librarian in a series of books I read, which elude me at the moment. I'll have to figure that out...

The one personality trait I have the people love and hate is my honesty. I learned a long time ago that I didn't like lying. I didn't like how it made me feel, I didn't like telling people what they wanted to hear because it caused too much trouble and drama. I. Can't. Stand. Drama. It ticks me off to no end. I get a lot of it at work lately and I want to strangle the source. Gah! I don't even want to go there. But I will tell you what I think honestly. I have learned to be sort of tactful. I may tell you exactly what is on my mind, but if I think it will hurt too much, I just won't say it at all. My husband loves that quality, so do most of my friends. My good, close friends. But most people who I hardly know, absolutely hate that about me. All I can say is, sorry. I don't sugarcoat anything for any reason.

I like to drive fast. I do! I love it. I've gotten two speeding tickets... no... one ticket, one warning. So I have learned to slow down and be a good little driver, but if I ever get the opportunity to speed, I'm gonna! I want to go to race car driving school. Ooh.. I should have added that to my Bucket List post.

I'm a homebody. I like to hang out with my friends, but because of issues with stress and anxiety and other horrible factors of my past, I feel more comfortable at home. I don't like to go out unless I absolutely have to or can't stand sitting at home.

I'm horrible at keeping in touch with people. I am the worst aunt/sister/daughter/niece/insert-title-here. I don't quite understand it. I have the best of intentions to send cards, gifts and what not and end up just flaking it off. I completely space it out and forget! However, if I see my family and friends online, I'm all about chatting it up, commenting on their Face Book page or whatever. Even before the internet, I was a horrible letter writer. I mean, really. Pick up the phone to call! Not. I don't even do that, except with my mom. And when I do remember to call someone? Time zones throw me for a loop. It's like I have a disease or something. I'm horrible about keeping contact.

Well, that's enough for now. I have to save some for mystery purposes. Right? Absolutely! This may be a post topic I come back to often. Care to share your quirks?

Top Ten On My Bucket List...

I don't know about you guys, but now that I find myself with time to blog, I can't seem to come up with topics. So here I sit, Googling stuff.

Sounds kinda kinky, but hey, we all do it.

Ahem. Anywhoo... I came across a blog post by Little Miss Momma. In which she gives 10 topic and writing prompts for blogs. The first thing she says, is be inspired what other bloggers have written. Don't plagiarize, just be inspired and give credit where it is due. Hence the link to her blog as well.

I did that last week when I was discussing the blurred genre lines of late. I don't mind revisiting that topic either. I think the discussion was excellent and would love to hear more from people. You can find that post here. I'll keep talking about it over there! Or maybe I will post again later in the week.

In the meantime, I'm going to work on some posts for this week using some of the topics from LMM.

One of the ideas was a Life List. I'm going to narrow it down to my Top Ten on my Bucket List. How's that?

Here we go!

10. Travel around North America, just to be a tourist and say, "I've been there!".

9. Become a tattoo artist.

8. Build/Own my own home. (I'm soooo tired of renting!!!!)

7. Pay off my student loan! I'm not kidding, that's a bill I don't want hanging over my head or my family's should something happen to me.

6. Publish a dozen or more books. Good books. I don't want to crank them out and have them be sloppy just to make this goal. I want to work hard, improve my craft and publish!

5. This goes along with number 6... I would love, LOVE to see my book world become aa game like World of Warcraft. How freakin' awesome would that be? I don't care if my books ever get made into movies, I want it made  into a MMORPG!! Yes, my geek is showing.

4. Visit Scotland. Being half Scottish, I want to visit. I also want to see if I can research my heritage on this side of my family more. But, time is something I don't have lots of.

3. Visit Holland. My other half is Dutch. I have a copy of this side of the family tree dating all the way back to the 1600's  in the Netherlands.

2. Aside from 3 and 4, I want to see lots of other places, so I will just say travel for this one. See as many places as I can before I kick the bucket.

1. Hmm... there is so much I want to do... but something I have yet to do is... go to Disneyland! That is one place I have to go at least once, right?

Got any cool items on your bucket list?