Author Jeffrey Beesler Talks Optical Osmosis

Hey Imaginarians I'm very excited because the fantastically stellar Jeffrey Beesler is here on his whirlwind blog tour. Yay!! He's here to talk about the Secrets of the Universe... okay, I'm kidding, he's really here to share all the good stuff about his newest creation, Optical Osmosis.  Take it away, my friend...

Hi, Melissa! Thanks for hosting me today as part of the Optical Osmosis blog tour. I know outside of the occasional shout-outs on Facebook and Twitter, I haven’t been around as much. Spending most of my free time releasing a new book doesn’t leave me a lot of wriggle room when it comes to visiting good friends. But that’s hardly a good excuse for me not to say hi.

Saying hello is essentially where Optical Osmosis begins, right where the main character’s sister calls him. It is Christmas morning, and Greg Gnops is trying to sleep away the lingering effects of a December 24^th party. His sister, Ashley, calls him under the guise of wanting to say hello and chat with him a bit. This is all well and good, except that it’s barely 7 A.M. when she calls. Greg immediately chalks this up to his sister being her usual self, like she’s the center of the world and all should bow before her. For a long time, he doesn’t suspect that maybe her early call might’ve been a cry for help.

Later in the story, Greg starts to think that Ashley’s partying lifestyle may have collapsed into a debilitating bout with alcoholism. Of course, he has a heck of a time trying to convince her to get the help she so clearly needs. It doesn’t help that Ashley’s new boyfriend, Flint Kyles, disagrees with Greg’s assertion that Ashley drinks too much. It’s only because of Ashley’s best friend, Dani Staras, that Greg doesn’t lose all hope in getting through to his sister. In fact, Dani’s the one who convinces him that Ashley has a problem to begin with.

Of course, the Greg/Ashley dynamic is just a piece of the puzzle that is Optical Osmosis. I think the reason why this dynamic came to be is because of my own relationship with family members. I’ve seen some of them choose the lifestyle Ashley chooses. It’s not one I would choose for myself, but rather than pass judgment I’ve focused more on the consequences of the choices we make. Hopefully, the consequences come across genuinely as you read my story.

Here's where you can find Jeff 

Blog: http://flettleglag.blogspot.com/

Twitter handle: @JeffBeesler

Twitter page: https://twitter.com/JeffBeesler

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JeffreyBeesler

Bio: Born in May of 1978, Jeff Beesler has been writing since the 7^th grade, although he likes to point out that his elementary teachers in 2^nd to 6^th grades kept sending him to Young Author’s Conferences throughout his school district. When not writing, he can be found chatting it up on social media, reading books, or playing computer games.

Book purchase links

Amazon:

            Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Optical-Osmosis-ebook/dp/B00D8D5L5A/

            Paperback:

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/optical-osmosis-jeff-beesler/1115655268?ean=2940044573680

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/323221

Other:

Spotlight At The Writing Nut

Today is the BIG DAY...I'm featured over at The Writing Nut for Wednesday Writer's Workspace. Whoo Hoo!! Come and check it out. See what my work space looks like (you were dying to know, weren't you?) and if I have a hidden talent. Nutschell has me revealing all. And here's a look at two companions who share my writing space at times. Look at those lazy girls. Precious is the black one and Cookie is the tiger. They're my roommates cats, but they tolerate me, too.

Guest Author: Peg Herring

Imaginarians, today my blog is being taken over by the awesome mystery writer Peg Herring. She brings us a brilliant interview with her character, Seamus, a detective who works for the dead since he's well, dead. How intriguing is that? I'm gonna have to pick this series up right now.

Thanks, Melissa, for sharing space in the Imaginarium!

A Dead Guy Talks about You-Part 3

Interviewer: We’re back with Seamus, our dead detective, who’s been telling us what it’s like to return from beyond the pale to investigate for the dead. Seamus, you were telling me earlier about how difficult it is to adjust to being back here. What’s the hardest thing to get used to?

Seamus: The worst thing for me is how slowly people move. Interviewer: Everyone, or just some people? Seamus: Everyone. See, the dead are free of the weight of mortality, so returning is always a shock. Living people are used to gravity and how hard it pulls on the body. You’re used to slogging across a room, dragging yourself up stairs, and countering the force of physics so you don’t roll down those same stairs as you come back down. We have to get used to it again, every time.

Interviewer: What else is difficult?

Seamus: There’s lots of noise around you all, but there’s also noise inside the human body. Your hearts beating, your lungs pumping air in and out, your feet scraping along, stuff like that. Interviewer: I guess we ignore those things. Seamus: Yeah, when was the last time you listened to yourself breathe? It’s only when you don’t hear it for a while that you notice, and that’s why cross-backs are bothered by it. All that commotion makes it hard for us to hear the host’s thoughts.

Interviewer: What do you do about it?

Seamus: Get used to it. We’ve got lots of time to adjust, since we don’t sleep. I generally spend the time my hosts are resting getting used to their rhythms. Once I’ve spent a few hours with them, I get myself in sync with them. But some of you are tricky. Even your thoughts are noisy sometimes.

Interviewer: Noisy thoughts?

Seamus: Some people never stop, you know? Their minds run all the time, thinking about stuff. Lots of times it’s getting ahead: how to make money, how to get somebody to notice them. They wear me out.

Interviewer: Well, a person has to think about such things if she is going to succeed.

Seamus: Then remind yourself once in a while to think about what it really is you want. If it’s money or getting famous, then I guess you’ve gotta keep after it. But most of us don’t really want either of those things as much as we get caught up in the hype.

Interviewer: Hype?

Seamus: I can’t explain it. Life sorta drags you along, and you forget to question what people say is good or necessary. Do you really need extra-full eyelashes? Or washboard abs? Do you really want those things, or is somebody trying to tell you what you want so they can sell you what they want you to buy?

Interviewer: Now you’re waxing philosophical, Seamus. Are you a minimalist?

Seamus: I’m not even sure what that is. I’m just saying you have to take stock once in a while, you know? Ask yourself if what you’re chasing after and thinking about all the time is what you really want. If more of my hosts did that, they’d go to sleep easier at night, and I wouldn’t have to put up with their restlessness. It’s exhausting.

Interviewer: The host’s anxieties wear on you?

Seamus: Yeah. Thoughts of a host under stress are like a flood rushing along, pushing everything in front of it. We have a tiny spot in there, inside your heads, and sometimes it feels like those thoughts are going to overwhelm us. It’s like we’re on an island, and the tide keeps rising, making our spot smaller and less secure.

Interviewer: It sounds horrible. How do you deal with it?

Seamus: (with a grim smile) I have to. It’s my job.

What a cool interview. Thanks Peg. Here's some more details on Peg and her amazing work.

Schedule: Peg Herring’s Blog Tour for May (and one post in June) consists of a mix of interviews with Seamus, the Dead Detective, and posts on writing. The previous stop was at http://travelswithkaye.blogspot.com, and tomorrow’s post will be at http://nancyjcohen.wordpress.com. A complete schedule is posted at Peg’s blog, It’s A Mystery to Me. When the tour is over (June 11th), the complete Seamus interview will be posted on Peg’s blog. Prizes: People who comment on any blog post on the tour will be entered in drawings for several prizes: Dead Detective T-shirts, copies of THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY and DEAD FOR THE MONEY (paperback or e-books available), and the chance to be a character in the third of the series DEAD FOR THE SHOW. Multiple winners will be drawn.

Bio: Peg Herring lives in Michigan and writes two series, the critically acclaimed Simon & Elizabeth (Tudor) Mysteries (Five Star Publishing) and the award-winning Dead Detective Mysteries (LL-Publications). When not writing, Peg enjoys directing musical groups, gardening, and talking about writing.

Links:
DEAD FOR THE MONEY (e-book) 
THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY (paperback)

Rounders

Welcome to the weekend! Yay, we made it. :) So this weekend is my big blog swap and taking over here at the Imaginarium is my great friend, Russell from the bad ass film site 1:37 Exactly. He and one of his most brilliant guest reviewers, Rainbow, are talking about one of their favorite films, Rounders. I will be over at Russell's site as soon as I see Avengers and write up a review. So without further ado...Enjoy their take on this Matt Damon/Edward Norton classic.

"Listen, here's the thing. If you can't spot the sucker in the first half hour at the table, then you ARE the sucker" - Mike McDermott 

I can't tell you how many times I've watched Rounders over the years. I've simply lost count. It became the movie I would put on when I didn't know what else to watch. When no other title would jump out at me from the DVD shelf, it became my go-to movie. I could always rely on Rounders. If you haven't yet seen Rounders then you should stop reading this and go and watch it NOW. If you want a little more information, here's a brief overview.

Mike McDermott (Matt Damon) is a very talented poker player who turns his back on the game to focus on making his way through Law School but is slowly drawn back into the poker world when he must stand by a lifelong friend, Lester "Worm" Murphy (Edward Norton) whose gambling debts are reaching dangerous levels.

There is a good chance that I am going to talk about some detailed aspects of the film so I do suggest that you watch it first before reading any further.

The first time I came across Rounders was when I was working in Blockbuster Video and I'm pretty sure that I watched it because it had Matt Damon in it and I liked what he did in Good Will Hunting and The Rainmaker but I don't believe I really knew Edward Norton at that time, although I did go back and watch Primal Fear as a result of his performance in this movie (that's a discussion for another day though).

Watching Rounders is akin to reading a Shakespearean play, not because it's set 400 years ago but because of the themes discussed; Man vs Human Nature, Lust, Betrayal, Friendship, Romance, Loyalty, and because it is about a man's struggle "to thine own self be true".

My favourite theme of Rounders is that of Man's (or Mike's) struggle against his own Inner-Nature and how he must not only accept but embrace who he is in order to move on with his life. A man is only able to fool himself so long before he ultimately realises who he is no matter how hard he tries to fight it.

Mike McDermott is a man who is a poker player at heart and a damn good one at that. When he let his own grandiose visions of living large in Las Vegas blind him at the table at Teddy KGB's place, the ensuing fall to reality is a hard one that results in Mike turning his back on who he is. However no matter how hard he tries to be someone else and pretend that the card table means nothing to him, the desire to be back in the chair with chips in his hands is only just beneath the surface. Just like a siren's song it doesn't take much for the desire to come back...

After trying to go "straight" for nine months with no poker tables and fulfilling a promise to his girlfriend to steer clear of his previous lifestyle, things get bumpy as Mike begins to realise that he is fighting his natural instinct. There are various situations and characters that fan the flames of desire and reawaken his natural (poker) instinct; sitting in on the judge's poker table, helping Worm get set up in various games, walking into venues where he previously used to command a presence, and seeing old acquaintances makes Mike realise who is.

Once Mike embraces who he is and steps back into the world of high aces, river cards, and straight flushes, he carries himself with more caution and direction than earlier in the film. This change in attitude not only results in a positive outcome with Teddy KGB but Mike has fully realised what he wants in life and nothing will stop him from going after it. Johnny Chan, look out! 

Mike's journey in Rounders is mirrored by Professor Abe Petrovsky (Martin Landau) who in some of the film's best scenes explains that when he was a young boy he was to become a Rabbi but after studying the Talmud he never truly saw God. Despite the crushing disappointment felt by his parents, Abe knew he needed to be honest with himself and follow his path towards his destiny. Unlike Mike, Abe did not try to fool himself (or anyone else) by being anything other than honest with himself and who he was.

My two favourite quotes delivered during McDermott's and Petrovsky's conversations that sum up the themes of Man vs Human Nature are;

Professor Petrovsky: We can't run from who we are. Our destiny chooses us

Mike McDermott:  If you had it to do all over again, knowing what would happen, would you make the same choice? 

Professor Petrovsky: What choice?

The characters of Mike McDermott and Lester "Worm" Murphy are mirror images of each other, at the same time both similar and opposite. When the film begins, the two characters are representative of opposite sides of the spectrum - McDermott has turned his back on his desire for card playing and is fighting his natural instinct, while Worm has embraced his inner instinct to the extreme where he plays to only win, generally involving "shady" techniques.

Worm is a man who is motivated by the need to make as much money as possible in order to prevent his legs from being broken, or worse. It's this motivation which causes him to use whatever edge he can to attain victory. However you get the impression that even if he wasn't in need of the money that he would still be employing various techniques to win each hand. 

"You always think you can beat the game straight up. That's not me. I told you, I'm always gonna look for that edge. Always"

In the end, Worm is the one who runs away from his problems and Mike (having grown over the course of the film) stays and faces Teddy KGB head on. 

Rounders is a film of multiple layers, complex themes, and involving characters, all set against the legal and illegal world of poker. Directed by John Dahl (Californication) and written by David Levien and Brian Koppelman, Rounders is a film that easily makes my Top 10 Films of all time.

My Final Thoughts; Know who you are. Don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. Live your life. Go chase your dreams.

"First prize at the World Series of Poker is a million bucks. Does it have my name on it? I don't know. But, I'm gonna find out."

Rainbow's View

Rounders has a bit of a Good Will Hunting feel to it. A troubled guy faces his issues head on and may or may not come out on top and all the while revolving around a girl. Now ‘how do you like them apples?’ So, did the movie speak to me? Oh absolutely. I get cards. I’m that girl that goes to the casino with her man, but rather than sit at the back and watch it all unfold, I’m the girl at the table, taking my mans money – along with everyone else’s... and loving every second of it. 

Plot

The basis for the plot for Rounders is based around Mike. Mike is a law student by day and professional poker player by night.  His skill is to read his competition and bet accordingly. Mike meets a girl, Jo. Jo bails him out from a rather large Poker debt in exchange for him to quit. Basically he chooses the girl over the game. Until his friend Worm is released from jail, and the games begin...

Characters

Mike

The lead role of Mike is played by Matt Damon. Ever since I saw Good Will Hunting I’ve had a soft spot for Damon; and again seeing him on the big screen as Jason Bourne. So to go back in time and watch Rounders was quite a vintage delight. Damon embodies Mike with elements that make you believe that he really is Mike. The screen time he shares with Martin Landau as Abe Petrovsky is like watching a nephew and his favourite uncle, endearingly emotive yet with a distinct hierarchy and strong element of mutual respect.

Jo -The Girlfriend

Gretchen Mol plays Mike’s girlfriend, Jo.  Mol’s role is an interesting one.  While I want to understand her place and why she says/does things, at the same time, I dislike her presence on screen.  There seems to be a little disconnect of chemistry between Mol and Damon.  It just doesn’t seem to click. This is perhaps an error in casting as opposed to the character itself.  

Worm

Edward Norton plays Worm. An old school friend of Mike’s, who Mike feel he was indebted to.  Norton plays the role well as a gambling junkie always in need of a win, a hit, a score. Mike, like all of us, must go through the motions of what to do when an old friend leaches off your success and your reputation.  This alone hit a little close to home for me, so I related to the affiliation between Mike and Worm. I think everyone can relate to this one way or another, whether you’ve been the leach or the leached.I think the name says it all.  

KGB

Noone named KGB can be a good-guy right?  Well you’d be correct.  KGB, played by John Malkovich is the dodgy Russian kingpin that has a very strong affiliation for his Oreos.  Some of the best lines of the movie are delivered by Malkovich. Just don’t touch his Oreos.  

Summary

All the while you want Mike to come out on top you hope he does it with copious wads of dollars in his pocket.  Don’t we always want the struggling student to make it in the end? Overall the movie was just one of those that’s easy to watch. It doesn’t have you on the end of your seat but, like some of the other movies of its time, just speak to you. 

What do you all think? Agree with Russell and Rainbow? A bit meh? Haven't seen it in years? Or abhor the very essence of this film? Speak your mind below, Imaginarians. Tell us what you think.

I will be at 1:37 Exactly a bit later as I will be discussing The Avengers and I have yet to see it. Sold out! Insert Yosemite Sam curses here. 

The Obsession and the Sting by Xavier Axelson

First of all thank you to Melissa for having me…again! I love this blog and am super grateful to be part of it. I love the opportunity to guest blog after one of my works has been released and the reviews have started coming in as it gives me the chance to look at my work through the eyes of the readers. Earthly Concerns is my 7th novella; 7 being my lucky number I was super excited to see this story come to fruition. It is paranormal, it is M/M and it is sexual; actually it has one of my favorite sex scenes to date within its virtual pages. I loved writing that sex scene! And honestly, sex scenes are not my favorite things to write. Earthly Concerns is the story of two men brought back together by an unexplainable and horrific event, a disappearance.

As Earthly Concerns became known and people began reading it, I soon found myself exploring the themes behind the story. It has been called odd, dark, creepy and mysterious (all words I love) and I agree it is all those things. Another reviewer touched on Anson (the protagonist) as being obsessed with Barrett (the antagonist) and I LOVED that this reader picked up on this as he certainly was/is obsessed with Barrett; it was a subtlety I didn’t even want to admit to myself as I was writing the story but as is the way, someone figured me out. Obsession is a dangerous thing, especially when you are obsessed with someone who is vague and confusing. It plays tricks with your mind and can lead further down the rabbit hole; it was after all obsession that led Alice to follow after the white critter only to fall smack dab in the middle of Wonderland.

 If Anson is obsessed with Barrett then how can he be the antagonist? Is Barrett the hero? Could I have gotten it all wrong? It’s an interesting dilemma and it wasn’t until I read this review that I considered how this story would play out if in fact it were the other way around. It’s these reflections that reviews allow me the opportunity, or second chance to rejoin the story and reunite with my characters and look at things from a fresh perspective. I find reviews and criticisms invaluable in this way; granted do they sometimes sting? Absolutely, but it’s the lesson learned after you step on the bees nest that makes the whole experience worth it. It also teaches you who has the hose and soothing words to drive the bees and the sting of pain away.

Earthly Concerns is an erotic nightmare, with a fable element.  It really is a story about the power of generosity, generosity of spirit and the price of selfishness.  While there is an erotic romance involved, there are forces at work in the story that scare me and hopefully will frighten readers too.

Buylink:

http://www.seventhwindow.com/index.php?main_page=product_music_info&cPath=&products_id=42

Book Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUiS_C1ifNs

Blurb:

Between love and loss, there is obligation…

It was a peaceful night when Barrett and his daughter were driving home… then something happened.  Something sinister.

Between shadow and light, there is uncertainty…

Now the only person Barrett can turn to for help is Anson, a man gifted with psychic abilities beyond reason. But Anson is also his ex-boyfriend, a man whose heart he’d already broken.

If you can see, you have to help.

As Anson delves deeper into the circumstances surrounding Barrett’s accident, he begins to realize that he’s not only in a race against time, but in a battle against his own broken heart and the terrifying understanding that whatever has taken Barrett’s child is a force of evil beyond anything either man has ever encountered.

And between decision and consequences, there are… Earthly Concerns

Excerpt:

Earthly Concerns

How could I just go over, and if I did, would I just be stumbling back into the pit of snakes I had just narrowly escaped the first time?  I thought this and a hundred other dangerous thoughts until I saw him begin to stand up. I waved him down, then went over and sat down.

Apparently, I thought the best course of action was to dive right in, avoid any further uncomfortable thoughts from belching up from the cesspool that I was creating in my skull.

“Tell me everything,” I blurted, trying to avoid looking into his eyes.

“You look good, all hot and cute,” he said, trying to maintain his smile, but the weight of his sadness was too intense. Instead, he managed a pained grimace.

“Thanks.” I wanted to say more, return the compliment, but found I couldn’t; he was a keen listener and would be able to detect any false sentiment I might throw out. I stared down at the menu and tried to ignore my heart, which had once again taken up its incessant thrumming.

“Thanks for coming,” he said.

I didn’t look up, but could feel him staring at me.

When the waitress came over, we ordered. Without the menu to stare at, I looked up and past him.

“Anson.” He said my name like it was some sort of invocation.

Did he believe he was dreaming?  I could only imagine the nightmare of not knowing where your child is and if she would ever come back.

“Tell me everything,” I repeated, my voice steady. I lowered my eyes and faced him; and seeing his sadness, I swallowed hard.

“It’s unreal,” he said, this time looking away from me, his eyes glistening. “I’m not sure I know what’s happened.”

The waitress arrived with two small cups of clear broth with some vegetables in them and refilled our waters.

“I’m sorry,” I said, my eyes riveted on him. I couldn’t believe I was sitting across from him in the same place I had met him once before; the day he wanted to return a t-shirt I had left at his place after one of our interludes.

Even now, looking beaten and tormented, the man somehow managed to provoke me in ways other men hadn’t. I saw him as beautiful and felt my stomach lurch. I looked at his brown eyes that I remembered looking gold in the sun, and his oddly handsome face. Not a traditionally good looking face, but handsome in a bookish, learned way. I felt my body begin to respond.

Where to find Xavier Axelson:

http://www.facebook.com/xaviersaxel

http://www.twitter.com/xaviersaxel

http://www.examiner.com/la-in-los-angeles/francis-xavier

http://www.xavieraxelson.com

Sex In Outer Space...And My Valentine Winner

Catchy title, isn't it? Well, actually, that's the theme for my post over at the awesomely brilliant Stephen Tremp's Breakthrough Blog. We're doing a switcheroo, he took over the Imaginarium yesterday and I'm invading Breakthrough today. And yes, my topic really is Sex In Outer Space. Top that!

And now for my Valentine winner. This was a hard one to do as I just loved the comments, so I entered everyone in my famous Atomic Randomizer 10,000. My super-cool,ultra high-tech gadget of the century has chosen... Craig Edwards!

Yay!! Cue Kermit the Frog cheers.

Thank you all for playing. Craig, email me melbwriters@gmail.com with Valentine in the subject line and let me know your choice of story.

Field Trip And A Guest Post

Today, I am on a field trip. Well, metaphorically speaking anyway. Come and join me over at one of the coolest blogs, a must see site, the one and only Alex J. Cavanaugh, Ninja Captain extraordinaire. Here I'm ranting about books, movies and what can go wrong when they come together. Check it out, you know how much I love to vent.

Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf: A Review by Dempsey Sanders

Dempsey Sanders, all around awesome movie guy and friend of the Imaginarium,is making his inaugural guest appearance today with his first ever book review. I am so proud and happy that he chose my own Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf. Welcome Dempsey and take it away...

Hi Imaginarians!

This is the first time I have ever guest appeared over at someone else’s blog, and I am delighted to have the chance to write here. As an avid follower of Melissa’s Imaginarium I have read many musings and reviews from Melissa Bradley, I have come to respect her opinion on all matters of things especially novels and movies.
Though previously not reading many novels and preferring the visual aspect of what I see on TV and the big screen, in January I received Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf, a new novel written by Melissa Bradley herself.

Now just to give you an insight before I begin this review - I had promised a review of the novel giving my honest opinion regardless if I like the author personally or not, for in the blogging world your written word is your bond and if I had to let one of my own favourite followers down by saying her novel was a complete load of boll**ks with the risk of me looking like a Simon Cowell wannabe, then so be it.
For those of you that have not read or heard of the book, the back of the novel reads…

The name’s Maxie Briscoe and I am a werewolf…

That’s right, Maxie’s a real life, full-moon-loving, Halloween icon. It’s hard for a girl like Maxie. To survive, she hides her true self and acts the part of a normal human, all the while discreetly indulging the Beast within her. Talk about walking a narrow ledge. And that’s not even the worst part of her life. Sex is. Maxie can bench press a pick-up truck and that spells disaster in the bedroom. She can’t have any real fun knowing she might accidentally crush a lover while in the throes. Kind of kills the mood.

When a friend’s murder shatters the careful existence Maxie has carved out for herself, she comes face to face with Damien and Noah, two of the hottest men she’s ever laid eyes on. And it only stirs her Beast and turns her on more when she realizes they’re hot for each other. They’re also the first werewolves she’s run across since her own conversion. The attraction between the three of them is instant, but complicated, and the sex...explosive.

Too bad there’s a killer out there with his sights set on her...
　
Now like many of you I would imagine, I read the back first, and though intrigued - was I about to read a Stephanie Meyer alternate Twilight story?, a book that I had not long read and was not all that content with, well let me relieve you right there by saying NO, it was clear from the very first chapter that it would be nothing like it which has you hooked at every turn of the page.

From an attack by a werewolf when she was 15 years old, Maxie herself was burdened with the curse of the wolf. She learns to manage both human and wolf sides of her personality by her mother and best friend, and it would seem life is all dandy until she comes across two sexy males who also howl at the moon on a frequent basis, and they want to claim Maxie for their own.

Damien and Noah, two werewolf’s that have been searching all over the country for ‘people like them’, have their sites set on Maxie as a mate after scenting her in a club. Damien is the alpha male, the most dominant one and has a need to take care of everyone. Maxie’s inner beast wants them also, but her human side withdraws for fear of her secret being exposed.

Through the intrigue and excitement both of these dashing men, Maxie’s life takes a dramatic turn after she finds her neighbour dead and she herself looks to be the main suspect. She takes it on herself to investigate the killing, in the hope that the killer does not find her first. Damien and Noah assist with her investigation.

My opinion

From the very first word, the one thing this novel has is plenty of attitude which I found refreshing and quite brilliant, author Melissa Bradley not frightened of delivering a raunchy R-rated line.

Maxie’s character is well thought out and executed throughout the novel, with great character build up to the story. Maxie’s sassy ways, strength and attitude make her a marvellous and enjoyable character that on many occasions are belly aching funny.
The chemistry between Maxie, Damien and Noah continues to work well all the way through the book, the sexual tension between the three enough to creep out from the page and slap you in the face.

Of course then there’s the mystery surrounding the killing which again Melissa Bradley delivers very well, making turning the page more of a must than putting a bookmark in there for later.

Overall this book made me excited, intrigued, and laugh for a 178 pages of absolute pleasure which I found hard to put down.

I may not have experience of reading books or reviewing them for that matter, but Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf is a novel I very much enjoyed, and has made me interested in giving reading a go instead of always venturing out to the big screen.

Here’s hoping Maxie’s adventures don’t end quite yet!

To find out more about Dempsey and his passion for film, visit The Movie411

Mel's Dirty Dozen: A Guest Post

Come out and have a Drrrty Saturday with me at the awesomely cool film blog Cinemarvellous run by my great friend and all around bad ass movie man George aka Nebular. We have Union soldiers, aliens, wookies and homicidal aunts among the party guests. I've picked my top twelve movies all time, my dirty dozen.

News and Musings

I am bubbling over and want to share some amazing news with you all. Drum roll...My newest story, Byzantine Provocateur will be out from Amber Quill Press on March 6. Yay!! When I finished the edits and sent it off, I could barely contain my relief and excitement. Still can't. One more week! I also have four more stories in the works and I hope to have them completed by the end of the year.

Second piece of good news: the awesome Dempsey Sanders has invited me to be a permanent guest writer at The Movie411. Whoo Hoo!! I had a hellagood time reviewing Tron: Legacy and The Green Hornet and I have some wicked cool ideas already percolating in my brain. Hmmm...I wonder if Dempsey knows what he's getting into? :)



That's it for now. I'm going to relax this weekend and watch the Oscars. I love to see who's wearing what designer and snark about the worst dressed. I have my handy dandy Oscar ballot ready with all my picks filled and I know that they probably do not align with anyone else's, but I did pick the right Best Picture 4 years in a row now so we'll see if I'm right this year with The King's Speech. Will I keep the streak alive? Do you even really care? LOL Have a wonderful weekend.

Guest Review at The Movie 411

Hey there Imaginarians I am over at my good friend Dempsey Sanders' blog The Movie411 with a review of Seth Rogan's The Green Hornet. Come on over and check it out.

Valentine's Day and Author Tess MacKall

The Valentine’s Day Shuffle

Mary is a nice gal. Cute, sassy, sexy. But a little too trusting it seems.

Welcome to my UNValentine’s Day Blog Tour. And thank you so much to Melissa for hosting my inaugural post. So what’s this tour all about? Well, I have a new release on February 11th from Ellora’s Cave entitled Twelve Days of Love While the book is a fun and highly romantic read any time of year, it has a Valentine’s Day theme, and therefore talking about the big day is very appropriate.

I write happily ever after, but I’m also a realist. So in considering what I wanted my blog tour to focus on, I decided I’d like to take a look at the reality of Valentine’s Day and all the media hype surrounding it. Is it really all it’s cracked up to be? Everything the media tells us it is? I put out an all call for some Valentine’s Day fiasco stories and received several.

Listen in on Mary’s story.

I met John two weeks before Christmas and we were seeing each other three times a week. We spent two whole weekends together. One was the weekend before Valentine’s Day. He said and did all the right things. I thought I did too. I was in love. That last weekend he told me he loved me and the following week we talked on the phone daily several times. Each time we talked he went on and on about how much he loved me. I was floating. We had plans for Valentine’s Day weekend to have dinner out and then champagne and snuggling together all weekend. But on Thursday he called to tell me he had to go out of town with his boss. I understood. Sure I was disappointed but I did understand. I ended up going out on Valentine’s Day with a group of girlfriends. I’d told John I’d be staying home but my friends talked me into it. We stopped for drinks and then headed over to the restaurant for dinner. We had been there about an hour when one of my friends excused herself to go to the ladies room. She came back about half a minute later with the most horrible look on her face. She was pale. She sat down and took my hand. After she finished telling me that John was in a booth at the back of the restaurant snuggled up to another woman, I was probably pale too. But it didn’t take me long to recover. I grabbed the carafe of wine from the table and went looking for John. When I found him I just stood there for a few seconds watching his mouth drop open. Then I poured that almost full carafe of wine over his head. I don’t care how stupid I looked. It felt good. A year later I met the right man and we now have two beautiful children and Valentine’s Day is every day for us. We don’t have a lot of money but we know how to show our love and don’t use gimmicks to do it either. Last year for Valentine’s Day my sweetie bought some chocolate chip cookie dough and shaped each spoonful into a heart and baked them. He put them in a basket lined with red tissue paper and bought them to me in bed that night along with some milk and we ate every single one together as we talked about how happy we are.

Awww…nice happily ever after for Mary. But the first part? Where is John? I’d like to take a patch out of his head. Cupid’s aim was sure off with that dude. It’s a shame we women can’t put out some sort of alert on men like him.

So what is the point of all of this? The media hype has us all running around like crazy and spending a bunch of money in an effort to prove or find love. Mary found hers in a three-dollar-tube of Pillsbury cookie dough. Don’t worry about spending money on expensive flowers, chocolates, champagne and fancy dinners or lingerie. When you do something that comes straight from the heart—like baking heart-shaped cookies—you show that special someone just how loved they are.

Celebrate love all year long, not just on one day. And if you’re looking for a feel-good read, pick up a copy of Twelve Days of Love on February 11th. Just in time for Valentine’s Day reading. Hey…why not read it to your lover? It’s one I guarantee you’ll want to read again and again.

Thanks for stopping by. And thanks again to Melissa for having me as her guest here at The Imaginarium Blog.
http://tessmackall.com
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Author Peg Herring: He Said, She Panted

Imaginarians, I am very excited to welcome author Peg Herring in the house today. She is the wicked cool writer of MacBeth's Niece and Her Highness' First Murder. Today she is talking about the importance using the most effective dialogue tags. She has an awesome Blog Crawl going on as well as a cool contest.

Thanks, Melissa, for letting me stop at your site on my Blog Crawl.
Yesterday’s post, “Slowing Readers=Bad Policy”, is at http://candidcanine.blogspot.com.

Post 3- He Said, She Panted

“I love your new trousers!” she panted. A cartoonist named Edward Stratermeyer invented the Tom Swiftie in the 1920s, and people have been having “pun” with them ever since. (“I fought with Geronimo,” said Tom bravely.) However, a writer is in trouble if he strays unknowingly into the realm of the Swiftie. (“There's room for one more,” Tom admitted.)

Adverbs attached to a dialogue tag (“I presented my case to the judge,” Tom said briefly.) or verbs that replace said with a little too much oomph (“Use your own toothbrush!” Tom bristled.) easily become heavy, irritating, or downright silly. (“Let's all play an A, a C sharp, and an E,” cried Tom's band with one accord.)

Said is the most effective dialogue tag. It is so unobtrusive as to be almost invisible, but it gets the job done. Dialogue should cue the reader as to the speaker’s tone, volume, and mood. If the words spoken are not enough--and it is sometimes hard to put a lot of emotion into a “No” or an “I won’t”--there are ways to make it work. One of them is to add an adverb to the dialogue tag, but most editors require that this be done sparingly. Another way is to add a brief sentence. Rather than, “‘I won’t!’ Cyril shouted”, the lines might read, “Cyril’s face turned a deep red as he spoke. ‘I won’t!’”

Dialogue tags are often unnecessary. Nothing is worse than a page full of “he said” and “she said”, especially when there are only two people talking. A periodic reminder, a sentence that tells what the character is doing as he speaks, is preferable. Writing with overdone or repetitive dialogue tags runs the risk of sounding repetitive or Tom Swiftie-like, making a joke out of a serious situation.

Who would want to steal modern art?” asked Tom the detective abstractedly.

Poser #3-Name three authors who make good use of humor in their novels.

The Prizes-Weekly prizes (your choice of THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY in e- or print format) drawn from the names of those who comment on the blogs as we go. Comment once/day, but the first commenter each day gets entered twice in the drawing on Saturday!

The Pitch: THE DEAD DETECTIVE AGENCY, First in The Dead Detective Mysteries, paranormal mystery. Tori Van Camp wakes in a stateroom on a cruise ship with no memory of booking a cruise, but she does have a vivid recollection of being shot in the chest. Determined to find out what happened and why, Tori enlists the help of an odd detective named Seamus. Together they embark on an investigation like nothing she’s ever experienced. Death is all around her, and unless they act quickly, two people she cares about are prime candidates for murder.

Read more or buy the book at http://www.ll-publications.com/deaddetectiveagency.htm or Peg’s website, http://pegherring.com.

The Perpetrator: Peg Herring writes historical and contemporary mysteries. She loves everything about publishing, even editing (most days). Peg’s historical series, The Simon and Elizabeth Mysteries, debuted in 2010 to wonderful reviews. The second in the series will be available in November from Five Star.

The Pathway: tomorrow’s site is http://marilynmeredith.blogspot.com, and the topic is “The Dreaded Adverb”.

Wicked Writers Tess MacKall and Natalie Dae

I am very happy because two of erotica's most sizzling authors, Tess MacKall and Natalie Dae are here at The Imaginarium. Whoo Hoo! Take it away, Ladies...

Writing For Ourselves Or The Masses?

As an editor—one who is trying not to be an editor these days—I’ve had a lot of authors disagree with me when I tried steering them in the right direction. I keep saying over and over again that there are rules for writing in general and that the romance genre is very specific and not as forgiving as most. The response I always get is something along the lines of “that’s my author voice” or “I think outside of the box”.

Nothing wrong with author voice or thinking outside of the box. But those two things must work within your storyline in order to get away with it. Unfortunately, most of the time, that thinking outside of the box the author is doing just isn’t working. I often hear authors say if they never sold a single story they’d still write. Okay. That’s just dandy. If you can live with not selling a single story and can handle that, why not? Whatever makes you happy.

But if you want to sell? You need to get with the program. Only through serious study of the craft can you succeed. There are plenty of small presses—both print, digital, and vanity—out there that will contract a novice writer’s work. And in all honesty I can tell you that there is nothing wrong with that (well, my advice is to stay away from vanity pubs). Starting out with a small publisher and learning the ropes of publishing in general is a good way to get your feet wet. However, if you see yourself at the top of your game at that point, you are sadly mistaken.

Learning how to write isn’t something that stops with the first published story. It’s an ongoing process. Personally, I learn something every single time I work on a new book. I learn something new every time I go through an edit. Yes, I do. There is always a better way of doing things than the way you’re doing it. Trust me. I know. And it is a hard pill to swallow sometimes. How dare someone else think of a better way? How dare someone else know more than me? Well…it happens.

In this business you need to wear a suit of armor. I hear thick skin all the time—but in reality you’d best break out the chain mail. Lol You’re going to shed tears during your first REAL edit. And I said REAL for a reason. Some small pubs don’t do a lot of editing as they don’t attract the most experienced editors. And some small pubs simply don’t care and do a “clean up” job of your work and release it. So there is a good chance you WON’T cry over your first edit. But wait till your first REAL edit comes along. The tears will flow like booze at spring break. And if you think that sounds bad? Wait until you get one of those gremlin-styled reviews. You’ll be shouting pistols at dawn faster than a Nascar drive with the pedal to the metal.

But if you take these issues in stride, focus on the end goal, accept that you’re still learning, you’ll be fine. Just remember: When someone gives you advice, they aren’t always out to bring you down. Sometimes they are out to lift you higher. Talent is a blessing. If you’ve got it, nurture it. Don’t throw it away by keeping your blinders on. Study, open your eyes and mind. When all is said and done—if you’re one of those writers who wants to sell books…

It isn’t about thinking outside the box or your beautiful author voice. It’s about catering to the needs and desires of the masses. Your target audience. They are in charge. They are the boss—not your muse.

Hopefully, my philosophy on writing has worked—somewhat—and anyone who picks up a copy of one of my books will be pleased with the results of all my careful study of the writing craft. Black Cougar Curse, a very steamy novel co-authored with the fabulous Natalie Dae released from Ellora’s Cave on January 26. It’s about a sexy Cherokee Indian guide by the name of Sam Starr and the city gal he meets in the Great Smoky Mountains. Take a look at the blurb.

Deep in the mountain wilderness, Lucia Chavez searches for closure to her father’s death, and the mythical black cougar he sought. Drop-dead sexy Cherokee Indian guide Sam Starr knows more than he’s telling. After he saves Lucia from being swept away in a mudslide, the bath they both need turns steamy indeed. Sam and Lucia are living proof that near-death experiences can bring two people closer together—they can’t keep their hands off each other.

Amidst danger and mystery, Sam and Lucia explore the lust that burns between them. If their desire gets any stronger it could bring down the mountains. Ancient secrets hold the key to their unbridled sexual need. Was their passion written in the stars?

One man. One woman. A curse that binds them—and could tear them apart.

To read an excerpt visit: http://www.jasminejade.com/productspecs/9781419931062.htm
and to purchase your copy click HERE

Natalie and I hope you enjoy the blurb and excerpt enough that you’ll pick up a copy. Let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you. Contact information is on our sites. http://tessmackall.com and
http://nataliedae.blogspot.com


February 1, the new, once-a-month newsletter--Risqué--from Natalie
Dae, Regina Carlysle http://reginacarlysle.com and little ol' me will make its debut. So if you'd like to receive our newsletter, you can subscribe here by joining our newsletter group--this is a no chatting group--newsletter only. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/risquenewsletter

Many thanks to Melissa for hosting us on the amazing Imaginarium today. Happy reading to all!

Guest Appearance The Movie 411

I am so excited because I am appearing at my good friend Demspey Sanders' blog The Movie 411. I am reviewing Tron: Legacy so come on over and see The Good, the Bad and the WTF. Looking forward to see you there.

Guest Appearance

Yours truly is at the Book Boost Blog today. Come and get the inside scoop about how I write sex. Do I research with a hot hunk? Maybe... You'll have to come on over and find out. ;)

The Book Boost

I'm At Romance Junkies Today

Happy Friday!!! I'm really excited because I am guest blogging over at Romance Junkies today. Come on over and find out some details you may or may not have known about me. I'm also sharing an excerpt from Maxie Briscoe: Werewolf. Here's the link

http://www.romancejunkies.com/rjblog/

Looking forward to seeing you there.