Linda Howard Love Letter (SPOILERS)

Dear Linda,

I love you. I want to be you when I grow up, even though I don't write romantic suspense. I just read your book Cry No More and it was a masterpiece of "rule" breaking. I found it so interesting that you chose not to show the so richly deserved comeuppance of the villains. I kind of missed it, but I understood that it was Milla's story and she was done with them. She had no reason to participate in or witness their demise.

I also thought it was highly unusual to have such a long denouement, but I loved it because it was what Milla needed.

Lastly, I loved your anti-hero hero, Diaz. He went against so much of what's expected in a romance hero. He didn't apologize for the violence he committed. The only apology he made was important and necessary and when I heard his explanation for betraying her, I understood completely. He was so not a romance hero that I really worried that he and Milla might not end up together.

As I said before, the book stands head and shoulders above most of the books I've read in my life, which number in the thousands. Thank you for a memorable story and an example of genre fiction that I hope to emulate one day.

Sincerely,
Kate Willoughby

EC for Men

I'm excited to announce that I've finished a manuscript. In record time! I was taken with the idea of writing something for Ellora's Cave new line, aimed at male readers. A couple of weeks later, I had a finished story!

It was so much fun, I'm writing a second, related story, and once that one is done--hopefully as quickly--I'll submit both to my new editor, April, and play the waiting game.

The first story contains a contest, chocolate cake, and a glass elevator.

As for the second story, I'm still makin' it up. LOL

Friday Fill-In #2

I found this meme and thought it would be fun to do every Friday. Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comment section. 

1. When I am __ I always ___

2. ___ is my __ of ___

3. The  ______ the ____

4. If only I _______ then ______ and everyone would be _______.

My answers:

1. When I am at Disneyland, I always feel like a kid.

2. Morning is my favorite time of day.

3. The parent of the toddler who was misbehaving in the Starbucks where I work is in for a tough 16 years.

4. If only I had won the Mega Millions. Then I would be super rich and everyone would be wanting me to pay off their mortgage.

I'm A Fantasy Geek

I adore George RR Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series. I love the HBO series based on it, Game of Thrones. Last time, I read the book (LOVED IT) and watched the first season of the series after I read a chapter or two. It was helpful because there were so many characters and story lines going on, watching it play out on the TV clarified things in my head.

This season I'm going to watch the episodes first and then read the part in the book. I'm interested to see how my enjoyment differs.

Friday Fill-In #1

I found this meme and thought it would be fun to do every Friday. Feel free to fill in the blanks in the comment section. 

This week's blanks:

1.       I never wear ___ and I don’t know why

2.       In the winter I always___

3.       When I ___, I miss ___

4.       I love the way ___ feels.

My answers:

1.       I never wear sunglasses and I don’t know why.

2.       In the winter I always make soup. (Here's a picture of miso soup which I love, especially with tofu and those french fried onions in it!)

3.       When I travel, I miss my dog.

4.       I love the way gratitude feels.