The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-27-13

Posted on October 27, 2013October 27, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Fall Into Winter Romance Giveaway Hop> Giveaways> Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop> Spooktacular Giveaway Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Halloween is coming. This week! It’s our first Halloween in Seattle, and we don’t know what Autumn will mean here in the Pacific Northwest, although we’re guessing that it’s the start of the rainy season.

In the South, it meant the weather finally got decent again, after a summer of “OMG it’s hot!” In Alaska, by late October winter had already set in for the long haul. In the Midwest, Halloween really did mean that Fall was ending. Chicago usually has a pretty nice (and generally pretty, Fall. (Spring kind of sucks, but Fall was often long and beautiful).

But about Halloween. There are still a few more days to enter both the Spooktacular Giveaway Hop and the Something Wicked Returns Hop. Because, of course, they are Halloween-themed hops and will ghost away on Halloween. However, the lucky winners will be able to spend their $10 Amazon or B&N gift cards any time they like. Even on non-ghostly books. But enter soon before the chance disappears until next spook time.

Speaking of ghosts, Book Lovers Inc. has sadly joined the legion of ghost book blogs. The international book congress was my book blogging “home away from home” for two years, and I’ll miss posting there and all the friends I made over at BLI. I’d like to formally welcome those who followed the links and decided to give Reading Reality a try.

And for those who miss Draconismoi’s trademark rants from BLI, let me introduce you to Cass, otherwise known as Draconismoi from BLI. She has graciously, or snarkily, agreed to bring her ranting and reviewing skills down the coast from Alaska to Seattle for the occasional rant and review. Her first post at Reading Reality was this week’s Series Shakedown. Read and enjoy!

Current Giveaways:

Something Wicked Returns: my prize is a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble; visit the other stops on the hop to see their fabulous prizes.

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop: Yet another opportunity for you to win a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Check the post to see the over 300 other stops on this hop!

Hunter’s Moon by Lisa Kessler — tourwide giveaway of a $25 Amazon gift card and earrings.

Blog Recap:

Entangled Edge Release Day Blast
B+ Review: Hunter’s Moon by Lisa Kessler + Giveaway
B+ Review: Finding It by Cora Carmack
B Review: The Case of the Cosmological Killer by Stephanie Osborn
B+ Review: Rogue’s Possession by Jeffe Kennedy
Guest Post by Jeffe Kennedy on The Lure of the Fish-Out-of-Water Character
Series Shakedown: Psy/Changelings by Nalini Singh (written by Cass)
Stacking the Shelves (64)

Coming Next Week:

Work in Progress by Christina Esdon (review + guest post + giveaway)
Thankless in Death by J.D. Robb (review)
Getting Rowdy by Lori Foster (review + Q&A + giveaway)
Something Wicked by Angela Campbell (review)
Take Me, Cowboy by Jane Porter (review)
Fall into Winter Romance Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-20-13

Posted on October 20, 2013October 18, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Giveaways> Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop> Spooktacular Giveaway Hop> The Sunday Post

We’re in Reno right now, and part of this is funny. It’s the setting for Lisa Kessler’s Hunter’s Moon, which I’m reviewing tomorrow. I can see the mountains from our room, at least during the day. At night there’s just this pink neon glow.

The drawback to staying at a casino hotel? This is the first public place I’ve been to in years that allows smoking. I’d forgotten what that’s like, and it’s not a memory I wanted to revive.

Current Giveaways:

Something Wicked Returns: my prize is a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble; visit the other stops on the hop to see their fabulous prizes.
Spooktacular Giveaway Hop: Yet another opportunity for you to win a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Check the post to see the over 300 other stops on this hop!
Promise, Me Cowboy by CJ Carmichael: enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win an ebook copy.

Blog Recap:

B+ Review: The Case of the Displaced Detective: At Speed by Stephanie Osborn
Spooktacular Giveaway Hop
A Review: Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football by Rich Cohen
A- Review: Faking It by Cora Carmack
B Review: Promise Me, Cowboy by CJ Carmichael + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (63)

Coming Next Week:

Hunter’s Moon by Lisa Kessler (blog tour review)
Finding It by Cora Carmack (blog tour review)
The Case of the Cosmological Killer by Stephanie Osborn (review)
Rogue’s Possession by Jeffe Kennedy (blog tour review + guest post + giveaway)
Thankless in Death by J.D. Robb (review)

Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Posted on October 15, 2013October 13, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the 4th annual Spooktacular Giveaway Hop, hosted by I am a Reader, Not a Writer!

Why is it, when someone says the word “spooky”, I still hear the theme song from the old Addams Family TV show in my head?

OMG, now I have an earworm. That may be even creepier than any ghost story.

But speaking of ghost stories, what do you think of ghost romances? I’m still not quite sure. Stacey Kennedy’s Supernaturally Kissed was wonderful, but her ghost turned out to not quite be a ghost. On the other hand, the ghost romance in Karen Robards’ books, The Last Victim and The Last Kiss Goodbye well, I’m still not sure. A psychiatrist who studies serial killers in love with the ghost of a, you guessed it, serial killer. This can’t end well. Can it?

Very spooky!

I’m giving away a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice). It’s also the winner’s choice whether they buy spooky or not-so-spooky books!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more chances to win, visit the other stops on the hop!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-13-13

Posted on October 13, 2013October 13, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop> Spooktacular Giveaway Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

This is another one of those Sundays when it is just too pretty to be inside. But here I am. My home office has a lovely tree-lined view on the other side of the street–appropriately for this Halloween month, those trees shade the very nicely landscaped cemetery across the road. Hopefully the neighbors will be quiet at the end of the month!

Current Giveaways:

Something Wicked Returns: my prize is a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble; visit the other stops on the hop to see their fabulous prizes. Hell’s Belle by Karen Greco (ebook, international, tour-wide)

Winner announcements:

The winner of the ebook copy of Treacherous Temptations by Victoria Vane is Julie B. The winner of the ebook copy of Heavy Metal Heart by Nico Rosso is Jo J.

Blog Recap:

A- Review: The Case of the Displaced Detective: The Arrival by Stephanie Osborn Guest Post by Author Stephanie Osborn on Tidbits They Don’t Tell You In Author’s School B+ Review: Corroded by Karina Cooper A Review: Libriomancer by Jim C Hines B Review: Hell’s Belle by Karen Greco Guest Post by Author Karen Greco on the Inspiration for Hell’s Belle + Giveaway B+ Review: Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux Stacking the Shelves (62)

Coming Next Week:

The Case of the Displaced Detective: At Speed by Stephanie Osborn (review) Monsters: The 1985 Chicago Bears and the Wild Heart of Football by Rich Cohen (review) Faking It by Cora Carmack (review) Promise Me, Cowboy by CJ Carmichael (blog tour review + giveaway) Spooktacular Giveaway Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 10-6-13

Posted on October 6, 2013October 6, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop> Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

A lovely Fall day in Seattle, although I expect the rainy season to return with a vengeance any day now. I think I’ll go read outside while that’s still a reasonable thing to do!

Coming Next Week:

The Case of the Displaced Detective by Stephanie Osborn (blog tour review + guest post)
Corroded by Karina Cooper (review)
Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines (review)
Hell’s Belle by Karen Greco (blog tour review + guest post + giveaway)
Cut & Run by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux (review)

Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop

Posted on October 1, 2013September 30, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop

Welcome to the Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop, hosted by Rainy Day Ramblings, Candace’s Book Blog, The Nocturnal Library and My Guilty Obsession!

It sends a chill up your spine, doesn’t it? That phrase, “Something wicked this way comes.” We all know the line, but forget where it comes from. It’s Shakespeare, he had all the best lines. This one is from Macbeth. Of course it was one of the three witches. Does it matter which one?

By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.

And in walks Macbeth himself. Poor fool, he didn’t start out evil. BWAHAHAHA

Boo! I’m giving away a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice).

a Rafflecopter giveaway
For more giveaways, visit the other stops on this hop!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-29-13

Posted on September 29, 2013September 29, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Book Giveaway> ebook giveaway> Giveaways> Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop> Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Tomorrow the sun will set on the Sunset on Summer Sun Blog Hop. If you’re interested in the $10 gift card to either Amazon or B&N that I’m giving away, or the grand prize of a Kindle Fire or Nook HD that the organizers are giving away, or just perusing all the other great prizes, you have 24 hours to enter everything. Give or take.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist the pun.

Seattle is absolutely sopping wet this weekend, and on track to make this September the wettest September EVER. Drip, drip, splish, splash. Waiting for the bus tomorrow is going to be such a joy! NOT.

Rainy season is here with a vengeance!

Current Giveaways:

Sunset on Summer Sun Blog Hop: my prize is a $10 gift card to either Amazon or Barnes & Noble; the blog hop’s grand prize is a Kindle Fire or Nook HD.
Declan’s Cross by Carla Neggers: Hardcover (US/CAN only)
Tourwide Giveaway: 5 signed paperback copies of Forged in Dreams and Magick by Kat Bastion, 5 ebook copies, Pandora sterling silver charm bracelet
Marry Me, Cowboy by Lillian Darcy and Tempt Me, Cowboy by Megan Crane; both ebook only, but INT giveaway

Blog Recap:

B Review: Declan’s Cross by Carla Neggers
Q&A from Author Carla Neggars + Giveaway
B+ Review: The Rare Event by P.D. Singer
B+ Review: Gilded by Karina Cooper
B- Review: Forged in Dreams and Magick by Kat Bastion + Giveaway
B Review: Marry Me, Cowboy by Lillian Darcy + Giveaway
Stacking the Shelves (60)

Coming Next Week:

Heavy Metal Heart by Nico Rosso (review + guest post + giveaway)
The Sheik Retold by Victoria Vane (review + guest post + giveaway)
Spider Woman’s Daughter by Anne Hillerman (review)
Treecat Wars by David Weber and Jane Lindskold (review)
Something Wicked Returns Blog Hop

Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop

Posted on September 17, 2013September 15, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Blog Hops> Giveaways> Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop

Welcome to the Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop, sponsored by BTS Book Reviews, Decadent Publishing, Everpress Media, and a ton of authors!

The grand prize for the hop is the winner’s choice of either a Kindle Fire 7″ HD or NOOK HD (US only), or Paypal Cash (International). The reader will be filled with books by lots of co-sponsor authors — see the list at BTS Book Reviews!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
I’m also giving away a $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble (winner’s choice). Curling up with a good book is a terrific way to while away the end of summer, especially if it’s suddenly gotten all nasty and stormy where you are! (It’s raining and thundering here in Seattle) So what are your plans for marking the last rays of summer (if you haven’t already)? a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more giveaways, visit the other stops on this hop!

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 9-15-13

Posted on September 15, 2013September 15, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

Yesterday turned out to be pretty splendiferous, once the butterflies in my stomach settled down.

I was the Keynote Speaker at the Gay Romance Northwest Meetup yesterday. The conference, and it was very much a writers and readers conference, was held at the Seattle Public Library’s Central Library. The last I heard, the paid attendance was 120, but they were definitely taking at-the-door registration, so there were more people there.

My topic was getting what you want into your local library, or working with your local library to get what you wrote onto the physical or virtual shelves. The Q&A session ran over!!! There’s a very nice summary here, even if I feel funny about being the unnamed librarian.

I stayed for the whole thing. Besides the fact that I got questions and comments at every break and at the happy hour afterwards, this was an awesome event. Also, and one of the interesting things, as far as the writing and breaking into publishing, and questions about diversity and the lack thereof, many of the questions and answers were not dissimilar to things I’d heard at WorldCon a couple of weeks ago.

Becoming a writer and getting published is damn difficult. Period, exclamation point. Diversity is a journey and not a destination. Respectability is something that no genre fiction seems to have achieved, although mystery seems to be closer (for relative definitions of close) than anything else, and LGBTQ romance gets hit with a double-whammy of being both LGBTQ and romance.

One thing struck me, one of the authors (Daisy Harris) said that she wrote m/m romance because it allowed her to write couples who did not follow the alpha male/submissive female paradigm that she had been forced to follow when she wrote traditional m/f romance. Last night I was reading something that I wasn’t planning to review, but it was a couple where the dominant male/submissive female roles should not have occurred, and damn but they did anyway. I’m having a major re-think here.

I hope I get invited back next year.

But back to what else happened this week…

Current Giveaway:

Tourwide Giveaway: $15 Amazon Gift Card + 2 ebook copies of Medium Well by Meg Benjamin

Blog Recap:

B+ Review: The Bones of Paris by Laurie R. King
A- Review: Hellfire by Jean Johnson
B Review: Tempt Me, Cowboy by Megan Crane
B Review: Medium Rare by Meg Benjamin + Giveaway
B Review: The Arrangement by Mary Balogh
Stacking the Shelves (58)

Coming Next Week:

A Question of Honor by Charles Todd (review)
The Bridge by Rebecca Rogers Maher (review)
Knight in Black Leather by Gail Dayton (review)
Dangerous Curves Ahead by Sugar Jamison (review)
Sunset on Summer Fun Blog Hop

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand 8-25-13

Posted on August 25, 2013August 25, 2013 by Marlene Harris | Author : Marlene Harris | Giveaways> Lovestruck Giveaway Hop> The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand> Winner announcement

This weekend we are starting our first real vacation in almost three years. I am so happy about the vacation, and completely chagrined that it’s been so damn long since the last one.

No wonder we’re so beat!

Even better the vacation is in San Antonio so we can go to WorldCon. That would be the World Science Fiction Convention, this year in San Antonio over Labor Day. We’re already saving our pennies for next year in London.

Is anyone else out there going to San Antonio?

I’m so excited that I’m squeeing about it a week in advance, but why not?

I’ll have plenty of stuff to post while I’m away, and we’re taking laptops with us. We’ve only ever unplugged on one vacation, and this one isn’t going to be it.

Current Giveaway:

2 ebook copies of The Love of My (Other) Life by Tracy L. Slatton ends 8/31

Winner Announcement:

The winner of the Lovestruck Giveaway Hop was Sherry S.

Blog Recap:

B+ Review: The Love of My (Other) Life by Traci L. Slatton
Guest Post by Author Traci L Slatton on Why I Write Science Fiction + Giveaway
B+ Review: Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick
C- Review: A Lady Can Never Be Too Curious by Mary Wine
B Guest Review: Shadows of the New Sun: Stories in Honor of Gene Wolfe
B Review: Long Shots 1-3 by Christine d’Abo
Stacking the Shelves (56)

Coming Next Week:

The Hero by Robyn Carr (review)
The Best of Daughters by Dilly Court (blog tour review)
Calling the Shots by Christine d’Abo (review)
How the Light Gets In by Louise Penny (review)
Big Sky Wedding by Linda Lael Miller (review)

Current Giveaways:

Blog Recap:

Coming Next Week:

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