Category: Audio Books

National Young Readers Week – “The Impact Childhood Reading Has Is Never Lost”

National Young Readers Week –

“The Impact Childhood Reading Has Is Never Lost”

 

How many of you were childhood readers? Do you still remember those stories? Perhaps even have those torn and well worn books to this day?  Maybe, if you are older,  you might have passed them on to your children or intend to?  No matter your age,  you might just plain cherish the stories and the memories they hold.  For me and mine? Its ‘The Little Engine The Could’ by Watty Piper read countless times with its refrain of “I think I can, I think I can” rolling around and around in my head at bedtime, probably having more of an impact than I could ever guess at. Then there’s ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ by Margery Williams a story that I and my charlotte's Web coverdaughter never grew tired of with its message of love no matter the odds, and ‘Goodnight Moon’ by Margaret Wise Brown, a book we needed several copies of as book after book wore out. At the top of our best loved pile? That would be ‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B. White, a favorite not only of mine but of many of my authors, co-reviewers and friends.  What brought on all these scattered thoughts and memories? A very special week.

It’s National Young Readers Week, a whole week set aside to celebrate and help promote reading in young children.  In 1989,  the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress created National Young Readers Week to help schools recognize the joys and benefits of reading.  Why?  Because they knew that the key to the mind, to the imagination is literacy and books.  Nothing can open a mind to immeasurable possibilities like a book. Nothing else can expand their horizons, make them wonder and explore further than a great story.  National Young Readers Week was born to open children’s minds to creativity and helps expand their general knowledge through books.

I have a book blog with 12 book reviewers. All we do is talk books from author interviews to writing to book reviews and all things book centric.  And one of my favorite questions to ask the authors worldwide in their interviews is “Were you huge readers as children?  Were you read to as a child?” And even more importantly “Did you think that all that reading as a child impacted you as a author today?”  Not surprisingly, almost all were big readers as children (although not all were read to), most could remember their favorite stories, and again not a shocker, some even started keeping diaries as kids.  But reading when young?  That does seem to be the key.  Stories, no matter the genre or at what age,  jumpstarted their imaginations.  Over and over they told me the books took them places that thrilled them, enthralled them and yes maybe even scared them a little.  Mysteries, science fiction, action suspense, animal stories, pirates, fairy tales…all gobbled up in the need to know more.  Books made them look outside themselves, made them peer inside into their hearts, made them think larger, made their world bigger and that carried them forward. It helped make them takes chances.  Learn to write stories and become the writers they are today.

My mother was a 4th grade schoolteacher, one of the most popular with a beloved reading corner. It had a rocking chair and a worn braided rug that the children sat on.  There the kids gathered, listening Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, Huckleberry Bridge to Terabithia coverFinn by Mark Twain,Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren, Black Beauty by Anna Sewel,  and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket, #1) by Roald Dahl, just a few of the stories the children couldn’t get enough of.  There were series, and biographies and requests,  those too.  Even now her students come back to see her, some with their grown children in tow. They mention that rocking chair and those stories and how much that time in class meant to them.  And they want to know if she still has that rocking chair. No I do, keeping it safe with all those memories intact and warm.

I have always felt strongly about childhood reading, mostly because for a while I couldn’t do it.  I was read to as a child but up until 2nd grade couldn’t read very well. Poor eyesight turned out to be the culprit and once that was solved, I started reading like someone starved for stories.  All of Marguerite Henry’s books from ‘Misty of Chincoteague’ to other stories like “The Old Yeller coverBlack Stallion by Walter Farley, dog stories like Big Red or Old Yeller by Fred Gipson, mysteries like Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, loved them all even as I moved on to gothic romance, science fiction, fantasy and historical fiction.  I needed more stories, lugged books around me like other people did their music.   My shelves groaned under the weight of books collected (still do) then ebooks came and helped lighten the load.  That love has been passed onto my daughter, whose shelves groan under her own books, some of them purloined from books we shared and read together.

I asked several of my reviewers about their experiences growing up as children. One in europe grew up on Grimm’s Kim coverFairy Tales, even listened to them with her brother on tape. She admits Hansel and Gretel scared her to death! But during a library’s annual flea market she found a worn copy of Rudyard Kipling’s Kim.  There the idea of India and an exotic life took hold in her mind.  Being 10, her parents weren’t agreeable to the idea of her going off to live life like Kim but in her words “There was never a time in my life when I didn’t read. I read countless books during my childhood, from every genre. But few books still have an influence on what I read these days, so Kim will always hold a special place in my heart and I’ll never get rid of my copy, even if it really does look its age.”  Another of my reviewers came to books through the library at the 3rd grade.  Her favorites then?  They remain her favorites to this day.  In her words…”

“I first discovered the library in third grade, I never stopped reading. I haven’t changed much from when I was a kid either… I loved the same things. Dogs, sci-fi, fantasy and lgbt pairings. As a younger child I adored stories with dogs–these are the ones that come toThe Incredible Journey cover mind right away. There are more if I were to really check. (The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford. White Fang by Jack London,
Call of the Wild by Jack London, Lassie Come-Home by Eric Knight, Big Red by Jim Kjelgaard and the others in the series Irish Red and Outlaw Red.”

This week in so many school system’s around the nation they are “Booking It”, putting aside other routine plans and picking up books and reading.  Maybe scheduling class time and lesson  plans around a certain book to better help other student understand it. What books do you recommend and love  best?  Which books have you brought with you the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe coverinto adulthood?   Can you picture the  books? There in your memory? Or by something greater?  By the impact that that book and all the ones that followed made on you as an adult.  By the  love of reading it fired within you,  the expectation of something new that awaits around the next paragraph or page. That sense of wonder that found its way to you and never left once you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis or The Lord of the Rings (The Lord of the Rings #1-3) by J.R.R. Tolkien or whatever the book it may have been for you.  The endless possibilities you never thought about and now couldn’t stop thinking of, yes that was but one long lasting impression that a big novel has left behind, one of many.

Well, that’s it for me.  I have books to read and review, and lots of writing as well.  In some ways, I love that there are so many readers starting off on a very rich and  wonderful new journey, one that will never stop, no matter your age.  Reading and books has no boundaries.  Books on tape, books to be listened to, bound books, ebooks, shared books, books for all ages and interest.  A world of books waiting to be explored.  Isn’t it marvelous?  And once started, once the need to read gets a hold of you, and it will, once your imagination is fired, your mind is set free, then anything is possible and you view growing up so very differently, with expectations that can forever change.

And it all started with “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”  Thank you, Watty Piper, wherever you are.

 

Happy Reading and Happy Young Readers Week.

Melanie

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

 

 

 

 

 

 

Those that continued the tradition of family reading to those that found it on their own through libraries, comic books, second hand stories or other avenues.

 

Did you continue to read on as a older child?  Discover the wilderness of Little House on the Prairie?  Marmie of Little Women?  The mysteries of Nancy Drew  and the Hardy Boys?  Maybe it was  Marguerite Henry’s books like Misty of Chincoteague and or other stories like the Black Stallion.

A BJ Audiobook Review: Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper; Narrated by Kaleo Griffith

Rating:  5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★audiobook clipart bw

Into Deep Waters Audiobook CoverFor Jacob and Daniel, two young gay men aboard a US Navy ship in WWII, the risks are high. Not only the risks of injury and death from Japanese planes and submarines, but the risk of discovery. Only a special kind of love is worth taking that chance. But from the moment Daniel meets Jacob’s eyes across a battle-scarred deck, he knows he has to try.

Being together requires figuring out what it means to be gay in an era when they could be discharged, imprisoned, or worse for admitting the desires of their hearts. Their relationship is measured in stolen moments and rare days of precious leave, with no guarantee there will be a tomorrow. And, if they survive the war, they will need even more luck to keep their love alive through the years to come.

This story was originally written from a prompt and photo submitted as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Group’s Love is Always Write event in 2012.

This book blew me away. It’s an touchingly beautiful story of an enduring love that spans over a period of sixty years. While it begins and largely takes place during WWII, the last third of the book carries us through the rest of out heroes lives, touching briefly on important events like Stonewall, but mostly letting us watch as these men deal with things like post-war trauma, family acceptance, workplace concerns, coming out, births, adopting a cat, and all the small and large changes that personal and physical relationships goes through as we age. An amazingly real, believable, and relatable story. Bravo.

The book itself was a wonderful free gift from a talented writer, but I’m very glad she decided to take it a step further and put it into audio. I’d been meaning to read it for a while but hadn’t gotten to it. Since I listen to audio every day while driving and hiking with the dogs, I snapped it up right away when the audio came out. For those who enjoy listening to audio, don’t hesitate on this one. It’s one of the most worthwhile audible credits I’ve used lately.

Kaleo Griffith did an excellent job with the narration, most notably in bringing to life the emotion that this story so richly deserved. While the two men’s voices are not as vastly different as on some audios, I enjoyed the Jersey accent he used for Jacob very much. It fit and wasn’t at all overdone. And he did an outstanding job of aging the voices as the main characters matured and grew old.

Some of the scenes in this book are still stuck in my mind’s eyes weeks after reading, especially the scene in the ocean after the USS Gageway sinks. The author’s use of description read so incredibly vivid, I’d say it was like watching a movie except it really was more because not only did we see and hear, but I could taste and feel as well. Rarely have I felt so immersed in a scene whether in print or on the big screen.

Despite being set in wartime and feeling realistic, the author didn’t go overboard on angst, nor did she hype up the gore for the shock or thrill factor. Overall this was a heartwarming tale that spoke to me of destiny, of finding that one person and going through all the good and bad times, of nearing the end and looking back with joy on a life well-lived. And well-loved. This story is a gem, a treasure. You owe it to yourself to read it.

Sales Links:   Audible

eBook Details: 172 pages

Published May 8th 2012 by M/M Romance Group

Into Deep Water Series – Goodreads link M/M Romance Group

Audiobook Details: Unabridged, 7 hrs and 29 mins
Published October 19th 2015 by Kaje Harper

The author, Kaje Harper, generously agreed to answer a few questions which I was curious about, and which I hope you will find interesting as well.

BJ: What motivated you to bring one of your books into audio? Why did you choose Into Deep Waters?

KH:I’ve heard readers talking about how much they enjoy M/M in audio format. They apparently listen to audiobooks during work commutes (although the thought of hitting an angsty Amy Lane scene while cruising the freeway or on a public bus gives me a little pause. Maybe I’d stick to Eli Easton for those.) I can really see the appeal of audio while exercising or doing chores, or to rest your eyes after a day staring at a computer screen. But my pro publishers aren’t offering my books that way yet.

So I thought, why not try it with one of my self-pubs? It was hard to decide which one. Many of them are free novels, and I wasn’t sure if people would pay for an audio version of a freebie. Then… should I start with a favorite, or learn the process and make any initial mistakes on a book I didn’t care as much about?

In the end I picked my favorite of my own stories – “Into Deep Waters.” It’s a short novel, it has good reviews, there’s emotion that a skilled narrator could bring to the surface. And if I only do one, if the logistics aren’t there for another, then this book is the one I wanted to have in audio. This book, which is my tribute to the LGBTQ Americans who lived and loved through the decades past, and helped shape the acceptance that is building now in my children’s time.

BJ: How do you feel about the final audio? What was your own reaction upon listening to it?

KH: I love the final result. It was hard choosing a narrator. I had excellent auditions from some wonderful narrators, including guys who have a great following among M/M listeners already. But when my friend and producer, Jonathan Penn, and I heard Kaleo Griffith read the audition script, we agreed that he took the emotional passages of the story to a new level.

It’s funny – I don’t usually get caught up in the emotion of my own stories as I write them; I’m more on the outside, finding the words for the feelings. And definitely with a story I’ve edited a dozen times, I don’t expect much impact. But when I listened to “Into Deep Waters,” interpreted and intensified by Kaleo’s performance, I actually laughed and got choked up. At my own words! It was as if his reading made them fresh again for me. I hope others have the same response to it.

BJ: Do you plan to bring more of your stories into the audio?

KH:I hope so. It was fun to hear my words given new life. It depends on how this book sells, though. There was a fair bit of up-front investment, in time and money, to get a great narrator and produce the book. With luck, if it appeals to readers, then I’d love to do others. Some of my best-known books, like “Life Lessons”, are contracted to the publisher, but I have several novels that could be taken to audio as a self-pub release, if it seems like the demand is there.

Love Audiobooks? Check out Memories of the Heart by Felice Stevens Is Out! (Audiobook release)

Memories of the Heart-AUDIO

Memories of the Heart by Felice Stevens
Narrator: Sean Crisdean.

 M/M Romance
Now Available on Audible
Time: 8.3 hours

BLURB

Ruthless, Controlling, A Loner. All words used to describe Dr. Micah Steinberg by the hospital staff for their next head of surgery. When a letter arrives from his grandmother’s friend at the assisted living facility, his orderly world tilts dangerously out of control.

Josh Rosen had everything until it was revealed much of his world was a lie. Forced to re-evaluate his life, Josh gives up his career and returns home to New York City to care for his beloved grandmother. What Josh didn’t figure on was an attraction to a man who on the surface, appears to be exactly like the life Josh chose to leave behind.

As Micah struggles with the reality of his grandmother’s illness, the bond these two share deepens, as Josh helps Micah heal, then open his heart. Micah discovers there is more to life than work, control and success. Josh is in deep but has yet to tell Micah who he really is. When the fight for the hospital’s head of surgery turns ugly, Josh’s past and present collide. Micah must let go of the past and accept who he is, if his life is going to move forward.

Life is full of surprises, and as both Micah and Josh learn, love can happen whether you plan for it or not.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon US  | Amason UK  | All Romance

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Memories Teas 2

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn’t until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth’s court that her interest in romance novels was renewed. But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back. Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

 

Felice Stevens FB Cover

A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Pura Vida by Sara Alva ~ Audiobook narrated by Joseph Northton

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5audiobook clipart bw
Pura Vida coverSimon arrives in Costa Rica to spend the summer with his family as his parents seal the deal on a real estate deal while taking the time to enjoy their family. Simon is free to hook up since his college boyfriend has asked for an open relationship so that each can go their own way for the summer. In other words, he isn’t interested in making a commitment to Simon, and Simon is pretty disgusted just thinking about what that lack of commitment means.

He runs into a young man named Juan late one night while walking on the beach. Actually, he literally runs headfirst into a sea turtle making her way to shore to lay her eggs and scares her off. This, in turn, brings Juan out of his cover to berate Simon for being so clumsy and stupid and careless of the nature on the island. Intrigued, Simon learns more about both Juan and the sea turtles, and when the tension between the two heats up, they decide to slake their sexual appetites with each other.

Though Simon and Juan get close over their weeks together, Simon knows that he’s destined to leave and go back to school, and he doesn’t see how he and Juan can create something long term. The plight of the sea turtles and the intrigue surrounding Juan as they fight to keep the eggs from being stolen by poachers bring the two young men even closer. But when Simon’s parents decide to leave the area before their originally planned departure, Simon has to face the fact that he and Juan may never see each other again.

This was a sweet, young adult M/M romance. It was fairly short and not overly detailed, but considering its length, the author managed to convey two very interesting characters and work in the plight of an endangered species. Adding an epilogue at the end to bring readers up-to-date on the status of both young men the next year was just the perfect icing on the cake. Narrator Joseph Northton was good, with clear pronunciation, and good vocalizations for both characters.

I’d recommend this to anyone looking for a sweet young adult romance that would be perfect for an afternoon on the beach or in front of a cozy winter fire.

~~~
Cover art is a split screen with a photo of young man swimming or lying in the sand in the upper panel and a sea turtle in the sand in the lower frame, with the title of the story across the center. The artwork is a faded out gray-and-white and looks somewhat like a faded old photo. Though it does symbolize the story, I found the coloring unappealing.

No Sales Links – free here at the Goodreads M/M Romance Don’t Read in the Closet Event

Book Details:

ebook, 92 pages
Published July 25th 2013 by M/M Romance Group @ goodreads
edition languageEnglish
seriesDon’t Read in the Closet Events settingCosta Rica

More First Lines of Novels, Our M/M Fiction First Line Quiz and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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More First Lines of Novels,  Plus Our First Line M/M  Novels Quiz!

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People tend to disagree over what are the most favorite/best loved lines in literature, especially when compiling lists.  When scanning over a number of the Top Ten, the same lines and books appear over and over, but after that? It can get lively.

Sometimes the lists can surprise you, baffle you and delight you.  Here are some of the first lines I found on lists that dismayed, baffled and delighted the heck out of me, and yes, that one huge thing is one sentence.  Read it and weep for whatever emotion takes you and consider if they did their job…made you want to read the book.

What line dismayed me?   This first line found on multiple lists, which I still find dismal. Up to me, this book would have remained unread, even by that year’s standards.

“I was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York, of a good Family, tho’ not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull; He got a good Estate by Merchandise, and leaving off his Trade, lived afterward at York, from whence he had married my Mother, whose Relations were named Robinson, a very good Family in that Country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual Corruption of Words in England, we are now called, nay we call our selves, and write our Name Crusoe, and so my Companions always call’d me.” Robinson Crusoe (1719), Daniel Defoe

What baffled me? This one sentence, yes, one line opener.

“Once upon a time two or three weeks ago, a rather stubborn and determined middle-aged man decided to record for posterity, exactly as it happened, word by word and step by step, the story of another man for indeed what is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal, a somewhat paranoiac fellow unmarried, unattached, and quite irresponsible, who had decided to lock himself in a room a furnished room with a private bath, cooking facilities, a bed, a table, and at least one chair, in New York City, for a year 365 days to be precise, to write the story of another person—a shy young man about of 19 years old—who, after the war the Second World War, had come to America the land of opportunities from France under the sponsorship of his uncle—a journalist, fluent in five languages—who himself had come to America from Europe Poland it seems, though this was not clearly established sometime during the war after a series of rather gruesome adventures, and who, at the end of the war, wrote to the father his cousin by marriage of the young man whom he considered as a nephew, curious to know if he the father and his family had survived the German occupation, and indeed was deeply saddened to learn, in a letter from the young man—a long and touching letter written in English, not by the young man, however, who did not know a damn word of English, but by a good friend of his who had studied English in school—that his parents both his father and mother and his two sisters one older and the other younger than he had been deported they were Jewish to a German concentration camp Auschwitz probably and never returned, no doubt having been exterminated deliberately X * X * X * X, and that, therefore, the young man who was now an orphan, a displaced person, who, during the war, had managed to escape deportation by working very hard on a farm in Southern France, would be happy and grateful to be given the opportunity to come to America that great country he had heard so much about and yet knew so little about to start a new life, possibly go to school, learn a trade, and become a good, loyal citizen.”  — Raymond Federman, Double or Nothing, 1971

What delighted me? That I found these opening lines on a couple of lists.

“Where’s Papa going with that axe?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. (E.B. White,Charlotte’s Web)

“When the car stopped rolling, Parker kicked out the windshield and crawled through onto the wrinkled hood, Glock first.” –Donald E. Westlake writing as Richard Stark, Backflash

The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended. –Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey

“Nobody ever walked across the bridge, not on a night like this.” –Mickey Spillane, One Lonely Night.

This little hunt so entertained me that I decided to compile a list of my own, with help from the rest of the reviewers here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

We started to look for the first lines from some very popular M/M Romance/Fiction stories and we came up with what is sure to be the first of at least 3  Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words M/M Romance First Line Quizzes!

Look for the answers in next week’s Sunday’s post . How many, if any,do you think you will recognize?

 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words M/M Romance First Line Quiz

In what m/m romance fiction books do these first lines appear?

  1.  “This is the way my world ends.”
  2. “Once upon a time…that’s how the old stories always begin.”
  3. “It was pouring when I walked outside to use the pay phone.”
  4. “He was on his third beer of the evening when he thought he heard a noise in the backyard.”
  5. “His elegantly decorated hospital room looked regal and stately, much like the man lying in the bed in the center of the room.”
  6. “I don’t disagree with you Mother, Clarissa is a very beautiful woman. “
  7. “I wish to buy a boy,” the stranger said.”
  8. “I would say that I never let harm come to him, but in this world harm comes to us all. “
  9. “At eight in the evening on a Friday, Roosevelt High School was dark and abandoned.”
  10. “The whole thing started because of Lizzy’s Jeep.”
  11. “Dad, I’m gay.”
  12. “This is not a coming-out story.”
  13. “He wore the navy suit because it was her favorite, the light blue shirt because when he looked down at his cuff, the slender line of color made him remember her eyes.”
  14. “The smell of cheap motel rooms was comforting to him, like his oldest, rattiest T-shirt.”

 

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This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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Sunday, October 4:

  • More First Lines of Novels, Our M/M Fiction First Line Quiz and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, October 5:

  • Cover reveal for J. Johanis ‘Dream Gods’ (cover reveal and contest)
  • EE Montgomery ‘Just The Way You Are’ Keep Me In Mind Tour and Giveaway
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break:  Small Wonders by Courtney Lux (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North
  • A Mika Review: Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen

Tuesday, October 6:

  • Book Spotlight: Dragon’s Eye by Lexi Ander (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Author Spotlight Special: Sloan Johnson  “Triple Play”-rescheduled for Oct 2oth
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break:  Roping Him In by Jena Wade (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Strength To Let Go by Alina Popescu
  • A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Pura Vida by Sara Alva ~ Audiobook narrated by Joseph Northton

Wednesday, October 7:

  • Kate Pearce’s Tribute Series Returns with the Retribution Tour and Contest
  • Valerie Brundage ‘Another Creature’ book blast and contest
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break with Missy Welsh – Take Your Pick (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: Base Instinct by Larissa Ione
  • A PaulB review: Shades of Power by Beany Sparks

Thursday, October 8:

  • Grein Murray ‘Keeping Joshua’ book blast and giveaway
  • In the Book Spotlight: Purpose by Andrew Q Gordon (excerpt and contest)
  • A Jeri Review: Let The Wrong Light In by Avon Gale
  • A Free Dreamer Review: First Contact by Alex Gabriel
  • A Mika Review: Redeeming Hope by Shell Taylor

Friday, October 9:

  • Riptide Publishing’s 4th Anniversary Celebration Tour and Contest
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break with P.D. Singer ‘Otter Chaos’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A BJ Review: Winter: Haunted Heart #1 by Josh Lanyon
  • A Free Dreamer Review: To Catch A Threeve by Alexis Duran
  • A MelanieM Review: Where the Grass is Greener (Seeds of Tyrone #2) by Debbie McGowan and Raine O’Tierney

YA Saturday, October 10:

  • An Aurora YA Review: Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Has the Answers You Want Next Sunday!

In the Meantime, grab up those old favorites, check out those first lines!  Can’t find the ones above? Ok, how about the ones you don’t need but find that are pretty cool? While you’re at it, write those down and submit them here to us at melaniem54@msn.com to use for our next quizzes.  You’ll never know when a  prize will pop up and you will have a least one line in the “know”.

What are you all reading now – part I- and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

What are you all reading now?

I was over at J Scott Coatsworth’s Queer Sci Fi Facebook group (if you love fantasy, science fiction, the discussions held there will blow you away).  Any how, that day authors of  some gay graphic novels were there talking about their latest couples and releases.  I thought the pictures and storylines were hot, hot, hot.

Now I love anime’, cut my teeth on comic books and early graphic novels.  Found Yaoi, never looked further, which was a mistake.   So I took a quick “run” around the web and found some pretty neat LGBTQIA graphic comics out there. ALEX WOOLFSON and ADAM DEKRAKER: Queer Sci Fi ran interview/chat with the creators of The Young Protectors as part of their wonderful Graphic Novel Week.  That started August 25.  Check out the entire week’s contributions when you have the time.  But that made me wonder?

Do you all read graphic comics?  If so, which ones? Which authors? I’ve included a small poll to see how much we  read and follow graphic novels.  Please feel free to chime in with your comments as well.  Thanks.

Now on to this week’s schedule after the poll.

 

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 20:

  • KC Wells ‘First’ book blast and contest
  • What Are You All Reading and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, September 21:

  • Enter the Dystopian World of Bane by Amelia C. Gormley (Riptide Tour and contest)
  • Beany Sparks ‘Shades of Power’, book blast and giveaway
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break with Lisa & TJ Oliver’s ‘Uncaged’ (excerpt and contest)
  • A BJ Review: The Complications of T (The Actor’s Circle #1) by Bey Deckard
  • A Free Dreamer Review: The Demon You Know by Barbara Elsborg

Tuesday, September 22:

  • In the Spotlight: Draven St. James ‘Lost in the Fire’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Special Cheryl Headford Guest Post with Character Interview (giveaway and excerpt)
  • A Barb The Zany Old Lady Review: Fit To Be Tied by Mary Calmes
  • A Mika Review: Unbreak Broken by J.K. Hogan
  • A PaulB Review: Not A Line of Bull by Charlie Richards

Wednesday, September 23:

  • Whistlestop Book Blast for Alyssa Astra ‘Fiery’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • In the Book Spotlight: Chris McHart ‘Small Steps’ (excerpt and contest)
  • Its Hot, Its Sexy, Its the Manchester Ménage Collection with Nicole Colville ‘Discovering Dalton’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Barb The Zany Old Lady Review: Other Side of the Line by Marguerite Labbe
  • A PaulB review: Kissed by Nemesis by Andi Anderson
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Such a Dance by Kate McMurray

Thursday, September 24:

  • Coffee Sip and Book Break: Fai Marie Dawson ‘Please Understand’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Time to Heat Things up with H.C. Brown ‘Stalked’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Audiobook Review: Going Up by Amy Lane (Audiobook)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Empty Nests (Nested Hearts #1) by Ada Maria Soto
  • A MelanieM Review: Tequila Mockingbird (Sinners #3) by Rhys Ford

Friday, September 25:

  • Its Release Day for RJ Scott’s Texas 7 (contest)
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break: Theresa Hissong’s It Takes Two Tour (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Jeri Review: Beautiful Thunder by Louise Lyons
  • A MelanieM Review: Sloe Ride (Sinners, #4) by Rhys Ford
  • A Stella Review: ACID by Wulf Francu Godluck

Saturday, September 26:

A MelanieM Review: Texas Wedding (Texas #7) by RJ Scott