Review: Spirit by John Inman

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When Jason Day, video games designer, agrees to watch his precocious four-year-old nephew, Timmy, for four weeks he has no idea how his life will be forever changed by his acceptance. Jason works from home and is a confirmed, but not happy about it, gay bachelor. He is the only immediate family in his his nephew’s life outside of his nephew’s mom as Timmy’s father disappeared several years ago and has never been heard from again. Jason is surprised to find himself bonding with Timmy, loving the 4 year old’s company even as it exhausts him.

Then a young man arrives and announces himself as Timmy’s uncle too but from the other, still missing, side of the family. His appearance starts off a series of startling events, not the least of which is a ghostly presence that is getting increasingly agitated by the hour. Soon Jason finds himself with a burgeoning love interest, a mystery that turns ominous, and a ghost with an alarming sense of humor. Things are getting out of hand and Jason finds himself and Timmy right in the middle of it all. Can the weirdest summer Jason has ever had also turn out to be his best?

I found author John Inman about 5 books of his ago after cuddling up to Loving Hector. Between gales of laughter and more than a few shed tears, I knew that John Inman, with his talent for writing comedic fiction with a heart, would always have a place on my must read author list. After Loving Hector, came Shy, and Hobbled, and Serenading Stanley, and all the rest leading up to Spirit, a whacky, supernatural infused tale of love and what it means to be a family, ancient Chihuawhatits included. And while I can always be certain that each tale of his will include some gut busting scenes of humor and maybe a dog or two, everything else comes as a surprise. That’s what I found with Sprit. Surprise after surprise to my total delight and absolute amusement.

How else can you explain a supernatural love story murder mystery? Because that is exactly what Spirit is, a conglomeration of elements and genres that swirl around a thirty something video game designer, Jason, and his energetic, intelligent 4 year-old nephew, Timmy. It is clear that when Jason’s sister drops off Timmy before heading off on vacation that Jason has only spent short amounts of time with his nephew and has no idea what is in store for him during this extended stay. Why you ask? Because so much of what happens with Timmy here is accurate (ok, supernatural stuff not withstanding). YOu can child proof your house all you want but there will always be something that is missed or not thought of. That haircutting business that Inman throws in? Perfection and spot on. Sometime I will recount my college days in Ohio and a certain preschool playground when scissors reigned supreme and 3 to 5 year olds ran amuck inside those concrete cylinders that were ubiquitous at the time. Thank you, John Inman, for bringing those memories so vividly back home. I had to put my Kindle down because my sides hurt from laughing so much at Timmy and his haircut.

Some readers will look at Timmy with askance. I can hear them asking “Is that really how a 4 year old will act and speak?”

Let me say, with years of experience behind me as a parent and park naturalist, ” why yes, indeedy, they do”. Some toddlers and older kids come out just preternaturally smart and smart mouthed. They can say the most amazing things and have the most acute and unexpected take on situations that astound those that care to listen to them. Not all, surely, but a larger amount of children than you would expect. So when I came across Timmy, I felt as though here was a child I already knew. And watching the relationship between Jason and Timmy unfold was truly a thing of joy. From the funny conversations to the walks they had with Thumper who is, in John Inman’s words ” … a mix of Chihuahua, dachshund, miniature poodle, and quite possibly a three-toed sloth” and also 20 years old, this uncle/nephew bonding time felt real and loving. The love that Jason feels for Timmy grows so strong and heart deep that it becomes ours as well.

That’s the just one of the familial love elements here. Then Inman introduces us to Sam, Timmy’s uncle from his father’s side. With Sam’s appearance, a whole slew of new elements come into play. First there is the love aspect for Jason and Same, who is just as happily gay as Jason is. Their attraction is immediate but there is no instant love to be found here, thankfully. Just a naturally occurring affection that turns into something deeper as time passes and the astounding events unfold. Sam is as realistic a character as the rest of the people to be found within this story. His cautious acceptance of Jason and his pain over the mystery of his brother’s disappearance are easy to empathize with and believe in. So we have love, love, and more love. Terrific and endearing on every level. Did I mention a dog’s love for a boy too? That’s here as well.

Then Timmy starts to see a ghost and everything turns into a supernatural mystery that starts pointing towards an dark happening in the not to distant past. I loved Inman’s ghost, a supernatural entity at turns humorous and chilling. And you never know which side of the ghost will arrive at any given situation. That’s another marvelous aspect of this story too. The ghost does what all ghosts should, scare you, entertain you, and provide a certain amount of pathos one would expect from someone who…..oh never mind, Find out that one for yourself.

So yes, a mystery, a ghostly tale, a couple of love stories, both familial and romantic, Spirit is all that and more. I loved it. Did I see the ending coming? Kind of but that in no way lessened my enjoyment of this story. I don’t think it will yours either. If you are unfamiliar with John Inman, this is a wonderful place to get acquainted. Pick up Spirit and then work your way through his back list. If you are already a fan of this author, then this is another story that you are sure to love. Either way grab it up now and start reading! I consider Spirit to be one of ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords Highly Recommended Novels of 2014.

Here is an excerpt from the beginning chapter of Spirit:

I HAD toddler-proofed the house as best I could. The basement door was securely latched so the kid couldn’t tumble headfirst down the flight of stairs leading into the bowels of the house, snapping a myriad of youthful bones along the way. Electrical wires were safely coiled and taped up and tucked under furniture in case Timmy got the inexplicable urge to chew on them. Electrical outlets were covered. All breakable knick-knacks were raised out of reach and all dangerous objects securely stashed away— switchblades, rolls of barbed wire, plastic explosives, bobby pins. (Just kidding about the bobby pins. I’m not that nelly.)

✍My dog, Thumper, who was a mix of Chihuahua, dachshund, miniature poodle, and quite possibly a three-toed sloth, was no threat to Timmy at all. The poor thing was almost twenty years old and hardly had any teeth left. I hadn’t heard her bark in three years. She only moved off the sofa to eat and go potty, and once her business was done, she stood in front of the sofa looking up like the Queen Mother waiting for the carriage door to be opened until I scooped her off the floor and redeposited her among the cushions. Poor thing. (I mean me.) She lay there all day long watching TV: Channel 9, the Mexican channel. Don’t ask me why, but that was the only channel she would tolerate. Couldn’t live without it, in fact. The one benefit to this annoying habit of hers was that, while I didn’t understand my dog at all, I was pretty sure I was beginning to comprehend Spanish.

✍Timmy was at that happy stage of child rearing where he could pull down his own pants and climb onto the commode without any help from squeamish gay uncles. He had brought an entourage of toys with him that would have kept an orphanage entertained. The first thing I did after finding a trail of little black skid marks on my new oak flooring was to confiscate his tricycle, allocating the thing to outdoor use only, which Timmy accepted with stoic resignation, although I did hear him mumble something about chicken poop and peckerheads. I’m not sure if his watered-down-obscenity-strewn mumbling was related to the tricycle announcement but fear it was. While the kid might have gotten my brat gene, there was also little doubt he had inherited my sister’s sarcastic- foulmouthed-snarky gene. God help his teachers when he started school.

Cover art by Reese Dante. Love this cover. Spooky and pertinent in every way. Great job.

Buy Links: Dreamspinner Press Amazon ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 214 pages
Published March 17th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 16th 2014)
ISBN 1627986812 (ISBN13: 9781627986816)
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Rain, Rain Go Away and the Week Ahead in Reviews, Author Guest Blogs and Contests

And it rained, and rained and rained……again we got over 3 to 4 inches of rain this weekend. On top of about 5 to 6 inches a week or so ago. To say that everything around here is soggy is an understatement. I swear I can hear the concrete squish when cars roll by. There was a Canada goose standing on my roof, honking away a couple of days ago. Probably thought my house was an island in the midst of all that water. Crazy thing. Problem was that it was right! What’s next? Trout?

As I watch all the water swirl away, I kept thinking what a waste. I wish there was a logical way to capture it al and maybe ship it out to California or Texas where it is needed. Instead of a oil pipeline, perhaps a rainwater express to help alleviate some of our flooding and the drought that our new weather patterns has brought to that area. Rain barrels are great things…so are water catchments but I have standing water now in places that once was completely dry. Is water gardening in my near future? It’s looking that way….

I have a great schedule this week. S.A. McAuley is stopping by to talk about her Borders War series and the next in the series, Powerless. Katey Hawthorne is here with the next story in her Fairies series. Amelia C. Gormley is taking us into summer with her Saugatuck Summer. Plus I’ve discovered a new author for me, Leona Carver, who will be here talking about her writing and the inspiration behind No Oceans Too Deep. Another new author for me is J.K. Hogan and I Survived Seattle. There are book giveaways connected to each author guest post and book tour so don’t miss out on a day here! Oh, and a cover reveal by Amanda Young too!

I will finish the week up with John Inman’s Spirit. I just love this author’s stories and he will be here the following week with John Inman’s Writing with Humor and his growing up in a small town.

I also have two Winner Announcemenst. Winner of S.J. Frost’s Knight of Fire is Midia. Congratulations to Midia and my thanks to S.J. Frost for the guest blog and book donation and to all who stopped by and left comments. And Congratulations to MizEqualityPatricia, winner of the Kimber Vale’s contest for Double Takes. Thank you, Kimber, for the guest post and great contest!

The Week Ahead at ScatteredThoughts:

Monday, May 19: Author Spotlight with SA McAuley and Powerless (Contest)
Monday, May 19, pm: Powerless by SA McAuley
Tuesday, May 20: Author Spotlight: Katey Hawthorne on Fairies
Tuesday, May 20: I Survived Seattle by J.K. Hogan
Wed., May 21: Amelia C. Gormley’s Saugatuck Summer Book Tour/Contest
Wed., May 21 pm Cover Reveal for Amanda Young’s GWM Wanted Novel
Thursday, May 22: Author Spotlight on Leona Carver and No Oceans Too Deep (Contest)
Thursday, May 22: Quick Stop: The Surgeon’s Apprentice by Richard Longfellow (Contest)
Friday, May 23: No Oceans Too Deep by Leona Carver
Sat., May 24: Spirit by John Inman

Review: Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) by Shira Anthony

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Taren and Ian Dunaidh have landed on the mainland Ea settlement near Raice Harbor after the tumultuous events of Stealing the Wind. Taren knows he is one of the Ea but nothing else of his heritage and he is searching for answers. Vurin, leader of the mainland Ea and governor of Callaecia, the Ea village, seems to hold the clues to Taren’s past and perhaps his future. Vurin is a powerful mage and he believes it is Taren’s fate to be the wielder of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power. The stone holds great significance for Taren and his past. It is also a weapon that can keep the Ea safe. But no one really knows where it is. Only that Odhrán the pirate is rumored to possess it.

Again the Goddess has some incredible twists and turns in store for Taren. On the voyage to the island where Odhran is said to reside, Ian’s ship, the Phantom, comes under attack by an old enemy and Taren is swept overboard during battle. Taren awakes on one of the Gateway Islands unsure of how he came to be there. At his side, a young boy, Brynn, who says he can lead him to Odhrán and the mysterious stone.

Taren knows he must get that stone no matter the cost. But who is he to trust? The pirate is said to make slaves of the Ea, humans like the boy consider him an enemy, and he is separated from Ian on an unknown island, unsure of Ian’s and the Phantom’s fate. Everything looks bleak and impossible. Taren’s past is the key to his present safety and the future of the Ea. And only the Goddess knows if he will prevail in his quest for the stone and a happy future with Ian.

Shira Anthony sails back into her Mermen of Ea universe with Into the Wind, the second book in the series. The first book, Stealing the Wind, revolved around Taren’s discovery of his true nature and his meeting/new relationship with Ian Dunaidh, Captain of the Phantom and a merman himself. This story ventures further into Taren’s past and his reincarnation of the Ea priest Treande. Taren is the key and locus for the tumultuous events occurring around him. The Ea people are under attack, not just from humans but from other Ea who retreated to an island and rule by a increasingly rigid Council. Taren who only recently found out that he was an Ea as well is under assault himself. Plagued by dreams and nightmares of his previous life, hunted by a dark mage of the Ea Council, and still under a pledge of one more year’s service to the pirate Rider of the Sea Witch, nothing about Taren’s life is simple or sane. Anthony lays down more and more threads to an increasingly complex plot and the complexities here are one of the real joys of this story.

Once more Shira Anthony weaves her magic with her sensual underwater imagery and complex Ea culture and physiology. The story starts off with the Phantom engaged in battle with a mysterious ship. The Phantom is under heavy fire, and both Taren and Ian are in the midst of the battle. Cannons are fired,and masts splintered as the battle is brought home for the Phantom crew and the readers. What a great fight scene!

The aftermath of the sea battle is traumatic for all characters involved and dissolves into a mystery. Then the narrative retreats in time to two week earlier in the Ea settlement of Callaecia. And once more we have a Taran whose reality is shifting between his memories of Treande who lived there centuries ago with his mate Owyn and the present, a life where Taran is visiting this place for the first time. Each step around Callaecia is overlaid with visions from an earlier time when the place was new and the temples stood instead of ruins. This could be a tricky element to pull of but Anthony does it extremely well. What happened here? Is it just time responsible for the changes or something more? Where Taren sees ruins, his memories show him houses and temples as if they had been just recently constructed. Taran is constantly pulled between the past and the present, with nightmarish results. Even his new relationship with Ian echos with layers from the past and Treande’s love for and relationship with Owyn (who has been reincarnated in Ian). Anthony shows Taren buffeted by so many winds that at times he threatens to loose any semblance of mental and emotional balance.

Vurin, a minor character in the first novel, returns to guide Taran and show him parts of his past that still remain hidden. Old temples and the rune stone that Owyn gave his life to keep safe figures in greatly here. Ea religion and history come to the fore to play major roles in Taran’s fate when a ghostly figure/priestess reappears with portents of the future. It is here the Vurin first mentions the pirate Odhrán who might possess the stone and the Gateway Islands. Shira Anthony has a large scale plan in store for this series, obviously. And all the clues and plot threads are being laid down for the stories yet to come so there are numerous ideas and elements being juggled here, sometimes simultaneously. This makes for a wonderfully rich tapestry of storytelling magic. Into the Wind glows with a richness of detail that it can lay claim to the vitality and depth of the sea itself. And at the heart of the wealth of riches is the character of Taran.

I love the duality aspect to Taran. He is two people and we are often treated to two perspectives on any given situation, whether it is the appearances of the settlement or of his relationships with others like Vurin when he was Treande. And the memories are often awful ones, as the loss of Owyn is something Treande never recovered from. Now Taran with his new relationship to Ian, has to fight with his anxiety over loosing Ian just as Treande lost Owyn so not even his present love exists without a veneer of sadness and fatality. We are privy to both his love for Ian and his love and memories of Owyn, whose sacrifice and death haunts both the story and Taran. Again, this is where Ian suffers in comparison as a character. Owyn is the more compelling persona. Ian is just not as complex a person or we don’t get to see that aspect of his character. He is supposed to be the reincarnation of Owyn, a powerful mage. But none of that is apparent as yet, and his character suffers for that deficiency. This is my only quibble here with the story.

A new fantastic character is added to the series here with the appearance of Odhrán, the pirate of unknown origins. A person of mystery, rumors and legends swirl about the man including his possession of the stone that will save the people of Ea. But nothing is as great as the truth of Odhrán himself. With his interaction with Taran and a look into his angst filled past, Odhrán will quickly become a favorite character of this series.

The story divided towards the middle into almost two separate stories. One concerned with Taran and his search forOdhrán. The other with Ian and the crew of the Phantom. Both locations and plots are hugely effective but as our concentration and empathies are with Taran, again this section with Ian seems a little diluted in emotion and conciseness. Plus Taran has Odhrán, and he is such a charismatic character that he just outshines everyone else when he is in the scene.

I loved Odhrán and the mystery that surrounds him will likely carry into the others stories as it looks like he has a huge part to play in the events to come. Other major characters from Stealing the Wind return towards the end of Into the Wind with shocking results. And no, I didn’t see that coming either.

That ending! What a bombshell the author has in store for everyone here! I will say this only once. Do not read the ending first. You know who you are! Don’t, just let that impulse pass. The stunning ending is one that needs to be savored and that will happen only if you read everything that leads up to it. I didn’t see it coming and neither will you. And that made me want to have the next book to reach for…to see what happens next.

We won’t get that story until next year. But it will probably send you back to the beginning of this story to see if there were any indications of the revelations to come. Still that astonishing ending as well as the great new characters made this my favorite story of the series to date. I loved the plot, with all the intervening flashbacks/nightmares for Taran and juggling of almost two competing sets of characters and locations. Plus there are mermen. Sexy, smexy mermen. It just doesn’t get better than that. Or does it? Hmmmm, only the next story in the series will tell us whether it is so.

If you love the idea of mermen or love found under the sea, if you love high adventures and pirates, or even a forever love that is found once more, this is the story for you. In fact this is the series for you. It sings with all the love and emotion this author clearly has for her subject matter and the waters the swirl around them and their fates. Start your journey with Stealing the Wind and then continue the voyage here with Into the Wind. Both are highly recommended reads from ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords.

Cover art by Anne Cain. I thought that first cover was incredible (it was). But now, take a look at how this one almost glows with a luminosity and fluidity that mimics the movement of the sea. Love, love this cover. The name of the character on the cover is something that Shira Anthony kept hidden for a while. And no, it’s not Taran or Ian.

Books in the series planned to date are in the order they were written and should be read:

Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1)
Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) released May 5, 2014
Running with the Wind (Mermen of Ea #3) coming 2015

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: May 5th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published May 5th 2013)
ISBN139781627988766
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4975
seriesMermen of Ea #2

Buy links Dreamspinner Press Amazon ARe

Go Into The Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea Book Tour (2 Contests to Enter)

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Blog Tour Giveaway Info:
Contest starts 5/5 (release day) and ends at midnight on 5/31.
Prizes include the following:

Grand Prize: Handmade Merman Tail Fluke Pendant
1st Prize: Mermen of Ea Goodie Basket (includes autographed copy of “Stealing the Wind” paperback, t-shirt, and lots of other fun stuff)
2nd Prize: $10.00 Dreamspinner Press Gift Certificate
3rd Prize: Paperback copy of “Stealing the Wind” (Mermen of Ea #1) – or for non-US winners, a $10 Dreamspinner Press Gift Certificate

Here’s the Rafflecopter link

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Shira Anthony stopping by today to talk about her inspiration for the Mermen of Ea novels and latest book, Into The Wind, the 2nd story in her Merman of Ea series.

Shira Anthony has also brought a copy of the first story, Stealing the Wind, to give away to one person who leaves a comment at the end of this post. Two contests, two ways to enter! Now enjoy a look into Shira Anthony’s inspiration for this wonderful series.

The Mermen of Ea Series: Ocean Inspiration by Shira Anthony

About two years ago, I decided to write a story about pirates and sailing ships. Captor/captive, a little sexy dubious consent. Nothing too complicated. A single novel set in the age of sail. Not a single merman in sight. That single book became a story about shapeshifting mermen than spans three novels….
I’m going to backtrack a bit here and start off by saying that I’ve been a fantasy, sci fi, and sword & sorcery reader since I was old enough to read. I grew up on the original Star Trek, read every Robert Heinlein and Isaac Asimov book I could get my hands on (I lived in France for a few years, and they weren’t easy to find in English!), and fell in love with the Darkover universe created by Marion Zimmer Bradley (probably my most powerful writing influence). As an adult, I read the Harry Potter books to my kids and loved them as much as my children did.

My first gay romance was an erotic fairy tale called The Dream of a Thousand Nights. But in spite of my love of fantasy, the first novel I wrote was a contemporary: Blue Notes. And I learned with Blue Notes that what I write best is what I know. In the case of the Blue Notes Series, that’s music and musicians. Makes sense, right?

Somewhere between Blue Notes books and a few joint writing projects, the idea of a story set on the water hit me squarely between the eyes. I needed a break from angsty musicians, and I started playing around with a pirate novel. That’s how Taren Laxley was born. An indentured servant (a slave, really), Taren dreams of sailing on the ocean. It calls to him. So began my adventure of writing the Mermen of Ea Series. Only there were no mermen when I wrote the first few chapters, only pirates and sailing ships.

Then I spent a weekend sailing aboard our 36’ catamaran sail boat at the North Carolina coast and saw a pod of dolphins swimming nearby. I watched them play in the water and jump into the air. They love to chase boats, and I love to watch them. A few months later, my husband and I spent a week on the Caribbean island of Grenada getting our open water scuba certification. And as we were swimming around, heavy metal tanks on our backs, fins on our feet, and regulators in our mouths, I imagined what it would be like to swim and breathe underwater without all the gear. Suddenly, Taren wasn’t just a human boy who longed to sail the high seas—he was a merman.

When I wrote Stealing the Wind, the first book in the series, my scuba experiences were fresh in my mind. The feel of the water on my skin. The tiny popping noises of tiny shrimp in my ears. The colors of the coral reefs. The overwhelming beauty of the ocean surface. The feel of the wind on my face and the sun on my back. With each scene aboard the Sea Witch and later the Phantom, I tried to recreate those sensations. I knew what Taren longed for because I longed for it myself.

There’s nothing quite like the sensation of floating on the water. Nothing like the feeling of peaceful calm when we’re on our boat. In fact, when we bought our most recent boat, I suggested we name her the Land’s Zen, because she is just that for me—a place where I can relax and forget about the million and one things I should be doing. A place where I can just be.

Into the Wind, the second book in the Mermen of Ea Series, evokes the same deep connection to the wind and the water as the first book. In it, Taren grows by leaps and bounds, fearful of what the future may bring, but knowing that he can’t fight his destiny. Raised as a human and not knowing his true nature until he meets his soul mate, Ian, Taren sees things differently from his Ea brethren. His powerful love of the ocean drives him and will chart the course his people must follow in order for their race to survive.

I hope that when you read the Mermen of Ea books you’ll feel some of my own Zen come through. Even if you’ve never tried scuba or snorkeling, I think you can imagine what it might be like to swim through the vastness of the ocean or even live under it. The appeal of mermen for me is, at its core, the appeal of the water and the peace I find on (and in) it. I think that’s why the merfolk myths still capture our collective imagination long after the age of sail has passed and we jet around the globe in airplanes that cross the oceans in hours instead of weeks.

2 Contest Info:

Would you like to win an ebook copy of Stealing the Wind, the first book in the Mermen of Ea Series? I’m giving one away to a lucky commenter on this blog post. Melanie will choose a winner from all the comments on 5/14. To enter to win, leave a comment below and an email address where you can be reached.
I’m also running a special Into the Wind Blog Tour Giveaway with some great prizes including a gorgeous unisex pendant and a Mermen of Ea goodie basket. Here’s the link to the Rafflecopter giveaway: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/cf0ba93/ The blog tour giveaway ends on May 31st at midnight! –Shira

Follow Shira Anthony at:
Email shiraanthony@hotmail.com
Shira’s Website Shira’s Facebook
Twitter @WriterShira
Goodreads Author Page

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Follow Shira Anthony on each stop of her tour for more insight into the series and this story:
Blog Tour Participants:

5/5 Release Day – Smoocher’s Voice (Interview with Shira)
5/6 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
5/8 Mrs. Condits and Friends (Merman Sex 101)
5/9 Tali Spencer’s Brilliant Disguise (Series and Worldbuilding: Recreating the Merman Myth)
5/10 Prism Book Alliance (Character Interview with Ian Dunaidh)
5/13 Joyfully Jay (Character Interview with Taren Laxley)
5/15 Book Suburbia
5/16 Jase’s Atenaeum

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Book Buy Links:

Dreamspinner Press:
AllRomanceEbooks:
Amazon: AVAILABLE on 5/5/15=4
Barnes & Noble: NOT AVAILABLE YET

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Blurb: Since learning of his merman shifter heritage, Taren has begun building a life with Ian Dunaidh among the mainland Ea. But memories of his past life still haunt him, and as the threat of war with the hostile island merfolk looms ever closer, Taren fears he will lose Ian the same way he lost his beloved centuries before. Together they sail to the Gateway Islands in search of the fabled rune stone—a weapon of great power the Ea believe will protect them—and Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess it.  After humans attack the Phantom, Taren finds himself washed up on an island, faced with a mysterious boy named Brynn who promises to lead him to Odhrán. But Taren isn’t sure if he can trust Brynn, and Odhrán is rumored to enslave Ea to protect his stronghold. Taren will have to put his life on the line to find his way back to Ian and attempt to recover the stone. Even if he does find it, his troubles are far from over: he and Ian are being stalked by an enemy who wants them dead at all costs.

There are 3 wonderful excerpts that follow, all are SFW:
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Short Slightly Sexy Excerpt:

They swam out from land as they held each other, tails beating the water in tandem as they spiraled in a dizzying dance. More than anything, Taren found the Ea mating ritual a beautiful thing. Ian’s Ea body was also beautiful. In this form, Ian’s chest was broad and the muscles of his belly and arms more powerful. As a human, Ian was strong. As an Ea, he possessed strength and surprising grace few others did. Taren loved to watch Ian swim, watch the sinews of his body ripple as he moved his tail, watch his hair twist in the current. More thrilling, perhaps, was the knowledge that Ian was his, that Ian desired him above all others, that Taren held Ian’s heart.

Ian released Taren as they glided over the sand at the bottom. Large schools of silver fish followed the contours of their bodies, calling to mind the shimmer of moon across the waves. Here, many feet below the surface, the pressure of the water created a warm cocoon around Taren and drove the warmth in his chest to his extremities, making his fingers more sensitive.

Taren flicked his tail to propel him around so that he and Ian swam toward each other, arms extended, then moved upward as they laced their fingers together and floated perpendicular to the sea floor. They kissed and their tongues entwined. Ian tasted of the ocean and of the promise of Taren’s new life. Their former incarnations, Treande and Owyn, had been equals in everything. Partners, friends, lovers. Taren both relished and feared the power of his connection to Ian and the unexpected turn of fate that had brought them together, as well as the revelations of their past.

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Medium Length Slightly Sexy Excerpt: Continue reading “Go Into The Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea Book Tour (2 Contests to Enter)” →

April 2014 Summary of Reviews and Best Covers

ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords April 2014 Reviews

Review Key *Key:
S series
C contemporary
F-fantasy
SF-science fiction
PN-paranormal
SN-supernatural
H-historical
HR-horror
N-Nonfiction
YA-young adult
Rating Scale: 1 to 5, 5 stars is outstanding

* 5 Star Rating:
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows (PF2014) C
Every Time I Think Of You by Jim Provenzano C,
Message of Love by Jim Provenzano C, sequel
Queens of the Apocalypse by Rob Rosen, SN
When All The World Sleeps by Lisa Henry and JA Rock C
With Pride by Megan Derr F, S

4 to 4.75 Star Rating:
A Reason To Stay by RJ Scott (4.5) C, S
Bound To Be A Groom by Megan Mulry (4), H,
Cold Comfort by Lee Brazil (4.75) (PF2014) C, S
In Distress by Katey Hawthorne (4.25) SN, S
It’s Complicated by L.A. Witt (4), C, S
Poster Boy by Anne Tenino (4.5) C, S
The Calm Before by Neena Jaydon (4.5) F
The Forester II: Lost and Found by Blaine D. Arden (4) F, S
To The Other Side by S.J. Frost (4.5) F, S
Vampire Prince by S.J. Frost (4.5) SN

3 to 3.75 Star Rating:
Angel’s Truth (Angel #2) by Liz Borino (3) C, S
Floodgates by Mary Calmes (3) C
Haunted Halls by M Raiya (3.5) SN

2 to 2.75 Star Rating: None

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Best Covers of April 2014

Floodgates, cover art by Reese Dante
Haunted Halls, cover art by Aisha Akeju
In Distress, cover art by PL Nunn
Pulp Friction 2014 covers by Laura Harner
Queens of the Apocalypse, cover art by Wilde City Press
The Forester I and
The Forester II: Lost and Found covers by Nathie Block
When All the World Sleeps, cover art LC Chase

Your Best Books That Most Readers Never Read and the Week Ahead in Reviews

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ScatteredThoughts Call For Favorite Books Most Have Never Read!

Have you ever finished a book, loved it, and then wondered why you have never heard of it before? Or see a book released to kudos only to vanish shortly after? I have seen both happen and I bet you have too. Or perhaps it’s a book you love but somehow it never found a larger audience and you can’t figure out why? Maybe it’s the title that throws people off or even a blurb that doesn’t reflect the story within. What ever the reason…these stories never really found an audience that you hoped they would find or think they deserved. And you wish you could change that.

So I was thinking, why not add a page to the website of books you love but no one has really heard of. Give these great stories and their authors another chance with readers who might have passed them by. I have been making a short list but I know you have books to add.

So look through your libraries and books you want to rec, check them twice for stories and authors that you think others may not have heard of. And then pass them on to me. Let’s compile a list together, all genres, for others to explore and discover whether they can new stories, old stories, no matter. And perhaps include a comment or two about what makes them so special. And we will keep adding to it. So spread the word. We need those recs of little known or barely known books and authors and why you love them so. I can’t wait to see what you all send me.

Now here is the week ahead. I have two author book tours, both with sequels to their new series. S.J. Frost is here on Monday talking about Knight of Fire, her sequel to To the Other Side, her Terra series. And Shira Anthony is here on Tuesday talking about her inspiration for her Mermen of Ea series and the release of Into The Wind, sequel to Stealing the Wind. Both have brought books to giveaway and Shira Anthony has an over the top book tour mega contest as well to offer. I will be reviewing those stories as well as books by David Pratt and Kimber Vale.

It’s going to be a outstanding week in books so don’t miss a day of it. It’s the first week of May, let’s hope it’s a merry one! Have a great week and happy rreading.

Sunday, May 4: April 2014 Review Summary/Best Covers of April
Monday, May 5: Spotlight on S.J. Frost and her Knight of Fire release (contest)
Tuesday, May 6: Go Into the Wind with Shira Anthony and her Mermen of Ea’s lastest story and 2 contests to enter
Wed., May 7: Into the Wind by Shira Anthony
Thursday, May 8: Knight of Fire by SJ Frost
Friday, May 9: SE Jakes Daylight Again Book Tour
Sat., May 10: Forever Is Now by Kimber Vale
Looking After Joey by David Pratt

Review: Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #1) by Shira Anthony

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Taren Laxley’s life as a slave changed for the better when a handsome pirate, Captain Rider, abducted him from the inn where he worked and took him out to sea. Life abroad the Sea Witch was incredible. Taren had been chosen to become a third in an established loving relationship between the Captain and his lover, Bastien, and soon was happily climbing the masts as a rigger as an accepted shipmate and accepted between the sheets as their lover. But fate had more in store for Taren than he could have ever imagined.

An accident at sea sent Taren into the depths of the ocean and into a new life once more. Taren was rescued by Ian Dunaidh, the enigmatic enemy Captain of the Phantom, a rival ship to the Sea Witch. Immediately, Taren feels drawn to Ian, pulled by emotions he cannot fathom. Once again the fates intervene, shifting Taren’s path forever. Shortly after his rescue the truth comes out that Captain Ian Dunaidh and his crewmen are mermen, a race called Ea, and in a truly stunning disclosure, Taren finds out he is one as well.

Taren and Ian each feel a tie to each other than neither can explain but the storm clouds of war are gathering that will impact them all. Old hatreds and suspicions, old and new alliances, between Ea and Ea, and Ea and Humans, will explode with devastating results. And Taren and Ian will be caught in the middle. Taren is going to have to learn quickly who he is and how to steal the wind if all are to survive.

I have to admit it, Shira Anthony had me at the word “merman”. With thoughts gone wild I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this story and throw myself into the characters and mermen universe that Shira Anthony had created. And it was even better than I had imagined. We first meet up with poor Taren as his world is collapsing around him. The only “family” he has ever known, a Master Rigger, is selling Taren to pay his gambling debts. This scene is almost excruciating as Taren gets ripped away from Borstan Laxley and the only home he can remember. His new destination? A inn where pirates and their crew are known to favor. Again, Taren’s fate is sealed as a certain Captain Rider makes advances that confuse Taren as much as they turn him on.

Quickly, Anthony swirls Taren off on another fated path when Rider abducts Taren and takes him out to sea. It is here that the story comes fully alive with every twist and swoop of the Sea Witch over the water. Clearly, Shira Anthony loves and is familiar with the sea and life aboard a vessel, size not withstanding. Through her almost visceral descriptions of the movements of the ship and the feeling of the waves and wind when Taren and the Sea Witch are sailing, the reader feels as though they are a part of the crews and ships found inside this story. Being near or on the ocean brings out so many deep seated emotional responses in people and those are apparent in the thoughts and feelings of Taren as he climbs the masts or looks out over the seas they are sailing through. Taren’s “gut deep” involvement with the water is both physical and emotional. He is drawn to it and it brings him peace. His stunning realization that he is a merman, an Ea, then brings a resultant joy and self knowledge that feels as natural as the next wave.

The world building here is impressive. Anthony constructs not only several cultures of Ea but histories as well, when a racial separation happened with some Ea retreating to an island nation with a resultant rise of an oppressive government and others staying on the mainland . There is the Ea Goddess based religion and Ea mages to go along with ancient temples and hidden cities. But it is with the Ea or merman form and physicality of that shape that is so enchanting and sensual that it will ignite your imaginations and passions for this race and these wonderful characters. The detailed descriptions of the glowing colors and fluid movements of their merman body is almost mesmerizing. Anthony’s underwater scenes feels so alive that one might feel as though they have their face pressed against the glass in some large city aquarium. It’s voluptuous and seductive as the sea the Ea are made to live in.

There is a duality of character here in both Taren and Ian. Both of them have memories of an intertwined past, one that is slowly revealing itself through this story and the next. But of the two of them, only Taren brings that other aspect truly alive. With Ian, it’s a little more blunt and one dimensional. We see little of the other character in him, unlike Taren whose duality is impressive as both characters have the same force of being and vitality. I am not sure if that is part of the author’s overall plan for this couple but it just seems that Taren has more depth and more secrets to him than Ian does. For me that is the only small hitch to this otherwise marvelous story. It could be that Ian is just coming into the role he will play in the rest of the series. Either way I can’t wait to go forward with this characters and the course that Fate (and a certain author) has charted for them.

Put this amazing story on your list to read and that glorious art work on your list of covers to drool over. Both are highly recommended!

Cover art by Anne Cain is just glorious. That merman and those colors are scrumptious and perfect for this story.

Books in the series planned to date are:

Stealing the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2)
Into the Wind (Mermen of Ea #2) released May 5, 2014
Running with the Wind (Mermen of Ea #3) coming 2015

Book Details:

ebook, 1st Edition, 220 pages
Published August 12th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published August 11th 2013)
original titleStealing the Wind
ISBN 1627980547 (ISBN13: 9781627980548)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4101
seriesMermen of Ea #1
charactersBastian, Taren Laxley, Ian Dunaidh, Jonat Rider
literary awardsRainbow Award Honorable Menti

Review: Floodgates by Mary Calmes

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

All Tracy Brandt ever wanted was a happy life. Instead what Tracy had was a complicated one. Business partners with a man many consider to be a Russian thug, Tracy knows better, even when their offices are bombed and he barely escapes with his life. Then there is Tracy’s love life. He thought he and his lover were happy and committed, then Tracy found his lover in bed with another man and the relationship was shattered. Or so Tracy thought.

But lately his ex,Breckin Alcott, has been trying to renew their relationship, something Tracy is sure he doesn’t want or does he? Then in the aftermath of the bombing, Tracy’s overprotective brother, DEA Agent Alexander Brandt, and his infuriating ex partner Cordell Nolan or Cord for short, show up at the hospital and things go from bad to worse.

For five years, Trace and Cord have been fighting the attraction between them. For Cord, it never worked because Trace wanted a commitment, something Cord was unwilling or unable to give at the time. For Trace, Cord was a player, a new man every night and that was something Trace would never be, just a one night stand. So for five years its been an impasse. Then Trace’s office gets bombed and Cord returns to help investigate and protect Tracy, a man Cord now wants to commit to for a future together.

When it appears that Trace is the target of an unknown assailant, not just the bombing, then Cord is determined to protect Trace at all costs. And if it means that they can finally break through the barriers that have been separating them, then nothing will stop Cord from finding who is behind the attacks on Trace so they can finally get their HEA.

I have loved Mary Calmes’ stories from the moment I read about Jory and Sam in A Matter of Time (both editions). For myself, Calmes is a comfort read. You know what to expect with her characters and dialog and you know how it will all end. The pleasure is in getting to that expected denouement and whatever couples involved HEAs. It is the comfort of the known, like the pleasure you have in a visit from an old friend. Perfect stories for that old armchair and evening in the jammies and bunny slippers.

But sometimes even that is not enough when other parts of the story let you down and familiar characters fall flat instead of fizz with effervescence. And that unfortunately is how Floodgates felt to me.

In Floodgates, Tracy is the Jory character and Sam is represented by Cord. Not a problem at face value as we have seen this in her contemporary fiction before. However, Tracy is that uber perfect character who never admits how hurt he is (physically or emotionally). Trace trusts everyone, including those people that clearly have the letter V on their foreheads for villain. He teases his ex who cheated on him and wonders why the man doesn’t think they are over. The ex, Breckin, is such an unsavory cad that you want to dust him for stds just seeing a mention of him on the page. But Trace is warm and welcoming each time they talk or meet or what have you. Really, after pages of this, you wonder why anyone would find Tracy realistic in any way because he never comes across as a viable human being.

Cord doesn’t suffer from the same characterization flaws that Trace does except that as an experienced detective, the mistakes made in the investigation and the “smack hand to the forehead” lack of any authentic police work, makes Cord as superficial a character as any of the others found here. And again there are an untold number of superficial characters to be found here. Normally that is not a problem because the reader is so involved in the main characters journey to love and a relationship. But when that founders, so does everything else like a domino chain effect.

And then there is Tracy’s business partner, Dimah Masir, a Russian who may or may not be a Russian mobster (first red herring alert). Dimah also may or may not have a mobster brother (second red herring alert). Tracy says he’s not but Dimah sure has plenty of henchmen running around and law enforcement officers who believe he’s a thug. No matter. After much is made of this connection, Dimah disappears entirely only to make an astonishingly unbelievable appearance almost at the end of the story. The only reason for Dimah to be in this story is to either be served up as a rather inedible red herring or Calmes intends to bring him back for his own story. Either way I did find him the most interesting element here so I was sorry to see him vanish.

And that brings me to the plot. It just didn’t work. At the beginning it appears that the bombing is connected to Dimah and his shady connections. But when Calmes discards that element, then the detours and misdirections that follow make no sense whatsoever. But perhaps the worst element is a villain that pops up out of nowhere, with little foundation laid for his role, and an arrow over his head that clearly marks him as the nut job to watch out for. Which of course, no one does, including the DEA agent and an seasoned detective. A 5 year old could figure out this character’s role in the plot. Unfortunately almost everything about Floodgates is a jumbled mess, lacking complexity or coherency.

And that includes nitpicky little details like a Vermont shack used to “store syrup from the maple trees”. Uh no. In Vermont as in other maple syrup producing states, a sugar shack is where the maple sap is boiled down into syrup, a labor intensive process that happens only in the spring when the sap is rising. And that process? Makes it much more expensive than $6/bottle for high grade maple syrup. A small mistake, true, but when the story is falling flat, it’s the small errors like this one that become highlighted in the narrative because your attention is everywhere but where it should be, which is on the plot.

For me, Floodgates is that Mary Calmes story that will never be reread or remembered. For some, the issues listed above will not matter. For them, its enough that it is a Mary Calmes romance. Its predictability, characters, sweetness, and HEA is all they need to recommend it. And that’s perfectly fine. But for others, this may not be the romance for you. There are other Mary Calmes stories I would recommend, including her wonderful supernatural series or other contemporary stories like Frog. If you are new to this author, I would start there. For everyone else, I will let you make up your own mind.

Cover art by Reese Dante. What a spectacular cover, evocative and one of the best of the year.

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Published March 3rd 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 2nd 2014)
ISBN 162798738X (ISBN13: 9781627987387)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

ScatteredThoughts Week Ahead in Reviews, Author Guest Posts and Contests

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It’s already midApril and I have just realized that I missed posting my March 2014 Review Summary and Best Covers. Sigh. Sometimes things just get away from you and this certainly did last month. So I am posting the review to run later today. There are so many wonderful authors and books represented that you are sure to find several to add to your TBR or Must Read stack of stories. Included in the reviews are the penultimate story of the Cut & Run series from Abigail Roux and the first 2 stories in the second group of Pulp Friction 2014 series.

Spring has finally come to Maryland (although it may only be here a week). My cherry blossoms are blooming as are those around the tidal basin. So I am off to grab some weeds and bird watch in the sun.

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Here is the week ahead in reviews, author guest blogs and contests:

Monday, April 14: Author Spotlight: Jim Provenzano and Book Giveaway
Tuesday, April 15: Memories of Love by Jim Provenzano
Wed., April 16: With Pride by Megan Derr
Thursday, April 17: Megan Mulry :Author Guest Blog and Book Tour (Contest)
Friday, April 18: Bound to be a Groom by Megan Mulry
Saturday, April 19: Floodgates by Mary Calmes

A Very Special Book and the Week Ahead in Reviews, Author Spotlights and Contests

Grand Adventures Anthology

On Monday, March 31st, Dreamspinner Press is releasing a very special anthology titled Grand Adventures. All proceeds from the sale of Grand Adventures will go to TJ Klune and Eric Arden, who are starting off on another stage in their adventure together. Eric is being released from the hospital and both men will move into their new house, although under circumstances neither one would have ever imagined. These men are my heroes. Their bravery and courage is amazing as is their love for each other.

So many great authors have lent their talents and stories to this anthology. In addition, the cover by Paul Richmond, which is beyond amazing,( that’s Eric and TJ in the rearview mirror) is being offered up in two sizes of prints for a limited time. I have included the link to that information as well.

Whether you know TJ and Eric personally, or from their hilarious vids, or their books, so many people have been touched by their talent, their outsized warm personalities and their amazing love story. And they need our help. Donations are still being taken at the Eric Arvin support fund linked on this website but here is another great way to contribute and you get wonderful stories to boot!

DSP Grand Adventures Description:

On September 1, 2011, TJ Klune wrote, “…it’s not about the ending, it’s about the journey…” in a review of Eric Arvin’s Woke Up in a Strange Place. With those words, two men began a journey of love and invited us to ride along. TJ and Eric have shared so much with us: their wonderful books, their smiles, their humor, their lives, and their inspiring devotion to each other. In December of 2013, their journey took a detour when Eric was taken to the emergency room. He survived the surgery to remove a cavernous hemangioma from his brain stem, but the challenges TJ and Eric face are far from over.

The authors in this anthology donated their talent as a way to support Eric’s continued recovery, to help bring strength to TJ, and to show both of them just how much love surrounds them. Grand Adventures is a diverse range of stories about the journey of love. We’re going on some grand adventures for a great cause. Thank you for joining us.

One hundred percent of the income from this volume goes directly to TJ and Eric Buy it here at Dreamspinner Press.

Prints of the cover are available until April 30th in 2 sizes, buy linkhere

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Now for this week’s schedule of reviews, author guest blogs and contests:

Monday, March 24: Angel’s Hero by Liz Boreno
Tuesday, March 25: Author Spotlight and Contest with Katey Hawthorne
Wed., March 26: When All the World Sleeps Book Tour and Contest
with Lisa Henry and JA Rock
Thursday, March 27: Artist’s Touch (Guild #1) by Kerry Adrienne
Friday, March 28: Cut & Run with Abigail Roux on the Ball & Chain Book Tour
and Contest (Ty and Zane are back!)
Saturday, March 29: Ball & Chain by Abigail Roux

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