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Weekend Report Will Appear Sunday
Jusr a reminder that the Urban Fantasy Weekend Report will be posted on Sunday this week as Saturday will be The DARKLY LUMINOUS Haunted London Blog Tour!
Posted by SciFiGuy at 11:26 PM 2 comments
Labels: Announcements, Blog Tours
Canadian Giveaway - "Lover Mine" by J.R. Ward
OK listen up my fellow Canadians. I have FIVE copies of a very hot item for giveaway that many of you have been eagerly anticipating - Lover Mine by J.R. Ward. As always, many thanks to the fabulous folks at Penguin Canada for the promotion. I read Lover Mine a week or so ago and it was one of the best of the series to date. John Matthew and Xhex. Rowr.
To enter just tell me who your favourite Brother and/or couple are. Remember you must have a Canadian address to send to. Leave a way to contact you and do the usual blogging thing for an extra entry. Giveaway closes May 10 at Midnight EDT. Here's some extra details about the book, but I am guessing you know this stuff already.
The latest in the #1 New York Times-bestselling series…
Lover MINE
A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood
"…the fast pace and cliffhanger ending will have fans wishing they could start the next book right away."—Publishers Weekly on Lover Avenged
J.R. Ward has skyrocketed to the top of the paranormal romance genre with her smart and wickedly sexy twist on vampire fiction, her novels of The Black Dagger Brotherhood. Indeed, her gritty tales of a modern-day war between vampires and their hunters, told through the eyes of the battle-hardened, super-human, vampire warriors of the Brotherhood, have not only gained Ward a dedicated legion of fans, but have propelled her to the top of The New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists.
Last year J.R. Ward made her hardcover debut with Lover Avenged, which landed at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list. Now she continues the series with LOVER MINE (New American Library; May 1, 2010; $32.50).
LOVER MINE is the book that Ward's readers have been waiting for! The story centers on John Matthew, once a scrawny teenager living on his own and just trying to survive, his true vampire nature has since been revealed and he's grown into a powerful warrior—a member of The Brotherhood. Now John Matthew and the rest of the Brothers will learn even more about his true history and identity. At the same time, Xhex, the tough-as-nails head of security at the Sub Zero nightclub is discovering some things about herself too. She's had an attraction to John Matthew since she spotted him drinking with friends at the club a while back—an attraction that she's gone to great lengths to ignore. But fate has other plans for Xhex and the time has come for her to find love.
LOVER MINE is the eighth installment in a series that Publishers Weekly calls "frighteningly addictive" and Booklist called "raw, gritty…genre-bending." Fans of paranormal romance as well as anyone who enjoys a good story with a supernatural twist will not want to miss out on the latest from J.R. Ward!
"…these erotic paranormals are well worth it, and frighteningly addictive…The book is fully committed to its urban sensibility, the vampires' rarified language (a glossary is provided) and their revved-up sex drives, and it all works to great, page-turning effect …In just two years, the first three books in the series have earned Ward an Anne Rice-style following, deservedly so; this entry should prove no less popular." —Publishers Weekly on Lover Revealed
"Ward wields a commanding voice perfect for the genre, and readers new to the world of the Black Dagger Brotherhood should hold on tight for an intriguing, adrenaline-pumping ride featuring a race of warrior vampires who fill enemies with terror and women with desire. Like any good thrill ride, the pace changes with a tender story of survival and hope and leaves readers begging for more." —Booklist on Lover Eternal
"Not for the faint of heart…this genre-bending third novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, following Lover Eternal (2006), is a perfect fit for those who like fast-paced urban fantasy rich in both fury and poignancy." —Booklist « starred review on Lover Awakened
J.R. Ward is a graduate of Smith College who currently lives in Kentucky. Before turning to writing full time, she worked as a lawyer in Boston and also spent many years working as Chief of Staff of one of the premier academic medical centers in the nation. In addition to the Black Dagger Brotherhood series she launched another series, The Fallen Angels with Covet in October 2009. Visit her popular website and fan community at www.jrward.com.
J.R. Ward talks about Lover Mine.
LOVER MINE by J.R. Ward
New American Library Hardcover
544 pages / $32.50
Pub Date: May 1, 2010
Posted by SciFiGuy at 10:44 PM 36 comments
Labels: Canada, Contests, giveaways, J.R. Ward, Urban fantasy
Promo - Burned by P.C. and Kristin Cast
Burned is the seventh book in the House of Night series by P.C. and Kristin Cast.... and it officially hit stores today. Watch the new book trailer and download the books theme song!
"Things have turned black at the House of Night. Zoey Redbird's soul has shattered. With everything she's ever stood for falling apart, and a broken heart making her want to stay in the Otherworld forever, Zoey's fading fast. It's seeming more and more doubtful that she will be able pull herself back together in time to rejoin her friends and set the world to rights. As the only living person who can reach her, Stark must find a way to get to her. But how? He will have to die to do so, the Vampire High Council stipulates. And then Zoey will give up for sure. There are only 7 days left… "
The New York Times-bestselling mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristin Cast again prove why they have become a major force in teen fiction. With over 3 million copies of their books in print, a well-publicized film option, an updated interactive website, daily-growing fan base, the Cast duo will command your attention with every page turn.
Download the Burned theme song - Torn in Two by After the Fall
Read Chapter 1 of Burned.
HOUSE OF NIGHT WEBSITE
Labels: Kristen Cast, P.C. Cast, Promos, Urban fantasy, YA
Canadian Contest (Week 3) - "White Cat" by Holly Black
For more information about The White Cat and The Curse Workers series, go to www.thecurseworkers.ca
Enter to win a signed pair of special edition sneakers and a signed copy of The White Cat. Canadian addresses only please.
Coming May 4, 2010
Cassel comes from a family of curse workers -- people who have the power to change your emotions, your memories, your luck, by the slightest touch of their hands. And since curse work is illegal, they're all mobsters, or con artists. Except for Cassel. He hasn't got the magic touch, so he's an outsider, the straight kid in a crooked family. You just have to ignore one small detail -- he killed his best friend, Lila, three years ago.
Ever since, Cassel has carefully built up a façade of normalcy, blending into the crowd. But his façade starts crumbling when he starts sleepwalking, propelled into the night by terrifying dreams about a white cat that wants to tell him something. He's noticing other disturbing things, too, including the strange behavior of his two brothers. They are keeping secrets from him, caught up in a mysterious plot. As Cassel begins to suspect he's part of a huge con game, he also wonders what really happened to Lila. Could she still be alive? To find that out, Cassel will have to out-con the con-men.
Holly Black has created a gripping tale of mobsters and dark magic where a single touch can bring love -- or death -- and your dreams might be more real than your memories.
Posted by SciFiGuy at 9:35 PM 3 comments
Labels: Contests, giveaways, Holly Black
Guest Author - Michael J. Sullivan (Interview & Giveaway)
Lisa Hurley our fabulous roving SFF reviewer recently completed a series of reviews here at SciFiGuy.ca of the first four books in the Riyria Revvelations fantasy series by Michael J. Sullivan, including the most recent, The Emerald Storm, which was released on April 8. Of the newest book Lisa said, "For fans or for newcomers to the Riyria Revelations, The Emerald Storm is a breathtaking read that manages to invoke the spirit of classic literature - from the Odyssey type journey of the Storm's crew, to the foreign jungles and violent trek that invoke images of Heart of Darkness."
Lisa recently conducted an in-depth review with Michael about the birth of the series and it's climb to success and popularity. Michael has generously offered a copy of a book from the series to a commenter, so check the Giveaway Guidelines at the end of the post for details. Michael will be dropping by to chat, so please take a moment to say hello and leave a comment or question.
Lisa Reviews: The Crown Conspiracy | Avempartha | Nyphron Rising | The Emerald Storm
Thank you Lisa and Michael for being here today!
Lisa:. So, Michael, where did the inspiration for the Riyria Revelations come from? Did Royce and Hadrian appear in a dream, threaten your life, and demand that you write down their story?
Back in the winter of 1989/90, my wife and I were living in a tiny place called Troy, Vermont, a small village near the Canadian border. We had only just moved there and this was our first full winter. Any winter in Vermont is challenging but we were also going through some tough times. We were living in a mobile home that cost less than our car. We still had our house in Michigan that wasn't selling and that was going to prevent us from building our house in Vermont in the spring. Add to that the fact that the water pipes froze like clockwork each week, we were living on spaghetti and peanut butter and jelly, and the kerosene heater kept running out of fuel in the middle of the night and you can guess it wasn't the best of times. Coydogs (wild packs of coyotes/dogs) swarmed the trailer at night, prompting me to get a rifle. And my wife had just given birth to our second daughter, so neither of us got much sleep.
I wrote of my growing depression to a friend back home in Michigan, Peter DeBrule (who incidentally the Emerald Storm is partially dedicated to) who in an effort to try and lift my spirits and distract my attention, wrote back with an idea for a "chain story." He wasn't a writer, but he knew I was trying to be one so he wrote a couple of paragraphs in which two unidentified men enter a medieval tavern. One was big, the other little, they were expecting friends and they took a table after persuading a surly local to move by buying him a pitcher of beer. That was pretty much it—only a couple paragraphs amounting to half a page of typing.
So then, I took up the story. I wrote maybe ten or twenty pages in which I made the big one a sword fighter and the other a thief and named them Hadrian Blackwater and Royce Melborn patterning them after the heroes from my first two books that I created more than a decade earlier when I was in high school.
With a third friend, Steve Gillick, who at that time was going to college in New Orleans, we collectively wrote, by way of snail-mail, perhaps fifty pages of a little story we entitled "Blades." Pete and Steve, lost interest and the story was forgotten with only a third of it done, but I always liked Royce and Hadrian and that was the birth of the two characters, although they were not Riyria yet. That wouldn't happen until nearly ten years later.
Lisa: What was the story Blades about?
Writing ad hoc as we did it was more like doing a literary version of improv. It was difficult to move the story in any consistent direction when the other two contributors were taking it other places and there was a week to a month delay as we waited for the mail. So it meandered a lot, but generally it was about Royce and Hadrian who were the leaders of a rag-tag band of adventurers forever struggling to explore and pillage the depths of a buried city called Kolmar, but always narrowly escaping with their lives. Blades was their last attempt to gather together their old team and go in again.
Lisa: Did any other characters get their start in Blades?
Actually, yes. Esrahaddon, who was Royce and Hadrian's arch-nemesis was in Blades, only he was a decidedly more evil character. Arcadius was in it too, who was part of their team. There was even a Modina, only she was a countess and the wife of the Earl of Chadwick, and nothing like the Modina of the series. When I was trying to come up with a name for the empress I remembered her and it felt perfect. There were several characters that never made it to Riyria—at least not in total. One character named Berenger, was a favorite of my friend Steve's so I deliberately left him out not wanting to step on his creation.
Lisa: What about the other characters? Was there a problem with you using them?
I had no problem using the rest of the cast as I invented and named them all—even Berenger, but Steve really built that character and made it his own. (He also built Wyatt and Elden, and did a great job with them too, but he made them too much a copy of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men, so in Riyria I took them a different way.) I had a habit of writing a lot more than the others and even going back and re-writing their segments to "fix" them. I remember that this irritated Pete, understandably so, and likely contributed to the death of the story. It was quickly becoming no longer a chain story with three contributors but instead, my story.
Lisa: So how did Blades become the Riyria Revelations?
Well, like I said, it was forgotten. The letters stopped coming so it just died, which is ironic as it was just about the time we all obtained the ability to email. For the next couple of years or so, they would talk about resurrecting the story, but it never happened, and I truly liked Royce and Hadrian. I knew these two guys, which was part of the problem with Blades. I hated it when Pete or Steve would make them do or say something I knew they wouldn't. They were always in the back of my head and I wondered how, if I were to really sit down and rewrite the series, how would I do it. This is something I would think about while doing dishes or walking the dog. And I envisioned this scene where the two are climbing a tower of a castle to steal something only to discover too late it was a setup. I just thought that would make a great beginning to a story, but I was never going to write it, because I had given up writing.
I had spent ten years writing thirteen novels of nearly every genre. I studied the classics, the Pulitzer Prize winners, and the blockbuster novels. I sent out submissions daily to agents and publishers and after a decade had nothing to show for it but a wall plastered with rejections. Steve had graduated with his doctorate and had become a professor. Pete had moved on to a job at General Motors. All of my friends had careers, and I was like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin that was never coming. So when we left Vermont, I quit writing and looked for work as a commercial artist.
I was successful. In two years, I opened my own advertising agency. In three more, I had offices taking up a quarter of the eighth floor of a glass tower office building and clients like AT&T. I was so busy I never thought of writing. I didn't even read. Then my daughter, who was at that time about thirteen, was having trouble in school with reading. She didn't like it. In seeking a way to interest her in reading, I bought this book called Harry Potter, and being bored one day I picked it up. It was fun and reminded me of when I was thirteen and discovered Tolkien. It reminded me that reading books could be a blast, and that got me thinking about writing again.
At that same time, I was watching this show called Babylon 5, a sci-fi television series in which the creator, J. Michael Straczynski, created the show's five-year story arc before the pilot aired. This allowed him to do fantastic things with the series. As a viewer I could look for clues and try and figure out where the story would go knowing it was indeed going somewhere fulfilling. I thought this was great. I thought this was the future of television. Then reality tv arrived and I stopped watching television altogether. Still I wondered, if I were a producer what would I do for a tv series? There were (are) tons of police/legal shows, medical shows, and sitcoms. What I rarely saw was westerns and period shows. Westerns had their heyday, but a good medieval fantasy had never been successfully realized. Usually they are silly attempts at comedy, or overly dramatic — amounting to the same thing. So I envisioned a medieval fantasy television series setup in the multi-layered plot that J. Michael Straczynski used, with episode plots, season plots and the long series plot. A story that was serious, but with some humor to make it believable. I decided I would use Royce and Hadrian as the stars and begin it with that scene of them climbing the tower. Of course, I wasn't a television producer… too bad I thought.
Then it hit me. I could do the same… with books. I began thinking seriously about Royce and Hadrian. And that's how the Riyria Revelations was born. Probably a longer answer than you wanted.
Lisa: Do Royce and/or Hadrian draw any parallels to people in your life, or perhaps yourself?
In order to make characters feel real, I draw on experience, so yes, Royce and Hadrian are both part of me—the glass half-full and the glass half-empty sides. There is a part of me that is chivalrous to a fault, and the other side that is practical to the point of cynicism. My wife insists that while she sees both in me, the dominate side is Royce. I am only five foot eight and have been slender and agile all my life so I think that also adds to it.
Lisa: The Riyria Revelations is a medieval fantasy. Is this the type of genre you yourself like to read? What is your favorite genre?
The first book I ever enjoyed reading was The Hobbit, and my all-time favorite novels have all been fantasy, but I outgrew the fantasy genre by the time I hit twenty. Of course, there is the problem of language here. What does the term "fantasy" mean in regards to literature? Technically, any book of fiction is a fantasy—as it is a made-up story. When I hit twenty, I started reading Stephen King. This is technically still fantasy, but I never thought of it that way. I also never considered him a horror writer, as strange as that may be because I read The Stand first which I don't put in that classification. In fact, all the stories by him that I loved, I would never classify as horror. I then went on to Frank Herbert's Dune, and Asimov's Foundation. I also enjoyed Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged and Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath—interesting pairing, eh? The fact is, I have spent most of my adult life reading as a means of educating myself rather than for enjoyment, so I never hit on a favorite genre. It wasn't until I read Rowling's great series that I remember how much fun it could be. Nowadays, I am playing catch-up trying to read the works of other fantasy writers just so I don't sound stupid when people ask me about my own genre.
Lisa: As one reads these books, we become drawn more and more to Royce and Hadrian, even though they're not traditional "good guys". Why do you think that is?
The short answer is: I planned it that way.
Royce and Hadrian are good guys, they just aren't prince charmings. When I conceived the series I wanted to avoid the common pitfall of the stereotype fantasy story. You know what I mean: young boy destined for greatness, prophesied to defeat an evil but he has to go on a quest to find the one weapon to do it. There is always an ultimate evil for no other reason than because the author says so. And the good guys are saints. I didn't want that. I also didn't want to go the other way with the gritty anti-hero. I like books where I like the main characters. I won't read books where I don't. And I like the "bad guys" to be believable, not just "evil."
So Royce and Hadrian are, at least on the surface, normal guys. They don't have superpowers, they make mistakes and they have both led hard lives, but they don't moan about it. That might be the thing right there. When you come to understand what these two have lived through, what awful lives they have led, you sympathize and like them all the more because they don't complain, and still manage to have a sense of humor. That's the kind of person people like—at least that's the kind I do.
Lisa: Your writing is very polished. Did you have any formal training in creative writing? What advice do you have to up and coming writers in the fantasy /sci-fi genres?
Thanks for that. Not everyone is so kind in their assessment of my skills. No, I have no training at all. I've never had a class, and I've never read a book on writing. I never even did very well in English in school. When I graduated high school, I wanted to do two things, write books, or paint the cover art for books. I went to art school until my scholarship ran out, because I knew I could never be a writer. I was horrible at spelling and grammar. And no that's not what editors are for. They help—oh yes they help—but you still have to know how to write a sentence.
Everything I know about writing is self-taught. It came from reading books I would never normally read, and studying them to see how the author did things. Then I wrote, and I wrote. I wrote whole novels start to finish, and edited them. I wrote one a year for more than a decade. I wrote in almost every genre and in totally different styles mimicking other writers. (Incidentally, this is the same way I taught myself to paint.) I'm not saying this is the best way, this is just the way I did it. And if you are following my story at all, you might realize I tend to do everything the hard way. I am reminded of the Muppet Movie when Gonzo said he was going to Bombay, India to break into motion pictures. Kermit asked why he didn't come to Hollywood with them, to which Gonzo replied, "Sure, if you want to do it the easy way."
Lisa: How is it that you are doing it the hard way?
Putting out a six book series, one every six months and bucking the gritty/urban/noir/steampunk trend with a throwback traditional fantasy story without any sex, and hardly any profanity is hard. Writing each novel as a complete story while maintaining a strong story arc is really hard. And doing it through a tiny independent publisher is sort of insane. To get as far as I have—to have you interested enough in my work to do this interview—is amazing as the only source of getting the word out about my books is from myself or my wife—or now from readers who are beginning to spread the word on their own. I wonder how well the books might be doing today if I were published through Tor or Random House, and if a couple of copies of my books were in most bookstores. Being published through little Ridan, I'm not even eligible to submit my work to many publications for review let alone awards. It reminds me of Count Pickering speaking to Hadrian, "But not being noble born, you aren't allowed to enter a tournament." I don't even have a literary agent, although I did just acquire a foreign language rights agent.
Lisa: Why is that?
I've had a number of inquiries from France, Germany, Poland and even Random House of Spain asking about the foreign language rights. I never took them seriously but recently, three major publishers in the Czech Republic made offers. They actually sent contracts. I don't know anything about this sort of thing so it was time to get an agent. There I was with an established book series that has good reviews and—considering my ability to market it—excellent sales, and contracts in hand for foreign rights, and still I had a hard time getting an agent. My wife sort of stumbled on the one we found, and I'm glad she did as she looks to be fantastic.
Lisa: What are your absolute top five favorite books, and why?
The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings series
These are in order, and the top four are the only books I classify as "ten's." What makes a ten for me is a book with characters I like, and I mean in the way that I would love to have them as real-life friends. They also have to have a setting that I would like either to visit or actually live in. And lastly they need to have a good strong plot that makes sense. These are the only books I've ever found that do that. Atlas Shrugged is a nine on my list and perhaps the only nine. A lot has been made about the ideology behind the book, but that's not why I like it. I loved this book for its original mystery story, the writing style, and characters. I learned a great deal of how to write from studying this.
A real good litmus test for a good book—like a movie—is if I would read/watch it again. I almost never reread a book, but I have reread all of these. And I think the reason why is because the characters and setting are places and people I honestly enjoy spending time with. I like all sorts of other books. I find them interesting and entertaining, but I love visiting Hogwarts and having lunch with Ron, Harry and Hermione, or wandering through the lush fields of the Shire with Sam and Merry. And it would be exciting to help rebuild the world with Nick and Stu, or just sit in the tall green grass on the high downs with Hazel and Fiver and watch the sun rise on a perfect spring morning.
Lisa: I have to ask this, because I couldn't stop thinking about it while I was reading Avempartha – there is a character named 'Thrace' who appears in this book – is this an homage to Battlestar Galactica's Kara Thrace?
Sorry. I've never seen Battlestar Galactica. Well, no, I take that back, I did watch the pilot, but that was it and I don't recall the character in question. I try to keep the names of those in a family to be similar. Alric and Arista for example, Theron and his son and daughter, Thad and Thrace were another. All of those were made up off the top of my head. The funny thing is, that when I do that, when I make up stuff like names on the fly as I write, I pause and think, shouldn't I take some time to really think about this. What if what I write here becomes popular? What if decades later, there are movies and clubs and Broadway plays based on this and they are using this stupid name unduly burdened because it is now ingrained in the collective psyche of society. I thought that about Tur Del Fur—which is hard to say and sounds like the Swedish Muppet chef, but then I laugh at my own insanity wondering why I am spending so much time worrying about that which will never happen.
Lisa: The Emerald Storm is a really fun journey from start to finish. There is this underlying dark thread, though, as if some kind of conflict is brewing underneath all of these layers of plot. There are two more books that have yet to be released in the Riyria Revelations series – can you give us any hints as to what we can expect?
Ha-ha! So now we get to the meaning of this interview. This has all been a ploy to find out what happens next! The series is made up of what I call a very tightly knit weave of a plot. It is like an extremely intricate web of connecting threads. Almost everything in it connects to everything else, and often what appears to be unimportant, is the most important. For example, Avempartha might appear as an aside story. It sets up Nyphron Rising certainly, by getting story threads moving, but it is the bedrock foundation for the sixth book. As a result, it is hard to say a lot without giving too much away. By now, you know that there are unexpected twists in this tale, but the reality is that I saved most of the "revelations" for the last book. The funny thing is that when you finish the fifth book I suspect you will find that hard to believe.
Each story has been different. Different in tone, setting, plot, and outcome. The first two were almost typical fare, the first being nearly a Disney-like fairy tale plot and the second the standard village plagued by the beast scenario. Granted I put my own special twist on these, but you get the idea. The next two don't fit standard molds at all.
The last two books, I have always thought where the best in the series. If you look at each novel in the series to date, you see the pattern of a build up to the climax that is the most exciting part of the story. If you realize that this whole series was constructed as a single story, you should understand that the last two books will comprise the climax of the series. And I do work hard to make the climax of my books satisfy the reader's anticipation.
If you have read Storm, then you already should have a very good idea what to expect in Wintertide. The title should be ominous by now. If you have been reading closely you'll know that many things are all focused on that upcoming holiday. It is the focal point, the confluence of the series. Everything will come down to that date and nothing will be the same after it. The world of Elan is about to change forever. It will be a big change and it will all begin on Wintertide.
Lisa: Are you working on any other short stories or novels? Will any of them take place in Elan? You know us fans are going to need something after the Riyria Revelations series ends.
You sound like my wife. She nearly cried at the end of the series and was depressed for weeks because there was no more to read. Royce and Hadrian have become her friends and she longs to go on more adventures with them. One day she looked at me and marveled, "You can make them come alive again whenever you want to…that's not fair."
There are a great many things I could still do with the series. I purposely left a single unanswered plot thread unexplained. It is exceptionally minor insofar as the series is concerned, and I am certain no reader will even be aware of its presence unless I were to point it out—that's how insignificant it is. But it's a thread that leads to a huge revelation about the series that I could, if I so chose, use to build a second series on. There are also the obvious additions such as Royce and Hadrian the Early Years. I could also do a trilogy concerning the fall of the First Empire and how Esrahaddon and Jerish save the Heir. And of course there is the vast epic tale of Novron himself. This could easily be another six book series if I ever fully fleshed it out.
But honestly, I never intended to be a sword and sorcery author. To me, it would be like being typecast as an actor. I have lots of other stories I hope to write. Only the fans of Riyria may not like them, as they will be very different; different genres, different styles. I will want to stretch myself, push my limits and see what else I can do.
I already have another novel ready to go, but it is a standalone literary fiction, a much more serious sort of thing written in a completely different style. After that, I will likely release Antithesis. This book I first wrote back in 1985 was originally entitled Wizards. It was the first novel I ever seriously tried to publish. It is a fantasy, but it is set in the modern day and it needs to be completely re-written. I have to take the original, which is the equivalent of a campy 1960's tv series and turn it into the multi-million dollar, blockbuster, big screen adaptation. My daughter has been waiting on this one for a long time.
Lisa: Is there anything else you would like to share with your readers?
Yes. I would like to say, thank you.
I really mean it. As I already mentioned, I'm doing this the hard way and alone I don't stand a chance. If it wasn't for the Internet no one would know about this series. And while my wife has done an astounding job of getting the word out through forums and websites, she and I amount to two voices shouting in a very loud wilderness. My books do not greet you as you enter the local Barnes and Noble or Borders, and very few libraries carry it because I've never had a review in Publisher's Weekly or the other publications they rely on.
Nevertheless, more and more people are buying the books. They're even stealing them—posting PDFs and selling them to readers for the cost of memberships on sharing sites. I don't so much mind the sharing, but I find the selling distasteful.
So how is it possible that these few unknown books, by an unknown author have done so well? How is it that I have been placed in the same category as Eddings and Feist, or more recently added to a list of names such as Patrick Rothfuss, Jim Butcher, and Joe Abercrombie? I mean, that's just crazy. And how did my first book, Crown Conspiracy sell out its first printing? It is because readers have taken the time to tell a friend. It is the most effective marketing there is, and the one that no amount of money can buy. So yes, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who handed the book to a friend or family member and said, try this. Or who posted a review on a blog or Amazon, and to you Lisa, for this interview. Without you folks, the entire series would be sitting in a dusty cardboard box along with all the rest of my manuscripts. I owe you big time.
GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES:
Michael is offering a copy of a book from the Riyria Revelations series to one lucky commenter.
To enter, ask Michael about his writing or tell us about a favourite fantasy adventurer.
Open to US and Canada.
Leave a way to notify you if you should win.
Blog, tweet, post on Facebook or other social network sites for an extra entry. Leave a comment here to let me know.
Giveaway open until Midnight, May 5, 2010 EDT.
Posted by SciFiGuy at 12:34 AM 41 comments
Labels: Author Events, Author Interviews, Fantasy, giveaways, Lisa Hurley, Michael J. Sullivan
INTERVIEWS and EVENTS at SciFiGuy.ca:
This past Thursday, erotic paranormal romance author Jessica Lee joined me to talk about her writing and newest release Dark Desires at Midnight. Jessica is offering a $10 Amazon e-gift card and an e-book copy of Dark Desires at Midnight to one lucky commenter in a giveaway.
A very busy week next week starting with an interview on Monday with author Michael J. Sullivan where he discusses the road to publication of his Riyria Revelations fantasy series and the release of The Emerald Storm.
On Wednesday, Jess Haines is my guest to talk about the launch of her debut urban fantasy novel Hunted by the Others.
And next Saturday paranormal fantasy author Leanna Renee Hieber's Haunted London Blog Tour for The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker makes a stop here. Here is the complete list of eight stops.
Day 1, April 26th: Babbling About Books & More! (The haunted plague pit at the centre of the city)
Day 2, April 27th: Release Day! Bitten By Books (The ghost of clown Grimaldi)
Day 3, April 28th: True-Blood.Net, the Original Fansite for HBO's True Blood (Why Percy is a Parker: A personal tale)
Day 4, April 29th: Magical Musings (The haunted execution of poor Margaret Pole)
Day 5, April 30th: Reader's Entertainment TV (Highgate Cemetery)
Day 6, May 1st: Sci-Fi Guy (The ghost of writer Oliver Goldsmith)
Day 7, May 3rd The Season (A ghostly wedding)
Day 8, May 4th Vampire Wire (An inside peek into Whisper-World ghosts)
There is still time to enter the contest for a complete set (6 in all) of the Retrievers series from Laura Anne Gilman in my Cosa Nostradamus Showcase and Giveaway. Open until April 30. This is a fabulous read and one of my favourite UF series. Something a little different. I'll be posting my review of Hard Magic, the first book in the Retrievers spin-off series later this week.
Remember to check my Author Events and Interviews schedule posted on my left sidebar for the most recent updates.
AUTHOR and BOOK NEWS:
FREE READS:
Ilona Andrews has posted a free short story titled "Grace of Small Magics"
Jennifer Rardin has Part 5 of Cole Bemont, Supernatural P.I. in: The Case of the Bimbo Bloodsucker
The Shadow Girl of Birch Grove by Marta Acosta is now the number one YA download from Scribd with over 3,000 downloads. Have you got your copy yet? What are you waiting for...
Chapter 1 of Infinite Days by YA author Rebecca Maizel is available here.
Literary Escapism has a recap of this weeks interviews here, and here.
Bianca D'Arc updates everyone with her forthcoming projects -
I've recently finished writing the fourth military paranormal (with zombies!) story for Kensington Brava - a novel titled A DARKER SHADE OF DEAD, which will be out in November and is already available for pre-order on Amazon. Before that, though, a novella in the series will be included in THE BEAST WITHIN, a Halloween Brava anthology anchored by Erin McCarthy. My story in the anthology, which will be out in September is called "Smoke on the Water."
Shade by Jeri Smith Ready - Book Trailer
The next Dirk & Steele book, set for release on November 30th of this year, has a new title: IN THE DARK OF DREAMS. Here's the official cover description:
She could never forget the boy with the ice blue eyes…
She was only twelve when she saw the silver boy on the beach, but Jenny has never stopped dreaming about him. Now she is grown, a marine biologist charting her own course in the family business—a corporation that covertly crosses the boundaries of science into realms of the unknown…and the incredible.
And now he has found her again, her silver boy grown into a man: Perrin, powerful and masculine, and so much more than human—leaving Jenny weak with desire and aching for his touch.
But with their reunion comes mortal danger—from malevolent forces who would alter the world to suit their own dark ends. For Perrin and Jenny—and all living creatures— their only hope for preventing the unthinkable lies in a mysterious empire far beneath the sea—and in the power of their dreams.
Richelle Mead had a film crew from Kensignton Books follow her around Seattle talking about the succubus books. It can also be viewed over here.
From Locus Magazine - Writer, editor, and publisher George H. Scithers, 80, died April 19, 2010 after suffering a massive heart attack on April 17. George was founding editor of Asimov's SF Magazine. Additional coverage by Paula Guran and Tor.
Dragonfire series lovers will be interested to hear that Deborah Cook has written a novella featuring the Dragon's Teeth Warriors there will be out in July.
Patricia's Vampire Notes does a thorough summary of Vampire book releases for April.
Courtesy of Loving True Blood in Dallas we have Charlaine Harris at Washington Romance Writers 2010 Retreat answering a couple of True Blood questions.
Paranormal Romance has the scoop on several Karen Marie Moning announcements including the planned Fever graphic novel and a new three book deal for a Fever spin-off series.
Suzanne McLeod posted the blurb for her fourth Spellcrackers novel, The Shifting Price of Prey this week -
Genny's life has never been busier: the summer solstice is approaching, magic is going haywire, Spellcrackers.com is under inexperienced new management, and London is hosting this year's Carnival Fantastique. Then a unicorn is found horribly mutilated in Regent's Park, garden fairies start dying out of season, and an eminent wildlife activist and her young son are snatched from a Conservation Conference. Searching for answers takes Genny and her friends, Tavish the kelpie and the super-sexy vampire Malik al-Khan, deep into magical London to the decadent and dangerous Forum Mirabilis, the secret, bloody heart of the Carnival Fantastique. And it's not long before Genny and her friends are under attack from a millennium-old adversary as they fight to save both the victims and themselves...
CONTESTS:
Links to all the contsts you could ever wish for over at All Things Urban Fantasy.
As part of their 30th birthday bash Tor books his having a box of books giveaway. Here are some of the fdetails but check out the Tor post for the complete scoop.
So that you may better get to know our little social sphere, the three lucky winners of this giveaway will receive a grab-box of books from the Tor offices. Winners should let us know their general likes and dislikes (only books with bare-chested men on the cover; no spaceships; only spaceships; looking for books for a twelve-year-old, etc) and we'll put together a fun selection.
The Rules: All you have to to do be entered is comment on this post—once; duplicates won't count—by noon EST on Wednesday, April 28th. Winners will be chosen randomly. Please check your email on Wednesday or Thursday; if I don't hear back from you in 24 hours, another winner will be chosen.
New Eclipse trailer. You know you want to...
Loving True Blood in Dallas posted the cover to the True Blood graphic novel this week. For all the details on the partnership between IDW Publishing and True Blood check out the original press release. The comic releases in July.
The rumoured American remake of Torchwood was quashed this week when Fox officially announced it would not be proceeed with the project. Probably best for all concerned.
And speaking of Doctor Who related things, SF Signal posted this two-part spoof of Doctor Who featuring Rowan Atkinson (The Doctor), Jonathan Pryce (The Master) and more big names.
PROMOTIONS:
Alyxandra Harvey (Hearts at Stake) advises that the Turning Pages Literary Festival is being held May 15 in Kitchener, Ontario with a host of YA authors including Kelley Armstrong, Lesley Livingston, R.J. Anderson and Alyxandra. For all the details, click the graphic.
Let's Talk Fantasy, Romance, and a Love for the Paranormal
Author Leanna Renee Hieber will be at Phoenix Comicon in May 2010
April 13, 2010, Phoenix, AZ: Award winning and best selling author, actress, and playwright Leanna Renee Hieber will be at Phoenix Comicon to discuss writing for the young adult market and life as an author. Leanna Renee Hieber will talk about her latest addition of the Strangely Beautiful saga that hit the shelves this month, The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker
"If you love fantasy, this is a woman you have got to talk to!" said Convention Center Director Matt Solberg.
Hieber splashed onto the fantasy fiction scene with her novella Dark Nest, which won the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in Futuristic, Fantasy, and Paranormal Romance. Her critically acclaimed debut novel, The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker is the first in her Strangely Beautiful series of ghostly, Gothic Victorian Fantasy novels that landed on Barnes & Noble's mass market and overall Bestseller List. The next novella in the series is set to release in October of this year.
"Her stories really tug at the heart strings and don't let you go!" said Katie Charland, Phoenix Comicon's Community Outreach Manager.
Phoenix Comicon is the signature pop culture event of the southwest, presenting guests and programming for hobbyists and fans by attracting the top segments of the comics, anime, sci-fi, film, TV, and gaming industries. Entering its ninth year, Phoenix Comicon is expected to draw over 10,000+ attendees to its May 27-30, 2010 convention held at the Phoenix Convention Center and Hyatt Regency located in downtown Phoenix.
For more information, please go to http://www.phoenixcomicon.com
Kate Davids
Phoenix Comicon
communications@phoenixcomicon.com
COVERS and ART:
Stumbling Over Chaos has Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Nineteenth: Another Guy in a Tie)
Heather Massey at The Galaxy Express has the exclusive cover reveal for the new SFR book In Enemy Hands by KS Augustin. Head over and check it out.
Smexy Books was the first this week to reveal the cover for Crave by J.R. Ward, the second book in her Fallen Angels series. Due out in October.
Maggie Stiefvater has Catalan, French, Hungarian, and Bulgarian covers for Shiver.
OCD, vampires, and rants, oh my! points us to the Good Show Sir blog dedicated to showcasing only the worst scifi/fantasy covers. There are some real stunners. Worth a look.
Cover art featured here this past week at SciFiGuy.ca included:
Out for Blood by Alyxandra Harvey
The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood
Atlantis Betrayed by Alyssa Day
Queen of Shadows by Dianne Sylvan
Cross Your Heart by Michele Bardsley
Night Star by Alyson Noel
End of Days by Max Turner
Infinite Days by Rebecca Maizel
Sacrifice by Dakota Banks
AROUND the BLOGOSPHERE:
Rebecaa at Dirty Sexy Books and Abigail at All Things Urban Fantasy jointly put together a two-part series on Books That Blur the Line in the UF/PNR genres. You can find Part 1 here and Part 2 here. Some interesting choices and insights.
William Shatner at the the helm of the Governor Generals Office of Canada? Check out what SciFi Wire has to say.
Lynn Viehl a nicely humorous post called Need an Author Moment?
I just had to repost this image that Jackie at Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories posted for environment day.
Another Problem Caused By Deforestation...
Literary Escapism has been introducing a host of authors with a week long feature called Look Who's Going to RT (Romantic Times). A must read if you are going to RT.
CANDID CAMERA:
Jocelynn Drake on vacation
Richelle Mead, Rachel Caine and Felicia Day in LA
Timelord Carrie Vaughn
YA authors Jackson Pearce, Carrie Ryan, Tessa Gratton, Brenna Yovanoff and Maggie Stiefvater vacationing in New Orleans.
Cherie Priest and her new do'
Labels: Around the Blogosphere, Author Interviews, Cover Art, Forthcoming Books, Free reads, From My Library, News, Paranormal Romance, Urban fantasy, Weekend Report
Guest Author - Jessica Lee (Interview & Giveaway)
It is my pleasure to introduce Jessica Lee whose second book Dark Desires at Midnight was released at the beginning of the month. Jessica writes erotic paranormal romance (with vampires) guaranteed to spice up your reading (she has even provided a sizzling excerpt for you).
Jessica and I had a chat and you can read our interview below. Jessica will be dropping by to respond to any questions you may have. She has also generously offered an Amazon eGift Card and a free ecopy of her new book as a giveaway (details at the end of the post).
If you'd like a taste and preview of Dark Desires at Midnight, please check out the Excerpt posted following the interview.
Please welcome Jessica Lee!
SFG: Dark Desires at Midnight is the second book in your Warriors of the Enclave series. Can you give us an overview of the series and tell us what we might expect from the newest book?
The series begins with book one, Desire to Die For, which is Kenric and Emily's story. Kenric is an over 300 year old vampire who has been stalked by an ancient female vampire for 200 years. He's put together a team of vampires he calls, the Enclave, to defend humanity against the blood thirsty murderers of their kind known as DEADs. Kenric is a master vampire, and only a few male vampires possess the mental abilities to become a master. Mentally, he's more powerful, faster, and can take multiple alternate forms, which is the exact reason our villainess from book one wants him all to herself.
Book two brings us Arran and Gabrielle's story and picks up right where Desire to Die For closes.
SFG: The romance in paranormal romance is often very hot. You label yourself as an erotic paranormal romance writer. Is there a dividing line between romance and erotic romance and how do you determine it?
I believe so. In my opinion, for a romance to be considered erotic, sex needs to be an integral part of the story. It should occur frequently and be quite graphic but not for gratuitous reasons, meaning it should move the couple's relationship forward and not be sex just to fill up the pages.
SFG: Why did you decide to use vampires from among the large array of supernatural creatures? What do you find special about vampires?
I think it's because I've always loved vampire movies and have never failed to root for Dracula to escape with his queen. LOL I'm a sucker for the dark, sexy, tortured soul of the alpha male. And vampires possess all of the above. Why vampires? Oh man, it's all that biting of the neck and how sex is so intricately tied to their basic nature. Very provocative creatures.
SFG: Do you see your reading audience as mostly consisting of women? Do you consider male readers when you are creating your stories?
Mostly women, but because the male protagonists in my series are so alpha in nature, I wouldn't be surprised if the male reader enjoyed them as well.
SFG: What do you enjoy the most about the writing process? What do you find the most difficult?
I really enjoy the quiet time that I get to spend at home writing. Don't get me wrong, I love people, but I'm not a huge social butterfly who loves crowds. So getting the opportunity to be at home and write is a dream come true.
Writing is a very demanding job. And if you want writing to become your career, there's not much time off. To be successful, you must be prolific. So what once was your hobby, and what once took you years to create, suddenly becomes something that you must produce in a few months. That's not always fun. But I wouldn't trade my new found career for anything.
SFG: What other projects do you have on the go that you can tell us about?
Currently, I'm working on book three of the Enclave series and another project that I'm hoping Loose Id would like to pick up in the next couple of months. So stayed tuned and fingers crossed, there may be something out there soon that's a little different than you'd expect from Jessica Lee. LOL
SFG: If you could have lunch with any author, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Why, great question. Hmm... Oh man, I think it's a tie between Karen Marie Moning and JR Ward. Both are amazing authors, and I would love to just sit back and soak up whatever they'd be willing to share about their writing process and knowledge of the craft.
SFG: What do you like to read for pleasure? What is the last book you read and what is the book you are most eagerly anticipating?
Right now I have Lora Leigh's Bengal's Mate in my purse. Love her Breed series and can't wait to read the next installment, but I have to finish this one first.
Ooh, eagerly anticipating -- that's easy: Lover Mine by JR Ward. Whoot! Can't wait to get my hands on that one. LOL
SFG: How do you feel about vampires on the big and little screen such as the Twilight movies, Vampire Diaries and True Blood? Is there a vampire story you would like to see made into a TV series or film?
Love them! I'm a huge True Blood fan, and I can't wait for the next season. I think it's great that there are so many out there who love vampires just as much as I do.
I haven't seen any of the Vampire Diaries yet, but I've been enjoying the Twilight movies. I have to confess, though, I haven't read her series. But the movies are great!
SFG: Where can people find you on the Internet and how can they purchase your books?
You can find me at www.jessicaleenovels.com
You can find a copy of Dark Desires at Midnight at Loose Id.
Desire to Die For also at Loose ID.
Thanks, Doug! I appreciate your hospitality and the chance to stop by your fantastic site. I've had a blast!
Book Description: Arran MacLain is a vampire on a suicide mission, driven to kill his former partner who betrayed him and the Enclave they served. But two things stand in his way: Gabrielle, the human female who holds his heart, and the past that won't let him go. If only death was enough to cleanse his soul.
Gabrielle Steven's sister is missing. Her hunt for clues brings her face to face with the one vampire she can't forget. Their missions combine and thrust them into the heart of evil. Will their passion be enough to overcome the pain from their past, or will their dark desires destroy them both?
Arran rolled his Ninja into the parking lot beside Gabrielle's car and killed the engine. She'd taken the newsflash about Markus and Marguerite pretty much like he'd expected. She'd mumbled an oath of determination right before she'd kicked him out of the car. Gabrielle wasn't a member of the Enclave in name only. It didn't matter that she didn't work patrol. Gabrielle was as much a warrior as any of the males. Life hadn't dealt her any favors. And she wasn't one to lie down and let it bulldoze over her. She stood and fought for every inch of ground gained.
He waited for her to get out of the car, then removed his helmet.
"You didn't need to follow me home," she said over her shoulder, heading for the front door of her sister's townhouse. He was surprised when she'd led him here instead of a hotel. The place must have belonged to her sister. He palmed his keys, slid off his bike, and shoved the keys in his pocket.
"I wasn't going to let you leave alone after the info I just dumped on you," he said as he came up behind her while she unlocked the door. "I wanted to make sure you got home safe. And I wanted to be sure you actually went home."
"Oh my God, you can be such an ass sometimes." Her back was to him, but Arran could almost hear her eyes roll with that statement. She was right. He was an ass. But while he was here, he would be taking care of hers.
Gabrielle flipped on the lights, and he followed her inside. The heels of her boots clicked on the hardwood floor of the foyer, echoing in the open stairwell of the two-story apartment. She couldn't have been in town long, but the air in the place already carried her scent. He pulled in another slow, deep breath through his nostrils. His heart rate quickened. Honeysuckle. Arran wanted to smile but repressed the grin. Ironic that such a delicate and sweet fragrance emanated from the hellcat with whom he'd just been reacquainted.
Her keys clinked as she dropped them in a bowl on a table near the staircase. Arran's gaze devoured her provocative profile. He'd never seen her dressed like she was tonight. Living with five male vampires within the Enclave walls, she usually dressed a bit more conservatively. Not matronly, but definitely not this revealing. A short black leather skirt barely covered the lush curves of her ass, and a shirt that couldn't have been more than a decked-out bra did its best to contain her full breasts. Shiny black leather boots wrapped her legs, highlighting the toned sweep of her calves. This couldn't happen again. Arran slowly shook his head. He would end up killing someone if she dressed like this again.
She turned her head to the side, facing him. "I don't need a babysitter. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself." She shifted and faced him head-on. "You've been gone a long time, Arran. Things have changed. I've changed."
"Maybe so. But you're not taking on that colony alone. I can't believe Logan let you come here without him." Gabrielle turned her back, rearranging her purse on the table. Shit. He recognized the body language. "You didn't tell him, did you?" Arran closed the distance between them.
"No. I didn't need him here." Gabrielle looked up, fierce determination written on her face. "I can handle this. Alex needed me. And I'm going to be there for her." She shifted to face him again, leaning her hip against the table. "I'm smart enough to know if -- and when -- I need help."
Arran closed in, crowding her personal space, wanting a reaction. Aching for it, actually. Gabrielle straightened and took one step back but stopped and lifted her chin, refusing to cower and give him the reaction he itched for. She caught on quick.
"You think you have it all handled, lass?"
"Yeah, I do."
"You got it all under control?"
The amber color of her irises had grown near molten. He allowed a small smile to pull at the corner of his mouth, loving the way she got all hot and bothered when he pushed her.
"Yes. I do." The words had barely left her lips when she attacked, one leg coming out to catch the back of his ankle. Caught off guard, he stumbled.
Before he could regain his balance, she had his wrist locked in her grip. Swinging his arm up, she spun underneath, twisted, and wrenched his arm up the middle of his back, then shoved him face-first into the dank-smelling wall.
Well, damn. Not bad. "You've been training," he mumbled against the Sheetrock.
"A little." She sounded quite proud of herself. She was good. He'd give her that. But her heavy breathing told him it was all she could do to contain him, and he hadn't even come close to tapping into his full abilities. She'd caught him by surprise, but she was human, a woman, and no match for a mature vampire. Especially in a multiple attack.
With a burst of speed, Arran pushed back, forcing Gabrielle to release him instead of falling on her rear. He whirled, catching her before she hit the floor. In less than a second, their positions reversed. Except this time, he'd pinned her back against the wall, her hands imprisoned by his, over her head.
The position pushed her full breasts up, almost spilling them from her top. Nice. He lifted his gaze, prepared for a hard glare. If her eyes were molten earlier, they were near boiling now. He couldn't have stopped the next words that spilled from his lips if he'd tried.
"I win."
"You ass!" She squirmed and bucked against him like a feral cat. Instead of gaining her freedom, though, each maneuver jammed her tighter into his hold. Her every inhale shoved her breasts into his chest. Heat radiated off her body, threatening to scramble his brain. Before he knew he'd even moved, his lips hovered over hers. What made him stop, God only knew. Maybe it was the way she'd suddenly grown still? Or maybe it was the moment she'd parted her lips, releasing warm, peppermint-scented bursts of air that seduced his mind. So damn enticing. All he had to do was lean in one more inch, and he'd --
Fire shot up his arm. "Son of a…" Releasing her, he jumped back and flung his gaze to the offending limb. Blood.
A thin line of crimson blossomed along the outside of his bicep. She'd played him. Purposefully distracted him, so she could pull her hand free and reach for a blade that must have been hidden under her skirt and against her thigh. The little minx.
He swiveled his head back in Gabrielle's direction. Air punched from his lungs. Christ. Blood surged to his cock. The overwhelming urge to stroke the rock-hard length at the sight of her was short-circuiting his brain. Gabrielle stood, one boot in front of the other, palming a short dagger. She was ready to fight.
He was ready to fuck.
Arran rocked from one foot to the other, searching within for the strength not to take what was his. Mentally, he shook his head. No. She's not yours, asshole. But damn if his cock had the sense to listen.
"I know you weren't about to kiss me, warrior. Were you?" She raised a delicate brow and tilted her head. "Because last I heard, my kiss was 'forgettable.'"
Ouch. He'd had a feeling if he ever saw her again, that asinine comment would come back to bite him in the ass.
"Give me the blade, Gabrielle."
"This?" She twirled the dagger, then palmed the hilt and held it up for display. "You want it?" A devious smile lit her face. With her other hand, she beckoned him with her fingers. "Come and take it."
Bad, bad challenge, kitten. A tremor started in his gut and worked its way up, until it was a buzz inside his brain. Every cell in his body wanted to take.
A gasp of air in his ear was the only indicator that he'd grabbed her. He didn't remember the trip. Arran lifted her feet from the floor, whirled, and gently laid her on the stairs, pressing his hips, his chest into hers. He had to get his body next to hers. Everywhere. The dagger fell from her hand, rolling and thumping its way down the steps, each tumble a hollow thud.
The loud percussions bypassed the noise inside his head and brought him to a dead halt. He lay with his hips between her legs, his groin pressed to hers. His mouth suspended above her lips. He dropped his gaze to her mouth. God, how he loved the delicate line of her lips, a perfect bow. So full and pink. Her tongue darted out and moistened the lower one. He couldn't stifle the groan that rolled from the back of his throat.
He dragged his gaze back to her eyes. Passion mixed with doubt and fear stared back at him. "I'm sorry." The whispered words tumbled from his heart.
She blinked, then swallowed. "Why?"
"For hurting you."
Her eyelids shuttered, and her breath hitched. Did she believe him? Was an apology enough for what he'd done? He'd walked away, leaving her to think he'd never wanted her, when the truth was, he wanted her more than his next breath. Sorry sounded so insignificant, compared to how much damage he'd done to her heart.
"Gabrielle." Long, dark eyelashes lifted. Beautiful, near gold eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Please don't cry. If only he had the power to bring her tears of joy. Instead of the pain he was so damn good at. He wanted to kiss the hurt away. "Remind me."
Her lips parted first in silence before she asked, "Of what?"
Arran released her arms and cupped her face with his palms. He caressed her lips with his gaze before lifting it back to hers. "What I walked away from."
Jessica is offering a $10 Amazon e-gift card and an e-book copy of Dark Desires at Midnight to one lucky commenter.
To enter, Jessica would love to hear about your favorite paranormal creature of the night.
Posted by SciFiGuy at 3:16 PM 30 comments
Labels: Author Events, Author Interviews, Erotica, giveaways, Jessica Lee, Paranormal Romance
Canadian Contest (Week 3) - "White Cat" by Holly B...
Guest Author - Michael J. Sullivan (Interview & Gi...
Cover Art - "Out for Blood" by Alyxandra Harvey
Cover Art - "The Fallen Blade" by Jon Courtenay Gr...
Cover Art - "Atlantis Betrayed" by Alyssa Day
Cover Art - "Queen of Shadows" by Dianne Sylvan
Cover Art - "Cross Your Heart" by Michele Bardsley...
Cover Art - "Night Star" by Alyson Noel
Cover Art - "End of Days" by Max Turner
Cover Art - "Infinite Days" by Rebecca Maizel
Cover Art - Sacrifice by Dakota Banks
Contest - "White Cat" by Holly Black (Week Two)
Giveaway Winners - "Silver Borne" by Patricia Brig...
Michael J. Sullivan Guest Update
The Cosa Nostradamus Spotlight & Giveaway
Guest Author - Teal Ceagh (aka Tracy Cooper-Posey)...
Contest - "White Cat" by Holly Black
Release - "Ares Express" by Ian McDonald
Cover Art - "With Great Power" Anthology edited by...
Cover Art - "Real Vampires Have More To LoveÈ by G...
Cover Art - "Healer's Choice" by Jory Strong
Cover Art - "Face Off" by Mark del Franco
Blog Tour - "Morpheus Road: The Light" by D.J. Mac...
Review - "The Heart of Fairie Oracle" by Brian & W...
Daily Dose of Listening and Reading
Giveaway Winner - Demonkeepers by Jessica Andersen...
Canadian Giveaway - "Silver Borne" by Patricia Bri...
"The Shadow Girl of Birch Grove" by Marta Acosta
Books Received - Fantasy Debuts
Review - "The Emerald Storm" by Michael J. Sulliva...
Cover Art - Jeweled by Anya Bast
Cover Art - "Songs of Love and Death" edited by Ge...
Cover Art - "Memories of Envy" by Barb Hendee
Cover Art - "Wolf's Bluff" by W.D. Gagliani
Cover Art - Chosen by Jeanne C. Stein
Fantasy, SFR and SF Releases for April
Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Book Releases - April 2...
Winner - The Mystery of Grace by Charles de Lint


What Are the Benefits of Almonds for a Flat Stomach?
1 How Much Protein Is There in 10 Almonds?
Adding almonds to your meal plan may help you achieve or maintain a flat stomach and keep your body fat percentage low. Although almonds are not a low-calorie food, they can provide you with several health benefits when eaten in the recommended portion. Eating too many almonds can cause you to exceed your daily caloric allotment, however, so eat them in moderation as part of a calorie-controlled diet to get a flat stomach.
Eating almonds in place of junk food may help get rid of unwanted abdominal fat and help flatten your stomach. A study published in 2011 in "Metabolism" found that study subjects who ate 60 grams of almonds daily -- equivalent to about 50 almonds -- had lower body fat that people who consumed few or no almonds. Another review published in 2010 in the journal "Nutrients" reported that peanuts and tree nuts, such as almonds, may aid in weight loss and help reduce abdominal fat.
Losing weight means you'll automatically shed body fat, which is beneficial when you're trying to achieve or maintain a flat tummy. If you can add almonds to your diet while cutting other foods to create an energy deficit of 500 calories daily, you'll experience a weight-loss rate of about 1 pound weekly. A review published in 2010 in "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reports that eating nuts boosts satiety, increases energy expenditure and enhances weight loss when consumed in moderation. In addition, the calories in nuts are poorly absorbed by your body.
The high protein content of almonds is beneficial when you're trying to shed belly fat. One ounce, equivalent to 23 whole almonds, provides about 6 grams of dietary protein. A study published in 2012 in "Nutrition and Metabolism" found that high-protein diets help reduce the overall percentage of body fat in men and women, as well as trunk fat in men. A study published in 2013 in "Obesity" concluded that consuming high-protein diets as part of reduced-calorie meal plans aids in weight and fat loss and helps preserve lean body mass loss during weight loss.
Although eating almonds in moderation could be beneficial for achieving a flat stomach, consuming too many of them might hinder weight and fat loss. Fifty almonds, the portion that subjects consumed daily in the study published in 2011 in "Metabolism," contain about 357 calories. If you eat almonds in place of junk food and control your overall caloric intake, however, you'll likely shed abdominal fat and flatten your tummy.
Coleman,, Erin. "What Are the Benefits of Almonds for a Flat Stomach?" Healthy Eating | SF Gate, http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/benefits-almonds-flat-stomach-12270.html. 21 November 2018.


text:
LeBron James has ditched his phone for the 2013 playoffs
Eric Freeman
Ball Don't Lie April 24, 2013, 10:20 PM UTC
The NBA playoffs are a time for athletes, coaches, and analysts alike to get serious about the NBA. While it would seem fairly difficult for a sports league to change its character entirely just because the format of the schedule changes, it's absolutely true that all involved parties approach their playoff games with heightened gravitas. And, if for some reason they don't, they certainly won't say as much in public.
Miami Heat uber-star LeBron James, the best player in the NBA, is no exception. In fact, he's going well beyond superficial changes and living without a cell phone for the duration of the postseason. From Chris Tomasson for FoxSportsFlorida.com (via SLAM):
Sideline reporter Craig Sager interviewed James for NBA TV following Tuesday's Game 2 against Milwaukee. He asked James about cutting off communication during the playoffs.
"I can use yours?'' James asked Sager, who said he could borrow his phone. "So there it is, I'll use yours. ... I'm back before cell phones were invented.''
It's the second straight year James has turned off his phone during the playoffs. It worked last season, as James won his first NBA title.
James also vows to do like he did last year and give up Twitter. The last tweet he sent out was last Saturday, the day before Miami's playoff opener, when he wrote, "Zero Dark Thirty-6 Activated! I'm gone.''
It's unclear if James has gone Luddite in his life or just at the arena, but either way this registers as a major change for any twentysomething American in 2013. A smartphone is a connection to the outside world, and living without one for any length of time suggests a level of focus that most of his peers would likely choose not to match. He's silencing himself in the name of pursuing a goal.
James has done away with the accoutrements of his professional life several times, both in doing without his phone last season and dumping his pre-game chalk toss from his routine. It's a fitting development for a player who seems to have shed every blemish from his on-court game, refining until he reaches something close to basketball perfection. Why not do the same off the court, as well?
The one potential issue with LeBron's choice is that he's a compensated endorser for Samsung and appears in a national ad campaign for several of their products. Samsung has yet to make a public statement on James's life change, but chances are they want him to promote a lifestyle that requires a smartphone. James is serious about his profession, but a global icon can only alienate his corporate partners so much.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Brooks School
1160 Great Pond Road
North Andover, MA 01845	 [P] (978) 725-6300
www.brooksschool.org
Gage Dobbins
At Brooks School, we seek to provide the most meaningful educational experience our students will have in their lives.
$21,550,188.00
Brooks School was founded in 1926 by the Rev. Endicott Peabody, headmaster of Groton, who served as the first president of the board of trustees. Associated with him were Richard Russell, who gave the land and original buildings and who served for many years as secretary-treasurer of the board; the Reverend Sherrard Billings, senior master at Groton; James Jackson, a Groton graduate and trustee; Roger B. Merriman, also a Groton trustee and parent; and the Right Reverend Charles L. Slattery, a former Groton teacher and trustee. Mr. Peabody believed that there was a need for another small boarding school built on the Groton model. The school was to be named after Phillips Brooks, and the teaching was to be that of the Episcopal Church.
Frank D. Ashburn, a graduate of Groton and Yale (1925), then at Columbia Law School, was appointed the first headmaster. The school opened September 29, 1927, with 14 boys in the first and second forms and two masters, a headmaster and a headmistress. The first class graduated in 1932.
It was intended that Brooks should be a small school with emphasis on individual attention and a close relationship between masters and boys. The main goal was preparation for life, rather than simply for college admission. The school felt an obligation to regard the difficult or less able boy as a challenge rather than an obstacle. Efforts were made to provide a maximum amount of flexibility in the curriculum. Athletics were encouraged but regarded as means to an end rather than an end in itself. There was a conscious effort to expose boys to the best of the human tradition in literature, the arts and sciences, and to do this in a beautiful setting. Aside from dorms and a kitchen, the first facilities established were a library and a chapel.
After 46 years as headmaster, Frank D. Ashburn retired in 1973 (he died on October 2, 1997). H. Peter Aitken, who served as headmaster from 1973 to 1986, succeeded Mr. Ashburn. Lawrence W. Becker was the school's third headmaster from 1986 until his retirement in 2008. John R. Packard was appointed head of school in 2008, making him the fourth leader in the school's history.
The school has changed from a six-year school of just under 200 boys to a four-year school of approximately 370 boys and girls. One of the most significant changes in the history of the school was the move to co-education in 1979. Today, approximately 55% of the student's enrolled are boys and 45% are girls.
Accomplishments over the past year:
· A new administrative structure has helped Brooks become more systematized and creates a framework in which to focus on students today, while looking ahead to the future. It includes four new associate head positions: external affairs, academic affairs, student affairs, and finances and operations.
· Brooks School is on solid financial footing. A re-working of the school's overall debt has reduced the annual debt load, made future debt burden predictable, and has opened up possibilities to even more aggressively reduce the School's endowment draw rate – a direction the School has been moving in since 2008. With the exception of vital increases in financial aid, overall school expenses have remained close to flat over the past several years by scrutinizing budgets, improving procedures, and asking a great deal of faculty and staff alike. Brooks is emerging from an acute phase, mindful of the lessons learned in the 2008 market down-turn and intent on being better positioned than ever before to withstand continued fluidity in the global financial environment.
· The increased level of attention to expenses over the past several years has allowed Brooks to better fund the school's plant needs, which are many, and do some substantive work on existing facilities in need of improvements. We took these steps with the pursuit of meaningful education forefront in our minds.
Goals for current year:
· Cultivate new Trustee candidates
· Formalize a master plan for the school
· Set priorities for a capital campaign
Brooks School is currently in the discovery phase of a campaign to strengthen the School's financial model to support improvement in mission-driven ways and bring more in-depth experiences into the curriculum and school life. Priorities and financial goals will be set by the end of 2014.The general areas of need include:
· Support of extraordinary teachers –create new endowed chairs in each of the six academic departments.
· Achieve greater flexibility in admissions – increase financial aid dollars to counter current economic and demographic trends, and to enrich enrollment.
· Align the campus to foster relationships – engage in a process by which we systematically transform student residential facilities for the next 50 years and pedestrianize the Main Street of campus.
· Increase endowment dollars – ensure financial security and the School's long-term viability in a changing independent school landscape
· Create an inclusive community space – build or refurbish existing spaces, within existing footprints, to allow the entire Brooks campus community to gather in one place.
"Why Brooks?"
This question was asked of me in the first moments of my first interview to become Brooks School's fourth head of school, and the truth is that the core of my reply has remained true and constant for all of my years here—relationships. I have enjoyed more rich, full and lasting relationships with students through my life at Brooks than any one educator deserves in any number of lifetimes. The root of our success is our school's enormous capacity and will to reach our students in meaningful, lasting ways. Indeed, to earn our way to being the kind of experience that stays with our students throughout their lives. To be the most meaningful educational experience our students will ever have in their lives. This is our goal.
While Brooks enjoys a pastoral setting overlooking Lake Cochichewick, it's anything but sleepy. The active campus remains bustling at all hours of the day and into the night.
There are many places for students to hang out during free time, the most popular of which is the student center, which houses the F. Fessenden Wilder Dining Hall, the snack bar, school store and post office.
Time spent with friends in dormitories is an important part of the educational experience at Brooks. The school has 10 dormitories, five each for girls and boys. At least two faculty members live in each residence, and dorm prefects are appointed to work with the younger students as they adjust to living away from home.
One of the most exciting things about Brooks is the school's wide range of extracurricular activities, which allows its students to explore new areas of interest outside of the classroom and to further develop those areas in which they already have interest and knowledge. Every student is free to initiate a new organization or extracurricular activity if such a program does not already exist. Such initiative and responsibility is an important element to leadership training, which occurs both in and out of the classroom.
The list of extracurricular activities varies from year to year, depending on what students are interested in. A variety of weekend activities are also offered. Day students are encouraged to become involved in the residential life of the school. All-school dinners are held a number of times during the year and day students often spend Saturday nights on campus, sleeping over with a friend in a dorm.
John R. Packard
Throughout the United States
NORTHEAST REGION, MA
Students from the United States and around the world.
Education - Secondary & High Schools
Education - Elementary & Secondary Schools
Our ability to be the most meaningful educational experience in our students' lives depends largely on the students who walk through our doors. We believe this means enrolling a student body from all walks of life, with a wide range of talents and interests, who seek deep engagement with each other, and who are passionate about sharing our core values. Admissions officers need flexibility to round out our student body on an annual basis, to accept the athlete or the artist or the musician or the brilliant learner, even if he or she needs financial aid.
Financial aid is also essential to maintaining diversity of all kinds on campus and preparing our students for a global world.
Current financial aid resources cannot keep pace with the need for financial aid that is growing year by year, especially among middle-class students. Financial aid is the key to sustaining enrollment and delivering a better Brooks.
Education, General/Other Student Financial Aid
Adolescents Only (13-19 years) Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent Other Economic Level
In this current fiscal year of 2012-13, Brooks School's financial aid budget totals $3,065,409 and has provided assistance to 78 students, or 21 percent of the student body. A comparison with peer schools of similar size and endowment levels reveals that Brooks lags behind its counterparts significantly. Incrementally increasing the percentage of students on aid to be on par with peer schools would be one measure of short-term success. While the comprehensive fundraising campaign currently in the planning stages would focus on building endowed funds earmarked for financial aid, current-use financial aid funds are necessary in the meantime.
Brooks School aims to build its financial aid program, which presently includes resources from endowed, restricted and operating funds, to be on par with peer schools. Currently, approximately 20 percent of the student body receives aid, and one-third of those financial aid dollars allocated each year come from endowed sources. It is our hope to move toward having 100 percent of our aid dollars each year provided by our endowment at a 4.5 percent draw rate. This would create a sustainable program that would allow us to offer aid to more students each year and help to keep Brooks competitive in a changing independent school landscape. It would also increase Brooks' ability to enroll the best students for its program.
For tangible results, admission yield rates can reveal the impact of a robust financial aid program and comparison charts with peer schools can serve as a barometer for industry standards. Overall school performance (grades, SAT scores, college acceptances, number of AP courses offered, number of AP courses passed, and athletic championships) can also reveal success to some extent. Most importantly, however, when admissions officers have the flexibility to pursue an increasing number of first choice candidates, we know our financial aid program is working.
There is also the intangible measure of success – the undeniable feeling that the School's mission is fully satisfied
At Brooks, financial aid is not seen as charity;conversely it strengthens our program. It allows us to enroll quality, multi-dimensional students and individuals who would thrive wherever they go. We are a better Brooks with these students and the most prestigious colleges want them.Every group on campus is impacted by students needing financial assistance. Academics, athletics, arts, residential life, clubs – all are driven by students receiving financial aid. Financial aid students typically immerse themselves fully into our program, getting the most out of it and giving us oodles in return. They easily recognize their time at Brooks as their chance at a transformative opportunity.These are the kind of students that strengthen and enrich Brooks School.
Mr. John R. Packard
John R. Packard was appointed head of school in 2008. He was formerly dean of the faculty at Brooks, a position he held since 2000. Previously, he was assistant director of admission from 1998 to 2000 and assistant dean of students from 1994 to 1998.
Mr. Packard first came to Brooks in 1990 and has taught history for 15 years. He has also served as dorm master for 15 years and has coached soccer, ice hockey, baseball and lacrosse. He is a graduate of Franklin and Marshall College, where he captained the soccer team. He holds an M.A.L.S from Wesleyan University. Mr. Packard and his wife, Kim (Brooks class of 1987), have two children.
Mr. Lawrence W. Becker	 July 1986	 June 2008
Mr. H. Peter Aitken	 Jan 1973	 Jan 1986
Mr. Brett Fuhrman	 Associate Head for Finance and Operations
Brett Fuhrman was born and raised in Fargo, North Dakota (and claims the movie is accurate). Brett is a certified public accountant who earned his bachelor's degree at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he played Division I soccer and was named an All-Conference player his sophomore year. Brett's career prior to Brooks has been a varied and impressive one, including work in the private and public sectors, most recently as chief financial officer of the Denver, Colorado public school system, where he managed a budget of $1.6 billion.
Mr. John H. Haile	 Dean of Faculty, English Teacher
John H. Haile is dean of faculty, coming to Brooks after 14 years at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio, where he taught English and chaired the English department while serving as the school's academic dean. Prior to WRA, he spent 11 years at Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut in a similar capacity. John holds degrees from Bates College and the Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College, both in English. John teaches a Third Form English class and coaches in the boys' soccer program.
Mr. James A. Hamilton	 Associate Head for External Affairs	 Jim Hamilton returned to Brooks in the summer of 2012 to take on the role of associate head for External Affairs. Between 2003 and 2012, he was the director of admission at St. George's School in Middletown, RI. While at St. George's he also taught English, advised a group of students, lived with the third form boys, and helped out in the basketball program. Jim spent his first stint at Brooks (between 1997 and 2003) working in the admission office, coaching the boys varsity basketball team, assisting in the baseball and football programs, and living in Russell and Thorne.
Mrs. Andrea P. Heinze	 Associate Head for Student Affairs, Mathematics Teacher	 Andrea Perotti Heinze has been at Brooks since 1992 and has taught everything from Algebra I to precalculus. She has a B.A. from Hamilton, is a Dean of Students and coach of the girls varsity softball team.
Mr. Lance E. Latham	 Associate Head for Academic Affairs, History Teacher
As Academic Dean, Lance is responsible for all aspects of the academic program. Besides his administrative duties, he teaches AP Art History and coaches the Baseball 2nd Team.
AFP (Association of Fundraising Professionals)	 --
American Camp Association - Member	 --
Association of Donor Relations Professionals	 --
Association of Independent Schools of New England	 --
Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)	 --
National Association of Independent Schools - Full Member	 --
New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)	 --
New England Association of Schools and Colleges	 2010
Caucasian: 176
Hispanic/Latino: 11
Female: 110
Yes Bi-Annually
Mr. William N. Booth
May 2005 -
Mrs. Pamela W. Albright	 Community Volunteer	 Voting
Mr. John R. Barker	 Harvard Management Company	 Voting
Mr. Charles E. Bascom	 Watch Captain LLC	 Voting
Mr. William N. Booth	 Retired	 Voting
Mr. Lammot Copeland Jr.	 Associates International, Inc.	 Voting
Mr. W. J. Patrick Curley III	 Fletcher Thompson Architecture Engineering, LLC	 Voting
Ms. Elizabeth C. Donohue	 Student	 NonVoting
Mr. Anthony H. Everets	 Two Trees Management	 Voting
Mrs. Carol W. Geremia	 MFS Institutional Advisors	 Voting
Mr. Steven R. Gorham	 Massachusetts Financial Services Company	 Voting
Mr. Paul L. Hallingby	 Hambrecht & Quist LLC	 Voting
Mr. John R. Hartigan	 Student	 NonVoting
Mr. John R. Packard	 Brooks School	 Voting
Ms. Ginger B. Pearson	 University of Massachusetts, Lowell	 Voting
Mr. Donald R. Peck	 LO JACK Corporation	 Voting
Mr. Charles C. Platt	 Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP	 Voting
Mr. Belisario A. Rosas	 InterLatin, Inc.	 Voting
Mr. David A. Rountree	 First Republic Bank	 Voting
Ms. Lynne A. Sawyer	 Citigroup	 Voting
Mr. Thomas E. Shirley	 Choate, Hall & Stewart	 Voting
Ms. Isabella P. Speakman	 Community Volunteer	 Voting
Mr. Joseph F. Trustey III	 Summit Partners	 Voting
Mrs. Ashley Wightman Scott	 Owner, Monkey Business Interior Design	 Voting
Caucasian: 22
Communications / Promotion / Publicity / Public Relations
Development / Fund Development / Fund Raising / Grant Writing / Major Gifts
Strategic Planning / Strategic Direction
2012 Form 990
2012 Audit
Total Revenue $27,413,332 $26,547,529 $20,226,225
Total Expenses $25,784,536 $25,423,130 $25,510,661
Corporation Contributions -- -- --
Individual Contributions $5,479,940 $7,626,898 $3,473,896
Earned Revenue $18,818,037 $17,910,191 $17,188,008
Investment Income, Net of Losses $3,024,457 $1,010,440 $-435,679
Revenue In-Kind $90,898 -- --
Other -- -- --
Program Expense $21,268,883 $20,737,509 $19,066,946
Administration Expense $2,586,767 $2,783,566 $4,719,508
Fundraising Expense $1,928,886 $1,902,055 $1,724,207
Total Assets $126,636,483 $128,001,708 $117,531,272
Current Assets $11,555,283 $11,036,042 $8,412,081
Long-Term Liabilities $33,413,200 $31,885,558 $31,961,111
Current Liabilities $1,241,159 $1,402,913 $1,582,116
Total Net Assets $91,982,124 $94,713,237 $83,988,045
Long-term Liabilities/Total Assets 26% 25% 27%
Financial summary data in the charts and graphs above are per the organization's IRS Form 990s. Contributions from foundations and corporations are listed under individuals when the breakout was not available.
No Other Documents currently available.


The Daniel Fast is based on the fasting experiences of the prophet Daniel from the Old Testament in the Bible. It's a partial fast where a group of foods are restricted for a spiritual purpose.
The Daniel Fast affords people a powerful time to focus special attention toward their God and His Word – the Holy Bible.
Since 2007, this blog has served thousands of men, women and teens who enter the Daniel Fast to draw closer to God, pray for specific purposes or to study the Bible and learn God's ways.
My prayer is that you will spend some time on the blog and also visit http://Daniel-Fast.com and learn about the fast. You will find a caring and warm community here – and you can join our mailing list by going to http://Daniel-Fast.com to receive complimentary information about the fast, Bible study messages and devotions.
Be blessed as you continue to grow in the love and knowledge of Jesus Christ.
When I am having trouble with my focus or hearing from God (and we all do at times), I double up on my time in the word (and I read the word outloud).
I encourage you to study all scripture that refers to "Who you are in Christ!", "In Him", "Through Him": Look up scriptures about the spirit of man (the born again inner man that is made in God's image and in His likeness and is made to live eternally with Him, soul (mind, will and emotions, flesh) and body (physical body, also flesh).


Honestly, I don't know if I'm finally stabilizing or not. I think I may be, but just when I've thought that in the past I've had a terrible week. I'll say this: I'm due for a big week because I really haven't had one yet.
Whew. No loss on Thursday Night Football. That's a relief…even though Seattle didn't look all that good.
The Bears should win this one – GB looks helpless on offense with Hundley – but I want the points. Feels like a close, low-scoring game.
I know Big Ben struggles on the road but I think this is a case of Bell just crushing the Indy defense. I'll lay the points.
I think Jacksonville is going to win this game but I'm gonna take the points. Chargers have the weapons to hang within a FG.
I want the points against an offense that has been really sluggish all year. Still think Titans squeeze out a win.
I hate giving up this many points three times in a single week but I can't see Savage keeping the Texans in the game.
Big game for both, Atlanta a little more desperate and should be able to take advantage of Zeke's suspension.
Look at what Philly did to the Broncos last week. New England won't do that on the road but DEN defense can't save the Osweiler-led offense.
Ugh. Four double digit favorites picked by me this week. Not great.
Sparty covers the 17, OSU wins. Dantonio has had success against OSU so this should be interesting.
Wolfpack looking to bounce back after a tough loss to Clemson. I think they'll win by 10.
Hokies bounce back after tough loss to the Canes last week. They may win big.
Defense should dominate this one but I like UGA's offense better than Auburn's, I think they get it done on the road.
The Noles are just not good. Clemson has a lot on the line and they're at home, they'll pull away in this one.
I think Wisconsin wins this game but Iowa makes it interesting, keeps it close enough to cover 12.
This could be a close one but I think Bama wears them out as the game goes along and pulls away in the 4th Q with the power running game.
Mizzou wins but here's what scares me: Vols D is 3rd in FBS in fewest passing yards allowed per game, only 5 schools have allowed fewer TD passes.
Going with the better QB on his home field. Not over complicating this one.
Picked against my Canes last week. Not this week. They win it with big plays on offense, creating turnovers on defense.