Kristal Lee

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Tuesday's Treasure: Rush of Darkness

1:36 PM | Labels: book reviews, Rhyannon Byrd, urban fantasy romance

Rush of Darkness by Rhyannon Byrd

ISBN-10:037377558X
ISBN-13:978-0373775583
Publisher: Harlequin
Line: HQN
Release Date: Mar 29, 2011

Raine Spenser is on a mission to find and kill the Kraven who murdered her sister. Raine, herself, had recently been their captive, until the Watchman--Seth McConnell, set her free.

Sneaking away from the Watchmen compound where Seth had taken her to recover, Raine sets her plan of vengeance in motion. After saving her once, Seth is determined not to let Raine enter harm’s way again. Not without him. He tracks her to Paris where he finds her fighting two Kraven—and losing.

Seth kills Raine’s attackers, thereby rescuing her, again. Adamant about Raine not putting herself in danger, Seth offers to hunt and kill the remaining Kraven for her. He knows from experience how revenge contorts the soul and he doesn’t want it twisting hers.

However, Raine refuses his bargain. She needs to follow her plan to completion so that she will regain control of her life. When it becomes clear that Seth will follow her all over the world if he has to, Raine allows him accompany her on the hunt.

While they track down the Kraven, one by one, and destroy them, Seton—the mastermind behind Raine’s initial capture, enacts a plan to trick Sean and Raine into freeing the Casus from the Merridian. If he succeeds, an unimaginable reign of evil will begin.

Raine and Seth have a volatile relationship from the get -go: fighting over Raine’s reckless behavior, fighting over Seth’s over-protectiveness, and fighting to deny their irrepressible attraction.

Seth fights his attraction because he doesn’t want to hurt Raine. She’s been used and abused by men for her powers and he doesn’t want her to think of him that way. Raine fights her attraction because the hatred growing inside her makes her strong. If she opens her heart to Seth and love, she will lose the dark edge she’s gained and her sister’s death will go unpunished.

Although the couple can’t deny their mutual attraction, neither is willing to trust the other. As a child, Seth survived a brutal vampire attack that left his entire family dead and prompted him to become a slayer. Raine is a vampire and can’t forgive Seth for hunting and killing her kind. Their inability to be honest with one another leads to mistakes that Seton exploits to his greatest advantage.

But love builds bridges; and, Seth and Raine do find the courage to reach across the great divide and unite to save the world, all the while, falling in love.

Rush of Darkness is the 7^th book in the Primal Instinct series. The plot is character driven, tightly written, and a fast read. I found it more focused that the last Primal Instinct installment.

Raine and Seth’s characters are mirror images. Both are traumatized, scarred, and utterly empty without each other. Following along while they learn to trust is a gut-clenching thrill. There are a number of secondary characters that aren’t fully fleshed out, if you’re new to the series. However, fans will recognize the recurrent cast members and understand the connection without being overwhelmed with backstory.

Rush of Darkness definitely held my attention. Each time I thought Raine and Seth had finally reached an understanding, something came along to push them back; but, their back-pedaling wasn’t simply a diversionary tool. The misunderstandings, the actions/reactions, were very much in character with Raine and Seth’s personality. Especially in light of their emotional hang-ups.

Rush of Darkness has increased my appetite and I’m looking forward to more servings from the Primal Instinct series . Fans of Angela Knight’s Mageverse series and Jessa Slade’s Marked Souls series might enjoy Rush of Darkness. For those new to the Primal Instinct series, the glossary of terms provided at the end of the book is a good introduction to the world of the Watchmen.

Gold Coin Rating: 4

Heat Level: Between Campfire and Bonfire

Reviewed for The Season

Monday, May 2, 2011

That's a Wrap

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, blog awards, blog events, writer's life

April's mission was to blog every day, excluding Sunday, using the letters of the alphabet to prompt post ideas. Easy, breezy~ right?

Not so much. That's why the code name was A-Z Challenge.

When I was recruited, I envisioned that a theme in my posts would emerge. Like a compass to guide me to an understanding, or awareness, of who I am as a writer.

Looking back, I see the hodge-podge of topics I chose have only my stream of consciousness in common and my stream of consciousness meanders here, there and everywhere.

Facebook's Status Shuffle got it right. I have ADHLS ~ Attention Deficit Hey Look a Squirrel.

All kidding aside, the A-Z Challenge brought me new followers and lead me to follow other blogs that I may never have found surfing the blogosphere. Although I wasn't able to post comments on all the blogs I visited, I did make daily rounds to fellow A-Zers. It was interesting to peruse all the different topics that people came up with, and I was envious of more than a few.

Here's a recap of my A-Z topics.

A - Alicorn

B - Bigelow

C - Canines, Countertops, and Cooties

D - The Demon and the Succubus

E - Evanescence

F - The Finger, Part Deux

G - Gargoyles and Grotesques

H - Hubble turns 21

I - Imagination

J - Jackalope, the Legend

K - Kaleidoscopes

L - Lilli who? Lilliputian

M - Mothman

N - Nachos

O - Old Wives Tales

P - Phantom Evil

Q - Qwerty Keyboard

R - Rolling in the Deep

S - Scary Movies

T - Tennyson

U - Umbrella anyone?

V - Vowed in Shadows

W - Writerly Wisdom from Walt Whitman

X - The X-Files

Y - The Yeti

Z - Zeta, as in--Catherine Zeta Jones

Congratulatory hugs to all the bloggers who completed the A-Z Challenge. A big thanks to Lee at Tossing It Out, Talli at Talli Roland, Jen at Unedited, Candace at Misadventures in Candyland, Karen at Coming down the Mountain, Jeffrey at World of the Scribe, Stephen at Breakthrough Blogs and Alex at Alex J. Cavanaugh for hosting this year's event.

And a special thanks to Elizabeth Mueller for gifting me with my newest blog award.

So, A-Z Challenge~ That's a Wrap!

Comments(6)

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Writers Unite! Stand Up for Judy Buranich AKA Judy Mays

5:00 AM | Labels: first amendment, free speech, judy buranich, judy mays

10th grade teacher Judy Buranich is being harassed because she writes erotic romance novels in her spare time.

Wendy Apple's finger-pointing brought the small town teacher's second profession to the forefront. Ms. Apple (a parent of a student attending Midd-West High School) reportedly stated that she simply wants Mrs. Buranich to be more discreet with her "secret identity," although Ms. Apple went public with the news. (News source PennLive.com)

To my knowledge, Mrs. Buranich hasn't mixed her day job with her writing. And, I've checked Mrs. Buranich's author website~ under pen name Judy Mays: www.judymays.com -- it shows no pictures of the author and mentions no specific details about her personal life. She even posts a disclaimer that you must be 18 to access certain parts of the website. Her double identity would've remained a mystery to most, if not for Ms. Apple ripping off her cloak.

Another parent, Deanna Steep stated that Mrs. Buranich should stop writing or stop teaching (News source PennLive.com). I hope the school board administration presents with more rational and political sense.

Photo Source

FREEDOM of SPEECH in the UNITED STATES is a protected civil right. The first amendment not only guarantees freedom of speech, it promises protection from imminent or potential violence against a person. Seriously, a threat to take away a woman's livelihood because you don't approve of her secondary employment is a blatant form of bullying, censorship, and (as I see it) a violation of the First Amendment of the US Constitution.

I support Wendy Apple and Deanna Stepp's right to voice their opinions; however, if the school board forces the issue, they may be infringing on Mrs. Buranich's basic civil rights and setting a dangerous precedent that could impact all writers.

Comments(4)

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Zeta, as in-- Catherine Zeta-Jones

9:50 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Bipolar Disorder, Catherine Zeta-Jones

Today's Saturday Shout-Out goes to Catherine Zeta-Jones. The Welsh-born actor is a private woman and going public about her struggle with Bipolar II Disorder must be difficult.

Bipolar II, sometimes referred to as manic-depression, is a psychiatric condition that induces severe, fluctuating moods. However with Bipolar II, the emotional swing doesn't rocket to the high point of full-blown mania, so the elevated moods are considered to be hypomania. These episodes range from euphoria to irritability and can lead to erratic or bizarre behavior. Often the symptoms of Bipolar II can be managed with psychotropic medications.

Other actors affected by Bipolar II Disorder included Russell Brand, Rosemary Clooney, Richard Dreyfuss, Patty Duke, and Carrie Fisher. Writers believed to have Bipolar II Disorder are Patricia Cornwall, Ernest Hemingway, Jack London, and Sidney Sheldon.

About 2.5% of the US population suffer with Bipolar II.

The primary symptoms of bipolar disorder are dramatic and unpredictable mood swings.

Mania symptoms may include excessive happiness, excitement, irritability, restlessness, increased energy, less need for sleep, racing thoughts, high sex drive, and a tendency to make grand and unattainable plans.

Depression symptoms may include sadness, anxiety, irritability, loss of energy, uncontrollable crying, change in appetite causing weight loss or gain, increased need for sleep, difficulty making decisions, and thoughts of death or suicide. ~ WebMD

If you experience these symptoms, please speak to your doctor.

National Mental Health Assn. Provides free information on specific disorders, referral directory to mental health providers, national directory of local mental health associations 1-800-969-6642 (M-F, 9-5 EST)

National Institute of Mental Health Information Line: Provides information and literature on mental illness by disorder-for professionals and general public. 1-800-647-2642

Comments(5)

Friday, April 29, 2011

The Yeti

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, cryptids, legends, myths, Yeti

Today's Fantasy Friday is all about the Yeti - Big Foot's abominable snowman cousin.

The indigenous people of the Himalayan mountains in Nepal, India and Tibet have stories of Yeti sightings documented through-out their history, though the scientific community considers the cryptid to be nothing but legend. Attempts to explain the Yeti range from misidentified wildlife to a human hermit.

In the 19th century, a first person account of an encounter with a Yeti in Northern Nepa described the creature as tall, bipedal, and covered with long, dark hair.

In 1986, mountaineer Reinhold Messner reported that he killed a Yeti. He believed the creature was an endangered Himalayan Brown Bear that
walked upright like a man.

In 1996, two hikers in the mountains of Nepal shot video of an ape-like creature trekking through the snow.

The discovery of homo floresiensis (Flores man) in 2004 gives cyptozoologists hope that human-like creatures reported to be myths or legends may one day be proven to be real.

In 2007, footprints were found in the Everest region of Nepal resembling descriptions of Yeti. They measured 13 inches in length and 9-10 inches in width across the toes.

The Yeti is popular icon in modern culture, making appearances in books, movies, television programs and video games.

My favorite Yeti is Bumble the abominable snowman from Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer.
Who's yours?

Comments(2)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

The X- Files

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Fringe, The X-Files

I miss The X-Files. An iconic science fiction series of the 90's, The X-Files integrated conspiracy theories, spiritualism, supernatural phenomenon, and a mytharc of extraterrestrials that was unlike anything I'd seen. The plots were bizarre and way over the top, but always interesting, imaginative, and challenging. Themes from the show quickly become pop culture slogans. The Truth is Out There, Trust No One, and I Want to Believe popped up on posters, buttons, t-shirts, and bumper stickers, becoming the voice of a generation. The X-Files, a Fox television series, ran from 1993-2002 and spun two full length feature films.

According to Wikipedia, The X-Files directly inspired other TV series, including The Burning Zone, Lost, The Dead Zone, Dark Skies, and The Visitor. I admit that I didn't watch those shows, so I can't say how closely the resemble the "feel" of watching The X-Files. However, I'm an avid viewer of the current television series, Fringe. Though it doesn't deal with extraterrestrials, it does showcase a parallel universe, scientific experimentation on humans, and unexplainable phenomena, giving me my sci-fi fix for the week.

What's your current favorite sci-fi television series?

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Writerly Wisdom from Walt Whitman

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, walt whitman, writing tips

Write in the Gush

The secret of it all, is to write in the gush, the throb, the flood, of the moment – to put things down without deliberation – without worrying about their style – without waiting for a fit time or place. I always worked that way. I took the first scrap of paper, the first doorstep, the first desk, and wrote – wrote, wrote…By writing at the instant the very heartbeat of life is caught.

WALT WHITMAN

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Tuesday's Treasure: Vowed in Shadows

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, book reviews, Jessa Slade, urban fantasy romance

Publisher: Signet
Release Date: April 5, 2010
ISBN-10: 9780451232984
ISBN-13: 978-0451232984

Book Blurb: Once a righteous missionary man, Jonah Walker now endures immortality with nothing but a body built for battle and a heart set on retribution. But his last devastating fight left him wounded beyond healing-and his only chance for redemption lies with a fallen woman whose passion burns through the shadows...

Vowed in Shadows is an urban fantasy romance where repentant demons are the good guys. Their world is dark, decadent, and dangerous. The plot is fairly straight-forward without any unexpected twists, but it is by no means boring. A few intense action scenes were a bit difficult to follow, forcing me to re-read or skim over those parts. Otherwise, the pacing was good and the story held my interest.

I love that the hero is a former missionary and that his heroine is an exotic stripper. Their conflict brews and builds from the opening scenes forecasting an explosive relationship. However, for me, I was a little disappointed that their HEA journey was less than stellar. Simply put, the emotional development between the pair didn’t meet my expectation.

I really liked Nim. Feisty, independent. Selfish at the start, but as she grows to trust and love Jonah, her selfishness turns into fierce selflessness and self-sacrifice. Although I liked Jonah, his emotional revelations and insights were less tangible and shallow; therefore, I wasn’t fully engaged with his character.

There are a slew of secondary characters that fans of the series will recognize. New readers should review the excerpts from the Handbook of Possession at the back of the book that gives insights in to the cast of characters—the good guys and the bad. I would also recommend new reader peruse the Glossary of Terms since the author uses Aramaic and Greek words as well as other terms not used in everyday conversation. Followers of the series should have no problems with the vocabulary.

The plot is complex and the action is fast-pace, if not over the top at times. The setting is gritty and fantastical with a graphic novel feel.

Jessa Slade Vowed in Shadows is book three in the Marked Souls series. I believe fans of Angela Knights’ Mageverse series and Rhyannon Byrd’s Primal Instinct series may find Vowed in Shadows enjoyable.

GOLD COIN Rating: 3

HEAT LEVEL: Bonfire

Reviewed for The Season.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Umbrella anyone?

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, dancing in the rain

Umbrella anyone?
Uh, no thanks.

Instead of hurrying to get away from the rain, I will breathe in the earthy smell as the cold droplets patter against my skin and wash away the day's anxieties.

Puddles fear me. I will splash each and every one. I don't worry about wet hair or wet clothes. Ten years from now I won't remember what I wore or how my hair looked, but I will remember dancing in the rain.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

T is for Tennyson

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Idylls of the King, Lord Alfred Tennyson, The Lady of Shalott

T is for Tennyson. Lord Alfred, that is.

Tennyson began writing poetry in his teens and was locally published at 17. He excelled at writing short lyrics, but also penned blank verse. My favorite, of which is Idylls of the King. He wrote a number of popular phrases~ Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all~ being on the most recognized. Tennyson is the second most quoted writer in the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, following Shakespeare.

My favorite of Tennyson's poems is ~

The Lady of Shalott

John William Waterhouse

On either side the river lie
Long fields of barley and of rye,
That clothe the world and meet the sky;
And thro' the field the road runs by
To many-tower'd Camelot;
And up and down the people go,
Gazing where the lilies blow
Round an island there below,
The island of Shalott.

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,
Little breezes dusk and shiver
Through the wave that runs for ever
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
Four grey walls, and four grey towers,
Overlook a space of flowers,
And the silent isle imbowers
The Lady of Shalott.

By the margin, willow veil'd,
Slide the heavy barges trail'd
By slow horses; and unhail'd
The shallop flitteth silken-sail'd
Skimming down to Camelot:
But who hath seen her wave her hand?
Or at the casement seen her stand?
Or is she known in all the land,
The Lady of Shalott?

Only reapers, reaping early,
In among the bearded barley
Hear a song that echoes cheerly
From the river winding clearly;
Down to tower'd Camelot;
And by the moon the reaper weary,
Piling sheaves in uplands airy,
Listening, whispers, " 'Tis the fairy
Lady of Shalott."

There she weaves by night and day
A magic web with colours gay.
She has heard a whisper say,
A curse is on her if she stay
To look down to Camelot.
She knows not what the curse may be,
And so she weaveth steadily,
And little other care hath she,
The Lady of Shalott.

And moving through a mirror clear
That hangs before her all the year,
Shadows of the world appear.
There she sees the highway near
Winding down to Camelot;
There the river eddy whirls,
And there the surly village churls,
And the red cloaks of market girls
Pass onward from Shalott.

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,
An abbot on an ambling pad,
Sometimes a curly shepherd lad,
Or long-hair'd page in crimson clad
Goes by to tower'd Camelot;
And sometimes through the mirror blue
The knights come riding two and two.
She hath no loyal Knight and true,
The Lady of Shalott.

But in her web she still delights
To weave the mirror's magic sights,
For often through the silent nights
A funeral, with plumes and lights
And music, went to Camelot;
Or when the Moon was overhead,
Came two young lovers lately wed.
"I am half sick of shadows," said
The Lady of Shalott.

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,
He rode between the barley sheaves,
The sun came dazzling thro' the leaves,
And flamed upon the brazen greaves
Of bold Sir Lancelot.
A red-cross knight for ever kneel'd
To a lady in his shield,
That sparkled on the yellow field,
Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glitter'd free,
Like to some branch of stars we see
Hung in the golden Galaxy.
The bridle bells rang merrily
As he rode down to Camelot:
And from his blazon'd baldric slung
A mighty silver bugle hung,
And as he rode his armor rung
Beside remote Shalott.

All in the blue unclouded weather
Thick-jewell'd shone the saddle-leather,
The helmet and the helmet-feather
Burn'd like one burning flame together,
As he rode down to Camelot.
As often thro' the purple night,
Below the starry clusters bright,
Some bearded meteor, burning bright,
Moves over still Shalott.

His broad clear brow in sunlight glow'd;
On burnish'd hooves his war-horse trode;
From underneath his helmet flow'd
His coal-black curls as on he rode,
As he rode down to Camelot.
From the bank and from the river
He flashed into the crystal mirror,
"Tirra lirra," by the river
Sang Sir Lancelot.
She left the web, she left the loom,
She made three paces through the room,
She saw the water-lily bloom,
She saw the helmet and the plume,
She look'd down to Camelot.
Out flew the web and floated wide;
The mirror crack'd from side to side;
"The curse is come upon me," cried
The Lady of Shalott.

In the stormy east-wind straining,
The pale yellow woods were waning,
The broad stream in his banks complaining.
Heavily the low sky raining
Over tower'd Camelot;
Down she came and found a boat
Beneath a willow left afloat,
And around about the prow she wrote
The Lady of Shalott.

And down the river's dim expanse
Like some bold seer in a trance,
Seeing all his own mischance --
With a glassy countenance
Did she look to Camelot.
And at the closing of the day
She loosed the chain, and down she lay;
The broad stream bore her far away,
The Lady of Shalott.

Lying, robed in snowy white
That loosely flew to left and right --
The leaves upon her falling light --
Thro' the noises of the night,
She floated down to Camelot:
And as the boat-head wound along
The willowy hills and fields among,
They heard her singing her last song,
The Lady of Shalott.

Heard a carol, mournful, holy,
Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,
Till her blood was frozen slowly,
And her eyes were darkened wholly,
Turn'd to tower'd Camelot.
For ere she reach'd upon the tide
The first house by the water-side,
Singing in her song she died,
The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,
By garden-wall and gallery,
A gleaming shape she floated by,
Dead-pale between the houses high,
Silent into Camelot.
Out upon the wharfs they came,
Knight and Burgher, Lord and Dame,
And around the prow they read her name,
The Lady of Shalott.

Who is this? And what is here?
And in the lighted palace near
Died the sound of royal cheer;
And they crossed themselves for fear,
All the Knights at Camelot;
But Lancelot mused a little space
He said, "She has a lovely face;
God in his mercy lend her grace,
The Lady of Shalott."

Friday, April 22, 2011

Scary Movies

8:40 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, scary movies, Stephen King

I love scary movies. Maybe that's a throw back to the days when my friends and I sat in the dark, telling stories of the escaped convict with a hook hand that came upon a couple "nekking" in the woods. The scare wasn't so much when the bad guy slaughtered them, but the build up leading to him to them. It was all in the suspense.

That's why I like the psycho-thrillers more than the slasher films.I want to be scared with the characters, I want to help them figure a way to survive. In a slasher film, I know they're all going to die. Where's the suspense in that?

The first R-rated movie I watched in a theater with my friends (I was a tween at the time) was Christine. We'd all read the book and just had to see it.

I've only watched The Shining once. That was enough. Just the mention of it still gives me the willies. Talk about lasting impressions.

1408 is top on my list too. I watched this in my living room with Professor X and a blanket pulled up to my face.

Hide and Seek kept me guessing. Who or what was Dakota Fanning's imaginary friend. Why was it killing people? And I loved, loved the hook at the end. Ooh, chills.

Of course, I can't forget the original Psycho, and all the old monster movies like The Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man. There's just something about watching those classics curled beneath the covers on a lazy Sunday afternoon that makes me quiver.

This week, my cousin asked me about a scary movie we'd watched as teenagers. One Dark Night. About a psychic vampire buried in a mausoleum.We had nightmares about that one. Of course, now that she's mentioned it, I must find it and watch it again. I hope it still has the fright factor.

What are your favorite scary movies?

Comments(2)

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Rolling in the Deep

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Adele, Rolling in the Deep, youtube

"R" is for raisin' the rafters with Rolling in the Deep performed by Adele. My newest favorite song.

Adele, a 22 year old English singer-songwriter, was the first recipient of the BRIT AWARDS Critics' Choice in 2008. Her album 21 spent 11 consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Album Charts, surpassing Madonna's 1990's album The Immaculate Collection. Since its release, 21 has broken the UK record for digital downloads.

Seems that Adele isn't just rolling in the deep, she's rolling in the dough.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Qwerty Keyboard

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, keyboard, typewriter

Writers might not have moved beyond the ink and quills for penning stories if not for the advent of the typewriter.

The typewriter was designed in the 1860's by Christopher Latham Sholes, a newspaper editor and printer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The name QWERTY comes from the first six letters appearing in the top letter row of the keyboard.

Though the basics of the modern QWERTY keyboard remains the same, there are a few differences. The original design have a "0" or "1" and the letter "M" was at the end of third row, next to the "L". Also, the "X" and "C" are reversed. And some typewriters didn't include an exclamation point until the 1970's.

Because of the positioning of the letters, many English words can be typed using only the left hand, while only a few words can be typed with only the right hand. (Wooh! Score for the south paws.)

While the US utilizes the standard QWERTY keyboard layout, some variations are utilized in other countries, including Canada and the UK. Computer designers adopted the QWERTY layout with modifications, creating a numeric keypad and adding function keys.

Today, QWERTY keyboards come in all shapes, colors, and sizes.

Some mobile phones use a half QWERTY keyboard with two characters sharing one key.

Although other inventors tried to "improve" upon the QWERTY design, the changes weren't significant enough to motivate typists to learn a new way of typing.

I was in 7th grade when I learned the QWERTY system on an IBM Selectric typewriter. Do you remember when you first learned to type and on what typewriter? Do you use a keyboard other than a QWERTY?

Comments(2)

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Tuesday's Treasure: Phantom Evil

7:30 AM | Labels: book reviews, Heather Graham, urban fantasy romance

Pub. Date: March 2011
Publisher: Mira

ISBN-13: 9780778329534
ISBN: 0778329534

A newly formed team of paranormal investigators take on ghosts, murders and misdirection in a state senator’s haunted New Orleans’ mansion. Known as the killing grounds for post-Civil War era serial killer, the mansion has long been associated mysterious deaths. The locals believe ghosts are the culprits in the rash of suicide jumpers from the second floor. The house’s latest victim, Regina Holloway, is thought to have killed herself following the loss of her only child in a drunk-driving accident.

Beloved state senator, David Holloway, refuses to believe his wife’s death was suicide. He hires a paranormal investigative team, backed by the US government, to uncover the truth. Despite the supernatural hoopla, the agents have their eyes and ears pointed toward the local Aryan group and a cultic church who are vocal opponents of the popular senator’s political views. Whatever the investigation reveals, the six member team won’t rest until they uncover the murderer.

The sequences that propel the story forward are logical and plausible. I didn’t notice any particular flaws as the team went about investigating not only paranormal phenomenon within the house but following non-supernatural leads to find a killer. There is an extensive cast of characters with six investigators, the Senator, his four member staff, a police detective, a pregnant teenager and various spectrals residing in the mansion. Some-times too many characters can overwhelm the story, but these individuals were given enough story time so that I wasn’t jerked around here, there, and everywhere by cardboard pop-up figures.

Jackson Crowe and Angela Hawkins, the lead investigators, develop a romantic relationship fairly quickly but it doesn’t seem out of place or rushed. The romance thread is a facet of the story but not the focus, so this is paranormal suspense with romantic elements.

I really like Jackson Crow. He believes in the supernatural but he also understands that what most people would call supernatural are manipulations perpetrated by contriving people. He will pursue the logical course and when that’s stripped down to the bare bone, he’ll either find a human culprit or evidence of a supernatural. No matter what, he’ll get to the truth.

Angela is a conduit to help spirits move forward and into the light. She operates more on instinct and feeling so this often put her in conflict with Jackson. Angela trusts her “knowing” ability, but she isn’t airy or foolish. She’s a former police officer who knows how to handle a big gun, much to Jackson’s surprise.

Jackson and Angela’s temperaments are a perfect match. Their differences create enough of a conflict to keep the relationship interesting and common ground keeps them connected.

Although the mystery plot is well-developed and credible, I skimmed parts when large amounts of the house history or backstory were presented. For me, the data chunks slowed pacing and I prefer faster, smoother reads. However, those sections don’t necessarily detract from the story. In fact, they demonstrate that investigators do go about investigating, even paranormal ones.

Phantom Evil is not an edge of your seat thriller. However, there’s plenty of action, a slew of suspects, and enough paranormal activity to hold interest until the end.

Heather Graham is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. Phantom Evil is book one in her new paranormal suspense series Krewe of Hunters.

Gold Coin rating: 3.75

Heat Index: 2

Reviewed for The Season

Monday, April 18, 2011

Old Wives Tales

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, old wives tales, superstitions

Photo Credit: old-picture.com

Ever heard of "old wives tales"?
The term has been around in some fashion since the 1st century and the concept ranges from moral lessons to folk remedies.

I remember a couple of "old wives tales" from my childhood.

The first that comes to mind is: Knock on Wood to ward off bad luck.
I still do this when I don't want to jinx myself. I can't not do it. It's ingrained into my autonomic responses.

Another: Cats steal baby's breath.
I wonder if this came about because baby's breath smells like milk and cats like milk. My grandmother liked cats, but she never allowed one near infants or toddlers.

Ever had a chill run up your spine for no apparent reason? Well, that means someone in the future is walking on your grave. Ergo, I'm obsessively careful when walking in cemeteries.

I learned this one from my dad: Find a penny, pick it up. All the day you'll have good luck. I can't pass up a coin on the ground. Once, when Professor X and I were at Busch Gardens I picked up a penny in the parking lot. A little while later, I found a nickle, then a dime, a quarter. By mid-afternoon, I'd collected a few more coins and a dollar bill. Finally, I had enough to buy an ice cream. Ahhh, what a lucky day.

Hey, did you know it's bad luck to kill a lady bug?

And did anyone ever tell you that eating raw pasta would give you worms? Or walking barefoot would make your feet big? Yes, someone told me those things. No, I never got worms and my shoe size is 5 1/2.

How about step on a crack, break someone's back or break a mirror and have seven years bad luck? Don't cross paths with a black cat.

Pulling out a gray hair will cause ten to grow in its place. Now that one, I believe.

Know any "old wives tales" that you'd like to share?

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Nachos

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, nachos, recipes

Today's A-Z Challenge letter ~ N

NACHOS

Nachos are a tex-mex dish created by Ignacio "Nacho" Anaya in 1943 for the wives of US soldiers on a shopping trip to Piedras Negras. They arrived after the restaurant where he worked had closed for the day, so Anaya used kitchen left-overs to create a quick snack. He cut tortillas into triangles, added longhorn cheese and warmed them. Before serving his "Nachos Especiales," he added jalapeno slices for spice.

I love nachos, so I thought I'd share my recipe.

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground turkey
1 can refried beans
1 can enchilada sauce
salt, onion powder and garlic powder to taste
1 cup of grated cheddar cheese
1 bag of plain tortilla chips
1 small can of black olives
sliced jalepenos

Preparation:

Heat oven to 350°. Cook ground turkey in a large saucepan. Add all ingredients but the cheddar cheese, black olives, jalepenos, and chips to the pot and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. While it is simmering, pour the chips into a casserole dish. Spread hot mixture over the chips; sprinkle grated cheddar cheese, black olives, and jalepenos on top and put in the oven for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and browned. Serve with a side of sour cream.

Comments(6)

Friday, April 15, 2011

Mothman

5:00 AM | Labels: 9-11, A-Z Challenge, fantasy creatures, folklore, legends, mothman, Point Pleasant

Playing on my iPod ~ Sweet Dreams, Marilyn Manson

It's Fantasy Friday and today's A-Z Challenge letter is "M."

MOTHMAN

The Mothman is a 7-foot cryptid with moth-like wings and red glowing eyes. Reported to be a portent of disaster, the Mothman was seen by various credible witnesses in Point Pleasant, West Virginia, hovering over the Silver Bridge on several occasions before the bridge collapsed into the Ohio River on December 15, 1967. Thirty-one vehicles fell with the bridge killing forty-six people.

John Keel, UFOlogist, credited the phenomenon to parapsychological manifestations, including precognition by witnesses. Other theories suggest that people were observing Sandhill Cranes that were a problem in the area.

Though the sitings of the Mothman in Point Pleasant was the first recorded in modern times, others have followed. People reported seeing this creature before the 1985 earthquake in Mexico City, the 1986 meltdown in Cherynobl, and in New York City on September 11, 2001.

In the movie, The Mothman Prophecies, someone tells Richard Gere's character: "You noticed them. And they noticed you noticing."

Spooky. I'm gonna remember that when I'm in the backyard at night and I hear a rustling in the brush.

Photo credit: http://animal.discovery.com/tv/lost-tapes/mothman/

Comments(5)

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Lilli who? Lilliputian

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Gulliver's Travels, Jonathan Swift, language, Lilliputian, vocabulary


Illustration from a French version of GT

Playing on my iPod ~ Rolling in the Deep -- Adele
Open on My Nook ~ Against the Wind -- Kat Martin

Today's A-Z Challenge letter: L

Lilliputian ~ trival or very small thing or person. Word Origin: 1726. An inhabitant of Lilliput, a fictional island in Jonathan Swift's Gulliver's Travels.

Lilliputian. Ha! A made-up word. How uber cool is that?

I like to make-up words. Sometimes a made-up word is what is needed to precisely describe something squirreling in my head. My friends understand this and when one of those made-up words flies out of my mouth they roll with it.

One of my English professors wasn't too happy with this little quirk when it reared in my writing. He was only too happy to have a discussion with me on the matter that if a word wasn't in the dictionary it had no place in one's writing. I responded that if new words weren't constantly being invented then language would stagnate and die. Think of the ancient languages that are now dead. What doesn't float down the river of evolution goes the way of the dinosaurs. I'm not a Flintstones kind of girl. I'm Jetsons all the way.

In dissecting my writing assignment that day, the professor admitted that the made-up words I used were understandable and presented in a manner that allowed the reader a clear picture of what was in my mind's eye. After pushing forward the heavy-weights in my corner, such as Swift, into the dialogue, the professor and I agreed on a distinction. Made-up words were permissible in creative writing class but not expository writing. I counted it as a victory and encouragement.

If everyone stuck to the rule of no made-up words, we wouldn't have added laptop, netbook, wi-fi, blog, computer, internet, web, and iPod to our vocabulary. Yikes!

Kudos to those who break the rules and give us imaginative words that become a part of our modern language.

Have you read something that contained a made-up word that stuck with you? Do you make up words when you're writing? What are they?

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Kaleidoscopes

5:00 AM | Labels: A-Z Challenge, Brewster Kaleidoscope Society, Carl Goeller, Isaac Abrams, kaleidoscope, Sir David Brewster

I love toying with kaleidoscopes. The endless combinations never fails to enchant me.

When I began researching kaleidoscopes I discovered that it hasn't been around since DaVinci like I thought. In the early 1800's Scottish inventor Sir David Brewster put together a tube, two mirrors, two translucent discs and two beads for an experiment in light polarization. Voila! What started as a scientific experiment soon became a popular toy for children of all ages.

The word "kaleidoscope" comes from the Ancient Greek language: kalos ~ beautiful, eidos ~ shapes, and skopeo ~ examine, or to look. In essence, the name means to look at beautiful shapes.

Kaleidoscopes come in all sizes. The largest is 60 feet tall and found at Emerson Place (formerly Catskills Corner). Designed by psychedelic artist Isaac Abrams and his son, Raphael, the kaleidoscope is a converted grain silo. How's that for recycling old buildings? Bravo!

Some kaleidoscopes are little enough to be key rings. According to the Brewster Kaleidoscope Society the smallest kaleidoscopes were created by stained glass artist Stan Goeller and are inside a miniaturized replica of BKS founder Cozy Baker's home-museum.

No matter the size, the images created by a kaleidoscope never fail to inspire.


Photo Credit: wikimedia commons

Photo credit: wikimedia commons

Photo Credit: Marshal Rubin

Photo Credit: the Launch Pad

"The Kaleidoscope fascinates us all, and we watch - and wait - sometimes holding our breath, as the patterns of color continue to change with the passage of time." ~ Rebecca Blackwell Drake