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Magic Most Foul Giveaway

Books, Giveaway, Recommendations 3 Responses »

Feb 142012

Annnd… Because I’m a huge dork who forgot to include it in the previous post. There is a giveaway attached to the lovely Leanna Renee Hieber’s guest post, sponsored by her Greatness and courtesy of her dear publisher, Sourcebooks Fire.

Giveaway is for one (1) copy of Darker Still and is open to any human person on the planet Earth who leaves a comment either here or on the previous post (I’ll combine them) before midnight in the Eastern (my) time zone on February 19th.

Thank you all and sorry that didn’t get included on the original posting. February has left me flabbergasted this year.

Signal Boost! A Walker Papers Kickstarter Campaign

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Oct 022011

If you’re a CE Murphy Walker Papers fan – or just want to toss a great author an extra few bucks, then check out this Kickstarter campaign for a new novella and possibly extras!

It’s been 24 hours and the campaign is already fully funded but you still have a few weeks to jump in and get this story if you’d like to be included.

In other WFF news – don’t forget to add a comment to this post to win a digital copy of L.J. McDonald’s newest book!

Guest Post + Giveaway: What’s In A Name? by L.J. McDonald

Books, Discussion, Featured, Interviews, Recommendations 4 Responses »

Oct 012011

L.J. McDonald is an author for Dorchester Publishing, home to our already esteemed Leanna Renee Hieber. She is the author of the Sylph series, consisting of The Battle Sylph, The Shattered Sylph, and the upcoming Queen of the Sylphs. If you haven’t heard of L.J. McDonald before, don’t worry – I hadn’t either. What I can tell you now, after reading the first book in the series, is that if you’re a fantastical or paranormal romance fan, then I think you want to give this series a try. I am admittedly hesitant to pick up any sort of romance novel, and yet I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it. It was original and engrossing – and reading it digitally means there are no embarrassing “man-candy” covers to display in public! As my regular readers know – from me, this is a huge endorsement! Stay tuned after the guest post for an e-book giveaway!

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

L.J. McDonald

Sòlas is a Gaelic word meaning solace, comfort, consolation, contentment, pleasure. I can’t pronounce it. My ability to speak French, the second language of my country, makes people laugh. My ability to say anything in Gaelic, which I don’t speak at all, is likely an abomination. However, I can look in a dictionary with the best of them.

If anyone does any serious study of the history of English – I haven’t, which means I just know enough to get myself into trouble – they learn that a lot of English words find their origins in ones from other languages, such as Latin. J.K. Rowling took all the spell names she used in her book from Latin words. I think this is brilliant, not that I knew enough Latin to realize it until I read the fact on a blog somewhere. It’s also something I’ve been doing for years, likely the same as a lot of authors, but I’ve been using Gaelic instead of Latin.

I brought up the word Sòlas because that’s the word I used to come up with the name for Solie, one of the heroines in my Sylph series. Obviously, I immediately bastardized it, since I don’t particularly want anyone to look at the name and go “hey, she named her heroine Comfort.” Plus I only know the definition of the word and nothing about how it’s used in context.

I don’t always do this. Sometimes the name just comes to me. I have a mental list of names I’d always planned to use and sometimes they fit that way. Leon got his name that way. Sometimes, however, it backfires on me. I love the name Blue. Took me a while to realize I’ve used it in three separate books now. All minor characters. After I finished laughing, I decided to leave it that way, just to see down the road if anyone notices. Only one of those books is on the shelves right now. Autumn’s shown up twice too. That one I’m more peeved about. It’s going to change in the other book once I get around to getting it fully typed and published.

Heyou’s name was a joke from Solie’s first words to him of “hey you”. So was Wat’s. It’s basically a misspelling of ‘What’? I’m sure there’s some sylph out there somewhere whose name is “Ohcrap” or even something ruder.
Back to the use of Gaelic. Sala definitely came from Gaelic, though there’s no exact use of the word Sala in Gaelic. It’s a corruption of a word that gives a very large hint as to her character. That’s why I like it. By taking a name from an existing word, I can give it a meaning, even if it’s one only I know.

A character’s name is very important. In a novel, it can give a fast first impression of that person and affect the way that people see them. In a fantasy it can throw the reader right out of their immersion in the world. I have a minor character in QUEEN OF THE SYLPHS called Fhranke. In the first draft, I called him Frank. I was asked to change that because it was too jarring for the beta readers. I’m sure no one would take a battler seriously if I named him Bubbles, but if I felt so inclined, I could name him Suilean and only true Gaelic speakers would want to throw the book at my head (which means I’d likely called him ‘Suilen’ instead. Close enough to Bubbles the battle sylph to make me laugh).

I’m not entirely sure how other authors come up with their names for people and places, but it doesn’t come easily to me. Using Gaelic as a source helps in finding a word when I’m stuck that has a flow to it that doesn’t sound like English and feels like it could be from a fantasy world. Besides, that way I can name some villain Asalpur someday and only I would ever know that it loosely translates as ‘donkey butt’.

Asalpur….hrm….I like it.

This is Kiara back again and now it’s time for our giveaway! One lucky winner who comments here by October 7th (11:59:00 PM Eastern) will win a download code from Dorchester Publishing to get their own copy of Queen of the Sylphs!

Here’s the blurb:

It was a dream come true. Solie had her own battler, a creature of almost infinite magic who could vaporize legions in the blink of an eye and would willingly suffer a thousand bloody deaths to protect her. She was his love. More simply, she was his queen.

Many others feel the same. The new-built settlement is a haven for all. Erected by sylphs of earth and fire, air and water, the Valley is Solie’s dominion. But, lovers without peer or killers without mercy, the very nature of their battler protectors means peril. It is not in any sylph’s nature to disobey, and while some are hers to command, others are the slaves of Solie’s enemies—the jealous, the cruel. Those who guard her must not fail. Their peasant-born ruler is not yet safe as…QUEEN OF THE SYLPHS

White Trash Zombie Giveaway Winners

Books, Featured, Recommendations 4 Responses »

Jul 212011

I am insanely late with announcing these winners, since the contest ended on — what? the 14th?

I can only apologize profusely. I forgot. No excuses — I just completely forgot.

So here’s what I’m going to do. I only had 3 comments on this giveaway. So everybody wins!

Christine, Pamela (Spaz), and Blaise please send your mailing addresses to kiara (at) waitingforfairies (dot) com. I will send each of you a copy of Diana Rowland’s wonderful White Trash Zombie and probably a bonus or two as well. I have some extra copies of things lying around, and you guys deserve it for being so patient.

So get your info to me and I’ll get your prizes out all lightning-like!

Interview with Vicki Pettersson, Author of Signs of the Zodiac

Books, Discussion, Featured, Interviews, Recommendations 1 Response »

May 292011

Welcome to Waiting for Fairies’ first ever author interview! Vicki Pettersson, author of The Signs of the Zodiac series, Feathered and Sequined Goddess of the Southwestern Desert, graciously agreed to “break [us] in”, so to speak. She even agreed not to do the interview by smoke signal as originally planned. My signal fire was a little weak that day, what can I say? This premiere interview is awfully fitting, since the very first book review ever posted at Waiting for Fairies way back in March of 2007 was Vicki’s first book: The Scent of Shadows!

I have to say, I was nervous to do this interview. Who wouldn’t be nervous when speaking to a tall, leggy redhead who is not only a NYT best-selling author but could also probably Can-Can me into the ground? You have no idea how often I’ve double, triple, and quadruple checked that I have spelled that name correctly, every time, so I wouldn’t completely humiliate myself. (Especially after recently doing a review of Jesse Petersen‘s last book!) Luckily for me, Vicki is a classy lady who didn’t begrudge me my interview-ginity. And, P.S. – it’s Swedish and pronounced “Pet-ter-suhn”, in case you were curious!

If you’re unfamiliar with Signs of the Zodiac, you can read yesterday’s review, check out Vicki’s bio on her website, or just skip ahead for the interview!

Q1: The Neon Graveyard is the last book in the series. I’m sure Joanna is relieved her author won’t be off plotting new horrible things to do to her. Are you sad to be saying good-bye?

VP: Oh, sure – blame me!

Here’s a secret, one I’ve held close to my heart throughout this entire series: I didn’t initially think the series, or Joanna, was all that dark. I mean, I was always aware that she was tough, but the way I saw it, my job was to create antagonists and conflicts to rival that toughness. So Joanna created her enemies (and the plot twists) which then returned to shape Joanna, and on it went.

It wasn’t until I was having dinner with my editor – who loves the series as much as I do – that I realized just how dark I was going with this character. I casually mentioned that Joanna’s reactions didn’t seem all that extreme to me, and my editor looked at me like I’d just stolen her cocktail. Twice.

That said, I too started feeling Joanna’s fatigue, especially after CITY OF SOULS. How much can one woman go through? And it was the answer to that question that steered me toward ending the series. I didn’t want to throw new monsters at her just for the sake of conflict, or to merely extend the series. That would cheapen Joanna’s previous efforts, and dilute the emotion of such a hard-fought journey. So I’m happy with this ending, and thrilled that even after everything she’s been through, she can believably retain her toughness and go out swinging.

Q2: Speaking of those horrible things… You never, ever pulled any punches in this series. Was there ever a point where you stopped and said to yourself, “Man, this is getting pretty brutal”? I know you practically had a reader revolt on your hands after City of Souls. Man, that was a long, long year to wait for resolution! Did you ever want to be nicer to your cast of characters?

VP: That year-long wait was awful for me too. I wanted to tell each and every reader, “Just wait, please trust me. I know what I’m doing!” But I think that strong reader reaction came precisely because Joanna’s journey had gotten so brutal. It also had nothing to do with the story’s fantastical elements. Readers had put themselves in Jo’s shoes, and were feeling her emotional pain acutely, so that was a real turning point in the series. From the fourth book on, the series had less to do with fantastical new creatures, or the world of the Zodiac, than it did with Jo’s emotions and personal life.

Did I ever want to be nicer? Yes. But not as much as I wanted to tell the truth about her and her world.

Q3: Midheaven is an interesting aspect of the books, and I’ve always wondered what you intended when you describe it as a “woman’s world”. What did you want people to take away from that description? For instance, I found it beautiful and mysterious – yet also pretty savage (kind of like women in general can be at times). Were you trying to make a gender statement there or was it simply something to fuel the story?

VP: I believe the primary purpose of fiction is to entertain, so while I wasn’t trying to make a statement, I did want to explore this matriarchal society I’d set up in the Zodiac series. Preaching, or having some sort of authorial agenda is a no-no, yet novels are such a great way to explore haunting social or emotional questions. Would it really be so much better/different if a woman were running things? My conclusion was exactly what you stated: at their best, woman are beautiful and mysterious. At their worst, they can be savage. Exactly the same as men actually, if in different ways.

Q4: When we readers are finally ready to say good-bye to Joanna and company, it appears you have something else wonderful in the works. It’s being described as “a partnership between a supernatural private eye and a rockabilly reporter with a real nose for trouble.” What can you tell us about the new Celestial Blues series that we can’t already find out from your FAQ?

VP: The first book in the Celestial Blues series is called THE TAKEN. It alternates narratives between Griffin Shaw, a moody fallen* angel/P.I., and a female reporter named Kit Craig, who is full of modern-day rockabilly swagger. Mind, “fallen angel” is a bit of a misnomer. Grif hasn’t fallen as much as he’s been busted, and working with Kit is a by-product of his punishment. I’ve just handed in the first draft, so I promise you’ll be hearing a lot more about THE TAKEN very soon!

Q5: What authors are YOU reading right now? I know in the past you’ve praised the work of Richard Kadrey. Is there anyone else we should be checking out while we wait for Celestial Blues?

VP: Other than the usual suspects, I can recommend Sophie Littlefield, who does an amazing job in both mystery and UF. She’s quickly becoming one of my auto buys, and UF readers should definitely pick up her AFTERTIME. I got behind on my reading in J.D. Robb’s IN DEATH series, so I’m playing catch-up now. (Problem is, she writes faster than I can read!) Alie Condie and Suzanne Collins are my most recent YA reads; I’m really enjoying the dystopian YA trend. Other than that, lately it’s been a lot of thrillers. I also can’t recommend Diana Gabaldon enough to those who may not yet have picked up OUTLANDER. I actually feel sorry for people who haven’t read that book.

Q6: Thank you so much for stopping by and giving us a little bit of your time! Is there anything else you’d like to say to either long-time readers or those just picking up the series?

VP: I just want to say thank you to all my readers – no matter when they started reading. Without them, there wouldn’t be a Signs of the Zodiac series … or the upcoming Celestial Blues series. I also want to give props to those readers who’ve been with me the last four years. Following Joanna Archer hasn’t always been an easy journey, but I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

Thank you, Vicki, for stopping by! I hope my readers out there will consider picking up Signs of the Zodiac if they haven’t already. This series has the Waiting for Fairies Seal of Approval! (Yes, I just made that up. I can totally do that. It’s my blog!)

Can’t Wait for Kim Harrison’s PALE DEMON? Click here.

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Dec 162010

Just a quick note to say: it was pointed out to me today that if you (like me) are a humongoid squee-ing fan girl of Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series, you can get a sneak-preview early excerpt in the “back” of the e-book of The Good, the Bad, and the Undead. Find it at either Barnes & Noble or Amazon.

It won’t be released until 12/21/10 (aka next week) but you can pre-order it for $1.99. Click-y the linky above if you’re interested.

And if you’re curious – yes, this series is recommended by me, are you *kidding* me? Go buy it now, you crazy thing.

Review: Blameless by Gail Carriger

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Oct 012010

Blameless

Parasol Protectorate #3

Written: Gail Carriger [website]

Published: Orbit, Mass market

When: September 1, 2010

ISBN: 0316074152

Obtained via: Purchase

Note: The cover blurb for Blameless contains spoilers for Changeless. If you haven’t read book 2, you should not read this blurb/review.

* * *

Cover blurb: Quitting her husband’s house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

Queen Victoria dismisses her from the Shadow Council, and the only person who can explain anything, Lord Akeldama, unexpectedly leaves town. To top it all off, Alexia is attacked by homicidal mechanical ladybugs, indicating, as only ladybugs can, the fact that all of London’s vampires are now very much interested in seeing Alexia quite thoroughly dead.

While Lord Maccon elects to get progressively more inebriated and Professor Lyall desperately tries to hold the Woolsey werewolf pack together, Alexia flees England for Italy in search of the mysterious Templars. Only they know enough about the preternatural to explain her increasingly inconvenient condition, but they may be worse than the vampires — and they’re armed with pesto.

* * *

I have been trying to write this review for a week, but I just haven’t had the time or mental capacity to use phrases like “elegant romp”, “rousing caper” and “holy crap, giant killer mechanical ladybugs!” in a sentence – even though all of those are accurate. So you’ll be getting my plain-spoken working-overtime version of this review of Blameless.

What I love most about this series is that there’s always something different to love. Soulless had awesome parasol action and a creepy mystery accompanied by a nice solid romance. Changeless was a slightly different kind of mystery (one with more action, in my opinion), some new steampunk technology, and a sucker-punch-to-the-forehead ending.

Blameless, doesn’t try to be what it’s predecessors were. It’s not afraid to be different from what’s gone before, and that’s what I like about it. It carries even more action than Changeless did, but Blameless does it with an almost silly sense of humor that I found delightful.

Don’t get me wrong – the entire series has plenty of humor, but most of it is a bit wry. Blameless, however, isn’t afraid to make fun of itself. There were several moments that had me laughing out loud. My favorite was when Professor Lyall, the werewolf Beta, admits to an interest in the reproduction of sheep. He even keeps several embryos, floating in formaldehyde. His Alpha (Lord Maccon), at one point in the book, compliments Lyall on having on-hand such a delightful drink, complete with “crunchy snacks”.

If Carriger had tried to top the tension at the end of Changeless, there’s a good chance the attempt would’ve fallen flat. That she didn’t try, and still managed to write a better, more solid book than the last has done more to impress me than any number of summer-blockbuster-style shenanigans could have.

Gail Carriger is just flat out a good author, and her work is worth giving a try. I’m very glad I did.

Buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Rating:

Wishlist: Upcoming Titles

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Aug 242010

The Black Prism by Brent Weeks [website]

Release: August 26, 2010

Published: Orbit, Hardcover

ISBN: 9781841499031

Blurb: Gavin Guile is the Prism, the most powerful man in the world. He is high priest and emperor, a man whose power, wit, and charm are all that preserves a tenuous peace. But Prisms never last, and Guile knows exactly how long he has left to live: Five years to achieve five impossible goals.

But when Guile discovers he has a son, born in a far kingdom after the war that put him in power, he must decide how much he’s willing to pay to protect a secret that could tear his world apart.

My Thoughts: Weeks’ Shadow Trilogy, though well-written, was, sadly, something I just couldn’t connect to as a reader. However, I read the first chapters posted on the publisher’s website and I was enraptured. I’ve already ordered this book, and B&N at least is already shipping. I can’t wait to receive it! By the way, I got Green on the quiz. I always seem to get Green, for some reason.

Take The Black Prism quiz. Or buy the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson [website]

Release: August 31, 2010

Published: Tor, Hardcover

ISBN: 9780765326355

Blurb: It has been centuries since the fall of the ten consecrated orders known as the Knights Radiant, but their Shardblades and Shardplate remain: mystical swords and suits of armor that transform ordinary men into near-invincible warriors. Men trade kingdoms for Shardblades. Wars were fought for them, and won by them.

One such war rages on a ruined landscape called the Shattered Plains. There, Kaladin, who traded his medical apprenticeship for a spear to protect his little brother, has been reduced to slavery. In a war that makes no sense, where ten armies fight separately against a single foe, he struggles to save his men and to fathom the leaders who consider them expendable. [Read more at GoodReads.]

My Thoughts: Sanderson’s magic systems alone are reason enough to read everything he’s ever written. I’m buying this book sight-unseen* (I haven’t even read the sample chapters. It’d be torture!), and I’m 100% confident that it’ll be great. That’s how much faith I have in this author.

*I also won an ARC of this book from Tor via Twitter. I hope it gets here before Dragon*Con, as I’d love to get my copy signed!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Married with Zombies by Jesse Petersen [website]

Release: September 1, 2010

Published: Orbit, Mass market

ISBN: 9780316102865

Blurb: A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse.

Meet Sarah and David.

Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they’re on the verge of divorce and going to couples’ counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things – the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client’s throat.

Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn’t mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don’t eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

My Thoughts: Just a couple of months ago, I was bewailing the fact that married couples are rare in urban fantasies. Now I seem to have gotten my wish. It warms my heart to think of a husband-and-wife team beheading zombies together. Everyone say, “Awwwww!” I know that’s just what my husband and I would be doing during the Zombiepocalypse. I’ll be shambling off to pick up this one as soon as it’s released!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Blameless by Gail Carriger [website]

Release: September 1, 2010

Published: Orbit, Mass market

ISBN: 9780316074155

Blurb: {Beware: This blurb contains spoilers for book 2!}

Quitting her husband’s house and moving back in with her horrible family, Lady Maccon becomes the scandal of the London season.

My Thoughts: Carriger effectively hooked me with the end of book #2. And I returned the favor by getting a friend addicted to the series, too. Luckily for my friend, she just finished Changeless last week. I’ve been chomping at the bit for Blameless for months. I’m so glad we’re finally getting close to the release date!

Pre-order the book: Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Review: Shades of Gray Jackie Kessler/Caitlin Kittredge

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Aug 162010

Shades of Gray

Written: Jackie Kessler [website] & Caitlin Kittredge [website]

The Icarus Project [website]

Published: Spectra, Trade Paperback

When: June, 2010

ISBN: 9780553386325

Obtained via: Purchase

Cover blurb: AFTER THE FALL OF NIGHT

Jet and Iridium—best friends turned bitter enemies—teamed up to foil the evil plans of the rogue superhero known as Night, but in defeating him they inadvertently destroyed the secret Corp-Co transmitter whose frequency kept the metapowered heroes of the Squadron in line. Now these heroes have turned against New Chicago, ransacking the city they once protected.

Even worse, the powerful antisuperhero group known as Everyman has taken advantage of the chaos to fan the flames of prejudice against all superpowered men and women. Just when New Chicago needs them most, Jet and the small band of heroes who have remained on the right side of the law find themselves the targets of suspicion and outright hatred.

Things aren’t going much better for Iridium. When she springs her father, a notorious supervillain, from prison to help her fight the marauding ex-superheroes, she finds that Corp-Co still has some nasty tricks up its sleeve.

But when the most dangerous man alive, the sociopath known as Doctor Hypnotic, suddenly surfaces, Jet and Iridium will once again be called upon to set aside their differences. Yet in the process, deeply buried secrets will come to light that will change everything the former best friends think they know about each other and themselves.

* * *

Shades of Gray is the second volume in The Icarus Project series, co-written by Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge.

I just have to say: This book (& series) is awesome in so many ways. In fact, let me count them for you.

Awesome thing #1: I enjoy skimming through the “Praise” sections in the front of books. This is where publishers list all of the good reviews and nice comments about the current and previous work from the author. Well, Shades of Gray has the most awesome praise section ever.

Right there on the second page are the words:

“Black and White is cover-to-cover superhero girl power awesomeness. . . . A wild, fun, irresistible ride. It’s fast-paced enough to read in a day. Just don’t plan on doing anything else until you’re through.” — Waiting for Fairies

Can you believe it! Squee! They quoted my review! I had no idea until I picked up my copy to read it, so it was a pleasant surprise. Now my goal is to try to get my copy signed while I’m at Dragon*Con. Or at least half-signed, since according to the current guest list Kittredge won’t be attending. *sad face*

Awesome thing #2: I don’t have to be embarrassed to have my comments published in Shades of Gray because this book is just as awesome as the first one.

We’re introduced to an additional double-handful of superheroes and villains, and a completely new cast of not-quite supers to go along with them. I’m fascinated by all the different code-names. We get to see Arclight/Luster’s (Iridium’s father’s) history, which turns him from a creepy, egotistical convict to a loving father and friend. Moreover, it’s a believable shift, which is nothing short of amazing.

We see the origins of Everyman and hear more about the research of the Icarus Project. I won’t spoil it for you, but I’ll tell you that Everyman has surprising roots. And if you’re paying attention to the quotes at the start of each chapter, you’ll learn lots of interesting things about Icarus and his Project, as well as quite a bit about Martin Moore.

The story alternates between views from Jet and Iridium, just like last time, but we also get to see chapters from the point-of-view of all four parents as they hook up, get married, and have babies. And, in at least one instance, as they go crazy.

If Black and White set up the lines between Good and Evil, Shades of Gray obliterates those lines with a malicious hand. Black and White was fast-paced, but Shades of Gray is a runaway train.

Black and White was about contrast: Shadow and Light; Good and Evil; human and extra-human. Everything about Shades of Gray really is gray. The good guys are now tearing the city apart. The people we thought were bad guys are now trying to save the world.

Kittredge & Kessler have taken the two-dimensional world of superhero comic books and given it a depth and feeling that echoes the real world, but on a superhuman scale. And they’ve done it in such a way that their two narratives are seamless. If they didn’t tell who wrote which character in their end bios, I would never have known the difference.

Shades of Gray is a can’t miss chapter in The Icarus Project, and I’m looking excitedly forward to hearing a whole lot more from Jet, Iridium, and company.

Buy Shades of Gray:Amazon | B&N | Indie Bound

Rating:

The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker – Book Trailer & Excerpt

Books, Recommendations 1 Response »

Jan 242010

I’ve been meaning to get this up for awhile. I’m really looking forward to this sequel to The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker. For your enjoyment while we both wait – here’s the book trailer and an excerpt to Darkly Luminous.

The Official Trailer

A Brief Excerpt

Excerpt from The Darkly Luminous Fight for Persephone Parker courtesy (and copyright) of Leanna Renee Hieber. Read more excerpts here.

Miss Persephone Parker lay deep in the honeyed thick of dreams, shifting between terrible vision and wonderful memory. The terrible vision began beautiful but ended in horror, she recalled.

She was young and powerful, standing in an endless field of perfumed flowers. The sky was what she imagined of Heaven. Eternal and wondrous, a beautiful raven-haired man held her tightly in his arms, and his great wings encircled their clinch, grazing her satin skin that ached for his touch. Phoenix was more than man or angel; he was a God, a being of sense and light, reason and truth. He was the perfect complement to her life-force of beauty, kindness, sensibility and love. Their mutual fellowship of light was blinding. Never had two beings been so suited. They loved one another not because it was destined but merely because it was right and mutually joyous. Their respective divine forces fit together as a puzzle, interlocked and stronger for it.

But jealousy set the God aflame—literally. Darkness set Phoenix on fire, and her lover died before her heavenly eyes. Screams shook the Earth. Tears enough to drown the world flooded the ground. His great form crumbled to dust, and the vendetta was born.

She turned back to the cave from whence came murder. Red eyes burned from the shadows. Vengeance flared in her heretofore peaceful breast, fueling a hallowed blue fire forged from the remnants of her one true love—and somehow the girl that was now Miss Parker knew that what she viewed here was a score she would unfortunately have to settle herself.

The scene shifted from nightmare to memory.
Here she recognized herself, her queer white skin, and remembered that friends called her Percy. A distinguished professor held her in his arms. Her body was corseted, swathed in satin, wreathed in heather. He wore a fine frock coat and waltzed with her by moonlight. His black hair lustrous in shafts of silver light, his dark eyes bright and compelling, this was her one true love. Acutely aware of the press of his hand and the curve of his lips, here was her destiny, the man who understood her, who unlocked her eerie visions and made everything strange about her beautiful.

The handsome, stoic face of Professor Alexi Rychman suddenly shifted, and in its place flashed red, angry eyes—fiery, terrible eyes—and she heard the all too familiar hissing of snakes. She bolted upright, launching herself toward consciousness before those eyes could seek her out.

Percy awoke in a large room she did not know.

Buy the Book

Pre-order Darkly Luminous at B&N or Amazon.

The WFF Holiday Gift-Buying Guide

Books, Featured, Recommendations 1 Response »

Dec 082009

What do you mean, you weren’t planning on giving books as gifts this year? Haven’t you heard that the economy is crappy? Put down that overpriced sweater and hie thee to your local bookstore ASAFP, people! A book is the perfect gift: they’re cheap, they’re portable. They’re easy to wrap.

They can also be a doorway into hours of entertainment. Please consider the most excellent choice of a novel this holiday season. (Especially if you’re buyingfor moi.)

If you’re new to the book-as-gift buying idea, let Waiting For Fairies help you out. Here’s our guide to this season’s best stories for the giftee’s in your life.

For the Sarcastic:

I could recommend nothing more nor less than Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series. Give the gift of snark this holiday season. Your local wise-ass will thank you. Also works for: emos & goths. Trust me.

The series consists of:

Nightlife

Moonshine

Madhouse

Deathwish

Roadkill (forthcoming in March 2010)

Your giftee already a Thurman fan? No worries. Try Mark Henry’s Happy Hour of the Damned instead.

For the Vampire Fan:

If you’re ready to progress past stalker-vamps, why not let half-vamp, half-mage – all-bad-ass assassin – Sabina Kane cleanse your palate? This is the most unique vampire story I’ve read in a long time. Look for: Red Headed Step Child by Jaye Wells.

For the Ladies:

Have a friend who insists on opening her own doors and snorts at the thought of the Disney princesses? Then give the gift of a different side of all those sappy ‘happily-ever-after’ fairy tales. Jim C Hines’ The Stepsister Scheme is a breath of fresh air. No princesses “waiting to be rescued” here. In fact, this trio of butt-kicking ladies turn the table on convention by heading out to rescue … a prince!

For Your Favorite D&D/Sword & Sorcery nerd:

And I say that in the fondest way possible. Internet rumor has it that Jim Butcher penned this sword-and-sorcery epic on a dare. Even if it’s not true that the dare was to combine Pokemon and Roman legions into a workable story – it’s still one crazy, wild ride. And totally worth it.

Codex Alera is a complete series composed of:

Furies of Calderon

Academ’s Fury

Cursor’s Fury

Captain’s Fury

Princep’s Fury

First Lord’s Fury

For Moms & Fans of Zombies:

I know that’s a crazy couple of demographics to put together, but Cherie Priest’s Boneshaker has managed it. Single mom Briar Wilkes heads into a destroyed and barricaded alternate history Seattle to rescue her trapped teenage son. In the process, she fights zombies (aka “rotters”), meets dirigible-flying air pirates, and a crazy mad-scientist who just might be her long-dead ex-husband. Get this book for the zombie-fighting mom in YOUR life.

For the Steampunk or Jane Austen fans:

Properly-mannered spinster Alexia Tarabotti is missing something rather important. She is one of the rare people who lack a soul, giving her the unique gift of negating the otherworldly powers of the excessively-souled supernatural creatures of London. But just because she’s soulless, that doesn’t make her heartless and the ill-mannered brute of a werewolf known as Lord Conall Macon seems to have captured it. There’s no time for romance, however, as Alexia has to solve the mystery of the disappearing, reappearing vampires! Soulless is worth reading for Alexia’s flamboyant vampire friend, Lord Akeldama alone.

For the Intellectual ‘Literary fiction’ fan:

We all have those friends who would rather drop dead than be seen with a ‘genre’ novel. Do these friends a favor and buy them The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber. With the haunting prose of Dickens and the soul of a Victorian romance (with a dash of Jack the Ripper), Percy Parker is a mesmerizing tale.

For the Lover of Twist-Endings

If they loved The Sixth Sense, then they’ll love Rob Thurman’s A Trick of the Light. This book is all subtle build up followed by several successive Big Bangs of revelation and twist ending. I want to buy this book for every friend on my list. Don’t forget to buy a copy for yourself, too. Believe me, you & your friend will appreciate having someone with which to discuss this book

For the Macabre:

For the friend who thinks The Crow (or, god-forbid, if you don’t know that one, then the Saw movies) wasn’t quite bloody enough. Meet just-resurrected-from-Hell Sandman Slim. Because it doesn’t get any more bad ass than the guy who was an assassin for Satan’s highest lieutenants. Richard Kadrey should be very proud of himself. Slim is probably the most talked about book of the year.

For the CSI fan:

Written by former medical examiner Diana Rowland, Mark of the Demon combines autopsies and demons. And scary things from the past coming back to bite you on the ass. Who can’t relate to that? This is an author to watch, folks, so get in on the fandom early.

For the Comic / Superhero fan:

Black & White by Caitlin Kittredge and Jackie Kessler. Buy a copy for everyone who’s ever even watched a Marvel movie. Because these two ladies have done it better.

For the Conspiracy Theorist:

Ultra secret society of superheroes hiding out in every major city of the world, battling evil and protecting civilians while staying undercover and out of sight? If I could sum up Vicki Pettersson’s Signs of the Zodiac series in one word it would be: brutal. Pettersson doesn’t pull her punches when it comes to putting her heroine through the ringer.

Series consists of (to date):

The Scent of Shadows
The Taste of Night
The Touch of Twilight
City of Souls
Cheat the Grave (forthcoming June 2010)

For Teens

I can’t recommend Kim Harrison’s Once Dead, Twice Shy enough. I loved this novel, and I’m an adult. I can only imagine how much someone who’s not quite as far from their teenage years as I am would love it. If you think they’d like something just a touch darker, then give them Lili St. Crow’s Strange Angels. The teenagers were so realistic in that one that I wanted to pick them up and shake them. You can also try the just-released sequel. (PS – I gave my favorite teenager both of these novels for Christmas. So I stand by my recommendations.)

For Kids:

Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book has won so many awards I couldn’t even list them all here – including The Newbery Medal. It’s The Jungle Book, with ghosts.

Another fun read for kids (or adults) is Brandon Sanderson’s Alcatraz series. Written from the perspective of a boy who’s ‘superhero’ power is clumsiness/klutziness/breaking stuff, we’re introduced to a world where a vast secret society of evil librarians have conspired to write an entire continent who didn’t agree with them right out of history.

Series consists of:

Alcatraz and the Evil Librarians

Alcatraz vs the Scrivener’s Bones

Alcatraz and the Knights of Crystallia

So there you have it, folks. A shiny new book for every person on your list. Think we missed something? Leave your own recommendations in the comments.

FTC Disclaimer: The Amazon links are for your convenience only. I am not an affiliate and make no money from any purchases you may make. With that in mind, feel free to buy from whatever your favorite store happens to be. I did not receive review copies of any of the books recommended above. Which is a sad, sad thing. Edit: I forgot that I did, in fact, receive an ARC of Miss Percy Parker. Which was the book that made me feel Most Intelligent this year. Looking forward to the sequel!

5 Authors I Just Found (Now You Should Too)

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May 252009

Simon R. Green – Now, I know Mr. Green has been writing for a very long time. I was, however, only recently lucky enough to find his Nightside series. Fans of Jim Butcher’s Dresden Files should definitely check this out. It’s a bit darker, a bit less funny, but still excellent. [link]
Rachel Caine – Ms. Caine has also been writing for awhile. I kept hearing great things about her Weather Warden series. When I finally picked it up (I’ve read the first two so far), I realized that I had been missing out. The cover blurb is correct, after reading about Joanne and the Weather Wardens – you’ll never watch the Weather Channel the same way again! [link]
Devon Monk – Ms. Monk is probably my favorite of this list. Her first two books in the Allie Beckstrom series are out now and you should run- not walk- to go pick them up now. She’s done such an interesting and unique twist for her magic system that it’s worth reading for that alone. [link]
T.A. Pratt – Mr. Pratt (yes, it was a surprise to me, too) has several books out in his Marla Mason series. I love Marla. She is a cold-blooded bitch when it comes to protecting her beloved city. Yet she’s a caring, warm person once we’re inside her head. My fingers are itching to pick up book #3 (it’s on my shelf right now), but I promised myself that I wouldn’t read them all at once.
Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge – This pair has written my third most anticipated volume of the year. (White Witch Black Curse and Naamah’s Kiss, thanks for asking). Black & White is the story of a pair of superheroes – one heroine, one villainess- written in tandem. I admit I’ve read nothing by either one of these ladies (yet), but the short story on B&N.com was enough to get me salivating. [link]

So there you go, head out and pick up some new books!

Looking Ahead – New Releases in 2009

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Dec 262008

Below is my personal shopping list (so far) for 2009!

January 5th – Karen Miller – Hammer of God (Godspeaker, Book 3)
January 27th – Gail Z Martin – Dark Haven (Necromancer, Book 3)

January 27th – Lois McMaster Bujold – Horizon (The Sharing Knife, Book 4)

February 26th – Kim Harrison – White Witch, Black Curse (The Hollows, Book 7)
March 3rd – Anne Bishop – The Shadow Queen (The Black Jewels, Book 7)
April 7th – Jim Butcher – Turn Coat (The Dresden Files, Book 11)
April 7th – Karen Chance – Curse the Dark (Cassandra Palmer, Book 4)
May 26th – Kim Harrison – Once Dead, Twice Shy (YA) (Madison Avery, Book 1)
June 24th – Jacqueline Carey – Naamah’s Kiss – (Kushiel, Book 7 – New series)
June 30th – Vicki Pettersson – City of Souls (Signs of the Zodiac, Book 4)

Top 10 Fantasy Series To Watch

Books, Recommendations 2 Responses »

Sep 072008

Please note that since these books are fantasy series â€œto watchâ€, this list does not include any series that is already complete.

1. The Hollows / Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison – Always my favorite author, and not just because she set her books in my home town.

This series follows â€˜Runnerâ€™ (a sort of private investigator) Rachel Morgan in her quest to take down the bad guys in Cincinnati. With her partners, Jenks – a pixie – and Ivy – a living vampire – Rachel does her best to thrive in a dangerous world where supernatural races live openly and demons show an interest in making her their personal familiar. Begins with Dead Witch Walking.

2. Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher – Another favorite of mine, particularly for Harryâ€™s dry wit and sarcasm.

Harry Dresden is the only Wizard listed in Chicagoâ€™s yellow pages. He spends his time rescuing damsels in distress, fighting off vampires, and trying to avoid becoming entangled in Fairy politics. Sometimes heâ€™s successful, and other times decidedly not. With his wickedly lecherous sidekick, spirit-stuck-in-a-skull Bob, Harry at one point even manages to resurrect a T-Rexâ€™s skeleton and rides it rampaging through downtown. A hilarious and intriguing ride. Begins with Storm Front.

3. Rogue Mage series by Faith Hunter – An intriguing tale of post-apocalyptic America.What happens if Armageddon happens but God never shows? Too bad the demons did.

Thorn St. Croix is one of my favorite characters, a rogue mage hiding from the rest of her people in a small town in Appalachia. Knowing sheâ€™d be reviled, beaten, and quite probably killed by her neighbors if they found out what she was, Thorn still goes to battle on their behalf against the forces of evil. A great re-readable series; I feel smart just for reading it. Begins with Bloodring.

4. The Godslayer Chronicles by James Clemens – Clemens is one of the best authors out there, in my opinion. Heâ€™s never afraid to look full in the face of evil. His books always grab you by the throat and donâ€™t let go.

In the land of Myrillia there are a hundred Gods, all bound to the land to keep it safe and prosperous. When Tylar de Noche, crippled and disgraced former Shadowknight is implicated in the murder of one of them, he is dubbed Godslayer and forced to go on the run to prove his innocence. And perhaps save the world from a bigger disaster than the death of a God. Begins with Shadowfall.

5. Chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin – These books are huge, over 600 pages each. I think I read both of the available books (to date) in less than a day each. An intriguing read.

Prince Martris Drake is the second son of a King, and heâ€™s never wanted to be anything more. But when his elder brother kills their father and seizes the throne, Martris is forced to run. With only a handful of loyal friends, he goes on a journey to gather enough resources to rid the world of the evil his brother has unleashed. His task is complicated by the realization that he can speak with the dead, and his burgeoning talent wreaks havoc on his plans. Begins with The Summoner.

6. The Codex Alera by Jim Butcher – Yes, I know Butcher is already on this list. I canâ€™t help it if he has two excellent series. Alera is Butcherâ€™s foray into more traditional fantasy (Something he was told he couldnâ€™t write. They were wrong.).

Tavi is a teenage boy living in a world where it seems that everyone can call elementals – called Furies – to their aid. Everyone, that is, except for him. Through sheer wit and ingenuity, however, Tavi manages to uncover a creeping invasion by his countryâ€™s enemies to the north and is also able to assist in repelling the attack. This summary does not do the series justice, however. I highly encourage you to give it a shot. Begins with Furies of Calderon.

7. Godspeaker by Karen Miller – This story is so captivating that I lack words. So hereâ€™s the back cover blurb:

â€œIn a family torn apart by poverty and violence, Hekat is no more than an unwanted mouth to feed, worth only a few coins from a passing slave trader. But Hekat was not born to be a slave. For her, a different path has been chosen. It is a path that will take her from stinking back alleys to the house of her god, from blood-drenched battlefields to the glittering palaces of Mijak. This is the story of Hekat, slave to no man.â€ Begins with Empress.

8. A Song of Ice And Fire by George R.R. Martin – What series list would be complete without ASOIAF? Especially since fans have been waiting over a decade for the seriesâ€™ conclusion; and weâ€™ve still got two more books to go.

I have to say that I have a love/hate relationship with this series. Martin is cruelly brutal to his characters; no one is safe from being psychologically harmed, physically maimed, or even killed. Itâ€™s a heart-rending, breath-stopping, canâ€™t-wait-to-see-how-it-turns-out kind of ride. I am simultaneously furious as the events unfold and fascinated by the intricate weavings of the story. Begins with A Game of Thrones.

9. Signs of the Zodiac by Vicki Pettersson – Comic book superheros crossed with high society socialites written by an ex-Las Vegas showgirl. Who knew?

This is not your Marvel superhero universe, letâ€™s just say that. Each city with enough population warrants their own Zodiac – twelve superheros fighting for good against their twelve dark opposites. This series focuses on the Zodiac in Las Vegas and the trials of the prophecied Kairos, Joanna Archer, who is destined to carry within herself both the powers of Light and Dark. Begins with The Scent of Shadows.

10. Cal Leandros series by Rob Thurman – Tired of all those new â€˜urban fantasyâ€™/’preternatural romanceâ€™ type novels where the heroine falls into the arms of the dangerous vampire/werewolf/whatever after knowing him three days? Then this is welcome relief.

Meet Cal and Niko Leandros, half-brothers trying to make it in New York City. They escaped from their abusive mother to the big city, but thereâ€™s just one problem. Calâ€™s nightmarish Grendal father is looking for him to be the key in bridging their dark and evil world with ours. A very dark, wild ride. Begins with Nightlife.