Tag Archives: Erin Kellison

Guest Post: The Making of a Hero by Erin Kellison + giveaway

Posted on April 26, 2012 by TBRG| 10 Comments

Today we have one of our favorite authors on talking about heroes and her new book, Erin Kellison.

First of all, thank you to Heather for having me here today to celebrate the release of Shadow Play, the second in my Shadow Touch enovella series. For readers today, I’d like to offer a $25 gift certificate to the bookstore of their choice for telling me a quality that a romance superhero has to have. Sense of right/wrong? Humility? Great abs? I want to hear it!

I love the origin stories of heroes—how they got to be that way in the first place. Sometimes there’s an event, the wrongful death of a loved one comes to mind, that enrages them and motivates an all-for-nothing transformation. Some heroes are suddenly invested with super powers and must wrestle with them to find their way and purpose. Some are born with power and an innate goodness (I never really liked Superman).

Cameron Kalamos is a good man who really isn’t interested in heroism at all—he likes his lab work and he likes World of Warcraft and he likes this girl named Ellie, who has the singular problem that her shadow runs around separately from her flesh-and-blood body, making mayhem at every turn. Because Cam is good man, maybe even like guys we know, he tries to do the right thing. He’s the kind of guy who “has greatness thrust upon him” because he certainly didn’t choose it for himself. In Shadow Touch, part one of the series, this is the moment he makes that (very desperate) choice at the insistence of an angel:

             “…Say it. What will you do, if and when it becomes necessary?”

Cam put his hands over his face for the privacy of dark to make a promise. He would do everything else first before taking this too-easy way out. Absolutely everything else first, but this.

“It’s hard, I know. But say it.”

Son of a bitch angel. This was not what he signed up for. Not what he came to Segue for. What the hell was wrong with the world that he, of all people, would be asked this?

“Now, please.”

Fine. Only if absolutely necessary. “I’ll kill her.”

In Shadow Play, which released this week, Cam and his girl Ellie confront their first mission, to save a child from the fae of Twilight. Once again Cam is called upon to be more than he anticipates, fight harder than he could have imagined. His motivation? You guessed it: Love.

Here’s the blurb:

 Shadow

The world is growing dark with it as mysteries from antiquity and legend creep into our time, bringing a new world of danger, beauty and…

Magic

Dr. Cam Kalamos has dedicated his life to studying its strange properties, but nothing is more intriguing than a woman whose soul is split in half, one part under her control, one part bent on…

Seduction

How can he resist the lure of a lover with no inhibitions and an insatiable desire to possess him? Both Ellie and her shadow want Cam, but there is an innocent child to be rescued from the forest and the strange fae creatures of…

Twilight

Love, loyalty, betrayal – which will rule? As Ellie sends her other self into the darkness, there is only one certainty: Trusting in shadows is a dangerous game.

Thanks so much for having me! This was a blast. Stop by my website for more info on my upcoming releases, and to read excerpts from all the books in my Shadow series. You can also find me on Twitter and Facebook – links are below:

My website: www.erinkellison.com

Twitter (@ekellison): www.twitter.com/ekellison

Facebook: www.facebook.com/erinkellisonauthor

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Hotter on the Edge Anthology

Posted on March 20, 2012 by TBRG| Leave a comment

Title: Hotter on the Edge

Author: Jessa Slade, KC Klein, Erin Kellison

Genre: Sci-Fi

All That Glitters by Erin Kellison

Cheated out of a fortune by the Sol royal family, lowborn Simon Miner will do anything to get his revenge, no matter how ruthless. When Princess Mica Sol, a terraforming expert, is shot out of the sky on the way to her sister’s lavish wedding, she fears the worst—scavengers—and flees into an alien jungle to avoid capture. But the man who pursues and captures her is none other than Simon, her former lover. Passions reignite as violence rocks Sol City, and Simon and Mica must fight for love, family, and their world… or lose everything.

To Buy a Wife by KC Klein

In a harsh land where corruption rules and women are few, cold realist Hudson Land must purchase a wife to save his farm. Instead of an auction, he witnesses the start of an execution. With his first look at a beautiful woman in years, Hudson knows he has to have her—no matter the cost. Lake, a chemist and a rebel fighter, is resigned to her death, but when some back-hill farmer rescues her from the chopping block she has no intention of simply becoming his wife. She’s pledged her life to the Rebellion and being bought for some stranger’s bed doesn’t change a thing, though his soft caresses have her longing for more. As lies and secrets build between them, are the quiet moments during the nights they’ve shared enough to stand against two warring factions in a world where only the strong survive?

Enslaved by Starlight by Jessa Slade

Transformed by empathic crystals into the perfect paramour, Benedetta Galil is the last treasure of her fading world. When raiders attack—seeking to corrupt the crystals and conquer all of charted space—she gives herself as a prize to the one man in the universe who values freedom over power. Mercenary sheership Captain Corso Deynah left oppression behind him on a burning planet and has no use for a sex slave, even one as seductive as Benedetta. But while he stubbornly resists her body, her fierce spirit tempts him, and he will risk everything—his ship, his seclusion, the very stars—to win not just her passion but her love.

Ok I’m just going to say this I LOVED this book. Every single story. When I think about sci-fi I think about Star Wars, Star-Trek, Stargate (the tv show), Stargate Atlantis and Eureka..ok if I’m honest there are more I love, but these are my favorites. So when I got this book I knew I was going to like it if not love it. I loved it.

Each of the stories are unique and interesting.

In Erin Kellison’s All that Glitters former lovers are re-united on the eve of a royal wedding. As they come to terms with their past and renew their friendship, they discover that they are still in love with each other and now must find a way to be together. The trope of former lovers being re-united and discovering that they are still in love with each other is one of my favorites, and Erin delivers it beautifully.

To Buy a Wife was my least favorite story in the book. The whole buying a wife thing just didn’t work for me. The lack of connection between the characters made the story not very believable.

Enslaved by Starlight by Jessa Slade was such a good book I actually wanted more of the story. I wanted to know more of them. The conflict between Benedetta and Corso is very much an inner battle as they battle with themselves over their desire for each other and their beliefs about Benedetta’s planet. As they work together to save her planet they get to know each other. Watching as they realize that they have deep feelings for each other and not knowing what to do with it was a page turner for me.

Over all I loved this book. It has all those things I look for in  a great sci-fi romance. It takes place on another planet, has space travel, bad guys, a hero who is a hero whether he knows it or not and two people who find that one person who makes them better. What more can you ask?

Grade B+

Posted in FF&P, Grade B+, Heather, Review

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TBRG Top 5 Reads of 2011

Posted on December 30, 2011 by TBRG| 3 Comments

Today we’re sharing our overall top reads of 2011. These are the books that we are still talking about and re-reading long after the first time we read them.

Angela’s Top 5

  1. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern
  2. The Black Prism by Brent Weeks
  3. The Sailor Moon Reissues by Naoko Takeuchi
  4. Fantasy In Death by J.D. Robb

Heather’s Top 5

  1. Archangel’s Kiss by Nalini Singh
  2. Serendipity by Carly Phillips
  3. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
  4. Head over Heels by Jill Shalvis
  5. After Dark with a Scoundrel by Alexandra Hawkins

Melanie’s Top 5

  1. Haunting Desire by Erin Quinn
  2. Until There was You by Kristin Higgins
  3. Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
  4. Warriors Redemption by Melissa Mayhue
  5. Shadowman by Erin Kellison

Janon’s Top 5

  1. Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
  2. Pale Demon by Kim Harrison
  3. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
  4. Until There was You by Kristin Higgins
  5. Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

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TBRG Top 5 2011 Paranormal Reads

Posted on December 29, 2011 by TBRG| 1 Comment

Vampires, shifters, changelings, fairies, time-travel these are just some of the things that make us love paranormal romance. The endless possibilities of what can happen in a paranormal make it a genre that can appeal to anyone in come way. I have to admit this is my favorite genre, and I know that Janon and Angela love it as well, and over the last year Melanie has become a convert as well.

Janon’s Top 5

  1. Pale demon by Kim Harrison
  2. Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
  3. One Grave at at Time by Jeaniene Frost
  4. The Passion by Donna Boyd
  5. Crave by J.R. Ward

Angela’s Top 5

  1. One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost
  2. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
  3. The Devil’s Playground by Jenna Black
  4. Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon
  5. Enchanted INC by Shanna Swindson

Heather’s Top 5

  1. Archangel’s Blade by Nalini Singh
  2. Kiss of Snow by Nalini Singh
  3. Savage Nature by Christine Feehan
  4. How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
  5. Desire Unclaimed by Larissa Ione

Melanie’s Top 5

  1. Haunting Desire by Erin Quinn
  2. Cold Sight by Leslie Parish
  3. Shadowman by Erin Kellison
  4. Chosen by Blood by Virna DePaul
  5. Warriors Redemption by Melissa Mayhue

 

Once again we have a couple of books that made more than one list :)

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Holiday Fun with Erin Kellison

Posted on November 18, 2011 by TBRG| 1 Comment

Today we are joined by one of the coolest people we’ve ever met Erin Kellison. She’s sharing one her families holiday recipes and just in time for Thanksgiving.

Happy Holiday’s everyone! And thank you to the Book Reading Gals for hosting me! Hugs to all!

You’re a mean one Mr. Grinch
You really are a heel.
You’re as cuddly as a cactus,
And as charming as an eel,
Mr. Grinch!
You’re a bad banana,
With a greasy black peel!

(from the original cartoon of The Grinch)

 

Yep, I’m with Jenn on this one. The Grinch is my favorite holiday story. In the Kellison household, it is common to burst into the Grinch song. My little ones fall over in giggles. When I was a kid, my family used to act out the story on Christmas eve, but combine it with A Christmas Carol, so that the Grinch was visited by three ghosts before having his change of heart. It was quite a production, followed by the opening of one gift before going to bed (and staying up all night listening for Santa).

When I cook, I get a lot of complaints. But my husband is a rock star in the kitchen. He wrote up his take on stuffing for me (sweet guy). It’s absolutely delish. Yummy. Amazing.  Enjoy!

Mr. Kellison’s Southwest Stuffing

Technically, this is a dressing, not a stuffing, since we’re baking it in the oven in its own tray, and not stuffing it inside anything. But “Southwest Dressing” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. Southwest Stuffing combines traditional bread stuffing with a Southwest-style roasted corn relish. Hope you enjoy it.

Ingredients

  • 1 bag bread cubes (seasoned or unseasoned, up to you)
  • 1 medium yellow onion
  • Bunch of celery
  • Poultry seasoning (if you can’t find poultry seasoning, it’s basically dried sage, rosemary, and thyme all mixed together – you can buy them separately and make your own)
  • 2-3 cups corn (frozen or canned…you probably won’t find fresh corn around the holidays, but if you do, even better. If you use canned, make sure it’s got no salt added. I usually go with a mix of yellow and white corn, but again it’s up to you)
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1-2 jalapeno chiles
  • 1-2 chipotle chiles
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • Chicken stock
  • Butter
  • Olive oil
  • Canola oil

 

Steps

 

OK, first of all, there are no hard-and-fast measurements for this dish. You basically sauté up a bunch of stuff, throw it together, and season it to your own taste. How much onion vs. celery vs. chiles you put in is totally up to you. Experiment – it’s your food after all.

 

  1. Dice all the vegetables
    1. Dice the yellow onion and set aside
    2. Dice the celery and set aside. This should be about the same amount as the yellow onion
    3. Dice the red onion. Usually I only do about a third of the red onion because I don’t like the relish to get overpowered by the onion. But if you love onions, go crazy.
    4. Dice the jalapeno. Most recipes say to take out the seeds and the white, pithy ribs of the chiles. But that’s where most of the heat is, so I usually do this half-heartedly. If a few seeds get in there, who cares?
    5. Chop up the chipotles. Pound for pound, chipotles pack more flavor than any other ingredient I can think of. Chipotles are smoked jalapeno chiles, and they usually come in two ways: dried, or in adobo. Adobo is basically Mexican barbecue sauce. I use chipotles in adobo for two reasons: (1) adobo is yummy and it rocks, and (2) dried chipotles are a pain in the ass. If you HAVE to get the dried ones, here’s what you need to do: boil some water, chuck the chiles in the water, and let them soak until they soften up. I have no idea how long this will take. Once they’re soft, throw away the water because it will be nasty, then you can chop them up and use them the same way you would use the ones in adobo. So don’t waste your time; get the ones in adobo and be done with it. NOTE: with chipotles, I do get rid of the seeds because after soaking for so long (either in water or adobo) they’re kinda slimy and gross. Plus you’ll get plenty of heat without them, so just scrape them away.
  2. Make the corn relish
    1. Put a large sauté pan over medium-high heat
    2. When the pan is hot, pour in some canola oil, just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. About 1 tablespoon should be enough. If you don’t have canola oil, you can use olive oil, or whatever you have. It’s just a little nicer with a neutral-flavored oil like canola or safflower. Olive oil has a stronger taste that doesn’t quite jibe with the flavors in this relish. But we’re really splitting hairs here…if olive oil is all you’ve got, use it.
    3. Throw in the corn, red onion, jalapenos, and chipotles. There will be a lot of popping and hissing as the veggies hit the hot pan. You’ll want to turn on the oven fan or open a window.
    4. Season with plenty of salt and a little pepper (we’ve already got lots of heat going with the chiles, so you can go easy on the pepper)
    5. Let the corn relish cook, stirring occasionally.
    6. When the corn starts to caramelize (aka burn) a little, take it off the heat. This can be a little tricky, since you don’t want it burned, per se, but you do want the corn to get some color on it, to give it that nice roasted complex flavor. Plus it looks cool that way.
    7. Pour the relish in a bowl and set aside.
    8. Deglaze the pan. You’ll have a lot of burned bits of corn on the bottom of your pan. To clean it up quickly (you can reuse the pan for step 3), pour in some water and put the pan back on the heat for a minute or two. The water will boil almost instantly. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan lightly for a few minutes while the water boils away. This will clean it up nice.
    9. Once you’ve got all the burned bits cleaned off, rinse the pan and throw it back on the stove. You don’t have to wash it fully, we’re just going to get it messy again. Reduce the heat to medium, though, because it’s time to…
  3. Make the stuffing
    1. Put a large sauté pan over medium heat
    2. Put in a pat or two of butter to melt and pour in some olive oil. I like to combine the two, because it tastes good. Plus technically, it’s better for you than just using butter. But this is the holidays, nobody cares about calories. Use only butter or only olive oil if you want.
    3. Throw in the yellow onion and celery, season them with plenty of salt and pepper, and cook for a while until the veggies are soft and translucent. For those playing at home, this is sort of halfway between a sauté and a sweat…we don’t want to really caramelize the veggies, just get them nicely cooked through.
    4. Open the bread cubes and put them in the biggest bowl you’ve got. You’ll need a lot of room for stirring.
    5. Once the veggies are cooked, pour them over the bread cubes.
    6. Pour about a cup of the stock over the bread cubes.
    7. Season with the poultry seasoning to taste. Remember if you’re using seasoned bread cubes you won’t need much extra seasoning, but you will need some. Go slowly and taste often – you can always add more.
    8. Stir to combine everything.
    9. Pour in the corn relish. Stir again.
    10. At this point you just want to start adding more chicken stock and stirring until the stuffing gets to a moist consistency, but the bread cubes still hold their shape for the most part…a few mushy ones is fine, but you don’t want the whole thing to be mush. Or maybe you do…like I said, it’s your food.
    11. Once you have it moistened and seasoned to your liking, scoop it all into a baking dish (glass or metal is fine) and bake at 350-375 degrees. Your baking time will vary widely depending on your oven and how crunchy or soft you want your stuffing.

Posted in fun, Holiday

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Erin Kellison guest blog + giveaway

Posted on September 21, 2011 by TBRG| 17 Comments

On our first night at RomCon 2010 we sat down to dinner with someone that we thought was another reader, come to find out she was a brand new author. Her name is Erin Kellison. We had a great time getting to know her that night and through out the week-end. That was the start of our friendship with Erin.

The third book in her Shadow Series came out this month and there was no question that we wanted her to stop by. We left the topic up to her and I have to say that you are in for a treat with her guest post. So sit back, grab your beverage of choice and let Erin sweep you into her world.

Games Kids Play

First of all, thank you to Heather and Melanie and all the Book Reading Gals. They’ve been so tremendously awesome. I am honored to be here today. And thank you to the readers who stop by and comment. I am giving away a $25 gift card on the blog to a lucky commenter who answers the question at the end.

Today, I’m talking about a spooky game kids play. My little family right now is super excited about Halloween. My kids have been buzzing since we got the first Halloween catalogue in the mail, and of course, Target has all their fun stuff out. We went to Barnes and Noble the other night. The store has a major selection of spooky, Halloween-oriented books on display at the entrance of the kids’ book section, and we got a bunch. So it’s ghost story time at my house too. A Dark Dark House is a favorite and I am very good at telling it, if I do say so myself. (I have a whole repertoire of little kid friendly ghost stories that end in giggles. I once tried a truly scary one and paid the price for a long time every night thereafter.)

I’ve got a ghost in my September release, Shadowman. Her name is Therese Amunsdale and she haunts the Segue Institute, a paranormal research facility made out of a turn-of-the-century hotel. She was featured in book one in my Shadow series, Shadow Bound, as well. In this book, she can be heard chanting the following:

Dead man, dead man, come alive

Come alive by the number five

One, two, three-four-five

Dead man, come alive!

I didn’t make up that chant. I was happily writing one day when I heard my kids chanting it in the living room. Apparently, they’d learned it from kids in the neighborhood, who’d learned it at school—a game passed down on playgrounds the way “Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board” is passed down over time. And just today, I heard that a form of Bloody Mary is being played at their school as well. I remember playing that when I was in 4th grade.

I searched the words online and came to this resource: http://gamesweplayed.com/2010/01/10/playing-dead-man-dead-man-come-alive/

The chant was too scary-good to pass up, and I had to use it in my book, where it becomes an invocation of sorts that challenges my heroine, Layla, who is living on borrowed time. I have to say, my kids give me great material. They scare me more than any movie or book can. For example, my littlest informed me, quite nonchalantly, that my closet is haunted. She was dead serious, though I tried to tease a smirk out of her. Now, I swear, my own closet freaks me out.

My question for readers today is… what creepy childhood games did you play? If you never played any, what’s a favorite ghost story?

One commenter will win a $25 gift card. Just answer Erin’s question. Contest rules apply. You need to follow both us and Erin on twitter, and like both of our pages. 

 Ghosts

They haunt the halls of the Segue Institute, terrifying the living, refusing to cross over. But one soul is driven by a very different force.

Love

It survives even death. And Kathleen O’Brien swore she would return to those she was forced to leave too soon.

Shadowman

He broke every rule to have her in life; now he will defy the angels to find her in death.

The Gate

Forging it is his single hope of being reunited with his beloved, but through it an abomination enters the world. Leaving a trail of blood and violence, the devil hunts her too. Pursued through realms of bright fantasy and dark reality, Kathleen is about to be taken…

 

Posted in FF&P, Guest Post

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RomCon 2011 Recap

Posted on August 12, 2011 by TBRG| 10 Comments

Be warned this is a long post but well worth it for what happened to us on the last day :) ALL PICTURES HAVE BEEN POSTED TO OUR FB PAGE.

When Melanie and I planned our trip this year all we knew was that we were going to have fun, meet more authors and new people. One of the things that we did differently this year was we signed up to be buddies. In both our groups we had authors so that made it different as we had already made these connections with attendee’s and authors. I had Terry O’Dell and Mel had Dee Davis and Julia London. We also had some fun people that we were able to hang out with and get to know a bit better.

On Thursday we got to Denver early and were met at the hotel by our friend Tiffany (who has a book coming out soon with Ashley March and Bernandette Marie). Once we had dumped the luggage we were off to help stuff the swag bags for various events.

As we were stuffing we got to visit with new to us authors Shayla Black (well she is new to Melanie as I talk to her on twitter), Sophie Oak, Sylvia Day, Erin Quinn and a friend from last year Erin Kellison.

As we were standing by the registration desk we meet Robyn Carr, unbeknown to us Robyn lives up the street from us. I promised to go to her event that she holds at our local library if she comes to dinner with us when our dinner group meets.

Then it was time for dinner. Before  RomCon started we thought it would be fun to have dinner and catch up with our author friends from last year so we sent out the invite and was happy to see that all of them said yes. Before we knew it our dinner of about fifteen turned into a dinner of thirty three, with some new author friends and new friends joining us. It was amazing. The list of authors could be read as a who who in romance, and yes I am going to brag that we got to eat dinner with these authors. Robyn Carr, Melissa Mayhue, Janelle Denison, Carly Phillips, Shayla Black, Sophie Oak, Sylvia Day, Isobel Carr, Jessa Slade, Erin Quinn, Erin Kellison, Gabi Stevens, Delilah Marvelle and Jenn LeBlanc.

After dinner the authors had their author event so we went and unpacked our clothes before heading down to the meet your buddy event. This event this was a lot of fun as the different buddy groups ended up just hanging out together and having a great time visiting.

Friday morning dawned bright and early. We meet Terry O’Dell for breakfast but our waitress was really slow and we ended up not getting anything (next year we are taking oatmeal). Then it was off to the various events.

I went to the Build  a Hero event that was a huge hit last year and sat at a table with Jenn Le Blanc and another whose name escapes me at this moment I and I will probably remember in a week and go that was her name. At our table we also had Kati from Romancing Rakes and Jamie @jamielyn831. Our hero name is Ewan MacGregor who is a 9th century highlander that ends up in the 21st century won the event.

While I was building a hero, Melanie went to a contemporary authors panel and got to listen to Carly Phillips and an intimate chat with Julia London.

We then ran into Melissa Mayhue and went to lunch with her. It was great getting that one on one time with her as we count her as a friend.

After lunch it was off the Highlander Panel with Melissa Mayhue, Margret Mallory and Kimberly Killion. Kimberly was gracious enough to provide a model Brooks to show what the highlander wore. While Mel was in playing with the highlanders I was over playing taboo with the paranormal authors. Jessa Slade was on my team however we lost.

Then it was time for Melissa Schroeder’s Luau. I was super excited for this as I LOVE Melissa and her A Little Harmless Series.

Halfway through the Luau however we went over to help finish setting up for dinner.We got to meet and hang out with Beth Williamson there. Beth and I bonded over our love of Angel from Johanna Lindsey.

Dinner was wild west theme, there was a mechanical bull and sepia pictures to be taken. Mel and I had our picture taken with Melissa Mayhue and Tiffany James, and then I got on the bull. There is apparently video of this event.

After dinner it was time for the Choc Mangasm. This was a huge success. Delilah did an excellent job of organizing it. I will let the pictures speak for themselves. (All pictures are on FB).

Saturday I swear we were busier than ever. When we left the room at 8am I didn’t return until almost 11pm. We ran ran ran.

In fact Saturday seems like a giant blur to me. I know that I was in the intimate chat with Tara Janzen, where she talked a bit about the upcoming anthology that she and Cindy Gerard are participating in along with several other authors. I’m sure you have all seen the picture of the cover of the book. It has a SEAL with his back to the camera and is titles Seal of my Dreams. She shared with us the fact that the SEAL on the cover is an actual SEAL and the picture was taken as a SEAL stationed in Faluga was getting ready for a mission.

We both went to Melissa Mayhue’s intimate chat where she told us about her new book Warriors Redemtion (I think that is the name) and showed us the cover. This book is one that will be read as soon as it comes as the premise is amazing.

Melanie then went to the Historical Fashion show where Deeanne Gist, Melissa Mayhue, Mary Wine, Kimberly Killion, Jade Lee, and Delilah Marvelle modeled the clothes of the time periods we love to read about. She took a lot of pictures and had a great time. Here are just a few of the outfits that were modeled.

While she was doing that I played madlibs with Janelle Dennsion and helped Jessa Slade judge her game (the name of which is escaping me at this moment) I got to judge with Jeanne Stein, having never met her before I was excited to visit with her.

We had lunch with Erin Kellison and great conversation as well.

I went with Erin to help her with her game of quick draw that where there was a bit of drama, but was worked out really well I think.

I then got to go to Julie James intimate chat where she dished on her books, and how she made the transistion from lawyer to full-time author, oh and she gave us a sneak peak into Kyle’s book (I will just say this it is going to be great).

Then it was time for the FAB 5 cocktail hour, hosted by Shayla Black (who bless her heart had been sick most of the day), Sophie Oak, Sylvia Day, Erin Quinn and Erin Kellison. They had some awesome swag that they gave out.

Dinner was a paranormal themed event and we had great conversations with our table mates.

After dinner we had Melissa Mayhue’s blogger event, she had some great authors and swag as well, I won the big prize from her, a Melissa Mayhue bag signed by all the authors as well some great goodies.

Then it was time for the pj party. At the pj party the amazing Jessa organized a round robin story telling that got more than a bit weird.

Sunday morning brought us to our event. Melanie and I had been stressing for months about this event and how it would go off. A couple of publishers had sent us a lot of books and several of the authors had given us the left over from their events so we had A TON of books to giveaway.

When I walked into the room ten minutes before the event and saw how many people were in the room I was floored. The conversation was great as we talked about the books and authors that we love. We talked about Vampires and what we liked in Paranormals. We all agreed that if there is a guy wearing a kilt on the cover we will buy it. I also discovered that there is a place for me to utilize all the book info I have in my head and that is in this event.

We dashed around the author signing like mad women making sure we hit everyone and said good bye to everyone as we were leaving after the signing.

The Double E’s (Erin Kellison and Erin Quinn) invited us to lunch as we were all catching the same shuttle, so we had lunch with them Sylvia Day and Mary Wine.

Up to this point we had been drama free (unlike last year) then we got off the shuttle at the airport to discover that the hotel hadn’t loaded one of my suitcases onto the shuttle. Erin Q and Sylvia were with us as we were all flying the same airline and didn’t want to check in without making sure that we were okay (wasn’t that sweet of them). It took the hotel 40 minutes to find my suitcase, at this point we were on the verge of missing our flight. As we were waiting for the hotel manager to bring me my suitcase we got a message from the airline, our flight was delayed by an hour. This gave us plenty of time to check in, make our way through security (as we entered the airport we were told if we walk to the other end of the airport the line through security was shorter, it was a bit of a hike but well worth it) Melanie got the privilege of going through the full body scanner, I told her to ask for the mammogram image. We figured it was a perfect way to get a free cancer screening.

By the time we got the plane we were flat out exhausted. Then halfway through the flight all the bookmarks in my bag (and there was a lot) fell out of my bag. As the flight was full we had no room whatsoever to bend down and pick them so Melanie used her toes.

The thing that I wasn’t able to do was to pin down Cindy Gerard about the MAJOR cliffhanger at the end of Luc’s book.

This was our RomCon 2011 adventure and we will be going back again next year. The dates have been announced June 21-24.

Here is a picture of Heather’s swag haul, one of the more popular items was the trading cards. These seem to have been a huge hit with everyone.

Posted in RomCon

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Shadowman

Posted on August 10, 2011 by TBRG| 3 Comments
Shadowman
Shadow series Book 3
By Erin Kellison

 

Ghosts

They haunt the halls of the Segue Institute, terrifying the living, refusing to cross over. But one soul is driven by a very different force.

Love

It survives even death. And Kathleen O’Brien swore she would return to those she was forced to leave too soon.

Shadowman

He broke every rule to have her in life; now he will defy the angels to find her in death.

The Gate

Forging it is his single hope of being reunited with his beloved, but through it an abomination enters the world. Leaving a trail of blood and violence, the devil hunts her too. Pursued through realms of bright fantasy and dark reality, Kathleen is about to be taken…

 

There is a book coming out in a couple weeks that you have to get your hands on, it has quickly become one of my favorite series, and that says a lot as it is a paranormal; I tend to gravitate towards h/c but this just drew me in and kept me there.  I know I have raved about the other books: Shadow Bound/Shadow Fall/Shadow Touch, but Shadowman might just be the best one yet.

 

I knew we would be getting Shadowmans book eventually and it would have to be spectacular.  We had to know what happens between Shadowman and Kathleen and we finally find out with a few twists and turns.  The journey has been a long time coming for the two of them, with a few heartbreaking moments along the way; when Custo convinced Shadowman he would trade places so he can be with Kathleen only to have double crossed him as she was not in Heaven almost brought tears to my eyes, and Custo had to do a lot of explaining in his book for me to forgive him.  It also made me look towards Shadowman in a different light.

 

It takes a special author, and Erin Kellison is one, to make someone fall in love with Death.  She not only does that but transports you into a world that is full of dark fantasy and a just a tiny bit scary.  But this world embraces you so much that you can’t put it down, and definitely leaves you wanting more.

 

I would suggest following us on Twitter as over the next couple weeks we will be giving the first book in this series Shadow Bound away daily up till the 6th when all three books will be given away.  That is how much I love not just the books but also Erin Kellison who is one of the nicest people I have ever met.

 

Grade A+

Posted in Paranormal

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Shadow Touch

Posted on June 8, 2011 by TBRG| 1 Comment
Shadow Touch
Shadow Series
by Erin Kellison

 

Magic

It is bleeding into our world, bringing with it banshees, wraiths, fae from the twisting forests of Twilight. But Ellie’s problem is a very different kind of phenomenon…

Shadow

It ought to be attached to her; instead it has a life of its own. And her dark mirror image is a wild thing, willfully seducing the very man Ellie hoped could help.

Science

Cam has devoted his career to exploring the boundaries between this world and the Hereafter. But nothing could prepare him for the mischief and mayhem of a soul split in two.

Surrender

Who will give in first: the man struggling to unite two halves of one fascinating female; the shadow fighting for freedom to experience the thrill of every emotion; or the woman who is about to discover her own deepest desire

 

It is once again time to visit the Segue Institute, and the good news is we won’t have to wait as long for the next visit. Shadow Touch was a small teaser book getting us ready for Shadowman; which I have been waiting for impatiently September cannot get here soon enough!  In Shadow Touch we were introduced to Ellie and Cam; Ellie has an interesting situation, she was born with her shadow separate from herself. As she has gotten older her shadow has become the dark side of her. She feels she has finally found someone in Cam who can understand her problem and hopefully come up with someway to fix it.  Cam is a newcomer to Segue and his goal is to work with the fae that is until he meets Ellie and is thrown into a world that is more complex than he could even imagine.  Once he understands what is truly happening he knows that he cannot turn his back on Ellie and is determined to help her. Their introduction to The Order and a solution that is presented will test both of them and make them determine what is really important.

 

I love when an author can take a short story and fit so much into it that you don’t feel like you are missing anything; and Erin is great at this.  The story was satisfying and fulfilled all that we would expect from a Shadow book.  I fell in love with these stories last year when I read Shadow Bound and Shadow Fall.  I was transported into a world where anything became possible and our own internal struggles manifested themselves in ways we could never imagine.  If there is one author or one series that you need to read it is these books.  Paranormal at it’s best!

 

Grade A+

 

Posted in Paranormal, Review

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Thanks & Recap

Posted on September 4, 2010 by TBRG| 4 Comments

Just wanted to give a huge shout of thanks to all the authors who helped us out this week and to everyone who stopped by.  Heather and I are really excited about starting this venture together and I hope you all have fun along the way with us.

We will post the winners on Sunday so plan on checking in to see if you are one of the lucky ones.

Just in case you did not get a chance to see the author responses to our question we asked here they are again.  If you can figure out which author is new to this post you might win a book also.  Just post a comment and we will draw a winner from the correct answers

We asked a few of our favorite authors what their go to books or authors are right now and where do they go to relax and read.  Here are their responses.

Carly Phillips:   http://www.carlyphillips.com/ A few months ago I would have said I’m a true contemporary reader. Only. That’s still the case … without the only! I’ve recently strayed into a genre I never thought would hold any interest for me – paranormal.  It’s been a fantastic break from my normal reading and when I’ve devoured my contemporary authors and am waiting for a new release.  As for which authors, in contemporary – my fellow Plotmonkeys, Leslie Kelly aka Leslie Parrish, Julie Leto, and Janelle Denison … and also Toni Blake, Erin McCarthy’s racecar series, Victoria Dahl, Jill Shalvis, Rachel Gibson.  And now in my new paranormal phase, I’m devouring Nalini Singh, Meaghan Hatfield, Larissa Ione.  As for where? On my Kindle … wherever I can.  In bed usually since reading is a treat for when I can relax but in my car while waiting for the kids works too!

Erin Nicholas:  http://www.erinnicholas.com/ I almost always go for contemporaries first, though I have favorites in historical, erotic, and paranormal too. I have a few go-to authors who always deliver for me but the two that first come to mind are Erin McCarthy and Susan Andersen. I have a big chair by my picture window that I love to curl up in with my Kindle! :)

Susan Mallery: http://www.susanmallery.com I’ve always been a romance fan. Romance novels are my go-to books, though of course I read in other genres from time to time. Romances affirm my view of the world as a good place where men and women find a way to avoid killing each other, despite sometimes overwhelming temptation. I read everywhere, but if we’re talking a truly relaxing read, there’s nothing like curling up on the sofa with a good book.

Anna Campbell:   http://www.annacampbell.info/ A great historical sweeps me away into a world of romance like nothing else so when I’ve got spare time, I tend to read the competition (LOL!). I love to read in bed, especially when it’s raining outside!

Alexandra Hawkins:  http://www.alexandrahawkins.com/ No contest–Romance. I read all sub-genres. Where do I like to read? The sofa in my family room reclines so it’s a comfy place to read.

Sarah MacLean: http://www.macleanspace.com I love historicals, but when I’m just trying to get away from work, I love contemporaries. Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Rachel Gibson, Kristan Higgins, and when I run out of them, I’m always down for the One Click packs for Kindle from Harlequin! As for the where, anywhere my dog is curled up is always a first choice.

Stephanie Laurens: http://www.stephanielaurens.com/         I read a lot of different genre fiction. Always genre, but it could be crime/mystery, fantasy or romance. I read in bed, pretty much every single night. I have a silk-covered, silk-fiber filled comforter, European pillows to prop myself up with, and my cats always come to sit with me–one on my stomach, the other between my calves. As far as they’re concerned, that’s how it has to be

Nalini Singh:   http://www.nalinisingh.com/ I have quite eclectic reading tastes and depending on my reading mood, will read anything from thrillers to sf/fantasy, to any number of sub-genres of romance (of course!) and more. I read some non-fiction as well, partly for research purposes and partly just because the topic interests me. Some of my favorite authors are Anne McCaffrey, Mercedes Lackey. Anne Bishop, Christine Feehan, Meljean Brook, Ilona Andrews, Patricia Briggs, Jayne Castle/Jayne Ann Krentz, JD Robb, Julie Garwood, Jude Deveraux, Lisa Kleypas…and seriously, I could keep going. I love reading, and I’m always trying out new authors alongside my favorites. My most recent “finds” have been Joss Ware (love the Envy Chronicles!) and Jess Granger with her futuristic romances. As for where I read – everywhere I can!

Jessa Slade:     http://jessaslade.wordpress.com/ As a writer, I consider it my sacred duty to read. I have a breakfast book, a backpack book, a bedside book, and a bathtub book. And usually a few more besides :)  I read a lot in my genre — urban fantasy romance — but like most booksluts, I’ll peel back the cover on anything. At RomCon this year (where I met the Book Reading Gals!) I had the chance to sit with Nalini Singh, C.L. Wilson and Christine Feehan. It was like my bookshelf sprang to life!

Erin Kellison:  http://www.erinkellison.com/ Chances to relax are seldom with little kids and a book on deadline, so I have to steal time to get my reading fix. I generally choose fantasy, but really enjoy a lot of genre fiction. I had surgery last week and got to read Mockingjay in one sitting. Love that feeling of sinking into a book. My favorite place to go? The beach. Combine that with a book and a lazy afternoon and I am in heaven.

Leslie Parish:     http://www.authorleslieparrish.com/ Whenever I want to read purely for enjoyment, I tend to stay away from romance because I’m so immersed in it in my job, I just want something different for down-time.So I typically pick up a horror or thriller novel (Stephen King is my favorite) or something so funny it leaves me breathless (Christopher Moore is my go-to author for this!) I most recently read The Passage by Justin Cronin, a futuristic vampire/zombie armageddon story and really loved it.

Posted in Contemporary

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