I've Got A Website, But... (Author Island Contest)

...No one is visiting it! How am I supposed to get my name out there so people actually see it?

Let's face it, unless you are a well known author, getting your name out there is not an easy feat. In our search for FAB authors, dee and I know how hard it is to find those new authors. I still have no FAB for January. None. I live in a small town with no book store with the big WM as the only place to find books. Have you tried to find new books, by new authors, at that place? Last year I was lucky enough to find Kristan Higgins there, but it was a rare find. Most of the books I see on the shelves there have Best Selling Author across the top. If you'll read our FAB guidelines, I can't (or won't) consider a book if the author has already hit any of the lists, that seems unfair perhaps, and while we heart many big name authors here, we also really, really heart the new ones. So, I did what any other book buyer without an outlet does - I went online.

Chari-Dee's Quest For New Authors:

1 - I started by going to different publisher websites. While many are easy to navigate, they aren't "get to know the author" friendly, even when they try to be. The focus really seems to be more on their big sellers. And while I can understand this, I don't like it.

2 - Getting no where with the publisher sites, I did a blog search for publisher and agent blogs. I figure even if they don't shout from the tree-tops (so to speak) the new authors on their web sites, surely their blogs would introduce us? Nope. While I did find updates on a few of their authors, I also found more mention of awards being handed out and already (albeit somewhat) established authors.

3 - Next, I gave up and went to Amazon.com. I'll tell ya, I'm not a big fan of on-line book ordering. I like to actually touch a book, feel it in my hand, ya know? BUT, I didn't really see any other options. One of the nice things though, is that little "others who bought this book also bought," feature they have. I started by ordering a few books I was positive I wanted to read. Next in series and so forth, and then I started looking at the recommendations. In the end, I spent over half the night going from Amazon to search engine, to author sites and ordered over $100 in books (which will arrive tomorrow!).

So while I absolutely agree that a web site is key for any author, I wonder how do you find the websites? After all, the reader needs to have heard about the author/book before they go hunting down the site. What is the best thing a new author can do to spread the word about their books?

In my quest to find such authors, I've joined a few on-line groups (mainly on Yahoo!) that allow authors to Promote (yes, capital "P" let's face it, it deserves it). The problem I've had with these groups is there are too many authors and readers posting, and I don't have time to go through three digests a day. First of all, there is a lot of repetition in those groups. People reply to posts without cutting out the original post they are replying to, so a lot of the stuff gets overlooked by me because it's simply too hard to read. Perhaps I'm a stickler for cut and paste and low signature use because of the first on-line group I joined, and while some find the rules for posting too much of a hassle, it helps make things easier on everyone.

After a couple years of deleting thousands of digests, I cannot tell you how happy I was to find AuthorIsland.com . First of all, it's not an e-mail loop all of the time. While there is an on-line group set up for AI, it is used only during chat and only for a set amount of time. It makes it more intimate and I truly felt like during that first chat I had gotten to know the authors, I'll remember their names.

Secondly, DeNita sends out newsletters that have blurbs of the author's latest book or upcoming release, there are links to both author sites and to buy the book. At the Author Island site you'll find tons of contests (You know how I love me contests by the amount of them we run here), announcements, and links. The really great thing about the site is it isn't genre specific, so I can get news on author's from the many genres I read.

But of course, not all authors are members of Author Island, and I'm still going to have to find a way to find them. So, I've put up a new poll with this post about this very thing, and I'm going to explain my thoughts on the choices so you can see those before you vote.

How Do You Find Author Web Sites?

1 - On-line Group: Be it a site such as AuthorIsland or a Yahoo! Group, several authors participate in on-line loops. I've found a great many authors from my favorite Yahoo! Group, and it's the group of another author. But here's the thing, if you're an author and a member of another authors Fan Group/ Message Board, please truly be a fan. Yes, posting to a forum of a well known author will get your name out there, but readers will know if you are a true fan or just some one trying to self promote and doing so by riding coattails.

2 - Search Engines: This one isn't so easy for me, because usually when I think of search I think of searching for an author by name. I know there must be several ways to search for new authors, but I haven't found a great way to do it yet. So, if you vote this, please share with us the keywords you use to find them without a specific book or name.

3 - Blogs: Be it the author's (agent, publisher) own blog or comments they've left on another site. I have found a few authors from well known author blogs when they get a nod from said author. BUT, I've also made a list of authors not to look up or buy based on comments left on blog posts. This one is a sticky subject, because authors are readers too, but your comments as a reader can really turn me off of you as an author. Group author blogs are great, but unless there is at least one author on that blog with name recognition getting traffic is still an issue. If you choose this option, please let us know why and what works for you.

4 - Other: What am I missing here? The readers at dee & Dee are too smart not to have some tricks up their sleeves.

For the contest, please make sure to send DeNita a copy of your comment here to AuthorIsland at yahoo.com (ya know the drill with the spaces and symbol) put dee & Dee Dish contest in the subject and your name and address in the body with your comment.

Take Care

We're Teaming Up With Author Island For Another Contest!

I've worked on and off all day today on what I had thought would be a simple essay about genre labels. When I will learn that adding simple to anything guarantees it's going to be anything but, is anyones guess. I must have gone off on twelve different tangents, so I'm working on editing that down to three or four essays, the first of which I will post Sunday.

But, guess what? We're teaming up with AuthorIsland.com again for another contest. In case you haven't yet discovered Author Island, then you are really missing out. Author Island is a great resource for readers. With daily contests, book blurbs, linkage to author sites, interviews and more. You can even sign up to be put on the mailing list so that you get early peaks at upcoming books and contests.

Run by DeNita Tuttle, Author Island also features on-line chats with authors where you can talk with the author, ask questions, win chat only contests, and read excerpts of their work. If you can't tell, I adore Author Island.

Now, onto the contest. Since Author Island is a great way for Authors to promote their work, I thought we'd run a poll. If you'll look at the sidebar to your left, you'll see it at the top. Simply choose your pick, and then comment here and tell us why you chose what you did. Examples are great, so please elaborate as much as possible on your comment.

There will be other chances to win throughout the week-long contest, so be sure to check back! Now go VOTE!

Take Care

Swimming Without A Net by Mary Janice Davidson

Happy New Year! OK, a day late, but still HAPPY NEW YEAR! It was this time last year that dee and I settled in here at the new site and I have to say it's been a good year. I hope everyone of you survived the transition from 2007 to 2008 flawlessly and that the new year finds you with healthy and happy. And now, without further ado...

Swimming Without A Net by MaryJanice Davidson
(BCC)

Plenty of Fish in the Sea

It's not normal for a mermaid to hate being out in open water, but Fred never claimed to be normal. To visit the undersea realm of Artur, the High Prince, and the rest of the royal merfamily, she has to fin it to the Cayman Islands. Luckily, hunky marine biologist Thomas is along for the swim - in his custom-made underwater RV. He'll be able to explore where no "outlander" has gone before and give Fred a place to escape to when the Undersea Folk start getting on her nerves.

Bus as Fred tries to fit in with her own kind, she finds herself hooked on bother Artur and Thomas, and caught between to factions of merfolk: those happy with swimming under the radar - and those who want to bring their existence to the surface...

As far as the BCC goes, eh, nice try but it really misses in several instances. You'll see what I mean as I dish. Before I go any further though, I'll point you to the dish of the first book in the series here.

OK, now that you've read that, you can see that I had doubts about the series after reading the first one. I still enjoyed the first one quite a bit, but as I read Net, I began to question my own devotion as a fan of MJD.

Basically, in SWAN Fred is summoned to attend a mermaid Pelagic, a meeting of merfolk to determine whether or not they would come to the surface and announce to the world their existence. Thomas is invited to go along as well, since Artur plans to use the chance to woo Fred, he wants to give Thomas the same chance. It isn't until after Fred arrives at the Caymans where the Pelagic is to take place, that she finds out the reason her attendance was required.

Fred's father was a traitor to the royal family, and though he is no longer welcome in their midst's, he did have some fellow merfolk who believed he was right in wanting to go public. Since Fred is a hybrid, both human and mermaid, her testimony is of the most importance at the Pelagic. Who better to help the merfolk decide whether or not to stay hidden than some one who lives a double life, as both a biped and a mermaid?

Fred faces opposition from several of the merfolk who feel that since Fred's father was a traitor she should be shunned as well. However, out of respect for the royal family, she is tolerated. But Fred is torn herself. After all, she knows that humans have not always shown a tolerance for different, and coming out of the water (so to speak) could cause the merfolk to be stuffed in aquariums and zoos to be gawked at and studied.

With her best friend Jonas along, Fred also finds an ally in Tennian. Another mermaid, who has ties to the royal family, but also seems to find Thomas very attractive. Fred isn't sure whether she likes Tennian or wants to see her cut up and fried into fish sticks.

In true Davidson style SWAN is short, just 281 pages. Also in true Davidson style, Fed has a mouth on her that won't quit. Where SWAN veers a bit from form is that it actually has a plot. Not only a plot but a subplot as well. The problem with this, is, once again, Davidson's affinity for short story telling.

SWAN has so much potential, but with the short word count and so much going on, it falls flat. Not one of the plot points gets explored as deeply as could/should be. The love "triangle" is talked about, not shown, and the Pelagic gets a lot of mention, but not much actual airtime. The ending is rushed, and not very satisfying as the threads are left too loose.

I did laugh out loud as we meet Artur's father the King, and find he has an affinity for HBO series TV, and believes that when addressing bipeds he should do so in the way they would in the normal course of things. Unfortunately, he learns this dialect from DEADWOOD, and refers to the humans quite colorfully.

All in all, I was quite disappointed in SWAN. I'll continue to buy the Undead books, but I think for all else, I'll have to pass. Like I quoted in the last dish, MJ has said she can write fast or she can write long, I think I'd prefer to see the long version when it comes to non-Betsy books.

Take Care

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

The last day of the year is finally here. Hehe, I'm a poet and don't I know it. Anyway, I thought I'd post one last dish before 2008 comes roaring in. We here at dee and Dee would also like to thank you all for hanging with us for another year, and we hope you stick around for all the fun things we have in store for the next. Also, real quick, I have not yet heard from the winner of our mini-contest, so please, KCO, e-mail me at deeanddeedish at sbcglobal dot net (ya know, without the spaces and with symbols) with your snail mail addy and that of a friends, so that I can get the AuthorIsland.com boxes sent your way, remember they are FILLED to burstin' with all kinds of author goodies. If I don't hear from you by Wednesday morning, I'm going to have to draw a new name. And now, without further ado...

Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost
(BCC)

Flirting With The Grave...

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father - the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner - are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side...and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

The BCC is good, but it no where near comes close enough to actually capturing the intense story that lay inside the pages of this book. It's vague, and I suppose that's all it should be, so thumbs up.

Now that I've rated the BCC, I'll tell ya I didn't even read it. I saw this cover and grabbed the book off the shelf. It wasn't until I cracked the book open a week or so later that I saw the "A Night Huntress Novel" and began to worry. I absolutely loathe buying a book and then finding out it's the twentieth in a series, I mean that's one of my biggest pet peeves. Thankfully, I was lucky and while this is part of a series, it's the very first book in the series. Sweet! To make it double sweet? This is Frost's debut! You know how I love me a debut author! And whoo-boy, what a debut!

Cathrine (Cathy, Cat) Crawfield is the product of a human mother who was raped by a vampire. Growing up in a small town, where unwed motherhood is frowned upon, life was not easy for Cat. Add to that the fact that she was always a bit different from the other kids, faster, stronger, and life growing up was not ideal. It wasn't until Cat turned 16 that she found out the truth about her birth. But, once she did, she also found out how much her mother despised vampires. Understandably of course, but it was not only because of her own rough younger years but because of her mother's hatred of the undead that Cat finds herself hunting and killing the evil that wanders the night.

Then one night, something goes terribly wrong. Cat find herself with an undead she can't kill. In fact, he's gotten the jump on her. Bones though, just wants to know who she is working for. After all, surely this young human could not have done what he saw her do, without the backing of a more powerful vampire. When she refuses to tell him what he wants to know, Bones comes thisclose to doing her in, only just as he's about to take that bite, Cat's eyes start to glow green, and only a vampire's eyes can glow green.

Bones then hears the truth of the matter and a deal is struck. He will train Cat to fight, "...There is only one way to fight, and that's dirty. Clean, gentlemanly fighting will get you nowhere but dead, and fast. Take every cheap shot, every low blow, absolutely kick people when they're down, and then maybe you'll be the one who walks away. Remember that. You're in a fight to the death...", if she becomes his partner. You see, Bones is a vampire bounty hunter, and he just found the perfect bait. In return, Cat gets to live another day, keep killing the bad vampires, and the help of Bones in finding her father - the one vamp she'd really love to kill.

But young girls are coming up missing, what's worse is all the traces are of the girls are being wiped clean. Bones has a very good idea who is behind it and has been after the vamp for over eleven years. Going through the underlings for information is the plan, and once he gets the information, Cat gets her kill.

But first, Bones must teach her to fight, teach her everything she doesn't know about vampires (which is quite a bit), stop her annoying habit of blushing when talk turns sexual, and make-over the frumpy excuses she calls clothing. And to quote Cat when the time finally comes to go hunting, "I was now outfitted as Cat, the Vampire-Killing Slut."

Cat soon becomes a target, and suddenly, Bones and Cat must get to the bottom of this and destroy the big bad vamp, before he gets the drop on them. If Cat and Bones just happen to feel sparks of excitement that have nothing to do with the hunt, well, there's not much that can be done about that.

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I have been bored lately with the Paranormal genre. Oh sure, there were my steadfast auto-buy's, Harrison, Harris, MJD, to name a few, but on the whole, I've been noticing some trends in the genre that had me fuming mad and ready to give up on new authors/books that hit the shelves. All I can say is, Thank Goodness for Cat and Bones. My love of the genre has been re-ignited.

Cat is the perfect heroine. Strong and sassy, " 'You hit me again and I'll -' "What? Bleed more? Thanks, but I only drink gin and tonic. That's one vampire attribute I'm without. No fangs. See?"

Yet she still struggles with her lot in life, "Glad? That's not quite the word I'd use. Relieved? You could say that. Relieved I'm alive and there's one less murderer prowling around for naive girls. But glad? Glad would be if I never had this lineage. Glad would be if I had two normal parents and a bunch of friends, and the only thing I;d ever killed was time....This is just ...existing. Until the next time." (snipped a few lines like I oft do.)

And Bones? Whew, Bones is the perfect compliment to Cat. Tough when he needs to be, Bones too has a heart, and Cat captures it. Which is good for Cat, because Bones has a way of helping her see the way out of her self-pity, "Rot, I said. You play the hand you're dealt just like everyone else in this bloody world. You have gifts people would kill for, no matter that you scorn them. You have a mum who loves you and a nice house to go home to. Sod your backwoods neighbors who look down their ignorant noses at you for your lack of a father. This world is a big place an you've got an important role to play in it. Think everyone goes around whistling about the life they lead? Think everyone is given the power to choose the way their fate goes? Sorry, luv, it doesn't work that way. You hold the ones you love close and fight the battles you can win, and that, Kitten, is how it is." Did I mention Bones is British and calls her Kitten? Swoon.

I honestly could go on and on about this book. My trusty pen and paper got quite a workout as I jotted down favorite passages. Normally, HTTG would be top of my list for my next FAB, unfortunately, two things held me back. 1 - It's hit the best-sellers list already, (just two months after it was released) and while I'm not adverse to breaking that small rule, there is reason number 2 - there were a lot of copy editing mistakes. I can generally overlook one or two, but there were several, and a few of them even slowed me up to re-read.

Are those two things going to stop me from buying the next book? Or even re-reading this one? Heck no. Hurry up Jeaniene and write faster! And you readers? Get out NOW and get this book. Just be warned, you'll not want to put it down, Cat and Bones take you on a fast-paced journey that you will be unable to ignore until the very last page has been read. Frost has created a fantastic book with a great explanation for vampires (you know my affinity for the way authors explain their existence) that's filled to the brim with action, suspense, heart, and hot romance. Frost has staked her place on my keeper shelf, and I can honestly say, I don't see her leaving it anytime soon.

Take Care

Readers Choice The Best of the Best 2007

Now that dee and I have announced our Top Picks of 2007, we wanted to compile a list of our Reader's favorites, put them in one easy to see list, all the better to put together a TBB list. If you see a (*) it indicates one or both of the D/d's have read the book. If you can click it, it means we've dished it and you can see the dish. (X any number) means multiple readers choice. Also, if I can find one, the author's name will click you to their website.

The Best of the The Best 2007 Reader Picks:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rolling * X3

20 Times A Lady by Karyn Bosnak

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann

Whispering Rock by Robyn Carr

Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day *

The River Trilogy by Robyn Carr

Riding the Thunder by Deborah MacGillivray

Spirited Away by Cindy Miles *

Interred With Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

Agnes and the Hitman by Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer X2

All About Evie by Beth Ciotta

Lost Girls by Bob Mayer X2

Lord John and the Brotherhood of the Blade by Diana Gabaldon

Barbed Wire and Roses by Peter Yeldham

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini X2

Handbag Friends by Sally Lloyd Jones

The Bark of the Bog Owl by Jonathan Rogers

How To Be A Baby By Me The Big Sister by Sally Lloyd Jones

Untouched by Anna Campbell

Sleepless at Midnight by Jacquie d'Alessandro X2

Big Boned by Meg Cabot

Revenge of the Homecoming Queen by Stephanie Hale

Adios To My Old Life by Caridad Ferrer *

Hunting the Demon by Jaci Burton

The Fortune Quilt by Lani Diane Rich * X2

Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins *

Harvey and Eck by Erin O'Brien

The Uninvited by Amanda Marrone

Holidays are Hell Anthology with stories by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Marjorie Liu, Vicki Pettersson

Creation in Death by J.D. Robb

The Harlequin by Laurell K Hamilton

For a Few Demons More by Kim Harrison *

Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen X2

Veil of Roses by Laura Fitzgerald

Mystery Series by Cleo Coyle / Alice Kimberly

The Sense of Paper by Taylor Holden

Dragonflies and Dinosaurs by Kate Austin

Francesca's Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli X2

Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning

True Evil by Greg Isles

Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas

Not Quite a Lady by Loretta Chase X2

If His Kiss is Wicked by Jo Goodman

Christmas Wishes by Debbie Macomber

The Collection by Gioia Diliberto

All the Numbers by Judy Merrill Larsen

Tied to the Tracks by Rosina Lippi

Secret Society Girl by Diana Peterfreund

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole X2

The Devil Inside by Jenna Black

Midnight Awakening by Lara Adrian

Once Bitten Twice Shy and Another One Bites the Dust by Jennifer Rardin

Blood Bound by Patricia Briggs

Caressed by Ice by Nalini Singh

I Am America (And So Can You!) by Stephen Colbert

Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands

Over Hexed by Vicki Lewis Thompson *

Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead

Take Care and Keep Turning Those Pages

A Rose from the Dead by Kate Collins

I have the head cold from hell right now so I just took a couple of benedryl's and figured I'd better get this dish posted before I was too loopy to do it. I have a very low tolerance for medicine in any form, but benedryl in particular. So, if I start to be incoherent, leave me a comment and tell me to get thyself to bed.


A Rose from the Dead by Kate Collins
(BCC)

Why did I, Abby Knight, agree to attend a convention of funeral directors? I was desperate to drum up more business for my flower shop, Bloomers. What I got instead was murder...


Who knew death could be so much fun?


Abby is amused by the black humor of the usually somber "death professionals" who are attending the Midwestern Funeral Directors Association's regional convention. Even organizer Sybil Blount - known for her cutthroat business practices and the signature rose she wears in her wig - isn't what Abby expects...especially when her corpse is found in a casket. When Abby's friend Delilah Dove becomes a suspect, Abby shifts into full investigation mode and learns that Sybil's enemies included the prankster sons of a big-time funeral director, an eco friendly purveyor of "green burials," and a strange Goth girl who captures the "music" of departing souls on her tape recorder. It's up to Abby and her boyfriend, Marco, to look beyond the trappings of death and find out who really loved Sybil - and who loved her not.


I'm really starting to get annoyed with the BCC's of the books I've been reading, because I really can't find anything to really complain about. I know, that's what I've always been after, the good BCC to become commonplace, but if this keeps up, I'm not gonna have much blog fodder.


I've been with the Flower Shop Mysteries since book one, and I absolutely fell in love with them. Abby Knight is such an endearing character, and I've sat here trying to figure out how to sum up how she became a flower shop owner, and finally, I'm calling calf rope and am just gonna quote Abby herself from the book -
"Half a year ago, while I was busy flunking law exams, being dumped by my finace and my insurance company, and crossing off my dream to become the success my brothers were, Lottie's husband developed serious heart problems, starting a cascade of financial difficulties the threatened to sink her ship - er, shop. Since we were both looking for a life raft, Lottie suggested what seemed like a crazy idea at the time. And now, one ginormous mortgage later, I owned a flower shop and she worked for possibly the best employer in the whole country."


The books are filled with a great cast of characters, Abby's mom who likes to make, shall we say, interesting craft projects, her dad who is a retired policeman who was wounded on the job, Grace an employee who's british and has a quote for every occassion, Lottie the former owner of the flower shop who is the mother of quadruplets and has a great big heart, Nikki her roommate and best friend, and Marco the sexy owner of the bar down the street Down the Hatch. Marco is also a P.I., former Ranger, and ex-cop.


In the first book of the seies we find out that Abby is a meddler, and hates injustice. Abby will go to the extreme to right a wrong, so it was a real shame, in her opinion, that she flunked out of law school. But, in each book, Abby gets to try her hand at righting a wrong, and solving a puzzle.


I'm not going to go into a big lengthy rundown of the book, because frankly, the BCC did the job reall well. For the most part, ARFTD is a wonderful book. I really enjoy the cozy mystery genre and it's because of books like these. I laughed out loud several times and had a seriously hard time putting it down for any amount of time.


I did notice though, that the pacing seemed off. The book takes place over the span of just two days that the convention takes place in, and this is probably my problem. The normal large cast we see in the books was absent, and I missed them. A lot happened in just those two days, and at times it felt rushed and other's the pacing seemed to slow down to a very slow pace. I don't know though, if it's the pacing that was the problem, or the short time-frame for events. I would read something and think, wait a minute, we're still on the first day? So, I guess the problem was really more that I was having trouble with how much Abby was able to get done in just one day, especially since the dead body doesn't show up until the end of the first day.


I also don't know if I've just gotten really good, or if this mystery was an easy one to solve. I had it figured out really fast. Collins is good though, she almost had me changing my mind, and that was fun, but I stuck firm to my culprit and I was right. Well, mostly right, my motives were a bit off.


If you're a fan of the cozy mystery genre, or a first time reader of it, I have to recommend this one. You really don't have to read the books in order, though I highly recommend that you do, if you start with this one, be prepared to go back and buy the rest of the series.


Collins voice is clear, her characters real and endearing, her humor excellent, and she'll have you turning the pages faster and faster arriving at The End wanting MORE!


At the back of the book is a teaser chapter for the next installment, and OH how I wish I hadn't read it, because it's not out until August, and I. Don't. Want. To wait. That. Long! Who do I need to petition to get on the ARC list? Can someone please tell me this!

Collins is a must buy, and if you haven't tried her yet, do, she'll have you hooked from line one. Abby is wonderfully funny and endearing, and you'll wish you worked in Bloomers and were part of this great world.


Take Care

We're on Shelfari!

Are you? If so, visit our page here and add us as a friend. I'm in the process of putting all the books we've dished on the shelves, and then I'll work on keeping what I'm currently reading in the right spot. I'm a bit lost over there, I'm thinking it's sort of a MySpace/Facebook specifically for books, right?

At any rate, it looks like it could be fun! Check us out!

Take Care

Over Hexed by Vicki Lewis Thompson

This year, I'm making a New Year's Resolution(never mind the fact that I still have a week to go before the New Year hits). This will be the first Resolution I have ever made and truth be told, I'm a bit nervous about doing so. At any rate, I'm making it, and I can only hope I manage to stick with it. What is it, you ask? Well, I resolve to post at least three new dishes each week, and if the dish happens to be news from the publishing side, or other tidbits, well, it still counts. That's my goal, three a week. Think I can do it? Maybe. We'll see. I'm gonna make a good faith effort at any rate. And now, on with it...

Over Hexed by Vicki Lewis Thompson
(BCC)

The key to finding true love...

Banished. Until their unconventional techniques land them in hot water, Dorcas and Ambrose are the matchmaking therapists for lovelorn witches and wizards. The Grand High Wizard has exiled them to the very conventional and unmagical town of Big Knob, Indiana. Population: 947. But that doesn't mean they've given up matchmaking....

...is a good hex life.

Now they're doing it for mere mortals - although all agree: Sean Madigan is something of a god. Because he's tired of being the town sex object, Dorcas and Ambrose strip him of his appeal and then introduce him to his destiny. Maggie Grady. This time winning a girl's heart won't be so easy for Sean. It means rediscovering the charms buried beneath a gorgeous surface, and finally proving himself to be more of a man than ever before.

As far as this BCC, well, it's damn good. That's not something I'm used to saying, but it's the truth, and I have no problem saying so.

I've made no secret of the fact that I have a total FGSF every time I get a new Thompson book. I LOVE her Nerd books, and when I read that Thompson was going to be putting out a new paranormal series, well, I nearly wet my pants I was so excited. Paranormal plus one of my favorite authors? HOG HEAVEN. Then I read another of my favorite author's books that had gone from Romance to Paranormal, and well, I was nervous. But, ya know what? I had absolutely no need to fret. Thompson, for me, has done it again.

When Dorcas and Ambrose give the Grand High Wizard's brother-in-law a potion that goes awry, they are sentenced to exile in Big Knob, Indiana until they can straighten out George, a dragon living in The Whispering Forest there. You see, George is supposedly ADD, and would rather play poker with raccoons, and blow shaped smoke rings than patrol the forest and keep it protected.

Sean Madigan has never had a problem getting a woman. In fact, Sean's problem is just the opposite, he can't even walk down the street without the women of Big Knob assaulting him trying to get a date. Fed up with it all, Sean just wishes he could live like a normal man. Dorcas and Ambrose happen to be walking in town one day and see Sean being accosted and step in to help. And this is when Dorcas and Ambrose get their big idea.

In exchange for Sean, who is the local handyman, building them a sex bench, Dorcas and Ambrose agree to help Sean become less attractive to the opposite sex. Sean doesn't see how this can happen, but Sean doesn't know that he's dealing with a witch and wizard. But Dorcas doesn't want to just stop with Sean becoming less attractive to all women, she wants to help him find his soul mate. If the plan just happens to take care of their problem with George, well, so much the better. So they set a plan in motion to bring his soul mate to town, throw them together, and help them see when Sean is acting like a man.

Maggie Grady is a location scout for a big super saving chain store. When three of her big deals fall through, she's in jeopardy of losing her job, and convinced that there is a mole in the company. When she gets an e-mail saying that some one has a great location for a new store, Maggie hops the red-eye to beat out the competition.

The location for the store, just happens to be the house that Sean has been wanting to buy since his father lost it and fled, years ago. Unfortunately for Sean, Dorcas and Ambrose had already started working on his appeal to women, and Maggie isn't the least bit charmed just by looking at him. Sean, on the other hand, is instantly smitten with Maggie. And, against her better judgement, Maggie finds herself more and more attracted to Sean.

The cast of characters in Hexed are hilarious. There's the beautician that can't stop talking about her sex life, the 80 something Edith Mae Hoogstraten, that has no business driving but does so anyway with the town just making way for her, George the dragon who refuses to be responsible, and Sean himself who uses skunks as a way to keep the women away, and the rock in which the town was named, Big Knob that resembles sometime very sexual. No wonder the town is oversexed.

Hexed is what happens when a great Romance writer tries her hand at paranormal without veering too far from her roots. Filled with incredible sexual tension, laugh out loud moments, and sweet Romance, Hexed is an amazing start to a what promises to be a great series of related books. While each book will feature a different H&H, with such a small town, characters are sure to repeat, and with the cast featured, I can't think of anything better.

For a great, fun, fast paced read, grab Hexed. I honestly don't think you'll be disappointed. It really is lighthearted fun at it's best. And although I love these books and hope to read many more, I have to hope that the Nerd books are not taking a backseat, I didn't see any mention of when the next one would be out, and I really don't want to do without those. Any one know about those?

Take Care

Merry Christmas To You!!! Winners Announced!

Well, I'm fat and happy right now. I just finished enjoying a HUGE meal and spending time with part of my very large family. I've had a house FULL of teenage boys, in addition to my own brood, and the only downside of this whole holiday has been that Miss Beautiful is sick. Poor Miss Beautiful, she seems to get sick on every holiday. But, Santa was good to my kids, and family surrounded us, so I hope your Christmas was as Merry as mine!

But, you didn't check back here to hear about my busy week-end, and how I gorged myself on ham and too many side dishes, did ya? Nah, I didn't think so, you came here to see who the big winner was. So...

RachaelfromNJ if you will e-mail me your snail mail address to deeanddeedish at sbcglobal dot net (you know, without the spaces and with the symbols), you have won the BIG contest which is a prize package of all SIX of dee & Dee's Best of the Best 2007. Most of the books will be signed, and if I can swing it, ALL of them will be. CONGRATS!

And, since I'm in such a happy giving mood - Maureen, would you please e-mail me your snail mail addy with your choice of 2 of our BoB picks. They will be delivered to your door unsigned, but they'll be new and FABulous!

And now, for the winner of our Mini-Contest:

KCO please e-mail me you snail mail addy and the snail mail addy of a friend to send your AuthorIsland.com goody boxes. I see you found us through a Yahoo! Group that both dee and I belong to, so you'll get to pick who the second box goes to!!!

CONGRATS! To all our winners. THANK YOU to everyone that entered. Stay tuned here at dee & Dee for more contests, because we love to give things away, especially books!

Take Care

Note: If I have not heard from all the winners in one weeks time, a new name will be drawn for the contest prize that was not claimed. Unfortunately, we do not have time to hunt the winners down.

The Best of the Best - NUMBER ONE(s)

Before we announce the NUMBER ONE picks for our Second Annual BEST OF THE BEST contest, we have some Housekeeping to do. Get out your brooms and get this floor swept, please. Oh wait, y'all are not at my actual home, and haven't spent the past few days eating all the cookies. Don't worry about the brooms. :)

I need you to make sure that you enter this Big Contest here. It's pretty simple (she says, with a maniacal grin). All you have to do is tell us your favorite three books of the year. Easy as pie, right? I also need to make sure that you enter this mini-contest here. Again, piece of cake. Just tell us how you found us. You have until 3 p.m. central time on Christmas Day to enter, at which time, I will take all the entries and announce the winner at around 5.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for dee & Dee's Top Picks of 2007!

Chari-Dee's Best of the Best:


Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

(Chari-Dee's original dish here)

Seriously, you're not surprised, right? If a paranormal book is awesome enough to hit dee's keeper shelf, then of course I, Chari-Dee, lover of all things paranormal, am going to totally wig out over it.

Mead has written an incredible start to what I hope is a LONG, series. This is not your average paranormal, and at a time when vampires and Were's run rampant through the shelves (and don't get me wrong, because I lurve me some vamps and Were's), Succubus Blues was a refreshing change. A good natured succubus, an enemy that has both Heaven and Hell trying to find it, sex, suspense, humor, and Romance, Succubus is a keeper, and Georgina will worm her way into your auto-buy list for a long time to come. Not an easy feat for a debut author to find their way on my list of favorites, but Mead not only did just that, she's at the TOP of that list.



dee's Best of the Best 2007:


Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins

(dee's original dish here)

Wanna know a (notsomucha) secret? dee has read this book OVER 50 times. Wanna know something else that's amazing? She thinks it gets better every time.

There is a reason Higgins is classified as one of both the d/D's favorite authors, and COTD is a perfect example of it. Higgins books are the perfect mix of Women's Fiction and Romance. With flawed and incredibly funny heroines and a cast of characters that are so real you practically know them. Higgins will have you laughing, crying, laughing again, and smiling so hard your face hurts for the rest of the day.

When your heart needs a smile, when you want to believe in falling in love again, or when you just want to read a great book, grab one by Higgins, you can't go wrong.

Take Care and Keep Turning Those Pages

Now, get thyself over and enter those two contests!!!