Gemini Rising

Writing Stuff & another Review

Writing Stuff

I had some GREAT news from Writer's Digest. My story, "Spontaneous Decision," won 8th place in the Mainstream/Literary Genre in their 77th Annual Competition! I received a free subscription to the magazine and $25.00. It's the highest I've placed yet in a competition, so I was thrilled. Another story of mine, "The Watch Tower," was #22 in Genre Fiction. Good news on the writing competition front.

I entered the Popular Fiction Contest again this year. I submited, "The King's Desire," "The Eagle's Nest," and "The Green Rose." You can find all these stories in my "Short Story Shelf" on Writing.Com.

Currently, I'm working on two novel length works, "The Wolf's Kiss," and "The Flames of Madeoc." Work is slow because I have so much other demands on my time, but I'm pleased with how these are developing. I'm also doing editing work on "Across The Fickle Winds of History."

That's where I am writing-wise. I want to get back to "Twilight Over Moldavia" as soon as I can and in January I'll be gearing up for Writer's Digest 78th Annual Competition.

I'll have more tomorrow on another topic. For now, here's another book review from me.

Book Review

Book Review for: “Fangs, But No Fangs”
Written by: Kathy Love
293 pages
Kensington Publishing Corp.
ISBN: 0758211333
$14.00
4.5 Stars


Kathy Love dives into the second book of her Young Series, “Fangs, But No Fangs,” by exploring Christian’s life as he tries to find his own way in a world that he barely understands. Love’s writing is crisp. The plot is always in motion. Her characters are interesting and dynamic.

“Fangs, But No Fangs,” is a paranormal romance and Christian is no ordinary romantic hero – he’s a vampire. In Love’s first series book, Christian made an effort to keep his brother, Rhys, from finding love. Here, Christian is remorseful for his actions, but he needs a little guidance – and a friend to help him sort out his feelings.

As the story opens, Christian finds that friend in a blog. He tries to talk about his issues through the blog. He’s also living a trailer park. He befriends and in turn is befriended by his neighbor, Jolee, who own a local karaoke bar. Soon, he goes to work for her. As he discovers a purpose in his life, his blog writing falls behind. Jolee also interests him, but he’s hesitant to engage her. After all, he’s a vampire and she might not understand his different needs and lustful cravings.

Both Jolee and Christian have been hurt in previous relationships and are reluctant to dive into another one, however the chemistry between them undeniable and despite reservations on both sides, they begin to explore a sexual relationship.

Each encounter between Christian and Jolee is more thrilling than the last, however Christian’s guilt begins to nag at him over his reluctance to be honest with Jolee. He’s afraid to tell her he’s a vampire. Eventually, this causes him to break up with her. Jolee is understandably hurt. Rhys convinces his brother to be honest with Jolee. If she loves him, she’ll accept him as he is. Christian has a choice, as does Jolee. The ending richly rewards the reader.

Love’s book is hard to put down for those who enjoy paranormal romance. It is told in a “Lonesome Dove,” perspective, where the point of view shifts between characters without any clear divisions or line breaks. This can be disconcerting for some readers. Love uses the past tense appropriately and her dialogue is not only sharp, but witty as well. Her love scenes are erotic and passionate. The story is deliciously paced so the reader can savor every moment between Christian and Jolee. “Fangs, But No Fangs,” is a great book to curl up next to near the fireplace on a cold winter’s weekend or in a relaxing hot bath late at night. It allows to reader to escape to its romantic fantasy.