"Build Your Own Hero" With Amanda McIntyre! (and a Giveaway)

I've been MIA the last few days. Just takin a break, I suppose. But I have a special guest here today. And she is definitely worth coming out from the rock I've been hiding under!

Please welcome Amanda McIntyre (One of my favorite authors!) on her 24th day of her "25 Blogs in 25 days...the TORTURED tour!" She has something fun in store for you!

TORTURED, erotic medieval, Harlequin Spice, Aug.'09-Amanda McIntyre)

View book trailer here!

In a time of chaos, darkness, and violence, it is better to live only in the moment, lest your memories eat you alive.

A young woman blessed with “sight seeks vengeance against a tyrannical lord responsible for her mother's murder. Forced to become an executioner's apprentice, she encounters a Roman prisoner who offers her a way to escape her prison and find a future. Torn between desire, duty, and the chance for revenge, her choice to live or die leaves her TORTURED. (Available now, Harlequin Spice-Books Aug. '09)

I want to thank my friend, Amy, for offering me a stop at RBW on my tour! This is the next to the last day on the tour and it’s been great to hang with old friends and meet some new ones along the way. We got to talking over the weekend, about inspiration in coming up with characters. One of the questions was what do you prefer, a sharp-dressed man or the scruffy look? I wasn’t sure if this translates over into hero building, but I realized that honestly…it’s a bit of a heady thing to be able to pick and choose all the attributes of your hero—physical, social, emotional. I for one can’t think of anything more fun! ;)

So I thought it might be fun to devote a blog to “Build a hero” kind of like “build a bear!” Here’s how this will work…

I’m going to describe my fav hero, listing attributes that I find appealing.

YOU then leave your description of YOUR appealing hero in your comments!

One winner will win a copy of TORTURED. In addition, I will write a free online, short story, using the winner’s name as the heroine. I will then post it on my blog. (Word count: short, Genre: decided upon by winner and me, heat level: steamy but okay for Internet.) and the winner as well as anyone is free to post it to theirs! Okay! Ready? Here is MY dream hero:

Build: 6’2”, olive complexion, dark smoky eyes, days growth of beard, little or no chest hair, hair can be very short buzz, or a mussed up mop of curls. Well toned, broad shouldered, nice muscles—tatts optional—but not perfect, a little rough around the edges, confident in his own skin, hands that show he’s not afraid of work. Knows when to be gentle , when to take charge, respectful of women, cherishes, no, make that…worships the heroine, dry humor, intelligent, resourceful, fearless when it warrants, a shade reckless, passionate, knows how to move in a crowd, or with one person, enjoys dressing in nice clothes, as much as comfy clothes, self-reliant.

Can’t wait to read what you all come up with!

Thanks to Amy for having me today!! May the wind be at your back!

Amanda

www.amandamcintyre.net

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Thank you, Amanda, for including me in your blog tour! I am honored to have you here, and with such a fun post!

I can't wait to read all of your answers as well! This sounds like a lot of fun. The hero is a very important part of a romance novel, and now's your chance to create that one who is perfect for you! AND Amanda is going to write a short story using the lucky winner's name. That is just the coolest :).

Good luck to all of you!

G.A. Aiken winners!

I'm a little behind today. But better late than never! I have the winners from G.A. Aiken's guest post! I'd like to say thank you so much to all of you who stopped by and left a comment or a question for Shelly/GA. It all turned out so nicely.

Thank You!

Now on to the winners. The first one, the winner of What a Dragon Should Know is...

PamK!!

And the winner of Dragon Actually is...

Amanda!!

I've sent an email off to PamK, but if Amanda would please send me an email at himscute@yahoo.com that would be wonderful!

Again thank you all so much for taking the time to stop by :).

Stay tuned, another awesomely talented lady will be stopping by on Thursday. The wonderful Amanda McIntyre. She'll be offering up one person a copy of her newest release, Tortured!

Show Me Yours Saturday...A New Weekly Meme!

I Heart Book Gossip has made a new segment for Saturdays.

"Show Me Yours Saturday"

"Each weekend I will try to post a Show Me Yours.
It can include a favorite food to something about me.
I want a teeny bit of anonymity so I won't post pics of myself.
Show me the deets and I will show you mine.Key word is show: So show us some snazzy pictures not just words."

I think this is a wonderful idea! And I actually have just the thing to post today to stay with I Heart Book Gossip's theme...Where I live!

Me, Devin and my mom took a drive to Niagara Falls today. In all the years I've lived here, we've never seen the Falls from the American side. We always drive to Canada. Only once did I attempt the American Falls. It was shortly after my mom moved here. It was November. It was cold and VERY windy! So not a good day to be outside seeing something so splendid.

It was hearing about Amanda McIntyre's visit to the Falls during her long road trip this summer that made me really consider taking the day to drive there. And then my neighbor was telling me about Goat Island a few days ago and was shocked that I'd never been! Now that I've been, I'm just as shocked! I'd heard of Goat Island (It's the piece of land that separates the two Falls). And it's also where you see the Falls from the American side up close and personal. I didn't know that! And apparently neither did my husband or he would have taken me there sooner! It's really sad when you don't even know what your area has to offer!! But I'm tired of being clueless and me, Devin and my mom have done quite a bit of exploring this summer.

Above: This view is looking toward Lake Erie.

Below: That's the city of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The US doesn't look that nice!

What a Ham!

This one is looking on at the Horseshoe Falls on the Canadian side! It was pretty misty today!

Below: The American Falls and the Rainbow Bridge in the distance.

This majestic, beautiful sight is only 1/2 an hour from me. It's practically in my backyard! It is just an amazing place to visit. I go to Niagara Falls often enough when we go to visit my husband's aunt, but I never once thought to make it a day trip here and there as an outdoor outing when I'm trying to find something for Devin and I to do.
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I hope more of you decide to add this fun meme to your weekly line-up! It's always great to learn a little more about the people we 'see' nearly everyday in blogland! So head on over to I Heart Book Gossip's place and learn more!

The Great Western Drive...and a Contest for a Cowboy Book!

Kristie J from Ramblings on Romance, Wendy The Super Librarian , and Sybil from The Good The Bad And The Unread have this cowboy drive going on to promote western romances. I don't read cowboy romances. I suppose I've read a few, but I really don't give them cowboys much thought.

When I first saw this, I wondered how in the world do I participate in this drive to promote Western romances. And then this morning I stopped by my friend, Vivian's blog, and the light came on!

Vivian has a cowboy romance coming out, Rocky Mountain Heat, on August 31st! And she is having a contest that started today and runs until the 30th! So what better time to pimp out her Cowboy romance, than during cowboy week at Kristie's, Wendy's and Sybil's!

Vivian Arend
Liquid Silver Books
August 31, 2009

Blake Coleman is old enough to know that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a blonde wearing a cowboy hat with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. Hell, he was the one that taught her to ride a horse and now all he can think about is riding her. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.

Jaxi has other plans for his hands, and his heart. She may have considered Blake a big brother once but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s just what he’s been waiting for.

Add the complication of two sexy younger brothers who have suddenly noticed Jaxi and things heat up fast. Blake’s gonna have to decide if a little trouble is worth fighting for.

A Love Letter and a...Nomination?

I woke up this morning around four to feed my insufferable pussy cat! So on my way back upstairs I happened to stop by the computer for a moment and checked my email. The normal junk was there along with some important ones. But two really caught my eye. The first one was from my husband. Every once in a while I'll get a little message from him. This one brought a tear. The subject line read, "I love you!!", and inside was this lovely note...

Good Morning Sweetpea! I saw this video on You tube last night and it reminded me of just how much I love you. I know I say it...but I just want you to know that I love you more than my words can say. My soul would be empty without you. Our coming together 16 years ago was not by chance, it was our fate and our destiny. When I sit and think about you, I realize how much you mean to Devin and I. You are an amazing woman and I'm proud to have you as a wife,a friend,and as my love!.........Shawn

And the video you ask. What was the video my dear husband sent me to watch. Well, its a song about a man who loses his wife and his pain and loneliness in dealing with his life without her. It's not a romantic video to send to your spouse, but it shows me that he would be lost without me.

We have our moments, what couple doesn't, but I know he loves me! We sometimes say things we shouldn't, but in the end, he's always there for me, as he says I'm always there for him.

I love you, too!



Now I know what song he's going to play when I die! Hey, at least it's one I like too :).

Now on to the second email.

I've been nominated for a BBAW award for Best Writing! Oh my goodness, I don't even know what to say, except I have this incredible warmth flittering through me that someone nominated me. And thank you so much!



I feel like the luckiest person in the world right now and I'm so in love with my inbox!

G.A. Aiken Interview and Giveaway!

*UPDATE*
(Scroll down to learn more!)

Hi there and happy Wednesday! I have a special guest here today, the wonderful G.A. Aiken a.k.a Shelly Laurenston! She was kind enough to answer a few questions about her books and writing that I had. So please give a warm welcome to the very humorous and talented, G.A. Aiken/Shelly Laurenston!

www.gaaiken.com
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1. I love the interactions between your dragon siblings. It is oftentimes aggressive, which is understandable, they're dragons, yet they are quite humorous. Did the inspiration for that type of sibling dynamics come from personal experience?

Not really. My brother is nine years older than me, so I was a cross between the bratty, pain-in-the-ass kid sister and an only child. It was the late 70s/early 80s and my brother was uber popular. He spent a lot of time hanging out with his buddies. When I got into high school we became closer because we have the same sense of humor, but we were rarely aggressive. Well…sometimes passive-aggressive, but rarely aggressive aggressive. Besides, my mother wouldn’t stand for that in her house. Not for one damn minute, missy! Heh. Anyway, fast forward more years than I care to discuss and I meet what turns out to be one of my closest friends. She grew up with three other sisters, all of them relatively close in age. And although they are sweet, wonderful adults now, my God! I couldn’t believe the out-and-out violence that went on between them when they got into it a children. I loved hearing all the stories and it gave me a totally different perspective on other people’s family dynamics. And, as a writer, I have no qualms about using the essence of other people’s lives to enhance my own stories. Thankfully my friends are totally cool with that.

2. Do you have a planned number of books for your Dragon Kin series?

Not really. Officially, I’m contracted for three more books after my September release WHAT A DRAGON SHOULD KNOW. But to be honest, I didn’t start this series with some grand scheme in mind. In fact, I started book 1 (DRAGON ACTUALLY) as a short story to kill time while I waited for a friend of mine to read my first novel PACK CHALLENGE, which is published under Shelly Laurenston. PACK CHALLENGE was my first book that I actually, ya know, finished. I had many unfinished books around my apartment, but my life had changed a lot in that last year. My divorce had recently gone through, my mother had passed away a few months before, and I was extremely bored with my current career as a Managing Editor in a marketing department. I started writing again and this time it just flowed. And for the first time since high school, I not only finished a book, but I then gave it to someone else to read and critique, and I wasn’t sure whether my friend would love it, hate it, or tell me it was time to consider working on moving up in my current career. In other words, I was nervous as hell waiting for her feedback, so I decided to write something else while I did wait and I chose one of my true loves since I was a kid. Dragons! I still have dragon pendants from high school when I went to the New York Renaissance Faire (“Where all the Faire’s a stage!” Yes, I still remember their tagline), I played a little Dungeons & Dragons when I bothered to leave my parents’ finished basement and wasn’t watching “Dragonslayer” on my parents’ nice TV with the cable connection, and over the years I’d been known to openly refer to myself as a “dragon wench.” DRAGON ACTUALLY (at the time it was titled “To Challenge a Dragon”) started off simple enough, and I figured it would be ten to twenty pages long. You know, a typical short story to pass the time, but it simply kept growing and growing and Fearghus’s (the hero’s) family kept showing up, one after the other. And the more I wrote the more I loved it. I love all my series for various reasons, but my dragons are the closest to my heart because it’s the fantasy world I’ve been building since I was a anti-social kid happily existing in my parents’ basement. I simply love the whole sword and sorcery dynamic. Which is kind of amusing since I’m a classic Long Island princess who rode a horse only once (and it was a complete and utter disaster that my best friend from high school still laughs over hysterically more than twenty years later), refuses to go camping because there aren’t any toilets and no air conditioning, and when I pretend I’m sword fighting by swinging around those long cardboard tubes you get when you buy wrapping paper I invariably hit myself in the head…much to the amusement of my dog. So all that to say, I have no planned number of books for the Dragon Kin, but the world I’ve created keeps expanding and I really never know where my “I’m avoiding doing anything remotely responsible” daydreams might take me next.

3. I am a huge fan of fantasy (romance), stories that are set in their own worlds. What made you decide to write in this genre? Is it one you read? And if so, what authors do you favor?

I love romance and read it from grade school through high school (because every 11-year-old should go straight from Nancy Drew to Kathleen E. Woodiwiss’ASHES IN THE WIND that they picked up at a church bazaar). I always read historicals. Then I read all sorts of different genres for the next ten years are so. Mysteries, thrillers, horror, and fantasy but they always seemed light on the romance. There was romance but I wanted more, and I always wanted sex…in the books, I mean. Heh. I also fell in love with comic books around this time, especially Neil Gaiman’s Sandman (one of my absolute favorites), Clive Barker’s Hellraiser and the very short-lived Nightbreed, and the Alien and Predator comics, which seem to be making a comeback. I just picked up the Aliens vs. Predator Ominibus, which has all the old comics in one place. I also loved the Aliens, and Aliens vs. Predator novels. Those were very fun reads. I especially loved the War of the Lance series by Tracey Hickman and Margaret Weis, but again…not enough romance or dragons, in my estimation. When I began writing DRAGON ACTUALLY, I realized I could easily combine the two, romance and fantasy. Then I got to add sex to the mix and dragons who could shift to human, and suddenly I was one happy dragon geek.

4. I'm always on the look-out for a good fantasy romance. Do you have any other story ideas floating around in your head in the fantasy genre?
I do, but as the readers who were with me back in my strictly epublishing days know, I never talk about my stories until I actually finish the book. I’ve found that once I start telling the story (especially before I’ve put even a first draft on paper), it totally kills my desire to write it down at all. It’s totally OCD, but it’s been working…so why ruin a good thing?

5. It's always nice to know what authors others love to read. Who are a few that are favorites of yours?
My big faves are Stephen King, Nora Roberts (her early contemps), Neil Gaiman, Clive Barker, Margaret Weis, William King’s Gotrek & Felix series. Plus, there are the books I pull out at least once (if not twice or three times) a year for a re-read or when I’m feeling especially anxious or stressed. These include Rhyannon Byrd’s WAITING FOR IT; Lori Foster’s TOO MUCH TEMPTATION and CASEY; Maryjanice Davidson’s LOVE’S PRISONER (novella), BRIDE FIGHT (novella), and SANTA CLAWS (novella); and Joey W. Hill’s CHANCE OF A LIFETIME (novella).

6. You also write under the name Shelly Laurenston. I'm not very familiar with those books. Is there anything you'd like to share regarding them? What type of stories are they? Anything new coming soon?

Before there was G.A. Aiken, there was Shelly Laurenston. LOL. And there are four series I have under that name, all of them paranormal, including my Brava Pride series (THE MANE EVENT, THE BEAST IN HIM, THE MANE ATTRACTION, THE MANE SQUEEZE), my Brava Long Island Coven series (in the anthologies SUN, SAND, SEX and BELONG TO THE NIGHT), my Samhain Magnus Pack series (PACK CHALLENGE, GO FETCH!, HERE KITTY, KITTY) and my Samhain The Gathering series (HUNTING SEASON).

Although these series are different, there is a lot of crossover and they all take place in the same world I’ve created where different species of shifters live among full-humans without most of the full-humans having a clue about it. There’s also been crossover between books, for instance my heroine in PACK CHALLENGE made an appearance in THE BEAST IN HIM, and the sprawling Southern Pack/family, the Smiths, are in the Pride series and the Long Island Coven series.

The Gathering is different from the other series because the heroes and heroines in this series do not shift but they do have wings and fight for powerful Nordic gods. The heroes, the Ravens, are descended from ancient Viking warriors while the heroines, the mighty and vicious Crows, are descended from the women stolen by the ancient Viking warriors. Just my fun little way to inject some women of color in my Viking series. But shifters are still part of this world and they’re not crazy about the Crows because they’re not born with their wings, but are changed by their patron goddess when they are chosen for the Gathering. To the shifters, the Crows are simply unnatural.

I swear, I sit around making this stuff up and people pay me for it. I guess my grade school math teachers were right, I am dreaming my life away. Of course when they made this statement there was much more screaming involved and threats of calling my parents. Anyway, I’ve got books out this fall for most of my series. BELONG TO THE NIGHT (an anthology with the wonderful Cynthia Eden and Sherrill Quinn) will be out at the end of August, WHAT A DRAGON SHOULD KNOW September 1st, THE MANE SQUEEZE end of October, and the re-release of HUNTING SEASON, although I don’t have a hard date on that one yet. Thankfully, Fall 2009 is going to be wildly busy for me—I can’t wait.

Thank you so much, G.A/Shelly, for taking the time! I loved reading your answers, your sense of humor shines both in your answers and your Dragon Kin series.I must start reading your Shelly Laurenston work. Especially your Gathering series coming out with Samhain this fall. Hunting Season sounds fantastic!

In celebration of G.A. Aiken's newest release in her Dragon Kin series, she's offered to giveaway a signed copy of What a Dragon Should Know to one lucky commenter! So get those fingers typing. Ask a question about her books or leave a comment, she'll be around today hangin out, ready to answer whatever you might ask!

Winner announced Monday, August 24th!

*Update*
I have decided to add a copy of Dragon Actually to the giveaway! So there will be two lucky winners! This is for those of you who haven't read the first two books or don't have the first two books in your TBR stacks.

What a Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken

WHAT A DRAGON SHOULD KNOW
by G.A. Aiken
Dragon Kin series Book 3

Series order -
Dragon Actually
About a Dragon
What a Dragon Should Know

Coming September 1, 2009

Click here for excerpt

Only for those I love would I traipse into the merciless Northlands to risk life, limb, and my exquisite beauty. But do they appreciate it? Do they say, "Gwenvael the Handsome, you are the best among us-the most loved of all dragons?" No! For centuries my family has refused to acknowledge my magnificence as well as my innate humility. Yet for them, and because I am so chivalrous, I will brave the worst this land has to offer.

So here I stand, waiting to broker an alliance with the one the Northlanders call The Beast. A being so fearful, the greatest warriors will only whisper its name. Yet I, Gwenvael, will courageously face down this terrifying…woman? It turns out the Beast, a.k.a. Dagmar Reinholdt, is a woman-one with steel-gray eyes and a shocking disregard for my good looks. Beneath her plain robes and prim spectacles lies a sensual creature waiting to be unleashed. Who better than a dragon to thaw out that icy demeanor?

And who better than a beast to finally tame a mighty dragon's heart?

If I knew what to say to make everyone go out and buy this series, I would say it. I love these characters. There is tons of humor, but it's not a lighthearted read! And the humor doesn't feel forced on you, like the author is trying to make it funny, it just is! It's all in the dialogue. The way the family of dragons treat each other and the humans that are lucky enough to have found their way into the horde treat them and are treated. It's a family structure like you've never seen before! Oh the violence :). But what do you expect when they are all a bunch of dragons!

I would recommend the first two books be read before this one. There are several things that carried over from the previous books, but it's the characters you don't want to miss out on. Annwyl and Feargus from Dragon Actually and then Briec and Talaith from About a Dragon! And the secondary charcters from those two books, all played roles in What a Dragon Should Know.

What a Dragon Should Know made me laugh and even weepy-eyed. It was a well rounded story with a healthy dose of everything that makes a book a good one. Not a good one, but a great one--a memorable one. Awesome plot with unexpected twists and turns. Fantastic character development. And a wonderful romance.

There is no brooding male in What a Dragon Should Know. Oh no, just an arrogant and handsome dragon. But he does attempt to brood in order to woo his woman. Oh jeez, I am laughing just recalling that scene. Too freakin funny. How bout I just give you part of the scene...

Dagmar tried to stand, and Gwenvael caught her hand, pulling her back down. "You can't leave me. I'm tortured and brooding. You need to show me how much you adore me so I can learn ot love myslef again."

"You've never stopped loving yourself."

"Because I'm amazing."

She yanked her hand away, but Gwenvael simply caught it again and dragged her until she was on top of him.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you kiss away the torturous brooding."

"I'm not kissing away anything." Dagmar froze. "And move your hands, sir."

"But they are warm and comfortable where they are."

Hmmm, and where could those wondering hands of his be? That whole scene was simply priceless. I love Gwenvael. He has so many quotable scenes. He is one of my most favorite characters. He may have an arrogant streak, but there is a side to him that is serious and wants more than what his family gives him credit for. And Dagmar is perfect for him!

This book goes back and forth between Dagmar and Gwenvael and all the other characters from the previous two books, expanding their characters further. And at no time did I wish the story would just stay with the h/h. Oh no, I wanted all the other characters too. Because each of them have such a unique personality, well, they all seem to be a bit violent and snarky and just plain fun, that I wanted them just as much as the h/h.

I loved the first two books in the Dragon Kin series, but this third one totally had me captivated, but I don't think it would have had me so enthralled had I not already known the characters from the first two books. You're not just getting two characters. All of them seem to come to life, making their presence known and even anticipated.

What a Dragon Should Know has, without a doubt, earned a spot in my top ten books! Definitely a 5 star book!

Stay tuned! Tomorrow, G.A. Aiken will be here! She answered a few questions for me and will be giving away a copy of What A Dragon Should Know! (And the giveaway is open worldwide!)

www.gaaiken.com

Buy here.

Mailbox Monday

Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend. I got some really great books this past week! Two arrived in my mailbox and one I bought at the bookstore. I did also receive some amazing promo items from Gerri Russell! She was so good to me and I hope you all give her new book that comes out in a few days on the 25th a try--To Tempt a Knight! I read her other three books (Medieval and set in Scottland--two of my favorite things!) all very good with a hint of magic regarding a different stone that the story is built around--The Warrior Trainer, Warrior's Bride, and Warrior's Lady

In the mail--The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker (Thank you to Leanna Renee Hieber and Dorchestor Publishing!) I've already read and reviewed this hauntingly magnificent book!

And then I finally got the first book in Morgan Howell's Queen of the Orcs Trilogy, King's Property! I kinda got them backwards. But now I have them all so I can read them soon.

My bookstore find was actually a sort of challenge from one of the ladies that works there. And how can I pass on a challenge? I thought it would be nice to have a little something in common with her since she doesn't read romance. I did once look at Firefly Lane and thought it would be something I would like to read. Now i have it, and I'll be reading it soon!

My Guys at Fantasy Island Theme Park!

This weekend turned out to be a really great one! It was so nice having Brennan here with us. He's actually still here. He leaves in the morning. But we had a great time. Took the boys to Fantasy Island for a couple of hours on Saturday. It was hot! So we really didn't stay all that long, but Devin did get to go on the water slides he hadn't been able to go on before :).

Brennan is the same, yet different. He's a teenager! Man, am I not used to teenagers. They sleep forever!!! I did get a little upset Saturday night, or rather Sunday morning! I woke up at 1 am and my 10 year old was still up playing video games! I was not happy, but I let Shawn deal with it. I'm too grumpy when I wake up in the middle of the night to talk to anyone :). Shawn laughed at me in the morning. He said I reminded him of his mom the way I stormed down the stairs to find him! I think I gave him flashbacks to when he was a teenager living at home...HAHAHA!

My mom's coming over today for dinner to see Brennan. She hasn't seen him since I first met Shawn. Brennan was just a baby!

What about you, did you get anything new?

Weekly meme hosted by Marcia at The Printed Page.

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker by Leanna Renee Hieber

Leanna Renee Hieber
The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker
August 25, 2009
www.leannareneehieber.com

Percy Parker, quiet, timid, strange Percy Parker is accepted at Athens Academy to further her studies after spending her first eighteen years at a convent as an orphan when her mother died shortly after her birth. Normally at her age she would move on with her life, but Percy's looks and the oddities that surround her has held her back, as society shuns her, so too does she shun them. That is until she meets the mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman. The only man who has ever turned her insides upside down, and made her feel comfortable with her strange appearance, for Percy has pale-white skin, white hair and opal colored eyes. Often she's mistaken for a ghost due to her pale coloring.

Alexi Rychman is the leader of The Guard. Six men and women chosen 20 years ago to protect London from the supernatural forces that haunt it. Their Grand Work is to maintain the balance between this world and beyond. A prophecy was given them on that fateful night 20 years ago. A seventh would enter their group, completing them, allowing them to fight the Darkness that would seek to break the barriers between the two worlds. But they must be cautious, for impatience could prove to be their enemy if they do not heed the signs showing them who the true Prophecy is.

Oh my, I loved this book. I loved the characters, the sweet, thrilling romance between Alexi and Percy. The beautiful prose that sweep across every single page. Be prepared to be taken away to a London as you've not seen before, and characters so vivid they meld within your heart. Percy is one of the best heroines I've read in a long time. Her innocence and shyness were so refreshing. Yet underneath it all, there is still a strength inside Percy.

The plot unfolded at a pace that never felt slow or rushed and built the series arc to leave you hungry for the next book as the war that was prophesized looms. A unique and fascinating story arc it is too. It has a nice Gothic feel, and the Ghosts that wander here and there, and the spin on the Ripper! That was very cool. Not a major part of the story. The book focuses mainly on the Guard and Percy Parker, and the Prophecy, but I liked how that part of history was explained according to the rules of this world.

You know what one of the strangely beautiful things I loved about this book was? There were no sex scenes. But the longing that Alexi and Percy express and feel within themselves toward the other was just as good. It was potent and powerful and truly all that was needed in this strangely beautiful tale. With just the touch of a hand, or a smile, or the long gazes into one anothers eyes held so much power. For the two of them have always been so lonely those simple gestures felt like the earth moved.

I wonder what characters the next book is going to focus on? I'm thinking maybe Rebecca and Michael? Both are members of the Guard and there is something there, at least something within Michael that I would love to see explored! And Miss Rebecca could use some defrosting and warming up ;). Not that she's mean, just another lonely soul as was Alexi. As they all are, considering the lives they've lived for the past 20 years. The secrecy of who they are that they've had to maintain. This was most assuredly a fantastic book to start a new series! I sure hope that Miss Hieber gets all the praise she deserves for this book. Miss Percy Parker is truly a unique and strangely beautiful tale.

Without a doubt, a recommended read!!

The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker...Is Strangely Beautiful! Look for this truly enchanting and hauntingly magnificent book on August 25, 2009!

Click here to pre-order!
Book two in the Strangely Beautiful series is due to hit the shelves in May 2010!

Other books by Leanna Renee Hieber
(And you can believe this one will be on my e-reader soon!)

DARK NEST

Winner of the 2009 Prism Award for excellence in published works of Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal Romance in the Novella Category.

ISBN: 978-0-981601-5-1
Length: Novella
Publication Date: April 2008 - Crescent Moon Press

Chief Counsel Ariadne Corinth has just found out her long-time lover, the powerfully gifted Chief Counsel Kristov Haydn, has died. Newly evolved psychically gifted humans have been sent by the Homeworld on a space mission aboard two distinct “Nests”. Relationships between the Light Nest and the Dark Nest have faltered and Ariadne is sure there’s something insidious behind it. In a matter of hours, Ariadne must find out what really happened to Kristov, unite her people to discover vast new powers the Homeworld denied them, or else submit to genocide.