Demon's Hunger by Eve Silver... as good as a cold bath

I was lucky enough to get my hands on an ARC of Eve Silver's latest book, Demon's Hunger, the sequel to her bestselling novel Demon's Kiss.

Well Ms Silver, I have you to thank for the discomfort of not one, but TWO cold baths.

Let me explain...

I do my best reading in the tub. It's the only quiet place in the house, a sacred no-boys-allowed-to-bother-mom zone. And at risk of getting too personal, I follow a specific routine:

Stage 1: sink into the hot water (bubbles optional) and read one or two chapters. Before the water loses steam, I move to...

Stage 2: wash and condition hair (using the rinse cycle to re-heat the water back to optimum soak temp), wrap head in towel and continue reading the next chapter or two.

Stage 3: (and this is important) STOP reading long enough to exit the tub BEFORE the bath water cools enough to lower internal body temperature. Critical.

I never vary from this. (I'm anal that way.)

Except when I cracked Demon's Hunger.

There I was, reading away, not noticing that the bubbles were slowly dissolving around me, and next thing I knew, I was shivering.

So engrossed was I in the The Compact of Sorcerers (smoken hot demon fighting dudes) that I completely missed Stage 2 and went well beyond the critical point of Stage 3!!

I couldn't re-fill/re-heat, cause that's just wasteful, so I got out and took my drippy, shivery self into bed.

Next night, SAME THING!

Damn you, Eve Silver, for penning a tale so captivating it left my skin pruny and my hair greasy!

Here's the blurb:

Forensic anthropologist Vivien Cairn fears she's losing her mind. Her libido has kicked into overdrive, and she's blacking out-leaving hours of her life unaccounted for and no memory of where she's been...or what she's done. But when a sexy stranger rescues her from a demon attack, Vivien realizes there's more than just her sanity at stake... A seductive killer is luring victims, and Sorcerer Dain Hawkins finds himself walking a dangerous line between ancient duty and sizzling desire when the brotherhood-and Vivien herself-begin to suspect that her mysterious symptoms may connect her to the crimes. Can Dain save Vivien from the evil that threatens to claim her? Or will they both succumb to...Demon's Hunger...

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- Eve is the Queen of Sexual Tension. The chemistry between Vivien and Dain *sigh* is practically palpable. And I can't wait to read more about those sexy demon hunters...

Look for DEMON'S HUNGER (did I mention that you don't need to read Demon's Kiss first - that this hot paranormal romance is perfectly enjoyable as a stand alone? But you will want to go back and read it, just because...) in bookstores this December.

Great gift for your book-loving gal friends. And personally speaking, I always love seeing a book peeking out of my Christmas stocking :)

A Blog Award? For Me?

Ann over at Fractured Fiction awarded me *yay* with this delicious little Great Attitude/Graditude Award. (She must have missed my last rant - hee)
Isn't it purdy?






*Put the logo on your blog or post

*Nominate at least 10 blogs which show Great Attitude and/or Gratitude!

*Be sure to link to your nominees within your post

*Let them know they have received this award by commenting on their blog

*Share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award



This is the fun part...

And the award goes to (in no particular order):

1. Jennifer Leeland cause her 'Thankful' post was right-on


2. Julia Smith cause her heart of gold shows in everything she touches (yes, I know she got it already but she needs at least five or six for her abundance of attitude/gratitude)


3. Susan Helene Gottfried cause she ROCKS. Ditto Julia's postscript.


4. Thomma-Lyn for her generous, insightful nature


5. Leah Braemel cause she's supportive, helpful and sincere


6. M. cause she makes it her purpose in life to find the funny


7. Tempest, Cora and Cassandra at Midnight Moon Cafe for always sharing their latest book finds


8. JK Coi cause she generously promotes her fellow authors


9. Shelley Munro cause she's as lovely, sweet and interesting in person as she is in blogworld


10. Bonnie Staring because she shares her excitement for life with everyone she comes in contact with.

Network Execs, YOU SUCK!

I don't watch that much television... That said, I was pretty excited about this year's line up because there are some excellent and unique dramas out there and I am sick sick sick of reality television and two-bit talent shows.

Apparently, I'm the only one who thinks so...
They cancelled My Own Worst Enemy. WTF? The cast was top-notch: Christian Slater, the old farmer dude from that pig movie, Babe -- you know who I mean, right?, Madchen Amick (sorry M, don't know how to put those dots above your 'a') and a few others whom I recognize but their names aren't forthcoming in my anger-haze. The writing was tight and the overall concept was unique. I ask again, WTF? Couldn't they have given it more than a 4 episode chance????

Another of my faves, Eli Stone, just got the axe. Again - excellent acting, fantastic feel-good stories, ... POOF!
Fuck you ABC.
(Yes Nicholas, I just swore on my blog. First and last time.)

Though I didn't watch Pushing Daisies, I understand it was an excellent show. Bye-bye. It's gone. Now I'll never get the chance.

How can sludge like Desperate Housewives continue to clog the air. And though I enjoy Law and Order and CSI, do we really need the twelve sub-versions? REALLY?? Cause advertisers, don't you realize that you're selling the same stuff to the same people? Does that make any sense?? Don't you want NEW viewers? NEW consumers?

Hey, network execs. Y'all need to be bitch-slapped.
I AM YOUR TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC. ME. WYLIE KINSON - HOMEMAKER, FEMALE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-45. SHOPPER.
And you have alienated me.
I may not watch the shows during scheduled air time when your totals are being tallied but I AM WATCHING.
Between PVR's, On-demand cable viewing, the availability of entire-season DVDs, the current Neillson Rating system is obsolete.

I'm going to read a book.

Catching up with... ME!

I'm back from visiting my mom in the Great White North (which isn't white, btw, but very green, as opposed to the weather in the Toronto area, which is VERY white at the moment!)

I had no internet access for five days...
Yes, that IS as horrible as you can imagine!

Thought for sure that I'd be able to get some writing done (since no internet!) but alas... very little tapping occurred. I did cross the 40,000 line which sounds good, but my goal was 50,000, so not good.
But there was visiting to be done, and chatting, and going out for coffee, and Christmas shopping...
And seeing Quantum of Solace. *big grin*
Daniel Craig continues his splendorous portrayal of Bond, James Bond. It was excellent. Perhaps not quite as good as the first, but really, very good. 3 1/2 stars out of 4.

I've just spent a few minutes catching up on blogs though didn't have time to comment on any. But here's what I learned since Max & Ruby started:
Leah is Svening, Christine and Bonnie are NaNo-ing (yes, C - reward yourself with Quantum!), Amy is editing and eating (not necessarily in that order), Nicholas is providing thoughtful matter by way of book titles that never saw the light of day, Terra has lost 2 lbs (go Terra!!!), TL continues to hike, edit and play (TL - I love your character names, 'specially Renata) and JK has Matt Cory visiting.
I've still got to check out what's up with Tempest, Maureen, Jen the Redneck, Shelley Munro and see what's happening at Six Degrees of Sexy... so many blogs, so little time ;)

Back to Christmas shopping... Have you started? I'm starting to get a bit frantic because I've got to get my Bermuda-family pressies bought before the in-laws arrive in a couple of weeks so I can send stuff back with them. And December is so full of stuff -- three family birthdays (including mine - so start shopping), three friend birthdays, holiday parties, decorating, end of school,....
All that and finishing a book.
ACK, I'm stressed already!!!

Leaving on a jet plane, be back on Monday...

You have reached the blog of Wylie Kinson.
I'm currently away from my desk -- and away from all things internet! -- but if you'd like something to read while I'm gone, please check out my post at Six Degrees of Sexy entitled:

10 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SEX

Or maybe you do know about them...

Don't forget to leave a message after the beep!

BEEP

This special bulletin just in from my friend Tracey...

Set your "Lost" countdown clocks to 72 days: ABC has set the show's season premiere date.

The show will open its fifth season with a two-hour premiere starting at 9p.m. ET Wednesday, Jan. 21. It marks a return to Wednesdays for the show.


Woohoo... something to look forward to!

Writing research, or an excuse not to write??

I'm trying to get a grasp on the future-world I'm creating for my latest wip (Jump Zone) so trotted down to Blockbuster for some post-apocolyptic inspiration.

I had to fight off two teenage boys to get the last (and only?) copy of the John Woo directed Appleseed Ex Machina. This was my first foray into anime and I must say, I was impressed! While the story was certainly interesting, it was the animation that had me shaking my head in a combination of creepy and cool in it's stunning 'realness' (the chick did NOT have sex with the hunky(?) faceless cyborg so the creep-factor came down by the end).
Though I did have a weird moment when I realized that two specific visual details in MY wip are presented in the fictional world of Olympia. Enough to have me worried that people will think I ripped them off from the movie (totally did NOT!!) but if/when Jump Zone is ever published, it'll be long forgotten,... ahem.

The second movie was a very dark vision of future-world starring Christian Bale (whom I heart more with every movie I see him in) called Equilibrium.
AGHAST - another three parallels to my story -- one major, two minor. I guess the collective vision of future-world is indeed bleak.
Anyhoo -- it was another enjoyable movie from a researchy aspect. And 1 1/2 hours of a stoic Mr. Bale was totally worth the $5 rental fee. The fight scenes were AMAZINGLY choreographed and more than a little violent.
The video store dude even said, "Uh... this is restricted. Are you sure you want it?" To which I replied, "Uh... yeah." Not sure if he thought I was underage (wishful thinking on my part?), too delicate, or if I was getting it as a package deal for my teenage son along with the anime flick.
Jeez kid... hate to blow your stereotype of 40 year old women, but we're not all sitting at home watching PS I Love You *snort*

Did I loose some valuable writing time watching movies. Oh yeah. Did it help. Undoubtably. If anything, it confirmed that my vision for our fine planet isn't completely whacked and might even save me from a few cliches. (Can they even be considered cliche if I thought I thought of them first?)

Question: Have you seen anything that qualifies as anime? Thoughts??

No taxes from Californian gays? Oh YEAH!!

Melissa Ethridge spoke out against that Prop 8 business...
I'm horrible at summarizing, so click here to read her right on rant: http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-06/you-can-forget-my-taxes/
and join me in sayin' AMEN MELISSA!!!!

BUFFY IS DEAD?!?!

Oh where oh where has Wylie been...

Yes, aside from two little blips this past week, I haven't been much of a blogger lately. October was a month where a bunch of little niggly things collided and made me tired, grumpy, stressed and uncreative.

To escape real-life, I ended up spending the last few hours of every evening watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I missed this show when it was on television (we didn't get the WB in Bermuda back then) and besides... I couldn't really understand the appeal after having sat through the original movie.

A grainy season one (had me appreciating high def) was very short compared to the other 22 episode seasons, and I really had to leave my adult sensibilities aside and try to let my inner angsty teenager come into the light.
It worked, (must have been my mood, cause it was actually pretty easy!) and I eagerly plunged into season two.
By this time, I realized that even if the monsters were bordering on ridiculous, the acting was superb, the writing tight and the characters BRILLIANT!
It goes without saying that Sarah Michelle Geller was the perfect choice for Buffy... but Willow, Xander, Giles, Angel, even Oz -- incredibily well fleshed out characters that made the show shine. They were easily people you would know in high school (except maybe Angel, the vampire with a soul *snort*) and kudos to Joss Whedon who didn't rely on the transparent trick of slotting people in to stereotype slots.

And I finally completely 'get' why the Angel & Buffy story resonated with my fellow romance writers. WOW -- the chemistry between those two characters was palpable.
By the time I was deep into season three, the Buffy & Angel 'theme song' (a gorgeous, haunting melody by Montreal composer Christophe Beck) would squeeze my heart whenever played.

*SPOILER ALERT - don't continue unless you've watched the show, or don't intend to*

My inner 17 year old felt every ounce of Buffy's pain by the end of season three (you know, when Angel... and Buffy... yeah, then she became Ann). Anyway, I had to rush out and buy season four that very day and only then realized that Angel doesn't come back because the bugger went off and got his own show!!! Course, now I'll have to ask Santa for the Angel series...

Late last night I watched (end of season five) the Buffster jump off the tower to save her sister. And the world.
She died??? But... but... but... I happen to know there's two more seasons!! I've seen them at Best Buy - and she's on the cover so... HOW??!!!
Oh, the look on Willow's face when she saw her friend's lifeless body.
And SPIKE!! The anguish on his face.... he just broke my heart.
Speaking of Spike. He's become my absolute fave character.
Ever.
On any television show.
Double kudos to Mr. Whedon for this guy. His character grew into something multi-faceted and imo, overshadowed even Angel in his depth. The good-bad guy, complete with unrequited love.

Have you seen Buffy?
For writers - if so, have you drawn on it for inspiration/ideas/arcs, etc??

Michael Crichton is dead!!!

OMG - I just heard the most terrible news. One of my favorite authors passed away yesterday... Michael Crichton. :(

I've read everything he wrote - the list is too long to mention in my distressed state, so I'll just throw out SPHERE, THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN, DISCLOSURE,and JURASSIC PARK for those who aren't sure who he is. Was. *sob*

RIP Michael. The world will miss you!

Today's the day, neighbours... do the world proud!

For my American friends...



Make history!