This was meant to be a video review. I’ve been really revved up about re-launching my YouTube channel… and of course that’s when I come down with the plague. I never get sick. NEVER. And when I do, I’m over it in no time. It’s been over a week. My throat and eyeballs feel swollen. My voice is all but gone. So video reviews are not an option at the moment. : (
Maybe I’ll be feeling like myself again by the time New Year’s Day rolls around, so I can accomplish ALL THE THINGS. In the meantime, Imma just leave this review here.
Mr. Jason T. Graves is a pretty cool guy. I met him through a mutual friend, UK author Clare Davidson, and then I contributed a short story to OFF THE BEATEN PATH, an anthology he edited and released last year. I recently finished reading his latest book, THE ALEWIFE, and let me tell you, I’ve got some things to say about this book…
First of all, do not let the cover deceive you. If the image was any more detailed, it would spoil the story. I started reading this book late in the evening. Big mistake. I was up until 3am, because I had to finish it. HAD TO. Aren’t those the best kind of reads?
So everything starts off simple enough. Middle-aged couple, heading off on a cozy little getaway to relax and try to make a baby. Doug and Jillian are a pretty typical couple. Doug is full of cheesy puns (which I love), and Jillian is a little high-strung. They get to their hotel and have dinner at the hotel restaurant, where things get interesting. Apparently, Doug has been to this restaurant before, and he’s quite familiar with the hot little waitress serving them. She worked there twelve years before, when Doug last visited with a friend. As if the awkwardness with Jillian isn’t bad enough, the girl doesn’t look like she’s aged a day. So Doug, the genius who booked a romantic getaway where his past would most likely be waiting to haunt him (good job, Doug!) is ogling the waitress even more. It’s not very conducive to baby-making with Jillian.
What follows has an erotic, mystery vibe to it—which is fun enough on its own—but then things dive off into the vast depths of sci-fi thrillerdom! Strange science and creatures galore! Great fight scenes and even a touch of romance. Oh! And more puns. Can’t forget those. This turn of events was entirely unexpected and glorious. It reminded me just a bit of Christopher Moore’s FLUKE. So fantastic! It’s definitely one I’ll be reading again.
Click HERE to go to Jason's page where you can stalk him and find links to everywhere you can buy THE ALEWIFE. Since you should. For reals.
Happy reading!
Hey, it's March. Crap. How'd that happen?
I know you all were expecting a new Lana adventure by February, but I have a perfectly reasonable list of excuses for why it's going to be another month before PSYCHOPOMP is ready...
1. Submarines. Well, not just submarines. There was some oddly unexpected and complicated research involved with this book. Submarines, for example, which I know nothing about, came into play. My first instinct was to just write that nonsense right out of the story... but I'm pretty stubborn and not really known to bow out of a good challenge. On top of that, there were more Greek deities and Latin incantations... I think my next series should be about real estate or bartending, stuff I actually know already and don't need a million years to research.
2. The Plague. I brag about my immune system a lot. A LOT. It's been years since I've been really sick. So I didn't think much of it when my husband came home with cooties... that he soon passed onto our kiddo, who is now on antibiotics. A couple weeks around my germy loves, and my ninja immune system finally cracked. I now have cooties too. My throat is itchy and feels like it might close up. My eyes are swollen and red. My sinuses feel like they're filled with lava. It's not pretty.
3. Backwoods Armageddon. You may have already heard about the apocalyptic redneck adventure I'm coauthoring with my husband. Yeah, guess whose idea it was to write it simultaneously while working on Lana? Mine. Face palm. Never. Ever. Again. One book at a time. That's my new mantra.
So I could probably whine and carry on with a dozen or so more excuses why I missed my deadline. I sound extra pitiful with a cold too, so you might even feel sympathetic towards my plight. I promise I'm doing my best to get things finished up for release at the end of March. Extra heartfelt apologies for the delay, especially to the awesome few who have emailed, Facebooked, Tweeted, or stopped me in the parking lot of the grocery store to ask when the next book will be out. You guys keep me going, even when it seems I'm on the verge of death. Which is exactly what a cold feels like when you haven't had one for some time.
Since I don't want to leave you entirely disheartened with me until the end of March, I will at least be doing a cover reveal and excerpt next week. And I might even do a video if my throat doesn't close up first. Until then, stay warm, stay healthy, and stay tuned!
xoxoxo
