The Sleeping Doll

Jeffery Deaver certainly knows how to spin a tale. "The Sleeping Doll" is a page turner, and I know there's a lot I can learn from him about pacing and body language.

I did think, however, that one of the twists was a bit too convoluted for its own good. It felt a bit slapped-on at the end, and it failed my sanity check of "would a person really go to all this trouble to..."

Still, it's a fun book to read, and it certainly kept me off my computer for two nights in a row.

Guest Blogger: Christine Duncan, author of Safe House

Getting to Know You by Christine Duncan

I have a theory that if I like an author's work, I'm going to like the author. Since I've joined writers groups, I've discovered that the converse is not always true. Sometimes, I might like the author but not like her work. That has been a bit disconcerting to me

So then I formed a new theory. If I wanted to find a new writer to read, I should discover if they have the same general way of looking at things as me. That can involve a lot of networking. Either that, or I spend a great deal less time reading which is unacceptable.

There is a lot of talk lately in author circles about networking. Actually there has probably always been talk in author circles about networking. It used to be the old fashioned kind--in person. Now a lot of networking is on-line and the talk turns to which sites are the most effective. Twitter is one of the newest darlings. I've read articles suggesting that it is possible to get an agent on Twitter, or to find a publisher on Twitter.

I've seen a lot on Twitter--some of it was fun, some of it was offensive (I tend to unfollow anyone who uses too many 4 letter words.) some of it was just....promo. But I didn't get an agent there and I don't think my publisher is on it. I did find a couple authors whose books I want to read--which just goes back to my theory.

You see, I think most of us are like that. We want to get to know each other. If you are a real person on-line--as you have to be in person--we're going to want to read your stuff. But if you are on Twitter or Facebook and all I hear out of you is "Read My Book" and I never hear anything else, I don't feel like I know you. And I'm not intrigued.

I'm still working on a theory of how to be myself on-line. It's pretty difficult not to be a little freaked out about the whole thing when you hear about stalkers on the web, or get lectured about revealing too many details to strangers. It's a fine line.

Still I like on-line networking. I like some of it a bit too much--as many before me have complained, I can spend too much time on it. But I don't really think networking on-line is different than going to conferences or giving talks. In other words, people still want to get to know you.

Christine Duncan
Safe Beginnings, A fire, a murder, a battered woman's nightmare
Safe House, Life--and death--in a battered women's shelter. In print soon from TrebleHeartBooks.com
Rule of Three--3 writers, 3 countries--3 ways of doing things

Come join me on 1 June 2009

I'll be doing an author chat on 1 June 2009, 8pm EST. Come join me.

True Blood, the TV series

2 episodes into "True Blood", I'm still not sure whether I'll continue to watch it. I'm not really into vampires, and blood soe does not do it for me, but the main vampire in "True Blood" is a dish, and now that LOST is taking a break and I'm having Josh Holloway withdrawal symptoms, it's nice to have substitute eye candy available. The plot line seems promising and the setting is quaint... all in all, I'll probably sit down in front of Episode 3.

TV shows whose return I'm eagerly awaiting:

• LOST
• The Sheldon Show... I mean, The Bing Bang Theory.

TV shows I've sampled and decided against lately include:

• The young ones
• Bottom
• Battlestar Galactica.

TV shows whose end I'm celebrating with single malt whisky:

• Prison Break (I knew I should have stopped watching after the toe scene in Season 1!)

Book Signing

Everybody Wins Competition: Win A Red Rose Book of Your Choice

Here's how to get a free Red Rose title (an ebook of your choice):

1. Buy the bestseller "Safe Sex Incorporated" (http://redrosepublishing.com/bookstore/product_info.php?products_id=378) be Eve Summers. 
2. Email your receipt to yve at xtra dot co dot nz (before the end of June 2009).  
3. I'll send you ANY Red Rose Publishing e-book you request (it doesn't have to be by me).  
4. Please email yve@xtra.co.nz and make sure the title is "SSI Competition, YW".

Blurb:

In 22nd century, love is a forbidden emotion, an obscene word, an unnecessary disease. Skyla is a PR officer for a company that makes Love Condoms: a special kind of condom that protects the user from love.

As with all prohibitions, the love prohibition has given rise to a pro-love group, a group whose actions may jeopardize Skyla's dream of a promotion.

Jin is a school teacher - or is he something more? Skyla is instantly drawn to him and when they are together, she forgets about Love Condoms....

That latest Harlan Coben bestseller....

I love Harlan Coben. His books (both the stand-alones and the series ones) are page-turners, both easy to read and with a message that makes you think long after you're finished. The dialogues are showcases of subtle humour and understatement. His narrative makes every word vivid and powerful.

I'm also in love with Win Lockhorne - did I mention how realistic Coben's characters feel? - I'm in love with his attitude, his bad boy ways in the bedroom and his goofy Mee jokes. He can watch home-made DVDs featuring us as the main stars any time!

But I digress. The latest Harlan Coben book, like all the others, deserves to be a bestseller. It has all the right elements: the emotional load, the pace, the philosophy. This one happens to be in the Win Lockhorne... er, I mean, the Myron Bolitar series, but nowadays I think it almost doesn't matter.

The title? No idea. Something with an L? That's the one problem with Harlan Coben: all his titles sound the same to me....