MissMeliss on October 31st, 2007

by Colleen Gleason
I’m not a huge fan of the Regency period, and especially not a fan of Regency romances. All those demure teas and heaving bosoms tend to cause a lot of eye-rolling around here. When an author takes the time to visit my blog, however, and pitch her own work, without being at all [...]

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MissMeliss on October 29th, 2007

There are mysteries that take place in almost every walk of life. I’m currently reading one that combines the entertainment industry and (one of my favorite venues) cafes, and one of my favorite fluff series involves a caterer in Colorado, and is laced with recipes.
One career path that is grossly underrepresented, however, is that of [...]

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MissMeliss on October 29th, 2007

Since it’s Halloween week, I thought I’d spotlight some of my favorite books with monsters, vampires, and other supernatural themes. As it’s Monday, and I’ve got a slight cold (just enough to make me crabby) I thought I’d start with a lighter offering.

Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunter books, which began with Carpe Demon are all about [...]

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MissMeliss on October 26th, 2007

by Keith R. A. DeCandido
The thing about Star Trek novels, for me, is that they’re sort of like caribbean cruises: you get a taste of the exotic, but you do so from a safe, comfortable environment.
Keith R. A. DeCandido’s Q & A, his latest addition to the Star Trek: the Next Generation collection is no [...]

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MissMeliss on October 26th, 2007

While I confess, I’ve been known to mock formula romances like those offered by Silhouette and Harlequin, I also recognize that they’re great for quick escapist reading, perfect for the bathtub, and have helped a lot of really good writers get their starts in the industry. Besides, it’s a market dominated by women, and that’s [...]

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MissMeliss on October 25th, 2007

Writing about having to throw out a piece of luggage on my main blog the other day has me thinking about literary luggage. Yes, another list, but as I’m a little muzzy-headed I’m not committing to a number.

Jane in A Dangerous Dress has her luggage stolen (she thinks) early in the novel, and is mortified [...]

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MissMeliss on October 24th, 2007

A blog-buddy of mine posted an entry, recently, in which she stated that she’s not having a good relationship with books right now. I know what she means – I go through stages where I’m just not in the mood to read anything, and when I try I end up wanting to fling the book [...]

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MissMeliss on October 22nd, 2007

I confess. I read in the bathroom – a lot. In fact, a frequent admonishment when I was a kid is one I now use with Fuzzy when he’s taking forever (thankfully with three bathrooms this doesn’t usually affect me in anything but an annoyance sort of way.): Put the book DOWN. I know [...]

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MissMeliss on October 22nd, 2007

When I wrote about what I wanted to do with our library the other day, I neglected to talk about where I wanted to get the shelving we need. Now, please understand, I have no problem with discount furniture, especially for things like shelves and tables – stuff you don’t sleep in – because [...]

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MissMeliss on October 21st, 2007

Last weekend, after my salon visit, I spent a pleasant three hours watching MTV’s presentation of Legally Blonde: the Musical, and while my preferred method for watching musicals is not with commercial interruptions every fifteen minutes, I’d been dying to see this play ever since my friend Jeremy informed me that it existed, about a [...]

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