Monday, July 30, 2007

Hallowed Ground ROCKS

I blogged the other day about reading Hallowed Ground, loving it, and how much I enjoyed Blood Ties, the first book in the series by Lori G. Armstrong. I finished Hallowed Ground last night after not being able to put it down. I had to know what happened.

To me, Julie Collins is a cross between Anita Blake and Stephanie Plum. I love her voice. It's well done first person, and I don't want to leave Julie at the end of the book. She's troubled, irreverent, makes mistakes, and can be funny as heck.

Kevin, her best friend and partner, didn't have a big role in this one but the chemistry is there between the two. I like Kevin *G*.

But then, there is Martinez. OMG. He leaped off the page, grabbed me around the neck and made me adore him in this book, even though I *know* he's a bad boy. You can cut the sensual tension with a knife between Julie and Martinez.

Armstrong did what few authors can do. She surprised me in quite a few places with actions the characters took.

For me, Julie was rescued one too many times, but the storyline, characters, and voice more than made up for any flaws.

I suggest, run out get Blood Ties and Hallowed Ground by Lori Armstrong. Before November when the third, Shallow Grave, is being released. I myself can't wait until November.

Mechele

Sunday, July 29, 2007

No, I haven't started it yet

It being the last Harry Potter. I'm avoiding anything I think might have a spoiler. My hubby found some spoilers. Needless to say, he keeps asking me, "Want to know...?" I keep yelling, "No!!!"

I am finally reading Lori Armstrong's Hallowed Ground. I'm going to blog about it once I'm done, but I love love love this book, which will be soon as it's getting harder and harder to put it down. I had reviewed her book, Blood Ties, the first in the series once upon a time.

I've started a new project. Not saying much other than between this and my new shapeshifter, Tigress Euphrates, I'm going to be busy. I'm excited about both of them!

New project:



May the muses have great books to read
Mechele

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Thursday Thirteen


Thirteen Things I love about the beach--Mechele Armstrong


1. The sight of the ocean. Jack Colton from Romancing the Stone had it right when he said, “But I couldn't get over that ocean, you know.” That’s been me. It’s endless.
2. Dolphins. I love to watch them surf the waves and play
3. Even when it’s hot, the ocean breezes keep it cool.
4. The sound of the ocean. It’s hypnotic.
5. The feel of the ocean. After you’ve been in it, you go to sleep at night rocking.
6. Sand. Yeah, it can be irksome in places, but building sand castles and digging is fun.
7. Shells. I collect them.
8. The sky. So flat, it goes on forever just like the ocean.
9. Beachcombing. Love to walk and look for ocean junk
10. Birds. I enjoy watching the herons and seagulls ride the winds. And the little birds who run along catching crabs.
11. The laziness. Nothing you have to do or have to be. *sigh* You don’t feel like you “have” to do anything.
12. Sunsets and sunrises. They are particularly picturesque reflected on the water.
13. Seafood. I have to be in the mood. But it’s always fresh!


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Monday, July 23, 2007

I have in my hot little hand

Harry Potter And the Deathly Hallows. *bites nails* I'm scared to read it. LOL.

So I did read Howl, an anthology by Loose Id. OMG. I loved it.

Jet Mykles has an incredibly hot story, Two for One Deal. It's first person, which can be hit or miss with me, but this was done well. It's mega sexy as well, with a fascinating heroine and two heroes who stand apart as well as together.

My buddy, Raine Weaver was next up with an awesomely hot big bad wolf tale, Wolfe's Gate. The hero, Grayson and the heroine, Scarlett are perfectly matched and intriguing. Raine does sensual so darn well *sigh*.

Jeigh Lynn had the last story, All Hallow's Moon. I liked the mates did have to struggle to come together. Really enjoyed the hero.

One thing I loved about all three--the heroine was so fresh and assertive. Not brash or unlikable but not a shrinking violet either.

Thinking I must find more by these authors...

May the muses have good reads
Mechele

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Will I succumb to temptation?

Will I run to the bookstore and find the new Harry Potter book today? *G*

Happy reading to everyone who has it already.

May the muses have good books.
Mechele

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Thursday Thirteen


Thirteen Reasons I'm so late on my Thursday Thirteen by Mechele Armstrong


In honor of Jay Leno, I'm counting down.

13. I had to reread the last Harry Potter book.
12. The dog ate my computer wire.
11. The cat was laying on my keyboard and wouldn't move.
10. The A key on my keyboard would stick and everything turned out like "aaaaples".
9. The kids wanted homemade Rice Crispy Treats.
8. The hubby disconnected my internet.
7. I was playing Life and it took a few hours.
6. A thunder storm rolled through and disconnected my internet.
5. The e key wouldn't work and everything looked like this, "intrnt".
4. Voldemort disconnected my internet.
3. Gremlins took my keyboard.
2. The fish jumped out of the tank and shorted out the internet and the keyboard.
1. Stephen King called to "shoot the breeze."

Actually I got marked as SPAM but I'm back up and running now.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Monday, July 16, 2007

Up into the stratosphere go I

My cowritten author ego, Melany Logen won 3rd place in the futuristic/sci-fi/fantasy category of the 2006 Passionate Plume for Torc's Salvation.

And Blood Lines: Conduit came in 2nd in the paranormal/time travel category. 2nd! 2nd I tell you.

*snoopy dances*

Congrats to all the winners and finalists in the 2006 Passionate Plume and the Stroke of Midnight. Competition was fierce.

May the muses have snoopy dances
Mechele

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Guess what I found at Waldenbooks???????




Happy Happy joy joy! Happy Happy joy joy!

Mechele

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Thursday Thirteen


Thirteen serieses my daughter is reading by Mechele Armstrong


1. Secrets of Droon--She's caught up and desperatly wants the next one to come out. She loves these books!

2. Animorphs--She's in the 30's with a bunch still to go. Very disappointed that she missed the TV show. Got all excited that a book mentions it as being on until I reminded her the book came out before she was born.

3. Fudge--LOL Gotta love Fudge. She's read the four along with Shiela The Great. At night when reading to her, my hubby loves for her to choose these. He cracks up as he's reading

4. Nancy Drew--Grandma gave her the first two. She rather liked them and is on the look out for more.

5. Wild at Heart--She's read all 12. Not sure if there will be more or not. They are about a veterinary clinic and a group of children. They've had cats, greyhounds, puppy mills, manatees as the central theme of a book.

6. Enclopedia Brown--I didn't know if she'd like it or not but she loves these. I think because they are so logical. Amazing how they were written in the 60's but still resonate today.

7. Boxcar Children--another mystery series featuring kids. I don't know a lot about these but she started them at school in her free time.

8. Magic Treehouse/Merlin--She devoured these mainly at school. She's read all but a few of the Merlin series. She loves telling me things about what's featured, like the Shakespeare one.

9. The Three Investigators--yes, I pushed this one. LOL I loved the Three Investigators when I was a kid. More so than Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys.

10. The Dragon Slayers academy--She just started them. She seems to like the humor and the magic in them.

11. Harry Potter--She's read the first two. I think she'll probably read the third sometime soon. All the Harry Potter signs about the movie and the new book coming are making her curious. I've debated when she should read them because the later books are very long (Goblet of Fire is so long it's heavy) and intricate. I don't want her to miss things.

12. Kate Kazoo--This is a switcheroo series. She likes the humor. Katie turned into a boy in one of them LOL.

The serieses I can't wait for her to start:

13. Wrinkle in Time and The Black Stallion. I don't how she'll like the Black Stallion but I know she'll love Wrinkle in time. She's very much into paranormal worlds. Wrinkle in Time is such an influence. Can't wait to talk to her about the story.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)



Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Whoooo hoooooo!

Settler's Mine: The Lovers is done! And it's off to my new editor. So now I sit on pins and needles LOL.

It topped off at about 63 K. I really like the story from the subplot with the villain to the love story. Zelda says it needed more sex *rolls eyes*.

While I was working on it, I managed to read Micah by Laurell K. Hamilton. I'd been putting off reading it for a while because *cough* I like the character of Micah and was worried the book might make me not. But it didn't. It's actually a pretty good story. Laurell K had become a guilty pleasure for me but the last couple of books I've read by her, I've liked. Nice when an author moves back into that getting excited about a new release phase.

May the muses have pins and needles
Mechele

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Eight things about Me

I've done this before...but Shara tagged me *G* so I'll do it again.

Here are the rules:

a. Each player lists 8 facts/habits about themselves.

b. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning before those facts/habits are listed.

c. At the end of the post, the player then tags 8 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.


Eight things about me:


1. I like ketchup but not tomatoes on hamburgers.

2. My 14 year old dog, who we'd had for 13 of those years, passed away a year ago, yet I still sometimes look for her when I walk in the door. *sigh*

3. The cat doesn't understand it's summer vacation and that I can sleep in. She's determined to get me up in the morning. After all, the kitty must be fed.

4. The very first concert I went to was with my brother to see Huey Lewis and the News. Second concert was also with brother to see Bryan Adams. Patti Smythe opened for Bryan Adams, I no longer remember who opened for Huey. I can remember how "cool" I thought it was LOL.

5. My favorite Stephen King book is The Stand. I've read it over again several dozen times. Grew up on a steady diet of King. *G* and will not shut closets to this day because of one of his short stories.

6. Course said brother from above told me that boogey man lived upstairs in the attic, scaring me to no end as the door to the attic was in my room. When confronted year later, he said the boogeyman did live upstairs. Him. *rolls eyes*

7. I love houseplants and have "a jungle." However, I only know what very few of the ones I have are (bamboo, peace lilies). I do not like my poinsettia but will not kill it so I continue to water it.

8. My youngest apparently looks exactly like I did when I was younger. My oldest reads voraciously like I did when I was younger *G*.




As for tagging, I know a lot have done this so I'll just say anyone who wants to...go right ahead.

May the muses have tags
Mechele

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Thursday Thirteen








Thirteen TV shows I miss by Mechele Armstrong



1. Buffy the Vampire Slayer—the last season not counting, it was excellent TV. A musical? Spike and Drusilla? A tortured vampire with a soul? Willow and Oz? Willow and Tara? Great stories. And the whole thing was based on Joss Whedon wanting the blond girl in the alley to have her moment. I own the whole series on DVD but still miss its heyday.

2. Highlander—Adrian Paul. *sigh* I loved how they kept changing the show, which made sense for a couple of hundred year old immortal. Again, I’m not counting the last season (hmm a trend?)

3. Firefly--*cringes* I didn’t watch this show when it was on. I wish I had. I love it now.

4. Drive—we hardly got to know the premise but I was enjoying. Until they pulled the plug *sigh*.

5. Farscape—onboard a living ship anything can happen and usually did. The progression of John Crichton was awesome.

6. Roseanne—not the last season. I loved the humor, especially the early days of the show with Darlene. So funny and so real lifeish. At least my life *G*.

7. Space—Boooo yah! Just like eating pancakes. Only one season but they did so much. Hmm either I don’t like the last season or they are one season shows LOL.

8. Jeremiah—Luke Perry and Malcolm Jamal Warner in an apocalyptic storyline where the children were left behind. I want a third season darn it.

9. American Gothic—Someone’s at the door. Creepy little take on towns.

10. The Beverly Hillbillies—LOL the cement pond and Jethro’s ciphering still make me cackle

11. Friends—the early years. The humor made the show and the tension between Ross and Rachel. “He’s her lobster.”

12. Brisco County Junior—On the DVD, the cast members talk about it and they sound so proud to have been a part of the show. I loved “The coming thing” and the growing relationship between Lord Bowler and Brisco.

13. Star Trek the Next Generation. I’m married to a Trekkie what can I say? The stories were excellent and so were the characters.


Links to other Thursday Thirteens!
1. http://burntofferings.blogspot.com/

2. http://www.expatmom.info/




Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!



Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Happy birthday America!

Hope all you who celebrate have a fun, safe day!

Mechele

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Settler's Mine: The Rivals has released!


Check it out here.

Check out an excerpt here.


I'm soooooo excited. I get to share Layla, Balt, and Orion with you!
May the muses share
Mechele

Monday, July 02, 2007

Anticipation...

It's a wonderful thing....

Something's coming soon...

May the muses have coming soon
Mechele