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Guest Post: Rebecca Hamilton, author of the Forever Girl

by on October 29, 2012


The final guest post for October is Rebecca Hamilton. She is author of one of my favorite reads of 2012 The Forever Girl, as well as Her Sweetest Darkness.

I am so happy to welcome her here today! Her books pack some awesome magic.


What Magic Means to Me


I’m not a religious person, but I think somewhere in me I believe in my own kind of magic. The magic of suggestion, of wishful thinking, of believing, of wanting something so much that fate ends up giving it to you because it would be too great a tragedy for that dream to go unfulfilled. Of course, I know it doesn’t always work that way, and that’s why we call those great moments in life “miracles”.

I think most people believe in some kind of magic at some point in their life. I’m a bit surprised by my own beliefs sometimes, as I was raised already knowing that Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were NOT real. You know, because my mom didn’t want to lie or keep secrets from me. Of course, I’ve come to realize life is rarely so simple, but that doesn’t change my belief in magic.


Though, for all the admonishing of such fantasies as bunnies with eggs full of candy and fat men in red suits who plop down the chimney you don’t own, my mom did have a few magic moments of her that she shared with me. She told me once about the time she flew. She ran across the field in front of my Grandma’s house every day with her arms spread and believed she could fly until one day her feet lifted off the ground and she ran through the air too long to call it a leap.


I won’t tell you how I spent my free time for months after that, but I’m sure you can guess. Yet, although I never did fly, I think there was some magic to be found in those moments as well. I’ve always had magic in my imagination. Magic that I believed was possible. Maybe that is what inspires my writing, too. Even when I write fantasy, my mind yearns for the idea that all of it could be somehow possible. That magic can be real. And I think in many ways it is.

So maybe the unicorns of my youth will never really show up. Maybe I’ll never be able to move objects with my mind or magically change my eye color. Maybe there are no secret crystals or amulets that will take me to another world or make me able see faeries. Maybe no amount of “believing” can make magic tangible thing, at least not all of the time. But sometimes magic brushes by you, touches your life in a way you can’t deny, and in that moment magic is real for you. And maybe sometimes all it takes is that magic being alive in your heart and mind.

For me, magic is hope that the impossible can happen. Sometimes just HOPING is magic enough. Sometimes you get a miracle. But I’ll never forget the magic of my youth, when anything was possible, when imagination was magic enough. And I’ll never leave those feelings behind. I’m keeping the magic with me.

What does magic mean to you?

 
Rebecca Hamilton lives in Florida with her husband and three kids, along with multiple writing personalities that range from morbid to literary. She writes Paranormal Fantasy, Horror, and Literary Fiction and is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA. Currently she is working on the second book in the Forever Girl Series.

Previously in this series on ‘Magic’: 


Monday October 1 

  Christie Rich, author of Five and Dark Matter.

Monday October 8 

Columbus Day (skipped day)

 Monday October 15

Ksenia Anske on her WIP The Siren Suicides.

Stay Tuned for November’s series on Villains

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Wren Doloro Offers Muse Cauldron Subscriptions

by on October 28, 2012

October 29 at 8:00 am, my guest post “9 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block” will appear on Duolit, home of indie pub gurus Shannon and Toni.


This post originally offered Beta Tests to Muse Cauldron, a program to help writers and other creatives with their process. Unfortunately, I am unable to offer this program at the moment due to lack of demand mixed with time constraints.

If you are interested in a creative consultant or would like help from Wren, please sign up on the mailing list, or shoot Wren an email from the “Contact Me” Page above.

Thanks!

Wren
 
 

What you may need is someone to give you a leg up on the situation—a Creativity Consultant to:

–inspire you with new techniques, knowledge or perspective

 

-assist to organize and focus ideas

–support you as you “stare into the abyss”–check in to remind you of your dreams and goals


For a short time, I am offering free Beta Test subscriptions to the Muse Cauldron program, which will include:

-Weekly Pep Talks including creative tips, plus inspiring quotes or images

–First access to beta test ebooks and resources to support your spirit

–First access to email, phone and Skype consultations

5 Beta Muses in November will also access:

1 month of email consults, i.e. 4 weekly check-ins with followup addressing creative issues in your life.

If you are interested, sign up for updates here.

Please make sure you sign up for this listing to stay updated. 

If you need inspiration in the mean time, here are a few of my articles:

7 Ways to Write Every day

 
I hope you will join me for the ride. Thank you.
 
 
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Paranormal Romance: Witches of East End by Melissa de la Cruz—3.5 Stars

by on October 25, 2012
Description:
From the author of the highly addictive and bestselling Blue Bloods series, with almost 3 million copies sold, comes a new novel, Melissa de la Cruz’s first for adults, featuring a family of formidable and beguiling witches.
 
The three Beauchamp women—Joanna and her daughters Freya and Ingrid—live in North Hampton, out on the tip of Long Island. Their beautiful, mist-shrouded town seems almost stuck in time, and all three women lead seemingly quiet, uneventful existences. 
 
But they are harboring a mighty secret—they are powerful witches banned from using their magic. Joanna can resurrect people from the dead and heal the most serious of injuries. Ingrid, her bookish daughter, has the ability to predict the future and weave knots that can solve anything from infertility to infidelity. And finally, there’s Freya, the wild child, who has a charm or a potion that can cure most any heartache.
 
For centuries, all three women have been forced to suppress their abilities. But then Freya, who is about to get married to the wealthy and mysterious Bran Gardiner, finds that her increasingly complicated romantic life makes it more difficult than ever to hide her secret. Soon Ingrid and Joanna confront similar dilemmas, and the Beauchamp women realize they can no longer conceal their true selves. They unearth their wands from the attic, dust off their broomsticks, and begin casting spells on the townspeople.
 
 It all seems like a bit of good-natured, innocent magic, but then mysterious, violent attacks begin to plague the town. When a young girl disappears over the Fourth of July weekend, they realize it’s time to uncover who and what dark forces are working against them.
Review:
For some reason Witches of East End didn’t leave me with a whole lot to say. But here’s what I got:

1. A great read for fans of Norse Mythology.

Witches of East End is a paranormal romance with mythic elements. By that I mean that many of the main characters–including Ingrid, Freya, and Joanna—are based on Nordic deities.

So check this out if you love Thor, Loki, Yggdrasil (the World Tree) and other Nordic stories.

Don’t worry, not everyone has a weird name. The story takes place in modern times and is very easy to follow.

2. Well written and excellent prose.

Instantly from reading the story I was drawn to the writing. The prose is clear, and easy to read.

Witches alternates between the three sisters. The characters take turns telling the story. Often adding too many perspectives can dilute a novel, but here it is well done.

This is a good one for busy ladies because the chapters are really short!

Each character became dear to my heart. The sisters are very different and take up a classic archetype–virgin goddess (Ingrid the librarian), sex goddess (Freya the bartender) and mother (Joanna the babysitter).

3. Conflict keeps the pages turning but leaves a cliffhanger.

There are some times I like a cliffhanger–when it creates more excitement for the next chapter, when hope exists beyond the obstacles.

I enjoyed the pace of Witches. By the time the ending swung around, I was really hoping for a happy ending.

And it was sorta happy. But the epilogue set things up for the next book, which promised to be full of even more tortuous conflicts.

Why could Melissa de la Cruz wait to introduce that in the second book of the series? I have no desire to read it now, because the I expect that the happy ending will be shattered completely.

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Giveaway: Wicked After Dark Blog Hop Oct 24-Nov 1 #freebook

by on October 24, 2012

Hey there, time to give some stuff away! This blog hop is Wicked and Sexy

Here’s what is up for grabs:

The contents of this giveaway:

 
Dangerous Liasons VHS —Cruel Intentions is based on this movie. Gotta love VHS. See IMDB.
 
Rich and bored aristocrats in Rococo France play high-stakes games of passion and betrayal.
 
Herbal grinder-–Brand new chopper, with wicked gambling style.
 
Waterproof Playing Cards— For wet situations
 
The Dark is Rising– by Susan B. Cooper, a classic fantasy which definitely influenced Harry Potter. See Goodreads.
 
“WHEN THE DARK COMES RISING, SIX SHALL TURN THEM BACK….”

 

When Will Stanton wakes up on the morning of his birthday, he discovers an unbelievable gift — he is immortal. Bemused and terrified, he finds he is the last of the Old Ones, magical men and women sworn to protect the world from the source of evil, the Dark.
At once Will is plunged into a quest to find six magical Signs to aid the powers of the Light. Six medallions — iron, bronze, wood, water, fire, and stone — created and hidden by the Old Ones centuries ago. But the Dark has sent out the Rider: evil cloaked in black, mounted upon a midnight stallion, and on the hunt for this youngest Old One, Will. He must find the six great Signs before the Dark can rise, for an epic battle between good and evil approaches.


A pair of purple hoop earrings from Modcloth
 
A hand mirror with a cupid on the handle
 
A stone box with flower inlay
 
A moonstone and silver ring with matching earrings
 
 
 
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Paganism–If you’ve ever thought of becoming a witch, here’s a start! See it on Google Books. Covers:
  • The basic principles of shamanism, druidism, Wicca, and more.
  • How to deepen your connection to the Goddess, the God, and nature.
  • The fundamentals of meditation, magic, divination, and spiritual healing.
  • Tips on incorporating pagan rituals into your modern lifestyle
 
The Invisible Ring by Anne Bishop— This stand alone novel by Anne Bishop is so out there, I actually thought it was really fun. I’m parting with it after a few years on my shelf.
 
“Jared is a Red Jewel Warlord auctioned as a pleasure slave by a notorious queen. He fears he will share the fate of her other slaves, but the Gray Lady may not be what she seems….”
 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Guest Post: Natalie G. Owens, author of Something to Live For and Everything to Lose

by on October 22, 2012

For the month of October, guest writers join Wren Doloro to discuss “Magic.” 

This week it’s Natalie G. Owens, author of Something to Live For and Everything to Lose. Both books have received positive reviews.

 

Nat has a wonderful approach to the essence of magic in her romances. Here’s what she has to say!


The Magic of Masks by Natalie G. Owens

Masks. I love them. Coming to think of it, I’ve written quite a bit about them recently. 🙂 We all wear them, right? And not just on Halloween…
 
Halloween is fun because we get to be who we want to be. We play dress up and feel like a siren, hunk, geek, monster, wizard, fairy, witch, ghost…etc….for a day. For that one day, we’re not ourselves but someone else. Or are we?
 
Fact is, in life, too, we wear masks just like on Halloween. When we first find love, we want to put our best foot forward and that’s part of the magic of the thing. It’s the magic of new love :).
Jeanette Lagrange, owner of Moonlight Dating in my series that starts with SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR, knows this very well. Her service is designed around creating a fantasy for the clients. She makes it so that for one day, this magic is present.

 

Halloween is all about harvest, about renewal, and that’s what love is about, too. Shedding the old masks and moving on to a beautiful connection with a loved one (and potential life mate). With time, a couple in love will slowly shed those masks, revealing their true selves—like the turn of the pages of a book—to the person they have grown to care about.

This is not only true for new love, though. I think anyone can practice this little bit of magic. Each year, we can renew a seasoned love and spice things up a bit, so those masks come back on a little, allowing old lovers to play games with each other … to remind them why they’re together in the first place.

And so, in this spirit of magic and masks, Alex and Melita, my hero and heroine, meet— through happenstance. Or so they think. Jeanette has other ideas—and she’ll see them through. 🙂

So, how are you keeping the magic alive with your loved one this Halloween? 

And, did you wear any kinds of masks when you first met your mate? What did you want to convey to him most to impress him/her?

  About SOMETHING TO LIVE FOR 

 

Natalie G Owens:


Natalie G. Owens got her first taste of serious writing by penning award–winning poetry, as well as feature articles for college and local publications, in her native Malta. She sold her first book to a small publisher in 2007 and is currently indie published. Her favorite stories to write are romances with a dark edge featuring brooding heroes, strong heroines, exotic settings, and a good dash of fantasy. Daydreaming tops her list of hobbies, followed by reading, cooking, traveling, sharing good times with family and friends, and ogling shoe store displays. You can find out more about Natalie and her work on her website.

Monday October 29

Rebecca Hamilton, author of The Forever Girl and Her Sweetest Downfall.

Previously:

Review of Something to Live for by Natalie G. Owens

Review of Everything to Lose by Natalie G. Owens

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5 Final Tips for #NaNoWriMo

by on October 21, 2012

I absolutely love the energy of NaNoWriMo. I think it helps many people out there make their dreams reality by providing an extra push of motivation.

This will be my third Nano year; my first was in 2009. It is the kind of challenge you can push yourself to overcome year after year. And each year you learn new things along the way, develop new stories haunting your brain, and make new friends.

My best advice besides doing some plotting (see my post, I make it fun), is:

1. Look at your schedule and figure out what days you can write. Identify what time of day you need to get your butt in the chair and make it an appointment with yourself.

Do the math and set your goal for each session.

Make a spreadsheet to enter your daily wordcount. ——link to 7 ways to write everyday

OR Mark the goal on your calendar and give yourself a sticker every day you complete the goal 🙂

2. Aim to write more than necessary in the beginning of the month to give yourself a buffer.

Don’t sacrifice your health or sanity to finish NaNo. There will be days you just can’t make the goal.

Use the excitement of the first week to propel you forward. This will give you some wiggle room.

But don’t get cocky! Stepping away from your novel for a few days may mess up your long term productivity.

3. Use social media like twitter or facebook to make friends. See who is talking about and who likes NaNoWriMo and message people who look interesting.

Having other people Nano alongside you is what makes this month so special. You aren’t alone in your journey–others will inspire you, question you, and motivate you to reach the finish line.

So don’t be afraid to reach out. Ask about another’s novel—we all have at least 50,000 words to say about it!

4. Remember planning is an ongoing process.

If you haven’t had a chance to plot your novel (link), you may find yourself battling between several idas as you write. Characters come in and out, settings are all over the world, what was the point of the story again?

Don’t be too hard on yourself. Messy drafts are part of the NaNo experience. Just keep seeking the good stuff: the drama and the conflict. Less philosophizing inside the characters head.

It is never too late to do a bit of plotting. I recommend using the last days before NaNoWriMo in doing just that, and also to take a moment several times throughout the month to figure out where you are going with your novel.

5. Focus on your Sentence.

Think about your novel page on NaNoWriMo— it allows you a whole area to tell people the summary of your novel.  Make the best blurb possible and it will guide you through the whole month and beyond in revision.

Remember you need a protagonist, antagonist, conflict, setting, and the best books have a twist.  Through the month, carve the sentence down to as few words with the most meaning.

(Holly Lisle post?)
 

Have so much fun this November! x Wren

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Wren’s Journal: New Apartment (with Kitties) New Moon

by on October 16, 2012

This is Heidi, my Siamese. 

Heidi is not usually so quiet. 
She sure yowled and moaned during the car ride. 
My boyfriend and I drove her to our new apartment. Heidi’s cries sounded like “Where? Where? Where’s that? MNOOOOOOO”
Maybe she hurt her throat.
Now I have a cat, a boyfriend, and an office.
Boyfriend is great. Office has neither light nor chair.
My couch is the back carseat of a Mercury Villager. (It’s temporary.)
Moving is hard.
Just like Heidi, I feel off. Things haven’t found spots yet. 
There is still a collection of boxes both to unpack and recycle. 
Necessary items to acquire. No toaster oven yet.
Heidi won’t start talking.

Unless it is to moan at her new cat roommie, Slugg. 

Slugg’s chillin

 

Slugg calmly pads around the apartment.
It’s true, Heidi, she’s been here longer.
But only for a day.
Slugg doesn’t even jump on things. She is totally the one we expected to be scared.
Slugg, too, spent her first day crammed in strange and tiny spaces.
Heidi stays where I put her for a while, so I lent Heidi my inspirational octopus.
But she is unmoved.

Tomorrow is another day sweet pea.

 
 
This post is part of Wren Doloro’s bimonthly journal series, posted every New and Full Moon.
 
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Guest Post: Ksenia Anske, author of Siren Suicides

by on October 15, 2012

 

It’s time to return to our normal Monday Guest Post program. October writers are joining Wren Doloro to discuss the topic of “Magic.”

Ksenia Anske joins us today to talk about magic and her labor of love, Siren Suicides.

–Ksenia Anske–
Magic. It’s something that didn’t exist in my 80’s Soviet Union childhood. It’s something that I’ve created in my head to escape into. Colorful, fantastic, otherworldly. Complete movie-stories.
Everything from fairy tales about Baba Yaga, to One Thousand and One Nights, to Alice in Wonderland, to, later, Stanislaw Lem, Vladimir Nabokov, Mark Twain, and Chekhov. That was my magic, private and tucked away into a little pig-tailed head.

Throughout the years my own stories tried to get out. I wrote diaries at 15, switched to poems, penned a few flsh fiction pieces. Wrote a screenplay, attempted at directing a feature movie that turned into a short seen only by the crew and the actors. Even dabbed in animation.

Then in 2008 on one pre-Christmas weekend I asked my 14 year old daughter if she could suggest anything to read. Something light. She handed me Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.

”All my friends have read it, it’s light and romantic, and it’s got vampires.” 

.

“No, not a teenage flick. Anything else?” I turned the book in my hands.
“You asked, so I gave you what you wanted.” She stomped down the stairs.
“Ok, I’ll try it. Thanks for advice!” But she slammed the door two floors below.
I sat down to read and couldn’t stop until I finished it, at 4 in the morning. I felt embarrassed. A teenage vampire novel got me crying, longing, and feeling. 
Feeling something I haven’t felt before, something that made me look back at my life and wonder why I wanted to commit a suicide at 16. Suddenly I wanted to write a book too. That book became my white rabbit, and down my memory hole I went. 

 

I wrote a synopsis. Shelved it. In 2009 a trip to Lake Crescent led me to reading the legend of the Lady of the Lake. That stirred memories of rusalkas and prompted me to write a few chapters more. In 2010 I’ve written another 30,000 words and shelved it again. This year my friends who knew about the story, talked me into finishing it. The 4th time proved to be it. The story started singing.

THAT is my magic – allowing myself to accept the fact that I’ve been a storyteller since I can remember reading, quitting my career to write full time and finally letting myself be.

SIREN SUICIDES is my first novel. It’s a young adult urban fantasy set in Seattle about a teenage girl who lost her mother, hates her father, and decides to escape reality via suicide. Her name is Ailen Bright, and she is a dreamer and a believer in all things magic.

She gobbles up stories that her friend Hunter feeds her while they hang out in the bathroom, stoned out of their minds, because the bathroom is the only room in Ailen’s house that locks and has a window. Ailen is mesmerized by water, it calms her down, so she decides to go by way of drowning, because, she says, “I have to be calm to pull the plug on my life”.
 
Photo by Marco Leone
 
Instead, she turns into a siren, finds out that her friend is a siren hunter, and dives into an adventure akin to Alice in Wonderland, except it’s all things water, rain, songs, and magic that’s both dark and fantastic, like stories that I used to conjure up in my head. I plan on finishing the novel by the end of 2012. Here is a 600 words excerpt.
Magic. It’s how stories are created. Snatched out of thin air, literally. That’s how SIREN SUICIDES came to life – I talked about it to my friends, who finally pushed me into doing it. They kept asking and asking, and the story started taking shape in the air, in that world that I like to call my private la-la-land, where anything can happen. It wouldn’t be here if not for those who listened. That’s magic.

Before I go too far (and you would have to yank me back to reality), here is the nitty-gritty: I don’t know yet if I’ll go via traditional publishing route or choose to self-publish. My main focus right now is to finish the novel by the end of 2012. I’ve planned a few more books to make SIREN SUICIDES into series, but I want to listen to my readers. If they fall in love with the main character, then I’ll write more.

 Ksenia Anske

Visit Ksenia’s Blog 

Previously in this series:

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How to Plot for #NaNoWriMo (Pantser Style)

by on October 10, 2012

It’s time to plan, ladies and gentlemen.

Don’t look at me like I am an English teacher.

I’ll show you who I am.

I will seduce you to the side of the panster-plotter.

For the world of the panster-plotter is a dark and scary place.

It is time to take over the world. It is time for NaNoWriMo.

Yes, that is right, time to write, and also time to plot and plan our devious hearts out.

F&*@ outlines.

I’ve got something better for you, yes, you.

NaNoWriMo 2012 will be my third go around.
If I count up the number of times I’ve started in on a novel and gotten above 50 or even 100 pages, that would be a whole ‘nother story.

NaNoWriMo is a great way of getting yourself to finish something.

However, The thing I have come to know from NaNoWriMo and beyond, is that finishing a story and loving it are two different things.
—
My previous NaNoWriMo goals were to write a draft as a brainstorm.  I’d figure out the characters and what story they wanted to tell.
This goal satisfied me since it meant zero outlining. I’ve always hated outlines.

I don’t even like filling in worksheets–I get skittish after having to think about more than a few elements of the story.

But despite that, what I discovered through trial and error is: it’s better to plot.  It saves a lot of time and angst.

A LOT. And the draft I have is more manageable to revise, because THAT’s how authors get books they love to death. And books they will spend months of time with to achieve the “I love you” phase.

 

This handy-dandy plot set up seems mundane now, but soon I will show you the magic of these

dun dun da da!

Flashy Plotcards

When Flashy Plotcards are combined with your imagination, they appear more like this:

So get:
1. Colored notecards
2. Scissors if you want mini cards (for an easier fit in pockets and half the trees. Treeees)
 
3. A pen
Cool. Got it? OK
1. Chop five cards of each color in half (for tree lovers)

2. Pick separate colors to correspond to Scenes, Settings, and Characters. </>

 

 3. Begin the scribbling! Put a couple words on each card with some ideas for your story.

Start with most important things in each category, and add whatever details you can think of.

When your ideas slow, move on to a new card. Repeat until tapped of evil plots.

4. Look over all your cards on the ground to see what it looks like.

 

Click for a bigger view of my 2012 NaNoWriMo Flashy Plotcards

 

 Clearly I need to develop my settings– I’ve written only a few  generic words on each Setting card. Meanwhile the other categories, especially characters, are more detailed.

One setting card inspires more characters: the apartment has roommates.

Roommates usually equal conflict, which is an inspiration for more scene cards.

5. Carry the Plotcards with you and let the ideas build.

Periodically flip through the cards, put scenes in order, add new cards, and scribble random ideas.

Let the cards guide you to more cards like in the example above. This is play, not work.

I want as many people as possible to hear of this technique and see if it is for them.

We can all win NaNoWriMo.
We can all be the evil mastermind of our own imaginary universe.
Let the plotting begin.
Mwahahaha…

xx Sofia Wren

Want to learn more about writing? Receive all my writing articles automatically in your inbox by joining here

 

Also check out: 7 Ways to Write Everyday

 

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Urban Fantasy: Succubus Unleashed by BR Kingsolver — 4.5 Stars

by on October 9, 2012
Description: 

Book 2 of the Telepathic Clans Saga rates 4.5 Stars just like Book One,  The Succubus Gift.  (For Wren Doloro, a 4.5 rating is pretty damn near perfect.)
It’s not easy being a succubus.

Brenna O’Donnell and Rebecca Healy continue their integration into the Clan. Learning more about their Gifts and always seeking someone who will love them. 
After a crash course in learning about her genetic heritage, Brenna O’Donnell has discovered what it really means to be a succubus and has learned to embrace her strange Gift. Her major concern is whether Collin will accept her for what she is. As she adjusts to telepathic society, others in the Clan have plans that will strip the last of her freedom.

The social season is around the corner, including events that Brenna never imagined in her wildest dreams. The succubi, representatives of the Goddess on earth, are at the center of an ancient worship. And if a girl is going to be the center of attention, then obviously she needs a new dress.

Between the romance and glistening balls of the Clan’s social events, Brenna and Rebecca discover life is not secure. Telepaths from other Clans are kidnapping young girls and selling them into slavery.

A continuation of what one reviewer called an, “… utterly heart stopping onslaught of sex, violence and paranormal abilities …”
Review:

Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous! BR Kingsolver’s second book is everything I would have hoped from reading the first book in the series, The Succubus Gift. 

1. This author is no one hit wonder–this book, too, has action, suspense, and fantasy. As in sexual fantasy, urban fantasy, and “Hey, I wish I were that rich” fantasy.

Succubus Unleashed is a well thought out sequel. The plot is strong, and our favorite characters come along for the ride on a European vacation. Brenna goes to meet her extended family and spend a bit of her enormous inheritance.
It picks up shortly after Book One, continuing the conflict of the Telepathic Clans while introducing new conflicts sure to be picked up in Book Three (not yet released). 
So far everything by BR Kingsolver is well-edited, nicely paced, and one of a kind.
And of course there are more hot outfits, sexy scenes, and bad-a$$ fighting.

2. The main character Brenna embraces her role as not only a proudly sexual female leader, but also a priestess of an ancient Goddess.

Kingsolver draws from Irish mythology and history to create a mythos surrounding the Succubus. The Succubus today are descended from ancient priestesses who used sex as a way to raise energy for worship of the great creator Goddess.
This builds off of the themes of female sexuality, freedom and power begun in  Book One.
There is archeological evidence to suggest that a goddess culture existed in many parts of the world before organized religion developed.
It’s my personal belief that if society gave more acknowledgement to female divine power, sexual women wouldn’t get all the crap that they currently do. Generally in modern America, there is a whole boatload of issues surrounding activity that is, well, pretty natural.
I think this aspect of the book is ridiculously cool– but then I am a sex-positive, Goddess loving pagan and proud heathen. Call me unusual but this is my kind of book!

3. Travel to Ireland, and Paris

As I mentioned in my recent review of Everything to Lose—I adore books set in Europe. I mean who wouldn’t want to not only be a powerful succubus heiress, but be jet-setting around the world??
Brenna also has a certain curiosity about the lives of cortesians. Now that she has embraced her sexuality, why not give getting paid a try? And why not in Europe?
This subplot of the book would probably appeal to fans of Secret Diary of a Call Girl as it is quite glamorous.

4. Brenna’s family sure is complicated.

As so many new relatives are introduced, I can’t say I remember everyone’s name. I trust BR Kingsolver to remind me when I need to know in the next book. She did a good job of summarizing events from the previous book when needed, without going overboard.
Brenna doesn’t expect this but many members of her family are ready to hand her a heavy responsibility. 
Most of her Clan already sees her as a leader except there are some who won’t make it easy for Brenna to take charge. These enemies make a stink in Succubus Unleashed, and will be sure to appear in the next book. 

5. Crazy fighting.

This is one scene that will strike fear in the heart of any man! I’m serious. 
Wow, BR’s fight scenes are never boring. Brenna and her crew have take it to the next level. When a Succubus fights it is deadly, cunning and relentless.
I really wouldn’t mess with these women…they have a tough bark, better take a hint and avoid the killer bite.

Check it out:

See also the Guest Post by BR Kingsolver on the inspiration for her Unusual Creature, the Succubus

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