schlemeel, schlemazel

*sings* : "one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. schlemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated!"

so, i find myself caught off guard by the wonderful work of an author that doesn't need a Shirley to be a success. i'm talking about LaVerne Thompson. see, normally i hesitate upon purchasing a book that has more than one author. i can't help but be skeptic of two peoples ability to make their 'writer's voice' sound as one. however, i took a gamble about a week ago when i bought LaVerne Thompson's and Stephanie William's "Ringside." and in doing so, i learned that there is definitely something to be said for taking chances. i absolutely adored the story! it was original and heart warming. *smiles* released just last month, "Ringside" has claimed an impressive spot in Red Rose Publishing's bestseller's list - and now i know why. ...cannot wait to read the rest of "The Three Sisters Series"!

unbeknownst to me, after reading that first book, the seed of fandom had been planted. this lead to me to read not just one, but two more of Thompson's stories, earlier today. first i read "Hold On." now, you must know that i'm an absolute sucker for damsel in distress plots, so it didn't take much to sell me on this buy. and surprise, surprise, i was not disappointed. the story's hero was a total knight in shinning armor (or business suit, as the publisher describes). and the heroine is an appreciative mix of capable yet vulnerable. plus the love scenes were tender, and sometimes a reader just wants to have a good "aww."

next, i read "Come To Me." hella cute, this short story left nothing to be desired. its beginning and end points seemed well chosen and the story's pace was perfect. on top of that, oh girl's character development was on point (given the story's length)! from the get go, i was sucked in. and at the end i was left inspired and hopeful. like i wanted to run and tell all the world's singles that there that their 'one' is most definitely still out there!

miss Thompson, you are officially on my radar! *applauds*