thank you very much to all who participated. voting for the 2009 LDA’s is now open! it will remain open until midnight eastern standard time on monday september 14th. and the actual award ceremony will be held the following monday, september 21st. details to follow. and now, without further ado, the list:
Best Hero :
Tim Capshaw in “Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
Dorian Christensen in “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
Tyson Kincade in “Kincade’s Rose” by Aliyah Burke
Adrian Redwolfe in “In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
Best Heroine :
Ashaya Aleine in “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
Faith Wheeler in “Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
Tamara Holifield in “The Blacker the Berry” by Lena Matthews
Miki Kendrick in “Go Fetch” by Shelly Laurenston
Best Alpha Male :
Fenris in “A Guardian’s Desire” by Mya
Dorian Christensen in “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
Adrian Redwolfe in “In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
Russell Crichton in “The Blacker the Berry” by Lena Matthews
Best Vampire/Warewolf/Shape-Shifter :
Jace Archane in “A Kiss of Ashen Twilight” by Rae Lori
Freya Daniels in “A Guardian’s Desire” by Mya
Adrian Redwolfe in “In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
Dorian Christensen in “Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
Dante Grimaldi in “Dante’s Wrath” by Eve VaughnBest
Author of the Year :
Savannah J. Frierson
Eve Vaughn
LaVerne Thompson
Lena Matthews
Best Publisher :
Liquid Silver Books
Red Rose Publishing
Parker Publishing
Life Time Achievement Award :
Marilyn Lee
Sandra Kitt
Eve Vaughn
Best Website/Fan-Group/Blog :
The Official Marilyn Lee Fan Club
Fans of Interracial Romance on Goodreads
Fans of Interracial Romance on Yahoo!
Interracial/Multiracial Romance Readers Group
Best Fan :
Caylah Walters
Shawnette from Goodreads
Danielle Hill
Johnandvan
Best BBW :
“Eye of the Beholder” by Marilyn Lee
“Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
“In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
Best Contemporary :
“Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
“Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Paranormal :
“A Kiss of Ashen Twilight” by Rae Lori
“Starstruck: Hunter” by Michelle Lauren
“Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
“The Alpha Promise” by Hayat Ali
“In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
Best Erotica :
“In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
“Beg for It” by Minx Malone
Best Historical :
“Badazz Daddy Squad: Ragnar” by Jeanie Johnson & Jayha Leigh
“After the Lies” by Mandessa Selby
Best Fight Scene :
“A Guardian’s Desire” by Mya
“A Kiss of Ashen Twilight” by Rae Lori
“Go Fetch” by Shelly Laurenston
“Hold On” by LaVerne Thompson
Best Love Scene :
“Hostage to Pleasure” by Nalini Singh
“The Blacker the Berry” by Lena Matthews
“Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
Best Choice to Become A Movie :
“Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
“The Megalodon Team Series” by Aliyah Burke
“Starstruck: Hunter” by Michelle Lauren
“Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
Best Cover Art :
“Rendezvous with Fate” by Jeanne Sumerix
“A Kiss of Ashen Twilight” by Rae Lori
“Beg for It” by Minx Malone
“Pursuing Zarah” by Jennifer Cole
Best Short Story :
“Tempting a Wolf” by Tressie Lockwood
“Promises” by LaVerne Thompson
“Tempting Neal” by Marilyn Lee
“Your Local Handyman” by Stephanie Williams
Best Novella :
“Starstruck: Hunter” by Michelle Lauren
“The Blacker the Berry” by Lena Matthews
“Boss Man” by Marie Rochelle
“Beg for It” by Minx Malone
Best Novel :
“Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
“Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
“Dante’s Wrath” by Eve Vaughn
“In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
“Eye of the Beholder” by Marilyn Lee
Best Series :
“The Undead Series” by Emma Petersen
“The Tycoon Club Series” by Marie Rochelle
“The Drace Brothers Series” by Marie Rochelle
“The Megalodon Team Series” by Aliyah Burke
“The Three Sisters Series” by LaVerne Thomspon & Stephanie Williams
Best Story of the Year :
“Trolling Nights” by Savannah J. Frierson
“Tempting Faith” by Crystal Hubbard
“In Blood and Worth Loving” by Marilyn Lee
(you can submit your votes via e-mail to dreamwild1985@gmail.com)
Monday, August 24, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
b.f.f.s make the best lovers
i've come to realize and accept the fact that i am in the midst of a total reading binge. like the fiction junkie that i be, i have spent the past couple of days grabbing any good books that i can get my hands on. whether it be paperback, hardcover, electronic, borrowed, gifted, or bought, i've been pumping that good shit, that literature smack, into my brain, via my eyes and...what...a...rush!
this brings me to my most recent read. and when i say recent, i mean that i just finished it! the 'it' i'm talking about is "Beg For It" by Minx Malone. let's just say i took a chance on this author - having never read her work - and i was not disappointed! the story was funny, sassy, smart, and erotic. basically everything that a good ir should be! the hero and heroine were best friends turned lovers - c'mon, who doesn't love that sort of plot? (and if someone out there says that they don't, well then to put it nicely they are a freak of nature and should be shot). anywho, mya and milo are both ad execs and co-workers who begin to admit their long harbored feelings for one another. thankfully the reader doesn't have to wait too long for this story to pick up speed because almost immediately this read engages and has the reader wrapped around it's little finger before the second chapter. now that is impressive!
now before i go, i must 'warn' the natives, this book is chock full of more hot steamy sex than a spanish brothel. so, if you're in the mood for a happy beginning and ending to go alongside a one-handed read, check out "Beg For It". like i said, you won't be disappointed.
and before i forget, here’s a mock interview you can read as a chaser (or a prequel) to Malone’s story…definitely two thumbs up for originality! for sure, lady, i like your style…and believe it or not, i too dream in surround sound and hdtv *winks*
this brings me to my most recent read. and when i say recent, i mean that i just finished it! the 'it' i'm talking about is "Beg For It" by Minx Malone. let's just say i took a chance on this author - having never read her work - and i was not disappointed! the story was funny, sassy, smart, and erotic. basically everything that a good ir should be! the hero and heroine were best friends turned lovers - c'mon, who doesn't love that sort of plot? (and if someone out there says that they don't, well then to put it nicely they are a freak of nature and should be shot). anywho, mya and milo are both ad execs and co-workers who begin to admit their long harbored feelings for one another. thankfully the reader doesn't have to wait too long for this story to pick up speed because almost immediately this read engages and has the reader wrapped around it's little finger before the second chapter. now that is impressive!
now before i go, i must 'warn' the natives, this book is chock full of more hot steamy sex than a spanish brothel. so, if you're in the mood for a happy beginning and ending to go alongside a one-handed read, check out "Beg For It". like i said, you won't be disappointed.
and before i forget, here’s a mock interview you can read as a chaser (or a prequel) to Malone’s story…definitely two thumbs up for originality! for sure, lady, i like your style…and believe it or not, i too dream in surround sound and hdtv *winks*
3 - that's the magic #
as is evident by way of my july posts, i've been way enthusiastic lately for all things LaVerne Thompson. i mean, there's such lack luster trash out there clogging up the ir scene that i can't help but cling to the old faithfuls, a.k.a. genuinely good work!
now, a week ago i read Thompson's short story "Promises." my computer was blessed to take a break from constant e-book downloading when the author sent me a signed paperback copy in the mail. not only that, but my care package also contained two book marks littered with fine menz. yeah, i said it. yummy menz on mah page holders - loved it! (i'm currently using one as my bookmark for the inkheart series…really, self? a near naked man bookmark holding the pages of a children's book, how tasteless!) needless to say, these delicious reading accessories could turn any non-reader into a total book whore and i'm happy to own 'em! now, back to "Promises" - the story was both original and sweet. and i loved the hero and heroine from the giddy up! mia and david made a lovely couple, the kind a reader loves to root for. and i definitely would've sold a semi-major organ just to make the brief tale any amount longer.
i've also finished the "Three Sisters Series" by reading Thompson's recently released "Masquerade." this book three has already claimed red rose publishing's number one spot on their best seller's list. however, it's not alone. books one and two have also returned to the top ten list, making it a series to take note of. in this read, Thompson continues her trend of creating diverse heroines with sydney - the army brat who loves to race cars and designs airplanes for a living! this adventurous sista with a need for speed was paired with caine - a successful business man who goes after what he wants and doesn‘t stop until he gets it. caine pursued syd was such hotness i couldn't help but swoon.
and now for the main event...uber hot love scenes! all i can is that this book was fraught with so much sexual tension, if i so much as coughed while reading i would've orgasmed. ahh, but what ir fan doesn't like the spicy with the sweet? either way, this book was a fitting end to the three book series. and i think de la soul and school house rock sang it best when they crooned "three, that's the magic number"!
now, a week ago i read Thompson's short story "Promises." my computer was blessed to take a break from constant e-book downloading when the author sent me a signed paperback copy in the mail. not only that, but my care package also contained two book marks littered with fine menz. yeah, i said it. yummy menz on mah page holders - loved it! (i'm currently using one as my bookmark for the inkheart series…really, self? a near naked man bookmark holding the pages of a children's book, how tasteless!) needless to say, these delicious reading accessories could turn any non-reader into a total book whore and i'm happy to own 'em! now, back to "Promises" - the story was both original and sweet. and i loved the hero and heroine from the giddy up! mia and david made a lovely couple, the kind a reader loves to root for. and i definitely would've sold a semi-major organ just to make the brief tale any amount longer.
i've also finished the "Three Sisters Series" by reading Thompson's recently released "Masquerade." this book three has already claimed red rose publishing's number one spot on their best seller's list. however, it's not alone. books one and two have also returned to the top ten list, making it a series to take note of. in this read, Thompson continues her trend of creating diverse heroines with sydney - the army brat who loves to race cars and designs airplanes for a living! this adventurous sista with a need for speed was paired with caine - a successful business man who goes after what he wants and doesn‘t stop until he gets it. caine pursued syd was such hotness i couldn't help but swoon.
and now for the main event...uber hot love scenes! all i can is that this book was fraught with so much sexual tension, if i so much as coughed while reading i would've orgasmed. ahh, but what ir fan doesn't like the spicy with the sweet? either way, this book was a fitting end to the three book series. and i think de la soul and school house rock sang it best when they crooned "three, that's the magic number"!
when you wish upon a ★
so i just finished reading Michelle Lauren's "Starstruck: Hunter" and all i can think is: perfect! (a word i do not use often)
it was the perfect length, with the perfect amount of descriptiveness, and with perfect characters - not in that they were flawless, but more so that they were perfectly 'human'. i also call the world she created perfect because it was comprised of fantasy so vivid that it felt like reality. the environment wasn't so futuristic or overly described that it felt false. instead it felt like an alternative dimension to what could have easily been our present day world. this type of set up makes it easy for a reader to get lost in the pages and that's exactly what happened. and i must note that this type of work is very difficult to produce. many try, few succeed. and the fact that a. the story read so smooth and 2. that the flow felt effortless, means that Lauren is much more talented than the rest. so my conclusion: the plot was original to say the least and she managed to achieve what very few authors do...
and here is where i insert the idiot's guide to "Starstruck's" plot description: undercover-good-guy-star-hunter meets hunted star → the situation is complicated from the get go but love still prevails → the end!
now, down to the nitty gritty *rubs hands back and forth* the heroine, miranda, was an absolute delight! she was beautiful, capable, funny, charming, and a virgin who was not afraid of her own sexuality. she was an inoffensive balance of innocence and naivety. her honesty was refreshing and her faux pas endearing. all in all, miranda was a perfect match for the hero, noah. he was a hero so likeable that he turned a name i was always felt indifference towards into a name that i now regard with fondness (sort of like what the twilight series did for my feelings towards the name 'edward'). the hero not only protected his woman, but he also taught her how to protect herself - and that i love! always well intentioned, noah was both a fighter and a lover.
but isn't the loving all we really care about??? and the answer is ultimately yes! with a couple of love scenes peppered with such niceties as self-pleasure, voyeurism, and a little anal play, this book got pretty damn hot at times! (which might cause some trouble considering the fact that mother nature has lost her fucking mind with this august heat!...see what happens, people, when you break the ozone layer? ...but i digress)
anyway, the point i'm trying to make is: perfectly loveable hero & heroine + perfectly hateable villain + HEA in a quick read format that is in fact worth the price = Michelle Lauren's "Starstruck: Hunter"...now what are you waiting for, huh? go get it!
p.s. this book is sold on countless sites, including amazon, liquid silver, and fictionwise...so again, go get it!
it was the perfect length, with the perfect amount of descriptiveness, and with perfect characters - not in that they were flawless, but more so that they were perfectly 'human'. i also call the world she created perfect because it was comprised of fantasy so vivid that it felt like reality. the environment wasn't so futuristic or overly described that it felt false. instead it felt like an alternative dimension to what could have easily been our present day world. this type of set up makes it easy for a reader to get lost in the pages and that's exactly what happened. and i must note that this type of work is very difficult to produce. many try, few succeed. and the fact that a. the story read so smooth and 2. that the flow felt effortless, means that Lauren is much more talented than the rest. so my conclusion: the plot was original to say the least and she managed to achieve what very few authors do...
and here is where i insert the idiot's guide to "Starstruck's" plot description: undercover-good-guy-star-hunter meets hunted star → the situation is complicated from the get go but love still prevails → the end!
now, down to the nitty gritty *rubs hands back and forth* the heroine, miranda, was an absolute delight! she was beautiful, capable, funny, charming, and a virgin who was not afraid of her own sexuality. she was an inoffensive balance of innocence and naivety. her honesty was refreshing and her faux pas endearing. all in all, miranda was a perfect match for the hero, noah. he was a hero so likeable that he turned a name i was always felt indifference towards into a name that i now regard with fondness (sort of like what the twilight series did for my feelings towards the name 'edward'). the hero not only protected his woman, but he also taught her how to protect herself - and that i love! always well intentioned, noah was both a fighter and a lover.
but isn't the loving all we really care about??? and the answer is ultimately yes! with a couple of love scenes peppered with such niceties as self-pleasure, voyeurism, and a little anal play, this book got pretty damn hot at times! (which might cause some trouble considering the fact that mother nature has lost her fucking mind with this august heat!...see what happens, people, when you break the ozone layer? ...but i digress)
anyway, the point i'm trying to make is: perfectly loveable hero & heroine + perfectly hateable villain + HEA in a quick read format that is in fact worth the price = Michelle Lauren's "Starstruck: Hunter"...now what are you waiting for, huh? go get it!
p.s. this book is sold on countless sites, including amazon, liquid silver, and fictionwise...so again, go get it!
tick tock, tick tock
hola ir fans,
there are only three days left before the nomination submission deadline for the lub-dub awards ceremony. so please get those lists in! if not, i'm afraid there wont be any awards. and we can't let that happen. we have to support our beloved genre and show our appreciation for those who blur the written color-lines and get us to 'aw' and 'oo' with their writing! so c'mon, get those submissions in and don't forget you are allowed to nominate for as many or as few categories as you wish. thanx again!
there are only three days left before the nomination submission deadline for the lub-dub awards ceremony. so please get those lists in! if not, i'm afraid there wont be any awards. and we can't let that happen. we have to support our beloved genre and show our appreciation for those who blur the written color-lines and get us to 'aw' and 'oo' with their writing! so c'mon, get those submissions in and don't forget you are allowed to nominate for as many or as few categories as you wish. thanx again!
Friday, August 14, 2009
part 2 of 2...
ahem...now for the rave...
so i just finished reading "Tolling Nights" by Savannah J. Frierson and first let me start by saying that i absolutely loved it! i mean, i was “turning” electronic pages with such fiendish tendencies and theatrics that it would be clear to anyone watching that i was in love with the story and all of its 241 page glory. let’s just thank God that sjf doesn’t push narcotics b/c if her smack was as good as her writing, i’d be a total addict.
anywho, lemme start with the story’s heroine: bevin. she was jam packed with curves and coated in dark skin - which you don’t “see” often enough in ir stories, so that was an automatic love. she was also the perfect combination of strength and vulnerability. and i’m not going to lie, when many ir stories are cast with neck-shaking, tough-as-nails sistas that are apparently ex-ninjas, it was refreshing to see a different kind of woman who was totally human in the best sort of way. even better was seeing a man strong enough to love her and all of her faults.
more abut this man…*sigh* that’s right, i have found yet another hero that makes me want to change my hubby’s name. i know, i know, shame on me. but sjf broke the mold when she wrote tim. he was strong enough to: a. love himself a good black woman with some junk in her trunk, 2. protect his country at the drop of a hat, and c. be secure in his masculinity and not shy away from expressing the deepest parts of himself no matter who was around to witness said expression. plus he was a total gentleman in public but all kinds of sexy behind closed doors! *fans self* why are all the good ones either gay or fictional characters?
don’t worry folks, the story’s fun doesn't stop there. bevin had amazing parents who i wanted to adopt me by the time i was done reading. they treated tim like a son from the get-go and that was just too cool. ulrich, tim’s best friend, was another winner who you couldn’t help but love. and although bev’s friends were a little suspect, some of them i did like. like rosita and patrice, simply because they seemed more aware than the rest. (and i have to say, i loved that rosita and her family were black hispanics - something you never see).
honestly though, i really did love this book. i laughed, i cried, i got aroused - it was great! plus the writing was terrific with a perfect length, beginning, and end. so please, whoever is reading this, walk/skip/jog/run/drive/fly your way to lulu.com so you can purchase this must have for any fan of interracial romance. then get your read on and let me know what you thought!
so i just finished reading "Tolling Nights" by Savannah J. Frierson and first let me start by saying that i absolutely loved it! i mean, i was “turning” electronic pages with such fiendish tendencies and theatrics that it would be clear to anyone watching that i was in love with the story and all of its 241 page glory. let’s just thank God that sjf doesn’t push narcotics b/c if her smack was as good as her writing, i’d be a total addict.
anywho, lemme start with the story’s heroine: bevin. she was jam packed with curves and coated in dark skin - which you don’t “see” often enough in ir stories, so that was an automatic love. she was also the perfect combination of strength and vulnerability. and i’m not going to lie, when many ir stories are cast with neck-shaking, tough-as-nails sistas that are apparently ex-ninjas, it was refreshing to see a different kind of woman who was totally human in the best sort of way. even better was seeing a man strong enough to love her and all of her faults.
more abut this man…*sigh* that’s right, i have found yet another hero that makes me want to change my hubby’s name. i know, i know, shame on me. but sjf broke the mold when she wrote tim. he was strong enough to: a. love himself a good black woman with some junk in her trunk, 2. protect his country at the drop of a hat, and c. be secure in his masculinity and not shy away from expressing the deepest parts of himself no matter who was around to witness said expression. plus he was a total gentleman in public but all kinds of sexy behind closed doors! *fans self* why are all the good ones either gay or fictional characters?
don’t worry folks, the story’s fun doesn't stop there. bevin had amazing parents who i wanted to adopt me by the time i was done reading. they treated tim like a son from the get-go and that was just too cool. ulrich, tim’s best friend, was another winner who you couldn’t help but love. and although bev’s friends were a little suspect, some of them i did like. like rosita and patrice, simply because they seemed more aware than the rest. (and i have to say, i loved that rosita and her family were black hispanics - something you never see).
honestly though, i really did love this book. i laughed, i cried, i got aroused - it was great! plus the writing was terrific with a perfect length, beginning, and end. so please, whoever is reading this, walk/skip/jog/run/drive/fly your way to lulu.com so you can purchase this must have for any fan of interracial romance. then get your read on and let me know what you thought!
part 1 of 2...
*clears throat* first ladies and gentlemen, i will begin with a rant...
so i managed to finish reading "Rock Star" by Roslyn Hardy Holcomb and i have to vent my frustration...at first i was lulled into a false sense of security with a great hero and a great heroine. however, things didn't stay that way forever. relatively early in the story, the hero remained pretty cool but the heroine transformed from a charming, in-control, self-made, intelligent sista to a couldn't-think-for-herself, spinelss, child who tolerated racism in disappointing fashion. even worse, the transformation held and she stayed that way for pretty much the rest of the story.
it was all i could do to not set the book on fire (that's right, no computer burning this time, the book was a paperback). i mean, romance def. took a back seat in a story that should've been titled "racism in america: a history." it was an unofficial text book perpetrating as an interracial romance novel, ugh! as a woman of color in an interracial marriage who has studied black history i am well aware of ppl's prejudices, doesn't mean i want to pay good money to read about it in my fiction. isn't that what non-fiction is for? yes, i do enjoy escapism. i also don't mind a couple discussing race during a romance novel. it's just that i don't need to be bombarded with racism while trying to read about love. and if things couldn't get any worse, there was also some sexism snuck into the book as well - so not cool >:- (yeah, that's my angry face)
so i managed to finish reading "Rock Star" by Roslyn Hardy Holcomb and i have to vent my frustration...at first i was lulled into a false sense of security with a great hero and a great heroine. however, things didn't stay that way forever. relatively early in the story, the hero remained pretty cool but the heroine transformed from a charming, in-control, self-made, intelligent sista to a couldn't-think-for-herself, spinelss, child who tolerated racism in disappointing fashion. even worse, the transformation held and she stayed that way for pretty much the rest of the story.
it was all i could do to not set the book on fire (that's right, no computer burning this time, the book was a paperback). i mean, romance def. took a back seat in a story that should've been titled "racism in america: a history." it was an unofficial text book perpetrating as an interracial romance novel, ugh! as a woman of color in an interracial marriage who has studied black history i am well aware of ppl's prejudices, doesn't mean i want to pay good money to read about it in my fiction. isn't that what non-fiction is for? yes, i do enjoy escapism. i also don't mind a couple discussing race during a romance novel. it's just that i don't need to be bombarded with racism while trying to read about love. and if things couldn't get any worse, there was also some sexism snuck into the book as well - so not cool >:- (yeah, that's my angry face)
Saturday, August 01, 2009
calling all fans!
reminder: there are only 3 weeks left until the nominee submission deadline! so please send those lists in, because without participation there will be no award ceremony. thanx again for your time!
...and for nomination categories and other information, please see here.
...and for nomination categories and other information, please see here.
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