DIY Extremes, Puck Dreams & Media Themes

A woman creates the man of her dreams and sets off a problematic chain of cascading consequences.

[a hardcover book arranged face up: "BLOB, A Love Story by Maggie Su" with a "NEW" sticker in the upper right corner]

BLOB, A Love Story by Maggie Su

contemporary speculative fiction

Harper, January 2025

Comparisons to a more lighthearted Frankenstein are appropriate for this poignant tale about excavating the fundamentals of identity. Vi Liu is experiencing a very rough entry into adulthood. She's lonely. When a chance to create her perfect mate presents itself, she goes for it. Unexpected revelations and mayhem ensue. Similar to The Blob movie of the 1950s starring Steve McQueen, once it starts absorbing things it's hard to stop. BLOB is ultimately a provocative self-love* story that explores the ways in which people reconcile the various elements of themselves - or don't.

*For romance fans: This is a love story, not a romance.

[6 books arranged from left to right atop a piano: binding side - Back After This; horizontal stack from top to bottom - Collide, Unsteady, Down in Flames, The Last Guy on Earth, Pucked]

Maureen Smith, Maria Luis, Xio Axelrod**, Naima Simone, Marika Ray & Sylvie Stewart have written some on my most favorite hockey romances in addition to the authors of the books in the stack shown above. What is it about hockey romances that makes them extra compelling? Authors Bal Khabra, Peyton Corinne, Kate Meader, Sarina Bowen, and Helena Hunting know the answer.

And last but not least, Back After This by Linda Holmes offers a humorous and heartfelt behind-the-scenes look at the cutthroat world of podcasting, reality entertainment, and influencers. Readers familiar with the DMV (D.C./Maryland/Virginia) area will recognize many of the location references.

And BAC (Book Acquisition Compulsion) again

[6 books arranged vertically from left to right: Death of the Author, Kilt Trip, The Garden of Small Beginnings, Get Lost with You, My Big Fat Fake Marriage, Played]

A browse of the "new arrivals" shelf at my local library branch proved too tempting to resist, as usual. And my recent binge of hockey romances combined with the enthusiastic coverage of Ovechkin's #GR8 Chase sparked a desire to reread Played by Naima Simone (not that an excuse to do so was necessary).

Wishing you good health and some pleasure every day.

**At an event at the Hershey Public Library last year my inner reader fan girl burst free upon seeing Xio Axelrod in-person in the form of tears and not being able to speak. She gave me a hug, which made me boo-hoo even more. She was so compassionate toward me. Similar behavior from me when meeting Ms. Beverly Jenkins and Leslye Penelope with varying degrees of embarrassing nerdiness.

Comments

Hot Love in the Kitchen & Travelling Through Time

Redemption of the Heart by Moni Boyce contemporary romance Love Snacks Publishing 8 January 2019 Despite addressing heavy themes of domestic violence, incarceration, and grief, Redemption of the Heart is a charming and sweet spicy read in the tradition of a 21st-century interracial homage to Janet Dailey’s monthly romance era. Gemma’s open-hearted ingénue contrasts starkly with Alex’s jaded workaholic. They struggle with a variety of challenges, but ethnicity isn’t one of them—a spin that feels particularly modern. Once readers commit to their suspension of disbelief regarding the cascading impact of lacks in due diligence by several characters, it’s easy to settle in to enjoy this love story. The recent public debate about the pros and cons of Gillette’s “We believe the best man can be” campaign ties in with the contradictory messages in the story threads about toxic masculinity. There’s a scene in which Alex apologizes to someone who was openly bragging among cowork...

123123! Goodbye 2023! Hello 2024!

A Marquis to Protect the Governess by Parker J. Cole historical romance fiction Harlequin Historical, December 26, 2023 Sometimes scrolling through new releases available on Libby (even though there's a stack of physical books within arm's reach), leads to unexpected reading pleasure. That's what happened with me upon starting this gem of a tale. Like opening my first books by Ms. Bev(erly Jenkins), Gay G. Gunn, Vanessa Riley, Alyssa Cole, and Lisa Rayne, Isadora and Andre's rocky love story hooked me from the first page. Using a seamless integration of historical context, character evolution, and high stakes combined with emotional nuances, this author has crafted an engaging tale that organically includes people and places too often erased from historical romance fiction. Hot Flashes and Hockey Slashes by Marika Ray & Sylvie Stewart, authors & publisher contemporary romance fiction October 2023 Who knew that normalizing op...

21st Authorversary & 20th IPPY Awardiversary + Thanks!

[front cover of Seducing the Burks: Five Erotic Tales by Cardyn Brooks with the image of an open hand making a beckoning gesture, a "2004 Independent Publisher IP Award Finalist" medallion sticker; back cover with blurb, "authorHOUSE" logo - formerly 1st Books, barcodes] Self-publishing 21 years ago was still often considered "vanity publishing" as in ego-driven by writers not talented enough to merit a contract with a traditional publisher. My decision to self-publish came after years of feedback praising the compelling nature and professional quality of my submission as prefaces to rejections that included phrases like, "Will your target audience of readers relate to the level of privilege your main characters have?" WT... It took me awhile to understand that since my Black characters are educated and middle class, agents and editors assumed that most readers wouldn't identify with them since (they also assumed) most Black people wer...

Search This Blog