• Review: MAGIC SHIFTS by Ilona Andrews

    Part of me keeps waiting for anything about this series to get stale or boring or overdone, because it can’t possibly keep being this damn good. Sure,  not every novel in the series  is the best thing I’ve ever read, but one thing I appreciate about Ilona Andrews (referred to as “they,” since it is…

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  • Review: CRUCIBLE edited by Mercedes Lackey

    Favorite story: “The Note” by Phaedra Weldon. While many of the stories in this anthology rated between 3 and 4 stars for me and were cute and enjoyable but not amazing, this penultimate tale punched me right in the feels. There are so many things about the life of a Herald that are explored in this tale,…

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  • STEEL MAGIC cover reveal coming soon

    The official release date for Steel Magic, book 2 of the Steel Empires series and direct sequel to Steel Victory, is July 2016! This novel features the first solo adventure of Toria and Kane, journeymen mercenaries of Limani, as they embark on a magical quest. Soon I will be hosting an official cover reveal to…

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  • Review: THIRD PATH (Stargate Atlantis) by Melissa Scott and Jo Graham

    And thus, we finally come to the conclusion of the Stargate Atlantis Legacy series, which continues the story past season 5 of the television series. Overall, this novel was both a bittersweet and very satisfying ending to a much larger and more complicated story line. 

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  • Review: STEAMPUNK WORLD edited by Sarah Hans

    DISCLAIMER: I share a publisher with one of the authors discussed below. However, I purchased my copy of the book at full price from the anthology’s editor, not the author, and I do not consider our relationship to have bearing on my review choices. I was not a contributor to the Kickstarter campaign that initially…

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  • The Real World Returns…

    My husband and I are home safe from our amazing vacation. We spent a great 10 days aboard Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas, which sailed out of Baltimore to tool around the Caribbean for a few days. The time was well-spent relaxing and recharging and just spending some quality time together before the husband…

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  • March Wrap-Up & April Goals

    Some highs and lows this month, for sure. See last Friday’s post about the major milestones in my life I’m currently in the middle of. March Wrap-Up: Complete the scene-by-scene outline for book 4, Steel Time. It turns out that the power in the ‘verse that can stop me is my own brain! I have…

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  • End of an Era

    Today marks the end of a journey. If you’ve read my Bio page, you know that I’m a medical editor for my day job. That’s not going to change, but as of this morning, I can announce that I am no longer employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) , where for the…

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  • Book Review Policy

    As I slowly get caught up on the never-ending list of finished books that need to be reviewed, I figured I should put together an official review policy (even though I definitely don’t consider myself an official book reviewer). Go here or click the “Review Policy” tab at the top of the page for information…

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  • Review: CLOSER TO HOME by Mercedes Lackey

    I think my biggest complaint about this book is probably the fact that the back cover text has very, very little to do with the actual plot of the novel. And if that’s my biggest complaint, I will definitely call this book a win. I’ve read every Valdemar book by Mercedes Lackey, many of the…

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  • Review: MAGIC BREAKS by Ilona Andrews

    Not only is this one of my favorite books series, it is also one of the major inspirations for my own writing. So it’s no surprise that I absolutely loved and devoured this set of the series.

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  • Review: ARMADA by Ernest Cline

    Because I loved Ready Player One so much, I didn’t argue very much when my husband insisted on pre-ordering the hardcover of Ernest Cline’s second novel, Armada. My husband read it first, and I have to admit that my stomach sank a little bit when he described it to me. My takeaway was that it…

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  • Review: TO SIR by Rachell Nichole

    Disclaimer: I am friends with the author; however, I purchased this novel at full price. This was my second official foray into the erotica genre–this time, without the cushion of the paranormal to root me in something familiar! I also normally stay far, far away from novels where the protagonist is also an author. However,…

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  • Review: THE COST OF HONOR (Stargate SG-1) by Sally Malcolm

    A good media tie-in novel should hit a number of criteria. Expand upon the established universe. Give the reader better insight into the internal motivation of the characters. Build a setting that goes beyond the restrictions of the original format. Sally Malcolm’s conclusion to the story she started in A Matter of Honor does all…

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  • Con Report: Cleveland ConCoction 2016

    I was excited to be part of the Dog Star Books invasion of Cleveland ConCoction this year, and I’m happy to report that this was one of the best conventions I’ve ever attended. I hadn’t been to a full media (versus strictly literary) convention in a few years and this was a fun way to…

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  • Cleveland ConCoction Schedule

    Next weekend, March 11-13, I will be at the Sheraton Cleveland Airport Hotel for Cleveland ConCoction 2016. Below is my official schedule, but please feel free to say hi anytime. I love meeting new people and talking about our shared passions. Steel Victory will be available for purchase in Author’s Alley, but I also keep a few…

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  • Countdown to Cleveland ConCoction!

    As the Dog Star Books authors prepare to invade Cleveland ConCoction (March 11-13), our fearless leader* Matt Betts is conducting interviews so that other con attendees can get to know us ahead of time.** Go here to see my answers to some science-fiction questions*** and be sure to follow Matt’s blog to learn more about the rest…

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  • February Wrap-Up & March Goals

    Though I didn’t hit any major milestones in February, I feel like I had a decently productive month. Let’s see how the numbers look. February Wrap-Up: Not look at book 3. Success! I did, however, do a bunch of fun work for book 2, Steel Magic, like write the back cover text, coordinate potential pre-release…

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  • REVIEW: A NEW DAWN (Star Wars) by John Jackson Miller

    Let’s get one thing out of the way first. Star Wars Rebels is a kid’s show. A New Dawn is not a kid’s book, which was a surprise and provided a bit of interesting cognizant dissonance while I read it. It is not necessary to be familiar with both to enjoy either, but both of them…

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  • Review: ETIQUETTE & ESPIONAGE by Gail Carriger

    Gail Carriger’s foray into young adult fiction is set in the familiar world of her Parasol Protectorate series, but with a bit more…everything. Which is funny, because her adult series is pretty awesomely extreme all on its own. This novel drew much more from the steampunk genre than on the supernatural in regards to plot,…

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