The Hollow (Book Two of the Sign of Seven Trilogy) by Nora Roberts

The Hollow (Book Two in the Sign of Seven trilogy), by Nora Roberts
What Happens: Layla, another newcomer to the Hollow, explores her very personal connection to the malignant happenings intensifying around her—and her feelings for Fox, one of the men who’s spent his life protecting the town from a demon. Meanwhile, Cal, Quinn, Gage and Cybil continue delving into the past to divine their future.
Why I Picked It Up: Roberts hooked me with the first book in the trilogy, Blood Brothers.
What I Liked: The second book was like watching an artist fill in their charcoal outlining with watercolor; the story began to bloom. And even those characters who weren’t necessarily the focus of this book began to take on more life.
What I Didn’t: Layla gets on my nerves. For real.
What Was Different: My answer to this is similar to the last one; the interesting mix of themes and personalities.
Overall: Me gusta. Four and a half Cheez-Its out of five.

Blood Brothers (Book One of the Sign of Seven Trilogy) by Nora Roberts

Blood Brothers (Book One in the Sign of Seven trilogy), by Nora Roberts
What Happens: Cal, Fox and Gage, three men who’ve been boys since childhood, have their lives interrupted by Quinn, an author investigating the supernatural happenings that occur every seven years in the town of Hawkins Hollow.
Why I Picked It Up: My mother recommended it; I’m not usually a Nora Roberts fan.
What I Liked: The beauty of the friendship between the three boys as they grew older (through flashbacks, of course) is moving, as is their struggle in child- and young adult-hood to protect their town from evil.
What I Didn’t: The story really got me, but the characters didn’t move me very much in this book.
What Was Different: The book was a really interesting combination of themes; think Stand By Me meets The Exorcist.
Overall: Very good, especially when the other two books in the trilogy are taken into account; personally, I think most of the book’s shortcomings stem from the extensive groundwork Roberts must lay here to support the series. Four Cheez-Its out of five.

wow...

I am currently in a mild state of shock. I just finished writing the sequel to Immortal Moon, my werewolf thriller which is currently being pitched to publishers by my agent.

I have now written four books, one of which has been published. After writing Surviving Serendipity, I had this horrible fear...what if I can't do it again? Now I know I can.

So, this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for my crazy, messed up brain, which so far has continued to supply me with enough story material to keep writing.

I love you, grey matter.

a leetle surprise for the candidates...

I cannot WAIT until Wednesday. Why, you ask? Because it's the day after election day, which means that all the stupid radio and television commercials and phone calls to my home phone will cease.

Martin and I have been getting an average of three phone calls a day, both automated and from party volunteers, asking us to vote for this person or that person. So, we stopped answering the phone. However, one plucky little volunteer, Simone, from the Immigration Something-Or-Other (an organization that stood by to register new citizens at Martin's swearing-in, which has been downright exuberant with my husband's new voter status and has insisted on calling us once a week since April to congratulate him), actually CALLED BACK when she got cut off by the answering machine's two minute time limit. At which point, I picked up the phone and politely but firmly explained that we had all the information we needed and that they could stop calling now.

Well, they might have stopped, but the rest of the candidates, who seem to have at least five volunteer organizations apiece working on their behalf, haven't. So, I left a little surprise for them on my answering machine.

"Hi, you've reached Martin and Jackie. We can't come to the phone right now, but please leave your name, number, and a brief message, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.

"Also, we are aware that Tuesday is Election Day. We know who we're voting for, and where we're voting. So, if you leave us a message asking us to vote for you, we WILL hunt you down and sic our dog on you.

"Have a nice day!"