Fat Ladies and Swans Sing

My life as a book reviewer at All About Romance, Booklist, and The Romance Reviews has come to an end. 

I pulled the plug a couple of weeks ago when it suddenly occurred to me that if I was going to fulfill my lifelong dream of becoming a published author, I needed to stop reading so much and start writing.

I'm sure to most people this sounds like common sense, but obviously I had to come to this astounding conclusion the long, painful way.

Truth be known, Dreamspinner Press can take a little credit for my decision.  I signed a contract with them for my novella, "What's in a Name?," to be published right after the first of the year.  It seemed like a conflict of interest that I was reviewing some of their books after signing the contract.

So after kicking the review habit and vowing to work on my fiction writing career, I also contacted my former colleague and friend Shawn Hansen and will be getting together with her in the near future to see what she has to offer as far as promotion is concerned, not only for the novella, but also for the first book in the Vampire's Food Chain series.

But what about the Swan Song, you ask.

A core collection list of gay and lesbian romance novels has gone public in the September 15, 2014, issue of Booklist.  I suggested running a list of "must have" books to editor Donna Seaman earlier this year, and she took my list of 15 proposed titles, whittled it down, added lesbian romances, and voila! a list was born.

Laugh Out Loud Fun--Merrow Hits My Funny Bone

Reading Challenge 2014
September 17 - Recommended read (a book recommended to you by someone)

Caught! by J. L. Merrow, part of the Shamwell Tales

Rating: 5 stars and a number of hearty laughs

I'm not sure who recommended this book or why, but if I find the person, I owe him/her a kiss.  This often laugh-out-loud funny book is both poignant and awwww-inspiring.

Robert teaches at a small British primary school in a tiny village, a come-down from his previous job at a posh school in the big city.  Although he privately grumps and groans about his young students and their energetic joie de vivre, he's actually the perfect match for them since he has a wonderful sense of silliness and whimsy.

He's particularly taken by the uncle of a pair of mischievous twins and he's been covertly eyeing the ginger-haired man since he's known the two boys, since the uncle often picks them up after school.

Motorcycle-riding, rogue Sean is tickled by Robert and his collection of classic bow ties and his persnickety ways.  As a pest control worker, Sean isn't above making Robert a little uneasy about the rodents that might be lurking in his house as a chance to get to put his arms around the smaller man.

My two favorite lines from the book, lines that definitely struck a chord with me:

·         at one point the major character calls almond croissants the "crack cocaine of baked goods"

·         "Fordy’s always rather exuberant brows had now entirely met in the middle, like a couple of very small, coy ferrets exchanging a kiss."

Rest assured the quote about the ferrets isn't the last you've heard about them because Merrow goes on to expound about the kiss and its culmination.

Since I can't find any other references to The Shamwell Tales, I'm assuming this is the first of them.  I can't wait until the next one hits my Kindle.  I'm prepared to laugh and enjoy it too.