Adult


Get To Know Faisal Ansari

Book Bear is currently doing a book tour for Faisal Ansari’s new book The Prestilence and I was graciously provided with a fantastic interview/answers which Mr. Ansari answered.

His responses are great and his screw up with the first book agent he saw hilariously sad and a great read as well.

Unfortunately I don’t have time to check out this book at the moment but I hope to soon because it looks fantastic! If you give it a shot, let me know what you think.

Now, without further ado, here we gooooo!

Disclaimer: Adult language in the final interview set. Viewer discretion advised.


 

Faisal Ansari headshot

Writers Routine

Faisal Ansari wrote his debut novel The Pestilence in twelve months.  He shares his writing routine with us.

I wrote The Pestilence from October 2014 to June 2015 and was lucky enough to be able to treat writing as a full time job.

Dostoevsky said that one must have the courage to dare.  I think any new writer needs to have the courage to sit down and just go for it.  If you write from your heart, if you write from within; then the without will take care of itself.

When I commenced writing The Pestilence I had just finished a short story which contained the main characters of the book.  It outlined for me who my characters were.  Of The Pestilence itself, I knew the destination the story was headed in, but was not entirely sure of how best to get there.

Internet research told me that a typical first time novel was around 100,000 words in length.  So I planned for 20 chapters comprising 5,000 words each.  I broke this little rule on my very first chapter and the book eventually came it at 85,000 words.

I wrote scene by scene and not necessarily in chronological order.  I asked myself every morning what scene did I feel like writing today.  If I didn’t have an answer I would just continue where I left off the day before.

Keeping track of word count as you write is a small but supremely motivating detail.  I averaged about 1,000 new words a day.  My personal world record daily word count was 2,400 words when I achieved a once in a lifetime Zen like state and entered writing nirvana.

I rarely edited as I went along.  I found that it was too disruptive (and boring).  My focus was to get the ideas out of my head and onto the page/screen.  I shied away from the write, edit, write, edit approach preferring instead to review big chunks at a time. I don’t believe in mentally masturbating over a word, paragraph or sentence.  If I got stuck (which happened a lot) I just wrote something else.

I was lucky in that I had a network of people around me that would review and critique the book as I wrote it.  Importantly they had the courage to tell me when something didn’t work or when what I wrote sucked balls.  I changed large sections of the manuscripts based on the vital feedback I received.

My working routine when I didn’t have any outside appointments was as follows: Get kids breakfasted and off to school. Sit down about 9.30am to write. I took tea and half a packet of digestives at 11.30am religiously.

I wasted an insane amount of time looking out of the window or surfing the internet.  I sometimes disconnected the network cable on the PC and switched off my phone just to find a moment free of distraction.

Due to the sacred digestives I found myself rapidly getting fat.  I started a workout called P90X3.  Which was 30 minutes and day and it helped keep my arse from spilling out of my chair.  Lunch and exercise was around 1.30pm then I would write until kids returned from being educated.  Any creativity dissipates in the face of family onslaught and I rarely wrote in the evenings.

Following editing (the most boring part of the whole process) and amendments the Pestilence was published by Matador on October 31 2015.  The book took 12 months from inception to publication.


 

How I became a writer

Two factors came together that enabled me to write The Pestilence. Firstly, for the first time in my salaried life I had the luxury of time.  I had been working in the City for 16 years.  It was physically and mentally challenging.  The long hours meant you were away from the people who matter most to you.  Looking back it was an excellent experience, but there wasn’t much scope for creative writing.  The closest I got to being creative was trying to sneak inappropriate words into legal documents such as Listing Particulars.  My favourite sentence was saying that a product had a “banal penetration” rate in a market.  Then on the next draft of the document the “b” would mysteriously disappear.  Unfortunately, I never got it past the lawyers.

I had got to the point where I felt I wanted to carve out some time to write, making time is the single most important thing for a writer. I was lucky enough to be able to do so.

The second factor was inspiration.  On an ordinary London street I witnessed a man falling badly. He was old and frail, his face awash with blood. The shock of the fall caused his hands to contract and flex like my daughter’s the day she was born. I couldn’t sleep thinking of that man and his hands, always his hands.

I wished I could have taken away his pain.  I wished I could have given him my strength.  I wished I could have healed him. I got to thinking; what would happen if somebody did?  What would happen if in this 24/7 news cycle a healer came from the east that could guarantee you a long life, free from injury, sickness and disease?

Over the next two weeks I wrote a 2,500 word short story about the healer. Writing it was a horribly painful process far harder than writing the actual book, it was something akin to passing a watermelon.  I have documented my struggles in my Writer’s Diary.  The finished story was raw, but it contained the main characters and was the genesis of The Pestilence.


 

Author Faisal Ansari, took a drastic career change when he went from investment banker to author, and he’s here today, recalling one of his first tentative steps into the publishing world – meeting a literary agent!

It didn’t quite go as planned…

How I fucked up my first meeting with a literary agent

The demigod Zuul, worshipped by the Mesopotamians, Sumerians and Hittites was a minion of Gozer the Destructor; she was also known as the Gatekeeper.  

In the publishing world, the Gatekeepers are the literary agents.  Very few traditional publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts.  For a hopeful debut author the literary agents are the bridge to the promised land.  You want someone to publish your wonderfully crafted prose?  Get an agent.  This is how not to do it.

As a new author seeking to go down the traditional publishing route I had two choices to hook an agent: Write hundreds of submission letters and wait and wait and wait and then watch as the rejections slowly dripped into my inbox; or try agent speed dating.  Writers’ festivals across the country offer the opportunity to pitch your work directly to a real life literary agent.  Prior to the festival you submit the usual cover letter, synopsis and the required chapters of your manuscript and on the day you have a 15 minute slot to discuss your work with an agent.  So I paid my money, sent my submissions and rocked up to the Winchester Writers’ Festival.

In a room full of agents and nervous authors my first interview was horrific and went something like this:

Agent question: What genre is your work?

Answer given:  Errr… it’s a page-turning thriller set in Jerusalem about a healer.  It has strong spiritual, religious and supernatural undertows, but not vampires or werewolves or anything shit like that.  [I actually liked the Twilight series, so no idea why I said the last bit].

Answer I should have given: A commercial thriller set in Jerusalem.

Agent question: Who would read it?

Answer given: Errr…Men and Women.

[Long pause].

[Trying again].  Errr…actually, everyone really.  Most probably anyone who likes reading? [Yes, I managed to turn a stupid answer into a stupid question].

Answer I should have given: As a commercial thriller I believe the book will have wide popular appeal.

Agent question: Which book will it sit next to on the shelf?

Answer given:  Errr…The Hand I Fan With by Tina McElroy Ansa [desperately trying to think of alphabetical shelf listings].

Answer I should have given: Any of the successful commercial thriller writers such as Dan Brown or John Grisham.

Agent question: Are you writing the next book in the series?

Answer given: Errr…no way. I have just emerged from my underground bunker after spending nine months of my short life writing this book.  I am enjoying the sunlight and fresh air.  I will start the next book soon, but right now I would rather eat my own feet than climb back in my bunker again.

Answer I should have given: Of course, I have so many exciting ideas for the next seven books in the series.  I love writing, it is my life, my passion.  I burst from the womb holding a pen.

Agent question: Who is your favourite author?

Answer given:  Murakami.

Agent follow up question: What I have seen of your work it possess nothing like the flair of Murakami.

Answer given:  Err…you asked me who my favourite author was.

Answer I should have given: Go fuck yourself you fluffed up arrogant arse.

You live and learn.

 


About the author:

Faisal Ansari has spent the majority of his adult life strapped into a suit writing marketing and stuffy legal documentation for M&A transactions in the City.

Despite growing up in London, Faisal’s overwhelming preference is to be outdoors.  When trapped indoors he reads until his eyes bleed.

Faisal wrote full time to complete his first novel, The Pestilence.


The Pestilence Book Tour

The Pestilence by Faisal Ansari book coverBook Title: The Pestilence

Author Name: Faisal Ansari

Start Date of Tour: 02/01/16
Book Genre: Thriller/mystery/suspense
Blurb/Synopsis of Book: The little girl cupped her hands and whispered almost inaudibly into her father’s ear. “The Pestilence is coming. Everybody here is going to die.”
***
A mysterious electrical phenomenon rolls above the cities of the world. The lightning which comes from the east, shines as far as the west, turning night into day.
Two brothers of the lightning, Samuel Srour and Victor Pierre Chaput are gifted powers by the storm. Their paths intertwined, with enemies on all sides.
Samuel Srour has unwittingly started a revolution. His Healed walk the Earth. Free of injury, sickness and disease, but powerful forces stand in his way and the Pestilence is drawing ever closer.

Author Q&A

Source: Book Bear

With your novel The Pestilence, what can readers expect?

The story begins when a mysterious electrical phenomenon rolls above the cities of the world. The lightning which comes from the east, shines as far as the west and turns night into day.

Two brothers of the lightning, Samuel Srour and Victor Pierre Chaput, are gifted powers by the storm.  Their paths intertwined, with enemies on all sides.

The book is a thriller, a page-turner unfolding over a sixteen day period which counts down the arrival of the Pestilence.

The Pestilence is my debut novel and is book one of the Jerusalem Chronicles.  I am quietly proud of it.

Did the book take long to write?

I wrote The Pestilence from October 2014-June 2015 and was lucky enough to be able to treat it as a full time job.  Following editing and amendments the book was published by Matador on October 31 2015.  It took 12 months from inception to publication.

What was it like moving from the City into the real world?

I had been working in the City for 16 years.  It was physically and mentally challenging.  The long hours meant you were away from the people who matter most to you.  Looking back it was an excellent experience, but there wasn’t much scope for creative writing.  The closest I got to being creative was trying to sneak inappropriate words into legal documents such as Listing Particulars.  My favourite sentence was saying that a product had a “banal penetration” rate in a market.  Then on the next draft of the document the “b” would mysteriously disappear.  Unfortunately, I never got it past the lawyers.

Are any of the characters in the book based on real life?

Victor is the only one who is based on someone I know; an Investment banker who looks exactly like Louis XVI.

It says in your bio you are a big reader, what type of books do you read?

I love reading.  When I am writing I stay away from fiction and read science/social science/ economics books and the occasional biography.  When I am not writing I binge read fiction almost as a catch up.  As long as it captures my attention, I will read any book in any genre from the Song of Ice and Fire to The Alchemist.  I don’t have a favourite book, but I love Murakami.

I understand there is also an audiobook. 

Yes as an indie author, I produced the audiobook myself.  My own voice is to high pitched cockney sparrow to be of any use in the audiobook.  I found a brilliant actor in Gareth Pierce who performed the 16 or so voices in the production.  Not only is Gareth highly talented he is also depressingly good looking.

How do you deal with the fear of your book being rejected or trashed by critics and readers?

I read somewhere that writing is a strange process of anxiety crowned by pleasure.  Waiting on feedback is indeed anxiety inducing.  I was lucky in that I had a network of people around me that would review and critique the book as I wrote it.  Importantly they had the courage to tell me when something didn’t work or what I wrote sucked balls.

So far the book has had good reviews and I love what I do.  Like all things, the more I write the better my next novel will be.

What advice can you give to anyone considering writing a book?

Dostoevsky said that one must have the courage to dare.  I think any new writer needs to have the courage to sit down and go for it.  If you write from your heart, if you write from within; then the without will take care of itself.


About the Author

Faisal Ansari has spent the majority of his adult life strapped into a suit writing marketing and stuffy legal documentation for M&A transactions in the City.

Despite growing up in London, Faisal’s overwhelming preference is to be outdoors.  When trapped indoors he reads until his eyes bleed.

Faisal wrote full time to complete his first novel, The Pestilence.


Book tour hosted by BookBear.

BookBear logo


Five Thousand, Three Hundred Miles by Cecily Knobler

Summary

“Beth Wilton lived a small life in a small town, where day after day was the same until her sister bought her a trip to London, England for her 30th birthday. There, she had an electric encounter with handsome and kind Jack Stoll, who made her forget her past heartbreak. Two days together made everything seem real until he disappeared suddenly in a storm. Five thousand, three hundred miles apart once again. Would they ever find each other? Or would Beth’s life go back to its former small self? What happens when a new man enters the picture?
Light, fun and funny, “Five Thousand, Three Hundred Miles” is an enjoyable escape that can’t help but make you smile. Beth Wilton is an imperfect and relatable protagonist who needs to make a few changes in her life. Jack Stoll is a semi-reluctant hero who nevertheless turns Beth’s trip into something magical. In addition to being a multi-published humor columnist and author, Cecily Knobler is a comedian and media personality who knows how to make the pages keep turning.”

-From Amazon.com

Review

This was an adorable and light romance book and I absolutely loved it! It was a nice break from the other stuff that I’ve been reading, especially as this one was so light and it did have many realistic parts to it. And it was so fluffy and cute!

I did like the whole cliché idea of meeting a guy abroad, only to find out that he disappeared for many reasons and then each side continues to look for the other, while still carrying on with their lives, hoping that their ‘true love’ will appear once more. It was adorable and such a light topic that you couldn’t not like this kind of thing.

The writing style fit perfectly into the genre and so did the story line as well; the genre being romance. There was only one mention of sex in the book (well two because of a perspective change) but it wasn’t graphic at all and it did the scene change so sex was mentioned, but it wasn’t written about in detail which was also very nice as well.

There was one aspect of the book which I did like. About half way through the book, Ms. Knobler changed perspectives to be that of the other protagonist which I really did like. It’s always interesting to see the change in perspective to understand what the other person is thinking. She also did that later in the book with another protagonist, Nick, and it was kind of interesting as well as you were able to see secrets from his perspective and understand other characters takes on situations. The book was predominately from Beth’s point of view, but it was spiced up a little by placing a little of other perspectives into it.

One criticism of this POV change though was, when it jumped to Jack’s POV, it started all the way from when they first met and it was quite a longggg way back to you were reading pretty much the same events but from another perspective. I didn’t really mind it but it was kind of like re-reading the book all over just with a slightly different twist which was kind of monotonous, to a slight degree, although interesting to see slight perspective changes from the guys view.

Overall I really did like this book. It wasn’t vulgar or crass like some romance books can be as this was strictly about wanting to find the true love, for the most part. I do recommend checking this one out as it wasn’t a massive read per se and shouldn’t take too long. If you’re looking for something light and fluffy with a happy ending, this is your cup of tea.

Enjoy and happy reading!


Trapped by Alison Aimes Book Tour!

About the Book

Title: Trapped
Author: Alison Aimes
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Release Date: March 3rd 2016
Publisher: Indie Published
Print Length: 239 pages
Format: Paperback and Digital
Print ISBN: 978-0-996-4683-1-2
Digital ISBN: 978-0-9964683-0-5

 

 

HIS PLANET. HIS RULES… Trapped by Alison Aimes is an action-packed, sexy sci-fi that takes you to the brink of oblivion on a planet where only the strong survive. When Bella West crash lands on penal planet Dragath25, the only thing standing between her and a mass of brutal criminals is one of their own, a ruthless loner known only as 673. But what starts out as a desperate trade based on protection and raw lust soon blossoms into a scorching need that will push them both to the edge. A tale of unbridled desire, stunning sacrifice, and unwavering love, Trapped is the first book in The Condemned Series.

Cadet Bella West has one simple objective when she joins the scientific mission to Dragath25, the notorious penal planet housing Earth’s condemned. Earn the credits necessary to save her family from starvation. But when her shuttle crashes and the majority of her crew perish, her simple mission becomes complicated fast. Now, to stay alive she’ll have to depend on one of Dragath’s own. But such protection doesn’t come free.

Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit, 673 has become more beast than man after eight grueling years on an unforgiving, hazardous planet of dirt and rock—and even more treacherous inhabitants. He doesn’t look out for anyone but himself and he certainly never grows attached. So when the bold female offers him pleasure in return for protection, he takes the deal without hesitation. He never expects how her touch will alter him. Or the growing realization that saving her may be the key to his own salvation.

But as dangers mount and their ‘simple’ deal unravels will he prove to be her surprise savior or her ultimate downfall? Because caring for someone on Dragath25 may prove the greatest hazard of all.

Alison Aimes headshotAbout the Author

Alison Aimes is the award-winning author of the sexy sci fi romance series the Condemned as well as the sizzling contemporary romance Billionaires’ Revenge series. A sci fi fanatic with a PhD in Modern History, she’s an all over the map kind of woman whose always had a love for dramatic stories and great books, no matter the era. Now, she’s creating her own stories full of intrigue and passion, but always with a happy-ever-after ending. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two kids, and her dog. When not in front of the computer, she can be found hanging with family and friends, hiking, trying to turn herself into a pretzel through yoga, listening to a fabulous TED talk, or, last but not least, sitting on the couch imagining her characters’ next great adventures.

Alison can be found on line at www.alisonaimes.com

Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook/alisonaimes
Twitter: https://twitter.com/alisonaimes
Pre-order on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Qex8hU

Book Excerpts (Disclaimer: Adult content follows)

First Excerpt: First Touch (343 words)

“Come.” He held out a calloused palm.

She swallowed hard, her stare raking from his scowling face to his wide chest and muscular thighs. Payment had already come due.

“No.” Davies grabbed Bella’s arm, glaring at the mud man. “This isn’t right. Take me instead.”

His scowl deepened.

“It’s okay.” Bella hurriedly slid her hand into his. Davies offer was unbelievably brave, but Bella would never allow it. Her colleague was Council—and injured. She’d never survive this. Plus, the idea of a deal had been Bella’s from the start. And she couldn’t regret it. Not when they were all still alive.

His skin was rough—and surprisingly warm.

A shiver slid down her spine. So much so that it took her a second to realize he’d gone perfectly still. His gaze locked on their intertwined palms. Something that looked a lot like wonder etched in the hard planes of his face.

Her gaze skittered to Davies’. Her colleague looked equally confused.

It hit Bella then. Human contact. He was reacting to the sensation of touch. Cherishing something as simple as the heat of her palm against his.

A wave of sympathy rippled through her. This man might be a criminal, but he was also a living being. One who had clearly been alone for a very long time.

On instinct, she interlaced her fingers with his, pressing their hands closer.

He shuddered, his eyes sinking shut, his face tilting upward, the way a person might delight in the sun on his face after a hard, dark winter. Her chest went tight.

After a lifetime of being just one more mouth to feed, one more body that had to be clothed and housed using Earth’s ever dwindling resources, the feeling of mattering to someone was unfamiliar—and nice.

“It’s okay.” It was the same words she’d said before, but this time she meant it. “We‘re on your side….F—friends.”

His eyes flared open, his grip tightening, more possessive now than cherishing. All hints of vulnerability wiped away. “I’m not looking for a friend.”

Excerpt Two: The Challenge (500 words)

A splash sounded. Powerful ripples washed against her back like a surging tide. He was coming for her.

She whirled and discovered small bubbles on the surface of the water. An inky cloud of red and brown streamed in all directions followed by foamy white. Then a dark head broke the surface and he was standing before her, waist high in the water, a mud man no more.

Her mouth opened on a tiny o.

Without the dirt, dark, thick hair, shorn close to his scalp, was now visible. Along with olive skin, a wide forehead, low brows, firm lips, and a square jaw. Tiny droplets left his long lashes spikey while rivulets of water tracked over chiseled cheekbones down his sculpted chest and abdomen to a small trail of dark hair that snaked from his belly button to disappear into the water. Scars of various length and width tracked across miles of pure, hard muscle.

My God, mud man was a flesh and blood man—an incredibly masculine one. If she’d met him at the Academy or the barracks on Earth, she would have been unable to stop staring. He was that beautiful.

Then his hand shot out and her daze shattered.

With a hiss, she stumbled back.

One dark eyebrow rose. “Here.”

She looked down to see a small white bar in his hand.

“It’s soap.” His tone was brusque. “The drones dump trash from Earth. Use it.”

“Thank you.” It took all her courage to reach out and take the bar from his hand. “I—I’ve never used it before. The Academy only allows lasers for cleaning. The use of water was banned a long time ago.” She stopped short.

Of course, he knew that. He wasn’t from some distant galaxy. He was from Earth. He just wasn’t welcome there anymore.

His lips flat lined. “I’ve been here a while, but not as long as that.”

Was that a joke? His expression offered no clue.

“Of course.” Hands shaking, she took the soap and rubbed it against her arm. The blood stayed put. She rubbed harder.

She hadn’t expected this…this talking. Or the kindness of a bath—with soap. It was confusing.

“You need the water to make it work.” Rough hands reached out and took the soap, dunking it under the water, making that same foamy circle she’d seen before.

“Turn around.” His voice had gone husky again.

That overworked heart of hers started up double time once again. Her feet remained planted where they were.

He waited for longer than she would have expected before he spoke again, his jaw locked tight. “Anything?” It was a reminder. A reproach. A challenge.

And her last chance to change her mind.

Her eyes sunk shut.  I can do this. I need to do this.

She whirled around, bracing for a grab. A strike. But the deliberate slow glide of a calloused fingertip down the bumps of her spine slammed through her with more force than any blow.

Excerpt Three: Revelation (498 words)

“Fine. Go.” Bella screamed at the spot where he’d been. “I should have known you wouldn’t keep to the deal. You’re nothing but a lowlife Dragath25 criminal. Who needs you?”

She was turning back toward the cave when the ground shook. Reeling round, her eyes went wide. Convict was steamrolling toward her, a murderous look on his face.

She’d only just begun to run when powerful arms jerked her back against hard, warm steel. Clawing, kicking, she tried to break free, but it was no use. Caged by one thick arm around her stomach and one tangled in her hair, she was trapped.

“That’s right, fighter-girl. I am nothing but a lowlife Dragath25 criminal.”

“Stop.” She shoved against his chest. It was as unmovable as the rock at her back.

“Criminals don’t stop.” He fisted her shirt, drawing her onto her tiptoes, bringing her face in line with his. His knee slid between her thighs, forcing them wide. “We take.” His hand skimmed down her body. “We violate.”

Heartbeat slamming against her ribs, she tried to fix this. “I—I shouldn’t have said what I did. I’m sorry.”

“That’s right. You shouldn’t have said it.” He wrapped his wrist tighter in her hair. “Just like you shouldn’t have ignored my direct order.”

“I understand that now.”

It was as if he didn’t hear her. “You think it’s easy to survive out here. You think this is a joke. You think I made it on this fucking hellhole this long out of sheer luck.”

“No.”

“I’ve seen things you wouldn’t believe. Done things I can barely stand to think of.” Echoes of those horrors stretched tight across his face. “But I’ve made it here eight years and I don’t intend to die now.”

Her chest grew tight. She didn’t think she could bear even another few days on this place. She couldn’t imagine surviving eight years.

“I’m sorry. You’re right.” She spoke fast, the words spilling from her, more genuine this time. “I wasn’t trying to get you killed. I was trying to help. I appreciate all you’ve done. Hiding us in the cave. Saving us from the tigos. Even the water and bandages you gave my colleagues.” She cleared her throat. “You were keeping to the deal. I was the one who screwed up.”

He didn’t acknowledge her words, but his grip loosened, the tension in his body lessening. “It’s easy to die out here.”

“But people make it.” Her voice shook. “You’ve made it. I will too.”

He shook his head, something that looked a lot like regret in his gaze. “You’re soft. Delicate.” The finger that had been so predatory against her skin now felt like a caress. “Keeping you alive will be next to impossible. Even without the added stubbornness.”

A new and astonishing idea flooded through her, a live wire of awareness to her brain. It wasn’t cold-heartedness that had promoted his departure, but the exact opposite. He didn’t want to watch her die.


Siren’s Call (A Rainshadow Novel) by Jayne Castle

Siren's Call by Jayne Castle Jayne Ann Krentz writing as Jayne Castle

Summary

In the mysterious world of Harmony, there are places filled with unexplored marvels. But Rainshadow Island isn’t about to give up its secrets…

In the alien catacombs of Rainshadow, there are creatures whose compelling songs lure the unwary to their death. That’s why Rafe Coppersmith, hired to clear out the catacombs for exploration, needs a music talent. He’s knows the perfect one, but she probably doesn’t want anything do with him…

Ella Morgan had once fallen hard and fast for Rafe, but then he disappeared for months…and he’s not about to tell her why. Ella, too, has secrets that only her dust bunny knows. She’s not just a music talent, she’s a Siren: a paranormal singer capable of singing men to sleep—or to their deaths.

But once on Rainshadow, Rafe and Ella will learn that surrendering to passion doesn’t come without risks—and fighting fire with fire only adds to the flame…”

-From back of book

Review

And I’ve done it again. This is the fourth book in the series I think…

I mean, you can kinda read it out of order, it does make sense, though there are questions. Of course….I LOVE to do this. Grab a good book and find out that it’s not the first book in the series. Click here to view Jayne Ann Krentz’s website and her page for her pen-name Jayne Castle and see which books are part of the Rainshadow Series.

But honestly, even though I hadn’t read the other books in the series, there weren’t that many questions which were kind of hanging there because I didn’t have previous knowledge. I mean, yes there definitely were things which didn’t add up or took me a little longer to figure out what was meant, and that was kind of annoying, but it is what you get for reading out of order.

Now, I will review this book as well as I can for reading it…out of order. >Violently smacks head against the book.<

Honestly, I did enjoy it quite a lot. It was well written and had an interesting storyline. I don’t think it was based on earth, as far as I could tell, but there were humans and other creatures as well. They kept referencing these Aliens and Alien technology so I’m thinking that they traveled to another world and had found stuff on the planet and stuff. But either way, it was a cool concept.

And while it was a fantasy book, it also did have romance in it. I don’t think this is classified as erotic literature at all though. There was definitely a little bit of sex, and it was kind of explicit, but I don’t think it was defined as erotic, so I’d just say it was a fantasy book with a smattering of…sex. Because of the sex though, I would classify it as an adult book, by far.

The writing was good, the sentences being a little more challenging than regular romance book and books like this, so it kept me interested as well. Also a lot of the characters kept you curious as well, interested to see who would kill who and who the bad people were, though you didn’t know until the end. I didn’t really like though that the main characters didn’t really develop, in my view. I like to see some type of character development, even if it is just the character letting a secret out that they don’t like to share and showing another side of themselves, but there wasn’t really any of that in this book. Now this of course doesn’t bother most people, so this complaint is something more personal, but with the summary, it made it seem like there was some big secret which was kept. And it wasn’t as big as it was made out to be which was kind of annoying. All of this suspense for nothing.

But, overall it was a decent book. I’m not sure if I’ll bother to read the first book, but maybe if I have some time.

Happy Reading!