Finding a song for everything

I'd like to start off by saying that I sincerely apologize for the fact that I fail miserably at keeping this updated. I'd love to be able to promise that I'll post regularly, but let's face it, I've NEVER been good at journaling or anything like that. At one time, I was damn good at posting on here and I have no idea how I ever did that. How about I promise to TRY? We'll see how that goes.

I adore music. For someone with sensory processing issues, music is a godsend. It allows me to block out the incessant ringing in my ears as well as to simply exist in my own world. I've got music for every mood, whether I'm conscious of it or not. Beyond that, however, I'm starting to learn that I can find a song for pretty much everything I'm feeling. You see, recently I had a ton of upheaval in my life. New job, new responsibilities in new job, new medical diagnosis (moderate anemia), first real vacation in years. It's enough to make anyone crazy, right? Through it all, I had a little soundtrack I would listen to to get me through various times.

I won't go into specifics about what initially drove me to need a soundtrack of sorts. Suffice it to say, there was a hell of a lot of frustration and I found several songs that perfectly expressed my frustrations. Hell, I even found the perfect song when I'm feeling road rage lol. Some of my book couples are also making their songs known and it's an awesome feeling to be listening to a song and have those voices pop into my brain and say "Hey! This is us!! Remember this and listen to it when you're stuck!!"

That brings me to another point. Writing. I haven't written much in months. I had such high goals for this year and I haven't hit most of them. Long story short, I was apparently anemic which was a huge reason I was always exhausted and never wanted to do anything more than sleep. I was also extremely stressed out and unhappy with something and for a long time, saw no way out. Then the light at the end of the tunnel appeared and things are moving again!

I can't promise to have all of the books I thought I'd have done magically released this year. My publisher is no longer assigning dates until she has our manuscript mostly done, so I can't even tell you when something will be released. I will tell you I'm going to venture back into self-publishing and that there are going to be some amazing surprises coming from me.

Thank you so much everyone for your support. I know it's incredibly annoying to be looking forward to a book and then suddenly have to wait for it, especially when the previous books left you hanging. You have no idea how much it means to still have my fans stand behind me, even when they've had to wait months or years for me to finally finish things. My life is chaos at times and I get scared after being away from writing for so long. It makes it hard to get back into it, but I promise to try really hard. You all stand by me, I need to stand by you guys :) Love you!

Finding Master Right by Sparrow Beckett

Book blurb:

Dominant, crop-wielding men are all Kate dreams about, but how far is she willing to go? 

Kate wants a man who will take charge—she just needs to find the right guy. Fortunately, her friend is throwing a kinky Halloween party with a guest list loaded with sexy, available men. That’s where she meets Banner.

Dark and intense, Banner’s not just a Dominant, he’s a Master looking for a slave. Kate isn’t interested in something that extreme, but when he offers to help her find the perfect Dom, while training her to be a flawless submissive, she’s glad to have a matchmaker and protector.

Banner knows they’re not compatible, yet something about Kate is impossible to resist. Once he finds her the right Dom, will he be able let her go?

Buy links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Finding-Master-Right-Masters-Unleashed-ebook/dp/B00NGZOH1E

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/finding-master-right-sparrow-beckett/1120921387?ean=9780698198524\

Google books: https://play.google.com/store/search?q=9780698198524&c=books

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/finding-master-right-2



Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/finding-master-right/id917826078?mt=11

Praise:

“Snappy dialogue and great pacing make for a breathless, glorious ride in Sparrow Beckett’s Finding Master Right! Provocative, sassy and dangerous—a sensually lethal combination!”—New York Times bestselling author Eden Bradley

“Finding Master Right is an engaging, page-turning read. I was rooting for Banner and Kate’s happily ever after.”—Sierra Cartwright, international bestselling author

“The writing duo Sparrow Beckett has a winner in their opening entry in the Masters Unleashed series. It’s a pleasure to watch as Kate and Banner grow together and adapt to each other’s needs. A family tragedy tests their mettle and the strength of their connection.”—RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)

Bio:

Two writers in two countries transform into the super writing duo, Sparrow Beckett, each night after wrangling their housefuls of children and pets. They trade the cape and colorful tights for tattoos and cups of coffee then set out to create a world where readers fall in love with heroes and the women who willingly go to their knees for them. Masters Unleashed is the product of two kinky minds who don’t take themselves too seriously and the portrayal of realistic, romantic, sometimes heartbreaking BDSM relationships.

Links:

Book Trailer: https://youtu.be/bW_GFRRbB-E

Rafflecopter: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/MzBiMzIyZGExNzMwZDdhODE2OTBlYWM2YzAxNGE1OjI=/?

Website: http://www.sparrowbeckett.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SparrowBeckett

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SparrowBeckett

Murder and Mayhem by Rhys Ford

Murder and Mayhem

Dead women tell no tales.

Former cat burglar Rook Stevens stole many a priceless thing in the past, but he’s never been accused of taking a life—until now. It was one thing to find a former associate inside Potter’s Field, his pop culture memorabilia shop, but quite another to stumble across her dead body.

Detective Dante Montoya thought he’d never see Rook Stevens again—not after his former partner’d falsified evidence to entrap the jewelry thief and Stevens walked off scot-free. So when he tackled a fleeing murder suspect, Dante was shocked to discover the blood-covered man was none other than the thief he’d fought to put in prison and who still made his blood sing.

Rook is determined to shake loose the murder charge against him, even if it means putting distance between him and the rugged Cuban-Mexican detective who brought him down. If one dead con artist wasn’t bad enough, others soon follow, and as the bodies pile up around Rook’s feet, he’s forced to reach out to the last man he’d expect to believe in his innocence—and the only man who’s ever gotten under Rook’s skin.

Murder and Mayhem Excerpt

The large case he’d set up as a wall between the front and the back of the store was broken as well, but from what he could see, the movie props he’d placed there were intact, although he couldn’t say the same for the enormous papier-mâché griffin he’d found at a Harryhausen tribute auction. Peppered with bullet holes, its body and head were marred with crumbling white holes, a scatter pattern large enough to make Rook’s stomach turn.

“Shit, they were trying to kill me.” He leaned back, trying to do a visual count on how many bullets pierced through the window and into the shop while he’d been plastered to the floor to avoid being shot.

“Go in but do not touch.” Rook echoed what his grandfather’s lawyers told him, trying to absorb the destruction. “I can’t even move without touching something. And how the hell am I going to document the damage? What isn’t damaged? Fricking lawyers.”

“Are these the same lawyers that told you to return to the scene of the crime and screw up any residuals that might be here?” Montoya’s deep voice rumbled out of the darkened doorway leading from the storefront to the elevator up to Rook’s apartment. “If they wanted you to be thrown into jail, they could have just left you there instead of this catch-and-release program we’ve got going.”

Montoya looked… good. Again. Too good. Too ruffled, too scruffy hot, with broad shoulders and his burned burned-honey eyes fringed with thick, long lashes. A hint of a dimple threatened to spread when his mouth quirked to the side, and Rook had to swallow around a lump in his throat when Montoya shoved his hands into his jeans pockets, sliding his black leather jacket back with his elbows to expose his gun harness.

Even from a few feet away, the man was a tall, dangerous complication in Rook’s life. One he wanted as badly as he didn’t want him around. Rook wasn’t sure what was worse—being accused of murder or being tailed by a man he’d gladly bend over for but who wanted him in handcuffs instead.

“What are you doing here, Stevens?” Montoya’s rumble tickled Rook’s belly, licking hot flames down his crotch and over his ass. “You shouldn’t even be here. What were you thinking?”

Rook had just the smartass answer to throw back at the detective. A burning slap of a sting mingled with a bit of a flirtation hot enough to make the man blush. It would have been an epic moment. One to balance out the unbearable want Montoya seemed to rake up inside of him and caustic enough to push the man’s buttons while pushing him away.

Read an excerpt and Purchase Murder and Mayhem here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6468

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Murder-Mayhem-Rhys-Ford-ebook/dp/B00YB8PG8S

WHAT I LIKED:

Rhys Ford is one of my go-to authors for MM romance. I LOVE her style and she really creates some rich characters. Murder and Mayhem is no exception. Though it's a tad darker than some of her other books, it fits with the story.

I really loved the history between the characters and the way Rook and Montoya push each others' buttons. The attraction between them is palpable and the sex is HOT. It doesn't overwhelm the story, another reason I love Rhys' books. By the end, I was so invested in these two characters that I was dying for book 2 and definitely plan to pester her to write faster ;)


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

Having to wait for book 2 ;) Just kidding, I know it'll be fantastic so I'm patient. Mostly.


OVERALL VERDICT: 5/5 Blue Duckies!

This book has it all: action, romance, murder and mayhem. I highly recommend this and every other book by Rhys!!

About Rhys Ford

Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

My Blog: www.rhysford.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhys_Ford

And at the Starbucks down the street. No really, they’re 24/7. And a drive-thru. It’s like heaven.

My books can be purchased, folded and first chapters read at Dreamspinner Press. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

A Sorceress of His Own by Dianne Duvall

A SORCERESS OF HIS OWN
The Gifted Ones Book 1
Available June 2, 2015
Special Pre-Order and Release Week price—$2.99
(50% of reg. retail price—$5.99)

Since the day Lord Dillon earned his spurs, rumors of his savagery on the battlefield have preceded him into every room, stilling tongues and sparking fear. Weary of battle, he wishes only to find a woman he can wed who will approach him not with fear, but with the tenderness that has been absent from his life for so long. Yet only the wisewoman seems invariably at ease in his presence. Perhaps because she garners the same fear in others that he does himself.

For seven years, Alyssa has been by Lord Dillon's side, counseling him from the shadows, healing him with her hands, and staving off the worst of his loneliness while his fearsome reputation keeps others at bay. Blessed—or cursed—with gifts that label her a sorceress, she is forced to conceal her youth and the love she harbors for him beneath umbral robes that lead Dillon and his people to believe she is the same aged wisewoman who served his father.

All is revealed, however, and passions flare when an enemy threatens Dillon's life and Alyssa sacrifices everything to save him. When Dillon discovers that the wisewoman is far from elderly, he is instantly entranced. And, as he and Alyssa work together to defeat an enemy bent on destroying them both, Dillon will risk anything—even the wrath of his king—to be with her.

"Book after book, Duvall brings her readers complex, fascinating tales of romance, danger and loyalty."
— RT Book Reviews

Buy Links

Amazon — http://amzn.to/1EdWRQD

iTunes — http://apple.co/1CbwziU

Kobo — http://bit.ly/1FXrvxu

Nook — http://bit.ly/1ALj3ho

Audiobook — Coming June 5th

Author Bio:

Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series and The Gifted Ones series. Her books have twice been nominated for the RT Reviewers' Choice Award for Best Vampire Romance and are routinely deemed Top Picks by RT Book Reviews, The Romance Reviews, and/or Night Owl Reviews. Reviewers have called Dianne's books "utterly addictive" (RT Book Reviews), "fast-paced and humorous" (Publishers Weekly), "extraordinary" (Long and Short Reviews), and "wonderfully imaginative" (The Romance Reviews). 

Dianne loves all things creative. When she isn't writing, Dianne is active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the vampires she so loves to create in her books. 

For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit www.DianneDuvall.com. You can also find Dianne online . . .

Blog -- http://dianneduvall.blogspot.com
Facebook -- https://www.facebook.com/DianneDuvallAuthor
Twitter -- https://twitter.com/DianneDuvall
Tsū -- https://www.tsu.co/DianneDuvall
YouTube -- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVcJ9xnm_i2ZKV7jM8dqAgA?feature=mhee
Pinterest -- http://www.pinterest.com/dianneduvall
Goodreads -- https://www.goodreads.com/Dianne_Duvall 
Google Plus -- https://plus.google.com/106122556514705041683

The Vampire's Penance (Romance In Central City Book 5)  Jordan K. Rose Author

Blurb:

Exposure to sunlight, silver binds and colloidal silver can make any vampire’s existence worst than miserable. Not to mention photographic evidence of Rafe Valentino’s weakest moment is now being shared with every member of The Vampire Guard. In barely a few hours Rafe went from being one of the most terrifying creatures to walk the earth to requiring round the clock nursing care. Now, forced to rely on the company nurse he can’t avoid the feelings he’s denied. But simply because they exist, doesn’t make them right, and if she knew the truth about his past, she’d throw out her nursing pledge and put a stake through his cold heart.

Maddie Van Kool never wanted anything bad to happen to any member of The Vampire Guard, not at all. She’s a nurse. She wants them all healthy. But if one does become injured it’s her job to care for him. Even if he’s the man she’s been pining over for ten years, the same one who’s avoided her as if she were made of silver and sunlight.

Is two hundred fifty years of solitude punishment enough for his sins? Can Rafe forgive himself enough to love Maddie?




Excerpt:

This certainly was not the first time Maddie Van Kool had seen a naked man. On the contrary. As a nurse at Golden Pastures Nursing Home, she’d seen plenty of naked men. Of course, they’d all been damn close to 100 years old and wrinkly and dangly, but they were men, and she’d had the obligatory peek at their naked bodies while bathing them. You had to look if you were completing a skin assessment.
In nursing school there’d been other male patients who’d been on her assignments as she learned the proper care of catheters and surgical preparation and other such procedures that would leave a patient exposed.
However, there had not been one, not one that came even remotely close to competing with Raffaele Valentino. Not one. Ever.
The mold had certainly been broken when he was made. Six-two, dark hair, gray eyes. Broad shoulders and chest and nice everything else. He was, generally speaking, a sight of true perfection. Though, tonight was clearly not one of those nights.
She donned her rubber gloves, ensuring they came up and over the sleeves of her gown, which hung long enough to touch the tops of her rubber boots. Then she checked the gauge on the shower nozzle.
“I think it’s ready,” she said from behind her face shield. “I’ll be as gentle as I can.”
“Yeah, you do that,” Rafe growled then let out an annoyed sounding sigh. “Let’s get this done.”
Seated on the shower chair in the infirmary’s fifteen-foot shower he looked enormous. His muscular frame dwarfed the little plastic seat. Beneath the angry red and festering sores his shoulder muscles rippled. He’d insisted on using the shower chair instead of lying on the specially built table that would allow her to rinse him and turn him without disrupting him too much. He held on to the chair for dear life.
Maddie was certain if she bumped him, she’d knock him right out of the seat.
Stubborn. That was the second word that came to mind whenever she thought of Rafe. The first word was, of course, drop-dead-gorgeous, which, although technically three words always sounded like one when she thought of Rafe.
For as long as she’d known him, he’d been stubborn. Maddie wondered what he’d been like as a human. She’d never dared to ask, too afraid he’d tell her to mind her own business.
He wasn’t a man of many words, especially not with her.
She brought the shower hose up to the back of his head and let the delicate lukewarm water spray his hair.
Rafe hissed and jerked away. “Damn it woman! What’s the sprayer set on? Needle pricks?”
Turning the nozzle away, she apologized. “I’m sorry. It’s only set to mist. It doesn’t get any lighter than this.”
The arm rests creaked under his hands, yet, he sat up straight. “Turn it to an even flow. A full flush of water is better than thousands of tiny stings.” He faced forward, head angled down at his feet. “Didn’t they teach you that in nursing school?”
“No. We never covered the care of vampires.”
“You must have been absent that day.”
“I never missed a day.” She switched the nozzle to a full flow of water and checked the temperature once more. “And as I recall the class on post-mortem care did not even hint of vampires. We were trained to expect the dead to remain dead.”
His head bobbed. “Hhmmf.”




Amazon: http://amzn.to/1QzDh7b

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1Fes61Z

Google: http://bit.ly/1HbyJCx



Author Bio:

Jordan loves vampires. But if you know anything about Jordan, you already knew that detail. What you didn't know was it wasn't long ago that she began writing about them.

A few years back Jordan received a copy of a popular vampire story from her husband as part of an anniversary gift. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book, Perpetual Light came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.

Jordan is a member of the national Romance Writers of America organization and several chapters.

When she's not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.

Sign up for my newsletter at http://www.jordankrose.com/

Follow her tweets. https://twitter.com/#!/jordankrose

Like her on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jordan-K-Rose-Author/307285709309992

Find her on Pinterest. http://pinterest.com/jordankrose/boards/

Connect on Google + - https://plus.google.com/u/0/109182255192009311324/posts

Join Eva's Snack of the Week Club for updates on coming events and sneak peeks at Book Two of The Eva Prim Series. http://evaprim.com/snackofWeek.html


Prim & Proper April 2014

Book 2 of The Alliance coming late 2014

Starting with the Unexpected by Andi Van Review

Blurb:
Zachary Blaise is having a weird week, even by his standards. Though he's gay, the radio personality has somehow been dumped via text by a girl named Marian that he's never even met. On top of that, he's developed a massive crush on Marcus, the new waiter at his favorite diner, which his best friend thinks is hilarious.

Marcus’s week hasn't been his best either. He's been betrayed by those closest to him, and although he isn't the guilty party, Marcus is the one getting harassed.

Impossibly, things are about to get even weirder. Marian has secrets, and those secrets are going to make some serious ripples in Zach's life. When Marian and Marcus turn out to be the same person, Zach stumbles down a rabbit hole of abusive ex-boyfriends, psychotic relatives, and revelations from his own past. If he can survive the chaos, the journey might prove worth the effort.




Excerpt:
“So, did you really get beaten up by a ‘Save the Dolphins’ girl outside of Trader Joe’s?” Marcus asked him, that adorable grin on his face deepening, showing off a set of dimples. He had dimples. I’d officially died and gone to heaven.
Jordan groaned, and I raised my hand. “That was my fault, actually. And he didn’t get beat up so much as she took a swing at him with the clipboard that was holding her petition.”
Marcus looked like he was holding back a laugh, and it made his eyes sparkle with mischief. I was this close to begging him for mercy. The man shouldn’t be allowed to get any more attractive. “Okay, I have to ask. How did that happen?”
“I wanted an avocado,” I mumbled, feeling myself start to blush. Granted, the story was funny as hell, but it was also kind of embarrassing.
“You what?” He paused, shook his head, and looked at his order sheet. “Wait. Let me go put your order in. I get to clock out after I do, and I don’t think Gloria would mind if I joined you before I head home.”
“Fine with us,” Jordan said, grinning at me, and I could have kissed him. All right, not really, but I’d probably have been willing to bake him a cake or something.
True to his word, Marcus returned minus his apron and sat down next to me. I could feel my face heat up again, and it was probably extremely obvious considering my natural paleness. Ghosts would probably look tan next to me.
“Now then,” he said. “Story time. Tell me what actually happened.”
“The last avocado out of the four-pack I bought went bad before I could eat it, and I really wanted avocado on my sandwich,” I admitted after I cleared my throat. “So we went to Trader Joe’s to get another pack. As we were walking out, some girl got in my face—”
“Pretty close to literally,” Jordan interrupted. “She almost knocked him over.”
I nodded. “Right. So she almost knocks me over and demands to know if I’m ready to save the dolphins. And I kind of—completely without thinking about it, mind you—said ‘no thanks, already have one saved for lunch’ as I walked away.”
Marcus’s mouth fell open in surprise, and he stayed like that for a second before bursting into a fit of giggles. Oh dear God, he giggled.
“I mean, all I wanted was an avocado, not an environmental forum.”
Marcus dropped his head onto his arms on the table, laughing harder.
“And it wouldn’t have been so bad, except that’s when Jordan started applauding. That’s why she went after him with her clipboard.”
“She actually had to be removed from the premises,” Jordan added gleefully. “It was beautiful. So the moral of the story is ‘never get between Zach andhis avocado.’”
“I actually ended up coming out of the store with four avocados and some orange juice,” I allowed. “And I thought the moral of the story was ‘never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line.’”
“Wrong story,” Jordan told me.


Buy Links:Starting With the Unexpected on Goodreads
Dreamspinner Press
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon CA
All Romance eBooks
Barnes & Noble

*** I received an ARC of this book in return for an honest review ***

WHAT I LIKED:

I haven't been taking review requests, but I've been on an M/M kick lately and figured, what the hell? Let's see if I can find a new author. Right away, things were a bit different from other books I've read. For one, I normally don't read books that only give you one character's perspective, but we've all got to try something new sometimes, right? So glad I did.
It start off with something pretty much everyone has experienced: a bad break up. Except it's not the narrator who had the break up, it's a random person who's venting over text to Zach, our hero #1 (It's a mistake though, the mysterious texter thinks Zach is a cheating boyfriend. Who hasn't had that happen where you're mistakenly the recipient of some random texts? Taking pity on the mysterious person, Zach sets "her" straight and they strike up an unlikely friendship. Why did I put that in quotes? Because it's not a woman. When Zach talks about the incident on his small radio show, he learns the texter is actually a man. The same man he meets and decides is the man of his dreams.
I loved the beginning. It was funny and original and really set the tone for the rest of the book. Both Marcus and Zach are secure in their sexuality, a refreshing departure from many M/M books out there. There's even some mystery and suspense as a series of "accidents" start to befall our heroes. I especially loved Zach and his roommate. You can totally see the platonic bromance there and I love that it ends up extending to Marcus, someone desperately in need of friends.


WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:

Honestly, there really wasn't anything I didn't like, except for my own greediness in wishing we'd gotten to see things from Marcus' perspective as well.


OVERALL VERDICT: 5/5 Blue Duckies!

The characters are wonderful, the premise refreshing, and the pace great. I especially love that the men don't screw like rabbits like so many other M/M authors tend to write. There's some great substance to this book and I'll definitely be checking out more by Andi Van!

Andi Van lives near San Diego with a small fluffy thing named Koi, a baseball bat that’s forever being used for things other than baseball, and a fondness for rum and caffeine (though not necessarily together).

Andi is fluent in three languages (English, sarcasm, and profanity), and takes pride in a highly developed—if somewhat bizarre—sense of humor.

Website: http://andivan.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/defiantandi
Twitter: www.twitter.com/defiantandi
Tumblr: http://defiantandi.tumblr.com/

Musings on success

About to go shopping for some new sundresses but something has gotten me thinking lately. Pardon the length, this just annoys me.

People need to support each other. I'm lucky in that most of my lovelies are incredibly supportive, but I've also known some who aren't. There are some authors who get bizarrely competitive and backstabby with other authors and it seriously baffles me.

I'm blessed to be with a publisher who has managed to unite a massive group of amazing authors who are genuinely supportive of each other. We celebrate even the tiniest victories and milestones, like ranking for the first time in a category. It doesn't matter if that person is ranked #100,000 in all of the Kindle store. They ranked in the top 100 for their category and that's a big achievement. We have some phenomenally successful authors and some just starting out and you know what? If you didn't know their books, you wouldn't be able to tell which was which because EVERYONE is respectful and helpful.

I've always wanted to help others with writing. I used to be able to do more with spreading the word by interviewing and reviewing (I'm going to try reviewing more soon though), but it grew overwhelming so I stepped back from that. Even so, I met many amazing authors and some of them have gone on to be wildly successful. I'm truly happy for those authors. They worked hard for it and they deserve their success.

I see it with both fans and authors, but I don't get it when I see authors go after other authors. The last time I checked, NO author is prolific enough to provide their readers with enough material to sustain them. There's room for everyone. Just because I read MC books from one author doesn't mean I'll refuse to read books from another author. This is not a business where you can have "exclusive" readers. Just because someone hits the NY Times and USA Today lists doesn't mean my sales are going to suffer. Last time I checked, if you love an author, you love an author. You'll get their books right alongside other authors you love, regardless of their success.

Trying to undermine other authors, being jealous of more successful authors, will do nothing but tarnish your reputation, hurt others, and make yourself miserable. Be happy for others, be respectful of others, and if someone outsells you, try to learn from them.

Ok, I'll jump off of my soapbox. Love you all and thanks to anyone who actually read this whole thing :)