Read This F@%!ing Book 44

Welcome to a feature we're going to post on Mondays called:

 

Read This F@!%ing Book!

This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention! 

We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!

If you're interested email Goldilox3weres@hotmail.com

or send us a message on Facebook.

  This week's post comes from our very own: 
Gretl!

Read This F@!%ing Book Post 44: The Midnight, Texas series by Charlaine Harris

 

 

Quirky Small Towns FTW

I had already planned out this post a few weeks ago when I spotted this article on the B&N blog called "The 8 Creepiest Small Towns in Speculative Fiction." Right at the top, there's a picture of Midnight, Texas. And I asked the article, because you're only crazy if it talks back, "Really, you think it's creepy? I always call them 'quirky small towns.'" This is how it described Midnight, Texas:

This place seems nice. It’s your usual sleepy Texas town. Except for all the boarded-up windows. And the fact that much of the town appears to be empty. And the new guy who just moved into the basement of the pawn shop only comes out at night. And that New Age guru lady who openly claims to be a witch, never mind that she seems to talk exclusively to her cat. Hmmm. You know what, it’s a one-stoplight town. Maybe you should just drive on through.

And I said to the article, "Okay, when you put it that way, it's a little bit creepy." It just gave me a smug look, but still didn't talk back. I've mentioned before in this very feature how much I love my quirky small towns and the creep factor really only made me love it more.

 

We usually think of those towns as places where everyone knows everyone else's business, but Midnight, Texas seems to have a Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy. And everyone in town has a secret they're not telling. In the second book, Day Shift, more of those secrets start to come out and we find out what some of the characters really are. It turns out there are a lot more paranormals than I originally thought. But the fascinating characters had me hooked long before I knew any of their secrets.

 

For everyone who gave up on Sookie

I know a lot of fans felt like the Sookie Stackhouse series jumped the shark around book nine and didn't make it all the way to the end. If you're one of those people, give this series a try. It hits some of the same notes as the early Sookie books. Obviously, the small town, Southern Gothic feel is similar. The mystery plot in the first book also felt like vintage Sookie to me. The vampires and weres and everything elses are there too, but in much smaller doses.

 

Where the Midnight series differs, though, is that it's multi-POV. Each of the town's odd ball residents gets to tell their own piece of the story, whereas everything in Sookie's series was seen through her eyes. So if you're one of those people who gave up even earlier because you just hated Sookie (I don't get it, but I've seen some of those reviews too) you still might want to give this series a try. The characters are incredibly diverse so there's something for everyone.

 

Cameos!

I didn't realize until I read Midnight Crossroad that all of Harris's series are set in the same world. Bobo, who owns the pawn shop in Midnight, is originally from Shakespeare, Arkansas and went to high school with Lily Bard, the title character of another series. Lily's boyfriend Jack Leeds appeared in the Sookie books as well as in Midnight Crossroad.

 

In Day Shift, two characters from the Sookie series make appearances. One isn't identified until the very end, but fans will know right away. They'll also know a secret about one of Midnight's residents that the neighbors don't find out until the end of the book. The other character is actually a pretty big part of the plot. If I could have picked which characters I wanted to see in another series, these two would have been on the short list. I'm excited to see who else shows up as the series progresses.

 

Are you interested in starting this series?

Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain?

Or have you read it and love it as much as I do?

 Let us know in the comments below!

Blogoversary Post and Giveaway: Jenn Bennett Four Years Ago

 

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, for the last two weeks we've had authors share with you all what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Today is the last day of our Blogoversary celebration, but all of this week's giveaways will remain open until the 15th. Scroll down and make sure you haven't missed anything.

Today's Post Comes From Jenn Bennett

Four years ago, my first book was published, KINDLING THE MOON. That summer was a blur of emotions. I didn’t know what to expect when the book came out. Most publishers don’t provide authors with instant sales info (it’s sketchy, and usually only doled out twice a year), so unless you hit a major bestseller list, you’re pretty much left in the dark, wondering how your book is doing. That’s a scary place to be when you’re starting out. It gets even scarier when a couple of months after your first book releases, your editor leaves your publishing house to work for George Lucas on Star Wars books. Suddenly I wasn’t just a debut author who didn’t know how her book was doing, I was an orphaned author with no editor. And I was in the middle of pitching more books in the series. Publishing was a dark alley in the middle of a bad neighborhood at midnight, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to make it through to the other side with my life—or soul!—intact.

Luckily, there was a golden streetlight at the end of that alley. Not only was I fortunate enough to connect with another editor at that house, I even sold a second series at another publishing house—AND a young adult book to a third major publishing house that has been translated in several languages and will be published internationally later this year.

That’s how I see writing, as a game of chance. You must have talent, yes, and the right story at the right time. However, what drives your book’s success is sheer luck: whim of a genre’s popularity, your agent’s workload, a reviewer’s mood. That dude in the publisher’s Sales department who forgot to pitch your book to the big account because he was busy sneaking texts under the desk about cheating on his wife while on the road... and all the other very human things that happen behind the scenes that the public never sees.

What will I be doing four years from now? I wouldn’t dare to predict. I just hope I’ll still have the guts to be walking through dark alleys at midnight…and making it out alive.

 

About the Author

Jenn Bennett is an artist and RITA-nominated author who writes books for adults and teens, including the award-winning Roaring Twenties romance series (Bitter Spirits) and the Arcadia Bell urban fantasy series (Kindling the Moon). Her first YA contemporary romance, The Anatomical Shape of a Heart, (aka Night Owls in the UK) will be released in 2015. She lives near Atlanta with one husband and two evil pugs.

In honor of our shared 4th anniversary, Jenn Bennett's giving away a signed copy of Kindling the Moon. (Winner must have a mailing address in the U.S. or Canada.)

 

Click on the cover to add to Goodreads.

 

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Blogoversary Post and Giveaway: Jan DeLima Four Years Ago

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

 

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, we are having authors share with you all what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Each post will include a giveaway, so be sure to check back every day through August 8!

Today's Post Comes From:  Jan DeLima

Happy blogoversary! And thank you for asking me to be a part of such a fun event!

The first thing that comes to mind from four years ago (perhaps because she’s snoring next to me at the moment) is the arrival of a new furry baby bundle into our household. Her older sister wasn’t overly excited by the new arrival, but has tolerated her well enough. Instead of writing a long post, I think pictures might be in order with this one.

Meet Willow four years ago, the youngest of my pampered English bulldogs. As you can see, she makes herself comfortable wherever she pleases. If she were to have a super power, it would be her napping abilities. She’s also quite put out when visitors come and don’t pamper her as she believes they should.

 

 In four years, I hope to have another series on the shelves, with my bulldogs still snoring next to me.

 

 About the Author

Jan DeLima is the author of the Celtic Wolves novels, including Summer Moon and Celtic Moon. She lives in Maine with her husband and their two sons. Unlike many authors, Jan didn’t pen stories at an early age, but she has always been a dedicated reader.  It wasn’t until after her children entered school that she began writing. Raised in a military family, she lived in different countries such as Thailand and Germany, but home base has always been Maine.

 

Jan DeLima's got a whole box of Blogoversary presents for one lucky winner! Her gift box includes signed copies of Celtic Moon and Summer Moon, a $25 Amazon gift card and swag. (Bulldog not included.) Winner must have a U.S. or Canadian mailing address.

 

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Click the covers to add to Goodreads.

 

Blogoverasry Post and Giveaway: Carolyn Crane Four Years Ago

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, we are having authors share with you all what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Each post will include a giveaway, so be sure to check back every day through August 7!

 

Today's Post Comes From:

Carolyn Crane

Hey!! Happy Anniversary to Goldilox and the Three Weres!! These were four really great years for you, and best wishes for four more! And thanks for having me!

Four years ago:
Aren’t blogs great? You can look back at what you were doing and reading and thinking four years ago so easily.

2011 in books:
Some things were really different for me back then. The books I was excited about are utterly different. In 2011 I was reading a lot more UF, for one. I’d just started Nalini Singh’s Angel series, I was still reading Richelle Mead’s Succubus series. But I was branching out. I’d also loved Jill Sorenson Edge of Night (This is a great RS book and she has a follow-up coming within the year!) Meljean Brooks’ Iron Duke had recently come out and blew me away. (have you read it? If not, OMG so good.) I was also really excited about Joanna Bourne’s Blackhawk, a historical!

2011: Scandals emerge!
Responding to reviews was a new and raging topic because, you guessed it, there was an author responding to negative reviews! Is this where the issue really came to the forefront? I think so!

2011: my writing
In my writing life, Head Rush came out. That was the last of my UF series, and I’d just self pubbed Wild & Steamy, an anthology together with Meljean Brook and Jill Myles (aka Jessica Clare). That was really exciting and eye-opening and gave me a taste for being indie.

Four years from now:

Books:
I can’t even imagine what I will be reading in four years, just because today I am reading really different stuff than 2011! I feel like my reading has exploded with new subgenres – the sorts of books I'm excited about barely existed on my radar back then. Like, Captive Prince, an MM fantasy, Three-Two-One, a slightly dark new adult, Jackie Ashenden’s Having Her, an erotic contemporary. It boggles my mind to imagine what new genres there will be. Maybe something interactive? Something…even dirtier? Is that even possible? Prediction: I feel funny will come back in.

Four years from now in scandals
Prediction: Surprise! Writers will still be responding to negative reviews and it will still be a horrible thing to do. Just like people walking into the desert and seeing skeletons on the side of the trail and they keep going.  I will still hate it because it is chilling to reviewers, who do such an important job in our book ecosphere. Prediction: I think honest, trusted reviewers will be more important in the upcoming era as reviews on commercial sites lose all credibility.

Today in writing
I think if you would’ve told my 2011 self that I’d be writing romantic suspense as well as erotic romance and wild dark romance under another pen name, I would’ve been SOOO shocked. What will I be doing in 2019? Um…maybe I will stun myself by writing sweet? Something very clean and chaste with no sex and no violence? Ummmm….no.

 About the Author

I am a RITA-winning author of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and other tales of love and adventure (and erotic & dark romance as NYT bestselling author Annika Martin). My books have been published by Random House and Samhain, and I also go the indie route. I work a straight job as a marketing writer, I love to read in bed and run, I’m passionate about helping animals, and I make my home in Minnesota with my husband and two cats.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

 

 

Carolyn Crane is giving away your choice of  any ebook from her Mind Games series, any Associates hot spy book, or the Kinky Bank Robbers boxed set (written as Annika Martin.) This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL!

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For more on Mind Games, check out Goldilox's Read This F-ing Book post. To learn more about The Associates see my review of the latest release, Behind the Mask.

Blogoversary - Karina Cooper 4 Years Ago and 4 Years From Now

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, we are having authors share with you what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Of course, we thought we should share our own answers with you guys too! Each post, including the ones from us, will include a giveaway, so be sure to check back every day for the next two weeks!

Today's Post Comes From:

Karina Cooper

Four Years: Then and Now

Four years ago, I was gainfully employed in the career of my dreams: I was an author. With a couple books under my belt and a few more lined up, the world was looking rosy.

And then everything sort of went topsy-turvy.  The trickle-down effect from Borders finally rolled through my corner of the industry, and paranormal romance took a hit. It was subtle at first, and then not so subtle, and then I realized that while I’d hang on for the ride as long as I could, I would eventually reach the point where my two series would end and then what?

But four years ago, I was too happy to be writing to sweat it. As long as I could write, I could do anything.

Four years later, and I’m about where I expected to be. So many decisions, a new path set in front of me, and hard choices. Even so, I haven’t quit writing. While I didn’t think I’d be here, where I am, dealing with unexpected medical stuff, crazy life changes, and all kinds of writing experimentation,  I’m weirdly content about it all. Things change. Life is crazy.

And it’s the best time for a new four year plan.

So I’m launching that now!

Four years from now, I hope to be writing in multiple genres. I hope to be making a mark in SF/F, in short stories, everywhere I can. I want to be always busy, and always working, and you know what? I want to be bold. I want to take risks, suffer the scrapes and celebrate the victories, and I want to always, always be looking for the next challenge.

So, basically? Doing what I do. Loving what I do. And hopefully, sharing it all with you.

Not bad for a short term plan, don’t you think?

And in honor of all the things I love, I’ll be giving away one Galen Dara print from my Fireside short story Four Tons Too Late. It's 11 x 17, and it's my favorite thing in the world. US/CAN only, my doves.

After writing happily ever afters for all of her friends in school, Karina Cooper eventually grew up (sort of), went to work in the real world (kind of), where she decided that making stuff up was way more fun (true!). She writes urban fantasy, SF/F, steampunk misadventures, paranormal romance, and continues to write across multiple genres with mad glee. Her award winning steampunk series, The St. Croix Chronicles, has been nominated for multiple RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards.

One part glamour to two parts dork, she’s an avowed gamer, a borderline hermit and occasional Outer God. She co-exists with loved ones who stubbornly put up with her, a menagerie, and a severe coffee habit. She lurks randomly at @karinacooper and www.karinacooper.com.

Karina has a SUPER COOL prize for you all! 

She is offering one lucky winner a really cool 11x17 Galen Dara print that comes from her recent short story (see picture below). 

13 and older and US/CAN only.

Enter on the Rafflecopter below!

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Blogoversary Giveaway and 4 Reasons to Read The Veil by Chloe Neill

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of four wonderful years, we've got two weeks of author guest posts and giveaways! Be sure to check back every day until August 7.

Today's Giveaway Comes From:

Chloe Neill

Chloe Neill couldn't make it to our blogoversary party, but she still sent a gift. We've got a copy of The Veil for a lucky winner.  Enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of the post.

And because it's our 4 year Blogoversary, here are 4 reasons we think you should read The Veil.

The Veil
(Devil's Isle #1)
Chloe Neill
Release: August 4, 2015
Goodreads Amazon

Seven years ago, the Veil that separates humanity from what lies beyond was torn apart, and New Orleans was engulfed in a supernatural war. Now, those with paranormal powers have been confined in a walled community that humans call the District. Those who live there call it Devil's Isle.

Claire Connolly is a good girl with a dangerous secret: she’s a Sensitive, a human endowed with magic that seeped through the Veil. Claire knows that revealing her skills would mean being confined to Devil’s Isle. Unfortunately, hiding her power has left her untrained and unfocused.

Liam Quinn knows from experience that magic makes monsters of the weak, and he has no time for a Sensitive with no control of her own strength. But when he sees Claire using her powers to save a human under attack—in full view of the French Quarter—Liam decides to bring her to Devil’s Isle and the teacher she needs, even though getting her out of his way isn’t the same as keeping her out of his head.

But when the Veil threatens to shatter completely, Claire and Liam must work together to stop it, or else New Orleans will burn…    

Why We Think You Should Read It:

1. Signature Chloe Neill Style
Rose Red says:  This is a much darker story than the Chicagoland Vampires series. The characters are deeply scarred by war and loss, which makes smiles few and far between. There is definitely some of the signature snark that I’ve come to expect in Neill’s characters. It’s not as lighthearted as the banter in CV but it’s still there. There’s a lot more social commentary in this book too which totally fits with the post-apocalyptic setting.

I love Neill’s easy writing style. She has a way of painting a setting and its characters that seems almost effortless. It takes you right into the heart of the story and into the characters' lives. It has only gotten better and better with each new book she publishes.

2. Worldbuilding
Gretl says: The post-apocalyptic/dystopian world of The Veil reminds me of the Kate Daniels series in some ways. Chloe Neill’s New Orleans was damaged by a war with magical creatures, rather than by magic itself, but the magic seeping through the veil disrupts electricity and limits their technology in similar ways. The book was a little slow getting started because of all the history, but not any more than you might expect for the first book in a series.

It breaks my heart a little bit that she destroyed New Orleans, but enough of the landmarks and culture remain that it’s still recognizable. The people value their history and traditions and there’s a sense of hope that the city will return to its former glory.

3. Claire and Liam
Rose Red says: I like the fact that the main characters, Claire and Liam, are for the most part "normal." Okay, Claire is not completely normal. She has to work at controlling her magic. She’s not instantly a bad ass. I loved her! Claire is a fantastic heroine. She’s smart and she's not afraid of doing whatever she needs to to survive. I liked how personable she was. She's very much a shopkeeper in so many aspects of her life. She felt very real to me.

Claire is kind of innocent despite what she’s seen and I like that. She made the decision to trust Liam with her secret even though his motivation was unknown at the time. He could have been a greater threat to her than a help. Neill’s characters are always incredibly layered, complex, and interesting. Liam knows how to handle himself and I liked how he shared everything with Claire. I liked how he shows Claire how incredibly shortsighted she’s been about the paras. The romance subplot in this book is pretty subtle and I liked it that way. I’m going to admit that I ship Claire and Liam. I ship them so hard! I can’t tell you how often I thought “ZOMG! JUST KISS ALREADY!” while reading.

4. New Paranormals (and all the other things we want more of)
Gretl says: I love the government corruption and political conspiracy elements of the story – it wouldn’t be NOLA without them. The fact that Devil's Isle is a prison camp for the sensitives and supernaturals creates so many opportunities for the government to get in the way. I’m interested to see if Claire and her friends will be able to change the system. I want to more about the sensitives, how they evolved and how many there are. I’m also looking forward to meeting new kinds of Paranormals as the series progresses – so far there’s an angel and a dryad. The possibilities for who could have been left behind when the veil closed are really endless.

We each received an ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

    

 4 stars

and

 

We're giving away a paperback copy of The Veil. (It's coming directly from the publisher, so this giveaway is U.S. only.)

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August Releases: Buy, Borrow or Beg?

Buy, Borrow or Beg is our monthly new release feature. Each of the co-bloggers is going to tell you which books they're most excited about and whether you should buy - the ones we preordered or plan to stand in line for, borrow - the ones we'll be stalking at the library, or beg - the ones we've gotten for free as review copies or prizes that you'll be begging us to tell you about. Let us know what you're eagerly awaiting this month in the comments.

Buy

Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Ilona Andrews
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
When forced to name my favorite series, I usually say Kate Daniels because it's the one I've re-read the most. It's definitely an auto-buy. I don't even remember the plot of Magic Shifts, but you can bet I'll be reading it on release day.

Dark Ascension (Generation V #4) by M.L. Brennan
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
Generation V is one of my newer favorites so I haven't re-read it yet, but I'm sure I will some time soon. Fort Scott is probably the most relatable vampire hero ever and Suzume is one of all-time favorite characters. For more on how much I love this series, check out my Read This Book post.
 

Borrow

Kitty Saves the World (Kitty Norville #14) by Carrie Vaughn
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
It's the series finale and Kitty and her friends are finally going to challenge the millennia old vampire who's trying to take over the world. I've really enjoyed this series, though the last two books have been a little lackluster for me. I'm rooting for the werewolf named Kitty to go out on a high note!

Alice by Christina Henry

Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon

Another fairy tale retelling, but this is a dark and twisted version of Alice in Wonderland that starts with her escape from a mental institution. Watch for my review coming soon.

 

Beg

The Veil (Devil's Isle #1) by Chloe Neill
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
New Orleans, and much of the South, was ravaged by a war with magical creatures. Once they drove them back, the government banned all magic and confined all magic-users, human and supernatural to Devil's Isle. I'm really looking forward to seeing what Neill does in this dystopian/UF hybrid series.

The Gargoyle Gets His Girl (Nocturne Falls #3) by Kristen Painter
Releases August 1 Goodreads Amazon
I'm loving this series set in a town where it's Halloween every day. They're perfect light summer reads. In this one, the hero and heroine actually leave Nocturne Falls and travel to the Faery realm. I loved learning about the world's Fae.

Buy

One Good Dragon Deserves Another (Heartstrikers #2) by Rachel Aaron
Releases August 1 Goodreads Amazon
I absolutely adored Rachel Aaron's Nice Dragons Finish Last! I'm so excited that we're finally getting the sequel! I can't wait to see what kinds of trouble Julius and Marci get into in this book!

Dark Ascension (Generation V #4) by M.L. Brennan
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
Generation V is quickly becoming one of my favorite vampire series! I absolutely love Fort! I still need to read the last book so I'm planning on marathoning them both shortly after Dark Ascension is in my hands!

Magic Shifts (Kate Daniels #8) by Ilona Andrews
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
Guys! I need this book in my life! After the events in the last book, I have absolutely no clue where this series is going but I'm dying to find out! Anything Ilona Andrews writes will definitely be an auto-buy for me. I have no clue what Magic Shifts is about, but you can bet I'll be reading it as soon as it hits my kindle on release day.

Borrow

Court of Fives (Court of Fives #1) by Kate Elliott
Releases August 18 Goodreads Amazon
I've been a huge fan of Elliott's Spiritwalkers Trilogy for a long time now so when I heard she was writing a YA book I knew I had to get my hands on it! I tried so hard to get an ARC of this one but alas, it did not work out. I need the 18th to get here quickly so I can have this book in my hands!

Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell
Releases August 25 Goodreads Amazon
This is not a drill! We're getting a steampunk Cinderella retelling! In this one, our Cinderella is an inventor who has been forced into servitude by her stepsisters. All she wants is to have a new life. With the help of her miniature mechanical horse, it looks like her chance is coming up with an upcoming tech expo and royal ball. I can't wait to get my hands on this! I'm the third one on the hold list for this at my library. Fingers crossed that it's as amazing as it sounds!

Wish Bound (Grimm Agency #3) by J. C. Nelson
Releases August 25 Goodreads Amazon
I've only read the first book in this series but I loved it! It had unique characters and an awesome storyline. I can't wait to get caught up so I can read this one too!

Beg

The Veil (Devil's Isle #1) by Chloe Neill
Releases August 4 Goodreads Amazon
I have a soft spot for books set in and around New Orleans. Add in the fact that it's a Chloe Neill book and I had to read this book. I loved this start to a new urban fantasy series where most of the South as been ravaged by a war with paranormals and magic. We won the war. Barely. Now any one who is sensitive magic, para and human alike, have been confined to a concentration camp/prison called Devil's Isle. I've actually already read this and it's a great start to a new series. Watch out for Gretl's and my joint review tomorrow!



Zero World by Jason M. Hough
Releases August 18 Goodreads Amazon
I'm a huge fan of Hough's Dire Earth Cycle! So when I heard he had a new book coming out, I knew it would be an auto-buy. I'm actually not really sure what it's about but I been hearing amazing things about it! And one of my favorite authors blurbed it and I'm intrigued by the gushing he did on Twitter. I can't wait to read my ARC soon!

Blogoversary Post and Giveaway: Gretl

Here at Goldilox and the Three Weres we are celebrating our 

4 YEAR BLOGOVERSARY!

In honor of the four wonderful years this blog has had, we are having authors share with you what they were doing four years ago at this time and what they hope to be doing four years from now. Of course, we thought we should share our own answers with you guys too! Each post, including the ones from us, will include a giveaway, so be sure to check back every day until August 7!

Today's Post Comes From:

Gretl

You might have noticed that it's the fourth anniversary of Goldilox and the Three Weres. But it's also the one year anniversary of Rose Red and I joining the blog. My first review appeared on July 24, 2014. So we're both particularly excited about this Blogoversary. Here's a little bit about how I got here.

Four Years Ago
Well, actually I'm going to go back a little further. For most of 2010, I was unemployed. Looking for a job is a really tedious process now that everything is done online. There's lots of "hurry up and wait" and lots of uncertainty about whether a real live person ever actually saw your resume. But one of the good things that came out of that experience was that I started reading to fill all that free time.

By 2011, when I was working again, I was definitely an Urban Fantasy Addict. And it was a great time to be discovering the genre. So many of my all-time favorite series debuted that year. Kate Daniels, Chicagoland Vampires, Iron Druid, Charley Davidson and Shaede Assassin just to name a few that are still going. It was also some time that year that I started reading book blogs on a daily basis. Because how else was I going to find my next fix? One of the first blogs I started to follow was Goldilox and the Three Weres. And just look how that turned out!

Four Years From Now
I hope sometime in the next four years I actually get the hang of this blogging thing. I'd like to achieve a better blog/life balance. I feel like I'm either slammed or I have nothing to write about. I mean really, publishers, do you have to release ALL THE BOOKS on the same day every month? But I predict that in that time, self-publishing will make significant changes in the book world. I'm already seeing books released on Saturdays, and why not if that's when most people buy them?

I think a lot of the words we use to define our books and ourselves may change as well. I can't tell you how crazy it makes me when people mis-label my UF as romance. (Not that there's anything wrong with romance.) But I'm also seeing the term Urban Fantasy-Romance and I think we can expect to see a lot more genre-blending in the future. There's a fandom out there for just about every crazy combination. Though I certainly hope some of my old favorites are still going strong in four years as well.

In honor of my first literary love, VAMPIRES, I'm giving away books from one of our favorites series. I've got hardcovers of Richelle Mead's Silver Shadows (signed) and The Ruby Circle, as well as the Vampire Academy movie, and some other vampire-themed goodies. (This giveaway is U.S. and Canada only.)

 

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