Valentine Review
Or...in preparation for tomorrow's author interview

Tomorrow, we'll host Paranormal Romance Author Jamieson Wolf. After successfully publishing in both electronic and print format with multiple publishers and on his own, Jamieson has scads of information and advice for aspiring authors. So check in tomorrow to hear what he has to say about his journey and his latest adventure in romance publishing.

For now, here's my review of his novella currently available through Cobblestone Press:
Deep Eros
A review of Jamieson Wolf's Valentine

Opening with the perfect foreshadowing device—a summary of the legend of St. Valentine—Author Jamieson Wolf sets the reader up for an erotic supernatural romp that's going to have meaning. The story Valentine is fast-paced and well-told, and offers not just a quick-and-lusty romance, but a storyline that makes the reader sympathize with the characters' plights and care about the point Wolf wishes to make.

It is only after Valentine, the child of a Roman god, accepts his destiny to marry people, despite the emperor's order against it, that he gains his full magical abilities. As Valentine tells Asterius, the man he's fallen in love with, "It's not right that those who love can't marry because one man says so. When I took my post as cleric, the power grew in me."

Of course, what Valentine risks by performing marriages is more than his life—he risks his heart. From deeply erotic scenes with blatant, descriptive sexual content to scenes depicting agape love through friendship and loyalty, Wolf has a story for lovers to enjoy (after prime time!) during any season—Valentine's Day, wedding season, winter time in front of a cozy fire, or any time love strikes.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
Tags: Jamieson Wolf, Valentine, paranormal romance

Valentine's Day Aftermath
Or…The Dragon wants to know what you regret most from Feb. 14, 2008

'Fess up. Someone out there ate the entire box of chocolates in the oversized chocolate heart from Russell Stover or the gold box from Godiva after your date went home. (Or someone let the date "stay" longer than you should have and woke up next to a frog instead of a prince, if you catch my drift.) I'm ready to share my embarrassing moment if you'll share yours! The comment field is wide open.

Here's mine. I was waiting for my date to get off work (And can you believe they made him work late?!? On Valentine's Day?!?) and scooting around on the Internet (because that's what I do when I'm ignoring my muse) when a message came through from The Great Barry Manilow PR Machine. Yes, I'm a member of the Barry Manilow International Fan Club. I adore the man. The message said to click on a special little site and I could stream Valentine's Day music from him.

Fabulous.

So I scoot to that site, click on the appropriate links, see one for Mandy (my favorite song of all time; please see the name of my main character in my fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods), and click on it. Up pops this little video of Barry at a white grand piano. "Uh-oh," think I. "This looks like a recording of a live performance."

Now, to anyone else in the world, this shouldn't be "an event." But for me, an obsessed moron, it's psychological mayhem. Sure enough, he hits the first six notes, that up-and-down melody, and I burst into tears.

It's happened to me since the first time I saw him in concert and he played Mandy at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis. Tears. I bawl when he plays it on TV shows. I bawl when it's been recorded and I'm watching the play-back of TV shows. I have been known to sob when it's played on the radio if I'm not expecting it.

Why? I have no idea. I've loved this song since I was 5 years old. It makes no sense to me, but it has the power to just wrench my heart out when Barry sings it.

Sigh.

And that's my embarrassing moment from Valentine's Day. I adjusted my makeup and patted my face with a cool cloth to get the splotchiness away before my date arrived so no one would suspect anything was out of the ordinary. Of course, now it's out here on the Internet for him and everyone else to read. But, you know, everyone has to figure out sooner or later that I'm a little off.

Now I've shared. It's your turn! Anything embarrassing or crazy happen on your Valentine's Day? Any overturned wine bottles? Flaming baked Alaska's get too close to your hair? Melted chocolates stick to your clothes? Anything good?

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, Barry Manilow, Valentine's Day

The Valentine's Day Winner is Ann Thayer-Cohen!
Or...Ann gets the goods from the Win a Fantasy for Valentine's Day Contest

Congratulations to Ann! She's an Author Island visitor who sailed over and posted comments to Nigel's guest blogs and won herself an autographed, first-edition, hard-cover copy of the epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods!

WOO-HOO, to Ann!!

Join me in congratulating her on a job well done. Fabulous.

We'll have info on the next contest over at the Author Island site real soon (at http://www.authorisland.com/), and I'll let you know here. And CMFG will be the featured Book of the Day soon, too! So stay tuned, don't sail too far out to sea and pay attention if you'd like to win a hard-cover copy for yourself.

Now! If you're worried that you might not win one of these upcoming contests and you're nervous about shelling out the big bucks for a hard-cover book (and, come on, that's hard-earned money we're talking about even if it does have bunches o' fab reviews on Amazon), you can always get the eBook version from my publisher's site for $3.99. I consider that cheap. (I'm not making any money off my first book anyway, so what do I care? I just want to build audience and make more people crazy for the release of the second book in the trilogy, which will also be available in both hard-cover and eBook.) So be-bop over to http://www.archebooks.com/BookIDX/Indexes/Fantasy/CMG/CMGDesc.htm and click on the right-hand button immediately above my banner ad. It's easy. I've done it.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, Ann Thayer-Cohen, Valentine's Day

A Valentine's Day Wish
Or...The Dragon gets sappy

As a fantasy author, I escape into worlds (plural) that I create with characters (plural) who populate my brain on a fairly regular basis to create entertainment for others. I figure I've done a pretty decent job of this so far because I get threatening messages demanding the release of Book II in the Choices Meant for Gods trilogy and I get guilt trips from friends when they don't get short stories with their Christmas presents.

So you could say I spend a great deal of time in "other worlds".

I've never felt the need to give those other worlds some sort of trumped-up holiday for expressing love. Because we have Valentine's Day here in our society, I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity to focus on love thoughts for a few moments today, with writers in mind.

First of all, since joining the realm of published authors, I've learned a great deal about the nuances of the romance genre. For instance, you can't just state that you're a romance writer and be done with it. There are many levels and types of romance. (I'm a fantasy author. But there are dark fantasy authors, as well. You see?) There are paranormal romance authors, erotica authors, gay and lesbian romance authors, historical romance authors and the list goes on. The distinctions are made because there are as many different types of romance (or fantasy) readers as there are writers. This same layering of the genre has developed in horror, mystery, etc. It gives the reader very specific categories to select merchandise from.

It also makes things freaking confusing. I mean, does the average romance reader know what speculative fiction romance is? If you say, "this novel is a paranormal historical romance?" is the reader going to understand that there's a ghost trying to get it on with a lady from the 1820s? Or a werewolf...whatever the case may be. I have a difficult enough time telling the old people in the town where I live what "fantasy" is. Just straight-up fantasy. Nevermind that what I write is epic fantasy. :) When they give me a confused, furrowed-brow stare, I usually say, "like Harry Potter that your grandchildren read," and I get the "O" of understanding with the supporting noise. But I don't go on with that audience member to say, "but mine is more like Tolkein" because we're going to lose that "O" and be back to the furrowed brow of confusion.

Now, within my current fantasy trilogy, there is romance. But romance is not the focus of Choices Meant for Gods or its sequels. (No matter how hard Nigel Taiman - or his fans - pushes for the theme.) Yes, he and his leading lady take center stage and their relationship is something I have enjoyed writing, but the world I've built for them and the war they're in is the story. (Despite Nigel's insistence that their love is what drives it to completion.) The focus of Choices Meant for Gods is love. Love of country, love of one's gods (yeah, it's plural in that society), love of one's family, love of one's mentor, and, yes, love of one's betrothed. If it wasn't for love, what would be the point of fighting to save anyone?

So for this Valentine's Day, I'd like to say that Jamieson Wolf's message from yesterday's interview is fabulous. Love can move mountains. And I'll just add that love can win wars. Love can tame dragons. Love can sway the balance of power in an unbalanced society. Love can save people. We'll have to wait and see if all of that works out in the heroine's favor by the end of the trilogy, because, as you can see by today's Word of the Day, Chariss doesn't believe in love.

For the rest of us, I wish you all a Happy Valentine's Day. I hope you spend it with friends or family or someone coo-el and close to you.

"Some days, I just want the dragon to fall in love."
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy author, Valentine's Day, love, dragon

Word of the Day
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Cynical (adjective) — mocking; bitter; not trusting the motives of others; not trusting the virtue of others

Word in a Sentence (a few of them for context):
"Nigel, let me give you some advice. You don't want to marry for love because people fall out of love, and then there's nothing left between them."
He stared back at her in shock. "I believe that's the most cynical statement I've ever heard in my life." — from the high fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods, page 194

Your turn! Bwuahahaha. Do you have any barbed and "lovely" sentences for us on this Valentine's Day?

"Some days, I just want the dragon to win."
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, word of the day, Valentine's Day, dragon

A Valentine From Jamieson Wolf

Or...The Dragon welcomes a new romance author to the site to discuss a special release for Valentine's Day

Today we welcome back one of our favorite authors to The Dragon. Jamieson Wolf has a new novella out and he's delved into the romance genre with Valentine. He took some time out of his insane writing schedule to share with visitors some of the research he did, some of his writing tips and some ideas for getting your novella into an online publisher's hands - and onto readers' computer screens.

The Dragon: First! Welcome back to The Dragon, Jamieson! It looks like Valentine took some research before writing. You've got the Roman Empire, a god out of the Pantheon, a Roman soldier...tell us how much research you had to do and how that differs from your usual writing style. Did you enjoy it?

Jamieson Wolf: I have had a long love affair with all periods of history but particularly Greek, Roman and Egyptian. I did have to do some research in regards to time, dates, years, etc. so that everything was correct. Though the story is based off of the myth of the real Valentine, I wanted to make sure that there was still enough fact in the story to make it real. I had to research the God Lesperecus, housing, whether or not they would have had simple household objects like a kettle, whether or not they would have drank tea in that time. Normally, I don't do any research. I just write the story. It was a nice change this time around to delve into a past I loved. It helped me get to know my characters better.



The Dragon: One of your characters has to face danger and death to be with the character he loves. Will you be giving away too much of the story to tell us a little about that idea? I'd like to hear how that "danger" element adds to the conflict that already existed in Valentine's disobedience in the novella/story.

Jamieson Wolf: Valentine is a cleric and he marries people against the edict of the Roman Emperor Claudius who forbids marriage. By defying the edict, he is brought to the attention of the Emperor, and Asterius, chief of the Roman Guard, comes to interrogate him. Valentine doesn't care about the danger; he knows that what he is doing is right, despite the Emperor's wishes. There is also the danger Valentine faces from letting himself love an enemy, but you'll have to read the novella to find out more about that. You can actually read the first chapter by clicking here:

http://www.cobblestone-mainstreet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=246&d=1201895436


The Dragon: In this story, you're exploring the concept of a man's love for another man, even though Valentine, the main character, has been performing weddings for all couples. How has your audience responded to this love story and are you encouraged by the feedback you've received so far?

Jamieson Wolf: Valentine is quite different from my normal fare. I don't think anyone who reads my work was expecting me to delve into the romance genre, even though there is usually an element of romance in everything I write. I was a little worried about the reaction and how people would take it but I needn't have worried. With the exception of a few family members, the reaction has been incredible. I'm surprised by how many people have been touched by Valentine, by how many people have read it and written to me to tell me how much they enjoyed it. I'm more than encouraged by the reaction because it just goes to prove one thing: love has the power to move mountains.


The Dragon: The length of the novella is listed as "tryst" on Cobblestone Press's Web site. About how many words is the story? Is that a comfortable length for your novellas? Will you be submitting more stories of this genre and this length for Cobblestone Press readers?

Jamieson Wolf: Tryst is the signature short story line for Cobblestone Press and can go anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 words. Pretty much a novella. Valentine clocks in at around 15,000 words and it is a comfortable length for Valentine. I just submitted another historical romance, around the same length, so hopefully that will be accepted. Keep your fingers crossed!

The Dragon: What was the most exciting part of the process in creating Valentine? How did that differ from or feel familiar to the other stories you've had published in the speculative fiction realm?

Jamieson Wolf: I enjoyed the writing the most, I think. I loved getting into the heads of my characters and trying to get their emotions down on paper. I have always wanted to be a romance writer, to explore that genre, so the fact that I am now a published romance author is an incredible achievement for me. Valentine is really different from what I normally write due to the historical background. I had to be a lot more detailed than I normally am. When I write, I tend not be too descriptive. In the romance genre, I had to do the exact opposite so that was thrilling. It was such a wonderful experience because instead of focusing on the story, I got to focus on the people, the characters, to create a thrilling read. I can only hope I've succeeded.

The Dragon: How did you find Cobblestone Press or how did you go through the submission process with them? Do you have any tips or advice for writers visiting The Dragon today who might be interested in submitting a manuscript to them?

Jamieson Wolf: I actually stumbled upon them. I did a Google search for gay romance publications. Since Valentine is a gay romance, I knew that I had to find the right market for it. Luckily my browser pointed me towards Cobblestone Press and they have been fantastic to work with. I submitted Valentine and then played the waiting game. Imagine my excitement when they said they would be publishing Valentine!

My best advice for aspiring writers is to read a lot and to write a lot. If you don't read, you can't write. Reading will help to increase your vocabulary and give you a good idea of how to write credible dialogue and good stories. Writing every day will also get you in the habit of writing on a regular basis. Even if you don't feel like writing, try writing a small piece every day. You never know when that small piece could be the seed for something larger.

The Dragon: How can visitors to The Dragon get a copy of Valentine?

Jamieson Wolf: You can purchase a copy of Valentine by clicking here:

http://www.cobblestone-press.com/catalog/books/valentinejw.htm

And don't forget to check out the Valentine Blog for tons of fun stuff, the Valentine book trailer and much more. You can find that here: www.valentineanovel.blogspot.com

The Dragon: When is your memoir set to be released from The Friday Project? And if our visitors want to stay up-to-date on that release, where can they get more information?

Jamieson Wolf: My memoir, One Step at a Time, is set to be released this summer from The Friday Project. No set date yet, but I'll know more as the summer comes closer. I'm so excited about this release! If you want to stay up to date on the release of the memoir, check out the site: www.takingonestep.com As always, readers can always take a look at what I'm doing by checking out my regular blog www.jamiesonwolf.blogspot.com or my web site at www.jamiesonwolf.com

The Dragon: Thank you for stopping by The Dragon today, Jamieson! It's always a pleasure to have you share information with our fellow writers and readers here. We wish you the best of success with Valentine and all your titles that are out right now!

Jamieson Wolf: Thanks so much Sandy. It's always a pleasure to stop by and visit with you and your readers. Thanks so much for having me! It's an honour as always.

Tags: Jamieson Wolf, Valentine, dragon, Cobblestone Press, The Friday Project

Valentine's Day Contest Ends This Week
Post from Nigel Taiman

I can't believe how my fantasy author is letting everything else in life get in the way of regular posting on her blog, but there you have it. Sandy Lender is letting everything else in life get in the way of proper marketing. I guess it's up to me to remind everyone that the Valentine's Day contest will end at midnight Wednesday, the 13th, so she can pull a name on Valentine's Day. All you folks visiting from Author Island need to get your comments posted before that deadline so you have a shot at getting your personalized copy of Choices Meant for Gods. I happen to think it's a fabulous story, you know. And that's because it's a story about the most incredible woman to walk the earth. I'm talking about the heroine, Amanda Chariss, and, because Sandy's too busy with everything else in life to pay attention to what I'm posting, I believe I'll just go on a bit about Chariss while I have the chance.

First of all, if you were at the Author Island chat today, you could read the excerpt from Choices Meant for Gods in which Chariss and I have our little fencing exercise in the training arena. I nearly died, you know. But that Chariss...she's amazing...

And now the fantasy author shows up. It appears I need to just state facts and give the computer back to her. There's an excerpt from the fantasy novel posted at the Author Island all-day chat today, three chapters available for download at www.archebooks.com, and a deleted scene that I posted here a couple weeks ago that you can read to tease you into wanting your own copy of Choices Meant for Gods. You can order it and get free shipping at www.amazon.com if you don't like your odds with the contest...But I wish you all good luck in the Valentine's Day contest. You can enter every day...

All my best to you.
Nigel
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Valentine's Day

Nigel Taiman Speaks about Chariss
Or…Nigel's first guest post in the Valentine's Day CMFG Contest

Welcome to those of you visiting The Dragon for the first time or checking in from Author Island. It's a pleasure to have this opportunity to tell you a bit about the leading lady in the epic fantasy novel Choices Meant for Gods. Sandy (my fantasy author) assures me I can get away with all the "sappy nonsense" I wish because this is a Valentine's Day contest that I'm here to promote with my panegyric.

So let me start by saying that the lovely Amanda Chariss is a fantasy heroine beyond compare. I've never seen a young lady live through so much turmoil and adversity and turn out to be such a strong yet admirable warrior. And before any gentlemen who might be visiting The Dragon get any ideas, let me just state here and now that she's mine. That might not be entirely official just yet, but I'm sure it will be soon.

If you'd like to read an interview with Sandy and me in which we discuss Amanda, you can visit http://www.mindunbound.com/blog/2007/08/interview_with_sandy_lender_an.html. And there are some fantastic reviews that talk about Amanda Chariss at http://www.amazon.com/Choices-Meant-Gods-Sandy-Lender/dp/1595071652/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1200155650&sr=1-1. In the meantime, thank you for visiting The Dragon and entering the contest to win your own hard-cover, first-edition, autographed copy of Choices Meant for Gods. You can enter daily until the 13th of February, and I'll be guest blogging again soon.

All my best,
Nigel Taiman

"Some days, you just want the dragon to win."
Tags: Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy novel, fantasy heroine, dragon, Valentine's Day

Free Valentine’s Day Book of Love Stories
Or…Get a free book of love for your soul mate for Valentine’s Day

Anyone who knows me will find this post laughable. Here’s the punch line: I wrote a romantic story for a free Valentine’s Day eBook that an online writers group put together. It’s a fabulous little collection of fiction (hence my involvement) and how-to/advice articles from the syndicated soul mate columnist Dorothy Thompson. You can download Love is in the Air at www.thewriterslife.homestead.com/loveisintheair.html.

You’ll also find stories from Abigail Farrier (her blog is at http://AbigailLovesNigel.blogspot.com) and Hattie Jenkins. And if you aren’t familiar with those two, well, just wait until March when Choices Meant for Gods is released and you’ll become familiar with them!

Also, this online group is an excellent place to exchange writing ideas, hone your craft, get answers to writing and promotion questions, post snippits of your writing for feedback and constructive criticism, etc. You can check out the group’s page and apply for free membership at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thewriterslife/. I look forward to meeting you there.

If you go download your free copy of Love is in the Air, please let me know what you think of the story “At Last” by Sandy Lender. I’d also like to hear what you think of “Meeting the Man of my Dreams” and “To Love a Sea Captain” by Abby and Hattie, respectively.

Oh, and have a happy Valentine’s Day!

“Some days, you just want the dragon to win.”

Tags: Valentine’s Day gift, love stories, free Valentine’s Day ebook, Love is in the Air, writing group, Choices Meant for Gods, Sandy Lender