demons

I added a new book list on the blog to keep track of what I'm reading in this new year. Thus far, I have four titles completed. By genre they are two urban fantasies, one action/thriller and one literary fiction. What they all have in common is demons. Granted two of them actually have the horn touting hellish variety, but the other two include a good share of internal demons, the sort most of us are more familiar with.

Internal demons can range from imps who tempt us to eating a fourth chocolate chip cookie to the full fledged fallen angels who tempt us into the things that cause true strife with our fellow humans.

When I'm writing, I try and give my characters demons, and resist the temptation to make them too perfect, even the good guys. Of course, I can mine my own treasure trove of inner conflicts to color my fictional worlds, but sometimes I hijack the conflicts of folks I know and use those issues. Then I hope that nobody does the math.

Of the four books, each one got an "A" in my review book. I really was stunned by McCarthy's "The Road." I received that book as gift and once I started to read, I was up way past my bedtime to finish it. Just incredible. To say more than that, wouldn't do the story or the writing justice.

Lee Child's book, as always, was a roller coaster and I adore Reacher more and more.

I may well be off to B&N today to get Richelle Mead's sequel to "Succubus Blues." Really, really a fun read....demons, angels, vampires, hunky humans. What's not to love?

And of course, the final Dante Valentine book from Lilith Saintcrow. I do admire her 'take no prisoners' approach to story telling. Gritty and good and oh so flawed. Yum.

That's it for today...I hope the paper is here. I'm ready to digest the New Hampshire voting analysis.