new stuff

I'm in for a new experience today. The hubby and I are supporting one of the three mayoral candidates in our fair town and I've been asked to 'work' the polls for him. From 10-1 I will be stationed the legally required number of feet from the early polling place so I can offer my personal endorsement and hand out stuff all while sporting a very stylish campaign tee shirt.

My buddy Kim just rec'd some fabu news from her publisher, Red Rose Publishing. Not only did they scoop up Shannon and Dwayne's first adventure, "Avenging Angel," they are also going to include her in an anthology about love the second time around. How cool is that?? I'm so proud of you, girl!

I've taken the same lady's advice and started to use the ten minute writing prompt exercise to prime the old creative well. It is helping. I've allowed myself to get into a bad spot with my writing and I needed a way out.

Judson Robert's second Strongbow book is just as good as the first in this series. I'm also finished with it, a very quick read, and am glad I checked out the third book while I was at the library.

Ancient Eygpt and Vikings

I finished Michelle Moran's "The Heretic Queen" yesterday. Good thing as it is due back to the library today! I really enjoyed Moran's first book, "Nefertiti" and her new novel was just as entertaining. Moran has a gift for taking the ancient and making it feel so contemporary. The political struggles, the relationships, the tough decisions ancient people experienced are really no different than modern society encounters. I enjoyed reading about the relationship between Ramesses and Nefertari. By all accounts, they truly were a love match. I also found it interesting how Moran wove the Moses character into the storyline and the author end notes on Moses and his story were fascinating.

My only disappointment, and this is probably just a 'Liz' issue, I didn't feel the connection with Nefertari like I did with her mother, Mutnodjmet, the heroine of the first book. I liked "N" and felt sympathy for her, but "M" just spoke to me. This isn't a criticism of the novel, again, it could just be a circumstance where certain characters really find a way into your head and others don't quite talk to you in that way.

From ancient Eygpt, I am now moving forward in time to begin reading a Viking story. Judson Roberts has put out a YA trilogy about a young Viking set in 845. I devoured the first book in the Strongbow Saga, and the second one is starting out just as good.