*Cover Art may not be final*

Click author names to visit their webpages & click titles to pre-order from The Book Depository or Goodreads if it isn’t available for pre-order. 

The Shadow Guard by Diane Whiteside

Series: N/A Published: April 1st 2011 by Brava Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Michelle's Book Blog Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Michelle called this one, the model looks exactly like Pamela Anderson.  I don’t hate this, but I’m not loving it either.

Description:

The heat is only the beginning…

THE SHADOW GUARD. They are the darkest of Black Ops. A force operating outside the sphere of the CIA or FBI. Taking their mandate not from the U.S. government, but from magic. And sex.

SAHIR. Astrid Carlson is one of them, a mage on a mission. With her wispy blond hair and those long, long legs, she can make a man forget himself. Until it’s way too late.

KUBRI. Jake Hammond is the only thing she needs, the human conductor who can focus all her strength, bringing her to a peak of power, or shattering her completely.Yeah, she’s got a hundred or so years on him, but who’s counting when there’s an unstoppable assassin to take down – and unstoppable chemistry about to combust…

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

Dreaming of The Wolf by Terry Spear

Series: Heart of the Wolf #8 Date/Publisher: 2011 by Sourcebooks Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Terry Spear Author Comments:  … I LOVE IT! And they even kept MY title! I haven't been mentioning the book because readers get confused when the title I talk about doesn't end up in book form. It does end up as a book, but with a different title! So DREAMING OF THE WOLF is all about Jake Silver!!! :) What do you all think???…Hopefully, this is the final cover, but I just wanted to show it off anyway. Isn't it just gorgeous? What a way to end the year!!! My Thoughts: The colors and his glowing eyes are really working for me.  Might be my favorite in the series so far.

Description:

Jake Silver doesn't believe in fate or dream mating, despite the fact his brother and other family members have been afflicted with this strange notion. But when dreams begin to plague him about a woman so seductive, he wakes up in a sweat and he's losing way too much sleep over it, he seeks to learn the truth. Can dream mating be a reality? Is the woman real?

Alicia Greiston doesn't dream. Not ever. So when a man visits her in the first dream she's ever had, she's startled, pleased, then alarmed. He's not going away, and the dreams take a sinister turn. He's in trouble, and if the dreams are a foreshadowing of the future, she has to save him.

Previous Book in the Series:

The Wild Side Edited by Mark L. Van Name

Series: Anthology Date/Publisher: August 2nd 2011 by Baen Cover Artist: Dan Dos Santos Cover Source: SciFiGuy.ca Author Comments: A while back, I mentioned that I had seen the final cover art for my upcoming (August) anthology, The Wild Side, that it was amazing, that artist Dan Dos Santos had done a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of the book… My Thoughts: I’d buy this for the cover alone (Dan is the man), but better still there is a new story from Diana Rowland inside!

Description:

Take a walk on the “wild side” of urban fantasy.  When the werewolf cubs are asleep and the baby vamps are tucked into their coffins, the adults come out to play!  Feeling a bit undead and dying to shuffle off your toil and troubles and get it on?  You’ve come to the right place!  Spend some quality time lolling in the moonlight shadows with a love that only comes out at night.  From light-spirited romps to black-hearted noir, from steampunk London to the bleeding edge of the present, tales of love, eros, betrayal and seduction in a beguiling vein.  Best-sellers Tanya Huff, Caitlin Kittredge and Toni L.P. Kelner join Dana Cameron, Sarah A. Hoyt, John Lambshead, Diana Rowland and editor Mark L. Van Name create a dazzling cast of vampires, werewolves, witches and zombies, oh my.  Oh my.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

1. Introduction - Mark L. Van Name
2. Songs Sung Red - Tanya Huff
3. Careless of the Night - Gina Massel-Castater
4. For a Good Time, Call - Toni L.P. Kelner
5. Fine Print - Diana Rowland
6. Unawares - Sarah A. Hoyt
7. Of Sex and Zombies - Ticia Drake Isom
8. Love Knot - Dana Cameron
9. Beauty Is a Witch - John Lambshead
10. The Long Dark Night of Diego Chan - Mark L. Van Name
11. Born Under a Bad Sign - Caitlin Kittredge

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

Dead on the Delta by Stacey Jay

Series: Dead on the Delta #1 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Pocket Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Everything is perfect!  The slight sense of magic from the glowing flowers and blue background, to the spider web on the bike, and the barefoot slightly demure model.  Love this.  I’m thinking this is another cover from Dan Dos Santos, but I can’t confirm that.

Description:

The first in an entertaining urban fantasy series in which fairies are the size of mosquitoes—and have poisonous bites that drive humans insane or to their deaths.

In present-day Louisiana, a chemical spill in the Mississippi River has turned fairies from microscopic harmless things to insect-like creatures with three sets of teeth and a hunger for human flesh and blood. Nearly all of those bitten will slowly go mad from the poison, except for a small number who are immune, and these people are drafted into service at Fairy Containment Control in hopes of finding a cure for the death and destruction. When FCC agent and alcoholic misfit Annabelle Lee discovers the body of a little girl, the police assume she’s a victim of the fairies. But to Annabelle, something doesn’t look right…and she embarks on a bizarre and dangerous adventure to find out the truth.

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

The Moonlight Brigade by Sara Jane Stratford

Series: Millennial #2 Date/Publisher: August 2nd 2011 by St. Martin's Griffin Cover Artist: Chris McGrath Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: There is no mistaking a Chris McGrath cover, which, as much as I love his gritty style (and this is a striking cover), is starting to become redundant.  They all look a like!

Description:
N/A

Previous Book in the Series:

Feast: Harvest Of Dreams by Merrie Destefano

Series: Resurrection Chronicles #2 Date/Publisher: June 28th 2011 by Eos Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Yeah…I always find the giant floating head look to be on the creepy side.

Description:

Halloween is a bad time to return to the woods…

Madeline MacFadden (“Mad Mac” to fans of her bestselling magical stories) spent blissful childhood summers in Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered. And she’s always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.

But Maddie doesn’t remember the dark parts—and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area’s terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest…the time to feast.

Once again Maddie’s dreams—and her soul—are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own…

Previous Book in the Series:

Burn the Night by Joceynn Drake

Series: Dark Days #6 Date/Publisher: July 15th 2011 by HarperCollins Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: So much better than the last two.  This one is my favorite since DAYHUNTER.  Way to go out with a bang Mira (this is the final book in the series).

Description:

N/A

Previous Book in the Series:

Hexes and Hemlines by Juliet Blackwell

Series: Witchcraft Mystery #3 Date/Publisher: June 7th 2011 by Signet Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Literary Escapism Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Super cute. The happy little pig sold me.

Description:
N/A

Previous Book in the Series:

Dark Awakening by Kendra Leigh Castle

Series: Dark Dynasties #1 Date/Publisher: June 28th 2011 by Forever Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Dark Faerie Tales Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: I love the lightening here.  This guy looks subtly dangerous too, which is a nice change.

Description:

Enter the world of the Dark Dynasties . . .

For centuries, shapeshifting vampire Tynan MacGillivray has prowled the night as an outcast, valued only for his ferocious hunting skills. When a feud among the immortals escalates into all-out war, he is ordered by his ruthless queen to locate a Seer-a human woman with a special gift-who can secure victory for their clan. Ty’s search leads him to a quiet New England town, but once he has the Seer in his grasp, her touch awakens within him a hunger like he’s never known . . .

Lily Quinn has always been different. Since childhood, she’s had vivid nightmares and an eerie sixth sense. When a sexy, silver-eyed stranger demands her help, Lily plunges into a new world of danger and sensuality. With Ty, she discovers sizzling passions she cannot deny and powers she cannot control. Soon, it is clear that Lily is much more than a Seer-she holds the key to ancient secrets and unthinkable destruction. But will a vampire’s vow of eternal protection stop these evil forces . . . or unleash her dark destiny?

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

Blood of the Wicked by Karina Cooper

Series: Dark Mission #1 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Avon Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: For her hand alone.

Description:

Jessie Leigh is an independent witch who has made an art out of deception. Just another faceless drudge in a city that teems with them, she has stayed three steps ahead of a society eager to punish her for a history she had nothing to do with. When a witch hunter comes looking for her missing brother, she’s going to have to re-evaluate everything she ever thought she knew. Or wanted.
Silas Smith is a missionary, a soldier who has never been good at anything else. Forced into a twisting maze of lies and half-truths, he must protect the woman he thinks is human, manipulate her into finding the brother who isn’t, and fight the attraction that binds them more firmly than any Church agenda before she ends up another dead notch on his battered soul.

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

Devil Without a Cause by Terri Garey

Series: The Devil's Bargain #1 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Avon Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: Let me say that I love it… It's kind of funny, actually, because when I wrote my first book, DEAD GIRLS ARE EASY, I envisioned a cool black and white cover with red lettering (preferably set in a graveyard).  I got the graveyard, but the rest of the cover was a wild riot of purple and green.  This cover, however, is much more what I envisioned for all my books - dark, sexy, and slightly mysterious. My Thoughts: The lettering looks orange in this pic, but It is red.  This cover is everything Terry said: dark, sexy, and slightly mysterious.

Description:

Idle hands are the Devil's workshop...
Temptation and seduction are the tricks of the Devil's trade, and when offered the chance to regain his wings by playing guardian angel, Sammy Divine is hell-bent on doing things his way...
Faith McFarland is in need of a miracle. So desperate to save her sick child, she's willing to make a deal with the Devil: steal a ring worn by Finn Payne, the bad boy rock star who long ago sold his soul for rock n' roll. Temptation and seduction become necessary evils, yet Faith's salvation means Finn's damnation... because the ring is all that stands between him and Hell. Falling in love was never part of the bargain, but now that they've tasted heaven in each others' arms, can they convince the Devil to give up his due?

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

Embraced by Blood by Laurie London

Series: Sweetblood #2 Date/Publisher: June 21st 2011 by HQN Books Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Okay so after BONDED BY BLOOD (which is my fav cover of the year so far) the sequel was going to have to look amazing to top it.  This is …not as good.  I’m hoping the colors are off in this pic because he looks a little like he’s wearing lipstick.  And I wish he was looking at us like the previous cover.  Still, looking at it without comparing the previous, cover I like it.

Description:
N/A

Previous Book in the Series:

The Reluctant Vampire by Lynsay Sands

Series: Argeneau #15 Date/Publisher: May 31st 2011 by Avon Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: Wicked Scribes Author Comments: N/A My Thoughts: Ooh pretty.  The profile shot is nice and you know I love the bat.

Description:

Harper lost his lifemate, Jenny, during her turn and has blamed himself for her death ever since, so he's rather happy for the distraction when Tiny and Mirabeau arrive with a young immortal in tow. Stephanie McGill is a young newly turned, immortal who is being hunted by a mad no-fanger named Leonius. When Anders and Drina Argenis (Argeneau) arrive to help, Harper finds himself working with the beautiful young Spanish woman. But things get interesting when Stephanie decides to take on the role of cupid and bring Drina and a reluctant Harper together. How much trouble could a newly turned teenage vamp be?

Previous Book in the Series:

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Series: Anna Dressed in Blood #1 Date/Publisher: September 2011 by Tor Cover Artist: N/A Cover Source: The Elevensies Author Comments: Very excited to show you the cover for Anna Dressed in Blood, releasing Sept. 2011. So excited, I can't really think of much to say about it. Except...You go, Tor art department. My Thoughts: This is hauntingly beautiful.  The red (petals?) and edges of her dress…just love it.

Description:

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story. . .
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
And she, for whatever reason, spares his life

Previous Book in the Series:

N/A

And my picks for Best & Worst…

Best Cover: DEAD ON THE DELTA

Worst Cover: FEAST

So any new to you covers? Which are your Best & Worst picks?

You can read all the previous Top 10 Lists HERE

Top Ten Best Bad Movies Ever

By Jess Haines

Howdy!  My name is Jess Haines, and I’m the author of the urban fantasy novel HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, and its upcoming sequel TAKEN BY THE OTHERS (available TODAY January 4, 2011 from Kensington).

Abigail invited me over to share a top ten list of my choice.  It was obvious I had to share with you my terrible—err, terribly AWESOME taste in bad movies.  I love inflicting these films on unsuspecting victi—err, my amazing friends who have equally awesome taste in bad movies!  So, without further ado…
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10.  Tank Girl

This comic book movie adaption amuses me to no end.  On the one hand, you have the trainer lady from Free Willy (oh, yes, Lori Petty, I recognized you!) playing the most awesomely fun heroine I’ve ever encountered, on or off screen.  The movie was a box office flop, so don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard of it.  Personally, I found it hilarious and insouciant, and I loved every wacky moment of it—especially the song-and-dance routine where The Madam sings Let’s Do It—Let’s Fall In Love

9.  Spaceballs

A Mel Brooks movie that parodies SciFi classics like Star Wars, Star Trek, and Alien.  Stars include John Candy, Bill Pullman, and Rick Moranis.  Need I say more?

8.  Evil Dead / Evil Dead II / Army of Darkness

Let’s break this one down.

• Evil Dead: This is the “serious” horror flick of the trio.  Includes a scene that closely resembles tentacle rape by possessed trees.  Kinda freaky.  Not as highly recommended as the other two.  People die, come back as zombie-critters known as Deadites.  Scary as hell.  Love it!

• Evil Dead II:  This one is freaking brilliant. Basically, it’s a retelling of the first movie, only not quite so dark and disturbing (though there is still enough dark and disturbing to go around).

• Army of Darkness:  This is the most slapstick of the bunch.  Ash (Bruce Campbell) gets thrown back in time to the Dark Ages to continue fighting the Deadites.

All three movies star Bruce “The Chin” Campbell.  You can’t really call yourself a nerd until you’ve seen these movies often enough to memorize classic lines like, “Groovy.” “Give me some sugar, baby!” and “This is my boomstick!” Sally forth and geekify yourself!

7.  Tremors

This one is about gigantic worms that pop out of the ground and eat people, plus a young (HOT, did I mention HOT?!) Kevin Bacon.  I also adore the fact that Reba McIntyre, Michael Gross, and Fred Ward star in this flick.  My kind of movie!

6.  The Naked Gun

I miss Leslie Nielsen, the deceased star of this flick.  He was brilliant in this mishmash collection of slapstick action/adventure liberally mixed with groan-worthy puns.  The clueless cop goes in search of terrorists out to assassinate Queen Elizabeth II.  There are a number of interesting appearances in this movie, including O.J. Simpson, Weird Al Yankovich, and a few others.  Mostly I love it because Leslie Nielsen stars in it.  I would’ve mentioned Dracula: Dead and Loving It instead, but that one doesn’t quite qualify as craptacular.  Besides, this one’s a blast, too!

5.  Blade Trinity (AKA, Blade III)

Guys.  GUYS.  This movie is so bad.  It hurts to watch this movie.  The stilted dialogue, the plot holes big enough to drive a truck through, the complete and utter lack of physics in the fight scenes…!  If not for one fact, I would say it rates up there with Manos: Hands of Fate.  What saves it is shirtless Ryan Reynolds.  RAWR.  I watch this movie purely for Ryan Reynolds dialogue, particularly when he’s snarking along with Parker Posey.  In fact, I think I will go put it on again right now and fast forward to all the good parts…

4.  The New Guy

As the tagline says, A Zero Will Rise.  Dizzy Gillespie Harrison (DJ Qualls) is a geek in every sense of the word.  His school doesn’t appreciate geeks (witness the fake rubber breasts incident).  The last straw is when Mrs. Whitman breaks his penis in front of the whole school.  He gets himself expelled after some creative efforts, and heads over to a new school with a brand spankin’ new identity after spending some time in jail and learning how to be cool from one of the inmates, Luther (Eddie Griffin).  Hilarity ensues.
My only beef with this movie is the EverQuest reference made by his friend, (Jerod Mixon), at one point in the movie.  Dude, Kunark is a continent, not a single zone or level.  Just, ya know, FYI.  In case you needed any additional proof of my genuine nerdosity, there ya go.

3.  Scott Pilgrim vs. The World

BEST.  MOVIE.  EVER.
This movie is made of so much win, I can’t even tell you.  Scott is just this guy, you know?  But he meets this girl and he thinks he might love her.  He has to get rid of his current girlfriend and beat the new girl’s seven evil exes in order to date her, but that shouldn’t be a problem, right? 
Oh my god, people, he actually BATTLES THE EXES.  Like, full on super saiyan battle!  It’s a freaking video game made into a movie!  How cool is that?!  If you haven’t seen this and you consider yourself any shade of geek, you should definitely see this movie.

2.  Zombieland

This movie was hysterical!  It’s narrated by Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), who meets up with a few new friends as he struggles to survive in a post-apocalyptic America overrun by zombies.  Woody Harrelson was amazing, as was the rest of the cast.  Totally wasn’t expecting the Bill Murray cameo, either!  Aside from a stellar cast and hilarious dialogue, this movie is filled with excellent tips for those of us who find ourselves fleeing for our lives from hungry zombies!  Remember:

1. Cardio!
2. Double Tap
3. Beware of Bathrooms

There are plenty more useful tips—but you’ll have to see the movie to find out what they are…

...and the most terrible, most amazing, most craptacular movie on my list is…

1.  The Pest

John Leguizamo plays the most annoying scam artist ever to live.  He owes the Scottish mob—yes, you read that right, the Scottish mob—$50,000.  Lucky for him, he’s been offered a $50,000 scholarship by a racist German manhunter, Gustav Shank (Jeffrey Jones).  All he has to do is survive for 24 hours while Gustav does his very best to kill him so he can mount Pest’s head on the wall to complete his trophy collection of human prey.

This movie embodies all that is childish, annoying, and politically incorrect.  It’s quite possibly one of the most offensive films in my DVD collection.

And I love it.  SO MUCH.  Really, people, there must be something wrong with me for loving this movie even a smidgen, let alone as much as I do.  Not really recommended for anyone because I can’t see anyone else being able to sit through something this annoying and honestly enjoy it.

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So what do you think, guys?  Any of you disagree with my assessments of any of the above films?  What awesomely terrible movies should be added to my to-watch list?

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Jess Haines is a displaced New Yorker with a penchant for the silly, the obscure, and the fantastical. Los Angeles is home for the time being, since it consistently meets her daily quota of strange. She’s currently working on the H&W Investigations urban fantasy series. Find out more about Shiarra Waynest, drop her a line, or join her mailing list at www.jesshaines.com!

Visit Jess Online: Website|Blog|Facebook|Twitter Want to read more from Jess Haines? H & W Investigations 1. Hunted By the Others (read my Review) 2. Taken By The Others (read my Review) 3. Deceived By The Others (2011) Anthology Nocturnal (read my Review)

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Interested in doing a Top 10 List on All Things Urban Fantasy? 
CONTACT Abigail

Nancy Holzner is back today after nearly a year to celebrate the release of the second book in her Deadtown urban fantasy series called HELLFORGED which was published on December 28, 2010. Nancy is sharing an exclusive Deadtown document distributed to all residents of Deadtown on understanding the Previously Deceased Humans.  It’s a must read for anyone thinking about visiting   And help make your New Year even better, Nancy is giving away a copy of HELLFORGED. See details below.

Understanding the Previously Deceased: A Fact Sheet

City of Boston

Office of the Mayor

I. Introduction

Boston is a city that prides itself on its diversity. Our neighborhoods weave together a rich tapestry of people from many traditions and all walks of life. This diversity includes a variety of paranormal Bostonians, including previously deceased humans (PDHs). Afflicted by a devastating disease, the previously deceased have recovered to become productive citizens of our city.

Whether you have a previously deceased family member, acquaintance, former neighbor or co-worker, or you just see the occasional PDH out and about in the city, this fact sheet gives you the information you need to understand the previously deceased.

II. The H-DED-1 Virus

The previously deceased were infected by the virus known as H-DED-1. The illness caused by this virus consisted of two phases: In the first phase, which took place immediately upon infection, those afflicted fell into a deathlike state. This phase lasted for approximately three days. In the second phase, the previously deceased regained consciousness, animation, and volition. In layperson's terms, they came back to life.

It is important to note that H-DED-1 no longer exists in the wild. Like smallpox, the virus is extinct. The original strain mutated into something no worse than the common cold. Humans cannot catch H-DED-1 from someone who has had the disease.

III. Physical Characteristics and Needs of the Previously Deceased

As a result of their disease, the previously deceased have a number of distinctive physical traits:

• Spongy-textured, greenish-gray skin that cannot tolerate sunlight

• Redness in the parts of the eye that were previously white

• Extreme keratitis sicca, or dry-eye syndrome, resulting in an inability to produce tears

• Stiffness of gait

• Enhanced strength

• Increased appetite

• Insensibility to heat and cold

• Extreme slowness in healing (possibly an inability to heal)

None of these physical traits is cause for alarm. They are unavoidable consequences of an H-DED-1 infection. Although the long-term effects of these conditions are unknown at this time, in the short term they have not been observed to impair the ability of PDHs to function.

Because of their altered physical state, the previously deceased have some special needs:

Sunlight avoidance. Direct sunlight has been observed to damage the skin of the previously deceased. Sunlight exposure causes a PDH's skin to take on a bright orange hue and become pitted. Slowness in healing means that skin damaged in this way does not recover. Previously deceased humans who go out in the daytime must cover their skin; sunblock provides insufficient protection. Sunglasses with polarized lenses are also recommended.

Ample food supply. Reanimation increased both the strength and the metabolism of PDHs, leading to an increase in appetite. If you spend time with a PDH, be sure to have plenty of food on hand, because the PDH will need to eat almost constantly. Any kind of palatable food is acceptable, but many PDHs express a fondness for what's commonly called “junk food.”

Avoidance of human blood. The scent of human blood has an intoxicating effect on the previously deceased. It arouses in them an intense need to feed, and they will feed upon anything close by, including the human who is bleeding. Humans who are in frequent contact with the previously deceased are advised to avoid any activity which could result in bloodshed. In addition, they should carry activated charcoal to soak up and block the scent of accidentally spilled blood, as well as a supply of food to offer the aroused PDH.

Section IV. Legal Considerations

Both the Boston City Council and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have enacted legislation designed to promote the harmonious coexistence of humans and the previously deceased. Before you interact with a PDH, know your rights, restrictions, and responsibilities:

It is illegal to assault the previously deceased. In the confusion immediately after the H-DED-1 incident, some humans mistakenly believed that they could attack the previously deceased with impunity. This was never the case, but legislators soon amended Massachusetts law to make it absolutely clear that assaulting any human—including the previously deceased—is a serious crime.

PDHs may not leave Designated Area 1 without a permit. Designated Area 1 (DA-1) was created to provide a home for Boston's paranormal population, including the previously deceased. Other Paranormal Americans may leave DA-1 if they pass through a checkpoint and show their state-issued identification card. PDHs, however, additionally require a permit issued to a non-previously-deceased escort who will remain with the PDH until the PDH returns to DA-1. Online permit application forms are available on the Mayor's website.

Note: A PDH who loses his or her permit while outside of DA-1 should immediately report back to DA-1 or to any of the state's other designated areas, including the secure werewolf retreats in Princeton, Athol, and Savoy, and apply for a replacement.

It is illegal to discriminate against properly documented PDHs. If a PDH enters an establishment such as a restaurant, entertainment venue, or store, the proprietor may ask the PDH to show his or her documentation. Upon presentation of a state-issued identification card and a valid permit, the proprietor must serve the PDH. Failure to do so will result in a fine of at least $500 per incident.

Remember: Understanding the previously deceased will make life better for all Bostonians.

Thanks so much for stopping by Nancy.  Come back anytime!

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Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts. She majored in English in college and then continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD. She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she's worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera.

Visit Nancy online: Blog|Twitter|Facebook Want to read more from Nancy Holzner? Bo Forrester 1. Peace, Love, and Murder Deadtown 1. Deadtown 2. Hellforged

Giveaway

One copy of HELLFORGED by Nancy Holzner

A demon is stalking Vicky’s dreams—just as several of Deadtown’s zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. And when Vicky realizes she’s the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown’s living nightmare.

Click HERE to read an excerpt of HELLFORGED
Click HERE to read an excerpt of DEADTOWN (book one)

GIVEAWAY GUIDELINES

1. Open Internationally
2. Leave a comment/question for Nancy & a way to contact you if you win
3. Entries must be received by Midnight MST on January 10, 2011.

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Interested in guest blogging on All Things Urban Fantasy? 
Contact Abigail

Thank you all for entering this giveaway and to Bloomsbury Publishing for providing a copy of OUT FOR BLOOD by Alyxandra Harvey + bookmark.

The winner (chosen by Random.org) is…

Just a Silly Little Girl

My favorite YA vampire is Christian from the Vampire Academy series. It was Edward Cullen until Christian stepped up in the last books of the VA series. Maybe I'm just an undercover pyro lol. Great review and thank you for the contest.

Congratulations! I’ll be emailing you soon.  Please respond with your address within 48 hours or a new winner will be drawn.

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Didn’t win?  Buy your own copy of OUT FOR BLOOD with free shipping from The Book Depository:

  *This title will be released on January 4, 2011*

Title: The Lost Gate Author: Orson Scott Card Series: The Mither Mages #1 Cover Art: N/A Genre: Fantasy Length: 384 pages Publisher: Tor Books ISBN-10: 0765326574 ISBN-13: 978-0765326577 Review Copy Source: Publisher Reviewed by: Julia

Book Description

Danny North knew from early childhood that his family was different, and that he was different from them.  While his cousins were learning how to create the things that commoners called fairies, ghosts, golems, trolls, werewolves, and other such miracles that were the heritage of the North family, Danny worried that he would never show a talent, never form an outself.

He grew up in the rambling old house, filled with dozens of cousins, and aunts and uncles, all ruled by his father.  Their home was isolated in the mountains of western Virginia, far from town, far from schools, far from other people.

There are many secrets in the House, and many rules that Danny must follow.   There is a secret library  with only a few dozen books, and none of them in English — but Danny and his cousins are expected to become fluent in the language of the books.  While Danny’s cousins are free to create magic whenever they like, they must never do it where outsiders might see.

Unfortunately, there are some secrets kept from Danny  as well.  And that will lead to disaster for the North family.

 Review

Ever since the first time I read ENDER’S GAME, Orson Scott Card had a way of grabbing my attention and pulling me out of my normal genre preferences.  In recent years, while I would still pick up his titles as they caught my eye, nothing had been able to recapture that initial attraction.  Reading THE LOST GATE was like rediscovering a high school crush and falling in love all over again.  I laughed, I read quotes out loud, and stayed up to all hours of the night until I finished it.

The world building of THE LOST GATE is definitely what boosted my rating right up to five bats.  Card, once again, has created a fascinating premise.  He draws on familiar mythologies and archetypes before adding his own critical and plausible twists.  If the gods and goddesses of yesteryear began to wane in power, yes, I could see some of them ending up in a family compound in Virginia.  Don’t read “compound” and think Kennedy’s, though.  Most of the North family is petty, cruel, and outright murderous.  I think Danny is lucky to be considered a “drekka” (a magic-less person), despite the pain and suffering that came with the title.  Being a drekka offers him the chance to develop outside his family’s expectations.  

The juxtaposition of real world and fantasy was another one of my favorite things in this book.  Danny would overcome fantastic, magical, life-threatening situations only to face being a thirteen year old kid alone in Wal-Mart.  With no shoes.  (The store greeter explaining the “No shirt, no shoes, no service” sign was both sad and funny).  While there were times when Danny seemed bratty and reckless, Card always manages to gather these loose threads back into the narrative, and threw in a twist at the end that has me rethinking my impression of many of Danny’s earlier actions.

This is one of those books that is hard to pigeonhole into genre boundaries.  Adult?  Probably, despite the fact that the main character starts out as a thirteen-year-old boy, both his mindset and his experiences are pretty grown up.  Fantasy?  Sure, THE LOST GATE mentions gods and goddesses speaking to animals and making plants grow, fantastic abilities that any kid would want.  However, Card also includes detailed mechanics that make this “magic” feel more like a tantalizing science, something to discover and understand alongside Danny.  A lot of knowledge had been lost to the  North family (or not shared with Danny), forcing him to piece things together from a variety of sources.  As a reader I felt challenged and engaged, eager to figure out and discuss which of the theories and clues were going to fit together to form a workable magic structure. 

There are so many other aspects of this book that I adored, not the least the parallel story woven in with Danny’s own.  It kept me guessing until the end, unsure if I was reading distant history or current events in some far away land.  THE LOST GATE is certainly the most engaging and thought provoking fantasy novel I’ve read in a long time, and one I’m going to enjoy passing on to friends and family to discuss.

Sexual Content: Danny is assaulted by a sexually aggressive woman.

My Rating:

5/5
Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

Click HERE to read Chapter One of THE LOST GATE

Also reviewed by:

• Rebecca at Dirty Sexy Books
• Niall at The Speculative Scotsman
• Thomas at Duffbert’s Random Musings