Jackie from Literary Escapism recruited me for the Weekly Geeks best books of 2008 list. There are three months left, but who’s counting?

Ciara’s favorite Urban Fantasy & Paranormal Romance Books of 2008:

1. DEMON BOUND by Meljean Brook
2. DEMON NIGHT by Meljean Brook
3. SEA WITCH by Virginia Kantra
4. CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
5. MAGIC BURNS by Ilona Andrews
6. PLEASURE UNBOUND by Larissa Ione
7. MINE TO POSSESS by Nalini Singh
8. THE IRON HUNT by Marjorie M. Liu
9. ANY GIVEN DOOMSDAY by Lori Handeland
10. INK EXCHANGE by Melissa Marr
11. MY WICKED ENEMY by Carolyn Jewel
12. THE WILD ROAD by Marjorie M. Liu
13. NIGHTKEEPERS by Jessica Andersen

NaNoWriMo is in one month. (That’s National Novel Writing Month to the uninitiated.) Are you ready? Jump start your process by reading up on the craft of writing in October. Here are 13 recommended books by the editors, agents, and workshop presenters at the 2007 and 2008 Pacific Northwest Writers Conferences. Stay tuned for a list of 13 recommended books on editing, publishing, and the writing life at the end of NaNo.

1. NO PLOT? NO PROBLEM!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty (the official NaNoWriMo writing book)
2. GOALS, MOTIVATION AND CONFLICT by Debra Dixon
   
3. WRITING THE BREAK OUT NOVEL by Donald Maass
4. SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder
5. THE WRITER’S JOURNEY: MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS by Christopher Vogle
6. THE WEEKEND NOVELIST by Robert J. Ray
7. COMPLETE WRITER’S GUIDE TO HEROES AND HEROINES: SIXTEEN MASTER ARCHETYPES by Tami D. Cowden, Sue Viders, and Carolyn Lafever
8. CHARACTERS AND VIEWPOINT by Orsen Scott Card
9. SCENE AND STRUCTURE by Jack Bickham
10. HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY by Orsen Scott Card
11. ON WRITING WELL by Will Zinsser
12. ON WRITING by Stephen King
13. ZEN AND THE ART OF WRITING: RELEASING THE CREATIVE GENIUS WITHIN YOU by Ray Bradbury

What books have you found useful in learning the craft? Good luck!

In the swashbuckling spirit of THE WINDFLOWER WORLD TOUR, today’s Thursday Thirteen are 13 pirate romances for your reading pleasure. Brush up on your buccaneer lingo for next friday, September 19: International Talk Like a Pirate Day!

1. THE WINDFLOWER by Laura London (AKA Sharon and Tom Curtis)
2. BLOW ME DOWN by Katie MacAlister
   
3. PLEASURING THE PIRATE by Emily Brian
4. MASTER OF PARADISE by Katherine O’Neal
5. A PIRATE OF HER OWN by Kinley McGregor
6. THE PIRATE LORD by Sabrina Jeffries
7. THE PIRATE NEXT DOOR by Jennifer Ashley (who has the most supportive writer hubby ever. I am so impressed!)
8. RIVER LADY by Jude Deveraux
9. ONCE A PIRATE by Susan Grant
10. PIRATES by Linda Lael Miller
11. THE PIRATE PRINCE by Gaelen Foley
12. THE PRIVATEER by Dawn MacTavish
13. PIRATE’S PRICE by Darlene Marshall

This is for Patti O’Shea, who asked yesterday on Twitter what her heroine would wear in Seattle on March 15th at 10 pm and what the weather would be like. Gortex and Rain, of course!

And for Marjorie M. Liu, whose new Urban Fantasy, The Iron Hunt, is set in Seattle, and who got it all right. Thanks for saying “Pike Place” and not “Pike’s Market.

1. She feels guilty throwing aluminum cans or paper in the trash.
2. She uses the statement “sun break” and know what it means.
3. She stands on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the “Walk” signal.
4. She considers that if it has no snow or has not recently erupted, it is not a real mountain.
5. She is able to use 10 words to order a beverage the rest of the country calls “coffee.”
6. In winter, she goes to work in the dark and come home in the dark—while only working eight-hour days.
7. She never goes camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.
8. She is not fazed by “Today’s forecast: showers followed by rain,” and “Tomorrow’s forecast: rain followed by showers.”
9. She can point to at least two volcanoes, even if she cannot see through the cloud cover.
10. She notices, “The mountain is out” when it is a pretty day and she can actually see it.
11. She puts on her shorts when the temperature gets above 50, but still wears her hiking boots and parka.
12. She switches to sandals when it gets about 60, but keeps the socks on.
13. She thinks people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists.

EDITED TO ADD: Gah! Now I feel terrible. I didn’t invent these. The original author has been lost to the sands of time. These are the 13 items with which I agree most from a list of about 30 entitled “You know you’re from the Pacific Northwest when…” of which there are many versions. The list has been around the internet for years and years. I first saw it ten years or so ago. Here is one version posted on the Lewis & Clark College website and another version from the Democratic Underground. Sorry!

My professional opinion after reading Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer.

THURSDAY THIRTEEN

1. Jacob is alive. Edward is dead.
2. Jacob is warm and cuddly. Edward is an ice cube. He has to cuddle on top of the sheet so Bella doesn’t freeze.
3. Jacob is happy and smiles all the time. Edward is moodier than a PMSing adolescent.
4. Jacob listens to Bella and compromises. Edward decides what’s good for Bella and dictates.
5. Jacob makes Bella happy. Edward makes Bella anxious and obsessive.
6. Jacob and Bella have equal power in their relationship. Edward has all the power.
7. Jacob made Bella sad for two weeks. Edward make Bella suicidally depressed for many months.
8. It takes Jacob one day to apologize for making Bella miserable. It takes Edward most of a year and a whole lot of drama.
9. Bella loves Jacob for his sunny personality. Bella loves Edward cuz he smells good and looks pretty.
10. Jacob’s age difference to Bella is two years. Edward’s is one hundred (robbing the cradle much?).
11. Jacob is only dangerous to Bella when he’s angry. Edward is dangerous all the time (especially once a month: If Bella’s paper cut puts him on edge, what does her period do?).
12. To be with Jacob, Bella would live life to its fullest. To be with Edward, Bella would say goodbye to all family and friends and DIE.
13. Did I mention: Jacob is hot. Edward is freezing. Who wants to cuddle with an ice cube?

Reading NEW MOON in the Uncompahgre Wilderness in Colorado.

EDITED TO ADD: Kids, I’m all for free speech and literary discussion, but let’s keep the discourse courteous. No name calling. No swearing.

My birthday is in less than two weeks. (JULY 15th!!!)

1. Mr. Wonderful in a kilt.
2. ARC of CRY WOLF by Patricia Briggs
3. ARC of BONE CROSSED by Patricia Briggs
4. ARC of HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE by Nalini Singh
5. ARC of DEMON BOUND by Meljean Brook
6. ARC of MAGIC STRIKES by Ilona Andrews
7. Complete collection of ELF QUEST graphic novels
8. To attend a costume ball.
9. Someone else to clean my apartment.
10. To go on the Pike Place Market Ghost Tour and the Seattle Underground Tour.
11. Help designing my next tattoo.
12. Shopping spree at Powell’s City of Books.
13. A baby. (Y’all saw that one coming!)

The ladies who have been playing the Desert Island Keeper game and fighting over our favorite romance heroes have joined together for the Next Big Thing in Romancelandia by setting up our own blog:

Desert Island Keeper: The island where women can go to escape their everyday lives. Where their favorite books are waiting. And the heroes are nekid….(or at least they are in our huts~)

The lovely island ladies: Ana and Thea, Aymless, Bridget Locke, Christine, CJ, Jen B, Kristie J and Katie(babs), Lesley W, Lisabea, little Alys, Mary Kate, Nadia, Samantha Kane, Sarah, Sarai, Shannon, Sula, Tracy

We each have selected 6 books and 7 heroes that we would take if stranded on a deserted island, without overlaps. We share our books but not our men. The resulting list is a fabulous resource to expand my To Be Read pile (not that I needed help, but I always appreciate great recommendations!). We will have author interviews and book reviews and contests and lots of fun, so stop by in the coming weeks with your bottle of rum and your favorite book.

Thirteen Books I plan to read from the DIK list, in no particular order:

1. Kushiel’s Dart by Jacqueline Carey (started it!)
2. Daughter of the Blood by Anne Bishop
3. The Windflower by Tom and Sharon Curtis
4. Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
5. The Serpent Prince by Elizabeth Hoyt
6. Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
7. Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
8. Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
9. The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
10. By Arrangement by Madeline Hunter
11. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
12. Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor
13. My Fair Captain by J.L. Langley

It’s still thursday here in Sea-Town. Amason has directed me to this list of 13 books, but I want the down low from real readers, ie YOU. Has anyone read these books? What do you think? Which should I start with? Which should I forget about? To guide you guiding me, I adore Meljean Brook’s Guardian series, Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, and Ilona Andrews’ Magic Bites series. I am looking for books that live up to this lofty level of world building and heart. I prefer love to horror and I prefer no serial killers. They scare me. But really what I want to read is something original, thought provoking, and well written.

The thirteen books that Amazon directed me toward, In no particular order:

1. The Devil Inside by Jenna Black
2. Dragon Blood and Dragon Bones by Patricia Briggs
3. Eyes of Crow by Jeri Smith-Ready
4. Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur
5. The Iron Hunt by Marjorie M. Liu
6. Dead Witch Walking by Kim Harrison
7. Stolen by Kelley Armstrong
8. Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead
9. If Angels Burn: A Novel of the Darkyn by Lynn Viehl
10. Wolf at the Door (The Others Book 1) by Christine Warren
11. The Hunters by Shiloh Walker
12. Witch Fire by Anya Bast
13. Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy

Help!

Join with me now: “Hello my name is [name], and I’m addicted to J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood.”

Welcome!

While you wait for Lover Enshrined to come out, here are 13 other book recommendations for Black Dagger Brotherhood crack addicts.

There is a difference between Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy: Paranormal Romance must have a main love story with a satisfying Happily-Ever-After for the hero and heroine. Urban Fantasy does not. BDB falls in the former, so I have NOT included Urban Fantasy in this list (even thought Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series is teh awesome). The recommendations all contain the things we love about BDB: Alpha heroes, love-true-love, and fabulous world building.

Rec’s for BDB Addicts:

1. Guardian series by Meljean Brook
2. Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole
3. Midnight Desire by Emma Holly
4. On the Prowl anthology by Patricia Briggs, Eileen Wilks, and Karen Chance
5. Hot Spell anthology by Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker, and Meljean Brook
6. Dirk & Steele series by Marjorie M. Liu
7. Tairen Soul series by C.L. Wilson
8. Darkness Chosen series by Christina Dodd
9. Midnight Breeds series by Lara Adrian
10. Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon
11. Paladins of Darkness series by Alexis Morgan
12. Nightwalker series by Jacqueline Franks
13. Psy-Changelings series by Nalini Singh (which I haven’t read but have heard great things)

Do you have any other recommendations?

The Desert Island Keeper Hero round-robin game is over. It was fun. No one got any work done. But we got a fabulous list of our favorite heroes. My To Be Read (TBR) list is HUGE. Based on the final composition of the island, I have compiled a list of the 13 authors who had the most heroes make the DIK hero list. J.R. Ward tops the list with 8. (9 if you count Carolyn Jean’s pick of the Omega.) (edited- sorry Christine!!!) Authors 8 through 12 each had three heroes make it to the island, so they are listed in alphabetical order. Josh Lanyon had 3 heroes, but they were fought over so I listed him at the top of the 3-hero authors. Patricia Briggs has 2 heroes, but made the list over the runners-up because Adam was fought over. Viciously. You know it’s gotta be love.

Authors who Rock and their Heroes:

1. J.R. Ward: Zsadist, John Matthew aka Tehrror, Rhage, Qhuinn, Vishous, Wrath, Rehvenge, Butch O’Neill, the Omega *coughCarolynJeancough* (edited – sorry Christine!).
2. Meljean Brook: Hugh Castleford, Colin Ames-Beaumont, Savitri Murray, Michael, Ethan McCabe *coughMineHahahacough*, Belial.
3. Nalini Singh: Lucas Hunter, Hawke, Vaughn D’Angelo, Judd Laurens, Clay Bennett, Dorian
4. Suzanne Brockmann: Tom Paoletti, Sam Starrett, Max Baghat, Stan Wolchonok, Mr. Jules Cassidy
5. Laurell K. Hamilton: Doyle/The Queen’s Darkness, Rhys, Nathaniel, Barinthus
6. Lisa Kleypas: Cam Rohan, Sebastian St. Vincent, Derek Craven, Gage Travis
7. Josh Lanyon: Adrian English, Taylor MacAllister, Jake Riordan
8. Linda Howard: Gray Rouillard, James Diaz, Sam Donovan
9. Kresley Cole: Cadeon Woede, Bowen MacRieve, Conrad Wroth
10. Sherrilyn Kenyon: Zarek of Moesia, Acheron, Vane Kattalakis
11. Stephanie Meyers: Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, Ian
12. C.L. Wilson: Gaelen vel Serranis, Rain Tairen Soul, Kieran Vel Solande (I forgot mine!)
13. Patricia Briggs: Adam Hauptman, Dr. Samuel Cornick.

Runners up:

• Kelly Armstrong: Jeremy Danvers, Clay
• Anne Bishop: Lucivar Yaslana, Daemon Sadi  (edited to add)
• Jennifer Crusie: Calvin Morissey, Phineas Tucker
• Janet Evanovich: Joe Morelli, Ranger
• Patricia Gaffney: Michael McNeil, Sebastian Verlaine
• Judith Ivory: Mick Tremore, Graham Wessi
• Samantha Kane: Derek Knightly, Ian Witherspoon
• J.L. Langley: Nate, Jake Romer
• Linnea Sinclair: Branden Kel-Paten, Gabriel “Sully” Sullivan