Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!

The Dog

Today, Floyd went scouting for good duck hunting spots with my husband, who has the week off. Thought I'd share a picture of the old lab staring out at a lake with hunger in his eyes. He really, really, really loves to swim. And for the discerning types out there, no, this post has nothing whatsoever to do with writing. Ha. Take that.

Win Category Romances: Bundle #4 Contest

SCARY SEASON BUNDLE #4*

For you category readers... To be entered to win this next bundle of romance, answer the following question:

**What's the appeal of category romance?

Send your answer to marie_harte@yahoo.com with BUNDLE #4 in the subject line. Contest Ends November 1st!

*The bundle of books is only a valid prize for those entrants who live in the continental U.S. International readers, please see my website for the current gift certificate contest.

Anthologies, Anyone?

I'm at The Romance Studio today blogging about Anthologies. Feel free to add your two cents, as well as any recommendations for anthologies you liked. I personally loved Hot for the Holidays, with stories from Angela Knight, Lora Leigh, Anya Bast and Allyson James. Yep, I added it to my keeper shelf. :)

Free Reads

Well, I was going to post today about authors who say they write romance but don't. A friend and I got together last night over coffee to discuss this topic, and both of us were more than annoyed with this current trend of using loyal romance readers to boost sales among books that are NOT necessarily romance, but fiction with romantic elements. Alas, I will not bore you with this topic today. I'm saving up for tomorrow.

Instead, I'd like to share some terrific free reads. Samhain is having a Halloween celebration by giving away free reads during this month. If you haven't checked them out, you're missing out. Terrific authors with short, FREE stories. What's not to like? No obligation to buy, no annoying spam. It's a way for authors to market their skills, teasing with shorter stories to get you hooked on their writing. Great promotional tool!

Click on this link for details on Samhain's stories.
And for free reads from my website, click here and scroll down to "Free Reads".

Zombieland: A Movie Review

I like to post movie reviews when I've seen something worth talking about, good or bad. Zombieland delivers what it promises, but don't believe all the hype.

In a world where most everyone is a zombie, a few humans unaffected by the virus that turned everyone mucho disgusto manage to work together on what is basically a road trip of a movie.

The casting really worked. Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin were terrific. The action was decent, but the pacing felt off. The characters have a destination in mind but are sidetracked by some funny but unnecessary scenes that slowed down the pace for me. And I still don't get the huge scene with a big star toward the end. That really made little sense except to act as filler. Kind of goofy, and it detracted from the movie.

The gore factor is high. Harrelson kills as many zombies as he can in the most disgusting fashion. I liked it. So what does that say about me? The movie isn't scary at all. Its comedic tones work well. There were several moments where I had to work REALLY hard to suspend disbelief. Like, if you're going to avoid detection from an entire city of zombies, would you really power up a theme park that can be seen and heard for miles? And how did they power the thing up in the first place if people aren't around to make the electricity work? And how did they ride the rides without someone there to turn them on? Or do the rides run on a timer? Ack. That last scene really bugged me.

My biggest problem is that this movie was hyped to be so incredible when in reality it was entertaining but not stellar. I didn't leave gasping, thoughtful, or overwhelmed with feeling, not that I anticipated being weepy or anything. But sometimes when you see a movie that's great, it stays with you for a while after seeing it. Mine felt like a Chinese meal. Five minutes after seeing it, I was hungry for something more.

All in all, I can't complain. For two hours I was entertained, though I wish I would have paid the matinee fee instead.

Overall, B+.

Talking about Covers

Yesterday I blogged at Hitting the Hot Spot about wacky titles. Today I'm talking about bizarro covers at Samhain's blog. Come on over and comment.

Bundle #3 Winner

Congrats to Pam P. for winning the bundle. Thanks to everyone who participated, and check out the next contest tomorrow.

Hitting the Hot Spot Today

I'm at Hitting the Hot Spot today talking about wacky titles. Check it out.

Surrogates, A Review

(I'm going to plagiarize myself and repost what I blogged about on another site a few days ago. The content still applies.)

I thought I'd review Surrogates, a movie currently playing in theaters. It's a mystery with a bit of sci-fi and suspense expertly woven throughout the story.

The gist of this film is that humanity no longer lives and experiences anything themselves. They use surrogates, robotic hybrids, to live for them. Humans connect to these robots via a device (that looks like a funky LazyBoy) while they sit at home in bathrobes. No lie. Most every human in the movie wore pajamas while at home.

The premise is interesting in and of itself. Imagine being able to leap tall buildings, fall from a bridge or rooftop, or swim for hours. The surrogate may die, but the human will not. Cool...and in comes the suspense. Because a surrogate dies, and its human dies with it. Cops die via their surrogates. A super-secret weapon is exposed. Rebel human factions (the Dreads) enter the fray, convinced surrogates are the enemy. More people die, more threats are exposed.

I was interested from the get-go and the movie kept me fascinated throughout. There's mystery, character growth (the hero and his wife have issues, an interesting dynamic), and a general thought-provoking concept making you wonder whether robots will help or harm humanity in the long run. When exactly do we as a people lose ourselves in technology? Are we losing ourselves now, I ask myself as I type on my computer?

It's a definite must see if you like to think about what-if's. The acting was decent, the plot fast paced and somewhat predictable, though not an easy guess. I'd give it a strong B+. There's violence, so it's not for the squeamish, but not much gore past the green goo that oozes from the surrogates.

Check out Surrogates. You won't be disappointed. And just in case you were wondering, this movie is NOT for small children. The rating is PG-13.

Caging the Beast, New Release!

Today, Caging the Beast, a m/m futuristic romance, releases from Total E-Bound. It's fast paced, adventurous, and deals with a bit of light dominance. The book has some reappearing characters from Creation's Control, but is completely stand-alone.

Here's a blurb.

Zachem'zen is known in the slave pens as ‘the beast.’ A brawler of planetary renown, he’s never been beaten. He was designed to be stronger than the strongest in the System. A Creation on the run from peacemakers, he trusted the wrong people and wound up a slave on Colony6. He’s never been happy, but he’s been content to bide his escape. Until a new prisoner rocks his world. Tarn’s dominant desire makes him hungry for more. The passion between them burns hot, but Zachem has no intention of being anyone’s slave for much longer. The commanding Tarn, however, has other ideas.

To read an excerpt, click here. Happy Monday!

Bundle #3 Contest

SCARY SEASON BUNDLE #3*

For you thriller buffs... To be entered to win this next bundle of fiction (not romance) from Allison Brennan, Michelle Gagnon and Cody McFadyen, answer the following questions:

**What's your favorite blend of scare factor? Gore, tension, the supernatural? Does there have to be a monster in it?

Send your answer to marie_harte@yahoo.com with BUNDLE #3 in the subject line. Contest Ends October 21st!

[As a bonus, I'll throw in four (used) historical romances as well, since, heck, I'm all about the romance: The Marshall Takes a Bride by Renee Ryan, The Wedding Bargain by Victoria Alexander, Surrender to a Scoundrel by Julianne MacLean, and Goddess of the Hunt by Tessa Dare.]

*The bundle of books is only a valid prize for those entrants who live in the continental U.S.

~~~

For international readers only: Answer the following questions to be entered to win a $15 gift certificate to Loose Id, as well as a $15 Barnes & Noble gift certificate.

*What's your favorite blend of scare factor? Gore, tension, the supernatural? Does there have to be a monster in it?

Send your answer to marie_harte@yahoo.com with BUNDLE #3 in the subject line. And because I'm curious, tell me where you're from! Contest Ends October 28th!

Prizes must be claimed within 30 days. Email me for details at marie_harte@yahoo.com.