Follow Friday

Good morning and Happy Friday! The weather appears to be sunny and cold here. I'll know better when I actually step outside to run errands later on, something I've not done since last Sunday, when we went to see Gangster Squad. It's been a busy week! The good news is that I may be getting a temp job that will last for about two months and pays $12/hour! Also, I am almost done reworking Leonardo di Caprio is a Vampire, at which time I shall submit it to a new publisher!

Okay, so on to the question:

Q:  WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE VILLAIN FROM A BOOK?

That is a more complex question than one might imagine. Some people will automatically assume villain, as in antagonist. But in some books, the villain is the protagonist. So I suppose it depends on one's definition.

Villain as protagonist - undoubtedly Hannibal Lecter, followed closely by Count Dracula. I have never seen Dr. Lecter as truly evil, simply on a different plane of existence from the rest of the world, a more elevated plane. He is charming, cultivated, knowledgeable, interesting, and he does have his standards regarding those whom he kills. If he is a little offbeat, well, that is understandable if you read Hannibal Rising, which explores his roots and what led him to be the way he is. And thank you, Anthony Hopkins, for bringing him so deliciously to the big screen.

As for my own books, which is a different question, I know, I think my favorite villain would be Lucifer, from Revelations, although the whole good/bad thing gets blurred at times. As Lucifer likes to say, he and God are not as diametrically opposed as some would suppose. But he does admit to being the villain in the story, albeit a very charming and vain one.

How do I see Lucifer in my own mind? Sort of a naughty Lucius Malfoy, but with greater power.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your weekend!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

PS Look for something special on Monday!

Feature and Follow Friday

TGIF, right? Although I'm sorry to see this week end. I've been working at Data Entry and loving every minute of it. Next week I return to the drudgery and boredom that is Imaging. So I'm making the most of today!

Here's my Feature and Follow Friday. To learn more about it, go here and meet new people!

Q: Activity! Who do you want to be? If you could choose any character from a book. What do you think that character looks like and what do you have in common?

My Answer:  That is a very tough question. So many characters to choose from. One that comes to mind is Ana Steele from Fifty Shades. Why? Duh! Cause she gets Christian Grey, an uber-sexy billionaire. Or do I go the other way and opt for Sirius Black, my favorite HP character of all time?  He looks like Gary Oldman, and I guess my interest is less than honorable, so let's move on.

I just finished reading Paradise Lost, a very fascinating book, and I really enjoyed the character of Lucifer (a version of which appears in my book Revelations, which comes out in February). Let's go with him. I see Lucifer as being beautiful. He was an angel, after all. Long flowing platinum hair and beautiful blue eyes. What do we have in common? We speak up for what we believe in, even if it's not a popular cause or idea. And we're not afraid to take a stand.  Yes, I'll go with Lucifer for now. Tomorrow?  Who knows!  lol

Oh, I should post a picture, shouldn't I?  Okay, here goes.  Why yes, he looks a lot like Lucius Malfoy  :)

Follow Friday and a Contest Winner

Happy Friday! TGIF, right? Today, I'm going to have a Follow Friday, AND I'm going to announce the winners of my backlist blog hop, so stay tuned for both!

Q: When you step out of your USUAL genre what do you like to read? Best books in that genre?

In all honesty, I do not have a usual genre. I read whatever appeals to me. I read mysteries, romances, yaoi, manga, history, crime drama, sci fi, classics, horror... just about anything. So what don't I usually read? I guess science books of the non-fiction type fall into that category. I'm not big on science, per se, but I am interested enough to read books on astronomy or genetics (yes, I find genetics fascinating). Best books? Off the top of my head, Cosmos comes to mind, by the late Carl Sagan. Not sure if this is science, strictly speaking or not, but I also enjoy criminal psychology. Just saying.

And now for the moment you've been waiting for, the winner of my recent Backlist Blog Hop. Drum roll please....

Yvette!  

Congratulations to Yvette! I'll be contacting you via email shortly!  The Howloween Blog Hop is coming up soon, so another chance to win!  Have a great day!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Follow Friday

This week has really flown by! Maybe because I didn't work, although I kept plenty busy. I'll be back at it Monday morning, not sure for how long, but I'll take what I can get.  So it's time for Follow Friday. Want to know more?  Go here and check it out!

Q: What do you hope to accomplish with your blog? Is it to one day become an author yourself, just for fun, maybe get some online attention, or maybe something very different?

My Answer: Well, since I'm already a published author, I'd have to say that my goal is simply to have a place to share my thoughts with people. Not just about my writing, but anything else that crosses my mind. Hopefully make friends, gain some readers, and have some fun. I post book reviews and talk about the programs I'm watching too.

Follow Friday

Happy Friday one and all, although it's a rather gray and dreary day here. Hopefully the sun will make an appearance at some point!

Q: What is the BIGGEST word you've seen used in a book lately - that made you stop and look it up? Might as well leave the definition & book too. 

I have to admit that I don't look words up often, and I don't tend to commit them to memory. Rather I absorb them into my vocabulary. I think I did look up something in a book I recently edited, The Lion's Embrace, by Marie Laval, a 19th century romance/adventure that takes place in Algeria. But I honestly don't remember what word I looked up, just that I did look up something.

Thank goodness for the Internet, right? I don't even remember where my actual paper and ink dictionary or Thesaurus are. I'm spoiled by being able to go to these places online.



Want to be a part of Follow Friday? Or just visit the other participants? You can check it all out here!

Follow Friday #51/Book Blogger Hop #34

Good morning and Happy Friday!

Q: What hyped up book do you think was worth all the talk?

I heard a lot about Fifty Shades of Grey and my curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to try it. And I loved it! I know there are a lot of people who make fun of it. I think they're just jealous. 

Q:  What is one thing that your blog readers probably do not know about you?



I was once part of a local branch of a national singing organization called Up With People.

Follow Friday and the Winners of the With Love VDay contest

Happy Friday to you all! Before I ask this week's question, I'd like to announce that I chose two winners of the With Love Valentine's Day Blog Hop. Thanks to all who entered, and be sure to come back for Hoppy Easter! And now, drum roll if you please...... the winners are:  Norma and Lisa! I will be contacting both of you to choose which book from my backlist you'd like!  Congratulations to you both!  Now, on to this week's question!

Q:   I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What’s the most unique character name you’ve come across?

A:  I've seen a lot of unusual names, and I have to agree that Renesmee from Twilight is one of those. Horrible, horrible name. Sookie Stackhouse is unique and memorable, and I like that - especially the way Bill says it. It's hard to define unique, though, because constant usage takes something that was unique and makes it commonplace. Everyone and their brother jumps on the bandwagon and there you go. These days, romance writers are overusing names like Jayden so that you get tired of seeing them. Real people have common names too. 

Follow Friday #37

Good morning and happy Friday! Time for another Follow Friday and Blog Hop, sponsored by parajunkee.com. We have a new logo! Thanks for stopping by, and on to today's questions:

Q: Define what characteristics your favorite books share. Do they all have a kickass heroine or is the hot love interest the Alpha Male? 



A.  I love books of all different types, but I do enjoy a story that is different, with characters that aren't stereotypes or predictable.  The writing has to hold my interested, and I hate to be distracted with bad editing. Bad covers just keep me from looking at the book to begin with.  One consistency I do have is that in the Regency romances that I read, there is always a titled male character, who is generally some sort of a rogue, and a very strong character.  I think I like my male vampires to be rather Alpha, too.  Other than that, just give me a good story!

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

Q: When you've read a book, what do you do with it? (Keep it, give it away, donate it, sell it, swap it..?)


For me, it depends on the book, and how much I loved it or liked it. Books that I love, I keep. Others I give away, such as Half Blood Prince, because I hated it. I like to collect series, so of course I keep those. Sometimes I have too many books and limited space. Then I have to go through and weed out my collection. I would never throw a book away. I 'd rather find it a new home than do that.

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

TGIF, right? Good day and welcome to another edition of Follow Friday! Today the question concerns pet peeves in books, so let's get to it, shall we?

Q: What is your biggest pet peeve when it comes to books? Maybe you don’t like love triangles or thin plots? Tell us about it!

I think it would be unbelievable characters with unreal motivations.  Those you shake your head at and ask yourself why, cause their behavior makes no sense, even in the author's world. Like the writer can't follow his or her own rules of conduct, or the parameter of the world they've set up.  Or how about the author who throws in something that was never mentioned previously as a solution to all the characters' problems?  Of courrse, biggest of all would be bad writing lol  Nothing cures that.

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

Happy Friday! Is everybody happy? I've decided that happiness is what you make of it, so I'm going to make this a very happy day! I'm glad to see you all! Thanks for stopping by!

 Q: If you could have characters from a book meet and form an epic storyline with characters from a TV series, which characters would you choose and why?

Answer: There are so many possibilities! So, having to just pick one, let's get really different. Let's take the characters from Dune (the books) and bring them face to face with the characters from the Borgias, and see which family ends up on top!




What else am I up to today?  I'm visiting with Lavinia Lewis at her blog, discussing my latest release and my co-author and friend/sister S.L. Danielson. Stop on by and say hello!

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

Happy Friday!  TGIF, right?

Q. If you could pick one character in a book, movie or television show to swap places with, who would it be?

Answer: That's a tough one. My first answer is from  Moonlight. I want to be Beth, so I can love Mick St. John, the way he loves her.

Or I sort of want to be Elena Gilbert, long enough to ditch Stefan and take the better Salvatore brother, Damon.

Moulin Rouge - I want to be Satine, and be in love with the duke, rather than Christian.

To the Max series - I want to be Max, except that I really am, does that count?

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

Hello, hello, time for some more hopping and blogging, 'cause it's Friday!

Q. Do you have a favorite series that you read over and over again? Tell us a bit about it and why you keep on revisiting it?

A. I have some new series that I'm sure I'll re-read when I get the chance, including the Percy Jackson series, and the Dark Hunter series, but there are two series that come to mind that I've read a few times already, and love to death. Isaac Asimov's Foundation books, and Frank Herbert's Dune. There are other series I want to try, including the rest of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and the Lara Adrian Midnight books. But these two series are classics, and I love them to death.

Follow Friday & Blog hopping

Happy Friday and welcome to Follow Friday!

Q:What imaginary book world would you like to make a reality?

That's a hard question. I first thought of Dune, so I could meet the Leto of God Emperor Dune, but I realized Arrakis is far too harsh a planet. I thought of Oz, but it's not exactly a great place to be. At least not until the Wicked Witch dies.  So I think I'll go with Wonderland and see what adventures I can have and people I can see (there's more than one Wonderland, you know, so I'll choose the one in Alice in the Country of Hearts, so I can meet the very hot Hatter, Blood Dupre!)

Let me show you who I mean, just for the record.  Very bishounen, isn't he?

Follow Friday Gone with The Wind - Order of the Phoenix

Q. If you could change the ending of a book or series, which book would you choose and why?

Gone with the Wind. Rhett would stay, Scarlett would behave and they'd be happily ever after forever! And because it made me cry so hard, Order of the Phoenix - Sirius would live and he and Remus would marry and live together forever. Damn JK anyway for what she did!

It's Follow Friday time!

Hello and happy Follow Friday, as sponsored by Parajunkee.com. Hope you're having a great day! Let's go right to the heart of the matter - the question!

Q. Let's step away from books for a second and get personal. What T-Shirt slogan best describes you?

Have to think on that way, I don't tend to wear T-shirts with messages. But let's say I do (when I'm not wearing Sirius Black), I think this would be a good one.



Scary, eh?



Happy Follow Friday!

Follow Friday

It's Friday, and it's not just the end of the week, it's time for blog hopping!

Q. NAME 3 AUTHORS THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO SIT DOWN AND SPEND AN HOUR OR A MEAL WITH JUST TALKING ABOUT EITHER THEIR BOOKS OR GET ADVICE ON WRITING FROM?

Well, to be practical, let's eliminate the ones that are deceased, as having dinner with a corpse isn't exactly viable, is it? So among living authors, I would say Charlaine Harris, but she obviously has a very wonderful sense of humor and a great way of creating amazing characters. Sherrilyn Kenyon for advice on how she creates such hot vampires and how she researches and weaves in the Greek myths into her stories - and how does she keep everything straight. Then Mike Carey - to discuss his graphic novels, particularly Lucifer, and to get advice on writing a graphic novel.

Happy Friday! Thanks in advance for visiting my blog, I'll be heading out to do some visiting of my own shortly!

♥ Julie

Feature & Follow Friday

I'm trying something new, so bear with me, it's a Friday blog hop, hosted by Parajunkee. Nicki's talked me into it, so I'm giving it a go.

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Q. Let's step away from besties...What is the worst book that you've ever read and actually finished?

I honestly don't tend to finish horrible books, but occasionally I have to, because I'm reviewing one. I think one of the worst was Tracing the Devil. I kept asking myself - are you kidding? Sadly, the author wasn't. I disliked it from the very beginning.  Luckily this is the exception, not the rule, and I enjoy most books I read.