The War of the Weres Continues with the Midwife's Moon, a review

Author’s Description

An ex-lover on trial, life as a newly formed werewolf, and a passion kindled; what’s a girl to do? Released from depraved control of a psychotic lupa, free to find his mate, and a passion kindled; what's a man to do?

Lisa Sanchez is having a bad couple of years. She was betrayed by her lover and made into a werewolf but she’s making the best of her new life…except when it comes to love. Lisa is out of luck in that department until Lance arrives in her not-so-perfect life. 

Lance Navarro once saved his mate from the clutches of his ruthless pack leader by hiding her in a rival pack. Then the packs merged and things got interesting.

Can Lisa accept that Lance is to be her new mate, and get past the betrayal of the last wolf who made promises? Can Lance protect her from the vindictive pack leader? Or will they end up sharing an early grave?

Midwife’s Moon is the second installment in the War of the Weres series. In the first book, Ulfric’s Mate, we were introduced to Nolan, Ulfric of the Wahpawhat, and Alexandria, healer of the Lupin pack.  The Lupin and Wahpawhat packs are eventually merged with Nolan as leader. This left Roxie, sociopathic former lupa of the Lupin pack and her cohorts in exile and angry.

In the Midwife’s Moon we resume the story and re-introduce and explore the characters, Lance and Lisa. Their story follows the continued struggles of the merger of the packs, the wicked Roxie and her quest to regain control of the weres. In the midst of this Lisa, a human turned werewolf by and abandoned by her former lover, a member of the Lupin pack, tries to adapt to her new reality. Lance, who rescued the unconscious Lisa, finds her again and the attraction is the powerful and immediate attraction of a mated pair. They must both overcome the pain and rejection of their pasts to save the newly formed pack and themselves.

This is a well crafted sequel. While it stands on its own, I highly recommend that you read Ulfric’s Mate, as well. The characters are three-dimensional and the world building solid. The plot is tightly written with enough tension and a few unanswered questions that make me look forward to the next installment.

Overall this was an enjoyable read and I highly recommend it! I give Midwife’s Moon 5 out of 5 triskeles.

                                             

Leona Bushman goes by many names but the most common one is superhero. She earned this name from saving a kangaroo from a tree—and yes that is as hard as it sounds. The dragons taught their queen how to write, and Queen Leona hasn't looked back. Even when her muse tries to muck things up.

She can be found goofing off and loving dragons and other creatures of the supernatural at these places:

Twitter: @L_Bushman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeonaBushman

Queen Leona writes mainly for Breathless Press, and the bulk of her books are found here:

Leona's Breathless Press page

This includes:

The Ulfric's Mate*                                                                   Serviced, Vol 1 ~ Over A Dead Body

Ravaged, Vol 1 ~ Barely There*                                              Down on the Farm, Vol 1 ~ The Lion,      the Witch, and the Faeries

Rick Sexed Up the Doc ~ Naughty Nursery Rhyme                The Captain's Christmas ~ Cyber

Crimson, Vol 1 ~ Daryn's Slayer **                                        Slow Burn ~Dead Man Walking special

The Midwife's Moon*

Mayhem in Mexico: Zombie Infestation A Serena Rouge Novel

*Denotes War of the Weres series

Coming Soon from Breathless Press:

Ravaged, Vol 2~ Witchy Wolf Coming January 3^rd.

The Fox in the Wolf Den* freebie

Guest Blogger, Danny Coleman Interviews Peter Dabbene, book reviewer, writer and creator of the graphic novel, Ark

This week we welcome again, Danny Coleman as our guest blogger. Last week, Danny took us inside a NaNoWriMo write-in. This week, he shares with us a recent interview with Peter Dabbene, book reviewer, writer and graphic novelist to talk about his graphic novel, Ark.

Take it away, Danny and Peter!

“Most people’s experience with comic books is that it’s meant for kids; kids get older and still like comic books,” says author, graphic novelist and Hamilton resident Peter Dabbene. “The comic book companies realized that it’s still ok to read comics as an adult, so they began publishing graphic novels.”

By definition, a graphic novel is “a novel in the form of comic strips,” and Dabbene, a Staten Island native, recently published his first; a space age suspense thriller entitled “Ark.” 

Set years into the future and based on a premise that there are other planets which are inhabitable in the vast

realm of outer space, “Ark” brings together human and “meta-human” beings aboard a space craft to carry out a long and arduous mission to seek new planets, solar systems and life. Meta-humans are creatures, whom are the result of crossbreeding experiments by world scientists and governments between the human, animal, plant and insect species.

The novel has several plot twists and turns and is rife with foreshadowing, which only serves to heighten the suspense and drama that Dabbene masterfully intertwines within its pages.

Recently I caught up with Peter for an informative Q & A about himself, graphic novels and the comic industry. An extremely pleasant conversationalist, as well as informative and funny, he easily opened up to me and was more than willing to talk about his passion.

Danny Coleman: Have you always been or was there another vocation for you prior to becoming a graphic novelist?

Peter Dabbene: “I am actually a book reviewer. I’ve always liked to write, in the past I’ve written poetry, plays, and short stories; the beauty of it is, there are things that you can do with one but not the others.  Being a reviewer, I get to make money off of something that I like to do; it’s great because I’ve really found some hidden gems in some of my work that I never would’ve known of.”

DC:   How did you gain interest in writing a graphic novel?

PD: “I grew up in Staten Island and moved to Hamilton about fifteen years ago. As a kid I had an interest in and started reading comic books. I was about five when the original “Star Wars” came out, Marvel Comics put out more on that series and I kept reading, then I branched out into Superheroes. As I got older my tastes changed and I advanced to the graphic novel type.” 

DC: Tell us about the concept behind “Ark?”

PD: “I don’t know really. I wanted to do something Science Fiction and this story developed over time; I take a lot of notes. I like tension, drama, people trapped in one place and the interpersonal tensions that develop. “Ark” has a few moments of humor but it’s also a fast paced thriller.”

DC: You mentioned that it developed “over time,” how long did it take from the original concept to completion and what is the average time length that it takes for a project such as this?

PD: “You know, I couldn’t tell you an average time. It took me about a year; well it’s been in the works for about four years, I took my time over the last year working up the script. So yeah, it took about four years once everything was in place.”

DC: You had to choose an illustrator/artist; can you talk about that process?

PD: “I looked for quite a while. I went the standard route, put up ads at comic shows, asked around and the like, I finally found him on line. He actually lives in the UK and his name is Ryan Bayliss. I have yet to meet him face to face but I did hear his voice for the first time when we did a podcast for a Scottish web site. We’ve worked together for a while now and we know each other, trust each other and have built a good relationship; we just let each other go with it creatively.”

DC: What can you tell me about the characters in the novel?

PD: “That’s a good question. The ensemble was created so that you don’t know who the main character is. The main character tends to stay on for the whole story as opposed to secondary ones who get killed off early or fade away. I designed them to keep you more interested in the story, wanted the reader to wonder; I throw in random elements to stamp them as my own, I like readers to be surprised. First I decided to make it the Captain, then I was not sure but I think I settled on Harmony Smith.”

DC: Is there a target audience and a marketing strategy?

PD: “My publisher, Arcana Publishing handles most of the marketing; they’re on the west coast. I’d say our audience is probably older teens but mostly adults. Fans of “Star Trek” or “Babylon 5” are most likely to get into this type of novel but if people like to read and give it a chance; they may like it.”

DC: Will there be a follow up to “Ark?”

PD: “I’m currently working on a different graphic novel using the same artist; it’s called “The Adventures of Spam Fram. It is based on virtual worlds that people use for entertainment like an avatar or Sims. Arcana have contracted me for three total books, so there will be two more in the series. Once I’m done with the new novel I will return to the “Ark” series.”

Arcana Publishing has priced the digital version of Dabbene’s “Ark” at $4.99 and the print edition is available for $19.95. Along with it being available at www.arcana.com and at some comic bookstores; it can also be found at Amazon.com.    

Peter Dabbene’s poetry has been published in many online and print literary journals, and collected in the book Optimism. His stories can be found online at www.defenestrationmag.net,  www.mcsweeneys.net,  www.piginpoke.com, www.wordriot.org, and elsewhere, and his comic book work can be seen in the graphic novel Ark and the magazine Futurequake. He has published two story collections, Prime Movements and Glossolalia, and a novel, Mister Dreyfus' Demons. His latest book is the humor collection Spamming the Spammers (with Dieter P. Bieny). He writes a monthly column for the Hamilton Post(viewable at www.mercerspace.com/blog/pdabbene) and reviews for BlueInk Review and Foreword Reviews His plays have been performed in New Jersey and Philadelphia venues. His website is www.peterdabbene.com

Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program

called “Rock On Radio,” which airs Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. EST, on it he features indie/original bands, solo and unsigned artists and entertainers in a laid-back atmosphere. There are live performances, interviews, phone calls and interactive chat rooms as well. He has been a guest on many radio and television programs. You can find Danny, his radio show and his writings at the links below and his weekly print column can be found in The Trentonian newspaper:

Rock On Radio Facebook Page                                              Concertblogger.com

The Rock Rag                                                                         The Shore Thing

NaNoWriMo: One Man's Perspective with Guest Blogger Danny Coleman

Today we welcome Danny Coleman as our guest blogger. Danny is an accomplished journalist and radio personality. Last month, he was invited to his first NaNoWriMo write-in. As many NaNoWriMo participants review their accomplishments and ponder next steps, we hope this post will re-ignite your passion to edit and publish.

November is National Novel Writers Month, more commonly known as “NaNoWriMo.” When first heard, the anagram possibly sounds like language from a strange planet, or perhaps more like a line spoken by Robin Williams in the old “Mork and Mindy” television series; rest assured it is neither.

According to its own web site, “NaNoWriMo is a fun seat-of-your pants approach to creative writing.” Every year, beginning on November 1 and running thru November 30, people from all walks of life and professions are encouraged to take on the challenge of writing a 50,000 word novel over the course of those thirty days. Skilled, unskilled, amateur or professional writers are all welcome to “hunker down” and push themselves towards the finish line in this truly unique literary experience.

The Central New Jersey “WriMos” are one of five “NaNoWriMo” regions and are led by Bridgewater resident Bill Patterson and Richenda Gould of Plainsboro; two very enthusiastic writers in their own right and known as the Municipal Liaisons. From their vantage point at the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library in Pennington, the duo sits amongst their fellow writers and would be novelists, urging them on through various activities like “write- ins” and “word wars.” “You wouldn’t think it because we’re in a library but this really is like a social event,” said Gould.

On this particular day, there were ten participants, a tad higher than the seven to eight that has so far been the daily average. Patterson, a married father of two boys, was the focus of the day’s event as he was the self-imposed “Monkey in the Box.” Putting in an eight hour shift with one fifteen minute break per hour, Patterson accepted the task of writing 10,000 words during that time frame. “I’m averaging about 1,400 per hour,” he said. “The only difference is that I’m writing and all of my words are being projected on a big screen so that everybody can read them, hence, I am the Monkey in the Box. I am under a microscope; it’s a challenge but fun.” “Yes it’s a true public forum,” chimed in Gould. “His written words projected on the big screen for all the people to see, we hope it’s inspiring.” I was afforded the opportunity to participate in an hourly guessing game; guess the total number of words that Patterson will write during the current hour and get to name a character in one of his novels. I came within a hundred words but was bested by another in attendance.

The clicking sound of furious fingers tapping away on laptops was quietly deafening as each would be author applied generous amounts of pressure to themselves to reach their word goal. Pennington resident Shelley Seymour, a married mother of two daughters, real estate referral agent, blogger and self-published author has written five previous novels and got her start because of “NaNoWriMo.” “I’m from Canada,” said Shelley. “I was educated through the graduate level in English Literature from Ottawa Canada where I took creative writing, this event, “NaNoWriMo” got me into this. I’ve now got my own publishing company and I’ve done it pretty much on my own. I figured a literary agent, even with a good one, major publishing companies only accept one out of every twelve hundred to two thousand books; I’ve published five on my own and I got started at an event like this.”

Sarah Sensenig, 29, a married vocal music teacher and like Seymour, a Pennington resident, has only begun writing in the last three months. Sarah is penning a “Dystopian Sci-Fi Romance” because it’s her favorite genre. “My husband is a music teacher at Pennington School; I graduated from Princeton’s Westminster Choir College and my mom was a writer, she wrote a book when I was in third grade and she used to make me read all the time. I never minded because I love to read, I did then and still do now. I started writing for fun and I got hooked. I’ve attended a writing workshop here at the library and decided to come back for “NaNoWriMo.” This is a great thing, I’m glad that I’m doing it.”

Former journalist and Hopewell Township resident Susan Swords, a married mother of one daughter and currently employed by the State of New Jersey was attending her first “NaNo.” “I’ve been writing creatively for about four or five years now, my first job was that of a newspaper reporter, quite a difference in styles. In my journalism days I had to rely on facts and relaying things accurately; as a novelist I can just let it flow. The difference is that I can embellish my work now, I’m not held to the facts.” Swords is writing a “Sci-Fi novel about a girl’s journey, who during its course, keeps getting randomly transported in time without warning,” a “Kind of scary but good undertaking.” “I wrote 3,500 words today but to look at a blank screen, knowing you have a word quota, can be intimidating. I am enjoying every bit of this; I can get something done that I never thought that I’d be able to do and the program gives you tons of support.”

Librarian Ross Holley, 22, participated in “NaNo” in high school and enjoys seeing the writers come and go. “I’ve been a librarian for the last seven years and I’m currently in Grad School, so my time is limited but if it wasn’t, I’d be right with them. I love seeing it drive extra traffic to the library, love the write-ins; it’s always good to have something going on here.”

According to Patterson, he has big plans for the Central New Jersey Region “WriMos,” “I registered for my first “NaNo” in 2007. During the registration process an entire plot, seemingly all 50,000 words came to me, I thought, I can do this. From there I became more involved and eventually thought, why not? I became the Municipal Liaison for Central Jersey Region and when I teamed up with Shen it just got better. I want to have a “Write All Night” where we get going around 6 p.m. and finish at 6 a.m. I want a large venue where we can have a huge group of writers take part. I want this in addition to the smaller library sessions. That’s my job, I dream big and Shen makes it happen!”

To obtain more information about “NaNoWriMo” or the Central Jersey Region, please go to www.nanowrimo.org or www.facebook.com/cnjwrimos.

Danny Coleman is a veteran musician and writer from central New Jersey. He hosts a weekly radio program called “Rock On Radio,” which airs Sunday evenings at 10 p.m. EST, on it he features indie/original bands, solo and unsigned artists and entertainers in a laid-back atmosphere. There are live performances, interviews, phone calls and interactive chat rooms as well. He has been a guest on many radio and television programs. You can find Danny, his radio show and his writings at the links below and his weekly print column can be found in The Trentonian newspaper:

Rock On Radio Facebook Page                                              Concertblogger.com

The Rock Rag                                                                         The Shore Thing