Arts

WIPpet Wednesday: Are you coming?

Happy Wednesday! I finally got my dance shoes yesterday, so I can do the steps in my class properly. Trust me, it’s not possible to do a hard shoe jig in sneakers. Also, it’s no fun if you can’t make any sound.

While I was busy getting fitted for ghillies and jig shoes, my kids were at auditions part 1 million. Their school’s main stage show in February is Big Fish. Callbacks are tomorrow, and the cast list I think will be up at the end of the week. This is the first time my older child has had a shot at a speaking part in the main stage show; those are usually reserved for high schoolers.

On to this week’s WIPpet. I’m making steady progress on both Tree of Life and Minuet, alternating between them for now. I’m sticking with Tree of Life this week, but I’ll probably post from Minuet some of the time as well.

In last week’s snippet, Luke had an invitation. This week, he has a phone call.

WIPmath: 10/25/2017 = 1 + 0 + 2 + 5 = 8 short paragraphs, mostly dialog.

He returns his attention to the invitation. There’s a space for a plus one on the RSVP card, but Luke has no one to bring. Jax, his roommate, got their own invitation. Luke has no idea if Jax is seeing anyone. They haven’t said, but then again, Jax never talks about relationships.

Before he can make up his mind about which box to check, his phone rings. Luke looks at the number and lets it go another couple of rings, debating. He finally picks up.

“Hey.”

“Luke! How’s things out your way?” AJ asks.

“Good, good. Same old.” He tries to keep his voice light even though a lump springs up in his throat.

“Glad to hear it. So…you got the invitation, right?”

“Yeah.” Luke swallows to clear the dryness from his mouth. “I did.”

“Are you coming?”

Like what you read? Be sure to check out the other entries and add your own. Just post a bit of your WIP, connect it to the date, and link up with us. Many thanks to Emily Wrayburn for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!

Blog Tour & Review: My Zombie Wedding by T. Strange

Books, Reviews

About the Book

Title: My Zombie Wedding (Undead Canadian #3)

Author: T. Strange

Release Date: 10/24/17

Length: 71k words

Genre: paranormal romance, M/M, contemporary romance

Goodreads

Synopsis

Any city is bound to collect restless dead. Armed with the notebook of Icelandic magic his ex boyfriend, Bone, gave him, Edward Grey has been tasked with removing troubled spirits or finding ways for the living and the dead to coexist in harmony. Between planning his wedding with his undead Canadian fiancé, Kit Ward, and his continued studies as a medical student, Edward didn’t need another commitment, but he can’t turn away people who are frightened or in danger.

A particularly vicious ghost gives Edward an ominous warning—they’re coming—and a few days later Edward’s notebook is stolen from him. While he’s attempting to find it, he and his mentor, Mariel, are confronted by a very powerful necromancer and barely escape with their lives.

On the run, Edward is pursued everywhere he goes, until the necromancers following him manage to capture Kit.

Edward’s hunt for his kidnapped fiancé will take him to the underworld and beyond.

Just for Fun

Quiz: Which character from My Zombie Boyfriend are you?

Learn more about the Undead Canadian Series

Purchase Links

Amazon

Review

I’ve been with this series since the beginning, and I can honestly say it just keeps getting better. There’s no one way to categorize it. The story is creepy fun, with plenty of fast-paced action and an epic battle. Somehow, even the gory scenes are lighthearted, and the relationship between Edward and Kit is quality comfort reading. There’s a bit of sexiness without being graphic or even descriptive, and when Edward’s friend Bone is involved, plenty of terrible but hilarious innuendo. There’s a little of everything good in here.

Edward is definitely not your typical knight-in-shining-armor hero. He’s something like an everyman, only gifted with necromancy. He knows he’s not the fastest, strongest, or most agile, and he owns it. Yet somehow, he always fails to see that his greatest ability is his capacity for love. He somewhat styles himself as a misanthrope, but in everything he does, the care he has for his friends and family is evident. That’s what makes him so likable.

Kit is a treasure, as always. He has a lot of depth, and we saw a few more fleeting glimpses of his life when he was alive. The stories are always in Edward’s first person point of view, so we don’t get to see through Kit’s eyes. This is a good thing; I like the mystery of it and how Edward doesn’t press him for details (which Kit might not even be able to provide). We still get to know him, and slowly things have been revealed.

By far my favorite secondary character has always been Edward’s friend Bone. He is just so thoroughly weird and creepy. I was delighted to see plenty of him in this installment, and it turns out there’s much more than meets the eye with him. There’s more ground to explore there, I think, and I’d love to read it.

I’d be hard-pressed to pick a favorite book in the series, but this might be it. Edward’s world is rich, well-crafted, and a pleasure to explore. Each new part takes us deeper into it. For new readers, it does help to have read the previous two parts. There are characters introduced in those who appear in this one, and they’ll seem random without the context. The first book is how Edward and Kit ended up together, so at the very least, that one is a must-read. At the same time, there’s enough in here that’s new, and enough explanation of previous events, that it should work acceptably as a stand-alone.

For lovable characters, an edge-of-your-seat story, and a world worthy of many returns to explore, this gets 10/10 fountain pens.

About the Author

T. Strange didn’t want to learn how to read, but literacy prevailed and she hasn’t stopped reading—or writing—since. She’s been published since 2013, and she writes M/M romance in multiple genres. T.’s other interests include cross stitching, gardening, watching terrible horror movies, playing video games, and finding injured pigeons to rescue. Originally from White Rock, BC, she lives on the Canadian prairies, where she shares her home with her wife, cats, guinea pigs, and a small dog. She’s very easy to bribe with free food and drinks—especially wine.

Also by T. Strange

The Undead Canadian Series:

My Zombie Boyfriend
My Zombie Fiancé
My Zombie Wedding
Bits & Bones (forthcoming)

Amber

Social Media

Giveaway

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Rainbow Snippets: Gone

Books, Writing

Happy Saturday! Life is busy here, as usual. Eleven days until my novel Keeping the Faith makes its entry into the world. Meanwhile, I’m also on the last round of edits for my work-in-progress before sending it to my publisher. I hope to have that done by the end of the month.

For the last couple of snippets before my new book launches, I’m still pulling from Leaps of Faith, my summer anthology which is part of the Faithfully Yours series. Those who have read the series may recall that Cat was in a long-term relationship with a man who died (no, he wasn’t beaten to death). This snippet is from the short story “Alpha and Omega.”

Marion led Cat to David. No, not to David. To his cold, stiff, bloodied body. Or would he be cold yet? How long had it been? Would he still have some warmth left beneath his pale skin? Cat hung back, afraid to touch and see. The leftovers of the attempt to save David’s life littered the room.

Rainbow Snippets is a safe and welcoming space for LGBTQIA+ authors, readers, and bloggers to share 6 sentences each week from a work of fiction—published or in-progress—or a book recommendation. Feel free to join in!