Dreamers and Thinkers

Midnight Sun (Twilight Series, Edwards Version) by Stephenie Meyer

nobody@vox.com(Heather Kay) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:50:06 -0700

So Midnight Sun is Twilight form Edwards point of view. As you may know Stephenie Meyer was in the process of writing this book when it was illigally posted on the internet. She was so upset by this that she has stopped writing the book but has put the partial daft on her website.

I liked this installment better than Bella's version of the story. However that may only be because I have read the story from Bella's point of view and this fills in all of the blanks. And I really like that we get to hear everyones thoughts as Edward hears them. The incomplete draft has left me wanting more, I really hope Myers finishes the book,

Here is the link to Midnight Sun on Stephenie Myers website. Have Fun!

Midnight Sun: Edwards Version of Twilight by Stephenie Myer

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Paranormal Romance Book Blog

nobody@vox.com(Heather Kay) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 12:55:52 -0800

Book Blog Dedicated to Paranormal Romance Books. Suggestions and Comments are More than Welcome.

Visit my Website:

www.redwineandvampires.com

Follow me on Twitter:

http://twitter.com/RedWineandVamps

Email Me:

redwineandvampires@gmail.com

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Charity Giving for Free: CauseWorld

nobody@vox.com(Susan Ee) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:33:19 -0800

CauseWorld

Happy holidays, everyone! For all you broke filmmakers, writers, artists, and other people with more heart than money, here's a free way to spread good cheer to charities and start the new year right. CauseWorld is an iphone app where you direct sponsors like Citi and Kraft to donate money to the charity of your choice just by walking into a store. Here's a story on it. Pretty sweet, huh?

Susan Ee
www.feraldream.com

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BEHIND THE SILENCE... Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist

nobody@vox.com(Aszalos Family Art) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:29:11 -0800

Dear Everybody,

I am Andrea Angelika Aszalós, writer of the novel

BEHIND THE SILENCE... Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist (published by Bastogi - 2008 - Italy) and I am presenting on this Blog site a very important part of my life: my Mother's, Éva Aszalós and my Sister's, Hajnalka Aszalós', works of art of porcelain-painting, and the oil paintings of my Mother. Synopsis of the novel and link to the story of the Moonlight and the Eosin glaze follow below

My mother and my sister are porcelain-painter artists and have made many sacrifices so that could be born that singular world that I am presenting on this blog-site to you. For these ”sacrifices” and struggles for the survival that are behind this World of Beauty, I have written the novel by the title ”Behind the Silence”, which has been published in June 2008 by an Italian publishing house.

I recommend the Synopsis of this revealing Novel and every world of my letter with all of my belief in the moral force, to your attention and to the attention of everybody who has love in their heart and who are thirsting for the rarely appearing pure mirror of the naked truth about a world that is not allowed to seen by some interests.

Artistic Album of the Familiar Collection

Published in November 2009

Aszalós Porcelain Art - Feelings and Thoughts... works of art of a Life - ALBUM 2009

The Artistic Album, that includes 148 pages, and many photographs about the Familiar Collection, is published in English and in Italian languages in this month (november 2009) thanks to a sponsors who has financed the edition in change for three beautiful works of arts, and I am so gald to can share it with you as for my family it is a very great gift from life and from God!

Over presenting the works of art of porcelain-painting, it introduces also my Mother's and my Sister's oil paintings, some biographical informations about my Mother's artstic career and important words about Feelings and Thoughts regarding some of the works of art of the Familiar Collection. ... and of course through the synopis of my novel "Behind the Silence... Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist" it brings closer to You and to the Readers of this marvellous book including so many miracles, the atmosphere in which these talkative works of art had been born.

It will be possible to order this beautiful Album before this Christmas in Italian book-shops, and from my family as well, and I am so glad to can share it with you.

With much love:
Angelika & Family

Film with music about the Aszalós Porcelains

About three years ago I promised my mother that a day I would take a pen, and write down the situations, that so many times has crossed our life - and also in themselves could be material of a sketch or a short story - and which are derived from my mother's and my sister's rare profession and from the strange social and "art-political" atmosphere, by which is characterized this little country. At that time I didn’t thought that this "moment" would come so early, and could become pressing for our life.

Horse among poppies

I can present on this site only a little part of the work of a whole life, and so the Familiar Collection made up in the long years, which contains more than 700 works of art. Among these works of art that has been being internationally signed on the world for more than 10 years, there are many irreplaceable items, presented at that time also in the National Museum of the Applied Arts of Budapest.

Photos of the art-works of the Aszalós Porcelain's Collection

Behind the Silence... Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist

The novel that I have written ( Behind the Silence… ) elaborating real events, is based on documents and correspondences, and touching some personalities of huge influence, presents, through my Mother’s life, the defenceless situation of the contemporary artists of our days for the economic policy, and how do the fights of interests, arising from this, ruin the life of some wonderful artists and persons.

For the last years’ happenings neither for moral points of view nor for other reasons there was no other choice for my family but to disclose to the World all that things that my family had to live through this singular and rare field of art in the peculiar social and ”art-political” atmosphere that characterize Hungary. …and so to describe all those things that are hidden Behind the Silence.

Moonlight

The events written in my novel affect my family’s life even today in a very hard way and I am recommending to your attention the story of the Moonlight glaze – so the story of the pair of the world-famous Eosin glaze, that my Mother after 100 years discovered again and whose technology, just like by the Zsolnay family at that time, also by my Family is kept under a secret.
See more details about the Moonlight-glaze's importance and story :

Moonlight and the Eosin - Paralells and History,

In my Family's collection there are included also the works of art belonging to the category of the art treasures, made with the technolgy of the ”Moonlilght” glaze (so with the pair of the technology of the world-famous Eosin glaze that the inheritor factury of the Zsolnay manufactury of one hundred years ago, by today can’t reproduce in its originally form).

Artistic Album of the Aszalós Porcelains

I am presenting on this blog also some of the photo-documents belonging to our references beside the titles of the chapters of ma novel that you can read below.

Unfortunately by today my mother has been suffering in a serious, incurable auto-immune disease for four years, and she is kept in life by very hard medicines, and so, also due to this fact, many things in her life have a deeper meaning for her.

Many Thanks for your attention and for your comments on a Whole Life's Work filled with heart, lived with the passion of an Artist who has given her life entirely to her work and to her loved Ones:

Andrea Angelika Aszalós Write to me to My e-mail

Synopsis of the novel Behind the Silence, follows below

Message to a kind friend: For a while I can't receive all of my e-mails! I thank you if you try to contact; me in an other way !!

PHOTOGRAPHS & ARTISTIC ALBUM of the Aszalós Porcelains

Words of Éva Aszalós:

I believe that God cares for Everyone and will care for, and think also to us, to my

dear family!

Synopsis of

Behind the Silence…

Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist.

Behind the Silence... Confessions of a porcelain-painter artist

My novel, which I have written on the basis of documents, correspondences and my mother’s memories, stands on a lived life’s real events.

It’s about my mother, about a beautiful, but by today broken person’s feelings, of a peculiar lot, and about the events hiding behind them. In the mirror of these, I show how the Politics – demanding part also from the values of Art – make impossible and sentence to death a family in the country of a tragically incompatible nation with its own sons. Through the peculiarities of the Hungarian society’s different strata, I present the contemporary art’s position in our time; the condition of the contemporary artists, who are at the mercy of the ”Fews’ interests”; and the invisible court of law, that shutters some wonderful artists’ life, annihilating them in their human quality. Within the contemporary art, I introduce my readers into that rare branche of Art, on which nearly three-hundred years ago emperors and bishops spent enormous wealths, and which even now is famous for its prestige all over the world: in the unbelievably colourful World of the Porcelains, full of intrigues, which is honoured by the name „White gold”;.

My novel, as I’ve written, is about my mother, about a delicate woman’s tempestuous course of life full of vicissitudes, whom God has given a present to, with some very exceptional endowements, and filled her heart with many love, belief and spiritual force, so that she could struggle against the dams ruining with slow death of a soured society by its own poison. Her singular sensitivity and the special field of art where her unusual skill has carried her, made her know and see many human faces, which meetings has brought in her life many pleasure, but also many suffering.

In one of the highland villages of a strange and formerly leggendary nation, settled in the Center of Europe not much more than one-thousand years ago, is born in the january of 1956, in the year of the revolution ended in massacre, that young girl, who is forced by her environment to escape already when she is a child, at hardly thirteen years old, so that she could ”arrive” as far as possible from the reality which has conducted her family to tragedy that cost her mother’s life. For her mother’s desire expressed in her ultimate letter, she is raised further on, in a small town at her uncle, where she has to face many cruelty alone. Notwithstanding, this town brings her also those meetings of her life, which give her a spiritual force which seems invincible, and a belief which doesn’t know impossible, for her further struggles. Two loves, lived for a life, carry her on in a two-faced world’s maze: the Porcelain-pinting, whose art she acquire in this place, and a strangely ”double-souled” Man, with whom she forms the most holy bond, and founds a family. Her first daughter, Hajnalka is born here, just like her desire, becoming into decision in her soul, to breake with her past again and definitively.

She moves into the beautifully situated Szeged, in the Great Hungarian Plain’s loveliest town, famous for its cultural life and for the high standard of the musical education, so that she could give to her children everithing that she missed in her youth. Andrea, her second child is born here, and she is seduced by an other very nice profession, by the fashion, which she start in with the same enthusiasm and pleasure, with which at that time she did the painting of pictures and porcelains. After the alternation of relatively balanced and tempestuous periods, after successes and enormous failure at the end, finally she returns to the Porcelain-painting, to that her dream which has been always living in her. The financial conditions to found an independent porcelain-painter studio are given to her only by this time.

Into the secrets of this splendid craft, which preservs tradition, but still includes in itself renewal, she introduces her first-born child, Hajnalka, and in few years is born a promising, fabulous and rich world by their hands. Spellbound by the Secessionist style, she works out colours which, with their profundity and peculiar light-refraction, are entirely unique on the world, and in the years, she discovers the producition-method of the world-famed glaze named Eozin, which has been being kept as secret since one hundred years, and to which she gives the name of Moonlight (Holdfény) because of its mysterious glittering of metallic lustre, shining in the most beatiful tints of the green colour, and for her respect for Vilmos Zsolnay.

She has high hopes for the porcelain-painting: she feels from the ”beginning” that it means for her the ultimate possibility of put in order her daughters’ and her own life. And she doesn’t think that, with the beautiul craft, she is happened in a ”viper’s nest” climbing until the highest social strata, which is invisible, far and maybe incredible for many people, but for her is inevitable, mortal and mortally real. Her Mother-country, this country unable to restore itself to health maybe for ever, whose history was full of vicissitudes, cause her more and more disappointment. In other form: slipped into more decorated garment, concealed behind new faces’ new masks, but she meets the same forces which has exiled her from the little highland village.

Under the burden of an incurable disease, forming in her meanwhile, and because of the glacial air of the shutting doors’ wind, her great belief and spiritual force leave her more and more.

The last year’s struggles mean for her, life or death in the real meaning of the word.

Written and translated by: Andrea Angelika Aszalós Phone: + 36 20 311 3800

Published by Bastogi Editrice Italiana in June of 2008

Chapters and some of the Photo-documentations:

The Tragedy ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

The years of Kalocsa: two Loves born to living for a life,,,,,,

Visit of the Premier in 2000, Szeged & Exhibition in 2007 - Szeged

A new chapter in my life

The town of Szeged and my second-born child, Ancsa ,,,,,,

Love: Redemption or Cross ,,,,,,,,

The dream and the reality

The limits of the Nature ,,,,,,,

The Lot sealed ,,,,,,,

A wrong decision and their consequences ……

Foundation of a porcelain-painter studio …

Exposition in the Embassy of the Republic of Hungary, in Vienna …

Ray of hope

Exclusive Gallery of the Aszalós Porcelains …….........

Prize of "Master's of Artisan Artists of the County of Csongrád"

”The_Moonlight” …………

Shine and tears

A beautiful porcelain exposition at the Days of Szeged and the visit of the delegation

of the government …………..

A tiny fruit of the struggle of power: the Prize of ”Honoured artisan-artist’s” of the County

of Csongrád …………………………………………………………………………

The Prize of the ”Honoured artisan-artist’s of Hungary”…………………………….....................................................

Calculations

My life on the ”chemist’s scales” of my husband …………

Newspaper articles and diplomas of appreciation

Touching of the Past ………………

The fatal contract …………………………

A mysterious man or fight for the life ……….

Gift from a person wasn’t known ………

The hand of God ……

The human dignity …

Refusal and Hope ……

A morsel for the Survival !

I offer the works of my life ……

The Madam Judit

An old dear acquaintance of mine ……

Visit of the Ambassador of Mongolia at our exhibition in Kunszállás

An art-patron billionaire in Hungary ………

Cry for help ………………

The Support …………

Questions and answeres ……

The Mask thrown ……

The telephone-call at late in the evening ……

The fight of the Billions ……

The Christmas saying good-bye …........

Memories from the Past

Some present thrown away and some other which cannot be taken away ….......

Dietro il Silenzio...Confessione di un'artista di pittura di porcellane - INTERNET_BOOK_SHOP. it

Artistic Album of the Aszalós Porcelains

Horse among poppies

Death of Christ

"One builds sand-castle on the shore only if he or she believes that waves can be domesticated."

Aszalós Porcelain Art - Feelings and Thoughts... works of art of a Life - ALBUM 2009

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Book Review: The Family

nobody@vox.com(Paxton) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:38:12 -0800

The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power

Jeff Sharlet

I don't read a lot of non-fiction, but after seeing interviews with Jeff Sharlet about this book, I decided I needed to read it. The full title is The Family: The Secret Fundamentalism at the Heart of American Power, and it's a truly astonishing read on many levels.

It's a difficult read, both because of the depressing nature of the subject matter and because it's dense with facts - people, places, dates, and historical background all leading up to the situation we have today in America. This is due partly to the immensely knowledgeable author, who is a research scholar at New York University's Center for Religion and Media. This book is the product of his broad knowledge of the history of religion in the United States, first hand interviews and research (including what might be considered undercover work), and the arduous task of digging through archives of correspondence belonging to the early members of The Family.

In brief, The Family is a fundamentalist Christian organization that prides itself on its secrecy and its ability to infiltrate the American political power structure. I call them Christian because their theology focuses around Jesus, though they themselves don't even like using that label, presumably because calling themselves a Christian organization might keep them out of some settings. One might also hesitate to call them Christian because their version of Christianity is unlike anything I'd really heard before.

The Family believes that God speaks directly too them during prayer. That, in itself and unfortunately, is not unique to this sect. They take this to its logical conclusion, though, that if a political leader prays and follows the will of God as it is conveyed to him from on high, then nothing else matters. Their ideal form of government, then, is a dictatorship in which the despot follows God's orders directly. They frequently point out what they see as the positive leadership qualities of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. Democracy is antithetical to this view, obviously. They have communed and prayed with vicious foreign dictators and innumerable domestic legislators from both major political parties.

This book should be required reading. Reading about this secretive theocratic movement within what many consider to be the strongest democracy in the world should frighten anyone who loves freedom.

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Sweet. This made my day: Gay Rights Activists Take Over Christian Right Hate-Fest in DC | AlterNet

nobody@vox.com(paikea) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:29:02 -0800

Sweet. This made my day: Gay Rights Activists Take Over Christian Right Hate-Fest in DC | AlterNet

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/14...

Priceless: Gay Rights Activists Take Over Christian Right Hate-Fest in DC By Joshua Holland, AlterNet Posted on November 17, 2009, Printed on November 17, 2009 http://www.alternet.org/bloggers/www.alternet.org/144013/ I guess Dana Milbank just worships power and delights in picking on the marginalized. So while I've grown to detest him for years of snarky columns cherry-picking little vignettes to make progressives -- environmentalists, anti-war activists, human rights experts -- look like hopeless geeks who should be ignored when the GOP was in power, now that the Democrats are riding high he seems to be focusing that admittedly sharp pen on tea-baggers and the religious right -- the GOP's immoderate base. Today he tells an interesting story that could have been titled: Reverend Smith Goes to Washington ... Conservative Christian ministers from across the land, determined to test the bounds of a new law punishing anti-gay hate crimes, assembled outside the Justice Department on Monday to denounce the sin of homosexuality and see whether they would be charged with lawbreaking. Needless to say, no arrests were made. No hands were cuffed. In fact, the few cops in attendance were paying no attention to the speakers, instead talking among themselves and checking their BlackBerrys. The evangelical activists had been hoping to provoke arrest, because, as organizer Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission put it, "we'd have standing to challenge the law." But their prayers were not answered. Nobody was arrested, which wasn't surprising: To run afoul of the new law, you need to "plan or prepare for an act of physical violence" or "incite an imminent act of physical violence." But there was some drama ... Instead of getting arrested, the ministers got something else: A couple of dozen gay activists, surrounding them with rainbow flags and signs announcing "Gaga for Gay Rights" and "I Am a Love Warrior." By the end, t...

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Jane Doe's Suicide Post

nobody@vox.com(Susan Ee) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 14:42:59 -0800

For the first time, I have heavily censored a post. I am strongly pro-1st Amendment, and it doesn't sit right with me to do this. But there is no resolution of this situation that is going to make anyone feel better, so I have decided to respect the wishes of my friend's family and redact the post I wrote about my reaction to my friend's suicide.

It’s taken me long hours to convince myself that this family member’s not-so-veiled threat of litigation over something in which s/he has no rights needs to be translated. This translation should read: “I am in unimaginable pain, and if you do this for me, there’s a chance that the pain might be a little more bearable for today.”

I have been telling myself that compassion for the living is more important than a memorial for the dead. That whatever it is I’m feeling is just a drop in the tsunami of tragic feelings her family is dealing with. Any unkind thing I say to them now will be carried for the rest of their lives, and it can’t be taken back next week after I’ve cooled off. I keep telling myself this, but I still feel raw about it.

Per their request, I am removing almost every detail about her in my post, which makes the whole post quite ironic when read in context. Also at the family’s request, I am removing a heart-felt poem written by her which was posted in the comments section by someone who loved her. It is full of despair and beautifully touching. It is my understanding that this poem was published on the Internet. I firmly believe that a writer who publishes her poem would want it read, felt, and appreciated for as long as possible…

…which brings me right back to the mantra of “Compassion for the living is more important than a memorial for the dead, goddammit.”

Susan Ee
www.feraldream.com

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Halfway to a manuscript

nobody@vox.com(Susan Ee) — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:03:20 -0800

This month is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). The challenge is to write 50,000 words during the month of Nov. I dove in immediately after the World Fantasy Convention. The great people I met at the convention must have inspired me because I've been on fire since then. I'm writing at a record-breaking speed for me. Yesterday was my most productive day at 3,700 words. That's a long way from the 1,000 word glass ceiling I used to live under.

I'm off to LA tomorrow for a filmmaking seminar so I needed to meet my 25,000 word goal for Sunday by today. Good thing I'm deadline driven. I'm now at 25,349 words. Yay!

Now if I can just keep myself from being distracted by my lust for a new netbook, I'll have a very rough draft of a novel to work with by mid-Dec. I'm keeping my fingers crosssed.

Susan Ee
www.Tooth-Fairy-Movie.com
www.feraldream.com

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Sookie Stackhouse, Anita Blake, Riley Jenson

nobody@vox.com(Heather Kay) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 13:34:39 -0700

Sookie Stackhouse, Books 1-7

I have read what I consider the top three Vampire Romance/Mystery book series that are out there. My Vampire interest was recently acquired through the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer, however I searched for a more adult approach on the subject matter and this is what I recommend.

Sookie Stackhouse (The Southern Vampire Mysteries) by Charlaine Harris. There are currently 8 books in the series with the next book due out in May. I read these books before HBO picked up the series True Blood which is based on them. I find the show to be slow, but that is probably because I am years down the road in Sookie Stackhouse's life. (and you can never really fully adapt a book to the screen you just miss all of the characters thoughts and feelings)

The series takes place in Louisiana and is about Sookie who is telepathic, works in a bar, lives with her grandmother, and does not have luck with men. Through recent laws passed vampires are now legal citizens. This has changed life in the small town of Bon Temps. The town is very racist to the newly revealed vampires. Bill the vampire moves in next door to her and she discovers that she cant hear his thoughts or the thoughts of any other vampire. Bill becomes her boyfriend and with that relationship she goes deep into the vampire community and catches the eye of many other vampires.

The series includes Shape Shifters, Ware Animals, Witches, Fairies and few other magical creatures that make this world very interesting and unpredictable. There is a string of different love interest throughout the series that will have you wanting more. There is also always someone who is trying to get Sookie killed or put in danger the ones she loves. I recommend this series as an introduction to the Vampire Romance/Mystery category.

Full Moon Rising (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 1)

The next series I recommend is Riley Jensen (Guardian Series) by Keri Arthur. I have read 6 of the 7 books in the series and I intend to complete the 7th in the next few days. The next installment in the series is due out in October. This series is about Riley Jenson half Vampire half Werewolf. This series dives more into the

werewolf side of things that is lacking from the other series. It follow her and her job which starts off as an office worker it the Directorate of Other Races but it evolves into the Guardian job that her boss keeps steering her towards.

Riley's twin brother is kidnapped and with a naked Vampire who has amnesia that is on her doorstep she sets out to find her brother. These books have a lot of fight scenes that are very visual, it is real easy to hold your breath through a few pages before you realize you are even doing it.

Riley goes through a string of conflicted lovers and relationships that leaves you as a reader unable to decide who to pull for. The nonstop action makes these books a very fast read. This series takes you deep into an unknown world that you could never imagine existed. I recommend this book if you are looking for a good Vampire Romance/Mystery with a window into the world or Werewolves.

Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Book 1)

The final and my favorite of the three series is the Anita Blake (Vampire Hunter) by Laurell K Hamilton. I have read 15 of the 16 books in the series (I cant seem to find a copy of Blood Noir anywhere and had to place a special order that is taking forever to come in) The 17th in the series is due out in June.

This series is about Anita Blake who is a necromancer (someone who raises zombies) by day and a legal vampire hunter by night. She is known in the vampire world as The Executioner because of her high kill count. Anita also a part of the Regional Preternatural Investigation Team RPIT which is the department of the police that deals in all crimes involving a monster of sorts.

Anita is torn between relationships and and her own moral hang-ups. This series goes deep into the Vampire and Werewolf community and a few other things that seen to fit right into this world of mayhem. Hamilton has done a really good job with describing this world so that you can imagine everything that Anita is experiencing. You also get to learn about weapons, which was never really my thing but it is put out there in such an interesting way that you can't help but want more.

This series is never dull for even a moment, you are constantly taken from one thing to the next without any time to breathing. There is also such a long list of characters that you never get bored with the same personalities.

I highly recommend this series to anyone who is interested in the Vampire Romance/Mystery. One of the best things about it is the amount of books in the series. I read very fast reader and I was on this series of books for awhile and never got bored. I cant wait for the next book in the line up.

Any book suggestions or comments please let me know!

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Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Book 16) by Laurell K Hamilton

nobody@vox.com(Heather Kay) — Sun, 03 May 2009 20:42:22 -0700

Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter)

SPOILER ALERT!!! Ok so I finished the book. I thought it was too short, but I guess I just cant get enough of this series and will always want more. Out of the entire series this installment was my least favorite, however I still could not put it down. In my opinion, the flaw with this book was that there was not an actual villain, but it looks like Jason will be moving to the list of main characters.

Here is the blurb from the back of the book. Now the Old Bastard's Dying and I Won't Have Time to Forgive Him Before He Goes......Jason Schuyler is a werewolf. He's also one of Anita Blake's best friends, and sometimes her lover. And right now he needs her--not to be a vampire hunter, or a federal marshal, or a necromancer, or even for her rank in the werewolf pack, but because his father is dying. He needs Anita because she's a pretty woman who loves him, who can make him look like an everyday guy, who agrees to go home with him and help him say good-bye to the abusive father he never loved. The fact that Jason is about as much an everyday guy as Anita is a pretty woman is something they figure they can keep under wraps for a couple of days in small town. How hard can it be? Marmee Noir, ancient mother of all vampires, picks this weekend to make a move. Somehow she has cut the connection that binds Anita and Jean-Claude unable to sense what is happening. Dangerous even as she sleeps, buried in darkness for a thousand years somewhere beneath the old country of Europe, Marmee Noir reaches out toward power. She has attacked Anita before, but never like this. In Anita she senses what she needs to make her enemies tremble.

Here is the breakdown of what happened. Nathaniel talks Anita into going with Jason to see his terminally ill father in North Carolina, and to convince him that Anita is his girlfriend and Jason is not gay. It starts out with the usual Anita hang-ups about her relationships with the men in her life and now finding herself alone with Jason. She discovered that she is having more feelings for Jason than their normal friends with benefits relationship, even without the ardur into play.

Jason is mistaken for a distant cousin Keith, who happened to be the governors troublemaking son, who is back in town to get married. This causes a little conflict because Keith has run off with the master of the city's wife, and there are vampires out to kill him, and of course they think Jason is him.

In the meantime Marmee Noir decides to try and make Anita her human servant and raises the ardur to a level that it has never been before. This causes Anita to almost change into a tiger, Marmee Noir's animal to call. She also managed to put out a call to all of the waretigers across the country. She then wakes up in the hotel room two days later with Jason and two strange waretigers and doesn't remember much. As it turns out Anita rolled Crispin one of the tigers from Vegas and he becomes addicted to the ardur.

Jean Claude sends Richard to check on Anita when he could not feel her through the marks because their connection was temporarily cut by Marmee Noir's attempts to mark Anita. Apparently Anita broke Marmee Noir's hold on her by making Jason her Wolf to call and Marmee's cat was scared away. Anita doesn't realize that she did it until Richard comes and can tell because Jason's smell changed, and they are now aware of each others thoughts and feelings. Somehow the ardur is transfered to Richard and he tries to use it on Anita but is stopped by Jason. As always he gets angry with Anita because she will not solely commit to him and he leaves. Anita and Jason return to St Louis where I'm sure the next book will try and sort out all of the new drama with the addition of Jason as Anita's animal to call. Also Jean Claude said that per vampire etiquette Anita has to meet with all of the tigers that will respond to her call.

I only touched on the parts of the book that I think are essential to the Anita Blake story line.

Book 1 of 50 in 365 Challenge!

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