Growing that anthology

 The journal's progressing and soon we'll get to that scary copy-editing stage; not just is everything spelled right, but did we use the same conventions throughout. Ellipses made of three dots in the middle of a sentence and four at the end. Italics for internal dialog. Double quotes with the right sort of quote marks at beginning and end. Mom with a small m for a character, large for a name. Period after Mr. or not, but at least make them all the same.... What else can I think of? Luckily I'll have some brave allies from the group helping with the job. We'll have to look for logical inconsistencies too, not because the writing might have made them, but because I'm scared I may have edited out the odd line by accident while trying to edit out double spaces at the ends of sentences and random numbers of spaces prefacing paragraphs. Ah, compiling an anthology is such fun!

So maybe it's time for some book reviews instead, where someone else has done all the hard work already. Grab some coffee. Choose your read.

Betrayal, by Aaron Paul Lazar, is a wonderful continuation of his Tall Pines mystery series, with love stretched to breaking point, betrayal beckoning in its many forms, and temptation an awesome power. But young girls are dying and a killer's on the loose. Fast, exciting, and ultimately honorable and sweet, this one's not yet been released, but look out for it and enjoy with a well-balanced 3-star coffee.

Murder of an Oil Heiress, by Candy Ann Little, is another intriguing, definitely adult mystery. Crossing TV's Dallas with Agatha Christie, it spends the first half of its space building an evil (and sensually detailed) seductress to be hated by everyone, leaving readers to wonder who will die, and who will kill them. The second half of the novel sets two detectives on the case in classic Christie style, with great dialog, nicely placed clues, and a classic concluding scene. Enjoy with a lively easy-drinking 2-star coffee.

Return to Sender, by Steena Holmes, reminds me of another old TV series, with one-time lovers reunited on a Fantasy Island called Eden. Chocolate might smooth the path of true love, and if it doesn't it will still taste alluringly good. Enjoy with a mild crisp 1-star coffee and have fun.

But Uvi Poznansky's A Peek at Bathsheba has its roots much further back, in the histories of the Bible. It tells of romance, but it's far more than just another historical romantic tale. This David feels very real. Old Testament times come to vivid life. And the balance between love, faith and art is satisfying complex and thought-provoking. Another classic following Rise to Power. I'm eagerly awaiting volume 3. Meanwhile, grab an elegant complex 4-star coffee to drink while you read.

Taking Command, by KyAnn Waters & Grad Stone, is another definitely adult read, set in the far reaches of space, with sexual tension occasionally overbalancing some really intriguing technology and plot. The fem-bot offers light relief, and the story could grow into a series. Find my review on Nights and Weekends.

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