Weird factoids I need to know to write my novel:

• Cross country trains- are they diesel or electric powered?

• A conceivable estimate of the underground facilities at Camp Hero.

• As much information I can find on fighting with 2 short swords.

• Information on all American Cryptozoological species- The Jersey Devil, Mothman, Chupacabra, Bigfoot (I actually have a lot of this information all ready - my father has a penchant for those shows)

• Information on the Higher Rates (Ranks) in the Navy, most particularly as they pertain to SEALs.

• A good idea of what untamed terrain would be over the country- for instance wooded areas and empty lots on long island are either older Pine Barrens or new forests with dense undergrowth only occasionally passable by small paths. I need this information mostly for the eastern part of the country off the seaboard, Ohio and straight south.

These are just things that I'll need to research as I continue writing to make sure that I have enough information to craft a believable world for my characters to live in. These are mostly inconsequential questions because I've already started writing and I do most of my research in the beginning; but new questions always arise as I go.

So now you know the type of things that keep me awake at night!

Review: Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake by Sarah MacLean

Sarah MacLean's Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake is a wonderfully imaginative narrative in a classic victorian world about a not-so-staid spinster and a notorious Rake who suddenly finds himself saddled with a sister he never knew he had.

First as for the cover; the title didn't grab me much except for screaming victorian romance, and I am a sucker for Victorian romances. It's a bit too long and the rhyme doesn't really help it much, but it's also by no means a terrible title. The cover picture was well done, it again pushed Victorian romance without being embarassing to buy. The back synopsis is what really sold the book. It gave you a sprited heroine and a not quite boorish hero; though I was upset that the back didn't mention the hero's sister anywhere when she was not only a major character, but a turning plot point. Besides that fact however, the back text was excellent and as I have never read Sarah MacLean before, it was the pivoting factor that had the book in my hands at the checkout line.

Now for the book: It was very entertaining to follow along as the heroine managed to surprise everone up to and including herself. MacLean managed to take an old tale, that of the "older" woman (in this caswe a whopping 28!) reclaiming her life and managed to make it refreshing and fun. The hero, Gabriel St. John, Marquess of Ralston, is suitably wicked but with enough redeming qualities to make you want to see him reform. The side characters added to the plot though some of them were a bit on the transparent side, the main characters were very refreshing and interesting.

All in all I really liked the book and thoroughly recommend it!

Word 82 of 2000

Okay, now's the first day of this blog and the first day of my challenge. I am an aspiring writer- well, really I am a writer who aspires to be a published writer.

One of my biggest challenges is having a finished novel. Not that I haven't written novels and finished them; but they have this strange tendency to get well... tossed. Or just lost.  Since I have this difficulty holding on to finished novels long enough to re-write, I will just have to write faster. (Don't try to distract me with logic!) So my current challenge is to write 2,000 words a day 5 days a week, and to review one book each weekend.

The book reviews are going to be slightly different than what you may be used to. I will be reviewing the book and the book cover. I have always argued with the literal meaning of "Don't judge a book by it's cover" because I always do, and it is that way that I've found the best authors. However there are some really ugly covers on some really great books and vice versa.

I'm not just talking about the graphic design elements either, title, blurbs and the back cover summary are all components of the cover and all of them either lead you to pick a book up or leave it on the shelf, and then to either put it back or to take it home.

Okay, I've got to get back to my novel now, as I'm only 82 words in on my 2,000 word quota.

Happy reading!