Maenads: The Loves of Leopold Singer
Many, many years ago I wrote a novel I called Carleson Peak. I had written novels before – heck, I’ve been writing all sorts of things all my life – but never anything with such scope or grandeur (tongue in cheek).
My doorstopper has been in a drawer but not forgotten. This is the book of my tender, silly, romantic imagination. It’s a mess of a family saga, full of all the things you’re not supposed to write about – forced sex, secret babies, religion, mermaids real or imagined. It covers too many years (1776 to 1832) and has way, way, way too many characters. Think Middlemarch meets Hawaii.
I submitted this novel to agents when I was still doing that dance. One agent emailed me while she was reading it, gushing about how much she loved it. In the end, she passed. Her agency didn’t know how to sell it.
In keeping with my weird titles, I always wanted to call the book Maenads. Then True Blood kind of ruined the idea. But now we’re more than a season past the maenad storyline, and at least everyone knows what a maenad is.
I was sick between Christmas and New Year’s. Sick as a dog. I couldn’t work on Bride of Fae, and I happened to pull poor Carleson Peak out of its drawer. I still love it! This isn’t like the books you’re used to from me. It’s reality based. No magical creatures, though of course with a setting in 19th century England (and Austria and the Caribbean and Massachusetts – told you it’s a mess) there is talk of fairies and loa and mermaids.
So, I’m bringing it out! I won’t be making a big deal about this book because it doesn’t fit with the science fiction/fantasy I write now. But I think it’s a wonderful story, and I do believe people who like love stories will love it. This is more “women’s fiction” in that the happily ever after doesn’t show up for everyone, but it’s definitely chock-a-block with romance.
UPDATE – It’s live! and available for both Kindle and Nook at the release price of $3.99. This is a huge book, and will be priced at $4.99 starting next Friday, Jan 27. (As you can see, I took Maenads out of the title.)
I’m keeping LOLS out of Select for one week so my Nook readers can get it, but please note the Nook availability is limited.
UPDATE – Jan 2013 – This book is driving me crazy! I’ve changed the title again, to Love Was Never Wise …. but …. I’m not finished with Leopold. I’m going to be taking LWNW off the market and expanding it into a series.
Give Me Is Going To Print
TERyvisions has designed an absolutely gorgeous cover for the print edition of Give Me – A Tale of Wyrd and Fae, using Phatpuppy’s art, of course! (I didn’t include Terry’s link because she’s on sabbatical; I was just lucky to get this project in with her.)
LK Rigel’s Best of 2011
Some pretty great things came to my attention in 2011. In no particular order:
George Takei. His running commentary on Facebook is intelligent, provocative, hilarious, and kind.
The Orchard by Theresa Weir. As an enemy first unrecognized then denied destroys lives and the land, Weir rescues herself and her children and finds renewal in a creative life. And it’s all true.
The antidote to entertainment porn.
Downton Abbey. I love these British series – and with Julian Fellowes involved, it’s no surprise this is one of the good ones. Maggie Smith owns every scene she’s in, and Michelle Dockery is outstanding.
Note: Be sure to buy or stream the British uncut version (stream link at Amazon – Netflix has the cut American version)
Elizabeth Warren. A real throwback to the days of American meritocracy, Warren was born into a working class family and received a great education in the days we still believed in investing in the next generation. Now she’s running for a US Senate seat against Wall Street’s darling, Scott Brown.
If Warren wins, it could be a sign that government by and for the people is the new black.
That last scene. Despite the boring misogyny that permeates Game of Thrones, it was all worth it for the last sequence. Can’t wait for April 15.
Never Let Me Go. The book is unopened on my Kindle, but shot up the TBR list after I saw this movie. Dares to ask the question: Are we past the point of caring about our fellow beings’ souls?
The story haunts me still.
Merry Christmas
Today I’ve made Give Me free for you. (click on the picture)
Merry Christmas!
Kindlestuffers and Nooknacks
And the last-minute rush is on! The giveaway this time is a $25 gift card – B&N or Amazon, winners choice! Everyone can enter (find the password to enter at the bottom of this post or the bottom of the newsletter, across from the girl on the butterfly – or is that a moth?) The contest ends tomorrow at 9 p.m. Pacific Standard Time.
For your convenience and pleasure, below is a list of good-quality, edited independent books for the Nook Colors, Fires, Touches and good old K3s (my reader) your friends and family – and you – might be curling up with the night after Christmas.
Give Me – A Tale of Wyrd and Fae by L.K. Rigel
If you love the new show Once Upon A Time, you may also enjoy Give Me, A Fairy Tale
Fictional Candy
If you are looking for witches, fairies, royalty, mystery, catty French girls, and a bit of lusty love – then this book is for you.
Blood of Requiem by Daniel Arenson
Long ago stood the kingdom of Requiem, a land of men who could grow wings and scales, breathe fire, and take flight as dragons. Requiem ruled the sky.
Cameo the Assassin by Dawn McCullough-White
ForeWord Clarion Review
M. Wayne Cunningham
Five Stars (out of Five)
Cameo the Assassin, a historical novel from Dawn McCullough-White, is an engaging, fast-paced romp about highwaymen, assassins, Lockenwood vampires, their victims, and their evaders in an age when “who knew there were so many vampires running around.”
Overflow, a Paranormal Romance by Jason Letts
Getting married at 19 years old would be enough to make anyone nervous, but Beck Eisley isn’t the kind of guy who backs down from a challenge. His bride Sydney is beautiful, adventurous, and comes from a powerful family that paid to have the ceremony on a luxurious cruise ship. So what could possibly go wrong?
Incredible Dreams (A Paranormal Romance) by Sandra Edwards
** Nominated for “Best Paranormal Romance of 2010” at The Romance Reviews **
A modern-day ghost whisperer travels through time to save the life of a WWII fighter pilot and ends up jeopardizing her own existence.
Freeze by Daniel Pyle
A raging snowstorm has stranded Tess and Warren in their mountain home with no power and little heat. When an accident leaves Tess coughing up pools of blood, Warren has no choice but to brave the storm in search for help.
He’s afraid he’ll be too late.
But what he should be afraid of are the creatures slinking through the blizzard and watching his every move.
Lessons (and other morbid drabbles) by Michael Crane
“I know what you’re thinking – stories in under a 100-words? That sounds ridiculous and unenjoyable. But you’re wrong. Dead wrong. They are morbid, but they’re fun and quick and perfect.” —Amanda Hocking, author of HOLLOWLAND and the MY BLOOD APPROVES series
Color Me Grey (Book One of the Alexis Stanton Chronicles) by J.C. Phelps
Meet Alexis Stanton, a 5′ 4″ petite young woman with a yen for adventure. She grew up as a tomboy wishing she could have all the adventures boys could have. She has since decided that being a boy instead of a girl has its advantages, but being a woman is much better. She finds that job she could “just die for”… and it looks like she just might!
Music of the Spheres (The Interstellar Age Book 2) by Valmore Daniels
The technology for interstellar flight exists through the power of Kinemet, but the key to unlocking its code lies in a thousand-year-old scroll left on Earth by an alien species.
When the ancient manual is stolen before a full translation is completed, Alex, Michael and Justine scramble to recover it.
Love by Secrets: A Regency Romance (Novella)
Eighteen-year-old Emily Richardson is excited to attend this season’s society balls and begin her search for a husband. She is thrilled when the dashing and handsome Connor Preston begins to show her more attention. After each ball, Emily finds a love note in her drawstring reticule, and she expects a marriage proposal from Connor any day.
Out of Time: A Paranormal Romance by Monique Martin
Professor Simon Cross has spent his life searching for evidence of vampires and avoiding emotional entanglements. When a mysterious accident transports Simon and his new assistant, Elizabeth West, back in time, Simon finally finds both the proof that he’s been looking for, and the romance that he hasn’t.
Anna – A Farewell to Juarez by Sara V. Olds
Set in Mexico, the novel tells the tale of political upheaval from a child’s point of view. Hanne is eight years old and lives with her sisters, brothers, and parents in the Mormon colony of Juarez. She is a happy child, bright and full of curiosity about the wonders of life…
…The arrival of Pancho Villa’s soldiers in Juarez spelt the end of Hanne’s world as she knew it. They were not interested in what the citizens of the town aspired to. Only their own ambitions mattered and all else did not count.
Before I Wake by Anne Frasier
Originally published by Penguin/NAL. If you are a fan of Fringe, you might like Before I Wake.
Caught between dreams and reality… A madman murdered her family, leaving her a shadow of the woman she once was. So one-time criminal profiler Arden Davis did the only thing she could: She volunteered for an experiment to wipe out the horrific memories that haunted her every waking moment.
The Black God’s War [A Stand-Alone Novel] (Splendor and Ruin, Book I) by Moses Siregar III
Against the backdrop of epic warfare and the powers of ten mysterious gods, Lucia struggles to understand The Black One.
Her father-king wants war. Her messianic brother wants peace. The black god wants his due. She suffers all the consequences.
Model Agent: A Thriller (Jaclyn Johnson, code name Snapshot series) by Sean Sweeney
The human body consists of two-thirds water. As concertgoers on a steamy day in Boston find out, water can kill as much as it gives life.
A terrorist attack at City Hall Plaza has the authorities perplexed. The government, in response, sends in a capable but young agent – an agent born from the ashes of terrorism itself – to handle it.
Raven’s Heart (A Tale from the World of Secramore – Epic Fantasy) by M.S. Verish
An exiled man wonders if he should forsake his new life and risk returning to his homeland. A troubled girl seeks redemption for a terrible crime she has committed. A solitary tracker breaks an oath in order to communicate with an infamous, supernatural criminal. A vagabond thief chances leaving behind the world he knew for an unknown destiny.
Fall from Grace (Tech Noir) by Richard Jackson
Tyler made a good living as a Caster – broadcasting his experiences, physical and emotional, through cybernetic implants to millions who accessed him online. But someone wanted him out, and Tyler ended up hustling illegal broadcasts to survive.
Now the lives of Tyler’s friends are at risk, and his fate is bound to that of a mysterious little girl. No one will be safe until he discovers what’s going on – and who engineered his fall from grace.
Dead to Writes (The Cassandra Ellis Mysteries) by Cathy Wiley
Cassandra Ellis is a soon-to-be published author, days away from achieving her lifetime goal. But before she can celebrate, before she can even have her first book signing, she’s brought in to Baltimore City Police Headquarters for questioning in connection to a real-life murder.
Apocalypto (Omnibus Edition)
About 700 pages all together. This is the Omnibus Edition of the Apocalyptos. It contains Space Junque (Apocalypto 1), Spiderwork (Apocalypto 2), and Bleeder (Apocalypto 3).
And the password to the Rafflecopter widget in this post (for the$25 Amazon/B&N gift card drawing) is … Happy Christmas
[click the link and use the password to get into the post]
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Interview With New York Times Best Selling Author Victorine E. Lieske
Vicki is also one of the nicest people around – her sweet disposition inspired the character of Faina, the beautiful chalice in Spiderwork.
When I received her interview answers, I was even more excited – she’s interesting! Let’s just jump right in:
Hi, Victorine. Thanks for coming to Rigelodeon. It’s pretty exciting to talk to a New York Times bestselling author. Tell us about your glamorous self!
Thank you, LK! I’m really not glamorous at all. I have four kids that I get ready for school each morning. (Well, the 16 year old gets himself ready.) I make rubber stamps for the craft industry for my ‘real job.’ And then I write when I can squeeze in time. 
Your second novel, The Overtaking, is YA and science fiction – decidedly different from the romantic suspense of Not What She Seems, your runaway bestseller. Which genre do you prefer?
I really love them both. Yes, they’re different, but they’re a lot alike too. The thing that drives me to write is the inner conflict in my characters, usually a romantic element. Most of the stories that come to me have a core romance driving the story.
The Gathering is a short story located in the world of The Overtaking. What led to its creation? I actually read it first – and loved it – but do you recommend reading the two in any order?
I was working on the second book in The Overtaking series and a character’s back story came to me. A scene with him and Danielle, and it seemed quite powerful. At first I was going to do a flashback, but the flashback developed into a story of its own, so I fleshed it out and published it as a stand-alone story. A person could really read The Gathering before or after The Overtaking.
I see The Overtaking is part of a series. Will Not What She Seems have a sequel?
I’ve been asked that several times. At first I always said ‘no’ however I was lying in bed one night and a storyline for a sequel come to me. I kind of laughed it off, but every time someone asks me if there will be a sequel, I tell them that I did think of a storyline the would work as a sequel, and that maybe someday I’ll write it. It’s not in the works right now.
I stole this question from Michelle at Indie Paranormal Book Reviews because I love it: Tell us something about one of your characters that the character doesn’t know.
Ooh, that is a great question! Well in the beginning of The Overtaking we meet Shayne who gets taken captive and has his memory altered. He thinks he’s from Earth, living in our time, when he’s actually inside of a large Holodome where much of what he sees is not real, it’s holographic. He has telepathic powers and can read minds, which he doesn’t know either.
What project are you working on now?
I am currently working on two different novels, the second book in The Overtaking series and a stand-alone romantic suspense novel about a woman in the witness protection program…although she gets shot at and goes on the run, never really making it to the protection part.
There’s also Lieske’s young adult romance novelette, The Practice Date, which is part of the giveaway package in today’s newsletter!
Six silly questions …
Ah! Only subscribers to Rigelodeon, the Newsletter of LK Rigel will ever learn Victorine’s six silly answers – plus have a chance to win ecopies of her books – or a $10 Amazon/B&N gift card! Have you subscribed? (It’s going out about an hour from now)
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While You Were Sleeping, Christmas Came
The Christmas my son was two and a half years old, every time someone came to the door he’d say, “Is it Christmas?” and run to see who was there. We finally figured out everyone had been telling him, “Christmas is coming!” with such excitement that his little two-year-old heart could hardly bear it.
When I was a little kid, I thought Christmas was one day. I don’t know when I realized the whole thing is Christmas – every day of the season. For me, it arrives with the movies. In addition to the no-brainers A Christmas Story and It’s a Wonderful Life, I love to watch these movies at Christmastime.
While You Were Sleeping
Every embellishing tone is delightful, from the kooky loving family to the sweet clueless landlord, Bill Pullman and Sandra Bullock shine as two lonely people who finally find the love of their lives – only to realize it’s impossible to be together – and Peter Gallagher turns out to be a comedian with perfect timing.
Love, Actually
Who can resist a holiday movie that features two porn body doubles that are the sweetest people you can imagine? And don’t forget Colin, the Love God!
Scrooged
Two words: Karen Allen.
Besides that, Lee Majors saves Santa, and Bill Murray does a wicked Richard Burton impression. And Alfre Woodard, as always, is perfect.
The Holiday
Jack Black, romantic interest? Yes! He’s just right. I have to blame it on the director, because Jude Law is equally sweet and lovely as a Mr. Napkinhead any girl could fall for.
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Man fight!
And the Winner Wonderland Ozone Socks Plus Winner Is …
But wait! Remember how I said you should answer the bonus question? We’ll have a bonus drawing from among those who did for a second Ozone gift certificate for $25!
Okay … so I’ll go make Rafflecopter do its magic …
Congratulations, Shari Lynn Alligood!
I’ve sent you an email with instructions on how to get your loot!
And the winner of the bonus drawing, chosen by Random.Org is:
Brandy Nelson! Congratulations!
Simon’s Cat? No, That’s Coleridge, MY Cat!!
Who is this Simon guy, and how does he know my cat?
A Few of Our Favorite Socks
The Winner Wonderland winners will be picked tonight – yeah! Have you entered yet? There’s still time.
The Openwork Argyle has received the most votes for favorite socks in the bonus question. What’s your favorite style? Did you answer?
Other socks with multiple votes are Tibetan Flowers (shown previously) and Bunchies.
And the men got one vote! Classic Argyle, of course! I know from experience that men love Ozone Socks. I gave them out for stocking stuffers at a Christmas party last year, and the guys loved theirs!
Scroll down through the posts to see more socks and the lovely earrings that are also part of this prize package – and don’t forget: in addition to the earrings and the $100 Ozone Socks gift certificate, the prize includes a $25 Amazon/B&N gift card (winner’s choice)!