End of the Year!

It's end of the year... Good bye 2007. It's been great.

I'm thankful for a wonderful experience and a good 22nd year. In comes a new time.

Welcome 2008!

This year, my resolution is to take chance, live your dream and never stop believing!

So, here I am in Davao. It's a warm night and a beautiful new year. I am resolved to spend the vacation in peace and quiet. I hope...

Wearing red, must think positive! Must think money coming in. Wear red as much as I can! 2008, here I come!

Happy Holidays!

I'm in Davao!

No pictures yet but...

I'm in Davao!

And I'm already nog nog!

Contact

Bombshell! Harlequins Sub-genre for amazing females who are smart, witty, independent and needs a whole lot of lovin'

In contact, our heroine thinks she may or may not be psychic. She is secretly a police informant masquerading as "Madame Cassandra."

Little does she know that there is something deeper than being psychic in her life.

She is actually a genetically modified person with enhanced senses making her seem psychic. Now, psychics are being targeted in new Orleans and she has to trust herself and her powers to do it.

A little help from the other side goes a long way.

Very intriguing book. I like it.

Your usual mix of skeptics and psychics and a lot of suspense.

Silent Weapon

This is a very interesting read I had. It's by Debra Webb. i got it from Booksale (as usual) and it turns out pretty good.

The main character of the story got deaf at age 27. Her Fiance walked out of her and the school where she worked for gave her a pension and asked her to leave.

What a life! So she decides to get one. She studied sign language and lip reading and got herself a job at the police as a file clerk for cold cases. Some of the cases, she actually thought she could solve and so she started being an amateur sleuth.

Impressed by her abilities, the police chief asked her to be an undercover agent. Nobody would suspect a deaf cleaning lady, right?

In the house of the richest criminal in town, she had to watch her own back and her own heart.

When she thought nobody would like her anymore because she's deaf, she finds herself in a sort of love triangle between the detective she works with and the body guard of Mr. Criminal.

I actually like the way she wanted to be independent. What ticks me is how people treats her like an invalid. Her fiance, the school, the detective at first, and the people she works with. this makes her more than ever determined to prove herself as a Silent Weapon.

Lone Rider Bodyguard

My newest set of reads are the old thin paperbacks of Harlequin Mills & Boon. I bought three. They were pretty inexpensive in Booksale. I thought to see these mass market reads.

I just finished Harper Allen's Lone Rider Bodyguard(2004). Cowboyish, modern and set in the desserts of New Mexico.
It's an ok read. Not bad. i was expecting something cheezy. Yeah, the hero of the story is too pumped-up full of male ego. He becomes a hero 4 times and keeps denying it. He has an aversion to marriage and had a bad boy past. The girl is the sweet, country, church-raised girl that can't take the bed without marriage.
Intriguing. three out of five stars on my ratings. It's a light read.

Anticipating Davao and Drama

Davao, here I come. in 2 weeks time, I'll be there vacationing.

Am I really that excited? It's nice to go home but going home has its price. i have to make numerous courtesy call and sleep over here and there. I do like living with nanay. She's one cool ganny-MaMa!

On the other side of the family, well... I love them and lets put it at that.

You see in my mama's side of the family, there may be lots of drama but they love to laugh about it. Popz side, tend to dwell on the drama. They live in it instead of be detached from it and laugh about it incessantly, however insane a problem is.

Home is where the drama is.

Aki said that writers need dramas in their lives. That's why famous writers have messy divorces, broken families, unaccepted gayness and the likes. Well, can't I get other's drama? I may not have the dramatic lifestyle but i do have ideas.

If literature is the reflection of reality, then I have a different reality to project. Fun and hilarious dramas. I want to write about the culture, people, life, history, insanity and petty nothings that amount to "ordinary" lives. Reflection o life through literature does not mean I have to have poverty, prostitution and politics. Can't there be award winning materials that don't have any of these?

Well, here to Davao and my inspiration to writing!

I have not joined NaNoWriMo but i may just write and read away my month in Davao!

Two People Driving... One Car

Popz right arm hurt. But Male pride won't allow him not to drive the car.
Now what?
Solution: Mom does the stick shift.

Try to guess what happened...

The Funeral Planner

Met the Wedding Planner?

Well...

Meet the Funeral Planner!

Lyn Isenberg's novel about life, death and business ethics is a must!

I love the book. Too morbid for your taste? it is not actually about Funerals. it is about handling griefs and ethics in business that makes you a worthwhile human being.

Meet Maddy. She's a small town girl in Michigan trying to be the best entrepreneur in L.A. He dreams keep turning to dust as a man named Derrick Rogers keep stealing every idea she has. She attends the funeral of her best friend, Tara and discovers the experience of a common place to grieve and celebrate life. From there, Lights Out Enterprises was born, a pre-need funeral planning for customized tribute needs. Her friends and family support her and business was going great until once again, Derrick Rogers steals the idea and sells it three times cheaper in the market.

Devastated, she is ordered by her charming investor to take a break and find the meaning of grief and what a true tribute is.

Her friends give her a mock funeral and from there, the journey has nowhere else to go but up.

It shows Friends and family must be pillars of support if not financially, morally. They teach you the ethics in business and perseverance will definitely pay. Even if you feel business goes nowhere and people keep stealing your ideas and you have no way of protecting yourself, honesty and clean services are all it takes to keep you moving forward.

Even the death were there to support Maddy!

Carpathian FanArt in my DeviantArt

Carpathian Fan Art
Christine Feehan's Dark Series
Carpathians are a race of immortal beings who have the power to control elements. They live during the night and must feed on blood in order to survive. When they give in to the dark side and loose their souls, they become Vampires.
Francesca Del Ponce-Daratrazanoff. Lifemate of Gabrielle Daratrazanoff. A healer and ancient in her own right. Dark Legend
Syndil and Barrack. From the band of lost children saved by Darius. Dark Challenge and Dark Fire

Riordan De La Cruz. Lifemate of Juliette Sangria. Dark Hunger, Hot Blooded.
Tempest Trine- Daratrazanoff. Lifemate of Darius Daratrazanoff. Dark Fire

http://ictuarium.deviantart.com/gallery/

Cassie Edwards Historical Romance

My choice of reads is very eclectic. From Fantasy to historical Romance, I look for something - Umph! Something spicy, something different.

I got some Cassie Edwards books in Book Sale and now every time, I see one, I buy it.

Only the Historical Romance in Native American Genre. Something seems to capture me in mixing culture. Though some will say that these type of books are very redundant. It will all have the same ending: the girl will live with the Native American Chief and be his wife forever.

Yeah, i expect all these books to have the same ending. Otherwise, I wouldn't want it.

I guess it's the culture and how two people deal with it that makes me want to read it. The girl will always fear the native injun but will somehow find his looks attractive. The chief distrusts all white men but the fiery white woman steal his heart and he must bend all of earth to possess her.

Complications to the story are the usual: A man runs after the girl because he is in love with her too. This man also would want the Indian's lands.

The people of the Indian Village might trust the girl but they will be one or two who will hate her. This person sometimes will help the white man to get rid of the girl.

It's the same banana but i love reading it.

Can't Hug in Public...

I saw this article in yahoo. Crazy! totally? What's with a friendly hug? These Kanos are getting too uptight. When the strings snap, society will be chaotic. As if they aren't chaotic already. No more war in Iraq so let them start a war in their own home.

If they implemented this in the Phil, we'll take it to the streets. I guess we pinoys are a touch society. My mom keeps saying that. We have a need to touch and feel. Even a friendly pat or a shake. We can even see it in our shopping habits. We are like blind people seeing for the first time groping each item that catches our eyes. Ask yourself, do you touch everything you look at in the department store of super market?

Do you squeeze a fruit, try on every sun glasses, feel every material of dress and even poke trinkets for the heck of it? Pinoy ka nga!

So what is up with this article? What's with the hug? why not display your affections on public. it's not as if you're groping the other person. A brief hug, a quick beso and that's it. If people repress this little hug and pat, these kids will sneak behind the public's eye and have non-stop sex. That's what repression will do!

Ill. student gets detention for hugging

Tue Nov 6, 5:56 PM ET (Associated Press, yahoo.com)
Two hugs equals two days of detention for 13-year-old Megan Coulter. The eighth-grader was punished for violating a school policy banning public displays of affection when she hugged two friends Friday.
"I feel it is crazy," said Megan, who was to serve her second detention Tuesday after classes at Mascoutah Middle School.
"I was just giving them a hug goodbye for the weekend," she said.
Megan's mother, Melissa Coulter, said the embraces weren't even real hugs — just an arm around the shoulder and slight squeeze.
"It's hilarious to the point of ridicule," Coulter said. "I'm still dumbfounded that she's having to do this."
District Superintendent Sam McGowen said that he thinks the penalty is fair and that administrators in the school east of St. Louis were following policy in the student handbook.
It states: "Displays of affection should not occur on the school campus at any time. It is in poor taste, reflects poor judgment, and brings discredit to the school and to the persons involved."
Coulter said she and her husband told their daughter to go ahead and serve her detentions because the only other option was a day of suspension for each skipped detention.
"We don't agree with it, but I certainly don't want her to get in more trouble," Coulter said.
The couple plan to attend the next school board meeting to ask board members to consider rewording the policy or be more specific in what is considered a display of affection.
"I'm just hoping the school board will open their eyes and just realize that maybe they shouldn't be punishing us for hugs," Megan said.

The Tamuli

David Eddings presents another adventure about Pandion Knight Sir Sparhawk and his friends.

I love every minute of it. I think what captivated me were the characters. Sparhawk and his friends are quite a mixture of mixed nuts. Most of them have quick tempers and smart mouths. Each comment is witty but funny.

In the Elinium Trilogy, Sir Sparhawk is summoned from his exile in Rendor to find the queen encased in Diamond. Queen Ehlana is poisoned and the diamond encasement is the only thing keeping her alive. There is no worldly cure so Sparhawk must seek something not of this world. He travels to the land of the trolls and acquires the legendary Bhelliom, the sapphire rose of pure power. With Bhelliom, he cures Ehlana. But there are other threats like the party who poisoned Ehlana and the god Azash who desires Bhelliom. The Church of Chyrellos orders The Church Knights and Sparhawk to defeat the Zemochs and Azash. All seems well for the humans but for the gods, it is chaotic. Sparhawk turns out to be Anakha, the one without a destiny. The gods fear him for two reasons, one he possesses Bhelliom and two, they cannot see his fate.

Following the Events of the Elinium, Sir Sparhawk also Known as Anakha to the gods, is investigating trouble for the Church of Chyrellos. It seems trouble at home and trouble in the next empire are related. Sir Sparhawk is asked to journey to Tamuli in order to help Emperor Sarabian and his Tamul kingdom. They are invaded by ghouls, demons and other impossible things. Sparhawk and his friends must get to the bottom of things.

They reach Matherion, the domed city. Every corner of the palace speaks treason and all are ready for an uprising. Ehlana takes it upon herself to teach Sarabian the ruthless art of politics.

In the Second book, The Shining Ones, Sparhawk receives more friends as he encounters the Shining Ones or the Delphae race. Their god Edeamus granted them with unspeakable gifts and they offer their services to Anakha for a price. Of course, they encounter the Trolls and their gods and they too become allies. They find out that the god of the Cyrgai, Cyrgon desires Bhelliom. At the end of the book, Ehlana is kidnapped by the slippery Krager.

The last book, the Hidden City, is about the rescue and the war. Sparhawk brings the rest of the Church Knight from Chyrellos into the Tamuli empire. The god Cyrgon calls forth not ancients soldiers anymore but a force that equals Bhelliom itself, Kleal. Kleal is Bhelliom's brother and opposite. Kleal brings in soldiers from different worlds which levels the church knights and the Atans in almost half! Meanwhile Sparhawk and most of his friends attempt subterfuge and try to find Ehlana.

The other gods intervene and helps Divine Aphrael with Anakha. The gods of the Styrics, Edeamus god of the Delphae, The troll gods and the god of the Atans help Sparhawk and his army as they converge on the hidden city and battle the Cyrgai. Sparhawk battles Cyrgon who becomes Kleal's slave.

Everyone gets their adventure of a lifetime. All who fought in the battle has their lives changed. Even the trolls.

The conversations in the books makes you want to laugh or think. There are the usual witty comments that never seems to cease and there are philosophical and theological questions that makes you ponder on god, nature and church doctrine. All in all, the book is a very good read. I highly recommend it.

Halloween - Shalloween!

Is Halloween getting shallow? It seems like it.
It's too commercialized, it's no longer fun. In the village here in Merville, we have our usual trick or treating. Guess, what, there are no more village kids trick or treating. If there are, you can count them and they usually have chaperons. The kids trick or treating in the village are kids from the slums. "Squatters"
I hate to be discriminating but they are the worse kids in the world. They stole my pumpkin!
So, I decided to stop giving candies half-way through the afternoon.
I get some loving from Alonzo and Peppi and take a nice long cold shower.
I'm so not feeling Halloween anymore.

I want something like a masquerade party. A place to gather and have fun. Dress up, socialize, meet people. Perhaps eat and maybe have a few Halloween games, watch haunted movies and such. What do we have now? Cream Party? A haven for drugs!
Where are the wholesome ones? Wholesome even for big girls like me?

...
..
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Dargon's Fire

Anne McCaffrey's World of Pern, viewed from a different time and a different angle by her son Todd McCaffrey.

I never really thought about the Shunned or the miners or the Wher-handlers until Todd wrote about them. It's a classic Dragonrider book with the focus NOT on the dragonriders.

There are holders, crafters and dragonriders but there are also people not included in society, they are the Shunned. The shunned are criminals banned from hold or hall for their crimes. it is the Capital punishment for all deviants. but what about their family? with the Shunned, their families come with them. the children suffer from famine and disease.

Harpers Hall wants to get to the bottom of this. These Shunned keep growing and they might do something desperate.

Although the threat of deadly Thread is still 16 turns away, the Firestone mines explode and there are none left. They need 40 tons per dragon per Weyr in order to fight Thread successfully. With firestone being so volatile, not even the shunned wants to work in the mines. Some of them are getting ideas about the stone.

It's a must collect book for Dragonrider fans.

Characters:

Master Harper Zist- A Harper in his Mastery Level. Zist lost his wife and child while under cover looking for the shunned.

Pellar- Adopted son of Zist. He is the Mute Harper. He has excellent tracking skills and part psychic.

Halla- A little girl whose parents were Shunned. she has 8 orphans to take care.

Cristov- Miner Tarik's son. he is an excellent miner whose father is Shunned. he tries to prove himself.

Kindan- an orphaned boy. Zist adopted him too. He was bonded to the green watch-wher Kisk but gave her to Nuella, Natalon's daughter, and pursued being a harper.

D'vin- Wingleader, rider of Bronze Hurth. he is freind of Pellar, Zist and Cristov.

Master Aleesa- Wher-Handler of the last gold Watch-wher. She keeps the Whers a secret from Telgar's Weyrleader D'gan.

Moran- The harper Zist and Masterharper Murenny sent to contact the Shunned. He got caught up with raising the children that he failed to report to harpers hall for turns.

Fenner- Lord Holder of Crom. he is soft hearted and wants to help the Shunned.

Bad Guys:

Tenim- Tenim is greedy. His father was shunned and he has plans to get rich no matter what. he steals coals from Camp Natalon then steals firestone from Mine #9.

Tarik- A miner with big ambitions. He got shunned and sent to Mine #9. Tenim killed him and exploded the mine.

D'gan- D'gan was an Igen rider. The Weyr was absorbed by Telgar and he flew the gold. He is ruthless Weyrleader and demand most of the firestone. D'gan is not actually the bad guy but he is an anti-hero.

Ayala Bombings...

Is it really a bomb? The politicians are still bickering and trying to pin the blame on the other party. I wonder who's running the country now that they're busy.

Are we very callous if the New Worlds Convention really pushes through?
In a business point of view, Ayala needs to push the convention through because they need people to visit their mall. No people no revenue.
Plus, the tenant would want that as rent deduction.

Dark Hunger in Manga

Finally, it's out! Dark hunger in Manga format by Christine Feehan!
The Novella format is in a book called Hot Blooded, an anthology on Paranormal Romance.

This is part of the Carpathian Dark Series. Carpathians are a separate race of humanoid people. They are as old as time and they keep their identities a secret from humans. With good reasons. They are endowed with magical capabilities and shape-shifting abilities. they are psychics and has the ability to control Nature.

Riordan, the hot and steamy Carpathian alone in the jungle. He was captured by vampires and set as a trap for his brothers. Hundreds of years ago, the five De La Cruz brothers, Zacharias, Manolito, Nicholas, Rafael and Riordan, were sent to South America to battle vampires. The jungle has become their home. Now, the vampires are making a come back. They threaten the peace of the jungle. The five brothers must make sure vampires are eradicated as quickly and as quietly as possible.

Juliette had no idea that the stranger she rescued will be her ultimate salvation. He claimed to be her life mate but no man enters the lives of Juliette, Jasmine and Solange. The were man-hating activists to the core.

Juliette, Jasmine and Solange are Jaguars. They too are a gifted race. Jaguars are able to shift to human and back to being jaguars. They are psychics too. The trio were victims of violence wrought by jaguar men. They rescue girls like them and animals in dangered in the jungle.

Juliette cannot help what she feels for Riordan. Can the jaguar within her accept him? How will her sister and cousin accept Riordan?

The plot seems to thicken as jaguars, human vampire hunter society and Vampires team up and stalk them in the jungle. Will Riordan and Juliette survive?

It's sizzling but no scenes!

Even Pat was able to read this manga. Me and my sibs like it a lot. they think Riordan is so bishonen. Juliette looks like Fujiko from Lupin III.

Riordan has no sense of fashion. Even in Dark Possession. He has no idea how to dress properly. Perhaps MaryAnn can give the brothers fashion tips!

Too young?

I joined a yahoo group on Christine Feehan and her books. The conversations are very interesting. Lately, the latest conversation is about being too young or old enough to read romance. One mother asked the group if it was alright for her to give her 15 year old her Carpathian novels. Most of the people thinks it is alright. Teenagers have sex education in school and at that age, they arte quite curious. Better hand them the book.
This gets me thinking. What age will I allow my children to read things like these? The Carpathian Novels do have intense love scenes. Well, they get pretty intense as the series go along. I thought Dark Prince was a bit wild. The De La Cruz Brothers are not your typical Latino Lovers. They sizzle and pop!
I started out reading romances in eharlequin.com. A little sneak here and there. Then, i got a hold on Historical Romances. I liked it, especially the Native American Romances. Never liked Cowboy Romance. Then, i went on to Beatrice Small. She was nothing compared to Feehan's Carpathians. Now, i can't pick up a vampire novel.
I think I will let my kids read at 16. Perhaps just light romances at first. Got to Mother-Daughter talk101 then I can let them have the Carpathians books. I think by that time, Romance novels will evolve. Paranormal Romance is a relatively new Genre. It was popularized during the late 90’s. Sci-fi romances were popularized during the mid 80’s. Perhaps in the late 00’s, we would have more farfetched genres and more intense scene anyone today can’t imagine yet!

Dark Melody

By Christine Feehan

Dayan goes up to Canada with Cullen. He jams at a local club/bar. There, he meets Corrine. The moment she entered the room, he knew she was his life mate. She could save his soul. Corrine Wentworth was his everything. Her beautiful soul will save his dark soul. But Corrine is not so certain she could save anybody. Not even her own and her unborn daughter. Corrine has a heart condition. With the baby's complication, her time is running out.
She wants to believe in Dayan but her heart couldn't even take the pressure of believing in the paranormal. Darius and the rest of the band races to Dayan to save Corrine. Gregori and Shea joins them too.

Saving an unborn child while conversion is a relatively new ground for the Carpathians. Gregori and Shea must find a way to save baby Jennifer, a strong psychic even as she grows inside Corrine.

It's a mini reunion and non-stop teasing between Darius and Gregori.

One Corpse Too Many

A Cadfael Novel by Elis Peters.
1138 AD, Shewsburry, England. 94 corpse were hanged by King Stephen in a bloody war between him and Empress Maud yet the body count was 95. Who was the man strangled but not hanged? The murderer wanted to hide his leaf in a forest but forensic evidence was easily detected by the shrewd monk.

Brother Cadfael gets to the bottom of things and finds the murderer for Justice and for God. It is up to Hugh Beringer of Maesburry to fight the guilty is a trial by combat.
In a medieval world, Brother Cadfael is a modern thinker. He is a forensic annalist. He can spot minute details that normal people would not find and crude medieval sheriffs can't. Hugh trusted his judgment and they became friends in the process.

There are politics involved for all the characters. Some reasons explained but left the characters in the dark. As usual, there is betrayal and greed. Money was the ultimate motivator in the whole book. Cadfael thought Hugh was motivated by the secret treasury but it was actually a hidden enemy, always on the scene but not noticed until the end.

And in the end, it was not one corpse too many but three: the traitor in the camp, the secret messenger who was no hanged and the guilty person that Hugh had no choice but to kill in combat.

Magic in the Wind and Safe Harbor

by Christine Feehan

In the town of Sea Haven, there lived seven sisters with extraordinary powers. The people of Sea haven have a hush-hushed knowledge but the girls are well respected.

Magic in the Wind stars The Drake Sister's eldest, Sara. She is a securities expert sent to protect Damon Wilder. She is attracted to Damon and the gates of the Drake house opened for him. Now, she must protect him from death itself. Death, the shadowed figure of the Grim Reaper is following Damon constantly. It's up to Sara to protect him from death and the bad guys who wants Damon's brains.

Very short novel but a good start. Some of the sisters are introduced and their habits as well.

Safe Harbor

Another Drake Sister adventure. Starring Hannah Drake, the beautiful and sought-after model also the 5th sister.

Hannah is everything Jonas Harrington wants and more. Danger lurks at every corner and Jonas must protect Hannah and the other Drake Sisters. He works as a government spy and was one-time sheriff of Sea Haven. Jonas must give-up his dangerous lifestyle if he wants to win Hannah.

It's a sisterly reunion. Very touching. They all help Hannah with the trauma of being attacked by a maniac. Good story. Jonas and Jackson have abilities of their own too. Sinister Ilya is back. He's very powerful and you keep on guessing his motives.There will be a wedding at the end of the book.What harbor is safe? I don't know. Never was able to get the title.

The Drake Sisters From eldest to youngest:

Sarah - The securities expert. (Magic in the Wind)

Kate - Mystery novelist. (Twilight Before Christmas)

Abigail - Has the affinity for water. Everyone says the truth around her. (Oceans of Fire)

Libby - The healer. she travels the world healing people. (Oceans of Fire)

Hannah - Super model. She controls the wind. (Safe HArbor)

Joley - A spell-singer. She is a singing sensation traveling the world. (No Book Yet)

Elle- Quite confused. She has a lot of abilities. (No Book Yet)

For the Love of Buttons

Who can get stressed because of buttons?

The answer: me.

Why? Because i can't find the perfect buttons. When i find a close to ok one, she vetoes it.

What now? She wants me to find another way. How? Can't she tell me what exactly she wants?

I'm not exactly a mind reader. Being plus-sized does make me know her market instantly. I do want to be dressy and fashionable. SM market is boring and plain. i have to make shirts upon polo shirts. The most i can play with are buttons and she won't give me that.

What now?

If not button, embroidery or print. I need style. I'm ashamed to say one thing being my design when the sewers and her butchering it.

For more style guide, check out my multiply: http://figures.multiply.com

My new Multiply

I have a new multiply. I deleted my old one and made an entirely new one. it will be all about fashion and being a full-figured girl.
Please add me if you have multiply.

http://figures.multiply.com/

New Multiply

I deleted my multiply account today and made a new one.
My old one was just the same as this one and it made no sense retaining it. I wanted to put a different topic there and so I did.
I am going to post tips for big girls like me. Full-figured.

http://figures.multiply.com

Frustrated Designer

My boss told me yesterday that i had to stick to basic designs. Super Basics. As in no more ruffles, no more pleats here and folds there. This picture right up here is the epitome of her perfect design.
How am i supposed to put my personality into my creations?
For one thing, I pick out groovy prints. There are other of my groovy designs that sells. There are a handful which don't. My boss thinks the market is not ready to accept them yet. Being a full-figured, I design what i wish to wear. Stylish, faltering clothes.
Philippines isn't exactly a land where being big is being embraced. The markets is still scared of daring clothes. Not that ruffles and super puffs are daring enough. I sure hope I can tell these girls that men's shirt is not fashion AT ALL. Even a size 20 can get away with skinny jeans.
Carry lang, girl!

Dark Possession

My much awaited Carpathian is finally here! Yes, Manolito De La Cruz has his own book!. After being mentioned in a couple of books and being such a hero in Dark Celebration, he finally has a story of his own.

For a man who thinks his life is worthless, he sure is still bossy. Most Carpathians are, I'm afraid. Christine Feehan has added another facet to the world of the Carpathians. Her work is evolving and I'm loving every second of it.

In the last book, (my favorite Dark Celebration) Manolito discovers he is close to tuning vampire. He had to get away but then he hears something, senses light. He is drawn to Destiny's best friend, a human named MaryAnn Delaney. She is under Gregori and Nicolae's protection so he cannot touch her.

So, he bites her and erases the memory. Not too gentleman, huh? The guy was desperate. Then, he hinted to Rafael to invite MaryAnn to counsel Jasmine and Solange. MaryAnne is a Councilor for battered women. Jasmine and Solange, by the way, are Riordan De La Cruz's lifemate's family.

So, after the death of Manolito, Rafael and his brothers holds on to his soul and would not let go. They force it back to his body and Gregori sets to heal him.

Enter Dark Possession! Set in the thickness of the Amazon rain forest, MaryAnn searches where in the world did the De La Cruz brothers bury the tall dark stranger? She had to find him no matter what. Why? MaryAnn doesn't know.

But is MaryAnn who she really says she is? just a human councilor for battered women? How come she has a compulsion in her voice? She claims she is not psychic yet the animals and the wind follow her every call. What about Manolito? What is happening to him? He is stuck halfway between the land of the living and the dead. he knows only MaryAnn is his salvation... or destruction.

What of the Malinov Brothers? An Razvan and Xavier. Amidst coming to terms with his life mate, Manolito must also uncover a plot to assassinate the prince. A plot he though up of and now, the Malinov brothers are implementing. With two brothers dead, Kirja and Maxim, there are still three powerful Master Vampire and an army of undead to defeat. Not to mention the wizards and the Jaguar-men. So many things happening in so little time. The book is really action packed!

Spoilers: MaryAnn is a Lycan. Manolito becomes half Lycan by the end of the book. But all will end well.

Bookfair Book Bargains

Here's what I got in Bookfair. Some rare ones and very old ones too.

Bookfair

It's the bookfair again!
When: Aug 27 to Sept 2
Where: World Trade, Roxas Blvd.

What I got so far:

To Lead, A cultural Revival

To lead people is no easy task. I've been there. Seen how people just want their own way.

Pops wants to lead the people of Mindanao to think for themselves, to have a strong general will and a good motivation to better themselves.

We met with two sultans yesterday. Funny thing, I didn't know some of the Sultanates in the Philippines actually still survives. Popz said they do have loyal followers.

The two sultans want to modernize Mindanao but in a way that they do not culture shock themselves. Infrastructures and organizations needs putting up. They need help but as much as possible, not ask for government help. Too much red taping and corruption.

So, Popz agrees on the task to help the 16 Sultans and be their consultant.

Popz was non-stop last night. "I'm a consultant to a sultant" Whatever! Corny!

Anyways, what would this mean for us? For me? For the country?

If this pushes through, it will show Visayas and Luzon that the People's General Will can change a nation. It is a sot of economic people's power. The aim is to help yourself, help your neighbor and help the country. There will be organizations who will help but must be guaranteed of no corruption and no daya-an.

What would it mean for me? I want to help my country and guard culture. One of the aim of inter-Kultura was to remind the people that we still have culture and we are proud of it. That Filipinoness is diverse but unique.

Perhaps all is not lost.

Perhaps cultural revival can happen and it will happen in Mindanao.

The reason why the Spanish weren't able to conquer Mindanao was because:

1. They were mainly Muslim Territory. They had cannons and guns like the Spanish.
2. Most of the people of Mindanao were seafarers. They don't get lost in the sea.
3. Culture and religion was strong. Spanish forces weren't able to use the cross until the turn of the century.
4. Political will was strong. Especially for the warriors.

If... No... WHEN this thing pushes through, it will change a lot of things.

Change... What we need now.

If the government cannot do anything, then the people must move themselves.

Dark Series Ad

I looked at Christine Feehan's Website and found out a book ad. Yes, a book ad trailer. It must really click! They got models to enact bits of the book and make an ad!

See here:
Dark Possession
The story of Manolito De La Cruz, A Carpathian living in Brazil.



Dark Celebration
Before Dark Possession- The Prince gives a Christmas Celebration to strengthen the bonds of the Carpathian people and to welcome their human families.


Dark Demon
This is just before Dark Celebration- It's about Natalya Shonski and Vikirnoff Von Shreider. Vampires and Mages team up to get stronger.


Dark Destiny
The trailer looks nice. Don't have the book though.



Dark Melody
not much to my liking. Didn't receive good reviews as a book.


Dark Celebration Behind the Trailers

Flood! Flood! More Flood!

It seems to Flood on a Wednesday for two weeks in a row.
Last week, it flooded on Wednesday. Yesterday, it flooded again, Wednesday.
I was stuck in the car for 6 hours. No bathroom break because we were stuck!!!
8:45. Left the house to go to work. Stuck in Pasong Tamo area. After 10:30, dad said, we have to turn back and use another route. We went to Villamore and then to airport road. Passable until we went to Macapagal. Go stuck there until 11:30. Texted the office to say I can't make it.
Gotta pick up Jade coz she's out. Got stuck in Taft until 1.
Heading to Buendia to pick up Aki. Got stuck and called her we couldn't make it. Take the train.
We got stuck in Osmena highway in the floody waters. 3:40, we reached Shell Magallanes. I got to eat and releave myself. Whew!
4ish, got home. Sigh.
Typhoon Egay is not leaving til Saturday according to Pag-asa.

Dark Celebration Excerpts

Here's a funny Excerpts from Dark Celebration, A Carpathian Novel by Christine Feehan.

* You should know that Carpathians do not express emotions. They try to blend with humans but are very aloof and emotionless until they find their lifemates.

Chapter 17
Gregori and Savannah’s House in the Carpathian Mountain, Mikhail is injured and is being tended by the couple.

“I did not cry over it. I told you that.” She glared at him. Don’t tell my father that. He’ll tell my mother and she’ll fell bad. And stop giving me orders. I just don’t feel like putting up with it today.

Gregori caught both her arms and pulled her to the shelter of his embrace. “You are near tears again. What is wrong with you? Is it the baby?”

“Baby? What baby?” Mikhail asked, shifting his position so he could look at his daughter’s stomach. Savannah was small like her mother. Now that Gregori spilled the news, he could see that she was definitely thicker around the waist and he found himself smiling in spite of the pain.

She gasped and hit Gregori’s shoulder with her tight fist. “You weren’t supposed to tell. I was supposed to tell them!”

“What is wrong?” Gregori demanded, catching her fist and opening it, to place a kiss on the center of her palm. “I can always remove your father’s memories.”

“Oh, I’d like to see you try that.” Mikhail scoffed. “And if you’re making my baby girl cry, you’re going to see what a prince can do when he’s angry.

“I’m having twins.” Savannah announced. “Girls.”

“We only heard one heartbeat. Felt one life.” Gregori objected, giving her a narrow-eyed glance. “She’s having a baby, a boy.”

“The other one was there hiding behind her sister. There are two of them, both girls, and I’m going to be as big as a house. And you’re going to be just awful, ordering me around. If you think he’s bad giving you orders, papa, trust me, he’s worse with me.”

Gregori shook his head. “Not girls Savannah. We need sons. Warriors. Daratrazanoff guard the prince.”

Mikhail leaned back with a satisfied smirk on his face. “And you so deserve this, Gregori. You cannot imagine how I’m going to enjoy you survive not one, but two little daughters.”

Gregori simply stood there looking as shocked as he was capable of looking. “How could I not know? I examined you myself.”

“She hid.”

His brows drew together. “That is unacceptable.”

Mikhail laughed. “I’m sure your infant daughter will do exactly as you command, Gregori. And as toddlers, they will really listen to you.”

“Savannah, I am serious. You talk to them. I cannot have one hiding from me when I make certain they are healthy.”

“Your manner was gruff and you frighten her.”

“I’m her father and I shouldn’t frighten her.”

Mikhail sighed. “I’m bleeding and I have to be up and running in a few minutes so I suggest you get over your shock that the world doesn’t do everything you dictate and get on with healing me.”

Gregori swung around, all cool elegance and danger. “you put her up to this, didn’t you, Mikhail?”

“Put her up to giving me twin girls? If I had thought of it, I would have, but my imagination doesn’t stretch quite that far.” Mikhail shifted his leg and tried not to wince.

Dark Magic

By Christine Feehan

A little bit of Dark Magic is all it takes to bring down an overbearing man...

Well, nice title but Savannah Dubrinsky's magic is nothing but dark. She is the mistress of illusions performing nightly across the world. All she wants is smiles and love.

Five years ago, she left the safety of her father and mather, Mikhail and Raven Dubrinsky, and their Carpathian home. She wanted independence and time to grow. So, at 18, after her father gave her a debut party, Savannah left and went off on her own.

She thought she had her independence for a while but something lurks in the shadows. Soemthing Vampire and Carpathians alike fear...

Gregori Daraztragonoff is a Carpathian male who is relentless as a hunter. He is known as The Dark One, the Bogeyman of the Carpathians.

Since conception, he knows Raven's child will be a girl and she will be life mate to him. So, he watched her carefully. He even became a wolf cub who was there during her lonely hours, playing with her and even saving her from her little accidents. Now, his time is nearly over. He must either face the dawn, take his life mate of risk turning into a vampire.

Savannah is reluctant to be Gregori's life mate but once she accepted it, she makes it a point that Gregori learns just what kind of woman she is.

She takes after her parents, regal, demanding but lovable.

Like her mother, she is repulsed to take blood from humans. Her mother fed her animal blood when she was young. now, she is grown, Gregori feeds her. In a way, she is partly human. She hates getting buried and hates biting.

Vampires and vampire hunters hunt Savannah. She is forced to retire from show business but not without taking vacation. Against Gregori's wishes, they travel to new Orleans to attend a Jazz festival and of course, take a vampire hunt. Ironic?

It is in New Orleans that Gregori meets his best friend, a human named Gary Jansen. They uncover a plot by the vampires that directs humans to think Carpathians are bad.

They also find out that a singer named Desari from the Dark Troubadours is a target of the vampire hunter. They send a hunter, Julian Savage, to rescue her. That would be another story.

Now, Gregori and Savannah takes on the vampire hunting society of New Orleans and take on a savage vampire too that's been in the swamp, masquerading as a legend known as Old Man Alligator.

Ending: What else! Savanna and Gregori kills the vampire. As for the Society, the Dark Series will battle them on through out.

I'm beginning to like this couple. My fave couple so far i the Dark series is Natalya Shonski and Vikirnoff Von Shreider. Dark Demon is their book. Vikirnoff dreams of a calm and tame woman but his destined life mate happens to be a badass chick named Natalya. He can't understand half of what she says. Natalya does nothing but quote old movies. She calls vampires as Troll king and Freddie. She associates herself with Xena Warrior Princess.

I want to buy more of this Dark series but maybe I should wait until Bookfair. Budget's kinda tight. Christine Feehan does have interesting ideas.

Flood

Yup, flood season again.
Wednesday, it sucks to wake up with wet floors.
We were prepared this year. All my stuffs are up bt still, my furniture can't be taken up.
Hhhhhh... (sigh)
When I move, I problably will leave all my furniture. I'll get a rooma nd a mess area that are upstairs.

The Carpathians

In Christine Feehan's Dark Series, there is a race of people known as the Carpathians. They look like humans and have existed since humans have. They were thought to be known as gypsies living in the mountains but actually, they grew more sophisticated.

For those who have not heard of Dark Series, it is a set of Paranormal Romance novels about the Carpathian Race. The Carpathians are similar to but not vampires. They can't exist in the day, they can only thrive at sun down. Blood is an essential part of living but sex with your food is taboo. Young Carpathians do take animal blood but that makes them weaker and unable to use their powers to the fullest.

They do have magic to a certain degree and have strong psychic abilities. Shape-shifting is also part of their abilities. They need soil to rest and heal. Psychic human females can be turned into Carpathians with ritual binding words and three blood exchanges.
Vampires are Carpathians who go over to the dark side. They turn ugly, bad and deranged. That is because a male Carpathian cannot survive so long without a life mate. A Life mate will bring color and emotions into their world and call them from the dark side. An instinctively, they will do everything to protect their life mates.

Dark Secret

I first encountered the Dark Series with Dark Secret. Modern day California, Colby never expected to get to know, much less sleep with a Carpathian Hunter. There is just something wicked but irresistible about the De La Cruz Brothers. The De La Cruz are supposedly from Brazil. They are protectors of the Chevez family and in turn, the Chevez protect their finances. Arrogant rich men huh? Colby Jansen is bastard but her mother's husband was fond of her. Just before she was 18, Armando Chevez died and left the ranch to Colby. None of the other Chevez family responded to her cry of help. So for 5 years, she ran her mother's ranch and took care of Paul and Ginny, her sibling (legitimate offspring of Armando and her moder). The head of the Chevez family didn't like Colby because of what she is. Now that the old Chevez is dead, Armando's brothers go to California to locate Paul and Ginny but Colby will not give them up.

Rafael's black and white world is suddenly invaded by colors and he is confused. Nicolas tells him that it means his life mate is near. It could only be Colby. so starts Rafael's seduction of Colby to try to take her with him.

Unknown to him, she was no ordinary psychic chick. She was from an ancient line called the Dragonseekers. now that Rafael won her heart and body, he wasn't going to contain her spirit especially if Rafael, Paul and Ginny were endangered by a vampire in the region.

At first I thought the rest of the Dark Series book will be about Carpathians finding their life mates then finds out they all have spunk and it would be a contest of wills between Carpathians wanting their women submissive so they can be easily protected and huge male ego blah, blah...

Well, it partly is.

Dark Demon

Next on the Dark Series I read was Dark Demon, the Sequel to Dark Secret. Vikirnoff von Shrieder gets a surprise to find his life mate is a Vampire Hunting mage named Natalya. Natalya was introduced in Dark Secret already. She has a smart-ass mouth and has major weapon issues. She actually ends up saving the day so Vikirnoff lets her do what she wants.

Dark Prince

Then I read Dark Prince. This is the first in the series. It is set about 50 years before Dark Demon. Mikhail Dubrinsky is the Prince of the Carpathian people. He has to protect the few people he has and the humans attached to them. He is a sad character in the beginning of the book but suddenly finds himself talking to a woman. Suddenly color floods in his vision. He had to find this voice.

Raven Whitney works for the FBI as a sort of consultant. With her psychic powers, she tracks down killers. Of course it takes up too much of her strength and energy so she thought a vacation int he Carpathian mountains, away from civilization, will do her good.

Until Mikhail sweeps her off her feet and into his antique palatial home, into his bedroom, into his heart then into his life.

Think she's tough. Yeah she is. She offers everything to Mikhail though because of her powerful abilities that shames the Carpathian men. Mikhail on the other hand wants to keep her in his house and away from danger. She soon lets him find out just what she can do!

Of course when she gets converted, she still has major issues human face; like drinking blood and sleeping buried under ground.

It is actually a lively series about not just a group of people or a species separate from humans. The Carpathians, their life mates and the humans attached to them are a society. They have norms, code of honors and daily struggles.

Coelacanth Fish

400 Million Year Old Fish was found in Sulawesi recently.

The fish was thought to be extinct 65 Million years ago but apparently, people are discovering that the fish has been around for quite a while. 1938, it was caught in Tanzania. After that, 30 have been found since.

Now, it was found in Sulawesi. Closer to the Philippines.

Nobody ever caught one alive. When they catch one, it dies. It was too evolve and too suited to its natural surrounding that taking it out of it will kill the fish.

Why am I interested in a fish?

First of all, I am a Pisces Child. Naturally, I'm curios about fishes and what goes on in the deep blue yonder. Second of all, I love to learn about dinosaurs. If my parents let me, I would have studied Paleontology instead. Third, it is a living dinosaur fish. Combination of my first two reasons.

A funny thing occurred to me when I saw that Coelacanth documentary in Discovery Channel. I looks like a giant Tilapia (Mud Fish of the Philippines). Apart from its enormous size and six fins, it could actually be a mama Tilapia. That got my interest going. Tilapias taste good fried or sauteed in swet sour sauce.

What if the Tilapia branched out of the Coelacanth Millions of years ago and moved to the sunny waters of the Orient Pearl. The Philippines isn't a very old country. It's less than a million year old, built by land bridges and volcanic activity. What if the Coelacanth, who lives in deep waters, ventured closer to the land. It shrunk as food became scarce and since it didn't need too much fins, it shed it off. It became the modern Tilapia of today.

It's a theory!

See articels on:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070731/sc_afp/indonesiaenvironment_070731174437
http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90781/6216302.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22154993-663,00.html?from=public_rss

Evensong by Candace Camp

Aline is no whore but dancing can scarcely draw the thin line. It was the only way to making money and helping her parents. Now enter James Norwen. He was rude and an arrogant bastard.

A duke proposes that she help him scheme Sir James of Norwen to his downfall. Arrogant James didn't know he married a commoner dancer instead of a spoiled rich dowered lady. The Duke made it look like Aline was Lady Clarissa, his wealthy niece. At first, it was a battle of wills not to fall in Love with each other. Aline makes sure she was so annoying. James, finds he loved the feisty feline and beds her. Man, she didn't even resist!

When she confesses the duke's plan, he was already falling in love with Aline. Aline thwarts the Duke's schemes but James in not convinced her love is not an act too until he gets kidnapped and tortured. Aline saves him and proves her love ten times over.

I want to bash two men in this book: one is James the other is the Duke. Aline has fought for money, pride then love. What woman in the medieval ages is stronger than that?

I could read in this book that during this era, common born women were property and they had no say if a noble man beds them. Aline fought long and hard to preserve her honor. Everyone called her a whore yet she was a virgin and protected her maidenhead til the bastard James Norwen seduced her.

No wonder it was called Dark Ages. It was the Dark Ages for Women who were ahead of their time in thoughts and ways.

Knights Divided by Suzanne Barkley

Not such a great title for the book is you ask me! It should be "Woman who divides the knights" or "The Apothecary Girl" corny but I can't seem to think of a good title for it.

Medieval Romance is very brutal and blunt. Men are streightforward with what they want and women are usually the strong ones who will not yeild their dignity for ntohing less that true love.

No knights get divided in this book.

A Rogue Heir might be accused of treason but to murder an innocent girl? Emmeline kidnaps Sir Jamie Harcourte but finds herself falling for the rogue. A mangled body but a heart-throbbing smiles fascinates her. This man must be her sister's killer but then how could he have killed her sister yet spare her and even to the point of protecting her?

Emma is plain as her sister is beautiful. She is a bastard, the minstrel's daughter to a women he didn't wed. Her mother died leaving her the Apothecary shop to manage all on her own. Her lecherous father comes and goes only to ask for money. Her life was hard and wouldn't go any lower so why not capture the murdering pirate Jamie Harcourte?

He sets the table turning and has her as captive. Now, with treasonous plot around him, the king and the Duke of Lancaster, he pushes her away. But Emma keeps coming back to him and saves him.

Imprisoned and to be hanged for treason by the Earl of Oxford, Jamie is tells his Friends to keep Emma safe. Emma on the other hand has ideas of her own. Didn't she kidnap the rogue once? Surely another time wouldn't be so hard, especially if she gets help. Help she does get when she boldly introduces herself to Jamie's parents. The Harcourt and Somervilles accepts her readily which brings tears to Emma's eyes for she had not very good experience with her parents. They all schemes and planned one of the greatest escapes London will ever know.

Eventually, Jamie accepts the lesson that the Somerville men of Harcourte know: Never mess with their women, they are always right and stronger that the men. Which was true.

Emma was determined. She was brave and strong and she got her happy ending.

Of course, we must never discount family. The Somervilles have been notorious for having such a strong family bond. Now, she belonged to that bond.