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Friday, October 29, 2010

Sin Undone...pass more Doctor please.


Sin Undone by author Larissa Ione is the fifth installment in her Demonica series. She's a NYT bestselling author and by the undead gods she has every right to be! This series is like Grey's Anatomy meets Angel, only McSteamy is more like McDemony in these books. :) All I can say is, once you go demon you may never go back - those smokin' hot doctors can take my vitals any day!


On to the review. Sin Undone revolves around the story of Sin the demonic assassin, and Conall a half-vampire half-werewolf paramedic. No team vamp or team werewolf this time; this sexy man is the best of BOTH worlds. I can't recall reading another series that has an undead/werewolf duo teamed up, and as such it's very refreshing.


While previous books focused on Sin's brothers, you get a big girl-power boost in this one. Sin spent decades enslaved and learned to fight and kill with the best of them, before becoming the leader of an assassin for hire thug ring. Sassy butt kicking at its best! ;)


A dare from another EMT colleague thrusts Conall and Sin together. She makes a terrible mistake which unleashes a deadly disease, which in turn has the sexy werewolf finds himself sucked into Sin's intrigue faster then he can say "OMG I love Edward!" lol. (Or perhaps that should be "Bella"). Either way he finds himself deeper in her world. This happens partly against his own will and partly because of his attraction for her. Ah yes…love and hate. A fine line at times. lol You can't help but like the half breed and as the book progresses you're really rooting for Conall.


There is a lot of action and sticky situations within the pages of this book, along with some hot and heavy romance. *checking romance fuel gauge….yup filled up* Ione also introduces a few new characters whom I hope to read more about in greater detail in upcoming books.


I thoroughly enjoyed this entertaining book. Highly recommend it to all! Getting 4 very happy sheep

KD


Tuesday, October 26, 2010

*Interview with author Merrie Destefano*


Once again Amber and I struck gold when author Merrie Destefano agreed to have a sit down sheep pow-wow with us. A trip to the south later found us face to face with the author, and the following account is what happened. For those of you who don't already know, her debut Sci-Fi book, Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles is in stores now!



New Orleans. Creepy Bayou. 2 Sheep and 1 Clone meet.



Katie: So Merrie, thank you so much for sitting down with us in this um nice location. (all the insects grow quiet at once in the background, and I am really starting to rethink this whole Bayou trip.) How did you come up with the concept for this story?

Merrie: Katie and Amber, Thanks so much for having me here today! How did I come up with this story? Well, I happen to like random scientific information, so from time to time I read science magazines. Once I saw an article about how we might be able to discover the key to immortal life if we could figure out how to lengthen the telomeres in our DNA. Oh, snap, I thought. That’s would make a great story premise. So I built a world around a technology where we had basically made death obsolete.


Katie: Mankind seems to have this obsession with finding the Fountain of Youth. But, I think the real question is why? Why want to live forever? Would you, Merrie, go the Fresh Start route?

Merrie: Katie, I think we all have a built-in desire to live, rather than die. It's part of our survival instinct. So, in my opinion, the desire to live forever is really just an honest confession to the fear of death. Would I go the Fresh Start route? Ah, now the plot thickens. [dastardly laugh] Actually, no. I would choose to be a One-Timer, like the main character in Afterlife, Chaz.


Amber: The clones in this story come to life at age 21, was there a reason that became the lucky rebirth number?

Merrie: I know I wouldn’t want to have to go through high school again. No way. And bizarrely, from all the blog posts and comments other people have made, nobody else wants to do that either. And who want to start life at age 18, when it’s not even legal to do half the stuff we love to do? So I figured, let’s start at age 21, when the world is still sparkly and shiny and you have the energy to conquer every dream.


Katie: New Orleans plays a big part in this book, was there a draw to writing the story in this city? Maybe some roots from your past?

Merrie: Absolutely. I’ve been fascinated by New Orleans—in a good way—for a long, long time. Then my heart broke when Hurricane Katrina struck. Back then I was the editor of Victorian Homes magazine, so I dedicated an issue of the magazine to the people and the homes of the City That Care Forgot. The rebuilding isn’t over yet and I still don’t want people to forget. Part of me is amazed at how much the concept of home means to us. It’s primal. Even when our home is destroyed and we have the option to go somewhere else, like what happened in NOLA, there’s this part of the human spirit that refuses to give up. This has happened to whole cities before—with the fire in Chicago, the earthquake in San Francisco, the terrorist attack on New York—but the inhabitants of those cities just wouldn’t leave this precious thing called home. I believe that is an honorable and beautiful part of our nature. Also, I have a pack of wild dogs in the book. I never mention it, but in my mind they were Katrina Dogs, packs of dogs that somehow banded together and found a way to survive the devastation of the hurricane and its aftermath.

Katie: What a wonderful tribute to such a rich and vibrant city. Will we read more about the dog pack in upcoming books?

Merrie: Katie, I'm glad you liked the reasons why I chose New Orleans as a setting. Sometimes I wonder if I over-think things. But maybe, that's what all authors do. [grin] About the dog packs — I know Omega would be in upcoming books, and probably Alpha. But the rest of the pack are on the their own now, so they probably won't be in any more books.


Amber: If you had a chance to go back in time and change 1 thing that happened would you do it? And what would it be?

Merrie: This one makes me want to cry, so it’s probably a good answer. My parents divorced when I was eight. So every weekend, I would go see my dad. I loved him more than anyone else in the world. But when I got to be a teenager, sometimes I got too busy with my own life. He passed away from a heart attack when I was 16 and I had missed seeing him the previous weekend. If I could do anything over, I would spend that weekend with him and let him know how much he means to me and how much I truly love him. I still miss him.

Amber: Thats so sweet, now I AM crying! lol


Katie: As a dog lover, I fell for Omega right away. I know you have some German Shepherds in your life, was Omega based on either of them?

Merrie: Again, absolutely! And I’m so glad you loved Omega. He was favorite character. We have two German shepherds. The first one, Caleb, we bought from a breeder and he’s a real beauty. The other dog, Joshua, we got from a local German shepherd rescue organization. He might not be as pretty as Caleb, but he has such a sweet, gentle personality that I cannot imagine how his owners got rid of him. He doesn’t know how to play with toys—something our other dog loves to do—and I think it’s because no one played with him as a puppy. The first day he walked into our house, he ran around, picking up all of Caleb’s half-eaten bones and started chewing them up. I feel like he has such a sad story of what might have happened to him before we found him, so he was the model for Omega. Omega didn’t have a very nice life until Elizabeth came along. Having someone to love you makes all the difference in the world. Also, for those of you who read my book, the photo on the inside back cover is of Joshua and me.


Amber: The book is written from several different accepts, male and female. Was it hard writing from the male perspective?

Merrie: Actually, no. Maybe I’m weird, but I’ve always loved writing from a male perspective. That might be because I read a lot of books written by men, with a male protagonist, so I’m used to that POV. And I have my own personal opinion about what makes men and women tick. I believe that deep down inside, in their hidden heart of hearts, women are the realists and men are the romantics. Women know that they have to take care of themselves and their children, so they usually won’t take too much crap from men. Or at least, not for too long. Men, on the other hand, tend to fall in love with a woman and it doesn’t matter what she does, they are in love forever. Also, if you study literature, who was writing all the romantic poetry of the 1600s-1900s? Men. I’ve had some heated discussions [grin] with other writers about this topic. But I believe that having this opinion about what motivates men and women affects my writing and I think it helps me to create richer characters.


Katie: Ok this is just me and my weird addiction but will we get any romance in the up coming books? Hot and steamy? Chaz with his shirt off perhaps lol

Merrie: Good question! I don’t know if there will be anything hot and steamy, but there will definitely be that element of what is it about love that can last forever. In our culture, it seems to be easy to love someone for 5 years or 10 years, but to stay in love and be married to the same person for 50 or 60 years is incredibly rare. I’d love to depict a couple who may argue occasionally and then kick bad guys’ butt occasionally and then somehow manage to stay together forever. Kind of a modern Nick and Nora from The Thin Man. I’ve always thought that the sexiest guy is the one who loves his children and his wife and will do anything to protect and care for them. So Chaz definitely falls into that category.

Katie: I completely agree. Protect and love. But can he do that without a shirt? hehehe

Merrie: Katie, you are cracking me up now. LOL.


Amber: The Underground Circus is a freaky place, kids in this series are not safe- (an eerie howl shrieks around us, Katie and Amber exchange nervous glances and shiver at the same time) um anyway, what can we look forward to --is that the right word?-- what can anticipate with the Circus in the next book?

Merrie: I haven’t decided if the Underground Circus will play a big part in the next book, but I do know that at least one book will focus on it. I need to show Isabelle grown up and getting her own form of revenge. I’d love to see her find a way to take it down. I haven’t figured out how she can do that yet, though. Maybe because in my mind, she’s not grown up yet. I really want her to have a chance to fall in love too. We see her at the end of Afterlife and we know that she gets married and has children. But we didn’t see her romantic journey. But back to the Circus, yes, I will definitely write about it again. It is a huge nemesis in Chaz and Isabelle’s lives and it needs to be addressed.

Amber: Oh I can't wait Merrie! Isabelle could turn out to be one kick-butt chick…this is getting very interesting.


Katie: Have you ever had a reoccurring dream? I often dream of being chased by the freaky alien Predator from the Arnold Gov-a-nator movie, is there a dream you have never been able to shake?

Merrie: Yikes! Why are all recurring dreams scary? When I was a teenager I used to have a recurring dream about an invisible monster. I think it was based on that creature from The Forbidden Planet. Man, that thing scared the crap out of me! It still does!

Katie: Yeah, why can't it be recurring winning the lottery dreams? lol


Amber: Where can fans look forward to seeing you in the near future? Any conventions or singings coming up?

Merrie: Well, in the near future I have a Meet the Author Tea at Paris in a Cup in Orange, California, on Oct. 30. Beyond that, I just started lining up events for next year. So far I think I will be attending the following in 2011: ConDor XVIII in San Diego in February, Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in Los Angeles in April, Comic Con in San Diego in July, and World Fantasy Con in San Diego in October.


Also, my second novel, Feast, is scheduled to come out in July, 2011. It’s not a sequel to Afterlife, but it’s pretty cool. It has new monsters in it.

Amber: We might be at the RT convention too! Still trying to work that all out but you may see us there. Please don't beat us off with a stick. hahaha

Merrie: Amber and Katie, that would SO awesome if you went to the RT convention. Right now I'll be wandering around like a lost soul. So I need friends!


Katie: If you could be any super hero with all the powers that come with it, who would you be and why?

Merrie: Supergirl. When I was young I had the biggest crush on Superman. I was in love with him. I don’t really care about having his super powers myself, but just being like him would be almost as good as having him around.

Katie: It's the glasses that did it for me. Nerdy but smokin hot! yummy! lol


Katie: Ok last question before we start some rapid fire…If Peter Piper picked a peck or pickled peppers, how many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick? lol

Merrie: At least 16. For sure. Yeah, 16.


Amber: Sorry Merrie, don't mind Katie she's one sheep shy of a flock. lol And I mean that in the most loving way possible Katie! Alright it's time to clear your mind and get ready from some rapid-fire. Answer with the first thing that pops into your mind……ready……and go!



Amber: Plane or Train

Merrie: Train. *planes, shivers*


Katie: Silver or Gold

Merrie: White gold


Amber: Sand or Snow

Merrie: Snow


Katie: Fish or Chicken

Merrie: FISH!!!!!


Amber: Sweats or Jeans

Merrie: Sweats


Katie: Old Navy or Kohls

Merrie: Old Navy


Amber: Coke or Pepsi

Merrie: Coke

Katie: HAHAHAHA!!! Oh man I have lost count now Amber! How many is this? Tell me HOW many times now has Coke been choosen OVER Pepsi? *holds hand to ear*

Amber: No! Pepsi will be the winner in the end…you can savor these victories now Katie. Just watch and wait.

Katie: *makes annoying kid faces at Amber*


Katie: Brownies or Cookies

Merrie: Brownies

Katie: mmmmm yes, warm and gooey….


Amber: Bad boy or Nerd

Merrie: Bad boy!


Katie: Pool or Hot tub

Merrie: Pool, definitely!


Amber: New York or CA

Merrie: California. I love it here!

Katie: *starts singing Katy Perry's California Girls, slightly off key*


Katie: Thank you so much much Merrie for opening yourself up to the women of sheep, and to your fans. We loved the book and now we love you!

Merrie: Katie and Amber, thank you both for having me here! I love your blog and your sense of humor and the sheep—Wow, these little guys are piling up for a group hug. Totally unexpected. Mmmuuurffff. I mean, thanks —smmmmmuuummmphff—for inviting me—phhhheeemmfffff.



*Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles is in stores now. Make sure to grab a copy today!



Time for the giveaway contest. In the comments below, leave two things to be automatically entered to win the Afterlife party pack. This pack includes our fun version of Liquid Light. ;)


1. Your email address

2. What name would you choose for yourself if you awoke in a brand spanking new cloned body?


Contest ends Monday November 1st at Midnight.

Good luck everyone!








Monday, October 25, 2010

National Novel Writing Month


We're all avid readers here. This is true. Without writing though, what would we be reading? I'd like to take a moment to talk about National Novel Writing Month.

National Novel Writing Month or NaNoWriMo, is an free annual event hosted by a non-profit called The Office of Letters and Light. The point of the event is, as the name suggests, to write a novel (well.. 50,000 words of one anyhow) in a month; specifically the month of November. Now I know what you are all thinking (you actual authors not withstanding, of course): I'm not a writer... I can't possibly write a novel... especially if I only have a month! Well, let me assure you oh weary readers that it's totally possible! Let me share my story with you...

Since I can remember, I've had this itch to write... but I could not for the life of me put together anything longer than say, 10 pages. I thought for sure that whatever gene there was that allowed people to grow 300+ page novels from their soul, I surely lacked it. Last year, though, I became a WriMo (one who participates in NaNoWriMo) and was determined to at least write something. I ended up hitting my 50,000 word quota almost a week early!

Now, I'm not saying that when you sign up, you'll suddenly be magically endowed with the ability to spew forth great stories and colorful plot devices. No.. To be successful, you have to understand that writing your first 50,000 is a journey. You'll learn a lot about yourself, how you think, and more importantly, how you write. Like any self discovery, it takes a great deal of courage and more than a bit of frustration. You'll be surprised by what you inflict on your characters and they may even surprise you with how they react. You'll start off writing a romance and end up with a murder mystery. One thing for sure though, at the end... even if you wrote 20 words... if you really put forth an honest effort, you'll feel great.

One of the more important things that I learned during my first 50,000 words was ... i learned to let go. Normally, when I have an idea that I need to write down, I'll agonize over the details... or the wording... or some asinine thing. If you try to write a novel with that hindering you? You'll never finish. Have you ever heard the term "Writing is all about revision"? That statement is more true than you know... and to hammer home the point, I'll share with you my 50,000 words from last year. It's completely unedited which sort of terrifies me, but I wanted to show you exactly what I meant by letting go.

The Misadventures of Frank the Evil Wizard

For those of you who decide to partake in the "30 days and nights of literary abandon", here's my profile... add me! let's work together! For those of you who are not going to participate, please consider a donation to one of the many Office of Letters and Light causes! Help spread writing to everyone!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Dakota Banks Giveaway winner!

Ok. We're up for another drawing here at Sheep HQ.

This time around we have a much simpler contest with 3 official participants. This is all well and good because I couldn't conscript the help of my marutachi friends this time... apparently they spend every October 24th finding and beating the tar out of M&Ms. Who would have thought that cute round things like beating up other cute round things?? One Marutachi named Midori decided to sit this chocolate bashing out. He explained to me that he only did it socially; that he didn't actually like beating up lesser life forms.

Much to Katie's chagrin, I accepted the help of a wandering woodchuck. This woodchuck, named ... Chuck (not kidding) promised he'd do his best helping out with this drawing... so here we go.

I called in the potential jurors and explained the situation. They assured me that a vote with an odd number of candidates was perfectly ok... and would be totally fair. Not one to argue against a committee of 20 virtual people, I let them do what they do best!

Round 1

Sarah : 10
McPig : 7
Sharon : 3
Nobody got a majority! The floor is open for debate!
Nicole champions Sarah calling upon MiddleAged voters to consider Sarah's awesomeness
Veronica champions McPig calling upon voters from the NorthEast to consider McPig's mettle
Victoria champions Sharon calling upon Female voters to consider Sharon's mettle


Round 2

Sharon : 10
Sarah : 7
McPig : 3
Nobody got a majority! The floor is open for debate!
Dale champions Sharon calling upon voters from the NorthWest to consider Sharon's greatness
Fortunado champions Sarah calling upon Male voters to consider Sarah's sweetness
Nicole champions McPig calling upon voters from the SouthWest to consider McPig's awesomeness


Round 3

Sarah : 9
Sharon : 8
McPig : 3
Nobody got a majority! The floor is open for debate!
Katherine champions Sarah calling upon Female voters to consider Sarah's mettle
Harry champions Sharon calling upon Male voters to consider Sharon's sweetness
Vauhn champions McPig calling upon Male voters to consider McPig's worthyness


Round 4

Sarah : 12
McPig : 4
Sharon : 4
The winner is: Sarah in 4 rounds!


Chuck!! No The sign is supposed to congratulate the *WINNER!* ... and um, it shouldn't have bites in it either! grrr... Chuck, you're fired!

Ok. I guess this is a lesson to all of us. Don't trust woodchucks.

Anyhow, Congratulations SarahM! You now have one week from the post date of this entry to contact Amber at ambercoffey (at) live (dot) com! Please provide Amber with shipping directions, instructions as well as any deadly allergies you have that may be relevant.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Hereafter



Hereafter was directed by Clint Eastwood and stars Matt Damon. Really if he's in the movie who cares about anything else. lol If you have seen any other Eastwood films (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby etc), you know what to expect. To those of you who have not, then expect a heart-wreching drama and tear soaked tissues. Hereafter follows suit. :)

Plot Summary:
A drama centered on three people who are haunted by mortality in different ways. George (Damon) is a blue-collar American who has a special connection to the afterlife. On the other side of the world, Marie (de France), a French journalist, has a near-death experience that shakes her reality. When Marcus (Frankie/George McLaren), a London schoolboy, loses the person closest to him, he desperately needs answers. Each character is on a path in search of the truth and when their lives intersect, it'll forever change what they believe might-or must-exist in the hereafter.

Damon gives another stellar performance as the man who just wants to lead a normal life, but is unable to because of his gift (some may see as a curse). Parts of the film were tapped in San Francisco and my only complaint with that was this: Why the heck did I NOT know about this?! Matt Damon was in SF! *stomping feet* Are you kidding me, that's a hop skip and jump away from me! Dang. :)

Moving on to a few downsides of the film. First is actress Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron Howard's daughter). She was awful. I hated her character. She is annoying, pushy and just all around a gag fest to watch. Not a fan. The second thing that REALLY bugged me was the boom mic that kept popping up in scenes. TWO separate scenes had the boom mic creeping in from the top of the screen. Sorry but with a film that's high budget and has many many people working on editing and such, someone should have caught that. That's just sloppy and lazy if you ask me.

Overall the film was an emotional drama for people who like to watch movies for the art of acting and story telling. Well written and beautifully preformed. Not an action bang bang shoot em up, so it will feel slow to anyone expecting that. Bring tissue for this one.
KD

Friday, October 22, 2010

*Interview with Merrie Destefano 10/26/10*




First I just want to say, Amber and I are two of the luckiest chicks in the world. We get to interview some really great women on our blog, we are so thankful to do this everyday. :) Adding to our list is the uber talented and all around great gal author Merrie Destefano.

Merrie's debut novel Afterlife: The Resurrection Chronicles can be found in stores now. So make sure to grab a copy and give this book a read! You will NOT be sorry. :) And you can check out my review in the posts below. Loved her book!

Interview will be posted Tuesday, October 26th so bring your awesome selfs back to check it out. What goes on in the mind of an author who writes about clones? Come back to find out all the details.

Yes, yes lets not forget the PRIZE GIVEAWAY!!!!! One lucky winner will be chosen at random by Richard and his jury. Good luck figuring out how it all works. lol Want to know what you could win? Themed items revolving around her book!

Mardi Gras mask
Mardi Gras beads
Zatarain's- New Orleans Style Red beans and Rice
Pluto Plasma (our version of liquid light)



So come back on Tuesday everyone. Same baaa-time, same baaa-place!


Fuzzy Sheep Love;
Amber, Katie and Richard
"because Woodchucks can't be trusted"



Thursday, October 21, 2010

Red--Retired. Extremely. Dangerous.



*Richard and I are tag teaming a movie review. Let us know what you think!*



Red directed by Robert Schwentke staring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Karl (drop dead gorgeous) Urban and Richard Dreyfuss is in theaters across the nation now. A hard core Marvel gal myself, how could I resist this all-star cast. DC and Summit (yes, thats right. The guys who bring us Twilight!) came together and delivered a pretty decent flick. Was it the best movie this year? No. Was it fun? Sure. :)


Some pretty amusing dialog between characters went a long way in keeping audiences attention. Slow moving in parts was a major downfall. But when action kicks in, it kicks in the front door with a sonic boom! Suburban gunfight? Classic. :) Helen Mirren shooting semi-automatics? Fantastic. John Malkovich playing a wacky eccentric! lol You've seen him in this role before, but really he does it so well, who cares! There are a few important points in the film that are brushed over never explained. Others that held no value to the movie are given plenty of attention. A little frustrating for me.


Over all Red was just above average for me. Would I see it again? No. But I will recommend it to anyone who enjoys fun popcorn flicks.

KD



For a tongue in cheek action movie, Red boasted an incredible star lineup. I must admit that I went into the film with very high expectations. Damn high.... and I left the theater feeling like I got exactly what I knew the movie would deliver.


Overall, I'd say that the movie has a similar feel to it as Men Who Stare At Goats. If you didn't like that movie, I'd suggest that you wait for the DVD. Like most other movies who split the divide of action and comedy, the plot is predictable to the point where you know exactly what will happen next, but you find yourself excited to see it manifest on the big screen anyway. Just how many bullet casings could they possibly scatter across the floor? let's find out! There are also a few scenes whose only purpose is to pay homage to other action movies... so if you have little or no patience for that kind of thing, you'll have to wait for your party near the exit; you're just not tall enough for this ride.


One aspect of the movie that I really enjoyed was, even though it didn't take itself too seriously, it never dipped into being utterly juvenile like in Tropic Thunder. To borrow a quote from the more juvenile movie, "You never go full retard." John Malkovich running down a group of CIA agents with a bomb strapped to his chest is right about where my comedic sweet spot lies.


I'm giving this movie four sheep.

RL

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

* Interview with author Dakota Banks*


Demons be warned there's a new Queen in town and her name is Dakota Banks! Author of the adventurous series Mortal Path agreed to undergo a bombardment of varying questions, from the peeps that be sheeps. Katie and I welcomed our nerdy heartthrob Richard on this interview, can he handle all the estrogen swarming around? Read below and find out. ;) We hope you all enjoy! (and if not, please keep that information to yourself :P lol)

Traveling the world. Saving mankind. 3 Sheep and 1 Assassin meet.

Amber: As a child what was your favorite series or author?

When I was young, I read widely in science fiction. It’d be hard to pin down just one author, so I’ll name Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Harlan Ellison, and Frank Herbert. And Orson Scott Card, but he came along later.

Katie: If you were stranded on a deserted island name one item you could not live without?

Water. A computer with solar batteries so I could write. I can’t seem to stick to the rules about naming one thing.

Katie: lol. Yes I see, but I’ll let it slide

Amber: Have you always wanted to be a writer?

Ever since I stopped holding books upside down and pretending to read, and started holding them right side up and actually reading. Words were wonderful all by themselves, and if I put them in the right order, people could understand the thoughts I had. Therefore, writing = mindreading, a powerful notion at a young age. I started writing short stories when I was eight years old.

Katie: What’s the craziest thing you did in college?

I didn’t do anything crazy in college. I was an engineering student, and we all pegged zero on the scale of crazy things. Unless you count rolling across the open spaces of the computer center late at night on wheeled chairs trying to smash into each other. See? Zero.

Katie: I don’t know Dakota, I myself have played a little wheeled chair bumper cars. It can get a little nuts!

Richard: If you could choose any figure from history to hit in the face with a pie, who would it be?

Depends on the contents of the pie. If the pie is the basic yummy lemon cream, I’d go for Harriet Tubman, the inspirational former slave who helped many escape on the Underground Railroad. I admire her bravery, steadfast belief in freedom, and her resourcefulness. I’d like to think that if I lived in her era, she and I would have been good friends and co-conspirators. So after I tossed the pie, we’d laugh, she’d wash her face, and we’d sit down to a meeting to plan the escape of more slaves.

Now if the pie is the sort that has razor blades hidden in the mound of cream, I’d be delighted to launch it at Adolf Hitler. In fact, I’d build a pie-launcher for maximum speed and accuracy. Oh dear, do I sound too nasty?

Amber: I like your style!

Amber: Are Maliha’s personality and traits inspired from someone you know personally?

Absolutely not. Well, she does share with me a desire to see justice done, but you can say that about many characters, so that’s too generic. Maliha is what I would like to be, except for that part of her life when she was a demon’s assassin. I wonder what choice I would have made, if I were in her place, tied to a stake, burning, betrayed and bereft? Would I sell my soul to the demon or let the flames consume me? How can any of us know unless we were in her shoes? I don’t think she was wearing shoes at the time, so maybe we could never know.

Katie: If you could be any fictional character who would it be and why?

I would be Frodo Baggins, because I strongly admire his ability to rise above his normal role in life to meet a challenge he couldn’t even envision at the start. I know that he wasn’t technically successful; in the last few moments of his quest he was overcome by evil and refused to destroy the ring. I understand that and can still admire a character who isn’t 100% perfect. Doesn’t “Dakota of the Nine Fingers” have a nice ring to it?

Katie: Lol. Why yes it does!

Richard: If your life story were optioned to be a movie, what genre would it fall under and who would you tap to direct it?

Are you kidding? Who let you in here, anyway? You ask weird questions. My life is so boring it would have to be a documentary, and I don’t think Clint Eastwood would be knocking at my door. I did think about an animated feature based on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The seven dwarves represent the books I’ve already written and Prince Charming who comes to wake me up with a kiss is my latest book, Sacrifice, which I so hope will become a best-seller. I think the Farrellys could do justice to Dakota’s Quest, don’t you?

Amber: With all the science fiction out there that is based mostly on vampires and aliens, what made you choose demons?

I wanted to stick with ancient Sumeria, and they don’t have much folklore on vampires. None, actually, that I could find. Aliens, though … I have that one covered. The Sumerians believed that their gods were aliens who came here about 450,000 years ago from their planet Nibiru. They fixed things up nicely on Earth (like a vacation home, I suppose), and after a while created humans as slaves to do the tedious work of plowing the fields, making beer, and so on when they got tired of doing it themselves.

When their planet came around again on its long elliptical orbit, the gods left the vacation home in charge of the freed humans. I propose in my Mortal Path books that the gods left behind seven demons on Earth to keep all the humans in line by creating chaos, death, and destruction. After all, how can the human race progress with this kind of anchor around our collective feet? While they were gone, the gods didn’t want their creations getting uppity.

The Sumerian gods are due to return to Earth when their planet (Google Planet X for details) has its next close approach. That is supposed to be in December 2012, the time when other cultures have prophesied big changes on Earth. Could it be that the Sumerian gods won’t be happy with the way we’ve messed with their vacation home?

I didn’t say I believe all this. It’s just interesting. I don’t even bring out the alien part in the books. I don’t want to be on the shelf in the store where the people shop who wear aluminum hats to protect themselves from alien transmissions.

Amber: Haha. That is the best part of the store! Lol

Katie: Growing up was there a teacher who inspired you?

Yes. My fifth grade teacher was sure I was going to be a writer long before I became one. She gave me extra reading and writing assignments that I snarfed up, and once told me that if I didn’t become a writer, she was going to come back as a ghost and haunt me until I did. Can you imagine your elementary school teacher harping at you from beyond the grave? Sounds like a Stephen King novel.

Katie: Oh holy undead gods no! Mr. Beckmen DO NOT come from beyond the grave to harp me! Lol

Richard: If you could pick one weapon from your book to use which would it be and why?

I am in no way a martial artist, although I have successfully stuck throwing stars into a tree. (Not as easy as it sounds, for you people who are laughing out there. The stars are heavier than I expected and have sharp tippy-points.)

If I could use one weapon of Maliha’s, it would be her whip sword. This is a sword with two long, flexible blades that can be snapped like a whip. The blades separate and can work independently, depending on the skill of the user. If you are not an expert with it, the blades could fly back at you and cut off your own limbs. Maliha wears her whip sword coiled around her waist in a special holder that prevents her from being cut. When she pulls the belt buckle, the sword unwinds (like a measuring tape coming out of its coil) and is ready for use. I have seen sparring done with whip swords and my heart was in my mouth the whole time, for fear one of the men would lose control of the weapon. I would choose this weapon because of its potential for surprise and its deadliness.

Amber: Alright. This is going on my Christmas list! How cool is that?!

Amber: What is your favorite movie of all time and why?

It’s Lord of the Rings, if I can count that as one movie. I’m fascinated with the story and I’ve read it at least ten times. I thought the movie version did a great job of telling the story, was beautifully filmed, and I even loved the musical score.

Katie: I am deathly afraid of bees, irrational as that may seem. Lol. Do you have any phobias?

I don’t consider fear of bees irrational. With killer bees moving northward into the U.S., there is every reason to fear that type of bee, one that is aggressive and attacks in swarms. As for placid bees that don’t attack unless you do something to them—if you’re in an area susceptible to killer bees, how do you know the difference? By my measure, you don’t have any phobias.

I’m another matter. I have two. The first is for large biting flies, like horseflies. I’m terrified of these far out of proportion to the damage they could do. I have been bitten by a horsefly more than once (used to live on acreage) and it’s painful, but nowhere near as bad as the abject terror I have of them. They circle their prey (me) at a high speed, and like to land on the back. I have sat in a car for fifteen minutes because there was a deerfly sunning itself on my side window and I was afraid to get out. This doesn’t extend to any flies smaller than a deerfly. I can ignore those, or treat them as a nuisance. So, irrational.

The second phobia no one is going to understand because it sounds so weird, and even I can’t imagine where it came from. Here goes: I’m afraid of mossy rocks seen through clear water, as would happen when canoeing over them. The first instance was while I was canoeing. I was completely taken by surprise and sat there shaking and staring down at the rocks. This gives me chills just thinking about it. Plain rocks won’t do. There has to be moss involved. The human brain is strange.

Katie: I fell hard on my butt walking across some of those evil rocks in a lake. I totally get what you’re saying.

Amber: No worries Dakota. I can’t handle touching construction paper. I get goosebumps and cringe just thinking about the texture of it. Totally understand. Lol.

Amber: In this series there is a background flavor, for lack of a better word, of religious right and wrong. Maliha is trying to save her soul and destroy the demon brothers, who are sons of a god. With all the mythology out there, the Greeks being the most popular, why did you decide to go with the Sumerian beliefs?

I’m an amateur archaeologist with a strong interest in Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. In modern times, that’s Iraq. Near the beginning of the war in Iraq, there was a period of time when the Iraqi National Museum was unguarded, right when American troops were entering Baghdad. Looters and vandals came into the museum, stealing some ancient artifacts for private gain and destroying others as vandals do across the world. This was all over the news for a short time and then the story submerged into archaeological trade journals, where there was a kind of mass mourning for the lost pieces. This was the germ of the Mortal Path idea—that something besides artifacts had survived from the Sumerian period. It took a lot of time and research to put it all together!

And now come our “Famous” (hopefully someday) rapid fire questions! Clear your head and don’t think about it before shouting out an answer! I realize this is like telling someone not to think about a white elephant but give it a shot anyways! Lol

Katie: Mexican or Sushi

Mexican

Amber: Wheat or Rye

Wheat

Richard: Mashed Potato or Baked Potato

Baked Potato

Katie: Halloween or New Years

Halloween

Katie: Yes! Me too! Halloween all the way baby! Lol

Amber: Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston

Angelina Jolie

Amber: Yes! I love Angie!

Katie: Shaken or Stirred

Shaken

Amber and Katie: (this is also a famous question for us. Lol. Choose wisely!) Coke or Pepsi

Coke

Katie: HAHAHA In your face Amber! You rock Dakota! Score another point for Team Coke!!!!

Richard: Scrambled or Over Easy

Scrambled

Katie: Wolverine or Iron Man

Wolverine

Katie: I love you Dakota. Lol

Amber: Agreed! This man is soo sexy!

Amber: Camaro or Corvette (I love fast cars!)

Corvette

Richard: Appletini or Scotch on the rocks

Appletini

Thank you so much Dakota for taking the time to sit down with us and let us pick your brain! We are honored that you let us into the brilliant and wacky place that is your mind. Lol.

And now on to the contest! As per usual there are only two things required to enter into this awesome drawing for a copy of Sacrifice and a tote bag, both signed by Dakota! Here we go!

1. Your name

2. If you were a witch, what would go into your demon brew?

Contest ends Sunday, October 24th at midnight! The winner will be announced on Tuesday, October 26th. Good luck!

Monday, October 18, 2010

Sacrifice... Awesome!

This is the second book in the Dakota Banks Mortal Path series and I have to say that I loved it! The heroine of this story, Maliha Crayne, is a combination of Jason Bourne meets Lara Croft. She is strong, loyal, witty, and pretty much an all around kicka** person. In her quest to earn back her soul from the demon she sold it to, she has met some pretty unique people along the way who are now her closest friends. They each have their own talents and together they are working on ridding the world of the seven demon brothers. To do this Maliha must travel the world looking for shards of a looking glass and the adventures she encounters along the way are of Hollywood proportion.

This book is action packed with loads of wit, thrills and awesome characters. And to make things even better, Mahila has a weapon collection that could make any girl drool and she knows how to use it! You know that secret fantasy that everyone has about being a badass assassin for the government or some secret society? This girl fulfills all those fantasies. lol. Is it possible to be jealous of a fictional character? Because I definitely am!

Banks delivered in all aspects for me. There was the action, duh lol, the good friends, the adventure, and even a little romance thrown in by way of a rogue immortal. This book has done its job. It has left me wanting to re-read it over again just to experience all the thrills again while desperately waiting for the next book to come out. Job well done! 4 sheep :)

AC

Friday, October 15, 2010

*Dakota Banks Interview 10/19/2010*


Well folks we did it again! *pats sheepy back* Our latest interview/victim is author of the incredible Mortal Path series Dakota Banks! Hip Hip Hooray! Baaaaaa! ;)

Adding to the interview this time around is our main nerdy-squeeze Richard! You all know him as the guy who comes up with the winner for our giveaways (wacky as it may be) and comic sketches.

If you have yet to check the Mortal Path series out, hop online or drive down to the closest bookstore and grab yourself a copy.

Interview will be posted for your reading pleasure Tuesday, October 19th.

Anyone want to win some free stuff? Back once again will be our fun question at the end of the interview, leave a comment and be entered to win.

Mystery prize will be revealed on Tuesday! The suspense killing you yet? lol Come back next week for all the fun. :)

Fuzzy Sheep Love;
Amber, Katie and Richard
I Smell Sheep....because Woodchucks can't be trusted


Monday, October 11, 2010

The Social Network

When I first saw the trailer for The Social Network, I knew that this was a movie that I'd end up going to see. I didn't come to this conclusion because I thought that this would be a good movie, I came to this conclusion because this movie is, in a very real way, the story about me. Ok. I'm not Mark Zuckerberg, but the story of Social Networking is literally a story that I participated in and continue to participate in through my work... needless to say, even before walking into the movie theater to see the film, I knew that I would have strong opinions about the subject matter and how it was portrayed.



The Social Network is set during a time when Facebook was beset by two distinct law suits; one involving Zuckerberg's best friend, and another filed by a trio of Harvard undergrads who claimed that they came up with the original idea. David Fincher (who also directed Zodiac) does a fantastic job of capturing the essence of what happened while dramatizing it enough to make the whole thing interesting. Like in Zodiac, Fincher spared no effort in getting everything set correctly all the way down to the cups of coffee being from the local coffee shops.. having worked in Palo Alto at about the same time as Facebook's rise to the top... I bought coffee and ate lunch at the same places!

The flow of this movie reminded me a lot of the film W. In many ways, it explains the how and the what... with some stretching of the truth in order to get at the why. Ultimately, I feel that one thing that this movie accomplishes is, it reminds us that Zuckerberg, aside from being a Harvard Dropout and billionaire, is simply human. We're able to see him as a fallible, human being who saw an opportunity and went buck wild with it.

I thought that I'd end up hating, or at least be very annoyed by the film, but left feeling great about it. If you've got feminist views, you may feel somewhat offended by the way women are marginalized. It is an unfortunate reality that this field is still very much a boy's club... I can't really blame Fincher or the movie for pointing this out.

All in all i give this 4.5 sheep.

Friday, October 8, 2010

Taken By Midnight


Taken by Midnight by author Lara Adrian is the latest edition in her Midnight Breed series. Now to give credit where credit is due, I owe major props to Amber for introducing me to this wonderful author. Nice call sis. Kisses. :)


This story follows the hunky undead man candy Brock, and Jenna the former Alaska State Trooper. If anyone didn't know...I love me some vamps! After Jenna is taken from Alaska for her own safety, she wakes up in a Vampire hospital to find out that unbeknownst to her someone or something has been messing with her DNA. Creepy. She takes immediately to Brock, and the love adventure takes off from there. Lot's of ups and downs throw in some twists and turns and you got one heck of a book!


This story is not another damsel in distress *in southern accent* "oh kind sir please help a young innocent lady out". Nope, Jenna can hold her own. And she does. And that's why I liked Jenna sooo much more. Girls that can kick butt and takes names without the help of men are even better in my book. (but when you need the backup its always nice to have a hunky vamp on your team) I enjoy the authors style of writing and the intermixing of characters from previous books. I hate when you pick up the latest book in a series only to loose the people of past stories. Always a bummer. But Adrian does a great job keeping everyone in the mix. Props!


Lots more plot building leading into the next book. Which is good and bad. Not a patient person lol so the wait kills me. But the payoff is worth it when I get the next bit of heaven in my hands. Another excellent story in a series that keeps me wanting more. :)


4 very happy sheep.

KD