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Thursday, June 30, 2011

Transformers: Dark Of The Moon

Transformers: Dark of the Moon is directed by Michael Bay and stars Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Alan Tudyk (from Firefly!) and Patrick Dempsey. While I didn't like a few things in the movie, overall it's not anywhere near as bad as some the reviews out there right now. Will it be the best of the three? No, but it's a good film.


Plot:

Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf) taking his first tenuous steps into adulthood while remaining a reluctant human ally of Optimus Prime. The film centers around the space race between the U.S.S.R. and the USA, suggesting there was a hidden Transformers role in it all that remains one of the planet's most dangerous secrets. The villain of the third film will be Shockwave.


A lot of disappointment was felt after Transformers 2, for me one of those disappointments was Arcee not having a bigger role as one of the only female bots finally coming to the screen. Aside from a plot that was severely lacking in Transformers 2 I was a little nervous to continue. But my love for the Autobots is too deep to deny: Optimus Prime, Iron Hide, Ratchet and Bumblebee are my boys! Needless to say I had to give them another shot. First the downsides, Shia was a bit annoying with his constant screaming and whiny behavior. At some point the boy needs to grow up and be a man, and I had hopes that with this time around (as an Ivy league grad and all) he would be a bit more adult like but unfortunately he was again let me down with his acting ability. With a run time of almost 2 and 1/2 hours the film felt way too long, quite a bit could have been shaved off to save the audience from all the excess that really held no bearing on the main plot. The script didn't flow easily and gave it a little disjointed feel but overall the action makes up for anything that might have been lacking.


Positive side. This film has some of the best robot fighting I have ever witnessed on the big screen, the highway scenes and hand to hand combat in the street of Chicago were pretty exciting. I did notice they took a little more time slowing down the action, where as before everything was blown through so quickly you couldn't tell who was fighting who. I really appreciated that. Sam's parents are hysterical side characters that really keep the comedy rolling whenever they appear on screen. I am NOT a fan Of Megan Fox so I had a much more enjoyable time with this movie. Was Rosie a good actress? ..not really no. But she did a so-so job with the part and was much more tolerable than Fox.


With a plethora of fighting (sometimes graphic in nature) and a PG-13 rating parents be warned that little ones may not need to see this film. It may not be blood but when heads of robots or humans are being ripped off it's still a bit disturbing. So use good judgment with the younger kids. Loved seeing Optimus and his Axe taking names and kicking Decepticon butt! With lines like "We will kill them all!" how could you not root for the giant heroes?! These guys hold my heart and for nothing else but their scenes alone this movie is well worth the money to see it. It's a summer popcorn flick and nothing more. :)


Getting 3 and 1/2 Allspark Sheep

KD


Graphic Novels: the perfect combination of art and fiction



Criminal Macabre: The Cal McDonald Mysteries Omnibus Vol. #1
Author Steve Niles
Artwork: Kelley Jones and Ben Templesmith
I’ve always liked graphic novels, you get the beauty of the art work and a kick ass story. So I was thrilled to get an ARC of the Criminal Macabre Omnibus from Netgalley and I absolutely loved it! I haven’t read a lot of this type of graphic novel and I am not sure about the terminology I should use so please bear with me. I think this qualifies as Noir or Pulp. Since graphic novels are really the marrying of art and fiction, I will address each part separately.

Blurb:
In 2003 Steve Niles, creator of the 30 Days of Night comics series, launched a series of occult detective stories featuring the monstrously hard-boiled Cal McDonald. A pill-popping alcoholic reprobate, Cal is the only line of defense between Los Angeles and a growing horde of zombies, vampires, possessed muscle cars, mad scientists, werewolves, and much more weirdness!

* This volume collects the first two
Criminal Macabre trades, the one-shot story Love Me Tenderloin, and Criminal Macabre: Supernatural Freak Machine--never before in trade paperback!

* From the creators of 30 Days of Night!

* For all your vampire and zombie fans!
Let’s talk story. Steve Nile’s Criminal Macabre Omnibus was my first introduction to Cal McDonald. He's a cynical, pill-popping, foul-mouthed, alcoholic private detective that has attracted supernatural creatures that the rest of the world doesn’t know exists ever since he was a kid. As a result, everyone close to him usually ends up dead. His partner and best friend is a very polite and dry humored Ghoul named Mo. Mo, along with all the other ghouls, lives in the sewers. The stories have a pulp feel and the character dialogue is hilarious. Snarky witticism at its best. He is like a male version of Buffy The Vampire Slayer, only way more screwed-up and vulgar .
The first story Criminal Macabre is about a crazy man who has found a way to bring back the original monsters from legend, like werewolves and vampires, using a mutated form of the Bubonic plague and fleas to transmit it. You won’t believe how Cal manages to defeat this guy .
The second is the short story A Letter From B.S. Cal helps a dead man find his dead girlfriend. This story is outright hilarious, especially they way the dead guy helps Cal “see” other dead people.
The third story is Love Me Tenderloin. A rogue spirit is possessing meat products. Oh, yeah .
The fourth is Last Train To Deadsville. Here we get meet Cal’s sort of girlfriend and he has forgotten Valentine’s Day, she is a good fit for him. Instead of the usual Valentine's Day date, they end up fighting possessed rednecks and a succubus.
The last story is Supernatural Freak Machine. Cal and Mo buy a possessed car and must track down an escaped insane scientist named Dr. Polynice. This story has a more serious edge and is emotionally tough. Cal loses someone important to him, and it made me kind of sad. You end up seeing why Cal acts the way his does.
Some of my favorite Cal quotes:
“The crazy ghoul had abandoned trying to free himself. Instead he allowed his bones to be shattered so he could stretch his skin and reach what I needed. It was the coolest thing he’d ever done for me. But really f***ing gross.”
“Every once in a while a case comes along that you don’t solve so much as it mows you down and drags you along until it’s over. This was going to be one of those cases. If I’d known at the time, I would have stayed on the f***ing toilet.”
“Polynice is a grade A twisted F***. He likes to play with dead things, Even if he has to make them dead to play with them.”
Now let’s talk artwork. The first 3 stories are illustrated by Ben Templesmith. I think his minimalist approach was a perfect fit for these stories. There isn’t a lot of detail in the art, but the facial expressions are priceless. The rest of the stories are illustrated by Kelley Jones. His work has a more “pop” art feel. It is completely different from Templesmith, with all the detail, but still a perfect fit for the characters. I didn’t prefer one over the other. Both were entertaining and added to the experience.
Here are some examples of their work:





Templesmith








Jones







I give this Omnibus 5 monster killing Sheep!
SS (edited by BAK)

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Winning in July!


I wanted to put together a quick post for everyone to see what all we have coming up throughout this month. It's going to be filled with a bunch of cool prizes so make sure to mark the date and enter as much as you can. No limit on the winning and double your chances by following our blog! Here we go!

July 5th- Interview with Kevin Hearne author of the UF trilogy Iron Druid Chronicles.
Chance to win a signed book!

July 8th- Embraced by Blood Book Tour. Author Laurie London is giving away a copy of her book during this tour so make sure to get your entry in.

July 10th- Swagday! Sharon is back again with a BUNCH of cool items from authors like; Helen Lowe, Christina Henry, Jess Haine, Anne Elizabeth, Josh Lanyon and more! Uncle Sam is bringing the swag to you so make sure to check this out!

July 11th- Beautifully Broken Book Tour. Amber is going to have a review of latest book by YA author Sherry Soule. Stay tuned for details on a prize...

July 13th- Interview with author Scott Nicholas. Sharon got the chance to sit down for a one on one with this fantastic man, she will be offering up some fun mystery prizes!

July 18th- Menage a Blog Book Tour- sponsoring author Amber Scott with a review of Soul Search and a book giveaway.

July 19th- Interview with UF author Sean Cummings. Giving away a signed copy his book and Sheep swag items.

July 25th- Interview with UF author Alayna Williams. She will be giving away singed copies of her books.

July 28th- Interview with Sci-Fi author Dan Abnett. Ben and Richard teamed up on this one and the author will be giving away a singed copy of his book.


As more details come we will dish them out, but pretty much it's going to be a wild month for prizes. Enjoy the summer folks and happy reading!

Much Sheep love;
Amber, Katie, Sharon, Ben and Richard





A, not really, review of Dead Reckoning

Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris
Blurb:
With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. But Sookie suspects otherwise and she and Sam work together to uncover the culprit - and the twisted motive for the attack. But her attention is divided. Though she can't 'read' vampires, Sookie knows her lover Eric Northman and his 'child' Pam well - and she realises that they are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, she is drawn into the plot -which is much more complicated than she knows. Caught up in the politics of the vampire world, Sookie will learn that she is as much of a pawn as any ordinary human - and that there is a new Queen on the board . .
There is no point in actually reviewing a book that is #11 in such a big series. If you have read the first 10 then you are going to read this one, no matter what anyone says about it. If you haven’t read the Sookie Stackhouse books yet, you really can't start the series with Dead Reckoning. I highly suggest you start at the beginning and work your way through the series. Instead I am going to tell you why this series rocks and why you should try it. I will add that I loved Dead Reckoning as I love all the Sookie Stackhouse books, it has been a year since I got to submerse myself in Harris’s world of sexy, unapologetic vampires, shifters and fae, and I am already foaming at the mouth for the next one!
What is it about this series that has everyone so excited (other than the extremely hot supernatural men)? A lot of buzz about the books has being generated by the TV show True Blood which is loosely based on the series. Now, I have only seen season one and while I liked it, it doesn’t really follow the books. So don’t judge whether you will like the books or not based on your reaction to the T.V. show. This series of books is one of the reasons I became a reader and blogger of the UF/PNR genre.
It is written from the POV of the heroine, Sookie, and I love living in her head. Maybe it is because I am a southern girl too, but I like her attitude. Bad stuff keeps coming at her but she buckles down and overcomes the challenges without too much complaining. I also like the easy-going and humorous writing style of Harris. I can totally see myself having the same inner dialogue Sookie does as she goes through her day.
“When I thought of Eric with someone else, I wanted to rip out all his beautiful blond hair. By the roots. In clumps.” –Sookie from Dead Reckoning
Or when Sookie is scared, naked and hiding, while some bad guys look for her.
“My heart sank, though I would have sworn it was already down to my toes. My bare toes. I was glad I’d painted my toenails recently. Irrelevant!”
I also like the fact that the supernatural beings in the story don’t change the way they behave. They don’t experience a sudden epiphany and change their evil ways. You know how in most UF and PNR stories the vampire/shifter/fae tries to change for their significant other? Not in this world . They don’t think like humans (cause, duh! They aren’t) or love like humans do, and they are self-serving and feel no need to apologize for this fact. It is how Sookie handles dealing with these characters that draws me to her. Someone must bend and it is usually her. Harris isn’t very nice to Sookie, for the most part the girl is being manipulated by everyone in her life. She does manage to find a silver lining most of the time, that is part of her charm, but her character is the one that struggles and changes throughout the series. I just find myself rooting for her. Sadly, there are only 2 or 3 books left in the series according to Harris. I will be reading and hoping for Sookie to find her HEA.
The series gets 5 Sheep for 200, Alex!



SS (heavily edited by BAK)

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Interview with author Merrie Destefano + giveaway!

San Gabriel Mountains. Nightfall. 2 Sheep and 1 Darkling meet.


Katie: Thanks for coming back to us Merrie! How have things been since last time we talked?

Merrie: Thanks for having me back, Katie! I’m really excited to be here. How have things been—crazy, wild and fun. And I can’t believe I already have another book coming out. Eeeek!

Sharon: I wasn’t here last time you visited. So glad to talk with you.

Merrie: Sharon, I’m so glad you’re here!

Katie: Yes, Sharon has been a godsend for us. We love her to bits!

Sharon: Not literally though!!


Katie: Can you tell us a little about your new book Feast?

Merrie: Sure! The main character, Maddie MacFadden, and her nine-year-old son go on a retreat to a small village in the mountains. There she also discovers that the town of Ticonderoga Falls has a well-kept secret—every year, on Halloween, dark winged creatures from another world come to harvest human dreams. Unfortunately, the hunt gets out of control and soon everyone in town, including Maddie and her son, are in grave danger.


Sharon: Where did the idea for Darklings with an appetite for dreams come from?

Merrie: I was working on another (still unpublished) book that had REALLY bad guys. Like, these were the worst bad guys the world has ever seen and writing about them was seriously creeping me out. So, as a result, I had many sleepless nights. One night I was laying awake and, to keep myself from thinking about the truly, evil, bad guys that are REAL, I made myself come up with another creature. My parameters were this: they didn’t sleep, they weren’t evil (most of the time, anyway), they visited humans while humans were sleeping, but their intentions were good. So from that, I came up with Liash, who eventually became Lily, Ash’s wife. I took a break from writing my scary book to write a short story about these new creatures, who came to earth to harvest humans dreams.

Sharon: Some of these Darklings are still very scary! The big fight scene at the end was kind of dark and brutal (being vague here so I don’t ruin the book ;)

Merrie: LOL. I guess the bottom line is, I don’t really know how to write sweet and innocent. Even the nicest stories turn a bit wicked after I start writing. I’m glad that some of the Darklings were scary, though. That tells me that I successfully created a strong villain. =)


Katie: How different is Feast from your debut novel Afterlife?

Merrie: Quite a bit, I think. Afterlife was more sci-fi, with some urban fantasy elements. This is pure fantasy. Afterlife dealt with humans (and a dog), and the only supernatural/paranormal element was the fact that we had discovered immortality. In Feast, there are brand new creatures, who have characteristics of vampires, fairies, doppelgangers, shape shifters and Muses. Afterlife was more of a cautionary tale, while Feast is more of a dark fairy tale. Both have HEAs, although in Afterlife, the main character, Chaz, pays a high price for his HEA. All that said, I do think that people who read Afterlife will enjoy Feast.

Sharon: I have read both so I agree with this. I personally love that fantasy feel to Feast. Like I say in my review, there is nothing like it on the market today.

Merrie: Thanks, Sharon!


Sharon: Did you intend to write a dark fairy tale from the beginning?

Merrie: Yes, that was absolutely my intention and I’m so glad that you picked up on that! I grew up loving fairy tales—they were my first introduction to the world of fantasy—and I wanted to write a fairy tale for adults. But I didn’t want to rewrite an existing fairy tale or use fairies. I wanted readers to get caught up in the story and the world, just like I did when I read those stories as a child. If you read the original Grimm’s Fairy Tales, there was almost always a huge sacrifice and then a lesson to be learned. That’s my interpretation, anyway. So, I wanted to create a character who was torn apart by something that had happened in his past (Ash), and then show how his actions had affected an entire town. I also wanted to offer him a chance at redemption. To me, that’s the ultimate way to show hope in a story.

Sharon: You definitely achieved your goal then! If you go in thinking this is an Urban Fantasy or PNR you might not appreciate the story for what it is.

Merrie: You could be right. I do hope that Feast manages to get a wider audience and that people who like all the subgenres of fantasy will consider it.


Katie: How long did it take you to write this book?

Merrie: Oh, my gosh. It probably took about a year and a half, but the journey for this book seemed a LOT longer than that. I ended up having writer’s block, much like the main character in the book. As a result, at one point I threw away the first half of the book—150 pages—and completely started over from scratch. (My writer’s group was so mad at me!) Later, after the book was finally finished, I went back and reread the pages that I had thrown out. I honestly don’t know why I did that! The pages I had written were fine, I had just lost self-confidence somewhere along the way. Also, I had never read any fairy books at the time (like Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr or Tithe by Holly Black), so it seemed to me as if my characters were just too unbelievable. I ended up changing the Darklings and making them more like vampires. Then later, after I read a few modern fairy books, I realized that the original version had been fine. I vowed to never do that again. From now on, I will write a book from start to finish before I begin any major edits. Consequently the book I wrote after Feast (which is still secret, but will hopefully be sold by the end of the summer) went very smoothly and was written in about half the time. I definitely learned a painful, but important less while writing this book.


Katie: If you could go on a date with anyone from past or present who would it be and why?

Merrie: I’d like to go on a dinner date with Frida Kahlo. She’s an artist that I greatly admire and I would have loved the opportunity to sit and chat with her.

Katie: So now I have to follow up with where would you like to go?

Sharon: Don’t forget what you would eat for dessert!

Merrie: I love eating outdoors and there’s a really fun Cuban restaurant—Habana—not far from where I live. So I would love to go there, sit beneath the trees with all the candles glowing and the stars just beginning to peek out in the heavens. We could eat chicken empanadas and beef bocaditos and crab cakes laced with cilantro, listening to the music and the laughter from the other tables. After dinner we would go somewhere else for dessert, someplace we could share a thick slice of chocolate cake topped with homemade vanilla bean ice cream. And all the while, she would be telling me what it was like to be such an influential artist, married to an equally talented artist, Diego Rivera. I’d want to hear about their parties and their fights and their travels.


Sharon: You put another German Shepard in your book. Did Jacob and Caleb harass you into doing this?

Merrie: (laughing) How did you know? Those guys just won’t leave me alone unless they get a part in my books. I tricked them though. I wrote another book (still unsold) while working on Feast, and I put a cat in that book. The dogs don’t know what I’ve done yet, but my Siamese cat is pretty excited.

Sharon: It is only fair that the cat gets a part too as long as he/she doesn’t become a Diva because of it .

Merrie: Hezzie, the cat, is so sweet. I don’t think he even knows the meaning of the word diva. He was a rescue cat and he’s just a furry bundle of love. Not a mean bone in his little body. Although he will let the dogs know if they’ve upset him. =)


Katie: Who in your eyes is the sexiest superhero?

Merrie: Hands down, no contest—Superman. I’ve been in love with him since I was about twelve. Although, a close second was a superhero that few people remember—Brainiac 5, a green-skinned, blonde-haired member of the Legion of Superheroes.

Katie: This is all in the DC Universe and while I’m NOT fan of DC I do know some of the characters…the green skinned guy from the planet Colu being one of them. *winks*

Sharon: Uh, I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but I did have a crush on Aquaman.

Merrie: Katie, yeah, you have to take the time period into account. When I was growing up DC comics were the bomb. I think I spent all my allowance on comics, but Superman was always my favorite.


Sharon: Did you use your experiences as an author to develop Maddie? Do creatures of your imagination follow you around?

Merrie: Absolutely. I struggle with writer’s block frequently, so I could really relate to what she was going through. Also, I needed a character whose imagination needed a recharge, since that is one of the side-benefits of having your dreams harvested, so Maddie’s struggle was crucial to the plot. Do my imaginary creatures follow me around? Um, yes. And when I was five I had an imaginary friend who was very real to me.


Katie: Where can fans find you in the coming months?

Merrie: Well, I’m going to be hanging out a lot online during the Feast blog tour. Details for the tour can be found here [link: http://merriedestefanowebsite.blogspot.com/2010/12/post-six.html]. Also, in July I’ll be speaking on a panel at Comic Con in San Diego and then in October, I’ll be at World Fantasy Con, also in San Diego.

Katie: IF the comicgods shine in our favor we will be seeing you at Comic-Con!!!

Sharon: You mean *you will be seeing her. You lucky dog! I would so love to make it to a Comic Con.

Merrie: No way! You’re going to Comic Con? That would be so cool to see you there, Katie. And Sharon, I’m sorry you won’t be able to make it. =(


Sharon: I have been asking people this lately. Finish this sentence…“people think I am weird because…”

Merrie: “…I have so many ideas.” I know that might not seem weird, but I’ve worked in publishing departments where my job was to come up with new products and the people I’ve worked with always seemed amazed by how quickly I can come up with new ideas. It causes a bit of a problem as an author because I can already see that I’ll never have to time to write all the books I have ideas for. I think I’m going to have to start writing more short stories and novellas, since those are quicker, if I ever want all of my ideas to be born.

Sharon: I was looking more for the “I let the dog lick my toes clean” type of thing , but I can see how having too many ideas could be a problem.

Merrie: Uh-oh, I gave the wrong answer. The only problem is, my dog clean everyone’s toes, so nobody thinks that is weird. LOL.


Katie: Okay. So my son, Logan, has a knock knock joke for you. lol. “Knock-Knock.”

“Who's there?” (Logan says) “Please.”(I'll let you take it from here Merrie)

Merrie: “Please stop knocking unless you have chocolate cake and you want to share.”

Katie: LOL That’s a good one, I’m going to steal that line from you Merrie. His ends with “Please let me in it’s cold outside!” lol. Ahh the mind of a 5 year old. (And a big squeeze for my little guy who turns 5 the DAY this interview posts! Love you!)

Sharon: If you have chocolate cake, I am will be knocking on your door too Merrie! Happy birthday to Logan too

Merrie: Awww, Logan sounds so adorable! NOBODY would let him stand outside in the cold, so he has a pretty good answer! Tell him happy birthday for me. And Sharon, if you knocked on my door while holding chocolate cake, the door would open so fast you would think you were in a time warp. =)



Katie: And now we move on to the Rapid Fire Round. We don't have to ask the Coke vs Pepsi since you picked right last time. lol You know the drill so let's get right to it. Ready?…..Set……GO!

Merrie: Wait, was that my cue to get ready? Um, lacing up my shoes, almost ready…

Katie: Don’t worry, you got this! Go!

Merrie: Crossing fingers…


Katie: Hammer or Axe

Merrie: Oh, man. Build or destroy? I think I’ll go with hammer. At least I know I’m strong enough to pick that one up. Unless of course we’re talking about Mjölnir.

Sharon: is Thor attached to that hammer?

Merrie: LOL. I’d NEVER be able to pick up that hammer if Thor was attached!

Sharon: Shed Ender or Brush

Merrie: Brush, though to no effect. Hair is still everywhere.

Sharon: We had a Siberian Husky so I know what you mean!

Merrie: I fight a never-ending battle against the Evil World of Dog Hair.


Katie: Skipping or Jumping

Merrie: Skipping. You know, merrily. (yuk yuk)

Katie: I say we should take a skipping break just for laughs. *extends hand to Merrie* Shall we?

Sharon: (grabs hold) Don’t forget me!

Merrie: Yay! Skipping with friends. Giggling.


Sharon: Peas Porridge Hot or Peas Porridge Cold

Merrie: Hot. Definitely. Cold = shivers.


Katie: Ring or Bracelet

Merrie: Ring. Lots of them and all in silver, please.

Katie: Same here, no gold for me please.

Merrie: Yeah, it caused a bit of a conundrum since my original wedding ring was gold. I’ve since purchased a vintage wedding set in white gold to solve the problem.


Sharon: Sunshine or Moonshine (not the kind you drink )

Merrie: Sunshine.

Katie: SUCH a CA answer. *winks*


Katie: Iron Man or Captain America

Merrie: Really? I mean, Iron Man. Of course.

Katie: Stark IS sexy I’ll give you that.

Merrie: =) ‘Nuff said!


Sharon: Pencil or Pen

Merrie: Pen.


Katie: Cocktails or Shots

Merrie: Hmmm. Since I don’t drink, I’ll go with virgin cocktails.


Sharon: Cake or Pie

Merrie: I love them both—I can’t choose! This is like Sophie’s Choice. Okay, I confess: CAKE!! With lots of frosting.

Sharon: Yellow cake with chocolate frosting….dang, now I want some

Merrie: Cake. Sometimes I feel like a zombie moaning about brains. Caaaaake.


Katie: Big Red or Juicy Fruit

Merrie: Whoa. Can I pick Trident?

(buzzer sounds)

Merrie: No? Okay, Big Red.


Sharon: Mozart or Beethoven

Merrie: Beethoven, definitely. To be specific, Symphony Number Seven, Second Mvt. I listened to that over and over while writing my first book. Which was—ahem—never published.


Katie: Kirk or Picard

Merrie: Again, really? Is there a question? Kirk. Always and forever, I am Team Star Trek. Now if you’d asked, Kirk or Spock, the answer would have been Spock, for he’s my true Vulcan love. I’ve had a crush on that long-eared guy since I was a teenager.

Katie: See for me that would be Picard, I’m all about Next Gen.

Sharon: uh, again can’t relate

Merrie: Katie, I think people who grew up watching Next Gen really identified with it. Unfortunately, I was never able to sink my teeth into that series. I did like some of the other Star Trek spin offs though, like Voyager and Deep Space Nine. And I LOVED all of the movies, even those that featured Next Gen.

Katie: Fair enough. :)


Sharon: Corn Hole or Lawn Darts

Merrie: Drawing a blank. At least I know what a dart is so I’ll say Lawn Darts. And then hide when you’re choosing teams.

Sharon: Corn hole is a semi-new game that southerners like to play at pig pickings or any lawn party. You throw a bean bag into a hole in a box.

Merrie: I might be able to do that! I can throw a bean bag. I think.

Katie: Ha ha Sharon said "corn hole" lmao.


Katie: Vin Diesel or Paul Walker

Merrie: Paul Walker. Those killer blue eyes.


Katie: Thanks so much for coming back and chatting again, anything you would like to add before we go?

Merrie: Thank you for having me! It was great fun.

Sharon: hugs, Merrie.

Merrie: Big hugs back, Sharon!

Katie: I’ll let you two have this moment only because I got hugs last time. lol

Sharon: Yeah, but we are having hugs *and cake so you better join in!

Merrie: Even more hugs and cake for everyone!



Prize giveaway time!!! In the comments below please make sure to list BOTH things to be automatically entered to win the Merrie Prize-pack which includes:


signed Feast and Afterlife books,

tote bag, buttons and bookmarks!


1. Your Email address

2. What you would expect to be served if you were invited to a feast?


Contest will run until July 7th at midnight. Double your chances to win by following our blog. Good luck!