Behind the Cover: Honi Werner

One of the most versatile and talented artists who creates art for book jackets is Honi Werner.

Honi Werner has created paintings for book covers by a broad selection of literary as well as mystery authors from Bebe Moore Campbell to E. L. Doctorow, John Irving to Thomas Berger, Isabel Allende to Philippa Gregory, Peter Hoeg and Donna Leon.



( more pics )

As Ms. Werner moved into the digital world, she stopped painting on a physical canvas and began to paint on her computer.

Jennifer Weiner about the cover of In Her Shoes: "Ooh, ooh, ooh! The cover for IN HER SHOES is done! Unfortunately, the cover is also at my publisher's office in New York City. They're overnighting it to me here in Philadelphia. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight. I can't wait to see that cover! The artist is Honi Werner, who did the fabulous cover for GOOD IN BED, and many others. Any time I pick up a book and say, "Wow, great cover," and turn it over to see the artist's name, it's usually Honi. Step Ball Change? That's her. Same with the gorgeous The Side of the Angels, and Lucy Crocker 2.0, and so many more."

Behind the Cover: Honi Werner

One of the most versatile and talented artists who creates art for book jackets is Honi Werner.

Honi Werner has created paintings for book covers by a broad selection of literary as well as mystery authors from Bebe Moore Campbell to E. L. Doctorow, John Irving to Thomas Berger, Isabel Allende to Philippa Gregory, Peter Hoeg and Donna Leon.



( more pics )

As Ms. Werner moved into the digital world, she stopped painting on a physical canvas and began to paint on her computer.

Jennifer Weiner about the cover of In Her Shoes: "Ooh, ooh, ooh! The cover for IN HER SHOES is done! Unfortunately, the cover is also at my publisher's office in New York City. They're overnighting it to me here in Philadelphia. I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep tonight. I can't wait to see that cover! The artist is Honi Werner, who did the fabulous cover for GOOD IN BED, and many others. Any time I pick up a book and say, "Wow, great cover," and turn it over to see the artist's name, it's usually Honi. Step Ball Change? That's her. Same with the gorgeous The Side of the Angels, and Lucy Crocker 2.0, and so many more."

New Kid on the Blog

Chris Quinton is one of those Gay Romance authors who is always balanced and good, I read 3 books by her and always found them perfect. And if she manages to convince James Anson, the wonderful author of The Larton Chronicles, to write more, she will become my hero. In any case, she launched a new epublishing company in May, and they have already four books out, I read one and hope to read the other three soon: as I was expecting, the quality of the one I read was above the average and I think also the others will be the same. Please browse their website and discover their books.

http://www.manifoldpress.co.uk/

"For those who didn't catch our advance publicity, we are a new semi-pro e-publishing concern based in the UK. We're starting small, with only four titles on our first list, but we hope to add another four with our second list (on 1 November 2010) and more at regular intervals thereafter.



Our primary output will be male-male or female-female romances with plot - mystery, adventure etc. - set either in the present or the historical past or in alternate versions of them, and often with a supernatural twist. If you like your e-books the way you like your coffee - whether short and dark, hot and steamy or rich and indulgent - you will find something to your taste here.

Come on in, relax among friends and enjoy our wide variety of same-sex fiction, guaranteed to spice up your day - and all for the price of a couple of cups of designer coffee. It's not only better for your health, it's good for the environment too!"

ALOES by Chris Quinton

A fluke accident puts Perry in a coma. When he awakes, his scrambled synapses have given him a talent; he can tell truth from lies simply by their flavour. This, plus the new client who is far too attractive for Perry's peace of mind, the client's contentious family and the dilapidated old mansion Perry has to restore for him - not to mention anonymous threats which escalate to attempted murder - all ensure that Perry's life will never be the same again!

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_1-8-1/Aloes-by-Chris-Quinton.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

DEAR MISTER PRESIDENT by Adam Fitzroy

When USAF Colonel Chad Ryan accepts a new job on the White House staff he is soon making friends with the First Family - and with charismatic and troubled President Douglas Ford Kearney himself. They have scarcely begun to explore their feelings for one another, however, when it becomes apparent that their relationship is under threat from enemies both within and without. As world events look certain to drive them apart, can Chad and Doug find a way of holding on to their happiness - and can there be any chance of a future for them together?

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_0-1-2/Dear-Mister-President-by-Adam-Fitzroy.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

END OF THE TRAIL by Jane Elliot

Will Connors is struggling to hold together a failing farm; his wife has died, his son has gone, he's not without enemies and he's dealing with the after-effects of a debilitating accident. It's a life of toil which doesn't allow for very much pleasure, and he's in danger of becoming embittered until a chance acquaintance wanders back into his life and everything begins to change. The problem, however, is that John Anderson has a price on his head - and, very soon, Will and John find themselves desperately concealing more than one dangerous secret.

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_2-5-3/End-of-the-Trail-by-Jane-Elliot.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

SEA CHANGE by Chris Quinton

Injured on duty and no longer fit for active service, soon-to-be-ex-Coast Guard Bran Kaulana is drifting, filling his days helping out at the Wai Ola Rescue Center, one of Honolulu's wildlife charities. He's working with the new veterinary, Steve, a man drawn to O'ahu by his fascination with dolphins. As their friendship slowly deepens into love, the two men are caught up in the mystery of injured seals and dolphins, a ruthless gang of smugglers and a not-so-dormant undersea lava vent.

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_3-2-4/Sea-Change-by-Chris-Quinton.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

New Kid on the Blog

Chris Quinton is one of those Gay Romance authors who is always balanced and good, I read 3 books by her and always found them perfect. And if she manages to convince James Anson, the wonderful author of The Larton Chronicles, to write more, she will become my hero. In any case, she launched a new epublishing company in May, and they have already four books out, I read one and hope to read the other three soon: as I was expecting, the quality of the one I read was above the average and I think also the others will be the same. Please browse their website and discover their books.

http://www.manifoldpress.co.uk/

"For those who didn't catch our advance publicity, we are a new semi-pro e-publishing concern based in the UK. We're starting small, with only four titles on our first list, but we hope to add another four with our second list (on 1 November 2010) and more at regular intervals thereafter.



Our primary output will be male-male or female-female romances with plot - mystery, adventure etc. - set either in the present or the historical past or in alternate versions of them, and often with a supernatural twist. If you like your e-books the way you like your coffee - whether short and dark, hot and steamy or rich and indulgent - you will find something to your taste here.

Come on in, relax among friends and enjoy our wide variety of same-sex fiction, guaranteed to spice up your day - and all for the price of a couple of cups of designer coffee. It's not only better for your health, it's good for the environment too!"

ALOES by Chris Quinton

A fluke accident puts Perry in a coma. When he awakes, his scrambled synapses have given him a talent; he can tell truth from lies simply by their flavour. This, plus the new client who is far too attractive for Perry's peace of mind, the client's contentious family and the dilapidated old mansion Perry has to restore for him - not to mention anonymous threats which escalate to attempted murder - all ensure that Perry's life will never be the same again!

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_1-8-1/Aloes-by-Chris-Quinton.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

DEAR MISTER PRESIDENT by Adam Fitzroy

When USAF Colonel Chad Ryan accepts a new job on the White House staff he is soon making friends with the First Family - and with charismatic and troubled President Douglas Ford Kearney himself. They have scarcely begun to explore their feelings for one another, however, when it becomes apparent that their relationship is under threat from enemies both within and without. As world events look certain to drive them apart, can Chad and Doug find a way of holding on to their happiness - and can there be any chance of a future for them together?

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_0-1-2/Dear-Mister-President-by-Adam-Fitzroy.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

END OF THE TRAIL by Jane Elliot

Will Connors is struggling to hold together a failing farm; his wife has died, his son has gone, he's not without enemies and he's dealing with the after-effects of a debilitating accident. It's a life of toil which doesn't allow for very much pleasure, and he's in danger of becoming embittered until a chance acquaintance wanders back into his life and everything begins to change. The problem, however, is that John Anderson has a price on his head - and, very soon, Will and John find themselves desperately concealing more than one dangerous secret.

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_2-5-3/End-of-the-Trail-by-Jane-Elliot.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

SEA CHANGE by Chris Quinton

Injured on duty and no longer fit for active service, soon-to-be-ex-Coast Guard Bran Kaulana is drifting, filling his days helping out at the Wai Ola Rescue Center, one of Honolulu's wildlife charities. He's working with the new veterinary, Steve, a man drawn to O'ahu by his fascination with dolphins. As their friendship slowly deepens into love, the two men are caught up in the mystery of injured seals and dolphins, a ruthless gang of smugglers and a not-so-dormant undersea lava vent.

http://s317925213.e-shop.info/shop/category_3-2-4/Sea-Change-by-Chris-Quinton.html?shop_param=cid%3D%26

Above the Dungeon by S.M. Johnson

Above the Dungeon is maybe a bit much to extreme to be my cup of tea, I’m not sure I would be comfortable to live an experience like the one in this novel, but indeed it has an original development and some nice and particular characters. The odd thing is that I really didn’t “like” any of those characters, and for like I mean in a very personal way, and that is perfect understandable since I would not want the lifestyle they so obvious need. It’s not a judgment on what they want; it’s an admission of what I would not be able to understand.

The story is told in two points of view, something I didn’t immediately understand and it made the discovery pretty nice. Adair is a out of age runaway “kid”: he is 26 years old and till now he has always lived the life someone else planned for him; but when he was there to do that final step, marrying the nice girl his father chooses for him, Adair broke free from the cage and the place where he finds a shelter is his cousin Maddox’s New York apartment, and also a job as bartender in the gay club the same Maddox works as bouncer. Above the Dungeon is indeed a night club above the Dungeon of Roman, and Roman takes immediately under his wings the new kid on the block, and recognize in him the desire, and need, to be freed by his straight laced upbringing. Adair, now Dare, will find in Above the Dungeon more than a job, and will find freedom in being in power of someone else… this is probably what I didn’t like of him, I would have preferred for him to take a more independent path, to probably discover a bit ore of himself before giving all of him to another man.

In any case, Roman remained a mystery, even more when the second chapter, and second point of view started, the one of Jeff, the long-term 24/7 slave of Roman, the one who is living with him. As Jeff himself explains to the reader, Roman and he don’t have an open relationship, but are aware that cheating is a possibility, and they went through it in the past, but they had already decided that their relationship is more important. They are together since 12 years, and they are pretty sure that it will be something lasting forever, and so he thought Jeff before Dare enters the picture. Until then it was Jeff who had some out-track experiences, but they were mostly flirts, something Jeff probably needed to prove that he was still an attractive man, I felt a bit of self-esteem issues in Jeff, something that he probably brought on from his family background. But the relationship between Dare and Roman is not a flirt, not like the one we witness between Roman, Jeff and Tristan. And Dare has to come to pact to this new development to not face the possibility to loose Roman.

And now we come to Roman; I think that he has actually never expressed any preferences over Dare rather than Jeff; indeed if asked, Roman told that he would not willing to jeopardize what he has with Jeff, and that he would be willing to let it go Dare. But Jeff knows that he can’t put Roman in front of a choice, since Roman is the Master and Jeff the slave, and so in no way Jeff can ask to Roman to choose between him and Dare. Roman’s reassurance to Jeff is done by words, but also with gesture, like really collaring him, for the first time in 12 years, and not only as a play during sex.

Again, I’m not sure the balance Jeff, Roman and Dare find is something that will last, I’m not so sure that Jeff is really willing, or able to share Roman, as indeed I’m not sure Dare is really ready for this relationship. In any case, the author is able to make me wonder about it all, and this means these characters have depth and development.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=249&products_id=2609

Amazon Kindle: Above the Dungeon

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle

Above the Dungeon by S.M. Johnson

Above the Dungeon is maybe a bit much to extreme to be my cup of tea, I’m not sure I would be comfortable to live an experience like the one in this novel, but indeed it has an original development and some nice and particular characters. The odd thing is that I really didn’t “like” any of those characters, and for like I mean in a very personal way, and that is perfect understandable since I would not want the lifestyle they so obvious need. It’s not a judgment on what they want; it’s an admission of what I would not be able to understand.

The story is told in two points of view, something I didn’t immediately understand and it made the discovery pretty nice. Adair is a out of age runaway “kid”: he is 26 years old and till now he has always lived the life someone else planned for him; but when he was there to do that final step, marrying the nice girl his father chooses for him, Adair broke free from the cage and the place where he finds a shelter is his cousin Maddox’s New York apartment, and also a job as bartender in the gay club the same Maddox works as bouncer. Above the Dungeon is indeed a night club above the Dungeon of Roman, and Roman takes immediately under his wings the new kid on the block, and recognize in him the desire, and need, to be freed by his straight laced upbringing. Adair, now Dare, will find in Above the Dungeon more than a job, and will find freedom in being in power of someone else… this is probably what I didn’t like of him, I would have preferred for him to take a more independent path, to probably discover a bit ore of himself before giving all of him to another man.

In any case, Roman remained a mystery, even more when the second chapter, and second point of view started, the one of Jeff, the long-term 24/7 slave of Roman, the one who is living with him. As Jeff himself explains to the reader, Roman and he don’t have an open relationship, but are aware that cheating is a possibility, and they went through it in the past, but they had already decided that their relationship is more important. They are together since 12 years, and they are pretty sure that it will be something lasting forever, and so he thought Jeff before Dare enters the picture. Until then it was Jeff who had some out-track experiences, but they were mostly flirts, something Jeff probably needed to prove that he was still an attractive man, I felt a bit of self-esteem issues in Jeff, something that he probably brought on from his family background. But the relationship between Dare and Roman is not a flirt, not like the one we witness between Roman, Jeff and Tristan. And Dare has to come to pact to this new development to not face the possibility to loose Roman.

And now we come to Roman; I think that he has actually never expressed any preferences over Dare rather than Jeff; indeed if asked, Roman told that he would not willing to jeopardize what he has with Jeff, and that he would be willing to let it go Dare. But Jeff knows that he can’t put Roman in front of a choice, since Roman is the Master and Jeff the slave, and so in no way Jeff can ask to Roman to choose between him and Dare. Roman’s reassurance to Jeff is done by words, but also with gesture, like really collaring him, for the first time in 12 years, and not only as a play during sex.

Again, I’m not sure the balance Jeff, Roman and Dare find is something that will last, I’m not so sure that Jeff is really willing, or able to share Roman, as indeed I’m not sure Dare is really ready for this relationship. In any case, the author is able to make me wonder about it all, and this means these characters have depth and development.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&manufacturers_id=249&products_id=2609

Amazon Kindle: Above the Dungeon

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading+list&view=elisa.rolle