Behind the Cover: Joanie Schwarz

Joanie Schwarz has been known in the publishing world for over 25 years for the dreamlike quality in her painted and photographic imagery. Her work has appeared in Time Magazine, US News and World Report, Playboy Magazine, and she had created hundreds of book covers for Simon and Schuster and Scholastic books, as well as three childrens books of her own. Joanie’s work has hung at the Society of Illustrators in NYC for numerous shows over the last 20 years, and her original paintings and photographs are in private collections throughout the world.



( more pics )

Graduating with high honors from Syracuse University with a BFA in Illustration and Photography, Joanie continues today to study, taking workshops in lighting and printing techniques throughout the year. She is a life long learner and knows that connecting with other photographers is so important for feeding the creative soul. Knowing intuitively how to make people and kids feel comfortable, Joanie is aware that that is not enough- LIGHT is the key to making a beautiful portrait. She has studied advanced natural lighting techniques as well as studio lighting with Roy Thomas of Black Dog Photography at NJCVA and is looking forward to her first workshop with Joyce Tennison in August 2008.



( more pics )

Joanie is a member of ASMP. She is honored to have been approved as a volunteer photographer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a non profit organization that helps parents deal with the loss of a newborn by offering their services free of charge.



( more pics )

http://www.joanieschwarz.com/

Behind the Cover: Joanie Schwarz

Joanie Schwarz has been known in the publishing world for over 25 years for the dreamlike quality in her painted and photographic imagery. Her work has appeared in Time Magazine, US News and World Report, Playboy Magazine, and she had created hundreds of book covers for Simon and Schuster and Scholastic books, as well as three childrens books of her own. Joanie’s work has hung at the Society of Illustrators in NYC for numerous shows over the last 20 years, and her original paintings and photographs are in private collections throughout the world.



( more pics )

Graduating with high honors from Syracuse University with a BFA in Illustration and Photography, Joanie continues today to study, taking workshops in lighting and printing techniques throughout the year. She is a life long learner and knows that connecting with other photographers is so important for feeding the creative soul. Knowing intuitively how to make people and kids feel comfortable, Joanie is aware that that is not enough- LIGHT is the key to making a beautiful portrait. She has studied advanced natural lighting techniques as well as studio lighting with Roy Thomas of Black Dog Photography at NJCVA and is looking forward to her first workshop with Joyce Tennison in August 2008.



( more pics )

Joanie is a member of ASMP. She is honored to have been approved as a volunteer photographer for Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep, a non profit organization that helps parents deal with the loss of a newborn by offering their services free of charge.



( more pics )

http://www.joanieschwarz.com/

Wolf Town by Joely Skye

Wolf Town is a beyond suspicion light novella. Slightly connected to the other shifter romances by Joely Skye, Rory is a young wolf who is sent by Trey to protect a minder, Scott.

The feeling of danger is soon diluted by Rory’s attitude, almost bored by his task; Rory is the alpha son, and even if he is no more a teen, he has still some issue to relate with the authoritative figure of his father. Rory loves very much his alpha and father but needs to find a way to detach him from his family, without breaking the bond but finding his space.

Both for boredom than for a real interest in the quiet and lonely minder, Rory approaches Scott and surprisingly, for him and for the reader, Scott is receptive. This lead to a night of “innocent” sex, barely more than making out, and the morning after Scott is thinking to leave unnoticed. But obviously that doesn’t happen and Scott finds himself with a close-to-close protector whisked away in a country town, Wolf Town, where everyone is a wolf and no one is influenced by Scott’s psychic powers.

Both a victim from physical than mental violence, Scott is weary to give his trust; but even if he chose to stay far from any real human contact, Scott sometime needs that contact, he above all needs to love, to freely give his love to someone.

As I said before, this is not really a thriller, on the contrary, it’s more a sweet romance; not only the sex we find in it is light and good, but also the two characters gave me the feeling of being young and innocent, at least in their behaviour if not in age. Rory being so “light” in his approach to Scott is probably the perfect tactics, even if I don’t think he is doing it purposely; Scott needs protection, and he also needs to feel it, it’s clear in his welcoming hugs and kisses, but he also needs to be free and to be able to take decision on his own; if someone comes to strong onto him, Scott runs away.

The relationship between Rory and Scott is only at the beginning, and maybe when, in a far away future, Rory will take his place as alpha of his pack, then they will need to find a new balance; but maybe, in time Scott will also learn to trust Rory and Rory’s family.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/wolf-town

Amazon Kindle: Wolf Town

Series:
1) The Strength of the Pack by Jorrie Spencer
2) The Strength of the Wolf by Jorrie Spencer
3) Marked by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/199444.html
4) Puma by Jorrie Spencer
5) Feral by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/639106.html
6) Lynx by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1032830.html
7) Wolf Town

Reading List:

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

Wolf Town by Joely Skye

Wolf Town is a beyond suspicion light novella. Slightly connected to the other shifter romances by Joely Skye, Rory is a young wolf who is sent by Trey to protect a minder, Scott.

The feeling of danger is soon diluted by Rory’s attitude, almost bored by his task; Rory is the alpha son, and even if he is no more a teen, he has still some issue to relate with the authoritative figure of his father. Rory loves very much his alpha and father but needs to find a way to detach him from his family, without breaking the bond but finding his space.

Both for boredom than for a real interest in the quiet and lonely minder, Rory approaches Scott and surprisingly, for him and for the reader, Scott is receptive. This lead to a night of “innocent” sex, barely more than making out, and the morning after Scott is thinking to leave unnoticed. But obviously that doesn’t happen and Scott finds himself with a close-to-close protector whisked away in a country town, Wolf Town, where everyone is a wolf and no one is influenced by Scott’s psychic powers.

Both a victim from physical than mental violence, Scott is weary to give his trust; but even if he chose to stay far from any real human contact, Scott sometime needs that contact, he above all needs to love, to freely give his love to someone.

As I said before, this is not really a thriller, on the contrary, it’s more a sweet romance; not only the sex we find in it is light and good, but also the two characters gave me the feeling of being young and innocent, at least in their behaviour if not in age. Rory being so “light” in his approach to Scott is probably the perfect tactics, even if I don’t think he is doing it purposely; Scott needs protection, and he also needs to feel it, it’s clear in his welcoming hugs and kisses, but he also needs to be free and to be able to take decision on his own; if someone comes to strong onto him, Scott runs away.

The relationship between Rory and Scott is only at the beginning, and maybe when, in a far away future, Rory will take his place as alpha of his pack, then they will need to find a new balance; but maybe, in time Scott will also learn to trust Rory and Rory’s family.

http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/wolf-town

Amazon Kindle: Wolf Town

Series:
1) The Strength of the Pack by Jorrie Spencer
2) The Strength of the Wolf by Jorrie Spencer
3) Marked by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/199444.html
4) Puma by Jorrie Spencer
5) Feral by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/639106.html
6) Lynx by Joely Skye: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1032830.html
7) Wolf Town

Reading List:

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

Event: New release by Stefan Herbst

Stefan "Steffie" Herbst is one of my "international" friends. Writing only in German, I'm not able to read it, but if you are German speaking and want to try, here is the info on the new book:

Title: Entfesselt
Author: Stefan Herbst
Publisher: Maennerschwarm Verlag, Hamburg
Amazon: Entfesselt: Roman

Blurb:

Filmreif

Auf der Suche nach dem schnell verdienten Geld bewirbt sich Leon bei einer Filmfirma. Ein Freund hatte ihm den Job empfohlen, was ist bei Aktfotos auch schon dabei! Leons erster Schock: hier gibt's gar keine Frauen! Und gleich darauf der zweite: die Fotos werden nicht etwa gestellt, hier geht es ganz real und eher heftig zur Sache. Auch wenn er nicht mehr ganz so jung ist: Leon braucht das Geld, und so lässt er sich auf einige gänzlich neue Erfahrungen ein.

Dafür wird er belohnt: Tristan, sein Filmpartner, ist sofort von Leons Schönheit verzaubert, und Leon entpuppt sich als Bondage-Naturtalent. Nach anfänglichen Schwierigkeiten können die beiden vor der Kamera ganz einfach das tun, was sie ohnehin am liebsten miteinander anstellen würden.

Publisher Link: http://www.maennerschwarm.de/Verlag/htdocs/entfesselt.html

Event: New release by Stefan Herbst

Stefan "Steffie" Herbst is one of my "international" friends. Writing only in German, I'm not able to read it, but if you are German speaking and want to try, here is the info on the new book:

Title: Entfesselt
Author: Stefan Herbst
Publisher: Maennerschwarm Verlag, Hamburg
Amazon: Entfesselt: Roman

Blurb:

Filmreif

Auf der Suche nach dem schnell verdienten Geld bewirbt sich Leon bei einer Filmfirma. Ein Freund hatte ihm den Job empfohlen, was ist bei Aktfotos auch schon dabei! Leons erster Schock: hier gibt's gar keine Frauen! Und gleich darauf der zweite: die Fotos werden nicht etwa gestellt, hier geht es ganz real und eher heftig zur Sache. Auch wenn er nicht mehr ganz so jung ist: Leon braucht das Geld, und so lässt er sich auf einige gänzlich neue Erfahrungen ein.

Dafür wird er belohnt: Tristan, sein Filmpartner, ist sofort von Leons Schönheit verzaubert, und Leon entpuppt sich als Bondage-Naturtalent. Nach anfänglichen Schwierigkeiten können die beiden vor der Kamera ganz einfach das tun, was sie ohnehin am liebsten miteinander anstellen würden.

Publisher Link: http://www.maennerschwarm.de/Verlag/htdocs/entfesselt.html