Christine Monson (1946 – September 11, 2003)

Historical romance writer Christine Monson published six novels and had finished the draft of another when she died Sept. 11, 2003. Author Christine Monson, whose romance novels "Golden Nights" and "Stormfire" were the most successful of her six published books, died at her former husband's home in Greeley. She was 57 when she committed suicide.

Monson was slight, with long, curly blond hair, a woman who was as at home reading books as she was writing them. She became an avid reader when she was a child, relying on her imagination to make her forget - for a while - the joyless West Virginia coal camp where she and her brother were raised. She learned to coax the extraordinary out of the ordinary. She knew how to scour the racks at Goodwill stores, plucking Donna Karan and Yves St. Laurent from hangers crowded with more pedestrian labels. She braked for yard sales and once brought home an elegant maple dresser that she bought for $15.

She allowed herself to pay retail for one extravagance - a mink coat she purchased with proceeds from her first book.

When Monson first saw "Romancing the Stone," she immediately recognized herself in Joan Wilder, the timid romance writer appalled to find herself in the middle of a dangerous adventure. Like the movie character, Monson preferred to live vicariously through the characters she sketched for her books. "She was a romantic who loved adventure, but she loved reading and writing about adventure more than doing it," said her former husband, Jon Monson, with whom she remained close after their divorce. Once, the Monsons took their daughter, Jennifer, then a baby, camping near Aspen. When Jon Monson paused to set up their tent in a forest clearing, Christine shook her head. She chose a site high on some bluffs overlooking the valley, envisioning the dramatic sunset. However, she failed to foresee the relentless wind that buffeted their camp and dangerously fanned the flames of their campfire. They quenched the fire and rolled diaper wipes into earplugs to muffle the sound of their tent snapping in the gusty night. Christine Monson used the image of fire in several book titles - "Flame Run Wild" and "This Fiery Splendor," along with "Stormfire," her debut novel.

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Christine Monson's Books on Amazon: Christine Monson

Source: Claire Martin, Denver Post Staff Writer

Christine Monson (1946 – September 11, 2003)

Historical romance writer Christine Monson published six novels and had finished the draft of another when she died Sept. 11, 2003. Author Christine Monson, whose romance novels "Golden Nights" and "Stormfire" were the most successful of her six published books, died at her former husband's home in Greeley. She was 57 when she committed suicide.

Monson was slight, with long, curly blond hair, a woman who was as at home reading books as she was writing them. She became an avid reader when she was a child, relying on her imagination to make her forget - for a while - the joyless West Virginia coal camp where she and her brother were raised. She learned to coax the extraordinary out of the ordinary. She knew how to scour the racks at Goodwill stores, plucking Donna Karan and Yves St. Laurent from hangers crowded with more pedestrian labels. She braked for yard sales and once brought home an elegant maple dresser that she bought for $15.

She allowed herself to pay retail for one extravagance - a mink coat she purchased with proceeds from her first book.

When Monson first saw "Romancing the Stone," she immediately recognized herself in Joan Wilder, the timid romance writer appalled to find herself in the middle of a dangerous adventure. Like the movie character, Monson preferred to live vicariously through the characters she sketched for her books. "She was a romantic who loved adventure, but she loved reading and writing about adventure more than doing it," said her former husband, Jon Monson, with whom she remained close after their divorce. Once, the Monsons took their daughter, Jennifer, then a baby, camping near Aspen. When Jon Monson paused to set up their tent in a forest clearing, Christine shook her head. She chose a site high on some bluffs overlooking the valley, envisioning the dramatic sunset. However, she failed to foresee the relentless wind that buffeted their camp and dangerously fanned the flames of their campfire. They quenched the fire and rolled diaper wipes into earplugs to muffle the sound of their tent snapping in the gusty night. Christine Monson used the image of fire in several book titles - "Flame Run Wild" and "This Fiery Splendor," along with "Stormfire," her debut novel.

( Read more... )

Christine Monson's Books on Amazon: Christine Monson

Source: Claire Martin, Denver Post Staff Writer

Wrestling With Love by D.H. Starr

People warned me about this novel telling me it was way more “explicit” then the previous one, Wrestling with Desire, where Derek and Scott were high school students and the novel had more the flavour of a Young Adult.

And indeed when I started the book, Derek and Scott were planning their moving together to Boston University, sharing a dorm room together and starting their life as a couple. Of course they were also planning to move on a higher step in their relationship, i.e. having sex. Strange things is that, as soon as they were “free”, suddenly Derek and Scott decided to slow down; actually it was more Scott that not only wanted to be careful and not just come out, but also when they were alone, he wanted to do things step by step, being really sure that what they were starting was something both of them wanted.

I had contrasting feeling on Scott’s attitude; I was unhappy for Derek, that had to restrain himself, but in the end it prevailed the feeling that Scott was right, that he was behaving as the more conscious between the two of them. Scott was not denying Derek or their relationship; he was simply taking his time and planning everything at the right moment. Pushing him to do something before he was really convinced was wrong, and in the long shot would have probably caused him to regret his choices.

I really liked the college theme of the novel, and also the distinct contrast between high school and college. It gives hope to young students that there is hope and many chances for them. High school is like a small town, with the goods and bads of a small town, but college is like a metropolis: it can be dangerous, but there is also more freedom, and like in a metropolis there are places you should avoid, but also places where you can be yourself, and being safe in doing so.

Even if there is sex, Wrestling with Love is not so far from its prequel, Wrestling with Desire, and all in all, it can be considered a Coming of Age novel as well.

http://ai-press.net/2011/02/14/now-available-wrestling-with-lov/

Buy Here

Amazon: Wrestling With Love
Amazon Kindle: Wrestling With Love
Paperback: 382 pages
Publisher: Ai Press (February 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983374732
ISBN-13: 978-0983374732

Series:
1) Wrestling with Desire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1211288.html
2) Wrestling with Love

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

Wrestling With Love by D.H. Starr

People warned me about this novel telling me it was way more “explicit” then the previous one, Wrestling with Desire, where Derek and Scott were high school students and the novel had more the flavour of a Young Adult.

And indeed when I started the book, Derek and Scott were planning their moving together to Boston University, sharing a dorm room together and starting their life as a couple. Of course they were also planning to move on a higher step in their relationship, i.e. having sex. Strange things is that, as soon as they were “free”, suddenly Derek and Scott decided to slow down; actually it was more Scott that not only wanted to be careful and not just come out, but also when they were alone, he wanted to do things step by step, being really sure that what they were starting was something both of them wanted.

I had contrasting feeling on Scott’s attitude; I was unhappy for Derek, that had to restrain himself, but in the end it prevailed the feeling that Scott was right, that he was behaving as the more conscious between the two of them. Scott was not denying Derek or their relationship; he was simply taking his time and planning everything at the right moment. Pushing him to do something before he was really convinced was wrong, and in the long shot would have probably caused him to regret his choices.

I really liked the college theme of the novel, and also the distinct contrast between high school and college. It gives hope to young students that there is hope and many chances for them. High school is like a small town, with the goods and bads of a small town, but college is like a metropolis: it can be dangerous, but there is also more freedom, and like in a metropolis there are places you should avoid, but also places where you can be yourself, and being safe in doing so.

Even if there is sex, Wrestling with Love is not so far from its prequel, Wrestling with Desire, and all in all, it can be considered a Coming of Age novel as well.

http://ai-press.net/2011/02/14/now-available-wrestling-with-lov/

Buy Here

Amazon: Wrestling With Love
Amazon Kindle: Wrestling With Love
Paperback: 382 pages
Publisher: Ai Press (February 14, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0983374732
ISBN-13: 978-0983374732

Series:
1) Wrestling with Desire: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/1211288.html
2) Wrestling with Love

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