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reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2010-04-20 11:38 am
reviews_and_ramblings) wrote2010-04-20 11:38 am
The Inside Reader: Jordan Castillo Price
Show me the books he loves and I shall know the man far better than through mortal friends - Silas Weir MitchellJordan Castillo Price is probably one of the few authors that is able to sell me a vampire story with a subtle but sweet humor; I'm not a huge fan of the vampire paranormal genre, but if it's a JCP's book, than I have no doubt. Please welcome Jordan as Inside Reader today!
Jordan Castillo Price's Inside Reader List
Because I have the need to sort and categorize, I´ve placed my ten favorite books in three distinct categories: early favorites, writing books, fiction favorites...and one bonus book that doesn´t fit into any of those categories!
Early Favorites
1) Twins by Bari Wood and Jack Geasland - I first read this as a young teen. It´s not a m/m precursor by any stretch of the imagination, although there is twincest. The power of obsession, of losing oneself entirely in another person, is what grabbed me, shook me and wouldn´t let go. I think the theme of obsession is one of my personal favorites, and it comes through in the Channeling Morpheus series. Publisher: Signet; 5th THUS edition (May 9, 1978)
ISBN-10: 0451080157
ISBN-13: 978-0451080158
Amazon: Twins
2) Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice - Here was another story of obsession, but without the fatalistic edge of Twins. I loved the worldbuilding, I loved the juxtaposition of historic and modern, and of course I loved the pretty boys with pointy teeth in pretty clothes! Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 18, 1997)
Publisher Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780345409645
ISBN-10: 0345409647
ISBN-13: 978-0345409645
Amazon: Interview With The Vampire
Here are the confessions of a vampire. Hypnotic, shocking, and chillingly erotic, this is a novel of mesmerizing beauty and astonishing force--a story of danger and flight, of love and loss, of suspense and resolution, and of the extraordinary power of the senses. It is a novel only Anne Rice could write.... “Magnificent, compulsively readable." --CHICAGO TRIBUNE
3) Flat Earth Series by Tanith Lee. Finally, fully consummated m/m! Except no one seemed particularly loving or happy. The prose was verbose and elegant, if maybe a bit distant, and when I first started writing, I tried to emulate Ms. Lee´s style. The verbosity fell away fast. It makes sense that I would start writing to please myself if the early books I enjoyed began to toy with the types of people and relationships I enjoyed, but never allowed themselves to dig deep into the relationships. Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: TaLeKa (September 15, 2009)
Publisher Link: http://www.norilana.com/norilana-taleka.htm
ISBN-10: 1607620448
ISBN-13: 978-1607620440
Amazon: Night's Master
Night's Master is the first book of the stunning arabesque high fantasy series Tales from the Flat Earth, which, in the manner of The One Thousand and One Nights, portrays an ancient world in mythic grandeur via connected tales. Long time ago when the Earth was Flat, beautiful indifferent Gods lived in the airy Upperearth realm above, curious passionate demons lived in the exotic Underearth realm below, and mortals were relegated to exist in the middle. Azhrarn, Lord of the Demons and the Darkness, was the one who ruled the Night, and many mortal lives were changed because of his cruel whimsy. And yet, Azhrarn held inside his demon heart a profound mystery which would change the very fabric of the Flat Earth forever... Come within this ancient world of brilliant darkness and beauty, of glittering palaces and wondrous elegant beings, of cruel passions and undying love. Discover the exotic wonder that is the Flat Earth.
Writing Books
When I´m not actually writing, I like to read about writing. Talk about a one-track mind!
4) Writing in Flow by Susan K Perry - I´m not one of those writers who considers the act of writing akin to bleeding out upon a page or pulling teeth. I think writing is pretty fun. It´s even more fun when I´m in the flow state. Writing in Flow analyzes the writer´s flow state by gathering questionnaires from many writers and poets and grouping their responses into loose themes. What I love about it is that it´s one of those books you can either read from cover to cover or, for a little inspiration, open and start reading anywhere. Paperback: 274 pages
Publisher: Writer's Digest Books (August 2001)
ISBN-10: 1582970866
ISBN-13: 978-1582970868
Amazon: Writing in Flow
Flow is the sense of inspired freedom that comes when you lose yourself completely in an activity, allowing time, duty and worry to melt away. For writer's, words pour out in a continuous, creative stream. In Writing In Flow, Dr. Susan Perry shows writers how to achieve and maintain a sense of flow in their own work, everything from defining what it is to making it happen--even when facing writer's block. Throughout, more than 75 best-selling and award-winning writers reveal their techniques for enhancing their writing creativity and productivity. * National bestseller * Foreword by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of the New York Times best- selling book Flow * Addresses every writer's core need: to be more creative and prolific * Features insights from dozens of big-name writers, including Jane Smiley, Sue Grafton and more.
5) On Writing by Stephen King - I´m a big horror fan, so I love that one of my favorite horror authors has put together this thing that´s part style guide, part autobiography. I read it, but then I also listened to it on audio. It´s narrated by Mr. King! There´s something down to earth about him that inspires me to keep my head on straight as a writer. Mass Market Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Pocket (July 1, 2002)
Publisher Link: http://books.simonandschuster.com/On-Writing/Stephen-King/9780743455961
ISBN-10: 0743455967
ISBN-13: 978-0743455961
Amazon: On Writing
"Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's advice is grounded in his vivid memories from childhood through his emergence as a writer, from his struggling early career to his widely reported near-fatal accident in 1999 -- and how the inextricable link between writing and living spurred his recovery. Brilliantly structured, friendly and inspiring, On Writing will empower and entertain everyone who reads it -- fans, writers, and anyone who loves a great story well told.
6) Telling Lies for Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block - This collection of writing essays was originally a series of columns for Writer´s Digest Magazine. The style is so engaging, so direct and spot-on, that even non-writers would be entertained by Mr. Block´s take on the craft of writing. Bonus: before he was a big mystery writer, he used to write lesbian erotica pulp novels! Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks (February 25, 1994)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780688132286/Telling_Lies_for_Fun__Profit/index.aspx
ISBN-10: 0688132286
ISBN-13: 978-0688132286
Amazon: Telling Lies for Fun and Profit
Characters refusing to talk? Plot plodding along? Where do good ideas come from anyway? In this wonderfully practical volume, two-time Edgar Award-winning novelist Lawrence Block takes an inside look at writing as a craft and as a career. From studying the market, to mastering self-discipline and "creative procrastination," through coping with rejections, Telling Lies for Fun & Profit is an invaluable sourcebook of information. It is a must read for anyone serious about writing or understanding how the process works.
Super Cool Worldbuilding
I´m a sucker for amazing worldbuilding, particularly when plot events fall like a stack of dominoes, one thing causing another, causing another. These three books have amazing cause-and-effect worldbuilding.
7) Beggars in Spain by Nancy Kress - This is a near-future SF story where the results of genetic manipulation for designer babies is the norm. Someone figures out how to unlock the need for less sleep, and the results of that manipulation change humanity forever. What I loved was the bigger societal issues the novel talks about, framed by characters I cared for so greatly that the issues were no longer abstract. Paperback: 416 pages
Publisher: Eos (November 23, 2004)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060733483/Beggars_in_Spain/index.aspx
ISBN-10: 0060733489
ISBN-13: 978-0060733483
Amazon: Telling Lies for Fun and Profit
In a world where the slightest edge can mean the difference between success and failure, Leisha Camden is beautiful, extraordinarily intelligent ... and one of an ever-growing number of human beings who have been genetically modified to never require sleep. Once considered interesting anomalies, now Leisha and the other "Sleepless" are outcasts -- victims of blind hatred, political repression, and shocking mob violence meant to drive them from human society ... and, ultimately, from Earth itself. But Leisha Camden has chosen to remain behind in a world that envies and fears her "gift" -- a world marked for destruction in a devastating conspiracy of freedom ... and revenge.
8) Vamped by David Sosnowski - I love vampires but I hate typical vampire tropes. This book shatters tropes and takes the worldbuilding into some really fun places...like how do you hide a human when humans are an endangered species? What would give away the fact that you´re harboring a non-vampire? Hemovore is heavily influenced by the tone of this book, and especially the worldbuilding aspect of how society would change if vampires were both real and a part of society.
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Free Press (July 27, 2004)
Publisher Link: http://books.simonandschuster.com/Vamped/David-Sosnowski/9780743270854
ISBN-10: 0743262530
ISBN-13: 978-0743262538
Amazon: Vamped
So this vampire walks into a bar...Yes, it sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's just another night in the never-ending life of Marty Kowalski. With his trademark slogan -- "There's a sucker born every minute" -- this blood-drinking bachelor has managed to talk half the mortal world into joining the graveyard shift. Now vampires outnumber humans, and Marty is so bored he could die -- again. With modern conveniences like synthetic blood and Mr. Plasma machines, the thrill of the hunt is gone. Especially for Marty, who's starting to wonder if he should just settle down, maybe start a family. Hey, it could happen. But is this confirmed nightcrawler fully prepared to adopt -- and raise -- a human of his own?
9) The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - No, I haven´t seen the movie yet, and I may never see it. I can´t imagine any film could do one of my all-time favorite books justice. What I loved here was the way the author had to work so much logic into her storytelling. If the character could indeed time travel, what were the ramifications? She took "ramifications" to the extreme! It´s a tear-jerker, and I adore it. Paperback: 546 pages
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; X edition (May 27, 2004)
Publisher Link: http://www.hmhbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=1061095
ISBN-10: 015602943X
ISBN-13: 978-0156029438
Amazon: The Time Traveler’s Wife
A dazzling novel in the most untraditional fashion, this is the remarkable story of Henry DeTamble, a dashing, adventuresome librarian who travels involuntarily through time, and Clare Abshire, an artist whose life takes a natural sequential course. Henry and Clare's passionate love affair endures across a sea of time and captures the two lovers in an impossibly romantic trap, and it is Audrey Niffenegger's cinematic storytelling that makes the novel's unconventional chronology so vibrantly triumphant. An enchanting debut and a spellbinding tale of fate and belief in the bonds of love, The Time Traveler's Wife is destined to captivate readers for years to come.
The Odd Book Out
10) Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely - I was researching whether giving away free books was advantageous to an author or not when I stumbled upon this gem. This nonfiction book interprets the data from several studies to demonstrate how the way we act makes no sense at all. Zero! Zip! None! (Or perhaps it does make sense...but not logical sense.) It´s riveting, and you can find a lot of fun follow-ups at the author´s site, http://predictablyirrational.com Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Original edition (August 15, 2010)
Publisher Link: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061353246/Predictably_Irrational_Revised_and_Expanded_Edition/index.asp ISBN-10: 0061353248
ISBN-13: 978-0061353246
Amazon: Predictably Irrational
"A marvelous book… thought provoking and highly entertaining." —Jerome Groopman, New York Times bestselling author of How Doctors Think. "Ariely not only gives us a great read; he also makes us much wiser." —George Akerlof, 2001 Nobel Laureate in Economics. "Revolutionary." —New York Times Book Review. Behavioral economist and New York Times bestselling author Dan Ariely offers a much-needed take on the irrational decisions that led to our current economic crisis.
About Jordan Castillo Price: Jordan Castillo Price grew up in Western New York, spent her formative drinking years in inner city Chicago, and is now writing paranormal thrillers from her home in small-town rural Wisconsin.
Have questions about writing erotica? Comments about any of her stories? Just want to say hi? Drop her an email at jordan (at) psycop (dot) com.
Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who's plagued by ghostly visitations. Visit JCPbooks.com to glimpse Chicago beyond the veil.
Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Samhain Publishing (May 4, 2010)
Publisher Link: http://samhainpublishing.com/romance/hemovore
ISBN-10: 1605047082
ISBN-13: 978-1605047089
Amazon: Hemovore
Can art imitate death? Oh no, girlfriend. Don’t even go there…
Ten years ago, the Human Hemovore Virus blazed through the world, and left the few victims who survived unable to eat, allergic to sunlight and craving the taste of blood.
Mark Hansen used to think V-positives were incredibly sexy with their pale, flawless skin and taut, lean bodies. Not anymore. Not since he’s been stuck procuring under-the-counter feline blood for his control-freak boss, Jonathan Varga. Why cat blood? Mark has never dared to ask.
It’s not as if he’s usually at a loss for words. He can dish an insult and follow it with a snap as quick as you can say “Miss Thang”. But one look at Jonathan’s black-as-sin gypsy eyes, and Mark’s objections drain away.
So he endures their strange, endless routine: Jonathan hiding in his studio, painting solid black canvases. Mark hurling insults as he buffs the office to a shine with antiviral wipes and maps out the mysterious “routes” he’s required to drive.
Then a blurb in Art in America unleashes a chain of events neither of them saw coming. As secrets of Jonathan’s past come to light, it becomes clear all his precautions weren’t nearly enough.
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Cara Elisa,
Thank you for asking Jordan Castillo Price about her favs.
She is among my favs, even though she doesn't know it ;-). I particularly like Channeling Morpheus and Sweet Oblivion series, that is the relationship between Wild Bill and Michael. A very different vamp story.
But I liked also Hemovore although the atmosphere of sadness and resignation pervading especially the first part of the book was at first a bit overwhelming.
And the whole PsyCop concept is original and well developed. And Vic is cute ;-).
Ciao
Antonella
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JCP's list, however, was fascinating in its mix of fiction and non.
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