Ebook winners! Thanks for playing!

Hey, shout to the winners of my two free ebook give-aways! I really hope you like Dragonfly Dance! A big thank you to The Romance Reviews for hosting this contest. They do such great things for authors over there.

Dragonfly Dance is the first in my Heart Beat Collection --  a series of novelettes all centered around music. In this story, Lori Littlehawk plays the fiddle like nobody's business on the wide prairie of South Dakota. An erotic romp with a big dose of fresh air.

The socond in the series is about Annalee and recruitment into a drum and bugle corps. She plays her drums and marches with the all-male group, falling head over heels with the drum major. If you like drums and dogs and hot sex with an ex-marine -- well this might be for you!

Both of these are released this month as a two-fer frfom Torrid Books.

http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/torrid/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=62&products_id=691

And another delightful review for Rhythm of the Rain, also a 2011 release.

Thank you Long and Short Reviews!
http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/index.htm

Rhythm of the Rain

By Gemini Judson

Release date: 10/01/2011

 

Review by Stephanotis at Long and Short Reviews

What a unique story! It's about dog grooming, drill teams and yes, lots of romance, too. I liked Annalee from the beginning. She came across as a real life character running a dog grooming business, and in walks Tango with his dog. At first I thought he might ditch the dog with her and the story would progress from there with maybe her trying to track him down, but was more than relieved when he showed up and found out these two had lots in common.

One thing that struck me was the story seemed to have all the makings of a classic romance, boy meets girl, girl thinks he's not interested, and maybe he likes the best friend better; but what made it unique was Ms. Judson put a unique spin on the whole thing. She had all characters as part of a drill team and also took it up a couple of notches with some steamy sex scenes.

This story has good pacing, natural sounding dialogue, and characters I liked and cheered for. Rain, hence the title, is also a major factor in this story which had me wanting to curl up under a blanket and something hot to drink while I read this story. It's an quick read that I enjoyed.

Dragonfly Dance, released in early 2011, is the story of fiddle music under the wide South Dakota sky. Here is a review I received from Long and Short Reviews. Love what she has to say :)

Dragonfly Dance

By Gemini Judson

Release date: 2/1/2011

Review by Holly at Long and Short Review

Gemini Judson has written a delightful romance, filled with passion, romantic disillusionment and new love.

Lori Littlehawk was certain she had her future all planned. She would play the fiddle in the family band, Littlehawk Lightning, marry her childhood best friend Tucker, and live happily ever after.

When her brother mentions that a talent scout will be in the audience at the big Dragonfly Dance celebration, Lori doesn’t even think twice about it. That is, until she goes to Tucker’s place and finds him in bed with Casey, the singer from the band, and fires both of them on the spot.

Now, Lori is ready for freedom and adventure, and throws caution to the wind. She meets a tall and handsome stranger, a photographer who warms places in Lori that she never knew were cold. But Bruce Burns is more than just a photographer, he is the talent scout, and after the first performance, he ‘accidentally’ meets up with Lori. The strong attraction and Lori’s newfound sense of freedom lead them to his camper and to a heated but brief encounter. Can Littlehawk Lightning beat out the other local bands for the movie contract? Will Casey and Tucker’s accusations turn the people against Lori and the band? Can Lori and Bruce find happiness together?

I love the pacing of this story, and the marvelous character development. The world Ms Judson has built is one of beauty and delight, and I could just imagine those dragonflies dancing in the warm summer air.

 

Loralei ‘Lori’ Littlehawk is a delight. I love her strength and resilience when faced with the betrayal by the man she thought loved her completely. She took time to cry, but also realized that it didn’t hurt as much as it should have. I liked her spirit and her willingness to move on to new adventures.

Bruce Burns is the handsome talent scout. He is determined to woo Lori, and doesn’t want her to think he is just after the band. I like that he never exactly lies to her about who he is, but just doesn’t volunteer everything right away. He is sexy and gives Lori exactly what she needs to feel strong and independent.

This is a wonderful romance, one that gives hope to those who have lost their dream only to find another waiting to be fulfilled. The characters work well together, and I would love to read more about this family, especially Lori’s two brothers, Henry and Cameron. I would hope Ms. Judson can find their stories and bring them to life in the same fashion as she did Lori and Bruce.

Turning Teal is a re-release of RING AROUND THE SUN. I pulled this one from a publisher where is was dying on the vine. A shrivled shell of a book... OK, enough botany metaphores. I was so bummed because the book got great reviews and even an EPIC nomination. Now I find myself in a wasteland where I don't know how to promote it. Can I toot about RING AROUND THE SUN, when this is the same book with a different title? Can I say "Look at this review for RIng Around the Sun!" and "This is the same book, only with a better cover!" I did the cover for RING AROUND THE SUN, so I can say that. It was my very first cover :) Anyhoo, I'm in a quandry. 

A new release! Very exciting. This one will be available in print too. Hang on for details.

Archetypes
I think I finally understand them. I had to commit the sin writing the same archetype over and over again until I realized, "I've met you before, oh hero of my story."
I tend to write the same kind of guy. SImilar unough so that I'd say they are of the same ARCHETYPE.

Here he is: He's kind. He's a bit of a fuck up. Tall, slender. Funny. Perhaps aloof.
Hmmm... is that an archetype? I guess I can't wrap a single word around him. Like the damsel in distress -- I write those women a lot. Never write bitches. I don't like to spend time with bitches in my real life and don't intend to spend my make-beleive world with them either.

Back to my guys. Let me list them. First their was Conrad Manzey. Tall, virile, not a fuck-up at all. In fact he is capable of just about any feat. He is sensitive and uber-masculine. Blonde, blue-eyed.

Along came Adam Vianetti. Adam is beefy and muscular. Ah-ha! Not slender. He is sensitive and intelligent. This guy has a head for business. Dark hair, dark eyes. So far so good. Two completely different men -- archetypes.

Then Kevin Shepherd. My love, my favorite. He was tall, slender, kind, funny, aloof. Curly black hair, brown eyes.

Ah- Steve Rider. My lost soul. He's just stumbling along without a real life plan. He's an animal man -- manages a team of horses. Strapping and strong from  hard work. Brown hair.

Bruce Burns... He's an older dude. Not a young buck, but in great shape for 40. Tall, slender, muscular. A buisnessman too, but kind of a power freak. Like to be in control, and he dominates Lori in a wild and erotic way.

Tango Petit. Ex-marine, buff and burly. Dog-lover and of course warm-hearted. He's a bit bull-headed but eager to do what's right. He's actually really a sensitive type and gifted pianist. Go figure.

OK, SO I FEEL BETTER. They are not all alike. I'm getting to know a new man and worried he was a recreation of the others. His name is Gavin Guevara. He's hot stuff and an artist, fit as a fiddle as he earns a modest living delivering packages on his bike.

Stay tuned for Gavin and Yarrow in Crescendo. Coming soon to a theater near you :)

NEW RELEASE!

Annalee Wells is innately programmed to keep a constant rhythm. She’d been a competitive drummer in college and it was the best time of her life. She high-stepped through her university years and planned a bright future in veterinary medicine. Her future veered off course when her father was stricken ill. She went home to help him die and her rhythm has been off ever since.

When a fun-loving golden retriever enters her pet-grooming salon with a handsome man on the other end of the leash, her heart plays a forgotten cadence. She’s immediately smitten with the dog, and a little star struck when she learns that her new client, Tango, is the drum major for the best drum and bugle corps in the Midwest. When he asks her to join the notably all-male group, she’s blown away.

Is this the very thing that will bring the heartbeat back to her life? She’d let go of all her dreams when her dad died. Maybe Tango and the Blue Devil’s drums could bring them back.