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The three novels featured in this month's issue of Wet Ink... all break the mold in some way. I didn't select them with this topic in mind; it's just how they came to me. But there's no denying the theme.

Alison Goodman's Killing the Rabbit is a tour de force that defies all the rules, choosing life and character and story over any conventions of genre. The result is mesmerizing and wickedly brilliant, unlike anything I've ever read, and every word of it sheer genius.

Catherine Asaro's The Fire Opal is a romantic fantasy adventure with decidedly profound undertones, wrestling with issues of sexism and bigotry, faith and spirituality. The youth and innocence of the heroine belie the later, darker currents of the novel.

And Buffi BeCraft-Woodall's Weremones is a paranormal romance with a strong theme of family loyalty, deftly portraying the bonds that run so much deeper than any lust or infatuation. The novel blends the parental and the paranormal with surprisingly heartwarming results.

I enjoyed all three immensely. I hope you will, too.

EM Sky
Peachtree City, GA
September 1, 2007

Interview with Jig Dragonslayer!
On August 6, Jig Dragonslayer took some time from his busy schedule to talk with us about the upcoming Goblin War, book three in Jim C. Hines' popular Goblin Adventure series. Read the interview to learn more about toe fungus, the goblin take on taxes, and what Jig Dragonslayer thinks about his author.

Interviews with Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham!
On August 13, Robin Hood joined us in the EM Sky studios to talk about his recent tribulations and some of his frustrations regarding the maiden Marion. Then on August 20, the Sheriff of Nottingham took it upon himself to let us know just what he thinks of Robin Hood, with some rather interesting repercussions.

Interview with Sandy Lender and Nigel Taiman!
On August 27, author Sandy Lender joined us with her leading man, Nigel Taiman, for a chat about Sandy's debut novel, Choices Meant for Gods. Drop in on the interview to find out how much work goes into writing a fantasy novel, and whether or not Nigel Taiman sees any resemblance between Sandy Lender and his beloved Chariss.

Coming Up in the Cobblestone Café!
Coming up on the Cobblestone Café through September and October, look for interviews with Simon Haynes—or possibly a character or two—Maid Marion, and a host of fun surprises. So stop by every Monday morning and ease into the week with a cup of your favorite whatever and some great conversation!

The Dragon's Breath Is Auspicious
Title: Killing the Rabbit
Author: Alison Goodman
Publisher: Bantam
Date: July 31, 2007
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages
ISBN-10: 0553590111
ISBN-13: 978-0553590111

Hannie Reynard, a thirty-something film-maker, is desperate to get her career on track as she struggles to cover up her past mistakes and her body's ugly betrayal. Mosson Ferret, a film-producer-turned-accountant, yearns to be back behind the camera, hoping to regain a passion that has drained away through years of steady paychecks and emotional humiliation. And Trojan, a hit man with a feng shui obsession, just wants to earn enough to get out of the business before the adrenaline tremors and bad memories finally catch up to him.

These three lives will be brought together by a startling genetic mutation that could finally grant women a natural control over their own fertility. Well documented in rabbits and other small mammals, the ability to 'resorb' a viable fetus has recently been discovered in a few dozen women throughout the world, including seven in the land down under.

For the film-makers, this 'freakish' phenomenon is a dream come true, but the pharmaceutical company that discovered it wants it erased. As the documentary plans take one bad turn after another, Hannie and Mosson come to realize that something terribly sinister is lurking in the shadows. Now the hunt is on for the last surviving 'Rabbit Woman' of Australia, to capture her on film before the invisible hand of economic greed can set human evolution back a hundred years.

Despite the requisite marketing, this masterpiece of literary talent defies easy classification. It is too deep to be a traditional suspense thriller; Ms. Goodman captures the reader's imagination more through vivid, razor-sharp reality than through any Hollywood-style action. It is too poignant to be comedic, too funny to be dramatic, and far too raw to be romantic, though it blends all three elements in a marvel of balance and grace.

It is even a bit too 'modern-day' to sit comfortably within the science fiction genre, despite the fact that it is based quite literally in scientific fiction. It's just such a real fiction...

And that's the true brilliance of Alison Goodman. She paints for us three intertwined and undeniably real lives, full of hopes and insecurities, failures and ambitions, and all the personal realities that have come to define modern life, hidden away behind closed doors.

Ms. Goodman's characters are authentic human beings. They take showers and go to the bathroom and have sex and vomit. But where Alison Goodman rises head-and-shoulders above the rest is in refusing to shock for the sake of shock itself. Every single act of ugliness or beauty, of aggression or kindness, is both innate and necessary to the portrayal of character. Not one moment is contrived, and the result is a mesmerizing read that grabs you in the gut from the very first page and never lets go.

My hat is off to Alison Goodman for writing this exceptional novel, and Bantam deserves specific kudos as well for stepping off the beaten path to recognize and publish a masterful book that stands on its own, refusing to bow to the categories of literary convention. Killing the Rabbit is brave and powerful and sharp and downright exquisite.

According to the ancient practice of feng shui, the key to harmony and prosperity is to encourage the circulation of life energy, known as the dragon's breath, throughout one's environment. The halves of every whole—male and female, sun and rain, earth and sky—must be honored and mixed together, informing and cherishing one another. In Killing the Rabbit, Alison Goodman has produced a novel worthy of any feng shui master. This book is life, in all its rich complexity.

Or as Trojan would say, the dragon's breath is auspicious.

Return to the Lost Continent
Title: The Fire Opal
Author: Catherine Asaro
Publisher: Luna
Date: July 1, 2007
Format: Paperback, 320 pages
ISBN-10: 0373802773
ISBN-13: 978-0373802777

Catherine Asaro returns to the magical world of The Charmed Sphere, The Misted Cliffs, and The Dawn Star with another romantic fantasy adventure in The Fire Opal.

Ginger has lived in the temple of the Dragon-Sun outside the provincial desert village of Sky Flames since she was only nine years old. Now eighteen, she has served as the village's sole priestess for almost three years, isolated in both mind and body by the ancient, oppressive traditions of her people.

But Ginger has a secret. She has inherited more from her grandfather than her strange red hair and the precious opal pyramid she keeps with her always; she has also inherited the ability to cast magical spells of warmth, healing, and fire.

Ginger prays that her spells arise from the great Dragon-Sun himself, but she fears nonetheless that they may come from a darker place, for her powers manifest only at night, when the Dragon-Sun is absent from the sky. But whatever their source, whether good or evil, she knows she must hide them at all costs, lest the people of Sky Flames discover them and condemn her for her mysterious powers.

When Darz, a soldier of the distant Quaaz, arrives battered and bloodied at the temple, Ginger learns just how powerful her magic can be. She discovers too that there are places on the Lost Continent where she will not be reviled for her differences, where she will be seen not as an abomination, but as a prize to be revered. Unfortunately, that which is revered may also be coveted...

The Fire Opal appears at first glance to be a classic fantasy romance, but it becomes ever more complex as elements of bigotry, greed, and ruthless fanaticism invade Ginger's simple world. The reader is transported to a land of sweeping vistas, barren deserts, cruel ambitions, and unfathomable power, a far more adventurous and brutal place than the initial chapters might suggest.

Beautiful, startling, and violent by turns, The Fire Opal is surprising in both its graphic depiction of chauvinism and its pantheistic avatars of the natural world. Various aspects of the sun itself play a role in the story, both powerful and mysterious in their unexpected appearance.

The hero and heroine are highly charismatic and the story is self-contained, making The Fire Opal a respectable stand-alone novel, but readers will get even more from the book by reading the saga of The Lost Continent from the beginning. Start with The Charmed Sphere and keep right on going. I enjoy Ms. Asaro's work immensely, and this series ranks among my favorites of her prodigious collection.

For Love of a Good Wolf
Title: Weremones
Author: Buffi BeCraft-Woodall
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing
Date: March 26, 2007
Format: Paperback, 260 pages
ISBN-10: 1586088912
ISBN-13: 978-1586088910

Weremones, by Buffi BeCraft-Woodall, is a howling good time, a paranormal romance with the surprising sex appeal of family.

Diana Ridley is pushing forty, a divorcée mom with a heartless ex-husband, two teenage kids, and a few more curves than she might like. Not to mention the psychic gifts that threaten to overwhelm her sense of sanity at every turn. The last thing she wants is a whole passel of teenage boys who need a mother.

Adam Weis is the untested leader of an underage wolven pack, human-wolf changelings with a terrifying past and a significant lack of trust in their new "father." He lost his fiancé to a group of werecoyote thugs, and he isn't about to risk his heart again, especially now that he has five wolven boys demanding his time and attention.

But fate conspires to bring these two together as the boys reach out for the love they so desperately need, and Diana discovers that the last thing she was looking for may be the best thing that ever happened to her...

What strikes me most about this oddly heartwarming story is the strong thread of familial love that predominates the novel. Ms. BeCraft-Woodall does a tremendous job of applying the wolf pack mentality to her leading man and his five protégés, creating an intensely loving family out of this testosterone-heavy bunch.

The leading lady falls in love with the family as much as she does with the man, evoking a depth of emotion that goes well beyond a simple love story. And the leading man is all the sexier for his ferocious devotion to his boys.

If that hasn't sold you, imagine what you'd get if Joss Whedon wrote The Sound of Music, and you can begin to comprehend the strange and wonderful experience this novel holds in store. Love, family, and werewolves. Now that's entertainment.

R.A. Salvatore E-signing!!! After three long years, Drizzt is back! The brand new Transitions trilogy begins this fall with The Orc King. It's due to be released on September 25th, but RASalvatore.com is taking pre-orders for signed and personalized editions!

I ordered my own copy of The Silent Blade through the last e-signing, and the book arrived in mint condition, personalized exactly as I had asked. Whether you're an old fan or a new one, don't miss this wonderful opportunity to own an autographed piece of Drizzt history!

DragonCon 2007!

The newsletter is out a day early this month so I can focus my undivided attention on DragonCon 2007! I'll be there with author Sandy Lender from August 31st through September 3rd, so if you're going to be in town, be sure to stop by the ArcheBooks Publishing table and say hello.

Stay tuned for photos and articles on Straight from the Barrel...!