Review: The Hollow by Nora Roberts
May 8, 2008
Lawson's Review of The Hollow (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 2) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove 6 May 2008
This is the second in the Sign of Seven Trilogy by Nora Roberts. The first book, Blood Brothers (my review is here), of course, had the set up for the story. Three young boys, best friends, freed a demon near their hometown. For seven days, every seven years the demon wrecks havoc on the town and it's innocent inhabitants. The three boys, now grown and waiting for the demon to come again meet up with three women who are tied to the whole mess in more ways than one. If you've read the first book, you know all of this already. If you haven't, go get it! It's Nora Roberts! 
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**Upcoming Release Roundup**
April 1, 2008
Sandy M. and Teddypig (aka the West Coast side of The Pond) have compiled a list of upcoming books that we here in The Pond cannot wait to read!! Some of the biggest names in the industry are taking risks and releasing work far outside of their usual comfort zones. WOOT! Bring 'em on!
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Duodecimal: Katharina’s Glomming (Nora Roberts-style)
December 20, 2007
Katharina, blogger and frequent commenter here, shares with us her list of 12 Nora Roberts books everyone should glom (I'm told "glom" means "go buy all the backlist" in book circles)...
Katharina’s 12 Nora Roberts a'Glomming
After having seen Rosario’s Top 12 Nora Roberts picks, I discovered that my favorites by this author are totally different. And because blog goddess Sybil asked me to, I will do my own Duodecimal of lovely Roberts titles.
1. Hidden Riches ('94 & '04). I discovered this book years ago when I still read romance novels in German. It was my first Nora Roberts and instantly hooked me on her writing.
2. The Dream Trilogy: Daring to Dream ('96 & '06), Holding the Dream ('97 & '06), Finding the Dream ('97 & '06). A totally straight, no "dash of paranormal" series and my most favorite and treasured comfort-read series by this author.
3. The Irish Trilogy: Jewels of the Sun ('99 & '04), Tears of the Moon ('00), and Heart of the Sea ('00). This one was my very first Nora Roberts trilogy and I devoured the books twice in a row before I could read them like a “normal” person. :)
4. Dance Upon the Air ('01). This first book in the Three Sisters Trilogy is a story about a woman who fights for her life and finds her magic vocation after fleeing from an abusive husband.
5. Black Rose ('05). Book 1 of the In the Garden Trilogy. Yay, this one Rosario, too, has on her list. The couple is in their forties and the secret heroine of the story is a fearsome and willful ghost with her own agenda.
6. Face the Fire ('02). This is Book 3 in the Three Sisters Trilogy. When I grow up I want to be like heroine Mia: different, stunning, charming, magical, self-confident, and in posession of the age old knowledge of witchery and magic.
7. Born in Fire ('94). Book 1 in the Concannon Sisters Trilogy (a.k.a. the Born In Trilogy). The heroine is a tiny slip of a woman with one of the most original professions for heroines in Romanceland: she is a glassblower.
8. Carnal Innocence ('92 & '00). This was my very first Nora Roberts romantic suspense, single title and one of the last books I read in German before I switched to English. This book has everything a romance addict could wish for: strong characters and a grabbing, nail biting plot in a lovingly detailed small-town setting.
9. Honest Illusions ('92 & Jan '08)is a single title from the early nineties and features one of my favorite plot types, namely about gentleman thieves.
10. Montana Sky ('96, '97 & '06). Sky is a romantic suspense title with a lovely dash of Western and a to die-for cowboy hero.
11. Heaven and Earth ('01). Book 2 in the Three Sisters Trilogy has a yummi, geeky, professor-ish hero and a down-to-earth no-bullshit heroine.
12. Angels Fall ('06 & '07). AF is romantic suspense favorite from Nora Roberts’s more recent single title backlist. 
Guest Author Q&A: Koffee klatsch with Nora Roberts
November 27, 2007
Nora Roberts pulled up a comfy chair, a cuppa tea, and answered a few questions for TGTBTU's readers...
If you could retire any question and never, ever be asked it again, what would it be? Feel free to answer it. 
Nora Roberts: "Where do you get your ideas?" I HATE this question, because how do I know? It's not like I go out, pluck them off the Idea Bush or pick up a few at the Idea Store. Ideas are the easy part anyway. It's turning the idea into an entertaining story that involves the sweaty work. Ideas, mostly, are a dime a dozen. At your neighborhood Idea Store.
When it comes to writing, there seems to be three rules of thought (although I am all for hearing more). Well, really I just see these over and over when people answer the ever-popular "where do you get your ideas" question. Which is your poison?
1. The Muse - you know the creative force that inspires you to write or Sharon Stone.
2. The Voices in the Head - I like to think of this as the 'The Sybil.'
3. The Profession - it is a job, sit your ass in the chair and type, and try not to make authors look flaky(er) than we are, damn it.
NR: Door Number Three. Nothing against The Muse (or Sharon Stone) but I don't have the time or the patience to sit around waiting for her to show up. Talk about a flake. Give me Sister Mary Responsibility. She'd kick Muse butt. Writing's my job, so I write. Writing's also, to me, the best job in the world, so how lucky am I? I sit my ass in the chair and do my job--and love doing it. I do, however, appreciate the Voices In My Head. They make the job interesting. But they aren't real people. Real to me during the process of telling their story--otherwise, what's the point? Real, I hope, to the reader during the read of the story. Not actual, if you get me, but real enough to matter--real enough to make me care, and in turn--hopefully--to make the reader care.
Can a person 'learn' to write? Is it a talent you have to be born with?
NR: I think anyone can learn the nuts and bolts--the structure, the grammar. And perhaps with that knowledge could produce a good, readable book. But the talent adds the magic. To tell entertaining stories consistently takes that knowledge, that talent, discipline, drive and desire. But I also believe talent can be built, developed, honed with those three D's and with experience. I think the best learning tool is reading, reading, reading.
I've heard writers often say their stories take them in surprising directions, or dialogue flows from some unknown place. Is it the same with you? Do your characters surprise you sometimes?
NR: If the characters don't surprise me, I'm not doing my job. They haven't become real to me, real enough for me to trust them drive the story. Since my stories are character-driven, I have to know the characters, trust them and care passionately about them. I'm telling the story--I'm in charge. But the story is theirs. There has to be a great deal of affection and respect on my end, and part of that is being open to new directions or surprises.
Do you ever argue with your characters while you're writing? (Figuratively speaking, of course - and we won't call the men in white jackets if you tell us it feels real.)
NR: I don't think so. Hmmm. No, I can't remember ever arguing with my characters. Feeling for them, being frustrated by them, or baffled by them. But we work that out during the writing process. I don't have actual conversations with them. They talk to each other.
What is sure to distract you from sitting down and working/writing?
NR: The damn, stupid phone. Or nuclear war.
How do you feel your male or female characters have evolved over your career? Do you think you write them differently now than you did when you started?
NR: I hope as I've grown or evolved as a writer, the characters--a key part of my work--have grown or evolved. In addition, I started out in the early 80's in category Romance, so that was a different time, different framework and in some ways a different reader expectation than the work I do now. I like to think I'll continue to grow and evolve as a writer, and my characters will do the same.
Is there a genre you haven't tackled but would like to try? Or better yet, will you write another historical western? If anyone could bring it into vogue...
NR: If there was a genre I wanted to explore, I would. Why not? The fact is, Romance allows me to include elements from every other area of fiction. I love that. I can do mystery, thrillers, s/f, horror, paranormal and so on--as long as I wrap it around that core love story, and bring it home happily. If I had a great idea for another historical western, I'd write it. And name the heroine Sybil.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
NR: Appreciate the moments. Because--poof--they're over. I wouldn't advise myself to do anything differently, to change anything. Too Irish for that. If you change one thing, you change everything. I like the way things have turned out. So far.
If you had never become an author, what do you think you would be doing right now?
NR: Selling small appliances at Target. If I were lucky. I would rather be a lounge singer, but I don't think I have the chops. I can't handle office work or politics, so no chance in business. Basically, I have no other talent.
And now the important ones (a.k.a. Gwen's Lightning Round):
- dark or milk chocolate?
Milk. (Sorry, bland girl here)
- smooth or chunky peanut butter?
I hate peanut butter, so I don't care!
- heels or flats?
Heels.
- coffee or tea?
Tea. But I'd rather have a Diet Pepsi.
- summer or winter?
Summer. Winter's damn cold.
- mountains or beach?
Live in the mountains (and I do), vacation at the beach.
- mustard or mayonnaise?
Bleech. (Told you, bland girl)
- flowers or candy?
Flowers.
- pockets or purse?
I need both. I have much to carry.
Thanks, Nora! Now, readers, what questions do you have for La Nora? (Gwen's a little giddy that Nora's here with us today, so try to squeeze one in edgewise when she's around.)
It is to be noted Nora will be out today on very important business ::coughshoppingcough::. But she will check in when she returns to start answering questions. I prolly should have checked what time zone she is in...
We will be drawing three random winners from the comments to win a signed copy of Blood Brothers.contest closed
Tags: Author interview, Author Q&A, Blood Brothers, Nora RobertsReview: Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts
November 27, 2007
Lawson's review of Blood Brothers (Sign of Seven Trilogy, Book 1) by Nora Roberts
Paranormal romance released by Jove 27 Nov 07
This is the first in Roberts' new Sign of Seven Trilogy. The next two, The Hollow and The Pagan Stone, will be out in May 2008 and December 2008, respectively.
Tags: 2007, Blood Brothers, Grade B, Lawson, Nora Roberts, November 2007, Paranormal, Review, Romance, Sign of Seven Trilogy
