Showing posts with label Novella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Novella. Show all posts

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Against the Wall by Dorothy F. Shaw



Against the Wall

By Dorothy F. Shaw

For those who don’t know me, Dorothy is one of my favorite Authors. I in fact found this book on my own, searching out a book to read of hers, because I was truly desiring a true orgasmic read. Yes, you read that right. And I was hoping there was something out there of hers that I might not have read yet, and when I managed to get to Amazon I found two books, and this one was just listed.

So I started reading it, and then went to Dorothy to yell at her for not telling me about it. That’s how I know it was just listed. I also know some of the answers to the interview questions I ask, before I even ask them, but I did that for you, my readers. ::wink!::

As I opened this book, the first thing that grabbed me, was the dedication. That in itself, will make you think, and it truly goes along with the book, trust me, at the end you will completely understand the dedication even more so.

“Dedication: This short story is dedicated to anyone who’s ever had to let someone go-regardless of the fact that they were still deeply in love with them. When the pain becomes so great, sometimes, we are left with no choice but to save ourselves. And yet, we still wonder….what if?” ~Dorothy F. Shaw

Jake and Maggie have the most loving and orgasmic relationship that you could ever desire. They truly love one another, and the sex is just absolutely perfection.

They truly enjoy one another, but it just seems as though as you are reading this, it is like there are commitment issues. And it is like 'awe come on', are we ever going to go any further, and get more serious, and make the relationship into a real relationship? A true and everlasting keeper kind of forever type of love. But it is like at a sit still. And as you are reading, you just know that Maggie seems to want more, and Jake just seems to be stuck. But on the same token, you know that yes, they do love one another.

And then, comes the “Dear John” letter. I stopped reading. I said out loud, “Oh no you didn’t!!” And I reread it again:

“Please wait, because I’ll be back and than I’ll give you all of me. I promise. Always Jake.”
Um no…Dude.  Wait for you? To what?! Grow up?! Do you realize she could find somebody better? What while you are out doing what? Playing the field? Drinking? Doing what you want to do?! Just sit here and wait? NO! Are you for real?!

I kept reading, Maggie knew better than to just sit there waiting, even though she knew she loved him even still. I calmed down. I was angry, and sad, and crying. I could not believe my eyes. I felt bad, and sad, and…oh my goodness this book just tore me up from the floor up.

At this point I knew I had read a five star book. Real emotions and real feelings, and real life. People truly do this, and this really happens, and I just read the ever famous “Dear John” and “Wait for me” game.  Many people have gone through this, and some are lame enough to wait. Their choice.  I know this is something so heart breaking, because we’ve all had relationships. But the fact is, things like this cause many to go into depressions, without even realizing. 

“Against the Wall” is written so realistically that I just couldn’t put it down, and it brought out so many feelings that I enjoyed it immensely. This book is truly worth the read, and as usual Dorothy has kept the readers entertained and on the edge of their seats. Again, this, as with all of Dorothy's books, are a five star read. You need to get it, and read it. You will be "Against the Wall" yourself with so many emotions, trust me!

My Questions for Dorothy:

1. What made you write this book and how long did it take?

I wrote this book - aka very short story - in 2010. It was part of my journey into writing, and I was definitely still learning when I wrote the first draft of it. I honestly don’t recall how long it took me or even what made me write it other than an idea came to me so I ran with it. At the time, it was the longest story I’d ever written. Since then, it’s gone through several rounds of edits, especially a couple of months ago when I decided to self publish it on Amazon. 

But here’s a little more history for you: I have a rather methodical mind, and I tend to follow a process. So, I wrote this and when I was done, my next goal was to write a novella—20k words tops. That novella was called “The Office”. Needless to say, that novella turned into a novel, which turned into a series, and became what we know today as Unworthy Heart, book 1 in The Donnellys series.


2. What made you decide to self publish this book?

Simple: This story does not have a happy ever after ending. It doesn’t even have a happy for now ending…although in my opinion, Maggie does what she needs to do in order to find her own happy ending. However, you can’t really sell a story with no HEA or HFN in romance or erotica to a publisher. Plus, its a very, very short story. Because of all of those factors, I really felt it was just best to put it up myself and see if anyone reads it. My though is, there are many people who will likely identify with the story. Many people know what its like to have a broken heart, myself included. 

3. Please tell everyone what you already told me about your cover:

Ah, yes. The awesome cover was designed by my ex-husband, T.D. Hoffman. He’s also a writer, and co-wrote my first book published called Spare Hearts. T is one of those good at anything he does kind of guys. It’s one of the many awesome things about him. And although he’s my ex, he makes all my promo items or covers for self pub works for me. He also helps me plot on occasion. Because we are still friends, it makes doing all that writing stuff together easy. It also makes co-parenting our kids easy too. 


4. Do you have photos or descriptions of Jake, Maggie or even Jen?

Nope. LOL Sorry. But…according to what I wrote, Jen has curly dark brown hair. Maggie has thick blonde hair and Jake has long dark brown hair. That’s about all I believe. See? I was still learning a lot when I wrote this story and honestly, I left the rest up to the readers imagination when I got it cleaned up to publish. =)


5. Have you ever received a "Dear John" letter like Maggie’s?

I don’t know if I’d call the letter a “Dear John” because Jake wasn’t breaking up with her really. Rather he was once more turning his back but at the same time trying to make sure she was there for whenever he decided he was going to come back. I like to call that “fuckery” for lack of a better word. But yes, I’ve for sure had someone cast bait like that and in some cases, over and over again in order to keep me on the hook. And it didn’t have to come in the form of a letter. Something like that can come in all forms…text, voicemail, email, or face to face.


6. What are you working on now?

Right now I am writing Jaded Heart, book 4 in The Donnellys series. =) It’s due to release November 2016.


7. What is your favorite place to write?

I write in my family room, in one specific chair. When I show people my special chair, I say: “This is where the magic happens.” LOL 


8. What helps you carry out these delicious orgasmic sex scenes?

Ummmm…Well, I wish I could say that I’ve done every single thing my characters have, but sadly, I haven’t… I mean really, that would be pretty crazy and awesome at the same time. And does anyone ever ask a horror author if they draw on real experience when they write about killing people? Nope. LOL Truth is, much of it is just good old fashioned imagination, it’s what we writers do. A bit may come from past experiences, sure but then in the end, I just write what the characters tell me. I do what ever they say! And they are really demanding. LOL 


9. The dedication- has that happened to you?
Yes. And only because it’s you, I’ll add that I’m walking through it right now. 


10. Please provide your social and book links:

http://www.dorothyfshaw.com/
http://www.facebook.com/DorothyFShaw
https://www.facebook.com/TheDonnellysseries
https://twitter.com/DorothyFShaw


The Donnellys Series:
SHATTERED HEART - 

DEFENSIVE HEART - 

UNWORTHY HEART - 

Single Title: 
AGAINST THE WALL - 

THREE TIMES LUCKY - 

SPARE HEARTS -  




11. Anything to add:
Just that I always appreciate your support of my writing. Thanks, sweetie. <3


 About the Author:



Dorothy F. Shaw stumbled into a career in Corporate America and has spent the last 18 years climbing the corporate ladder. A fan of journaling about her troubles, she started an online blog in 2009, and poured her emotions out for all to see.
As luck would have it, the first post came out in the form of a poem. A few authors she'd met online encouraged her to write more, and in the span of 2 years she wrote over 150 poems. The poems led to short stories, which blossomed into novels. Evident from the very beginning was her voice as an author that is real and packed with wit and sarcasm. Her stories will always include complex, broken people trying to figure out how to start and keep a relationship as well as lots of hot, steamy sex. As Dorothy sees it, the journey is the best part.

When she's not writing, she's a mother, and a friend to many. She truly lives and loves in technicolor!
Dorothy welcomes emails at: dorothyfshaw@gmail.com and can also be reached at Facebook.com/dorothyfshaw, @dorothyfshaw on Twitter and www.dorothyfshaw.com.



Against the WallAgainst the Wall by Dorothy F. Shaw
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For those who don’t know me, Dorothy is one of my favorite Authors. I in fact found this book on my own, searching out a book to read of hers, because I was truly desiring a true orgasmic read. Yes, you read that right. And I was hoping there was something out there of hers that I might not have read yet, and when I managed to get to Amazon I found two books, and this one was just listed.

So I started reading it, and then went to Dorothy to yell at her for not telling me about it. That’s how I know it was just listed. I also know some of the answers to the interview questions I ask, before I even ask them, but I did that for you, my readers. ::wink!::

As I opened this book, the first thing that grabbed me, was the dedication. That in itself, will make you think, and it truly goes along with the book, trust me, at the end you will completely understand the dedication even more so.

“Dedication: This short story is dedicated to anyone who’s ever had to let someone go-regardless of the fact that they were still deeply in love with them. When the pain becomes so great, sometimes, we are left with no choice but to save ourselves. And yet, we still wonder….what if?” ~Dorothy F. Shaw

Jake and Maggie have the most loving and orgasmic relationship that you could ever desire. They truly love one another, and the sex is just absolutely perfection.

They truly enjoy one another, but it just seems as though as you are reading this, it is like there are commitment issues. And it is like 'awe come on', are we ever going to go any further, and get more serious, and make the relationship into a real relationship? A true and everlasting keeper kind of forever type of love. But it is like at a sit still. And as you are reading, you just know that Maggie seems to want more, and Jake just seems to be stuck. But on the same token, you know that yes, they do love one another.

And then, comes the “Dear John” letter. I stopped reading. I said out loud, “Oh no you didn’t!!” And I reread it again:

“Please wait, because I’ll be back and than I’ll give you all of me. I promise. Always Jake.”

Um no…Dude. Wait for you? To what?! Grow up?! Do you realize she could find somebody better? What while you are out doing what? Playing the field? Drinking? Doing what you want to do?! Just sit here and wait? NO! Are you for real?!

I kept reading, Maggie knew better than to just sit there waiting, even though she knew she loved him even still. I calmed down. I was angry, and sad, and crying. I could not believe my eyes. I felt bad, and sad, and…oh my goodness this book just tore me up from the floor up.

At this point I knew I had read a five star book. Real emotions and real feelings, and real life. People truly do this, and this really happens, and I just read the ever famous “Dear John” and “Wait for me” game. Many people have gone through this, and some are lame enough to wait. Their choice. I know this is something so heart breaking, because we’ve all had relationships. But the fact is, things like this cause many to go into depressions, without even realizing.

“Against the Wall” is written so realistically that I just couldn’t put it down, and it brought out so many feelings that I enjoyed it immensely. This book is truly worth the read, and as usual Dorothy has kept the readers entertained and on the edge of their seats. Again, this, as with all of Dorothy's books, are a five star read. You need to get it, and read it. You will be "Against the Wall" yourself with so many emotions, trust me!

View all my reviews

Friday, December 11, 2015

Pierce: A Vampire Series Novella 1 by Jolie du Pre


Pierce:  A Vampire Series

Novella 1
By Jolie du Pre

Alicia Johnson, a 24 year old waitress has a strong fear of Vampires. So much so she refuses to work the night shift. As with any job, we all know how they are, and that there are times when we are needed to cover one another shifts from time to time.

 Alicia whom is already deep in debt compliments of a cheating ex fiance, eventually realizes she needs to take the shift. So she decides to talk her boss into calling a cab, and paying the fare, so at the very least she doesn’t have to deal with the bus system, and will feel safer.

This is a whole new World, the CDC has signs posted everywhere, warning people to beware of vampires, and the humans live in fear of them.

With a crazy Vampire like Bess, whose only desire is to be with Dagon, she will get sloppy and make mistakes. Bess, Dagon and Vince are traveling around determined to make trouble where ever they go. Dagon is a sexy hunk that once everyone sees him, they can't stop looking at him.

This book was fast paced and totally enjoyable. I loved how easily it was to follow along and understand. I also enjoyed the fact the language, though to most may be considered foul and adult, in all honesty, this is how most people speak. I like books that are more real life, and not afraid to act like people truly do, rather than act fake. 

I give this book five stars, because it is realistic, and short and sweet, more for the modern day and age. I like how fast paced it is, and realistic. The book itself, seems more true to life than a lot of books I have read. People like to pretend they talk all prim and proper, when in fact they don’t. Jolie calls them like they are. The same way she speaks! I like that about her! She isn’t afraid to act like someone herself behind a book, the same character she is in real life, portrays through her books. I like that about her! Very open and honest and classy! You need to check this book out, it is an excellent Vampire story that will knock your socks off!

My Questions for Jolie:


1. What made you write this?

I've always been a lover of monsters of all types.  Earlier, my focus was zombies.  However, I wanted to work on a different breed.  So, vampires it is!

2. How long did it take to write this?

It takes me approximately two weeks to write a novella.

3. Do you have any photos or pictures or descriptions of any of your characters?

I don't have specific photos.  What I can say is that my characters are all attractive Millennials.  The 22 to 28 range are my ages.

4. Any suggestions to anyone wanting to become a writer?

Don't do it!  No, seriously, it's hard work with no guarantee of success.  I write only because there's nothing else out there that I want to do.

5. Who are your favorite Author(s)?

Augusten Burroughs, Truman Capote, Ann Rule, Vincent Bugliosi 

6. How long have you been writing?

Since 2000 or so.

7. What are your hobbies?

Pole dancing for fitness, cooking, gardening, reading memoirs and true crime books. 

8. What are you working on now?

I'm working exclusively on the Pierce vampire novella series.

9. Please provide for us any ways to follow you and your work:

The best ways to reach me are at my two main social networks:



10. Anything extra you would care to add:

If you want to be an author, you can have the talent, but if you don't have persistence and patience, forget it.





Pierce: A Vampire Series: Novella 1Pierce: A Vampire Series: Novella 1 by Jolie du Pre
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alicia Johnson, a 24 year old waitress has a strong fear of Vampires. So much so she refuses to work the night shift. As with any job, we all know how they are, and that there are times when we are needed to cover one another shifts from time to time.

Alicia whom is already deep in debt compliments of a cheating ex fiance, eventually realizes she needs to take the shift. So she decides to talk her boss into calling a cab, and paying the fare, so at the very least she doesn’t have to deal with the bus system, and will feel safer.

This is a whole new World, the CDC has signs posted everywhere, warning people to beware of vampires, and the humans live in fear of them.

With a crazy Vampire like Bess, whose only desire is to be with Dagon, she will get sloppy and make mistakes. Bess, Dagon and Vince are traveling around determined to make trouble where ever they go. Dagon is a sexy hunk that once everyone sees him, they can't stop looking at him.

This book was fast paced and totally enjoyable. I loved how easily it was to follow along and understand. I also enjoyed the fact the language, though to most may be considered foul and adult, in all honesty, this is how most people speak. I like books that are more real life, and not afraid to act like people truly do, rather than act fake.

I give this book five stars, because it is realistic, and short and sweet, more for the modern day and age. I like how fast paced it is, and realistic. The book itself, seems more true to life than a lot of books I have read. People like to pretend they talk all prim and proper, when in fact they don’t. Jolie calls them like they are. The same way she speaks! I like that about her! She isn’t afraid to act like someone herself behind a book, the same character she is in real life, portrays through her books. I like that about her! Very open and honest and classy! You need to check this book out, it is an excellent Vampire story that will knock your socks off!

View all my reviews