Coming Attractions for April

Posted By Kate

It's April Fool's Day in the Lair! But we're not fooling around! We've got an absolutely fabulous line-up for you this month and you won't want to miss out on one single moment of fun, prizes and general raucous behavior! Here are some of the highlights:



On April 2, Lair favourite, the fabulous Kate Walker, returns for another fun-filled visit to celebrate the release of her latest book, The Proud Wife, and to share some really great news about one of her 2010 releases.





On April 3, Diana Orgain visits us for the first time to chat about the latest book in her Maternal Instincts mystery series, Formula for Murder. As a busy mother of three, she's got some great tips for aspiring writers who can't find the time to write.





April 4 finds Kay Thomas back in the Lair, along with her newest Bulletproof book, Bulletproof Hearts, from Harlequin Intrigue.







On April 6th, Jules Bennett will return to the lair to talk about her April Harlequin Desire release, Her Innocence, His Conquest.







And on April 7, Cheryl Ann Smith talks to Donna about her journey to publication and shares an excerpt from her debut historical, School for Brides. RT Bookreviews says Smith “makes a dazzling entrance to the romance community with a charming, sexy, innovative tale that sparks the imagination.”







Don't miss the fun on April 8! Joan hosts the wonderful Kristan Higgins AND the hero and heroine of her new Harlequin release My One and Only as they play 20 questions.




On April 12, Jeanne interviews Maureen Batita from the popular blog, Romance Writers Revenge. She'll discuss her ebook, The Kraken's Mirror. Yo ho, yo ho!








And on April 19, Dianna Love will join us in the lair to talk about keeping dreams alive, and why she's sponsoring a national art contest based on the book, Blood Trinity.









On April 21, Patricia Rice returns to chat with Nancy about her first direct-to-electronic release, Evil Genius.









On April 25, our favorite witch, Jennifer Lyon, visits to talk about her two new books in the electrifying Wing Slayer Hunter series, Night Magic and Sinful Magic.












Kathleen O'Reilly returns to the Lair on April 26 to chat with Bandita Nancy about her new Blaze, Just Surrender.













There will be a night of scandal and mayhem in the lair when the paparazzi crash the ball celebrating the launch of Midnight's Wild Passion, Anna Campbell’s latest historical romance from Avon. Mark your calendars for hijinks and giveaways on Wednesday, 27th April! You can read the blurb and an excerpt here: http://www.annacampbell.info/wildpassion.html.

And Anna's holding a Midnight Madness contest on her website to celebrate the release of her latest historical romance MIDNIGHT’S WILD PASSION on Tuesday, 26th April. All you have to do is read the excerpt from MWP on her Books page http://www.annacampbell.info/wildpassion.html and tell her what color Ranelaw’s hair is. Email your answer to anna@annacampbell.info The contest closes 30th April 2011. For more details, please visit http://www.annacampbell.info/contest.html.



One more April happening: The RT Book Lovers Convention comes to Los Angeles April 6-10. Are you going? What are you wearing? Tell us everything! And even if you're not going, we can pretend. What fabulous fantasy costume would you wear to the Fairy Ball? Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Affordable Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Miami Heat Tickets

Hey Minnesota Timberwolves fans! As you may know, basketball season is sadly coming to an end in just two short weeks. Tomorrow night at 7pm, the Minnesota Timberwolves will host the Miami Heat at the Target Center in Minneapolis. This will be the third to last home game of the season for the Wolves, just ahead of the Phoenix Suns on Wed. April 6th and the final game against the Houston Rockets the following Wed. April 13th. If you would like to show your support for the Minnesota Timberwolves during the last few games of their 2010-2011 season, check out our supply of Minnesota Timberwolves tickets and order yours now! We have a very nice variety of seat locations for each game, with prices starting as low as $25 each for the Miami game; $9 for the Phoenix game or $4 for the Houston game. Get yours today! 
GO TIMBERWOLVES!!!Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Britney Spears Femme Fetale Fashion Style by D&G

After dressing up Kylie Minogue, D&G dressed Britney Spears for the promotional photos of her newest album, Femme Fetale.




Photo Source: InStyle.comSource URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Colleen Gleason Launches New Vampire Series

I'm happy to be hosting Colleen Gleason today to celebrate the release of The Vampire Voss, the first in her new vampire series. Not only have Colleen and I been friends since we both finaled in the Golden Heart in 2003, but I'm a big fan of her work as well.

For those of us who are fans of your Gardella Vampire Chronicles, tell us how your new vampire series, the Regency Draculia, differs.

Both series are set during Regency-era England, with the Gardellas around 1819-1820 and the new series during the Napoleonic War—specifically in 1804.

The biggest differences are in the vampire mythology and also in the structure of the series. The Gardellas are really more of a historical urban fantasy series, following the life—and loves—of one heroine, Victoria Gardella. The books are really all about her as a sort of superhero (a vampire hunter) in a historical time period. There are no “good” vampires in the Gardellas, they aren’t ever the protagonists or heroes/heroines. The vampires are all evil, and meant to be slain.

I took a different tack with the Regency Draculia. These books are definite vampire romances, with a spotlighted hero and heroine in each book and a happy ending for them at the end of each story. There are over-arching subplots and romances—a la Suzanne Brockmann and Eloisa James—but each book does end happily for the main couple.

The mythology of my Draculia vampires is much different from that of the Gardellas as well, for in these books, there are vampires that run the gamut from being totally evil to being vampires with a conscience. The vampires in these books have basically sold their souls to Lucifer, and they are living their immortal lives with this knowledge—and with all of its benefits and repercussions.

One of the things that make my vampires different is that each of them has an Asthenia--a specific weakness.

Like the vampires of legend who recoil at the sight of silver, and who are weakened by its presence, each of my vampires have a similar “Achilles Heel”—in this case, I call it their Asthenia. And for each Dracule, it’s something different. For one, it could be sapphires. For another, it could be an oak tree. For another, it could be grass or horses or rosemary.

After writing the Gardella series, you began writing post-apocalyptic stories as Joss Ware. What brought you back to vampires?

I love to write historical novels (in fact, the Joss Ware series almost feels historical in some ways, due to the lack of infrastructure and limited technology in that world), and when it was suggested that I try my hand at a true vampire romance novel, set in the Regency, I jumped on it. I love that time period, and I’ve come to love my vampires too. ;-) After writing five books with all-evil vampires, it was a fun and interesting challenge to twist my brain a different way and to write about sexy, dark, compelling vampires.

Why do you think vampire stories continue to ride a wave of popularity?

I think there are several reasons, one of which is the aspect of escape. We—or many of us—read for escape, and what better place to escape than to a place where we know it’s not real...and where things are often much darker than they are in our own world.

Another thing, however, that I think makes vampires popular is the environment in which they live: darkness, sensuality, forbiddenness (is that a word?)...all of that makes these characters intriguing and compelling. And there’s the sexual aspect—the penetration, the need, the angst and the reality of what is it like to live forever? Those are all fascinating, titillating aspects of vampire lore, and each author approaches them in a different way.

As a reader, which authors of vampire stories do you enjoy most?

Some of my favorites are Lara Adrian and Jeaniene Frost, but I confess that I don’t read very much in the way of paranormal romances...simply because I write them.

I am a huge Buffy fan, however. ;-)

Tell us a bit about the characters in The Vampire Voss, the first in your new series.

Voss, the Viscount Dewhurst, has been a vampire for a hundred and fifty years. He agreed to sell his soul to Lucifer, and now he has everything he’s ever wanted: immortality, scads of money, imperturbable power, and all the women he can handle. If a man were to live forever with all the power and pleasure and money he ever wanted, I believe he would be just like Voss: Selfish, hedonistic, and, at some point, bored with it all.

Everything is going along just fine—if not becoming a little routine after more than a century of pure hedonism with no negative consequences—until he meets Angelica Woodmore…who is the first woman he finds himself unable to enthrall and seduce.

Angelica is one of three sisters (the eldest of whom is featured in the second book in the series, The Vampire Dimitri) who has a bit of the “Sight”, courtesy of their half-Gypsy grandmother. She becomes a pawn in a struggle between two factions of vampires (if I may....the “good” vampires versus the “bad” vampires).

Because of who he is, Voss is studiously neutral in this struggle—playing both sides—because he wants to use Angelica’s powers for his own protection. And Angelica is terrified of vampires.

So...you can see where this is going. ;-)

And then add in all of the aspects we love about Regency romance: the balls, the dance cards, the manners and repartee, the powerful, rakish viscounts and the bored, brooding earls...and you’ve got a good feel for the series.

Also, there are two more books in the series, coming in early May and early June: In The Vampire Dimitri, we meet a tortured, brooding vampire who has come to strongly regret his bargain with Lucifer and who is trying, in vain, to break that bond. Too bad the woman he falls for is fascinated by his Draculean bent. And in The Vampire Narcise, we meet a damaged female vampire who believes that love isn’t for immortals—because nothing can last forever, especially for someone whose soul is not their own.

Thanks so much for having me here! I’m going to give away a copy of the second book in the series, The Vampire Dimitri, to a commenter today.

To enter to win, either ask me a relevant question about the series or writing, etc., and/or tell me...if you were a Dracule, what would your Asthenia be?
~~~
Thanks, Colleen. Can't wait to start this new series. You know how anxious I was to get my hands on each new Gardella book.

So, get to commenting, folks. :) There's a great new book up for grabs.Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Epic Duran Duran Tickets

The English New Wave band Duran Duran formed in Birmingham in 1978 and became one of the most successful bands of the 1980s.  Since then, they have placed 14 singles in the Top 10 of the UK singles chart and 21 in the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold more than 100 million records. The band worked with fashion designers to build a sharp and elegant image that earned them the nickname "the prettiest boys in rock."  Their controversial music videos became popular in the early 1908s on the then-new music video channel MTV. If you would like to see Duran Duran at Epic Nightclub in Minneapolis on Friday, April 22nd, check out our Duran Duran tickets and buy yours while it's still a little early!  This one will sell out so don't be left outside without a ticket! Get yours now!
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Misa Ramirez Visits the Lair!

posted by Jo Robertson







Today we're fortunate to have writer Misa Ramirez, aka Melissa Bourbon, return to the Lair.


Melissa Bourbon, who sometimes answers to her Latina-by-marriage name Misa Ramirez, gave up teaching middle and high school kids in Northern California to write full-time amidst horses and Longhorns in North Texas. She fantasizes about spending summers writing in quaint, cozy locales, has a love/hate relationship with yoga and chocolate, is devoted to her family, and can’t believe she’s lucky enough to be living the life of her dreams. She is the marketing director at Entangled Publishing, is the author of the Lola Cruz Mystery series with St. Martin’s Minotaur, A Magical Dressmaking Mystery series with NAL, and is the co-author of The Tricked-out Toolbox with Turquoise Morning Press.


Please give Misa a hearty welcome.


Lucille Ball famously said, “If you need something done, ask a busy person.” I embody that quote and all that it means.




Let me start with this background info: I’m a wife. I’m a mother of 5 kids, aged 8-18. I teach online classes. I teach at a local university. I’m on the board of my kids’ elementary school’s PTA. I’m creating the yearbook for that school. Just me, no help (how did that happen, anyway?). I run Books on the House (http://booksonthehouse.com/) I co-founded The Naked Hero (http://thenakedhero.com/) I co-founded The Writer’s Guide to ePublishing (http://thewritersguidetoepublishing.com/) I write. I’m the Marketing Director for Entangled Publishing. I’m sure there’s more, I just can’t think of it right now.


The bottom line? Writing is my passion. I am a former middle school and high school teacher, and, as I said, I still teach online with Savvy Authors, RWA, and at Southern Methodist University’s Cape Creative Writing program. Teaching, I think, is in my blood and always will be. But slowly, my passion for writing has taken over a huge part of my life. It’s what I do. It’s become a large part of my self-identity, and I love every bit of it. Mostly, I love the actual process of writing.




A Deadly Curse, my newest romantic suspense, is based on the Mexican legend of la Llorona. I love this book. A reader recently called it “chilling” and another said, “This is a creepy book, in the very best sense of the word...a fast-paced story with a surprise twist at the end that I, at least, didn't see coming. Highly recommended!”




Here's the blurb on A Deadly Curse:


Most people think the Spanish legend of la Llorona, a woman who killed her children to be with the man she loved, is just a story. High school teacher, Johanna Rios, knows the truth. A descendant of la Llorona’s one surviving child, Joanna’s mother fell victim to the curse, drowning as she tried to kill Johanna and her sister Carmen. When one of Johanna’s former students, dressed in a white peasant dress like the crying woman herself, turns up drowned in the San Julio River, Johanna’s world turns upside down.


The curse is back.


Single father Ray Vargas is filled with guilt. His daughter’s friend, a former student from the high school where he’s principal, is dead and he could have prevented it. When Johanna Rios, one of his teachers, reveals her obsession with la Llorona and thinks three more people will die, each one representing a different version of the crying woman’s story, he will do whatever it takes to stop the killings from happening.


But with danger closing in and his own daughter at risk, Ray must join forces with Johanna to confront the legend, the curse, and the man behind the killings.




http://www.amazon.com/A-Deadly-Curse-ebook/dp/B004N62762


Read an Excerpt at http://misaramirez.com/misas-books/a-deadly-curse/excerpt-a-deadly-curse/




The second book, A Deadly Sacrifice (chupacabras, ranchers, and a curandera, oh my!) will be out in April. I also have a new cozy mystery series with NAL. Pleating for Mercy debuts August 2nd.


And I’m thrilled beyond belief that my Lola Cruz mystery series will continue--release date at the end of 2011. Woot!





My writing fills my life. So why, then, did I take on the position of Marketing Director for Entangled Publishing, a boutique publisher filling the space between traditional publishing and self/indie/mass quantity ePublishers? Because in the process of writing and promoting my own books, marketing has become an offshoot passion, something I’m good at, and something I want to help other authors with.




Finding a piece of the publishing industry that I really believe in has been a huge thrill, and I believe in Entangled Publishing, what they stand for, and how they do business. Throwing your book out there and crossing your fingers that it sprouts wings and flies is all well and good. It happens to a few fortunate people. It does not happen to most of us. We have to create our opportunities.




This realization led me to create Books on the House, a site bringing books and readers together under one roof. Every week, readers give away copies of their books...for free. It also led me to co-author (with Tonya Kappes [http://tonyakappes.com/]) The Tricked-out Toolbox: Promotion and Marketing Tools Every Writer Needs




https://www.createspace.com/357956




This book is a practical guide to promotion and writing and chock full of ideas, tips, and resources to make the most of your time, energy, and marketing dollars. Because of these two endeavors, I was well-primed to take on the role of Marketing Director for Entangled. Entangled has a phenomenal management and editorial team, and the marketing department, led by me, is just one of the many elements which sets us apart. We are a boutique agency, part of which means we have a very strong focus on building relationships between the publicists and the authors they represent, leveraging each authors’ strengths, and gaining maximum exposure for each and every book.




There’s no silver bullet to success. Mostly it’s hard work. And that’s on top of the hard work required when writing a book. Even with a stellar marketing department behind you (and I’m here to tell you that most publishers do not devote the time, energy, or money to promote each of its authors/books), it’s up to each author to do what he or she can to build a career and garner sales. In the day and age of e-books, independent digital publishers, bricks and mortar stores closing left and right (it was announced recently that Borders is closing 28 more stores), and the changing face of publishing, marketing and promotion have never been more important.




Getting your book in front of readers is paramount, but how do you do that? Here are some intentional things you can do to market and promote your books (these are covered in detail in The Tricked-out Toolbox): • understand your PR personality • build an action plan • set goals • set a budget • brand yourself • have a professional and effective website • blog, grog, or otherwise having an online presence • understand theme and audience • participate in online groups, loops, and social networking • think about swag, book trailers, and other promo materials • network • set up opt-in mailing lists • use ethical bribes (or bartering) • have a press kit • advertise • set up blog tours • use contests and giveaways • decide if book signings are for you • create a sell sheet.




Whew! That seems overwhelming, doesn’t it? It doesn’t have to be. Starting with goal setting is key. Once you know your strengths and what you hope to achieve, you can set about building your action plan. Once you have a solid action plan, you can begin to put that plan into effect. Start with what you know you can do and work within your comfort zone. As you’re able, stretch yourself by tackling a task outside that safe place. No matter where you are in your publishing journey, it’s never too early to start creating a brand and promoting yourself. What are you doing now to fill your promotion and marketing toolbox?




You can find Misa online at: http://www.misaramirez.com/ http://www.thenakedhero.com/ http://www.thetrickedouttoolbox.com/




Find Misa's newest release at the following: http://www.amazon.com/A-Deadly-Curse-ebook/dp/B004N62762 http://search.barnesandnoble.com/A-Deadly-Curse/Misa-Ramirez/e/2940012080295






I love the cover on Misa's book Pleating for Mercy. Here's a question for our readers: What makes you pick up a book.... the cover? The title? Author blurbs? And how do you feel about indie-pubbed books verses traditional NY pubbed books? Are you willing to take a chance on an indie-pubbed book?
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Rita Finalists Booty

Thanks to all our wonderful friends who are Rita finalists this year! We appreciate you taking time to stop by and celebrate with us.

And another YAY to our Golden Heart finalists VA and Nancy!!!

We had a lovely prize package of several books from our Rita finalists, so Aunty fired up ye olde Random Number Generator and...


CONGRATS TO: JANE!


Please send your snail mail addy to our toggy hernandes email so we can pass it along and you can receive your booty/books.

Thanks again to everyone who helped us celebrate.Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics Opening Day Tickets

2011 Opening Day for the Minnesota Twins is right around the corner at less than two weeks away. Friday, April 8th will be the very first home game of the 2011 season for the Minnesota Twins as they welcome the Oakland Athletics to Target Field in Minneapolis. The series against Oakland will run through Sunday, April 10th, ending with an afternoon game at 1:10pm.  If you're looking for Minnesota Twins Opening Day tickets, Ticket King is your #1 source! We have seats currently starting as low as $70 for Opening Day; $40 and up for Saturday's game or $35 and up for Sunday's game. Any of our tickets can easily be picked up from our Minneapolis office, located by the Metrodome on the corner of Chicago and Washington Avenues. Support the Minnesota Twins this season and get your Twins opening day tickets today!Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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A Random List

by Susan Sey

I'm feeling quick & sassy today so I'm going to do a list blog. Yay! I'll admit I was inspired by Suz's awesome post yesterday about secondary characters. It got me thinking about things that'll set a book apart for me, really make it stand out in my mind.

Therefore, without further ado, I give you Susan's List of Things I Like in Novels but Rarely See Anymore. Enjoy!

1) Villains who aren't.

Aren't what, you ask? Aren't actually villains. Aren't evil. I love it when the bad guy is just really smart, really rich, really well motivated and wants--no, needs--the opposite of what my hero & heroine want/need. I love it when I don't have to hate the bad guy. In fact, I kinda like to like my bad guy if that makes any sense. Alan Rickman's Sheriff of Nottingham comes to mind. (Can I get an amen? As God is my witness, he was the only reason to sit through that whole movie, unless it was to drink every time Kevin Costner's accent went wonky.)

2) Generous internal monologue and gracious pacing.

Not that I don't enjoy a rip-snorting thriller, but I'm 3/4 of the way through Mary Balogh's "First Comes...." series about the Huxtable family & I'm struck time & again by how well she paints her characters' internal lives. As writers these days we're told time & again to pick up the pace, keep the action rolling, get out of our characters' heads. But Ms. Balogh has been treating me to something else entirely. She gives us a whole lot of people thinking, reflecting, pondering and brooding, & somehow I never feel anxious to get on with it. I find myself savoring her characters' slow tumble into love. That's skill, ladies & gentlemen, & something modern publishing doesn't put out a lot of anymore. So here's my shout out to you, Ms. Balogh. Keep it coming.

3) Grownup heroines.

This is not to say that most heroines are TSTL (that's Too Stupid To Live, for the acronym challenged among us.) Just that romance novels are all about growth, & if you're going to finish up as a mature, well-rounded individual with a decent shot at a HEA (that's Happy Ever After), you have to start, well, somewhere else, right? Which means when books open, the heroine has some work to do. Which means it's sometimes difficult not to have her doing, well, immature things & making bad choices. But last year at Nationals, I found WICKED BECOMES YOU by Meredith Duran in my goodie bag, & I gobbled this book up like kids gobble Easter candy. I rarely write to authors to express my profound admiration but I dropped Ms. Duran an email to tell her how very much I cherished her smart, grown-up heroine who admitted when she was wrong, acknowledged her shortcomings & made every effort to live an authentic life, right from the very start. And in a historical, no less, where female characters can get away with a certain sheltered innocence due to gender roles. That one book made me a fan for life.

So how about you? What sets a book apart for you? What makes it really stick in your mind & in your heart so you'll remember it years from now? And just to sweeten the pot, I'm going to give one lucky commenter an autographed copy of Tamara Hogan's TASTE ME, a debut novel I just read which showcases a fantastic example of a villain-who- isn't. It's a treat, I promise!Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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Secondary Characters: The seasoning in the soup

by suzanne

No secret here, but I love to tinker in the kitchen. I especially like to try my hands at soups. Why? Because my husband LOVES soup. That man will eat soup everyday until the pot is empty.

Here's one of the things I've learned about soup. You have to layer in the flavors.

You start with your butter/olive oil heating in your pot. To this you add your Mirepoix--a mixture of diced carrots, onions, celery. After sauteing this until the onions are translucent, you usually add your meat. Then your wine and finally your stock. You must season with salt and pepper as you add each component, just a touch though. Always tasting to be sure you've seasoned correctly. Bring it all to a boil then you reduce the pot to a simmer, allowing the contents to mix, mingle, grow and change. Each element has an affect on the other.

Writing has the same process.

Butter/oil: You start with your story idea. That is the movement, the beginning of your process.

Mirepoix: You add your plot. This is the spot where you have a solid base of flavors on which your story must build.

Meats: Main characters. Your hero, heroine, antagonist. Those elements that give your story its uniqueness. Their backstories will change the pot to a certain flavor.

Wine & stock: This is your goal, motivation and conflict. They soften the characters, tenderize them, strengthen their flavors.

Seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, rosemary or bay leaf): Secondary characters. Added throughout the story to give it depth. Complexity. Some are minor walk-through characters that make subtle changes to your story/characters. Others have such a strong impact and manipulate the other ingredients to such a detree that without them the story might not be the same.

Without seasoning, your soup might have all the major ingredients, but it will be bland, flat.

Secondary characters are some of my favorites.

Pride & Prejudice: Who doesn't love Lizzie's sister Jane and Mr. Bingley? They are such an important element in the story. They affect both Lizzie and Mr. Darcy's motivation, their conflict, their goals.





Lord of The Rings: The Hobbits. Each one has a destiny to fulfill. We all know Froddo's mission, but Sam is the element that helps achieve that goal all the way to the end. Merri and Pippin have their own battles to wage, affecting the outcome of the tale while adding their perky flavor to the story.






The Dark Hunter series: While each book is a stand alone book, their are elements that flow through each that unite their flavors. Acheron and Simi, Artemis and the other greek gods/godesses. The Damons. Even New Orleans plays a character in the books, flavoring them with its own unique spice.





No Body's Baby But Mine: This is my favorite SEP novel. Cal's family becomes an igredient that changes him and his relationship with his wife Jane. His parents relationship not only grows into a secondary plot, but influences the outcome of Cal and Jane's story.







Saving Grace: My favorite Julie Garwood story. Joanna's step brother Neil plays a pivitol role in bringing his sister to Gabriel for her protection. He irritates Gabriel, mostly because he's English, but also because Gabriel suspects that Neil harbors a hidden desire for his sister. When he turns up later in the story, he once again plays a part in the ever changing plot.






So, dear readers, do you like secondary characters? Who are some of your favorites? Why?Source URL: https://itistheforkhead.blogspot.com/2011/03/
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