Forging an Art

Up, only at BSCreview.   Speaking of Azumanga Daioh, the lovely interlude where the girls discuss the possibilities of a cafe for the class festival, and the idea of a monster cafe, with the girls dressed like different monsters in order to serve the patrons, made me think of Team Fortress 2′s Prop Hunt.  An umbrella monster is one thing, but a wall monster?  For those who are deprived of the experience of the TF2PH, here you go.

Team Fortress 2 Prop Hunt

Oh, these treasures are full of amazingness – how could they not?  King’s fabulous and hideous tale of well, good versus evil, with a superflu thrown in for good measure, couldn’t be more visually disturbing rendered by anyone but the team of Roberto Aguiree-Sarcas, Mike Perkins, and Laura Martin.  As always, I do appreciate the writer/artist comments on the work process, artistry, and general feelings about working on such an intense and frightening story.  The Stand is one of my very favorite King concoctions, and yes, I did cringe while sneezing during my reading.  Surprisingly, I was unfazed by the nasty dead faces, oozing with snot, blood, and random bodily fluid gore, while eating my lunch yesterday.  Becoming desensitized visually at my age, I guess – but my concern over coughing and sneezing while following the trail of Captain Trips indicates that I am still at the mercy of King’s creative terrorization.

*Courtesy of Romantic Times Book Reviews, February 2010.

Contemporary:
Callahan, Sadie. Man of the West
Ciotta, Beth. Out of Eden
Fox, Susan. Love, Unexpectedly
Freethy, Barbara. On Shadow Beach
Hawkins, Karen. Lois Lane Tells All
Miller, Linda Lael. Austin
Shalvis, Jill. Instant Temptation
Wilde, Lori. The True Love Quilting Club
Woods, Sherryl. Home in Carolina

Erotica:
Banks, Maya. Sweet Temptation
Devine, Thea. Sex, Lies & Secret Lives
Douglas, Kate, et al. Sexy Beast VIII
Johnson, Jean. Bedtime Stories
Templeton, Julia. Victor
Walker, Saskia. Rampant
Wolff, Tracy. Tease Me

Fantasy:
Carriger, Gail. Changeless
Lowachee, Karin. The Gaslight Dogs

Futuristic:
Hendricks, Elysa. Star Raiders
Sinclair, Linnea. Rebels and Lovers

Historical:
Alexander, Victoria. Desires of a Perfect Lady
Bailey, Gen. Seneca Surrender
Bennett, Sara. A Most Sinful Proposal
Beverley, Jo. The Secret Duke
Bradley, Celeste. Rogue in My Arms
Dallas, Sandra. Whiter Than Snow
English, Christy. The Queen’s Pawn
Feather, Jane. All the Queen’s Players
Garlock, Dorothy. Stay a Little Longer
Greenwood, Leigh. When Love Comes
Halliday, Dawn. Highland Surrender
Haymore, Jennifer. A Touch of Scandal
Holt, Cheryl. Promise of Pleasure
Hoyt, Sarah A. No Will But His
Johnson, Alissa. Destined to Last
Jordan, Sophie. In Scandal They Wed
Kelley, Christie. Something Scandalous
Lepore, Jacqueline. Descent Into Dust
Lindler, Cat. Starlight & Promises
McCabe, Amanda. To Catch a Rogue
McCarty, Monica. The Chief
MacLean, Sarah. Nine Rules to Break When Romancing a Rake
Merrill, Christine, et al. Pleasurably Undone
Mortimer, Carole. Lady Arabella’s Scandalous Marriage
Noble, Kate. The Summer of You
Perry, Anne. The Sheen on the Silk
Quick, Amanda. The Perfect Poison
Robards, Karen. Shameless
Sankaran, Vanitha. Watermark
Valdez, Lisa. Patience
Welsh, Kate. His Californian Countess
Wolf, Pearl. Too Hot for a Rake

Mainstream Fiction:
Center, Katherine. Get Lucky
Duarte, Judy. The House on Sugar Plum Lane
Fowler, Connie May. How Clarissa Burden Learned to Fly
Judd, Wynonna. Restless Heart
Kendrick, Beth. Second Time Around
Kiernan, Kristy. Between Friends
McPartlin, Anna. Alexandra, Gone
Michaels, Fern. Deadly Deals
Reichs, Kerry. Leaving Unknown
Snow, Carol. Just Like Me, Only Better
Wright, Kim. Love in Mid Air

Mystery:
Albert, Susan Wittig. Holly Blues
Alt, Madelyn. A Witch in Time
Beck, Jessica. Glazed Murder
Daheim, Mary. The Alpine Vengeance
Evans, Christy. Lead-Pipe Cinch
Rosett, Sara. Mint Juleps, Mayhem, and Murder
Scott, Michele. A Toast to Murder
Shelton, Paige. Farm Fresh Murder

Paranormal:
Andersen, Jessica. Demonkeepers
Byrd, Rhyannon. Touch of Seduction
Cameron, Stella. Out of Mind
Day, Desiree. Spiritual Seduction
Grahame-Smith, Seth. Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
Hauf, Michele. Her Vampire Husband
Herron, Rita. Forbidden Passion
Ivy, Alexandra. Beyond the Darkness
Kelley, Karen. The Jaguar Prince
Klasky, Mindy. When Good Wishes Go Bad
Leigh, Lora. Lion’s Heat
Lenox, Kim. Darker Than Night
Lockwood, Cara. Can’t Teach an Old Demon New Tricks
McCarty, Sarah. Jared
McDonald, L.J. The Shattered Sylph
Monajem, Barbara. Sunrise in a Garden of Love and Evil
O’Shea, Patti. In the Darkest Night
Stone, Juliana. His Darkest Hunger
Vaughn, Elizabeth. Destiny’s Star
Williams, Gayle Anne. Tsunami Blue

Romantic Suspense:
Bruhns, Nina. A Kiss to Kill
Davis, Dee. Dark Deceptions
Graham, Heather. The Killing Edge
O’Clare, Lorie. Strong, Sleek and Sinful
Reece, Christy. Second Chance

Suspense:
Jackson, Lisa. Without Mercy
Johansen, Iris. Eight Days to Live
Lyle, D.P. Stress Fracture
Lynds, Gayle. The Book of Spies
Pinter, Jason. The Invited

Time Travel:
Cready, Gwen. Flirting With Forever
Mazzuca, Debbie. Lord of the Isles

Urban Fantasy:
Banks, L.A. Never Cry Werewolf
Barant, D.D. Death Blows
Bateman, Sonya. Master of None
Black, Jenna. The Devil’s Playground
Crane, Carolyn. Mind Games
Mead, Richelle. Succubus Shadows
Wells, Jaye. The Mage in Black