Starting tomorrow! Feb. 1-8! On Facebook. Please join us!

I'm participating in my first-ever actual Event on Facebook! The Fantastical Reads Event starts Feb. 1, continues through Feb. 8 and features giveaways and the opportunity to meet up with a great group of writers. I feel like I'm in stellar company with the likes of M.E. Lord, Elise Stokes, David C. Cassidy ... eight writers in all with an awesome lineup of books.

I'll be giving away free copies of all four of the books in my Portals urban fantasy/detective/light romance series: two copies of Shadow Path, featured on the poster. One copy each of Stormcaller and Deathtalker, books 2 and 3 in the series. And two copies of Sister Hoods, book 4 in the series, released just last fall. In addition, Sister Hoods - which is currently priced at $5.99 - will be available for $4.99 next week.

My hope is that, during the coming week, I'll be able to host some of my fellow-
Fantastical Reads authors here on my blog, and post excerpts from their featured books. If you'd like to see what the event's all about, here's a link: https://www.facebook.com/events/205889079615386/208999475971013/ (At least I hope it will work; as my friends already know, I'm notoriously low-tech and inept about this stuff ...)

But I am hugely jazzed about this event, and it's exciting for me just to be among these folks! So I hope you'll stop by (or find us, if that link doesn't work). Just remember
Feb. 1-8, and check us out!

Peter Jackson's version of The Hobbit takes some radical departures from JRR Tolkien's book. But for me – coming fresh from having seen part 2 this past weekend – the movies are what the book might have been had Tolkien planned from the very beginning for Hobbit to be the prequel to Lord of the Rings.

I have heard complaints from some that there is too much of Lord of the Rings in Jackson's movie. That's part of what I love about the Hobbit movies! In the Hobbit book, Gandalf leaves Bilbo and the Dwarves on their own at a few critical junctures. And … in LOTR … the wizard explains to Frodo and others that at those times, he was off gathering information about the gathering war and the entity that later events reveal to be Sauron.

Jackson, who is a huge admirer of Tolkien, has put Gandalf's excursions where they properly belong: woven among Bilbo's and the Dwarves' adventures.

Other reasons I love this movie – and its predecessor:

The adventure. It is grand and rollicking and wonderfully over-the-top – just what I hope for from this kind of fantasy.

The dragon. Smaug is magnificent!

The hunks: Kili, the Dwarf. No wonder Tauriel is attracted to him! Legolas – of course! I've had a crush on him since LOTR. It's fabulous to see this character reprised! Legolas' father, Thranduil. I'm not sure I'd want to pal around with him, but he is sure easy on the eyes! Oh, and Bard ain't bad lookin' either.

Tauriel. I love that Jackson has added a new dimension to The Hobbit with a female character who can kick butt. Yes, she's got a softer side – she's attracted to Kili as any normal female, human, elf or otherwise, would be. And she's beautiful, which elves are supposed to be. But she's also a warrior, seeming to be as good with a bow and arrow as Legolas – a strong female character in an otherwise male-dominated setting.

Bilbo Baggins. Peter Jackson cast the perfect actor in those role, IMHO.

My one disappointment: That I have to wait for a whole year to see the third movie.

My overall opinion: Awesome job, Mr. Jackson!