Planetary Updates: Grand Trine!

Because I know you're wondering what's happening in the stars, here's the news from astrology.com:

This is a magic time! The cosmos aligns itself into special configurations over the next couple of days, freeing you to accomplish almost anything you desire -- all while working in harmony with the universe!

On April 17, communicative Mercury enters practical and down-to-earth Taurus, forming a Grand Trine on April 18 with Pluto and Saturn.

Then, expressive Sun follows Mercury into Taurus, on April 19, immediately enhancing the beneficial grand trine on April 20 and 21, with hard-working Saturn in Virgo and intense Pluto in achievement-oriented Capricorn.

A grand trine occurs when you have three celestial bodies that are all separated by a span of 120-degrees. Trines favor focus on high ideals, insight, vision, creative expression and well-being. Grand trines specifically promote self-confidence, self-assurance, optimism, expectation, a sense of pleasure, an easy flow of energy, inspiration, expansion of creativity and a sense of inner hope and faith.

Because this trine is happening in earth signs, expect people with valuable advice and experience to come out of the woodwork. These people will help you accomplish your aims -- whether you want to pitch your latest creative project, start a business or set up a savings plan for retirement. You can do more now to make your life secure and stable than you have for a long time.

The Reviews Roll In...RtD

Google Alerts found two new reviews for Romancing the Dead. The first from Darque Reviews. Here's the good bits:

"Romancing the Dead is the third book in the Garnet Lacey series. Ms. Hallaway provides another exciting adventure in her unique series, and adds fascinating new characters to the mix. Readers will meet Micah who’s charming, sexy and altogether captivating, even when his actions are less than honorable. Garnet, who is generally a strong character with all she’s weathered, becomes more flawed and human as she deals with the shock of her missing fiancé, accepts help from the future stepson she loathes, and suffers the insecurities of contemplating the future she’s about to share with her vampire lover. Romancing the Dead starts off slowly, but it’s really the only chance readers get to catch their breath before they’re swept up into the melee and left looking forward to more of the same."

The next one is from Fresh Fiction. Here's what their reviewer had to say about it:

Tate Hallaway uses comedy for this quirky witch, Garnet. ROMANCING THE DEAD has lots of excitement and mystery to keep you guessing throughout. It's a fun reading treat.

A Lesson From Captain America

Here's an interesting article Shawn pointed me to in the New York Times: "Creator of Captain America Keeps Fighting On." It's not only an interesting article for fans of Cap, but also a cautionary tale for all writers. Joe Simon, like Jerry Seigel (the creator of Superman) before him, lost his copyright to Captain America and has seen hardly any royalties for his creation. Here's a bit of a teaser from the article:

“People in comic books have a very sad history in dealing with their creative people,” he said.

Todd McFarlane, 47, who in 1992 helped found Image Comics, agreed. “I read the stories of Joe Simon,” he said. “I read the stories of Jack Kirby. I read the stories of all those guys in the ’40s, ’50s and even the ’60s. I kept coming across this repetitive story: the creative guy got the short end of the stick.”

Reviews A Go-Go

Harriet Klausner reviewed Romancing the Dead on her blog "Genre Go Round." As per usual, she's misspelled my name (she did that with my alter ego as well). Here's an excerpt of the good stuff:

As always in a Tate Hallaway fantasy, the various types of paranormal species seem genuine and Madison, Wisconsin is a perfect setting for this the action thriller that never slows down for a moment. Readers will thoroughly appreciate this stand alone tale that also refers back to incidents in the previous two novels (see tall sexy and tall, dark & dead). Although ROMANCING THE DEAD lacks the humor that the audience expects from this talented author, this superb tale affirms the theory that “life’s a witch” worth reading about.

Also, Vixen's Daily Reads has a review up of the first book Tall, Dark & Dead, which continues the seemingly never-ending question of why I get such "chick litty" covers. Here's the nice thing said there:

This is a good story, a sort of in between light and grim paranormal. Garnet is my favorite. She is tough, but still vulnerable at times. Sebastian makes for an intriguing vampire. I'd like to see more of Garnet's friend, Izzy, who takes pretty much all she witnesses in her stride. William is a confused sweet soul and deserves more book time.