HEART OF ROCK (was Catch a Falling Star)

wow-- I really will have to email you for the rest. Or maybe I'll be able to buy it soon?

A master-class in how to grab a reader and make description integrate with plot, dialogue and character. This is why I came here- to learn how to do this. Thanks.

Lexi, this is great. I normally read 1 chapter, plus or minus a bit depending on how comfortable I am, and how many picky irritants I run across. I read over 6 chapters here straight through, and I haven't a single criticism.

It's believable, enjoyable, very evocative through tiny touches without being in any way overwritten, Caz' personality is a heart-melting combination of intelligence and sympathy which is set up as a great natural conflict... I just love it! I spent much longer on it than my time-budget allows - thank you for a great read.

Shelved.

Robin

I can see where there are so many rave reviews for this. Before I knew it I was five chapters in, drinking my coffee and wanting to see what happened next. If it were in book form instead of on the computer I have a feeling I would still be reading.

What can I say that hasn't already been said? The characters are real and well drawn, the story paced perfectly. It's like good music--as soon as one you get one resolution the tension begins to build toward another.

Very well done.

Muirae

Lexi, based on Charles’ enthusiastic endorsement of your work on the forums, I wanted to drop by and see what all the fuss was about. Now I can see why. You’ve got a page-turner on your hands here, a must-have for a mystery. Your writing is exceptional as well as the pacing, the dialogue, all the ingredients of a finely-tuned potboiler. No extraneous BS, no technicalities to trip me up. The premise is irresistible, a stranger asleep on the rooftop with a dog (eventually) named Dog. Even underneath the dirt and grime of vagrancy, Joe’s turning out to be quite the HOTTIE. And I’m hoping and praying he’s not the bad man Caz would be led to believe.

Loved (amongst other eye-catching phrases) “a seedling of panic unfurled.”

I honestly don’t see the point of the HC editors waiting for this to reach the top 5. You’re a natural-born storyteller, Lexi, and “Catch a Falling Star” needs the recognition it deserves. Shelved.

Enjoying the read.
Hope to see you on the Eds desk and the book stores soon.
Backed with pleasure
Lizzie Scott :-)

Dear Lexi, I love your heart-felt story of your heroine who wants to do the right thing - what a story! Extremely intriguing. :) Your pitch is excellent, so set the hook for me to read your book. :) When you use short paragraphs & lots of dialogue, it makes me want to keep reading to find out what's going to happen next. I'm backing your book. :)
Could you please take a moment to back my TWO memoir books? Thanks, Susie :)

This is information from authonomy (so beware of any other untrue information you may receive that is spam & not quotes of authonomy):
"When you back a book, it only improves the ranking of that book, not yours. However, the author whose book you are backing may decide to back your book also, in which case yes, your ranking would be improved"...authonomy quote.
"Every time you place a book on your bookshelf, your recommendation pushes the book up the rankings. And while that book sits on your bookshelf, your reputation as a talent spotter increases depending on how well that book performs.

I didn't realize this book had a gold star until I started to comment - so now realize you're probably not interested in any more comments. I did read this, tho, so I'm making a comment anyway. You have a good character in Caz; I think giving her an unusual occupation is clever plotting - instantly takes her out of the norm and makes her more interesting. I was surprised how calmly she reacted at finding Joe asleep on her porch; I couldn't decide if that was meant to say a lot about her (she either handles stress situations well or she's terribly naive) or to set the tone that her world is pretty hum-drum up to that point - which makes her becoming a detective a real life change for her. Either way, this is a good read. It's obvious why it reached the top. I'll add it to my shelf. Burgio (Grain of Salt).

Excellent novel, Lexi! Professionally formatted and scripted! Not much that I can say about it that probably hasn't already been said. Of course, I dig the rock-and-roll vibe!

I just want you to know that I have a vintage concert t-shirt of The Voices, and the very picture of Ric Kealey that you described (in chapter two) is emblazoned on the back, along with Bryan Orr and the other members!

Not that you need this backing, but backed!

Teric Darken

(K - I - L - L FM 100: "Music to Die For!")

Best for your book!

I've just read the first chapter of your book and am intrigued... I love the way you set the scene and hook in from the word go. To be able to stop after this first chapter, never to answer questions would be hard going... am reading on! Regards pinkcoffee

I know you made it, but this is really good! - so now I will read the others! :-)

I came across this and fell in love with the pitch, then started reading. I know it won't matter to you that I backed it but I had to, it's a really great book. The characters are very real and I would love to have this in book form. I can see why you have the precious gold star, this is the kind of work I have been hoping to find on this site.

Missy

Lexi, this was as an enjoyable read as I'd hoped. :) I'm only sorry I couldn't back it when it would have mattered.

Thanks for sharing.

Courtney

HEART OF ROCK: Someone recommended your work to me, and if you didn't already have a gold star next to this book, I would back it with pleasure.

Romance is not my genre by any shot, but around here, thrillers seem to catch my eye, and you manage to thrill magnificently. I don't have a nit to pick. I love Caz's voice, her wit and energy, and I love the enigma that is Joe. I love the band members and Phil and Jeff and all the other semi-crazies in his world. You do a marvelous job of keeping us guessing, of keeping from being predictable. The moment I start to think, "Okay, *this* person is the bad guy," you inject something that makes me doubt my instincts.

I always tend to arch an eyebrow at Romance novels, when the heroine finally gives in to the male lead's charms, but .... by Ch 18, you've given us enough of what a jury would call "a reasonable doubt," to make me think maybe he really is the innocent tough guy I'd like him to be. The twist with Caz's interview with Emma was stunning, and I felt Caz's gut-wrenching emotions as if they were my own. However, I'm not able to predict WHO is the killer, and I see no reason this shouldn't be on book shelves everywhere.

I wish you the very best of luck, and I hope to one day see your name on a book shelf near me. :-)
Best regards,

G. M. Atwater
"Morgan the Dragon Sitter"

Heart of Rock is marvelous. It has some of that depth and weight your other stories lack, and manages to float with it. The motivations of the characters are explored and fully understood without the narrator themselves having to explain too much. Which is wonderful, when narrators have to explain too much, it often completely derails the story. The characters themselves were vivid and real - even goldfish-eating Jeff.
As a mystery, the plot was rather straightforward, but it was strung together nicely. The cast was a bit narrow - nobody that absolutely had to be mentioned was- and that could use a little work. The encounter at the police station, for instance, could be a bit more drawn out. We do meet some of the lovely officers, and the being of one of them is described to us.
Perhaps it stems from being a crimeshow buff, but I would love to hear more from the police officers. Surely they had opinions on Caz's actions and the method of her investigation?
Also, the ends I, personally, love, are the ones that don't just wrap things up, they become an integral part of the book, and leave the reader satisfied and fulfilled.
All in all, though, I think you did a very good job.

Aevanyll.

Another winner from the dragon girl! Or is it Dragon Lady. Very well put together. I don't think my backing it will make any difference, since it already has a gold star - but still, backing it. DB ALL THESE ARE MEMORIES OF MY VOYAGE

I'm intrigued by the start of this story, but the quick friendliness Caz shows toward the stranger on her balcony finally overwhelmed my willing suspension of disbelief. Your writing is good, I look forward to seeing more of your work.

I definitely like your use of the first person here - I feel like I have a good feeling for what she is seeing. It is well written and overall I enjoyed the first 10 or so pages that I read. There was one paragraph on the first page where she said, "I wished I was taller. More muscular. And a jiu-jitsu black belt." That is the type of inner dialogue that won me over.

Good luck!

You have a wide range of story telling ability. This one was not what i expected after reading your first, but very pleasantly surprised. Well done. Good pacing and build up which is essential with thrillers. I"m horrible at trying to write in some romance with my stories so if you dont mind i'll take some cues from this one.
Richard

Brilliantly written in the first person. I find myself following Caz’s every thought and motion. Can’t wait for more…

wow-- I really will have to email you for the rest. Or maybe I'll be able to buy it soon?

This is a good read. Will be back for chapter 6.

Because I know Hoxton, this caught my attention. Then the dog grabbed me, the stranger and maybe there was a horse downstairs.

It's subtle, nicely written, but.... I wasn't convinced that the host was real. Then I was questioning myself: Am I just mean, tight-fisted? I wouldn't give him £20, especially if he uses a dog to get the nice sympathetic lady to put her hand in her pocket.

At the end of the chapter you had the reader wanting her to see him again. That's good writing, well done.

It's going on my shelf

I love the storyy.

its sooo addicting and very well written

Immediately you give a great sense of place - I can picture the scene well.

Think I’d omit either ‘... heartbeat accelerating’ OR ‘stopped dead’ from the 2nd sentence in the 2nd paragraph as it seems too much for what you want to convey. (Sorry to be picky so early on but I always give the opening a really thorough raking over.)

Nice bit of honing of character when she gives the stranger the once over. In fact, this opening chapter is full of wonderful opportunities to round her out and you take full advantage of this: her attention to the dog’s needs, her common sense, her preference for classical music – in the morning at least - and that she has another man in the background. Interesting she prefers instant coffee – this kind of going against stereotype is what makes a character really memorable. There might be a tad too much back story in the detail of the flat though; at this stage I’m much more interested in the interaction between Caz and Joe.

Really enjoyed this opening chapter and will put on my shelf.

Hi Lexi,

I know you were reviewed by HC, but I never heard what happened. I thought your book was great. Susie Parker

Dear Lexi
Two things I've noticed about the books that make it to the top of the list is how many are economic with words - in a good way. In other words, no fluff. The other is plentiful and realistic use of dialogue. Catch a Falling star has both.
I don't think there's anything I can add.
Good luck with the books
Steve

Hi

How do I read the complete book? Absolutely wonderful!
Claire

Intriguing and different. Shelved.

This is absolutely wonderful.

I shelving it, though you obviously don't need my support.

Can't wait to see this in print.

Rian

Hi Lexi it's alex from la belle normandie been a bit busy have you been published?

This looks worth further investigation. There goes my weekend!
Pat.

hi there mate, sorry not been on authonomy for a while - i just wanted to say, i would be really interested in reading the whole thing because your book was one that really stood out for me on here, i hope that that is OK!

xxx

very well written. interesting. moves along very well.

Hey Lexi, I loved the book so far and I am sitting on the edge of my seat waiting for the rest of it. Are you going to post it here or do I need to start looking somewhere else for it.

Tamera

Dear Lexi
I just read Chap 2. A real interest catcher. Best of luck. Edie. Could you find time to look at my book, Prides Crossing? I'd certainly appreciate hearing what you think. : - ))

So how can I get the ending? This is great reading, I loved your writing style and the characters are well thought out, and the plot is enjoyable. I put this on the bookshelf and would recommend it to anyone. Excellent work!

Lexi:

Congratulations on doing so well with this book! You deserve to. I read it to the end and wanted more because the chapter hooks were so good. Your writing is economical without being sparse, and the book is very engaging. I believe it's 'matte' black rather than matt, but that's the only typo I saw. I hope to find time for your other books soon, but this one goes on the shelf in hopes that you'll put up more. Thanks for sharing it.

Jeanne

Hi Lexi

did you just add that CaFS is completed or did I miss that before? If you could email it to me, I'd really enjoy being able to read it off screen, and am still looking forward to the rest of the story. I'm about to remove TAR as the commets I've recieved have convinced me that certain parts really need reworking, so I'm going to take it down shortly and try to do some reworking! So, no need to read it till next time round!
I can send you my email via your website I think! BTW are you going to get an HC review as you stayed on the top for the month? Actually yóu're still on my shelf!
kind regards
Maria

This is a super read and deserves to do well. Good luck.
Rheagan Greene - Unwelcome Reflections

Lexi,

Congratulations. You made it. Good luck.

Joanna

Hi, Lexi
Chapter 1 - very gripping stuff. Drags the reader in and keeps him reading. Just two things I'd like to mention:

"...a seedling of panic unfurled below my diaphragm." I have to say (no doubt very revealingly) that the diaphragm separating stomach and lungs wasn't the one I first thought of. You might want to reword this.

On the other hand , I just loved, "It's possible I did this with a hint of a flounce." Says so much about Caz.

Ah well, on with Chapter 2...

Peter

YAY! LEXI! I'm soooo happy for you. They'd better publish it. I want my signed copy!
Sarah

Lexi! I love your book!!!

Lexi,
Just popping in to read Catch a Falling Star as it has been on my WL for a while. It deserves its place in the top five this month and I've backed it just to do my little bit to keep it there.
You write well, no problems there at all. I've only had time to read two chapters but your plotting seems just right. I love the hook at the end of chapter 2. Fantastic.
Also I'm intrigued about these two characters you've introduced. You SHOW rather than tell Joe's charm. And little details about Caz show us all we want to know. (eg her spending too much money making her dream work and the little fact about not making her appartment bigger)
One or two things I picked out. 'Stopped dead' seems a little too much of a cliche to be so near the beginning of the book.
What Joe said was curt without you having to tell us he was 'curt' (I loved that first description of his smile by the way)
And one more thing; If The Voice were really that big would she really only remember one song? You could still keep it there but maybe just list it as the first song that came into her head.
Hope I have been of some help, not that you need it.
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Take care
Mandy
X

I’ve only had the chance to read the first few chapters so far but I’ll be coming back to it for certain. The writing flows unbelievably smoothly and the story is gripping from the outset. Good luck with this!

Hi Lexi,
I just thought I'd take a little look at your book as it's near the top of the pile. Well, I've read the lot, couldn't stop! Great story, delectable read, can't wait to see what happens next.
Good luck over the next few days.
All the best,
JL

I like the narrative a lot. Excellent and suspenseful, and you passed the opening line test with high flying colors. Will be reading more. :)

Lexi -

This was the only one of the top books I hadn't read, so I thought I'd give it a whirl. I must say, it's delightful! The characters are well-drawn and your writing flows right along without a hitch. I'd say more but, after a review of your comments, I'd say you've heard enough! This looks very polished and ready for the big time. Did you hear me, HC? I say 'ready for the big time!'

Best of luck to you. I'll give it a quick spin on my shelf now that my TSR is back on track!

- Janene (Heaven, Inc.)

Okay... you have me hooked, and right from the start. I care about the characters you have created -the key to a successful book! I have to get the supper on, so I'll come back to this. Great writing, great story, the best yet for me. Jolly well done!!! Nicky.
I'm up to chap. 6.

I like it.

Wow! I honestly couldn't put my computer down when I started reading this. Your writing is wonderful and your story so captivating. As I read on it just got better through each chapter. This is one book I will definitely buy when it hits the stores. Kudos!

Helene
A Time in Eternity - Two Worlds Collide

Hello, Lexi:
I am not much of a reader of fiction, but, looking over chapter one, it looks like a great read and something that might be the basis of for an outstanding screenplay. If these ranking numbers mean anything, it looks as if you might be close to the editor's desk with it (again!), already. All the best to ya with it.