James R. Vernon

James - In your email about the contest, you say to reply to that post. However, the "From" address is one of those "do not reply" addresses, and I don't think I got through.

Then I went to your blog and posted my comments there, because it also said the same thing on that site: reply to that post.

But, not necessarily trusting technology, I am also going to follow up THIS comment with my CONTEST comment. So, here goes:

James:

First of all, congratulations on hitting the midway point of Bound to the Abyss! I can't wait to read it.

As directed, I posted a review on Amazon, with the user name "Grampy". I posted the same review on GoodReads, to help get out the word. If you also happen to have a blog, I will be happy to post it there as well, or you certainly are free to cut-and-paste specific portions of it there if you prefer.

Perhaps this will come as a surprise, but I think my favorite character (so far) is Zin, the imp in the abyss. Zin strikes me as being intelligent enough to manipulate his new "master" without being suspected of doing so. I don't know what you have in store for him, but I would be willing to bet that he becomes one of the more significant characters in the novel, rather than a meal. I believe he will prove to be of considerable assistance to "the good guys" in your story. Although his introduction to us has him climbing to safety inside an apparently hollow stalactite purely by serendipitous fortuity (aka: plain dumb luck), I strongly suspect he would have escaped the hounds anyway, even if he hadn't already been half way up the wall when first he heard them. He seems like one clever little imp!

Just for fun, I think my next most favorite character (again: so far) is Kay. Dee was selected by the god Alistar to serve as his "weapon", after 4 years of intensive training, but I suspect it will be Kay's encouragment that enables Dee to survive the training, and Kay's very existence which will maintain his focus as he battles whatever evil creatures he is slated to come up against. I see those two having a future together!

I believe I've conformed with all the rules for your contest. If not, I'll try again next time! In the meantime, keep on writing! And thanks for this opportunity.

Grampy,
aka Lee,
aka jaxgrampy