Any beta readers out there?

I'm looking for readers for my novelette, "Sealed With A Curse." I'll be glad to return the favor in kind. ABSOLUTELY NO VAMPIRE CONTENT. :-)

I'm not looking for heavy duty critiques, just an overall feel for if it works or not, if it can still be cut down. I've lost all perspective on it. I'm especially interested in knowing if the beginning draws the reader in—and if it doesn't, the reading task is easily dispensed with. Just stop reading and let me know it doesn't work. I'd run this through the workshop again, but it would take all three slots and I don't want to interrupt posting The Novel at this juncture.

Here's the blurb:

Early in the Eighteenth Century, Simon Jellicoe, a mysterious cunning man, shows up at the English country inn of Megan and Robin Boyle. Strong emotional currents weave through this inn: Megan is four months pregnant by her lover, worthless Neddy Jenkin. She married Robin in order to give her unborn child security, not telling Robin she was pregnant. Although Robin adores her, no man likes to be cuckolded and Megan fears things will go wrong because despite her certain knowledge that Neddy won't take care of her, she still desires him and he's still hanging about. She's thinking of asking Simon Jellicoe to cast a spell to make things turn out right, but as Simon can tell her, spells often go badly awry if they are cast with muddy intentions...

About 15,000 words SMF/61 pages (okay, 15,250 words SMF).

Contact me at sapelle@yahoo.com if you're interested.

Here There Be Man Parts

"If, as you live your life, you find yourself mentally composing LJ entries about it, post this exact same sentence in your Live Journal."


But you all knew that about me anyway.

Things I thought of blogging about today: Of how some readers confuse current times with historical times and think current cultural mores are the way things have always been. 

Why I didn't blog it: Bizzy.  I may still blog it.  Or just think about it.

Goofy thought of the day:  I should start a band called the Jimi Schmendrix Experience.

Cliché du jour: I stared open-mouthed at him.

Darling du jour: n/a - Nothing really opened up my third eye.

Gratitude of the day: To those who offered to beta my novelette.  'Preciate skit!

Agony of the day:  Boiling down the two page synopsis for Shivery Bones to one page.  Oh. The. Humanity.

Refrigerator of the day:  In deference to those who have moral standards (unlike myself), I've put this behind a cut.  If buymeaclue wanders by, the erotic Ancient Greek pot we discussed some months back is right below the green car.

Here There Be Man Parts&

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