Title: “Blazing Star”
Author: Marie Carlson
Genre: Urban Fantasy Erotic Romance
Length: 9,800 words / 20 pages
Initial Release: Cast the Cards anthologyPublisher’s Blurb: Bea is a mind reader, weary of battle, but still with the Star in her eyes. Her lover, Hope, returns to Bea’s sanctuary in need of comfort and guidance, which Bea is only too happy to give. But the respite is short-lived when other Hunters show up at the sanctuary with news of an impending battle. Bea knows she must let Hope go, even though it may be for the last time.Some thoughts about “Blazing Star”:

1. The world-building was interesting, but blunt. When Bea starts cooking dinner, I don’t need to hear about the “homegrown chickens raised by a guy down the street, payment for carding protection magic into wool that he wove into blankets for his family.” Just tell me that she’s making chicken, and leave the explanation about the bartering system for another time. Or not at all.
2. The characters were reasonably strong, especially given the story’s short length. I believed them, and they weren’t unbearably stereotypical.
3. I really wasn’t into the sex scenes. They were long and interrupted the flow of the story. The writing was fine, but I found myself wishing they’d just get it over with. Unfortunately, that’s not really how erotic romance stories work.
4. Weak editing. There was a weird continuity error involving the death of someone’s mother.
5. Despite its flaws, at the end of the story, I wanted to know what happened next. I think it’s just the soft spot I have for lesbian literature. This was not a good short story.

“Blazing Star” is available from Storm Moon Press in eBook form for $1.99.