kate rothwell

I'm cutting it a little but not much. If you have a site or blog, you should read it. It's from Tina Pavlik at The Romance Studio... and thanks to D. Renee Bagby for pointing it out. It was in my inbox too and I woulda deleted it. (sorry, Tina) * * * As many of you are also aware, our very good friends at Coffee Time Romance and More were hacked last week. It was a very serious incident that required the entire site go down and they are still working around the clock to restore it. Coffee Time Romance and More has the full support of all of us here at TRS and we hope yours as well. Like you, we're really looking forward to having them back. BUT the incident isn't an isolated one. What the hackers are doing is new, there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. I won't go into a lot of technical jargon but these incidents made me think that I really wanted to put some information out there to our community -- anyone with a web site or blog ... In simple terms, th...

I sure let a lot of time slide between entries. Oh. Uh oh! Heads up. In late breaking news, my poor kid has more homework than he thought. It is all Allie's fault he tells me. Bad Allie. It's her fault he has to sit on the couch and write and write. But now he's done so he forgives her. Here's what else is new. . .doodly Where're those post generators when you need them? How about an interview. Sure! What are you doing, Kate? listening to Gnarls Barkley with Janice Joplin and Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse to come. The 16-year-old is lining up the play list. I like it. And I'm writing in my blog what did you do today? worked on my mofo Summer Devon page because it needs redoing reupdating etc. Here's some advice: Don't pay for any services way in advance and don't buy big BIG services through an auction. Just saying. This is about the fourth time I've done something like this and while it isn't as bad as when I paid Fwank (aka our Eldon) for ...

My birthday was actually awesome. I loved it. So there, depressed gloomy Kate--Just STFU for once. And now I have to celebrate my new title. That means TEH PROMO!!!! I think this month I'll pump up my mailing list. Sign up for my newsletter and, if you're one of the first ten to respond, you get a free ebook. Just tell me which freaking book you want. Pick a title from Summer or Kate. Send your email to katerothwell at gmail dot com. (clicking the little email link on the right works, too) Put "sign up for newsletter" in subject and in the body tell me which book you want. Unfortunately I have to work on Summer Devon 's page. It's way outdated. But pick a title and you'll get the ebook. I'm talking old and new titles--ebooks only. And SEE? This is Easy-peasy! And I promise never to give your name to anyone else and to only to write to you when I have a new book out --a few times a year, in other words. I sometimes even include a recipe with my newslet...

well, almost---my birthday's tomorrow. so. For my birthday eve tonight I got a letter from my agent saying she thinks it's a good idea to part ways. I hope it's okay to post it because really? It's a great letter. And here's what else is good about this situation. She never dodged my notes (well, a tiny bit toward the end, but hardly noticeable) She came right out and cut our losses. A quick band-aid pull does the trick. Attention professionals! Take a lesson from her and write. It might well be a template---I was going to say form letter but that sounds snarky and really, why not have a template? every agent should have this sort of letter on file. Please, please use it instead of the passive aggressive death-wait I've heard about. That's when agents freeze out authors by ignoring emails until the authors give up. The agents end up the dumped instead of the dumpers. Here's the letter: This is a difficult email for me to write, but I think it's neces...

I've been here before. Little signs of trouble, like long empty pauses followed by more waiting. And then, instead of predictable behavior, a swift and sudden shift into something unexpected. Something dark and forbidding. and then there's the occasional weird squealing sound when it starts up. After months of dealing with sluggishness and the occasional blue screen I was ready for something new, clean and fast. I got a potential lemon. I could wait for all the signs to get worse or just live with the glitches. But, like I said, I've been here before. I survived the long dark period of the Dell that Dumped Documents. I don't want to live in Unreliable Laptop Land ever again. I refuse to wait on hold with technicians for hours. I won't go back to those months of asking them to repeat themselves one more time because their impenetrable accents or rapid instructions--or both. I have no interest in hearing them call me Margaret over and over and listening to them offer...

I have three full novels I want to read on my computer and can't open any of them. One is by Linda, one is by Charlene and one is by a perfect stranger. I can't get this stupid machine to work, so I'll write my own novel instead. Speaking of trapped by an inhuman machine, I'm listening to two books by authors whose work I loathe but can't leave. I can't quit their stupid series. Hatred roils through me but I can't hit pause. In unrelated news, JMC, if you happen by here? There's a good reason you didn't get your prize package--the reason is my assistant's utter incompetence and let's just leave it at that. You'll get it soon. Other than my dog, I have no assistant.

I woke up depressed about my writing career (specifically how few copies of my books you people are buying) but found Beth had sent a one of the best snarky notes ever about my latest cover and that cheered me right up. I wish I could post all of the comments I've gotten about the cover (YMCA! YMCA!). But really, I should be pushing the book, right? I should be waxing enthusiastic. Consider the enthusiastic all waxed and buffed. Speaking of being in the buff. Here's the new cover! Reason number 3 I should cheer up about my writing career: I may not be selling books but at least I remember to put on clothes when I go to work. And here's the description of IRRATIONAL AROUSAL: That guy you glanced at…the one you thought was so gorgeous. What do you do when you’re suddenly seeing what he’s seeing, feeling what he’s feeling, and it’s all hot, sweaty and very R-rated? Gia’s life takes a turn for the bizarre when she develops a connection with construction worker Will, and the c...

I was in the mall today for the first time in years. I used to take my kids when they were little so they could ride the elevator and escalator. Up and down. Down and up. Hours, they'd go on the stairs and the little glass elevator. They loved it. The place was air conditioned; it was free; it was close. We'd buy a single cookie and divide it into four. Here's the thing. The people I went with have no memory of those trips. Or practically any other. They have no memory of thousands of hours--the years of life we shared. Those people are long gone. When I think of that, I suddenly felt a little lost--that sensation you get when you remember times of shared love and laughter ....and you realize that you are the only one still alive who remembers those particular incidents. And then I realized that with each passing year, there will be more and more memories like that until there's virtually nothing but the ghosts. I just said something along these lines to Mike. He poin...

Support my efforts! Click on that image above. . . Put "Kate" and "Rothwell" and "Connecticut" into the search engine and you'll find me. If you give CFF money through that link I'll give you either a Summer Devon ebook or a copy of Thank You, Mrs. M.

So I read about the sicko mom who seduced her own kid. Ptui. Yuck. Rotten mom. Poor kid. But it got me thinking about the word rape again. The news media call it rape. Sounds like she seduced and deceived him. Not a happy scenario by any means, but not violent. I think of rape as a violent word, like knifing. So when it's used in that case and with "statutory rape" it just seems a bit.....off. Like there should be another word for what goes on in those cases. I wonder if someone who's been raped as in forced by someone to have sex against her (or his) will reads about statutory rape and thinks, that's not rape. It just doesn't share anything with the violent act of rape except sex and (sometimes) taking advantage of another (0ccasionally weaker) person. Or is it like the word "thief" which could mean anything from someone stealing your half-eaten candy bar to someone breaking into your house, beating you senseless and stealing everything you own? N...

Over at Karen's, Azteclady (whom I MET! Really! She epitomizes cute-as-button) is talking about how she can't read rape scenes. Can't tolerate them. I mentioned how I can't take dead babies in books, but that's not true any more. Just now I recalled last month I read a fantasy in which a father looks down at his infant son one moment and, in the next, he tosses Junior into a river. Dad rides off, thinking about what he wants for breakfast. I read that scene and kept going. In fact that whole book has a fair chunk of violence. A few years ago, I would have been fine with the rapes and suicides until we got to the baby. Then I would have imitated dad and lofted that book right over my shoulder. I have developed a high tolerance for fictional violence--at least in small doses. It's the non-fictional violence that brings on nausea fast. I can read it without hyperventilating but looking at it second-hand, face to face....Oy. Just that million mile look in someo...

A. Summer has a book coming out in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS! OmiGAWD. 1. It's Irrational Arousal 2. when I Google Irrational Arousal to see if it's listed on Ellora's Cave site yet. (No, it's not) I find people using that phrase as a nifty psychiatric term. 2a. Arousal in those examples seems to mean anger, nothing more interesting. B. my current historical is giving me fits, again. 1. I think I have to dump the whole second part and rethink the plot 2. I keep wanting other people to help but then going naawwww I don't think so when they make suggestions. 3. God, I hate that thing. C. I've abandoned it to 1. start another historical. 2. and go make an ass of myself here . 2a. I'd link to the actual thread but then I might be tempted to comment, again, and we're all sick of the subject by now. UPDATED : 2b. HEY THIS IS WAY COOL! I clicked on my own link and saw azteclady put up a review of Bonnie Dee's latest book A Hearing Heart . YAY! That ...

every now and then my neighbor borrows some books. He's got eclectic taste, but he doesn't much like romance. Ha. That's what he said. my neighbor , handing me back a book: I want more books from this author. me: hey, what a coincidence, me too. good suspense, eh? neighbor: yeah, how many more books does she have out. me: Yo, G, did you notice it's a romance? neighbor: sure. I got it. I want more books by her. She have more books? me: she has another one coming out any minute I think. And I bet she'll have more coming after that because she's getting pretty good press. neighbor: really? I've never heard of her. me: well, she's not getting it in this country. And sorry I don't have her next book. neighbor: oh. Well. Let me know. I guess I can buy her next copy. me: good luck on that. As far as I know, it's not going to be for sale in this country. neighbor : wtf? me: she's Australian. neighbor: I got that. Jeez. But not available her...

you can hear me, It's in the archives already. Click on the "talk at ten" link (on the right side. "community radio at its best!") and then on "Thursday." Do this in internet explorer because it won't work in firefox. I listened to a lot of the interview and, naturally, of course, duh..... all I can hear are my mistakes. I mean, dude, one of my freaking CRIT partners just got a multi-book offer from an ebook publisher. And what's this about agents not caring about ebook because there's no advance? Bull hockey. Ebooks don't require you to be agented that's why people don't bother. Oy. And the word is NOT epistemological. I'm too busy now to find WTF word I did mean. A collection of letters. That format. Whatever it's called. That's enough. I have to go clean up the kitchen before the stove repair man shows up.

The following is a public service announcement: today's TUESDAY. TUESDAY. NOT MONDAY. It's also a reminder to myself to go to Borders to write. I'll probably be the only one there. My homies are all busy. Kat, Kath, Wendy, Natalie, Jon, etc. It's amazing how fast I've become addicted to having someone sitting at the table typing (or scribbling) at the same time. I hope someone is there to keep me from wandering over to the fiction section. Also I'm insecure again--it's showing up in my dreams lately: 1.I'm leaving high school or some other huge ending and no one says goodbye. (a recurring dream) 2.I go to facebook and find everyone's unfriended me (last night's dream. even in my dream I thought now this is pathetic ) 3. I show up for a party/event/meeting and no one is there because they moved it without telling me. (another recurring dream. Sometimes the reason I'm not told is malicious, usually it's because I'm not important enoug...

Support my efforts! Click on that image above. . . Put in "Kate" and "Rothwell" and "Connecticut" and you'll find me. If you give CFF money through that link I'll give you either a Summer Devon ebook or a copy of Thank You, Mrs. M.

--there should be more books with crumbling bureaucracies in them. I'm in the mood for one. --maybe another few books with curmudgeon wizards. --but a limit should be put on the number of vampires written.... --there will have to be a law because otherwise the vampiric numbers will keep swelling. The manager of a bookstore told me that all the teenagers who loved Twilight are moving up to the adult market. --I should be more famous. Not a lot more famous, just enough to sell a bunch of books. I take it back--my books should be famous enough to sell without my help. --someone other than me should wash the damned dog every now and then. --my oldest son should write or call more often. (oh god! oh god! I wasn't going to be one of those, but ohhhhhhh it's toooooooo late) --summer should last longer than winter but spring should last longest of all, damn the pollen. --one ought to be able to drink as much coffee as one wants with no consequences or, if they want the jolt to stay...

Over at Beth's, the phrase that pays: " Yummier than a sloppy fuck ." Beth refers to some mighty fine coffee, but I see some old lady bellowing that after a bite of casserole. (Tuna casserole, of course.) Speaking of embarrassing the children, I'm going to be at a signing today (Saturday, Sept 5th) at 2 pm. at the Farmington, Connecticut Borders. That's the one near the Dunkin Donuts--not the one in the mall. There will be me and a passel of other writers. Yay us! Jessica Andersen is the most famous in our group. I'm going to haul along all my Summer Devon titles because I'm suspicious about this signing. I'm listed as Kate Rothwell and I'm not even sure I still have a book in print under that name. I haven't checked in a while because when I check myself I just get cranky. Last I looked, Somebody to Love was still in print but that was last year. A hundred years in the book world. But hooo-boy, do I have a lot of Summer Devon titles. I s...

and what I want to know....is this bacon/toast construct Stonehenge? Because that would be awesome. More food should be based on Stonehenge.

I'm at erotic muses today , telling you about But here's a change from my usual UYS nag. If you're not interested in investing in signing up to do UYS and you don't want to bother with goal setting, you can still help AND win a prize. Anyone who donates through my link can win a Summer Devon download book. Yup. Donate at least ten dollars to my group--and you can pick the title. It's easy to do. Go to that link, look for "Kate Rothwell" as a participant and CFF will help you do the rest. Of course if you do decide to go sign up and get to work with your own fundraising, you'll be eligible for some great prizes. Seriously. Look at this (lifted straight from the UYS page) For each $100 earned (up to $500) you will receive a free book. Win a $25 Barnes and Noble Gift Certificate for bringing in at least 15 donors of 5 dollars each during the first week. Watch for special incentives announced each week during the event. The top five money earners will re...