kate rothwell

what ho! A week has passed. Did you miss me? I missed me, a lot. I blame the weather. and since I've decided that all talk about the 71 inches of snow (and the 12 more coming this week) is over-rated, how about a nice sbd to go on with? I've read a couple of kick-ass supernatural heroine books and I've decided they're not my favorite fluff genre. I like Patricia Briggs's heroines but mostly because kick-ass is a secondary characteristic. They have personalities that consist of more than snark and sass and bring-it-on-itude. Plus they might like sex but it's not one of the main weapons in their arsenals. I enjoy Kim Harrison's books but that's despite the fact that her heroine is definitely a primary kick-asser, not because of it. This annoyance arose because I started another book a couple of days ago, this one is about a weather warden. Ill Wind--from a bigggggg series. The fact that I didn't get into the story isn't really the author's faul...

Remember that huffy list I drew up last week of ten tired trends? I just read a steampunk that was wonderful fun. I hope the trend lasts long enough for this to get published and be a big success.

I've read this review a couple of times already because it made my day. " It’s an exciting and robust tale with mouth-watering intrigue, political machinations, witty banter and some fizzlingly sensuous sex scenes and like The Gentleman and the Rogue (which if you haven’t read why the hell not?) I can’t recommend it highly enough. I want to take away these ladies’ pens until they promise they write nothing else but gay historicals. I just wish I could get a set of theirs in print . -"- Erastes And there was another nice review from Dear Author a couple of weeks ago. I might have linked to it already, but why not again? Yes. Let's bask for a few minutes, shall we? " . .I really enjoyed the voice of this story, loved the characters, enjoyed the historical setting, and the unusual German nationality of one of the characters.. . . . While I enjoyed your previous two historical collaborations, this one was by far and away the best of them. " -- Sara...

Reading that Medicus book was pleasant because I discovered a grand, new place to visit, which made me think hey, yo, how about some new stuff in the fluffy reading world? Enough with the very familiar. And I started in on an internal rant about how I'm tarred, tarred, tarred of reading this stuff. Internal for a minute and a half before I came here to share with my reader (hi, reader!). Mind you, if authors who've done this stuff before want to keep on writing this stuff, that's fine with me. If Patricia Briggs or Kim Harrison wants to keep writing werewolves and vampires, I'll keep buying their books. It's just that new work by new people? I want new from you people. I mean it. All you editors that say you want fresh new voices: mean it. I want fewer of these books: 1. YA dystopia 2. Vampires, especially the kind who wear black and have no sense of humor. I've been saying this one for years but everyone's been ignoring me. 3. Gods and goddesses or other an...

Oh, boy! Another new series! And I'm in love. The main character is my favorite kind of guy. He's smart, means well, isn't entirely successful because he is basically a pushover. He has an edge of pompousness and catches it in himself. In other words, he's human. What more could you want? Ruth Downie creates something Pratchettish in that we get a world that is entirely different but basically the same as ours. Instead of the disk world, this is Roman Britain. The main character is a doctor with the Roman occupiers and he worries about the same sorts of things we do, too much work, too much debt, how to deal with an errant slave (almost the same sorts of things). The secondary characters are fun as well. His roommate, "the good-looking doctor," is a hoot. The sort-of-love interest is the slave, who is mysterious and practical, but not as wonderful as I'd hoped --so far. She's got potential. Also there is a murder mystery that the main character is not ...

Ta da! It took me long enough, huh? There were too many good choices. And then I found more good titles had slipped into the spam due to an overenthusiastic email filter : Something Innocent Callie's Scandalous Luck Cutter's Innocent Miss Sorry, Lonie. Thanks for your help, everyone!

Linda thinks Someone to Cherish as a title and that seems pretty good to me. I'll wait an hour or so and see if it still sticks. I've been doing another big glom with Robert Crais and that seems to be the way I do reading these days. A big old glom and then feeling as if I'd overeaten. Moderation is out the window when it comes to reading. nom nom nom nom erp. And now I'm listening to a Patricia Briggs -- one I've listened to before. What a rerun of a life. So after a big Crais push, who should I read? I tried a Jim Butcher Dresden files book, but it didn't do much for me. It's a real pity because my middle guy loves those books, which means they're all over the place. I didn't adore the latest Carla Kelly, which was jarring. It had moments that were too silly or coincidental, which coming from me, is a strange complaint. Maybe because I don't think of her as that kind of writer. I'd write a full report, but I'm so full of Crais that I ...

I was offered a $5 gift certificate from Amazon for retweeting some ad. I retweeted, used my $5, and got a $20 gift certificate from Roku. So I used it. And when I plugged in the Roku I was offered a $5 gift certificate from Amazon. Maybe I'll use it, but I'm a bit wary. This could keep going for a while before I run out of money. Speaking of using the Roku -- whatever you hear about how bad Troll 2 is? Is not an exaggeration. That movie is that bad and worse. Also. There is snow, at last.

Okay, I have the entries. I still don't have a title because I'm still staring at them. Here's what I do know -- everyone who entered is a better Editorial Assistant than I am. You guys rock. Any favorites? Somebody to Watch Over Me Beloved Defender His to Cherish Hooked Callie's Champion Somebody Perfect Someone to Cherish Her Knight in Blue Saving Callie Cutter's Innocence Cutter's Woman Protect and Defend His Sweet Temptress Tempting Innocence Sheltering Callie Somebody for Callie Hookers under Gaslight Michelle wondered if there was a way to keep "Ratcatcher" in the title... The Innocent and the Ratcatcher (she adds "not exactly Kathleen Woodiwiss, you know?" Heh.) The Ratcatcher's Woman The Ratcatcher's Kiss The Potential Urge (I love it, Darcy. But I think I'd save that for a literary novel. Or a self-help ten-step book about working to your potential) Callie's Ratcatcher Cutter His Naive Temptress Dangerous Naivete ...

I have to keep THE CONTEST ON THE TOP! also I have to report that the durian outside in the composting bin is still intact. Scary, scary fruit.

Oh, come on. I've read another whiny blog and am having an hissy fit response. The best thing -- the VERY best thing about not succeeding in a traditional sense (making big bucks etc, becoming famous, writing a best seller, finding True Love) -- is that at a certain point, you are released from expectations. The word potential is no longer used in your presence, and admit it -- that is a hell of an annoying word. Once you're a failure, you are released from society's notice. Henceforth you get control and are allowed to set your own versions of success. Do not shy from this task of reassigning success to something you shall control. Hey, no one else wants it. Erase all left-over disappointment, for this is a useless bit of baggage and drags you down to the standards and expectations that no longer apply (probably never did but what the hell--you tried anyway) You will unpack those old expectations, examine each bit -- maybe hold a ceremony to empty it all. I suggest someth...