kate rothwell

My kids are playing GIT BACK MUTHA F**** , YOU DON'T KNOW ME LIKE THAT" and mouthing the words at me while dancing.  The visiting dog tries to mount the small dog. The song ended and some discussion of molestation and the additional yelling IF YOU LOOK AT HIM IN THE EYES, HE WILL KILL YOU. And now they're wrestling, shouting obscene threats while dancing and will probably land on top of my while I type on the couch.  Wholesome family life hasn't changed much over the last decade but they are a lot bigger and when they land, the house shakes.

Every now and then I get a cold flash of horror about the way I've spent the last decade or so of my life. I could have done something else, something that helped people. I could have done something that gave back to the world. I could have spent more time thinking about the people I live with. Instead I wrote books.

what do you think of buying book reviews?  Want to know my opinion? A heinous practice, that's what I think---or rather, what I thought. But then stars became too important and, by god, even more random. In the last couple of days I've looked around Amazon and Goodreads and found:  a 1-star review for a friend's book that hasn't had ARCs sent out yet. (Jackie Ivie) a few "omigod I lurve this book! it's a keeper!" 2- or 3-star reviews (nearly every book out there has something like that). 1- or 2-star reviews with reviewers complaining about all the sex sex in the story that is clearly labeled EROTICA 1- or 2-star reviews with reviewers complaining how they thought they were getting a full length novel on a story that is labeled SHORT STORY 1- or 2-star reviews on paperback copies of books for the slow delivery of those books. and also bushels and truck-loads of 5-star reviews for books that won't be out for a year or so -- because the reviewer...

I posted this on some Kindle board I joined because some article about promo told me to join the board. Articles about promo are running my life at the moment. But that's okay. I paid attention to an article I found (on Galleycat, I think?)....and lookit: that's what I woke up to this morning. Nice numbers for Her Mad Baron . It was languishing until I followed the advice of some article or another. God, I'm tarred, tarred, tarred. ANYWAY BACK TO THE USEFUL INFORMATION THAT WILL ACTUALLY HELP YOU HAVE FUN WITH THE BOOKS.  I'm fairly sure I told you this but did you listen? No. All of the books I'm talking about are classics (out of copyright) but I swear Jane Austen is made to be read aloud and the readers are pros. here's the way to do it: 1. You go pick up your free kindle copy here  and then, once you have the book in your library 2. click on the audible version of the book. The whispersync program means you can get these titles for 99 cents. ...

It's pretty huh ? See any mistakes or issues? Let me know before my web-designer goes back to college.  Then he and I have to get started on Summer Devon's page.

...and how dated is the concept of summer reruns? more dated than my friend Penny was in high school, that's how dated. heh. Anyway. I'm rereading things--a Pratchett, an Ilona Andrews book right now. Apparently my early training has kicked in. Summer is for reruns. I did just buy a book that Many People are Raving About. The Dead Will Rise First. There's a typo in the description (a "to" instead of "too") but I pushed buy anyway. I won't be a hypocrite. It's short, it's 99 cents and I'll get to say I was there at the start of the swarm. Most of my online world is going to Atlanta this week. About now is when I should go look for Paperback Writer's blog--she's always so good point out about why conferences are a waste of time. But it's been a long time. I'm too scared to discover she's stopped blogging so I won't go look. Hey, do you do that too? A blogger is only a few clicks away but you're too scared t...

Back in the '80s I worked as a parts runner/service manager in a garage and as a bartender/server at a small neighborhood bar. Those were male territories with male rules. I understood that even if I didn't know it. I automatically thought about those jobs when I read a whole lot of accounts of women who are offended by male strangers who talk to them or touch them in an unwelcome manner. They are outraged and offended. I'm struck by how offended these women (and men) are, because it back in the day it didn't occur to me to be offended by that sort of unwanted sexual nonsense I ran into. I didn't want harassment, I didn't welcome it, but my response was less ....I don't know. Not outraged for sure--and probably because I expected it. I did deal with it. There was a bat behind the bar. I once pulled it out because a guy was asking me what I was doing after work too many times. hahaha, going for batting practice. I plan on slamming some balls, hard . h...

It's new release day for Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee! Our book is out! let's get straight to the ego-stroking, shall we? "Devon and Dee (The Gentleman and the Rogue) fill this expertly written gay Victorian romance with emotional tension [...] this story is a must-read for fans of gay historicals." - Publishers Weekly     "The Gentleman’s Keeper by Bonnie Dee and Summer Devon is one of the best historical romances I have read this year. The story has a rare richness and depth, and its many layers are lovingly revealed by these two talented authors. The conflicts and challenges faced by Everett and Miles made for relatable and realistic characters and an evocative romance, one in which the happy ending was hard-fought and well earned. ...I cannot wait to read more from these authors, and I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves excellent historical romance. - Night Owl Romance -- top pick  Yay! We love new releases! The computer has t...

There are scathes more than usual this year. Hop, hop, buzz. We are plagued by these critters--such numbers must be a signs of some event, a message or an apocalypse maybe. Maybe these signs aren't found in a religion's holy books on this particular planet, not yet anyway. Hindsight will prove me a soothsayer.  Looking back, someone's bound to see them as signs as clearly as the chosen saw the locusts and frogs.  I was here first, people. In other local news: air conditioning. Aaaaaaaaah. In even more local news, my "s" button seems to have a problem.  I have to slam my finger down on it, hard, and then it sticksss. It makes my writing look like a snake's doing the dictation.

I don't have a permanent resident in the spot. I have manifestations of love. And I hardly think a blue bathrobe invented the universe. I have faith envy, and every now and again, I try to impose some form of god on life. I don't often succeed, and I never manage to conjure a personal god above as an all powerful being that gives a damn. I don't get a Creator God of any sort, at least not one that knows me. But every now and then I do manage a very tiny god, smaller than Anoia (from the disk world). It's an internal force, that I know it's me, but is a part of me that stays strong when much of the rest of me is crumbling under some weight. I figure it's still in the upper branches of the brain--we're not talking lizard brain--but it's rather like the emergency lights that flicker on when the power goes down...when coping isn't high on my list. You can't chug along for more than 50 years without running into tough times. Granted, mine have be...