kate rothwell

Apparently when I launched my latest self-pity party, other attendees showed up. Authors who have had horrible reviews wrote to me to complain. They're staying private--not revealing their identities because they're professionals, unlike some people** . I wasn't going to mention this issue again, because who wants to be known as the continuously whiny windbag? But I'm not stopping yet just because it's finally turning fun. I'm working on the details of a new author support group. There first order of business, of course, is the monthly prize for the worst review. I'm thinking chocolate or w h ine. An old group I used to belong to handed out a cowbell for the annual absolutely worst review, but the competition grew too fierce. We also had teeny tiny little buckets with the word "always something new to throw up about."  on the side. What else could this new support group do? I'll bet there are other authors banding together out there to ...

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...

Most months I make enough to cover about a week's grocery bill and maybe a pizza order --if we stick to plain pizza. I mean just enough pizza for the five of us. If one of the kids have a friend over, nope, not enough. If we were to translate this into the college bill, I'd say I'd cover a quarter credit a month, maybe. Why am I writing this? Because people keep wondering about how much money I make and implying that I should make enough to do something about the car situation** by buying a brand new car. As in new? I don't think so. I don't particularly mind telling you. I'm not being coy when I don't get specific with numbers because there's no knowing exactly what'll happen month to month. Most months I make more than $100 and less than $500. Now you know. __________ **the minivan that wouldn't start last month now won't stop. I came to the stop sign at the end of the block, put my foot on the brakes--and as my foot slammed all ...

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...

Sung by my favorite actor. It's Bertie Wooster! (or Greg House, depending) My kid, who's going through a Dylan phase, showed it to me and there was much rejoicing. He showed me a better version over at youtube but the bugger who put it up won't let us embed. What's the point of figuring out how to do youtube, eh? Okay, okay. here's a link to that one ... or you can click on the less polished, embedded one below if you're lazy.

It's not Thursday yet, on the other hand, Christmas is past, so that this TT is placed just about right. Uh huh, yeah, there are so 13 things I like about Christmas. Here's a post-game round up: 1. No proscribed meal that I can figure out. Thanksgiving = Turkey. It. Must. Be. Turkey. Easter seems to be lamb or ham, I think. We can eat whatever on Christmas. I suppose Goose is the required meal? Not going to happen until goose is 99 cents at Stop and Shop. (that's the price of our Christmas turkey). 2. The items the kids put on the tree. Many are sweet homemade ornaments they made themselves years ago. Some are random. I think I saw a Magic Card held on with a paper clip. 3. David Sedaris's 6-8 Black Men plays in the background at some point during the holidays. 4. We don't go any where. We used to for years and years--decades--but now we stay put and squabble and do jigsaw puzzles. 5. My husband, who hates jigsaw puzzles, will do one with me. He curses and talks a...

the following is not snark: You know the best thing about getting a letter from an earnest--and I think young--writer listing the things I do wrong in two of my stories? And I mean a point-by-point, not the big overall "it sucks" of a negative review. The best thing: After I read the letter a second time, I grew convinced that I am doing it all the right way. It was a shot in the arm of yeah! I'm fine! THAT is why I know I really will be fine. I can tell good crits from bad. I can recognize advice that's basically worthless (or just opinion, which isn't worthless, but might not work for me) and advice that's on target. In this post I hereby celebrate my ability to learn from other people--and even better, my ability to ignore them. That second one's not always been true. Yay, me. Of course I have no interest in actually getting back to work after getting my unsolicited advice letter. ("You need more stronger conflict," was actually the part I ...

God. I am bound and determined to be flipping upbeat. Selah and anyone else stifling laughter., don't Start with me. Okay, that's a thinly disguised plea with you to Start something. 1. There are online chapters for everyone. And if there isn't one you like, you can start one. and if people protest that yours isn't really romance or acceptable to decent people, you can raise hell as a Member. 2 And if someone disses your new chapter, you can write long letters to RWR that will get published. And even run for office.** 3. Dallas isn't as bad as everyone says, and anyway, if the meeting is there, you can always wait a year and go to the meeting in another state. 4. The costumes. Yes, I know, I was one of the people saying WTF about the costumes. But that was another day, another rant. I like watching people in funky clothes having fun--as long as no one tells me I have to dress up. Anyway, the costumes might not be Fantasy World Convention amazing, but there are som...

I am celebrating. Note to self: never again whine about exercise. At least not for a week or so. Plus the month-long headache is gone. I am standing down from code red. (The doctor said, "Call 911 if you get a headache. Call 911 if your chest hurts. Call 911 if someone looks at you funny...Okay, now let's check that bp again. Huh. It's gone even higher. I wonder why that is?" My bp was at 200/113 at one point. Generally lower than that, but not enough ) I think I'll do one better than Homeland Security and step all the way down to code chartreuse, a sort of yellow green. Mostly yellow and not green. My green days are over. Ahhhhh, salad days behind me, days of nothing but salad ahead....

This started out as a comment at Tumperkin's place in which I agreed with Bettie** Tumperkin wrote about character description-- a good post. Replying to Tumperkin's line "short of saying 'she looks exactly like Angelina Jolie, " Bettie wrote: That's my pet peeve, right there. I hate, hate, hate celebrity comparisons. It just seems lazy. I'd rather a vague description than one that hijacks an actor's face. Yeah, what she said. I dislike the mention of an actor's face because I really would rather not be given an immutable image of the characters. There are other, stronger reasons it bugs the bejeebers out of me when an author uses a famous contemporary face. See, I mind mostly when it's one of today's hot popular faces. George Clooney, no. Peter Lorre, maybe. Okay, I'll say yes to Lorre (but not the hero, unless you're slightly perverse. I admit that I'd read that book, but I'll bet a gazillion dollars Avon would never pu...

1. If you wrote to me in the last month, whatever you wrote is gone (Bonnie Dee! I'm sorry!) 1a. Your email address is also gone so I probably can't write to tell you about it. 2. This isn't whining; it's information. 3. This is the cause of my current gloating . 4. The new computer is wonderful, so far.

So we'll just not go into the fact that I seem to have lost most of my Thursday Thirteen interviews. Uh, Shirley Jump? I'll be putting you up as soon as I can smash into the old computer which will be when the teenager down the street gets home from school. He'll have fun, anyway. IN the meantime, enjoy the itty bitty kitty committee. One doesn't usually like to recommend possible cuteoverload knock offs, but this one has such a good, fine name. And it's based on a good effort, too! * * * * * I tried to get Beth interested in in this generator , but she, like my anonymous commenter here , is more worried about my relationship with the gods. Here's something 7th Sanctum and I whipped up in five minutes! I toyed around with one idea: it came up with -- A fusion of the tale of the Princess and the Pea and the story of Pygmalion and Galataea that concerns a group of taxi drivers. but decided to go more traditional DARK HEAVEN NEXT [that's an RPG nami...

I got a note from one of the contest types, thanking me for judging her entry. I went back to my notes to see what I'd written and the answer is, not much. Her entry was particularly good. I reread it and realized that a lot of my favorite reading lately has been unpubbed stuff. Hey, just because I make fun of some of it doesn't mean much. I make fun of my kids and they're perfect. Even if they do know the origin of "safeword." (They do and my husband doesn't. Great. Kids are educated about SM in school maybe? Mike has got to start reading some EC or at least my stuff. . ..) Anyway. Some of the writers I like and you won't read for at least a year are the contest entries, Doug's stories, Carrie L's novel, and I'm waiting to read Bettie's. And my crit partners like Su and Terry and all I can say is I get lucky early, y'all. Ha.