I'm over at TEB, patting ourselves on the back for a job beeeautifully-done. Lisabea's finale is magnificent, deserving of a standing ovation. It's all so ...so....lovely.

That standing ovation line reminds me of all the school concerts where the audience all stand up and applaud until their hands hurt--just after the teachers point out that without us amazing parents we'd never have gotten to hear this amazing music.

We are so achingly clever, we kill ourselves with joy.

* * *

Speaking of death, no, the boy still hasn't decided which school. A couple more days of indecision and voila! The decision will be made for him because it'll be too late. I've taken to repeating to myself that there are worse things than getting a job instead of going to college right after high school.

My husband, who goes out running every morning before the crack of dawn, got home this morning at six am and I woke to hear him on the front porch (open window weather. Ahhhhhh) talking with some friends/neighbors whose kids (twins) are also playing chicken with the college thing. Their kids are also shrugging and saying dunno.

When you wake up to the sound of parents saying "I want to wring their necks" it's sort of a comfort.

chapter five TUTGBBMCSMB

broken sobbing alert continues. This state of starry-eyed blubbering is usually only reached after three fruity alcoholic beverages.

Ann Aguirre has it. This is the best. She's won. God, this book brings tears to my eyes it's so so so. . . Oh. Lordy. Tumperkin, Carolyn Jean, Carrie, Ann. You are all....Oh. Shit... it's all so beautiful. I was THERE. I was PART OF GENIUS. Oh. OH. Ohhhhh.

Now that your nipples and heart are on full turgid alert, go read.
Chapter one is at Tumperkin’s.
Chapter two is at Carolyn Jean’s.
Chapter three is at HERE! My Place!
Chapter four is at Carrie Lofty’s.
Chapter five is at Ann's. (see above)
Chapter six (and the finale!) will be at Lisabea’s.

Links etc lifted directly from Ann's blog. I'm still too verklempt to busy myself with links and trivialities.

interactive play time

Yeah, yeah, it's politics. But it's a lot of fun spending play money here. I like the idea of buying an IPod, a Hanes classic 6-pack of socks and a new national power grid, a secret island fortress, and still have money for a few thousand Hannah Montana anti-static pink hairbrushes.

Television

Anyone else watch Hustle? We've become addicted and I think we're going to run out soon. We're definitely done with the stuff available at the local library and imdb tells me that there aren't many after that.

I don't understand why British television doesn't take a series all the way to the bitter end. It's just like The Office (the one set in Slough--a place I've visited more than once and yes, I know just how cool that makes me). They made a few seasons and then Ricky Gervais decided okay, they're done with that story. What's with the grand old tradition of grinding out episodes until the ratings and writing go into the toilet? Sheesh. Although ....are the Archers still out there on the radio?

tchah, you people!

So there's a dumb little blog where a woman named for a Groucho Marx character wrote some short entries that add up to 'ebooks are stupid!' and everyone went to visit her and blast her and go all Eeeiiii.

THREE, count 'em, THREE writers' loops I belong to said omigod, go read her and blast her!

I did and now I say, jeepers why'd I click on that link? Hey, I'll bet that blogger is the one who instructed some poor excitable writer to go read and get outraged and spread the news.

Yo, stop going over there, you silly outrageees! Stay here! Read all about neuroses and cheetos. blast me! Or spend more time at Balls and Walnuts where you I can win valuable prizez (thanks, Doug).

If you do want to get the blood pressure shooting into the stratosphere, go read Karen or Jesus General or ferfe or someone else, anyone else, who's got an ounce o' brainy fun with their outrageous and/or strongly expressed opinions. Evidence of some brain pwr, people--look for it whilst surfing or you'll end up as dopey as Zelda. It's contagious as cooties, really.

sbd--promoting those fine arteests

Shannon Stacey, Charlene Teglia and Summer Devon: LOOK what's available for pre-order! No cover even yet. That's what I'm looking forward to.

See, Shannon? I remembered this time! :-d

look!

Jennifer Y, THE Jennifer Y who is a romance reader extraordinaire, is having a bunch of Zebra types at her blog. I'm up today.

She puts a lot of effort into her blog and organized this months ago. I hope it was less like herding cats than I expect.

Thursday Thirteen--pairs of socks (booties, actually) and stuff

See entry below. See pretty, pretty socks. And rugs. (which aren't tough enough for plain floors). And bags.

These are the same batch seen from two different angles.

Buy socks from me.

Thank you.

Here're some pots. They aren't for sale, but I like them and the socks are on the floor next to them so why not?

My sister made all but one brown cup and casserole and the stuff up on the far upper left. Also the big metal lid to a wok--> not hers.

Must....resist......urge....to ...... pimp......friends.....

I really hate that. And I know you know what I mean because it's all over the interwebs: vizzz The cliquey types who only talk about how brilliant their friends are. They can't Admire Themselves, because that would look seriously conceited. No looking in the mirror and admiring how gorgeous their hair and eyes are, but if someone else, one of their good, mutual admiration society friends, happens to mention it, okay. And they also associate with just the prettiest, best people. Their BFF are the best writers.

I've always tried to avoid books by people I know just because of that. And the whole quid pro quo thing. The reviews over at Amazon that mention lists of friends' titles ....no, I mean it. Don't get me started because, hey, it's wroth week here at Casa Kate.

But can I help it if I happen to know a lot of people who write good books?

A couple of days ago, I couldn't restrain my glee when I saw that Dee and Sharpe had books out. And listen, I didn't know Dee for the longest time. She happened to answer when I wrote a drooly fan girl letter about Bone Deep. And then I answered that note and I ended up sort of pals with Bonnie Dee. Damn. I'm not giving her back, but now, when I write about her, I'm worried about that clique thing.

Okay. Enough with the rant and onto the book I am not going to talk about. (not by Dee or Sharpe this time) I stayed up way too late--past 1 am--caught up in a book written by one of my writer pals, but I mean it. I am NOT going to pimp it. I absolutely refuse.

So I'll just say "yeah, what she said." Except I didn't find Brianna that annoying. (May gave me an occasional pain but I'm still hoping she ends up with a story..)

pimping

Bonnie Dee and Bettie Sharpe both have books out at Samhain this week.

Here's how good those two are:

When I pick up one of their books (or really, my laptop, since we're talking ebooks) I do NOT have the following response (stolen from ferfe's blog)

“I’m in a lonely, angry, bitter place.” ~ Anthony Bourdain upon being presented with fries at a restaurant that he deemed better than the fries he serves at his Restaurant in NY.

When I read their books, professional envy doesn't exist -- because I get too caught up in the story.

Once I'm done reading, all bets are off, though.

PSA and Perfection

two photos.


first--
a shocking story that should teach parents to pay attention to their kids' online activity (stolen from I'm not sure where or I'd give credit where due. Not here, that's all I know.) Click on it to read.

















and then--
A Christmas present for you guys. Although I should point out we're talking sour grapes for me.
What can I say except damn you, Pam LaBud. Damn. You.

She sent this around to various pals, crowing about her good luck on her Dutch translation's cover. It IS The Perfect Cover with only one flaw: the wind seems to be blowing in the same direction. The Absolute Perfect One has the wind gusting in two directions for maximum hair ripple and gown flowage. And yet it could be argued this is even better for, lo, it does allow for his hair action, which is primo.











eve: the hair!!!! I have no words for the hair.
flo: It's Gaston from Beauty and the Beast

You have to feel sorry for the dude who's having a rotten day. Bad enough to lose his shirt during a storm, the doo he spent hours arranging and gelling is trashed, and he has to try to control some woman because she's lunging at him and grabbing at his goods. Clearly he's about tumble onto his ass. Teach him to wear those boots on the wet rocks.

things

The Eppie contest must be a fairly big deal. I've gotten about 20 emails** congratulating me for finalling. Most of the emails are coming from strangers which means they're looking me up. Wow.

* * *

Look, I'm having a Linda Winfree contest

And I have to figure it what happens in it?
I'm feeling remarkably lazy so...how about
people have until Sunday to GUESS LINDA'S FAVORITE COLOR. (This is lifted straight from chats.) First person to guess right, wins the prize.

step one: Linda, think of a color

step two: Everyone else, post a color in this comment section or maybe at Linda's spot.

If no one guesses, then I get the book. Linda, you decide which book. I hope it's Tick's story because I haven't read that one yet. I'll hold off buying it until Sunday.

* * *

We had 11 inches of snow yesterday and I shoved kids outside to play in the winter wonderland.

At one point, my neighbor called just to say how sweet it was to watch her kids and mine run around her back yard and play, exactly like kids are supposed to on their snow days. "I think they must be making snow angels now" she said. "They're just lying around."

Later on I noticed everything boy3 had worn, right down to his socks and underwear, was soaking wet.

"Oh yeah, that must have been when I was Japan." he said. "We were reenacting wars and when we did World War II, I was Japan. I think my socks got wet when we did Hiroshima."

_____
** I originally wrote 40 which is my actual guess. I went back and counted, and now I know I exaggerate by a factor of two. Good to know this sort of thing about oneself.

Speaking of Sharpe

Check out this cool charity auction she's doing for Ember. It'll help people and you'll get to do that read-through thing versus the drip....drip....
Own a whole copy today!

some more pimping for free events

Have you read more of Bettie's story or are you waiting for the whole thing? I suppose either way works, as long as you do eventually read it.

If you're getting into this creative writing shtick, go check out Petunia Happenstance's Reboot contest. It's funky, it's interesting. You can Win a pretty book.

You are aware that PBW features the best free advice / news / John and Marcia snark but it's nice to be reminded that she's out there.

Any more fun contests and events out in the world? Authors wanna pimp your contests? Go ahead.

Vote in MY contest (below) so some lucky talented winner will get a fine array of valuable prizes.

Contest Etc.

Thanks for the book recommendations! I know they're great reads because I've read just about everything you suggested except the Tiffany Aching books. Yay! Something new to pick up. Uh oh, this time of year, it can't be for me. I do hope the boys don't mind yet another a Greyhound bus** Christmas present.

I resented the hell out of To Say Nothing of the Dog because I'd just finished writing a manuscript about a time travel bureaucracy when I read it. And Willis's book is so good, and funny and Wodehousian--so much better--I had to hate it. (It did make me go back and try to read JKJ's Three Men in a Boat again. Nope. Still can't stay awake for that book)

Speaking of good reading, go look at the entries. THE CONTEST IS STILL OPEN. And pity the poor fool who has to pick the best three. Make it more difficult by adding more great entries, eh? Contest ends in a few days! Work on it! Do it! Write it! Four more, three more, two more....

Then you guys have to pick the best of the three.

Rachel or Alan: if you guys are reading this, and your family hasn't gotten an effusive, happy thank you note from my kids, let me know. The Gift will be put on hold. Tough love. Also please tell your mother I want a lottery held because I want a goddamn present and I don't want no stinking greyhound bus neither.
_________

**family saying meaning "gift bought for self and disguised as gift for another." Based on incident that took place 55+ years. Boy bought mother toy greyhound bus for birthday present. Later, Father stepped on bus, said "boy, pick up your damned bus." Boy's response, "it's not mine, it's mom's." We have long memories for small matters in our family.

I missed thursday and here it is, Friday?

My Thursday Thirteen author files died with the reformatting. The gap between how organized I thought I was and the actual truth is deep, wide and scary.

I knew I'd have to reformat the damned new computer. I thought I'd gotten everything off. I'm down a couple of synopses and a lot of emails and I suspect the latest draft of at least two books. Not really that bad because nothing is close to finished at the moment.

So authors! Kathy Love and a few more of you out there. Write to me. And other authors, you, too.
Why do you want us to write? asks Selah.
Oh. Right.
I like featuring authors every Thursday. I've had
Leigh Wyndfield
Shirley Jump
Charlene Teglia
Bonnie Dee
Jackie Kessler
Flo Fitzpatrick
Julie Cohen
Rob Preece
Sandy Blair
not in that order (and maybe more)

Here's what I want: Writers who have more than one or two books out there. I like having a mix of print and ebook authors, well known and Relatively Fresh New Voices.

Why do I want authors with more than one or two books out there? Because. For those first couple of books it's new and interesting being an Author. After that, you might burn out on pimping yourself unless:
1. you've got professionals helping you or

2. you're really good, like Bianca D'Arc or Alison Kent, or Beth Williamson or Mandy and Michelle all of whom, I swear, are not only good at promoting their books but seem to enjoy the process--which is part of being good at it, I suppose. They're professionals. Hey, if one of them wanted to be a Thursday Thirteen writer, I'd be glad to have them just to see if some of that mojo rubbed off.

The mojo hasn't stuck yet, but at least I don't wake up on promo mornings feeling slightly nauseated.

The one thing I still kind of like, on occasion, are the chats. They can be the business, especially when they're not mine. Lots of fun to go to a chat of a friend, unless she's a popular writer and there's that moderator thing going. Then it's all,
"I'm your number one fan! Thanks for letting me ask a question? who's your favorite hero/writer/color."
"where do you get your ideas"
"Yo! Fishface! What's with that TSTL heroine in that last book?"
"kate_r if you don't stop interrupting you'll be banned from the chat."

Bah.
For some reason, I don't get chat alerts from my friends any more.

RANDOM but REAL CHAT ETIQUETTE ALERT:
A writer should never, ever, never promote another writer who isn't the one featured. Maybe the author of the evening will ask another writer about her book (it's the polite thing). Even then, after you type a couple of lines, you direct the attention back to the author who's waited a couple of months for the damn promo event.

I wandered into a chat where someone said, hey the book you're promoting tonight sounds just like one I wrote. and then WHOOOPS she went off on the book SHE wrote. And on another night someone went off about her favorite writer's work--just happened to also be her crit partner's stuff.

I might be guilty of bad manners at chats but at least I don't do guerrilla marketing on someone else's time. Sheesh.

other news, or maybe not news. more like random stuff

1. Shirley Jump features me and my banana spooge at her blog.

2. The other dog discovered the evil, stinky substance and she also rolled in it. I've rubbed them both with reams of paper towels and doggy de-stink gunk and have banned all unaccompanied trips out back.

3. I'm celebrating writing "the end" on a story by taking the morning off. I was going to exercise but finished Going Postal by Pratchett instead. Oh, how my love for him grows and grows**. It's greater than the stench in this room, even.

______
** as does my butt, again. Better get back on that treadmill.

bonus for a thursday

BAM'S BOOK IS OUT. How could I have missed that? This life crap is getting in the way again? Sorry Julie, I have to put this in, too and you have to share your day with Bam.

So okay, my job tonight: buy it, point out that I've blogged it and maybe I'll be a winner. Yay!

On the other hand

I made a special award for myself. See?

If you made the list, feel free to steal the award for yourself.

Heck, steal it if you feel like you deserve it or if you just want it. It's not like the award says which Karen I'm talking about. If you have a friend named Karen you might want to get her to make a list of "Authors Not.... " and put you on it.

more pimping

Just call me miladyinsanity. I have your contest news here.

Lori Devoti is giving away TWO first chapter critiques from Sean Mackiewicz, editorial assistant for NEXT and Nocturne. If you are interested in targeting either of these lines or just in getting a professional critique, this is a great opportunity. And it’s simple to enter. Just decide whether Lusse from Lori Devoti's June 2007 Nocturne release, Unbound, should be brought back in another book–yes or no. And then your reason for your answer. Keep the answers short, but with a little meat.

Lori will announce the winners on her blog on July 4th, and the winners will have until August 1st to get the chapter together and to Sean.

To enter, email your answer to Lori at winacritique@loridevoti.com.
Good Luck!
Thanks!!
Lori