suspicious minds

You have to wonder how, in an internet that contains blogs like PBW, and booksquare or even SBTB or Bam or Tumperkin or Mrs Giggles--oh, and not to mention a gazillion interesting agent/editor blogs--how my blog ended up a finalist in a literary/book blog category and they didn't**. I swear no money changed hands on this.

Also you have to wonder "who are those other blogs?" I've never heard of any of them and there's no way to go check out the other pages in the running. I suppose typing in the names might work, but that's so primitive.

Except, hey, look! I'm a finalist! Yay! I love winning contests so yo, yo, yo! go on and vote for me so I can say I'm an award winning blogger! I wonder if the winner gets a lil virtual plaque graphic they can try to put on their page... but they eventually lose the graphic in the bowels of their computer.

________
** maybe I'm in the "pitiful number of visitors a day" blog category? I should look around some more.

Today's post

I'm over at Total Ebound blogging about shape-shifters again.

SBD--woof, snarl, meow

Lori has an article up about shapeshifters. Heck, she's a shape-shifting writer. She can write homespun/funny or tense/scary. Not a one trick pony.

Notice the "pimping self" in the list of tags on this entry? because Lori's got Summer Devon in her article.

Listen, it's okay if you don't like them, but don't whine or growl to me about shape shifters. The whole shifting thing is fun, dammit. Disbelief??? No, nope, pfah, I don't have a problem with that unless the characters don't reflect their various forms even a little bit. If you shape-shift into a cat, you ought to have a taste for fish when you come out of it.

I like the glitches that cause characters to be more complex because of their shifting. My current favorite shape-shifter is the werewolf, Angua, from Pratchett. She thinks like a dog and can't quite abandon that--absently picking up a squeaky bone and playing with it, running straight to Carrot when he snaps his fingers. The great thing about Pratchett is that there are degrees of shifting, like there's Greebo the cat that's shifted but not really. He's a great studly shell with pure tomcat center.

Not sure Pratchett has the bats/vampire thing sorted out, but then, neither do the vampires. (Interesting that there's a single bat vampire in Witches Abroad. Guess the whole 120 lbs to 6 ounces conversion thing hadn't occurred to him yet.)

Yes, I plan to think about other writers some day and it will be soon because
1. I've run out of Pratchetts to read
2. Even I'm bored by myself thinking about them.

But I'm away from fantasy and am currently plowing (I'm doing more than a book a day) through Victoria Thompson's mysteries. Not that I want to but they have an addictive quality and she knows NYC. I was addicted with the first book even though I didn't particularly like it. Now I care about the characters, and I think she's gotten better, so I'm trapped like a rat.

I have to be very, very careful I don't imitate her or steal any of her old NYC stuff. Yikes, scary. I'll go read Kings Guide to New York after I finish her stuff so I don't know where I get the details.

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.

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

surreal

My family is all here and they're switching between Firefly and Mythbusters. I had to leave the room. Those shows do not mesh.

Anyway, I'm at two blogs today. I wonder if I can convince Beth either of them are SBDs. I apparently feel my obligation to the universe isn't fulfilled if I don't have an SBD. Kinda like a religion, only without a lot of guidelines on how to lead a virtuous life.

Blog one. Firefly and fundraising. Not connected though.
Damn, I love Firefly.

Blog two. Jennifer's again. I don't know how I rated two days with her. I feel like Jennifer is a gift sent from the gods to rioters, prolly the SBD gods.

hey look

ANOTHER review of a book that's been out for a long-azz time.

This is Perfection, Summer's first book and the second Summer book night owl's reviewed in the last couple of weeks. This one got 5 out of 5 heart rating. And they gave me another pretty little icon thingy. I like it!

ebooks don't die

Learning Charity just got a cool button, too. <--That's a link to the review. The novella's been out almost two years and still gets reviewed now and then. Ebooks do make for a different sort of world what with them books not going out of print. I like it.
A check-mark goes in the credit column for ebooks.**

UPDATE: and yowza, would you look at that, Learning Charity just got another review. Interesting!

I betcha part of the reason a review shows up two years later is the ebook world's terrifying backlist--there are dozens and dozens of new releases every week.
I'd say that's a mark in the debit column for ebooks.**

________________________

**This list I'm drawing up ( courtesy of Bertie Wooster) is strictly from the writer's POV.

look what we got

Who's Your Daddy got this from Romance Junkies. I don't think the actual review's up yet, so no link. Yet. Should say "OUR book rated five blue ribbons" because it's me, Lyn and Alexis. I hope RJ doesn't mind me putting up a bit of the review:

Each story is unique, witty and told with enough heat and emotional tone to keep readers engrossed in the pages. Kudos ladies, WHO’S YOUR DADDY? is an insightful thought-provoking read and a wonderful book to add to your keeper file.

Today's post

is over at Samhain.

It's all about authors stealing teh wacky.

These random pictures don't make sense unless you go read that. Yikes, I look bad in that picture of me hugging Esther (I was snorfling, the sniffling/laughing one does on these occasions).

I didn't even put in the part where my husband-to-be went jogging with his sister hours before our wedding and got lost in Rock Creek Park. Surely someone's written that one into a rom-com?

And, yes, if I were to do it again, I wouldn't wear that frou-frou dress. The hair was bad enough. Gah.

SBD--promo, fromo, gromo, tromo, promo

Summer has a new release today.

This is the hawt infertile lurve story. Probably the only smut story with an infertility theme out there. I really like this story I wrote because....ummm. I do.

Direct Deposit is an e-novella in an e-anthology called Who's Your Daddy with Summer, Lyn Cash and Alexis Fleming. I love Lyn's take on the conversation that got this started. It's not so far off the mark, only there were more rioters early on.

I think her blog entry is way more fun than this particular SBD which is in dire need of some cheerleader smilies or maybe more and better coffee (new year's resolution: cut back on the coffee. So far, bleargh). Rah, Rah Rioting!

Here's yet another link to the anthology.
AND HERE is my SBD for the day: Go on, buy our book.

Complain to Lyn if you hate it; write to me if you love it.

hawt infertile love

Lyn Cash, Alexis Fleming, other writers and I have fun sometimes with coming up with stories based on a theme. It's always a good time for me when I play with other people's ideas (that's how I got Invisible Touch). Lyn threw out one about a guy who was a hot ticket--at a sperm bank. Remember the story that hit the news about a particular donor? That got her thinking and then nagging.

I signed on to play but I started thinking about one of the reasons couples use those donors: Infertility.

We experienced five years of infertility and, now, a gazillion years and three babies later, one of my most vivid memories is how one's sex life turns into a baby-making life. When people say "have fun with it!" it's worse than when people ask if you're done with your holiday shopping on December 23 and you're not.... but that's a different story.

Anyway.

I ended up writing a story about an infertile woman rediscovering her sexuality. Someone suggested maybe she end up pregnant and I knew that would be so very, very wrong. The heroine can't have babies and she's still a hot woman.

Too bad she had to go through a divorce and all and didn't get to rediscover sexXx with her husband, but meh, we're talking hawt infertile love fluffy smut, not women's fiction. I felt strongly enough about it as An Issue, though, I put in a link for resolve in the dedication.

I wondered how many infertile women/couples would look at a book called "Who's your Daddy" but the audience for the story isn't just them. It's smut! Yay for Summer, Lyn and Alexis smut.

The only connection my story has to Lyn's theme is that the hero's writing an article about donor 69 and the heroine and her ex-husband once tried using that donor. And the hero.

The anthology's coming out pretty soon and already has a cover.

Here's what's fun--this is one of Alexis's publishers and Total Ebound is based in England. So all my favors became favours. Somehow a story looks much more glamorous with that extra U shoved in here and there. I really like TEB so far. They let us list our publications with other publishers [!!], Claire the publisher strikes me as hard-working, professional and enthusiastic. The site is easy to navigate. I like a lot of the covers I see over there.

And there are those U's. I can't remember if the heroine's undies turned into knickers. That would be interesting for her.

Look! Sometimes the notes in my mailbox aren't rejections

Or offers to a1de me get the man-tool enlargment I deserve to satisfy my lady

* * *

Dear Summer,

On behalf of the EPIC Board and the EPPIE Committee, we are please to inform you that your e-book, The Knight's Challenge, has been selected as a finalist in the Erotic Romance Fantasy/Paranormal. Please accept our congratulations. We wish you luck in the final round of judging.

The 2008 EPPIEs will be awarded at the awards ceremony on March 8, 2008 during EPICon in Portland, Oregon.

Again our congratulations and good luck in the finals.

Carol MacLeod
2008 EPPIE Chair

Since Summer Still Sells

Summer has to think this Kindle thing is good. Look, a couple more of her books are up at Amazon again. Good! Yay! Bring them all on!

Kate isn't selling at the moment, and she is aiming at NYC. That market is getting scarier by the minute, so she's terrified by the Kindle thing. Eeeiiii, says Kate. Yet another reason for them to say no to me. There're always more reasons to say no! So many changes and a general shaking up and publishers scurrying around in fear. They'd want to avoid printing more books by mid-listers.

This is when I'm glad I'm two different people in the writing world. I only wish I was real enough to be marching--not scurrying--with the giant rat.

I hope Eddie, a stagehand striker in NYC, doesn't mind if I use his rat photo.

But listen, this important: Did you know there is some guy who rents rats? Yes, a man makes his living renting out inflatable rats to striking workers. The rat represents management, see. (Mike was appalled. I guess he is horrified by the fact that there're enough strikers at any given time to support a rat rental man. Or maybe he thinks the rat is inflammatory? Or maybe he doesn't like giant rats?)

I love it. I can't decide if that rat makes me proud or prouder to be an American.

Not my fault. I blame my mother--my wobbly roots are showing.

hey, look

A nice review by Doug! And no, I didn't pay him, much.

yay ME!

So I checked the list of stories that will be included in the next batch of Pocket Book/Ellora's Cave and didn't see Summer there. I was pretty excited though because Arianna Hart is in there YAY!! And Shannon Stacey!

But it turns out, I'm a goober, because a few minutes later, Charli sent a note saying glad to be in there with you.

I'm in! Futurelove, which hasn't been a big seller, but don't tell anyone, is going to be in print! And with Pocket Books, so we're talking big-gish time again.

AND it's with Shannon Stacey and Charli! How in hell I didn't notice my name with Shannon's, never mind. I'll go back and see if she's going to be in two collections. Charli is!

Okay back to the dancing and whooping!

!!!!!!!!!

I love Shannon Stacey and Charlene Teglia. [even if I can't spell her last name first time out] And now I get to be in a book with them? Not literally, but it feels pretty damn great. This is beyond awesome into...into....damn. The words, they are not there for me!

The !!!!! !!!! is working though. Yes!!!

updated: oh. Jeez. I went over to give Shan high fives and get her proper url and her latest post is about her father's death. Ummm. I'm so sorry, Shannon.

Summer Devon has a book out

My new release is today! yay! It's short! It's got one of my favorite sort of heroes, a sarcastic loner. Talk about fantasy--forget the fact he's a dragon--his type is like those hyper-alpha dudes, not really the sort of mate one wants in the real world.

To celebrate the release, I'm going to do a chat at noveltalk.com tomorrow night. It's a relatively easy place to check in and use. Head down to the bottom of that front page if you want to sign in. You do, I hope.

No, I'm not to proud to beg--please, for the love of God, come over there so I don't end up all alone asking myself questions about how I get my ideas and telling myself I'm my own favorite writer and can I please have a free copy of a book. I want someone else to get the free copy.

More promo-->>I posted an excerpt over at the Samhain blog. There's also another excerpt up at the "buy this book" link at the top. Uh oh. The Sammy blog seems to have a glitch with the link. Damn. I've already bugged Angela once today.


It's raining and that's the first time I remember it raining on September 11 for about six years. We tend to get the same weather as NYC (only a couple of hours away) so I suppose it's raining there, too.

SBD? sort of?

The contest is over and I posted the results in an interview with the author** over at Bam's. Let's say the little bit that qualifies for SBD is the part about how characters don't stay lodged in the brain once they're on paper.

No, that doesn't count as a real SBD report.

Okay, how about I discovered a bookstore through another website, started talking to the bookstore owner, and now we might actually get a huge buttload of Terry Pratchett books for my kid, but I'm sort of excited, too. The libraries in this town don't have a lot of Pratchett. Actually they do, but there's so much Pratchett to have.
SBD finis.

Back to Bam. Want to find out about the winners of the contest? Want to win valuable prizes? Go on, go comment there.

______________

**I really shouldn't have written it after spending the morning babbling at people. I was rather appalled with my behavior. About a decade ago, I stopped worrying about how I presented myself. It's a good thing to drop if you want to really pay attention to what other people are saying. You can use the "how'm I doing, what'll I say next" energy to listen. but I seem to be hitting another patch of adolescence and it's all about me, even outside the blog. I blame my kids. Heck, they blame me and Mike for their troubles, it's only fair to return the favor.

CONTEST IS ALMOST OVER

I'm going to announce the winners at Bam's place. She wants the note by Sunday, so you have until Saturday night.

Send me your Kate or Summer review or your link to a Kate or Summer review by then (or put it in the comments) and win a chance to get a Thirty Dollar gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, Samhain or Amazon.

I'd say the Pimping this Contest Contest ended last week, but I probably shouldn't. because I did say it would end at the same day as the other contest. No one says I have to pimp the pimping contest. Sure, go ahead enter it. I'll even count your entry as real.

It's a beautiful day. I'm going to go sit at the edge of a soccer field and read some smut. Yay!

holy crap (aka *still* more? Clearly It's PIMPIN FRIDAY!)

Will you look at that? It's out already. I went make sure the cook book link worked, started cruising around Amazon and found my latest Summer is in print!! Hey! Wow!

Doesn't affect your chance to win a gift certificate or two:
The contest STILL ends on June 19. .