Newsy news

March 8, 2012March 8, 20127 Comments

So! News! If you’ve liked my Facebook page (or if you follow me on Twitter), then you know that I received the proof copy of my poetry anthology, Tuesday Daydreams: A Journal in Verse, the other day. I was disappointed to find some errors in it, but I took the opportunity to make a couple of formatting changes and now I think it looks great. Another proof copy will soon be winging its way toward me and I can’t wait to look it over. Tuesday Daydreams should be available for purchase by the end of the month!

I’m terribly excited, in case you couldn’t tell. 🙂

In other news, my friend Lisa just finished up a promotion for her novel, Cheyenne, in honor of a new cover design. Even though it’s no longer free, please click through and check it out. At $2.99, it’s still a world-class bargain and a great book to boot. Go on, check it out! You know you want to.

And that’s about all the news that’s fit to print today, I think. Conferences tonight will cap off a crazy week for me; hopefully tomorrow (TGIF, y’all!) will be a nice, peaceful day with no major hassles. I plan to spend this weekend recovering from my week and maybe working on my synopsis for The Lokana Chronicles if I can find a few spare minutes. I’m still collecting submission possibilities; I’d like to start submitting before summer. I’m still keeping my fingers crossed about the Dundee International Book Prize, but I’m trying not to think about it too much lest I go crazy with the hoping.

Much ado about politics and the media

March 6, 2012March 7, 20122 Comments

After catching up on a few news stories this morning, I thought I’d take the time to jot down a few thoughts on the recent Rush Limbaugh flap. For anyone still living under a rock (possibly a rock on Mars, which is where Seymour occasionally accuses me of having grown up), he called Georgetown University student Sandra Fluke a slut after her Congressional testimony in support of the contraception coverage requirement. He was then forced to issue an apology, at least part of which (I didn’t visit his website, so I have no idea if this is the entire statement or just a portion of it) I read here this morning:

For over 20 years, I have illustrated the absurd with absurdity, three hours a day, five days a week. In this instance, I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.

I think it is absolutely absurd that during these very serious political times, we are discussing personal sexual recreational activities before members of Congress. I personally do not agree that American citizens should pay for these social activities. What happened to personal responsibility and accountability? Where do we draw the line? …

My choice of words was not the best, and in the attempt to be humorous, I created a national stir. I sincerely apologize to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.”

My thoughts, and those of Voltaire

Well, I’ve done it…

February 27, 2012March 8, 20126 Comments

I entered The Lokana Chronicles in the Dundee International Book Prize last night. Hitting ‘send’ on that email was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but I did it in the end and now all I have to do is sit back and wait. And not hold my breath.

Thus begins my (presumably) soul-sucking journey toward publication because, let’s face it, I’m not sure I really want to go to all the effort it will take to do the self-publishing thing. I know several people who have done it and are doing so successfully, but I’m not sure that I’m cut out for it. I’d love to sell my book to a Big 6 publisher, but I’m not holding my breath on it. I hope I’m prepared for all the rejections I know will come, but I’m also hoping that the stars will miraculously align in my favor and my journey will be a relatively quick and painless one.

No, I’m not on drugs. Unless sleep deprivation counts as a drug and if that’s the case, then I’ve been stoned out of my gourd for the last two years. But I’m pretty sure that’s not the case, no matter how much it feels like it is some days.

In other news, after much time spent beating my head against a cyber-wall while trying to format with a nasty cold, my poetry anthology is coming along quite nicely. Now I just need to get the proof copy ordered and make sure it looks okay. Here’s hoping!

Also? Tax season – and Monday – totally kicked my butt today. Way to go, Monday.

And now, I think it’s time for bed. Assuming, that is, that I can sleep. I’ve been having trouble with that lately. Maybe I’ll just stay up a little while longer and look up people to query…

Friends don’t let friends eat literary puffer butt

February 22, 2012March 8, 2012Leave a comment

Yes, you read that right: Friends don’t let friends eat literary puffer butt. I’ve been reading Kristen Lamb’s lovely blog the last couple of days and have found quite a few useful tidbits there, not to mention a couple of laughs that nearly caused me to snort my milk. I had planned this awesome, thought-provoking post about things from her blog that I agreed with, as well as things I disagreed with, but this stupid cold I have is kicking the crap out of me. I feel like I’m stuck in a never-ending cage match with…um…well, anyone who’s in better shape than me, to be honest. The Rock. Yeah, he’ll do. He could probably beat the crap out of me with his pinky. I mean, naturally I hope he doesn’t hit women, but my brain isn’t functioning so well right now, so just take whatever I say with a grain of salt. Except for that first sentence. And the second one. And the next paragraph. It should be funny. Seriously, just keep reading, okay? Okay.

I also enjoy reading Chuck “Writing is when I make the words. Editing is when I make them not shitty.” Wendig’s blog, especially his “25 Things…” series and his “Transmissions from Baby-Town” series. The latest transmission from Baby-Town was seriously funny. Parts of it reminded me of my own kids. Go. Check it out. Unless you are vehemently opposed to creative combinations of profane words, you will probably find it laugh-out-loud funny (yes, I’m old-school like that).

Okay, I should probably get back to editing now. I’ve been throwing myself upon the Word altar and begging the gods of Microsoft to save my work with obsessive abandon over the last couple of weeks as I try to finish my massive revision project by the end of the month. I’d love to be done by the end of the week, but I’m not holding my breath. Anyway, why the rush when I’ve been trying to edit the beast for the last year? (God, I can’t believe I’ve been editing (or rather, not editing but procrastinating) for a year already.) Because entries for the Dundee International Book Prize close March 1 and I’ve decided to enter. Apparently it was just the thing I needed to get my lazy butt motivated because I’ve gotten 24 of my 30 chapters edited since the first of the month. Now if only I can get the last few chapters done by the weekend, I think I’ll be all set. I’m not holding my breath on winning, but I’ll never know if I don’t try, and I’m determined to prove the hubby wrong (he who believes I can make a career of writing but probably won’t because I fear failure). I’m a stubborn one, after all.

So, to recap: Must find more caffeine. Must edit. Y’all must read. Go. Read. Report back here. Or don’t. Actually, don’t. Then I won’t be tempted to further procrastinate my editing. Or do. Yes, do report back here. Be my enablers. Who needs sleep, anyway? I can edit after the kids are asleep, right? Right? Zzzzz…

The Lokana Chronicles

February 16, 2012March 8, 20123 Comments

Well, for all those who haven’t checked it out on authonomy, I’ve posted the first chapter of The Lokana Chronicles for your reading pleasure. You can find it here. I’ve been editing like mad lately and I’m making steady progress – I’ve just finished with Chapter 11 today. Now to get through the next eighteen…

And that’s all I’ve got for today – my cold’s still kicking my butt. Sorry.

Something new!

February 15, 2012March 8, 20127 Comments

Since it’s been, oh, let’s just say a week or so since I posted last, I thought it was high time for something new. Sorry, there’s no sugar in this post. I ate it all yesterday in the form of a wonderful cupcake from Scratch, courtesy of Seymour (“Feed me, Seymour!”) the Wonder Husband.

Thanks to the wonders of social media (sorry I can’t be more specific – I’m fighting a head cold and losing the battle), I ran across an interesting article on titles and professional attitudes this morning. I liked it so much that I just had to share. And if you’re not following me on Twitter, then you may have missed this! It’s a post from my good friend Sophie Tallis that was featured on The Bedlam Daily. Sophie’s post is the third in a series chronicling her inspiration for her debut novel, White Mountain, which is due out from Safkhet Publishing in September 2012. Safkhet are the same wonderful folks who brought you The Banned Underground by the delightful Will Macmillan Jones.

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I think it’s time I settled down in our conference room for a nice little siesta. Then I’ll be able to whip this cold into submission and leave it lying prostrate on the floor before me, begging for mercy as I drive the cold hard stake of good health through its quivering, bloody remains. Wow, that was kinda graphic, wasn’t it? Guess that’s what happens when I’m tired and sick – I start dreaming of quivering globs of bodily fluids that are better left to the imagination. Wait, that doesn’t sound right…Okay, time to hit up the cold medicine!

Note: I must apologize for that last paragraph. The brain cells responsible for its content have been sacked and replaced with trout. If I seem preoccupied with bubbles in the future, it must be noted that the fish are responsible for said preoccupation, not me. So long, and thanks for all the fish!

Day is done

February 13, 2012March 8, 2012Leave a comment

Thank goodness today is done! It was definitely a Monday round these parts and I am glad to be done and moving on with the rest of the week. Here’s hoping it’s better than today was.

I’ve been interviewed!

February 7, 2012July 26, 2012Leave a comment

That’s right, I’ve been interviewed again! This time the Grand Inquisitor was none other than the Alliance’s resident Lady Midnight Marauder, Katrina Anne Jack. You can read the interview over at her blog. Meanwhile, be sure to check out her book, The Land of Midnight Days!

In other news, the editing continues. I’ve finished revising the first fourth of the book and am ready to get cracking on the rest of it. Now if only I could find some spare time in the evenings! There just aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything I need to get done as well as everything I want to get done. Oh, if only needs and wants were always the same!

Blood of Dragamere

February 5, 2012March 8, 20123 Comments

Blood of Dragamere, the latest book from Gretchen Steen, is now available from outlets near and far! Order now and keep an eye on your mailbox for the continuing adventures of Chelsey and Damian. You can find it at Smashwords and Amazon in e-book format and at Lulu.com in either paperback or hardcover versions for all you other dead-tree-loving types. Click here for a teaser and visit Gretchen’s awesome website to see the trailer.

Let’s go to the movies!

January 26, 2012March 8, 2012Leave a comment

So I saw this on LiveJournal and decided to steal it because I was bored.

1. What was the last movie you watched in a theater?
I wanna say it was the last Harry Potter movie, but I’m sure I’ve seen something in a theater since then. I just can’t remember what it was.

2. What was the first movie you ever remember watching in a theater?
The Little Mermaid, though it could also have been Pippi Longstocking. If memory serves, I saw both of them when I was five, so it could have been either one. More exciting movie Q&A this-a-way!