Aaand…everything checked out with proof copy number two! Tuesday Daydreams is now available for purchase. Head on over to CreateSpace today (or just click on the picture to the left) to pick up your copy. It will also be available on Amazon as soon as they update whatever it is they need to update. In the meantime, you can read more about it here!
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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.
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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…
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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…
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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.
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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!
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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!
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
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.
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
Here I am, back with another book plug. This time, the book is The Legend of Dragamere, by Gretchen Steen. It’s available from several outlets, including Amazon, Lulu, and Smashwords, and comes in both print and digital versions. What’s it about? Well, I’ll tell you!
The Legend of Dragamere, by Gretchen Steen
Chelsey always knew she was different. After reading an obscure fantasy novel, she sensed a connection. Desperately seeking answers, she flies to England and befriends a handsome stranger, Damien. They meet with the enigmatic Malcolm, who mysteriously reveals their joint heritage. The facts are unbelievable; his claim…their bloodline.
In order for them to survive, they must go to the infamous castle Dragamere and break a thousand-year-old curse. They are spurred on by a malevolent entity that has transcended time. The cursed lovers’ archenemy proves to be a defiant foe and their journey becomes treacherous.
The curse is broken and so is the veil of time. Chelsey and Damien find themselves in the past, united with the condemned lovers. Together, they must face their evil nemesis and destroy him. Will they ever return to their own time, and at what cost?
The Legend of Dragamere by Gretchen Steen
Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? Go on, you know you want to read it! 🙂
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
…I’ve decided that some details on the books I posted about the other day would probably be a good thing. So, I’ve got the scoop on all five books right here!
Cheyenne, a Timeless Series novel, by Lisa Wiedmeier
Murder, romance, secrets, and hidden pasts. Deception from every angle – who’s telling the truth? Cheyenne Wilson’s life is thrown into turmoil after her adoptive parents are killed in an accident. With only her best friend Colt to comfort her, she scours through the family archives, hoping to quell her grief. Instead she begins to unravel the mystery behind her birth parents, and her secret heritage. She is a Timeless – a being that ages one year for every hundred human years when they reach their twenties – and of the royal line, destined to gain great power. But Cheyenne has other problems. The ones who killed her parents want her, too, and Colt is hiding something of his own. Surrounded by danger and with few she can trust, Cheyenne must face the dark truth of her past and choose between a forbidden love that will forever hold her heart, or her destiny…
Toonopolis Short: Anchihiiroo, by Jeremy Rodden
In Toonopolis: Gemini, Anchihiiroo (aka Han’Eiyuu) is the former hero of Animetown who turns rogue after meeting the devious Shadowy Figure, forcing his creator to change him into a villain instead of the anti-hero he once was. Yuki, the albino inventor of Wan-Wan, described Anchihiiroo’s background:
“He had a terrible childhood. He was orphaned at an early age when his parents were killed in a war. Then his orphanage burned down, and then a flood wiped out the town his orphanage was in. He was the only survivor.”
Learn the full origin of Anchihiiroo, from his tragic childhood as Yoshi of Higeki to the warrior training that allowed him to put a stop to the Ninja-Pirate War that plagued Animetown. Witness his relationship with the phoenix Suzaku and his inevitable rogue turn after meeting the mysterious Shadowy Figure. It is a story about destiny and a young man’s desire to make his own path in the world.
The Myth of Mr. Mom, edited by Jeremy Rodden
The Myth of Mr. Mom is a collaborative non-fiction essay anthology written by stay-at-home dads that shares the personal stories of eight men from around the world. Filled with humorous anecdotes and eye-opening personal experiences, The Myth of Mr. Mom is simultaneously inspiring and entertaining.
Toonopolis: Gemini, by Jeremy Rodden
Toonopolis is a cartoon city that is home to the thoughts and ideas of all sentient beings in the universe. As the center of the Tooniverse, it acts as an other-worldly rest stop for these creations. Gemini is a teenage human boy who is thrust into Toonopolis through his father’s scientific research program. He loses part of himself in the process and immediately begins a quest to regain his lost memories with the help of his Tooniverse guide, Jimbob the Talking Eggplant.
After an altercation with a mysterious Shadowy Figure, Gemini’s mission is changed and he begins a new quest to defeat Shadowy Figure and protect Toonopolis from his nefarious destruction. Along the way, he meets new friends, discovers just how diverse and strange Toonopolis is, and learns lessons about compassion, forgiveness, redemption, and being true to oneself.
The Banned Underground, by Will Macmillan Jones
What could be worse? Having to take a holiday in the (rainy) Lake District in the North West of England with an aunt who turns people into frogs for a hobby? Or battling the local dark lord, whose attempt at world domination starts with the nearby underground dwarf mansion and its enormous collection of used pizza boxes? Or getting involved with a jazz-loving bog troll and his dwarfish R&B band? Or is it being miles from a McDonald’s? Join the teenagers and find out in this comical adventure where jazz and magic make a tongue-in-cheek laugh riot!
Whew! I suppose that’s enough book pimpage for one day. Stay tuned for news on other books! After all, 2012 is the Year of the Alliance. The Dark Lord said so.
(c) 2012. All rights reserved.
Suddenly they all died. The end. 