RWA Convention Ahead/Signing Virtually Hers!

RT Book Reviews August issue is out on the stands and they gave Virtually Hers, which is coming out in print in Aug., 4 stars. I liked the last line: "Low is back and kicking butt!" Hee. Maybe I can use that on a book cover. Or get a T-shirt with that line.

I'll be signing Virtually Hers at RWA Convention in Orlando too, so I'm doubly excited. That, and the Mammoth Book of Spec. Ops. Romance. And I'm bringing a load of Big Bad Wolf to give away, so I hope many of you will be at the conference! Orlando is an ideal place to hold one, IMO, because you can bring your family along and they can enjoy Mickey Mouse, Sea World, etc., while you indulge in your own novel fantasies ;-).

It's hard to believe July is almost here. I'm trying so hard to get everything done by then, but you know, I swear the clock ticks a bit faster when I'm not looking! Everyday I wake up telling myself I have to do this, and this, and this, and then...work and bills get in the way, phone calls happen, and I have to go somewhere, and before I know it, I'm home all sticky from the sun and my feet hurt, and the mutant poms are demanding their time and food, and I look at the clock desperately, and it's approaching midnight. Crazy, isn't it?

Will you be in Orlando? Some Australian readers are coming and I'm excited to meet them; I love my Australians readers--crazy, happy-go-lucky and just plain fun! The proceeds from the giant Literacy Signing all goes to charity and every year RWA exceeds itself. So do plan on coming, if you're able, especially those living near the Orlando/Florida area. A day trip could be fun! I'm not sure if the Harry Potter World will be open by then, but hey, if it is, you can say you met Nora Roberts AND Harry Potter at the same city ;-).

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There Be Yummy Cowboys

Legendary author Linda Lael Miller, one of my favorite goddesses, will be continuing her McKettrick saga in a trilogy. She has a behind-the-scene look on how her trailer was made. And if you like to look at men in cowboy hats and jeans, you have to check this out:



Don't you want all three of the McKettrick brothers? :-) Here is the equally delicious end product, the trailer:



Hmmm. Happy Friday! :)

P/S Don't forget to answer the reader (post below) if you're feeling helpful today.

P/P/S For those who share my LURV for puppies, Kika has given birth to another set of beautiful babies and you can get addicted like me by scrolling down to the bottom of my blog and catch a dose of Puppy Heaven. Click on the middle arrow to stay on this site.

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Post #2: I Bow To L. Viehl

Holy cow on a pogo-stick! I think I busted something while reading this. If you enjoy a good vampire satire, check out the brilliant Lynn Viehl's post, Mawked! By Dawkness!

So, so funny. I bow.

Makes me want to write a piece on macho-machismoronic SEALs and Spec. operatives ;-).

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Absolutely Fun

Someone sent me this really cool link. You type your favortie author's name into the box and a map shows up with names of other authors who are similar in style. I typed Linda Howard. You can type Shakespeare!

But, so sad, that Gennita Low chick is nowhere to be found.

//hanging head, feeling lost and unloved

Who's Who Literature Map

Anyway, what author name did you try out?

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End Of The Year Mirror

I haven't been having a "holiday" season. It's work, work, work all these past weeks, trying to finish the last building for the project. Once this is done, everything will slow down quite a bit since the construction business isn't doing well these days. But I'm looking forward to some reading and writing time!

So my year is ending with quite a big bang, not in a celebrative way, but with lots of noise anyway. And hey, I shouldn't complain when it's 82 degrees down here, right?

How are you celebrating the end of the year and new year? What are you looking forward to in 2008?

It's been a tough year mentally for me and I'm wishing for more inspiration in my writing life. It's hard to explain it, but the loss of my old friend, my 18 year-old dog, Brando, really took a toll on my psyche. I'm okay, yet I don't feel whole. I'm happy, yet I'm still mourning. It's a strange strangled mess. My girlfriend told me that I'm depressed, what with Brando and also the delay to my book, and should seek therapy. Being me, I made jokes about what a psychiatrist would prescribe to a patient who had a writing block because her beloved dog died....

Eeek, this blog entry is turning out all blue and serious! Must be the wine talking again ;-).

Actually, I meant to ask the usual things:

Favorite book of the year?
Mine is definitely Lilith Saintcrow's The Devil's Right Hand, the third of the Danny Valentine series. The fourth book came out a couple of months ago, and although good, the heroine's thoughts and actions frustrated me. Also, I didn't like that yet another two links to Valentine's past were needlessly killed off. This action-packed series (ending in one more book) is very addictive and I can't wait to find out how it ends. Saintcrow's worldbuilding is amazing.

Excellent new find(s) of the year?
C.L. Wilson
Nalini Singh
Keri Arthur
Marianne Mancusi
Elizabeth Hoyt
Meljean Brook (and her covers are gorgeous, like Marjorie Liu's)

Disappointment(s) of the year?
You know, those shitkicker-wearing and label-donning brothahs who didn't bring it on like they promized in prevhious bookz. Ahem.

And Isobel Lambert...sigh...what happened to the icy, smart Madame Lambert? Gah. (But I still love the hero to bits)

Linda Howard's plane crash/survival in the mountains suspense story--wahhh...her hardcovers are losing all the romance. Sob. Sniff. You don't know how hard it is for me to finally have to admit this truth out loud to myself. ***weeps***

Your turn. Come on. You can tell moi.

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Why I Love Them

I thought it would be fun to write down why we love some of our favorite authors instead of just the title of their books. Do you have five or six you can share?

Off the top of my head, for me, I love:

NORA ROBERTS because no one writes family get-togethers like her. I love it when her characters gather for a big warm scene full of family loving. And those BIG families...ahhh....

ANNE STUART because I love every one of her dark yummy heroes with their gray morality. I love the way they play with the heroine like big cats and a very small beloved toy.

LINDA HOWARD because when she's at the top of her game, no one can compare. I love her old Alpha Heroes. Her sex scenes are sizzling hot and every one of her book is different--from humor to dark and twisty to time travel.

HELEN BIANCHIN because it makes me grin whenever I read about her food description and yet another mention of the ensuite bathroom. I love her very sparse style.

LILITH SAINTCROW (my current obsession) because of her ability to make a whole action scene sing with tension and emotion. Although I've only read her writing through the Dante Valentine series, I've gotten very into her complex worldbuilding and difficult characterizations.

SUSAN JOHNSON historicals (pre-2000) because she manages to make even a young, spoiled, cheating and self-centered male into a warrior hero. There is something sexy about the way she portrays her warrior-hero in warrior mode, carrying off his woman.

I'm sure I'll come up with more names later, as I work, but maybe you can help with some of your own! You may repeat the authors already mentioned--you probably love them for different reasons.

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