It’s Thursday. There I was paddling through the swamp up to my @$$ in alligators when I suddenly realized I needed a subject for today.

First, I heard back from the Black Rose editor my proposal was assigned to at Wild Rose. She requested the full. I’m madly reading through it and fixing some things: “He began to…” “He decided to…” And we won’t talk about the POV shifts. Luckily, those are mostly few and far between. However, I need to get cracking! I now have two editors waiting for two manuscripts. ACK! When it rains it pours. But I’m liking this flood. It means, however, that I really need to wean from the ‘net for a couple of days. I have furniture rearranging this weekend so I need to get cracking on the manuscripts and get them shipped out ASAP.

In a comment to yesterday’s post, ban was asking about Justin’s music. I’m going to repost the link here. This is a temporary ZIP file, if you want to hear some of the things he’s been doing. While he is an amazing guitarist, most of the instruments you hear are ones he’s recreated digitally. Most of the clips are covers, some are original, some are just “noodling” around with musical lines, all are damned impressive if you ask me. Justin’s Music Sampler.

To those of you whose blogs I normally drop by and visit, I’ll get around at some point today. And now, for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT! *cues virtual trumpets and drum fanfare* The winner of the JUNE BRIDE CONTEST is….JEN LYON! Woohoo! And what does Jen win? Her very own copy of BEYOND HEAVING BOSOMS! Jen, we’ll talk. If you’d like a signed copy, I will grab one during RWA and will ship it out to you the end of the month. If you don’t want to wait, I’ll get an unsigned one shipped to you.

What’s July’s contest? It’s a RED, WHITE, and BLUE celebration! Check the contest page for details….(psst. Nothing’s posted yet because I haven’t figure out a prize yet. *blush*)

So, today’s topic of comment conversation…Who’s autograph would you most like to get on a book?

I forgot one of the Latin Hunks for brunch on Saturday. *headdesk* For your Hump Day viewing, I present Mark Consuelos. I just saw him in two LMN movies based on Ellen Byerrum’s Crime of Fashion novels with Lacey Smithsonian as the heroine, Killer Hair and Hostile Makeover. The movies were fun. Mark was hot! Be sure to click on it to get the full view!

And now, for something truly gigglesnort worthy. Put all liquids and food away, ladies. I do not want to have to perform the Heimlich! A friend emailed me this photo and claims that it’s for real. I quote from the email:

Captured at 115th and Allisonville Rd. in Fishers (near Indianapolis), Indiana. The sign is real and was up for two hours before someone stopped and told them how to spell PEONIES!

Oh, the joy of signage.

I don’t talk about my writing environment too often. I’m going to today because there are some changes coming to my space. Let me digress a bit and explain about the house I live in. We’ve been here ten years. Our house sits on a treed, corner lot and the house is made up of two intersecting squares: the main house and the attached garage. The people who built this house were a bit…odd. The people who bought it from the estate are a lot odd. *wink* Yes, we are only the second family to live here and the place was originally built in 1968.

The front porch is inset, with the front door opening into a small living area with a built-in fireplace flanked on one side by bookshelves. Because of the size and traffic patterns, this room gets used on Christmas morning, because where else would we hang stockings? At the moment, my office is the old patio. The former owner enclosed it. Himself. By building a framework of 2×4s and sticking windows between them. The door to the storm cellar is out here. There’s no AC vent, though there is a natural gas wall heater. I have a large bakers rack in front of the windows holding all sorts of stuff. A makeshift bookcase holds hard copies of old manuscripts, junk, photo albums, and office supplies. This space is hot in the summer, freezing in the winter (unless I’m doing laundry because the dryer vents into this space), and is always fun to rearrange for access to the storm cellar during tornado season.

My plan is to take what is now the dining room and turn it into my office and the library. Did I mention that Lawyer Guy, The Only, and I are bibliophiles? There’s what was called a “picture window” in that room and some day (was actually going to do renovations before moving spaces), I hope to put in French doors opening onto an as-yet-unbuilt deck. The dining room will be moved to what is now called the “living room,” a misnomer of sorts. We do all our living in the den/family room.

Due to circumstances and on account of because, we’re starting the process now. We’ll at least get the dining room/living space switched out now. Eventually, when phone lines and cable are installed, and the deck is built, then I’ll move the whole office. Will it help me write any better? That remains to be seen. LOL. See the picture up there? I could write in that space. How about ya’ll? Where do you write? How would you design your dream space?

While I figured this second entry in Leslie Parrish’s Black CAT series would be a good one, I didn’t expect PITCH BLACK to blow me away just as much as the first book, FADE TO BLACK, did. Leslie is downright evil. Evil, I tell you! How do I talk about this book without spoilers? I’m not sure I can, but I’ll try because this book is a must read if you want dark suspense with just the right amount of heat. Since I only have the ARC without the cover blurb to go on, I can only copy and paste the blurb from the on-line booksellers.

Former profiler Alec Lambert would give anything to catch The Professor, a serial killer who lures his victims with Internet scams. Now working with reclusive scam expert Samantha Dalton, he finally has his chance. But as they draw ever closer to discovering The Professor’s identity and stopping his murderous rampage, they realize Sam is the psychotic killer’s new obsession—and possibly his next target…

As much as I loved Dean Taggert and Stacey Rhodes from FADE TO BLACK, Alec and Sam grabbed me by the heartstrings and wouldn’t let go. The two of them are haunted by their past histories, mistrustful of the present, and yet they are hopeful of finding a shared future. The romance in this book was compelling and real. The suspense? Holy crap! I repeat. Leslie is evil! I thought I had the bad guy figured. Then I was convinced I was wrong. Or maybe not. Or holy shit!

See? Leslie kept this old investigator on her toes and hopping through the whole book. While not a huge cyber geek, I was around the beginnings of computer forensics in law enforcement. Everything in that realm reads true to me. The Professor reads so damn real I get chills thinking about him. I knew a criminal like him once. Sat there in the court room while he stared at me the whole time instead of paying attention to the judge. I was glad I carried a S&W .357. This book took me right back to those days. Even now, as I type this, the hair stands on my arms and the back of my neck prickles. I’m not paranoid. Much. LOL.

My review of FADE TO BLACK, which arrives on the shelves July 7th, waxed poetic. I don’t have the words to do that here. PITCH BLACK is raw and painful. It’s real and often times, I had to remind myself to breathe as I read. Leslie is a skilled craftsman and her words ring with a sincerity and truth not often found in this subgenre. I know men and women in law enforcement, and in life, much like her characters. Her plots could be torn from the headlines but she presents them with a unique voice and imagination that keeps you hanging on by your fingernails. Parts of the book left me stunned and while the end of the book was heartbreaking in some ways, Alec and Sam have each other. Maybe.

There is one last book to go in this trilogy. I want to rant and rave that we will only get to enjoy three of these books, but Leslie is already on to a new and exciting project I find just as intriguing as the Black CATS. BLACK AT HEART comes out September 1st. Even though I have ARCs of the first two, I will be buying all three. The last one because I want to read it! The other two for the covers. PITCH BLACK comes out August 4. There’s still time to preorder all three of these books. Just. Do. It!

Some of you may have seen this video on SBTB. Even so, it’s worth watching again. Buffy takes on Edward FTW! Warning. Do not drink while watching.

And ev’s link!

And just because I’m a fan of Buffy the TV series, and enjoyed the “Once More With Feeling” episode (the musical), this one made me laugh:

Once more with feeling, ev!

With temperatures reaching three digits, I thought it was time to spice things up a little bit. Welcome to this week’s menu. Pour some sangria, grab the sopapillas, find a lounge chare and enjoy!

First up, we have the Antonio Brothers, Sabato, Jr. and Banderas. Because…uhm…abs. And dark, smoldering looks….with dimples.

Now that your appetites are whetted, how about this new entree from our chef. You may recognize this first serving from other blogs. I still wouldn’t mind being that lion cub. Just sayin’… But I digress. May I present for your a la carte enjoyment, Eduardo Verastequi!

And if anyone is interested, I think I’ve just found my visual for Roman, Sade’s gargoyle companion and bodyguard. Imagine Eduardo at 7 feet tall…and granite muscles.

Welcome to Friday’s edition of This and That. In no particular order, because it’s all important…

Leslie Parrish’s FADE TO BLACK is due out July 7. Order your copy now! And don’t forget that PITCH BLACK, the second novel in the Black CATS series comes out August 4! Be sure to tell all your friends.

And speaking of release dates, a big thank you to Justin, my Tech Guru Guy and hero, for setting up the subtle and greatly appreciated countdown to my release date at the top of the side bar. (And he left a loving tribute to my critters on yesterday’s post way late last night. It’s sweet and very much appreciated!)

Brunch tomorrow? I’m feeling rather South of the Border’ish. Something spicy, ladies?

In case you haven’t heard, Kira Daniels finished the first draft of her WIP! All together now, WOOT-WOOT!

I won a TWITCH yesterday. Jessica Faust and Kim Lionetti have been running a contest this week on Twitter. They call it “Twitching”. One would say “TWITCH” and you got to pitch your book, in 140 characters. Dude! That’s tough. A few minutes later, they’d stop the tweeting. Well, I finally got picked. SEASON OF THE WITCH is in the running for the “Pick of the Week”. If I win that, I’ll get to send in a proposal. I can send one in anyway, but by being The Pick, I’ll be ensured of a read. Good thing BookEnds Literary Agency was on my To Query list, huh?

Speaking of agents, I am making notes as I go along and doing research. I’ll have a list in my nervous little hand when I hit Nationals. And I’ll have a short pitch ready for both SHADOW DANCE and SEASON OF THE WITCH. I won’t be making a formal pitch. Didn’t get one of the appointments, but that’s okay. I’d rather get my feet wet and just enjoy my first conference, hopefully making some in-person contacts I can follow up on afterwards.

Yesterday was a stunner in the celebrity realms. Any thoughts or comments on either Farrah or Michael?

This is short but I’m behind on edits again. This week just blew by and I’m running around doing my Ify imitation. (She, of course – the wicked Muse – is laughing her arse off at me.) I’m shutting down the net this morning. Those of you with blogs I normally visit, I’ll catch up to you after lunch time. Promise.

At last those promised pictures of the fuzzy variety. First, the two that have past on:
Tucker, our “Standard” Papillion. He loved to get a cookie and do his “kill dance” over it. We called him our circus dog because he fearlessly climbed furniture and perched in odd places. He also had a tongue to rival a certain rock star. If you click on the middle pic, you can see Kodi’s head under my feet. That’s how I wrote for ten years, with those two underfoot. And that’s Kodi on the right. He was half Newfoundland/half Siberian Husky. Both were rescues from Pets and People Shelter.

This is the LOLCAT. The Only Named her Adidas. We call her Deeders. This is the One Cat Who Rules us all. We also call her Little Cat because she didn’t grow much from kittenhood. I heard her meowing for three days before I found her in the roots of a giant cedar tree at the corner of our house. Momma cat had left her to fend for herself. She moved in and has ruled three big dogs now.

And last but not least, we have the Doobie Dog(tm). This is Boone, the newest addition to menagerie. Boone is also a rescue from Pets and People. He’s not a year old yet, about 100 pounds and his head comes to my hip. He’s half Newf/half Golden Retriever.

We are now looking for a full-blood Newfoundland to adopt. If you hear of one… Have I mentioned that FAERIE FATE will release April 30, 2010? And in case you haven’t heard, the release date for Jen Lyon’s next Wing Slayer Hunter book, SOUL MAGIC, has been moved up! It will be available September 30th! I can’t wait!!!

So, tell me about your critters. Do they help you read and write?

The time has come, the Walrus said, to speak of many things: of shoes and ships, and sealing wax, of cabbages and kings. That is one of my favorite quotations from Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky. Actually, there is only one thing to speak of today. First, pictures of fuzzy children will be posted tomorrow. Todays announcement rather superseded that post.

DAH-da-da-DUM! Hear ye, hear ye! I have an announcement to make. After all the trials and tribulations, after all the joys, hair-ripping, four-letter words, margaritas, and the faith of the best group of writing buddies ever put in this world, the time has come. Mark your calendars. FAERIE FATE’S official release date is….

April 30th, 2010

I know, I know. A LOOOONG time away but hey! I have a date! Digital edition will cost $6.00 and the print edition will cost $12.99. So…once again, here is my beautiful cover designed by the most talented Rae Monet, and the cover blurb:

If you could go back, do it over again, would you take a chance to find true love? What if you had no choice?

On her fiftieth birthday, the faerie send Rebecca Miller a thousand years into the past to find her happily ever after with Ciaran MacDermot, Chief of Clann MacDermot, the last Fenian warrior in his line. In the twenty-first century, Becca is old enough to be Ciaran’s mother. In the tenth, she’s young enough to be his bride.

The fae forgot to mention one slight stipulation. The lovers must be bound before the Festival of Light, or Becca will forever disappear into Tir Nan Óg, the faerie Land of the Ever Young. Will they discover the binding words before time runs out and they’re torn apart forever? Or will their eternal love defeat their Faerie Fate?

Without the words, history is doomed to repeat itself.

FAERIE FATE, available April 30, 2010

from The Wild Rose Press

And in print from Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and other on-line book sellers!

Technology is an interesting creature. Yes. I’ve bitten the Apple (and hope to pick up my iPhone today), I’m tweeting and fbing, and even at this moment, I’m happily tuning out the world through my iPod earbuds. I could easily just flounder, flailing about, and spend all my time completely immersed in email and blog comments, in tweets and twags, and things that go ba-da-dump in the night.

Why is twitter such a draw? For me personally, it’s because I’m nosy. I’m a writer. It’s my job to be nosy. But while being nosy, I’m also staying “plugged in” as it were. I happened to look up the other night and realized that SB Sarah and Jill Shalvis were giving away digital ARCS of DOUBLE PLAY and INSTANT GRATIFICATION. It was a trivia question I knew the answer to and I won. I can’t wait to get my iPhone so I can start reading these books on it. Yesterday, I learned that the two agents at BookEnds are now tweeting and to celebrate, they’re doing a twitter pitch contest. They say TWEET, you have until they say stop to pitch, and they pick the best of that bunch. At the end of the week, they will pick one pitch from all the winners for a critique. Try pitching your book in 140 characters. It’s tough. Am I doing it? You betcha! Just as soon as they open it again. LOL. Of course, this means that I really should download tweetdeck to wrangle all my tweets. I think I’ll wait and put it on my iPhone. Maybe.

There is a point to my rambling today. Promise. As writers, there is so much competing for our time (and so much distracting us from writing), yet at the same time, there’s so much to be gained from being plugged in. Could I send a query to BookEnds the old-fashioned way? Yes. I could and probably will when I get to that point. But if I manage to get my name and work in front of them in a memorable way, I have to figure that’s a win. Right?

And as I write this (yesterday), I managed to get in on back-to-back twitches, as Kim and Jessica are calling the contest. Shadow Dance didn’t get picked. Am I disappointed? Yes. But with each exercise like this, I get better, more focused on the pitching process. I’m not good at. The thought of writing query letters sends me running for a brown paper bag (both for hyperventilating and nervous stomach) and/or margaritas.

So, my friends. The hunt continues! More pages of editing on tap today. Maybe a quick trip for iPhone goodness. Tweets. Comments. Ah, the writing life! Writers, can you pitch your WIP in 140 characters? Try it. Readers, want in on the fun? Try pitching the book you’re reading.