Ever wondered about the appeal of TRUE BLOOD? The comedic talent at bablegum strikes again with this positively splendid send up of the show. (PS -- The video they did about the terrorist attack cancelled due to a Stephanie Meyer’s appearance is just….WTFery at it’s best!)

And now that I have your attention, I give you reason to snuggle up…and dance. *ducks and runs*

Don’t forget to come visit me this afternoon between 4:00 and 5:00 EST. I’m hosting the LASR chat at their Yahoo Group (you can join and then unjoin--LOL). Marianne, Judy and Wendi are giving away lots of goodies like gift cards, books, LASR swag, and two Nooks. PLUS, I’ll be giving away a .pdf ARC of FAIRY TALES CAN COME TRUE and a special prize--the chance to help create and name a secondary character in FAERIE FOOL!

FYI, they are looking for reviewers--free books. Just sayin’…

Just a few reminders and updates today. The Long And Short Of It Third Anniversary party is winding down. There are three more days to get entered in the Nook giveaway. Did y’all go looking for the Nooks? Announcements of the winners will be made on Saturday and Sunday during the all-day chats at the LASR Yahoo Group here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LongAndShortRomanceReviews. Go sign up there if you want to participate. You can click on the blue button over under FRIENDS to get more info. There will be freebies given away both days. I’m hosting an hour of the chat on Sunday afternoon from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. EASTERN Daylight Time. Do the math to figure out what time in your zone. (My brain is fried! I’m lucky to remember that it’s 3-4 my time. LOL) I might just have some goodies to give away, too–including something special and just for the folks who drop by to chat. *bwahaha*

According to Marianne and Judy (the hostesses), last year’s chat was a TON of fun and utterly crazy. From Marianne: Judy and I popped in now and then to randomly award prizes (plus we’ll open the chat at 9 a.m. on Saturday and close it at 8 p.m. on Sunday — giving away lots of stuff the entire time) and we imagine this year will be even more fun and more crazy!

Have I mentioned that I have some FAERIE FIRE swag? Notebooks and pens and cool little desk thingies with post-its and paperclips. I’ll be giving them away in September. I also have cover cards for FIRE and FAIRY TALES CAN COME TRUE. If you get a digital download, email me your address and I’ll mail you an autographed cover card.

Ev, you need to pick a book so I can get this stuff in the mail to you!

Tomorrow, I’ll pick a random winner for the RWA swag package from the folks who have commented since the last contest.

Wow. I’m one of the listed authors on Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans site. Did I mention I’m participating in a panel? It’s titled: Now They Want Your Book…Is It Done? And the description:

Taking a Great Idea Into a Full Length Story, With Well-Rounded Characters and A Plotline That Makes Sense–Even In A Fantasy World. Is Your Book Really Finished Just Because You Typed The End. Is It A Full, Complete Story With All Of The Necessary Elements?

Do I have any clue what I am going to do or say? Not one! At least not yet. I’m checking to see who else is on the panel with me. It will be fun no matter what happens. Good thing I used to do improv, huh?

Okay. I think that’s all at the moment. What’s going on in your lives? Inquiring minds want to know…

Oh. Crap. Here I was madly typing away on FAERIE FOOL when I realized I had no blog for today. It’s Thursday. What’s special about Thursday? Nothing. Nothing at all. Monday is…well *Monday*. Tuesday is NOT Monday. Wednesday is all about HUMP Day and the downhill slide to the weekend. Friday is TGIF and then we have THE WEEKEND–Saturday and Sunday–a day to party and a day to recover before Monday starts all over again. So…what is Thursday? The day before Friday, the day after Hump Day. It’s a day to get work done so you don’t have to work so hard on Friday and can maybe start the weekend a little early.

So, I’m getting work done. On FOOL. Happy now? But I have a question for you. What happens when a guy who is VERY interested in a gal walks into a restaurant and sees her with another guy? Sees her obviously very intimate with another guy? How does he react?

You think I’m teasing, right? I’m not. This book is aggravating the tar out of me! It doesn’t want to flow from start to finish. It wants to jump-start and run in high gear, idle, then kick into low gear and go somewhere completely different and uphill. I’m going to end up with all these separate scenes spaced out between **** marks. In the end, I hope I find some semblance of order for them.

I can’t figure out why Rory and Delaney are fighting me so much. Rory wants his story told. Abhean is actually being rather quiet and just watching things play out, though he’s strumming his harp. Manannan Mac Lir is off seducing someone or other. I know I have two releases next month, plus a conference, but dang it, this story shouldn’t be this hard!

Oh, well. I’ve advocated going with one’s gut when it comes to telling the story. My gut says write these random scenes as they pop into my imagination. I’ll leave it the the faerie and Iffy to stitch together a coherent story when we’re done. With all these voices in my head, I sure hope I can write by committee. My CP complains that I’m an “organic writer” whatever the heck that means. I think I’m finding out. And not necessarily in a good way. Nope. No more negativity. This book will get written and it’s going to be a terrific story. Just sayin’!

Tomorrow I’ll announce the winner of the Samhain RWA swag package. Erika won the ARC of FAERIE FIRE from Iffy. Iphigenia is Iffy’s *real* name and Erika got it in one comment! Iffy says she and Erika are BFFs now and she’s going to Erika’s house to spend the weekend.

Oh, and remember those questions I asked? Best answer might just make it into the book!

Okay, whatever crud was going around the RWA Nationals kicked my butt. Big time. By the time I got home Thursday night, it had progressed from what I thought was sinuses and hay fever to upper respiratory infection and fever. I missed Leslie Parrish’s live blog talk on Saturday afternoon. That makes me very sad but I was flat in bed all day Friday and Saturday. The good news is that I’m on the mend. I actually made it to the grocery store today. Go me. LOL

So, who hasn’t read Leslie’s latest book, COLD SIGHT? I figure by now, if you’re a regular here and if you haven’t read it, you probably won’t. I know a few of you have trouble with the subject matter. The book is dark. REALLY dark. But I love Leslie’s dark side and this book rocks like damn and whoah! If I have any stragglers dropping by looking for the Nook from Long and Short of It’s Third Anniversary Party, and if you happen to like dark romantic suspense with a twist of paranormal, check out this book! And how about a prequel to the series? Check out the FREE READ HERE!

Ready for some fun? FAERIE FIRE comes out in just over a month. I think it’s time to start giving stuff away. (Not to mention that I have a bunch of swag and books from RWA Nationals!) So…Let’s have a contest this week. One lucky commenter between now and Friday will win a Samhain canvas tote bag, tee shirt (size 2X), water bottle, and a book. They’ll have their choice from a title list I’ll post later.

Oh, and Joe won the Mr. Summer semi-finals Saturday. He’ll be moving on to our final round. And he now has a recurring and regular role in TRUE BLOOD. w00t!

Iffy has a question…good guys or bad guys for FAERIE FIRE interviews this week?

I’m up, up, and away! Come see me at Chicks of Characterization’s THE WRITER’S LIFE blog. There’s a giveaway each day for one random commenter.

And don’t forget, starting August 1, you can join the 3rd Anniversary Party at Long and Short of It Reviews. There are lots of prizes donated by the participating authors plus the chance to win a Nook! Click on the banner for details!

These facts are important to know should you ever visit out this way. Just sayin’!

Armadillos sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.

There are 5,000 types of snakes on earth and 4,998 live in Oklahoma. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Oklahoma, plus a couple no one’s seen before.

If it grows, it sticks; if it crawls, it bites..

‘Twiced’ IS a word.

People actually grow and eat okra

‘Fixinto’ is one word.

There is no such thing as ‘lunch.’ There is only dinner and then supper.

Iced tea is appropriate for all meals and you start drinking it when you’re two. We do like a little tea with our sugar!

‘Backwards and forwards’ means I know everything about you!

Djeet is actually a phrase meaning… ‘Did you eat?’

You don’t have to wear a watch because it doesn’t matter what time it is. You work until you’re done or it’s too dark to see.

You don’t PUSH buttons, you MASH them.

You measure distance in hours. Like its 5 hours from Houston to Dallas ..

You’ll probably have to switch from ‘heat’ to ‘A/C’ in the same day.

Fix’ is a verb. Example: ‘I’m fixing to go to the store.’

You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked.

Yes, Friday night high school football games is serious football!

You carry jumper cables in your car . .. . for your OWN car.

There are only four spices: salt, pepper, Tabasco and Ketchup.

The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and sports.

100 degrees Fahrenheit is ‘a little warm.’

We have four seasons: Almost Summer (aka Tornado Season), Summer, still Summer and Christmas.

Going to Wal-mart is a favorite past time known as ‘goin’ to Wally-World.’

A cool snap (below 70 degrees) is good pinto-bean weather.

A carbonated soft drink isn’t a soda, cola or pop. . . . it’s a COKE, regardless of brand or flavor..Example: ‘What kind a coke you want?’ Your answer could be Dr Pepper, Big Red, Sunkist, Sprite, Pepsi, Mt. Dew & so forth.

Fried catfish is the other white meat.

We don’t need no stinking driver’s ed. if our mama says we can drive, we can drive.

If you understand these jokes please share them with your friends from Oklahoma (and those who just wish they were).

EVERYONE can’t be from Oklahoma . You might say it’s a gift from God!

What about y’all? What pertinent facts do we need to know if we come visit you? Oh, and the winner of Saturday’s mini-contest is: ERIKA! Erika, let me know which FAERIE FATE item you want and email me with your mailing address.

Janet? Guess what? You won December’s contest. Let me know which item you want–mug, notebook, or tote bag. You can take your pick, regardless of what you stated the first time. Don’t remember what they look like? Check out December’s contest page. January’s contest gets their choice of FAERIE FATE goodies. Same rules: Comment during the month, winner chosen by random number generator.

I received more revisions from Ms. Editor on New Year’s Eve. Between battling the flu (again, dammit!) and facing more edits, I was a bit bummed out. Best laid plans and all that. So…I’m trying to multi-task. I write 300-1000 words on FAERIE FOOL and then work on revisions until my head meets desk. Then I walk away and do something entirely unrelated, like read on my new Kindle, or worry about what the heck I’m going to wear on the cruise.

In the midst of everything else, I’m dealing with the National Reader’s Choice Awards for OKRWA. My email quadrupled when I agreed to take on the chairmanship. I haven’t worked in Excel in ages and it’s been tough sanding off the rust. Whining? Me? Darn tootin’!

Okay, people want to know about the cruise. We’re sailing on Celebrity Equinox. Click to get the details. I’ll be incommunicado for the duration. iPhone is staying on shore. I’ll have the laptop with me, but I doubt I log in for very long at all. I’ll try to leave some goodies here for ya’ll to enjoy while I’m gone. The optimum word there is “try.” LOL

I heard back from TOR. This is their really busy time of year and PROPHECY is still in the stacks. They hope to get back to me sometime this month. They can take their time. It’s okay. Really!

I’m not doing resolutions or anything else this year, knowing full well I won’t manage to keep any of them. I do have three writing-related items that positively, absolutely, have to get done, ASAP.

1. Finish revisions (hopefully the last!) on FAERIE FIRE.

2. Finish writing, edit, and submit FAERIE FOOL.

3. Finish revisions on SEASON OF THE WITCH. I WILL submit it on agent query before RWA Nationals, and at RWA Nationals!

So…what resolutions have you already broken?

I now have all my goodies lined up on my dining room table. In addition to the notebooks, I have tote bags and coffee mugs!

The tote bag is 14x14x3 and will hold a BUNCH of books! The mug is gorgeous and has my signature Step into the shadows on the back with the web address. I’m so excited. So, kicking off December’s contest, the winner gets their pick of one goodie: notebook, tote, or mug. Ya’ll know the drill. Simply comment and the handy-dandy random number picker will choose one from all the comments at the end of the month. In the meantime, which prize would you choose? As for me? I get to keep one of each! *bwahaha* Back to work now.

I know. I’m late today. I blame it on my NaNo hangover. As most of you know, I managed to crank out 50,120 words to “win” National Novel Writing Month. I’m blogging about it over on Happy Endings today. Drop by and say hi!

Dawn, you are the winner for November! Email me with your snail mail addy so I can get the signed copy of Merline Lovelace’s book in the mail to you! silverjames @ swbell.com. You know the drill about deleting the spaces. Love those spam bots. NOT!

Starting this month, I have some FAERIE FATE goodies to start giving away. I’ll be showcasing the items through this month. The winner gets to pick what they want. First up, this notebook. Great for jotting down thoughts, recipes, addresses, books to buy lists!

And my last announcement, today is the last day to enter the National Readers Choice Awards. Romance authors have until midnight tonight to get their entries in. If you know an author and love her books, poke her to remind her. We have entries from S. L. Day, Jennifer Lyon, Roxanne St. Claire, Leslie Parrish, Julie Leto, and Brenda Novak–to name just a few. I know there are some amazing books published in 2009. Authors can go HERE to enter. If you want to supply the link, its: http://www.okrwa.com/NRCA/nrca.htm

Have a great day! The Only has a doctor’s appointment and I’m trying to get caught up on all the things I let slide while writing. Catch you later!

Writing, writing, writing, rawhide!

I lied. I haven’t gotten around to our Halloween short story. Sorry. I had a seed of an idea but it sort of withered while I fought the flu. And then NaNo started. And SOUL MAGIC arrived in the mail. And…and…and…

So, instead, here’s some business to take care of. The winner of the ARC of FAERIE FATE is…LIZA! Liza, let me know if you want a CD or a .pdf attachment to read on your computer. I’ll be very interested in your thoughts about the book.

And the winner of the October Contest of a $10.00 gift certificate to the Pink Ribbon Store is BAN! Ban, I think I have your email. I’ll email you the GC. And that reminds me…I need to email you about the Etsy things, too!

Paula, I have NOT forgotten you! Promise. I have your goodies from September wrapped in bubble wrap waiting for me to find a box, type up your address, and get to the mail box. It’s on my list for this week.

November’s contest…is a surprise. I hope some goodies I’ve ordered arrive. If so, I’ll post about them later. If not…a gift card is always a good stand-by, right?

As for progress, I’m behind on word count. I have a couple of errands today, including a hair cut. Maybe you’ll get lucky and I’ll twit-pic it with my iPhone. (Yes, it shows up on Facebook for those of you who don’t twitter! ) In the meantime…writing, writing, writing!