As some of you may remember, I recently opened an Etsy store…

[shameless plug]

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*cough*

Erm… Yes. Anyway…

Naturally, I spend a bit of time over there, drooling over many wondrous and wonderful things. It was during one of these ah… periods of contemplation, that I discovered an amazing store…

Be warned that you are likely to spend a long time there, and as likely to come back repeatedly to admire the stock. Don’t blame me for the time suck, okay?

The store name is abitabite and below is an example of her stock. (more…)

The following is a non-specific but repeated conversation between authors and their adoring public (aka fangirls of both the crazy and not-so-crazy varieties):

Reader to writer: Oh, I love your work!

Writer to reader: Thank you so much, I’m glad to know that.

Reader to writer: Yes, I’ve read everything of yours—twice—and I’ve been waiting to find out what happens to/with character (fill in the blank)

Writer to reader: Thank you…

Reader to writer: You know, you should write faster, dammit, I want to know what happens in the next book of the series! Now!

Writer to reader: I am writing, as fast as I can!

Reader to writer: Oh no, you are not—look, the last book came out six months ago, where’s the next one????

Writer: …..

The thing is (more…)

In compliance with FTC guidelines, be aware that I bought this book.

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Atlantis Unmasked, by Alyssa Day

The latest entry in Ms Day’s Warriors of Poseidon series, Atlantis Unmasked follows Atlantean warrior Alexios and rebel fighter Grace—who just happens to be a descendant of Diana the Greek goddess. If that seems a bit confusing, it’s because this is one of those series where reading previous installments is pretty much required—between recurring characters and on going story arcs, a newcomer to this universe would scratch her head a number of times while reading this one.

In other words: beware for series spoilage, ye Warriors of Poseidon virgins out there!

(For those readers out there who don’t mind jumping in the middle, you crazy people you, I’ll add a brief primer to the universe after the blurb, as well as linking to my reviews of the previous titles at the end of this one.)

Humdrum back cover blurb ahoy: (more…)

When a man makes a point of telling you, “I am the most intelligent man/person you’ll ever meet,” he may or may not be right about his intelligence; but the fact that he felt compelled to point it out rather than simply being (show,  not tell) says volumes more about his character than his self-proclaimed brilliance.

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This observation may seem a tad sexist, but it’s based on the fact that in 44 years I’ve yet to hear a woman say this, while I’ve met my share of men who have.

This was a question that Bonnie Dee posed to me the other day, and my answer is…I’m not sure.

Bonnie wrote in an email to me:

… I realize m/m romances haven’t made strong inroads into brick and mortar stores, so the question might not apply there. I actually have no idea where they’re shelved in a regular bookstore. The question arose from my own website. I was redesigning my backlist library, which is separated by genre since I write in many different ones.

I realized I had the m/m books in a group of their own even though the titles could be classified under scifi/fantasy, contemporary and anthology (and soon some historicals). I started to consider whether I shouldn’t shelve them with their correct genre, but it doesn’t seem to make sense since some readers are specifically looking for same sex books. Why make it hard for them to locate them?

Anyway, that’s what brought to mind the whole issue of separation by shelving and what it says about the way we view certain groups, whether it be by race or sexual orientation. When is it all right to group separately as simply a sensible business move and when is it insensitive?

Certainly it would be easier for MM readers to find MM books if they were shelved separately, but isn’t that the same argument that people use in the shelving-by-colour debate? Doesn’t this otherise (made-up word alert!) gay and lesbian relationships, and how is segregating by sexual preference any different to segregating by colour?

I would love to ruminate longer on this, but quite frankly, I don’t have the time right now, so I’ll open the floor to you guys. What do you think? Does it genuinely make good business sense to shelve gay romance books separately?

Seven women skied their way from the coast of Antarctica to the geographical South Pole in 38 days. No guide, no strong man (or dogs) to carry or drag their supplies. Seven women.

Three of the seven where the first person from their country to reach the South Pole,  and two more were the first women from their country. Only the two Brits (one of whom was a last minute replacement for the Ghanaian woman who, sadly, contracted malaria shortly before the date set for the expedition) come from a country where women have accomplished such a feat repeatedly.

From their website:

Marking the 60th aniversary of the Commonwealth, the expedition aims to demonstrate the potential of greater intercultural understanding and exchange, while at the same time highlighting the achievements of women across the world.

So first and foremost: kudos to each and everyone of these women, for braving the gauntlet and succeeding so brilliantly in their mission.

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Now… the rant. (more…)

Shiloh Walker is offering to dedicate her next to book to a reader, in exchange for them donating to the Haiti Earthquake fund:

Okay, so I want to do something to help raise money for Haiti.

Here’s the thing… I try to do auctions thru ebay sometimes, but that’s not going to work this time… I’ve only got one ARC in the house and it’s already got an owner-just haven’t mailed it out.

ARCs are the best way to generate money on ebay and it will be months before I have another one.

So how about this instead…

I can dedicate a book to anybody I want.
And if you’ll help out Haiti, you can get a chance to have your name mentioned in the book’s dedication.

How?

Like this…donate a minimum of $5 to your online disaster relief charity of choice. Please note, this is for disaster relief… while I love the polar bear, the polar bear isn’t affected by the crisis in Haiti. If you’re not sure where to start, you can check out the charities listed at Charity Navigator:

Helping the Victims of the Haiti Earthquake

I love Charity Navigator-I like seeing how much money is actually going to the programs and stuff-the site is awesome for that.

Post HERE that you donated…all you gotta say is I DONATED! Or along those lines…*G* It helps stir up fun when people see who all is getting involved. But you also need to email me the info at contest4shiloh(at)gmail.com. A PDF of the receipt or a screen cap works (block out sensitive data) or you can XXX out the personal data and forward the email receipt to me, however you prefer. I don’t share emails and once the contest is over, I delete them. Please put Help out Haiti in the subject line.

Everybody who donates and follows the above guidelines will entered into a drawing and if your name is drawn, your name (first name only if you wish, first and last, first name, last initial-we’ll discuss that with the winner) will be mentioned in the dedication of Hunter’s Fall, and the winner will receive a signed copy when the book comes out. But since it’s going to be a while before Hunter’s Fall is out and I think the winner should get something a little bit sooner, I’ll also send the winner 2 signed copies of Broken-one of the winner, and one personalized for the friend of their choice, once I get my author copies.

Reader beware: In compliance with the FTC guidelines, be aware that I bought this book.

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Parallel Attraction, by Deirdre Knight

The first in the Midnight Warriors series, Parallel Attraction is also Ms Knight’s debut novel. And boy oh, boy, talk about starting out with a bang! This is very much a romance novel (and there is some sexxoring in it, if you are wondering), but it is also a science fiction story, in which the author takes a well-known twist and… well, twists it some more.

The world Ms Knight creates seems quite simple at first, but pretty soon into the story the reader realizes that there are layers of complexity there, many of which are hinted at almost carelessly—one phrase, one short passage—until their time to shine comes. Here’s the back cover blurb:

It has been years since exiled alien king Jared Bennett thought of anything other than his people’s fight for freedom. Now his rebel force has the one weapon that can turn the tide against their enemy: the key to the secrets of time. Victory has never been closer, but one woman has the power to change everything.

Kelsey Wells can’t deny that there is something unearthly about her fierce attraction to Jared Bennett. His revelations about alien wars and time travel can’t possibly be fact. Yet with every seductive touch, every searing kiss, Kelsey circles closer to the truth: Although Jared is exactly what he says, he hasn’t told her everything. And when the future crashes into the present, Kelsey must decide if Jared’s deception will cost them the love that should have been their destiny.

(more…)

It doesn’t have to be big. As incredible as it may seem, five dollars (less than a fast food meal) can and do make a difference.

It is also made easier by technology–from the Red Cross taking accept $10 donations, charged to your cellphone bill, by texting HAITI to 90999 to bloggers like the DailyBeast compiling lists of trustworthy non-governmental charities, to the ability to confirm any one charity’s bonafides by looking it up at the Charity Navigator’s Haiti page or The Foundation Center.

Five dollars, ten dollars–most of us can afford it, right? Let’s help out, just a bit.

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(thank you for the Discriminating Fangirl and to LifeHacker for links)

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Edited to add: or you can go check out what Shiloh Walker is doing to help.

(gotta love Zazzle)

I’m a geek.

Not one of those really well educated geeks, I admit, but a geek nonetheless.

And this geek is always fascinated by how science is catching up to fantasy (no wonder we call it science fiction now )

For example, when reading Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series, I had some issues with Hostage to Pleasure because it posits that DNA manipulation would have effect within one generation. I’m all, “no way in hell, dammit!” and feeling pulled out of the story because, well, not possible.

(Yes, I know—I have trouble accepting that but I’m happily overlooking little impossibles such as, say, shapeshifting. So I’m inconsistent, sue me )

Anyway, the whole DNA manipulation part of the storyline bothered me—it seemed a bit like a cop out, frankly—and then I see this cool little article and wham! “Objection overruled, counselor.”

These little critters are a) stealing DNA and passing it on to their offspring, and b) stealing cellular structures into their own cells and using them successfully.

Looking at this, I’m suddenly much happier about Ashaya Aleine’s work

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Random PS: Who is your favorite geeky chick? Personally, I’m torn between Abby from NCIS and the amazing Kaylee from Firefly.