Stuff and Nonsense

Hi guys! I am blogging in the last of the last ditch efforts to avoid the bookkeeping crap that needs to be done at the office, and the household repair crap that needs to be done at home. Besides, you want to hear from me. You know you do. (LOL)

Let's see.

First, Jim, your books are on the way, but I want to send you a replacement. Damon told me to write something "really cool" to you in the flyleaf, and for reasons known only to God my mind went totally literal and the only thing I could think of was "Ice Cubes." I swear! (Often and fluently). But it was the end of a long day, and I was in one of those surreal, frivolous moods. I meant it in fun, but decided afterward that it probably wasn't appropriate. So let me send you a replacement. It'll make me feel better. E-mail me with the address.

Shawn, YES indeedy. The sequel to Touch of Evil is currently in process on my D drive on the computer at home. Progress has been slow because of stuff at work and some health issues, but progress IS being made and I'm very excited about how much I'll be able to accomplish when I switch to writing full-time in about 9 days.

Due to circumstances beyond my control the fence situation is still being a pain in the patootie. At this point I'm so incredibly frustrated I can barely speak coherently. It feels like every time I start to make some progress around the house the gremlins follow me around -- not only undoing what I've done, but wrecking more things besides. UGH.

Lots of good things coming up. We're going to a conference in San Antonio next month and will get to meet up with Anna (which is seriously cool). We decided that I should go ahead and register for RT and go if my health permits. People keep telling me the process I need done isn't too big of a deal, so hopefully I'll be fine to go. Then there's Writer's Weekend, and Butcher Con (I absolutely love the Harry Dresden books!) and trying to go with James up to Denver for a bit... Oy, I'm getting tired just thinking of it all. But it's all good and happy stuff.

Oh, in case anyone is wondering, customer reviews on Touch of Evil are very mixed. It's dark. Heck, originally it started as a horror story. Very good v. evil. And the heroine is prickly and very, very strong. All of these things mean that people either love it or hate it. Reviews tend to be either 5 star or 1 star and nothing in between. Had a lot of people say "stick with the Sazi."

That honestly doesn't upset me. Books are very much like people. Different types appeal to different people. If you threw a party with all the characters from our books Cathy would be chatting guns with Tony and Carmine. I'd probably be in the corner joking with Raphael and Liselle (Linda's Mom -- the one who did the limbo) and sighing with regret over the fact that Kate and Tom ducked out early because of an early flight. The people who like one character or book may well not like another. It's OK. All we can do is write the best books we can and hope that each finds a home with at least a few folks who enjoy being along for the ride.

Well, gotta run. Like it or not the work will NOT do itself (darn it!) Hope everybody is having a great time. Yo, thanks for buying the book. Hope you enjoy it!!

Cie