Business as Unusual

Hi Guys! Thanks for stopping by and please keep posting comments.

I'm very slowly getting back up to strength and speed. Starting to be able to think creatively again. Staying up past 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. (Yeah, you read that right. When I've got symptoms I sleep. When it was bad a few years ago I wound up out for 18-20 hours and couldn't work. It isn't that bad any more [Thank God -- REALLY], but part of that is because I know the lead-in symptoms now and try to nip it in the bud.)

This is a VERY good thing. Aside from the obvious (I mean, who really wants to be sick, right?), I'm able to get back to doing more than just the day job. Since we just got offered a wonderful deal that involves me -- well -- um -- actually WRITING BOOKS this is a very good thing indeed.

I made a somewhat momentous decision (I think. But understand that I could always change my mind.) If I'm going to get everything I need to get done, done, and Cathy is going to get everything SHE needs to get done, done (which wouldn't happen if she was trying to cover for me because I'm not completely back up to speed), we are going to need some part-time help. So I contacted someone I know and trust, who was in search of a little bit of part-time work, and tentatively hired him on as my personal assistant. I told him on the phone the job description involved "shovelling all of the crap that keeps me from being able to actually write." In follow up e-mails (two, because Inkspot the Infamous decided he wanted to lay on the keyboard and send the first before I was done.) I explained in more detail.

I'm nervous as heck about this. It's a big commitment. But we've got good money coming up next year, and a little bit of it is coming for the on-pub payment for "Magic's Design" in January/February. Yes, there's LOTS of stuff I could spend it on, (and will, including going to RT for those of you who are interested.) but he's working for a VERY reasonable rate, and . . . well, I made the decision damn it, I need to let it go. I'll put a chunk of the money into a new bank account for payroll (enough for his estimated pay for the year and a couple of bonuses, which I can only do because he's being VERY reasonable) and that will be that.

Cathy and I are, indeed going to RT again. I've not been travelling much other than to try to move to Denver and for a family emergency. That has got to change. We need to get out there and actually SEE people. Besides, we're nominated for a couple of BIG awards, and I want to go and show my support. (I also hope we'll win. Keep your toes crossed, fingers are for typing.)

I'm a little bummed about a couple of personal things. First, I'm still in Texas. Texas is lovely country, but I am not cut out for small town living. But the economy does, indeed, sucketh pond scum covered rocks. I'm not giving up, but it's harder than I'd like.

Second, I've lost track of a number of friends. I've tried contacting them and they're not getting back to me. Which means they are probably truly lost. Always sad, that. But true friendship is a bond between two people where they BOTH want it. So there it is. And no, generally speaking, absence does not make the heart grow fonder (at least not if it goes on for very long at all). It tends to make the heart go find somebody to make it feel better. And life truly does go on. It was designed that way so that we could survive death of loved ones and other heartache. My life has gone on too --- which was why I neglected to stay in touch like I should.

Third, I've kind of lost myself. Okay, this is personal stuff, and maybe I shouldn't post it out here at all, but I don't think many people are reading this anyway, and I think at one point or another everybody's been here, or at least will be.

See, when you are in a new place and you obviously DON'T fit, you kind of hide the rough edges. It's the same sort of thing you do on a first date. Yeah, you're "you" but you're not the same "you" you usually are. Maybe you're language is a little better. You're certainly dressed a little better, or have your hair and/or make-up done in a more flattering (and time-consuming) manner. But after a while you start "letting your hair down" and being yourself. Only I haven't. Not really. And the times I've tried haven't gone all that well.

"You have a TATTOO?!!!" (expression of utter horror/disgust).
"Yeah, I got it for my 40th birthday." (which means it wasn't even a youthful indiscretion! Oh, the horror!)

Or the time I wore my leather biker jacket to walk the dog, and the little old man down the street nearly drove his truck into a tree.

Or the sweet, truly lovely and well-meaning, people who have come up to me to say that they are seriously concerned about the state of my soul because of the type of books I write.

Okay guys. It's been almost five years. I'm done. Toasty. Crispy critters done. I've made a few (emphasis on the FEW) friends, but even those I have to be careful around. For me, part of friendship is NOT having to always be so careful any more.

I wanna stop being on my first date. I wanna go home and be ME. ALL of me. I don't always want to be NICE and acceptable. I don't WANT to iron my jeans, and ALWAYS wear make-up. If I want to blast AC/DC "Highway to Hell" on my stereo I want to do it and NOT worry about somebody being mortally offended. I've lost track of big chunks of who I am and I want them back.

Cathy says I should just do it. Be who I am, and to hell with it. But there are consequences to that. And the point is that I want to be ACCEPTED for who I am. I want to RELAX, not have to be watching my back. Which I would. Carefully. Because I'm just a wee bit paranoid by nature.

So I hang on. But I'm REALLY hoping to move back to the city. Sooner is better.

NOTE TO THE WISE -- I just about deleted the rant part of this post. Sanitized it. Because, I don't want to offend anyone who might stop by.

But I'm not going to. Like I said. Crispy critters.

Hi Yolanda! (Waves vigorously)

HI YOLANDA!!

Thanks for popping by. I never hear from anybody any more. My own fault. I've not been online as much and kept in touch. Basically because of deadlines, depression and various other d words. BAAAAAD Cie! Bad girl!

I am back from visiting Denver. The news is, as usual mixed. The semi-bad news is, I turned down the job before it was even offered. It was a "career" not a job. The kind of career that routinely takes 12-14 hour days. If that career is your goal in life, you go for it, because it's a great opportunity. But my writing is my career. So I need a good, solid 8-hour a day job with benefits. With the commute it ends up being between 10-11. Which still gives me a little time to write. 12-14 with commute would be 13-16 hours. I'd be too pooped to even sit at the keyboard. So while the employer was lovely, I had to say no. Which was harder than it sounds because I WANT TO GO BACK TO DENVER!

The good news is that Tor made us a lovely contract offer. We are accepting it. And I need to get started. Deadlines loom, etc. The money is such that I am feeling actually fairly secure. A very good thing.

I would write more, but Inkspot the infamous is doing his "oooh, it clicks" thing about the keyboard along with the "PET me, you KNOW you love me, PURRRRRR." It makes typing . . . awkward. So I'll move on. Best always. Please stop by again, and leave comments. I get lonely.

:)

Trip to Denver

Hello!

I'm in the process of getting ready to go to Denver for a job interview. Yes, a DAY job. While I love the writing, and it is actually pretty well paying, the money comes in big lumps at odd intervals and there is NO insurance, NO retirement, NO security, and NO PERSONAL INPUT. This is bad, very bad.

So, I am trying to relocate back to Denver and to get a house (which I need to have the animals, and I'm not giving them up) I need verifiable steady employment, i.e., a job. And I have an interview. A good prospect even.

WOOT!

Wish me good luck.

Down in the dumps.

I'm down in the dumps. No real reason for it. Just am.

This weekend was cool. Saturday was my birthday. There are folks that don't celebrate getting older at my age. I'm not one of them. I had a very close call (actually, SOME very close calls) when I was young, so I actually CELEBRATE the fact that WHOO HOO! I MADE IT THROUGH ANOTHER YEAR!!! WOOT!!

In fact, I offended a few people last year when I said -- "Holy crap, I'm (INSERT AGE HERE). I may actually survive long enough to get old. I should probably think about retirement." The people I was talking to were very offended, because apparently you're not supposed to think that you might not get old. But, I looked at my track record and I mean, come ON:
1) Struck by lightning
2) Pneumonia multiple times (we're talking double digits folks);
3) Bronchitis literally more times than I can count;
4) Removal of one necrotic kidney;
5) Thyroid problems;
6) A pituitary adenoma;
7) A couple of car wrecks and close calls;
8) Bit by a black widow spider.

I mean, would YOU think I'd get old? Really? Boy are you the optimist. But apparently you're right. So WOOT!

SO, this year I got the big mailing from . . . AARP! ALL RIGHT!!

Now so many people I know would be going -- "Oh No, I'm OOOOOOOOOLD."

My first reaction?

HOT DAMN! COOL BEANS -- DO you think they have health insurance? Do I have to prequalify!

Okay, so now, oddly, I'm feeling better.

Keep rooting for me to get employment and make it back to Denver. I wanna go home.

Hello -- or is it Oh Hell?

Hello:

It's been a few days (maybe a couple weeks. I haven't looked). Life has been . . . interesting. I'm sure it's going to be wonderful, eventually, but right now it's a bit of a slog.

In the good news front, saw the cover of the new Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. It's beautiful! And it's got a lot of the biggest names in Paranormal Romance writing short stories in it. Which, of course, makes me nervous as hell that mine won't stack up. Ugh. Really ugh. Oh crap ugh. I mean, **I** like it, but well, um . . . crap.

The other day on my lunch hour a puppy (who should have been in a fence or on a lead, one of my big worries in this town since hardly anybody seems to bother and most of the dogs run loose) dashed under my moving truck. I hit him/her -- hard. I love animals (more than most people, which I probably shouldn't say, but there you go). She wasn't killed, but it wasn't good. She was rushed to the vet and had a broken front and back leg, one of which was going to require surgery and bolts. Because our vet was out of town, they had to take her to a vet in the larger city.

I felt and feel like CRAP. It wasn't my fault. But tell that to the pup. And the owners. And me a few more times. I mean I KNOW it wasn't my fault. But again, I feel like CRAP.

Another joyous event was a PHOTO SHOOT.

Okay, for those of you who look terrific, this doesn't sound so bad. For those of us who really REALLY don't look the way we'd like, (which actually is probably most people come to think of it) it's awful. Don is a great photographer. Don't get me wrong. But he can't change my weight, or my height or my "thyroid face and neck" (I have that lovely moonface and swollen neck thing going -- on top of the weight that we don't really want to discuss) or the fact that the camera is . . . well . . . accurate, damn it.

But we needed publicity shots of Cathy and I individually and together as a writing team. SOOOOOOO the morning was spent in front of the camera. The shots are as good as it gets for me in front of the camera. But it was not happytime. I am glad the results are good. And I am very, VERY glad it is over.

Also, I am a dinosaur. I accept this. Everyone who knows me accepts this. It is fine. BUT I had a mishap. Since I don't use a phone much, I only use a cell phone. Since I don't use the cell phone much, I use a Tracfone. One of those lovely buy your minutes and just use what you buy phones. I really like it too. Okay. I had a phone that was just that. A phone. Period. End of story. We even got it loaded for double minutes for the life of the phone and (WOOT) 800 minutes, which would last me a WHILE barring familial disasters (which eat telephone time). SO, I'm doing great. I have the minutes for all of WHOOO HOO, three whole days when I . . . wait for it . . . LOSE THE FRICKING PHONE.

Gone. Absolutely gone. Can't find it to save my life. Suspect some kid or teenybopper is now using it to call Taiwan or text their long lost boyfriend. (Or just threw it out in disgust because it's JUST a phone. [OHMIGAWD AN ANTIQUE!!!]) Whatever.

SO, I go to replace my phone and THEY DON'T EVEN MAKE THAT KIND ANY MORE. Nope. So, I get a phone that is a phone, a camera, can get me on the internet, and in all likelihood (assuming I could find the right button) tap dance and/or do the Macarena (which of course nobody does any more, but BY GOD my phone probably can). And the nice people at Tracfone replace the minutes, give me double minutes (came with the phone this time), and I get to keep my old phone number. BUT I have no idea how to use it. I mean, I'm learning. I'm literate. I can read directions. But JEEZ I keep hitting the @*#($& button that is supposed to link me to the internet (and going "NOOOOOOOOOOO stop it. I just want to make a CALL.")

I will learn. I have actually even successfully taken 1 picture. But this is not a good time for me.

SO, for those of you who know me. If you call and I do not answer, or you get cut off. Relax. I still like/love (depending and you know which category you fall into) you. It's just the freaking phone.

Cie

Hello Again.

See, I really AM starting to come here regularly. Honest.

Let's see. Today was a much better day. In part because I spent most of it asleep. (OOPS). Seriously, I'm on a new prescription, and it's making me very tired. I'm HOPING I'll get used to it in a few days.

Sent off the bags to the Vampire Lestat Ball charity auction. The proceeds are going to Habitat for Humanity for New Orleans.

Inkspot the infamous has joined me yet again. He is fascinated with the keyboard. Lots of edges to rub against AND it makes clicky noises. OOOOOOOOOh.

Lucky the Wonder Dog is gnawing on a bone at my feet. Ink is the only one of the cats who'll come in and play with her when I'm here, but I have caught the others sneaking in when they think I don't know.

I need to get back to my writing, but I honestly haven't felt well enough for a while. I'm getting better, so I think I'm going to give it a try tonight and tomorrow.

I'm hopeful again on the moving front. A miracle would be nice that got me there tomorrow, but I don't see it in the cards. Soon, I hope. Soon. This is my mantra.

Work has been quiet this week. The boss and his wife went on vacation. The rest of us got down to business and kept busy on old stuff, the kind of stuff you don't get to with the interruptions of new work coming in. [PARAGRAPH EDITED OUT]

I probably shouldn't post that in public. So I won't.

Well, I need to get food, and get to my writing. Wish me luck.


Cie

Stuff

Okay, this is a bummer blog, so if you don't want to be bummed, you probably should skip it.

Oh hell. I don't particularly want to be bummed either.

I think I'll just shut up and go to bed.

Maybe tomorrow will be better.


Cie

Updates

Okay, this is another quickie.

I've been applying like crazy for day jobs in Denver and it looks like MAAAAAYBE things are starting to come together. WOO HOO!!

Got the birthday package sent to my mum. She was a Halloween baby. I am periodically a Thanksgiving baby. (Since the holiday floats a bit, I'm not ALWAYS on the holiday, but frequently enough for it to count in my book.) The man I was absolutely nuts about in high school (and beyond for quite a while -- but I blew it badly enough that it's painful to even think about it) was a Christmas baby. The problem with that was, he wound up with "combined" presents and not having his day be special. Ouch!

Got another package sent off to my son. In it was Dublin Dr. Pepper (the special kind made with real cane sugar rather than the corn syrup. You can really taste the difference! But they only ship it out of Texas if you order online. It's available locally here. So I send him some periodically.) and a bunch of DVDs. I buy used from the video rental store. Does this make me a cheapskate? Probably. But I've never been burned that way, and the savings is significant.

Yeah, I guess I AM a cheapskate. So be it. I guess I spent too many years being broke to not watch it. Things are better now, but I still have times when I've overextended myself -- like right after I had to make a big payment to the IRS (with another one due VERY shortly UGH).

BUT I do not begrudge the IRS their money. Yes, I think they are unfair to the self-employed, but I LIKE having public roads, and bridges, and clean water, and Social Security and Medicaid available to those who need it. So I'm willing to pay for them.

UGH. Inkspot the infamous is making his presence known on the keyboard again.

I'd better go, or I'll wind up grumpy.

Toodles.

Getting Things Done

Okay, I'm going to try to post again. Wish me luck. Inkspot the infamous (my black kitty with extra toes) has decided that it's fun to lay on the keyboard when mom's typing. Oy!

Yesterday was BUSY. I'm pooped. But we did good work.

First, megacudos to Joan who got me information quickly so that I could send promo materials to Mile Hi Con in Denver in time for them to make it to the goodie table. LOOK FOR IT! And go to the con. It's a blast. In fact, I'm hoping to sneak in as a civilian, if I can figure out a way to manage the trip, not miss too much work, and have the critters taken care of. We'll see. I want to go SOOOO badly. And I need to get up to Denver anyway for a couple of interviews and to look at a house I've been talking to a real estate agent about. Keep your toes crossed. (Fingers are for typing---assuming the cat lets me.) Besides, I want to meet up with Jim and Shannon Butcher and a bunch of friends who are going to the con. AND I want to see my son.

ANYWAY -- we got all of the stuff done for the bags for the Vampire Lestat Ball in New Orleans. They will be mailed tomorrow after I get Cathy's signature on the books in the bags.

AND we saw the new covers on the new books -- They look great! :)

AND we sent off said promo materials to Mile Hi Con from San Angelo (because they wouldn't arrive on time from the small town I live in . . . don't get me started.);

AND we had a signing at the Waldenbooks in the Sunset Mall in San Angelo. (If you ever want signed copies, call them and see if you can work out getting them by mail. Not that I'm trying to sell books or anything. No, not me. That would be someone else, maybe my evil twin? LOL).

AND I bought props for the photo shoot for the other website I'm building for the mystery, speculative fiction I'm writing under a different pen name.

MORE TOO, too much more for me to even coherently discuss. I was so exhausted after all of it that I slept 4 more hours than I usually do! OY

Today I finished putting together the bags for Lestat (You should go, it sounds like it'll be a blast -- and Susie is wonderful. I can't, because I'm in the throes of the move/non-move stuff. But still.) I organized my 2008 tax receipts, I am looking into MySace Advertising, and trying to deal with the website stuff (Caliban, Caliban, wherefore art thou Caliban -- our website designer, who I'm actually quite worried about).

I'm also going to go onto some of the old websites and forums I used to visit. I'd fallen off of the map because of: time constraints, illness, tech problems, and depression.

ANYWAY, wish me luck getting all of that done. Oh, and the laundry, AND the housework, AND, you know, WRITING. ARGH.

Gotta go.

Cie

STUFF/WRITING/MORE STUFF

Greetings and salutations:

Let's see.

May have a job in Denver. May have a house in Denver. Not the house of my dreams, but a fixer upper that I can afford as I transition into my new life. SO, good things coming soon to a writer near you.

I don't have a lot of time so I'll have to make this fast.

First -- We have the new name coming out and are introducing it to the world.
Second -- We're looking into advertising on MySpace. I'll let you know how that works out.
Third -- We're donating baskets to the Ann Rice Vampire Lestat Ball (Still can't go. UGH).
Fourth -- Sending stuff to Mile Hi Con in Denver next week. I may go as a civilian, depending on my schedule. I need to go up to Denver anyway to look at said house and interview for said job. We shall see.
Fifth - the re-issue of the first four books with the SERIOUSLY COOL new covers is out. My nephew says that they were in the Kroger where he works, which means that THEY ARE IN THE SECONDARY MARKETS -- WOOT!
Sixth -- Contract negotiations are proceeding apace. Will keep you advised, but I'm excited.
Seventh -- First book of new series is going well. I'm very excited. The heroine thought she was full human, but when she got attacked by a vampire she wound up with her siren heritage coming to the fore. Now she has to deal with the results of the attack, the people who set her up, and. . . oh yeah, learn how to deal with her new powers. LOTSA fun. Particularly since she is SOOOO sarcastic in my head. I LIKE sarcastic people.

Crap, gotta run. Time's up. And I actually had more to say. UGH!

Cie

NEWS

Hi!

Well, I'm actually back within a week. Don't all keel over from the shock now.

Anyway, the asthma is still a pain, but I'm getting better . . . SLOWLY.

I'm still in Texas, but I think it's going to work out . . . SLOWLY.

Our website guru has had his life implode and has vanished. I am concerned about him personally, and frustrated professionally. But there you go.

Cathy is busy on the edits to the next Tony book. WOOT. I got the paranormal romance short story out for the Mammoth Book anthology (European). I like it. It came in a little bit under word count, but I was actually fairly happy with it. Funny, I had intended just to re-do a short story that I'd done up years ago, but I couldn't find it on the computer. So I thought, "well, I'll just do a quick re-write." Hah! Wound up with a completely different story altogether. But there you go. If I ever DO find the original version, I can re-use it with different names.

I'm in the process of writing a "nice little murder" mystery for my mom. I promised. And I'm trying to deliver. We'll see if I can get it published. I actually got my tax information off to my accountant (GASP/SHUDDER) ON TIME. This is a big thing folks. A BIG thing. Not only did I get that done, I ACTUALLY ORGANIZED ALL OF THE INFORMATION AND RECEIPTS FOR THIS YEAR TO DATE. In file folders. Named. Ordered alphabetically and everything.

I had disconnected the internet thinking I was moving. Since I haven't actually moved, I'm reconnecting it next week. I need it for job hunting, research and the like. It will also allow me to do little things like, oh, I dunno, BLOG, on a more regular basis.

We haven't heard back from the editor on the proposals. We are out of contract at this point. I'm hopeful, but would like to know what to be working on soon. I don't want to end up in a huge time crunch. At any rate, good things are happening. Maybe we'll hear next week.

Gotta run.

Later.

Cie

THEY'RE OUT

WOOT WHOO HOO!!!

The re-issue of the first four Sazi books with the new covers are out. They look GREAT! YOWZA. Cathy picked me up a set yesterday. I didn't get to see them myself because I'm still trying to rest and get well. Stupid bronchitis.

UGH.

Oh, and the Cubs folded. Again. Ah well, there's always next year.

Cie

Still Down for the Count

Ugh. Still fighting the bronchitis. Mostly gone thanks to heavy duty prescriptions, but the asthma aftermath KEEPS hanging on, as does the exhaustion. So, while I have a list of things to do that is several miles long, I am, in fact, resting. Yes, ME resting. I'm a little surprised myself. But I know that if I don't take care of this and RIGHT NOW, I will be fighting it for weeks upon weeks.

So, a couple of lines in the blog. A quick check of e-mails, then down again for the count.

Oh, and if you hear of any spectacularly good jobs with benefits in Denver, let me know. :)

LEVY TOUR/MEIJER STORES

WOOO HOOO!!!

The tour was a tremendous success. I met the most amazing people! So much fun---and such hard work! I am so incredibly impressed by the efficiency the Levy staff showed in "herding cats", i.e., keeping 27(!!!) authors on time and on task. WHEW!

The staff at all of the Meijer stores were wonderful. The set up was great, and the staff made sure that we had drinks (and in some cases snacks and home made cookies) available.

It was a whirlwhind tour over very few days with a lot of stops, but somehow or another they managed to pack in enough amazing food to pack back on some of the poundage I'd managed to shed pre-tour. But WHAT A WAY TO GO!

I'll try to write a longer post later, but I can't now. I'm still recovering because on the last day I caught the crud, which, as usual, dropped immediately into bronchitis. UGH! Still, I got the short story off to the editor and am now caught up on my deadlines (for about ten minutes). I'd celebrate, but most of what I'd celebrate with would either be fattening, or won't mix with the meds the doctor has me on. Ah well! Raise a glass in toast to good friends, good food, and a well-run, successful enterprise.

Utter Exhaustion

Just finished the Levy tour in Detroit. Detroit readers ROCK!

Oy, I am totally exhausted, and can't sleep. Just sent out a mass e-mail to the participants. I have to say, it was a seriously cool group of people, and props to the organizers for being such incredibly adept cat herders.

I'm on deadline for a short story, so I have to get to it. Besides, I'm on a laptop that seems to be possessed. (Bad news. You should see Cathy's short story on a similar vein.) ANYWAY, I'll be back, and sooner rather than later. I've made a vow to be better about my web social skills.

Cie

BIG DOINGS

Hi Guys!

I don't know if anyone still comes here. It would serve me right if you didn't. But there you go. I've had a lot going on.

First, good news. The website is SOOOOOOO close to done and I love it. We're hoping to get it posted before we go on the tour.

We have a new pen name -- we're thinking it's for the paranormal romances. Apparently it was an issue with the stores having two names (where do we shelve it?), SO, allow me to introduce ---(INSERT DRUM ROLL)-

CAT ADAMS

Next -- The tour is happening. We are going. Friday, Septem ber 19 we will be in Kalamazoo Michigan from 10:30-11:30; Grand Rapids from 3:00-4:00, and 5:00-6:30 (different Meijer stores); Saturday September 20 we will be in Lansing from 10:30-12:00; Ann Arbor from 3:00-4:30; and Canton from 5:15-6:45; Sunday, September 21 we will be in Rochester Hills from 10:00-11:30, Royal Oak from 12:15-1:45, and Monroe from 3:30-5:00. WHEW!!

Next au deux -- We will be having a re-issue of the first four books with new covers (seriously cool) and a special price coming up soon (I THINK October, but don't hold me to it.)

We have the ARCs of Magic's Design (the stand-alone novel), and they are gorgeous.

Cathy has turned in the draft of the upcoming Tony Giodone book.

We are working on the edits and proposal of the first book in the new series we are proposing. It's urban fantasy. I love it. Let's hope the publisher agrees! It should be going in later this week.

I have a deadline for a short story paranormal romance that I'm cranking on. I've actually got two of them. When they're finished I'll let the editor choose which she wants. Need to get it done before the tour so I'm pumping on it.

There's more, including my continuing attempts to make it to Denver. But that is a saga and best left to another post.

Toodles.

Cie

Trying to Be Patient

Okay, patience isn't my thing. At all. Not even a little. BUT apparently it's time for me to learn some. Because I'm STILL in Texas, even though I've been trying (rather desperately) to relocate to Denver. VERY frustrating.

The website is still with the designers and is running WAY behind. Again, patience needed. Unfortunately the tour is coming up VERY rapidly and we want the site up and running without glitches AND my tickets are out of DIA. ARGH!!!!

Touch of Darkness has been out a while and it didn't make as much of a splash as I would've liked. I'm very proud of the book. The second and third books in this trilogy are so much stronger than the first one. The first one started out as a novella, and I've never been completely happy with the way it expanded. Don't get me wrong, I think it's still a good book, but it doesn't hang together as well as the other two. But it sold the best. UGH. Go figure. ANYWAY, I'm proud of all of them, but I definitely like Touch of Madness and Touch of Darkness best.

We're running up against the deadline on the latest Tony Giodone book. It's very good. (Yes, I'm actually going to toot our own horn, so there). Also, we're getting ready to launch a new "joint" name for the books Cathy and I write together. It's one of the things we want to publicize hard on the website.

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance is doing well. We have a short story in it. I'm in the middle of writing the short story for the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. Deadline is coming up rapidly. I'm actually BEHIND (ARGH!) on the proposal for the new Celia Graves series. The first draft of the first book is actually drafted, but I'm polishing pages to go with the proposal, and I HATE writing proposals. I'm much, much better at writing the actual friggin' book. UGH!! I HAVE to get this done and gone before I get the call and scurry out of Texas. Which means NOW.

Health hasn't been great. I don't want to talk too much about it. No single thing that is terrible, but there are a lot of little things that are adding up. Also, the stress isn't helping. I need to be more Zen. . . Yeah, RIGHT!

And then, of course, there are the individual projects, that all went on the back burner but are still knocking around in my head.

Wish me luck getting this all done. I'm getting exhausted just looking at it, and that doesn't even include "real" life like working the day job, packing, taking care of the animals. . . Have I mentioned I'm tired.

ANYWAY, I've got to scoot. I'm sorry I'm not here more. I will try to do better. I just can't make any promises.


Cie

Relocating

OK things are moving apace. A FAST pace. The past six months have gone by in a blur.

Wonderful things are about to happen in regard to the writing career. I'm excited about that. I'm also excited because I'm on my way up to Denver to visit the kiddo and house and job hunt. Although I'm hoping the job thing may be on an inside track. I hope. Maybe.

ANYWAY. I've got to get to work. I'm putting in extra hours so that I won't be quite so far behind when I get back. Because then I have book deadlines and the move.

OH, BTW -- Touch of Darkness -- the last Thrall/Kate Reilly book is due to hit the stands at the end of this month. It's the most romantic of that series, but it still kicks butt -- even if I do say so myself.

Gotta go.

Cie

STUFF

First, happy holiday.

Second. UGH! I'm POOPED. Good pooped, but pooped nonetheless. I cleaned the limbs out of the back yard (a friend stopped by with a chain saw to cut up the major portion of my neighbor's dead tree that blew down into my yard -- THE DAY AFTER I'D CLEANED OUT ALL MY DEAD BRANCHES DARN IT! ANYWAY, thank you DON!!!). I went to drop things off at the dump. It's closed. RATS. I mean, yes, I knew it was closed yesterday for the holiday. But today too? RATS.

ANYWAY, moving right along.

I'm getting ready to relocate. I'm trying to get the writing wrapped up before I do, because moving will mess with my mind and my schedule. I have nine million things to do and I'm SO far behind. UGH!

Good news -- there was a kitten that was born under the building next to where I work. The mother either got captured or died. The rest of the litter didn't make it for various reasons. But I managed to get this one eating (he was a little young not to be nursing) and we managed to catch him, and I found him a good home. YIPPEE. Yowsa but he's tiny and a little scrawny. But FEISTY! Anyway, I've checked back with his new family and he's doing fine. Happy, affectionate, and gaining weight. BIG HAPPY.

Lucky the Wonder Dog is on a diet and exercise plan. She is not amused. I don't blame her.

Still haven't figured out where the stray cat from the front porch dropped her kittens. (I was hoping to find them and get her, and them, a good home. She wants to be mine, but I'm rather over-catted. I want what's best for everybody, and my adopting another wouldn't be it.

Books are going well. Slowly, but well.

Work is going well. Not slowly at all, but well. I'm kind of in a panic because I'm running out of time if I relocate as soon as I want to.

ANYWAY, everybody keep me in your prayers, whatever your religion. (I'm a Catholic Christian myself). I can use all the help I can get.

Best always.

Cie

Status Check

Okay, status check:

1) The website.

I ended up not having the kind of time, and additional tech skills were needed. These are things that can be learned, IF you have the time. I didn't/don't. So we hired someone wonderful who is a friend to update it. At which point he immediately had an accident and broke his arm badly. He will be fine, but delays have ensued. It WILL be updated. It will be BEAUTIFUL. But it will be another month or so. SORRY.

2) Books.

Cathy is slaving away on the next Sazi book. It features Tony. SO, for those of you who have been waiting, IT'S COMING. BUT, the publishing process takes time. So it's going to be a few months. SORRY.

Now, the stand-alone novel, Magic's Design is coming out in February. It got moved around a bit because of changes to the cover. Good news, it's going to look great. But it'll be coming out in February. If I could remember how to post pictures I'd post pictures of all the great covers.

ALL the great covers, you ask? WELL, we're having a SPECIAL RUN of the first four Sazi novels too, with brand new covers that look SWEEEEEEEET. If you can say sweet about moody urban fantasy kinds of covers. Anyway, I like 'em, LOTS. AND they'll be at a special sale price, and out together so you can get 'em all. Not sure on the date yet, but this is a huge happy thing.

TOUCH OF DARKNESS COMES OUT AT THE END OF NEXT MONTH! So, for those of you into Kate Reilly and the Thrall, the last book in the series is almost here. Now is the time to re-read the first two to get ready.

MORE TO COME, we're in negotiations as to what the next books will be. I'll keep you advised.

GOTTA RUN.

Bestest.

Cie

Hello Again

Okay, I'm back -- briefly. Miles to go before I sleep and all that hoo ha.

Let's see... when last we left our intrepid heroine...

Well, I don't remember, which says it's been too long. So I'll just ramble.

Contract negotiations are going well and continuing apace. The Levy tour is on and exciting. We've got some good news for the Sazi fans, but I'm not sure I'm allowed to release it yet. We had an e-book giveaway of Touch of Evil. Yup GIVEAWAY, through the Tor site. Hopefully you will all go (or have gone) to get your copies. I have editing to do before I give a draft to Cathy. She's in the throes of writing the next TONY GIODONE SAZI BOOK (for those of you who have been waiting ... and waiting, it's all in caps). Touch of Darkness, the conclusion to the three-book Thrall/Kate Reilly series comes out at the end of next month.

I am still looking at relocating to Denver, probably at the end of July or beginning of August. I am wrestling with long-distance job hunting which is nerve wracking. I want to do the long-distance house hunting thing, and even think I've found the perfect place (although it costs more than I'd like, of course), BUT I need the job thing straightened out first.

Things come in threes, according to some. Well, I had my three:

First, a major storm went over our town, with a tornado passing us by (YAY!), but MAJOR hail. Since I was out for a walk (I love walking in the rain. Walking in the hail? Not so much.) I wound up having to take shelter in a stranger's garage because we're talking MAJOR hail, as in totalled my roof, did major car damage, bring in the disaster adjusters kind of hail.

THEN I stayed late at work chatting with my boss (who is a seriously cool individual), we're talking away when WHAM my poor little Toyota Truck (a/k/a "Baby") gets CREAMED by one of those big o'le Texas 4x4 monstrosities that was Tweety-bird Yellow. Fortunately he was honest and stopped, and had insurance, BUT he hit her hard enough to: Bend the bumper under the bed, damage the tailgate, take out the tail light, tent the rear quarter panel a little bit over the tire, send the rubber cover from the bumper two doors down, ram the truck bed into the back of the cab denting the cab and peeling the paint off on the driver's side, drive the whole thing up onto the curb (which means we're checking the welds, the frame, and the transmission). Anyway the damage is severe, and I've been wrestling with his insurance company (who shall remain nameless to protect the guilty) who are still dinking with this when the accident happened on May 20th! Ugh. Eventually I'll know if they'll repair her or call her totalled.

LASTLY we had a wind storm. I was tying Lucky the Wonder Dog out in the back yard underneath the trees when a huge gust sent a bunch of yard detritus flying into my face. I wound up with stuff embedded in my right eye. My good eye. You know, the one I SEE with. I wound up having to rush to the optometrist (Thank you Dr. Lane) and get it pulled out, and get an Rx for antibiotics. I have been cranky, and light sensitive and it sucketh mold covered pond rocks.

But that's three. And hopefully IT for the time being. Keep me in your thoughts and prayers about the job/move stuff. It's exciting, but SCARY.

WOW, It's been a while!

Okay, I just looked at the date I was last here and (BLUSH) WOW, it's been a while.

I've been. . . busy, cranky, depressed, frustrated and seriously hard to get along with. These are not the kinds of things you want to publicize to the world. So I've crawled into myself for a while. I am starting to get back on track.

Let's see. Progressing toward a move to Denver at the end of summer. (WHOOO HOO!!!)
Working to get my finances straightened out. (UGH!)
Having fun with the animals. (Always)
James is doing well. (Thank God, and I'm proud of you kiddo.)

Had a bad case of writer's block. It well and truly does suck. Basically, I'm more sensitive than I should be. I know this. It is why Cathy, (bless her), sent out all of my stuff at first---because rejection letters just killed me, and blocked my ability to write.

Well, I did a first draft of a book. And like all of my first drafts, it was crap. (Until I do a second pass, it's not a book, trust me), and I let criticism get to me in a big way. I know better. But I couldn't help it. But I'm finally to the point I can sit down at the computer and not just play computer games. SO, I'm fixing the draft now. And this weekend I'm doing the rewrite of a short story that is (ARGH!!!) due.

Oh, I'm starting a new fitness program too, because my health hasn't been great.

So that's it for now.

WOW, exciting. Breathtaking even. NOT!!!

Later.

Cie

BELIEFS

I sent the following e-mail, and I suppose it's asking for trouble. People could edit it so that it says things I DIDN'T. But here, for the record, is what I sent.
***********************************************

Okay. I've been hearing the news, and seeing e-mails, and something has been bothering me. So I'm going to start something. It's a small thing, and maybe it's pointless. But I want to do it.

Here's what I'm doing. You can work with me on this. Or you can just hit delete. I won't know. It won't matter. Bad things won't happen. But if you're willing, I'd like you to read the following. If you agree with something, put an * behind it. If you have things you want to add, add them with your name in front. And maybe forward it on.

C. Adams

I am an American. And I believe:

In the Constitution (Including the Amendments) and the Bill of Rights. ALL of them. Up to and including Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms; even when it's not convenient.

That you don't fight evil with evil. If you try, you've already lost.

I believe that the government is supposed to be "By the People and For the People." Since most of the people I know have to work 50 weeks with 2 weeks of vacation (with the weekend and occasional holiday off), I don't see any reason why Congress can't do the same.

I believe that the life of every single one of our servicemen and women is precious. But I also believe that there are values in life important enough to live for, and important enough to die for.

I believe that you cannot change a person's mind by force and domination.

I believe we've got to take a hard look at what policies have and haven't worked in the past fifty years and make changes where needed. Forget the rhetoric. If it isn't working, no matter how good it sounds, it ISN'T WORKING.

I believe we need LEADERS the kind of people who can truly inspire us to be the best we can be, not merely settle for what is easy or convenient. We, as a nation have pulled together in the past to do amazing, breathtaking things behind men and women we truly believed in. We can do it again, but we need people to believe in.

Conversely, I believe that we MUST look past the rhetoric and not just follow blindly. Hitler was a terrific orator and people followed him. Which is just terrifying when you think about it.

I believe it is a sad state of affairs that you can't get elected to high (or even most lower) office without a boatload of money and that appearances seem to be mattering more than substance. (Did I actually read about a candidate's HAIRSTYLE? Tell me I didn't. Please.)

I believe that I'm entitled to my beliefs AND SO ARE YOU, even if they aren't the same.

I believe that education is critical to success, and that inspiration and leadership are key to making people of all ages WANT to learn. Without the desire to learn, there IS no education, there is public babysitting.

I believe in hard work. For everybody. If you aren't willing to work for it, you apparently don't want it badly enough.

I also believe in charity. But you'd damned well better need it if you're drawing it.

I believe in healthcare for everybody. I'm not a genius, I don't know how we can do it, but I believe we should at least try.

I believe in the Statue of Liberty. Yes, our immigration system needs an overhaul, but it still says a lot that people WANT to come here.

I believe that we have a real problem with the tax system. And the deficit. And that they're connected. I mean, if I didn't put money in my checking and I wrote checks, the bank really would get pissed. Jail would be imminent. The economy is not just numbers. It's people's lives and livelihoods. It's irresponsible to think otherwise.

I believe this is still a great country. I believe in our legal system, despite its flaws. I believe that everyone is entitled to that legal system -- and I do not believe any threat of terrorism is great enough for us to forego our basic rights or to waive our responsibility to be the country of liberty AND JUSTICE FOR ALL that we have pledged to be.

I think it is sad and a sorry state of affairs that so many people think so little of the candidates, and have so little faith in the future of our country that they will probably not vote.

I think it is sad and a sorry state of affairs that I ever had to hear the words "dangling chad" and face the implications thereof.

I'm sure this has bored you. Maybe you haven't even gotten this far. But I believe in this country, and in the power of the people. And I hope you do to, and that you will forward it on.

On Writing

Okay guys, I keep having to apologize for not blogging. But here's the truth of the matter.

1) I don't have a lot of time.

2) The computer has been acting out and is going to need to visit the tech.

3) I've been in a kind of crappy mood and didn't want to take it out on y'all.

We'll address them one at a time.

1) I've got a full time job that has gone a little nutso. I've got a house a family and several much loved but really seriously demanding pets. Oh, and I also write novels, which takes time in and of itself, but also requires a whole lot of business stuff (like redesigning websites, buying rights to photos TO redesign websites, answering correspondence, business plans, etc.). I know that other people seem to juggle this stuff effortlessly. From my point of view it is SOOOOOO not effortless. Worth it -- Absolutely. Effortless? (INSERT LOUD HYSTERICAL LAUGHTER).

The books are actually going well. Cathy is working on a draft of a standalone novel. It was kicking her butt for a while, which made for a lot of discussions and meetings, but it's a helluva good book. I'd not been all that grabbed by the premise initially, but it's turning into something really impressive and cool. But it's taking its time and a whole lot of hard work.

The mystery is on the back burner for right now, simmering away. It's a good plot, great characters, but I found that my bad attitude regarding some small town stuff was bleeding over and affecting the book. I need it not to, so I decided to set it aside until I could get myself a little attitude adjustment. This I have been accomplishing by doing motivational CDs, books, AND writing a seriously vicious little paranormal that is now approaching its climax.

The paranormal is seriously cool. (At least to me. God alone knows if anyone else will like it. I swear, you never can tell. Truly.) It's an urban fantasy, not a romance. First, I'm feeling a little confined by the romance tropes and want to move in a different direction. Second, our core fan base really isn't romance readers. Just isn't. We tend to appeal to hard-core bookstore fantasy/urban fantasy types who like darker paranormal reads. This book is for them. Besides, Celia is just not a romantic kinda gal.

OK -- side trip here. PLEASE do not EVER assume that "write what you know" means an author is using their husband/mother/kids or sexual practices, real life bosses, etc. in a book. First off, UGH. Second -- Can you say SLANDER? How bout LIBEL? I knew you could. Seriously, I've used a physical description with permission. But my characters are actually people of their very own. Yes, I take characteristics from people I've met. (I need a real asshole of an attorney. Hmnn, I've worked in law for about 25 years now, have I met one or two SOMEWHERE? What traits did they have in common?)

SECOND AND IMPORTANTLY, In my opinion (and thus in my writing, because it is my favorite forum) (a) Major characters are more interesting if they have screwed up tortured backgrounds. Happy families seem to make for happy writers and dull characters. Go figure. SO, my poor, tortured characters have really serious screwed up backgrounds. That doesn't mean I do. I don't. My parents are still crazy about each other after close to sixty years, I'm loved and treated well and always have been. (b) Characters are people. This means that they are NOT perfect. They screw up. They have big, honking major faults. Some of them are prejudiced. Some aren't. Some are straight. Some aren't. I try to make my characters reflect the diversity of real life. This means that some of them are going to have opinions I don't agree with. They'll say things that make me cringe. But if I am going to honestly write them and put them in, they NEED to say what they'd say, not some cleaned up dishonest version that isn't believable. Some people swear (myself included.) Guess what? Some of my characters swear. Others don't. Do not beat me up verbally because one of my characters is a jerk and say that I must be a bigot or whatever unless you can put a minimum of 500 random people in a room, interview them, and not find a single one who has a similar viewpoint.

OK -- Back down from my soap box.

(2) The computer is acting out. I'm hoping it holds up until I can get the draft of the book finished. Keep your fingers crossed.

(3) I've been tired, and stressed, and it has affected my mood. Sorry.

ON TO OTHER THINGS. . .

I want to thank Laurell K. Hamilton.

First. She's a seriously cool lady. One of the best. Really really.

Second, she's helped us and was gracious as hell about doing it. She didn't have to, but she did.

But thirdly, she has a blog.
(Laurell Hamilton has a blog E I E I O)
And on her blog she has LOTS of interesting stuff about writing.
(and on her blog she says a lot, E I E I O)
(OKAY, this is just getting silly)

ANYWAY, she talks about life, and she talks about writing. Mostly she talks about the life of a writer. And it has been REALLY REALLY helpful to me. Because writing is basically kind of a weird solitary life, and at the same time, you have all this business stuff to go with the creative stuff, and it's HARD. And I feel like I'm a weird, odd little geeky person thats more than a little nutso, and then I read her blog and go -- WHOA, somebody else is going through this. Maybe it's okay.

For example. She's been talking about the edits for Blood Noir. And ohmigod, it came at the perfect time. Because while I'm in the heat of the new book, geting ready to go into the climax, here come the edits for Touch of Darkness. And yes, I have to do them. Cathy's in a book on deadline. I'm the primary anyway. I KNOW that book. BUT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! (Watch Cie turn into a 4 year old throwing a temper tantrum that deserves a swat on the fanny) I don't wanna! Don't make me! NOOOOOOOOOO!

And you still have to do it. And you pray, PRAY that you don't loose the heat and excitement of the new book because you're slogging through the mundanity of the finished one. And YES you loved the previous one too, but DAMMIT it was DONE, but it wasn't because it wasn't edited and it WILL be better when you fix it but DAMMMIT.

(If you followed that, you are either a writer, the family member of a writer, or a better man than I Gungha Din.)

ANYWAY, I've got edits. And I've got a book that wants to get written. And church. So I've got to go. But "THANK YOU LAURELL K. HAMILTON for making me feel just a little less like a freak."

Cie/C.T. Adams

BIG NEWS WOOT WOOT WOOT!!!!

Cathy just received the February issue of Romantic Times and WOW, did it make us bounce around the room! The nominees for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards were listed and not only was HOWLING MOON there under Shapeshifter Romance, but TOUCH OF MADNESS also made the grade in Contemporary Paranormal Romance.

The thing that astounded me the most, though, was that we’ve been nominated for a CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in Paranormal Romance! Woo!

Holy CRAP!!!

Merry Christmas/Happy Yule/Joyous Hannakkuh(sp?)/Happy Quanza sp?)

Or as my son sometimes puts is -- Happy International Gift Giving Holiday.

I am a Catholic Christian and thus, I went to Midnight Mass. I also have my own personal tradition of singing out "Happy Birthday to You" with Jesus as the birthday boy. Weird, I know, but it works for me.

This afternoon I have been invited to friends houses. Other friends have called, and family, many of them worried that I would be depressed and lonely today. I appreciate their concern, but Christmas isn't really one of my big holidays. I'm more into Thanksgiving and Halloween, even the 4th of July. Which is why I went to visit my son on the Thanksgiving weekend instead of now --- that and hoping that I might be able to get to Illinois to visit my parents, for whom Christmas is a big deal. But that didn't happen. Probably going to have to be a spring visit.

Mostly I've been curled up with the furbearers (4 cats and 1 large dog) for a four day holiday that has let me rest and try to recover. For those of you who haven't been here, my health has been doing it's bad thing again, and I'm working to head off some trouble at the pass. Chronic stuff that is bothersome, but not life threatening.

Oddly, (or not) my animals all know when the health is iffy. They train assistance animals to do that, but mine have always just known instinctively. And when I need rest, they make darned sure I get it---even going so far as pinning me down to the bed and hooking their claws in the mattress so I can't move when they want me to rest. Pushy, but effective. And since they seem to know it a little before I do, I've started paying a little more attention, so that I stop BEFORE I keel over.

As I've said before, I'm in the middle of my midlife crisis. It has hit, predictably enough, at 48. I'm trying not to let it rule me, but I have to admit, I want things to change. I feel like the old Queen song -- "I want it all. I want it all. I want it all, and I want it NOW!"

I do believe I can make the changes I need to, once I decide what they are and what I DO want. (Right now I'm mired down in what I DON'T want). But it will take time, will, and work. It always does.

On a completely other note (C# perhaps), I have been thinking about regrets.

Regrets are poisonous. First. You can't go back in time, you can't change what has happened. Second, what you did, and the consequences of it, have changed who you are and who everyone it affected is in unpredictable ways. If, indeed, you are even remotely happy with who you have become, it is in part because of what you did. In fact, I believe it is our mistakes and our regrets that teach us the harshest and most indelible lessons. The "I'm SOOOOO not going back there" kind of lessons that we need to progress as decent human beings. But dwelling on it, and regretting, can keep you from learning the lesson and moving on, and leave you mired down in a morass of stinking, smelling excrement that only makes you feel progressively worse about yourself.

Does that mean I am not sorry about anything I've done? Hell no! I've screwed up more than my share and hurt people badly in the process. There are times when I want to scream because I'm STILL and will always hurt over things I did to myself and others.

For example, without getting too specific. If I could I'd make a broadcast announcement something along the lines of: "Deno Russo, I realize it's been almost three decades, but I'm still REALLY, REALLY sorry, I was nineteen, drank too much, and was generally an idiot. I hope you forgive me and that you've had a wonderful life since then. You deserve it. Oh, and happy birthday." In the hopes that the said Mr. Russo would, in fact, forgive me. If he even remembers me, which is problemmatic since it has, after all, been almost three decades and I probably didn't mean nearly as much to him as he did to me. (Cruel truth, but truth nonetheless.) For all I know, he's happily married to a Playboy Bunny and living the high life. Or, more likely, just living a regular, ordinary life. Which is no bad thing.

And there are other things too. Most of them I've apologized to the people who got hurt for. Many of those people have actually forgiven me. But if I think about them too much I realize it's easier to forgive others than to forgive yourself.

Still, I kind of go along with the famous person (who I can't remember the name of, so can't accurately quote) who said they'd rather regret what they did than what they haven't done.

There are things I haven't done (yet) that I want to. But I've achieved a remarkable amount of what I've wanted in life. Oh, I haven't travelled to the exotic places I thought would be cool. But as I get older I realize I LIKE being home with my animals. A lot. I do better with trips of 4 days to a week. Longer than that just wears me out and I miss the critters and the comforts of home.

I look at the wall where I've posted the covers of the novels we've written and I just blink sometimes. It's real. It's really, truly, REAL. There are people out there who actually care about my imaginary friends, who honestly want to know what's going on and going to happen next. That is so flipping COOL I can't even tell you. I mean, things and realities that were only swirling around in the recesses of my brain are actually achieving their own reality in other people's (is that the correct plural possessive? I don't know. A copyeditor I'm not.) minds.

So I sit here writing this before I get ready to go have dinner and shoot pool and am thinking (1) should I even post this? (2) Will anyone even read it? It's rambling pretty long, and to anyone but me is probably wretchedly boring (except maybe Deno, but the odds of that are so long I'd be better off buying a powerball ticket.)

Anyway, tomorrow I go back to work. I like my day job. The people are cool. The work is doable. Yeah, I'd like to be independently wealthy, but I'm not. So if I've got to work, it's a good place to do it. But I wish I had more time and energy to write. And I wish I were living in the city again.

There are people who love the rural/farm/ranch life.
There are people who love small towns.
There are people who love urban areas.

They are not the same people. And that is okay. It takes all kinds to make a world. I am still, despite everything, and urban kind of gal. That I am living in a small town is a problem for me. Yes, there are wonderful advantages. Ask any of the people who love small town living and they will expound on it for hours. They will also tell of the horrors of urban life.

I, alas, do not agree. Living in a small town is. . . okay. It has served its purpose in my life. I suspect I will be here a while longer. But there are a lot of things that are crazy-making for me about small town life; and things I can indulge in my personality in the city which are just too too TOO "weird" for a very-conservative small town.

I miss my eccentricities. A lot. I miss it being completely unremarkable for people to have multiple piercings or wear goth or vintage clothing, hair color not found in nature and tattoos. I miss there being LOTS of men with long hair and/or facial hair, and people not being weirded by my wearing a leather biker jacket even though I'm a middle-aged woman. I miss shooting pool and eating at Chipotle's. I don't want to have to iron my jeans to have a crease or risk being thought slovenly. I'd probably still be very conservative at work. I work in law. It's a conservative business. But I miss the sheer, rowdy LIFE of the city. If I wake up at 2:00 in the morning I'd like there to be something for me to DO besides go to the convenience store and buy gas.

And I can't say most of the above out loud in public right now because it would honestly insult the hell out of the people here. They would read it as an indictment of the lifestyle they hold dear. These are good, kind, people who honestly care about me and worry about not only my life but my immortal soul. (They take that last particularly seriously, I may add). I don't want to hurt them. I would (see previous paragraphs) REGRET it. But there are times when I just want to stand in the middle of the courthouse square and SCREAM my frustration out because there's a good 3/4 of my personality that I'm stuffing down just to get by. And I honestly don't know how much longer I can do that. Which means that things could get very . . . interesting.

Stay tuned.

Holly Happydays

Hi Guys!

Holly happydays! I am officially off work at the day job for the next four days! WOOT!!

Don't get me wrong, I like the day job, but I am SOOOOOO pooped. And I've been having symptoms, AND I need to write, AND I need to get the website redone and up, AND the house is a pit. But mostly, I need to rest and hope to get my health back on track.

Also, I'm in the throes of my midlife crisis. So I need to figure out what the @#*$( I want to do with myself.

I'll let you know how it all works out. Right now I just know that I'm wanting to liven things up in my life. Enjoy a little more, be a little funky and creative with regard to my personal life and not just the writing. The problem is, this is a VERY conservative small town. Funky is not looked upon highly for middle-aged women. At ALL. But I want it. So, we'll see what I do, where and how far I go.

Wish me luck.

And hopefully I'll make real progress on the writing.

Cie

OY

OY!

It's the holidays. How did that happen?

Um, YIKES!

Okay. Let's see. Book is progressing. Right now I'm working with Cathy on the standalone. It's been a little tricky, but I think we've got it now. The one I was working on is still chomping at the bit, so I hope to get back to it soon.

Had a great visit with my son. It was good to see him. Don't know what I'm going to do for Christmas. Maybe just stay home with the animals. I um, kinda, um, well OVERSPENT. OOPS.

(Not like anyone else does that at this time of year or anything. LOL.)

Got the cover for Touch of Darkness. IT SOOOOOOOOOO Rocks. As soon as I remember how to post it I will.

I'm sorry that I haven't gotten the website updated yet, but I HAVE gotten the photo and it is in process. It's just that real life keeps intervening. My employer actually thinks I should WORK for a living. Who knew? (Apparently my creditors, but let's not go there, hmnn?)

I'm in the throes of my midlife crisis. I don't know what I'm going to do about it, but I am DEFINITELY in the throes.


WELL, I'd love to go on (and on), but I wanna get going. So, LATER.


Cie

Loyalty, Practicality, and Doing the Right Thing

I try hard to do the right thing. Unfortunately, I find that a lot of the time I have a really hard time figuring out WHAT the "right thing" is.

For example:

I was at a conference a while back. On panels. On more than one panel, over and over again books by one of my friends/acquaintances (who is one of the best people around and catches a whole lot of flack she doesn't deserve) were being ripped.

The problem: (1) I want to be loyal. (2) I want to be honest.

Some of the criticism was right in line with my own views. But I'M not the author. It's her playground, her rules. And honestly, if you don't like it, vote with your pocketbook--move on. Nobody REQUIRES you to read them. I honestly don't get the vitriol.

Same conference, different panel, I'm trying to explain how our books are kind of cross-genre, genre-bending. It's not that we are putting down any one group, we just aren't necessarily a good fit there. Again, don't like the books, don't buy them. No problema. Not everybody likes the same stuff. Which leaves more of what I like for me.

OH BOY OH BOYOBOYOBOY! You'd've thought I shot someone's Granny or kicked their puppy dog. Apparently there are RULES folks, and there are people who BELIEVE IN THOSE RULES! Thou shalt write what I tell you to dammit. You 'vil write it and you VIL LIKE IT!

Um, uh . . . no. Not so much.

I know there are tropes for every genre. If you write genre fiction, you have to at least acnkowledge they exist, and you risk offending fans of the genre if you stray too far from them. BUT (and I'm talking a BIG, FREAKING WORLD CLASS BUT HERE) YOU GET TO. Just don't portray it as *INSERT GENRE HERE*. For example, I (IN MY OWN OPINION) do not consider our books classic romantic fiction. We have too much violence, not enough angst (usually). I mean, we have a BODY COUNT in our books for heaven's sake. There are people who have alternative lifestyles and actually ENJOY them. There are also people who are happily monogamous and straight. Because, from what I've seen of real life, both groups exist. There are also people who are screwed up from almost every walk of life. We write some of those too. Now, we are marketed in romance, and shelved in romance in some stores. We are also marketed as fantasy and urban fantasy and shelved there in other stores. Neither offends me. But I think that the fantasy readers are probably confused by the romance level and the romance readers are frustrated at the violence.

I don't think you can make everybody happy. So I/we just write the best books we can and hope that people like them. I'm not deliberately offending people. But it is how I see it.

But I actually have had people in the part of the country where I now reside who have informed me that they are really worried about the state of my soul because of what I write.

Um. Well. Hmnnn. Thank you? I mean, I'm glad you care. But if you've actually read the books, you know that they're pretty much parables of good versus evil and, while evil puts up one (pardon the expression) hell of a fight, good wins.

And, another, final, example. As an author you get asked to read (LOTS AND LOTS OF) books by other authors to give cover quotes. This is a nice thing to do. It can really make a difference for the other author. And if the book is good, WHOO HOO, you betcha. But, um, what if the uh, um, book . . . sucks? I mean, REALLY sucks as in "I threw the damned thing across the room hard enough that it knocked the painting off of the wall" sucks? You want to be kind. You want to do your friend a favor. (And you may someday want a quote of your own---and karma, my friends, can be a bitch.) BUT you owe the people picking it up based on your name honesty. And I don't lie for sh**. AND I don't have a lot of time. Deadlines are perpetually looming, threatening to take over my life. So, in self-defense, I've taken a risky stance and am not doing cover quotes when I'm on deadline. (Since I'm practically always on deadline, that means I'm not doing a lot of cover quotes. Which may mean people won't do them for me.)

Okay, I've ranted long enough. I've gotta go anyway. The books, my friends, do not write themselves.

Best always.

Cie

Returning FINALLY

Okay guys, I haven't posted since SEPTEMBER and it's um. . . mid-November. Can you tell I've been having tech problems? Been BUSY much? LOL.

Let's see.

FenCon was fun. The signing with all the other authors was fun. Day job has been HUGELY busy.

My phone is being a PITA. Small appliances are being a PITA. My computer is being a PITA. Do we see a trend here? Mainly it is because of something y'all are NOT going to believe, but it is true. So at the risk of sounding nutso, I'll tell you:

ONCE UPON A TIME I was a 14 year old kid. (It's been a while, but I really was a kid once, LOL). I was hormonal and moody (typically) and mad at my parents a lot (gee, really?) and one day I went for a walk. This huge storm came up. I hid out in the door to an apartment building and watched the lightning, etc. until it was pretty much past. Then I decided to walk across the parking lot to the church across the street to call my folks and tell them I was okay. (The storm really had been that bad!) Got halfway across the empty parking lot and BAM. It felt like I'd been hit on the head with a tree limb. I even looked around to see what hit me. Well, what hit me was a bolt of lightning! Had a headache for 3 weeks. And now I have some residual electronic sensitivity that acts up particularly badly when I'm stressed. I am particularly bad with telephones/answering machines (before they were made redundant by voicemail), irons, printers and some of the game systems, but anything electric is fair game. Oh, and I can't wear a watch. From what I gather, this is not completely uncommon in people hit by lightning. It is, however, a nuisance.

Um, I'm behind on everything because of it. Still writing, but the tech guy REALLY needs to work on the computer. The website redesign has been postponed to the point where my very patient but reaching the end of her rope partner is suggesting we hire it out. BUT I SHALL PERSEVERE the book will get written. The computer will get fixed. LIFE WILL GO ON!

RAWR!!!

Later kiddos.

Cie

Open Mouth, Insert Foot, Chew Vigorously

OY! Cie here.

Okay folks, I am who I am, what I am, and the product of my background.

In addition, I occasionally have all the social skills of a rabid skunk.

That said, I do get to have opinions. Sometimes even unpopular opinions. In fact FREQUENTLY I have unpopular opinions. But that doesn't mean there is malice aforethought. It doesn't mean people don't get to disagree.

I am a middle-aged, white (almost to the point of glowing in the dark) American of mixed ancestry on one side and Irish heritage on the other. I was originally from a small town in the middle of farm country. The town was (and is) VERY conservative. I, generally speaking, am not. (Which is a whole 'nother set of issues for another day and another post.)

ANYWAY, I was on another author's forum, and they were talking about one thing and the thread went in another direction, to "Why aren't there more black/African/African-American vampires?" And I posted the following:

I'm sorry, but I just don't see it as prejudice that there aren't more black vampires. It's just a tenet of the world. And truthfully, I think ANY author would get so much stress in our current socio-political client if they wrote a black main vampiric character. There are authors who've done it (Cathy and I included), but it's a real risk. No matter what is done, it's "wrong" to somebody. If the character wasn't flawed they're unbelievable. If they are, the author has to be desperately careful HOW they're flawed or they will catch he**. In this series it would be the same thing as happens with the rest of the characters only so much worse, because there would be inevitable accusations about prejudice. When I think how violently people react to Richard and Nathaniel and multiply that, it makes me absolutely shudder. Maybe I'm being chickensh** and unfair, but that's how I feel. In the USA at this time race is still a hot button.

And immediately people took this to be prejudice on my part. Um, WHA? That is SOOOOO not what I meant. Hell we DO have a black vampire -- Carlton in the Thrall series is black. But that's not the point. The point is that there are people who will attack viciously enough and assume the worst enough that I, for one, was given pause and had to really THINK about writing that character. There ARE cultural differences. I've run afoul of them more than once in real life. Hell, I'm running afoul of cultural differences that are not based on race every day having moved to Texas from "up north." Acknowledging that it could cause a problem doesn't strike me as being prejudiced.

BUT people took it wrong. Someone basically snapped that an author wouldn't have to study a "culture" that blacks and whites are no different. So I added the following post after.


Absolutely. But that doesn't mean that people won't argue about it. In fact, there are people who are always determined to argue about everything. We all bleed red. In the end people are people. But culture differences do exist and viva la difference. Because if everybody was the same life would be deadly deadly dull and there'd be nothing to read about.


So, I guess what I'm asking is, was I offensive? I really didn't mean to be. Truly. But I suspect anything further I say or do will only make things worse.

UGH

Cie

The Muse is a Fickle Wench

My muse is a fickle wench. I say this because, I will be cruising along, writing well, and suddenly POOF. Nada. Nothing. We come to a screeching halt for no reason that makes sense to me at all. And in the background, another story altogether jumps up and begs for attention.

Um, uh, love ya, but NO. I've got this DEADLINE, and um. . .

But nope. Not one idea or word will come on the story I SHOULD be writing, and the other one just starts to blossom.

Now part of this is just a siren song of distraction. Am I really dedicated to the work enough to finish?

But part of this USUALLY is that I've gone astray somewhere in the pages just before the stop. If I take a day or two, explore other things and come back I can usually see what the problem was, fix it, and move on. USUALLY. Sometimes, though, I just have to walk away for a while -- IF I'm not on a deadline.

In the time since I finished up Touch of Darkness the Muse has been particularly flighty, sending me from one project to another. Maybe it's because I'm actually CAUGHT UP and can do what I want right now. THAT won't last however, and I DO want to finish SOMETHING.

So wish me luck. Let's hope she settles down soon.


Cie

Writing is Thirsty Work Sometimes

Greetings and Salivations. (Yes, I really do mean drool.)

I'm feeling somewhat silly and spacey. I got the galleys in. (WHOO HOOO!!!!) On time. Found a couple of funny boo-boos and a couple of not-so-funny ones. One of my favorites, instead of Samuel Adams DARK beer it was Samuel Adams DANK. I suppose it would be the perfect beer for a Goth to drink in a cave or dungeon. In another one a sentence got turned around so that instead of the sweat from his mug falling on the bar, he did. (That Sam Adams Dank is one TOUGH beer. Not for wusses!)

ANYWAY, I need to focus on writing, and on doing the website (the goal is to have it revamped by the end of September.) And the promo items, etc. Instead, I'm all over the place. I burnt myself out badly doing Touch of Darkness for one thing. For another, the health has been wonky. I'm having symptoms I haven't had to deal with in years. BLECK.

Hopefully my head will clear soon.

In the meantime. Drink up. [Grin]

Grumpy, Complaining type stuff you may want to skip.

Blah, blah, blah.


Hi. I have a bad case of the—you guessed it—blahs. Nothing is really wrong. It’s just I’ve been stuck doing STUFF this weekend. You know what I mean. STUFF like, ooooh baby, working on getting all the viruses off of a laptop because they hadn’t updated or used their Norton for two years, and galleys, and cleaning house, and laundry, and repairing a hole in the wall, unplugging a stopped drain. . . STUFF. None of it is bad. All of it is useful and necessary. But it doesn’t really provide inspiration for my weekend. And it doesn’t make for an exciting blog entry.

Also, Lucky the Wonder Dog is being a POOP today. I love the dog. But she is a BIG dog with a LOT of energy. And if I miss walking her either morning or night I pay for it because she’s just that restless. Unfortunately, I’m not as young as I used to be AND it’s been @#$&* hot. (Okay, maybe everybody else doesn’t think it’s THAT hot, for summer, in Texas. But I do. So sue me. GRUMP GRUMP GRUMP.) So anyway, I missed the morning walk. And she’s being a POOP. But now she’s being a poop in the back yard for a while. And I am going to write to improve my mood.

Rather than bore you all more, I will try to cheer myself up.

Later.

Cie

Odd

OK, it's early morning and I'm feeling. . . odd. I had a very important nightmare last night.

Important?

Yeah, important. You see, nightmares for me generally pretty directly address my life and my future with just terrible wicked symbolism. Also, from Biblical times and beyond nightmares and dreams have been among the way God nudges his people. So I take some of them pretty serious. Not all. But you can usually tell the ones that are just indigestion from the ones that have meaning in real life (if you can just unravel the symbolism).

I realize that probably makes me sound like a lunatic. But there you go.

SO, I'm trying to unravel the symbolism and NOT forget the details this morning. Thus far, I'm making slow progress on it. I do know that some of what I've uncovered isn't exactly flattering. It shows my faults in all their hideous glory. Oooh baby. Just what I wanted to look at. (NOT. But then again, I probably should. I am TRYING to fix the suckers.)

Maybe I'll go look on a dream site and see if any of the symbolism they talk about helps.

Later.

Clearing Some Confusion

OK, I re-read yesterday's post and would like to clarify something. Heather Osborn ROCKS. She is the editor that replaced Anna Genoese at Tor. We are looking forward to working with her. BUT based on logistics (she's new, she hasn't had a chance to read our entire backlist what with getting broken in and all) we are having Anna freelance edit the Sazi and Thrall books while Heather will be doing the stand alone and future stuff. (Assuming, of course, they WANT future stuff. I mean, Lord knows we HOPE so. . .) ANYWAY, no slight was meant to her. Heather is our esteemed editor as well. We work fast enough that there is plenty to go around.

NEXT -- we discovered that someone had pirated our stuff and posted it whole on a website. (SHAME on you!) Now folks, I know that books aren't cheap -- especially if you're a reading junkie like yours truly who goes through a lot of them. But PLEASE, that's what the library is for. That's what borrowing from your buddy with a promise that you REALLY REALLY REALLY will give it back undamaged is for. Or, if you're a little more flush, what used bookstores are for. Pirating is not only illegal, it's mean to your favorite authors. It steals the profit right out from under the book. This means that not only do we not get paid (bad enough) but that there is no sales record with the publisher, which lowers the books profit which may impact whether and how much they're willing to risk another book by that author. Please please PRETTY PLEASE don't participate in this.

At least we were in good company. Really, the biggest names in the business were up there. I suppose I'm flattered.

Newslettery Post/Simultaneous With Myspace

Hi guys! I am writing this bulletin because. . . well. . . because.

The draft of Touch of Darkness, the final book in the Kate Reilly/Thrall series is in the hands of our esteemed editor, Anna Genoese. We made it in ON DEADLINE. (WOOT!)

Cathy is working on the first draft of a stand-alone novel which is the next book due under our contract. It has a seriously cool premise and everyone we've talked to about it has been very excited to see what we can do with it. (And no, I'm not giving any hints yet. LOL)

The galleys are here on Timeless Moon. (This is the Sazi book with Aspen Monier as the lead female character). So that's first up on the plate for yours truly.

We are also working on completely revamping our website. At this point we're getting permissions for some of the content we want to include (like photos, banner, and so forth) and are brushing up on our web building skills. (That have grown a little rusty with disuse). But since Cathy and I are both very "hands on" types, we're actually kind of excited about having the chance to create it exactly (we hope) the way we have in mind. Wish us luck in pulling it off. When the time comes (which won't be for about a month I think) I'll send around notice and ask y'all to take a look and give me some feedback as to what does and (le sigh) doesn't work.

We're also looking at some promo items, but that's still in process as we wait for permission on some of the artwork we want to use.

FINALLY, Upcoming events:Cathy and I will both be going to FenCon September 21-23, 2007. For information on the con go to www.fencon.org.AND we will be part of a multi-author book signing on Saturday, October 20, 2007 from 11-2 or 3 at the Hastings in Stephensville, Texas. I'll send out more details when we get closer to the date. In the meantime, anyone who wants autographed copy of books by Cathy and I can call and order them from the Waldenbooks in the Sunset Mall in San Angelo, Texas. We periodically go in and sign their stock. The phone number is 325-949-7040.

Well, that's it for now. Hope you all are well and happy. Keep reading.


Cie

I SLEPT

At last, long last, I slept most of last night. Oh, I got up once in the middle of the night, but that's IT. Otherwise I actually got REST. No night terrors, no tossing and turning. Halle FREAKING Lujah.

Can you tell I was getting tired OF it as well as tired FROM it?

Writing is going reasonably well. Since I'm not the one on deadline right now I'm doing things like working on an updated website, advertising and promo items, cleaning the house, AND writing. But that's okay. It all needs to be done.

And right now what needs to be done is getting ready for work and walking the pup.

See you later.

Cie

UGH

Remind me not to send e-mails when I wake up at 3:00-3:30 in the morning.

I am not tactful at the best of times.

When I'm suffering from insomnia is SOOOOOO not the best of times.

OY.

The thing is, I didn't mean to sound cranky. I didn't mean to sound possessive. I honestly don't care so long as the name changes.

I'll need to apologize. Again. Because I was a jerk. Again, again.

I do wish I was sleeping better. Just not. I've gone back to doing what the people at the sleep disorder center were telling me more faithfully. Thus far it doesn't seem to be helping much. At least it's just the insomnia instead of night terrors and sleepwalking.

I hate night terrors. REALLY hate em. However, I have to admit they are VERY useful for when you're writing horror. Because boy oh boy can you get that ole creepy vibe going after a few mights of coming half-awake to blood-curdling fear. You betcha.

Tonight I should sleep well though. I've been working my body VERY, very hard all day so that I will basically collapse when the time comes and hopefully sleep. Because on the days after a sleepless night I have significantly more pain than usual. I don't like pain. I also don't like taking things for the pain, even over-the-counter stuff isn't good for you if you do it too often. So, I try not to.

ANYWAY, I'm going to head out now and draft my apology. Ugh.

DING DONG THE DRAFT IS DONE. . .

Ding, dong, the draft is done. The draft is done. The draft is done. Ding, dong, the dreaded draft is done.

That's right friends and neighbors. I got through it. I sent it. It is in Cathy's hands awaiting changes.

During the last pass I caught one big boo-boo. On one page Kate is ahem, exhausted and weak-kneed from having too good of a time, so that she sends Tom into the shower first. Two pages later she's fully-showered, dressed and wanting him to hurry up with his shower.

Little things like that usually happen when you're working on a book in too small of chunks of time, too far apart. You can re-read up to a point, BUT if you don't have much time, you only go back a page or so to get the flavor, and you wind up having missed something. Frustrating. But there you go. At least we caught it.

But be kind to your authors---and not just us. I mean it. Despite the best efforts of the writer, the editors, the proofreaders, the galley folks, things slip through. They just do. ESPECIALLY if it's a really good story and you get caught up in it. You're reading, not proofing. You don't mean to, but you see what is supposed to be there, not what is. The only cure is to let the blasted thing sit for months and look at it with completely fresh eyes. Which would be lovely, but isn't possible when you're on a tight schedule.

I swear I don't know how other folks do it. I mean some of these people are MACHINES, pumping out almost a book a month CONSISTENTLY over the course of years. I can do a book in a month. Hell, I can do one in two weeks if I have to. But CONSISTENTLY? Without rest. And without losing quality? Um, no. Not so much.

ANYWAY, I have a challenge for you. I found a typo in the back end of Touch of Madness while I was looking up something to make sure I didn't contradict myself in Touch of Darkness. Somewhere toward the end there Bryan becomes (ever so briefly--as in I HOPE just once,) BRIAN. FIND THAT TYPO.

Who knows, if you do and quote the line and page # in the comments I may dig through the shelves of goodies and reward y'all with something small. IF you hurry. As in, contest ends at midnight on August 8, 2007 (which is the deadline for us to submit Touch of Darkness to the publisher, so I know I'll remember the date. :) )

Have fun folks.

Editing

Editing Mode:

I am editing Touch of Darkness (the Finale in the Kate Reilly/Thrall series) prior to sending it to Cathy. Editing my own stuff is best performed when I am in a really bad mood. Editing Cathy’s stuff is better when I’m not quite as angry much more logical. When I’m feeling mean and brutal I can be too hard on anybody else, but it’s the only time I don’t like my own writing at all and can make really harsh changes that may be needed. Now there are times that I hate my writing and wonder if I’m any good and get all depressed, but that is SOOOOOO not editing time either. Because THEN I would just give up and delete the WHOLE FLIPPING STORY. No, on depressed days we back very carefully away from the keyboard.

Today I’m not in as brutal a mood as I could be, but I’m okay, and I’m on deadline, so I can’t wait anyway.

Gotta go.
Cie

After these messages. . .

Cie here -- I'm pooped. I'm in the middle of the finale and I'm pooped enough that I had to take a few minutes and take a breather. Then back to the action.

In the meantime, I stopped on a couple of forums I visit and did a little browsing around.

I discovered that RWA had stirred up a hornet's nest (again). Okay, first, let me say that I am not currently a member. I lapsed, and while I miss my local chapter (RWA Online) I was not happy with some of what went on in a previous administration and didn't renew. I've been meaning to sign up again, but honestly, I've been procrastinating, and also looking at it critically to see if it was a membership that was going to really do something for me.

That said, I've noticed something and I want to blog about it. I am especially willing to do so since there doesn't seem to be much traffic going through here right now and I can clear my thoughts without inviting open warfare (I think).

There seem to be two sore points that keep coming up (over and over and over again).

First -- sexuality, sexual content, erotica.

Second -- E-publishing.

There are people who firmly (VERY firmly) believe that explicit sexuality has no place in romance. There are other people who (JUST AS) firmly believe that explicit sexuality is a valid part of romance. Never the twain shall meet. So you have those pesky issues come up like visual standards for ads and covers being displayed where some folks are going "We have to keep it G to PG-13" (To use movie labels everyone is familiar with.) and others are going R is appropriate, maybe even X.

My personal stance: People have sex. If people didn't have sex there wouldn't be people. It's how we breed. It is also a wonderful way to express love, intimacy, affection, and a whole lot of other really positive things in an ongoing relationship. Romances are relationship books with people. Now, I admit. I don't personally read erotica. Not my thing. Nor do I want to write it. (I'm sorry, FOR ME it just feels too much like "Insert tab A into slot B repeatedly. Add moaning as needed.") But it is a valid art form that has been around since people started writing. Heck, there are probably some explicit cave paintings somewhere. You're not going to stomp it out, even if you try. I'm not exactly a prude, (as you can probably guess from our books), but our sexual content is about the top end for me. More than that and I get embarrassed. There are times when I really wish I could just write the old "fade to black" where they go into the bedroom and you KNOW that they're gonna, but you don't have to go into a detailed description. Just insert a chapter break and start the story again in the morning with them smiling and satisfied. But there are other people who not only write it, they love it, are good at it, and they have a huge fan base.

MORE POWER TO THEM. I don't believe in censorship. I do believe in the rating system, and in parental responsibility to watch out for what your kids are getting into, but I'm much more worried about graphic violence (again, our books are at the high end for me) and GRATUITIOUS violence and sex (and sexual violence) than I am about one, two (or more) committed people having a good time with each other in the bedroom.

Now, I'm not too worried about contests. First off, we tend to write stuff that is borderline to the point where people have a hard time categorizing us. So we're not likely to qualify for the big RWA awards (just my opinion. And if I don't re-join we definitely won't. We would both have to be members). But I do think that it is probably going to be difficult for an erotic romance to compete against its more conservative and mainstream brothers. I think a separate category would be in order. BUT that's my personal opinion. I know people who believe mainstreaming is the way to go. I just know that if I was judging the erotica wouldn't stand much of a chance because it makes me uncomfortable and I don't generally read it. Is that fair? Maybe not. Heck, even probably not. But judging is subjective, based on if you like the book.

*********************

On to E-publishing.

I said in a panel (taking liberally from something my co-author had mentioned) that IN MY OPINION (Note the all caps. My blog, my opinion. You don't have to agree. Hell, you are free to disagree) Comparing E-Publishing to Traditional Publishing isn't just comparing apples and oranges. It's comparing apples and CATS.

Because of the low (not nonexistent, but comparatively low) overhead, E-publishing can take risks that are simply not feasible for print publishers. They can experiment with shorter (or longer) lengths, unusual content, etc. Print publishers can't do that as well for a number of reasons. Two that spring to mind are (1) COST. Yo, they're in it for the money. It's a business. They have to have enough sales to pay for all that paper, shipping, advertising, etc. They're not going to take a huge risk on something that they're not SURE has the potential to pay them back. (2) TIME. E-publishing can go through the process a bit quicker. It usually takes 1-2 YEARS for a book to get through the print publishing mill (note the usually. It CAN take less -- or, God help us, MORE, but we're going with an approximate average). Trends that are HOT right now could be cold, dead, and long buried by the time a print book sees the shelf. It means that they will likely be more conservative in their choices so as not to wind up with a complete DUD that drags down their profit margin.

There are GREAT e-publishers and e-authors. There are CRAPPY e-publishers and e-authors.

BUT GUESS WHAT

There are GREAT print publishers and print authors. There are also CRAPPY print publishers and print authors.

AND GUESS WHAT ELSE?

Stuff I think is crappy you might love. And stuff that you love, I might think is crappy.

BUT IT'S OKAY.

Because it takes all kinds to make a world. And there is something out there for everybody if they're willing to look. This is a GOOD thing. So, if you're into inspirational--WHOO HOO--GO FOR IT. If you're into erotica YIPEE KI YI AY--Again, go for it. I will continue to read my middle-of-the road with suspense, some romance, a little mystery.

Now, back to the big fight scene with its (non-gratuitous and hopefully realistic but not TOO graphic) violence.

Y'all have a good day.

Cie

Almost time for Goodbye to Katie.

Okay, last week’s post got lost in transit for Divas of the Dark. I'm going to try to cross-post again, but we'll see if it works.

This week’s post will, hopefully, reach you all finding you happy, healthy, and ready to read all kinds of schtoof.

Cathy is back from the conference. She learned so much, so fast, that we’ve spend the past week having detailed meetings to go over it. WHEW! Good stuff, but heavy on the volume.

I am about to go into the big finale of the Thrall series. I have written everything leading up to the last build up of the battle scene. It’s funny I feel. . . odd about it. I’m happy, I’m nervous (Can I really pull this off? I want it to be really, really good. Yes, I know Cathy’s edits will make it better, but I want to make it spectacular before it even gets edited.) I’m also kind of sad. When this book is done these characters will have had their story finished. Yes, there will be others, maybe even others I like as much as I do these. But I’m really, seriously fond of this group. Probably because, in many ways, they’re a lot like me.

No, not the werewolf/vampire thing (I do NOT vant to suck your blud sank you veddy much). But having a hard time expressing your emotions, worrying about your family, having control issues, being Catholic. All of these things I can relate to.

No, Kate is not me. Not even close. But of all my characters thus far, she’s probably the person I relate to best. I’ll miss her. I’ll miss Tom, and Mike, and (heaven help us) Carlton. I’ll miss Kate’s brothers (though they drive me almost as crazy as they do her), and a bunch of the minor characters.

I know, it sounds weird. It sounds like I’m almost talking about real people. Sometimes, I swear, it feels that way. There are people who the characters are putty, to be shaped, reshaped, and ordered around. That’s not how it works for me. My characters are people, with minds, wills, and behaviors (frequently frustrating behaviors) of their own that sometimes drag my well-planned plots into new, unexpected, (and sometimes unwelcome) directions. For me, writing the story is like running into an old friend and having them tell you everything that’s been going on in their lives. It feels as if the story will keep going on, even if I’m not watching it any more.

So, I’m feeling a little elated, a little worried, and a little bit sad. Because, while the Sazi is an ongoing series, where old characters can pop up at the oddest time, the Thrall series is a limited one. It always has been. Three, maybe four books were planned from the beginning. (It’s 3 now). I like limited series. It gives the whole story arc a beginning, a middle, and an end. But I’ll be sad to see them go.

Cie

OOOPS

Okay, last week I posted here and at Divas of the Dark. I sounded. . . jaded and cranky. I really didn't mean to. I was trying to actually give decent advice about getting ahead of the game to new authors. I think the fact that I am just pooped and in pain affected the tone more than it should have. My apologies.

Cathy is at the conference. She is busy, working her butt off, but it sounds like she is also having a very good time. I'm glad.

I'm writing. The book is coming along. I'm finally getting closer to the end of the first draft. It felt like I was never going to get here. I've discovered that the middle of a book is sometimes very hard for me. I just feel like I'm slogging through a quagmire with no end in sight.

I'll finish the first draft, then I'm going to beef it up. THEN it goes to Cathy and to the editor. Time is becoming critical, but I'm keepign a positive attitude.

Gotta get back to it.

Take care.

Cie

Simultaneous Post/MY REALITY CHECK BOUNCED

Ah, sweet mystery of life. One day/week, my technology is working fine. The next I can't get the @#$(&@#( computer to do what I want to to save my life. Le sigh. Le great, big, heaving, highly irritated SIGH.

ANYWAY, I'm posting this simultaneously here and (by sending it to Cathy with a pretty-please) on the Midnight Divas' blog.

AGAIN WITH THE ANYWAY,

I'm working on Kate3 a/k/a Touch of Darkness. I'm not as far as I'd have like to have been. I'm running out of time (bumping up against the deadline. Still looks OK, but it will be closer than I'd like. I'm a "get it in early" kind of gal not a last minute, stress me to hell and back type.) I'm not going to RWA in big part because I need to get this baby DONE.

See, that's one of the things aspiring writers don't think about.

Their first book, their baby, the one that hooks the agent (crossing fingers), publisher ("Please, dear God, please"), and (hopefully) the readers can take them YEARS to write. They polish, critique, re-polish, fuss and suffer over practically every word until it's perfect. They desperately hope it will "break" them into the business.

But what if it does?

YEAH! YIPPEEE!!! WOOT!!!! Joy ensues.

UNTIL they find out they have to write a sequel, or another one. In a year, OR LESS. And that the baby they "finished" isn't. Not really:

(1) There will be edits. ("Dear Author. The secondary character John sucks. Flat as a pancake. Either beef him up or get rid of him. Love Editor. PS you need another subplot and to up the romance.");

(2) There will be copy-edits;

(3) and galleys.

All of which will be due in short order after you receive them, which will inevitably be when you are trying desperately to write like a lunatic on book 2 and are hitting the point of desperation because you don't write nearly as fast as you thought you did.

AND there is marketing and publicity, the conferences they will need to speak at, deliver goodies to, and meet (hopefully) their newly rabid fans (or soon to be rabid fans), booksellers, distributors, and reviewers at. Oh, and there's sending out those review copies, and doing signings and on, and on.

I'm not complaining. I LOVE THIS BUSINESS. I extra-special-especially love this business because I have a co-author who takes care of a lot of those things, and graciously splits the rest of the duties with me. Because I swear to you on a stack of bibles, koran's, torahs, talmuds, and any other holy books you want to drag out from the library that I would likely completely collapse under the workload without her. (Come to think on it, I owe that woman chocolates, a bottle of rum, or both.)

But it is very easy to get a little bogged down in the workload.

Which leads to yet another reality check.

It takes a while for you to make "real money" in the publishing business. Yeah, I know, Rowling has more money than the Queen. But for those of us toiling in the trenches, it takes a while. Because there are expenses (which, fortunately, can mostly be written off of taxes), and taxes (self-employment taxes are vicious). So the day job is a necessity for a long time and panic is the norm as the deadlines loom.

AND THE FINAL OVERDRAFT:

Life, the universe, and everything.

Yup, you heard me. Because as soon as there is a deadline life will (almost inevitably) intervene. Whether it is a brown recluse bite (Cathy), a house fire (Cathy again), a black widow bite (me), or a death in the family (a mutual friend who is also an author), life isn't going to conveniently come to a halt because something is due.

***********************

Am I saying a person shouldn't pursue the dream? HELL NO! Besides, it wouldn't do a bit of good. For an awful lot of us, writing is a compulsion. We couldn't stop if we wanted to and WE DON'T WANT TO. But unless a person wants to be a "one hit wonder" I would strongly suggest that they think about putting down the first mss long enough to write the SECOND one, and maybe even a THIRD before they send it out. It'll save them a load of stress and headaches. Because publishers have no sense of humor about missed deadlines. To them it's a business, and they expect the writers to act like professionals.

Okay, off of my soapbox and back to the mss.

Attempts to Blog

I have been ATTEMPTING to blog, and comment on blogs and generally be technologically savvy and market and all that good and happy stuff to stay in touch while I'm writing the draft to Touch of Darkness (the final installment in the Thrall series) and @#*$(&#$ it anyway I haven't been able to get it to work until now. Which is a day late for when I was supposed to blog for the Midnight site. Le Sigh. Le BIG HEAVING PAIN IN THE @$@#$ sigh.

Ah well, the book is going pretty well. I'd love for it to go faster, but that's not my style.

Still, I gotta go and try.

Later.

Cie