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!!!