E-mail to the friends/family/reader account, posted without permission (you SPAM me, you take your chances):
Subject: 1st Page On Google!!!
Date: 8/28/2013 3:32:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time
From: [kindness duct tape]
Reply To:
To: Send IM to: LynnViehlLynnViehl@aol.com
Hi, LynnViehl@aol.com
Hi, Clueless@WhereTheHeckIsThat.com.
I am [kindness duct tape], Online SEO Consultant.
Uh-huh. Do you know that your given name is pretty close to a very rude English word for booty, and I'm not talking about the pirate variety?
As per the trends in your industry – over 80% of people search for your products/services online and buy the same.
Really? 80% of people search for and want to buy my books? Wow, I'd better call my editor; we're going to need a bigger first print run.
These rankings also influence other channels of sales as well.
Sure. Just think of what all my sales will do for the bookmark and booklight industries. Not to mention the papercut-size bandaid people.
It would be recommended if you go for search engine optimization (SEO)
Oh, so that's what SEO means. I was thinking you were a trip planner for South Korea but you were tired and didn't want to type out Seoul. So search engines, yeah. I am on the first page on Google for a lot of writing-related stuff, you know: novel outlininging, freeware for writers, that sort of thing. Would love to be on the first Google page for things like Authors with Normal Hair and Writers Who Can River Dance. But then I'd have to get a hair cut and take Irish stepdancing lessons from Michael Flatley, and then we'd probably have all kinds of creative differences over whether or not I should wear a skirt that covers my knee brace . . . no, on second thought, let's just stick with the writing stuff.
for your site which would increase your web visibility and generate better prospects traffic to your website.
I'm already more visible on the web than I ever wanted to be, and . . . hey, are you insulting my visitors?
There is a simple equation that is applicable to the online world.
Don't change the subject, dude. My visitors may not exactly be rolling in cash, but they're great prospects -- the best prospects, in fact. Not one of them would ever get published, go platinum and pretend they don't know me and/or badmouth my books. Just you watch.
Ethical SEO -> Better Traffic -> Higher Sales -> Higher Revenue
Maybe I don't want higher sales. Maybe what I really want is some cheesecake. You know, the really dense delicious New York kind of cheesecake? With strawberries and a big hot steaming cup of Chai, in front of a roaring fireplace with my guy to feed it to me, while he's weaing that really old pair of old jeans with the rip across the right thigh, and that white button-down shirt . . . sigh. Uh, the higher sales? Not so much.
Just wondering, if you would be interested improving the position of your website for the key terms your clients would be using to search your services.
Services here are provided for free, friend. If they want free, they'll find me.
In case you require any additional information, it shall be our pleasure to furnish the same. No obligations. Do let me know if you are interested and I would be happy to give you details about our services, price list and offers.
Yeah, yeah, same here.
I look forward of your reply.
And you might want to check for space in that English 102 class. Just saying.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
Driven to Write
Everyone who over the years has stated that you can't write while you're driving may now apologize:
iQ font - When driving becomes writing / Full making of from Tom Galle on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Recycling Books (in 1892)
One of my latest research acquisitions is an American lady's scrapbook dated 1892. If the price is right I'll buy something like this sight unseen, which was the case this time. This is also why I didn't know the lady had recycled a hardcover to serve as her scrapbook base:
A hundred and twenty-one years ago Florence Champlain decided to recycle a copy of Lockwood's Directory from 1887-1888, and began storing interesting bits in it. She did this (probably with flour paste) with about 100 newspaper articles, each one very precisely cut and fitted to each side of the directory's pages:
To keep the book from becoming overstuffed Florence cut out about half the pages, leaving behind just enough of the page to keep the binding intact.
Some of the pages in the very back were left uncovered, and contain some very cool 19th century advertising:
It appears that the scrapbook was preserved (and possibly added to) by at least two more family members; I haven't yet had time to date all the articles saved in it. The majority appear to be from the turn of the century, however, so I think Florence deserves most of the credit. There are at least a dozen obituaries of important folks including great writers (Victor Hugo), composers (Gounod) and poets (Tennyson), an interview with Tolstoy's widow and intimate profiles on the lives of men like George Washington, Edgar Allen Poe and James Fenimore Cooper. One article wrestles with the debate over divorce in America; another insists most "great" women never marry because no woman can sustain a career, a home and a family (ha.)
Along with newspaper articles Florence saved bits of poetry and humor, scholarly pieces on things like the study of heraldry and what sort of weapons were used in warfare before the invention of gunpowder. A friendly look at the life of the Czar of Russia, his wife and family takes up five pages, and there's a wonderful piece on the house in which Shakespeare was born. About half the articles in the scrapbook focus on writers, poets or books, reminding me of how well-read most people were in the 19th century (no radio, TV or movies for these folks.)
What Florence created with the scrapbook was not only a collection of articles she thought interesting or important, she opened a lovely little window into late 19th century America, and through it I can see exactly what she and her contemporaries were reading in the papers. As way-back machines go, this one is pretty fantastic.
To find antique scrapbooks like this one, check listings on eBay or Etsy, or do a search for rare booksellers online.
A hundred and twenty-one years ago Florence Champlain decided to recycle a copy of Lockwood's Directory from 1887-1888, and began storing interesting bits in it. She did this (probably with flour paste) with about 100 newspaper articles, each one very precisely cut and fitted to each side of the directory's pages:
To keep the book from becoming overstuffed Florence cut out about half the pages, leaving behind just enough of the page to keep the binding intact.
Some of the pages in the very back were left uncovered, and contain some very cool 19th century advertising:
It appears that the scrapbook was preserved (and possibly added to) by at least two more family members; I haven't yet had time to date all the articles saved in it. The majority appear to be from the turn of the century, however, so I think Florence deserves most of the credit. There are at least a dozen obituaries of important folks including great writers (Victor Hugo), composers (Gounod) and poets (Tennyson), an interview with Tolstoy's widow and intimate profiles on the lives of men like George Washington, Edgar Allen Poe and James Fenimore Cooper. One article wrestles with the debate over divorce in America; another insists most "great" women never marry because no woman can sustain a career, a home and a family (ha.)
Along with newspaper articles Florence saved bits of poetry and humor, scholarly pieces on things like the study of heraldry and what sort of weapons were used in warfare before the invention of gunpowder. A friendly look at the life of the Czar of Russia, his wife and family takes up five pages, and there's a wonderful piece on the house in which Shakespeare was born. About half the articles in the scrapbook focus on writers, poets or books, reminding me of how well-read most people were in the 19th century (no radio, TV or movies for these folks.)
What Florence created with the scrapbook was not only a collection of articles she thought interesting or important, she opened a lovely little window into late 19th century America, and through it I can see exactly what she and her contemporaries were reading in the papers. As way-back machines go, this one is pretty fantastic.
To find antique scrapbooks like this one, check listings on eBay or Etsy, or do a search for rare booksellers online.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Create Once, Publish Everywhere
I have to bail on you guys today to deal with some work offline. I know, I'm all work and no play lately, but there you go.
So that your stop here was not a complete waste, I direct you to Publishing app set to make headlines, an article by Brisbane reporter/blogger Katherine Feeney, about a new direction in digital publishing by Australian company Liquid State. Their soon-to-launch app will convert "print-ready content to mobile and tablet layouts with just five clicks." If that works, we may be saying good-bye to the long and laborious porcess of converting text to all the various formats for digital self-publishing -- evidently this app will do all that for you.
So that your stop here was not a complete waste, I direct you to Publishing app set to make headlines, an article by Brisbane reporter/blogger Katherine Feeney, about a new direction in digital publishing by Australian company Liquid State. Their soon-to-launch app will convert "print-ready content to mobile and tablet layouts with just five clicks." If that works, we may be saying good-bye to the long and laborious porcess of converting text to all the various formats for digital self-publishing -- evidently this app will do all that for you.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
German Edition Cover Art
This one is for the German edition of Dreamveil, my second Kyndred novel, which will be coming out next Spring. I've never had an orange and green cover before this, and since I grew up in the tropics those two are one of my favorite color combinations, so I'm quite pleased.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Sub Ops Ten
Ten Things About Submission Opportunities
Birkensnake doesn't want poetry, but they are looking for "stories that sustain themselves over more than one or two pages. We hope for strong inhuman voices. We are weary of stories that present luminous dialogues between men and women. We hope for less luminous dialogue. More biology. More necrology. Holes that are really tunnels. Healthy mutants." Length: up to 20K. Payment: "at least 1¢/word" according to Ralan. Query on reprints, electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.
Australian publisher Cohesion Press has an open call for Snafu, an anthology of military horror: "SNAFU will be an anthology of original military horror novellas and short stories. Bioweapons unleashed, mutations, ancient species unearthed in lost caverns deep within the earth… and the soldiers who fight them. You get the drift? There will be approximately 60,000 words taken up with novellas by the solicited authors, so we are looking for three or four original short stories via the submission process to fill the rest of the wordcount up to about 80,000." Length: 3-7K; Payment: 3¢/word, no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Submission period: September 1, 2013 until December 1, 2013.
Cohesion Press is also open to book-length submissions, and their current reading period is open until October 2nd, 2013; see regular submission guidelines here.
Clarkesworld magazine has an open call out for submissions for Upgraded, an "original science fiction anthology of cyborg stories edited by a cyborg." [I'd probably query on exactly what that means, folks.] What they want to see: "Obvious Requirement: Cyborgs or cyborg-related issues must play a role in the story. Feel free to explore this theme as widely as you like. Have fun with it and keep in mind that not all cyborgs need to be human." Length: 1-8K; Payment: "Seven cents per word", no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Tentative deadline: September 15th, 2013.
Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers is holding their annual short story contest; this one requires a $7.50 entry fee which doesn't make me happy but it's not as bad as some others. Their theme this year is "Storm of the Century", and their contest guidelines are available by .pdf here. Also, entry deadline is August 31st, so if you're interested, hop to it.
Hellfire Publishing is looking for "most well written fiction and non-fiction. At this time we are NOT accepting, Children’s books, no multi-author anthologies, collections or poetry. We are avidly looking for novels—in the following genres and all subgenres: Romance, Horror, Sci-fi, and Stories that are intended to be a part of a series." Length: "Between 20,000 to 100,000 words. Stories must be 60,000 words to be considered for print. No exceptions." Payment: "Ten percent (10%) for the first 10,000 print copies, (15%) fifteen percent from 10,001 to 20,000, print books sold the figure is bumped up to twenty percent (20%) after 20, 0001 print books sold and up. Multiple-Author books will split the above royalty percentages equally." No reprints, query first via electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.
IFWG Publishing has a new fiction contest going: "Stories must be written with an emphasis on the speculative fiction genres (horror, science fiction and fantasy). Note that the judges will be looking for fresh, character-centric stories with depth of skill in theme and plot construction. Zombies, vampires, elves, hobbits, orcs, are unlikely to get past round one." Length: 1-3K; Prizes: "The winner of the Contest will receive $100US cash prize. Second place will get $50US and third place $25US." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see contest page for more details. Deadline: October 31st, 2013.
E-zine NewMyths.com publishes "speculative fiction of every stripe except graphic horror. We like each issue to have an eclectic variety of stories: funny, frightening, hard and soft sci-fi, adventure, thoughtful, etc. Every issue includes at least one nonfiction piece dealing with some aspect of science, myth, folklore, or literature as it relates to speculative fiction, usually of the well-researched essay variety rather than opinion or editorial. Speculative poetry is welcome. We tend to receive a lot of free verse and not enough "form" poetry. We also buy one piece of artwork per issue, and occasionally commission one." Length: up to 10K; Payment: $50.00 fiction or nonfiction, $20.00 flash or poetry. No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.
There's an open call for Strength from Within, a charity-drive anthology: "Recovery from addiction requires strength, and through strength can come recovery. But not all strengths are the same, nor are all addictions. Strength From Within aims to examine addiction and recovery through the lens of fantasy. With fifteen stories of bravery, strength and resilience in the face of addiction and recovery, this anthology showcases established authors as well as up and coming talent." As for the charity aspects: "All profits are to go to Asbury House. The support from this project will go to give Asbury House a home in Fort Collins, CO and give dozens of women the space to learn their strengths and build on them to recover." What they want to see: "Original material, no reprints will be accepted. Do not use non-original characters and/or copyrighted characters. Romance is fine, erotica is inappropriate for the anthology. No rape, no excessive violence." Length: "2-6K, query for longer"; Payment: "$25 per story", no reprints, electronic submissions only. Deadline: "October 31st, or until filled."
World Weaver Press has changed their annual reading periods for novel and story queries; see updates for their 2014 schedule here.
All of the above were found among the marvelous market listings at Ralan.com
Birkensnake doesn't want poetry, but they are looking for "stories that sustain themselves over more than one or two pages. We hope for strong inhuman voices. We are weary of stories that present luminous dialogues between men and women. We hope for less luminous dialogue. More biology. More necrology. Holes that are really tunnels. Healthy mutants." Length: up to 20K. Payment: "at least 1¢/word" according to Ralan. Query on reprints, electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.
Australian publisher Cohesion Press has an open call for Snafu, an anthology of military horror: "SNAFU will be an anthology of original military horror novellas and short stories. Bioweapons unleashed, mutations, ancient species unearthed in lost caverns deep within the earth… and the soldiers who fight them. You get the drift? There will be approximately 60,000 words taken up with novellas by the solicited authors, so we are looking for three or four original short stories via the submission process to fill the rest of the wordcount up to about 80,000." Length: 3-7K; Payment: 3¢/word, no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Submission period: September 1, 2013 until December 1, 2013.
Cohesion Press is also open to book-length submissions, and their current reading period is open until October 2nd, 2013; see regular submission guidelines here.
Clarkesworld magazine has an open call out for submissions for Upgraded, an "original science fiction anthology of cyborg stories edited by a cyborg." [I'd probably query on exactly what that means, folks.] What they want to see: "Obvious Requirement: Cyborgs or cyborg-related issues must play a role in the story. Feel free to explore this theme as widely as you like. Have fun with it and keep in mind that not all cyborgs need to be human." Length: 1-8K; Payment: "Seven cents per word", no reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details. Tentative deadline: September 15th, 2013.
Garden State Speculative Fiction Writers is holding their annual short story contest; this one requires a $7.50 entry fee which doesn't make me happy but it's not as bad as some others. Their theme this year is "Storm of the Century", and their contest guidelines are available by .pdf here. Also, entry deadline is August 31st, so if you're interested, hop to it.
Hellfire Publishing is looking for "most well written fiction and non-fiction. At this time we are NOT accepting, Children’s books, no multi-author anthologies, collections or poetry. We are avidly looking for novels—in the following genres and all subgenres: Romance, Horror, Sci-fi, and Stories that are intended to be a part of a series." Length: "Between 20,000 to 100,000 words. Stories must be 60,000 words to be considered for print. No exceptions." Payment: "Ten percent (10%) for the first 10,000 print copies, (15%) fifteen percent from 10,001 to 20,000, print books sold the figure is bumped up to twenty percent (20%) after 20, 0001 print books sold and up. Multiple-Author books will split the above royalty percentages equally." No reprints, query first via electronic submission only, see guidelines for more details.
IFWG Publishing has a new fiction contest going: "Stories must be written with an emphasis on the speculative fiction genres (horror, science fiction and fantasy). Note that the judges will be looking for fresh, character-centric stories with depth of skill in theme and plot construction. Zombies, vampires, elves, hobbits, orcs, are unlikely to get past round one." Length: 1-3K; Prizes: "The winner of the Contest will receive $100US cash prize. Second place will get $50US and third place $25US." No reprints, electronic submissions only, see contest page for more details. Deadline: October 31st, 2013.
E-zine NewMyths.com publishes "speculative fiction of every stripe except graphic horror. We like each issue to have an eclectic variety of stories: funny, frightening, hard and soft sci-fi, adventure, thoughtful, etc. Every issue includes at least one nonfiction piece dealing with some aspect of science, myth, folklore, or literature as it relates to speculative fiction, usually of the well-researched essay variety rather than opinion or editorial. Speculative poetry is welcome. We tend to receive a lot of free verse and not enough "form" poetry. We also buy one piece of artwork per issue, and occasionally commission one." Length: up to 10K; Payment: $50.00 fiction or nonfiction, $20.00 flash or poetry. No reprints, electronic submissions only, see guidelines for more details.
There's an open call for Strength from Within, a charity-drive anthology: "Recovery from addiction requires strength, and through strength can come recovery. But not all strengths are the same, nor are all addictions. Strength From Within aims to examine addiction and recovery through the lens of fantasy. With fifteen stories of bravery, strength and resilience in the face of addiction and recovery, this anthology showcases established authors as well as up and coming talent." As for the charity aspects: "All profits are to go to Asbury House. The support from this project will go to give Asbury House a home in Fort Collins, CO and give dozens of women the space to learn their strengths and build on them to recover." What they want to see: "Original material, no reprints will be accepted. Do not use non-original characters and/or copyrighted characters. Romance is fine, erotica is inappropriate for the anthology. No rape, no excessive violence." Length: "2-6K, query for longer"; Payment: "$25 per story", no reprints, electronic submissions only. Deadline: "October 31st, or until filled."
World Weaver Press has changed their annual reading periods for novel and story queries; see updates for their 2014 schedule here.
All of the above were found among the marvelous market listings at Ralan.com
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Saturday, August 24, 2013
NaNoWriMo 2013
Some folks have asked what I'll be doing for National Novel Writing Month this year. While my annual NaNoWriMo calendar reminder went off as scheduled on July 31st, I've been so busy with the new series launch I haven't yet decided. Also, a lot depends on how stacked my winter writing schedule will be. If I don't join in myself, I will definitely provide whatever support I can here on the blog for those of you who will be writing a novel in November.
Will you be taking part in NaNoWriMo 2013? Let us know your plans in comments.
Friday, August 23, 2013
The Doing vs. The Talking
Andy Gilmore is an interesting artist; he connects with patterns and nature in some of the same ways I do with words and story. He also is more interested in the doing than the talking about it, which struck a chord with me (narrated and with background music, for those of you at work):
Ghostly International presents Andy Gilmore from Ghostly International on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Off Dancing with Wolves
Today I'm unplugging so I can finish up the last buff and polish of The Clockwork Wolf, but so that your stop here was not entirely wasted, I have a photo to share:
I've been photographing spiders in the back yard for years, but this little one caught the sunlight so beautifully I was enchanted. Of course the wind was blowing, and the web and the spider were floating up and down, and the only angle I could get on it meant shooting directly into the sun. So as always, I just crossed my fingers, pointed the camera and clicked (and you can see a larger version here.)
I'm calling it Writing Light. :)
I've been photographing spiders in the back yard for years, but this little one caught the sunlight so beautifully I was enchanted. Of course the wind was blowing, and the web and the spider were floating up and down, and the only angle I could get on it meant shooting directly into the sun. So as always, I just crossed my fingers, pointed the camera and clicked (and you can see a larger version here.)
I'm calling it Writing Light. :)
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Over on the Toriana Blog
Today I'm over at Disenchanted & Co. while we steampunk author Jeff Somers. Stop in, tell us in comments the author you'd most like to spend the day with, and you could win this giveaway of Jeff's books, a brand new O'Neill backpack and other geeky fun stuff. 
Monday, August 19, 2013
First Look & Winner
Before I announce the winner of the big giveaway, I have some new art to show you:
This will be the cover for The Clockwork Wolf, due out in late February 2014.
I asked my editor, Adam Wilson, to take over the magic hat this week. Since Adam made publishing my 50th novel possible I thought he should have the honors (and if it were left up to me everyone would win, which simply wasn't possible with this giveaway.)
Adam has made his choice, and the winner of the 50th Novel Giveaway is:
Raine Weaver
Raine, when you have a chance please e-mail me at LynnViehl@aol.com. My deepest thanks to everyone for helping me celebrate the release of Her Ladyship's Curse.
This will be the cover for The Clockwork Wolf, due out in late February 2014.
I asked my editor, Adam Wilson, to take over the magic hat this week. Since Adam made publishing my 50th novel possible I thought he should have the honors (and if it were left up to me everyone would win, which simply wasn't possible with this giveaway.)
Adam has made his choice, and the winner of the 50th Novel Giveaway is:
Raine Weaver
Raine, when you have a chance please e-mail me at LynnViehl@aol.com. My deepest thanks to everyone for helping me celebrate the release of Her Ladyship's Curse.
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Fifty Things
To wrap up my 50th novel party week, I thought I'd hunt through the archives and find some interesting links. This resulted in a list of:
50 of My Favorite PBW Links
25 Reasons to Keep Writing ~ I can probably add another 25 to the list now, but the original is fun.
750 words ~ my thoughts on the daily writing motivation site.
Art vs. Life ~ a virtual workshop on keeping both of your lives in balance.
Becoming (an official) NYT bestseller ~ was it really back in 2008? Doesn't seem that long ago.
Bookmarks from Hell ~ where my joke about mixing Tylenol and wine originated.
Butterfly People ~ why can't I be more like the ladies in the art mags? This is why.
Cafe Temptation ~ more real than you would imagine.
Character Cards ~ a fun way to catalog your characters.
Chloroform + Arsenic + Hydroxide = Love ~ my kid's hilarious poem.
Character Palettes ~ how to use color to inspire your character construction.
Courage ~ on being a writer -- and valiant.
Da Winchy Code ~ the NYT doesn't mean to be funny, but . . .
Disenchanted & Co. ~ the blog I created for my new steampunk urban fantasy novel series for Pocket Star.
Domain Explained ~ who you have to talk to if you want my blog title for yourself.
Dream Called Time ~ the day I finished the StarDoc series.
Freebies ~ all my favorite free stuff on the internet.
Grill Babies ~ why you should always look inside first before you fire up the grill.
Hiveword ~ my thoughts on the online story organizer site.
Inconveniences ~ how to write, even when you can't.
Index Card Journal ~ how I turned a pack of ordinary index cards into a very different kind of journal.
John and Marcia ~ the adventures of my novel crash test dummies.
Left Behind & Loving It 2005 - 2009 ~ the online writing workshops I held every summer for four years.
Make Me a Supernovelist ~ writers on reality TV.
Mary Sue Anonymous ~ Genre vs. Literati via 12 step programs.
Mawked by Dawkness ~ brand name dropping in vampire novels.
Moon Called ~ another novel that I predicted would be a blockbuster (and then it was).
NaNoWriMo 2009 ~ this was the year I wrote the first draft of Disenchanted & Co.
Novel Outlining 101 ~ the most popular post of all time on PBW.
Past Perfection ~ the pasta sauce of writing.
PBWindow ~ my art experiment that turned into a blog (currently on hiatus, but soon to return)
Persuasion 101 ~ my daughter tries to persuade me to let her have the internet on her computer.
Pink ~ I'm over it now. Mostly.
Publishing 911 ~ the post that went so quickly viral we had to notify the CDC.
Reinventing the Bookmark ~ where my BookLoop originated.
Runaway Trains Part 1 and Part 2 ~ how to deal with those story ideas that hit you like a freight train.
Scene Focus ~ includes the luckiest photo shot I ever took in my life.
Seventh Sanctum ~ my favorite online writing generator site
Southern Fried Chicas ~ my favorite author group blog
Start to Finish ~ why I don't give up, even when I should.
Ten Things Authors Don't Want to Hear (But Frequently Do) ~ all true, sad to say.
Ten Things That May Indicate You're Writing a McNovel ~ another post that went viral on me.
Ten Things to Help Name Your Fictional Location ~ includes some of my favorite place name generators.
The Devil's Publishing Dictionary Part 1 and Part 2 ~ the second most popular pair of posts on PBW.
The Friday 20 ~ the years I spent answering questions every Friday on the blog.
The Last Samurai Agent ~ if you want to make your agent laugh, show them this.
The Paranormal Romance Novelist's Exam ~ funny because it is true.
The Presurfer ~ my favorite internet surfer's blog
The Third and the Seventh ~ my favorite video of all time.
The Year of Writing Dangerously, my resolution from 2008 which resulted in me writing Master of Shadows, for which I also designed the cover art.
Wordle ~ my favorite online word toy
I've also added the last prizes of the week to the Splendor tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
-- Signed paperback copies of all ten novels in the complete StarDoc series as well as Bio Rescue and Afterburn. Nearly all of these books are out of print now, and this is the last extra complete set of copies I have. For these reasons this will also be the last time I can sign a full set of StarDoc books for a giveaway.
-- Original steampunk anime artwork by Alaires, aka my daughter Kat, who is also my cover artist/designer for My Lord Mayhem. This is her portrait of Kit, Japanese chibi style, executed in copic marker, and it's really adorable.
-- New! A Lapgear Notebook & Tablet Stand lapdesk, to help keep your favorite device hands-free
-- New! A crystal serpent bracelet from Victorian Trading Co., very much like the one Kit borrows from Bridget in the novel.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
50 of My Favorite PBW Links
25 Reasons to Keep Writing ~ I can probably add another 25 to the list now, but the original is fun.
750 words ~ my thoughts on the daily writing motivation site.
Art vs. Life ~ a virtual workshop on keeping both of your lives in balance.
Becoming (an official) NYT bestseller ~ was it really back in 2008? Doesn't seem that long ago.
Bookmarks from Hell ~ where my joke about mixing Tylenol and wine originated.
Butterfly People ~ why can't I be more like the ladies in the art mags? This is why.
Cafe Temptation ~ more real than you would imagine.
Character Cards ~ a fun way to catalog your characters.
Chloroform + Arsenic + Hydroxide = Love ~ my kid's hilarious poem.
Character Palettes ~ how to use color to inspire your character construction.
Courage ~ on being a writer -- and valiant.
Da Winchy Code ~ the NYT doesn't mean to be funny, but . . .
Disenchanted & Co. ~ the blog I created for my new steampunk urban fantasy novel series for Pocket Star.
Domain Explained ~ who you have to talk to if you want my blog title for yourself.
Dream Called Time ~ the day I finished the StarDoc series.
Freebies ~ all my favorite free stuff on the internet.
Grill Babies ~ why you should always look inside first before you fire up the grill.
Hiveword ~ my thoughts on the online story organizer site.
Inconveniences ~ how to write, even when you can't.
Index Card Journal ~ how I turned a pack of ordinary index cards into a very different kind of journal.
John and Marcia ~ the adventures of my novel crash test dummies.
Left Behind & Loving It 2005 - 2009 ~ the online writing workshops I held every summer for four years.
Make Me a Supernovelist ~ writers on reality TV.
Mary Sue Anonymous ~ Genre vs. Literati via 12 step programs.
Mawked by Dawkness ~ brand name dropping in vampire novels.
Moon Called ~ another novel that I predicted would be a blockbuster (and then it was).
NaNoWriMo 2009 ~ this was the year I wrote the first draft of Disenchanted & Co.
Novel Outlining 101 ~ the most popular post of all time on PBW.
Past Perfection ~ the pasta sauce of writing.
PBWindow ~ my art experiment that turned into a blog (currently on hiatus, but soon to return)
Persuasion 101 ~ my daughter tries to persuade me to let her have the internet on her computer.
Pink ~ I'm over it now. Mostly.
Publishing 911 ~ the post that went so quickly viral we had to notify the CDC.
Reinventing the Bookmark ~ where my BookLoop originated.
Runaway Trains Part 1 and Part 2 ~ how to deal with those story ideas that hit you like a freight train.
Scene Focus ~ includes the luckiest photo shot I ever took in my life.
Seventh Sanctum ~ my favorite online writing generator site
Southern Fried Chicas ~ my favorite author group blog
Start to Finish ~ why I don't give up, even when I should.
Ten Things Authors Don't Want to Hear (But Frequently Do) ~ all true, sad to say.
Ten Things That May Indicate You're Writing a McNovel ~ another post that went viral on me.
Ten Things to Help Name Your Fictional Location ~ includes some of my favorite place name generators.
The Devil's Publishing Dictionary Part 1 and Part 2 ~ the second most popular pair of posts on PBW.
The Friday 20 ~ the years I spent answering questions every Friday on the blog.
The Last Samurai Agent ~ if you want to make your agent laugh, show them this.
The Paranormal Romance Novelist's Exam ~ funny because it is true.
The Presurfer ~ my favorite internet surfer's blog
The Third and the Seventh ~ my favorite video of all time.
The Year of Writing Dangerously, my resolution from 2008 which resulted in me writing Master of Shadows, for which I also designed the cover art.
Wordle ~ my favorite online word toy
I've also added the last prizes of the week to the Splendor tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
-- Signed paperback copies of all ten novels in the complete StarDoc series as well as Bio Rescue and Afterburn. Nearly all of these books are out of print now, and this is the last extra complete set of copies I have. For these reasons this will also be the last time I can sign a full set of StarDoc books for a giveaway.
-- Original steampunk anime artwork by Alaires, aka my daughter Kat, who is also my cover artist/designer for My Lord Mayhem. This is her portrait of Kit, Japanese chibi style, executed in copic marker, and it's really adorable.
-- New! A Lapgear Notebook & Tablet Stand lapdesk, to help keep your favorite device hands-free
-- New! A crystal serpent bracelet from Victorian Trading Co., very much like the one Kit borrows from Bridget in the novel.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Saturday, August 17, 2013
At the Steampunk Show
Recently I visited a steampunk-themed antique show, and snapped some shots of the most interesting items on display. Here's a slideshow of what I wished I could have brought home with me:
I've also added some more prizes to this week's giveaway:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
-- New! Signed paperback copies of all ten novels in the complete StarDoc series as well as Bio Rescue and Afterburn. Nearly all of these books are out of print now, and this is the last extra complete set of copies I have. For these reasons this will also be the last time I can sign a full set of StarDoc books for a giveaway.
-- New! Original steampunk anime artwork by Alaires, aka my daughter Kat, who is also my cover artist/designer for My Lord Mayhem. This is her portrait of Kit, Japanese chibi style, executed in copic marker, and it's really adorable.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
I've also added some more prizes to this week's giveaway:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
-- New! Signed paperback copies of all ten novels in the complete StarDoc series as well as Bio Rescue and Afterburn. Nearly all of these books are out of print now, and this is the last extra complete set of copies I have. For these reasons this will also be the last time I can sign a full set of StarDoc books for a giveaway.
-- New! Original steampunk anime artwork by Alaires, aka my daughter Kat, who is also my cover artist/designer for My Lord Mayhem. This is her portrait of Kit, Japanese chibi style, executed in copic marker, and it's really adorable.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Friday, August 16, 2013
ID'ing the Dredmore Type
For all of you who might be involved with magical assassins, I have a piece over at Pocket Star's web site, XOXO After Dark, on how to tell if your guy is a deathmage.
I've also got more books and another shopping spree to add today to the Splendor tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- New! Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- New! A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
I've also got more books and another shopping spree to add today to the Splendor tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
-- New! Signed copies of all seven of my original Darkyn series novels
-- New! A $50.00 gift certificate from Victorian Trading Co.
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Playing Dr. Frankenstein
I was invited by editor and colleague Maria Zannini to contribute an article to the Online Writing Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror (OWW) monthly newsletter for August about how I build characters, which you can read online here.
Today's additions to the Splendor Tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- New! A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- New! Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Today's additions to the Splendor Tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- A $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
-- New! A lovely black and crystal "Make a Wish" pendant from Victorian Trading (very Torian in design, and looks a bit like Kit's pendant, too)
-- New! Signed copies of all four of my Kyndred novels
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Free for All
Today I have something over at Disenchanted & Co. free for everyone to enjoy (and it's 192 years old, too), so stop in if you get a chance. I'm also adding more prizes to the Splendor tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- New! A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- New! A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- New! a $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
-- New! A signed hardcover copy of my SF standalone, Blade Dancer
-- New! A gorgeous red journal from Leathersmiths of London
-- New! a $50.00 e-gift card from Levenger
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Elsewhere with My Secret Life
Today I'm over visiting The Good, the Bad and the Unread to talk about my secret life (not the one related to the bat cave; the other secret life.) Stop in if you get a chance and enter to win this giveaway tote filled with signed galley copies of Her Ladyship's Curse and His Lordship Possessed along with some other lovely goodies.I'm also adding some new prizes today to my 50th Novel giveaway tote:
Along with the Splendor tote, the winner will receive:
-- A signed print galley copy of His Lordship Possessed
-- A special $50.00 BookWish
-- New! Audio editions of all three of my Lords of the Darkyn novels
-- New! A pair of romantic black lace gloves from Victorian Trading (which are almost identical to the gloves Kit is wearing on the cover of Her Ladyship's Curse).
If you'd like to win everything I'm giving away this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about my new series. For details on how to do that, and to officially enter the giveaway, click here.
Some readers have asked for better pics of the tote, so here's a slideshow with pics of the front and back as well as more details about the work I did on it:
The tote took about 100 hours to make, and features tons of glass and stone beads, freshwater and faux pearls, Swarovski crystals, holographic threads, vintage metal pendants and antique lace and trims. I used some of my more elaborate crazy quilt embellishment designs to make it, including an emerald bead spider hanging from a golden holographic thread web. All the beading and quilting is completely hand-worked, primarily on silk patchwork, and the three vintage brooches on the blue velvet ribbon on the back of the tote are removable so the owner can wear them separately.
Monday, August 12, 2013
50th Novel Release Party
Today is the release day for Her Ladyship's Curse, the first book in my new Disenchanted & Co. steampunk urban fantasy series for Pocket Star. I never imagined I'd have the chance to publish fifty books, so reaching this point in my writing life is pretty magical for me. My family and friends have always been there to help me along with way, as have my publishers and editors, but it's really all of you who are my steadfast, loyal readers who made this day possible. Every one of you have done something to bring me here; you've talked about my books, shared them with friends, blogged about them, recommended them to your readers and spread the word about my work in countless other ways. I would never have reached this landmark without your generosity, support and encouragement. Thank you so much.
To launch my new series and my 50th published book I've been working on a very special giveaway, all of which will be packed in my crazy quilted and beaded Splendor tote, handmade by Yours Truly and inspired by Kathy Uhrig. Kathy is the proprietor of Strange Notions on Etsy, and not only sells the most fabulous vintage goods but hand-selected most of the materials that went into this project. Each day I'll also be adding some new prizes to the tote, which will include signed books, shopping sprees, and some very special gifts inspired by Disenchanted & Co.
To start off the giveaway today I have a signed, bound print galley of His Lordship Possessed, Disenchanted & Co. Part 2, which will not be released until October. The Publishing Fairy has also added a special BookWish: $50.00 for the winner to spend on books at the online bookseller of their choice (we'll throw in whatever shipping is involved.)If you'd like a chance to win my Splendor tote along with all the prizes I'll be heaping into it this week, all you have to do is help me spread the word about the release of Her Ladyship Curse. There is no one mandatory thing you have to do; I want you to feel free to be as creative as you like. You can put out the word online and link to this post on your web site, blog, Twitter account, Facebook or Tumblr page; or by posting about it on your favorite book discussion site. If you read the book this week and would like to write up a review of Her Ladyship's Curse, that will also qualify (and if you don't have a web site or blog, you can post it on B&N.com, Amazon.com or your favorite bookseller site, or any book review or discussion site.) If you're looking for additional content to post, over on the Toriana blog you can find excerpts, the official series trailer and my free e-book, My Lord Mayhem.
Tell me whatever you do to help spread the word about my 50th novel in comments to this post by midnight EST on Sunday, August 18th, 2013. On Monday, 8/19, my editor Adam Wilson (who very kindly agreed to man the magic hat this time around) will select one name at random from all the entries as the giveaway winner. My 50th novel giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
My Five Minutes
USA Today's Happily Ever After blog has a three-authors/three-things piece running today, and Her Ladyship's Curse and I are featured with trio of things about me that may (or may not) surprise you.If I sound I bit terse in comparison to the other authors, it's because my publicist said "Be brief. Be very, very brief." and so I was.
Saturday, August 10, 2013
Postponement
Due to some unexpected personal troubles the host of Paranormal & Urban Fantasy Review asked me to rescheduled the appearance I had planned for today (and of course I agreed) so that giveaway and guest post will be on hold until she can sort things out. Please send her some good thoughts and prayers if you would, too.
Friday, August 09, 2013
Illuminated
Some of the world's greatest examples of architecture shine in Luke Shepard's Nightvision (contains background music, for those of you at work):
NIGHTVISION from Luke Shepard on Vimeo.
Thursday, August 08, 2013
Texterize It
Gerard over at The Presurfer found the neatest word-art generator, Texter, which allows you to paint with words, ala concrete poetry (click on the image to see a larger version):
The generator's controls allow you to customize your word-painting to include whatever text you want, colors, angles and more.
The generator's controls allow you to customize your word-painting to include whatever text you want, colors, angles and more.
Wednesday, August 07, 2013
Hidden
Today I'm over at Disenchanted & Co. talking about something beautiful I found hidden away in a couple of pillow covers, and how you can use personal metaphors, symbols and other secrets to help with your world-building.
Tuesday, August 06, 2013
Aftermath
Due to some unusual circumstances I had a chance over the weekend to take photos of the aftermath of the Blue Rhino Propane Plant explosion (and please note I took all of these shots by zoom from a very safe distance):
From the conditions the heat must have been unbelievably intense; all of the trees and shrubs immediately surrounding the plant are dead or dying. Scorched heaps of the 53,000 small propane tanks that blew lay everywhere; some had blown apart into twisted hunks of shrapnel. Even the cover on one of the very tall back lot lights had melted into a stringy mess.
While I was initially curious about what had happened, actually seeing the aftermath made me feel very uneasy and upset. The three big white tanks you see in a couple of the shots supposedly hold close to 100K pounds of propane; if they had also exploded it would have been much worse (and I take my hat off to the fire fighters who worked so hard to keep that from happening.) I know several employees at the plant were hurt in the explosion, three critically, and I'm keeping them in my prayers. I'm also pretty sure now that I'm not cut out to be a photo journalist.
From the conditions the heat must have been unbelievably intense; all of the trees and shrubs immediately surrounding the plant are dead or dying. Scorched heaps of the 53,000 small propane tanks that blew lay everywhere; some had blown apart into twisted hunks of shrapnel. Even the cover on one of the very tall back lot lights had melted into a stringy mess.
While I was initially curious about what had happened, actually seeing the aftermath made me feel very uneasy and upset. The three big white tanks you see in a couple of the shots supposedly hold close to 100K pounds of propane; if they had also exploded it would have been much worse (and I take my hat off to the fire fighters who worked so hard to keep that from happening.) I know several employees at the plant were hurt in the explosion, three critically, and I'm keeping them in my prayers. I'm also pretty sure now that I'm not cut out to be a photo journalist.
Monday, August 05, 2013
Elsewhere Ten
Today I'm over at Under The Covers talking about English and how differently we speak it on either side of the pond. Drop by if you have a chance and enter to win the giveaway, which includes everything in the following slideshow (except the exploded things), aka
Ten Things in the Under the Covers Giveaway
Ten Things in the Under the Covers Giveaway
Sunday, August 04, 2013
Saturday, August 03, 2013
Elsewhere Minus the Corsets
Today I'm over at All Things Urban Fantasy to talk about world-building Toriana and why the corsets had to go. Stop in if you have a chance and enter to win this giveaway of a handmade quilted silk Victorian tote, signed galley copies of Her Ladyship's Curse and His Lordship Possessed, along with some other goodies.
Friday, August 02, 2013
Summer at the Shelter
My daughter and I recently made a trip to the local no-kill cat shelter to give the residents some of our time and love (and doing volunteer work together is a wonderful way to spend quality time with your kid, too.) While we were there I snapped some shots of our furry friends and made them into a slideshow to share:
If you are in search of a new furry friend, please consider visiting your local animal shelter to meet some new prospects. There are so many lonely kitties (and pups, too) in shelter care who are in need of a new family and a loving home.
If you are in search of a new furry friend, please consider visiting your local animal shelter to meet some new prospects. There are so many lonely kitties (and pups, too) in shelter care who are in need of a new family and a loving home.
Thursday, August 01, 2013
Elsewhere with Her Ladyship
Today I'm over at That's What I'm Talking About blog to share what happened when I told my Mom about selling my new Disenchanted & Co. novel series. If you get a chance stop by, join in and enter to win the giveaway, which includes bound and signed print galley copies of Her Ladyship's Curse and His Lordship Possessed and my positively medieval handmade Toriana crazy apple tote.
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