Pack Your Bags Giveaway

From time to time we all need to escape, but when you can't get out of town in person you can always let a great story take you away. I think that's what I've always loved about great SF adventure stories -- they're guaranteed to whisk you off to new worlds.

To celebrate the release of LJ Cohen's new novel Ithaka Rising, and because I love traveling through her Halcyone Space universe, I'm having a giveaway:



I packed one of you a getaway bag, which consists of this nifty SF-ish tote (one of my rare quilting experiments), an unsigned trade paperback copy of LJ's Derelict, a traveler edition of Gimble for hands-free reading, a blank journal called The Anti-Social Network (couldn't resist that one) and a quilted bookmark made by yours truly. There will also be an unsigned trade paperback copy of Ithaka Rising by LJ Cohen (which is not pictured because it's still en route to me with my own copy from the bookseller.)

If you'd like to win it all, in comments to this post name one thing you'd like to bring back after a trip to the future (or if you're afraid of customs, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Tuesday, June 30th, 2015. I will pick one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner the getaway bag. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Finish Line Thoughts

Today is the final day of NaNoWriMo 2014, and if I'm not yet at the 50K finish line I hope to cross it by 11:59 pm.* Pretty sure I will; just before I wrote this post I flew past 45K after an uber creative writing session. Which is why I want to write this post now (today is the 23rd, actually) -- I had my best writing day of the month. Finished and turned in the first phase of Ghost Writer Gig II, then nailed my 2K NaNo novel daily goal *and* bailed my characters out of a sticky plot problem *and* found/created a new room in Netherfield. This is about as high as this kite gets, my friends.

I'm still tired, and somewhat annoyed with Publishing, and really, really behind on my holiday prep and household chores. NaNo combined with my day jobs should have me finishing the month with 112K of new fiction written since November 1st, which now seems a bit surreal. Before Nano began I was having trouble writing a thousand words a day; this month I've averaged almost four times that -- and I don't know why, other than doubling up on my writing sessions and letting the NaNo madness and my writing buddies inspire me. Well, being able to actually see again might have helped a little.

Maybe I should give the eyes most of the credit. I almost went blind this year. I was basically blind for the month between my two eye surgeries, when I couldn't write or read or drive or do much of anything. I had a lot of time to sit around and think about what my life would be like if those operations didn't work, too. Trading in my silver cane for a white one. Going to Braille classes. Giving up my books, my sewing, my car. Having to relearn how to do everything by touch. Never again seeing the faces of the people I love.

You know I've never been afraid of the dark, but this year? I learned how.

So I don't care that I'm tired, or that I had to juggle work and NaNo, or that I'm probably going to spend December doing all my housework and shopping while in a partial coma. No matter what happens, I still get to see it happen. There is also one more daily reminder for me to be grateful for my restored sight. This month we found out that our beloved rescue kitty, Jericho, is going blind, and there's nothing the vet can do to stop it. So we're going to pamper him and love him and make sure he knows we're here for him. And I wil remember that could be me.

I would like to thank everyone here who cheered on me and my writer pals, and my NaNo writing buddies, who always came through with a note to me at the exactly the right time. You truly are the best.

Now let's finish this.

*Actually finished up on Wednesay, but wrote this post before that, which is confusing but there you go.

#576

Now that I can see well enough to read things, I'm catching up on some on-hold projects, such as sorting out and deciding what to do with the leftover ATCs from my 1000 Cards Project. I gave away about half of the cards at our MegaCon booth back in March, but I still have to do something with the other 500.

While dividing the remainder into what I want to keep, and what I'll part with, I did find one ATC I'd completely forgotten about:



This little white box is tied with metallic green cord to card #576, which is titled "Every day is a gift -- here's one for you." I made it on 9/12/2012, and wrote two project categories on the back: Jewelry (#2) and Found around the House (#68).

So what's inside? I don't know. I can't remember what I made to put in the box.

There is something in there, however; when I shake it I can hear chain rattling. I also checked my personal journal from that particular month, and while I don't mention exactly what I made for #576, I did write that I was working on some steampunk ideas. Knowing me it's probably a pendant or bracelet of some sort, fashioned from something I found around the house and upcycled. I don't want to open the box and sneak a peak because I really did make it to be opened by someone else.

Would you like to be that person? In comments to this post, name something forgotten or mysterious that you've found in the past (or if there are no mysteries in your life, just throw your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Monday, October 6th, 2014. I'll choose one name at random from everyone who participates, and send the winner #576 along with a signed copy of any book I've written that is still in print. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something at PBW in the past.

The Gift of You

Now that I've shown you probably more than you ever wanted to know about journaling, I'm going to wrap up Journal Week with a giveaway. Not just yet, as I'm not quite finished with the nagging part.

Lots of writers have kept journals, but you don't have to be a writer to keep a journal. You don't have to be an artist, either. You don't even have to handwrite it; you can type your journal. Or dictate it in audio form, if you prefer. The only requirement of journaling is for you to be you, and to preserve some of who you are, what you experience, think, feel, believe, create, witness, dream -- and if you're not sure what that is, all the things that go on behind your eyes is a good place to begin looking. So is the world around you. And all those other people in your life, they can go into it. The work you do, the places you go, and anything that has meaning to you are likewise excellent material.

Or not. You can make up everything as you go along. Your journal is a journey into yourself, and no one else is involved, so it can be anything you want. For Paulus Beresohn it's a portable studio. For me it's a neverending story of me and my world (and for once I never have to come up with an ending.)

Why is this so important? For starters, there is no one out there in the world like you. In fact there never has been, and there never will be again. In this time you're alive and working and doing things, and I bet you hardly ever think much about how singular you are. You may not think you're important, and you may even worry that you have no particular gift for anything so it's not worth keeping a journal -- but you're wrong. As I was telling a friend last week, you are the gift you bring to this world.

How precious is the gift of you? I can't tell you because I don't know. And you'll never know, either. Just as Anne Frank could never know how many millions of people would read -- and be inspired -- by her diary. Or Samuel Pepys could imagine his journals would survive over three hundred years to open a window to the distant past for historians. Anne and Samuel had an advantage over us, you know. Nothing in their times was digital or virtual so they had to write it down on paper.

That's the other thing. Sometimes I wonder how much of our lives and our time the world will lose if all this lovely technology one day goes boom and can't be recovered. This week Facebook shut down for a couple of hours and people completely freaked; what if it all goes away forever? What will be lost for eternity because someone couldn't be bothered to print it out -- or write it down?

It isn't so much about the world for me as it is what happens when my time here is finished. I write my journals for myself, but when I go, I'm leaving part of myself behind in them. I don't know how long they'll survive me, and frankly? I can't know that so I don't care. If they provide some comfort and insight and inspiration to the loved ones I leave behind, that's great. If they help someone else further down the line, even better.

I don't expect everyone who reads this to start a journal tomorrow. What I hope is, you'll think about it. Seriously. Nagging finished now.



As inspiration for one of you I've put together this giveaway, which includes a copy of the Summer 2014 issue of Pages magazine, Zentangle workbook edition #9, a Strathmore Mixed Media Visual Journal, a Zentangle pen & pencil & tile set, a pocket edition of Keri Smith's Wreck This Journal, and this gorgeous handmade needle-felted journal from beautifulplace. If you'd like to win the lot, in comments to this post name something you'd write about in your journal by midnight EST tonight, June 21, 2014. I'll choose one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner all this cool journal stuff. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

Another Side of Savannah

Most of us have places in the world that we love and never tire of visiting, and one of mine is the city of Savannah, Georgia. I can't go there every year, but if it were possible I would. I've photographed it, blogged about it, and even put together a little book about it. Actually, if it were up to me, and I didn't have anyone else's needs and wants to consider, I'd be living there right now.

I take family and friends to Savannah on a regular basis, but it's one of those rare places I also feel comfortable visiting by myself. Alone in the city I'm a very happy soul, and fair weather, a camera, a notebook and good walking shoes are all I need to keep me that way. Oddly enough I don't read many fiction books set in Savannah, however, because I find more often than not the author doesn't know the city very well, or in some way makes it obvious that they've never been there. That pains me to no end, because I consider it a writer's city.

My past bad luck with fiction set in Savannah was finally broken this month by Anne Frasier and her absorbing crime fiction novel Play Dead. This is the story of Savannah P.D. homicide detective Elise Sandburg, who must investigate a series of murders in which the victims come back to life. She's also coping with her new partner, former FBI agent David Gould, who has a history as haunted as her own.

Abandoned as an infant in a cemetery, and said to be the daughter of an infamous conjurer, Elise has tried everything she can to keep her past out of her policework -- but this case demands she revisit some of those dark places. As she draws closer to solving the case, the practical cop must keep her troubled partner from going off the deep end, confront some very hard truths about herself, and stop a killer who will stop at nothing to keep playing with the dead.

I thought Play Dead was, like all of Anne Frasier's work, exceptionally well-researched, masterfully plotted and beautifully written. Her characters are tangible, fully-realized people who simply can't be counted among the usual, artfully battered, puddle-shallow Mary Sues of crime fic. Like us, the characters are genuinely flawed and conflicted and not always heroic 24/7. This novel is very dark at times, and the violence graphic, but never more so than the story demands. Like chess pieces on a board, every element was placed exactly so, but it never read like a game. It read real. Add to that a city under siege by a dreadful killer, the many dark sides of the city itself, and a puzzle you have to solve along with Elise or lose one of the most stellar characters in the book, and you have it all. I could not put down the book, even when I wanted to.

The pleasure of reading Play Dead made me very happy I'd also invested in the sequel, Stay Dead, at the same time. I grabbed this book and opened it so fast I nearly ripped the cover. What's most immediately interesting (and temporarily distressing) about the story in Stay Dead is the time transition. A very significant event obviously had occurred between the timelines of the two books, and at first I thought I'd missed a novella or a short story Anne had written in between them. Yet as I read on the reason for the timeline shift became apparent, and I saw why she didn't start with the missing event. It's pretty daring to do this to your readers, especially in these days when Publishing presses authors to explain every detail upfront so no reader has to actually think about the story.

In Stay Dead we find Elise recovering from this missing event (I'd get more into details but I don't want to spoil it) and still dealing with some fallout from the case in Play Dead. Her relationsip with her partner David is likewise in transition and heading into unfamiliar territory. This book for me was as much about David and Elise as it was about the case, which is even more terrifying than their first. If Play Dead kept me on the edge of my seat, Stay Dead had me jumping off it to yell alterantely at Elise and David (and believe me. I yelled.)

If I had to pick a favorite from these two books, I'd say Stay Dead was it. There was so much packed into this story, but it never felt over-stuffed. In some ways the plotting was more convoluted than the first book, but it worked for me. I loved finding out more about Elise's tragic history, watching David learning to cope with his own, and the ways the author pulled off all of it. By book two you're invested in this crew and the city, I think. Now all I have to do is wait until next year for the third book, which the author is writing now. I wonder if Anne needs a beta reader. I should beg or something.

As always, you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post, name a book you've enjoyed set in a place you love (or if you can't think of any, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST tonight, June 7th, 2014. I'll choose one name at random from everyone who participates and send the winner a copy of Play Dead and Stay Dead by Anne Frasier in their choice of print or e-book format. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

For Whom the Wand Waves

Yet again the Publishing Fairy crashed my morning work session to complain about how long it's been since she's appeared on the blog. Since I have to get ready for MegaCon, and she's in the mood to grant a BookWish* for one of you, I'm letting her take over today.

If you'd like to be the one upon whom she sprinkles her magic reading sparkles, in comments to this post name a book you've just read that you really enjoyed (or if you haven't read anything enjoyable recently, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST tonight, March 12th, 2014. I'll choose one name at random from everyone who participates and grant the winner a BookWish. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

*A BookWish is any book of the winner's choice available for order online and that costs up to a maximum of $30.00 U.S. dollars (I'll cover any additional shipping costs involved.)

Elsewhere

Over at the Toriana blog I'm celebrating finding a new hat box prop for this year's online promotions (so much work, having to browse through all those amazing antique shops.) Stop in when you have a chance, enter the giveaway and you could win a signed print copy of Disenchanted & Co. as well as Cynthia Hart's 2014 Victoriana calendar.

Elsewhere with Kit

Today I'm over at the Toriana blog celebrating 2014 and the print launch of my new series, which will be hitting the shelves in late January and February this Spring.

Stop in if you have a chance, enter the giveaway and you could win this lovely handmade crazy quilted tote (this is the one with the neat holographic thread stitching on the burnout silk centerpieces that I posted on the photoblog last year, and some sinfully soft silk velvet patchwork.) The giveaway winner will also receive a signed print copy of Disenchanted & Co. and a print ARC of The Clockwork Wolf.

Elsewhere with Three Gifts

Today I'm over visiting at That's What I'm Talking About blog for their Mistletoe Madness event, at which you can read Three Gifts, my free, never-before-published Disenchanted & Co. short story. I'm also giving away this lovely scarlet and gold handmade quilted tote packed with goodies, including signed print ARCs of Disenchanted & Co. and The Clockwork Wolf, so stop in if you get a chance and enter to win the lot.

Elsewhere Celebrating Victorian-Style

Today I'm over visiting at The Good, The Bad and The Unread blog to talk about how many of our modern Christmas traditions got their start during the Victorian era. Stop in if you get a chance and enter to win this handmade quilted and beaded Victorian tote filled with goodies, including signed print ARCs of Disenchanted & Co. and The Clockwork Wolf.

Covering Elsewhere

Today I'm visiting Typing with Wet Nails, author Anna C. Bowling's blog, to talk about how even great cover art can sometimes mess up your life. Stop by if you get a chance today and enter for a chance to win my hand-quilted and beaded Winterberry tote of goodies including signed print ARCs of Disenchanted & Co. and The Clockwork Wolf.

Elsewhere This Weekend

Over at the Toriana blog I'm giving away one of my handmade quilted and beaded totes, along with a couple of signed ARCs you might be interested in winning:



Deadline to enter the giveaway is midnight EST tomorrow, so do stop in if you get a chance this weekend.

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.

Appease the Fairy, Please

Last night the Publishing Fairy dropped by to whine about how I've been ignoring her lately. To keep the peace (and prevent her from cursing my next release) I'm giving her today's post and the chance to grant a BookWish* for one of my readers.

If you'd like to be the one for whom the wand waves, in comments to this post name a book you've just read that you really enjoyed (or if you haven't read anything enjoyable recently, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST tonight, July 17th, 2013. I'll choose one name at random from everyone who participates and grant the winner a BookWish. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

*A BookWish is any book of the winner's choice available for order online and that costs up to a maximum of $30.00 U.S. dollars (I'll cover any additional shipping costs involved.)

Elsewhere with Fangs & Fichus

Today I'm making a guest appearance at The Sisterhood of the Jaunty Quills, where I'll be discussing the differences between vampire and non-vampire fiction. Stop by if you get a chance, enter the giveaway and you might win some Victorian goodies, one of my handmade pocket watch pendants, and a signed print galley copy of Her Ladyship's Curse.

Elsewhere with Her Ladyship

Stop by Disenchanted & Co. today, tell me the title of the last novel you've read, and you could win this giveaway:

Elsewhere with the Parasol Protectorate

Stop by Disenchanted & Co. today, tell me what urban fantasy novel I should be reading, and you could win this giveaway:

Elsewhere Getting Smacked

To wrap up promotions for Nightbound the protagonist from my novel has been featured in Dark Fairy Tales's Supernatural Smackdown event. Stop in if you get a chance, vote for Beau or your favorite character among the competition, and enter to win this giveaway.

Never Give Up

There are many kinds of heroes, and yesterday there were quite a few of them trying to help the victims of another despicable, cowardly attack on this country. I actually wrote the following giveaway post (and the title of it, too) this past weekend; as soon as I heard about the bombings I considered holding off on it until next week. But if I can share a book like this, with a story of such hope and heroism in the face of great despair and loss, then it may help someone else who needs that right now. My heart and prayers go out to the victims, their families, and all the people of Boston.

Stephanie Tyler's Surrender, the first novel in her new Section 8 series, is an action-packed romantic suspense novel featuring Dare O'Rourke, a former Navy SEAL and the son of a CIA black ops specialist. Dare is still trying to put his life back together after being tortured and nearly killed during a ruinous mission, but his recovery ends when he's sent to rescue Avery, a half-sister he never knew. By the time Dare finds Avery he realized someone is systematically executing his father's old team as well as their families. To stop the killing, he must find his missing father and take out the traitor -- and the only way to do that is to kidnap his enemy's daughter, Grace. What Dare doesn't know is that Grace barely escaped from her murderous stepfather with her life -- and she's already been warned that Dare is coming for her.

Surrender is a dark, edgy story with lots of twists and turns to be navigated by its unusual cast of characters. Dare and the boys aren't simply unsung heroes trying to get past the ways they've been unfairly judged and treated; they operate in that shadow zone where nothing is black or white. The evolution of the relationship between Dare and Grace was fascinating to follow as it bloomed. Oh, and I'll warn you now, there's a marvelous secondary character named Gunner who will not only steal your heart but he'll probably tattoo something beautiful on it to boot.

As always you don't have to take my word for it. In comments to this post name a series with a first novel you loved (or if you can't think of any, just toss your name in the hat) by midnight EST on Friday, April 19th, 2013. I'll draw four names at random from everyone who participates and send the winners an unsigned copy of Surrender by Stephanie Tyler. This giveaway is open to everyone on the planet, even if you've won something here at PBW in the past.

One final note -- I'm also holding another giveaway over at the Disenchanted & Co. blog; stop in if you have a chance.

Quilt Show Goodies

I'm still off writing, but I did want to mention that I'm holding a giveaway over on the Disenchanted & Company blog that runs through Friday night. Stop in if you get a chance, enter the giveaway and you might win the contents of Her Ladyship's hat box: