Amy Lane's Blog: Writer's Lane, page 69
May 12, 2017
Old Theater Stories...
Okay-- so this FB post is hilarious and if you're on FB, by all means click the link and read for DAYS. https://www.facebook.com/vellumandvinyl/photos/pcb.1350385545054853/1350383221721752/?type=3&theater
Anyway--
I tried to post my own theater story at the end of it, because I did theater from 6th grade until my sophomore year in college. I LOVED theater, but I wasn't that cute, and I was working 40 hours a week--once I moved to San Francisco, being part of theater wasn't in the cards.
But that doesn't mean I don't have a few that I regale my kids with sometimes.
So I thought I'd share with you--
So...
Old theater story 1--
My freshmen year in high school, we were doing a production of Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, and there's a part in the production where the two actresses on the stage find a bird with a wrung neck in a small box of quilting notions. The part is pivotal to the play because it's proof that the farmwife who's "trifles" they're going through has actually committed the murder that happened in the house.
So it was probably ill advised for our stage manager to put a dead mouse she'd found in the prop room in the box instead of the bird on dress rehearsal night.
Of course everybody in the production knew--(I was the assistant director) -- and we were all cracking up while our director--a volunteer pretty much who put a lot of effort and authority defying into us having a production at this school anyway.
She was FURIOUS. I mean, I've never seen steam come out of a person's ears before.
And her biggest fear was that this was that the two girls on stage would crack up during performance, but nope-- the girls pretty much held it together all three nights. The only bad moment was when they were both peering into the box and one of them was supposed to say, "It's neck--somebody wrung it's neck!"
The girl said, "It's neck! Somebody snapped it's neck!"
And that was payback, because the entire stage crew had to hold it together while the actresses themselves went serenely on with the play.
Theater Story Number 2--
One of my years in Junior College, we were doing Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. It's a musical, and if you haven't seen it, LittleChap, the lead, spends a lot of his time talking to a chorus. The chorus is all purpose--we were other people, vehicles, machinery--it's really a fun production.
But on the third night of a four night show, LittleChap got a little bored with being LittleChap (he was in his forties, and he was a great singer, but junior college theater was a little below his pay grade.) He decided to drink before the performance--a LOT--and he had trouble with a fifteen page monologue--ten pages of which was given to the chorus before our cue line, which sent us off stage while he finished up.
So on this night, like I said, he was sauced. Totally. And he rambled back and forth, and we the chorus tried to help him out by asking questions to get him back on track. And for a little while it worked-- we'd give him leader lines and he'd remember what he was supposed to be saying. And then, oh my God, he did the dumb, and said our cue line.
Five pages early.
We all looked at each other in horror--and left the stage.
Because there was no other line we had to leave on, and we needed to be off before the next character came on.
And he was left, drunk and alone to meander under the spotlight and I don't even remember how bad it got because most of us had our eyes closed and our hands over our ears by then.
Theater Story Number 3--
And I'll end on this one even though I have lots of them, but this one is sort of important.
I crushed on theater guys all the time, and especially in the late eighties in a small town where there wasn't a lot of room for self-expression, the gay kids tended to gravitate toward theater.
I was dumb-- it took me a while to figure out why none of the objects of my affection could reciprocate, but by the same token, I was also hard pressed to figure out why being gay was supposed to be bad. I mean, okay. The guys kissed guys. So, chasing after them made me look stupid, but they always seemed to be nice to ME so what was the big deal?
But still... there was all the stuff people said...
Anyway-- I was working the light board with a kid I'd crushed on hard in high school (this was junior college) and we were doing Working. Lots of cues. Anyway-- this kid was a couple years older than I was, and he'd come out, and he was sophisticated and smelled really good, and omg how was I supposed to be because everybody said he was gay and what do I do?
Well one night what I did was come in with a fever of 104 and try to run the light board. I felt horrible, I was coughing and shivering and wearing a sweater and a jacket and generally feeling like ass and Tom who was the director in the tech room saw me huddled in my chair being miserable and put his brand new leather jacket that smelled like Polo over my shoulders.
I was a walking germ pit. It was one of the nicest things and one of the most noble sacrifices anybody has ever done for me.
And my realization was complete.
Gay or straight he was a damned fine human being and that was my takeaway -- damned fine human being should trump prejudice at all times.
I tried to make sure it did after that--there were more moments of awakening, of course, and culturally there were always layers to peel away and behaviors that needed to be unlearned, like there is in any civil rights movement I would imagine.
But so much of it was started that night with a leather jacket that smelled like Polo and a really nice guy trying to take care of a walking plague victim running a light board.
So there's three--I'll let you know if I remember any more!
Night!
Anyway--
I tried to post my own theater story at the end of it, because I did theater from 6th grade until my sophomore year in college. I LOVED theater, but I wasn't that cute, and I was working 40 hours a week--once I moved to San Francisco, being part of theater wasn't in the cards.
But that doesn't mean I don't have a few that I regale my kids with sometimes.
So I thought I'd share with you--
So...
Old theater story 1--
My freshmen year in high school, we were doing a production of Trifles, by Susan Glaspell, and there's a part in the production where the two actresses on the stage find a bird with a wrung neck in a small box of quilting notions. The part is pivotal to the play because it's proof that the farmwife who's "trifles" they're going through has actually committed the murder that happened in the house.
So it was probably ill advised for our stage manager to put a dead mouse she'd found in the prop room in the box instead of the bird on dress rehearsal night.
Of course everybody in the production knew--(I was the assistant director) -- and we were all cracking up while our director--a volunteer pretty much who put a lot of effort and authority defying into us having a production at this school anyway.
She was FURIOUS. I mean, I've never seen steam come out of a person's ears before.
And her biggest fear was that this was that the two girls on stage would crack up during performance, but nope-- the girls pretty much held it together all three nights. The only bad moment was when they were both peering into the box and one of them was supposed to say, "It's neck--somebody wrung it's neck!"
The girl said, "It's neck! Somebody snapped it's neck!"
And that was payback, because the entire stage crew had to hold it together while the actresses themselves went serenely on with the play.
Theater Story Number 2--
One of my years in Junior College, we were doing Stop the World, I Want to Get Off. It's a musical, and if you haven't seen it, LittleChap, the lead, spends a lot of his time talking to a chorus. The chorus is all purpose--we were other people, vehicles, machinery--it's really a fun production.
But on the third night of a four night show, LittleChap got a little bored with being LittleChap (he was in his forties, and he was a great singer, but junior college theater was a little below his pay grade.) He decided to drink before the performance--a LOT--and he had trouble with a fifteen page monologue--ten pages of which was given to the chorus before our cue line, which sent us off stage while he finished up.
So on this night, like I said, he was sauced. Totally. And he rambled back and forth, and we the chorus tried to help him out by asking questions to get him back on track. And for a little while it worked-- we'd give him leader lines and he'd remember what he was supposed to be saying. And then, oh my God, he did the dumb, and said our cue line.
Five pages early.
We all looked at each other in horror--and left the stage.
Because there was no other line we had to leave on, and we needed to be off before the next character came on.
And he was left, drunk and alone to meander under the spotlight and I don't even remember how bad it got because most of us had our eyes closed and our hands over our ears by then.
Theater Story Number 3--
And I'll end on this one even though I have lots of them, but this one is sort of important.
I crushed on theater guys all the time, and especially in the late eighties in a small town where there wasn't a lot of room for self-expression, the gay kids tended to gravitate toward theater.
I was dumb-- it took me a while to figure out why none of the objects of my affection could reciprocate, but by the same token, I was also hard pressed to figure out why being gay was supposed to be bad. I mean, okay. The guys kissed guys. So, chasing after them made me look stupid, but they always seemed to be nice to ME so what was the big deal?
But still... there was all the stuff people said...
Anyway-- I was working the light board with a kid I'd crushed on hard in high school (this was junior college) and we were doing Working. Lots of cues. Anyway-- this kid was a couple years older than I was, and he'd come out, and he was sophisticated and smelled really good, and omg how was I supposed to be because everybody said he was gay and what do I do?
Well one night what I did was come in with a fever of 104 and try to run the light board. I felt horrible, I was coughing and shivering and wearing a sweater and a jacket and generally feeling like ass and Tom who was the director in the tech room saw me huddled in my chair being miserable and put his brand new leather jacket that smelled like Polo over my shoulders.
I was a walking germ pit. It was one of the nicest things and one of the most noble sacrifices anybody has ever done for me.
And my realization was complete.
Gay or straight he was a damned fine human being and that was my takeaway -- damned fine human being should trump prejudice at all times.
I tried to make sure it did after that--there were more moments of awakening, of course, and culturally there were always layers to peel away and behaviors that needed to be unlearned, like there is in any civil rights movement I would imagine.
But so much of it was started that night with a leather jacket that smelled like Polo and a really nice guy trying to take care of a walking plague victim running a light board.
So there's three--I'll let you know if I remember any more!
Night!
May 10, 2017
And Today I'm Made of Sleep
Wow--so I went to work out today and I didn't expect it to destroy my life. But I'm falling asleep with no writing done and that hardly seems fair.So I will leave you with a few observations made during my day, and then either wake up completely wand write or go to bed and hope to write tomorrow. I'll *yawn* let you know which one it is!
* ZoomBoy has raised his grades to practically a B average. We're so damned proud. He's tickled too--I hope there's homework club in high school!
* Squish managed to find her essay online so I could read it. "Uh, Squish, you can't use the word "buttload" in an essay for school." "Okay, fine. I'll fix it!" "Jeez, kid--you're going to get us an F in parenting!"
* Mate was very sweet about trying to get me to go somewhere this weekend in honor of Mother's Day-- then I remembered that my cousin's wedding is next week and we're driving to Oregon. Suddenly, hanging out in town didn't seem so bad!
* And while adding this photo--this terribly sad photo of the dog who was so depressed he stayed in this depressed pose for HOURS, I fell asleep three times and almost closed down my browser. I may have to go to bed soon.
Night all!
I may survive...
Oi, yesterday was long.But one of those magic things happened in the plane--I used the plane wifi for a couple of hours before my phone got to about half-charge, and then I stuck to Kindle, and in that time, we switched to CMT.
So, little beknownst to ME, the time on my phone was only an an hour behind PST--not three.
Which meant, there I was, going, "Crap. An hour and a half. I've got an hour and a half. Dammit." And RIGHT then, the captain said, "Folks, we're forty-five miles from Sacramento."
I almost cried.
Yes--I know, usually this whole fingertip relationship I have with time can be sort of a pain in the ass, but you gotta admit, that moment was more blessing than curse.
Anyway--Mate, kids, dogs, cats, all are where I left them.
The workload, of course, has gotten HUMONGULOUS. But I can deal.
Oh, baby--I'm HOME.
Oh!
And for those folks who have written me to say thank you for persevering to put out Quickeing--thank you for hanging in there!
Oh-- and Quickening Volume 2 is out June 13th :-)
May 7, 2017
More captions-- RT17 Wrap up--and a yarn store!
So the pictures are on automatic random-- which means we're going from parts of Thursday night to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in just any order ever!
If it helps, the 20's party was Th, the awards were Friday, and the signing and Fantastic Day party were Saturday.
And the yarn store and lunch with my publishers--who double as dear friends--was Sunday.
Whew.
Enough talk!
Let's look at pictures!
Meg Tilly (Sara Flynn) and Mike Stevens, the hosts for the RT Awards Ceremony
Ilona Andrews (Which is Ilona and Andrew!)
Sonali Dev, who is stunning, gracious, and whose acceptance speech packed a hell of a punch.
Eddie the Yarn Store Dog, who gave me my Geoffie fix for the week!
Gecko Pliskin and Escape From Oregon! (Also, out on July 1st!)
The table scarf my stepmom made me, which will figure LARGE in a picture further down.
Okay, so I know you've seen the dress before in a previous picture when I was dressed for a semi-formal for the Keith Milano benefit. But --wait for it--I MOVED THE HEADBAND, and now I'm dressed for the Roaring 20's party.
Pretty cool right?
So Felicia, a reader, dropped this in my lap during the Apples to Apples event on Thursday and said, "Here! I won this in my last event! I think Squish needs it!" Squish agrees.
E.J. Russell--who is wonderful-- asked for a picture because I was dressed up and didn't look like a troll.
And yet my ID persists.
The Karen Rose posse--Karen! Martin! Caitlin! And Amy! All ready to go into Awards Ceremony action!
This is Sherrilyn Kenyon. Yes. THAT Sherrilyn Kenyon. And she's letting me take this picture. After I showed her my tattoos. Gonna go fangirl myself to sleep now. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
So, after I embarrassed myself over Sherrilyn Kenyon, I talked to Meg Tilly--yes, THAT Meg Tilly--And Cecilia Tan, yes, THAT Cecilia Tan-- for twenty minutes about archetypes.
Because I am THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DWEEB.
And they listened.
Because they're kind women who are gentle to escaped inmates from the insane asylum.
Bless them both.
So, remember that table scarf?
Yes. It's PERFECT. And it looks awesome. THANKS MOM!!!!
This is ZAM across from me, goddess love her. She took a MUCH BETTER picture of me as I sat at my table. Dammit, I know we have the same phone--I need to learn how to use it! Also, She's sitting next to Cathy Maxwell, yes, THAT Cathy Maxwell who won the award.
This is Emilia who gave me the yarn. Her dress is made of pinup boys and she is delightful in every way known to man or woman.
I adore her.
This picture is of me and Paul Woodson/Phillip Alces, one of my voice narrators who stuck around to meet the authors he represented.
I ADORED HIM.
He and his wife were the nicest people. I wanted to have lunch with them and get to know them and be besties.
Had to settle for this picture, but guys--believe me. He's just as sweet in person as he sounds like on the audio.
Martin and Karen pose for me after the FAN-tastic Day Party, which was DUDE very intense.
I had to use my teacher voice.
It was scary.
But Martin and Karen fed me and made me laugh, and Caitlin, Karen's assistant was also amazing and sweet.
Thanks guys!
So-- my DSP family. Connie, Anne, Ariel, Elizabeth, and our prodigal daughter, Trish (J.P. Barnaby) and her sweetheart who was kind and funny, Paul.
I could not love them more.
And this is from the yarn crawl.
Because.
YARN CRAWL. (Yarn for Ewe, in Atlanta!)
And this is sort of a neat shot of the Hyatt, which I will be leaving tomorrow.
I will be so glad to be home.
If it helps, the 20's party was Th, the awards were Friday, and the signing and Fantastic Day party were Saturday.
And the yarn store and lunch with my publishers--who double as dear friends--was Sunday.
Whew.
Enough talk!
Let's look at pictures!
Meg Tilly (Sara Flynn) and Mike Stevens, the hosts for the RT Awards Ceremony
Ilona Andrews (Which is Ilona and Andrew!)
Sonali Dev, who is stunning, gracious, and whose acceptance speech packed a hell of a punch.
Eddie the Yarn Store Dog, who gave me my Geoffie fix for the week!
Gecko Pliskin and Escape From Oregon! (Also, out on July 1st!)
The table scarf my stepmom made me, which will figure LARGE in a picture further down.
Okay, so I know you've seen the dress before in a previous picture when I was dressed for a semi-formal for the Keith Milano benefit. But --wait for it--I MOVED THE HEADBAND, and now I'm dressed for the Roaring 20's party.Pretty cool right?
So Felicia, a reader, dropped this in my lap during the Apples to Apples event on Thursday and said, "Here! I won this in my last event! I think Squish needs it!" Squish agrees.
E.J. Russell--who is wonderful-- asked for a picture because I was dressed up and didn't look like a troll.And yet my ID persists.
The Karen Rose posse--Karen! Martin! Caitlin! And Amy! All ready to go into Awards Ceremony action!
This is Sherrilyn Kenyon. Yes. THAT Sherrilyn Kenyon. And she's letting me take this picture. After I showed her my tattoos. Gonna go fangirl myself to sleep now. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP.
So, after I embarrassed myself over Sherrilyn Kenyon, I talked to Meg Tilly--yes, THAT Meg Tilly--And Cecilia Tan, yes, THAT Cecilia Tan-- for twenty minutes about archetypes.Because I am THE WORLD'S BIGGEST DWEEB.
And they listened.
Because they're kind women who are gentle to escaped inmates from the insane asylum.
Bless them both.
So, remember that table scarf?Yes. It's PERFECT. And it looks awesome. THANKS MOM!!!!
This is ZAM across from me, goddess love her. She took a MUCH BETTER picture of me as I sat at my table. Dammit, I know we have the same phone--I need to learn how to use it! Also, She's sitting next to Cathy Maxwell, yes, THAT Cathy Maxwell who won the award. 
This is Emilia who gave me the yarn. Her dress is made of pinup boys and she is delightful in every way known to man or woman.I adore her.
This picture is of me and Paul Woodson/Phillip Alces, one of my voice narrators who stuck around to meet the authors he represented.I ADORED HIM.
He and his wife were the nicest people. I wanted to have lunch with them and get to know them and be besties.
Had to settle for this picture, but guys--believe me. He's just as sweet in person as he sounds like on the audio.
Martin and Karen pose for me after the FAN-tastic Day Party, which was DUDE very intense.I had to use my teacher voice.
It was scary.
But Martin and Karen fed me and made me laugh, and Caitlin, Karen's assistant was also amazing and sweet.
Thanks guys!
So-- my DSP family. Connie, Anne, Ariel, Elizabeth, and our prodigal daughter, Trish (J.P. Barnaby) and her sweetheart who was kind and funny, Paul.I could not love them more.
And this is from the yarn crawl.Because.
YARN CRAWL. (Yarn for Ewe, in Atlanta!)
And this is sort of a neat shot of the Hyatt, which I will be leaving tomorrow.I will be so glad to be home.
May 4, 2017
The Keith Milano Foundation
Hey all--
So this post is about Thursday night's event, which is a benefit for the Keith Milano Memorial Fund. I've been a part of this in one way or another every year, and it's always a joy to know I'm participating in something that does some good.
Each year I donate the proceeds for one book for a month (or a minimum $ amount if the book doesn't do that great) --this year's book is Summer Lessons, and everybody who loved Mason's little brother Dane, and wanted to see his romance with Carpenter, you'll understand why. (And if you didn't, you can always hit the link and purchase it during the month of May!)
So I have pictures of the event, and the awesome cookie we got as a thank you and the awesome people who came to talk to me while I was there. It was also the night of the 20's party, and yes--that's me in costume ;-)
Following is some information about this night, and at the END of the post is a picture of ZoomBoy and Imperial Scouts in order of May the Fourth be with you! By all means read the info to get to the picture of ZoomBoy!
And, uh, May the Fourth be With You!
* * *
Welcome the 5th Annual Mental Health Awareness Month Book Fundraiser benefiting the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. For the 5th year, an amazing group of authors have generously agreed to donate a portion of their May sales for the books listed
here
. Here is how you can help raise money and awareness for mental health:You can purchase a book from the amazing books listed here ! We hope you will #1click4charity a number of these amazing books! Please note that although the sheet has Amazon Kindle buy links, the portion of sales is from any platform: digital and print.Help Raise Awareness by sharing a photo or short video of why this cause matters to you using #ShareYourWhy via Social Media.Share the image below on social media to raise awareness and to show your support.Make a tax-deductible donation directly to the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at AFSP. You can do a direct donation at http://bit.ly/MilanoFund.
Thank you in advance for your support as we work to bring mental illness out of the darkness. Fund Information: The Keith Milano Memorial Fund was established to help raise awareness about the devastating and deadly disease that is mental illness. Keith’s spirit and laughter is kept alive through our efforts to increase awareness about mental illness and to raise money for education and imperative research. Keith often struggled with society’s perception of mental illness. Our hope is that by having the strength to say that Keith was “Bipolar” we can strip away the stigma and help others to be more open about their disease. If you want to know more about Keith or why Denise does what she does, here is short video/interview that speaks to that! https://vimeo.com/148760740 Be on the lookout as she will also be posting her #ShareYourWhy this month.
Keith Milano Memorial Fund 140 Adams Ave Suite B-12 Hauppauge NY 11788 www.keithmilano.orghttps://www.facebook.com/keithamilano@MilanoFund Direct Donation: http://bit.ly/MilanoFundThe Keith Milano Memorial Fund benefits the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) http://www.afsp.org/
At the end of the event, participating authors will pay AFSP directly.
AFSP is the only national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research and education, and to reaching out to people with mood disorders and those affected by suicide.
AFSP is a fully accredited 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization incorporated in the state of Delaware with primary offices in New York City. Federal tax ID # is 13-3393329.
AFSP’s Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) number is 10545.
Donations to AFSP are tax deductible.
May 3, 2017
RT 2017 So Far...
Okay-- so a little tipsy-- I think I'm going to do a quick post of mostly captions here.
I've had an amazing two days.
This is the prize table for Cinema Craptastique last night--a LOT of amazing authors gave some great stuff, and we had the most fun giving it away while talking shit about the movie Glitter.
And this was me, running back and forth to give away prizes. I was a giant rainbow blur.
This was Mare--I actually got this picture off Twitter, cause Tina diSalvo was taking pix of the whole event. (Where I got the picture of me above, actually.) I think she wants to strangle me-- but I was so glad to have her in the audience, and Jessie too (who is sitting next to her.)
So, B.A. Tortuga who is an awesome writer and omg the BEST PERSON and one of those people I love spending time with at every convention, reached into her magic bag as we had a chance meeting around lunch time (like, I was hiding in the back with other people eating my lunch and she found us and life got wonderful), anyway...
She gave me yarn with peacock feathers in it.
Because DID I MENTION THE AWESOME?
Karen Rose, all decked out for Rockabilly Night, gave me fish lips to send to our friend Carmen on FB.
Karen, btw, looked STUNNING. She even wore leather pants.
This is Emiliana, and see, here's the thing. I was in line for the Rockabilly event, and we were talking and I hadn't brought any yarn or projects, which, I know, is unheard of. Anyway--she'd brought that for me too. It's silk and alpaca and the color of a mermaid's scales, and so even when I don't bring yarn, I get yarn.
And this awesome picture with a lovely reader who gave me some awesome yarn.
Karen signing books next to Lora Leigh.
*jumps up and down*
That's me. In a booth. With Karen Rose and Lora Leigh. Taking a picture.
*squees*
I ran into Damon in the bar. Said we had to get a picture of him in his petroleum product suit and me in my out on the town tits.
His suit was really the big attraction, but my tits weren't bad. I mean, I wore my good bra and everything.
Tomorrow night is the benefit for the Keith Milano Fund for Mental Health Awareness--and a bunch of other things. I'll try to remember pictures there too!
I've had an amazing two days.
This is the prize table for Cinema Craptastique last night--a LOT of amazing authors gave some great stuff, and we had the most fun giving it away while talking shit about the movie Glitter.
And this was me, running back and forth to give away prizes. I was a giant rainbow blur.
This was Mare--I actually got this picture off Twitter, cause Tina diSalvo was taking pix of the whole event. (Where I got the picture of me above, actually.) I think she wants to strangle me-- but I was so glad to have her in the audience, and Jessie too (who is sitting next to her.)
So, B.A. Tortuga who is an awesome writer and omg the BEST PERSON and one of those people I love spending time with at every convention, reached into her magic bag as we had a chance meeting around lunch time (like, I was hiding in the back with other people eating my lunch and she found us and life got wonderful), anyway...She gave me yarn with peacock feathers in it.
Because DID I MENTION THE AWESOME?
Karen Rose, all decked out for Rockabilly Night, gave me fish lips to send to our friend Carmen on FB.Karen, btw, looked STUNNING. She even wore leather pants.
This is Emiliana, and see, here's the thing. I was in line for the Rockabilly event, and we were talking and I hadn't brought any yarn or projects, which, I know, is unheard of. Anyway--she'd brought that for me too. It's silk and alpaca and the color of a mermaid's scales, and so even when I don't bring yarn, I get yarn.And this awesome picture with a lovely reader who gave me some awesome yarn.
Karen signing books next to Lora Leigh.*jumps up and down*
That's me. In a booth. With Karen Rose and Lora Leigh. Taking a picture.
*squees*
I ran into Damon in the bar. Said we had to get a picture of him in his petroleum product suit and me in my out on the town tits.His suit was really the big attraction, but my tits weren't bad. I mean, I wore my good bra and everything.
Tomorrow night is the benefit for the Keith Milano Fund for Mental Health Awareness--and a bunch of other things. I'll try to remember pictures there too!
May 2, 2017
Quickening is Out Today
Available at DSPP
Available at Amazon.com
Quickening, Vol. 1Little Goddess|Book Five, Vol. 1Fantasy / Paranormal
Amy LaneCory thought she’d found balance on Green's Hill—sorceress, student, queen of the vampires, wife to three men—she had it down! But establishing her right to risk herself with Green and Bracken had more than one consequence, and now she’s facing the world's scariest job title: mother. But getting the news that she’s knocked up takes a back seat when a half-elf hunts them down for help. Her arrival brings news that the werewolf threat, which has been haunting them for over a year, has finally arrived on their doorstep—and it’s bigger and more frightening than they’d ever imagined. Cory throws herself into this new battle with everything she’s got—and her men let her do it. Because they all know that whether they defeat this enemy now or later, the thing she's most afraid of is arriving on a set schedule, and not even Cory can avoid it. The trick is getting her to acknowledge she's pregnant before she gives birth—or kills herself in denial.Cover Artist: Anne CainBlog Tour--
April25 - MM Good Book Reviews April28 - Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words May 1--Rainbow Gold ReviewsMay 2 - Love Bytes May 3 - Grave Tells May 3 - My Fiction Nook May 5 - Divine Magazine May 9 - Genre Talk at The Novel Approach
May 1, 2017
*Kermit Flail* Monday-- May, Quickening, and RT!
YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!
You know, I think I'm gonna change the name here. I mean, I like Kermit and all, but seriously--I get so excited about this post every month--I think we should call it the Amy Flail, don't you?
So, on today's Amy Flail--
Well, first we've got Robert Winter with his new romantic suspense book--and it looks AWESOME. Now I'm a romantic suspense junkie, so I have to say, after meeting Robert at DSP Weekend for two years running, and sort of (TOTALLY) adoring him, I am more than happy to see he writes one of my favorite kinds of candy--go Robert!
Also doing romantic suspense this month is Andrea Speed--and if you're fans of my Little Goddess series, Andrea is your gal-- she's got a jitterbug action packed prose style that won't quit, and quite frankly makes me jealous. That, and Lochlainn is one of my favorite names, so the fact that her new book has that name (spelled slightly differently of course) is sort of making my mouth water.
Rick R. Reed is here with a collection of some of his older stories--and I have to say, I love this idea of the collection. For those of us who have been around a while, having something like this to gather some of our oldest and best together, and to give a newbie a taste of who we are is really a marvelous idea. So now the Rick has some of his tastiest dishes to offer--by all means, take a bite!
Also here is Gus Li-- now Gus and I have attended quite a few Yaoi Cons together, and I LOVE not only his talent with the lovely covers but also his sense of humor. There is something very grounding about Gus--and I'm so excited to flail his work!
Ariel Tachna is here as well, with her newest Dreamspun Desire-- and like Ariel herself, who is irrepressible, funny, and enthusiastic in the extreme, this one looks like a real attention getter. You should all check it out!
Now I mentioned that romantic suspense is my candy, and I have to admit-- Melinda Leigh is one of my favorite flavors. Right now when I'm not reading Karen Rose (and I'm reading Karen Rose a LOT!) I'm reading Melinda Leigh. I told her that I'd promo her newest book on the flail, and while I'm not sure she knows what the flail is, she was SO appreciative, and I'm just up in the air about having a new book--in fact a new series--of hers to read.
And I think that's about it, really, I mean is there anything I'm forgetting? Anything... anything...
Yeah, I'm playing with y'all-- the first part of Quickening is out on Tuesday. I know that a few of you out here have been following this blog since I only had two books--period. And then three, then five and now it's in the seventies.
But Quickening takes us back to where it all begins. Back to the Little Goddess and her great big brawlie lovers and I adore her and I'm so happy. So folks, tell your friends if they were fans of Cory and the LG, and definitely pimp Vulnerable the first book in the series if you can. (Warn them though...subtly... warn them about the end of that book.)
But I'm so excited--and really proud. Underneath the book blurb I've got a list of blog tour stops--make sure you check some of them out. (I'll add links as I get them!) I talk about the history of the LG, and about some of the challenges of writing a pregnant heroine who still kicks ass.
So there you go folks--I"m at RT for the next week, but I've got some blog posts programmed to go, so make sure you check back to see what's cracking! Have a FABULOUS May, and if you're going to RT in Atlanta, I look forward to seeing you there!
Every Breath You Take
Robert Winter
Someone is murdering young gay men in Washington, and it might have something to do with handsome, wealthy and successful Thomas. He goes through man after man because he learned his lesson years ago – no one can stay the night, or get too close. Then he meets Zachary, a vibrant transplant from Utah who can’t believe it when model-gorgeous Thomas picks him up on his very first time in a gay bar. Zachary wants more than a single night with Thomas, but he has no idea that his persistence will put him in the sights of a killer.
Amazon
DSP
Gone by the Board
by August Li
The sea is full of jealously guarded secrets, but everything washes up eventually….
Betrayed by a trusted partner, Nathan figures he might as well be lost and heartbroken in the sunshine, and he heads to the coast of South Carolina, to stay with a friend and find a new direction for his life. But despite his efforts, he is lost in the fog, unable to find a guiding light and sometimes unable to find a reason to go on. His only respite from depression and anxiety is the soothing rhythm of the tides and the comfort he draws from proximity to the water.
When the sea sends a lifeline in the form of a strange and beautiful man, it’s easy for Nathan to ignore all the things that don’t add up about his new friend. But the tides can turn without notice, and it’s those mystical traits that will either finally lead Nathan safely to shore or drown him in confusion and despair.
Buy at DSP
Lochlann
by Andrea Speed
Violence has been Lochlann O’Connor’s companion since he was born into a family of old-school Irish terrorists. From there he is recruited into Alpha, a secret government agency dedicated to fighting terrorism—with extreme prejudice. Lochlann’s bravery, efficiency, ruthlessness, and the natural deadeye aim that lets him hit anything that moves, quickly make him one of the shadowy organization’s most valued operatives.
Cas Vega joins Alpha because it’s marginally better than a prison sentence. He’s a former drug cartel assassin—or at least that’s his story. But Lochlann is suspicious. Despite an irrational and overwhelming attraction to Cas, Lochlann has questions, and they soon lead to a deeper and deadlier mystery. What is Alpha’s true purpose, and why does it seem they want to eliminate Lochlann?
Lochlann and Cas must work together to get to the bottom of Alpha’s scheme and escape it—and all while Cas keeps secrets that could cost him his life if they’re revealed. But it’s not an alliance that can last. Duty turns the men into enemies, even while fate compels them into each other’s arms. Before they can contemplate which will prevail, they must figure out how to survive.
Buy at DSP
Unhinged
by Rick R. Reed
Horror. Romance. The two seem at odds, yet in provocative author Rick R. Reed’s hands, the pair merge like a match made in heaven ... or hell.
Prepare for a dark journey into an unhinged world populated by ordinary and extraordinary monsters. Unhinged brings you sometimes chilling, sometimes romantic, sometimes hilarious, but always thought-provoking tales.
Among them you’ll find a chilling and redemptive ghost story, a most unusual and shocking first meeting for two lovers, a story revolving around one of the 20th Century’s most horrific serial killers, and a darkly comic take on the vampire mythos. This collection will make your heart race with passion ... in all its forms.
Contains the stories: Echoes, How I Met My Man, The Man from Milwaukee, Sluggo Snares a Vampire, The Ghost in #9, and Incubus.
Buy at Amazon
Stage Two
by Ariel Tachna
Love has a steep learning curve.
Assistant high school principal Blake Barnes has everything he wants—a chance to help troubled students and an outlet for his passion for theater. Well, almost everything—he still goes home to an empty apartment. Then his high school crush explodes back into his life, the unexpected guardian of two boys in Blake’s care.
Thane Dalton has always been a bad boy through and through. Not much has changed, including his mistrust of authority figures, and no amount of institutional bureaucracy will keep him from protecting his nephews from the bullies terrorizing them. If that means butting heads with Blake, so be it.
Blake and Thane have lessons to learn: that they both have the boys’ best interests at heart, that the tension between them isn’t just confrontational, and that sparks can fly when opposites come together.
Buy at DSP
Say You're Sorry
by Melinda Leigh
After the devastating loss of her husband in Iraq, Morgan Dane returns to Scarlet Falls, seeking the comfort of her hometown. Now, surrounded by family, she’s finally found peace and a promising career opportunity—until her babysitter is killed and her neighbor asks her to defend his son, Nick, who stands accused of the murder.
Tessa was the ultimate girl next door, and the community is outraged by her death. But Morgan has known Nick for years and can’t believe he’s guilty, despite the damning evidence stacked against him. She asks her friend Lance Kruger, an ex-cop turned private eye, for help. Taking on the town, the police, and a zealous DA, Morgan and Lance plunge into the investigation, determined to find the real killer. But as they uncover secrets that rock the community, they become targets for the madman hiding in plain sight.
Buy at Amazon
Quickening
by Amy Lane
Cory thought she’d found balance on Green's Hill—sorceress, student, queen of the vampires, wife to three men—she had it down! But establishing her right to risk herself with Green and Bracken had more than one consequence, and now she’s facing the world's scariest job title: mother.
But getting the news that she’s knocked up takes a back seat when a half-elf hunts them down for help. Her arrival brings news that the werewolf threat, which has been haunting them for over a year, has finally arrived on their doorstep—and it’s bigger and more frightening than they’d ever imagined.
Cory throws herself into this new battle with everything she’s got—and her men let her do it. Because they all know that whether they defeat this enemy now or later, the thing she's most afraid of is arriving on a set schedule, and not even Cory can avoid it. The trick is getting her to acknowledge she's pregnant before she gives birth—or kills herself in denial.
Buy at Amazon
April25 - MM Good Book Reviews April28 - Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words May 1--Rainbow Gold ReviewsMay 2 - Love Bytes May 3 - Grave Tells May 3 - My Fiction Nook May 5 - Divine Magazine May 9 - Genre Talk at The Novel Approach
April 28, 2017
Test Scores
I took ZoomBoy to go register for high school today, and was reminded of something not many people know about learning handicaps.
ZoomBoy has ADHD--most of you know this, and even if you didn't read Clear Water, you figured out that he got it from me.
Now, one of the hallmarks of a kid with a learning disability like ADHD is that there is a noticeable achievement gap between what his test scores say he can do and what his actual grades show he's done.
There's a number--something like 20%--how that relates to what I don't know. But I do know what I was looking at when I saw his transcript paper today.
This kid had a 2.0 GPA with MAP test scores in the 95th and 97th percentiles.
And the counselor was touting the old bullshit line about, "It's better to get an A in regular English than a C in honors."
Yeah. No.
"Hi, uh, yeah. This kid has ADHD."
"Well, lots of kids--"
"No. This is the Industrial Strength ADHD--the kind that makes a squirrel on meth look like he's in a coma."
"Oh."
"You think it's better to get an A in regular English than a C in honors? Well with him, he can get a C in honors English or an F in regular English."
"Yes. I see that. Why doesn't he have an open 504?"
Me: 0.0 "What do you mean he doesn't?"
"Well, see, here it says--"
"I called a special meeting before he went into Junior High so they could give him an open 504 so we wouldn't have to deal with this. Are you saying he doesn't have one?"
"Not apparently."
"Well, I'll fix that--but we need to find some way to fix this." I waved the paper around.
"We'll do our best."
ZoomBoy was all big eyes through all of this.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
I sighed. "Nope. I mean, besides not doing your homework, but you've been fixing that. Jesus, kid--would you look at these test scores!"
"Yeah."
"They're pretty damned good."
"Yeah."
"The next four years are gonna be a challenge."
*sigh* "Yeah."
Well, he's up to it. Honestly? As long as he graduates, I'm not stressing about grades.
With this kids brains, he could spend four years watching YouTube and come out and conquer the world.
ZoomBoy has ADHD--most of you know this, and even if you didn't read Clear Water, you figured out that he got it from me.
Now, one of the hallmarks of a kid with a learning disability like ADHD is that there is a noticeable achievement gap between what his test scores say he can do and what his actual grades show he's done.
There's a number--something like 20%--how that relates to what I don't know. But I do know what I was looking at when I saw his transcript paper today.
This kid had a 2.0 GPA with MAP test scores in the 95th and 97th percentiles.
And the counselor was touting the old bullshit line about, "It's better to get an A in regular English than a C in honors."
Yeah. No.
"Hi, uh, yeah. This kid has ADHD."
"Well, lots of kids--"
"No. This is the Industrial Strength ADHD--the kind that makes a squirrel on meth look like he's in a coma."
"Oh."
"You think it's better to get an A in regular English than a C in honors? Well with him, he can get a C in honors English or an F in regular English."
"Yes. I see that. Why doesn't he have an open 504?"
Me: 0.0 "What do you mean he doesn't?"
"Well, see, here it says--"
"I called a special meeting before he went into Junior High so they could give him an open 504 so we wouldn't have to deal with this. Are you saying he doesn't have one?"
"Not apparently."
"Well, I'll fix that--but we need to find some way to fix this." I waved the paper around.
"We'll do our best."
ZoomBoy was all big eyes through all of this.
"Did I do something wrong?" he asked.
I sighed. "Nope. I mean, besides not doing your homework, but you've been fixing that. Jesus, kid--would you look at these test scores!"
"Yeah."
"They're pretty damned good."
"Yeah."
"The next four years are gonna be a challenge."
*sigh* "Yeah."
Well, he's up to it. Honestly? As long as he graduates, I'm not stressing about grades.
With this kids brains, he could spend four years watching YouTube and come out and conquer the world.
April 27, 2017
Pretty girls and Floofy Woof
First of all--my stepmom sent me pictures of the kids for Easter. They went egg hunting in the rain, and they were SO most triumphant, I had to share! For the record, each little egg was a pass to a toybasket-- yet another way to hunt without worrying about too much chocolate.
Second of all--it rained today when it wasn't supposed to. Squish was depressed--she was supposed to have outside class pictures today, and had worn her spring dress with a cardigan and everything. I took her picture when she got home, just so we'd still have one.
And thirdly--This happened on our way home from dance lessons. A TRUCK BUCKET OF FLOOFY WOOF!!!! Oh my God--ZoomBoy was taking the pictures, and he took like a zillion--but we couldn't seem to get a good one that showed there were FOUR magnificent fluffy woofs in the back of this truck. Was awesome.Oh! Fourthly-- when you walk into an AT&T store and the three clerks start flirting with you, the only customer in the store, in a desperate attempt to talk about Unicorn Frappes and bodyguard phone protection, you know SOMEBODY is having a slow day.
Damn, were they cute!
And now, back to the Quickening blog tour. Oi!
