MeiLin Miranda's Blog, page 61

About the ginormous ad

This started out as a comment, but it was long enough that I'm like, fine, blog post. It's about the ginormous ad currently appearing in the content of posts.

It's WAY bigger than I thought it'd be. My ad agency (Blogads) designs that ad unit for standard blogs; it would normally appear between two posts on a regular calendar-style blog page. My site doesn't work that way, so it appears within the post. It's there till the 11th whether I want to keep it or not. I moved the ad further down the page, and I hope it helps.

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"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 6.2 is up

Edmerka is found:

Warin woke from a light sleep to the sound of wagons in the distance. People rarely came down the road, other than the occasional smuggler, or a trapper who didn't know this was his territory; wagons hadn't passed by in some time, and he suspected he knew who drove them.

He folded his tall, lean frame through the low threshold; an autumn breeze played with the fallen leaves and the ends of his neat, dark braid. He moved silently down the path toward the road, to the clearing the Travelers sometimes used on their way from Leute to Tremont. He slid up to peer through the foliage, expecting the bright caravans.

Instead, he found a girl, sound asleep in the cold and draped only in her long hair.

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"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 6.1 is live

Sex and the single Jenks:

"You don't disapprove, too, do you?" said Temmin, following behind.

"No! No, not at all!" said Jenks hastily. "I encourage you--in fact, it'd be a prime thing, for you to enter service at a Temple, any Temple! It's just...there are some things, sir, that I find it difficult to discuss with you."

"Such as?"

"Such as...sex, sir." The big man's face turned an unfamiliar shade of red.

"Since when!" said Temmin. "You're the one who explained it to me!"

"You were eight! I explained what the horses were doing!"

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New review of "Lovers and Beloveds," and a shipping update (updated yet again)

Keryl Raist has a really good review of "Lovers and Beloveds" today. She also posted it at Goodreads, Amazon and Smashwords. So far, the book is at least 4.5 stars pretty much everywhere it's sold or reviewed, the exception seeming to be Barnes & Noble where I don't think there are any reviews up. All the official reviewer-type people I've sent the book to have come very close to raving. I still dread that one savage review.

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"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 5.8 is up

A new start for Mattie:

"I don't understand, Mama," said the daughter. "I don't want to leave! Why are we moving so far away, so suddenly--to Corland of all places? How can we afford to go post instead of on the mail, or even the stage--new clothes--where did all this money come from?"

"Don't ask questions, Mattie, just get in," said Tellis, shooing Mattie into the carriage. Tellis looked over her shoulder, let the ostler hand her in, and sighed as the door closed behind her.

Tellis Dunley was not given to nerves, and her only child settled into the unfamiliar plush seats, disturbed. "Something must be wrong, Mama. Are you ill? Is there some sort of healer in Arren? I can't believe we're moving to Arren, it's right on the border. We'll freeze! And the Corrish sound so funny!"

"They think we sound funny, and you'll be used to it soon enough. And I'm not ill, I'm fine--for the time being. Now be quiet! We can talk once we're under way!"

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"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 5.7 is up

A centerpiece hat:

As Temmin walked to the Keep's mudroom from the stables, he saw Ellika in the gardens, cutting carefully chosen roses in fastidious little snips. She wore a dress of tiny pink and white stripes, with a neckline that would have gained their mother's strong disapproval without a modest lace fichu tucked into it. Atop Ellika's pile of blond hair balanced a wide straw hat covered in a ridiculous mound of silk roses, tied under her chin with trailing pink ribbons. Trotting after her in nervous, guilty adoration came the redheaded footman, Fen Wallek, holding a rose-filled trug basket.

"Temmy!" she called. "How d'you do! Isn't it lovely out? You'd hardly know Neya's Day hadn't come yet!"

Temmin ducked under the avalanche of silk roses and kissed each cheek. "How about giving me an early tea? I rode through lunch and I'm famished. And I'm hoping you can tell me more about--about someone we both know."
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"Allis Obby, perhaps?"

"Behave, Elly," he said in an unsuccessful attempt at severity.

"Oh, I never behave," she answered, winking at Fen. The poor footman turned crimson under his freckles. He glared at Temmin, who returned the glare with interest. Fen dropped his eyes to the trug basket and kept them there.

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And Misi and Mamzelle wish you Happy Holidays!

Happy Eddin's Day

Good Yule, friends!

Being pagan, we give our presents to one another on Solstice. We cleaned off the dining room table so we could *actually eat off it zomg* and cleaned our altar--new candles, new altar cloth, rotate the Green Man to his winter face. We ate pork--traditional for Yule--and broccoli and salad and cranberry sauce.

And then we opened presents.

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"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 5.6 is live

The sacred mind versus the secular mind:

Her lips were so soft; her small hands rested against his chest, and without opening his eyes he kissed her again, groaning into her mouth. The feel of her mouth against his went straight down his body; he pulled her closer, but her back tensed under his touch, and he realized her hands on his chest meekly pressed him away.

Jenks came to his unwilling mind: "Promise me you'll leave Miss Dannikson and the other maids alone." But then, there was Fennows: "You can tumble a maid any time." Fennows was a prat.

And then there was Allis.

He looked down into Arta's flushed face and saw Edmerka, aroused and horrified at the same time. He let Arta go.

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What I want for Christmas

What I want for Christmas (besides the stuff on my Amazon wish list) is a picture of you with the read more

"Lovers and Beloveds" chapter 5.5 is live

A little chat with Arta:

Into this green restfulness came a discordant sob. Temmin pulled Jebby up short, listening. It came from just ahead on the trail; he urged Jebby toward it, until they came to a downed log just off the path, and a girl sitting atop it, crying tears enough to join the Shadow in their own little salty stream.

Temmin dismounted. "Miss? Are you all right? Miss?" He crept forward, wary of frightening her.

The girl hid in her bonnet, but at his voice, she lifted her tear-stained face. "Your Highness?" she said. It was the pretty maid with the curly hair: Arta Dannikson, he remembered. His father's advice came to mind--"She won't deny you, I guarantee it"--and he flushed. "Why are you here?" she quavered.

"Why are you here? These are the King's Woods."

"I know," she said miserably. "I know I shouldn't be here. I sneak off sometimes to be by myself, and I needed to be by myself. Please don't tell Mr Affton!"

"For the last time, Dannikson, I'm not going to tell anyone! That's twice I've had to rescue you from the wrath of Affton, you antic girl," said Temmin. He handed her his handkerchief; she hesitated, took it, and wiped her turned-up nose. "Now, what's amiss?" he said. "Why would a pretty girl come out here, against the rules, to cry her eyes out?"

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