Kate Rothwell's Blog, page 18
November 12, 2012
SBD
Lois McMaster Bujold, I love you.
I miss Miles (who shows up only briefly) in the latest book. This one features Ivan Vorpatril, definitely a member of the drones club (or he was until now), but the funny wedding and the silly family with the pirate father. . . .oh, it was lovely. I want to go back and read all the books again. This one has more mentions of favorite characters than actual sightings of them, but Ivan and Tej are worth the time.
I always think of old trad regency length Metzger as Heyer meets Wodehouse but I think Bujold wins that award with some clever twists and Douglas Adams thrown in.
The only sad I have at the moment is that I'm done. I think Doug Hoffman's is just as fun and just as clever, but I have a feeling I'm supposed to be reading that with the eye for improvement and .... I'm not an editor.
I miss Miles (who shows up only briefly) in the latest book. This one features Ivan Vorpatril, definitely a member of the drones club (or he was until now), but the funny wedding and the silly family with the pirate father. . . .oh, it was lovely. I want to go back and read all the books again. This one has more mentions of favorite characters than actual sightings of them, but Ivan and Tej are worth the time.
I always think of old trad regency length Metzger as Heyer meets Wodehouse but I think Bujold wins that award with some clever twists and Douglas Adams thrown in.
The only sad I have at the moment is that I'm done. I think Doug Hoffman's is just as fun and just as clever, but I have a feeling I'm supposed to be reading that with the eye for improvement and .... I'm not an editor.
November 6, 2012
The Psychic and the Sleuth hardcopies showed up at my doo...
The Psychic and the Sleuth hardcopies showed up at my door yesterday. So I'm running a contest today!**
Get your copy early, a month before it appears in stores.
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Psychic and the Sleuth
by Bonnie Dee
Giveaway ends November 12, 2012.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
Today is also the day Unnatural Calamities comes out in print. My writerly life is all about the paper today.
________________________
**Hey, contest widget, I wrote that book too. In fact my name is listed first. Dagnabit, I wish they'd stop leaving me off our books.
Get your copy early, a month before it appears in stores.
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font-style: normal; background: white; }
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Psychic and the Sleuth
by Bonnie Dee
Giveaway ends November 12, 2012.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
Today is also the day Unnatural Calamities comes out in print. My writerly life is all about the paper today.
________________________
**Hey, contest widget, I wrote that book too. In fact my name is listed first. Dagnabit, I wish they'd stop leaving me off our books.
November 3, 2012
A quicky exercise from Donald Maas
Think of a scene in a book and write down the main emotion of the main character in the scene. (main character probably the one most affected by the action OR the main character of the book, the one with the biggest story arc. I wasn't there so this is a guess.)
NOW
think about TWO MORE emotions s/he'd be having in that scene.
Now write the scene with the second one in your brain. Do that at least 8 times in a book.
October 30, 2012
A Summer Devon cover for a book coming soon!
Me: Lookit! Ha! This is my book's cover! Yay!Husband: What's a bander?
Me: See that animal at the bottom? That's a bander, based on a frumious bandersnatch.
Husband: Oh. I thought it might be a book about a guy who bands birds.
Me: No.
Husband: you know. a guy who clamps a little ring around a bird's leg?
Me: Not that kind of bander.
Husband: A wild bird bander who needs to be tamed and--
Me: No.
October 26, 2012
Wow, would you look at that weather!
now that I have the promo out of the way (oh, my precious, precious pull quote!) I can get started rereading romances with storms in them. I'm going to write an article about 'em.
I grabbed a stack of books off the shelf--real books and not just the ones on my kindle so now my room is a mess--and it's amazing how many books do have storms that
1. make the h/h lose their way
2. force the h/h to hole up together for a day or a season.
3. cover footprints with snow and make the h/h or villain lose the scent (usually literal scent. I seem to have accumulated a fair number of paranormals)
Stuff falling out of clouds is the best deus ex machina ever because it's hardly an unbelievable chariot driving out of the sky. Weather, a writer's best plotty friend.
I grabbed a stack of books off the shelf--real books and not just the ones on my kindle so now my room is a mess--and it's amazing how many books do have storms that
1. make the h/h lose their way
2. force the h/h to hole up together for a day or a season.
3. cover footprints with snow and make the h/h or villain lose the scent (usually literal scent. I seem to have accumulated a fair number of paranormals)
Stuff falling out of clouds is the best deus ex machina ever because it's hardly an unbelievable chariot driving out of the sky. Weather, a writer's best plotty friend.
older book, new review
"Readers
are sure to love this impressive latest offering from Dee and Devon."
That sentence alone is worth a celebratory cup of coffee.
From Romantic times:
Four Stars!
THE PSYCHIC AND THE SLEUTH
by Bonnie Dee, Summer Devon
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Psychic, Paranormal Romance
Sensuality: SCORCHER
RT Rating
Readers are sure to love this impressive latest offering from Dee and
Devon. In Victorian England, loving another man is more scandalous than
being a murderer
, so Robert has always
kept his proclivities a deep secret. But the gently disarming Oliver is
an enticement he can’t resist. A deep mystery, a family scandal and a
passion that can’t be denied, painted with lyrical language, all elevate
this novel a step above the usual.
Inspector Robert Court was
never happy with the execution of the rag-and-bones man who was charged
with murdering his cousin. Something wasn’t right, but his superiors
wouldn’t let him pursue it. Instead, he’s assigned to uncover fake
psychics fleecing the wives of the local gentry.
Oliver Marsh
has parlayed his occasional flashes of insight into a successful con
game of spiritualism, comforting himself by thinking he gives his
clients solace. But when he runs into Robert, he experiences a
terrifying psychic episode — all centering on Robert’s cousin. A true
non-believer, Robert is drawn to the man who may be able to give him
answers. Now they’re racing to find a murderer — and to keep anyone from
knowing of their illicit passion. (SAMHAIN, Dec., 232 pp., $14.00)
Reviewed By: Pat Cooper
are sure to love this impressive latest offering from Dee and Devon."
That sentence alone is worth a celebratory cup of coffee.
From Romantic times:
Four Stars!
THE PSYCHIC AND THE SLEUTH
by Bonnie Dee, Summer Devon
Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy, Psychic, Paranormal Romance
Sensuality: SCORCHER
RT Rating
Readers are sure to love this impressive latest offering from Dee and
Devon. In Victorian England, loving another man is more scandalous than
being a murderer
, so Robert has always
kept his proclivities a deep secret. But the gently disarming Oliver is
an enticement he can’t resist. A deep mystery, a family scandal and a
passion that can’t be denied, painted with lyrical language, all elevate
this novel a step above the usual.
Inspector Robert Court was
never happy with the execution of the rag-and-bones man who was charged
with murdering his cousin. Something wasn’t right, but his superiors
wouldn’t let him pursue it. Instead, he’s assigned to uncover fake
psychics fleecing the wives of the local gentry.
Oliver Marsh
has parlayed his occasional flashes of insight into a successful con
game of spiritualism, comforting himself by thinking he gives his
clients solace. But when he runs into Robert, he experiences a
terrifying psychic episode — all centering on Robert’s cousin. A true
non-believer, Robert is drawn to the man who may be able to give him
answers. Now they’re racing to find a murderer — and to keep anyone from
knowing of their illicit passion. (SAMHAIN, Dec., 232 pp., $14.00)
Reviewed By: Pat Cooper
October 19, 2012
words words words
When I was 13, I was targeted by a physical bully. I don’t recall how long he went after me, more than a week, less than a month, probably. I vividly remember several run-ins.
The guy would grab my hair and hold on. I’d have to bend sideways until he let go.
he forced me to walk around the classroom like that. That was mortifying. He’d
twist my arm. He’d dig his nails into my skin and leave a mark. He rammed me
into a doorframe and once pushed me onto the floor. When I tried to get up, he
pushed me back down again.
I
complained to the teacher and to my parents, and they said yes, he should stop, but
they pointed out that I should be complimented. Boys got rough when they liked
girls. In a few years, my father said, the guy would figure out how to deal
with his attraction better.
That particular kid had had some trauma in his life—his father had died suddenly and violently. Maybe that was why there weren’t consequences to his actions--at least none I saw.
I think some adult must have talked to him about leaving me alone, or maybe he moved onto another target because the abuse stopped suddenly.
I remember feeling an impotent rage at that guy. I day-dreamed about smashing him. I never, not once, considered smashing myself because of what he’d done to me.
Here’s the thing: That bullying kid who caused physical pain
was nothing compared to mental
bullies. Most significantly, he was a single person, not a group going for a mass pile-on.
That situation was easy to cope with compared to the more subtle nasty bullying that I’ve seen. I knew that what he was doing was crappy and wrong (even if the adults around didn’t seem to).
The pain he created was immediate and didn’t linger. I knew he was a dickhead and I felt angry, and I didn’t wonder to myself if maybe he had a point. I don’t recall words he used, but even if he did talk trash, I never thought I was the problem—he so clearly was.
He acted alone. If other people had joined him maybe I'd have some scars, and I don't mean the physical sort. That sort of bullying requires conversation, at least two people talking about the object of their scorn. The chatter can eat a person's self-confidence and sense of worth with the speed of sound.
A slap on the face is no fun, but nothing can cause destruction like bullies who use words skillfully or, worse, carelessly. Words pile up and suffocate joy.
That line about sticks and stones? Garbage.
What happened to Amanda included physical attacks but the words used on her like "slut" and "look around nobody likes you" and "I hope she dies this time." battered her soul. People crumble faster when the violence of words hit something inside.
Amanda Todd was abused by bullies for two years. Right now people are looking around, trying to point fingers at the original bully. Anonymous tracked down a man who they claim is responsible for blackmailing her and spreading pictures of her. But his actions were only the start. Like most of the truly horrific bullying cases out there, she became the target of more than a single person.
One person, one word, one action starts the whole useless pain of bullying but it is the accumulation of words, so easy to toss off unless you're the target, that does the damage.
Join other authors against bullying.
Mandy M. Roth Yasmine Galenorn Lauren Dane
Michelle M. Pillow Kate Douglas Shawntelle Madison Leah Braemel
Aaron Crocco NJ Walters
Jax Garren
Shelli Stevens
Melissa Schroeder
Jaycee Clark
Shawna Thomas
Ella Drake
E.J. Stevens
Ashley Shaw
Jeaniene Frost
Rachel Caine
Kate Rothwell
Jackie Morse Kessler
Jaye Wells
Kate Angell
Melissa Cutler
PT Michelle
Patrice Michelle
Julie Leto
Kaz Mahoney
Cynthia D'Alba
Jesse L. Cairns
TJ Michaels
Jess Haines
Phoebe Conn
Jessa Slade
Kate Davies
Lynne Silver
Taryn Blackthorne
Margaret Daley
Alyssa Day
Aaron Dries
Lisa Whitefern
Rhyannon Byrd
Carly Phillips
Leslie Kelly
Janelle Denison
Graylin Fox
Lee McKenzie
Barbara Winkes
Harmony Evans
Mary Eason
Ann Aguirre
Lucy Monroe
Nikki Duncan
Kerry Schafer
Ruth Frances Long
The guy would grab my hair and hold on. I’d have to bend sideways until he let go.
he forced me to walk around the classroom like that. That was mortifying. He’d
twist my arm. He’d dig his nails into my skin and leave a mark. He rammed me
into a doorframe and once pushed me onto the floor. When I tried to get up, he
pushed me back down again.
I
complained to the teacher and to my parents, and they said yes, he should stop, but
they pointed out that I should be complimented. Boys got rough when they liked
girls. In a few years, my father said, the guy would figure out how to deal
with his attraction better.
That particular kid had had some trauma in his life—his father had died suddenly and violently. Maybe that was why there weren’t consequences to his actions--at least none I saw.
I think some adult must have talked to him about leaving me alone, or maybe he moved onto another target because the abuse stopped suddenly.
I remember feeling an impotent rage at that guy. I day-dreamed about smashing him. I never, not once, considered smashing myself because of what he’d done to me.
Here’s the thing: That bullying kid who caused physical pain
was nothing compared to mental
bullies. Most significantly, he was a single person, not a group going for a mass pile-on.
That situation was easy to cope with compared to the more subtle nasty bullying that I’ve seen. I knew that what he was doing was crappy and wrong (even if the adults around didn’t seem to).
The pain he created was immediate and didn’t linger. I knew he was a dickhead and I felt angry, and I didn’t wonder to myself if maybe he had a point. I don’t recall words he used, but even if he did talk trash, I never thought I was the problem—he so clearly was.
He acted alone. If other people had joined him maybe I'd have some scars, and I don't mean the physical sort. That sort of bullying requires conversation, at least two people talking about the object of their scorn. The chatter can eat a person's self-confidence and sense of worth with the speed of sound.
A slap on the face is no fun, but nothing can cause destruction like bullies who use words skillfully or, worse, carelessly. Words pile up and suffocate joy.
That line about sticks and stones? Garbage.
What happened to Amanda included physical attacks but the words used on her like "slut" and "look around nobody likes you" and "I hope she dies this time." battered her soul. People crumble faster when the violence of words hit something inside.
Amanda Todd was abused by bullies for two years. Right now people are looking around, trying to point fingers at the original bully. Anonymous tracked down a man who they claim is responsible for blackmailing her and spreading pictures of her. But his actions were only the start. Like most of the truly horrific bullying cases out there, she became the target of more than a single person.
One person, one word, one action starts the whole useless pain of bullying but it is the accumulation of words, so easy to toss off unless you're the target, that does the damage.
Join other authors against bullying.
Mandy M. Roth Yasmine Galenorn Lauren Dane
Michelle M. Pillow Kate Douglas Shawntelle Madison Leah Braemel
Aaron Crocco NJ Walters
Jax Garren
Shelli Stevens
Melissa Schroeder
Jaycee Clark
Shawna Thomas
Ella Drake
E.J. Stevens
Ashley Shaw
Jeaniene Frost
Rachel Caine
Kate Rothwell
Jackie Morse Kessler
Jaye Wells
Kate Angell
Melissa Cutler
PT Michelle
Patrice Michelle
Julie Leto
Kaz Mahoney
Cynthia D'Alba
Jesse L. Cairns
TJ Michaels
Jess Haines
Phoebe Conn
Jessa Slade
Kate Davies
Lynne Silver
Taryn Blackthorne
Margaret Daley
Alyssa Day
Aaron Dries
Lisa Whitefern
Rhyannon Byrd
Carly Phillips
Leslie Kelly
Janelle Denison
Graylin Fox
Lee McKenzie
Barbara Winkes
Harmony Evans
Mary Eason
Ann Aguirre
Lucy Monroe
Nikki Duncan
Kerry Schafer
Ruth Frances Long
October 17, 2012
I'm doing the blogging against bullying
I don't believe that changing my facebook status for an hour will help solve any of the world's problems, and I know for sure that my blog won't either.
But I don't discount the power of words en masse. Anyone who visits the internet knows it can be a vicious place. You're here; you know.
People can be scary, especially when they're filled with that burning venom, especially when a group does a piles-on with that gleeful hatred. So maybe a group of people who've piled on for the opposite reason--to create a soothing blanket--can put out the fires, at least on occasion.
Enough with the bad metaphors.
Go to Mandy's place if you want to learn more.
I'm coming back on the 19th with a couple of my bullying experiences. Heck, we've all lived through them. I expect even (or perhaps especially?) bullies have too. Defining the action can help stop the next incident. Talking about it helps to heal the past. Tell me about yours.
But I don't discount the power of words en masse. Anyone who visits the internet knows it can be a vicious place. You're here; you know.
People can be scary, especially when they're filled with that burning venom, especially when a group does a piles-on with that gleeful hatred. So maybe a group of people who've piled on for the opposite reason--to create a soothing blanket--can put out the fires, at least on occasion.
Enough with the bad metaphors.
Go to Mandy's place if you want to learn more.
I'm coming back on the 19th with a couple of my bullying experiences. Heck, we've all lived through them. I expect even (or perhaps especially?) bullies have too. Defining the action can help stop the next incident. Talking about it helps to heal the past. Tell me about yours.
October 11, 2012
Paper! Back! and a give-away
I found a box of books from Samhain on my front porch--it's the same book, over and over, Unnatural Calamities.
I read everything on my Kindle these days. I don't make any money from print books. Given a choice, I'd rather not have my books go into print. And yet...and yet. It's still cool to hold a real book. I'm not over my print addiction.
This one even has a nice cover. (I was mostly embarrassed when Irrational Arousal showed up on my porch). The back cover is nice too. It's red on white. Yum. I'm fond of this book--this is the story that has every romance trope I could imagine in it-- so I'll keep at least one copy for me.
Linda picked one up, flipped it open and said, "hey, look a typo." It was a "joke" ha ha ha. We both agreed that we never ever look in books because we do not want to see those things. No, no.
I brought it into work (Barnes and Noble--we sit in the cafe and type, so I'm not talking real work). I wanted to see if I could convince the manager to carry it. She's not here, but Eric the Barrista was impressed by the actual paper copy of the book.
I'm heading over to goodreads to make a contest to give it away. below is a link to the contest, I hope.
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Unnatural Calamities
by Summer Devon
Giveaway ends October 14, 2012.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
I read everything on my Kindle these days. I don't make any money from print books. Given a choice, I'd rather not have my books go into print. And yet...and yet. It's still cool to hold a real book. I'm not over my print addiction.
This one even has a nice cover. (I was mostly embarrassed when Irrational Arousal showed up on my porch). The back cover is nice too. It's red on white. Yum. I'm fond of this book--this is the story that has every romance trope I could imagine in it-- so I'll keep at least one copy for me.
Linda picked one up, flipped it open and said, "hey, look a typo." It was a "joke" ha ha ha. We both agreed that we never ever look in books because we do not want to see those things. No, no.
I brought it into work (Barnes and Noble--we sit in the cafe and type, so I'm not talking real work). I wanted to see if I could convince the manager to carry it. She's not here, but Eric the Barrista was impressed by the actual paper copy of the book.
I'm heading over to goodreads to make a contest to give it away. below is a link to the contest, I hope.
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
Unnatural Calamities
by Summer Devon
Giveaway ends October 14, 2012.
See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.
Enter to win
October 10, 2012
messing around
The ads on the side of my pages are getting more and more specific. I do a search on back pain (ow. yes, it's getting better, but ow.) and suddenly I see all these back stores advertised for days and days afterwards.
I'm doing an experiment to see if the same thing will happen with buzz words in this blog.
Dog training
wine tasting
pillow bedding
black skirt
tools, screwdriver
junk removal
jello desserts
accidental death
nylon rope
Corpse removal, coffins, casket
I'm doing an experiment to see if the same thing will happen with buzz words in this blog.
Dog training
wine tasting
pillow bedding
black skirt
tools, screwdriver
junk removal
jello desserts
accidental death
nylon rope
Corpse removal, coffins, casket
