The Burrow is EXPECTING!!!

Jess, Leanne, me, Tara, Mari: Cardiff 2008

The Burrow, as some of you may know, is my writing group. We are CALLED the Burrow because we were originally a band of writers who met through the now defunct Harry Potter forum HPANA. I've known several of these women since 2005 and MOST by 2006 when I first dived into fan fiction for my training ground as a writer.

And TARA, was my very first ever random reader—the reader who wandered in and read even though she didn't know me from a hole in the internets. She was encouraging, enthusiastic, and fabulous.

Our actual writing group formed initially in 2007... I had written four chapters at that point of what would eventually be my first 204,000 word (I know, right?) first original book. (I was still writing my second long fan fiction—and there would be a 3rd before I sort of let that fall away).

preparing for a French taunting at Cardiff Castle

That group has done several writing related projects, mostly drabble-related. We even convinced an art gallery in Cardiff to display our drabbles with their artwork for an event (that is where we got together—Cardiff). And we've critiqued the books we've worked on for each other. As we've gone, I've sometimes felt guilty. Being me, I do something obsessively or not at all, and I have been on a full-scale writing train since I started—7.5 years now, I've done something writing related almost daily. This means there was a lot of 'read me, read me' from ME and less from other folks. But we HAVE produced other books besides mine.

And FINALLY, one of my writing family members has been offered a well-deserved publishing contract!!!

Working cover, designed by our friend Ana

Tara wrote Cardiffella in a WriMo, and then has spent some good time polishing, adding, revising, getting feedback--all those things a person needs to do... and now it is set for eBook publication in April (to be followed by print on demand availability a few months later).

As the title implies, it is a twist on Cinderella, set in modern day Cardiff, and is funnier than funny. You will definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for this. (does anybody else have eyes that water when you hear 'eyes peeled'? Just me then?)

Anyway, I'm THRILLED for Tara, and excited for the Burrow, and a little giddy because that's how I roll.

And here are a few more gratuitous pictures of us...

Sassing at the Taff (the river that swears a lot)

And here we are, in touch with our roots (note Hogwarts scarves-knitted by Leanne on the left)

It's probably apparent from these what a shrinking violet I am *shifty*  In my defense, I AM trying to take over the world.

Good Stuff

So people are DOING good things and I've had a few good things HAPPEN, so I thought I'd share a little.

FIRST: My Buddy Leigh Moore has self Published The Truth About Faking!!!

Leigh has ALL KINDS of stuff going on. She has a book coming up through traditional publishing in December, called Rouge which I'm very excited about. But she also has a book that had made the rounds via agent subbing. It had positive feedback, but no full-out bites. Her agent, when they got through that process, recommended she self-publish it, so Leigh decided to take on that MAMMOTH task.

This is a book I had the honor to read in one of its middle iterations. It's a great contemporary young adult tale, focused on romance, but with more real-life issues at the heart of it—questions about how we see ourselves and others... and how others may come across to us when we don't know the whole story. It is a coming of age of sorts, as Harley believes with her whole heart she wants one thing, and finds out over the course of the book just how little she understands about what matters. We grow with her and can appreciate her change in perspective.

I definitely recommend it and wish Leigh a ton of luck! She is doing a guest post here next week, but I thought I'd give a shout before that.

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Truth-About-Faking-ebook/dp/B00960QOSW

The poster he did combining three of his covers

ALSO WIK: My Buddy Joris Ammerlaan has put out his shingle for Bookcovers and Promotional Materials!

Joris is super talented and has done several covers for me. And now he is wanting to actively get into the book cover, promotional materials market, so if you are shopping for a book cover designer, be sure to go over to his site and give his stuff a look. I've known him since he was a wee lad and can totally vouch for his work ethic, professionalism, reliability, and character.

ALSO ALSO WIK: Michigan's Season Opener

Saturday my friend and Couch to Keg buddy Jackie invited me to go to Michigan's first home game with her. It was PERFECT early season football weather—65 with a breeze. And the game was against Air Force Academy, and there was a military appreciation theme throughout, which was AWESOME. During the National Anthem a bald eagle was released from the top of a press box and circled the field a few times to land down on his handler on the field. I got teary. Bald eagles are so amazing... it reminded me that my daughter and I had seen one just perched on a dead tree by the side of the freeway in Montana. Very cool. Then, as the National Anthem was ending, a stealth bomber did a fly-over—WOW those things are weird.

Looks like a Sci Fi movie, eh?

And of course the writer in me imagines how PERFECT this set-up is... 112,000 people all in one place, easy to block the entrants... some alien space ship could just beam us all up to populate a whole new planet... or something. But whatever the case, it was a GREAT event. I really enjoyed it. Thank you, Jackie!


FINITE: Kerrytown Bookfest (first 'event' as a published author)

And finally, yesterday was the Kerrytown Bookfest in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor has a Farmer's market on the weekend in a section that might be thought of as oldtown—it is the original town square area with brick streets and what NOW are very trendy, high-end shops. The farmer's market occurs outdoors (though the strips of wide sidewalk are covered)--anyway, after the farmers packed up and went, the bookstores and publishers in the region unloaded.

I was really pleased with the high number of little bookstores there really still is in the area. Manymore than I'd thought. Most of them are for niche markets, including the one I was there to sign for, Aunt Agatha's (a mystery bookshop). I was signing with three other authors in my slot, all of them more famous and successful than me (I was the only one with only a single book, and all the others had hard covers). It was nice to really see how it was done, though. Hank Phillipi Ryan was next to me and a real pro. (she is actually Harriet and I LOVE that she is called Hank—she said it was from a college friend that that originated)

My favorite surprise was when I arrived, I found February Grace waiting to meet in person! It was a complete surprise and was wonderful! I love meeting author friends in person, but I think this was the first totally unexpected meeting like that.


So here is hoping the good stuff keeps going for all of us! Have a great week!

Fiesta Friday: Naked Vampires anallat...

La cucaracha, la cucaracha,
ya no puede caminar,
porque no tiene,
porque le falta,
marijuana que fumar.

Should we examine those fiesta lyrics?

Shouldn't Google Earth let me get this from a slightly different angle?

The Cockroach, the cockroach.
Already he can't walk
because he doesn't have it
because it's missing
Marijuana to smoke.

The cockroach can't walk without it's marijuana!
Just like the Vampire without blood, I'd imagine...

*cough *

Man, I loved Spanish.


So I'm not sure if we have people here who CAN walk because there is marijuana or people who CAN'T because there ISN'T... Or maybe we should just break out the tequila and call it a draw? But we are having a little party with some newses* and celebraciones! (* I made up this word *shifty*)

I'm going to start off with our friend Roland Yeomans... this is a news and invitation sort of thing, but also largely an excuse to start off with the above picture. Roland is giving away his book Blood Will Tell  for FREE! He is seeking reviews on Amazon and if he gets at least 10, he will give away an autographed picture of THAT hottie! (thank you Roland for the excuse to post naked Eric).

So to GET Roland's book, just go and click to buy. It's free. Then, when you get a chance to read it, post a review on Amazon—there are readers who will only purchase books with at least ten reviews. Though just downloading may get him a nice rating this weekend which helps... download even if you can't read right away... but the REVIEWS determine the PICTURE (not that one) giveaway).

Description:

"Life is never fair. And perhaps it is a good thing for us that it is not."
-Oscar Wilde

When we think evolution, we think of the life forms we can see. But what if evolution would occur on the microscopic level?
What if red blood cells achieved intelligence? Would they be happy at the world in which they find themselves? And if they didn't, what might they do?
In this story intelligent blood is starting an offensive against Man.
One lone telepath finds himself a helpless spectator as the race of Man is subjugated into mindless drones.
When the war is over, and he finds himself totally alone ...
How can he go on and why?


Again: Free five days starting yesterday, so get it this weekend!


Then, a couple tidbits alluded to by my buddy Vic at Hairnets and Hopes:

Justine Dell has gotten a book contract from Omnific Publishing in late 2012 for her debut novel Recaptured Dreams! Congratulations, Justine! (and thanks Vic, for the heads up!)



Sarah Fine's SANCTUM, the first book in the GUARDS OF THE SHADOWLANDS series, featuring a seventeen-year-old girl who has one chance to save her best friend's soul from hell where, in the process, she falls for the indentured Guard who is sent to make sure she doesn't succeed, to Courtney Miller at Amazon Publishing, in a pre-empt, in a three-book deal, for publication in Fall 2012, by Kathleen Ortiz at Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation.

(wow, eh? Thanks also to Vic for that.--who needs to pay attention when you have minions, eh?)


And Lynn Rush got to share her next book cover this week and it's GORGEOUS!  (like to say I found this on my own, but it is thanks to Ciara Knight.

Gorgeous, eh?

And last but not least, progress for yet another blogger friend: February Grace has had five poems and two short prose pieces accepted for publication. Congratulations, Bru!!! (and congratulations ME for finding a newsworthy piece of info all by myself...)


I'm sure there was lots more great news, but as I've confessed, my attention span is short. I'd also like to leave you with this. My stress of late, caused by health and money trouble, unexpectedly collided and formed a brilliant glitter bomb of goodness... as in one problem solves the other. I know that makes no sense, but only because I can't tell you more out of respect for HWMNBMOTI's privacy. My world improved immensely in the long run yesterday (even if the next few months may remain rough).  Nakedness should soon return.