Two Great Books You Need To Pick UP!

Today is the release day for the sequel to Gena Showalter's Intertwined and Louisa Edwards' Just One Taste!

Unraveled:

For once, sixteen-year-old Aden Stone has everything he’s ever wanted:

A home.

Friends.

The girl of his dreams.

Too bad he’s going to die…

Since coming to Crossroads, Oklahoma, former outcast Aden Stone has been living the good life. Never mind that one of his best friends is a werewolf, his girlfriend is a vampire princess who hungers for his blood, and he’s supposed to be crowned Vampire King – while still a human! Well, kind of.

With four – oops, three now -- human souls living inside his head, Aden has always been “different” himself. These souls can time travel, raise the dead, possess another’s mind, and, his least favorite these days, tell the future.

The forecast for Aden? A knife through the heart.

Because a war is brewing between the creatures of the dark, and Aden is somehow at the center of it all. But he isn’t about to lie down and accept his destiny without a fight. Not when his new friends have his back, not when Victoria has risked her own future to be with him, and not when he has a reason to live for the first time in his life…

Find out more here!

Just One Taste:

He has a hungry mind.

Bad-boy chef Wes Murphy dreads his final semester cooking class—Food Chemistry 101—until he meets the new substitute teacher. Dr. Rosemary Wilkins is a feast for the eyes, though her approach to food is strictly academic. So Wes decides to rattle her Bunsen burner by asking for her hands-on advice—on aphrodisiacs . . .

She’s got love down to a science.

Rosemary is a little wary about working with Wes, whose casual flirtations leave her hot under the collar. But once they begin testing the love-enhancing power of chocolate, oysters, and strawberries, it becomes scientifically evident that the brainy science nerd and the boyish chef have some major chemistry together—and it’s delicious . . .

Find out more here!

Caturday!

No mor skery bedtime storries, plez.

Never Say Never

I've never been a runner. I always thought it seemed like a cool thing to do and a great way to burn calories and get in shape, but every time I tried it, I collapsed into a red-faced, heaving heap. I couldn't breathe and I felt like throwing up.

Not really incentive to keep going.

But I'm a determined soul and about 4 months ago, I started running on the treadmill. Two minutes was about the most I could do without passing out. But I kept at it, doing run/walk intervals. The first time I ran for five minutes without stopping, I felt like I could conquer the world. When I ran for eight, I was pretty sure I had conquered the world (or at least a small section of my neighborhood.)

Then at RWA's National Conference during the end of July, I ran my first mile. Twelve minutes! A whole mile! Did this achievement make me a runner? I wasn't sure, but it felt like I was on the verge of something. A point of no return. A precipice.

This week I ran 1.25 miles. Fifteen minutes without stopping. I'm pretty sure I'm officially a runner. And by the end of next month, I hope to be running 1.75 - 2 miles. When the weather cools, I'll be taking the show outside - something I'm really looking forward to.

I sure didn't start out running a mile, but now that I have, I feel like there's no holding me back. I've even briefly entertained looking into the possibility of doing a 5k. I know! Who am I?

Writing a book is a lot like learning to run. It takes time, desire and constant work. Stop writing for a week and see how easy it is to get back into your rhythm. It's not. Just like running. You've got to keep pushing forward. So go. Push. Run. Write. If I can do it, anyone can.

Caturday!

Dude, you might want to look into some pants.

A week of firsts

I'm over at Fictionistas today talking about firsts. Come and share yours!

Monday Randomness

I have a truck-load of stuff to do today including going to the bank and post office, two things I hate to do only because it means leaving the house. I'm not agoraphobic or anything, but leaving the house means getting myself together and when I'm in the thick of writing a book, that's just time I don't have. Chances are good "getting myself together" today will mean a ball cap and sunglasses. Ah yes, the fashion friends of a writer on a deadline.

Besides those errands I have to work out, vacuum and write. All things I wish someone else could do for me. Don't get me wrong, I like my writer job. But I don't love the fresh writing. I like revising an already written page, not creating a fresh one. Some of you are nodding. Some of you are raising an eyebrow. Hey, it's a process. At least I already got the kitchen floor mopped. I thought it best to do that before I was really awake and could argue myself out of doing it.

Other things:

There's a new group blog in the neighborhood: Girlfriends Book Club. Check it out if you like women's fiction.

Have a great Monday! I'm still accepting applications for an unpaid intern. Just saying.

Caturday!

Cat and...wait for it...mouse!

Stuff I Learned at RWA Nationals - Part 2

Just some random observations about this year's RWA Nationals Conference:

* Pubbed authors want to learn as much as unpubbed authors
* The more published you get, the more your priorities change
* There's no way you'll get to see everyone you want to see or do everything you want to do. The sooner you figure that out and become okay with it, the faster you'll settle into the rhythm of the conference
* Don't be nervous about approaching a RITA winner on Saturday night and congratulating them. They always have time for that!
* There's a fine balance between dressing for a long day and looking like you don't care.
* Conference is not the place to test your alcohol tolerance. Do something stupid and people will talk.
* Some people really do have to work/write/edit while at conference. Let them.

Feel free to add your own observations in the comments!

Stuff I Learned at RWA Nationals 2010 - Part 1

There was much talk about promotion this year at RWA Nationals, as there is every year really, and it probably surprises no one that much of that talk focused on Twitter and Facebook. One of the most valuable workshops I attended was given by Louisa Edwards, Roxanne St. Claire and Teresa Medeiros. To be honest, I grabbed a seat in that audience at first because Louisa and Rocki just happened to be my suitemates, but the truth is it turned out to be a smart move because there was some great information to be had and it reaffirmed what I'm already doing. Not saying I'm ahead of the curve, but hello, I am SO not behind it either.

Facebook Fan Pages are The Thing. I have one (here), as do Roxanne St. Claire, Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter, just to name a few of my fav authors. Fan pages are a great way to stay in touch with not only the author themselves but other readers who love the same books. Once you establish a fan page, make sure you get a customized URL - the idea is that it reads like this: http://www.facebook.com/KristenPainterAuthor instead of like this: http://www.facebook.com/38743897439879845784 - much easier to list on websites, business cards, etc.

Once you establish your page, start routing friend requests there. This is going to be much easier if you're a published author. Unpubbed writers may have a harder time convincing people to like them when they don't really have any work to like.

Your mission today is clear. Go out and set up your FB fan page. Right after you "like" mine. ;o) If you already have a FB fan page, feel free to post a link in the comments!

Caturday!

I haz a fort.

A Pirate By Any Other Name

I'm over at Fictionistas today talking about piracy. I'd love to hear what you have to say!

Conference Lag

I think that's what I'm suffering from. RWA Nationals were amazing, but I can't seem to get back into the swing of my normal routine. Today has to be better than yesterday. Plus I need to work out.

I met some great writers at conference and missed hanging out with a few, but the days go by so fast and every year my schedule holds more appointments. There's only so much time in the day!

I'm already excited about next year in New York City. If I could just recover from this year's...

Caturday!

You really think it's safe to be that close to me with that camera?

Caturday!

Dis ma sexy look.

Dude, it's Friday

I'm over at the Fictionistas today. Come celebrate the weekend!

Happy Birthday, Finny!

Finnegan is one year old today! As you can see, life hasn't always been kind to him, but he's in deep clover now that he lives with us. His turn-ons include eating bugs, chasing golf balls through the house, tromping on his brothers and sleeping on top of daddy. Turn-offs include excessive petting when he'd rather be playing, taking medicine and the vacuum cleaner.

Busy Busy

This week is going to be crazy. Like cray-zee. Why? Because it's the week before conference and there is so much to do! Plan out the wardrobe making sure everything is clean and ready to go (that means shoes and accessories too!), map out the schedule so no event is missed, get my hair and nails done, clean the house so it's not a train wreck when I get home, transfer important files to the computer I'll be taking and try to write about 30 some pages. Not to mention the regular stuff like taking care of Hotrod and working out.

How am I going to do all this? The List. I have to make a list and keep it going all week or something will get missed. I live by The List. How about you? How do you keep yourself organized when you're prepping for a big event?

Caturday!

Making the bed. With assistance. (Can you find the third cat in this picture?)

RWA Nationals

RWA's 2010 National Conference is little more than a week away. I'm excited to go as this year will hold three new firsts for me.

1. I'll be signing for the first time at the Literacy Signing! Stop by and say hi if you're there.

2. I'll be speaking on a panel about Digital Publishing for the Print Published Author with Shiloh Walker, Tessa Dare and Lindsey Faber (Samhain editor). It takes place Saturday, July 31st at 3:15 in Asia 5, so mark your calendars!

3. I'm a door prize! Part of the PRO retreat includes giving away lunches with published authors in particular genres. I'm the paranormal/UF door prize. (I wonder if I should wear a bow?)

Other than that, I have a myriad of breakfasts, lunches, dinners and gatherings to attend. It'll be a busy, busy week, but seeing all my writing friends, getting to network and filling up on writerly information is so worth it. There's really nothing like Nationals. Will you be there this year?

Realms of Fantasy Magazine

I recently bought myself a subscription to this fabulous magazine and I have to say, if you're writing anything even remotely related to the fantasy genre (scifi and paranormal writers, I'm looking at you), you should be reading this magazine. I wish I hadn't waited so long.

Great articles, great short fiction, thoughtful reviews and a real sense of what's new and happening in the genre.

You can check it out here. Get yourself a subscription. You deserve it.