I've had a recent career shift which has changed my life. I'm working in a veterinary clinic. The money is shit but the job is awesome. It's the first time in a very long time that I've actually had a job that keeps me busy all day, makes me laugh most of the day and feel good at the end of the day.
So that's all a wonderful change from what my life had been the last few years.
**
Mollie and I have adjusted to Hawaii (I love living here) and are still adjusting to living as a blended family. For the most part it's pretty okay but living with another adult woman with her own set of mood swings is always a challenge. The funny thing is that I'm the adult woman in the house who acts the most rationally and the least emotionally. Now that's a huge switch up in my life.
**
I'm taking a romance reading break. I'm reading the Hit Man series by Lawrence Block which I read a lifetime ago. I'm enjoying it and it's like sitting and watching TV while eating Cheetos. No real substance but you still enjoy it and feel rested and satisfied later.
**
My writer's block is unblocked. Somewhat.
There was something about Jane Litte admitting to being Jen Frederick that turned a switch in my head. I can't explain it but I was in my car and wrestling with my feelings and I suddenly had an idea that became a thunderbolt. And I started writing.
Of course I have to rewrite it all since I'm changing a huge part of it but still, I'm writing.
Happiness.
**
So Carolyn and I did free book giveaways on Amazon over the weekend and I have to say that it wasn't worth it at all. Smallest amount of downloads I've ever done with a free book and it was responsible (I think) for only one book sale.
So not worth it.
**
And Survivor is having an interesting season. They have some of the most unlikable players they've ever had and I'm not rooting for anyone. Except kind of, a little bit, one cute guy who won't go far. I'm still hooked but with so many unpleasant people, it's more an intellectual exercise than a true experience.
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Friday, March 27, 2015
The Jane Game
Yesterday Carolyn lamented to me that there are no shades of grey in romancelandia and oh boy, did she get it right. The Jane Litte/Jen Frederick mess is perfect proof.
Let me say immediately that I don't believe that this affects anything in the DA/EC lawsuit and I hope that Jane kicks EC's butt. And if I had any spare income (I count my pennies here), I'd still donate to the DA fund to help. Because DA didn't defame EC, they reported truth and the right to speak out is the most important of all.
Ok, that's out of the way.
So look down a post or two and I'm there supporting the Jane/Jen disclosure and admitting to my mind numbing jealousy. And I made up my mind and was all bring on the hates, I'll go Ann Sommerville on their ass. Then I read Smart Bitches and all the comments and the grey seeped in.
Because Jane lied to individual people and created relationships that were false. Because other people are getting hurt now and it doesn't feel okay to support that.
The grey shades are still there for me. I'm just not able to get upset that a pen named author joined a group she might not have otherwise been able to join. She didn't create the pen name to deceive the group. And only if a criteria for joining the group is for everyone to disclose all pen names and real names then she probably didn't truly do anything that other pen named authors did.If everyone disclosed who they truly were and then Jane lied, well, that's one thing. But if other authors were there using only pen names without disclosure and that was okay, then I can't get my tits in a tizzy.
But there are people out there who are really bleeding over this. Willa is one and I don't know her story but I know my joy when she became a DA reviewer was great. Now she's left and that is such a huge disappointment for me because I know she hurt.
An author named Bree commented on Bitches and her hurt was palpable. The authors who have spoken up are not sour grapes kind of authors: Tessa Dare, Victoria Dahl, Courtney Milan. These are authors whose careers DA has supported.
And my view got greyer.
I don't know how I feel anymore. It's confusing and I'm going to sit back and see how things sort out. I'll be me and hope that it works out for Jane and DA and all the people involved. But I just don't know.
And once again: these are my views, not Carolyn's.
Let me say immediately that I don't believe that this affects anything in the DA/EC lawsuit and I hope that Jane kicks EC's butt. And if I had any spare income (I count my pennies here), I'd still donate to the DA fund to help. Because DA didn't defame EC, they reported truth and the right to speak out is the most important of all.
Ok, that's out of the way.
So look down a post or two and I'm there supporting the Jane/Jen disclosure and admitting to my mind numbing jealousy. And I made up my mind and was all bring on the hates, I'll go Ann Sommerville on their ass. Then I read Smart Bitches and all the comments and the grey seeped in.
Because Jane lied to individual people and created relationships that were false. Because other people are getting hurt now and it doesn't feel okay to support that.
The grey shades are still there for me. I'm just not able to get upset that a pen named author joined a group she might not have otherwise been able to join. She didn't create the pen name to deceive the group. And only if a criteria for joining the group is for everyone to disclose all pen names and real names then she probably didn't truly do anything that other pen named authors did.If everyone disclosed who they truly were and then Jane lied, well, that's one thing. But if other authors were there using only pen names without disclosure and that was okay, then I can't get my tits in a tizzy.
But there are people out there who are really bleeding over this. Willa is one and I don't know her story but I know my joy when she became a DA reviewer was great. Now she's left and that is such a huge disappointment for me because I know she hurt.
An author named Bree commented on Bitches and her hurt was palpable. The authors who have spoken up are not sour grapes kind of authors: Tessa Dare, Victoria Dahl, Courtney Milan. These are authors whose careers DA has supported.
And my view got greyer.
I don't know how I feel anymore. It's confusing and I'm going to sit back and see how things sort out. I'll be me and hope that it works out for Jane and DA and all the people involved. But I just don't know.
And once again: these are my views, not Carolyn's.
Thursday, March 26, 2015
We're Free
Trials And Tribulations
Butch Cassidy
Both Carolyn and I are offering our books free for a couple of days. We'd love someone who hasn't read us to discover what we write.
No strings. No disclosures needed.
Now hie on over to Amazon and download us!!
Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Dear Jane
Well, if you're a romancelandia devotee, then you know the announcement that sent the world on its ear: Jane Litte of Dear Author is a successful author named Jen Frederick. If you don't know then read AztecLady's summary here: Grandmother of All Plot Twists
I'm not going to talk about disclosure of professionalism because DA has always supported pen names and has a strong anti-doxxing policy and there's no reason that Jane should have disclosed. I wanted to talk about how I feel about it. Just me. Lori. How I feel about Jane, my online girl crush, being a successful author.
I feel hurt.
A big part of it is jealousy, pure and simple. Jane is the master of time management and I have no doubt that she can be a mom, lawyer, blogger, defendant and best selling author with time to cook gourmet meals for her family as well as make all their clothes and solve world hunger. Hell, if anyone can, it would be Jane.
And I'm jealous because she only started writing a couple of years ago and has written more books and been more successful. Oh yeah, green eyed over that one.
Of course, Jane understand marketing because books and the publishing business are her passion. She used her knowledge to promote herself while keeping it separate from DA. And I noticed that Jane didn't use her connections as Jane for her career. If she had, she might have been published by Carina. Or well, anyone.
I think part of the hurt is the feeling that bloggers I enjoy become someone other than the blog and things change. The truth is that I stopped going to Smart Bitches because I felt the blog was a promotional tool for Sarah and I didn't want to be a part of that. It's like how Ree Drummond used The Pioneer Woman to get a Food Network career... the blog becomes the blogger and the big picture and no longer is about the community.
Do I think that Dear Author will follow the same path? Not necessarily. I think Jane is better at keeping her lives separate and will be diligent at not crossing the line. But it changes things and we'll see how as time goes by.
Again, I want to say these are my opinions alone and not shared by Carolyn. We had an argument about SB Sarah and she disagrees with me vehemently.
Anyway, I don't plan to read Jane's/Jen's books for quite awhile. If she's a good writer then my green eyes will flash and if she's not as good then I'd probably be disappointed for other reasons. And if I feel she's better than I am then I'll probably take to bed for a week sobbing my jealous, little fan girl heart out.
And I think something that's going to happen is we're about to see Goodreads and Amazon explode with some nasty one-star reviews with people gleefully declaring they're giving the mean girl a dose of her own medicine... which would be the funniest thing of all because if there's anyone who wouldn't be bothered by that, it's Jane.
Deep down, I know that lovers of romance novels are the writers of romance novels. And if Jane didn't love them so, then Dear Author wouldn't be so important to so many of us. And I'm proud of her and happy for her and truth is, I'd rather have a nap than be her. But it's going to take a few days before I calm my jealous heart down.
She's worth it though. There's a reason she's my online girl crush, you know.
I'm not going to talk about disclosure of professionalism because DA has always supported pen names and has a strong anti-doxxing policy and there's no reason that Jane should have disclosed. I wanted to talk about how I feel about it. Just me. Lori. How I feel about Jane, my online girl crush, being a successful author.
I feel hurt.
A big part of it is jealousy, pure and simple. Jane is the master of time management and I have no doubt that she can be a mom, lawyer, blogger, defendant and best selling author with time to cook gourmet meals for her family as well as make all their clothes and solve world hunger. Hell, if anyone can, it would be Jane.
And I'm jealous because she only started writing a couple of years ago and has written more books and been more successful. Oh yeah, green eyed over that one.
Of course, Jane understand marketing because books and the publishing business are her passion. She used her knowledge to promote herself while keeping it separate from DA. And I noticed that Jane didn't use her connections as Jane for her career. If she had, she might have been published by Carina. Or well, anyone.
I think part of the hurt is the feeling that bloggers I enjoy become someone other than the blog and things change. The truth is that I stopped going to Smart Bitches because I felt the blog was a promotional tool for Sarah and I didn't want to be a part of that. It's like how Ree Drummond used The Pioneer Woman to get a Food Network career... the blog becomes the blogger and the big picture and no longer is about the community.
Do I think that Dear Author will follow the same path? Not necessarily. I think Jane is better at keeping her lives separate and will be diligent at not crossing the line. But it changes things and we'll see how as time goes by.
Again, I want to say these are my opinions alone and not shared by Carolyn. We had an argument about SB Sarah and she disagrees with me vehemently.
Anyway, I don't plan to read Jane's/Jen's books for quite awhile. If she's a good writer then my green eyes will flash and if she's not as good then I'd probably be disappointed for other reasons. And if I feel she's better than I am then I'll probably take to bed for a week sobbing my jealous, little fan girl heart out.
And I think something that's going to happen is we're about to see Goodreads and Amazon explode with some nasty one-star reviews with people gleefully declaring they're giving the mean girl a dose of her own medicine... which would be the funniest thing of all because if there's anyone who wouldn't be bothered by that, it's Jane.
Deep down, I know that lovers of romance novels are the writers of romance novels. And if Jane didn't love them so, then Dear Author wouldn't be so important to so many of us. And I'm proud of her and happy for her and truth is, I'd rather have a nap than be her. But it's going to take a few days before I calm my jealous heart down.
She's worth it though. There's a reason she's my online girl crush, you know.
Monday, March 23, 2015
March Meanderings
Finished reading Kristen Ashley's Soaring not long ago. Zipped through it and really did enjoy it except for the heroine's name.
Amelia Hathaway.
That's a Lisa Kleypas heroine from Mine Till Midnight and every time the full name was used, it pulled me out of the story.
The heroine is 47 and the hero 48, so this is a mature couple that still managed at times to act like adolescents. The story takes place in the same small town as The Will, and Josie and Jake appear in this story too.
I do like the cover. :-)
*****
Tried to participate in the DABWAHA, but just like the last time I tried, there were too many books I'd never read and/or heard of, plus the lack of author names put me further in the dark. Had no idea who to vote for, except the few authors I knew, such as Andrews, Frost and Bishop.
I buy a lot of books - Lori can attest to that - but the majority of them remain unread. I pre-order 'my' authors, so I won't miss the release date or just plain forget to order. But my memory isn't what it used to be and more than 50% of the DABWAHA titles drew a blank. I felt uncomfortable voting for a book for which I had no clue what it was about, who wrote it or if it would have been categorized in my "OMG, this book is wonderful/great/amazing/orginal/the greatest thing since sliced bread!"
*****
John and I went grocery shopping this morning and in the fresh vegetable section I was hailed by a woman who looked vaguely familiar. To my embarrassment, I couldn't remember her name or even where I knew her from.
I've been retired for a couple of years now and I don't see people like I used to. Turned out she was with the cleaning crew at my old office. She'd had her hair cut, so I'm blaming it on that, because I don't want to think what it could be.
*****
I've also read Bound by Flames this year. This is Book 3 of the Night Prince series by Jeaniene Frost. I've liked all these books. The hero is Vlad the Impaler and you do not want to get on his bad side because he still has all his bad habits and doesn't mind using them on his enemies.
There is one more book in this series, praise the lord, because ... look at these covers! Watta man!!
(As usual, I can't get the images to do what I want.)
*****
Read Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs. It's the best Alpha and Omega book yet imho. Charles as the hero and horses in the story line. What more could a girl want? Don't like that cover though. That's not how I picture Anna. Nor Charles, for that matter, although I do like that they took his ethnicity into account.
*****
And ... read Rock Hard. Oh, yes I did. Do NOT believe ANYONE who says bad things about this book. They are not true. I promise. Best. Book. Ever. Read Azteclady's review ('cause I don't do reviews) for your T-rex fix. You definitely won't regret it.
I'm having another love affair with a cover. Lordy, lordy .... (I used the promo rather than the cover because ... because ... well, double your pleasure! :-D
THUD!!
P.S. Stole your gif, Al, cause I love it. T-rex and Charlie-mouse, lol.
April Pre-orders:
The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrows. Releases April 7
Mate Bond by Jennifer Ashley. Releases April. 7.
Still the One by Jill Shalvis. Releases April 7.
Silver Bastard by Joanna Wylde, Releases April 7.
Hard to be Good by Laura Kaye. Releases April 13.
The Liar by Nora Roberts. Releases April 14.
AND! I still have my March 31 pre-orders to come. Yay!
*****
I love retirement. No mortgage. No bills except my car. Utilities, groceries and books, that's what I buy.
Happy, happy, happy.
Amelia Hathaway.
That's a Lisa Kleypas heroine from Mine Till Midnight and every time the full name was used, it pulled me out of the story.
The heroine is 47 and the hero 48, so this is a mature couple that still managed at times to act like adolescents. The story takes place in the same small town as The Will, and Josie and Jake appear in this story too.
I do like the cover. :-)
*****
Tried to participate in the DABWAHA, but just like the last time I tried, there were too many books I'd never read and/or heard of, plus the lack of author names put me further in the dark. Had no idea who to vote for, except the few authors I knew, such as Andrews, Frost and Bishop.
I buy a lot of books - Lori can attest to that - but the majority of them remain unread. I pre-order 'my' authors, so I won't miss the release date or just plain forget to order. But my memory isn't what it used to be and more than 50% of the DABWAHA titles drew a blank. I felt uncomfortable voting for a book for which I had no clue what it was about, who wrote it or if it would have been categorized in my "OMG, this book is wonderful/great/amazing/orginal/the greatest thing since sliced bread!"
*****
John and I went grocery shopping this morning and in the fresh vegetable section I was hailed by a woman who looked vaguely familiar. To my embarrassment, I couldn't remember her name or even where I knew her from.
I've been retired for a couple of years now and I don't see people like I used to. Turned out she was with the cleaning crew at my old office. She'd had her hair cut, so I'm blaming it on that, because I don't want to think what it could be.
*****
I've also read Bound by Flames this year. This is Book 3 of the Night Prince series by Jeaniene Frost. I've liked all these books. The hero is Vlad the Impaler and you do not want to get on his bad side because he still has all his bad habits and doesn't mind using them on his enemies.
There is one more book in this series, praise the lord, because ... look at these covers! Watta man!!
(As usual, I can't get the images to do what I want.)
*****
Read Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs. It's the best Alpha and Omega book yet imho. Charles as the hero and horses in the story line. What more could a girl want? Don't like that cover though. That's not how I picture Anna. Nor Charles, for that matter, although I do like that they took his ethnicity into account.
*****
And ... read Rock Hard. Oh, yes I did. Do NOT believe ANYONE who says bad things about this book. They are not true. I promise. Best. Book. Ever. Read Azteclady's review ('cause I don't do reviews) for your T-rex fix. You definitely won't regret it.
I'm having another love affair with a cover. Lordy, lordy .... (I used the promo rather than the cover because ... because ... well, double your pleasure! :-D
THUD!!
P.S. Stole your gif, Al, cause I love it. T-rex and Charlie-mouse, lol.
April Pre-orders:
The Duke's Disaster by Grace Burrows. Releases April 7
Mate Bond by Jennifer Ashley. Releases April. 7.
Still the One by Jill Shalvis. Releases April 7.
Silver Bastard by Joanna Wylde, Releases April 7.
Hard to be Good by Laura Kaye. Releases April 13.
The Liar by Nora Roberts. Releases April 14.
AND! I still have my March 31 pre-orders to come. Yay!
*****
I love retirement. No mortgage. No bills except my car. Utilities, groceries and books, that's what I buy.
Happy, happy, happy.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Rock Hard by Nalini Singh
I finished the book this morning and found it extremely well written and so very good in many ways. But I had a really hard time throughout the book because I kept asking myself: When did a hard cock become synonymous with falling in love?
Charlotte Baird is damaged. Very badly damaged. She's a self-proclaimed mouse hiding from the world and then her new boss, Gabriel Bishop (aka: T-Rex) shows up and throws her world in turmoil. He sees how smart and competent she is and despite the fact that she can only squeak when around him, he makes her his PA and sets about changing her life.
There was a lot to like in their relationship but there were some troubling things too. Such as, the book begins and Charlotte is a terror filled rabbit but then a few months later she's holding her own against the mighty man. We're not shown the change, we're told it happened.
And then Gabriel really likes Charlotte. He knows she's damaged but he has all these erotic thoughts and fantasies about her so he pursues her. The flirting is fun and Gabriel is an alpha hero without ever turning into an alpha-hole. The problem I had was that while he flirted and said outrageously sexy things to her and constantly got hard imagining her in sexual situations... I was supposed to understand that they were falling in love.
I understood her falling in love with him. He was understanding, gentle, patient. He was all man and sexy and great in bed. But his POV was consistently about fucking her and fixing her but where was the love?When did his dick become the love barometer?
Carolyn and I talked about it on the phone this morning and she felt that his protectiveness and care showed love and perhaps it did. However, would he have been the same with her if he didn't want to fuck her? Also, where were the thoughts he had of her that were tender and not erotic? I missed those.
He admired her mind as his PA, he wanted to do everything erotic under the sun to her and ultimately he was the perfect hero. But I missed the romance. And then I wondered if my view of romance hasn't changed in all the years and the world's view has. But then, I know how I felt and I just felt the romance was missing. And this book could have used a little more.
Thursday, March 5, 2015
Reading, Writing and Rams
Wow. It has been an intense reading period as well as shows caught up on and life in Hawaii continuing to be different as anything.
Read The Finishing School Books by Gail Carriger:
Really fun books. They're steampunk, set in the Parasol Protectorate world but before them. There are some carry-over characters in the vampires and werewolves. What's fun is that our heroine is a teenage girl with a great sense of adventure, learning to be a lady and a spy (and possibly a killer) and it both sends up and celebrates the mores of the Victorian era.
Also, it sets up an interesting romance with a very inappropriate suitor that at the end of Book 3 threatens to rip out the readers heart.
I'm caught up with the Walking Dead
and its possibly the best show I've ever watched. I swear, if they kill off Daryl, I'll become a zombie and eat the producer's face.
Survivor started and so far the first two shows have eliminated my immediate favorite players. I don't find many of the players likeable this season so it's interesting.
Finally reading Patricia Briggs. Read Alpha & Omega and that was really amazing. Now reading Cry Wolf. Carolyn is going to get me to read her favorite series if it kills her.
And our washing machine is broken so we have to go to the laundromat to do the wash and yesterday saw a ram parked outside the building. Not a Dodge Ram. A ram.
I freaking love Hawaii.
Read The Finishing School Books by Gail Carriger:
Also, it sets up an interesting romance with a very inappropriate suitor that at the end of Book 3 threatens to rip out the readers heart.
I'm caught up with the Walking Dead
Survivor started and so far the first two shows have eliminated my immediate favorite players. I don't find many of the players likeable this season so it's interesting.
And our washing machine is broken so we have to go to the laundromat to do the wash and yesterday saw a ram parked outside the building. Not a Dodge Ram. A ram.
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