Did SteamPunk Originate from Dr Who?

I've been watching Dr Who recently on Netflix, working my way through all the seasons (although not the beginning of it back in 1900 whatever). Anyway, started with the Christopher Eccleston season (and what a fun, sexy Doctor he was) and now on the last show of the first David Tennant season and was thinking that Dr Who really introduced a lot of steampunk elements in the show.

The show where they went into the alternate universe where zeppelins dotted the skies and they had the cybermen.... the wonderful show with Mdm. du Pompadour (or however its spelled) and the clockwork aliens.

I wonder.

Is Serialization the Next Phenomena?

Hell if I know.

But I do know I like free things and I like even more free things that are well done by authors I like and respect.

So, here's a link to a free serial novel by the husband and wife writing team of Ilona Andrews. I intend to fully enjoy each chapter as it's posted, and I hope you'll check it out and enjoy it too.


Clean Sweep

No New Book for Me

I don't have a new book to tout. Pity, that. But I'm beginning to see why some authors, such as Lavryle Spencer, retired. Not that I'm comparing myself to her and I have no idea why she retired. But if you're a person who doesn't have an active or over active fantasy life, writing can become difficult.

These days, I can't buy an idea. Wouldn't it be nice if ideas came in egg cartons? You could stock up on a dozen or so and it would keep you going for awhile.

However.

I have Lori.

Unfortunately, Lori ideas don't always mesh with Carolyn sensibilities. For example, I could never have done a thing with the idea that led to 666 Angel Lane or the more angsty Stone Crow. Some Lori ideas only Lori can write. And that leaves me ... not writing.

However again.

I saw this Nora Roberts video over on the Bitches and the interviewer asked her about retirement. Would she ever stop writing?

What would she do with all those plots and characters in her head? Nora replied. No, she would never retire.

So, I must read more. I must watch some carefully picked TV shows and movies. I must try to climb out of my shell and start collecting my own characters and plots and then maybe, just maybe, I'll start writing again.

Yesterday's Headline

We don't do a lot of promotion here on ye olde blog and we like it that way. But sometimes we want to talk about what we've written and so we do. And I shall.

Yesterday's Headline is a book I wrote about modern Hollywood. The heroine is named Kipper Dale. I imagined her as a black Jennifer Aniston: beautiful, a little insecure, on a successful ensemble television comedy. Gave her a nightmarish, actress mother and a bad-boy, addict father.

The hero was based on that guy there.

Paul Levasque, aka Triple H. In the book his name is Hurst (Easton Hurst) and he's a businessman, a little rough, big and sexy and smitten immediately by Kipper.

I chose to write about Hollywood for many reasons. I'd read romances based in the industry and some were so ridiculously wrong that it pissed me off. One book I'd picked up got discarded after the first page when the director, during a taping, changes the script and decides the H/h should kiss.

Could never happen.

I'm not an expert but I know a lot from reading and added research. I do wish the book had gone a little more into the celebrity side of fame and maybe that can come into a later book. What I wanted to do with this was write something that was based more in reality, that had a H/h who were a little different and that I could have some sexy fun in the writing.

I enjoyed writing the book because the characters were awesome. I loved Kipper who was intelligent and funny and finding her way through the Hollywood maze. I adored Hurst who was single minded in getting what he wanted and was pure alpha, yet never stood in Kipper's way.

I'm working on Book 2 with Kipper's best friend and Hurst's brother and they're fun too. Lisa is a monster maker and Butch is a lazy boy who gets by on his looks and charm. I wanted to have it done this month but I failed in my time management.

Then there's book 3 with a woman who is not very feminine and a hero who's a professional wrestler. Those two are a kick in the pants.

I do love me some Hollywood stories.

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Teaching an Old Fart a New Trick

My daughter has entered middle school and with it begins an introduction to algebra. For Mollie, that's no big deal. She's good at math. In fact, we discovered that they wanted to move her a grade ahead in math because her math scores warranted it (I said no for personal reasons).

But Mollie loves her some math.

I hate math. I mean, I have always hated it with the passion of a thousand exploding suns. I flunked algebra. Flunked. Got an F.

So Mollie has decided to teach me math. Right now we're working with base numbers, exponents and the proper methods of solving equations (parathensies, exponents, multiply, division, add, subtract) aka PEMDAS (Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally).

I thought it would be as hateful to me as it was in 7th grade. Maybe it's because I love the teacher or maybe getting 40 years of life since 7th grade changed the brain but this is fun. I'm getting the basics and my daughter is throwing her homework problems at me (she already completed) and I struggle but slowly I'm figuring it out.

I'll never be a math wiz but I'm delighted to have this second chance to learn it.

Meeting the Husband

I just got to squee...

Yesterday I met Frank Krentz, the husband of 30 years and true love of Jayne Ann Krentz. Yup, I did. And when I realized who his wife was I totally became a crazy fan girl and gushed over his wife's writing so hard you'd think my juglar was cut. Lots of gush.

Anyway, Mr. Krentz was a delight and told me that his wife works her ass off daily, she had so many books rejected before she got accepted that they could have filled a big dumpster with them and she's generous with her time in helping other writers.

Goodness.

I feel like I almost touched writing greatness.

And the best thing was being able to tell Mr. Krentz about how much respect the romance reading community has for his wife. And how much her books influenced me in wanting to write romance.

It was awesome.

Politics and Social Media

I have to be honest and say that FB is about all the social media I deal with. I have a Twitter account but really never use it any more. I do like Goodreads but only for the reviews. I belong to no groups and hardly remember to review books myself.

But I do spend time on Facebook. And I've been watching people get all bent out of shape about the politics and the people posting links to articles and videos and whatnot.

Today, a woman I "friend" on FB said she was going to unfriend anybody who posts political links. She apparently doesn't mind the pictures or jokes or George Takai reposts by the thousands. She doesn't mind the man-candy photos or the constant sales pitches by other authors.

She really minds the people who care enough about our country that they're investing their time and thoughts into the future of it. She minds that people are trying to choose a leader and a future for the US to guide us the next four years.

Funny cat videos are okay. But don't you dare mention any politics or thoughts you have about social programs, the future of Medicare or who'll have the power to influence the world we live in.

Good to have priorities.