Off to New York!

This would normally be a music Monday, and really, I think this says it all!

Tomorrow morning I take the train into NYC, where I will (hopefully) not get lost on my way to the Mariott Marquis in Times Square.  I'm so excited!  I haven't been to New York City since I was about fifteen.  That was amazing, and I have a feeling this time will be equally so.  DARK AWAKENING hits shelves tomorrow, and I'm so thrilled I get to sign it at the Literacy for Life signing (in the ballroom from 5:30 to 7:30)!  The temporary tattoos arrived while I was away, but...*sigh* Well, it wouldn't be a big deal of a week if it didn't start with a snafu.  They're very cool.  And they're a different mark than I wanted.  Don't ask how I managed to end up with the one test image I uploaded when I was having issues.  SO, I've got some very cool bat symbols that will allow the interested to be a Dracul for a day.  Vlad Dracul and his bloodline feature pretty prominently in the book, and I actually have a big soft spot for sexy Vlad, so it doesn't bother me too much.  Here's the tat:

I'll work on getting the Cait Sith ones when I get back.  But in the meantime, you too can be a seductive bat-shifter:)



Anyway, I'll blog from the hotel, hopefully with some cool pictures and video.  I know I've mentioned I love my phone...it does everything!  So I'll see you Wednesday, when I'll be hanging out with my buddies Cheryl Brooks and Marie Force.  That's one of the things about being a writer...your friends end up scattered around the country, so RWA is a great way to meet once a year!

Happy Monday, all!

Dark Awakening Giveaway!

It's Friday!  Friday, Friday, gettin' down on...oh, God, forget I sang that.  Anyway, a couple of days ago, I received a most excellent surprise from the fabulous Latoya Smith: four hot off the press copies of my book!  They are gorgeous.  So, so gorgeous.  I was on my way out, so I grabbed one and forced all the parents at my youngest kid's preschool to observe its beauty.  Probably they were afraid, but I was excited:-)

In any case, I gave a copy to the graphic artist who did the Dynasty tattoos for me, and I'm hanging onto a couple until my actual box of author copies arrives, but I thought it would be fun to give one away.  Because, hey, Friday, free stuff, it's all good.  I'm not going to get fancy, just do a drawing, so if you'd like to be entered let me know in the comments.  Contest open until midnight tonight (PST), and I'll announce the winner tomorrow.

And for discussion, since I started with that awful earworm of a song (the Epic Mullet Guy version is way better), what other sings make you crazy in a "this sucks but it won't leave me alooooone" kind of way?  A recent one for me was Nickelback's "This Afternoon" (you click that link at your own risk...some of the band is cute, but the video quickly becomes obnoxious bimbo overload).  Yes, I know there are a lot of Nickelback fans out there.  I'm not one of them, belonging to the prestigious Every Time a Nickelback Song is Played, God Kills a Llama group on facebook.  And yet, despite my lunging to change the channel every time I heard the opening chords of that song, there it would stick.  Sometimes for days. *shudder*  Share you pain, win free stuff.  It's all good!

Happy Friday, everyone!

Party at Aunty Cindy's!

I'm hanging at my buddy Aunty Cindy's today to talk about my RITA final.  Click here to swing by!  I'd love it if you came over to chat.  As for me, I'll be back to regular blogging when the book is turned in, quite soon.  Confession: I kind of suck at multi-tasking:-)  I did decide what sort of dance I should do if I actually WIN a RITA...I discovered the wonder that is Big Freedia yesterday.  Can I make my booty move like that?  Will I stand on my head at the awards ceremony?  Will they throw me out for standing on my head and shaking my booty?  Only time will tell...
 

Tuesday Fun

I'm swamped with work.  It's time for the Magic Dance!

For the LOTR Junkies

I am one.  A Lord of the Rings fangirl, that is.  And I am beyond excited that The Hobbit is finally getting made with Peter Jackson at the helm!  Anyway, I ran across this the other day and thought it was VERY cool.  Pogo, the musician responsible, does some really interesting mixes.  He says this one isn't polished yet, but I say it's lovely anyway.  Happy Hump Day, ladies:-)

Gorgeous.

Sharing a beautiful song that Lisa sent me...this is an excellent mood-setter for writing a love story, I must say.  Thanks, Lisa!  And have a great Friday, everyone.

Aftermath Monday

At least, it is for everyone who was up watching the Super Bowl last night.  I watched some of it at the party we went to, though mostly I talked and ate bad-for-me food, which I am paying for today.  *urp*  Back on the healthy wagon for me.  Glad the Packers won...I can't stomach Roethlisberger.  I got nuttin' today, and I have to go stick my head back in the maunscript, so here's a fun song I've been playing a lot in the car lately at my youngest son's request.  The background music to this is in Little Big Planet 2, which is his favorite game, and naturally, as I'm a music dork, I have the song on my iPod!

TGIF

Yay, Friday!  Best day of the week (apart from maybe Saturday).  Not much to offer today...going to write in a bit, and I have to do some more of this P90X thing I've committed myself to.  Brian's doing it, he looks great, and I can't be the slug in the relationship, so...today is day 2 of soreness.  I'm in a pretty good mood, though, and I know some of it is because of the loathed exercise.  Anyway, here's a groove to head into the weekend with.  Bizarro video (are they wearing antlers and glitter?), but great song.  What's everyone up to for the weekend?