Welcome 2009

New Releases at Samhain

Very Much Alive Book Trailer

Look what I did when I wasn't supposed to be working!

Merry Christmas

I'm going to be so busy with my kids tomorrow I know I won't have time to post anything here.

So...

Merry Christmas!

New Releases at Samhain

Just in time for Christmas!

Christmas Vacation

Dusty has taken two weeks off to celebrate the holidays, which means I'm taking two weeks off to celebrate the holidays. I plan on getting back to writing January 2 (I promised Bunny, right?), but odds are good I won't be as visible in chats and things until the New Year.

So:










Did I miss anyone?

Two Things

First, Angela James is conducting a little reader survey:

Best of Samhain 2008 survey

In a blog post elsewhere in the blog-o-sphere, Teddy Pig lamented that epublishers don’t publish a top ten bestseller list for the year. I accepted his “challenge” and at the beginning of 2009, Samhain will be publishing their 2008 bestseller list. But I wanted to make it a fun event, and do some other reader-driven lists, so I put together a quick (only five questions) survey for Samhain customers to choose their favorite books and covers. Please take a moment to fill it out and help us compile some “best of” lists to publish with our bestseller list of 2008.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=cx0Pt6VHI_2fJ4m5lSThk8Qg_3d_3d

So head on over and participate (even if it's to vote for someone who's not me! And no, I'm not saying who I voted for either.)

Second, it seems we have a winner for the Name That Book contest:

CRYSTAL DEE!

Steel Beauty was chosen as the new name of the book! Please email or post your choice of prize! The choices were:

1. A gift certificate to Books On Board (which can be given as soon as the contest ends - no delayed gratification!);

2. An ARC of Very Much Alive, Book 1 of True Destiny, before it releases in February (the ARC would be given in February, and will be available only in e-book format);

3. A free copy of Cat of a Different Color or Sweet Dreams or The Wallflower (available only in e-book format; again, no delayed gratification!)

4. A copy, signed by me, of Hunting Love (available only in print; would require a physical mailing address and would not be given until March, so definite delayed gratification!)

Crystal will also be in my dedication of Steel Beauty!

And just so you know, I totally stole some of those titles for other novels, so keep an eye out for them in the future. ;D

Inspiration Photos

Someone asked to see my inspiration photos for Logan and Kir.

Here you go!

Logan:

Kir:

What do you think?

Free Reads, Contests, and Blogging

Monday, Monday! I have quite a bit going on today before I officially go on Christmas vacation.

Where to start?

1. The contest to name The Book Formerly Known As is now officially closed. I'll be posting the winner tomorrow, so keep watch!

2. Guest blogging: I got asked by Novel Thoughts to do a guest blog. The topic: How did I come up with the idea for The Wallflower? You can read my answer here.

3. I've posted a blog on The Samhellion Blog about Italian traditions, and how they seem to be changing in my family. You can read that here.

4. And just in case you aren't tired of reading things I've written, I've got three (yup, THREE) free holiday reads for you! The Ornament: Emma and Max is now live on The Samhellion website! Parts Two (Simon and Becky) and Three (Adrian and Sheri) are on my website.

5. And I'm going to be at the Samhain's Moderator Appreciation chat tonight on the Samhain Cafe from 7-9 p.m. EST.

6. And, of course, edits on Very Much Alive (which I will probably start tomorrow, all things considered).

See? THIS is why I need a vacation, lol!

One More Day

Tomorrow I go through the names for the Book Formerly Known As and pull a winner. I'll announce who won on Tuesday, so stay tuned.

And if you have any ideas, go ahead and enter them!

For You, Dad

My family adores Andrea Bocelli, but my father especially loves him. I ran across this when I did a YouTube search for him.

Happy Holidays, Dad.

Rum Pa Pum Pum

So I remembered something today, and learned something today.

I remembered that I don't like rum. What reminded me? I ordered a Mai Tai in Red Robin tonight. (Don't worry, Dusty drove.) It was very, very rum-y. It kinda tasted like the bartender took some rum, added some ice, and then did some funky stuff with red and yellow food coloring and called it a Mai Tai.

What I learned tonight? The more Mai Tai I drink, the more I like rum.

Remind me to stick to Mudslides. I think they're less dangerous.

New Releases at Samhain

Oh, look! Books!

One More Week

One more week to help me come with a name for The Book Formerly Known As. Because as of Monday the fifteenth, the contest is over! So if you have an idea of what you think Belle and Rick's book should be named, post it as soon as possible.

New Releases at Samhain

Okay, yes, I suck. I would say I didn't put them up yet because I wanted the Kindle contest to remain front and center, but that would be a lie.

I just plain forgot in all of the hullabaloo of doing my newsletter, finishing book 5 of the Halle Pumas, setting up the contests on my sites, writing two (TWO!) blog spots to go live December 15 and working on two, maybe three freebie holiday stories. BTW, The Ornament: Max and Emma, part one of my holiday freebies, will go live on the Samhellion December 15. The other parts will be posted here, on my blog. Oh, and on December 15 I go through all the names for The Book Formerly Known As and pick a real name!

I'm going to be very, very busy December 15.

This is why I'm taking two weeks off this month. My brain needs a rest.

Anyway, here's the new releases from Samhain Publishing:

On The First Day Of Christmas...

My true love gave to me...

CONTESTS!

(You expected a bird?)

First up:

Here's what Angela James has to say about the contest:

This holiday season, I have teamed up with 38 of the authors whose work I have edited over the past three years. Together, we’ve accumulated a heck of a lot of prizes to give away to all of you. They include:

Gift certificates to online stores
Books
Laptop bag
Books
Australian gift pack
Books
Vera Bradley purse
Books
Fun promotional items (like the now infamous Samhain coffee mugs)
Books
…and more! (and did I mention books?)

Every day from now to December 12th, I’ll be posting a new contest on my blog to win that day’s prize. Your entry is only good for that day. To win the prize for any other day, you’ll need to come back and enter again.

The grand prize at the end of the 12 days of Holiday Hell Contest is two Kindles, to be awarded to two lucky winners who have entered the Kindle drawings (which are separate from the daily drawings. Entry into the daily drawings does not enter you into the Kindle drawings).

How do you enter the Kindle drawings? Easy (okay, really it does take a little work). Go to each of these two pages: Kindle 1 & Kindle 2 and follow the rules. You’re going to have to visit 17 author websites for each Kindle, find the Kindle graphic and write down the name of the book featured on their graphic. Come back here and fill out the form completely. Actually, that is pretty easy when the grand prize is a Kindle. Two Kindles! In addition to winning the Kindle, you’ll win your choice of one Samhain ebook in Kindle format from each of the 38 authors participating in the contest for a total of 38 books for your new Kindle!

The fine print: You can win one of the daily Holiday Hell prizes and still be eligible to win the Kindle. You must complete the entry form for each daily contest entirely, double checking that your name and mailing address are correct because this is what I’ll use to mail your prize. If your prize comes back to me due to an incorrect mailing address, you forfeit your prize. Prize winners will be drawn before the end of each day following the contest (ie Day 1’s prize winner will be drawn before the end of Day 2) and will be announced on my blog. Kindle winners will be drawn and announced here on December 13th. All prizes will be mailed by December 20th.

Only one entry into each drawing per household/IP address. Duplicate entries will be deleted and entrants will be disqualified.

International entries are welcome and I will mail overseas, but will not guarantee receipt by Christmas as it will go by dolphin due to the obscene cost of shipping overseas.

I reserve the right to modify the rules at any time.

**I have verified that all icons are up and on the authors’ websites, so if you can’t find one, look again!

Oh, and did I mention:

Samhellion Holiday Hunt

Samhellions, we need your help! The mission…should you chose to accept it…is simple but dangerous. Some of our authors are in a Grinchy mood and they stole all of our beautiful holiday ornaments. Your job is to infiltrate their lair (website) and find the color of each precious bulb. Please be careful – there are spies EVERYWHERE. (Disguises are available at CheapSpyGearandSushiShop.com)

There's no pressure but…our happy holiday depends upon finding all of the missing decorations before midnight December 4, 2008!

Thank you for helping us save the holidays for readers everywhere! The Samhellion Elves.

How to Play:

Each author has placed a graphic of a Christmas bulb (ornament, not light) on their website. Go to each website on the list, locate the bulb and write down the color. Please note - each graphic is within 2 clicks from the main page of the site.

Once you’ve collected all the info, come back here and fill out the form below then click submit!

Remember…this is top secret stuff. If you spill the beans about what you’re doing the price could be…your life! (insert spooky laugh here)

Rules:

One entry per household.

Void where prohibited.

Only complete and correct entries will be accepted.

Winners will be announced on the Cafe list and this website.

Each entry will be used for a random drawing for a free ebooks from all of our participating authors. (33 ebooks / winners total).

And guess what? I'm a Grinch! Muahaha!

And finally, don't forget about the Name That Book contest I'm running, that ends December 15!