Congratulations! It's a Hernia!

Do they give out cigars for that?

So I had my first consultation with the surgeon today, and he confirmed that I have a hernia, one that will require surgery. I got to go have my blood work taken, and got a CT scan. For the CT scan I sucked down enough barium to glow in the dark.

Blech. The least they could do with that stuff is make it in chocolate. The vanilla is just... nasty.

By the time I got home all I wanted was some food and a nap, in that order. Oh, and to never taste vanilla again. I have my next appointment on Wednesday, where I'll find out when my surgery will be, so I'll keep you all posted. I've been told my recovery will be roughly six weeks, and I'm not sure how many of those weeks will be computer free. I'm contemplating upgrading my mini laptop to something much more powerful that I can work on while lying down; we'll see.

In the meantime, I'm wishing everyone an early Happy 4th; if you're a member of my newsletter, keep an eye out for it tomorrow. I WILL get it out, and I'll list the details of the upcoming contest for Bear Necessities there first. The details will be listed on my website and here on Friday.

Well. Isn't That Special?

So, I just got back from a trip to the doc's. Without going into detail, it looks like I'll probably have to go in for surgery to correct a problem, and that means I'll be off and on the internet until the situation is resolved.

Before anyone gets worried, the doc says it's an issue, but it's not life-threatening. It does, however, make it uncomfortable to sit at my desk for any length of time, so work on Ben and Dave is officially on hold until after my "issue" is surgically corrected. So if you've emailed me, I'll do my best to respond, but it might take a while.

Guest Blog Post with the Seattle Examiner

This is one of the few craft-related blogs I've ever written, the first being for the RWA's Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal chapter. Actually, this might be only the second craft related blog I've ever written. This one talks about hitting the dreaded SEND button after you've completed a story:

http://www.examiner.com/x-31460-Seattle-Writing-Careers-Examiner~y2010m6d17-Daring-to-Believe-Hitting-that-send-button--by-Dana-Marie-Bell

And yes, I STILL panic every time I do it. I'd rather write with a synopsis. Hell, I'd rather write someone else's synopsis.

(FYI, that wasn't an invitation to bribery. I have enough to do sweating and panicking all on my own.)

And if you want to check out the first one I did you can click here.

...Am I Done Yet?

Wow. Last week was busy-busy-busy! Three guest blog spots written, a story finished and a query letter sent to an agent (gulp!), two contests done, the website updated, a birthday party planned and executed, bills taken care of... and somewhere in there, my WoW warlock ding'd seventy-eight (if you're not a gamer, don't ask. It will take too long to explain the awesome.) And I did it in four days, after ten days in Disney World.

No wonder I hurt today.

So. Things on my t0-do list today: figure out a way to rework a book and enter it in a contest; start Worth Fighting For, because Ben and Dave are my next project; take pain meds so my hands stop screaming at me and my back goes off strike; and... ding seventy-nine. I have some interview questions to answer for another author, but I'm putting that off for today. I'm not sure how much work I'll be able to get done until the pain meds kick in.

Gotta love arthritis. One week you're kicking ass and taking names, the next your ass is the one getting kicked.

At least Norwegian Wood is done at 79k. How about that? The vegetarian vampire is out of my head!

Winner: Mating Games

The winner of the autographed copy of Mating Games is...

DRAGONLADY!

Congrats to the winner, and thank you to everyone who participated. Keep your eyes open around July 1: I'll be starting a new contest for a digital copy of Bear Necessities around then!

A Funny Thing Happened While I Was Away On Vacation...

Take a look: I was asked to do a blog by Romantic Times Book Reviews about how I came up with the Sidhe in Dare to Believe. I wasn't sure when it would go live, but it did on June 4th! And the answer I came up with?

I Didn't Exactly Shop at Elfmart

Caution: You're about to take a trip into my brain. I've heard it can be a dangerous place, full of dangling participles and killer plot bunnies. You have been warned...

To read the whole article (and ignore my warning), click here!

Mating Games Available Now!

Okay. I'm not really here. Considering the time and the day I'm betting I'm... at Chef Mickeys having waffles and telling the kids to stop bouncing at least until the caffeine kicks in.


Anyway. Mating Games is available today, and I wanted to make sure that a post went live about it while I was gone (and I figured out how to do a scheduled post with Blogger while I was playing around... sweet!)

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Red Hots!

ISBN: 978-1-60504-765-2
Length: 272 Pages
Price: 15.00
Publication Date: June 1, 2010
Cover art by Anne Cain

Claiming your mate? Best. Game. Ever.

The Wallflower
Emma’s loved Max for years, but to him she was invisible. Now she’s in business—and out of her shell. Max returns home to become the Halle Pride’s Alpha, and he finds Emma has blossomed into—his mate! Taking her out for a bite ensures she’ll be his. But first she must convince the Pride she has what it takes…

Sweet Dreams
Getting attacked by some she-devil wasn’t part of Becky’s plans when she agreed to attend a masquerade. In a few slashing moments, she learns things about the man she loves that she never suspected. When Simon rescues Becky from one of his Pride, he finally confirms that she’s his mate. Carrying her off gives him the chance to mark her as his. But a strange illness threatens to turn their sweet dreams into a nightmare.

Cat of a Different Color
Adrian has friends, a thriving business, and the occasional Saturday night date. Life is good. Until Sheri hits town. Sheri knows Adrian is her mate, but she’s running from an ex who’s got the teeth to take whatever he wants. With Adrian by her side, though, she might just survive—if he doesn’t become lunch…

Warning: This title contains a hot blond Alpha, his tall, dark and handsome Beta, and a Puma willing to do whatever it takes to protect his mate.

You can find out more and purchase the book at my website, www.danamariebell.com! The buy links say pre-order, but they'll take you to the book. I'll update those links when I get back from MickeyWorld.