If it's wrong to objectify men, I love being wrong. I'll have me a slice of him. 

Tag, I'm It

Total number of books that I own: countless

Last book I read: One Night of Sin by Gaelen Foley. This is a wonderful book! I gobble up Gaelen’s work. She’s one of my favorite historical authors. This book was very hot, with characters I adored. *I* wanted to be the one to win Alex’s heart.

Plan to read next: Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy. I’ve heard wonderful things about this book.

Five books that mean the most to me (side note: this list constantly changes with my moods). I’ve read all of these a thousand times (well, except for the first, where I just read certain parts):

Bible – given (I adore the peace scriptures)
Kiss of the Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
Warrior’s Woman by Johanna Lindsey
All the Queen’s Men by Linda Howard
Heaven Texas by Susan Elizabeth Philips

And if you're just joining us here and need a (major) laugh, scroll down for a tasty little story about (my humiliation) the dedication in Awaken Me Darkly. Title of entry: Kick Ass vs. Kiss Ass

Wolf in Sheep's clothing?

With Awaken Me Darkly now showing up in stores and shipping from online sites, I know more and more reviews will pop up in cyberspace. I ran across several articles that got the wheels spinning in my mind. Richard Monson-Haefel, Amy Harmon, and even CNN.com talk about how people have gotten on Amazon.com, assumed fake names or simply used the phrase “a reader” and posted wonderfully positive/horribly negative reviews for their friends/enemies. Those articles even talk about how for several hours, a glitch in the system caused real names to appear, revealing much in the fine art of “review”. Someone even pointed out that people use their friend’s/family’s/significant other’s ID to post reviews so it can’t be linked directly to them.

Am I saying that anyone who calls themselves “a reader” is a fake? Not at all! I understand the need for anonymity. Truly. If you know someone but you hate their book and want to tell what you deem is the truth. . .If you don’t want backlash from the author. . . If you don’t want backlash from the author’s fans. . . If you don’t want to bring yourself to the attention of the fanatics. . . there are so many reasons.

But here’s the problem I see (and please don’t slam me, I’m merely working out my thoughts). If a writer suspects this has been done to their book -- a negative review by someone who doesn’t want to reveal their true identity for *nefarious* reasons and posts as “a reader” or something like “Z. Z. Zones” or “BooBooDetector” (and I truly hope those aren’t names people use because it is not my intention to use real names) – and voices their suspicions aloud, the author might seem like they simply can’t accept a bad review. They might seem like they have thin skin and are willing to attribute anything but a bad book to the review. No one who’s read MY book can actually hate it. Right? That’s how it might seem.

But what if it has happened to them and they know it? (am I saying this has happened to me personally? no. Am I saying this has not happened to me personally? no. i'm just thinking aloud.) Do you think people’s true “voices” can shine through in their reviews, revealing their identity without their actual name attached? Has this happened to you? What are your thoughts on this? What do you think of Amazon and other online site reviews? Do these reviews sway what books you buy?

Kick Ass vs. Kiss Ass

The story you're about to read is real. Very real. Nothing has been elaborated (and it fits so perfectly with the rest of my week). My wonderful friend Jill Monroe called me a little while ago. Here's how the conversation went:

Jill: I bought my copy of Awaken Me Darkly
Gena: I love you. I adore you.
Jill: Did you mean to put that in the dedication?
Gena: Of course. Wait, put what?
Jill: That thing about your parents.
Gena: Absolutely.
Jill: Really? (this is said with surprise)
Gena: Well, yeah.
Jill: Is it like an inside joke or something?
Gena: What are you talking about?
Jill: Your parents are ass kissers?
Gena: WHAT?
Jill: It says to Mike and Vickie, kiss ass parent

This is about the time I want to die.

Gena: You're kidding me, right? Please tell me you're kidding and I didn't really put that.
Jill: Take a look for yourself.

I dig out one of my copies of Awaken Me Darkly. I peek inside with a sinking feeling in my stomach. Sure enough. In the dedication, I call my editor, agent and critique partners ass kickers. I call my parents ass kissers.

I hung up with Jill and drove over to my Mom's. I had to break the news to her before one of her friends did (I can just hear one of her friends: So you kiss Gena's ass do you?) and I had to do it in person. Thankfully my mom and dad laughed for about an hour. I'm serious, my mom was practically rolling on the floor. Gena strikes again. How have I survived all these years?

If you want proof, just open up a copy of the book. Can I be anymore -- okay, you'll have to fill in the blank yourself because I'm in the process of kicking my own ass. Or am I kissing my own ass...

Jill and I are in the process of brainstorming how I can turn this to my good. Contest, perhaps? Stay tuned.

Foot in Mouth = Gena is a Moron

You guys know I’m not shy about admitting when I’ve 1) made a fool of myself and 2) look like a hideous beast monster. Well, today it was double the pleasure in the Showalter household. I did both.

Even though I looked like a steaming pile of frizzy hair and pasty skin, I decided to swing by my favorite bookstore (because they have the BEST booksellers EVER). They had a book I’ve been wanting in stock (Urban Shaman by C.E. Murphy). What harm can there be, I (the idiot) thought.

I arrive inside the store. When I see copies of Awaken Me Darkly I just have to sign them. Sales go up that way, is my rationale, forgetting for a moment how horrible I look. I bring myself to the attention of one of my favorite booksellers. Soon I’m signing stock and talking with her and another of my favorites. They had each already purchased copies of Awaken Me Darkly for themselves (side note: that’s the coolest thing ever!) and one of them -- I’ll call her Lindsay since no names shall be changed to protect the innocent – had the book there for me to sign.

I called her by the wrong name.

If you’re thinking that’s not so bad, well, guess what? I did it twice. You heard me. Twice.

Lindsay, I hope you read this because I’m begging your forgiveness and promise to bring you a signed copy of Heart of the Dragon when my author copies come in.

Here's the rest of that picture. I'd put a totally beef cake caption but I'm currently mopping up my drool. 

Squeal if you love bad boys...

Ah, bad boys. Is there anything better? I’ve been thinking (read: fantasizing) about them a lot lately. Why are they so wonderfully appealing? It’s more than their sexy tattoos, rock hard muscles and I-can-give-you-untold-pleasure lips. I think it’s their confidence. Their I-can-take-you-or-leave-you vibe that dares us to try and become the one they really can’t be without. The hint of danger. The chance to tame something wild.

Think about it. How seductive is the thought that you can capture something no other woman has been able to hold? Other women might want him (might? Ha!) but he only wants you. Just the thought can make your bones melt.

If a bad boy falls for a woman, he’s hers for life. He’ll never be able to look at another woman and feel the same insatiable lust. That’s the dream, isn’t it? This bad boy will do anything, anything, to protect what belongs to him. He makes your heart pound and your blood burn with just a look because there’s a knife’s edge of savagery in his eyes – savagery that’s contradicted by the gentle touch he gives you.

For god's sake, someone hose me down!

Who's with me? Who's against me? Tell me about your own love/hate for bad boys.

Eye candy, anyone?  

An ad for the Naughty Girls of Downtown Press  

So that's how the story goes?

It's 3:30 am, I have insomnia, I'm loopy, and thought I'd post. No better time, right? I recently participated in a project where multiple writers contributed one sentence to a story, each detailing the next happening.

I probably shouldn’t try this during Memorial Day weekend, but I’ve never been the brightest bulb in the lamp. I’ll start, and you add a sentence and the next person adds a sentence and so on until we have a story of anything goes (which I'll post in its entirety later). Here goes:

Brandi was having the worst day of her life.

Okay, you tell me. What comes next?

Me and my brain

I'm speechless today. I've got nothing to say to you. Can't think of a single thing to tell you, brag about, and so on. Last night I actually came up with a fantastic idea about what I needed to blog about. I thought: This is so good. I need to write it down so I don't forget. Then I thought: It's so good there's no way I'll forget. Go to bed, missy. So I did. I went to bed without writing down my ultra cool idea. Now I'm thinking: Thanks a lot, Brain, you stupid piece of %&*#.

Maybe I'll give you some updates. I've currently typed in chapter eleven of Wonder Girl. I'm only typing in one chapter a day. It takes me several hours because I edit while I'm typing. After I get that typed in, I work on another project. This one is a departure for me, and so far it hasn't been easy, so I'm curious to see what my agent thinks of it when I'm done. I didn't get to work on it yesterday, though. Instead I worked on a new anthology proposal another writer is putting together. I'll let you know what comes of that.

I went to see Star Wars, ROTS. Is it weird that I was turned on by Anakin as he turned to the dark side?

Finally, I'll end with a very subtle subliminal message:
Awaken Me Darkly, Awaken Me Darkly, Awaken Me Darkly...

More on hooking...

To continue our thread on hooking (because in the end, if you can hook right, you'll make more money LOL), I thought we could explore end chapter hooks, the last sentence/paragraph in a chapter that forces the reader to continue reading, unable to put the book down.

I went back through my books too see what I'd done. Here is the ending of chapter one in Awaken Me Darkly:

"As if you have to worry about me. You're the one who's trigger happy." Grinning languidly, he programmed the club's address into the console. "I do believe the night is about to get interesting."

Here's the end of chapter one from The Highlander's Touch by Karen Marie Moning:

Couldn't. . .
Stop. . .
Falling. . .

Here's the end of chapter one from Sex, Lies and Vampires by Katie MacAlister:

"You could say that," I said, my breath harsh as I struggled to control it. "If you call death an injury. No, Melissande. I will not help you. You may think I'm your savior, but I assure you I'm not. I bring only destruction, not salvation. I am a murderer, pure and simple."

Hooking with style...

Hard core hooking is important with every book. And for those of you who put a dirty connotation on that – we totally think alike! Actually, when I say "hooking" I mean grabbing and holding your reader's attention, then reeling them into your story.

That’s why first lines (or paragraphs) are oh, so important. I thought I’d give you a few of my favorites. But first, I’ll tell you that of all my books I think my strongest hook is with Awaken Me Darkly. Why? Because I leave the reader asking questions. Questions he/she will hopefully want answered.

Midnight. The witching hour some say. Since it was 12:07 am and I was standing over a dead body, I had to agree.

My intention was to make the reader wonder who is dead, who the woman standing over the dead body is, and what she’s going to do with the body now that she’s found it.

Jennifer Crusie is a master at hooking. In her book Tell Me Lies she begins:

One hot August Thursday afternoon, Maddie Faraday reached under the front seat
of her husband’s Cadillac and pulled out a pair of black lace underpants. They weren’t hers.

From The Dark Highlander by Karen Moning:

Dageus MacKeltar walked like a man and talked like a man, but in bed he was pure
animal.

I could go on and on. If you have any favorite first lines, feel free to post them here!

Here's a picture of me, in all my smiling glory, as I try to learn how to post pictures here. 

I'm trying to learn how to post pictures. Here's Awaken Me Darkly cover (which I know you've all seen a thousand times)  

Here's what's posted on Knight Agency blog...

See her aim. See aliens die.

I’m so excited to announce the release of my first Alien Huntress book, AWAKEN ME DARKLY. In this dark, seductive page-turner you’ll meet Mia Snow, a new breed of woman, kicking ass and taking names later. She’s a balance of beauty, intelligence and strength, with the cutting edge of any male action hero, and she offers readers a wild ride of intrigue and danger, wickedly hot sex, and a near future world where alien cultures come to life here on earth.

Every night Mia stalks the streets of New Chicago, hunting other-worlders. This time she’s battling the leader of the Arcadians, a man who can move faster than the blink of an eye, heal with a touch, and set her blood on fire with a glance.

What will you find in this book? A) aliens who can teleport. B) aliens who can control humans with their minds. C) people with psychic abilities D) all of the above

REVIEWS:
“A brilliantly written, fast-paced novel, AWAKEN ME DARKLY sizzles with intrigue and interest. Similar to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, this book takes various steps to transcend the genres of the supernatural, mystery and science fiction.” Fresh Fiction

“Fans of TV's Alias will find this book especially appealing, but so will readers looking for a strong heroine and a zesty romance.” RT Magazine

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Alien Nation in this action-packed adventure” Booklist

ORDER:
To pick up your copy, visit Amazon or Barnes and Noble

The Knight Agency and Me!

I'm on the Knight Agency blog!!! Yea! Go check me out:

http://www.knightagency.blogspot.com/

The Naughty Girls of Downtown Press

Meet the Naughty Girls of Downtown Press:

The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner
Couture and code-cracking are a perfect ensemble in this suspense-charged adventure!

Dirty Little Secrets by Julie Leto
Marisela Morales is a Latina Bounty hunter with an appetite for danger -- and a 9mm under her leather jacket.

Lethal by Shari Shattuck
Rich, gorgeous, and streetwise like no other Los Angeles socialite, Callaway Wilde is lured into a dangerous world of drugs, murder and sensual temptations...

Awaken Me Darkly by Gena Showalter
Ridding the world of evil, one alien at a time: that's Mia Snow's mission.

Let the obsession begin...

You guys know me, so you should have expected this. I will not admit to checking my rank for Awaken Me Darkly a thousand times a day. However, I will admit to checking once a day, and this is what I found:

Saturday: Barnes & Noble Sales Rank: 602
Sunday: Barnes & Noble Sales Rank: 832
So it came up a little, but that fact that it is below a thousand excites me!

Saturday: Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,374
Sunday: Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,922 in Books
So this one went down a little, but the numbers at Amazon change every hour.

Now this may seem really high to people, but I'm VERY thrilled with this. I do, of course, want those numbers to keep getting smaller.

Are you Huntress material?

For each question, if you pick A) award yourself one point. If you pick B) award yourself two points. If you pick C) award yourself three points. If you pick D) award yourself four points.

1. When not kicking ass and taking names, I like to read:
a) Biographies; b) Other-Worlders for Dummies; c) who has time to read? d) Faster Ways to Kill Other-Worlders.

2. I feel other-worlders:
a) should be welcomed on earth and have the same rights as humans; b) will leave me alone if I leave them alone; c) should go back to their own planets; d) are planning to takeover our world.

3. If I witnessed an other-worlder killing a human, I would:
a) fall to the ground in a fetal ball and cry for my mommy; b) remain at the scene and gather evidence; c) immediately call A.I.R., the Alien Investigation and Removal team; d) chase down the perpetrator and kick ass.

4. I lose my temper and gear into fight mode when:
a) I’ve never been in a fight! b) someone eats my last Twinkie; c) the driver in front of me refuses to accelerate more than ten miles over the speed limit and traffic is jammed on all sides so I can’t get around him; d) an other-worlder harms a human.

5. An alien wearing nothing but chains and a smile smears mud all over your new leather jacket. You:
a) think it must have been an accident and go happily on your way; b) know it was on purpose but do not say anything; c) immediately call A.I.R. and demand the alien’s arrest; d) kick ass and take names later.

6. My idea of a good time is:
a) a picnic lunch with friends; b) speeding through town on my bike; c) taking fighting lessons; d) fighting for human justice.

7. You’re whipping down the highway at night and your friend, who is driving, disagrees with the best route to take. You:
a) concede that they know best; b) remind them that the last time they picked the route you ended up three hundred miles from your original destination; c) argue about how you know best until you arrive at your destination; d) point your pyre-gun in their face and tell them to take your way.

8. I always notice:
a) a spring flower blooming in the rain; b) the clothing people wear; c) the emotions people try to hide; d) everything around me, from the subtle details about those I meet, to the nuances of my surroundings.

9. You are called to duty late one night to investigate a case. Do you: .
a) go back to sleep and pretend you never received the call; b) swear to kill your boss for calling you so late; c) spend the next half hour waking yourself up, then head for the scene; d) leap out of bed, strap weapons all over your body, and then race like hell to the scene.

10. If an other-worlder asks you out on a date, you:
a) accept, how cool is that? b) throw up a little in your mouth c) report him to AIR d) put your fighting lessons to good use and kick ass.

If you scored 10 – 20 points:
The Hunter life is not for you. You tend to see only the good in people. Violence is abhorrent to you, and the thought of harming others, no matter their galactic origins, makes you ill. You would much rather bombard aliens with kindness than pound them with your fists.

If you scored 21- 32 points:
You are almost ready to begin Hunter training. You are willing to fight other-worlders to make this planet a safer place, yet your first instinct is to wait until backup arrives. A Hunter must be ready to leap into action at anytime, whether alone or with others.

If you scored 33 – 44 points:
You are ready to begin Hunter training. You refuse to back down from a fight, and you will never take crap from any other-worlder. You want the world to be a better, safer place and you are willing to stalk the streets at all hours of the night to ensure this. You’re also willing to battle whomever you have to, in whatever way you have to, to ensure things are done your way - the right way.

What if you had super powers...

I was typing in Wonder Girl last week (only up to chapter 10) when I stopped to work on a new proposal idea I had. Well, that didn't work out for me -- it sucked -- so I wasted a whole week on it. So this next week it will be back to Wonder Girl. Which, by the way, I have to say I'm loving. I've put myself in the heroine's place. What would I do if I suddenly developed power over the four elements? Heehee. I know what I'd do -- enemy BBQ anyone? -- but what would you do? Or, better yet, what super powers would you want and what would you do with them?

Isn't Life Special?

We have a VIP (*the* romance buyer for Waldens) coming into OKC today, so of course -- freaking of course! -- I wake up with three ginormous pimples on my face. Front and center, baby, so big no spackle will hide them. Can you hear me screaming (sobbing)? You know how big I am -- big, there's that cursed word again -- on self-depreciation so maybe I'll have someone take pictures of me and then post them. Or, maybe I'll cover the demon pimples with black and say I grew threw new moles. Who knows what I'll do at this point. Desperation is making me crazy.

Amanda McCabe has started a blog. You can check it out at http://www.amandamccabe.blogspot.com

P.S. Awaken Me Darkly is "brilliant" (You know I couldn't have a post without reminding everyone, right?)

Another review!

I don't want to bog you down with my reviews, but I thought I'd share one more. Also, Awaken Me Darkly is shipping from both Amazon and Barnes. SHIPPING! Ohmygod. Do you know what that means? People are soon going to be holding it, reading it, perhaps posting about it. Excuse me while I drop in a fetal ball.

From Booklist

It's sometime in the future, and aliens have been residents on Earth for more than 70 years. Enter Mia Snow, head of the New Chicago Police Department's Alien Investigation and Removal Agency, as she and her crack crew try to solve the latest string of extraterrestrially induced murders. This particular killer favors handsome young men with dark hair and dark eyes. Mia knows that the culprit is one of the dreaded Arcadians, the most clever and deadly species of all. However, when her second-in-command--and best friend--Dallas Gutierrez is mortally wounded, and only Arcadian Kyrin en Arr, the prime murder suspect, holds the key to his survival, Mia has to make a hard choice between her ethics as a cop and her love for her friend. To make matters worse, she is physically attracted to Kyrin, and suddenly, her black-and-white world has gone all swirly gray. Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Alien Nation in this action-packed adventure, and Mia Snow is perfect as the alien hunter with a secret.
Shelley MosleyCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

A few words from Mia Snow

But first, a quick hello from me: Greetings from the (brilliant) author of Awaken Me Darkly. FYI, that’s me. Me, me, me. I’m brilliant. For proof, see below.

Anyway, I’m doing a mental countdown. Only fourteen days until the book’s release! Some of you have probably seen this, but I thought I’d post it here. It's a Q and A with Mia Snow, the ass-kicker -- I mean heroine of Awaken Me Darkly. If you have any questions for Mia, post them here and she'll answer!

Q: “Dear Mia, I think my boyfriend is cheating on me. What should I do?” Suspicious in New Ohio

A: “Dear Suspicious: kick his ass, kick his girlfriend’s ass, and get yourself a full body massage with his credit card.” Mia

Q: “Dear Mia, there’s some idiot Ell-Rollis following me around. What should I do?” Scared in New Britain

A: “Dear Scared: Buy a pyre-gun. You can get them at any weapons dealer. Then, the next time you see that cowardly piece of alien s***, blast him a new set of nostrils – in his chest.” Mia

Q: “Dear Mia, when are you and Dallas going to hook up? He’s so hot!” Breathless in New Oklahoma

A: “Dear Breathless: Do you want me to kick your ass?” Mia

Q: “Dear Mia, I’m in love with a Zi Kara. My mom and stepdad will flip if they find out. What should I do?” Desperately in Love

A: “Dear Desperately, don’t let anyone tell you who to love. I’m a firm believer in following our own paths. I mean, look who I’m dating…” Mia

Can I ever have enough books? Uh, hello. NO!

I so do not want to abandon the thread below about the “brilliance” of Awaken Me Darkly LOL, so I will interweave quotes from the below with today’s post.

First, a (freaking long) list of the books I will be picking up as soon as they are released:

Marriage Most Scandalous by Johanna Lindsey
My Wicked Highlander by Jen Holling
Master of Pleasure by Jessica Trapp
One Night of Sin by Gaelen Foley

“(Awaken Me Darkly) is an amazing book”

The Givenchy Code by Julie Kenner
Lethal by Shari Shattuck
Dirty Little Secrets by Julie Leto
Oceans of Fire by Christine Feehan

“Awaken Me Darkly sizzles with intrigue and interest”

Jamie by Lori Foster
Unmasked by CJ Barry
Carved in Stone by Vickie Taylor
Beyond the Pale by Savannah Russe

“Similar to Laurell K. Hamilton’s Anita Blake series, (Awaken Me Darkly) takes various steps to transcend the genres of the supernatural, mystery and science fiction”

An amazing review for Awaken Me Darkly

Look what I got! Look what I got!

"This novel sizzles with mystery and the supernatural."

Reviewed by Vicky Gilpin of Fresh FictionPosted May 16, 2005

This is an amazing book. Mia Snow, an Alien Investigation and Removal Agent, is a legalized killer of aliens. At her most recent murder scene, she narrows the suspect field to the Arcadians, a dangerous race gifted with strong mental powers. Almost immediately, Mia is up to her neck in Arcadian intrigue, power plays and mind games. In a bid to save her partner, she reluctantly pairs up with a handsome Arcadian who's seemingly been set up. While concerned about her partner, having unusual visions that appear to be giving her false information and working with her former victims, Mia is overwhelmed by multiple situations.

A brilliantly written, fast-paced novel, AWAKEN ME DARKLY sizzles with intrigue and interest. Similar to Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series, this book takes various steps to transcend the genres of the supernatural, mystery and science fiction.

Did you see the part where she called me brilliant? Did you see it, huh, huh? Did you? Ohmygod, I'm floating!!

Out of the Blogosphere

Some paranormal authors are getting together and forming a mega blog. Angela Knight, MaryJanice Davidson, Robin D. Owens, Marainne Mancusi, Julie Kenner, Susan Grant, Me, Deidre Knight, PC Cast, CJ Barry, Catherine Spangler, Marjorie M. Liu, Liz Maverick, and a few more to come. It will be at http://www.outoftheblogosphere.blogspot.com and it is going to be awesome!

You might have even noticed the paranormal webring at the end of this page!

That's right, people. Little Gena is getting off her (cute -- tell me it's cute!) tush and doing some promo, trying to create some buzz. From my buzz contest, I received many great ideas. I left a few copies of my book at my sister's hair salon ~ so women getting their hair done have some entertaining reading and will perhaps pick up my next book. I'm thinking about writing a 'before the book' starts snippet from the heroine of Awaken Me Darkly, Mia Snow, to give readers a taste of her. If I do it (if -- ha! I will), I'll post it here on the blog!

Maybe I need to throw a blog party for Awaken Me Darkly's release. Anyone know how to do that or did I just make it up?

Heart of the Dragon and The League

Not to overshadow the League -- nothing could do that! -- I wanted to mention galleys just came for my book HEART OF THE DRAGON. This is my last chance to make any changes on it, find typos, and all that good stuff. I always stress out a little at this point, knowing I won't be able to change anything after this. Very daunting, you know. I feel like I'm battling the evil Mistake Man. He laughs and taunts me, daring me to find his nasty minions. What if I fail? What if one (or god forbid, many!) get past me?

I always think of scenes I wish I would have added, to0. Sigh. Oh, well.

I'm still taking applications for League members, btw. We're in the process of finding cool tattoos or something for Reno. Do you really want to miss that?

The war...

The League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen is growing even as we speak. Dedicata, who helps keep us focused, has joined us. As has Secret Narration Girl, whose vault of knowledge helps drive away the evil Blank Page. Themia let's us know what it is all about. Chaptera keeps us on track. BlogGirl, too, is now on our side, wielding the Sword of Buzzsteria and helping to spread the good word.

However, as we grow so do the villains. The League has been telling me of their discoveries. Distraction Man is running rampant, and he is the master of many voices. Bad Covera hides our genius in an effort to make others turn away from his hideousness. Fontus Finitium, who works side by side with Longlastnameite, attempts to hide our good deed. Nehitd (never enough hours in the day) attempts to keep us from doing all we need to do. He laughs at us, curse him!

Sergeant Seductress has just returned from Procast Nation, and the report is not good. It seems Neurotica is hiding in a secret love grotto, intent on our destruction.

The war is beginning, and I only hope the world is prepared.

Comedia, please lead us in a prayer to Cover Artista, the patron saint of covers, as we march into battle.

The beginning...

The amazing Brainstorm (aka Diana Peterfreund) has posted a list of the current League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen members. Visit http://www.dianapeterfreund.com to see who is protecting you...

Here I shall list our greatest enemies. Our archrivals. Our nemeses.

Blank Page – He stares you in the face, daring you to conquer him. He laughs when you struggle to form the right words.

Bad Review – An evil entity who stomps on your efforts and desecrates your sense of happiness and self-assurance.

Overlord Lexicon – He taunts you with wrong word choices, dangling them before you and tempting you to use them.

Amazonia Comments -- She can be your closest friend or your worst enemy. You never know if she will favor you or bite you in the ass.

Fickle Muse – She pretends to be your friend by giving you fantastic ideas before dancing out of reach so you are unable to mold those ideas into proper form.

Rejection – Perhaps one of the vilest henchmen in the nocturnal underground of Storyville. He puts you down, calls you horrible names, and occasionally flips you the bird. He likes to sneak up on you and catch you when you least expect it.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlewomen

For those of you interested in our Super Hero league, you must check out the brilliant Diana Peterfreund's blog. http://www.dianapeterfreund.blogspot.com/ Also, check out "Novelique emerges from hiding" below.

Diana says:
Ah, Fickle Muse, that most treacherous bitch. Well do I remember how she infiltrated our underground headquarters with promises of endless inspiration, only to turn and betray our word counts to Blank Page! Lesson learned -- never trust a Muse you don't have chained to something. Bad Review thinks he has grown mighty with his new doomsday weapon, cyberspace, and his evil henchwoman Amazonia Comments. But I have no doubt we will prevail, with the help of the Sales Figures League on our side.

How right she is! Though sometimes I tremble at the sight of Sales Figures League for they can love you one day and hate you the next...

Novelique emerges from hiding...

In honor of the fabulous Diana Peterfreund (author of Confessions of a (Secret) Society Girl) who outed my secret identity in the comments section of "All hail Queen Gena", I, Novelique, slayer of Writer’s Block and other nefarious villains, have decided to form a rogue band of publishing super heroes. I am now taking applications in the comments section of this blog. . . Together, we shall wipe out the plague known as Blank Page. We shall enslave Fickle Muse and hold her hostage to our every whim. We shall decimate Rejection, conquer (and punish) Bad Review. We shall soar to Best Seller List. Yes, my friends. We shall rule the world!

All hail Queen Gena. . .

I did a booksigning with the fabulous PC Cast yesterday. I have to say, the bookstore took such amazing care of us. We were like queens, and I loved every minute of it. I sipped a latte (you know how I love those!) and perhaps even held out my pinkie as I did said sipping. The booksellers had posters and flowers and had read our books and loved them. That was such a wonderful feeling. One bookseller, who I will referr to as Princess J, even had a list of questions about my upcoming books -- and I'm telling you, that was like manna from heaven! I trembled with giddiness inside. Her (and their) excitement was palpable. I even had a reader come in specifically to meet me! How cool is that?

I could gush all day, so will force myself to stop. For now. Did anyone get a fabulous mom's day gift? It's only 11 here, but I've already learned a few important Mother's Day lessons. 1) Don't eat and laugh at the same time. 2) Don't eat and laugh at the same time in front of people who think it's so cute and funny when you turn blue. 3) Don't eat and laugh at the same time in front of people who think it's so cute and funny when you turn blue and funnier still when you cough up a wad of food.

Changing the subject from my survival/near death...The order for my new books has changed. I will be turning in Wonder Girl first (and sooner than planned). So it's a VERY good thing I decided to write that rough draft right after Nymph King. (Mabye, in the coming weeks/months, I'll tell you why the schedule changed. I will have to think on this (aka consult with all my personalities). I Don't want to jinx myself.) And speaking of Wonder Girl --I finished the rough draft! Yea!! I will be typing in and polishing that baby up before I move onto Catch A Mate.

Interview with agent Nephele Tempest

Nephele Tempest (pronounced: NEF-eh-lee) joined The Knight Agency in January of 2005, opening the new Los Angeles office which will handle many of the agency's film deals and other media adaptations. Nephele brings the benefits of diverse experience, with a background that includes work in publishing (for Simon and Schuster), sales, and writing, both freelance and in a corporate environment. A lifelong book lover, she says that the best way to her heart is a terrific story, well-told. She enjoys working with talented writers to hone their skills and get their stories out into the marketplace. Nephele belongs to the Association of Authors' Representatives and Romance Writers of America.

GS: How did you hook up with the Knight Agency?

NT: Deidre and I have been friends for several years. We initially met in an online writers’ group, where we really hit it off – like minds and so on – and the association kind of snowballed from there. At the time I was working as a marketing writer in New York City and living in Connecticut. After I moved to Los Angeles in late 2002, and began to work as a freelance writer, Deidre started talking about opening an L.A. office for the agency. She approached me about coming on board, or at the very least helping her find someone else for the job, as she knew I had a background in publishing on the editorial side, having worked for Simon and Schuster years ago.

Well—I couldn’t let an opportunity like that slip away. I spent most of 2004 freelancing for the agency, reading submissions, and then in January of 2005, opened The Knight Agency’s Los Angeles branch.

GS: Who are some of your authors? On that note, what author did you most recently sign? What are some projects you recently placed?

NT: As a new agent, I’m really just starting to build my list. Most of my authors so far are unpublished and we’ve just begun the submissions process. But sales will be posted in various places as they come up, including Deidre’s blog at The Knight Agency web site, so they’ll be easy to spot. So far, I’ve signed authors who write romance, paranormal, women’s fiction, and young adult novels.

GS: Do you offer your clients revision suggestions?

NT: I like to work with my clients on a case-by-case basis. Naturally, if I have strong opinions about something regarding a manuscript, I’ll voice them, but I don’t want to take on the role of the editor, either. If an author is interested in detailed feedback, I’m more than happy to provide it; if not, I’ll limit comments to glaring problems, if any.

However, I do proofread the manuscript, as a rule, because good grammar and spelling are something of an obsession of mine and I believe it’s important to deliver a manuscript in the best shape possible. Another set of eyes never hurts.

GS: When you take on a new client is it a singular decision or an agency decision?

NT: I tend to consult with Deidre because I’m the type of person who likes to talk things through with someone, more to get my own opinions clear in my head than for any other reason. Plus, one of the benefits of joining an established agency is benefiting from Deidre’s and Pamela’s experience. But ultimately, it’s my decision whether or not I take on a particular client.
GS: Do you gravitate toward light, fun stories or dark, grittier stories, or does it matter if the writing/talent is there?

NT: The first thing I look for is an engaging story that’s well written. I love both comedy and drama, so it doesn’t really matter what type of emotions the writer taps into, as long as the work is carefully plotted, with interesting characters and intelligent dialogue.

GS: What romance novel hero would you most want to date? Or, if you’re like me and melt when it comes to those sexy men, you can have a loooong list…

NT: I’d have to say that my all-time favorite romantic hero is Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

GS: If you could have lunch with anyone in the world, who would it be?

NT: Wow, that’s a tough one! I’m generally terrible at narrowing things down like that. Right now I’d have to say George Lucas, only because I’m a Star Wars geek from childhood and I really want to know how he feels about the whole saga coming to an end. Also, I’d like to explain a few things to the man about dialogue that people can actually pronounce… But ultimately, he’s a fabulous storyteller beneath his fascination with the bells and whistles of filmmaking, and I’d love to have the chance to speak with him.

GS: Is there any type of project you would be totally jazzed to get, something you’re looking for but haven’t found?

NT: I’m representing a really broad range, so I’m looking for great things in all those categories: Women’s fiction, literary fiction, chic lit, and young adult, along with romance. I’d love something with a grand, sweeping arc – adventure with romance, but smart. I hate stupid, helpless heroines. And with a terrific ending that does justice to the set up.

GS: What are some of your favorite books of all time?

NT: The Eight by Katherine Neville
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The French Lieutenant’s Woman by John Fowles
Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
The Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling

GS: What makes a book ripe for film adaptation in your view?

NT: I think a strong, archetypal main character with a very clearly delineated journey – preferably both physical and emotional – is the key to a good film adaptation. After that, there are lots of little things that contribute: a fun, different setting; one or two quirky, interesting supporting characters; a climax that’s not just internal, like a revelation, but something that adapts well visually. If you can see the action of the book happening in your head, and it’s exciting or tugs at your heart strings, that’s a pretty good indicator.

Dealing with Bad Reviews by Jill Monroe

Jill Monroe posted about dealing with bad reviews on http://www.booksquare.com and I had to post it here. Here's what she had to say:

Ugh. The agony. The kids were in bed, the dh had ordered us a movie and I’d just typed my name in the google search engine. Then I found it. A tiny blurb that didn’t look like a glowing rec for my book. I had to click. Dh very selfishly didn’t want to hear me rant about getting a bad review, and kept calling “come on, the movie is starting” from the front room. So, I waited until the movie was over, and headed back to the computer to read the review.

There it was - in all its easy to read font and googled with ease glory. Unglory.

There are stages of grieving, and getting a bad review is quite similar. Denial and Anger are first and on the heels of each other. Then comes the forwarding of the bad review to all your friends and critique partners. A round of blasting e-mails, usually with the subject header of “They’re Wrong” and “They Totally Missed It” floods your inbox.

Next comes the stage involving chocolate and diet cherry cokes from Sonic (I celebrate with these items, too). The last stage is acceptance. This stage only comes after I have rewritten the review. This is my favorite part, and easy to do. I remove all the words I don’t like. For instance, the new review became:

Never Naughty Enough is… entertaining and unexpected.

Really - all those words were there. Booksquare, being the Hollywood type, should appreciate my creative blurbing.

The fact of the matter is this is a a business. Reviewers aren’t there to be my friend, and I’m not there to be theirs. If they like my book, they are wise, savvy, hip and intelligent. If they don’t like my book, they’re obviously having a very bad day.

Back in December, Daniel suggested I post my reviews. To read a good review, go here.
Romance Reviews Today
Road To Romance
Fallen Angel Reviews

And no, I don’t play equal opportunity with the bad ones.

Alien Candle: Light my fire

I totally forgot (until last night) that I bought a giant green glow-in-the-dark alien head candle. It is so, so cool. I almost swooned with delight when I saw it. My plan was to have a drawing and mail it to the winner, but after doing the Awaken Me Darkly drawing I'm not sure I want to go that route this time. I'll have to think on this, on the best way to pick a winner (aka good home) for it.

I don't want to do a question and answer thing because that would mean *I* would have to work up the questions, and I'm all about not doing extra work. Speaking of extra work, I'd upload a picture of the candle here but I've tried and tried with no success. I don't even know how to add links to the blog and I'd love to link to some of my favorites. I'm horrible with computers. There, now you know.

Tomorrow I hope to post a list of affirmations we writers can say. We were talking about those on an eharlequin thread. I'm a big believer in them! Maybe I should leave you with one today, kind of as a preview. Repeat after me:

I am wild and untamed, an outlaw who obeys no rules but my own in my fiction world.

the Magic Formula to getting your book published

Is there a magic formula to getting your novel published? I think so, yes. And it’s way more simple than you might have ever imagined. I’ve managed to condense it to five easy steps:

1. Write the best book you can, making sure to finish it
2. Submit the book to the proper places (agents, editors)
3. Start your next book, making sure to finish it
4. Follow up if needed and if possible submit next book
5. Repeat

Perhaps I seem to be making light of this process, but I’ve been deep in the trenches. I’ve endured countless (yes, countless!) rejections. Stone Prince and Pleasure Slave were both rejected at many publishing houses before ultimately selling. So was Awaken Me Darkly, for that matter.

I actually wrote Pleasure Slave BEFORE I wrote Stone Prince. Had I stopped writing after Pleasure Slave met with rejection, I would not have been able to submit Stone Prince. I would not have sold to HQN like I did. I would not have written Awaken Me and sold to Pocket like I did. You simply cannot give up. You have to keep writing. You have to keep submitting. It may take a long (LONG) time, but if it’s your dream, do you really want to give it up because a few people haven’t liked your material?

Lets Get Sexy

Okay, so question of the day. Who is the sexiest man EVER? From a book, movie, real life. Doesn't matter. Who is it that most rocks your world?

You'd think I'd instantly say Brad Pitt, but I'll be honest. I'd trade him in a heartbeat if one of the hero's from a Karen Moning book came to life.

Books, ah sweet Books

Yesterday I bought DEAD AS A DOORNAIL by Charlaine Harris. Yea! My dream is for Sookie and Eric to get it on hard core. Who's with me?

Also picked up FASHIONISTA IN KING ARTHUR’S COURT by Marianne Mancusi. As you know, I’ve been waiting for this book. Did a little dance in the store when I saw it.

Linda Howard (who is one of my favorite authors ever) has a new book out this month, doesn’t she? And Johanna Lindsey? I’ll be looking for those, as well. Although, I won’t allow myself to read anything until I finish Wonder Girl rough draft. Reading shall be my reward.

I did get to read IF YOU DARE by Kresley Cole during the tiny space between rough drafts, and I have to say it was wonderful. I adored the hero. I wanted to be the heroine, so I could have all that manly attention on me!

The Good, the Bad, and the What the Hell?

My RT review for Awaken Me Darkly came in. It's a good/bad combo I want to kiss and stomp at the same time. Allow me to share.

STARTS OFF GREAT:
Set in a futuristic Chicago, Showalter's novel features alien hunter Mia Snow, who's likely to kick any male action hero's butt. A fierce combination of intelligence, strength and determination makes Mia a successful hunter, but when her partner is left struggling for his life, she is forced to seek help from the sexy, dangerous alien Kyrin.
GETS EVEN BETTER:
It's hard to resist such a heady mixture of speculative fiction, romance and chick lit. In Mia, Showalter has created a woman who can be sexy as well as strong, a take-charge character who is more than a match for the powerful, seductive Kyrin.
THEN KICKS ME IN THE STOMACH, THE FACE, AND THE ASS:
The opening chapters are not as smooth as they could be--the action sometimes drags and then shifts into overdrive, but eventually the pacing evens out. The twisty plot uses the occasional cliche, but other events are shocking. (I DO LIKE THE "SHOCKING" PART)
DECIDES TO END ON A NICE NOTE:
Fans of TV's Alias will find t his book especially appealing, but so will readers looking for a strong heroine and a zesty romance.

Now, I don’t happen to agree with the bad parts of this – and not because I’m the author, but because I’m a reader first and foremost. I would not have been able to read this book as many times as I have if I thought it dragged. And yet, I found myself letting this review get to me. As I worked on my Wonder Girl rough draft this weekend, I kept pausing to ask myself: does this drag here? Is it hyper-active there? And I did not get any real work done. Sigh.

I'm determined to press onward, though. I keep reminding myself that I'm a good writer, and gosh darn it, people like me.