Must . . . read. . .And Good News Friday

Okay, I can't resist anymore. I've got an arc of Lady and the Vamp by Michelle Rowen and an ARC of Phantom Pleasures by Julie Leto (not to mention the other two books I told you about: Nalini Singh's and Lara Adrian's). My resolve to finish my own book first is shattered. I'm reading. Nothing can stop me. I'm already foaming out the mouth, so I'm doing this for the good of all mankind. 4 books by 4 amazing authors. . . utter heaven!

What are you guys reading? Maybe we should do a read-off, with a prize. I'll be thinking about it -- after I finish at least one book. Because I'm shaking, seriously shaking to get started, which I'm doing the moment I sign off blogger. That's my good news. What's yours?

Updates

I'm up to chapter seven of The Blood King, and chapter seven is one of my strongest so far, so I should be able to breeze through it and conquer 8 today. Meanwhile, resisting the 2 books I am desperate to read is becoming harder and harder. I'm going to cave, I know it. I think I'll take 2 days off and read them. I'm seriously panting for them. Nalini Singh's and Lara Adrian's. Me. . .want. . .

Mary Ann is doing much better! They put her on antibiotics today for the skin and peepee problems. Yes, I said peepee again. She had no energy yesterday but today she is a playful little thing. Isn't it amazing how much you can love an animal? I just want to snuggle her all the time.

Check out http://www.jillmonroe.blogspot.com to see the meanest prank ever. I hated myself for laughing :)

What's everyone up to?

What's happening?

I worked until 8 pm last night. By the end, I was wiped out. But I got those two chapters edited. I had a two hour break to take Mary Ann to the vet -- shot time, as well as skin and peepee problems. Yes, I just said peepee. I had to follow her around with a cup and swoop in when she finally got down to business. Fun times, let me tell you, but I love that little girl so much I'd do it several times a day everyday if necessary LOL Jill Monroe might be vomiting right now. Something in my backyard is irritating her skin, though, and I don't know what to do.

Today, I'm only just now getting started re: The Blood King. I have a feeling it's going to be another long day. I'm rewriting way more than I'm simply rewording.

Got the greatest present yesterday. An ARC of Nalini Singh's next book. As you know, I am SO in love with Singh's books (and Singh, but that's neither here nor there) I cannot wait to dive in to it. I also picked up the new Lara Adrian. Can't wait!

Back to the usual

I am finally getting back into the writing groove. I edited two chapters on The Blood King yesterday and will do the same today. I really love Layel. His heroine's name is Delilah and she is from Atlantis, as well. All's I'm going to say right now :)

I went shopping for clothes yesterday. For myself. As some of you know, I have serious trouble spending money on clothing for myself. However, I don't think I owned a single winter shirt. Not a sweater, not a long sleeved t-shirt. So I did it. Forced myself. I'm still in a shame spiral about it LOL

What are you guys up to? What are you reading? Anything great I need to check out?

Beefcake Monday

Hello everyone! I hope you had a fabulous holiday. I know I did, though I ate way too much. Someone gave me a cold -- first strep, now this! -- so I had a hard time breathing all weekend.

I have a million things to do today, but my plan is to edit 2 chapters of The Blood King.

How was everyone's holiday?

Cute Overload

It's been nothing but cute cute cute over here at the Gena Showalter blog.

Example 1 and 2

So, in keeping with the theme, I give you panda and mommy:

Happy Thanksgiving!

I'll be out (most likely) for the rest of the week. I hope you guys have a delicious and safe holiday. I plan to eat more than I can hold, then go back for more. Nap. Go back for more. Nap. More. So on and so forth.

Beefcake Monday

I feel like I'm so behind on everything! Work, emails, shopping, you name it. But Mary Ann needs a bath, so that's Priority One here at Chez Showater. We taught her to sit and shake hands. Next up is to lie down and to play dead. She's so smart! Now if we could just master potty training.

As for work, I think it's time to set everything aside and work on The Blood King. It's due beginning of Jan.

I can't recall if I told you, but Twice As Hot has a release date: July 08. A long wait, and I'm sorry!! So here is my 09 schedule:

Heart of the Dragon -- re-release Jan 09

Jewel of Atlantis -- re-release Feb 09

The Blood King -- March 09

Twice As Hot -- July 09

4th Lords of the Underworld book -- November 09

The next alien hunter book will most likely be thrown in the mix, as well.

Good News Friday

Tell me your news here!

And if you haven't seen pictures of Mary Ann, scroll down. She's a doll!

Mary Ann!

Here she is, Mary Ann. 8 weeks old. And yes, we put up the Christmas tree extra early this year. Forgive the Hay Hair I am sporting.

Answering a few questions!

I have tried and tried to answer the questions in the last thread, but I kept getting booted off. So I'm posting a new thread and trying again. Here goes:

I'm still looking for my camera, so no pictures of my gorgeous baby girl Mary Ann, yet. (I think the camera grew legs and walked out) We spent the morning in the vet. She had a rash on her belly, had to get a shot, take some meds for a few days. Needless to say, I was stressed and scared for her. She's sleeping and doing much better.

Twice As Hot will feature Belle and Rome again, but all the gang will be there (Tanner, Sunny, Cody, Sherridan, Lexis) along for the ride! But I have been a bad, bad girl and haven't written anything new this week. Mary Ann needed to snuggle :)

Here's my upcoming release schedule:

Savor Me Slowly -- December 26th, 07
Catch A Mate -- (mass market re-release with new cover) Feb 08
The Darkest Night -- May 08
The Darkest Kiss -- June 08
The Darkest Pleasure -- July 08
Heart of the Dragon -- (re-release with new cover) Jan 09
Jewel of Atlantis -- (re-release with new cover) Feb 09
The Blood King -- March 09

I'll have a few other books releasing in 09, like Twice As Hot, and probably another Lords book (if not more). I have plans to chat with my editor at the end of the week to figure out exactly what my 09 release schedule will be!! More from me on that as soon as I know.

I have no idea what to title this post (how's that for a title?)

I almost hate to post today and push those delicious sexpots down a thread. Almost. A big thank you to Jill Monroe for taking care of things while I recovered from what seemed to be a never-ending case of strep throat.

I've got to got to got to jump back into writing Twice As Hot. To get ahead of the game, I need to have as much written as possible by the end of this month. Sadly, I should be at least a third of the way done by now but I only have three chapters. And this week is BUSY (we just got a puppy! An English bulldog and she is adorable) and the week after that is Thanksgiving. Next month, The Blood King is due so December will be dedicated to that book. What's a girl to do?

What are you guys working on? What are you reading?

Beefcake

Gena's still feeling poorly today, so I said, "Take the day off! I'll handle beefcake Monday for you."

What can I say? She was weak, she was medicated...she said yes. So here we go - some great Beefcake!

All you have to do is google sexy gnome and this sweet thing comes up! Who knew there was gnome beefcake? Sometimes I feel so naive!

This sweet number came up next. One word MORE!

Ahhhh, he's shy. But still BEEFCAKE!
I'm thinking she was wanting something a little more on these lines:

Good News Friday

Well, my news is not so good. Came down with strep throat. Fun, fun times. You guys cheer me up with your good news!

Links, Beginnings

Jill Monroe has a sexy new cover posted on her blog!

Nalini Singh has been talking about book beginnings. A wonderful topic! I thought I’d post the beginnings for all of my upcoming books.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The disturbing clatter whined inside Jaxon Tremain’s mind, playing without permission or welcome. He laughed bitterly. He didn’t know how long he’d been locked up in the dank little cell. A week? An eternity? From Savor Me Slowly (Dec 07)

In life, there was only one guarantee and that, Jillian Greene hated to say, was that all men were pigs. “Will you repeat your question?” she asked her co-worker and friend, Selene Garnett. “I’m positive I misheard.” From Catch A Mate (Feb 08)

Every night Death came, slowly, painfully, and every morning Maddox awoke in bed, knowing he’d have to die again later. That was his greatest curse and his eternal punishment. From The Darkest Night (May 09)

He was known as the Dark One. Malach ha-Maet. Yama. Azreal. Shadow Walker. Mairya. King of the Dead. He was all of those things and more, for he was a Lord of the Underworld. From The Darkest Kiss (June 08)

Reyes stood on the roof of his Budapest fortress, five stories up, his feet balanced precariously on the tallest ledge. Above him, moonlight seeped red and yellow from the sky, blood mixed with fickle gold, dark mixed with light, both like wounds freshly cut in the endless expanse of black velvet. From The Darkest Pleasure (July 08)

What are some of your favorite openings in books?

A Recommended Read!

Today I wanted to discuss Parallel Desire by Deidre Knight. I think this is her best book yet (and I'm not saying that because I love her. If you've ever read her, you know how good she is!) The emotions in this book are so amazingly powerful. The hero is at the brink of despair and I swear you will want to jump him and then cuddle him. He’s a very sexy man!! This is a fabulously smart series, with twists and turns you won't see coming. With moments of humor, moments of darkness, moments of pure passion, this book has it all!

I should probably jump back into the writing of Twice As Hot, but I'm expecting revisions to come in for The Darkest Pleasure at any time so I might hold off on that and keep reading more wonderful books.

What can you recommend?

Beefcake Monday

And the winner of the amazing prize pack is. . .Wendy! Congrats, Wendy. Email me your contact info. (you can find my email by going to the main page of my website http://www.genashowalter.com/ and clicking on "contact".)

Thank you thank you everyone for coming to the party last week. I had a blast! In fact, I had so much fun I decided to host another party for the release of Savor Me Slowly as well as for the release of my Lords of the Underworld series. There will be tons of prizes (maybe even chocolate!) And there will be some fabulous authors joining us!

Now, I must tell you about an amazing book I read. Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. Once I started this book, I could not put it down. It was exciting and sexy and dark and well, wonderful. It is seriously one of the best books I've read all year. I cannot wait for the sequel!

Another fabulous author is CL Wilson. Her books are beautiful and breathtaking. Her voice is so powerful and lyrical I feel utterly transported everytime I open one of her books. She paints such a vivid picture with her words.

What are you reading? What books are you most looking forward to in the coming weeks/months?

Last day of party -- Biggest Contest!

The winner of the signed copy of Blacklisted is. . . Virginia Lady. Congrast! Email me your contact info and I will put the book in the mail. You can find my email by going to the main page of my website http://www.genashowalter.com/ and clicking on the contact page.

Today's contest prize is the best of the week -- a book by each of the featured authors!! All you have to do to be entered is leave a comment in this thread, telling me your favorite book by each author and why.

Jill Monroe
Kresley Cole
Marjorie Liu
PC Cast

I had pictures to upload (decorations, a disco ball, and a half-dressed man), but blogger threw a fit. What a party pooper! I might try later today.

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