My Offspring, Part 1 (which is actually instalment 2)

Please allow me to introduce our second child, Love (6).  Not her real name of course, but since she refuses to use her real name, it's moot.  

Love is all about..the love.  She is fairies and drawing, independence and relationships.  She was a sick baby, so now she has a pain threshold of fifteen out of ten.  This means there will often be blood that she hasn't noticed, running down her forehead, or her arm.

You will most often find her chasing one of the cats to put it in a receptacle of some kind to cart around, or riding her bike, singing lewd Rihanna songs she has no idea about the meaning of.

She is cute, but feisty.

And every night, at bed time--without fail--she'll tell Sparky and me that she loves us.

L's & G's--I give you, Love.

What an inspiration...

Ha!  Did you think I was going to post another picture of Hugh Jackman sans shirt?  While that is always a distinct possibility, I actually wanted to talk about something other than the male form today.

I know, what's with that?

Anna Hackett, author of a number of awesome Nocturne Bites and one-third of our sensational critiquing trio is blogging over at LoveCats at the moment about Finding Inspiration.  Anna is not someone to pass over a picture of Hugh's pecs either (just one of the reasons I adore her), but this time she's talking about her quotes about courage.  I know for sure that she collects them, because every now and then she'll shoot a few to Rach and me when we're feeling morbid, or stupid or like writers better suited to asking, "Would you like fries with that?" than "How's the GMC for this character?".  It's awesome.  I've even found a use for a few lately.

I've just recently had a CP-encouraged epiphany about my writing.  While I still looove paranormal and fantasy, I just don't think I'm a great one to write it.  A few months ago, I had two rejections--bang, bang--and, while one was quite positive, I struggled to get my head back in it's right place.  It happens to everyone.

God knows I've done enough crap in my life to grow a few flowers. 

Dustin Hoffman

Now, Anna and Rach had been telling--you know, hinting to--me for quite some time that perhaps I wasn't quite being true to my writerly voice.  We're talking glass-half-full, !!!, joke-cracking emails and conversations, versus the dark, angst-ridden, emotion-heavy paranormal pieces I was writing.  For a long time, I kept on writing it because I just plain wanted to.

Which is fine.  I learned a lot.

Any man who keeps working is not a failure. He may not be a great writer, but if he applies the old-fashioned virtues of hard, constant labor, he'll eventually make some kind of career for himself as writer. 

Ray Bradbury

Really, at least I was writing.  

Eighty percent of success is showing up.

                                                                                                             Woody Allen

In that time, I clocked up five rejections (I know, compared to some peoples' experience, this is weeny.  I know).  It was a bit of a PITA.  I toyed with stopping.  You know.  NOT WRITING.  

Couldn't do it.   

Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising up every time we fail.

Confucius

When I stopped teaching full-time, I thought, "Woohoo!  No more homework!"  And here I was, banging away at a computer at night again.  Felt like I'd come full-circle.

I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork.

Peter de Vries

I was confused, uncertain about the craft, quite certain about my suckiness and, frankly, a little bit bonkers about it all.  

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.

                                                                                                              Scott Adams

But, I was certain I was starting from pretty much the same place as most writers--Ground Zero.  I mean, we're all just the same basic creatures, with two arms and two legs (for the most part), right?  If X could write something that spoke to the populace at some level, why the hell couldn't I?  I had to face it--it was my authorial voice.  Paranormal was not working for me.  Boohoo.

It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.

Robert Benchley

To that rather exciting end, I've switched lanes!  I've started a Aussie-based romcom and I'm LOVING it.  It's kinda squeeful.  As gut-churningly scary as it is to veer from what you know, I've done the right thing.  I think.  

Never throw up on an editor.

                                                                                                              Ellen Datlow

I'm so glad I took the advice of my marvellous, wondrous CP's.  They are, with or without quotes, truly inspirational.

If you're needing inspiration, jump online and google some quotes, head over to LoveCats to share with Anna.  It's amazing how much of that wisdom you can apply to your own writerly life.  

Never laugh at live dragons.

JRR Tolkein

Finally, because you've been completely marvellous to read right to the end of this gargantuan post, here's a small thank you from moi.  Yes, it's a wet HUGH!  Hehe.  

Sunday snort, now with bunnies.

It's a dreary, cold, wet, "I wish it was November" kind of day here today.  No one seems to have any energy (well, except Sparky, who also does not have much energy, but instead has Willpower and Self-motivation, and is outside doing outsidey stuff, as he is wont to do), the kids are plastered all over the loungeroom floor doing rug impersonations and I've been trawling the internet looking for fun.  

I visited one of my old favourites:  www.verydemotivational.com.

Warning: contains great smacking dobs of bad language and general non-appropriateness. The first one made me blow hot coffee out my nose.  

True story bro.  

I dare you not to snort.  :)

Things I love...

I've had one of those days where I spend a lot of time saying, "Gee, I LIKED that!"  Wanna hear what has made me happy today?

Regardless, I'll tell you.  :)

1)  Nalini Singh's Psy/Changeling series.  Oh, woo.  

I finished reading KISS OF SNOW at 2am just this morning,  which is book ten in the series.  I have definite faves, but I can GUARANTEE I will be reading the whole lot again.  I like the Angel's Consort series.  BUT I LERV the Psy/Changeling lot.  The world-building is awesome, the characterisation is marvellous, the conflicts are real, the heroes are smokin' hot and the heroines are kick-ass.

I spent much time thinking, "How the heck is Ms Singh going to get X out of this one?" and I just adore that!  The first book, SLAVE TO SENSATION is excellent, and I thought it couldn't get much better.  Then I read CARESSED BY ICE, and KISS OF SNOW.  *Happy sigh*

If you like Gena Showalter, JR Ward & Kresley Cole, you're going to love the Psy/Changelings.

Speaking of which, I've just caught up on Gena Showalter's ALIEN HUNTRESS series.  Also, chock-full-of-rocking-awesome.   I'm totally nailing my yearly Goodreads target with these rip-snorters.

Which brings me to...


2)  My Kindle app on the iDevices.
I can read new books (well, as soon as they are available in Australia, thank you very much GEOGRAPHIC RESTRICTIONS!) immediately.  Yay.  Like KISS OF SNOW.  As soon as it comes out.  All kinds of awesome.


3)  Opera for Mac
Opera is a browser, like Safari, but its quicker.  And aside from saving images (I'm discovering as I construct this post), it's better.  Get it at the desktop app store for Mac.


4)  Moourl.  
It's a very cute URL shortener.  Easy and cute.  What more could you ask?


5) Red vegetable curry.
What?  It was lunch.  It had CASHEWS in it.  Nom nom.


6) SARA news - check!  
I did a mammother SARA News  (kudos to me for not throwing stuff when I was NEARLY DONE and something had a shitefit and I LOST THE LOT, requiring me to start AGAIN!  The upside of which is, I now know where the 'save draft' button is).  Go and have a look - new releases, preorders, a flashfic link and my wardrobe suggestions for Contest Queen, Bec Sampson!

7) Twitter love.  
Still feeling valued, even as I sit in my cold, empty (ish, there are some kids here) house.   Even if I only tweet about my cashew-infested lunch of curry.  Or maybe because of.

8) My scales love me.
I hit a weight loss goal this morning.  Or, rather, re-hit.  Nuance.  Whatevs.

9) Tangled, The Movie
SOOO cute!  Not even slightly massively annoying.

10)  My new boots.
They're black, spiked, fabric with a turnover cuff at the ankle.  They have BUTTONS.  They're goth meets steampunk and I heart them.  When I master walking in them, I'll wear them in public.

11) Tonight there will be time...
to WRITE!  I'm way behind on my target for the week (and last!).  Sorry Rach & Anna!  Buut, I'm so UP today, it'll be FINE!

Wishing you much happy!  E x

SARA full-to-poppin' with NEWS!

Loads of cool stuff happening at the moment at South Australian Romance Authors News Blog.

I'm a convert...

I never thought I'd say this...but I love reading eBooks.  I love it more than READING BOOKS MADE OF ACTUAL PAPER.

Shocking, isn't it?  Five years ago, I would not have believed me, had I told myself that.  (This conversing with myself happens often, and more loudly than is strictly sane.).  I love print books, always have, and have at least four bookshelves that are testament to this fact.

I'll tell you why I've come out and announced my converted state.

It's because I'm a disciple of the school of instant gratification.

I like to have things as soon as I decide I want them.  I'm immature like that.

I'll give you an example.  I have wanted to read JR Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series for some time.  But I wanted to start at the beginning, with the first of (so far) nine books.  But, I couldn't get book one in my local library, couldn't get it at bookstores because it's older, could have bought it off Amazon or eBay, but that would have been a) exxy, and b) exxy.  Mainly because I would have had to pay for shipping and the cost of the subsequent eight books.

Previously to March this year, the BDB series was unavailable here in Oz due to those pesky geographic restrictions.

But then, they were free and I bought book one as soon as I found it.  Book one was subsequently devoured and I bought the remaining eight books, plus the novella that falls at 6.5.

I went from having no BDB to having ALL OF THEM.  It was awesome.

So, here's what I think about eBook vs print book:

Ebook Pros:
1)  I can get most of them immediately.  I use a Kindle app and Fictionwise via Stanza.
2)  I can get SAMPLES.  I like samples.  Samples give me joy.
3)  I get some books free, if I'm lucky.  Best one so far:  Elizabeth Naughton.
4)  Amazon tells me if I've bought a certain book already
5)  EBooks take up waaay less space.
6)  I can take hundreds of eBooks with me, wherever I go.  My current book is always on my phone.
7)  My devices are back lit, so I can read in the dark, and not disturb Sparky, my husband.
8)  My books are ALWAYS in top nick.  No dog ears or rips.  Although coffee stains could be terminal.
9)  I can get books as soon as they are available in Australia.  Like THE MINUTE THEY ARE THERE.
10)  I can move onto book two in a series in the time it takes to make a coffee.
11)  eBooks are never out of print, and they are aways available.  Digitised backlists rock!
12)  I can use a dictionary, notation and highlight tools, and a virtual bookmark.  I hate real book marks.  I'm a page bender.
13)  I can make wishlists on Amazon.  BIG wishlists.
14)  In some libraries, you can now download eBooks (and audiobooks) to borrow.  That's fabulous.
15)  Some authors only publish in eBook.   I've got access to all this.
16)  I can share my books around my other devices, and they sync up.  I'm always on my most recent page.


Cons:
1) Geographic restrictions.  This is a biggie.
2)  The whole device/water issue
3)  It doesn't smell like a book.  Really, is that even a con?
4)  The possibility of file loss if you don't back up. But really, BACK UP!
5)  You can't stand on a pile of eBooks to reach the food colouring on the top shelf of the pantry.
6)  If you fall asleep while reading, you may drop your device on your head.  Which could result in a bruise.  But dropping a book could result in nasty paper cuts, so it's fifty-fifty.

Ergo, I love eBooks.  What do you think?

DarkLight on some crazy chick...

I'm at the DarkSide DownUnder blog today talking about books, movies and Hugh Jackman sans shirt.  Come and talk about speculative fiction, big curved swords and Serenity.

Did I mention Hugh Jackman sans shirt?

See you there!  E x