Sharon at Writeminded is having a contest with fabulous prizes that include Samhain print books and gift certificates. And Angie (aka ED) is launching a viral marketing campaign with Samhain books in exchange for a blog review. Check out both sites for details and play!

I’m tempted to join in because I haven’t read nearly enough Samhain books. The ones I’ve read have been outstanding.

I have this book to shove out the door. And I’ve got the post-flu nap attack syndrome, which I’m going with because I don’t want a relapse. So I’m piecing together the book and snoozing and that’s about as exciting to watch as it sounds. Have a great weekend, everybody.

Chatted with the husband last night about Miss Lonely Hearts and realized that the thing that I love, that makes it so fun, is also what makes it so difficult to juggle all the balls and put all the piece together in the right places. Yes I’m mixing my metaphors. I’ve had the flu all week. I’m lucky I’m not mixing worse things.

Anyway, Miss Lonely Hearts came about because I was reading a book about con artists and con games and the Miss Lonely Hearts scam hooked me. I loved it. I wanted to commit a crime on paper. I also love P.G. Wodehouse and his going-all-directions everybody plotting against everybody else manic plots and I wanted to do one.

Which is how I ended up with this book that has been making me puzzle and juggle and cudgel my head for the past months. I have Cass plotting to get a husband and the life she wants. I have Jason plotting against Cass and Miss Lonely Hearts. I have Sam and the Lawrence twins plotting against Jason, and Miss Lonely Hearts plotting against everybody.

All I need is a walk-on who comes into the bar and says “Give me the falcon” and I’ll have everything.

Anyway. It’s complex, and the husband pointed out that maybe the time it’s taking me is due to the complexity. He’s probably right. This is not a simple, straight forward story. It’s convoluted. That’s what makes it fun, that’s what I loved about the idea to begin with and what I wanted above all to pull off. I guess the conclusion here is if I want to write a book in a week, I need to write less complex books. Or short stories. Obviously I don’t. I like novels, I like complexity, and that means being patient with the process.

Patience is not my best thing. Although it is very, very fun to see all the pieces coming together and to let my whacky sense of humor run wild. Maybe I oughta have a walk-on looking for the falcon… I’m kidding, ED. Promise. No Maltese Falcons. We’re complex enough already.)

Visit Cerridwen Press today for a spotlight look at the first eleven titles in print, including terrific reads by Lora Leigh and Katherine Allred. And then drop into Cerridwen Chat for excerpts, contests, and your chance to win the Cerridwen paperback of your choice! A big thank you to Raelene Gorlinsky for providing the prizes.

In addition to the super-cool new bookmarks for The Gripping Beast the husband designed some new bookmarks for Love and Rockets, too. TGB’s are very monochrome and dramatic just like the cover, L&Rs are bright and colorful with a dash of pink. So there are new bookmarks and bookplates for anybody who wants ‘em. I’ll update the FAQ with how to get ‘em but pretty much it’s use the contact form to send in a request and I’ll mail them out.

New designs make me happy. Dunno why, but the things I get really happy and excited about seem to be new covers, bookmarks, my website template, all the visual design stuff. I am an eye candy slut, it seems. Good thing I married a design/web/photo guru. (Have I mentioned how much I love my new author photo, too?) I’m still waiting on the new cover for Yule Be Mine. Now that my EC/CP editor is back online I should have a release date and cover soon. That’ll delight my design lovin’ heart.

My Bermuda Triangle fears have been laid to rest. Due to brisk print sales, Love and Rockets has gone back for another (larger!) print run. Yay! So my author copies will soon be on the way and the here-then-gone status on the Ellora’s Cave ebay print listing will be resolved.