Right here, on the forum, you can read excerpts from Samhain authors, win fabulous prizes, get your questions about Samhain answered by publisher Chrissy Brashears and whip-wielder, er, editor Angela James!

Just click on the forum button and go to “guest author excerpts” and “industry pro guests”. You must be a forum member to post and participate. Anybody not wishing to receive the newsletter, set newsletter preferences to “I don’t want to receive the newsletter”. After you join, log in and party!

I will be giving away a fabulous prize but to be announced Sept. 1, because, well, we’re in the middle of moving. So I’ll be in and out.

The cover department has forgotten me, sob. I haven’t received my cover from them yet. But I snagged a copy of the image off the EC Coming Soon page and here it is! Sept. 20 doesn’t seem very far away, all of a sudden. Fall is sneaking up on me.

From The Onion horoscopes:

“Crime-scene investigators standing over your mangled and mutilated corpse next week will be shocked by the sheer number of grammatical errors carved into your forehead.”

Right. I’ll just be curled up under my desk with Strunk & White. And a baseball bat.

So the husband and I had some things to figure out on our hiking venture. We were both sort of at a point where it was time to think about what we wanted to do; I had a plot problem to figure out (and I did, heh) and he had some similar things to think out. There is nothing like walking to get ideas flowing and make things clear.

We really got into hiking because it was outdoor recreation we could do as a family. When Alex was smaller, she rode in a little backpack we took turns wearing. Now she’s in a bigger pack and Morgan rides in the smaller pack. But it keeps the small people calm and occupied, looking around at the scenery (or napping, lulled by proximity to parents and the soothing, steady motion) and gives us time to talk. To think. We always come back recharged and full of new ideas and this time we came back with all sorts of new.

Walking, it’s good for so much more than your heartrate and waistline. And yes, I did write down my plot brainstorm immediately. I didn’t want to forget that sucker.

I didn’t post yesterday because we took off to hike in the Olympic National Park. It’s wonderful. I had the cold from hell and couldn’t breathe when we left, and this entire area is like miles of cool mist vaporizer. Temperate rain forest, balm to lungs. Yesterday we hoofed it along the Bogachiel river and the sprout tried her hand at skipping rocks. This morning we did the La Push third beach trail through the woods down to the beach. Pretty easy trail, but a bit tricky at the end getting down to the beach and then back up. Alex got out of her backpack and walked the last mile back, Morgan slept and drooled on her dad’s neck the whole way.
There will be pictures to come. Hope everybody’s having a great Friday.

My Bookstore and More is having a contest and a sale. Lots of prizes this week - all you do is make a purchase to be entered! Winners will be chosen to win a variety of print books!

ALSO, from now until September 30, 2006, every purchase will count toward a drawing for an ebook reader! The winner may choose between an eBookwise, a Palm Tungsten E2, or an HP IPAQ rx1950!

PLUS, you can enter the drawing without making a purchase by sending a postcard with your name, address, phone number, email address, and how you heard about MBaM to this address:

My Bookstore and More
2932 Ross Clark Circle #384
Dothan AL 36301

All postcards must be received by October 31st, winner will be announced on November 1st, 2006

Come see our SALE PRICES on ebooks!
http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/

All Trade PRINT books are ON SALE too! 10% off cover price plus FREE Shipping! Which makes it the perfect time to pick up your copy of The Gripping Beast if you haven’t gotten around to it yet.

This blog entry shamelessly swiped from ED, who’s having her own contest. Visit her to win more Samhain books!

I’m at RTB today talking about my favorite hooks. But just so you won’t feel like your trip here was a waste of time, check out the art of Herb Ritts, Fred With Tires. The Michelin Man never looked so good…