Saturday it was 111 degrees in my town! Where do I lodge a protest? Although it sure makes nice pool weather as long as you don’t try to walk on the cement.  We also rented the movie NEW IN TOWN. We should have known. We had seen previews for the movie and looked for it in the theaters–it never showed up. Must have gone straight to DVD. Why? Boring! At least that’s my opinion. So boring, that while the movie was on, I discovered ants in my kitchen and I was actually grateful for the break in the monotony of the movie. Cleaning up ants was more entertaining than the movie. Seriously, BORING.

I hate ants by the way.  right now I can almost hear them regrouping, strategies, planning more evil to spring on me.

One of my bright spots in my weekend was reading Nalini Singh’s ANGEL’S BLOOD. I love that book! It was different, sexy and fast paced. Really cool. I don’t recommend it if it’s going to bother you that she really twisted Angel Mythology. But if you’re willing to do with her world building, then read it!

Reading this book, though, got my thinking about building up reader expectations.  Of course every reader is different. But for me, the sexual tension was very hot.  So hot, that I found the sex scene (which is a payoff scene) a bit less than I was expecting.  In other words, I didn’t think the payoff matched the build up. NOW this  didn’t diminish my enjoyment of the book,  it’s just something that’s sticking in my mind. I read other books with no full on sex scenes and don’t even notice.  But in this book, I noticed.  I’m curious, do you guys ever feel that way? There’s a build up that doesn’t quite pay off for you personally?

I still highly recommend ANGEL’S BLOOD!! It is hot.

How was your weekend? And for those of you that went the RWA conference, how was it???

No really, they are signs. Real signs.

Yeah but what about witches?

I’ll be careful who I let onto my broom!

Absolutely no desire to go on that property.

A town? A person? A political statement?

It’s hard for me to pick my favorite but I think it’s this one because it was probably an accident

What’s your favorite? Have a great weekend, witches!

I have a craving. I’d show up pictures but the Internet is NOT cooperating. So you’ll have to use your imagination. I want either:

1) Dairy Queen Chocolate Dipped Ice Cream Cone

2) McDonalds Chocolate Sunday

3) Wendy’s Chocolate Frosty

I think I want all three right now. And Maybe a chocolate buttermilk donut too. Not that I’m feeling any book stress…

What about you? Do you have cravings?

Don’t blame me if the title doesn’t make sense–it’s over a 100 degrees here, the plot lines in my book have turned into live wires and there’s not enough Appletinis!

Book covers fasincate me.  I’m not visual, and my involement in the cover art process is to give them an outline of the characters, conflict and important pieces of the story. The magic the art department created for my books, along with editorial and sales input amazes me! I love my covers.

But I don’t love ALL covers.  Take this one:

 I’ll never forget the first time I saw that TITLE! I couldn’t believe it. I heard about it from a copy editor.  But the book is in an erotic line of books, so I though, “Huh, okay.” Then they came out with this cover:

BIG? ASS? Where????? That’s all I’m saying. I could starve, working our from dawn to dusk and my butt would still never look like that. And yes, I’m jealous if you must know.  I haven’t read the book.

Here’s one I bought for cover alone. i just liked the back and the tattoo.  I did read this one!

And while looking around,  I came across this one–now I want to read it! The combination of the title, THE SPY WHO WANTS ME, with an opened shirt over washboard abs…who can I resist!

So to recap, a tiny, doll like butt called BIG SPANKABLE ASSES doesn’t work for me.  Hot men? Heck yeah!

What about you?

Looking for a job? I saw this ad

Wookey Hole, famous for its beautiful limestone caves, is home to a family theme park. The company that manages the park wants to hire someone to play a witch and is willing to pay them £50,000 ($81,000) a year to cackle at visitors, teach courses in magic, and (here’s the catch) live in the caves. 

The things I find on the Internet! Not sure I like the cackle stereotyping. Don’t they know that witches are smart, beautiful and powerful women? Sigh.

On Friday, I had to run into Wal Mart. i promised myself I would JUST buy the light bulbs I needed. I came out the WRONG light bulbs and  a book.  SPELL OF THE HIGHLANDER by Karen Marie Moning. I thought the title was familiar, so I looked at the copyright, it was 2009. Cool I bought it.

Sigh…I’ve already  read it. The was a second copyright that I didn’t see. I am, however, reading it again!

Sunday, I met my sister at Barnes and Nobles. I told myself, don’t buy any books. I have a deadline, yada, yada, yada. I walked out with two books, (Jim Butcher and Nalini Singh). But seriously, how can you do into a bookstore and not buy books?

And on on the wrong light bulbs? My husband shook his head, laughed, then took them back and got the right ones.

How was your weekend?

Okay, yeah, I know. Publishing can be a little mind bending.

But SOUL MAGIC’s release date has been “updated.”

It will be released  October 27th 2009 which makes it a November Release.

Anyone else confused? LOL! Seriously, my editor,  her assistant and all the folks over at Ballantine (Random House) work very hard, and I appreciate everything they do! This was MY fault. I believe this was the correct release date all along and *I* got the wrong information. I should have double checked. I’m sorry for any confusion!

Right now, I’m stirring up a spell to try and make this release date stick!

Is it just me? Or is anyone else annoyed by the coverage of Michael Jackson? But since we can’t get away from the coverage today, and because I’m hot, tired and unable to think of anything else to blog about,  I have two questions about Michael Jackson.

1) Do you think that, in a romance novel, it would be possible to redeem a person with Michael Jackson’s history into a romantic hero?  (My answer, I’m not a skilled enough writer to do it, but better writers than me probably could)

2) What’s your favorite Michael Jackson song? (My answer Billie Jean)

Let’s hear your answers!