I’m really bad at keeping a blog.

I only occasionally think that anything that I’m doing or thinking is really interesting enough for an entry (because I can tell a one heck of a rambling anecdote which was a skill taught to me by my grandma who talks so much that the tellers at the bank try to hide from her) so I’ll write a entry and then just erase it because its just rambling on. Much like that last sentence.

Or, its like when I first tried to publish this entry the internet pulled a fast one and lost half of a really long entry that I thought was fun and I wanted to post. I never know how I upset the Internet Gods, but I’m willing to sacrifice a few .JPEGs to regain their contrary and ever changing favor.

So, I’ve come up with a blogging plan inspired by my love of wacky internet pictures and articles. Not only to I write a different kind of romance, I also like to laugh and, while my books never are “funny”, I tend to write characters who try to keep the humor up too.

I wrote a whole long thing about the stories that I’m working on (”The Dark Path” & “Edging The Abyss”) and what draft I am on (2nd & 5th respectively), their genres (paranormal/menage & lesbian/futuristic/fantasy), and then about the early brainstorming sessions when how the Dark Path characters surprised me on their sexuality. I had hoped Misty would be a lesbian and Devon be her straight sidekick until they both got a craving for the old pulsating member. After that I wrote about the setting of “Edging the Abyss” (think fantasy version of Detroit, controlled by a tyrannical vampiric nobility, where magic and machine are mixed).

Anyway, I am alive and well.

My guilty pleasure is celebrity gossip.

Maybe it is in my blood because my grandmother has a excellent collection of old National Enquirers going back into the 70s in the attic. I would go to the store with her and we would get an issue and she would read it while I colored in my high chair. I fit into that thing until I was eight and I was so sad when I finally had to sit in a real chair.

Give me a celebrity blog and I’m a content. Add in some Milano cookies and I’ll have a nice little afternoon.

Anyone else want to confess their own guilty pleasure?

Yes, I know, I was MIA. If you didn’t notice my last post was about writer’s block and that took some time to overcome. I’m not sure if other people feel this when they have writer’s block, but I creativity went in other directions. I painted more and I did some photography, but it just wasn’t the same as getting the words down on the page. Every time I opened up the word processor, I was stuck. This blog entry explains my problems. It was so frustrating because I could walk down the street and would describe what I would see, the leaves rustling in the trees and the reflection of the street lights on the road after it rain, with ease. Maybe some day scientists will find out how to trigger the muse.

I need to apologize to the great people who helped my writing like Celia Kyle and Selah March for just disappearing for a few months. Sorry, guys, life got a little too crazy. My sister is having a baby and the experienced manager, at work, up and quit. I’ve been writing very little except for the last few weeks until I focused on one story. I do have good news as I finished the first draft of ‘The Dark Path’ which is a dark paranormal story.

I did a lot of reading when I wasn’t trying to write and I discovered a good author, Guy Gavriel Kay, who certainly can weave a good yarn.

You sit down at the computer and open up your word processor. You stare at the blank screen before suddenly remembering that you forgot to tend to the cactus in the bathroom. Cursing the hustle and bustle of modern life, you go and water the cactus, ignoring that the house is quiet and that the cactus doesn’t really need to be watered. Finally back at the keyboard, you bite your lip as the blank page stares at you. Thats when you remember that you haven’t organized your CD collection in years. You make a note to write later, but things keep popping up.

That happen to anyone else? I’ve been riding high on a bad case of writer’s block. The silver lining is that I have a very clean closet. Where does it hit you? I, usually, am fine until I get to the climax of the story and then every word is like pulling teeth.

I’m a perfectionist in weird ways. I don’t really care if things are cluttered. I don’t have great handwriting. I’ll go to the store in sweats and big sunglasses without a problem. But, I have to get the resolution and climax of the story just right. That means in an hour I’ll have around two paragraphs written because I’ll re-write older sections or re-write new sentences again and again. By then, I’ll be so frustrated that giving the dogs a bath seems like fun.

I have my word processor open, but I just remembered that I have clothes in the washer.

*disclaimer: I’m not any kind of medical professional. This is just an article born of my own experiences, opinions, and what I have found on the net. This is about education. I encourage everyone who reads this is continue on to the links at the bottom to get more information.

I don’t care if it hurts,
I want to have control.
I want a perfect body

[Creep by Radiohead]

Ana and Mia aren’t people, but they are extremely popular. Ana and Mia are codewords for two mental illnesses that get a lot of attention, but the same understanding that other mental illnesses get– none. Ana and Mia are internet codewords for anorexia and bulimia. Google them and you’ll see sites that will sicken you from seeing what vulnerable, depressed, and anguished girls are doing to themselves. You will see sites like the Pro-Anorexia livejournal which boasts that its the largest pro-anorexia site on the net and House of Thin and PAM(Pro Ana & Mia).

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I’ve been crippled with a weird stomach bug, but in my illness I have still managed to have the strength to get online and shop. Between trips to toilet to hug the old marble throne, I’ve registered and bought from the eharlequin site. Shit, now that they have that Nocturne line (recommended by Jaynie R), those deals can go to the sort of books I like best– paranormal and fantasy. I know, I know, my determination to spend money on books is astonishing. Did you know they take $4 off your first purchase when you register? And you get like 20% off when you order from the store (the shipping cost does put a dent in my enthusiasm)?

Amber Quill Press has a new gay/lesbian imprint, Amber Allure, which leaves me to ask– where’s the girl on girl action? One stinkin’ novella of the lesbian lovin’ in the WHOLE site? Though, all my bitching aside, I think its a good idea. Now, if you want some manly men making sweet sweet monkey love with other manly men, you can find the genre that you want instead of browsing through the gay/lesbian section looking for a cover that looks like a western or what have you.

Teddy Pig gives us all a lesson on how to organize our ebooks on itunes. Its very neat and he also shows how (with PICTURES) to save your ebooks on a CD. Marvelous!

December Quinn has a great series on choosing publishers up on her blog. Its something that I think that everyone starting out in the ebook business should check out. It could save some heartache later on. Trust me.

Now, my Pretties, I’m going to be sick again so enjoy these tidbits I have gathered for you.

better not go to the Romantic Times convention.

Homophobia shown toward a M/M writer.

Way to go, Romantic Times, way to show how up with the times you are. They don’t review M/M and they don’t like those authors at their cons. Wow, way to alienate the readers and writers of a rapidly growing genre. Kudos, Hyatt hotel as well.

Kathryn Falk of Romantic Times is making romance writers and publishers everywhere seem like delicate violets.
Wow! Lets hope that none of these sensitive authors try to write and post fanfic… Trust me, fanfic writers give no mercy. I thought it was cute that you have to be ‘good of heart’ to write romance.

Well, this whole kerfuffle is very timely because I had just finished a very inane book, and I was going to post my review which isn’t the nicest that I ever wrote. If any of you guys is going to commit suicide because of it, please comment and I’ll post a picture of a panda right after the bad review.