Music Monday: ESC 2023 is HERE!

It's Eurovision Week! Oh, to be in Liverpool this week...but here's the next best thing. All the entries are in one video! Standouts for me are Austria's Who the hell is Edgar? about two writers that are apparently possessed by the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe, France's Évidemment, which I posted previously, Tattoo by former ESC winner Loreena for Sweden, and Norway's Queen of the Kings. 
Keep an eye out for the absolutely MAD My Sister's Crown from Czechia and--in true ESC fashion, Cha Cha Cha from Finland. And finally, Blood and Glitter by Germany...pure ESC insanity and I am HERE FOR IT.

Home again, home again... May 2023 Newsletter

At this point, it's like going back home. 😏

I've been accepted as an author guest again at ConCarolinas, 2-4 June, and I'm so excited! I'm already working on my Kaylee Cosplay, with maybe a Vala Mal Doran thrown in for good measure...I'm a sucker for anything that lets me wear coveralls.

The big news about ConCarolinas this year is that it will coincide with the launch of Storm, the second in the World of Arcstone series. I will have a spot in Author's Alley, and I will definitely have copies of Storm with me so watch this space for more info on how to get yourself a signed copy if you come to the event.

From the blurb...

YOU'RE ONLY AS REAL AS YOU BELIEVE YOU ARE.

Madelyne Laurent is Em, an elven warrior in the massively multiplayer online game, Arcstone. She’s made it safely back to the real world, but what does that even mean now that her father decided to stay in the game world? And who is Alex, really - is he Lex or someone altogether different and more sinister? Em’s objective is clear until she again looks up into the Tyreanan Sky and treads the boards of the docks by that massive typhoon. Old longings resurface and this time it is up to more than just Em to figure out what is real...and more importantly, who?

As always, if you want signed copies of my books and can't make it to one of the events, contact me and let's talk about how I can make that happen. If you have a copy of one of my books, I'd love it if you'd leave me a review - that's the best way for others to find my books and for me to know how my writing is being received!

Cheers, y'all!

Music Monday: Out with the Nano, in with the Eurovision

I've packed up my tent and left my laundry in front of the washing machine, and I'm jetting off* to Liverpool for the Eurovision Song Contest because May is the month of magnificent music!! I mean, it's like the French entry says... Évidemment. 

(No captions because it is captioned already and in English.)

*There is no jetting anywhere except to the sitting room to watch the ESC 2023.

Music Monday: How Very Dare You (Warning: NSFW)

Once again, I'm diving into Tiktok for the song of the week, and like the one I posted last time, this one does not disappoint. Have you got some rage left over after you've had Paris Paloma's labor on repeat for a week? I got you, fam. While not safe for...work? Male ears? Dinner parties and other such fanciness... This song is on repeat in my head and has resurrected my connection with my MC in this month's Camp Nano, just in time to get in those last 10k words to the finish line.

What?

Anyway, enjoy...or rage. Your choice. I would also suggest checking out Chinchilla's other music because there are some amazing moments in their back catalog.

On Writing, Nanowrimo, and Writer's Block

This happens every time I attempt a Nano month, and you'd think that I would have learned my lesson by now. After all, this Camp Nano that's going on right now is the 37th time I've committed to a specific word count goal in one month.

It's a funny thing, being a writer, especially when you aren't writing for your DayJob™ income. Some days I am so ready to throw off the day's frustration and will make my target word count and then some. Other days, I know what I want to get done but none of it it happening. Every sentence is awful.

Usually, the Nano months will pull me out of that ofnadwy (my favorite Welsh word these days, means terrible) slump and get me back to putting words down. You can always sort out the good from the bad later.

Until this month. Holy Shnikes, is this an uphill battle! It's a new project but not a new genre, if you will. I've got two "manuscripts" in my hard drive that are vampire fiction and the fits and starts of a third. I think the difference is that this one is a collaboration with another author, and I'm frustrated by only hearing one of the two main characters in my head.

There is still plenty of time to go, at least. My word count target is very low, so I don't have to worry about not being able to finish, no matter how ofnadwy the end result is. If you've gotten to this point where NOTHING IS HAPPENING, how do you pull yourself out of it?

Music Monday: Not like you haven't heard this one before...

If you've been anywhere near TikTok lately, I'm sure you have heard this song by Paris Paloma. It is... well, I don't know how to contain the enormity of this song's importance in words so I'm just going to let it speak scream for itself. Please...listen. Also, no lyrics this time because the video has captions.

Music Monday: More than a little unsteady...

 Week...two of Camp Nano? Three? It has been a struggle this time, I will not lie. A lot of that difficulty is caused by trying to write in an unfamiliar world with new characters that are not that willing to speak to me yet. Meanwhile, Sath and Gin are screaming in the back of my mind to get back to their story, while Lex and Em are at the edge of the cliff, ready to jump in May when the second chapter of their story launches. Annie and Lucy have been quiet, probably because they are scouring the early 20th-century Yorkshire countryside with the constabulary, finding supernatural threats to investigate. Whatever is keeping them occupied is a good thing, because I feel they will be making a similar racket soon.

Unsteady is a good word for the character I'm working with now. More on her later, because, "Spoilers, Sweetie."

Unsteadyby X Ambassadors
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Mama, come hereApproach, appearAnd Daddy, I'm alone'Cause this house don't feel like home
If you love me, don't let go (hold)Whoa, if you love me, don't let go (hold)
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Mother, I knowThat you're tired of being aloneDad, I know you're tryingTo fight when you feel like flying
But If you love me, don't let go (hold)Whoa, if you love me, don't let go (hold)
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteadyHold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady
Hold, hold on, hold onto me'Cause I'm a little unsteadyA little unsteady

Music Monday: Leaping into Camp Nano Like...

...get it? A Catapult?

Listen, I had many other puns involving felines that were MUCH worse, so...you're welcome. 

I have a feeling I have posted this song already before it got lost in the seventy-eleven playlists that I have for every significant moment in my life, but if so, enjoy it again. Another writer I follow on Twitter just finished Darkness and referred to Sath and Gin's relationship as "delectable" (what? Maybe I AM a romance writer after all? No...). I heard this song again recently and it really does bring me into the mind of the Royals of Qatu'anari, so I'm sharing it with you. Romance with a side of never-ending danger and a bit of sarcasm - Sath and Gin all day long. Since this April's Camp Nano isn't going to be in Orana, I'm getting all my Sath and Gin vibes out here. 

Maybe. 

Probably not.

Catapultby Jack Savoretti
Following the headlightsGot to find a way back to youI can be the white knightYou can play the princessWe'll be running like outlawsHiding in the midnightBreak down them gatesLet in the sunlight
Throw me over these wallsHigh up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallI'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you are
You say you had your heart brokenWhat a stupid little thing to doNow you're tied to a train trackBut I'm a gonna comeAnd rescue youMake no mistakeI'll do whatever it takes
To get over these wallsHigh up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallOoh I'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areIf I could catapult my heart
Oh throw me over these wallsOoh high up in the atmosphereIf I could catapult my heartWatch the empire fallOoh I'm gonna get you outta hereIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areIf I could catapult my heartTo where you areI'm gonna catapult my heart

Off Camping...Again. April 2023 Newsletter

 Well, here goes nothing.

Again.

This is my 24th Camp Nanowrimo, which means 12 years of trying to fit in 2 more 30-50K word months in the year. There have been a few that didn't reach that goal, but that's okay. I just looked back at my projects, and I do have something listed for all of them at least.

This is why I preach the Nano gospel whenever someone asks me for my best advice for someone that wants to get started writing - the accountability is there, the community is there - I firmly believe it can be a great introduction to this crazy life.

So many of my books have started as Nano/Camp Nano projects, including all of the Orana Chronicles, the World of Arcstone, and the Clobberpaws/Proud Racer novels. If you have any questions about joining up for either of this year's Camp sessions (April and July) or the full Nano proper in November, I'd love to hear from you.

As always, if you want signed copies of my books and can't make it to one of the events, contact me and let's talk about how I can make that happen. If you have a copy of one of my books, I'd love it if you'd leave me a review - that's the best way for others to find my books and for me to know how my writing is being received!

Cheers, y'all!

Music Monday: Getting in a proper frame of mind...

All I can say about this video is that this is one of the best scenes from one of my favorite movies, and it positively drips with high school nostalgia for me. Camp Nano starts again on Saturday, but until then, I will be dancing around the imaginary record shop in my head to this tune. Enjoy.

Music Monday: The Oscars Edition

I am woefully out of touch as far as movies go these days, and as a result, I didn't know many of the nominees at the Oscars. A few days before, Simon sent me this video. Now I love a good Bollywood dance number, but this is something else. From the film RRR, this is Naatu, Naatu. Makes me tired just watching, but it's a good kind of tired. What a way to start spring break from the DayJob™️! Enjoy!

Music Monday: Of Hazelnut coffee and the NGA Mountains...

The song for this week was such a no-brainer that I had to search previous posts twice to make sure I hadn't already used it. But it's relatively new, released last month, so I'm good. And if not...well, enjoy it again.

This is by P!nk who is one of my favorite artists...ever. The title, Trustfall, would, of course, conjure memories of that beloved/hated team-building game, the trust fall, that was rife at summer camps the world over. My summer camp, Camp Glisson, was no exception - we formed circles and fell into each other's arms in the safe shadows of the woody north Georgia mountains, just like kids did everywhere else.

It was hard for me, and not just because I was a full-sized (and then some, but not in those days, I guess) grown adult falling into the arms of children...it was hard because I find it hard to trust. This song is a balm to that troubled part of my spirit, so I'm sharing it today. Enjoy. And have a mug of hazelnut coffee when you're done - that really does make everything better.

(This time it actually does have functional captions.)

From a storm watch to a typhoon warning: March 2023 Newsletter

 

Well, we've moved from a watch to a warning...

In a recent Music Monday post, I mentioned the last verse of "Hoist the Colors" by Hans Zimmer for Pirates of the Caribbean:

The bell has been raised
From it's watery grave...
Do you hear it's sepulchral tone?
We call to all
Pay heed the squall
And turn your sail toward home!

Storm, the highly anticipated sequel to Rift, is due out this May. Even as I type that I can hardly believe it - this seems to have come on so fast, not unlike bad weather here in this part of the US. So, sound the sirens!  PAY HEED THE SQUALL! Em and company return to Arcstone and the fated Maelstrom Instance with a bit of help from a pirate...

In the meantime, check out this exclusive excerpt from Storm. The password, of course, is Valentin.

Watch this space for pre-order information!

Music Monday: That's all I know

I heard Kelly Clarkson provide the harmonies for this song when she had P!nk on her show recently, and I can't get it out of my head. So here's almost ten minutes of goodness with these two of my favorite female artists. Great for an overcast and gloomy Monday, right? Captions on the video, too!

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Of Steam and Punks and Free Smells: February 2023 Newsletter

[If you're wondering what on earth The Lettuce is doing, this is the newsletter that goes out to folks on my mailing list about once a month, maybe more. It's going to become a regular thing around here, as I learn how to be a real author that does real marketing.]

First of all, the Atlanta Steampunk Expo was amazing. I clearly had the best smelling signing table ever, as I was next to The Dragon's Hoard soaps. My two and a half cosplays went well, which was amazing - considering I'm an old dog learning a new trick. The Lucy Boyd needs more work, but Steampunk Kaylee was a hit.

The goggles kept the hat from popping off the top of my giant head.

Now then, I'm taking this crazy on the road again in March, this time to a signing event at one of my very favorite places in SC - 742 North in Rock Hill. I've been invited to the Springtime Blooms event on March 4th. These folks are really great, and I always come away with renewed purpose as an author and loads of new author friends! Come see me! Event information from 742 North's Facebook page:

Springtime Blooms, 742 North Anderson Road, Rock Hill, SC.

As always, if you want signed copies of my books and can't make it to one of the events, contact me and let's talk about how I can make that happen. If you have a copy of one of my books, I'd love it if you'd leave me a review - that's the best way for others to find my books and for me to know how my writing is being received! 

Cheers, y'all!