Quick update

     Just a short blurp (“blurp”?  It’s been One Of Those Days) BLURB to say I am SORRY that I haven’t kept up with things, and let poor Bitterwood’s release slide by without mention. I am a Bad Mom.

     But I have good excuses–I am going NUTSO trying to get everything together for the GayRomLit Retreat in New Orleans NEXT WEEK.  O.O  I’ll be taking Amtrak down Tuesday night and meeting up with the lovely JP Barnaby at the lovely Bourbon Orleans (pronounced in ze French fashion, s’il vous plait) Hotel, where we will socialize, drink, schmooze, visit with friends and fans and those we admire (you know who you are), and get massages. Yup. I’m officially insane–I have signed up for a very expensive massage. But what the hell; you only live once.

    So Bitterwood is out, and that’s all I can say about that, although my friend Lexi really liked it. It’s not a bad book, and it has the excellent quality of being short. And I like the characters. I’ve also sold a Christmas story, Angel Voices, which should be published around the 18th of December, again by Amber Allure.

     JP and I are tossing around the idea of a collaboration, on an epic fantasy. JP makes no bones about being brutal to her characters, and I’m finding that I’m the same way, so whatever we come up with will be full of angst. Romangst. (Sorry, I can’t claim that one; it’s not original to me. But I like it.)  As long as there is ultimately a happy ending, I’m good with it. I have some ideas about structure and character, and a kick-ass opening scene, which I will write as soon as I find the time.

     I’m working to get my swag together for GayRomLit. Those on my vampire-ghost tour will be getting a calligraphy print of a book quote, matted; a beaded string bookmark with antique typewriter keys as beads; a rainbow lollipop; a packet of postcards of my covers PLUS the fabulous “From the sketchbooks of David Philip Evans” drawings my friend Shannon did; a hummingbird bookmark; and, if they arrive on time, a little notebook in a teensy fleece hoodie. I hope they get here on time; they shipped yesterday via UPS, so I have hope. They are SO cute.  All packed in a little tote bag with a rainbow peace sign on it.  I’m also donating the postcards and bookmarks to the general GayRomLit swag bags. I hope they don’t end up in the garbage like the pens and crap tend to do. I kind of like them.

     AND then I signed up for NaNoWriMo.

     I have to. I need to finish Going Like Elsie by late November so I can submit it to Riptide, which new publishing company invited me to submit. So I kinda gotta.  Then it will back to Turbulence, my paean to small town America. Sorta.  Hopefully NaNoWriMo will push me to finish the first so I can get started on the last.

     The christening gown is ALMOST finished.

     That is all. You may now resume your regularly scheduled activities.