E-Socializing

Because I didn’t have enough to do with finishing a novel, pitching three new projects, a full-time job, my beloved family, and dishes to do...I decided I needed to expand and do some electronic socializing.

So, heaven help me, I’m on Facebook now and Myspace.

I’m starting with Facebook. If you’re there, too, send me a friends request. Thanks.

I’ll get to MySpoace in a few weeks, but please understand if I don’t answer every MySpace query immediately.

This blog, though, will remain my anchor point. It will be where I post the best, juiciest stuff first.

Serious Chair

A decade ago I bought a decent chair for my home office...which over the years has slowly and methodically attempted to cripple me.

I tried every possible configuration to get it to be comfortable.

Understand that when I sit and write, sometimes I really sit for three or four hours straight, typing away (or not as the case may be). I know I need to get up every hour to stretch...but sometimes well, I’m writing!

Syne finally sat in the chair and proclaimed it a torture device.

It was time to get a “serious” chair.

This year my birthday came early and I got this: The Herman Miller® - Aeron® highly adjustable chair with leather armrests and wishbone lumbar support.

After fiddling with the bazillion or so adjustable features, it fits like a second skin, and I can sit for a very long time indeed.

Do you need a fancy chair to write? Absolutely not.

But considering I hope to spend a few more decades sitting and writing, and also figuring my mounting chiropractic bills—I thought the purchase justified.

*sits*

Ahhhh...

Worth every penny.

Now back to writing.

Proof Pages

In the slow march to producing advanced review galleys, the publisher sends the author proof pages. This is the copyedited manuscript that has been laid out with what is hopefully the final type and layout design (but not always).

The author painstakingly goes through looking for anomalies and errors and makes any alterations required.

And yes there are still errors.

At every stage, whenever anyone touches the manuscript, human error creeps in.

I am, however, delighted with the look and feel of these proofs.

I’ve included a few pictures so you can see too. (The crop marks indicate the final page dimensions).

In a few weeks it gets bound and sent off to reviewers. If I get a few I’ll have a contest here to give away a couple.

Mortal Coils Sighting!

I just saw that my forthcoming book, Mortal Coils, is up on Amazon.com! I haven’t spotted it on other bookseller sites yet (please drop me a note if you see it elsewhere and I’ll post the link).

I’m excited about this book. It’s epic: a storytelling arc that covers five novels and a million words. They are the best characters I’ve ever breathed life into. It’s a major leap forward for me, and I can’t wait for readers to get their hands on it. (Pub date is February 2009)

Here’s a sneak preview of the cover copy:

“Nothing interesting ever happened to fifteen year-old orphans, Eliot and Fiona while they’ve lived in the strict, oppressive household of their grandmother.

A chance visit, however, reveals that there is much more to the twins. They are the offspring of an immortal goddess...and Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness.

Now to settle the epic custody battle between these two families, the fallen angels create three diabolical temptations, and the immortals fashion three heroic trials to test Eliot and Fiona.

More than ever they need to stick together to survive and learn to use their budding supernatural abilities...for family allegiances are ever-shifting in the ancient, secret world they have entered.”

When cover art and more details become available, I’ll post them here. Stay tuned!