Tag Archive for 'Mark Henry'

Updates + Pimpage = Contest!

In VERY exciting news, Jane now has an Italian title! It’s La Principessa Delle Tempeste. HOW CUTE IS THAT? And I can’t wait to see what they do with the cover!

You can see a conversation about Jane in Italian, here. I have no idea what they’re saying, but it sounds sexy, doesn’t it???

Finally, you can find a contest here, run by the ever lovely and fabulous Carolyn Crane, in which you can win TL.

I am currently gearing up for the January residency of my MFA program. Students will arrive from all over the country (and a few from outside the US), descending on Greensburg to be edumacated in the art of writing popular fiction. I’m running a module on close reading, and one on urban fantasy. Totally looking forward to it! But it’s going to be crazy hectic, and the day after everyone leaves I fly to London! YAY! Let’s hope I have clean pants.

So that’s me! Busy busy busy… so busy in fact, that I’ve been very remiss in my pimpage! My pimp hand is absolutely aching with disuse, so I’d better slap it down old school with…a contest! But first of all, let’s see just what’s in need of a smackin’…

First off, Mark Henry has some fabulous news. Not only is Road Trip of the Living Dead coming out at the end of the month in mass market paper back, with a tweaked cover:

But Mark had another big announcement on his blog. Amanda Feral, my favorite zombie socialite and writer of filth, is coming at you in comic form. I don’t mean she’ll be tripping over banana peels, I mean she’s getting her own comic book, by the same people who brought you Patty Brigg’s Mercy Thompson. I’m so excited, I could spit. Maybe at him, because I’m also jealous. I’ve always “seen” Jane as a cartoon, and would totally flip to have her made into a comic.

And by flip, I mean clean your house and make you many a delicious stewed meat dish. And by “you,” I mean whoever’s out there, reading this. And by “reading,” I mean skimming till you get to the contest details.

Anyway, you know how I adore the Henrys–the dogs, the wife, the man–so I won’t spit at him. But I will covet his comic, and can’t wait to see Amanda ratcheting open those lovely jawbones!

Speaking of comics, I have another good friend with some hot comic action coming to gitcha. Over in the UK, Roger Gibson, along with Vince Danks, the huge brains behind Harker, have gone right ahead and given me a total NERDGASM with their newest Torchwood comic, Hell House. Check out this art:

I had to leave it big, cuz it’s sooo goood. Total. Nerdgasm. There’s more info on where to order the comic, here. And if you’re thinking, who are these British men? And what else have they done? Then you should order some of their  Harker comics. They’re detective stories, and I adore them, although they’re not nearly as respectful to Jessica Fletcher as they should be.

Jessica’s confused by your lack of understanding, Roger! How can you do that to her?

Jesse Petersen, however, is someone who is not confused. Instead, she rocks out with her zombie out. I adore the aesthetic of her covers, and her latest release is no exception:

The truth is, I don’t really know Jesse, as I’ve only interacted with her on social media. That said, I like her style, and hope to get to meet her soon. I also really, really want to read her books, and they’re on my schedule to get to in the next month!

One lady I do know very well, however, is my critique partner, Diana Rowland. I get to read ALL of her books before all y’all and I GLOAT about it. Because they’re so good! And I love the new covers for her Demon Mark series. Secrets of the Demon just released a few days ago, and isn’t it a beaut?

The only thing better than this cover, is the cover for her My Life as a White Trash Zombie. You are going to DIE when you see it, people. I nearly did. I nearly choked on the glory of it’s trashy zombie whiteness.

It’s amazing. And the book is awesome, too. Cuz I’ve already read it! Hoooah!

Meanwhile, there’s another Leaguer who has a story coming out in an anthology that looks hilarious. Anton’s Strout’s “Murfa,” is available in Boondocks Fantasy:


Last, but certainly not least, I feel I never properly pimped Juliet Blackwell’s latest paranormal mystery, If Walls Could Talk:

I adore Juliet, and I love her books. I’ve heard this one is great, and it’s going to be my reading on the plane over to London. So now I’m giving you my official pimp slap, lady, instead of the paltry little half slap I managed before. Cuz you deserve a full-on pimp spank, for being so awesome in so many ways.

*****LATE EDITION ADDITION! I nearly forgot Andrew Shaffer’s Great Philosophers Who Failed At Love:

There’s a quote from my Nietzsche on his website! Now there’s someone who sure did fail at love. Thank lawd for Facebook and people reminding me I suck. Sorry, Andrew!

So now that I’ve pimped, I know you’re wondering what the contest is! Well, I want you to tell me what you think is the most exciting new thing you saw here, today. Post your comment, and on February first, I’ll pick a winner from my contest can. The winner will receive one copy of any TWO books/comics discussed in this blog post, including any of the Harker comics. In other words, you can choose TWO prizes from the following selection:

  • The MMPB of Road Trip (The comic won’t be out forever, and by then you’ll have forgotten me *sniffles*)
  • Either the Torchwood issue with “Hell House,” OR any of the Harker comics on the Ariel site
  • Flip This Zombie
  • Secrets of the Demon
  • Boondocks Fantasy
  • If Walls Could Talk
  • Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love
  • And, because I can, you can also choose from my 3 books (Tempest Rising, Tracking the Tempest, or Tempest’s Legacy)

Sound good? If you pimp this contest in any way (Facebook, twitter, blogpost, biplane smoke trail) just give me a linkie-loo and you’ll get extra points, one point per each form of social media. Just let me know in comments.

I’ll post something before I leave for London, but not till after the chaos ends. It’s going to be nuts, but I’m totally looking forward to the Residency, and can’t wait to see my Writing Popular Fiction students!

Until then, be good and read some even better books! And don’t forget my other big release contest, a post below this one.

Published on January 6, 2011 in Contests, Pimpage! and Tempest's Legacy. 22 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

On Kink and Coal: Some Thoughts, Pimpage, and a CONTEST.

It is with HUGE pleasure that I announce the release of Amanda Feral’s first smut foray, A Stocking Full of Coal:

As you can see at the bottom, Stocking is part of Ellora’s Cave’s Merry Kinkmas. Meanwhile, that title, and the book itself, has made me think a lot about kink.

I know, it’s a shocker.

Seriously, though, this book is awesome. Amanda Feral is the zombie socialite creation of Mark Henry, and we first saw her snarking, boffing, and eating (and not in the kinky way) her way through Happy Hour of the Damned, Road Trip of the Living Dead, and Battle of the Network Zombies.

Now she has her own book, and it’s a doozy. Amanda has created Justine Crenshaw, a woman who gets off on people poking her in the bruise. And that’s not a euphemism. I mean a real bruise.

So yeah, it’s dark. But–considering it’s about a bruise fetishist and it’s written by a flesh-eating zombie–it’s also bizarrely romantic. For Mark’s books always work on a number of levels, and this short story is no exception. Yes, it’s a smutty tale of a woman who wants to be poked while she’s poked, but it’s also about acknowledging our own lack of control; the painful acquisition of self-knowledge that only comes with exploring all of our aspects, even the dark ones; and the sort of relationship-compromises we make that are ultimately not compromises, but about genuinely opening ourselves up to another person.

In other words, it’s about just what it says on the package…it’s about kink.

Kink is one of those words we use a lot. Well, I use it a lot. I use it as a high five–”Girl, that is kinkeh!” I use it sarcastically– “I’m going to the grocery store.” “Ooo, kinkeh.” Sometimes I use it to indicate that someone has actually managed to shock me– “Oh. Wow. That is kinky.” Kink, in other words, can mean everything and nothing to me, like so many words we use and abuse in our society.

Dictionaries, meanwhile, agree that kink is something sexual which is “deviant,” or “peculiar.” For most of my friends, however, kink is usually stripped of the negative connotation that such definitions imply. Kink’s not merely something to be dismissed as wrong; instead it’s seen as something enlightening–we focus on the act of overcoming, or at least thinking through, the affective response we get from things that we find to be deviant or peculiar. Such challenges slap us in the face with our own expectations and assumptions and make us think differently about what we consider “normal.” And that’s what kink does, and why it can’t, really, be defined. After all, what I consider kinky is totally banal to others; while things another person considers totally beyond the pale are staid to me.

But we see, in Amanda’s short story, how kink is so much more than a measuring stick by which to judge others by such terms as “deviant” or “peculiar.” Instead, kink is about exploring our dark side, accepting our lack of control, and genuinely sharing ourselves with another person.

Justine knows that she’s got “issues,” and that they’re embodied (quite literally) in her bruise fetish. But that doesn’t matter–it is what it is. It’s her “thing,” but it’s also her shame. She hides her fetish. In doing so, however, she hides herself. And she suffers the consequences.

It’s only when she shares–when she opens up both her pain and her pleasure–that she finds redemption. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but like with most romances, this does have a happy ending. And yet, this happy ending isn’t a deus ex machina easy fix to a broken person. Instead, I think it reflects a reality about sex and sexuality that is very honest and true, even if it’s “packaged” in an imaginary fashion. The bruise fetish may be made up, but what Justine goes through seems very real, to me.

For what Justine really shares, when she shares her fetish, is herself. Not the part that we all present to the world–the J. Alfred Prufrock version, with our collars mounted firmly to our chins–but the stripped-naked, vulnerable core of ourselves. Quite literally, she shows her lover where she hurts, and indicates that she can’t get over that hurt–that she needs to feel it, over and over, to feel alive.

And instead of judging, her lover attempts to understand her, both with his mind and his body. He gives her a form of acceptance that challenges him, in turn. Indulging her fetish confronts his own expectations of paternalism and protectiveness, making him think beyond normative versions of masculine kindness and love to see how an act of apparent cruelty is the real kindness in this strange situation.

In other words, he puts aside his own issues and expectations to explore a woman who excites him. They both open themselves up–an ultimate act of bravery in our often cynical, closed-off world.

So for Kinkmas, maybe explore your kinks. Please don’t think you need to run off and boff the mailman, or commit sex acts on any rooftops. Kinks don’t have to be all that kinky–they’re what make you vulnerable, not your neighbor or your best friend. Try sharing yourself, a little, if there’s someone you think you can trust and who you think deserves that trust.

It’s a hell of a lot more exiting than a partidge in a pear tree, I can assure you. ;-)

And in the meantime, run out and buy Stocking Full of Coal. It’s so good, people. I’ll never look at the edge of a table the same way again, and I already looked at them funny. Meanwhile, for why I heart Mark Henry, check out his vlog on Wicked Little Pixie’s website. Hilarious!

Finally, how about a contest? If you buy Stocking Full of Coal and send me some sort of proof–a pic of you with it loaded on your ereader, the receipt, whatever–and COMMENT on this post to remind me it’s there (my inbox is a mess ;-) )–I’ll enter you to win EITHER an MP3 CD or the CD of Kate Reinders reading Tempest Rising.

Send me your proof to iheartselkies(at)gmail(dot)com.

I’ll randomly choose a winner on Christmas Eve Day, Friday December 24th. This is a separate contest from the one below, in which you can also win the audiobook of TR. ;-)

So go forth, purchase Stocking and enter to win an audiobook! Fun!

Published on December 16, 2010 in Contests, Pimpage! and Reviews. 0 Comments Tags: , , .

Seattle: Reunions and Signings and Reunions, Oh My!

The day after Kat’s signing (with which I left you, last), Mark Henry and I had our OWN signing. It was also supposed to be our Edinburgh Reunion night, with everyone getting together beforehand. So Ruth and I didn’t want to do too much that day, as we knew we had a long night in front of us. Therefore, we wandered around to some shops, then we found ourselves once again strapped into the pedicure chair. As you might remember from our Road Trip last summer, we get our nails done a lot on our vacations. It’s really a bit ridiculous. But so enjoyable! Just ask Dr. Ruth:

We then went for Thai food. It was both delicious AND titillating:

Besides Penetrating, there was another dish involving the word “Pulsating.” Who could resist such descriptions? We ended our day out with cookies from Macrina, and some showing off of our nails:

Duck and fish are friends! After that, we lounged around for a bit before getting ready for the Reunion/Signing. Synde joined us at our apartment, and we had to take a picture of the fabulousness:

(We’re also rehearsing for the fifties dresses we’re wearing to the wedding, which will require some major shoulder throwbacks and posing. We’re limbering up the coccyx muscles, otherwise chaos could ensue!)

Before the signing started, we all met up at the Pub at Third Place, which was awesome. I don’t have many pictures from this part of the evening, as it mostly consisted of people squealing and hugging as various members of our Edinburgh contingent wandered in. It was SO good to see everyone, and I felt so lucky to have such amazing friends.

After we’d had some beers, we all headed upstairs for the actual reading and signing at Ravenna Third Place Books. It was a great crowd and a great space!

For our readings, we swapped books. I started out reading Mark’s particularly filthy opening scene from Battle of the Network Zombies. All I’ll say is that it involves a churn, a corn cob, and a buttery snootch. Mark said he was reading my book, but actually busted out with some deliciously filthy erotic. This swap was particularly awesome considering we were stationed next to the children’s department. Sorry kiddos! It was hilarious, but I think everyone was a bit disappointed when Mark ceased reading the erotica and started reading my book, instead.

All I have to say is “rod of dominion,” people.

The questions afterward were fun, and Mark gave out Jesus bandaids for those who asked us something. He’s generous like that. He also offered a pill bottle cocktail shaker to anyone who would cup someone’s genitals, but there were no takers. Crowds are tough these days, let me tell you. But despite the lack of genital cupping, we had a great time and here we are, triumphant:

I’m not sure whether I’m giving a peace sign, throwing a gang symbol, or enacting some scissoring, but we’ll just go with it. All in all, I think everyone had fun. I do know that I got to wear my new fascinator and the Wee Dram got in some reading time with her mom, Mrs. Whisky. And I love all my friends for attending! Thanks guys!

After the signing, we headed over for Pie and Pints. There are few things on earth I like better than a meat pie, but pie is even better when it’s combined with something just as good, like pints. So I was in heaven at Pie and Pints. Not least because Jesus ended up in my cleavage. What can I say, things like that happen when Mark’s around!

We had a huge crowd taking up basically the entire middle section of the restaurant, but the place did an awesome job serving us with both speed and sass, a combination I love.

And the food was delish. Here are some full frontal food shots. Synde’s mac and cheese was to die for!

We had an awesome time at the pub, and much beer was consumed. Huge thanks to everyone for coming to the signing, and never once complaining that I hijacked Edinburgh Reunion Night. It was so lovely to see all of you, and I totally appreciated your support!

The next day kicked off the build up to Matt and Mariah’s wedding. Ruth and I met Mrs. Whisky and the Wee dram for lunch and some girlie gossip. I hadn’t seen Kristin for ages, and we’ve both been so busy we hadn’t even found time to talk since the last time I went to the UK. Which, frankly, is unacceptable on my part. But it was fabulous to see her and the baby and catch up on everything in our lives.

After lunch, Dr. Whisky himself met us at the restaurant. They’re such a gorgeous family!

They also have very exciting news: They’re moving back to London. Which makes me unbelievably excited, as it’s another awesome excuse to cross the pond as often as possible. I love Britain, with my reasons for loving her grow all the time. This time x3! ;-) Which will necessitate Much Visiting, as who will teach the Wee Dram to snark if not her Auntie Nikki? I mean, I have a duty here, people. I must learn the childrens good, like Whitney the Wise said all those years ago.

After lunch, we all went up the Space Needle (or the Spiceh Noodle, as it quickly became in our parlance). It was fun and Ruth took some gorgeous pics of Seattle you can see on my Facebook page. We were being right proper touristers!

After the Spiceh Noodle, we met up with everyone for my favorite kinda tour . . . a Duck Tour!

It was super fun, especially since we were surrounded by friends!

After the duck tour–which was a really good one, and I’d highly recommend the Seattle operation–we went to a restaurant right down the street from our apartment for a combination stag/hen night with Matt and Mariah. It was so much fun: lots of food, booze, and dancing.

Here’s my “I love Hendrick’s!” face, followed closely by my, “Don’t judge my love of Hendrick’s!” face (otherwise known as my “I’ll cut a bitch!” face):

And here are Judith and Dr. Whisky looking at me with their, “Shit, she’s already hitting the sauce,” faces:

By the end of the night, we were all bombed, danced out, and sweaty. Plus, Rootie’s hat had a mishap:

But all in all, the evening was sublime. So much laughter that my sides ache this morning. People had flown in from Brussels, Britain, and Australia, and everyone was ready to party. Which might be why we had our vuvuzelas confiscated. But all good things must come to end, and to (night)cap it off, Ruth and I went with Dr. Whisky for a quiet Old Fashioned down the street, where we talked of the Whiskys’ upcoming move and just how often I could visit.

And best of all, I got to eat the cherries! Score!

At about midnight (hey, it had been a long day!) we called it quits. But not before getting one last slice of NYC style pizza stuffed in our gobs. It was a fabulous few days, and it makes me miss my Edinburgh friends very much. But one of the things we all talked about was the Next Thing To Get Us All Together, and we came up with quite a few ideas. So this certainly isn’t the last Edinburgh reunion, and I still have until Sunday to enjoy my friends before Real Life comes a-callin’.

Today Ruth’s out bicycling around the city with some other folks, but I stayed home to do some work, laundry, and some packing. And because the last time I was on a bike, I fell into a dumpster in Granada, Spain. It was awesome.

But tonight is Pizza and Pints (seriously? I love this city) with everyone, and tomorrow morning, bright and early, we’re getting up to have our hair done in big, fifties bouffants to match our big, fifties dresses. Then we’re off to Bainbridge Island to see Matt and Mariah get hitched! Yay for them!

So see you soon! And in the meantime, hug yer friends and let them know you care. Then steal the cherries from their drinks. ;-) It’s the only way to roll.

Published on August 6, 2010 in Appearances, Food!, My Travels, Nicole Peeler and Signings. 3 Comments Tags: .

Seattle: The Beginning

Hello everybody! I wasn’t going to blog until after my vacay, but then I realized that was dumb. I’m here for like a week and a half, and if I don’t keep up with the blogging it’ll be ridiculous. I’ll end up with a monster blog post that NEVER ENDS, plus I’ll have forgotten everything from the beginning of the trip by the time I get to the end of the trip.

So I’m going to be a Good Blogger and blog every few days or so, depending on what I’ve done and whether or not I’m sober. There will be no drunk-blogging on this site, let me tell you! Not after that last time, with the team of oxen . . . ;-)

To tell you the truth, I couldn’t have been happier to leave Pennsylvania when I did. It’s not the state: I’m actually really enjoying my new home. It’s the BOXES and the never ending unpacking that was getting to me. Plus, I made another move from a place where I had tons of friends, love, and support to another new place where I know virtually no one. I know I’ll make friends quickly and everything will be fine, but for right now I’m a bit lonely.

So this trip to Seattle is perfect. I got into my new place, and could (mostly) unpack while ordering the things I really needed right away. Then I left as soon as I started to get bored and feeling a mite solitary, to go to a city where I already know quite a few people, and to which a load of my closest friends will shortly be descending. Which rocks! Plus, I’m here till the day before my orientation at my new job begins, where I will (hopefully) meet some people to bother incessantly with my need for human contact and social drinkiepoos. Score!

Because I was feeling a bit morose the day I left PA, I indulged myself by eating a Platter o’ Fat from the Pittsburgh airport’s TGIFridays. It was horrifying and delicious, as only a platter of American appetizers can be.

I ate about a quarter of it, and felt sick for about an hour after. But I gotta say, there is nothing more glorious than a fried stick of cheese. And then I proceeded to eat even MORE cheese, that night. Cheese baked, whipped, and/or set on fire, but I’ll get to that…..

Miraculously, especially as I was flying through O’Hare, all of my flights were on time. Which meant I got to join Kat Richardson and Mr. Kat’s anniversary dinner. They were so sweet to invite me, and I really appreciated the invitation, the kindness of their friends, and the deliciousness of the restaurant, Panos Kleftikos. The food was amazing. I’m a big fan of Greek food, and in my time I’ve done my fair share of damage to the baked feta. But this place was really, really good and the homemade pita nearly broke me with tastiness. There was also a LOT of red wine consumed from little highball glasses, my favorite way to drink it. Here’s Kat and me:

And Kat’s friend Lance, doing a fabulous impression of how everyone should leave a Greek Taverna (ie, carried out by friends):

I had such a blast, and I really appreciated how welcoming everyone was on my first night in Seattle!

This morning I woke up, showered, and immediately headed to the Starbucks downstairs to write some Jane. On the flight over to Seattle, I got my outline all sorted for what should be a very tight, very fast-paced, and pretty awesome fourth book, Eye of the Tempest. I already have fifty pages I’m fairly in love with, but had gotten stuck as I had NO IDEA what the middle of the book would contain. Luckily, my amazing Ideas Factory, Christie Ko, helped me out and after a few powwows with her, I knew I was ready. So I got the book all outlined on the plane, and this morning I did a Shit Ton of writing. I’m loving this book, so far. The “point” of this book is Jane, alone, really coming into her own, which I find such an exciting and inspiring idea. There’s also a lot of shenanigans, and an early scene that I think will make all my Anyan fans happy.

Around lunch time, the ever fabulous Psynde came to pick me up from Starbucks. For those of you unfamiliar with Psynde, she makes amazing jewelry for Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy series and for Jaye Well’s Sabina Kane series. She’s also thinking of picking up Jane and doing some jewelry for my series. I loved her ideas (think a gothier, punkier Betsey Johnson look) and I think my characters (Grizzie!) could inspire some great looks.

What do you think? Do you guys like that idea? Would you buy some Tempest inspired jewelry?

I had a great time with Psynde. She took me to sign stock at the downtown Barnes and Noble and Borders, and we did some shopping (hello, Fluevogs!). We also went to the most amazing place for lunch, which I can’t recommend highly enough. It’s called Dahlia Lounge, owned by celebrity chef Tom Douglas:

I had the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in a long time while I was there: a super-posh grilled cheese with this absolutely gorgeous tomato soup. It was heavenly, as only really simple comfort foods made with the best ingredients can be. Here’s a pic:

After lunch we shopped around more, and Psynde took me to some other great places. We also had really delicious coffee at The Chocolate Box. All in all it was a fabulous day. Right now it’s early evening, however, and I am beat. Partly I’m tired from the time change, but partly because I think this is the first day I’ve been able really to relax in a while. I think I’m going into crash mode, which will probably mean watching a movie and falling asleep early. Both of which sound absolutely delightful.

Tomorrow I’m seeing my friends who are getting married next week, and Sunday I’m headed out to Mark Henry’s abode to do some writing and play with his tiny, tiny dogs. I can’t wait to meet Yoda for realz! Maybe I can star in that day’s Yoda Break.

Don’t forget that Mark and I are doing a signing next Wednesday. It will probably be very, very inappropriate and very, very fun. So don’t bring your kids, but feel free to bring your potty mouths, snark, and maybe a bottle of cheap hootch in a paper bag.

Ciao for now!

Published on July 30, 2010 in Appearances, Eye of the Tempest, Food!, My Travels and Nicole Peeler. 6 Comments Tags: , .

RT in Review

I have one thing to say about Romantic Times: I loved it.

The fans were awesome, I had SO MUCH FUN with the League and the other authors, and the con, itself, couldn’t have been more well organized. I also adored Columbus and the actual location of the convention. There’s nothing worse, to me, than being trapped in the middle of nowhere in a hotel, but the Hyatt Columbus is in a great area, close to bars, restaurants, and even a farmer’s market where you could buy fresh produce and deliciously evil ice cream.

I arrived a day late, unfortunately, to find that things were already in full swing. And by full swing I mean most of the League already looked decidedly hung over. The rest of the con was a bit of a blur, but a blur of hilarity; loads of fantastic friends, both old and new; and, admittedly, a lot of food and booze. Here’s a wee RT in Pictures (some of which I’ve stolen from other people’s websites–with permission–as I’m rubbish at taking photos):

The Hyatt Columbus did some really smart customer outreach by having a Twitter Fairy: Basically, people were hashtagging #RT10 on Twitter, and if anyone said anything about needing hangers, for example, hangers would magically appear in their room, that night. Pretty soon people caught on, and I asked for dancing girls and champagne. I got the champagne, which was lovely. And the hotel, in general, was wonderful: clean, great service, and an absolutely marvelous location. The nearby North Market was my heaven.

I’m sure y’all have seen other pics of Diana Rowland’s Creepy Doll, but here are two from my own phone. In the first, Kat Richardson reacts with appropriate horror. In the second, Dakota’s maternal instincts extend even to Creepy Doll, whom Dakota teaches to play drums. Creepy Doll only tried to stab Dakota twice with the drum sticks. I love the look on Jeanne Stein’s face almost as much as I love Jeanne, herself. Classic! And you can just see Carolyn Crane peeping out behind Jeanne. She’s adorable! Carolyn, Jeanne Stein and I will be rocking Rom Com this summer, so look out for us, if you’re there.

Meanwhile, Diana took that damned doll everywhere. Here she is out with us for food (fried cheese curds!). That’s me, Jaye Wells, Tor’s Heather Osborne, and Zombie Joe (who made us lovely cupcakes). Meanwhile, I stole this picture directly from Lucienne Diver’s blog. Lucienne is an agent and writer and absolute bombshell who I really enjoyed hanging out with. Check out the rest of her RT pics at her site!

Here’s another couple of pics from Lucienne’s site:

Me with John Scalzi and my gorgeous critique partner, Diana Rowland.

I was rocking out my vampire heart fake tattoos, and for the final big night I went for something super subtle and classy. It’s about time the girls earned their keep!

Probably the coolest thing at RT was the League and our Passports to Snark. Mario Acevedo and Mark Henry cooked up the plan, and it worked a treat. And by treat, I mean I have never seen such foulness spewed onto a page as was spewed onto those passports. And everything said about me (especially by Mario!) is a foul lie. A lie, I tell you! A lie.

Here’s my little set up for the GINORMOUS signing on Saturday. I was sitting on the very end of a slightly extended row. So I watched as the doors to the signing opened, and hundreds of people came running towards me . . . and then past me, and on to J. R. Ward’s ticketed line. I had a good giggle, at that, once I came out from underneath my chair.

Dinner with @jayewells and @NicolePeeler whoa!! on Twitpic

Another highlight of RT was the fact my wondrous editor, the Eye of Sauron herself, Devi Pillai, came to RT! She took Jaye Wells and me to  a lovely dinner, and here’s a picture Devi took of the two of us. I think I should get the tattoos for real. My mother would be thrilled.

My final night at RT (Saturday) meant only one thing: Suite party (hosted by the effervescent Michele Bardsley), featuring Erotic Readings by the League. Apparently it’s an old tradition, one that I was thrilled to enjoy. But before the readings, there were all sorts of shenanigans. Including the gifting of these Fetish Feet to Mark Henry, although the model in question is the absolutely fabulous Sophie Littlefield. I hung out quite a bit with her, Julie Goodson Lawe, and Rachael Herron. I am slightly obsessed with all three of them, as they are rockin’ ladies.

Here are some live action shots of Mark Henry and Stacia Kane reading their amazing, amazing smut. The word “glutinous” was used at some point, and not to describe Elmer’s Glue. I was transfixed and inspired. Look for “glutionous” in my next work . . . it will be hot. And sticky.

To round out my pictures, I’ll leave you with my favorite of the lot. The moment Stacia broke Mark. It was beautiful.

Enjoy! And I will definitely be seeing you at RT, next year, in LA. If I were any more excited, I could spit. Glutinously!

Published on May 6, 2010 in Conventions, My Travels and Nicole Peeler. 10 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

More League Pimpage!

Now that I have strengthened my wrists by giving my professional pimp smack to Dakota Cassidy’s oeuvre, I am going to turn my palm of pimpage over to . . . Mark Henry!

For today, Mark’s first book, Happy Hour of the Damned, comes out in mass market paperback, to stores everywhere:

And I highly, highly recommend that you buy it, people. Here’s why:

A) I love Mark! He’s not only one of the wittiest, snarkiest, smartest men I know, he’s also one of the kindest. Believe it or not, snark and sensitivity can go together. So Mark’s a stand up guy, who does a LOT of the work for the League site AND lets me follow him around conventions when I’m feeling like I really can’t socialize with people in Spock ears anymore.

B) I love Mark’s books! More important, really, than Mark being a great guy is the fact that Mark writes great books. Mark could be a complete douche and I would still read his novels, because they’re AWESOME. I am now going to further bullet point this post so that I can outline Why Mark’s Books Are Awesome:

  • They’re hilarious! Yes, they’re so funny you’ll wee a little. And then he’ll have a footnote making fun of you for doing so.
  • They’re also really disturbing, and not just in a horror way. Mark writes about zombies who are super lovable, actually, on a lot of levels. Except that they eat people, and usually homeless people. As the reader, I’m like, “OMG, they’re people! She can’t eat people! That’s terrible!” But Amanda keeps insisting to us that we’re being overly sensitive, considering how we treat our homeless. And I’m all, “Excuses, excuses, Amanda!” Then I went to San Francisco for my yearly pilgrimage. And literally STEPPED OVER homeless people sleeping on the street. Because that’s what we do–we neglect our own, telling ourselves they are the Other due to their mental illnesses, or their inability to cope with reality, or their lack of get up and go. But what we’re really doing is allowing other humans to suffer, often under terrible mental and physical burdens, and when we close our doors at night we shut ourselves off and tell ourselves it’s okay to do so. By having Amanda eat the kinds of people we ignore, Mark embarks upon a project not unlike Jonathan Swift’s “Modest Proposal.” We laugh, but we think . . . and thinking is that critical first step towards action.
  • Basically, then, Mark writes my perfect books. They’re hilarious! Entertaining! They do what mass market fiction should do . . . but they’re also really smart, really provocative, and you’re not just filling your head with cotton candy.

I’ll stop bullet pointing now. The whole point of this post is that if you’re looking for a new series that is as smart as it is fun, Mark Henry’s for you. And now he’s released in mass market, which means not only a cheap price but an easier book to hold. You can read it one handed! What you do with that other hand is entirely up to you. But I wouldn’t recommend you take any tips from Amanda and experiment with Icy Hot . . . Really, Mark, Icy Hot? I’m still cringing.

Curious? Then go forth and buy people . . . Amanda Feral needs you!

Published on February 2, 2010 in Pimpage! and Uncategorized. 13 Comments Tags: , , .