Congrats to arzu, who won Twice in a Lifetime by Shawn Lane! Twice in a Lifetime will be released on September 5 by Amber Allure.
Congrats to Tara, who won What To Do With Lore by Jade Archer! What To Do With Lore will be released by Total-E-Bound on September 6.
Congrats to kasjo_peja, who won Gay Day! Gay Day! (G-A-Y, Book 11) by Kim Dare! Gay Day! Gay Day! will be released on September 6 by Total-E-Bound.
Contests
- Liquid Silver Books is having a Labor Day Weekend Author’s Blog Hop, which starts today.
- Lea’s giving away any one of Jaci Burton’s Wild Riders romances! Leave a comment before midnight EDT, September 3 (aka today) – check back on the 4th to see if you won.
- Mandi’s giving away five copies of Larissa Ione’s latest Demonica novel, Sin Undone. Contest is open (US/Canada only) through September 4.
- Everyone who leaves a comment on Kim Dare’s newsletter post will have the chance to win an ebook from her backlist, or an IOU for a future release.
- Blodeudd’s giving away two copies of Carolyn Brown’s new western romance, Hell, Yeah! – leave a comment by September 6 for your chance to win. (US and Canada only)
- Devon Rhodes is giving away an ebook copy of her latest m/m romance, The Swap, to someone who leaves a comment about their least favorite job. Contest closes midnight PDT, September 6, and the winner will be announced on the 7th.
- Go read Heidi Cullinan’s newsletter and find out how you can win a signed paperback (your choice) of one of her books. Winner will be selected September 11.
- Torquere Press is celebrating seven years in business with a somewhat complicated contest… but you could win a Nook.
- EH is running a contest open only to addresses outside the US and Canada, with three different book prize packs available. For your chance to win, leave a comment by midnight, September 30.
- Patti has issued a football challenge – do you think your team can be the New Orleans Saints?
Bookity
- New releases: Lily (m/m romance), Elisa (GLBT releases for August), All About Romance (romance audiobooks), Sidhe Vicious Reviews (UF/PNR), SciFiGuy (adult UF/PNR and young adult UF/SFF/PNR), Smokin’ Hot Books (UF/PNR they’re anticipating), and Katiebabs (things she’s looking forward to).
- Excellent post on m/m romance, which does a superb job rebutting one of the crazy-making posts from a week or so ago.
- A cute kid’s video called “It’s a Book.” I don’t think we’re quite there yet, but…
- The bookcase coffin?!
- Interesting post about cat people in science fiction from Tor.com.
- Patti reviewed the Hide-A-Cover book cover, for when you’re tired of people judging your books by their covers.
- Bookity linkity posts from Dear Author and ReadReactReview.
- Katiebabs is curious about your kryptonite books – the books that you mean to read, but that you keep putting off or putting down.
Ebookity
- The GLBT Bookshelf is having a digital rummage sale during September, during which you can purchase all sorts of ebooks at great prices to help support the Bookshelf.
- The University of Chicago Press is offering the 1906 edition of the Chicago Manual of Style as a free download this month. Make sure you use the link in the “Update” section of this post to get the DRM-free version! (Thanks, KZ!)
- TeleRead has a nice list of where you can find free textbooks online.
- Gizmodo reports on the new Sony ereaders. So does Teleread.
- TeleRead highlights some recent Kindle 3 reviews.
- Although this is a humorous bit about how much thought people put into buying $0.99 apps for their phones, I wonder if it could be applied to, say, ebooks?
Make, Do, Learn, Think
- If you have or are considering student loans, make sure you read this. Then go look at college tuition compared to the US home prices and the Consumer Price Index and wonder when that bubble’s going to burst.
- August was the weakest month of car sales since 1983. Maybe people are realizing that they don’t need to replace their cars as often as the automobile industry keeps pushing us to? *sends happy longevity thoughts out to beloved 1997 car*
- Curious what cities are “recession-proof”? More than one of them is in Iowa.
- Patti wrote a powerful post about how she feels five years after Hurricane Katrina.
- New York City’s water is full of invisible shrimp – how does that work out for people with shellfish allergies?!
- Have an earworm? Unhearit will help you get rid of it… by possibly giving you a new one. 🙂
- The Subway Map of Science is very cool.
- If you’re a student looking for credible sources on the internetz, give SweetSearch a try.
- Make a cheap laptop stand using some spare IKEA parts.
- I wonder if I could make a gluten-free variation of these homemade Pop Tarts on a stick?
Linkity Peeps
- Random stuff from Sidney, including a very funny spider video that you have to watch.
- Kristi has craft, photography, food, and humor linkity.
- NSFW WTFery from Katiebabs.
Cool
- The Human Calendar. (Thanks, Jeanne!)
- The Star Wars cross-stitch baby blanket and pillow set is adorable!
- Love the Caffeination Status Coffee Cozy!
- Might there be a math geek in your life who’d love a necklace that has pi to the first 100 places?
- Dr. Who fans can probably guess what that blue box on top of the Small Dome at MIT is…
- The next time I’m in Chicago, I must go to the coffee shop that has a Delorean parked inside it.
Huh
- Maybe shirtless jumping should be an Olympic sport…
- How to traumatize a kid for life: a heat-seeking automated Nerf sentry gun that keeps firing once it “gets a lock.”
- Buy a six-pack of beer, complete with tuned beer bottles.
- An artist took pictures of the same McDonald’s hamburger and fries every day for four months… and they were remarkably unchanged.
- Critters that smugglers tried to sneak onto planes in their luggage this week: a sedated tiger cub and 97 snakes.
LOL
- Hyperbole & a Half on social entrapment. Love this quote: “One of the most difficult aspects of interacting with other people is figuring out how to extricate yourself from a conversation without appearing rude or mentally unstable.”
- Check out this great Dancing in the Movies video – guaranteed to make you smile.
- Sex scene or murder scene… the game (I think there are five total games).
- I hope this kitty doesn’t hold a grudge…(Thanks, MamaTulip!)
- This seems a bit ominous if you’re superstitious.
- Hmm. Might not be wise to prop your ereader or iPad on your cat…
- What happens when you try to put your cat in the carrier or give it a bath…
Teh Cute
- Completely adorable mini fake DSLR cameras (1/6 scale), complete with interchangeable lenses.
- Kitties in boxes! (Thanks, MamaTulip!)
- Did you hear about the cat that got on a train and was eventually reunited with its owner via Twitter?
- A macaque monkey adopts a kitten in the wild.
- Melly belly floof! A Whatsit! Baby otter with attitude! Baby fox in a box (but no socks)! Red panda sticking out its tongue! Kitties on books! Dormouse! Tiger cubs nursing from a dog! Floofy kitten! Black fawn! Baby opossum! Kittens! Stoats! Very young kittens! Kittens! Kittens! Baby panda! Kittens! Hungry kittens!
Reading Update
Unconventional (Conventions, Book 3) by T.C. Blue. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a computer game programmer, not able to work due to a lawsuit, who moves to California to live with his deeply closeted actor boyfriend.
Duet by Eden Winters. ebook. Excellent m/m romance that’s a bit challenging for me to categorize. The first half takes place in the Scottish Highlands 200 years ago and the second half takes place in the present day. This is a story about an English tutor/violinist and about the Scottish heir who despises the English. It’s the story of a love that transcends the ages. Oh, whatever – it’s just a darn good love story. 🙂
Double or Nothing by Cassandra Gold. ebook short. Decent m/m romance about a casino owner whose con artist ex shows up, asking for a chance to prove that he’s changed.
Collared Hearts and 
Frosted Hearts by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks. ebook shorts. Very good kinky short m/m romances about an artist with a prissy boyfriend who not only owns the gallery at which the artist shows, but also gives him money for his rent and bills and leaves him feeling like a whore.
Submission Times Two by Claire Thompson. Good kinky m/m romance about a couple, deeply in love with each other, who are both submissive. Will they manage to keep their need to submit from destroying their relationship?
Masked Submission by Claire Thompson. ebook. So-so kinky m/m romance about a submissive PhD student who goes to a club and becomes fascinated by a cruel and mysterious masked dominant. I definitely like Claire Thompson’s more recent books better, because I found this one to be melodramatic and overwrought.
Dark Submission by Shayne Carmichael. ebook short. Ok short paranormal m/m romance about a young man, hired as a live-in secretary, who discovers several unusual and intriguing things about his employer.
Call Me Sir by Stormy Glenn. ebook. Um. Stormy Glenn does D/s. What else is there to say, really?! Well, ok, fine. So-so kinky m/m romance about a club owner who decides, after one look at a young man in his club, that the young man would be his forevermore.
Topping Timothy by Erin O’Niall. ebook short. So-so steamy m/m tale about a young man who’s fascinated by a dominant older man he keeps seeing at the bar he frequents, but who’s also sickened by the thought of bdsm. (And this is one of the ugliest stock photo covers I’ve ever seen.)
Catching a Second Wind by Sean Michael. ebook. This m/m romance about a vet who visits an appealing young psychologist as part of trying to get over the unexpected death of his long-term lover was so sweet and angst free that I confess to being bored… Ok, yeah, there was a titch of near-angst – but seriously, nothing that wasn’t resolved within a page or two.
“I want to sleep now, not be entertained. Go away.” -Mayhem
I love linkity goodness 😀 Oh and I sucked at sex or murder
A recent post from blodeuedd..Interview- Carolyn Brown Hell- Yeah giveaway
Great links! My kryptonite book is probably the Brothers Karamozov (I’m sure I’m not spelling correctly, but I blame Victor Dog).
A recent post from Seanna Lea..rapidly approaching the wall
I’m going to have to start getting up earlier on Friday’s to check out all the links!
Thanks for the linkage and OMG I want the book jewelry.
Didn’t get to watch the whole “men jumping” video yet but wow, that’s impressive 🙂
I love the car post! I drive a 1990 Honda Accord that we were given by some friends who moved to NY two years ago. Her name is Rhonda and she gets 30+mpg. I don’ need no steeeenking new car!
Great time spent following links again. 🙂
The kitties were my favorite today, which probably has something to do with the time of the month 😉
I’ve added TC Blue’s Conventions series to my TBB. And isn’t that the wrong title and link with Shayne Carmichael’s book?
A recent post from Janna ErotRomReader..Happy Gay Friday
I love linkity days 🙂
Having just watched Supersize Me for the first time, that hamburger thing was just that much ickier.
Loved the Star Wars blanket though!
A recent post from Alison..Wardrobe Re-Fashion
Morning Chris!
Thanks so much for the mention. I’m going to come back after work and read linkety. (always enjoyed)
Mayhem, you have a nice snooze!
Janna: D’oh! Corrected. Thanks. 🙂
Chris – Stoats?
Have a great long weekend.
A recent post from Lorraine..Just sit right back and youll hear a tale
That was a really great article about the romance genre. Very well reasoned and logical. But when has that ever stopped the critics. LOL
I am definitely going shopping at the bookshelf. Thanks.
I can only hope the tuition bubble bursts before 2013. LOL
I’m deeply disturbed about NYC water. I don’t think I drank any. Oh shit, maybe at a restaurant. Ack!
Dry water. Way cool.
I told Craig I’m making him that Star Wars baby blanket when he has a baby. Since he’s not even dating and there’s the whole adoption/surrogacy issue, I might actually get it done by the time a baby shows up. LOL
I’m not a math geek and I want that pi necklace.
Actually there has been deep fried liquid before. Deep fried Coke was at the Texas state fair, granted maybe not in liquidy form, but neither is the beer. LOL I’ll pass thanks.
I’m disturbed there was not a speck of mold on those McDonld’s products after 4 months. Eeek. My insides must be completely mold free. Oh, that’s a good thing right?
That song time-line made me laugh out loud.
I’ve only read two of those books, the Stormy Glenn One, (the follow-up had massive plot holes and continuity errors – one my big beefs, if he goes to the train station, don’t pick him up at the bus station. Unless it’s a trainbus, but it wasn’t) and the Submission Times Two. Didn’t love it, loved the idea, but I din’t like the Dom much. I do have Unconventional but I haven’t read the second one yet. Must read them both together.
A recent post from Tam..Dont have much to say
Great links! I got sucked in for TWO HOURS… LOL
*sigh* I love ponyboys *sigh*
A recent post from Miranda..Review of Hot and Sticky
I sent the deep-fried beer link to my Fry Day friends, and they’ve already added it to the menu for next year’s Fry Day. I think we’re going to try deep frying a slice of cherpumple, too. I should start preparing my arteries now…
I’m holding you responsible for ALL my procrastination. Seriously? How how how do you look at all these and still have hours left in the day, woman?
NYC has non-kosher water? That’s a bit of a sticky wicket, isn’t it?
BTW, I made gluten-free cake pops that were AWESOME. I used Betty Crocker’s gluten-free Devil’s food cake and 1/2 can of cream cheese frosting. Dipped half of them in dark chocolate, and half in white chocolate.
P.S. – the inefficient cat really cracked me up.
Oh I need to start Christmas shopping. The crayons and the necklace and…
A recent post from Mary Lou..SEPTEMBER 1- 1939 by WH Auden
Why is your website looking weird? All your sidebar thingies are underneath the post/comments.
Anyhew, were you on a little bdsm trip recently?
I hate running into people I know at the grocery store. I actively avoid them once we’ve said our hello’s.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s kind of sad that books are being used to make jewelry?
Wren: Um, the site looks fine to me… And yes, a certain Jase of my acquaintance has been influencing my reading of late. 😉
8 out of 10 in that sex/murder scene game. I wonder how one develops a talent like that when they never watch ANY movies….
Zombie kitten is too cute 🙂
Thanks for the link-ity love.
A recent post from katiebabs..One Season of Sunshine Book Review Julia London
Lots of kinky books this week, I see :).
Kryptonite books? Wow. That’s a neat way of putting it.
A recent post from Nicole..Guest Friday Snippet- The Native Star
lol omg that Topping Timothy cover IS the worst ever.
I’m marking down Duet and Unconventional right now. Should I read the first 2 TC Blue’s in this series?
That Happy meal is disgusting!
A recent post from Tracy..Review- Sureblood by Susan Grant
OMG, just what the world needed, deep-fried beer! Loved the Random Song, the indestructible McD’s food and the 99cent apps. Too funny!
The article on M/M Romance was great although the whole controversy is just stupid IMHO. Thanks for all the links and the mention.
I’ve read a few of the books and we think alike. 🙂
A recent post from Lily..Weekly Update 35 and The Friday 56
You really outdid yourself on the linkety today — every one I clicked on was awesome. (You may be seeing a few on my blog — with proper credit, of course.)
A recent post from kmkat..Relax- Im much better better now
Thank goodness Detroit doesn’t play against the New Orleans Saints. The Lions can’t win a game to save their lives. I would so lose Patti’s football challenge.
“Hearing a random song then and now”… So true!
Love the book jewelry!
Oh I want some chemistry crayons!
A recent post from Sydney..What I was doing when I should have been posting here
Oh and thanks for the mention! 🙂
A recent post from Sydney..What I was doing when I should have been posting here
~smooches~
I did quite well on sex or murder…I’m not sure what that says about me.
The fox! The fox in the box! So adorable!!!
***Waves and hugs*** Seems Jason has the smooches covered!
Poptarts on a stick?!? *squee* And they are so cute, too 🙂 If only I could cook…
A recent post from Ava March..His Client – Release Date
may, you are indeed a fickle girl.
(reminds me of two I know here)
A recent post from Teyani..August vacation with family
Congrats to the winners! Thank you for the links Chris – the shirtless jumping was…I can’t think what it was 🙂
May – don’t hold back now 🙂
A recent post from orannia..Books 2010- August Update
Love the Caffeination status cozy! Clever! And the Human Calendar is awesome!
A recent post from Kristi aka FiberFool..ECF- Sleepy Moon Designs
I like the Subway Map of Science, but I had much higher hopes for the anti-earbud-tangling thing than it lived up to.
(I really want a retractable cord, which I haven’t seen anywhere, to stop my headphones/earbuds from catching on so many door handles and such.)
I’m home now and it’s taken me half a day to get halfway caught up! I saved you for the end of the day.
US tuition fees are out of this world – the price for an education…
Making a note of a few books here – I know I will definately read the last one, SM does Vet and doc – If I know SM work – it’s smut city..
Great list of link as usual – I did remember seeing the Batman thing – Heresy, Heresy…
I think I need to visit the Delorean cafe and have deep fried beer.
Totally love the human calendar! 🙂 and the kitties in boxes.
A recent post from mrspao..How to intrigue two kittens