Category Archives: Covers

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Third): Shoulder Guy

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I know I’ve seen more covers with this guy on them, but can I find them now? No. No, I can’t. So please, let me know if you find any others!

Looks like a blisteringly hot desert to me. Probably not such a stretch to find yourself in the fires of hell after being in the heat of the desert… right?

But, wait, now he’s looking the other way! Dude, you’re going to miss your train, and I can’t imagine there are a lot of trains out of hell.

Very nice shoulder there, mmm?

“I don’t think you’re doing a very good job describing the pose you want, Mom. This has to be close enough. Besides, I don’t feel like looking over my shoulder right now.” -Chaos

Contests, Covers, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Contest links, book links, knitting links – eeeeeek!

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I’m going to break my bookity linkity into two days, because otherwise your heads will explode. There are some goodies for the knitters in here, too!

Congrats to Cathy M, Sydney, Miranda, and GSM, who all won copies of Devyn Quinn’s Soul of the Wildcat in my recent contest!

I found another cover example of our old friend Slouching Guy! Sorry the picture is blurry, but that’s what happens when you expand a teeny tiny picture to make it a bit more visible…

Mary Lou’s celebrating her blogiversary and the anniversary of her Tiger Hat knitting pattern (sales of which have raised nearly $2000 for Heifer International). Leave a comment by December 13 for your chance to win enough Malabrigo to knit your own Tiger Hat!

Head over to CJ’s to read her interview with author Penny Watson and leave a comment by 6 pm CST, December 10, for your chance to win a Santa bag of regular and chocolate Rice Krispie treats.

Author Carolyn Jewel is giving away signed copies of Elizabeth Hoyt’s Prince Trilogy. Contest is open until December 10.

For your chance to win an advance, signed manuscript of Beth Kery’s forthcoming romance, Release, leave a comment at her blog by December 11. Beth’s also going to give away a Sony Reader on New Year’s Eve to someone who purchases a copy of her books Holiday Bound, Paradise Rules, or Release during the month of December.

Answer Nalini Singh’s question over at the Book Smugglers and you could win a copy of her books Angel’s Blood and Blaze of Memory. Contest closes 11:59 pm PST, December 12.

Can you figure out what the amorphous holiday cookies at Julie James’ blog are supposed to be? Guess by 8 pm CST, December 13, for your chance to win a $25 B&N gift certificate. Speaking of Julie James, she’s over at the Book Smugglers, too – comment by 11:59 pm PST, December 12, for your chance to win signed copies of her excellent romances, Practice Makes Perfect and Just the Sexiest Man Alive.

For your chance to win your very own Demon Sheep (and books), head over to Babbling About Books and leave a 100-word demon sheep story in the comments by December 13.

Dear Author is giving away copies of the forthcoming releases from Ace and Roc. Fifteen random commentors will win books.

Danger! 40-60% off all multiformat (non-DRM) ebooks at Fictionwise through December 31! More ebook deals and freebies at Dear Author and also at Suvudu.

Knitters – don’t you think everyone you know needs a pair of elf slippers for the holidays?

Curious about B&N’s Nook? Use the locator to find out where you can try one. Gizmodo’s detailed review of the Nook might help, too.

*blink blink* Some bizarre theories from the sworn enemies of ebooks…

Iz monster! Eeek! Dark secrets of black kittehs revealed! Or maybe just dark.

Weirdly (for me), I was feeling the holiday spirit on Saturday, so I listened to gwfgwf (generic winter festive gathering with food, coined by Superguppy Kat) music on my laptop and read an assortment of ebook holiday shorts.

Holiday Reading Update
The Gift of Giving by Ann Somerville. holiday ebook short. This sweet and completely safe for work m/m romance (although the link to the pdf didn’t work last time I checked) was one of last year’s holiday freebies from Samhain.
Wand’ring Home by Maia Strong. holiday ebook short. Another of last year’s Samhain holiday freebies, but the download link works for this m/m romance!
Mistletoe on the Mountain (Fire on the Mountain, Book 3) by P.D. Singer. holiday ebook short. It’s Jake and Kurt’s first Christmas together… (Interesting that the only holiday shorts from Torquere Press that I picked up were from the “Nice” collection and not from the “Naughty” collection!)
Snowed In, Las Vegas Style by Aaron Michaels. holiday ebook short. Apparently it doesn’t take much snow to close the Las Vegas airport, so two guys decide to make the most of being stranded.
Just My Luck by Cassandra Gold. holiday ebook short. Greg’s having a string of really bad luck on Christmas Eve (car breaks down, apartment building starts on fire, the usual) – will the sexy guy who comes to his rescue turn his luck around?
Christmas Intervention, Phase 1 by Mara Ismine. holiday ebook short. When the guy who usually really loves Christmas is down on the dumps on the holiday, what’s his best friend to do but stage a Christmas intervention? (I never did figure out what Phase 2 might be.)
One Night Stand by Clare London. ebook. holiday ebook short. Whoops – Teddy has too much to drink at the office Christmas party and wakes up in bed with his boss…
Four Gold Rings by T.A. Chase. holiday ebook short. Ok (but very sweet) story about all the guys from Chase’s For the Love of Sports series.

And now back to our regularly scheduled feline programming…

“Wheeeeeeee!” -Mayhem

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the Second)

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Many thanks to Sydney, who tracked down the original stock photo of our friend Candy Cane Guy from yesterday! To sum up, the jeans did have holes and there’s no mole or tattoo being covered. 🙂

Onward. Allow me to present Slouching Guy. You might remember him from such covers as Islands by Samantha Kane…

…Reckless Passion by Amanda Young…

…Lone Wolf (Maxey Wizards, Book 2)…

…and Horsefall: Taste Test by Jade Buchanan.

Is anyone else alarmed about the lusty look in that horse’s eyes?! 😮

So, do you have additional examples of Slouching Guy out and about?

12/9/2009: I found another cover example of our old friend Slouching Guy! Sorry the picture is blurry, but that’s what happens when you expand a teeny tiny picture to make it a bit more visible…

Stop by my contest post or The Thrillionth Page by 10 am CST, December 6, to vote for the Softest Kitteh Evah on Our Street! Again, there’s been more taunting! But I thought this looked promising:

 

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography (Part the First)

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While some book covers probably use original photographs taken specifically for that book, many use stock photographs. Stock photos get used over and over – to the point that you might have a sense of deja vu even when faced with a cover you’ve never seen before. Take a look at this first cover:

Nice candy cane. *ahem* But the smiley face in the next two variation of this photo? Puzzling. (And yup, the second guy back there does mean that this is an m/m title, which Hot for the Holidays is not.)

The hole in the jeans is a nice subtraction, isn’t it? And hey, in the next cover, the photo has been so cleverly disguised that you can’t even tell it’s the exact same cover…

…or maybe you can. 😉 Do the candy cane and smiley face cover a tattoo or a mole or??? Does anyone have other examples of this particular shot used on other covers?

Many thanks to Sydney, who tracked down the original stock photo! To sum up, the jeans did have holes and there’s no mole or tattoo being covered

Stop by my contest post or The Thrillionth Page by 10 am CST, December 6, to vote for the Softest Kitteh Evah on Our Street!

Yes, there’s been more taunting.

“My tummy is super soft, too, Oblio! Plus I have a bikini on my tummy, so there! (Oh, and Mom says if you click on my picture, you’ll almost be able to feel how soft my tummy is.)” -Mayhem