Congrats to Keziah, who won the copy of Faery Surprising! Many thanks to Mia Watts for donating the ebook. Apparently, Mia had such fun running amok in the comments that she will be back! 😉
Remember that book cover with the guy in mistletoe underwear? Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is having a caption that cover contest for it! Winner receives a $50 gift certificate to the bookstore of their choice. Contest closes midnight EST, December 24.
Anna’s running a holiday contest and giving away ten different books. Leave a comment before December 25 for your chance to win.
Jill Myles is giving away signed copies of her forthcoming paranormal, Gentlemen Prefer Succubi. Comment by noon on December 29.
Marta Acosta’s giving away two Keri Arthur gift packs. Each includes Australian chocolates, Tim Tams, and a signed copy of one of the Riley Jensen novels. Contest runs through December 30.
Literary Escapism is now two years old and Jackie’s celebrating with a contest. First prize is Maria Snyder’s Glass series (signed) and second prize is T. A. Pratt’s Marla Mason series. Contest runs until December 31.
Donna (Fantasy Dreamer) is giving away three books of up to $20 each, winners’ choice. Contest closes midnight CST, December 31.
The weekend urban fantasy report from SciFiGuy has links to all sorts of fun and contesty goodness.
Not enough book links in this post for you? Anastasia has more!
Ever wonder what would happen if you lost all your gmail, blogger, flickr, or other online data? Backupify can back up that data, and if you sign up before January 31, you get unlimited storage free for life.
TeddyPig addresses some of the issues that he found with the recent LA Weekly article about the writers of gay romance, and some well-known m/m writers left great comments on his post.
Desert Island Keepers (DIK) will hold the DIK Reading Challenge next year – head over to the island for the details, but the grand prize will be a $50 gift certificate to the online bookstore of your choice.
Love Romance Passion has an interesting post about the emotional payoff of angst in books.
Gizmodo posted about the history of Christmas lights.
Need to make some last-minute Christmas gifts? Don’t make anything out of this book.
Make sure you check out CJ’s gift guides before shopping for the vampire or werewolf on your Christmas list. It could save your life… literally.
If you’re looking for some more serious (and inexpensive) last minute gift ideas, check out Lynn Viehl’s list over at Paperback Writer or the list of Lifehacker DIY gifts.
Best New Moon review evah, because it has kittehs! Thanks, Nicole. 🙂
SciFiGuy discovered that The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the Undead will be coming out next August…
Book pr0n as you’ve never seen it before… guaranteed. Not as NSFW as you might think. 😉
Den of the Ogress speculates what the covers and titles might look like if Harlequin were to start an m/m romance line.
Remember the news item about some book publishers planning to delay ebook releases in the hope of reviving their hardcover and trade pb sales? Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has some Suessian commentary on that.
During her literary scavenger hunt, Amy took some pictures of Wild Rumpus, the wonderful Twin Cities bookstore for kids. What’s not to love about the purple door with a kid-sized door inset in it?
TeleRead has an intriguing post by an apartment dweller who’s switched from paper to ebooks for very practical reasons.
Here’s another good TeleRead post about tracking down fan fiction (free) for your ebook reader.
iPhone people – there’s now a Simon’s Cat application. Sadly, it isn’t free, but I’m sure it’s cute.
Do you agree with the ten netbook positions of exquisite pain? How do you sit or lounge to comfortably use your netbook or laptop?
Beware the Christmas Ninja!
Could be Chaos, if the nose was a bit longer.
No. No wigs for Mayhem or Chaos.
Reading Update
Untamed Heart by Ally Blue. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about an assassin who’s in Alaska to get his head together. After an attack, he’s rescued by a mysterious stranger… but will their individual mysteries be too much to surmount?
Easy by Ally Blue. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a closeted construction worker who rescues a rent boy and helps him turn his life around. I was left with one unanswered question at the end of the book, which I really felt needed to be answered.
Forbidden Desire by Carolina Valdez. ebook. M/m romance about a cop who was tortured while undercover and falls for the doctor who treats him. Eh. It was ok.
Wranglers: The Defense Rests (Book 3) by Vivien Dean. ebook. Ok m/m romance that’s the ongoing story of two lawyers. I found the ending a bit abrupt – I thought there’d be more information about the case that was introduced. I had the impression that this was the last of the Wranglers books – if so, that ending’s particularly unsatisfying.
Dead Man’s Curve by Vivien Dean. ebook. Another ok m/m romance that I might have liked better if it had a different title. It’s part of a collection of Amber Allure books named for song titles, so it’s intentionally using the title of the Jan & Dean song. Unfortunately, that titles evokes (for me, at least) the made-for-TV movie about Jan Berry’s car wreck, which kept interfering with my perception of the story.
Strangers in the Night by Christiane France. ebook. You guessed it – this m/m romance is part of another song-title named collection from Amber Allure. Because this title isn’t as evocative for me, I was able to enjoy the story more.
The Gallery on Main Street by Christiane France. ebook. Ok m/m romance about two guys who each inherit part of an antiques gallery, but can’t stand each other.
Ice Cream on the Side by Wren Boudreau. ebook. Very nicely done m/m romantic suspense about an architect who meets an artist and thinks this might be more than a casual thing… if they can avoid psycho exes and murder and stalkers, oh my! Make sure you stop back on Wednesday, December 30, when I’ll kick off a contest to give away an ebook copy of this book, donated by Wren!
TLC 101 by Janey Chapel. ebook. Decent m/m romance about a college football coach who breaks his ankle and reluctantly admits he needs assistance. This was definitely an HFN (Happy For Now), not an HEA (Happily Ever After) sort of story. The ending seemed a bit abrupt to me.
Heat, 
Flashover, 
Tinder, and 
Embers (Oceanside Fire, Books 1-3.5) by Tory Temple. ebooks. Very enjoyable m/m romance series about some of the firefighters of the Oceanside, California, Fire Department. I definitely got sniffly during the first two books.
The Best Gift by Shawn Lane. ebook. Ok, I got the giggles that one of the characters was named Jordan Castillo (Jordan Castillo Price, anyone?), but according to Shawn Lane, commenting over at Erotic Horizon’s blog, it wasn’t intentional. Sweet m/m romance about being in love with your best friend, but the timing just isn’t ever right to admit your feelings. Leave a comment over at Jessewave today (December 23) for your chance to win a copy of this ebook.
Calendar Boys January: Miami’s Perfect Weekend by Jamie Craig. ebook. I just can’t take this cover seriously… This was one of the Amber Allure Daily Deals (as in 75% off and a good way to take a chance on a book you aren’t sure about).
Half of the Other by Joanne Kells. ebook. This holiday-themed m/m romance was ok, but I never really got into the first person narrative.
If I Must by Amy Lane. Another holiday-themed m/m romance – I enjoyed this one, although I was a bit nervous of the editing at the beginning when the cat’s vet appointment was on Tuesday, then on Monday a page later…
“You people aren’t still lurking around out there, are you?! Sheesh. How’s a panther princess supposed to get any sleep?!” -Mayhem
Links, links, links, links, lalalala 🙂
Are you running out of books? I thought you only read those with nakkid men on the covers 😉
OK. I care nothing of New Moon (*mope*), but I have to say – that was the best review of ANY movie!
(Hi Mayhem! I can see you! ‘K bye, love Gandalf)
Thanks for posting all the links Chris and your “mini reviews”.
I’m going to link to your linkety post for info… lol 🙂
Have a wonderful holiday season!!
Best
L
Oh my god – you were right. That book pr0n is HILARIOUS!!
Also hilarious is that LOLcats with the wigged cat. Cat wig? Wigged cat? LOL.
Thanks for all the links – there were a few I hadn’t stumbled across! Love the pic of the “transporter kitty” and the kitty wiggy is too cute (do they really sit still for that?)
linkity link – but making gifts with not so little kids today. Must check out later.
oh crap. I can’t remember what I was going to say… *sigh*
Mayhem! You’re too pretty to hide under a blanket!
Chris- I soooo want to hide under the covers until it’s all over.
love the christmas ninja photo! and the transporter malfunction looks like when my daughter comes to visit and brings “the kids”. heh heh.
I sooo want to come and tickle that blanket blob.
Thanks for all the links! Off to check out that Simon’s Cat app!
I don’t know what it is about authors writing so much torture. It’s not just m/m stories (or coming out stories), but I feel like books have a lot more rape than they need to.
Of course, I’m thinking of the Vanyel books and Lord Foul’s Bane for starters. I signed up for the DIK challenge. Hopefully this will go better for me than the Chunkster.
Oh wow… A kid in a candy store.. So many links and clicks… Woohoo!!!
Psssttt… Mayhem… It helps if you don’t try to talk while you are hiding out hon! LOL!!!
Have a wonderful day hon!
But Mayhem would be so lovely in this cute little pink number: http://kittywigs.com/pink.html
Oh, and the Twilight review was most excellent.
No kitty pictures! I may not make it through the weekend!
Thanks for the heads up on the catnip slug (revolting name). I was going to give it a pass until you mentioned the potency of the ‘nip.
Nothing like wildly dilated pupils for a little fun, eh?
Poor Jeanne. Neighbors can be bad. Oh! Did the cow from downstairs actually move or was she just redecorating?
Very interesting piece about Christmas lights! That old holiday craft book is TERRIFYING.
I’ll pick up a couple extra bottles of cider and we can meet up next time I’m in Mpls. Have a wonderful Christmas!
Hehe – I reckon Chaos would look good in a blonde wig but the reindeer antlers would be a winner for me every time!!
ZOMG that movie review was awesome!
New Moon moping cat looks like my Captain Jack! Those movies look so silly that I think the cats would be an improvement.
Link-o-licious!
Willie gives a definite “thumbs down” on the wig idea. Though he thinks it might be an OK look for Lucy.
I totally thought of your two when I saw the Transporter Malfunction LOLcat! I can’t imagine that many black kittehs all in one spot, though. OMG. Too much cuteness (or mischief. Take your pick).
Thanks for the link! And I’m glad you enjoyed the movie “review”.
Still LOL at the book pr0n!
Wait, something happened to your book covers. There’s hardly any abs on that set. 😉
I haven’t seen New Moon but I love that review!
Katie does the same thing in cold weather.
I think that Mayhem would look very princess-ish in some tasteful kitty-wigs!
She may not look like a princess, but she is most certainly WARM! And, Merry Christmas, Chris!!!! How do you think they got those cats to hold still????
Hope you had a nice xmas, and the kitties too. Just catching up with blog reading, OMG, so much… marking it mostly all as read and moving forward. I had a dream with a cat named Chaos the other night, but he was a tortie. Wrapped up in some strings but rescued. I forget most of it now. Happy New Year to you all!!!