Category Archives: Randonymity

Misadventure vacation!

While my big work project has finally deployed, we’re still doing plenty of cleanup tasks… plus I’m in the midst of buying a new condo, preparing to move, and then after I actually move, updating my old condo to put it on the market. I’m not feeling particularly creative at the moment re: the Misadventures (even though I have material for many, many, many more), so I’m hoping a bit of a break helps revitalize me. In the meantime, have a cat picture. If you dare. 😉

“What the heck?! Why am I here?! I’m supposed to have Mondays off! May’s supposed to do Mondays!!!!” -Chaos

Today’s Misadventure has been called due to work

It was a very long weekend, filled with work. Yes, the accursed work project is still in progress. No, I am not very happy about that. Anyway! My Misadventures post never got beyond the draft stage… Better luck next Monday! 🙂



Congrats to Morgana, who won Duet (2nd ed) by Eden Winter! Duet is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.



“Ignoring you, Mom! Since you just stared at that computer all weekend and ignored me. Hmph.” -Chaos

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 150th (Don’t Make Me Get Out the Belt Guy)



Congrats to Carla, who won Light the Fire by JL Merrow! Light the Fire was released January 20 by JMS Books.

Congrats to Jess1, who won Love Means… No Limits (Farm #9) by Andrew Grey! Love Means… No Limits is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.



Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be meeting Don’t Make Me Get Out the Belt Guy (DMMGOTBG)! Many thanks to Sweet Vernal Zephyr for coming up with the name. 🙂

The

had a

on how to

for

(

) wasn’t going so well because of the

that

had incurred

and

s as part of their

program out on the

prairie. Things had been pretty tight even before those debts, so they were all living on

and the

, hoping they could find

before the

across the prairie spelled their doom.

Um. Yeah. Look! Over there! Something that is not this incoherent Misadventure! 😉


“Mom! We need to rescue that black kitty from the naughty boys!!” -Mayhem

Another Misadventure Monday Without a Misadventure



Congrats to SusieQ, who won That’s Entertainment! by Clare London! That’s Entertainment! was released on November 11 by JMS Books.



Yeah, so after our big misadventure on Saturday, I really wasn’t feeling up to putting together a Misadventures in Stock Photography post for today. Sorry. 🙁

Here’s a picture of May napping on my lap, just a few hours before everything happened Saturday… She’s living in my bedroom, while Chaos is living in the rest of the condo. At least she isn’t growling at me anymore and she’s been curling up next to me to sleep at night. Still growling at Chaos when she glimpses him through the door as I go in or out. *sigh*

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Mayhem

This is not the Misadventure you’re looking for… plus more GRL links



Make sure enter the contest for Tigerland (Tigers & Devils #2) by Sean Kennedy, plus the first book (Tigers & Devils) if the winner hasn’t read it already. Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 5.


Congrats to Michelle (Mi), who won As Spring Rain by Valentina Heart! As Spring Rain was released by Silver Publishing on October 27.

Congrats to bheds, who won Book of Secrets (Oracle #2) by RJ Scott! Book of Secrets also was released by Silver Publishing on October 27.

Congrats to Katherine H, who won The Mask by Clare London! The Mask was released on October 28 by JMS Books.

Congrats to Marie, who won Compulsion by Clare London! Compulsion is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.


The Misadventures in Stock Photography will return next week.



If you missed the first post about my New Mexico vacation… then missed the second post, which has links to some GRL posts by other people…

Here are some more GRL posts:


*purrsnoredrool* -Chaos

A bit more from New Mexico



Congrats to Michelle (Mi), who won As Spring Rain by Valentina Heart! As Spring Rain will be released by Silver Publishing on October 27.

Congrats to bheds, who won Book of Secrets (Oracle #2) by RJ Scott! Book of Secrets also will be released by Silver Publishing on October 27.

Congrats to Katherine H, who won The Mask by Clare London! The Mask will be released on October 28 by JMS Books.

Congrats to Marie, who won Compulsion by Clare London! Compulsion will be released by Dreamspinner Press on October 29.



  • If you missed the first post about my New Mexico vacation
  • Apparently the Misadventures in Stock Photography have made me infamous among cover artists – the two I met at GayRomLit (GRL) knew who I was… eep.
  • I attended a lot more actual GRL events this year than I did last year.
  • Next year I’m actually going to stay in the conference hotel.
  • Look at how brave my socially awkward and introverted self is being! 🙂
  • I think I’m going into green chile withdrawal.
  • Dammit.
  • This didn’t happen on my prior visits to New Mexico because I never found places that didn’t have wheat flour in their green chile sauce.
  • Thank you, Find Me Gluten Free!
  • I think.
  • If you’re gluten-free and visiting Santa Fe, you must check out Revolution Bakery.
  • Yum.
  • I love to visit Taos, but I’d hate living there – too much traffic down the main street.
  • I saw snow falling outside my window yesterday, which was a bit of a shock after the absolutely perfect (sunny and 70s) weather during my New Mexico visit.
  • Also trying to readjust to this “humidity” stuff.
  • Still addictively reading hockey fics…

I have virtually no photos from GRL, but I did manage to get a decent one of Kate McMurray, Clare London (poor thing, keeping a stiff upper lip there even though she was suffering from the flu), and Val Kovalin:

Here’s one I like of MsM (Tina) and Cole:

Some of you caught my Goodreads status update from October 16, but here it is for those who didn’t: “So due to outlet location in this less-than-stellar motel room and the length of the micro USB cables I brought on vacation, my tablet and cell phone will be sleeping with me tonight. I hope they don’t hog the covers.” (Alas, my tablet didn’t take that charge or any since – it’s pretty much bricked.)

I much preferred the power setup at Comfort Suites:

A tile that Lauradriana convinced me to buy in Santa Fe (it didn’t take much to convince me, strangely):

A shot taken near Abiquiu (where Georgia O’Keeffe lived) – I wish the amazing luminous gold of those cottonwoods actually came through in photos!

I liked the adobe Taos police station:

Some masks outside Coyote Moon in Taos:

And the Day of the Dead themed mug I bought at Coyote Moon, after admiring one at Coffee Cats:

Took this from the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge (565 ft/172 m) over the Rio Grande. Although I didn’t have reliable cell service at the Hard Rock Casino (yay for their free wifi and my wifi-enabled cell phone), I had great cell service here. Huh.

Back  home, I’m once again reminded of how cool the Minneapolis-St Paul Airport is – check out this cafe/bar that had iPads and charging stations on every table:


More GRL posts:


“You might earn my trust by never going anywhere ever again.” -Chaos


Make sure enter the contest for Tigerland (Tigers & Devils #2) by Sean Kennedy, plus the first book (Tigers & Devils) if the winner hasn’t read it already. Contest closes 7 pm CST, November 5.

From Somewhere in New Mexico

Some stray thoughts from my vacation so far…

  • Post title shamelessly stolen from “Somewhere in New Mexico” by Jill Sobule.
  • I attended the second year of GayRomLit.
  • Meeting people I’ve clicked with online always amazes me with how comfortable and not strange it feels.
  • Why doesn’t it work like that for online dating?!
  • Reconnecting with MsM (Tina) was very cool – it’s probably best that she doesn’t live near me because we’d get into a lot of trouble.
  • Likewise with Clare London.
  • Oh, the stories we could tell… but won’t. 🙂
  • Cole gives fabulous hugs.
  • Val Kovalin is awesomesauce.
  • So is Mr Val.
  • Especially since he didn’t seem to hold a grudge when tipsy Val and tipsy me were singing (badly) all the earwormy songs I could think of as Mr Val drove us back to their house one night.
  • Oh, come on, you know you know all the words to “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show”.
  • Val and I bring out the smart in each other, so we have the best discussions.
  • If you’re gluten-free and travelling in northern New Mexico, you absolutely must go to Paisano’s for pizza, pasta, dessert, and beer.
  • I had a lot of doubts about the venue for GayRomLit, but it turned out to be a really good location.
  • The deli in the casino makes a great green chile cheese burger on a hard taco shell.
  • Tequila (via margaritas) now seems to trigger migraines, even when consumed in moderate amounts.
  • Flourless chocolate cake with a hint of chile is very tasty.
  • I think I went all fangirly over Marshall Thornton.
  • Fortunately he was very gracious about that.
  • I miss my kitties.
  • I’m bummed that I never got a chance to talk to Eric Arvin for more than a couple of minutes.
  • Heidi Cullinan totally has my gluten-free back covered.
  • James Buchanan and Ally Blue make delightful lunch companions.
  • It’s dangerous to shop with Ally.
  • And definitely don’t ask her about the armpit rash from her crutches…
  • The Halloween cabaret show put on by the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus (My Big Undead Gay Wedding) was completely wonderful.
  • Edmond Manning and I are far too good at cracking each other up.
  • Since he lives in Minneapolis, we very well could get into a lot of trouble. 🙂
  • Having a rental car with an auxiliary jack for my mp3 player makes me very happy.
  • Having my tablet decide it doesn’t want to accept a charge any more makes me very sad.
  • I’m glad I dragged Kuroi Neko along.
  • Still addictively reading hockey fics.
  • Back to vacationing!

Contests, contests, get your contests here!



Stop by and enter the contest for As Spring Rain by Valentina Heart! Contest closes 7 pm CDT, October 26.

Go enter the contest for Book of Secrets (The Oracle #2) by RJ Scott! Contest closes 7 pm CDT, October 26.

Then enter the contest for The Mask by Clare London! Contest closes 7 pm CDT, October 26.

Don’t forget to enter the contest for Compulsion by Clare London! Contest closes 7 pm CDT, October 26.



“I want Mom to come home.” -Mayhem

Ebook Giveaway: The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Amber Kell & Stephani Hecht [CONTEST CLOSED]



Congrats to Crissy M, who won All the Gear, No Idea (I Blame Brett #2) by Kim Dare! All the Gear, No Idea is being released today by All Romance eBooks.

Congrats to Rita S, who won Sacrifice and Blood (Drone Vampires #14) by Stephani Hecht! Sacrifice and Blood is being released today by eXtasy Books.



Many thanks to Stephani Hecht and Amber Kell for donating an ebook copy of their freshly released m/m paranormal romance, The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2), for a lucky commenter to win!

When the sea god’s only son is told his fated mate is the marine biologist of his extremely wet dreams, Reef is beyond thrilled. Unfortunately, becoming human is harder than he thought, and if he doesn’t get the Arian Prince to acknowledge their blossoming love, he could become nothing but sea foam.

In this next story of the Cob Brothers, Swan Prince meets the Little Merman, and the stakes have never been higher as the battle over Aria continues to spill over to Earth.

Excerpt

About Amber

Amber Kell is a dreamer who has been writing stories in her head for as long as she could remember. You can find out more about Amber at her blog/website.

About Stephani

Stephani Hecht is a happily married mother of two. Born and raised in Michigan, she loves all things about the state, from the frigid winters to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Go Wings! You can usually find her snuggled up to her laptop, creating her next book or gorging on caffeine at her favorite coffee shop.

You can visit Stephani at her blog or her website.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Friday, February 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If you have an email account with AOL or Netscape, I will not be able to send email to you.
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos