Monthly Archives: June 2009

Randonymity

Smells like…

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Not a lot to see here today – I pulled or strained something in my foot over the weekend and I’m too crabby and uncomfortable to be good company today. Be glad you aren’t my coworkers. 😀

*sniff sniff sniff* “Smells like… abs.” -Mayhem

“Tastes like… green paper.” -Mayhem

Ahem. Should you win the contest, be warned that some books may have sustained surface or puncture wounds. This should in no way impede their usefulness as books.

“I bet that book would be tastier if there was a big fluffy bird on the cover. Why don’t you read more books with birds on the cover, Mom?” -Mayhem

Tales of the Neighborhood

Cats in the garden (not my cats, not my garden)

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I went walkabout on Saturday and got lots of interesting pictures. I’m continually amazed that I can spend so much time walking in the same several mile radius and still discover new things. For example, check out this garden, right off of Lake of the Isles:

Ignore the sculptures of human figures at the next house over (sometime I’ll have to go back for shots of those) and focus on the three kitty sculptures in the closer garden.

I love them. You are not surprised.

“But can those kitties do this, Mom? I didn’t think so! I am way more adorable than them. Plus more flexible.” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Contest of BABEL

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First, congratulations to random number 68, Lethea – you won the autographed copy of Anya Bast’s Witch Fire! Thanks to everyone who participated. Sad that you didn’t win this contest? Read on for another chance to win free books…

In an email exchange with dixygirl yesterday, I coined the term BABLE (Book Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy, obviously riffed from SABLE, Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy), then promptly modified it to BABEL (Book Acquisition Beyond Expected Life)… although I quite like BABBLE (Book Acquisition Beyond Believed Life Expectancy), too. What do you think? (Beyond realizing that I’m obviously not knitting very much, eh, Marina?)

Anyway. Getting back on track, that email exchange gave me the idea for a contest. I have this ginormous stack of books that I’ve accumulated through various means: being at the library’s withdrawn store or the thrift store without an inventory of my library, accidentally buying a duplicate, receiving a duplicate, or intentionally buying a duplicate because I liked the book and hoped to pass it on to someone.

Comment on this post before 7 pm CDT, Thursday, June 18, for your chance to win some of the books pictured below. I’ll randomly select at least three winners (maybe more, depending on whim and response). Most of the books are used. Unsurprisingly, should you win, your books will likely include some amount of cat fur. 🙂

“My goodness. This new area rug is sort of lumpy.” -Mayhem

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

Categories of books include those by local authors (Strawberry Shortcake Murder, Unplugged), knitting related (A Deadly Yarn, How to Knit a Wild Bikini, At Knit’s End: Meditations for Women Who Knit Too Much), Nathan Kamp cover (Hot Spell), miscellaneous abs (You Don’t Know Jack, Dark Embrace), straight up romance (Summer Pleasures, I’m in No Mood for Love, Just Like Heaven), urban fantasy (Memory and Dream, The Devil You Know), mysteries (One for the Money, Murder by the Glass), darn good paranormal romance from a series but not the first book of said series (One Foot in the Grave, Passion Unleashed, Lover Unbound, Lover Revealed), not so great paranormal romance from a series but you need to read it anyway to continue with the series (Lover Enshrined), ok paranormal romance (Dogs and Goddesses), and paranormal romance I haven’t read yet (Darkling, Moon’s Fury, Immortals: The Darkening).

“Hey, there’s yarn on this book! Will chewing the book cover be like chewing yarn?” -Mayhem

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

“Hmph. Chewing on book cover yarn is very unsatisfying. I shall lie here and sulk.” -Mayhem

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Abs-olutely

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For your chance to win an assortment of 25 books and 25 cds, leave a comment at Largehearted Boy letting him know what cd or book you’d hope to find in the assortment. Contest closes midnight CDT, June 12.

Leave a comment about why booksellers rock and you could win a signed copy of Black and White by Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge. Contest closes by June 14. (Ok, this is a superhero book, but I don’t consider that paranormal.)

For a chance to win a copy of Annie Solomon’s One Deadly Sin, leave a comment at A Journey of Books about whether you’ve ever thought of or committed an act of revenge. Contest closes midnight EDT, June 26. You will need to check back to see who won!

A Journey of Books is also giving away The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos – leave a comment before midnight EDT, June 30, about something that triggers a strong memory for you. Remember to check back to see who wins!

For a chance to win an audiobook of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child’s The Cabinet of Curiosities or 7th Avenue by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro, leave a comment on the respective posts at J. Kaye’s before June 27. Remember that winners will not be notified, so make sure to check back to see who won.

Nice look at some of the new ebook devices at The Good, the Bad and the Unread.

Google’s entering the ebook market. I haven’t decided whether this is good or bad.

SciFiGuy has an overview of the May issue of Locus Magazine, which was focused on urban fantasy. (My copy is still sitting on the kitchen table, waiting for me to read it.) But I do know that the top story was the revelation that author Kim Harrison does not exist! This was quite shocking to me, since I had seen her at Uncle Hugo’s and have some books signed by her. 🙂

Hee hee – Smart Bitches have an amusing list of the top medieval history facts that you won’t see in any romances.

Thanks to Mary Lou for this list of amusing things that would sound wrong if you were saying them to a human instead of to a cat. I can think of some that aren’t on the list, such as “Quit eating the toilet paper!” and “Hey! Stop running across the kitchen table!”

Wait, how did they sneak in to my condo to get this picture?! Did you get your seat before they ran out of space?

Apparently I haven’t been reading enough books with scantily clad, abs-baring males on the cover and there’s been some agitating in the comments. This update’s for you, MamaT! 😉

Reading Update
Sentinels: Jaguar Night (Silhouette Nocturne) by Doranna Durgin. This was a surprisingly good low-steam paranormal romance. My biggest complaint is that, although it appears to be the first Sentinels book, it seemed to assume a certain level of familiarity with the Sentinels that I certainly don’t have.
Men at Work by Janelle Denison, Nina Bangs, and MaryJanice Davidson. A light’n’fluffy romance collection about hunky guys wearing toolbelts…
Surf’s Up by Nina Bangs, MaryJanice Davidson, and Janelle Denison. Another light’n’fluffy romance collection from Denison, Bangs, and Davidson. Please note that if you plan to read this and Men at Work, you should read that book first, as the stories by Davidson and Bangs are related to the stories in that collection. Eerie that I picked these books up at the same time, not knowing that or noticing that the same authors were in both. I just went for the covers. 🙂
And Able by Lucy Monroe. Yup, this is the conclusion to the trilogy that began with Ready and Willing.
Deal With This and The Spy Who Wants Me by Lucy Monroe. These tie into her Ready, Willing, and Able series and her secret agents series and her other non-series books. I love that.
The Chosen Sin by Anya Bast. I love this cover, and it isn’t even NK! 😉 This is a well-done futuristic vampire romance, very steamy. Very, very steamy.
Simply Irresistible by Rachel Gibson. Enjoyable contemporary romance set in Seattle.
Practice Makes Perfect by Julie James. This was another near-perfect contemporary romance from Julie James. Highly recommended.
Night’s Kiss by Amanda Ashley. Vampires and good witches and bad warlocks, oh my! An ok start to a series that I’ll probably keep reading.
Between a Rock and a Heart Place by Natalie Stenzel. This is the sequel to The Druid Made Me Do It and is pretty fun (druids and pucas and nature spirits, oh my!), if a bit drawn out at times.
Dark Protector and Dark Defender (Paladins of Darkness, Books 1-2) by Alexis Morgan. They’re warriors who come back from the dead when they’re killed protecting our world from the evil Others. An ok paranormal series that’s completely vampire and werewolf free. And hey, that’s NK in leather pants on the cover of Dark Defender.

Think carefully before switching to Holy Water in the cat’s water bowl…

“That poor kitty! If I chew on these vampire fangs, do I have to worry about you putting Holy Water in my water bowl?” -Chaos

Those Cats

Keeping fur off the FURniture: FAIL

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“Whatcha doin’ there, big kitty?” -Mayhem

“Duh. No way is Mom keeping me from having direct contact with the furniture. Hey, does this towel make my butt look big?” -Chaos

“zOMG, big kitty, your butt, it is huge!” -Mayhem

“I’ll get you for that, my pretty!” -Chaos

“Um, big kitty? You can’t really see where I am with that towel over your head.” -Mayhem

“Hmph. Another perfectly good plan, foiled.” -Chaos

“Big kitty? Are you going to sulk all day now?” -Mayhem

“Go away, May. You can’t see me. I’m invisible.” -Chaos

“Sheesh, be that way. Wow, you’ve done a lovely job of getting lots of fur on this freshly vacuumed chair, big kitty.” -Mayhem

“Why, thank you, May. I think it’s some of my best work to date.” -Chaos

Contests, Gluten Free, Linkity linkity link

Beware – two weeks worth of linkity linkity link!

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For your chance to win a signed copy of the cookbook Modern Spice: Inspired Indian Flavors for the Modern Kitchen by Monica Bhide, leave Knit Think Amy a comment answering the questions that she poses in her post. Leave your comments through June 11.

Caption Noolie’s cute toddler picture for your chance to win some pretty blue Rowan 4-ply cotton. Contest is open through June 11.

Has anyone tried the new GF Valencia Orange Cake from Starbucks? What did you think? Sadly, orange anything (other than juice) isn’t a favorite, so I’ll pass. But I’m glad to see our options increasing!

Here’s some more info on the new Betty Crocker GF mixes. (Hey, trek, maybe I’ll actually have some box tops for Neatnik next time!)

I am definitely going to look for these gf frozen flatbread pizzas – don’t they sound tasty?!

Knittymama has a link to a great idea for saving money on groceries and using up some of that food in the back of your cupboards.

If you’re really into making perfect espresso at home, this looks like a must-read.

The Yarn Harlot made Consumerist!

I knew it had to be a conspiracy. Knitting related lolcat! Hmm… Oh, this must be why I can never remember the fourth one. Beware of rampaging napping hordes of bad luck! Hee hee – there’s Chaos on the far right.

lolcat your blog!

Did you hear that certain varieties of Nutro cat food have been recalled due to incorrect mineral levels that can make cats sick?

Some tips on keeping your kitties from scratching up your furniture. I swear by claw trimming!

Want to get better information or advice? Try carrying a notebook.

I haven’t tried this app yet, but it looks like it could be a good tool for speedy photo fixes.

Hmm – turning Altoid tins into mini toolboxes has definite holiday gift potential.

Besides using a laptop stand or cooling pad, cleaning your laptop can help save its life.

Oh oh… the question every parent fears:

“So, Mom, what do you do with all these pictures you take of me?” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading, Tales of the Neighborhood

Contest: Win a signed copy of Anya Bast’s Witch Fire! [CONTEST CLOSED]

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On Saturday, I went to the Anya Bast and MaryJanice Davidson signing at Uncle Hugo’s. (Um, the guy in the middle belongs to one of them, I’m sure.)

I asked Ms. Bast to sign a copy of Witch Fire, which is the first book in her Elemental Witches series and is set (mostly) in Minneapolis. If you’d like to win this book, click on this link to email me a contest entry. Submit your entries before 7 pm CDT, Thursday, June 11. I’ll announce the winner on Friday, June 12. Good luck! Contest closed!

“But are there any black kitties in this book, Mom? Because if there aren’t, I don’t think anyone will be interested.” -Mayhem

Those Cats

Guest kitties!

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Anyone going to the Anya Bast and MaryJanice Davidson signing at Uncle Hugo’s tomorrow? (I’m totally going for Anya Bast… specifically to get a copy of this book. *ahem*)

First up, Jeanne’s cat Puddinhead, looking very thoughtful with her crossed paw.

“I have deep thoughts.” -Puddinhead

Next up is Deb’s kitty, Sammy.

“Yeah, so there’s ‘nip on the floor – what’s your point?” -Sammy

Doesn’t Sammy look like a long-haired version of May?

“Just call me Samhem.” -Sammy

Deb’s kitty Tigger really got into the ‘nip.

“Dude, this is good stuff.” -Tig

Sammy finally did get into the spirit of things.

“Whoa. The room is spinning…” -Sammy

“Yee-haw! Time to paaaaaaaaaaaarty!” -Tig

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… (Because I’m pretty sure I can’t get away without including one of my cats in a post!)

“Who needs ‘nip?!” -Chaos

Have a good weekend!

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which Mayhem attempts to select a book (and the contest thing gets insanely out of hand)

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Paula’s participating in the 2009 North Central Alabama Race for the Cure and is looking for donations. Every $5.00 you donate will get you an entry in a raffle for some sock yarn after she reaches her $250 goal.

Author Barbara Bretton is giving away two skeins of Elann Peruvian Baby Lace Merino in Irish Moss if you send her an email before the the evening of June 3 (aka today, so hurry up).

Author Jeaniene Frost is giving away four copies of the The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance, which is a great collection! Send her an email (info’s in the post) before 11:59 pm EDT, June 4, for your chance to win. (If I didn’t already own this book, I’d be all over this contest myself.)

Jen’s friend is about to go through her fifth birth, but first cesarean – leave some cheering comments for Jen’s friend (and vote in the baby name poll) for your chance to win a gorgeous skein of Yarn Pirate sock yarn.

For your chance to win a copy of the superhero novel Black and White by Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge (reviewed below), stop by and comment at Deadline Dames.

Leave a comment at Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin’ Giveaways by June 12 for your chance to win one of several short story collections. These aren’t paranormals, for those who worry about such things. 😉

If you’d like to win a copy of the Blood Ties dvds (based on Tanya Huff’s Books of Blood series), you’ll need to do a tiny bit of research and send an email by June 15.

For your chance to win an advance reading copy of the young adult book Ghost Huntress (Book 1: The Awakening), leave a comment at J. Kaye’s Book Blog before June 27. Remember, winners will not be notified – you’ll have to keep an eye on that blog to see if you’ve won. Another contest of interest over at J. Kaye’s includes one for the audio cds of The Bourne Deception. (And thanks to J. Kaye for including me in the new book blog discovery post last week!)

Largehearted Boy’s giving away an eight-volume Buddha graphic novel series – leave a comment before midnight CDT, June 5, for your chance to win.

If you’d like the chance to win a signed copy of the new collection Tails of Love, which is a charity anthology to benefit needy animals and which features stories where animals play a key role in romance, leave a comment at Anna’s Book Blog before June 11.

The Suvudu free reads (all scifi or fantasy) for June have been posted. Smart Bitches have some links to romance ebook deals/promotions.

Head over to SciFiGuy.ca to see what urban fantasy, fantasy, paranormal, and scifi books are coming out the month.

Sydney found a new to me book holder.

Looks like BeBook’s going to have a wireless ebook reader available for sale by the end of this month (for $199).

Apparently Google’s planning to sell ebooks by the end of this year.

Woot! I won a copy of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies over at Historic Fibers for my zombie haiku (#2 in this post). Thanks, Julia!

Reading Update
True Confessions (set in Idaho), See Jane Score (not set in Idaho!), Truly Madly Yours (set in Idaho), Daisy’s Back in Town (not set in Idaho), and It Must Be Love (set in Idaho) by Rachel Gibson. One more to go and I will have read all of Gibson’s books in a shockingly short time. Important Note: If you find yourself in a Rachel Gibson romance, please be aware that condoms always seem to break and prepare yourself accordingly.
Night and Day (Jesse Stone) by Robert B. Parker. Finally! I swear, if a critical bit of series progression hadn’t happened in this one, I wouldn’t ever pick up another book in this series. I barely nerved myself up to read this one.
Traveling Light by Diana Rubino. ebook. This was a time travel romance that takes place briefly in the present, but primarily in fifteenth-century England. Review posted at Fang-tastic Books.
Satisfaction Guaranteed by Lucy Monroe. Scorching hot and very good contemporary romance about people working for a super secret antiterrorism agency. Very scorching. Very hot.
Ready and Willing by Lucy Monroe. More scorchers from Monroe. Can you guess what the name is of the next book in the series? 😉
Come Up and See Me Sometime by Lucy Monroe. This was written a few years earlier than the other books of hers I’ve read. Let’s just say her writing has improved a great deal in the past several years. In fact, I spent so much time rolling my eyes while I read this one, I think I strained something.
Demon Can’t Help It by Kathy Love. Favorite line: “Oddly, I find it reassuring you haven’t put anyone’s soul in a house pet before.” (The guy on the cover of this totally creeps me out for some reason.)
Crouching Vampire, Hidden Fang: A Dark Ones Novel by Katie MacAlister. Noticed a doozie of a typo on the “Also By” page – MacAlister’s book Zen and the Art of Vampires got turned into Zen and the Art of Dragons. Whoops. This book continues the story of Pia and Kristoff that began in Zen and the… and ended on a cliffhanger in that book. This book is still a bit all over the place, plus I spent way too much time wanting to slap Pia, Kristoff, and plenty of other characters. However, at least this one didn’t end on a cliffhanger – just with an open question or two. (Oh, and I have no idea what the cover art has to do with the book!)
Black and White by Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge. Please note that I received this as a review copy/prize, so you’ll get a slightly longer reviewette than usual.

We have lots of metaphors related to white and black, good and evil. The line between good and evil is supposedly black and white. Good guys wear white hats and bad guys wear black hats. Good is light, bad is darkness. Black and White plays with those crisp delineations, showing us that things are never that clear, even when superheroes (or “extrahumans” as they’re called in 2112) are involved.

Black and White is told alternately from the perspective of two extrahumans, Jet and Iridium. The narrative weaves back and forth between the story’s present and five to ten years in the past, when Jet and Iridium were roommates at the Academy. Jet’s a Shadow power, yet completely focused on following the rules and being a model hero. Iridium, a Light power, is much more independent and much less interested in rules. Both had fathers who were considered insane or “rabid”, leading many to expect similar behavior from Jet and Iridium.

What starts out as a seemingly simple comic bookesque tale of good versus evil slowly develops into an involving tale about shades of grey, friendship, and betrayal. (In fact, in some respects, it reminded me of Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman, which I also thoroughly enjoyed.)

Hmm. Mayhem seems to be having trouble selecting a book, as she stands on what are apparently her discards and contemplates The S3x Lives of Cannibals.

“What to read, what to read… Mom, what are cannibals? What is s3x? Are there any black kitties in this book? I’m sure it’s not worth reading if there aren’t black kitties in it.” -Mayhem