Midnight in Paris--A Trip Back in Time

One of my good friends, Carolyn Crawford (an AMAZING botanical illustrator) recently gave me a copy of the movie Midnight in Paris. She'd been raving about it for months and begging me to watch it. My husband and I finally saw it last night, and now I understand her insistence! Because we honeymooned in Paris, and I am a writer, we both enjoyed this movie a lot. So much, in fact, we watched it 2 times last night just to catch things that we might have missed first time around. It's possible that they even showed a view of the hotel in Ste. Germain that we stayed in back in 2001. I'm not a big fan of Owen Wilson, but I liked his character in this movie and thought he played it well. Adrien Brody was hilarious as Salvador Dali! (Every time I hear the word 'rhinoceros' now, I'll think of him.)  My interest is also peaked in learning more about Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and other figures from that era. An interesting aside: It was said that my late paternal grandfather looked a lot like Hemmingway in his later years.

So, this movie made me think. If I could go back in time, what eras would I choose to visit?! I don't have any interest in the 1890's or the 1920's (that were featured in the movie). I'd rather spend some time as a lady in the court at Versailles (Marie Antoinette threw some kick ass parties!) before the revolution then literally switch hats and be a spectator at some of the revolutionary meetings. I'd also like to take a trip back to Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco during the "Summer of Love" in 1967 and maybe hang out in that era for a few years, so I could attend some concerts of todays classic rock bands like The Doors, Bad Company, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and early AC/DC. (A litte hedonistic, aren't I?) What era would you go back to visit if you had the chance?

New Cover for The Gardener and RMFW Conference

Thank you, Anya Kelleye, for this new cover for The Gardener! If you are a writer and ever need help with a book cover, she's your go-to gal! Even though I really liked my original cover, I think the additional visual of the devious, undead character, Alphonso, is an improvement. One of my top goals this week is to make this e-book also availabe in paperback. I do have some nice cards printed up with the new cover image, and I'm ready to rock at the RMFW conference next weekend. I'm not sure if I'm more excited about all the awesome writer's workshops or the market where I get to sell and autograph paperback copies Eaters. The idea of both gives me goosebumps. If I have learned one thing about writing, it's that you never stop learning how to write better. My only peeve about the conference is that I can't decide between multiple worksops that I want to attend that are going on at the same time. There are way too many good ones, and I hate missing out on knowledge!

Permuted Press .99 Cent Sale!!!

Even if you're still reading Eaters, be sure to stop by Permuted Press for the last day of their $0.99 eBook summer sale.  12 books for just $0.99 each through the end of August 22. It's a swingin' apocalyptic deal!

Only Monsters Get Out of Chores

Scary Gary by Mark Buford

"As a writer with a yen for gruesome violence, I'm off on another nefarious quest to destroy human lives in print." Somehow, I don't think this line would get me out of emptying the dishwasher at my house. Some day, I will write a story about dishes that multiply exponentially then attack and eat the house inhabitants. Revenge of the Dishes. They're tired of being used and abused...and they're out for blood! It would be justification to write a climatic scene where the heroine creates a device that vaporizes dishes once and for all, freeing all humans from ever having to wash them again.

Promises...promises...

I have copies of Eaters in my grubby little hands. (Huzzah!)  If you are one of the few that I've personally promised a copy to, it may take a little longer. My employer wants to buy them to hand out to the other employees at work next week, so my inventory has been hijacked. (What are they going to think about that quiet girl who used to work in office #9 after they all read it? I've been trying to warn them :)

I have more books on order from Permuted Press.

It's just bloody amazin' to see this book finally in print (paperback, e-book, and audio book now available on Amazon). Thanks so much to everyone that helped along the way!

I wish I could say that I've been doing oodles of writing this summer, huddled over the keyboard at midnight with only a candle for light and forboding music like something from Nox Arcana in the background to set the mood, but it's been so hellishly HOT, the writing has been pretty sporadic lately. (The brain seems to have more haunted thoughts on the 'cool' setting.) I have dilly dallied with some short story ideas and have a decent start on Eaters II. I expect to see more smoke flying from the keyboard as fall rolls around.

I'm going to creep back under my rock now. If you've read Eaters, drop me a post. The good, bad, and the ugly is all appreciated.

Eaters is now available as an audio book on Audible.com and on Amazon.
It was really WEIRD to hear a narrator reading my words in the sample. Don't be fooled by her bedtime story voice in the beginning. This story was born from a nightmare I had and certainly won't lull you to sleep. A big thank you to Permuted Press for making this audio book happen!