Better to laugh than rip my hair out

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Because unlike Blake from Beautiful Girl, I’d look damn funny bald.
Photobucket

And speaking of Blake. Blake is bald. I know this. He’s my character. I even know why he’s bald… not a fashion statement or premature hair loss or anything. He’s a cancer survivor.

So why I did have Del grabbing his hair in the book?

Plain and simple…I got caught up in the scene and didn’t think. Not an excuse. Just the way it goes. And I suck at catching those sort of things. Although I caught a few when I did my read thru, and my advance reader caught a couple as well. And the editor caught some of the little slip ups like that, but I think I pepper them liberally throughout the book… and we didn’t catch them all.

I make plenty of mistakes with the books. Spell check is wonderful, but it doesn’t catch correct words used in incorrect ways… oh… like this one…

He lips her laps.

Fill in the blank what you think it should read. I know it was one of my earlier EC books and I know my editor was so totally tickled with it. And after turning totally red with embarrassment, I laughed.

I try to catch what I can. But I’m lousy at it. So now, to make it easier on all concerned… *G*…. I use readers before I even send in a book. See? I’m trying.

And just so ya know… I’m getting that ‘hair’ thing in BG fixed. Promise. He looks good bald, so we’ll just let him stay that way. ;)

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Evermore Winner

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From January’s contest… (yes, I’m a little late)… the winner of Evermore is Shannon.

Shannon commented

You, Lora Leigh, Lorie O’ Clair, Gena Showalter, Sherrilyn Kenyon, & Jhonathan Nasaw for his book The World On Blood. There are just far to many to list, but this is my top.

Shannon, I need you to email me @ shilohwalker@gmail.com

Thanks to everybody who entered and I’ll be getting another book contest going here shortly.

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Reviews

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I have an outlook on reviews but I’m not sure if it’s a weird one, or if it’s a normal one. I personally think it’s a logical one… but sometimes my logic doesn’t seem so logical to others.

So here’s my outlook.

Reviews aren’t for writers. But they can help them. Even the bad ones. Most people will honestly tell you that they don’t overlook a book just because it got an awful review. If they are on the fence, yeah, a bad review may add to the not-going-read-it side. But if a reader is really interested in a book, they aren’t going to make a decision just based on a review. Or at least that’s my take after reading soooooo many different dramas online about reviews.

On the flipside, though, a really, really really awful review can actually bump up sales. I know I’ve certainly bought a book based just on somebody’s review, thinking… Man, can it really be that bad?

Sometimes yes. Sometimes no. But it’s a sale. And chances are somebody is going to buy the book just because of a negative review and find that they loved the book and they’ll go gobbling up the author’s backlist.

So this all amounts to good things for authors. Unless of course an author responds to a negative review with a diva routine, then that hurts the author. Sales=happy author, the way I see it.

Since this is how I see it, I tend not worry if I see a negative review. If it’s just a bashing review, I worry even less. If it’s well thought-out critical review, sometimes I can pick up on things I need to improve on. Bonus! Sometimes a bad review can actually help a writer improve her craft. This is good stuff, right?

This doesn’t mean I enjoy it when somebody tears my book apart, but basically… a review is one person’s opinion and providing the person isn’t using the review as a personal attack, I’m not going to get upset that they didn’t appreciate my book. And chances are if somebody used a review as a personal attack against me, I’d ignore them anyway.

Reviews are good things. They get people talking. My books may be my ‘creation’ but just because I create something doesn’t mean everybody has to love and adore and coddle said creation. I’ve certainly read my share of books that I’d rather stomp into the mud than ever see it again. I’m entitled to that opinion. I don’t discuss it online when I don’t like a book because that gets to be a trickier road for authors and since I’m too lazy to mess with walking the road right, I don’t bother.

Writing is a talent. But just because I can write a book doesn’t mean everybody must love it. Since I don’t expect everybody to love everything I write, I’m not going to get bent out of shape if somebody doesn’t like it.

I didn’t always see reviews in quite this same way. I use to worry over every last review. But the most upset I’ve gotten over a review was when it had two seriously huge errors and a major plot spoiler in it. I was more bothered by the spoiler and the errors than the fact that the reviewer didn’t like it. I didn’t go into writing thinking I’d please everybody…and maybe that’s why it’s a little easier to shrug when I don’t please somebody and grin like a loon when I manage to please the majority… especially those hard to please ones. ;-)

Readers shouldn’t have to worry about hurting an author’s feelings when they discuss or review a book. Well, unless they use it as a platform to attack an author…and those who like to attack generally don’t care if they are hurt somebody’s feelings or not. And those type of reviews stand out.

So there’s my unsolicited two cents of the day… hmmmmm… I think I should change the name of the blog to Unsolicited Two Cents.

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A question I love…and hate…

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And love.

And hate.

And love.

And …. you get the picture, right?

It’s the question…

“So when are we going to get [fill in the blank]‘s story…”

Why do I love this question?

That’s easy. Usually readers aren’t going to ask to see a book about a secondary character if they hated a book. So it means whatever book they saw the secondary character in, if they ask that question, it generally means they liked the book.

I love it when people like the books.

Why do I hate this question?

*Cringe* Not every character I introduce into a book is meant to get a book. Some secondary characters are just that…secondary. Some of them don’t have a story to tell, and some of them might, but it’s not really a story worth telling.

I hate telling somebody who’s really hoping for a certain story that there just won’t be one. I very rarely say No because when I say No even if I hadn’t ever thought that character had a story, that’s when I realize there is a story.

Then there are the characters that I know have a story. They just wait until a certain time to tell me they have a story. And it’s usually when I’m busy working on two three four other projects. When I’m buried in one story, that’s when a character likes to come up and tap me on the shoulder and go, Okay, so here’s how it happens…

Then there are the ones who I know I need to tell the story, but that character just isn’t interested in talking to me. And I can’t do anything until that character is ready to talk.

And speaking of characters, I have a few waiting for me…

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Sam

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Sooooo… I’ve now gotten a number of requests asking when I’m going to write Sam’s story. Sam is a secondary character in Beautiful Girl and the editor asked that question before I even got to edit the book.

Answer… uh… I’ll write Sam’s story if he decides he wants me to. (cringing) Right now, there’s no story there. He might change his mind… no promises. But it’s possible.

However, if he does decide to talk to me, he’s going to have to be patient. I’m swamped. :-(

If/when Sam decides to talk to me, I’ll let people know.

I’m glad people like the story enough to ask about him~just wish I could give a better answer than….“UH” while I sit here and scratch my head.
;) Oh, well. Organization…it’s so not me.

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86'ed

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Oh, wow. Found this @ Mrs. Giggles and talk about making my day. The below is from her updates page and will disappear shortly, so I had to save it. *G*

Beautiful Girl by Shiloh Walker Beautiful Girl
By Shiloh Walker (contemporary) Okay, hands up if you have ever imagined that Shiloh Walker, author of urban fantasy stories, has some inner Catherine Anderson that she would channel one of these days. No? Stand back, people, because this is the big one.

Rating: 86

I generally don’t pay attention to reviews. This doesn’t mean that I don’t like seeing positive ones, or that I freak out when I see a negative one. I used to, believe me. But over the past couple of years, I’ve realized something about reviews…they are one person’s opinion.

One person’s opinion, positive or negative, isn’t going to affect the sales of a book in a negative way. And actually…bad reviews can bump sales up. So I stopped letting myself worry about reviews unless they are something I can use as a promo thing, like the ARC contest for Beautiful Girl.

So I try not to worry overmuch about a book’s review. However, there are a few places where I do tend to look if I see my book mentioned. Like Mrs. Giggles or Karen.

Reviews from these ladies tend to make me smile when I read them. Sometimes even outright laugh over the negative reviews. And before people go thinking I’m being mean, laughing because somebody got ripped to shreds in a review… I’m talking reviews of MY books. If I can have a sense of humor when one of my books get shredded, then it’s not really being mean. (And I’m not getting into the whole mean-girl reviewer mess~if voicing an honest opinion makes somebody mean, then I’m not just mean, I’m downright malicious.)

Still, even though I can laugh at some well-made points when I read negative reviews, I also grin with glee when I manage to please somebody who’s not always that easy to please.

Now I want a sparkly ’86′ button to go with my sparkly “Karen loved my book” button.

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RAW 2008

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Time to get registered….

Announcing the 2008 Lora Leigh Reader Appreciation Weekend!

Join Lora and friends for a weekend of fun, fellowship and great food. Discover the natural beauty of one of the most beautiful State Parks in Kentucky, Carter Caves State Resort Park.

Your Registration at Raw 2008 includes meals at the Friday night Slumber Party, the Saturday Pig Roast and Masquerade Dance, as well as the Satisfying Saturday Brunch and Sunday Fun Farewell Brunch.

A good time will be had by all at the Masquerade Party on Saturday night. Wear a mask, a full costume, or come as you are, it’s up to you.

Make your reservations to attend RAW 2008!

Friday September 19th to Sunday September 21st.

Join authors

Shayla Black ◊ Diane Whiteside

Veronica Chadwick ◊ Kay Stockham

Lorie O’Clare ◊ Lora Leigh

Lucy Monroe ◊ Shiloh Walker

J.R. Ward ◊ Sylvia Day/S.J. Day

Jacqueline Frank ◊ Kate Douglas

Nalini Singh ◊ Diane Castell

Jules Bennett ◊ Mary Wine/Dawn Ryder

Angela Knight ◊ Bianca D’Arc

Jasmine Haynes/Jennifer Skully/JB Skully

Registration info can be found here

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Disturbia

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If you’re looking for a decent, half-way scary, suspense type movie without the gore… try PhotobucketDisturbia. The DH and I watched it last week and it was pretty decent.

Had some jump moments but there wasn’t anything gory that would have left me wishing I hadn’t had steak for dinner.

From IMDB:

Every killer lives next door to someone…

After his father is killed in a car accident, things unravel for Kale Brecht and he is placed under house-arrest for punching his Spanish teacher. Having nothing better to do, Kale occupies himself by spying on his neighbors. But one night, he witnesses what appears to be a murder going on in Mr. Turner’s house. Kale becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth behind these murders but, after a few unsettling run-ins with Mr. Turner, it becomes a matter of life and death. And the ominous question: Who is watching who? Written by O.G.

 

Definitely not a waste of $3.99 it cost to get it on demand.

both image and plot summary came from IMDB.

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New cover prettiness

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PhotobucketEverybody say ooooohhhhhh… aaaaahhhhhhhh

See my new cover?

It’s by Syneca. I’ve gotten lucky with my covers at my epubs for the most part. Scott @ Samhain tolerates my frequent changes of mind. Syneca gets that I want a sexy cover that doesn’t have nekkid butts or other other body parts only barely concealed.

I like sexy.

But I like romantic sexy better than sexy and romantic sexy is what I prefer. Romantic sexy isn’t as easy as just plain sexy…or beyond sexy. You have to convey the sensuality as well as the emotion.

I love it when the cover artist can do both.

And since I’m sharing the cover, might as well post an excerpt~ this releases 2/13/08 from Ellora’s Cave. It’s sort of paranormal. Sort of fantasy.

~*~

“Upside down,” Rhys ordered. Slowly, the rotation stopped and Holly’s body inverted in the air until her head was pointed at the ground. Her hair fell, the ends brushing the floor. A muscle in his jaw jerked as her shirt fell away, revealing a toned belly. She had on a sport bra under the looser tank top and although Rhys couldn’t see much more than the restrained swell of her breasts, his mouth went dry.

Sweat glistened on her skin and Rhys had to take a moment and practice his own self control. Otherwise, he might have gone to Holly, pulled her out of the air and started licking the sweat away. The image of him doing just that hit him with a force that was almost painful. “Upright,” he said, his voice harsh.

She flinched, startled by his abrupt change of tone and only Rhys’ speed kept her from dropping down on the ground, head first. His arms full of a hot, damp Holly, Rhys swore silently. Her back was pressed to his front, upside down, so that the back of her head was dangerously close to his aching dick and her sweetly rounded butt was pressed against his shoulders. Self preservation had him dumping her body onto the couch and then he strode away, staring out the window.

“Your control is off today,” Rhys said, wincing as he heard how short and irritated his voice sounded.

“Sorry, Rhys,” she said quietly. Her soft little sigh drove a dagger into his belly. Guilt reared its ugly head and he looked back at her. He’d been the one to break her concentration. Her control was decent, considering she’d only spent four years working on it. Rhys had centuries of practice behind him. An angry voice wasn’t going to shake his control, but it had been unexpected and unusual enough that he could understand why Holly had faltered.

But she didn’t place any blame on his shoulders. She just politely said, Sorry, Rhys. And that just made him feel even more of an ass.

Abruptly, he grabbed the bag that held her clothes. “Here. Go wash up. We’re calling it quits early.”

He tossed the bag to her and she caught it, held it in her arms. “Okay,” she murmured and he would have had to be blind not to see the sadness enter her eyes.

It was damned pitiful that the highlight of her day was coming to the workshop so he could push her until she dropped, Rhys thought, more than a little disgusted. He wasn’t an easy instructor and he knew his moods were often mercurial. Yet calling the class off an hour early made her shoulders slump and her mouth turn down in a pout that was most likely unconscious.

Rhys wanted to grab her, pull her against him and suck that full lower lip into his mouth. Bite her, just a little, gently-until he heard her gasp and then he’d pushed his tongue inside and see if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. Instead, he turned back to the window and stared outside.

But when he heard her emerge from the bathroom in less than twenty minutes, he turned around. The sight of her was like getting punched in the throat, breath-stealing. Her hair was still damp and she’d pulled it back from her face in a loose braid. Her workout clothes had been replaced by the jeans and sweater she’d arrived in and her face was still flushed. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Holly said quietly, slinging her bag over her shoulder. Her other hand was jammed deep into her pocket.

“We’re going to get something to eat,” Rhys said.

Holly lifted a brow. “Something to eat…right now.”

“You do eat, right?”

~*~

And just in case you didn’t see, I have a contemporary erotic romance out at Samhain.

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Who we are

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1. In addition to reading romance, 90% read in other genres.
2. More than 60% graduated from college.
3. 25% graduated from post-grad.
4. Ages ranged from 17 to mid-sixties, with the majority in their 30-40s.
5. 50% are married or otherwise involved.
6. 43% have kids
7. Some of the responses came from….(this list isn’t inclusive)

  • Nurses
  • Paramedics
  • Stay-at-home-moms
  • Teachers (I’m assuming Kindergarten thru High School) & Preschool Teachers
  • College Professors
  • Retail (ranging from cashier to manager)
  • Loan officers
  • Domestic Goddess * as a mom and wife seriously lacking in domestic skills, I’m in awe ;-) . *
  • Accountants
  • Office administration
  • Office Assistants
  • Event Management
  • Small business owners
  • Lawyers
  • Doctors
  • Caterers
  • Web designers/Website Owners
  • Computer techs
  • Writers… *G* Naturally. We have to read, too.
  • College students
  • Paralegals
  • Food Service Industry ~ all areas
  • Business Systems Analysts
  • Risk Analysts
  • Newspaper editors
  • Pharmacy Techs
  • Translators

*G* Gee… we’re a real typical bunch. And this is only a few of the careers mentioned in the survey.

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