Miller. Rabbit holes. Writing. Recklessness.

I am working on a guest post for Lori over at Escape Between the Pages tonight. It's about taking walks on holidays, and I remembered that a writer I greatly admire had some quote on walking and thinking, how walking gets the mind rolling. I was pretty sure it was Henry Miller. I googled and promptly went down a Henry Miller rabbit hole. 

Wow, it's been a while since I thought about Henry Miller, who was major favorite of mine in my early twenties. Not for the famous Tropics so much as his personal writings. Sexus, Nexus and Plexus, Black Spring, Collossus of Maroussi. 

Then I went to my bookshelf and pulled down a copy of The Wisdom of the Heart, a book of his essays, and flipped through, wondering how I might feel about Miller now that I'm in my 40's. Gah, sorry Lori! I'll get that post done yet tonight!

Anyway, on my google odyssey, I stumbled on a great Henry Miller blog, which featured Miller's list of writing commandments, which Miller made for himself in 1933; You have to scroll down to get the full list, which is three posts from the end. But of particular interest to me these days are: 

#3. Don't be nervous. Work calmly, joyously, recklessly on whatever is in hand.

#8. Don't be a draught-horse! Work with pleasure only.

This is because I am working on two short stories for anthologies. I've been getting into this way of thinking, like, OMG, these stories have to be amazing because they might be the only thing somebody sees of my work. People will read these stories and decide whether they like Carolyn Crane based on them. Shit! Gotta make this count! 

And of course that is a terrible place for a writer to be. So, I'm looking at this list, and I especially need to emblazon #3 across my wall!! 

Who scarfed all the Christmas cookies?

Mom was up visiting and she brought a plate of Christmas cookies with her. Hey! Who scarfed all of them? Is that the  right use of scarfed? I never know.

Oh, moon & Scottie dog...
how I look forward to EATING YOU! 

Mom has a whole assembly line of cookies and treats going throughout the holidays with the grandkids, and this was the first batch. There was a turkey one, too, in observance of the fact that it IS early. Pictured, the only two left. I will spare the Scottie dog for last. When I was a kid, my fave cookie to decorate was the Scottie dog. If I'd had my way, all cookies would have been in the shape of dogs.

Radio radio
I was over at Write on Radio this past week, a fantastic local community writer interview show that gets local and national names. The week before was Lois McMaster Bujold. Kim Harrison has been on, too! Anyway, it's not a podcast, so you can only listen to it online for two weeks after the actual show. It was a really fun interview. Go here to listen.  Subscribe to the newsletter at writeonradio@yahoo.com

Jennifer Rardin Tribute Month

Don't forget it's Jennifer Rardin Tribute month co-hosted by Not-Really-Southern-Vamp Chick and Strange Candy Reviews. This is an absolutely wonderful event full of fun, thoughtful reflection by writers who knew Jennifer, plus reviews and giveaways. 

Pop Culture Fandom fun

Yesterday I was at CC2K, the nexus of pop culture fandom doing an interview.  This was such an excellent, substantial interview with Book Editor Beth Woodward about how characters take shape, power shifts, Double Cross, Gumby, and who will be the bridesmaids in the big wedding! Visit here. 

Giveaways
Paperback Dolls is having a massive follower giveaway where you can win a Nook or books, and they are also giving to charity. It ends December 12th. Huge! Play here. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 
I hope everybody has a good, cozy, wonderful Thanksgiving. Mr. Crane's birthday falls right on the 25th, so we've decided to stick around. Fires in the fireplace. Friends. Reading. A few video scripts to write for the dayjob. Work on the novel. What are my other US pals doing?

Delving into character names!

I'm over at Dirty Sexy Books chatting with Rebecca, where we go all nerdy and analyze and discuss a whole bunch of character names. Come join us! Oh, and you could win a book, too, if you're in the US and Canada. Come say hi!

Reviews
I wanted to mention a few recent reviews that I was super honored to see:

• Both books discussed over at the pop-culture fandom blog, Cin City - topics include relating to UF characters, and the contrast in Packard and Justine's world views.  
• Ellz Reads takes a look at Double Cross - topics: fave characters, questioning values.
• Bookaholic Zone: "Would it be wrong to beg for hints" on #3?
• Brenda Loves Books Discusses Double Cross, touching on love triangles, UF burnout,  believability and more.

Ten things you didn't know about Carolyn Crane

Why am I wracked with guilt? What is this "stereopticon pact" I entered into--and am I keeping up my end? Do I drain the tri-cock? Repeatedly?

The answers to these and many other things you likely have NOT been wondering about me are over at The fabulous Amber Scott Project, one of my fave blogs.

Amber is approaching publishing and promo in a lot of cool, creative ways, including her "project pay it forward." I love what she's doing over there. This woman thinks out of the box!

Anyway, today I'm there with  a hugely narcissistic post: "Ten things you didn't know about Carolyn Crane." Come say hi!

PS: I just noticed that you can win Mind Games or Halfway to the Grave at the another fabu blog, the Bookaholic Zone...until Midnight tonight! 

Another nomination! And, a podcast!

When you are a writer, sometimes you have Good Book Days, at least that's what I call them in my mind. Good Book Days can happen from a kind tweet or comment about your book, or the feeling that somebody is really engaging with it, or just feeling like, wow, a book is on my shelf that I wrote. Two books!

So far, this week is shaping up to be a very Good Book Week! There was the AAD nomination, and I have now learned Double Cross was nominated for Best Urban Fantasy 2010 by RT Magazine! I'm so happy and excited!!

I have not seen a list to see who else is nominated, but I do understand that several of my pals from around Reluctant Adult and Twitterland are also up for awards: Dakota Cassidy, Michelle Rowen, Michele Bardsley, Megan Hart, Mark Henry, Jeanne Stein, and Molly Harper! Wildest Congrats!


The Functional Nerds Podcast 
Also super cool and flattering: last week I sat down to record a podcast with Internet Gurus Patrick Hester and John Anealio about books, writing, urban fantasy as a genre, social media, querying and more. These guys run such a fun show, and  tend to have really interesting guests - musicians, writers, people with ideas on social media, technology, sci fi and more. And then there's me. LOL.  Download it here! 


I tend to be a bit deer-in-headlightsy when it comes to extemporaneous speaking, but John and Patrick were just so fun and cool. Their series tends to be really excellent. The week before was Jaym Gates & Erika Holt on their Rigor Amortis Collection. And just before that, a great episode with Neil Clarke.  


And then, this one with Fred Kiesche and Mike Ferrante was really really interesting just from a social media point of view. I feel like I learned so much from it. I might actually listen to it twice. 

Image: John Flynn and Virginia Moore; public domain image from Wiki Media

I was nominated! And I'm in the mood for a Druid and more!

Hey everybody! I hope you had a great Halloween. So, a couple items...

The HOUNDED Cover arrives! 

Fellow Leaguer Kevin Hearne has a cover to his new series, which releases in April, May and June. It's about a DRUID. Personally, I like the idea of a Druid, and this series sounds really cool: 

Hearne on the Iron Druid Chronicles:

Atticus O'Sullivan has been running for 2,000 years, and he's a bit tired of it. After he stole a magical sword from the Tuatha Dé Danann (those who became the Sidhe or the Fae) in a first century battle, some of them were furious and gave chase, and some were secretly amused that a Druid had the cheek to defy them. As the centuries passed and Atticus remained a fugitive—an annoyingly long-lived one, at that—those who were furious only grew more so, while others began to aid him in secret.

Now he's living in Tempe, Arizona, the very last of the Druids, far from where the Fae can easily enter this plane and find him. It's a place where many paranormals have decided to hide from the troubles of the old world—from an Icelandic vampire holding a grudge against Thor to a coven of Polish witches who ran from the German Blitzkrieg.

When Atticus hears from the Morrigan that his nemesis, Aenghus Óg, has found him once again, he decides to stay and fight rather than run. In so doing, he becomes the center of a power struggle amongst the Tuatha Dé Danann, where the sword he stole is the key to a plot to overthrow Brighid, First among the Fae. To thwart this determined deity, Atticus will need all the power he can muster to deliver himself from evil.

Read the cover reveal story at Reluctant Adults here! 

Authors After Dark Best Fantasy Book nomination! 

I was just so psyched to see Double Cross was nominated for Best Fantasy Novel on the Authors After Dark site! That is so cool, so huge!!! 

Fantasy Novel:
Shalador's Lady by: Anne Bishop
Born of Ice by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Last Dragon Standing G.A. Aiken
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh
Catch of a Lifetime - Judi Fennell
The Barbarian Prince by Michelle M Pillow
Enemy Lover, Karin Harlow
Double Cross by Carolyn Crane
Wicked Enchantment Anya Bast
Am I in some amazing company or what? Check out the rest of the categories here.

Dudleytown released! 

Also, my pal LB Gregg has a short being released from Aspen Mountain Press. 

What does Ms. Author have to say for herself??  "It's short. It's sweet. It's nasty. It'll be cheap AND it's a fricken' thrill ride." This is why I adore you, LB!! 

Double Cross out in the wild!

I continue to be SO so grateful to everybody who takes the time to read and review and discuss Double Cross. It means so much to me when people engage with it in their own thoughtful and creative ways. (and if you have a review I seem to be ignoring, let me know. I am far too haphazard in catching and citing them.)

My World...in Words and Pages

Bibliognome

Dirty Sexy Books

Angel Gone Mad

Moonsanity

Paranormal Haven

Book Addict Patti

Spinecracker's shortest review ever

And Vampire Book Club on Mind Games! 

In other news, I am so down on blogger. Why is it so hard to get the layout and fonts and spacing to look right? Look at this! Stupidly big spaces, tiny words. I've spent like an hour fooling around with this thing in two different browsers. ACK.