Wednesday, March 28, 2012

I'm at Ask an Author!

Hey everybody! Okay this is really fun - I'm over at this fun and lively Goodreads group: Romance Readers Reading Challenges, doing an Ask an Author event. 

This is a group that anybody can join over at Goodreads - it's easy. Come check it out! I'm in the hotseat. We've been talking writing, inspiration and how embarrassing it is for people in my real life to read my sex scenes and more. 

Come check it out. Feel free to ask me a stumper! Okay, not a stumper, maybe!! And you don't have to join RRRC to lurk. 


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Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Big interview time at Litstack!

Wow, my month of being featured author at Litstack has flown by!

**Crane adjusts tiara, fluffs throne pillows**

And today, I sat down with TS Tate of Litstack for a wonderful & writerly interview. We discussed rejection, characters, publishing and more.

Come visit Litstack!

Monday, March 26, 2012

Words & Music Monday! Let's rock!

I'm really excited to be over at the fabulous BOOKS MAKE ME HAPPY blog for Words and Music Monday.

Wow, who knew I had so much to say about the relationship between my writing and music. But I do, because the relationship is intense and deeply important to me.

This is a really cool feature that Jennifer runs over there. Not only did I have fun doing this post, but I loved looking through what other writers has said on the topic.

Drop by Books Make Me Happy and let's talk music!!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Sad fashion confession and a visit to the Qwillery

Yesterday, while typing away at my WIP, I heard the sound of the mailman down at the building entrance and realized I'd forgotten to send my insurance payment, which is egregiously late! I scribbled a check, all the codes, slapped on a stamp, and burst out, running down the sidewalk after him in my slippers and office clothes to give it to him.

Pictured: the sweater I wore to chase/scare
the mailman. 

And then walking back to the condo, past people waiting for the bus etc. I realized: OMG WTF am I wearing? 

The answer: rags.

I bring you exhibit A: my favorite sweater of 2008. Somewhere in my clothes-challenged mind, I still think of it the day I got it from Kohls, new. So pretty. I would also direct your attention to my generously vented favorite office pants. I do love them. The fabric is just too thin even to patch. I have two other similar pairs. It is kind of crazy, what I wear every day. The degree of decrepitude. 

Working at home is such a strange luxury. Because, it IS this luxury, but the people doing it typically wear the most un-luxurious outfits.  

These pants: holes front and back, and a sad
mixture of clownish yet obscene. And I am
wearing them as I type.
I remember when I worked at an advertising agency--it was always SO hard for me to cobble together a nice looking outfit every day, and ad agencies are way more casual than normal businesses, but still. When I was at my most uptight agency in terms of clothes, I remember this hotshot freelance copywriter came in for a meeting wearing shorts and a Hawaiian shirt, and it was this sign of prestige that he didn't have to wear something nice. I was so impressed by that. 

Now I'm the freelancer going in for meetings, (though honestly, women freelancers have to dress a little nicer). Anyway, I wear my nice clothes from 2005. Mostly, though, I have meetings virtually, which I wildly prefer. Because I don't have to think about the clothes thing. 

Though, the crazy outfit I wore to chase the postman was definitely pushing it! And, I am not even going to start on my jogging clothes. 

The other day I was going to go to the grocery store and I put on jeans and a normal shirt, just enough to get myself presentable in normal society, and I was grumbling to myself that one good thing about winter is that I can throw a coat over my ragamuffin outfit to go to the store, but when it's hot, I actually have to change--I cannot cover my pov-looking self with a giant coat. @#$@#!

Anyway, my husband looks at me surprised and goes, you look really nice! And I realized he always says that when I have any clothes on that aren't rags. It made me feel a little bit bad because, okay, it's not the 1960's, I don't have to look like Betty Draper every day, but surely I can make an effort to not wear rags! 

I should probably retire some of my clothes. Maybe I will...maybe I won't. I do love the blue sweater. It is cozy on cool mornings. I don't know. 

Over at the Qwillery!
Okay, hey! I'm over at the illustrious Qwillery today! We did a fun little interview--short but substantive, talking about books and writing, and what I find most challenging about the author life (clearly not the clothes!) and we're giving away a Devil's Luck ebook! 



Monday, March 19, 2012

The SCARIEST-EVER thing you can put in an urban fantasy novel...

Happy Monday, friends! I hope that you had a lovely weekend. It is fabulously warm here...all windows are open at Casa Crane. I have even put away my winter clothes and taken out my summer clothes...I didn't plan to, it just sort of happened. Bags were opened. A wash was done.  I have a feeling I may regret that. Well, we'll see.

In the meantime, I am over at the lovely Mama Kitty Reviews discussing - with frightening graphic depictions - the most terrifying beings ever to be found on the pages of a UF or PNR novel.

Is it a rogue WERE-BAT?
A DHAMPIR?

 Come to Mama Kitty Reviews and find out...if you dare! 

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Luck: Seven random things I can tell you!

Feeling lucky to be a FWIW!!
In honor of St. Patrick's day, I'm over at the very fun and smart For What It's Worth Reviews, a blog of all things books, music and whatever else grabs Karen's attention talking about LUCK!

Character luck, book luck, my sordid past in the luck biz and more. AND if you're lucky, you can win a copy of Devil's Luck. 

Oh, you must drop by!

And best of all, you can admire Karen's feline assistant, who looks uncannily like my feline assistant. Pinky lock!

LitStack fabulousness
Also, the featured author spotlight over at LitStack continues with a review of Double Cross today. I'm double lucky right now. Stop by!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Red hot interview...upcoming snippet, fave scenes, giveaway & more!

Happy Monday everybody! I hope you had a fun weekend.

I was so pleased to be invited for an interview wtih Jen at Red Hot Books, the lively and lovely blog about all things Urban Fantasy, romance and more.

We talk about heros, secondary characters, tell our favorite scenes from the Disillusionists, and other cool stuff. Also, I dish on my story in Mammoth Book of Ghost Romance, and there's a preview snippet there.

AND if you leave a comment, you could win a copy of my stand-alone Disillusionists novella, Devil's Luck!

Stop by and say hi at Red Hot books!!

xo

Carolyn

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Carolyn Crane: Word Whore!!

Hey! I have some fun Saturday news: I've joined the group blog Word Whores! This is such a fun, eclectic  group of novelists: Allison Pang, Jeffe Kennedy, Kristine Krantz, Marcella Burnard, Linda Robertson, and James Tuck. Some of this gang I already knew, others I knew only from afar. I was so flattered they invited me!

The gang picks a weekly subject, and I'm the Saturday blogger, so this is my first post. This week's topic: places we would most want to live. I know everybody has been curious about that with me, but you'll have to go visit and find out.

Come say hi to me in my new Saturday home!

Thursday, March 8, 2012

So honored to be featured author at Litstack!!

I'm so honored to be featured author of the month over at Litstack, a very eclectic blog "for the love of all things wordy..."
LitStack is a place for bookworms and bibliophiles to discuss classics and recent releases, check out cool stuff for readers and get the inside scoop from your favorite authors. We’re like a cozy little bookshop without the free coffee. (Sorry, we’re working on that.)
Incidentally, I was also quite excited to discover the origins of the "Keep Calm and Carry On" sign there today, something I have long wondered about.

But not as excited as to be featured author! Festivities this month will include reviews of books from the Disillusionists world, and a fabulous lively interview and more! 

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Dishing on books, conventions and more with Twimom227!!!

Stop over to the fabulous and fun That's What I'm Talking About - where Twimom and I chat it up on the Disillusionists, my upcoming series, books we're looking forward to and the AAD convention!

Also, you could win a copy of DEVIL'S LUCK in a lightning giveaway that ends Thursday!!

Come say hi and Join the fun. 

Friday, March 2, 2012

A big, fun interview - with Simon commentary - at abookandashortlatte

What is the secret history of when he and Packard first met? What are his plans for Gumby? Is there a playlist for the Disillusionists?

What is Simon's guilty pleasure? You'd be surprised...

I had such a fun time over at abookandashortlatte doing this interview! We talked about everything from book faves to series construction and more.

Come by and say hi!!