A dark day in the Crane household! contest results and blurb trauma

It turns out Oblio was NOT the softest kitteh ever! Read the photo essay of Kitty Softness Smackdown Rumble here at Stumbling over Chaos. Also, stuff about the contest, in reverse order, can be found in posts from all last week here.

I feel a bit like a traitor, as one of the judges. However, Oblio has been very good about it.

In other news

My book was sent out for blurbs to various authors, and I just got my first response, via my agent, where an author didn't like it enough to blurb it. I totally respect this author saying that, because I would never want her to put her name on it if she didn't feel it was her cup of tea, and also, she doesn't even know me, and she took time out of her busy schedule to give it a whirl, for which I'm hugely grateful. I know I would feel resentful if I was expected to favorably blurb a book I didn't love.

But of course, it freaks me out, because it's easy to get into slippery slope thinking, like, what if everybody hates it?!?!

Then I start thinking, why? And I scan my agent's email for clues. Suddenly there is all sorts of dark significance in my agent's phraseology: "was not her cup of tea." Is it possible my agent is shielding me from some commentary she feels I cannot handle? Why not repeat this person's communication to me verbatim?

Naturally, as author, I have a long and startlingly elaborate list of possibilities why people might not enjoy my book, or why some would even come to actively dislike, or possibly hate it! Here in my office, I am able to imagine baroque worlds of doom and gloom that involve my book crashing and burning, and me a bitter failure. A husk of a woman. OMG, I was writing this sort of putting a humorous spin on it, but now I'm getting verklempt.

Website: Up so so soon! By the end of the week. I'm psyched about my progress, slow as it is.

**PS** Okay, I'm really being dramatic, I can see.

These authorly ups and downs just surprise me, and I think they're a little bit funny, (i.e., me being a freak). Because, of course some readers will like my book, others won't. Just like with every other book in the world. In the end, I am SO happy to have it being published, and it really is quite exciting! Yet intense!

Fun links, killer gift idea, upcoming items, one last taunt

Adopt your own demon sheep: the contest!

Win internetz fame, your own demon sheep, and fabulous mystery books at Babbling About Books! All you have to do:

In 100 words, tell us what you would do if you had your own demon sheep. What type of demon sheep would you have and most importantly, what would his or her name be?

And guess who is one of the judges? Little CJ!!! The contest ends Sunday the 13th.

A fun Xmas gift for your snarky pals that will make you seem super wonderful and clever:

I just stumbled across this deal from Mark Henry, one of the funniest UF writers working today: you can get a signed and personalized copy of one of his Amanda Feral zombie books in time for Christmas (free shipping if you order it by Friday the 11th). These entertaining and startling (in a good, OMG, WTF, sort of way way) books work for both men or women.

To snag one: you order the book from the Seattle University Bookstore, include this secret message on the payment in the comments section: "Please send me a personalized signed copy (or copies). Contact Duane Wilkins and author for arrangements" along with info on who it's for, and Mark Henry himself will write something surprisingly witty or even dirty in the book, and get it to you.

Book #1 Happy Hour of the Damned, is a good place to start, though book #2, Road Trip of the Living Dead, which I'm currently reading and will post about one of these days, also kicks ass.

Bonus: If you do this and one other of the things listed here before the 14th, you could win an ARC of the hotly anticipated Battle of the Network Zombies plus mystery surprise extras in his wacky SAVE AMANDA FERAL contest.

Smugglivus is on, dudes!

Are you catching this? This is one of my favorite, most action-packed events of the year. Smugglivus is a month-long celebration in which the Book Smugglers invite their favorite authors and bloggers to post about their favorite books of the year, what they’re looking forward to in 2010, and what projects they have on the horizon. TONS of giveaways here, great interviews, big names.

And of course, they end the celebration with the freaky "official rites" – Airing of Grievances, Feats of Strength, and their very own Best of lists for the year, all culminating in our second year blogoversary.

Kitty Softness Smackdown Rumble:

You have mere HOURS left to place your bets and win a book.

More here. Or here. Or here. Or here. Or just scroll down.

Chocolate and a chat:

Stop by tomorrow for my interview with Penny Watson, author of Sweet Inspirations!

We'll be talking baking, writing, and she's giving away a Santa bag of white and milk-chocolate covered rice crispie treats! Yum.

Random items: Klingon Christmas Carol, rumble update, etc.

Mr. Crane and I are not big Christmas festivity goers, but that's changing this year! We are extremely psyched to be attending a performance of A Klingon Christmas Carol at Mixed Blood Theater, here in Minneapolis next Sunday.

The play is done entirely in tlhIngan Hol (the Klingon Language, dudes!) with English supertitles. This "classic tale of ghosts and redemption was adapted to reflect the Warrior Code of Honor." Are you jealous or what?

Performance blurb:

Scrooge has no honor, nor any courage. Can three ghosts help him to become the true warrior he ought to be in time to save Tiny Tim from a horrible fate? Performed in the Original Klingon with English Supertitles, and narrative analysis from The Vulcan Institute of Cultural Anthropology.

If you're lucky enough to live in the area, tickets are still available. A Klingon Christmas Carol is a co-production of Commedia Beauregard and the IKV RakeHell of the Klingon Assault Group.Written & Translated by Doqtuj vestai-ruStaj, Q'DroS vestai-Kiln, Qe'pa sutai-Qul, 
Qob zantai-Hurric, and qurgh sutai-lungqIj 
(Sasha Walloch, Christopher O. Kidder, Laura Thurston, Bill Hedrick, and Chris Lipscombe. Photos courtesy of Commedia Beauregard.

On the writing front

Well, work continues on my site. Also, I turned in book two revisions to my agent, and I am so excited about it! I think it is so amazing and the best thing I ever wrote. That, of course, will change when the inevitable "This book is the shittiest piece of crap in the world" period begins. Anyway, now I have to think of book 3. I have only the barest idea for it, though certain things are slated to happen.

The other day I went running and I got all these ideas on how to work the plot, and I wrote them down (I've learned to bring pen and paper on runs) but now I can't find the little scrap of paper. Argh!! So, that's what I'm doing after I put up this entry. I hope to find the scrap, and if not, I'll work on simultaneously convincing myself the ideas weren't that good and that they'll surely come to me later.

Kitty Softness Smackdown Rumble! Still time to place your bets!

TIME: Sunday December 6th, in the afternoon

PLACE: Our neighborhood in Minneapolis

MAIN EVENT: Chris from Stumbling Over Chaos and I will walk the six blocks back and forth between our homes petting the cats to decide, once and for all, whether Mayhem (Chris's cat) or Oblio (pictured) is the softest cat EVER. After that, we will go shopping at Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction bookstore, as that is a thing we like to do.

More on the rumble: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 and Oblio's competition. There's still time to place your bets for a chance to win a book!

How to bet
1. Leave a comment here or at Stumbling Over Chaos by 10 am CST, December 6 and choose May (Chris's cat), Oblio, or a draw.
2. Give the name of a mass market paperback you want us to lovingly buy for you (mystery, scifi, fantasy, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance) that's likely available at Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore or Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore. (They have pretty much everything current, and a huge used section, so odds are good they'll have what you want. You can poke around their site to check. If there's a title you've been desperately seeking but don't see on their site, list it first and then list a second title, just in case.)
3. Leave your email address if it's not gettable from your profile.

Kitty Softness Smackdown Update!

Extreme measures at Stumbling Over Chaos do not go unanswered.

Learn more and place your bets Here and Here.

Meanwhile...

Has my blog totally devolved? No, I promise it hasn't! My free time is currently being consumed by my under-construction website. (It's totally not ready--don't you dare look if you have the address!!)

I have to rearrange a bunch of stuff, add a bunch of stuff, and at the same time, I'm switching hosts due to freakishly long load time issues. I honestly thought I'd have it done in one afternoon...that was back on November 10th!

Trailer Tuesday - Succubi fun! + smackdown update

Hey, Happy Trailer Tuesday. This week I've really been enjoying the trailer for Gentlemen Prefer Succubi by author Jill Myles (the book comes out December 29th).

The diary concept here appeals to my natural in-born nosiness (it's set up as the heroine's diary, humorously outlining the events of the book). I love how the text and the pictures (drawn by Myles's husband) work together, and generally, just the clever attitude of this trailer.

I'm totally going to read this book. Book two, Succubi Like it Hot, comes out January 19th. Whoa! The shotgun release! Excerpts, extras and goodies on the series here.

Trailer Tuesday is hosted by Anastasia over at Birdbrain(ed) book blog. Does she have her trailer up yet? No! We'll check back later.

Kitty softness smackdown rumble news:

Tensions heat up between the kitties!

Read all about it here. (Or see the post below.) You have until Sunday to place your bet and win a book, but please, follow the directions. And you can't vote for your own cat.

Memo to Rfp: Does Oblio need to come over there and scrub your brain out with his soapy little paws?

The Kitty Softness Smackdown RUMBLE!

It started innocently enough: Chris from Stumbling Over Chaos and I were out for dinner and drinks at a local Thai restaurant and the talk turned to our cats (a shocker, I know). One of us--we can't quite decide who--boasted that her cat was the softest cat EVER. The other insisted that HERS was the softest cat ever. The argument turned heated. (Okay, not exactly heated). But we did know one thing: The kitties needed to settle this thing once and for all!

THE ULTIMATE KITTY SOFTNESS SHOWDOWN

TIME: Sunday December 6th, in the afternoon

PLACE: Our neighborhood in Minneapolis

MAIN EVENT: Chris and I will walk the six blocks back and forth between our homes petting the cats to decide which is softest.

After that, we will go shopping at Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction bookstore, as that is a thing we like to do.

Place your bets - you could win a book!

Who is the softest kitty? May or Oblio? Or will it be a draw? We will take the winning bets and draw one name, and buy that person a book of their choice from Uncle Hugo's during our outing.

Check out Oblio's competition and read Chris's post: Readers, readers on the internetz, who’s the softest kitteh of them all? (or at least on our street)

How to play:

1. Leave a comment here or at Stumbling Over Chaos by 10 am CST, December 6 and choose May, Oblio, or Draw.

2. Give the name of a mass market paperback you want us to lovingly buy for you (mystery, scifi, fantasy, urban fantasy, or paranormal romance) that's available at Uncle Hugo's Science Fiction Bookstore or Uncle Edgar's Mystery Bookstore. (They have pretty much everything current, and a huge used section, so odds are good they'll have what you want. You can poke around their site to check. If there's a title you've been desperately seeking but don't see on their site, list it first and then list a second title, just in case.)

3. Leave your email address if it's not gettable from your profile.