Michael gets disappointed

In my inbox today (and yesterday. And a few times last week):

Every time I receive one of these spam emails and delete it, Michael gets terribly disappointed when the video of me ‘working on myself’ doesn’t get sent to him. And yes, he is listed in my contracts.

This particular bit of blackmail has been updated to actually fit current times, which is why I assume there has been a rash of them in the last couple of weeks. And the stilted tone is such an interesting mixture of threatening-while-attempting-to-be-friendly (and oddly supportive) that it makes for an intriguing character study.

“If you do something stupid, I will distribute the video.”

“Good luck.”

“Don’t stress.”

Brilliant.

There is a new character in the Archivist series – Doran, a vampire/antiquities dealer – who totally flirts in a similar fashion. Of course, he actually follows through with the threat when he doesn’t get ‘paid’. 🙂

Dowser 8: paperback proof

Front cover of Dowser 8. Designed by Elizabeth Mackey.

This beauty arrived by courier this morning.

Dowser 8 paperback: title page. Interior files formatted by 52novels.

I approved the proof, so the paperback version of Misfits, Gemstones, and Other Shattered Magic (Dowser 8) will be available on Amazon in the next day or so, then on other retailers in a few days.

And, of course and always, I ordered copies for a giveaway. 🙂

Dowser 8 paperback: back cover designed by Elizabeth Mackey.

After the ‘photoshoot’ I immediately added this pretty paperback to my #shelfie.

Oracle 3: paperback proof

This pretty thing was waiting by my front door when I got home from driving Michael to the optometrist this afternoon.

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Everything looks to be in order – yay! – so I’ll finally be able to order some paperbacks and fulfill my terribly belated preorder giveaway. Oh, also the paperbacks will be available to purchase online in the next couple of days.

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ebook: AMAZON – iBOOKS – KOBO – B&N – SMASHWORDS

In Today’s Mail: Hummingbird Chocolate

At the end of May Sue mentioned an article about an award winning chocolatier on my Facebook Page. It turned out that the small batch chocolate maker, Hummingbird Chocolate, was Canadian and had won a bunch of awards when up against a bunch of big names that I mention around here often, including Amedei.

So, of course, I instantly had to track down this new-to-me chocolate and see what I could score. Thankfully, I discovered that they had an online store and I ordered the three bars that appealed to me the most (including their award winning bars).

I’ll taste them separately and make notes, but I wanted to share these pretties right away.

Dowser Series: recipe card giveaway

CONTEST CLOSED. WINNER TBA

I had six different recipe cards, all representing a different Dowser book, test baked, proofed, and printed for The Bookcon 2016. Then I shipped a bunch back from Chicago for giveaways and such. They showed up today.

I’ll probably be doing random flash giveaways with the postcards over the next few months on this blog, twitter, and Facebook but I’ll hold this one open for 36 hours so everyone gets a chance to win right away.

Would you like a set of all six recipes? To enter all you need to do is comment below and let me know:

Of the six recipes featured here – Lust in a Cup, Cozy in a Cup, Sunshine in a Cup, Sass in a Cup, Buzz in a Cup, or Lift in a Cup – which cupcake are you most looking forward to baking?

Notes/Rules: OPEN INTERNATIONALLY. Each comment will be assigned an entry number. ONE winning entry will then be selected via random number generator. One entry per person. Please make sure to fill out a valid email address in the comment form. Email addresses are not collected for any purpose other than notifying the contest winner.

If you haven’t commented on the blog before, or you comment from a different IP address, the comments are moderated. So don’t worry if you don’t see your entry right away. I will approve it, then assign it an entry number.

Contest closes WEDNESDAY, MAY 25, 2016 at 8 p.m. PDT.

Dowser Series: Dowser 3 Audiobook Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. WINNER TBA

Another box of goodies from Tantor Media!! Whoot!

And what does a box full of audiobook CDs mean? Yep, giveaway time!! Specifically for 8 CDs and 9.5 hours of Treasures, Demons, and Other Black Magic (Dowser 3) unabridged.

Would you like to win a set of Dowser 3 audiobook CDs? I’ll even pull out the front sleeve and autograph it for you if you like. 😀 [Though warning I have to take the plastic covering off to sign].

To enter all you need to do is comment below and let me know:

Where would you listen to this CD? The car? On a road trip? To and from work? And what specific or favourite part of the book are you looking forward to hearing the narrator, Caitlin Davies, give voice to?

Contest closes THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 2016 at 8 p.m. PDT.

<3 <3 <3

Dowser Series: Dowser 2 Audiobook Giveaway

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. LUCKY #11 HAS BEEN EMAILED.

You know what this box of goodies from Tantor Media means, right?

Giveaway!!

Yep! That is the Trinkets, Treasures, and Other Deadly Magic (Dowser 2) audiobook on … wait for it … ACTUAL CD. Eight CDs and 9.5 hours unabridged audio to be exact.

So … do you want to win a set of Dowser 2 audiobook CDs? I’ll even pull out the front sleeve and autograph it for you if you like. 😀 [Though warning I have to take the plastic covering off to sign].

To enter all you need to do is comment below and let me know:

If you could listen to ANY BOOK narrated by ANY PERSON, what book and narrator would that be? And/or what is your FAVOURITE audiobook?

Contest closes FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2016 at 8 p.m. PDT.

<3 <3 <3

Paperback pretties!

These showed up this afternoon, and I’m expecting another box to follow in the next couple of days.

I owe a few of these pretties to various people, but watch out for an Oracle 1/Oracle 2 combo paperback giveaway here on the blog in the near future. Yay!

Day. Made.

So this was waiting in my inbox for me this morning.

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How freaking cool is that?

Here is part of the scene from Shadows, Maps, and Other Ancient Magic (Dowser 4).

The single-storey buildings and homes of Hope Town were all painted in bright colors, dominated by seashell pink. Kandy cut up between buildings toward the red-and-white-striped lighthouse that towered easily five storeys higher than any other building in the village. I spotted a few people dressed in bright colors, most of them shopping or hanging around a local coffee hut, but no one gave us a second glance. Kandy had outfitted us perfectly for what was obviously a tourist destination. The sparse population of three hundred — according to Kandy’s brochures — appeared to be a mix of Caucasian and people of African ancestry, but the village didn’t feel desolate. More like everyone was elsewhere — perhaps the cluster of taller buildings on the edge of town that the golf cart was zooming toward. A hotel, maybe.

My stomach grumbled, but I ignored it.

The lighthouse was before us. A pink rope hung across the entrance, which I took to mean it was normally open to the public. Just beyond and down a slight hill, the ocean lapped against a grassy shore. Tiny seaside houses on that shore had boats tied to individual wharves. The low buildings surrounding the lighthouse were painted pink with white-trimmed windows and balconies, which was an odd contrast to the thick red-and-white stripes of the lighthouse tower. We’d left the pine forest behind us. A few palm trees were mixed with the low buildings, but nothing as dense as where we’d come through.

Population of 300!! [wiki link]

What are the freaking odds? Yes, I’m totally jazzed!!

Thanks for making my morning, Jade Mackey! Oh, and I <3 your first name!! 😉

Unexpected treats

So this insanely gorgeous crystal pen holder just showed up in the mail. <3 It’s a sneaky gift from writer friend, C.A. Newsome. <3

When Carol Ann asked for my mailing address last month I assumed she needed it because she’s doing all the heavily lifting for the booth we’re sharing at Bookcon in Chicago next May.