Sunday, January 27, 2008

Valentine's Day Special


I'm busy at work, just the last week of editing, before I turn in a new book. Meanwhile, I've been busy updating my website. January had two red bag contests. One ended Jan 15, and the other Jan 31. Why two, you ask? Because I was soooo busy in January and needed the top two weeks to work. Work happens.

I'm looking forward to Valentine's Day and have just posted a contest for it alone. The prize is an advanced reading copy, or ARC as we say. This is for A STRANGER'S TOUCH, pub date April, which is the second of the Aisling Psychic Triplets.

Since April is my favorite month, and birthday month--yes, I take all month--and it is the pub date of Tempest's book, I've also posted an excerpt from her story. There will be more excerpts and more promotion, but right now, I have to get back to work :)

Thursday, January 10, 2008

First Review


It's always scary when waiting for that very first review. This time, I'm waiting for A Stranger's Touch 4/08 reviews. Detra Fitch, reviewer for Huntress Reviews gives A STRANGER'S TOUCH 5 Stars. Count 'em. Five Stars. Breathing sigh of relief here.

Repeat, no matter how many books you write, review time is always scary. It's scary not because you don't have faith in your work, but it's more like you're putting your very pretty and perfect baby out for public examination. Some reviewers may think your baby is ugly, or has a wart on its nose. Or maybe they just didn't get it. Sometimes reviewers are assigned a book that isn't something they prefer to read. Naturally, that book will not align with their preferences. Some are critical for personal reasons.

But most are just great. So take the previous and dismiss them. My child is beautiful, after all. :)

Then along comes reviewers like Detra Fitch, who are actually readers of the material I and others create. This is her review of A STRANGER'S TOUCH:
TITLE: A Stranger's Touch (March 25, 2008)
AUTHOR: Cait London
13 ISBN: 9780061140518
10 ISBN: 0061140511
5 STARS!
***** I simply cannot say enough wonderful things about this story. It grabbed me within the very first paragraph and never let me go. I repeat, it NEVER let me go. The characters are realistic. It is so well written that I could easily see and understand everything Marcus, Tempest, and the other Bartels felt. Make sure you have a quiet day ahead, order pizza, and turn off all connections to the outside world before you even open the cover of this gem. Absolutely fantastic! *****

Thank you, Detra. :)

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

The Beast Stalks the Midwest

Typical Midwest tornado season usually begins in March. This year the Midwest started its season on January 7 with 12-15 hours of watches, warnings and actual touch-down beasts.

I live in an area hit far less than others. But life on the edge of this cross-state, diagonal nightmare wasn't fun either.

The weathercasters were great. They skipped regular programming and stuck with Doppler radar, minute by minute, revising when necessary.

The Beast was held in place by high winds, striking once, then circling back to strike the same place again and again. Mobile home parks were the worst hit and some brick and mortar homes leveled in The Beast's path. Hail the size of softballs was reported, but consistent high winds, rain and hail continued through almost 15 hours.

The Beast wasn't kind and First Responders couldn't get into help in some areas--because a second tornado made that impossible. Shelters sprung up and forecasters (some of whom were showing fatigue and sounding scratchy) gave regular instructions on tornado safety, bless them.

A tornado is a picky sort of beast, chosing its own whimsical path. However, the general warnings that it was coming had come days before, Jan 3 or 4th, I believe.

Unusual timing? I'd say so, when the Midwest is typically battling snow and watching its road salt supply. Or perhaps its just good old ice pulling down our telephone or electric lines. (Last year, an ice storm disabled a whole regional, breaking down trees, and leaving area homes and businesses without electricity.)

But oh, no. Not January 2008.

I wonder if these are the times in which heroes spring forth, putting life and limb above their own. Newscasters and weather spotters were doing their best. Some had to seek shelter quickly when the Beast snarled and turned on them. Firemen, police, and God-Bless-Em Everyday People were all out there, working to save people, pets and property. Electric companys had full crews out in the midst of it, some chain saws running in the interims, to clear roads and powerlines.

It was a long, scary night. In this area, watches/warnings/tornadoes ran from around 4 in the afternoon of January 7th, until the last one (undocumented) at 5 in the morning on the 8th. It's suspected by some that there were far more tornadoes than reported; during the night, they simply couldn't be seen.

This morning, I picked up a few tree limbs, the neighbor's shingles and mourned a small broken maple. Our neighborhood was without power from one strike at 2:30 a.m. until 10 a.am. We walked around, talking to each other and mourned the lack of electricity for our morning coffee.

Small price, but the hours were scary just the same. Others were completely devastated and lives were lost.

January 8th, 2008. Remember it. Prepare and remember the heroes.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

And It Begins 2008

New Years Day: I'm already behind! This year is pretty much lined up with activities and work, family stuff, too. Yesterday, the day before Jan 1 was special. I didn't get everything done that I'd wanted, preparing for a quiet evening, welcoming in 2008. I usually try for a clean desk, a clean mind, and straighten a few things.

But yesterday didn't go that way. Flu abounds around here and I made chicken soup for friends and didn't have a planned year-end coffee with a good friend, both with different flus.

Didn't light the fireplace, due to our heavy winds. But it is a nice mood thingie for the end of the year.

As a self-employed writer (a high percentage have day jobs), I made my usual stop for office supplies, something I actually like to do. At the end of the year, you'll find people crammed into the supply stores, stocking up.

That's a usual year-end deal, so is working with taxes, plugging the final stuff into spreadsheets. I'm a little ahead on that this year as I've been keeping up somewhat.

But so far as scheduling in 2008, I'm already set for some guest blogging, which I love and an appearance I haven't attended before, pretty happy about this one. Then there's the usual supply of articles, etc. and due dates, these for groups/newsletters. (I belong to a lot.) To keep all this in line, I tried calendars, I tried desk calendars, mini ones and Day Timers. But the only thing I've been able to do successfully, birthdays, family stuff, included is a PDA. Can't seem to manage without one. Addresses, business contacts and family, birthdays, stats on new babies, etc., all in electronic files.

Hey-ho, 2008. I'm ready with 2 books, 2 and 3 of the Aisling Psychic Triplet Trilogy, A STRANGER'S TOUCH 4/08 and FOR HER EYES ONLY 10/08. I'm just starting on those promotions, more to schedule. :)

So I'd better get to work. We'll deal with goals later. And yes, I have a few :)