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Make sure you enter the contest for Academic Pursuits by Lou Harper! Contest closes 7 pm CST, February 10.

Don’t forget to enter the contest for The Swimming Swan (Cob Brothers #2) by Amber Kell & Stephani Hecht! Contest closes 7 pm CST, February 10.

Go enter the contest for A Private Gentleman by Heidi Cullinan! Contest closes 7 pm CST, February 13.

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Congrats to Giselle, who won The Decisions We Make by RJ Scott!

Congrats to Orannia, Eva, Bogusia, SarahM, and Zanara, who all won copies of Fall into the Sun by Val Kovalin!

Congrats to Helena, who won Cinder (A CinderFella Story) by Marie Sexton! Cinder will be released by Silver Publishing on February 4.

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Contests

• Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of Deliver Me From Darkness by Tes Hilaire. Contest closes February 9. US & Canada only.

• Babes in Boyland is giving away 22 different prizes in their Valentine’s contest. Make sure you read the instructions on how to enter. Contest closes 9 pm CST, February 13.

Bookity

• New releases and more: Elisa (LGBT), Pants Off Reviews (new and recent m/m romance), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), Tor.com (PNR), AAR (romance audiobooks), and Book Lovers Inc (assorted).

• Publishing news from Dear Author.

• Book, publishing, and writing linkity from Becky Black.

• How to increase your reading speed.

• Author Eden Winters in praise of reviewers.

• Author RJ Scott ponders reviews and ratings.

• Stephen Colbert interviews Maurice Sendak.

• Death-by-reading animated short.

• Writer’s revision towel…

• Make a miniature paper typewriter. (via CRAFT)

Ebookity

• January 28 was free fiction day at Clare London’s LiveJournal.

• StoryBundle is offering “pay what you want” “quality” ebook bundles.

• All Romance Ebooks and the relationship of DRM to sales.

• Seven ways to stop piracy that don’t include DRM, although, as TeleRead notes, they aren’t necessarily that applicable to ebooks.

• Some thoughts on piracy from the Digital Reader.

• Are we in a “self-publishing bubble”?

• Over half of all book buyers are “ebook resisters”.

• Some thoughts on what’s happening to the First Sale Doctrine with ebooks.

• Dear Author lists all sorts of Android reading apps.

Think, Do, Learn, Make

• Is lower IQ associated with prejudice and conservatism?

• Thought-provoking points about prisons in the US.

• If you’ve lost the lens cap to your 35mm camera, you might be able to replace it with part of a soda bottle.

• Make your own hair gel (easy, cheap, and unscented!).

• Beware cheap (<$100) Android tablets.

• “Piracy is the new radio.” – Neil Young

• Pfizer is recalling one million packets of birth controls because… they won’t prevent pregnancy. Oops.

• If you have celiac disease, you need to be aware of the other health conditions associated with it.

Cookity

• 5 granola recipes.

• 5 baking with beets recipes.

• 10 healthier Super Bowl snacks.

• The ultimate nacho cheese sauce?

• Bacon guacamole. (via The Kitchn)

• Savory buffalo chicken cupcakes. (via The Kitchn)

• Quinoa burgers. (via Bron’s Pinterest)

• Gluten-free chicken chili with white beans, sweet potato, and lime.

• No-bake Nutella cheesecakes. (via Bron’s Pinterest)

• Baked hot chocolate.

• The Foodie Bugle online magazine. (via The Kitchn)

Crafty

• Llama fabric! (via CRAFT)

• Crochet a gorgeous blanket with yarn scraps. (via CRAFT)

• Crochet an amigurumi dragon. (via CRAFT)

• Knit a Spock hat, complete with ears.

Cool

• A LEGO Back to the Future city.

• Check out the LEGO Lord of the Rings bad guys.

• Everyday items like KitchenAid mixers reproduced in LEGO.

• Hand-stitched felt TARDIS. (via CRAFT)

• Stormtrooper housewife. (via The Mary Sue)

• Linkity from Kristi and MrsPao.

• Honda’s Super Bowl commercial is a sort of updated take on Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. (via Halfway Down the Stairs)

• A fifth grader invented a new (and explosive) molecule.

• Tree cat!

Cool or Wha…?

• Princess Bride wine.

• Crocheted Spock potholder. (via CRAFT)

• Amigurumi Freddy Krueger.

Wha…?

• A Chilean man was arrested for stealing five tons of glacier ice.

• An ATM dispensed a dead mouse…

• “The Uniboob.”

• Eeek!

• Special K (not the cereal) is being tested for treating depression…

• I can’t really blame them…

LOL

• English teacher for the win! (Thanks, Bron!)

• This will only be humorous if you live in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN) and are familiar with the controversy over a new Vikings stadium.

• Yes.

• “Batman is my favorite Disney princess.” (via The Mary Sue)

• 15 funniest autocorrects from January.

• 15 best TV and film autocorrects.

• Why, those sneaky kitties!

• Things following angry cats. (Thanks, Marsha!)

• Dalek or kitty?

• Why kitties adopt.

• Poor traumatized kitteh.

Teh Cute

• Cat and kittens! Baby coatis! Kitten! Baby emus! Cat and kitten! Tiger and baby! Baby lion! Swan and cygnet! Anteater and baby! Baby maras! Baby snow leopards! Baby emu! Pandas!

Reading Update
Time To Do (Perfect Timing #3) by Kim Dare. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m romance about two guys – one gay, one straight – who have been best friends since they were small and are now roommates at college. The gay guy’s been quietly in love with his best friend for years, but has been resigned to never being able to touch him… until he finds his friend’s list of things to experience, which segues from kissing and having sex with women (all checked off) to kissing a man (not checked off)… This was my first Kim Dare book, and remains my very favorite.
Dirty Laundry by Heidi Cullinan. free ebook short. Smoking hot kinky short m/m story about a timid grad student doing his laundry on a Friday night and the cowboy who comes to his rescue.
Forever in One Second by Finn Marlowe. ebook. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a rescue worker who can heal with touch. When one of the people he’s healed comes to find and thank him, neither of them have any idea how much their lives will change.
The Yearning by AJ Rose. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance told from the perspective of a ghost anchored to a young mortician who is in love with his oblivious best friend. This took some unexpected and enjoyable twists.
9:05 by KC Burn. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about an office worker who’s the only one moving around while the rest of world is stuck at 9:05 am.
Chapter Five and the Axe-Wielding Maniac by Marie Sexton. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a writer with writer’s block hiding out at his Oregon cabin… and then a young man with a pick-axe knocks on his door with a surprising request.
Carbon & Ash by Chris Owen. ebook short. This was a short but sweet m/m romance about slowing sliding into something other than friendship without being fully aware. And it’s one of my comfort rereads.
A Simple Suburban Murder (Tom & Scott #1) by Mark Richard Zubro. Very good gay mystery about high school teacher Tom, who finds a much-hated math teacher dead in his classroom, and his closeted baseball player boyfriend, Scott.
All the Gear, No Idea (I Blame Brett #2) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a dom who’s asked to look after a clueless new sub.
Not a Whore by Jaime Samms. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a young man who’s sleeping with his boss, but things are more complicated than they appear at first…
Method Acting by Clare London. free ebook short. Cute short m/m story about two guys in bed… with a surprising twist.
Death Trick (Donald Strachey #1) by Richard Stevenson. ebook. Good gay mystery set in Albany in 1979, when things were wild pre-HIV. Donald Strachey’s been hired by the parents of a missing gay man suspected of murder, but nothing is quite adding up about the case. (This is such a weird cover! Pretty sure there wasn’t a dog in the book…)
Hair of the Dog by Ashlyn Kane & Morgan James. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who wakes up covered in blood the morning after his father’s funeral and quickly learns (from the mysterious men waiting outside his door) that he was bitten by a werewolf. It was an interesting storyline, but the timeline was too murky for my pattern-matching brain, leading the story to feel jumpy.
Melting by VJ Summers. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance that consists of an extended wax play bdsm scene between a dom and his beloved submissive. I really wanted to read more of this couple’s backstory.
Plan B (A Candyland Story) by VJ Summers. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m story about two guys hooking up in a bar, which appears to be the prequel to Liar, Liar.
Hold the Sky by AC Fox. ebook. Good m/m romance about two architects – one just starting out and the other quite successful – who can’t stop competing with each other.
How Much for the Whole Night? by RJ Scott. free ebook short. Good short m/m story about a guy who picks up a hooker for the first time ever on the night before his final divorce custody hearing. There was just way too much story for the number of pages!
The Librarian by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a university librarian who’s had a crush on his former college roommate, now his hairdresser, for ten years. I was going to rate this higher until nearly the end of the book, when it turned out that the entire premise was based on a big misunderstanding. *sigh*
Want (1 Night Stand #81) by Ann Mayburn. ebook short. So-so short m/m about a straight construction foreman who’s been lusting after one of the stonemasons working for him. Via the 1 Night Stand service, he manages to arrange a blind date with the man. The pronoun confusion in this one was painful – I really couldn’t figure out who was doing what to whom most of the time.

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I know this is an exceptionally crappy picture, but it amused me so much to see them both sleeping in the same pose. (May is closer to the camera, so she looks the same size as Chaos.)

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Congrats to Tracy F, who won A Life Without You (Boston Boys #1) by Erica Pike!

Congrats to Elisheva CN, who won The Yearning by AJ Rose! The Yearning is being released today by MLR Press.

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Contests

• Joyfully Jay is giving away an ebook copy of Tailor Made by Josephine Myles. Contest closes 11:59 pm EST, January 27.

• Devon Rhodes is giving away a copy of the His Hero anthology. Comment by midnight EST, January 28, for your chance to win.

• AJ Rose is giving away an ebook copy of The Yearning. Answer his question in the comments by 9 pm EST, January 29, for your chance to win.

• Pants Off Reviews is giving away winner’s choice of an m/m romance from the backlist of Josephine Myles. Comment by 12:00 am EST, February 1, for your chance to win.

• Blodeuedd’s giving away a copy of Dreaming of Mr. Darcy (Jane Austen Addicts #2) by Victoria Connelly. Contest closes February 3. US & Canada.

Bookity

• New releases and more: Tor.com (UF, genre benders, scifi, fantasy), Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

• Turn old books into planters. (via CRAFT)

• Use a bookshelf door to make a hidden closet. (via Bron’s Pinterest)

• Nerd words.

• Book and publishing linkity from ReadReactReview.

• This week’s author meltdown… (Thanks, Stephani!)

• Becky Black provides some food for thought for authors who feel a little melty…

• “Better” title for Bel Canto.

• Literary agent snark. (Thank, Bron!)

• Jenre wonders why there are so many m/m romance sex scenes in which the guys leave on their socks.

• LA Witt’s tips on how not to drive authors insane.

• Ralph Fiennes reading m/m Harry Potter fanfic out loud while dressed in pajamas.

Ebookity

• Coffee and P0rn in the Morning is celebrating its one-year anniversary with contests and free reads from numerous m/m romance authors. (Site is NSFW.)

• January 28 is free fiction day at Clare London’s LiveJournal.

• Tam’s got some mostly m/m romance linkity at her shiny new blog.

• The free iPhone “Best Romance” app comes with 15 free Harlequin romances loaded.

• ManyBooks provides free public domain books in an amazing number of formats.

• A bit of followup on that article about plagiarism in the self-published books at Amazon.

• The American Library Association is going to talk to publishers about ebook lending.

• Tablet and ereader ownership nearly doubled over the holidays (to nearly one in three Americans)- but how many are actually being used?

Do, Think, Make, Learn

• “The G-spot does not exist, but…“

• Prolonged sitting is killing us, but… there’s hope!

• Yes! The perception of we singletons is changing for the better, at least in the US.

• Google is changing its privacy policy. What does that mean for you? How to go Google-free.

Cookity

• I love Pad Thai. (via The Kitchn)

• Claypot fish curry with coconut milk. (via The Kitchn)

• Fresh spring rolls. (via CRAFT)

• Southwest seafood chowder. (via The Kitchn)

• Rainbow roasted root veggie salad. (via The Kitchn)

• Roasted eggplant salad with smoked almonds and goat cheese.

• 5… breakfast salads?!

• 8 ways to use frozen fruit

• 10 ways to eat more vegetables

• 10 light desserts

• Five-minute, two-ingredient chocolate mousse. (via The Kitchn)

• Chocolate turtle cookies. (via The Kitchn)

• Bourbon chai. (via The Kitchn)

Crafty

• Knit some fingerless gloves. (via CRAFT)

• Get rid of those stairstep shoulders with short rows on the next sweater you knit.

• Make a cool kitty hideaway by sewing together two GOSIG baskets from IKEA. (via Moderncat)

• Sew some fleece-lined wool felt mittens. (via CRAFT)

Cool

• Mmm… planet truffles. (Thank, Bron!)

• Highest-resolution image of the Earth yet.

• The Symphony of Science: The Greatest Show on Earth.

• Origami cat necklace.

• Tiny dragon.

• Linkity from Kristi and from MrsPao.

• Lord of the Rings LEGOs. (via Tor.com)

• Indiana Jones-inspired engagement ring.

• Star Wars: A New Hope remade by fans.

• R2-D2 throw rug.

• Wall o’ Scrabble.

• Lovecraft-inspired rugs. (via The Mary Sue)

Cool or Wha…?

• Batman bed pillow. (via The Mary Sue)

• Send the kids to Hellboy summer camp this year!

• Alice in Wonderland themed wedding photos.

• Vespa workstation.

• Jello origami.

Wha…?

• Gah! (Thanks?!?, Jeanne!)

• Dress pant sweatpants.

• Scratch’n'sniff jeans?!?!

• Fashion… I guess.

• Grass lined flipflops.

• I suppose no one wants a corporate car at L.L. Bean, if this is what they get.

• Shove bacon up your nose to stop a bloody nose?!

• Ewww – a literally red river in Texas.

• I’m not sure how you can shoot yourself in the head with a nail gun and not notice.

• EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

• An iPad case you can have sex with, courtesy of Fleshlight.

• A gum ball made of 92,000 pieces of chewed Nicorette…

LOL

• An illustrated guide to cat breeds…

• Talk about origami skillz…

• “Can you find the hidden mothers in these old photographs?“

• Texts from Middle Earth. (via The Mary Sue)

• 10 autocorrect food fails.

• 10 funniest things texted by parents.

• The difference between how kitties see things and how people see things.

• Beware cheapo health insurance…

• Things cats eat that they shouldn’t.

• Hmm. The cat has a point.

• Very good question…

• Poor out-of-work spokeskitteh!

Teh Cute

• Cat and kitten! Dormice! Kittens! Penguin and baby! Cat and kitten! Cygnets! Kittens! Baby panda! Tiger! Tiger and baby! Baby puma! Jaguars! Cat and kitten! Lion and baby!

Reading Update
Something Different by S.A. Reid. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a guy in a loveless marriage who’s merely going through the motions of life. When he goes to the park in search of a prostitute because he desperately needs something different to happen in his life, he’s surprised yet strangely intrigued to be picked up by a young man. (Because this story starts with infidelity, it isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste.)
Texas Winter (Texas #2) by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good m/m romance continuing the story of Jack and Riley, in which Riley gets some life-changing news.
Academic Pursuits by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Very good humorous m/m romance about a slutty but goodhearted college student who’s just realizing that his habit of seducing straight guys has gotten him a bit of a reputation. Maybe it’s time for a change…
Tomfoolery by Lou Harper. free ebook short. arc. Cute free short paranormal m/m romance about a computer programmer who thinks he’s going crazy because his stuff isn’t in exactly the same place when he gets home from work as when he left in the morning…
Permanently Legless by JL Merrow. ebook short. Funny yet sweet short m/m romance about a guy who came back from Afghanistan without his legs and runs into a gorgeous young man he’d screwed right before shipping out.
After Dark (After #1) by Luisa Prieto. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who’s unable to mourn his brother’s death for various reasons – particularly since his brother doesn’t seem to be completely dead…
After Midnight (After #2) by Luisa Prieto. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of the mage and the werewolf started in After Dark. Please note that this ends with a mild cliffhanger and the next book is still in draft form. Also, Luisa is working on revised and expanded versions of this and the first book.
Choices by Penny Brandon. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s shown the love of his life in a magical mirror and is shocked to discover that the love of his life is a man, seeing as he isn’t gay…
Relearning the Ropes by DC Juris. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a dom who inherits a fulltime sub when his friend dies and finds he has to reevaluate how he deals with the young man. This really needed to be longer for the amount of potential story!
Deconstruction by Kit Zheng. ebook. Good kinky m/m mystery about a stripper who lives with his cop boyfriend and turns tricks on the side to help make the mortgage. But things aren’t going the greatest for them right now as secrets build up between them…
All Bets Are Off by Marguerite Labbe. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college professor who gets involved with a student before he knows the guy is a student. Will he be able to resist temptation as his department head tries to get rid of him and someone keeps rummaging through his stuff? I’m not exactly sure why, but I never got emotionally invested in this book.
Broken by Jessica Freely. ebook. Good m/m romance about a naive, closeted, yaoi-loving enforcer who works for his mobster brother. Things start to fall apart for him when he becomes entranced by a prostitute his brother has just purchased from China.

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“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

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Congrats to Mandy B, who won Forever in One Second by Finn Marlowe!

Congrats to Cathy M and Alder, who each won their choice of Saving Valor (Fanged Love #1) or Chalice (Planetary Submissives #1) by Amber Kell! Saving Valor (Fanged Love #1) was released by Silver Publishing on January 14. Chalice (Planetary Submissives #1) was released by Total-E-Bound on January 16.

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Contests

• Brief Encounters Reviews is giving away an electronic bundle of the Channeling Morpheus (2nd edition) stories 1-5 by Jordan Castillo Price. Comment by 11:59 pm CST, January 20 (aka today), for your chance to win.

• Margene’s giving away a copy of Sweet Shawlettes by Jean Moss. Comment before January 21 for your chance to win.

• Becky Black is giving away a print copy of her m/m scifi romance, Liar’s Waltz. Comment by 9 am GMT, January 21, for your chance to win.

• JL Merrow is giving away an ebook copy of her forthcoming Permanently Legless. Contest runs through January 22.

• Josephine Myles is giving away an ebook copy of her forthcoming Tailor Made. Contest closes 6 am GMT, January 23.

• Joder’s giving away an ebook copy of Deadly Obsession by Kristine Cayne. Contest closes 11:59 pm CST, January 23.

• Celiac Chick is giving away a copy of The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook by Elizabeth Gordon. Comment before January 26 for your chance to win.

• Blodeuedd’s giving away two ebook prize packs containing Sparring Partners and Second Chances by Leigh Morgan. Contest closes January 27.

• LA Witt needs a band name for a book she’s working on – comment with your suggestions by January 31 for your chance to win an ebook of your choice from her backlist.

• Shawn Lane’s giving away a copy of her forthcoming paranormal m/m romance, Eternally His. Comment by February 3 to enter.

Bookity

• New releases and more: Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything), and Fiction Vixen (various sorts of romance).

• RJ Scott explains how Edit Minion works – it’s not going to replace actual editors and proofreaders, but it can certainly help you spot issues with your writing.

• Becky Black has some tips for authors after they’re published.

• Heidi Cullinan discusses the author’s EON (end of novel) experience.

• Jenre muses on how the three-star book rating is perceived.

• World Book Night is is April 23 – you can volunteer to hand out books that night.

• Orannia’s hosting the 2012 M/M Romance Challenge!

• Whoops on that library sticker’s placement…

• Newest cover model?

• The final Diary of an Author entry by Meljean Brook. Dear Author responds.

Ebookity

• JL Merrow’s providing a code that will let you download the newly revised edition of her paranormal m/m romance, A Calling for Pleasure for free until February 14.

• Download the 1966 Disneyland Monorail Operator Guide.

• The ebook crunch at public libraries.

• Penguin pulled its ebooks from libraries in November and is now pulling its e-audiobooks.

• Sourcebooks reports that ebooks were more than a quarter of its sales in 2011.

Do, Learn, Make, Think

• Poor little brown bats – they went from abundant to nearing extinction in just six years.

• Some of Stonehenge’s stones are from 160 miles away.

• How the “women and children first” into the lifeboats thing got started.

• Not that I’m much for fast food, but if McDonald’s and Burger King have gluten-free buns in other countries, why not the US?!

• When it’s safe – and not – to eat moldy cheese.

• Apparently school lunches are not the culprit in the childhood obesity epidemic.

• More on the clitoris.

• Health benefits of beer.

• Tips for dealing with pet hair in your home. (via The Kitchn)

• The end of an era – Kodak files for bankruptcy.

• How did you celebrate National Popcorn Day yesterday?

• The big news of the week was the internet blackout against SOPA/PIPA. This infographic illustrates the difference the protest made. And if you didn’t listen to “The Day the LOLCats Died”, you really must.

Cookity

• 10 variations of buttermilk quick bread

• 10 citrus desserts

• Spicy honey-glazed chicken. (via CRAFT)

• Savory gluten-free olive and rosemary scones

• Gluten-free noodles with shrimp, greens, and mushrooms.

• Vietnamese rice cakes

• Zesty quinoa cakes. (via The Kitchn)

• Bittersweet chocolate pecan pie. (via The Kitchn)

• Hot chocolate on a stick. (via CRAFT)

• Chop up your salads to make them easier to eat.

• Use edible glitter to stamp fruit for a fun and healthy gift.

Crafty

• Knit your own cat – solves all sorts of allergy problems! (Thanks, Lorraine!)

• Knit a Hudson’s Bay-inspired crib blanket. (via CRAFT)

• Turn a recycled sweater into mittens or a hat. (via CRAFT)

• Make your own felt insoles for boots. (via CRAFT)

• Needle-felt a voodoo doll pincushion.

• Use painter’s tape and watercolors to make a gorgeous winter painting. (via CRAFT)

• Sew a macaroon coin purse. (via CRAFT)

Cool

• Go download Redemption City, a free double album from Joseph Arthur. (via You Ain’t No Picasso)

• Kristi has craft/food/photo/etc linkity.

• Kitty-themed felt iPad case.

• Illusion knitted tapestry of the Mona Lisa.

• Movie posters from an alternate Earth.

• Life-sized stormtrooper cake.

• Not your ordinary stick people family bumper sticker!

• Daniel Radcliffe played Harry Potter on SNL.

• The Bloggess and her cardboard TARDIS.

• A crow… sledding.

Cool or Wha…?

• A rhinestone-covered box of Darth Vader chocolates. (via The Mary Sue)

• LEGO Apollo 11 Saturn V model that’s 19-feet tall.

• Eyebombing.

• Lord of the Rings manicure. (via The Mary Sue)

• The perfect hat for Pastafarians.

Wha…?

• Awkward stock photos… (via TeddyPig)

• Fashion… and more.

• Magical unicorn mask.

• Giant spider attacks space shuttle!

• A Psycho prequel series?

• Mint eyedrops?!

LOL

• Siri’s interpretation of a knitting store shopping list… (Thanks, Jeanne!)

• Blog post about the Eagle Nebula written without the assistance of Wikipedia (due to the internet blackout). (There were Romulans in it the first time I read it…)

• 10 autocorrected gifts…

• The 1980s were a scary time for crafting…

• Dogs barking “The Imperial March”…

• Ah, the weird rituals that kitties develop.

• This was posted after I captioned that picture of May from earlier this week!

• Weirdest cat ever?!! Maybe so. (Thanks, Jeanne!)

• Point.

• Minions indeed.

• Hmm, I haven’t played this version of Tetris…

• Catpire!

• The internet is a series of tubes… oops.

Teh Cute

• Cat and kitten! Baby falcon! Kitten! Baby polar bear! Kitten! Sea otter and baby! Cat and kitten! Baby cheetah! Kittens! Bun! Kitten! Kitten! Cat and dolphin! Kitten! Tiger and cub! Lioness and cubs! Lion! Leopard! Tiger!

Reading Update
Galley Proof by Eric Arvin. ebook. Excellent gay fiction (with romantic elements) about an author who lives a very predictable, safe life ruled by lists and habit… until his attractive new editor shakes things up. As with so many books by Eric Arvin, this book was simultaneously fun, funny, and thought-provoking – pretty much like life itself.
Pole Star by Josephine Myles. ebook short. arc. Excellent short and smutty m/m romance about a stripper who gets injured onstage and ends up in the emergency room in his firefighter costume, flirting with the cute radiographer. I had really good intentions of waiting until closer to the release date to read and review this one, but… I couldn’t resist.
Tailor Made by Josephine Myles. ebook. arc. Sweet and smutty m/m romance about an unapologetically slutty art student who wants to get his advisor in bed. But he’s not expecting to find himself so drawn to the fashion student he tries to shanghai into helping him with his senior project…
The Heart of Texas (Texas #1) by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good over-the-top m/m romance reminiscent of the tv show Dallas, complete with oil wells, villains, lies, a marriage-of-convenience, and more!
Heatstroke by Taylor V. Donovan. free ebook. Very good m/m romance told via nearly 50-year old journal entries being read by a young man trying to figure out the mystery of why his cold grandmother is so adamant he stay out of her attic.
Raven’s Mark (Sandpipers #2) by Jade Archer. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a chef who becomes fascinated by Raven, the guy who’s just started watching the owners’ son along with his own. However, Raven suffers from crippling PTSD… and his past hasn’t given up on him yet.
A Life Without You (Boston Boys #1) by Erica Pike. ebook. Good m/m romance about a gay college student who has a crush on his engaged straight best friend and roommate… his apparently bi-curious straight best friend. Emotions definitely run high in this one (and the POV is first-person present), but it worked for me. And I’m very curious to see who the next book will be about!
Just Like Cats and Dogs by BA Tortuga. Good m/m paranormal romance about an orphaned panther shifter who grew up with a pack of wolf shifters, but was never really accepted. So when he runs into a wolf shifter who tormented him while they were growing up, he’s surprised at the attraction between them. The repetitive style of writing isn’t so noticeable for short works, but it definitely grated during this longer book.
There’s Cock in This Book (The Hockey Story) by Isa K. free ebook short. Good short m/m story about a deeply closeted minor league hockey player who survives by keeping his head down and blending in… until the new guy on the team hits on him. With a bit more proofing and a less abrupt ending, this would have been a Very Good read.
How to Keep the Love of Your Life (After Mistaking Him for a Serial Killer) by Maureen Willmann. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who thinks someone is following him right up to the door of his apartment… and it turns out to be his neighbor across the hall. Too sugary sweet and implausible for me. Also, so very tired of stalkers.
The Man Who Spoke My Name (Joey #2) by Azalea Moone. free ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a guy torn between the ex who cheated on him and the guy he slept with on New Year’s Eve.

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“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

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Congrats to Karl A, who won Galley Proof by Eric Arvin! Galley Proof is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Cayce, who won Noble Metals by L.A. Witt!

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Contests

• Joyfully Jay’s giving away an ebook copy of Six Degrees of Lust by Taylor V. Donovan. Contest closes 11:59 pm EST, January 13 (aka today).

• Carefully read the contest rules and directions at Book Reviews & More to discover how you can enter to win Galley Proof by Eric Arvin. Contest closes 5 pm MST, January 15.

• Tracy’s giving away a box filled with m/f historical romances. Comment by 7 pm PST, January 17, for your chance to win. US only.

• Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of Sins of the Highlander by Connie Mason and Mia Marlowe. Contest closes January 19. US & Canada only.

• Tracy’s looking for urban fantasy and PNR recommendations. Comment by 7 pm PST, January 20, for your chance to win a mystery box of UF/PNR books. (US only for the contest.)

Bookity

• New releases and more: Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), AAR (romance), and Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything).

• Book and publishing news and linkity from Dear Author and ReadReactReview.

• Clare London has some tips on writing romantic suspense.

• Heidi Cullinan on keeping your ego healthy as a writer.

• Dear Author on the interaction of writers and readers.

• Ron and Hermione were the top-grossing onscreen couple.

• Find out more about the real Quileute tribe (versus the fictionalized version from Twilight).

• Make an origami cat bookmark.

• Book sculptures. (May not be suitable for especially sensitive readers.)

• If you haven’t watched the Joy of Books video yet, you really should… even if it does take a dig at ebooks at the end.

• Better Book Title for The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver.

• Have you been reading Meljean Brook’s hilarious Diary of an Author? Day 1. Day 2. Day 3. Day 4.

Ebookity

• Brief Encounters Reviews will be interviewing Jordan Castillo Price on Monday and Tuesday next week as part of their Vamp Week. Rumor has it that Jordan will be giving away a bundle of the new Channeling Morpheus releases, too. Put it on your calendar! (Have you checked out Jordan’s diagram of the dorm room in GhosTV, plus her diagram of how Vic and Jacob’s home is laid out?)

• The Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour starts on January 18 – the grand prize will be a $200 gift certificate to the “e-tailer of your choice.”

• An American Editor on ebooks as commodities. Redux.

• The Digital Reader shares his Kindle Fire lessons learned.

• I didn’t realize that plagiarism was such a big problem on Amazon. (Thanks, Val!)

• Beware of knockoff ereaders and tablets. (And I’d further suggest that if you see a great deal on Woot! or the like, take a few minutes to go read reviews on reputable tech blogs – a lot of crappy tech gets dumped on “deal” sites.)

• For nearly 85 percent of the books on the USA Today bestseller list, ebooks outsold print.

Think. Learn. Do. Make.

• Why this winter is so warm and dry.

• Infographic on the state of pet adoption in the US.

• SuperTracker is a free diet and exercise tracker from the USDA.

• Some more about the new gluten-free labeling laws that went newly in effect in the UK.

• Colleges that cater to gluten-free students. (via Gluten-Free in Georgia (and Florida))

• Learn more about the clitoris.

• Body myths debunked by science.

• Eeek! A study found that only 14% of medical errors are reported by hospitals.

• The Mary Sue takes another look at LEGOs for girls.

• As someone who’s owned nothing but Olympus cameras, I found this news discouraging.

• Turn two binder clips and an index card into a smartphone stand.

• A new study found that women are more likely to purchase technology products than men.

• How many atoms does it take to hold a bit? IBM knows.

• Tips on charging devices to prolong battery lifespan.

• How to safely clean your gadgets.

• If you build a working medical tricorder (Star Trek style), you could win $7 million.

• Time to stockpile Twinkies?

• There’s a new island in the Red Sea.

• Make your own lip balm. (via CRAFT)

Cookity

• How to make unicorn poop (cookies). Of course they’re rainbow-colored and sparkly.

• Healthy three-ingredient ice cream.

• Double chocolate and chili cookies.

• Nilla wafers. (via The Kitchn)

• Minnesota wild rice soup.

• Gluten-free crabby noodles with snow peas.

• Chicken and waffle wings. (via CRAFT)

• 5 shepherd’s pie recipes.

• 7 cabbage recipes.

• 15 recipes/tips for homemade vinaigrettes.

• 15 braised meat and vegetable dishes.

Crafty

• Sew a stuffed penguin. (via CRAFT)

• Sew a stuffed Hobbes. (via CRAFT)

• Crochet Spock ears… (via CRAFT)

• Crochet Batman outfits for your baby.

• Star Wars needlework on Han Stitched First. (via CRAFT)

Cool

• It’s David Bowie week at Tor.com in honor of the singer’s 65th birthday.

• Photos that look like Chinese ink drawings.

• Crafting, food, and photo linkity from Kristi the Fiber Fool. Crafting, food, and cat linkity from mrspao.

• Dragon sculpture made from disposable plasticware.

• A steampunk wedding, plus UP engagement photos, plus a LEGO proposal video.

Cool or Wha…?

• TARDIS purse. (via The Mary Sue)

• Crocheted cyclops costume.

• Gingerbread cuckoo clock with internal gears. (via CRAFT)

Wha…?

• Jenny Craig and Purina team up?!

• A woman coughed up her cancer while driving…

• “Penis tattoo gives man a permanent erection“.

• “Crab soup recalled for undeclared milk, wheat, and…crab?“

• Amigurumi cockroaches.

LOL

• Excellent point! (Thanks, Jeanne!)

• Honest logos.

• “The Droids of Star Wars Feel All the Feelings.”

• Truth.

• Also truth.

• If you say so…

Teh Cute

• Kitten! Fennec! Kitten! Cygnet! Kittens! Lioness! Kitten! Tiger! Gentoo penguin and baby! Lion and cub! Lion and cub! Baby black leopards!

Reading Update
The Violet and the Tom by Eve Ocotillo. free ebook. Excellent kinky historical fantasy m/m romance about a pleasure slave gifted by a king to his unwilling son, who is uncomfortable owning a slave for reasons that slowly become clear…
The Angel of 13th Street by Eden Winters. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m romance about a bar owner and former rentboy who, with help, turned his life around and now helps other young men get off the street and out of the life… and then one of his rescues really starts to get to him.
The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who hasn’t stayed anywhere very long since his abusive ex got out of prison. When he goes to England to oversee the renovation of an old cottage, he realizes he’s hearing and seeing things and starts to wonder if he’s finally snapped. I liked this one despite there being a stalker.
Squeaky Clean by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m story about a guy sitting on his couch, working on his laptop, who’s startled by a window washer. Inspired by an email I sent Kim last summer.
The Fix (Whitetail Rock #2) by Anne Tenino. free ebook short. Good short m/m romance following up with the recently graduated but underemployed Nik and his cop lover Jurgen.
Aspergirls: Empowering Females with Aspergers Syndrome by Rudy Simone. This was a book that definitely gave me a lot to think about… because even though I’m positive my computer design engineer father has Aspergers, it never occurred to me until recently that I might have it. I’m now pretty sure that I do – the reasons are too numerous to list, but having had the same breakfast for the past 20+ years and finding my weird pattern-matching ability described as “fluid intelligence” and an Aspergers savant skill… Yeah.
I also had a lot of trouble with this book because it seemed too touchy-feely, without enough references beyond the author’s other books. And then I hit a sentence that exponentially increased my resistance to the book: “…depression exists because there’s a problem in your life.” Oh, hellafuckno – sometimes it does, to be sure, but sometimes it’s a purely biochemical sort of thing that you have little control over.
Psychic Moon #1 by MD Grimm. ebook. Good m/m paranormal romance about two guys working for an animal rescue organization who are attracted to each other, but unaware of the other’s paranormal abilities…
Celtic Warrior and Wolf Spirit (Psychic Moon #2) by MD Greem. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m holiday romance in which the two guys from Psychic Moon have to deal with one’s psychotic ex tracking him down.
Nothing To Do With Pride (Supernatural Mates #4) by Amber Kell. ebook short. So-so m/m paranormal romance about a coyote shifter trying to find his missing, possibly psychotic sister. This read almost like a story outline, plus it had some continuity issues; for example, is the sister’s son fine, as at the beginning of the story, or is he missing, as at the end of the story (with nothing between the two points about him vanishing)?
The Thirteenth Child (Section Thirteen #1) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe living in New York City who gets called in by his “straight” ex to help the police solve a series of murders and child abductions. This had potential that wasn’t realized due to clunky style and pacing. As with so many other releases from this publisher, it needed indepth editing to realize that potential. Also, be aware that there’s virtually no romance in this one.
The Thirteenth Pillar (Section Thirteen #2) by JL O’Faolain. ebook. So-so m/m urban fantasy about an exiled sidhe now working as an NYPD cop investigating paranormal crimes. This was a frustrating read, because I like the characters and the storyline… just not their awkward presentation. The sex scenes in this one read like bad amateur porn, using terms like “love nut” (for the prostate) and “almighty Johnson”.
Loving Jacob by Lee Brazil. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a married attorney who has an “understanding” with his wife (they’re staying together “for the sake of the children”) and gets involved with a younger man – a younger man who’s looking for his Prince Charming. Broken hearts, boozing, and cutting ensue, but it’s all ok by the last couple pages. Um, yeah, obviously this one hit some negative buttons for me…
Layover by CJ Black. free ebook short. Meh short m/m encounter between two guys in a bus station.

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“My name is not Kilroy! Honestly, Mom, you are so weird.” -Mayhem

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Congrats to Jen B, who won Melting by VJ Summers!

Congrats to Gina, who won Blind Space by Marie Sexton! Blind Space will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Congrats to Azure J, who won The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott! The Gallows Tree will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

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Contests

• For your chance to win a Kindle Fire, check out the blogs of the six authors participating in the giveaway. Closes noon EST, January 10.

• Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of The Lure of Song and Magic by Patricia Rice (one for US/Canada and one for international). Contest closes January 12.

• Comment by 10 am GMT, January 14, for your chance to win ebook copies of all the books RJ Scott will publish between February 1 and December 31, 2012.

• Check out the Cock & Bull Blog Tour (running through January 16) for your chance to win Amazon gift certificates and more! (The guy on the tour promo button should look familiar – it’s My Cup Size Is Bigger Than Yours Guy!)

Bookity

• New releases and more: Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), Tor.com (PNR), and Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything).

• Book and publishing news from Dear Author.

• How to improve your reading comprehension.

• A library in Massachusetts sent the police after a five-year old with overdue library books. Wha…?!

• 25 most beautiful college libraries. (via TeleRead)

• 25 things writers should stop doing. (via Sue Brown)

• Curious about what the 1961 Nobel jury had to say about the nominees, including J.R.R. Tolkien and Robert Frost?

• Carolyn Crane shares some reading/writing things she never thought she’d do/use.

• Check out the 2012 Support Your Local Library Challenge and the 2012 Big Books Challenge.

• Classic book covers redone with cats.

• If Dr. Seuss drew Batman…

• Some Twilight humor. What if famous writers had written Twilight? (via The Mary Sue)

Ebookity

• If you get weirdly formatted epubs from Kobo, the Digital Reader wants to know about it.

• Forbes asks some interesting ethical questions about the non-fixed nature of ebooks.

• Read and listen to a bunch of Neil Gaiman’s short stories for free. (via The Mary Sue)

• How reading ebooks changes reading habits.

Think, Do, Make, Learn

• Google Translate is now available for the iPad.

• Can you recognize iconic photos when their subjects have been removed?

• Researchers have discovered new marine species living around hydrothermal vents under Antarctica.

• Best times to buy various things this year.

• This totally works for removing wrinkles from many of your clothes.

• If you live in the UK, there are new gluten-free labeling laws in effect.

Cookity

• Pan-fried beans with wilted greens.

• Salmon curry. (via The Kitchn)

• Meyer lemon cherry chutney.

• Sophisticated salads.

• 9 butternut squash recipes.

• Slow cooker Thai chicken noodle soup. (via CRAFT)

• Purple hombre cake. (via CRAFT)

• Nutella banana egg rolls?! (via CRAFT) (I love Nutella, but hate bananas…)

• Grain-free granola.

Crafty

• Knit a cat eyes blanket! (Thanks, Cheryl!)

• Knit a kids Fair Isle hat. (via CRAFT)

• Turn buttons into hair ties! Now I know what I can use some of my buttons for.

• Sew some canvas containers to help yourself get organized.

Cool

• Tim Minchin is going to be at the Reason Rally in Washington DC this March.

• You can make a dry erase calendar from paint chips and a picture frame.

• MrsPao has craft and cooking linkity.

• Kitty-shaped shawl pin.

• The intersection of architecture and fairy tales.

• The Obliteration Room.

Cool or Wha…?

• Hello Kitty microwave.

• Doctor Who babies.

• Batman fan… literally. (via The Mary Sue)

• Crocheted Tusken Raider hat.

• If you’re in France before March 1, you’ll have to try a black-bunned Darth Vader burger…

• Hanging soft-service ice cream cone lamps.

Wha…?

• I didn’t realize pythons were such a big problem in Florida…

• A fish that likes to snack on the testicles of swimmers.

• The top 10 craziest things caught by airport security last year…

• Who needs a special tool to peel a banana?!

• Fashion…

• Why the legs?!

• File sharing is now an officially recognized religion in Sweden.

LOL

• The big downside of vacations…

• 15 funniest autocorrects from December.

• 10 New Year’s resolutions illustrated with cats.

Teh Cute

• Kitten! Baby polar bear! Kitten! Baby cheetahs! Kitten! Tiny pig (video)! Kitten! Giraffe and baby! Cat and kitten! Cat and kitten! Bison and calf! Kittens! Baby tigers! Baby tigers! Kittens!

Reading Update
Camp Hell (PsyCop #5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic experiences some personal growth (beyond his paranoia, even!), and both Vic and Jacob have unexpected professional growth.
GhosTV (PsyCop #6) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob head to California to find their friend Lisa, who’s vanished without a trace. Definitely looking forward to the next book!
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a young half-blooded man who grew up in a small town in a world split between Shifters and Skins. When his lover abandons him, he tracks down his cousins in the big city who own an impoverished theater.
Cherish Your Name (Warder #6) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Sweet paranormal m/m holiday romance about Warder Malic visiting his hearth Dylan’s family for Christmas and things getting off to a rough start because Dylan’s family thinks Malic is too old for their son.
Where the Heart Is by Kaje Harper. ebook short. Sweet short holiday m/m romance about a vet who’s been running his father’s remote practice for the past few months since his father died, while his boyfriend is far away in the city.
I Dare You…Again (Dare #2) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m New Year’s Eve romance in which Steven needs to decide whether or not to take his roommate’s dare and tell Cory he loves him…
In December My Heart’s Full of Spring by Kate McMurray. free ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys who find themselves on top of the Empire State Building together on New Year’s Eve.
Six Degrees of Lust (By Degrees #2) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense about an emotionally unavailable FBI agent who can’t get a one-night stand out of his head, even as he’s trying to track down a serial killer targeting gay men. This book was heading toward a solid four-star rating before a nasty cliffhanger ending. Pretty much nothing at all was resolved. That makes me really, really cranky.
FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a nurse who gets attacked outside of a gay bar and is rescued by an off-duty cop.
Dragma’s Tavern: Where Every Good Bar Comes by Bryl R. Tyne. free ebook short. Good short, trippy m/m story about a guy who ends up in a very odd bar on New Year’s Eve.
NYPD Night Shift by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a cop who’s being a jerk to everyone around him – turns out that he just needs to get laid. This wasn’t easy to read because of how much I was rolling my eyes. Definitely skip this one if you prefer stories with condoms, lube, realistic dialogue, or plausible plots.

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“I know you’re all jealous of my lovely kitty bed!” -Mayhem