Congrats to Lora G, who won Smart Ass: Close Quarters from LB Gregg!
Congrats to Marie, who won the Uniform Appeal anthology, courtesy of Dreamspinner Press! Uniform Appeal will be released on April 11.
Contests
- Blodeuedd’s giving away a copy of Ciji Ware’s A Race to Splendor. Comment by April 8 for your chance to win. (US & Canada only)
- If you’d like a little Mardi Gras in your life, enter Book Addict Patti’s contest for a box of beads and other fun things from Mardi Gras. Contest closes April 10. (US only)
- Book Lovers Inc is giving away a $20 gift certificate to the online bookstore of your choice. Leave a meaningful comment on the interview with Laura Wright by April 23 for your chance to win.
- Shawn Lane’s having a contest in which five winners will be able to pick anything off her backlist, her forthcoming Galaxy’s Heart (Sutter’s Bay #3), or her forthcoming Becoming His. Comment by April 25 for your chance to win.
Bookity
- New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), AAR (romance audiobooks), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR, newsletter), KB (various romance/PNR/UF), and Book Lovers Inc (various romance/PNR/UF).
- If you’ve read J.R. Ward’s latest Black Dagger Brotherhood novel, Lover Unleashed, head over to Smexy Books and share your thoughts in the comments.
- Great quote about libraries and books from Dr. Who. (rest of site is NSFW)
Ebookity
- Each week, MLR Press has a different m/m romance ebook you can download free. The download link is to the right of the “Free Read of the Week” banner.
- Have you been downloading the books that All Romance eBooks is giving away for Earth Day? Here’s the complete list – I highly recommend picking up Cut & Run on April 11! (My reviewette is later in this post.) If you sign up to receive the newsletter, you’ll get notified about each day’s book.
- The new ebook version of From Here to Eternity will put back the gay sex that was removed by the original publisher. (via Addison Albright)
Do, Think, Make, Learn
- Interesting idea for how to procrastinate more productively. Or you could just build a cubicle mansion…
- Sixteen failed computers… hey! I really loved the wireless keyboard on my PCjr – in 1983.
- An amazing story of one man’s effort to reach his wife after the tsunami hit Japan. (via First Things First)
- Did you know that unless you’re crouching on the seat of your toilet, you’re probably pooping wrong?! O.o
Cookity
- Mobius bagel. (via The Kitchn)
Crafty
- I like these finger knitted bracelets a lot.
Cool
- Wow, these are some acrobatic goats! (Thanks, CursingMama!)
- I wonder how many accidents this “real” world Hot Wheels loop will cause?
- What’s a little procrastination between friends? (rest of site is NSFW)
Wha…?
- Cat men?!
Randonymity
- Long ago (in the mid-1990s), I lived with a guy who made videos for local bands. I have a very, very tiny cameo in one of them: I’m at 44 seconds in the video for “Smile” by Arcwelder. Check out my long, spiral-permed hair (complete with crazy white streak from the sun) and my Lennonesque glasses. 🙂
- Wren found a smokin’ hot ad for the Jawbone Bluetooth headset. *fans self*
- And if that video whetted your appetite for rugby, Smart Bitches found an All Black-themed New Zealand Air safety video.
LOL
- The origins of the spork! (Thanks, CursingMama!)
- Annotated math test. (Thanks, CursingMama!)
- This is also the exact distance at which May drops the toys she’d like me to throw for fetch.
Teh Cute
- Lion and cub! (Thanks, CursingMama!)
- Videos: Bear cubs and tiger cub! Red pandas playing!
- Kittens! Wee clouded leopard cubs! Kitten! Polar bear! Kitten! Wee baby bobcat! Kittens! Fennec foxes! Cat and kitten! Ferret! Kittens! Bobcat! Kitten! Penguins! Kitten! Baby ferrets! Kitten! Fennec fox! Kitten! Cheetah family! Kittens! Polar bear and baby! Baby penguin! Jaguar! Lioness and cub!
Reading Update
Taste (Horizons #2) by Mickie B. Ashing. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a San Francisco architect visiting friends (Jody and Clark from Horizons) when he meets a cute tattooed guy working at Taste of Chicago.
Mandarin Orange: Sweet and Sour by T.C. Blue. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who eventually realizes he might not be as straight as he’d always believed after he meets the guy who will be living in the apartment downstairs.
Three Alarm Fire (EMS Heat #8) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about an EMT who was in an abusive relationship a few years ago and since then has been afraid to let anyone that close to him.
Wrong Number, Right Guy (Celebrity #1) by Mia Watts. ebook. Cute m/m romance about a guy who misdials and doesn’t realize that he’s talking to a closeted movie star in town for a film shoot.
Getting Off the Ground (Postcards from Paradise #1) by L.A. Witt. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who was left at the altar by his live-in boyfriend of six years. He decides to use one of the honeymoon tickets to go to Hawaii by himself and meets a very intriguing man in the airport when their flight is delayed. Please note that this is just the first part of the story – the second part will be released in a few weeks.
Anything in a Skirt (Gay Until Graduation #2) by Kim Dare. ebook short. free. Very good short kinky m/m romance following up on the two guys from Gay Until Graduation (G-A-Y #3). (I took that photograph at Twin Cities Pride 2010!)
Handcuffs & Ball Gags (Rawlings Men #6) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m romance about a police constable who gets upset when his flatmate attends a potentially dangerous environmental rally, which leads to a most interesting discussion…
Cut & Run (Book 1) by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux. ebook. reread. Good m/m romantic suspense about two wildly different FBI agents who are tossed together to try to catch a serial killer. I think this would’ve been a better read if it had been tightened up – parts of it seemed to drag.
Sticks & Stones (Cut & Run #2) by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense two FBI agents who can’t go back out in the field until they pass their psych evals, so their boss sends them on vacation to relax for a few weeks… Usually Urban & Roux’s headhopping doesn’t particularly bother me, but it did a few times in this book.
Fish & Chips (Cut & Run #3) by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense in which our two FBI agents are sent on a cruise to impersonate a high rolling couple. As usual, nothing much goes as planned.
“Put the computer down and feed me now and no one gets hurt… much.” -Chaos
Lol, loved the spork bit 🙂
A recent post from blodeuedd..Review- A Race to Splendor – Ciji Ware
Ohhh, linkity! I so want to read Mandarin Orange, but I promise I will start at the beginning 🙂
And…ahh…Chris…Chaos sure looks serious!
A recent post from orannia..Books 2011- March Update
I loved the mace when I saw it. I really need to get one of those!
A recent post from Seanna Lea..happy happy yarn crawl
Change in weekend plans: Make Nutella Brownies and a Plush Dino or two. Enjoy your weekend!
A recent post from Chrissy Munder..Virtual Bubblewrap – the link that never gets old
I think I’m finally going to try Dropbox (or one of the other back up thingies).
I’ve read the how to pack your suitcase efficiently article with care and I’ll try to remember it when packing for New Orleans. 🙂
That rugby players ad was hot!
Looks like you had a great reading week. Not a single so-so, meh or just okay book among them. 🙂 I’ve actually all those books either on my radar, on my ereader or already read them, except for the free short from Kim. I didn’t know about it, but i do now, so… going to get it too.
A recent post from Janna..Swiftly Dusted- Review of precious-boy by KZ Snow
This fetish with all things bacon cracks me up.
A recent post from katiebabs/KT Grant..Wet Emo Looking Kitty in Blue Bucket Video
Hey the linkity has some particularly interesting articles this week! Loved the ones under DTML and eBookity particularly. Happy weekend!
A recent post from trek..On homework and formatting
I need to eat one of those mathematically correct bagels soon. Oh—and that is some serious ’90s hair you are rocking in that video! 🙂
Must make bacon cinnamon rolls! Stunned by the goats! Doggies drop the same way.
Chris, you should know what time it is and anticipate kitty hunger.
A recent post from margene..First Step
Chris- Looks as if Chaos has a nightstalking job- I always wondered what they did while we’re sleeping.
A recent post from Lorraine..Never Wake A Dragon
I can’t click on the links at work but I’ll comment on the books. 🙂
Do I need to read book 1 to read book 2 with tattoo boy? Hopefully not ’cause, well, yeah, tattoo boy.
I did enjoy Riley, and Stephani’s and the LA Witt book. In talking with the author I asked her to ensure there is lube used during the “sex on the beach” in book 2 after my Coconuts experience. She said definitely lube. LOL
I never really got into the Cut and Run series. In fact I never finished the first one. Oops. I know some people love them and it was nothing in particular, I didn’t hate it, just lost interest and didn’t care to continue.
A recent post from Tam..Crazy Idea Probably
My dogs offer the same lament daily Chaos. lol
Great linkity as always Chris. I’m going to have to check out Kassa’s post re bloggers being addicted to negativity – I’ve been wondering the same thing myself lately.
A couple of the BLI ladies just posted a good article about ARC’s and reviewers expecting grammatical etc. perfection. It’s well done. This comes on the heels of a post at another blog published yesterday.
Thanks so much for mentioning Laura’s interview and giveaway! Really appreciated!!
Have a nice long weekend Chris. 🙂
A recent post from Lea..Tori & I are over at the Island today talking about And Other News
Some very entertaining one there. Loved the Grover one especially, LOL!
A recent post from Kristi aka FiberFool..ECF- Feathers & Creative Fire
I don’t think you aged a week.
I used to love 7th St.
Thanks for the linkity!
And that bagel trick is going to have to happen at my house over the weekend 😀
Love the Big Wheel v. Bus. Every spring I’d go asparagus hunting with my mom, it grows wild in ditches all over the midwest. I also recently tried to convince her to buy the house on the next block so I could have the asparagus patch. She thought this was a silly reason to buy a house 300 miles from where she lives.
Chaos…I smell tuna.
A recent post from Rebekah..How did this happen
Thanks for all the links!
Love the flower arranging kitty.
Chaos, you look starved! I hope you got a good dinner.
Have a great weekend!
A recent post from Brenda..Milkweed Shawl Goes Out to Lunch twice
Not only was the conductive thread really cool, but following through the links on the thread got me to the LED sewing kit.
A recent post from Cheryl S…Neiman Progress
Nothing says Happy Birthday like a decapitated clown head… O.O
I’m more than a little in awe of and in love with Hideaki Akaiwa. He’s an absolutely amazing, awe-inspiring person.
A recent post from Bronwyn Green..The Lesser of Two Evils
Great links as usual. Didn’t watch the whole video but I did catch your appearance. I had no idea one of my friends was a video star. lol 🙂
The only ones I’ve read are the Cut and Run series which I loved although I’ve got a couple of the others on my reader. Thanks for the mention.
Hope you have a fabulous weekend!!!
A recent post from Lily..For your reading pleasure
First time I’ve had a chance today to catch up! Loved, loved the Air New Zealand video. So fun!
I might have to read up on the cloud storage services.
And your cameo appearance? Darn cute!
Another hour of interesting browsing – thanks!
A recent post from Mary Lou..Japan Earthquake Relief
That make a clutch out of a DVD case is a cute idea, but way too crafty for me. I’d end up slicing my finger off with the razor blade.
That poor roasted peep. I feel sorry for him 🙁
A recent post from Ava March..Stolen Cookies
Ok, I’m reading your friday linkity post on sunday but I always need my time going through all the things of interest 😉
First of all I discussed it only 2 weeks ago that all the brouhaha in blogland is feeling rather epidemic these days. One brouhaha isn’t even over before the next one arises. I love a good discussion but really, I sometimes wonder if we are making it better with focussing so much on it 🙁
I think I also read something at Janna’s place about; How to use multiple free online storage services to back up your important files – again, a thing I must have!!!
How to pack your suitcase efficiently – Now this is something I will definitely use preparing for my trip to New Orleans! I actually want to pack my pillow as well, as long as I have it I can sleep anywhere 😀
I’m so glad I’ve got those 2 ebooks on my e-shelves by Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux! Sometimes i get lost in my e-shelves folders of what I have and haven’t got. But it isn’t a bad thing of course, I sometimes get pleasantly surprised 🙂
Have a great sunday Chris!
A recent post from Leontine..To you
Oh, you’re a video star! I spotted you right away.
Whoa, those goats are amazing!
As much as I like bacon and cinnamon rolls, I’m kind of disturbed about bacon appearing in all kinds of foods. But I’ve been enjoying the asparagus season.
These New Zealand air safety videos crack me up. I love them.
The ferrets say the same thing, Chaos!
A recent post from Sydney..Random Wrap-up of Winter
Hey, I had the same hair, except reddish brown!
A recent post from janna..Ubiquitins and a little knitting
I need to finish a Lael Miller book I am reading – but seeing Taste just now makes me want to skip to that one… I so need to read faster, it does sound good…
I can’t believe you just read the Urban and Roux series – I love those guys.. I know what you mean about the head hopping..
It didn’t bother me, probably because other things was so good in the series..
Weird set of cover art happening on a few of those books..
Chaos -still as rude as ever I see…
🙂
Packing! Pooping! Peeps! I love your linkity to pieces.
Chaos, calm down. Don’t hurt your mama!!
A recent post from Lorette..My Life According to Chip Taylor