Congrats to Kaetrin, who won Priority One by Stephani Hecht! Priority One will be released on August 1 by eXtasy Books.
So, last Saturday evening CJ (aka urban fantasy author Carolyn Crane) and I sat down in my living room with some gluten-free beers, our laptops, and Google Docs to polish up a (hopefully) humorous post with a paranormal romance theme. Thanks to CJ’s tireless efforts, our post has been published at Tor.com. Stop by and check it out if you get a chance!
Contests
- Chappysmom is celebrating 2010 blog posts by giving away a copy of Mason-Dixon Knitting! Guess how many knitting and spinning books she has for your chance to win.
- Bronwyn Green’s giving away all three ebooks in her Celtic Fire Series. Leave a comment by 7 pm EDT, August 1, for your chance to win.
- Over the Edge Book Reviews is giving away two copies of Geoffrey Knight’s new m/m action adventure, The Cross of Sins (Fathom’s Five, Book 3). Contest runs through August 1.
- Anna’s giving away a copy of Julia Barrett’s recent fantasy romance, Daughters of Persephone. Comment by August 2 for your chance to win.
- Sassy Brit’s giving away two ebook copies of AC Katt’s m/m romance, Shattered Glass. If you win and you live in the US, you’ll also get a t-shirt and a notebook. Contest closes at midnight on August 3 and the winner will be announced August 4.
- Janna’s on vacation, but she’s got five contests scheduled while she’s gone! Make sure you stop by each day to check that day’s contest.
- It’s time for Jessewave’s 5th Ugly Covers Competition! Submit your ugly cover nominations by August 11. (And be aware that the sidebars are Jessewave may be NSFW.)
- The Knit Princess blog is looking for knitting horror stories. Submit yours by August 31 for your chance to win a Knit Princess book, t-shirt, and more.
Bookity
- New releases: Lily (m/m romance), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR interviews and more), and All About Romance (August audiobooks).
- Dear Author’s news posts are always interesting. So’s the Monday Morning Stepback from ReadReactReview.
- The Incase Convertible Book Case for the iPad looks like a good thing to have.
- GoodReads was rated the best book recommendation service by Lifehacker readers.
- August is Michigan authors’ month at Fang-tastic Books – if you’re an author from Michigan, Roxanne still has some spots open!
- Lilith Saintcrow on how not to be a Speshul Snowflake writer.
- The Kama Sutra of Reading – less NSFW than you’d think. 🙂
- What would tech support for the book have looked like?
Ebookity
- The Library of Congress really shook things up this week with its statement about situations in which it’s legal to crack DRM on products you own. Gizmodo has a nice summary of what this actually means and Dear Author speculates on the future of DRM.
- The Chief Officers of State Library Agencies have issued their final report on ebooks and public libraries.
- Confused about all the different varieties of epub? This primer might help.
- Some of the more minor ebook reader manufacturers are going out of business.
- If you’d like to digitize your print books and aren’t in a hurry to do so, here’s a setup you can put together yourself.
- K.Z. Snow reveals how the cover for Fugly was made.
- Don’t miss Tam’s free m/m hamster shifter story!
Learn, Make, Think, Do
- Snickerdoodle cake! I don’t see why this wouldn’t work with a gluten-free cake mix…
- What do you think is the top source for dvd “rentals” in the US? If you guessed Netflix or Redbox, you’d be wrong – it’s public libraries!
- How I wish I could draw better, so I could make some tattooed LEGO minifigs…
- Make your own treadmill desk.
- Sew your own snack bags so you can avoid plastic bags.
- If you understand the science behind having a bad day, you might be able to avoid having a bad day.
- Oh dear – your box spring might be acting like a radiation antenna while you sleep. I’m appreciating my futon lifestyle at the moment!
- The “F-Bomb-A-Thon” video is definitely NSFW, but it’s a very interesting way for a charity to raise funds for cleaning up the Gulf.
- Very, very effective public service announcement on wearing seatbelts. (Not gory!)
- Have you ever used incremental reading to help memorize data? Does it work?
Linkity Peeps
- Nicole’s got a few links that caught her interest this week.
- Kristi’s got more fiber, cooking, and photography links.
- Katiebab’s did her weekly NSFW WTFery links.
- Marsha’s got links to various crafty ways to cover baby toes.
Huh
- Ewwww… beer packed in rodent carcasses. *shudders*
- A sleeping dog runs into a wall. But why was someone filming him sleeping?! Does he run into the wall a lot while he sleeps?? (Thanks?, Amy!)
- The defibrillator toaster is only a concept for now.
- You can now get a refillable stainless steel Sharpie.
- Trying to make helmets more fun (concept only).
LOL
- Although I know many of you have already seen the Jane Austen’s Fight Club “trailer”, if you haven’t, you must!
- xkcd on period speech (make sure you hover your mouse pointer over the comic).
- Some examples of why English is such a confusing language. (Thanks, Jase!)
- Go try your hand at writing a family reunion haiku and read the ones already there!
- A very unique Nokia sign…
- This is how I feel on Monday mornings, too.
- The lolcats history infographic you’ve been waiting for.
- Do you really appreciate how lucky you are not to have Basement Cat as your brother?
- What a deal – you can get your own “Start Your Own Evil Empire” starter kit!
- Beware the ninja kitteh!
- This is why the toilet paper at my condo is in the vanity and not easily accessible to people… or Chaos.
- A little Frogger humor – make sure you hover your mouse pointer over the comic to get additional text!
Teh Cute
- A cat and a bunny take a nap! (Thanks, Jase!)
- Kitten! Melly in a box! Melly being a cute pest! Kittens! Kitten! Kitten! Kittens! Kittens! Kitten on a puppy! Orange kitty overload! Gray cat and kitten! Pile o’ kittens! Kittens! Heart-shaped kitties!
Reading Update
Bound and Determined by Jane Davitt & Alexa Snow. ebook. Excellent kinky m/m romance about a college senior who realizes he’s submissive, which is simultaneously difficult for him to accept and something he craves.
Blinded by Our Eyes by Clare London. ebook. Very good m/m mystery about a gallery owner who discovers an artist murdered in his gallery and slowly begins to realize that nothing he’d believed about the people in his life is as he thought it was.
Fair Game by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m mystery about an FBI agent turned professor after being injured in the line of duty who’s asked to look into the disappearance of a student on campus. (I received this book via NetGalley. Fair Game will be released on August 2 by Carina Press.)
A Game of Chances (Farmingdale Gentleman’s Club, Book 1) by T.C. Blue. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense with lots of little twists and turns. The Farmingdale Gentleman’s Club is a private grey ops organization. And I don’t want to tell you anything else because being surprised by the twists and turns was a big part of what I liked! I’m definitely looking forward to the next book.
Safe in His Arms (Wicked Hearts, Book 2) by Claire Thompson. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about the seemingly irredeemable cruel and controlling “best friend” from the previous book, who’s slowly spiraling toward rock bottom. If you’d told me after I finished reading Wicked Hearts that Claire Thompson could make me care about and like this guy, I would not have believed you.
Ports of Call by Sean Kennedy. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a couple on vacation at the beach, trying to get past one of them having been mugged.
Two Steps Up by Sean Kennedy. ebook short. Cute short m/m about a teen standing across the street from where a gay teens support group meeting will be held, trying to work up the nerve to go to the meeting.
Protests and Proposals by Sean Kennedy. ebook short. Another cute short m/m romance about two guys protesting Proposition 8 being repealed.
Blue Skies by Diane Adams. ebook short. Decent short m/m romance about a conservative businessman who’s very attracted to a flaming younger man, but stays away because he thinks being “so gay” brings the wrong sort of attention to the gay community.
Gay Best Friend (G-A-Y, Book 10) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m romance about an allegedly straight guy who kisses his gay best friend on a dare from his obnoxious coworkers, then realizes that he might not be as straight as he’d always believed.
A Limited Engagement by Josh Lanyon. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about an actor who gambles everything when he outs his closeted lover to end his lover’s engagement to a woman.
Bargaining by Rhianne Aile & Madeleine Urban. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about two friends who finally get together, only to discover they’re both tops. This story will work best for those unconcerned about realism in refractory periods or condom use.
Lilacs by Megan Derr. free ebook short. Ok free short paranormal m/m romance about two guys who hate each other due to a big misunderstanding… and then discover they’re about to become stepbrothers.
News at Eleven by Jack Greene. ebook short. Cute’n’steamy short m/m romance about a tv station manager who’s been admiring the very out star news anchor from a distance.
Cold Steel by Morgan Lee. ebook short. So-so kinky short m/m interlude about an undercover cop who’s “arrested” by his partner at the end of his assignment. This teetered on the edge of purple prose… and I’m pretty sure those handcuffs would’ve messed up the finish on the cop car…
“This is an advanced technique. Don’t try this at home without the assistance of a qualified kitty.” -Mayhem
Oh, I like the sound of your and CJ’s Tor post… *makes note to follow-up on Sunday NZT*
Tam has written a m/m hamster shifter story? *intrigued*
Oh, some good books in your readng pile this week Chris 🙂
May….how….words fail me *grin*
A recent post from orannia..Throwing In The Towel
Ninja kitty got a little lol from bf 🙂
A recent post from blodeuedd..Review- Post Human – David Simpson
I’m jealous that Carina lets you have books from NetGalley. Harlequin let me have books but Carina doesn’t like me for some reason.. 🙁
I feel under so much pressure when I see all the books you do short reviews on each week – I keep thinking – oh, I have to read that one, and that one and then I get distracted (often by something shiny) and then it’s next week and a whole new list and I can’t keep up! Argh.
A recent post from Kaetrin..Recent Holiday Reads
darn – I missed the little follow up thingy… there, that’s got it.
A recent post from Kaetrin..Recent Holiday Reads
ok, seriously…a m/m hamster shifter book? I really wonder how hamsters end up in a romance novel.
And, as always, the Westboro Baptist church takes a giant crap on Christianity. And everything else, as is their M.O. They protested something totally inane here, too. I wish I could have gone to Comicon:(…some of the MST3K guys were probably there.
Thank you for the link, Chris! I’m honored to be one of the many (grin)
F-Bomb-a-thon! LOL, I would have won that hands down this week at work.
A recent post from Brigitte..Well Hello Again!
Oh wow, do not try this at home huh… Well, I might have to see an advanced kitty for those moves!
Wowowow, this is some linky link links!
Thanks for all the info Chris!!!
Yayayayayay it is finally Friday!!!!!
A recent post from Cecile..Review- Dane by Elizabeth Amber
Yeah! More books. I am too tired to do much other than stare at the kitty pictures and covers, so I will look at it all again tomorrow.
A recent post from Seanna Lea..10 Tuesday what not to watch
Great links! I especially liked the link through to the hope for a $35 tablet!
http://consumerist.com/2010/07/indian-government-announces-35-tablet-computer.html
Yayyy for Friday! 😀
A recent post from Miranda..Review of All Play and No Work
My schnauzers have your advanced technique down pat, Mayhem and they aren’t as smart as you are.
A recent post from margene..Happy is as Happy Does
I can’t post right now. I’m reserving space for a blogger reenactment festival for 2025
I have only read Sean’s books out of that batch. I’m falling behind. 🙂
Your have a bendy kitty. Spine made of pipe cleaners. 🙂
Oh and I need a brain helmet. That would get some looks.
A recent post from Tam..Thar She Blows!!!!
May- Is that the downward kitty yoga pose?
I slept on a futon for years and um I am so glad I got rid of the dang thing.
I love my tempur-pedic foam.
Love love love Fair Game – probably my favorite Josh Lanyon book this year.
Thanks for the linkities and the mention of Anna’s blog and giveaway. The Speshul Snowflake is espechully good!
A recent post from Julia Rachel Barrett..I saw him first!
Oh Mayhem, showing off again!
Great list. 🙂
A recent post from Eleanor..Still gearing for fall
Great links as always!! The only book I’ve read from your list was Bound and Determined and I loved it.
A recent post from Lily..Weekly Update 30 and The Friday 56
LOL–okay, Chris– I imagine they got the footage of that dog in the same way they got the footage of that bunny cuddling up to that comatose cat! (Excuse me? I need some insulin after that!)
And Romeo and Julien had me CRACKING UP! (I think it was the two frames of meaningful glances–awesome artistry right there!)
Thanks for the ebooks link; it eventually led me to the Hennepin County library, which is downloading an audiobook to me even as I type. We still own and pay taxes on a house in Hennepin County so this is legal, imho, and my MPL card is apparently still valid. Soon I will move on to ebooks. The WI library system to which I belong doesn’t seem to offer Mac-compatible software, although they use OverDrive just like Hennepin Cty.
A recent post from kmkat..Bibs and bobs
LOVE the iPhone4 Molskein-esque case! Want!
Hamster shifters. Heh. I think it was Shiloh Walker (or maybe Larissa Ione) that wanted a story about were-gerbils… I wonder if this would count.
And I love the Medieval help-desk. I’ve seen it before, but it never fails to bring a smile to my face.
Thanks for the linkity!
A recent post from Nicole..Friday Snippet 73010
It makes me quite hapy the libraries have better dvd rentals then Netflix. If only people were actually donating say .50 per “rental.”
Love the seatbelt commercial, although I must admit it made me cry.
The cat in the toilet paper, has to be one of the prettiest cat fur patterns I’ve seen, sorry Chaos and May. Although I’m sure May that he’s not as bendy as you.
Those Syrinxes terrify me! Poor kids!
Yet another reason to appreciate the platform bed my dad built for me. 🙂
A recent post from naomi..eye candy friday
Wow, you’ve been cranking through the books once again! That box spring piece kind of freaked me out. I’ve been dreaming of a platform bed with built-in drawers. Perhaps it’s just about time to put that plan into action!
So many cute kitties. 🙂
A recent post from Jodi..FO- Multnomah
I wouldn’t try that pose – ever, I think.
No more secondhand books! the horror!
Jane Austen fight club??? The mind reels.
A recent post from Carrie K..Yap Yap Yap Maybe I should post more often
When you and CJ get together, fun times ensue! Can’t wait to read your Tor post 🙂
A recent post from katiebabs..Support Net Neutrality and Save the Internet
Oh so much linkity! I must hit them all. 🙂
You read some good books this week. I’m madly scribbling to write them down on my list tbb! 🙂
A recent post from Tracy..DIK Reading Challenge and M-M Challenge Review- Caught Running by Madeleine Urban and Abigail Roux
Toes are always at risk of being attacked at my house.
That poor dog!
Beer in rodent carasses?! I don’t think so. I’ll take mine in a traditional bottle or glass please.
Stretching is obviously May’s superpower.
A recent post from Sydney..Why yes- I do knit
Wow. What a great post by Lilith Saintcrow. Great advice, not just for writers, but for anyone.
Love those cloth snack bags. Especially since I have a wee addiction to ziplocs. Makes me want to dust off my serger!
Your linkity posts are becoming my Saturday morning routine! 🙂
A recent post from Renee..A few things coming down the pike including Mercy Thompson news
Lots of good stuff today – but Tam’s story was the best.
A recent post from PD Singer..Updates on Upcoming Stories
Thanks for the linkbacks! With which Austen heroine do you most identify? Personally, I’m a big fan of Fanny’s shove-your-face-in-a-cake technique.
Mayhem looks like a yoga kitty there. Doing the Downward Cat pose, perhaps?
Brilliant post at Tor, Chris and CJ! What I’d like to see is more m/m urban fantasy (but without the leather miniskirts and thigh-high boots — gah). Alas, mysteries and kink now seem to rule the day. *sigh*
I think you should become May’s manager and develop an animal exercise show. Srsly.
A recent post from K. Z. Snow..Got lucky again!
Fabulous linkity, as always! Thanks for the time-suckage. 🙂
A recent post from Eyre..Recent Reads
Okay, I’m feeling a little proud that I had already come across a few of your linkty before you posted 🙂
I’m a bit surprised that the public library is top for DVD rental. Although that is often our go-to for BBC productions, though it often ends in frustration because the DVDs are so abused. We’re thinking part of the culprit on that is their non-symmetrical labels/anti-theft because we fight with nearly every disk.
A recent post from Kristi aka FiberFool..Warm Mustard-Free Beet Salad
Just didn’t want to leave for France without saying thanks for the linkity luv! 🙂 Btw it’s not 5 contests but just one big contest with 5 prizes, actually 6 by now (DreamSpinner Press is sponsoring another prize). I hope it’ll be clearly explained in my post later today. 😉
I’m gonna miss you, Chris, but I’ll pop in after my vacation to read all the posts I’ve missed!
Great set of links this week – I particularly love the ebooks one – there is so many discussion and good news and bad new around that industry…
Pity about some of those company going out of business…
I looks at the covers of those books and none look like I have read them -but checking further I have read a few… Still yet to read the Lanyon book though.Good to know it is a great read…
I am sure I asked last week if that cat is on drugs.. I am convinced he is on something…
🙂
Okay! I surrender – still not through all the links. Did I tell you the ipod touch fails as an ereader? It does. Thinking Nook – – but am torn..
Congrats on the uf post 🙂 Love it – particularly 13!
aww heart-shaped kitties are cute!
A recent post from mrspao..Now he is one is he a kitten or a cat