Category Archives: Linkity linkity link

Knitting, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity, now with knitting finished object!

March 4, 2011 Chris 32 Comments

Congrats to Leni, who won Sebastianâ€™s Wolves by Valentina Heart!

Congrats to Susan C, who won The Duty of a Beta (Pack Discipline #3) by Kim Dare! The Duty of a Beta will be released by Total-E-Bound on March 7.

Contests

Carolyn Crane’s giving two lucky commenters the chance to win one of the freshly released UF/PNR books from her post. Contest closes early on March 5.

Jase and Juni are celebrating World Book Day by giving away a $10 ARe voucher. To enter, answer their question in the comments by 7 pm EST, March 5. Post and site are very NSFW. You have been warned!

Devon Rhodes is giving away both her four-book Seasoned Women series and a copy of the fourth book, Spring Training. Comment by noon EST, March 7, and let her know which prize you’re entering for.

Comment on one of Eric Arvin’s One Good Thing posts from March 1 through March 7 and you’ll be entered for a chance to win a signed copy of his book Woke Up in a Strange Place. (US only)

Sweet Vernal Zephyr’s giving away a copy of Fantasy Lover by Sherrilyn Kenyon. Comment through March 10 for your chance to win. (And make sure you read the small print!)

Bookity

New releases: Elisa (GLBT) and Book Lovers Inc (UF/PNR/romance).

Random House instituted agency pricing.

European Commission inspectors raided publishers’ office as part of their investigation into alleged price fixing (via TeleRead).

Book news and linkity from Dear Author and ReadReactReview.

Kassa wonders what makes a review worthwhile.

Kris contemplates why some authors get five-star ratings, even if the book wasn’t five-star worthy.

Dear Author asks whether knowing too much about an author can ruin your enjoyment of that author’s books.

Smart Bitches with a cover art reuse example.

ReadReactReview looks at how life was different in 1972, when the first modern romance was published.

If you haven’t read American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Bellwether by Connie Willis, what are you waiting for?! Both are on my keepers shelf.

A book bed! (This is SFW; rest of site is NSFW.)

Optical illusion bookshelves.

Ebookity

If you enjoyed Shayla Kersten’s m/m romance, Icing on the Cake, but wanted more, you can have more – pick up the sequel, Acquired Taste, for free.

HarperCollins announced that they’re going to limit library ebook checkouts to 26 times before libraries have to buy another copy/license of the ebook. Two librarians use paper books to demonstrate how silly that limitation is.

Smart Bitches wonders how ebooks have changed your book browsing/shopping experience.

Fifteenth century complaints about the printing press displacing scribes will sound familiar…

Read an Ebook Week starts on Sunday.

Learn, Do, Think, Make

Nearly everything you ever wanted to know about memes.

Watch a guy upgrade from MSDOS 5.0 through every major version of Windows.

I had no idea that Android, Apple, and Blackberry were virtually tied in the US smartphone market.

The US Postal Service will be out of money by October.

Although more women than men have high school and college degrees, women earn 75% of what men do. *sigh*

If you have any Wellness canned cat food, check to see if it’s included in the recall.

Secrets of an extreme couponer.

Sad story of a lonely whale. 🙁

A very thought-provoking post about “bullying and the trickle-down effect of cruelty” (via Kris’n’Good Books).

How to write more in less time.

How to avoid roaming charges while abroad.

How to pass through a door (infographic).

The original Monopoly board was circular.

Make your own Cadbury eggs.

Gluten-free Rice Krispies are on the way.

General Mills now lists over 250 gluten-free items.

Need some cold weather comfort? One of these ten hot chocolate recipes might do the trick.

Cool

Goodnight, Dune (via Wyrdsmiths).

MrsPao discovered a new Simon’s Cat – and don’t miss her link to the Star Wars kitties.

You know you need a rubber ducky in your tea.

Ninja umbrella.

Run from zombies in your own neighborhood!

3-D LEGO infographic.

Build a chess set out of LEGOs.

Computational architecture.

The Periodic Table of Fibers (via knittyBlog).

Dr. Seuss-inspired crafts (since his birthday was March 2).

Crochet a baby gmone hat or knit a Cylon Centurion hat.

Bake your own rainbow layer cake! (And please invite me over if you make it gluten-free.)

Speaking of rainbows, I finished this subdued rainbow toddler jacket last weekend (project details on Ravelry, if you’re interested):

Wha….???

A toy taser?!

Tampon chandelier… (Thanks(??), Tam!)

Evil clown shoes!

Pole dancer shoes…

Mazda’s recalling some cars because of… spiders.

Now you can buy individually wrapped bananas…

Dogs chewing up your dining room chair legs? Cover them with fake… bones.

Or maybe your dog wouldn’t be chewing things if you paid a farmer to let your dog herd sheep or cows.

More than 500 prescription medications commonly used to treat allergies, colds, and coughs have not been approved by the FDA.

LOL

How much do you have in common with your internet friends? (This is SFW; rest of site is NSFW.)

We hate computers because they do what we tell them to.

Way too cute to be menacing.

Kitties love radiators.

The cat variant of the Groucho Marx saying.

Such naughty black kitties!

Teh Cute

Baby polar bear! Wolves! Lions! Red pandas! Baby puma! Arctic fox! Fresh buns! Tiger! Hedgehog! Baby tiger and wolf! Red fox! Baby ferret! Baby lion! Koalas! Cat and rat! Javelinas! Baby wolf and baby fox! Baby panda! Lions!

Reading Update
GhosTV (PsyCop, Book 6) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook 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! (I read this book twice this week: I read it as soon as I bought it, then I reread all the other PsyCop books and read it again.)
Among the Living (PsyCop, Book 1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a PsyCop, who can see ghosts even though he really would prefer not to. After I read GhosTV, I needed more Vic and Jacob. 🙂
Thaw (PsyCop, Book 1.1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. reread. Sweet short m/m romance about Vic and Jacob going ice skating.
Criss Cross (PsyCop, Book 2) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense that takes place a few weeks after Among the Living. Jacob’s staying with Vic while looking for a new condo, and Vic has a creepily eager-to-please new partner at work.
Striking Sparks (PsyCop, Book 2.1) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. reread. Steamy short m/m encounter about a guy who’s too late to get his palm read by the fortune teller in Crash’s building and runs into Crash instead…
Many Happy Returns (PsyCop, Book 2.2) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. reread. Steamy m/m short about Crash attempting to exchange a shirt at SaverPlus.
Mind Reader (PsyCop, Book 2.3) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. reread. Good m/m short about Vic and Crash wandering around a museum.
Body and Soul (PsyCop, Book 3) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Very good m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic gets another new partner at work and Jacob continues hunting for an unhaunted place to live.
Stroke of Midnight (PsyCop, Book 3.1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. reread. Very good short m/m romance, told from Jacob’s point of view, about him going to a New Year’s party alone because Vic got called into work.
Secrets (PsyCop, Book 4) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob’s living situation changes dramatically and Vic stumbles upon an epic conspiracy.
Camp Hell (PsyCop, Book 5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. 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.
A Change of Scenery by J.M. Cartwright. ebook. Good m/m romance about a construction project manager who’s frustrated by his job in Chicago, so he takes a job in a small West Virginia town.

*hee hee* “No one will notice I’m sticking my tongue out at them, because I look so noble and dignified!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

It’s a beautiful day for some linkity, don’t you agree?

February 25, 2011 Chris 28 Comments

Congrats to SusieQ, who won Woke Up in a Strange Place by Eric Arvin! Woke Up in a Strange Place is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Marsha, who won The Tourist by Clare London! The Tourist will be released by Carina Press on Monday, February 28.

Contests

Leave a question for Bronwyn Green at Jo Jo’s Book Corner by midnight, February 27, for your chance to win a print anthology or ebooks.

Book Lovers Inc is giving away a copy of Something About You by Julie James. Answer Julie’s question or ask her a question by March 5 for your chance to win.

Bookity

New releases and more: Tor.com (YA paranormal, UF/PNR, fantasy, scifi), All About Romance (audiobooks), Katiebabs (various sort of romance), Book Lovers Inc (romance/PNR/UF), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Book linkity from Dear Author and ReadReactReview.

If you haven’t read any m/m and are confused about where to start, check out the Smokinhotbooks beginner’s guide at Book Addict.

Heidi Cullinan on asking for writing advice.

Some things authors should think about when promoting via social media.

Jenre wonders whether reviews should mention bad editing.

Kassa asks whether m/m means erotic romance.

Jessewave thinks that a lot of the m/m she’s been reading lately is pretty much all the same.

Paperback Writer lists some signs that youÂ be writing a “Literary McNovel”.

Have you seen the new choose-your-own-adventure book on whether you can survive the zombie apocalypse?

LoveRomancePassion has another article about cover models – WiHG has a real name! *gasp* *thud*

Very cool video about books on a bookshelf. (I know, it sounds boring, but it’s not!)

Ebookity

The Internet Archive announced a new cooperative ebook lending program.

TeleRead basically tells the publishing industry to pull up its big kid underwear and stop whining.

Top designer ereader cases.

A little “the future is now” humor from xkcd.

Learn, Think, Make, Do

Looking at photos of your nearest and dearest might have pain relieving properties.

Apparently, cell phones make our brains more active, but no one knows whether this is good or bad.

Can you live poor? Play Spent and find out.

Oh my. Oral sex can increase the risk of cancer.

An infographic on how Netflix beat Blockbuster.

Movies really are getting worse.

Things don’t look good for the music industry.

Clever way to take spices with you when you camp or travel.

Kristi has photography, crafting, and food linkity.

Make your own Altoids.

Gluten-Free Goddess shares her new gluten-free pizza crust recipe.

Goodbye, Easy-Bake Ovens?

Cool

The world’s smallest aquarium holds two teaspoons of water… but what sort of fish do you put in it?!

All the LEGO sets for 2011.

Star Wars LEGO minifigs go about their everyday lives.

Behind the scenes of Cheryl’s Barbie dioramas.

Did you know that Simon’s Cat was inspired by Simon Tofield’s black cat Hugh?

Whale tissue holder.

The fantasy world map.

Geeky t-shirts.

Check out Toronto’s crafty side.

Knit an owl stocking cap.

Make photorealistic gadget pouches.

Superimposing hundreds of photos shows that tourists tend to take pictures from the same places.

Wha….?

Crocheted cheeseburger dress…

Crocheted George Washington wig…

Bubble wrap tie.

Black cat lipstick…

A new kind of dinosaur was discovered and named… thunder thighs?!

Werewolf heels…

Control a video game by kissing! (Guess what I think the next generation of game control will be…)

You can now get breast milk ice cream in London…

Or make some chocolate-dipped beer marshmallows…

I wonder how many car accidents have happened because people were gawking at this? (Thanks, CursingMama!)

A man’s gold teeth deflected a bullet and saved his life…

Putting a laptop on its own mini waterbed sounds like a bad idea.

Rubik’s Cube, the brain version?!

Shoes that allow you to hang upside down from the overhead handle on the subway or bus…

Ready to host a Wii swinger’s party?!

Candles recalled for being fire hazards…

LOL

Have you checked out Sleep Talkin’ Man yet? (Thanks, Bronwyn!)

Twenty years after The Never-Ending Story…

Hyperbole and a Half has The Scariest Story.

Good advice for some of the m/m romance heroes out there.

An expanded list of wicked wireless network names (via Gizmodo).

If you feel like you’re being watched…

Spider moose!

Cat treadmills.

Cat inventions.

You don’t need to rub it in, cat.

Find out more about Basement Cat.

When you can’t unsee it…

So. So. Busted.

Teh Cute

Fox! White lion cubs! Baby rhino! Lion cub and meerkat! Ferret! Cheetah family! Tigers! Mr. Tiny Blinkertonz! Lion! Fennecs! Mini horse! Cat and kitten! Lion cubs! Kittens! Pandas!

Reading Update
Lessons in Power (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 4) by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Very good historical m/m mystery/romance in which events conspire to bring up a dark event from Jonty’s past that continues to haunt him.
Lessons in Temptation (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 5) by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Very good historical m/m mystery/romance, which finds Jonty and Orlando in Bath for academic pursuits, mostly. This one had me quite anxious (the temptation bit).
Putting Out Fires (Coda Book 5) by Marie Sexton. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about Matt trying to figure out what he can do for Valentine’s in order to make Jared feel appreciated.
Promises (Coda, Book 1) by Marie Sexton. ebook. After reading Putting Out Fires, I really wanted to read more Matt and Jared, so I read Promises and The Promise again. 🙂
The Promise (Coda, Book 3.5) by Marie Sexton. free ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about Matt and Jared, after they’ve been together for about 18 months. Reread.
First Impressions by Josephine Myles. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about an artist who becomes fascinated by the guy wearing a suit and crazy socks who he sits across from on the train every day.
Nowhere Ranch by Heidi Cullinan. ebook. Excellent kinky m/m romance about a guy who stays on the move since his family discovered he was gay and started praying for his soul. When he starts working at Nowhere Ranch, he certainly was not prepared for the interpersonal complications… but will he stay or will he go?
Long-Term by Angelia Sparrow & Naomi Brooks. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a university president who takes in a sub whose top kicked him out with not much more than the clothes on his back.
Finding Sanctuary by D.C. Juris. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance about a guy who’s felt only half alive for a long time, even though he has all the trappings of success (nice house, lovely fiancee, good job). He’s slowly beginning to realize that what he actually needs are things that his father beat into him as being wrong.
Eros Rising by Ally Blue. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s staying in his not-so-goodÂ relationship out of complacency, until he becomes friends with a stripper…
Ten Percent by R.J. Scott. free ebook short. Good m/m snippet (covering maybe an hour) about a guy sitting at his desk, thinking about what being out at work would mean.
Another Little Secret (Sandpipers, Book 1.5) by Jade Archer. free ebook short. Sweet, steamy short m/m/m romance that takes place some months after Sandpipers’ Secrets, at Valentine’s.
Granite: A Rocky Start by G.H. Worth. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a police detective and an assistant district attorney who’ve had the hots for each other for months, but neither realized the other was gay.

“Look at how cute and snuggly I am! You’re jealous, I know.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity means that I can happily overindulge in exclamation points!!

February 18, 2011 Chris 33 Comments

Contests

Jackie at Literary Escapism is celebrating her blogiversary by giving away some very cool PNR/UF prize packs. Contest open until February 26.Â (Make sure you check back to see if you’ve won.)

Patti’s giving away three m/m books as part of her M/M Romance Month celebration: College Boys (anthology), Inland Empire (Taking the Odds #2) by James Buchanan, and Love & Loyalty (Faith, Love & Devotion #2) by Tere Michaels. Contest ends February 28.

Bookity

New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), Book Lovers Inc (PNR, UF, more), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), and Smexy Books (various sorts of romance).

The news that Borders filed for bankruptcy spurred all sorts of commentary: Smart Bitches, Dear Author, and An American Editor.

Bookity linkity from ReadReactReview.

Kris shared a great quote that reminded her of the reviews/reviewers brouhaha recently.

Kassa wondered whether reviews were professional and got some great discussion going.

A very cool literacy project: The Ministry of Stories (via The Kitchn).

An artist turns old books into art via 3-D typography. (Not for those sensitive to book maiming.)

Ebookity

Head over to Kris’n’Good Books to pick up Ally Blue’s unforgettable free paranormal m/m romance, Dead Men Don’t Wash. Um, you might have me to blame for the corpse soap…

The excellent paranormal m/m romance Without Reservations (With or Without #2) by J.L. Langley is currently free for Kindle and Nook.

Fifty Kindle cases that you can make for yourself.

Some thoughts from An American Editor on citing sources from the internet and ebooks.

Apparently, Borders going bankrupt does not affect Kobo customers or books purchased through Borders.com.

Are you ready for Read an Ebook Week, which is March 6-12?

Do, Learn, Think, Make

Global map of alcohol consumption. (Thanks, CursingMama!)

If red wine or chardonnay usually gives you headaches or migraines, a new yeast could mean you can drink them again (via The Kitchn).

Is there a giant planet hidden in our solar system?

How good is the internet connectivity in your area? (US only)

Easy ways to keep your online life secure.

Improve your memory by tapping into your spatial memory sense. (I’m having a flashback to Aristotle here…)

Sleep can help you commit things to long-term memory. (I figured that out in college – no all-night studying sessions for me!)

Keep zinc lozenges on hand if you’re prone to catching colds.

Have scientists accidentally discovered the cure for baldness?

If your young’un plays with your iPhone, maybe you need to get a Fisher-Price case for it.

Crafty

Knit headphone cozies. (Although I only seem to know people with earbuds… hmm.)

Knit a flying pig!

Knit tiny hearts!

Check out Kristi’s free Infinite Scrunch scarf pattern.

Crochet an amiurumi doll for the Chinese New Year.

Willie Nelson yarn bomb!

Giant ball of yarn!

Giant knitted squid!

Make a cross stitch initial mug.

Love this basket woven from paper – the sample is woven from old maps.

Cool

Make heart-shaped hard-boiled eggs (via The Kitchn).

Seanna Lea put together a simple and delicious looking gluten-free ice cream cake recipe.

Smoke monster!

Huh

I bet you’re all going to make cookie-stuffed cookies for dinner tonight (via The Kitchn). 😉

Can’t decide if this is cool or huh, but a guy took pictures of everything he ate for a year.

Double-barreled marshmallow rifle?!

Knitted engagement ring?!

I’ll pass on the giant toasted snacking ants, thanks….

Bacon toothpaste?! (Thanks, Jeanne!)

A jacket with a built-in sleeping bag and tent?

LOL

This might be my favorite Valentine’s comic ever. (Thanks, Jeanne!)

Although this knitting-themed Valentine’s comic from Franklin is pretty great, too.

The Oatmeal on Valentine’s.

A flowchart to help you decide whether or not you should shave your legs. (Thanks, Jeanne!)

A flowchart to help you figure out why your text hasn’t been responded to.

Are you the insomniac they’re looking for?

Secks FAIL.

The Blogess talks about penises at the post office…

Nevermore.

When May did something similar, she fell onto my head. Eeep!

You’d be surprised (or maybe you wouldn’t) how often this happens around here… 😉

And probably surprised that this never happens around here.

What is the circumference of a lolcat?

Teh Cute

Baby albino sugar glider! Black kittens! Baby polar bear! Ducklings! Pudu! Kittens! Foxes! Kittens! Ferrets! Kitten! Black kitten! Tiger cub!

Reading Update
My Summer of Wes by Missy Welsh. ebook. Really sweet story about figuring out what you want, coming out, first love, and dealing with bullies. (Although I don’t like this cover at all…)
Lessons in Love (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 1) by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Very good historical m/m mystery/romance set at a small Cambridge college in the early 20th century. The newest English fellow at the college starts to get under the skin of a repressed mathematics fellow… and then they find themselves working together to help the police try to figure out who is murdering students.
Lessons in Desire (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 2) by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Very good historical m/m mystery/romance in which Jonty drags Orlando off to Jersey for the first holiday Orlando’s ever taken.
Lessons in Discovery (Cambridge Fellows Mysteries, Book 3) by Charlie Cochrane. ebook. Very good historical m/m romance/mystery – influenza and amnesia and a centuries-old murder, oh my!
The Back Passage (Mitch Mitchell Mysteries, Book 1) by James Lear. Delightfully raunchy m/m mystery in the best 1920s English country house style. Protagonist Edward “Mitch” Mitchell manages to be endearing as he attempts to solve the mystery… when he’s not distracted by sex.
Hot in Here (Time To Do, Book 2) by Kim Dare. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m interlude that takes place as Brennan and Rigby move into a flat together after graduating from university.
A Thread of Deepest Black by Finn Marlowe. ebook. Very good kinky paranormal m/m romance about a werewolf and a shifter who become involved with each other in a very complicated fashion, even though their people are mortal enemies. Some pacing issues in the first half of the story prevented me from rating this higher.
Dead Men Don’t Wash by Ally Blue. free ebook short. Completely insane (and fun!) short paranormal m/m romance about an octopus shifter and his soap thief lover.
Oscar’s Soul by Missy Welsh. free ebook short. Wickedly funny free short paranormal m/m romance about the devil collecting a soul and realizing he’s fallen in love.
Dinner and a Movie by Alex Marcus-Jacobs. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a straight guy who’s more than little surprised that the blind date his coworker set him up on is with a guy.
The Queen of Wands by Jenna Jones. ebook short. Good short May-December m/m romance about a guy who’s spent the last 15+ years working as the behind-the-scenes problem fixer for his vast family, atoning for a night he can’t quite remember – the night his best friend drowned. The ending felt a bit too quick and tidy for me.
Whatever It Costs (Whatever You Want, Book 2) by Taylor Lochland. ebook short. Ok short holiday m/m romance about a guy who loses his job, which makes it seem impossible that he’ll be able to afford to take his boyfriend to Ireland for Christmas so his boyfriend can see his grandfather before he dies.
Keeping Secrets by L.D. Madison. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about an injured police officer who won’t take off his shirt and reveal his dark secret.
A Fated Love by Diana DeRicci. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a guy whose vintage car is damaged in a hit-and-run. Fortunately, an attractive stranger was able to snap a few pictures of the accident… I think I would’ve liked this one a bit better if it hadn’t been for all the unclear pronoun references and ongoing editing/writing oddities.
Raising Seth (First Time, Book 1) by Eden Cole. ebook short. So-so short m/m romance about a straight guy whose foster sister dumps her 18-year old ex-stepson on him for a month…
Lemon Kisses: A Yaoi Anthology edited by Augusta Li; A. Steele, Eon de Beaumont, Imari Jade, & B.J. Franklin. ebook collection. So-so collection of yaoi-inspired short stories.

“Oooooooh, shiny!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity for an interminable winter

February 11, 2011 Chris 29 Comments

Congrats to Juni, who won Yearning (Green’s Hill Werewolves, Book 1) by Amy Lane! Yearning will be released by Torquere Books on February 12.

Contests

Jambrea Jo Jones is giving away three ebook copies of her books (both m/m and m/f). Comment by February 12 for your chance to win.

Smexy Books is giving away your choice of an ebook from Scarlett Parrish’s backlist. Contest runs through February 12.

Blodeuedd’s giving away two of Lori Brighton’s ebooks (Mind Readers and The Ghost Hunter) to one lucky commenter. Contest closes February 13.

Jase and Juni are giving away a $10 gift certificate to All Romance Ebooks. Comment by February 14 for your chance to win. (Site is very NSFW!)

For your chance to win a signed copy of Sara J. Henry’s book, Learning to Swim, comment at Punctuality Rules or at Booking Through Thursday before February 16.

Answer one of Sloan Parker’s questions for your chance to win an ebook copy of her m/m romance, Breathe, at Book Lovers Inc. Contest closes February 19.

Bookity

New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), Book Lovers Inc (UF, PNR, romance), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR news, reviews, etc), and AAR (romance).

Educational and amusing book linkity from Smart Bitches.

A paper book that has hyperlinks sewn into it with thread.

Jessica of ReadReactReview on ten things she noticed when rereading Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward.

Kiernan Kelly shares a conversation she had with a muggle, trying to explain that she writes gay romance.

Bronwyn Green with some tips for writers. (Acutally, it’s been tips/secrets for writers all week at Writer’s Evolution!)

Jenre wonders if reviewers should be friends with authors.

Kassa’s focusing on things she likes in books, starting with humor.

Kris on why she reads m/m romance.

Awful book covers and titles (probably NSFW).

Some delightful photos from Neil Gaiman’s winter woodland lamppost.

Ebookity

Would ads in ebooks help prevent piracy by allowing lower prices? (Please, no book ads…)

An interview with Neil Gaiman on piracy and the web – definitely some points worth thinking about.

Some thoughts from Gizmodo on Apple as a publisher.

Did you know that you can read epub books, including Adobe DRM books, on your Kindle?

Sew a patchwork sleeve for your ereader.

Make, Think, Do, Learn

A very good post about what gay marriage means, from L.A. Witt. (This does the same thing, but be aware that you’ll likely hit NSFW stuff if you wander from that link.)

Do smartphone camera effects mean the death of photojournalism?

How to remove personal information from your digital photos.

Use your computer screen as a “green screen” to make photo backgrounds easy to remove.

Turn an IKEA organizer into a photography soft box.

Not getting enough sleep may lead to earlier death.

Most people will feel happier if you acknowledge their unhappiness, rather than trying to tell them that things aren’t so bad.

Is it possible to redirect a bad day before it really gets started?

A recent study suggests that it might be possible to treat celiac disease (and perhaps other inflammatory autoimmune diseases) by blocking a specific inflammatory protein.

Make perfect whipped cream using a… food processor?

Boggle: glass melts when it gets really hot… or when it gets too cold.

A Gizmodo writer wonders why there are so many stock photos of outraged women dealing with broken computers.

Turn a cheap plate stand into a universal smartphone stand.

If you’ve ever wondered why time flies…

Valentine’s

Through February 14, you can give someone $2 worth of free mp3s on Amazon – and there’s nothing wrong with giving yourself some music, right? 😉

Tor.com has 14 urban-fantasy inspired Valentine’s gift ideas…

Cute mini-Valentine’s cards (with adorable ninjas on them!) that you can print.

Giant Valentine’s heart box filled with yarn!

Heart-shaped calzones.

Extremely realistic heart cupcakes…

Amazing (non-gruesome!) heart cake.

Ten yummy chocolate recipes.

What could be a more perfect Valentine’s meal than Nutella-coated bacon, washed down with chocolate-infused vodka?!

Cool

Felted monarch butterfly.

One-inch button books.

Crocheted Viking hat and beard.

Crochet your own Android.

Knitted dragon mittens.

A knitted living room for the homeless (via knittyBlog).

Admiral Ackbar cross stitch.

Cocktail blueprints.

Just hoping that it’s not a real deer…

Jen of EPBOT talks about the treadmill desk she and her husband made.

Make your own solar battery charger for $4.

There are gluten-free B&Bs! I wonder if they serve gluten-free rainbow pancakes?

Kristi has craft, food, and photo linkity. mrspao has craft, food, and humour linkity. Marsha has fun and eclectic linkity.

I like this quote on happiness.

Infographic/poster of 100 essential kitchen tools.

Huh

Pie shoes.

Gold demonfish shoes?!

Spine shoes?!

I’m not sure I’m ready for Monopoly Live, which is controlled by a tower in the middle of the board.

A very good question: why do these batteries come with a free glue stick?

Nose vibrator?! (Completely SFW. I know you’re surprised. But really, it is.)

Clap-off bra?!

Um… a mother’s suing Nutella because she’s “shocked” that it isn’t healthy?!

The Starbucks Trenta holds an entire bottle of wine… (But officer, I just had one glass of wine…)

LOL

If social media were a high school… (Where is Goodreads? And Ravelry?!) (Thanks, Wren!)

Five emotions created by the internet.

If you’ve ever wondered what happened to Major Tom…

You know what they say about kissing frogs…

I’m pretty sure that this is how black kitties hide so well.

Teh Cute

It’s Cat Guy Week in Los Angeles. 🙂

Kitten! Floofy baby bun! Tiger parent and cub! Some sort of super cute baby “big cat”! Baby antelope! Slow motion calico kitten! Slow motion chipmunk! Baby ocelot! Baby blackbird! Baby platypus! White tiger parent lugging cub! Kitten! Kitten! Baby penguin! Tiny marmosets! Kingfishers! Big cats playing with an iPad! Baby tiger and red panda (although not in the same photo)!

Reading Update
Rinse and Repeat by Amberly Smith. ebook. Excellent paranormal m/m romance about a guy who’s a Repeater, stuck repeating the same day over and over again until he can change some key event from the day. Things are different on this Repeat, because he’s started to care way too much about a skateboarder he’s watched die far too many times. (Hi, Pouty Guy!)
These Haunted Heights by Ally Blue. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a photojournalist who’s staying alone at his aunt’s house on the Oregon coast while he shoots a story about the area. Mysterious crying from the empty tower room and a handsome brooding neighbor complicate things in interesting ways…
How the Other Half Lives by Clare London. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys, one very tidy and the other very untidy, who exchange flatsitting duties with each other, but never actually meet… until they do.
A Russian Bear by C.B. Conwy. Very good kinky m/m romance about a grad student and a Dom who meet through a case of mistaken identity that leads to the Dom helping the grad student explore his attraction to submission.
Maleria, Cholera and Bubonic Plague (A Russian Bear, Book 1.5) by C.B. Conwy. web short. Good short m/m romance about Mischa waking up with hangover. (Although I would’ve eaten toast first, not chili!)
Call Me Sir, Boy! by Kim Dare. ebook short. Cute kinky short m/m romance about a dom who loses a bet and is stuck wearing a hat that says “Call Me SIR, Boy!” at the club for an evening when he’s approached by a submissive he’s never seen before – a submissive who seems perfect for him.
Opposites Distract by Stephani Hecht. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a party boy who’s really attracted to a geeky guy he sees at their college’s GLBT student center, but the geeky guy doesn’t trust the party boy’s intentions.
Chocolate Dreams by Em Woods. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about an accountant who’s been burned by love before and lies about having a boyfriend to the chocolatier he finds attractive.
Sagittarius Blues by Katrina Strauss. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a college student whose inflammatory vlog personality has unexpected negative impacts on his life. For some reason, this never really came together for me and I haven’t been able to figure out why.
Into the Light (Clear Water Chronicles, Book 1) by Scarlet Blackwell. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a sheriff who’s a good man now, but was part of a bullying gang when he was in high school… and other members that gang raped a gay student while he stood by and did nothing. Now the victim of that rape has returned to town and wants the sheriff to pay for his part in the unreported crime. This was a really mixed read for me – I felt that it started out strongly, but by the end had turned into a melodramatic soap opera. 🙁
One True Thing by Amanda Grayson. ebook short. What an unsatisfying read! This m/m romance about an agent who has to go into deep cover by having his cover story planted in his brain was frustrating, particularly since it had so much potential. There was way too much story for a short, so the story had no depth and often seemed to jump around. And then the story just stopped, so you have no idea if they successfully completed the mission (i.e., the purported reason for the story).

“Go away. Being noble and dignified was exhausting.” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Sometimes I absolutely cannot come up with a clever title for linkity… this would be one of those times

February 4, 2011 Chris 31 Comments

Congrats to Tam, who won Possession (Devlin Island, Book 1) by S. W. Vaughn!

Congrats to Natasha, who won Opposites Distract by Stephani Hecht! Opposites Distract was released yesterday by All Romance Ebooks as part of its Perfect Strangers series.

Congrats to Otter, who won How the Other Half Lives by Clare London! How the Other Half Lives will be released by Amber Allure on February 6.

Congrats to Carmel, who won Chocolate Dreams by Em Woods!Â Chocolate Dreams will be released by Total-E-Bound on February 7.

Contests

Cecile’s giving away a copy of Sins of the Flesh by Caridad Pineiro, an Aztec Gold t-shirt, and a Stronger Than Sin tote bag. Contest closes today (February 4).

Leontine’s giving away a copy of A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang. Winner announced February 7.

Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of Everyone Loves a Hero by Marie Force. Comment by February 8 for your chance to win. US & Canada.

Novel Addiction’s giving away five ebook copies of Spiral X by J.J. Westendarp. Contest closes 11:59 pm, February 10.

If you read Promises by Marie Sexton, you might be curious about Jared’s tattoo. Marie’s having a contest for you to submit drawings or photos of what you think his tattoo looks like. The winner will receive a copy of Marie’s forthcoming m/m romance (and sequel to Promises), Putting Out Fires. Contest closes February 11.

Amara’s giving away all sorts of romances (paranormal, historical, and more) in paper and ebook. Answer her question in your comment by 12 am PST, February 14.

Sweet Vernal Zephyr’s giving away four classic romances that she literally grew up with. Contest closes February 20.

Book Lovers Inc is giving away winner’s choice of one of Jaci Burton’s backlist titles (print or ebook). Contest closes February 20.

Bookity

New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), Elisa (LGBT),Â Smexy Books (various types of romance), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), and Book Lovers Inc (romance, UF/PNR)

Some great book linkity and commentary from Smart Bitches. More great linkity from ReadReactReview (worth it just to watch the video for “I’m Reading a Book”) and Sloan Parker.

Cool bookshelves and book quote. (Note that some site content is very NSFW.)

Dear Author explains how bestseller lists work.

Paperback Writer on ten ways writers can save money.

Marie Sexton shares her thoughts on women writing m/m romance. (Note that some site content is very NSFW.)

Book Addict Patti is celebrating M/M Romance Month on her blog.

Kim Dare has a free short m/m romance and a contest in her February newsletter.

Wren Boudreau has links to some of her free short m/m romances.

The Goodreads M/M Romance Group celebrates 2000 members with a big chat event today (February 4) from 1 pm to 10:30 pm EST. Chat participants will have the chance to win prizes!

Sentences that you won’t find in romance novels…

LoveRomancePassion identifies some male romance novel cover models… alas, none that we see in the Misadventures.

Ebookity

Dreamspinner Press and ManLoveRomance Press are offering a free anthology of m/m romance short stories, poems, and anecdotes celebrating author Patric Michael.

Lots of commentary on Apple’s enforcing some of the App Store fine print to reject the Sony Reader iPhone app.

Some info on ebook bestseller lists, including the forthcoming list from the New York Times.

TeleRead looks back at January in ebook news.

How could we create a National Digital Library and what would it contain?

Is obscurity a greater threat to authors than piracy?

Do, Think, Make, Learn

Heidi Cullinan writes eloquently against the proposed amendment to the Iowa State Constitution, which would restrict marriage to being between one man and one woman. You can donate to One Iowa to help fight for equality.

If you’re confused about the various tablet computers available, Lifehacker’s infographic might help. They also have an article about five ways they feel the Android-powered Google table is better than the iPad, along with some things they feel the iPad still wins. Gizmodo reviews the Dell Streak 7 Android tablet… it doesn’t fare well.

Do you have tech OCD?

Lifehacker has ten tips on improving your brain.

It’s Friday! Check out The Graphic Recipe Guide to Prepare Perfect Cocktails!

What are some of the options out there for unlimited online backups?

A statistician figured out how to beat scratch lottery tickets.

A game called BiblioBouts might help students learn to assess source reliability.

Use a beverage can tab to hang a picture.

Use office supplies to make a car mount for your cell phone.

How are cameras and eyes different?

Opt out of getting the Yellow Pages dropped on your doorstep.

An overview of gluten-free bread brands.

The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans have been released. Summary? “Just eat less.“

Bake your own Samoas, Tagalongs, Trefoils, and Oreos.

Some eerie videos and photos from Snowpacalypse (the non-Minnesota version). Lifehacker has a useful checklist for staying productive during Snowpocalypse (or other events that cause widespread power outages). And Gizmodo has a list of gear to help you stay warm.

Valentine’s

Red Velvet Pancakes?!

Cute crocheted heart ornament.

Fun monster Valentine’s cards to make with kids.

Chocolate-covered pretzel sticks with a Valentine’s theme.

Tips for a gluten-free Valentine’s.

Cool

Insanely creative crochet. (Thanks, Juni!)

Baby monster amigurami.

Gorgeous garden.

Make your own mini colored pencils for doll houses or decoration.

LEGO Space minifig cufflinks.

A stormtrooper falls…

Pop Art Toasters.

2001: A Space Odyssey tribute.

The first photo in CRAFT’s Flickr pool roundup combines high heels and knitting in a clever way.

Super cute knit kitty hat! (Yes, I had to buy the pattern instantly.)

Gorgeous Beowulf sock pattern.

Darth Vader meets typography.

Whoa. Kraft has a 400,000 square foot underground cheese cave.

Via the Google Art Project, you can take virtual tours and zoom in on famous artworks.

It’s amazing that there’s still an uncontacted tribe living in the Amazon jungles.

Cool or huh? You can now buy camping chairs with not only cupholders, but also butt warmers.

Huh

An elderly woman was arrested because she’d been throwing condiments in library book drops…

Zero gravity prehensile footwear?!

Wearable planters…

Anatomy dresses.

Cake slippers.

My toes get really cold just looking at these boots.

LOL

Remember the Alot, as created by Hyperbole and a Half? Check out the Alot love! (Thanks, Wren!)

Sparkly Google autocomplete… (Thanks, Lea!)

When someone says Hogwarts isn’t real… (Note that some site content is very NSFW.)

TARDIS humor! (Note that some site content is very NSFW.)

xkcd on cooking at home. (Make sure you hover your mouse over the comic for additional text.)

The folks who brought you Damn You Autocorrect have a new blog: Parents Shouldn’t Text.

Laptop Kama Sutra…

Handy flowchart to help you decide what sort of Facebook comment you should leave.

Some panda humor…

One side effect of the snow this week…

“…little monkeys jumping on the bed…“

Be very afraid of snaking the toilet… (Not nearly as scary as it sounds.)

Prehistoric cat lady.

Go, mama cat!

Who knew that kittens attacked red blood cells?

Where’s Wendy when you need her?!

Oh, Frank, I’m not sure leopard print looks good on you.

Basement cat for geeks.

The lesser-known Fifth Horseman…

Teh Cute

Bunnies! Kitten! Kitten! Baby kangaroo! Foxes! Baby cheetah!! Baby lion!! Cat and kittens!! Kitten! Kittens! Matching dog and kitten! Muddy lioness! Stoat! Baby penguin! Civet! Tiger! Polar bear! Wee sugar glider!

Reading Update
Rubbing Vignettes: The Wrong Way and the Right Way by Wren Boudreau. free ebook short. Cute short m/m Valentine’s romance split into two scenes as Greg tries to figure out how to celebrate his first Valentine’s with Finn, and then as they celebrate. I really hope that the first scene was the set up for a sequel to Back to Normal, featuring a couple of guys who rub each other the wrong way…
One Night Stand by Cassandra Gold. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a guy whose friends drag him to a club to help him get back out there after a few years. He seems to have a real connection to the guy he brings home… until the guy freaks out about having stayed over night and leaves. (This short story was originally part of the Friction anthology.)
Love Ahead: Expect Delays by Astrid Amara. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two guys driving a 1989 Geo from Seattle to drop off in Boulder, hoping to get there for part of Hanukkah, until the drive turns into the roadtrip from hell.
Half Pass by Astrid Amara. ebook. Good m/m romance about a horse phobic guy who inherits his aunt’s boarding stable and moves back to the small town in which he grow up so he can get the stable ready to sell. Unfortunately, it felt like all the details about the horses and their training and care overshadowed the actual story.
Handcuffs & Spreader Bars (Rawlings Men, Book 5) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a dom (and police officer) who’s had his eye on one of the newer constables for a while, but has only just learned that the constable equates submission with being taken advantage of due to a prior bad experience.
MIA Case Files 1: Wolfsbane by K.C. Burn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a closeted agent who works in a secret government agency (MIA) that investigates dangerous paranormal activities. While he and his partner are trying to figure out what’s going on in the small town of Rothburg, he meets and becomes fascinated by a gorgeous young man working at a coffee shop.
MIA Case Files 2: Blood Relations by K.C. Burn. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance about another MIA agent who gets involved with a young man who seems too good to be true. I didn’t enjoy the second book in this series nearly as much as I did the first – it was just too predictable.
Del Fantasma: Duck Fart by Jade Buchanan. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about an innocent Siamese cat shifter who just tracked down the best friend he’s had a crush on for years, only to discover that his friend is now mated to someone else. He thinks his heart is broken – so why is he leaving with that duck shifter and that human?!
High Flow (EMS Heat, Book 7) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about a medic who was gay bashed and now can’t let anyone get close or touch him. But maybe the handsome doctor in the ER will be patient enough to past his defenses…
True Hollywood by James Buchanan. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about two stuntmen who haven’t seen each other since their breakup years before until they run in to each other at their former mentor’s wake.
Second Helpings (Table for Two, Book 2) by Scarlet Blackwell. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance continuing the story of Luc, the arrogant French chef, and Daniel, the closeted British food critic, as Daniel’s obnoxious mother (who doesn’t know he’s gay) arrives for a visit and ratchets up the tension.
Beach Reading (Book 1) by Mark Abramson. ebook. Ok m/m mystery about a waiter in the Castro who spends a lot of time wandering around stoned and picking up guys. I did enjoy being able to picture the various locations mentioned. I didn’t enjoy the rambling brain dumps from everyone in the story.
A Bid for Love by T.D. McKinney & Terry Wylis. ebook. Ok m/m romance about an FBI agent who participates in a charity auction and is “purchased” by an anonymous bidder he assumes to be a woman. Ah, the surprise that awaits him when he and the bidder meet up in Italy. Sadly, the language was too flowery and overwrought for my tastes.
Knight or Daye by Jude Mason. ebook short. Ok short kinky m/m/m romance about a guy who infiltrates a human slavery ring, hoping that he can reconnect with and rescue the lover he drove away.
Howl by Lacey-Anne Frye. ebook. Ok m/m paranormal romance about a couple who stays at an isolated B&B in the middle of the woods. The proprietor tells them not to go outside after dark… Why don’t people ever listen??
What You See by C.J. Black. ebook short. So-so short m/m encounter between a waiter and an older man who always sits in his section at the restaurant.

“I’m hiding in my Plastic Tub of Invisibility. You can’t see me.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Long ago, in a linkity land…

January 28, 2011 Chris 29 Comments

Contests

Cecile’s giving away an ebook copy of Strange Familiar by Cassidy Hunter. Contest closes January 29.

Tracy’s giving away a copy of books 10 and 11 in the Virgin River series by Robyn Carr. Contest closes 11:49 PST, January 31.

Larissa’s giving away a signed copy of Catch Me If You Can (Romano & Albright, Book 1) by L.B. Gregg. Contest closes February 4.

Blodeudd’s giving away two copies of Yours for the Taking by Robyn Kaye. Contest closes Feb 3. Patti’s also giving away two copies of Yours for the Taking and her contest closes February 4. (US & Canada)

Juniper Moon Farm is holding a fundraiser to help a Vermont organic vegetable farmer who basically lost his entire business to a barn fire. There are many, many fibery prizes to help encourage people to donate! Donations will be accepted until February 6. (Thanks, Seanna!)

Bookity

New releases and more: Tor.com (YA paranormal; UF/PNR; fantasy; scifi), Katiebabs (books she’s looking forward to), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Via Dear Author, a post from Ursula LeGuin mocking the new morality clause HarperCollins has added to its author contracts. Definitely read the comments on the post!

Neil Gaiman on seeing words he wrote in an unexpected place.

Eric Arvin shares some writing wisdom.

Ten websites Paperback Writer would love to see on the internet.

Paperback Writer would also like a checklist for returning ideas to her muse.

Ebookity

Trying to get pdfs to fit on your ereader’s screen better? Briss might help.

Ebooks are now outselling paper books at Amazon.

Tired of your Kindle? Microcosm Publishing will trade you paper books and magazines for it.

Publishers need to decide whether they’re selling ebooks (providing full ownership rights for the purchase price) or providing a rental (at rental prices). Another, longer opinion piece on the same topic. Dear Author weighs in, too.

The first all-indie ebookstore in Australia is called SPUNC. *ahem*

Make, Think, Do, Learn

Writing helps you learn better than typing does.

If you need help visualizing how big the internet is…

How to modify your google searches to give you better results.

Do you need a mouse that works on your couch?

Eighty percent of US divorce lawyers say that social media is now mentioned by their clients as one of the reasons the marriage failed.

Use an old gift card as a headphone cable wrapper.

ModernCat’s odor elimination survival guide could come in handy.

How to determine the cost of clutter.

Check out The Kitchn’s tips for removing baked-on food from pots and pans.

Make some spicy dark hot chocolate to drink!

McGyver would be proud of you for modifying a hand-crank flashlight with a usb port so you can manually charge your tech gear.

Try a 15-minute no-equipment workout developed in 1904! Or you could use Craigslist to put together a home gym.

Cool

Jase and Juni started a blog called Happiness Is Shy! (NSFW)

Last week, The Kitchn blog focused on gluten-free foods and concerns. Recommended! (Thanks, Jodi!)

Tape art – way better than you expect.

ThinkGeek has a Molecular Cuisine Starter Kit.

A 1:35200 scale toy train set is very, very small.

Maybe a child you know needs a homemade TARDIS.

Geek jewelry links from EPBOT.

Extemely geeky tote bag.

Turn a soda can into an embossed box.

These yarn words are pretty nifty.

I have a very similar fabric keychain that I love.

Kristi’s got crafty, photography, and food linkity.

Print free US Patent Valentine’s cards.

Amazingly, this fun short action film (Lazy Teenage Superheroes) was made for $300.

Gorgeous animated short film about a little girl on a carousel.

Huh

You can’t even take a three-inch toy gun through airport security…

Using bombs for snow removal instead of shoveling – not recommended.

I hope that this isn’t really what Lady Gaga’s forthcoming fragrance will smell like.

Now you can buy frozen pizza and frozen cookies in a single handy package.

The L cup bra size just debuted.

T-shirt fail.

Air pollution monitoring t-shirt…

MeatWater. Just say no.

LOL

I’m a fast listener, too. (Thanks, CursingMama!)

Bronwyn Green on dropping off her son at a birthday party with an apology… and more.

Fun video mashup of the Minnesota-Wisconsin December 2010 blizzard, including a cute song.

Toni Andrews on how to excavate a buried car “using only a small hand shovel and your own wits”.

Guillotine by Gillette.

Infographic humor.

The Oatmeal’s State of the Web, Winter 2010 edition.

Bottled water addicts should skip this link.

Not kitty treats!

Kitty law #1?

I’ll pass on the skwerls, but the rest sounds good to me.

I’m sure many kitty boys have this same question.

Yeah, I can picture Chaos saying that.

Teh Cute

Kitten pile! Baby flying squirrel! Kitten! Baby polar bear! Red panda! Wee hedgehog! Bunny! Panda! Fennec fox! Baby skunk! Kitten and bunnies! Red panda! Lynx kittens!

Reading Update
The Tourist by Clare London. ebook. Excellent paranormal m/m romance told from the perspective of a tourist, a spirit who can head hop, albeit with limited control. Usually he just stays for the sex and then moves on… but something’s different for him this time. This totally sucked me in and I couldn’t go to bed until I finished it. To be released 2/28.
Another Enchanted April by Eric Arvin. ebook. Excellent and cleverly written m/m romance about three friends on vacation in a seaside town, staying at an Italianate villa with intoxicatingly lovely gardens. Each of them will be profoundly changed… but not necessarily in the ways they expected. (And I may have gotten sniffly whilst reading this. I can neither confirm nor deny.)
A Strong Hand by Catt Ford. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a famous photographer of erotica who’s shooting a catalog of high-end sex toys when he begins to realize he’s attracted to his assistant after his assistant models for the shoot.
Ruby Slippers by Alexi Silversmith. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a police detective who thinks that men shouldn’t wear makeup or do anything feminine, so when he finds out what his boyfriend does for a living, things get ugly. I enjoyed the chance to see James and Ethan from What They Say About Love as secondary characters.
Boystown: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries by Marshall Thornton. ebook. Very good collection of three m/m mysteries featuring Chicago PI Nick Nowak. Set in 1980 before AIDS devastated the gay community, these gritty stories reminded me of Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski mysteries, only with a lot more sex. 🙂
Boystown 2: Three Nick Nowak Mysteries by Marshall Thornton. ebook. Another very good collection of three mysteries featuring Chicago PI Nick Nowak. I really, really hope that the author is busily working on Boystown 3, because the final story ended on a surprising (but sadly realistic) dark note.
Out on the Net by Rick R. Reed. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who finally accepts that he’s gay 20 minutes before he’s supposed to get married to a woman. The story is told via his blog as he tries to figure out being gay and meeting guys in his small town.
Bloodlines by Jessica Lee. ebook. Very good (and smokin’ hot) paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shapeshifter, supposed to be the next alpha of his pack, who’s kicked out of his pack when his father discovers he’s gay.
Red Hot by Kate Roman. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a straight guy who breaks up with his girlfriend because he can’t stop thinking about his male roommate.
Brush with Desire by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. Very good steamy m/m short that starts with an exhausted IT guy drooling over a hot man in a suit he sees in the grocery store and ends with a smoking hot (and humorous!) encounter between them.
Hearts and Flowers by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about an accountant, a found puppy, classified ads, and quite a bit more. While I enjoyed the story, I felt there was just too much going on for the story’s length.
Driven to Distraction by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook. Good m/m romance about a professor who inherited his grandfather’s collection of classic cars. When he damages one of the cars, he has the chance to get to know his mechanic much, much better…
Possession (Devlin Island, Book 1) by S.W. Vaughn. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about an unfortunate vacationer who runs aground on Devlin Island with the worst possible timing, then meets a crabby male witch trying to figure out if there’s a demon loose on the island.
Where He Belongs by D.C. Juris. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m/m romance about a sub who left his two masters and now has to try to convince them to take him back.
Sandpipers’ Secrets (Sandpipers, Book 1) by Jade Archer. ebook. Good m/m/m romance about a guy who desperately needs a job to keep he and his brother off the streets and so is happy to get a kitchen job at Sandpipers, despite the attraction he feels to the couple who own the restaurant.
Xavier’s Way by Diana DeRicci. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who realizes that his now ex-fiance was siphoning money out of his business. But what are these strange feelings he has for the handsome auditor he’s hired to gather evidence of his ex’s wrongdoing?
A Measure of Discipline by Diane Adams. ebook short. Ok m/m short about a guy who’s leaving his university number crunching job and needs to train two student workers to take his place. I haven’t read the two previous stories and, alas, this was just confusing as a standalone.
Best Man by Shelley Munro. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about two closeted rugby players and teammates, neither of whom knows the other is gay, who’ve been lusting after each other.
Work of Art by Rob Knight. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a neurotic artist and a guy who manages musicians. This was basically just a little slice of their life together and I couldn’t really see a point to it.
Tryst by Stone Richards. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a PI who gets sent to London to investigate a prominent businessman for a company considering a deal with the man. The whole thing was so implausible…

“Ok, you’re right, your phone doesn’t have a flash…” -Chaos

“…But the big kitty and I think you need to stop taking pictures of us anyway, flash or not.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Brrr! Linkity from subzero (Fahrenheit) land insert plentiful shivering

January 21, 2011 Chris 32 Comments

Make sure you enter the contest for How the Other Half Lives by Clare London! Contest closes 7 pm CST, February 4.

Congrats to Wren, who won Threadbare by Clare London! Threadbare will be released by JMS Books on January 23.

Congrats to cturtlechick, who won Sandpipersâ€™ Secrets by Jade Archer! Sandpipersâ€™ Secrets will be released on January 24 by Total-E-Bound.

Contests

Caption the final book cover (blue flaming naked man ass?!) for your chance to win a $25 credit to the bookstore of your choice. Closes this evening (Friday the 21st). I confess to submitting the first cover in that post – the cover model’s one I’m tracking. 🙂

Devon Rhodes is giving away winner’s choice of Wet Your Whistle or Sex on Sabbatical to the first person to pair all the last lines with the correct books of hers. Contest closes 11 am EST, January 22.

Fiction Vixen’s having an unstuff the shelves contest – go check out the books she’s giving away and let her know in the comments what you’d like to win. Closes January 28.

To celebrate their blogiversary, Book Lovers Inc has lots and lots of paranormal romance and urban fantasy contests running right now. All contests end February 4.

Bookity

Lily has the week’s new m/m book releases.

Book news from Dear Author and Book Lovers Inc.

Where Borders went astray.

A review of one of my favorite books, To Say Nothing of the Dog, or How We Found the Bishop’s Bird Stump at Last by Connie Willis.

Shawn Lane has some practical advice for new writers in the m/m romance genre… but really? It’s good advice for all writers, whatever their experience or genre.

Josh Lanyon lists five ways authors can promote themselves for free, and provides 20 tips for writing cozy mysteries.

Jenre explains what she feels are the three biggest failings in m/m romance short stories.

Val discovers a shocking truth about online book reviewing.

Paperback Writer “advertises” the Book Wubbie.

Top 10 signs that you’re reading too much paranormal romance, historical romance, or Scottish romance. (Hmm. I bet we could come up with a list for gay romance… Wanna work on it in the comments?!)

Lesser known proofreading marks… (Thanks, Bronwyn!)

Ebookity

An iPhone app that could make it safer for you to walk and read (please don’t drive and read, even with the app)…

Do the easy-to-read fonts on ebook readers make it less likely that you’ll retain what you read?

Dear Author explains agency pricing and why ebooks from mainstream publishers cost so much.

TeleRead discusses the frustration of ebook geographical restrictions and wonders how big the Kindle Revolution really is.

The eBook Reader on why getting free ebooks from the library isn’t as cool as it sounds.

Does DRM more effectively prevent ebook sharing rather than ebook piracy?

Another lesson that mainstream publishers could learn from the recording industry.

Beware publishers who run contests with a submmission fee ($149) and take most of your rights.

Then make sure you check out the evil publishing contest at Evil Reads, where you can add your own additional clauses in the comments! (Thanks, Stephani!)

What Neil Gaiman likes about the Kindle.

Lifehacker on how to remove DRM from your Kindle ebooks.

Nice chart of devices and formats to get you started with ebooks (via TeleRead).

Make your own Moleskine ebook reader case.

Do, Learn, Think, Make

Omg blog has an overview of Out magazine’s first sex survey. (Thanks, Jase!)

Scientists discover time teleportation (at the quantum level)!

A mammoth cloning experiment has started!

Scientists recreate Pac-Man with microorganisms.

The sun rose 48 hours early in Greenland this year, and that’s not really a good thing.

The USGS has transmitters on some loons and you can track their migration from the Upper Midwest to the Gulf of Mexico. (Thanks, Jeanne!) (But be prepared that not all of the loons make it…)

Has the wreckage of Blackbeard’s pirate ship been found?

Are you still putting two spaces after periods when you type?

Gizmodo lists 32 ways you can make your digital life more secure.

Check out Gizmodo’s chart of the best times to buy anything in 2011.

If your US state was a country, where would it fall in terms of GDP (gross domestic product)?

Minneapolitan Leif Pettersen is going to spend the next two weeks entirely in the Minneapolis skyway system. (With it hitting -25F this morning, his plan isn’t as crazy as it sounds.)

A combination of aspirin and caffeine may be the most effective cure for hangovers.

Ten important dates in chocolate history.

A 2500 year old recipe to make your own Celtic beer…

A recent study found that an awful lot of students don’t learn much in college.

Craft

How to crochet hearts.

Make your own “cereal milk” ice cream.

Photography tips for crafters.

Make an origami box from fabric.

A Mad Scientist kit would be a great gift to make for a kid.

Hmm. A book about the challenges of photographing a black dog… I wonder if there’s room in the market for a book about the challenges of photographing two busy black kitties?! 😉

Cool

Born This Way is an incredibly sweet blog where gay men and women share photos and stories of their younger selves.

Optimus Prime amigurumi!

Pencil vs Camera. (Thanks, Wren!)

S’more keyboard!

Pantone chip cookies!

Knitting basket cake!

House of cards table.

Photo hanger.

Crocheted guards to keep skirts from getting caught in a bicycle’s rear spokes.

Post-Apocalyptic dioramas.

Is it geeky that I want to go to the Computer History Museum?

Why haven’t I seen any of these commuter toasting bus shelters?!

Huh

Did you know Knokkers is a sport that combines billiards and bowling?

I’d suggest passing on the DIY gastric bypass kit for sale at Amazon.

Why would you have a live grenade as a bookend?!

Whisky in a can (contains eight shots) just sounds like a recipe for disaster.

A Microsoft VP also sells money-scented cologne and perfume…

Jewelry made from human fingernails?!

You could get married in a funeral home to save money…

South Korea has an official toilet museum… in a toilet-shaped building.

Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars contain lots of lead. More truth in advertising than you’d expect, hmm?

The new Starbucks drink size (“Trenta”) is larger than the average human stomach capacity…

LOL

I’m thinking maybe Barbie has a lot of repressed anger… (Graphic doll violence and nudity.) (Thanks, Jase!)

You could knit a rather graphic lip balm cozy… (Thanks, Amy!)

Maybe you need a nude men clock on your computer or iphone? (Thanks, Kim!)

Have you visited the Bangable Dudes in History blog yet? (Thanks, Wren!)

Indexed on corporate morale…

You know what’s particularly sad about this macrame book? I’m pretty sure I checked it out from the local library when I was a kid and made that plant hanger on the cover. O.O

Meljean Brooks’s daughter (age 7) designs a book cover for her.

Hyperbole and a Half: Wolves.

The Bobcats (at the Oatmeal).

Modern irrational fears.

The Bloggess gets a giant panda suit.

How to describe your used furniture on Craig’s List.

If aliens analyzed the internet… (Thanks, mrspao!)

I hope the Sorting Hat listens…

Doesn’t look like Basement Cat likes small dogs.

Basement Cat plans his revenge.

Teh Cute

Baby panda! Baby monkey! Baby polar bear?! Tiny aliens! Baby hummingbird! Ferret! Meerkats! Squirrel and kitten! Baby bats! Goofy lion! Cat and cougar! Panda! Kittens! Wee sugar glider! Baby cheetah! Polar bear! Tiger cub and bunnies (ummm…).

Reading Update
Gambling on Maybe by Fae Sutherland. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a delightfully flamboyant guy who decides he needs to add some sparkle to a closeted cop’s life. My only complaint was that I wanted more! Be aware that this has a HFN ending.
Only Words (Max & Skyler, Book 1) by Acer Adamson. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a closeted cop and his crossdressing boyfriend. This is very short, but skillful enough that I got sniffly while reading it!
Any Excuse (Max & Skyler, Book 2) by Acer Adamson. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance in which our closeted cop and his crossdressing boyfriend both make progress in their relationship.
The Twelve Days of Randy (Special Delivery, Book 2.5) by Heidi Cullinan. free ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about Ethan and Randy trying to get the Christmas celebration they want.
Blood and Alchemy (Drone Vampires, Book 11) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of the beleaguered Drone Vampires and their allies. This book focused on warlock Donavan and his vampire mate Nolan. Be warned that this book ends on a cliffhanger, so be sure you have Book 12 on hand!
Tears of Blood (Drone Vampires, Book 12) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance focusing on vampire Toby, who gets sick at the sight of blood, and his warlock crush, Blaine, who can’t get involved with Toby. This ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, but nowhere near as bad as the previous book.
Quinn’s Blessing (Kindred Spirits, Book 4) by Jude Mason & Jenna Byrnes. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance continuing the spiritly adventures at the Whiskers Inn, this time focusing on the new cook and the reverend as everyone prepares for a wedding.
Technique (Taking the Odds, Book 1.5) by James Buchanan. ebook short. Originally published in 2007 in the Toy Box: Handcuffs anthology. Steamy short m/m encounter featuring Nicky, Brandon, and a set of handcuffs.
Aaron Bradley: Closet Detective by Timothy Owen. ebook. So-so m/m romance with an identity crisis. Calling this book Aaron Bradley: Closet Detective is deceptive – only a tiny part of the book is about the deeply closeted Aaron. Far more of the book is devoted to the mysterious Candice and her shenanigans. I think that this book, while definitely written in an engaging style, needed a lot of editing to give it some focus… and maybe it shouldn’t have been published by Dreamspinner.
Irreversible Error (Steppenwolf, Book 1) by Wolf Phoenix. ebook. Good m/m mystery/romantic suspense about a cop who gets drawn into a murder investigation when his friend, the mother of the victim, asks him to look at the case more closely. You’ll definitely want to have the sequel on hand, since the first book ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. Also, I dislike the covers on both this book and the sequel, primarily because they’re spoilers for the books.
Cruising Adventures by Nicole Dennis. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about two guys who meet at the beginning of a short GLBT cruise and decide to be together for the duration of the cruise: no future, no past, just the present… Several parts of the plot seemed unbelievable to me and I didn’t manage to suspend disbelief.
Save Me From Myself by Cassie Stevens. ebook. What, save you from from the issue you have with grabbing yourself? (Sorry, I really hate this cover.) Ok kinky m/m romance about a dominant who hates the former Marine (now successful clothing designer) who came home alive from Iraq, when the dom’s lover did not. Of course, the clothing designer knows all about the dom from the dead boyfriend and is convinced that the dom is exactly what he needs.
Cardamom: A Taste of Home by Winnie Jerome. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a whiny college student, away from home for the first time, who spends a lot of time feeling sorry for himself because things, especially with the fuck buddy he followed to college, are not going at all as he expected.
Pomegranate by Vic Winter. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a wedding planner and one of the photographers he works with who have mutual crushes on each other, but neither is aware of the other’s interest.
Dirty Little Lie by C.R. Moss. ebook short. Meh short paranormal m/m romance about an adulterous guy in the process of getting divorced who’s involved with a man for the first time ever, and a very mysterious man at that. The sudden paranormal ending was a complete WTF.

“Hold really still, Mom. I almost have that sparkly red mouse (SRM)!” -Chaos

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Linkity from the land of ice and snow

January 14, 2011 Chris 37 Comments

Congrats to Harper Bell, who won Tono (the sequel to Loving Edits) by Mickie B. Ashling! Tono is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Samantha, who won Tears of Blood (Drone Vampires, Book 12) by Stephani Hecht! Tears of Blood will be released by eXtasy Books on January 15, 2011.

Congrats to Marie A, who won the Saddle Up â€˜N Ride anthology by Em Woods (and friends)! Saddle Up â€˜N Ride will be released by Total-E-Bound on January 17.

Contests

Janna’s celebrating her fifth blogiversary by giving away yarn and your choice of a $20 Amazon or iTunes gift certificate. Closes midnight CST January 14.

Patti’s giving away two paranormal romances and two non-paranormal romances. Comment by January 16 for your chance to win. US & Canada.

Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of The Perfect Bride for Mr. Darcy by Mary Lydon Simonsen. Comment by January 19 for your chance to win. US & Canada.

Bookity

New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR news, contests, etc), All About Romance (romances), and Book Lovers Inc (assorted types of romance).

Authors of m/m romance|gay romance who use Scrivener – TeddyPig wants to feature you! Some authors who’ve already participated include Jet Mykles, A.M. Riley (includes information on how to participate), Heidi Cullinan, Ally Blue, and more.

Book news and links from Dear Author, ReadReactReview, and Book Lovers Inc.

All About Romance kicks off its Speaking of Audiobooks 2011 Challenge.

Orannia explains the 2011 Support Your Local Library Challenge.

Ten things that indicate you’re a published writer (from Paperback Writer).

Larissa Ione on the three-star review.

Paperback Writer features some unusual bookcases.

Bookshelf Porn, via CRAFT.

TeddyPig on what he considers to be the three deadly sins in gay romance.

Did you catch the special edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography over at Clare London’s blog earlier this week?

Ebookity

Go download Stuff My Stocking: M/M Romance Stories that Are Nice…and Naughty free, courtesy of the 25 authors and the Goodreads M/M Romance Group.

If you feel like reading something a little heftier (but still free), how about Access to Knowledge in the Age of Intellectual Property?

Dear Author has ten tips for new ebook reader owners.

TeleRead lists five good ways to read ebooks on a device, online, or on a laptop/computer.

Libraries (including academic libraries) are actually experiencing growth, with many planning to get into ebooks this year.

Interesting article from TeleRead on how ebook pricing relates to revenue.

I can’t say that I’m surprised that a recent survey found traditional publishers don’t understand consumers/readers.

“What leads to piracy is not meeting emergent demands.“

BookBaby is the new ebook publishing/distributing venture from CDBaby. It will focus on independent authors.

Think, Make, Learn, Do

Some very profound words from International Space Station Commander Scott Kelly.

A thoughtful post called “Dear Teen Me” from Jo Knowles. (Thanks, Bronwyn!)

Know the differences between AT&T and Verizon before deciding to switch to the Verizon iPhone.

Paperback Writer explains what an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) for your blog is and why it might be useful to get one.

MaximumPC names the 12 technologies they expect to be nearly gone by 2020.

The American Dialect Society named “app” as the Word of the Year for 2010.

Red wine can apparently enhance the conducting properties of superconductors (and yes, this discovery was made about how you’d guess it was).

You can use baking soda and charcoal to remove bad smells from your car.

Because the North Magnetic Pole is shifting 40 miles/year, Tampa International Airport has to rename its runways.

If you take public transit, you’ll be thrilled to discover Google Maps can now help cut down on how much time you spend outside waiting (and at the mercy of the weather).

Lack of sleep can make it harder for you to avoid unhealthy snacks.

How to set up your own treadmill desk.

What’s happening in your brain when you shop?

Make your own tastier hot chocolate mix.

Make your own chocolate hazelnut spread! (Mmmm… Nutella…)

OKCupid reports on the math of beauty in online dating.

Fascinating chart of cat coat colors and patterns. Chaos is a black tabby (mackeral pattern). Mayhem is a black smoke, albeit without the light-colored ruff.

Snowity

A soothing short film of winter in the Netherlands.

Florida is the only US state that doesn’t have snow right now.

Make your own removable cleats for walking on ice or hard-packed snow.

Does this shoveling technique actually keep snow plows from blocking your driveway?

Make some snowshoes from cardboard for your kids.

Craft

Have you tried dyeing fabric using snow?

Hmm. Is it really the world’s largest yarn stash?

Yarn and knitting links from the knittyBlog.

Cute paper houses you can make.

Crazy sewn scarves.

Turn socks into fingerless mitts (this has potential for handknit socks that get a hole or two).

Craft, cooking, and other linkity from Kristi.

Cool

The new Star Wars area in LEGOLAND California will contain 2000 hand-built models!

Short film 3 Minutes – it has light sabers!

Another choose-your-own-adventure zombie film.

The Fifth National Soup Swap is January 22. (Hmm. Maybe not so good to have this after that zombie link.)

Subway’s testing a new gluten-free menu in Texas.

Perfect house for cats.

Huh

Ice cubes shaped like vampire fangs?

I think it’s easier to carry a notebook in your pocket…

Snail guitar.

Beaded bacon and eggs bracelet.

Jumpin Jammerz…

Pretty sure I don’t want to eat noodles that had boll weevils, even after the boll weevils were removed…

Assemble your own life-sized human!

A guy was shot in the head and sneezed out the bullet!

Drinking more (booze, not water) makes you exercise more?!

LOL

I love ridiculous warning labels.

How to write good (computer) code…

What to do if you find something cool on the internet.

Is this how you spend your workday?

Aw, Dr. Tinycat!

Basement Cat loves tornadoes! Do you know why?

This would be Chaos…

Backyard fauna oneupmanship.

From the Oatmeal, how his handwriting has changed since kindergarten.

Most movies would be really short if they had the internet…

Teh Cute

Cats in a Christmas tree! Kittens! Bunny nose! Quokka! Kitten! Cat and kitten! Fawn! Fennec foxes! Fossa! Kittens! Kittens (or gollums?)! Bison! Baby tree kangaroo!

Reading Update
Death by Misfortune by A.M. Riley. ebook.Â Excellent m/m romantic suspense/mystery about the murder of a “psychic to the stars” and a prominent Hollywood producer, filled with lots of complex twists and turns. The story is told from two alternating points-of-view: Jeremy, a production assistant, and Bill, the closeted cop first introduced in Amor en Retrogrado.
His Client by Ava March. ebook. Very good kinky Regency m/m romance about a prostitute who’s had enough to retire for a while, but stays on at the brothel because he’s fallen in love with one of his clients – a client who’s been pining for his straight best friend since they were at university together.
Trusted Bond (Change of Heart, Book 2) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of Jin and Logan about six months after Change of Heart ends, complete with attackers, kidnappers, and assassins! As Logan comments more than once, life with Jin is never dull or predictable.
Taking You Home (Boys of Summer, Book 2) by Cooper Davis. ebook. This sequel to Boys of Summer was a very good m/m romance that continues the story of Hunter and Max as they deal with Max’s family and Hunter works to adjust to the idea of himself as not straight.
Pulling Apart (Pulling Away, Book 2) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Good short m/m romance continuing the story of Noah and Charlie as Charlie pulls away and Noah has no idea what’s wrong or how to help.
Things I’ll Never Say by M.J. O’Shea. ebook. Very sweet m/m romance about two guys who’ve been best friends for years. One’s had a crush on the other for ages, but is so sure it isn’t returned that he plans to go to college out of state to get some distance.
Euphorbia by Glyn Soitino. ebook. Very good short m/m romance about a gardener who was burned by love and doesn’t plan to get involved beyond one-night stands ever again.
Black Gold by Clancy Nacht & Thursday Euclid. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a glam rock superstar and the leader of a punk band. I would’ve rated this higher if there hadn’t been so damn much talking. These two talked and talked and TALKED. They had long, complicated, deep conversations during allegedly spectacular sex. Um. Yeah. *rolls eyes* Really, I just wanted everyone to shut up after a while. Love the cover, though! 🙂
Firm Touch by Christine d’Abo. ebook short. Steamy short m/m holiday romance about a couple whose lives have been so busy with work that they’ve been growing apart, even though it isn’t what either of them want. Will a drunken revelation that leads to a kinky surprise help bring them closer together or be the beginning of the end?
What He Wants by Eden Cole. free ebook short. Free so-so short m/m romance about two nominally straight best friends whose mutual female friend points out to each of them that they’re in love with each other.
Giving Chase (Seattle) by Jamie Hill. ebook short. Meh short m/m romance about a programmer who meets a gift store clerk and is instantly smitten. The whole thing felt forced and unrealistic.
Best Laid Plans by Cat Kane. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a disaster-prone wedding coordinator who gets involved with the groom of a wedding he’s planning. I might’ve liked this more had the whole reason behind the big misunderstanding plot made sense to me.
Rescuing the Librarian (New Horizons, Book 1) by Serena Yates. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a research librarian who agrees to help a porn star attempting to break into more mainstream acting get a better understanding of what a librarian’s job involves. Alas, I had some niggles about this one – the actor, from Scotland, must not have had any accent at all, since the librarian didn’t realize he was from Scotland. How likely is that? And what happened to the librarian’s assistant, who seemed as if he was going to be a critical player in the story, but vanished after a couple pages?
Naughty Nooners by Carol Lynne, Kaenar Langford, J.P. Bowie, Cian Fey, Jade Mason, & Dakota Rebel. ebook collection. Ok collection of m/m romance short stories about steamy lunch hour interludes and instalove.
Law and Ardor by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a cop who responds to a breaking-and-entering report and meets an adorable guy that he’d really like to get to know better. Small editing fail when counting fingers at one point…
Love Thy Neighbor by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m/m story about a guy who becomes fascinated by the two exhibitionist models who have an apartment across the courtyard from him.

“Why areÂ you taking my picture?!” -Chaos

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Linkity, plus 2010 Reading Year in Review

January 7, 2011 Chris 33 Comments

Contests

You have until 11:59 pm PST, January 8, to enter the amazing Desert Island Keepers Giveaway Grand Finale! Make sure your comment indicates whether you’re entering for the m/m or the m/f prize pack.

Carolyn Crane’s giving away a copy of Great Philosophers Who Failed at Love by Andrew Shaffer (non-fiction history) and Merit Badges (Minnesota-based fiction) by Kevin Fenton. Comment by the morning of January 11 for your chance to win!

Six authors of erotic romances (Devon Rhodes, Bronwyn Green, Kris Norris, Gwendolyn Cease, Suzanne Graham, and Jessica Jarman) are offering the chance to win a NookColor and ebooks from their backlists! Contest closes at noon EST, January 11. Please make sure you read the rules so you aren’t disqualified!

Amara’s giving away A Beautiful Silence by Lee Brazil (m/m romance) – answer her question in the comments by midnight PST, January 11, for your chance to win.

Sweet Vernal Zephyr’s giving away two fantasy books by Sean Russell: World Without End and Sea Without Shore from the Moontide and Magic Rise series. Comment by January 23 for your chance to win.

Bookity

New releases: Lily (m/m romance), SciFiGuy (fantasy, scifi), AAR (romance audiobooks), Tor.com (YA paranormal), Book Lovers Inc (various sorts of romance), Katiebabs (various sorts of romance), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Book news and linkity from Dear Author,Â ReadReactReview, Smart Bitches, and Literary Escapism.

2011 reading challenges: orannia’s Big Book Challenge, the M/M Romance Challenge, and the New Author Challenge from Literary Escapism (plus links to several other challenges).

If you’ve been wanting to mix fiber with your scifi reading, maybe you should check out this excerpt from the new “fashionpunk” novel Yarn by Jon Armstrong.

Smart Bitches on the changing standards of beauty in romance.

Kassa wonders if reviewers are afraid to give bad reviews.

From Gizmodo, an interesting post on the impact the Copyright Act of 1976 had this January 1.

Been wondering which recent books can stop bullets? Wonder no more! (Hint: You’re toast if you have an ebook reader.)

Bookstore cats!

Cool optical illusion library.

Ebookity

iKEAPad stand.

TeleRead compares the iPad and the NookColor for ereading.

Smokin’ Hot Books discusses the new Kindle lending feature. So does TeleRead. And Lifehacker. And Gizmodo…

Dear Author compares the lending features of various ereaders and lending policies of various publishers.

How to find free Kindle books on Amazon.

At Dear Author, All Romance eBooks reports on trends they’ve noticed.

USA Today reports that the ebook editions of the top six books on its next bestsellers list outsold the print editions.

Are libraries doomed, even though ebook checkouts were up 200% in 2010?

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Did you know that January 24-28 is No Name Calling Week, aimed at school age children?

Things are not looking good for bananas.

What 21 different National Monuments looked like while under construction.

Researchers have discovered that chemicals in women’s tears decrease men’s sexual arousal.

Ever wondered why the human body temperature is 98.6F?

The study that linked autism to vaccination was fraudulent.

Eye specialists don’t think that the Nintendo 3DS will harm kids’ eyes.

Some indicators of serious medical risks are very odd.

Walking might help combat cravings.

Lifehacker discusses some ways to better archive your photos, plus how to keep your computer safe, clean, and backed up.

How to make gluten-free, dairy-free hot artichoke dip.

Liquid crystal glasses could take the place of bifocals – I hope they come down in price before I need bifocals!

Best of 2010

Science

Scientific breakthroughs

CRAFT

CRAFT: Cocktail recipes

Lifehacker

LEGO builds

Cute photos

Image caches

Links from Bookwyrm Knits

Consumerist’s most-read stories

Cool

Dune crochet!

Stained glass TARDIS clock.

DIY light saber.

Geologic layers cake!

Adorable LEGO promo film.

Lab flask mugs.

Yarn ball winder turned into yarn monster!

The Wall Street Bull gets yarnbombed.

Yarnbombed Volvo, bus, and car with person. (Thanks, Juniper!)

Absolutely gorgeous knit shawl.

I love these tile photo coasters, but the process seems awfully fiddly.

A battery that’s been running for 60 years… so why can’t my cell phone stay charged for more than 48 hours?!

Restaurant with a periodic table menu.

The YouTube video that Roger Ebert thinks is Oscar-worthy.

Huh

Ties for cats? (White button down shirt collar sold separately…) (Thanks, Karen B!)

Electric (heated) Snuggie…

Toothpaste that changes flavor with the weather. Eww!

Hands-free sandwich holder…

Opening a bottle of champagne with a saber?!

Beauty products with bad names – I strangely have no desire to buy “Chicken Poop” lip balm.

Bitmap ski mask…

We do not need robot head GPS…

LOL

Yes! I was the first person to send mail to Ava March using a special and very specific mailing address. 🙂

Indexed has a post just for pagans.

Whoops…

Dr. Who meets Star Wars…

How to make your very own furry mascot costume (i.e., where to turn at 11 pm when your kid mentions you’re supposed to provide one for the big game tomorrow).

Penguin silliness! (Thanks, Jase!)

Even more penguin silliness!

Polar bears destroying hidden cameras!

This would be a much more useful computer keyboard key than CAPS LOCK.

LOLCat emoticon chart.

Why kitties don’t appear in animated princess movies.

Little too close to home to be funny… 😉

This one, too. I really hate all the cabinet locks in the kitchen…

Teh Cute

Related to Mayhem?! Ferret in a Slinky! Ducklings! Lioness and cub! Lion! Lion and cub! Cheetah! Baby cheetah! Snow leopards! Wee owl in a hat! Penguins! Black kitten! Otter and baby! Swan and cygnets! Baby cougars! Kitten with toy! Kitty staring at snow kitty! Kittens! Kittens!

Reading Update

I read 864 books in 2010, compared to 811 books in 2009. I had six dnf (did not finish) books, which I have not listed. I tagged 858 of the books I read as m/m, 826 as ebooks, 350 as shorts, and 24 as rereads. You can find my reviewettes of these these books in my LibraryThing (in the “Review” or “Comments” field, depending). Please note that not all of my books are in GoodReads, although Iâ€™m trying to be better about adding them!

One Real Thing by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two guys who were best friends in college. One got married and started a career and followed a path of things he felt he should do. The other slowly spiraled down and out of control. This book was, at times, not an easy read. It left me feeling gutted more than once. But it’s so very worth reading to find out for yourself if either of them can be saved…
All She Wrote (Holmes & Moriarity, Book 2) by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense/mystery continuing the story of Kit Holmes and J.X. Moriarity, mystery writers (although not coauthors), as Kit flies across the country to play amateur sleuth for a writer friend who thinks someone is trying to kill her.
Primal Red (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 1) by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about an investigative reporter for a free weekly paper who hears screaming, then sees a woman die in the arms of an artist that he’d very much like to date…
Baby, It’s Cold Outside (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 2) by Nicole Kimberling. Good m/m romantic suspense continuing the story of the investigative report and the artist – this time, they’re camping in the snow and participating in a New Year’s Eve snow sculpture event when they discover a dead body.
Black Cat Ink (Bellingham Mysteries, Book 3) by Nicole Kimberling. Good m/m romantic suspense in which our artist and investigative reporter search for a stolen penis statue and acquire a black kitten.
Appearing Nightly (The First Real Thing, Book 2) by Cat Grant. Very good m/m romance about a singer/drag queen/bar co-owner who’s fascinated by the cute, skittish guy who recently started working at the bar. You really need to read The First Real Thing before you read this book!
The Stroke of Twelve by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about an aimless young man who wakes up after a night at the bar to find he has a piece of paper with an address and a time written on it and only the vague memory of a handsome older man handing it to him. Curious, he turns up at the address on time… and his life is changed in a way he never expected.
A Change of Tune by J.M. Cartwright. ebook. Good m/m romance about a successful (and deeply closeted, even from himself) rock musician who leaves his band and moves to an out-of-the-way town in West Virginia, where he meets a very pushy sheriff…
Offside Pass (Blue Line Hockey, Book 1) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about a newbie sports reporter trying to figure out the dark secret in the past of three brawling hockey brothers, one of whom he finds very attractive.
It’s Smoking in the Locker Room by Stephani Hecht. free ebook short. Smoking (heh) short m/m romance about a college student whose secret high school crush (and former captain of the high school hockey team) emails him and asks to meet in their old high school locker room.
Burnt Orange: Sooner or Later by Dallas Coleman. ebook short. Good short m/m romance, told in a series of key scenes, that follows two guys who become friends in grade school, despite one being a Sooner and the other being a Longhorn and neither realizing the other is gay… I got sniffly once or twice during this one.
Sagittarius: Mr. November (Boys of the Zodiac, Book 9) by Pepper Espinoza. ebook. I read it because I love the song “Mr. November” by the National, but it’s actually a good (if rather heavy on the dreary football details) m/m romance about an older quarterback who’s been traded to a new team under mysterious circumstances.
Pulling Away (Book 1) by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Reread. Good short m/m romance about a guy who’s isolated himself since his parents died two years earlier, only really talking to a friend he met online.
The First by Rachel West. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys in college who broke up because one caught the other kissing someone else while very drunk at a party.

“Hey, Stella!!!!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Should auld lang linkity be forgot…

December 30, 2010 Chris 34 Comments

Yup, linkity’s on Thursday because there won’t be a post on Friday this week. Happy New Year to all of you!

Congrats to Tj, who won The Stroke of Twelve (Perfect Timing, Book 6) by Kim Dare! The Stroke of Twelve will be released by Total-E-Bound on January 3, 2011.

Congrats to Susmita, who won Offside Pass by Stephani Hecht! Offside Pass is the first book in Stephaniâ€™s new hockey series and will be released by eXtasy Books on January 1, 2011.

Contest

Tracy’s giving away a pdf copy of Karen Mercury’s m/m/f Western historical romance, Working the Lode, to someone who comments by 11:59 pm (PST), January 4.

Bookity

New releases and more: Elisa (GLBT); SciFiGuy (UF/PNR, YA); Tor.com (UF/PNR, fantasy, scifi); and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Book linkity from Dear Author and ReadReactReview.

Does the Library Journal article that listed some m/m romances to get libraries started on an m/m romance collection mean that the genre is gaining mainstream acceptance?

Sign ups are now open for the 2011 M/M Romance Challenge.

An American Editor wonders if Amazon has too much power.

Aw, a lamp for your nightstand that’s shaped like a little house and your book becomes the house’s roof when you’re done reading for the night. Not quite so cute if you’re reading an ebook. 🙂

Ebookity

The state of ebooks at the end of 2010. Some ebook publishing predictions for 2011 from Smashwords. The Electronic Frontier Foundation reviews its predictions from the beginning of 2010.

Ebook readers are putting classics on best-selling (free) ebook lists.

How to use your new ebook reader or iPad.Â Helpful tips for new Kindle owners.

How to do more with your Kindle.

Make your own inexpensive iPad or ebook reader stand.

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Gluten-free cookie recipes.

Amazing bee facts! (Thanks, Jase!)

Build a magnet-free compass from Legos.

Two no-sew techniques for inserting a zipper into knitwear.

Dealing with the compulsively neat person in your life.

Turn the Christmas cards you received this year into Christmas postcards you can send next year.

Some ideas for keeping the holiday spirit alive throughout the year.

If you got a new gadget for Christmas, check out Gizmodo’s handy setup guides.

You might be able to get rid of your texting plan by using one of these eight applications.

Why one Gizmodo writer ditched iTunes for mp3s from Amazon.

Idling your car for longer than 30 seconds isn’t a good thing.

Are gift cards good gifts? Some tips on how not to waste gift cards.

An infographic on the personal economics behind holiday gift giving.

Is it better to “self insure” your pets than to buy pet insurance?

Even if you know you’re getting a placebo, it can still work.

Ack! The Nintendo 3DS can actually mess up kids’ eyes! 🙁

Best Of

Craft 2010: Knitting & Crochet

Craft 2010: Geek Crafts

Doctor Who crafting

Belated Gift Idea

Recreate your classic family photos.

Cool

Fallingwater… in gingerbread.

A rainbow making machine.

A coffee table that splits in half to reveal storage.

Amazing photo of running horses.

Twenty hours of blizzard compressed into 38 seconds.

Turn your crappy old kitchen cupboards into chalkboards.

A Clockwork Orange Chucks!

Nothing says geek quite like percentile dice hanging from your rearview mirror…

Cheryl continues to outfit her Barbies in high style. (The kitty is my favorite addition to Barbieland!)

If you’re having trouble coming up with New Year’s resolutions, this handy generator might help. (via Paperback Writer)

Huh

2010’s silliest sales taxes.

Um. If it’s cold enough that you’re using the Nose Dialer instead of taking off your gloves to dial the phone, you’re probably going to get snot all over your phone…

Male/female plug rings (not as dirty as you’re thinking)…

CDs that look like lunch meat…

Panther paw/claw boots…

Pink “shoehawk” heels…

LOL

The secret beind bad GPS directions.

Pets and the Christmas tree…

Poor Ceiling Cat!

Woe the unladen swallow!

Teh Cute

Kitties! Baby bun! Baby cougars! Kitten! Squirrels! Tiger cub! Bunny! Charlene Butterbean! Kitten! Cheetah! Kittens! Baby reindeer! Baby penguins! Kitten! Baby chinchilla!

Reading Update
Ummm… So I’ve been on vacation since last Friday and have gotten rather a lot of reading done… and I read a lot of shorts. Don’t freak. 🙂

Life Changes Everything (Life, Book 2) by T.C. Blue. ebook. Very good m/m romance mostly about Ben from Life or Something Scary Like That as he goes on with, well, life after the events of that book. This book does a nice job tying up the loose ends, even if I was kind of cranky about one of them while it was in process.
Sno Ho by Ethan Day. ebook. Reread. Very good m/m romance about a guy staying at a ski resort whose boyfriend was supposed to join him there, but instead dumped him over the phone. Funny, yet touching.
Life in Fusion (Sno Ho, Book 2) by Ethan Day. ebook. Very good m/m romance that picks up exactly where the first book left off and continues the story of Boone and Wade during the six months Boone said needed to pass before he would move in with Wade. And like the first book, this manages to be both funny and touching.
Big Balls and Trouble by Sarah Black. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a pro football player who’s in Boise for the summer and ready to admit that he’s always loved the childhood friend he hasn’t seen for years. I found this story frustrating because it was so short – it felt more like a fragment from a longer story than something that could stand on its own.
Tooth and Nail (His Hearth, Book 2) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a big, tough warder who takes too many chances because, according to the other warders, he doesn’t have a hearth (i.e., a mate). And then he rescues an angel…
Just One Bite (Volume 1) by Scarlett Blackwell, J.L. Merrow, Josephine Myles, Erik Orrantia, Nix Winter, & Stevie Woods. free ebook collection. Scarlett Blackwell: Very good, want more! Vampire. :: J.L. Merrow: Very good. Stone circle. :: Josephine Myles: Very good. Genie. :: Erik Orrantia: Pretty good. Mayan. :: Nix Winter: Ok. Fantasy. :: Stevie Woods: Pretty good. Vampire.
Delany’s Catch by Diana DeRicci. ebook short. Pretty good short paranormal m/m romance about a wolf shifter who walks into a bookstore to ask for directions and realizes that the proprietor is his mate.
Same Time Next Year by Eden Winters. ebook short. I’m not usually a fan of ghost stories, but this one, about a guy whose true love died when they were in college, worked pretty well, although I found it to be very sad.
Vanilla: The Dominant Ingredient by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a sub-for-hire, escaped from a bad situation, who is desperately trying to convince the man he’s staying with while he sorts out his life that he’d be the perfect sub. I want to read more about these characters!
Commanding Acquisitions (1-800-DOM-HELP, Book 2) by Christine d’Abo. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance about a dom, struggling not to lose his bookstore, who’s also lonely and needing something more than just casual encounters. He finds the mysterious 1-800-DOM-HELP business card in his office…
Floggers’ Holiday Sale by Stormy Glenn & H.C. Brown. ebook. Meh two-story kinky m/m holiday romance collection. The two stories were supposed to be about two different doms, each of whom purchased a sub at the Floggers’ (bdsm club) holiday auction, but things weren’t consistent between the two stories: in one, the dom’s not allowed to take possession of the sub until they both negotiate contracts; in the other, the club owner sends the virginal sub with the notoriously brutal dom and just tells the dom to bring the sub back to the club at the end of the week. Editing was consistently horrible across both stories, although perhaps a bit worse in the Stormy Glenn story – for the first part, “dominate” was substituted for “dominant” and “dominant” was substituted for “dominate”…
Hang a Shining Star by Ashlyn Kane. ebook short. Very good m/m holiday romance about a high school teacher who runs into a former student working at a Christmas tree lot and, discovering that the former student has no one to spend the holiday with, impulsively invites him over. My only complaint with this one was that the main characters were named Evan and Eric – I kept getting the names mixed up, as did the editor/proofer at least once! 🙂
Snow and Mistletoe by T.C. Blue. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about a guy with a really bad self-image who hasn’t had any luck finding journalism work. He starts finding mysterious presents outside his apartment door – he’s sure they’re from his friends, trying to cheer him up, because no way could he have a secret admirer…
Christmas with Danny Fit by Amy Lane. ebook. Very good m/m holiday romance about a guy who’s still living with his mother at 30, not really living his life, until his burgeoning friendship with his sexy assistant at work inspires him to start making changes.
You Can’t Choose Your Family by Zahra Owens. ebook. Very good holiday m/m romance about a couple who’s been together for 20 years. One guy’s family is fabulously accepting; the other’s was controlled by his fire and brimstone father. Now that his father is dead, will anything change?
Christmas Bells by Andi Deacon. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an assistant professor, staying at his parents’ house for Christmas, whose brother brings home a very attractive friend from grad school who doesn’t have anywhere to go for the holidays.
Silver Thaw by Nora Catherine Price. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about next door neighbors who get the chance to know each other a bit better because of an ice storm.
Sharing Christmas by Shae Connor. ebook short. Steamy short m/m holiday romance about a guy, recently moved to Atlanta for work, whose next door neighbor invites him over to help put together packages for the homeless shelter.
The Santa Mug by Patric Michael. ebook. Very good m/m holiday romance about a guy whose boyfriend died four years ago and who’s basically retreated from the world since then, until a friend drags him along to a family Thanksgiving celebration.
A Very D Christmas by Jane Seville. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about D and Jack from Zero at the Bone, reconnecting with family, and being a bullied teenager. (Through 1/31/2011, a portion of the purchase price will be donated to the Trevor Project.)
The Christmas Visit by Marshall Thornton. ebook short. Good short m/m holiday romance about a guy returning to the small town he grew up in to see his dad at Christmas. He keeps running into the deputy who he’d had a crush on and who is now married…
Secret Santa by Deanna Wadsworth. ebook short. Steamy short m/m holiday romance about a guy waiting naked, blindfolded, and wrapped up with a bow as a present for his boyfriend, hoping to revitalize their fading relationship.
Well-Hung by the Chimney by E.M. Lynley, Ryan Field, & Chloe Stowe. ebook. Pretty good m/m holiday romance collection. I really liked EM Lynley’s story about the difficulties involved in mixing business with pleasure. Ryan Field’s story about a couple dealing with career changes and meeting family was ok. I found Chloe Stowe’s story about an Air Force colonel and a doctor at the Air Force base to be sort of confusing. I might’ve enjoyed Field and Stowe’s stories more had I realized they were about characters from a previous collection and read it first.
A Little Something for Santa by J.M. Snyder. ebook short. Ok short m/m holiday encounter about a guy waiting tables at an all-night diner who confesses to the cook that he has the hots for Santa.
A Christmas Eve Wish by Nicole Dennis. ebook short. So-so m/m holiday romance about a celebrity chef, planning to escape to his mountain cabin for a few days, who gets caught in a blizzard and discovers his cabin is trashed. This one didn’t work for me because of instalove and awkward writing.
All I Want for Christmas by Aeryn Traxx. ebook short. So-so short holiday m/m romance about a guy dreading his friends’ holiday party because his cheating ex will be there.
It’s a Calling by Mara Ismine. ebook short. Ok short paranormal m/m romance that I actually read in October, but I somehow managed to not write down the dates I read it or what I thought about it beyond “Huh.”
My Life in Your Hands by A.R. Moler. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about an ER doctor and an undercover detective who get together.
Eyes Wide Shut by Meredith Shayne. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a doctor and a miner who care deeply for each other, but that’s not enough, because the miner doesn’t want anyone to know they’re together. Part of this takes place in Perth!
Of Sound Mind by Elizabeth Brooks. ebook short. Good short futuristic m/m romance about a guy who has cancer and doesn’t want to telepathically bond with his destined mate because if he dies, his mate would die with him.