Haus of Rhi

I've watched yet another large-circulation newspaper make sweeping changes to their book review section. From the Publisher's Weekly article  [emphasis added]: Sullivan, the VP of Communications for the LA Times, confirmed that this was a cost-saving move but would not provide details on the number of freelancers who were eliminated last week. “ Staff writers from outside the book department will take over for those who left. We have not changed our commitment to book coverage or the amount of space the Times will devote to it.”  I find it fascinating that no reference is made to the quality  of the content the LA Times will offer, going forward. Parceling out review assignments outside the book department doesn't bode well. They aren't the first news organization to revamp their book-related content. Back in 2009, the Washington Post did something similar , condensing and consolidating what had once been a fully separate section. Is it just a sign of the economy,

Decided not to try tackling any writing this weekend. Not today, anyways. Whole lot of nothing going on over here, today. Sometimes, I think, it's okay to let yourself have a goal of zero productivity. That way, when you get nothing done, you don't beat yourself up for it. There was no way I was getting anything writing-related done today. Om Nom Nom And now that I've been a good girl and eaten some actual food... I'm curling up on the chaise out on the porch with a good read and some Bordeaux Chocolate Cherry ice cream over a soft chocolate fudge cookie and slathered in chocolate syrup, and a smoke and finish off my lazy day. I'm entitled to one a month, I think. Sadly, if today is any indication, tomorrow might need written off as well. If that's the case, I have every intention of making up for it later this week. Hamm & Marc's story arc is fleshing out steadily and while it'll need some tweaking, I'm happy with what it looks like thus

Apparently I got so excited that I fouled the link up in my previous attempt. So here it is, functional. Carina Press updated their website with the August releases, so you can now pre-order Dark Edge of Honor .  Or read the excerpt. :)

Extra-moist cream cheese banana bread, Mahogany dark roast spiced w/ cinnamon & cloves. And this morning's transcribing task! Today's agenda will revolve around a number of activities: edits and writing for the Gunporn submission sequel, and outlining some promo requests and content ideas for the release of DEoH. Less than a month now! Starting to get a bit excited again. Eager to drum up some awareness, and also to see what sort of reception and reaction it gets from readers. And because I enjoy taking pictures to share here, I might decide to make Food Porn w/ Jan a regular feature. I'm off to *omnomnom* that banana bread. Aren't you jealous? I'd share, but the internets don't work so well like that. Not yet. Pity, though. It's delicious! Have a lovely hump-day for your week, I intend to be productive!

Raspberry cheese danish, soft oatmeal cookie, & a mug of dark roast with a heavy splash of Godiva White Chocolate liquor. And a bit of magic for inspiration. And yes, that's a sink mark plaque sample I'm using for a coaster. Have been doing some pondering this morning, as I repaired my lawnmower (so difficult, a bit of oil and elbow grease resolved the throttle issue) and gave serious thought to my increasingly dual careers. Neither of which can be considered "professional" by any measure or stretch of the imagination, mind. As time passes, however, I am hoping that the career of writer will slide to the forefront. As things stand, I find it rather difficult to consider it more than a very fun hobby, at which I like to consider myself talented. Hell, I'm my own worst critic, I'm entitled to cut myself some slack and be my own best fan now and again. It's healthy. (Obviously, my breakfast wasn't. But it was good.) Trying to maintain balance,

It took all of yesterday and part of today to get the transcribing completed. Much longer than I wanted, but I have a functionally complete plot arc for this futuristic slavefic I've been poking at. That I actually managed that much? Is mind-boggling to me, to be perfectly honest. I've no idea where it came from. It just kind of dropped into my lap one piece at a time over the past week. And suddenly I'm staring at my Scrivener porn going.... "Wow. I have a completed story arc here. ...How did that happen?!" I even checked behind the monitor and under the desk for the real  writer who came along and did the hard bits of my work for me when I wasn't looking. Sadly, this is another of those stories that will obviously prove difficult to market. I'm writing it anyways, I don't care how many people think I'm crazy and threaten to petition to have me institutionalized LOL. I still need to actually write the scenes . But I have a plot outline (t

This must be the theme song for my muses. They never end up being what I expect them to be, and sometimes I wonder if people will like them for what they are. To say they are a strange, off-the-beaten-path group is an understatement. I know I'm not the only writer out there who has these types of muses. Who feels the need, occasionally, to tone back a little in order to not offend the entire readership base. I get that readers want to read what they like. Totally. And publishers only want to print what's going to sell. As I see it, though, the problem becomes then -- who pushes the envelope? Who writes that book that encourages the reader to see things from a different perspective, to think outside the box, to understand something beyond their comfort zone? Readers don't often read to be challenged, though. They do it for escapism, or to pretend they're in the story. Well, I do too... but my escapism stories would have most other readers pissing their pants, I imagi