Vote! The Best Ebook of the Summer!

Thanks for the nominations! The point, of course, is to highlight the wondrerful diversity of ebooks. I’ll close the poll on September 5, and buy and review the winning title on this blog. Please, vote only once (the poll knows you ;o) and tell your friends to pop by!
Correction: I can’t change the poll now without losing votes, but the author name for Crimson Promise should read “Sapphire Phelan.” I picked it up from the nominations–sorry about that. Looks like folks figured it out anyway!

Best Summer Ebook 2006
Vote for your favorite	Amy O’Connor, Be Careful What You Wish For Annmarie McKenna, Blackmailed Bianca D’Arc, Ice Dragon Michelle Hasker, Midnight Rendevous Debbie Mumford, Glass Magic Debbie Mumford, Sorcha’s Heart Cassandra Curtis, I Put a Spell on You Emma Ray Garrett, Heaven & Hell 3 Jet Mykles, Heaven Jet Mykles, Purgatory Jessie Verino, Lord Night Larissa Lyons, The Awakening M.L. Rhodes, Take It On Faith Cassandra Curtis, Cup of Fate Pamela Kinney, Crimson Promise Tawny Taylor, Mark of the Beast Josie Okuly, A Mermaid in Paradise Laine Morgan, Dangerous Alumni Sela Carsen, Not Quite Dead Keira Andrews, Love Match Tory Temple, Flashover Megan Hart, Nothing Like the Sun Lee Rowan, Ransom Bebe Thomas, Aurora’s Passion Shelli Stevens, Tourist Attraction Amanda Brice, She’s Got Legs Tempest Knight, Enduring Promise Cora Zane, Crossing Borders Loribelle Hunt, Under Cover of the Moon
	Current Results

Nominate Your Favorite Summer Ebook!

I WILL eventually read and review the books nominated early summer (but summer got in the way!). In the meantime, nominate your favorite summer ebook! Summer: June, July, or August first release in electronic format, romance any subgenre, any publisher. Must be an electronic release (but can be accompanied by print). Nominations close on August 31, and we’ll have a voting poll September 1. The prize? Um, you can say you won )
Include in your nomination: Title, author, company, month of release, genre, purchase link.

Lords of Ch’i Back on Sale–Prizes, Drawings, and Sale Prices Too!

Lords of Ch’i is available again–My Bookstore and More is back up! And there’s a great sale going on. If you don’t have your copy, skiddadle over there )

Lots of prizes this week – all you do is make a purchase to be entered! Winners will be chosen to win a variety of print books!

ALSO, from now until September 30, 2006, every purchase will count toward a drawing for an ebook reader! The winner may choose between an eBookwise, a Palm Tungsten E2, or an HP IPAQ rx1950!

PLUS, you can enter the drawing without making a purchase by sending a postcard with your name, address, phone number, email address, and how you heard about MBaM to this address:

My Bookstore and More
2932 Ross Clark Circle #384
Dothan AL 36301

All postcards must be received by October 31st, winner will be announced on November 1st, 2006

Come see our SALE PRICES on ebooks! http://www.mybookstoreandmore.com/

All Trade PRINT books are ON SALE too! 10% off cover price plus FREE Shipping!

Save Me from Shoddy Epublishing!

Why the stigma? I followed a mini flair-up on the AAR message board yesterday in which one writer basically trashed epublishing (well, her epublishing experience). Of course her message was followed with the predictable (well written) rounds of posts defending the editorial integrity at various epublishing houses.

Is there such a difference in the quality of “regular” print publishing (romance) and epublished books? How can one make such a sweeping statement? I like some ebooks and hate some. Same goes for print. Of course, it’s pretty damned hard to open a mass market print publishing house. If everything stinks, folks will notice pretty quickly. It’s a lot easier to start an epublishing house and stink. Not easy–I didn’t say easy.

But this got me thinking about the bigger question. A lot of writers and readers (and reportedly agents and NY editors) don’t consider epublishing…well…publishing at all. Some council that writers should not even mention their epublishing experience in queries and pitches. Hmmn. Surely this message needs to be revised a bit. I’ve watched so many fellow romance writers land nice contracts recently, and I don’t think their sales at EC and other spots hurt them one bit. Of course, the lines are getting a little blurry, aren’t they, with trade books from a number of “epublishers” now on the shelves at Borders and available online?

Yep, I know, when your pals ask where they can buy your books, and you reply “online,” you can draw a very blank, if not insulting look. Why? I purchase a LOT of stuff for a university every day, and most of it is done online. I don’t walk into a mall to do it. In fact, I try not to ever walk into a mall. Sure, I sighed a bit when I visited my local independent bookseller the other day and ran my hand across the lovely covers.

Is epublishing growing, or gaining legitimacy through the houses that also put books into bookstores and onto Amazon, get reviews in RT, etc. Or are we just hacks trying to kid ourselves? What do you think?

Who’s Naughty and Who’s Nice?

It’s not time to compose lists for Santa, but I’ve been struck recently by some very, very nice behavior and some awfully naughty (or perhaps it’s haughty) stuff on loops, etc. You know the old adage “nice guys finish last?” Is that true? I wonder if readers notice when authors “step on” one another? So one month I complain about folks congratulating each other too much, and here I am bitching about the authors who never, ever seem to get involved in anything that’s not about them and their freaking characters. Know what I mean, or am I being too obtuse? They pop out of the woodwork at the mention of their character Frank, the were-vamp master of the universe or to announce their news, and then *poof!* gone until the next promo op. Are they onto something? They’re busy writing, not whining probably. Nabbing great contracts, etc.
Then there are folks who are very popular, very busy, and offer to help out a newbie like myself. I’ll point to Mandy Roth, who very kindly offered to review my newest release Lords of Ch’i. How nice is that? I’ve never done squat for her (except buy her books LOL), but she’s willing to spend some of her precious time reading my book. What makes someone that busy and successful interested in helping out? Will this put her behind? Bianca d’Arc took time to do the same. Do readers notice such things? Do they care? How about the ones who participate in charitable causes–does anyone notice? Or do you just want a good book, well told, the behavior of the writer be damned? Just curious.

Open Blog–Come On, Don’t Be a Wuss

Owing to the wooziness of the blog owner and the need for a little downtime, I’m hoping you’ll jump in and liven up my blog! So, here’s your chance to be funnier, more vitriolic, more insightful, more anything than I usually am! The winner, as judged by me if I get at least 15 entries will win a signed paperback of Mayan Nights or a download of The Biggest Kahuna, winner’s choice! Pick any or all of the following questions:
1. The book I read this summer I loved most:
2. My greatest achievement this summer:
3. My biggest disappointment this summer:
4. The most embarrassing thing that happened to me this summer:
5. Why I sometimes wish I were a Lesbian. (Obviously not for those who are.)
6. Why blogs and loops are making me want to throw my computer out the window. (If you mention this one, you’re not going to get the prize, but go ahead, I’ll see if anyone has the nerve.)
7. How much I love Treasure Hunters, Ghost Hunters, or Prison Break and why.
8. How Old Bay Seasoning saved my marriage.
9. Why I think the Yankees will win the World Series.
10. Your summary of the year’s biggest romance publishing scandals, short version ;o)

MAYAN NIGHTS Nominated for eCataromance Reviewer’s Choice!

Wow, how cool is this? Thanks eCataromance! What a fabulous roster of folks and what a kick to see my name among them. Woohoo! Scroll down to see me under one of my faves, Jaci Burton!

This is very personal, but I’m sharing because…

I know you all get mighty sick of hearing what you should and shouldn’t do regarding your health, etc. But I want to share, because it might just nudge one person closer to a good decision.

My doc (for no reason I can figure out) sent me for a colonoscopy a year before my 50th birthday, the baseline suggested date. So, a year early, I bite the
bullet (and no, it’s not fun, but hey, I’m a clean machine now) and
got the test done today.

I opened my eyes sleepily expecting to see my husband alone cracking
his little jokes. Well, he was there, cracking his jokes. He claims I
called him a jackass many times. Also there within a few moments was
the surgeon.

Seems he removed three “massive” polyps that had not yet embedded
into the wall of my colon, and are likely precancerous, but perhaps
cancerous; I’ll know in a few. Even if they are cancer, he’s removed them and I should be good to
go for another 6 months, when he’ll go in and snip any new ones. And
so it will go for as long as I’m on the earth.

He told me if I would have waited a year (my fiftieth, the
recommended time for a first colonoscopy), he’d be removing my colon
and treating me for cancer. I asked if he were sure, and he said he
was completely sure. So my first reaction was shock. My second, incredible gratitude.

So folks, am I lucky? I have some good guardian angels. One of them
is named Raj Chawla, who for some reason sent me a year early for the
test. He’s getting a hug so big it’s going to knock his purple turban
off. I don’t mean any disrespect by that remark–this is simply a very flamboyant fellow with a huge mustache and this wonderful headdress. He also looks like he’s about 20.

Suddenly, my husband’s loss of job isn’t quite as important. But
we’re only human, and I’m sure I’ll be fretting over that again by
the morning.

I’m obviously sharing partly to encourage any chickens out there to
take care.

xoxo
Ciar

It’s Just a Horse, But…

Any other totally sentimental slobs with any interest in horses and know the name Barbaro will enjoy this. I almost cried, and I’m not terribly ashamed to admit it. To watch the miracle survivor getting a little sunshine, click here.

Hey, I crawled into the Top Ten!

This is fun, crossing fingers Lords of Ch’i will go higher! It’s available at Samhain Publishing.