Not-So-Lazy Sunday — updated!

1. Laundry
2. Clean (Hardcore this time)
3. Launch Party Invite List (made headway, about half done)
4. Plane Tickets to Atlanta
5. CP Read
6. Write SSG2.
7. Send out mail. (Yes, this does include the ARCs as broken foot and travel precluded me sending them out.)
8. Go to Staples and pick up stuff to make an office.
9. Throw dinner party.

So, there’s been a nice little discussion on one of the PAN loops for the last few days. Here’s hoping for a revitalization. It’s actually about sig lines on emails and what is most effective/least annoying. I’m a fan of the link to website and list of upcoming/current release (or naming most prestigious contest win, if you are unpubbed and have such things), myself. I am not a fan of any of the following: sig lines longer than three or four lines, graphics of any nature, lists of every book you ever had out or all seventy-five of your contest wins, long quotes from reviews and/or excerpts from your book. I mean, it’s nice that you write under thirteen names for four different publishers and have sixteen books coming out next year. You could probably benefit from a gateway site. Because after you get through:

Yes, I think we should definitely fix the RITAs.

Love,
Buffy Summers
w/a Willow Rosenburg
http://willowrosenberg.net
“Paranormal with a lesbian twist”
DESTROY THE WORLD IN TWO EASY STEPS, Berkley, 9/06
w/a Cordelia Chase
http://users.cordelia.aol.com/~chicklitsnotdead
“Chick Lit LA Style”
WHY GIRLS SHOULD NEVER CUT THEIR HAIR, Avon Trade, 12/05
w/a Xander Harris
“This guy writes military thrillers like I would.” — Willow Rosenberg
MILITARY GUY, St. Martins, 10/07

It’s getting a litte ridiculous. (Credit to Anna G for inspiration.)

So in other news, I was showing a friend my book at a bar last night and she screamed when she saw it. Actually screamed. That was exciting. Also, she wanted me to recommend to her “the best” romance novel. Any suggestions? My collection is sadly depleted of keepers, since I tend to give them away, and I got the idea she wanted a historical. I sent her off with THE COMPANION, since I really loved it, and also, I haven’t gotten around to reading Flowers From the Storm yet. Sorry, Gina.

(Please note: really just looking for something you think could be “the best” and would be a good entry into the genre for a new reader, so out of print 70s epics isn’t exactly what we’re looking for. What has hit your keeper shelf in the last few years?)

Actually, right now, I’m trying to slog through a historical debut that my friend Colleen gave me on our whirlwind trip through NYC (more details of which are TK, I promise!) and I’m just appalled that this particular book got published. The plot’s pretty good, since I do keep going back to it, but there are a BILLION characters, they’ve all got a viewpoint, and we have to hear the life story of every single one, no matter how minor and insignificant their role. Also, there are long swaths of dialogue that seem to serve the singular purpose of showing off some research the author did.

“Why, what an interesting doorway,” says character one.

“Well,” character two responds, “it was actually a gift from the Lord of Whatnot to Sir Blahblahblah when he returned from the war. See the carving there? It was designed in order to blah blah blah blah blah.”

“How fascinating,” says character one, who is probably a personage we shall never see again. “Of course, it is so difficult in our time period to polish brass knockers. Someday, someone will invent a much easier polishing solution that will make the maid’s job that much easier.”

“Indeed,” observes the second, oddly prescient. “Though by then, what use will the average middle clas household have for maids?”

And on thusly, until I want to pull my hair out.

Okay, I’m outtie. Don’t forget about the romance recs for my buddy!