THE ROARING TWENTIES

Posted by Leslie on September 14th, 2009 | No Comments

THE ROARING TWENTIES
A Romance Treasure Hunt!
20 authors, over 20 prizes, 20 chances to win. Read below to learn how to enter.
September 16-30

World War I is over, jazz music is blossoming, the flapper changes the definition of modern women, Art Deco is peaking, and the Great Depression looms! Go back to school (just for a few minutes) and learn about this fascinating era through photos. You’ll have a chance to win one, or perhaps several, prizes donated by some of your favorite romance writers!

Here’s how it works: Find one image (it won’t be hard) on each of the following websites. They could be Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie, a well known image from the Dust Bowl, or perhaps a flapper! You’ll know it when you see it. The more images you find (each author has only posted one image), the more chances you have to win. Find one image, you are entered once! Find twenty, and your name is entered twenty times!
One you have danced your way through the sites, email your answers to ciarcullen@gmail.com

NB: If you want to opt out of being put on any newsletter lists, please just tell us so in your answer email. We will NOT be offended! We promise that if you opt out, it will NOT affect your chances of winning.

Here’s how to answer: “I found a flapper on Betty’s new release page.” No links, please!

Easy? You bet. Want to get started? Here are your links! Contest opens 9/16 and closes 9/30 EST. Good luck. Now, 23 skidoo, scram. And have fun!

Pam Champagne
Prize: Two winner’s choice ebooks!

Michelle Pillow
Prize: Ebook Divinity Warriors: Lilith Enraptured

Imogen Howsen
Prize: Ebook Heart of the Volcano

Shelley Munro
Prize: Winner’s choice of download from her Ellora’s Cave, Cerridwen or Samhain backlist

Catherine Wade
Prize: Her latest release, Another Time Around

Debra Parmley
Prize: Ebook A Desperate Journey

Sharon Cullen
Prize: Ebook Obsession

Juniper Bell
Prize: Ebook The Extremist

Debbie Mumford
Prize: Ebook The Silver Casket

Leslie Dicken
Prize: Ebook Beauty Tempts the Beast

Carolan Ivey
Prize: Choice ebook or print A Ghost of a Chance: Legends, Book 2

Vivian Arend
Prize: eBook winner’s choice of backlist

Ciar Cullen
Prize: Ebook winner’s choice

Renee Wildes
Prize: Paperback Duality

Mychael Black
Prize: Ebook Blood & Fire

Eliza Gayle
Prize: EBooks Rope Dreams and Watch Me Hide

Skylar Kade
Prize: Ebook Maison Domine

Janna Lee Hayes
Prize: Ebook Drive Me Crazy

Sydney Somers
Prize: Winner’s choice download from backlist

Ella Drake
Prize: Ebook Scent of Cin

Pamela Fryer
Prize: Punch Studio Tiny Book

Meg Benjamin
Prize: Ebook Wedding Bell Blues

Find me on FACEBOOK

Posted by Leslie on October 27th, 2008 | No Comments

As you’ve no doubt noticed, I’m not blogging much here. I must be a singularly-focused kind of person. I can give MANY examples of this in my life, but for this case I’ve gone from blogging on my website routinely TO updating Twitter regularly TO keeping myself up to date on Facebook.

I don’t want to take down this website, or this blog, in case my focus swings around again. But in the meantime, I’d appreciate it if you’d click over to the “Tweets” page for a few updates of what’s going on — and then join Facebook and friend me, so that you can really keep yourself abreast of my life (because it’s been killing you that I’ve not been around, hasn’t it?)!

Must Visit!

Posted by Leslie on October 6th, 2008 | No Comments

I have to take a trip to NYC just to see this store! There’s some really cool pictures of it here!

Hey, how many places can you find penis bones???

In my absence

Posted by Leslie on October 2nd, 2008 | No Comments

since I’m too lazy tired overworked stressed uninspired distracted preoccupied busy to blog much these days, I offer you the following giggles:

more animals

more animals

more animals

more animals

more animals

more animals

Writer’s Envy

Posted by Leslie on September 17th, 2008 | No Comments

Click on image to enlarge.

Proof that more time exists!

Posted by Leslie on September 15th, 2008 | 2 Comments

No, I haven’t become a philosopher or scientist recently, I’ve just discovered more time. Now before someone gets me awarded the Nobel Prize (although I will take a Pulitzer, thankyouverymuch), I’ve just realized that I can’t use the excuse “I don’t have time to write.”

Since I started my little pet hobby of beading about a month ago (maybe less?), I’ve created over fifty pieces. Earrings. Bracelets. Watch bands. Zipper pulls. Cell phone straps. Necklaces. I do it when I get home from work. When my husband is sleeping. When the kids are standing next to me, driving me crazy. I do it the morning as I put my make-up on or at night when I’m taking the make-up off. On average, I create four pieces per day.

My “writing” desk has been overtaken lately….

What if I wrote four pages a day? That’s 120 a month. In three months I could have a complete book!!

Before I get myself too depressed, I have to admit to why beading and writing aren’t like comparing apples to apples.

1) Beading is visual. It just takes looking at colors and shapes to work the creative mind. Writing is internal brain — dialogue, characters, setting, plot, conflict, resolution, etc.

2) Writing requires (for me) a computer. Sometimes getting a working computer is not always easy in my house. Kids are on it, it’s broken, I can’t get a good signal, etc. And I can’t write pen to paper…my hands just aren’t cut out for it anymore. For beading I just need a desk or table and the materials.

3) Beading doesn’t require too much concentration. Once I know what I want to do, I can put it all together while the kids are yapping at me or constantly interrupting me. I can’t write with them hanging around. The voices in my head desert me in a flash when I’m constantly interrupted.

4) Beading gives you a finished product almost instantly. Within minutes I can have a new pair of earrings in my hand. I may have a few new written pages, but it’ll take me a loooong time to have a completed book.

5) Selling the finished product is entirely different. I can sell a keyring or bracelet to my neighbor, sister, coworker, or at a show. I can choose my price. Selling a book??!!! Don’t get me started on THAT process. And based on the royalties from my book sales, I’ll probably make more money with my jewelry.

So it’s true that time can be found to do something you love to do. But there are also various factors to consider when looking at what’s gotten accomplished. For me, I’m just trusting that my Muse is working secretly as she “oohs” and “ahhs” over the pretty, shiny things I’m creating.

Hodgepodge!

Posted by Leslie on September 9th, 2008 | No Comments

I’ve not been good at keeping up this blog. I know. Call it life. So here’s a hodgepodge of various things going on in my life and some interesting links or whatever!

I submitted the revised MARK OF THE MONSTER to 3 Seas Literary Agency. Cross your fingers for me. However, I’ve been MUCHO slacking on printing out my full manuscript and sending it to Kensington. Sigh. Slacker!

I’ve been spending my “free time” on something other than writing. But I’ll blog more about that at Writers At Play tomorrow.

If you’re good with numbers, it’s in your genes! (Which means my genes are quite lacking!)

Water Bears truly are indescructible! The question is — how does one actually die then??

And, as if we didn’t already know, there really are differences in the male and female brain!

And best quote from an article I’ve read:

The superfast evolution of the male dung beetle’s penis to wildly differing sizes in the same species could mean that new species appear within a few years rather than over millennia.

Mr. Marriott blogs and tweets!

Posted by Leslie on September 3rd, 2008 | No Comments

In my so-called real life, I work for Marriott International at their headquarters. The company is still run by the Marriott family. Mr. Marriott has an office right upstairs and is often seen eating in our cafeteria.

I knew he’d been blogging for a while now, although I hadn’t followed it much. But he’s now urging the presidential candidates to do it as a way to connect and communicate.

Apparently, he’s also knowledgable on Tweeting, as seen here:

If blogging takes too much time, my friend Blake Little, who helps me with my blog, suggested that McCain try micro blogging – something called Twitter where people write quick “Tweets” about what they’re doing or thinking. Blake told me more than 70,000 people follow Barack Obama and his campaign on Twitter. We’re even testing Twitter with our own Marriott site.

Just can’t get away from that new-fangled technology, can we?

More Amazing Talent

Posted by Leslie on August 27th, 2008 | 1 Comment

from my bestest pal and critique partner, Lisa. Her rendering of Gerry Seinfeild’s face on a romance novel got a “grape snort” from Smart Bitches, who started the whole thing with their snark for clinche covers.

Who says romance novels and sitcom TV don’t mix?