You know that great book budget you’re just itching to spend? Why not come down to Creatures’n'Crooks in Richmond and spend it there?

Help us save one of the best indy bookstores around.

More than 100 authors donated prizes that can be won all through the month of January and amazing stuff to be raffled off on the event day itself.

Meet some of your favorites, including yours truly!

Details

The Event: Saturday, January 31st from 1-4. Come for books, sugar-laden treats, and door prizes.

Who’s Involved: In short, over one hundred authors from across the country contributed to the dozen fabulous raffle prizes to be given away on the 31st. This event will be the culmination of a month-long contest in which customers will earn a raffle ticket for every $25 they spend during the month of January. (This includes phone customers). Weekly prizes will also be given away. These prizes will include signed books from authors in the field of mystery, fantasy, horror, nonfiction, and children’s fiction.

The authors attending the January 31st event at the bookstore as of this date are Katherine Neville, Donna Andrews, Ellen Crosby, Maria Lima, Ellen Byerrum, Andy Straka, Joseph Guion, John Gilstrap, Austin S. Camacho, Maggie Stiefvater, and J.B Stanley.

We are also getting contributions from big names in our field, including a vampire basket from Charlaine Harris, a character donation from Margaret Maron, gold and sapphire earrings from Denise Swanson, a Carolyn Hart prize, a culinary basket including goodies from Joanne Fluke, a Tiffany necklace and much, much more.

Information about the benefit is posted on Creatures ‘n Crook’s website as well as the organizer’s website: www.jbstanley.com.

Please help us save this charming Virginia bookstore! Call or stop in today.

Wishing the absolutely most fabulous of birthdays to two of the finest people ever.

First: to sister-of-the-heart and amazing crit-pal beledibabe . May today bring you joy, brilliance and everything you wish for.

Secondly: to the wonderful misspamela, whose prose and posts amuse me, entertain me and sometimes, just help keep me sane. May your day be as fabulous as you are.

Smooches and hugs to the both of you!!

Book pimping:
My buddy Cita Powers just published her first gay romance: Desperation Dancing via Lyrical Press. I helped beta versions of this and recommend it. The book just debuted yesterday and comes in all e-reader flavors, including Sony, Kindle, HTML and PDF.

Now, it’s off to the day job in the rain-turning-to-ice (EEP!)

I stayed up way late last night writing, then woke up way early this a.m. because groceries were being delivered between 7 and 9.

This totally meant that a nap was in order this afternoon and was accomplished marvelously. ::g::

Enjoying the rest of the evening watching Leverage.

Note to theamusedone: you were so right. I love it!. Tim Hutton, Christian Kane and gang have fun playing modern day Robin Hoods. Especially enjoying Aldis Hodge as the geek. (I remember him best from Friday Night Lights).

Am fascinated by the new Doctor. He’s not what I expected. Unusual and interesting looks and full of passion for the role. I think he’ll be great. (Yes, I know of the arguments for someone older, someone of colour, but when it comes down to it, none of us know what went on in the auditions, or the selection process and can’t second guess the decision).

Am still obsessively in love with matociquala‘s Stratford Man duology, part of her Promethean series. I’m on reading #3 and still finding bits and bobs that I didn’t notice before. I’ve bought yet another set of copies to give as a gift.

It’s been a long time since a series has captured me so well, and over the past few weeks, I’ve discovered three of these:
– Jenna Black’s Morgan Kingsley series
– Bear’s Promethean Man series (see link above)
– Maggie Stiefvater’s m_stiefvater Lament (which I’m now reading)

Another book rec, though non-series:
Jan Burke’s The Messenger – just out and a fascinating premise. I was privileged enough to read an advance copy and was captivated by the concept.

I LOVE being this entranced by books. Contrary to some beliefs, I get energized by reading fabulous books in the genre, even while I’m writing my own. I don’t know if this is because I have a very strong grounding in my own “voice”, but I don’t think that I’m influenced negatively by reading other fiction while in progress with my own book. I just get excited about writing all over again.

On a final note for the night, I’m very excited that AmberKatze’s Book Blog listed Blood Bargain as one of the best reads of 2008!