I just sent in my order for this year’s holiday cards and as I did last year, will be sending out to whomever wants one.

Please post your snail mail addy in the comments (screened and only visible by me) if you’d like a card.

Cheers!!

The thanking stuff:
clicky to read the thankful stuff

A while back, I wanted to create a logo for Keira, and for the overall series as a brand. (this also comes into play in BLOOD KIN).

Thanks to my awesome designer, Alex Pineda, I can haz logo. (Alex is also Creative Director at Matrix Group, where I work). He just took my pitiful Photoshop sketch ideas and made it good.

From Blood Lines Series

Thanks to my utter lack of sleep tonight (yes, the insomnia fairy struck with a vengeance), I kind of created a really, really basic CafePress store. Eventually, when I have (a) sleep and (b) time, I’ll make it all pretty and create some tshirts and such. This is mostly for fun at this point, so what the heck!

Hope all of my U.S. buddies are planning for a lovely Turkey Day weekend! I’ll be at home, writing, as per usual.

A very quick post to say that I am still working hard on BLOOD HEAT (working title) a.k.a. Blood Lines #4, thus the silence.

I do manage to tweet more often, so you can find me on Twitter.

Furniture is mostly in place, except, of course, for the bookcases. All books and such are still in boxes, so 1/2 of my apartment still resembles a trash heap. As soon as I turn in book 4, finishing the apartment redecorating/organizing is the next thing on my agenda.

Weather here is oddly warm, so Thanksgiving being next week is really feeling quite odd.

Hope everyone is well, safe, productive and all those lovely things.

::goes back to the writing immersion::

Today is sadly living up to its reputation.

Woke up WAY late this a.m., thanks to combo of normal meds and flexeril for my aching back. As in nearly noon. Arrgh, there went my morning writing time. It’s my normal Friday day off and I usually get TONS done in the morning, but not today.

I succumbed to the groggies and ordered from Domino’s for lunch. They forgot part of my order and I’ve been too brain stupid to call them. Srsly, between the unending rain, the back muscles complaining and the residue of meds, I think I might just fire today altogether.

GOOD THINGS: (and which I will focus on)

• Finally got my Locus subscription straightened out, thanks to the wonderful people there. November issue has a short review of BLOOD KIN and they liked it!! (sadly, I must AVOID Amazon reviews, b/c there were a couple of fairly bad ones there. Why do we obsess over those, when 99% of the real reviews (blogs, pro reviewers) are great?)
• Archive of our Own is now in Open Beta, w00t!! If you are in need of an invite, I have ONE. So, first come, first served. Please comment below. TAKEN!
• Got good feedback from betas on BLOOD HEAT (Blood Lines #4), there is some work to do at the beginning, but that’s what I’d figured.
• The Morrigan (my new netbook) is FABULOUS. Despite the teeny keyboard (I have big hands), it’s wonderful to use as an eBook reader. I downloaded Kindle for PC, and voila, my Kindle purchased books are easily downloaded & read. Makes up for those times when I’ve utterly forgotten my Kindle and have resorted to BEGGING for something to read.
• John Scalzi discusses Yuletide and proves that, once more, he utterly rocks.

Now, it’s back to the writing.

Before the day ends on my side of the world, I just wanted to post and remember – those who have served, those who serve now, and those who will serve their respective countries’ armed forces.

It is because of you many of us sleep safe in our beds at night.

It is because of you that some of us were able to leave a country ruled by a dictator and come to live in a place where speech is free.

It is because of you that many survive who would otherwise not.

War is horrible. War is awful and many times unnecessary. But your service, no matter where or when, overseas or on home soil, will ALWAYS count–will ALWAYS be important.

Thank you.
Merci bien.
Muchas Gracias.
…in all the languages of human kind.

Over at SmartPopBooks. (NOTE: there ARE spoilers for last week’s episode #5×08, so please avoid if you haven’t watched and care not to be spoiled).

This is a follow up to my essay, Another Roadside Attraction in the IN THE HUNT anthology, where I wrote about the Trickster. That essay is available until the end of the week for FREE at the site.

Via their Twitter account: @smartpopbooks

Today’s free essay: Another Roadside Attraction (on Supernatural & the Trickster!) by moi. SPN’s Trickster…by his actions changes the primary characters at an essential level" We’ll see how he does so tonight!

(or Dawn’s in trouble)…Oh wait, it’s Wednesday? Oh yeah.

Well, actually, every day is a writing day now as I approach deadline. Hi, my name is Maria and I’m a binge writer.

My buddy Jaye Wells explains this better on her blog, and talks about how she’s learning to write every day. Frankly, it would make my life a LOT easier. She give a lot of very good advice. I believe I shall follow it…as soon as this book is out the door at the end of the month.

I’ve gotten some excellent fan mail regarding the series. Thanks to all of you who take the time to email me. It’s a blast getting fan mail. I love to hear from my readers. Don’t be shy! I don’t bite…only my vampires do, and if you’re willing. ::g::

Blood Kin is still holding its own on the Amazon rankings (which, granted, are impossible to know how they’re computed, but I don’t really have any other measure until I get my royalty statement…in > year). So thanks again! I am so very much appreciative of your support. Most days I really have to pinch myself to realize that this is all TRUE. My books that I wrote are in STORES and LIBRARIES and published by a reputable press. It really is a dream come true.

On that note, I shall bid you all a good night.

Today’s word count: 4334

To the voters in my home state of Virginia who elected a right-wing misogynist asshole,
To those of you in Maine who overturned a human right and continue to disenfranchise fellow humans: 

I hope your self-righteous self-serving smug faces sleep well at night knowing how fucked up you’ve made the rest of our lives.

—

I am angry and sad and generally feeling defeated today after seeing the election results.