Friends
Nov. 8th, 2009
10:51 pm - 'The Secret' and 'Our Bodies Ourselves' must be out of frame
Many thanks to the kind Twitter follower who tipped me off and got me this picture.
Yes, it appears someone working stock in the book department at this store didn't quite grasp the subtle meaning of 'self help.' The bonus is that this was apparently taken at a Meijer, the Midwest superstore I miss so much and am always going on about because of their 24-hour access to everything. I guess that accessibility now extends to parents and teen psychologists who will no doubt be flocking here at all hours to stock up on tools of the trade.
Speaking of book categories, I have to correct something I mentioned a couple of days ago. I commented how the succubus series had been accidentally put in the teen section at Borders. Clarification: it was only one Borders that it happened at, and I'm sure it's long been fixed. There was no nationwide problem, I assure you, and Borders folks are always very good to me.
Nov. 6th, 2009
11:51 am - Down and dirty with deadlines and tours
So, I've been dodging people's questions about when I'm visiting the three poll-winning cities: New York, New Orleans, and Miami. When the poll originally went up, I said I'd be traveling in early November, but some of you have probably noticed that...well, it is early November and I'm not traveling. In fact, I'm sitting on my couch in pajamas right now.
What's the scoop? The tri-city trip has been postponed until January. I know this is disappointing to some people, but it comes as a result of something more important than me doing signings: finishing the books. Moving this tour to January was necessary for me to get Spirit Bound and Succubus Shadows done on time and not have their releases changed to later dates. It'd be great if I could do it all, but I'm guessing if it comes to a choice between meeting me or reading the books on time, you probably want choice #2.
As it is (and here's another question I've been dodging), the third Eugenie book (Iron Crowned) has already had its release bumped by a few months to January 2011. I'm sad about this, but again, it became necessary in order to make travel and the other deadlines work. It's a non-stop juggling act! If it helps, though, I believe Eugenie #4 will be coming out pretty quickly after #3.
So, yeah. I hate delivering news like this, but that's how it goes to keep these books coming out--and to keep them good! Rushing a book and having it turn out bad is a constant fear of mine. However, there's actually a bright side to me touring in January. Since the hardcover VA will have come out before then, I'll be able to sign them. And hey, if you get any holiday gift cards as presents, you'll be able to use them just in time! :)
Remember also that I'll be doing another big tour for Spirit Bound in May, though I have no dates or locations for that since I don't plan that (the cities are out of my control, guys!). There may also be some bits of other travel tucked in before then, but I hesitate to say more until I know more.
I'll leave you with my current work status, since I've also been asked about that. Spirit Bound and Succubus Shadows have synced up schedules, which makes things tricky. Right now, Spirit Bound is in its second round of revisions, probably with at least one more to go. Succubus Shadows is about to go into copy edits, which is the fine-tuning of a manuscript. Publishing schedules go: first draft, revisions, copy edits, proofing, and then production. So, it takes a while for the books to be officially "done." We're on our way, though! They'll be out on time. Thanks for understanding.
And as a random aside: several people wanted to know about the artist who does the German succubus covers. Her website is here.
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sadNov. 5th, 2009
01:15 pm - LiveJournal Major Notes: Spam counter-attack, RSS feeds again, CSI Deadly Intent contest
The empire strikes back
In recent weeks, we've taken huge steps towards blocking spam accounts on LiveJournal. In fact, we've suspended as many as 30,000 accounts in a single day! We've implemented several pre-emptive measures to prevent the creation of spam accounts, and we've honed our detection of suspicious content. Spam bots are a crafty lot, so we'll continue to refine our tactics and keep up the good fight to keep you safe from spam attacks on LiveJournal.RSS feeds again
If you're addicted to![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/syndicated.gif){kind=small}
xkcd_rss, icanhaschzbrgr, or other syndicated feeds, we're pleased to report that we've resolved the update error that was mucking up your RSS feeds. While content was being pulled correctly, it wasn't being posted to the feeds themselves. Late last week, we finally nailed down what we hope was the root problem, so content should post properly. We thank you for your patience. Wii have killer CSI Deadly Intent contests!
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small}
c_s_iIf you're a gamer who loves CSI, have Wii got news for you!
c_s_i is sponsoring killer contests. Simply post a question to a member of the CSI crew. The winner will get a free copy of CSI: Deadly Intent for Nintendo Wii (with a retail value of $39.99) and get their question answered by a member of the CSI writing team! There's also a fantastic monthly contest. To enter, join c_s_i, play the online version of CSI: Deadly Intent, and respond to a two-part query for a chance to win a Wii! Entries will be judged on composition and originality. Sorry, but you must be a U.S. resident and over 18 years old to participate. Check out the rules here. Enveloped in postcards
Last week, we asked you to send in postcards to help us decorate our drab concrete walls. Here's a photo of the results so far! Thank you so much and please keep them coming! You can mail them to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. Be sure to include your username, since we'll be giving ten random users paid account credits.
Photos of the week
If you haven't visited our new LiveJournal photo community, you're in for an amazing visual trip. LiveJournal users from around the world will take you on a scenic journey to everywhere. Post your own pictures or kick back and enjoy atlj_photophile. You can view some of this week's awesome photos after the jump. Please start tagging with geographic location, since we'd like to track all the places around the world represented in this community. Keep on commenting too!( Read more... )
11:44 am - Around the world in...one day
So, here's what we've got today: all sorts of international news. I'm way behind in updating the international section of my website, but since its last overhaul, I've had some sales in other countries.
In Georgina's world, succubus books have recently sold Vietnamese and Thai publishing rights. I didn't see those coming. Also since my last website update, Vampire Academy has sold rights in: Hungary, Israel, Vietnam, Japan, Denmark, and Indonesia. The international link above has info on all the other translations that have sold in the past.
I've mentioned this before, but once foreign rights are sold, the books kind of drop off the radar for me. I'm not always told when they'll come out, so I have no info about their publishing schedules. Some companies do fast translations; others don't. I also don't really have a lot of control over which countries buy publishing rights. My agency and publisher pitch the respective series to international publishers, and then it just depends on who makes an offer.
Anyway, here are covers of recent ones that have hit the shelves (or are about to) around the world. Thanks to Arancha for hunting down many of these.
Bulgarian Vampire Academy:
Swedish Shadow Kiss
Turkish Frostbite
Larger shot of the Russian Frostbite that I posted before:
German Succubus Dreams:
Hungarian Vampire Academy, similar to the German VA, plus it has its own website:
Good times. I don't control these covers any more than I control the US ones, but I love seeing how each culture interprets the story. It's always a fun surprise.
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lazyNov. 3rd, 2009
05:52 pm - Return of the blog
Man, I don't know when I became such a lazy blogger. It used to be I wouldn't go to bed unless I posted something, no matter how small. I guess my slacking is the product of work and tiredness. Those are respectable reasons, but I'll try to do better by you guys--especially since I'm behind on a lot of stuff. Future posts will have more foreign covers and the most astonishing store placement of one of my books since someone shelved Succubus Blues in the teen section at Borders.
First up, thanks to your awesomeness, I won Bitten By Books' Fave Paranormal Author 2009 poll. Now, I have a feeling I would have been crushed if some of the bigger candidates had rallied their fans out, but that's not relevant. What's important is that I asked my readers to get out and vote, and you guys did--in force. I was floored. So thank you, thank you. I'm continually amazed at how lucky I am to have such great readers. You guys really are the best.
And speaking of voting, it's Election Day! It's probably no surprise to anyone that my ballot was cast in a liberal direction. What is surprising is that November seems to have appeared out of nowhere. This is my birthday month, and I've never really shaken my childhood excitement whenever I hear the word November. It is a magical month, and growing up in Michigan, it used to be quite a coup if we could make it to my birthday without snow. It didn't happen very often. Here in Seattle, I have better luck--but after last winter, I should know better than to count on anything.
And guess what comes before November? Halloween! Here's how I spent mine.
Dressed like a cowgirl! Twice. I hosted a party one night and attended another a different night. Good times all around. We had a great turnout at our place, with lots of neat costumes. We also debuted one of the most atrocious substances known to mankind: bacon-flavored vodka.
Don't believe me? Let's let its logo speak for itself.
I like how they immediately answer the question that comes to everyone's minds right away. I also like that tagline because it really sums it all up nicely. I saw this a while ago at a store and decided the party needed it. Now, normally I try to avoid too much drinking talk around here, in deference to my pure and untainted teen readers. But I am over 21, and let's face it: bacon vodka is something that society needs to address.
Their website has some of the most godawful recipes I have ever seen, including a bacon chocolate martini and something called "swine flu shot." Crazier still is that liquor stores in the area keep selling out of it. What I have yet to learn, though, is if the people buying it ever come back for more. We got about 10 people to do simultaneous shots of that stuff, and let me tell you: the verdict was not good.
And that, kids, is why you shouldn't drink.
calmNov. 2nd, 2009
09:55 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 11/2/09
aiyatheydidnt
The Chinese version of ONTD, AIYA is a dynamic international community that welcomes users who share a love of contemporary Chinese pop culture. Dedicated to celebrity gossip and entertainment news, you'll enjoy gorgeous photos and breaking stories featuring the glitterati of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
09:53 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 11/2/09
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small}
wendylady2
Designed to rescue fashion victims everywhere, this Brit-based community reads like a rag-ezine. Published once or twice weekly, you'll view bizarre highlights of the global fashion scene through captivating photos and delightfully snarky editorial. Sit tight for a virtual fashion tour from the runways of New York to Milan to Paris and back home again to London in homage to the adage: you can't buy good taste.
09:51 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 11/2/09
soldiers_heart
A passionate community for veterans of all ages (mostly American), plus families, friends, and supporters. View poignant snapshots detailing life in combat and back on civilian soil in the form of original artwork, personal narratives, poetry, and photos. Be forewarned that members don't shy away from describing their disappointments, disabilities, and struggles.
Oct. 30th, 2009
05:17 pm - Network Maintenance - Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 04:00-05:00 GMT/UTC
EDIT: If you're reading this, our maintenance is OVER! The problem was not found on our equipment, which means we'll have to work with our ISP to fix this small problem -- which also means another maintenance window in the future -- but at least we have eliminated our side.
Thank you everyone, and a special shout out to rekoil for giving me a great suggestion AND also the opportunity to feel like I've just called in to a local radio station.
Have a great day, night or afternoon wherever you may be.
---
Hi everyone, sorry for the late notice but I'm going to have to do some testing on 1 of our 4 internet circuits TONIGHT; Friday night or Saturday morning depending on which time zone you're in.
Most of us shouldn't notice any impact, though there may be some slowness or lag when I switch traffic on to our other ISP circuits and then another hit when I stop the tests. If a page won't load or times out, try hitting refresh 1 or 2 times and it should load then. If it doesn't work at all... trust me, I'll be typing really really really fast to try to undo whatever I just did. Hopefully you'll have some Halloween candy (if you're in the USA and celebrate that kind of thing) nearby to take away the bitterness of a small site outage. :(
Here's the handy-dandy Website That I Always Use to get a feel for when the maintenance will start in your area. Our site traffic historically dips on Friday afternoons until Saturday morning which is why we tend to pick this time for maintenance work.
( tech details )
status.livejournal.org will, of course be updated before and after the maintenance window. Or else marta will get mad at me. :D
bt
02:57 pm - Tres bien
Happy Devil's Night! We're almost to Halloween, Samhain, Dia de los Muertos, or whatever dead-honoring holiday you like to celebrate. I can't blog long because I'm getting ready for some festivities, but we've got something cool here.lolcatz found this delight out on the web today:
Yup, it's the French cover of Succubus Dreams, and I have to admit, that's a pretty nice shot of Tawny. Those who know the book might agree with me that it's hard to believe she's so inept when she looks like that!
Lastly, I want to thank everyone who voted for me at Bitten By Books' Favorite Paranormal Author poll earlier this week. I think I was in fourth when I mentioned it here, and then four hours later, I was in first. You guys rock the house. I'm kind of stunned. Thank you so much! If you still want to cast a vote over there, the poll is still going on through tomorrow.
My pal Mark Henry has also done a video blog at BBB today, so if you're going over there, leave a comment to his post because he's on a quest to break 1228. If you're not sure what to comment, I would recommend quizzing him on just how hawt he thinks Dimitri is. The videos represent Mark's usual, uh, adult sense of humor, so I can't endorse viewing them if you're at work, in your teens, or easily offended. That shouldn't stop you from commenting, though. And remember, if you haven't voted in the favorite author poll, it's over on the right side of the screen. Here's the link to vote for me (or whoever you want) and comment for him.
I'll do some kind of giveaway here in his honor if he manages to hit his goal today. Have a great night!
complacentOct. 29th, 2009
10:53 am - LiveJournal Major Notes: Search super-tweak, postcards, and amazing user content!
In response to user comments from last week, we want to let you know that we'll remain LJ cut-free for the next month in order to get more eyeballs on our evolving newsletter. As for product coverage, that continues to be our top priority. For more granular detail, however, we recommend you join lj_releases.
Super-tweak for Yandex search
Some of our beta testers expressed privacy concerns using the Yandex search engine. Here's why: Last week, when you ran a search, you could see the usernames (and only the usernames) of everyone who commented on an entry, even if that entry was switched to Private or Friends Only after it was originally indexed. You could NOT see the actual comments from Friends Only or Private posts. In response to your input, we've implemented a fix to keep all user activity currently marked Friends Only or Private completely hidden. If you'd prefer your public content not to be indexed by Yandex, click here and use the settings labeled Search Inclusion (this covers your entire journal) and/or Comment Search Inclusion (which covers comments only). To test drive Yandex search now, click here.Postcards from the edge
Several years ago, we asked LiveJournal users to send postcards to help us decorate our dull, white-washed offices. Since a good idea warrants repetition, we're at it again (same issue, new address). We hope you'll surround us with LiveJournal love by sending your postcards to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. We'll post snapshots right here. Be sure to include your username, since we'll randomly pick 10 lucky recipients to win free paid account time.Conquer Writer's Block
Here are some excerpts from this week's most popular question of the day:If a friend or relative makes a racist or homophobic remark, do you tend to confront them or let it slide? Are you more likely to confront them if it offends you directly or someone else who seems reluctant to speak up?
- I find it easier to stand up for other people, and i wouldn't let it slide if they made a rude or hurtful comment.
- Usually if a friend makes a racist or homophobic remark, I tend to let it slide. I think that while i would not say such things myself, I have no right to censor those around me.
- This happens all of the time. I confront some relatives, but I refuse to if they are drunk or watch Fox News.
- I'd let it slide if it was just a private remark... As much as I despise bigotry and intolerance, I know that you can't change people-they have to change themselves ...
- Confront! confront! confront! Politely, but without equivocation.
- SPEAK UP. Always, always, always speak up. Letting something slide lets ignorance win. No matter if it offends me directly, or someone else, I will confront the speaker and let them know that's not ok.
- I don't get offended personally. As an immigrant, woman, gay and person of color if I took every single potentially offensive remark seriously I wouldn't get anything done.
- I punch them in the balls. With my mind.
- I do speak up, but often very timidly because I feel that I'm white and therefore I don't really have any authority to lecture someone on what's racist and what isn't...
- Generally speaking, I do not let this shit fly, because it reduces me as a person, to this non-person and it replicates the destructive discourse that makes sure that sexual minorities, racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, trans people and every intersection thereof into something other than human... And sometimes... I'm just too tired to deal with it, so I roll my eyes, make a sarcastic remark and hope the conversation moves on quickly.
writersblock. FYI, we don't want to invade your privacy, so we haven't credited individual users for their responses. We'd appreciate your feedback on this! Spotlight community of the week
We can't resist making one last midnight trip to the ol' pumpkin patch. If you adore crazy costumes, fiendish festivities, and bottomless candy consumption as much as we do, this community has just what it takes to light up your jack-o-lantern.
halloween_fanPhotos of the week
We received so many incredible photos, we had to close our eyes and point. We uploaded a selection of awesome images at our newlj_photophile community. Please join and start posting (try to keep the width at around 625 for the sake of consistency)! We'd love for you to tell us more about your photos! You can help us select spotlight photos by commenting on your favorites. Once again, we thank you for making our online world more beautiful! |
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| shutter | pancetta | ilya_gorokhov |
Curtains
Thanks, again, for tuning in. We look forward to seeing you next week.Oct. 28th, 2009
02:03 pm - In Soviet Russia, wedding dress alters you
So, today I went to get fitted for wedding dress alterations. Contrary to the potential six weeks I was quoted, the dress came into the store in only two weeks. That certainly takes the pressure off.
Anyways, some of you know I was married before. At that wedding, ten years ago, I weighed 40 pounds more than I do today. So, you can imagine how excited I am to be wearing a much slimmer dress this time. I am so excited, in fact, that I've been going to great pains to make sure that dress looks as good as it can. I'm back with a trainer at the gym and tracking calories on my refrigerator again to make sure I'm hitting the marks.
Going along with this, it was also extremely important to me that the dress be taken in as much as was absolutely possible. I figured between losing a few more pounds at the gym before the wedding and the fact that the dress's top has boning in it, getting that baby altered to an uber-small size wouldn't be a problem. Well - I foresaw one problem. I was afraid the seamstress would say something silly like, "I need to leave some room so you'll be comfortable" or "Breathing is important" or "Will you be able to sit?"
Well, no such worries today. I met with the seamstress who, as it turns out, grew up in Soviet Eastern Europe. In keeping with every stereotype I have, this lady--while super nice--was also really hardcore about her business. Me being comfortable never even came up, and she was the one who jumped right in with, "Okay, we need to get a certain silhouette here." And man, did she do it. There was a whole lot of pinning and lacing going on, the full extent of which became clear when I was driving home and realized how relieved my stomach was. For those worrying I'm going to be in a straight jacket, have no fears. It's not that bad, but it's definitely keeping me on track with the gym regiment. The seamstress seemed very apologetic that she would have to take the dress in, which I didn't understand at first. Having a small dress made smaller is quite an ego trip. But you know what's not small? The labor and cost for cutting through heavy fabric and boning. Yikes.
Still, all things considered, I guess that crazy mom on Toddlers and Tiaras who kept telling her poor child "Beauty is pain" was right. Apparently that was true in the Soviet era as well. I've got some pretty tall heels too, which my feet are grudgingly getting used to. I can handle that, so long as it doesn't turn into "Beauty is a sprained ankle." And no matter what else Toddlers and Tiaras has taught me, I refuse to wear fake teeth or hair pieces. I will also not be dancing like a stripper in front of judges who are thirty years older than me, but hopefully that goes without saying.
Anyway, I leave you with a couple of things. For those who keeping asking to see the wedding ensemble, again: no postings until after the wedding. Not just for lolcatz's sake, but also because...well, it ruins the surprise all around.
I'll also be harassing you about this all week: Bitten By Books is down to the finals in its Favorite Paranormal Author 2009 poll. I'm in the finals, as are some other good people. If you feel like voting, the link is here on the right side of the screen.
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amusedOct. 26th, 2009
07:48 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 10/26/09
halloween_fan
Here at LiveJournal, we never balk at an opportunity for high drama, wicked costumes, and gluttonous sugar consumption. But this community takes it one step further: Here, everyday is Halloween. Of course, the hallowed eve is particularly sacred to this spirited crowd. If you're looking for last-minute costume ideas for your black cat, faux eyeball candy, or stand-out haunted houses, dive in for a splash of pagan merriment.
07:46 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 10/26/09
picturing_food
Designing gourmet? Feast your eyes on these pixel perfect dishes with an accent on presentation. A visual smorgasbord of eclectic cuisine, ranging from fusion to down-home comfort foods. If the way to your heart is through your stomach and the way to your stomach is through your eyes, you're sure to leave with a good taste in your mouth.
07:44 am - Spotlights: Homepage Spotlight 10/26/09
bookish
Passionate readers share well-penned reviews on a broad sweep of genres, including fiction, YA, sci-fi, paranormal, fantasy, and good ol' pot-boiling suspense. Those of a lit crit persuasion are invited to introduce themselves before posting. And for the silent majority who prefer to bask in our neighbors' labors, there are thoughtful reviews, book list suggestions, and even great gift ideas to keep your library card and dowtime filled.