To come to the Changeling party and read excerpts from the nominated books, just join the Changeling Press readers loop.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Red Carpet party
No, it's not to do with the Oscars or the Baftas (I do love a good 'what the hell was she wearing' session after those, though), but with the romance novel awards season, unsurprisingly timed to coincide with Valentine's Day.
To come to the Changeling party and read excerpts from the nominated books, just join the Changeling Press readers loop.
To come to the Changeling party and read excerpts from the nominated books, just join the Changeling Press readers loop.
Cat hit by mouse
No, really.
It's his own fault (I was going to take a picture of the mouse teetering on the edge, his paw on the wire, but as I hit the button he actually pulled it down on himself).
It's a good job he's pretty.
It's his own fault (I was going to take a picture of the mouse teetering on the edge, his paw on the wire, but as I hit the button he actually pulled it down on himself).
It's a good job he's pretty.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
The Overtures
So last night we went to a 50th birthday party. The birthday boy is the other half of the duo my brother plays in--his daughters joke he's their adopted brother. Anyway, we get there and they're going on about the Overtures, and how fabulous it is to book them, and can you believe they're playing here? And my mum and I exchange confused glances. The who? (Incidentally, The Who really is one of the best band names ever, isn't it?).
The Overtures, my dad says. They played at Elton John's wedding. Paul McCartney said they played the Beatles songs better than the Beatles did. They're the best 60s tribute band in the country. I'd have thought a 50th birthday party was a slight step down, unless it's, you know, Sarah Ferguson's or something, but what do I know?
So, there you go: that's what I have in common with Paul and Elton. The band really were fantastic. Apparently when my brother saw them last they were just a good tribute band. Now they have roadies. Roadies in band t-shirts. That's progress.
Anyway, none of this has anything to do with anything, I just thought I'd mention it. Other news for today includes: being reminded about the CAPA awards, which are the only reason I'm getting out of bed on Thursday; and a letter to tell me I didn't get the job at the animal shelter. Probably they were afraid I'd start stealing cats. Which is ridiculous. I'd probably only steal kittens.
The Overtures, my dad says. They played at Elton John's wedding. Paul McCartney said they played the Beatles songs better than the Beatles did. They're the best 60s tribute band in the country. I'd have thought a 50th birthday party was a slight step down, unless it's, you know, Sarah Ferguson's or something, but what do I know?
So, there you go: that's what I have in common with Paul and Elton. The band really were fantastic. Apparently when my brother saw them last they were just a good tribute band. Now they have roadies. Roadies in band t-shirts. That's progress.
Anyway, none of this has anything to do with anything, I just thought I'd mention it. Other news for today includes: being reminded about the CAPA awards, which are the only reason I'm getting out of bed on Thursday; and a letter to tell me I didn't get the job at the animal shelter. Probably they were afraid I'd start stealing cats. Which is ridiculous. I'd probably only steal kittens.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
RT gives I, Spy? four stars!
Yay! Yippee! And...um...that's about all I can say, actually, since as I'm not a subscriber I can't read the whole damn review, just the rating. I shall be looking for a copy of Romantic Times in town today, but hopes are slender, since I've never seen one there before.
If you are a subscriber, you can see the review here--and pelase tell me what it says!
If you are a subscriber, you can see the review here--and pelase tell me what it says!
Monday, February 04, 2008
Here Kitty Kitty
I don't know how or why it's taken me so long to write a werecat book, but I finally got my arse in gear and did. Here Kitty Kitty is out 22nd Feb from Changeling, and I've just been sent the gorgeous cover for it!
Nathan and Wolfe always fought like cat and dog -- because that's what they are. But there are some things that test even the loyalty of a werewolf, and now the ruthless jaguar shifter is Wolfe's number one enemy.
Nathan and Wolfe always fought like cat and dog -- because that's what they are. But there are some things that test even the loyalty of a werewolf, and now the ruthless jaguar shifter is Wolfe's number one enemy.
Newly bitten by a shifter, Kat's trying to juggle student life in a strange city with turning into a big cat once a month. If that's not enough, she's in heat, and the fever is only soothed by the darkly handsome Wolfe, who's more than happy to satisfy her mating needs.
But someone else is chasing Kat: the wickedly sensual Nathan, seducing his way across continents to find her. Does he really want to help Kat, or is he just out for revenge against his former partner? And when he catches her, Kat's going to have to decide whether she wants the loyal Wolfe or the insanely exciting Nathan.
Or is it possible for her to have both?
Friday, February 01, 2008
Something weird
So, I picked up a bag I hadn't used in a while, and found some loose change in the bottom. Last time I used this bag was apparently when I went to Dublin for the day with Amy, because I found the flight itinerary and the coins were Euros.
For those of you who don't know, the Euro was adopted as a single currency by about a dozen countries, mostly mainland Western Europe, in 1999, and by 2002 had totally replaced individual currencies like the Franc and the Lira (and thank God, because last time I visited Italy the Lira was worth about 0.003 of a penny).
Anyway. Several EU countries didn't adopt the currency (according the the Euro website, this is either because they 'opted-out' or because they didn't meet the criteria. I don't know what these criteria are, but I don't think it's to do with having a strong economy, since Slovenia's in and Sweden is out). The UK is one of the countries to Just Say No...and yet, I notice we're included in the little logo on the Euro coins.
Why is this? The 20c coin there is Greek and minted in 1999, when there might still have been some debate about the UK joining (and learn a new currency? There are people here who still think in pounds, shillings and pence. Well, up until 1971 we still used them). But the 50c coin came from Ireland in 2002. Why does the logo still have the UK on it?
According to the website, it's because we're in the Euro Area but have Opted Out. Which is basically saying that we haven't officially said no yet (unlike, say Switzerland or Norway, who were smart enough to not get inolved in the first damn place). Is this so that when Mr Bean sells out to the EU, they won't have to make new coins? I think it is. I think they planned it all along.
Just remember, you heard it here first. Okay, you probably didn't, but pretend you did, k?
For those of you who don't know, the Euro was adopted as a single currency by about a dozen countries, mostly mainland Western Europe, in 1999, and by 2002 had totally replaced individual currencies like the Franc and the Lira (and thank God, because last time I visited Italy the Lira was worth about 0.003 of a penny).
Anyway. Several EU countries didn't adopt the currency (according the the Euro website, this is either because they 'opted-out' or because they didn't meet the criteria. I don't know what these criteria are, but I don't think it's to do with having a strong economy, since Slovenia's in and Sweden is out). The UK is one of the countries to Just Say No...and yet, I notice we're included in the little logo on the Euro coins.
Why is this? The 20c coin there is Greek and minted in 1999, when there might still have been some debate about the UK joining (and learn a new currency? There are people here who still think in pounds, shillings and pence. Well, up until 1971 we still used them). But the 50c coin came from Ireland in 2002. Why does the logo still have the UK on it?
According to the website, it's because we're in the Euro Area but have Opted Out. Which is basically saying that we haven't officially said no yet (unlike, say Switzerland or Norway, who were smart enough to not get inolved in the first damn place). Is this so that when Mr Bean sells out to the EU, they won't have to make new coins? I think it is. I think they planned it all along.
Just remember, you heard it here first. Okay, you probably didn't, but pretend you did, k?
I just had to buy this
Especially since it's actually a kid's t-shirt (yes! I can fit into kid's clothes! Well, sorta), and was therefore only £3.50. I love supermarket clothes.
In case you can't read it (I tried to stretch it out but I'm, er, not very flat anywhere) it says Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate. Since it was actually on a stand facing the vomitorious Valentines displays (can you tell I loathe V-Day?), I thought it was especially funny.
In case you can't read it (I tried to stretch it out but I'm, er, not very flat anywhere) it says Forget love, I'd rather fall in chocolate. Since it was actually on a stand facing the vomitorious Valentines displays (can you tell I loathe V-Day?), I thought it was especially funny.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
How to improve Britain
So, I'm reading the News Review from the Times, which isn't really a review of the news so much as a set of regular columns where clever, funny people say clever, funny things about topics that are slightly relevant to something clever, funny people are currently talking about. I usually read it for Jeremy Clarkson, because while I don't always agree with that he says, I do find him bloody entertaining, and rather clever.
He mentioned the Government's new plan to make cookery classes compulsory for all schoolchildren. It's about damn time, because when I was at secondary school, we had one 'Food Technology' lesson a fortnight. It was for an hour. Maybe once every five or six weeks we had a 'practical' lesson--however practical you can be when you've an hour to prepare, cook and clean up after yourself (and it was always made clear to me that the cleaning up was WAY more important than the cooking). The rest were spent talking bollocks about how to add more fibre to an apple pie recipe, or being miseducated about vegetarianism (although that was kind of fun, if only to see the look on her face when I said that I'd been vegetarian for something like seven or eight years, and clearly knew way more about it than she did).
Anyway. Clarkson also reckons that children should be taught other practical skills, like how to fix your sink, or at least how to speak Polish so you can communicate with the guy you're paying to do it. I think these are both much more useful than algebra or Thomas Hardy (if I ever meet
Doctor Who, the first thing I'd do is go back 150 years and stamp on Thomas Hardy's fingers before he ever learned to pick up a pen. Actually, that's a lie. The first thing I'd do with the Doctor is shag him).
I reckon a useful thing would be to scrap maths lessons once kids have learned how to add, subtract, divide and multiply. Instead, use the time to teach them how to fill out a tax return. That's a practical application of maths, isn't it? Or maybe they could use it to cook a complicated meal, with different foods being cooked for different times at different temperatures. God knows I'd have appreciated that, instead of all the algebra bollocks which I still find completely useless.
On another page of the Review is a collection of various ideas from various notable bods on how to improve Britain. Nicolas Sarkozy apparently has 300 ideas on how to improve France (must not comment on how it needs more than 300...must not...oh, dammit). These people were asked for one each. Some were very sensible, like Jilly Cooper calling for harsher punishments on people who are cruel to animals (a fine? Fuck off. Kick, burn and starve them, see how they like it). Rory Bremner thinks a national service of community projects is a good idea (I reckon every teenager should be forced to work in a shop, cafe or airport, so that when they're older and richer, they might have some empathy for the person getting paid minimum wage to be shouted at all day). Grayson Perry would ban chewing gum. Bob Geldof would tow the country 300 miles south to a more tropical climate (but if we just contradicted your advice, Saint Bob, global warming would do it all for us).
Myself, I'm wondering why the Government hasn't hit upon the idea of taxing fat people. Pretty much every day we're told how we're all going to die of obesity, perhaps expanding like Violet Beauregarde, or perhaps just crushing our own bones and organs under layers and layers of fat. Either way, the Government's usual approach to something it considers bad for us, or the environment, is to tax the hell out of it. This, of course, has never stopped anyone drinking, smoking, or driving a car, but it might cause a bit of guilt, and it certainly raises lots of money that they can then spend on failing to teach children anything useful. So why, I've often wondered, don't they tax high-fat foods? And clothes for fat people. They could even use the money to subsidise the production of healthy foods, or gym memberships, or even medical care for people whose obesity isn't caused by too many pies--but that, of course, would just be ridiculous.
He mentioned the Government's new plan to make cookery classes compulsory for all schoolchildren. It's about damn time, because when I was at secondary school, we had one 'Food Technology' lesson a fortnight. It was for an hour. Maybe once every five or six weeks we had a 'practical' lesson--however practical you can be when you've an hour to prepare, cook and clean up after yourself (and it was always made clear to me that the cleaning up was WAY more important than the cooking). The rest were spent talking bollocks about how to add more fibre to an apple pie recipe, or being miseducated about vegetarianism (although that was kind of fun, if only to see the look on her face when I said that I'd been vegetarian for something like seven or eight years, and clearly knew way more about it than she did).Anyway. Clarkson also reckons that children should be taught other practical skills, like how to fix your sink, or at least how to speak Polish so you can communicate with the guy you're paying to do it. I think these are both much more useful than algebra or Thomas Hardy (if I ever meet
Doctor Who, the first thing I'd do is go back 150 years and stamp on Thomas Hardy's fingers before he ever learned to pick up a pen. Actually, that's a lie. The first thing I'd do with the Doctor is shag him).I reckon a useful thing would be to scrap maths lessons once kids have learned how to add, subtract, divide and multiply. Instead, use the time to teach them how to fill out a tax return. That's a practical application of maths, isn't it? Or maybe they could use it to cook a complicated meal, with different foods being cooked for different times at different temperatures. God knows I'd have appreciated that, instead of all the algebra bollocks which I still find completely useless.
On another page of the Review is a collection of various ideas from various notable bods on how to improve Britain. Nicolas Sarkozy apparently has 300 ideas on how to improve France (must not comment on how it needs more than 300...must not...oh, dammit). These people were asked for one each. Some were very sensible, like Jilly Cooper calling for harsher punishments on people who are cruel to animals (a fine? Fuck off. Kick, burn and starve them, see how they like it). Rory Bremner thinks a national service of community projects is a good idea (I reckon every teenager should be forced to work in a shop, cafe or airport, so that when they're older and richer, they might have some empathy for the person getting paid minimum wage to be shouted at all day). Grayson Perry would ban chewing gum. Bob Geldof would tow the country 300 miles south to a more tropical climate (but if we just contradicted your advice, Saint Bob, global warming would do it all for us).
Myself, I'm wondering why the Government hasn't hit upon the idea of taxing fat people. Pretty much every day we're told how we're all going to die of obesity, perhaps expanding like Violet Beauregarde, or perhaps just crushing our own bones and organs under layers and layers of fat. Either way, the Government's usual approach to something it considers bad for us, or the environment, is to tax the hell out of it. This, of course, has never stopped anyone drinking, smoking, or driving a car, but it might cause a bit of guilt, and it certainly raises lots of money that they can then spend on failing to teach children anything useful. So why, I've often wondered, don't they tax high-fat foods? And clothes for fat people. They could even use the money to subsidise the production of healthy foods, or gym memberships, or even medical care for people whose obesity isn't caused by too many pies--but that, of course, would just be ridiculous.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
In the flesh
I almost forgot. Well, actually, I did forget, but now I've remembered. Look what I got today!
The first time I've actually had my own copies of Almost Human in print. Awww. They're so beautiful. Well, actually, I don't love the new cover (she is wearing jeans, and he really does look blond to me), but they're beautiful like a red, bawling newborn is. Sort of figuratively.
The first time I've actually had my own copies of Almost Human in print. Awww. They're so beautiful. Well, actually, I don't love the new cover (she is wearing jeans, and he really does look blond to me), but they're beautiful like a red, bawling newborn is. Sort of figuratively.
Karma-type stuff
Soul feeling a little worn-out? In need of some spiritual spring-cleaning? Well, look no further! With just a couple of clicks, you can petition the government (British citizens/residents only) to create a public holiday to commemorate Remembrance Day.
Okay, that's crass. But I think it's a really good idea: Armistice Day is formally celebrated on a Sunay, when it doesn't inconvenience anyone. Well, it damn well should. If it made a difference to people's working weeks, they might remember it more. It's hard enough to remind people to observe a minute's silence at 11 am, on the 11th day of the 11th month (see? Really hard to bring to mind). War is a horrible, shitty thing, and to die for your country, whether in a great, popular Cause-type war, or a stupid, unpopular crusade, is something that shouldn't just be remembered whenever it's convenient.
Okay, rant over. The other karma-type thing is I went for my interview at the animal shelter and it seemed to go quite well. They have so many lovely cats there! There's one enclosure where they have three cats who are FIV--like HIV for felines. Since they can't really be allowed to come into contact with other cats or the outside for fear of catching something, it's really hard to rehome them. It's a shame, because they're really sweet cats.
Oh, and they had three young kitlets--not tiny kittens, maybe six months old. Black and white, fluffy as anything. God, I wanted to bring them home!
Can't imagine Spike being too pleased, though.
Okay, that's crass. But I think it's a really good idea: Armistice Day is formally celebrated on a Sunay, when it doesn't inconvenience anyone. Well, it damn well should. If it made a difference to people's working weeks, they might remember it more. It's hard enough to remind people to observe a minute's silence at 11 am, on the 11th day of the 11th month (see? Really hard to bring to mind). War is a horrible, shitty thing, and to die for your country, whether in a great, popular Cause-type war, or a stupid, unpopular crusade, is something that shouldn't just be remembered whenever it's convenient.
Okay, rant over. The other karma-type thing is I went for my interview at the animal shelter and it seemed to go quite well. They have so many lovely cats there! There's one enclosure where they have three cats who are FIV--like HIV for felines. Since they can't really be allowed to come into contact with other cats or the outside for fear of catching something, it's really hard to rehome them. It's a shame, because they're really sweet cats.
Oh, and they had three young kitlets--not tiny kittens, maybe six months old. Black and white, fluffy as anything. God, I wanted to bring them home!
Can't imagine Spike being too pleased, though.
Monday, January 21, 2008
1,2,3,4, let's play kitten war
Okay, Alysia, this is all your fault. I'm now reduced to checking Kitten War a gazillion times a day just to see if Spike's up there yet. And once he is, I'll be searching him out and, like, making him beat the other kittens. Because he is SO the cutest.
See? Proud mama.
And here's a LOLcat I made of Sugar, just for shits'n'giggles. Might send it to them, if I can be bothered.
See? Proud mama.
And here's a LOLcat I made of Sugar, just for shits'n'giggles. Might send it to them, if I can be bothered.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
This week's news round-up
Well, I've been working on finishing (rather late, sorry sorry nice editor!) the next Sundown book for Changeling. It's about a werecat on heat and a swordfighting werewolf who looks like Richard Armitage. Because yes, the flame of my crush still burns brightly. Have a picture.
Also in the crush category is the original and best James Marsters, who appeared as a guest star on Torchwood on Wednesday. Now, I wasn't entirely sure how much I loved Torchwood when it started, last year. Maybe it's John Barrowman, who is certainly very handsome but looks a little like a Ken doll. Or maybe it's that this sexy, smart, alien-battling outfit is based in Cardiff, where nothing has ever or will ever happen (sorry, all those who live in Cardiff, I'm sure it's fab, but you've got to admit basing Torchwood there is just weird). But I suppose the whole point of Torchwood is weird. And mad. And sexy. And dangerous.
So, having JM turn up as Captain Jack's former partner 'in every way', worked fine for me. Especially since he established his sexy psychopath credentials in the first ten minutes by, in chronological order, intervening in a fight and throwing the aggressor off a building; evicting all the ugly people from a bar and then threatening them with guns; snogging Captain Jack then beating the crap out of him; then downing half a bottle of neat vodka and admitting he'd just come out of rehab for drugs, alcohol, sex and murder.
And I really like his jacket, too.
Also on Wednesday I got offered an interview for a weekend job at Wood Green Animal Shelters in Heydon. I've had a soft spot for Wood Green ever since the very nice lady there matched us up with Honey, who was the Perfect Dog (at least in restrospect, when compared to the Demon Puppy). Heydon is the smaller of their two sites and deals mostly with cats and small animals. Cats, people. And they pay people to do this?
Also in the crush category is the original and best James Marsters, who appeared as a guest star on Torchwood on Wednesday. Now, I wasn't entirely sure how much I loved Torchwood when it started, last year. Maybe it's John Barrowman, who is certainly very handsome but looks a little like a Ken doll. Or maybe it's that this sexy, smart, alien-battling outfit is based in Cardiff, where nothing has ever or will ever happen (sorry, all those who live in Cardiff, I'm sure it's fab, but you've got to admit basing Torchwood there is just weird). But I suppose the whole point of Torchwood is weird. And mad. And sexy. And dangerous.
So, having JM turn up as Captain Jack's former partner 'in every way', worked fine for me. Especially since he established his sexy psychopath credentials in the first ten minutes by, in chronological order, intervening in a fight and throwing the aggressor off a building; evicting all the ugly people from a bar and then threatening them with guns; snogging Captain Jack then beating the crap out of him; then downing half a bottle of neat vodka and admitting he'd just come out of rehab for drugs, alcohol, sex and murder.And I really like his jacket, too.
Also on Wednesday I got offered an interview for a weekend job at Wood Green Animal Shelters in Heydon. I've had a soft spot for Wood Green ever since the very nice lady there matched us up with Honey, who was the Perfect Dog (at least in restrospect, when compared to the Demon Puppy). Heydon is the smaller of their two sites and deals mostly with cats and small animals. Cats, people. And they pay people to do this?
Monday, January 14, 2008
The secret diary of Spike, aged 22 months
God, I'm bored. Well, actually, Me, I'm bored, because it's generally understood that I am the God King around here. Humans are a bit dim and it took them a while to catch on, but they seem to understand now. Young Female in particular makes a very good worshipper. She's not very bright: she can't distinguish between the Hungry Miaow and the Play With Me Miaow, but she does try.The only problem with being a god is that you have to have an antithesis. Mine lives in the same house. The Demon Puppy tends to get arsey about me being fed first, even though, as Young Male has explained, dogs understand heirarchy in a similar way to lions, with the most important pride members eating first. As the God King, it is only my right to eat first. Demon Puppy, however, clearly thinks she is more important (blasphemer!) and sometimes growls at me. Perhaps she is jealous, since I get flakes of cod in jelly and she gets tripe.
Fur is looking very magnificent these days. Winter is clearly my season: long, thick, fluffy fur that prompts extra admiration from humans. Although they do have this weird tendency to put on strange accents and talk about Mr Bond when I sit on their laps.
For some reason, the humans took down my theme park--you know, the one that was put up about a month ago, with a fun fake tree to climb and all these things to bat and bite and chase around. Still, I got some new fun toys to play with, all full of catnip. Note to self: cut down on catnip. You don't want to be a junkie God.
Young Female tells me that her efforts to raise money for some other cats weren't very successful. Don't know why she bothered: after all, I am the most important cat in the world, why should the others even be of interest? It is, however, slightly distressing that even pictures of me, looking adorable as a baby or magnificent as an adult, didn't inspire people at all. What's wrong with them? Young Female has pointed out to me that she is trying to support the place from whence I came (Heaven? Very odd), and all the other cats who weren't lucky enough to live with someone who worships them as much as she does.
Personally, I think those cats have got it made. After all, there's no Demon Puppy there, is there?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)