Appearances of 2011

2010 isn't even over yet and I'm already planning for 2011. Actually, if I wanted to be ahead of the game, I would be planning for 2012. But, for now, this is the best I can do. :D

Here's where I'm planning to be in 2011. Keep in mind some things may change given outside influences of the real world.

RavenCon 2011
(Richmond, VA)
08 - 10 April

BaltiCon 44 2011
(Baltimore, MD)
27 - 30 May (Memorial Day Weekend)

Lori Foster's Reader/Author Get Together 2011
(West Chester, OH)
03 June - 05 June

Authors After Dark 2011
(Philadelphia, PA)
11 - 14 August

Dragon*Con 2011
(Atlanta, GA)
02 - 05 September (Labor Day Weekend)

PhilCon 2011
(Cherry Hill, NJ)
??? November

So You Want to Be a Writer

This is by far the funniest (and most real-to-life) vid about writing, being an author, and the people who trivialize it that I've ever seen.

Manga Review: A Bloody Kiss Tonight

A Bloody Kiss Tonight by Makoto Tateno

Publisher: DMP Doki Doki
Price: $12.95
Genre: Drama, Romance, Yaoi, Paranormal
Themes: High School, Reincarnation, Vampires, Forbidden Love
Rating: Mature 18+
Volumes: 1 Volume
ISBN: 978-1-56970-170-6



Basic Premise:
Riku is a normal high school kid working a part time job at a flower shop. That's where he meets Keito, a man who makes him want to run even as an instant attraction arises. Suddenly Riku's nights are haunted with sexual dreams, calling him to Keito's side. But Keito is more dangerous than Keito can imagine and that danger is directed at Riku.

Movie Review: Tangled

Tangled


Basic Premise:
Rapunzel is a dutiful girl who has never disobeyed her mother, not until the day of her 18th birthday. Rapunzel wants only one thing. She wants to see the floating lights up close. Flynn Ryder is the man to guide her... that is if his status as a wanted thief doesn't get them both killed first.

TV Movie Review: Firebreather

Firebreather


Basic Premise:
Duncan is a typical teenager of a single parent household just trying to maintain and get by. That becomes so much harder when his old man stops by for a visit, because his father is Belloc king of the kaijuu. The arrival of Belloc means Duncan suddenly has bigger issues than hiding the fact that his father is a sixty-foot demon. Now he has to fight for his life and those of his friends.

Movie Review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1


Basic Premise:
Harry Potter and friends are back again to solve the mystery of the horcruxes as well as the deathly hallows.

Guest Blogging at Loose Change

I wrote a guest blog article at Loose Change for new authors who wanted an answer to the eternal question of whether to have a website or a blog.

Check it out

And I'm Back

Back from PhilCon. While the internet connection there was pretty good, I never really had enough time to do anything significant online.

But, I'm back and I'm somewhat rested and I'm about to start hammering away at one of the three novellas I thought up while there. :D

But first, a music break. This is the song Stephanie Burke chose for the masquerade. She, PJ Schynder and I dressed up as clockwork dolls. As soon as I find pictures, I'll post those.

We won best costume accessories and best choreography in the Journeyman division.


Wind it Up by Gwen Stefani

Updating my iPod 18 Nov

I got hooked on these three songs while listening to the radio on my last few days at Wally World. This happens to me if I'm put in a situation where I have to listen to a song multiple times. HOWEVER, I still think "Whip My Hair" is annoying as hell and having to listen to it three to four times in one night (chart topper radio repeats music once an hour...ugh) made me hate it even more, but that's a different rant. :P

I'll be getting these from iTunes.


Bottoms Up by Trey Songz ft. Nicki Minaj




AND


All I Do Is Win by DJ Khaled ft Ludacris, Snoop Dog, Rick Ross, and T-Pain





AND


Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida ft. David Guetta

I really like Flo Rida. He's stuff is so easy to like.

Update 17 November (mini-rant)

#1 - Seems a tornado paid a visit to my area. That was fun. I was in the basement thinking there was a hurricane outside since my ears were popping as wind whipped past my winds. Nothing damaged around me but some people had felled trees and such. That was interesting.

I lost power around 1:30AM and just called it quits and went to bed. The power people said it would be on by 11AM but I didn't stick around to find out. Suffice to say, it was back on by the time I got home around 6PM. I'm happy.

#2 - Astatalk, Zippyshare, Multiupload, Mirror Creator, 4Share, et al are NOT legal vendors of my books. My books are NOT free. There is NO such thing as a complimentary read of my book. If you didn't win a copy in a contest and you didn't pay for it, then you have stolen from my publisher and from me. It's just that simple. You are an internet communist.

Before someone gets their tighty whiteys in a bunch, communism is defined by Mirriam-Webster online as "a theory advocating elimination of private property" and "a system in which goods are owned in common and are available to all as needed". And defined as "a sociopolitical movement that aims for a classless society structured upon communal ownership of the means of production and the end of wage labour and private property" by Wikipedia online who annotated their information as coming from Columbia Encyclopedia 2008.

This IS the correct definition of the word communism. The above definitions are the very SAME words many people use to excuse their illegal activity when downloading stuff they know they should be paying for and then claiming I'm being greedy because such actions upset me.

You who download my books through illegal means and especially you who facilitate this by uploading my books in the first place are NOT a pirate. That word is too good for you and makes you feel like you might be the next Johnny Depp or some other such nonsense. You are in fact an INTERNET COMMUNIST.

You are not my fans. I'm not grateful to you at all. A TRUE fan knows success of an individual in ANY career field is measured by monetary gain. We know this is true because of Forbes world's richest people list. Since my name is NOT on that list, I canNOT afford to lose what little money I gain from the sale of my books. An amount made that much smaller each time someone decides to go to an internet communist rather than paying for their entertainment.

College Humor: Sexy Spelling Song

I love College Humor.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Return to Pandora -- TODAY!

It's FINALLY November 16th! Woot!

The REAL version of Avatar is now available on DVD and Blu-Ray. As some of you may know, the "fake" version came out this past Earth Day, which was the DVD with ONLY the movie. No extras of any kind. I don't even think there were trailers. That was a complete rip-off, and I absolutely refused to buy it. I waited and my patience will pay off as soon as I go to Best Buy and pick it up (they gave me a rewards coupon for $5 off so they won the who-should-I-buy-from lottery).

Thanks to the evil blu-ray overlords of mayhem, I have to get the blu-ray version since it has more extras (better extras too) than the DVD collector's edition. They do this crap on purpose and it really irks me. When given a choice, most people will buy the DVD (blu-ray players are still too expensive for most households to have one). But if the only way to get the sweet special features people have come to expect from DVD is to get the blu-ray, then blu-ray wins... by cheating.

I absolutely REFUSE to swap out my current DVD collection for the blu-ray versions. #1 reason - Cost. It's a complete waste of money. I have well over 500 DVD movies and series. I need to buy a third multimedia case to house them all. There's nothing wrong with my DVDs or my DVD player. #2 reason - If the movie wasn't made in hi-def to begin with, it's not going to look any different on blu-ray than it does on DVD. Actually that's wrong. You'll see more pixelation and have a grainy quality of picture. I saw the re-mastered for blu-ray version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast... uh yeah. I'll stick with the two-disc DVD.

But I digress (I do that alot, you should be used to it by now). If you, like me, were waiting for this day, then it is here. Go forth and enjoy. :D

Cee Lo Green -- F**K You

This video and the song are hilarious! I love the old motown aspect. If he'd presented this as hip-hop/rap, I wouldn't like this song as much as I do. In fact, all the cursing would make me avoid it.

Well That's That

And I am officially finished. My last day at Wally World went by pretty much like all the days before. Nothing special happened... well except that I got there ten minutes early. Something I haven't done in over a year (ie - since I moved to my house).

I didn't want anything special. That's why I didn't make a huge announcement letting people know I was leaving. I told people as it came up in conversation and only at the last minute so they couldn't do anything going-away-ish for me. I've never taken part in the get well cards or the other stuff, so I didn't want to receive anything like that. Plus it would feel a little awkward since there were only a few (very, very few) people who I truly interacted with.

I said my goodbyes and only now realize that I missed two people I really wanted to say goodbye to. It was an interesting run filled with experiences that will show up in novels to come. I am glad it's over. I won't miss the over-ordering of merchandise that is already full on the shelves, the drama over minor things (like *GASP* being expected to do your job), or the sense of soul-sucking gloom that has settled over that place in the last year.

The fact that it's over won't sink in until some time in December. This coming weekend I'll be at PhilCon so my body will feel like I just took vacation. The following weekend is Thanksgiving, so again vacation. So, the first weekend in December will truly drive home the fact that I am jobless. :P

I cannot say unemployed since I am very employed with my writing. Though the IRS won't see it that way until I turn a profit. Here's hoping 2011 will be the year for that.

In later news, I've started collecting Hot Wheels. Let me define my version of collecting. I am not hunting down every number in a released sequence so I can display them and crow that I got them all. This isn't Pokemon (and even if it was, they are making it impossible to get them all).

I like certain cars. I had a thing for sports cars when I was middle school aged (Lamborghini was my fav). It seems that thing didn't fade away, like I thought it had. I was stocking the toy section my last few weeks at Wally World and that's when the Hot Wheels caught my eye with a shiny green Lamborghini. I thought, "Pretty." and then moved on. Then I saw another car and another and another and I'll only buy these few. But if I buy the 2010 model, I should also get the 1977 model just to show the progression. Oh and it's in two different colors.

I now have over 50. It doesn't help that they are priced down to $0.77 from $0.97. It just means I don't feel guilty buying as many as I have. So far as my many collections go, this is the least expensive to obtain.

Since this is the Xmas season, Hot Wheels is releasing more and different cars almost every week. Looks like I'll be in Wally World anyway just to see the new cars. I have to get there before the hardcore (have to get every number and all of its variants in triplicate so I can keep a set and sell the others on ebay) collectors. *grumble grumble*

Skip

If I post about skipping today's post, does that truly count as skipping it since I am still posting?

:P

Stuff to say but I'll save it for tomorrow.

Have a happy.

Movie Review: Morning Glory

Morning Glory


Basic Premise:
Becky Fuller, an up and coming producer, is given a chance to revive a dying morning news/variety show. She's pulling out all the stops. But, will new gimmicks and a well known, award-winning news anchor really save this show and her career?

Cyber Launch & Release Party

Catch me in two places today (before I go to bed):

Cyber Launch Party hosted by Author Island.

and

The Romance Studio Release Party from noon to 8pm (though I'll probably only be there from noon until 2PM).

Each venue is hosting a contest to get a free copy of Rite Men for Maya. Stop on by!

Out Now: Rite Men for Maya

Rite Men for Maya
by Zenobia Renquist

Changeling Press

eBook ISBN: 978-1-60521-535-8

Paranormal, Interracial, Menage (m/m/f), Shapeshifter

$4.49

Maya is a half human, half merman who has decided to attend the fertility-virility rite and learn more about her merman heritage. The rite is meant to help mermen find their perfect mates, but Maya is only interested in using it as research.

Tam and Kessen are participants who are searching for their third. They are drawn to Maya and she to them. But she refuses to acknowledge the bond and runs. Tam and Kessen must pursue her through her dreams if they hope to make their love a reality and prove they are the right men for Maya.

BUY NOW

Use code -- RenquistZ-1bMb11Nov2010 -- to receive
5% off this title (code expires 20 November).

Read Chapter One

Index Card Courtship

I have to say that I LOVE this guy's nerve... is that the word I want? If I was single and lived in NY, I'd probably call. I think I'll let a heroine do it though. :D

Handwritten Magazine Insert Offers Oral Sex to Any Woman

New Song From Pink

P!nk - Raise Your Glass

I like this video. The song is catchy too.

All I Can Say Is... WTF!?

There is a good explanation for the title of this post. I'm more than a little peeved about some events that transpired recently.

I held a Halloween contest on my promo blog and mailed out several prizes. Three winners received posters -- book cover posters of four of my books, a signed cover flat, some promo pens, a Sherrilyn Kenyon poster I got during Dragon*Con, and another random poster I also got at Dragon*Con.

Knowing I would be mailing these posters out I wanted to use the triangle poster boxes rather than poster tubes. USPS offers these boxes at no charge (that includes shipping). Free beats $3-$5 plus tax per box any day. The triangle boxes don't curl the posters as much, so they are easier to flatten once they arrive at their destination. Though one would hope they arrive at their destination intact.

I received an email from one recipient yesterday who said she got her prize package and this is what it looked like:

(Note: These pics are posted with the recipient's permission.)


All I could say after the recipient sent me these pics was WHAT THE FUCK!!!? I ordered those boxes from USPS.com. They were pristine when I mailed them out. A little too long for the posters they held, but that wasn't an issue.

A few of the posters can be replaced, and that's what I plan to do. I'm shipping them in a mailing tube this time around.

I've emailed USPS.com about this situation, though I'm not expecting anything worthwhile from them. They'll probably send a lip service apology and a note that next time I should insure my packages if I want them to care.

I have mailed hundreds of dollars worth of stuff with USPS and never EVER has anything arrived at its destination looking like that. It's almost like someone ripped it open expecting something important, stomped all over it when they realized the contents weren't valuable, and then taped it back together. Or maybe the box was dropped and then run over by the PO truck. There are so many speculations as to what could have happened to that box.

This isn't the first issue I've had with USPS, only the most recent. I think it may be time for me to start pricing the competition.

Random Hilarity

I was at a loss at to what to write about today. And then someone pointed me towards something funny... so I'm sharing.

Neil Gaiman is so modest. And this conversation will live on though I'm sure this woman will wish it wouldn't.

From there I found some other stuff. Enjoy!


see more Memebase



see more funny videos



see more Memebase

Movie Review: Megamind

Megamind


Basic Premise:
Two orphaned alien children from two different worlds that were destroyed in the same disaster land on Earth and receive two different receptions. While one is adored and good, the other is shunned and decidedly evil... or is he?

Local Author Loses Thousands To Online Pirates - KPHO Phoenix

Local Author Loses Thousands To Online Pirates - Phoenix News Story - KPHO Phoenix

Gail Koger took her story to the local news. She's asking authors to leave comments about their experiences as well.

Be Heard.

Rite Men for Maya Cover

Check this out! Renee George does gorgeous work. I love it. How about you?

Book comes out from Changeling Press on 12 Nov... which anyone who knows Changeling Press knows that means 11 November :P.

Checking In

Just as a head's up, I didn't get lazy with posting again. I had to drop something to accomplish other things, plus I had nothing to say. I still have nothing to say but I wanted everyone to know I was still around. :P

I've seen my cover for Rite Men For Maya. As soon as I get the go ahead, I'll spread it around for the world to see. It's nice. I love it.

Remember there will be a release party at Cyber Launch. Also, the first chapter will be available at my promo blog, which is pretty good since the book is only six chapters long. :D One more week.

Speaking of one more week. Not counting this weekend (and I'm not), I have one more week at Wally World. I've got my happy dance all worked out. What's more, I can celebrate with the collector's edition, 3-disc blu-ray of Avatar that comes out 16 November. I was planning on getting the DVDs, but the blu-ray has more. Slowly but surely, they are making me convert whether I want to or not.

Happy Renee.... who is now off to bed, because I do still work at Wally World and have to go there tonight. *sigh*