50 Books reached

Yep, I miscalculated and I have just reached the 50 book mark of books read the year (this doesn't include novellas, children's books), though if there are enough of the same will add as one entry at the end.

This is for the Harlequin Reading Challenge (and it doesn't all have to be Harlequin books). So it's never too late to join up. The total is just over 28 000 books. Way short of 100 000 but every book counts!

Happy reading...

Yia!

Book series

Well I sent in my Emerald entry - fingers crossed. And I'm continuing to polish the rest of my manuscript. I have been finding that I need longer breaks from the computer because my head has been aching. But it's all good.

I was just looking over the books I have been reading this year and noticed how many of them are part of a series. I've got quite a few on the go. So I decided to list them. 

• Riley Jensen Guardian series by Keri Arthur (am waiting for the release of the next book)
• Nikki and Michael books by Keri Arthur (rereading books 1-3 as I have just purchased book 4)                                                                                                
• White Magic series by Caitlin Brennan (waiting for release of book 3 in Australia)
• The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher 
• Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer 
• Stephanie Plum novels by Janet Evanovich 
• 'Full' series by Janet Evanovich and Charlotte Hughes
• Quincy and Raine series by Lisa Gardner
• Meredith Gentry series by Laurell K Hamilton
• Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter novels by Laurell K Hamilton
• The Changelings by Michele Hauf
• Dark Hunter novels by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
• Sin City graphic novels by Frank Miller
• The Walker Papers by CE Murphy (awaiting publication of next book)
• Temperance Brennan books by Kathy Reichs
• Harry Potter by JK Rowling (finished them off and will probably reread)
• Black Dagger Brotherhood by JR Ward (awaiting publication of next book)
• Retrievers Novels by Laura Anne Gilman

There's alot more waiting in the wings too..... 

Yia!

Picture sourced from here 

I LOVE your blog award

The fantastic Blog and Challenge Queen extraordinaire Sandie Hudson gave me this award. Do I feel honoured? Oh hell yeah. I've known Sandie from the 2007 Claytons conference and via ROMAUS. She is a powerhouse of support and absolutely floors me with the number of projects she has - not to mention the blogs (you can check all her links to her blogs from the above link). Sandie is good people. *grin*

So next step I have to pass on the love...and need to nominate some people for the 'I Love Your Blog' Awards. Here's what you have to do:

After receiving the award, if you’d like to participate, you must:

1) Add the logo of your award to your blog - check.

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you -  check.

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs - check.

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog - check

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs - in progress.

They are:

1. OK so since I have seen that the Award has been going through the RWA NaNo (50Ks in 30 days) ladies, I feel like lobbing it back to all of them via individual websites but instead what I'm going to do is nominate the 50ks in 30 Day blog. The contributors and participants are people who I follow in my Google Reader - including Sandie Hudson, Rhian Cahill, Dianne Curran (yes the tabletop dancing trio), Kiki Lon, Natalie Hatch, Suzanne Brandyn, Tannia Franklin and more..... This is an entertaining blog and not to mention that they are posting daily even though they have NaNo still on. Go ladies!

2. Denise Rossetti - author of Erotic Fantasy Romance. Denise's posts are full of her wit and love of words. I've known Denise for a some time via cyberspace and it was fantastic to meet her in person at the 2003 RWAus conference. What a gal! She has a newsletter on her website that follows the tale of Rackety Kate.  Note: blog is for over 18s....

3. Keri Arthur - New York Times Best selling Dark Urban Fantasy author. I've known Keri since my first RWAus conference in 2002 where I was lucky enough to participate in her first author chat - after the release her Nikki and Michael books via Imajinn. I'm hooked onto her Riley Jensen Guardian series as I tell her frequently, I'm so in love with Quinn (who isn't?!!!). Keri's a star!

4. Trish Morey - fellow South Australian and all round fantastic person is HM&B Presents author. Trish organised the RWAus' Roadshows this year and she is always there with encouragement and her pearls of wisdom. She calls them like she sees them, which I absolutely love. She's a gem and her blog is too.

5. Cam - I've known Cam since the Clayton's conference in 2007. And while Cam is a writer, I love this blog that is about her life and views on life. She has a poetry in her prose which I only can aspire to. 

6. Nicola Marsh - HM&B Modern Heat author has posts that are always a joy to read. More often then not there are pictures of inspiring heroes. *grin* Thanks Nicola.

7. Shelley Munro - I've recently started subscribing to this blog and thoroughly enjoy it. I love the variety of posts. Shelley is a multi-published author with Ellora's Cave. 

8. Christina Phillips - I know Christina from a paranormal loop we are on. Recently she had her first erotic romance story published by The Wild Rose Press, and she was a guest on the Bootcampers blog earlier this month. She also has a slight obsession with Clive Owen ;)

9. Barbara Hannay - HM&B Sweet romance author who is one of the sweetest people I have ever met (which I first did via cyberspace on ROMAUS and then in person at the 2002 RWAus Conference). Such a giving person, she sends me copies of her Greek translations for my mum. Her books are full of emotional punch - love them and her posts about QLD life. 

10. CE Murphy - the only non-Down Under author on my list. The author of The Walker Papers (urban fantasy) published by Luna. Great books. I just love CE's blog. A source of great advice and follows her journey as a published author. Very witty and to the point. Gotta love that. Also she keeps a record of Miles to... ATM it's Dunharrow. Go, go, go!

(it does say at least 7, so I think 10 is a nice round number )

Hope you enjoy checking out these great blogs with me.

Yia!

Bootcampers.... and Dog Day Afternoon

Latest on the 'What we write' over at the Bootcampers is Alison and Jacqueline. Check it out here.

Now something to make you smile....  these dogs remind me of my American Staffy, right down to the pose.... (too cute right?!!!)

source: Loldogs

Yia!

Shhh, be vewy vewy quiet, I'm....

...well not hunting wabbits that's for sure. I have been busy working on a competition entry and deep editing/polishing HD. I've been spending my downtime trying to fight off headaches (I'm losing this war ATM), reading, or watching some TV. 

So it's been vewy vewy quiet here because of this. So here's a wrap up:

Reading: Gift of the Goddess by Denise Rossetti (takes me longer with e-books- screen glare)

       Staying Dead by Laura Anne Gilman

Just Read: The Laughing Corpse by Laurell K Hamilton (Book 2 of Anita Blake series)

On my TBR pile: Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell

On library borrowed TBR pile: Lover Enshrined by JR Ward

Last movie watched: Vantage Point

Last movie Rewatched:   The Departed - fantastic job by Martin Scorcese.

Listening to: Lord of the Rings Soundtracks. 

On DVD: Jericho season 1

Yia!

Ooops...and reading

It was a busy day for me running errands, so I didn't get to let you know that the lovely Christina Phillips is a guest blogger over at Bootcampers. She lets us know about her windy road to publication.

Also since I'm here, I wanted to advertise in a post the Australian Romance Readers Convention early next year. Can't go, hence....

And speaking of reading, the Harlequin Reader's Challenge is still on and unfortunately it looks like it's going to fall way below the target of 100,000 books. At the moment it hasn't even reached 27 000. I know my reading list isn't huge. I'm not even at the 50 mark.  Though that was more than I read last year (not a very good reading year). 

You can check out the challenge here.

Yia...

Hump Day

It's mid-week - Wednesday, also known as Hump Day. 

Over on the Bootcamper blog, Hannah Wride reports on Boot-i-Con. Check it out!

And while I'm here, can I just say how great it is that the US voted for Barrack Obama.  What an acceptance speech.  Hope flourishes. 

I went to the library to pick up some DVDs I had on hold. The librarian noticed they were all Speculative Fiction. And she was right - Farscape Season 4, Doctor Who (with Christopher Eccleston), Jericho Season 1.  I tend to watch scifi instead of read it (I think it's because I'm not sciencey enough to imagine the detail). 

Does anyone have any good recommendations for Science Fiction novels/authors? I think I'll hit the lighter stuff first before the heavy SF. Yep, I'm just asking that my TBR pile become the size of the moon. *grin*

Yia...

Celebrations...and other stuff

Well, the Bootcampers are officially ONE year old!! WooHoo! 

Happy Birthday girls!

So happy days, (though I've been busy with family stuff the last few weeks and that's been draining).

Still a year ago, we embarked on the Bootcamper 101 course and we are still  here! It's pretty cool.

It's the beginning of November and that means it's NaNoWriMo time - that's National Novel Writing Month.  Good luck to all those participating. I'm cheering on writing buddies from the sidelines. Go! Go! Go!

And the world waits to see the results of the US Presidential election.  It's been interesting watching the events unfold as an outsider, but if I was a US citizen, I'd be voting. Here in Oz we HAVE to vote. Even if we didn't, voting would be a no-brainer as I just think of all the people around the world who would love to vote but aren't allowed.

And I've just watched the first two webisodes of Gemini Division, staring Rosario Dawson on SciFi Channel's website. It's really a different way to tell a story and so far I'm enjoying it and will tune in for more.  And it just confirms what a remarkable actress Rosario is. Interesting behind-the-scenes stuff too.

My main writing goal for the month is to edit HD for the Emerald competition. This is due at the end of November, so my bum is going to be firmly planted in this seat!! LOL! Going slowly but steadily.

I've also made the decision from December (ie after the comp has been entered), my monthly BIAW challenge will be my second WIP, Lady and the Dragon. It will help me move along and get another of my stories to the end of first draft stage. In the non-BIAW weeks, I'll be working on getting my work out there.... scary!!!

Yia....

Bootcamper blog

Part 2 of What the Bootcampers write features Hannah Wride and mwah!  Go have a looksy here.

Meanwhile most of the Bootcampers are at Boot-i-Con. *Sigh* I'm not one of them. Boot-i-Con is a goss fest, a catch up, writing exercises, food and champagne. See why I wanted to be there :((  Hoping you have fun girls. 

Yia...