Gabrielle Goldsby's Blog

New Blog/Web Site @ GabrielleGoldsby.com

2010-04-05T15:29:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the help of a good friend, the new WP blog and website is up and running. Check out my first blog post on the new site: Love letter to the Multnomah County Library-http://bit.ly/bMu0TN

GabrielleGoldsby.com is down for maintenance.

2009-10-07T14:16:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I've finally pulled the site down for some much needed maintenance. Please enjoy my blogger page in the interim. I hope to have the new site functional by November 1st.

Paybacks —Now available for purchase!

2009-01-22T09:33:00.000-08:00

Two women with a fiery past discover paybacks can be hell…and just as hot.

Colby Dennis’s first thought was to toss the invitation to her ten-year high school reunion into the garbage. After all, she spent most of her adult life trying to forget high school—more specifically, her tormentor Mackenzie Brandt. But then, maybe putting her old nemesis in her place is reason enough to show up. Unsuspecting Mackenzie has only one reason for attending the reunion: She wants to look into the eyes of the classmate responsible for getting her expelled weeks before her graduation…and apologize the best way she knows how. Revenge is most definitely not best served cold.

To purchase Paybacks or other fine works of fiction please visit BoldStrokesBooks.com

GENRE-Lesbian Romance
PAGES- 192
PUBLICATION DATE-January 2009
ISBN-978-1-60282-046-3
PRICE-$14.95

Guest Blogger on KGMacGregor.com

2008-09-17T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

The wonderful and talented KG MacGregor offered me the opportunity to do a short guest blog on her site KGMacGregor.com. KG and I have had a fabulous year together.

Please stop by to say hello,

Gabrielle

Remember Tomorrow —Now available for purchase

2008-08-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

Two women find that creating a successful relationship rests in remembering the mistakes of the past.

Cees Bannigan has all the materials needed to build a happy life-a successful home improvement television show, a new house, and the attention of an intelligent and beautiful woman. So what is she doing at the hospital bedside of Arieanna Simons, the love who had abandoned her a several months before? When she discovers what is behind Arieanna's precipitous withdrawal, Cees must decide if past betrayals can ever be forgiven, even for the promise that tomorrow might hold.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-026-5, $15.95,
Lesbian RomancePages: 240
Pub Date: August, 2008
ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-026-5ISBN-10: 1-60282-026-0
Price: $15.95

To purchase Remember Tomorrow or other fine works of fiction please visit BoldStrokesBooks.com

A lesson from my mother

2008-08-07T06:55:00.000-07:00

Writing eloquently is a skill set that I will probably never master. I rely mostly on observation of human relationships and feelings. I try to find that place that resonates in my reader. That makes them angry, happy or sad. I know my readers because I am them. I have the same hopes, fears, and wishes.

What brought these thoughts on? It was another lesson my mother taught me just this morning. I received the following email when I needed to see it. One clear concise line that gave me energy, and focused my mind, but not before it made me cry:

To: gabe@gabriellegoldsby.com
Sent: Thursday, August 7, 2008 6:02:48 AM
Subject: Your Mother

Hi Gigi, Just wanted to let you know that I am your "Biggest Fan" and I love you very much. Mom

Gabe gets played—LA Women’s Theater Project—Literature in Motion

2008-07-22T07:09:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I am thrilled and honored to announce that Lisa Girolami(Love on Location), KG MacGregor (Aftershock)and myself(Remember Tomorrow) will have excerpts from our books staged and performed by the Los Angeles Women’s Theater Project September 5th-7th.

For more information about this or other works performed by the LA women’s theater project please visit:

Webspace:
http://www.lawomenstheatreproject.com/contact.htm

Myspace:
http://www.myspace.com/proveitonme07

Now Available in Ebook— The Caretaker’s Daughter and Never Wake

2008-07-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hello all,

I'm exhausted, but I have a huge smile on my face. I sent my manuscript, Paybacks January 2009, off to my editor last night and I have two new ebooks available from Bold Strokes Books today. I look forward to catching up with all of you.

Your friend,

Gabe Goldsby

The Caretaker's Daughter by Gabrielle Goldsby

Amidst the backdrop of a nineteenth century English country estate, two women struggle to find love--and the truth that could either bind them together or tear them apart. Despite the barriers of class and sensibity, Lady Bronte and her groundskeeper Addison find first friendship and then something far deeper on the sweeping estates of Markby.

Classic Romance at its most breathtaking.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-062-3, $12.95, Lesbian Romance, July 2008

Never Wake by Gabrielle Goldsby

Following an assault, Emma Webster spends two years as a self-sentenced prisoner locked inside her condo, living a lonely but safe existence - at least she thought it was safe until the world outside her window goes still and silent.

Troy Nanson, a bicycle messenger, awakens in a hospital with no memory of how she got there or how long she lay unconscious. When her calls for help go unanswered, Troy dials 911, but no one answers. As Troy explores a silent city, her suspicions are confirmed - the rest of the world has fallen asleep, and nothing she does will wake them. Fear and desperation cause Troy's tenuous grip on reality to slip. She's ready to give up, until then she finds Emma.

Believing they are the only people awake in the entire world, two women who are as different from each other as they could possibly be, come to depend on one another for safety and sanity—and eventually, much more.

ISBN-13: 978-1-60282-063-0, $12.95, Lesbian Paranormal Romance, July 2008

Wall of Silence 2nd edition — winner of the 2007 Lambda Literary Award for Women’s Mystery.

2008-06-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

All of the categories were populated with great books so being named a finalist was a win in and of itself. I was truly honored to be included with such talented authors as Ursula Steck, Ellen Hart, Geri Hill, and Jennifer L. Jordan.

I felt my chances of winning were slim to none(my publisher and friends felt otherwise) so I spent my time, seeking out photo opportunities with Radclyffe, Gun Brook, KG MacGregor, Nicola Griffith, Fiona Zedde, and Christopher Rice. I can't emphasize enough how shocked I was to hear my name called. I'm home now, but my head is still in the clouds.

To all of you who have written congratulations, thank you so much for sharing this with me.As promised, I uploaded a few pictures and I'm working on tagging them now. Thanks to my good friend CC for donating half of them and to Paula for having the wherewithal to grab my camera as I walked up on stage.

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Gabrielle

Where is Gabrielle May 29th?

2008-05-28T15:19:00.000-07:00

I’m going to Hollywood!

WeHo to be exact. As mentioned in an earlier post, Wall of Silence has been named a Lambda Literary Award finalist in the category of Lesbian Mystery. I’ll try to take pictures, but I might be too busy grinning at folks. Wish me luck.

Gabrielle

Wall of Silence 2nd edition –2008 Lambda Literary Award Finalist

2008-03-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

You read that right! Wall of Silence 2nd edition is a finalist in the 20th Annual Lambda Literary Awards!

The ceremony will be held on Thursday, May 29, 2008 at the Pacific Design Center located at 8687 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood, California.

Information on the awards can be found on the Lambda Literary Foundation website.

May 29th is plenty of time for you to book travel, now isn’t it?

Gabrielle Goldsby’s 2008 Appearances through March 15--UPDATE

2008-02-02T08:53:00.000-08:00

UPDATE: As some of you already know, I had a car accident a few weeks ago that left me a little off my game. I had to forgo travel until I could sit in one place for longer than 30 minutes.

The Hayward Library Readings on March 15, will of course continue in my absence.

Thanks much,

Gabrielle

###

In my efforts to bring my book in on time, I neglected to update my appearances. This is only a partial list. I plan to be out and about quite a bit this year. I’ll update as venue’s and times become finalized.

February 6, 2008 – San Francisco Public Library – 6:00-7:30 pm

Readings by – Lesbian Genre Fiction Authors’ Tour – Gabrielle Goldsby,
Diane and Jake Anderson-Minshall, JLee Meyer, Anna Furtado,
Karin Kallmaker, and Ursula Steck.

February 13-17, 2008 – 2nd Annual Palm Springs Lesbian Book Festival

Readings and signings by –Various Bold Strokes Books Authors— Casitas Laquita, Palm Springs Library, and Queen of Hearts.

February 28, 2008 – In Other Words Book Store, Portland OR— 6:30 pm

Readings by – Gabrielle Goldsby, Diane and Jake Anderson-Minshall,
and Lipstick and Dipstick.

March 15, 2008 – Hayward Public Library — 2:00-4:30 pm

Readings by – Lesbian Genre Fiction Authors’ Tour – Gabrielle Goldsby,
Diane and Jake Anderson-Minshall, JLee Meyer, Anna Furtado,
Karin Kallmaker, and Ursula Steck.

Wake Up and Sniff the Kopi Luwak Coffee

2007-10-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

If you’ve read my blog or talked to me for any length of time, you already know that I wake up early to write. My alarm goes off, I roll out of bed, dress in sweats, and grab a cup of coffee. I’m not fully awake until I take my first sip of java, usually at the top of the long flight of stairs leading to my office. So it stands to reason, that coffee plays a crucial role in my life. Therefore, I am always game to give a new bean a try. But I doubt I'll be trying this one:

Kopi Luwak from Animalcoffee.com

The Kopi Luwak Coffee bean is harvested from Indonesian forest floors only after it has been eaten and shat out by a three toed marsupial called the Paradoxurus.

Paradoxurus also known as Luwak by the natives.

Kopi Luwak before processing.

Bet you're thinking, no wonder Gabe's taking a pass on the coffee. Well folks, that's not the reason. Truth be known, I'd probably give it a sip or two. The aroma and taste are supposed to be divine. The reason I will probably never try this coffee is the price. This shit is expensive! Retailing for a whopping $120.00 to $600.00 a pound, the only way I'd be giving this one a try is if I received it as a gift.

Quarter pound arabica gift box us$90.00.

So tell the truth, if given the opportunity, would you give this a try?

Me and My BFF ( best friend forever)Sheryl Swoopes

2007-10-13T15:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings from P-Town,

Today was thrilling thanks to some of my overzealous friends. We decided to see Sheryl Swoopes being interviewed by Vikie Shaw. If you’ve seen Vikie Shaw’s stand up routine, then you already know how funny the interview was. What you couldn’t know unless you were there was how teary-eyed Sheryl got when she talked about lack of support from the WNBA. My heart really went out to her.

My friends figured that Sheryl would be interested in the fact that I was an author. To my surprise, she asked for the name of my books and said she would come to my book sining at Now Voyager that afternoon. Sadly, she didn’t make it, but I meet a bunch of other nice women and I was able to send an autographed copy of Such a Pretty Face home with Sheryl. She said she would take it on her Olivia Cruise with her. If one of ya'll see her with Such A Pretty Face, help a girl out and snap a pic.

(edited and note to self...don't post after a glass of red)

Appearances --Women's Week--P-Town, Masschusetts/Update

2007-09-24T19:40:00.000-07:00

The following are my scheduled appearances at Women's
Week. This will be my first year there as a Bold Strokes
author so I am incredibly excited. I'm also ready for a
vacation. A working vacation is better than none, right?

October 11, 2007– Women’s Week— P-Town, Massachusetts
Vixen -336 Commercial Street – 12:00 – 1:15—Read & Chat
with Andrews and Austin, Kim Baldwin and JLee Meyer.

October 11, 2007– Women’s Week— P-Town, Massachusetts
Fairbanks Inn - 90 Bradford Street – 4:30 – 6:00—Reading favorite scenes with Andrews and Austin, Kim Baldwin, JLee Meyer, Jane Fletcher, KI Thompson and Radclyffe

October 13, 2007—Women’s Week— P-Town, Massachusetts
Now Voyager – 357 Commercial Street— 2:30-4:00— Reading
with Radclyffe, Andrews and Austin, Lee Lynch, JLee Meyer,
KI Thompson, Jane Fletcher, Kim Baldwin and JD Glass

Wall of Silence 2nd ed. is now available for purchase!

2007-09-17T20:38:00.000-07:00

It should have been an average bust. Minimal trouble. Minimal backup.

But when police detective Foster Everett witnesses the unspeakable, average becomes deadly. A cover-up ensues and Foster escapes from her remorse at a neighborhood bar. There she meets Riley Meideros, the one person strong enough to hear Foster’s painful secret and not turn away. But like most secrets, Foster’s refuses to stay hidden. And like even the most carefully built walls—walls that Riley effortlessly seems to breech—the barricades surrounding Foster soon begin to crumble. Fearing that she has put Riley in danger and fighting against the powerful attraction growing between them, Foster vows to uncover the truth. But someone is determined to keep the truth buried, even if it means silencing Foster and Riley permanently.

Read an Excerpt here: Wall of Silence @ Bold Strokes Books

Another Reason to Keep the Day Job

2007-08-30T16:36:00.000-07:00

I could win the lotto tomorrow and I think I would keep my day job. Why? Where else would I get my WTF? moments. I had two last week and I’m in a sharing mood.

Exhibit A

I was talking to a visiting engineer about his vegetarianism. He mentioned he drinks a lot of milk to make sure that he gets protein. I explained that I was slightly lactose intolerant, however I seem to be able to eat yogurt and cheese with no issues. He looked at me quite concerned and told me that it was good that I didn’t drink milk. Drinking milk and yogurt within eight hours of each other causes leprosy. Honestly folks, I was all set to crack the hell up, but the man was serious. WTF?

Exhibit B

I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business, when the maintenance guy asked if he could speak to me outside. I go outside with him and he proceeds to tell me that he saw one of my employees go behind the dumpster. My first thought was, oh shit, the guy is stealing stuff and hiding it behind the dumpster! The maintenance guy assured me, that as far as he knew, my employee wasn’t stealing. When he’d looked behind the dumpster, all he found was a large pile of human feces and used toilet paper. WTF?

ASK THE AUTHOR FEATURING GABRIELLE GOLDSBY AND SUCH A PRETTY FACE

2007-08-26T12:40:00.000-07:00

All,

I'll be hanging out at BSBauthorsconnect all week to talk about my newest book Such a Pretty Face. Have questions about me or my writing?Here's the opportunity you've been waiting for, but were to shy or uninterested to ask :-).

Gabe

Crumpler—The Moderate Embarrassment—Review

2007-08-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

Every gadget hound/writer knows it is essential to have a good gadget bag. Whether you use a paper and pen or a laptop (I use both) to write, you’ll need a way to carry those items around. There is nothing worse than finding yourself with unexpected free time, but no writing tools.

I decided not to carry my laptop on my last trip, so my Timbuk2 Blogger bag seemed like overkill. I started looking through my bevy of bags for something a little smaller, but just as durable. I came across Crumpler’s—The Moderate Embarrassment. I was bequeathed the bag by a friend who moved up to the larger Considerable Embarrassment. Since I have a fondness for messengers she gave the practically brand new bag to me. I jumped at the chance to give Crumpler a go, but found myself shying away from carrying it. Why? The thing was— no joke— embarrassingly green.

Don’t get me wrong, I like bright colors. I just prefer them on other people. This bag was the perfect size though: small enough to fit under the seat of an airplane, but big enough to carry some essential gadgets, a notebook, a file folder, a fiction book, a magazine, and a few high protein snacks. I decided not to worry about the color clash and give it a try.

As I already mentioned, my particular bag is a lime green color( they call it Olive/Light Olive), but The Moderate Embarrassment also come in less eye popping colors such as black/gunmetal, grey/light grey, red/dark red, purple/light purple and dark brown/oatmeal.

EXTERIOR

The exterior is made of a water resistant 900D Nylon: an absolute must for keeping those expensive gadgets dry when you live in the Pacific Northwest. Unlike the Timbuk2 messengers that I usually carry, Crumpler includes a padded shoulder strap. Nothing like finding red marks on your shoulder from lugging around an eight pound laptop (I have since lightened my load) to make you realize how important a padded shoulder strap is. One feature I would have loved was a center grab handle, preferably padded. It’s a lot easier to pick up a loaded bag when you have a grab handle. Imagine trying to move a laptop bag to your passenger seat while you get into your car. Picture the clock striking quitting time at your mortgage paying job, just as you hear someone walking toward your office. A grab handle will get you out of there just that much quicker. Trust me, I know.

Bet you're thinking, dang Gabe sure has ugly furniture. Not mine folks.I took these with the work camera on my lunch.

SECURITY

Crumpler provides a couple options for keeping your goodies secure. Two swatches of Velcro and two sturdy plastic buckles. I have been carrying this bag for a few weeks now and I have yet to use the buckles. Why? The Velcro is all the security I need. It’s hard as hell to open and impossible to open quietly. I would hear someone sneaking a hand into my bag from a mile away. True story: I was sitting on a panel in Atlanta and I remembered that I had taken some notes that I wanted to consult. I tried to sneak into my bag while another panelist was speaking. I had the bag half open before I decided to forget about the notes because the Velcro was so loud. From the reaction of the attendees you would have thought I had just ripped a maxi pad out of my boy shorts.

INTERIOR

The inside of my particular Moderate Embarrassment was made of a tan waterproof material. “The better to see your gadgets with,” said the wolf. But since this bag is meant to actually carry a laptop it also has a padded laptop compartment made of a velor like material. This too, comes with a protective flap that is secured by more Velcro. It’s important to note that the Moderate Embarrassment is meant to hold a 12 inch laptop. My friend purchased it when she was thinking about getting a 12 inch PowerBook. She ended up getting a 15 inch Macbook instead, so the bag didn’t work for her. It doesn’t exactly work for me either, as I have 14.1 inch Dell Latitude D620. I have discovered that the laptop compartment works well for sectioning off my manuscripts and loose notes folder.

An organizer pocket is sewn into the wall of the laptop compartment. One part is zippered and one part is open. The zippered area is perfect for carrying small objects or loose change. The organizer also has two slots for pens and large and medium sized pockets for gadgets. The large and medium pockets are secured by, you guessed it, Velcro!

The front of the bag has three more pockets, the largest of which is secured with Velcro. And finally, there is one spacious zippered pocket in the front of the bag.

CONCLUSION

I was very much tempted to dislike this bag, but I found nothing to dislike. It did everything I asked it to do, plus some. I did however dislike the Crumpler website. I thought it was cute at first, but it quickly became annoying. Turning off the sound made it a bit more tolerable. Despite my ambivalence toward the website and my personal preferences for a gear bag, I could not find fault with the quality of this bag. I recommend this bag for people with smaller laptops. If you’re looking for a simple gadget bag, this might be overkill.

Name: Crumpler –The Moderate Embarrassment

Purchased: Ebags.com

Price: $49.99-80.00

Size: 13.75" x 9.75" x 5"

Weight: 1 lb, 13 oz

Laptop Size: 11.02" x 7.87" x 1.18"

Pros: padded shoulder strap; waterproof; lots of pockets

Cons: Crumpler website is annoying; too much damn Velcro; no center hand grip; no external pocket for a wallet or keys.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Such a Pretty Face is now available for purchase!

2007-08-01T07:26:00.000-07:00

Truthfully, it’s been available for at least a week now, but my editor had me chained to my desk and I was unable to write you about it. To be honest, I enjoyed every minute of it. The work not the chaining…well the chaining was kind of fun, too.

On a completely related note, a friend and I were having lunch at the mall and decided to peruse the lesbian and gay section at Borders bookstore afterward. Check out the lucky chick nestled right between JD Glass and Ellen Hart. That's right, yours truly on a bookshelf in Borders. Yes I took a picture of it and yes I acted like a complete fool when I saw it.

The Perfect F*ck You!

2007-06-20T14:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has taken me almost two weeks to recover from the GCLS convention. I got my drank, dance, and all that good stuff on. It wasn’t a pretty site and the scary thing is—there are pictures. Suffice it to say, I loved every moment of it.

The con wasn’t all fun, some of it was work. I had a sit down with my editor and I was able to discuss some of my concerns and goals surrounding my next project. Yes, I could have had the same conversation over the phone, but the eyes don’t lie and I truly think my editor was being honest with me in every way. It was both gratifying and exhilarating. The meeting was private, so I won’t go in to any detail, but that half hour was worth the price of airfare to Atlanta

If you haven’t had a chance to visit a convention, I strongly recommend doing so, if only to meet some of your favorite authors. If you have a story to pitch, go for it. If you’re told that your story is not interesting, pitch it to someone else. But try to listen and do ask questions. Behind every harsh critique is a grain of truth, which might just make you a better writer. You’ll know you are a professional when you take that critique and use it to write a story, so good that they regret passing you up. You won’t find a more perfect "f*ck you" than success.

Back from GCLS

2007-06-12T05:17:00.000-07:00

and I am exhausted. What a wonderfully stressful event! I met new friends, reconnected with old, drank and danced. Oh and I learned an awful lot, too. I'll try to post more later, but suffice it to say that I felt the con was a hit.

BTW to anyone that lost an eye on the dance floor...my bad ;-)

Today I like men...

2007-04-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Some of you may know that I pay the mortgage by administrating to the needy.

IE I'm an Administrative Assistant for 17 engineers-- all men. Anyway, I was really surprised when my boss handed me a card and inside was a Powell’s gift card for a hundred bucks. Powell's claims to be the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world. The main location stretches one Portland Oregon city block. I still can’t believe they picked out such a nice card, as well as, the perfect gift. I am sooo not a flowers girl, but I am a book girl.

By the way, to those of you who also administer to the needy-- Happy Administrative Assistant day!

God's Hairball take 2

2007-03-30T10:35:00.000-07:00

As an update to the God’s hairball story Tara was kind enough to share some of her extraordinary photos.

How's that for a miracle appetite suppressant?

God’s Hairball

2007-03-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

I was having dinner with my friend Tara when she informed me that she had plans to go see the world’s largest hairball. Based on what comes out of my own sink periodically, I could only imagine the size of said hairball. Tara further informed me that the hairball resided at Mt. Angel Abbey and Seminary right here in Oregon. Now, I do have a cat. So, I have some experience with hairballs. They are not meant to be looked at. They are meant to be flushed down the toilet (after they have significantly cooled, dried and are no longer gag educing). Tara was helpful enough to send me a link to an article in the Portland Mercury written by John Dooley. I have snipped the most interesting paragraph for your enjoyment.

World's Largest Hairball John Dooley, Portland Mercury

“Presented to visitors as a miraculous example of God's mysterious ways, God's Hairball was unbosomed in an Oregon City meatpacking plant in the late 1950s, cut from the swollen belly of a 300-pound swine and donated to the museum soon after, where it has been on display ever since. Weighing in at two-and-one-half pounds, the calcified, gut-polished lump of hog bristle and plaque is considered the heftiest known hairball in the world. Pinched at each end like a turd, the disturbing, retch-inducing wad is sickening in its putrid grandeur, and is a must-see for the quirky tourist!”

I don’t know whether I was more horrified by the authors use of the word unbosomed in this context or the words “Pinched at each end like a turd...”

Lambda Literary Awards Announces Finalists

2007-03-01T19:36:00.000-08:00

Would you freaking look at the talent on this list!!
I am a little biased so I'm going to keep my mouth shut but um...
BSB ROCKS!!!
*****************************************

March 1, 2007--Finalists for the 19th annual Lambda Literary Awards were announced on March 1 by the Lambda Literary Foundation . Awards are presented in 25 categories, and winners will be announced on Thursday, May 31, at the Lambda Literary Awards Ceremony in New York City .

Finalists were chosen by a jury of judges who come from all walks of literary life: journalists, authors, booksellers, librarians, playwrights, illustrators. In all, 87 judges participated in the selection of finalists from the pool of 381 books that were nominated.

Please note: Finalists are listed alphabetically by author. The publisher appears in parenthesis.

Nominees for ANTHOLOGY

Confessions of the Other Mother, edited by Harlyn Aizley (Beacon)
From Boys to Men, edited by Ted Gideonse & Rob Williams (Carroll & Graf)
Love, Bourbon Street , edited by Greg Herren & Paul J. Willis (Alyson)
Charmed Lives, edited by Toby Johnson & Steve Berman (Lethe Press)
No Margins: Writing Canadian Fiction in Lesbian, edited by Catherine Lake & Nairne Holtz (Insomniac)

Nominees for ARTS & CULTURE

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)
Cinemachismo by Sergio de la Mora ( University of Texas Press )
Sex Objects by Jennifer Doyle ( University of Minnesota Press)
GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)
Blood Beats: Vol 1 by Ernest Hardy (Redbone Press)

Nominees for BISEXUAL

Eros by Serena Anderlini-D' Onofrio ( Harrington Park Press)
Affirmative Psychotherapy with Bisexual Women & Bisexual Men by Ronald C. Fox ( Harrington Park Press)
Three Sides to Every Story by Clarence Nero ( Harlem Moon/Doubleday)
Bi Guys, edited by Ron Jackson Suresha (Harrington Park Press)
Bi Men, edited by Ron Jackson Suresha & Pete Chvany (Harrington Park Press)
The Bisexual's Guide to the Universe, Michael Szymanski & Nicole Kristal (Alyson)

Nominees for CHILDRENS/YOUNG ADULT

The Manny Files by Christian Burch (Simon & Schuster)
Full Spectrum, edited by David Levithan & Billy Merrell (Random House Children's Books)
Between Mom & Jo by Julie Anne Peters (Little Brown)
Tale of Two Summers by Brian Sloan (Simon & Schuster)
Erik & Isabelle's Junior Year at Foresthill High by Kim Wallace (Foglight Press)

Nominees for DRAMA/THEATER

Questa by Victor Bumbalo (Broadway Publishing Inc.)
Confessions of a Mormon Boy by Stephen Fales (Alyson)
1001 Beds by Tim Miller ( University of Wisconsin )

Nominees for HUMOR

Queen of the Oddballs by Hilary Carlip (HarperCollins)
My Lucky Star by Joe Keenan (Little Brown)
Roy & Al by Ralf Konig (Arsenal Pulp Press)

Nominees for LGBT NONFICTION

Hello, Cruel World by Kate Bornstein (Seven Stories)
GAY L.A. by Lillian Faderman & Stuart Timmons (Basic Books)
Different Daughters by Marcia Gallo (Carroll & Graf)
Behind the Mask of the Mattachine by James T. Sears ( Harrington Park Press)
Unspeakable Love by Brian Whitaker ( University of California )

Nominees for LGBT STUDIES

Every Inch A Man: Phallic Possession, etc. by Carellin Brooks (UBC Press)
Gay Power: An American Revolution by David Eisenbach (Carroll & Graf)
Their Own Receive Them Not by Horace Griffin (Pilgrim Press)
Crip Theory by Robert McRuer (NYU Press)
Beautiful Bottom, Beautiful Shame by Kathryn Stockton (Duke University Press)

Nominees for SCI-FI/FANTASY/ HORROR

Carnival by Elizabeth Bear (Bantam Spectra)
Mordred, Bastard Son by Douglas Clegg (Alyson)
A Strong and Sudden Thaw by R.W. Day (Iris Print)
Izzy and Eve by Neal Drinnan (Green Candy Press)
Spin Control by Chris Moriarty (Bantam Spectra)

Nominees for SPIRITUALITY

Sex & the Sacred by Daniel Helminiak ( Harrington Park Press)
The After-Death Room by Michael McColly (Soft Skull Press)
Spirited edited by Lisa Moore & G. Winston James (Redbone Press)
The Singing of Swans by Mary Saracino (Pearlsong Press )
Mobius Trip by Giti Thadani (Spinifex Press)

Nominees for TRANSGENDER

Transgender Rights edited Paisley Currah, Richard M. Juang, and Shannon Price Minter ( University of Minnesota Press )
Drag King Dreams by Leslie Feinberg (Carroll & Graf)
Supervillainz by Alicia E. Goranson (Suspect Thoughts)
The Transgender Studies Reader edited by Susan Stryker & Chris Whittle (Routledge)
The Testosterone Files by Max Wolf Valerio (Seal Press)

Nominees for LESBIAN FICTION

Punk Like Me by JD Glass (Bold Strokes)
Slipstream by Leslie Larson (Crown)
Outrageous by Sheila Ortiz Taylor (Spinsters Ink)
Rose of No Man's Land by Michelle Tea (Macadam Cage)
The Night Watch by Sarah Waters (Riverhead Books)

Nominees for LESBIAN ROMANCE

Fresh Tracks by Georgia Beers (Bold Strokes)
Wild Abandon by Ronica Black (Bold Strokes)
Finders Keepers by Karin Kallmaker (Bella Books)
Chance by Grace Lennox (Bold Strokes)
Turn Back Time by Radclyffe (Bold Strokes)

Nominees for LESBIAN MYSTERY

Sleep of Reason by Rose Beecham, Rose (Bold Strokes)
Night Vision by Ellen Hart (St. Martins)
The Art of Detection by Laurie R. King (Bantam)
Idaho Code by Joan Opyr (Bywater Books)
The Weekend Visitor by Jessica Thomas (Bella Books)

Nominees for LESBIAN POETRY

Domain of Perfect Affection by Robin Becker ( University of Pittsburgh )
Days of Good Looks by Cheryl Clarke (Carroll & Graf)
The Truant Lover by Juliet Patterson (Nightboat Books)
Lemon Hound by Sina Queyras (Coach House Books)
Touch to Affliction by Nathalie Stephens (Coach House Books)

Nominees for LESBIAN MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

Intimate Politics by Bettina Aptheker (Seal Press)
Fun Home by Alison Bechdel (Houghton Mifflin)
Queen of the Oddballs by Hilary Carlip (HarperCollins)
Hit by a Farm by Catherine Friend (Carroll & Graf)
Incognito Street by Barbara Sjoholm (Seal Press)

Nominees for LESBIAN EROTICA

Walk Like a Man by Laurinda D. Brown (Q-Boro Books)
Glamour Girls edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Harrington Park Press)
18th & Castro by Karin Kallmaker (Bella Books)
Master Han's Daughter by Midori (Circlet Press)
Best Lesbian Erotica 2007 edited by Tristan Taromino & Emma Donoghue (Cleis Press)

Nominees for LESBIAN DEBUT FICTION

The Teahouse Fire by Ellis Avery (Riverhead)
Black Marks by Kirsten Dinnall Hoyte (Akashic)
Erzulie's Skirt by Ana-Maurine Lara (Redbone Press)
Slipstream by Leslie Larson (Crown)
Origami Striptease by Peggy Munson (Suspect Thoughts)

Nominees for GAY FICTION

Every Visible Thing by Lisa Carey (HarperCollins)
Izzy and Eve by Neal Drinnan (Green Candy Press)
Alternatives to Sex by Stephen McCauley (Simon & Schuster)
Now Is the Hour by Tom Spanbauer (Houghton Mifflin)
Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)

Nominees for GAY ROMANCE

Someone Like You by Timothy James Beck (Kensington)
When the Stars Come Out by Rob Byrnes (Kensington)
Two Boys in Love by Lawrence Schimel (Seventh Window)
Surf 'N Turf by Scott & Scott (Romenticc)
Going Down in La-La Land by Andy Zeffer ( Harrington Park Press)

Nominees for GAY MYSTERY

Mardi Gras Mambo by Greg Herren (Kensington)
The Hell You Say by Josh Lanyon (I-Universe)
The Back Passage by James Lear (Cleis Press)
Provincetown Follies, Bangkok Blues by Randall Peffer (Bleak House Books)
The Lucky Elephant Restaurant by Garry Ryan (NeWest Press)

Nominees for GAY POETRY

Gutted by Justin Chin (Manic D Press)
The Album That Changed My Life by Jeffrey Conway (Cold Calm Press)
A History of My Tattoo by Jim Elledge (Stonewall)
Other Fugitives & Other Strangers by Rigoberto Gonzalez ( Tupelo Press)
When the Eye Forms by Dwaine Rieves ( Tupelo )

Nominees for GAY MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

Untold Stories by Alan Bennett (FSG)
The Bill From My Father by Bernard Cooper (Simon & Schuster)
Tweaked by Patrick Moore (Kensington)
History of Swimming by Kim Powers (Carroll & Graf)
My Father's Keeper by Jonathan Silin (Beacon)

Nominees for GAY EROTICA

Best Gay Erotica 2007 edited by Richard Labonte & Timothy J. Lambert (Cleis Press)
A History of Barbed Wire by Jeff Mann (Suspect Thoughts)
Hot On His Trail by Zavo (Alyson)

Nominees for GAY DEBUT FICTION

A Scarecrow's Bible by Martin Hyatt (Suspect Thoughts)
Send Me by Patrick Ryan (Dial Press)
The Zookeeper by Alex MacLennan (Alyson)
Suspension by Robert Westfield (HarperCollins)
5 Minutes & 42 Seconds by Timothy Williams (HarperCollins)

For more information, contact asklambda@earthlink .net.

Picture if you will...

2007-02-24T15:17:00.000-08:00

Picture if you will the quandary faced by a young man out on a stroll at 3:00 in the morning. The young man’s name doesn’t matter, nor does the name of his home town. What does matter is that this young man is hungry, thirsty, and in need of a few hundred cigarettes. What happens next ladies and feme – men, must be viewed to be believed.

Editing

2007-02-14T16:10:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to say I am now mired in the depths of ~~hell~~ editing. I’ll be back— bright eyed and full of useless chatter— after the 23rd.

Interview: The L-Word Fan Site

2007-02-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

Lynne Jamneck did an interview of yours truly for the L-word fan site. If this blog didn't already tell you too much about me here's a little bit more to help you fall asleep. I think Lynne did an excellent job. I'm told I'm a very hard person to interview.I can be a bit shy ;-).

Now you too, can pee standing up...

2007-01-21T17:34:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, I start thinking about my camping and hiking gear around February. Mostly because you can grab up a bunch of equipment at rock bottom prices. So,imagine my surprise when I came across a mention of an um "sanitary item" that allows girls to pee standing up. Now least you think I'm interested in purchasing this product for myself, let me assure you that you couldn't be further from the truth. I enjoy the exercise my upper thighs get from squatting outdoors. I'm a seasoned camper/hiker. I also did my fair share of club hopping in my early 20's. I'm no more shy about peeing outdoors then Spanky is, but I find the existence of a product that allows women to pee standing up mind boggling. A quick Google search turned up at least three other variations of the same type of product.

Exhibit A The Travelemate Urinary proucts

Exhibit B The Incredibly Easy Pee-Zee

Exhibit C The Whizzy

And for the paz de la resistance give special attention to the chick standing by the side of the road with one leg of her sweat pants hiked up. Come on sister, most guys would go behind a freaking tree for gosh sake.

KATU - Portland, Oregon - Local & Regional - Snow possible but don't bet on it

2007-01-16T15:33:00.000-08:00

KATU - Portland, Oregon - Local & Regional - Snow possible but don't bet on it

I woke up this morning to a lovely blanket of snow. The above weather report led me to believe that I had nothing to worry about,so I went to work. Mistake number one was listening to the dummy in the above link. Mistake number two was continuing to work after the back of my car slid into a gutter. I had considered going down to a smaller car with no four wheel drive, but todays weather just put that thought to rest. My good old 1992 4x4 did the job. I'm off to soak in a hot tub to calm my nerves.

Test Mobile Phone: Spanky

2007-01-14T09:12:00.001-08:00

Spanky got in the trash

Winter Reading

2007-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

I finally finished my short story and sent it in yesterday morning. I beat my deadline by a day. I suspect that I won't hear from my editor for another week so I'm going to get started on my winter reading list. I'm also going to have to chose my next project. I have lots of idea's for once, I just have to find the one that wants to be written the most.

Winter reading:

The Art of Detection –Lori King

Hunters Way – Geri Hill

Infinite Loop-Megan O’Brien

Fresh Tracks – Georgia Beers

Grave Silence –Rose Beecham

Pipeline -Brenda Adcock

Next- Michael Crichton

Lisey’s Story- Stephen King

Hannibal Rising-Thomas Harris

This is not a complete list. These books are all just sitting on shelf waiting for my attention. If you have an author or a particular book you’d like to recommend go ahead and shoot me an email.

Voicemail from my daddy

2006-12-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

I got an interesting voicemail from my daddy this morning. I have to set a little ground work, before I tell you about it. My daddy is 70+ years old and retired. As near as I can tell, he keeps busy by gardening and visiting with his friends at Ben’s Burgers’ in Oakland California. When I was a kid in the 70’s, the social spot was Rips Soul Food Kitchen and McDonalds; both on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley. Ben’s, as a social spot, is a fairly new thing; he’s older now and he worries about driving too far.

The voicemail this morning was to tell me that he’d received the two copies of Never Wake I’d sent him. Yes, I send copies of my books to both my parents. Now here’s where it gets odd. My daddy then requested I send him two more copies. Was I surprised? Nope. He sells a lot of my books to his Ben’s Burgers social club friends.

Now, between you and I dear reader, I doubt he’s ever read any of my books. I also doubt any of his friends have either. I vacillate between wishing my books were going to people who actually read them, and being damn proud of my daddy for his boldness and his ability to make such supportive friends. Now where was he when I was pushing Girl Scout cookies in the fifth grade?

Libraries to Go

2006-12-24T05:56:00.000-08:00

All right folks. My short story deadline looms large, but I wanted to blog about a great feature many libraries are offering.

My commute ranges from 40 minutes to an hour depending on the weather (believe it or not Portlanders have a hard time driving in the rain). I keep this segment of my life from being a total waste of time by listening to podcasts or audiobooks. That’s where Libraries to Go comes in.

With a library card issued from a supported library, you can add your name to a waiting list to listen to all kinds of audiobooks for free. Many of the classics are available immediately. No late fees, no fumbling with CD’s and no last minute trips to the library.

Now, for the catches. You didn’t seriously believe there wouldn’t be any did you? Not all libraries are supported, you will have to download the Overdrive software, and many of the audiobooks can not be burned to CD or downloaded to an ipod. But if you are a gadget head like me, you carry your laptop and or your handheld with you most places anyway.

On a related note, I am amazed at the numbers of people that don't take advantage of the offerings of their public library. I am aware that not all libraries are created equal and funding dictates how many services each library offers. But here in Metro Oregon, our library offers most of the NY Times bestsallers in audiobook and print form almost immediately. Be prepared to wait for the more popular titles.

Manuscript off to the publisher. YES!!!

2006-12-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

My manuscript is in the hands of my publisher. What usually happens is the publisher assigns an editor and in a few weeks or months (depending on how busy the editor is) you get the redlines back. I have two books on schedule for edit in 2007. And I should probably write another book in between the two edits. I'll spend the next two weeks revising and editing a anthology piece and figuring out what I want to do next.

In Gabe’s tech ho’ news I finally pulled the trigger on a new laptop to celebrate sending in the manuscript. I purchased a Dell D620. Now for those who don’t know me this is probably my fourth laptop in ten years. I seem to be hard on them. My criteria are simple. You must work, you must work hard, you must not weigh a ton (see above post about the other crap I carry) and you must run at least 99 present of the apps I want you too. Seems easy enough right? We’ll see if Dell is up to the challenge.

Global Orgasm day

2006-11-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

The folks over at the Global Orgasm website would like us all to make love not war. They would like December 22 to be Global Orgasm Day. Works for me!

What's in my gadget bag?

2006-11-20T12:35:00.000-08:00

All right so I thought I would fool around with flikr the other day while on a conference call. I absolutely adore free stuff. Say what you will about yahoo, flikr Google, and blogger, but they are probably the best free stuff you'll ever find. If folks from work run across this post, sorry, but you people bore me to tears. Now there are a few disclaimers that I must insist on. This is not a purse. It's a gadget bag. Gabe doesn't carry a purse--It's a bag--comprende?

If you would like to know what some of the smaller items are you can follow this link to flickr and wave your cursor over each object.

Gabrielle's Success

2006-11-15T14:47:00.000-08:00

Have you ever found a letter from yourself that gave you a kick in the pants just when you needed it? I found this on the hard drive of my old computer. My first thought was to edit it to death, but I decided not to. I hope you'll understand why when you read it.

Gabrielle's Success

I didn’t need that red needle coming to rest on the thick black 250 to tell me I had a problem. My thighs chafed when I walked longer than 15 minutes, my knees cracked and my lungs burned from walking up short flights of stairs. I had to purchase men’s jeans in order for them to fit comfortably. I wore 42DDD bras and I would have rather licked botulism than hop on a scale.

Eventually there came a day when I decided that it was time to get my life and myself back. No matter how many years I’d spent as an “overweight” adult, I never felt comfortable with that title. I always thought of myself as active. I would even tell people I didn’t eat much in order to dispel any misconceptions regarding HOW I got as big as I was. I realized that in order for me to lose weight and become healthy, I would have to find out exactly how much damage I had done to myself over the years. With heart pounding and eyes squinting, I stepped on the scale and confirmed what I had already suspected. I wasn’t just overweight. I was morbidly obese.

Since I began my weight loss journey, I’ve given a great deal of thought to what may have caused my obesity. But in truth, it was probably a combination of things. As a child, I believed friends who had pantries stocked with cookies, candies and sugary cereals to be rich. In my teens, when I did begin to care about my weight, I would remedy perceived love handles by not eating. As a young adult, I ate junk foods because I was too lazy to cook. In my mid 20’s, I was ratcheted up the ranks of my company to a management position, complete with expense account. I was expected to wine and dine clients weekly; a chore that I completed without complaint. And finally, in my late 20’s I suffered from what I now believe to be undiagnosed depression.

You’re probably thinking: How could she not know she was depressed? I didn’t know, because I didn’t have any of the symptoms that I associated with depression. I didn’t lie in my bed and hide from the world. I wasn’t particularly sad or angry. I got up every morning, got dressed, went to work and sometimes even managed a legitimate smile. Oh, and I ate.

I ate as much as my boyfriend(I was in denial folks) and neither of us thought anything of it. When that relationship ended we were both bigger people for the experience. As my weight grew, a problem I can trace back to early childhood began to develop like an ill formed twin. My problem was negative thinking. I would often think and say things about myself that would bring tears to my eyes. Words such as “stupid” and “fat cow” come to mind as I type this, but these are probably the least abusive of what I thought of myself. Food became a panacea—a salve for hurts that I inflicted on myself.

Success comes at a price, isn’t that what the old adage says? The price I paid in order to get to a healthy weight was accepting the responsibility that I was solely to blame for my condition. I had mentally and physically abused my body by giving it foods that were not nutritious, and refusing to listen to it when it complained of its poor treatment. I will carry the scars of that abuse in the form of stretch marks over newly formed abs for as long as I live. They (stretch marks) will forever be reminders, should I ever forget how far I’ve come.

At first glance you might think that my success is simply that I’ve lost over 100 pounds and that I am no longer obese or even overweight according to most doctors charts. But that is only half my story. Immediately after reading Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution, I remember knowing with absolute certainty that one day I would be in a size 10 again. That was one of the few positive thoughts I’d had in years and I held on to it as if it were a life preserver throughout my journey.

I currently weigh 144.8 pounds and wear a size 8 woman’s and a 30 in men’s jeans. But even that small victory is not why I consider myself successful. I consider myself successful because I was kind to myself. For 19 months I looked at myself in the mirror and said “good going sweetie.” I congratulated myself when I passed on the movie popcorn (my favorite) and I rubbed the back of my own neck after I worked out particularly hard. I told myself ”soon” when I’d try on a new pair of jeans that still didn’t quit fit , and I told myself that tomorrow was another day when I ate too much. I stopped being afraid of food and I embraced it for its ability, when used properly, to make me feel healthy. I became my own best friend and trusted confidant. I learned to love Gabrielle…and in the midst of all that loving of me… I lost 105 pounds. Go figure.

Clean slate

2006-11-09T15:16:00.000-08:00

I want to write on this so bad. The problem is everyone would know I did it. It's right outside my window at work. Fresh poured and more permanent then paper. How could they expect me to pass this up? 500 words...I could fit 500 at least.

The End

2006-11-09T05:15:00.001-08:00

Just a quick update to say that I’ve typed the words THE END for both my short story and my novel. Which means…absolutely nothing.

Actually, I'm kidding. What it means is, I can shift completely into the editing mode. People who edit their work as they go are amazing. I learned a long time ago that I could get bogged down for three days on one sentence if I did that. So, when I say I wrote THE END on both pieces, I mean I now have a nearly illegible draft of something that I can chip away at until I find the good bits.

What fun!

Never Wake is available for pre-order!

2006-11-03T12:22:00.000-08:00

Never Wake is available for pre-order at StarCrossed-- Shipping November 5th

Emma Webster is the victim of a brutal assault. Because of the resulting terror, she spends two years as a self-sentenced prisoner locked inside her condo, living a lonely but safe existence - at least she thought it was safe until the world outside her window goes silent.

Troy Nanson, a bicycle messenger, awakens in a hospital with an excruciating headache, but she has no memory of how she was injured or how long she has been there. When her calls for help go unanswered, Troy leaves her bed to search for hospital staff members, only to find them unconscious in the hospital lounge. They have pulses and are breathing, but she cannot rouse them. Are they comatose, drugged? In a trance-induced sleep? She calls 911, but no one answers. As she explores downtown Portland, Oregon, Troy's suspicions are confirmed - the rest of the world has fallen asleep, and nothing she does will wake them. Fear and desperation cause Troy's tenuous grip on reality to slip. She's ready to give up, but then she finds Emma.

Believing they are the only people awake in the entire world, these two women who are as different from each other as they could possibly be, come to depend on one another to find their way through the insanity that surrounds them. Their initial need for simple companionship turns into an attraction that they are just beginning to explore when Troy stumbles across evidence that results in some startling realizations.

There are at least two other people still awake in Portland, but one of them is a murderer. Can Troy and Emma find a way to outsmart the killer, or will they, too, become those who NEVER WAKE?

Simple Literary Will

2006-10-31T08:55:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite novelists and comic book writers Neil Gaiman has done all of us writers, songwriters and photographers a real solid by having a lawyer friend of his draw up a literary will. Here's a link to Neil's Blog where you'll find the downloadable PDF.

Funky Weekend

2006-10-30T06:39:00.000-08:00

I spent most of Saturday procrastinating and surfing the net. I wrote about 1200 words on a new piece. Although, I’m happy to be able to report that I wrote something, it wasn’t a project I have a deadline for, and was probably just more procrastination.

Sunday was a lot more productive. I woke up at the crack of ass--thanks to the time change--and could not get back to sleep. So I spent the first half of the morning doing more web surfing. I’m not going to get down on myself (how great would that be?) because I was able to complete another chapter and slap another 1900 words on my meter for this weekends. I’m only counting the words in a scene after I actually use them in a chapter so I’m sure I’m probably closer to 68000. My goal is to have the draft completed by Sunday the fifth.

If money were no object...

2006-10-29T04:44:00.000-08:00

Periodically my partner and I have conversations about wining millions.
Before I go further, I should point out that my partner has a job, that pays well and that she enjoys.

She’s also a semi-pro poker player. I say semi-pro because in order for her to be pro she would have to make the same annual salary that she makes in her day job. Semi –pro simply means she makes half her annual salary. My reason for bringing this up is because she and I have often discussed what we would do if she hit it huge or if we won the lottery. Keep in mind, we don’t play the lottery, this is just a figurative conversation.

Anyway, she seems to think she would continue to work her office job. I say bull. I don’t care if you love your office job, most of us would rather be doing something more creative. She pointed out that when I had the opportunity to write full time, (after the lovely tech boom of 2000) I got fat, bored and mean. Well, she didn’t say it like that, but she implied it.

So with that in mind, I asked myself, would I continue to work an office job if money were no object? It really differs in every office, but I’m starting to think that people who sit in cubicles have accepted some facts about life that I am not quite ready to accept. I haven’t reached my full potential nor am I willing to sacrifice for the next generation.

Screw that. If money were no object, I’d buy myself a jet plane so that I could procrastinate in the Bahamas, sit and admire the women in South Beach, and write this blog from a café in Paris. Care to join me?

1st daft of short story complete

2006-10-27T07:29:00.000-07:00

The good news is, I completed a draft for my short story this morning. The bad news is, I’ll need to cut at least 500 words during the editing process. I really hate cutting. I usually save myself the aggravation by shooting low and adding if necessary. Adding is infinitely easier then deleting your words.

Authors on my shelf

2006-10-25T06:17:00.000-07:00

Not only do I write fiction, but I read it. Here are some links, in no particular order, to authors that I have on my bookshelf. I'll update the list with more links and descriptions when I have more time.

Renee Bess

Radclyffe

Gerri Hill

Georgia Beers

JD Glass

Lori L. Lake

Jane Vollbrecht

Neil Gaiman

Quitting the day job

2006-10-24T06:36:00.000-07:00

I keep a day job for two reasons. First, I need the health insurance (and the pay isn’t that shabby either), but the second reason might surprises some people. Too much time proved to be detrimental to my productivity. Writing can be a solitary and lonely life. I spent nearly two years writing full time and I found myself procrastinating and getting very little done. Now, there are people out there (very successful people) who are able to treat writing like a full time job and put in eight hours a day. I’m not one of them. Or at least I wasn’t three years ago. If I were financially able I would probably revisit writing full time, but for now I’m happy with things the way they are.

On a related note, I was speaking with author bud Renee Bess and she asked about my schedule. Normally, I write from 5-7 in the morning, which gives me thirty minutes to get ready for the day job. Since I’m currently on a deadline to have my manuscript to my editor by mid December, I’ve changed my schedule so that I’m getting an extra thirty minutes during the morning. I’m also writing from 7 to 9 at night. In a perfect world, the night shift would be for editing, but my trip to Massachusetts put me behind a few days so I’m playing catch-up.

Then vs. Than

2006-10-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

After going through my huge stack of mail, I was pleased to find the newest issue of Writers Digest. I struggled for months with whether I should renew my subscription, boy am I glad I did. Let me just say that I have a few foibles that have haunted me since I began to write seriously.

For example, the difference between then and than has eluded me for years. I'm smart enough to go back and do a find before I send in my manuscripts, but I would much rather save myself the work and not make the mistake in the first place.

I’ve read several short explanations of how to determine which word to use, but none has stuck with me well enough to become natural in the heat of the write.

I opened my trusty Writers Digest this morning and I saw the following advice:

The word than is used to compare things (note the word compare has an a in it)

The word then is used to reference time (note the word time has an e in it)

That’s all I had to read. I’ve got it now. Of course I could muddy the waters by mentioning that then can be used to replace the phrase, “in that case,” but I’ve decided to never use that phrase in my writing ever again just so I won’t have to remember that part.

Sunset in P-Town

2006-10-14T15:30:00.000-07:00

I wish my camera phone could have done this justice.

Cape Air Cesna

2006-10-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

I grinned the whole way to P-Town on this thing. It seats 10 people total one of which is in the co-pilot seat. My enthusiasm was dampened greatly by turbulence on the ride home. I'll be driving from Boston next year.

On the way to P-Town

2006-10-10T22:13:00.000-07:00

Well, here I am waiting for the train to portland airport. I sometimes forget how weird portland people are...until I smell them.

Friends and Family plan

2006-10-10T15:58:00.000-07:00

Like most writers, I’m not independently wealthy. Hell, there are months when I struggle for middleclass. I’ve had to organize my life so that I can write in the mornings and evenings while still working a full time job.

Is it fun? Oh yeah, believe it or not, I love it.
What I don’t love is the fact that my mother and two of my friends have gotten mad at me for not calling them or answering my cell phone. The fact that I’ve had final edits on one book, and a proposal for another book due concurrently, is absolutely no excuse for not taking the time to chat.

So, much to my chagrin, I’ll have to add “friends and family time” to my efforts to organize my writing career. I just hope my mother will understand when at two minutes past the hour, I cut her off by yelling, “I have to go write that sex scene now,” just before I hang up the phone.

Spanky

2006-10-09T19:55:00.000-07:00

Spanky decided she would nap in the laundry basket.

Losing things

2006-10-08T14:48:00.000-07:00

I’m leaving for P-Town in less than two days and I’ve already lost two items. One was a gift check for $25.00 the other was my bankcard. Actually, I’m pretty sure the machine kept my card, but I am willing to accept at least part of the responsibility. I think loosing things is my brain's way of forcing me to slow down.

Such A Pretty Face

2006-10-06T14:45:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce that my fourth book Such a Pretty Face has been contracted for publication by Bold Strokes Books. The book has been slotted for a July 2007 release which means I'm going to be a busy, but happy camper.

Over the coming day's I'll try to get as more information up. I hope to meet some of you in P-Town. I have some celebrating to do.