Proud to Be An Iowan

Did Hillary Clinton leave a tip at a Maidrite in Iowa? That's all the buzz in the news world. Word was that she didn't tip her waitress. Her campaign says they did. Drudge (and others) have picked up the story and run with it. When a reporter called the waitress, Anita Esterday, she said she couldn't figure out what all the commotion was about.

“You people are really nuts,” she told a reporter during a phone interview. “There’s kids dying in the war, the price of oil right now — there’s better things in this world to be thinking about than who served Hillary Clinton at Maid-Rite and who got a tip and who didn’t get a tip.”

Right on, sister.

Can I get an "Amen!"?

Just Don't Lie to Me

That's probably a statement we've all heard from our parents or a lover at one time or another. It's pretty basic. Don't lie. Of course we all "shade" the truth. Telling your best friend that her new dress makes her look like a giant tomato is not a kind thing to do. Telling your boss you think he's a mental midget is a CLM (career limiting move). On the flip side, there are times when honesty has to come through no matter then consequences. I'm at about 50-50 on those. I've butted heads with hospital management about the care of women in labor, but held my tongue in other situations that I now regret not taking on. I'm sure most people have the same track record.

Then comes the politicians. Back in the "good old days" I felt the media would take these bozos to task if they outright lied to the public. My gut tells me that a lot of b.s. got shoved past us back in those good old days, but not as much as today. When you add in the pressure of a presidential race, the pols really go to town.

Hopefully there will be more places like this one: FactCheck.org

An example from the site:

Giuliani's wrong when he claims to have added 12,000 new NYC cops while he was mayor.

On his Web site, Rudy Giuliani claims that he grew New York City's police force by 12,000 officers between his inauguration as mayor in January 1994 and mid-2000. That's just not true. Most of the cops he's counting – 7,100 to be exact – were already housing or transit police who were simply folded into the New York Police Department. The merger of the departments didn't increase the number of police in the city at all.

The actual increase in the size of the force was about 3,660, or about 10 percent, during the period Giuliani pinpoints. And Giuliani doesn't mention that the cost of hiring about 3,500 of the officers was partially covered by the federal government under President Bill Clinton.

Giuliani is particularly inclined to lie. Yes, I used that word. The media speaks of mendacity (the tendency to lie) rather than just saying, "Rudy. You couldn't tell the truth if you tried." He has an ego problem, a habit of going out of his way to punish enemies and the tact of a razor blade. And I'll go on record -- he will be a worse president that Mr. Bush. Bush may lie, but in his heart he believes what he's saying. Giuliani just doesn't care. He believes were all chumps and so far, he might be right.

Why? That's the question we Americans should be asking. If he (or any of the candidates) lie to us now, they'll do it later. (Remember those WMD in Iraq?) The consequences are far more grave than a "well, he did get those health care numbers wrong." A lying president sets the tone for the entire administration. A lying president covers his ass and in the process, people get hurt.

If Mr. G can't be bothered to tell the truth (and he has the staff to do the research so there is no reason he shouldn't know the numbers, details, etc.) then why do we need him? Why can't the American people say "No way. You lie. We want as honest an individual as we can get, and you are not it."

All politicians shade the truth. The ones that lie to your face and expect you to kiss their ring are the last thing this country needs. So do a little fact checking of your own. Don't believe a word they tell you. In the end, you will be the one to pay the penalty, not the Pinocchio in the White House.

Late addition: Here's another set of beauties at TPM Election Central The guy just won't quit.

Time Rovers Rule!

Wonderful news! SOJOURN is a Pluto Award winner! This award is given by Yellow30 Sci-Fi in recognition of the Best New Voice in Science Fiction 2007. This is the first year for this award and I'm thrilled to receive it. As a New Voice, it's sometimes hard to get heard in the hurley burly that is publishing. So I send my thanks to the fine folks at Yellow30 Sci-Fi!!!!

About that Second Book, Ms. Oliver --
I've been doing a lot of fidgeting lately. It's been because of VIRTUAL EVIL, the second book in my series. It's that second book thing, you see. Since the current story arc is three books, book #2 better rock or you've lost the readers. As I've mentioned before in my blogs, I agonized over VE, rewriting and rewriting even before it reached my editor. Then she grabbed me by the lapels and we redid the book over twice more. I worried over this book like a dog with a bone. The effort was worth it.

I'm thrilled (and relieved) to announce that VE (and SOJOURN for that matter) earned Romantic Times Book Review's 4-1/2 Star Top Picks in Science Fiction & Fantasy. It's probably the only time I'll have books earn a higher rating than those of Jim Butcher, Mercedes Lackey and George R.R. Martin. VE also earned 5 Angels from Fallen Angel Reviews and praise from Coffee Time Romance and ParaNormalRomance .

Romantic Times: "Readers are in for a gripping adventure!"

Fallen Angel: "This book is one of the most creative, imaginative, and exciting stories I've picked up in a long time."

ParaNormalRomance: "A rollicking good read!"

The one complaint? My cliffhanger ending. Now I don't like those myself, but no matter how I tried to write the ending in a different way, it just didn't work. That's the way VE was supposed to end. I pretty much know the ending for MADMAN'S DANCE (the next book) and it's not a cliffhanger. I won't do that to my readers two times in a row (or I'd probably be hung from the closest gas lamp).

And lest some of you are not romance readers and note that so far the reviews are all from that part of the world, not to fear. There is a strong romantic subplot weaving through the entire series, but these books also include mystery, suspense, paranormal elements and a good dose of 1888 London. I like to mix genres and see what happens. The mystery and science fiction/fantasy reviews are in the pipeline. I'm hoping they like the book as much as the romance reviewers. (fingers crossed).

So there is rejoicing on this end because of all the good news. And the sobering reality that MADMAN'S DANCE is due March 1st to my glorious publisher. That's 120 days from now. You know, I think I'll go type some words now...

Let There Be Questions - Part II

Now that I'm home for a bit (at least until Saturday) I'm going to work on those Kennesaw State University student questions from September. Remember those?

Natalie E asks, "Can you tell us a bit more about your talk for the Whitechapel Society and the Once Upon a Dark Alley: A Tale of Ripper Fiction?"

Sure can. Lots of dedicated Ripperologists (as they're called) can quote chapter and verse from non-fictional accounts of the crimes. Not a lot of them read fictional works about Jack the Ripper. Why? Most of it is just so bad! A good number of authors don't do their homework, make assumptions about Jack, the Victorian Era, the investigation, or just figure they know everything anyway so why bother read up on the subject. The end result is something that grates on one's nerves if you are aware of the details of the crimes and the times. Why so picky? It's easy. If you're a mechanic and some author puts a blatant mistake in his/her book about how to fix a carburetor, you're going to notice. Make another mistake and now you've pulled the reader out of the story. At this point they might give up on you and put the book down (or toss it across the room if they're really steamed). You've trashed the "suspension of disbelief" that allows a reader to immerse themselves in your make-believe world. That's why most Ripperologists don't bother with Ripper fiction. They know too much about the subject to suspend disbelief.

I decided it would be interesting to see how other authors have treated Old Jack since 1888. A couple good examples fall in 1889 and 1899. From that point on Jack has been portrayed as the ultimate demon, a role model, a "victim" and a hero (!). I certainly couldn't read every bit of Ripper fiction out there, but I did enjoy the breadth of the stories that I sampled (at least most of them). Anno Dracula (Kim Newman) combines Jack and Vlad Dracula in a riveting tale. The Whitechapel Horrors (Edward Hanna) pairs Sherlock Holmes and Jack in a story that really gives you the atmosphere of 1888 London. The Lodger (Marie Belloc Lowndes) is the classic tale of a landlady who begins to believe that her lodger is the infamous killer. Bill Perring's excellent The Seduction of Mary Kelly depicts Jack (and Victorian England) from the point of view of one of his most famous victims.

What I learned is what I suspected: each author brings their own "view" of Jack to the story which, in many ways, mirrors the mindset of the time it was written. Time After Time (Karl Alexander) is a good example. The Ripper steals H.G. Well's time machine and journeys to 1979 San Francisco. Jack quickly realizes he's an amateur in the horror department, an authorial comment on our violent society.

So the talk revolves around some of the different offerings of Ripper fiction, how Jack is portrayed or "revealed" inside the story and how that differs from some of the other Ripper fiction one can read. The talk was well received at the Whitechapel Society (thank heavens) and I'll be presenting a PowerPoint version this Saturday at the Fayette Co. Public Library (Fayetteville, GA). Should be a lot of fun.

Over time, I hope to become an "expert" (I use that term very loosely) about Ripper fiction. Not many people have made a study of it. I figured -- why not? I always enjoy a good story as long as they get the details correct.

HallowCon 2007

Some conventions are always a good time. HallowCon is one of those. We schlepped ourselves to Chattanooga via The Interstate from Hell (I-75) and it only took 2-1/2 hours when it should take far less than that. You can employ the scenic route and it takes 3. When we come home, we'll do that and enjoy the trees and the mountains instead of the back end of a semi.

Anyway, we checked in, reacquainted ourselves with the hotel and the found some food. Opening ceremonies was had, a Meet and Greet the Guests commenced and then we settled in for some port and chocolate in our room with some old friends.

Saturday went very quickly. A few panels, lots of food and, for me, a whopping ache in my neck. It managed to go weird overnight even though I brought my own pillow. So I was more reserved than usual this year and took a couple of naps augmented with BioFreeze to try to numb down the ouchies. Didn't work.

Though the weekend wasn't as much fun for me because of that issue, it was still great for everyone else. Lots of good food, libations, stimulating panels and strange people to talk with (you know who you are!) Mickey & Dutch (the folks who put on the con) do a bang up job.

If you want to find out what one of their "relaxa-cons" is like, please go here. They do two cons a year (insane!) -- Fantasicon & HallowCon (March & October). Pick one and go. You won't regret it.

Same Wavelength

Everything went without a hitch. We took the train to Manchester on Sunday night, settled into our hotel and found a wonderful Italian restaurant to enjoy our final supper in England. We were off early the next morning to the airport and managed to get ourselves a very chatty cab driver. Once he found out we were Americans, we starting comparing notes.

To sum it up, a goodly number of Brits are keeping a wary eye on our elections. If you don't know why they'd care, I suspect you might want to bone up on our history for the last seven years. They're edgy who will be in the White House, edgy about their economy, the problems with their health care, immigration, etc. Sound familiar?

I found a common theme: We're so screwed and don't know how to fix the mess. We have politicians who couldn't find their arses with four hands and our future is looking pretty crappy. Brits are a stoic lot. They've been through stuff that makes our 9/11 look like a bad road accident. They grumble, but they usually have a sense of the future, that things will get better. I didn't feel that during this trip and it troubled me.

Much like here in America. We're worried about the same things, furious at our politicians who can't seem to do a damned thing right and frustrated about where it's all heading. I didn't travel anywhere else this trip, so I can't say if this is a worldwide malaise or just isolated in a few countries. Contrast this with the Victorian Era, which was full of energy and a sense of confidence, and it's even more depressing.

On the whole, it was a very good trip and I learned a lot, both for my writing and on a personal level. I'm hoping if I make a journey back to England next year I'll find my Brit cousins a bit more buoyant. If not, then I know things are really not going to get much better in the long haul.

The 2007 Jack the Ripper Conference

Many of you might find it quite odd that a bunch of folks gather every year to talk about a serial killer from the 1880's. I admit it is a bit odd, but everyone has a hobby. Of course, to some of these folks the pursuit of the Whitechapel killer isn't really a hobby. Many of them have made a lifetime study of the crime scenes, victims and potential suspects. I stand in awe of them.

For me the conference offers an opportunity to speak to some highly intelligent folks who know just about anything you can ask about Victorian England. This conference was in Wolverhampton (northwest of Birmingham) and focused strictly on Catherine "Kate" Eddowes, one of the women who died on 30 Sept 1888 during the "Double Event." Kate has always had a special place in my heart and I included her in my first Time Rovers novel. It was interesting to hear of her life, her family and her final hours.

The image above is a portion of the backdrop used at the conference. My photo quality isn't that good. The original was superb. The work is by Jake Luukanen, who creates 3D models of the crime scenes based on old maps, photos and anything else he can get his hands on to make the images as accurate as possible. They are incredibly time consuming to create, but Jake has given us a means to visualize scenes that no longer exist. His images were used during a presentation by Neil Bell which laid out Kate Eddowes' last hours and her journey into Mitre Square. Neil also detailed the two constables' "beats" (the set routes they followed each night) around and through Mitre Square. The hours of work involved to do the research, let alone create the artwork, was daunting. The end result was very impressive. If you wish to see more of Jake's work, visit Casebook.org and in particular here.


But not all the time was spent discussing old murders. Saturday evening we did the banquet thing. Alan Sharp, author and all round nice chap, displayed his full Scottish regalia. Husband and I remained a bit more mundane, though we did dress upmarket for the occasion. I think hubby is now regretting not renting a kilt for the soirée.

Sunday brought the opportunity to auction off a character in my next book (Madman's Dance) which is the third in the Time Rovers Series. After a very generous donation to the conference, the part went to Robert Anderson, a fellow American. Now what is ironic is that there was a Robert Anderson involved in the Ripper case -- Sir Robert Anderson. I will, of course, make sure our Robert gets a plumb part. I already have a notion just what that might be.

Sunday evening we were off to Manchester. It's been a very busy and exhausting fortnight. I seem to have acquired a genuine British cold. Thanks for sharing, guys.

Blists Hill - Shropshire

Anytime you can take me into something remotely Victorian, I'm happy. Blists Hill was just such a place. Designed to give us modern folks a glimmer of what life was like in Shropshire during the late Victorian Era, it does the job quite well. The only downside is that it does it so well that school groups were touring the place at the same time as us. One clue: British school kids, at least the younger ones, aren't any better behaved than their Yank cousins. The older kids were well mannered and that was a plus. We just kept working our way around the groups so we could have more time to talk to the inhabitants of this little village.

I spent considerable time in many of the shops taking reference photos. I use them as I write to get the flavor of the time or a particular place. The chemist's shop is a good example. I spoke with the chemist who referred me to a book that laid out practices and procedures for dispensing medications. It included a section on therapeutic and lethal dosages. Contrary to what you read, Victorian chemists were very cagey about how bought poisons from them. They needed to either know the person or have someone recommend that individual before they'd hand over the arsenic or the strychnine. Sales of poisons were logged in a ledger. This chemist shop also included a corner where a dentist could ply his trade on certain days of the week. Now that is a gruesome thought.

We also visited the printing shop where my husband and the printer discussed the finer aspects of typesetting (hubby learned some of that in high school) and then we were off to the equivalent of their grocery store where I indulged myself in even more photos.

Hubby was also tickled to find two of his favorite things at Blists Hill: steam engines and draft horses. He spoke with a couple of the older gents about some of the early engines. Though he is a computer wizard, he does have experience dealing with steam-powered threshing machines in Iowa. And as for the draft horses, we used to own a pair of Belgians. We were pleased to find a pair of Shires at Blists Hill. The younger one (below) was being trained to deal with the noise and such that goes with the visitors. His handler didn't use blinkers or blinders, feeling it was better for the horse to be able to see what was approaching him. Sound reasoning.

It was suggested we budget at least two and a half hours for Blists Hill. It took four. It was a marvelous treat. Tomorrow we're off to Wolverhampton and the UK Jack the Ripper Conference. Now that will be a change of scenery.

Go Forth & Explore!

Today was a transition day. We boarded a Virgin Train (no jokes please) and set off for Telford. The train ride was flawless. They've added new rolling stock since we were last there and though they've adopted the airlines idea of cramped seating, the environment was very pleasant. The continuous rail made the journey quiet and fast. By buying the tickets ahead a two and some odd hour journey cost us $25 each. Not bad.

Once in Telford we took a cab to our B&B in Ironbridge. We arrived a bit early, but our hosts were very gracious, showed us to our room and plied us with hot tea and cake. Yum. After a quick nap, we set off for Ironbridge. Now it's not that far of a walk, but it did involve some back roads (see above). Very rustic and relaxing after the hurly burly that is London. And abundant stinging nettles. Now if you don't know about nettles, let's just say you don't want to be an idiot and think it's mint and run a leaf between your thumb and index finger so you can smell the heavenly minty odor. With nettles, it hurts like hell. And continues to hurt for some time afterward. I pulled this stunt during my first trip to England in '87. I know better now. I glowered at the nettles and they glowered back. Best to leave it that way.

The town of Ironbridge is (obviously) named after the famous Ironbridge that spans the gorge. Build in 1779 it's an incredible work of engineering. Now I might not have been as impressed if the Victorians had built it, but conducting the work in the 1770's sincerely left me in awe of their effort. We were still getting our country in order and they were building massive iron bridges across huge gorges. Amazing.

It proved a great evening to trudge around. The weather was truly refreshing. The leaves are just getting a blush of color. A house (above) had a wreath of ivy that was trending from green to fire red. Very stunning. Hard on the brickwork, but pretty nonetheless.

Tomorrow we're off to Blists Hill, a Victorian village. It'll be a great day for me to take pictures and ask lots of questions. As for the husband, if he gets to see steam engines, draft horses and farm equipment, all will be well.

From 1666 to 1888

The Great Fire of London. If you've not heard of this particular bit of London's history, it's a riveting story. A fire breaks out in the ovens of the King's baker in the year 1666. Not everyone was worried: the Lord Mayor of Lord deemed it so insignificant that a "woman could piss it out." Not the first time a public official got it wrong in one.

Over 80% of London was destroyed. 13,000+ homes, 87 churches including the great St. Paul's. Supposedly only a handful people died. The truth is closer to hundreds, if not thousands perished as no accurate records were kept of the deaths. I came across the book The Dreadful Judgement while touring through the Docklands Museum. It's an incredible read. Utilizing factual details with a twist of fiction, the story comes alive. I finished it in only a few nights, it was that good.

Efforts were made to improve the firefighting response as there was no metropolitan fire authority at this time. It wasn't until after the Tooley Street Fire of 1861 that things really moved forward. The fire started in a bale of jute and consumed 20+ warehouses. It burned for two weeks (!) and created a slick of burning oil and tallow on the Thames that claimed some of the ships.

Soon after, the London Fire Brigade was created. Today we visited their museum even though it was pouring rain. It was worth it. We toured through different centuries of fire fighting technique, viewed old hand pumps, engines and the latest firefighting equipment. Outside the newest batch of would-be firefighters were busily training with a hook and ladder.

One display (see left) let us see how the firefighters' uniforms had changed over the centuries. The goldish helmet is the uniform from the Victorian Era and the coat was made of wool. A step up from the leather helmet of previous centuries. Other exhibits demonstrated leaps forward in the science of firefighting, usually after a disaster such as the King Cross/St. Pancras Station fire in 1987 where in 31 people died.

After a nice lunch at the Market Porter (yes, I did make it back) we headed toward Whitechapel. By now it is raining steadily, my shoes (of the tennis variety) are soaked as are portions of my legs and arms. I was carrying an umbrella (I detest the things) but it wasn't helping much. Still, the prospect of hiking through Whitechapel spurred me on.

Whitechapel. Once home to immigrants from Czarist Russia, now it's known as Banglatown because of the large number of Pakistani and Bangladeshi immigrants. It's also home to the Whitechapel Society, Jack the Ripper's hunting grounds and a few remaining examples of lovely Victorian architecture.
We spent the afternoon wandering around back alleys, ducking dripping waterspouts and trying not to get drowned by taxis or buses. We splashed around Mitre Square where Kate Eddowes was killed on 30 Sept 1888. Most of the landmarks are gone. So is Miller's Court (Mary Kelly 9th Nov 1888). The Victorian Era is slowly giving way to whatever we deem important at the moment. Still, some of the old buildings are rare gems and should be preserved. The locals are trying their best, but it seems more and more of those gems vanish every week.

Whilst craning my eyes upward (a lot of the really good Victorian bits are now on the second or third floors) I found what appears to be a Sanskrit sign underneath the English one. It's rusty and looks old. It's a bit of a puzzle so I intend to do some research into how that sign got there. It's not the only one, it appears. I love a mystery....

Many Miles Did We Travel

By now we're logging some serious foot mileage. We're ranging between 5 and 10 miles per day according to my pedometer. (Yes, I'm a masochist. I love numbers.) Today we were all over the place. We began our morning by taking an Original London Walks Tour of Southwark (pronounced suth-uk). We were joined by Mary & Tony from the U.S. Tony is a Dragon Moon Press author, as well, and when he said they were going to England we decided a meet-up was in order. Mary is always a kick and her mere presence causes balky UK mobiles (cell phones) to work. Don't know how she does it. Just happens.

Jean, our trusty London Walks guide, was great. She trudged us all over the back alleys of Southwark, visiting places Dickens would have known and relating stories from that time. She would slip into the proper accents and go to it. I always take these walks when I'm in London as they are very informative. They give you lots of tidbits and then you can do further research on your own. We only went on one this year and this was an excellent choice courtesy of Mary & Tony. As we walked, I made a mental note to come back and eat at the Market Porter (left) just across from Borough Market.

We also visited this very strange graveyard. Currently it's a storage area for a business and stacked with pipes and such. Underneath are at least 15K bodies as the site was used during one of the outbreaks of the plague and for paupers and prostitutes. People have attached little mementos and ribbons to the bars along the side of the graveyard, including a tribute to the women who were recently killed in Ipswich. Since ground is so expensive in London, there is a push to develop every square inch. This memorial is a reminder that often ground is too important to be used for the next supermarket or wine bar.














After the walk, we navigated our way across the river to Covent Garden and The Salisbury on St. Martin's Lane. This is a stunning Victorian Pub with cut class panels and mahogany interior. Do check out the link. I didn't get any decent pictures of this and have made note to do so the next time I visit. And spend more time in there. It was like a shrine.

Of course, I got lost on the way to the pub. That's kinda rare as I know Covent Garden very well. So we wandered a bit, whetting our appetite as it were, and then settled in for good food and conversation. Once lunch was over, Mary & Tony were off on their own pursuits and we went to Stanfords to collect yet another 1894 Whitechapel map (I left mine at home) and then on to Greenwich.

Once in Greenwich, we didn't get a chance to visit the Observatory or the National Maritime Museum. Just not enough time. But we did trudge through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel from Island Gardens (north) to Greenwich (south) which goes UNDER THE THAMES. Okay, I'm not good with old tunnels under water. Neither is my heroine, Jacynda. Gee, I wonder where that comes from. So I felt it necessary to make the journey just to experience the "thrill."
This tunnel is "younger" than the Thames Subway (which runs from the Tower of London to Tooley Street on the south bank) and the Thames Tunnel which runs from Wapping on the north to Rotherhithe on the south. The Thames Subway is closed now, used for fiber optic cables and such. The Thames Tunnel (Brunel's invention) is used for the trains. So the Greenwich Tunnel is the closest I can get to "experiencing" what it would be like to trudge under the Thames in the 19th century even though it was finished in 1902.

Unfortunately, we didn't get to make the crossing in peace and quiet. Bicyclists love the tunnel and even though they're not supposed to ride through, they do at breakneck speed. A couple of the younger ones were shouting at the top of their lungs. The sound reverberated like thunder. I kept moving at a very swift pace, partly because of my phobia and partly because I was counting how many steps it was between Island Gardens and Greenwich. Of course the hubby didn't know what I was doing and kept up a steady stream of commentary, rendering it quite difficult to keep an accurate count. I could have stopped at some point and given him a clue what I was up to, but that wasn't in the cards. Besides, there was a loo (restroom) that was calling my name in Greenwich. Some requirements just take precedence over everything else.

After finding said facility and then repairing to the Admiral Hardy for a good dinner and a pint (or two) of Boddingtons, we took our burning feet back to the B&B. At this point I'll do an unsolicited plug for Burt's Bees Peppermint Foot Foot Lotion. Recommended by my massage therapist, this stuff did wonders for our sore feet. Of course, our room always smelled like a peppermint factory, but that couldn't be helped.

Tomorrow is the London Fire Brigade Museum and Whitechapel. And of course, rain is in the offing....

The Regent's Canal

This was one of those beautiful days in London. It's getting on autumn here so there's a hint of color in the leaves and the air is crisp. We journeyed to a section of the Regent's Canal and then walked from Little Venice (as it's called) to Camden Town. About 3-1/2 miles. We trudged under old bridges, behind some stately mansions, through the London Zoo. All the while canal boats floated by us. If we'd been smart, we'd have taken one of those instead of walking, but somehow I think it would have ruined the effect.

Little Venice is home to a colony of flat-bottomed boats. Some of them appear to be permanently moored here. Each has their own electric and cable service (!). Though small by our standards, I could see how it would appeal. The canals run throughout portions of England so you can actually journey around, tie up for a pint and then head out again. I made note of that for a future trip.

Constructed in the early 19th century, the Regent's Canal was used to transport goods and people around London. There was a tow path along the side of the canal and horses pulled the boats along at a very slow pace. Sometimes a "train" of boats was strung together and towed along by a steam barge. In 1874, there was an explosion under the Macclesfield Bridge as one of the boats contained five tons of gunpowder which detonated as they passed underneath. You can read the account here.

We ate supper at Camden Town, wandered around their eclectic market for a time and then headed back to our B&B, totally knackered (tired) as the Brits would say. One odd thing about the market, however. For a time we thought we were back at Dragon*Con given the large numbers of Punks and Goths hanging around. Seemed surrealistic, to be honest.

Huzzah!

The evening at the Whitechapel Society was fabulous. Great people, appreciative audience, very good beer (wink). The talk went well. Only made only one real boo-boo and that got a laugh (never hurts) and folks seemed to like what they heard. We didn't get back to the B&B until half past midnight so this morning was a bit slow. This weekend London's Underground is undergoing planned renovations (in other words you can't get around very easily) so that required a lot of pre-planning.

Today we're off to Camden Locks on a tour to see the Regent's Canal (more research). Then more wandering around the East End. An author's job is never done.

Later...

The Highlight of My Year

For those who've followed my year, it's obvious it's been awesome. Ten award nominations, six wins for SOJOURN. My career is trending upward, as the financial analysts would say. But there is one thing that I've been anticipating beyond almost everything.

Picture this: The opportunity to address an audience in the Duke of Wellington Pub in Whitechapel. Beer at my elbow. The majority of the audience are friends and comrades, fellow Ripperologists. A genuine Victorian pub!

I'm giving a talk on Ripper fiction. 90% of me is wired about this. The other portion is scared out of my mind. What was I thinking? Most of these folks are one, two or more decades into Ripper research. They know WAY more than I can ever learn. Still, I know fiction and what motivates an author to use a compelling character to drive their story. And let's face it, Jack is the ultimate compelling character.

So on Saturday, Oct. 6th I'll be sipping a beer, spinning out my presentation to a group of wonderful folks in an old pub in London. If you're in the area, drop in (Duke of Wellington Pub, Toynbee Street, 7:45 p.m) If not, wish me luck!

Slainte!

Merry Olde

We've settled into our B&B and since the plane was only half full (or half empty depending on how you view things) we actually got some sleep. Today we wander through a former insane asylum, an old operating theatre and get some shots of London for reference. Tonight it's dinner with a friend who flies in and out of London on a regular basis. We're going to try Wagamama's (a noodle shop). I'll let you know how that works.

Once you get here and sort out the train/Light Rain/Tube and bus connections, you're very mobile. It just takes time. Not quite into the British part of my brain yet, but we're getting there.

And now off to explore. Carry on as you were....

And Away We Go

By the time you read this, we'll be on a plane (hopefully) to Merry Olde (England). We handed off our house keys to the housesitter, scritched the cat one last time and then vamoosed. We've done all the sensible things one does when one travels (notify the local neighborhood watch of our sitter, updated our info with the alarm company, polished our wills, all that crap.) Now it's just time to put butt in plane seat and fly for (groan) 9 hours.

It sounds like a long time. It will be. In my heyday, it was nothing. Flying back and forth to Asia from Iowa took an astounding 24 hours, at least 15 of that on a plane from San Francisco (or L.A.) to Hong Kong. 15 hours is PENANCE, even when you're in Business Class. So I will be reminding myself of that during our hours on the way to England. And no, we're not in Business Class, alas. Haven't made it to the "big time" just yet.

The first day there (Wed) is just going to involve getting settled into the B&B, doing recon to find an Internet cafe and finding a pub for dinner. Thurs we hit the ground walking as there is a LOT of research (not just the pub kind) that has to happen during this week in London. How was a court trial conducted in 1888? How were hangings carried out at Newgate? What is the airspeed velocity of a swallow? (Just kidding.*) I have considerable background info on most of my questions, but need more "depth" and you get that depth by trudging through museums, asking (hopefully) intelligent questions and keeping an eye out for that one piece of detail that makes a scene sing to the reader. Sometimes you find it. A lot of times you don't. It's a crapshoot.

I'll post reports as time and connections allow. It's going to be a hectic, but fun trip. Right now that sounds very appealing.


*Monty Python & The Search for the Holy Grail

Moonlight & Magnolias

Crazed person that I am, I decided to attend a conference the weekend before I zip off to England. It proved the perfect anecdote to the "have I packed the connector cable for "X"?" Moonlight & Magnolias is hosted by Georgia Romance Writers and this is their 25th year. They've obviously been perfecting things over those years.

I really enjoyed myself. Between swapping tales with my writing buddy Michelle Roper (who writes with Berta Platas as Gillian Summers) about their newest Young Adult book The Tree Shepherd's Daughter, to pitching a couple of new books at Monique Patterson (St. Martin's), it was a grand weekend. Even the hotel's luncheon was good. Usually hotel food, especially when served to large crowds, isn't that tasty. This was!

I passed on attending the Maggie Awards as I'm still frantically getting projects completed before hopping the plane. Today we had a Koffee Klatch with librarians and booksellers. Wow! This was fun. I got to talk to all sorts of wonderful folks, including Barbara Vey, a blogger for Publishers Weekly (and a force of nature -- trust me on this!) I also b.s.'d with Sherrilyn Kenyon (she's on my "This Lady Rocks!" list) who pointed out that we see each other more often than she sees her family. How true. I also spoke with Sarah Trowbridge from Fayette Co Library. I'm doing a talk at the library on November 3rd (ya'll come down!) so it was so great to talk to Sarah ahead of that date. Very nice lady.

I had a few minor moments of sincere panic when it appeared that my contest box (complete with entries), bookmarks and a box of 100 Sojourn samplers had been tossed out after the book signing the night before. Whilst trying to track this stuff down, the front desk informed me that if it was thrown out, "We put everything through a compactor". My heart sank. Diana Love Snell, who was conference honcho and who has now ascended to my "This Woman Rocks!" alongside Ms. Kenyon, said she'd make things right for me. Okay, I admit it, I got a bit drama queen about it all. I was frankly quite worried about the personal info that was on the contest entries. But lo, the stuff was found and I gave Diana two hugs. She took responsibility for the problem even though she was not directly involved. Gee, why can't she run for public office instead of some of the bozos we have to deal with? On my side of the fence: DO PAY ATTENTION WHEN THEY MAKE ANNOUNCEMENTS OVER THE P.A. SYSTEM, MS .OLIVER. Especially the ones that say "TAKE YOUR PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS WITH YOU." Lesson learned.

Tonight I finished up my packing because I'm One of Those and tomorrow I'll be finishing up my Ripper talk, buying some No Jet Lag herbal medication and tidying up the house. And desperately trying to remember what else I need to get done before Tuesday. Of course, I'll remember the really important stuff the moment the plane achieves altitude. Such is life.

Let There Be Questions (Part 1)

I recently did my spiel at the Entertainment Marketing Class at Kennesaw State University. The students' professor gave them an assignment -- ask this author questions. So here goes:


P. Patel inquires, "What do you enjoy about writing?"

Not everything. Some of it is pure penance. What is fun is the ability to create worlds, populate those worlds with intriguing people and then make their lives a living Hell. I can take my imagination in any direction I choose and I let it have free rein. The "brake" I install is the "don't make this sound like every other story, okay?" I want something new, something unexpected. I like having readers say they didn't see something coming. That's cool. The other thing I enjoy about writing is when its done and I hold the most current book in my hand. It's a feeling that's hard to explain. It's what keeps me putting little letters on the page.

K. Edwards - "Did growing up in Iowa have any affect on your writing style and topics that you write about?"

I'd like to believe my Iowa origins are in my stories, though I'm not particularly sure that I can point to one particular thing to substantiate that claim. Iowans, for the most part, are solid, sensible folks. They do have their moments of insanity (the annual bike ride across Iowa, for example) but they're pretty grounded. I hope my stories show that sense of purpose and their drive to care for family and friends. We're all a product of our experiences, writers even more so.

N. Orr -- "Do you mentor young authors who do not know where to start?"

I try. I'm certainly not at the top of the author food chain, but I have experience and I like to share that. Publishing is a very confusing (sometimes ugly) business and I figure the newbies need all the help they can get. Sure, I'm probably helping someone who might someday far exceed my career, but positive Karma is good. I had folks help me get where I am. It's time to repay the debt.

Also, "Do you wait for an inspiration to hit you to write a book or can you just decide that now is a good time?"

Inspiration is good. Contract deadlines trump that. If in "X" months you have a book due, you get fired up whether the Muse is in town or not. There are days where the story flows like water. Other days it doesn't. You work hard during the former and wince a lot during the latter. In the end, if you put your butt in the chair enough times, a book happens.

E. Witt asks, "In a recent interview, you comment that your characters 'talk' to you. Can you please elaborate?"

Voices. In. My. Head. That's what they are. Luckily they don't rule my life (at least not directly) but they do insist on telling me their stories. A few authors say their characters don't talk to them. Mine do. Regularly. They often feel they own me. For example: Jacynda (my heroine) will wander into my mind and clarify a conversation she had with another character, letting me know what she likes/dislikes about that person, how she felt at the moment and what her intentions are regarding the new information she learned. I hear full dialog which is rather freakin' brilliant. Unfortunately, I can't seem to transcribe those conversations onto the page and so have to construct them bit by bit as I write the story. It's rare a character that doesn't talk to me. It's not a good thing. That means I can't "get inside his/her head" and understand what motivates them. And if I can't learn that, the character is going to be very flat.

Also, "Which (if any) authors have influenced your writing style?"

A lot of them. Probably about everyone I've ever read. However, certain ones stand out. Terry Pratchett's amazing imagination and ability to describe things in unique ways has always fascinated me. I'll "do" description in my books, but no where near as cool as this gent. I did channel Terry when I was recently writing The Word of Zed (a short story) for an anthology. I joke it's like Terry Pratchett on bad drugs.

Thriller authors like Lee Child, Barry Eisler, etc. remind me that one of the key elements to the story is that it moves forward and keeps the reader turning pages. My editor is very good at finding paragraphs/scenes that slow the pace. I either rewrite them or delete them. You want a compelling story or the reader will find other things to do. It's the author's joke to deliver.

I'll be back this weekend (after my conference) with more questions. There's a lot waiting in the queue.

Letting the Man Have His Say

I know there are quite a few Americans who were not pleased that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad set foot on our soil, let alone his spiel at Columbia University. There were calls for retaliation against that institution, which is idiotic. Americans should support free speech, even when it comes from the mouths of tyrants.

Yeah, Mr. A is a nut. A clever one. But what better way to judge the nut than by having him spout his rhetoric, unfiltered by his "handlers" so we can analyze (or laugh) at it. What did we learn? He can lie like a politician and has a world view that is a number of bubbles off plumb. So he ranks right up there amongst a growing cadre of leaders we should keep an eye on, our own included.

Hopefully, the clamor to sanction Columbia will die down. It's depressing that it was even suggested. It's a clear indication that we might spout off about freedom of speech, but don't have the stones to deal with the concept in reality.

It's only a small step from threatening a university to arresting students for daring to speak their minds. Mr. A understands that perfectly. The question is -- do we?

Because They Have Nothing Better To Do

Today the Senate voted to condemn MoveOn.org for their scathing ad against General Petraeus that was printed in last week's NY Times. No matter your opinion on the ad, wouldn't you think our elected officials had bigger things to worry about? Like the war, the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage market, increasing bankruptcies, 40 million of us who don't have health care?

I just don't get these people. Do they ever poke their heads out of the foxhole and say "Whoa. Will you look at that!"?

Oh My Ears & Whiskers!

I do feel like the White Rabbit at this moment. I have two classes to teach at Kennesaw State University this next week (their Entertainment Marketing class). I always enjoy those even though the students look so (sigh) young. And you never know what kinds of questions they're going to ask. I put together a PowerPoint presentation for both classes after massaging my computer for nearly six hours to get the new software loaded. For a time I thought I'd killed it, but it survived. I consider that a miracle.

I'm also putting the finishes touches on my talk for the Whitechapel Society. Its official title is: Once Upon a Dark Alley: A Tale of Ripper Fiction. Of course, I didn't just want to do a thumbs up or down on the books I'd read over the previous year. These folks deserve a lot more than that. I wanted to dig for the deeper themes present in [Jack the] Ripper fiction since 1889. And I've found them. It's hasn't been easy, but it's been informative, while kicking my butt in the process. One thing I've learned, if whatever I'm doing is a struggle, I'm learning something. Can you name a book in which Jack was the hero?*

Between now and our departure to England is Moonlight & Magnolias, the local Atlanta romance writers' convention. This one will be fun. It's within driving distance and that's a plus. In the meanwhile we're slowly putting together all the stuff needed for the trip: housesitter who has no idea how much a pain-in-the ass the Kat can be, one new piece of luggage (the old one was falling apart) and a complex itinerary so I can do as much research as possible in just under two weeks. As the US Dollar is at an all-time low against the pound sterling ($2.03 per pound the last time I checked) we damned well better get a lot of work done while we're there. We do intend on having some fun in between those riveting trips to the former asylum and the Fire Brigade Museum. Yeah, this author knows how to really have a good time.

I'll do an update right before I sling the bags out the door and then while I'm on the road in the UK, Internet connection permitting. It's been five years since I was in the UK. Lord, I miss the place (and their beer).

*A Night in Lonesome October -- Roger Zelazny

Dragon*Con #10

And lo, it was my tenth Dragon*Con. I remember when it was small(er). LOTS smaller. Like 20K people instead of nearly 50K. I grew up next door to a town that had 40K people when the Univ of Iowa was in session. 50K is unreal.

My publisher (Dragon Moon Press) had a booth at Dragon (first time) and since I knew the mysterious ways of a dealer's room, I volunteered to play Booth Nazi. My past experience with the Wyerd Systers at Dragon paid off handsomely. Other than our usually trusty Volvo station wagon dying the day before "load in" as it's called, everything went well. Hubby and I schlepped the boxes to downtown Thursday afternoon. It did require two trips. I could have gotten it all in the Honda Hybrid but it would have killed the tires. So while I unpacked and set up the booth, hubby went for Load #2. We were done in 3 hours, including the second trip. We would have been done in half that if we could have brought it all in at once. Setting up a publishing booth is SO much easier than unpacking ten thousand little stones and trinkets and bits of jewelry. It is, however, harder on the back.

Friday through Monday involved hours in the booth with such crazies as Tee Morris, Tony Ruggiero, Scott Sigler and Phillipa "Pip" Ballantine (she of the cool NZ accent and the stuffed Kiwis). We schmoozed, sold books and had a good time. I also did some paneling with folks like my friend Jean Marie Ward and the very gracious Terry Brooks. It's always a pleasure to meet one of the masters in the industry and find out they're nice folks. There are way too many of the other kind out there.

In between all this I dined with friends, caught up with those I haven't seen in years and wore my knees to a pulp walking all over hell and creation. Dragon is so big now it's easier to get where you need to be by walking outside the hotels. Which means you do the hills. Great exercise, that's for sure. Unfortunately, my schedule did not allow me to have a drink or two with Chris Jackson. I regret that. I did get to dinner with Scott Humphries (aka Scott the Editor).

Highlight of the con? Watching the incredible Mur Lafferty arrive for her autograph signing. Mur is the Queen of Podcasting and she came with an entourage, four guys to be precise. The guys usually refer to themselves as Mur's Bitches(TM). Mur's a great lady and I suspect, deep down, this is rather embarrassing, but she takes it well. One of them, a Mr. J.C. Hutchins (another famous podcaster with a dry sense of humor) offered to provide the same level of security for me should I find the need. He sounded so official I swore I was talking to someone from the Secret Service. Podcasters, on the whole, are incredibly creative people with a tenuous grasp of reality. My kind of people. Mur's always a kick. I was tickled to be able to sign next to her. (Yeah, she had a line and I didn't.)

A friend of mine is totally fan girl about this actor. Since she's such a good friend, I stood in line and bought an autographed photo (he wasn't there). Which is just as well as it would have been a very long line, he's that "famous". I didn't begrudge the gift in the least.

So here's my rant. I remember when the photos were $10. Now they're $20. For. A. Photo. $20 or $30 more if you want a personal photograph with that star. I know that Dragon doesn't pay for most of the stars' appearance and you gotta make money any way you can to pay for the hotel/airfare, etc.. But $40 or $50 just to meet an actor, get a signed photo and then have him/her pose with you? Yes, I hold a lot of them in awe, but come on. At least with an author you'd get a book, a free autograph, and a free photo, all for $20. I wouldn't pay that even if it was George Clooney or the late Sir Ian Richardson who I adored. Somehow I suspect neither of those gents would resort such tactics. As one con attendee put it, "They're treating their fans like an ATM." Couldn't have said it better. Clunk.... off my soapbox.

And now back to unpacking all the Dragon*Con boxes. England calls in less than a month and there's a lot to be done.

I Can't Hear You!

One of the joys of being an American is the right to peacefully protest without undo governmental harassment. It's a good thing to have--the ability to let those in power know you're not happy with how they're handling their job.

Unless you're the president. An informative (and disturbing) article in the Washington Post reveals how far your government will go just so Mr. Bush doesn't have to see any dissenters while he's on the road.

"The 'Presidential Advance Manual,' dated October 2002 with the stamp "Sensitive -- Do Not Copy," was released under subpoena to the American Civil Liberties Union as part of a lawsuit filed on behalf of two people arrested for refusing to cover their anti-Bush T-shirts at a Fourth of July speech at the West Virginia State Capitol in 2004. The techniques described have become familiar over the 6 1/2 years of Bush's presidency, but the manual makes it clear how organized the anti-protest policy really is."

First you try to keep the protesters out and if that doesn't work. frisk 'em for inappropriate signage and then if they get noisy, drown then out. Or in the case of the two folks cited above, arrest them for their anti-Bush tee shirts.

A real president welcomes dissent, encourages debate. A real president LISTENS to the citizens of this nation. Sadly, we're cursed with someone who is about to invoke Vietnam as the reason we have to stay in Iraq because our withdrawal from that nation three decades ago is the reason we have terrorists attacking us today.

The man is freakin' clueless. All we can do is make sure the next Prez of these United States isn't the same.

Studying the Candidates (Part 1)

I've begun my assessment of the presidential candidates. I'm going to be reviewing their words and deeds, one by one. I admit that in the past, while I've voted, I've been pretty indifferent abut all this political stuff. Not anymore. Not with the changes undergoing our country and the consistent erosion of our personal freedoms.

And lest you're not familiar with my stance -- I'm an independent. I'll jump the fence and vote for whomever I think is the best candidate. So keep that in mind when I make my personal observations of the candidates, be they Republican or Democrat.

Some I know to be completely off my "possible" list, like Mr. Tancredo. He's the guy who suggested that we should bomb the Muslim holy sites "as a deterrent". Gee, I'm sure millions of moderate Muslims are going to let that one pass, Mr. T. It'd be the first step to global war. If someone bombed St. Peter's or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, would you be deterred? Nah. You'd be pissed. So will our Islamic neighbors. So Tancredo is easy to rule out as a complete nutter. There seems to be a fair number of them running for office this time.

I've been watching Giuliani and I've found the man to be an amazing piece of work (and not in the good sense). There's something mean spirited and evil about a guy who would announces to his wife he's getting a divorce at a press conference. This is a guy who loves to get even in very nasty ways.

But to put Giuliani and his "I'm the only guy who knows how to deal with terrorists" b.s. out of the way, read this article by Wayne Barrett co-author ( with Dan Collins) of Grand Illusion: The Untold Story of Rudy Giuliani and 9/11.

This isn't the first time I've read accounts of Giuliani's work as NY mayor and frankly, I'm not impressed. He isn't what I want in a president. Believe it or not, I believe he'd be as bad as Bush, or worse. That's saying something.

I'll be hacking through some of the others as time passes. You can bet those candidates who put abortion and gay issues at the top of their agenda aren't going to make the cut with me. We've got a lot more important things to worry about, including the 40 million people in this country without health insurance, our crumpling infrastructure and how we fix 8 years' worth of damage from an Imperial Presidency.

Hope you are doing the same sort of weighing. We need to look for a candidate who has the intelligence to know how to accept differing opinions, the wisdom to know when to jump into the fray and when to stay out, and who understands that We, The People are his or her boss.

All the rest is just b.s.

Just Trust Us

President Bush and his folks are pushing for a change in the wiretapping rules. Now mind you, these were the same rules the Prez ignored when the mood suited him (and until he was "outted" by the press). He wants to have authority for warrantless wiretapping to go through (wait for it) the most trusted and admired man in Washington -- Alberto Gonzales. Yeah, he's got my vote (NOT!)

There was a recent article in the Associated Press about a federal judge who used to head the FISA court and authorize wiretaps in terrorist and espionage cases. He is strongly critical of President Bush's decision to order warrantless surveillance after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"Royce Lamberth, a district court judge in Washington, said Saturday it was proper for executive branch agencies to conduct such surveillance. 'But what we have found in the history of our country is that you can't trust the executive,' he said at the American Library Association's convention. "

And for the quote that tells it all:

"We have to understand you can fight the war (on terrorism) and lose everything if you have no civil liberties left when you get through fighting the war," said Lamberth, who was appointed by President Reagan.

By FISA rules, you do not have to have a warrant approved by the court before beginning your wiretapping. You are required to go back and get that warrant approved down the line. Some of the Powers That Be say that doing the paperwork after the fact slows down their agents when they should be out finding the bad guys.

So just how to you introduce any evidence obtained through that wiretap in a court of law unless it is backstopped by a proper warrant? You don't. You can't use it. At least not within the U.S. So that's why we have Guantanamo and the black ops site across the world. No need to require warrants or anything like that. You "disappear" these people and when you realize you've made a mistake, you drop them into any old nation that will accept them. Especially ones with a history of torture. The blood will be on their hands. Or, in the case of the Australian gent, you require them to sign an agreement that they will NOT sue the U.S. Government for any abuse that occured during their incarcertaion so they can be set free.

But hey, they're the bad guys, right?

The basic question is: How much do you trust your government to do the right thing and are you willing to put your liberty on the line when push comes to shove?

Let's hope Congress shows some balls and makes only the changes needed to the FISA rules that make sense to help us keep an eye on the crazies. Let's not give Mr. Bush and his cronies any more power. They've not shown the ability to handle it worth a damn.

And There Was Much Rejoicing

VIRTUAL EVIL is off to the typesetter. While this might not be a big deal to the majority of the world's inhabitants, it is to me. I have lived and breathed this book since July 2006. It required a number of rewrites, including one after I submitted it to the editor. This one, to be blunt, has been a bitch. Now it is done and I am very happy. More to the point, I am very pleased with the book which is a good thing.

In keeping with the Harry Potter hype, the first two lines of VE are:

Firearms always enliven a party. Tonight was no exception.

And I can attest to the face that the last line in the book does NOT have the word "scar" in it.

Of course, my mind immediately shifted to Book #3 (MADMAN'S DANCE) which is due March 1 and is the end of the three-book story arc that started in SOJOURN. I'm trying to keep away from the computer, but its darned hard. It's like telling a firefighter not to go marching into a burning building. It's what I do.

And now to unearth my upstairs office. If I was a sadist, I'd post a picture of it, but I'm afraid I'd frighten people. Let's just say that it needs cleaning and leave it at that.

From Dallas With Love

How do you recap most of an entire week that was non-stop? You don't. You try to hit the highlights. So I'll do that instead of "On Friday my breakfast was..." Actually, I don't remember many of meals. I might not have had them. No, the bathroom scale says otherwise. Oops.

I remember --
Going out for a scrumptious Italian dinner Wednesday night with my publicists (Sherry & Kristen), and with Jeri Smith-Ready (my roomie) and dear friend P.C. Cast. I can't remember the name of the restaurant, but I had a great meal and was on Cloud Nine. I'd won both the Booksellers' Best Award and the Prism that night. Ever since I'd held P.C.'s first Prism Award in 2002, I'd been jonesing for one of these beauties. Now I have one.

I'd not had anything to eat before the ceremonies, foolishly believing I'd reach The Gathering (as the second event is called) in time to nosh on the food. What was left was a basket of rolls. So I had one of those. And a beer. So when I was called up to the podium to get the award that I had DREAMED of for five years, I was way giddy. Sherry assured me that my impromptu speech wasn't stupid. I hope she wasn't just being kind. I had a speech all prepared, but I was too wired to give it.

Thursday was equally fun. In between trying to get some work done on the current book, I met lots of new folks and attended the National Readers' Choice and Daphne awards ceremonies. I didn't win the NRCA Award. Was I bummed? No. That means I have a chance at this award next year. As there were 400 entrants in this contest (an average of 40 per category) to final is an Act of Deity(TM) . Next year I'm aiming for that award big time. I did win the Daphne Du Maurier Award for Paranormal and that was the closest I came to crying.

Why? I've won an Honorable Mention in the Daphnes twice before for my self-pubbed work. Not all contests would allow me to enter when I was self-pubbed. The Daphnes did not care who published the book. Those early wins told me I had a future in this business. Taking First Place in the Paranormal category was a big moment for me.

Friday was a bit more laid back -- two agent meetings and a she-bang of a Harlequin Party. The meetings went well and the party... hey, if you've never been to a Harlequin party you've missed out. My roommate (Jeri) invited me to be her guest and I had a blast. The music was good, the munchies quite edible and the alcohol was free. I did bail out at ten p.m. rather than staying late as a I had a book signing the next morning in Frisco, TX.

Which went well. After the signing I met with some good friends (Lee Martindale and her delightful hubby, George), Melanie Miller Fletcher (aka Hoosier Red) and Heidi B. We went to the Cheesecake Factory, dined on excellent food and "to die for" cheesecake. George helped me pick up a pipe for those times when I like to break out a bit of fine tobacco to augment my single malt scotch. He used to be a tobacconist and his expertise was welcomed.

Saturday evening was the Rita Awards. I had a lot of friends in the running, including Jeri (who was up for TWO), Maria Snyder and Kelly Riley. Alas, none of them won. Still, it was great evening and I learned that a bit of dark chocolate married with some fine port is a very (nearly) sexual experience. (You heard it here first!)

I sincerely enjoyed this years RWA convention. I think it's a matter that I'm more "plugged in" this time and knew a lot more people. Okay, and the awards didn't hurt (grin).

Now I'm back to reality with a book due in a VERY short period of time. Cindarella is home, that's for sure.

If This is Wednesday, This Must Be Dallas

A brief update from Dallas on the state of the Jana during the Romance Writers' convention. The current state is: tired. I've been up a bit too late the last few nights which means the Virtual Evil edits are not getting done as fast as I'd hoped. Bah.

However, on the good news front: Sojourn won a Booksellers' Best Award, a Prism Award and a Daphne du Maurier Award. WHEEEEEE!!!

Today is Agent Day -- I'm meeting with at least two of them and then tonight is the Harlequin Party (quite a gig I hear). I'm hoping to sneak in a nap sometime along with some actual buns in chair work on VE.

It's been great to see friends, catch up on industry gossip and be part of this whole process. Lots of incredible talent in one location. Wow.

Later folks. Must find coffee...

Dallas Bound

It's that time of the year when Jana packs up her pantyhose and heads to a gathering of romance authors. The Romance Writers of America annual convention is always an interesting time. Romance has long ago shed its "bodice ripper" image and now is a big enough tent to include inspirational, vampire and mystery novels, albeit with a romantic bent.

Although I don't write full-bore romances (okay, I wrote one a few years back) my books do include a "romantic element" and so fall inside RWA's tent. SOJOURN is up for four romance awards at this convention, so this is a trip I'm eager to take. Since it has alread won a Golden Quill for Best Paranormal Romance, I'm hoping that means big things are ahead.

Which means I will be editing VIRTUAL EVIL while on the road. Never a pretty picture. Still, I'm certainly not the only author who will be sneaking away for a few stolen hours at the keyboard in between the ceremonies, luncheons, meetings and such. It's part and parcel of the job.

I'll try to carve out a few moments to post the happenings in Dallas. My roommate (Jeri Smith-Ready) is up for three awards, including two Rita Awards (RWA's big award). It promises to be a lot of fun no matter how the contests fall out.

Later folks. Must pack my finery....

Free as a Bird

Setting aside all the rhetoric about Valerie Plame and how her name came to be revealed to the world. Setting aside all the politics, the bottom line is that Scooter Libby lied while under oath. Nothing else is germane when it comes to his sentencing. By Fed standards, the sentence was not overly harsh, in fact it was in line with the others being handed down at this time.

Scooter chose to lie. Yeah, he was taking one for the team, but in the grand scheme, he knew the consequences. He could have said, "Gee, Dick, we got caught. I'm gonna have to tell them the truth." Nope. Scooter decided to game the process and he got caught.

So why would our president commute his prison sentence? And why is he even thinking of granting him a pardon?

Seems to me to be the best way to ensure that old Scooter's loyalty stays in place and his mouth stays shut. Which means that Fitzgerald missed the gold mine and got stuck with the flunky instead.

I can hear Dick Nixon applauding from his grave.