File this under a couple of pathetic sections. First, how the chronically unemployed fills her time. Second, how lowering the bar on goals makes for excessive happiness when they're met. Fulfillment through silly expectations is still wonderful fulfillment. So, here's what I managed to accomplish in the past month. I got a picture on Conan last night. YAY!
As you may know (should know if you're a Conan O'Brien viewer) is that Coco loves to keep his fans engaged. He's got his "ha ha I made an error" thing going on right now and they've also just opened the Coco Moca -- the Museum of Conan Art. Before the Coco Moca was even opened though, they had used fan art as bumpers after commercial breaks, so I made it my mission to get a piece on the show. So I basically frittered away a month doing drawings of Conan. Not a bad way to spend a month. (Some would argue that, but, fuck 'em!) Anyhow, when I saw they'd opened the Coco Moca, I was lucky enough to have a picture on the front page there, and I figured my TV aspirations were shot to shit. But then last night I did a string dance of joy when I saw one of my works appear just before the Chris O'Donnell segment. YAY!
Thank you Team Coco. And let this be a lesson to you, kids. Keep cool, my babies, and remember that sophomoric priorities and irrelevant determination actually can lead to validation.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Wednesday, April 06, 2011
Into the Sunset - ABNA Quarterfinalist
Congrats to Don Capone! His comic novel, Into the Sunset is a quarterfinalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Awards. That's whittled down to just 250 entries from an original 5,000! Yay, and well deserved!
Check out his excerpt right here.
Check out his excerpt right here.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Big Sex Little Death by Susie Bright
I just found out that superstar Susie Bright has just released a memoir, Big Sex Little Death. The book is now available at Amazon and your local bookstores, and it's getting tons of advance praise. I just ordered my copy and can't wait to check it out. Susie will also be doing an extensive book tour, so you can check to see if she's coming to your town. Details of the book tour, along with info about the book are all available right here.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
The Other Life by Ellen Meister
Funny and talented writer Ellen Meister's new book The Other Life is now available!
What if you could return to the road not taken?
Happily married with a young son and another child on the way, Quinn Braverman has the perfect life. She also has an ominous secret. Every time she makes a major life decision, she knows an alternative reality exists in which she made the opposite choice-not only that, she knows how to cross over. But even in her darkest moments-like her mother's suicide-Quinn hasn't been tempted to visit . . . until she receives shattering news about the baby she's carrying.
Desperate to escape her grief, Quinn slips through the portal that leads to her other life: the life in which she stayed with her exciting but neurotic ex- boyfriend, and is childless. The life in which-as she is amazed to discover-her mother is still very much alive.
Quinn is soon forced to make an impossible choice. Will she stay with the family she loves and face the painful challenges that lie ahead? Or will a more carefree life-and the primal lure of being with her mother-pull her into her other life for good?
This gripping emotional journey is both shocking and poignant . . . as the bonds of love are put to the ultimate test.
I've already read it, and I LOVED this book. It's a poignant story about choices, regret, hope, love, and family, and Ellen manages to do the near impossible. She lets the readers have their cake and eat it, too, because this book has a powerful, page-turning plot that's full of twists and turns, excitement and heartbreak, and even some laughs and entertainment, which is what makes it so commercially appealing. But it's not all fluff and frosting. It's written deftly, with a keen eye for detail and a wonderful use of all the symbolic, metaphoric, and subtle tricks in a literary fiction writer's arsenal that elevate it and give it depth and weight. It's just the best of both worlds.
One of my main complaints with a lot of modern literary fiction is that it's not much more than a bunch of ennui the main character "suffers" through. In "The Other Life," Meister's Quinn is an expectant mother who gets the most devastating news possible -- her child isn't well. This isn't drama that propels this story. It's actual serious problems. Quinn is a wonderful character that you'll care deeply about, while also falling in love with the rest of her family.
At one point in the story, Quinn's mother, an artist, has a heated discussion with her mother in law about why cultural experiences are important. Quinn's mom ends up simply stating, "Because it's art." And that is, happily, what this book is. A work of art.
What if you could return to the road not taken?
Happily married with a young son and another child on the way, Quinn Braverman has the perfect life. She also has an ominous secret. Every time she makes a major life decision, she knows an alternative reality exists in which she made the opposite choice-not only that, she knows how to cross over. But even in her darkest moments-like her mother's suicide-Quinn hasn't been tempted to visit . . . until she receives shattering news about the baby she's carrying.
Desperate to escape her grief, Quinn slips through the portal that leads to her other life: the life in which she stayed with her exciting but neurotic ex- boyfriend, and is childless. The life in which-as she is amazed to discover-her mother is still very much alive.
Quinn is soon forced to make an impossible choice. Will she stay with the family she loves and face the painful challenges that lie ahead? Or will a more carefree life-and the primal lure of being with her mother-pull her into her other life for good?
This gripping emotional journey is both shocking and poignant . . . as the bonds of love are put to the ultimate test.
I've already read it, and I LOVED this book. It's a poignant story about choices, regret, hope, love, and family, and Ellen manages to do the near impossible. She lets the readers have their cake and eat it, too, because this book has a powerful, page-turning plot that's full of twists and turns, excitement and heartbreak, and even some laughs and entertainment, which is what makes it so commercially appealing. But it's not all fluff and frosting. It's written deftly, with a keen eye for detail and a wonderful use of all the symbolic, metaphoric, and subtle tricks in a literary fiction writer's arsenal that elevate it and give it depth and weight. It's just the best of both worlds.
One of my main complaints with a lot of modern literary fiction is that it's not much more than a bunch of ennui the main character "suffers" through. In "The Other Life," Meister's Quinn is an expectant mother who gets the most devastating news possible -- her child isn't well. This isn't drama that propels this story. It's actual serious problems. Quinn is a wonderful character that you'll care deeply about, while also falling in love with the rest of her family.
At one point in the story, Quinn's mother, an artist, has a heated discussion with her mother in law about why cultural experiences are important. Quinn's mom ends up simply stating, "Because it's art." And that is, happily, what this book is. A work of art.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Strut - A Run Devil Run novella
A couple weeks ago I posted about the cool new anthology of books based on LA rock band Run Devil Run's songs. This week, my book in the series has been released. It's titled Strut, and it's a Cinderella story based on the song of the same name by RDR.
Rachel Carrington made me a super cool book trailer for it, and you can check that out right here. You'll hear part of the song during the trailer, but you can check out the full tune right here at Run Devil Run's facebook page.
Now here's the best part. My book cover.
Isn't that awesome? That's the band's drummer, Dave Plesh. I'd seen pictures of the band before I started the project, and right away I was all about their drummer, Dave. So, naturally, to make sure I'd snag him for the cover photo, I made one of my characters a drummer. My (not so) clever ploy worked, and I ended up with him on the cover. Hot, right?
And remember, if you buy the book, you get a free download of the song to go with it.
Here's the book blurb:
California girl Lisa is living a very un-Hollywood life, and that’s just fine by her. She took over her father’s pool service business and enjoys sunny days and a quiet home life with her mom. But one of the guys on her crew who moonlights as musician occasionally puts an extra spring in her step, and when she starts facing financial pressures, she starts wondering if there might be a few things she’s missing. Then her mom finds out that one of Lisa’s premier clients possesses a mysterious and enigmatic pair of shoes that are rumored to change fortunes, and lives, for those who wear them.
Will Lisa decide to take a walk on the wild side and test the powers of the supposedly serendipitous high heels? And do the shoes really possess magical powers that could make Lisa’s Cinderella dreams come true? Or is what Lisa really wants just a click of her heels away in the form of a smoldering rock drummer? From swank Beverly Hills days to sexy Sunset Strip nights, Lisa is on the cusp of finding out what really makes LA glitter.
Strut -- buy now for $2.99
also available at Amazon for $3.99
Rachel Carrington made me a super cool book trailer for it, and you can check that out right here. You'll hear part of the song during the trailer, but you can check out the full tune right here at Run Devil Run's facebook page.
Now here's the best part. My book cover.
Isn't that awesome? That's the band's drummer, Dave Plesh. I'd seen pictures of the band before I started the project, and right away I was all about their drummer, Dave. So, naturally, to make sure I'd snag him for the cover photo, I made one of my characters a drummer. My (not so) clever ploy worked, and I ended up with him on the cover. Hot, right?
And remember, if you buy the book, you get a free download of the song to go with it.
Here's the book blurb:
California girl Lisa is living a very un-Hollywood life, and that’s just fine by her. She took over her father’s pool service business and enjoys sunny days and a quiet home life with her mom. But one of the guys on her crew who moonlights as musician occasionally puts an extra spring in her step, and when she starts facing financial pressures, she starts wondering if there might be a few things she’s missing. Then her mom finds out that one of Lisa’s premier clients possesses a mysterious and enigmatic pair of shoes that are rumored to change fortunes, and lives, for those who wear them.
Will Lisa decide to take a walk on the wild side and test the powers of the supposedly serendipitous high heels? And do the shoes really possess magical powers that could make Lisa’s Cinderella dreams come true? Or is what Lisa really wants just a click of her heels away in the form of a smoldering rock drummer? From swank Beverly Hills days to sexy Sunset Strip nights, Lisa is on the cusp of finding out what really makes LA glitter.
Strut -- buy now for $2.99
also available at Amazon for $3.99
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Run Devil Run
So, there's this hot rock band in L.A. called Run Devil Run. They're pretty well known in L.A. for their live shows, and they've got an acoustic one coming this Saturday, Jan 29 at Beachfront 301. Now, they've also done this pretty cool thing in the publishing world. Heather Bennett of Decadent Publishing came up with the idea to have stories written based on their songs, and Run Devil Run agreed. So they've let the writers use their titles, lyrics, and even their faces for the book covers. The novellas will be available first in e-book format, and then collected into a print anthology. And the absolute coolest part is that when you buy one of the novellas, you also get a free download of the Run Devil Run song that inspired it. Can't beat that fuckin' deal, huh?
I tell you about this because I was lucky enough to write one of the novellas. Mine will be out in a couple weeks, and I'll tell you more about it then. (Including my sly subterfuge to snag the band member that I was smitten with for my cover image.) But the first novella is being released today. It's by well known romance writer Rachel Carrington.
Rachel's story is titled Share Your Soul and it's available right here. I was lucky enough to get an advance read of it, and I thought it was great. Here's the lowdown on what I thought about it:
Like many women, Olivia wants revenge on her ex-husband. Unlike most women, the reason she wants revenge is because he killed her. For the past five years, she's been lingering as a ghost, trying to formulate a plan to bring him to justice, which is a particularly tall order because he's already been tried -- and exonerated -- for her murder. Then, Olivia finally gets her break when another spirit refers her to someone who can potentially help her -- the mysterious and powerful Gabriel.
With "Share Your Soul." Carrington creates a sultry and moody romantic suspense with a twist of the paranormal. The sparks between Olivia and Gabriel leap off the page, and it's impossible to not keep turning the pages.
Now, as an extra special bonus, with this first novella, you actually will get TWO free downloads from Run Devil Run. You'll get "Dance All Night" right away, and then, later on, you'll get a download of their new song, "Go."
So, for real. I love the RDR songs, and I loved Rachel's story. So check it out. And here is her book cover, featuring Jeremy Aric, the lead singer of Run Devil Run.
I tell you about this because I was lucky enough to write one of the novellas. Mine will be out in a couple weeks, and I'll tell you more about it then. (Including my sly subterfuge to snag the band member that I was smitten with for my cover image.) But the first novella is being released today. It's by well known romance writer Rachel Carrington.
Rachel's story is titled Share Your Soul and it's available right here. I was lucky enough to get an advance read of it, and I thought it was great. Here's the lowdown on what I thought about it:
Like many women, Olivia wants revenge on her ex-husband. Unlike most women, the reason she wants revenge is because he killed her. For the past five years, she's been lingering as a ghost, trying to formulate a plan to bring him to justice, which is a particularly tall order because he's already been tried -- and exonerated -- for her murder. Then, Olivia finally gets her break when another spirit refers her to someone who can potentially help her -- the mysterious and powerful Gabriel.
With "Share Your Soul." Carrington creates a sultry and moody romantic suspense with a twist of the paranormal. The sparks between Olivia and Gabriel leap off the page, and it's impossible to not keep turning the pages.
Now, as an extra special bonus, with this first novella, you actually will get TWO free downloads from Run Devil Run. You'll get "Dance All Night" right away, and then, later on, you'll get a download of their new song, "Go."
So, for real. I love the RDR songs, and I loved Rachel's story. So check it out. And here is her book cover, featuring Jeremy Aric, the lead singer of Run Devil Run.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
The Larry Sanders Show
One of the funniest shows ever made never made it to DVD. It was an HBO show from the early '90s starring Garry Shandling as talk show host Larry Sanders. It was clever, outrageous, witty, and surprising. The cast, including Rip Torn, Jeffrey Tambor, Janeane Garofalo, and Jeremy Piven, was unbelievable, and the guest stars were superb. IFC has started running this show, and if you like to laugh, I highly recommend you check it out. If nothing else, be sure to catch "The Spider Episode" which is running this week.
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