I may be a little dense, but up until now I really didn’t get the whole paranormal phenomenon. In fact, I wrote up a whole blog post about it that I’ve never posted. I simply didn’t understand the appeal of all those creatures. I’ve been enlightened. Several writers speak up at Midnight Moon Cafe. Someday soon I’ll need to give one a try.

Was also reading about Josh Lanyon, who after having his first two books in a mystery series published (admittedly by a non-traditional press), decided to self-publish his third. It’s published through iUniverse and has gotten great reviews on Amazon, notably from Harriet Klausner (whose opinion I respect) and Midwest Book Review (ditto). When I stumble across books like this, I want to read them. I feel a connection with fellow self-pubs. My only trouble is that they’re expensive to start with (in my frugal mind) and you can’t get them discounted. So I really have to want them.

It’s DAY 12 of my Coke-free existence. I did have a couple of false starts at the beginning, but I’m still calling it DAY 12. If we must be accurate, it’s more like DAY 7 or 8. But who’s counting?

It’s also been more than a month now that I’ve been working (almost) everyday on my work-in-progress. Sure there have been a few weekend days there were missed, and even I think one afternoon, but mostly I’ve totally hunkered down. I’ve got a long road ahead of me, but it feels good to make that little bit of progress everyday. And it really is getting to feel more and more like a very ‘little bit’. With my little one not yet in school, and my older one in school and wanting to play on the playground after school, then the homework or reading time when he gets home, the time I have to write before making dinner is just not enough. I’ve been supplementing with after dinner time, but I’m thinking my husband is feeling slighted, so that’s going to have to stop.

Since I’m addicted to countdowns, I’ll start another one. My little one starts school September 7. So 14 DAYS left till I have a five hour block of time to myself!

I am participating in a blogging experiment hosted at dearauthor.com. To enter the contest, put up this blurb, image, and trackback and you are entered to win the following prize package.

$200 Amazon gift certificate
Signed copy of Slave to Sensation
New Zealand goodies chosen by Singh
ARC of Christine Feehan’s October 31 release: Conspiracy Game
You can read about the experiment here and you can download the code that you need to participate here.

SLAVE TO SENSATION
Nalini Singh
Berkley / September 2006

Welcome to a future where emotion is a crime and powers of the mind clash brutally against those of the heart.

Sascha Duncan is one of the Psy, a psychic race that has cut off its emotions in an effort to prevent murderous insanity. Those who feel are punished by having their brains wiped clean, their personalities and memories destroyed.

Lucas Hunter is a Changeling, a shapeshifter who craves sensation, lives for touch. When their separate worlds collide in the serial murders of Changeling women, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities…or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

Excerpt