Retro Rock & Rate
15 May 2008 06:09:41 pm
You can thank The Book Lady a.k.a Caryn for the scattered content in this post. First of all, she coerced me into not only listening, but also watching The New Kids On The Block before I'd had my first cup of coffee, then she further befuddled me by saying it wasn't Friday. You see, here in Canada, the twenty-fourth of May is the Queens Birthday and if we don't get a holiday we'll all run away! .Yeah, I know it is not yet the twenty-fourth, but it is the Victoria Day long weekend, so in my mind, this IS Friday.
To further scramble my undercooked gray matter, I hopped over to Erica Orloff's blog where she posed a thought provoking questions about how well anyone really knows you. (She of course tied this in with writer insights about how well you know your characters etc. She's good like that Me, not so much) Plus, I didn't even comment because a lot of the time, I'm not all that sure how well I know myself. Quite possibly less than I know my characters. Hmm. Something to think about.
Many of you probably know me better than the people I pass on the street. But obviously not as well as Tech knows me. Here, we're going back to the retro music bit. After months of self-imposed silence, I decided it was getting to me. I can't wear an Ipod--partially because I don't have one--but mainly because it gives me claustrophobia to be shut off from the regular house noises, dogs, cat, telephone etc. So Tech loaded a bunch of music on my iTunes. I'd say he knows my eclectic tastes fairly well. In the last hour I've heard Ramones, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Dr. Hook, Bad Company, Ben E King, Beach Boys, Blondie & Bob Dylan, The 5th Dimension, AC/DC, Meatloaf & The Mavericks, Kiss, The Kinks, Queen, Aretha Franklin & Abba, Jim, Jimmy & Janis. Patsy, Elvis & Neil Diamond, Pink Floyd, Zeppelin, The Who, Lynyrd Skynard. Ya with me so far? He also tossed in a bit of Apocalyptica--cool shit! Metallica played by four cellos! Me likey. Here's where he lost me a bit: The New York Dolls and Rage Against the Machine. Do I strike you as someone who would rage against the machine? Huh, maybe Tech knows something about me I haven't figured out yet. 
And finally we come to the word rate in the blog title. Edie Ramer very kindly invited me to join a group focused on marketing for romance writers. (It is a terric group for info, if you ask Edie nicely, she might let you join too ) Anyhoo, one of the members offered The link to rate your blog. Kinda neat. My blog rated PG-13 because I used the words crack x 4 (WWT?) hell x 2, and bomb x 1. (that's kinda why I threw in the s word a few paragraphs back, just wanted to see if it would change my ranking. Not that I want to be xxx-rated or anything. Just curious. 
So, what does your blog rate? And have you checked out Apocalytica?
By : lainey | Category: General | Comments [ [3]] | Trackbacks [0]
Chatting
13 May 2008 01:27:44 pm
After a virtually web-free few days, I'm making up for it by participating in a chat today at The Romance Room. The Amira Press Authors have been invited to post blurbs and excerpts of recent and upcoming releases.
Since this:
Will be released soon, I need to think about getting it out there. I'm afraid! Very afraid. I've lurked on some of these chats before. Do you have any idea how quickly a bunch of authors and avid readers can pump out messages?
If you want to give your fingers a real workout, chats are the way to go! Come on over and mix and mingle with some terrific authors and really friendly folks!
Hmm, this is the first cover I've had with people on it. She is like I envisioned her, him, not so much. But hey, at least it isn't Fabio!
Whatcha think?
And how was your weekend?
By : lainey | Category: General | Comments [ [9]] | Trackbacks [0]
Growing Pains
09 May 2008 01:56:19 pm
The shoes taking up the better part of my small front entranceway are massive. Size 13? Boats, I tell ya. They should belong to a big sturdy man. They don't. They belong to my baby, Tech, who turns sixteen today.
How can that be? Just yesterday he cuddled in my lap and begged me to read Robert Munsch's Love You Forever for the millionth time. He adored the book, in that strange love-hate way things appeal to us. He always giggled in the middle when the mommy rocked the big man in her lap, convinced he'd never grow too big to sit in my lap. But by the end, when the son rocks the frail old mother, he often had a quivering lip, even at three, aware that at some point in his life I wouldn't be there to pick him up.
So, I have a lunch date today. I'm going to get my baby, and take him into the nearby city to write his road test for his beginners license. The day will wrap with five or six ravenous kids scarfing chicken wings in astronomical amounts. I warned Gas when he installed a commercial deep fryer on my deck! Then there will be ice cream cake. Yummy. But no cute little loot bags with candy and dollar store treasures.
I love seeing my kids grow up, become independent, and contribute to the household. See below!
But honestly, some days I long for the times they relied on me for everything, and more importantly, believed I knew everything. Because you've no idea how dumb I've become the last few years. LOL. Sometimes I'd like to fold them into neat little packages that would fit in my lap, rock them and chant:
"I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be."~ Robert Munsch
So, what are your plans for the weekend? I assume I will be relegated to the passenger seat of my family-mobile. Also safe to assume I will be ready and eager for cocktail hour after a day of driving aimlessly, which ultimately is better than the prescription meds I needed while teaching Groovy Girl to drive! 
By : lainey | Category: General | Comments [ [9]] | Trackbacks [0]
Contests & Karma
07 May 2008 02:32:22 pm
Okay, so this also probably falls under the heading of promo, but I'm sure you've heard enough of that lately.
Thanks to Jennifer Shirk for leading me off on another merry chase in the ever widening spread my name game. Here it is:
ANNOUNCEMENT: Check out Sensual! Im helping to spread the word about the newly redesigned website Sensual. If you like your romance novels on the steamy side, youll love this site. Its full of reviews, interviews, excerpts, information on the newest print and ebooks and lots more. You can even win books and other goodies. So check it out. http://sensual.ecataromance.com/
Authors, you can spread the word too! If youd like a chance to win one of 20 Cover Ads and get a shot at a fabulous grand prize (a 3 Pack of their huge billboard ads - a $100 value!) just repost this blurb on your blog or website. Then stop by Sensual and leave a link to your post. All authors are eligible to enter and win so why in the world wouldnt you? See their site for more information and official rules: sensual.ecataromance.com/?p=688
It really is a cool site with lots of info. You should check it out!
And if you're looking to improve your Karma, meet an informed and multi-published author, and have a crack at a critique or brainstorming session with her, head over to T.J Kilian's blog post on Readers & Writers of Distinctive Fiction.
http://romancewriterandreader.ning.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1998674%3ABlogPost%3A19131&xgs=1
And that's all for me today. The sun is shining. Gas power-washed the deck, and chilly temperatures be damned, Alphie and are are going outside to soak up some fresh air and get the hell away from the Internet connection so we can maybe get some forward motion going on the writing front again. Really, what's all the promotion going to come to if I don't have anything new to release?
Is your WIP growing? How about your garden? Maybe I'll do that today, too. A little weeding and then I'll shoot you a few pictures. Everything is that baby soft spring green right now and just gorgeous!
By : lainey | Category: General | Comments [ [9]] | Trackbacks [0]
A real Manic Monday!
05 May 2008 02:55:04 pm
Ah, the beginning of a new week! Fantastic, fresh, focused. Ah, no. More like some other F word I'd rather not admit I use more than I should!
But here's two I can use: Frantic & Frustrated! That was me last week. I'm trying to not let all this uncharacteristic self-promotion and attention seeking I've done lately get to me, but the truth is, when the hit counter on my site went nuts. FOR THE FOURTH TIME! It got to me.
I have invested a great deal of time researching promo, posting excerpts/covers/bios/author pages/joining groups...And to have no accurate method of judging whether it has done a damn bit of good or not was upsetting, to say the least.
I absolutely despise confrontation, but I was forced into a conversation via email with Web Dude, that kinda blistered my fingertips. He very promptly and professionally responded to my insecure, insane ranting. (Thank you, Web Dude) The counter is not pathetic because nobody loves me. The (&*&% thing is resetting because it is getting TOO MANY hits and overloading.
WD reported hits for the month of April alone that absolutely staggered me! OMG! I have no idea who is visiting or from where, but I LOVE YOU! Hell, I love you twice or maybe three times. (which is possible for us writer folk, as we have multiple personalities)
And to back up WD's claim, I received a message this morning from Manic Readers
I had the top number of hits for the site and won 4 weeks of cover posting on their front page and a 4 week banner ad! Tres cool! Covers I got, but now I really need a banner.
How do you like this for a slogan: Lainey Bancroft, Real romance, sweet with heat? Think it fits? Sigh, I just don't know.
What are some of your favorite banners or things that catch your eye?
By : lainey | Category: General | Comments [ [9]] | Trackbacks [0]
