Lainey Bancroft Weblog

More Celebrations!

03 Jul 2008 07:47:27 pm GMT +

[i]Settling Back[/i] is available in paperback at [url=http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-9352108-2504761?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=lainey+bancroft&x=0&y=0]Amazon![/url] [IMG]http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg286/laineybancroft/SettlingBack_w910_300.jpg[/IMG] I am officially now not only an e-book author but a paperback writer! Celebrate! And of course the vast majority of you who visit will be celebrating anyway. HAPPY 4TH OF JULY to all my American cousins! Wishing you a fantabulous weekend of fun, food, family & friends! xo...

Wipe Out!

28 Jun 2008 02:10:29 pm GMT +

Nope. We're not talkin' happy surfer dude music here today. We're talking an iMac that came back after twenty-six days of hospitalization with complete amnesia! :o They wiped him out so throughly, I had to reintroduce myself just like when I first bought him. All my documents? [i]Gone![/i] All my settings, toolbars, widgets and gadgets? [i]Gone![/i] I've made no secret of the fact I'm not good with this stuff, so after happily adapting to Mac over the last eighteen months and finally getting everything in place for ease of use, I sorta feel like I failed the third grade and got sent back to junior kindergarten. The settings are no big deal. Tech will have me fixed up in no time. The documents? Different story. Of course I saved and backed up and duplicated any books with a backbone with the proper level of writer paranoia. But I'm coping with a mild case of depression over some things I wasn't quite so careful with. When unable to make progress on a wip, I made sure I wrote something every day anyway. Opinion pieces, personal essays, junk like that. Some of it might have made it to a blog post. Some I might even have considered sending to a magazine or something. Some of it was plain old ranting. I didn't have enough respect for that particular file to back it up regularly. [i]Gone![/i] All the shorts I wrote for contests? [i]Gone![/i] Poetry? Yes, I do write it, but since I never had any intention of sharing it, I carelessly kept it here there and everywhere and NEVER bothered to back it up. [i]Gone![/i] My somewhat emo (yes, I did put that word in there just for you, Zoe) 'journal' where I kept a careful record of when I'd started and finished projects, where I'd sent them, how long I waited to hear back and any feedback I got? [i]Gone![/i] Gas, who is not generally known for his philosophical nature, says I should see this as a sign. That I have moved past the things that I lost--which I didn't think enough of to treat respectfully--and I now have a clean slate to go on to bigger and better things with a more focused target in mind. Okay, with enough margaritas, I'll buy that. But I gotta say, I also see it as a sign I should take myself just a wee bit more seriously, because I must confess, I really miss some of the shit I lost. Maybe I'm not quite as opposed to tossing my gut opinion and my poetry out there as I thought. Hmm. Ah, well. They're only words. I'll write more tomorrow. Oh, on a happier (but not deliriously happy) note, Allison Brandea from Berkley Publishing chose my manuscript [i]The Trouble With Tessa[/i] FIRST PLACE in the single title category of the SARA Merrit contest. (Not delirious because she didn't request a full, and hey, the blue ribbon is cool, but getting the ms in front of an editor without having to ride the slush pile until it is crumbling and dusty kinda was the whole object of entering the contest.

My Bloomin' Garden!

25 Jun 2008 11:49:37 pm GMT +

Ha! You looked at the title and expected pics of my yard, didn't ya? Forget about it! For one, my yard is full of weeds because it has done nothing but rain for two weeks straight and I've been doing bull work for the HBB. Plus, I can't post a pic because: My *()&*^ %^$*(*& iMac (bonus points to anyone who translates the gibberish) is still in the shop. Friday. Or so they tell me. *Sigh* Anyhoo, I'm talking about the blooming garden at [url=http://www.thewildrosepress.com/]The Wild Rose Press[/url]. I can't right write now (deliberate, not dumb, duh!) so I went on a reading spree. Check it out. Ride a Cowboy, Carrie Destler. Carrie is a fellow Hoodie from the eHarlequin Round Robin�and a two or maybe three time winner�so I already knew she has a fresh, lively voice, but this is the first time I�ve had the pleasure of reading a whole story of hers. In Ride a Cowboy Carrie takes two characters in a desperate situation, and ya know desperate situations call for desperate measures. The feisty Eva is a perfect match for the too hot to handle Mitch, and you�ll be eager to discover who�ll be the rescuer and who�ll be the recuee. A quick, entertaining read with enough sizzle to make you want to Ride A Cowboy! http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=205&zenid=2041db43cfbe5200fc237adfb5dae199 Autumn Windsong by, Colleen Love. Colleen has a skilled hand for setting and she paints the frozen Alaskan tundra and Alita, the heroine strong enough to take it on, with a perfectly frosted brush. Autumn Windsong is an entertaining mix of old-fashioned meant-to-be-together romance with a nice modern dose of mystery and a little hint of magic. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=559 Bella Signorina, By Denyse Bridges. Sail away to Rome and dance to the enchanting music of Patrizio Buenne. Denyse skilfully sets the scene for an old school romantic tale in one of the most romantic locations on earth. Her love for human nature, for love, and for all things Italian, be it the art, the music or the ancient architecture, shines through on every page. Can�t afford the flight to Rome? Let Denyse take you on a guided tour. http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=726 So yeah. Forgive the lame-o links. 'K. I hoisted 2 TON air conditioners today and I DESPISE this keyboard. And ah, if you happen to be a WildRose author...do you wonder if you might be here next week! 8)

Take Flight Friday

20 Jun 2008 04:43:34 pm GMT +

Nope, not going on vacation. Just going to leave you a few links so you can fly around to different exotic locals. First up, there's a new blog in town. Chris Eldin and friends have started [url=http://bookroast.blogspot.com/]Book Roast[/url] and it promises to be a sizzling good time. There's a little contest running and info on the authors soon to be roasted. Check it out! Second, a twelve year old in Quebec sued her father for grounding her. Dear old Dad thought the child was visiting unhealthy sites and she had posted inappropriate pictures of herself online. Darling Daughter took him to court and WON! :shock: You can read the article[url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h9kqGvkVPSvo-KNWFDWAg-mVfleg/]Here[/url] When my Darling Daughter and I discussed it, she made the comment that if I caught her posting inappropriate pics of herself I wouldn't merely cut off her internet, I'd likely cut off her fingers, to which I replied, "You're right, Darling." Sheesh. What a world gone mad! And finally I have a post over here at [url=http://www.amirapresssays.blogspot.com/]Amira Press Says[/url] in answer to the question, "What do the Amira authors do when their writing hat comes off?" Drop by and leave me a comment if ya get a chance. Have a great weekend! :P...

MAC Medicating

17 Jun 2008 09:33:32 pm GMT +

Thanks to [url=http://denysebridges.com/]Denyse Bridges[/url] for the laugh--and the timely information about my health. Much to my distress, Spy and Nini were right in their earlier warnings regarding warranty issues. Canadian Best Buy is not the kinder, gentler cousin I soooo hoped it would be. When I dropped Mac off, they told me it could be "as much as two weeks." I waited patiently for exactly two weeks. Okay, so that patiently part may be fictionalized. I'm sad to say I haven't adapted well to the whole 'chanage'll do ya good' theory and remain relatively unproductive and kinda homeless feeling without MY Mac in MY spot. So today I broke down and called. At first they couldn't find a record of my drop off! Gulp. Panicked enough that for a second I feared I might have swallowed my own tongue. Finally someone else--a very b*tchy someone else--picked up the phone and snapped a bunch of crap about BB having no control over how backed up the service company they sent out to gets and that I'd know something as soon as they did. Gas is going to be in the area of the store in the next few days. He'll stop in personally. I don't do confrontation well, he has this grim, sorta military facade that mostly makes confrontation unnecessary. People look at him and say, "Yes, sir. Right away, sir." In the meantime, I figure I'll do a little Mac medicating. As a side note, I've done all but a scant few of the things listed below at one point or another in my life. Think you know which ones I've never done? Not that I'll confirm, of course, but feel free to amuse yourself trying to guess if I've ever gone to jail or danced on a table. IMPORTANT HEALTH ADVISORY Do you have feelings of inadequacy? Do you suffer from shyness? Do you sometimes wish you were more assertive? If you answered yes to any of these questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist about White Wine. White Wine is the safe, natural way to feel better and more confident about yourself and your actions. White Wine can help ease you out of your shyness and let you tell the world that you're ready and willing to do just about anything. You will notice the benefits of White Wine almost immediately and with a regimen of regular doses you can overcome any obstacles that prevent you from living the life you want to live. Shyness and awkwardness will be a thing of the past and you will discover many talents you never knew you had. Stop hiding and start living, with White Wine. White Wine may not be right for everyone. Women who are pregnant or nursing should not use White Wine. However, women who wouldn't mind nursing or becoming pregnant are encouraged to try it. Side effects may include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, incarceration, erotic lustfulness, loss of motor control, loss of clothing, loss of money, loss of virginity, delusions of grandeur, table dancing, headache, dehydration, dry mouth, and a desire to sing Karaoke and play all-night rounds of Strip Poker, Truth Or Dare, and Naked Twister. WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may make you think you are whispering when you are not. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine is a major factor in dancing like an idiot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may cause you to tell your friends over and over again that you love them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may cause you to think you can sing. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may lead you to believe that ex-lovers are really dying for you to telephone them at four in the morning. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may make you think you can logically converse with members of the opposite sex without spitting. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~ WARNING: The consumption of White Wine may create the illusion that you are tougher, smarter, faster and better looking than most people ~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~ NOW JUST IMAGINE WHAT YOU COULD ACHIEVE WITH RED WINE!!!...