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Contest: Win a signed copy of "Cardinal's Rule!"

Friday, April 22, 2011

Okay, to be fair to my readers who don't use Facebook, this contest will be run here.

Easy contest to enter, all you have to do is reply in the comments to THIS post. Not on the mirrors on Facebook when it posts to my profile, but HERE on my Tales From the Snark Side blog at http://leslirichardson.blogspot.com I'll use random.org to pick a winner from everyone who comments (you can't have won a book from me in the past six months). Only one entry per person, please, to be fair. Make sure I have a way to contact you. If I don't have a way to contact you, you can't win. LOL Once I pick the winner I'll announce it on this post. If the winner doesn't respond within three days, I'll pick a runner-up.

And while it's not a requirement, it would be nice to gain some followers through Blogger and the NetworkedBlogs functions. LOL

You're playing for a signed print copy of "Cardinal's Rule." :) I'll pick a winner on Friday, 4/29. Good luck! :)

Nose-thumbers, beware!

Thursday, April 21, 2011
I've long espoused the benefits of indie publishing (heavy emphasis on e-publishing) in this blog. Yes, I'm biased. Yes, I used to be one of "those" writers who insisted I'd never "settle" because I wanted to publish a "real" book with a "real" publisher.

Now, I'm not using this post to say that "traditional" (sorry for heavy use of the quotes) publishing is dead. It's not dead. It might be committing a slow and painful suicide, but it's far from dead. However, let's face it, traditional publishing is doing more to kill and stifle the careers of good writers than it is helping them achieve their dream.

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has in the past two weeks posted two excellent entries on significant errors in how traditional houses report e-book earnings.



Hmm. I'd like to know what all those people who've thumbed their noses at indie houses are thinking now as they're looking at their "traditional" royalty statements. I'm not gloating, believe me. I'm angry on their behalf. It sucks when writers get screwed, because then you have the potential of losing good voices because they can't afford to follow their dream any more.

For those of you who have shied away from indie publishing, give it another look. Yes, there are perils to smaller houses who handle e-books and POD. But on the other hand, some of those indie houses are damn good (I'm lucky enough to be involved with a couple of them) and you have the potential to realize your dream if you want it badly enough and work your ass off to promote yourself.

At least they're not so far behind the times that they can't manage to get you the money you rightfully earned.

ACK!

Thursday, April 14, 2011
I got the bright idea that I wanted to try being blonde.

Now keep in mind my normal hair color is an icky mouse brown, which is why I have been coloring it reddish/auburn for the past umpteen years. (I started coloring it before I ever started getting grey in it.)

So...what do I do? Do I go to a salon? Hell no. This DIY chick, who rarely hits a salon more than four or five times a year anyway, says how freaking hard can this be? I mean hell, Lindsey Lohan is a blonde and she's got the IQ of an overripe kumquat.

It's harder than it looks, apparently. I started trying going up the scale in terms of "blonde" colors. I wanted something like an ashy blonde, not a platinum blonde. Well, those colors only served to bring out natural reds in my hair, not blonde.

That led to me getting a color stripping kit and a blonde kit yesterday.

Which led to something BFF swore wasn't orange, just sort of apricot/peachy.

F**K!

I was in tears. And the salon I use when I use one was already closed for the day. Then hubby comes home and said, "OMG, what did you do?" Which led to normally sweet BFF whacking him on the arm and yelling at him, "DUDE, you NEVER say something like that to your wife about her hair!"

And it also led to me crying more.

I had to go to band rehearsal (yeah, that got me some looks although everyone politely said they thought it looked great). On the way home I stopped to get new hair color (black was looking pretty good) and found an "anti-brass" treatment by Loreal (the same color brand I use). So I tried it and well, it did take out the peachy/apricot/gold tones. Now it's...kind of strawberry blonde.

So I guess the deep red and black colors I'd picked up can remain unused...for now. I scared the crap out of myself in the bathroom mirror this morning. Nothing like screaming at your own reflection when you haven't had your first cup of coffee yet because you don't recognize yourself.

And add to that my eyebrows are, of course, dark brown. Not sure if I like the way that looks. One option is wait until roots start showing, use a blonde kit again (this result was from the color stripper THEN using the blonde kit) and see what it looks like on my undyed roots. Fortunately, as a writer, I work from home and don't have to face an office or store full of people.

Then again, I do have quite a few scarves and hats...

Updates: 4/6/2011

Thursday, April 7, 2011
"The Reluctant Dom" is now available in print on Amazon.com. This new print version also contains the related novella, "Domme by Default" (first time it's appeared in print).

http://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Dom-Special-Tymber-Dalton/dp/1936356120/

Also, I'm running a contest on my Facebook page. Head on over, like the page and leave a comment in the contest thread. I'll pick a winner tomorrow (Friday, 4/8) for a signed print copy of "Good Will Ghost Hunting: Demon Seed (Book 1)."

http://facebook.com/tymberdalton