More Post Cards

So it’s 3:30 in the morning and I can’t sleep. Brain is firing on all cylinders so it makes sense to get up and get to it. At least I can get started on this week’s blog.

Mario reminded me that Bitten by Books is conducting a poll to determine the funniest UF author. Of course, he's a candidate so go here and vote.

Speaking of Mario— He’s working on a proposal for a new series that’s the best thing he’s done yet. And I don’t throw that kind of hyperbole out lightly. I hope it sells because it’s a great story. When he’s ready to share, I’m sure he will but I wanted to be the first to mention it: Blood Silence. You heard it here first.

Comic Con—Here are a few pics. It’s funny. You take a million pictures at this thing and when you go through them, you think, what am I going to do with all this? I chose the steam punk ones for today mainly because besides terrific and familiar superhero costumes, these are the most detailed and original. Front and back as you’ll see.










Here's my friend Ron (or Perk to you) with Bob, the Angry Flower-- don't ask....




Something just for Mario:



And the kind of photo that makes dealing with the madness worth it:





Also, here are a few more road trip pictures. We often ooh and awe over the beauty of another country’s landscape, but we have some awesome scenery of our own. I told you about Sedona. One of our other nostalgic stops was Jerome, AZ. Have you ever been there? It’s a former mining town that hangs (literally) from the side of a mountain. Now it’s more or less an artists colony, biker hang-out and tourist trap. But on the nostalgia meter, it ranks high for me. Ron and I roamed the streets and reminisced about days gone by.





And I picked up a little souvenir for Mario.



We ended up in Moab after experiencing a dust storm in Monument Valley that left us breathless.

























Okay-- that's enough for today. Only thing more boring than seeing vacation photos is listening to someone tell you about a movie they saw. It's not the same as being there. I'll pick up the trip in Moab next time if you're interested.


Now for some things going on in the publishing world.

For you writers: I think I got this from Shelf Awareness.

*Leisure Books Calls for “Fresh Blood”
Leisure Books, the company “leading the way in publishing paperback horror,”* is partnering with Rue Morgue magazine in association with horror fiction web site ChiZine, to present “Fresh Blood,” a new writing contest specifically for unpublished horror authors. The winner will receive a contract for publication in Leisure’s 2011 lineup, as well as a contract from ChiZine Publications for a limited-edition hardcover release, also in 2011. Leisure is looking for finished horror novel manuscripts, either supernatural or non-supernatural, of 80,000 – 90,000 words. A panel of experts, including Leisure Executive Editor Don D’Auria and editors at ChiZine, will judge entries. The finalists will be announced in November 2009. From December through July 2010, monthly competitions in categories such as “Best Summary,” “Best First Line,” “Best Title,” and “Most Frightening Scene” will run on the ChiZine.com. Readers will have the opportunity to vote for their favorites, and after each deadline, entries with the fewest votes will be eliminated. The winner will be announced in August 2010 at Rue Morgue’s Festival of Fear in Toronto, Canada, as well as on the Leisure Books and ChiZine web sites. Entries should be sent to Submissions@dorchesterpub.com by September 30, 2009. “Fresh Blood” must appear in the subject line of the email. For full entry details, click here.

Again, from Shelf Awareness:

‘Twilight’ exclusive: Graphic novel version on the way!

For those of you who can’t get enough Edward and Bella, EW can announce — exclusively — that Yen Press will be publishing Twilight in graphic-novel form, publication date still to be determined. Though Korean artist Young Kim is creating the art, Meyer herself is deeply immersed in the project, reviewing every panel.




And a sad note from my home town:


From the San Diego Union:

Final chapter for a local treasure

Wahrenbrock's Book House, on Broadway in San Diego for 74 years, closed abruptly Thursday.

After the final customers left San Diego's oldest and largest bookstore Thursday, co-owner Charles Valverde Jr. laid off his last two employees, locked the doors to the 74-year-old downtown landmark and boarded up its windows.

Jeff Shelby, did you see this?


I think that’s it for now. Mario and I are on the road next Thursday. We travel to Austin for ArmadilloCon. But even more importantly, I get to meet his sister. I hope she tells me lots of good things about Mario. Things sufficiently humiliating as only a sister can! I promise to share!

One last thing-- some eye candy for my Buffybuds: