Romance and Chocolate: Writing, Reading and Lesbians

Roller Coaster's First Review!

2012-01-15T09:30:00.000-08:00

Early comments from readers have left me heaving a sigh of relief: there is no worst time in the life of this writer than that between the book's release and the first feedback. It's the time when all the self-doubt has an uninterrupted echo chamber. So far I'm delighted with the comments from readers as they've been nearly all positive.

And I wish I could say that I'm sorry about the lost sleep. I tried to be, really. I failed.

The first written review of Roller Coaster has been released at The Lesbrary. If you don't follow the site, consider it. It's a compendium of just about anything that gets mentioned on the web about lesbian writing. Reviewer Anna has this to say:

As Laura and Helen encounter romantic challenges with other people, Kallmaker quietly but effectively sets the stage for their relationship as they live and work together in a family setting. But there are still several secrets between them–Laura continues to be reluctant about revealing their shared past–and Kallmaker makes her characters work for a satisfying conclusion. Recommended.

Roller Coaster is available at independent bookstores (just ask, they'll order it for you if it's not on the shelf) and online at BellaBooks.com and all the other major online etailers. If you're an eBook fan, BellaBooks.com has formats compatible with just about any reading device you've got.

Roller Coaster Shipping Early + 25% Off Until Dec 31!

2011-12-24T02:19:00.000-08:00

Bella Books is shipping out the paperback version of Roller Coaster as an early holiday treat - and they've discounted it 25% through December 31. It won't be shipping from any other retailer until the middle of next month.

I've created an extensive excerpt at my web site of all of the prologue and a good chunk of chapter one to introduce you to two women I love: Helen Baynor and Laura Izmani. Both are accomplished professionals with a driving passion for their respective fields, but neither has found love. Helen hasn't been looking and isn't ready when passion erupts. Laura is willing to let love find her, but she's not looking in the right places.

This is the longest book of my career at over 100,000 words. I hope readers find the involved and detailed lives of these two women as engrossing as I did!

Happy reading and happy holidays to one and all. Your support over the many years means more than I could ever adequately express. So I'll keep it simple: Thank You.

Roller Coaster - Meet Laura and Helen!

2011-12-02T08:50:00.000-08:00

With the release of Roller Coaster just a few weeks away, I've created an extensive excerpt featuring the prologue and some of chapter one to introduce you to Laura Izmadi and Helen Baynor -- as they were when they first met and as they are now, twenty-three years later. I hope you'll enjoy the story.

Roller Coaster will be available from BellaBooks.com later this month and at all the usual booksellers for general release in January.

To read the excerpt, just click to go to the book page at my web site, then click "Excerpt from this Book" on the right to open the PDF.

Enhancements to my web site include a secure shopping cart to order signed books and specific lists to help you find out which of my books have been translated to Spanish, French and German. There are also specific lists to find out which books are available direct to Nook and Kindle. My goals is to help you find what you're looking for and let you know where you can get it.

Any and all "like" buttons you may click along the way will be greatly appreciated! Thank you, readers one and all, for all the support.

Barbara Grier, Reflections

2011-11-10T14:30:00.001-08:00

Barbara Grier had a quick wit. I don't believe I ever saw her at a loss for words. I was seated next to her at a banquet when she realized that the 2002 Lambda Literary Pioneer Award was being awarded to her and Donna. She muttered something to the effect that it would have been nice to have known so she could prepare decent remarks. Even so, her acceptance speech was cogent, on point...and perhaps she was just the tiniest bit flabbergasted. But definitely not at a loss for words.

Do I need to explain that Barbara and Donna were two of the founders of Naiad Press, which went on to be the longest-lived and largest of all the lesbian presses? That Barbara Grier and Donna McBride had been partners in everything since the early 70s? I hope not... But it's also possible that lesbians reading this blog have never heard of either woman or Naiad. But your life was touched by them nevertheless. Barbara, with Donna at her side, was one of those women of the lesbian movement who challenged oppression and saved lives through sheer force of personality and long, grueling decades of hard work.

This morning, at the age of 79, Barbara passed away in Florida due to complications of heart disease. She is survived by Donna McBride. The photograph above was taken in 2005 during Book Expo of America. Donna is on the left and Barbara the right, with Linda Hill of Bella Books in between. I know that Linda wouldn't want to intrude on this moment in time, but it's the only good photograph I have of Barbara and Donna. I've always looked at this picture and thought they were the perfect lesbian stealth operatives--they look like someone's grandmothers and more likely to bake you cookies than give you a copy of Pat Califia's Sapphistry or Lesbian Nuns: Breaking Silence.

To understand the contribution that Barbara and Donna made to lesbian books one has to be capable of imagining a world that had none. Rather, what lesbian books there were had been hidden, disguised and coded. A lesbian lucky enough to find pulp paperbacks at the bus station featuring a brooding brunette and the sunny blonde on the cover had found lesbians in books, but not lesbian books. With very few, notable exceptions such as Ann Bannon's Beebo Brinker titles, they founds stories about despair and ruin. Those books were read and left behind, because it wasn't safe for most women to be discovered reading them. The reader was left more certain than ever that her life was doomed.

There were no mysteries with lesbian detectives. No romances with happy women choosing lives together. No warriors, no princesses, no heroes (only villains). No literature that could be discussed in polite society. Then, out of a hotbed birthed by the early feminist and gay liberation movements, the Stonewall riots, and the meetings of notable minds who networked by letter because no one could afford phone calls, there was an explosion of lesbian books. In the middle of that explosion, and going on to survive the rigors of publishing the longest, was Naiad. Naiad published poetry, literary works and, thank goodness, popular fiction. Finally, lesbians could see themselves in the books. They saw themselves deserving happiness. Deserving respect. Deserving futures. Deserving to live.

Naiad was founded in 1974 in part because Barbara Grier believed that words matter and books are forever. She had a lifelong commitment to making lesbians in books visible. She did this with her own early lists of lesbiana where she detailed any book with lesbian content, no matter how minor. She did this by publishing books that, as Naiad's submission guidelines read, included lesbians who were "superior at once." By 1989, when I was first published by Naiad, I was a third-generation lesbian writer, one of hundreds who had found the books and a literary tradition that inspired their own creativity. I was one of tens of thousands of women who waited for the Naiad mailing, every month, because it was the only validation of our lesbian identity we could safely receive.

I don't know anyone who met Barbara Grier and was left feeling tepid. All the writers who knew her have at least one Barbara Grier story, most of them good, some of them negative. She had some very public disputes with other very strong women. She was nevertheless a savior to isolated lesbians all over the world, many of whom feel intense gratitude. I have no doubt that books save lives and Barbara and Donna put books into the lesbian universe at a rate no one in that era matched.

Since publishing this blog I've recalled the first time I met Barbara. She did then and always did remind me of my grandmother, that is, until one of her inventive and pithy curse words crept into the conversation. At that book event in San Francisco I shyly introduced myself first to Donna, who was standing next to Barbara. Donna boomed my name, shook my hand and then Barbara exclaimed, "It's the young California phenom!" And she laughed that famous half laugh-half giggle that I learned over time expressed her delight. She loved books and all things to do with them. My dealings with Barbara were always cordial. She always called me at 7 a.m. when I wasn't really awake, and I always said "Yes, Barbara" and "Where do I sign." Ergo, we got along famously.

I can't imagine my life not having intersected with Barbara Grier. Her impact on me is in my warp and weft, from the first lesbian books I read to conversations we shared, though they weren't that many. I wish her all good speed to wherever her force of nature energy goes from here. Wherever that may be, it will never be the same.

A Simple Gesture or a Few Words Can Save a Life

2011-10-11T04:12:00.000-07:00

If you're reading this, you have a superpower that can save a teenager's life.

The power is the example you set. What you do or say when hate is expressed is noticed by the teens all around you -- on the job, in church, queuing at the grocery, a school club. Everywhere.

Teenagers hear you say, "That's really mean" about the hateful remark blaring from the TV show playing at MacDonald's.
Kids notice that you smile at the odd-looking kid who bagged your groceries.
Young people see your NOH8 sticker on the paper clip holder on your desk.
Teens will remember if they overhear you say that you know someone who's gay.

Visit TheTrevorProject.org or ItGetsBetter.org. Listen to a few stories and you'll be surprised how often people say it was a simple gesture or a few words that kept them from ending their life. You could be that person and never know it.

It's National Coming Out Day for those of us in the LGBT Community. You don't have to be a member of the community to come out. Today, you can come out as someone who believes that in life there should be NOH8.

Accounting Geekery - GCLS Fundraiser

2011-10-09T03:45:00.000-07:00

Before becoming full time parent and writer and part-time editorial director for my publisher, my specialty was nonprofit accounting. As an employee or board member I was involved in both a small home-grown association and a large one with thousands of members. Regardless of size, both organizations had fervently committed members, hard-working volunteers and very few resources. It was always a matter of rolling up our sleeves and finding a way to do something as cheaply and efficiently as possible.

Both groups had growing pains in management, administration and membership; it's the nature of the beast. That's why when the Golden Crown Literary Society's board of directors announced that they had surveyed their last few years of operations and concluded that the group had become too large and too unwieldy for spackle-and-duct-tape membership management tools (my wording, not theirs), I had sympathy pains. Been there, so very done that.

This decision came on the heels of two significant milestones: creation and promulgation of corporate documents and the necessary running financial reports to secure not only an independent CPA audit of their records with a clean opinion, but final approval of nonprofit status as well. Both of these steps represent untold hours of volunteer labor. I am enough of an accounting geek to have gotten misty at the reading of the CPA's clean opinion letter at the annual business meeting. "Represents fairly..." *sniff*

In order to purchase the software necessary to manage the growing membership with tools that support the administration of the society and alleviate as much as possible the drain that something as simple as dues billings creates, the board has asked the membership to donate to their fund. Many have -- over $4,000 of the $6,000 needed has been raised. In these economic times, that is simply fantastic and shows the level to which the members, most of whom are readers of lesbian fiction, believe in the comradeship GCLS provides at the annual conference, and the good it does in honoring and spreading the good word about what we writers do.

I encourage anyone who supports lesbian fiction to consider making a tax-deductible donation directly to GCLS for their membership software fundraising drive. Any amount is welcome and it will allow the organization to take to the next logical step in its growth. At the web site you can read more about the intended use of the donation.

I've created a special "product" at my web store that might sweeten the deal. For $50, you can choose any 5 books from my web store that are in stock. For the first five orders, I will donate the entire $50 to GCLS for their membership software. I wish I could do so for an unlimited number of orders, but 25 books, the payment processing fees and the postage to mail them is my financial limit. After that, however, I will donate $30 of each order.

I do want to make one disclaimer: my web store software is brand new and somewhat untested. I believe that it will all go smoothly, processing credit cards via PayPal. But it's possible there's a setting here and there that's annoying. Any feedback on functionality will be cheerfully accepted, though I can't promise it can be fixed!

To get started, visit my Full Bibliography to see if there are 5 books you'd like--if I have them in stock, you can order 5 of one favorite book and give them to friends at the holidays or mix and match any 5 books. Full Bibliography is a summary of all of my work, and the left column will show you if something is in stock by displaying an "Add to Bag" button. But don't actually add the individual book your shopping bag, or if you do, zero out the quantity in your cart, or clear your cart before placing your order for the GCLS Fundraiser "product."

To read more about this fund raiser, visit this page at my web site: $50 for 5 Books. You can also find the link on my home page. There is an "Add to Bag" button to select the fundraiser "product" and complete your purchase.

Thank you for considering joining the support for this great organization and for reading this blog! As always, a "like" for the Facebook gods is also most welcome and much appreciated as are shares and comments.

I would be remiss not to disclose that I am not a member of the organization's board, nor am I in any way financially related to it beyond the payment of my dues and sponsorship/advertising fees. I have been honored to receive several awards from GCLS but I would hope that everyone understands that there is no relationship between past and possible future awards and my wish to show my support for the organization. This fundraising appeal is made entirely and only in my capacity as an author and member of the Society.

A Blog About a Blog

2011-09-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

Muscles grow stronger when you use them. This is a truth that I detest because it is true in regards to physical exercise. It's good for me, darn it all. It's also a truth when it comes to creativity. Writing is a muscle. The more I write the easier it is to write.

Finishing my latest manuscript occupied a huge amount of my attention span but there were many days (far too many days) where there was insufficient brain and time space to write the first draft. Editing is much simpler. As the weeks and months went by, I realized that if I couldn't write on my first draft of the manuscript I needed to write something.

So I could blog. The problem there is that I'm in the school of "if it's important enough to say, it should be well-considered and well-said." In other words, I find it impossible not to put a great deal of thought into blogs and there was not really much time for that either. Brevity takes forever, too, and has never been my strong point.

Earlier this year, I challenged readers to start their own blogs about books. Since two thoughts often make a third, I considered what if I went completely off my usual topics, and I did what I'd told my readers to do: share my opinion on something I like, and use a blog to make a record. One of my other great passions is movies. I'm not a film critic. Not an expert. I just have an opinion and am reasonably enough versed in some of the basics of storytelling that I can express myself -- I think -- more or less coherently on the subject. Besides, the whole point is that I am definitely an expert in my own opinion.

Also, since it's completely outside my usual sphere I don't have to take much time to be diplomatic. I don't know Seth Rogen and he's never heard of me, so I feel free to say that The Green Hornet was really, really bad.

Popcorn is Extra is my movie opinion blog. I found over the summer that a review was a great short workout for the creative muscle, and I'll keep doing them. It's a work in progress, obviously. If movie reviews are your thing, this is probably the best place to start: Popped Opinions. I invite you all to enjoy.

Loud and Clear - "Gay and Lesbian" Echoing Off the Stands

2011-08-31T06:47:00.000-07:00

Monday night the girls in the family went to the San Francisco Giants versus the Chicago Cubs game at AT&T Park. I'd never been to the new park though my partner had several times. She's the big baseball fan in the family, as is my daughter. I went because it was LGBT Night, the tickets were a good price and there was the promise of an official Giants hat.

Frankly, I was there for the hat and the food. Crab sandwich, delicious. Hat, spectacular. To the side is a photo I took of the logo on the front of the hat.

I do like baseball, but I don't follow it closely. I could devote a long blog to my ambivalence about men's professional sports, and how heroes are made of thugs, cheaters and whiners, and fortunes are made on the disposable bodies of young men but I'll avoid the temptation and simply say that overall, my feeling is that major league baseball tends to have less of that that some other sports, and being able to admire the players and the team does in fact influence my interest a sport. End of near diatribe.

I'm also aware that homophobia runs rampant through many professional sports, including women's, and that the f-word is a common slur in locker rooms all over the world. So I can take to my heart an organization that makes an "It Gets Better" video for The Trevor Project featuring players, in several languages, telling young people that bullying is not the end and life is worth living. The SF Giant player's video was played last night during one of the inning breaks, and the LGBT fans were applauding and cheering madly.

I can also take to my heart a Major League Baseball organization that hires a woman, Renel Brooks-Moon to be the public address announcer. Still waiting for any other team to follow suit... Who cares about the outcome of the game when a woman's voice booms out,

Ladies and Gentleman, the San Francisco Giants welcome members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community to LGBT Night!

For me, the word lesbian echoed and echoed. It was said more than once, since the Lesbian and Gay Freedom Band played before the game and performed Take Me Out to the Ballgame at the 7th inning stretch.

It echoed and echoed, because I still remember when it was a nasty word, whispered behind hands. When it could get you fired. Beaten up. Worse.

It still can. We're not safe yet. But when kids of all ages see and hear these words in the world around them, the words lose their power to wound and defang bullies everywhere.

So Bravo to the San Francisco Giants, and to corporate sponsor AT&T. So the pitchers gave up four long balls and the bats were cold as ice taking golf swings at slow rollers in the dirt. Who cares?

Roller Coaster - Before and After the Self-Edit

2011-07-10T15:05:00.000-07:00

It's not uncommon for the beginning of a book to change, especially when I've wandered in the woods for a while looking for the best path to get the story off not to just the right start, but the start that sets the right expectation for the rest of the book. This is close to the final draft of the opening page of Roller Coaster:

     Another carload of shrieking riders soared over Laura Izmadi’s head. It took conscious effort not to duck. The falling tone of the screaming was then drowned out by the sharp, metallic roar of the rail. The riders were already at the next turn when the air in their wake sent bits of trash scurrying across the wooden planking of the staging area.
    The long, snaking line of raucous, eager riders finally moved out of the sweltering access tunnel. She welcomed the fresh air and clean sea breeze, but she immediately felt the lack of shade. She ran a fingertip over the top of one ear—the tender skin there was already on its way to a sunburn. She tugged her Santa Cruz ball cap down as firmly as she could on her short-cropped black hair, but it still wouldn’t quite cover her ears. She wasn’t giving up now, though. She’d already been in the queue for thirty minutes.
    There was no way she wasn’t going to ride The Great Wave today. Today marked the anniversary of the day she’d left New York. A fresh start was what she’d found, back in the town where she’d graduated from high school only a few years ago. She’d ridden this roller coaster so many times during those years. The memory of it was bright and true and uncomplicated. And before...the Big Mistake. Now that her life was firmly back on track, she was getting on a plane for New York tomorrow morning. The day after that she would pick up the remains of her culinary training.
    Another coaster load of riders disembarked and the line moved forward. She stepped into the way of the group of teens that had been angling at every possibility to slip in front of her. Sorry, dudes, she thought. Anyone who’d ever ridden the subway in New York knew how to cut off a line jumper. It was all in the elbows.

This is the first draft, which is actually first draft plus three or four quick passes of editing:

    Another carload of shrieking riders soared over Laura Izamdi’s head, sounding so close that she consciously stopped herself from ducking. Just after the falling tone of the screaming came the metallic roar of the rail. The riders were already at the next turn when their wake sent scurrying across the wooden planking of the staging area.
    The long line of eager riders finally moved out of the sweltering access tunnel. She welcomed the fresh air . The beach looked cool and welcoming with a clean white line of surf across the sand. She ran a fingertip over the top of one ear—it was already on its way to a sunburn. She tugged her ball cap down as firmly as she could, but it still wouldn’t quite cover her ears. She wasn’t giving up now, though. She’d already been in the queue for thirty minutes.
    She was going to ride The Great Wave today. Tomorrow she got on the plane for New York, back to her culinary training after a year off. Today marked the anniversary of the day she’d left New York. A fresh start was what she’d found, back to the town where she’d graduated from high school only a few years earlier. She’d ridden this roller coaster many times during those years. The memory of it was bright and true and uncomplicated. And before...the Big Mistake.
    Another coaster load of riders disembarked and the line moved forward. She stepped into the way of the group of teens that had been angling at every possibility to slip in front of her. Anyone who’d ever ridden the New York subway knew how to cut off a line jumper. It was all in the elbows.

Some editors have told me I self-edit too much, and sometimes I do wonder. The subtle differences between the first draft and the final is probably forty to fifty quick to careful studies to improve the impact, structure, backstory revealed and characterization. I do this for nearly every page in the final book, but none more than the opening page.

What the editor will focus on, I hope, is if this scene is where the book should begin. For this book, choosing the opening has been the single most important decision I've had to make, and I've agonized. I spent weeks dithering and finally decided to open with a prologue that takes place 23 years earlier. But if my editor thinks I got it wrong and the current day opening is better to hook and hold readers, I'll be changing it. I'd rather she focused on that question than writing "needs visual" on the opening pages, that's for sure!

If you have an opinion on the question of self-editing and whether there can ever be too much of it, chime in. Roller Coaster will be out later this year.

Do You Review? Blog It!

2011-05-31T11:40:00.000-07:00

Do you take the time to share your impressions of books you read? Where do you post them? Amazon? Goodreads? Barnes and Noble? Facebook, Yahoo or Google groups?

Why not on a blog? But there's no blog for that, I hear you say. Au contraire—it's the Internet, the digital age... If there's no centralized blog for the books you like where you can become a contributor, then blog it yourself! There are many good reasons to make your thoughts accessible beyond the places I listed above. I'm surprised by how many don't realize they owe it to their own body of work—which is what you call a collection of creative endeavors such as writing down opinions—to share it as widely as possible.

Yes, I know you're thinking "I'm just a reader and my thoughts just don't matter that much in the larger scheme of things so why would anyone care if I blog them." Since most of you reading this are women I'll say bluntly, "That's horse hockey, girlfriend." You think men worry about their opinion mattering in some mythical larger scheme of things? What you're reading right now is "just" one woman's opinion. That's all most blogs are: one person's opinion.

If you take the time to share your thoughts on any of those places I listed above, they are just as worthy of sharing in the blogsphere. Not only that, they become far more useful to everyone else because they're in a single, centralized location, not scattered far and wide throughout a commercial site or lost in the unsearchable depths of a list-serv on Google or Yahoo.

WHY THE SCATTERED APPROACH HAS LIMITATIONS

Reviews you post on almost any Internet site belong to them.
It's in the fine print. If you only post in one place and that place deletes your reviews, you are seriously screwed. Amazon.com can—and has—deleted entire reviews from users. Top Reviewer Amos Lassen faced that last year after a review of a gay male erotica anthology was reported as offensive. The complaint seems to have been about the book, not the review, but whatever the reason, thousands of reviews *poof* gone. Though I'm not aware that the same thing has happened with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble, I imagine that it could. (Mr. Lassen now has a blog.)

Facebook is notorious for lack of persistence in its data. It's expected and common to find posts simply not there anymore. Forget about being able to search for something. Google and Yahoo groups can and do "lose" posts. They are also dismal to search through, even when you know the date, title and content of a post. The bigger the group, the more click...click...click... ::headdesk::

What's This Reviewer All About?
Most reviewers I know post at Amazon. I understand why, and yet, it's a nightmare trying to look only at a single reviewer's work. How many times have you looked at a reviewer's profile to discern their biases, likes and dislikes so you can decide if their opinion is of value to you? It's not hard if the reviewer only reviews the kinds of books you're interested in. But the more they review the harder it is to study their opinions. Click on a reviewer's name, wait, click for their reviews, wait, then wade through what could be hundreds of reviews of non-books, ten items at a time. If the reviewer has written about 100 items from energy bars to blenders to books, that's 10 pages of clicking and scanning.

Amazon Reviews and a Grain of Salt Won't Get You a Margarita
Also as a reader, and primarily again at Amazon, reviews appearing only there are treated with skepticism by a great many readers. In a recent highly public career suicide, an author defended her book by pointing out her many 5-star reviews at Amazon. The response was universal derision. All too easily her detractors pointed out how many of those reviews were written by people with the same last name as herself, or the same initials, or by people who had only reviewed her book and made many of the same misspeltings (sic) as she did. The reviewers who had shared honest and independent thoughts about the book were completely discounted because so many of the other reviews were obviously plants.

Did you know that vanity presses send their clients to Amazon and other sites with full instructions of how to sign up under multiple names and have their family and friends post glowing reviews and that's "legit" marketing, a.k.a. "dupe the reader"? Another reason so many people look with great skepticism on reviews sourced off of Amazon.

Even a highly ranked reviewer doesn't escape skepticism. There are top 500 reviewers who (unlike Amos Lassen whom I mentioned above) have achieved that status by reposting the product description as their "review." So while a review posted at Amazon is helpful to those who know you, it may not influence anyone else.

So far, a site like Goodreads seems relatively free of plant reviews, and many readers find reviews there very useful. However, when two vanity presses put Goodreads on their list of sites to "bomb market" as part of their marketing advice, there was an obvious incursion of similar plant reviews.

Reviews on Commercial Sites Aren't Quotable
The print magazines and indie bookstores where feedback was a small but steady stream for authors are all gone. Just finding consistent reviewers to follow is difficult, especially wading through how a reviewer's body of work is presented by Amazon and other sites. Many reviewers I know are writing their 100-200-500 words of feedback to help other readers. But if I do find a useful review on a site like Amazon, I can't seriously quote it (see above) because at least half the readers will automatically discount its value. That very same review in a blog or online newsletter (e.g. Just About Write) is quotable, and I can give a link to a page where the visitor can see other reviews and regard the review (and my book) in a context free of plants or reviews with agendas other than the book.

WHY BLOGS ARE MORE USEFUL

It's a red-letter day when a reviewer blogs their thoughts. A number of Amazon reviewers post reviews and include a link to their review blog at the end, which is marvelous. At the blog I can read the reviewer's philosophy. I can search by whatever labels the reviewer uses to keep track. I can scan by date, search by name or title. I can learn if that reviewer hates fantasy, loves mysteries, tends to not like contemporary romance, but adores historical romance and reads memoirs like I eat chocolate. That reviewer's body of work is made useful, incredibly useful, to me as a reader and a writer. It can be quoted, cited, verified and seen in context.

Review Journals and Sites versus Blogs
Of course there is a difference between an experienced, compensated reviewer on NPR.com or a literary journal and one who dashes off thoughts from the heart. In the former I look for useful criticism with examples from the text. In the latter, I look for proof of having read the book and authenticity of their feelings about the book in the context of how they discuss other books.

In the Olden Days...
For me, review blogs are the same as the newsletters that women's bookstores put out in the 80s and 90s to advise their customers on what they'd enjoyed recently. These weren't literary critics, but readers or booksellers. Women who loved books. Their short comments were helpful to me as a reader, and water in the desert as an author.

A Blog Belongs to the Reviewer
The reviewer can copy and paste their review to Amazon and Google and Yahoo groups. The blog can automatically post to Goodreads, Facebook and many other sites without doing anything more than clicking "post." And while those sites claim ownership of the copy that was posted there, the original belongs to the reviewer, and it will always be where she can find it. Backing up blog content is easier than backing up a computer—you just have to do it. [That reminds me...be right back.]

A Blog Can Be Read By Anyone, Including Search Engines

The reader doesn't have to belong to a Facebook, Yahoo or Google group where there is almost zero memory and no ability to search for a title or author or genre that is of interest. Within a short while those reviews are virtually lost to people who join the group later.

Search engines can't read groups unless they're public, which is rare. Search engines can read blogs, though, and will offer a blog as a relevant resource when the searcher uses the right words.

Blogs Have Bells and Whistles
Blogging sites, like Blogger and Wordpress, will build in email subscriptions so once a reader finds you they can always get your reviews instead of stumbling across them willy-nilly. After you get used to the software there are other add-ins, like comments, polls, blog cross-links to the blog review sites you like, and vice versa. Plus there are built-in share buttons you or anyone else can use to Facebook, Tweet, Stumble Upon, Digg, etc. You can't do that kind of sharing with reviews in a Google group or on Amazon, etc.

SO YOU READ ALL THAT AND YOU'RE THINKING...

I'm not official enough to be a reviewer, those are just my thoughts. That's what a blog is. Book Thoughts by Terry or Read It-Loved It Blog or The Phantom Knows Good Books. Personal thoughts shared just as you would anywhere else. Look closely at many of the book review blogs out there. It's a reader, or 2-3 readers. They chose a name, included a bit about why and how they review and sent their posts out into the world for all to benefit from. Many also post those reviews to Amazon, Goodreads, Barnes and Noble, etc.
People will think I'm saying I'm an authority and I'm just a reader. As long as you don't claim to be speaking for others, include a statement about why you review, are upfront about your conflicts of interests (e.g. your best friend or partner works for a publisher who gives you free books), all you're doing is preserving your reviews so you and others can always find them. Again, you are the only authority on what you think about what you've read.
I don't want people to know it's me. I get that—plenty of very good reviewers on Amazon are anonymous. Whatever email you're using in a group list to keep your book life separate from the rest of your life will get you a blog at Blogspot or Wordpress (the two I recommend for ease). If you use anonymity for malicious reasons you can discuss that later with your own personal deity and/or your mom.
I don't have time. You got me there. Setting up a blog takes about 5 minutes, but making it look pretty and getting used to the way the labels work and all that, yep more time. Once you've posted an entry, however, it'll always be where you expect it to be, and you can cut and paste it into an email or a group post when you want. There are easy services that will post your blog to other sites for you. You can use your own share buttons to post it as well. My prediction is that once you've adapted to blogging first, then sharing, it won't take much longer, and you may find that since you can easily access your own previous work instead of hunting on some site for it (or even hunting on your own hard drive) that you'll save time in the end.
I'm not good enough to... Let's step back. A blog is a format. It's a place on the Internet where you're taking the time to put all your thoughts together. The thoughts already exist. You're already sharing them in the tone and style that's yours. All I'm saying is if you're going to that bother, make it accessible to all by bringing them to a central location under your own control.
I don't want to deal with the people who disagree with me. Totally hear you! I don't like it either. In a group if someone attacks your opinion that's usually against the rules and others have your back, so to speak. On a blog, it's your blog and people with the anonymous Internet will do and say stupid and cruel things they would never voice anywhere else. But on a blog, you don't have to give a public email. You don't have to take comments. You can just blog, share and walk away. If someone doesn't like it they can start their own blog. If an author's feelings are wounded because it's not the 5-star glowfest she expected, she has to get out her big girl panties and deal. (This last point is the topic of an entire panel at GCLS this year.)
I don't want to write negative reviews and I would have to before anyone took me seriously, wouldn't I? If you already don't write negative reviews, don't on a blog. Again, it's just a format, not a "serious" versus "not serious" thing. Keep doing what you're doing, just all in one place.
What if nobody comments or seems to care? I've seen readers begin a blog then stop after a short while, I think because their blog didn't turn into a popular discussion hot spot. If you start a review blog, the places where you already discuss reviews, such as your favorite Yahoo reader group, is where you'll go right on talking about them. Think of your blog not as a discussion site but as a repository that belongs to you, not Yahoo or Amazon or Facebook. Yes, a review blog can become much more if that's your goal. But it doesn't have to be.

So there's my two cents times about twenty. It's a topic I've thought about a lot, obviously, so I hope those of you who write up your thoughts about books will think about starting your own blog. I'm betting you'll find it personally more useful in the long run, and in the short run so will readers and writers.

GCLS - Pitch Meetings in Orlando

2011-05-19T03:42:00.000-07:00

Last year's GCLS was the site of my first formal pitch meetings. It was difficult to find the time in an already busy conference, but it was a very rewarding experience. Not only was it enjoyable to talk in detail with a half dozen unpublished authors about their work, one of the meetings resulted in the reading and subsequent acquisition of Unbroken Circle by Mary Griggs. One year later, Unbroken Circle has just been released by Bella.

I'm looking forward to the experience next month. I don't know if there's another Unbroken Circle waiting to be discovered, but the energy that results from talking with an author about a beloved project will be very welcome. I love writing, I love talking about writing, I love hearing about writing. In addition to pitch meetings, I'm also moderating a panel on what happens to the ideas that bounce around in our heads. What's better than that?

FYI, the details about the when of the meetings and what I'll need to see before setting up the schedule are at this Bella Blog.

Book Sale to Aid Long-Time LesFic Supporter

2011-05-05T17:07:00.000-07:00

Today your superpower can be helping out someone in need. And you end up with books!

I learned a few hours ago that a long-time supporter of lesbian fiction books, a woman who has given countless hours to the Stonewall Library in Fort Lauderdale, touched each and every one of our books on the shelves, alphabetized them, taped up boo boos, acted as a tireless reference and referral for other readers, is battling cancer. As a retiree in Florida, she is without health insurance. For those who attended the Bella Y Tour and volunteered at Stonewall, or are regular supporters and visitors, I'm speaking of Judy Shepherd.

Judy and I met several years ago, and I'll never forget our car ride from my hotel to the library for my appearance there. There wasn't a book Judy hadn't read and her memory of small details was far sharper than mine. I would love to write a big, fat check -- if only my wallet could withstand it. But what I can do is put my books on sale through the month of May and pledge everything over and above the cost of mailing them out to Judy's fund.

You can visit my page that explains how to get books from me, or, if you already know all that, go directly to the order page. My method is low-tech as you will see, but it works.

Maybe you've met Judy and weren't aware of her situation. You can always go directly to the Pride Center and donate.

Thanks for reading and considering!

Writing, Reading and LESBIANS - Really.

2011-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Most people with a web site or blog spend some time looking at their "analytics." These are reports that show where users arrive from, their operating system, the resolution of their monitor, what they clicked on and so forth. Those who use the analytics services at the free level don't get a lot of data, but it's enough to stew over.

One of the most useful reports notes the keywords that users put into a search engine that resulted in them finding your site. There's also the "relevance" list, which records words that the analytics service deems relevant to your site, and their ranking. At my site, the 100% relevant word is "Kallmaker." Seems like a no brainer.

But that list also says that "lesbian" is only 72% relevant as a word related to my site. Huh? 72%. I assure you, it's 99.9% relevant. So henceforth, for the search-engine-optimization gods, I'm describing everything as lesbian even though to me it seems like lesbian overkill. That means every lesbian book with every lesbian character and their lesbian dog with a lesbian car that receives a lesbian award that notifies me with lesbian email for a lesbian celebration of lesbian reading will be labeled lesbian, so there's no lesbian confusion.

Lesbian, lesbian, lesbian. Are we clear?

Above Temptation and Frosting 2, 2010 Goldie Finalists

2011-04-29T14:42:00.000-07:00

The finalists are in the process of being announced for the 2010 Golden Crown Literary Society Goldie Awards, and both of my 2010 works have been shortlisted in their category. Since the Goldies are my favorite lesbian event of the literary year, having both Above Temptation, in Lesbian Romantic Suspense, and Frosting on the Cake 2: Second Helpings, in Lesbian Short Story/Essay/Collection, survive the screening process to make it to finalist status is like a great big cherry on top of what will be a very fun week.

If you haven't yet registered for the convention, time is growing short. There are classes, workshops and panels, KG MacGregor's keynote presentation and oodles of fun, the likes of which only happen when a lot of women sharing two passions (books and women, not necessarily in that order) get together under one roof.

At this time I'm moderating a panel for Amy Dawson Robertson, Layce Gardner, Saxon Bennett and Laurie Salzer. That group will definitely need some moderating. I'm also scheduled to be a panel participant with Georgia Beers, Karen Badger and Lori L Lake, with Cheri Crystal moderating.

An Evening of Words and Laughter

2011-04-27T04:24:00.000-07:00

Lambda Literary Awards Finalist Readings, San Francisco Public Library

My favorite thing about this annual event is the range of books - from fiction to poetry to LGBT studies. Like a lot of writers I ought to read more than I do, and to have such an array of works assembled like a tasty sampler buffet makes for, to extend the metaphor, a delicious evening.

Let's face it, it's an amazing event when a reading from a book about lesbianism in England being equated with sedition during the closing years of WWI is not only interesting, but humorous. Citizen Invert Queer: Lesbianism and War in Early Twentieth-Century Britain, by Deborah Cohler, was both.

In particular, it's wonderful to hear poetry read aloud, and three of the finalists read poetry. I was especially touched by Amir Rabiyah's sharp, sparkling entry in Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, the collection of essays, poetry and conversations edited by Kate Borstein and S. Bear Bergman.

My thoughtful takeaway for the evening was from an LGBT Studies finalist, Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community. Read by editor Lucas Noach Dzmura, the reading selection focused on the literal and figurative metaphor of the dividing wall (the mechitza) between men and women at prayer in orthodox communities. Discussing the person who moves from one side of the wall to the other, there is a time when they balance atop that wall during their journey to the other side. But there are others for whom the top of the wall is the destination, when a life of ambiguity is, for them, fixed.

The evening concluded with comic book geekery with slide shows and readings from Teleny and Camille, by Jon Macy, and Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super Tranny by Justin Hall. Both works displayed visual drama and a wealth of humor. Seriously, how cool is that?

All of the readings were highly enjoyable. I didn't get a chance to greet Katherine Bricetti, who read from her memoir Blood Strangers, and who revealed she too had teenagers, but I did chat with Erik Orrantia, a finalist in gay romance for Normal Miguel. Erik had journeyed up from Tijuana and was staying in Castro Valley, where I live. Speaking of, who knew that Lucy Jane Bledsoe once worked in Castro Valley? I didn't, but learned that tonight as well. I also got to hear Lucy read from Big Bang Symphony, another amazing novel. She tolerated my fan grrl demand for a photo (see top of the page).

My thanks to Tony Valenzuela and the Lambda Literary Foundation for organizing the event. I appreciate it not only as a finalist given the chance to air her work, but also as a reader being offered so many tastes of what makes up our community literature. Also many thanks to the tireless Karen Sundheim of the San Francisco Public Library and the James C. Hormel Center, for hosting the event for so many years. Librarians and libraries, in the parlance of my teenagers, are sick.

Frosting 2 and Above Temptation LFRCA Top 5 of 2010

2011-04-24T22:34:00.000-07:00

The Lesbian Fiction Readers Choice Members have voted Frosting on the Cake 2: Second Helpings and Above Temptation as top five favorites for 2010. Frosting 2 was voted on in the anthologies category, and Above Temptation in adventure stories.

Many thanks to the award moderator Jo Fothergill and the many readers who voted for (and hopefully enjoyed reading!) both of my books!

Click either certificate to read more about either book at BellaBooks.com.

Lambda Literary Readings, April 26 at the SF Main Library

2011-04-24T16:38:00.000-07:00

Join me and fourteen other writers from the Bay Area for the annual celebration of Lambda Literary finalist works. The event is full of diverse writings, usually a lot of laughter and hosted by the wonderful Karen Sundheim of the San Francisco Main Library. I'll be reading from Above Temptation, which is a finalist for Lesbian Romance.

The SF Main Library is about a quarter block from the Civic Center BART station. The reception starts at 5, readings at 6, so it's the perfect stop on the way home after work. Drag a friend with you -- you never know, you could be the one who opens their eyes to the choices of reading in the LGBT community.

Other writers scheduled to be present are Lucy Jane Bledsoe, Malena Watrous, Greg Hewett, Jen Currin, Justin Hall, Deborah Cohler, Erik Orrantia, Adam Haslett, Jon Macy, Karin Kallmaker, Lucas Noach Dzmura, S. Bear Bergman, Kathy Briccetti, Meredith Maran, and Zelda Lockhart. Some authors (including me) will likely bring a few books to sell after the readings.

APRIL 26, 2011
San Francisco Public Library
Latino/Hispanic Meeting Room A & B
100 Larkin Street, San Francisco, California 94102
(1/2 block from Civic Center transit)
5:00 pm Reception
6:00 pm Reading

Pulitzer Committee Adds Romance Writing to Prize Categories!

2011-04-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

New York, NY; April 1, 2011: Columbia University announced today that the Pulitzer Prize Committee has added Romance Writing to its prestigious list of prize-worthy categories. At a press conference Pulitzer Committee Chair A. Bout Tyme said, "In recognition of the most widely read category of writing not only in the United States but around the world, without exception, we proudly add stories about how people feel, relate in dyads, form family units, support society and problem-solve on a daily basis to our prize list."

The International Romance Creators Collective sent out a press release praising this development. "We heartily applaud the Pulitzer Committee's recognition of the driving force of romance writing in both providing books that change lives and allow escape from the real-time pressures of the daily grind."

Application forms for Pulitzer consideration are available from me, Karin Kallmaker. Just send an email with your bank account information, PIN number, mother's maiden name and the statement "Go ahead, Karin, take it all."

Stipends for Lesbian Fiction Writers - We'll Never Have to Work Again!

2011-04-01T11:31:00.000-07:00

Sappho, WA, April 1, 2011: Today the Innovative Foundation of Out Love announced plans to grant annual stipends of $1 million to lesbian fiction writers starting in 2012. That means we can all quit our jobs, give away books for free and attend weekly conferences celebrating the craft.

And that's not all! Through their association with key members of the boards of Lifetime and Logo, they've announced the launch of the LifeGo Movie Studio which will turn lesbian fiction novels into blockbuster mainstream hits paying out massive royalties to the original writers for their ideas. Says Executive Producer of the new LifeGo studio, "JK Rowling, step aside! When movie goers see the magic these women do, there won't be any comparison!"

The net result of these long overdue actions is that no lesbian fiction writer will ever have to work again. It's bon-bons and days at the beach from here on out, because, as everyone knows, the books just write themselves.

Those interested in applying for the IFOOL stipend should send me, Karin Kallmaker, their bank account number, pin number and mother's maiden name.

What's in a Label? For Books, Plenty!

2011-03-30T08:35:00.000-07:00

A new blog about how publishers label books for distribution, and how a writer hoping to publish can anticipate this need, is now available at Women | Books | Bella, where you can comment.

No Bang. Lots of Whimpering.

2011-02-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

There were many apt titles for this blog which is regarding some of the happiest business news I've received in a while. I considered A Thousand Pecking Chickens Bring Down a 500-Pound Gorilla. But I just visited the most notorious fiction-ebook sharing site and read what was left of the thread of almost 5,000 posts over 4 days of whining from book pirates, so the Eliot reference seemed more appropriate. The book pirates are upset because their stolen fiction and discussions have been deleted. [What is and isn't book piracy?]

The sense of loss is palpable, as is the sense of entitlement. Apparently, free books are a basic human right. Know what? I agree -- and that's why there are libraries. Anyone can read for free. But free, ultimate-convenience-in-the-format-I-want-the-very-minute-I-want-it-without-leaving-home books are not a basic human right. But book pirates disagree. They bemoan the books they won't ever get to read now. Pick that statement apart: it's an admission that if it isn't free they won't read it.

Nevertheless, as they mourned the loss of their piracy site, ever-so-many pirates said they used the forum to "find new authors and buy their books." Not only do they gainsay their own claim above, that myth has been debunked so many times by credible sources it's like saying the earth is flat. They also repeated "sharing sites boost real sales" which is also a myth. While there is evidence that some authors for some projects willingly giving away free copies does boost awareness and sales, no author I know has reported a boost in sales when their books showed up on a piracy site. I know that some pirates do actually try a book and, if they like the book a lot, make it somewhat right by buying books, but the number who do that is minuscule -- and it's still piracy. [Book Piracy Myths.]

But we all know that people caught doing something persistently illegal will trot out any excuse to justify their repeated guilty acts.

I love books, but books aren't food, heat and shelter. I have more empathy for the person with no money stealing food than I do for people who can afford high-speed Internet and Kindles or iPads but steal books and claim economic necessity. Please. There are thousands of legal, excellent books available free, hosted and downloaded by convenient and safe Google, not to mention free ebooks on that Really Big Book Site. But pirates don't want just any book--they want a good book that entertains them on the subjects they love (like lesbians in love, for example). Customized entertainment, just for them. For free.

The fiction forum at that 500-Pound Gorilla site was a criminal enterprise. In addition to the enormous romance fiction offerings, it hosted a lesbian fiction circle of over 350 books -- every author you know and more -- where you got into the circle by uploading a book they didn't have yet. Users committed piracy to get more pirated books. There's no pretense of innocence. Not when people who monitored the site for authors were referred to as "snitches."

Nobody was admitting that nearly everything in their libraries and on the site was stolen. They had a right to that book because it exists, how could it be stolen? Why are books not free when they already paid for their Kindle or Nook? The site administrators, however, finally saw the law in their headlights, and closed all fiction sharing threads saying "in most cases it creates problems for copyright owners." It seems that the site administrators simply got tired of dealing with the takedown notices. I know that from me alone they received well over 300 since last fall, sometimes 2 dozen in a day. The lesfic area was small change, too -- most of the pirates I'm citing above were users of the romance fiction area, getting their weekly or even daily fix of a new Harlequin or Susan Wiggs or Jude Devereaux -- or works from small indie presses who turn out as many as three new romances every day. These small publishers, often run by and for women, would see many of their books on piracy sites in less than 4 hours. They never noticed a surge in sales, by the way.

Our story doesn't end there. While the site hosts took down the actual books, links to books and requests to get a book, they left up the chat area. When the shock that their site actually would enforce copyright law had abated, pirates began announcing the formation of a new site. Gorilla 2 was born. The uploading was immediate.

I'm happy to say that Gorilla 2 didn't last 24 hours. A legitimate site host doesn't want the headache of copyright issues -- the last time someone put her entire library of lesfic books on a free hosting site that URL was also down immediately. Gorilla 2's host didn't bother with finesse--the books and the discussion threads all went away. The user who set it up probably got blacklisted. It ended with a bang, no time for whimpering.

Back on the first site, the whining continued, and the pleas to be put on a list to be informed of when a new site was active were endless. But few people were offering to actually do that work...for free. There was resignation that they may have to go to Demonoid. Demonoid, known to the riddled with spam, fraud scams, malware, viruses and false claims of having a book or movie but what you get is something else (like malware, viruses and ads), is not for the faint of heart or anyone who doesn't have hard core virus protection and who doesn't know how to clean their own registry. And Demonoid is likely the "safest" of the piracy sites.

As with Gandolf on the Bridge at Khazad-Dum commanding the Balrog: Go back to the shadow.

Stealing should at least have some element of risk to it. If you're intent on trading stolen goods, the least you should have to endure is some viruses and malware along with your I'll-die-if-I-don't-get-the-exact-book-I-want-for-free fix. Be forewarned: even Demonoid is now honoring takedowns and the "snitches" are everywhere. See, the readers who pay for their books and want to go on having access to good books by professional authors, aren't keen on your undermining their access to books.

Meanwhile, I give a hearty high-five to all my sister authors who took the time and suffered the aggravation to send out takedown notices until we became the thousand pecks that finally made the site owners realize they had better things to do with their lives. I know of one brave soul who spent several weeks taking down the same file every day only to have the same pirate put it back up by the next day. It may have even been that epic battle that wore on the site admin's final nerve. Battle on, Sister Friend!

Will we all see a spike in sales because this site is down? Probably not. But I am hopeful that all the lesfic authors will see slowing of the loss of sales overall. It will certainly be easier for me to embrace the ebook revolution if I no longer see public piracy of my books, and my readers seduced into easy file sharing, right in front of me.

As for the denizens of the original 500-Pound Gorilla site that reported me to my IP as a spammer, sent me email viruses, tried to post bad reviews or tried to post comments on my blog telling me that "Nobody said you had a right to make a living as a writer, get a real job," I say in response, "Nobody said you had a right to read my books for free. Today, at least, you shall not pass."

Advice from a Chocolate Addict for Valentine's Day

2011-02-05T12:25:00.000-08:00

Every year I refresh this article with new art, but my advice has not changed. This is the time of year when chocolate can be shipped safely (for the most part) and my favorite chocolatiers deliver romance in a box like no other I've ever found.

If you give her Valentine's Day tasties consider chocolate from the Moonstruck Chocolatier. No, I'm not on commission. I'm just an addict, sharing the love. There may be slightly smoother or intensely flavored truffles out there, but for me this is whimsical, edible art.

On the left is a "Love Bug" which is part of a collection of an adorable raspberry, bittersweet and strawberry truffles. If you're lucky enough to be near a store, their turtle brownies are delectable. Perfect after a romantic dinner. On the right is a warning chili on a truffle from their "Hot and Spicy" Collection. This truffle has sriracha with dark ganache - oh my!

Harder to find in the United States is Bernard Callebaut chocolates and caramels. The caramels are simply the best I've ever had. Imagine my bliss on finding them packaged at Costco during the holidays. The world's best chocolate...and on sale. A local search for a chocolatier might turn up someone who uses BC chocolates and sauces in their own confections, and it would be worth the sampling.

For my opinion on the mass market and easier-on-the-wallet choices, plus a wonderful option for women in Dallas, read here.

Go forth, acquire chocolate, and celebrate romance and love!

Color Nook Report plus Drawing Winner Chosen

2011-02-03T03:47:00.000-08:00

Back in November I blogged asking for help with a big decision: picking my first ereader. I was really gratified by all the highly technical advice I got and how much everyone tried to provide the kind of information that answered my many questions.

As I reported right after Christmas, I ultimately chose the Color Nook from Barnes and Noble. So far I am really happy with it. It's light enough to hold in one hand and carry around in my purse. With a cover, it feels pretty secure from damage being jostled around. I've read several books on it and like the interface.

Probably my favorite feature is the web interface - it was surprisingly powerful, quick to find networks and will even let me visit Facebook via the mobile interface. There are glitches with the keyboard popping up in order to peck out an email (seems like the software doesn't realize I've selected a text box to fill in) but it found movie times faster than my partner's Blackberry did while I sat outside a hotel using their spotty WiFi.

I'm careful to turn off the WiFi when I'm not using it, both for security and battery life. I play a lot of quick Crossword puzzle games while waiting to pick up kids, and doing that plus scattered reading I've gone as long as 3 weeks without needing to charge. Using it on the web while on vacation I needed to charge it every other day. I'm guessing, web on it would last about 4-6 hours, and that will probably diminish over time. Web off it would probably go for 6-8, maybe longer. I haven't even explored the music feature yet.

Least favorite feature was the one I was warned about: it doesn't use e-ink like the regular Nook and Kindle, so it's hard to read in bright outdoor light. It hasn't been a big issue so far, but when it happens, it does annoy. Second least favorite is location of the charger jack at the bottom of the tablet. If I'm using the tablet and charging it at the same time, it's way too easy to accidentally put pressure on the cable plug, possibly torquing the jack. Eventually, some delicate piece of the jack will break. Anyone who has killed the headset jack on their phone knows what I'm talking about. The jack needs to be on the side. Either side.

Like most Nook Color users I'm happy about the opening of the Android app store. The NC is an Android-based tablet and I think the store will solve my remaining issues with having access to my Google calendar and contacts even offline. I think it's now open; I've lacked the time to find out!

Once again, thank you to everybody who gave me the benefit of their experiences. As promised, my house elf has helped me pick a random winner of two free books from my library -- print versions -- signed, sealed and delivered. The winner is Facebook user Julie Weismann / QueerEugene! Congratulations!

How Long Should a Book Be?

2011-01-18T02:27:00.000-08:00

I am belatedly posting (and backdating to the actual date of publication) that a blog about the length of a book - "How Long Should a Book Be?" is now available at Bella's new blog, where you can comment.

All future Lessons from Bella's Manuscripts will be posted at the Bella blog.

Two Books Get New Looks and eBooks

2011-01-16T02:35:00.000-08:00

I'm really pleased that my publisher, Bella Books, continues to convert and release my older titles to ebook formats. Early next month, two personal favorites (okay, I admit, I have no book of mine that isn't a personal favorite) will be reprinted and released in ebook versions.

Val reappeared sometime later, covered in some sort of dust. “It’s going great,” she informed Jamie with a big smile.

The woman really did like knocking down a wall more than kneading bread dough. Takes all kinds, Jamie thought.

Making Up for Lost Time is a romantic love affair between two woman, chocolate, home improvement and the Mendocino coastline of California. Loosely (very loosely) inspired by Barbara Stanwyck's Christmas in Connecticut, I had a lot of fun writing this book and filling it with recipes to represent the two heroines, as well as illustrating their own particular predilections in household chores. Yes, the German Chocolate Cookies are delectable. I promise. Jamie and Val have follow-up short stories in Frosting on the Cake Volumes 1 and 2.

Her head exploded with the unbearably beautiful numbers of chaos, burning behind her eyes. She cried out, heard Reyna cry out too. They were identical but different drums, resonating to the same frequency. She lost control of her body, and let it say what her mouth could not: harder, deeper, take what you want of me, it is what I want, too...

The other book that will be reprinted and released in ebook is Substitute for Love. As intense as Making Up for Lost Time is farcical, it was inspired by the specter of an ambitious father both exploiting and hiding his daughter's sexuality for his own political agenda. The story presents the puzzle of Reyna and it takes the problem-solving skills of math genius Holly to make sense of it--though the ultimate solution comes from a variable in the equation that neither woman foresees. Reyna and Holly have a follow-up story in Frosting on the Cake 2.

Thank you fans, new and old, whose support keeps them in "print."