Massively Random things:
- For those of you what need reminding, this month on my website contest, I am giving away (among other things) an audio book of Sylvester by Georgette Heyer, narrated by Richard Armitage. Let me repeat that slowly: Richard Armitage is narrating. If you do not know who Richard Armitage is, I command you to get thee to a copy of North & South (BBC version) immediately. Do not stop. Do not pass go.
- Hey, it’s now officially official! Publisher’s Marketplace has posted that I’ve sold two more books to HQN. That means that after the two books that most of you haven’t read, that will be coming out in 2010, there will be two more books, likely coming out in 2011. Yay!
- Speaking of books, I read and loved the following books during the last few weeks: Liar, by Justine Larbalestier (twisty sneaky adventure where the truth is out there, Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld (steampunk Victorian with illustrations; also, girl dresses as boy, my favorite trope Ever), Love in a Bottle by Zoe Archer (early Georgian with a mountebank hero and a botanist heroine–it is almost a complete inversion of my debut novel, PROOF BY SEDUCTION). And I am still absolutely bereft that I’m busy enough that I haven’t gotten around to Indiscreet by Carolyn Jewel.
- My anthology is holding onto the USA Today list by the skin of its… pages, holding steady at #135. I call it “my anthology” even though it is clearly Mary Balogh’s and Nicola Cornick’s anthology. I’m just along for the ride.
- But what a fabulous ride it is! It’s with some shock that I’ve discovered that now I have readers, some of whom have never actually met me. It’s one thing when a friend says she likes your book. My friends are good at lying to me. They are good at smiling and nodding when I ask questions like, “if you had to build a bookshelf out of either bamboo and staplers, or cinderblocks and mashed potatoes, which would you choose?” So I never know if I can trust them to tell me the truth. It’s another when someone you’ve never met says they like my story. I really, really appreciate getting those e-mails. They make me smile.
- And I’ve gotten my Very First review from someone who is not Mr. Milan. Rakehell says:
Ms. Milan brings readers a story of faith, hope and redemption that embodies what the Christmas season is all about…. [T]his story[] is multi-layered and had a few surprises in it that really made me sit up and take notice of Ms. Milan’s writing. If this short novella is what we can expect of her writing I cannot wait for her full-length novel next year. Even if you already have the other two stories in this anthology and are thinking of passing on getting them again, do not miss Courtney Milan’s This Wicked Gift.
- All in all, it has been a good week. I’ve been busy around the blogosphere. I’ve been busy writing, too, so that you all can actually have your four books in the next two years.
- Also, I taught my dog a new trick: “Go long!” for when we are preparing to lob the ball really hard. He’s getting the hang of it! That, and we’re teaching him to jump through a hoop made of our arms. No, really. He loves it.
RA reading Sylvester? How come I did not know about it? I’m now in agony.
Oh, seriously–it is *so* swoon-worthy. If they decide to make an audio book of my book, I will request that Richard Armitage read it. And they will laugh me into the ground and say, “Silly girl!” But still.
Who can say “no” to Richard Armitage?
More CM books? Squeee!
Is your puppy in training for canine Frisbee competition or just having fun?
Congrats, Courtney! Great news on the HQN sale!
Cassy loves “going long” but when I try to teach her to jump through a hula hoop she looks at me like I’m one loop short of a full fruit. What’s your secret?
RA reading “Sylvester”? Must enter Courtney’s contest. Now!
Congrats!!! 🙂
I like how you sneak in superb, excellent, wonderful news as ‘random.’ You’re quite the sneaky one.
And go cinder blocks and mashed potatoes. More tensile strength.
PJ, the trick for the hula hoop (we taught him that first before he’s graduating to our arms) is (a) clicker training, and (b) breaking it down into recognizable steps, using a lure.
So first, you teach the dog to walk through a hoop laid on the ground by using a treat to lure her through it. (If you’re clicking, you click the moment her butt goes through the hoop). Then you gradually lift the hoop off the ground, still using the treat as a lure, but trying to faze it out bit by bit (instead substituting a hand motion). Finally, you add the voice command, which for us was “hoop!”
In terms of the hoop, we’re still working on having him do it from a distance–the goal is to get it to the point where we’re ten or twenty feet from the hoop, and we say “hoop!” and he jumps through. Haven’t got there yet, but we will.
Clicker training is so hugely awesome for communicating with your dog.
Janga, the dog isn’t in training for anything, except being a very very bad dog.
And thanks Bonnie and Sarah!
Congrats on the HQN deal! Mho Fho bothers me everyday where he goes on and on how he wants to run away with you and that you are one of his favorite authors. Shhh don’t tell Tessa Dare though. 😉
Courtney,
I am really excited about all of your books coming out… 4 in the next 2 years! YAY! What an exciting time. Leviathan looks like a really fun read. I love books where a girl dresses as a boy, too. Congrats on this busy time. I can’t wait to read everything!
Congrats on the book deal and on the rave review.
I fear I could not stand the tension of waiting to find out if I had been lucky enough to win the audio book of the divine Mr. Armitage. So I just went out and bought it. Oh, his voice is a thing of rusty, chocolate beauty. I drove 5 hours to San Antonio and back with a car full of teenage girls who were perfectly enthralled. They want to know if we can play it again when we drive the five hours to Houston and back next weekend. I love those girls.
Good information in your post, I saw a report on tv yesterday about this same thing and since I am getting married next month and the timing could not have been better! thanks for the ideas!, I have bookmarked, thanks Tommye Verser