The Best of....

Guess What! This blog is FOUR YEARS OLD! It's hard to believe, but I've been attempting to make sense on the Internet for that long. To celebrate, I'm going to run a few of my 'Greatest Hits'.

Sit back, grab a beverage and enjoy our thrilling ride through yesterday.

From February 10, 2009, The Care and Feeding of an Author.

It's a sad fact that I have to learn a lesson many times before I truly get it (I guess that makes me normal, huh?!). And today, the lesson I learned again is what makes me the most productive.

Being relaxed, well-rested, pain-free, and generally patient with myself means I have a day that rocks hard. I'll compose and edit with great ease and pleasure. Writing is a joy to me and makes me feel amazing.

The minute I tense up and start nagging myself at how much I need to get done and how lazy I am and how much I suck....

Well, let's just say I'm better off going back to bed and calling it a done day.

So to this end, I do a wide number of things to put myself in the best possible place.

I work out five days a week (don't get too excited about this, somehow I'm still a super curvy girl). I give myself permission to take naps.

The hardest thing, though, is to remember that writing is not just Butt in Chair, Fingers on Keyboard. Everything feeds that fire - reading, watching movies, doing research, even taking a long, hot, scented bath - fuels the writer.

Nagging? Not such a good motivator.

Pleasure? The best motivator ever.

What are your pleasures? What motivates you?

****

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Countdown to Dracula Unleashed, #2: Teaser

Dracula Unleashed gets released on March 21st. To celebrate, I am doing a special blog series, full of giveaways, teasers, and other surprises.

Today I give you...The first page of Dracula Unleashed.

June 30th

“Lucifer’s left testicle!”

A delicate snifter of the finest Juarez brandy shattered against the brand-new flat-screen television. Radu Tepes, brother of Dracula, Master of Istanbul, raged out of his green leather wing-backed chair to confront the news.

Umar Mernissi, were-hawk and now director of the Consortium for Concerned Citizens, the civil rights organization Radu had founded, looked directly into the camera, seemingly making eye contact with Radu. “In addition, Mr. Tepes, my former boss, conspired to commit murder. In his personal effects, I found an order to kill Lance Soliel, the still-missing director of the Tualatin Mountain Homeless Shelter.”

“Lies. Those are all lies.” The angry vampire gripped the edges of the TV and yelled to the man who would not stop trashing his reputation. Shards of the ruined glass and alcohol broke the bluish light into rainbows over their nattering faces.

“Fuck you, you tweeting birdie.” Radu flipped both his middle fingers at the were-hawk’s talking head. “You damn well did not find any written orders for a hit.” He jabbed his index finger at Umar’s face, dimpling the soft LCD surface. “That command was entirely verbal. I never leave a paper trail.”

Suck on that, feather-brain.

Heroines and what they look like.

This past Christmas, I was thrilled to receive the complete Wonder Woman series, starring Lynda Carter. I could barely contain myself. Would the show hold up after thirty years? Would I still feel as strong and inspired as I did when I was in single digits?

The answer was a resounding YES. The show was full of women running, jumping, stopping bullets, and forcing airplanes to the ground. It made me feel fierce.

It was a wonderful revelation, for I had quit reading comics during the resurgence of comics in the 1990s. Rob Liefeld was the wonderchild of the medium. He and a slew of fans drew a bunch of women who looked like this:

Imagine page after page filled with women with no internal organs, horrifying wedgies, and thigh pouches. I kid you not. 

And being a feminist, I would point this trend out to my friends and they would tell me not to be so sensitive. So I quit, missing out on my tales of heroic women who could travel to the moon, turn invisible, stop rampaging monsters, and conquer their fears.

Imagine my joy when I discovered the current crop of feminists, both men and women who found these images tedious and tiring. They have retorted to the industry with wit, charm, and parodies that left me in stitches.

For your amusement and edification, I present a list of favorite links on how women are portrayed in popular media.

First, no discussion of comics is complete without Gail Simone's revolutionary Women in Refrigerators.

Now, in no particular order:

The Hawkeye Initiative:  A blog with Clint "Hawkeye" Barton being placed in the same provocative, female poses that are featured in superhero comics.

Escher Girls:  This is a blog to archive and showcase the prevalence of certain ways women are depicted in illustrated pop media, specifically how women are posed, drawn, distorted, and sexualized out of context, often in ridiculous, impossible or disturbing ways that sacrifice storytelling.

Author Jim Hines often parodies the cover art of science fiction/fantasy novels. You gotta love a guy who willingly puts himself in this position.

The aptly named Boobs Don't Work That Way.

The very necessary Racebending.com.

 The superfantastic CounterPunch section at Girl-Wonder.org. This section shows us just what comic book covers would look like if the heroes were as objectified as the women. Subtitled "Turning the tables on Frank Miller's depictions of women."


I hope these links and fun websites will make you want to write, draw, and create interesting art and strong characters.

"Excelsior!"

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Discovering Portland: A day on Alberta St.

I truly love living in the Pacific Northwest. The people are kind, the drivers are courteous, and the food will knock your socks off.  Last week, The Flaming Chef and I explored Alberta Street in North Portland. Behold, a mini-review of a few places on this vibrant, interesting neighborhood.

First, we had a late lunch at the Bollywood Theater.  They serve Indian street food, small plates, and a wonderful selection of vegetarian dishes.


They also have really nice, funny, and knowledgeable staff. I didn't get her name, but her smile and kindness in explaining all the food make my day. :)

Here is The Flaming Chef showing the Bollywood Theater's fabulous graphic design.

My droolworthy lunch of Kati Rolls:
Meat or paneer, egg, pickled onion, & green chutney rolled in parantha.

YUMMMMMMMMY.

Their cool wall of movie posters.

We then headed next door to Salt & Straw for gourmet ice cream.  Flavors include Olive Oil, Pear with Blue Cheese, and Coffee with Bourbon.
 I was fearless and got chocolate with gooey fudge bits. The Flaming Chef got the Coffee with Bourbon and the Happy Birthday, Elvis.

Uplifted by good food, we then strolled in the rare sunshine looking into windows and marveling at human creativity.

We passed a store window filled to the brim with elegant, classy lingerie. As a rule, I ignore lingerie stores since nothing fits extra curvy women.

Then like a bolt from the blue, I saw, in neat block letters, "Bras for Buxom Gals."

That is me! I leaped for the door.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is The Pencil Test.

They sell beautiful bras, panties, slips, exercise bras, and swimsuits for the ladies with the "Ladies".

I'm wearing this bra right now!

 The owner told me I was wearing the wrong size, then found a pile of gorgeous and practical undergarments for me.

She said to replace your bras once a year, too. I feel fantastic.

So people, get your butts to Alberta St. for delicious food and fine lingerie.





Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Countdown giveaway winner!

The winner of the Valerie's Tears fan is:

PAULA C. of Portland, Oregon!

Thank you for commenting over at my Facebook, Paula. I hope you enjoy. :)

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013

Countdown to Dracula Unleashed: Giveaway 1

Dracula Unleashed, the third book in the Blood Wings series, will be released on March 21st!

In order to share my excitement, I am going to do a special blog post every Friday until then. I might have a giveaway of my hand painted fans, vampire themed jewelery,  gift certificates, perhaps a sample of the book,  or a special  guest.

Today's Countdown post is...

A Giveway!

Valerie's Tears

This one-of-a-kind hand painted fan, named Valerie's Tears after the heroine of the Blood Wings series, is free to a random commenter!

You can comment here at my blog, at my Facebook, or on Twitter. I'll put everyone's names in a bowl and pick one.

Good Luck. :)

Dracula's Secret, Blood Wings #1
Dracula's Desires, Blood Wings #2
Dracula Unleashed, Blood Wings #3, to be released March 21, 2013