It’s February 1st, people! January 2013 finally took its drunk ass home. (Seriously) To celebrate, I’m posting the first Friday Fast Five of the Year!
1. Pucker Up: I entered a kissing contest! Not one of those “how long can your lips stay locked together contests” you only see in cheesy gum commercials from the 80’s, but a literary contest, in which I submit a kissing scene (don’t worry, the entry is limited to 350 words, so things won’t get too steamy). What’s up for grabs? A slot in Cupid’s Literary Connection Blind Speed Dating Event, which aims (ha! Cupid, arrow, “aims”) to match writers and agents. To enter the kissing contest, first you needed to enter a Speed Dating “Bouncer” Round (your query and 1st 250 words of your manuscript)…I’m in Bouncer Round 5, which doesn’t go live until Feb 11th, so I have no idea yet if I’m in like Flynn – either way, I’d have entered the kissing contest since I love kissing scenes! Do you? Get the information about the kissing contest and a list of all the blogs participating HERE and be sure to swing back by my site on Monday for some lip action…I’d love to hear what you think. Oh, and just for kicks, check out this silly (and a bit bizarre) kissing scene from a Mentos Commercial:
2. Cowboy Giveaway: Sorry but no, you don’t have a chance to win your own cowboy (I’m not sure that’s legal) but you do have a chance to win a Simple Touch Nook, loaded with hot cowboy romance from author Sarah M. Anderson! Sarah is currently on a blog tour, promoting the launch of her two latest releases: Mystic Cowboy and A Real Cowboy. For more information on how to enter, visit Sarah’s blog tour page. You’ll want to stop by and say hi simply for the eye candy…Rebel, the hero of Mystic Cowboy totally frosts my cupcake. In fact, I’m going to add him to my eye candy Pinterest page now.
3. Lose Yourself in A Book: While winning stuff is awesome, it can also be totally wonderful to lose yourself – in that good way that happens when you are caught up in a great book. You know the feeling: Who needs to take a shower, get dressed, or feed the kids? This book is too good to put down! To celebrate the books that get us to that special place, two of my fellow writers and friends started a blog called Land of Lost Books. It’s a book review site, but unique in that it doesn’t focus on new releases – or stay within a specific genre. Revisit old favorites like Anne of Green Gables and the Witch of Blackbird Pond. Or check out something that might not be on your usual radar, like The Siren by Tiffany Reisz.Pour a cup of coffee and settle in for awhile, surfing the Land of Lost Books is like being a part of an eclectic book club! Be sure to join in the discussion too, every time you comment on a post, you are entered in their monthly drawing for a $10 gift card to Amazon or B&N!
4. A Bitchin’ Anniversary: While my friends’ blog is still a baby, not even 1 yet – one of my favorite book review sites is turning 8! Smart Bitches Trashy Books has built quite a name in the book blogging world, and while I first discovered them thanks to some witty cover snark, I stayed for the honesty of their reviews. As the SB site says, “All of the romance, none of the bullshit.” I know when SB Sarah says something is good, the book is a pretty safe bet for my money. Likewise, she won’t just say a book sucks, she’ll explain in intelligent detail why it blows. To celebrate their 8th year in the blog-o-verse, SBTB is hosting a giveaway! To enter, just leave a comment on their Happy 8th Anniversary post explaining your favorite thing about reading romance.
5. I Married A Loser: So, speaking of anniversaries, I thought it was time to tell everyone something about my husband. But first, let me say that he IS NOT a loser–and I never thought of him that way. He, however, seems to feel different, as he titled his book: My Loser Phase. Yes, you read that right, I am the one writing madly, working on my synopsis, perfecting my query letter…and the husband publishes a book first. The book is a collection of stories about his time spent working retail in the 90’s. If you are a fan of video games, if you were ever a mall rat…or if you like coming of age stories where a person finds his motivation to grow the hell up, then I think you will enjoy his book. WARNING: shameless spouse plug ahead: You can buy the book HERE on Amazon for less than a buck. Oh, and if you enjoy reminiscing about the good old days of gaming (ie: the 80’s & 90’s) you’ll want to check out his podcast, The Retro League.
Melonie Johnson 