Contestia!

Ok...

First, I am all moved.

Yay, writer in the House! For Shizzle.

Whatever that means.

So... maybe I'll actually be around here more often and making with the writing. I have a few short-shorts due July 15th, a novella in the works, and part 3 of London Steam that I'm working on.

(in various loose interpretations of the word "work" because I am all kinds of not-capable of multi-tasking... also, I am all kinds of not-capable of letting other people do work when I am not working. It's one of those things... if the Husband is cleaning, I have to stop what I'm doing and clean TOO, even if I've been cleaning all day and I just want to relax. I have actually gotten to my feet to help him clean when I'm about two seconds away from bursting into tears from exhaustion.... I feel inordinately GUILTY when someone is doing something that I consider "my job" and cleaning and packing and moving are all parts of my job description... which is probably why we haven't moved in eight years...)

We still have one more big thing to do with the house. We're getting hardwood floors installed, and they did the Great Room last week before we moved in, but because our timeline was so tight, they weren't able to get it all done before we moved. So the office - where I am now typing to you from - wasn't fixed. The wood is in my closet, "acclimating..." and they'll bring in a few more crates of that on Friday to acclimate over the weekend. But it does mean I have to move my desk AGAIN and my computer stuff AGAIN to get out of the way while they replace the hideous white carpet.

Then there are about 400 million smaller projects, including all the UNpacking... and I have a bet with my dad that I can be "completely unpacked" by June 23rd. (Don't ask. My father and I are physically incapable of not pissing each other off if we're in the same room for more than 3 days... and he was here all week helping. And I appreciate the help. And at the same time... )

So, I'll be off-line again for Monday - Wednesday or so, which they install floor.

Ok... Now! Contest... what you're all actually interested in, I expect...

I have a "gift box" for one lucky reader; it includes a copy of Lustfully Ever After, a copy of Steamlust, an e-copy of Blister Effect (officially released next week, so this contest will run til a week past its release date!), an e-copy of Shifting Steam, The Age of Steam CD from my friend Jonah Knight (either a music download, or I can get the actual physical CD if you still do that sort of thing!) and a poster from last year's Ladies of Steampunk calendar; the Absinthe Fairy. (Link shows you the picture, I have it as a small poster...) Both physical books will be signed to a person of your choice, and if you want the physical CD, I'm almost positive I can get Jonah to sign it for you. He's nice like that. Also, weird. But nice.

So, here's the deets: comment below for one entry. That's it. No need to buy anything or retweet or whatever... if you DO retweet or facebook link or any of that fun stuff, I will add one extra entry for each "social media" thing you do, just LET ME KNOW that you've done so in the comments below, because I am social media inept sometimes and I might not see it. My twitter handle is @tisfan and Lynn Townsend is me on Facebook, so include appropriate linkage!

Blister Effect is released on May 23rd, and so I will run this contest til May 31st.

Have at!

A review of "Shadow of Kenfig"

Shadow of Kenfig by Lynn Townsend

Lord Seth Maitland needs an expert on gwr (werewolves) and Dr. Poindexter Fitzhugh is the obvious choice. Seth plays his cards close to his chest, in more ways than one, to get Dex to help. A beautifully detailed picture of gas lit London clubs, clockwork prostheses and werewolves. I loved the ‘Steamies’ that have a driver and need a second coachman to shovel coal and maintain the engine. The world is so well built and clearly visualized that I am sure there will be more stories set in it, perhaps more about Seth and Dex.

Kiss the Cats Goodbye

I'm doing NaNoWriMo again this year.

Personally, I'm convinced I'm deranged. (yeah, I know, I was deranged before... shut up.)

I'm also in the middle of buying a house, moving out of the apartment I've lived in for 8 years, celebrating my best friend's 40th birthday, prepping for a vacation in Orlando in the beginning of December, dunno what my plans are for Thanksgiving yet, and dealing with another friend's failing marriage.

Not that real life ever stops happening.

And I probably won't get time to write on the weekends, so I'm looking at 2,300 words per weekday.

Yeah.

Deranged. You heard it here first.

I've decided to go ahead with Blood Sight, after another dear friend helped me with my outline. I know, I know, NaNo is about vomiting onto the page with no plan, but fuck it, I'd like a better shot at finishing. I want to write this novel, it's been percolating for a few years now and if nothing else, I want Marcus out of my head. My head is a really crowded place.

(Completely aside, I seem to have finally mastered only putting one space at the end of a sentence. Yay learning curve.)

I may not write much here, while I'm working, so if you don't see me, I haven't died yet.

Meanwhile: Steamlust is available for your Kindle or Nook. And Shifting Steam is now available on Kindle and also as a trade paperback. Lustfully Ever After is available for pre-order on Amazon, too, although there's not yet a pretty cover, and will be out in May.

See you on the flipside!

New Release

So, Shifting Steam came out today. Right now you can buy it direct from the publisher in an ebook format.

The really bad thing is, I was so wrapped up in my "other stuff" that I COMPLETELY forgot about this. Holy shit! AURGH! What's happening to me? I've gotten so blase about being a published writer? No, no, I'm doing the second most stressful thing on the planet: buying a short-sale house. (the most stressful thing being "get a divorce with kids involved." That's not on my to-do list, however.)

We put in an offer on a really great place on Monday, it's only Wednesday and the seller has accepted our offer. Now we just need to wait for the bank. From what I understand, the seller has gotten a lawyer involved because the last offer they had was withdrawn because the bank couldn't get its collective head out of its ass in order to accept (or deny) the offer. Our Realtor (a very nice lady, Renate Alvarez, who, by the way, has the coolest accent ever and I adore her!) gives me to understand that once a lawyer is involved on behalf of the seller, the bank is often much more receptive to actually doing their paperwork. I envision the lawyer walking in, his official briefcase under his arm, and the bank manager screaming like a 1940's housewife when she spots a mouse. "Oh, no! A lawyer! Please, I'll sign anything, just go away!"

So.... we'll see what happens. We're in the "wait and see" period.

Yikes!

But, in the meanwhile, go buy my book. (If you want a print copy, I understand that the print copies will be available later, but I don't know when that is. Yet.)