Anya Bast

Our Zen Alarm clock broke a couple days ago and my husband and I mourned.

We’d had it for a long time, about 7 years, and it had undergone lots of abuse…mostly from the cats. Cats abuse everything. We’re continually having to replace our blinds because little kittehs like to stick their little kitteh heads through them to look out the window and break the slats in the process (tangent).

Anyway, we love the Zen Alarm clock (no, I get no money for sounding like commercial here) because we hate — with burning passion of a thousand, million suns — waking to the obnoxious, annoying ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! of your standard digital alarm.

Neither do we enjoy waking to music or talk radio. I can STILL remember the Braunschweiger and Old Home Cottage Cheese commercials that were always on the radio as I awoke as a child. If I hear anything about Braunschwieger or Old Home Cottage Cheese to this day, it sends me into a violent fit. (tangent)

So, when we lost our beloved Zen Alarm clock, we sat on the bed with the object between us and stared mournfully down at it. I just ordered a new one. *Sigh*

They’re good, too, if you’re like me and dream vividly. I want to remember my dreams in the morning and being jarred from my sleep by ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! ZHUNN!!! is not conducive to this. It, in fact, ruins my whole day. The Zen Alarm clock awakens you gently with carefully spaced ting, ting, tings that are graduated in volume.

Best of all, even if I hear ting, ting, ting, sometime throughout my day, I am not catapulted into an instant rage, like a red flag waved in front of a bull, as I am with the aforementioned commercials. I think this is a Very Good Thing. Anything to make life a little more pleasant, you know?

I know this post had nothing whatsoever to do with writing. But, now, I am off to write.

The lovely and talented Lauren Dane tagged me for this

Contemporary, Historical or Paranormal?
I used to love historical and read every one I could get my hands on (I especially liked any that had a mystical theme). That was before paranormals were big. Once paranormals hit the scene, that pretty much became my sub genre of choice and still is today. I still love historical, though. I’m just a little more selective in what I read. Contemporaries have honestly never been my thing.

Hardback, Trade Paperback or Mass Market Paperback?
Oh, I don’t care. If I want to read the book I’ll buy it any size.

Heyer or Austin?
Austin!

Amazon or Brick & Mortar?
I love brick and mortar bookstores, but I live way out in the country so I use Amazon a lot. I love Amazon, actually. I should have stock.

First romance novel you ever remember reading?
Once an Angel by Teresa Medieros. I credit that book with causing me to decide to write romance, in fact.  

Alphabetize by author, alphabetize by title or random?
Hahahahaha. Alphabetize. That’s a good one.

Keep, throw away or sell?
Keep. I keep all my books, whether I liked them or not.  

Read with dustjacket or remove it?
I always remove them.

Sookie Stackhouse or Anita Blake?
Hmmmm….these days I prefer Sookie, but I like Anita too.

Stop reading when tired or at chapter breaks?
I usually just stop wherever.

“It was a dark and stormy night” or “Once upon a time”?
It was a dark and stormy night.

Crusie or SEP?
I’ve never read SEP (although I know I need to), so Crusie.

Buy or borrow?
Always buy. As a writer I guess I feel I should be supporting the author (although borrowing supports the author after a fashion too)

Buying choice: Book Reviews, recommendations or browse?
Browse mostly. Recommendations too. I never read reviews.

Tidy ending or cliff-hanger?
Oh, it depends on the type of book and genre, I suppose.

Morning reading, afternoon reading, or evening reading?
I read every night before I go to sleep. Yay for the Itty Bitty Book Light.

Series or stand alone?
Either. I love a good series and I love stand alones too. By the way, someone tell Robin McKinley to write a sequel to Sunshine. *pout*

Favorite book of which no one else has heard?
Wow, I can’t imagine I’ve read one that no one else has heard of. I live in a plugged-in book land.

 
I will tag Melany Logen and Patrice Michelle

Thirteen Things I Should Be Ashamed Of (but I’m not)

1. Watching every single episode of Survivor EVER (Well, pretty damn close anyway)

2. Singing along to Carry On My Wayward Son by Kansas and knowing all the words.

3. Loving Nickleback (because all their songs sound the same, but I like them anyway. Plus, I think Chad Kroeger has a really sexy voice.)

4. Picking all the chocolate chunks out of my husband’s pint of Chunky Monkey ice cream and putting it back in the freezer.

5. Did I mention I know all the words to Low Rider by War?

6. Ordering green olive and pepperoni pizza, heavy on the green olives and pepperoni (and cheese).

7. Reading the headlines of the trashy magazines in the grocery store line with interest.

8. Wearing clothes that I’ve had since 1997 because I hate shopping.

9. Being a wine snob (sorry, it comes from having a bunch of Europeans in the family)

10. Yet loving Spaghettios waaaay more than I should.

11. Going to psychics and tarot card readers. (I admit it. I’m totally addicted)

12. Loving really dumb movies like American Pie, Beerfest and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. They make me laugh like a crazed hyena.

13. Having some kind of fear of stamps that renders me unable to write letters or send Christmas cards. (okay, I’m kind of ashamed of this one.)

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. Stacie

2. Jeannine

3. tvaddictgurl

4. Jaci Burton

5. Lisa

6. shilohwalker

7. Vixenwriter

8. Kate Davies

9. Rhian

10. racy li

11. Jenn on the Island

12. Renee B

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Am I the only person who thinks this is the coolest thing ever?

Avenging Unicorn Play Set
Everyone wants an imaginary unicorn friend that they can call forth to smite their enemies. The Avenging Unicorn Play Set has everything you need to use the power of the unicorn to rid your life of irritations.

Or do I just have a really sick sense of humor? (Could be that.)

This company also has the Avenging Narwhal Play Set and a whole collection of rubber Devil Duckies. I think the Ninja Devil Duckie is my favorite.

So I started thinking about what my favorite toys were when I was kid. Not that I think the Avenging Unicorn Playset is for kids. My mind just spins off on various tangents that way.

I was a typical girl, I guess. I loved Barbie. (I know! I know! The shame.) I had all the Barbie stuff. The Dream Car (it was perfect for my hamsters and guinea pigs to take joy rides in) and the Dream House. I had all the really, really pink dream stuff that I hope my daughter won’t ever like but, let’s face it, she probably will.

I loved my cabbage patch dolls too. I had a boy and girl. In fact, I still have my two worse-for-wear Cabbage Patch Kids. I also had a Cabbage Patch pet. I guess it was supposed to be a cat, but looked disconcertingly evuuul.

I loved that green ooozy glop that comes in a can and Playdough too. And I read…a lot. (Hold on, here’s another tangent. Wheee!) I could go on and on about children’s books. Actually, I’ve been collecting some of the books that are still print that I can remember loving as a child, like the Serendipity books and the Francis books (Bedtime for Francis, A Baby Sister for Francis), and the Teddy Bear’s Picnic. Not to mention all the young adult books I loved, books by Lloyd Alexander and Madeleine L’Engle, just to name two authors.

Let’s take a trip down memory lane. What were some of your favorite toys and books as a child?

I finished Whisper of the Blade for EC yesterday, happily sent it off, and eased into the wonderful bliss that accompanies the completion of a work and the fulfillment of a contract. I love that short time between projects when you can relax and recharge your creative batteries a little.

But yesterday evening I began to see this scene in my head. It got stuck in there like a song you’re obsessively playing in your mind. I could see everything so clearly. So this morning I gave in and wrote the scene, thinking I just needed to get it out of my head…then kept writing. It was like the words became tribbles or something. I rarely have this happen. Normally writing is hard for me because I over-think everything. It doesn’t just come this way.

The bottom line is that now I feel a compulsive urge to write this story, which is GREAT except for a couple different things…

A.) I have two sequels to write for EC and people keep emailing me about them–the sequel to Ordinary Charm and the sequel to Blood of the Damned.

B.) I have a book for Berkley to write and I really, really, really want to write it, but I need to wait to make sure the proposal for Witch Blood (that would be the sequel to Witch Fire) is acceptable first.

C.) I have been robbed of my Between Project Downtime.

I really need to put my muse over my knee and spank his tanned, muscular butt. I mean, how rude!!

But, hey, I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. As long as I have the time, (and the words are making like tribbles), I’ll follow this trail wherever it leads.

First, Nipple Nibblers…

…is better for your lips than Carmex. Of course, Nipple Nibblers really aren’t meant to go on one’s lips, per se…but whatever works, right? I buy this product for my lips and only my lips. (*koff* No, really! I swear!)

And second, I love me some kitty feet.

I think kitty feet are one of cutest things in life.

That’s about all I have on this lazy Saturday. Exciting, no?

Here is my TBR Pile…one of them, that is. This is my immediate TRB Pile. We won’t talk about the bookshelf in my office, mmmkay? If one day I’m brave enough, I’ll post a picture of that one and let you all shudder in disbelief.

Not pictured is the book I just finished — Archangel, by Sharon Shinn. Loved it. Am now bent on buying Shinn’s backlist.

1. Surviving Demon Island, by Jaci Burton. I started this one last night and frigging couldn’t…put…it…DOWN! I stayed up waaaay too late and read about half the novel. It’s a fast, action-packed read. I love the characters. (I always love Jaci’s characters.)

2. (Sequel to Archangel), Jovah’s Angel, by Sharon Shinn.

3. The Rest Falls Away, by Colleen Gleason. I’ve heard so much about this book. I can’t wait to start it.

4. Blood lines, Eileen Wilks

5. A Hunger Like No Other, Kresley Cole (another book I’ve heard a lot about)

6. Beyond the Pale, Savannah Russe

7. If Angels Burn, by Lynn Viehl. I’ve been meaning to try this author for some time. Honestly, it was the title that got me on this one.

8. Hell’s Belles, by Jackie Kessler

And…Blood Bound, by Patricia Briggs is soon to be released. I can’t wait for that one.

Yesterday I got my Witch Fire edits back to Berkley. Now I’m working on polishing up Whisper of the Blade for EC. I hope to have off to my editor by Monday. After that? Well, I have a couple different projects I can turn my hand to.

Now I’m off to stick a nice organic, non-poisonous chicken in the oven for dinner. I prefer the organic, non-poisonous ones, but they’re expensive. *whimper*

I also really need to clean my house. *looks around and shivers* It’s pretty bad.

If Showtime ever does decide to bring Dead Like Me back from the, er, dead, I’m totally finally getting satellite.

I am a part of that neglected segment of the market that loves DLM and Firefly. Why do they kick us so?

Thirteen Things about Anya Bast
Wow. It’s Thursday already again.

Here are thirteen things I believe:

1. I believe personal growth and development is won in the moments, in how you treat others and in the love that you show.

2. I believe it’s better to be able to bend once in a while, otherwise one day you will break.

3. I believe it’s normal to have doubts and insecurities about your writing and your writing career. To be utterly impressed with your own words and works is to court disaster.

4. I believe that being kind and having compassion are strengths, not weaknesses.

5. I believe it’s important to have tolerance for everyone, even those who are intolerant. (This one is very hard.)

6. I believe we create our own reality.

7. I believe we all change every single second. I am not the same person I was yesterday, not exactly.

8. I believe we are all ultimately responsible for our own happiness. No one else can provide this for us. We make choices about how to perceive ourselves and our lives.

9. I believe that some of the most hurtful and challenging people in my life have been my very best teachers. They have helped shaped me into the person I am.

10. I believe you can’t change the past and the future is made in the present. So it’s important to really be present.

11. I believe there is always something to learn.

12. I believe that while it’s fine to strive for “more,” it’s important to be content with what you currently have and not take it for granted.

13. I believe in keeping things simple.

Links to other Thursday Thirteens!

1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Jaci Burton

Tink

Brony

Becky D

Racy Li

Sweet n’ Sassy Girl 

Annie Cat

I’m sitting here looking at a blank page and a blinking cursor, wondering what to blog about. Cats? Been there, done that (often). Characters? Done that too. The lure of the vampire, werewolf and other supernatural folk? Been blogged about by many, including myself.

But I could talk about the blinking cursor and the blank page. That perfect nothingness every writer faces when it’s time to start a new project…with that annoying cursor that seems to be thumbing its nose at you if you’re not drawing any ideas. Writing really is like making something from nothing, or, rather, maybe it’s more like pulling a lump from the innermost quagmire of the author’s mind and then shaping it into something recognizable. Sculpting, weaving, those are the analogies I use most when thinking about writing.

I always start with a character—a man or a woman who has a certain personality. I want to see how they react when they’re thrown into certain circumstances. What decisions do they make? How do they react? How do those decisions and reactions drive the plot? I always use the example of Angelo from Water Crystal. That book started with him. I wanted to write about an honorable man who worked for a true villain. That concept intrigued me and I wanted to explore it further, thus, Water Crystal was born.

Normally when I’m confronted with the blinking cursor and a new project, I’ll write a few lines about the character I’m mulling and what I circumstances I want to throw him or her into. Then (usually) I’ll start out by putting him or her in danger or in some high-tension situation. Sometimes I keep that beginning, sometimes not. It’s important I write it in order to get a better feel for his/her personality. That’s really the purpose.

Then I’ll sit down and start to figure out their character more in depth. Sometimes I find out more about him or her–him AND her by this point, since I write romance—than I’ll ever need for the book. This is just more exploratory stuff for my own benefit. (Do you doubt I had an imaginary friend when I was a kid? *g*).

After I’m satisfied with that progress, I’ll plot. I used to be a pantser (a writer who writes without plotting, by the “seat of her pants”), but little by little, book-by-book, I’ve found that I prefer to plot first. I always leave some wiggle room, though, in case I have to take an unexpected turn down the writing road.

That’s usually how it goes for me. Sometimes I get a flash of a scene and everything flows directly from there, the plot growing organically (I did that with Edge of Sweetness). I don’t think that one way is better than another way. Whatever ways works best for the author is golden.

If you’re a writer, how do you deal with the blinking cursor, a blank page and a new project?