Anya Bast

I finally finished the book video for The Chosen Sin (October, 2008). What do you think?

[youtube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEr7Tl4HEbI]

I love creating these, picking out the music, the images, and planning out how to tell the “story”. For that reason alone, I’d probably never turn them over to a professional book video creation service. Hee!

In other news, I’m about 15k into Witch Fury and it’s clipping along very well. (My writer’s block of a week or so ago has passed, luckily.) I have so much story to tell! I absolutely adore writing this hero, who is the darkest, most tortured of all the men in this series. He doesn’t work and play well with others at all. He’s a loner and can barely force himself to have a conversation with anyone.

Soooo… you know what I did, right? I mean, I had to! She’s exactly who he needs–a bubbly extrovert who talks all the time. *Is evil* She’ll give a proper adjustment to his perspective on life. In the meantime she’s aggravating him like crazy. It’s so much fun.

Let’s see, I also recently finished another erotic menage a trois paranormal romance. This one is a stand alone and not connected to any series. I also agreed to write a short story for next year’s Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. I’m excited about that.

Okay, so I talked about the things that are currently making me happy. What’s making you happy these days?

They’re sort of falling out of the news at this point, (especially Myanmar, thanks to the government). Everyone’s on to the next thing, but there are still many people in dire circumstances in both places. I read yesterday that 5 million people in China are now homeless.

Half the Sky has reported that in Sichuan Province, Mianyang (close to the earthquake’s epicenter) has become a major place for refugees. According to what they’ve been told, the whole center area of their stadium has been reserved for just toddlers and infants.

Half the Sky says that of the 24 surviving children who were brought to the Mianyang Zitong SWI social welfare institute (an orphanage) from the collapse of Xiao Ba Primary School, only 13 were reunited with their parents. Apparently this is a good thing, though, because they were all thought to be orphaned when they took them there. (ack)

There are some pictures here. And here’s the HTS daily journal. Again, you can give to their Earthquake Fund here.

My daughter is getting her two year molars and is not happy. When she’s not happy, ain’t nobody happy (ain’t nobody getting sleep, either). *falls face first onto keyboard* Zzzzzz.

The heroine in Witch Fury (at the moment, anyway) has a little dog. A Pomeranian, in fact. I didn’t set out to make her a pet owner, it was one of those things that just happened while I was writing. I was writing along like this: See? Life wasn’t so bad. She had friends, a job, and, most importantly, she had the love of a good dog. And I went, HUH? Where’d the dog come from?

I thought about it for a while and decided she really kinda DOES need a little dog in her life, so maybe he popped in there for a reason. Writing-wise, however, it’s going to complicate things. Even so, I’m inclined to keep the dog in there, except for one issue.

(But, first!, a tangent…) I hate, hate, hate! it when there are animals in movies or books because then I have to worry about them. I’m a big time animal lover and one of those people who, when watching a film, will say something along the lines of, “But I don’t care what happens to the hero/heroine, what about the dog?!” I Am Legend killed me, people, killed me! I know it’s fiction, I know it’s not for real, doesn’t matter.

So, here’s my question to you: Does it bug you to read stories with animals in them? Why or why not. I would love some opinions on the subject.

Bumped to top….

If you’re looking for a reputable place to donate money for the recent earthquake in Sichuan province, here’s one I would recommend. Half the Sky has a special fund dedicated to the children who will be adversely affected by the recent natural disaster. They intend to provide emergency relief, temporary or long-term foster care, and institutional care for the children orphaned or separated from their families during the quake.

Funding info from site:

Total Funding Received to Date: $53,295
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $446,705
Total Funding Goal: $500,000

As you can see, they still have a way to go.

Him: If you want to get me something for Father’s Day, get me 300 on DVD.

Me: *squeal* I want 300 on DVD!