Anya Bast

I have a chat at Writerspace tonight at 9pm. I’m iced over here where I live and have fled my house for a hotel with power….and
I have INTERNET! So I will be there.

I hope you will be too.

I have a critique up over on Romantic Inks. The auction has been organized by author Gemma Holiday to benefit a sixteen-year-old reader named Katy and Katy’s mother, Elizabeth. They’ve been evicted from their apartment and have been living in hotels when they’re lucky, and their cars when they’re not so lucky. All proceeds from this auction will go helping Katy and Elizabeth get back on their feet.

You can read Katy’s blog about her experiences here.

You can check out and bid! on my critique here. I don’t critique very often, so now is your chance (probably your only chance) to get a tough, thorough (but kind) critique from me.

Today is Chinese New Year! It’s the start of the Year of the Ox, which is my year. Hey, baby, what’s your sign? Do you think it fits for you?

I am a water ox. (soooo flattering, isn’t it?)

Oxen possess such character traits as dependability, strength and determination. Oxen are tolerant individuals who believe that the road to success involves hard work and scrupulous behavior; they don’t believe in taking shortcuts. They characterize those who don’t work hard as lazy individuals not worthy of respect.

Oxen are capable of trusting others and will listen to their opinions with an open mind. However, Oxen prefer making decisions that are based on their own research. Oxen favor strong, life-long alliances to casual acquaintances.

Home is where Oxen go to seek comfort, occasionally watching television or reading. They prefer the rural outdoors and spend the majority of their “home” time working in the garden or caring for the yard.

Oxen aren’t very sociable and rarely participate in group activities. They abhor small talk and won’t waste their time flirting. They will search long and hard for the perfect partner as change makes them uncomfortable.

Water Oxen are much more flexible, and because of this quality, they’re better able to understand what others are thinking and feeling. They’re sincere, patient, quick-thinking and others enjoy being around them.

Gung Hei Fat Choy (wishing you prosperity and wealth)…and happy new year!

I have an interview up over at Joyfully Reviewed.

Thanks for the commiserations on my burn. It’s much better today!

I was pouring boiling water for tea last night and thinking about how careful I needed to be to keep the tea pot away from my daughter and having little nightmare scenarios about horrible accidents in the home. Then I was thinking how much it would suck if I accidentally poured it on my hand. One half second later my pouring hand slipped a little and I DID JUST THAT. I poured boiling water on my left hand.

Wow. Really demonstrates the power of the subconscious mind, doesn’t it?

The burn hurt so incredibly badly. I don’t think I’ve injured myself in the home and ever had it hurt this much. Not even when I stabbed myself in the hand over the summer and required stitches. (That’s another story. I’m a little accident prone.) The pain was almost unbearable. I didn’t go to the emergency room because it was late and I’d have to sit there most of the night to be seen. I was better off treating it at home.

So I soaked the burn in cold water for twenty five minutes and then slathered it liberally, over and over, with pure aloe from my aloe plant. Then I took something to help me sleep and went to bed early. At that point the burn was a little swollen and I was getting some blisters on my wrist. If the burn was still bad in the morning, I was going to go to the immediate care place.

But it’s amazing how completely BETTER the burn is this morning. It still hurts, but only a little. I can move my hand and type. It’s all red and the skin looks funny, but there’s no more swelling and there are no blisters. It’s almost miraculous.

*Checks self for vampiric regenerative abilities. Nope I have none*

I have the aloe to thank, I suspect. I’m so happy I’ve been keeping that plant healthy.

With many, many thanks to Tiffany….

Behold! Witch Heart for the Kindle!

I’ve shared the cover for Witch Fury here, but I haven’t posted the blurb (I don’t think). So, here it is! Yep, this is Theo’s story.

Sarafina Connell is having the worst week of her life. It takes an even darker turn when an infamous playboy kidnaps her and reveals a world she never knew existed.

Rescued from her captors, Sarafina is introduced to a coven that is duty-bound to fight the forces of darkness. She’s pleased that her savior is the imposingly seductive Theo—until the trust between them goes up in flames. However, as the war between good and evil is waged, Sarafina and Theo realize they have no choice but to unite in the battle for supremacy—that’s getting hotter by the minute.

Also, I’m doing a chat at Writerspace on January 28th at 9 PM ET. I’ll be talking about Witch Heart and anything else that happens to come up. Mark your calendars and stop on by! It’s after Lost (thank the gods, since I can’t WAAAAAIT for Lost to premiere tomorrow night!).

Yes, I know. I’ve been a bad girl and I haven’t been blogging. I go through periods where I blog a lot and other times when I’m holed up with my book, madly writing away, and I really have nothing worthwhile to post here. When I go through the desert of non-postable-life-experience, I don’t push it. Otherwise I’d be blogging like this….

Got up. Had coffee. Got the kidlet up. Huh. It’s pretty cold today…. You get the picture. BORING.

Even though I’m not blogging, I am being productive! Lookee how far I am into Wicked Enchantment!

50,123 / 80,000 (62.7%)

Okay, here’s an idea. I’ll open up the blog to you. Got any burning questions you’d like to ask me about anything?

*crickets*

Well, if you do, here’s your chance. Ask away and I’ll answer in the comments. Obviously, I reserve the right not to answer questions that might be too personal. But if there’s anything you want to know about what I write, why I write, how I write, projects I’ve got coming up, ect. Go for it!

The most awesome Ann Aguirre is giving away a copy of Witch Heart over on her blog. You have a chance to win other books too, including Megan Hart’s Stranger.

Hie thee!

I’ve received some emails and blog comments asking why Witch Heart isn’t available for the Kindle. So I emailed my publishing house about it and they said “it’s in the works”. So, Witch Heart WILL be available for the Kindle and hopefully sometime soon.

Just wanted to let you all know.

Thanks so much for all the comments and emails so far about Witch Heart. Totally warms my heart to know people are liking it. WHEW!!! 😉