Susan’s Music Talk: Oh, Adam

 Susan Speaks  12 Responses »
Nov 292009
 

I don’t usually wade into controversy. While I’m usually not scared to do it in real life, I really hate being flamed here on my blog, too. This is my safe haven.
But… sometimes, I gotta open my mouth. This is one of those times. It’s about that charmer, Adam Lambert.

There are some things I need to say up front:
* I did four years of college radio, running my own radio show. Had a staff, too; it became quite the operation. I worked with the record reps in New York City and LA (and various other places. Manalapan, New Jersey, anyone?).

* I came a job interview away from making a career with a record company. And that’s only the start of the many music-related things I’ve done.

*Add retail sales and concert promotion into the list, as well as stage crew. Don’t forget the FCC Radio Operator’s license in my wallet, although I couldn’t exactly have done college radio without it.

So I’m no stranger to the excesses of the music industry. Most of them just make me shrug. Some of them (like the original hoopla over the cover of Metallica‘s Load album) make me laugh.

Adam Lambert’s AMA performance is another story.
Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:28 pm

Awarded: Feelin’ the Love

 Susan Speaks  7 Responses »
Nov 272009
 

Yeah. This is so long overdue, I’m not even changing this first line. I began drafting this in June. Yes, I’m embarrassed it’s taken me this long to acknowledge your kindnesses.

Summer can be hard, ya know? The kids are underfoot (sometimes literally), it’s hot, it’s sunny, Susan gets cranky.

And then I steal a few minutes here at my desk and open my e-mail and discover… you guys love me anyway.

Debbie at Wrighty Reads was kind enough to give Win a Book the Literary Blogging Award. She says, “The ladies at West of Mars provide a very valuable service with their ongoing list of the many contests on the blogs. Love the new site!”

Wow, Debbie. Thanks. Win a Book, I say over and over again, is my labor of love. I’m thrilled with its success.

The awesome ladies at Yankee Romance Reviewers work VERY hard to bring a stellar line-up of guests in almost daily. They’ve given Win a Book the Lemonade Cart. I love the lemonade cart, guys. But then, I love lemonade.

Then we have Lady Vampire, a woman I don’t know nearly well enough. I admire the fact that she reads so much vampire-themed books — without growing tired of it. Lady Vamp is definitely setting a standard among the book bloggers. Be sure to check her out, and not just because she’s given Win a Book the Heartfelt Award.

Laura at I’m Booking it gave Win a Book the Let’s Be Friends award. Let’s definitely be friends, Laura. Our acquaintance is new, but there’s room in my world for you.

And then there’s Jezebelsk. I have NO IDEA what kind of name that is, but it’s fun to say. Go on. Say it out loud. Fun, innit? Anyway, she’s given me the Zombie Chicken Award, which is truly one of my more favored award badges. I have to agree. I’d wear a Zombie Chicken t-shirt with pride.

Oh, yeah. J says she loves this site, too, but she’s GOT to know what books are being given away. Which is one of the many reasons I started Win a Book. Yay!

Nightdweller at Bibliophiles R Us has given Win a Book the Bloody Good Blog. Why thank you, babe. We do our best over there.

Wow. Notice how these are all directed at Win a Book? If you haven’t added my kooky, goofy, FUN site to your reader, you may want to rethink that. I have a BLAST with Win a Book. Apparently, it shows.

Shaunie, my dear friend, hangs at both blogs, so she told me to pick an award for each one. I’ve got a ton of awards already and don’t want to be greedy, so I’ll acknowledge the kindness and leave it at that.

So. Want to know where I’ve been hanging lately?

Ha. Win a Book’s been keeping me jumping. Maybe too much. And now I’ve added Rocks ‘n Reads to the mix.

I don’t know. Maybe it’s too much. The problem is, I feel like I’ve got a lot to say, a lot of work to do… What’s the old Gandhi saying? Be the change you want to see in the world.

I’m trying. It sure ain’t easy, but I’m trying.

 Posted by at 4:31 am

Featured New Release: Christie Craig

 Featured New Book, Susan's Book Talk  19 Responses »
Nov 242009
 

It’s release day for my new friend Christie Craig. Her Divorced, Desperate, and Deceived comes out today, so I asked her the now-familiar question: What song makes you think of your book?

Here’s what she had to say:

Well, at first I almost chose: Old MacDonald Had a Farm

My stories are whimsical/quirky, fast paced, have lots of animals, are about down-home folks, and hopefully make a lot of people smile. Ahh, but then they’re also kind of sexy. And while I’ve often said that my books are hotter than a goat’s butt in pepper patch, let’s face it. A bunch of animals on a farm, or even a pepper patch, are not reflective of my sensual or suspenseful tone. So I had to go back to the drawing board. But I didn’t come away empty handed. I found: Hero, by Enrique Iglesias.

Okay, I know you’ve probably gotten this one before, but I’m a sucker for lyrics. And these words are so perfect for my book. In many ways this song resonates with the whole Divorced & Desperate series, because all my heroines in these three books are afraid to let another man in their life. They are all in desperate situations and all the heroes are determined to win their love, but first they have to keep them alive.

I can be your hero, baby
I can kiss away your pain
I will stand by you forever
You take my breath away

Stan, AKA, Luke, sees Kathy’s pain. He’s been trying to win her over for almost three years. More than anything, he wants to be her hero. She symbolizes everything he longs for in his life. Someone tender, who wants the simple things, someone who could accept him, flaws and all. But she can’t trust in love. While she’s turned him down more than any man should allow, and he should just give up, he can’t turn his back on her—especially when she accidentally gets caught up his past life, one that could get them both killed.

The lyrics continues to read:

Would you tremble,
If I touched your lips?
Would you laugh?
Oh please, tell me this.
Now would you die,
For the one you love?
Hold me in your arms tonight.

My books are sexy, my books have a heck of a lot of laughter and they are suspenseful. This song with its beautiful lyrics brings all that into the listener’s mind. Luke and Kathy are on the run, they find themselves laughing their way through stressful situations. Kathy has to defend herself with toilet tank lid, and then they find a dead guy in the Porta-potty. So yup, you’ll laugh, but you’ll never forget that danger is right around the corner. Forced to trust Luke with her life, Kathy learns to trust him with her heart. Falling in love has never been so risky, or so much fun.

Thanks so much asking me to participate, Susan. Here’s hoping my quirky stories offer a few smiles and sighs to your readers.

Divorced, Desperate, and Deceived. Pick it up, if only to find out about the dude in the Porta Potty!

Can’t get to a bookstore?? Well, Christie’s got a copy to share with you guys (US only, though, ’cause she’s paying for the mailing herself). Just leave a comment telling me WHY you want to read this and your e-mail. I’ll pick a winner on Monday the 30th.

No fancy hoops, like over at Rocks ‘n Reads. Just a comment will do!

 Posted by at 6:55 am

The Writings of Soul Bendorff

 fiction, Soul Bendorff  9 Responses »
Nov 222009
 

There is beauty in this world. I know it. I’ve seen it. I’ve held it in my hand and spent days simply staring, drinking it in. I’ve made beauty through my music, music that sounded like an angel’s song and pleased the maker as much as any other angel’s song could.

I was an angel. I made beauty.

And then the adoration started. There was beauty in that, too. Beauty in their faces as they looked at me, worshipping me as they’d worship a real angel. Beauty in their awe, their respect, their need to be around me.

I stopped feeling like an angel and felt like a god, instead.

It came with a price. A bigger price than simply making music had brought. That had been easy. The price was the need to make more music, to sing higher, louder, more and more. To let my guitar say all those things I never could. To forget about food and people and everything but the music.

I had people who took care of me. There was beauty in them, too. Beauty in the way they cared. In the way they did everything so I didn’t have to. “C’mon, Soul, you need a shower,” they’d say, and they’d take the guitar out of my hands.

They were beautiful. I loved them.

They went away, pushed away by the fans. The fans who took my guitar and handed me a bottle. At first, there was beauty there. Beauty in the things I saw, things I’d never see when it was me and the Oracle.

The beauty turned ugly. And here I am, stuck. I set fire to my guitar, to my precious Oracle every night. I can’t bear the noise it makes now, when once it made music. But it comes back, again and again, my Oracle. Looking for more. Looking for me. It wants to sing the songs of angels again.

I try. I try and try. But the song has left me.

And there’s no more beauty in my world.

***
For more beauty, check out this week’s Sunday Scribblings.

 Posted by at 10:29 am

Only the Good: Nookie!

 Susan Speaks  8 Responses »
Nov 202009
 

Trevor pointed out to me that since the Demo Tapes (both of them!) are available through Barnes & Noble, he’s quite available for a little bit of nookie. At less than five bucks for each Demo Tape book, you’re getting the steal of a lifetime.

Yep, it’s true. Trevor Wolff. Appearing at a B&N near you.

I hope I’m the only one who gets nightmares from that idea.

**This offer only applies to the e-book versions, in case the price didn’t tip you off.

 Posted by at 7:52 am
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