The lovely and talented Cate Gardner has tagged me! I felt like just copying her answers because they're so clever, but probably someone would have noticed. So here are my answers.

What is the title of your book? 
Wharf Rat 

Where did the idea come from for the book?
 The main character started out as a small-time thief in another book I wrote a few years ago. He wasn't even supposed to have a name--he was only supposed to steal something from one character so that another one could look good by catching him--but he turned out to be such an appealing guy that I wrote him into the story. Ever since, I wanted to feature him in his own book.

What genre does your book fall under?
Fantasy.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
Oh, gosh. I don't know actors. Since the main character, Rone, is an elf, I'll say Orlando Bloom except that Bloom would need to go on a three-day drunk before shooting started and also have his front top teeth knocked out.

What is a one-sentence synopsis of the book?
When Rone, an incompetent thief, takes a job delivering messages for a businessman, he stumbles on a conspiracy involving a foreign prince and a princess who isn't supposed to exist.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Let's hope I get an agent when I'm done.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?
It's not done, but I've been working on it on and off for a few months. I'm planning to finish during NaNo.

What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?
It's a kind of heist story set in a fantasy world (which itself is based loosely on New Orleans and Savannah), but any titles I list would make me sound too full of myself so I won't list any.

Who or what inspired you to write this book?
Hey, wait, that's sort of the same question as one earlier. That's cheating.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?
Rone can't read or write. I'm writing a book about a guy who can't read. Weird. Also, he's not interested in learning. Also, I think I just totally swallowed a bug. (Wait, that has nothing to do with my book.)

And now I have to tag five people. Don't worry, I won't be upset (read: I won't notice) if you don't respond:
Laura Lam (who just did a very similar or possibly identical post a few weeks ago, so technically she already responded)
Becky Regalado
Michael McClung
Rob Haines
Wesley Chu

Two-Book Giveaway!

Every so often I get an email from someone asking me how they can find a copy of Jack of All Trades, my first book. It's been out of print for almost a year now and used copies are getting expensive. Well, very soon now it'll be in print again; Double Dragon is going to reissue an updated edition with new cover art. It will also include the short story "The Neverstone," which is set after the events in the book.

To celebrate that, I thought I'd do a giveaway--not just of an original, new paperback copy of Jack of All Trades, but a new paperback of Evil Outfitters, Ltd. too, which is set in the same world. I've listed the giveaway on Goodreads and you'll have to sign up (it's free) to enter. Good luck!

I'll post the release date for Jack of All Trades when I know it for sure, but it'll be soon. My editor emailed me yesterday to let me know it might be as soon as next week!

Edited to add: I just got the new cover art, which is awesome beyond all understanding, and a note from my editor to say that the new edition should be live on the Double Dragon website within a day or two!

Questions to Ask Yourself at the Shoe Shop

1. Why do they put weird, useless buckles on otherwise attractive shoes?
2. Why is it so hard to find shoes these days with small heels? They're either flats or stilettos.
3. Cute shoe. Can I afford it?
4. Does it fit?
5. Is it comfortable?
6. Is it going to be comfortable after I've worn it for eight hours?
7. Is it appropriate for work?
8. Is it the right color for my work clothes?
9. Is it the right style to go with my work clothes?

I forgot to ask myself #9, which is why I have a pair of otherwise perfect shoes and now I have to buy a whole new wardrobe.

Sure, these shoes are both black and brown so I can wear them with anything except navy (and who wears navy these days anyway?), and sure they look great with dinosaur socks and jeans, but my work clothes are definitely on the frumpy side and these shoes aren't.

Maybe I should de-frump my closet.

This post has nothing to do with writing, so I'll bring up... [cue ominous music] NaNoWriMo! I'm in again this year, probably to finish my current WIP, Wharf Rat. Anyone else doing it?

Be happy like ice creams

Last night I set that pic to my desktop. I will be happy all month, I told myself! It's my birthday month, and Halloween is coming, and the weather is cool and breezy and drizzly just the way I like it. NaNoWriMo is next month. Harper Voyager has a two-week open call starting today and I have two projects to submit (there's no limit to how many you send them).

Then this morning my alarm clock went off and I couldn't find it. Seriously, what the hell? I have five things on my nightstand overnight: a box of tissues, a tube of lavender hand lotion that I don't use but which looks pretty, the alarm clock, my glasses, and my cell phone as a backup alarm since my alarm clock is old and sometimes doesn't go off. Sometimes it just stops keeping time, too. I fumbled around in the dark, cursing and knocking my glasses to the floor, before I smacked the alarm and got up. Then I remembered the happy ice creams.

It hasn't been a bad day, actually. I've tried really hard to keep a good attitude even when, for instance, I had to wait ten minutes for a security guy to show up at work to open the closet where I keep my stuff (and which I do not have a key to). I made beef stew and chocolate chip scones tonight and did not burn either hardly at all. I sent my two submissions to Harper Voyager--and yes, I didn't get an autoreply email for either the way I was supposed to, so I had to send an email to make sure they got them and I haven't heard back yet. And the book I was reading had a stupid ending and both ebooks I had as backup books turned out to be terrible. But I HAVE A GOOD ATTITUDE DAMMIT BECAUSE THE ICE CREAMS ARE HAPPY.

I will sit here and breathe deeply through my nose now until I can be civil.

Kitchen Cupboard Meme

I've seen this one everywhere lately. I wasn't going to do it but the avalanche of 'everyone else is doing it' got me.

Kitchen Cupboard Meme: Bold the ones you have and use at least once a year, italicize the ones you have and don't use, strike through the ones you had but got rid of. Oh, and I added [?] if I don't have the least idea what the thing is.

pasta machine, breadmaker, juicer, blender, deep fat fryer, egg boiler, melon baller, sandwich maker, pastry brushes, cheese board, cheese knives, electric wok, salad spinner, griddle pan [?], jam funnel [?], meat thermometer, filleting knives, egg poacher, cake stand, garlic crusher, martini glasses, tea strainer, bamboo steamer, pizza stone, coffee grinder, milk frother, piping bags, banana stand, fluted pastry wheels, tagine dishes [?], conical strainer, rice cooker, steam cooker, pressure cooker, slow cooker, spaetzle maker [?], cookie presses, gravy strainer, double boiler, sukiyaki stove [?], ice cream maker, fondue set, healthy-grill [?], home smoker, tempura set, tortilla press, electric whisk [I'm assuming this is a mixer], cherry stoner, sugar thermometer, food processor, bacon press [?], bacon slicer, mouli mill [?], cake testers, pestle-and-mortar, and kebab skewers

My juicer is one of those old glass things that you use by cutting an orange (or whatever) in half and screwing it down over the middle part so that the juice flows down into the little gutter, where you can pour it (and seeds, and pulp) into a jug or glass. I don't know if that's what the list means.

I almost bought a melon baller last week, actually, because they're so cool. But then I realized that I've lived my whole life without needing to ball a melon, why should I start now? Also, it sounds dirty.

If a "steam cooker" is the same thing as a basket steamer, I have one and use it. But I suspect it's yet another gadget you have to plug in.

Because I've moved so often in my life, I've pared down the kitchen stuff I need. It's easy to improvise if you have a decent selection of pots and pans, knives and spoons. I just bought the blender this summer and immediately thought, "Why did I get that?" It's in the back of a cupboard now and will probably only get used a few times a year, mostly for zucchini destined for zucchini bread. I only ever use my electric mixer for whipping cream (and occasionally egg whites). Otherwise I mix and chop and everything by hand. When I need to grate something, I have a metal cheese grater (that sometimes also grates knuckles).

AHA: The list came from this article. Now I can feel smug that I don't have most of those things. Also, that explains why I'd never heard of so many of the list items. The British terms are different from American. (I'm still going to look up tagine dishes, because what the hell?)

Another edit: I looked it up and I still don't know. I believe I can safely say that I have never owned and will never need tagine dishes.

Cooking with Spirits

I got a new cookbook last week, Small-Batch Baking by Debby Maugans Nakos. It's AWESOME. The recipes make little bitty cakes or two scones or mini loaves of bread. I've made five or six recipes out of the book already and on the whole they're very good. I've been hitting the bread pudding hard, partly because I like bread pudding, partly because I like using my ramekins.

One of the recipes I wanted to try, and finally did, is the Butterscotch Bread Pudding with Tennessee Butterscotch Sauce (pictured, above, still puffed from the oven), which calls for Jack Daniel's whiskey. I've never gotten into the habit of drinking much, so I had to go out and buy a bottle of Jack just for this recipe. Which calls for 2 Tablespoons of whiskey.

Well, it was worth it. That's what I had for supper tonight (the bread pudding, I mean, not the Jack Daniel's), and I'm stuffed but it was sooooo good. And I have some of the sauce left over, which means I'll just have to make it again in a day or two.

I drew this on the COMPUTER using my MOUSE:

Saturday afternoon I made Cranberry Orange Oatmeal Scones. They turned out a bit dry and salty--I'm not sure if I measured something wrong or if I should try again and adjust the recipe a bit--but not bad. I made tea and set the table with my mother's beloved Royal Doulton china. You know how when you make tea you add one scoop for the pot and one for each cup to be drunk? Well, I added one for the pot, one for me, and one for my absent homies.

Mom, I wish you could have come to my equinoctal tea. We could have sat outside in the gusty, cool afternoon and picked leaves out of our plates.

A quick reminder!

My short story "Blood Oranges" will be sent out tomorrow to Daily Science Fiction's subscribers. It's free to sign up so if you haven't already, this would be a great time to do so!