Tag: blogs

Saturday, getting ready to write (or not)

I could do ten posts right now, I have so much going on in my head. Hopefully, I can remember them during the coming week for those times that I stare at the monitor with a duh look.

I have a new crush. Sometimes links to other blogs show up in my sidebar because I get these crushes, but they’re not ordinary crushes. I get crushes on people’s dogs (and occasionally, their cats). However, Jeffrey Ricker‘s name has been on the list for a while because he’s Jeffrey Ricker and I like him, then because he’s a writer (and a contributor to MOONLIGHT AND ROSES), and then because of his dog Dakota.

Recently, the Ricker household got a new addition which is when I got my new crush. I want to scoop her up and give her a million kisses. Jeffrey says Anya and Dakota are getting along fine, although so far, the cats are reserving judgment and can’t be enticed by her to play chase. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before she wins them over.

For those of you who didn’t get Paws and Reflect: Exploring the Bond Between Gay Men and Their Dogs when it came out last November, you can pre-order the paperback now from amazon.com or your favorite bookseller and read essays, including Jeffrey’s, about the many gifts dogs bring to our lives.

What’ll it be?

Will Famous Author Rob Byrnes force me to wax rhapsodic about the virtues of Irish oatmeal, of which I just had my first bowl ever, compared to the plain old oatmeal I grew up eating?

I’ll be reading…

(Readers may remember that Kieran made Irish oatmeal for Phillip for their first breakfast in THREE FORTUNES IN ONE COOKIE.)

Which reminds me, Gary in KY, did you ever see that I said yes, emphatically YES, to more “Reading is HOT!” photos?

2006: A Literary Year

I was looking at Noel Alumit’s blog, wherein he borrowed from someone the idea of
Literary Highlights of 2006.
Here are mine.

–Most difficult literary moment–
Knowing we weren’t going to finish TJB5 when we were scheduled to.

–Most literary dinner–
I don’t know the restaurant, but Tim and I ate dinner in New Orleans with Dan Boyle, Jim Gladstone, and Kelly McQuain. I was already enjoying myself tremendously with these writers when Trebor Healey meandered in and mesmerized me with his conversation.

–Most literary uplift–
When Tim and I were chosen by Greg and Haworth to edit the MOONLIGHT AND ROSES anthology, as well as being trusted by the contributors with their short stories.

–Most literary weekend–
Saints and Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in May. What a good time, with smart and funny people, wonderful writers, interesting topics, and a great city to host us.

–Most literary overload–
I handled writing a novel solo pretty well. But when it came time to add to it based on editorial comments, I felt overwhelmed and lonely.

–Most literary joy–
The e-mail from readers about A COVENTRY CHRISTMAS.

–Most literary regret–
What feels like my most intense writing accomplishment to date, THREE FORTUNES IN ONE COOKIE, got the least nurturing, attention, and sales because of circumstances beyond my control.

–Most literary purchase–
The abundance of good fiction I bought so that I could lose myself in other people’s writing.

–Most literary duty–
Being part of a panel discussion at Saints and Sinners on writing gay and lesbian romance.

My anniversary

I just realized that December 13 is my second anniversary on LiveJournal. Happy anniversary to me and LiveJournal! When I started this, I had around five readers. Now I look at my site statistics and wonder who the heck all you people are. You’re always welcome to comment here or send me e-mail. But whether you just lurk or whether you interact, thanks for reading. Thanks for buying our books or my novel. Thanks for tolerating my obsessions and being happy for all the good things I talk about and for not anonymously telling me that I’m an evil rat killer.

And for those of you who I met through LiveJournal, you all rock my world. =)

Six Words

I took this from Shawn Lea, who got the idea from Caterina.

Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to compose a complete story in six words. His answer was, “For sale: baby shoes, never used.”

Here’s mine, as posted in both bloggers’ comments:

“She refused to sign the prenup.”

Feel free to write your own six-word story and post it in my comments or on your blog or online journal.

Joe.My.God.

One of the blogs I like to read, Joe.My.God., has long been linked from Tim’s Live Journal. Among the reasons I’ve recommended the book FROM BOYS TO MEN is because Joe contributed to it. I love it when he writes about days gone by with his friends, even when he makes me cry (often). I enjoy the little views he provides of Manhattan, including photos of Manhattan buildings.

Today I was catching up on his last few blog entries and came to one called “Morning View–Food For Thought.” Like many people who deal with never-enough-space problems in NYC apartments, Joe uses his oven for storage. In this entry’s photo, we find out he’s storing books there. I maximized the photo, expecting to see the usual suspects–David Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs–and this is what I found. You can’t imagine how it lifted my spirits and put a shit-eating grin on my face…


Nothing says lovin’ like SOMEONE LIKE YOU in the oven…

Photo used with permission of Joe.My.God.