Ramblings of a Petite Desert Flower

A Little Bit O' Me!

2011-11-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

Gah. Where is the magic pill that makes me twenty years young and gives me back the energy I had then? I can't even begin to tell you how busy things are right now. It seems like I wake up, blink five or ten times, and the day is so long past over that all I can do is fall into bed so I can do it all over again the next day. I'd say there's a break coming up with the Thanksgiving holiday because I'm out of the office from noon on the Wednesday before and not going back until the first Monday in December, but alas. Because of what we have going on then (not telling, not yet), it would be less stressful and less work to be at the office (which is no picnic, I'm just saying). Not too long ago I advertised on my Facebook page for a clone but didn't get any takers, especially when The Husband got involved and added a whole list of his own demands. Yes, this is me looking at the ceiling because I rolled my eyes so hard they got freakin' stuck.

Anyway, I'll shuddup before someone asks if I want cheese with my whine (ha ha). But to keep you amused right now, here's an interview of Yours Truly (me) -- http://rowena-cory-daniells.com/2011/11/19/meet-yvonne-navarro/ -- done by the talented, best-selling Rowena Cory Daniells, author of the King Rolen's Kin trilogy.

Comments? :o)

"Ah, Saturday. And not a single chore in sight!"

2011-10-15T10:00:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe that's not exactly the truth, but I actually love that saying anyway. Every time i think of it, I flash to the great Jerry Van Amerongen cartoon plaque hanging on my garage wall:

Most weekends that's kind of our life mantra, but I'm not complaining. It's the same today, with some packing up that needs to be done so we can donate some old furniture, a yard to be mowed, etc. Still we're going to find time to ride the motorcycles to Tombstone and have lunch, enjoy the fantastic Arizona fall weekend. I'm hammering away on a vampire story called "Epiphany" that is currently over 12,000 words long and still has a couple of good scenes to go before I wrap it up. The Husband (Weston Ochse) is working hard on Seal Team 666. BirdZilla is hanging out on the patio, enjoying the sun, and Goblin, Ghost and Ghoulie are doing the after-breakfast snooze. Life is pretty good, and then a Google Alert made it even better, reminding me that there are still folks out there enjoying Highborn. Check it out: Writing With Tequila gave me Four Tequila Shots and called it a "great book." All in all, a pretty darned good Saturday, even if there really are chores in sight!

Wait... What Year Is It, Anyway??!

2011-10-10T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hey... wouldja look at that date down there! August 4th... wow! I admit I got pretty disgusted with Blogger for awhile when it wouldn't let me post anything (hence the extra long titles in a couple of posts). In the interest of honesty, however, I also have to admit I have been severely lax about posting anything at all here. Out of sight, out of mind sort of thing.

I have not, however, been sitting here eating King Leo's Lemon Sticks while playing on Facebook. (Not that I wouldn't do just that, if some kind soul out there cares to send me a case. Just saying.) I've manged to crank out a couple of blogs here and there and even finished a couple of short stories. Okay, one short story (called "Faceless") and one novelette (titled "Advanced Directive"). "Advanced Directive" is a departure for me, one of only six novelettes I've written in my entire career. Haven't formally heard back on either yet, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be able to make a good announcement pretty soon. Right now I'm poking at another novelette. This one is called "Epiphany" and is the bad boy that's taking up all my time right now because it's way overdue, thanks to some miscommunication and funky email issues. I also have a Halloween blog due in four days, so I have to get cracking on that.

Summer seems to be gone here in southeastern Arizona. Lots of folks are breathing a sigh of relief. Me? I want my 100 degree days back. The nights are dropping well into the fifties and the house is cold when we wake up. I feel like a little desert lizard desperate to find a patch of sunlight in which to warm my old bones. But hey-- life is good.

I've never had to shovel a pile of desert to get out of my driveway in the morning.

Winner of the recent free book contest is Thistle Chaser from Sunnyvale, CA! She wins a signed copy of HIGHBORN plus two brand new paperback anthologies. Congratulations! (Still can't publish a blog - sorry!)

2011-08-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

HIGHBORN Wins an M-Award! Go here: http://tinyurl.com/3g38obo (Blogger posting not working - sorry!)

2011-07-24T14:02:00.002-07:00

Uh-oh, I've been thinking again...

2011-07-16T19:05:00.002-07:00

As self-punishment for my failure to keep up with what is actually a very easy to maintain blog, I'm going to have a contest. Well, it's kind of punishment, because that means I have to actually track stuff and get off my BUTT at a time when for some reason I've been feeling very languid. Maybe it's the post-Monument Fire energy drain, or the summer heat, or the monsoon humidity, or the way the moon glowed last night. For those who didn't catch it, we were mandatory evacuated twice, for five out of seven days. Packing 386 pounds of Great Danes and everything you think is important in your life in first a few hours, and then in 45 minutes, is no small feat. Imposing three family members and three Great Danes (i.e., mini-horses) on your in-laws a hundred miles away is another energy-drainer. We survived, obviously, but as life would have it, we've been faced with a lot of Murphy-Havin'-A-Grand-Old-Time-With-Us ever since. The end might be in sight, but none of that matters. The Husband, author Weston Ochse, still managed to keep all his stuff up to date; he wrote blogs, wrote pages of stories and books, tweeted, twooted, and probably twoodled.

I, on the other hand, have felt pretty much like your basic Southern Arizona Lump. Around here that's generally known as a rock, although I prefer the prettier ones that are white quartz.

Anyhoo, time for a contest, so I'm giving away these three books:

HIGHBORN, signed by yours truly.

LITTLE DEATHS, edited by Ellen Datlow (anthology). This great antho is out of print, and this copy is unread, with just a little ding or two from storage. Some of the authors in here include Clive Barker, Dan Simmons, Douglas Clegg, Kathe Koja and Pat Cadigan. Not for the faint of heart, it's an anthology of erotic horror.

THE MUSEUM OF HORRORS, edited by Dennis Etchison (anthology). Another great out of print antho, unread, with stories by people like Peter Straub, Joyce Carol Oates, Richard Laymon, Ramsey Campbell, and others.

Going to take entries from now until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, July 30th. To enter, send an email to me here: contest @ yvonnenavarro. com. (I know everyone would like a simple clickable, but I just can't punish myself so much that I open myself up to endless spam-- sorry.) One entry per person, per contest. Duplicates will be deleted. I promise not to sell your email address on eBay or post it on the bathroom wall at the local bar. I also promise I won't add it to my mailing list. If you want to be on that, look to the right and click on the "Newsletter" link, but I warn you, I hardly ever get around to actually sending out a Newsletter. Seriously, are you actually surprised? Winner will be picked by a random number generator and will be notified by return email to send me a good mailing address; books will be sent via the cheapest possible mailing method. Yes, I will even send stuff overseas, but familiarize yourself with the term "Surface Mail" (which is kind of like "Slow boat to [insert your country here]" mail).

And since the secondary purpose of this is to spread the Yvonne Navarro Love, please Please PLEASE spread the word about this on Twitter, Facebook, LJ, an email to your sweetie or your Mom, or by whatever other means you want. I need some exposure to bump up publishing interest, and wearing a skinny swimsuit at my age just ain't working!

Concrete Savior Booksigning Tomorrow!

2011-07-08T22:25:00.000-07:00

Where? Hastings, Sierra Vista, AZ
When? 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.

I know I've been terribly lax in posting. Please forgive me. If you didn't catch it in the national news, we had the Monument Fire down here in Sierra Vista. We were evacuated twice in three days, for a total of five out of seven days. Moving three adults and three Great Danes 100 miles each time, to impose upon the patience and hospitality of our in-laws in Tucson, was a mean feat, indeed. After returning for the second time, we swore the flames would have to be at the back wall of the yard before we'd go again. Seeing as they came within 1 and 1/2 streets but that was all, we were pretty lucky. A number of businesses and 65 homes just outside of town were destroyed, so we were fortunate, indeed.

I promise I'll try to be better about posting! I always have so many good things I indeed to talk about, but darn it, I need more More MORE hours in the day!

Wanna Play with Shambling Things?

2011-06-10T18:43:00.000-07:00

When: TOMORROW. Yes, tomorrow -- Saturday, June 11th.
Where: The Phoenix, Arizona Barnes and Noble Bookstore where Bill and Ed's Excellent Adventure was filmed.
Why: Because Yvonne Her-Very-Own-Self will be signing not only HIGHBORN, but CONCRETE SAVIOR. Yes, it's out and available, and it's time to get your copy!
Why Revisited: Because all the B&N employees are going to dress up like zombies and there will be contests and fun and shambling things for you to play with. You certainly don't want to miss that, right?
Added Bonus: Yvonne's husband, author Weston Ochse, will also be there, signing his zombie novel, Empire of Salt. Note that she is not referring to him as a "Shambling Thing." No, really. She isn't.

Today I Salute...

2011-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

... The Husband, Weston Ochse, for twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, and for continuing to serve our country afterward by working for Uncle Sam. He has given up decades of his life, time with his family, his wife, his children, and so many, many things he wanted to do, all to help keep us free and protect us. He would still give his life to do so. Thank you, Wes, for all that you've done and continue to do, and for the man you are. I love you.

PHOENIX COMICON THIS WEEKEND!

2011-05-24T21:13:00.000-07:00

Come visit me! Keep me amused! The Husband (Weston Ochse) has run off to Spain and Romania (I am not kidding) and left me completely UNSUPERVISED for the entire weekend. Actually almost two entire weeks, but who's counting? Anyway, here's my schedule. Six great panels, plus I'll be at Table #634 in between those times with books and all kinds of fun stuff. Stop by and say hi! Pester me! Please!

Rumor has it -- and it might be more than rumor -- that a few copies of CONCRETE SAVIOR might even be available...

Oh, and just in honor of ComiCon itself, I've posted a brand new zombie painting on my Facebook page. I call it "Pretty."

::hee::

Don't Leave Me Lonely...

2011-05-07T09:30:00.003-07:00

Are you around Sierra Vista, Arizona? Then come by and visit with me and my author husband, Weston Ochse, today from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Fairfield Inn. :o)

World Horror Convention 2011 Schedule!

2011-04-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

WHC 2011 Schedule - http://whc2011.org/ !

THURS 10 PM - Phoenix Central Room: How Much Money Do We Make? (Panel about impossible stuff. ::ahem::)

FRI 10 AM - Robertson Room: Reading from CONCRETE SAVIOR
...
SAT 7 PM - Mass Signing

Yes, I know I'm late in posting all this, but I've been busy as two of me all week! :o)

To Me or Not To Me...

2011-04-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

To Me or Not To Me... What the heck is that?

Why, it's the title of a guest blog over at Book'd Out. Zip over to http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/giveaway-guest-post-yvonne-navarro-author-of-dark-redemption-series/ and check it out. There's also a review of HIGHBORN and a (::gasp!::) book giveaway!

Yapping About Writing...

2011-03-21T21:45:00.000-07:00

Come on over to the International Thriller Writers/THE BIG THRILL and join me in a roundtable discussion! Topic is "How do you separate yourself from the characters you write?" http://tinyurl.com/4rbhrxm It's happening right now, this week -- 3/21-27 -- RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND!!!!! Don't make me hear echoes!

Snoring, As Interpreted by Dreams

2011-03-10T09:09:00.001-07:00

Last night The Husband had one of those nights-- you know, the kind where no matter how many times or how hard I poked him in the side, nudged him in the foot, smacked him upside the head (okay, not really, at least this time), he wouldn't stop snoring. Generally, if I can get him to stop for just a few minutes, I'll fall asleep and just snooze right on through it. But sometimes, like last night, there's an interesting combination of him being loud enough and me being too tired to wake up. And this is what happened:

Ghoulie, our blind Great Dane, is an attention sponge. Her world is tactile and she wants to be touched, talked to, and played with constantly. When she isn't, or when she's forced to lie down and stay put (such as when we're trying to watch a movie on a weekend evening), she'll lie at our feet between the couch and the coffee table, and she'll growl. I am not kidding. The more frustrated she gets, the longer and louder she growls, until we literally can't hear the television and have to interject "Ghoulie, be quiet!"-- which is usually enough to stop her for about 40 seconds before we get to start all over again. At 3:18 a.m. I stopped myself just short of sitting up and yelling that very phrase into Wes's ear, because he sounded just like her-- long, loud and growly-- and I truly believed the dog was fussing for attention in the middle of the darned night.

Somewhere around 4:30 a.m., the volume, pitch and duration changed to something like a wheezing sort of... whistling. My dream-brain interpreted that sound as coming out of the mouth of a red-skinned velociraptor that was about the size of a Great Dane but had Rorschach-like black and white spots down the middle of its back. I was hiding under the bed and this extinct dinosaur was scrabbling its way underneath it, trying to get to me. I was trying to get away not because I was afraid of it, but because even though it was friendly (??!), it had three-inch teeth and about as much control over its jaw power as an eight-week-old Great Dane puppy, as in not much. It just wanted to play and kept getting tangled up in the bedcoverings as it tried to catch me. At the end of this debacle, during which I kept hollering to my mother (who's been gone for a number of years now), "Mom, make it stop!", it was on top of the bed, I was standing over it, and scratching its back.

Tonight: I'm putting duct tape over his nose. End of problem.

Random Bits of Wednesday

2011-03-09T13:27:00.004-07:00

* Sitting here watching Ghoulie run in her sleep, her legs and paws twitching and moving. Today's Question of the Universe: Do blind dogs finally get to see the rabbit they chase in their dreams?

* On my Facebook page I posted a link to a YouTube video that shows a dog trainer giving CPR to a boxer that inexplicably collapsed and stopped breathing during a training session. It's difficult to watch but very educational, and the emotional devastation takes a turn at precisely 1:47 in the video.

* Today UPS brought me a book, "The 4-Hour Workweek" by Timothy Ferriss. My friend Liz Danforth posted about this book so I decided to check it out; like the awesome partner he is, The Husband saw it on my Amazon Wishlist and ordered it for me when he bought something for himself. I plan on having a 4-hour workwork by next Tuesday. We'll see how that works out, and if I'm living a life of leisure by then, I'll be sure to let everyone know. ::ahem::

* Be sure to check out the great review of HIGHBORN over at Hellnotes (link below). There's another fantastic review of HIGHBORN in the February issue of Locus Magazine, although, alas, that review is not available online.

FANTASTIC REVIEW OF HIGHBORN!

2011-03-08T10:37:00.000-07:00

Where? Right HERE, at Hellnotes.

Most startling quote:

"Author Yvonne Navarro leaps onto a popular theme, and rides it like a seasoned jockey on a thoroughbred."

Let just say I'm surprised, because frankly, horses have always intimidated me. Fourteen hundred pounds of muscle and flesh that never fails to simply want to get me OFF its back. I've had them try to rear, rub me off on trees, and just flat take off. I've never mastered the theory of "move-with-the-horse-rhythm," apparently preferring (without having been told this) to jar my brains out and bruise my butt by coming down when the horse's back goes up.

But hey, if someone wants to compare my writing to winning the Kentucky Derby (okay, so that might be a stretch...), that's great!

Tucson Festival of Books Schedule!

2011-03-06T15:48:00.000-07:00

Check it out over at the Dark Redemption site. Hey, I have to get people to go over there some whichaway, right? :o)

And hey, while you going somewhere (you are, aren't you?), bop on over to Red Room and check out the impulse blog I just wrote: Spinning Around and Hitting the Circular Wall.

FRE FREE FREE!

2011-03-03T17:39:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's yet another Giveaway. Oh, okay... so there's an interview, too. But it's got a cool picture on it that hasn't been much used in awhile, so why not take a look, fill out the form, and maybe get a free copy of HIGHBORN? :o) Go here: My Bookish Ways

The BLAH BLAH BLAH Winners!

2011-02-27T10:31:00.000-07:00

Gini Koch's Blah Blah Blah Blog on February 8th! I know, I know, I'm sooooo tardy. But the IMPORTANT part is that the winners (thanks to a random # picker on the Web) are [insert drum roll, please]: Lisa Lingenfelter Dovichi and JoAnna Halpin Becker!

Matrimony on a $5.00 Bet

2011-02-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

It's the late 1920s. A tall and slender young woman with firey red hair and bright blue eyes wears a standard waitress uniform-- dress snug at the waist and a small white apron-- and wipes down the counter at a nameless diner in a southern Indiana town. Calvin Coolidge is President, and this is middle-class America, conservative, small and blue-collar. She's beautiful and cocky, and when the other woman working with her remarks on a good-looking man at the end of the counter and tells the redhead she doesn't stand a chance, the redhead arches an eyebrow and says...

"I'll bet you five dollars I can get him to marry me."

Three days later, the redhead and the man at the end of the counter are married. Two weeks later the marriage is annulled.

The redhead collects her five dollars and smiles. The Great Depression is on its way, bread is ten cents a loaf, and this five spot is a heck of a lot of money.

The redhead's name is Kate, although she'll ultimately be more comfortable with just Kay.

My Grandmother.

(Originally posted in Red Room by me February 23, 2011, 10:26 am)

ZOMBIE INVASION IMMINENT!

2011-02-18T10:22:00.001-07:00

Where? Yuma, Arizona at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore.

There will be giveaways and a costume contest. There are zombies shambling around. There are zombie drinks such as the Zombie Blood, Graveyard Dirt, Ghostly Mist and The Cure, and a snack, the Zombie Heart, in the Cafe.

And in the midst of it all, authors Yvonne Navarro and Weston Ochse try desperately to do their part by signing books and passing zombie judgment.

Please, we beg you. Be there to help us save this small city.

CHOP CHOP!

2011-02-13T08:14:00.001-07:00

Come on, people! Last day or two to win a copy of HIGHBORN (which, by the way, got a fantastic review in the February issue of LOCUS!). Pop on over to Gini Koch's BLAH BLAH BLAH blog to find out how!

The BLAH BLAH BLAH Interview!!!

2011-02-09T18:14:00.004-07:00

Yes, it's happening right now, at this very same immediate SECOND! What? you ask (of course you did). Why, a very, uh, "telling" interview of The Husband (Weston Ochse) and myself over at Gini Koch's BLAH BLAH BLAH Blog. So check it out, then come back and leave a comment here. Why? you ask (of course you did). Well, there's a very good reason... but you'll have to read the interview over there to find out!

(And for those of you who left comments below, yes, the all-seeing Eye of Von is upon them and they have been noted!)

CONCRETE SAVIOR Cover!!!

2011-01-25T18:13:00.001-07:00

End of the World, Vampires, Apocalypse, Oh My!

2011-01-23T07:43:00.006-07:00

After all this time, my first novel, AfterAge, is available again from Crossroad Press. You can pick it up in Kindle format on Amazon, and there are other formats available here on the Crossroad site. Sadly most of the reviews have aged off of Amazon for some reason, but AfterAge was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Best First Novel award. There's a big ol' excerpt right here, which links to yet another excerpt, so you can try out a nice chunk first to see if you like it. :o)

Promo Time!

2011-01-19T17:08:00.001-07:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled life with a little commercial for HIGHBORN, moi's latest novel. If you haven't picked up a copy yet (and why haven't you?!), take a gander over at The Deepening to see what one reviewer thinks you're missing!

Today I Ramble About Outlining!

2011-01-17T10:02:00.002-07:00

But not here. Instead, over there: FreshFiction.com Check it out and let me know your thoughts!

Phoenix Tomorrow Perchance?

2011-01-07T19:53:00.002-07:00

If you're in the Phoenix area tomorrow, stop by The Poisoned Pen in Scottsdale, where I'll be doing a HIGHBORN signing at 2:00 p.m. The only requirement is that you bring me a smile!

New Year's Eve 2010!

2010-12-31T17:51:00.002-07:00

Here's wishing a safe and happy New Year's Eve to all. We're going out to a favorite restaurant tonight, then home to watch a move and toast in 2011 from the safety of our living room couch. It's unpleasantly cold here in southeastern Arizona, so we're hiding from both the temperature and the too-much-merrymakers.

What's everyone else doing? I expect full reports in the Comments section. Chop chop!

Christmas!

2010-12-25T19:37:00.002-07:00

I hope everyone had as fantastic a Christmas as I did, surrounded by family and lots of laughter. Santa was overly kind to me this year, and he spread his cheer outward to others as well. Have a great rest of the day. :0)

So close...

2010-12-19T20:49:00.003-07:00

The Husband returned from his business trip to Tacoma, Washington with a lovely little hitchhiker... the flu. He's better now but Saturday was a pretty miserable day for him. Here's hoping that hitchhiker didn't hop my way; if it did, incubation puts it right at... why... Christmas! ::ulp::

On a more hopeful note, if anyone out there has read HIGHBORN and can spare a few minutes, I'd super-appreciate it if you'd post a review on Amazon. Nothing lengthy or agonizingly in-depth necessary-- just a few lines about whether (or not) you liked it. It's the reviews that will pop it back into noticeability, and right now it sure needs that because it's slipping in the ranks. The Kindle version seems to be holding its own, but the paperback sales could use a boost.

Thanks much, and hey... got your holiday shopping completed yet? :0)

Saturday Saturday Saturday!!!

2010-12-09T21:41:00.002-07:00

Yes, another signing at Barnes and Noble. This time come on down to the Broadway store in Tucson at 2:00 p.m. The event listing is right here. It's all part of my grand plan to saturate the world with my books. I WILL PREVAIL!!!

SIGNING SIGNING SIGNING!

2010-12-02T22:38:00.001-07:00

In the Tucson, Arizona area on Saturday for holiday shopping? Excellent-- stop by and see me at the Foothills Mall Barnes & Noble -- http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/event/3075053 -- at 2:00 p.m. Remember, personally autographed books make awesome (and affordable) holiday gifts!

Photo Extravaganza!

2010-11-28T15:10:00.001-07:00

Okay, maybe extravaganza is a bit overboard, but I did upload a bunch of new photos of the Danes and Thanksgiving. Check them out on my Facebook page. :0)

Post Turkey Day

2010-11-26T09:59:00.002-07:00

I know I promised a report and pictures from TusCon 37, but that's going to have to wait in favor of trying to catch up on some other stuff (like writing, proposals, bill (ugh) paying, etc.). We are going to take a bit of time off today and go see SKYLINE, so that should be fun. We always see previews for fantastic-looking movies and say, "We've GOT to get to the theater and see that one on the big screen [because of the special effects]!" but we never seem to find the time. This time WE MEAN IT, darn it!

Our Turkey Day was very nice, spent with family up in Tucson. Unfortunately my Dad has a nasty cold and bowed out, but we dropped off a vat, er, plate of leftovers at his house on our way home last night. As always, while I might fuss and grumble about various things, I also have a lot of excellent stuff to be thankful for, not the least of which is The Husband, The Dad, The Dogs, The Family. Bottom line is that the things that really count have a heartbeat.

Today there's also a little something to be thankful for in the virtual world. Bop on over to DarkRedemption.net and check out the two nice reviews that popped into my email box this morning via Google Alerts. Sweet!

Unsupervised in November!

2010-11-20T09:00:00.003-07:00

Yes. The Husband has foolishly left me alone again. This time he's gone 9-freaking-thousand (yes, THOUSAND) miles away, crossing an ocean to flit around some European country on the underside of Russia. One of the conversations we had before he left went like this:

The Husband: "Make sure you eat right while I'm gone."
Me: "I'm supposed to eat?"
The Husband: "I'm going to have someone come by and check on you every day to make sure!"
Me: "If you do that, can't they just bring me stuff?"

As you might guess, that didn't happen. And I ran out of milk.

FREE HIGHBORN!

2010-11-18T20:49:00.003-07:00

Or at least 30 pages of it. Interested? Then take yourself on over to this page on POCKET AFTER DARK. Read it. Rate it. Speak your mind. :0)

TusCon 37 Schedule - 11/12-14/10

2010-11-11T18:13:00.002-07:00

Nope, I didn't forget. The Husband has run off to Europe and left me unsupervised, so I spent the day eating Blue Bell Moo-lennium Ice Cream. Okay, not really (although I did eat about a scoop)-- in reality I spent the day working my toosh off at various household chores, scrubbing Great Danes and getting stuff ready for this weekend. Speaking of this weekend, it's TusCon 37 in Tucson, Arizona! Here's my schedule, and by the way: I'm bringing Goblin and Ghost, so here's your chance to meet two of the three Bee-Gs. Wild Woman Ghoulie gets to stay in a doggie hotel since I can't handle her and the other two by myself, and I think she'd be kind of overwhelmed to be around so many strangers. And oh, the fine and chewable things that would be in that hotel room while I am on panels!

Friday - 11/12
6:00 p.m. -- St. Augustine: Urban fantasy vs. paranormal romance: Whose genre is
it, anyway? J.Butcher, S.Butcher, Knowles, Navarro, D.Summers, Ward
7:00 p.m. -- Copper: Meet the Guests Reception, Ed Bryant, Ringmaster

Saturday - 11/13
10:00 a.m. -- Garden: Reading from HIGHBORN
2:00 p.m. -- Copper: Mass Autographing

Sunday - 11/14
2:00 p.m. -- St. Augustine: Surviving the next Zombie Apocalypse Navarro, Ochse (Husband on a Stick), D.Summers, Bryant

Hope to see you there!

Post-Signing: Hastings Bookstore

2010-11-06T17:32:00.010-07:00

I did a table signing with Mysterious Galaxy at RinCon in mid-October, before HIGHBORN was released. Maryelizabaeth, the owner, had put a lot of effort into getting copies for the convention. Literally that was the first HIGHBORN book signing.

Today was the second, but the first in a brick & mortar bookstore. This one took place at Hastings in Sierra Vista, Arizona (my hometown), and things went pretty darned well. The Husband (Weston Ochse) signed with me-- he's the extrovert so I drag him to as many events as I can. He's kind of like bait. ::hee:: He was supposed to sign copies of his latest mass market novel, EMPIRE OF SALT, which is sold out in the U.S. It was sold out at Hastings, too, because they put the three copies they had on the table before he got there... and all three were sold well in advance of our arrival. They sold their other six copies earlier in the week.

From Highborn

We stayed a bit longer than or allotted time, just because things were going well. Seven customers left with ten copies of HIGHBORN and plenty of bookmarks and cards with the web page on it. Met some awesome people: Jenn, who runs The Reader's Life blog, Stevan, a Border Patrol Agent, and several others. Several people from work came by-- Dave, Pam, and Laura (who's mentioned in the acknowledgments because she helped with the Spanish in the book). You are all awesome, you rock, and I so much appreciate your support!

From Highborn

Took a few more pictures, just to prove we were there. Check them all out on Picasaweb.

HIGHBORN Review

2010-11-05T18:19:00.002-07:00

Pretty good review of HIGHBORN here at Scooper Speaks.

Halloween Fun!

2010-11-01T22:34:00.000-07:00

Come on over to my Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1350792301#!/yvonne.navarro.001 for some uh, interesting Halloween party pictures.

And, of course, you don't want to miss our 2010 introduction of the Bee-Gs. Really, you don't.

:0)=

Online HIGHBORN Stuff Happening Right NOW!

2010-10-28T20:59:00.004-07:00

Two blogging events, one of which even has a giveaway going on! Neither one involves hours of reading, so it won't take up much of your time.

So check out Fangtastic Books. Then head over to Dark Faerie Tales for some Spooky Legends (I tackle the Bloody Mary urban legend).

And please -- leave comments! Comments are to authors like bread crumbs were to Hansel and Gretel!

HIGHBORN CONTEST!

2010-10-23T09:06:00.002-07:00

HIGHBORN is out and available!

The first three people to review HIGHBORN on Amazon.com will win a free yvonnenavarro.com T-Shirt. My choice based on availability of size and design. So... who wants a T-Shirt? :)

Unsupervised!

2010-10-22T17:11:00.003-07:00

Yes, The Husband has gone off and left me unsupervised. It's just me, the dogs, and... yes. Blue Bell Moo-llennium Crunch Ice Cream.

And I'm thinking this is just a pre-dinner snack. So... popcorn for dinner? Chocolate pudding for breakfast? Mmmmmm....!

We've Been Busy Today!

2010-10-11T19:49:00.002-07:00

See what happens when we have a day off from the day job? I owe enormous thanks to The Husband, Weston Ochse, who spent some eight or nine hours of his holiday making a fantastic book trailer for Highborn. Check it out on YouTube right Here (cuz I haven't actually got a copy myself yet, but I will... you betcha!).

Also, if you look to the right on your screen, there's a brand new link over there where you can see the HIGHBORN cover and read the Prologue as well as a nice chunk of Chapter One. In fact, don't even move your cursor. Just go right here! :)

Comments? Inquiring ears want to hear!

Fast Forward!

2010-10-10T20:17:00.002-07:00

I have been informed by my editor that now that she's read the manuscript, the official release date for CONCRETE SAVIOR, which I submitted the last week of September, has been moved up. Instead of October 2011, it's now JUNE 2011.

Hey, who hit the fast forward button?! :)

RinCon 10 Schedule this Saturday!

2010-10-07T21:02:00.001-07:00

RinCon 10
Tucson, Arizona
October 9, 2010 (Saturday)
* 1:00 p.m. - Signing (with Weston Ochse)
* 2:00 p.m. - Vampires, Werewolves and Zombies, Oh My! (Panel with Weston Ochse, Jeff Mariotte, Marsheila Rockwell)
* 4:00 p.m. - Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction (Panel with Sam Sykes, Emma Bull, Will Shetterly, Weston Ochse)

Come visit us!

HIGHBORN on Good Reads!

2010-10-05T20:27:00.002-07:00

HIGHBORN has received a 5-star rating on Good Reads! Check it out here.

FINISHED!!!

2010-09-26T19:40:00.001-07:00

CONCRETE SAVIOR is officially finished and has been emailed to both my editor and my agent!

Now to catch up on all this other stuff.

Er... where to begin? ::ulp!::

Wait for it...

2010-09-23T21:37:00.003-07:00

Thought I would have a cool announcement to make by now, but alas having my nose try to run off my face while it simultaneously blocks oxygen to my brain and make my eyes leak is putting a bit of a delay on things.

Yes, that's a wordy description of a miserable head cold.

From Haunted Mansion Retreat -- It's Saturday Morning Live!

2010-09-18T12:46:00.002-07:00

So far, so good. All of us seem to have had some sort of experience, some mild, some pretty danged scary (me included). Follow our adventures and rule-breaking at the Haunted Mansion Writers Retreat Blog.

Ghost Hunting Awaits!

2010-09-14T22:52:00.004-07:00

Tomorrow The Husband (Weston Ochse) and I go slinking off to a bit north of San Francisco to The Haunted Mansion Writers' Retreat. Honestly, I can't wait! Ghosts, friends and writing-- what could be more fun? It's been way too long-- around 1989 to be exact-- since I went on a strictly speaking writer's retreat. Although technology has stuck its electronic fingers into everything since then (email, Internet, cell phones) to the point where I can't quite get away from it, I'm still looking forward to it. I plan to finish the final read-through of CONCRETE SAVIOR, work on two guest blogs I have upcoming, and bang around some ideas for the next novel or ten in the DARK REDEMPTION series. After all, the place is haunted, right? What better inspiration than that?!

CopperCon this weekend up by Phoenix!

2010-08-31T19:45:00.002-07:00

Here's my schedule. Y'all come on out and say hi. Plus that Husband-Guy, Weston Ochse, will be there with me. :)

CopperCon 30
Mesa, Arizona
September 3-6, 2010
* Friday - 9/3
7:30 p.m. - Opening Ceremonies
8:00 p.m. - Meet the Pros
9:00 p.m. - Buffy and Crew as Anti-Heroes (panel)
* Saturday - 9/4
1:00 p.m. - Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse (panel)
2:30 p.m. Koffee Klatshe
4:30 p.m. Autograph Session in the Dealers' Room
* Sunday - 9/5
9:00 a.m. - D.I.Y. Media Promotion for Authors
10:00 a.m. - Meet the Guests
1:30 p.m. - Reading from HIGHBORN
* Monday - 9/6
10:00 a.m. - Bite Me, Chew off My Face, But Love Me (panel)

Here It Is!

2010-08-29T22:17:00.004-07:00

Yep, a brand new website design, which is hugely easier to keep updated, compact and full of writerly-info-type goodness, all at the same time. A big thanks goes to The Husband (Weston Ochse) for helping me with this and yanking me kicking and screaming into the age of easy to use design templates. I have to admit, this looks to be a lot easier to update, it's got photos, books and puppies.

And I really like the red.

HIGHBORN EXCERPT!

2010-07-09T17:42:00.002-07:00

Grab a glass of wine (or an ice cream cone, if it's hot by you) and take a few minutes to settle down for a fun read. Paul Kane, a/k/a Shadow Writer, has generously put up a good-sized excerpt of HIGHBORN on the Guest Writers page of his website. Check it out here: http://www.shadow-writer.co.uk/highborn.htm.

Whew!

2010-04-03T06:52:00.001-07:00

Finally back from the Word Horror Convention in Brighton, England. It's sure good to be home and returned to the desert climate! I guess I've really turned into a Petite Desert Flower. :)

Tucson Festival of Books -- This Weekend!

2010-03-10T18:13:00.001-07:00

Wes and I will be at the Tucson Festival of Books this weekend. Here's our schedule:

Sat. March 13
2:30 pm Vampires That Don't Sparkle (a horror panel) with Jeff Mariotte and Weston Ochse
Sun. March 14
10:00 am Signing -- Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore tent
2:30 pm Married to an Author with Will Shetterly, Emma Bull, and Weston Ochse.*

*What's that asterisk, you ask? (Of course you asked. Who wouldn't?) Well, last year Wes was scheduled to be at the Book Festival but missed it because of a last minute work-required trip to Romania. We thought we had this all cleared this year. Then Murphy stepped in and decided to send Wes to, you guessed it, Romania again. This time Wes will make it Saturday, so he'll be on the vampire panel. But will he be on the Married to an Author panel with me, his wife, the one to whom he's married? Oh, noooooo.

Oh, YES. Since he's going to be off galavanting around some European country, I've decided to bring myself a Husband On A Stick. Don't know what that means? Think "Jeff Dunham." Still can't figure it out? That's what Google's for. And pictures. Yeah, there will be pictures.

You bet your stick.

DARK REDEMPTION!

2010-03-03T21:06:00.001-07:00

THE DARK REDEMPTION WEBSITE IS UP - http://www.darkredemption.net/ - Please come visit. Comments welcome! :)

And the Winner Is...

2010-01-26T20:16:00.000-07:00

The lucky winner of the "Be a Character in CONCRETE SAVIOR" eBay Auction is none other than GAK himself! Congratulations!

Be a Character in one of my Novels!

2010-01-16T15:58:00.001-07:00

The eBay auction to be a character in CONCRETE SAVIOR has officially started! Go here: Item number 180457374043.

Come on-- haven't you always wanted to be in a book? Here's your chance, plus it's for a good cause. Auction proceeds go to Deaf Dane Rescue, Inc. of Oakridge, Oregon.

Come and join the adventure!

CONCRETE SAVIOR Character Auction Tomorrow!

2010-01-15T17:10:00.000-07:00

Auction to be a character in CONCRETE SAVIOR goes up tomorrow! Be a HIGHBORN fan at http://tinyurl.com/y9cswxk and stay informed! WHEEEE!

A Little Auction Fun for CONCRETE SAVIOR!

2009-12-30T15:07:00.002-07:00

To make things fun in writing CONCRETE SAVIOR, I will be running at least one eBay auction in the near future for someone to have their name used for a character of my choosing in the book. I'll likely do two auctions, one male and one female. The proceeds of the auction(s) will benefit my favorite Deaf Dane rescue. There's no firm date for the auctions yet, but the date will probably be pretty soon. I'll keep everyone posted.

CONCRETE SAVIOR is the second book in the DARK REDEMPTION Series. The first book, HIGHBORN, is the story of a powerful fallen angel who must tread the human world to find redemption and regain everything she lost before the fall.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Good News, Good Tidings!

2009-12-24T08:20:00.002-07:00

The Good News: Juno Books has picked up HIGHBORN and its sequel, CONCRETE SAVIOR. HIGHBORN will be published in September 2010, at the same time CONCRETE SAVIOR is due to be completed and submitted. My long-time friend Paula Guran will be the editor for both books. Yay! HIGHBORN is the story of a fallen angel who has escaped from Hell and is determined to find forgiveness and a way back into Heaven. Its main character is a kick-butt female trying to understand and reconnect with humankind, and it's non-stop action.

The Good Tidings: Here's wishing everyone out there a great holiday season and a Merry Christmas! As we set aside our differences during this time of year, my hope is that each and every one of us decides to leave those differences aside permanently. Wherever you are, whatever you believe, may you find peace, happiness, health, and a season filled with love and light. May you also always be warm, have a good meal to fill your belly, and a loving hand to hold.

Yvonne

Turkey Day!

2009-11-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. No matter where you are in the world, I hope you're happy, healthy, your belly is pleasantly full, and you're with people you love.

Off to TusCon 36!

2009-11-13T11:05:00.002-07:00

Where The Husband -- Weston Ochse -- is Guest of Honor! We expect to have a fine and fun time, and hope to see everyone there. Check out his LJ link above for his schedule. Here's mine:

Saturday @ 5:00 - Psychological Horror vs. Viscera. Knowles, McMillan, Ochse, Navarro. (St. Augustine Room)

Sunday @ 10:00 - How to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse. Ochse, Edwards, Navarro, Bryant, Billick. (Gold Ballroom)

Sunday @ 3:00 - Creative Partners who live and/or work together. Hammer, Simner, Ochse, Navarro, Shetterly, Bull. (St Augustine Room)

Short and sweet, so I can hang around The Husband all weekend and bask in his Guest of Honorness. :-)

What's Up, World?

2009-11-08T09:02:00.003-07:00

Nope, haven't forgotten about Blogger-land. Just busy busy busy, and something has to give. That something has to be computer time, because I'm finally realizing that if you let it, the Internet will take over your freaking LIFE and you won't get anything else accomplished. It's like electronic crack, and guess what? I ain't buying. :)

So, a post once in awhile. Right now I'm unsupervised as The Husband is TDY -- Temporary Duty (elsewhere). Yee ha! To keep me busy I have a geology test on Monday and painting classes going on, in addition to the writing. Plus my company was bought out by a HUGE corporation, and we're just now starting to see the effects of it. This is going to involve some pain in my position, because I fairly certain I'm going to get stuck with making sure everyone else does what they're supposed to do. Nope, not happy about that, not at all.

But life goes on. In the meantime...

I'm waiting for news. Keep your fingers crossed. :)

Cheerio!

von

Ghost & Her Shot at Fame! (or maybe a new bed pad)

2009-10-13T23:01:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone!

We got word that our beloved blue-eyed girl, Ghost, is one of the contestants in Kuranda's Dog of the Week contest. If she wins, she gets a nifty, soft pad to go on top of her bed. If you have a few seconds, please go on over and vote for our sweet little deaf girl!

http://kuranda.com/blog/dog-of-the-week/

Thank you. :)

Von, Wes, Ghost, Goblin,
Edwina Alan Poe & BirdZilla

HIGHBORN!

2009-09-01T20:03:00.000-07:00

is officially FINISHED. 100,649 words. Now it's off to the agent with the full outline and proposals for two follow-up books. Fingers crossed!

HIGHBORN..!

2009-08-03T17:30:00.002-07:00

... is officially finished in first draft as of yesterday, August 2nd. Now to the read-through. Ta-Da!

Fun Stuff on Amazon -- My Recs

2009-06-30T18:15:00.001-07:00

BLAZE OF GLORY!

2009-06-21T10:08:00.001-07:00

The Husband's new novel, Blaze of Glory, went up for pre-order this morning. It has a fantastic vintage-type cover, and it's going fast. It's called BLAZE OF GLORY.

A Few Words for My Fav Guy!

2009-06-20T11:13:00.002-07:00

Today is The Husband's (westonochse) Birthday. I love him lots and here's a few words Of The Day to roll around in his head, courtesy of Neil Himself:

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.
I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who
thinks you're wonderful, and don't to forget make some art --
write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can.
And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.
-Neil Gaiman, 2001

I've Been Quoted!

2009-05-23T17:58:00.001-07:00

And right smackity at the beginning, too!

http://bit.ly/oW8c4

Question: Anyone reading this? There've been zip for comments, and frankly, I'm considering letting this blog go dead. If no one's reading it anyway, why waste time that I could spend writing?

2009-05-06T19:44:00.001-07:00

Okay, for those folks who couldn't get over to see the paper (and those I sent the pdf to but it was wonky or something), here it is... ta da!

My birthday yesterday was pretty good, except at the end, when The Husband's () PT Cruiser, which he was driving on the way home, shredded its timing belt, which then destroyed the engine. I'm not kidding. I'm not exaggerating. But we had it towed and then went to dinner anyway, and left the stressing out about this particular Very Dead Car for today. (And boy, are we good at that stressing out part.)

Goblin's on the Front Page of the Sunday Paper!

2009-05-03T09:43:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's true. Our Goblin became famous in the Army-sponsored Mutt March yesterday morning:

The Sierra Vista Herald - Sunday May 3, 2009

(He is not scared. No, he's not. He's a big, tough, 140-pound Great Dane and he is NOT scared of that lamb. Really.)

I'm posting the pdf because the paper image will change with the next issue, and they didn't put the same stuff n the website. The website url is www.svherald.com.

Later yesterday, The Evil Husband () and a bunch of friends from work COMPLETELY fooled me into thinking I was going to a small party for some folks up from Tucson at friend Scott's house. When we walked in, The Husband suddenly shoves me in front of him and pushes me forward (picture him hiding from a sniper and using me as a shield). I stumble into the kitchen and everyone yells "SURPRISE!!!" at the top of their lungs.

Early birthday party. I cannot believe I completely, utterly, without-any-reservations fell for the story they fed me all week long. Sheesh.

Cake. Presents. Friends. Family. White Zin. Three Jello shots (yes, 3). Watermelon shot (just one -- wowza.). Some kind of store-bought spinach dip that was incredibly yummy for some reason. Crunchy potatoes, burgers, sausages, chips, dips, veggies.

Gosh. The Evil Husband and those guys are just great, aren't they? :)

Remembering Lily - January 14, 2003 - May 1, 2006

2009-05-01T09:02:00.000-07:00

"The Fifth Season"

Walk with me a little while.

We will walk together in Spring, with new life bursting around us.

Summertime, side by side we will lie in the sun together, our hearts warm with the good company of best friends.

We will traverse fields in Autumn, with golden leaves soft under our feet, brisk wind at our backs.

Winter brings us to the cozy hearth, dozing by the fire, flickers of embers reflected in our eyes.

There is a fifth season, unnamed, unfathomable, when the leash must be hung on the wall, no longer making the visible connection we have to one another.

Yet the invisible one remains.

Always I will be a part of you as you are of me.

My friend, my heart, my Great Dane.

(March 23, 2004) --Lyn Hamer Cook

The Meter of Progress Moves Slowly...

2009-04-26T07:08:00.001-07:00

Last look at the meter was 11/19, when it was 66666 words. Really.

-- and --

I did this Personality Report awhile ago and meant to post it. It's way past time, or I'll forget forever.
It's fun and very visual, with pictures of all the things in the world I find yummy and must-have. When
it first came out, it had the code to embed so you could see the images on LJ. Now, alas, you must
follow the link. That's what I get for procrastinating!

Gawd. Pteradactyls flying around outside. They're common on Sunday mornings, you know.
(Note to Self: Remember umbrella if going outside.)

Double Stuff

2009-04-20T19:43:00.002-07:00

First, a posting for The Husband, who did a (slightly risque) interview with Metal Crypt on April 20th. You can listen to it for free right here, but you might want to watch your tender ears. His Famousness is Global-Galavanting in Romania right now, but still checking his email and whatnot. I'm sure he'd love to see some comments.

From Me: Once again I am going to walk in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. This takes place on May 8th, and of course, our Relay is in our little part of the Arizona world, in Veterans' Memorial Park in Sierra Vista. I'm dedicating this year's efforts to our LJ friend Richard, who died from a brain tumor in the wee hours of the morning on March 7, 2007. Richard was younger than I am, and while I never knew him personally, I also haven't forgotten him. Please support me if you can spare a little. Everything helps, even just a dollar. the "just a dollar"s all add up to Effort with a capital "E." My page (where you can see a neato picture of me with a ginormous snake wrapped around me -- I'm not kidding) is right HERE.

Thanks for reading this!

//von//

Hey, Say, 18 Today

2009-04-04T15:35:00.002-07:00

Okay, not precisely today, but on Thursday, which was when my pretty little stepdaughter, Alex, turned 18. The Husband posted a picture on his LJ of her on her way to her Senior Prom last Saturday. This is when life shifts into second gear and the time really starts flying fast. I think the saying "It's all downhill from here" has more to do with the speed at which time passes rather than what happens being good or bad.

Let's see. Life goes on, work goes on, HIGHBORN is still not finished. The Husband has been traveling a lot, but there's been a lot of prep work happening for the prom and the Turning Of Age 18 rather than writing. In fact, we currently have a dozen or more giggling teenagers downstairs having the actual party celebration thereof. The Husband and I are confined to the upstairs, with the dogs. Such is what our life has come to... Gone to the Dawgs. ::grin::

The Tucson Festival of Books was lots of fun, notwithstanding the utterly useless campus map on the U of A website. I ask you: What possible good is a pdf map that is 60 INCHES WIDE? It's not like you can print it out and take it with you to find your way around the place. Sheesh.

Thumb Surgery Today

2009-02-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

We said our final goodbyes to Nick yesterday at a Military Honors funeral at the Old Post Cemetery on Fort Huachuca. It was a little windy but the sun was out, low 60s, and a beautiful day as a result. Full six-gun salute, folding and presenting of the flag. Lots of people turned out, and if there's a place to be buried in the desert, this was it. Higher up in the Huachucas, the Old Post Cemetery has lots of trees, animals (including bears and mountain lions), and beautiful, restful views all around. And sadly, lots of company.

I have thumb surgery at 10:45 today, where for some reason, they've decided to go with a general anesthetic. No one likes general anesthesia-- there's too much unpredictability about it. Remember Oliva Goldsmith, best-selling author of the First Wives' Club, in the prime of her life and career? She had a minor plastic surgery procedure... and died on the table. I also remember my friend Dorothy Harrington, who in the mid-90s, went under for a biopsy on a tumor in her brain and never woke up. Yes, I'm having morbid thoughts, which aren't helped by all the morbid dreams I had last night. So.

And of course, since I can't have any, I want a big glass of ice water!

Farewell to Nick...

2009-02-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

Another friend went to eternity very early yesterday morning. Nicholas Paraskevas was a coworker, and one of the nicest people with whom I've ever had the honor of working. He was easy-going, pleasant, unfailingly honest, and spoke with a heavy Mexican accent... but would insist it was you who had the accent, not him. I worked with him for the last six years, and The Husband (

westonochse

) knew him for over twenty, having first encountered him in one of the military courses on Fort Huachuca, where Nick was the instructor and The Husband was the brand new student. The students where we currently work always remembered him and were impressed by how much they learned from him. If you asked him (in English or in Spanish) how he was, he would always answer (in English or Spanish), "I don't know." But occasionally, you could catch him off guard and he'd say "Good!" He always had a smile, and he was always friendly. His leaving took everyone by surprise, and he was only 6 years older than me. This is not the best photo of him, but it's the only one I have on the computer at home. It's cropped from a larger one taken in December 2006.

Sleep well, Nick. We really, really miss you.

Dinner Time at the Mansion (or How to Sing for Your Supper)

2009-02-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Who needs words when you can have music?

Judged and Found Wanting...

2009-01-25T11:04:00.002-07:00

Well, we're back from Naples (yes, Italy) and the household has returned to normal (as normal as it gets around here, anyway) in less than two days. The trip to Italy was iffy right up until 2 or 3 days beforehand, so I never posted about it; then, when the threat of cancellation finally went away, it was coming up too fast for me to do anything but scramble to pack, get mondo important stuff done at work, finish some deadlined writing, take care of dogs, birds, teenager issues, on and on and on.

The Italy Trip - 5 Days in January 2009
A Retrospect from Von's POV

Naples was interesting as far as culture and people, but redundant after Day 2. We got to go to the Naples underground, which was originally tunnels and cisterns built thousands of years ago by the Greeks. Eventually drained because of cholera contamination then filled with debris, the debris was compressed and the tunnels used as hiding places during WWII. The National Museum is filled with ancient wonders, statues carved by masters in times BC that a person can walk right up to and touch. We saw Castle Nuovo and lots of medieval churches. The architecture is just jaw-dropping. I loved the old buildings, but in my opinion the Italians don't appreciate what's right under their noses. They've let the city get overrun with graffiti and people drop trash right on the sidewalks. All their storefronts (the stores are in every building, no matter how old) start with pull down metal doors; the result is a city that looks like its first level is nothing but garages (and again, most are covered with graffiti). The graffiti is literally EVERYwhere, even on churches. It's a shame. They should live in a town with developer housing and that celebrated it's 50th anniversary a couple of years ago. Then perhaps they would look at their stunning, ancient buildings with a new perspective. When I was a teenager in Chicago, a local ordinance was enacted and suddenly you had to be 18 to buy a can of spraypaint, and yes, IDs were checked even by the hardware stores. Something like this would do wonders over there. The food was good but not varied, but the people are pretty danged healthy-- they consume very little fried food or red meat. There's a lesson to be learned in that while in this million-plus person city, we saw only two or three people who could be considered even "chunky." One thing to note: while in Italy, do NOT try Chinese food, even if it is the only place open late on a weeknight, your spouse is ill, it's raining, and you're desperate. I swear to you: it's better to just go hungry.

Back Here on Arizona Soil

It's warming up a bit, no longer in the freezing zone at night. On the good front, before leaving for Italy I was invited to submit to an anthology if I could do it quickly. The Husband ( ) helped me to come up with a fast idea and then I ran with it. The story was done, submitted, and accepted in three weeks. On the many airplane rides I finished the first draft of another story I've been plucking at for quite some time. Once that's edited (which won't take long -- I'm much faster at that) I can turn my attention fully to HIGHBORN. And I'd better, because my agent emailed and says he's going to start submitting it next week. Chop chop to My Ownself now!

And Finally...

On a less happier front, earlier in the month we applied to adopt another special needs Great Dane, a sweet-faced female named Annie. After much emailing back and forth and references and answering questions, I was told it came down to between us and one other family (in Florida). I felt we were the better choice and could give her the extra attention and training she would need, because the other applicant had 8 dogs and 3 kids already. In the end, however, I discovered via Petfinder that Annie has been adopted, and since the rescue organization's last email to me was on January 14th (and I checked in regularly since then), I have to assume Annie went to the other family. Logic tells me this choice was based on distance-- Florida is much closer to the organization than is Arizona, and one of the major dog-related references I gave said he was never contacted. I know that people often shy away from giving bad news, but without an email from the rescue organization, my heart wonders if for some reason we were judged as potential parents and somehow found wanting. :(

Lily...

2009-01-14T19:34:00.002-07:00

... would have been six years old today. :(

There is an Indian legend which says when a human dies there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of that bridge waits every animal that human encountered during their lifetime. The animals, based upon what they know of this person, decide which humans may cross the bridge.... and which are turned away..." Unknown

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- unknown --

Women Get Another Chance for Equal Pay... Be Heard by January 8th!

2009-01-06T21:13:00.001-07:00

Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, listen up:

If you are a woman, open your mouth via your keyboard and be heard on the issue of being equally paid for equal work. Do NOT wait. The new session of Congress is ready to listen NOW -- this chance will disappear all too quickly, literally in a matter of a couple of days. If you care about a woman-- a friend, a lover, a wife, a sister, a mother, a daughter, use the link below to SPEAK UP on her behalf. This is a land founded on justice and equality. Let's show our government that we mean to have them enforce those principals.

Go to http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/support_ledbetter/?r=2556&id=2087-1843603-xkWKcfx&amp=&amp= (the CREDO Action site) and put your name on this petition. It takes literally about 30 seconds. Spread the word. We are intelligent people. We know what is right. We know what is fair. Let's stop putting it off and making excuses and DO SOMETHING TO MAKE EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK A REALITY in this great country.

All the wonderful women in the world and in your life, who work so hard each and every day by your side and out of sight, will thank you.

The First of 2009

2009-01-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, the holiday season, work and family matters got me good at the end of 2008. I had a huge party to arrange at work, so that added a bunch to the shopping, wrapping, travel, family stuff, etc. The good news was that the party was a big success, and Christmas around here was also a big success. Some great gifts, including an Alphasmart NEO, which is going to be my way of getting back to undistracted basics in writing when I travel and sometimes when I'm not. I did not finish the novel as planned, so I have lots to do-- 2 stories plus the novel. There was an extension on one story, but the other is due mid-January, and of course, I had promised my agent I'd have HIGHBORN finished by the end of the year. Now, unfortunately, all the great time I had off from work is just about gone. All in all, a good holiday season, although it was capped by sadness at the end.

Nora Peterson
1/31/1917 - 12/30/2008
Rest In Peace

Nora, with Von
Christmas Day, 2008

My cousin (my grandmother's sister's daughter), Nora, passed away peacefully in her sleep sometime during the early morning hours of December 30th. I had hoped she would make it into 2009 and see her 92nd birthday on the 31st, but Fate apparently decreed otherwise. She was a feisty little lady who was victimized terribly by Alzheimer's at the end of her life. It's difficult because there just aren't that many people left in my family, especially on my mother's side. My mother should have lived as long as Nora and the other women in my family, but heavy smoking changed that. Anyway, I'll miss her.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T20:45:00.002-07:00

"It's 8:35 pm on Xmas Eve and our cards are still unopened on the counter. Oops. So please visit www.westonochse.com/Xmas2008.html for an interim virtual one.

Have a merry, happy, healthy and safe holiday!

Schtuff

2008-12-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Not much going on... yet. Holiday Chaos looms just around the corner, I'm sure. For now, The Husband () and I are trying to remain calm. One fun thing we're doing is participating in a Sierra Vista Chili Cook-Off tomorrow, as judges. Hey, they tell us to show up, we don't have to bring or sell any books, we don't have to dress up, and they feed us samples of about twenty different homemade chili? For free? Sounds like a plan to me! If you're local, this fab event takes place in the K-Mart parking lot at 3:00 p.m. (Yes, I know how small-town that sounds. It's cool.) After the cook-off comes the Holiday Parade, which starts at 5:30. That may be when the Chaos actually starts. I'm not sure.

If you're looking for an affordable copy of AfterAge, the paperback version is on eBay here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400007513844. For the very reasonable total of $4.99 you get my firstborn vampire novel. Price includes shipping, by the way. I don't know the seller but that sounds like a deal to me. It's nearing the end of its auction time (I kept meaning to get it up here, but y'all know how that goes.)

Awhile back I did an interview via email with a guy named Nicolas Fleurier from a French magazine called Neverland - Revue sur les produits derives et la culture populaire. Even I can figure out what that says. We talked at length about Species and Species II, and I even got my color picture in there. Pretty fun.

We took the dogs to the Mall on Pet Night and got their picture taken with Santa. Goblin sat on the chair next to him, while Ghost settled at his feet. Alas, Santa looks pretty darned terrified in the photograph. "Sure, boss. I can do pet night. How bad can it be?"

And for the first time in years, I have a new cell phone. It's pink. Very girly.

TGIF!

Post Turkey and General Ketchup... er, Catch-Up

2008-11-29T15:20:00.001-07:00

The cooking/cleaning/scramble is finished. What we had:

Turkey (we found a fabulous recipe several years ago that allows us to cook a 19 pound turkey in 3 hours (yes, 3) and come out just fab)
Ham topped with Cherries (by the MIL, who does it most excellently)
Artichoke & Parmesan dressing
Pumpernickel & turnip dressing
Gluten-free dressing for Alex
Cherry Tomato-Lemon salad
Mashed 'taters made with buttermilk
Brussel sprouts w/toasted pecans
Cranberry celebration (fancy cranberry sauce a la Fry's Food Store, only thing store-bought)
Deviled Eggs (my famous recipe)
Celery stuffed with Pimento Cheese
Sliced French Bread (whoops -- that was another store-bought [bakery] item)
Gluten-free pumpkin pie for Alex
Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake Pie (came out better than I expected)
Cranberry Walnut Cake

We were, and are, very grateful for the lives we lead and the good company of family and friends. In addition to all that goodness, we stuck a single candle in the cake and sang Happy (79th) Birthday to my Dad.

I have, for the most part, caught up on the huge backload of work dumped on me last June at the office. Hopefully things go back into the realm of I-can-breathe again, and I'll have time to, say, work out once in awhile (thereby feeling better physically), use other lunchtimes to work on personal writing, etc. projects, and come home on time for a change. Coming home on time will mean I will ultimately be able to keep caught up here and get back on track with HIGHBORN, which has progressed a bit but not at the pace I want it to. I would like to have the first draft of it finished by the end of the year. That's my Big Goal.

Disabled Fan Selling Buffy Collector's Items

2008-11-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. These are not my items and I do not know the person involved, but this situation was passed along to me by major Buffy fan Tim Cox, who runs a number of Buffy-related sites. I'm late in posting this, so most of the auctions end tomorrow. If you think there's something in which you might be interested, I strongly suggest you take a look right away. If you have fans in your life, there are some potentially great holiday gifts here. If you have people in your life who might buy you holiday gifts... there are some potentially great holiday gifts here! ::grin::

The auctions are on eBay at http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZbethodegar.

Disabled Whedon Fan forced to put her "Life" on Ebay. Some very rare items, including a Swiss Army Watch that Joss gave to BtVS crew at the Wrap Party and a number of signed items!

Ebay links are in the article link. The items are linked in the following order:

BtVS Swiss Army Wrap Party Crew Watch

BtVS Slideshow Limited Edition 12-inch The Master

Angel Time & Space Exclusive House Always Wins Lorne

(not Whedon) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (rare cover I think)

Angel Smile Time Prop Replica Vampire Puppet

Essence of Spike Statue, Limited Edition!!!

BtVS Gem of Amara Ring

Time & Space Toys Angel issue 3 Signed Exclusive Cover! Signed by Artists Franco Urro and Stephen Mooney!

Serenity Issue #1 Signed by Nathan Fillion!!

(non-Whedon) Used Flute

Feigenbaum the Bunny Plush Prop Replica from Angel

(non-Whedon) Harry Potter 1-7 Boxed Set

(non-Whedon) 100th Anniversary Teddy Roosevelt Teddy Bear with Book

BtVS Summers' Family Album with all 3 figures!

Muhahahahahaha!!!

2008-11-11T16:11:00.001-07:00

And at page 296 of HIGHBORN, I present you with:

(Nope, I am not kidding.)

Thank You...

2008-11-11T09:50:00.001-07:00

...to all the men and women of this great country who have served in the armed forces. Thank you for laying your lives on the line for me, and for fighting for and keeping my freedom, and all the wonderful and precious things that go with it. Our country may not be perfect-- whose is?-- but it tries, and I believe that it's the best in the world. I am a woman and I have the right to walk down the street without fear. I have the right to vote. I have the right to publicly express my opinion, even if it differs from the people who actually run my country... and I can do so without getting arrested, tortured or shot. If I fall on hard times, my country's social services will at least try to take care of me. Those are just a fraction of the privileges and freedoms I have.

To all the brave soldiers, male and female, who have fought and been injured or fought and died on my behalf, to my relatives, to my friends, to my Dad, and to The Husband ()-- to all of you who have served in the military to keep me free, I love you and I appreciate you and I thank you with everything I have. This is your day to be appreciated, and you rock!

HAPPY
VETERANS' DAY!

TusCon Tomorrow!

2008-11-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

The Husband () and I are TusCon bound tomorrow, and as usual, I'm overrun with things to do and posting my schedule late late late. We'll have a Dusty Stacks table in the dealers' room, with the equivalent of a fire sale-- it's time to sell off as much of the books and figurines inventory as possible. I have too much going on ethics-wise to join the ranks of the Internet "booksellers" on eBay, Abebooks, and the like. You know the ones-- they aren't legit booksellers, but people who sell "guaranteed" books for one cent (yes, ONE CENT), or even a quarter, and then charge $6.95 or $8.95 for shipping and handling. If you don't like your book, which may very well arrive bent, moldy, ripped, waterstained or worse, they'll be happy to refund your quarter, but S&H charges aren't refundable. Anyway, I can't compete (and the darned postage is no longer affordable anyway) and what the heck-- we're moving toward downsizing anyway. So look for $1.00 hardbacks, $3.00 signed books, fifty cent paperbacks, $1.00 DVDs, $2.00 t-shirts, and cut-rate prices on the figurines. The holiday season is coming and there's some stuff here that would make great gifts.

My TusCon Schedule:

Friday

5:00 - What is urban fantasy today? Where did it start? How has
it evolved? Panel Participants: Pamela Lloyd, Jill Knowles, Yvonne Navarro, Lee Simner

7:00 - Meet the Guests

Saturday

8:00 - Blurring Genre lines - Is it mystery? Horror? Romance? Historical fiction? Suspense? What are readers (and editors) looking for in each? If you read it, where do you find it, and if you write it, how do you sell it? Panel Participants: Ed Bryant, Will Shetterly, Dennis
McKiernan, Yvonne Navarro

Sunday

12:00 - Story vs. Craft - what's most important? And what the hell is Voice? Panel Participants: Emma Bull, Dennis McKiernan, Yvonne Navarro, Lee Simner

I have to caveat that 5:00 Friday panel -- I'm not sure I'll make it. The teenager doesn't get out of school until 2:30, and we may not be able to leave the house TusCon-bound until 3:30 or 4:00. Alas it's 80 miles away, so only if we had wings. My fault -- I did not take into account a school day; at the time, we weren't sure she was coming along. Anyway, hope to see everyone there!

YAY FOR AMERICA!!!

2008-11-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE, SENATOR OBAMA... AND CONGRATULATIONS,
MR. PRESIDENT!

Von's Last Thoughts for Those Who Have Not Voted Yet Today

2008-11-04T17:59:00.001-07:00

First and foremost, the following is my opinion. I have the right to express it, and I will. This is the United States of America and a lot of brave soldiers have died over many, many centuries so that I, and others, can have this right. I work for the government, I work on an Army Post, and I see soldiers every day who are still willing to do just that. Voting is not a duty. It is not even a right -- at least to my mind. It is a PRIVILEGE. Use it to have a say in your future, and in the future of those who can't vote for themselves -- your children, the elderly, and others.

Those of you who read my journal know my opinion of John McCain. If not, please take a moment to read it here. I believe to my soul that a man who can justify to himself and to the public that it is fair and right to impose inequality on one group of people for ANY reason, be it gender, race, religion, relationship preference, age or whatEVER, will never think twice about doing the same thing to all other groups of peoples he considers to be, for reasons he will keep only to himself, lesser than him. To put it bluntly, and repeat myself in simpler terms, if John McCain believes women are not equal to men, then subconsciously he is just as biased about about other groups. He will never admit this publicly because it would be political suicide. Inequality is inequality, in ANY form.

If you have not yet voted, I beg you to get out there and exercise your privilege. I hope you will do it wisely. I hope you will vote for fairness and equality and change, and help move this country into a new, positive and prosperous era.

A Message for all my Sisters in the United States of America

2008-10-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I received an email about women and voting. After some thought, I've taken that email and modified it to reflect my own thoughts. Read the following, please. It is a bit different from the email making the rounds.

These few paragraphs retell a story about our grandmothers and great-grandmothers. It was not until 1920 that women were granted the right to go to the polls and vote. The women of which I speak were innocent and defenseless, but they were jailed nonetheless for picketing the White House, carrying signs asking for the vote.

And by the end of the night, they were barely alive.

Forty prison guards wielding clubs and with their warden's blessing went on a rampage against 33 women convicted, for lack of a better charge, of 'obstructing sidewalk traffic.'

They beat Lucy Burns, chained her hands to the cell bars above her head and left her hanging for the night, bleeding and gasping for air.

They hurled Dora Lewis into a dark cell, smashed her head against an iron bed and knocked her out cold. Her cellmate, Alice Cosu, thought Lewis was dead and suffered a heart attack. Additional affidavits describe the guards grabbing, dragging, beating, choking, slamming, pinching, twisting and kicking the women. Realistically, it's not hard to imagine the things that were left unsaid in those same affidavits.

Thus unfolded the 'Night of Terror' on November 15, 1917, when the warden at the Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia ordered his guards to teach a lesson to the suffragists imprisoned there because they dared to picket Woodrow Wilson's White House for the right to vote.

For weeks, the women's only water came from an open pail. Their food-- all of it colorless slop-- was infested with worms. When one of the leaders, Alice Paul, embarked on a hunger strike, they tied her to a chair, forced a tube down her throat and poured liquid into her until she vomited. She was tortured like this for weeks until word was smuggled out to the press.

So, tell me again, why some women won't vote this year. Because we have car pool duties? We have to get to work? Our lunch hour isn't long enough and we have other errands to run? Our vote doesn't matter? It's raining?

If you get the chance, watch HBO's new movie 'Iron Jawed Angels.' It is a graphic depiction of the battle these women waged so that each and every woman in America can pull the curtain at the polling booth and have her say. Listen as Woodrow Wilson and his cronies try to persuade a psychiatrist to declare Alice Paul insane so that she
could be permanently institutionalized. And be inspired when the doctor refuses. Alice Paul was strong, he said, and brave. That didn't make her crazy. "Courage in women is often mistaken for insanity," said the doctor. Do we need this film to remind us of the value of voting? Of the cost? Sadly, yes.

Don't ever let the act of voting become something impersonal, something you take for granted. It is not an obligation. It is a privilege. Treat it like one. Treasure the fact that you can vote, revel in your American freedom. 91 years ago, the women in the United States did not have that right, and now we do. When you assume this is the way it should be, or when you think that taking the time to vote is inconvenient, look at the women today, right NOW, in the Middle Eastern countries, in Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq. Then look at us. Be grateful, and use that right well.

Do not make what our foremothers suffered be in vain. Honor them, honor yourselves, and honor your daughters by going out next Tuesday and casting your vote. Because while this is, indeed, the story of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers, ultimately, this is the story of US.

Both photographs courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. The first photo is of Alice Paul, circa 1901. The second is of Lucy Burns during her imprisonment in the Occoquan Workhouse, November 1917.

The Things Humanity does to Humanity

2008-10-27T20:19:00.003-07:00

This found its way into my email this morning, and it is not an Internet Rumor. Those in the comics industry may recognize Michelle's name.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Please Help a Mother Recover Her Child's Body

This is no internet rumor. I know the people involved, and the tragedy is real.

There is a paypal account near the bottom for donations.

Please pass this along to those who might care to help.

Thanks for reading.

-- Steve Sullivan

*

To our friends --

Please pass this around and help if you can --

Our closest friends have heard of MICHELLE CALANOG PRINCIPE.

But you haven't heard the rest of it:

Michelle works in the comics industry abroad and is quite involved in many of the comics being published. She manages Glass House Graphics Asia and Studio Sakka, a creative agency and manga studio, respectively, coaching and guiding dozens of artists and colorists across the Philippines, Japan, Hong Kong, and even India. What's more, she oversees bunches of free seminars each year, bringing in experienced talent to teach hopeful young artsts about the comics biz.

Among her talent roster: Bong (Star Wars) Dazo; Carlo (Hulk) Pagulayan; Stephen (Wolverine: Manifest Destiny) Segovia; Lui (New Terminator) Antonio; Noah (Red Sonja) Salonga; Patrick (Avengers/Invaders) Berkenkotter; Harvey (Avengers: The Initiative) Tolibao; Jonathan (Battlestar Galactica) Lau; Anthony (Bratz) Tan; Wilson (Wolverine Manga) Tortosa, Tina (Space Ace) Francisco, and plenty of colorists for Marvel, Dark Horse, Dynamite, Dabel Bros., and so on.

She's also been a comic book character. Michelle is the sister of Jinky Coronado (artist of TokyoPop's Avalon High series and writer/artist of her own series Banzai Girls). Michelle has been a character in every issue of Jinky's comic book. And the two of them even appeared together in FHM Philippines. So Michelle's overall ties to the comics industry go pretty deep.

Married at the beginning of the year to her college sweetheart Rhene Principe, Michelle had a baby exactly one month ago. That should be cause for celebration, and it was. But within 12 hours of taking home newborn Reinee, Michelle found him not feeding and unresponsive. Back at the hospital, doctors discovered what they thought were blood clots in his brain. A catscan and surgery further revealed them to be inoperable deposits of calcification in his brain. Soon they also learned the baby had multiple hernias -- intestines pushing through muscle walls -- and areas of bowel that were not processing food. Young Reinee went through four weeks of painful surgeries, spending nearly every day in ICU.

Born September 26, 2008, Reinee Jaden Principe died today, October 26, 2008. But every mother's worst nightmare HASN'T ENDED.

Although Michelle and her husband emptied their savings account on hospital expenses, and Glass House's head honcho David Campiti and Jinky Coronado (they are married) have each donated thousands of dollars toward Reinee's medical expenses, the hospital wlll not release Reinee's body to Michelle for burial until she pays the remaining $9,000.00+ in medical costs.

What's more, they now have funeral expenses to worry about.

Jinky is trying to help her sister to raise the remaining money. Help from anyone -- a dime, a dollar, $10, whatever -- is greatly needed in a hurry, and appreciated. Michelle and Rhene need to bring some closure to their heartbreaking situation and, literally, put him to rest.

She has set up a PayPal donation Email specifically for this -- banzaigirlmc@gmail.com

For any generous individuals donating $1,000.00 or more, Jinky will illustrate and personalize a custom cover-quality illustration of whatever characters they want.

Your help for Michelle and her family is appreciated.

-- David

2008-10-26T10:04:00.003-07:00

Yesterday book signing went well. Two people from where I work dropped by, Dad, the in-laws, and friend Jen. The Husband (Weston Ochse) had a lot of friends and coworkers come by and sold a number of books. Always a good thing as it makes the bookstore want to bring him back. They didn't get any of my books in, so I brought my own and, a bit to their chagrin, sold them myself after getting the mall manager's permission. Sold 10 or 12, so it was worthwhile. The store manager (who wasn't there yesterday) is talking about a multi-author signing on the day after Thanksgiving, which is a huge shopping day. We think that's a great idea. We'll see if it pans out.

Something I got from quietspaces's LJ and thought was fun:

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...

Linguistic

41% Logical, 45% Spatial, 51% Linguistic, 31% Intrapersonal, 14% Interpersonal, 6%
Musical, 25% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 31% Naturalistic!

"Verbal-linguistic intelligence has to do with words, spoken or written. People with verbal-linguistic intelligence display a facility with words and languages. They are
typically good at reading, writing, telling stories and memorizing words and dates. They tend to learn best by reading, taking notes, listening to lectures, and via discussion and debate. They are
also frequently skilled at explaining, teaching and oration or persuasive speaking. Those with verbal-linguistic intelligence learn foreign languages very easily as they have high verbal memory and
recall, and an ability to understand and manipulate syntax and structure.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include writers, lawyers, philosophers, journalists, politicians and
teachers." (Wikipedia)

Take Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test

Personal Comment:

I just have to point that people with good memories are cursed, because when they remind people of stuff, they get labeled as nags, and that really bites.

Goblin is in kind of a kissy mood today. Who stole my grumpy old Great Dane? :)

Book Signing Today!

2008-10-25T10:00:00.001-07:00

The Husband (Weston Ochse) and I will be doing a book signing today at The Mall in Sierra Vista on Highway 92. The fun starts at 1:00 p.m. and continues until 4:00 p.m., hosted by the B. Dalton Bookstore. We'll have books, personality (at least some people claim we do), and Smarties to entice people to stop at the table.

Anyone reading this thing???