Oh, geez. Hump Day again already?

Who sped up the calendar? Come on, fess up. It wasn't me--hell, I've been digging my heels and trying to slow the damn thing down for weeks now--so it had to be one of you. And all I can say is...

Stop it!

Um, yeah. So things have been a bit hectic in Grimes Land. Which would be all right (or at least more exciting blogging-wise) if the stuff keeping me busy was, say, a sudden invasion of kitchen aliens to fend off

or "oh-my-gawd the zombie apocalypse is more than just an internet meme and I have to save all the brains everywhere!" 

But alas for you, my loyal readers, it is just me trying to meet various deadlines while battling the crud. Which feels kind of like the creature in that first picture is attacking my head, making me look astonishingly similar to the creatures in that second picture.

Okay, okay. It's possible I'm exaggerating for effect. I'm not that sick. But one of the perks of having a cold is getting to whine about life guilt-free for a few days, right? Right!

But you didn't come here to listen to me whine. You came here today either for a taste of my hilariously incisive wit (yeah, right...um, better luck next time) OR for a cute camel picture. Well, I can at least provide that second one:

 Oh, wait. I was going for something inspiringly "relaxed" with my camels today, but they look kind of sad, don't they? Or at least droopy.

Here, how about these:

Relaxed, yet adorably perky at the same time. And cute. Yeah, let's go with them.


So, what's your Hump Day status this week? Stressed or relaxed? Crud-ridden or healthy?  



(All photos courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Have I mentioned how much I love Wikimedia Commons?)

Don't Resist the Temptation...

... to read this book!

[DISCLAIMER: The following may appear to be shameless promotion for an author who is not only a friend of mine, but also the talented graphic artist who designed my logo. BUT this is not some sort of tit-for-tat (heh-heh, I said "tit") book-pushing garbage. I really enjoyed this book!] 

Now, I know I already told you about Tempting the Billionaire on its official launch day, but at that time I didn't have this wonderful interview with Jessica Lemmon, its fabulous author, to share with you. 

If you've already read this book, just sit back back here and enjoy getting to know Jessica better as she answers my hardball (heh-heh, I said...um, yeah) questions. 

(Okay, so they may not be hard, but I definitely had a ball reading Jessica's answers. That counts. )

But first, here's a little background on Jessica (which I totally "borrowed" from a major bookselling site), for those of you who don't know her yet:

Jessica Lemmon has always been a dreamer. At some point, she decided head-in-the-clouds thinking was childish, went out, and got herself a job . . . and then she got another one because that one was lousy. And when that one stopped being fulfilling, she went out and got another . . . and another. Soon it became apparent she'd only be truly happy doing what she loved. And since "eating potato chips" isn't a viable career, she opted to become a writer. With fire in her heart, she dusted off a book she'd started years prior, finished it, and submitted it. It may have been the worst book ever, but it didn't stop her from writing another one. Now she has several books finished, several more started, and even more marinating in her brain (which currently resides in the clouds, thankyouverymuch), and she couldn't be happier. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. (While eating potato chips.)

Jessica is an ex-meat-eater, writer, artist, dreamer, wife, and den mother to two dogs.  


On with the questions!

 1. You survived your first book launch. Any surprises, or was it pretty much what you were expecting?

It was much less fanfare than I expected. I mean, couldn’t we do a second ball drop in Times Square? It was only a week after New Year’s, I’m pretty sure they could have left the decorations up a little longer.

2. Shane August is a darn sexy man, especially when I picture him as Henry Cavill—yum! I know from reading your blog that you have a certain admiration for Henry's, um, formidable acting talent. Tell me, is your husband ever tempted to throw darts at his picture?

Isn’t Henry just the loveliest thing? I think he makes a great Shane. 

[Note from Linda: nice link!]

My (long-suffering) husband is used to men littering the house. Laptop, iPad, Pinterest, and bulletin boards... He’s a great sport about it. Probably because he doesn’t believe I’d actually run away if Henry came calling. (I would, of course, but only temporarily...)

3. I know (also from your blog) that you've gone veggie. Isn't being a vegetarian at odds with your appetite for beefcake? Has this left you feeling conflicted?

HA! Well, to my credit, a big ole hunk of man has fewer calories and cholesterol than meat.

4. Do you giggle uncontrollably while writing sex scenes, like *cough* certain authors (who shall remain nameless) are known to do?

Do you laugh? *cough*  I mean…do these “authors who remain nameless” laugh? I don’t, but I do have the passing oh-my-gosh-my-mother’s-going-to-read-this thought which is only marginalized by the and-so-is-my-father realization. *cringe*

5. I love your secondary characters, especially Aiden. Is he, by any chance, the hero of your next book? Can you tell us a little about what's in store for him (without spoilers, of course)?

Thank you! I love Aiden, too! He is the hero of Hard to Handle due out May 7, 2013.  Aiden will be dealing with hard, hard stuff. Death, divorce, and a run-in with the woman who could have been the love of his life if he hadn’t bailed on her. Through it all, Aiden is resilient and optimistic, and quite possibly the only hero who could crack through our heroine’s thick veneer….

I, for one, think these two deserve happily ever! I sure hope they find it... ;-)

Thank you for being with us today, Jessica! I wish you tons of success--you've earned it. 

If you want to find out more about Jessica and her hunky heroes, you can visit her website by clicking here. Say hi to Shane for me! *waggles eyebrows*

Sticking my nose in here to say...

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

I'm just about done with the copyedits for Quick Fix. Yay, me!

(BTW, that is not my nose. That is a camel's nose. Because it's Hump Day. Again. I've been studying this phenomenon for a while now and have finally come to the conclusion that Hump Days tend show up at one-week intervals, typically on a Wednesday.)

However, no rest for the wicked, because I have received the first pass pages* for the mass market paperback edition of In a Fix, so now I have to read that with my fine-tooth glasses on. (I know. What an awkward metaphor. But you know what I mean.)

As crazy-making as overlapping deadlines can be, I am still thrilled to see that In a Fix will be out in another (even cheaper!) printed format.

And (*drum roll*) BOTH books have been purchased by Recorded Books for audio release! How cool is that? I can't wait to actually hear them read by somebody who's not me. I'm also mildly terrified at the prospect, because what if the narrator doesn't sound anything like Ciel's voice in my head? Have any of you writers had a book recorded yet? Was it totally weird to hear a stranger read your words out loud?

Anyway, the release schedule for this year is:

June 1, 2013: In a Fix audio book.

June 4, 2013: In a Fix mass market paperback

Aug. 20, 2013: Quick Fix Trade paperback

Sept. 1, 2013: Quick Fix audio book


Okay, now I have to get back to the old grindstone...

Notice how I cleverly added the word "copyedits" to the grindstone with my mad Microsoft Paint skillz. (Ha!)

What's the word on your grindstone these days? 

Also, do you think the camel pictured above is:

(A) cute

(B) ugly

(C) ugly-cute

(D) noble, like all camels

(E) you don't give a flying flip about camels and wish Linda would find another theme for her Wednesday posts


*AKA The Last Chance for the Author to Fix Anything pages. So it's very important to read them with care.

The Laughing Camel

Wouldn't that make a great name for a pub? Maybe someday, if this writing gig doesn't work out for me...

Nah. I'm not social enough to run a pub. Better stick to making words play nicely together in stories.

Speaking of which, I got my copyedits for QUICK FIX, so I'm holing up with them today (and tomorrow, and the next day...until I'm finished). But I couldn't leave you without a camel, could I? Or a laugh. 

So today, for your viewing pleasure, a ticklish camel:



Until I saw this, I never knew camels could laugh. No wonder I like them so much.


On a tickle scale of 1 to 10, I'd say I average about a 5. (Some parts more than others.)

TG thinks he's a 4, but he's really at least a 7, especially if you know the right spots to target.

One of my kids is a 2 and the other is a solid 10. 10s are tickle-able from across the room. All you have to do is catch their eyes and wiggle a finger at them and they're helpless.

Where are you on the tickle scale? 

Ugly? Or "Differently Distinguished"?

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

You decide.

Yes, this is a sneaky way of finding out whether you're call-a-spade-a-spade person or a where's-the-harm-in-a-euphemism person.

Me? Depends on my mood. Also, whether or not I've ingested the proper amount of caffeine. Let's just say, right now that camel is one ugly mo-fo. A little later on I'll probably think it's distinguished. (Hell, catch me at cocktail hour and I might even swear it's adorable.)

How about you? 

Bonus question for writers: How about your characters? 

Happy Release Day to Jessica Lemmon!

(No, not that kind of release. Get your mind out of the gutter.)

You may remember Jessica from this post. She's the one who designed my martini-slurping chameleon logo (see above).

Well, it turns out our Jessica is literary as well as artistic! Her first book (from the Forever Yours division of the Hatchett Book Group) is being released today:

You can order it for your Kindle (or anything with Kindle software) from Amazon, and it's a bargain at $2.99!

If that cover and title (I love that title!) aren't enough to convince you, here's what the book is about:

Crickitt Day needs a job . . . any job. After her husband walks out on her, she's determined to re-build her life and establish a new career. When swoon-worthy billionaire Shane August hires her as his assistant, she jumps at the chance to prove herself. Despite her growing attraction to her boss, she vows to keep things strictly professional. No flirting. No kissing. Definitely no falling in love...

Shane August is all business, all the time. He's a self-made man who's poured his heart and soul into his company, and he'd never allow himself to get involved with an employee. Then he hires sweet, sexy Crickitt-and he can't keep his mind or his hands off her. But no matter how much he wants Crickitt, Shane fears that painful secrets from his past will always come between them. With fate working against them, can these two lonely hearts learn that sometimes mixing business with pleasure is the perfect merger?

Sounds delicious, yes? Trust me, it is. I'm reading it right now, so I know whereof I pant. ;)

Now, pardon me while I get back to that sexy billionaire. He doesn't like to be kept waiting.

Oh, wait, the mandatory end-of-post question:

What's the first thing you'd do if a billion dollars fell into your lap? 

The First Hump Day of 2013, aka Naked Camels

When I made my Happy Nude New Year's post yesterday, Delia expressed her disappointment that it contained neither nudes nor camels. Or even, yannoh, nude camels. So this one's for Delia.

Here is an example of not-nude camels:

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Note the cute little camel "skirt" and the stylish "necklace." Très chic, yes? Camels are noble creatures, and carry their clothing with dignity.


And here is an example of nude camels:

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 

Note the lack of camel attire. Naked, pure and simple. Note also the jauntiness of their steps, the general insouciance of their attitude. Yes, camels are by nature uninhibited as well as noble, and will happily parade around au naturel without regard to their audience.

There you go, Delia! Happy now? *grin*

How about the rest of you? Are you happier with or without clothing?

(Oh, wait...was that an inappropriate question? A little too personal? Um, sorry. Feel free to chastise me in the comments.)

Alternate question for the folks too inhibited modest to answer the previous question: Do you prefer your camels naked or clothed?

HAPPY NEW YEAR! (I know. Original, huh?)

I was going to go with "Happy Nude Year!," but it's really cold outside. Brrr! Besides, when I searched Images for that, I had to get out the eye bleach.

So how about we just go with this:

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

May the coming year bring you many smiles, much laughter, and few tears (unless they're the kind that come from laughing until the tears are streaming down your face).

I don't do resolutions (too tempting for me to break them with creativity and gusto), but I wish you all much success in keeping yours!

Thank you for helping to make 2012 one of the best years ever for me. You've been supportive and entertaining, and you never fail to give me a laugh when I need one. Y'all are the best. :)