Quick Fixes, Tours, Trees, and (of course) a Camel

Guess what!?

I haz QUICK FIX galleys!

Notice at the top it says "Advance Uncorrected Proof." That means it still has some typos. There are even at least two that aren't my fault, I swear! Because while I do make mistakes, and plenty of them, I don't make those kind of mistakes.* So if you read this version, please cut me some slack.

I held a little contest over on my FB page, and gave away one copy. I'm going to hold another contest here on my blog, too, in a few weeks. The blog QUICK FIX Warts-n-All (because, yanno, typos) Contest will even be open internationally. So stay tuned!

For those of you who feel like the odds are against winning a contest, but would still like the chance to read QUICK FIX way early, it's...

ARC TOUR Time! It's like Hammer Time, but without the parachute pants. ;) (If you don't know what I'm referring to, you may consider yourself officially young.)

Remember when we did this for IN A FIX? I loved that! Everyone who read the ARC signed it before sending it on to the next person on the list, and I wound up with it at the end of the tour. It's one of my most prized possessions. :)

The exceedingly BADASS (by which I mean "nice," but she doesn't like being called nice) Karla Nellenbach has very kindly...um, I mean bad-assedly...volunteered to handle the tour for me again.

It worked so well the way we did it last time, I figure we'll just rerun it:

1. If you'd like to read the ARC, it will be mailed to you. (If you happen to live in the US, that is. Out of US-ers, stay tuned. I'm hoping an e-version will be available on NetGalley.)

2. When you're finished (Maybe taking no more than a week? Don't worry--it's a fast read), you send it to the next person on the list (name and address supplied by either Karla or me via email). Please sign your name in the book, so I'll have another Really Cool souvenir when the book gets back to me!

3. Sometime in the future (a little closer to the August 20th release date), mention QUICK FIX on some social media platform, whether it's your own blog, a Goodreads review, Twitter, Facebook, or a bookselling site, like Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Just give your honest opinion of it--you're not required to blow smoke up my nether region.

That's it!

So, if you're interested in participating (and I'd LOVE it if do!), just email me at linda(dot)grimes(at)gmail(dot)com, and I'll put you on the list. First come, first serve. :)


Before I sign off, let me find you a Hump Day camel. Hmm... how about a pen-and-ink drawing, in keeping with the lack of color on the QUICK FIX proof cover?

Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. 

OH! And a question...

Um...what kind of tree are you?

A. I'm the most POPLAR tree in the woods.

B. Sometimes I can be a real BIRCH.

C. Woof. DOGWOOD all the way, but especially mornings.

D. MAPLE, because I'm so sweet I could top your pancakes.

E. HEMLOCK: I'm pure poison, baby!

F. Fill in tree of your choice.



*No, I won't say what the typos are. Trust me, you'll know them when you see them.

Camel...or Peacock?

You decide:

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Okay, so it's obviously a camel. But doesn't it look like it wants to be a peacock?

In my head, this camel has decided it wants to be be more than a camel. It wants color (i.e., creativity--if you're catching on to my symbolism here) to be a part of its life, and it it isn't afraid to display its "feathers" proudly.

Sure, they might not be exactly like the oh-so-perfect feathers of the real peacocks (i.e., the "professionals") out there, but you know what? They're beautiful all the same. Different. Unique camel feathers.

And that's what makes them special.

Further cogitation: It seems to me that a lot of new writers see themselves as camels, and other writers* (who may be a little (or a lot) farther down the Great Rocky Writing Path) as resplendent peacocks. Well, you know what? I say, if you're a camel, wear your colors proudly!

*This applies to more than writers, of course. Whatever your creative outlet, give those "feathers" your own unique twist.

Disclaimer: If this post is as wacky as I suspect, I plead drugs. No! Not that kind. Medication. Wait...not that kind, either! Oh, heck. Let's just say I did not escape the crud TG had. Woo-hoo, fun times. But I'm almost better now, so it's vaguely possible you might get an intelligible** post soon.

** I was going to say "intelligent," but that's just crazy talk. Let's not expect miracles. ;)

Happy Hump Day! Go forth and display your colors!

Oh, wait...the question. Hmm...are you a camel or a peacock (or peahen, I suppose, depending on your gender)? What makes your feathers special?***

*** Hey, I told you I was medicated... 

My Humps are Drooping

And apparently directionally challenged...

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

So last week's snowstorm wasn't as bad as predicted -- we wound up with only 5 inches instead of the predicted 8 - 12. I'm sure I don't have to tell you how disappointing 5 inches can be when you're expecting upwards of a foot.

HA! Not really. I was thrilled we (and by "we" I mean TG) only had to deal with the lesser amount. The snow blower was more than up for the job, and TG had our driveway cleared in no time. Also our sidewalks and the neighbors sidewalks. Yay, snow blower!

So why are my humps drooping? Because my poor TG is sick. :(

Though we were both dutifully vaccinated against the flu, the vaccine wasn't a great match this year, and he got hit by the flu truck. Or possibly the reeeeally bad cold truck. But considering how fast it came on, and the fever, and the body aches, and awful cough ... well, my money is on the flu. Maybe not quite as bad as a Monster Flu, so perhaps the vaccine took the edge off.

Me? I'm taking care of him while doing my level best not the breathe in any germs. (Me: "Want some chicken soup, honey? Here, catch!") I've been sleeping in the guest room so I, um, won't disturb his rest. (Okay, okay...perhaps there's a slightly less altruistic reason, too. But, hey, if I don't stay well, how can I toss soup at lovingly take care of my dearest?)

And I'm in the middle of a painstakingly careful proof-read of the first pass pages (where it looks all typeset and officially like a real book -- YAY!) of Quick Fix. Which I'm trying desperately to finish before any of those tricky germs slip by my defenses and lay me low.

But I'm very excited to see this on my computer screen:

If you can't read that second page, it says:

Tor books by Linda Grimes

In a Fix
Quick Fix

I have a Books Page! As in, more than one book! (Hey, you have to celebrate the little things in this biz. Stop and smell every rose, that's my motto.)


So, are your humps droopy or perky today? (Perky, I hope.)

What roses have you stopped to sniff lately?