I'm alive...And I love my Sony Reader

It's been a long time, I know. But I'm still on the face of the Earth, still breathing on my own, don't have any health issues (not that I know of)...I've just been super busy in the last few months.
I can't wait for my vacation, that's for sure. Less than a month to go. Yay.

Speaking of vacations, and finally landing on the subject of this post...I'll be able to bring a brick-load of books with me, without any extra luggage.
Why?

Because I finally bout an ebook reader. And because I mostly read PDFs and I find the Kindle blah in the design department (no offense, Amazon), I went out on a limb and got the new Sony Reader (PRS-700).

Ooh, I had my doubts, especially thanks to all the bad reviews you can find on the web (the bad vs. good reviews ratio is pretty well, bad).
Well, as soon as I pumped it full of yummy electric juice and started it up, those nagging little doubts went *poof*.
I turned it this way, turned it that way, turned it up, turned it down, and I was like "Where's the freaking glare? There's no freaking glare! How come there's no freaking glare?!"

Yeah, I'd like to think they made mine special and glare-free, but I don't think that's the case. Of course, I haven't tested it in the direct sunlight (it's been pretty cloudy lately), but I've read it in bed with the little nigh-stand lamp on...And, wonder of all wonders. There was no glare.

I bet the "glare" the people complaining about the "killer", "disastrous", "tremendous" etc. glare got was the stare-of-death from the sleek, sexy Sony Reader when they dared mention the word "glare" in the first place. Booya!

Anyway, the incorporated lights are great, illuminating the whole screen (killing yet another stream of complaints), the touchscreen works like magic...I haven't gotten around to the music part - I'll probably try it just for kicks, it's a digital reader after all.
But what is most important, for me at least, besides being able to carry brick-loads of books with me without the extra luggage, is the note-taking features.
Is anyone into tree-saving? No more printing to take those small notes (I love those, don't you). How cool is that?

Anyway, I love my Sony Reader, have no complaints whatsoever, I'd recommend it in a heartbeat, and...did I mention how I love my new gadget?

I'm off reading now! Toodeloo!

Smooching in movie trailers

I love movies. There's nothing better than to sit in a darkened cinema, munching on popcorn, slurping a nicely chilled coke and watching a great movie.

As much as I love movies, I love trailers as well. Sometimes I'll go watch a movie, that I adamantly refused to see, only because the trailer was great. Most of the time I'm glad I went and see it, sometimes the trailer is a hundred times better than the actual movie and I could've saved some bucks.

Anyway, this post isn't about movies, but about trailers...Actually what the studios put in their trailers.

Yesterday I saw Wolverine. Great movie, BTW. A must see for all X-Men and W-man fans...Ooh, and girls, you get to see Hugh Jackman's butt. Nice and tight, hope he didn't use a butt-double.
Okay, moving on. I park my own butt into one of the chairs, switch off the people who were with me, and start watching the trailers. Well, I watched two of them. One for Star Trek (Chris Pine as James T. Kirk, huh?) and the other Terminator 4 (Christian Bale as John Connor, oh baby). And let me tell you I noticed and uncanny pattern.

We're talking about two action movies. I mean it's Star Trek and Terminator. How more action-y can you get? Well, they both had "smootching" scenes in them. Actually Christian Bale smoothed and Chris Pine went horizontal. But you get the point.
The high and mighty Hollywood godfathers obviously decided that frenching and boinking will get people to see these two movies.

Why? We're talking about a franchise. The fans would go see these two movies if Kermit the Frog played lead. Okay, so maybe I went over the top with our boy Kermit, but still, the fans would see the movies no matter what. You don't have to "bribe" us with glimpses of romance.
It's another type of action we're waiting for. Sure, romance is a bonus, makes you rest your eyes between one bloodbath and the next, but let it be a surprise people. No need to reveal everything in the trailer!

Or they're hoping of attracting a greater female audience.
Sorry to disappoint, folks, but if a woman is averse to action flicks she won't go see one just because Christian Bale happens to play tonsil-hockey with his co-star.

As one of my movie companions said yesterday (and she doesn't like action flicks, she went to see Wovlerine because she lost a bet with her boyfriend), "Ooh, Christian Bale...Ooh, blood, gross...Ooh, they kissed...Nope, I ain't seeing this movie, teddybear, there's too much blood...I don't care if they kissed, I'm sure she dies in the end."

See, she ain't seeing that movie.

I am, though. And not because of the tonsil-hockey match, or the horizontal-mambo competition.

I'm on Twitter!

For those of you who Tweet, I've recently "acquired" a Twitter account.
It's not much, mostly silly stuff when I'm bored and have nothing better to do, but I'll be updating that one even when avoiding the Internet - texting in from my vacation.

Did I tell you? I'm going to Scotland again. Yay!

Oh, you can Tweet me at http://twitter.com/AlatheaWright.

Stickies

I love sticky notes. If I could I'd stick them anywhere. Not so much as reminders, but because I just love them. All colors, shapes and sizes. I think I have them in the shape of a mushroom somewhere. Oh, well. No with Vista I can have them on my Desktop as well, beside stuck all over my desk, bookcase, and computer screen.

Well, a friend on GoodReads led me to cool site where you can create your own virtual stickies and have fun with them - Superstickies...Anyway, I was doodling away on my little real sticky-pad and created a virtual one. So I shall not forget!

I'm weak!

Sheesh, I can't believe I'm such a weakling. Well, today I've hit another low on my weakling chart.

After the previous post you'd think I'd steer away from the Twilight madness...Okay, so I bought the soundtrack, but that's because it was one of the few (very few, too few) good things about the movie.

The low hitting came today in the bookstore, though. I really should stop venturing into them, you know, I'm trying to read through my TBR pile not add to it, but I just can't help myself. I'm a bookaholic. I need some serious help, I think.

Anyway, about the hitting the lowest of the low...I've spent the past week perusing different Twilight forums on the net. There are those who love it, and those who absolutely hate it, there seems to be no gray area about this series. Which bugs me a little. I know different people have different tastes, but still, there are (or should be) good and bad points to everything. I didn't like the movie as a whole, for example, but there were three good scenes...And the soundtrack and score, obviously...So the "you love it or you hate it" shebang about the series strikes me as a little odd.

Yet again I've ventured off the subject. Oh, well.

As stated, I've been perusing the forums, visiting the author's website, reading excerpts, quotes, reviews and all that jazz, and...Well, I was torn.

I'm still quite torn and conflicted about it, but I have all four books next to me as I'm writing this. Yes, I went and bought the entire series, despite the being torn and conflicted part. Damn, but I can't resist a happy ending...And the cry-fest in the middle.

I'm so weak!

Humans vs. "Others"

I'm reading Jacob by Jacquelyn Frank at the moment and two words (written in a passage of Demon "law") made me think. According to that Demon law we humans are supposed to be "lesser creatures".

Huh!

When I read it, it made me roll my eyes. It is fiction, after all. Everyone has to be a lesser creature once in a while, especially in paranormal romance, it makes for a more interesting read. Usually we women are regarded as the "lesser creatures" and usually it is the men doing the writing down (in some ancient tome or another) of this idiotic statement.

So, these two words were just a part of a fictitious law of an even more fictitious paranormal species, but somewhere in the middle of the night, my brain suddenly woke up and, extremely fuzzy (I was sleeping after all), started processing this information.

Humans = lesser creatures (Women = lesser creatures)

Huh!...Again...Wait a sec!

According to this much advertised statement, the paranormal creatures should me cavorting among themselves.

Then why is it, that all variations of vampire, werewolf, magick wielders, demons, etc. always come to the lesser creatures we humans are supposed to be to find their mate, the one person who can ease their dark and lonely existence?

And they're mostly male!

And the women these creatures of the night and darkness find as their other halves (sometimes you can almost hear the snap of the proverbial puzzle pieces falling into place) are no pushovers. Though they might appear fragile at the beginning of the story, they soon turn into protective lionesses determined to do anything to keep their man...ahem, creature...safe.

That is what makes a good paranormal romance. A kick-ass heroine...And lots of sex, but let's leave that for some other post.

So, a mere human woman (twice the lesser creature according to some male creatures of the night) is the only being strong, determined, and capable enough to bring peace or light or _____ [fill in the blank] to a male with paranormal abilities, powers or whatever else an author might come up with.

Lesser creatures my patootie! We gals RULE!

Bookstores

I decided to spend some hard-earned money yesterday, so I went on a shopping-spree. Needless to say, I didn't buy not even a scrap of clothing or a pair of boots. I just went traipsing around the mall, shaking my head at the people (mostly women) carrying an assortment of bags in all shapes and sizes in all colors of the rainbow with different logos.

And to think the politicians are preaching about the economic crisis. Have they been in the mall lately? There wasn't anything remotely resembling an economic crisis in the mall yesterday.

Anyway, I was walking leisurely around the mall, took the escalator to the top floor of it...And walked into the bookstore.

It felt like walking home after a year abroad. My knees went weak and, oh so conveniently, there was a plush armchair nearby, so I could throw my wobbly self into it... The scent of paper assaulted my nostrils, the mellow song selection flowing down from the speakers was gentle and soothing, the lighting was just right to calm the eyes, and the conversation between the cashier and the woman buying a children's book for her niece was hushed to perfection to cause as little a distraction as possible...

It hit me then. I haven't seen the inside of a bookstore for too long. I can't even remember when I was last inside one. And I have no idea how that happened. I love books, I adore books, I'd kill for a good book...I'd take a book on a deserted island with me... Okay, I'd take a book and a hunk to try the hot scenes with, but that's another story.

I figure I rely too much on the Internet. Amazon is my home away from home, nowadays. I have a few of my favorite authors, read their series (they all write series, have you noticed that?), and I don't bother with discovering new voices in fiction.

That's what bookstores are for me. A place to explore the back-covers, brush your fingers over the cover art, read a chapter or two...I used to read the ending of books, luckily (or not) I overcome that nasty habit. But maybe it wasn't that nasty. It's quite a comfort knowing the book will have a desired ending before purchase. Oh, well, I grew out of it, and I'm sticking with the not-reading-the-ending part.

Bookstores are also those wondrous places where I could always discover new authors, that's how I became hooked on Sherrilyn Kenyon, Karen Marie Moning, Christine Feehan, and many, many, many more. So by not visiting the bookstores anymore I have neglected this aspect of my reading personality. I have no intention whatsoever of purchasing an "unknown" from Amazon or Barnes&Noble, I need to have the book in my hands to decide whether to buy it or not (if it's not from a known - and loved - author).

Yesterday, I discovered seven new authors (one book was an anthology) and I can't wait to read what they have to say. The blurbs looked promising enough...

And no, I didn't read the ending!

Another delay

I just can't catch a break. As soon as the most hectic month in the last half year is behind me, there's another one just around the corner.

Yeah, December, the most jolly month of the year is also the most tiring, if you ask me. Not only you have to think of original ideas for what to write in the Christmas cards and buy for your family and friends, everyone who's ever worked in accounting knows December will take no prisoners as far as work load goes.

And when I was getting pretty excited to be able to release Shadow of Revenge somewhere in the middle of the month - just in time for someone to slip a copy or two in a stocking, I'll be lucky to get it out before the year is through.
Yeah, the publishing business is even worse than accounting. ;) Let's keep our fingers crossed, though. Christmas time is time for miracles, after all.

I'm almost back

Exactly a month from my last post, here I am once more - tired as hell, but quite happy that the past three grueling weeks are behind me and there's only one more to go.

I'm so busy lately I haven't written a word, except for the new Shadow of Revenge blurb and even that was tiring. But don't worry, the books is coming soon - first week of December at the latest, so it'll be quite a lovely Christmas gift [hint, hint].

Jokes aside, it really is scheduled for release in the first days of the next month and I can finally take a deep breath of relief that's behind me - at last.
The paperback will be a little expensive - I'm warning you in advance - but there's always the eBook to look forward to.

This is it, I just wanted you to know I was alive and quite well, if you discard the acute lack of sleep (I look like someone punched me in both eyes!). I'll make sure to post another HOTM later in the week.
Until then, take care.

A x

Another short update

Well, I had a goal that I didn't reach. No surprise there.

The goal was to finish The Phoenix by October 1. Now it's way past the deadline and I'm not even in the middle yet. So I set a new goal - November 15, and let's keep our fingers crossed, shall we?

It figures that I wouldn't be able to write with a deadline looming. This just shows how much success I'd have as a full-time writer. Zero.

It's like in school when they make you read (and write reports on) books you don't like or profoundly hate. You know you have to do it or risk flunking, yet you so don't want to and drag your feet about it, hoping there will be an earthquake or a similar disaster and you wouldn't have to set foot into school.

Well, this is me when faced with a goal to reach while writing. I love to write, I'd want nothing better than to finish the story, yet just the word deadline or goal pulls my break and I just can't keep going.

But I am quite pleased with myself. I got another wisdom tooth pulled and half of my face looked like a bizarrely shaped balloon, so I have to stay home for a week, eat ice-cream, and do the darnedest to entertain myself.
So, tired of watching soaps all day, I finally picked up my laptop (thank the Providence for inspiring me to buy one) and started typing. Bang, 10k in one afternoon. I'm not sure it's any good - we'll see in editing, but I'm so proud of myself right now, I cannot describe it.

Although, I have discovered a certain sadistic streak inside me. Okay, so we'd all stepped on an ant or two when we were kids, and I have killed many a spider in my day, but the stuff I put in this book of mine - whew!
It will have to have a special warning for those with weak stomach not to read. And maybe a shrink out there will say that my subconscious is trying to tell me something. Hmmm.

Amazing, that after a little more than a quarter of a century I still manage to surprise myself.

My resolution was effective

Yes, I'm back. And I have very, very, very good news. The borrowed laptop worked like a charm and I wrote more in four days than I did in the last two months. I'm so excited you cannot even imagine.

So, since the laptop thing worked, I went and bought one. Not only am I super excited about this coming weekend (I do hope to put in more writing hours), but I also nailed it with the color. It came to my attention because it was the only silver one in the line of black laptops, and the woman that I am I fixated on that color difference like a hound. Then the store owner, a really nice guy that also helped me chose the "tabletop" I'm currently using to write this post, closed the little machine and the cover was light violet with small darker flowers. Apparently the color is called "Blossom".

I'm not really a pink/violet person, but it was just so utterly cute I had to have it (and apparently no one wanted to buy it just because of that particular "girly" color - and I'm a sucker for the outcasts).

Now, I'm faced with yet another problem and this one's much bigger than mere writer's block or whatever the hell I'm experiencing lately.

I just realized my apartment has huge voltage problems. So huge in fact not even a stabilizer can solve - it is a nifty little thing, but it just cannot work miracles. My apartment building is apparently at the end of the line (one of many in my town's power grid) and there are just a little too many consumers hanging onto the same line, resulting in my having extremely low voltage.
The "tabletop" simply shuts down - on good days. On the bad ones (many of those) it just refuses to boot up.

I'm all battle ready for tomorrow and my visit to the electric company. Since the voltage stabilizer doesn't help, it means the difference is more than legally-permitted 5%.
Oh yeah, I'm ready to kick some serious electrical butt if they don't fix it!

Updated on 09/26/2008:
It is NOT a voltage problem. I checked! The voltage is utterly normal.

It's my computer that's dying a slow and extremely agonizing death. I guess it was providence that made me buy my blossom-colored laptop.

Zealous resolution

This is the final weekend I'll be able to entirely dedicate to writing, since Monday I start "school" again and there won't be much free moments from then on. So I decided to square my shoulders and (at least attempt to) finish The Phoenix.

Working toward that goal, I borrowed a laptop (yes, I still use the old-fashioned "tabletop", but I have all intention of purchasing a laptop soon), forsake Internet for a weekend (it's a distraction), and stay cooped up inside my apartment (if I face away from the window maybe I won't notice what a nice day it is outside).

No matter what it takes, I will write more than a couple of lines. I solemnly swear!

I'll tell you how it went on Monday. Cross my heart.

Blockage ranting

I had an epiphany this week. On Thursday, I think. ... I'm stuck. Yet again.

Yup, I have the writer's block. Although not the real thing, mind you. I'm not experiencing the temporary loss of ability to begin or continue writing, usually due to lack of inspiration or creativity. I'm just lazy. I know exactly how the story should evolve, have everything planned in my head, but just don't find the "oomph" to put it all on screen.

And I finally figured out why that is.

Usually I write the whole story and then bang my head against the wall in search of an appropriate title. Then I use the first that comes to mind, because all others are even lamer than the first, and then I bang my head against my desk trying to create a decent cover.

In The Phoenix's case the title came easily, the cover even easier, and apparently my fuddled brain registered this as the finishing process and now I'm stuck in the middle of the story without an incentive to keep going.

I even downloaded the writing report card from Zokutou hoping it might "spur" me into action. Alas, it didn't work.

I'm sick of ice-cream

As it happens occasionally, it's once again time for a feel-sorry-for-myself post. It has nothing to do with writing, editing, publisher-hunting... In short, it's not book related. I just need an outlet for my inner turmoil.

My current turmoil is mildly inner and mostly outer, since I'm moaning my butt off. My mandibular third molars a.k.a. wisdom teeth have chosen this year to take a look at the world, and apparently they don't have much space to take that look, hence it's an all clear sale in my mouth, just to be safe. Two months ago, I had one pulled and everything was just hunky-dory.

Yeah, right. One down, three to go.

And those three are not as accommodating as the first was.

Today, for example, I had one of those pesky three left surgically removed. The stitches are coming out next week. At first I didn't feel a thing - duh! - but after the local anesthesia wore off... Ooh, boy.

Half of my face is swollen, it hurts to open my mouth, and I'm considering getting a bib, my jaw hurts, and I keep brushing against the stitches with the edge of my tongue. And I have a nasty suspicion my eye is going to hurt like hell in the evening.

So basically, I have to keep my mouth shut, my family and friends love that one, and ice-packs on my cheek to keep the swelling down - good luck with that one, I already look like a balloon.

So why the strange post title? Well, the only thing that numbs the pain - besides painkillers, which are scheduled just before bed time, I don't want to get too high - is ice-cream. Gallons of it. I've probably gulped down more ice-cream today than in my whole lifetime, and I'm pretty sure the ice-cream industry will owe its annual profits solely to me. My hips and bum are already protesting and the ice-cream has long ago lost its taste, but I'm stubbornly hanging on.

So yeah, I'm having one heck of a day.

A reader's "rant"

The reading challenge is over. It ended sooner that I thought it would, since it’s been quite a long time since I’ve read anything longer than a chapter or two. I realized when it comes to books I’m terrible at multitasking. I cannot read multiple books simultaneously and I cannot read and write at the same time, which IMO is good, since it would be a real feat not to incorporate what I’m reading into what I’m writing.

Funny, since I’ve decided to dedicate this summer to writing and not reading, a certain book released in three days notwithstanding. But since I wanted to be up to date when it hits the shelves I had to catch up.

Then I discovered a great site http://www.goodreads.com where readers exchange book recommendations and reviews, and now I’m slowly but steadily “filling up” my virtual bookshelves (I have a long way to go before I succeed) and reading everything I’ve had on standby since last year. I’m lazy, I know!

Also, I’m working on my book reviewing skills which I’ve been lacking my first years on Amazon when all I could write was “cool book” or “so not worth the money”. Well, I still do that, but at least I’m trying to argument my choices. *wink*

Anyway, I have no idea why I’m even writing this. Maybe because this blog looks a little sad and desolate with my damn sporadic updates.

I just wanted to brag about my reading achievements, since I pulled the reading challenge from the sidebar.

And I wanted to tell you I’m squealing with glee because there are only three more days until the release of Acheron. *drool* I’m all set to go, with extra boxes of tissues just in case. I’m also squeezing in some extra hours of sleep every night so I’ll be able to read it all in one sitting. I’ve even warned by friends and family not to call me or, heaven forbid, come to visit.

Musical musing

I finally figured out why I disliked (read: hated) the teaser I’ve made for Shadow of Revenge. The music!

I’m a sucker for music. I listen to any genre, even metal if the mood strikes. (Metal is especially good for those times when I just have to scream my lungs out.) Anyway, I’m a big music fan, and when it comes to classics even a little bit of a nerd. Music is my constant companion, if I don’t have my iPod with me, a normal (web)radio station will do. A couple of days ago a co-worker suggested I visit this site http://musicovery.com/index.php?ct=us. There’s a widget that lets you chose genre, mood and decade, and based on your choice, you get a selection of tracks (with optional buy links, iTunes included).

Anyway, I spent last week hitting my head against the wall trying to pinpoint the perfect background music that would let my teaser video shine. I visited various royalty-free music websites, downloaded a s***-load of tunes, yet nothing.

Saturday I met a friend of mine for ice-coffee (don’t you just love summer?) and we were talking of men and the trouble they bring, our usual rant, when his cell starts ringing. And it was the most beautiful ringtone I’ve ever heard. It was a little sad, really, highly strange for a ringtone, but that’s how eccentrics are. I immediately demanded to know what the title was, but he had no idea. Apparently it’s been passed from cell to cell, and I certainly didn’t want to stand out. He sent it to me, and as soon as I came home, I saved it on my PC, and proceeded with embellishing my video with it.

The rest is history.

And I love it. ;)

An update

I know the postings on this blog – or lack of them – might suggest that either the owner has fallen off the face of the Earth, died, or is not a very serious person. Well, I’m sorry to have to contradict you, but I’m still on this planet – at least my body is, I’m not dead (yet), and I’m quite a dedicated person when I set my mind to it. My main problem is an acute and serious lack of time.

Now I’ve finally gotten over the exam period, for this year at least, and tidied up some ends in a fandom community, which enables me to focus more on my career in writing original work. And with the free time and fandom obligations behind me, the muse finally peeked up from underneath of layers of paperwork and study books, and my mind is once more brimming with ideas that are clamoring to be put down on paper – figuratively speaking.
There are so many, in fact, I’m struggling to keep up.

In this last month I suffered of a over my pseudo-obsession with anything Gone With the Wind and Scarlett related. The whole shebang started in the qualifiers of the European World Cup, when instead of suffering through the Dutch and Italian debacle against Russia and Spain, I opted for watching the Hollywood classic (it’s been cut in half due to the length, so it was a two-nighter). I was hooked.
I remember watching it when I was much younger, and the only scene that had stuck – and also my favorite - was the “pre-ravishing”, when Rhett carries a kicking and squirming Scarlett up the stairs into darkness…
I couldn’t resist, so I bought the 4-disc special DVD collection, the book (1.482 pages!), and the sequel, Scarlett, both the book and DVD, which I fear will soon start to skip due to excess watching.
Now, after having been inspired to use the main characters’ names in a story I’m currently in the middle of planning, and having watched a movie (instead of Scarlett) last night on TV, I can safely say the obsession is over.

Now, hopefully, I’ll finally manage to finish preparing Shadow of Revenge for publication – I already have a teaser trailer ready, I’m just trying to figure out whether include a narration or not. Sometime this weekend I’ll put up the teaser trailer and an excerpt (which will also be featured on the website), so you’ll know what to expect. I’ve given it a lot of thought of late and am considering changing the title, but I have absolutely no clue what to use instead. It’s easier just writing the damn stuff than coming up with a decent title.

I also have an idea for a four-book paranormal series in my head that just won’t let me be. I know I swore never to write paranormals, because of the fear I could never rise to the challenge, and the fact that everything’s already been written, but I just can’t help myself. I have to try, and if I crash and burn, then it was never meant to be. I sure have read enough books in the genre to at least know where to begin.

I'm not dead yet

Don't worry, I haven't traveled into space or another dimension. I'm still comfortably on the face of the Earth, and I am alive and quite well.
The reason I haven't been around lately is the fact that I've been away for three weeks and since my return I've been just trying to catch up with everything, from work to classes (yes, I've gone back to school, sort of), and life in general.

Where was I?
Well, I spent three weeks in Mexico, simply enjoying the hell out of myself. It's not Egypt, I'll tell you that, but it beats the hell out of China everyday. The people are uber-nice (especially since I speak the language), there are ancient ruins everywhere you turn, they have a special telenovela channel (not that I watched), the males of the species are hotties... and the Caribbean is so cerulean blue it hurts your eyes.

And of course, after a three month writing drought, a breakthrough happened on the bus in the middle of the Mexican rain forest, while our guide was talking about the Zapatist movement, and I had absolutely nothing to write the words in my head down... Except my cell phone, and trust me, it's a pain writing a novel in SMS form.

And of course, since my return, I'm back in the stalemate that is my writing life. Hopefully after this year's last exam, the floodgates will open once again and I'll be able to write more than just a blog post.
[And she hangs her head in shame.]

I'm sure (some of) you must be wondering, what is going on with the three books that are in the "Upcoming" section of my website. Those eagle-eyed among you have probably noticed the strange occurrence that's changed the scheduled release dates into "TBA". Well, my authorial life is in a great crisis, so I decided to put everything on hold for a while, because only one book is really finished (and finally self-edited).
When I have more time, I'll submit it to a flesh-and-blood proof-reader for those last tweaks, so at least I won't have to be embarrassed by my lack of grammatical excellence.

So Shadow of Revenge will probably hit the scene in late summer, because to tell you the truth I also have no promotional material ready as of this moment.
[Once again, she hangs her head in shame, since it was due for release two months ago.]

Now I really have to go back to studying macroeconomics. :(

Why do we even bother with mature content warnings?

Don't be alarmed by the strange title - I'm absolutely pro mature content warnings. But I am strictly against those who don't adhere to them. If you're not old enough to read such content don't read it, that's what the whole thing is all about.

I decided to write this down, because I've recently posted a story on a site that doesn't have a very good mature content policy. When someone attempts to read a chapter (story) rated R or NC-17 a nice warning box pops up and all you have to do to access the mature content is click on the OK button claiming you're over 18 years old.

But what if you're not?

Apparently they don't care.

Nice.

So why am I worrying? It's not my site, not my rules. I wrote the darn thing, posted it with a clear mature content warning... From now on it's the site administrator's job to look out for youngsters who think are old enough to read… or even better, understand the plot and all its subtle nuances.

Okay, so go ahead and read it. But please, please, don't leave feedback for Pete's sake (commenting is for subscribers only). Because if you haven't figured it out, when you leave a comment, it's pretty clear who wrote it and everyone can access your profile and see exactly how old you are and that you have absolutely no business reading chapters or stories with mature content.

And now I finally get to the point. The story I wrote is edgy and filled to the top with angst, pretty explicit sex and extremely crude language, and the rating is an adequate NC-17. A recent chapter was a lengthy (2k words) bedroom scene. Two people letting go, forgetting the everyday worries, stress, and disillusionment for one steamy night.

What bothered me was a 16-year-old (at least two years below the age limit) leaving a comment as to how evident the difference between having sex and making love was, that sex without love was disgusting, that the two seemed wild animals...

Hmm. And here I thought nowadays teenagers were a lot more open-minded and educated in the sex department.

Call me nuts, call me easy if you want, but I never thought I had to be in love with a guy to have a one-night stand or summer fling.

Isn't sex mostly about scratching an itch, blow out some steam? Love sure doesn't hurt in the matter, but since when is it an essential factor?

If teenagers think they're old enough to read such things, I'd expect them to be mature enough to also understand what they're reading about. Not everything is black and white, there's a great, and extremely interesting, area of different hues of gray in between.

And the post end where it began: why do we even bother with mature content warnings if they don't pay attention?

Dream sequence - part deux

This dream is starting to slowly freak me out. It's not only a dream any more, it's a dream serial. Every night it starts from where it ended the last and I still remember every single detail. If I continue like this it's going to turn into the next Santa Barbara.

And I'm still trying to figure out where it all came from. The setting, the characters... The plot. I still don't remember any books or movies with this kind of plot and the few people I talked about it, don't seem to recall anything similar, either.

Maybe it's a sign...