WordPlay

Every once in a while we get a special guest blogger around here.  ;>  As it happens, we’re celebrating TAMING THE DEMON release month with Supernatural Smackdown participation.  As I’m not pushing any particular drive for votes (it’s one of those things), I expect us to get smacked down, indeed.  But that’s okay.  Devin and I know where he stands.  In his own words… 

Here’s the thing about me and the blade…at any given time, one of us is just a little bit mad.

Usually it’s the blade, but you never really know.

Anheriel is its name, and it thinks a lot of itself.  I suppose it has reason, the little bastard.  I didn’t understand its nature when it latched onto my brother, and neither did he. Eventually it drove him to the wild road.

That’s the nice way to say it.  Bug-fuck crazy is another.  Or just plain evil…take your pick.  So when my brother died and the blade moved onto me, I knew what was coming.

I’m fighting it, let’s put it that way.

But damn, the thing comes in handy, too.  How could it not?  Yeah, it goes looking for trouble.  That’s its whole gig.  Elemental spirit trapped in a blade and turned into living metal, now on a search for redemption.  So yeah, it can take the form of whatever bladed weapon it wants.  Anheriel hangs out as a pocket knife most of the time, but if someone calls up the asshole factor, they’re gonna be looking at a specialty tactical blade–agate handle, sweet sharp blade, strong cut-back…deadly.

I told you it thinks a lot of itself.

Now and then it has an excuse to show up as a saber.  It likes that.  Things never end well for the other guy when that happens.

They never end well for the blade wielder, either.  Not in the long run.  A demon blade needs a human to get the job done–the looking for trouble, the resolving it.  The redemption.  But the damned things can’t help but be what they are–insidious, devious darkness.  So they get into a wielder’s head…into his soul.  They use up wielders and throw them away, hunting for the one who’ll be strong enough to hold fast.  Because it’s always there–that little whisper, that little suggestion to go too far.  To take advantage of the strengths it provides.  Because unless the bad guy has a blade, he won’t be faster than I am.  Simple truth, that.  And if he hurts me, I’m not staying down.  Healing fast is a bitch and I pay the price, but I can take a licking and come back for more.  And the way the blade cleans up the scene…it’s so easy to take that one step too far. To go from stopping trouble to being the trouble.

That’s okay.  As it turns out, I intend to be the one who’s strong enough–maybe the first one.  And I’ve already gotten this far.

So what am I doing here?  You’d think I’d have enough of this kind of thing.  But one thing I’ve learned from Natalie is this:  If I’m going to fight this bastard of a blade, I’ve got to get in its face.  I don’t wait for it to come to me with its trouble–not any longer.  I go looking.  And I make my own choices.  And this little gathering…hell, yeah, it’ll keep that demon busy.

Hear that, Anheriel?  Bring it on.
_______________

So there you are.  Devin James, ladies and germs.

And as it happens, I’m giving away a couple of copies of the book along with the Smackdown blog.  The giveaway closes at the end of the month, and it uses one of those easy Rafflecopter entry systems–it’s over on Devin’s post at the Supernatural Smackdown, where I also had fun providing Devin’s unique stats.  Go for it!

Because if you’re anything like me, you mean to follow through on something but don’t always get there during the busy times…

The Smashwords sale ends…today!  March 9th!  All of my books are on sale in one way or another, and they’re all clickable through my pages at Backlist eBooks.  There are a couple of freebies there, including BARRENLANDS–the first book in the Changespell Saga with Dun Lady’s Jess.

(You can find that series introduction on free at most of its retailers, in fact–the details are at the Backlist eBooks page.  Amazon has been slow to get on board, but you can report a lower price to them if you’d like to see it there).

In other news, check upstream for the Imperfect Service Dog post–today is the last day to enter for freebies in that event, also!

In other, other news, I’m featured at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews Blog, the paranormal side of the force.  Stop by and say hello–there’s the chance to win the entire Changespell Saga (In fact, I’m so clever (shut up!) I just figured out how to include that form here!).

In news that offers no reminders but plenty of nice grins, the current book in progress (a Nocturne in my Sentinels series, Lynx Revealed) is heading to the halfway point after its first month under way.  Whee!

In final news…I think…we have snow on the ground and still fluttering around in the air.  This is probably more important to me than it is to you.  But for this thirsty, thirsty land, it is a good thing indeed!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

by Doranna

Also known as “Win Prizes, Support Service Dogs, Feel Good About Self, and also Maybe Win Other Prizes.”

One of the things I don’t generally discuss overmuch is my health (although it’s the reason for my current paucity of posts);  The Lyme has been active for 25 years and diagnosed for less than one.  All the writing, the training, and the trialing is done in spite of…and because I’m really, really stubborn.

There are a lot of things I don’t do, or can’t do without a companion, and these things I integrate into my life as gracefully as possible, so most people don’t even put two and two together.

One of the reasons for that is a sensory dysfunction that generally has me fleeing (literally) for the hills.  (Am I a hermit?  Why yes.  Yes I am.)  To help manage this issue, I use certain focusing and brain exercises that take a lot more effort than you can imagine if you haven’t ever desperately relied on them.  I use these constantly and pretty much invisibly.

One of the things I’ve always done to ground my brain is to bring a dog along when I drive.  Having that quiet presence in the car is one thing–but the real value comes when I get where I’m going and we work together in the parking lot.  It re-grounds me without adding overload…and it’s the very fastest way to do that.  But when it’s too hot to leave a dog in the car…. I stop going places, or I pay a much larger price when I do.

So as of last year, I’ve gone official with Mr. D’Artagnan Beagle:  He’s a service dog. Because a service dog can come inside.

The reason this works for us is not only because of who he is, but because of who we are together.  And because I’ve been training dogs for [mumblemumble] years, I can make choices that are good for him, good for me–and most especially–responsible to the rest of the world.  Before I took this step, I consulted with a service dog trainer–and now Dart and I will grow together in this.  He is an imperfect service dog–eager and learning refinement–with an underlying aptitude, and that’s what makes him exactly perfect for me.

Look who has yet to learn the "tail tuck."

I’m immensely lucky. Not every dog is suited for service work, even if you start from puppyhood.  (Neither of my other two kids would be happy or successful in this role.)  So that’s luck #1.  Luck #2 is of course the fact that training is one of the things I do, and have basically always done.  Had I not run into the health stuff, I would have happily pursued it as a profession; as it is, I simply pursue it with dedication.

I don’t take this luck for granted, and I know…well, how lucky I am to be lucky.  That’s why I’m outing Dart’s quiet Other Role in my life –so I can participate in the “Bloggers Help Paws with Cause” event.

See, FINALLY.  We get to the part about winning things!

Basically, there are whole lot of blogs offering a chance to win a whole lot of bookish things–in return for  donations to Paws for Cause (one entry per each dollar donated).

Here on the blog, I’m giving away an ebook set of the entire Changespell Saga.  (Already have it?  Enter anyway.  We’ll work something out.)

To Enter:  Answer these questions in the comments!  Don’t worry…it could be that there’s no exact right or wrong.  I’ll do the pick from a hat thing–but I won’t lie.  Thoughtful responses (as opposed to token words just to get entered) will have an edge.

1. You’re attending an event.  You see a service dog of awesome cuteness.  YOU CAN’T STAND THE CUTENESS!  You miss your dog who is not at the event.  Because this is a service dog, you feel safe with it.  Also, you used to/do have a dog of that breed.  Your first impulse is to go “AWWW–!” and you feel an inexorable tug to go pet the dog.  What do you do?  (Or if you’re William Shatner, what DO you DO?)
2. You see someone with a service dog who appears to be functionally intact.  You wonder what on earth they need this dog for.  Are they just gaming the system to feel special?  Maybe they’re taking advantage!  You are wildly curious!  Your mouth opens!  What do you say?
3. You’re making casual conversation with someone who happens to have a service dog.  The dog is behaving appropriately, but you’re surprised to see this breed with a service vest on.  You know something about [family dogs/breeds/once taught your dog to sit], and you know this breed has a reputation for its cheerful resistance to training.  You open your mouth and out come the words–

No, wait!  This is a trick question!  Out come the words, “I can’t believe you’re using a Beagle as a service dog!  I [had/knew] a Beagle once, and it was so [dumb/stubborn] that it would never [sit/come/shut up/fill in the blank].”  And here is my answer, the one I will probably never say in public so you now have this sneak peek into my brain: “Right!  Because the dog trained YOU!  Now who’s the SMART ONE?!”  (And in my brain, I will use all caps.)

The MAIN EVENT! The prizes include two $65 gift certificates to any online book store, and a huge box of books and swag from Romance Book Junkies (US residents only).

The blog event is being organized by Bitten by Paranormal Romance and Romance Book Junkies–and here’s what they have to say about THAT!:

“We have a total of 59 blogs working together to raise money for this great cause. There are some awesome prizes up for grabs–and here’s a little about the cause:

Paws With A Cause® enhances the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities nationally through custom-trained Assistance Dogs.

PAWS® increases awareness of the rights and roles of Assistance Dog teams through education and advocacy.  Founded in 1979, Paws With A Cause is dedicated to helping its clients who are challenged by many disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Seizure Disorders, and Hearing Disorders to name just some.  Each of our dogs are trained to meet the specific needs of our clients. Tasks may include opening and closing doors, picking up objects, pulling a wheelchair, turning lights on and off, and alerting a person to particular sounds like a telephone, doorbell, smoke detector and many others. Our dogs change lives by enhancing the independence of our clients. By just opening a door, a dog opens up the world for a person with a disability and your donations will go to making that happen.

PAWS is a non-profit organization.  Paws With A Cause/4646 South Division/Wayland, MI 49348″

How to donate:

1. Go to http://www.everribbon.com/PawswithaCause

2. Click on “Make a Donation”

3. Enter your amount. Everibbon will add a small fee to your donation for processing. You will receive 1 entry into the giveaway for every $1 you donate.

4. In the box that says “on the behalf of” please put your name. This is the name that will be listed on the Everibbon website, so use a public name. Do not check the box to make an anonymous donation because Danielle won’t be able to track your donation and  process your giveaway entry.

5. Next it will ask you for your credit or debit card information.

6. Then it will ask for your email address to send you a receipt. This is so that you can submit it for tax purposes.

7. Ta Da!  Now contact Danielle to enter the giveaway!

8. Please email Danielle (RomanceBookJunkiesDanielle@Yahoo.com) with the name you used to donate your money, and tell her how much you donated and if you live in the US or are International.

9. Ta Da again! Thank you for donating!

Warning: Play nice!  If Danielle receives more than one email with the same person’s name and donation amount, she’ll ask for your receipt from Everibbon.

Have lots of fun, admire a service dog, and head over to the Event Web Page to check out the other participating blogs and their prizes!

The Dart Outtakes…he’s not so fond of the camera flash!  His tail would wag happily until the moment I lifted the camera, and then…oppression…

Ha!  Bet that one made you stop and go “whoa!”

The book baby, that’s what!  Storm of Reckoning is only a couple weeks away from the big b/i/r/t/h/ release date!

*does the dance*

I’m getting ready!

• Bookmarks: check
• Cool Contest under way: check
• Reviews trickling in: check and YAY!
• Author copies on the way: check
• Bloggie activities lined up: check
• A smattering of blogs already written!: check (and Go, Me!)
• Party Hat: check!

So what are we missing? Why…yes!  It’s the snippet!
==============
Sklayne sulked.

Hunted.

My name is Doranna, and I’m a Farscape Fanatic.

Didn’t you know?

Right from the start.

In fact, when the chance came to write an essay about Farscape for BenBella, I leaped at it, and the result is in the book Farscape Forever.

I got my hands on that expensive first release of the first season, but I just couldn’t scrape together the dough for the following seasons, and sadly gave up…until the recent release of the complete series.

It is Way Cool. It is a wonderful indulgent wallow.  I will take it for long sunset walks at the beach, let it sit in front of candlelight dinners, and feed it chocolate.

Or not.  Maybe I’ll just watch it.

Anyway, if you feel as I do and would like to get your hands on this DVD set, have I got a deal for you:

Sign up to get free stuff, and get FREE STUFF.

Or in less cryptic terms, sign up to receive newsletters, bookmarks, and postcards, and enter to win the compete series of Farscape on DVD.

Wuh!

If you’re already on the newsletter list, no biggie–hit the Gimme button over there in the right-hand column (under the book covers) and you’ll have a chance to add your snail address info. Only those entries with both email and snail mail contact information will be eligible.

(And if you’re already on the newsletter AND postcard list, then I love you to pieces, but you still have to head to the Gimme button and get your address synced with your email.)

The contest runs through the end of the month.  Go get ‘em!

posted on Sunday, of all things

W00t!  The Fresh Fiction Valentine’s Day contest is over, with many thanks to those who came over to WordPlay to read and comment.  And it’s a round of WHEEE! to Lexie, whose name fell under the magic cursor and who will be receiving a copy of THE RECKONERS, newly released from Tor this month (in spite of Amazon, thank you very much).

WHEEE!