17 Reasons Why DragonCon Is a Regency Country House Party

Would I lie to you? Well, not about this...
Enjoy!

Short Story Video: "Duzell's Due"

Decided to start working on my book video skills in anticipation of all the different projects scheduled for next year. Yeah, yeah, I know I need to invest in a music editing program, but one thing at a time. Happy weekend!

Clash of the What?

Banging my head against the keyboard again. History Channel has started a new series about the Greek myths, Clash of the Gods. So far so good; any Greek mythology programs have to help Highway's chances. But oh, ugh, their knowledge of the myths is soooooo shallow. Not only that, but every stinking one of the figures listed as "gods" (and at least two of them ain't dieties, folks)--Zeus, Hercules, Hades and the Minotaur--are men. Hello? What about the rest of us?
Oh wait, they've just named another "god": Medusa. I don't think so.
Arrrrrrrgh!

It's done! It's done! It's done... again

Finished the rewrite of Highway from Hell, which is now 82K and stuff. (Nothing like having to rewrite 40K to add 12K.) The next step is to let the manuscript rest a few days before reading it over and offering it up for beta.
Or maybe zeta. Some folks have really gone above and beyond on this one. But if there's anyone out there who hasn't read it and would like to dip their toes in the pond, please, let me know. The only hitch is I want to get this to the editor who requested it before I leave for DragonCon, so I'll need it back by August 24.
Cheers,

Captain Blood in outer space? Oh noooooooes!

I guess the early works of Rafael Sabatini finally lapsed into the public domain. Warner Brothers (Warner Brothers!) has decided the time is ripe to update Captain Blood, the greatest pirate movie of the 20th century, by setting it in outer space. Variety has the details. Pardon me, I need to commit harikari now...
Wails (whales?), groans and much gnashing of teeth,
Jean Marie
*somewhere in a world far, far away, Errol Flynn is laughing hysterically*

Forget Necessity

Desperation is the mother of invention in this house.
I was trying to line up the August blogs I owe to blog sites other than my own. The goal was to get it all over with now, so I'd have more time to write next month. They were all playing nicely except my August 22 Samhain blog. Given the date, I'd be a fool not do something related to DragonCon, but what? The program schedules are almost never finalized until the week before Labor Day, and I was pretty sure I've written everything there is to write about the con.
Should I do something about the balls? The Masquerade? The guests? My costume changes?
Then it hit me: Sixteen Ways DragonCon Is Like a Regency Country House Party.
The weird thing is, it works.
'Til later...

I <3 Writers

Been out of the loop this week not quite attending the Romance Writers of America's 2009 national conference. I decided to skip the conference itself but not the chance to see my friends.
Jana Oliver came early to visit and get a taste of the city. We cruised Adams Morgan on Tuesday. Wednesday we toured some of DC's choicest treasures: the Renwick Museum of American Art, the Freer (Asian Art and the extraordinary Peacock Room by James McNeill Whistler), the Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress (my favorite building in DC) and the infamous "Black Aggie" counterfeit of St. Gaudens' Grief, then topped everything off with a ghost tour of Alexandria. (Thanks again, Jana!)
Yesterday, I was honored to dine with the super women of From the Heart Romance Writers, RWA's online chapter at Cafe Paradiso. Great bunch of ladies, and I hope to be able to play more in their sandbox soon.
Today was party central. First came the Samhain Publishing bash. Senior editor Angela James opened her suite to an eclectic mix of Samhain authors (hey, Monica Burns, Allie Blue, Terri Schaefer and Leigh Wyndfield!), aspiring Samhain authors, fans and "friends of the family" like Jennifer Jackson and Lucienne Diver. My only regret was I didn't get to connect with two of my personal faves, cover artist extraordinaire Anne Cain and Kate Johnson. I think they were hiding from me. (And I'm so harmless; ask anyone!)
Afterwards, I ran into old friend Venus Campbell and her critique partner Lori. Venus and I met at the 2006 BEA. At the moment she's completed five novels and submitted none of them. Hmm, obviously someone needs a serious nagging. But other than that, she's almost perfect. And yes, I am hoping this will give her a little nudge. :-) Oddly enough, I ran into Marcia Colette while I was hanging with Venus and Lori, not at the Samhain party. Go figure.
Finally, the Harlequin party. This is the event all of RWA waits for, and they did themselves proud for their 60th anniversary. There were bars themed to the decades of Harlequin's operations. (The champagne was at the 1980s bar. Guess where I was...when I wasn't dancing, that is.) There were incredible desserts, a slide show of Harlequin covers and cover shoots (very funny). I finally got to congratulate Jeri Smith-Ready on her Prism for Wicked Game and wave manically to a great many friends from my local RWA chapter, Washington Romance Writers.
Eventually, I found a seat at the table with Jana, her agent Meredith Bernstein, her good friend P.C. Cast and P.C.'s charming dad, who was the unquestioned belle of this particular ball. Mr. Cast has the loveliest old-fashioned manners, and he dances!
First he cut the rug with Meredith (and me, but mostly Meredith, whose sequinned skirt gave me serious skirt envy. Her blue pumps weren't bad either.) After that, the women wouldn't let the man stay in his chair. You have not lived until you've seen Nora Roberts twirling to "Jailhouse Rock" in the arms of P. C. Cast's dad. And P.C. snapped the pictures to prove it. I only hope she posts them. Afterwards, Nora confessed she needed to recover, because she couldn't keep up. "And I'm in good shape!" she added. Mr. Cast is going to have some great stories to bring home to the missus. I suggested he bring her next time, and I think he will. This kind of good time is too good not to share. :-)

The Good Stuff--Writing Edition

Last week, my friend Ellen Byerrum (center) celebrated the broadcast of Killer Hair, the first of two Crime of Fashion movies on the Lifetime Movie Network. Ellen’s written six mysteries featuring vintage design-loving fashion sleuth Lacey Smithsonian and several plays, not to mention a career full of articles for daily newspapers, magazines and industry journals. Even so, there’s something very special about seeing a movie made of something you wrote.

To mark the occasion, Ellen held a party June 21 at Generous George’s Positive Pizza, a funky Alexandria VA landmark which features the kind of retro chic Lacey revels in. My photos don’t do either the event or the place justice, but at least I captured the big smile on Ellen’s face as the credits faded to black following Killer Hair. The movie and its sequel, Hostile Makeover, are very good introductions to the books. They’re bright, funny and feature lots of great clothes—three of my favorite things. Here’s hoping Lifetime feels the same and picks up Crime of Fashion as a weekly series.


Yesterday it was my turn—well, mine and three good buds from the DC Area Storytellers. Here you see Anthony Stevens (left), me, D. Renee Bagby and Stephanie Burke (right) at our book signing the Parkside in Baltimore MD. The venue and its art were stellar and the company couldn’t be beat. Aren’t Renee and Stephanie gorgeous? Anthony and I…well, we’re good writers too. :)

Baltimore-Area Booksigning

If you happen to be in the Baltimore area this Saturday, you might want to drop in at the Parkside Restaurant anytime from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. DC Area Storytellers D. Renee Bagby (also a Samhain author), Stephanie Burke, Anthony Stevens and I will be reading from published stories and upcoming works, and signing and selling our books. Knowing this group, we'll probably manage to get into a fair amount of trouble too. I mean, they serve drinks and food at this place, and I saw Animal House at a very impressionable age. Just don't say you weren't warned...

New con pics, 2009 edition

My first crop of 2009 con photos can be seen on my Saturday blog at Beyond the Veil. Eventually, I plan to post Flickr galleries of all three events (the WRW Retreat, RavenCon and Balticon), but for now you'll have to be satisfied with photos P.C. Cast, Jennifer Enderlin and Steve Miller. Mwahahaha!