New Story Coming in DAW Steampunk Romance Anthology

Yay! Just got word that my latest story, now renamed, "Kinetic Dreams," has been accepted for a steampunk romance anthology coming from DAW Books...

The new story continues the saga of Alva Edison, "sister" of Thomas Edison, that appears in the first anthology, STEAMPUNK'D, coming out Nov. 2, also from DAW Books.

In the first story, "Edison Kinetic Light and Steam Power," an ailing Alva Edison helps rescue her inventor brother, Thomas, and helps him find the answers to Mr. H. G. Wells's kinetic time traveling flying machine.

In the new story, Alva still marvels about not only finding relief for her crippling arthritis, but being married to her handsome doctor. Her happiness, however, is soon threatened by her brother Thomas's strange claims about traveling through time, even as a future threat draws near. Will she face the unimaginable and help her brother find a solution, or is her family doomed?

I must admit I have really enjoyed writing about the Edisons and I'm thinking of a new storyline for a novella to continue their stories. Maybe that can be my NanoWriMo project once I get the zombie book finished. Hmm...

Writing Opportunity: New Kindle Singles

Amazon announced a new program, "Kindle Singles," for novella-length stories, 10,000 to 30,000 words described as "twice the length of a New Yorker feature or a few chapters of a typical book."

The stories will be sold in their own Kindle Store section, be priced for less than typical books and be readable on the Kindle, Kindle 3G, Kindle DX, iPad, iPod touch, iPhone, Mac, PC, BlackBerry, and Android-based devices. Stories also Will be backed-up online in a reader's Kindle library on Amazon.

To be considered for Kindle Singles, contact digital-publications@amazon.com.

Read more about the program here.

New Poll: Mysteries Top Reading Choice over Romances - Finally!

Well, looks like pollsters are finally catching on to what many of us already know - that mysteries and thrillers are favorite reads.

A recent Harris Poll cited in Publishers Weekly noted that mysteries, thrillers, and crime novels beat out chick-lit and romance novels by a large margin; and that more women than men read mysteries, thrillers, and crime novels.

The August online poll of 2,775 U.S. adults found that of those who read at least one book in a year (only one?):
* Nearly half (48%) read mysteries, thrillers and crime novels
* Science fiction was read by 26%
* "Literature" (?) was read by 24%
* One in 10 read graphic novels (11%) in the past year.

Top nonfiction reading choices were history (31%), biographies (29%) and religious/spiritual books (26%).

By age, 61% of readers 65 and up -mostly women - were more likely to read mystery, thriller, and crime novels.

Guess I'm a statistic; mysteries -mostly cozy or a thriller - are my first reading choice, along with some horror and occasional sci-fi.

** That said, what are your reading choices?

Miniatures Monday: Celebrate National Dollhouse & Miniatures Month! Halloween Miniatures

This has to be my absolutely favorite celebration!! Despite doing miniatures for (mumble-mumble) years. (ha! - yes that long!), I haven't tired of working on small things!

For fun, I thought I'd include some new Halloween miniatures I got from a swap with the Yahoo Groups' Half Scale Group. Perfect since I'm working on a half scale Halloween scene (deciding which house to use - it keeps wanting to be bigger since I keep collecting stuff. The original clock case may not be large enough!)



I made a smaller version of a "hand" snack and a small Halloween cake.



A bunch of cakes! You'll never guess what they're made of - small wood furniture plugs that are painted and topped with slick paint, glitter and Halloween confetti, then glued to a small button. It's fun coming up with new color combinations. Now I have to make a bunch more again for my 1/2" bakery.




** And what have you been working on??

Miniature Eye Candy: Mexican Corner Room

Thought I'd share a few older rooms and photos that I haven't shown in awhile. These may be familiar to some readers and new to others.

I made this corner room of foam core board covered with tinted lightweight Spackle. I liked adding the small roof and thought it added something to the room. The floor is mat board, which I painted and cut lines for tiles. Many of the items were from a miniatures group swap. I love the colors! Sometimes a smaller project is fun as you can fit a lot in, but actually get it done. (My problem. ha!) Ole!

* See more of minis at the Verstraete Miniatures Gallery.

Wear Pink and Click for National Breast Cancer Month!

In the United States alone, more than 207,000 persons will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, according to the American Cancer Society.

Practically every family in the country and across the world has been touched by breast cancer... mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, grandmothers...

Don't forget to CLICK at the Breast Cancer Site each day to give free mammograms to women in need in hopes of early treatment and continue to pray for a cure for this scourge!

** Today is also PINK SATURDAY, so stop by Beverly's blog and say hello!

National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month - Adopt a dog like Petey from Searching for a Starry Night!

October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month.

Every dog deserves a loving home. Even Petey from Searching for a Starry Night, A Miniature Art Mystery was adopted from a shelter. For Petey, having "the energy of ten dogs," as Sam says, may have worn out his former owners. Or maybe it was because his coat was a little blotchy and less than show perfect.

No matter. Whatever the reason, Petey goes home with Helena Sanchez, the clerk at the pet shop where Sam and Lita like to go help with the animals.

For Sam and her best friend, Lita, "Petey-sitting" and spending time with their new canine companion while Helena shops for her upcoming wedding becomes a new and memorable experience, especially given Petey's often playful attitude and mischievousness. He especially plays an important role in their search for the missing miniature "Starry Night" replica that Sam and Lita hope to find.

BUY:

* KINDLE
* Print
* B&N eBook
* Kobo (Smartphone, Tablet, Ereader)
* Sony Reader

Let's Play Killer - Your Own Serial Killer Doll

I first spotted this over on the Lipstick Chronicles blog and thought... huh?

So, it appears that the character from the Dexter show, (drawn from the novel, Darkly Dreaming Dexter) whom Wikipedia describes as "a blood spatter analyst who moonlights as a serial killer" for a police department in case you didn't know, is now a doll - to be precise, a 7-inch action figure.

Gee, what a great gift huh? And he even comes with his own knife...


The show has won acclaim and the novel has drawn praise as well... I did watch a few episodes when it aired briefly on regular TV instead of cable as I wondered what it was all about. Frankly, it made me sick seeing him in his element.

I'm all for freedom of the press and freedom of expression but... I still can't get my mind past this. While some TV cop/murder shows tend to often glorify the crime, making it almost attractive to those who may be sociopathic, this is a guy who tries to do good yet his way of thinking still has him killing... and pleasuring in it.

Yes, brilliant characterization, interesting fictional idea, but... does it go too far? Should killing be "entertainment?" (Yes it often is I know in horror novels; but you expect monsters or "killers" to be creepy, not enjoying themselves like Dexter who still indulges in his 'weakness' as his "secret" while trying to live a normal life on the surface.) The worst was the radio commercial that aired having him talking to his infant daughter; it just seemed too freaky.

And now... an action figure? It's, well, creepy. Yes, creeps don't need anyone to give them ideas, but why glorify it any further? What do you think?

Halloween Partying at Haunt Jaunts!

My friend, Courtney, over at Haunt Jaunts, a travel blog for restless spirits who love haunted places, is having a Hallowen Party all month!

Get in on the prizes, spooky fun and all kinds of who-knows-what! (Leave it to Courts to talk about the pervy Halloween costumes! And she's probably right, some are kind of creepy!)

** Stop by and see what she has brewing. I'll be popping in over there later in the month.

** Also check out Haunt Jaunts at Facebook.

New Miniatures How-To: Halloween Pillows in AIM Magazine

The fun Halloween pillows pictured here are part of a new how-to I did for the spooky Halloween/October issue of Artisans in Miniature (AIM) Magazine.




All the pillows are made from cotton Halloween fabric - and beware: glitter! (I love glitter, but... you'll see my warning in the magazine. haa!) It's a fun, easy way to decorate your mini house for Halloween! (The furniture shown is half scale, but the pillows can be used in any size.) And guess what? No worry: they're no-sew! (I used glue!)


Also, here's another photo of the first pillow I did, a bat cut-out which I just love! I added a smaller bat cut-out on the end of the bed, too.