Queen of the Frozen North

Merry Merry and Happy Happy!

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 20:36:00 +0000

May your holiday be bright and your new year be joyous!

See you in '010! (Yes, that was intentional, a la Stephen Colbert :)

~Cathy

NEW SFR Holiday Blitz Winner!!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 04:52:00 +0000

Since the first randomly chosen winner never came forward (unfortunate, but it happens) to claim Ann Somerville's On Wings, Rising, I exercised my right and duties as Queen and chose another. And yes, this one stuck!

The new winner is Cybercliper! Congrats and I hope you enjoy the story.

Thanks again to all who came by. I hope to see you here now and again.

Joyous Holidays and Happy New Year!
~Cathy

New SFR Holiday Blitz Winner TBA

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:19:00 +0000

Well, the original winner of Ann Somerville's On Wings, Rising never contacted me, so I'll be choosing another winner later today. This time, I will ensure contact before posting who it is, so it may take a bit. Stay tuned!!!

Thanks again to all who entered. Let's see who the Fates choose this time.......

SFR Holiday Blitz: And the Winner is......

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +0000

....going to be announced in just a second.**** IMPORTANT NOTE BELOW****

First, I want to thank everyone who popped over and commented here and on other blogs. The response to this contest was amazing! It was great to see so many folks who already love SFR as well as those who are current SF or romance readers eager to try new kinds of stories. Finding new authors you can fall in love with is a great joy. I can guarantee that somewhere in the SFR universe there will be a story for just about every taste. And more than a few of you also mentioned how fun it was to discover new blogs. Gotta love that!

Speaking of, a big hand to the participating bloggers and the authors whose work so many people
are going to get to enjoy.

And finally, HUGE thanks to Heather over at the Galaxy Express for running the show. I think we've convinced her to make this an annual event, and some day I hope my own novel(s) will be among the prizes : ) Thanks, Heather! You rock!

So which of the commenters here won their very own copy of Ann Somerville's On Wings, Rising? That would be Stephen!!!! Congrats, Stephen!!!! Send your contact info--email, snail mail, I'm not sure which will be needed so send both, if you would : ) --to me cathy AT cathypegau DOT com (using the correct email do-hickies, of course). I'll pass the info on to Ann and she'll take it from there.

Thanks again to everyone for participating. Keep SFR and all its great authors in mind when you're looking for something fun to read. And remember to take a chance on a new author once in a while ; )

Happy Holidays! And Happy Reading!!!

12/14 7pm AK time
****ATTENTION!!!!**** Stephen has yet to contact me!!! If you know Stephen, please tell him to pop over here and send me his info. If he does not do so by MIDNIGHT Eastern Time on Tuesday, Dec. 15, I will choose another commentor!

SFR Holiday Blitz--Win Free Books!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:00:00 +0000

12/11: The contest has ended and comments are now closed! Check back on Saturday, 12/12 to find out who won Ann's book! (In the meantime, feel free to read more posts here, check out my site, or visit other SFR-philic blogs ;)

Welcome to the SFR Holiday Blitz!

The holiday season upon us, and that means 2010 is simmering just below the horizon. Start your New Year off right with a chance to score a FREE read in one of the hottest up and coming genres around--Science Fiction Romance!

Twelve bloggers have teamed up with 17 authors for your chance to win over 30 SFR books. Whether you're new to the genre, or a fan looking to add to her collection, this event is for you.

There are no quizzes to answer, no hoops to jump. Gotta love that.

For your chance to win On Wings, Rising by Ann Somerville, all you have to do is leave a comment for this post. Print book prizes are limited to U.S. residents. The deadline to enter is midnight E.S.T. on Friday, December 11, 2009. The winner will be announced on Saturday, December 12, 2009.

Here's the blurb for On Wings, Rising from the My Bookstore and More site:

Dinun can’t fly—but he could be the answer to an Angel’s prayer.

Barely tolerated by his own kind, Dinun is a self-reliant soul who scratches out a living from the great, empty lands of Quarn. Always looking for unexpected treasure, he never dreams of finding an injured Angel.

Moon belongs to a race of telepathic winged humanoids. Exquisitely beautiful, sexually playful, Angels have always fascinated humans. Dinun’s feelings for Moon take flight as they become lovers, but a planetary invasion could destroy their future together.

Centuries ago, humans on Quarn saved their race from destruction by joining their DNA with that of the Angels. Now full-blood humans are stealing Angel children—including Moon’s son—for barbaric experiments. The full-bloods are prepared to slaughter anyone who gets in their way.

Thrust into a desperate race against time to save the infants, Dinun and Moon must battle against a people with weapons far beyond anything the Angels—or their human friends—can hope to defeat. Dinun brings to the fight his bravery and a determination to be true to himself. Will that be enough to save the children, and win the Angel he’s come to love?

Planetary invasion? Threat to lovers? Endangered races? Exciting stuff!

But don't stop here! Increase your chances of winning even more books! Just click on one of the links to the participating bloggers below. Make sure to leave a comment on the post titled "SFR Holiday Blitz." From there, you can jump to the next blog. Then the next, then the next. There's a wide variety of books to win and a bunch of fun blogs to visit. Check them out:

Alien Romances

Dirty Sexy Books

Ella Drake

Enduring Romance

Flying Whale Productions

Lisa Paitz Spindler

Love Romance Passion

SciFiGuy

Spacefreighters Lounge

Take It To The Stars

The Galaxy Express

And the participating authors? The best of today's SFR:

Ann Aguirre

Katherine Allred

Margaret L. Carter

Rowena Cherry

Ella Drake

Jess Granger

Susan Grant

Nathalie Gray

Leanna Renee Hieber

Claire Delacroix

Barbara Elsborg

Susan Kearney

Jacqueline Lichtenberg

Karin Shah

Linnea Sinclair

Susan Sizemore

Ann Somerville

So what are you waiting for? Leave a comment here for Ann Somerville's book then get your bad self over to those other blogs for a chance at even MORE fab SFR. Go on!

Happy Holidays and Good Reading to All!

Name Game: Color Me Baffled

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 17:39:00 +0000

Sometimes it's difficult to come up with titles for my stories. I've hit upon good ones (a fantasy trilogy in the works: "What Price the Crown," "Once a Princess," "Queen Without a Country" (which has been used, but I didn't know that at the time)). Quite by accident, I must admit. Others are, as my daughter would say, "meh". Serviceable, but nothing that pops. I know a good title is important to both convey the contents of the story and be as memorable as possible without being ridiculous (no more than five words; it should be "active," using some verb form, etc.).

But I don't have the difficulty that others do when it comes to naming things. Consider the folks whose job is to name paint colors.

Recently, my husband and I decided to paint our bedroom. Down at the hardware store, we found that handy book with all those rectangular paint sample cards. An amazing number of colors. But looking closer, the names the company labeled their paints were amusing. Or head-scratchers. Examples? I got them.

First of all, there are many colors named for foods and drinks, and a good number of those are roasted, toasted and baked. A few are raw, but mostly they've been subjected to some kind of heating method. Another popular category is nature. Makes sense. We like a little of the outdoors indoors, where it can be controlled and kept clean with the swipe of a sponge.

Weather/atmospheric conditions get more than a few. There were many raindrops this and windy or breezy that, but my faves are a little more, shall we say, tumultuous.

New Monsoon and Tsunami Night--exciting, I'm sure, but do you want your room color to make you think of potential natural disasters?
City Storm--appropriately a darker gray.
March Ice--kind of brownish, which makes sense.
March Breeze--a lighter shade than March Ice, but still brownish. Not healthy.
Warm Fog--quiet the oxymoron, don't you think?
Dusted Gloam--"gloaming" means twilight, but why the decision to take off the "-ing"? Doesn't "Dusted Gloaming" roll off the tongue easily enough? No, no it doesn't.

A few others I found that had me wondering about the state of mind of the poor paint company employee trying to come up with a new way to describe the thousandth shade of some color:

Limish--really? That's the best you could do?
Martian--yes, it is green. Surprised?
Bluish--see Limish
Novella Blue--what?

But my favorites are the colors that send a message.

Lucky You--a perfect choice for the bedroom, don't you think?
Dawn's Reveal--unless you've had a bad morning after experience.
Bleak--also not a good bedroom choice.
Rapture, Bliss and Rollick--now we're talking.
Super Nova--Yes! Though it's a paler color than I think of when I think of a super nova.
Slumber--well, yes, I would like that too, thank you.
Prudence--sounds a little to stiff and formal. Perhaps a few glasses of wine before bed are in order?
Virtue and Naivete--totally painting my daughters' rooms these colors.

There was one color that would make a killer title for a SFR: Helio Prism. Apparently I'm not the only one who thought that sounded way cool, as it's also part of the title of an album by a band called Beautiful Bloody Fiction, with some paint color-worthy song titles: Waiting for the Smoke to Clear, Burst, and Rose-Colored Specticles.

In the end, Husband and I went with a warm, peachy color called "Sonoma." Neither of us have ever been to Sonoma, but should we go we'd expect to see this shade dominating the landscape. Because the paint company said so.

Not So Black Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:02:00 +0000

There is no Black Friday here in our little town. Well, maybe there is sort of a greyish Friday, but certainly not one that starts at 5 a.m. And for that I am profoundly grateful. Not that I'd be up that early just to save a few dollars. Even if we lived in a more urbanized area, it wouldn't happen. When we visited family in larger towns/cities during the Thanksgiving holiday, it didn't happen. There is no sale, no item I need to get that could possibly justify my getting out of bed in the cold and dark to stand in a large crowd of people crushing me against glass doors or another cranky, coffee-deprived person. Best to just avoid the situation altogether, I say. That's what the internet's for, isn't it?

So it's a good thing that I live in a town that is not subject to such insanity. Hubby and I will do our version of Black Friday this afternoon. We'll have been well-rested after a relaxing Thanksgiving meal yesterday, a decent night's sleep and a couple cups of coffee this morning. Heck, we aren't even starting out until after lunch. Will we miss any great deals? No. Then again, with the limited shopping in town--and the possibility many shops are closed for the holiday weekend--we probably won't be finding much today anyway. And that's fine by me.

We're Not All Rogues

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:37:00 +0000

Please don't judge the rest of us in AK by what you read about Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston.

I will admit, I admired Palin enough to consider voting for her to be governor. Yeah, that's a big deal for a liberal-minded gal like me. But she was a lot more normal then. At least on the surface. And compared to the other candidates during that election? Well, let's just say she was a breath of fresh air as she spoke of ethics reform and fiscal responsibility. Since then, I promised myself I would research candidates much more thoroughly in the future. Much more.

But then the vice presidential thing and the pregnant daughter thing and the baby daddy becoming some sort of celebrity thing occurred (Can someone please please PLEASE explain to me what Levi Johnston did to earn all this attention?). Palin and Johnston have been splashed across the national scene like poo at a monkey house. There are book deals and pistachio commercials, appearances on Oprah and spreads in Playgirl. They're dragging the rest of the state along for the ride, whether they mean to or not. Whether we want it or not.

I just want to remind you that there are normal people who live here, too. Folks who work hard, do their jobs, raise families and care about the world around us. Not that Palin and Johnston don't do those things (though for the life of me, I can't figure out what Johnston DOES do), but the attention isn't on their normalcy. Far from it. And there is normalcy here. Despite our living in a more extreme environment, we're not all rogues. Or celebutants. Or hockey moms. Lip-sticked or otherwise.

Equal Rights and a Family's Heartache

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 21:31:00 +0000

This is not a political blog. In fact, I usually do my darnedest to keep my politics out of public forums. But this story/link posted on Nicola Griffith's blog about a family denied the opportunity to see their dying partner/mother is an outrage. A crime against what we humans should have over the basest of creatures: compassion. I'm sure the hospital social worker, the doctors and other personnel were just following the rules. Well, you know what? The rules suck. And when rules suck, when they prevent loved ones from seeing their ill family member and prevent them from saying good bye, the rules need to be changed. Now.

For those of you in Washington state, Referendum 71 is worthy of your attention and your vote. If you live elsewhere, find out where your state stands on same-sex marriage and domestic partnerships. You may be surprised. And possibly stunned and disappointed. If so, make an effort to change it.

If the states won't step up, there needs to be a federally mandated equal marriage law. Equal.

I have never understood how granting equal rights to all could possibly be detrimental to anyone. When I read the story I wept for that family and for everyone caught up in the stupidity that is the current climate. And my friends, we are ALL caught up in the current climate.

Bear with Me

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 16:22:00 +0000

One of our neighbors is becoming annoying. No, not in a playing his music too loud or letting his dog poo in our yard sense. He (or she?) is rattling our empty garbage cans at night and getting into things in the open bed of a pick up truck.

Yes, our formerly polite black bear is acting like, well, a bear.

When we first moved to this little coastal town in south central Alaska, we knew there were more bears than moose around, completely opposite from our previous location. Both critters can be dangerous, especially when your dopey dog runs up to full grown mama moose and barks in her bulbous nose. Not smart, dog, not smart at all. Both are given space and respect (as much as we can with said dopey dog, at any rate).

We quickly learned there was a neighborhood bear, but never saw much of the bruin. He (we'll stick with the patriarchal pronoun for now) left piles of berry-seeded poo along the narrow strip of grass that separates our house from a swath of brush and the slope down to a creek. While picking salmon berries (no, they don't taste like fish), my husband saw his brown nose peek out from some bushes. A stern, "Go away, bear" was enough to scare him off. Our cat was never chased. Our garbage cans were never so much as turned over, let alone debris strewn across the yard.

But things have changed.

Two weeks ago, I was settling down for the night when I heard thumping outside--the telltale sound of a plastic garbage can being abused. Shoot. I knew it wasn't a neighbor's dog. Taking up the heavy flashlight from the kitchen counter, I went to the front door and flipped on the porch light. Grateful we, like most Alaskans, have an arctic entry (an area for coats and boots that separates the house proper from the outdoors), I was able to keep the dogs in while I poked my head out the outer door. I could hear the bear bumping into things, and since garbage had been collected that day I knew he wasn't making a huge mess. But due to the monster piles of wood dear husband had stacked for the winter soon to come, I couldn't see anything.

"Go away, bear," I said in my gruffest "dad" voice. The thumping stopped. "Go on, get out of here."

I listened and waited, the half-glass outer door between me and the bear and flashlight in hand (why I had it, I don't know. It's not like I was going to go out there. But its weight felt good in my hand.). After a few moments of no sound, I figured the bear moved away from the house, back up into the brush. Just as I was about to go back in, he lumbered from behind the tall stack of wood into the light. My heart stopped for a second or two then thudded hard in my chest.

"That is one big freakin' bear," my brain informed me. Yes, thank you for stating the obvious, brain.

Maybe 200 pounds, he strolled past the porch and glanced up at me behind the laughable protection of the half-glass door. My heavy duty, 2" diameter, foot long Mag-Lite suddenly seemed like a tube of tin foil. Not that I would have gotten close enough to hit him with it. Not intentionally, anyway. He kept walking and disappeared into the shadows.

The next morning, I warned the kids about our night visitor and made sure the coast was clear before letting the dogs out at night. All had been quiet for the past couple of weeks, except for the distinct whiff of musk the other evening that told us he was still making his rounds. But nothing destructive.

Until last night.

Hubby returned from a week of meetings and shopping in Anchorage at 1 am. He left the groceries and things he purchased in the back of the new, open bed pick up truck he'd transported back via ferry. (The truck is for the science center where he works, the groceries are ours and a co-worker's.) He had some totes of freezer/refrigerator items, including coffee creamer, butter, cheese and meats, that he left outside rather than put away after a long day. It was cool enough to keep things fresh. Along with that, our pal Penny had purchased three dozen tamales from Taco Loco, a restaurant in Anchorage that she absolutely loves. Hubby transported them back with our stuff so we could store them for her, as Penny was staying in Anchorage for a few more days.

This morning, Hubby let the dogs out and discovered our bear had been back. Despite the presence of approximately 30 pounds of meat and other fat-rich goodies, the bear went for the enticing scent of tamales. And really, who can blame him? He pulled the tarp off the tote, chewed a couple of holes in the plastic, tossed the lid and went to work. Of the three dozen tamales, packaged in a tin foil covered pan, 21 survived. As long as Penny doesn't mind paw prints on her corn husks, they should still be fine.

Living with wildlife is never boring, but the past few weeks have seen a marked increase in the excitement level around here. In the scheme of things, the loss of a dozen tamales isn't bad (though Penny might not feel that way). We'll be temporarily free from our furry neighbor's antics once he goes into hibernation for the winter. For now, we'll keep the garbage shut in the shed until pick up day, especially if we have Mexican for dinner.

Olé.

Book Pimpage of the Month: Mercenary's Promise

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:25:00 +0000

What kind of book pimper am I??? I meant to do this earlier but apparently the chip in my head is acting wonky (better get on that, Sharron).

My BFF Sharron McClellan has the second of her Mercenary series out this month, Mercenary's Promise from Silhouette Romantic Suspense. Having been there at its beginnings and reading the development of this book as well as the others, I must say these are some high-octane reads. Set in the steamy jungle of South America, it's a fast-paced combination of action and romance.

Here's the blurb:

Wilderness guide Bethany Darrow was desperate to save her kidnapped sister in Colombia, but lying about having the money to pay dark, mysterious mercenary Xavier Monero would cost her dearly. Especially when their forced proximity during a dangerous jungle rescue unleashed a smoldering, irresistible attraction.

Xavier knew the beautiful American was trouble the second he laid his eyes on her. Taking Bethany on the mission was a risk, and he wasn't prepared for the peril she placed on his heart. Suddenly he wanted more than fortune—he wanted Bethany, body and soul. But everything comes with a price….

Sounds good, yes? Well, it is. Trust me. So go get it, and pick up the first book, Mercenary's Honor, while you're at it. Oh, and pre-order the upcoming anthology Blackout at Christmas (Nov. '09) too. That last one isn't a Mercenary book, but Sharron's story is damn good.

Bringing Out the Shine

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 16:59:00 +0000

{A quick preface: One of the things I love about world building in fiction is the use of a phrase unique to that world. "Frak" in Battlestar Galactica. "Damn the void" in my own work (yeah, shameless plug. So sue me.). In Firefly, one of the best shows EVER on television, it was "Shiny," in reference to something good. }

Yesterday, amid the catching up of family doings with my old friend Patti (her kids are BOTH in high school now, her oldest a senior! Yeah, we feel old.) she told me about the enthusiasm her daughter has for a particular teacher's lessons. Her daughter often comes home with a gleam in her eye and begins a conversation with "Today, Mr. Smith talked about..." and goes on to reiterate everything Mr. Smith said about one topic or another.

"Remember when we used to be that excited about everything our professors said?" Patti asked.

"We were young then," I said. "Everything we heard and did was still shiny. Now, most things aren't so new."

There are things in life that we first gaze upon with wonder and enthusiasm. Events or ideas or even objects we fawn over and proudly share with the world, or maybe even keep hidden from view so we alone can bask in its glory. There is a shine that might blind us to everything else, dazzle us with its brilliance, attract the attention of others. It is all good and amazing.

But sometimes, somewhere along the line, the shine is dulled. The brilliant observations of a beloved professor are chipped away by better techniques and different views. Travel is no longer the carefree romp across the country, but a slog between crowded airports on crowded planes. Relationships, always shiny at the beginning, are worn by time and dinged by life.

The challenge is to find the shine. Not just to experience new things that make your heart race and feel like you're nineteen again. Those are wonderful and should be part of your life. Maybe not skydive every day, but even something as simple as trying a new dish at your favorite restaurant, or trying a new restaurant, can set you on a world of discovery.

No, for me, the real challenge is to buff those things that once made my heart race and have lost their glimmer for some reason or another. The return to a hobby I used to devote all free time. Re-reading a book that made an impact on my younger self. Re-igniting the fire we had before the patter of little feet.

If I can make the effort to see these things in a new way, if I can remind myself why I loved them so, and perhaps find a new facet to admire, they will shine for me once again.

What old passion can you think of that you might re-awaken and say, "Shiny!"?

Tax Relief and Economic "Whoa!"

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:13:00 +0000

In these tough economic times, I can completely get behind government and private assistance, even bailouts if the Average Working Joe or Jane gets a break somewhere (bailouts being used for million dollar bonuses to executives are totally nauseating). And I can understand if tax payments need to be renegotiated so folks can still maintain a living. But there is an ad for a tax relief service on television that has me fuming.

The ad starts off with an everyday looking couple saying they owed $30,000 in taxes but when they went through this service they ended up only paying $3,000. The next couple (and these little bits always show a man and a woman, whether they are married or partners in some business) owed $100K and paid only $10K, or some such fraction. Each of the four or five bits increases the original amount owed, with the final being $3 million, and the happy couple reveals they actually paid $1 million. That's what this company does, eases the burden. Fine, except for one thing. These people seem more smug than relieved. They come across not as "Oh my goodness, we were so buried by all kinds of financial difficulty that we couldn't breathe and now we can afford food again." but as "Heheh. Screwed the government and, in effect, the rest of you people. Suckers!"

Now, as I said, I have no issue with helping folks when they need a hand. And I'm not going to argue the tax code here (mostly because I don't understand it). What gets me riled, and never ever willing to consider the company, is the attitude portrayed by the couples. Sure, taxes can be difficult to pay, but if they aren't paid many federal programs that do things like provide health care to kids, veterans and the elderly don't get sufficient funds. Schools don't get money, highways don't get maintained, etc. There's less going into the coffers, less to be used for the things we need. If taxes can't legitimately be paid because there are too many other things demanding payment and you need help, that's fine. Get help, pay what you can. But don't sound like you're happy about it. Because for every dollar you aren't paying, some program is losing a dollar.

I was raised to believe we are a nation that takes care of its own, and then some. That everyone should do what they can to help those in trouble. Folks receiving such things as tax aid should be, first and foremost, legitimately deserving, and yeah, even grateful that there is help to be found. Not grovelling and feeling like they are lacking, but appreciative. And even if you feel more smug than relieved, at the very least don't let the rest of us suckers feel like suckers.

Summer, We Shall Miss Ye...Sort of

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:29:00 +0000

By most of the country's standards, summer is still in full swing. Even if school has started, there are plenty of hot days and at least one long weekend to go before it's over. Not here in the Soggy North. School will not start until the 20th (too soon, according to my oldest child), but looking out my window at the blowing rain, listening to the furnace kick on despite the thermometer setting of 63, the carefree days are essentially over.

Over for the kids, anyway. Hehehe. I'll try not to gloat as I sit in my quiet house, sipping a second or third cup of coffee whilst donned in flannel pajamas. I'll consider their hectic schedules as I make the difficult decision whether to shower before or after "Regis and Kelly." I promise not to smirk as they labor over pages and pages of homework while I flip through the latest issue of People. I promise not to do these things because I am a good and kind mother (snerk).

But hey, I've done my summer duties. We spent some grand quality time together, had visitors and participated in all kinds of activities, went Outside for ten days to visit family and friends. All in all, it was a very good, fun summer. And now it's time to get back on schedule, continue focusing on our goals and dreams. If I can do that in my pajamas, so much the better.

Alaska Adventure Coming to a Close

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 16:08:00 +0000

The Nephew's visit is almost over. He arrived about three weeks ago from New York with my Mom so he could attend Science Camp here in the Soggy North. During camp, he and my daughter canoed, kayaked, trekked on a glacier and learned a lot about the various ecosystems that thrive in our area. His favorite activity during camp was climbing a wall of ice at the glacier. Scary, but cool (no pun intended : ). In all, according to the two kids, "Camp was epic!" I think that means they liked it a lot.

He spent another week here being very tolerant of my youngest using him as her personal jungle gym and not doing the activities I thought we'd get to do. Rain and the absence of my husband contributed to a somewhat uneventful final week, but he didn't complain. Didn't act bored or frustrated.

There was one final adventure. On Tuesday, Nephew and Daughter got to fly in a four-seater float plane from here to Valdez, a town about 45 air minutes away. They were to help demonstrate remote operated vehicles (ROVs) made by kids in the 6th grade (my daughter's class). The kids built models of vehicles that could maneuver in the water and aid in "oil spill" clean up. The "oil spill," in the name of environmental safety, was stale popcorn for this demo. The project got the kids' creative juices flowing regarding engineering and design. It's amazing what a 12 year old's mind can come up with and accomplish when they are interested. No two ROVs were alike despite the limitations set by purpose, size and the number of propellers allowed. Very, very cool.

So off they go with Lindsay, the Education Coordinator at the Prince William Sound Science Center, with the intention of returning at 8pm that night. The weather was iffy here, with fog rolling in between the mountains, but flyable. I trust the pilots here, especially if they are older. The saying goes, there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are few old, bold pilots. I like mine to be calm and in control but know when flying is to risky, especially if my kids are aboard. At about 4 or 5pm, I get a call from Lindsay. The weather is worsening where they are and the charter company won't be able to get in. She, my kids, and two other Science Center folks have to spend the night in Valdez. They'll catch the ferry at noon Wednesday and return to us at 7pm Wednesday. The kids have no toothbrushes or pajamas; I would not want to be near their breath the next morning. I gave them some money for lunch and dinner, but that's all. I know Lindsay will take care of them, so I'm not worried. In fact, they had a fabulous time. In a way, I'm glad they got stuck. It's an adventure they won't soon forget.

So all in all, with Science Camp and the Valdez Adventure, Nephew has had a pretty decent visit. He's a good kid (Nice job, sis!) and I'm grateful we were able to spend some time with him.

Tomorrow we head to Anchor-town to begin his return to the Right Coast. My kids and I will accompany Nephew to Seattle. We'll see him off on his plane and then catch a flight to Spokane to visit the in-laws for ten days. Then school starts a week after we return, Yikes! Summer is winding down, but it's been a good one.

Change of Plans

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 18:26:00 +0000

The guest post over at The Galaxy Express was a lot of fun. Heather's Parallel Universe idea during the RWA National Convention brought out a nice array of topics and ideas. Thanks again, Heather! I said I'd post the piece that didn't make the cut, but two things happened to kill that idea. First, my modem burned out. No Internets for the entire weekend! I don't know who was more twitchy over the lack of networking, me or my 12 year old. I did slip into the library and checked email once, but I didn't have the file with me anyway. Then, my mother and nephew arrived. Visiting took precedence over posting. And now, well, I've changed my mind about putting the piece up. At least for the time being.

The visit with Mom and Nephew went well. We got out on a few easy hikes, trundled to the glacier 50 miles down the gravel highway for lunch and some awesome calving, and generally enjoyed ourselves. Weather, always a questionable factor here in soggy south central AK, was mostly agreeable. The only downer was our boat breaking. Hubby wanted to take Nephew and our kids out fishing, but not being able to go further than line of sight made it less than enticing. But now Nephew and Daughter #1 are at Science Camp. They are getting plenty of outdoor time, even if it is wet. Yes, after two weeks of relatively dry and pleasant, we have rain. Lots and lots of rain.

The weather has also affected Hubby. He is overseeing a big research event, coordinating scientists from several universities and such on three different boats that should be out in the Sound running instruments and gathering data.

At least that was the plan. He was supposed to leave Monday afternoon, but a winter storm-type weather system roared into the area. Thirty to thirty-five knot winds have grown to 40-45, with rain increasing. Two of the boats had already left and are anchored in the lee of islands somewhere in the Sound, waiting for a break in the weather to get a little work done. Hope they brought a deck of cards.

Hubby and the two science dudes he was working with came back to our house last night for dinner and more comfortable accommodations than sleeping on the boat. They had managed to get a little data, but not nearly as much as they were hoping for. They are going back out today, but the weather is getting worse, so they won't go far and will be back in port this afternoon. We'll have them eat and sleep here and hope they can get out Wednesday. And not lose a $100K science instrument in crappy seas.

While they are anxious about getting the work done, they are philosophical about conditions. The weather is what it is. You can bitch, but that won't help or change it. Just do what you can with what you have available, try to take advantage of small windows of opportunity, and be glad you can come back to a warm bed and a hot meal even when things have gone awry.

It's an attitude I think we need to have more often, for all occasions.

On Location at The Galaxy Express

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 17:42:00 +0000

I'm over at The Galaxy Express today talking a little about creating different worlds in SF and SFR. Pop over and comment!

Tomorrow, I may post here the piece that *didn't* make the cut for my guest spot, so come on back : )

July? Already???

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:09:00 +0000

Yikes! What happened to the latter half of June? My kids have been out of school since May 21 and it feels like we've hardly done a thing. One attended a week-long science day camp, the other went to girl scout camp, and we've gotten out on the boat a few times (fishing, but not catching), but generally we've been lay-abouts. Which is nice and all, but still, I feel a little sluggish compared to how quickly the month flew by. This last half before school starts in late August will probably whip by as well, but we have a busier schedule.

First up is the local Fourth of July extravaganza, complete with kids' activities and a barbeque. Everyone comes. There won't be fireworks, however. What, you say, no fireworks??? What's 4th of July without fireworks? Well, considering it doesn't get dark until nearly midnight in the summer, a public fireworks display is tough. There will be plenty of noise-making fireworks, I'm sure, but not the pretty ooh-ahhh light up the sky types. Or if there are any planned, I won't be watching them. New Year's Eve is the time for pretty fireworks displays in the North.

The week after the 4th, my mother and nephew will be coming from New York for a visit. Mom will stay a week before having to return, but my nephew will remain here. We'll take them to the glacier and hopefully get out on the boat. Nephew will go to science camp with our oldest then stay another week for fun. We'll travel with him to Seattle, see him off to his NY-bound plane then my kids and I will head to Spokane to visit the in-laws. Poor hubby has to stay home to work, take care of the critters, and prep for a 3 or 4 week research cruise off Hawaii that leaves the day after we return. Yeah, rough life.

After Spokane we'll have a week or so before school starts up. Whew! How time flies. Like the hormones here in our house (DD#1 is 12 1/2, DD#2 is 9 and just hitting those pre-pubescent waves). No wonder hubby isn't turning down the chance to be gone for weeks at a time.

But it's been a good summer so far. Even the weather has been mostly cooperative--in the 60's and low 70's, no days and days of torrential rain but real sun. Often more than two days in a row! Crazy balmy, I know!

So how's summer in your neck of the woods?

Tag! I'm It!

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:32:00 +0000

Avalon author Sierra Donovan has tagged me. Thanks, Sierra. No really : P

I answer the questions below then "tag" four more people, asking them to post their answers to the same questions. No pressure to play, but it is fun and gives an excuse for not hitting my WIP. OK, here we go:

Four Movies that I can see over and over
1. Serenity
2. Young Frankenstein (Sierra listed this one too and I must agree)
3. Mr. and Mrs. Smith
4. Pride and Prejudice

Four Places I have lived
1. Brentwood, NY
2. Bottineau, ND
3. Fairbanks, AK
4. Corvallis, OR

Four TV shows that I love to watch
1. The Daily Show with Jon Stewart/The Colbert Report (two separate shows but on in tandem, so suck it up)
2. Chuck
3. House
4. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles—which has been cancelled but I loved it

Four places where I have gone on vacation
1. England/Scotland
2. San Diego
3. Cruise along Mexico’s west coast (salt air shrinks clothing, btw, tho it may have been the buffet…)
4. Orlando

Four favorite foods
1. Baked winter king salmon
2. BBQ pork ribs
3. Fresh peaches
4. Ice cream

Four websites I visit daily
1. Yahoo Mail
2. My other mail site
3. Mrs. Giggles
4. A bunch of blogs I pop in on during my morning rounds (yes, this is a cheater answer. So sue me.)

Four places I would rather be
1. Back East visiting my family
2. At my father-in-law’s ranch/visiting DH’s family near by
3. Soaking in a warm bath
4. Traveling to somewhere new

Four things that I would like to do before I die
1. Write a bestseller (I believe this is on many of the “tagged” folks’ lists :)
2. Visit each continent
3. Get all my friends together for a huge party
4. See my husband happily retired and my kids happy and successful

Four novels I wish that I was reading for the first time
1. On Basilisk Station by David Weber (the first of an excellent series featuring a female starship commander)
2. To Kill a Mockingbird
3. The Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey
4. The Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

Four people to tag
1. Sharron McClellan
2. Jody Wallace
3. Amy Jandrey
4. Tracy Montoya

Things I Ponder When I Should be Writing...

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Are the dust bunnies under the furniture gathering for a coup?
How much coffee CAN one drink without having their heart explode?
The Internet isn't so much a series of tubes (thanks for that analogy, Ted Stevens) but more like a Slip 'N' Slide. Think about it...
Why does the cat have to sleep on top of things? He can't just sleep on the bed but must sleep on the one article of clean, folded clothing on the bed. Why?
How long can I futz around before my crit partners yell at me to get my arse in gear?

OK, back to work. No really.

Let the Summer Begin

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Mon, 25 May 2009 17:07:00 +0000

Even here in the semi-frozen north there is a season--albeit a short one--known as summer. How do we know it's summer? The snow is gone, except for a few shadowy, north-facing patches here at almost sea level. (The stuff still on the mountains doesn't count.) The kids are out of school until August 20-something. And the tourists have begun to arrive.

Unlike our previous location, the town we are in isn't easily accessible. You can't just take a drive and end up here. But there is a small cruise ship that comes over every Wednesday, bringing a few folks to spend the day wandering the two main streets of town or to take an hour-long jaunt down the mostly gravel highway to Child's Glacier and the Million Dollar Bridge (no, no, not the Bridge to Nowhere. That's somewhere else.). Standing a quarter mile away across the river and feeling the cool breeze come off unmeasurable tons of ice while Volkswagon- to building-sized chunks calve is awe-inspiring and exhilarating. You just have to be ready to bolt inland in case one of those chunks creates a wave that will wash up and over the river bank on your side, flooding the picnic/viewing area. Yeah, it's happened. Apparently there were salmon tossed into trees during one big calving-induced wave.

We'll be taking my mother and nephew out there when they come up in July. I'll remind them to wear their running shoes.

Other than relatives visiting, we do have a few things to keep the kids busy and me sane. Camps, both sleep-away and day, will fill some of my daughters' days. Family fishing trips will dot the calendar. We're planning to go Outside for a couple of weeks before school starts. But overall, the plan is to take things nice and slow.

What will you be up to?

Happy Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sun, 10 May 2009 23:53:00 +0000

Though I'm asked what I want for Mother's Day, birthdays, etc., I rarely come up with a specific idea for my poor, befuddled family. I'm usually happy with sleeping in and not having to cook or clean up. This year, however, did get me a couple of lovely things: poems from my daughters. Like most things kid-related, they make me laugh and cry. I've been given permission to share them here.

A Mother's Day Poem
by DD #1 (age 12)

Dear Mom,
You make us feel good when we're sad,
You calm us down when we're mad.
We're jumpy bear cubs in a den,
You're our doting mother hen.
You make sure we are neat and straight,
And that we clean our plate.
When you're around we feel happy.
I think this poem is getting too sappy!
Even when we feel shy,
You make sure we don't cry!
You're the best Mom there's ever been!
(Even when the cat meows his head off for din din : )

A Poem and a message
by DD#2 (age 8, almost 9)

Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
I give lots of love
to you!

Moms are like blankets,
they cover you with love.

Aren't they the sweetest? There is nothing in this world that could be bought or sold that equals receiving these gifts. One day a year isn't enough to celebrate the joys of my children--I'm blessed every single day.

Happy Mother's Day!

RWA Welcomes Rainbow Romance Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:06:00 +0000

It's official! The RWA has approved its newest Special Interest Chapter: Rainbow Romance Writers, dedicated to the promotion and advocacy of LGBT romance. Yay!!!!!

Despite my just starting out in the genre, the members of the RRW have been nothing but kind and supportive. They are an amazing, dedicated, and open group, and I'm proud to be part of the chapter. Go check out the RRW website to take a closer look.

Thanks to the Board of the RRW chapter (Jade Buchanan, Sara Bell, Kimberly Gardner, JL Langley, and Jet Mykles) and Laura Baumbach and others, who did all manner of gathering interest, collecting member information, and filling out the paperwork to assure all i's were dotted and t's were crossed. You all rock! Having an official LGBT chapter of the RWA will hold a lot of weight in the romance community. The majority of the members have been writing LGBT romances for as long as any romance author out there and it's time--past time, actually--that they receive equal recognition for their work.

As one of the members said in response to the chapter president's announcement: "Rainbow power--for the win!" It's a win we can all savor.

Write What You Want

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:32:00 +0000

Two posts over the last week or so have me thinking about my writing. I'm worried about how it will sell. Not worried in a hand wringing sort of fashion, but concerned.

First, there was a post on Karen Knows Best about whether traditional romance readers were ready for lesbian romances. The other post, over at The Galaxy Express, posed the question about publishers being "ashamed" of the science fiction romance subgenre. Can you guess why I'm a little concerned? Yep, Bad Girl, the manuscript I'm currently peddling, is a science fiction romance (or SF with romantic elements, depending on how you see these things) that has a relationship between two women. If the commentary/information regarding the desire for and treatment of F/F romances and SFR are any indication, I may be out of luck.

Marketing for the subgenres separately is tough. I know. It's very possible I'm setting myself up for a lot of rejection and frustration. I know. Publishing for a newbie in ANY genre is tough. I know.

But you know what? It's the story I wanted to write. It's the story that made me think about love and sacrifice. About who we are, who we're meant to be, and who we're meant to be with. There are good guys who aren't really all that good, and bad guys who aren't all bad. There's betrayal and emotional abandonment, forgiveness and redemption. While I was writing, the setting on another planet, in a future time, made it fun. As the relationship between my two heroines began to develop, it made me think. Not about how I'd market this story, but how I could make it the best possible story I could write.

Now that Bad Girl is seeking a home, I do consider the marketability of a F/F SFR (I take my career, such as it is, as seriously as the next writer.). One of my crit partners has warned me that it will be a tough sell. She kindly recommends that my next WIP be more marketable because she wants to see me published. I love her and appreciate her concern, and the current WIP is more "traditional". But even if Bad Girl doesn't get any further than my hard drive, it's a book that wanted to be written, and I'm really glad I wrote it.

Grow Up Already

noreply@blogger.com (Cathy in AK) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:54:00 +0000

Since I have an outside-of-the-house job, irregular as it may be, I actually have to dress like a grown up now and again. Sometimes for several days in a row. Crazy, I know. But because I didn't have any real need for normal, every day clothing, my serviceable wardrobe dwindled dramatically over the last seven years. If something got worn out, or stained (slob that I am, likely), or didn't fit any more (sadly, this was *most* likely), I didn't bother replacing it. Why spend money when I didn't really need to? I've never been concerned with fashion, and luckily we've lived in places where casual was acceptable for every occasion, so jeans and tee shirts or a sweater worked for me.

Until now. Now, not only do I have to wear something other than jeans sometimes, the clothes need to make me look like a grown up. No one would mistake me for any of the kids at either school, but I have to at least try to reflect my reaching adulthood. Tee shirts with cute pictures and snarky phrases won't do. The staff at the school would give me "looks." Not that they're snobby or anything, they are all very nice people, but I need to make the effort and present myself properly.

At the same time, I don't have a lick of fashion sense (which works well with the stand-by jeans and tee shirt outfits) and like to be comfortable (again, jeans and tees fit here). I settled on ordering some nice tees online, a pair of pants and a new pair of shoes. While still casual, I can dress up the tees and the pants aren't jeans. The shoes are more of a question mark as far as fit and style go. They may have to go back. We'll see.

I doubt anyone seeing me in my version of adult attire will swoon over my choices, but I won't embarrass anyone either. Hopefully they'll just appreciate that for where I'm from, my new duds mean either I won the lottery or have a court date.