Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Let it snow!

Most of you know I live on the coast of Washington, at sea level I might add, so when I tell you there is six inches of snow on the ground here you might think I've hit my head or something. But, it's true -- there is a pile of white stuff in my yard and it is colder than a frozen pond in Maine in January. I was going to say colder than a witch's tit, but since many of you might not know how cold a witch's tit can be, I figured I'd give you something easier to compare too.

In honor of our snow and the idiots who think getting to work is the most important thing on the 'to do' list today, I wrote a little ditty I'd like to share with you.



Twas a night of great snow fall and all through the town,
it fell from the sky to white kiss the ground.

The children did run up the street in delight,
noses red, frozen hands, oh to see such a sight.

Snowball fights, dazzling lights, children shouting with glee,
as a blanket of snow covered each and every tree.

And the snow it did fall on the buildings and streets,
turning all of our drivers into dumb little freaks.

Not a tail light unbroken as they plowed here and there,
hitting cars, curbs, and lamp posts with nary a care.

As adults we forget all the fun to be had,
when snow comes a calling wee lassies and lads.

Don't you get in that car, tell the boss you'll be late,
life's too short don't you know to make wee children wait.

Grab a coat and a muff, grab a scarf if you must,
Get a pail or a sled and some other great stuff.

Out the door you must run with the children in tow
Take a day. Take an hour. Just go play in the snow!

Monday, November 20, 2006

Contest

Christmas in December Contest

For details click
here

Sunday, November 19, 2006

Pandora's People 2: Keely--Now Available

Pandora's People: Keely is now available



Pandora's People: Keely was released by Changeling Press on Friday.

Last year, Keely lost her lover, John, in a supposed anti-terrorist operation. Now, as she and her fellow aberrants uncover a government plot to destroy the society they’ve built for themselves, the facts about this conspiracy come to light. To complicate matters, Keely is teamed with West, a powerful aberrant who captures her heart. Afraid to love again in the face of her recent loss, Keely must come to terms with her past and decide whether to accept the love West offers as they fight together to uncover a shocking secret.

This is volume two in a three-book series.

Over the past generation, children all over the world have been born with strange powers. Scientists have no explanation. Aberrant communities have sprung up across the world. In the US, Pandora, a mysterious woman with even more mysterious powers, acts as a liaison between the aberrants and the government.

Gale Harrison is new to the aberrant community, having been raised by affluent parents who sent him to a private school among "normal" people. Gale channels electricity through his body, but he’s never learned how to use his skill, only to ruthlessly control it. Intimacy with another person has always been denied him. When he meets Michael, he finds a reason to learn another way. And when he and Michael stumble into a plot to destroy the aberrant society, he must use the powers he was born with to save innocent lives.

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Desire Island


No idea if I did this right, but if you want to see one of my usual half-witted (almost said half-something else) posts on my blog about Desire Island, you're welcome.

Monday, November 06, 2006

Oh my gods...

Umm, who forgot to tell me that there was only about two and a half weeks until Thanksgiving? Oy, where has time gone?!

Okay, forget about my head spinning, this week is busy for Changeling Press. On Tuesday, join Sierra, me, and a few other authors over at the erotic Coffetime yahoo group (www.groups.yahoo.com/group/karendevinkaren) for some fabulous excerpts, great chatting, and a lovely prize for those who jump in on the fun!

Then Thursday, it's Thank God It's Thursday with Renee and Dakota! Those two are a crazy, wonderful delight to spend a few hours with in the afternoon. TGITWRAD runs from 1pm to 3pm Central Time (that's 2pm to 4pm Eastern Time, for those of you like me who hate trying to figure that stuff out!). They always have juicy tidbits on offer and they are a riot to boot!

So come and visit with Changeling Press wherever we are this week!

Til next time, be naughty and love it!

Emma Ray

Small town on coast of Washington ...

gripped in deadly struggle for power.

No, this is not a headline from the local paper, nor does it have anything to do with politics or the local electric company. This battle is being fought from one end of my house to the other for control of the on/off switch on my computer hard drive.

Let me introduce you to the combatants.

In the black, swivel, high-back office chair we have yours truly, Michelle Hoppe, romance author.

On the floor, in cute little pink shirt and pants, binky in mouth, hands and knees working as a team, is my seven month old grand daughter.

It is my desire to have said switch left in the on position and Bailey's desire to simply push it in and out. Matters not to her if it's on or off, it's the thrill of victory she is going for. Pleas from me about lost files and crashed hard drives not withstanding, Bailey is like a robot on auto pilot, programmed for one purpose only: to crawl, push, twist and scream in her efforts to meet the objective of pushing the button with the little green light.

A typical battle for supremacy goes something like this:

Bailey, cute little gurgling noises echoing around her, fakes grandma into believing she is engrossed in the current Disney movie blaring from the television.

Grandma turns to computer to write, unaware that little crawler is inching her way toward the desk, her mouth set on silent running to forestall warning anyone (me) of her approach. Her goal within reach, Bailey extends a pudgy little finger toward the glowing green light just as I catch movement out the corner of my eye and react with the speed of a twenty-year old. Scooping baby up, I place her back on the blanket in front of the tv, toy's heaped around her, some with little buttons of their own, in a vein attempt to refocus her attention on something else.

Now aware that snuggly little grand daughter has once again set her sites on my hard-drive, I return to work with one eye on the screen and one on the bundle of pink, determined to prove her stamina is greater than mine. Back and forth the combatants jockey for position. Little does she realize, I have trained for this struggle once before. Yes, I am an experienced, battle weary veteran of the shiny button wars. I earned a purple heart two and half years ago, when training Katelyn that certain things in grandmas house are off limits to little girls. Having succeeded once, I will triumph again or break another fingernail trying.

Katelyn, now aware of how important it is to leave grandmas computer alone will intercede at times, mostly because she gets tired of listening to the crying.

I know, I'm not supposed to cry at my age, but darn it, you all know what a hard shut down of a computer will do to your current project.

The problem with Katie's intervention is it only last about as long as her attention span which is seventeen point six seconds. Barely enough time for me to get comfy and take a sip of coffee. Once free of Katelyn's arms, Bailey rolls onto her hands and knees. Crawling over toys like a hum-v, one track mind reengaged, she heads back towards the light. No longer attempting to hide her intentions, it is now a race to see if she can get to the button before grandma gets her legs uncrossed and sets the coffee cup down without spilling its contents on the keyboard to grab her before the 'click' sounds.

Score one for grandma, as I snatch her up by the back of her shirt and plop her on my knee. For the seven hundred and sixty fifth time I explain why she is not allowed to touch the computer. I might as well be talking to myself, because the rug rat is squirming to get down so she can implement attack plan bravo-charlie-b345ddf. I however swing into action with battle plan warmbottleinbabiesmouth, followed by a victory dance as the little angel falls to sleep.

A cease fire has been called for the next two hours while Bailey recharges her batteries with a much needed nap. Katelyn is also napping, so I have a window of opportunity to get some work done. There is only one problem with my window - I too need a nap after the morning skirmishes so if you will excuse me I think I'll just lean back in my chair and close my eyes for a few minutes.

(reposted from my blog)

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Contest Winners

Thank you to everyone who entered my contest yesterday.

Congrats to Riane Lasair, Mishmish and Tehya, your names were pulled from the plastic pumpkin by my grand daughter.

To claim your prize send an email to:

Again, thank you everyone for playing along with my unexpected Halloween contest. Be sure to visit me at: www.michellehoppe.com for all the latest and greatest!

Michelle Hoppe

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Contest

Hi everyone.

My name is Michelle Hoppe and one of my tag lines is: Experience the Unexpected. I love putting the unexpected in my stories, like my newest release
Jack-O'Lanterns: Warlock's Eve and I enjoy doing the unexpected when it comes to promo's. So, even though it's November 1st, I'm going to have a Halloween contest ~smiles~. Oh, and if you've never entered one of my contest before, they are easy...I'm talking easy with a capital E.

Here's all you have to do to enter and win:

Post a comment here telling me what one kind of candy you can't resist.

That's it. If you post you're entered.

I will pick three winners at noon tomorrow. The prize is a surprise, because of course that is Unexpected!! And don't forget to check out my newest release:

Jack-O'Lanterns: Warlocks Eve