Countdown: September Contest

CONTEST CLOSED!!!

It's that time of the month again! Second to last Countdown contest for THREE DAYS TO DEAD, although certainly not the last contest I'll run. Just wait until I get my author copies. *g*

So I mentioned books in my last post. Books I will be giving away (not all at once). Here they are:



This contest's winner will receive four randomly selected books from that stack. As you can see, there are all kinds and lots of popular authors. There will also be a bonus prize (no, I'm not telling) with the books.

So what's the contest this month?

Y'all know I was at Dragon*Con earlier this month, and I had great fun snapping photos of all the folks in costume. Well, one night I caught this particular shot from across a hotel lobby, and it just makes me giggle every time I look at it.

It needs a good caption, folks! So...give me your caption ideas! Submit your captions in the comments section. Each caption is one entry, so if you submit six, you are entered six times in the drawing. Make them clever, make them funny, make them snarky! Just make them original!

The photo:



Entries will be accepted until Thursday night, 11:59 pm Pacific. So put your creative caps on and have at it!

New August Contest Winner & Future Contest Deets!

Alas, the original winner of the Countdown: August! Contest has gone missing, so I've drawn a new winner.

Congrats: UniquelyMoi! Email me [ mail@kellymeding.com ] your prize choices (any 3 in-stock mass market paperbacks) and I'll get them out to you.

On the September and October contest fronts, I've got a pretty neat prize packs accumulating. Every year for a few years now, my dad helps out after his local library's book sale is over by hauling away the leftovers. He knows a wonderful lady out my way who takes them off his hands. After helping him pack, haul, and unpack two van-loads of books (appox. 6000 or thereabouts), we still had a few boxes of paperbacks leftover that didn't fit. So instead of leaving them at the library, we went through them. Kept some. Tossed some.

I found some awesome titles in perfect shape hiding in amongst cracked spines and torn covers. Some I kept for myself (woot!), but also I will be giving away ten of them--urban fantasy, paranormal romance, historical romance, and SF. Names such as Briggs, Vincent, Green, Armstrong and Sizemore.

So stay tuned!

Prey - Spoilers!

Prey by Rachel Vincent


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I only first picked up "Stray" last month, and once I received the rest of the books from Amazon, I dove into them, finally finishing with "Prey" last night. Finished it after lusting over the last 200 pages for five hours at work! Know when I had to put the book down and go to work? Right around the time Jace and Kaci came racing out of the woods. ARG!!!!

This is my favorite so far. The tension is high almost from the start, because of all the events of previous books, and it never relents until the final showdown. Faythe is pummeled, both literally and figuratively, from all directions in this one, and she's finally starting to grow up and act like the leader she's going to be.

One of the things I love the most about this series is that Ms. Vincent isn't afraid to punish her characters. Not just physically, but also emotionally. They don't always get what they want. There isn't always a happy outcome. But the characters persevere.


SPOILERS!!!!!

SERIOUSLY, SPOILERS!


I like an author that makes the sacrifices for the sake of the story, so kudos for having the guts to kill off Ethan. And for having a deft writing hand and the ability to make the scenes afterward bleed with emotion and grief. Well done.

I am now with the rest of Ms. Vincent's fans, eagerly awaiting "Shift" next year.

View all my reviews >>

Two Quickies

(it's not what you think)

First, my website is currently down for maintenance. Hopefully it will be back soon.

Second, TWO MORE MONTHS! Sixty days! Ack!

Calling August Contest Winner!

Yes, I can be somewhat scatterbrained at times. Between Dragon*Con, recovering from Dragon*Con, and other crazy things, I neglected to realize that I never heard from the Countdown: August winner.

faerywitch! If you're out there, please contact me by Saturday (9/26). If I don't hear from you, I'll have to draw a new winner. :(

Top 3 Emmy Moments

Yes, I watched the Emmy Awards last night. I actually liked the new format, dividing the awards up by genre. I knew exactly when to take a snack break.

As expected, Neil Patrick Harris was an amazing host--funny and personal.

My top 3 moments:

3. Battlestar Galactica was included in the Drama Series clips, finally getting some mainstream love.



2. Angel and Bill. Together. On stage. In formal wear.



1. Dr. Horrible's Interruption

Talk to Me

This is the post in which I open up the comments section to my blog readers and ask you: What Do You Want Me to Post About?

Sometimes I find things to blog about each and every day for a while. Sometimes the blog goes a week without a peep. It ebbs and flows according to my meatspace life and mental state, which is the same for many, many 'Net related things.

But I want to know--what do you guys want to see? What sort of posts do you like? Should I talk more about THREE DAYS TO DEAD? Less? More book reviews? Fewer book reviews? More discussion posts? More silly rants in which I make a goofball of myself?

Sound off and talk to me. I really am interested. You're my audience, and I want to keep the blog interesting for y'all.

Night Owl Romance Top Pick!

Lookee what I have:



THREE DAYS TO DEAD received a 5/5 heart rating at Night Owl Romance!!!

I don't know what to say, except thank you, Leslee, for your generous and wonderful review. I am beyond thrilled and awed and extremely humbled by the advanced reviews TDTD has received so far. Sixty-nine more days!

RIP, Patrick Swayze

One of my all-time favorite movies is Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation of "The Outsiders." It's a fabulous novel and a truly wonderful piece of cinema--especially the recently released extended version, which includes previously cut scenes and a new soundtrack.



I just watched this film a few weeks ago, for the bazillionth time, and was, as always, struck by the quality of acting from the cast of (then relatively unknown) actors. Including the portrayal of eldest brother Darryl Curtis, by Patrick Swayze. Equal parts angry caretaker and vulnerable sibling, he made the role his own.



Patrick made his mark with a varied career: a guerrilla teen warrior in "Red Dawn," a southern gentleman in "North & South," the sexiest dance instructor ever in "Dirty Dancing," and most recently in the A&E series "The Beast." He made clay sculpting into an erotic art form in "Ghost," and he made cross-dressing look easy in "Too Wong Foo."

Even after his twenty-month struggle with pancreatic cancer, I was shocked to hear Patrick passed away today. Shocked and truly saddened.

Rest in Peace.

"It's amazing Molly. The love inside, you take it with you."
--Sam Wheat, "Ghost"

Changing Seasons

Good grief, where did September go? No, seriously. Where? Two weeks into the month already, and I feel like it's still August (except for the chilly nights we've had recently). The weather is cooling off, it's getting dark sooner, and before I'm ready for it, the leaves will start to turn.

I think I'm partial to spring, rather than fall. In the spring, things are warming up, waking up, coming alive. In the fall, the world is cooling off and going to sleep. And it will officially be autumn in a week. *boggles*

Summer? Where, oh where did you go?

Home Again

And very sad about this. I had so much fun at Dragon*Con! I am definitely going back next year.

Will, of course, post details and pix as soon as my brain un-fogs. The lack of sleep and deluge of bad food has made me somewhat fuzzy-brained today. Thank God I don't have to work the day job.

I think my cat missed me. She's been attached to my hip since I got home last night. Silly thing.

Coffee IV-drip, STAT!

Away for the Weekend

As if anyone is surprised. I'm leaving early tomorrow to head to my parents' house. They've lovingly volunteered to drive me 3 hours to the airport, so I can fly to Atlanta, GA for DRAGON*CON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ye-haw! I'm am both excited and terrified. Thank God there are bars in the hotels. If anyone is about, be sure to stop by the New Blood panel on Friday morning and say hello!

There will be many pictures and updates when I get home. Well, maybe the day after I get home. So probably Tuesday.

Peace!

Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler


My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was very lucky to get an e-ARC from the awesome Nicole Peeler, for her debut novel TEMPEST RISING.

Jane True is a fresh new voice among urban fantasy heroines. I don't want to say too much, for fear of spoilers, but if you want a book that's sassy, funny, and full of less-seen mythic critters, this one is for you. Be sure to pick it up come November!

View all my reviews >>