New Marla Mason Novel

Marla from Bone Shop (C) Daniel Dos Santos and T. A. Pratt

Marla Mason, sorceress of considerable reputation, queen of snark and all-round badass is back.

I first met Marla around 2007 when Blood Engines was available as a free e-book from Random House in scribd. Since then I've been totally hooked, and when the series by T. A Pratt was dropped by the publisher in 2009. Due to the response from readers wanting to find out more about the character, and read the resolution to the cliffhanger at the end of Spell Games Pratt set up a readers funded sequel, whoch I'm proud to say I backed.

Radio Gaga

Today I'm filling for my friend and fellow blogger Rachel on Discover Radio. You can listen to it online here, or through the iTunes radio directory. The show is usually hosted by Writer and Actor duo Rachel Marsh and Annie Bottoms, so I'll be joining Annie today.

On The Art Show today we have Dundee born Hayley Scanlon, who won Young Designer of the Year in the Scottish Fashion Awards 2012. Hayley's new line HS launched this weekend at a live catwalk event in Dundee's own McManus Art Gallery and Museum. 

How the NaNoWriMo Fever Can Help You Write Your Thesis

*Cross posted from my academic wordpress blog.*

It's now officially November, and the blogosphere is buzzing with the optimism of the first few days of National Novel Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo.

Quick Post: Word Verification

Just a flying visit to point out the campaign to remove  word verification software from blog comments.

Go here to read Misha Gericke's blog post. I removed my word verification about a month after starting the blog when I read a post giving advice on getting more readers. I agree that it goes against the spirit of blogging, and I groan any time that I come across it. If you do too, go sign Misha's petition and spread the word.



New, full length, original blog post coming later this week.

Quick Post: Free Books Competition

Just a super quick post to say that I'm entering Lisa M Potts' 1st Blogoversary Baker's Dozen Giveaway and that you still have  few days to enter too. She's giving away a fantastic selection of books, so get your entry in before 3rd August (that's Wednesday) for a chance to win.

♪ ♫ ♪"I'm so dizzy, my head is spinning"♪ ♫

This is what my house looks like...well except
that you can still see the floor.

Hi everybody! Thank you to everyone who commented on my last post, I got some good advice and lots of support about the 'ol blog. I'm going to reform my blogging schedule and post on Mondays and Wednesdays at least. Mondays will be for any regular features like Confessoins of a Justified Bibliophile or the Writers Platform Building Crusade and Wednesdays will be a 'whatever's on my mind' kind of day.

In My Mailbox (3)

My mystery parcel

I got this amazing little parcel through my door this week, all the way from the USA. Checkout the picture at the bottom of the post to see what was in it, but for now my stash since my last IMM inculded:

The Nex

Tim Pratt has been making my Monday's better since March this year with his serialised novel Broken Mirrors. It's now finished (boo!) and Marla Mason fans are attempting to persuade him to continue self-publishing for book 6 (yay!). While waiting with bated breath on the next Marla installment, I now have his new self-published novel The Nex to save my Monday's once again.

Read-A-Thon

I've recently had to buy a new bookcase to house some of the many new books I have, and that's before I start my PhD (I'll post an update on that shortly). So, I was pleased to catch the Dusk Till Dawn Read-A-Thon hosted by Book Crazy Jen and Jami at YA Addict.

Book Contest Pimp

Check out the latest contest from Jenn at Book Crazy. It's international - woo hoo. I'm probably reducing my chances of winning somewhat by pimping it, so don't say I'm not good to you. *mwah* (Ok, I get another entry if I pimp it but sshhh).

It's for Eve of Samhain by Lisa Sanchez and I'm putting it on my Book Depository wish list right now just in case I don't win the comp.