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I’m sorry I’ve disappeared off the face of the blogosphere. Things have gotten quite busy in real life. I enjoyed blogging for the short while I did thanks to many of you. I’ll be leaving all my posts up but I’m going to turn off comments for awhile.
But don’t worry; I’m still writing, and yes I’m still working on the sequel to NINJA 
See you around!
As someone who spends way too much time in front of a computer, one of the things I worry about is carpal tunnel and early arthritis. I used to work with other people’s medical records, and I would see people in their mid-twenties with repetitive stress injuries in their hands and wrists. Scary.
So it was nice to find out about Workrave.org from another writerly friend. It’s a free program for Windows that you can download that will remind you to take micropauses and little stretch breaks to avoid repetitive stress injuries and eyestrain.
However, being as I own a Macbook (a brand new one just 2 weeks old that makes me squeeee!), Workrave doesn’t really work for me. I did some googling and found a similar version called AntiRSI (also free). I downloaded it and it’s worked out quite well. After you type for about 8-10 minutes continuously, you get a 10-13 second “micropause” in which you’re just suppose to stop, maybe stretch, and look away from your screen. You can also change when you want the breaks and how long you want them.
If you type alot like I do, you might want to give these free programs a try!
Here’s your chance to win some free books and try some of the great authors with Loose Id!
The Loose ID authors are holding a bash!
And we’re giving away prizes!
WHERE:
The Loose ID Community on Yahoo Groups. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LooseId_community/.
You must be a member of the group to participate. Click on the above link to join now!
Authors will be posting excerpts and chatting all weekend, not just in and around the contest.
WHEN:
Starting with June 8th, the June Bash will take place Friday through Sunday for four successive weekends. The participating Loose ID authors will be posting excerpts on the following themes:
- June 8-10 - All “real life” books
- June 15-17 - All “non real life” books
- June 22-24 - All “real life” books
- June 29-30 & July 1 - all “non real life” books
“Real life” means no fantastic or “out of this world” elements to the story, which could include (but does not need to be limited to) straight contemporary, historical or adventure stories. “Non real life” means that there is speculative elements or paranormal elements to the story, which could include fantasy, paranormal, and science fiction.
NOTE: interpretation of the themes is completely up to the author and is not enforced.
PRIZES:
One $25, two $10 and two $5 Loose ID gift certificates will be given away each of the four weeks. At the end of the four weeks, one grand prize of a Loose ID VIP membership will also be given away.
HOW TO ENTER:
During the contest days, the authors will be posting official excerpts. Those containing contest eligible information will be marked in two ways:
1) The subject of each official excerpt post will include the phrase “JUNE BASH EXCERPT”. Example, “JUNE BASH EXCERPT: NINJA by Racy Li”.
2) The author will include a link to an official rules post toward the beginning of the email with the excerpt.
Between 12AM EST on each Friday and 11:59PM EST on each Sunday, send an email to liauthors at yahoo dot com (no spaces) and include the following from ONE official excerpt:
1) Author’s name
2) Title of the book for the excerpt
3) The name–first or last or both–of any one of the main characters mentioned in the excerpt
Again, the excerpt containing your information must be for the current weekend, not the previous weekend. And entry emails will only be accepted between Friday and Sunday.
Be sure to send this email from the same email address with which you are signed up for the Loose ID Community group.
Each email address may enter the contest once per weekend. Winners from previous weekends are not eligible for prizes in following weekends with the one excerpt of the grand prize.
The grand prize of the VIP membership will be awarded to one entrant among all the official entrants from each of the four weekends. Previous winners are eligible.
HOW PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED:
On the Wednesday following each weekend, the winners of the prizes will be posted by email to the group. Each winner will also be sent an email directly. Winners have until Friday to respond. Those winners who do not respond by Friday will lose the prize and another entrant from the appropriate weekend will be selected to win the prize.
Above rules are subject to update at any time. Updates will be posted to the Loose ID Community group.
In real life, I’m quite the environmentalist. I’m all about buying non-phosphate and biodegradable house cleaners, organic shampoos in the interests of trying to do some part to lessen my impact on the environment. In my journey to find better substitutes for chemical/petroleum/preservative laced skin/hair products, my guide has been Diane Irons’s Bargain Beauty Secrets and her other book, The World’s Best Kept Beauty Secrets. The books are all about how you can use everyday grocery and drugstore products to produce the same results as all expensive creams and shampoos. If there’s milk and honey in that expensive body cream, why not try using real milk and honey? Instead of buying a $20 avocado face mask, why not use a real avocado?
This made alot of sense to me, so I’ve incorporated quite a few things from her books into my normal routine. Some simple things that I’ve found work really well are adding honey to my shampoo (squirt some shampoo in your hand, add a little bit of honey, mix with a fingertip and wash as usual; your hair will be so soft and shiny! This works best with cheaper shampoos, and with the honey mixture, my hair looks better than when I “borrowed” a former roommate’s $25 bottle shampoos).
I’ve been using different foods for different things, and I realized that if you know what the ingredients you should use for the purposes you’re looking for, you can create your own beauty recipes, just like cooking recipes!
So today I experimented by trying to make my own sugar scrub. I googled a few recipes, and was inspired by some other scrubs I saw in stores and came up with my own recipe that worked so well that I just had to post it.
Almond Milk Honey Sugar Scrub
~1 cup of sugar
enough milk to wet the sugar; maybe a 1/4 cup? 1/2 a cup?
3-4 tablespoons of almond meal (I don’t know why I have almond meal lying around, but it was one of those Trader Joes buys that had me envisioning me learning to be a master baker. Riiiight.)
1 tablespoon of honey
1 drop of bath oil or essential oil (for fragrance and skin softening)
1) Mix ingredients until you get the proper consistency (if too watery, add more sugar or almond meal; if too grainy, add more milk or honey).
2) Apply in shower directly to skin (a wet washcloth helps, but it is not necessary).
In this recipe, sugar acts as an exfoliant. The almond meal also works as an exfoliant but has additional vitamins that are good for the skin. Milk has lactic acids which also helps to clean, but also has fatty lipids that help your skin retain moisture. Honey also acts as a moisturizer.
You could probably make this without the almond meal, but I don’t know if the sugar, by itself would be enough of a scrubber. You could add some sea salt or baking soda to replace the almond meal.
Next thing I’m going to try: Mayonnaise in hair!
My friend attended ICON at Stony Brook, NY out on Long Island recently, and look what she got me!
I scanned it in so you can all see it!
Jamie Bamber really signed it! To me! Captain Apollo has written “Racy Li!”
SQUEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!
I cannot believe I’m been away from my blog for a month! Time flies when you’re swamped!
I think I’ve become a bit philosophical about this blog. To blog or not to blog, that is the question that many authors ask. On the one hand, it’s great to be able to interact with other readers and writers, but on the other hand it takes up alot of time that could be better spent writing and improving the craft.
Well, before, I was at a point (and a career) that allowed me to blog pretty easily. But now that I’m not chained to a cubicle anymore, finding the time to blog has been more difficult. Plus, I’d rather run around to other peoples’ blogs who are invariably saying much more interesting things.
I don’t think I’ll come back to blogging every day; but I’m going to try and come back to blogging a few times a week. Though in a few weeks, I’ll be heading out for a 6 week traveling bit where my internet access will be a bit spotty.
And where the heck did all these spammers come from?
So like, months ago, Scooper tagged me with this meme. I did it and I guess I was waiting to tag other people, but I never got around to it. Feel free to take it and do it if you want, but I’m just going to post it.
Rules: No re-tagging, write a blog with 10 weird random things, facts, or habits about yourself, chose 10 people to be tagged and list their names, leave a comment that says “you are tagged” on their profile, and tell them to read your latest blog.
1. I’m a big chicken. I can’t watch horror movies. Even commercials for horror movies scare me.
2. I love nature documentaries about the random lives of animals. Meerkats of Africa? I’m so there.
3. I don’t like cake. But I like cupcakes. (There is a difference).
4. I think Nicholas Cage is the most hideous looking man ever.
5. I love airports. I love sitting and people watching there, wondering where people are going or coming back from, hearing all sorts of different languages, and seeing all sorts of different people.
6. I don’t really like diamonds. My engagement ring is a sapphire.
7. I love old Cary Grant movies. Arsenic and Old Lace in particular.
8. I would like to be fluent in Russian and French one day.
9. I generally crave salty foods over sweets. I’d rather have sour cream and onion potato chips over brownies.
10. I don’t like roses. I think they’re boring and unoriginal.
Ok I know I know, this is terrible, but all you cubicle farmers (and those with a more morbid sense of humor) out there will know exactly why this flash game is SO funny.
5 minutes to kill yourself before another meeting
Thank god I’m not working in cubicle farms anymore!
I’ve hesitated to write a post about this for some time, but I think I need to say something.
I recently found out that someone I know, a strong smart successful woman was raped as a child. It was done by a family friend, a much older child of one of her parent’s closest friends.
She never said anything to anyone about it, not until about just a few years ago. Last year, she got the courage to tell some members of her family. Their reaction was one of disbelief.
And in the end, they still remain friends with her rapist.
She told her aunt. And her aunt was shocked. But her aunt still sent care packages to the guy, now serving in the military overseas.
Part of the reason is that she comes from a very tightly-knit community, probably one of the few places left where neighbors talk to each other, knock on each other’s doors for a cup of sugar. In fact, the rapist’s mother, sent care packages to my friend’s brother who was also in the military serving overseas.
Because of her family member’s and her aunt’s response, she hasn’t had the heart to tell anyone else, including her dad.
I’ve told her that she needs to say something, not necessarily to take him to court for anything, but so that her community knows. But she doesn’t want to cause trouble in her community; it would be really divisive and tear that community apart.
The thing is, she may have gotten over it and been able to move past it.
But what if there are other victims out there? The ones who are too young, too weak, too afraid to say anything?
And because he’s gotten away with it once, what is there to stop him from doing it again?
I told her she has to say something, so that people know and are aware, and so no other little girl will have to go through what she did.
The rapist is currently serving in the military, and just this week, there was an article in the NYTimes Magazine, “The Womens’ War” about the hidden secret of how often female service members are subject to sexual harassment and rape and how perpetrators are rarely punished.
Silence is why shit like this continues to happen. Silence and an unwillingness to speak up and cause trouble.
Women have to stop being afraid to make trouble.
All I can think about is that rapist in the military, and how any victims he may choose may not end up as well as her.
This is also why people hate the military.
I don’t know what’s going to happen. I know it’s going to take time. But I hope she says something.
*editing to add that it’s not my friend that pisses me off, it’s rape. And the fact that one single act like that could have such an effect even after all these years. I’ve also edited this to change some details to protect some identities.
Like I always, say I’m always behind the times, so it should come as no surprise that I’ve only JUST discovered Nora Roberts’ Eve and Roarke. I’m so dumb. Why didn’t I pick up this series sooner? Oh wait, that’s because I don’t have time to read.
But anyways, I remember reading Nora Roberts when I was like 14 and then I stopped because I wasn’t that enthralled. I guess I didn’t pick up any of her books earlier because she was always so hyped up by everyone else, I didn’t think she could live up to the hype.
But she does. She really really does.
Anyone else got any authors/books that everyone’s been tellin’ you to read, but you haven’t because you fear the hype?
Last night in a gathering
I caught a glimpse of my beloved
Too embarassed to embrace him
I put my face against his cheek
pretending to whisper
something in his ear.
-Rumi, 12th century Sufi poet
Fellow Loose Id author and Antonio Banderas fan, Jeanne Barrack posted on the LI Community list about how Antonio chose to honor International Women’s Day this year with a brief video clip hosted by Amnesty International.
Quicktime is needed to view this video and Antonio speaks at the end.
Though it’s too late for International Women’s Day this year, I figure that’s it’s never too late to talk about what’s going on Ciudad Juarez. These silent grisly killings of women have been going on for much too long, and the Mexican government has done little to stop it. I remember reading about the mysterious murders years ago, and I still can’t believe nothing has been done about them.
I remember being so taken aback by the sheer callousness of the authorities about what was going on in Ciudad Juarez that I said to myself, if I ever write anything about superheroes, the strongest, most respected, premier superhero in my superhero world is going to be a Mexican woman who doesn’t speak alot of English (at first anyways).
And that is how Impulsa, (if you’ve read NINJA, she’s mentioned only in passing) was born. Impulsa didn’t have much of a role in NINJA but she’ll definitely be a bigger part of the story later on.
I’m dashing this post on my sidekick as I run out the door this morning but Rhian asked me if I knew anything about International Women’s Day, and pointed me to a discussion over at Scooper’s blog. It’s a holiday celebrated every March 8 by countries all over the world, focusing on the unique struggles of women and ways to empower them.
I don’t know why we don’t celebrate it here in the U.S., probably because of it’s communistic origins and the Cold War (I think). I think the holiday originates from the International party of the Communists, way back in the day, when their some main stances were equality of gender and races. In the economically stratified roaring 1920s, you can see how this might be perceived as a threat to the existing social order.
Of course, I could just be talking out of my ass since it’s 6 a.m. and I haven’t had my coffee yet.
Happy Women’s Day!
Apparently, someone posted on Craigslist looking for a romance reader to compile a list of the top 1000 romances of all time. The pay isn’t much but hey, it could be interesting.
So a friend recently gave me James Lilek’s book “The Gallery of Regrettable Food.” I know I said I don’t blog about books, but this is different because, quite unfortunately, it’s non-fiction. “The Gallery of Regrettable Food” features some of the scariest corporate recipes to come out of the 50s-60s America when the era of CannedProcessedAgro Corp foods was just getting started. Think meat salads with Jello, and ketchup on fruit. Yup.
And then I found out that Lilek has a website. Seriously:
-the “he-man” favorite: Ham basted with 7-Up
-10 p.m. drink recipes for the girls, including the “Lemon float” with chicken broth and lemon (yes drink, as in a glass, with your sherry)
Plus Lilek’s commentary is really funny.
I thought my in-law’s food was bad. It may be plain and tasteless, but at least I don’t get meat on meat casseroles. (though Mr. Racy keeps warning me that when we get invited to a wedding in Ireland, I’m going to have drink some ceremonial drink that’s essentially warm liquified ham in a wine glass; of course, I should talk, he’s eaten beef tongue and chicken feet at my parents’ house).
How about you? Have you ever been confronted with any truly awful foods?
When I went to college, I studied Mandarin, and even lived for a time in Beijing, but back here in the states my language skills have gotten quite rusty. Recently a friend of mine told me to check out Chinesepod.com which offers free podcast Chinese lessons.
I have to say that this site is fantastic. The audio explanations are excellent and lessons range from newbie (like Mr. Racy whose Chinese is limited to “very good” and “no”) to advanced.
But what is even more awesome is that the speaker John, for the intermediate lessons, has what I find to be one of the sexiest non-native Chinese speaking voices I’ve ever heard in Chinese. He sounds kind of like the Mac guy in the Mac/PC commercials, and definitely has that GenX look to him. And he even talks about ninjas vs. pirates!
It’s opened me to a whole new world! I’ve also downloaded free lessons from learnfrenchbypodcast.com and japanesepodcast101.com.
What language would you like to learn (or relearn)?
The NYComic Con is in town and here’s a brief review of the “Capturing Female Readers” panel, which ranges from DC’s newest girl oriented line to manga, to Archie comics:
Audry Taylor says we have to keep in mind that women still read comics that are supposedly “guy” comics…as long as the story has depth to it…a “heart and soul”…women readers still will read books with action and violence.
Well, DUH!
The creator of Elfquest was also on this panel, and though I’ve heard very good things about it, I still never got around to picking up the series. After reading some of her comics, I might just have to get around to it.
Marvel also confirms that it’s got plans for digital distribution. Yay! It’s a start but comic publishers are so behind the times. It’s so funny that in the same panel, they talk about trying to expand readership and the change the image that comics are only for younger kids, and yet the marketing practices that their talking about adopting are so like, three years ago. But of course, this is the company that thought it was a good idea to kill off Mary Jane through Spiderman’s cum (oh how I wish I was not joking; and can I just please say for the record that that is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard of and I just may have to swear off reading Spiderman in protest).
I would love for some kind of netflix type subscription service where you could just pay a monthly fee, go online and read all the comics you want. Yes, I know there are physical feel and experience arguments and all that (the same arguments still being made with ebooks vs. physical books) but ebooks are simply another format that can be offered to consumers who want them. (I move around and travel a fair bit and let me tell you that not logging around a suitcase full of reading material is SO much better.) Why would you argue with that?
In other comic news BUFFY #1 is coming out next month!
Apparently, Buffy #1 is supposed to be Season 8 in the Buffy continuity, picking up exactly where the series ended. You can read the first 5 pages here on Dark Horses’ official site! (Thanks forevergeek.com!) And it looks pretty good! I’ve missed my Buffy!
Funny how a few months ago, people were talking about how LKH’s Anita Blake series was going to get women reading comics (as if women didn’t read comics). I don’t hear the same talk over Buffy, but I really think that Buffy, if they market it it right really has a lot of potential to expand the circle of readership. Though something tells me that’s not going to happen.
AND in another twist that ties this all together, David Boreanz (Angel) is going to be the voice of Green Lantern (Hal Jordan) in the new Justice League animated DVD movie. I wasn’t a big fan of that animated Superman movie that came out on DVD just after the Justice League series ended (I think the original JLU creators said in an interview somewhere that that movie was NOT to be considered as part of the Bruce Timm continuity), so hopefully, this will be a better movie.
And just to add one more thing in the mix, check out this preview of an upcoming review at Romance Reviews Today (Erotic) for NINJA!
Seldom have I read a novel that is so unabashedly campy, borrowing liberally from sci-fi and old comic books to achieve a near future world where ninjas fight the bad guys with throwing stars alongside helpers named Teapot and Hawk…if you want something to crack you up, if you want something silly with copious overuse of the word “ninja”, then you might want to check out NINJA for the pure fun factor.
