She Tweets, But Doesn't Let Me

I'm listening to Nothing Looks the Same in the Light by Wham!

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has a presence on Twitter, a micro-blogging networking site, but she refuses to let me participate. You can follow her at http://twitter.com/sandylender. But you can't follow me. She says it's difficult enough to keep track of what I'm saying about her here.

I've tried convincing her that, of course, I would only tweet about Amanda Chariss. For those of you not aware, Chariss is the lovely heroine from Choices Meant for Gods. She's this amazing young woman who arrives at my family's estate completely unaware that she's the single most important figure in our society's...wait...Sandy's harping at me about getting too romantic here. Next thing you know, I'll have to post about the differences between her fantasy work and works seeped in romance. (Just so you all know, Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment she described Chariss.)

Ed. Note from Sandy: Choices Meant for Gods was seeped in romance the moment I described the hot and handsome Nigel Taiman, who has just announced he will NOT be completing this post. He he he. The point was you can follow me on Twitter, but not poor Nigel.

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, twitter, tweet, fantasy, romance

She'll be Guest Blogging Tuesday

I'm listening to Kiss Them For Me by Siouxsie and the Banshees.

This is just a quick announcement to let you know you can catch a guest blog article from my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, at The Author Island Tiki Hut, Tuesday, May 12th. There will be a contest of some nature that she's not given me information on yet. This does not help me market very well...

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, Tiki Hut, guest blog

She Recommends This Video

I'm listening to I Wanna Be Adored by The Stone Roses.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, highly recommends you check out this video about the trials and tribulations of revisions.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKkR9S2lq6Q

She says it's "brilliant marketing."

Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, editing letter

She'll be Speaking at GCWA

I'm listening to Slave to Love by Bryan Ferry.

Today I'm just announcing an upcoming speaking engagement for my fantasy author, Sandy Lender. If you’d like to hear about platforming, existing audiences, and the business of publishing from a published author’s perspective, join the Gulf Coast Writer’s Association Saturday, May 16, to hear Fantasy Author Sandy Lender present these topics and more. GCWA Programming Chairperson Barie Fez-Barringten initially asked Sandy to tell the story of how she got published, so be prepared for more than the usual entertainment at this presentation. For GCWA members who’ve seen one of Sandy’s workshops or presentations before, you know to bring pen and paper because she’s known for sharing lots of tips and links during her talk and during the Q&A sessions afterward.

The meeting will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church at 7401 Winkler Rd. in Ft. Myers. Cost of admission is $3 for members, $5 for non-members. (First-time visitors are free.)

Tags: GCWA, fantasy author, Sandy Lender, publishing

She's Been Cooking Again

We're listening to These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been cooking again. How can I tell? Because I entered the apartment to discover she's injured.

Cooking injuries are usually centered around her hands, which unnerves me because she needs those hands for typing books, you know. Anyway, this time she managed to "whisk" boiling cheddar-and-potato soup up onto her hand. Here she sits with ice on it.

The last injury involved band-aids at Easter. Photo at right. She won't let me photograph the ice situation here because it's just too much trouble.

I promise to keep a closer eye on her.
All my best,
Nigel
Tags: fantasy author, Sandy Lender, cooking, potato soup

She's Being Smug With Me

We're listening to Mandy by Barry Manilow.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, says this song has more meaning for me than I realize. It is quite lovely, but I don't believe, as a man, I should admit that openly in your society.

So let us begin the blog post.

My purpose today is to tell you should be reading about my bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss, in the Choices trilogy. She's just great, you know. You can pick up the full-length novel, Choices Meant for Gods at the Publisher's site, or on Amazon, or at your local bookstore. Or you can pick up this nice little chapbook titled What Choices We Made that has a short story about Amanda as a child. Oh, sorry, Chariss, as a child. (I still use the name I prefer for her despite Sandy's constant badgering...)

The next installment in the trilogy is due out soon. Choices Meant for Kings gives you more of Mandy's story and the...wait a minute...is that why the song's important? Now Sandy's giving me that smug smile of hers.

All my best to you readers.
Nigel
Tags: Mandy, Barry Manilow, Choices Meant for Gods

She's Impressed by the Bird

I'm being forced to listen to Rudebox by Robbie Williams.

My fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has this pet bird that she's talked about over on her main blog, Today the Dragon Wins. Today, she gave him some millet as a treat and proceeded to marvel over how easily he uses his beak to pick the tiny little seeds out of their husks, leaving the husks to float like dust in the air. (She now has to dust...)

In her first novel, Choices Meant for Gods, I recall only a short reference to one ofersey'n's possession of hawks. Now that I come to think of it, I believe that may have been edited out. The original work was over 250,000 words, you know. Her publisher still took it on, but, really, there was no doubt editing was required.

Now when Choices Meant for Kings is released, Lord Akelous Foresterson will be brought in again, and, again, he has one of his hawks on his arm. My lovely bride-to-be is taken with birds, and I can't help thinking that Sandy forced this characteristic upon her because of Petri. Oh. Sandy assures me that Chariss loves all animals, and that's why she tolerates a dragon in her bedchamber. Nice. Why, again, do I help this woman with marketing?

Tags: pet bird, dragon, Choices Meant for Gods, Choices Meant for Kings

She's Posting About Pet Rights for Earth Day

Right now I'm listening to Mack the Knife (and Sandy says I should make it clear I'm listening to the version from the Brian Setzer Orchestra) on Sandy's iTunes.

Tomorrow is Earth Day and my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, has been irritating me today with her soapbox topic for her blog over at Today the Dragon Wins. Pardon me. I need to rephrase that. Sandy has shared her views concerning the topic about which she'll post for Earth Day. (She's just shared these views ad nauseum...)

Seems someone in your government has introduced a bill (don't ask me what that means exactly--I'm still grasping the concept of Earth Day) that will dictate what kind of animals you can keep as pets, and will prohibit you from moving your animals with you if you should move to another region of your land. But because the bill will prevent you from transferring ownership of your pet to anyone else, it will require you to have your pet put to sleep if you choose to go ahead and move. It seems to stomp all over the rights people in this land are supposed to have. (Oh, Sandy says that's one of the reasons people should be upset about it.) Personally, I would be upset if someone said my pet had to be killed. Doesn't that go against everything Earth Day stands for?

You can read all about this bill and Sandy's opinion (and you know THAT will be a treat) at Today the Dragon Wins April 22. Enjoy.

In the meantime, I'll work at promoting the books. You all remember my lovely bride-to-be, Amanda Chariss? Yes, I'm still pleased to suggest you should read all about her and her duties in Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, and the upcoming Choices Meant for Kings. And I promise to keep Sandy hard at work on Book III, the prequel, and the spin-off novels that seem to be growing like mad out of her mind. It's an exciting time in the writing den.

Tags: Earth Day, Choices Meant for Gods

She Says It's a Form of Flattery

I'm supposed to tell you all that my fantasy author, Sandy Lender, is currently listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears. I guess it would be more appropriate to say I'm listening to Mad World by Tears For Fears while I post something promotional for her and she leans over my shoulder to make sure my promotional efforts are acceptable.

Anyway. The reason she says this is a form of flattery is because we're stealing the "update on iTunes" from an agent's blog that she was perusing last night. She was most impressed with the woman's musical selections on her iPod (I actually know what that is, by the way. Sandy has one. An iPod Nano that...what? Of course they care. They'll want to know what you listen to just as you wanted to know what that woman listened to.)

I have just been informed that no one cares yet what Sandy listens to. But for those of you who don't already know, it's usually Duran Duran.

I've also just been informed that I've wasted everyone's attention span on this nonsense instead of promoting Choices Meant for Gods, What Choices We Made, or the upcoming release Choices Meant for Kings, so you'll have to come back another day to hear more about them. My apologies.

Nigel Taiman
Tags: Mad World, Tears For Fears, Duran Duran, Choices Meant for Gods, fantasy author, Sandy Lender