In a nutshell: 17-18 ladies showed up last night.

Sarah and Katie both stroked my Juicy pink velvet (bag). Christine and I sponetaneously burst into show tunes from Little Shop of Horrors, alarming Liz Maverick and Megan Frampton.

We ate bbq and drank pretty girlie drinks, which had a hella kick. Last night was totally awesome. I had the most fun, and I’m touched that so many people showed up. I think everyone had a blast. I gave away three arcs and some pens. Loved chatting with everyone. These womenz were all younger, cuter, thinner and sexier than I could have ever imagined. It was like Sex and the City times five, yo. (Or maybe that was colored by that big ass frozen apple martini I had before my ribs?) No, we were like the Goddesses of Flatbush last night. (Don’t correct me, dammit!)

Anyway, feel free to use this post to talk about your impressions of the meet.

Congrats to the winners. If I don’t have your address within 48 hours, your prize will be delayed. See, I leave on the 21st, and I won’t have a laptop until the 24th or so.

Why?! It seems crazy for an author to travel without a laptop, you say.

I’m so glad you asked about that! Here’s the scoop. About six weeks ago, I ordered a new laptop.
Features
7″ WVGA (800×480) TFT Display
One-click intuitive interface
WiFi 802.11b/g
10/100 LAN
Intel Mobile CPU
Intel UMA graphics
512MB memory
2GB Flash hard drive
Memory Card Reader: MMC/SD (SDHC)
Over 40 built-in applications for learn, work and play
Linux based operating system
3 USB 2.0, 1 VGA, 1 Audio jack out, 1 Audio jack in, 1 RJ-45
Approximate Unit Dimensions: 8.86″ (W) x 6.3″ (D) x 0.79″~1.26″ (H)
Approximate Unit Weight: 2lbs

Play, relax, and entertain on the go with shock-proof design. At 7″ and weighing only 2lbs, you can take the Eee PC anywhere. Bumps and shocks are no longer issues. With a dependable solid-state disk, you get unparalleled shock-protection and reliability. Power-efficient design provides longer operating time when on the go. With a rapid start-up time that takes only 15secs to boot, the Eee PC is always ready to get into action. No technical manual required with the specially designed, User-friendly and intuitive graphic interface. You’re always connected with built-in WiFi 802.11 b/g that automatically detects and connects to the Internet at any hotspot. The Eee PC includes the documents and the e-mails software, and a suite of other Productivity software to help keep you on track.

Isn’t it cute? It’s the perfect laptop for traveling. The lightweight, ultra-sturdy part was what sold me. My Ibook is really old, and it already doesn’t latch properly from being banged around in airports. I was afraid a three week haul would do the old girl in (and I love her so). Solution? The ASUS Eee PC 2G in Blush Pink, and it’s mad cheap. I got mine for just over $300, shipping included. It runs on Linux and it doesn’t have any bells and whistles, but if you need a laptop mainly for emails and word processing when you’re on the road, it doesn’t get any better than this. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.

You still don’t understand? I know. See, I couldn’t find any merchants that would ship to Mexico, and in this model — and at this price — they were selling out fast. So I had the laptop shipped to San Diego, where it’s waiting for me in the capable hands of my agent. I’ll snag it from her on the 24th, but I’ll be on the road as of the 21st. I have a PDA that will let me stay in touch minimally, but I don’t use it for anything but putting out fires in the form of must-answer emails. I certainly will not be using it for prize fulfillment while I’m traveling.

To make a long story short, if you want your book sent before July 21, you need to send me your address before Sunday at 10pm.

[FRONT COVER]
Handle with care…

Blue Diablo
A Corine Solomon Novel

Ann Aguirre
National Bestselling Author of Grimspace

“Outstanding and delicious. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Patricia Briggs

[SPINE:]
National Bestselling Author
Blue Diablo
Ann Aguirre

[BACK COVER:]
“An authentic Southwestern-flavored feast, filled with magic, revenge and romance, spiced with memorable characters and page-turning action. ¡Muy caliente!”—Rachel Caine, author of Gale Force

Right now, I’m a redhead. I’ve been blonde and brunette as the situation requires, though an unscheduled color change usually means relocating in the middle of the night. So far, I’m doing well here. Nobody knows what I’m running from. And I’d like to keep it that way…

Eighteen months ago, Corine Solomon crossed the border to Mexico City, fleeing her past, her lover, and her “gift”. Corine, a handler, can touch something and know its history—and sometimes, its future. Using her ability, she can find the missing—and that’s why people never stop trying to find her. People like her ex, Chance…

Chance, whose uncanny luck has led him to her doorstep, needs her help. Someone dear to them both has gone missing in Laredo, Texas, and the only hope of finding her is through Corine’s gift. But their search may prove dangerous as the trail leads them into a strange dark world of demons and sorcerers, ghosts and witchcraft, zombies—and black magic…

“Gritty, steamy and altogether wonderful urban fantasy.”—New York Times Bestselling Author Patricia Briggs

[FRONT (inside) – page 1 of 2]

Praise for Grimspace

“A gripping tale that will keep you turning pages well into the night. This debut novel from author Anne Aguirre is one of the best science fiction books I’ve read in a long time. Keep your eyes on this author; she’s bound to go far.”—Romance Junkies

“A hard-driving story for all science fiction aficionados.”—Romance Reviews Today

“An exciting, evocative, and suspenseful science fiction romance, reminding me of Firefly and Serenity. Characters and a world you’ll think about long after the book is done. Fascinating!”—Robin D. Owens, award-winning author of HeartMate

“A wild ride through space. This is a story which will remain with me for a long, long time to come. If you enjoy a good, character-driven science fiction romance, don’t miss this one.”—Paranormalromance.org

“This is a solid science fiction with a firm romantic thread. I’m hopeful there will be more of Jax and her universe coming soon!”—Fresh Fiction

“A terrific first novel full of page-turning action, delightful characters and a wry twist of humor. Romance may be in the air. Bullets, ugly beasties, and really nasty bad guys definitely are.”—Mike Shepherd, National Bestselling Author of the Kris Longknife series

“Fans of Anne McCaffrey’s space sagas…will want this as part of their library. The world-building process has meticulously created a plausible galaxy that explains itself as it goes along. Discovering more about the ensemble cast that Jax is the lead player for should prove fascinating.”—Huntress Reviews

continued…

[FRONT – page 2 of 2]

“It’s not just a great sci fi/romance book, it’s a great book. Period.”—The Good, The Bad, The Unread

“A seat of the pace action ride that will leave you panting as the action and tension never stops. An interesting assortment of unusual life forms, politics, flawed characters and a few heroes keep the plot fresh. The dynamics between Jax and March is just one of the assortment of subplots that keep this story tight and leave readers looking for more.”—MonstersandCritics.com

“An unflinching tale of survival, redemption, and serious ass-kicking. Jax’s brutal eloquence will twist your heart when you least expect it.”—Jeri Smith-Ready, Award-Winning Author of Eyes of Crow

“A tightly written, edge of your seat read.”—Linnea Sinclair, RITA Award-Winning Author of Gabriel’s Ghost and Games of Command

“An irresistible blend of action and attitude. Sirantha Jax doesn’t just leap off the page—she storms out, kicking, cursing, and mouthing off. No wonder her pilot falls in love with her; readers will too.”—Sharon Shinn, National Bestselling Author of Reader and Raelynx

“The sort of science fiction adventure that grabs you right from the beginning with an action-laced escape sequence, and proceeds to fire the afterburners for a long time afterwards, carrying the reader from one perilous situation to the next. Swept up in Jax’s story, I couldn’t put Grimspace down until I was done.”—SFsite.com

“Ann Aguirre has built a world that I can’t wait to come back and visit.”—Fallenangelreviews.com

I’m so blushing after reading all that stuff that’s going in the front of the book, but I’m really thrilled with the copy for Blue D. It’s wicked good, right? Now we just need some art. Next month!

That’s right! I have tickets to see Hellboy 2 in VIP tonight. That’s a cinema where there are waiters to bring you stuff and you sit in a leather recliner instead of crappy theater seats. Oh yeah, I’m coming, Red! *booty dance*

Edited to add:

I’m now back from the movie and it kicks so much ass that I don’t even know where to start. This is now the official Rave about Hellboy 2 post.

So yeah. Listen to the music and try not to miss me too much while I burn out my brain writing this book. *g*

Speed test

I got three words wrong, though. Curse you, short stubby fingers! Imagine what I could do if I had normal sized hands.

Note to self - you must not obsess over breaking 100. You have work to do.

Frankly, I’m bit bored with that.

So I’m going another way today. I’m going to talk about readers.

I’ve been mailing prizes for several years now. And I’ve sent out a lot of stuff. Sometimes I don’t even get an email letting me know the item arrived safely, or a thank-you for the prize I sent. And that’s fine, although it would be nice to know if something goes awry in the mail. This isn’t about prize etiquette, really, or even author - reader interactions. It’s about how people relate to each other.

More specifically, this post is devoted to Lori T, who is one of the most courteous and mannered individuals I’ve had the pleasure to encounter. See, in all the years I’ve been sending prizes, this is the first time I ever received something in the mail back.

A thank-you card.

It’s been years since I got one of those for anything I did, great or small. Are such old-fashioned gestures going out of style? I’m guilty of sending an e-card or an e-mail, when maybe I should take the time to write out a card to show the other person how much I appreciate them. Lori T. has reminded me that people will appreciate that extra step… because I certainly did.

I’ll treasure this card always. Thanks, Lori. I needed a reminder.

On July 22nd at 7:30pm, I will be at Dallas’s in NYC. Katiebabs tells me it’s a great place and perfect for our purposes, which is a reader - author jamboree. I hear they have great food at reasonable prices, tasty BBQ and yummy margaritas. They also won’t raise a brow if we’re a little rowdy and raucous.

This is an open invitation to anyone who lives in the NYC area or will be in the vicinity on July 22. This is open to authors, readers, aspiring authors, pretty much anyone who wants to show up and eat BBQ and drink margaritas with us. If you bring your copy of Grimspace along, I will happily sign it.

To sum up, you are invited to:

The author-reader BBQ rendezvous

When: July 22
Time: 7:30pm
Where: Dallas BBQ (Times Square)
241 West 42 Street
Located between 7th and 8th Avenues

I’ll make sure to get there early, so you won’t ask for our table and the servers will be like, huh?

If you think you might come, post a comment here. I need to get a headcount so I have a rough idea of how big a table to ask for! Hope to see you there.

RSVPeeps:
A.Lau
Ann Aguirre
Ann M
Christine
Katiebabs
Liz Maverick
Maria
Mariana
Marisa
Megan
Renee
Rich
SBSarah
Stacey

And now for contests:

Win a copy of Hidden here
Win a copy of Hotter After Midnight here