Monday Morning Reminders...

The Contest the First is still on-going! Give me a haiku on why you want/deserve a copy of STAYING DEAD and you might win it! (Prizes awarded for best and worst offering, as judged by the judges). It runs until 15 April, so you still have time left to be creative! (competition for worst is pretty stiff though, I gotta say. You guys are scary! And I mean that in the best possible way)

Contest the Second will be posted on 4/16. Yes, you can enter both.



Also: As many of you know, I adore indie bookstores, and love to give 'em plugs (especially Pandemonium in MA, and Mysterious Galaxy in San Diego!). In fact, if you buy FREE FALL at an independent bookstore, and send me a scan or copy of the proof of purchase*, I'll not only send you a signed bookplate for it, but a sneak peek at the first chapter of BLOOD FROM STONE, a year ahead of everyone else!. Yes, even all y'all outside of the United States. This offer good through July 1 2008

Sundry does the mazurka with Various

I have very little of writing-interest to report, as today, alas, was mostly given over to dealing with various idiots from the State and the Medical Insurance industry. I am pleased to say, however, that all the dragons appear to have been slain, via dogged persistence and the downloading of Stupid-Slaying forms from various web sites. Tonight, I get to go back to work. Yay!

Cat report, for them as were wondering:

Pandora is back up to her pre-Trauma weight, finally (a few years ago she was down to 5 pounds, from stress. She's now a much healthier 8 pounds). There are some concerns about her aging kidneys, but otherwise, all is well. She was remarkably well-behaved, even when they took her temperature (and really, who can blame a cat for protesting that?).

Boomer, after earning many "oh such a handsome big fellow!" comments, discovered that he is indeed a big fellow -- 20 pounds of it, in fact. *facepalm* The diet food clearly is not working. Draconian measures are being instituted (he should be, by my reckoning and the agreement of two different vets, about 17 pounds). Otherwise, though, he's hale and healthy and quite enchanted the staff in his usual charming-slut way. They were also amused by the fact that he was quite happy on his leash, although they agreed it's really the only way to deal with him -- if Boomer decides he wants Out, you'd better have a line on him!

And under the heading of "I don't know quite what it is but it tastes really good," in my hunger tonight I threw together the following meal, as reconstructed from memory:
Toss four skinless chicken thighs into the dutch oven, brown them in olive oil. Add a cup of long-grain rice and a couple-three sliced garlic cloves, a pinch of dried sweet marjoram, some paprika, and a smaller pinch of saffron threads thrown in with some more oil, and cook until they become translucent. Add a cup of chicken broth. Simmer until the rice and chicken are cooked all the way through, then add 1/4 head of shredded green cabbage. Remove from heat, fold in a few scoops of nonfat greek yogurt. Serve.

I'm not sure this should taste as good as it does. Also? OMG filling, yes. We'll see how the leftovers fare for lunch.