Missed DGM, missed Good News Tuesday, and no Hump Day Questions, either. I'm in "finish the damned book already" mode, people. Have one more day to finish writing, then a few days to edit the beast. Please forgive the radio silence from Rancho Doghair until the book is done.

Although since I'm posting this, everyone could post your good news of the week!

Last weekend I threw a Christmas party for my family and Mr. Katie's family (cunningly held at my mother's house, so I didn't have to decorate *or* clean, both bonus points in my book). And while a good time was had by all, especially those folks who scarfed down immense amounts of lobster-stuffed salmon wrapped in pastry (and you know who you are, Family Members), the event triggered the ongoing debate referred to as The Great Easy-Bake Oven Argument.

While researching this sticky argument, I came upon further evidence that appalled me. Not only was I falsely accredited with the possession of one Oven of Easy Bakedness, but my mother joyously gave me articles to play with that were not, I'm sure, on Dr. Spock's list of approved toys. To wit:

Instead of Dishy Guy Monday, I thought I'd share the video I made as part of NAL's holiday greeting. Some of you might have already seen it, but hey! There are half-naked dishy guys in it! It's not wrong to look again, right?

Dishy Guys in Santa Hats!

I was talking about this last night to a couple of people, and it got me wondering...in shapeshifter books, do you prefer your love scenes with both persons in human form, one in shifted form, or both shifted (assuming they can both shift)? Or does the thought of shifted heroes/heroines engaged in sex make you kind of squidgy?

Slowly, every so slowly, this book I'm so late on delivering is progressing. That is my good news for the week--that and the fact that I'm still sane (mostly). Yay!

I'm in the process of compiling a master list of online sites/blogs/forums that are interested in romance, and steampunk (not necessarily together). Once I have the master list compiled, it'll be passed on to Jodi, my publicist at NAL, who is coordinating a huge campaign for Steamed. More about that later (you guys who don't run a romance site or review books shouldn't feel left out--you'll benefit from the official PR, too).

Speaking of which, if you run such a site, drop me a line.

There's also a DO NOT SEND list for sites/blogs/individuals that have trashed my books or me, but the less spoke about them, the better, right? I totally agree. I'm also trying madly to get a couple of handcrafted items done in time for Christmas, although a look at the calendar has me flinching. Where do the days go, that's what I want to know! If anyone finds them, could you send me a couple of month's worth of the little buggers?

Feel free to post your own goodly news here. You may include your own DO NOT SEND list of people or things that are riding your nerves, if it makes you feel better.

Today's Dishy Guy is Akim.



Now, while he's all yummy and stuff, he has...oh, how shall I put it...he has VEINY ARMS.



Now, I realize that he can't control his veins any more than the rest of us can, but still, I can't help but wonder--can you overlook the bulging veins to appreciate all of Akim's many fine qualities? Like his willingness to take shots stark naked while apparently dangling in some bondage situation?



'Tis something to puzzle over, hmm?

It's good news day again, so let's jump right into the goodish stuff.

The holiday trailer I made for NAL is now available here (my bit is in the fourth segment). I had far too much fun making it, so I hope you all enjoy it.

It's been wickedly cold here in the PNW (it was all of 14 out when I got up this morning), but sunny, and I'll take sunshine however I can get it. I'm also using a brand new SADD lamp that actually managed to clear up a headache I had been nursing for the last few hours. It's really amazing how a little light therapy can perk up your mood.

The snow you see in the picture is from last year, by the way. Thus far this winter we've been snow-free.

The Ben and Fran book is progressing nicely, although I had to go back in today and make Fran's life a little more hellish, since I felt she was having things far too easy. The Christmas tree was put up without the hub swearing once, although the traditional holiday bloodletting was accomplished via the saw used to cut off the base of the tree (it wouldn't be Christmas without blood on the tree, now would it?). And although I'm saddened that my beloved old girl isn't here to rub her face in the tree, as she used to do every year, I've brought out her furry winter coat and set it near the tree in memory of her.

We won't go into how odd a blue dog coat looks there.

So, how's your Tuesday going? What's all the good news going down?

May I present Tito to you all?



He looks a bit peeved in the picture above, but I assure you he's worth the time spent eyeballing his pictures.



For one thing, he's got green eyes. GREEN EYES!



He also looks good naked. Er...the parts that I've seen. Not that I've seen him in person, but the parts I've seen online. That is, I haven't seen his PARTS online, just pictures of some bits of his naked flesh. As in chest. Like above. That's it, naked chest. Ahem. Where was I?



Oh, he also has that intense stare down well. That's always bonus points in my bits. BOOKS, that's always bonus points in my books, I meant to say.

My, it's a little hot in here, isn't it? Think I'll go find a fan or something...

At long last, after many votes by interested persons, the numbers are in, and two contest suggestions were tied for most popular: an Internet scavenger hunt, and a brief note about what Katie Mac book setting you'd like to live in, and why.

Since I'm late on the book I'm writing now, not to mention that whole holiday thing zooming up on us, I opted to not spend hours hunting down things to use in a scavenger hunt, and instead will choose the second option.

The person who suggested the winning idea will receive a Steamed ARC. As for the rest of you...sharpen your pencils!


WHAT: Write a brief statement of which Katie Mac book setting you'd like to live in, and your reasons for doing so. It can be a specific place (the attic in Drake's house), a location (Budapest), or even a historical time period (Regency England). Entries should be no more than 500 words.

WHEN: Contest runs from December 3, 2009 to midnight (Pacific Time) December 15th, 2009.

HOW MANY: Five entries will be randomly drawn from the entry pool, and awarded ARCs. 

HOW OFTEN: You may enter as many times as you like, but each entry must be different.

WHO? Send your entry to katie@katiemacalister with something in the subject line mentioning the contest (so your entry doesn't get stuck in the dreaded reader mail queue).


Note: I like the scavenger hunt idea a lot, and will likely use it in the Love in the Time of Dragons contest. So those of you who voted for that hang tight!

All right, who's the wise guy who threw December on us? I'm not even remotely ready for it! Mentally, I think I'm back in August. And pleh. Book due in a month. Think I'm going to have to crank up the daily wad amount so I can have the holidays off.

Good news for the week: writing is going well, Me and My Shadow is doing well, and other than the fact that it's December (mutter, grumble), all is happy happy at Rancho Doghair.

Today is the last day to post your questions to be answered by my Darling Agent Michelle! Post 'em here, post 'em on the original entry, e-mail 'em to me--I don't care how you do it, just post your questions today. I shall gather them all up and send them to Michelle tomorrow.

Wait...it's December? Doesn't that mean we can play Christmas music without anyone snarking? Wooties! Off I go to do dig out my Christmas mix CDs. Feel free to share your own good news for the week. Now, where's that stack of burnable CDs...