Anna DeStefano’s Blog

They’re hysterical ;o) Try this one…

Batman Begins–Inappropriate Soundtrack

Let me know wha t you think.

OBTW. Anyone have any tips on how to imbedd the video itself into a Wordpress post. I’d love to leave more than a link for you to follow.

I find it comical that one of my favorite movie/TV review sites just got around to discovering Nora Roberts. Here’s the review of Naked in Death at Pajiba.com. The reviewer uses Castle as a sort-of high concept to explain what makes the In Death series work on a relationship level, more than as a mystery/suspense. Because if it works for TV it must be a good formula, right?

Don’t know why such a positive review about a romance on an entertainment site is bothering me, but it does. This should be a win-win for Nora and the romance community, but the reviewer’s kinda calling the plot simplistic and beside the point, and I’m kinda not digging that.

Literary Agent Michelle Grajkowski’s take on NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month) is up today on my I Write THOSE Books column. She’s an amazing, motivational industry player. Writers, don’t miss it!

I’m also guest blogging about my paranormal series at Fresh Fiction–Legacies Are Wonderful Things. Leave a comment over there for your chance to win a signed copy of Dark Legacy!

Yes, it’s a busy online day ;o)

Now, back to ready the gallies for The Firefighter’s Secret Baby!

Okay, everyone who’s patiently waited for the prizes they’ve won as we built up to Dark Legacy’s release–Thank You so much for your patience.I’m back in town for a while, even though headed for Dragon Con through Monday. Things are winding down now that my “baby”’s here, and I FINALLY have everything sorted and packed and addressed and ready to Priority Mail themselves to you.

You might think that looking at all the bags and then boxes and then lables and so forth would have frustrated me. Acutally, I’m overwhelmed by how many friends have joined in on the last few months of craziness and cheered. How many of you have shown up over and over and followed me places and some even smiled from the crowd at my New York City signing. Other’s I’ll see soon at the “Con.” Even others, when I speak at Georgia Romance Writers’ September meeting in a few weeks.

I’m a very lucky woman, to have you all in my life. To write and see my words in print, and to hear from those who get just as excited by the ideas as I do, and to have you checking in and encouraging me and smiling and laughing and being your wonderful selves. I looked at all the lovely things I’m hoping my winners will have by the first of the week, and I’m wishing I had enough to send something to all of you.

Thank you. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. Know that I cherish each and every one of you, my friends. Keep coming back, for the rest of the blog tour and September’s blog contests and for the quiet time we’ll finally settle into after that where we can just chat and catch up and get to know each other again while I work on new stories I hope will touch your lives.

You’re the best!!!

I don’t say that enough.

There will never be enough thank yous to express how much your support and friendship mean to me. Or how important the personal side of this publishing business is to me–my relationships with readers and fellow writers are what keeps me going when my job gets difficult. You’re my inspiration. My smiles. My “work just a little harder to be sure it’s right.” You’re my family.

I lost someone close to me last week–hence the abrupt silence as I finished up my manuscript draft and should have had more time to share with everyone, instead of less. My grandmother, Mary, was 91. A classy, sassy, never-without-a funny comback lady you’d have loved to meet. I’ll miss her terribly. But I also know how blessed I am to have had her in my life for 41 years. She adored my writing and my family and my success and anything else that made me happy, and she was adored in return. We should all be so lucky, to know that kind of love. And I was, every time her eyes twinkled my way.

So, thank you for waiting for me to come back. I’ll be posting daily again as I ramp up to write a new book, to promote the one out in less that two months, to edit the one I just turned in for editorial review and to plan new proposals that need to be completed soon if I want books out past June 2010.

And I’ll be trying to find that twinkle in my own eyes again. It’s coming back slowly–I should be classy and sassy and funny myself, by the time I leave for RWA Nationlals next week, to teach and network and learn and have fun with even more friends ;o) At least that’s my goal… Come find me in DC and let me know how I’m doing!

Yay! The first contest winner in our beautiful new blog ;o)

I’m thrilled to announce that Kathye Quick won June’s Dark Legacy ARC and a one-of-a-kind leather Dream Flutters necklace.

Her comment on May 27th was randomly chosen from all May comments… Kathye, look for an email from me later today, so I can confirm your mailing address!

These leather necklaces are finished in sterling silver and vintage pearls, with a cloisonne butterfly at the clasp. Plus–a Dark Legacy cover pendant. Sooo pretty (yeah, I’m beaming ;o)

For June, this gorgous couture Dream Flutters necklace with hand-etched dream images from Dark Legacy’s cover (and another ARC) is up for grabs:

Check here for details: http://annawrites.com/blog/category/blog-contest-june-leave-comment-to-enter/ . But in short, leave blog comments throughout June for your chance to win!

For another chance to win one of the leather Dream Flutters with and a Dark Legacy cover pendant, check out my “Happy Corner” contest. Send your pic in to be in the running:

http://annawrites.com/blog/2009/06/06/show-us-your-happy-corner/

See you around the blog!

…on what you really, really, really need to know about today’s publishing playing field.

I highly recommend a click-through to this blog post from a Curtis Brown agent!

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/06/stepping-up-your-game.html

Interesting links from the not-so printed world…

Google eBook business will spark a standards war

http://www.pcworld.com/article/165840/googles_ebook_business_will_create_standards_war.html

E-reader devices. The fun’s just starting…

http://blogs.zdnet.com/BTL/?p=19012

Showdown–Bing vs. Yahoo! vs. Google.

http://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2009/06/02/bing-and-the-dmca/

 If electronic, non-fiction or business publishing is your thing, here are some helpful links:

The future of books and electronic reding–

http://www.publetariat.com/publish/future-books-and-electronic-reading

Google ready to take on Amazon selling eBooks–

 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/01/technology/internet/01google.html?_r=3

An editor’s view on nonfiction publishing–

http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/PermaLink,guid,b320cb6a-5af3-40cf-b266-ec503e3434dd.aspx

Business writing is storytelling, too–

http://ezinearticles.com/?Storytelling-For-Business—Getting-Your-Point-Across&id=2402853