Buccaneer Blogfest: Why yes, I do review books!

It’s no secret that I love to read. I even do video book reviews. I’m getting back into that, now that I’ve solved the technical problem that arose when YouTube and my laptop’s webcam decided they were no longer on speaking terms. Thus, I have managed to conjure up access to a digital camcorder, so my reviews can now be in beautiful HD.

I’m going to record a whole slew of books and upload them this weekend, but until them, I have a sweet surprise for you.

I started a book blog of my very own!

Please drop by Thea’s Quiet Reading Corner, give it a follow and browse through my back catalog of video book reviews. I’ll be posting more text/vlogs in the next few days. If you’re interested in a review, drop me a line.

 

Fresh meat in the Video Reviews department, and submission guidelines

I recently had the privilege of reviewing Coral Moore’s Broods of Fenrir. It’s a werewolf urban fantasy, and let’s just say I am now in love with werewolves.

Have a watch:

If you like my reviews, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. I try to keep a fresh assortment of indie books that range in length from short stories to novels.I update about once or twice per week, depending on health, schedule and how long the books are. I try to cram a short story or a novella between novels to keep things fresh.

Additionally, I promised some submission guidelines for those among you who are up to the nerve-wracking awesomeness that is having me video-review a book. Well, look no longer. I’ve got a bit of a back list, but I’m still accepting submissions for the time being. Let me know in the comments, twitter or any of the other myriad ways there are of contacting me.

Video book review: Book 2 of The Zombie Bible

I had the privilege of reading and reviewing the second book of The Zombie Bible, What Our Eyes Have Witnessed. The story takes place in ancient Rome, and focuses on the events leading up to the martyrdom of St-Polycarp.

Head on over to The Zombie Bible’s website, and tell Stant I say hi. Or, better yet, pick up this great read. Treat yourself. It’s a couple of months until the next Zombie Bedtime Story, after all.

New Video Review: This Brilliant Darkness, by Red Tash

By popular demand, I have another video review for you.

This was a highly enjoyable book, and I am going to say that if you like stories of the darker persuasion (of course you do, that’s why you’re on my blog!)

This Brilliant Darkness on Amazon

Red Tash’s website

More reviews are on their way!

Fall approaches, and I have a haiku dedicated to me.

I’m going to do these in order. The haiku stuff is at the bottom.

Fall is here. It’s that time of year when I spend 20+ hours/week in the kitchen. I make preserves, apple crisp and great fresh food. I’ve been documenting some of my recipes and thoughts on my Youtube channel. My latest cooking video was about tomato canning. This same video also is compelling me to step up my weight loss inititives. I know the camera adds 10 pounds and all, but yeesh. Extreme cooking is exercise, right? (Especially when it all goes into jars and you don’t even get to eat it!). My awesome neighbor just dropped off a few pounds of fresh plums from her sister’s tree. I think plum jelly is in the works.

I’m trying to teach myself javascript, to increase my skill set. Maybe soul-destroying sales jobs won’t be the only places who find my resume interesting if I add yet more non-sales skills. Monster.ca is lame like that.

Locked Out is doing great, it’s already overtaken Locked In‘s record sales week, and it’s only Thursday. I’m so in awe of all the support and enthusiasm my friends and family have for the Zombie Bedtime Stories project. I intend to keep delivering! Deadlocked is nearing it’s gory and catastrophic conclusion, and then it’s time for yet another perspective.

Now, a lovely twitter friend and fellow #Zweepette (kind of a code for girl who really likes zombies) made a haiku for me, because it’s Friday (for her, not quite for me yet) and because I’m awesome. The pickle juice drinking is in reference to this video.

And, for the haiku:

The best haiku ever

Weekend updates!

I hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

I recorded myself reading The Zombie’s Bride on YouTube. It’s hopefully the first of many readings.

In other news, I get the draft of Locked Out back tomorrow. Double yay! It’s much improved, and apparently it is darkly hilarious. Possibly in ways I didn’t intend, but that’s even better.

Weekend news: I got interviewed, Zombie Walk Video and more!

So it’s been a dismal week productivity wise. That happens, I’m told. I’ll just redouble my efforts next week. It’s a pain editing halfhearted crap into good material, so it’s probably for the better. I’m getting good feedback on Locked Out, which is very encouraging to make me sit down and crank out Deadlocked. I want to have it out before NaNoWriMo.

I promised you a video. Here is the footage Kyle  took. He got some great shots of the zombies swarming a Justin Bieber display.

Montreal Zombie Walk 2011 video – skip to 1:16 if you only care about seeing Bieber get eaten (there are two waves, second is at 1:50ish)

Goals for this week: Deadlocked to 5000 words. If I get Locked Out back from editor (hi mom) then new draft. I’m hoping to have some nice cover art to show off at some point in the nearish future, but that might not be this week.

Finally, I have an interview about Locked In posted. This is happy news. Thanks to 1st Author Interviews, you guys rock.

 

 

The Zombie Walk and this week’s goals

This is a little late, but life has been too hectic and dramatic for my tastes. Fortunately, it’s calming down.

Goals for this week: 5k words into Deadlocked. If I receive edits for Locked Out, input those and edit more. So far I’m about 100 words into Deadlocked. I need to step up my game. They’re 100 damn good words, though. Deadlocked is where I really begin getting into the back story of the series and begin to develop the universe. I’ve decided on a coherent storyline that goes to about a total of 15 short stories and novellas. It’s going to be a fun, crazy ride. It’s an apocalypse like no other. Let’s just say that.

Today I went for a long bike ride in high humidity and heat-wave level weather. I can feel muscles growing on my muscles. The last few blocks were brutal, I could barely keep moving. I feel strangely refreshed and invigorated, so that’s a good thing.

And here are some pictures from the Montreal Zombie Walk. We have yet to edit the video for YouTube due to drama. Stay tuned.

Impersonating zombies, and editing day 1

I was asked to do a zombie impersonation. This seemed like a completely valid and awesome request, so I did it. While wearing the lamest hat I was able to find in my stack of hats. Check it out!

I edited the first draft. I needed to change a few minor plot details, but they make the story stronger over all. Tomorrow I have to input all these edits. That is going to be fun.

I didn’t get to writing any zombie flash today. Ended up spending much time on phone with person I do work for. Now I don’t know if I can get to it – I had a lot of stuff dumped on my plate. It’s probably worse than it looks. Business writing just isn’t as much fun as zombies.

I really, really want to write that zombie flash, though. It’s consuming my mind. And it’s delicious.

Tomorrow is formatting day

I found some last-minute edits to make today. Fixing typos and all that. I have to have it looking its best, so the world can enjoy it. I guess that makes it draft 7.5?

Not a lot else to report. I’m still feeling excited about it, and maybe even more confident in my abilities. I created a Facebook Fan page, because apparently I have to.

I read my sample on my latest YouTube video. Check it out! I spend about the first minute playing with a tricorder I got when I was 10. Be amused.