Friday, April 20, 2007

Raining

It's raining here...finally. The 1/2" we are expecting isn't going to make up for a very dry winter, but we will take whatever moisture we can get at this point. There is a good possibility for thunderstorms this afternoon. I am looking forward to it. There is nothing like a good thunderstorm to clear the energy and electrify the imagination. :) If all goes as planned, my dau will be staying the night at Grandma's. she's there now, and even though I didn't have the alone time I had hoped for (me and the cats in the house -- grin), it's blessedly silent with no one to worry about but me since the hubby is currently indisposed. (grin) So, I'm playing. Well, I'm on the computer. What's new? Huh? But I am utterly carefree at the moment. It's simply lovely.

We are going to see a movie tonight. I am going to sleep in tomorrow, and, hopefully, sleep through the night as well. Gah! The last time I slept in was...pre baby. I suppose that's typical when you have children. Not that she isn't fun, but what I wouldn't give to be able to sleep in two nights in a row. LOL Little miss was up at 7 am this morning and began the day running. She didn't stop running even after I dropped her at Grandma's. For Grandma's sake, I hope this means she'll crash at 8 pm or so. She can get a second wind and go late. On other occasions, she's fallen asleep standing up. (Yes, that is true.)

Okay. We are off. Have a lovely weekend! I know I will. :)

Marci

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Resurfacing

I'm sorry to have been so uncharacteristically quiet. I've been sorting out the affairs of my aunt, who died recently. I'm her executrice. (I love that word!)

I was also preparing for quite a difficult job interview for a senior post. I'm going to be doing the job for the next few months, starting on Monday. It's a big editorial and managerial one; so far all that's happened is that my diary has mysteriously been filled with about a hundred meetings. More hours of meetings, as far as I can see, than one working week will accomodate.

Worst thing is that I now have to get used to travelling on the underground in the rush hour, something that fills me with dread!

Thursday, April 12, 2007

RIP

When I was 5-years-old, my father invited me to sit down and watch a movie with him on TV. It was Slaughterhouse-Five, which had run in theatres a few years before in '72. I was fascinated with the random montage of the storyline. My father was impressed that I grasped it and didn't ask for any plot clarification. Looking back, I believe that to be the defining moment that destined me to a lifetime of leaning toward the odd and the different, of seeking out the intelligent and the messenger, whether in movies, literature, or music.

Enter adolescence. Being both a bookworm and the "weird girl", I naturally went on a Vonnegut run at the library at some point. I selected Slaughterhouse-Five from the shelf, thinking "Hmm, this sounds familiar." Just as I had at age 5, I fell into the story all over again, albeit with a higher level of understanding. I was amazed by Vonnegut's brilliance, how he took what might have been the typical "retrospective look at one man's life as representative of his entire generation", and turned it into something like you'd never read before.

As is often the case with genius, Mr. Vonnegut suffered from depression, and had attempted suicide in recent years. I hope he has found peace, and I hope he left knowing that he's left his immortal stamp on the face of 20th century literature. I just wonder...is Mr. Vonnegut really gone? Or did he get whisked off by his friends, the Tralfamadorians?

Rest in peace, Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

~ Katrina S.

Monday, April 9, 2007

Happy Anniversary to Me...and Freya's Bower!

I thought I was coming up on the anniversary of my affiliation with Freya's Bower, so I checked back through my LiveJournal posts and found this.

April 10, 2006 LiveJournal Post:
On another front, I found a call for writing samples from a small romance e-publisher and thought, "why not?" I sent a sample in yesterday afternoon, and this morning I received an email announcing that I'd been accepted, giving me my editor's name and saying that my assignment and contract would follow.


The cynic in me says, "yeah, right!" but considering I have my own personal contract adviser on staff, I figure I haven't got much to lose. The starry-eyed optimist says "Woo Hoo! This is going to be a blast!" Here's hoping the optimist is right ... I'll let you know what happens.

(BTW - the deal is for two related short stories, the combined word count to be between 6,000 and 8,000.)

A year later, I'm happy to report that the starry-eyed optimist was absolutely on target! (Don't you love it when that happens?)

Glass Magic turned out well. Sorcha's Heart followed, and the invitation to submit to Dreams & Desires was a dream-come-true in itself! And now, after a lot of hard work, Second Sight is nearing release!

Look at that progression: Bites to Novella to Anthology to Novel.

Not bad for my first year with FB.

Thank you, Faith and Marci, for the call for writing samples and for offering me the opportunity to have my work pubbed by Freya's Bower. You guys rock!!

Thursday, April 5, 2007

Greetings! Yes, another newbie. ;)

Hello! I am erotica and dark romance author Katrina Strauss, though my friends just call me Kitty. I am pleased to be one of the new additions to the Freya's Bower family. :)

I have been writing since childhood, and enjoyed a few short story publications in independent e-zines in the 90's. However, I did not try my hand at erotica and, subsequently, pen my first full-length novel until last year. My resulting experiment, which blends plot-driven romance with BDSM and paranormal elements, has evolved into the genre-busting, century-spanning Eldritch Legacy trilogy, currently available through another small but quality e-press. In addition to a few short stories also available through this other publisher, my 1920's BDSM short, Efflorescence, will appear later this year in FB's upcoming anthology, A Rose of Any Colour. I am thankful to have now found two quality publishers who are open to my more unconventional take on romance, not just in regards to subject matter but in variations on traditional formula.

When I'm not writing, I'm caring for my three children (two teenagers and one pre-schooler). I also enjoy sewing, cooking, and of course, my first love, reading. You can find out more about myself and my work at my author site listed below. I am excited to be here, and while I recognize a few faces (*waves at Kayleigh, yay!*) I look foward to chatting with those whom I have not already had the privilege of meeting. :)

~ Kitty S.
Explore the darker side of romance...
http://www.katrinastrauss.com/