…unusual about this book cover:

Answer: The author’s name isn’t on the cover. The author is Aury Wallington. There’s an “About The Author” page at the end and her name shows up on an inside page, just not on the cover.

This is a tie-in novel to the tv show Heroes. Obvious, I know. Just thought I’d point it out in case anyone got lost. The idea is that someone other than Wallington created the tv show, but she’s writing the related novels. I get it. The thing I don’t get is why her name isn’t on the cover. Other tie-in authors get to have their names on the covers. Look at Lee Goldberg’s Monk books, Tod Goldberg’s Burn Notice books, Nancy Holder’s Buffy books, heck even Wallington’s OC books.

I’m sure this is some kind of the publisher insisted or the show’s creator insisted thing. Still, it’s just nice for authors to get all the credit they can. Seeing your name on a cover is one of those fabulous things. Of course, the hardcover of this book was a bestseller, so Wallington gets to celebrate that.

Today is one of those days where I don’t have a thing to say. Strange, I know. Anyone who knows me knows I like to chat. But I feel a bit rundown. No idea why. I’m not sick. Got plenty of sleep. And, really, it’s not as if I’ve been running marathons over here. I exercised (well, I did yesterday), but not to the point of exhaustion. Just normal stuff that usually gives me an energy boost. Despite all that, I feel like napping and that’s about it.

Rather than sleep - ‘tho that is tempting - I’m going to start reading this and hope the inspiration to write or do anything hits me:

Anyone else feeling the blahs? Maybe it’s just an end of summer thing.

In the I Hope This Is A Joke category…

Some publisher has an ad at Craigslist looking for individuals to ghost sign newly released books. Yep, I said ghost sign. Uh, really? Is signing that hard?

For those of us who sell 10-12 books at a booksigning on a good day this seems odd. I’m sure actual bestsellers get a bit more tired at the signing than I do, but still. Why would this ever be necessary or appropriate?

Here’s my favorite part of the ad:

Requirements:
You must be able to demonstrate your ability to precisely copy the authors’ signatures. You will have to come to our signing location in West LA to show us your ability, and will be hired on the spot if you perform well.

Well, sure. It would be an outrage to get an autographed book where the autograph looked fake. Getting one that looks real, however, is just fine. Everyone knows that.

I’m blogging at Access Romance today. Stop by and say hello.

I’ve read and enjoyed Kimberly Raye’s humorous series featuring vampire matchmaker Lil Marchette. I did think the first few books suffered from bad covers. And I know she doesn’t pick the covers, so don’t write and lecture me on that fact. I get it. Believe me, I get that.

My only point was that I picked up the first book despite the cover. The first few in the series were cartoon covers, which I usually like, but these didn’t work for me. The newest installment in the series is called Just One Bite and the cover has a very different feel. It’s more eye-catching and contemporary. I’m still not sure I love it, but I’m thinking the art department made a smart choice to change the direction.

Here’s the first book Dead End Dating:

Here is Just One Bite:

Any preference…?

Today I’m painting the guest room. Ah, my glamorous life.

Since moving in 20 months ago, we’ve painted every room…except this one. It’s purple. Dark purple. We tried to live with it, but about a month ago I said it had to go. It was one of those statements that in hindsight I should have thought rather than said. See, my hubby hears me say stuff like that and actually takes me seriously. He begins planning. He announced last week that today would be the best day to paint. He even took the day off to help me.

When I whined about how I wanted to do it later, he shot me his best what’s wrong with you alpha male look. His view is that if you want to do something, just do it. He also gave me some argument about how we have guests coming next week and my next deadline is months away, so this is the perfect time. This is what happens when you marry a lawyer. He always has an answer.

Yeah, the logic of painting today makes sense. Still…

I hear all the time about other authors who fail to deliver books on deadline. Things happen that throw us off track. I get that. Other authors just suck at meeting deadlines, for whatever reason. I spoke with an editor at RWA who insisted this lateness craze has always been an issue but now it seems more prevalent. Me, well, I turn my books in on time. I work on the don’t-give-the-publisher-an-extra-reason-to-drop-me philosophy.

I would appear that Brit author Allison Pearson views these things differently. At the very least, she hit hard times. According to the Telegraph, Pearson got a lot of money and didn’t produce:

Allison Pearson, the newspaper columnist, made headlines seven years ago when she was paid £700,000 by Miramax for the film rights to her novel I Don’t Know How She Does It, which charts the life of a successful investment banker who tries to balance her career with motherhood.

Alas, the film has not yet materialised and now [the Telegraph reporter] hears that she is being sued by the publishing arm of the same company for failing to deliver a book, for whose film rights Miramax paid her a £350,000 advance.

Lesson: if thou taketh the big money, thou must deliver the goods.

Now, because I am the giving type I would be happy to step into Pearson’s place, take the money and deliver the book. Miramax just needs to call me…

This YouTube video featuring the first sentence from the book TAN LINES by J.J. Salem made me chuckle. We can all debate the usefulness of video book trailers, but I’m thinking this one probably did sell some books.

I’ve been a fan of Lauren Baratz-Logsted ever since I read her book A Little Change of Face. I’ve followed Lauren’s career because, well, it’s sort of amazing. She writes across genres and age groups. Chick lit, YA, tween - you name it, she can write it. And she has all sorts of cool things happening right now.

Lauren’s next adult novel (chick lit) Baby Needs A New Pair of Shoes comes out at the end of this month.

Lauren’s other venture is really cool. It’s a series for young readers. Her co-authors are her husband and her daughter. I love that. The series is called The Sisters 8 and the website is awesome. Check it out. The first book comes out at the end of the year.

Congrats to Lauren and family!

Some news articles just make me smile. This is one of them.

I somehow found this UPI story called Beachgoers in France Going Topless Less. The point is that with the rough economy, women are keeping their tops on at normally topless beaches. According to French academic Dr. Guy Fournier, the theory goes like this:

“Bare breasts are viewed as a totally natural state on the beach,” Fournier said.

“But public morality follows people’s confidence and optimism in their wealth and lifestyle.”

“During an economic downturn, women are less inclined to let it all hang out and more likely to cover up.”

How incredibly sad.

See, now, I’d think the travesty of having women put their tops back on would make the men who run government fix the economy. Guess not.