I can’t remember if I posted this or not, but I have Hot Mama bookmarks to give away! Who-hoo!
The bookmarks are very, very nice. They’re oversized, and the color absolutely rocks. They look even better than the Karma Girl bookmarks.
As always, these are free to readers. If you want some bookmarks, send me an e-mail at jennifer@jenniferestep.com to learn how to get them.
Happy reading! 😎
Summer is almost over. I can’t believe it’s almost September already. Where did the time go? Shaking head.
Back in June, I posted about some things I needed to do this summer. I thought I’d give myself and you guys an update and measure my progress. So, here’s my list, along with whether or not I finished the projects.
Done. I got a couple of Hot Mama ARCs in the mail last week. Who-hoo! 😎
2) Finish up Bigtime 4, aka Nightingale.
Done. Mostly. I sent it to the agent, who liked it. (Yeah!) Right now, I’m working on some minor revisions for her, which I plan to finish by Sept. 1, if not before. ÂÂ
3) Write a rough draft of Bigtime 5, aka Fangirl.
Done, but it’s really, really short, and it really, really sucks. It needs some serious tinkering.
4) Finish up my paranormal spy book, aka Live and Let Spy.
Almost there. I’ve printed out the final draft. I need to read through it and do some minor editing before I sent it to the agent, and see what she thinks about it.
5) Write a rough draft of the second spy book, You Only Spy Twice.
Done, but like Fangirl, it’s really, really short, and it really, really sucks (all my first drafts do). But at least I have an idea of where I’m going and now I know that I can make a series out of this.
6) Update the Web site with Hot Mama extras, new contests, photos, etc.
Done. Mostly. I need to fix some typos and tweak a few things. I’m also waiting for some more art elements and Easter eggs from my Web site guru.
7) Get bookmarks made for Hot Mama.
Done. As always, these are free to readers. If you want some, send me an e-mail at jennifer@jenniferestep.com.
8) Update my pitch letters and promo materials for Karma Girl and Hot Mama.
Done. Mostly. I need to edit the letters and promo stuff for typos, but I went ahead and sent the info to my publicist at Berkley.
9) Dazzle everyone with my wit and brilliance at RWA Nationals.
Well, I went to RWA. Whether I dazzled anyone is debatable. 🙄
10) Get my head examined for thinking I can get all this accomplished in three months. 
This one still stands.
Overall, I didn’t do too bad. Now, I need to make my list for fall … 😀
What about you? Did you accomplish your summer writing goals? Inquiring minds want to know …
Finished Places to Be, People to Kill. It’s a fantasy anthology that features twelve stories about assassins. The stories range from light-hearted to dark and gritty.
I enjoyed the lighter stories like Exactly by Tanya Huff much more than the serious stuff. Jim C. Hines, the guy who writes the D&D-esque Goblin books, completely surprised me with Bloodlines, a dark tale about family ties and magic. An interesting tale, but I think I like Jig the goblin much better.
Probably my favorite story was While Horse and Hero Fell by Sarah A. Hoyt, which is about a computer wizard (as in a techno genius, not a magical one) who takes over a magical black-ops unit to rescue the cute girl he’s admired from afar. I’d love to see a whole novel set in that world. 😎
Overall, the stories aren’t as interesting or thought-provoking as Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman, another short story collection I recently read. But Places to Be is still entertaining, especially if you’re looking for a quick read.ÂÂ
The only other downside was that since these are short stories, there wasn’t enough the usual amount of world-building I’d expect in a fantasy novel. But there’s only so much you can do in twenty pages.
But still, thumbs up
Up next: The Leopard Prince by ELizabeth Hoyt.
Okay, this is going to be my last post on Harry Potter. I’m sure others have and will continue to talk about it far more eloquently than me. But I hope y’all have enjoyed reading my thoughts.
To sum up, I absolutely loved the book. Rowling has created such a wonderful world, such great, conflicted characters, such a rich vision that was fully realized from Book 1 all the way to the final page of Book 7. The books truly are classics, and I’m sure their reputation will only grow with time.
So, here’s to you, J.K. I hope you visit Harry & Friends again one day. (I really, really, really do). But if not, thanks for the memories. 😎
Another thing that bugs me about the Harry Potter books, especially in this last one, is the four Houses — and why nobody good is in Slytherin.
Sure, I know it’s the home of Draco Malfoy and his cronies, and has a history of producing some really bad eggs, like Voldemort. But surely, somebody in Slytherin is good — or at least a halfway decent human being. I wonder if this is some English class thing that I just don’t get. That Rowling is making some sort of statement. That good people are salt-of-the-earth Gryffindors and high-class, high-born snobs are Slytherins.
And I always wanted to see more characters (and just more in general) from the other two houses, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. I know Gryffindor was where Harry and Rowling’s heart was, but her world was so rich — I wanted to get a peek into the other Houses. I don’t think we ever see the inside of Hufflepuff, and we only get to see Ravenclaw in Book 7. (Right? I can’t remember …)
What about you? Do the Houses bug you? Inquiring minds want to know …
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