I'm on The Literature Map: http://www.literature-map.com/sandra+schwab.html - I'm so, so excited!!! (If you've never been on that site, check it out! It's a nice place to play and explore: type in the name of your favourite author (Author A) and you'll get a map of authors whose work fans of Author A enjoy as well.
The Literature Map is part of Gnod, an experiment in the field of artificial intelligence -- which means you can make Gnod learn more about books, music & movies. If you've enjoyed The Lily Brand, perhaps you would like to tell Gnod which authors you also read and thus make sure my Literature Map will grow. For me it would certainly be exciting to find out what kind of books and authors you love reading.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Sandy's Podchatter #15
Another week, another episode of Sandy's Podchatter (yay! I've really made it!). What will Georgina do, now that the twins' secret has been revealed? Find out in Chapter 5 of BETRAYAL, now online.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Pudding Lane, oh Pudding Lane
My first week as a 30-year-old is nearly up and I'm happy to report that I've neither discovered any grey hairs yet nor transformed into a sex-mad sex bunny (no, I didn't like SEX & THE CITY all that much ...). In fact, I'm still very much ... well, me. *wipes her brow with relief*
So on my b-day I got this Regency-set crime novel I've been rather looking forward to reading. It all started quite well: interesting, unusual hero; nice Regency details; setting was London and then --
-- hero went into Pudding Lane and found himself surrounded by medieval, half-timbered houses.
Okay, let's repeat this again:
Regency London. Pudding Lane. Medieval houses. Half-timbered.
Now, what's wrong with this picture?
Regency London. Pudding Lane. MEDIEVAL houses.
MEDIEVAL!!!!
Woah, a time-warp in the middle of London! Totally scary! Regency hero walks around the corner and - bang! - he's been transported into Restoration London! Because, my dears, the medieval houses in Pudding Lane all burnt to cinders in 1666 during the Great Fire of London which just happened to start in a stupid bakery in stupid Pudding Lane. Fire patrol didn't yet exist. Fire raged out of control (due to these lovely medieval houses -- lots of wood!) and most of the City of London burnt down. Luckily for the Londoners, the rats burnt, too, and there was never again an outbreak of the Black Death in London -- mainly due to the fact that the City decided to rebuild in stone.
It was a nice enough novel, but boy, did the medieval houses in Pudding Lane drive me mad!
So on my b-day I got this Regency-set crime novel I've been rather looking forward to reading. It all started quite well: interesting, unusual hero; nice Regency details; setting was London and then --
-- hero went into Pudding Lane and found himself surrounded by medieval, half-timbered houses.
Okay, let's repeat this again:
Regency London. Pudding Lane. Medieval houses. Half-timbered.
Now, what's wrong with this picture?
Regency London. Pudding Lane. MEDIEVAL houses.
MEDIEVAL!!!!
Woah, a time-warp in the middle of London! Totally scary! Regency hero walks around the corner and - bang! - he's been transported into Restoration London! Because, my dears, the medieval houses in Pudding Lane all burnt to cinders in 1666 during the Great Fire of London which just happened to start in a stupid bakery in stupid Pudding Lane. Fire patrol didn't yet exist. Fire raged out of control (due to these lovely medieval houses -- lots of wood!) and most of the City of London burnt down. Luckily for the Londoners, the rats burnt, too, and there was never again an outbreak of the Black Death in London -- mainly due to the fact that the City decided to rebuild in stone.
It was a nice enough novel, but boy, did the medieval houses in Pudding Lane drive me mad!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Another Quiz
| You Belong in Fall |
 Intelligent, introspective, and quite expressive at times... You appreciate the changes in color, climate, and mood that fall brings Whether you're carving wacky pumpkins or taking long drives, autumn is a favorite time of year for you |
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Uh-oh
It seems I'm a guy. And didn't know it.
According to the Gender Genie the author of the first 588 words of THE LILY BRAND is male, the author of the first 787 words of CASTLE OF THE WOLF female, the author of the prologue of BETRAYAL male.
When we turn our attention to this blog, we'll find that the author of "The Fair" (9 Oct) is male, the person who dissed Heather is also male; when I had only 62 more pages of Castle of the Wolf to write in September 2005 I was male, too; when I was hit by the Muse two days earlier I was male again and again when I had just done my first interview in June 2005.
Sh*t.
Should I be worried? What do you think?
According to the Gender Genie the author of the first 588 words of THE LILY BRAND is male, the author of the first 787 words of CASTLE OF THE WOLF female, the author of the prologue of BETRAYAL male.
When we turn our attention to this blog, we'll find that the author of "The Fair" (9 Oct) is male, the person who dissed Heather is also male; when I had only 62 more pages of Castle of the Wolf to write in September 2005 I was male, too; when I was hit by the Muse two days earlier I was male again and again when I had just done my first interview in June 2005.
Sh*t.
Should I be worried? What do you think?
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Georgina & Ash are back!
Well, at least Ginny is. :) I'm very happy to announce that a new episode of Sandy's Podchatter with the next chapter of BETRAYAL has just gone online. Please follow me once more to the Villa under the Linden Trees ...
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Incoherent ramblings on a Thursday evening
Blogland is a funny thing: you diss people, people diss you back, and afterwards you find out she's not quite the ignorant cow you thought her to be while she realizes you're not quite the humourless cow in hysterics she thought you to be. And no, I really, really don't hate Heather! And I really, really don't want to start a WeHateHeather.org blog. Nor a 501(c)(3) organization. (Whatever that might be.)
If I'd hated Heather, I would've dragged her along on today's seven hour supplies-for-Sandy-leaves-her-youth-behind-party shopping tour (during which I was attacked by a plate at Ikea -- stupid thing sliced my thumb open). Did I do that? Nooo. See? Sandy doesn't hate Heather.
Really, really, really.
Hey, and if you're here for the first time (*waving at the folks who've followed links from Two-Timing the Cosmos*), why don't you have a look at this ...
If I'd hated Heather, I would've dragged her along on today's seven hour supplies-for-Sandy-leaves-her-youth-behind-party shopping tour (during which I was attacked by a plate at Ikea -- stupid thing sliced my thumb open). Did I do that? Nooo. See? Sandy doesn't hate Heather.
Really, really, really.
Hey, and if you're here for the first time (*waving at the folks who've followed links from Two-Timing the Cosmos*), why don't you have a look at this ...
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
Non-garish cover :)
Thanks bunches to Laurel for fixing the colours!!! By now, I've found out that I can shrink the pic with the photo-editing programme on my notebook without doing horrible things to the colours. Thereby I've also realized that the cover is even more gorgeous if you take a high-resolution scan and open it in paint so you can see every little detail (like the stubble on the chin of my guy-in-the-sky). Hmmm .... *dreamy sigh*
Friday, October 13, 2006
Update on BETRAYAL
As you might have guessed from the non-existent further podcast episodes, I've run into a bit of trouble with BETRAYAL. I knew it was a stupid thing to do, to start reading it before I had ever finished writing it, but hey, if you want to believe some people us romance writers are illiterate and fluffheads anyway. Oh yes, and we've got inflated egos because our names appear on every other page of our books. I kid you not.
So at the moment, I'm busy with finishing the remaining chapters (almost there! almost there!). After that I'll go through the whole thing again, smoothen out the kinks and then start producing further podcast episodes. Sorry for the whole delay! But I'm sure I'll totally improve once I hit the big three-Oh (Saturday next week) and become a whole new person. Serious. Hardworking. Responsible. No more fluff. No more writing pornogr--
Piffle. Some people should have their Head examined! *g*
So at the moment, I'm busy with finishing the remaining chapters (almost there! almost there!). After that I'll go through the whole thing again, smoothen out the kinks and then start producing further podcast episodes. Sorry for the whole delay! But I'm sure I'll totally improve once I hit the big three-Oh (Saturday next week) and become a whole new person. Serious. Hardworking. Responsible. No more fluff. No more writing pornogr--
Piffle. Some people should have their Head examined! *g*
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Good morning, world; good morning, gorgeous cover!
I should have perhaps mentioned last night that when I shrunk the cover image, my photo-editing programme did something funny to the colours. In the original file they're definitely not as gharish as they appear in the image below: her dress is red, not pink; and the sky is a lovely deep, dark blue.
Will try to post a better pic today. :O)
Will try to post a better pic today. :O)
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Fabio vs. Foucault
A few days ago the Greater Washington Initiative launched a wonderful ad campain to show what a wonderfully intelligent workforce resides in Washington -- and out of the blue romance readers and writers revolted. Shocking. You can find a nice and not at all biased summary and commentary on the DCist: Fabio vs. Foucault.
Oh waily, waily, the uneducated masses (i.e. romance readers and writers) dare to speak up. And some of them can *gasp* even form coherent sentences and express their annoyance at being ridiculed yet again. What has the world come to? Of course, if the Greater Washington Initiative would have done their homework in the first place, none of that would have happened. Of course, it's always easier to make use of stereotypes than to do proper research.
Which reminds me: Dear Ms Goss, didn't they teach you how to do proper research in law school? What a pity! You might have found out that the term "bodice rippers" refers to romance novels written in the 1970s; that the cover you posted is not a current one, but one from 1999; that Fabio retired from modelling several years ago; and that while Nora Roberts might have had auburn locks to toss in 1980, she is currently perfering a shorter and straighter hairstyle with no locks whatsoever.
As I said: pity.
Oh waily, waily, the uneducated masses (i.e. romance readers and writers) dare to speak up. And some of them can *gasp* even form coherent sentences and express their annoyance at being ridiculed yet again. What has the world come to? Of course, if the Greater Washington Initiative would have done their homework in the first place, none of that would have happened. Of course, it's always easier to make use of stereotypes than to do proper research.
Which reminds me: Dear Ms Goss, didn't they teach you how to do proper research in law school? What a pity! You might have found out that the term "bodice rippers" refers to romance novels written in the 1970s; that the cover you posted is not a current one, but one from 1999; that Fabio retired from modelling several years ago; and that while Nora Roberts might have had auburn locks to toss in 1980, she is currently perfering a shorter and straighter hairstyle with no locks whatsoever.
As I said: pity.
Monday, October 09, 2006
The Fair
Last week our fair city on the Main was stuffed with people who work in the book business and/or simply love books: another year, another international bookfair in Frankfurt. Bloomberg gives a short summary of this year's main events and attractions:
Grass apparently voiced again his astonishment over the recriminations after the revelation of his past in the SS and said they were hurtful. And I still wonder what the heck he had expected after sitting on a moral high horse for the past 50 years. Geez.
I didn't go to the fair this year -- it's simply too stressful (but really great if you want to loose a few pounds) (on second thought, perhaps I should have gone to the fair after all! *g*) and there are too many people for my liking. From what I heard, the English-language hall must have been really disappointing this year: most publishing houses had only brought cover flaps and posters, instead of real books. And Mills&Boon wasn't there! (I still fondly remember the M&B plastic bag I got two or three years ago: it was filled with several M&B novels and after I put on my best sad-little-puppy face that nice young guy at their stall put in a few more.) (But hey, I'm a good customer of theirs!)
I also fondly remember the year I drove to the fair with my friend Petra and I missed the fricking exit. *head on table* In search of the proper carpark, we drove through the most interesting streets in Frankfurt (none of which I have ever found again!), didn't find the stupid carpark so that I finally gave up and took the first best empty parking space I could find. (Ein Parkplatz! Ein Parkplatz!) We walked for about 20 minutes -- only to find out that we had ended up being on the wrong side of the stupid fair building. Hooray, hooray! So we walked for about another 40 minutes until we had finally reached the main entrance.... Oh, what fun! (But I lost 3 kilos that day!) (As I said, the fair's really good if you want to lose a few pounds.)
'nuff said. Off to feed the kitties.
Oooops, need to do the dishes first!
A politically correct German Bible, the after-ripples of Guenter Grass's revelations about his wartime role, a 50th anniversary and the death of the poet Oskar Pastior were among the defining moments of the Frankfurt Book Fair.
Grass apparently voiced again his astonishment over the recriminations after the revelation of his past in the SS and said they were hurtful. And I still wonder what the heck he had expected after sitting on a moral high horse for the past 50 years. Geez.
I didn't go to the fair this year -- it's simply too stressful (but really great if you want to loose a few pounds) (on second thought, perhaps I should have gone to the fair after all! *g*) and there are too many people for my liking. From what I heard, the English-language hall must have been really disappointing this year: most publishing houses had only brought cover flaps and posters, instead of real books. And Mills&Boon wasn't there! (I still fondly remember the M&B plastic bag I got two or three years ago: it was filled with several M&B novels and after I put on my best sad-little-puppy face that nice young guy at their stall put in a few more.) (But hey, I'm a good customer of theirs!)
I also fondly remember the year I drove to the fair with my friend Petra and I missed the fricking exit. *head on table* In search of the proper carpark, we drove through the most interesting streets in Frankfurt (none of which I have ever found again!), didn't find the stupid carpark so that I finally gave up and took the first best empty parking space I could find. (Ein Parkplatz! Ein Parkplatz!) We walked for about 20 minutes -- only to find out that we had ended up being on the wrong side of the stupid fair building. Hooray, hooray! So we walked for about another 40 minutes until we had finally reached the main entrance.... Oh, what fun! (But I lost 3 kilos that day!) (As I said, the fair's really good if you want to lose a few pounds.)
'nuff said. Off to feed the kitties.
Oooops, need to do the dishes first!
Sunday, October 08, 2006
More Manxome Mumblings
The Muse is a funny thing. In the past few days, or rather nights, I had increasingly weird nightmares -- sooo not nice! Then, earlier today I had a revelation as to the reason of the !"§$§$%&! nightmares: the Muse is bored. *head on table*
In addition, my 'puter is still not running as it should, and the programme I used for uploads totally refuses to work. Whaaaaaaaaaaa! *head on table*
I need chocolate...
In addition, my 'puter is still not running as it should, and the programme I used for uploads totally refuses to work. Whaaaaaaaaaaa! *head on table*
I need chocolate...
Thursday, October 05, 2006
Manxome Mumblings
When I joined RWA in 2002 I took part in a number of writing contests, all of which were relatively strict in regard to formatting your entry: double-spaced, Courier New, 250 words per page, chapter doesn't start at the top of the page but a third down, etc. You get points off for incorrect formatting; in the worst possible case your entry is disqualified. Heck, I once got points off for using DinA4 paper instead of letter-sized sheets!
Why is it then that most students seem to be generally unable to stick to our department's format for research papers??? After I've devoted ONE WHOLE STUPID LESSON on formatting, putting together a bibliography, etc. AND put together a fricking handout???? AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!! *head on table*
Can you tell I'm depressed?
On the up-side: Adam Cooper posted a new diary. Hooray!
Why is it then that most students seem to be generally unable to stick to our department's format for research papers??? After I've devoted ONE WHOLE STUPID LESSON on formatting, putting together a bibliography, etc. AND put together a fricking handout???? AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!! *head on table*
Can you tell I'm depressed?
On the up-side: Adam Cooper posted a new diary. Hooray!
Monday, October 02, 2006
Favourites
AAR is currently doing a number of mini-polls, the ones running at the moment are Favourite Heroes, Favourite Heroines, & Favourite Couples. Here are my lists:
Favourite Heroes:
#1 Francis Crawford of Lymond, Dorothy Dunnett, Lymond Chronicles (not sure whether he counts, but he's my all-time favourite hero)
#2 Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Austen, PRIDE & PREJUDICE (again, not sure whether that one counts)
#3 Troy Sacheverell, Sandra Schwab, THE LILY BRAND (because he was my first :-) )
#4 Lucien Knight, Gaelen Foley, LORD OF FIRE
#5 Jacques, Christine Feehan, DARK DESIRE
#6 Robert Sinclair Dovenby ("Dove"), Julia Ross, THE WICKED LOVER
#7 Gabe Patton, Susan Fox, THE PRODIGAL WIFE
#8 Sir Daffyd / David Wolfe, Susan Sizemore, WINGS OF THE STORM
#9 the Marquis of Vulcan, Barbara Cartland, A HAZARD OF HEARTS
#10 Vane Cynster, Stephanie Laurens, A RAKE'S VOW
Favourite Heroines
#1 Elizabeth, Jane Austen, PRIDE & PREJUDICE
#2 Lillian, Sandra Schwab, THE LILY BRAND (again, because she was my first)
#3 Emma, Sophie Kinsella, CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?
#4 Patience, Stephanie Laurens, A RAKE'S VOW
#5 Gwendolyn, Teresa Medeiros, THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST
#6 Joanna, Kathleen Harrington, THE MACLEAN GROOM
#7 Penelope, Elizabeth Rolls, THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE
Favourite Couples
#1 Francis & Pippa, Dorothy Dunnett, Lymond Chronicles
#2 Elizabeth & Darcy, Jane Austen PRIDE & PREJUDICE
#3 Claire and Jamie, Diana Gabaldon, Outlander series
#4 Clara & Paris, Margaret Moore, THE WASTREL
#5 Josie & Seth, Janelle Dension, BRIDE INCLUDED
#6 Joanna & Adrian, Anita Mills, THE DUKE'S DOUBLE
#7 Adron & Livia, Sherrilyn Kenyon, "Fire and Ice" (in MAN OF MY DREAMS, anthology)
#8 Van & Maria, Jo Beverley, "The Demon's Mistress" (in IN PRAISE OF YOUNGER MEN, anthology)
#9 Anne & Jack, Julia Ross, NIGHT OF SIN
#10 Emma & Lachlain, Kresley Cole, A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER
~*~
What are some of your favourites?
Favourite Heroes:
#1 Francis Crawford of Lymond, Dorothy Dunnett, Lymond Chronicles (not sure whether he counts, but he's my all-time favourite hero)
#2 Fitzwilliam Darcy, Jane Austen, PRIDE & PREJUDICE (again, not sure whether that one counts)
#3 Troy Sacheverell, Sandra Schwab, THE LILY BRAND (because he was my first :-) )
#4 Lucien Knight, Gaelen Foley, LORD OF FIRE
#5 Jacques, Christine Feehan, DARK DESIRE
#6 Robert Sinclair Dovenby ("Dove"), Julia Ross, THE WICKED LOVER
#7 Gabe Patton, Susan Fox, THE PRODIGAL WIFE
#8 Sir Daffyd / David Wolfe, Susan Sizemore, WINGS OF THE STORM
#9 the Marquis of Vulcan, Barbara Cartland, A HAZARD OF HEARTS
#10 Vane Cynster, Stephanie Laurens, A RAKE'S VOW
Favourite Heroines
#1 Elizabeth, Jane Austen, PRIDE & PREJUDICE
#2 Lillian, Sandra Schwab, THE LILY BRAND (again, because she was my first)
#3 Emma, Sophie Kinsella, CAN YOU KEEP A SECRET?
#4 Patience, Stephanie Laurens, A RAKE'S VOW
#5 Gwendolyn, Teresa Medeiros, THE BRIDE AND THE BEAST
#6 Joanna, Kathleen Harrington, THE MACLEAN GROOM
#7 Penelope, Elizabeth Rolls, THE UNEXPECTED BRIDE
Favourite Couples
#1 Francis & Pippa, Dorothy Dunnett, Lymond Chronicles
#2 Elizabeth & Darcy, Jane Austen PRIDE & PREJUDICE
#3 Claire and Jamie, Diana Gabaldon, Outlander series
#4 Clara & Paris, Margaret Moore, THE WASTREL
#5 Josie & Seth, Janelle Dension, BRIDE INCLUDED
#6 Joanna & Adrian, Anita Mills, THE DUKE'S DOUBLE
#7 Adron & Livia, Sherrilyn Kenyon, "Fire and Ice" (in MAN OF MY DREAMS, anthology)
#8 Van & Maria, Jo Beverley, "The Demon's Mistress" (in IN PRAISE OF YOUNGER MEN, anthology)
#9 Anne & Jack, Julia Ross, NIGHT OF SIN
#10 Emma & Lachlain, Kresley Cole, A HUNGER LIKE NO OTHER
~*~
What are some of your favourites?
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