Wednesday Regency

Georgette Heyer's Regency World.

The blurb says:
Georgette Heyer fans will delight in Jennifer Kloester’s definitive guide to her Regency world: the people, the shops, clubs and towns they frequented, the parties and seasons they celebrated, how they ate, drank, dressed, socialized, voted, shopped and drove. A fun read for any Heyer fan.

Well, I'm partly a Heyer fan. Mostly because I adore taking her Regency cliches (which she may have invented mind you) and twisting them. Because I'm sure a menage never occurred to Ms. Heyer, which is fine, but I do so love them.

I own this title both in eBook and print. It's got loads of history with Heyer novels as references tossed in. I enjoy reading about both--the history and the books. Included in this are fascinating tidbits about the period that are both obscure enough to enjoy and enjoyable enough to put in Regency books as extra background information.

Highly recommended for all Regency fans.

eBook pricing 2

Yesterday I talked about publisher set pricing, what I would and wouldn't pay and a bit about the way royalties work. I got comments that talked about what people would pay, wouldn't, and what as an author, they would charge.

So today let's talk about what's worth the price. All being subjective, naturally, I think anything around $5.99 to $7.99 is reasonable, depending on length, quality of writing, how I enjoy the author's work, etc.

For instance, I'm not paying $5.99 for a story that's only 12,000 words. That seems excessive. But I will pay $5.99 for a story over 50,000 words. I'll even pay $7.99 for a 100,000 word story.

What do you think? Are you a self-pubbed author--what are you willing to set your prices at?

eBook pricing

I've recently read a lot about eBook pricing and whether publisher set prices are too high. Now I guess that depends on whether you're the taking a bigger chunk from the price publisher or the getting the lesser percentage author. I don't think publishers think about readers, though they really should considering without readers, the whole thing crumbles.

Being a reader, I like the lower priced eBooks. If a publisher thinks I'm going to pay $9.99 or higher for an eBook they're crazy. There are lovely brick and mortar places called libraries where I can borrow the book for free and return it for someone else to read and enjoy (or not as the case may be).

I'm not so attached to my Nook that I need to read everything this instant. Though that's a convenience I absolutely adore. Still, if I can show restraint for my physical book purchases then I can show that same restraint for my Nook purchases. Even if there are loads more eBooks I enjoy than print.

Over the summer there was a brouhaha over Harlequin's pricing and the measly percentage their authors get for their eBooks. Now most e-only publishers give between 35% and 40% (give or take a percentage) for sales. Harlequin offers the same rate as on their print books, about 5-8%. This is from Bob Mayer's blog, which I also read reguraly and enjoy. Harlequin, author royalty rates, non-compete: Business reality but is it smart?

Anyone else see the discrepancy there? Plus I've read on Kristine Kathryn Rusch's blog, The Business Rusch, a rather informative bit (April 2011) on Royalty Statements Update. This is her personal experience, but read it, read the comments, and laugh over major publisher's wonderment at the changing world of publishing. There are major gaps in the Big Publishers royalty statements.

Then there's this from the Wall Street Journal...and how little it surprised me that 1) it barely made a bleep in the publishing news I read and 2) that it exists at all.

Justice Department Confirms E-Book Pricing Probe
The publishing companies named in the EU investigation included Hachette Livre, owned by Lagardère SCA; News Corp.'s HarperCollins Publishers Inc.; Simon & Schuster of CBS Corp.; Pearson PLC's Penguin; and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holzbrinck.


What are your thoughts? How much would you pay for an eBook. Now granted, I know there are always exceptions. That favorite author, the best bestseller this year, etc. But for all us voracious readers, what's the eBook pricing limit?

Friday recipe: Slow Cooker Mexican Style Meat

Charley's Slow Cooker Mexican Style Meat
I used ground beef (because I had it) and cooked it on low for 5 hours and it came out just fine. It was also frozen when I started, though I'm not sure if that had anything to do with anything.

Prep Time: Cook Time: Ready In:
30 Min 10 Hrs 10 Hrs 30 Min

Ingredients
1 (4 pound) chuck roast (I used frozen lean ground beef)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/4 cups diced green chile pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 (5 ounce) bottle hot pepper sauce (I used medium salsa)
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
Trim the roast of any excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place meat in hot skillet, and brown meat quickly on all sides.

Transfer the roast to a slow cooker, and sprinkle onion over meat. Season with chile peppers, chili powder, cayenne pepper, hot pepper sauce, and garlic powder. Add enough water to cover 1/3 of the roast.

Cover, and cook on High for 6 hours, checking to make sure there is always at least a small amount of liquid in the bottom. Reduce heat to Low, and continue cooking for 2 to 4 hours, or until meat is totally tender and falls apart.

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 260 Total Fat: 19.1g Cholesterol: 69mg

I've joined a new social networking site

And I have very little clue how to work it. It's called Triberr. TWO Rs for those counting.

This was yesterday. I've barely looked around it, have no real idea what is involved, and have seemingly been locked out of the account.

For clarification, I don't blame Tribber. The developer emailed me a couple times to help me through this, but since I tried to log in at exactly the wrong time (during that one key second of the final install of an upgrade) it messed everything up.

I'm excited to start using Tribber, but will patiently wait for everything to be sorted out. I have every confidence it will happen shortly. But until then, I'll use twitter as I always have. Or have for the last month + I've been on Twitter.

Until then, if you want to know more, try here and here. One warning: There's a lot of white space between the top banner and the content. Don't know why, it took me a while to realize the page loaded correctly.

The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique

Finished editing The Masque: A Hellfire Club Erotique and have sent it off. I'm excited for this one, it's the start of a new series, it's set in a different time and place than I normally write. Here's the blurb, what do you think? I'll post an excerpt later in the week.



Olivia Reynard must leave Paris tonight. It's the height of the French Revolution's Reign of Terror and as a nobleman's daughter, she knows it's a matter of time before she's sent to the guillotine. Fleeing to the notorious Hellfire Club, she soon finds a world of sexual pleasure she's never imagined.

Comte Sebastian de Courville has promised to help Olivia get of Paris, but he didn't expect such instant attraction to the beautiful maiden. He wants to show her every pleasure known, but time is short and their lives are in ever increasing danger. And then there's his lover...

Julien Laruent has survived the treacherous streets of a Paris in turmoil. Now permanently ensconced in the Hellfire Club, he hasn't look back on that time. A dangerous man to have in one's bed, he took one look at Olivia and vowed to keep her safe.

But when old enemies exact vengeance and Madame Guillotine an ever present threat, will the three of them survive long enough to find love?

Surviving?

It's the first full week of December. And yes, I know not everyone celebrates Christmas, but with all the hoopla, it's hard not getting caught up in the season.

So...what are you all doing to stay alive? I mean sane. Yes, that's what I mean!

First review for Risqué: A Regency Ménage Tale

This is from Coffee Beans & Love Scenes, a site I frequent. It's a truly wonderful review from Susan, a winner from last weekend's Black Friday Blog Hop. She won a copy of Risqué, but I swear on every book I plan to write, that's where our relationship ended! Though I would like to thank her for not only reviewing the book, which takes time and effort, but for saying such lovely things about it.

You can read the review in its entirety here, but here's a snippet.

Living in Regency England wouldn't have been bad if delicious rogues like Kane Huntington and Brent Rowan were part of the picture. Widow Alexandria Prescott returned to the Ton a year after her husband died hoping to slide back into society as a respectful woman. But thanks to a wonderful writer, Kristabel Reed, the widow found happiness and kink in a time when sexual prowess would have been a huge no-no.

Friday Recipe: Veggie Chili

Slow Cooker Veggie Chili
I don't use they're little brand names. Not these at least. I stick with what I like (all organic) and it tastes just fine. But this, as with most of my recipies, comes from AllRecipies.com and apparently this one likes these brandnames. *shrug* To each cook her own!

Prep Time: Cook Time: Ready In:
15 Min 4 Hrs 4 Hrs 30 Min

Ingredients
PAM® Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
1 (14.5 ounce) can Hunt's® Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic, undrained
1 (8 ounce) can Hunt's® Tomato Sauce-No Salt Added
1 (15 ounce) can Ranch Style® Beans, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can Van Camp's® Red Kidney Beans, drained, rinsed
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 tablespoon Gebhardt® Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

Directions
Spray inside of 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place remaining ingredients in slow cooker; stir to combine.
Cover; cook on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 hours or on LOW 3 to 4 hours. (As I was at work, I did low)

Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 180 Total Fat: 0.3g Cholesterol: 0mg

Keeping up with the months

In this case I feel the need to say What? It's December already?! When did that happen?

Then comes the panic: I have deadlines! I have Christmas shopping to do! I have baking to do! I have less than 25 days to do all this in!

Then comes reality: Just like every other year there are things that are going by the wayside. Whichever side that happens to be.

• Christmas cards? Probably not


• Christmas breads? Well, I'll have cookies. Isn't that enough?


• Days spent strolling down sidewalks, window shopping? The sad reality is that no matter how I support buying local (which I wholeheartedly do) that, too, may fall to the wayside in favor of online shopping. Luckily, many of those stores also have sites. And I intend to shop there, first!

Good news? I'm motivated to start shopping earlier next year. And this year, I plan to substitute more gifts with more donations. Like to the National Parks Service.

Now about those deadlines...my first Hellfire Club Erotique story is soclose to being done! A good edit and a quick copy edit and it'll be set for publication. Then it's a 50,000 word Regency Ménage Tale tentatively titled Covet. That deadline is New Year's Eve. Gulp.