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Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Bat Caper


I was reading with the TV on in the background tonight when something flew by. I looked up and thought a bird had gotten inside...at first. Then I realized that the flyer was furry, not feathery.

Of course the cats were highly excited and enthused about the sudden appearance of the bat. Snowden was thinking "supper" while Cabot was thinking "flying toy." Both followed the bat as it swooped from room to room.

At first, as long as the bat didn't swoop at me I just sat still contemplating my options. It finally dropped slightly in my direction and since it is getting close to bed time, I decided I needed to formulate a capture and release program. I turned on all the lights around the house trying to find the bat.

It had settled on a curtain rod in my bedroom. Unfortunately, Snowden was standing on the bed debating the possibility of climbing the curtains. Thankfully, he continued to consider while I went to find a step stool. I grabbed a plastic bag, but quickly realized plastic was not a good capture method. So I picked up a pillow case and climbed the step stool while talking soothingly to the frightened little bat.

I wrapped the pillow case around him, but had to pry his little claws gently from the woodwork. Then I carried him out to the front porch. Have you ever been scolded by a bat? I have. They chitter...kind of like squirrels. Once outside, I pulled back the covering and we were face to face. I quickly turned him and he flew away off into the night. Hopefully, he will eat a whole lot of mosquitoes next summer. Thus I have done my good deed for the day.


Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Crappy weather in Iowa...again

Today was rather miserable... weather wise. Overnight we had rain, then some snow today. I worked the evening at the library and almost everyone in town showed remarkable sense...they stayed home. I think maybe 5 people came in to use the library tonight.

Oh well. I was there if I was needed. Given this dreadful economy, I'm grateful to have steady employment.


Even with the lousy weather, I'm still excited about my book's upcoming release!
30 days until release - January 7, 2009!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

My book has a page!

Greetings all,
Just wanted to share...both Francesca Hawley and Protect and Defend have official homes on the new Ellora's Cave web site. To visit my author page, click here. To visit my upcoming release Protect and Defend, click here.

36 days until release - January 7, 2009!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Coming into the light - Happy Birthday to EC!



Raelene Gorlinsky posted on the Ellora's Cave Author's list a reminder that EC is celebrating it's 8th birthday! Yaaay EC.

As I considered this announcement, I started remembering my history with EC. I found EC on the web in late 2001 or early 2002. I hadn't read a romance in years but I was still an advocate for romance as a VERY poor grad student in library science. I was writing a research paper on the genre and surfed the internet for research when I stumbled over the EC web site.

I didn't have a lot of money (hey I was hoarding my diet pepsi cans to turn in when money was especially tight) but I bought EC books when I could afford it. Reading Jaid Black, Cheyenne McCray, Lora Leigh, Ann Jacobs and other fabulous authors inspired me to revisit my own writing, so I started writing a book called Crime of Passion. After I graduated I had two very lean years of job hunting (and more pop can hoarding along with visiting the food bank when needed) and then was hired as a library professional. All the while, I kept writing (and reading books from EC). I sold a short erotic romance to another publisher always dreaming I'd get to play "the big time" by selling to EC.

I pitched my finished novel, Crime of Passion, to Raelene at RWA National in 2007 and it went through the submission process after she requested I send it for review. This April 2008 I received a contract offer and next January 7, 2009 it will be release as Protect and Defend. This company has meant a lot to me during some really hard times. I'm really proud to be published by EC and look forward to what I hope will be a long relationship with this company.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Floating in a happiness bubble!

Well, I was floating after Barack Obama's election as our new President-Elect. I was just starting to come down when I received my cover art and release date from Ellora's Cave. I am officially floating again - in fact it might take some serious work to get me to come down from the stratosphere! (I'm feeling kind of like Uncle Albert - tea party on the ceiling and all!)

Protect and Defend will be released on January 7, 2009.
And I'm unveiling it here...
My cover! The cover art is by Dar Albert and it is beeeeeuuuuutiful!




Wednesday, November 5, 2008

President-Elect Barack Obama



Democracy worked. The USA has a new President of the United States. Here is the speech President-Elect Barack Obama delivered on November 4, 2008 in Chicago, Illlinois.


Monday, November 3, 2008

If Everyone Cared...VOTE