STOLEN SEDUCTION is done, gone, off to my editor. Technically, I came in under the wire (it’s still the 14th here. LOL). I’m zonked and going to bed. Tomorrow I’ll probably be a little sad the series is over. Tonight I’m too tired to think straight.

But I do have two questions…

WHY do computers decide to go on the fritz the week leading up to a deadline????

and

WHY do 3-yr olds decide to have a meltdown day when you’re on a time crunch????

First a funny story…

So I haven’t picked up a book in almost two months, other than mine. I’ve been too busy writing and doing promo for STOLEN FURY. Last week I finished SEDUCTION and sent it to my CPs. Then – waiting – looked at my TBR pile and picked up good friend – Alice Sharpe-’s July release from Intrigue – The Lawman’s Secret Son. Now, I love Alice. We chat nearly every day. I knew all about this book before it was written. We brainstormed parts and pieces along the way. I’ve ONLY waited to read it because I knew it would distract me and I needed to stay focused. So I pick the book up and start reading…and proceed to chuckle…and chuckle…and chuckle. NOT because the book is funny (it’s not a comedy at all, but it IS a GREAT RS and I’m really enjoying it). No, I proceeded to laugh out loud because I came across three names – THREE – in the first 50 pgs alone that are in my books. You’re thinking, “yeah, not a surprise. You two chat all the time.” True, but we never ever talk about names. And Alice hasn’t read my books yet. What’s so funy is we’re on the same page namewise without even knowing it.

But I digress…back to the CPs…

Two of mine get big HUGE brownie points for reading on a time crunch. I owe them…BIG time, since the book is due Wed. and they dropped everything to read for me this weekend. So a BIG shout-out to Joan and Lisa…THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!! You girls are da bomb. And you both caught things I totally missed. What would I do without you???

Do you use CPs? I’ve heard of published authors dropping their CPs after they sold. I can’t imagine NOT working with mine. They’re worth their weight in gold.

So I finished STOLEN SEDUCTION over the weekend. I have to say, for wanting to kill my hero several times in the process, I’m very happy with the way it turned out. Sure, he has his moments, but I think that’s part of the reason I love him. Hopefully readers (and my editor!) will love him, too. Right now I’m going back through, cleaning up a few things before sending the book to my CPs. Then next week it’s off to my editor.

In case you haven’t seen it yet, STOLEN FURY is available for pre-order at the following places:

Amazon.com
Barnesandnoble.com
Borders.com

Ann Aguirre and I had a discussion today, though, about the whole pre-order thing online. As most of you know, the first two weeks of a book’s release are important number-wise for lists like USA Today and the New York Times Bestseller. Technically, pre-orders are supposed to count in those first two week number calculations, but if a distributor happens to ship a book a few days early (which does happen), then those numbers don’t always end up counting. I’ve had a few people asking me when to get the book…so I’m hoping if you’re planning on buying the book anyway, that you wait until the release and buy during those first two weeks. (Though it is so totally cool to see the cover up on Amazon.com!!!)

In other news, I got an email from the art department that they’re working on the cover for STOLEN HEAT. I can’t wait to see it. When I can, I’ll be sharing it here with you.

And finally, I just found out I’m going to be a featured speaker the month of June for the AskAnAuthorPro loop through RWA. I’m really looking forward to that. So mark your calendar.

Okay, back to clean up. What’s new with you?

…for a rant.

Okay, I was going to keep quiet on this topic, but I just can’t anymore.

I’m sick of politics. Wait, let me rephrase that. I’m sick of entertainers expounding their opinion on politics. If you are an entertainer – of any medium – your job is to entertain me. Period. Your job is not to sway me to your political viewpoint. I’m an adult. I have my own views. If I wanted to know yours, I’d ask. When I watch your movies or listen to your music or read your books, I want to be entertained. I want to lose myself in the worlds and characters you have created. But when I’m reading your book or watching your movies or listening to your latest CD and you’ve done the above, then the whole time your product is in front of me, I’m not focused on your art, I’m thinking about your last comment regarding so-and-so during such-and-such debate. Doesn’t matter if your comment was positive or negative, or even if I agreed with it – it’s still in my brain. Do you really want me thinking about that when I’m devouring your product? I don’t think so. And here’s why…look at any poll related to this election. They’re all close to 50/50. And stated simply, that means 50% of Americans are not going to agree with your political position, no matter what that may be!

The class-act entertainers, in my opinion, do not use their celebrity to push their own personal political agendas. They know that while they may be on top today, that could change in a heart beat tomorrow. They could just as easily find themselves at the bottom, struggling to gain fans once again. Instead, they work at the grass roots level, they volunteer money or time. They don’t send out political messages or leave snarky comments on message boards or publicly cheer or pout about anything political. Because they know people remember.

Yeah, yeah, I know. Some of you are thinking, “But I really BELIEVE in this. I can make a difference NOW!” Good for you. I’m glad you feel so passionately about what you believe in. I do, too, but the reality is elections come and go. Politicians serve a few years and are gone (at least from the White House…the Senate’s a whole other ball of wax), your career will span decades. There are entertainers – writers, actors, musicians – I won’t read, watch, or listen to, simply because they went off the deep end politically…no matter WHAT their viewpoint…even if it agreed with mine or not. Are you really willing to risk your career just so you can post a few snarky political comments about the election?

I don’t want to get into a political debate. So please, if you leave a comment, don’t tell me who you’re voting for and who you aren’t. But I am curious about your opinion on this topic…do you think entertainers should be using their celebrity (and careers) to expound on their political views?