Vanessa N. Gilfoy

Feminism and Mommyism

2011-10-29T13:42:00.000-07:00

Our perception of feminism has been warped by media. For example in this season of Castle, the female police chief demands she be called “sir.” She’s supposed to be a feminist, tough-as-nails woman who succeeds in a male dominated career, right? Then why does she put more value on “sir” than “mam”?

Her character implies it’s better to be considered a man. How is that feminist?

Another misperception comes from media’s parenting advice. Barbies are bad for girls’ self esteem right? And little girls shouldn’t be forced to wear pink. Why? Because that color and that toy are associated with femininity? Is everything feminine bad? Should we raise little girls as boys?

The argument – raise them the same way. I thought of that too. Unfortunately, my kids disagree with me on what toys they like. I provide a mixture of traditionally girl toys (dolls, kitchen, etc) and “boy” toys (cars, gadgets, construction, etc). They should play with both, right? Nope. Mine won't.

Does that mean we should only give pink toys to girls and blue toys to boys? No, but they should have a choice. If they choose what’s traditional to their gender, let them.

My biggest pet peeve is when women criticize stay-at-home moms. It is the toughest choice in the entire world when you hold your newborn baby and your maternity leave is up. You have to decide whether to leave this precious little one with another woman. Worries of whether your baby will feel loved, get everything she/he needs, of whether your children will latch onto a daycare worker more than you, and whether your children will be prepared for school – all weigh on you in that moment. Can someone else raise your children the way you would?

We’ve all heard co-workers sob because their child called another woman “mommy.” A typical toddler in daycare spends 8+ awake hours being raised by someone with different values, and only 4 to 6 hours awake with his parents, so of course the child will feel closer to his daycare provider. Financially, there may be no other choice.

However, if a mother finds a way to stay home to raise her children, why is that considered anti-feminist? Someone has to raise our babies. In a time when many life-threatening allergies are an issue for children, it may be wise for moms to have complete control over their infants’ and toddlers’ diets. There should be no shame in raising children.

Feminism isn’t about telling women what they can or can’t be. It’s about giving them choices to be whoever they want. Putting children before careers isn’t anti-feminist. It’s a difficult sacrifice, a very expensive family decision, and an investment in children’s future successes.

So many television shows and news articles now idealize women who have both a career and a family. That’s also a feminist choice, but not the only feminist path, and not the best choice for all families. My first son had autism and fifteen food allergies. Had I put my career first, he wouldn’t have started reading at the age of three, he wouldn’t be mainstreaming and succeeding in school, he wouldn’t be down to three allergies, and he wouldn’t have recovered from autism. Am I anti-feminist for having paused my career to raise my children?

Scattered Little Things

2011-05-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

The website overhaul’s taking longer than expected. I need to finish up a sequel to a submission, and had forgotten about mother’s day. Little things pop up.

The hubby’s been sweet. He gave me a beautiful wine bottle opener last night. Every day this weekend = a mother’s day present. (He's a keeper.) And tomorrow, we’re hiking up a beautiful hill for a picnic. Yesterday, we rode bicycles to the store for gardening supplies.

I’m an awful gardener. I need a gardening mentor and motivator, but have no idea where to find one. No way, will I look online. I have found the worst, most vindictive crazy people online. Amongst my many good reviews, there are two negative reviews. Everyone has particular tastes, which is fine. However, one of these negative reviews is from an ex-critique partner I met in a forum. She uses multiple pseudonyms and copies and pastes that bad review on multiple sites.

Why haven’t I done the same to her? Not only would that be unprofessional, but I can’t endure reading any more of her work. I blocked her rants from my email. It’s like breaking up with a verbally abusive boyfriend who then scribbles your phone number on bathroom stalls. What do you do with that?

Speaking of avoiding crazies, I’ve been trying out software that motivates me to stay on task. “Freedom.” That fantastic name is misnomer. Freedom prevents me from online distractions while I’m writing. The internet is too alluring while writing act 2. Setting up Act 2 is riding a bike uphill. Sweaty, hard work. Act 3 is the fun part of coasting down the other side with wind blowing in your face and a thrill in your belly.

My website overhaul isn’t at the fun part yet. Last year I outgrew my old computer. I moved everything to a newer, faster, prettier model. Stupidly, I reorganized the files. This upset my visual web design program. (I mean no offense to Coffee Cup. I love you.) My website’s now a million piece puzzle scattered across my hard drive. Once put back together, new pieces can be added and out-of-date parts excised.

I’m definitely in a metaphor and simile mood today. I’ll have to chop those from my writing in the editing phase.

Website Overhaul

2011-04-27T18:45:00.000-07:00

Next week, my out-of-date website will get its much needed overhaul. I'll even add barcodes for scanning with tablets and cellphones. It'll be awesome.

Sequel to Healing Wounds - Vampires of an Aztec God

2008-05-23T03:57:00.000-07:00

I worshiped in my two favorite places today - the library and Starbucks. (Cue choir music - Ahhhh-ahh-ah-ahhhhhhh.) My form of worship - writing, and I love it. I'm infatuated with this new work.

I know. I know. This was only supposed to be a quickie, a fling, but I fell in love. The short little rough draft of Vampires of an Aztec God was done. All I had to do was edit and submit. But I have to develop Bissette's story further. Oh and I want Charles to get his sexy resolution, too. And I need to play with Aztec (Chichimec) legends some more. They just fit too perfectly and the research is amazing. So in my places of worship, I mapped out twenty-two additional chapters this week. I'd started with five completed chapters but after such a tiny taste, I want the whole cake.

Plus, I received too much encouragement this past week. Emails asking about Bissette and Charles jazzed me up to expand on Bissette's tale and all the secrets I kept in Healing Wounds. (I love these emails and the wonderful people who send them.)

I've even started watching novelas (Spanish soap-operas) to pick up forgotten twists of phrase. I'm half-Mexican but beyond ordering tacos and asking where the bathroom is, I know practically no Spanish. It reminds me of my grandmother, though and of listening to my aunts gossip. The melodic cadence makes me feel all warm inside and I imagine the smell of caldo (soup) and tortillas.

I've been neglecting my other work-in-progress, that sci-fi vampire novel that bridges my two series, but it's incubating in my brain for later, along with three fantasies half-written. (I get overly excited and take on too much, but I promise I'll finish them, too.)

Summer's starting soon. That means a full-time writing playground for me. The hubby's off and gets to be stay-at-home dad while I work. Nice. Such a sweet hubby.

I truly appreciate him. Someone asked me if he's the inspiration for my stories. Thankfully, no. He's too together and supportive to be a fictional hero. Characters have flaws that keep them apart until they finally figure everything out. Ben had it mostly figured out from the beginning.

I am far from perfect. No, really. I have this fiery latin temper mixed with Irish rage that ignites when I reach my breaking point. Things I shouldn't say, explode from my mouth. I actually made an ex-boyfriend curl up in a ball, sobbing, literally on the floor in fetal position. That just made me see red, though now I feel kinda guilty about yelling at him. My rage rarely ignites with my hubby, but on the rare occasion it does, he knows how to put it out. He knows exactly what to say, how to listen, and how to compromise with me. He's my splash of cool water. I think what keeps me at peace is that I know he cares about me and any problem that arises is most likely due to a misunderstanding that can be talked through. A person like him with such calming devotion and commitment, is rare.

He picks up the slack at home while I'm writing. He's incredibly supportive of my career and has made countless sacrifices. That's why all my novels are dedicated to him.

RT Adventures and After-Party Chat

2008-04-22T04:24:00.000-07:00

I partied at the Romantic Times BOOKlovers Convention in Pittsburgh last week. They let me sign books. My very first booksigning. There had to be at least two hundred other authors there and they were all amazing. The icing to this cake - cover models abounded.

Aren't they pretty? Baby, they can put their hands anywhere they want. :)

Oooh, and check out the star! It has my name on it!

For more pictures and to share your own, head over to Coffee Time Romance. The best RT pics win prizes. Yay! Tonight, Tuesday at 9pm EST at Coffee Time Romance, there'll be an After-Party chat. Come share your RT tales, gossip, pics, etc. Already I've heard the most amazing stories and can't wait to hear everyone else's adventures.

Did anyone else suffer the "Hilton Hotel disease"? I'm still recovering from it. No, it's not an STD, though that would be hilarious.

Misadventures in Portland

2008-03-31T03:28:00.001-07:00

The world’s biggest bookstore is in Portland, Oregon. Woo-hoo! So we had to see it before we move. It turned out to be my heaven, a brick-and-mortar version of Amazon.com - several stories high with many rooms filled with bookcases of new and out-of-print books.

What happened afterwards, however, was a demented version of hell.

Lugging around a stack of books and climbing stairs had built up an appetite. I craved my favorite food - sushi, which should be easy to find in a big city. Right? Chuck, our navigation system offered several Japanese restaurants nearby, that all turned out to be strip clubs. Five, not including the never-been-a-sushi-house strip clubs we drove past. Not that I have a problem with strip clubs, but what the hey? How many strip clubs does Portland really need?

So, we decided to wing it and stop somewhere on the way home. Strangely, every restaurant beyond the skyscrapers, closes after dusk, except for one confused Chinese restaurant. I say confused because it also serves Kimchee. (I reeeealy hate kimchee. My apartment-mate in college used to stink up the fridge with kimchee and that smell lingered for weeks.)

So here’s the funny part. After ordering, my hubby thanked the clerk for being open because he didn’t want to feed his family Burger King. The woman responded with, “Oh, Burger King is better.”

What the…We hadn’t a clue if she was joking or if it was a language barrier thing. She walked away as we stared for some sign, unsure.

So my hubby, being the sweetie that he is, said, “If the food sucks, we’ll toss it and eat somewhere else.”

My growling tummy figured, “Why not?”

She gave us drinks in those plastic tumblers typical of Pho restaurants, then told us, “You take it to go, okay? We’re closing.” She didn’t tell us this before we ordered, but after.

Yeah, weird.

So after using a very scary bathroom, we left with our Styrofoam encased, confused Chinese food; and sodas transferred into to-go cups.

I drove the first shift while the fam, the taste-testers ate. They loved it. My hubby described it as a school cafeteria version of Chinese food. Yeah, he likes cafeteria food and has a bionic stomach.

After all the clues so far, you’d think I’d have tossed it, but no, I bravely ate the chicken, rice, and salad during my hubby’s driving shift. “How can they screw up chicken?” I thought.

Oh, how I was wrong. I spent the next two days in the bathroom and am still recovering. The clerk was right – Burger King is better.

The grossest part was the next day as I was lying in bed whining about how awful I felt, my hubby came in reeking of the offending food. I nearly threw up when he leaned in to kiss me. He’d actually eaten the leftovers, knowing it was bad!

I Won a New Covey Book Trailer Award!

2008-03-18T20:18:00.000-07:00

And not just any New Covey Trailer Award. I won the new one, judged by award-winning screenwriters and directors from REC tv. Woo-hoo! Have you seen this site? It’s amazing! The Readers Entertainment Channel is an online television site where you can find original programming, author interviews, and gorgeous book trailers. Their primary goal is to promote reading as entertainment. I love them already.

RECtv is going to feature my Guardian of the Onyx Empire book video trailer and post it to either their Sci-Fi/Fantasy or Erotica channel. Yay! The book featured in this trailer is also the winner of a Night Owl Romance’s Reviewer Top Pick. Get your fix of an oh-so-sexy ex-love slave and his empress lover. Buy now.

Lots of Great News

2008-03-16T17:35:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Listing

Woo-hoo! Amazon now has Healing Wounds, my vampire romance for sale! It’ll be in stock soon. They just ordered a batch. Yay! Check out the book that Romantic Times BOOKreviews describes as “frightening.” Oh, yeah – you’d better sleep with the lights on after reading this dark romance. Who says romance can only be fluffy and sweet? Enjoy shivers of both types.

For more lovely reviews of Healing Wounds and my other babies, check out the News page of my website.

Masquerade of the Cursed King Reviewed in RT

Four stars, baby! That’s right, and from Romantic Times BOOKreviews that’s great. They don’t give fives to eBooks. I don’t know why, but it makes me even more ecstatic over the four stars. (Thank you!)

Check out their April issue for a review of Masquerade of the Cursed King, and their March issue for a review of Healing Wounds.

Might be Moving

Due to the housing market crash, the fam and I will probably move back to California this upcoming fall. We’d hoped to sell this year so as not to pay a mortgage and rent, but that’s not gonna happen. So, the only other option is to head back.

It’ll be nice to have sun again, but I’m going miss the Oregon coast. We’ll just have to drive two hours to the beautiful California beaches to get our briny fix.

Great Workshop Last Weekend & My Alternate Identity

I went to a great writing workshop in Portland last weekend. Previously, I’d just read one of the presenter’s books. Gunshot Grange by Heather Hiestand was a nice dark read. I enjoyed it so much that I reviewed it, using my alternate identity, of course. J

Vanity tempts me to put my own name on everything, but that would get me into trouble when reviewing other authors’ books. A few lash out vindictively when others won’t gush only with praise over the works of their heart. Not everyone realizes that reviews, even the ones that list negatives, are still an honor. Roughly 50% of review requests go unfulfilled because there aren’t enough reviewers. So I’m incredibly thankful when my own books receive a review, even if the reviewer doesn’t match my opinion.

Review ratings vary anyway, usually by a star in either direction, but sometimes you’ll get outliers. Masquerade of the Cursed King received mostly fives and fours, a three and an actual zero. There’s no reason to retaliate against the reviewer who gave my baby a zero; it just didn’t suit her individual tastes, in the same way that Westerns do nothing for me.

I know what you’re thinking, but no, I’m not allowed to review my own books. If only. (sigh)

My Column

I forgot to tell you all that I have a new column - The Pampered Reader! It’s in Night Owl Romance’s magazine. Yay! This month, my column featured a how-to guide on stalking authors. Completely as a joke. Check out what gear you’ll need and where to find your favorite authors.

Next month’s article will feature fun conventions where readers can party, ogle at cover models, and load up on swag (free books and goodies). Subscribe for free at Night Owl Romance's forum.

Sexy Paperback Freshly Available

2008-03-07T13:02:00.000-08:00

Good news! Healing Wounds, my spooky vampire romance is now available in paperback! Check it out. Explore a haunted mansion, flee from vampires, and enjoy a hunky brooding hero. This mouth-watering morsel is available exclusively at Jasmine Jade's for the next 3 weeks, then will be available at both online and brick and mortar bookstores. Yay!

What the reviewers are saying:

"...A tale of suspense and intense emotions.....Vanessa Gilfoy has penned a good story and I look forward to reading more of her work in the future." - Kara T of Two Lips Reviews.

"Refreshing and unforgettable. This is an exceptional re-telling of the vampire tale with a contemporary spin. The characters are all engaging and captivating, some more horribly fascinating than the others, with even the immortals showing human-like emotions and flaws." - Mickey McCall of Simply Romance.

My favorite naughty bits of Healing Wounds:
Tied and gagged – chp 6
Caught solo – chp 10
Jealous passion – chp 14
She seduces him – chp 16
Vampire – chp 16 & 18

Here's an excerpt of Healing Wounds:

Then he was gone. She didn’t feel relief with his departure. In the quiet dark, her chest shook with silent sobs as she lay waiting, unsure of what to expect. The only external stimulus came from the rough strips of sheet biting into her flesh. It wasn’t enough to keep her imagination from torturing her. Would the vampires or Morgan kill her? Her stomach violently threw butterflies at the inside of her chest. If it wasn’t for the gag lodged in her mouth, she’d throw up.

A shrill scream broke the silence and stilled Delores’ breath. An eternity seemed to pass before the next sound. A crash, closer than the scream, came from downstairs. Another crash and then a scream…The eerie silence followed.

Her heart pounded, filling the void of sound until something clicked in the room. It was a soft tap of metal on metal, like a door handle turned very slowly.

Delores tried to shrink deeper into the bed as if she could hide. The restraints dug into her flesh and tugged on her limbs.

The floor creaked. There was someone in the room.

It could be Morgan, a small part of her hoped for the lesser of the two evils but she couldn’t be sure. She couldn’t smell his cologne but her sense of smell was ruined from crying. She couldn’t see, couldn’t move and couldn’t speak. Whoever or whatever it was, she was defenseless to him.

Slowly, the comforter slid from her. Anxiety grew to throbbing thuds in her head. Cold air stole her heat and forced small spurts of breath to escape her in shivers. A hand touched her calf softly and slid up her leg with the same torturous slowness. At her hip, the touch disappeared. It reappeared on her cheek. Fingertips caressed her skin.

It had to be Morgan, her brain assured her. The tingling sensations of the touches felt almost good, ignoring the fear.

Palms pressed against her neck and pushed down her collar before roughly tearing open her pajama top. Buttons popped against the walls and skittered across the floor. Delores sucked in air with surprise. Would Morgan be so rough? He had tied her to the bed and gagged her.

Her nipples beaded and her breasts firmed. She shouldn’t want this.

Another scream sounded in the distance but it was the hands on her chest that held Delores’ attention. A cold palm lifted the side of one breast as if readying it for a mouth. Her body arched up, expecting a warm tongue. Instead, a single fingertip tapped against the soft flesh. It was a cold, methodic touch, like when a nurse prepares to draw blood from the crook of an arm.

Buy the paperback.

Buy the e-Book.

View the trailer.

Four and a Half Hearts!

2008-01-31T01:55:00.000-08:00

Woo-hoo! The review muses are smiling on me and I so want to hug them. Check out Night Owl Romance for a brilliant ray of sunshine.

Here's a peek. From the queen of Night Owl Romance, Tammie King - "I loved how Guardian of the Onyx empire was such a vivid work of art....Ms. Gilfoy has a vivid imagination and it shows in her work. You can literally live in her worlds. Just remember at some point you have to return to the real world."

Would it be wrong to paste the whole review here? I really want to.

Check it out! Guardian of the Onyx Empire earned a Reviewer Top Pick! Yay!

Oooh, btw, you have to come to their chat on February 4th. I'll be there and so will many other authors. Conversations range from Jesus baby butt blugs to Werepossums and their forked peni. The men and women there make me burst with uncontrollable laughter. There are also goodies and books to be won.

Five Blue Ribbons! And Twice!

2008-01-30T04:10:00.000-08:00

OMFG! Five blue ribbons! Five! And twice! (Deep breath, and I'll start over.)

Today started miserably. I woke up to one horrible review and two emails rubbing my face in it. The review was the worst you could imagine from a woman who hates dark fantasy, yet for some reason decided to review mine. Maybe there was a contest to review as many books as she could; I don't know. Anyway, I felt like crap.

Just before bedtime, however, I found two more excellent reviews. Each of 5 blue ribbons, the highest possible! Yay! Oh, that made everything shiny. Jenn L, I love you. I could kiss you right on the mouth.

The lovely Jenn L of Romance Junkies wrote, "QUEST INTO THE FORBIDDEN is well-plotted and well written with hidden depths that are extremely engaging. As I read each book in this bright new world I have become more and more convinced of Ms. Gilfoy's brilliance as a writer and in me she has found a dedicated fan."

In her review of Guardian of the Onyx Empire, she wrote, "This second installment of Ms. Gilfoy's New Pangaea Series is as engaging as its predecessor, MASQUERADE OF THE CURSED KING, and left this reader wanting more the second I was finished."

She really lifted my writing spirits. You have to read the whole reviews. I love how detailed Jenn is. Check them out - GOTOE and QITF.

Oh, I'm going to sleep well tonight and maybe even have happy dreams.

My Yummy Men and a Contest

2008-01-26T01:03:00.000-08:00

Get your cute little bottoms over to Simply Romance Reviews before I spank you. My guest blog is up! So comment there for a chance to win a copy of Masquerade of the Cursed King. If you post the sexiest vampire name, you'll win. Yay!

I wanna see you all over there. Post, chat, and share your own stories about yummy men. Guys, you can post what makes you yummy. I definitely won't object.

Congrats to Mary Williams

2008-01-24T01:51:00.000-08:00

Hello All,

Congrats to Mary Williams who won the drawing from a hat! (Every release day, I hold a raffle/contest for an ecopy of my latest book.)

I'm ecstatic to share the third of the New Pangaea series - Quest into the Forbidden.

When King Holt stumbles upon an elven beauty in enchanted waters, he risks losing all he's accomplished. But how can he resist her dewy skin?

If she could she hide him away, she'd enjoy him again and again. However, elves will hunt them if they're caught.

You're all invited to drop by my website to view the book teaser. Grab a free screensaver and enjoy some excerpts during your visit. http://www.vanessagilfoy.com/

I look forward to seeing you all there. Feel free to contact me at any time. I'd love to hear from you.

Take care,

Vanessa N. Gilfoy
Uncover darker realms of romance.

Masquerade of the Cursed King - available at Ellora's Cave
Guardian of the Onyx Empire - available at Ellora's Cave
Quest into the Forbidden - available at Ellora's Cave
Healing Wounds - available at Cerridwen Press

http://www.vanessagilfoy.com/

Guardian of the Onyx Empire Book Video Trailer

2008-01-20T16:46:00.000-08:00

Check it out! Guardian of the Onyx Empire is up for sale at Ellora's cave.

This second novel of my erotic Fantasy series features a young elven empress fleeing Wizards who chase her through ruins. A human with a checkered past seems an unlikely hero against such magical brutes, but he holds her mothers' spells like a library in his head. If the young empress will be his and his alone, he'll train her to rise up and take back what's hers. But can his lessons be enough?

The third of the New Pangaea series comes out Wednesday - Quest into the Forbidden. There are also plenty more New Pangaea novels in the works.

Chat with me Tonight!

2008-01-07T13:44:00.000-08:00

Night Owl Romance is having a chat tonight at 5:00pm PST. If it's anything like last time, it'll be a blast. The ladies made me laugh so hard last time that I spat up noodles. Something about werepossums with their double penises.

I'll be there tonight. Catherine Chernow, Dianne Castilleja, and L.M. Gonzalez will also share their latest sexy works which I'm sure will quicken pulses and steam up the room. The lovely Tammie King is hosting, and you can pick her brain about a plethora of romances and erotica.

http://www.nightowlromance.com/nightowlromance/chat/chat.asp Enter some raffles and win goodies while chatting tonight.

See you there.

Where is her Hand?

2007-12-17T20:28:00.000-08:00

Nice! I love Syneca's work. After you're done drooling over his chest, take a look at where Ceres' hand is. I'm jealous. :)

This fantasy erotica comes out on January 23rd, but you can get a preview of Quest into the Forbidden at my website. Enjoy the eye candy.

Oooh, also there are some fun behind-the-scenes tidbits at Rogues and Romance. Mandy's so sweet to let me guest-blog about my fantasy erotica series, New Pangaea. Check out the fun polls on her site, while visiting.

Sony PSP as an eBook Reader - Guest Blog from Mandy Briggs

2007-12-10T23:57:00.001-08:00

Please welcome Mandy Briggs, reviewer for and co-owner of Rogues and Romance. I'm ecstatic she agreed to guest-blog for us today. Behold her expertise on using the PSP as an ebook reader.

The Sony PSP as an eBook Reader & Media Player
by Mandy Briggs

Hello readers! My name is Mandy Briggs and I am an avid romance reader and reviewer. If you’re like me, you’ve been seeing a lot of great authors and books coming out with e-publishers. eBooks are definitely great- they’re inexpensive, will never get bent up or water damaged, and you can fit an entire library on one CD-R! Not to mention, you can find, purchase, and start reading a great book in less than ten minutes! However, ebooks have previously lacked the portability of their print counterparts, unless the reader prints it out themselves. But if you devour as many books as I do, that’s a lot of paper! Also, it’s just a lot more comfortable to be able to curl up with a good book rather than sitting at the computer to read.

Luckily, there are plenty of great handheld eBook readers that support all kinds of formats. However, what a lot of readers don’t know is that you can use handheld gaming systems to read your eBooks. Vanessa Gilfoy started a lot of buzz when she wrote her fantastic post about the Nintendo DS on the Cerridwen Press blog, and she was kind enough to invite me to share with you readers how I use my Sony PSP for ebook reading.

The Sony PSP is a sleek, lightweight handheld with a generous sized LCD screen. You can hold it very comfortably, and there’s not much you can’t do with it! Watch movies, play games, store and view your photos, surf the internet, and of course, read your ebooks. But you aren’t limited to eBooks- anything you can save in a document will work. Students can save articles, text, and even their test reviews to take with them on the go.

You have two methods of loading your movies and games. First, you can buy movies and games on UMD, a mini CD in a plastic shell that loads into your PSP much like a cassette player. Movies and games range anywhere from five to forty dollars, but I like to buy mine used at GameStop , Hastings, or GameXchange, they have great prices! Since almost every part of the disk is covered by the permanent plastic shell, scratches are pretty much non-existent. Another way to load games and movies onto your PSP is to download the files onto your computer and transfer them to your memory card, or you can even download them directly onto your memory card. I recommend using Sony’s Media Manager software ($16.95), which you install on your computer. Then all you have to do is hook up your PSP to your computer using the USB cable provided with the software, and Media Manager makes it a piece of cake to load pictures, songs, movie files, documents, and internet feeds to your PSP. It converts all your documents into the perfect size for reading on your PSP, and supports just about every movie format there is. Not only that, but it can extract songs from your CD’s and load them onto your PSP!

Now, let’s get to the good stuff- reading your eBooks! How does it work? Well, the eBook (in document form) is converted by Media Manager into a html file compatible with the PSP screen, and you pull it up with the PSP’s internet browser, just like you would read an html file on your computer. So what eBook format do I need to buy? I’ve found that html is the easiest to convert to a document, because you can either copy and paste into a document, or you can go to your word processor, choose “Open”, choose you html file, and it will open up in a document window. Then all you have to do is make any font or size changes you would like, and save the file. Then you’re all set to transfer using Media Manager. So what if I have eBooks in other file formats besides html, how do I convert those? If you have eBooks in .doc or .rtf, then you’re already covered. For .pdf, you just “Select All”, “Copy”, and paste into a document. The only bad thing about this is that the headers end up in your text. But trust me, it’s not as bad as you think, and you end up not even noticing it after a bit. For Microsoft Reader files, you’re in luck! There’s a free, spyware and adware free program called ABC Amber Lit Converter that will convert your lit files to just about any file you can think of! So you can convert your .lit files into documents, then delete the header and footer (that will say “Converted by ABC Lit…”), and you’re ready to transfer!

So far it sounds awesome! But can you tell me some of the things I need to know that you won’t see in the commercials? Sure, some things I had to figure out myself, and for you PSP newbies, I am happy to pass on the info, even if it might discourage you. First of all, it’s important to know that you MUST have Microsoft Word 2003 (XP) or higher for Media Manager to convert your files and make your book list on your PSP. Next, the PSP does not have any internal memory other than the memory for the firmware (the operating system) and the working memory. So, you’ll need to buy a memory card. But I can tell you this, you would end up buying a memory card anyway with all the stuff you’ll want to load on your PSP. Third, I have found that when you are reading an eBook that has a higher page count (over 150 document pages), it is better if you split the book into two parts. Otherwise, you run the risk of running out of working memory and your spot “freezing” up. I usually split long books into several parts in case I need to exit out of my book in internet explorer for any reason. That makes it much easier to get back to my place. Fourth, this is true for just about any handheld, but you absolutely MUST buy the little clear plastic screen protector ($4.99) to avoid getting scratches on your screen. You need to apply it literally as soon as you take your PSP out of its box, so your screen will be protected. Okay, that’s it! That’s all the words of caution I have for you. Not too bad, right?

Let me close by saying that no matter which way you’re leaning on purchasing a PSP, if you are an eBook reader, a handheld gaming system is the way to go. There are just too many things you can do with it. As for me and my PSP, this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship!

Sites for free PSP Downloads
*Playstation Underground- wallpapers for your PSP, game demos, music, trailers, and more!
*PSPImages.net Game Demos- comprehensive list and downloads of available free game demos, including those released in Japan. Obviously, those are in Japanese, but you don’t have to speak or read Japanese to play a lot of them. This site also has a TON of free wallpapers for your PSP.
*PSP Blender Blog’s post: The 23 Best Places for free PSP Downloads- my favorite part of this list is the free Comic book downloads that are readable on your PSP- and the official Sony sites where you can download cool stuff- free of course!

Thank you so much, Mandy for broadening our options in ebook readers. You make me crave a Sony PSP. I love an ebook reader with extra goodies.

Please drop by Mandy's review site, Rogues and Romance for your daily dose of R and R. The polls are fun, too.

Goodies for Everyone

2007-12-05T18:53:00.000-08:00

I made something fun for all of you. Just in time for the release of my fantasy erotica, Masquerade of the Cursed King, my website now features goodies for the adult gamer. An affordable and fun e-reader can be had in the form of the Nintendo DS or the Sony PSP. Go to http://www.VanessaGilfoy.com/gamer.html for a gamer friendly page filled with downloadable book videos, excerpts, and tips all in the right width and format. The videos look amazing on the Nintendo DS, btw, and I love how it reads just like a real book with its dual screens.

Oh, check out Ellora's Cave's home page. My latest novel is featured there. I'm ecstatic to share it with you.

For those of you 18 and older only:

An Excerpt From: MASQUERADE OF THE CURSED KING
Copyright © VANESSA GILFOY, 2007
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc.

Five years. Five years had passed without so much as a visit or even a letter. Heat welled in Eleanor’s belly. She’d thought Erick had forgotten about her. The heartless jerk.

Yet there he stood at the gate, chatting so casually with a group of soldiers. His wild chestnut hair sparkled in the morning light, swept back from his tan face. Frustratingly beautiful. Enthusiastic head bobs and bursts of laughter made him seem like the boy who used to toss her up in the air but he wasn’t. He was all grown up and thick muscle bulged in his neck and strained the thin white shirt he tucked into his trousers. His knuckles rippled under the fabric in an all too tantalizing way but not where she wanted them. Just a few inches from the very nice bulge at his center. If she could just slip into his mind, she’d quietly persuade him to… Earth, what was wrong with her?

Her inner thighs suddenly felt sticky and she wished she’d worn a more conservative costume or at least underwear. She tugged on her skirt but it wouldn’t budge below mid-thigh. At least her eyes didn’t glow with lustful elven light.

He shouldn’t see her like this. Would he recognize her? Was he here for her? A bubbly wave swelled her chest. Traitorous body. She shouldn’t hope for anything but freedom from him and this cursed place.

Some other duty probably drew Erick here. Her escape attempts had never before warranted his personal attention.

He donned a gray military shirt and buttoned the front. A guard’s uniform. He couldn’t be Erick. Thank Earth.

She exhaled, though she hadn’t realized she’d held her breath.

“I know. Could they take any longer?” the huge man in front of her complained.

The line had grown to twenty people long. Similar grumbles leaked from their minds and melded into an irritating high-pitched hum at the back of Eleanor’s skull. She wished she could block out their thoughts.

The sun had risen behind her an hour ago and already chased away the slight chill left over from night, yet the heavy iron gate still hadn’t lifted.

She needed to get on the pass and over the Santarra Mountains before her mother caught up to her. Earth, she’d made such good time. If she could get past this checkpoint, she might make it to Gildon this time.

Eleanor adjusted the straps of her cart on her sore shoulder. She’d pulled the crate-sized cart all the way from west Biston. The leather straps had rubbed blisters that oozed and stuck to the thin fabric of her bodice. Gross. With all her fidgeting, her blonde wig caught on the straps’ buckle. How stupid. But she couldn’t tie the fake hair back without revealing her pointed ears.

Eleanor ducked down to fix it, unseen. He couldn’t see her. She should be okay. Lots of people stood between them. But her heart pounded.

“Here, let me help,” the man behind her blurted. His gaze flitted down her body, pausing at the low-cut bodice that squeezed her small breasts together.

Earth, she wished her cleavage was why he stared. “No thank you,” she muttered and swatted his hand away.

The large man in front of her turned around. Bearded face lengthened, he examined her the way a child admires sweets displayed behind a bakery window. Her whole fist could probably fit in his mouth. Judging by the tools in his cart, he must be a blacksmith. He inhaled her pheromone and his eyelids drooped.

She’d just taken a bath but the morning sun heated her skin. Already, her neck dampened. Soon, everyone would stare—or worse. Earth, what was taking so long? She tugged her wig’s tangled locks loose and peeked around the human blacksmith.

Although the group of soldiers broke off and headed south, the Erick-look-alike guard still didn’t open the gate. He tugged on gloves despite the warm August morning air. The guards who had kept her prisoner wore gloves like that all year long. Warnings whispered in her head though the gloves were probably standard issue.

“That scent…” the blacksmith’s deep voice rumbled.

Eleanor quickly blurted, “I sell perfumes.” She motioned to her wooden cart where tiny bottles glistened, nestled in a cotton grid. She’d bought the whole setup, costume and all with a portion of her tuition savings. The rest of her hard-earned coin was hidden in the base of the cart, just above the axels.

The blacksmith shifted to hide the growing lump in his pants. “I ain’t smelled a perfume like that before.”

“It’s a family recipe,” she lied. Unfortunately, that scent plagued her. Her elven pheromones never turned off, due to her mixed human and elven blood. A common affliction in hybrids. The rare couplings between humans and elves sometimes produced worse deformities. Some hybrids died from them in the womb or before adulthood.

Whatever the blacksmith said was drowned out in the screech of the gate.

The lone guard cranked the chain that lifted it. His biceps jerked and trembled. The gate had to weigh as much as five men.

Earth, those thick arms could easily hoist her up and squeeze her tight. The thought beaded her nipples and heated her eyes. If she had the time, she’d enjoy his hard body. Eleanor swallowed the saliva that threatened to dribble down her chin and squeezed her eyes shut to hide the light that burned in them. She shouldn’t want him. He looked too much like Erick.

When he locked the crank in place, nearly everyone in line cheered, excited for a different reason.

Eleanor’s eyes cooled enough to open without light bursting out. Only elves’ and hybrids’ eyes glowed when they were aroused or enraged. A sure giveaway as to her identity.

Visit my website for more.

Toys and Lead

2007-11-21T15:14:00.000-08:00

I love Amazon's new Kindle ereader. What a great idea. People can purchase and download an ebook with one click. Then it's ready to read. I want one, but the Kindle's a little too pricey right now.

I sooo wish Ellora's Cave and Cerridwen Press would get in on this. A few years ago, their ebooks were available on Amazon.com. I don't know what happened. Now, Ellora's Cave and Cerridwen Press offer only their paperbacks on Amazon.com.

I adore Amazon.com. Where else can you get just about any book regardless of whether it's still in print or not? Plus, there are so many electronic gadgets, clothing stores, shoes, furniture, etc. Oh, I can spend days on Amazon.com making my holiday list. Even the wishlist feature is fun, like window shopping. I like being able to get everything in one place, in one cart.

The tricky thing this holiday season is toy shopping. Everything seems to be made in China and I don't want to give some lead-laden, brain damaging thing to a cutie pie. I looked about my house yesterday while vacuuming and realized that nearly everything in it, was made somewhere else, not in the US. It doesn't matter where you shop; look at the tags and flip everything over and you see "Made in China," or some other third-world nation.

What do we make anymore? What do we export to be able to afford all these imports? I don't know anyone who makes anything that's exported. Is this why the housing market is crashing? People are defaulting on their loans, not because they want to, but because they've lost their jobs. Where will they find new jobs if we export all our work?

I don't understand why businesses send their factories overseas, for this one reason - how can people without jobs buy imported products? My solution to this economic problem is to create a steep import tax, even on imported products from companies with headquarters in the US. Then use these funds to give grants to US based and run manufacturers, starting with toy makers.

I'm horrified by the drastic rise in learning disabilities amongst our youth. There's something wrong when numbers suddenly spike like that and we find lead in bibs and toys. Lead doesn't accidentily fall into vats of plastic and paint over and over again. It was used on purpose because lead-based dyes are cheaper. I don't mean cheaper for the consumer. We pay the same monetary price regardless of where or how the product was made. Toys weren't less affordable when they were made in the US under stricter standards. Now, it seems we've inadvertantly paid with our children's health and IQ for inferior products from third-world nations. It's frightening.

Did you ever imagine having to test brand new toys for lead before wrapping them to put under the tree?

Mmmmmmh, Coffee

2007-11-13T14:03:00.000-08:00

Ben just ran vinegar through the coffee maker last night, and OMG what a difference. Just brewing a fresh pot this morning of the dark goodness smelled amazing. It tastes richer today and that happy feeling floods through me faster than usual.

I've grown very fond of coffee, but that wasn't always the case. I used to despise it.

Up until the age of 18, I suffered asthma attacks from any sort of exercise, the cold, illness, etc. Caffeine used to be the prescribed treatment for asthma attacks. Even though I had an inhaler, my father made me drink coffee. The earliest I remember was when I was five years old on a small boat. I also get motion sick, btw, which only added to the misery.

A five year old's taste buds aren't suited to coffee. I grimaced and complained about that bitter flavor.

After I left for college, my asthma went away, probably because I was no longer exposed to second-hand smoke. My father was a heavy smoker. As much as he tried to quit, he filled our lungs with a horrible amount of tar and poisons.

It wasn't until I started teaching that I really needed something, anything to help me get through the 70+ hours of lesson planning, correcting, meetings, paperwork, and of course - teaching. The first two years of teaching are hell. Coffee kept me awake and from murdering the psychos who expected me to call with their teenager's daily homework assignments. Once I got the hang of teaching, I could work a normal 40 hour week and had learned to tell parents "no." Changing jobs or textbooks, however, always bumped me back to the 70+ hours. It takes a lot of planning to entertain and motivate teenagers to learn.

Don't get me wrong. I loved teaching, after the first two years. The kids were funny and enthusiastic and I was a great teacher. But it took a lot of coffee, so much so that I fell in love with coffee.

My favorite drink - an unsweetened latte from Starbucks.
Favorite brews - morning blends
The lighter the color, the higher the caffeine. Darker coffee beans have less caffeine, and are more bitter in flavor, even though they smell better.

Man-Candy for Your Viewing Pleasure

2007-11-07T13:50:00.000-08:00

Yummy, isn't he? The very talented artist, Syneca created this cover for one of my January releases. I can't wait for you to read Guardian of the Onyx Empire on January 18th. (Enjoy the excerpt on my website.) Packed with steamy sex scenes and tarot metaphors, this erotic fantasy will bring you to new heights.

Look for the book trailer next week. It'll definitely be drool-worthy, so have some hankies handy.

NaNoWriMo....What?

2007-11-01T16:01:00.000-07:00

I challenge you to NaNoWriMo. (If only I had a glove handy.) That's right. It's time to dust off your keyboards, PDAs, Alpha-somethings - whatever you use to jot what spews from your brain. November is the official novel writing month, in which everyone of every nation is challenged to write a 50,000 word novel/novella. So sign up at the official website - http://www.nanowrimo.org/. It begins today.

I know the rules say you can't use an already-started manuscript, but 50,000 words is a tad shy of a whole novel, so if you want to take out that unfinished WIP from under the bed, I won't tell anybody. The NaNoWriMo police won't knock down your door. How would they know you had a starting place for your 50,000 words? Go for it. I personally can't write a whole novel until the first chapter is just right. Chapter One sets the tone, style, characters, etc, so I think it needs a few drafts before diving into NaNoWriMo to write the rest.

Join the caffeine-powered, stress-sharing, deadline obsessing exerpience. I'll see you there.

My Doting Husband

2007-10-27T03:14:00.000-07:00

I have to brag about my hubby. He surprised me with red roses and this garnet ring to celebrate the release of my first novel. Garnets are my favorite and this diamond accented gold setting literally made me gasp.

Ben is wonderful. In February, we'll have been together for ten years, a third of our lives. He knows everything about me, yet still comes home with kisses and smiles. The word "love" isn't strong enough to describe how I feel. I'm enchanted by him.

He sweetly spoiled me with another present, to indulge my childish side - a Nintendo DS with Animal Crossing. Videogames are an addiction we share.

I hadn't expected anything, yet he made the day very special and fun. Everyone should have someone as amazing as Ben in their lives. If I could clone him, I would.

Back Cover (AKA- blurb) of Healing Wounds

2007-10-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Healing Wounds By Vanessa N. Gilfoy

A lover's betrayal, vampires' bites… Do all wounds heal, even those infected with disgrace?

A gothic mansion in the middle of nowhere seemed the perfect place to escape her humiliating past and lick her wounds. Rumors of a ghost and mysterious deaths should inspire her writing. But Delores Hunter finds more than rumors. Deadly secrets hide in the dark.

Irresistible Morgan Smith sends shivers of fear and desire through her body. He conceals nearly everything from her. She shouldn't want him. But when vampires attack at night, he rises to protect her.

If only he'd let her touch him, but tender wounds tear open. Horrifying creatures stand between them. If Morgan and Delores can't conquer their demons they may lose each other forever.

(Available now from www.CerridwenPress.com)
Uncover darker realms of romance.
www.VanessaGilfoy.com

Congrats to Cathy MacDonald

2007-10-25T22:08:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Cathy MacDonald who won the drawing from a hat. The lucky lady gets a free copy of Healing Wounds to enjoy in any format she so desires.

I'm thrilled to share Healing Wounds. You're all invited to drop by my website to view the book teaser. Grab a free screensaver and enjoy some excerpts during your visit. VanessaGilfoy.com

I look forward to seeing you all there. Feel free to contact me at any time. I'd love to hear from you. I really want to know your reactions to Healing Wounds.

Healing Wounds is available at www.CerridwenPress.com. My baby's on the front page with links to the summary, excerpt, and purchase page. Yay!

Coming soon:

Masquerade of the Cursed King - Dec 5, 07 from Ellora's Cave
Guardian of the Onyx Empire - Jan 18, 08 from Ellora's Cave
Quest into the Forbidden - Jan 23, 08 from Ellora's Cave

www.VanessaGilfoy.com

Healing Wounds Screensaver

2007-10-03T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Healing Wounds and Masquerade of the Cursed King Screensavers are up at my site and they're gorgeous. Download and behold the yummy man-candy.

Completely off topic - there should be a yoga class at the beach. Wouldn't that be peaceful and relaxing? Better yet, Tai Chi. We'd have to wear sweaters and long johns, maybe scarves around our faces. The driving rain here is cold, but the kind that makes you smile and hoot. I like it. The waves numb my toes, but I can't help running along their foamy edge.

Maiden Post

2007-09-30T02:04:00.000-07:00

My first post of many to come...

If I had more coffee in my belly, I'd ramble about glitches I've been patching on my website. The collosal thing is almost ready for visitors. Book trailers are up for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy the man meat.

Good night. Sleep tight. I'll most likely delete this in the morning.