Revised Cover... AKA Damn Apostrophes anyway....

all better now... heh...

Annnndddddd- it's up and available at Amazon!  Jan and Karen, A Paper Doll Coloring Book

The Side Project that took over my life

I might have mentioned that I am waiting for word on the two book pitches that my agent is circulating among the editors and publishers right now. I can't talk about either one until I know what's happening with them. I also can't work on either one until I know what's happening with them, so, I started a little side project to fill my time.

And it sort of took over my life.

And it's done now, or at least as done as it can be until I get my proofing copy back.

Are you ready?

That's right- I drew a paper doll coloring book!

The target market for a book like this is mostly me, and I am certain no traditional publisher would want it, so I am publishing it myself through Amazon's CreateSpace service. It will be a 50 page (the way book pages are counted- only one side is printed, the other is blank, so really... 25 actual pages) , 8.5" x 11" book, with 2 dolls, 7 pages of late '60s outfits to design, 7 pages of the same fashions already embellished and ready to color, and 7 pages of those outfits printed in full color to cut out. For free-standing dolls, you can either use a copier to print the uncolored dolls on card stock, or you can color the doll pages and then glue them to card stock and then cut them out. I wanted to put them on the cover (like old style paper doll books) but that just wouldn't work. The cover price will be $11.99, and when it's ready to order, I'll post a link to the side of the blog main page.

I have had a lot of fun with this project- it has been many years since I drew a paper dolls (many of my designs were published by magazines in the '80s and early '90s). My table has been strewn with prototype pages and dolls and pieces for ages.

The book has been put together, and I am waiting for my proof copy to arrive now. There was a learning curve in figuring out how to make sure that the images all print out true to size, because, you know, clothes that don't fit the dolls are a real pain. I am pretty sure I got them all sized correctly, but I'll know for sure in a week or so.

Here are a couple of sneak peeks at the styles and outfits.

Each outfit page will have a version where you can design your own prints and embellishments, and one already finished to color (as well as a full-color version). Lots of options for fun!

I'm really excited about this book, and I'll keep you posted on availability.

Click the link for a chance to win 1 of 4 copies of The Nut Hut!

Edited to announce: All 4 copies of The Nut Hut have been won! Thanks everyone for playing and sharing! The print version of this book is still available to purchase, and the eBook versions of all of my titles are always just a click away (links to the right of this page). Thanks again!


Click the link below for a 1-20 chance to win one of 4 trade paperback copies of The Nut Hut, my stand-alone novel. No purchase necessary, must be a US resident and over 18 to win, must have an Amazon account. How quickly the prizes are won depends on the volume of traffic- it could be fast, it could be slow. While you're there, check out my Tory Bauer mysteries, and if you're a knitter, my knitting books. Yes, this is pure promotion, but at least you might win something... smile emoticon. Have fun, and if you win, let me know! (Amazon is doing the choosing and shipping- I'm not involved in picking the winners).

Click here

The Nut Hut is now in print!

I am thrilled to announce that the book that I consider to be my best writing is finally in print! The Nut Hut, the story of an 18 year old's first week of work at a state-run institution in 1971, is now available for order as a trade paperback from Amazon (the Kindle, Nook, and other ePlatform versions are all still available).

I will say that even though this is my 12th title (6 mysteries, 5 knitting books, one mainstream novel), seeing a book in print for the first time never gets old. Ever. Especially for this one, given that I finished the first draft in January 2001.

The cover looks good on paper too!

It's a hefty tome for your $11.99!

Did I say I was thrilled? Giddy is more like it!

Drum Roll Please!

It's been a long time coming, a very long time (because I just didn't get the file proofed), but Foreign Body, the 6th Tory Bauer Mystery, is finally available as an eBook from Amazon. The other platforms will be live soon, and I'll post links as I get them.

In the meantime, it's up at Amazon.

Edited to add that it's up on B&N for Nook too.

And Smashwords.

And at Kobo.

The wonderful new cover, as with all of the eBook covers for this series, was designed by an exceptionally talented artist, who also happens to be my oldest son, Curtis. I love this one as much as all of the others

I'm excited to have the whole series available as eBooks now.

And trust me, this, right here, never gets old. Ever.

The first reviews are in...

I'm still hyperventilating...

Early sales are doing well. Thank you, everyone!

I'm about to hyperventilate

I finished the first draft of this book in January, 2001. Today, it's officially on sale at Amazon, and at Barnes & Noble. Other eBook platform editions will be uploaded right after the first of the year.

I am so excited!!!!!!!

If your Kindle download came with no cover illustration, go to your Amazon account, click on Kindle, Click on Manage Device, Click on Purchases, and then to the right of The Nut Hut, click on Deliver To whichever device. The cover will download (the first few purchases didn't get the cover). It won't cost more, it's just an update.

Drum roll...

It's obnoxious as hell, but this has never happened to me before:

And it will likely only last an hour, so I figured I'd better document it. I'm chilling the champagne as I type!

Bits 'n Pieces

It's been a long time since I wrote a post just about the knitting I've been doing. It's nice to get back to the  normal routine, which won't last, since I'm leaving again, in a week, for the Pacific Northwest this time.

But in the meantime,

 I finished this leftover hat on the way to Sioux Falls, before we left for California. It's all Noro and  Boku, with a little bit of the Noro/Angora blend in there, so it's fuzzy. These hats are so quick-to-knit, and they fit so well into my Stash Busting Routine.

 I finished the Araucania boot socks, knitted from the yarn I bought (woohoo for appearances- the only time I can buy yarn!) at Loop & Leaf in Santa Barbara. I worked a very easy waffle texture, which plays off the tweedy colorway very well.

 I'm keeping these for myself- a souvenir of my trip! (and the wonderful folks at Loop & Leaf)

 This yarn isn't leftover, though it is from the stash. It's Opal Harry Potter themed yarn, which is no longer being produced. I bought it at Expressions in Watertown, SD, when I was doing a signing for I Heart Felt. This colorway is called Dumbledore, though I can't imagine why. Nothing about the combination of colors suggests Dumbledore to me- I would have expected blacks, browns, greys, and maybe some electric yellow, though I can't tell you why I think that. In any case, it's lovely yarn, and these are going in the BToKT for Christmas (I know who's getting them already).

In the Very Cool Section: reader Chris knitted this felted bear (from Knit One, Felt Too) for a friend who has a new baby on the way! Thanks for sharing, Chris!

And in the Blatant Self Promotion Section, look what I found on Amazon this morning!

And cooler yet? The #1  book on the Fashion list is 101 Sock Yarn Wonders. I'm in that one too!!!