Giving Thanks

A few days ago I had my first Thanksgiving, courtesy of J.A. Rock. I took her to see crocodiles, and she made me a pumpkin pie. That sounds fair to me! 

We Australians don't have Thanksgiving, and the idea of actually listing the things we should be thankful for sounds a little strange. In the spirit of the season I'm going to give it a try, but I might not be very good at it. So here, without further ado, are the things I am thankful for: 

1. Banrock Station Moscato. Two bottles of this and one chance remark later, and it turns out you've planned an awesomely hot and creepy m/m story that will be OMG! SO GOOD! Seriously, I cannot wait to start writing this! 

2. Kangaroos that punch ducks. I mean, all kangaroos are pretty cool, but have you ever seen one punch a duck? I think that kangaroo is my soulmate. 

3. Pumpkin pie. How good is that stuff? I don't even like pumpkin that much, not even in scones, but pumpkin pie? More, please! 

4. Banrock Station Moscato. Yes, I know I already mentioned it, but there was quite a lot of it, okay? And maybe if I mention it a few more times, they'll send me some for free. Hello? Banrock Station, hello? 

5. And, naturally, my brilliant co-author J.A. Rock, without whom nothing on this list would have happened. 

For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, I hope you had a great time with the people you love, and if anyone wants to send me any leftover pumpkin pie, I'd certainly appreciate it. 

My Non-Writing Week

I'm spending the week in Brisbane for a family wedding. I brought my laptop with me, telling myself that of course I'd get writing done. Of course I would. Unfortunately I overlooked the fact that I would be sharing a motel room with my 9 year old nephew. 

"Aunty Lisa, are you playing Plants Vs Zombies?" 

"No. I'm writing." 

"Do you write proper books?" 

"Yes." 

"Why can't I read them?" 

"They're for grown-ups. You can read one when you're eighteen." 

"Aunty Lisa, can I just sit beside you while you write?" 

"No." 

"Is that a rude word? Did you write the f-word there? I'm telling Nana!" 

And so much for getting any writing done this week... 

Meanwhile, The Good Boy has been really well-received so far. It's always a strange thing to put a book out there, because you never know it people are going to love it, hate it, or -- worse -- ignore it. So to everyone who's bought a copy, thanks so much! You guys rock! 

Happy Dance!

You guys! You guys, LOOK! 

The Island has won first place in the Goodreads M/M Romance Members Choice Awards, for best Slave / Dub Con / Kidnapped story. 

And I am absolutely stoked!

Thank you to everyone who read and loved The Island, and who took the time to vote. It's a great end to 2012, a great beginning to 2013, and a great reminder that I'm not just doing something I love, I'm doing something that other people love as well. 

You know what I have to do now, right? THIS: 

Thanks for sitting beside me in class

Sometimes, it’s scary being a writer. A part of you is always that same little kid standing in front of the teacher’s desk while she frowns down at the story you wrote, and then reaches for the red marker.

And afterwards when you head back to your desk and all you can see are those red marks, your friend will lean over and make a face and say, “I liked the part where the dragon ate the prince.”  

Source

So every time someone comments on my blog or sends me an email or a message on Twitter, or leaves a review somewhere, it feels like that friend is still sitting beside me, and she's always ready for a new story.  

So thanks to everyone who took the time!

My mission for today: to pay it forward. And that’s probably a good mission for tomorrow and the next day as well.