Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

Review: XCOM WiFi for International Travel

I was loaned an XCOM MiFi unit for use in Australia, in exchange for a review. I know a lot of you travel for work or conferences, sometimes internationally, and we've all groused about the highway robbery that is hotel in-room internet in some locations. I knew the hotel WiFi where I was going to be in Sydney was rather expensive, and wanted to explore other options. After contacting XCOM, I was shipped a MiFi, two batteries, carrying case, and an assortment of plugs and adapters to use in funky international power outlets. What follows is my opinion (my very long winded opinion) of the XCOM MiFi unit.

First, I'm predisposed to love this thing because (a) it saved me a pile of money and (b) I needed to know I was connected to the internet while I was away and my home state was having the crap kicked out of it by Sandy. Even if I hadn't felt the repeating need to check my phone for new messages or new information, I would have been very happy having this device with… read more »

The School for Wives: Bell Shakespeare Production, Sydney, Australia

This was an English (rhyming!) translation of a Moliere play, performed by the Bell Shakespeare Company at the Sydney Opera House. I was feeling predisposed to like this play because I was in the Sydney Opera House (COOL) and it was a perfect night to go out near the harbor. By the end, and in the days after seeing the play, I recognized it's flaws, but was so pleased to have experienced it, because I'm still thinking about it.

In the opening scene, the lead, Arnold, announces he's getting married to Agnes, a girl he's had educated in a convent to be the perfect wife: completely innocent and naive, without any worldly knowledge of anything. He says in the opening he fell in love with her when she was 4 (EW DUDE) and bought her from the poor woman who was raising her (DOUBLE EW) and had her installed in a convent for her education, and has only recently brought her to his home (TRIPLE EW DUDE SERIOUSLY).

What's amazing is the level of… read more »

Tai Chi Zero: A Guest Movie Review by CarrieS

Tai Chi Zero is a movie so gloriously, epically insane that it merits a review even on a site that almost only reviews books.  Seriously, this was the most WTF crazy fun EVER.

You could assume (I did) that once you are dealing with a synopsis that involves a "tai chi, kung fu, steampunk romantic comedy with self-aware comedic elements of videogame and comic book imagery" you are really beyond categories like "good movie" and "bad movie".  Certainly if that plot description doesn't make you pee your pants with joy and excitement then I'm not sure you're going to get much out of Tai Chi Zero. 

On the other hand, I really think this is a genuinely good movie - it reveled in its craziness, it was funny as hell, the one on one fights were great to watch, and I cared about the characters.  Everyone had motivations and everyone had an actual personality.  This wasn't an "it's so bad it's good" movie; this was just good, in a crazy, over the top, cost one dollar to make, meta kind of… read more »

Something Different on Sunday: You in 1994

I have been cleaning my office and finding all sorts of fun things, like pictures of me as a baby, books (duh), and old journals and lists - including a list of things to do that I wrote back in 1994. I tweeted about it this morning, and the responses were very funny and inspiring, so I wanted to share them with you. 

This isn't about romance novels, but I love how many people had goals to be writers, and are now. I don't know that I ever had a goal to be a writer, but on the list was "write more." In 1997, I started my first online journal, and haven't stopped writing online since. I love that the internet has given me ample space to write, and meet so many people.

So what did you want to do in 1994? Have a look at the (considerable!) list of responses from this morning as a slideshow, or as a page at Storify. What did you want to do in 1994? 

Movie Review: Miss Minoes

Friday nights in my house are "Dinner & a Movie" night. We all eat dinner in the living room and watch a movie together- and the movie part can be tricky. I have two boys, ages 6 and 4, and their idea of awesome entertainment often does not match mine. Tonight we watched a movie that was so charming and adorable, I had to share it with you. 

Miss Minoes is a Dutch film from 2001 - no, wait, don't stop reading - that was dubbed into English (English English not American English) in 2011 and released in the US and elsewhere. I had not heard of it until Netflix listed it among the new releases for instant viewing, and I shoved it onto our queue thinking maybe my younger son would like it. My older son, known hereabouts as Freebird, heard the description and said that he totally wanted to watch a movie about a cat that turns into a woman. 

The film is based on the 1970 book Minoes by… read more »

Spicy Sweet Potato Latkes, Smart Bitch Style

First, "The Latke Who Wouldn't Stop Screaming," by Lemony Snicket, is an awesome and hilarious book. You will enjoy, guilt free.

Second, I've talked about the Spicy Sweet Potato Latke recipe on Twitter, and folks have been asking me for it, so rather than email it, I'll post it here. 

It's yummy. It's spicy. It's Hanukkah tonight, so grab some oil and fry things with glee. Happy Hanukkah y'all. 

Net Neutrality: The Internet Strikes Back

I’m taking a break from your regularly scheduled discussion of all things Man-Titty and Romance to participate in The Internet Strikes Back which focuses on Net Neutrality.

For those of you not in the US, or in the US and not sure what the hell I’m talking about, Net Neutrality is about allowing internet users the same speed and level of connection across devices, hardware, and method of connection. If Net Neutrality were not in effect, Verizon, for example, my internet service provider, could give me faster connective speeds to it’s sponsored sites and block access to sites it doesn’t want me to see. Moreover, it could block my access to competitors or sites it doesn’t like me to use.

In other words, without Net Neutrality, my complaints about AT&T wireless coverage will look like a love song compared to complaints about access limitations imposed by ISPs. You could, if someone decided my site was not ok for the general populace, be blocked by your ISP from this site, or have the connection be so slow you give up, though that’s a bit… read more »

Happy Sixth Anniversary, All You Smart Bitches!

Today marks the Sixth Anniversary of this here hot pink website. Our first review was posted January 30, 2005 - a review of Sharon Shinn’s Angel-Seeker. Wow, huh? I’m sort of shocked and amazed and ready to party!

The official gifts of the Sixth Anniversary are… wait, don’t have anything liquid in your mouth, ok? … iron, candy, and WOOD.

Oh, this is going to be fun. It’s giveaway time! To celebrate our sixth anniversary, I’m giving away the following prizes:

That’s 4lbs of chocolate covered cherries, an iron, a 5lb bag of wood, and a Hello Kitty vibrator (a much better substitute for the wood, because it’s woody-like).

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me six things you love about reading romance novels, and you’re entered to win. Standard disclaimers apply. Void where prohibited by law. I ship internationally when possible. Take your shoes off. Wash your hands. Any resemblance to iron wood made of candy is completely coincidental. No chocolate was harmed… read more »

What I Meant Was…

Gotta love it when I stick my foot in my mouth!

Last night I did an interview with 744 ABC Melbourne about erotic fan fiction.

During the interview with Alan Brough, he asked me about why erotic fan fiction so often pairs two characters of the same gender. What I meant to say was that in most countries, popular culture reveals a general discomfort with homosexuality, and that frank portrayals of homosexuality are not common.

What I said was that “most people in the world are uncomfortable with homosexuality.”

Clearly, these are not the same things.

Yes. Everyone in the world is uncomfortable with homosexuality. Except me, and a lot of other people, and wow, did I not say that correctly. While I was talking live to a whole lot of Australians. Nervousness, I am victim of it.

Seriously, can I communicate my own embarrassment as well as I communicate my alleged homophobia? I feel like I need to apologize to everyone on the planet for sticking my foot in my mouth.

Oh, well. As the lovely Maureen Johnson said at one point, “Own your mistakes. They are yours.” This mistake is all mine and it’s a… read more »

Review: My Droid X (Is Smaller Than My Adidas)

Ahoy there! Ahead be some discussion of reading, but mostly my impressions of my new phone. For those who come here for romance, nothing but romance, and a side order of man-titty, this entry will be not so much of that, unless I download some man-porn apps, which I can do because I’m outside the limitations of the Apple App Store. Heh. I have, yes, already searched “porn” in the Droid Marketplace, aka, Droid App Store.

If you know me, or have been around me, or read what I say on Twitter every now and again, you know that I hate, loathe, abhor, and despise very few things. I hate emptying the sink trip while I’m cooking. I loathe clothing that itches and the feeling of foam against my skin (EW. JIBBLIES.). And I abhor AT&T Wireless. Two years ago I signed a two-year contract with AT&T and got the iPhone 3G. The iPhone is a wonderful device for texting and email and all kinds of activities and whatnot, but as a phone, it sucks out loud, long, strong, and forever. It is a horrible phone because AT&T in the NY Metro area (which includes New York City, southern… read more »

Links - You Know You Want Some

First, things happen when Zoe Archer shops Etsy. I don’t know if these are GOOD things but things definitely happen. Like Purssy clutches. Archer thinks this is a great place to store tampons. (SNRK.)

From Billie, this absolutely hilarious report on Microsoft’s latest patent application for a virtual page turn gesture.

I honestly don’t get page turn animations, and think they are a waste of time, but patenting the gesture?

BIllie points out that the bootnote is the very best part (a close second is my opportunity to use the word ‘bootnote’):

Bootnote

We would be remiss if we didn’t credit Microsoft with one intriguing detail in the 11-page patent application. In discussing input methods, the filing notes that “sources other than fingers may be used to execute a page-turning gesture.” We’ll simply leave the implications of that capability to your imagination.

This is, for the record, the second most bizarre gesture I’ve seen. The most bizarre? The Pepsi Summer Chillout Gesture.

Diana sent me this strangely compelling and yet depressing link: Handsome Men Who Are Now Dead. Langston Hughes? Oh, rwor.

And finally, an article that is worth pondering from Salon: an interview with Clay Shirky,… read more »

The Reader’s Place in Publishing

Next week I have a TON of travel coming up. First, I’ll be at RomCon in Denver, CO, and if you’re going to be there, I hope you’ll introduce yourself to me. I’m the one with glasses. And I’m usually pretty loud.

Then, immediately afterward, I’m going to be in Vancouver, BC, Canada, at Simon Fraser University’s Summer Publishing Workshops giving a keynote address and leading a one-day seminar on Romance Novels.

The keynote is focused on “The Reader’s Place in the Publishing Process,” and I’ve got an hour. Think I can squeeze it all in?!  (PUN TOTALLY INTENDED.)

I am going to focus on where I think the reader’s place is right now in the eyes of the publishing industry, and where I think the reader’s place could be now and in the future. I’m going to touch on the other individuals in the publishing process (the publisher, the writer and her agent, the book seller) and the repeated absence of the reader in conversations and examinations of publishing.

Much like that motivational story about everybody, nobody, and somebody, everybody in publishing agrees the reader is important, but it’s somebody else’s job to figure out the… read more »

Covers & Libraries

First: Sony Pocket has a new bundle with case that made me ponder. For $169 you get a Sony Pocket with a special leather cover branded with “Eat Pray Love” and “a code for eBook downloads of Eat, Pray, Love and Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert.”

Now, I am all for nice digital reader covers, though Elizabeth Gilbert’s book drove me up a wall and across the ceiling. I thought the paperback might have been retitled as “My Navel: Let Me Gaze At It.” So I don’t necessarily want to cover a Sony Pocket with a leather cover devoted to that book.

But would you want a digital reader cover customized to look like or embossed with the title of one of your all-time favorite books? Or do you prefer basic covers? I mean, half the fun of owning electronics is accessorizing, right?

More in Sony news: as one of the few, if not the only digital reader firm that focuses on library lending, Sony has unveiled the Reader Library program to support public libraries.

The Reader Library program will offer, according to Paul Biba’s report on TeleRead, a training program developed by Sony that will instruct librarians on… read more »

Untethered: The Wrap Up and Drinking Game

Thursday 17 June I attended The Big Money’s “Untethered” conference, all about publishing in the tablet era (0_o). As predicted, it was high in unintentional comedy, with some sessions that I hope are made available online for their unparalleled awesomeness. Be warned: this entry is HELLA LONG but the sections about NPR (awesome) and the device panel where folks were dismissive of the consumer who asked a question about ebook pricing (me) are probably the juicy parts if you want to skip ahead.

Don Graham, CEO of Washington Post, began the sessions by speaking from the perspective of a reader - I have to wonder if being the reader is like establishing street cred. Sadly, I don’t think enough of the reader perspective was prevalent in the sessions that followed, though I appreciated Graham’s impressions of his own perspective.

Graham was an early adopter of the Kindle: “I’ve been reading all my life, and I developed a set of prejudices and preferences I didn’t fully understand. With the Kindle, I noticed what the same, and what was different.”

Note: no one from Amazon was present, and neither was anyone from Apple. So to begin a conference discussing the… read more »

Bonus Video: Hoff Flag Day!

Beth sent me this link, because it is full of Hoffness. So much Hoffness, I find myself pledging allegiance to his Hoffness, and the united state of his pectorals.

Many, many alert readers have notified me that Comedy Central plans to roast the Hoff in August - which is alarming, because the Hoff’s general state is a nice toasty golden brown. Roast him?! He might burn!

Wear sunscreen, Hoffmeister, and I’ll salute you any time!