From Rebecca comes this piece of awesome: The embed might not work because Sony Music can be a right wanker, so here, have a link. Seriously, that’s so gorgeously cool. Why aren’t more romances cobalt and yellow? read more »
Ahoy! Hark! A contest! Feel like creating a paranormal mashup of some Harlequin book cover copy? Wonder what happens when you mix Viscounts and Sirens, or Monsters and Mayberry? Diesel ebooks and Harlequin have paired up to do a Halloween contest, and they’ve asked me to judge the entries. You can read the full details at the official site (BE YE WARNED. DRAGONS AND AUTOPLAY MUSIC ARE THERE. PLEASE MUTE THE SPEAKERS) and check out the five titles you’re invited to get your mash-up on. All entries are entered for a random drawing for a $50 gift card for Diesel… read more »
Last night I wandered the 2010 Literacy Signing making a music video. With Ke$ha. Not actually with me but playing on endless loop in my head. It is only fair I share the ear worm with you, right? Thank you to all the authors who let me film them (I’m sorry I could not use all my footage, as some of it was really wonky when I imported it) and who wrote all the lovely books I buy by the truckload every year. And congrats to everyone for raising over $62,000.00 in one night to fight illiteracy. That RULES. (My… read more »
Song of Seduction is a fiercely turbulent and emotional story set in Austria in the early 1800s - in winter. It’s cold and passionate at the same time, with the greatest passion portrayed not by the characters but by the music they make. Mathilda Heidel is a hidden prodigy: she can play the violin by ear, mimicking perfectly and improvising instantly any piece she hears, despite a very little amount of instruction. But she’s buried her gifts for years in response to a notorious and painful childhood and a very pedestrian marriage that ended in her husband’s sudden death. When… read more »
What do you get when you mix Hebrew, a Korean boy band, Auto-Tune, and some very funky choreography? WTF-eyecandy. ETA: I"m so sorry that video is somehow private. Here, have a more different version of the same song. The marvelous Booklust says that Koreans love boy bands, and that “It’s pretty common for Korean pop bands to use English in their songs, but not other languages.” You can watch the full music video here: Mazel tov! I wonder when the sequel, “L’chaim,” comes out? read more »
From Rebecca Pawel comes this footage from Tangomania in Amsterdam, December 2009. It’s amazing for the music and the skill of the two dancers—and Pawel points out that “tango has a bit of the same image problem as romance novels…a set of Old Skool stereotypes that don’t really reflect its actual complex reality. Only instead of heaving bosoms and ripped bodices in tango it’s slicked-back hair and roses between the teeth and grimacing expressions that look like indigestion.” It’s mesmerizing, this one. Enjoy, and have a tangoriffic weekend. ETA: Am trying to find out what song that is - do… read more »
And now, after the biggest iTunes order ever, it’s time to announce the winner of the summer songs playlist giveaway. And the winner, selected at random, is StacieH4 , who suggested some awesome songs, particularly “Walk Don’t Run” by The Ventures. Word. So, StacieH4, email me at sarahATsmartbitchestrashybooksDOTcom to claim your prize. I’ll leave the comments open for folks to keep adding songs to the entry. It’s 23F tonight, so I need me some summer music like damn boy howdy. read more »
Over the past week, I’ve asked Twitter for some recommendations that had nothing to do with romance, but a few folks asked me to compile the list of responses and share it, so I’m doing so here. It’s all below the fold - obviously this has little to jack all to do with romance novels, but if you’re looking for some music, this might help you out. In response to my tweet asking for warm-weather music, here’s the master list of every recommendation I received. It rocked my socks, and might warm your feet, too, if it’s as cold where… read more »
The more I read and discover about how bookselling works, and how some folks want to change it while others want it to remain the same, the more mystified I am about certain elements of the sales and recognition system, most particularly the rubric of what constitutes success. What constitutes great success in selling a book? Making a list. It’s not even making money, though that’s obviously an understood necessity. Everyone likes making money. But book sales success is making a list. Or, THE list (The New York Times, specifically). From where I’m sitting, this has to be the most… read more »
Despite the focus on romance novels in the hot pink palace, I buy many other different types of books, including cookbooks (boy is that a problem), computer instruction guides, and children’s books. This past week I’ve found two children’s products - one book and one DVD/CD - that have rocked my socks enough that I wanted to spread the word. My older son, known online as Freebird, has a book from Sleeping Bear Press called “H is for Homerun.” It’s an alphabetical poem with verses about baseball, from “A is for the All Stars,” to my favorite, “Z is for… read more »
So I’ve been looking at ebook readers for a while, as I’m a voracious reader and I am rapidly running out of space for all my books. Like with my iPod I wanted the freedom to have options with my reading on the go, not to mention not having to lug heavy hardcovers. The main thing keeping me back at the time? The variety of formats and the price. There was no way I was going shelling out $350 Canadian for something when I couldn’t be sure I was going to be able to buy books wherever I want and… read more »
Last night when I heard that Patrick Swayze died of cancer at 57, a link went around Twitter from New York reporter Mandy Stadtmillerto the YouTube footage of the final dance scene from Dirty Dancing. I freely admit: I cried while watching it. I know a lot of people looked at the death of Michael Jackson as a loss from their childhood, of a person who was responsible for the soundtrack of their youth. For me, it wasn’t Jackson - it was Swayze, particularly Dirty Dancing. I was 12 when the movie came out, and I wasn’t, if I recall… read more »
This video makes me absurdly happy: if there’s a string instrument on stage, it is PWND. By Steve Martin, Earl Scruggs, Vince Gill, and everyone on stage (except David Letterman. He doesn’t play anything). Foggy Mountain Breakdown is some badass music. Even Wrath digs it, I hear. read more »
Holy Madlibs™! That entry spanked the giveaway and won’t stop shimmying ‘til it reaches the Internet! Announcing the winners of the Double Play giveaway, with homerun calls that are absolutely fun and looney. SugarSpice: Holy hamster ! That breast just flashed the music hall and it won’t stop bouncing ‘til it reaches Russia!! Cursingmama: Holy tiger ! That sucker just spun the sex shop and it won’t stop spewing ‘til it reaches Turkey!! chele: Holy monkey ! That circular saw blade just mounted the nunnery and it won’t stop ejaculating ‘til it reaches kazakhstan!! ghn: Holy kangaroo ! That tomato… read more »
This will give you chills and happy smiles: musicians all over the world singing “Stand by Me.” Oh the wonders of a really good song, and digital technology. read more »
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