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I’ve been away from writing my Preternaturals series for awhile (was writing books for my other pen name). Since I’ve been back in Zoe-mode, I’ve released a side novella in the series that people can read without having read anything else by me yet (Dark Mercy), but the next full-length book in the series, The Catalyst, is coming soon.

Since it’s been awhile since I’ve deeply engaged with this series, I wanted to do something that would serve two different goals:

1. Get readers who are already fans of my work re-engaged and immersed in the series so they are ready and psyched for the next book. (You know how you can read a book and love it but then it sort of fades a little in the background so future books don’t make you as rabid about having them until you remember how much you loved the other books? Yeah… that.)
2. Bring on board new readers for the series.

I love Easter Eggs. (I promise this connects.) I don’t mean the colored eggs with the candy inside that the giant bunny (Let’s call him Harvey) delivers to small children to make them hyper. I mean the little things in a book or television series that are almost like inside jokes. Like, on Buffy The Vampire Slayer they were still mentioning Xander’s hyena possession in season seven. And that happened in season one.

So I decided I would host my own Easter Egg Hunt and reward readers for finding the Easter Eggs I’ve left for them in my books. The grand prize is a Kindle Fire! Additionally, I’ll be giving away signed copies of The Catalyst when it comes out (on the home stretch for that!).

For the contest, all my books are on deep discount (check the contest details page above for titles and buy links), to lower the barrier of contest entry for those who don’t already have all the books in the series. The sale will last through Easter Sunday, but you’ll have through midnight on April 15th to turn in your Easter eggs.

Even if you don’t want to hunt, now is a great opportunity to grab my books, or maybe even give one to a friend for an Easter gift, while they are all on extreme sale. (I can’t imagine another situation besides a contest requiring “reference materials” where I’d be crazy enough to discount all my work this deeply.)

Also, if you’re feeling awesome, you can tweet, blog, or Facebook the link to the contest page and get extra entries into the smaller prize giveaways. And let me know, of course. (But you have to hunt to win the Kindle Fire!)

Thanks for reading, and… may the odds be ever in your favor. (Sorry, I’m reading the Hunger Games… I totally couldn’t help that.)

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2012. | 2 comments

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After shrugging and finally saying, “Nothing, really. I’m happy.”, I finally came up with paying bills, buying sperm, and saving money.

I keep thinking that I should move into a small house or apartment, but then I think why? I’m happy.

I have awesome neighbors here: a new age shop owner, a few travelers, a free-thinking minister, a PhD candidate, and a computer programmer—not to mention that Padfoot has several doggy friends here.

When I have a child, I want a big kitchen with a table and a living room, all in an open layout. Otherwise, I want to stay in my RV.

Maybe do some traveling, if gas prices come down. In fact, I could just up and move tomorrow, if I want. I like the idea of freedom and keeping my options open. Maybe I’ll leave next week!

When I tripped across this TEDtalk, Less Stuff, More Happiness, it just confirmed that I didn’t want to move into a house or apartment right now.

There is nothing in the whole world that has made me happier than losing my attachment to things. (I italicize it because I always crinkle my nose when I say that word.)

When I knew I wanted to move into an RV and travel, I started writing down everything I touched, so I would know what was really most important to me. As it turned out, the only things I used were what was in my purse, my computer bag, some kitchen stuff, and a few toiletries.

What would you do with $50,000, if you won it today? And where would you move, if you could move tomorrow? What would you take with you, if you had to fit it in a car trunk?

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Growing up, I was tomboyish and determined to be as good as or better than any boy. In first grade, even, I remember racing some boy to the playground for some forgotten reason.

I was raised to put career first and that the worst thing in life was to end up “barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen.”

While I hold a bit of resentment for that brand of feminism—I fantasize about being in the kitchen with a passel of children tearing through the house, and it’s better for a woman’s career to do children first and then have her career—I believe women should have equal choice, equal pay (why hasn’t that happened yet?), equal respect, equal rights, and control of her own body.

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I just can’t believe this is the United States anymore. I can barely bring myself to look at the news.

This picture sums up my feelings:

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2012. | 7 comments

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I sometimes need to shut down and go into my own little world, where it’s just me and the markup, or me and the edit, or me and the book I’m working on. If I slow down and focus, I love my job to pieces.

This little musing was prompted by a picture I came across at allthatinspires.me. It made me smile, and since I haven’t had time to blog, I thought I’d post it:

I believe that’s absolutely true.

What do you think?

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2012. | 5 comments

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Next on my list were pull quotes. The old Kindle format never did pull quotes very well, but the new one will float them: very pretty. However… to be backwards compatible with the old mobi format, I had to lose the top and bottom border and use <hr> tags. (*shudders*) And then there’s that <hr> bottom/top margin problem, along with Kindle margin-bottom problem, as well.

I’d love thoughts and suggestions! Kindle markup is just ugly, sometimes.

I’m not 100% happy, but this is what I ended up with:

The Kindle Fire:

Old Kindle e-ink:

Kindle for PC:

Kindle for iPhone:

And the CSS:

/*Kindle Format 8*/
@media not amzn-mobi {
.pqg {
    float:right !important;
    width:40% !important;
    margin: 0;
    padding-right: .5em !important;
    padding-left: .5em !important;
    padding-top:0;
    padding-bottom:0;
    text-align: center;
    border: none;
    }
p.after {
    text-indent:2em;
    }
p.blockp {
    text-indent:0;
    text-align:left;
    margin-top:10px; }
}

/*Old Mobi*/
@media amzn-mobi {
.pqg {
    text-align: center;
    }
p.after {
    text-indent:2em;
    margin-top:30px;
    }
p.blockp {
    text-indent:0;
    text-align:left;
    margin-top:10px; }
}

And then the HTML:

<div class="pqg">
<hr class="nd"/>
<p class="blockp"><span class="gre"><i>God loves fermentation just as dearly as he loves vegetation.</i></span></p>
<p class="right"><span class="gre"><span class="smallcaps">&ndash; Ralph Waldo Emerson</span><span></p>
<hr class="nd"/>
</div>

<p class="after">

It’s the best I’ve come up with thus far. I can’t wait until the old devices are updated to support KF8, but I’m not real hopeful it will happen anytime soon.

What do you think? Suggestions?

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2012. | 8 comments

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My year in Facebook statuses:

And every few years, I post my favorite blessing for the New Year by Neil Gaiman. I don’t really have any resolutions this year, and to be honest, I want everything in his benediction—especially to kiss someone who thinks I’m wonderful.

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art—write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. May your coming year be a wonderful thing in which you dream both dangerously and outrageously.

I hope you’ll make something that didn’t exist before you made it, that you will be loved and you will be liked, and you will have people to love and to like in return. And most importantly, because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now—I hope that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind. And I hope that somewhere, in the next year, you surprise yourself.”

Isn’t that the best ever? Here he is, reading it.

And what is your wish for the new year?

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2011. | 7 comments

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Barnes & Noble keeps emailing me and asking me to comb through the hundreds (thousands?) of blog posts I’ve made in the last ten years or so to change all my links to Borders to links to Barnes & Noble.

As I posted on Facebook:

I don’t have time, I don’t care, and I LOVED Borders. I do not love you. I grudgingly appreciate that you’re still in business. Please do not mistake that for the eleven year—oftentimes daily—relationship I had with Borders based upon my love, devotion, and gratitude. Not to mention the memories, which I treasure. I will always miss Borders. The links stay as they are.

Borders has always been my home and my refuge. I’ve often said it was more a house of worship than any house of worship has ever been to me. All those books, so much information, and always the hope they hold the solution I desire, the knowledge I want, the inspiration for my writing, or just an escape from my problems.

And then there’s the community of people in the café. I miss knowing I can go to Borders and be among friends. I have a great café I go to, but it’s not the same, not even close. I love it, it’s awesome, and it’s the best café ever, but I don’t have a “circle” like I did at Borders.

When Barnes & Noble emailed me again yesterday, I got all sad, probably because it’s the holiday season, and with Tucson being my new home where I’ll be mostly alone during the holidays, I miss Borders especially.

It’s not only the people: I loved the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, too.

I miss Borders soooooo much.

But I think I’m going to rent a little shed and install a treadmill desk. How cool is that? I can’t wait. I’ve been wanting one for years, and I just don’t have time to do two hours of walking every night anymore, so I need to get my exercise in another way.

Do you miss Borders?

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© Natasha Fondren for Natasha Fondren, 2011. | 8 comments

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