That secret project I was working on

A month or so ago, I participated in Blog Recruiting Day for the Rave Reviews Book Club. It was a contest, with a Spotlight Author week as a prize.

My post got the most votes, and this week is my Spotlight tour. What many of you might not know, is that a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to make these things work.

Iris* and I have been working on blog posts like crazy. There were interview sheets to fill out, and I had to perform ‘I’m a Little Teapot’ before Lorelei** would agree to her interview.

During this time, I also wanted to support Karen at In a Small Compass. She’s writing a story called Neighbors, and my character, Lisa, is playing a supporting role.

I also had to show Roald*** how to work the camera for my candid shot. It will show up somewhere this week.

I got to the Writing Cabin late that day. Iris was waiting on my desk by my Mac. Roald was in the kitchen up to his armpit in an old cauldron he’d brought up from the basement.

“What’s going on here?” I asked.

“I find out about this Christmas thingy,” Roald said. “It’s a pretty big party, so I’m makin’ you some eggnog, by golly. It’s better with milk from Mountain Cows.”

“How do you know?”

“Vell, I tried about a quart of it already. (Hic)”

“Why is your arm in it?”

“Dose eggshells are pretty darned tricky, but I catch him pretty quick. You’ll see.”

“Okay. I have to get to work, but I’ll try some later.” I went to my office and started working on a book excerpt.

Iris said, “Maybe you ought to use the one with Cobby’s girlfriend.”

“I thought I’d use a scene with you in it.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet. What else are you using?”

“There’s one with Cobby and Roald in it that might work.”

She helped me decide where to clip the scenes off, and I wrote a little intro for them.

Roald showed up with his eggnog, and we all had some. It was sweet and nutty, with a salty Dwarven aftertaste. I handed him my iPhone and asked him to take my picture.

He got a nice shot of his thumb, Doubt the raven’s backside, his own eye, and half my face.

Ultimately, we decided my wife could take the picture. We settled in for a great blog tour and enjoyed our eggnog.

Now everyone make a fist with your right hand. Repeat after me, “I will pick up a copy of The Cock of the South, and I will enjoy it.” Now thump that fist over your heart.

…”(hic) I vill too, by golly.”

“No, not you, Roald. Them.”

*Iris is a supporting character in The Cock of the South. She’s a fairy and is helping me prepare for this blog tour.

** Lorelei is my Muse. She is appearing at Marlena Hand’s blog, Life as I Know It, today. So go check it out.

*** Roald is a Dwarven tribesman. He is a supporting character in The Cock of the South. He’s filling in for Lisa the robot while she’s at Karen’s place.