My pretty new author website is up and running! My blog has moved. Please update your links to http://www.ciarastewart.com and stop by to say hi. You can still read old posts here, whether you want to know 13 reasons Jacob is better than Edward, you’re curious about my take on steampunk romance, or you’re looking for books like the Black Dagger Brotherhood. Old posts have also been exported to the new blog, but many of the photos are no longer working.

I hope you stop by and check out the fabulous site designed by Will Design for Chocolate. This was my Christmas present from Mr. Wonderful. Isn’t he the best?

Go to www.ciarastewart.com

This year the Romance Writers of America National Conference is in Washington DC. The literacy signing is this Wednesday and the conference runs Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Last year I had a lovely time at the conference in San Francisco. This year I will not be attending, as I have a family wedding the same weekend. For those of you who are lucky enough to go–TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES!!! I want to hear all about it.

If you go to the literacy signing, please say hi to Greater Seattle RWA authors–especially Shelli Stevens and Deliliah Marvelle–and fabulous regency authors Joanna Bourne and Meredith Duran (and buy their books!). I will be rooting for Washington State authors at the award ceremony: Yasmine Galenorn, Susan Mallery, Anthea Lawson, Vivi Andrews, Cherry Adair, Julia Quinn, Susan Wiggs, Janice Kay Johnson, Debbie Malcomer and Lisa Kleypas.

Happy Norwegian Constitution Day from Ballard, little capital of Scandinavia. The founder of the day was “a Dane, but an ardent Norwegian in his heart and mind.” This pretty much sums up residents of Ballard, who might be American, but pretty much believe we are citizens of the 6th Scandinavian country. We’ve celebrated Syttende Mai since 1889, when we were only a little territory. Every year we celebrate with a parade down Market Street, lunch with the consulate, traditional music and dancing, pickled herring, lutfisk, glogg, cardamon rolls… really, anything you might desire from Scandinavia can be found here. If you can’t find it in Ballard, you don’t need it. I’m in Portland right now, but if I were home I’d be at the parade.

Find out more here.

There is still time to enter your bracket in the 2nd Annual DA BWAHA, Dear Author Bitchery Writing Award for Hellagood Authors. 64 books published in 2008 are in the running. Pick which ones you think will win out of the 8 categories. Brackets must be completed by 11:00 pm EST on March 18, 2009. Voting will start March 19, 2009.

PRIZES!!! Brackets that most closely resemble the winners after each round get prizes:

• Round 1 winner: $15 GC
• Round 2 winner: A selection of books from the tournament
• Round 3 winner: Berkley book pack of ARCs
• Round 4 winner: $50 GC from Samhain
• Round 5 winner: $100 GC from Fictionwise
• Round 6 winner: A red Sony eReader

The Contestants I love and will have a hard time picking from:

• The Spymasters’ Lady by Joanna Bourne
• Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran
• Your Scandalous Ways by Loretta Chase
• Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione
• Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs
• Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh
• Demon Bound by Meljean Brook
• Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresley Cole
• Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews
• Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
• Blue Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas

How many of the Contestants have you read?

Today’s Penny Arcade comic is another great one.

Larissa Ione’s second Demonica novel, DESIRE UNCHAINED, debuts TODAY. Book one, PLEASURE UNBOUND, was so good, I can’t wait to read book two. I fully expect Shade’s story to be even better. If you like paranormal romance, this series is not to be missed.

Pleasure is their ultimate weapon . . .

Runa Wagner never meant to fall in love with the sexy stranger who seemed to know her every deepest desire. But she couldn’t resist the unbelievable passion that burned between them, a passion that died when she discovered his betrayal and found herself forever changed. Now, determined to make Shade pay for the transformation that haunts her, Runa searches for him, only to be taken prisoner by his darkest enemy.

A Seminus demon with a love-curse that threatens him with eternal torment, Shade hoped he’d seen the last of Runa and her irresistible charm. But when he wakes up in a dank dungeon chained next to an enraged and mysteriously powerful Runa, he realizes that her effect on him is more dangerous than ever. As their captor casts a spell that bonds them as lifemates, Shade and Runa must fight for their lives and their hearts—or succumb to a madman’s evil plans.

Cayenne was born in 1992 in Ballard to my friend Celeste’s cat. I was in fifth grade. It was love at first sight – on my side at least. When I first saw her she was still a blind newborn, an adorable tiny ball of fluff. Her beautiful cream-color fur set her apart from her four orange litter-mates. I was very impatient to take her home with me, and every day I had to wait for her to be weaned felt like an eternity!

Cayenne lived with my parents and her younger sister Mittens until May of last year, when she came to complete our little family after the loss of our beloved Shadow-Bear in April. She enjoyed family cuddles and would sit on my lap while I read. She was quite active, even with arthritis, and no ball of string was safe from her lightening-fast paws. When her daddy and I were out of town she had sleep-over visits with Mittens, with whom she took a nap every morning in the sun on her uncle Oliver’s bed.

Losing two babies within a year has been incredibly painful. I imagine them curled up together on a soft puffy cloud taking catnaps in the sun, just like they did when we were growing up. I miss both of them so much.

Kate Diamond, aspiring author and fellow Greater Seattle RWA member, is blogging and playing tag over at her blog.

The Rules:

Link to the person who tagged you. (Check, double linkage!)
Write down six things that make you happy. (Check see the list below, in mostly no particular order.)
Post these rules. (Check)
Tag six others. (Check! x6)
Notify me that you’ve tagged six others–or not. (comments on all of your blogs, check!)
AND please check out the websites of the folks I TAGGED — see the links below

Six Things That Make Me Happy:

1. Cuddling with my sweetie and my cat
2. Listening to my sweetie laugh in his sleep
3. Hiking in the great outdoors
4. Browsing bookstores and buying book
5. Sharing my love of reading (aka pimping books)
6. Knee-high stripped socks

Here are the folks I’ve TAGGED, in no particular order!

1. Christine at The Happily Ever After
2. Tracy at Tracy’s Place
3. Katiebabs at Babbling About Books
4. Nicola at Alpha Heroes
5. Little Alys at For Peaceful Days and Dreamy Nights
6. Bridget at Good and Bad Books

More Romance Laughs from the Fail Blog!