Wednesday, March 31, 2010

World's Most Expensive Food


There's really not one single item in this category,
but Lilo Magazine has compiled a top ten list.

Now I'm hungry.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Monday, March 29, 2010

Tonight, I'm reading from CASTLE'S KEEP!

Tonight on Other World's of Romance, I'm reading an excerpt from CASTLE'S KEEP, an urban fantasy romance novella published by Red Rose Publishing!

Join me at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance  at 11 pm east/ 10 pm cent/ 8 pm pac.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

World's Biggest House


The world’s biggest house is Windsor Castle, located in England, Berkshire, with a surface of around 484,000 square feet (about 45,000 square meters). Having its structure changed over the centuries, the castle now occupies 13 acres of land, having 1,000 rooms. Along with Buckingham Palace in London and Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, Windsor Castle is one of the principal official residences of the British monarch. The resident is Queen Elizabeth II that made the castle her home beginning with 1952.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

World's Largest Birthday Cake

Can't have ice cream without cake!


When Las Vegas celebrates, they do it big. And back in 2005, when they were celebrating their centenary, they created a birthday cake, a BIG birthday cake. In fact, the worlds largest! 30,000 half-sheet cakes and nearly 40,000 pounds of frosting later, they had the worlds largest birthday cake!

Get the whole story, and view more interesting photos here.

Friday, March 26, 2010

World's Largest Scoop of Ice Cream

Here's one you can sink your teeth into.


Children throw jelly beans on the world's biggest scoop of ice cream on July 1, 1999, outside Universal Studios in Universal City, California. The Guiness Book of World Records setting ice cream scoop consisted of 28,000 scoops of strawberry ice cream that weighed 7,800 pounds.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

World's Most Expensive Hotel


Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai
The Only 7 Star Hotel in the World
Cheapest room - $1000 per night
Royal suite - $28,000 per night

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

World's Largest Excavator


Build by KRUPP of Germany
weighs 45, 5000 tons
95 meters high (311.7 ft.)
215 meters long (705.2 ft.)

Monday, March 22, 2010

Diana DeRicci will be reading TONIGHT on Blog Talk Radio!

Tonight, Diana Castilleja, aka Diana DeRicci, will read an excerpt from her smokin' hot best seller ALPHA AWAKENING on Blog Talk Radio's Other Worlds of Romance! So tune in and keep some ice handy. You'll need it!


11 pm e/10 pm c/8 pm p

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance





Linda

Sunday, March 21, 2010

World's Largest Stadium


Maracana Stadium
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Capacity = 199,000 fans

Saturday, March 20, 2010

It's a Book Signing! Come by and say, "Hi!"


I'll be signing copies of my newest release at The Book Basket, 913 Main, in Bastrop, TX, from 11:00 - 4:00! The BB is next to Baxter's on the Oyster Bar side of Main Street. (Towards Wells Fargo, but not past it.)

Come by and say, "Hi!"!

Friday, March 19, 2010

World's Tallest Building


Burj Dubai
Completed in January, 2009
818 meters (2,684 ft.)

Click image to get a grander picture.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

World's Largest Palace


Palace of the Parliament
Bucharest, Romania
More than 500 bedrooms, 55 kitchens,
and 120 sitting rooms.
(Click photo for bigger version.)

Why? Oh, Duh! Senior Moment!

It was just brought to my attention that I haven't explained WHY I'm featuring the "biggest", "largest", etc. on my blog this month.  Duh me!  Sorry for the senior moment, everyone.

They say everything's "bigger and better" in Texas.  The Guinness World Records says differently, and this month I'm giving out some examples of how and why NOT.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Happy St. Patrick's Day!


Me granmither was a Maloney.  I married a Mooney.  Can't get much more Irish than that in south Texas!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

The Self-Publishing Argument

At my writer's group on Saturday, we had a new member.  A young gentleman who was not yet published, but looking into it.  He had decided, after extensive study, to go the self-publishing route because he had developed a very low opinion of ALL publishers, e-pubs included.  To him, why pay a publisher to put out your book when you could do it yourself and keep all the money?

I know I personally am keeping a watchful eye on what happens with the "traditional" pubs, especially the Big Six, in this day and time.  With all the hoopla going on regarding industry standards and changes.  And I will also admit that my first two books were with Publish America - a decision I don't honestly regret except for the length of contract.  (Hey, my mindset was that I was a crappy writer after being told this countless times.  And PA didn't charge me to pub, so...)

Anyway, back to the argument at hand: 

He was touting iUniverse, and explaining that for $600 he could get (insert list of options I really didn't pay attention to.)  His take on traditional was so condescending, I stepped in and told him how I was with two e-pubs, who also provided POD, and it didn't cost me a penny to become published.  In fact, they pay me.

He proceeded to ask what my royalty percentages were.  I honestly told him around 35%.  To which he replied, "In that case, you ARE 'paying them' to be published."

My reply was that my publishers not only provide my book in many different formats, but they also place my books in other third party venues such as Amazon, B&N, etc.  He said he could do the same thing with his books, but it would cost him $.

"It doesn't cost me to be placed in Amazon, etc.," I told him.

"Yes, it does," he said.  "You pay your publisher 65% of your royalties to do it.  Same thing."

"But a publisher already has a built-in readership," I explained.  "It drives people to their website, which allows me the chance to hook a reader into buying my book.  Not to mention I get a great cover and edits."

"I can also make a cover and have someone check for grammar," he continued.

In short, I felt like I was in the middle of a no-win situation.  No matter how hard I tried to justify being a publisher, he had at least two more reasons why self-pubbing was better.  I've mulled over it for two days now, and that's why I'm mentioning it here.

We meet again next month, and I'm wondering if this will come up again.  If so, what can I say to him further?  I know of at least three authors who have left their pubs and gone independent, creating their own 'publishing houses' and putting their books out on ARe/OmniLit and Fictionwise.

Pros? Cons?  Ideas?

Monday, March 15, 2010

I'm Highlighted Today in the Houston Examiner!


http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-3098-Houston-Romance-Novels-Examiner~y2010m3d15-Linda-Mooney-Continues-Her-Runners-Moon-Series

New! RUNNER'S MOON: CHALLA

RUNNER'S MOON: CHALLA
(Book 4 of the "Runner's Moon" series)
Erotic Sci-fi Romance
Whiskey Creek Press Torrid
(ebook) ISBN# 978-1-60313-683-9
(print) ISBN# 978-
Word Count: 82.2K

She was one of thirty-one aliens who escaped the slave ship where she had been kept captive all of her life. Now she could live a quiet, peaceful existence on Earth, free from pain and misery. Or so she had hoped until that fateful night when she was caught in her true form. From that moment, Challa the Alien Girl became one of Lawson Hall’s best draws to his traveling sideshow carnival.

Compton Scott didn’t believe in aliens. He had enough on his plate without having to worry about being dragged out to some two-bit circus. Still, he got a kick out of the little freak show featuring the woman dressed in a green costume. But once he got home, she began to haunt his every waking minute.

It wasn’t long before Compton discovered the truth about the alien woman and his growing feelings for her. Unfortunately, Lawson Hall wasn’t about to give up his bread and butter without a fight.

Neither were the Arra.

Warning! Contains fake entrails, x-ray guns, family reunions, misconceptions, lessons in seduction, an unusual holster, drunk frat boys, an ugly duckling turned hero, and all-out war of the worlds.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Listen In And You Could Win!

Tomorrow I'm celebrating my new release,
RUNNER'S MOON: CHALLA
An erotic sci-fi fantasy romance novel
(Book 4 of the "Runner's Moon" series)
from Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

Monday night on Blog Talk Radio, I'll be reading an excerpt from this new release and giving away a copy to one lucky listener!

So join me Monday night, the 15th,
at Other Worlds of Romance.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

World's Biggest Bus


Neoplan Jumbo Cruiser
2-in-1 double deck bus
170 passenger capacity

Friday, March 12, 2010

Thursday, March 11, 2010

New Contract! POSSESSION

Newly Contracted!


POSSESSION
An erotic paranormal, horror, suspense novel
Coming in 2011
From Whiskey Creek Press Torrid

If you were murdered by a stranger, wouldn’t you want the chance to be able to come back and find out who killed you? And why?

J was born blind, but she could "see" things. Her gift has always helped the police find such things as missing persons, serial killers... a ghost or two.

Detective Kiel Stark has worked homicide for eight years, but he has never met this mysterious Seer his fellow officers claim could almost perform miracles. Not until a gruesome triple homicide has his superiors calling in the reserved woman to help with the case.

Now Stark is faced with a double threat. Not only is he finding himself dangerously attracted to the mysterious beauty, but she could very well discover his own carefully guarded secret—a secret that could bring an end to his career, his way of life, and any future he had hoped to have.

Warning!  Contains disturbing images, the living dead, revenge gone wrong, and two people facing an impossible love without any chance for a future.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Monday, March 8, 2010

SANDEFLAY is Featured Tonight on Blog Talk Radio

Join me tonight at OTHER WORLDS OF ROMANCE on Blog Talk Radio when I read a juicy excerpt from my urban fantasy erotic romance novel Sandeflay.

11 pm est, 10 pm cst, 8 pm pst http://www.blogtalkradio.com/other_worlds_of_romance

Sunday, March 7, 2010

World's Widest Bridge


Sydney Harbor Bridge
Australia
16 lanes of car traffic,
8 in the upper, 8 in the lower

(click picture for a larger version)

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Friday, March 5, 2010

World's Largest Shopping Mall


South China Mall
Dongguan, China
892,000 sq. meters
Shops on 6 floors

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

2009 Best Selling Torrid Title and Author of the Year!

Linda,

Congratulations! Your book MY STRENGTH, MY POWER, MY LOVE has just been named the 2009 Bestselling Torrid Title Of The Year! Furthermore, in recognition of all your success, we have also named you the Whiskey Creek Press Torrid Author Of The Year!

You join some outstanding previous Bestselling Torrid Titles Of The Year, including THE MISSION by Michelle Marquis (2008), A SLAVE’S WAY OUT by C A Salo (2007), WHAT HE WANTS by C’ann Inman (2006), and THE HIRED HAND by Melissa Schroeder (2005).

We will be announcing these two awards for you on the WCPT Home Page March 1, 2010, our 7th anniversary. In promotion and recognition of your success, we will also be featuring all eleven of your current WCPT titles on sale at 25% off during March, a promotion we believe should bring you even more readers.

Congratulations, Linda, on all your success, and here is to more in the future, from all of us at Whiskey Creek Press!

Debra Womack, Publisher
Jan Janssen, Torrid Executive Editor
Steven Womack, Owner/Publisher
Whiskey Creek Press
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/
http://www.whiskeycreekpresstorrid.com/

Monday, March 1, 2010

I'm Now on Blog Talk Radio! Please Join Me! Call in and Chat, or Just Listen!


Welcome to Other Worlds of Romance with Linda Mooney on Blog Talk Radio. This half-hour show will be broadcast live every Monday evening, starting at 11 pm eastern time, which is 10 pm central and 8 pm pacific.  My program tonight will be a reading from MY STRENGTH, MY POWER, MY LOVE, Whiskey Creek Press Torrid's 2009 Best Selling Title of the Year.

During this half hour I will be reading excerpts from my best selling sci-fi and fantasy romance novels. Readers are welcome to call in and chat about the book, or about any of my books. And from time to time I'll also have guest authors on to read from one of their books. Please note that this program might contain adult content and vocabulary, and may also include spoilers.

In addition, on Mondays prior to a new release, I'll read from the new book AND give away a copy to one lucky caller!

So please subscribe either via RSS or iTunes, and mark your calendar so you don't miss a single episode! My call-in number is (646) 727-2932.

See you Monday night!