A Timeline: Patience by Lisa Valdez

I have been reminded that not EVERYONE hangs on my every ssqqquuueee and some may have no fucking clue what the hell I was talking about with my post the other day.

To which my response was and this is different from any other day/subject/post how?

I am still waiting for an answer.

It did remind me I have been a very bad bad blogger and must say I am deeply sorry for falling down on the job and not updating this nifty lil time line I had going. So for those of you playing the home game…

Update as of 4/30/08

April 30, 2008
No news is the same news

February 19, 2008
Lisa Valdez Speaks…sort of

February 18, 2008
Could Part of Lisa Valdez’s Hold Up Be her Choice of CPs?? aka sybil was being a smartass but really really really… NOTHING I have said in the past week is anything I haven’t said to Lisa Valdez herself or her editor. Ok well I didn’t ask if her CPs were stoopid because honestly don’t think that is the hold up.

Last updated:
September 23, 2007
I have to admit I have always liked Lisa Valdez. She amuses me as a person and entertains me as an author (so far). But I am the first to admit to being out of patience more than once with Patience. So I completely get that some are beyond the wait.

But I find it so amazingly cool that so many people are still looking for information on her, the book and for a new release date. And I feel a touch guilty because I have no new info up for the people stopping by to look for Lisa Valdez info.

About a week or two ago I connected her editor to see if a date had been set yet that I could post.

Sadly the answer is still no, not yet. The good news is Penguin is committed to publishing Patience and the book is currently on target with its deadlines. Yeah I know, not much huh :). I was hoping for a bit more info before I posted but hey something is better than nothing right?

Even though no date was given and it is more than likely we won’t see this until 2008, it is great to hear we are closer and that the project isn’t dead. Or maybe the best part is the editor is still so jazzed about the book. Hopefully there will be more news soon ::crosses fingers::

past posts:
Update April 15, 2007
Lisa Valdez’s Newsletter and Excerpt

Update April 13, 2007
Remember Lisa Valdez?

Patience by Lisa Valdez TBA **Now with Intro & Excerpt**

Updated Nov 12, 2006
cream, sugar or milk…

Update Nov 11, 2006
If you can’t take the heat…

Updated Nov 9, 2006
Just a Little Patience (guest post: Lisa Valdez)

Running out of patience

first posted 2/25/06
Lisa Valdez has a new website! Way cool since her last one was not set up well, uh sez I. There is also her new book cover for Patience and at the same link a new excerpt!

Now I am one to try and not read excerpts… but having read the one at the back of Passion (loved this book) and not liking it. I was way curious to see how this one played.

I have changed my mind, I want this book!

Tags: A Timeline for U, Lisa Valdez, Passion, Patience

Lisa Valdez’s Newsletter and Excerpt

There was a slight mix-up at first with the link from Lisa’s newsletter. So I fixed it by changing the link to the post where the excerpt was. But I noticed some error’s hitting the first link which I had changed. Soooooo I created this one.

My point? Isn’t wordpress nifty? LOL okay and you can find:

Lisa Valdez’s April letter on her site here.

And her excerpt can be found here.

As for a release date, sadly there isn’t one yet. I am keeping my fingers crossed we know soon.

Tags: Lisa Valdez, Paitience, Passion

cream, sugar or milk…

A small part of Jane’s response in If You Can’t Take the Heat, mentioned Passion’s Breastfeeding sex bit:

Further for Ms. V to write that she didn’t expect this type of response also seems a bit ridiculous. Her book was filled with extreme and provocative sex scenes (sex while breastfeeding?). Of course, there was going to be negative responses. I suspect Jaid Black get hate mail constantly for corrupting the morals of the world.

off of that Lisa Valdez asked:

Okay, and will someone please tell me what the big deal is with sex while breastfeeding? Why is that so shocking? Sex made the baby, and it’s not as if the baby knows what’s going on. I think it’s weird that people think it’s weird. Sorry, that’s off topic. Forget I asked.

**now updated with list and links**

Now this is a topic I find mucho amusing, more because of a chat than about the book itself.

The scene in question takes place at the very end of the book. And I will have to go find mine to be sure but I think it is all of a paragraph. But it totally squicks some people out.

Does it squick you? Did you make note of it while reading?

A few months back (I think) while searching for something on AAR I came across something talking about sex while breast feeding (is this one word or two?). It was Laurie’s News and Views #77 from August 1, 1999 (I soooooo love the old Laurie’s News and Views much more than I like the ATBF of today. Is that just me?).

I expected it to be about Passion (no I didn’t note the date at the time *g*). But it wasn’t… there were OTHER books where this happens. The old list that the AARList members put together had these titles:

* Broomstick Cowboy by Kathleen Eagle 11/93
* Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon
* Heaven Above by Sara Jarrod 9/96
* Caroline & the Raider by Linda Lael Miller 3/92
* Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small
* Sunset Embrace by Sandra Brown
* Hawk O’Toole’s Hostage by Sandra Brown
* The Shattered Rose by Jo Beverley
* Silver Flame buy Susan Johnson
* Night in Eden by Candice Proctor
* Between Friends by Candace Spencer
* Tender Trap by Beverly Barton 1/97
* Tangled by Mary Balogh 3/94

I have never read Kathleen Eagle, Diana Gabaldon, Jo Beverley or Candace Spencer. The Sara Jarrod book I have read in its redone form as an EC novel (more on that later). The Sandra Brown book I think is the one I am scared to read. And I haven’t read Hawk O’Toole’s Hostage (although I think I have it). Silver Flame and Night in Eden I have read but breastfeeding sex doesn’t ring a bell at all. Maybe I didn’t even notice? And I have Tangled but don’t think I have read it.

Any others that anyone can think of? Have you read any of these books? Did you find them squicky? Do you even remember there being breastfeeding sex?

Would this make you put the book down and walk away? Would you just skip over the scene? Or would you not even notice it?

Just a Little Patience
If You Can’t Take the Heat

Tags: Lisa Valdez, Passion

If you can’t take the heat…

My take on Passion was a largely favorable one. I liked it. With each reread, I liked it more.

But one thing I noticed she seemed to get too involved with the discussions on message boards. As a reader I like talking about books with the authors. Yes shocking I know *g*. But there gets to be that point where you agree to disagree because you are repeating yourself.

I think this is a common first time author mistake. You want to talk about your baby. You want people to love your baby. You want people to read your baby! But it is murky water. How much is too much. Where is it okay to post? What will increase conversation? What will be a thread killer?

And I think you learn as you go. Yes there are authors… many many authors who will give you advice. Listen to you bitch. Dry your tears. And help you call those reviewers bitches! But much like your mother telling you to do things… you still have to learn on your own.

Which is what *I* think happened with Lisa Valdez and her experience with Message Boards. (please correct me if I am wrong lisa)

Message boards and reviews are what they are, reader opinion. They are not for the weak. Some are great, some are grand, some are wonderful and some will tell you sucks serious ass (or even great big hairy donkey balls).

So in that case… I would have to say I agree with Sandy (a reviewer with AAR) in her post Is she a grown-up or not?

I personally thought that she spent a bit too much time feelin’ and basking in the love here. I guess she also felt the sting.

Well I would agree if that was what I thought Lisa Valdez’s point was in her post. I took it like Meljean did:

she was simply responding to her readers, who were wondering why the book was late, and responding in an honest (and I imagine somewhat embarrassing) manner. How mortifying is it to acknowledge that you let others opinions come between you and your work?

There was no complaint. She said: this was my reaction, and I’ve learned from it — and my book is late, yes, but I’ve moved on.

So putting reviews and message boards aside and focusing on ‘Hate Mail’ I can understand why Lisa had some problems with it. Why would a person feel the need to write an author and tell them how horrid, bad, filthy, wrong, fucked up, name your shit here - their book is?

That seems some what stalkerish. Reviews are for readers. Blogs and message boards are for discussion. And if an author ASKS you… what did you think. Well email the hell out of them.

But what drives someone to email some stranger and tell them they are fucked?

And what makes it okay? Just because as sandy sez:

I’m sorry that you think I’m being harsh. I think I’m just expecting Ms. Valdez to be a professional.

Hate mail is a bitch. But complain to your writer’s loops — Ms. Valdez was hardly blazing a trail here, they’ve all gotten hate mail before. Complain to your editor and your agent. They’re there to support you.

Clearly, Kristie J, her explanation was enough for you. But while I wouldn’t call you a patsy for your position, you seem to have no problem calling my earlier post superior. And, honestly, that’s kind of insulting.

But I’m a big girl. I’ll smile and suck it up and move on. I respect you and have always respected you, Krisitie (SIC) J, but I think we’ll have to agree to disagree here.

It happens to everyone so authors should just get over it? How do authors feel about it? Is it really something that common? How do you deal with it? Will anyone else admit to it *g*.

What makes an email turn from Feedback to Hate Mail? And anyone who has ever sent negative feedback to an author they didn’t know, what made you do it? What caused that reaction?

And hey if nothing else… if a person hates a book enough to feel the need to email, couldn’t you say you still did a good job as a writer?

At the heart of it. Like it or not, there is no right or wrong answer as far as Lisa Valdez’s post goes. It is how she felt. It is what she did to take care of what she saw as a problem. And I for one appreciate an author being honest. No matter if I agree or no.

Maybe that is just me…

And this is always fun:
You ARE what you WRITE

Tags: Lisa Valdez, Passion

Passion part deux

So there is a nifty thread at AAR (really need to update links and put one up so I can stop looking for the link every time I mention it.

thread started by trish in the review board aka off limits to sybil

so here we be

I think Lisa Valdez makes a common first time author mistake in responding to much on the board. Not to say I don’t think an author should post on the review board, I do but I don’t think should post too much to take away from the reader discussion. That prolly makes no sense.

Although I do have to say I like what she said and even if I hadn’t liked Passion I would want to buy the next book because of how well she handed the board.

Funny enough I didn’t make it too far in the thread.

Anyway… check out the book, check out the thread

Tags: Lisa Valdez, Passion

Review: Passion by Lisa Valdez

Lea Hensley’s review of Passion at AAR is pretty on spot with what I thought.

I would rate it more of an A or at least a B+ than I would a B but I still have trouble with the whole grade thang.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the story. For a first time author, trying her hand at a romance with a heavy touch of sex thrown in the mix, Lisa Valdez does really well. I would say she is sort of a mix of emma holly and (older) susan johnson. The heroine’s name is Passion, which I had a eh moment with, but I got over it quickly.

Lea does a great summary so I won’t redo it, just follow the link ;).

I still don’t get the screen thing, they are in a furniture room at the Crystal Palace going at it like bunnies behind a screen. How can people not hear something…

I really enjoyed Mark and Passion’s story and look forward Patience the next story in the trilogy.

A word of warning the love scenes are graphic with cocks and cunts aplenty and it can be slightly purple but not in a bad way. Mark loves Passion and once he knows it, he isn’t afraid to tell her. The sex, the plot and the character development all mix together well and make for a pretty tight story.

Someone had asked, What is Purple. I think LLB says it best here

Tags: Lisa Valdez, Passion, Review, Sybil