Smart Bitches Trashy Books | All of the romance, none of the bullshit.

Ever ask yourself, “Self, are there nothing but tramp stamps, butt cleavage, and muffin top on display in the urban fantasy genre?”

Here’s your answer: the SciFi Guy has rounded them all up for a video illustrating the necessary elements to a true urban fantasy cover.

Can I just say, though, that tramp stamp and low-slung jeans aside, I actually like the naked back covers for a lot of the recent releases, including those for historical romances? A woman’s back never gets enough attention but it’s a beautifully sexy thing.

Thanks to Marta for the link.

Sam Hain, a distant cousin to Sam Bucca, is kicking ass and taking names in the free ebook temptation department. This week they’re offering Truth and Consequences by Linda Winfree.

In other ebook news, a new app for the Mac is making many people very happy. Stanza, which TeddyPig calls a Swiss army knife app, can open all those Windows-only file formats on the Mac, plus assists, as I understand it, in making those files available to your Kindle and your iPhone or iPod Touch. WORD.

Meanwhile, I’m reading a book on paper after a few weeks of Kindle usage, and it’s a totally different experience. I’m still trying to figure out why and how. 

And the winner - by a handful of votes (bwahahah) is:

Karen for her entry:

Congratulations, Karen!

2nd Place and 3rd Place go to RebyJ and Karen D, respectively - congratulations ladies! Contact me to claim yer winnings!

The Jewel of Medina has been on sale for good many days, and to my knowledge, bookstores which have the book in stock are merrily chugging along. But over in the UK, Gibson Square has put the oh-fuck-no on the book, delaying publication indefinitely.

Jesus flapjack.

Meanwhile, back at Amazon.com, the book itself is on sale with one of those two-for-one-low price deals in a set that really, truly raises my eyebrows.  Sherry Jones might want to give a mighty “WTF?” over her book being sold alongside this not-so-peacefully-titled tome.

[Thanks to Jane and Pat for the heads up.]

My friendly neighborhood Israeli reader Vera sent me this link, and I cannot. stop. looking. at the pictures.

Behold: the most amazing private library I’ve ever seen. Not that I’ve seen many private libraries.

Someone in the comments mentioned a “nerdgasm.” Oh yeah. That.