Next stop on the Smart Bitches World Tour: Japan.
Especially if these guys are playing.
[Thanks to Barb Ferrer for the link.]
Contest winner Midknyt sent me the most marvelous links to her pictures and blog entry. I’m not even sure how to adequately communicate the level of jaw-dropping awesome that is her visual travel diary, but holy peencakes, Batman.
There is a park in South Korea that is chock-full of penises. Everywhere you look: peen!
Haesindang Park in Korea, which, as Midknyt notes is a rather conservative culture, is a celebration and tribute to the erect phallus. Legend tells of a man who lost his fiance to the ocean, and her spirit ruined the fishing industry, so the village erected giant honking huge wooden dongs all over the place to appease her bitter, angry, presumably virginal self. The fishing improved, and to this day, sayeth Midknyt, the townspeople offer phalluses on the first full moon of the lunar year.
The pictures are worth their weight in peen. If I could mount an international book tour, I’d be so stopping in South Korea just for the peen park. And the beach is beautiful, too. Not to mention the Sex Education Theme Park, Love Land on Jeju Island.
This guy loves titties and he wants to tell you allllll about it.
Jessa Slade forwarded me the following covers from the personal romance collection of the late RubyLee Schneider. Jessa writes:
She was the 81-year-old treasurer of the Rose City Romance Writers RWA chapter. She died this year and her library—these books among them—was distributed to the chapter members. While she might not have entirely approved of some of the language at SB, she did have a great sense of humor and would’ve cheered the spirit of community there. We miss her very much.
Any woman who donates her collection of romance to her RWA chapter is a winner in my world. I asked Jessa for more information about Ms. Schneider, and she told me:
RubyLee wrote historicals and inspirational romances and was an Eppie finalist in 2005. She was a charter member of Rose City Romance Writers and was treasurer at the time she got sick. Near the end, when our chapter president went to see her to pass on the group’s finances, RubyLee told her, rather dryly, “Don’t worry. I’m not taking it with
me.” Even after she had decided not to continue cancer treatments, she was still editing a manuscript. So any time anybody says they’re too old or too tired or too whatever to write, they just need to pull a RubyLee.Imagine if you will the classic Regency chaperone who raps the forward hero with her fan and yet winks and looks away when the heroine needs to sneak off for her first kiss.... That was RubyLee.
Women like that are few and far between. Our condolences to her family: may her memory be a blessing. And so, to celebrate the life of RubyLee Schneider and her contributions to romance writing, bring on the cover snark on a few novels from Ms. Schneider’s collection that are simply howl-worthy. Thanks to Jessa for the scans, and the info.
It’s time for advice, romance novel stye, with your host: me.
Dear Smart Bitch Sarah:
I saw last week you answered a question from a guy, so I thought maybe you could help me out. One of my best pals is a guy I’ve known since grade school. He’s dating this girl now, and he’s a completely different person. He used to be funny and goof off with us when we went out together, and now he’s all quiet and constantly answering his cell phone when she calls to check up on him. He never talks anymore, or makes jokes or relaxes anymore. We don’t go out that much, maybe once or twice a month, but when we do, the rest of us are fed up with him by the end of the evening because he’s no fun anymore.
How do I get my friend back?
Missing my Buddy but Not in a Gay Way
A website that reviews romance novels from a couple of smart bitches who will always give it to you straight. No bullshit. No gushing--unless the author really deserves it.
I’m rather enjoying the fangirl fantasy generator. Of course, I submitted it, so…
Here’s some of the better ones that have come up in the past five minutes or so…
The intelligent yet angsty ghost. His braided…
From Links!
The punctuation in the hymen ad really, really bothered me. Probably more than it should have.
From Links!
I could REALLY have done without the “after” picture of the artificial hymen.
I like the idea that you get a discount if you buy them in bulk. There has to be a romance novel in that idea……
From Links!
Put me on record as hating plagiarists beyond all reason. My first reaction was “does he even have a son?”
But, you know, over the holidays when I was dashing through the snow in a sleigh - only…
The fake hymen was invented in Japan.
Huh.
That sounds about right.
From Links!
