"WORDS ARE, IN MY NOT-SO-HUMBLE OPINION, OUR MOST INEXHAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF MAGIC. CAPABLE OF BOTH INFLICTING INJURY, AND REMEDYING IT." ~ALBUS DUMBLEDORE

Friday, January 22, 2010

Laptops and Covers and Cookies, Oh My!

Sorry I've been MIA lately. It's hard to blog/comment/e-mail/twitter/facebook/etc without a computer. As you know, Geek Squad sucks and sent my laptop back without fixing it once already. And guess what happened? They. Did. It. Again. So, according to them it's another 10 to 15 days until it comes back again.

I'm pissed. Very politely and professionally (which was ridiculously hard to do) I've placed complaints to every Best Buy place that I can... Phone calls, online forums, store visits... The most I've gotten? Besides blank stares and silence, an offer for a $50 Best Buy gift card when I told them I'd never give business to Best Buy again. $50? Are you kidding me?

Yesterday after work, Nelson went in to the store and allowed his West Virginia side to show. And now they might be giving me a new laptop! (Which is definitely not standard Best Buy procedure.) God, do I love my husband. We'll find out this evening. And if they don't give us either a full refund or a new laptop, I'm getting a MacBook. So either way, this should be a very good weekend for me!

In cool news: Miss Alexandra Shostak has proven, yet again, what a freaking AWESOME crit partner she is!! As a present, out of the blue, she designed a sample cover* for Shattered!! Which is pretty much the most amazing thing since sliced bread, if you ask me.


See? How much does Alexandra ROCK?

And, finally I had to tell you about this! Cristin Terrill is setting up an Etsy store called Sneaky Sweet.  She's selling hand-decorated sugar cookies, as well as a fair amount of vegan and gluten-free goods.

And she's sending out free samples! If you want free cookies or candy or brownies, you just have to comment on her post. She'll use a number generator to pick ten people at random and all you have to do is: if you like what she sends you, say so on your blog/Twitter/Facebook/whatever.


Uh, can we say "YUM"? Click here to enter!


♥ me

*The sample cover contains art found on the web, no copyright infringement intended. If you happen to own an image used and want me to credit you or take the photos down, I am always happy to do so

23 comments:

  1. Wow that sucks, about the laptop. I used to be a computer tech, so if you have any questions about an "odd" thing your computer is doing (or not doing) feel free to ask me. I may not know, but it might be something I can tell you how to fix. It was my former calling.

    ANYWAY, that book cover is pretty awesome. From what I understand, most publishing houses design the cover for you and you can put in some input, but all in all, it is under their control. I'm not sure if that is 100% how it goes, but it kinda bummed me out because I have a painter (Carlos Duran) who's agreed to do my cover if I want.

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  2. You know I've got your back. Just send me some addresses and I'll start in with my mad kung-fu skills. What? You don't believe me? Was it my little laugh? Sometimes that's a dead give-away.

    Seriously, so sorry for all you're dealing with. Sorry little turkeys, stinky yucky buggers. I'm glad to hear there is at least a solution in the near future. I hope its sooner rather than later.

    Alexandra is AWESOME. Love her. So talented. What a beautiful cover.

    And, um, free cookies? Yeahhhhhh...I'm so in. Heading over there next. Thanks for the info.

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  3. I'm so glad you're going to get a new computer! Wouldn't it be nice if it was a MacBook?

    The cover is gorgeous. She sounds like a great crit partner:)

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  4. Being an effective complainer is a great thing. My grandmother was fantastic at it. We once flew free for an entire year because of a complaint she made with an airline. Here's hoping your husband will be just as effective, because that's CRAZY what they did with your laptop.

    I like your cover! I wrote and self-published my first novel as a Christmas present for my mom because she always wanted me to be a writer, and making the cover was almost the most fun part.

    Thanks for the link! I've been baking all day. I'm sweaty and having Icing Issues, but that totally cheered me up, you're such a sweetheart.

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  5. Go hubby! I hope he pulls it off - you DESERVE a new laptop after everything they've put you through! :-)

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  6. Dude, I hope they give you a new laptop. Or, if they give you a refund (which would be better) then you can use it to buy your mac.

    Lol I'm so flattered you liked my cover enough to put it on your blog. Whenever I get sad about publishing I make fake covers for myself. You would not believe the number of files I have saved on my computer.

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  7. Ooh, I love that cover!

    I'm so sorry about your laptop. That sucks. Best Buy is quickly beginning Worst Buy, right? Haha ha...*sigh* But have you thought about maybe potentially getting a Mac? I switched last year and I think it's the best decision I made computer-wise.

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  8. First of all, Yum! Those sweets look YUMMY!

    Secondly, that book cover rocks!

    And thirdly, you have to get a Macbook! I got mine last weekend and now I'm in Apple heaven! I love it so! : )

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  9. Ahem, that was "Best Buy is quickly beginning to seem like Worst Buy". As if that joke wasn't lame enough to begin with. ;)

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  10. Dear god, what a palaver! I hope the buggers refund your money so you can get a mac.

    Gorgeous book cover! You have some lovely friends :)

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  11. Laptop wars suck!! Can't believe your hubby - awesome :)

    LOVE the cover. Really LOVE the cover! I'd buy it based soley on that - even if I didn't know the writing inside would be stellar!

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  12. I cannot believe they did it again. That's awful. I really hope you get a new laptop!

    That cover is amazing, absolutely wonderful. You are so lucky!

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  13. Oh wow, that really sucks about the laptop! I hope you get a new one!

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  14. oh man, that cover is awesome! she should be in the cover art division of a publishing company.

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  15. I'm sorry about your laptop. That's just wrong. They definitely owe you.

    What aspect of his being West Virginian persuaded them to cough up a laptop? I think you'll have to tell us how he did that.

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  16. Maybe you can get a MacBook and a new laptop. That would rock.

    And, awesome cover. Love the wind-blown hair.

    By the way, if you've ever surfed around on Etsy, you might get a kick out of Regretsy (dedicated to exposing and mercilessly mocking Etsyfails). It's hysterical. :)

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  17. I hope you get that new laptop!!! I'd be furious. like beyond. and that's an awesome cover!

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  18. I can't believe they returned your laptop AGAIN after last time! I hope you do get a new one... But yay for the cover and cookies!

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  19. I'm so sorry about your laptop! That is beyond frustrating. I would be angry too. Those cookies are gorgeous though. They put me in the mood to make some Valentine's cookies. Yum. And the cover--wow, just wow. I wish I had cover designing skills.

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  20. OMG! Seriously? We have never really liked Best Buy but after following how terrible they have been to you.. nope won't buy from them. Trust me this isn't just pity talk. ;o) I am with Carol you need some more muscle? Call the Princess! They just might scatter when I enter with my trusty scepter to smack them around!

    As for the cover~~~OMG! again! that is just gorgeous... I am so curious about your book.... need a gamma reader? lol

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  21. Yuck! about the laptop. I went through slow-computer-death syndrome with my ancient desktop this fall, and have a new laptop now--I would go nuts if it died on me too! Hope Best Buy does the right thing by you.

    Love the cover :) It makes everything seem so much more *real*, doesn't it?

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  22. Hiya, sweetie...hoping the laptop issue has been resolved!

    I left a little award for you at my blog ;)

    http://carol-in-print.blogspot.com/2010/01/in-mood.html

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  23. Wow! That really sucks about your computer! Your cover is awesome! I'm really intrigued to read your book now!

    I gave you a blog award today, come check it out here!

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Yay! I love when you have things to add :)