This and that

Happy Valentine’s Day, my friends!

Just a few updates — I will be giving away an ARC of The Revenant at the end of this month. The hardcover doesn’t come out until June 14, so this is your chance to read it early, and in convenient paperback form! Oh, and I’ll throw in lots of swag — and maybe even another book or two — to sweeten the pot. So please stay tuned.

Speaking of The Revenant, I got my first 1-star rating at Goodreads the other day. Yes, Goodreads is the devil and I should stop going there — I will stop eventually — but this seemed like a rite of passage I needed to face. It was a 1-star rating with no review, so I looked the reader up to get some "context." No personal info, no Goodreads friends, but lots of books listed. In particular, lots of Stephen King. I thought "well obviously my book is going to seem disappointing to a Stephen King fan" and brushed it off, feeling very proud of myself for being so mature and unruffled.

It didn’t end there, of course. I was noodling around on Goodreads again and decided to look at more of this reviewer’s reads. After the long list of positively rated Stephen King titles came a slew of 1-star rated books, including several Philip Pullman books, The Diary of Anne Frank, and more books that I really love. At that point I felt a little smug — I was in good company!

The next day, the rating for The Revenant disappeared altogether. (???) Not sure what happened there. I was a little sad.

Lesson learned — stop effing around with Goodreads. Eventually I will get legit 1-star ratings with scathing reviews attached. Best to just stay away, right?

Okay, what else . . .

Today I am fighting off The Sick as I get myself sorted and packed for a big trip with my stepmother. She and I are going to Paris together! We’ve had this dream for years, and darling Steve made it possible by getting us tickets with frequent flyer miles. We’re staying a full week in an apartment near the Eiffel Tower. I’m sure we will be very silly and get lost at least three times a day, but it’ll be lovely to have a girl’s week in Paris. I’ve only been once, and it was a whirlwind trip, so please let me know if you have any "must-see" things/places to recommend.

À Bientôt, mes amis!

[Cross-posted from Livejournal]