Even More Fins Fan Art

This edition comes from Jill at Nymfaux. It's a fun, magical mermaid graphic.

Thanks, Jill, for the very cool image!

Hugs,
TLC

Some Oh. My. Gods. Fan Art

Well, Lily and Quince and the gang have been getting a lot of attention on the fan art front, but the lovely Mary Kate thought Phoebe needed some, too. Not only did she write a fan fiction sequel to Oh. My. Gods., she also created this adorable cover:

She also drew this fabulous depiction of the scene where Nicole is helping Phoebe get dressed for her running date with Griffin. (And by help, we all know that I mean telling Phoebe what to wear.)

I love it! Isn't it perfect? And she just did another one, a framed photo of Phoebe and Griffin, to sit on Phoebe's nightstand or something. Adorable!

Thank you so much for the beautiful fan art, Mary Kate!

Hugs,
TLC

Excuse the Dust

You might have noticed (or maybe not) that comments are coming and going here on the blog. I'm having some errors while trying to synchronize all the old comments into the new system. Don't freak while the kinks work out. All the old comments are around here somewhere...

Hugs,
TLC

Vegas: Red Rock Canyon

After my post about the top ten thing to do in Las Vegas, some of you wanted to see pictures. A few Saturdays ago, I headed out to Red Rock Canyon NCA with my parents and most of their students at Stagecraft Institute. It was an absolutely gorgeous day, with temps hovering around 80 degrees with a crystal clear sky and a lovely breeze.

Here are some of the best pics of the day:

Isn't it breathtaking. It almost makes living in Vegas worth a second thought. (Then I head back into the heat and crazy of the city and I erase that idea.) Anyway, if you're ever in Vegas, you should definitely head out of town to check this one out. They have a fabulous new visitors/interpretive center that is just amazing.

Hugs,

TLC

Lily's Playlist: Alone

I'm loving the song connections that you guys are finding out there for the characters in my books. First Brittany sent me this awesome Parachute song that reminded her of Quince.

Now Splash Team member Molly shared this one from Sanctus Real.



It's about true love and her favorite lyric is Know that I would fight the tides to be together. (Fitting, right? This song came on just as she was almost to the end of the book, so if you've read it you know why it's especially perfect.) Thanks for sharing this, Molly!

Hugs,
TLC

Things Be Spiffied Up

Okay, so I polished up the website and blog this week, making it feel a little more spacious and open and easy to read. There are inevitably some minor glitches in any website update, so if you find a broken link or missing image or something else wrong, please let me know.

Also, I changed over to DISQUS comments that give us lots more flexibility and will let me reply to comments really easily. (Which means I might actually reply to comments now.)

Hope it all looks good.

Hugs,
TLC

Online Things at Which I'm Good (and Bad)

Now that my revision (Fins Are Forever) and first draft (Medusa girls #1) and copyedits (Fins Are Forever) are done, I've got time to catch up with my online stuff. After a couple of years being online with an official, authorial presence, I've come to the conclusion that I am better at keeping up with some things, and worse at others.

Here is a list of available communications and methods and the order in which I general respond to them:

• emails from my editor and/or agent
• emails regarding TV and/or film rights
• Twitter @replies
• Facebook wall posts
• emails from friends and family
• interview and/or guest blog requests
• Twitter DMs
• other emails
• interviews and/or guest blogs
• Facebook messages
• MySpace messages
• snail mail^
• blog comments*

Clearly, unless you're my agent, editor, or someone from Hollywood, the best way to get an immediate response is to @reply me on Twitter or post on my Facebook wall.

Btw, all forms of communication will (eventually) get answered, and by me personally. And none of these are any more or less important to me (except the agent/editor/Hollywood emails, obviously). Those at the bottom of the list just take longer.

Hugs,
TLC

^ only because snail mail is, by it's very nature, slower
* I'm about to update my blog with a better comments system so I'll be able to reply more easily

like the Oh. My. Gods. series
like the Forgive My Fins series

Bad Blogger, Good Linker

Clearly I've been blogger-failing here lately. I have good excuses, too. I'm in Vegas for the summer (that would suck the inspiration out of anyone), celebrated two releases in a row (Forgive My Fins and the Goddess Boot Camp paperback), turned in a book (the first Medusa girls book), and am already working on something new (Secret Project RH).

Also, I've been blogging other places instead! Check out where I've been:

• Good Things Happen in Vegas (Sometimes) at Books, Boys, Buzz...
• The Imagination of Youth at Supernatural Underground
• Splashing Away the Summer at Supernatural Summer (also check out the fun caption contest with a crazy picture of my dog Daisy)
• Mermaid Week Guest Post at Vision Quest Fail

So, see? I have been blogging. Just not here.

Hugs,
TLC

We're Saving the Oceans

Now that the first Medusa girls book is officially turned in, I'm cleaning house on a bunch of tasks that have been taking a back seat for the last month. First on the list was making the donation to Oceana, in honor of Forgive My Fins release week. Thanks to everyone's comments during Fins Fest, we tallied up a total of $174.75 to help protect the world's oceans. Here's the letter I got in response:

Dear Tera,

Thank you for your generous contribution of $174.75 to help protect the world's oceans.

With your help we're beginning to turn the tide on ocean destruction. Thanks to your generous support, we can make progress on our marine conservation campaigns and programs. Campaigns that have already made a difference for our oceans.

We've already protected over 1 million square miles of sea floor and successfully fought to end the illegal use of driftnets in the Mediterranean. You can see a complete list of Oceana's victories at http://na.oceana.org/en/about-us/our-victories.

To learn more about our victories in the making, visit http://na.oceana.org/en/our-work.

Below are the details of your contribution for your records:

Contribution Made By: Tera Childs
Contribution Amount: $174.75
Credit Card: mastercard
Date Received: July 01, 2010
Confirmation Number: VPEF5C4CCC6E

Thanks again!

For the oceans,
Andrew Sharpless 
Chief Executive Officer
Oceana

PS, if you're looking for other ways to support Oceana, please check out the Christie's A Bid to Save the Earth. It's the first carbon neutral auction will have live and online components, featuring world-renowned works of art, exotic travel packages and unique celebrity experiences. Find out more ».

And thank you guys for commenting and rolling up the total. Don't you feel better for doing your part to help the oceans? Check out Oceana's site to find out other things you can do to help.

Hugs,
TLC