WE HAVE A WINNER!

Totaling all the entries (including those lucky folks who won "extra early entries" from the signed bookmark contest), I tossed them all together and picked one out of a hat. Please note: it is a truly fabulous hat with flowers and veils and swooping feathers--photos forthcoming--but, most importantly, it gave me what I needed: a truly fabulous prize-winner!

Therefore, the winner of a signed ARC of Luminous *plus* a bonus ARC of Dreamland Social Club goes to:

Aurora Momcilovich
*cue applause and whistles and big brass band*

Aurora, please email me at Dawn (dot) Metcalf (at) gmail (dot) com to claim your prize!

But you don't think that's all, do you? Oh, no! We have LOTS more going on during our countdown to epic excellence with the release of LUMINOUS just under two months away! In fact, it's almost staggering what I have in store for you including interviews, blog tours, guest posts, and surprise giveaways (like this one, for instance) right up to the Grand Prize Giveaway scheduled to happen *on* launch day, June 30th. Hang on to your own truly fabulous hats, people, because I am fully prepared to set this contest on "stun"...

In other news:

1) Remember how I said that I wasn't going to the International Steampunk Festival in Waltham? I lied. Photos and post on escapades forthcoming, featuring said aforementioned truly fabulous hat and randomness featuring real steam engines, cool music, and maniacal mayhem. Fun was definitely had.

2) Mother's Day! A day of family, food, and homemade cards. I approve.

3) Have you been tuning-in to my website, www.dawnmetcalf.com? If you have, you might have noticed that I've been featuring one-of-a-kind illustrated character sketches from online comic artists that I fangirl like a rabid mongoose...er, I mean "admire and deeply respect for their storytelling and art". Yes, that sounds much better. The first was an *astonishing* interpretation of Consuela as "Bones" made by Paul Taylor, creator of WAPSI SQUARE. I think I made an audible gasp when I saw this. You can see why:

Today's newest character portrayal is up and it's Consuela's best friend, the Watcher, Sissy, drawn by Rebecca Morse, the witty comic idol of genre fangirls everywhere with her DeviantArt strip, GIRLS NEXT DOOR. Rebecca *nailed* my beautiful freak with her quirky style! You want to see and smirk? Click here!

Sometimes, my friends, life is very very good indeed!

So in the midst of planning launch events, signings, library talks, etc. I was supposed to weigh-in on what we should do for Mother's Day weekend. Since today will be my greedy attempt at a designated "skull craft day" (photos sure to be coming soon), I hadn't actually thought a lot about what was happening and figured we'd "do something Sunday." Alas, had I peeked my head out of a hole, I would have seen it sooner:

Me: O_O

The International Steampunk City is a transformed Waltham, Massachusetts into "a city that would make Jules Verne proud" and my mind is agog with all that they've listed here; the idea of a New Orleans style parade alone makes my head spin full of cogs and gears and things that go 'ping'. What I love about the concept, beyond the sort of Renaissance Fair-meets-Brass World that Never Was, is that historic estates are jumping on board and museums like the Charles River Museum of Industry & Innovation are opening their doors to give a sort of history setting of steampunk and restaurants whisper of getting in on the act with specials for all "chrono-adventurers". There will be games and demonstrations, film and dance, interactive theater and showcases, the list of things going on ranges from the academic to the outrageous!

And I'm not going.

My husband is confused. I admit that this is certainly up my alley, but I'm not prepared! Today is already all about LUMINOUS promo prep, tomorrow is about kid's parties and incoming family, and Sunday will be Mother's Day plans and *this* sort of thing requires intense study, not to mention costuming! He asked why I didn't just go and check it out. I laughed at him, saying that I'd never go to a Ren Faire as a mundie, but he didn't get it. (Maybe I should have said "Harry Potter World as a Muggle"?) Anyway, as this is their second year, I can only pray that another event like this is happening next year as I want to plan for it properly. With ALL the trimmings. That said, if anyone is lucky enough to go, come back and link me pictures! I'd love to see them!!!

But for now: paint, skulls, and colored chocolates...

Reminder: tomorrow is the last day you can enter to win a signed ARC of LUMINOUS and a bonus ARC of DREAMLAND SOCIAL CLUB! Deets here.