Today may or may not be the Day.

I expected to post the name of the winner of the free copy of The Wildcat’s Victory on this blog today, but we appear to be running a bit late. The guest blog on You Don’t Know Jack showed up today, and I find it’s almost impossible to get the site to accept a comment. I don’t know how long it took before the comment box appeared at the bottom of the entry – I went away and did something else. When I checked in just now I see the box is there but writing and submitting a comment results in an error message – Error establishing a Database Connection.

I have a feeling the late posting of the blog stems from the same software issues. I don’t believe the blog owner planned to post the guest blog late.

What else can I tell you about? My winner’s goodies from EPIC arrived in the mail, for participation in the Anthology Twisted Tales II in company with 16 other Double Dragon authors. Maybe it arrived today, but I hadn’t checked the box since the middle of last week until going by on my way to run the dogs this morning. When I received the package I was mystified at receiving something from a lady in Nevada whose name I was unfamiliar with. But the contents were very welcome.

Firstly it seems to clear up the confusion whether Twisted Tales II volume one or volume two had been declared winner. It would appear that both being listed as finalists, we were in a tie. I find that a pleasing way to resolve the question. In addition to the booklet entitled the 9th Annual EPPIE Awards I received two lapel buttons reading EPPIE Winner (wow, I can pin one to my jacket and one to my skin for when I’m in bed or in the bath. More likely it means I can secrete one in a safe place to retrieve whenever I misplace the first one – or vice versa.). Next is a certificate to be framed and hung on a wall congratulating me on being a finalist and a bronze medal reading EPIC 2008, Twisted Tales II Out of Time Volume 2, Christopher Hoare, on a green ribbon. Unfortunately the loop tab on the medal has broken off in transit (probably some hurried luggage handlers threw the mailbags off the plane before it landed) so I won’t be able to parade about wearing it. Just as well, I might be mistaken for a member of the Green Party and run out of town by the local Pollute and Poison Committee. (This is Alberta.)

So watch this space – I may have another blog to post later today when we have a winner for the novel – or else watch anyway until I do post one. There will also be two more book reviews to point you to in a week or so – those dead tree copies arriving late messed up the schedule here. The last review will be even later because I just mailed the reviewer a copy of Deadly Enterprise so she can review both novels in sequence.

Tags: adventure, alternate history, Book Tour, Christopher Hoare, Facebook phishing, Iskander, Science Fiction, The Wildcat's Victory