The Squad-Up Contest

For Comic Con this year, the fine folks at DC Comics are doing a Squad-Up Contest in promotion of their movie Suicide Squad. Basically, it's a cosplay contest for each member of the Suicide Squad and our own, Elizabeth Valentino has entered as Harley Quinn! She's put a ton of work in on the costume, getting each tiny detail perfect.

So we need your help. Until July 4th (Monday) we need you to vote as much as possible. (You can vote once an hour!) for Elizabeth. There is no sign up at all, just click the link each hour (or as much as you can) and click vote and she will have a chance to not only go to Comic Con in San Diego but will be a VIP guest of the Suicide Squad! Awesome right?!

She's kicking butt right now, in the top ten. So we need as many votes as we can get over the holiday weekend. Thank so many of you for doing this already, and thank you in advance for any votes you can muster over the next few days.

Just click this link and vote. Easy as pie.
http://bit.ly/28YMhnt

Our Dragon Con Schedule

Liz and I are so stoked to be returning to Dragon Con in Atlanta GA this year! We will be on a bunch of panels so I thought it would be appropriate to put our schedule here, (For our reference as well) During the weekend, we'll be a part of no less than seven hours of programming, so please stop by and say hi. (Also, apologies for not listing all the panelists on every panel. I'm a spaz and can't find the complete lists)

For anyone coming to Dragon Con this year, we're super excited to see all of our old friends again! Liz will be doing some fabulous cosplay as well, so we will be out and about but if we somehow don't run into you, here is where we will be panel-wise.

Growing Up Steampunk (Nick)
Marriott A708
Friday Sept. 4
4PM
Volunteers from the Alternate History Track share information about Steampunk Culture targeted at kids and families. Panelists: Ciara Knight, Nick Valentino

Steampunk After Dark Live (Live Podcast) (Liz)
Westin Augusta 3
Friday Sept 4
10PM
Imagine yourself in a gin-soaked haze, lounging about on a velvet settee... Steampunk After Dark presents the music for that moment with a live podcast by That Darling DJ Duo! Featuring not only the music of the era but also live commentary, adult themes and steamy good company. Moderator: That Darling DJ Duo Panelists: Crystal Bright, Elizabeth Valentino, Frenchy & the Punk, Kathryn Hinds

The Steamy Steampunk Reading Hour (Liz)
Westin Augusta 3
11:30 PM
This panel will feature both authors and collectors who have come together to make you sweat! With titillation, tease and with some mild trepidation they will read excerpts from both their own works as well as those that have inspired them. Moderator: Odetta von Kasek Panelists: Delilah S. Dawson, Elizabeth Valentino, Nico Murray, Sarah Hunter

The Demimonde and Dark Victoriana of Penny Dreadful (Nick and Liz)
Westin Augusta 1-2
8:30 PM
Sat Sept 5
The demimonde are the fringes of society. The penny dreadfuls were slang for cheap fiction. Learn how they relate to Showtime's hit show in this joint author panel from the Horror and Alternate History Tracks.
Nick Valentino and Elizabeth Valentino

Decadence and Deviance in History (Liz)
Sat Sept 5
10PM
As an exploration of the origins of the modern hedonist's lifestyle, our experts will delve into the humble origins of pornography, sexual deviance and sex workers. From behind closed doors and into the public dungeon we will delve into the decadence and the darker deviant aspects of sexuality.
Elizabeth Valentino

Vintage Advice and Accessories for the Modern Gentleman (Nick)
Westin Augusta 3
Sun Sept 6
5:30 PM
The philosophy of a gentleman entails rules of bearing, style and etiquette. This holistic panel is sure to be educational for all genders. With this truly magnificent assemblage of gentleman, you are sure to gain new knowledge in the art of gentlemanliness.
Nick Valentino

Passing The Steampunk Torch (Nick)
Westin Augusta 3
Mon Sept 7
11:30 AM
Steampunk is out there in our books, comics, movies, and so much more. How do we pass on this knowledge to the new generation of fans? This discussion panel of authors and fans talk about how to introduce children and young adults to the wide and complex world of steampunk.
Moderator: Liz Carpenter Panelists: Christina Guardino, Lonnie Hawkins, Lisa Mantchev, Nick Valentino

Amazing Weekend at The Brass Screw Confederacy

What an incredible idea. Take the entire Victorian town of Port Townsend, Washington and turn it into a Steampunk haven. The place is so awesome. Almost everything in the downtown area is of Victorian nature. The buildings are old and authentic, the art is awesome, (they have a huge cog statue in the middle of a park.) and the people are wonderfully eclectic. They have several steampunk stores, even the thrift stores advertise their steampunk goods. But none of it is Victorian stuffy at all. There is plenty of punk in their steampunk. They have a volunteer run Food Not Bombs coffee house called The Boiler Room, tons of book stores, unique antique shops, and awesome places to eat and drink.

The Brass Screw Confederacy is not exactly a con but more of a complete invasion of steampunk goodness in many of the buildings. The museum, the VFW, the rental halls, everything had something going on of the genre. They even had tin plate photographers and roving musicians dressed in appropriate garb on the streets. Port Townsend is to Steampunk what Port Royal was to pirates. Complete immersion with something awesome happening around every corner.

The crowds were awesome and we had a great time vending. Even the restaurants were fun. We had dinner at the already steampunk flavored, Cellar Door which is in the basement of a huge Victorian building and another at Sirens, an upstairs gastro-pub overlooking the ocean.

We stayed at two different places. The Manresa Castle, an old haunted place where priests once roamed the halls (we got one of the three haunted rooms) and The Belmont, a five room hotel smack in the middle of the action with bare brick wall and twenty foot ceilings.

In addition to vending, they had several things going on in the evening with bands, bars, after parties, and on Saturday night we attended the Hootenany, which took place in a real World War 2 barracks building. They had burlesque, bands, more bars and even an absinthe room. We partook in all of them and it was glorious. Jody Ellen performed as well as the Nathaniel Johnstone band and my favorite steampunk band, Marquis of Vaudeville from Texas.

Sunday we took the morning to properly explore the shops. The World's End is a steampunk/pirate shop that was too cool. Highly recommend you check that out if you get the chance to visit. We had the honor of vending across from Otherworlds, which is a steampunk/fantasy horror brick and mortar store in Edmunds Washington who now carry all the current single issues of our Dreadfuls!

Liz and I can't say how excited we are to get back their next year. It was such a great experience!

Our table in the vending room

The passionate Marquis of Vaudeville

The haunted Manresa Castle. It's said that a woman jumped out of the top floor window above the door. 

Lizzie with our table assignment

This is what happens when you sit at a table all day. 

In the absinthe room at the Hootenany.

Just one of the awesome buildings. 

Quick shot inside the steampunk store, The World's End. 

The Brass Screw Confederacy

Photo by: Nyk Fury

This weekend Liz and I will be at The Brass Screw Confederacy in Port Townsend, WA. This is a really neat "Con" that is more of a gathering/transformation of the entire city into a steampunk/Victorian/Alternate History haven for the weekend. There will be bands, vendors, burlesque, meet ups, peep shows, and after parties galore. Yes, I totally said peep shows. We will be there selling Dreadfuls, Steampunk novels, patches, posters and more as featured vendors and we are really excited. Check them out here. http://brass-screw.org/

To add to the awesomeness, we will be staying at the uber- beautiful and haunted Manresa Castle. So we hope to see all our local friends. The event starts on Friday afternoon and goes until Sunday.

IFCON Victoria BC

So Lizzie and I are guests at IFCON in Victoria BC this year and I can't tell you how stoked we are! It's going to be a fabulous con, and a super big one! I love Victoria and I can't wait to go back.

Yesterday, we received the IFCON Magazine and we were on the cover with a full spread and a dual interview. The man putting this on is Bill Code, a friend I originally met at the Victoria Steam Expo in 2010. It's so awesome to meet people achieving long term goals and that are constantly in "the scene". Bill is one of those people, always with something amazing and exciting on his plate.

Not only will Lizzie and I have a booth at IFCON, (we're right next to the Tardis) but we'll also be doing panels and special things all weekend. If you are in or around the Victoria BC area, we'd love to see new and old friends. Come say hi. We will have lots of issues of the Scary and Naughty Dreadfuls, Posters, Buttons, as well as copies of Thomas Riley, Thomas Riley and The Maelstrom and maybe... just maybe some ultra new awesome surprises!

For more info, check out the official IFCON website

Here's some shots of the magazine.

The Cover

Our interview

Cyber Monday Dreadfuls Sale

In honor of Black Friday/Small Business Saturday/Cyber Monday Lizzie and I are getting in on the madness with a 10% discount on your entire order starting today! We figure The Dreadfuls fit in all those categories, so get your single copies OR your yearly subscription with the additional discount now at: www.thedreadfuls.com

Just use the coupon code: holiday2014
at checkout to get your additional discount!

Who doesn't like getting good mail in the ole mailbox? Honestly, it's rare, so we can bring you something fun to brighten your day once a quarter. :)

If you like scary steampunk stories, naughty steampunk stories or fantasy steampunk stories, we have drqadfuls for you! What is a dreadful you might ask? They are small inexpensive publications with an original short story just like the old Penny Dreadfuls of yesteryear. They also contain tips, recipes, ads, and all types of fun information related to steampunk and Victorian culture. So head on over to www.thedreadfuls.com and get your copies or subscription today. We can deliver them to your door before the holidays!

Happy shopping!
Be sure to order soon so you can get your first copies of Naughty and Scary Dreadful before the holidays!

The Dreadfuls

Lizzie and I are so excited to announce the arrival of our new website for our new quarterly publications of The Dreadfuls. The Dreadfuls are a fresh take on the Penny Dreadful but with new stories, new monsters and new adventures. 

We want to provide inexpensive yet quality publications every four months delivered straight to your mailbox that not only gives you fresh stories but also an array of new twists for your entertainment.

The Naughty Dreadful

Each issue of The Naughty Dreadful has a spicy (18+) short story in it as well as Victorian-esque tips for ladies. The first issue features practical beauty tips that may have been forgotten through time. To add to the excitement, each naughty dreadful comes with a custom sexy color photo shoot inside each edition. Yes, a centerfold if you will. But wait, there's more! To add to your ocular pleasure, every issue will have full color posters from the photo shoots with pictures not in the magazine (sold separately and once again quite inexpensive)

The photo shoots are done by some of the brightest and most talented photographers in the region, professional makeup and we feature some of the most red hot up and coming models in the industry. Lizzie wrote the first story, The Sanguine Deceit, a twisty yet sexy yarn about a mysterious woman that ends up on the doorstep of a lady inventor.

The Scary Dreadful

Want a little more chills in your read? The Scary dreadful features a braand spanking new spooky story from some of the best Steampunk and Horror writers in the underground and will feature custom art from new talented artists in every issue. I had the pleasure of writing the first story, called The Age of Wonder, about an private investigator in Lexington, Kentucky that encounters some otherworldly artifacts that lead him to a life changing and world altering adventure.

The best part is our website is NOW UP AND RUNNING! Check it out for more information on each issue as well as a store where you can get individual issues, posters and Yearly subscriptions for a very reasonable price!
www.thedreadfuls.com 

We debuted The Dreadfuls at this year's Steamposium in Seattle and it was a huge success! So, if you'd like to get something fun in your mailbox, check out an issue of The Dreadfuls at the website!

Steamposium

Sadly, 2013 was the end of the Steamcon, the con that started it all for steampunk conventions. That left a huge void in Seattle for a large steampunk-centric convention. I was overjoyed to hear that a new one called Steamposium was going to try their hand at it at a convention center right on the pier in downtown.

Like so many cons, I can't say enough good things about it. First off, the staff was shockingly amazing. This was Steamposium's first year and everyone was over the top kind and helpful in every way. The convention center itself was magnificent, a large beautiful place with huge windows, and easy access for all the events. We were located in the artist alley area, with the other authors and artists and I have to say we were pleased as punch to see so many of our old friends as attendees, panelists and vendors. It really was some of the cream of the crop all the way around.

We did well selling our brand new Naughty and Scary Dreadfuls and the entire con was so laid back. There was no pressure from any direction. When there was a slight parking mishap, the con's executive producer personally met us and helped us navigate to our space. For a guy that had everything riding on the con's success, he was the calm, cool and like the rest of the staff, so nice.

While we spent most of the days in the vendor area, we were able to catch the Firefly panel which was awesomely timed right when the vendor hall closed. It was such a treat to see Jewel Staite and Sean Maher speak. After attending we headed back to our hotel, changed and ran right back out for dinner at the once upon a time morgue turned Irish pub, Kell's. Awesome food by the way. We attended the late night birthday ball with music and bar.

We were able to sneak out and see steampunk model, Kato and her steamgirls in their custom made lounge and I got to meet Sean Maher! Yes, the wonderful actor that played Simon on Firefly and the inspiration for my character, Thomas Riley. I was nervous but he was so nice he quickly put me at ease and I was actually able to give the man that inspired Thomas Riley a copy of the book! I got a picture with him and as I was walking away, he stopped me and asked me to sign it... I about fainted. What an honor! Yes, I fanboyed a bit but it was such a great experience! I'll never forget it. And it was a super awesome treat to see John Strangeway, AKA Steampunk Boba Fett, our friend from Atlanta running around being amazing. He even took the time to do a mini photo shoot with the kids and sign pictures for them. We hope to see you soon John!

The con was wonderful and it was successful! We heard they are already planning next year. So stoked to go back. There's not enough thumbs up I can give the entire con.  Before this gets too lengthy, on with the pictures!

Check out this spot on the news about the con:

http://www.king5.com/media/cinematic/video/15064024/steamposium/

Lizzie looking amazing outside by the pier. 

Me with Sean Maher!!!!!

The Kids got to meet Jewel Staite! and her puppy Charlotte. 

Lizzie and her brother Brian in our hotel.

Me with the one, the only, the amazing Steampunk Boba Fett

The kids got to meet Kato and the Steam Girls

Lizzie by the fire escape in the hotel. Yes, they served free beer and we could walk around with it. 

A selected shot from the kids/steampunk boba fett mini photo shoot. 

Us with our good buddy Andy

A customer inspecting the centerfold for our Naughty Dreadful

Steampunk is for everyone

This lady Dressed as Jayne. Epic Costume

Advertising and Updates

First off I need to make a call for anyone that would like to get some free advertising for their project. Lizzie and I are working on a cool project that we will reveal at Steamposium in Seattle on Sept 26th. We're looking for anyone that has a book, project, movie, short film, website. store, anything etc... We will make your ad for you, we just need to know what you'd like to advertise and what you'd like to say in the ad. So please, anyone that would like some free exposure, shoot me an email. Hazeltherabbit@yahoo.com

We even did a photo that you're sure to like. Here's a behind the scenes shot:

Secondly Lizzie will be re-releasing her short Depths of Passion and she has a shiny new cover! We'll let you know when it will be available. Behold the awesomeness:

Ooh! I have a new author pic which I'm pretty excited about. My last one is quite old so it's nice to have an updated one. The cool thing is I should have new ones more frequently now.

In the next blog I will explain this.

Bound By Blood Second Printing!

My unbelievably talented wife's first book, Bound By Blood, has gotten new life with the New York publishing house Kinsington/ Lyrical Press! It got a nifty new cover and is now back on sale for your Kindle at Amazon! It's set at a mega low price of $2.99 and it downloads instantly. Seriously, it's a super action packed novel for fans of Underworld and Daybreakers.

Check out the blurb here:

Vampire Mila Deluca is as powerful in magic as her trigger-finger is quick.
Pack leader Bryce D’Angelo is as sexy a warrior as he is deadly.
Two equally powerful species, the vampires and lycans are natural enemies. Yet when Mila and Bryce’s lives collide in the midst of a world filled with chaos an uneasy alliance is formed. Together, they must right wrongs and impart justice in the face of a dangerous evil…even as they fight against the connection between them that turns to something far deeper than mere lust.
Mila and Bryce must become bound by blood before they face a final show down that will decide the fate of the world.

Link to the Bound By Blood Amazon

Norwescon

I'm super excited to announce that Lizzie and I will be at Norwescon this year in Seattle WA. It's going to be at the Doubletree Hotel near the Seattle airport, a place we've actually been before when Steamcon was held there a few years ago.

We'll be selling and signing books in the vendor room so if you're attending or in the area, come say hi! We'll of course have both Thomas Riley books, Dreams of Steam and Dreams of Steam II, Her Majesty's Mysterious Conveyance and we're hoping that this might be your first chance to get the brand spanking new re-issue of Elizabeth's paranormal action romance, Bound By Blood!!

Neither of us has attended Norwescon before so we're very excited. It's been a while since we've been to an all around sci-fi con so we're looking forward to seeing some old friends and having a blast!

April 17-20 Doubltree Hotel Seattle Airport
Check out their site here: http://www.norwescon.org/

Portland OR

Lizzie always makes my birthday an absolutely amazing. This year she surprised me with a trip to Portland OR, a place I've always heard about and always wanted to go. We stayed at a hotel with a river view, immediately got a drink and headed out for the night. We ended up at the Kennedy School which is an old school where the classrooms had been converted to separate bars. We even got to see the end of the Seahawks football game and I have to say being around the excitement was pretty cool.

Ok... The Kennedy School is absolutely awesome! They have their own brewery and each room has a sort of theme that went along with what kind of classroom it once was. For instance, The Detention Room was a tiny place that could hold maybe twelve people and is one of two places left in Portland where you can purchase and smoke cigars indoors. The Honors Room was my personal favorite, another tiny room with a wood burning stove and each bartender made absolutely killer Negronis! We ended up having dinner in The Boiler Room which is exactly what you think it was but much cooler with old plumbing made into gates and decoration.

The bar at Vivant

Dessert at Vivant

The next day we slept in then had a couple's massage at the hotel then off we went to find some food. We wanted to soak in as much Portland culture as we could so we went to two small plate places for dinner. The first was Bar Vivant, a Spanish Tapas slash in house dessert maker run by a few bearded awesome guys. Talk about authentic! The bacon wrapped dates are to die for. From there we went to the dark and secluded Expatriate which is run by Top Chef Masters alumni Naomi Pomeroy. The Drinks were to die for as were the lobster rangoon. From there we visited the small but nice Blush club for the remainder of the evening. 

The entire trip was so great! I'm sorry we didn't get as many quality pictures as we hoped but we're already looking forward to getting back to Portland as soon as possible. 

My Birthday and 200th Post

Well hey, it's my birthday and my 200th blog post. First I want to thank each and every one of you for following my blog and reading it. My reader numbers far exceed what I ever thought they would be and it means a lot to me that you all take the time to be a part of my life no matter where you live. I appreciate you and your time so much!

For my 200th post I want to dedicate this to my lovely, amazing, mega-talented and truly perfect wife, Elizabeth Valentino, who literally showed me how awesome life can be. She inspires me every day and  she has made me the happiest boy on Earth. 2014 is already shaping up to be a blockbuster year for her, she's writing a lot of new things including a steampunk erotica anthology, a RPG with me and she continues to work on a full length book that is going to blow your socks off. Not to mention a re-release of Bound By Blood! Everyone be on the lookout, this year is going to be an exciting one.

To you Liz, you are my everything and thank you for your amazing love and my amazing family! I love you all so much!

Steamcon Itinerary

Steamcon is the premier steampunk con on this side of the country. It's a great time for all and offers a huge variety of things to do . The best bands, great panels and unique events unlike any other con. This year Liz and I are honored to be guests and vendors at Steamcon V. Running Oct. 25-27, we will be in Artist Alley with our books. You'll be able to get your copy signed and this will be the first time you can get Thomas Riley and The Maelstrom and Her Majesty's Mysterious Conveyance signed in person!

Also, be sure to get your passport book stamped at our table.

We're very excited to be on panels this year and we'd love to see new and old friends, so come say hi! Here's our schedule:

Nick

Friday: 6PM-7PM What makes a novel Steampunk? Regency
Our authors will debate if there is a prescribed list of requirements that go into a steampunk novel.
J.R. Boyett, Nick Valentino, Elizabeth Valentino

Saturday 11AM-Noon Becoming a Writer Regency
A rather opinionated overview, we will examine beginning steps, unions, podcasts, writers groups, guilds, 'Writers minimums' & challenges.
Johnathan Burgess, J.R. Boyett, Nick Valentino

Elizabeth

Friday: 6PM-7PM What makes a novel Steampunk? Regency
Our authors will debate if there is a prescribed list of requirements that go into a steampunk novel.
J.R. Boyett, Nick Valentino, Elizabeth Valentino

Friday 5PM-5:30PM Reading: Reclaiming the Throne Regency
In an era when steam rules the sea and skies, the monarchy struggles to maintain control. Sophia has one immediate goal; eliminate the treat to the throne...
Elizabeth Valentino

Sunday: 1PM From Page to Shelf Regency B
Learn what is involved in the publication process.
Linn Prentis, Elizabeth Valentino, Lisa Mantchev

We look forward to seeing you all!
For tickets, rooms, and lots of info check out: http://www.steamcon.org/steamcon_v/index.php

Sausage Fest

As funny as it sounds, a few weeks ago, Lizzie and I went to Sausage Fest! No, not that kind of sausage fest. This one was put on by the fine folks at the Red Hook Brewery at the actual brewery in Woodinville, WA. Mainly, it was Beer, Brats and Bands. Triple B!

The Red Hook Brewery is such a cool place. It consists of two enormous main buildings that look like Bavarian palaces on a finely landscaped property in the middle of Washington State wine country.

The food was shockingly good and consisted of authentic Bratwursts and sausages with a twist. I had the chorizo Brat and Lizzie had the French Onion Brat both of which were amazing. I haven't had brats that good since attending Oktober Fest in Munich. They also had a special hemp beer which yes, smelled like hemp without the effects. There were also a multitude of bands that played a big professional outdoor stage but I was mainly interested in Lizzie's company, beer, and food.

Although we only stayed for a few hours, it was a great time and I'd go back in a heartbeat. Maybe next year we'll get there in time for the tap room to be open.

Luna

We are big time animal lovers at our house and giving our Siberian Husky, Skye, to another family was heartbreaking. At the same time I know she has a better life full of long hikes with outdoorsy people in the Washington wilderness.

Lizzie and I went on the search for a dog that would be a better fit for our family. We looked at a multitude of dogs and did a lot of research on behaviors and breeds. Among the types we checked out Havanese, French Bulldogs, Pugs, Poodle mixes, Yorkys, and Pomeranians seemed to be the best for us.

After visiting a multitude of shelters and pet fairs, out of the blue we came across a female runt in a litter of "Porkys" (Pomeranian/Yorky) and we absolutely fell in love. Upon seeing her picture, we both knew she was the one.

An amazing 9 week old puppy, we snatched her up and named her "Luna" after Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter. She's a typical puppy, full of energy, tiny play growls, naps and pure unbridled love. Being that she probably won't get over ten pounds, she's manageable and eternally cute.

Meet Luna

The Haps

So what's the haps? I figured I'd give you all the scoop on what's been up in Liz and mine's lives. First off the blog tour is going super well. Thank you for EVERYONE that's hosted me so far. My next one will be live this Friday on Cabin Goddess.

Presale Thomas Riley and The Maelstrom
I have to apologize for the delay in the presale books. So far they have not reached my door but I am assured that they are on their way. So, if you've ordered a book or three, I thank you and I whole heatedly apologize for the delay in getting you your signed copies. I promise, I'll have them to you ASAP.

For this blog I'm going to take a little break from book stuff and give you all a glimpse into our lives. We've been busy between work.

Leavenworth WA
I've been hearing about this Bavarian themed town for quite some time. I've been to Hellen Georgia which is very similar but I have to say, Leavenworth is even cooler and bigger. We went with Liz's side of the family and had a great time. Pretty mountains, good German food, and of course, Hoffbrau beer! We also got treated to the water park which was about two hours from our home base but wow was it fun.

       Everything is Bavarian in Leavenworth

        The girls on the way to the pool

             Lizzie and I downtown Leavenworth

Lizzie and her brother Brian at the playground before the Beer Olympics

Skye and Goulia
When we got home from our trip, we had a little incident with our pets. Skye, our Siberian Husky who for some reason was not getting along with her dog sitter decided to break a window to get inside the house and flush our cat, Goulia outside. Note that Goulia is not an outside cat at all. Skye is kind of a crazy dog. Anyway, after having a missing cat for a while we finally found Goulia in the middle of one of our huge (and very complex) bushes in our front yard around midnight. We then took tree clippers and hacked the bush until we could get to the traumatized kitten. She's doing good but it made us realzie that as much work as we put into Skye that sadly another family might be better suited for a more active and outdoor oriented family. Much to our sadness, we gave her to a wonderful couple that love to hike and camp. It killed me to do it, but I really had to consider her happiness over mine.

                                 Goulia says hello to the Internets

                            We will always love you Skye


Rattlesnake Lake
Liz and I also took a Sunday and worked at one of Northwest Trail Run's events. We basically hung out at an aid station providing water, snacks and information for runners doing half and full marathons. Again, pretty mountains and good times with my girl hanging out with runners.

               The starting line for the half marathon

          There are no rattlesnakes at Rattlesnake Lake

                Lizzie manning the aid station

Stanely and Seaforts
We got a huge surprise gift from my cousins so that we could celebrate the release of Thomas Riley and The Maelstrom. A night out at the famous, Stanley and Seaforts in Tacoma, WA. We feasted on a multitude of dishes, (we like the tapas style of dinning) so we got a bunch of things to try, Salmon, Steamed Clams, Steak, Oysters, Scallops, Lobster Mac and Cheese. It was awesome and such a blast. We also had some good beverages. I had a Dark and Stormy and a Spiced Long Island Iced Tea. Lizzie had a Moscow Mule and a glass of white wine. Great times, great place and a killer view of the port of Tacoma. Thanks so much Jim, Beth and Nate!

           Here's Lizzie with her Moscow Mule