First, CONTEST WINNERS. Yes, plural! The commenters were split between those who wrote/read tortured heroes and those who did not. So, I am pleased to announce not one but two random winners today!

TORTURED WINNER: B.E. Sanderson
NON-TORTURED WINNER: Kimber An

Congratulations! Please email me (erica [at] ericaridley.com) with your address and choice of free book. Keep the good karma rolling! =)

Next, to answer some burning questions.

Post: Impending Wedding
Beverley asks:
Why do you call your intended MONKEYBOY??

Answer: Because he luuuurves monkeys, ever since he was a wee boy on his first visit to Busch Gardens and a cheeky little spider monkey reached out through the bars and slapped him on the face. To this day, even the mere image of a monkey will cause him to burst into uncontrollable laughter. He especially enjoyed Lancelot Link: Secret Chimp, as you might imagine.

Bill Clark asks:
Why does one’s writing always look so much better when someone else quotes it in italics?

Answer: I don’t think it’s the italics so much as having something we write impact someone so much that they do quote it. How great of a feeling is that? (For the curious, I quoted a section of this post from Bill’s blog)

Post: Contests
Rashenbo asks:
I’ve got to admit.. it’s fun and exciting to win… well, anything – isn’t it?

Answer: I 100% agree! (Hence the wild winning going on this morning. I couldn’t seem to pick just one!)

Post: Dinner Party
Vicki asks:
So what is double secret probation??

Answer: Actually, I don’t know! I thought Kel would respond with something having to do with her vampire neighbors. (Ha! Bet you thought I was just being funny when I said she might’ve been bitten by the vampire neighbors–not so!)

Post: Poetry Monday
Susan Helene Gottfried asks:
I want to know the backstory to this!

Answer: That particular burst of teenage angst came from being in lurve with a boy who proclaimed his devotion, became my center of gravity for a heady year and a half, and then proceeded to casually mention he was picking up and leaving town (state, actually), which spawned a horrible clingy-denial moment, followed by me leaving state, albeit in the opposite direction. Angst, I tell you. Angst. *g

If you have any other questions (burning or otherwise) please leave ’em in the comments… Also, if you noticed I added pix of the books I’ve read so far in 2007 and have comments on any of the titles or authors, please comment about that, too–I love to dish about books! =)

Your turn: Give a gift or do something nice lately? (If not, why not?! Maybe we should have Good Karma Tuesdays. *g) Win anything lately? Hear any good news? What are you reading right now? Have you read anything on my list or by those authors? Spill!