Welcome to another Monday – a happy Monday, actually, for two reasons:

1. It's my birthday – I'm 36 today. I normally take my birthday off work, but since today is a federal holiday, I'm off by default, and if you're reading this before 10am Mountain time, I'm probably still in bed. I can't think of a better way to start any day, really.

1. Desert Heat will officially be released on Friday this week! I say "officially" because I'll be uploading it all over the 'net today and tomorrow, so all the pages will have time to go live before Friday. I uploaded it to Smashwords this weekend, so it's available there now. Prices will be $8.99 for the paperback, and $2.99 for the ebook. If you wish, you can pre-order signed copies at the Brazen Snake Books site. Barnes & Noble also has a pre-order page up for paperback copies.

So here's where the fun starts. For my birthday, I'm giving you a couple of gifts. For today only, blog readers can get Tempest for free at Smashwords using coupon code XX39K. The coupon automatically expires after today.

Also for today only, blog readers can get a digital copy of Desert Heat for half-price when you use this coupon at Smashwords : BE83B. Again, the coupon automatically expires after today.

If you want to read and review Desert Heat on your blog/GR/Amazon/somewhere public...email me . I'd be happy to get you a digital review copy. If you're really hung up on print and want to do a review, email me anyway. I might scrounge up a few print copies for serious reviewers.

I'll be running several contests to win copies of Desert Heat this week. Enter one or all (or none, if steamy romantic suspense isn't your thing)...there's something for everyone here. All winners will be announced on Friday.

• Anyone who comments on any of this week's blog posts will be automatically entered to win your choice of a paper or digital copy of Desert Heat.

• Anyone who shares a live purchase link Jan. 17^th - 20^th (link to the book page at my BSB site, Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes & Noble, or anywhere else you find it for sale) for Desert Heat on Facebook (tag me in your link) will be entered to win one copy.

• Anyone who RT's one of my Desert Heat links on Twitter Jan. 17^th - 20^th will be entered to win one copy.

• There will be a Goodreads giveaway posted some time today that you can enter to win one of two signed print copies of Desert Heat.

So that's four contests – five chances to win a copy of Desert Heat this week! Blog commenters are only competing with other commenters, FB sharers are only competing with other FB'ers, Twitterers are only competing with other Twitterers, and GR entrants are obviously only drawn from the GR pool (I don't pick those - GR does).

Fun, yes?

So the schedule will change just a bit this week to accommodate release day on Friday. Bear with me, folks...everything will go back to normal next week.

This Week on The Variety Pages

Tuesday: Ch. 39 of The Biker's Wench

Wednesday: Exploring Romantic Suspense – Conflict

Thursday: Ch. 40 of The Biker's Wench

Friday: Release day festivities for Desert Heat

Goal Report (briefly)

Let's just call it at around 50 percent for the week. I struggled for that, honestly, but with Desert Heat out of my hair, I should be able to settle into a more normal (less crazy) routine.

Goals for the Week

Writing

• Keep up with my serial novels (5 scenes written)

• Beta read for a friend

Business

• Launch Desert Heat

• Update all web sites

• Contract writing

Personal

• Workout a few times.

• Eat well.

• Stay hydrated.

• Read a lot.

Whew! So there's that. As I'm writing this, it's 1:11am, and I still need to get my nails done. While I'm blissfully sleeping off a very late night, do tell – what are you up to today?