Skip to main content

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

Captain Caffeine’s latte art

Captain’s Log, Supplemental

Blog book giveaway:
To enter, go to the blog links below and post a comment there.
The Reliance (Legacy of the King’s Pirates book 2) by M.L. Tyndall
Scimitar’s Edge by Marvin Olasky
Bonus giveaway: The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Coffee Geeks Unite!

I discovered my husband isn’t the only coffee lover who’s so uptight—er, exact about his coffee.

When in Grand Rapids, I discussed the espresso machine Captain Caffeine bought when I got my contract.

(What espresso machine, you ask? Well, my husband let me quit my biotech research position to try writing full-time for six months, and if I got a contract, then I promised him anything.

Yup, anything.

He loves his lattes and wanted a new espresso maker. I was picturing a $20 Krups machine. (Okay, maybe not $20, maybe like $50.)

Nope—he got this all-stainless steel contraption from Italy and a monster of a coffee grinder.)

Back to Grand Rapids—after describing said metal kitchen counter decorations, VP Mark Bolinder said he liked Captain Caffeine already. Well, guess what he’s getting in a week as soon as my husband roasts it?

(Yes, Captain Caffeine roasts his own coffee and can tell the difference between a week-old roast and a two-week-old roast. Scary, I tell you.)

My husband is working on what’s called latte art—baristas will form shapes in your latte with the foamed milk (and there’s apparently a very exact science to get micro-bubbles and not macro-bubbles that involves temperature and fat content, etc.—yeah, makes my head spin, too).

He’s finally making recognizable shapes. Hence the celebration:



What do you think? He’s currently working on making a flower.

Comments

Delia said…
All I can say is...

Ouch! My head's hurting from all the spinning! lol.

I'm seeing an apple, and if that's right then it's a really good apple. If it's not supposed to be an apple...uh...well...my vision's not so good.

Honestly though, that's cool.
Winter Peck said…
LOL! I'm just glad my newly addicted coffee lover husband isn't that particular about his drink. As long as its strong, sugared up and hot, he doesn't care.

Can't wait to see the flower.
Rachelle said…
Speaking as a former barista... that's whack!

P.S. I have to admit I'm almost -- almost -- as much of a coffee freak as Captain Caffeine.
Carol M said…
I enjoy a good cup of coffee but I'm not at all like Cajptain Caffeine. I will even drink instant! lol I didn't know you could make pictures like that! lol
Carol M said…
oops! Captain Caffeine! lol
Julie Carobini said…
I am so impressed, I just don't know what to say--and that's saying a lot, lol. Think I'll have my own captain take a look at this...hah.
Anonymous said…
Wow. I think I'm in coffee love with the Captain! And this from a girl who grew up on New Orleans' chickory---still buy good old Community Coffee. But what a man! Maybe he could reproduce your book cover?
Camy Tang said…
Delia,

Yes, it's supposed to be an apple. Isn't that impressive?

I also might be more impressed because previous attempts looked like a big white butt.

Camy
Anonymous said…
Oooo, pretty coffee. I'm going to have to print this picture out and take it to Panera tonight for the barista to copy when I get their caramel mocha.
Geekwif said…
Wow! I thought my husband was a coffee freak. Yours has him beat for sure! That latte art is quite a talent.
Jolene said…
Wow. Is that an apple? Looks like a pretty apple to me. :) Such talent...
Love, love love, love, love it! I can so see it happening. This thing is going to be huge. Okay. Maybe not here in the Midwest, but huge...somewhere...

Popular Posts

Tabi socks, part deux

Captain's Log, Stardate 07.25.2008 (If you're on Ravelry, friend me! I'm camytang.) I made tabi socks again! (At the bottom of the pattern is the calculation for the toe split if you're not using the same weight yarn that I did for this pattern (fingering). I also give an example from when I used worsted weight yarn with this pattern.) I used Opal yarn, Petticoat colorway. It’s a finer yarn than my last pair of tabi socks, so I altered the pattern a bit. Okay, so here’s my first foray into giving a knitting pattern. Camy’s top-down Tabi Socks I’m assuming you already know the basics of knitting socks. If you’re a beginner, here are some great tutorials: Socks 101 How to Knit Socks The Sock Knitter’s Companion A video of turning the heel Sock Knitting Tips Yarn: I have used both fingering weight and worsted weight yarn with this pattern. You just change the number of cast on stitches according to your gauge and the circumference of your ankle. Th...

Camille's Writing Progress

Join my newsletter to get regular updates in your inbox!

A List of my Free Blog Reads

Curious about what my writing is like? Here’s a list of all my free books and the free short stories, novellas, and novels that you can read here on my blog. I’ll update this post as I add more free reads. Christian Romantic Suspense: Necessary Proof (Sonoma series #4.1, novella) Click here to buy the FREE ebook on all retailers Alex Villa became a Christian in prison, and because of his efforts to help stop a gang producing meth in Sonoma, he has been set up for the death of a cop. Can computer expert Jane Lawton find the evidence that will prove his innocence before the gang eliminates them both? Fantasy short stories: Pixies in a Garden in Kyoto There were pixies in the garden. Since she was in Kyoto, she was certain they were not called pixies, but she didn't know what they would be called in Japanese, and they certainly looked like what she imagined pixies would look like. The King’s Daughter The trees in the King's garden were full of colored pixie lights. The...

Lady Wynwood #7 early release Kickstarter

I worked on my first Kickstarter and it got approved! It’s for the Special Edition Hardcover of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer and the release of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster. I contacted my graphic designer about the Special Edition Hardcover of vol. 1: Archer—it’s going to be SO beautiful! The Kickstarter focuses on the Special Edition Hardcover, but it’ll also include vol. 7: Spinster so that it’ll sort of be like a launch day for vol. 7, too. A third special thing that’ll be in the Kickstarter is Special Edition Paperbacks of all the books in the series. They won’t be available in stores, just in the Kickstarter (and later, from my website, and also in my Patreon book box tiers if I decide to do them). The Kickstarter is not live yet, but you can follow it to be alerted when it has launched. (You may need to create a free Kickstarter account.) Follow Camy’s Kickstarter

My first hand-spun yarn!

Captain's Log, Stardate 01.22.2010 Since late December, I have been learning how to spin wool into yarn using a drop spindle. Yes! It’s true, I have gone totally Amish/old school. (No offense to any Amish or old school people. I mean that in the nicest way.) I don’t know why I suddenly decided to learn to spin. Or if I did know why, I’ve forgotten (I probably explained it to Captain Caffeine at some point, but now I don’t remember what excuse I gave to him). Not having any yarn shops nearby that teach spinning, I bought a Cascade spindle online and some really soft, silky merino wool roving from Etsy.com. I read all kinds of online articles and watched youtube videos. And I spun my first yarn! Here it is! It’s a lace weight yarn (about 30 wraps per inch), since I like using finer gauge yarns over bulkier yarns. It’s rather uneven (although it’s not as easy to tell in the picture) and I didn’t ply it very well, but I made it all by myself! Captain Caffeine does not...

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures...

Behind the Scenes: Original Cover

Prelude for a Lord (the extended version) releases on Amazon on December 2! You can buy it early at a discount from my website . (Want to join my Launch Team ?) The current cover is actually the second version of the cover for this book. Here’s what the original cover from my publisher, Zondervan, looked like. The original stock photo was of a blonde woman, and when I pointed out the error, the graphic designer at Zondervan did a nice job coloring her hair brown. For the new cover, I kept the orange and blue colors but chose a model in profile rather than with her entire face hidden. This new re-release is an extended version of the original book. Zondervan had a strict word count of 100,000 words, but my original manuscript was 120,000 words, so I had to cut 20,000 words. But when I got my rights back and started planning to re-release it, I realized I could release the original manuscript before it was cut. So the version coming out is the uncut, extended version. ...

Kickstarter postponed (yes, again!) and book release news

My family was a bit stressed while I was visiting my parents (I promise, it wasn’t me!) and so I decided to postpone my Kickstarter. It has changed my book release schedule, and so I’ll be releasing Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 7: Spinster hopefully next month? It has also allowed me to figure out when book 8 will be released. Check out my (rather lengthy) explanation on my Patreon . (You’ll need to set up a free Patreon account if you don't have one.) Read when my books are coming out: https://www.patreon.com/posts/113452442/

Toilet seat cover

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Update August 2008: I wrote up the pattern for this with "improvements"! Here's the link to my No Cold Bums toilet seat cover ! Okay, remember a few days ago I was complaining about the cold toilet seat in my bathroom? Well, I decided to knit a seat cover. Not a lid cover, but a seat cover. I went online and couldn’t find anything for the seat, just one pattern for the lid by Feminitz.com . However, I took her pattern for the inside edge of the lid cover and modified it to make a seat cover. Here it is! It’s really ugly stitch-wise because originally I made it too small and had to extend it a couple inches on each side. I figured I’d be the one staring at it, so who cared if the extension wasn’t perfectly invisible? I used acrylic yarn since, well, that’s what I had, and also because it’s easy to wash. I’ll probably have to wash this cover every week or so, but it’s easy to take off—I made ties which you can see near the back of the seat. And...

Grace Livingston Hill romances free to read online

I wanted to update my old post on Grace Livingston Hill romances because now there are tons more options for you to be able to read her books for free online! I’m a huge Grace Livingston Hill fan. Granted, not all her books resonate with me, but there are a few that I absolutely love, like The Enchanted Barn and Crimson Roses . And the best part is that she wrote over 100 books and I haven’t yet read them all! When I have time, I like to dive into a new GLH novel. I like the fact that most of them are romances, and I especially appreciate that they all have strong Christian themes. Occasionally the Christian content is a little heavy-handed for my taste, but it’s so interesting to see what the Christian faith was like in the early part of the 20th century. These books are often Cinderella-type stories or A Little Princess (Frances Hodgson Burnett) type stories, which I love. And the best part is that they’re all set in the early 1900s, so the time period is absolutely fasci...