by Lexine

Thanks, Amazon

🚨RANT ALERT!🚨

A few times a year, I like to run a Free Book Giveaway (FBG) for my eBook The Playgirl. One of those times usually takes place this month, since it’s Pride Month and my book is an LGBTQ+ fiction. I had everything scheduled for this weekend, including paying for promo spots in the newsletters for FreeBooksy and The Fussy Librarian (that would go out today).

And then I had to contact Amazon KDP to do a Price Match (price adjustment) for my book on their site. This is where the un-fun begins.

I’ve done this in the past whenever I want to run a FBG on both Amazon and non-Amazon eBook stores and, with the exception of one time, things have gone smoothly. When I went to make the request early Thursday (shortly after midnight, as the price of my book on other sites like Apple, Kobo, and Nook changed to Free then), I noticed Amazon KDP changed their “contact us” page. Gone is the form I used when I wanted to request a Price Match for my book, and now I have to use their chat feature that’s, yes, AI-generated. Say it with me: “BOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

This is what that contact form used to look like, by the way. Now authors gotta go through this shit. 

I was able to bypass the AI bullshit and get to a live agent, where I was given more un-fun news. The agent told me that they need more time to process the Price Match. I don’t know why they needed more time, and I had to let them know that I needed the price adjustment to be made right away as I had paid promos in those newsletters scheduled to run today. The last time I heard from KDP’s customer service was last night, I was told that they’re still in the process of doing the price match, and that it’s taking longer than usual. No shit.

I had an FBG scheduled from this past Thursday to end of Sunday, with paid promos going out today in the newsletters for FreeBooksy and The Fussy Librarian. That is no longer, and you can thank Amazon KDP for this mess. I’m unable to make Price Match requests for my book days in advance (AFAIK) as KDP needs links from other eBook stores as proof that my book is being sold at a different price, so I have to put in the request the day the sale/FBG starts. I also adjusted the price back to its normal selling price on other non-Amazon sites, and it took me literally a second to make the change, because Draft2Digital makes it that easy and I don’t have to go through AI garbage for that! (Although maybe my book is still for free on Nook and Kobo right now, and since there’s not much I can do about that, if you want a freebie…)

By the way, this is not the first time Amazon KDP ruined my FBG plans. I had another FBG planned last October, and a delay on their end messed up the scheduled promos I had planned then. It was the same situation as I’m going through right now, except it shouldn’t take so long for them to adjust the price. And they had the old contact form then.

If you follow me on Bluesky, the “something special” I posted about a week ago was supposed to be an FBG that would’ve dropped yesterday. And, I know, I’m evil for still doing business with Amazon. I’ll eventually leave them, I swear.

Written Word Media, whom I paid for promo in those two newsletters, was understanding of my situation, and I get to reschedule the promo at a later time free of charge. Also, there will be another sale for my book starting in July (albeit an exclusive one for Smashwords), and I’ll likely do another FBG at the end of July as I will be celebrating my book’s third anniversary. Amazon KDP better get their shit together by then.

by Lexine

Sunday Night Random Thoughts

Despite having around five hours of sleep last night, waking my butt up early today for work, and climbing up four flights of stairs to get home because the elevator in my apartment is down, I somehow got the energy to post. Let me ride it before I eventually crash.

This should’ve been posted weeks ago, but it’s been 15 years (and some weeks) since I got to see the one and only Prince in concert. And, because I can’t find any pictures from the show at the moment, these cropped screenshots of two Yahoo emails (yes, I still have a Yahoo Mail account) from 2011 are the only proof I have that I was there. 😭 In fairness, the camera I used during that show is long gone, and I can’t access my old laptop that likely has those pictures. *sobs* But if I do get access to them, I’ll try to make time to post them here. Because even from my upper level seats (clock the price for my tix, by the way), I had a pretty good view of His Royal Badness.

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Maine* really voted for the Nazi rapist posing as a Democrat to challenge Susan Collins in November. And George Takei (who was in the internment camps during World War II) actually came out in support of the Nazi rapist. What a timeline.

*I know some of you in Maine did their part to not vote for the Nazi rapist, so you’re good in my book, and I’m sorry.

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I need a new pro baseball league to root for. The current SF Giants roster has officially gone mask-off with their bigotry, with some of them pulling a Kershaw on Pride Night last Friday. I’ve already been let down by the team ever since they let go of Gabe Kapler and Renel while still keeping their MAGA owner around, and that incident just sealed the deal in me pulling my support for the Giants for the time being. That Buster Posey also allowed that bigoted bullshit to happen has completely changed my view of him. Just five years ago, in his last season before retiring, he seemed like he could do no wrong. All the goodwill he amassed during his playing years has since gone poof after what happened last Friday.

The Giants can get back to me when all the bigots and bigot-enablers are gone.

And whatever team knocks out the Bums in the playoffs could be my team to root for (as long as it’s also not the Yankees *shudders*).

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If any Giants fan needs eye bleach from what just happened, here’s the story for you. Talk about a real one.

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The NBA crowned a new champion yesterday and I’m actually happy for the Knicks. (This was one of those Finals where the title could’ve gone to either team and I would’ve been glad for them.) They’re a likeable team, the franchise waited so long to end the drought (one that could’ve ended back in the 90s had not Jordan’s Bulls stood in the way), Mike Brown finally won one as a Head Coach, KAT got his ring after all he’s gone through, and Bluesky delivered banger skeets like this:

A Bluesky post from June 13, 2026 that reads:

And this:

— Julian Lucas (@jcljules.bsky.social) 2026-06-14T04:10:17.034Z

With so much ugly things going on right now (one of them happening at the White House as I type), silly stuff like this is so needed. Hope the Knicks can get him for their parade; if he can balance Oscar The Grouch’s home on his head, he can balance the Larry O’Brien trophy, too!

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And, as I write, a new Stanley Cup champion just got crowned, and…whatever. I used to enjoy watching the Stanley Cup playoffs and finals, but I stopped following the NHL a year ago since the pro league is openly MAGA now. I saw this year’s Cup Finals as a battle of who wants to go the White House and enjoy cheap-ass food with the Orange Clown since no NHL team seems to have the balls to stand up against the current regime. (But maybe the Canes–or at least a few of their players–can prove me wrong.)

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Images from my time at this year’s Jazz On The Hill. Could you believe I almost didn’t go? If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have discovered Vanessa Collier (third pic). It’s my first time hearing about the Blues singer and seeing her live, and she is AMAZING!

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President Barack Obama celebrating his victory with his supporters in Chicago, IL, on Election Night, 2008 (November 4, 2008)

It’s Obama Day, y’all. The night he won the 2008 Election remains some of my favorite pics of him. It was one helluva night; his victory meant, among other things, no more Dubya thank God (still can’t stand that warmonger).

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Oh, just posting the top song on the Billboard Hot 100 from 25 years ago…

We used to be a proper nation.

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The California and Progress Pride flags flying at the College Of San Mateo, taken 6/6/2026

And on this Flag Day, the only flags I shall salute, no apologies.

I don’t know why the Progress Pride flag is being flown upside down there, but whether it’s accidental or not, it’s fitting considering LGBTQ+ rights (among other human rights) remain threatened here in the States. Which is one reason why I cannot with anything red, white, and blue right now. Between the World Cup stuff and July 4th coming up, it’s all an eyesore.

by Lexine

Happy Birthday, Marilyn

“I am not interested in money. I just want to be wonderful.”

Posthumous birthday wishes to the one and only Marilyn Monroe, who would’ve celebrated a centennial today. The media has long linked her to other modern starlets (some comparisons beyond laughable), yet none of those starlets have never come close to the permanent iconicness (IDAGF if that’s now a word) of MM.

In regards to her movies, I’ll always be down to watch All About Eve, Gentlemen Prefers Blondes, How To Marry A Millionaire, and Some Like It Hot, but Don’t Bother To Knock is an underrated fave of mine.

(That’s an actual quote from her, by the way. I made sure of it!)

 

 

 

 

 

by Lexine

Happy 20th BiVersary

yours truly wearing a dark blue shirt that reads "Bi-conic" in pink-purple-and-blue lettering on the chest

You know the more I think about it on this first day of Pride Month (which is a good time to come out with this, so to speak), the more I kinda feel like it’s…been more than 20 years of being Bisexual. The first time I was attracted to a woman was back in 1998, and, at the same time, I still liked guys. That same year was the first time I heard about bisexuality, thanks to a movie called Gia–a biopic about 1980s supermodel Gia Carangi, played by Angelina Jolie. Both women happened to be Bi. Though the biopic featured Gia’s relationships with women, the more I read about bisexuality, the more I felt like, “could that be me?”

The definition of being Bisexual has evolved beyond being attracted to just men and women, yet I still identify as one because my tastes have evolved as well. 😁 And twenty years ago this month, 21-year-old me looked at the mirror and declared to myself that I am Bi. (And then I went out on a date with the woman would become my first girlfriend.) I still refuse to pick a side.

Happy Pride Month, and Happy 20th BiVersary to me. You bet your ass I will be (as the youths are now saying) annoying with my Bi self this month. 🩷💜💙

by Lexine

Now Playing (5.28.26)

It’s not every day I do back-to-back entries here on the same subject. But it happens to be the birthday today of the one true Kylie that’s still on top after all these years, so how about a post on some of her hits from way, way back? (Hey, it’s also Throwback Thursday!)

THE song that introduced me to her! I was only a kid, but whoever played the music at my birthday parties and family gatherings back then had pretty good taste because I remember hearing this. (And seeing the old folks at said family gatherings bust their hips to this 😆)

Her early 90s stuff gets so slept on, so I’m more than happy to boost them! Whoever said she never did a track with a rapper has never listened to “Shocked”.

And after seeing a bit of this on her Netflix docuseries, I had to include the full version here! Her and sister Dannii are pretty good here, and I’m always a sucker for campy 80s glamour.

by Lexine

My Take On: the “Kylie” Docuseries

Poster for "Kylie" --a three-part Netflix docuseries on pop star Kylie Minogue

TL;DR version: it’s great, could be longer, but watch it anyway you won’t regret it!

Almost a week ago, “Kylie”–a three-part documentary series detailing the life of pop superstar Kylie Minogue–debuted on Netflix. I didn’t catch it on debut night, or even the day after it debuted because busy. I finally had time to watch the first two parts last Friday, and I just finished the final part yesterday, and what a finale it was.

Spoilers after the cut…

Continue reading →

by Lexine

Now Playing: #Miles100

Today would’ve been the 100th birthday of jazz music legend Miles Davis, and, in honor of his centennial, here are some of my favorite songs of his.

A blueprint.

(a little note: this song gets a mention in my eBook The Playgirl 😁)

An underrated track that was influenced during his time in France.

You can probably tell what my favorite album of his is 😄

Bonus clip: here’s Miles performing with the one and only Prince back in the late 80s!

 

To know that Miles has made songs with other legends like (among others) Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins (who had just passed away, RIP), and Prince in a span of five decades is wild. And while I’m aware Miles was a prick in life, damn if he didn’t produce some amazing cuts I’ve ever heard.

by Lexine

On Repeat Today

*Context for those out of the loop* (TW: cheating and possible abuse)

I really was pulling for Meg & Klay to go the distance. For all of her successes, she has also gone through so much hell, and was it too much to ask for her to have a decent man who would treat her right? I’m aware that Klay was a ho (for IG “models”, lmao) during his Warriors days, but I honestly thought he changed when he met Megan. I thought he would be that decent man for her. I was wrong. He’s still a ho, albeit the dumbest ho right now who cannot and will never win another ring, and will never have anyone better than Megan. Talk about a generational fumble. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Sending love and strength to Meg! <3