Monday 30 January 2012

Batteries and Toys

Ever since Christmas, I have been replacing batteries like crazy in multiple kids’ toys and even my computer. Even with rechargeable batteries, I’m still taking out dead ones and putting in new AAs and AAAs at least every other day. It’s crazy!

Is there some kind of conspiracy with toy and battery companies to make parents spend more and more money? And most of the toys don’t even come with batteries anymore, not even the cheap trial ones.

So there we were on Christmas day, stealing batteries out of remotes (which did come with batteries – huh!), just so the kids could at least play with one new toy.

Yet when I went to the adult toy store, the toy I bought (on recommendation from another author) came already charged. Didn’t have to wait around, plug it in, or anything. Therefore, my husband and I had to get through a day of searching for and charging batteries for the kids before we could play with our own toy that came ready to use. Does that make any sense?

Toys companies should take note. With the amount of money people drop on kids’ toys, you’d think they could at least include batteries. Really!

Never Gonna Let You Go Blurb

Caught in a tangle of lies, Calla Jacobs must sort through the truth to discover where she truly belongs. A biologist for Planet Core, she finds herself ensnared in a web of deceit. Sent to Airondelle, she must work with a team to prepare the newly discovered planet for colonists from Earth. But the mission does not go as she expected. Her former lover, Erik Edwards, shuns her, sending Calla into the arms of Melina Holloway, their commander, for the attention she craves and more. A confrontation among the trio leaves her with a broken heart, and fleeing from the two people she trusted most.

Attempting to break free from the lies that bind her, she discovers Planet Core has deceived everyone. And when she returns to Earth, Calla learns just how far Planet Core’s control reaches.

Available from Decadent Publishing and other ebook retailers.
Buy Links here: http://www.markofthestars.com/wp/?page_id=7889

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/I8hN8O4bVo4

Bio:
Jessica Subject started writing to encourage her daughter to read. Now she writes to keep herself grounded. Although she reads many genres, she enjoys writing Science Fiction Romance the most and believes everyone in the universe deserves a happily ever after. She lives Southwestern Ontario, Canada with her husband and two kids and loves to hear from anyone who has enjoyed her stories. Her debut novella, Celestial Seduction is available from Decadent Publishing.

Website/Blog: http://www.markofthestars.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/jsubject
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessica-E-Subject-author/205759796126370

16 comments:

Jessica E. Subject said...

Thank you for inviting me to be here today! :)

Liz said...

I can think a few "non kid toys" that ought to give battery discounts myself!
fun post Jessica. congrats on the new release

Cate Masters said...

Loved this. Batteries increase the price of the toy exponentially, to everyone's frustration (except the battery makers, of course). :)
Congrats on another release! Great blurb, and such a beautiful cover.

Debbie Gould said...

Great post, Jessica and so true! Congrats on the new release! Sounds awesome.

Shiela Stewart said...

You are so right! We've done the scramble to find batteries on Christmas morning too. What a pain in the ass it is. And has anyone else oticed that the batteries don't have as long a life cycle as they used to?

Jessica E. Subject said...

Liz - I love the adult toy store here. They're great! Thanks so much! :)

Cate - I don't understand why they can't just throw in cheap batteries, at least giving parents a chance to go out and get better ones the next day. Yes, they are making a large profit from parents. LOL Thank you! :)

Debbie - Thank you so much! :)

Shiela - I know! And we're finding the rechargables can only be charged so much before they no longer work. :)

Faith Bicknell said...

My son goes through dozens of batteries for his new Wii he got for Christmas. Sheesh!

Shiela Stewart said...

Yeah, we had a rechargable system with six batteries. After three months the batteries stopped charging. Its how they make money. The batteries are less efficiant so you HAVE no choice but to buy more. Grrrr!!

Shiela Stewart said...

Smane with ours, Faith. We're always changing the batteries in the contollers.

Jessica E. Subject said...

Faith - Our Wii uses a lot of batteries too, but the remote control vehicles seem to be the worst.

Jessica E. Subject said...

Shiela - I agree. Grrr

Emily Cale said...

I'll admit to raiding other items in the house in order to power adult toys.

Also, for all you Wii owners, the charging station that allowed us to do away with batteries is worth its weight in GOLD.

Jessica E. Subject said...

LOL Emily!

Good to know about the charging station. Will have to invest in one. Doesn't help the Wii Fit board though. :)

Heather said...

LOL! So very true. And congratulations on the new book release. I love the cover and it sounds great.

Jessica E. Subject said...

Heather - Thank you so much! :)

Marci Baun said...

You'd think they could create toys that don't need batteries. Matter of fact, I have a few toys (my daughters) that I wish didn't have any batteries. Oh, the torture!

Marci