Vicki Pettersson's Blog, page 13

e-reads, galleys, and early '12 plans…

I should know better than to make any grandiose statements about not posting again for the entire year (as I did two entries below). New York publishing is reputed to shut down during the holidays, but Harper seems to be bucking that trend … or, at least, they're certainly keeping me busy. Here's some of the latest news as to what you can look forward to from me in 2012, but first — some gifts for my readers:

1) My first book, THE SCENT OF SHADOWS is temporarily reduced to .99 as an e-book read. I believe both Amazon and B&N have ways you can gift others with e-reads, so if you know someone who hasn't started this series yet, this is a great time to get them SCENT. It won't stay this low, so maybe load your reader with it too: http://bit.ly/uieXhn & http://amzn.to/usSdRG

2) My holiday anthology, HOLIDAYS ARE HELL, featuring Joanna Archer's mother, Zoe, is still being offered as an e-book for $1.99. Other included stories are by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands and Marjorie M. Liu. This, too, is a temporary low, and the antho is hard to find on shelves, so I'd load 'er up! http://amzn.to/vdVsgq & http://bit.ly/rPuZkv

So that's all the news concerning my backlist, and the best part is that you don't have to brave the lines at the post office to score (or give) these goodies. I hope you enjoy them.

As for my new Celestial Blues series…

1) A tentative tour has taken shape and it looks like I'll be visiting Dallas, LA, Redondo Beach, San Diego, Houston and Vegas. I'll update you when those dates are firmed up a bit, but if you're in those cities the week of June 12, do look for me. I'll be poking my head into the doors of some of the finest indie bookstores around.

2) And a picture is worth a thousand words…

What this picture says is that I'm utterly lacking in the ability and patience to flip this damned photo around so you can see it properly. Sorry.

It also says that we finally have galleys for THE TAKEN! My editor told me late last week that they'd been sighted, and immediately shipped my a couple as proof. Galleys are early copies sent to reviewers and bookstores, and in my very humble opinion … these are gorgeous. Some details like cover copy will as yet be tweaked, and cover quotes will be added as they roll in. Also pretty foil. New bio on back. But you can see from the photo that I'm already chuffed. THE TAKEN is, in my opinion, the biggest story I've written yet, and it's being given bigger treatment as a result.

I can't wait to share it with all of you!

This just in.

I know. I signed off for the year below. But I just received news from my publisher that from now til December 26th, HarperCollins is offering up my HOLIDAYS ARE HELL anthology – featuring Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Marjorie Liu, and moi – for $1.99 e-book. See?

For those who haven't read this yet, my story is 'The Harvest' and it takes place in my Zodiac world. It's also a prequel featuring Zoe Archer, Joanna's mother, and shows how she worked for years in the background to help Joanna, why she disappeared, how she felt about it and why the Tulpa hates her so very much?

You can't stuff your stocking with an e-book, but you can escape the holiday craze with a fantastic paranormal read. Click through for the link to your preferred bookseller. And enjoy!

Signing off in 2011. Looking forward to 2012.

I can think of no better way to sign off in 2011 than the above photo. That was how I spent the bulk of November – a wedding, honeymoon, the assorted fabulous events and hoopla and well wishes surrounding that, along with a milestone birthday – and, well, just enjoying the joy that went with all of it. In any case, the photo is pretty representative of my life just now – looking forward, feeling the love – that I've simply got nothing to top it. Certainly not this year.

So 2012 is looking to be a year of too many new beginnings to count, and of course, professionally, this means my new Celestial Blues series. You've already seen the cover art for THE TAKEN (below), and the reaction has been fantastic. I'll be rolling out the cover copy, excerpts, blurbs, and a west coast touring schedule early next year. Also coming, a new website, and some behind-the-scenes looks at what inspired the series, like:

What does Kelley Armstrong have to do with it?

What iconic on-screen couple reminds me of Kit and Grif (hint: the female half and Kit – Katherine – share the same first name)?

And how did I research the fascinating, fun world of rockabilly culture (victory rolls and rum played a big role – I know, what a hardship.)?

So I'm going to disappear into the holiday season with my family and new husband, but wanted to wish all my readers – wherever you are and whatever you celebrate – the happiest of holidays and a wonderful new year.

See you in 2012!

(Away from) Home for the Holidays.

I'd like to thank everyone who commented in my last post about the cover for THE TAKEN. I'm so thrilled you guys like it – and you've had the same reaction to it as I did. The artist really took the information we gave him and ran with it. Such synergy – it's definitely my favorite cover yet.

Please forgive me for not replying to you individually as I usually do. I was kept from doing so for two reasons. First, I cut down my internet time, especially in regards to social networking, to one day a week. The goal is to free up some more mental space for writing more deeply, reading more often, and not getting distracted by cyber rabbit trails. I still thought I'd get a chance to respond, but I've also been preparing for a vacation which is going to leave me computer-less for the rest of the month. That means I've been trying to get as far as I can in my work-in-progress before leaving. I'll return with roughly half of the book left to write, and am relatively satisfied with that.

I've been trying to recall the last time I traveled without a computer, and without the intention to do a bit of work at least everyday, and I'm coming up blank. It certainly hasn't been in the time that I've been published, so that alone makes it long overdue. Additionally, I'm celebrating three events next week – the least of which is Thanksgiving … and yet I'm extremely thankful for them all.

I'm also thankful that I'm going to be here:

And not here:

I'm sorry. Did that come off as a taunt? I didn't mean it that way.

Well, maybe a little.

So I'm over and out for the rest of the month. I meant to do a post about the fabulous Readers&Ritas event last week in Dallas, but that will have to wait. And if any of my readers from Readers&Ritas is reading this: I haven't forgotten you or your gifts and I'll get to them to you asap (Xmas presents!).

I just have to run away from home first.

THE TAKEN

I just blew out my sidebar posting this, but I. Don't. Care.

I am thrilled to introduce you to the new loves of my life, Katherine "Kit" Craig and Griffin Shaw, the dual protagonists of my brand new series, Celestial Blues.

This cover is probably one of my favorite things in life right now, not only because it's downright gorgeous, but it captures the tone of my story and characters more completely than any I've ever had. The synergy is amazing – I look at this and I *know* Kit and Grif.

Now for the caveats – while the art is right, this isn't the final cover. We're missing quotes and cover copy, and while there's some interesting catalog copy floating around the interwebs, that was premature and for in-house purposes only. So you'll have to wait until early next year to get the real deal … but don't blink because that's only weeks away.

In any event, this is the couple who has been occupying my mental real estate for the past year-plus. They're going to continue to do so for foreseeable future too, because, you see, Kit and Grif and I are all equally obsessed with the same unrelenting question:

Who killed Griffin Shaw?

Interested in seeing a man try to solve his own murder? Hope so. Because I can't wait to share the obsession with you.

Flotsam & Jetsam Friday

An end of the week post to capture the flosam and jetsam of my writing week … and whatever Real Life bits I've managed to sneak in.

First, a quick reminder everyone I'll be at the Readers&Ritas event tonight – and, indeed, all weekend – here in Allen, Texas. Scroll down to yesterday's post to see a list of the attending authors, but I'm sure some of your favorites are on there. I know I'm looking forward to it.

Speaking of getting to see your favorite authors – I attended a 'Conversation with Stephen King' last night here in Dallas to celebrate (rather than promote; he is Stephen King, after all) the release of his new book 11/22/63. I've already started it, but it's a behemoth, so I'm going to order it for my e-reader as well, and finish it in a couple of weeks …probably on the exact date of the title (if forty-eight years later).

I suppose you could say the evening was inspiring, but somehow even that word isn't enough to describe seeing King in person. He's so culturally iconic it was like being in a room with, I don't know, the President or someone you grew up feeling like you know, yet never really thought of them as a real person. Stephen King is a real person though. I know this because I sat there and listened to him talk about Superman's poop.

Yeah, I'll leave you with that.

I shot off the pass pages that I've been working on to my editor today. They were pretty clean, which was gratifying for me because that's not always the case. Pass pages are the first time you see the book as it will appear in print. Here's a snapshot of them:

These have been formatted and typeset for trade paperback, so each page is printed by itself, but in mass market you'll see the pages as they appear in the book, side by side. That's how my first six books appeared, so this was a treat.

Technically speaking, it's a huge expense for the publisher to make any great changes at this point, so that's why I'm pleased that there wasn't a lot that needed altering at this point – just typos, formatting issues, and echos. Not a biggie. All the drafting work is starting to fade from my mind, and all I see is story – including cover art, and (soon) back copy – which has really come together. I'm starting to itch for it to get out there now that it's done. It's like having a baby. You forget the labor and just want to dress the little thing up in its finery and show it to the world.

Soon.

In today's final news, I am a supreme klutz. Anyone ever have days where it'd be much better for everyone, not to mention safer, if you just crawled back into bed (preferably one with lots of cushions, placed in a room with padded walls)? I am literally the walking, talking, living embodiment of butterfingers. I can't even type properly. Not a good day to be driving a rental car.

Poor Readers&Ritas.

A readers weekend.

It's all about the readers this weekend, and I can't wait. I've just met another small deadline, and with that off my plate I'm free to concentrate on an event I've been looking forward to all year: Readers & Ritas.  Each November over 200 readers gather in Allen, Texas to talk books, visit with other readers, and have an intimate, up-close weekend with their favorite authors. The full list of attending authors is here and I'm fortunate enough to be one of them this year. The activities are low key and geared to readers, and it's also an extremely intimate venue, with everyone mingling together, and so I'm looking forward to that.

Tomorrow (Friday) is a pizza party, with games to help everyone get acquainted.

Saturday is the big day: a continental breakfast, lunch, margarita happy hour, book signing and a masquerade party. There are also reader panels and an Author Lounge, where I'll be hanging out and answering questions about the Zodiac series … and probably a good deal about the new Celestial Blues trilogy as well. All-in-all It's a great opportunity to visit with readers in a relaxed setting.

I've prepped some goodies for the seven readers who are seated at my table – we has the option of doing that or creating a basket for one, but I really wanted to thank each of the readers who chose to sit with me, so I really hope they like their gifts.

Anyway, if you're attending Readers&Ritas, please stop by my table, or stop me in the hall, the author lounge, or the book-signing and say hello. I'm bringing my camera, and I'll be tweeting from the event. There will also be a red carpet livestream of the event at 6 PM CST. So readers across the country (and world) can attend virtually in that way. I happen to be MC-ing the livestream, interviewing authors and readers during the broadcast. So if you see an author you love and want to get a book signed and personalized by them, you can contact us via the livestream and the book will be shipped to you Monday. How cool is that?

Great. Reads.

I took the last couple of weeks to write about new releases I think my readers would like, but I thought I'd take today to share with you my greatest literary loves. It inspired me just to write the post, these men and women are so good, and I hope it'll inspire you to share the writers and books you've loved over the years with me. Here they are in no particular order, the men and women who've influenced me more than any other authors, dead or living.

Diana Gabaldon – The OUTLANDER series.

It's the 20th anniversary of the first book in this sprawling historical saga, and I envy you if you've not read it yet. I saw that it's being sold for as low as $8.99 and I couldn't believe it. A book you'll remember forever for less than coffee and a snack? Seriously?

This author taught me more about writing than anyone, and was a source of encouragement to me before I was published. She, too, is amazingly generous, impossibly skillful, and Many Other Superlatives. Read her. Weep.

Dennis Lehane – author of so many things I love that I can't keep count. I started out with his Kenzie/Gennaro P.I. series, with A DRINK BEFORE THE WAR and went on to read all his single titles (MYSTIC RIVER anyone?) and finally his epic historical A GIVEN DAY, which shows this writer can do anything. The man is word-drunk. He loves the craft and language and it shows on every page. His short stories are perfection, and short stories are hard. I reread all of his books too – it helps remind me why I write.

Janet Fitch. This woman is so word precise that it can take her half a decade to write a novel. WHITE OLEANDER was her breakout novel but I have a great love for PAINT IT BLACK, and whenever I'm struggling with wooden prose and feel it needs to be elevated, I pull out one of her books, open it to anywhere, and the world is suddenly righted.

Of course, then I'm presented with the task of having to pull myself out of her world, but that's my struggle, not hers. She is perfection.

Nora Roberts/J.D. Robb. Man, if you don't know about this woman's blatent storytelling skills and passion and drive, you are missing out. I tend to like my heroines and worlds a bit dark (No kidding, right?) so I have a raging love affair with her Robb/In Death series (and Roarke, OMG, can you say Roarke?!) starting with NAKED IN DEATH. Yet it was her Roberts trilogies that made me want to write a series – I loved following the interconnected characters. Additionally, her yearly standalones are as high concept, fast-paced and satisfying as anything I've ever read. I admire Roberts as a person/woman/writer, but I love her books. I think you will too.

Laura Lippman writes with such heart that I think if I knew her in real life I would follow her everywhere. And though she writes about dark and disturbing subjects in her stand-alone suspenses, she does it with such grace and connection. I write for that connection, too – author to reader and back again (it's not at all one way, you know) – so I respond to other authors who do the same. Her Tess Monaghan P.I. series starts with BALTIMORE BLUES (She's very much a Baltimore writer in the same sense that Lehane is a Boston writer. Their cities are characters in their books, and their passion for those cities is evident.) but I adore sinking into her stand-alones. I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE may be my favorite. Again, she has such tremendous heart.

I'm working my way through Megan Abbott's works, but her voice sinks into my head and grows claws. It's dark and gritty and won't let go. I can recommend QUEENPIN without qualification, it's just dense with sensory stimulation and invisible craftsmanship. I saw it because I was looking, and damn. She's good.

Finally, a writer many don't know about, which is shameful because her first novel was an Edgar award winner: OFFICER DOWN. Theresa Schwegel writes police procedurals with dark, flawed and fierce female protagonists (sound familiar?) this, too, is a writer who gets it. She crafts books that stay with you, and if you read one, you'll read them all. She's outstanding.

There are so many more, but these are the writers who inspire me to write and dream and grow and be – because, ultimately, all good writing is about connection. We're all in this together, whether we live in Sandman Slim's apocalyptic LA, Schwegel's gritty Chicago, or with Gabaldon's 18th century Highlanders.

Let me know how you like any of these authors if you try them (and I do hope you do – I love to share my great loves) and let me know what authors speak passionately to you as well. I'm always looking for a new, glorious connection.

P.S. If anyone is reading this post, or previous ones, on Goodreads, please forgive my lack of reply. I've set up the account, but haven't figured out how to use it yet. But I'll get to it asap – I appreciate you reading!

When it rains, it pours

It seems that good books – books I'm extremely excited about – are being released every week. Last week I wrote about Richard Kadrey's latest Sandman Slim novel, ALOHA FROM HELL, and this week sees another longtime favorite author hitting the shelves.

This release, too, is truly swoon-worthy.

I was a fan of Kim Harrison's Hollows series before I was published, and even before anyone really knew what Urban Fantasy was. Once it did take off, the mash-up of worlds and creatures and locales exploded like a roman candle, but this author is truly an original. I'd advise you to start with DEAD WITCH WALKING if I didn't already know my audience, and wasn't sure you already had. Today is an extra-exciting, however, because Harper is releasing Harrison's world book, THE HOLLOWS INSIDER.

Have you ever read a world book before? The first world book I ever read was Diana Gabaldon's OUTLANDISH COMPANION, also written and conceived of entirely by the author, and a good world book fills in all the questions you have about the world, and answers some you didn't even think to ask. I saw a sneak preview of THE HOLLOWS INSIDER in New York this summer – just page proofs, mind you – and once again I was utterly blown away by Harrison's imagination. The damned cover of the first editions even glows (Can you say collector's item?) which is cool all on its own.

For more info you can visit Kim Harrison's site at www.kimharrison.net or get a sneak peak here.

Again, buy this book in the all-important first week of its release, and you're letting the author know you love their work and want to see more. Believe me, it makes a difference!

I'm off to get my day's work done so I, too, can go visit with Rachel Morgan. Hope to see you in the Hollows!

A new drug for your reading habit

What are you reading?

I do hope the answer is nothing.

Because I have a suggestion for you.

I rarely do this, mostly because I have a quite a few author friends and I'd be remiss in mentioning some and not others. Honestly I'd love to say, "Go out and buy them all! Spend all your money on books, books, books!" And so I will. Go buy all the books you want, by whomever you want, in whatever format you want, forever and ever, amen.

But a book came out this week that is a part of a series that has become one of my autobuys. And not just any old autobuy, but keeper-shelf, forever-favorite, I'll-read-this-again-and-again, damn-but-I-wish-I-wrote-that kind of autobuy. I can't encourage you strongly enough to go out and buy this one, not only because I think you'll love it, but because as an author I know how important it is to garner that velocity in the first week of sales. Buy the book this week, and that helps ensure he can keep writing said books.

In this case, said author is Richard Kadrey. He's writes the outstanding Sandman Slim series, featuring a pissed-off magician exacting revenge on the people who sent him to hell a decade earlier. There are better descriptions than that, but my point is this: this series floored me. This man's imagination rivals Rowlings if she smoked more, slept less, and had really decided to give Voldamort a good What-For. The latest book – and one I stole time from my deadline this summer to read – is ALOHA FROM HELL. It's dark, dirty, perverse … and all the more heartening for it. Ultimately, the series is an eyes-wide-open look at humanity, and there's not a page that doesn't delight. Go read it. Here's the ebook link. Here's another. (Didn't I make that easy for you?)

Oh, and Kadrey is generous, straight-up, cool, and a kind guy. Just don't tell him I said so.

This post really got me thinking about writers who do it for me, so I'll be back within the next day or so to give you my Must Have literary loves. I hope you'll share a few with me as well.

Edited to add: I just heard via twitter that ALOHA FROM HELL is #1 in the Kindle store, so clearly I'm not the only one who loves this series. What are you waiting for?