Vicki Pettersson's Blog, page 15

Do as I do …

I swear, I've been traveling like I'm an IMF Chief on the run.

After both an exhausting and exhilarating week in New York for the RWA conference, I raced back home – Dallas, Vegas, Dallas – fell ill for the next 17 hours by self-poisoning via eye drops (didn't know that could be done, didja?) before racing off for a long-planned vacation week with extended family. I have three days in Vegas just to make sure my bills are paid and my shorts are clean before returning to Dallas where I can hunker down and finish the editorial rewrite on THE TAKEN, due in … oh, about 10 days.

And despite all that, I'm fairly well rested. I got a lot of the business stuff out of the way in New York, freeing up my mind for creative space, and though vacationing with a fistful of kids is certainly busy, when that's all you're focused on it's also highly entertaining. And now I'm at my desk working as I'd hoped to be working before New York. I couldn't see forest for trees then, but now it's clear and I've fallen into my rewrite patterns and rhythm. Maybe all those crazy kids who say you should take a couple of weeks off entirely from the work are actually right.

Hunh.

In any case, I'm not the only one hunkered down at the desk doing rewrites. Kim Harrison is doing the exact same thing – incidentally via notes from the exact same editor – and there's comfort in that for a couple of reasons. 1) I'm not alone, and that knowledge always feels good. 2) I admire the hell out of Kim, so I can do worse that to be doing what she's doing as well.

She's also doing something I'm not today, and it's pretty exciting. BLOOD WORK, her first graphic novel is out today and it is written entirely from Ivy's POV.

Doesn't it look amazing? Kim is also doing a blog tour to give away signed first-edition copies of this baby. Go here for a list of all the places she'll be, and be sure to look for the graphic novel on shelves today. I know it's been a real labor of love for her, and Kim happens to be a great person to boot, so you'll be supporting pure awesomeness while getting some good entertainment for your buck.

Okay, off to rework this character's motivational thread …

RWA redux

'm still in NY. I feel like I've been here for a year, and I'm utterly disconnected from the world outside the Marriott Marquis. (Seriously, you should hear the frantic voice mails from my mother. Sorry, mom!) I finally have a moment to breathe this morning, though, and I wanted to share with you some of the fun I've been having on this trip. It's a photo heavy post (though I never take as many photos as I should).

But first, here is a video made by the uber-energetic Tann Starr, whom I just had the pleasure of meeting at this conference, though I've seen her pixels before on my Twitter stream. This is one of the reasons social networking is so valuable. You can know someone before you truly know them, and that's, well, magic. She's created this wonderful video of the conference in a nutshell, and you can catch the awesome Kim Harrison in action, as well as me being a goof at the end of the video. If you've ever wondered what one of these big writer cons looks like, this is pretty accurate (note all the bar shots. )

Next up, some of the photos I've taken, starting with the Harper/Avon party at the famous Boathouse in Central Park. Mother nature must have gotten the party memo because she stole the show. It was a beautiful night.

And, finally, we have a photo of me with my erstwhile roomie, Jeaniene Frost. I loved her before this trip and that's been doubled. If you're a Frost fan, know that you're not only supporting a great writer, but a great person.

I've also had the great pleasure to spend some good time with Pamela Palmer. I was lucky enough to sign next to her at the Avon signing yesterday, and my respect and awe for this woman/author grows every time we meet. (See a common thread here yet? Good. Peeps.)

And I had to add this photo I took of new author (and friend) Karina Cooper. I think you're going to be hearing a lot of good things about her in the future, but for now, how divine does she look in her hot chapeau? Just lovely.

And at the Avon signing yesterday I finally got to meet a writer I've long admired, Larissa Ione. We kinda fangirled out over each other and it was great fun. I can't wait to see her again.

I don't have any photos of the tapas restaurant my editor and I went to last night for dinner, or of what has to be the most intense theatrical experience I've ever had, SLEEP NO MORE. If you're in New York, this is a limited engagement. A modern retelling of MACBETH, though that description doesn't remotely do it justice. It was tremendous.

Looking forward, I have lunch with my fabulous agent this afternoon, followed by the Irene Goodman agency party where I'll meet some of my "sister" agency authors. I can't wait to discuss with her some of the exciting things my editor and Harper has in store for the new series, and once I have all the details, I'll be sharing them with you here as well.

For now, I've a one week internet-free family vacation starting this weekend, so if I don't get any additional pictures up, there will be some radio silence. I hope these photos and the accompanying #rwa11 twitter feed will sate you until I'm back. And again, I'd like to say thank you to all of my wonderful readers. I wouldn't be having these amazing New York experiences were it not for your support and enthusiasm of my books.

Off to brush my hair…

Live from RWA

I'm writing this from my hotel in beautiful (but hot) New York City, where the annual Romance Writer's of America conference has officially begun. Its location is one reason I'm attending. I love the energy and pace of the city, the sights and sounds and exhibits, and the people.  I also get to see my editor and agent, and all of the people at Harper who work so hard every year to see my books through to publication. It's a joy and adventure, and I try not to go too long between visits.

However, more than anything, I'm thrilled to be attending this conference for the very first time. I was a member of RWA for seven long years before I became published, and would devour the articles and information in the RWR (their monthly report) and the affiliated loops and online chapters. It's a genre that's easily disparaged as it's written primarily by and for women, but it also excels at providing readers what they love best: a meaningful emotional connection through the exacting lens of a story. Writers write for a bevy of different reasons, but I can tell you that I write specifically for that connection. I'm interested in what unites us as people, regardless of any individual's sex, race, sexuality, religion, birthplace or class. In short, I like to focus on our shared humanity, because splitting hairs over any of the above is divisive … not to mention it makes you a shitty lunch partner. (Ie. Nobody likes to dine with an asshole.)

At its best reading is a connection between the author and reader … between people, but in romance we get to see that human connection played out on the page. Those who disparage romances and the (mostly) women who write them have generally either 1) never read a romance or 2) don't much care for women. But I can tell you as someone who has long devoured the romances of Nora Roberts and Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Jennifer Crusie that the best romances are not about sex. They're about relationships, and specifically about the ones that matter most. We're all hardwired to crave intimacy, and romance addresses that overtly.

So if you haven't tried a pure, unapologetic romance it might be high time. And if you have, please share who you've loved in the past. I'm always looking for a good read.

Meanwhile, I'm not sure how much I'll be able to blog from the conference – it's much like its hosting city, a fast paced sensory overload, with every minute filled to the brim. I'll definitely be updating my Facebook wall and Twitter feed multiple times a day, so if you'd like verbal and literal snapshots of the con from my POV, you can follow my adventures there. Here are some of the pictures I've taken so far, admittedly not that many, but I promise to try and improve that in the next few days.

First, the view from my room: See – there's even a sliver of water!

My Harper paranormal group girls – Amanda Alverez, Terri Garey, Colleen Gleason, Pamela Palmer and Karina Cooper. I heart them all!

The floor of the literacy signing – loud, mad, wonderful:

Some awesome readers, whom I had so much fun with. Thank you D, E, and K! That was an awesome laugh:

This is Jeap, my Facebook friend, and now my real friend. We had a wonderful chat, and I just adore him. Isn't he edgy and hot? Sweet to boot. I love meeting good peeps.

Oddly, no pic yet of my roomie, Jeaniene Frost. Why is that? Is she shy? Is she mean? Is she overly fond of eggs? Time will tell (though I can already answer affirmatively on the last) …

Looking forward, Looking back.

I recently updated my website, and as you can see, I used all of the images from my completed six-book Zodiac series for the banner. Isn't she amazing? It may be confusing for anyone who hasn't read the series, and doesn't know that Joanna Archer is a superhero, and that she must don different identities to remain safe in a world that's hunting her from all sides. But it should be clear to all that she changes a great deal through the course of the series, and that both physically and emotionally. Admittedly, it's not a series for the faint at heart, but there are solid rewards for those who persevere to the end.

I've lived with the fictitious Joanna Archer inhabiting my gray matter for nearly six years now, and like her, I've changed a lot in that time. Those who know me say they can see me peeking between the lines of the text like some sort of overprotective stage mother, and though I am not my character – I don't have superpowers or evil fathers or any supernatural enemies that I know of – there was no way Jo and I could essentially share the same mind and not have some parallel adventures. So this post is a recap about my journey as the author of this series over the years. It's a small pictorial highlight reel of what I was going through while Joanna Archer was kicking ass and propelling herself to THE NEON GRAVEYARD's explosive end.

This is THE SCENT OF SHADOWS. The cat is aptly named Tank. He was my baby before I had a baby, and what I remember most about this time is repeatedly pushing him aside, and off my lap while I drank copious amounts of iced coffee in the Vegas heat, and tried to finish my first book. He was fabulous company, and the cat in the books, Luna, was certainly inspired by his presence.

You'll forgive the lack of photo evidence regarding THE TASTE OF NIGHT, but that book found somebody else inhabiting my lap, and I don't remember much of it. Scent hadn't even come out yet, and I was learning to juggle new mommyhood and full-time writing. I remember this time as being one of the most anxious-ridden, creative, fulfilling, and exhausting times of my life. And, of course, I would do it all over again in a nanosecond.

This is THE TOUCH OF TWILIGHT. By this point, my kidlet was mobile and I was getting up at 4:30 a.m. – before the house began to stir – in order to get my writing in. While getting up early is a habit I carry with me today (as is having three different drinks at hand at all times) the most important thing I learned from that time was how very much both of these careers – mommy and writing – meant to me. I wasn't going to drop any balls.

Of course, I did drop balls … and a big glass one at that. This is after CITY OF SOULS, the book that marked a distinct S-curve in my protagonist, Joanna Archer's, evolution, and my personal life as well. This was the hardest book to write, so I wasn't surprised when it got the most reader reaction. The reason I have a photo of me with my girlfriends – celebrating them, actually – is because this is the moment when I knew that I was going to be okay. Friends carry you through when it feels like the world is falling apart.

As for Joanna, next up was CHEAT THE GRAVE. Jackie summed it up nicely here when the book came out: "If City of Souls was a punch in the face, Cheat the Grave is the cool compress on your swollen cheek."

That was apropos for both my readers and me – which is why I'm including a photo of me with some of my forum readers, self-appointed VPeeps. Not everything about Joanna's past is answered in this book, but there's some definite closure, forgiveness, and some much needed self-acceptance too. CHEAT THE GRAVE is distinctly Joanna Archer's journey, but writing it helped heal me … and my long-term readers were a part of that. I love mah Peeps.

And now? THE NEON GRAVEYARD. Here's a photo of the tweetup I did in Las Vegas to launch the book.

Still more amazing readers. Now I'd wanted to use this title ever since we moved away from the sensory ones, and can't think of a more perfect one with which to end this series. In this book, paranormal Las Vegas is at risk of becoming a wasteland. Joanna has either lost or disassembled everything she began with in THE SCENT OF SHADOWS – her family, her identity and sense of self, her reasons for moving around in the world.

Yet I've discovered that the silver lining to almost any loss is the resultant space in which to create something entirely new. After penning Joanna's final 'The End', I lifted my head from the page and took a moment to mentally canvas the last five years. Then I thanked this strong, stubborn, malleable character for being a part of my journey … and turned to another blank page. I too have new reasons for moving through the world, and with Joanna's story told, I've also the space to create something new.*

I'd love to hear about your journey these last five years. What have your experiences been in that time? And where do you hope the next five will take you? And thanks to those of you who came along on this amazing journey with Joanna and me.

*This is a whole new post, of course, but for those who don't already know, next up is THE TAKEN, the first in my new Celestial Blues trilogy. That begins June 2012.

radio silence

I've been quiet, haven't I? That's a product of many factors – new deadline, Father's Day and summer camps, prep for RWA, and other important social summer events. I'm not a good, or even willing, multitasker, and prefer to take things one at a time as they come. Unfortunately, as you probably know, things don't tend to come one at a time, but all at once. All you can do is chunk it down, do your level best, and chip away until you have some breathing room. I should be up for air around August.

However, today I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I have a guest post up at Larissa's Bookish Life. She's teamed up with Paranormal Haven for a great summer giveaway/event, and my post just went live. I'm talking about Vegas, and giving a little "walking tour" of the sites in my Signs of the Zodiac" series.

So if you want to "see" some of the places Joanna Archer and the other agents call home, you can check it out here – and leave a message in the comments to win a signed copy of THE NEON GRAVEYARD, and a freebie poker chip (and those are running out fast).

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day. Here's to the start of a great week!

Back in Vegas, back to work.

Well, it's back to work – and Vegas – after a lovely weekend off. One day for readers, the next for family … can't as for more than that, huh?

If you'd like to see what I was up to on Saturday, there is video here of me "emceeing" or interviewing all the authors who took part in the 8th annual Boas & Tiaras Tea in Allen, TX. I had so much fun talking to authors I know and love – like Jaye Wells and Rachel Caine – to meeting new friends-to-me like Dianna Love, Lori Wilde and Vicki Lewis Thompson and Nalini Singh. The whole thing was like a mini-reader's conference, and if you've never been to a writer's/reader's con, and would like to see what goes on at one, here's a taped panel featuring a chat with seven awesome authors. They talk about what they do and why, and I just love to see both the reasons and people behind the book.

But most of all, I loved meeting the readers. I sat at a table with readers who'd traveled from Kansas and San Antonio and College Station to attend the event, and it was incredible to hear what the Zodiac series, newly complete, has meant to them. Talking to them gave me closure, and now Joanna Archer's journey – from my mind to theirs – feels complete.

I was a bit harried from my emcee duties and didn't take any pictures, but here are a few I've cribbed from the web.

The lineup, right before introductions.

I tried to tell a joke … which is laughable in itself.

Oh Jackie, Jackie, Jackie. Well, we'll forever have this moment, won't we?

My Facebook friends, Katie and Mandi – I already had faces for the names, but it was such a pleasure to see them animated.

All in all, it was a wonderful event, and wonderfully run as well. Do look into it next year if you're in the area, or why wait? Readers&Ritas, in November, is held at the same location. I know I'll be there as well!

The rest of the weekend was a bit quieter, and spent with family – swimming, grilling, and cheering on the Dallas Mavericks – but now I'm back to work, and intend to keep my head down until the end of the month when I attend RWA's national conference in New York.

Books, Chat, Friends & High Tea

Edited to add: I've been contacted by a reader, Laurie, who has a ticket to today's Boas&Tiaras event, but can't attend. She's given it to me in hopes that I can find someone who might be willing to use it, so if anyone out there has a tiara ready, contact me via Twitter: www.twitter.com/VickiPettersson and it's yours. First person to speak up, wins. (Cause I'm oh-so-crafty like that. Thank you, Laurie!)

Today's the day! The Boas & Tiaras Tea and booksigning is being held at the Hilton Garden Inn in Allen, TX from 1 pm to 5 pm, and I am already wearing my tiara. No, really.

There are a ton of things I'm looking forward to about this event, but none more than getting some real face time with readers, and not just at the booksigning. This is an intimate event, with seven readers and one author at each table for tea time. (I know a couple of my Facebook readers are coming and I can't wait to meet them in person.)

Each attendee will get a fantastic swag bag to take home, a chance to bid on raffle baskets (the proceeds of which go to Plano Family Literacy), tea, and a chance to get their keeper books signed. Barnes&Noble will be on site all day.

If you're wondering what Boas & Tiaras is all about, or want to attend by remote, you can check out the livestream of the event at 1 pm CT. The live viewing includes a panel moderated by Candace Havens where you can "meet" Rachel Gibson, Julia Quinn, Nalini Singh, Dianna Love, Lori Wilde, Rachel Caine and Vicki Lewis Thompson. I'll be broadcasting satellite interviews with each author after that.

Tell me this doesn't sound like too much fun?

Oh, and if you're watching the livestream, know that you can purchase books that way for us to sign for you… and shipping is FREE!

Okay, I'm off to don my boa and have some tea. There are 364 other days for all of us authors to stay at home and scribble in our sweats … but today we're going glam.

1 pm CT – Livestream from Boas & Tiaras!

Silly me. I forgot to mention this yesterday.

AvonRomanceLive.com is partnering with Fresh Fiction to livestream tomorrow's Boas & Tiaras event here in Dallas/Allen, Texas.

And I'm going to be the emcee!

I'm really excited about this because making a fool of myself for the amusement of others is something I specialize in – really, there's no one better – and I'm primed to be at my best tomorrow. After all, a few hundred readers generally tune in live, and a few thousand watch the recorded stream over the course of time, so you'd better believe I'm gonna slap on my best Joan Rivers for this event.

So for those of you who can't make the event, this is a way to see all the authors* you love walking down the metaphorical red carpet before they're shepherded inside for the event. I'm also hoping to corral (that's a Texas word, fyi) a few of the real stars of the show, the readers to get their take on the event – because, after all, that's who us authors are there to see.

So drop everything you're doing tomorrow at 1:00 pm CT and tune in to www.livestream.com/romance or www.avonromancelive.com and be a part of the fun. I'll probably emcee for about twenty minutes before heading in for a spot of tea. As you do. La. Di. Dah.

For more info on the Boas & Tiaras event itself, scroll down to yesterday's post, or visit the website here.

*Said authors include: Nalini Singh, Rachel Caine, Jaye Wells, Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Julia Quinn, Candace Havens, Rachel Gibson, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Dianna Love, Lori Wilde, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Kay Thomas, Nikki Duncan, & Lorraine Heath.

It's a Saturday afternoon tea party?

Tea, anyone?

This Saturday I'll be attending the DFW Tea Readers Group's annual Boas & Tiaras Tea. This is a group author event, from 1 pm to 5 pm, and the reasons I'm looking forward to it are myriad:

1) I get to wear a tiara

2) It is a group author event, so I get to meet/catch up with/oogle the following: Nalini Singh, Rachel Caine, Jaye Wells, Dakota Cassidy, Michele Bardsley, Julia Quinn, Candace Havens, Rachel Gibson, Vicki Lewis Thompson, Dianna Love, Lori Wilde, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Kay Thomas, Nikki Duncan, & Lorraine Heath.

3) I get to have tea at a table with readers, and have an intimate Q&A with those at my table. How cool is that?

4) I get to wear a tiara

5) There will be a group booksigning after the tea (and if you can't make it to the tea, you can order signed books in advance), but in order to keep the intimacy between reader and author, it's not an open booksigning.

6) A portion of all book sales will go to Plano Family Literacy.

If any of this sounds like *koff* you cup of tea, the event is being held at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Allen, Tx. This is a ticketed event, so you need to purchase your ticket before the event.

So that's where I'll be Saturday, and if your anywhere near the DFW area, I'd love to see you there as well! (Bring your tiara!)

Back to work.

A bit of radio silence there following my weekend signings. I took Sunday off for the family, and Monday to get my work-house back in order. I seem to be caught up now, though that's always relative.

I did want to take a minute to post some of the shots I have from the weekend, and once again, you guys really humbled me with your enthusiasm and kind words about my work and Joanna Archer's world. The consensus seems to be that while you're going to miss Jo, you're happy that the series ended strongly. I have to say, I am too.

Those at the signings also jumped on the chance to hear a bit more about my Celestial Blues trilogy starting next year, and I'll certainly be talking a bit more about the first book, THE TAKEN, and some of the ideas behind it in the near future. For now, though, a pictorial review of the weekend. First up, Vegas:

The meetup, which I posted before. What? You didn't expect us to be normal, did you?

And this is Anje, one of the Sin City Book Sluts, a local book club that I like to visit upon my yearly book release. She, and they, have become good friends. I'm not sure why I don't have pics of LeAnne and the others, but maybe they'll forward them. I'd love copies for my scrapbook:

And this is Oksana and Audrey. The latter is the Con Coordinator for the LV Writer's Con – which I'm trying desperately to find time to attend – and the former is Oksana Marafioti, the author of AMERICAN GYPSY: MEMOIR OF A ROMA CHILDHOOD. I can't wait for this to hit shelves next year, and I'll be giving her a shout-out when it does. She's a natural storyteller:

(Forgive me, Oksana and Audrey – I have no idea why WP keeps cutting off our heads.)

The next day found me at Houston's Murder by the Book, where I both signed and bought books. Seriously, this bookstore is irresistible. I had to put this pic up here because I picked on this poor reader for coming in late. My apologies. (See? We made up.)

And last, but never least, John – the bookseller at MBTB who made my dream of signing there come true. Thanks for the invite, John. (Cheers!)

And now I'm back to work on THE TAKEN, though I'll be taking next week off to attend DFW Readers Group's annual Boas and Tiaras Tea. It's at the Hilton Garden Inn in Allen, TX, and you do need a ticket (and tiara) to attend. Click on the above link to view other authors attending … I know I'm excited to see them – and I plan on getting a few books signed myself! I'll talk more about all that later in the week, but until then I hope you're enjoying your copy of THE NEON GRAVEYARD.

Oh! And if anyone sent me their preorder for the poker chip freebie, you should have received it by now. Let me know if you haven't at press@vickipettersson.com and we'll rectify that.

Have a great Tuesday!