Richelle Mead's Blog, page 13
January 1, 2013
Book Club: Bloodlines 1 & 2
Book Club Disclaimer:
Spoilers ahead! I'm not recapping these chapters, but I do refer to some things that happen in them. These posts are to give some commentary and behind-the-scenes info for people who want to read along (or re-read) with me or walk down memory lane. If you haven't read the books, you might have some surprises ruined. So maybe go grab a copy and read along as we count down to The Indigo Spell! :)
Happy New Year! I’m going to do an extra-long post for these two chapters since they straddle the same scene.
I can’t say enough how hard it was starting a new series, even one that was a spin-off from an established series like Vampire Academy. Bloodlines was especially problematic because I changed its direction part-way through my first draft. This was originally going to be told with rotating third person POV through Sydney, Adrian, Jill, Eddie, and Angeline (who was going to appear one book sooner). Ambitious much? The scope of that soon became overwhelming, especially since I didn’t have much experience with third person. I also got pregnant in the process, and those new physical complications sealed the deal: I had to change things up both for my sanity and to make a better book. And so, Bloodlines was redrafted as first person through Sydney’s eyes.
I’m actually so glad it turned out this way because Sydney's been a fascinating character to delve into--and these first chapters show it right away. I opened the book with this scene because I really wanted to show just how messed-up the Alchemists are. When we first meet Sydney in Blood Promise, she’s paranoid around vampires and generally just stiff and uptight--and now we see why. It was important to me to immediately show this glimpse at her dysfunctional upbringing so that you get where she's coming from. Her attitude isn't something inherent to her personality; it was driven into her by the Alchemists, and those people don’t mess around with those who step out of line. The threat of that looms over Sydney throughout the series, raising the stakes (no pun intended) on the transformation she begins to undergo.
This chapter also sets up the series premise surrounding Jill, based on events that we learn have taken place after Last Sacrifice. I purposely left a lot of threads hanging in that book around Adrian, Sydney, Eddie, and Jill. In fact, it’s pointed out in the last chapters that these characters are people who all had their lives seriously altered (not necessarily in a good way) by Rose’s actions. They’re the casualties of Rose’s happy ending, and I felt it important that they get their own shot at happiness. That, and it was hard for me to walk away from the Moroi world. I wanted to keep going with this saga, and Bloodlines let me continue with it, this time through a human’s eyes.
Spoilers ahead! I'm not recapping these chapters, but I do refer to some things that happen in them. These posts are to give some commentary and behind-the-scenes info for people who want to read along (or re-read) with me or walk down memory lane. If you haven't read the books, you might have some surprises ruined. So maybe go grab a copy and read along as we count down to The Indigo Spell! :)
Happy New Year! I’m going to do an extra-long post for these two chapters since they straddle the same scene.
I can’t say enough how hard it was starting a new series, even one that was a spin-off from an established series like Vampire Academy. Bloodlines was especially problematic because I changed its direction part-way through my first draft. This was originally going to be told with rotating third person POV through Sydney, Adrian, Jill, Eddie, and Angeline (who was going to appear one book sooner). Ambitious much? The scope of that soon became overwhelming, especially since I didn’t have much experience with third person. I also got pregnant in the process, and those new physical complications sealed the deal: I had to change things up both for my sanity and to make a better book. And so, Bloodlines was redrafted as first person through Sydney’s eyes.
I’m actually so glad it turned out this way because Sydney's been a fascinating character to delve into--and these first chapters show it right away. I opened the book with this scene because I really wanted to show just how messed-up the Alchemists are. When we first meet Sydney in Blood Promise, she’s paranoid around vampires and generally just stiff and uptight--and now we see why. It was important to me to immediately show this glimpse at her dysfunctional upbringing so that you get where she's coming from. Her attitude isn't something inherent to her personality; it was driven into her by the Alchemists, and those people don’t mess around with those who step out of line. The threat of that looms over Sydney throughout the series, raising the stakes (no pun intended) on the transformation she begins to undergo.
This chapter also sets up the series premise surrounding Jill, based on events that we learn have taken place after Last Sacrifice. I purposely left a lot of threads hanging in that book around Adrian, Sydney, Eddie, and Jill. In fact, it’s pointed out in the last chapters that these characters are people who all had their lives seriously altered (not necessarily in a good way) by Rose’s actions. They’re the casualties of Rose’s happy ending, and I felt it important that they get their own shot at happiness. That, and it was hard for me to walk away from the Moroi world. I wanted to keep going with this saga, and Bloodlines let me continue with it, this time through a human’s eyes.
December 23, 2012
Indigo Spell stuff AND the Bloodlines Book Club
Okay, if you missed it, there are all sorts of goodies circulating in anticipation of The Indigo Spell, coming out February 12, 2013: Chapters 1 and 2! Here are links to them, with two versions of each. The Scribd version is nice and neatly formatted but doesn't always open on phones or in certain browsers. The text one, hosted on my site, is less pretty but usually always work.
I'll warn you, Chapter 2 is already making people swoon and pass out from all the Adrian charm.
Chapter 1 - Scribd and Text
Chapter 2 - Scribd and Text
AND, one more treat: Adrian's seduction advice, from Chapter 15.
Here's what else is going on. Starting on January 1, I'm going to kick off the Bloodlines Book Club as we count down to The Indigo Spell's release. I'm going to re-read the first two books, and every day, I'll post commentary or a little story about each chapter (two chapters on weekend days, since we're in a crunch for time--it's so close!). They won't be summaries or anything--mostly just my thoughts about what was going on when I wrote those chapters. I'll post my ramblings on this blog and mark them with spoiler warnings for those who haven't gotten that far. So, if you want to read along with me and get the backstory on the series, dig out your copies of Bloodlines and The Golden Lily! And if you haven't read them yet, it's not too late to ask Santa for them. Then we'll all be ready for Indigo in February!
One more note about The Indigo Spell--people have been asking if you can order signed copies from University Books again. The answer: you sure can. They're taking pre-orders now, and I'll sign them for you so that they can ship out on release day. The info is here, and they do ship internationally.
Hope you guys like the Indigo excerpts!
I'll warn you, Chapter 2 is already making people swoon and pass out from all the Adrian charm.
Chapter 1 - Scribd and Text
Chapter 2 - Scribd and Text
AND, one more treat: Adrian's seduction advice, from Chapter 15.
Here's what else is going on. Starting on January 1, I'm going to kick off the Bloodlines Book Club as we count down to The Indigo Spell's release. I'm going to re-read the first two books, and every day, I'll post commentary or a little story about each chapter (two chapters on weekend days, since we're in a crunch for time--it's so close!). They won't be summaries or anything--mostly just my thoughts about what was going on when I wrote those chapters. I'll post my ramblings on this blog and mark them with spoiler warnings for those who haven't gotten that far. So, if you want to read along with me and get the backstory on the series, dig out your copies of Bloodlines and The Golden Lily! And if you haven't read them yet, it's not too late to ask Santa for them. Then we'll all be ready for Indigo in February!
One more note about The Indigo Spell--people have been asking if you can order signed copies from University Books again. The answer: you sure can. They're taking pre-orders now, and I'll sign them for you so that they can ship out on release day. The info is here, and they do ship internationally.
Hope you guys like the Indigo excerpts!
December 14, 2012
Adrian Ivashkov on Male Weakness
Those on Facebook know I offered a challenge recently to help my pal Morgan Rhodes get to 1000 likes on FB. Morgan is the author of the amazing new book Falling Kingdoms and also wrote The Vampire Academy Ultimate Guide (under her code name Michelle Rowen). And sooo...you guys did! She crossed 1000, and as a reward, I give you this snippet from The Indigo Spell of Adrian offering Sydney some helpful advice about seduction.
From Chapter 15 of The Indigo Spell
Adrian looked over at me again. “Who knows more about male weakness: you or me?”
“Go on.” I refused to directly answer the question.
“Get a new dress. One that shows a lot of skin. Short. Strapless. Maybe a push-up bra too.” He actually had the audacity to do a quick assessment of my chest. “Eh, maybe not. But definitely some high heels.”
“Adrian,” I exclaimed. “You’ve seen how Alchemists dress. Do you think I can really wear something like that?”
He was unconcerned. “You’ll make it work. You’ll change clothes or something. But I’m telling you, if you want to get a guy to do something that might be difficult, then the best way is to distract him so that he can’t devote his full brainpower to the consequences.”
“You don’t have a lot of faith in your own gender.”
“Hey, I’m telling you the truth. I’ve been distracted by sexy dresses a lot.”
I didn’t really know if that was a valid argument, seeing as Adrian was distracted by a lot of things. Fondue. T-shirts. Kittens. “And so, what then? I show some skin, and the world is mine?”
“That’ll help.” Amazingly, I could tell he was dead serious. “And you’ve gotta act confident the whole time, like it’s already a done deal. Then make sure when you’re actually asking for what you want that you tell him you’d be ‘so, so grateful.’ But don’t elaborate. His imagination will do half the work for you. ”
I shook my head, glad we’d almost reached our destination. I didn’t know how much more I could listen to. “This is the most ridiculous advice I’ve ever heard. It’s also kind of sexist too, but I can’t decide who it offends more, men or women.”
“Look, Sage. I don’t know much about chemistry or computer hacking or photosynthery, but this is something I’ve got a lot of experience with.” I think he meant photosynthesis, but I didn’t correct him. “Use my knowledge. Don’t let it go to waste.”
From Chapter 15 of The Indigo Spell
Adrian looked over at me again. “Who knows more about male weakness: you or me?”
“Go on.” I refused to directly answer the question.
“Get a new dress. One that shows a lot of skin. Short. Strapless. Maybe a push-up bra too.” He actually had the audacity to do a quick assessment of my chest. “Eh, maybe not. But definitely some high heels.”
“Adrian,” I exclaimed. “You’ve seen how Alchemists dress. Do you think I can really wear something like that?”
He was unconcerned. “You’ll make it work. You’ll change clothes or something. But I’m telling you, if you want to get a guy to do something that might be difficult, then the best way is to distract him so that he can’t devote his full brainpower to the consequences.”
“You don’t have a lot of faith in your own gender.”
“Hey, I’m telling you the truth. I’ve been distracted by sexy dresses a lot.”
I didn’t really know if that was a valid argument, seeing as Adrian was distracted by a lot of things. Fondue. T-shirts. Kittens. “And so, what then? I show some skin, and the world is mine?”
“That’ll help.” Amazingly, I could tell he was dead serious. “And you’ve gotta act confident the whole time, like it’s already a done deal. Then make sure when you’re actually asking for what you want that you tell him you’d be ‘so, so grateful.’ But don’t elaborate. His imagination will do half the work for you. ”
I shook my head, glad we’d almost reached our destination. I didn’t know how much more I could listen to. “This is the most ridiculous advice I’ve ever heard. It’s also kind of sexist too, but I can’t decide who it offends more, men or women.”
“Look, Sage. I don’t know much about chemistry or computer hacking or photosynthery, but this is something I’ve got a lot of experience with.” I think he meant photosynthesis, but I didn’t correct him. “Use my knowledge. Don’t let it go to waste.”
December 5, 2012
Autographed books for the holidays!
It's that time of year again, and if you want to give autographed Richelle Mead books for the holidays, you can order them through University Books. They sell all of my titles. For your best odds of getting them by Christmas, here's what you need to know.
If you live in the U.S., orders should be placed BEFORE this Friday, December 7, because I may not make it into the store again before Christmas. University Bookstore has free shipping, but that shipping is media mail, which can sometimes take a while--especially this time of year, when the post office gets busy. So, if I were you, I would pay for a higher shipping option--like first class or priority mail--to help your books ship faster (though again, who can control the post office??). It's not that much more money. You can still certainly roll the dice on free media mail if you'd like to. Normally, two weeks would be plenty of time, but like I said, it's hard to say this time of year.
University Books does ship outside of the U.S., but you'll need to contact them to discuss cost and speed. For all of you, please direct any questions about shipping and sales to the bookstore. Their contact info is on the info page. I really don't know anything about the nitty gritty of how the behind-the-scenes stuff works. I just come in and sign the books. :)
Hope that helps you guys out! Thanks in advance for any orders!
If you live in the U.S., orders should be placed BEFORE this Friday, December 7, because I may not make it into the store again before Christmas. University Bookstore has free shipping, but that shipping is media mail, which can sometimes take a while--especially this time of year, when the post office gets busy. So, if I were you, I would pay for a higher shipping option--like first class or priority mail--to help your books ship faster (though again, who can control the post office??). It's not that much more money. You can still certainly roll the dice on free media mail if you'd like to. Normally, two weeks would be plenty of time, but like I said, it's hard to say this time of year.
University Books does ship outside of the U.S., but you'll need to contact them to discuss cost and speed. For all of you, please direct any questions about shipping and sales to the bookstore. Their contact info is on the info page. I really don't know anything about the nitty gritty of how the behind-the-scenes stuff works. I just come in and sign the books. :)
Hope that helps you guys out! Thanks in advance for any orders!
November 26, 2012
Crafty
If you were online for one brief hour a few weeks ago, you may have gotten in on a charity deal I ran, in which I matched Red Cross donations and also promised to send some goodies (a framed Indigo Spell proof page and a couple of bonus books) to donors as well. The offer is over, but the follow-up is still going on, largely due to some wacky website shenanigans that end up sending me 84 orders instead of the original 12 planned. But hey, it's all for a good cause, right?
Here's the status. They're currently being assembled and should ship at the end of this week or early next week. Thanks for your patients! This is a big process. Arcane Vault is boxing and shipping them, but all the rest is my doing. Those who ordered them will get a shipping notice from Arcane Vault/Lasermach when they go out. You'll have them in time for the holidays!
I spent a good part of my Thanksgiving weekend working on these and am still at it today. If you're wondering what it takes to assemble 84 charity packages, allow me to give you a tour of my exercise room. I mean, Craft Headquarters.
1. Assembled Proofs in Glitter Frames
These are proofs that have been personalized or just signed for people that requested glitter frames. They're all put into frames and paired with Eugenie comics (one of the bonus books).
2. Proofs and Comics
This is a stack of unsigned proof pages, waiting to be framed, along with unsigned comic books.
3. Signed Proofs and Inventory List
Here are proofs that have been signed, as well as the master order sheet that tells me who ordered what, whether it's personalized, and whether glitter was requested. About half the orders are glittered, which is very brave of people since I have no artistic training.
4. Workspace
Here's where I assemble the signed proofs into the frames and pair them with comics. It's also where I put glitter on the decorated frames. FYI - I'm now an expert in glitter glues, by the way. Do NOT buy the Martha Stewart kind. They're overpriced, not as sparkly as others, and don't go on as well--though they do have great colors. Stickies brand has great sparkle and good precision, but after a few uses, they get hard to squeeze (at least for those of us with tendinitis). The best are actually the Crayola kids kind. Lots of sparkle, easy to use, and a $5 bargain at Target. Now you know.
5. Signed Books
This is the other bonus being included in each package. They're just plain autographed and will be paired with frames and comics during the final shipping and packaging.
6. Trash
This is all the packaging from the frames and glitter that I need to pick up. Right now my cats like to play in it.
7. Plain Framed Proofs
These are proofs assembled and framed, paired with comics, that didn't have glitter requested. They're separate because they can be stacked in a different way from the glitter ones.
8. Frames
These are frames still sealed in plastic, waiting to be opened and checked over.
9. Glitter Drying Station
The glitter glue needs a few hours to dry, so here's where my creations go during that process. Although I sometimes use the same design, the color schemes vary, so no two frames are alike.
10. Ready Glitter Frames
These are dry and waiting for proofs and homes! That glitter is pretty hardcore once it dries, but I've still got them separated by paper towels to prevent any of it rubbing off.
Not shown is my TV, to the left. I've been watching old episodes of the X-Files while doing this because I have them more or less memorized and don't have to look up very much. Good times.
Back to work!
Here's the status. They're currently being assembled and should ship at the end of this week or early next week. Thanks for your patients! This is a big process. Arcane Vault is boxing and shipping them, but all the rest is my doing. Those who ordered them will get a shipping notice from Arcane Vault/Lasermach when they go out. You'll have them in time for the holidays!
I spent a good part of my Thanksgiving weekend working on these and am still at it today. If you're wondering what it takes to assemble 84 charity packages, allow me to give you a tour of my exercise room. I mean, Craft Headquarters.
1. Assembled Proofs in Glitter Frames
These are proofs that have been personalized or just signed for people that requested glitter frames. They're all put into frames and paired with Eugenie comics (one of the bonus books).
2. Proofs and Comics
This is a stack of unsigned proof pages, waiting to be framed, along with unsigned comic books.
3. Signed Proofs and Inventory List
Here are proofs that have been signed, as well as the master order sheet that tells me who ordered what, whether it's personalized, and whether glitter was requested. About half the orders are glittered, which is very brave of people since I have no artistic training.
4. Workspace
Here's where I assemble the signed proofs into the frames and pair them with comics. It's also where I put glitter on the decorated frames. FYI - I'm now an expert in glitter glues, by the way. Do NOT buy the Martha Stewart kind. They're overpriced, not as sparkly as others, and don't go on as well--though they do have great colors. Stickies brand has great sparkle and good precision, but after a few uses, they get hard to squeeze (at least for those of us with tendinitis). The best are actually the Crayola kids kind. Lots of sparkle, easy to use, and a $5 bargain at Target. Now you know.
5. Signed Books
This is the other bonus being included in each package. They're just plain autographed and will be paired with frames and comics during the final shipping and packaging.
6. Trash
This is all the packaging from the frames and glitter that I need to pick up. Right now my cats like to play in it.
7. Plain Framed Proofs
These are proofs assembled and framed, paired with comics, that didn't have glitter requested. They're separate because they can be stacked in a different way from the glitter ones.
8. Frames
These are frames still sealed in plastic, waiting to be opened and checked over.
9. Glitter Drying Station
The glitter glue needs a few hours to dry, so here's where my creations go during that process. Although I sometimes use the same design, the color schemes vary, so no two frames are alike.
10. Ready Glitter Frames
These are dry and waiting for proofs and homes! That glitter is pretty hardcore once it dries, but I've still got them separated by paper towels to prevent any of it rubbing off.
Not shown is my TV, to the left. I've been watching old episodes of the X-Files while doing this because I have them more or less memorized and don't have to look up very much. Good times.
Back to work!
November 21, 2012
Goodreads Chat
Happy Thanksgiving! Word is getting around about my Goodreads Chat on Monday, November 26. I wanted to clear up a few things to help you out. The biggest one is that it's not technically a chat. Basically, there's a special group on GR that you can post questions anytime in--that day or even today. So, there's no real time it starts for you. That's why it's not like a live chat. On Monday, I will do my best to post answers! Please note: we're expecting a big turnout, and it may not be possible for me to get to all of them. Also, if there are a lot of duplicates, I may have to copy and paste some answers, so please don't take offense. I just want to answer as many as I can! The link to join is here.
Speaking of Goodreads...their annual awards are going on, and it's the final round! I've been lucky enough that you guys got me this far in a lot of categories. If you're interested in voting, here are my nominations:
Best Paranormal Fantasy - Shadow Heir
Best Young Adult Fantasy - The Golden Lily
Best Graphic Novel - Frostbite
Best Goodreads Author - Richelle Mead
Like always, though, there are lots and lots of good books and authors there, so I understand if you have a tough choice! :)
Speaking of Goodreads...their annual awards are going on, and it's the final round! I've been lucky enough that you guys got me this far in a lot of categories. If you're interested in voting, here are my nominations:
Best Paranormal Fantasy - Shadow Heir
Best Young Adult Fantasy - The Golden Lily
Best Graphic Novel - Frostbite
Best Goodreads Author - Richelle Mead
Like always, though, there are lots and lots of good books and authors there, so I understand if you have a tough choice! :)
November 12, 2012
A Bloodlines Birthday
First up--a quick update about the proofs you kind Red Cross donors are getting. Slowly but surely, we are on our way! I cleaned out Michael's Crafts of all the frames on their shelves and then ordered fifty more that are coming in this week. Once we have those, I'll start printing and signing proof copies, and then...the glitter! Stay tuned.
Meanwhile, guess what? Today is my birthday, and I have a gift for you. Authors always have to work so far in advance when it comes to books that sometimes I forget you haven't read The Indigo Spell. Meanwhile, I'm already in the early planning stages of Bloodlines #4. Not sure if it's mean or awesome, but I thought I'd share a little of my progress: the title of #4. Are you ready?
Bloodlines #4 is called The Fiery Heart.
This'll make a lot more sense when you read Indigo, which I'm starting to get super impatient for. Come on, February! Lots of big things happen in Indigo, and you romance fans are going to pass out. You know what also might make you pass out? This:
The Fiery Heart is going to be told from both Sydney and Adrian's points of view. That's right. If you've ever wanted to get inside the crazy world of Adrian Ivashkov's head, this is it. It'll still be in first person, but the POV will alternate chapters. I'm so excited about this, it's not even funny. Well, actually...since it's Adrian, it'll be hilarious. I think you guys'll love it, and for those who still haven't made the transition to the Bloodlines series, now's your chance! #1 and #2 are out, and it's not too late to catch up before February.
Happy Richelle's Birthday!
Meanwhile, guess what? Today is my birthday, and I have a gift for you. Authors always have to work so far in advance when it comes to books that sometimes I forget you haven't read The Indigo Spell. Meanwhile, I'm already in the early planning stages of Bloodlines #4. Not sure if it's mean or awesome, but I thought I'd share a little of my progress: the title of #4. Are you ready?
Bloodlines #4 is called The Fiery Heart.
This'll make a lot more sense when you read Indigo, which I'm starting to get super impatient for. Come on, February! Lots of big things happen in Indigo, and you romance fans are going to pass out. You know what also might make you pass out? This:
The Fiery Heart is going to be told from both Sydney and Adrian's points of view. That's right. If you've ever wanted to get inside the crazy world of Adrian Ivashkov's head, this is it. It'll still be in first person, but the POV will alternate chapters. I'm so excited about this, it's not even funny. Well, actually...since it's Adrian, it'll be hilarious. I think you guys'll love it, and for those who still haven't made the transition to the Bloodlines series, now's your chance! #1 and #2 are out, and it's not too late to catch up before February.
Happy Richelle's Birthday!
November 7, 2012
Charity follow-up
So, if you were around earlier today, you saw my post go up that offered a very sweet deal of a matching donation, a framed Indigo Spell proof, and some mystery books if you donated $25 to the Red Cross through Arcane Vault. I mentioned in the post that we had a limited number of proofs. How many, you ask? Twelve.
Well, here's the thing. You guys made the website explode.
There was such a huge and overwhelming response that the website's shopping cart wasn't able to handle it all and processed many, many more than twelve orders before things shut down. Um, like, eighty or so more. Whoa. The folks at Arcane Vault and I have been huddled today trying to figure out how to handle this surprise. There was a fear we'd have to just issue refunds. In the end, however, two things became obvious:
1. The Red Cross getting all of those donations would be awesome
2. You guys are awesome for showing that much enthusiasm for the Red Cross and The Indigo Spell
So, it's official. If PayPal processed your payment, you are IN. We're going to make all of these orders happen. All the proofs, all the matching, all the books. The one issue to note is that I do not have eighty-something unique proof page copies to offer to the world. I have twelve, and we will have to use those twelve. That means, 5-6 other people may have a copy of the same page as you. If you're bummed at not having a unique one, you can get your money refunded, no problem at all, by emailing orders@arcanevault.com. We're super sorry about this, but it can't be helped. I have lots of glitter and books but only a finite number of pages to reveal. If you donated multiple times, all the proofs in your order will be different (unless you ordered more than twelve).
In the meantime, please be patient with us while we deal with this surprise. We're going to do our best to make this happen efficiently! I don't even have enough frames at the moment to fulfill these orders. So, it looks like a shopping trip for me! I originally hoped to have the twelve knocked out in a week, but it may take up to a month to assemble these and ship them out (hopefully sooner, though). If your payment went through, you should've gotten email from PayPal (it may say the sale was to Lasermach, Arcane Vault's parent company) that contains your invoice/order number. That's verification that your order is confirmed. You will also get email when your goods ship, including the delivery tracking number. If you forgot to enter who you want your proof and books autographed to, you can send that information now to orders@arcanevault.com. You can also email them if you forgot to ask for me to glitter up your frames. :) Include your order name and number.
Whew, what a crazy day! This was certainly unexpected, but I'm so excited at the amazing response we got. In the meantime, I ask two things. One: if you're a VA fan and haven't ever checked out Arcane Vault, please do so! They sell soooo much cool VA merchandise. Plus, they're a local family business that puts in so much work, and they're going to a huge amount of effort and cost to help me ship all these extra orders. The other thing I ask is that even if you missed getting a prize for it, consider donating to the Red Cross just for the good of it. Those that the Red Cross are helping on the East Coast and in other parts of the world will thank you.
And I thank you for all of your amazing support! We'll have more updates on these, including a video of me gluing glitter at our shipping party--because I'm still going to do all of that glitter MYSELF. :)
Well, here's the thing. You guys made the website explode.
There was such a huge and overwhelming response that the website's shopping cart wasn't able to handle it all and processed many, many more than twelve orders before things shut down. Um, like, eighty or so more. Whoa. The folks at Arcane Vault and I have been huddled today trying to figure out how to handle this surprise. There was a fear we'd have to just issue refunds. In the end, however, two things became obvious:
1. The Red Cross getting all of those donations would be awesome
2. You guys are awesome for showing that much enthusiasm for the Red Cross and The Indigo Spell
So, it's official. If PayPal processed your payment, you are IN. We're going to make all of these orders happen. All the proofs, all the matching, all the books. The one issue to note is that I do not have eighty-something unique proof page copies to offer to the world. I have twelve, and we will have to use those twelve. That means, 5-6 other people may have a copy of the same page as you. If you're bummed at not having a unique one, you can get your money refunded, no problem at all, by emailing orders@arcanevault.com. We're super sorry about this, but it can't be helped. I have lots of glitter and books but only a finite number of pages to reveal. If you donated multiple times, all the proofs in your order will be different (unless you ordered more than twelve).
In the meantime, please be patient with us while we deal with this surprise. We're going to do our best to make this happen efficiently! I don't even have enough frames at the moment to fulfill these orders. So, it looks like a shopping trip for me! I originally hoped to have the twelve knocked out in a week, but it may take up to a month to assemble these and ship them out (hopefully sooner, though). If your payment went through, you should've gotten email from PayPal (it may say the sale was to Lasermach, Arcane Vault's parent company) that contains your invoice/order number. That's verification that your order is confirmed. You will also get email when your goods ship, including the delivery tracking number. If you forgot to enter who you want your proof and books autographed to, you can send that information now to orders@arcanevault.com. You can also email them if you forgot to ask for me to glitter up your frames. :) Include your order name and number.
Whew, what a crazy day! This was certainly unexpected, but I'm so excited at the amazing response we got. In the meantime, I ask two things. One: if you're a VA fan and haven't ever checked out Arcane Vault, please do so! They sell soooo much cool VA merchandise. Plus, they're a local family business that puts in so much work, and they're going to a huge amount of effort and cost to help me ship all these extra orders. The other thing I ask is that even if you missed getting a prize for it, consider donating to the Red Cross just for the good of it. Those that the Red Cross are helping on the East Coast and in other parts of the world will thank you.
And I thank you for all of your amazing support! We'll have more updates on these, including a video of me gluing glitter at our shipping party--because I'm still going to do all of that glitter MYSELF. :)
Indigo meets red for charity
WE HAVE SOLD OUT! THIS OFFER IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE
Thank you so much to everyone who donated. You can of course still donate to the Red Cross anytime, but we have no more books and proofs. Thank you again
Thank you so much to everyone who donated. You can of course still donate to the Red Cross anytime, but we have no more books and proofs. Thank you again
October 29, 2012
What darkness lurks in the heart of daycare
So, my son's daycare had an Autumn Harvest party, in which parents were invited to come by and do all sorts of autumny things with the kids. I'm behind in work, but this still seemed like something I shouldn't miss. Plus, it was an opportunity to wear this super cute new winter coat I just got. It's a three-quarter faux leather creation with a fluffy faux fur collar--and all machine washable! It's also got these cool industrial metal hook closures, which eliminate my fear of losing buttons around toddlers.
I showed up, and it was pretty adorable. My little son ran over to me as soon as he saw me, hugged me, and said, "Mama." No one else's kid did that. Suckers. Someone else's kid came up to me and petted my coat's collar, verifying how cute it was. After some welcomes to all of us, the daycare ladies gave everyone these little tiny pumpkins and started setting out bowls of finger paint on the tables so that we could decorate. All of the other toddlers watched and waited respectfully--except my son. He got off my lap and immediately ran over and dunked his palms into dark purple paint. Then, he went running toward me--in my new coat. I sprang up and backed away as quickly as possible, not wanting to try out the machine washable feature yet. It took me forever to rip it off because those goddamned industrial hooks I was so proud of wouldn't come undone. Oh, vanity, thy name is Richelle! As I struggled and eluded him, my son went on a rampage, leaving purple handprints everywhere--furniture, floor, himself... The daycare ladies laughed it off since the paint was washable, and I finally managed to jettison the coat into the hall outside the room.
When I wrangled my son and cleaned off his palms, we returned to the group and found them all diligently decorating their pumpkins at little kid-sized tables. I settled my son down and showed him how to lightly dip just his fingertips into paint to make polka dots on the pumpkin. We made a pretty sweet pattern of orange and red dots and stopped there because less is more, not like those other paint-happy kids. I left the pumpkin there to dry and then took my son for a walk around the room to distract him. When we returned, we were met with a horrible sight:
Someone was stealing our pumpkin.
This other family who'd worked near us was holding up our pumpkin and grinning gleefully at their son, cooing over "his" amazing work. They didn't speak English, but I'm pretty sure they were heralding him as the next Picasso and making plans to sign him up for art lessons. Which left me in a bind. I don't like confrontation, and it seemed so bitchy to be like, "No, that's ours." And what if they denied it? Were we going to get into an altercation over a pumpkin in the middle of a toddler daycare? Would they understand the mix-up with the language barrier? As I stood there dumbfounded and distracted, my son took the opportunity to climb onto a chair and promptly keel over the back of it, landing face first and spread-eagle on the ground. He started shrieking, and the entire room came to a stop to stare at that awful mother who let her son get hurt while standing right beside him. I picked him up and hugged him, and we took another walk around the room. He didn't have any injuries, and in a less than a minute, everything was cool and he wanted to get down (and head right back to that chair).
As I returned to the others, I heard the daycare ladies say, "Let's write names on these pumpkins so they don't get lost!" That would've been a great idea 10 minutes ago! And before I could do anything, that other family had written their son's name on my son's pumpkin. It was lost to us forever.
I let the pumpkin go. I mean, I probably would've thrown it out after Halloween anyway. Still, I can't shake the weirdness of that pumpkin sitting at home on their dining room table, as they show it off to family and friends passing through. And all the while, they'll remain in ignorance that it's another child's work they're admiring. But hey, who am I to diss their happiness? I should be glad my son's superior art skills can bring them such joy, and maybe we really have set this kid up for art lessons. Will he ever be able to top my son's art talents?
Unlikely.
I showed up, and it was pretty adorable. My little son ran over to me as soon as he saw me, hugged me, and said, "Mama." No one else's kid did that. Suckers. Someone else's kid came up to me and petted my coat's collar, verifying how cute it was. After some welcomes to all of us, the daycare ladies gave everyone these little tiny pumpkins and started setting out bowls of finger paint on the tables so that we could decorate. All of the other toddlers watched and waited respectfully--except my son. He got off my lap and immediately ran over and dunked his palms into dark purple paint. Then, he went running toward me--in my new coat. I sprang up and backed away as quickly as possible, not wanting to try out the machine washable feature yet. It took me forever to rip it off because those goddamned industrial hooks I was so proud of wouldn't come undone. Oh, vanity, thy name is Richelle! As I struggled and eluded him, my son went on a rampage, leaving purple handprints everywhere--furniture, floor, himself... The daycare ladies laughed it off since the paint was washable, and I finally managed to jettison the coat into the hall outside the room.
When I wrangled my son and cleaned off his palms, we returned to the group and found them all diligently decorating their pumpkins at little kid-sized tables. I settled my son down and showed him how to lightly dip just his fingertips into paint to make polka dots on the pumpkin. We made a pretty sweet pattern of orange and red dots and stopped there because less is more, not like those other paint-happy kids. I left the pumpkin there to dry and then took my son for a walk around the room to distract him. When we returned, we were met with a horrible sight:
Someone was stealing our pumpkin.
This other family who'd worked near us was holding up our pumpkin and grinning gleefully at their son, cooing over "his" amazing work. They didn't speak English, but I'm pretty sure they were heralding him as the next Picasso and making plans to sign him up for art lessons. Which left me in a bind. I don't like confrontation, and it seemed so bitchy to be like, "No, that's ours." And what if they denied it? Were we going to get into an altercation over a pumpkin in the middle of a toddler daycare? Would they understand the mix-up with the language barrier? As I stood there dumbfounded and distracted, my son took the opportunity to climb onto a chair and promptly keel over the back of it, landing face first and spread-eagle on the ground. He started shrieking, and the entire room came to a stop to stare at that awful mother who let her son get hurt while standing right beside him. I picked him up and hugged him, and we took another walk around the room. He didn't have any injuries, and in a less than a minute, everything was cool and he wanted to get down (and head right back to that chair).
As I returned to the others, I heard the daycare ladies say, "Let's write names on these pumpkins so they don't get lost!" That would've been a great idea 10 minutes ago! And before I could do anything, that other family had written their son's name on my son's pumpkin. It was lost to us forever.
I let the pumpkin go. I mean, I probably would've thrown it out after Halloween anyway. Still, I can't shake the weirdness of that pumpkin sitting at home on their dining room table, as they show it off to family and friends passing through. And all the while, they'll remain in ignorance that it's another child's work they're admiring. But hey, who am I to diss their happiness? I should be glad my son's superior art skills can bring them such joy, and maybe we really have set this kid up for art lessons. Will he ever be able to top my son's art talents?
Unlikely.
