Richelle Mead's Blog, page 3

Adrian's Diary #1

If you follow me on social media, you'll know that yesterday I supported a fundraiser for Save the Children (which you can still contribute to) and told people if that goal was surpassed, I'd write up some entries from Adrian's diary. Well, that goal was met (and then some), so as promised, here we go. I'm also working on a totally new, non-VA project right now, so I can't spend too much time in Adrian's head or else it'll throw me off. So, you just get one today. I'll try to do another next week.

Because the VA/Bloodlines series takes place in no specific year, I'm just generically dating these around the books they're taking place in.

Date: Springtime, sometime during the year Vampire Academy #1 takes place

Well, I did it. I finally quit college. Again. I should’ve known better after the first time, but Mom kept pushing me to give it another shot. After half a semester, I knew I was done. Again. Dad said I didn’t try hard enough to make it work, but I think the university didn’t try hard enough to make it work for me. Like, on the first day of class, my watercolors professor kept going on and on about how we needed to express ourselves. But when I told her a couple weeks later that homework wasn’t really an expression of the powerful emotions burning within my soul, she said I was going to fail her class. Hypocrite. At least I was doing good in Intro to Women’s Studies. My professor wrote “Good effort – please rewrite” on one of my papers, which I think is pretty solid. I also got six girls’ numbers, which is more than the only other two guys in class managed to do. But I don’t really need to get up early and sit through a lecture to get phone numbers. I can do that anywhere. Dad asked me what I’m going to do with my life, now that I’m a second-time college dropout. I told him I’m going to do what I’ve always done. Be awesome. Be Adrian Ivashkov.

Dallas Signing!

Just wanted to stop by and let you know about an upcoming signing, in case you haven't heard. I'm currently in Dallas at the RT Convention and will be signing tomorrow (May 16) at their giant book fair from 11am-2pm with hundreds of other great authors. We're at the Hyatt Regency on Reunion, so please com see us! :)

Coming up next in book signings!

First off, thank you so much to everyone who came out to see me on The Ruby Circle tour. I met hundreds and hundreds of people and loved talking to those who've loved and supported my books. That same support got The Ruby Circle on to many bestseller lists, and I'm grateful for that too.

So what's next? Well, first things first, I've got to get back to writing books! When I'm on tour, I'm not writing, so that's definitely something to remedy. But, I've still got other places to visit, and here's what's on deck for this spring:

YALLWest - Santa Monica/Los Angeles, CA - April 11-12, 2015
Ever heard of YALLFest, the colossal book festival in South Carolina? Well, now it has a sister event on the West Coast! I'll be appearing here with a gazillion other authors. My day will be Saturday, April 11, and I'll be talking about various book things on panels and also signing. All the panels I'll be on are free, but there are some cool events that aren't that you'll need to buy tickets to. I'm told those tickets are almost sold out, so you can check out what those are here. If you don't get tickets to those, you can still come see me.

Cavalcade of Authors West - Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA - May 2, 2015
This an event put on by the libraries of Pierce County, WA and features me and some other great authors teaching writing workshops to middle and high school students. If you live in Western Washington, pass this website onto a teacher or librarian to get you registered.

Romantic Times Book Booklovers Convention - Hyatt Regency in Dallas, TX - May 12-17</b>
This is a massive convention put on every year in various places around the country (Las Vegas next year!). Tons of authors come, and if you register for the full convention, you'll have access to a lot of parties and panels. BUT if you don't have the time or money for all that, here are some simpler ways to meet me:
--Giant Book Fair - May 16 - 11am-2pm
$5 admission will get you into the book fair where a few hundred authors will be signing. I'll be there, and you can bring your own books or purchase them there.
--Teen Day - May 16 - 11am-7:30pm
If you love YA books, THIS is the event you don't want to miss--and you don't have to be a teen. Along with the giant book signing, you get to attends panels with your favorite YA authors and hang out with them at a party where you'll get a bunch of loot. Tickets are $30 and includes chaperone admission if you're under 18. Get all the details here.

Bookcon (BEA) - Javits Center in New York City, NY - May 30 & 31
BookExpo of America is a giant convention in NYC, and now they've got Bookcon added to it--a special part that's open to the public. I'll be appearing on Saturday, May 30. I don't yet know my schedule, but if you're interested in seeing me that day (or other great authors), get your tickets here.

That's all I've got for you right now! If a certain place isn't on my schedule, I either have no clue if I'll ever be there or else it's not something that can be released to the public. If I get more news, I'll let you know!

Ruby Circle Tour Update - Colorado Signings Cancelled

Just a quick note to let my Colorado readers know that sadly, we have had to cancel my Denver and Boulder events this weekend due to weather and flight issues. I'm so sorry I won't be able to see you guys and talk about The Ruby Circle. These events will almost certainly be rescheduled, but it will be a while before it happens (or before I even have any info on it). Thank you so much for understanding!

I will still be signing at Book People in Austin this Sunday, February 22, at 2pm as planned. All the details are here.

This tour has been amazing so far, and I'm so grateful to everyone who's turned out in all the other cities these last couple weeks. You all rock! And thank you also to everyone who's gone out and bought The Ruby Circle. Thanks to your support, it's made it to the New York Times, USA Today, and Australia's bestseller lists.

THE Ruby Circle post you need to read!

If you've been following me on social media, you may know all this. If not, here's a summary of everything you need to know about my latest book, which comes out next week and will bring us the epic finale to the Vampire Academy and Bloodlines world!

The Ruby Circle is almost here!
After eleven books set in the world of Moroi and dhampirs, the saga is coming to a close on February 10! As Sydney and Adrian race against the clock to protect their love and their lives, they're joined by old and new friends--including Rose and Dimitri--to uncover a secret that changes everything they thought they knew about their world! Read the first five chapters at the official Ruby Circle website.

Want to meet Richelle?
I'll be meeting fans and signing books during tour stops and conventions this spring!
February 10 - San Francisco, CA (Kepler's Books)
February 11 - Seattle, WA (University Book Store)
February 12 - Portland, OR (Powell's Beaverton)
February 13 - Salt Lake City, UT (King's English)
February 17 - Las Vegas, NV (Barnes and Noble)
February 18 - Phoenix, AZ (Changing Hands - Tempe)
February 20 - Denver, CO (Castle Rock Library)
February 21 - Boulder, CO (Boulder Book Store)
February 22 - Austin, TX (Book People)
April 11 - Los Angeles, CA (YALLWest Festival)
May 16 - Dallas, TX (RT Booklovers Convention)

Click here for more details on locations and times for my appearances!

Want to buy the book? Want to buy it SIGNED?
If I won't be touring near you this spring, you can order an autographed copy of any of my books from University Book Store (they ship internationally and ordering THIS week will help ensure your TRC copy ships out on release day!). You can also pre-order The Ruby Circle or find it locally at any of these bookstores when it comes out on February 10, 2015.

What's next? Stay tuned!
More exciting news and appearances are coming this year! Even if you follow me on social media, I STRONGLY urge you to join my announcements mailing list and get updates sent straight to your inbox so that nothing gets missed! And of course, here are the other ways to stay informed:

www.richellemead.com
Twitter: @richellemead
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richellemeadfanpage

Halloween Treat - With Silver Shadows Spoilers (But They're Awesome)!

First up, I want to remind Seattle peeps that I'm signing in Bellevue, TOMORROW, November 1, and reading a sneak peek of The Ruby Circle! Details are here, so please come if you can!

Now, as a Halloween treat, I want to address some things from Silver Shadows that readers have been wanting to know about. It involves giving away some MAJOR things from SS, so if you haven't read that book, I'd really advise you against reading the rest of this post. In fact, I'll create a cut here to further hide some of those things.

Okay, here we go. What are we going to talk about? The wedding. You know the one I mean--that crazy, romantic, over the top one that Adrian throws together on short notice. People have been asking me some questions about it, so I'm going to answer those now!

1. Is the Las Vegas hotel where Sydney and Adrian get married real?
The Firenze, where they have their wedding, is NOT real, alas. It's based on a real place, however: the Venetian. I would have loved to use a real hotel, either so fans could tour it or host their own whirlwind wedding there, but I decided on a fictitious hotel at the last minute. This is because there's some bribery going on with the hotel's staff, and call me old-fashioned, but I didn't want to make any negative insinuations against the Venetian's employees! Had I actually used the Venetian, there would have been a strong temptation also to have Sydney and Adrian do one of their gondola weddings and have a high-speed(?) water chase from the Alchemists. That would've been either awesome or ridiculous, but I guess we'll never know. In the meantime, you can still go to one of the Venetian's real chapels and get a good idea of what Sydney and Adrian's wedding looks like.

When Sydney throws the Alchemists into the Bellagio fountains? Those are real. But I wouldn't recommended imitating her on that count.

2. What does Adrian's wedding band look like?
Very much like the top ring in this set designed by Green Lake Jewelry in Seattle. It is, ahem, a ruby circle.

GLJ does awesome work and inspire a lot of jewelry in my books!

3. What does Sydney's engagement ring look like?
A lot like this, except that her center stone is more square/rectangular. Remember, the stones were taken from Adrian's cuff links.


4. And lastly, what does Sydney's wedding dress look like?
So glad you asked! I actually picked this out before I wrote the book, and so when I went to write the scene, I kept having to flip back and forth between the image and my manuscript in the hopes of getting the details right. I don't know if this dress is still available, but the designer is Demetrios.

Makes her mad dash that much more impressive, eh?

Happy Halloween!

Upcoming Seattle-area Events

Hey, Seattle peeps! I've got a couple of local events coming up this month. So if you're in the area, want to get some books signed, and ask some questions -- stop on by! I'll be having more signings in 2015, with stats on those dates and cities later this year. Keep checking back or sign up for my mailing list to get notifications right in your inbox!

Saturday -- November 1 -- Bellevue, WA
Barnes & Noble Bellevue -- 2pm
626 106th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA
Since this is a "between new releases" book signing, I'll make things extra exciting...and read a sneak peek from The Ruby Circle (being released February 2015)! Feel free to bring books from home, but if you haven't bought one of my titles yet and want to, please buy it at the store to support them. Signing limits: one personalized and three plain autographed per person (so if you've got more than four books, bring a friend to carry your other ones in line!).

Saturday -- November 29 -- Seattle, WA
University Bookstore -- 2pm
4326 University Way NE
Seattle, WA
Small Business Saturday! A variety of authors will be in the store for talks and panels. I'll be part of the sci-fi panel at 2pm and available to sign books afterwards. It should be a super fun day! You can see the full lineup of authors on the schedule here.

Reign Season Premiere Recap/Review

Time flies when you're super busy. I've been swamped with finishing The Ruby Circle, chasing down some personal health issues, and also making plans for what's next after Bloodlines ends (stay tuned for that news). But, when not working, I DO get some downtime, and I have a few guilty TV pleasures. One is the dresstastic madness that is Reign, and per the request of some Twitter followers, I'm going to recap/review the season 2 premiere that aired last week.



Now, if you're not familiar with Reign, be advised there are spoilers ahead. And if you know anything about Mary, Queen of Scots, be advised that you can't go into watching this show expecting perfect historical accuracy. It does a better job than most people give it credit for, but there are still a lot of liberties taken. You'll enjoy it a lot more if you just treat it as a medieval soap opera. And if you don't know the real history at all, you'll probably be happier staying in ignorance. Unless you're a major fan of Elizabeth I--then by all means, go read up on the history.

Anyway, season 2 opens with Francis bravely riding out into the countryside to be with Mary's lady-in-waiting Lola, who's about to give birth to his bastard. I'm going to come right out and say it now: in the Francis vs. Bash debate, I'm firmly on Team Francis. I like Bash well enough, but despite him being the roguish bastard, I actually think Francis has a darker streak. (I thought it was EPIC when he pulled off his helmet in last season's finale, revealing he was the one who'd killed his dad in the tournament!). Also, I'm still traumatized by Torrance Coombs' portrayal of Thomas Culpepper on The Tudors. If you've watched that show, you know exactly what I'm talking about.

So, Francis gets to Lola, and surprise! She's already had the baby, which tells me two things: 1. They have a lot of other stuff they need to cram into this episode, and 2. The writers are NOT messing around. Mary's life would have been mildly inconvenienced with a bastard princess around, but by making it a boy, the writers have just messed up her life x 1000. I also like that the writers do away with any lingering feelings between Francis and Lola--which should reassure a lot of you. (By the way, you guys can't hate on Lola unless you hate Francis too. They were both involved in making this mess, and really, it was the result of Mary's convoluted marrying-Bash plan). There's no Frola/Frary love triangle in the making, and it's made abundantly clear that the issue at stake is whether or not Francis will claim (and control) Lola's child. More on that later.

Back at the castle, Mary and Catherine are holding a press conference about the plague. (The producers had hinted someone we know dies from the plague in this episode, and my money's on one of the Castleroys). Man, am I happy to see Catherine. Megan Follows OWNS that role. She steals every scene she's in, and I adore her. Plus, I'm pretty sure the accent she uses for this role is the same one she used to use when Anne of Green Gables did dramatic readings or plays. So sometimes I like to pretend this show is all just one elaborate production that Anne and Diana are putting on.

But wait! Who's that dashing fellow beside the two queens? Why, it's Nostradamus, who has apparently decided to shave for season 2. He must have realized there were some hot, eligible CW women around and that he needed to up his game--not that he seemed to be doing that badly before.



Really, the most extraordinary thing about this scene for me, though, is that the entire Greer/Castleroy/Leith/Yvette love mess is revealed with a few glances across the room! That was my second favorite plot twist of last season, so I was at least hoping for an awkward family dinner: "Hey, Dad and future stepmom, I want you to meet this guy I'm seeing..."

Last but not least, we check in with Bash and Kenna. I totally forgot about that kid they were taking care of. I assumed Pascal got returned to some distant pagan relatives. Bash is taking charge and trying to get his family out of there, but Kenna gets thwarted by a plaguey servant who calls her a whore, which I don't like at all! You can say what you want about Kenna, but she was in a bad situation last season. It's not easy being a woman in the 16th century, and when a king or any powerful man casts his eye on you, you can't just go complain to HR. She made the best of what she had, and I think it worked out since she and Bash are kind of perfect for each other in their misfitness. Their wedding was one of my favorite scenes last season. Anyway, Kenna yields Pascal, and we know this isn't going to end well.

Back in the throne room, Mary and Catherine are holding court and sparring with each other. A new guy named Narcisse shows up and wants permission to kill someone in exchange for food for the court. Pragmatic Catherine has no problem with this, but Mary's morals won't allow her to condone it. There are certain parts of Mary's history (who she marries, where she rules) that the show can't change, but one thing they've taken control of nicely is this ongoing conflict as her character develops. Can she hold to her principles and still be an effective ruler? That remains to be seen.

Out in the country Lola and Francis are slowly making their way back to the castle. Lola looks pretty good for having just given birth. Maybe I would've too if I'd been able to wear something like this instead of yoga pants and a T-shirt:



Along the way, they run into Narcisse and also a guy named Conde, who is fully up to the CW's levels of attractiveness. Based on the dreamy music playing when they meet, I secretly think Conde'll be back as a love interest for Lola--once he gets his own affairs straightened out. For now, Francis is going to use Conde's ship to send Lola and the baby away, which will probably relieve some of you. But something tells me it won't be that easy...

Back at the castle, Kenna and Pascal have been locked in a room to prevent plague spreading! Pascal dies from the plague, which is sad and handled gracefully by the writers by mostly focusing on Kenna as it happens. I guess I was wrong, and it's not going to be one of the Castleroys. Bash, now on the hunt for Kenna, has his own run-ins with the plague, and then he sees a ghostly figure coming toward him in the hall! Is it King Henry's brother, back from the dead? No, it's a plague-victim, who tells Bash he's neither dead nor infected. What does that mean? Can Bash see dead people now? Does he have supernatural powers? Cuz that's a plot twist I'm totally on board with. We never find out because Bash soon finds Kenna, and while her being locked in a room for most of the episode is kind of a meh plot, their reunion is so sweet that I find myself smiling. I love those misfit kids.

Cut to the throne room, and Narcisse is back, which boggles the mind since Francis and Lola aren't. Nostradamus has also come and gone, which makes me wonder just how slow Francis and Lola are going. Nostradamus and Mary have made Catherine think she has the plague to get her out of the way--which I don't like AT ALL. No one one-ups my girl! In a touching bedside scene, we get the hint that Catherine is fully aware of how power compromised her morals over the years. It's like her and Mary are kindred spirits after all! But Mary's intentions prove to be in vain: Narcisse has already killed the guy he wanted--by poisoning a whole room full of people! That includes Yvette Castleroy, which baffles my writer's mind because I thought for sure that love rhombus was going to play out for a while. That had the potential for a lot of drama, so I'm not sure what they have planned for Greer now, aside from the obvious Leith vs. Castleroy conflict. Seriously, this bugs me. It bugs Mary too, and she has Narcisse thrown in the dungeon--but methinks we haven't seen the last of him.

Finally, back on the long road, Francis holds his son for the first time and has a really touching moment when he realizes he wants the baby in his life after all. It's also kind of a dark moment, though, as Lola sees her freedom slipping away from her. Remember when I said it wasn't easy being a woman in the 16th century? Here's more proof, and Francis's ominous line about how the baby will be whatever he says it is tells you exactly why Lola is concerned. Mary's going to love it when this trio shows back up.

And speaking of our queen...we close on her sitting on the throne, with an empty throne beside her. At first, I think that's symbolic of Catherine's absence (I'm still ticked off they tricked her), then I realize it's meant to mark Francis's absence. Don't worry, Mary. I'm sure he'll be back next episode. Surely they can't STILL be traveling?

And that's it! Phew, that was a lot. From a storytelling point of view, I can say they did exactly what I'd expect in an opening chapter, tying up the last cliffhanger and prepping us for what's to come. I expect the real crazy to start in coming episodes, particularly when Francis and Lola get back and Narcisse gets out of prison. As for Greer's plotline...that still has me scratching my head why they got rid of Yvette so quickly.

Important Summary Stuff

Best Catherine quote: "Welcome to the real France."

Best Dress:

Mary's, of course:



Although, this blue one we briefly see Greer in is quite nice too:



Thanks for reading my longggg post! I'm hoping to have some news about a couple local appearances for you the next time I blog.

Silver Shadows Touring So Far!

Silver Shadows is here! And in case you haven't been out on social media, people are freaking out about it--in a good way. If you haven't picked up your copy, make sure you do soon. Big, big things are coming!

I've had a really great time this week talking to fans about the book. On Tuesday, I kicked off SS's release at University Book Store in Seattle, sharing all sorts of stories:



As you can see, there were "a few" people there:



I signed for a little over two hours, but it was so much fun. I got to see familiar faces and new ones and am so thrilled for everyone that came out:



Last night, I had my first ever "virtual event." I Skyped with fans at Schuler's Books in Lansing, MI while I sat at home in my office talking on my pink laptop:



Meanwhile, here's what fans in Lansing got to see:



It was awesome! The store said it was their biggest turnout for a Skype event yet, but the number was still small enough that everyone who wanted to got to ask questions. We got to cover a lot of popular fan topics!



Even more exciting, some fans came in character, which I always love. It's hard to see, but the girl in gray has a golden lily tattoo. What's easy to see is that they're all proudly showing the signed copies of Silver Shadows they bought and free DVDs they won! Thank you so much to all who came out to talk to me!

If you live in Miami or Chicago, I'll be Skyping with you guys back to back tonight, July 31. Check here for times. (Rumor has it Anderson's in Chicago will have pizza!). It'll be the same set up, with us face to face on the big screen, you asking questions, and signed books for sale! Plus, each store is giving away 100 DVDs.

And if you live in Portland, I'll be signing this Saturday at the downtown Powell's (different from where I usually sign in Cedar Hills), so come see me there if you're in town. Looking forward to talking to more people!

Talk to me, yo.

Can you believe we're less than one week away until Silver Shadows is out? I'm SO excited for you guys to read this one. Big stuff happens, you guys. But then, when does it ever not?

In celebration of this, there are a number of events going on that you can be a part of. Here's a run down.

Google Hangout with me, Melissa de la Cruz, Margaret Stohl, and Morgan Rhodes

WHEN: Monday, July 28 at 7pm Eastern/4pm Pacific US time (other places, use a time zone converter)
WHAT IT IS: Me, video chatting with three of my favorite author pals for one hour!
WHO CAN SEE IT: Anyone, anywhere in the world, from the comfort of your home.
WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE: Because you get to see FOUR authors talking about all sorts of topics and possibly distracting each other into silliness. You can also submit questions at the time of the chat or post them in advance here or on Twitter marked #PenguinTeenChat.
THINGS TO KNOW: This will be awesome. Learn to use Google Hangouts this weekend! Here's the link it'll be happening at.

"Virtual" Book Signing and Skype Chat with Me!

WHEN: July 30 and July 31 in Lansing, Miami, and Chicago (Check schedule for times)
WHAT IT IS: Me, chatting with readers on a giant screen in front of you (hope my pores don't show!) and answering your questions about books, movies, and life. Each host store will have autographed copies of Silver Shadows for you to buy right there! Plus each store is giving away *100* copies of the Vampire Academy DVD.
WHO CAN SEE IT: Anyone who is at Schuler Books in Lansing, Books and Books in Coral Gables, or Anderson's in Chicago at the designated times. Some people are confused that the virtual element means you can do this from home. Nope--you have to be in the bookstore hosting it to talk to me. They're the ones making the Skype connection with me.
WHY YOU SHOULD PARTICIPATE: Because you can ask me all those things you want to know--will there be a fifth Dark Swan book? Will there be a Frostbite movie? What IS Jill's element? Etc. If you're in a bookstore with only 50 other people, you have much better odds of getting questions answered vs. an online chat that's open to the whole world. Plus, you can buy an autographed copy of Silver Shadows and maybe win a DVD! (I feel like your odds are pretty good if they're giving away 100 of those DVDs).
THINGS TO KNOW: Contact your store in advance with questions or to pre-order and make sure they don't run out of signed books!

In-Person Book Signing with Me!

WHEN: July 29 (Seattle) and August 2 (Portland) (Check schedule for times)
WHAT IT IS: Me, reading and taking questions in-person, followed by a book signing and possibly pictures. I'll sign up to four books per person, from any of my series, and you can bring them from home. But if you don't have a book yet, PLEASE buy it from the hosting store! It ensures that they'll bring me back to see you for future book releases!
WHO CAN SEE IT: Anyone who shows up to University Book Store in Seattle or Powell's (downtown) in Portland at the designated times.
THINGS TO KNOW: I don't have DVDs to give away here, but I will bring lots of other goodies to give away, like cool foreign editions of my books, t-shirts, and other fun things. So show up, chat, get a book signed, and maybe win free stuff! Arcane Vault will be selling their merchandise at the Seattle event.