Kim Harrison's Blog, page 56

Trouble on the seas, er, Reserve!

click to read pt two

Yep. Kim knits, too.

Arg! There be trouble on the seas, matie! Part two of Trouble on Reserve is up and available! Check it out! I had forgotten that Trent did the arm-over-the-back-of-the-seat to back up trick. Nice. :-) Another slice will pop up next Tuesday, and so on until we get to the release of The Undead Pool. It might look like forever, but it’s almost upon us.

And speaking of weekly teasers, I just got the word that Harper will be releasing up to chapter five of The Undead Pool for your reading and my teasing enjoyment between now and publication. A lot happens in those first five chapters. First chapter is at the website right now, second one is at the back of most updated U.S. ebooks, and the third is scheduled for the 28th. (I’ll have a more accessible access to chapter two then as well.)

Click to order

A-a-a-a-and, I almost hate to bring it up because it’s been so quiet around the house, (hence me having the time to actually knit . . .) but we have a solid cut-off date of February 3rd for ordering a tour-t. (Am I coming near you?) After that date, there just won’t be any more, because we print them in two batches, and this is the last one. If you’re not familiar with the Tour-ts, wearing one, from any book, will get you into the “family photo” I try to take at every store, and bragging rights as being one of my “roadies.” (Not really about being a roadie, but it’s all fun.)

Burrrr. Cold again

Man, just when I thought we might have seen the last of the sub zero, we dip down again. It’s not unusual for Michigan to hit the minus mark, but it’s usually only once a year. I’ve got a feeling that even with the foot of snow the garden is buried under that I will have a few plants not returning in the spring. Zone designations are more like guidelines, not rules. (rolls eyes)

At least I know my bittersweet can take it. And even though it is six this morning, I am thinking on it with a stirring of excitement. I can’t wait to see how it does in my garden this next year.

But you are here for the winners for the Black Magic Sanction give away! The emails have already gone out, so check your in-box to see if you’ve won. You have to email me back by Friday, noon, EST to claim your prize, or I give it to the next person on the list. And the winners are:

April Pearce

Sarah K

Frederick Curry

Krystin

Billi Williams

Congratulations, guys! And thank you for playing along with me.

click to read pt one

And since I’ve got your ear, the second installment of Trouble on Reserve should be popping up today. I’m not in charge of it’s updating, so I can’t say for sure when that will be. Here’s the link if you’ve not “friended” or signed up, or whatever the term is for Wattpad for updates to your fav writers. (I’m still new to it.)

Also, we are very close to being a month out, which means Harper might start releasing entire chapters of The Undead Pool. (Yay!) Keep checking back. I’ll let you know. Chapter one is already at the website. ( Start reading )

Black Magic Sanction flash give-away

 Whee! Contest closed! Give me an hour, and I’ll have a new post with the winners listed, so check your email before noon to see if you’re one of the lucky five!

Click for 1.99 ebook

Click for 1.99 e-book

We’re almost a month from THE UNDEAD POOL’s publication, (Want a signed copy?) and we’re cruising up fast to the end in the read-along. (Still going on at Goodreads) Today marks the end of Black Magic Sanction in the read-along, and the beginning of one of my favorites, Pale Demon. Black Magic Sanction is still on sale today as part of Harper’s “Steals and Deals”  campaign. Pale Demon should be joining it today or tomorrow, so if you’re rounding out your e-library, this is a great way to do it.

But I’m giving away stuff! To enter the contest for the prize pack, all you have to do is drop down to the comment box at the end of the page here and tell me if you think Trent really expected Rachel to run Jonathan down, or did he invite her knowing she wouldn’t, and he’d get a midnight ride alone with her?  (If you’ve not read the book, then tell me what you think of the cover.) Your post is your entry into the random drawing, so please comment only once–on your honor!

Prize pack contains a signed cover flat for Ever After, a hard cover copy of Black Magic Sanction, a copy of Into the Woods, a bunny pin, bus token, and a Alcatraz key which was the freebie that year.

Rules and Regs. I will open the page for comments Monday, 9:00 a.m. EST, and close it Tuesday 9:00 a.m. EST. I will then use a random number generator to choose the five winning commenters.

Stuff to know before commenting:

Guy will ship overseas, so international is okay.

Chances of winning are dependent on how many enter.

My decision is final, even if you quibble over it.

I will contact the winners Tuesday morning using the email address they used to comment with, so please check it in the next day or so. If you don’t respond to me by email by Friday, noon, EST, I’m giving the prize pack to the runner up, also chosen by the random number generator.

Few other things since I’ve got your ear.

click to read pt one

The Rachel/Trent short is finally available for mass consumption! But you know me. I’m not going to give it to you all at once. Part one is available right now, part two should pop up tomorrow at Wattpad. I’m new to Wattpad, but it looks fabulous if you are trying to get your work out there and commented on. Everyone seems very professional. Click image to read . . .

P.P.S. If you’ve not seen it, The Undead Pool has gone up for pre-order in Audible! 

click image for ordering info

Tour T-shirts are now available for order as well, and tour cities/stores are now set. Am I coming near you? (stores and cities)

How hard was it? someone asked me.

So, I’m over at Wattpad today, checking out how many people have read the first installment of Trouble on Reserve, (cause I’m curious like that) and I realize there’s a little talk button, and someone’s asked me a question. Oh, I’m torn. I had told myself I could take on one more PR commitment as long as it didn’t involve one-on-one interaction with the readers, as in personal emails, and I don’t know if this is a public forum or private. But I clicked it, and was immediately thrown back to my awkward past.

Someone wanted to know how hard it was to become published.

Sigh. Okay, do I even have the knowledge that this person is looking for anymore? I mean, I found publication before e-books and when self-publishing was 300 oversized copies you carry around in your trunk. There was hardly an internet, spammers were just learning to spam, the Big 6 were really six publishers, and slush piles were still a viable option.

But one part of my answer is still valid. It was hard. Emotionally, trying to get someone to look at my work and say yes was like a barren woman’s ache for a child, a young girl pinning after her first-love, a two-year-old with a skinned knee just wanting his mom. It was a hurt, a need, a lizard-brain gut reaction of must-have.

The want was awful, but from it came the determination I needed to develop the bravery to share my work, learn how to find good advice, and then adapt my work so it was more professional. So when I’m asked, “How hard was it to become published?” my answer will always be, It didn’t matter how hard it was.  I had to do it.

Feed your lizard-brain. Wear the N off your keyboard. Get published.

 

Trouble on Reserve. All access reading!

If you are a lurker here or at my FB page, you are already probably familiar with the drama revolving around the Trouble on Reserve short story, originally released pre-loaded in the Sony reading app, and intended for a wider release later on. This is an original short from Rachel’s point of view, but it’s of a never before seen run where she agreed to babysit Trent for Quen when he was indisposed. It did see the light of day again at the back of one of the mass markets, but I know not everyone has access to them, and I’ve been waiting for a way to give it the exposure that I originally wanted.

Well, that day has finally arrived, and through an exciting new platform called Wattpad, I’m doing just that. From what I’ve pieced together, Wattpad is a way for you to showcase your own writing, subscribing or “friending” stuff you like, and generally being connected to the literary scene. I thought it a great way to not only increase the exposure of Wattpad, but get Trouble on Reserve out there as well.

But you know I’m a horrible tease . . . There’s no way I’m going to give it to you all at once. Therefore, I’ll be dividing it up between now and the release of The Undead Pool. You can sign up to read it as I post the excerpts, and together we’ll count down the last remaining weeks.

Just so you know, this short will read a little differently from my usual style. I wrote it for an audience that was unfamiliar with the Hollows, or maybe even urban fantasy altogether. (So please excuse any continuality error. I put them there, but they work for the goal I had at the time.) Chronologically, “Trouble on Reserve” really doesn’t fit anywhere specific in the timeline, but reading it right now, right before The Undead Pool, is probably the best time, spoiler-wise.

Click to read part 1:

 

It’s a day of twelve

It’s a day of twelve! First, Barnes and Noble have come out with a list of 12 most anticipated Sci-fi and fantasy list for 2014, and I’m delighted six ways from Sunday that The Undead Pool is on it. The publication date is closing in now, and I’m starting my prep in a big way even as the read-along finishes up the last couple of books. Go and check out the list as it’s a fabulous way to find a new author or series you might not have heard about.

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/blog/the-most-anticipated-science-fictionfantasy-releases-of-2014/

The second list of twelve I find my work on today is Harper’s own Twelve New Reads for The New Year, which might have a few authors you’re familiar with, or even books you’ve read, but they are all on sale for the rest of the month. (U.S. ebook markets) They’re featuring Black Magic Sanction, which is the book we’re just finishing up in the read-along.

http://harpervoyagerbooks.com/2014/01/14/twelve-new-reads-for-the-new-year/

Vicki Petterson and Jocelynn Drake both have books here, two of my fav authors.

And on a more personal note, here’s my personal 12 for the year. Most of it’s gone now and we’re left with crusty stiffness that you could almost walk on, but it was nice while it lasted. (Okay, okay, I’m not that hard core. I’m glad it’s gone . . .)

Signed The Undead Pool copies, some are limited

What does 1000 or so signed books look like stacked on my dining room table? Well, you can’t fit them there, but here’s the next best thing. And when Barnes and Noble and my publisher asked if I was willing to sign the title pages before they were bound, you know I said yes! (I’ll do a lot to avoid book plates.)

Click for signed copy

So now they are signed, bound, and will be in the stores at Barnes and Noble this February 25th. I honestly don’t know if they will be divvied up and shipped to individual stores or simply hanging in the warehouse to fill internet orders, but if you want to get in on the action, here’s the direct link.

One of the reasons I agreed to this is because 1) I like Barnes and Noble, and 2) I hope this helps ease the frustration of me not getting out much past the Mississippi this year on tour.

Alternatively, you can still order a signed-to-you-with-a-personalized-note from Nicolas. (Cause I like my independent booksellers, too, and they will ship overseas. Just email them for a shipping quote first before ordering:  nicolasbooks@tds.net)

I’m so excited to be able to offer both options for you. The prices vary, and I know that’s important.

Click to go to order page

Black Magic Sanction read-along

So, I’m about half way through Black Magic Sanction for the read-along. Rachel has fought off a body-stealing soul (the first hints of what’s to come in a future book) been summoned to the West Coast by the Coven of Moral and Ethical Standards, sent to Alcatraz, had her prison fight, found out about the magic-suppresison amino acids, and escaped thanks to her having Al’s summoning name.

She’s also run into Nick, who did both the summoning to the West Coast, and then again back home in her church. Pierce is there to complicate matters, serving as both a distraction and realization that no matter how good he looks, how powerful he is, that he has no problem using black magic for his own ends–and that bothers her. Even Lee, who was forced by the coven to summon her into yet another trap, has shown that he’s not all bad and managed to get something from Rachel that Trent would sell his eyeteeth for–an understanding and truce.

Rachel’s world has gone gray, gray, gray. Past lovers have become untrustworthy, and old rivals become well . . . not allies, but at least not adversaries.  It’s now that it all comes to a fine point in both her mind and action as the coven sends assassins to flush Rachel out into the open. Amid the chaos, those she trusts, (Pierce and Ceri,) fight to save those she loves, (Ivy and Jenks,) with a black charm. And she can’t do it, thwarting the curse’s end, saving the lives of the assassins and making things worse by saving what she can of her soul.

Did she make the right decision? Some might say no, but I think think she did, even if it complicated her life beyond measure. As Trent is so fond of saying, easy is tasteless and it loses its shine.

More conversation over at Goodreads:

Starting to heat up

It’s starting to heat up! Unfortunately I’m not talking about my office, which still shows a dismal 2.9 degrees outside my window. I’m still wearing boots, two sweaters, and yep, long johns. (TMI?) No, I’m not talking about the weather, I’m talking about the Undead Pool tour! [ Am I coming near you? Here's the list of cities. ]

Today I’ve got something really special to tell you about. It’s a joint, live conversation with me, Jeaniene Frost [Cat and Bones, anyone?] and our host, Gwen Reyes of Fresh Fiction. I’ve done a panel before with Jeaniene, and what struck me the most was our wildly different writing techniques–and yet we still get to the same place: a finished book, proving to me that there’s no wrong way to write a book other than to stop writing.

I’m looking forward to this already, and because we expect there to be a lot of interest, they’ve opened up the system already to get yourself registered and your machines talking. Just follow the link to sign up and get in on the conversation.

White Witch, Black Curse give-away winners!

Oh, my gosh, it’s so cold, I’m in my office still wearing boots. It’s so cold that I can feel the chill coming off the inside of my walls. It’s so cold, my dogs beat the previous pee/poo record by shaving two minutes off their previous time, managing everything and back in the house in less than 90 seconds. It’s almost zero at my thermometer, which is great. The birds are starting to stir, and the bird bath is steaming. As long as the tea holds out, I won’t have to go outside for another four hours. But quite honestly, it’s the knowledge that you can deal with these extremes that make the spring so sweet, and anyone who has ever had their knees in the warm earth knows what I’m talking about.

And now that I made you listen to me complain, I’ve got the winners of the White Witch, Black Curse flash give away. The winners have already been contacted by email and have until Friday noon, EST to get back to me to claim their prize. If you think one of these is you, check your in-box!

Sheila Collins

Drew (has 915 in email address)

Amy (has 77 in email address)

Courtney J

Becca (has 7913 in email address)

Kelly Reed

Nonie

These give-aways are in conjunction with the read-along that’s going on right now over at Goodreads. (We’re starting Black Magic Sanction today.) There is a revolving e-book sale in U.S. markets that go along with it, and I’ve heard tell that you guys have been snapping them up like potato chips, either supplementing your own library or gifting them to a friend you’ve been trying to get hooked on the Hollows. Makes me feel pretty good, so thank you, and because it’s going so well, some of the titles have been lingering on that sale shelf beyond their original sale date. Nook has put DEAD WITCH WALKING up for 1.99 as part of their “Start a new Series” campaign, and Black Magic Sanction has gotten an extended run out to the end of the month.