Kim Harrison's Blog, page 60

End of Fistful of Charms read along

A Fistful of Charms is probably my favorite in the series until we get to Pale Demon. So much has happened by this point, but the world is set and the magic still unfolding. Rachel is familiar enough to be a comfortable narrator but still evolving as a person. Her decisions of the past are starting to impact her present, and she feels real. It’s a good place to be as a writer, especially when I was looking at an extension of my original three-book contract into six. The world had just opened up, and I was free to slow down and delve into new areas. Heaven for me. I think you can see that in the contented ending I was able to give this one.

I like the ending of this one where they are all in the kitchen making pizza and feeling good about where everyone is in his or her life. We still don’t know what the curse did to Jenks in the long-term, so there’s a touch of sadness, but I’ve already started to lay down the clues. (he’s faster!)

It would be impossible for anyone to write fiction without putting something of themselves or their experiences in the pages, and it’s here that you can see Guy’s and my tradition/love of making pizza every Friday for pizza and movie night. It began, quite honestly, from the pressures of a young family and little income, and that first pizza was truly awful, the crust from a box, sauce from a jar, and processed cheese shreds and toppings. I can’t tell you if we actually saved any money making our own pizza. (They didn’t have the 5 $ deal back then.) But we had a good time making it, and that was the point.

The crust was horrible, though, and that was the first thing we changed. I’d worked with yeast dough before, so getting a true crust was easy. (I can now toss a good dough like a pro.)

The toppings have changed over the last 20 years. I think cheese was the first topping we went home-grown with, getting rid of the filer-based bags and going right to the real stuff and shredding it ourselves. We had to let the pepperoni go when we found out the preservatives used sulfites. (Gives Guy migraines. Can you imagine getting a migraine from pizza?) But we get creative now, and you can get sulfite-free bacon if you hunt for it. The pizza sauce was the most recent shift, from jar to home-made. Guy is still tweaking it.

Ahhh, that’s not to say that we don’t have a delivered pizza every now and then. Because after all, pizza is pizza, no matter who makes it!

I have no idea how I got to here, talking about pizza, but reading those last pages of A Fistful of Charms, you can see a little slice of me. Just a little.

We’ll start reading For a Few Demons More next Tuesday, right after we give the FOC prize packs away. Flash-giveaway starts Monday morning and runs for 24 hours. Guy and I actually found three hardcovers to give away. (One is a library bound, but it’s never been on the shelf.) These have been out of print as a hard cover for a long time. You just can’t find them anymore. I’ll tell you how to enter on Monday, but I promise it’s easy and open to International.

Red wolf and the van incident

One of my favorite parts of Fistful of Charms is Rachel wering to save both her life, Jenks’s, and hopefully Nick’s. (Yes, he’s a dick, but we don’t know how much so at this point.) The imagery of a red wolf still haunts me today, and I honestly don’t know where it came from. I can’t remember any fairy tale that had a red wolf. But it’s more than the imagery. It’s Rachel getting a taste of what it’s like to be free of all restraints, to touch upon the wildness and brutal freedom of a wolf–and her finding out that she was too flawed with her humanity to partake of it fully.

And then followed the van incident. Phew.  Can I just say wow? I’d forgotten how tricky (and exciting) that chapter was to write. Not only was there the stress of writing a good sex scene (Okay, technically there wasn’t any sex, but the sensations were there.) but I had to somehow keep it clear and obvious that everyone and no one was at fault for it going bad–and why. Lots of stuff comes out into the open, and I truly think this is the beginning of Rachel starting to understand herself, her needs, and the start of her making better decisions.

I finished reading these few chapters exhausted and somewhat drained. And yet, it feels pretty good. Everything and nothing has changed in the dynamics of the church. A deeper understanding has been found, and it remains to be seen how everyone will adapt.

More discussion at the Goodreads site. 

The revolving U.S e-book sale is still going on. It’s featuring FOC right now, but FDM and DWW are still on sale for 1.99.  (It’s a good way to expand your e-library, or for you folks giving an e-reader this year.) Just click images to go to the sale.

Early heads up: I’ll be giving away three prize packs on Monday, each of them containing a hard cover of FISTFUL OF CHARMS. This is a hard one to find, and Guy and I found three in our closet.

Also, the first of Harper’s two give-aways is still going on. Follow the link to enter for the first five titles.  They are signed, but I don’t think FOC is a hard cover.

Have no power, so am cutting today’s post short

We lost our power due to wind last night. Because it’s so widespread, I don’t expect to get power back for at least 24 hours, maybe longer. It has the feel of a long-event, so water in the tubs, and don’t open the fridge. (grin)

My folks have a generator, so me and mine will be fine, (talked to her already this morning) but I’m curtailing my online stuff for a few days.

Some good news! EVER-AFTER has made it to the final round of Goodreads reader choice award! They narrowed it down to ten, and though I said it before, it bears repeating–you can’t go wrong no matter where you place your vote!

[ Go VOTE ]

 

Last chance for Goodreads reader choice award/Marshal

I’m up to about chapter 13 in the FISTFUL OF CHARMS read along.  [ Take part at Goodreads ] Jenks is human-size, finding out Rachel can hear his internal dialog that he’s been whispering all this time. We’ve been power-shopping so Jenks looks fi-i-ine, and spent some time embarrassing the woman at the check-0ut with allusions to pudding and sexual exploits.  We’ve rescued Jax and Rex both, and it looks like there’s going to be a new cat in the church.

But it’s started to get serious, and Rachel is on the island where they’re keeping Nick, and Jenks thinks he’s dying from a small scratch.

I’ve never been scuba diving, only snorkeling, but my father used to, and I leaned upon him when I wrote the chapter where Rachel and Jenks swam to the island. In truth, the straits are probably too cold and dangerous to dive on, hence the need for the warmth amulets. (Which I duplicated for FOC’s freebies. I’ll be giving some away at the end of the read-along.) Along with the warmth amulets came Marshal.

I’m going to have a small confession here. I don’t really like Speedos, but there was a bit of pressure from my editor at this point to describe some of the men Rachel runs into in more detail. Physical looks are not where my descriptive techniques naturally go. Nick was more study than stud-ly, Kisten was absent, and Jenks–though fun to look at–was not an option. I’ve gotten some complaints as the books progress that Rachel seems attracted to everything with an XY set of chromosomes, and part of that might be some overkill for me. But hey, she is a twenty-somethign witch, and she’s going to notice these things. I never intended Marshal to be more than a one-chapter character, so I made him sexy.

Personally, I like Marshal because he is the first professional witch that we see Rachel interact with. Nice looks aside, what she enjoyed most was discussing the charms he made. Yes, it took time for him to take her seriously, but when he did, he helped her above and beyond what they’d agreed upon, leaving extra warmth amulets and a dive suit for Nick before swimming back to his boat and leaving her to her business. That, too, was something she appreciated.

Like he said, “You’re not a professional diver, but you’re a professional something.” That, I think was the beginning of Marshal becoming more than a one-chapter character for me. Rachel appreciates being taken seriously almost as much as I do. –laugh–

Today is the last chance to vote in the second round of Goodread’s reader choice awards. If you haven’t voted THIS WEEK, you can pop on over and make your voice be heard in a bunch of categories. I’ve got friends in there, so it’s all good! [ Goodreads choice awards ] I’ll let you know Monday if EVER AFTER makes it to the last round of voting.

Jenks gets, er, big? Fistful of Charms read-along

Oh, man. I’m up to chapter eight, cutting my reading off last night right after Rachel turned Jenks human size. This is one of the reasons FOC is among my favorites of the entire series, and not because of his drool-worthy looks.

Writing Jenks this size was a challenge: his personality had to stay the same, but his movement tags and what he was capable of needed to change. We’re seeing new things about him, things like his fidgeting, (he was too small to notice before), and his need to have a different toothbrush every morning. His delight in being on equal footing in a human size world felt natural, and I don’t remember now if I ever had him standing in front of a door waiting for someone to open it for him, but if I didn’t, I should have.

I tried to give him a few missteps without making him into an idiot. So he hits walls and falls down until he learns his new balance, but he has no problem driving a car. I didn’t want to make him stupid. It was a balance, and I worked hard at it.

I kind of miss the humansize Jenks, which might be why I shrunk Rachel down in a later book. But in the end, he had to go back to the way he was, because Jenks is Jenks, and I’d have him no other way.

_____________________

Get A Fistful of Charms for 1.99 in U.S. e-book markets all this and next week. For A Few Demons More is also on sale. The others I’ve got listed haven’t clicked off yet as of this morning. Bonus!! (click book to get links to most outlets.)

Read-along moves into FOC and RT nomination

I’m moving into A Fistful of Charms in the read-along today. (Which means the e-book has gone on sale in the U.S. Yay! ) Tuesdays are always busy for me, but I did read a few chapters. I really like David, and this one starts right out with him. David has actually been around since GBU, though to be honest, he was only a mention of a shadowy Were Rachel thought was trying to get her attention.

And then we actually see him in Every Which Way but Dead and find out he’s been following her to find out if she still has that wishing fish so he can get the insurance claim off his desk.

I think it’s a nice change of pace that David really doesn’t like Rachel at first, taking a long time to warm up and trust her. I also think it’s nice that their first association is for his benefit, (keeping his job, sort of like tenure) and hers (cheap insurance) but that it grows into something even the Weres know is dangerous. Hence the female alpha fight at the top of a construction zone.

I took my time developing the Weres mythology, and it’s in FOC that I start pulling together the threads in the previous books. I tried to base it on a natural wolf pack with both alpha males and females. It wasn’t anything you ever saw much on the bookshelves at the time FOC was published, but that might have changed by now. I never liked the idea that the alpha male was the only alpha in the pack in most of the literature out there, and tried to address it, make it more balanced–like a real pack you might see in the wild.

Also, if you haven’t heard on my FB page, I’m up for an RT career achievement award in Urban Fantasy category. This is decided by the 50 or so reviewers at RT, and the winners will be announced much later. If you’d like to see the other categories and nominees, here you go. [click] All sorts of things if you toggle around.

If you’d like to vote on something, Goodreads is having their Reader Choice Awards going on now, and EVER AFTER has made it into the second tier, so if you voted last week, you can vote again. If you’d like to make your voice heard in a bunch of genres, go explore and tag your favorites. [Goodreads choice awards]

Psst, For a Few Demons More has popped up on sale early. Even better!

Winners of the Every Which Way but Dead give-away

Thank you, everyone who entered, but there can be only five. (I’ve been watching too much Highlander.) If your name is not one of the lucky ones, take heart. I will be giving away three A FISTFUL OF CHARMS in a couple of weeks.  If you can’t wait, the e-book is on sale for 1.99 right now. (U.S.) We’re lowering the price on all of them as we touch on them during the read-along. [ Goodreads ]

The lucky winners of the EWWBD prize packs are:

Amy, Elise N, Stephentallman, Jennifer S., and Ruthsic. Check your email. Check your spam folder. You have until Friday noon, EST to get back to me with your address, or you made someone else very happy.

And I’m happy because it snowed last night! It actually stuck, but I imagine it will be gone by tonight. That’s the best kind of snow–the stuff you don’t have to shovel and only have to look at.

 

Flash Give-Away at blog

I'm having a flash-give-away at my main blog today. It runs for 24 hours, and because Goodreads doesn't pop my blog posts over to Goodreads right way, I'm letting you know with a supplemental. To find out how to enter, follow the link. http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/2013...

And Good luck! I'll have winners Tuesday afternoon.

Every Which Way but Dead Give-Away

It’s the third of my give-aways in conjunction with the Hollows Read Along. I think EWWBD is still on sale today, or we might have clicked over to the next book on the list, A Fistful of Charms. [click for links to multiple platforms]

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 is being himself when he had Maggie make them waffles for dinner, or if it’s still an act. (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 Every Which Way but Dead, a hard cover copy of Into the Woods, a bunny pin, bus token, and one of the poker chip freebies from Saladan’s casino.

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.

Even though it looks like only women win, I DO have men readers. (Come on, guys! Leave a post!)

I will contact the winners Tuesday afternoon 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, 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.

The first of Harper’s two sweepstakes where they’re giving away signed copes of the first five books is still going on. Enter here.

Ever After is a nominee in the Goodreads’ reader choice awards! I am so jazzed about this as the readers are so very important to me, (even when we disagree over certain deaths or romantic paths.) There will be three tiers of voting, the second  is going on now. I’ll let you know if Ever After makes it to the next round and you can vote again. Vote for EVER AFTER, vote for someone else, but vote. I’ve got a lot of friends in there, and it’s all good! (EVER AFTER is in the Paranormal Fantasy section.)

I’m starting A Fistful of Charms tonight. This is my favorite of the first six as I get to showcase one of the places I used to vacation as a child. You can take part here at the drama box, or at Goodreads where the threads of conversation tend to hang around a little longer. [click image to go to goodreads]

P.P.S. If you’ve not seen it, The Undead Pool has gone up for pre-order! Yay! Amazon Barnes & Noble Books-A-Million (ship date is wrong) IndieBound

Tour T-shirts are now available for order as well

Dude, where’s your N? (and A, M, E, and S?)

Yesterday, I posed the question at fb of a missing N on my keyboard looking much like a writer friend’s missing N, and if anyone else looses letters.

As it turns out, you do, and from the comments that went along with the pictures you posted, there really is no rhyme or reason. Some have pristine boards after years of use, others last six months. I’m thinking that fingernail length might have something to do with it. I know my N key gets a lot of nail action.

So here they are, in all their wonderfulness. Thank you for playing with me, guys. You totally made my day connected to the real world.

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