Paige Cuccaro's Blog, page 6
November 2, 2012
Coolest thing EVER!!
Lookie what I got in the mail yesterday!
Temp tattoos!If you've read HELLSBANE you might recognize the symbol. If not (you REALLY should read HELLSBANE...just sayin') This is "the mark" that appears on Emma Jane's -- and all illorum -- inner wrist once she becomes an illorum.
They work AWESOMELY!! Lookie...
Yes, that's my wristThe plan is to hand them out at signings. If you can't make it to a signing (admittedly, there won't be many) I'll have a P.O. box up soon where you can send a s.a.s.e to get one for FREE! (Along with some other fun little things.)
I'm thinking that I may make mine permanent. What do you think?
Temp tattoos!If you've read HELLSBANE you might recognize the symbol. If not (you REALLY should read HELLSBANE...just sayin') This is "the mark" that appears on Emma Jane's -- and all illorum -- inner wrist once she becomes an illorum.They work AWESOMELY!! Lookie...
Yes, that's my wristThe plan is to hand them out at signings. If you can't make it to a signing (admittedly, there won't be many) I'll have a P.O. box up soon where you can send a s.a.s.e to get one for FREE! (Along with some other fun little things.)I'm thinking that I may make mine permanent. What do you think?
November 1, 2012
New Cover for HELLSBANE
The countdown has started!! With just under 19 days before the re-release of HELLSBANE I'm gearing up by officially posting the NEW COVER!!!
I have to admit, I was a little wigged out by the idea of changing out the covers. I mean, I totally loved the old cover.
Old Cover
BUT.... after I calmed down (I seriously do not handle change well...sorry Stacy!!) and made myself actually LOOK at the NEW COVER, it really started to grow on me. Check it out...
NEW COVER
So here's why I like the new cover better :
I like that you actually get to see Emma Jane. I mean, this is her, folks. This is pretty much how she appears in my head...scary accurate. Her hair is a little shorter in my head, but since she's not the type to obsess over stuff like that, I can see her not going in for a cut very often.I LOVE the younger feel of the cover. HELLSBANE is definitely an adult series. But it has a young, snarky vibe that I know would appeal to YA readers. And this NEW COVER helps clue the viewer into that.love, LoVe, LOVE the sword!! Seriously! Swords play a huge roll in the series. She has a friggin' sword supernaturally tattooed onto her wrist. (see reason 4) Swords are central to the story line! How could I have a cover without a sword on it?The "mark" is on the cover. The one thing about Emma Jane that visibly sets her apart from humanity, the one thing announces to the world that she's not normal, is the illorum mark. (What's an illorum? Read the book...hehehe) I was ecstatic to see it on the cover!Finally, it just JUMPS out at you, doesn't it? Good or Bad--Love it, or Hate it, you notice that face, those eyes, staring at you from the shelves. It draws attention, which is the #1 job of a cover. Get Noticed.Well, there it is. The new cover for HELLSBANE, releasing November 20th 2012.
So now...I wanna know what you think. Old or New? Love it or Hate it? Let me hear your thoughts...BUT, keep in mind it's not changing. This is it. And there are people behind this cover who worked really hard...so....be kind/ gentle.
I have to admit, I was a little wigged out by the idea of changing out the covers. I mean, I totally loved the old cover.
Old CoverBUT.... after I calmed down (I seriously do not handle change well...sorry Stacy!!) and made myself actually LOOK at the NEW COVER, it really started to grow on me. Check it out...
NEW COVERSo here's why I like the new cover better :
I like that you actually get to see Emma Jane. I mean, this is her, folks. This is pretty much how she appears in my head...scary accurate. Her hair is a little shorter in my head, but since she's not the type to obsess over stuff like that, I can see her not going in for a cut very often.I LOVE the younger feel of the cover. HELLSBANE is definitely an adult series. But it has a young, snarky vibe that I know would appeal to YA readers. And this NEW COVER helps clue the viewer into that.love, LoVe, LOVE the sword!! Seriously! Swords play a huge roll in the series. She has a friggin' sword supernaturally tattooed onto her wrist. (see reason 4) Swords are central to the story line! How could I have a cover without a sword on it?The "mark" is on the cover. The one thing about Emma Jane that visibly sets her apart from humanity, the one thing announces to the world that she's not normal, is the illorum mark. (What's an illorum? Read the book...hehehe) I was ecstatic to see it on the cover!Finally, it just JUMPS out at you, doesn't it? Good or Bad--Love it, or Hate it, you notice that face, those eyes, staring at you from the shelves. It draws attention, which is the #1 job of a cover. Get Noticed.Well, there it is. The new cover for HELLSBANE, releasing November 20th 2012.
So now...I wanna know what you think. Old or New? Love it or Hate it? Let me hear your thoughts...BUT, keep in mind it's not changing. This is it. And there are people behind this cover who worked really hard...so....be kind/ gentle.
April 25, 2012
The Lucky 7 Meme
Okay, yeah, I know I suck at the whole blog thing. But I've just been pulled into a cool thing and I wanna play. SOOOOO....
I've been tagged in the Lucky 7 Meme by Molly Snow at BeSwitched Author, Molly Snow.
(Yay...hehehe...)
*ahem*
Okay, so the rules are
Go to page 7 or 77 of your current MS/WIP, or go to line 7 (for short fiction). Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs and post them as they are written. Tag up to 7 authors and let them know and post a link to the author who invited you. (Molly's link is up there^)
Well, technically, I'm working on a few things, but after a quick check at pages 7 and 77 in each of them, I've decided to post from the second book in the Hellsbane series, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE. This won't be out until March 2013, so this is a ssssssssssuper early sneak peek.
He was a sandy blond, six foot three, stack of muscled hotness and the second our eyes met he turned and walked the other way, snaking through the crowd in the opposite direction. I moved to go after him and felt Eli follow behind me.
I spun around and stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Hey. Where are you going?”
“There’s a good chance he’s the demon behind the attacks. I will not allow you face him alone.”
“I know he might be the guy. And that’s why you’re not getting anywhere near him. If he is the demon then both of us going after him is exactly what he wants.”
So there it is...NOW...
We're to invite up to 7 more authors to participate in the Meme. (There is no obligation to participate.)
So here's who I'm inviting to join the meme:
Robin CovingtonDiane AlbertsKate EvangelistaChristine WarnerDonna MacMeansKay Stockham
Hopefully these ladies will join in on the fun unless they've already been tagged. We'll see!
I've been tagged in the Lucky 7 Meme by Molly Snow at BeSwitched Author, Molly Snow.
(Yay...hehehe...)
*ahem*
Okay, so the rules are
Go to page 7 or 77 of your current MS/WIP, or go to line 7 (for short fiction). Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences or paragraphs and post them as they are written. Tag up to 7 authors and let them know and post a link to the author who invited you. (Molly's link is up there^)
Well, technically, I'm working on a few things, but after a quick check at pages 7 and 77 in each of them, I've decided to post from the second book in the Hellsbane series, HEAVEN AND HELLSBANE. This won't be out until March 2013, so this is a ssssssssssuper early sneak peek.
He was a sandy blond, six foot three, stack of muscled hotness and the second our eyes met he turned and walked the other way, snaking through the crowd in the opposite direction. I moved to go after him and felt Eli follow behind me.
I spun around and stopped him with a hand on his chest. “Hey. Where are you going?”
“There’s a good chance he’s the demon behind the attacks. I will not allow you face him alone.”
“I know he might be the guy. And that’s why you’re not getting anywhere near him. If he is the demon then both of us going after him is exactly what he wants.”
So there it is...NOW...
We're to invite up to 7 more authors to participate in the Meme. (There is no obligation to participate.)
So here's who I'm inviting to join the meme:
Robin CovingtonDiane AlbertsKate EvangelistaChristine WarnerDonna MacMeansKay Stockham
Hopefully these ladies will join in on the fun unless they've already been tagged. We'll see!
February 21, 2012
New Office!!
So I FINALLY hung up most of my wall art in the new office, got the door on and curtians up. Time for the big reveal!
This is gonna be picture heavy, so...you've been warned.
Here's what I started with.
This was the living room This was the dining room.
As a family we always eat dinner together, but we have an eat in kitchen and for us a dining room would go to waste. Soooo...We convereted the dining room into my writing office.
We pulled up the rug. Closed off the wall to the living room. Put up primer and 3 coats of paint (to cover the darker color). Added a durable faux wood floor. Changed out the overhead light and poof!
Here's a better look at the door and overhead light.
I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Now if all you needed was a nice office to hit the New York Times Bestsellers list...I'd be set!!
This is gonna be picture heavy, so...you've been warned.
Here's what I started with.
This was the living room This was the dining room.
As a family we always eat dinner together, but we have an eat in kitchen and for us a dining room would go to waste. Soooo...We convereted the dining room into my writing office.
We pulled up the rug. Closed off the wall to the living room. Put up primer and 3 coats of paint (to cover the darker color). Added a durable faux wood floor. Changed out the overhead light and poof!
Here's a better look at the door and overhead light.
I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. Now if all you needed was a nice office to hit the New York Times Bestsellers list...I'd be set!!
February 3, 2012
Read Aloud
Yeah, okay, so I did something REALLY stupid. I agreed to do a reading of my book, HELLSBANE, next week (Feb 9), at the
OSU Libraries Read Aloud hosted by the Ohioana Library Associate
I am deathly afraid of speaking to groups and reading...well that's just asking for the chance to make a fool of myself. But...I said I would (even made a bit of a pain of myself) so I'm gonna do it! Ugh...
The upside to this horrible turn of events is that I had to order some of my book on the wildly unlikely possibility that someone at the reading, after hearing me stammer and stutter through my own writing, will want to buy a copy.
So, check it out...they came!!!
It's like friggin' Christmas!!!! Yay!!!!!! goodygoodygoodygoody....boomchuckalaca-boomchuckalac-boomchuckalaca-Yah!
*ahem*
Anyway...so there's that.
Hey...ifin' you're in the Columbus/ OSU area and want to come witness the train wreck...here's the semi-official announcement.
-------
D ear Colleagues,
We are excited to announce that nationally bestselling Central Ohio Fiction Writers, Susan Gee Hieno, Donna MacMeans, and Paige Cuccaro, will be reading on Ohioana's behalf on February 9th at the OSU Libraries Read Aloud from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Room 202, the Mortar Board Room, of the Thompson Library. The program is free and everyone is welcome!
Get in the mood for Valentine's Day and enjoy some fun with Susan, Donna, and Paige. Susan Gee Hieno http://susangh.com/home.html will read from her soon to be release book Passion and Pretense . Reviewers have declared her four star rated book - witty, funny, and sexy pure reading indulgence. Susan career with writing for the theatre, but her love of the English Regency time period led her to writing historical romance. In 2008 she won Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award for Best Regency Historical. Susan had three published novels and has contributed to at least one anthology. Susan lives in rural Ohio, a minister's wife, and a mother of two children.
Donna MacMeans http://www.donnamacmeans.com/ will read from her recently release book Redeeming the Rogue and forthcoming book The Casanova Code . Donna is a mild-mannered certified public accountant with a small tax practice. But come April 16th, she transform into an impassioned writer of sexy historical romance novels, paranormals and romantic suspense. Her manuscript, The Education of Mrs. Brimley , won the coveted Golden Heart medallion for Best Long Historical Manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. Penguin Books purchased it and launched her career as a published. She has also won multiple other awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Historical Love & Laughter.
Paige Cuccaro http://www.paigecuccaro.com/ will read from her newly released book, Hellsbane . Garnering 5 star reviews and reviewer's Top Pick, Hellsbane is described as a thrilling read with just enough fast-paced action and excitement to leave you hanging onto the edge of your seat. Cuccarro has a way of pulling you into a scene--I was smelling the brimstone, and feeling the black goo that at one time was a demon, say readers. Paige Cuccaro spends her days as a Navy wife and mother, writing her books here in central Ohio. Her road to publication was not without its ups and downs, but with several books out under her penname, Alison Paige, and the launch of her new urban fantasy 3 book series, Hellsbane, she is well on her way to achieving her dreams.
(That's me at the end...hehehehe... Right. I know you knew...)
OSU Libraries Read Aloud hosted by the Ohioana Library Associate
I am deathly afraid of speaking to groups and reading...well that's just asking for the chance to make a fool of myself. But...I said I would (even made a bit of a pain of myself) so I'm gonna do it! Ugh...
The upside to this horrible turn of events is that I had to order some of my book on the wildly unlikely possibility that someone at the reading, after hearing me stammer and stutter through my own writing, will want to buy a copy.
So, check it out...they came!!!
It's like friggin' Christmas!!!! Yay!!!!!! goodygoodygoodygoody....boomchuckalaca-boomchuckalac-boomchuckalaca-Yah!
*ahem*
Anyway...so there's that.
Hey...ifin' you're in the Columbus/ OSU area and want to come witness the train wreck...here's the semi-official announcement.
-------
D ear Colleagues,
We are excited to announce that nationally bestselling Central Ohio Fiction Writers, Susan Gee Hieno, Donna MacMeans, and Paige Cuccaro, will be reading on Ohioana's behalf on February 9th at the OSU Libraries Read Aloud from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. in Room 202, the Mortar Board Room, of the Thompson Library. The program is free and everyone is welcome!
Get in the mood for Valentine's Day and enjoy some fun with Susan, Donna, and Paige. Susan Gee Hieno http://susangh.com/home.html will read from her soon to be release book Passion and Pretense . Reviewers have declared her four star rated book - witty, funny, and sexy pure reading indulgence. Susan career with writing for the theatre, but her love of the English Regency time period led her to writing historical romance. In 2008 she won Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award for Best Regency Historical. Susan had three published novels and has contributed to at least one anthology. Susan lives in rural Ohio, a minister's wife, and a mother of two children.
Donna MacMeans http://www.donnamacmeans.com/ will read from her recently release book Redeeming the Rogue and forthcoming book The Casanova Code . Donna is a mild-mannered certified public accountant with a small tax practice. But come April 16th, she transform into an impassioned writer of sexy historical romance novels, paranormals and romantic suspense. Her manuscript, The Education of Mrs. Brimley , won the coveted Golden Heart medallion for Best Long Historical Manuscript presented by Romance Writers of America. Penguin Books purchased it and launched her career as a published. She has also won multiple other awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award for Historical Love & Laughter.
Paige Cuccaro http://www.paigecuccaro.com/ will read from her newly released book, Hellsbane . Garnering 5 star reviews and reviewer's Top Pick, Hellsbane is described as a thrilling read with just enough fast-paced action and excitement to leave you hanging onto the edge of your seat. Cuccarro has a way of pulling you into a scene--I was smelling the brimstone, and feeling the black goo that at one time was a demon, say readers. Paige Cuccaro spends her days as a Navy wife and mother, writing her books here in central Ohio. Her road to publication was not without its ups and downs, but with several books out under her penname, Alison Paige, and the launch of her new urban fantasy 3 book series, Hellsbane, she is well on her way to achieving her dreams.
(That's me at the end...hehehehe... Right. I know you knew...)
January 22, 2012
Review: Underworld: Awakening
Not the moive I hoped it would be Let me begin by saying that I hate 3D movies. I don't understand Hollywood's love affair with the hokey (and yes, even with all the "advanced technology" it still feels hokey to me) film technique. I have yet to walk out of a 3D movie and think "WOW, that movie was soooo much better because of the 3D." In fact, without exception I have walked out of every 3D moving bitching about how it wasn't worth the higher ticket price and that the 3D crap was more distracting than enhancing. Plus the glasses SUCK!
*sigh*Okay, on to the actual movie.
Yeah. It was no Underworld, or Underworld Evolution, or Underworld Rise of the Lycans. In fact, if you were hoping for the next installment in a series that you thought had been wrapped up and were happily surprised to hear might have more to tell…you're likely to be very disappointed. Underworld: Awakening is a continuation of the Underworld series only in that the lead character, Selene is in it. Except for some flash back clips from the previous movies Awakening ignores all the old characters, the ancient vampires and werewolves and replaces them with watered down imitations, or in Michael's case, fuzzy CGI and shots of where he'd just been…
*And movie guys…Believe me when I say as a woman and a movie go-er, bigger doesn't always mean better. Sometimes bigger is just a huge waste of space.* (For those who've seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about.)
The fight scenes are okay, the filming (except for the STUPID 3D!!) was up to the Underworld standard I was used to. But the plot is little more than a vehicle for the studio to launch a totally new storyline by riding on the coattails of the successfully wrapped Underworld series. Clearly they hoped the fan base would forgive the bait and switch technique. I think they would've done better just to start from scratch rather than sully a nice series with this filler movie.
For diehard Underworld fans, you can probably skip this movie and watch the next—which will no doubt follow—knowing it has NOTHING to do with the original storyline you enjoyed.
I'm giving Underworld: Awakening
Did you see this moive? What did you think? Agree, disagree?
January 20, 2012
Friday Finds
It's Friday!!! And that means it's time for...
Friday Finds
is a weekly meme hosted at
Should Be Reading
where bloggers share books that they have heard about or discovered.
I found 4 great new (to me) books this week...
Halflings by Heather BurchGlitch by Heather AnastasiuUnlovable by Sherry GammonCarrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Find any new reads this week? Leave a link in the comments and I'll stop by your blog and check them out!
Friday Finds
is a weekly meme hosted at
Should Be Reading
where bloggers share books that they have heard about or discovered.I found 4 great new (to me) books this week...
Halflings by Heather BurchGlitch by Heather AnastasiuUnlovable by Sherry GammonCarrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon
Find any new reads this week? Leave a link in the comments and I'll stop by your blog and check them out!
January 18, 2012
"Waiting On" Wednesday: A Perfect Blood
"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
This week, my pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is:
A Perfect Blood (The Hollows, Book 10)
by Kim Harrison
Publication Date: February 21
New York Times bestselling author Kim Harrison returns to the Hollows with the electrifying follow-up to her acclaimed Pale Demon!
Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and the FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Inderlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.
She's faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet.
I love LoVe LOVE this series!!! I'm so sad it's coming to an end, but it's been an awesome ride!
Okay, so spill it, what book/ books are you drooling to get your hands on? Leave me a link in the comments, and I'll stop by and check it out!
January 17, 2012
Dancing Robots
I feel the need to explain. (I hate that!)
Anyway I found this little guy at a Boarders book store a couple Christmases back. I cranked him up and let'im go. I think I laughed for the next two hours straight with only the occasional need to crank him up again.
I cannot explain why he makes me laugh, but he does. Still. The dancing robot has given me hours of joy. I hope he does the same for you.
So...with no further ado...I give you...
The Dancing Robot !!!!
Anyway I found this little guy at a Boarders book store a couple Christmases back. I cranked him up and let'im go. I think I laughed for the next two hours straight with only the occasional need to crank him up again.
I cannot explain why he makes me laugh, but he does. Still. The dancing robot has given me hours of joy. I hope he does the same for you.
So...with no further ado...I give you...
The Dancing Robot !!!!
January 14, 2012
Awesome Kindle Fire & $50 amazon card Giveaway!!
This giveaway is being sponsored by a very generous author who wished to remain anonymous... but please thank them... Its people like that, that keep giveaways like this one on the blog :)
Enter here to win a Brand New Kindle Fire and a $50 Gift card to get you started on your Kindle library!
