Heather Brewer's Blog, page 10

In Answer To Your Question…

MERRY VLADMAS, MINIONS!

Well, not yet, but it's so close I can almost taste it. (Incidentally, it tastes a bit like Cheetos.)

I've been getting a ton of emails, comments and messages lately that all seem to be asking the same three questions, so I decided to answer those questions here on the blog (yes, I do read the comments here – even if I don't often get a chance to respond – so please keep commenting!).

1. "Will your Vlad books be made into a movie or television series? AND CAN I BE IN IT???"

First off, the likelihood that ANY book gets made into a movie or television series is incredibly low. There is so much business and money involved that it can be quite difficult for all of the stars to align. That being said, my answer is maybe – mostly because I am the eternal optimist. There is currently nothing at all official to announce as far as film/tv stuff associated with CoVT, and though I'd love for Minions to play the roles, I doubt Auntie Heather would have any say in it at all. So…no movie, no tv…yet. Maybe if we all keep our fingers crossed, it'll happen, but as for now, NO. Trust me – as soon as there is something interesting to announce concerning a possible movie or tv series, Auntie Heather will tell you! And if I'm told where tryouts would be held for those parts, I'll put it on my blog. But there's nothing to talk about YET.

2. "Will you PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE write another book about Vlad?"

I adore you, Minions. I really, really do. And you have no idea how much your deep love of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod means to me. Seriously – it makes me tear up just thinking about how loyal you all are to those characters. However…as I've stated many times, Vlad's story was five books long, and with TWELFTH GRADE KILLS, it is complete. Finito. El-finished-o. But don't despair! I am writing a spin-off series that I'm sure you'll love, and hints of Vlad will be all through that series (including a few secrets that you didn't learn in Vlad's series). This series (a bit more on this in the next question) is called THE SLAYER CHRONICLES, and will be from Joss's point of view.

The fact is that an author cannot continue to write about the same characters for the duration of their career – at least, I can't. I love Vlad as much as you do, but as of right now, I can't see myself continuing his story past his seior year. But that's okay! Because…

3. "Are you writing any more books?"

YES! I'm actually working on two books (both the beginnings to two new series). The first book, tentatively titled BEGINNING (which may change) is the first book in my spin-off series, THE SLAYER CHRONICLES.

Y'know how the Vlad books take place during the school years? Well, THE SLAYER CHRONICLES will take place during the summers between those school years, and will be from Joss's point of view. We'll experience what it's like to become a Slayer, and all of the horrible things that we didn't realize were happening to Joss as we were following Vlad's life. And the cool thing (for those of you who've asked "WHAT ABOUT SNOW'S EYES??? WHAT DID THAT MEAN???") is that THE SLAYER CHRONICLES will end with one book beyond TWELFTH GRADE KILLS. So…you will get to see Vlad again, as that book will pick up right where TWELFTH GRADE KILLS left off. BEGINNING hits stores Fall 2011.

The other series/book I'm working on is called BLOODBOUND. Now, right away, the title screams "VAMPIRES!!!", but it's actually not about vampires at all. BLOODBOUND is this romantic fantasy epic about a girl named Kaya in a world called Tril. In Tril, there are three kinds of people: Barrons (a naturally-skilled warrior race), Healers (people born with the natural ability to heal), and the Unskilled (just normal folks, who are totally unaware that Barrons and Healers even exist). Now, whenever a Barron is born, at the exact same moment, their Healer is born. Together, they are Bloodbound. This basically means that the Healer can heal them from any wound (even if their head was hanging on by a thread, they could touch them and PRESTO! All better). Kaya is a Healer, but she was raised amongst the Unskilled. So imagine her surprise when she gets a letter from the headmaster of Shadow Academy (a school for the training of Barrons and Healers) that basically says that the boy that she was Bloodbound to has died, but that she can be Bound to another Barron (which isn't as strong as being Bloodbound, but close enough). He also tells her that if she doesn't come to the school, her parents' lives are forfeit.

Sucks, huh? "Do our bidding or your parents get it!" Not exactly a happy situation to be in. PLUS, once at the school, Kaya is told that, as a Healer, she's not allowed to learn how to fight or defend herself on the battlefield. She's expected to wait for her Barron to rescue her.

"Rescue her from what?" you say…? Ahh, this is where it gets really fun. See, the Barrons and Healers are at war with King Darrek, who happens to have horrible beasts called Graplars at his command. Graplars are dog-like, but stand seven feet tall. They have blue scaly skin, and rows and rows of razor sharp teeth like sharks. Oh, and their drool is POISON! Not to mention that Graplars are hunting and killing Healers. And…what's that? Oh yeah – Kaya is a Healer!

So basically, Kaya decides that there is NO WAY she's going to stand around and wait to be eaten by a Graplar. So she decides to train in the art of fighting. SECRETLY. The weapon of choice in Tril is, of course, a katana. So…think of Tril like this: a fantasy world with a Japanese medieval feel…overrun by horrible monsters and people who think that just because you're a Healer, you can't take care of yourself.

And don't even get me started on the cute boy/tangled hearts theme.

So there's something for everyone – guys and girls! BLOODBOUND will begin Spring 2012.

And…that's about it, for now. So, what do you think, Minions? Can I be trusted to write something that's NOT about vampires, but is full of awesome?

Greetings, Minion Horde!

And how are we all feeling this bright, shiny, happy, rainbow-infested day?

Blech. Me too. *whips out black gauze and spiderwebs, redecorates while blaring some MCR* That's better.

I know my blog has been pretty stale lately, but I'm happy to report that my travel is finally done for the year, so things can start getting back to normal around here. Well…normal….for us, that is.

As you may recall from last year, I have tons of fabulous gothtastic ornaments for my XMas tree, and this year, we found the perfect tree, decked it out, and went about our business, as usual. Then, last night, my son Jacob was sitting in a living room chair. My daughter was doing her homework in the dining room. Uncle Paul was upstairs and the kitties (Fang and Amenti) were nowhere to be seen. BUT THEN THE TREE CAME CRASHING DOWN. It only could have been cooler if several ornaments would have EXPLODED. But alas, it crashed, two ornaments broke (one my limited edition Jack Skellington *has a sad*), and we ran off to the store to get a new tree stand, as the old tree stand perished in the Great Tree Crash of XMas 2010. But the tree is up again now, and tonight, we'll decorate it AGAIN. Or as I like to call it…YAYXMASTREEPART2!

By the way, Minions, if you haven't noticed yet, I do have a new contest up. And this time, you can win ME! Kinda. Check it out.

So…who's done with their shopping? I am! It's proof that miracles do exist, I tell ya. If you're looking to hook a Minion up with a great gift, I really suggest you check out the Vlad journal. It's super sweet – and I hid Elysian Code messages inside! (SQUEE!) Now that all of my shopping is done, all that's left is work and waiting. Work is focusing on my edits for BEGINNING (SLAYER CHRONICLES #1 – which is due December 20th) and writing BLOODBOUND (which is due January 3rd). So I'm keeping busy. How about you guys? You must be DYING for winter break! Heck, I'M dying for winter break, and I don't even get one!

Anyhoo, happy holidays, Minions. I'm going to see how many times I can watch Nightmare Before Christmas this year. Race ya!

Vladmas Approacheth!

Greetings, Minions! Turkey Day is at last upon us, and you know what that means – soon we'll all be singing Vlad carols and wishing one another a merry Vladmas! The biggest shopping day of the year (Black Friday – no wonder my spooky lil soul loves that day so much) is fast approaching, and I wanted to tell you all about some fangtastic promos that are coming up on www.highshoolbites.com. (Feel free to pass this info on to your parents with lots of "HINT HINT"s muttered afterwards, because dude, we all wants lots of Vlad goodies!)

First off, coupon codes! You can save some cash and get your fang on by using these (for a limited time!):

- Perfect Gear for Minions: 20% off this weekend makes shopping for any Minion easy. Create custom hoodies, t-shirts, iPhone skins and more! Code: VTBF20

- Fangtastic Holiday Offer: Create your own Vlad Tod gear and Minion Bling! 20% off all weekend for Fang fans with Code: VTBF20

- Holidays Bite Less: Holidays bite less with 20% off this weekend at the Vlad Tod store. Personalize your Fang gear! Code: VTBF20

"Personalize?!", you say….why, yes, my Minions! YOU can now design fangtastic Vlad apparel for yourself!!! Stand out in the crowd – even amongst your fellow Minionkind. It's a really exciting new addition to the Vlad store, and I can't wait to see what you all come up with! You'll get the ability to write your very own fangtastic sayings to personalize your Vlad gear. Plus, Momions & Dadions…it's the perfect gift!

Also, every day for the next two weeks, the fabulous Rachel Caine and I will be participating in Babel Clash – where will will debate Serious Issues, such as "Which mythological creature could beat up Chuck Norris?" Check it out!

As or me, I'm off to dream of pumpkin pie, turkey, family togetherness…..and world domination.

Happy Turkey Day!

And the Winner is…

…Rave14! Please send your mailing address to heather@heatherbrewer.com with a note reminding me that you won the Five Flavors of Dumb contest! CONGRATS!

For those that didn't win, take heed – Auntie is working on a pretty major contest for the Win Stuff page. Just be patient and trust that it'll be worth it. *rubs hands together all evil-like*

Today I'm off to Old Greenwich, CT for the Penguin sales conference. Yay Penguins!

Once Upon a Time, There Was an Auntie Heather…

…and she had a crazy week. First off, her awesome mother-in-law visited and they had a blast hanging out. Then she got sick with what she thought was a cold, but now suspects that might be a sinus infection. Shortly after this terrible cold/infection began (which may or may not have been part of a dastardly plot to destroy her plans for world domination), the new french doors to Auntie Heather's office were installed, and Auntie was sooooo happy she almost cried. BUT THEN…she had a coffin couch delivered! And the Minions rejoiced…

Ahh, yes…what you had thought was merely a tale of woe was actually MY WEEK!!! MY RUSE WORKED! And that is REALLY my own, personal coffin couch, made for me by the wonderful folks at www.coffincouches.com! HOW COOL IS THAT?! I'm stoked. And just a bit of paint, a new desk, and some black damask velvet flock wallpaper away from my new office being complete.

The rest of my week has been good and I hope yours has too, Minions. I've been writing BLOODBOUND and mulling over my editorial letter for BEGINNING, just trying to wrap my head around a few things. Oh, and I got to hang out with an amazing friend at his second book's launch party! His name is Antony John and he's BRILLIANT and FUNNY and I adore him. So…I snagged a copy of his new book, FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB and forced him to sign it for a lucky winner here on my blog! So…if you want a copy of Antony's new book, just comment. I'll draw a random winner on Tuesday. Just look at this cover (and Antony, looking all smart and awesome and stuff)!

And if you're in the area, tonight Antony and I will be signing from 6-8PM at the Middendorf Kredell Branch of the St. Charles Library, 2750 Highway K, O' Fallon. Here's the library's link: http://www.youranswerplace.org Hope to see a few of you there!

A.S. King's Pizza Delivery Blog Tour for PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ!!!

Ding dong. Pizza delivery. I've got one bacon, pineapple and ham here for Heather Brewer…

We're coming to the end of this tour and I admit I am totally lax about being all professional-pizza-delivery-technician now. In fact, I am going to ask for a piece of this pizza because this is one of my favorite kinds. Sorry. But I feel at home and Auntie Heather and I are informal types. Pizza is on me, K? So… Last month, my book Please Ignore Vera Dietz came out. I've been delivering cyber pizza (doing interviews–call it brain-pizza or answer-pizza) ever since and here I am, finally at your place where I can kick back for a minute. First: Thank you for having me! Second: Thank you being an amazing friend. Third: this couch is really comfy. Dude. I am never getting up off your couch.

HEATHER: Which of your characters has been the biggest struggle to write about and why?

ASK: The hardest character I've had to write was Charlie Kahn in PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ. See, I was a little in love with Charlie, the same as Vera was, so when he acted like an ass or thought he was real tough, I was as disappointed as she was. I knew he was dead from the minute I started writing, so while I built the character up and loved him more and more, it just broke my heart that he was dead. I think we all know someone like Charlie—someone who is a good person but who gets involved with the wrong people and makes big mistakes. I think we all know people who are complete winners who are convinced, no matter what we tell them, that they are complete losers. And that's just so sad.

HEATHER: [Amy thinks: Mushrooms AGAIN. Uncanny.] OMG, gimme gimme gimme an embarrassing picture and description!!!

ASK: Okay. This is me in sixth grade. It is 1982. I am growing out my only ever perm. And yes, I am wearing a cotton shirt. Get it? COTTON SHIRT? The wallpaper you see there is the wallpaper that was in my bedroom in the house I grew up in. It was very flowery. The glasses I got at a yard sale. The cotton shirt is courtesy of my sister's clever art project. I was her model. I call this the flailing-my-arms look. Very modelish, don't you think?

HEATHER: Where do you find to be the best place to write, the easiest place to get into the zone of the creative process?

ASK: Heather, I think you can totally relate to this, but this year has been so filled with the business of it all, I could probably write ANYWHERE right now! But my favorite place is my office, in my basement—or, temporarily in my bedroom so I have some natural light while I write about a girl who looks at the sky a lot. I feel rusty at the moment–a little like I forget how to write, man. I can't wait to take this winter and push out this next book because book #5 is on its heels, too, and needs to get out!

AMY: Truth or dare time!

HEATHER:

TRUTH: What's the grossest thing you have ever done? 
DARE: Write an entire chapter with Cheetos stuck up your nose.

ASK: See—I love Cheetos so much, I was considering the dare because heck yes, I would eat them even if they'd been up my nose. But then I realized that because of my time raising chickens, I have done some really really gross things. And so. Without going into much detail, I have cured an egg-bound hen. Meaning…the egg gets stuck, and one must use Vaseline to—uh—you know…move it along. And a close second: Dusting chickens for mites. Bleh.

Thank you so much for having me drop by. Now if you'll kindly roll me off your couch, I'd better get to my next destination…only two more stops to go! Tomorrow, come by The Story Siren and find out more about the pagoda who talks in PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ.

Oh. Hold up. I should tell you a little something about the book before I go, right?

PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ



18-year-old Vera's spent her whole life secretly in love with her best friend, Charlie. And over the years she's kept a lot of his secrets. Even after he betrayed her. Even after he ruined everything. So when Charlie dies in dark circumstances, Vera knows a lot more than anyone. Will she emerge and clear his name? Does she even want to?

  "Brilliant. Funny. Really special." –Ellen Hopkins, author of NYT bestselling Crank, Glass and Tricks 

Seriously? *raises a sharp eyebrow at self*

I haven't blogged in WEEKS?? As Nelly would say, "OH MY GLOB!" That is inexcusable, Minions. Bad Auntie Heather. BAD!

Okay, so let's catch you all up on my life. Touring was amazing. So many Minions! And so many more emails, requesting (and at times, demanding) that I visit your fair city. And I wish I could! But if I traveled all the time…when would I write books? So believe me, Minions, I would visit you all if I could, but for now we'll just have to hope your hometown (or a town near it) ends up on my touring schedule.

The last few weeks have been devoured by an insane writing schedule for….(drum roll, please)…BEGINNING, the first book in The Slayer Chronicles! I finished the book and turned it in to my editor, and I'm now once again hard at work on the first BLOODBOUND book. So my days have been full of writing and traveling…and not much sleeping.

Recently, we had a tragedy in our family. One of the two kittens we adopted passed away, and I just wanted to thank you Minions who sent messages on Facebook and Twitter and such. it means a lot to me to know you care. Spike was a sweet kitty and I miss him still. I think I always will. But his brother, Fang, is doing very well. He spends his time stomping on Amenti's tail and purring so loudly, you have to turn the volume up on the TV. He misses his brother, but at least he's in a family that loves him very much.

I'm mulling over an idea for a contest right now. Any thoughts? The prize I have is EPIC and one of a kind. Also, I'm thinking of creating a few short stories about the Goths to share with you on my blog. We shall see.

Also, I seem to be obsessed with peanut brittle lately.

So…catch me up! What have I missed, Minions?

By the way…if you haven't seen THIS yet, I suggest you rectify that immediately. (Yes! It's true! We have a Vlad STORE!!!)

In Which Our Quest for World Domination Continues!

Greetings, Minion Horde! I have a zillion happy little details to share with you about our quest for world domination, but before I get to that, let me catch you up on the awesomeness that is my tour.

A few days ago I was fortunate enough to stop by Mrs. Nelson's in La Verne, California, where I was greeted by an amazing staff, a fangtastic crowd, and….I came THIS CLOSE to a big goal of mine: signing a baby!!! I signed a toddler!



(with permission, of course)

We had an excellent crowd…

And I attribute the success of this tour to a SillyBand given to me early on by a Minion named Sinead. It's my lucky dinosaur!

After Mrs. Nelson's, I whisked off to Watermark Books in Wichita, Kansas! It was incredible. A HUGE crowd (probably over 200 Minions) and lots and lots of love, plus a great staff (Mark, if you're reading this….Gargy has finally forgiven you for calling him a hippo). Check out these pics!

For some reason, when I speak at events, I become an evil dictator.

After having a blast at Watermark, I headed to Harleysville Books in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, where we had a pizza party! No pics yet, because like a doof, I forgot my camera, but it was a ton of fun – and we had a nice group, despite the terrible storms all through PA. People came from as far away as three and a half hours! Now that's loyalty. And it was a blessing to meet each and every one. My favorite part of the night was when I settled into a cozy chair and Minions sat on the floor all around me. We discussed what is and what isn't working for anti-bullying efforts in their schools. It was very enlightening…and troubling.

Tonight I'm headed to Barnes and Noble in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. Sadly, I've had to cease hugging all of you, as I have the plague and don't want to be the cause of The Stand. But I love you all, Minions! Come see me – we only have a few more stops on this tour!

And now onto our world domination news! We just hit the New York Times again, Minions! This time at #4. We've also hit several indie bestseller lists, Wall Street Journal (#10), and USA Today (#34). In other words, Auntie is feeling very, very popular and blessed and loved. Thank you. Thank you all so much!!

The Awesomeness Continues!

Greetings, Minions!

First off, I've gone through the comments of the last few blog entries and deleted as many spoilers as I could – please, please, please don't post any more. We want to keep all those juicy secrets in TWELFTH GRADE KILLS a total secret for the Minions who've not yet had a chance to read the book. I'm counting on you guys to help me out, so ixnay on the eathday!

Next, I am currently blogging from lovely Pasadena, California – my publisher was cool enough to give me a few days ...

Another FANGtastic Event!

WOW! What an event! A huge crowd – maybe 250 Minions, and lots and lots of love. I was even proposed to! (Still trying to figure out how to break the news to Mr. Brewer)

Look at this crowd!

I'm still flabbergasted – AND I was visited by the amazing Rachel Caine of Morganville Vampires fame! An incredible night. I think I've earned a nap.

I'll see more of you Minions tomorrow at 3pm at David-Kidd in Memphis, TN!