Amy Plum's Blog, page 30

Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Yesterday I did something I’ve never done before.

I sat for an hour in a crowded amphitheater, watching one of tv’s hottest sex symbols work a roomful of hundreds of screaming, tearful French teenagers, winking, waving and throwing kisses to the crowd as every word of his interview was translated for his adoring fans.

When his time was up, he left, I stood up, walked over to his chair, and sat my butt down where his had just been. (And refrained from picking up his half-full water bottle and pressing my lips tenderly to the bottle-top.)

And for the next hour I talked to a roomful of over-excited French teenagers…in French. And they understood me. And they even cheered a few times and whooped when I said how much I loved Paris and gave me huge rounds of applause when they liked my answers.

I could seriously get used to this.

Here’s how it went down:

The setting: Welcome to Mystic Falls 2 Conference, in the Forum des Images, Paris. I am supposed to get there at 2pm on Saturday to hear Paul Wesley be interviewed, but can’t get a taxi outside my apartment and finally end up taking the Metro, which means I arrive all sweaty. (Joy.) I’m not quite sure where in Les Halles (an underground shopping mall/conference spot) I’m supposed to go, but know I’m on the right track when I see a few hundred teenagers standing outside a door.

I make my way through the crowd and walk up to the guard at the door. “I’m Amy Plum,” I say, “One of the authors taking part in the conference.” The guy signals for a girl wearing an earpiece and I get ready to go into a long explanation of who I am.

“Amy Plum!” she exclaims before I can open my mouth. “This way.” And she leads me upstairs to a table full of books with Rachel Caine sitting behind it. “Rachel!” I say, glad to see someone I “know,” even though we have never met before. (In my world, living an ocean away from most of my colleagues, internet introductions have to serve as a substitute from real-life meetings.)

Rachel Caine + Moi!

I sit and talk to Rachel and her artist husband, Cat, while she signs books. From time to time one of my own readers comes up and asks for an early signature. (I am scheduled to sign the next day.)

Cat, Rachel & Me (Photo credit: Nyx Shadow)

Afterward, I watch Rachel interview in front of an amphitheater full of convention-goers.

Patricia (organizer of Welcome to Mystic Falls 2) interviewing Rachel Caine

I love listening to other authors talk. Learning about how they work is fascinating to me, and since Rachel’s been in the business a long time she has a lot of good stories. As usual, I take mental notes of all of her good answers, in case any of the same questions come up for me in the future!

Afterward, it is time for my photo shoot with the Vampire Diary actors. I am led to the front of a line of a hundred or so people who paid (a lot!) to have their photos taken with the stars. I feel like apologizing for cutting in line, and then remember I am there for business and sashay straight past the crowd and through the doors to a tiny room where the photographers and organizers are waiting for the stars to be ushered in.

I stand around for a few moments feeling useless until suddenly I think, Hey, I should get out a couple of my books and ask the guys to hold them, while halfway wondering if the bodyguards stationed all over the place might tackle me for doing something that hasn’t been foreseen and approved by the earpiece guys.

Minutes later, in walk a whole crowd of people surrounding Ian and Paul, and while the room breaks into kerfuffled pandemonium, I walk up to Ian and introduce myself. “Hi, I’m Amy Plum, one of the writers here at the conference,” I begin.

His eyes light up in recognition. “Oh yeah. You live here in Paris, right?”

“Um…yeah,” I say, wondering how he knows that, and then remember that several of my readers had the nerve to Tweet him saying things like, “Ian…you’re so lucky to be meeting Paris author Amy Plum at the conference today.”

I begin to waffle, “Right. A lot of your Twitter followers have been writing me.”

“Yeah. Hopefully that’ll give you a lot more followers,” he says. “So you actually live here in Paris?”

“About 15 minutes away,” I confirm, and then cringe because it comes out sounding like an invitation. Although by that point the Damen vampire mesmerizing thing has started to work and I am internally debating handing him my apartment keys.

“You’re so lucky,” he says. And I think, In which alternate universe am I luckier than Ian Somerhalder?

“So you’re the author. Congratulations!” he continues, really enthusiastically. I wonder if he is getting me mixed up with someone who just won the Pulitzer. And then he pats me on the arm and says again, “Congratulations!” and I realize, He has no idea who I am, and decide then and there to steal his tactic whenever I meet someone I’m supposed to know but have no clue who they are.

Because, honestly, everyone has done something that is congratulations-worthy. So I decide to take his words to mean, Congrats on publishing two books and living in Paris, and say, “Thank you.”

Someone comes up and grabs him and I walk over to Paul and introduce myself. He’s really sweet, but kind of dazed, glancing around the room like he doesn’t know what’s going on. And then I realize that a million people are yelling around him in a language he’s probably not fluent in. Someone calls that it’s time to get started, so I translate it for him and, hearing something explained in English, he immediately looks more grounded.

Ian comes to stand next to me, and I grab my books (hardcovers of DIE FOR ME and UNTIL I DIE) from the photographer’s table and thrust them into Paul’s and Ian’s hands. “Do you mind holding my books for our picture?” I ask. They turn the books over, inspecting them. “What are they about?” Paul asks, somewhat dubiously, and I’m ready to go into a summary when the photographer says, “Let’s go!” So I settle for, “Don’t worry. They’re totally appropriate for your viewers. No porn, I promise.”

Paul laughs, and Ian gives me this one-eyebrow-up scorching gaze, holds my book up in front of him, leans in really close and says in a low voice, “I’d be happy to hold your book.” And then grinning like he just said something very naughty, he gets into place next to me and puts his arm around me. Paul takes the other side, and we start taking pictures.

One picture goes totally normally:

Where's Ian's other hand? Um, yeah. Drawing circles on my back.

And then Ian starts running his fingers around my back and I glance over at him like, What are you doing? and he says, “Paul, stop grabbing my ass.” At which point I burst out laughing and this picture is taken:

We took one more shot, which I won’t show you because I look awful, but here is Ian:

Yes, Ian. I will die for you.

and here’s Paul:

who, just after we finish, starts asking me when the books will be published, and posing all sorts of questions and acting interested, which I think is really sweet.

The “handlers” bring the first fan in for her picture, and I go over to get my bag, but Ian keeps yelling, “Congratulations!” and “Have a great time!” and “Enjoy!” and now that I’m not longer on a business mission and don’t have to keep my composure, I start blushing furiously and book it out of the room as fast as I can before I melt into a puddle of goo.

I meet Rachel at the top of the stairs, and explain that I just took a picture with the guys. “And now I’m so hot!” I say, fanning myself. Her husband cracks up, and I say, “I mean, it was boiling hot in that room with all of the lights!” and he says, “Right!” and gives this knowing smile.

FAST FORWARD TO CONFERENCE, DAY 2:

I’m sitting in the front row of a packed-out amphitheater watching this:

Ian Somerhalder

sorry…I mean this…

Ian holding up fan-made sign "Save Water, Shower with Ian"

and the place is going crazy, with girls screaming “Je t’aime, Ian” and him yelling “idem” back to them. And he’s blowing kisses and winking and waving and I can’t help but laugh my head off because it’s so ridiculous. And just when I have this incredulous I-can’t-even-believe-this-is-happening look on my face, he glances over at me and gives me this sheepish smile and shrugs like, “This is my life.”

Ian giving the crowd smouldering looks.

After about an hour of this, we pick up where I started this blog post: with me taking Ian’s place in front of an enthusiastic crowd that just saw the object of their affection replaced by an American author most of them don’t know from Adam. Patricia, the interviewer, says, “Just let me go get my questions,” and then leaves me alone on the stage, bright lights in my eyes, video cameras rolling, and several hundred people sitting there staring at me. Waiting.

So I pick up the microphone and say in French, “Hi, I’m Amy Plum. And I’m going to try to do this interview in French for you today.”

There is a second of silence, and then crowd goes wild, cheering and clapping. I do my incredulous face again, but only internally this time, and think, Okay. These people want to be entertained. So for the next hour, I try to do just that.

After being introduced by my French publisher, who came up from Toulouse for the event, I read—in French, for the first time—the most exciting passage I can think of in Book 1 (where Jules jumps in front of the Metro). And then answer all of Patricia’s questions (in French), only having to ask for a word a couple of times.

I am amazed that I’m doing this well. I can only imagine that the adrenaline from having people actually cheer for me is doing something to the language-center of my brain, allowing me to pull better French out of my hat than I ever imagined I possessed.

At one point I actually test the audience, and ask, “Do you understand my French?” and the crowd goes ape-shit again. And you should have seen the place when I told them that I was in love with two cities: New York and Paris. Whoops and yells and applause. It is INSANE. And I love every second of it!

After an hour Patricia thanks me for coming and I go sit behind a table stacked with my books for my signing (supplied by a local indie bookstore). Before I can even get to my seat, the crowd floods out of the room and heads straight for me. About half are readers who have already heard of me, but the rest come because of my talk.

I get compliments on my French (still much to my amazement), and several people say, “With the way you described your book, I just had to come buy it!” I consider myself a terrible salesperson, and in my interview I truly just spoke from the heart. Which means that my words actually reached people. They liked what I had to say. I can’t even tell you how good that makes me feel.

When it was all over, the indie bookstore manager told me I sold more books than anyone else at the conference. Which, to me, was better than a hug from Ian Somerhalder. Okay, I’m lying. Not quite as good. But close.

I will be doing another reading in French at the Paris indie bookstore I mentioned (l’Antre Monde) on June 26, and one in English at W.H. Smith on June 16. Check my Events page for details!

From the eyes of the fans:

Mirrorcle World’s account

Nyx Shadow’s account

Livre au Centre’s account

Hotness Update: Vampires vs. Revenants

Here I am with Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalter at the Mystic Falls 2 conference in Paris. (I’m cracking up because Ian was tracing circles on my back and then accusing Paul of grabbing his ass.) More pics and stories tomorrow, when the conference continues!

Bon Book Anniversaire (eg Happy Book Birthday…in French!)

We had a false alarm earlier this month with DIE FOR ME’s French book birthday, but it has been confirmed that today, May 23, is…the BIG DAY!!!

Me with Plus Encore Que La Vie

Today you can walk into any bookstore in France and find a copy of PLUS ENCORE QUE LA VIE, the French version of DIE FOR ME! (At least, I hope you can. I haven’t actually tried it yet, but will get a picture when I do.)

And here it is in all of its rose-hued swirly glory. As I mentioned before, the title is taken from a Baudelaire poem. (As are the titles of Books 2 and 3!)

To practice your French, here it is – from the book “Les fleurs du mal”:

SEMPER EADEM

D’où vous vient, disiez-vous, cette tristesse étrange,

Montant comme la mer sur le roc noir et nu ?

-quand notre cœur a fait une fois sa vendange,

Vivre est un mal. C’est un secret de tous connu.

Une douleur très-simple et non mystérieuse,

Et, comme votre joie, éclatante pour tous.

Cessez donc de chercher, ô belle curieuse !

Et, bien que votre voix soit douce, taisez-vous !

Taisez-vous, ignorante ! âme toujours ravie !

Bouche au rire enfantin ! Plus encore que la Vie,

La Mort nous tient souvent par des liens subtils.

Laissez, laissez mon cœur s’enivrer d’un mensonge,

Plonger dans vos beaux yeux comme dans un beau songe,

Et sommeiller longtemps à l’ombre de vos cils !

Since I’m sure your French is already perfect, I will just translate the most important bit:

Plus encore que la Vie,

La Mort nous tient souvent par des liens subtils.

Even more than life,

Death often holds us by subtle bonds. (translated Amy Plum)

Or…if you want something prettier:

Still more than Life,

Death holds us frequently with subtle bonds. (translated William Aggeler)

or

Death pulls us, more than life, with subtle wile. (translated Roy Campbell)

Kind of appropriate, non?

Happy book birthday to PLUS ENCORE QUE LA VIE, which is finally not only available in my adopted country, but available in the adopted city of Kate, Vincent, Jules and the rest of the kindred. I wonder if they’ll buy a copy.

(To find out more about PLUS ENCORE QUE LA VIE and read extracts of the book in French, go to Macadam’s site: here.)

Vampires Meet Revenants…in Paris

Just off the top of your head, can you list any differences between the following people?

Ian Somerhalder

Paul Wesley

Torrey Devitto

Me

Personally, I see a few differences. For example, 3 of the 4 people above:

1. have foregone the wearing of shirts

2. have probably done so because they have rockin’ bods

3. act in a hit TV series called Vampire Diaries

4. have screaming crowds of people camped outside their hotels.

I will also bet you five bucks that three of the above people did not eat a whole bowl of cookie dough with their 5-year-old yesterday (while still wearing their pajamas in the afternoon).

Yet, all four of us will be showing up this weekend in Paris at the Forum des Halles for the Welcome to Mystic Falls 2 convention. Which would be extremely funny, except for the fact that there will be someone else on my “team”…

Rachel Caine

…the New York Times bestselling author, Rachel Caine. Who is also wearing a shirt.

I am scheduled to interview on Sunday afternoon, just after Mr. Somerhalder steps down off the stage. And I’m going to try to do it in French. I feel it will provide the perfect comic relief to all of the hotness that precedes me onstage. (Luckily, there will be an interpreter handy in case I choke.)

Check out the convention, and the fact that you get to pay 200 euros less to meet me than you do for Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. All you have to do is buy a book and walk up to my table to ask me to sign it. Which is a bargain, really! I’ll even take a picture with you. But I’m telling you now…the clothes stay ON.

Revenant Road Trip: Nashville Stop

Once in our Nashville hotel, Kim and I ordered dinner from room service and watched 40 Year Old Virgin until we passed out from road fatigue. Bright and early the next morning I dropped her off at the airport (yes, I cried – I hate saying goodbye to friends) and went back to the hotel to work. And late that afternoon I set off across Nashville to meet fellow authors Myra McEntire

and C.J. Redwine.

As I’ve said before, I have a purely online relationship with most YA authors, the fact being that most of them live in the U.S. and I live a kazillion miles away. Attending the RT Conference last month was a HUGE treat for me, because I got to meet all of these authors I already been chatting to on the internet but had never met in real life.

Well, let me tell you, Myra and C.J. turned out to be exactly what I had imagined from our Twitter chats: hilarious, super smart, and really friendly. In that kind of way that makes you want to cancel your plane ticket and stay a few extra days to hang out.

After chatting for a while, we headed over to Parnassus Books where we were met by the events manager, Nikki, who immediately asked Myra and me if we could interview with a BBC reporter who was doing a story on indie bookstores. We agreed, and the first thing Myra asked the guy was if he could get her a personal audience with Dr. Who. And then she mentioned something she wanted to do to him—like licking his forehead, if I remember correctly. (Dr. Who’s forehead, that is, not the reporter’s.)

The reporter blushed a bit, but looked like he might have heard that a few times before (or maybe he’s interviewed other YA authors and knows how weird we can be), and sat us down to tape. I had to say “cut” once, because I was blah-blah-blahing—something I do when I don’t have time to think of an answer. Which is fine at a dinner party, but not that great on camera.

Parnassus crowd (Photo: Vania)

And then we were led to a packed-out room equipped with 2 cushy chairs. (C.J. came to the event, but since her book DEFIANCE doesn’t come out until August, she sat in the audience and sent us positive author vibes.)

Myra & Me on cushy chairs with our color-coordinated books behind (photo: StartingTheNextChapter.com)

Myra and I introduced our books, read a section of our Book 2s (this was Myra’s first public reading of her 2nd book, TIMEPIECE), and then answered questions.

Judging from the look on my face, I'm probably saying something I shouldn't be. Photo: StartingTheNextChapter.com

I couldn’t resist asking a couple of questions of my own. (I’m always interested in finding out whether other authors are plotters or pantsers).

Reading from UNTIL I DIE (Photo: StartingTheNextChapter.com)

Afterward, a few book bloggers accompanied us to to Cheesecake Factory, where I feasted on pure calories (mac & cheese, a pomegranate mojito, and coconut cheesecake) while chatting with Vania about her writing and Courtney Potter about her book-to-be, Faking Normal, which sounds AWESOME.

And then the next morning I waved goodbye to Nashville, hopped on a plane with my over-stuffed suitcase, and headed back to the land of baguettes and revenants!

Here is an account of the evening from Starting The Next Chapter.

And another from The Housework Can Wait.

Revenant Road Trip: Birmingham Stop

(This tour journal starts in New York City, continues through the Appalachians, and last post was Lexington, Kentucky.)

Kim and I spent the next day driving through the rolling hills of Kentucky, past vast green pastures dotted with grazing horses. The horse-racing vibe was so strong, it made me want to wear a huge hat and hold opera-glasses to my eyes as we drove through the state (à la Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady).

We arrived in Nashville around lunch time and drove around the downtown until we found a neighborhood that had decent-looking restaurants.

Fried green tomato and bacon sandwich on white bread, left. Pulled-pork barbecue on jalapeno cornbread with sweet potato fries on right. (Washed down with lots of good ol' southern iced tea!)

We wandered into one called Pucketts, and promptly ordered iced teas, a fried green tomato and bacon sandwich, and a barbecue sandwich with sweet potato fries. (Followed by chocolate chess pie.) I couldn’t have asked for a tastier welcome back to the deep South!

My hometown library: The Homewood Public!

A few hours later we rolled into Birmingham, ran to our hotel for a quick costume change, and then arrived at the Homewood Public Library to find that the librarian, Heather Cover, had set out a whole spread of refreshments, complete with Eiffel Tower and skull decorations.

(I need a picture of the awesome refreshments table – if anyone has it…send it along!)

Adding sentimental value to the location was the fact that Homewood was my local library when I graduated from Homewood High School. And the bookstore that provided the books that night, Little Professor, was the local indie bookstore that my mom and I used to visit to have tea and peruse books. I had come home.

Me with Maryam from Atlanta, and her drawing of Vincent & Kate on the Pont des Arts

One of the first people through the door was Maryam, an artist and fan of the DIE FOR ME books who occasionally posts her drawings of the book online. She and her family had driven from Atlanta for the event, and she presented me with two of her drawings that I had previously admired online. (Which will promptly be framed and hung in my office when I get back to France! Thank you, Maryam!)

(Photo: @ArtByMaryam)

The auditorium quickly filled, with half of the faces being ones that I recognized: high school friends, friends of my parents, and even a couple of girls I used to babysit (who now have babies of their own). My sister counted 57 people in the audience, which was my personal record for a solo event! (Thank you, Birmingham friends!)

Reading from UNTIL I DIE in the Homewood Public LIbrary

I did my regular introduction, reading, and Q&A, my favorite question being from a teenager who asked, “If a revenant’s limb is severed and can’t be found, will it regenerate while they are dormant?” I dug into my mental Revenant Rulebook and answered it for her (the issue is addressed in Book 2), and went on to the next question. But a few minutes later, I saw the same girl raising her hand, a bit tentatively. I called on her. “What about the head?” she asked. I swear, her questions made my day, and I’m still smiling about them now. (I love my readers!)

The line for signings. (I'm hidden behind the lady on the left.) Little Professor sold out of the copies of UNTIL I DIE they had brought. Hurray!

Afterwards, I signed for about an hour, chatting with friends both old and new. For weeks, I had been worried that high school friends would show up and I wouldn’t recognize them. Luckily, that only happened with two people, and they both had a good sense of humor, so I was forgiven.

My driver, media escort, and...best friend for the last 25 years, Kim.

After the event, Kim and I headed off to meet Chip and Elizabeth Brantley at a lovely little restaurant called Ollie-Irene. I have been talking to them for the last year about what I can do to help participate in their non-profit, DISCO (Desert Island Supply Co. – a creative writing program that gives students in the Birmingham area more opportunities to write). Chip had graciously organized the library reading for me, and over dinner we talked about books, writing, and the goals and progress they’ve made with DISCO. (I suggest you check them out, especially if you are in the Birmingham area. They are a fantastic organization to consider supporting!)

My sister Gretchen and me. (And no, she is not Georgia!)

My sister, Gretchen, had flown up from Orlando for the reading, and we spent the next 2 days with Kim having breakfast, lunch, and dinner with friends. It had been 13 years since I had been to Birmingham, and I had a lot of catching up to do! Besides old family friends (who might not all want their pictures up on my blog), I met my old friend Lou Anders, the editorial director of Pyr Books, who presented me with the anthology of original super hero fiction he recently edited, called MASKED, as well as aspiring writer Lisa Dunick who told me a story idea that knocked my socks off. (Which I hope to read in book-form some day!)

And on a rainy, tropically humid Mother’s Day, Kim and I dropped Gretchen off at the airport and headed to Nashville!

to be continued…

Revenant Road Trip: Lexington stop

Ready to hear about PHASE 2 of the Revenant Road Trip? (Phase 1 here: New York City launch party and quick picture of me freezing my booty off while driving through the Appalachians).

Well, to get from New York City to Lexington, Kentucky, Kim and I had a LOT of driving to do. Especially since we got lost LOADS of times. Getting lost is kind of a specialty of mine, and I hadn’t realized before that Kim is pretty good at it too.

It looked like this much of the way...

So we took our time *cough* driving the 720 miles, pulling over to sleep a few hours in Cumberland, WV, and occasionally stopping off at fine establishments like this to scarf down our meals.

Blackmail photo. (Kim is my chef friend whose brownies were on Oprah. She's not a fan of fast food.)

Once in Lexington, we drove straight to Morris Book Shop to see Alison, who has been a friend on the internet since long before DIE FOR ME, yet who I had never met in real life. I signed a stack of books at Morris and then Alison took us out for coffee and stories, giving both Kim and I parting gifts of Heads Off & Split, a book of poetry by local Lexington poet, Nikky Finney. (Which I can’t wait to read!)

Alison and me outside of Morris Book Shop

After that, Kim and I did a quick costume change and then it was straight to Joseph-Beth Booksellers, where the extremely capable Erin had everything set up and ready for the event.

Poster-sized Kate

Stacks and stacks of swirly Kates

After introducing the book, I read the Pere Lachaise cemetery scene from Chapter 6 and then answered questions from the audience.

It looks like I'm saying something really important. (Either that, or I'm doing The Robot) Photo: Lori Tincher

A very enthusiastic crowd had turned out for the event, including several folks I already knew from blogs, Facebook and Twitter.

My favorite part of events: meeting my readers!

It was a special treat to meet high school librarian, Lori, who was one of the people who suggested a Lexington stop to me on FB. She brought her nephew, Layne, with her as well as a whole bag full of locally-made candy and candles. I felt totally spoiled. And then, after I signed stock for Joseph-Beth (yes – there are still signed copies stuffed with bookmarks available at the store! ), Erin gave me a copy of Gail Carriger’s SOULLESS, which she had been raving about. Another must-read to take back to Paris in my suitcase. (Which now weighs 100 pounds.)

Me with Lexington fan, Layne. (Note bag of Lexington-themed presents to left.) Photo: Lori Tincher

Afterward, Kim and I took our hosts, Josh and Margaret, to dinner at an amazing restaurant and then crashed in order to ready ourselves for our Lexington-Birmingham drive the next morning!

To be continued…

UNTIL I DIE riddle & signed bookplates offer

Yesterday marked the end of the UNTIL I DIE blog tour, which means that you finally had all of the clues you needed to put together the riddle. A couple dozen people successfully completed and sent it to me. And from those names, Randomizer.org chose Emily Rencich as the grand prize winner! (Congratulations, Emily!)

So here is the correct riddle:

Dark Way or guérriseur? Two ways to send

Vincent and Kate toward their happy end.

Lilies are white. Violettes are blue.

Who disappears when this story is through?

As I mentioned at the beginning of the contest, the riddle was just the first part of this giveaway. You now have two months to read UNTIL I DIE and email me with the answer to the riddle. (See my Contact Page for my email address.) If you answer it correctly, I will send you a signed book plate to stick inside your copy of the book! Be sure to include your mailing address in the email.

And, as I did with DIE FOR ME, if you leave a review of UNTIL I DIE on Amazon.com or BarnesAndNoble.com, I will send you a second signed bookplate!

This is my little thank you to all of you for reading UNTIL I DIE, and for your support and enthusiasm for the DIE FOR ME trilogy. A big MERCI to you all!!

GRAND PRIZE GIVEAWAY!!! (and the end of the UNTIL I DIE tour)

Today’s the day!

It’s May 12, and the official end of the UNTIL I DIE blog tour, hosted by the oh-so-lovely Mundie Moms.

And do you know what that means? You have all of the words to put together the riddle for a chance to win this Longchamp bag:

Longchamp tote bag! (And yes, I have the same one.)

Each day of the blog tour you have been given one or more secret words that, when put into the right order, compose a riddle about the plot of UNTIL I DIE. For a chance at winning the bag, put the words together in the following format and email them to me at amy at amyplumbooks dott com :

____ ___ __ __________? ___ ____ __ ____

_______ ___ ____ ______ _____ _____ ___.

______ ___ _____. _________ ___ ____.

___ __________ ____ ____ _____ __ _______?

And here are the places to find the words:

Day 1: Book review with Hypable

Day 2: Interview with Novel Novice

Day 3: UNTIL I DIE Excerpt with Fire & Ice

Day 4: UNTIL I DIE book review with Mundie Moms

Day 5: Kate’s Character Interview with Page Turners

Day 6: UNTIL I DIE book review with The Story Siren

Day 7: Guest Post – Amy’s Favorite Spot in Paris with Reading Lark

Day 8: Summary + Book trailer on Eve’s Fan Garden

Day 9: UNTIL I DIE exclusive KISSING SCENE teaser on Jean Booknerd

Day 10: Review from Reading Teen

Day 12: INTERVIEW WITH VINCENT at Once Upon a Twilight

Day 13: UNTIL I DIE Playlist with GReads

Day 14: Review at Teens Read & Write

Day 15: Author Interview with Supernatural Snark

Day 16 Over-the-top Jules character interview on Books Complete Me

Day 17 UNTIL I DIE steamy excerpt on We Fancy Books

Day 18 Teaser on Good Choice Reading

Day 19 Guest post about shooting the video trailer on Xpresso Reads

Day 20 Author interview with Mundie Moms

Day 21 Guest post about American food vs. French food on Girls in the Stacks

Day 22 UNTIL I DIE review at YA Bibliophile

THE RULES:

The contest is international, and all submissions must be received by 9pm EST (New York time) on Sunday evening, May 13. I will put all correct submissions into Randomizer.org to choose the winner!

But that’s not all. After the complete riddle has been posted here on my blog (on May 13), you will have two months to email me with the ANSWER to the riddle (after reading UNTIL I DIE). If you answer it correctly, I will send you a signed book plate to stick inside your copy of the book!

If you haven’t yet pre-ordered your copy of UNTIL I DIE, you can do it here!

For a SIGNED copy, order here from Books of Wonder.

IndieBound

Amazon US – Amazon UK

B&N

Book Depository (Worldwide)

And thank you ALL for following the UNTIL I DIE blog tour and supporting my new book!

Revenant Road Trip Updates

This is a quickie, because I’m about to run to my Lexington, KY book signing.

Here is a really fun account of the Books of Wonder party, with photos and a video of me reading, from Writer’s Block.

Here is my author interview with Mundie Moms (the next stop on the Blog Tour, with giveaway and the next word for the riddle).

And…

Here is me in Appalachian Mountains, on a 12-hour drive from New York City to Lexington, Kentucky. (My friend and driver Kim is making me laugh while I am freezing to death, waiting to dash back into the warmth of the car.)

And now…off to Joseph Beth Book Shop!