Kendare Blake's Blog, page 6
October 21, 2013
My Eyeballs Could've Been Sucked From Their Sockets.
Before seeing Gravity, I don't think I ever fully appreciated how much I like George Clooney. But I do. And from now on will refer to him as The Cloonster. I've always thought he looked like Buzz Lightyear (hence the quote for today's entry) and seeing him in that space suit was like seeing a Space Ranger in real life.
Don't you tell me there's no resemblance.Anyhoo, I'm back from the Antigoddess tour. Thanks to everyone who came out and hung with me on the road. It was a thrill to meet everyone, and many for the second or third time! There were many, many highlights, including this weird amuse bouche foie gras thing in Naperville, IL, and a stupendous hometown party put on by my parents. And then to cap it off, Anna was at New York Comic Con:
Once Cas let her out of that house, that chick started traveling.
Everyone who entered the Antigoddess Thank You Contest, THANK YOU. Because of you, the book is headed for a second printing already. Winners of prizes have been selected and notified, and prizes have started being mailed.
Got to spend some time in NY with my editor, and she informed me of some Goddess War series news:
Antigoddess will get a special new paperback cover. And ARISTEIA will get a new title. Though we loved it, it was decided that not enough people knew what it meant. So we're working up something else which I'll post soon. I sort of figured that would happen, but it was cool to call it Aristeia for a little while at least.
While I was away, Tyrion Cattister got fat. Well, he got more fat. And Tybalt nutted up and regained control of the house. The kitten reign of tyranny has ended!
A few book recommendations, as I slacked off on writing and did some reading: OF BEAST AND BEAUTY by Stacy Jay, and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones. Both entirely magical. Also, holy crap the Walking Dead looks like it's going to be good this season.
Last thing, since I haven't posted it on the blog yet: have you seen the ANTIGODDESS Trailer? Directed by Tucker Capps? He is most excellent.
My Eyeballs Could’ve Been Sucked From Their Sockets.
Saw GRAVITY this weekend. And wow. All the wows you've heard are true. Wowza. Wowie wow wow wow. Also, space really blows.
Before seeing Gravity, I don't think I ever fully appreciated how much I like George Clooney. But I do. And from now on will refer to him as The Cloonster. I've always thought he looked like Buzz Lightyear (hence the quote for today's entry) and seeing him in that space suit was like seeing a Space Ranger in real life.
Don't you tell me there's no resemblance.
Anyhoo, I'm back from the Antigoddess tour. Thanks to everyone who came out and hung with me on the road. It was a thrill to meet everyone, and many for the second or third time! There were many, many highlights, including this weird amuse bouche foie gras thing in Naperville, IL, and a stupendous hometown party put on by my parents. And then to cap it off, Anna was at New York Comic Con:
Once Cas let her out of that house, that chick started traveling.
Everyone who entered the Antigoddess Thank You Contest, THANK YOU. Because of you, the book is headed for a second printing already. Winners of prizes have been selected and notified, and prizes have started being mailed.
Got to spend some time in NY with my editor, and she informed me of some Goddess War series news:
Antigoddess will get a special new paperback cover. And ARISTEIA will get a new title. Though we loved it, it was decided that not enough people knew what it meant. So we're working up something else which I'll post soon. I sort of figured that would happen, but it was cool to call it Aristeia for a little while at least.
While I was away, Tyrion Cattister got fat. Well, he got more fat. And Tybalt nutted up and regained control of the house. The kitten reign of tyranny has ended!
A few book recommendations, as I slacked off on writing and did some reading: OF BEAST AND BEAUTY by Stacy Jay, and HOWL'S MOVING CASTLE by Diana Wynne Jones. Both entirely magical. Also, holy crap the Walking Dead looks like it's going to be good this season.
Last thing, since I haven't posted it on the blog yet: have you seen the ANTIGODDESS Trailer? Directed by Tucker Capps? He is most excellent.
September 9, 2013
ANTIGODDESS is here! And so is the Antigoddess Release Thank You Contest Type Thing.
But in reality, all my flailing looks more like this:
Mmm. All the delicious flailing.
But, that aside, it's here! Antigoddess is here! And I want to thank you, for giving it a try. So here's a contest type giveaway thing for folks who buy the book.
I'm calling it a contest instead of a giveaway because I don't know how winners will be decided. Some will be by random draw, others may be voted on by select judges. This is a ramshackle contest, people, because that's how I run my life. I don't even know for sure, what all the prizes will be. But here are a few I do know for sure.
- Reserved ARCs of ARISTEIA (Antigoddess 2). Three of them. Way way advance, way way reserved. For three different entrants. As soon as I get em, you'll have em.
- Signed bookplates and feather bookmarks. I don't know how many of these. Until I run out of stamps, I guess.
-Some kind of tasty food type prize, which will be determined based on the winner's personal preferences.
-Miscellaneous swag
-My undying gratitude
-I will put your pet (complete pet, with personality traits, appearance and name) into a book, or you can determine the name/appearance of a human character. *
1 Grand Prize
One ARISTEIA ARC, signed feather bookmark and doodled bookplate for your
copy of ANTIGODDESS, tasty food prize, undying gratitude, and the pet/character
design choice. Also, perhaps some weird knicknack. You don't know what I'm
putting in here, is what I'm saying.
*I cannot guarantee that any future book with this pet or character will actually be published (though it won't be for lack of trying!), and you will have to give express written permission to use the name/likeness and/or your pet's name and likeness.
How to enter:
You have to buy Antigoddess to enter. I'm not asking for receipts, because I believe in the honor system and your word is your bond.
Just comment here and tell me you bought it, or got it for your birthday, or someone bought it for you. (If my publisher, Tor, bought it for you, I'm so sorry, that totally doesn't count. Unless they bought it for your birthday.)
You can also tweet me @KendareBlake. Comment at the Antigoddess Facebook page, or my own page if we're friends, why not?
Fun entries, because come on, I need cheer while on the road:
I love fun entries. I love creativity. And readers are crazy creative. So. If you do fan art, if you have funny comments, if you tell me who your favorite character is and why, if you write a poem, if there's some weird thing you've always wanted to do with a book and it isn't illegal...
Or you can send me a selfie or a funny photo of yourself and/or the book, like this one that Ash took:**
Hey, take it easy. Antigoddess can't breathe.
If you have already contacted me about your preorder, you are already entered in this contest. Automatically. But if you want to take a weird selfie of you and the book, maybe having a romantic dinner, or propped up in front of a garden gnome, I won't stop you.
Enter by tweet @KendareBlake, email kendareblake@yahoo.com, comment here, comment anywhere, pretty much just contact me. I try to make it as easy as possible. If I could make it easier, I would, because this contest is a thank you, to YOU, excellent, most loved reader.
**by sending me photos, you are consenting to the possibility that I may plaster them all over the blog, or retweet them, or just treasure them forever, like the creeper I am.
Wow, this is a long fricken post. But now I get serious. I don't often get serious, but here goes. THANK YOU. Thank you for giving Antigoddess a shot, for allowing it into your world of reading, I hope you love it, I hope you escape for awhile into a place of dying gods, I hope it passes the time for you in waiting rooms and while avoiding work and/or homework. Thank you so much.
UPDATED: I forgot to mention this contest is open until I get back from the road trip on October 15th! Sorry! Should have said that.
ANTIGODDESS is here! And so is the Antigoddess Release Thank You Contest Type Thing.
During a week like this, you might think my house was filled with shouting and flailing, sort of like this:
But in reality, all my flailing looks more like this:
Mmm. All the delicious flailing.
But, that aside, it's here! Antigoddess is here! And I want to thank you, for giving it a try. So here's a contest type giveaway thing for folks who buy the book.
I'm calling it a contest instead of a giveaway because I don't know how winners will be decided. Some will be by random draw, others may be voted on by select judges. This is a ramshackle contest, people, because that's how I run my life. I don't even know for sure, what all the prizes will be. But here are a few I do know for sure.
- Reserved ARCs of ARISTEIA (Antigoddess 2). Three of them. Way way advance, way way reserved. For three different entrants. As soon as I get em, you'll have em.
- Signed bookplates and feather bookmarks. I don't know how many of these. Until I run out of stamps, I guess.
-Some kind of tasty food type prize, which will be determined based on the winner's personal preferences.
-Miscellaneous swag
-My undying gratitude
-I will put your pet (complete pet, with personality traits, appearance and name) into a book, or you can determine the name/appearance of a human character. *
1 Grand Prize
One ARISTEIA ARC, signed feather bookmark and doodled bookplate for your
copy of ANTIGODDESS, tasty food prize, undying gratitude, and the pet/character
design choice. Also, perhaps some weird knicknack. You don't know what I'm
putting in here, is what I'm saying.
*I cannot guarantee that any future book with this pet or character will actually be published (though it won't be for lack of trying!), and you will have to give express written permission to use the name/likeness and/or your pet's name and likeness.
How to enter:
You have to buy Antigoddess to enter. I'm not asking for receipts, because I believe in the honor system and your word is your bond.
Just comment here and tell me you bought it, or got it for your birthday, or someone bought it for you. (If my publisher, Tor, bought it for you, I'm so sorry, that totally doesn't count. Unless they bought it for your birthday.)
You can also tweet me @KendareBlake. Comment at the Antigoddess Facebook page, or my own page if we're friends, why not?
Fun entries, because come on, I need cheer while on the road:
I love fun entries. I love creativity. And readers are crazy creative. So. If you do fan art, if you have funny comments, if you tell me who your favorite character is and why, if you write a poem, if there's some weird thing you've always wanted to do with a book and it isn't illegal…
Or you can send me a selfie or a funny photo of yourself and/or the book, like this one that Ash took:**
Hey, take it easy. Antigoddess can't breathe.
If you have already contacted me about your preorder, you are already entered in this contest. Automatically. But if you want to take a weird selfie of you and the book, maybe having a romantic dinner, or propped up in front of a garden gnome, I won't stop you.
Enter by tweet @KendareBlake, email kendareblake@yahoo.com, comment here, comment anywhere, pretty much just contact me. I try to make it as easy as possible. If I could make it easier, I would, because this contest is a thank you, to YOU, excellent, most loved reader.
**by sending me photos, you are consenting to the possibility that I may plaster them all over the blog, or retweet them, or just treasure them forever, like the creeper I am.
Wow, this is a long fricken post. But now I get serious. I don't often get serious, but here goes. THANK YOU. Thank you for giving Antigoddess a shot, for allowing it into your world of reading, I hope you love it, I hope you escape for awhile into a place of dying gods, I hope it passes the time for you in waiting rooms and while avoiding work and/or homework. Thank you so much.
UPDATED: I forgot to mention this contest is open until I get back from the road trip on October 15th! Sorry! Should have said that.
August 29, 2013
Twelve Days to Book Release.
Antigoddess comes out in twelve days. Right about now is the part where I feel like I should be doing more than whatever it is I'm doing. It's hard to sit back, and let go, and understand that right about now is when it's all out of my hands. Right about now, all I can do is not flip out, and thank people for giving Antigoddess a try.
Or, I could summon favors from the dark demon gods of Nor.
Hmm. Perhaps later.
On the 9th or the 10th, when Antigoddess actually comes out, I'm going to post a contest type thank you thing. The prizes will be three advance (way WAY advance) reservations for ARCs of ARISTEIA (Goddess War #2), and feather bookmarks, and some kind of treat, and I'll name a character after you or a friend, and/or I'll put your pet in a book.
I don't know what the entry rules will be, but rest assured it will be something that will give me great joy while I'm on the road. I'm selfish like that.
Now I'm off to hide for another 12 days. Luckily, there's been a lot of stuff lately that's good distraction from pre-release anxiety. Like the Bat-Fleck. What the fuck, Chuck? I don't care if Matt Damon endorses you, I shall cross my arms and scowl until I'm sitting in the theater and hear the first strains of your gritty Bat voice. Then I'll probably forget about the whole thing. Because you can't be worse than Clooney.
I love Clooney, but he was the least Batmanny of all of the Batmen. And that includes Adam West.
There was also that Miley Cyrus on the VMA's thing, which I guess was distracting, but now I keep seeing that face she made everywhere. And close ups of her butt.
Oh yeah, I finally saw one thing in the previews for INSIDIOUS 2 that actually looks interesting: the part where Patrick Wilson has a lamp and the guy says there's someone in front of him saying "He's got your baby! He's got your baby!" This thing at the 2 minute mark. But they already fooled me into seeing INSIDIOUS based on one cool thing from the trailer:
This red thing. What is that thing? I want it.
So nice try, Insidious 2. But I can only be fooled once or twice or more.
Twelve Days to Book Release.
No movie quote today. Not next week either. I'll get back to them, but for now I'm going plainspeak.
Antigoddess comes out in twelve days. Right about now is the part where I feel like I should be doing more than whatever it is I'm doing. It's hard to sit back, and let go, and understand that right about now is when it's all out of my hands. Right about now, all I can do is not flip out, and thank people for giving Antigoddess a try.
Or, I could summon favors from the dark demon gods of Nor.
Hmm. Perhaps later.
On the 9th or the 10th, when Antigoddess actually comes out, I'm going to post a contest type thank you thing. The prizes will be three advance (way WAY advance) reservations for ARCs of ARISTEIA (Goddess War #2), and feather bookmarks, and some kind of treat, and I'll name a character after you or a friend, and/or I'll put your pet in a book.
I don't know what the entry rules will be, but rest assured it will be something that will give me great joy while I'm on the road. I'm selfish like that.
Now I'm off to hide for another 12 days. Luckily, there's been a lot of stuff lately that's good distraction from pre-release anxiety. Like the Bat-Fleck. What the fuck, Chuck? I don't care if Matt Damon endorses you, I shall cross my arms and scowl until I'm sitting in the theater and hear the first strains of your gritty Bat voice. Then I'll probably forget about the whole thing. Because you can't be worse than Clooney.
I love Clooney, but he was the least Batmanny of all of the Batmen. And that includes Adam West.
There was also that Miley Cyrus on the VMA's thing, which I guess was distracting, but now I keep seeing that face she made everywhere. And close ups of her butt.
Oh yeah, I finally saw one thing in the previews for INSIDIOUS 2 that actually looks interesting: the part where Patrick Wilson has a lamp and the guy says there's someone in front of him saying "He's got your baby! He's got your baby!" This thing at the 2 minute mark. But they already fooled me into seeing INSIDIOUS based on one cool thing from the trailer:
This red thing. What is that thing? I want it.
So nice try, Insidious 2. But I can only be fooled once or twice or more.
July 31, 2013
Unless I am wrong, I am never wrong.
So, I returned from Comic Con, and it was fun, panel was great, signing was great, and it was a spectacle, and though I have pictures, I'm only going to post this one, because, Bronies.
If you are a true Brony, a guy who likes My Little Pony because My Little Pony is awesome, I salute you, and you are awesome, and call me anytime. However, if you are a Brony, in that you are a guy who wants to bone ponies, kindly back the hell out of my blog, please and thank you. Sadly, I don't think things like this "Equestria Girls" are helping. They look a whole lot like the offspring of a My Little Pony and one of those boner Bronies I was just talking about.
Anyway, Dylan's in Mongolia, where I hope he's enjoying some fine Yak milk, and I'm here trying to write while at the same time having to pluck Tyrion Cattister off of a screaming Tybalt every five minutes. War is Hell. Kittens are Hell. Kittens are War.
I've updated the Sticky Post with Antigoddess tour dates. I really hope to see some of you on the road. I.e., dear god, please come hang out with me.
Shortly before Antigoddess comes out (on September 10th! I hope you'll give it a whirl!) there will be a trailer. From what I understand it's going to be a cool trailer, live action, they spent days shooting in the desert and I liked the script when I read it. I'm excited, I love book trailers. Remember the one for The Diviners? That was bitchin.
Oh, on the subject of bitchin, there were two excellent covers revealed recently by my Tor sisters Mindee Arnett and Kristen Simmons that you should see:
How excellent are these? I haven't read either, mind you, (a fact about which I am bitter) but I loved the Nightmare Affair, and both Article 5 and Breaking Point. Mindee showed me an earlier version of the Dilemma cover and it was a cool green. But I love the blue, and it will look mighty fine on the shelf. Maybe they'll save the green for #3.
That's about it for now. I'll be in a writing cave for the next few weeks, working on something new and still too young to be talked about (but it's not another Cas book, believe me if it was another Cas book I would spill those beans.)
Unless I am wrong, I am never wrong.
That line is from The Princess Bride, spoken by Prince Humperdink. Every time I watch that movie, I find a new line to love. Or a new bit of performance to treasure. Or just a new view of Carey Elwes. Whatever.
So, I returned from Comic Con, and it was fun, panel was great, signing was great, and it was a spectacle, and though I have pictures, I'm only going to post this one, because, Bronies.
If you are a true Brony, a guy who likes My Little Pony because My Little Pony is awesome, I salute you, and you are awesome, and call me anytime. However, if you are a Brony, in that you are a guy who wants to bone ponies, kindly back the hell out of my blog, please and thank you. Sadly, I don't think things like this "Equestria Girls" are helping. They look a whole lot like the offspring of a My Little Pony and one of those boner Bronies I was just talking about.
Anyway, Dylan's in Mongolia, where I hope he's enjoying some fine Yak milk, and I'm here trying to write while at the same time having to pluck Tyrion Cattister off of a screaming Tybalt every five minutes. War is Hell. Kittens are Hell. Kittens are War.
I've updated the Sticky Post with Antigoddess tour dates. I really hope to see some of you on the road. I.e., dear god, please come hang out with me.
Shortly before Antigoddess comes out (on September 10th! I hope you'll give it a whirl!) there will be a trailer. From what I understand it's going to be a cool trailer, live action, they spent days shooting in the desert and I liked the script when I read it. I'm excited, I love book trailers. Remember the one for The Diviners? That was bitchin.
Oh, on the subject of bitchin, there were two excellent covers revealed recently by my Tor sisters Mindee Arnett and Kristen Simmons that you should see:
How excellent are these? I haven't read either, mind you, (a fact about which I am bitter) but I loved the Nightmare Affair, and both Article 5 and Breaking Point. Mindee showed me an earlier version of the Dilemma cover and it was a cool green. But I love the blue, and it will look mighty fine on the shelf. Maybe they'll save the green for #3.
That's about it for now. I'll be in a writing cave for the next few weeks, working on something new and still too young to be talked about (but it's not another Cas book, believe me if it was another Cas book I would spill those beans.)
July 4, 2013
A new catson! And ANTIGODDESS ARC giveaway with swag! (Ends Friday, July 12th.)
Originally, we were told he was a girl, so his name was Cersei Cattister. But then we brought him home and I noticed, well...nuts. I said, "better change his name to Tyrion." And Dylan said, "Those aren't nuts; she's a girl." And I said, "Listen, I think I know cat testicles when I see them." And then neither one of us knew what to do with that statement. Tyrion and Tybalt (we didn't do the "T-Y" matching thing on purpose) are getting along famously, after some fangless hissing. And I become skeptical that Tybalt was ever losing weight in the first place, because that kitten makes him look enormous, and his fat ass is putting my legs to sleep as I type this.
The one thing you can be sure of with a name like Tyrion Cattister, I'll never put him in a book. Which leads me to hint at another contest I'm running at the time of ANTIGODDESS' release. I'm running out of pets to put in books, is what I'm saying. I'm going to need to mine yours. It will be the "can I put your pet in my books?" contest.
But for now, let's segue into THIS contest: an ANTIGODDESS ARC with signed feather bookmark!
There are 2 ARCs up for grabs. I had three, but someone had a reading-related tragedy, and I was moved to help. So these are the last 2 I've got.
NOT SO FAST THOUGH!
First, you have to listen to my history lesson to find out how to comment. Why? Because, I'm a jerk, that's why.
In Antigoddess, there is a lot of allusion to the Trojan War. It's one of my favorite subjects, and the three goddesses at the heart of the story factor in pretty large in The Goddess War. Just in case you're unfamiliar with how the Trojan War started, here's a quick refresher:
One day, the gods were hanging around on Olympus, doing whatever the frick they do when they're not wreaking havoc or boning each other, and the goddess Discord (who nobody liked to hang out with because...well, discord is unpleasant) tossed a golden apple at them with a tag marked "To the Fairest."
For whatever reason (fruit shortage?) all the goddesses went Belieber crazy over the apple, until it came down to a final three: Athena, Hera, and Aphrodite. But how do you determine the fairest goddess of all?
Easy. You make a mortal teenage boy judge them like cows. I guess.
This unlucky chap was Prince Paris of Troy, who you are probably familiar with because of the famous story of Helen of Troy, or because of Orlando Bloom's butt cheeks in the film, Troy. Unfortunately for Paris, instead of allowing him to judge them fairly for their...er...fairness...each goddess offered a bribe.
Athena promised him he would become a great hero, and have great glory on the battlefield.
Hera promised him riches, and a vast kingdom.
Aphrodite promised him the most beautiful woman in the world.
He chose the hot chick, and as a result, pissed off Hera and Athena, and they pretty much ruined his life and the lives of his whole family. Killed his dad, had Achilles murder his brother Hector, sister Cassandra taken as a slave and murdered later (though she was sort of screwed already...as outlined in Antigoddess). Troy fell, chaos reigned, Aphrodite made the apple into one super-sized and very heavy earring...
SO, HERE'S HOW TO ENTER! Put yourself in Paris' place. Who would you choose, if you were offered the bribes? Why? Would you choose Athena's offer? It would be way cool to be a hero, to have a great destiny and kickass adventures. What kind of hero would you be?
Would you choose Hera's riches and power? Maybe spend your days Kardashian-ing it up poolside?
Would you choose the most beautiful girl, or boy? Snag yourself a...a...man, I'm out of touch. Who passes for hot these days?
This giveaway is international, and you can enter for multiple entries: comment below, comment on the ANTIGODDESS Facebook entry, Tweet the contest mentioning @KendareBlake, or comment at the GoodReads mirror post. I'll draw two random winners next Friday, July 12th. Good luck, and I look forward to your answers :)
June 17, 2013
If there's any kind of magic in the world it must be in the attempt of understanding someone
But despite his reservations, we happily talked about the film for hours afterward. So there, Dylan, you buttcrack. (Obviously, Dylan does not read the blog.)
Anyway, stuff going on. The trailer for ANTIGODDESS is being shot this weekend, and I'm very excited after reading the rough script. Girl of Nightmares just came out in Spanish, and it's called Anna Desde el Infierno, which I hope means Anna down in hell, because that's sort of funny if you say it fast. I received a copy from my lovely Spanish publisher...if anyone reading the blog would like a Spanish edition and lives in the United States, comment and I'll send one to you. Unless I get a lot of comment requests, because I only have a few, and I'm keeping one.
I'm going to be at San Diego Comic Con! Yay! Maybe for a signing, but definitely for a panel.
Thursday, July 18
10:30 – 11:30 am Paranormal Passion Panel: Authors discuss the inclusion of romantic elements in their action-packed novels at the Paranormal Passion Panel. Protagonists must battle the forces of evil while trying to keep the world (and often their lovers) safe from destruction. Please join Maryelizabeth Hart of Mysterious Galaxy for a discussion with Christine Feehan (Guest of Honor), Amy Vincent (Spellcaster), Aprilynne Pike (Earthbound), Lauren Kate (The Fallen Novels), Magnus Flyte (City of Dark Magic). Room 24ABC
Pretty juiced about this! Although I was previously booked on a superhero panel, and that would have been pretty sweet too.
Also, Minnesota events confirmed!
Friday, September 27th, 6:30 pm, Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN
Saturday, September 28th, 7 pm, Scout & Morgan Booksellers, Cambridge, MN
I wanted to have a Minnesota event closer to the Twin Cities this time because I felt super guilty when fantastic bloggers drove all the way up to Cambridge. Both events should feature a goddess-themed beverage menu, with drinks called The Aphrodite, The Hera, and either The Hermes or The Athena. Red Balloon will feature The Hermes, which will pretty much be soda pop. Scout & Morgan will feature The Athena, which is just beer in a bottle, because she doesn't go in for those fancy, fruity umbrella drinks. I'll post menu specifics later on.
Other tour stops still being finalized, but I hope to see some of you on the road in September!
