Rachel Vincent's Blog, page 5
July 12, 2012
Tod thanks you!
Thanks so much to everyone who voted for Tod in the YA Crush Tourney yesterday. He was definitely the underdog, so it's no surprise that he didn't win, but I think you guys all made him proud. And thanks so much to Smiling_Ina, who championed him! If you voted for Tod, make sure you commented in this post. I'll be drawing one name from that post tomorrow, and the winner will receive a Tod-quote t-shirt.
I have a ton of work to do today, so I'll mostly be offline, but in my absence, I leave you with these! I've done two blog tours in the past month. They were fun, but exhausting (If you've never tried to write twenty guest posts/character interviews in two weeks, while meeting word count and promoting a release, just trust me.) In case you missed them, these are the character interviews, and the last one is a tour of Eastlake from the silent perspective of a new student.
Enjoy!
An interview with Tod.
An interview with Nash.
An interview with Kaylee.
A new-student tour of Eastlake high.
I have a ton of work to do today, so I'll mostly be offline, but in my absence, I leave you with these! I've done two blog tours in the past month. They were fun, but exhausting (If you've never tried to write twenty guest posts/character interviews in two weeks, while meeting word count and promoting a release, just trust me.) In case you missed them, these are the character interviews, and the last one is a tour of Eastlake from the silent perspective of a new student.
Enjoy!
An interview with Tod.
An interview with Nash.
An interview with Kaylee.
A new-student tour of Eastlake high.
July 9, 2012
So many winners!
I have to say, I am stunned by the entries in the Soul Screamers relationship flowchart contest. You guys went above and beyond! I love them all! Which is why I'm giving multiple prizes.
(Note: I had technical difficulties with 3 of the entries, and if I'm able to add them to this post later, I will, so you might want to check back for the full list.)
I think you can click on these images to see larger versions, but please be aware that if you haven't read the whole series yet, you may find spoilers from If I Die and/or Before I Wake. If you have read the whole series, I highly recommend looking at the larger versions, because they have some awesome details!
Katy (above) wins for the Clearest Digital Flowchart, for her ease of readability!
Kat (above) wins for Largest Flowchart! Wow!
Lisa R. (above) wins for Best Original Art! (These drawings are dead-on, even the clothes! Also, I love her Hellion Removal Device!)
Lisa H. (above) wins for Most Detailed Hand-drawn Flowchart!
Joanne Stapley (above) wins for Most Detailed Digital Flowchart! (Holy cow, look at all those relationship details!)
Debbie Wong (above) wins for Simplest Flowchart! (I love her symbols!)
And the grand prize winner (above), because I simply can't stop looking at these gorgeous, detailed, visually stunning charts, is Veronica! Veronica did two charts, one for the relationships as they stand at the end of If I Die, and one as they stand at the end of Before I Wake. I love the traditional bean sidhe in the middle, as well as the integration of the cover art itself. And her key is simple and clear, yet allows for details (the two-tone hearts and circles). And she included the dogs!!! ;)
Veronica, you've won a complete set of signed, personalized Soul Screamers books, Vol 1- Before I Wake.
Debbie, Joanne, Lisa, Lisa, Nat, and Katy, you've won one Rachel Vincent book of your choice (any US edition other than My Soul To Take (which I'm out of) or anything from the prize book list.
Winners, please email me at Admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom with your shipping information and your choice of prize, where applicable.
Thanks so much to everyone who entered! And if you like the charts above, feel free to tell their creators in the comments!
(Note: I had technical difficulties with 3 of the entries, and if I'm able to add them to this post later, I will, so you might want to check back for the full list.)
I think you can click on these images to see larger versions, but please be aware that if you haven't read the whole series yet, you may find spoilers from If I Die and/or Before I Wake. If you have read the whole series, I highly recommend looking at the larger versions, because they have some awesome details!
Katy (above) wins for the Clearest Digital Flowchart, for her ease of readability!
Kat (above) wins for Largest Flowchart! Wow!
Lisa R. (above) wins for Best Original Art! (These drawings are dead-on, even the clothes! Also, I love her Hellion Removal Device!)
Lisa H. (above) wins for Most Detailed Hand-drawn Flowchart!
Joanne Stapley (above) wins for Most Detailed Digital Flowchart! (Holy cow, look at all those relationship details!)
Debbie Wong (above) wins for Simplest Flowchart! (I love her symbols!)
And the grand prize winner (above), because I simply can't stop looking at these gorgeous, detailed, visually stunning charts, is Veronica! Veronica did two charts, one for the relationships as they stand at the end of If I Die, and one as they stand at the end of Before I Wake. I love the traditional bean sidhe in the middle, as well as the integration of the cover art itself. And her key is simple and clear, yet allows for details (the two-tone hearts and circles). And she included the dogs!!! ;)
Veronica, you've won a complete set of signed, personalized Soul Screamers books, Vol 1- Before I Wake.
Debbie, Joanne, Lisa, Lisa, Nat, and Katy, you've won one Rachel Vincent book of your choice (any US edition other than My Soul To Take (which I'm out of) or anything from the prize book list.
Winners, please email me at Admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom with your shipping information and your choice of prize, where applicable.
Thanks so much to everyone who entered! And if you like the charts above, feel free to tell their creators in the comments!
July 4, 2012
So, what exactly is e-piracy and how do I know if I've done it?
I know most of you will skip this post, and that makes me really sad. To those who will read ahead, THANK YOU SO MUCH for taking the time.
Okay, I'm going to try to keep this short and simple because I'm on deadline and because it's a holiday here in the US, and I have SO MANY work and real life things to do today. But here goes. PLEASE READ THIS.
Yesterday, I found a "review" on Goodreads that included a link to where people could read Before I Wake for free on a pirate site. I was very upset by this, so I left a polite comment letting the poster know that whether or not she was aware of it, that link she left was to a site offering illegal downloads of books. It was an e-piracy site.
Within an hour, the poster wrote to me and apologized (which was sweet, but unnecessary), explaining that she hadn't known it was illegal. She immediately removed the link, and later the entire post, I believe. That interaction and the subsequent discussion on my FB page led me to the realization that there actually are people out there downloading illegal electronic copies of books with no idea that what they're doing is illegal.
For the record, I think that today, in the year 2012, those people are in the VAST minority. I think most people know exactly what they're doing and why it's wrong. I think most of them just don't care. This is for those few who truly don't understand.
Because I'm short on time, I'm not going to define e-piracy today, nor am I going to explain why it's bad. Ally Carter has already done a much better job of that than I ever could, so please, if you're not sure you fully understand what e-piracy is and how it hurts EVERYONE, read this post. It's very easy to understand.
What I am going to do here is answer a couple of questions that I commonly get about e-piracy. Here they are:
Q: Sometimes ebooks are legitimately free. How can I tell whether the free ebook I just downloaded was legal or not?
A: That depends entirely on how you got it. Ask yourself these questions:
Did I get the book through a legitimate distributor like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or The Book Depository? Those are professional distributors which are PAID by publishers to sell their books. Did your free ebook come from one of those?
Yes? Then your book was legal. You probably found a promotional bargain, which is awesome. Go enjoy your book. (But DO NOT upload a copy of it for someone else to read. Only those distributors have permission to give that book away.)
No? Please proceed to the next question.
Did I get the book directly from the author who wrote it (sometimes authors give away their own books or stories online for promotional purposes) or from the publisher who published it? (This would be like reading "My Soul To Lose" or "Reaper" back when Harlequin Teen and I were giving them away for free. You could have read the stories on my site or downloaded them from HQTeen for free.)
Yes? Then your book was legal. You probably found a promotional bargain, which is awesome. Go enjoy your book. (But DO NOT upload a copy of it for someone else to read. You DO NOT have permission to give that book away.)
No? Please proceed to the next question.
Did I get the book from a torrent site? (These are file sharing sites where people upload and download copies of a book without the author's or publisher's permission. They're easy to spot because they let you "click to download" rather than letting you "check out" from your virtual cart. The files on torrent sites are uploaded by INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE who do not have permission to make electronic copies of these books, not by the publisher or author.) These downloads are illegal because neither the author nor the publisher will be paid for their work (Months and sometimes YEARS' worth of work, from many, many people involved in the publication of any book).
Yes? Then your book is an illegal copy and you have stolen from one of the very authors whose work you presumably love.
No? Please proceed to the next question
Did you get the book from an individual's blog or from e-bay? (Neither of whom have permission to make and distribute electronic copies of the book.)
Yes? Then your book is an illegal copy and you have stolen from one of the very authors whose work you presumably love.
No? You've discovered one of the more difficult to describe instances of electronic download. Feel free to leave me the details in the comments, and I will tell you whether or not your book is a legal copy.
Q: I lend books to my friends all the time. How is downloading a copy someone else uploaded any different from borrowing a physical book?
A: When you lend books to your friends, you're lending them the ONE copy of the book you presumably paid for (or were given). You're not making a COPY of that book, then enabling THOUSANDS of other people to make THOUSANDS more copies of that book. There is a HUGE difference between lending a single physical book, and making & uploading a copy, which will be further replicated.
Q: Authors don't get paid for books bought and sold at used book stores, but that's legal. What's the difference between that and e-piracy?
A: Here's the difference: Used book stores sell (or trade) ONE COPY OF THE BOOK to one person. They're not making and distributing copies of it. They're selling one copy that has ALREADY been paid for by the original owner. Who is then free to keep, lend, sell it as he wishes. That's different from MAKING A COPY of an electronic book, which others can then copy as well, without compensating the author or publisher.
Let me just emphasize that. Piracy is MAKING COPIES OF A BOOK, not lending it. When you lend a book, you no longer have possession of it. When you make a copy, you're keeping one for yourself, and potentially creating THOUSANDS more. You do not have permission to make and distribute or to download unauthorized COPIES of a book you do not hold the copyright to. Period.
Any questions? Leave them in the comments. I will answer them as soon as I get the chance.
Okay, I'm going to try to keep this short and simple because I'm on deadline and because it's a holiday here in the US, and I have SO MANY work and real life things to do today. But here goes. PLEASE READ THIS.
Yesterday, I found a "review" on Goodreads that included a link to where people could read Before I Wake for free on a pirate site. I was very upset by this, so I left a polite comment letting the poster know that whether or not she was aware of it, that link she left was to a site offering illegal downloads of books. It was an e-piracy site.
Within an hour, the poster wrote to me and apologized (which was sweet, but unnecessary), explaining that she hadn't known it was illegal. She immediately removed the link, and later the entire post, I believe. That interaction and the subsequent discussion on my FB page led me to the realization that there actually are people out there downloading illegal electronic copies of books with no idea that what they're doing is illegal.
For the record, I think that today, in the year 2012, those people are in the VAST minority. I think most people know exactly what they're doing and why it's wrong. I think most of them just don't care. This is for those few who truly don't understand.
Because I'm short on time, I'm not going to define e-piracy today, nor am I going to explain why it's bad. Ally Carter has already done a much better job of that than I ever could, so please, if you're not sure you fully understand what e-piracy is and how it hurts EVERYONE, read this post. It's very easy to understand.
What I am going to do here is answer a couple of questions that I commonly get about e-piracy. Here they are:
Q: Sometimes ebooks are legitimately free. How can I tell whether the free ebook I just downloaded was legal or not?
A: That depends entirely on how you got it. Ask yourself these questions:
Did I get the book through a legitimate distributor like Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or The Book Depository? Those are professional distributors which are PAID by publishers to sell their books. Did your free ebook come from one of those?
Yes? Then your book was legal. You probably found a promotional bargain, which is awesome. Go enjoy your book. (But DO NOT upload a copy of it for someone else to read. Only those distributors have permission to give that book away.)
No? Please proceed to the next question.
Did I get the book directly from the author who wrote it (sometimes authors give away their own books or stories online for promotional purposes) or from the publisher who published it? (This would be like reading "My Soul To Lose" or "Reaper" back when Harlequin Teen and I were giving them away for free. You could have read the stories on my site or downloaded them from HQTeen for free.)
Yes? Then your book was legal. You probably found a promotional bargain, which is awesome. Go enjoy your book. (But DO NOT upload a copy of it for someone else to read. You DO NOT have permission to give that book away.)
No? Please proceed to the next question.
Did I get the book from a torrent site? (These are file sharing sites where people upload and download copies of a book without the author's or publisher's permission. They're easy to spot because they let you "click to download" rather than letting you "check out" from your virtual cart. The files on torrent sites are uploaded by INDIVIDUAL PEOPLE who do not have permission to make electronic copies of these books, not by the publisher or author.) These downloads are illegal because neither the author nor the publisher will be paid for their work (Months and sometimes YEARS' worth of work, from many, many people involved in the publication of any book).
Yes? Then your book is an illegal copy and you have stolen from one of the very authors whose work you presumably love.
No? Please proceed to the next question
Did you get the book from an individual's blog or from e-bay? (Neither of whom have permission to make and distribute electronic copies of the book.)
Yes? Then your book is an illegal copy and you have stolen from one of the very authors whose work you presumably love.
No? You've discovered one of the more difficult to describe instances of electronic download. Feel free to leave me the details in the comments, and I will tell you whether or not your book is a legal copy.
Q: I lend books to my friends all the time. How is downloading a copy someone else uploaded any different from borrowing a physical book?
A: When you lend books to your friends, you're lending them the ONE copy of the book you presumably paid for (or were given). You're not making a COPY of that book, then enabling THOUSANDS of other people to make THOUSANDS more copies of that book. There is a HUGE difference between lending a single physical book, and making & uploading a copy, which will be further replicated.
Q: Authors don't get paid for books bought and sold at used book stores, but that's legal. What's the difference between that and e-piracy?
A: Here's the difference: Used book stores sell (or trade) ONE COPY OF THE BOOK to one person. They're not making and distributing copies of it. They're selling one copy that has ALREADY been paid for by the original owner. Who is then free to keep, lend, sell it as he wishes. That's different from MAKING A COPY of an electronic book, which others can then copy as well, without compensating the author or publisher.
Let me just emphasize that. Piracy is MAKING COPIES OF A BOOK, not lending it. When you lend a book, you no longer have possession of it. When you make a copy, you're keeping one for yourself, and potentially creating THOUSANDS more. You do not have permission to make and distribute or to download unauthorized COPIES of a book you do not hold the copyright to. Period.
Any questions? Leave them in the comments. I will answer them as soon as I get the chance.
July 2, 2012
Tin Swift blog tour awesomeness (+ giveaway!)
I have something special for you today! To celebrate the release of
Tin Swift
, Book 2 in the Age of Steam series, my fellow Deadline Dame, Devon Monk, has made some AWESOME steampunk bookmarks and she's written a short story set in the Age of Steam world. You can win some stuff (including a copy of Tin Swift and one of those awesome bookmarks) here and you can read the story for free! Here are the details:
I have the honor of posting chapter ten today of "HangFire." And it is an honor. Devon is an AMAZING writer, and she's also a good friend. I'm so thrilled for having been included in her blog tour, which, by the way, is one of the most inventive blog tours I've ever seen. I'm seriously jealous of her creativity.
...read chapter 9 at: Rabid Reads.
Now for the giveaway!
Who can enter: This giveaway is US only. (But everyone can read the story!)
What you can win:
1. A magnet of the cover of TIN SWIFT
2. A hand-made by me (and my dear husband) one-of a kind, signed bookmark.
3. A copy of TIN SWIFT
How you can enter: Fill out the form found here.
About Dead Iron:
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, one man must fight to hold on to what is left of his humanity…
Although the devisers have civilized the east with their contraptions, civilization hasn’t tamed the frontier that bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides. Cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother’s death, he’s a hard man for hire. But when a trio of miners offers him the possibility that his brother may yet survive, Cedar isn’t going to haggle for payment. All he has to do for them is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers from the realm of the Strange.
The Holder is in the hands of Shard Lefel, a dandified railroad tycoon who’s come to Hallelujah, Oregon, promising a civilized tomorrow. But what Cedar cannot know is that Lefel is an ancient Strange banished to walk this land for centuries. Now nearing the end of his sentence, Lefel is desperately searching for a way to fend off his own mortality—and the Holder may be the key.
In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only thing a man can count on is his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he’s going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all….
About Tin Swift:
Life on the frontier is full of deceit and danger, but bounty hunter Cedar Hunt is a man whose word is his bond. Cursed with becoming a beast every full moon, Cedar once believed his destiny was to be alone. But now, Cedar finds himself saddled with a group of refugees, including the brother he thought he lost.
Keeping his companions alive is proving to be no easy task, in part because of a promise he made to the unpredictable Madder brothers—three miners who know the secret mechanisms of the Strange. To fulfill his pledge, Cedar must hunt for a powerful weapon known as the Holder—a search that takes him deep into the savage underbelly of the young country and high into the killing glim-field skies defended by desperate men and deadly ships.
But the battles he faces are just a hint of a growing war stirring the country. To keep his word, Cedar must navigate betrayal, lies, and treacherous alliances…and risk everything to save the lives of those he has come to hold dear.
About Devon Monk:
"Hang Fire" is a steampunk short story set in late 1800's America. It takes place between the Age of Steam book #1, Dead Iron and book #2 Tin Swift. The story is broken into 20 "chapters" and posted, one chapter at a time, on 20 awesome blogs. To read the whole story, start at chapter 1 at Candace's Book Blog and follow the "read the next chapter" links at the end of the post.
I have the honor of posting chapter ten today of "HangFire." And it is an honor. Devon is an AMAZING writer, and she's also a good friend. I'm so thrilled for having been included in her blog tour, which, by the way, is one of the most inventive blog tours I've ever seen. I'm seriously jealous of her creativity.
...read chapter 9 at: Rabid Reads.
HANG FIRE - Chapter 10
The blast came from far above where Cedar Hunt and Mae Lindson lay in the pit.
“Rose,” they both said at the same time.
Cedar quickly pushed to his feet, helping Mae do the same. He stared up at the narrow opening nearly two stories above them. This hadn’t been some kind of hole dug for trapping animals–it was too deep. Nor was it an abandoned well–too large. It was most likely a mineshaft that had lost its roof.
Whatever it was, there didn’t look to be any easy way out of it.
“Rose!” Cedar yelled to the young woman who he’d tried to save from the mechanical device before the forest floor had swallowed him whole.
In the tick of silence, wild thoughts pushed through his mind. Was she alive? Had his brother, Wil, found some way to save her? Had the explosion that shook the entire forest killed them both?
The Pawnee curse deep in his bones pushed at his reasonable mind, the beast wanting out. Wanting to kill. If Wil were dead, if Rose were dead....
No. Cedar held tightly to his sanity, to his humanity. Giving in to the beast would be easy, but it would do him no good. He needed a man’s thoughts, a man’s reason.
He needed to get himself and Mae out of this death trap.
“Rose!” Mae called. “Are you there? Rose?”
Nothing broke the silence except for Mae’s stuttering breathing. She was afraid. Afraid Rose was dead.
A shadow crossed over the mouth of the pit, and Cedar suddenly realized he didn’t know where his gun was.
A voice called out, “Mr. Hunt? Mrs. Lindson? Are you down there?”
Rose! She was alive.
“Yes,” Cedar said. “We’re fine. Are you all right?”
“As much as,” she said.
“Wil?” he asked.
She hesitated. Rose wasn’t the kind of girl who sweetened up bad news. They’d all seen plenty of pain living this far out west. Wasn’t any kind of balm that words could give the truth.
Cedar’s heart took to hammering at her silence. Was his brother dead? He couldn’t lose him again so soon when he’d only just found him after all these years.
Finally, she said, “He’s...he’s been hit.”
...read chapter 11 at: The Deadline Dames.
Now for the giveaway!
Who can enter: This giveaway is US only. (But everyone can read the story!)
What you can win:
1. A magnet of the cover of TIN SWIFT
2. A hand-made by me (and my dear husband) one-of a kind, signed bookmark.
3. A copy of TIN SWIFT
How you can enter: Fill out the form found here.
About Dead Iron:
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, one man must fight to hold on to what is left of his humanity…
Although the devisers have civilized the east with their contraptions, civilization hasn’t tamed the frontier that bounty hunter Cedar Hunt rides. Cursed by lycanthropy and carrying the guilt of his brother’s death, he’s a hard man for hire. But when a trio of miners offers him the possibility that his brother may yet survive, Cedar isn’t going to haggle for payment. All he has to do for them is find the Holder: a powerful device created by mad devisers from the realm of the Strange.
The Holder is in the hands of Shard Lefel, a dandified railroad tycoon who’s come to Hallelujah, Oregon, promising a civilized tomorrow. But what Cedar cannot know is that Lefel is an ancient Strange banished to walk this land for centuries. Now nearing the end of his sentence, Lefel is desperately searching for a way to fend off his own mortality—and the Holder may be the key.
In a land shaped by magic, steam, and iron, where the only thing a man can count on is his guns, gears, and grit, Cedar will have to depend on all three if he’s going to save his brother and reclaim his soul once and for all….
About Tin Swift:
In steam age America, men, monsters, machines, and magic battle to claim the same scrap of earth and sky. In this chaos, one man fights to hold on to his humanity—and his honor…
Life on the frontier is full of deceit and danger, but bounty hunter Cedar Hunt is a man whose word is his bond. Cursed with becoming a beast every full moon, Cedar once believed his destiny was to be alone. But now, Cedar finds himself saddled with a group of refugees, including the brother he thought he lost.
Keeping his companions alive is proving to be no easy task, in part because of a promise he made to the unpredictable Madder brothers—three miners who know the secret mechanisms of the Strange. To fulfill his pledge, Cedar must hunt for a powerful weapon known as the Holder—a search that takes him deep into the savage underbelly of the young country and high into the killing glim-field skies defended by desperate men and deadly ships.
But the battles he faces are just a hint of a growing war stirring the country. To keep his word, Cedar must navigate betrayal, lies, and treacherous alliances…and risk everything to save the lives of those he has come to hold dear.
About Devon Monk:
Devon Monk spent her early childhood tucked behind couches or any other place with low light, “ruining her eyes” and reading. Her love of fairytales turned into a love of adventure, magic, future science, romance, mystery, humor, noir, and anything else she could get her hands on.
Devon has sold over fifty short stories to fantasy, science fiction, horror, humor, and young adult magazines and anthologies. Her stories have been published in five countries and included in a Year’s Best Fantasy anthology. In 2010, Fairwood Press published twenty-two of her short stories in a collection titled: A Cup of Normal.
She is currently writing two series. The Allie Beckstrom books (Magic to the Bone, Magic in the Blood, Magic in the Shadows, Magic on the Storm, Magic at the Gate, Magic on the Hunt) are urban fantasy set in modern-day Portland, Oregon where magic is the new technology. The Age of Steam books (Dead Iron) are steampunk set in the 1800′s American West.
Devon has one husband, two sons, and a dog named Mojo. She lives in Oregon and is surrounded by colorful and numerous family members who mostly live within dinner-calling distance of each other. When not writing, Devon is knitting strange things, remodeling the house-that-was-once-a-barn, or hosting a family celebration.
June 29, 2012
Last blog tour stop; Houston signing
Today's the last stop on the Before I Wake US blog tour (I'm doing a mini blog tour for the UK release in early July.) and we're wrapping it up with an author interview. Click here to check that out and enter to win the grand prize!
If you'v missed any of the previous stops, here's a list:
Monday, June 11th - Fiktshun (my top 5 favorite-to-write Soul Screamers scenes)
Wednesday, June 13th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog
Friday, June 15th - All Things Urban Fantasy (guest blog–killing characters)
Monday, June 25th - Tynga's Reviews (Tour of Eastlake HS)
Wednesday, June 27th - The Page Turners (Interview with Sabine)
Friday, June 29th- A Cupcake and A Latte (Author interview)
Also, tomorrow I'll be speaking and signing both Before I Wake and Shadow Bound at Murder by the Book in Houston. If you're going to be in the area, come see us! If you can't come but you'd like a signed book, contact the store.
I believe they ship internationally, and if you reserve your copies, Jaye and I can sign them while we're there.
And...I may have posted a few super-early snippets from the WITH ALL MY SOUL manuscript, but I'm not going to tell you where. If you're interested, start checking my frequent online haunts... ;)
If you'v missed any of the previous stops, here's a list:
Monday, June 11th - Fiktshun (my top 5 favorite-to-write Soul Screamers scenes)
Wednesday, June 13th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog
Friday, June 15th - All Things Urban Fantasy (guest blog–killing characters)
Monday, June 18th - I’m Just Sitting Here and Read (author interview)
Tuesday, June 19th - Book Soulmates (the Soul Screamers love connection/relationship tangle)
Wednesday, June 20th - Late Bloomer Online (birthday guest blog)
Friday, June 22nd - Mimi Valentine (character interview–the Hudson brothers)
Monday, June 25th - Tynga's Reviews (Tour of Eastlake HS)
Wednesday, June 27th - The Page Turners (Interview with Sabine)
Friday, June 29th- A Cupcake and A Latte (Author interview)
Also, tomorrow I'll be speaking and signing both Before I Wake and Shadow Bound at Murder by the Book in Houston. If you're going to be in the area, come see us! If you can't come but you'd like a signed book, contact the store.
I believe they ship internationally, and if you reserve your copies, Jaye and I can sign them while we're there.
And...I may have posted a few super-early snippets from the WITH ALL MY SOUL manuscript, but I'm not going to tell you where. If you're interested, start checking my frequent online haunts... ;)
June 27, 2012
I did this thing, and it was stupid.
Seriously. I...um...gave you guys the wrong address to submit your relationship flowcharts to, so when I checked the right account...there was nothing in it. I'm SO super sorry. So, here's the right address:
Admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom
And I'm going to extend the contest by a few more days, to give people time to resend. If you didn't enter but you wanted to, here's your chance. Click here for details.
The new deadline: 11:59 pm (central) on Sunday, July, 1.
Again, I'm so sorry! And embarrassed.
Also, if you haven't seen today's stop on the Before I Wake blog tour, click here for an interview with Sabine and another chance to enter the giveaways!
Admin1ATrachelvincentDOTcom
And I'm going to extend the contest by a few more days, to give people time to resend. If you didn't enter but you wanted to, here's your chance. Click here for details.
The new deadline: 11:59 pm (central) on Sunday, July, 1.
Again, I'm so sorry! And embarrassed.
Also, if you haven't seen today's stop on the Before I Wake blog tour, click here for an interview with Sabine and another chance to enter the giveaways!
June 26, 2012
Release Day!!!
Before I Wake
is out today!!! In the US/Canada, anyway.
I was afraid that the pre-ordered ebooks wouldn't actually be available until July 1, but from what I've heard from those who pre-ordered (or bought today), Before I Wake is actually available in both print and electronic format TODAY in the US and Canada.
Before I Wake is the sixth of seven total full-length novels in my YA Soul Screamers series. (The final book, WITH ALL MY SOUL) is scheduled for official publication in the US on April 1, 2013). I recommend it for older teens and adults who like YA. As I do. ;)
I will be speaking and signing copies of both Before I Wake and Shadow Bound this Saturday at 4:30, along with Jaye Wells (who will be signing Blue-Blooded Vamp). Click here for details!
Got your copy yet? I'd love to hear where you got it in the comments!
I am planning a spoiler chat for Before I Wake within the next month, so check back soon for details!
And...today's the last day to enter the current contest, to win an entire set (so far) of Soul Screamers novels, signed and personalized. Click here for details!
Here's what I know so far about other editions:
UK - Coming July 6. Look for a mini-UK blog tour to begin the first week of June
Australia - I have no date, but the AU edition comes with a code or a URL or something that will let you read "Never To Sleep" online for free for a limited time. If I understand correctly. But that's based on what readers who found early copies have told me. I have no first hand knowledge of that because I don't have my AU copies yet.
Audio - Sorry. I know nothing yet about an audio edition, but so far all of my other books are available in audio, so I assume that this one will be too.
Other foreign editions - Sorry I have no information yet. But you can ask the publishers directly. They'll be able to tell you better than I can. ;)
So, in closing... HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO ME!
I'm off to bake mini-pies. ;)
I was afraid that the pre-ordered ebooks wouldn't actually be available until July 1, but from what I've heard from those who pre-ordered (or bought today), Before I Wake is actually available in both print and electronic format TODAY in the US and Canada.
Before I Wake is the sixth of seven total full-length novels in my YA Soul Screamers series. (The final book, WITH ALL MY SOUL) is scheduled for official publication in the US on April 1, 2013). I recommend it for older teens and adults who like YA. As I do. ;)
-----
I will be speaking and signing copies of both Before I Wake and Shadow Bound this Saturday at 4:30, along with Jaye Wells (who will be signing Blue-Blooded Vamp). Click here for details!
-----
Got your copy yet? I'd love to hear where you got it in the comments!
-----
I am planning a spoiler chat for Before I Wake within the next month, so check back soon for details!
-----
And...today's the last day to enter the current contest, to win an entire set (so far) of Soul Screamers novels, signed and personalized. Click here for details!
-----
Here's what I know so far about other editions:
UK - Coming July 6. Look for a mini-UK blog tour to begin the first week of June
Australia - I have no date, but the AU edition comes with a code or a URL or something that will let you read "Never To Sleep" online for free for a limited time. If I understand correctly. But that's based on what readers who found early copies have told me. I have no first hand knowledge of that because I don't have my AU copies yet.
Audio - Sorry. I know nothing yet about an audio edition, but so far all of my other books are available in audio, so I assume that this one will be too.
Other foreign editions - Sorry I have no information yet. But you can ask the publishers directly. They'll be able to tell you better than I can. ;)
So, in closing... HAPPY RELEASE DAY TO ME!
I'm off to bake mini-pies. ;)
June 25, 2012
Signing in Houston this weekend!
Since Before I Wake will officially be out in paperback tomorrow (US ebooks should download on or by July 1), this is the last week on the US blog tour (I'll be doing a mini-blog tour for the UK release in July) and today's stop includes a tour of Eastlake high school, including all the places where weird stuff has happened recently. The tour guide is Chelsea, the editor of Kaylee's school paper (she's been a minor side character for several books) and the time frame is post-BIW, but the tour doesn't spoil anything from the novel.
If you've read the previous books from the series, you'll probably remember most or all of the events Chelsea refers to during the tour.
In case you've missed them, here are the previous stops on the tour:
Monday, June 11th - Fiktshun (my top 5 favorite-to-write Soul Screamers scenes)
Wednesday, June 13th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog
Friday, June 15th - All Things Urban Fantasy (guest blog--killing characters)
-----
Today I'm back at work rewriting WITH ALL MY SOUL, hoping to turn it in on Friday, just in time for my trip to Houston this weekend!
This Saturday afternoon, Jaye Wells and I will be talking and signing books at Murder by the Book in Houston! Come see us! You can find the details here:
http://www.murderbooks.com/event/rachel-vincent-jaye-wells
Also, Murder By The Book will ship signed copies all over the world, so if you can't make it but want a signed copy of one of my (or one of Jaye's) books, contact the store and they'll tell you how to make that happen.
-----
And, don't forget to enter the current contest for a signed SET of Soul Screamers novels. Details are here.
If you've read the previous books from the series, you'll probably remember most or all of the events Chelsea refers to during the tour.
In case you've missed them, here are the previous stops on the tour:
Monday, June 11th - Fiktshun (my top 5 favorite-to-write Soul Screamers scenes)
Wednesday, June 13th - Harlequin Paranormal Blog
Friday, June 15th - All Things Urban Fantasy (guest blog--killing characters)
Monday, June 18th - I'm Just Sitting Here and Read (author interview)
Tuesday, June 19th - Book Soulmates (the Soul Screamers love connection/relationship tangle)
Wednesday, June 20th - Late Bloomer Online (birthday guest blog)
Friday, June 22nd - Mimi Valentine (character interview--the Hudson brothers)
-----
Today I'm back at work rewriting WITH ALL MY SOUL, hoping to turn it in on Friday, just in time for my trip to Houston this weekend!
This Saturday afternoon, Jaye Wells and I will be talking and signing books at Murder by the Book in Houston! Come see us! You can find the details here:
http://www.murderbooks.com/event/rachel-vincent-jaye-wells
Also, Murder By The Book will ship signed copies all over the world, so if you can't make it but want a signed copy of one of my (or one of Jaye's) books, contact the store and they'll tell you how to make that happen.
-----
And, don't forget to enter the current contest for a signed SET of Soul Screamers novels. Details are here.
June 21, 2012
Prometheus and my MacBook victory!
Sorry I didn't get a chance to post about yesterday's blog tour stop. Yesterday was my birthday, and No. 1 took the day off to spend with me, so I did NO WORK, for, like twenty-four hours. So if you missed the blog tour stop, it can be found here.
I had a great birthday--thanks so much for all the well-wishes! I slept in, and No. 1 woke me up with coffee and sweets from Starbucks, then we went to see Prometheus, which I was really looking forward to. I wanted to love the movie, but I just didn't. I feel almost guilty about that, but it's true. I love horror movies, I like sci-fi, and I'm a huge fan of the Alien franchise in particular (it even gets a couple of mentions in the Soul Screamers series) and while I liked all the Alien franchise connections (the morally ambiguous android with the white "blood," a line reminiscent of "Marines, we are leaving!" and the tie-in at the end), the movie itself just didn't do it for me. After discussing it for more than an hour afterward, No 1 and I couldn't come up with a logical reason for "scientists" to have taken off their helmets (thus exposing themselves to biological contaminates) in an unknown environment or to ignore obvious signs of infection and to generally laugh in the face of common contamination protocol. Nor could we find a logical reason for the inclusion of Charlize Theron's character. She just wasn't needed.
PROMETHEUS SPOILERS BELOW
We were able to guess (very early on) about the mission's financier, but we cannot understand why the main question of the movie (why were we created by a giant race of ancient humans, then why did they seek to destroy us?) wouldn't be answered in the film, rendering the whole movie entirely pointless. Nor could we figure out why a race of super-intelligent giant human aliens would try to destroy earth (and their own progeny) with a needlessly complicated biological weapon (which wound up destroying them instead) instead of just blowing it out of the sky, Alderaan-style. Vader had that one right, people. Simple is better.
I really liked the gruesome scene with Shaw in the surgery pod (that was great horror!) but I take issue with the fact that after a major operation, she can not just walk (she did dope herself up with a lot of painkillers) but run for her life across an alien ruin, an alien spaceship, then an alien planet, not to mention hoisting a two hundred pound (my estimate) android down to the ground from a significant height. Most people are bedridden for at least hours after that particular surgery, and NONE of them have ever been known to participate in an alien-horror triathlon in the hours following the procedure.
END SPOILERS.
So, there you have it, for those who've asked. That's why I didn't care for Prometheus, even though I loved the rest of the franchise, including the AvP installments.
But watching disappointing movies seems to have become a tradition on my birthday, so even that was worth the time and money, because No 1 and I got quite a good discussion out of the problems we had with the movie afterward, which is always fun.
The rest of my birthday, however, was awesome. No 1 gave me the accessories necessary to hook my MacBook Air (closed) to my PC monitor, which means that I can now run my MacBook as a desktop, with my big, easy-on-the-eyestrain monitor, then simply unplug it and leave the room when I don't want to be chained to my desk. This is the most awesome thing ever!
It looks like this:
I'm keeping my PC in case I run into something that can't be run from my Mac, but for the most part, I will only be using the MacBook from here on out. Yay!
Also, I had ice cream cake!
So, overall, I had a great birthday. But now it's time to get back to work on the WITH ALL MY SOUL rewrite, so I can turn the book in. Wish me luck! And don't forget to enter the current contest!
I had a great birthday--thanks so much for all the well-wishes! I slept in, and No. 1 woke me up with coffee and sweets from Starbucks, then we went to see Prometheus, which I was really looking forward to. I wanted to love the movie, but I just didn't. I feel almost guilty about that, but it's true. I love horror movies, I like sci-fi, and I'm a huge fan of the Alien franchise in particular (it even gets a couple of mentions in the Soul Screamers series) and while I liked all the Alien franchise connections (the morally ambiguous android with the white "blood," a line reminiscent of "Marines, we are leaving!" and the tie-in at the end), the movie itself just didn't do it for me. After discussing it for more than an hour afterward, No 1 and I couldn't come up with a logical reason for "scientists" to have taken off their helmets (thus exposing themselves to biological contaminates) in an unknown environment or to ignore obvious signs of infection and to generally laugh in the face of common contamination protocol. Nor could we find a logical reason for the inclusion of Charlize Theron's character. She just wasn't needed.
PROMETHEUS SPOILERS BELOW
We were able to guess (very early on) about the mission's financier, but we cannot understand why the main question of the movie (why were we created by a giant race of ancient humans, then why did they seek to destroy us?) wouldn't be answered in the film, rendering the whole movie entirely pointless. Nor could we figure out why a race of super-intelligent giant human aliens would try to destroy earth (and their own progeny) with a needlessly complicated biological weapon (which wound up destroying them instead) instead of just blowing it out of the sky, Alderaan-style. Vader had that one right, people. Simple is better.
I really liked the gruesome scene with Shaw in the surgery pod (that was great horror!) but I take issue with the fact that after a major operation, she can not just walk (she did dope herself up with a lot of painkillers) but run for her life across an alien ruin, an alien spaceship, then an alien planet, not to mention hoisting a two hundred pound (my estimate) android down to the ground from a significant height. Most people are bedridden for at least hours after that particular surgery, and NONE of them have ever been known to participate in an alien-horror triathlon in the hours following the procedure.
END SPOILERS.
So, there you have it, for those who've asked. That's why I didn't care for Prometheus, even though I loved the rest of the franchise, including the AvP installments.
But watching disappointing movies seems to have become a tradition on my birthday, so even that was worth the time and money, because No 1 and I got quite a good discussion out of the problems we had with the movie afterward, which is always fun.
The rest of my birthday, however, was awesome. No 1 gave me the accessories necessary to hook my MacBook Air (closed) to my PC monitor, which means that I can now run my MacBook as a desktop, with my big, easy-on-the-eyestrain monitor, then simply unplug it and leave the room when I don't want to be chained to my desk. This is the most awesome thing ever!
It looks like this:
I'm keeping my PC in case I run into something that can't be run from my Mac, but for the most part, I will only be using the MacBook from here on out. Yay!
Also, I had ice cream cake!
So, overall, I had a great birthday. But now it's time to get back to work on the WITH ALL MY SOUL rewrite, so I can turn the book in. Wish me luck! And don't forget to enter the current contest!
June 19, 2012
If I Die spoiler chat (+ contest!)
I have a fun new contest to announce, but first, there's this!
The final Soul Screamers Reading Challenge spoiler chat will be this Sunday, June 24, at 3 pm Eastern/12 pm (noon) pacific. Those of you in other time zones, fire up your timezone calculators so you don't miss this one. We'll be discussing the first five books of the Soul Screamers series and all 3 novellas/2 short stories, and you can ask me anything about the series (except for BIW spoilers).
Thanks so much to Fiktshun, who put the SSRC together all on her own. I know it was a ton of work and took up a ton of her time, and I can't even express how much all of that means to me. She is truly beyond awesome!
There will be one final spoiler chat (not officially part of the SSRC) next month, when people have had a chance to read Before I Wake, so be on the lookout for that in mid-July.
Now for the new contest!
Today's stop on the Before I Wake blog tour is a crazy little stream-of-consciousness post I wrote about the tangled up relationships in the Soul Screamers series, and how I like the complexity of the character connections. But by the end of the post, I realized I really wanted to add a fun graphic for clarity. A graphic that doesn't exist. So, of course, my next thought went something like, "How can I con my readers into creating that graphic for me?" Which led me to the idea for this contest.
The graphic I wanted but didn't have is a Soul Screamers relationship flow chart.
I happen to lack both artistic ability and graphic manipulation skills, but I know that many, many of my readers are gifted in this area. And even those who aren't should be able to do something fun with this contest.
[Not familiar with flow charts? Do a search for "relationship flow chart" images and look around. There are tons of great examples, which I can't post here, because I don't have permission to use the images.]
Contest details:
What's up for grabs? A complete (so far) set of signed, personalized Soul Screamers novels (US editions, Omnibus vol 1 through Before I Wake).
How can I enter? Create a Soul Screamers relationship flow chart illustrating the relationships between the central characters.
The chart must include Kaylee, Tod, Nash, and Sabine, at a minimum, but can also include Emma, Sophie, Aiden, Brendon, Harmony, and as many of the others as you'd like.Your chart can be current through the events in either If I Die or Before I Wake (because we know not everyone will have a copy of BIW yet), but please label your chart accordingly, because relationships DO change a little between the two books.Your chart can include images or original illustrations for the characters, or simple descriptions, or both.Your chart can be hand-drawn or created on your computer.
How can I submit my entry? Email your image as an attachment to adminATrachelvincentDOTcom, with the subject line "SS relationship flow chart."
How will the winner be chosen? If there are more than ten entries, No. 1 and I will pick our top five favorites and will post them here for an open vote. If there are ten or fewer entries, we will pick our favorite and post it here as the winner.
The legalities:
Entries must be received by 11:59 pm (central standard time) on Tuesday, June 26, 2012There are no geographical restrictions (if UPS will ship to you, you may enter)There are no age restrictions, but those under 18 must have a parent/guardian's permission to enter and to provide a shipping address if you winFeel free to let your own personality shine through, but all entries must be G-rated (no adult-only content or profanity)Please allow two weeks for shipping within the continental US and four weeks for shipping outside the continental USThis contest is void where prohibited
Questions? Leave them in the comments of the corresponding Wordpress post, and I'll update that post as necessary. Feel free to check back for updates and to spread the word about this contest.
The final Soul Screamers Reading Challenge spoiler chat will be this Sunday, June 24, at 3 pm Eastern/12 pm (noon) pacific. Those of you in other time zones, fire up your timezone calculators so you don't miss this one. We'll be discussing the first five books of the Soul Screamers series and all 3 novellas/2 short stories, and you can ask me anything about the series (except for BIW spoilers).
Thanks so much to Fiktshun, who put the SSRC together all on her own. I know it was a ton of work and took up a ton of her time, and I can't even express how much all of that means to me. She is truly beyond awesome!
There will be one final spoiler chat (not officially part of the SSRC) next month, when people have had a chance to read Before I Wake, so be on the lookout for that in mid-July.
-----
Now for the new contest!
Today's stop on the Before I Wake blog tour is a crazy little stream-of-consciousness post I wrote about the tangled up relationships in the Soul Screamers series, and how I like the complexity of the character connections. But by the end of the post, I realized I really wanted to add a fun graphic for clarity. A graphic that doesn't exist. So, of course, my next thought went something like, "How can I con my readers into creating that graphic for me?" Which led me to the idea for this contest.
The graphic I wanted but didn't have is a Soul Screamers relationship flow chart.
I happen to lack both artistic ability and graphic manipulation skills, but I know that many, many of my readers are gifted in this area. And even those who aren't should be able to do something fun with this contest.
[Not familiar with flow charts? Do a search for "relationship flow chart" images and look around. There are tons of great examples, which I can't post here, because I don't have permission to use the images.]
Contest details:
What's up for grabs? A complete (so far) set of signed, personalized Soul Screamers novels (US editions, Omnibus vol 1 through Before I Wake).
How can I enter? Create a Soul Screamers relationship flow chart illustrating the relationships between the central characters.
The chart must include Kaylee, Tod, Nash, and Sabine, at a minimum, but can also include Emma, Sophie, Aiden, Brendon, Harmony, and as many of the others as you'd like.Your chart can be current through the events in either If I Die or Before I Wake (because we know not everyone will have a copy of BIW yet), but please label your chart accordingly, because relationships DO change a little between the two books.Your chart can include images or original illustrations for the characters, or simple descriptions, or both.Your chart can be hand-drawn or created on your computer.
How can I submit my entry? Email your image as an attachment to adminATrachelvincentDOTcom, with the subject line "SS relationship flow chart."
How will the winner be chosen? If there are more than ten entries, No. 1 and I will pick our top five favorites and will post them here for an open vote. If there are ten or fewer entries, we will pick our favorite and post it here as the winner.
The legalities:
Entries must be received by 11:59 pm (central standard time) on Tuesday, June 26, 2012There are no geographical restrictions (if UPS will ship to you, you may enter)There are no age restrictions, but those under 18 must have a parent/guardian's permission to enter and to provide a shipping address if you winFeel free to let your own personality shine through, but all entries must be G-rated (no adult-only content or profanity)Please allow two weeks for shipping within the continental US and four weeks for shipping outside the continental USThis contest is void where prohibited
Questions? Leave them in the comments of the corresponding Wordpress post, and I'll update that post as necessary. Feel free to check back for updates and to spread the word about this contest.
