L.J. Smith's Blog, page 7

Update on Black Rose Contest!

The winners of the Black Rose Contest have been chosen and informed of their prizes.  Sandra C. of Gilbert, AZ (yes, Gilbert as in Elena Gilbert!) won the Grand Prize and says:THANK YOU SO MUCH!  I'M SO EXCITED, I CAN'T STAND IT! I KEPT MY FINGERS CROSSED! IT WORKED!

 However, to my great surprise, there are about four black rose winners who have not yet responded.  If they still have not responded by this coming Monday, new winners will be chosen and informed.  I've already tweeted for...

Black Rose Contest Closes at Midnight and Thank You

The winners of the Black Rose Contest will be picked after midnight tonight, and will all be informed tomorrow of their status tomorrow.  I just wish that I had sixty dozen more roses . . . but even if I did, people who entered will go without.  I promise that the next contest will be for everyone, from all countries, and that someday we'll have another Black Rose Contest open to all countries.

I also wish to thank everyone for the support and kindness they've shown me since I have had the...

Brit Robertson in Secret Circle/ Paws 4 a Cause

You undoubtedly knew before I did, but :

Life Unexpected star Britt Robertson is returning to the CW as the lead of drama pilot Secret Circle. Written by Andrew Miller and Kevin Williamson based on the book series from The Vampire Diaries author L.J. Smith, Secret Circle tells the story of a young woman (Robertson) who moves to a new town and discovers that not only is she a witch and part of a secret coven, but she's also the key that will unlock a centuries-old battle of good versus evil...

Thank You But Don't Boycott

First, I want to thank my readers for all their messages of support.  I've gotten far too many emails to answer, and I really appreciate the kindness and emotional sustenance you've given to me at this difficult time.

Second, if you've asked me a question about the future books or the endgame of The Vampire Diaries and I've been vague about what's in store, I'd like to take this opportunity to apologize.  I really wasn't  looking forward to the day when I would have to talk about this.

...

Updated Blog of Many Things

UPDATES!

Well, Pamela H. from Texas forfeited her Grand Prize Winner status by ignoring multiple emails (and tweets) about being the second Grand Prize Winner in the Cassie's Unicorn Egg Contest, and therefore we have a new Grand Prize Winner: Janae K. from Goshen, Indiana.  Janae has responded, writing:

"Wow I am just SSSSSOOOOOOOOO excited to have won this contest I was sitting and reading my E-Mails and screamed so loud my parents had to come check on me! hah"

So, as planned, I'll mail out...

Of Contests, TV Shows, and Many Things

Well, this is a first.  Pamela H. from Texas has been given more than enough time to answer multiple emails about being the second Grand Prize Winner in the Cassie's Unicorn Egg Contest, and therefore we have a new Grand Prize Winner: Janae Kline.  Who has not responded for several days.  If she doesn't answer her congratulatory email soon, then I'm not sure what should happen.  I don't want to keep the book winners waiting any longer, so I suppose I'll mail out all the prizes but that...

Dedicated to Ms. Gillette and Her Class

I bought a lovely necklace a few weeks ago, and met a lovely, charming woman who, like me, had been a teacher.  She told me a wonderful thing: that her daughter, Ms. Gillette, a teacher also, used The Vampire Diaries books to help encourage students to want to read.  My heart melted like butter.  I knew that some teachers I met in grad school or while teaching use my books, but not that this stranger was doing it as well.

I can't tell you how many emails I have gotten that say, in essence...

The Results of Cassie's Unicorn Egg Contest

Oops!  This should say from 2011, but I can't fix it, so just assume I'm stupid. In any case, I am back from my holiday and I have news about many things, but the most important today is to note that the Cassie's Unicorn Egg Contest is now closed.

The winners of both autographed Secret Circlebooks and the two Grand Prize Winners, who won the two exquisite Unicorn Eggs have been notified, and will, I hope, send me their addresses.  I also hope the Grand Prize Winners find the sparkling...

FAQ and Happy Holidays

First of all, Happy Holidays to all who celebrate them at this time of year!  I'm looking forward to a week's vacation myself!. :)

Now . . .

With so many people asking the same questions, I think I'll answer them here, so that perhaps some who are wondering won't have to write in and query me.  Here are the most current answers that I have.

When is Strange Fate coming out?   I am writing Strange Fate right now and it will be out as quickly as I can finish it and Simon & Schuster can publish it.  I can't give an exact date—I'm very sorry.  The part of it that you see in Brionwy's Lullaby (stories section) mushroomed until it became a new book in its own right, leaving Sarah without her,  But this may be all to the good, because where these sections once were, now there will be short bits about how the characters in the previous Night World books, like Rashel and Quinn, Poppy, Ash and Mary-Lynnette, Hannah, and others will be fighting the Apocalypse.

When is Midnight. the last book in The Vampire Diaries: The Return, coming out?  March 2011.  (Right around the corner!)

Where is the first part of the novella Cassie & Nick: Deep Waters?   It's not on the Internet.  It, too, became so long and complex that I am hoping it will be published as a sequel to The Secret Circle.  Also: the plot is not really about Cassie and Nick falling in love.  It's about Cassie going into the underworld to pull Nick out of a coma. However, Nick misunderstands her intentions and believes that she has parted with Adam to be with him.  Cassie ought to be able to simply explain to him—but Nick is now blind and says she is the only thing he cares about in life.  Meanwhile, Black John has been revived in a new crystal skull and wants revenge on the entire Crowhaven Street gang.

Will there be a sequel to ________?   The sequels I have started right now are to The Secret Circle and The Forbidden Game.  You will see a teaser for The Forbidden Game sequel as I plan on having a Forbidden Game contest quite soon.

When will you finish the story Ash & Mary-Lynnette: Those Who Favor Fire?   If you've read this far, you know that I have a good many irons in that fire.  But I do want to finish the story before long.  The paradox is that the more I write about Ash and ML on the Internet, the less I have to put in Strange Fate about them.

Should I  call you Lisa, Lisa Jane, Ljane, L. J., L.J. Smith, Mrs. Smith, Ms. Smith, or Miss Smith?  Lisa, L.J., or Ms. Smith are all fine.

What's going on with the Secret Circle option by the CW?  I have no idea.  Maybe they're writing the pilot; maybe they've given up.  To misquote from Stephen Sounheim's play Into The Woods, "Never can tell what lies ahead/ For all that I know it's probably dead." You'll get more info Googling it than from asking me.

Are you feeling anguish over that?  No, I'm too busy trying to write a blog, interviews, emails, and all the books or stories mentioned above.

I'm sure there are more I could think of if I really tried, but I hope these will be helpful. Once again I wish you a happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.

Congratulations, Alex M! You won Bonnie's Opal Ring!

Re: Bonnie's Opal Ring Contest: I'm afraid that the deadline for Arrien to get back to me is long past, and her phone number is invalid.  That means that the book winners were numbered, their numbers put into a black silk top hat (okay, a medium-sized bag, but that doesn't sound as nice) and an attorney was asked to pick one of the numbered slips of paper blindfolded. 

And the one chosen was . . . Alex M. of Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Alex, your ring should come as a holiday present.  I hope you enjoy it!

As for the other book winners, this means that they finally also will have their books shipped.  I wanted to wait so I could ship the two items together if that was what needed to happen.

Meanwhile, if you were a winner in the "name the next Vampire Diaries arc" contest, could you please resend your address.  My brand new computer seems to have lost your file, and after three days of searching, I don't know what to do but apologize.  Please send your name, address, and the book of your choice to info@ljanesmith.net and I will try to also send them for the holidays.  Please use the subject heading ARC ARC ARC so that I can pick these emails out of the load I get every day, and I'll try not to lose your information.

Whew! It's not easy trying to work with a new computer, a new Word program, and an Outlook program that does everything but the thing I want it to do.

I hope that everyone else is not having as turbulent a holiday season as I am!  I haven't even bought one present yet!  For the moment, I wish everyone peace, serenity, and compassion—both given and received.