Jeaniene Frost's Blog, page 17
December 12, 2016
That time of year again
It's the holiday season, and I have most of my Christmas shopping done already. I say "most" even though at this point, I think I'm all done. Still, it wouldn't be December if I wasn't scrambling at the last minute because "done" really only means "dumb ass, you forgot at least two important gifts!" Thank God for overnight shipping and email gift cards, is all I'll say.
It's also the season where hubby and I break out our favorite Christmas movies. For fun, I thought I'd list my top ten. These aren't all the Christmas movies I like, of course, but they're the ones that get replayed year after year. If I'm missing something great, please tell me! I love to discover hidden gems.
It's A Wonderful Life. Yes, it's so old that it's in black-and-white, but I love this and watch it every Christmas Eve.
A Christmas Story. I can so relate to little Ralphie's elaborate day-dreams and his foul mouth!
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. If this doesn't remind you of an only-slightly-more-twisted version of your holidays, then you grew up in a MUCH more normal house than I did ;).
A Nightmare Before Christmas. I still love everything about this movie to this day.
Scrooged. It still makes me laugh all through it, and at the end, it still makes me tear up, too.
Trapped in Paradise. Yes, it's hokey, but what can I say? I like it.
The Family Man. I love movies with these sort of "what if?" premises, and thought this one was very well done.
Santa's Slay. Yes, it's a campy horror movie with a ridiculous premise and lots of violence. Your point? :)
A Miracle on 34th Street. Hubby and I still argue over which is better: the original, or the 1994 remake. He likes the original more. I like the remake. What's your preference?
Surviving Christmas. That's what we're all trying to do, right? This starts out over-the-top but is sweet by the end.
It's also the season where hubby and I break out our favorite Christmas movies. For fun, I thought I'd list my top ten. These aren't all the Christmas movies I like, of course, but they're the ones that get replayed year after year. If I'm missing something great, please tell me! I love to discover hidden gems.
It's A Wonderful Life. Yes, it's so old that it's in black-and-white, but I love this and watch it every Christmas Eve.
A Christmas Story. I can so relate to little Ralphie's elaborate day-dreams and his foul mouth!
National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. If this doesn't remind you of an only-slightly-more-twisted version of your holidays, then you grew up in a MUCH more normal house than I did ;).
A Nightmare Before Christmas. I still love everything about this movie to this day.
Scrooged. It still makes me laugh all through it, and at the end, it still makes me tear up, too.
Trapped in Paradise. Yes, it's hokey, but what can I say? I like it.
The Family Man. I love movies with these sort of "what if?" premises, and thought this one was very well done.
Santa's Slay. Yes, it's a campy horror movie with a ridiculous premise and lots of violence. Your point? :)
A Miracle on 34th Street. Hubby and I still argue over which is better: the original, or the 1994 remake. He likes the original more. I like the remake. What's your preference?
Surviving Christmas. That's what we're all trying to do, right? This starts out over-the-top but is sweet by the end.
December 2, 2016
What Dreams May Come
I’ve said before that I remember a lot of my dreams, and they’ve sometimes been inspirational in my writing. The concept for the Night Huntress series came from a dream, as did the idea for the Broken Destiny series, and I’ve come up with more than a couple subplots from dreams. While I admit to mining my dreams to see if my subconscious produces anything I can use, not everything ends up in a book. Not even most of it. Example: years ago, while revising One Foot In The Grave, I had a dream where I suddenly knew the perfect solution to jazzing up the book’s ending: add dragons! Lots of dragons! Yet readers of this book know that, in fact, no dragons appear in One Foot, although I did have a character turn into a dragon in One Grave at a Time, so maybe that dream tidbit wasn't wasted after all :).
But it’s not all dragons, vampires, half-vampires, demons, or other creatures that populate my dreams. Sometimes, stress from the publishing business can make an appearance, too. I detailed one of those stress-related dreams here, where in it, my books were responsible for visiting aliens committing mass suicide (seriously!) In another one, I dreamed that my editor came to my house brandishing a bat and demanding that I give her my manuscript right now or else. Although my editor, Erika Tsang, is a lovely person, on a subconscious level, I must fear her ;).
Case in point - and I can admit to this now because Into The Fire , the final Night Prince novel, is done, edited, and ready to print - a few months ago, as I was stressed over trying to finish it, I had a flying dream. Now, flying dreams are nothing new for me; they’re probably one of my most-recurring dreams. I usually love them because in them, I somehow know that if I fall forward, I won’t hit the ground. Instead, I’ll float upward as high as I want to go and be able to “steer” myself by moving my hands, which is an incredibly freeing feeling. However, in this dream, I had an ulterior motive behind flying, as you'll see.
First, remember that dreams automatically come with suspension of disbelief. So, even when they unfold in a loose, nonsensical format, you still believe them while they’re happening, right? That’s why, in my dream, I didn’t question how I ended up with my editor, Erika, and a couple of my friends on a rocky moor overlooking a cliff. All I knew was that I was I brought my editor out there to finally let her in on my biggest secret: my ability to fly.
First, I tell her, “Hey, Erika, guess what? I can fly!”
Her response is to immediately question my sanity in saying such a thing (sometimes, dreams can be very realistic ;)). I then say something like, “Well, watch this” and do my fall-forward-only-to-float-upward trick.
Erika is shocked as I then direct myself to fly all around her. My friends just watch in boredom because they’ll seen all this before (apparently, I was a show off to them with my flying skills, heh.) Then, Erika finally says “Jeaniene, this is amazing! How long have you been able to do this?”
“Oh, for years,” I reply. “I’ve been really careful about keeping it a secret.”
“Then why are you revealing this to me now?” she asks.
My response, plucked right from my obviously-stressed subconscious? “Because you can use it as a really cool marketing gimmick later to promote Into The Fire, so now, you can't be mad at me anymore for being so late turning it in!”
*grins* There you go, people. Now you know that if I ever get the ability to fly, I won’t use it for the greater good of humanity. Apparently, I’ll only use it as a “get out of being late on deadline free” card ;).
But it’s not all dragons, vampires, half-vampires, demons, or other creatures that populate my dreams. Sometimes, stress from the publishing business can make an appearance, too. I detailed one of those stress-related dreams here, where in it, my books were responsible for visiting aliens committing mass suicide (seriously!) In another one, I dreamed that my editor came to my house brandishing a bat and demanding that I give her my manuscript right now or else. Although my editor, Erika Tsang, is a lovely person, on a subconscious level, I must fear her ;).
Case in point - and I can admit to this now because Into The Fire , the final Night Prince novel, is done, edited, and ready to print - a few months ago, as I was stressed over trying to finish it, I had a flying dream. Now, flying dreams are nothing new for me; they’re probably one of my most-recurring dreams. I usually love them because in them, I somehow know that if I fall forward, I won’t hit the ground. Instead, I’ll float upward as high as I want to go and be able to “steer” myself by moving my hands, which is an incredibly freeing feeling. However, in this dream, I had an ulterior motive behind flying, as you'll see.
First, remember that dreams automatically come with suspension of disbelief. So, even when they unfold in a loose, nonsensical format, you still believe them while they’re happening, right? That’s why, in my dream, I didn’t question how I ended up with my editor, Erika, and a couple of my friends on a rocky moor overlooking a cliff. All I knew was that I was I brought my editor out there to finally let her in on my biggest secret: my ability to fly.
First, I tell her, “Hey, Erika, guess what? I can fly!”
Her response is to immediately question my sanity in saying such a thing (sometimes, dreams can be very realistic ;)). I then say something like, “Well, watch this” and do my fall-forward-only-to-float-upward trick.
Erika is shocked as I then direct myself to fly all around her. My friends just watch in boredom because they’ll seen all this before (apparently, I was a show off to them with my flying skills, heh.) Then, Erika finally says “Jeaniene, this is amazing! How long have you been able to do this?”
“Oh, for years,” I reply. “I’ve been really careful about keeping it a secret.”
“Then why are you revealing this to me now?” she asks.
My response, plucked right from my obviously-stressed subconscious? “Because you can use it as a really cool marketing gimmick later to promote Into The Fire, so now, you can't be mad at me anymore for being so late turning it in!”
*grins* There you go, people. Now you know that if I ever get the ability to fly, I won’t use it for the greater good of humanity. Apparently, I’ll only use it as a “get out of being late on deadline free” card ;).
November 29, 2016
Giving Tuesday
Today is the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, also known as Giving Tuesday. Unlike Black Friday and Cyber Monday, where you shop for friends, family, co-workers (and maybe a little something for yourself, too!) today is where you're encouraged to "shop" for people you will likely never meet by donating to a charity.
Just like any other shopping, buyers should beware. There are scam places masquerading as legitimate charities, and it can be sometimes hard to distinguish between the two. I rely heavily on a site called Charity Navigator to suss out which is the real deal and which is a scam. Charity Navigator rates charities on a scale of 1 to 4 (4 being the best, 1 being the worst), grading them on how much of their donations goes to the actual cause, among other important factors. Charity Navigator doesn't catalog every charity, but they have a lot in their database, so if you've been mulling a particular charity but weren't sure if they were a "good" one, click the link above and enter their name. Their stats might come up.
Here are some of the charities I give to, listed in no particular order. If one of them strikes your interest, please consider giving something. If none of them stir your interest, there are limitless worthy charities in need of support. And if you're in a position where you simply can't give anything, don't feel bad. Most of us (raises hand) have been there, too, and remember: not all gifts are monetary in nature. As Mother Theresa once said: "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."
However, if you're thinking, "I'll wait until later, when I have more money, instead of giving just a tiny bit now" might I encourage you to give that tiny bit anyway? Most of these sites accept donations as small as $5 or $10, and a tiny amount now is worth more than a hundred "later's," in my opinion. Imagine what a difference it could make in a needy child, adult, or animal's life if everyone who intended to donate "later" gave just a tiny bit now, too? Many charities have gift matching promotions today for Giving Tuesday, so every dollar you donate gets matched and thus doubles or even triples. That $5 or $10 might only seem like a drop now, but enough drops can turn into a mighty rainstorm :).
Wounded Warrior Project: a military and veterans charity service organization empowering injured veterans and their families. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Joyful Heart Foundation: outreach to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
ASPCA: works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Children International: fights poverty and helps children in need through our programs, community centers and more. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
C.A.R.E.: a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty, putting women and girls in the center because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Shared Hope : dedicated to bringing an end to sex trafficking. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
St. Jude: a leading children's hospital pioneering research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Covenant House: serving homeless youth with a network of shelters across the Americas. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
U.N.I.C.E.F.: The United Nations Children's Fund works for children's rights, survival, development and protection. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
International Rescue Committee (IRC) : responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Save The Children: In the United States and around the world, gives girls and boys a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Paws For Hope: helping animals who suffer and die every year because of negligence and abuse.
Just like any other shopping, buyers should beware. There are scam places masquerading as legitimate charities, and it can be sometimes hard to distinguish between the two. I rely heavily on a site called Charity Navigator to suss out which is the real deal and which is a scam. Charity Navigator rates charities on a scale of 1 to 4 (4 being the best, 1 being the worst), grading them on how much of their donations goes to the actual cause, among other important factors. Charity Navigator doesn't catalog every charity, but they have a lot in their database, so if you've been mulling a particular charity but weren't sure if they were a "good" one, click the link above and enter their name. Their stats might come up.
Here are some of the charities I give to, listed in no particular order. If one of them strikes your interest, please consider giving something. If none of them stir your interest, there are limitless worthy charities in need of support. And if you're in a position where you simply can't give anything, don't feel bad. Most of us (raises hand) have been there, too, and remember: not all gifts are monetary in nature. As Mother Theresa once said: "Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing."
However, if you're thinking, "I'll wait until later, when I have more money, instead of giving just a tiny bit now" might I encourage you to give that tiny bit anyway? Most of these sites accept donations as small as $5 or $10, and a tiny amount now is worth more than a hundred "later's," in my opinion. Imagine what a difference it could make in a needy child, adult, or animal's life if everyone who intended to donate "later" gave just a tiny bit now, too? Many charities have gift matching promotions today for Giving Tuesday, so every dollar you donate gets matched and thus doubles or even triples. That $5 or $10 might only seem like a drop now, but enough drops can turn into a mighty rainstorm :).
Wounded Warrior Project: a military and veterans charity service organization empowering injured veterans and their families. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Joyful Heart Foundation: outreach to heal, educate and empower survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
ASPCA: works to rescue animals from abuse, pass humane laws and share resources with shelters nationwide. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Children International: fights poverty and helps children in need through our programs, community centers and more. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
C.A.R.E.: a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty, putting women and girls in the center because we know that we cannot overcome poverty until all people have equal rights and opportunities. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Shared Hope : dedicated to bringing an end to sex trafficking. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
St. Jude: a leading children's hospital pioneering research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Covenant House: serving homeless youth with a network of shelters across the Americas. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
U.N.I.C.E.F.: The United Nations Children's Fund works for children's rights, survival, development and protection. 3 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
International Rescue Committee (IRC) : responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Save The Children: In the United States and around the world, gives girls and boys a healthy start, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. 4 out of 4 rating on Charity Navigator.
Paws For Hope: helping animals who suffer and die every year because of negligence and abuse.
November 19, 2016
Bragging on a friend
This week, I've been working on galley pages for Into The Fire, the final Night Prince novel. If you're like me before I was published, you'll have no idea what "galley pages" are, so I'll explain: they're the formatted, loose-leaf pages of a manuscript. See below.
They're also the last chance that I, as the author, have to spot any mistakes in my book. Before, I would usually find at least one or two pretty major mistakes in the galleys. This isn't because I don't try to be careful in the revision process before this. It's because during the normal writing process, I change things several times as new ideas strike me, or I decide that I don't like the old ideas anymore. Then, I end up changing things again after getting feedback from my critique partner, then I change things again according to my editor's feedback, and finally, I change a few more things after a copyeditor points out any remaining mistakes. Getting the picture? A book can sometimes resemble a patchwork quilt after all these changes, and so little (or bigger) mistakes can fall through the cracks.
However, this time around, I had the lightest copyedit I've ever had after writing 15 books, and I'm also finding almost no mistakes in the galley pages.
What changed, you ask? I'm happy to tell you :)
It's been no secret that my longtime friend and fellow author, Melissa Marr, has been my regular critique partner. This means that she gives my books a "content" edit, which is different than a copy edit. If you're not familiar, I'll explain: a content edit is an overall critique of the plot, characters, and worldbuilding. Since I'm a foodie, I'll liken this to editing the "meat and potatoes" of a story. A copy edit, by contrast, is like making sure that the presentation is good (i.e., you don't have sauce dripping all over the place in form of missing/mispelled words, incorrect grammar, etc.) Previously, Melissa had only done content edits on my novels, and I've said many times before that her notes are just as good (and often eerily similar ;)) as the notes that I get from my traditional New York editors.
With Into The Fire, however, I had started and stopped the book so many times due to personal issues that I wanted Melissa to do a content edit PLUS a full copyedit since I didn't have much confidence in my first draft this time. She agreed, and so she edited not only the "meat and potatoes" of the story, but also all the trimmings and the presentation, too.
The result? The publisher that my copyeditor assigned me (as per traditional publishing guidelines) had almost nothing to do. It literally took me longer write out my Acknowledgements page than it did to implement the NY-assigned copyeditor's change requests. And once again, my galley pages are cleaner than they've ever been. You don't know what a relief this is. It's not only less work for me, but more importantly, galleys are the imprints that publishers use to make Arcs (advance reading copies) of books. Arcs are what go out to bloggers and other media for pre-publication reviews. So, error-ridden galleys mean error-ridden Arcs, which means understandably more critical reviews.
In short, as the subject line states, I am bragging on a friend because Melissa did such an amazing job. Never fear, I'm not just taunting you with what you can't have: in addition to being a bestselling author, Melissa is also a former literary teacher. Since she misses teaching, she recently started doing freelance content-only editing as well as full copy editing. So, if you're intending to self-publish that novel you're working on (and I know lots of people doing NaNo are), I can't recommend Melissa highly enough. If you're going the traditional-publishing route, and you're frustrated with rejections and want an overview of what has to be fixed (rejections usually don't tell you what's wrong with your book; they just say NO) then I also recommend Melissa. And since I know friend recommendations can sometimes be sketchy, here's what other people are saying about Melissa's editing skills:
"Melissa Marr is an invaluable beta reader. Insightful, wise and smart." -- Neil Gaiman, #1 NYT bestselling author
“I’ve written middle-grade, young adult and adult novels and short fiction, in fantasy, mystery and romance, and no matter what the genre, format or age group, I know I can go to Melissa for top-notch editorial advice.”-- Kelley Armstrong, #1 NYT bestselling author.
"Melissa Marr is not just a wonderful editor, but a fierce advocate for the story you're working to tell. She'll help you make your work better than you ever imagined it could be." -- Rachel Caine, NYT bestselling author of The Great Library and Morganville Vampires series.
"In my fifteen years as a professional writer and editor, I've never worked with anyone more astute, more thoughtful, or more insightful about all aspects of fiction writing than Melissa Marr." -- Tim Pratt, Hugo Award winning author and editor of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
"Melissa Marr has a keen eye for quality literature, and her extensive experience makes her an ideal editor for anyone hoping to bring their work to the next level."-- Beth Revis, NYT bestselling author of YA Science Fiction.
“Melissa Marr is an incredible editor who is simultaneously able to look at the big picture and help fine-tune the nuances that really sell a story. If you're looking for someone to help you take your plot, characters, or world-building to the next level, you could not find a better, more market-savvy set of eyes.” -- Dr. Jennifer Lynn Barnes award-winning author of The Naturals, Raised by Wolves, and The Fixer.
Melissa's freelance section of her website is here.
They're also the last chance that I, as the author, have to spot any mistakes in my book. Before, I would usually find at least one or two pretty major mistakes in the galleys. This isn't because I don't try to be careful in the revision process before this. It's because during the normal writing process, I change things several times as new ideas strike me, or I decide that I don't like the old ideas anymore. Then, I end up changing things again after getting feedback from my critique partner, then I change things again according to my editor's feedback, and finally, I change a few more things after a copyeditor points out any remaining mistakes. Getting the picture? A book can sometimes resemble a patchwork quilt after all these changes, and so little (or bigger) mistakes can fall through the cracks.
However, this time around, I had the lightest copyedit I've ever had after writing 15 books, and I'm also finding almost no mistakes in the galley pages.
What changed, you ask? I'm happy to tell you :)
It's been no secret that my longtime friend and fellow author, Melissa Marr, has been my regular critique partner. This means that she gives my books a "content" edit, which is different than a copy edit. If you're not familiar, I'll explain: a content edit is an overall critique of the plot, characters, and worldbuilding. Since I'm a foodie, I'll liken this to editing the "meat and potatoes" of a story. A copy edit, by contrast, is like making sure that the presentation is good (i.e., you don't have sauce dripping all over the place in form of missing/mispelled words, incorrect grammar, etc.) Previously, Melissa had only done content edits on my novels, and I've said many times before that her notes are just as good (and often eerily similar ;)) as the notes that I get from my traditional New York editors.
With Into The Fire, however, I had started and stopped the book so many times due to personal issues that I wanted Melissa to do a content edit PLUS a full copyedit since I didn't have much confidence in my first draft this time. She agreed, and so she edited not only the "meat and potatoes" of the story, but also all the trimmings and the presentation, too.
The result? The publisher that my copyeditor assigned me (as per traditional publishing guidelines) had almost nothing to do. It literally took me longer write out my Acknowledgements page than it did to implement the NY-assigned copyeditor's change requests. And once again, my galley pages are cleaner than they've ever been. You don't know what a relief this is. It's not only less work for me, but more importantly, galleys are the imprints that publishers use to make Arcs (advance reading copies) of books. Arcs are what go out to bloggers and other media for pre-publication reviews. So, error-ridden galleys mean error-ridden Arcs, which means understandably more critical reviews.
In short, as the subject line states, I am bragging on a friend because Melissa did such an amazing job. Never fear, I'm not just taunting you with what you can't have: in addition to being a bestselling author, Melissa is also a former literary teacher. Since she misses teaching, she recently started doing freelance content-only editing as well as full copy editing. So, if you're intending to self-publish that novel you're working on (and I know lots of people doing NaNo are), I can't recommend Melissa highly enough. If you're going the traditional-publishing route, and you're frustrated with rejections and want an overview of what has to be fixed (rejections usually don't tell you what's wrong with your book; they just say NO) then I also recommend Melissa. And since I know friend recommendations can sometimes be sketchy, here's what other people are saying about Melissa's editing skills:
"Melissa Marr is an invaluable beta reader. Insightful, wise and smart." -- Neil Gaiman, #1 NYT bestselling author
“I’ve written middle-grade, young adult and adult novels and short fiction, in fantasy, mystery and romance, and no matter what the genre, format or age group, I know I can go to Melissa for top-notch editorial advice.”-- Kelley Armstrong, #1 NYT bestselling author.
"Melissa Marr is not just a wonderful editor, but a fierce advocate for the story you're working to tell. She'll help you make your work better than you ever imagined it could be." -- Rachel Caine, NYT bestselling author of The Great Library and Morganville Vampires series.
"In my fifteen years as a professional writer and editor, I've never worked with anyone more astute, more thoughtful, or more insightful about all aspects of fiction writing than Melissa Marr." -- Tim Pratt, Hugo Award winning author and editor of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
"Melissa Marr has a keen eye for quality literature, and her extensive experience makes her an ideal editor for anyone hoping to bring their work to the next level."-- Beth Revis, NYT bestselling author of YA Science Fiction.
“Melissa Marr is an incredible editor who is simultaneously able to look at the big picture and help fine-tune the nuances that really sell a story. If you're looking for someone to help you take your plot, characters, or world-building to the next level, you could not find a better, more market-savvy set of eyes.” -- Dr. Jennifer Lynn Barnes award-winning author of The Naturals, Raised by Wolves, and The Fixer.
Melissa's freelance section of her website is here.
November 16, 2016
Into The Fire first SIX chapters!
Hi everyone. The weekend before Halloween, I announced that readers could get a sneak peek at the first four chapters of
Into The Fire, the final Night Prince novel
, courtesy of a Halloween promotion my publisher was running with InstaFreebie. What I didn't know was that the promotion was only for ONE day. After that, the promo - and chapters - were no longer available. Since I didn't think it was fair that only some readers got an early look at the chapters, I said I'd post them later on my website. However, as I was combing through my previously-posted excerpts, I realized that I'd posted most of chapters five and six already.So, instead of things being choppy and on different blog posts, I'm now posting the entirety of chapters one through six below. Happy reading! :)
ETA: Apparently, this is too long to post on Goodreads because of their limits. So, if you want to read this, please go to my website blog. Here is the link: http://jeanienefrost.com/2016/11/into...
November 15, 2016
News for NOLA StoryCon
NOLA StoryCon 2016 only ended a month ago, but the other Host authors and I have been busy making things bigger and better for next year. Check out all the new guest authors, plus special guests, preliminary event schedule, and more!Dates: Friday, September 15th through Sunday, September 17th, 2017.
Host Authors: Melissa Marr, Jeaniene Frost, and Kelley Armstrong.
Special Guests
Charlaine Harris, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Southern Vampire mysteries (Sookie Stackhouse) and the Midnight, Texas series (TV adaptation premiering soon on NBC. )
&
Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Leopard Series, Dark Series, Ghostwalker Series, Drake Sisters Series, and the Sisters of the Heart Series.
Our fabulous lineup of Guest Authors
(Listed alphabetically, click on their names to be directed to their websites.)
Lara Adrian, Lou Anders, Lenore Appelhans, Jeanette Battista, Jenna Black, Allison Brennan, Rachel Caine, Kristin Cast, PC Cast, Matthew Cody, Bruce Coville, Zoraida Cordova, Delilah Dawson, Alyssa Day, Kimberly Derting, Sonali Dev, Jennifer Estep, Kami Garcia, Molly Harper, Kevin Hearne, Beverly Jenkins, Toni L.P. Kelner, David Liss, Chelsea Mueller, Pamela Palmer, Aprilynne Pike, Tom Pollock, Kerrelyn Sparks, Rachel Vincent and Jaye Wells.
Event Schedule
Sweet Mardi Gras Party and Panels.
Includes all events on Friday, September 15th, 2017, EXCEPT TOURS. First, enjoy various panels featuring your favorite authors from 3pm - 6pm. Exact times and descriptions to come. From 7pm - 10pm: Mix and mingle with the host authors and many of the guest authors while enjoying complimentary custom-made desserts, coffee, tea and a live band. Cash bar will be available. Each Sweet Mardi Gras ticket holder will also receive a complimentary goody bag with books and swag. BUY HERE.
.
NOLA High Roller (3 Day Pass)
Includes ALL events on Friday, September 15th, Saturday September 16th and Sunday, September 17th, EXCEPT TOURS. Featuring: various panels on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, full descriptions, panelists, and times to come; the Sweet Mardi Gras dessert reception and cocktail party featuring live music, complimentary custom-made desserts, coffee, tea, and a complimentary goody bag with books and swag; the "Big Easy" full dinner and dessert with reception afterward. Bring your appetite for food and fun. Wear your favorite costume for a chance to win our Best Costume contest. Make sure you stay until the end on Saturday night to see if you will be the grand prize winner of a $100.00 Murder By The Book gift card, PLUS 90 minute early access to the group signing on Saturday before it opens to the public. BUY HERE.
.
Saturday and Sunday Panels Pass
Your all-access pass to the panels on Saturday, September 16th and Sunday, September 17th, PLUS includes 90 minute early access to the group signing before it opens to the public. Note: This is for panels only. Does not include the Saturday dinner or any tours. BUY HERE.
Hotel
The JW Marriott. Address: 614 Canal Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. BOOK HERE.
Tours
Once again, NOLA StoryCon will feature the opportunity for attendees to explore New Orleans with their favorite authors on one of our off-site walking tours, hosted by our new tour company, NOLAmusements. Tickets, tour descriptions and times coming soon, so check our website for more information.
We can't wait for next year's event, and we hope to see you there, too!
Best,
Jeaniene Frost, Melissa Marr, and Kelley Armstrong
www.NolaStoryCon.com
November 12, 2016
Backward and forward
Note: This post has nothing to do with my books, appearances, or professional updates. Skip if you’re only looking for business news.
The first week of November is always a time of reflection for me. If you're a long-time follower of my blog, you might remember that five years ago, I went to the Emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be an acute case of costochrondritis instead, but for a few hours, I thought I might drop dead at any second. As you can imagine, that had me praying fervently for more time with my loved ones.
It turned out that there was nothing seriously wrong with me, and aside from the occasional ache, I'm over the costochrondritis. I'm not over my gratitude to still be here, though, so every year around the same time, I say a special thank-you to God. Why on my blog? As I mentioned once before, a section of Luke has always stuck with me. In it, ten lepers ask Jesus to be healed. All ten have their request granted, but while nine ran off, one turned around, went back to Jesus, and thanked him. The other nine might have been thanking Him in their mind as they walked away, but only one made a point to do it publicly. So, this is me turning around, going back to that memory, and saying thank you in public because I'm still very grateful to be here to do so.
I'm also a sucker for my dogs, as anyone who knows me is well aware. My husband and I spoil them, and they take it as their due because in their eyes, this is what we exist to do ;). Well, in the past month we've both sold our old house and bought a new house. One of our requirements for the new house was that the master bedroom be on the first floor because Gypsy, at almost 13, can't climb the stairs anymore and she sleeps in the bedroom with us (so does Loki, of course. In fact, he hogs the bed.) We looked at a bunch of houses and found one that we loved (yay!) that had enough of a deal on the price that we could also afford to get all new paint and carpet (yay!) and the master bedroom is on the first floor as needed (yay!)
But...the other bedrooms are on the second floor. As a writer, I work out of my house, and I normally just take the guest room and use it as my office, but I can't do that now because of the stairs. Gypsy is used to coming and going from my office at will. Well, to be more accurate, she comes in, whimpers until I stop what I'm doing and pet her, then either leaves or curls up on the pillow by my desk. This is her routine several times a day, and I can't bring myself to change it by using one of the upstairs bedrooms for my office. She would NOT understand . Don't believe me? Does this look like a dog who would understand her daily pets being denied to her?
This is how I have ended up having my office in what is supposed to be the dining room of my new house. It's closed off by three walls, so it's more private that the living room, plus we're getting one of those nice, decorative screens for the opening to the kitchen to close that off, too. It will, however, have a space for Gypsy to get in and out of easily. As you can see, she's used to getting her wishes catered to ;).
And hey, we never ate in our old dining room anyway.
The first week of November is always a time of reflection for me. If you're a long-time follower of my blog, you might remember that five years ago, I went to the Emergency room because I thought I was having a heart attack. It turned out to be an acute case of costochrondritis instead, but for a few hours, I thought I might drop dead at any second. As you can imagine, that had me praying fervently for more time with my loved ones.
It turned out that there was nothing seriously wrong with me, and aside from the occasional ache, I'm over the costochrondritis. I'm not over my gratitude to still be here, though, so every year around the same time, I say a special thank-you to God. Why on my blog? As I mentioned once before, a section of Luke has always stuck with me. In it, ten lepers ask Jesus to be healed. All ten have their request granted, but while nine ran off, one turned around, went back to Jesus, and thanked him. The other nine might have been thanking Him in their mind as they walked away, but only one made a point to do it publicly. So, this is me turning around, going back to that memory, and saying thank you in public because I'm still very grateful to be here to do so.
I'm also a sucker for my dogs, as anyone who knows me is well aware. My husband and I spoil them, and they take it as their due because in their eyes, this is what we exist to do ;). Well, in the past month we've both sold our old house and bought a new house. One of our requirements for the new house was that the master bedroom be on the first floor because Gypsy, at almost 13, can't climb the stairs anymore and she sleeps in the bedroom with us (so does Loki, of course. In fact, he hogs the bed.) We looked at a bunch of houses and found one that we loved (yay!) that had enough of a deal on the price that we could also afford to get all new paint and carpet (yay!) and the master bedroom is on the first floor as needed (yay!)
But...the other bedrooms are on the second floor. As a writer, I work out of my house, and I normally just take the guest room and use it as my office, but I can't do that now because of the stairs. Gypsy is used to coming and going from my office at will. Well, to be more accurate, she comes in, whimpers until I stop what I'm doing and pet her, then either leaves or curls up on the pillow by my desk. This is her routine several times a day, and I can't bring myself to change it by using one of the upstairs bedrooms for my office. She would NOT understand . Don't believe me? Does this look like a dog who would understand her daily pets being denied to her?
This is how I have ended up having my office in what is supposed to be the dining room of my new house. It's closed off by three walls, so it's more private that the living room, plus we're getting one of those nice, decorative screens for the opening to the kitchen to close that off, too. It will, however, have a space for Gypsy to get in and out of easily. As you can see, she's used to getting her wishes catered to ;).
And hey, we never ate in our old dining room anyway.
November 10, 2016
Borrowed words
Sorry for the delay posting the first four chapters of Into The Fire. We sold our NC house, which means we must find a new house to live in, so house hunting is what had me busy last week. I'll post the chapters next week. This week... well, I'm still reeling from the election results. I did, however, want to share some quotes that are helping me. I hope they help some of you, too.
"We may encounter defeats, but we must not be defeated." - Maya Angelou.
"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all' - Emily Dickinson
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." - Eleanor Roosevelt.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Note: Do NOT post any political comments below. Right now, I want to spread some much-needed hope, not more vitriol. If you ignore my request, I will delete your comment (my page, my rules.) If, however, you want to share another inspirational quote or quotes, please do.
"We may encounter defeats, but we must not be defeated." - Maya Angelou.
"Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all' - Emily Dickinson
"It is better to light a candle than curse the darkness." - Eleanor Roosevelt.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.
Note: Do NOT post any political comments below. Right now, I want to spread some much-needed hope, not more vitriol. If you ignore my request, I will delete your comment (my page, my rules.) If, however, you want to share another inspirational quote or quotes, please do.
October 28, 2016
First four chapters from INTO THE FIRE and more!
ETA: Sorry, all! I found out from my publisher that the four-book sneak peek was valid for Friday only. I'll post the first few chapters of Into The Fire on my website next week so that everyone can read them.
Hi all! My publisher, Avon/HarperCollins, has partnered with InstaFreebie to do a Halloween promotion featuring excepts from four of Avon's paranormal novels, and Into The Fire is one of them!
So, if you want to read the first four chapters of Into The Fire, the final Night Prince novel, go here and follow the instructions. Basically, you have to sign up for Avon's newsletter to get the excerpts emailed to you, but if you don't want any more emails from Avon, you can always unsubscribe afterward.
In addition to the first four chapters from Into The Fire, you also get the first few chapters of White Hot, which is the second Hidden Legacy novel by the amazing Ilona Andrews (and if you haven't read the first Hidden Legacy book, Burn For me, you should because it's great and it's only $1.99 in ebook!) Plus, you also get samples from the newly-released Immortal Nights by the fab Lynsay Sands (more vampires, yay!) and a sample from Linda Howard's Frost Line.
A quick note about the Into The Fire except: it's pre-copyedits, so the indentation isn't perfect and you might find a spelling error or two. That will be fixed in the final version, but my publisher wanted to include it for their Halloween sampler, and I said yes because many of you told me you want more teasers. So, my apologies for any errors, and I hope you enjoy it!
Hi all! My publisher, Avon/HarperCollins, has partnered with InstaFreebie to do a Halloween promotion featuring excepts from four of Avon's paranormal novels, and Into The Fire is one of them!
So, if you want to read the first four chapters of Into The Fire, the final Night Prince novel, go here and follow the instructions. Basically, you have to sign up for Avon's newsletter to get the excerpts emailed to you, but if you don't want any more emails from Avon, you can always unsubscribe afterward.
In addition to the first four chapters from Into The Fire, you also get the first few chapters of White Hot, which is the second Hidden Legacy novel by the amazing Ilona Andrews (and if you haven't read the first Hidden Legacy book, Burn For me, you should because it's great and it's only $1.99 in ebook!) Plus, you also get samples from the newly-released Immortal Nights by the fab Lynsay Sands (more vampires, yay!) and a sample from Linda Howard's Frost Line.
A quick note about the Into The Fire except: it's pre-copyedits, so the indentation isn't perfect and you might find a spelling error or two. That will be fixed in the final version, but my publisher wanted to include it for their Halloween sampler, and I said yes because many of you told me you want more teasers. So, my apologies for any errors, and I hope you enjoy it!
October 24, 2016
Into The Fire excerpt 3
Hi everyone! I know, I've been promising to post a new snippet from Into The Fire, the final Night Prince novel, for weeks now. As an apology for my lateness, I'm including almost all of chapter 9 instead of only a few pages. If you haven't read the other two snippets yet,
go here
because those are from Chapters 1 and 3, so they help set things up. Otherwise, in my usual disclaimer, the below is pre-copy edits, so there might be grammar and/or spelling errors. This is mostly spoiler-free, so you won’t be ruined on any major plot points. And Ian fans, I have heard you - he is in this excerpt, and you learn a little about his past, too. Hope you enjoy!***
No one would believe we were the same people in The Pirates House parking lot in Savannah, Georgia with Ian the next night. For starters, Vlad now looked like a short-haired redhead with a square face, a crooked nose, and light blue eyes. His lean, muscular frame had also expanded to a stocky build, and he’d lost over an inch in height. I, too, had a new face complete with shoulder-length blond hair, brown eyes, pouty lips, and a body with even more curves than Marilyn Monroe.
Ian had brushed off my admiration over his appearance-altering spell, saying that “glamour” was only mid-level magic and the effects would wear off by dawn. Since glamour wasn’t rare magic, he had reminded us that we needed something else to disguise ourselves. Something no one would question.
“Unless you want the sorcerers you seek to know that you’re swimming in their waters, we need to hide your identities, agreed?” Ian had asked the night before.
“Of course,” Vlad had said impatiently. “But I’m known to many people, as Klaus proved, and since vampires can spot theater makeup or a mask, I assume real sorcerers can spot those, too.”
“Oh, easily,” Ian had agreed.
Vlad’s gaze had narrowed. “I am not staying behind, if that’s what you’re hinting at.”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Ian had replied with a smirk.
That smirk had raised my suspicions. “You know a way around this, don’t you?” I asked.
“First, let’s establish that you’d do anything to find a sorcerer strong enough to break the spell on your wife, yes?” Ian said, not answering my question.
“Yes,” Vlad replied without hesitation.
“Depends,” I amended. When Ian’s smirk widened into a full-fledged grin, I knew that my suspicions were well founded.
So here I was, about to play my role as part of a happy, horny threesome. As Ian reminded us, no one would believe that the homicidally-possessive Vlad the Impaler would be into such a thing. Hell, Vlad had blown a guy’s head off for merely grabbing my ass, and I’m sure word of that had made the undead rounds because he’d done it in front of hundreds of people.
I tried not to focus on what came next, so I allowed myself to enjoy the unusual perks of my new body. So this was what it felt like to have boobs and a bubble butt! Never before had I felt things bounce while I walked. I even put an extra sway in my step just to feel it all bounce a little more.
Vlad caught what I was doing, and a sideways grin curled his new, wider mouth. “Do I need to memorize this spell so we can use it for our private enjoyment later?”
Before I could answer, Ian spoke. “If you think this is impressive, I know a fellow whose wife can shapeshift into an actual dragon. Blimey, I ache with envy at the thought of shagging one of those.”
My jaw dropped. “You’d seriously bang a dragon?”
“Oh, for days,” Ian said at once. “Can you imagine the internet videos? I’d be a bloody legend.”
There was something very wrong with him, but tonight, we’d find out if Ian’s ties to the magical world were everything he’d promised.
“Remember your roles,” Ian said as we approached the parking lot to The Pirate’s House. He pushed himself between the two of us, linking an arm around each of our waists. “And whatever you do, don’t kill anyone, Tepesh,” he added.
Vlad’s response was a low growl of, “I said I wouldn’t, didn’t I?”
Yeah, but now our real disguise was about to begin. I took a deep breath to center myself. Show time. I’d been a carnival performer for years, so I was no stranger to acting. This might be a different sort of role, but whatever, I could handle it.
When Ian’s arm slipped lower around Vlad’s waist, however, Vlad’s anger pierced his shields enough to singe my emotions. Saying that Vlad was prickly about being touched was like saying that God was mildly annoyed by the Devil. I stopped even though we’d only made it a couple feet away from the car.
“Are you sure about this?” I said, holding Vlad’s gaze.
It felt like molten steel coated my emotions with the resolve behind his reply. “Yes.”
Ian glanced at Vlad, assessing the situation. Then, moving so fast that he startled me, he grabbed Vlad and kissed him.
Vlad’s rage flash-fried my emotions with the intensity of a dozen wildfires. But he didn’t shove Ian away or burn him with the flames I could practically see beneath his skin. Instead, he bent Ian backward with the force of his answering kiss. When Vlad released him, Ian gave him a crooked grin.
“Guess I was wrong to fret about your past experiences being stronger than your willpower.”
I was so aghast at Ian’s casual reference to Vad’s childhood imprisonment and rape that I slapped him as hard as I could. If I hadn’t been wearing thick rubber gloves, my whip might have spontaneously shot out and taken his head off, too. Ian rocked back a few feet, and a group of people entering the parking lot let out shocked sounds as they gaped at us.
Ian straightened and gave me a single glare before he turned to the crowd and waved at them. “She loves to play rough,” he told them. “That’s why it takes two of us to handle her, the fierce little vixen.”
One of girls let out an admiring giggle while the rest of the group averted their gaze as they walked by. Ian gave them another saluting wave, then he turned back to me.
“Seems Tepesh isn’t the only one with a temper,” he said in an exasperated tone. “Do I have to make you promise not to kill anyone too, poppet?”
I stiffened even as part of me acknowledged that I’d gone too far. Vlad was more than able to defend himself, if he’d felt the need. At least our cover was still intact, even if it now looked like I was a sadist as well as a sex groupie.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
“Don’t be,” Vlad said. His fingers traced up my arm and he dropped his shields long enough for me to feel satisfaction rising him, mixed with the remains of his anger. He liked that I’d overreacted on his behalf, even if there had been no need. Then, he fixed Ian with a laserlike glare.
“Don’t ever bring that up again,” he said, his pleasant tone belying the scent of smoke starting to emanate from him.
The smile wiped from Ian’s face, replaced an expression I hadn’t seen before. On anyone else, I’d call it... sincerity. “I wasn’t making light. Men handle such things differently. Some heal and go on to live completely normal lives. Some abhor contact with others afterward, and some”-a shrug-“seek out all the contact they can get to prove that it’s their choice now. I simply needed to know if your history combined with your well-documented dislike of personal contact would be a stumbling block to our goals tonight.”
Ian continued to hold Vlad’s gaze, and the tension in the air changed. Anger gave way to an unspoken acknowledgement that made me glance away, suddenly feeling like I’d walked in on a very personal conversation. I wanted to tell Ian that I was sorry for what had happened to him, which was how I interpreted the subtext of his statements. But if I was right, Ian wouldn’t want my pity. No, if he was anything like Vlad, he’d scorn pity because he’d turned the pain from his former rape into steel that now made him unbreakable.
Then, abrupt as a thunderclap, Ian’s expression transformed into his usual mocking smirk.
“But, since we’ve established that you’re a very convincing actor – blimey, I’ll fantasize all night about that blazingly hot tongue! – let’s go find some sorcerers, shall we?”
“At The Pirate’s House restaurant,” I added, fighting a stab of ridiculous jealousy that made me want to inform Ian that Vlad’s tongue and every other scorching part of him was mine.
“Not The Pirate’s House, poppet,” Ian said, his grin turning knowing, as if he’d guessed at my surge of possessiveness. “Next to it.”
I followed his gaze, but saw nothing except an expanse of grass between the parking lot and the road. Or did he mean one of those smaller buildings to the right of the grassy expanse?
“Which one is it?” I said.
Ian pulled something grainy out of his pocket, then blew the glittering dust it contained right into my face. The sparkling cloud went right into my nose and mouth, burning as it made its way inside me.
Vlad grabbed Ian, snapping “What was that?” at the same time that I sputtered out, “What the hell?”
“That’s me pretending to be a gentleman,” Ian said, winking at me. “Ladies first, isn’t that the way it’s done?”
“First for what?” I began, then stopped. “Oh,” I breathed.
***
Into The Fire releases on February 28th, 2017. Preorder your copy here or at your favorite retailer: Into the Fire (Night Prince)
