Jeaniene Frost's Blog, page 32
January 8, 2014
Up From The Grave quotes and a snippet
Not much personal commentary from me because it's all writing, all the time until this book is done :). In lieu of my prattling on, I offer you the first eight quotes from the now-running Quote of the Day. Never heard of Quote of the Day? It's where the Frost Fans site moderators take random quotes from Up From The Grave and post them each day during the month of January, leaving readers to guess who said what, or why, or both. For daily quote updates from now until Up From The Grave releases on January 28th, go here. Here's what's been posted so far:
Quote #1: “Missed me, Kitten?”
Quote #2: “You must be taking a piss on me.”
Quote #3: “You know family.” My tone was clipped. ”Always a pain in the ass.”
Quote #4: My queen, his thoughts said reverently. My ass, I didn’t reply out loud.
Quote #5: Spade let out a sound; half growl, half hiss. “Don’t threaten me, Crispin.”
Quote #6: Of course. Because a six-foot-two, muscled, Master vampire known to be a centuries-old badass was the picture of helplessness.
Quote #7: “Why do you bother, Crispin? You married a fighter, so stop trying to convince her that the sidelines suit her better.”
Quote #8: "And you’re the same overbearing asshole you’ve always been,” Tate replied, eyes glinting green. ”But you’re right. For this, I’m your man.”
And now, here's a scene snippet from Up From The Grave. As a brief set-up, Cat needs something from Marie Laveau, and she knows the ghoul queen isn't going to want to do it.
***
A tropical storm churned up the waters in Lake Pontchartrain, tossing around the boat we’d stolen as if it were a toy in a bathtub. That wasn’t what had my stomach clenching in nervousness, though. Compared to what I was about to do, having the boat capsize would be a fun.
In the distance, the coastline we aimed for wasn’t lit up as much as usual. The storm had knocked the power out in several places, but loss of electricity was never the biggest concern for New Orleans. It was the levees. The CrescentCity was getting a direct hit, though luckily, with a tropical storm instead of a hurricane strong enough to breach the levees.
I didn’t know if the bad weather would help us or hurt my mission, but when Bones said, “Now, Kitten,” I jumped off the boat without hesitation. The weights I’d strapped on kept me well below the surface, yet as intended, they weren’t enough to send me to the bottom. The storm had made the water murky, though. Even with the mask keeping saltwater out of my eyes, my vision was limited to only a dozen feet in front of me, disorienting me.
I pressed a button on the specialized dive watch around my wrist. The green light it emitted matched the glow from my gaze as it showed a digital map. Then I gave a few experimental kicks with my new diving fins, pleased with how smoothly they propelled me through the water. I wanted all the help I could get to conserve my energy.
A few hours later, I crawled up the seawall that bordered the Mississippi River, stripping off my mask, full-body wet suit, and fins once I was back on land. Beneath that, I wore leggings and a long-sleeved top, both black like my dive shoes and dyed hair.
It might not be the ideal outfit for a steamy night in New Orleans, but my skin would announce me as a vampire to those who knew what to look for, and I didn’t want anyone to know I was paying a visit to the city’s most famous resident tonight. Marie had spies at every airport, train station, boat dock, and highway into New Orleans, but not even the voodoo and ghoul queen could have every square foot of the river watched, let alone the canals that led from Lake Pontchartrain to the mighty Mississippi. That’s why I’d swum in beneath the concealment of the waves, and why I now walked with what felt like agonizing slowness across the highway and up Fourth Street, heading toward the Garden District.
I didn’t need the map on my watch anymore. I’d visited the Garden District on my first trip here years ago with Bones. Like many others, I’d marveled at the beautiful, stately houses, some built before the Civil War. Prytania Street had been one of my favorites, and the two-story beige-and-pink house bordered by a gate with honeysuckle blooms peeking through the iron bars was one I remembered well.
Don had remembered it, too. It only took one glance at the online photo collage for him to say “That one,” while pointing a transparent finger at the screen. He’d been drawn to Marie’s home when he was hopping ley lines looking for me back when I had her grave power. For that reason, most ghosts probably knew where Marie lived. Other vampires and ghouls did, too, but only someone with a death wish would drop by unannounced.
That’s why Marie didn’t have guards posted. Her house also happened to be one of the few in the city that didn’t have ghosts loitering around it. Don told me that it felt “shielded,” meaning Marie had it stocked with burning sage, weed, and garlic. Even the voodoo queen must want a break from the supernatural once in a while.
Tonight, she wasn’t getting it. I hopped over the gate surrounding her property and strode up to the front door. Instead of knocking, I leveled it with one kick. That should get her attention, but in the unlikely event that it didn’t …
“Marie,” I called out in a loud voice. “We need to talk.”
Of course, my dramatic entrance would be wasted if she wasn’t home.
“Is that you, Reaper?” a familiar voice drawled, dispelling that concern. “And if so, have you lost your mind?”
Marie appeared at the top of the staircase on the second floor, wearing a white silk robe over a long ecru nightgown of the same material. Either she was calling it an early night or she’d been entertaining in a personal way. I didn’t care which I’d interrupted.
“Never been thinking clearer,” I responded shortly, “and I’m sure you know why I’m here.”
Marie smiled in that gracious way Southern women had perfected, but I didn’t let her pleasant expression fool me. She wasn’t a steel magnolia. She was an attack tank covered by a veil of roses.
“If you leave now, Reaper, I’ll consider not killing you.”
***
Quote #1: “Missed me, Kitten?”
Quote #2: “You must be taking a piss on me.”
Quote #3: “You know family.” My tone was clipped. ”Always a pain in the ass.”
Quote #4: My queen, his thoughts said reverently. My ass, I didn’t reply out loud.
Quote #5: Spade let out a sound; half growl, half hiss. “Don’t threaten me, Crispin.”
Quote #6: Of course. Because a six-foot-two, muscled, Master vampire known to be a centuries-old badass was the picture of helplessness.
Quote #7: “Why do you bother, Crispin? You married a fighter, so stop trying to convince her that the sidelines suit her better.”
Quote #8: "And you’re the same overbearing asshole you’ve always been,” Tate replied, eyes glinting green. ”But you’re right. For this, I’m your man.”
And now, here's a scene snippet from Up From The Grave. As a brief set-up, Cat needs something from Marie Laveau, and she knows the ghoul queen isn't going to want to do it.
***
A tropical storm churned up the waters in Lake Pontchartrain, tossing around the boat we’d stolen as if it were a toy in a bathtub. That wasn’t what had my stomach clenching in nervousness, though. Compared to what I was about to do, having the boat capsize would be a fun.
In the distance, the coastline we aimed for wasn’t lit up as much as usual. The storm had knocked the power out in several places, but loss of electricity was never the biggest concern for New Orleans. It was the levees. The CrescentCity was getting a direct hit, though luckily, with a tropical storm instead of a hurricane strong enough to breach the levees.
I didn’t know if the bad weather would help us or hurt my mission, but when Bones said, “Now, Kitten,” I jumped off the boat without hesitation. The weights I’d strapped on kept me well below the surface, yet as intended, they weren’t enough to send me to the bottom. The storm had made the water murky, though. Even with the mask keeping saltwater out of my eyes, my vision was limited to only a dozen feet in front of me, disorienting me.
I pressed a button on the specialized dive watch around my wrist. The green light it emitted matched the glow from my gaze as it showed a digital map. Then I gave a few experimental kicks with my new diving fins, pleased with how smoothly they propelled me through the water. I wanted all the help I could get to conserve my energy.
A few hours later, I crawled up the seawall that bordered the Mississippi River, stripping off my mask, full-body wet suit, and fins once I was back on land. Beneath that, I wore leggings and a long-sleeved top, both black like my dive shoes and dyed hair.
It might not be the ideal outfit for a steamy night in New Orleans, but my skin would announce me as a vampire to those who knew what to look for, and I didn’t want anyone to know I was paying a visit to the city’s most famous resident tonight. Marie had spies at every airport, train station, boat dock, and highway into New Orleans, but not even the voodoo and ghoul queen could have every square foot of the river watched, let alone the canals that led from Lake Pontchartrain to the mighty Mississippi. That’s why I’d swum in beneath the concealment of the waves, and why I now walked with what felt like agonizing slowness across the highway and up Fourth Street, heading toward the Garden District.
I didn’t need the map on my watch anymore. I’d visited the Garden District on my first trip here years ago with Bones. Like many others, I’d marveled at the beautiful, stately houses, some built before the Civil War. Prytania Street had been one of my favorites, and the two-story beige-and-pink house bordered by a gate with honeysuckle blooms peeking through the iron bars was one I remembered well.
Don had remembered it, too. It only took one glance at the online photo collage for him to say “That one,” while pointing a transparent finger at the screen. He’d been drawn to Marie’s home when he was hopping ley lines looking for me back when I had her grave power. For that reason, most ghosts probably knew where Marie lived. Other vampires and ghouls did, too, but only someone with a death wish would drop by unannounced.
That’s why Marie didn’t have guards posted. Her house also happened to be one of the few in the city that didn’t have ghosts loitering around it. Don told me that it felt “shielded,” meaning Marie had it stocked with burning sage, weed, and garlic. Even the voodoo queen must want a break from the supernatural once in a while.
Tonight, she wasn’t getting it. I hopped over the gate surrounding her property and strode up to the front door. Instead of knocking, I leveled it with one kick. That should get her attention, but in the unlikely event that it didn’t …
“Marie,” I called out in a loud voice. “We need to talk.”
Of course, my dramatic entrance would be wasted if she wasn’t home.
“Is that you, Reaper?” a familiar voice drawled, dispelling that concern. “And if so, have you lost your mind?”
Marie appeared at the top of the staircase on the second floor, wearing a white silk robe over a long ecru nightgown of the same material. Either she was calling it an early night or she’d been entertaining in a personal way. I didn’t care which I’d interrupted.
“Never been thinking clearer,” I responded shortly, “and I’m sure you know why I’m here.”
Marie smiled in that gracious way Southern women had perfected, but I didn’t let her pleasant expression fool me. She wasn’t a steel magnolia. She was an attack tank covered by a veil of roses.
“If you leave now, Reaper, I’ll consider not killing you.”
***
January 1, 2014
A sale, quotes, chat, and Happy New Year
Happy 2014, everyone! I saw this on Twitter the other day and thought it was funny, so I'm recopying here:
Hope the holidays treated you well, and of course, wishing all of you the best new year! I've been working through the holidays trying to finish The Beautiful Ashes, book one of the new Broken Destiny series. However, before I talk about a new beginning, let's go back to the conclusion of a series most of you know. Up From The Grave, the final Cat and Bones novel, releases the end of this month (January 28th). If you haven't seen the new book trailer, it's here. Every day from now until release day, the fabulous moderators over at Frost Fans will be posting random quotes from Up From The Grave. Have fun trying to guess who said what, and why :). So if you're interested, check out Frost Fans on Facebook or Twitter for the quotes. I picked some out, too *cue devious laughter*
Since the Night Huntress series is wrapping up with Up From The Grave, Barnes and Noble decided to do a promo on the novel that started it all: Halfway To The Grave. So, for a very short time, you can get the start of Cat and Bones's adventures for only $.99 in ebook. As of now, a few other retailers are matching the price, so grab the deal while you can! Nook, Kindle, OmniLit, iTunes . Don't have an e-reader? You don't need one to read ebooks. Details on that here.
As I reminder, I will be touring several cities to celebrate Up From The Grave's release. I hope to get a chance to meet some of you if you're in the area, so please check out my January/February schedule here. Not anywhere near those places but you'd still like to live chat with me? I have at least one live online/phone-in chat scheduled, on February 10th from 8-10pm EST at Literary Escapism. More details to come soon on that, but mark your calendars if you can make it!
Oh, and be sure to check out my Twitter and Facebook pages in the coming days. There might be an Arc giveaway of Up From The Grave coming your way on those sites ;).
If 2013 was an enemy, realize it is almost dead and you are yet alive. Show the corpse to 2014 as a warning.
— Evil Supply Co. (@EvilSupplyCo) December 29, 2013
Hope the holidays treated you well, and of course, wishing all of you the best new year! I've been working through the holidays trying to finish The Beautiful Ashes, book one of the new Broken Destiny series. However, before I talk about a new beginning, let's go back to the conclusion of a series most of you know. Up From The Grave, the final Cat and Bones novel, releases the end of this month (January 28th). If you haven't seen the new book trailer, it's here. Every day from now until release day, the fabulous moderators over at Frost Fans will be posting random quotes from Up From The Grave. Have fun trying to guess who said what, and why :). So if you're interested, check out Frost Fans on Facebook or Twitter for the quotes. I picked some out, too *cue devious laughter*
Since the Night Huntress series is wrapping up with Up From The Grave, Barnes and Noble decided to do a promo on the novel that started it all: Halfway To The Grave. So, for a very short time, you can get the start of Cat and Bones's adventures for only $.99 in ebook. As of now, a few other retailers are matching the price, so grab the deal while you can! Nook, Kindle, OmniLit, iTunes . Don't have an e-reader? You don't need one to read ebooks. Details on that here.
As I reminder, I will be touring several cities to celebrate Up From The Grave's release. I hope to get a chance to meet some of you if you're in the area, so please check out my January/February schedule here. Not anywhere near those places but you'd still like to live chat with me? I have at least one live online/phone-in chat scheduled, on February 10th from 8-10pm EST at Literary Escapism. More details to come soon on that, but mark your calendars if you can make it!
Oh, and be sure to check out my Twitter and Facebook pages in the coming days. There might be an Arc giveaway of Up From The Grave coming your way on those sites ;).
December 26, 2013
Contest winners and Up From The Grave book trailer
Hope everyone's been enjoying the holidays! As the subject line promises, here are the three winners of the Up From The Grave Arc (advance reading copy) contest:
Laura Brenton, Kathy Tagaloa, and Dale Haagen.
All contest winners were contacted by email on the 24th. One hasn't replied yet. I'll give the person four more business days and then draw a new winner, so stay tuned.
I know that 99% of you who entered didn't get good news, so here's a little something so you don't walk away completely empty-handed :). Below is the book trailer for Up From The Grave. It has sound, so if you're listening at work and don't want to get caught, hit the "mute" button. Trailer by Book Candy Studios. Enjoy!
Link to the trailer here.
Laura Brenton, Kathy Tagaloa, and Dale Haagen.
All contest winners were contacted by email on the 24th. One hasn't replied yet. I'll give the person four more business days and then draw a new winner, so stay tuned.
I know that 99% of you who entered didn't get good news, so here's a little something so you don't walk away completely empty-handed :). Below is the book trailer for Up From The Grave. It has sound, so if you're listening at work and don't want to get caught, hit the "mute" button. Trailer by Book Candy Studios. Enjoy!
Link to the trailer here.
December 18, 2013
Appearances update and Up From The Grave Arc contest
First, an apology. I posted the wrong date for my upcoming appearance at Malaprops in Asheville, NC. The correct date is January 29th at 7pm. To see a full list of the cities I'll be traveling to in January/February while celebrating Up From The Grave's release, please go here. As a reminder, Up From The Grave, the final Cat and Bones novel, releases on January 28th.
Second - and probably why most of you clicked on this post :) - I'm hosting an Arc contest for an early look at Up From The Grave. Arcs are advanced reading copies, for those of you not familiar, and aside from a few more grammar/spelling errors, they're the same as the published version of the story. So, if you're interested in winning one of 3 (three) copies of Up From The Grave, follow the rules below:
1. Send an email to jeanieneprizes AT gmail DOT com. (obviously replace the “AT” with an “@” and the “DOT” with a “.” in your email.)
2. Make sure to include your name and the email address you want to be contacted at if you win, if it’s not the email you’re sending your entry from.
3. You can only enter ONCE. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
4. You are 18 years of age old or older, and/or you have the consent of your parent/guardian (this book has adult content)
Contest opens today and ends on Monday, December 23rd at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be contacted by email and announced on my blog. International entries are welcome. Good luck!
Second - and probably why most of you clicked on this post :) - I'm hosting an Arc contest for an early look at Up From The Grave. Arcs are advanced reading copies, for those of you not familiar, and aside from a few more grammar/spelling errors, they're the same as the published version of the story. So, if you're interested in winning one of 3 (three) copies of Up From The Grave, follow the rules below:1. Send an email to jeanieneprizes AT gmail DOT com. (obviously replace the “AT” with an “@” and the “DOT” with a “.” in your email.)
2. Make sure to include your name and the email address you want to be contacted at if you win, if it’s not the email you’re sending your entry from.
3. You can only enter ONCE. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
4. You are 18 years of age old or older, and/or you have the consent of your parent/guardian (this book has adult content)
Contest opens today and ends on Monday, December 23rd at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be contacted by email and announced on my blog. International entries are welcome. Good luck!
December 7, 2013
January/February appearances and UP FROM THE GRAVE scene snippet
Hi, all! I've heard back from my publisher, and here are the cities I'll be traveling to while celebrating Up From The Grave's release on January 28th. For every store except Malaprops, author Pamela Palmer will be my tour partner as she celebrates the release of Wulfe Untamed.
January 28th Malaprops Book Store in Asheville, NC at 7pm. Event will be live-streamed online; link to follow.
January 30th: Barnes and Noble in Cary, NC at 7pm
January 31st: Laurelwood Books in Memphis, TN at 6:30pm
February 1st: Joseph Beth Book in Lexington, KY. Time to be determined
February 2nd: Books and Co. in Dayton, OH at 2pm
February 4th: Barnes and Noble in Homestead, PA at 7pm
February 15th: Turn The Page book store in Boonsboro, MD at 2pm. (I believe Nora Roberts and other authors will be at this signing, too. Confirmation to come.)
Hope to see some of you there!
Also, I've been promising to post a scene from Up From The Grave, so here you go. Don't worry, there aren't any plot spoilers, which is why it's been hard finding something to post since so many scenes have spoilers. Also, since Ian has a lot of fans, I chose one with him in it :). As a brief setup description, Cat and Bones are staking out someone with important information, and Ian has chosen to tag along. Hope you enjoy!
Copyright UP FROM THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost:
***
“We could follow her home, take her there,” I suggested.
“She doesn’t live around here,” a sleep-thickened voice stated from the backseat.
Ian. I’d almost forgotten he was here, probably because he’d been napping the past seven hours while Bones and I staked out the parking garage. Now he sat up in a slouch, sliding his black satin sleep mask up to his hairline.
“She’d live near the pickup point, not the drop-off location,” he continued, blinking at the bright sunlight streaming into our car. “Which one is she?”
“The brunette wearing the UPS uniform,” I said, pointing at her as she walked briskly toward the elevator. From our parked position on top of a hill across the street, we had a good view of the multi-level garage, which was why we’d chosen the spot.
Ian stared until she disappeared inside the elevator. Then he glanced back at me.
“Don’t fret, poppet. I’ll get her.”
“We need to do this discreetly. If I wanted to make a colossal scene, I’d just drag her off kicking and screaming now,” I said, not adding, “dumb ass” only because he was family.
“She’ll come without a fuss,” Ian said with confidence.
“You can’t green-eye her in the elevator, it’ll have video surveillance. So will the garage,” I retorted.
“I don’t need these,” Ian said, flashing emerald in his turquoise gaze for a split second, “when I have this.”
With a casual swipe of his hand, he ripped his shirt open, causing buttons to fly everywhere. Another swipe took his sleep mask all the way off. Finally, he finger-combed his shoulder-length hair and smiled at his reflection in the rearview mirror.
“I am, after all, irresistible.”
I couldn’t contain my snort. “I resisted you just fine the day we met, or don’t you remember me sticking a knife in your chest?”
Ian smiled with lazy wickedness. “I remember, but you seem to have forgotten that you kissed me first. And thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Caught off guard, I flushed. Hey, I’d been celibate for over four years at the time—I hadn't been thinking clearly!
“Ian,” Bones drew out warningly.
He waved a hand. “Stop growling, Crispin. I’m well over my former attraction to your wife, but the point remains that I’m stunning.”
With that, he got out of the car and sauntered off with his open shirt flapping behind him like twin mini capes.
“Get back here,” I hissed, not shouting only because we were still trying to be incognito.
Ian blew a kiss over his shoulder and kept walking, heading down the hill toward the parking garage. Bones stayed my hand when I would’ve yanked the car door open to go after him.
“Let him try, Kitten. Hooks work best when they’re baited.”
They did, but the female courier came off as too shrewd to bite into this particular piece of bait. I only hoped Ian didn’t blow our cover after his bare-chested sashaying failed to sweep her off her feet.
“For the record, I tried to stop this,” I said grimly. Then I turned my attention back to Ian.
The afternoon sun gave his copper-hued hair golden highlights and he made sure that the hard lines of his chest and abdomen were on full display as his pace kept his shirt billowing behind him. Grudgingly, I had to admit that several heads turned, and more than a few cars slowed down as female drivers gave him a second, third, and fourth look. Ian responded by flashing them a dazzling smile, making him appear almost angelic to anyone who didn’t know that he was a conscienceless slut.
As he crossed the street, a downward tug on his waistband had his jeans sitting even lower on his hips. Another couple inches, and he’d be flashing groin cleavage, and from the avid stares aimed his way, that could be met with spontaneous applause.
“Have some dignity, ladies,” I muttered.
Then Ian surprised me by grabbing the nearest bystander who wasn’t gawking at him and yanking the man close enough to kiss. For a second, I wondered what the hell he was doing, but Bones said, “She’s back,” and my gaze snapped to the parking garage elevator again.
The brunette got out on the street level and headed straight to the sidewalk where she’d parked. No surprise to see that the briefcase she’d arrived with was now gone. From her thoughts, she was less watchful since the drop had been successfully made, but she still gave her surroundings a thorough once-over as she walked toward her car.
Which meant she saw Ian the moment he staggered into her path, the stranger he’d accosted now shoving him and ripping at his pants. My brows went up, but then the man snatched Ian’s wallet out of his front pocket and, with a final shove that sent him sprawling, ran off.
“Blasted sod stole my wallet!” Ian shouted.
The brunette paused about a dozen feet away. I was focused on her thoughts, so I knew the moment when her natural—and correct!—wariness was trumped by something else. She stared at Ian, who was on his back with his legs splayed and head bent. Then he flipped his hair back, revealing his face as he sat up so slowly, you couldn’t help but notice the muscles rippling across his chest and abs.
Oh yeah, he was piling it on thick.
“Do you have a mobile?” he asked, his English accent more pronounced. “I should call the police. I’ve just been robbed.”
“Mobile? You mean cell phone?” she asked while Stop STARING, Barbara! flashed across her mind.
Barbara. Now we knew her real name. No one used an alias to talk to themselves.
“Yes,” he said. Then he looked down at his bare chest, as if he hadn’t ripped his shirt open himself.
“What a state I’m in,” Ian continued, actually managing to sound rueful and shaken at the same time. “Bloke near tore my clothes off trying to get my wallet. Drugs, I suspect.”
Caution urged Barbara to leave the gorgeous stranger alone, but she ignored that and came closer anyway. I was both glad and disgusted. Way to blow up Ian’s ego and deflate feminism at the same time, Barb!
Then a cluster of people blocked them from view. I tensed, ready to spring into action, but in the next moment, feminine choruses of “You poor thing!” “Are you okay?” and “Let me help you!” rang out.
Ian’s other admirers had descended on the scene.
“Unbelievable,” I breathed. By merely walking down the street shirtless, he’d managed to round up a harem.
“Ladies, thank you, but I’m well taken care of,” Ian said. Barbara’s thoughts split between logic telling her to leave and pleasure over the handsome man’s confidence in her. When Ian continued to rebuff the other women in favor of her, her indecisiveness crumpled.
“Are all of you deaf?” she snapped, her authoritative voice rising above the others. “Leave, before he calls the cops for harassment, too!”
With a few final grumbles, the would-be harem dispersed, allowing me to see the look of gratitude mixed with sensual promise that Ian bestowed on Barbara.
That did it. She closed the last few feet between them without hesitation, holding out her cell phone. When his fingers curled around hers as he took it, “Cold hands,” drifted through her mind before his gaze locked onto hers and lit up with bright, mesmerizing green.
Oh shit, was her last conscious thought.
“I told you this would be easy,” Ian said, and he wasn’t talking to her.
Bones started the car. I looked away, not needing to see Ian climb into Barbara’s to know that the two of them would soon be following us.
“There’ll be no living with him now,” I said under my breath.
Bones grunted in amusement. “As always, Kitten.”
***
January 28th Malaprops Book Store in Asheville, NC at 7pm. Event will be live-streamed online; link to follow.
January 30th: Barnes and Noble in Cary, NC at 7pm
January 31st: Laurelwood Books in Memphis, TN at 6:30pm
February 1st: Joseph Beth Book in Lexington, KY. Time to be determined
February 2nd: Books and Co. in Dayton, OH at 2pm
February 4th: Barnes and Noble in Homestead, PA at 7pm
February 15th: Turn The Page book store in Boonsboro, MD at 2pm. (I believe Nora Roberts and other authors will be at this signing, too. Confirmation to come.)
Hope to see some of you there!
Also, I've been promising to post a scene from Up From The Grave, so here you go. Don't worry, there aren't any plot spoilers, which is why it's been hard finding something to post since so many scenes have spoilers. Also, since Ian has a lot of fans, I chose one with him in it :). As a brief setup description, Cat and Bones are staking out someone with important information, and Ian has chosen to tag along. Hope you enjoy!
Copyright UP FROM THE GRAVE by Jeaniene Frost:
***
“We could follow her home, take her there,” I suggested.
“She doesn’t live around here,” a sleep-thickened voice stated from the backseat.
Ian. I’d almost forgotten he was here, probably because he’d been napping the past seven hours while Bones and I staked out the parking garage. Now he sat up in a slouch, sliding his black satin sleep mask up to his hairline.
“She’d live near the pickup point, not the drop-off location,” he continued, blinking at the bright sunlight streaming into our car. “Which one is she?”
“The brunette wearing the UPS uniform,” I said, pointing at her as she walked briskly toward the elevator. From our parked position on top of a hill across the street, we had a good view of the multi-level garage, which was why we’d chosen the spot.
Ian stared until she disappeared inside the elevator. Then he glanced back at me.
“Don’t fret, poppet. I’ll get her.”
“We need to do this discreetly. If I wanted to make a colossal scene, I’d just drag her off kicking and screaming now,” I said, not adding, “dumb ass” only because he was family.
“She’ll come without a fuss,” Ian said with confidence.
“You can’t green-eye her in the elevator, it’ll have video surveillance. So will the garage,” I retorted.
“I don’t need these,” Ian said, flashing emerald in his turquoise gaze for a split second, “when I have this.”
With a casual swipe of his hand, he ripped his shirt open, causing buttons to fly everywhere. Another swipe took his sleep mask all the way off. Finally, he finger-combed his shoulder-length hair and smiled at his reflection in the rearview mirror.
“I am, after all, irresistible.”
I couldn’t contain my snort. “I resisted you just fine the day we met, or don’t you remember me sticking a knife in your chest?”
Ian smiled with lazy wickedness. “I remember, but you seem to have forgotten that you kissed me first. And thoroughly enjoyed it.”
Caught off guard, I flushed. Hey, I’d been celibate for over four years at the time—I hadn't been thinking clearly!
“Ian,” Bones drew out warningly.
He waved a hand. “Stop growling, Crispin. I’m well over my former attraction to your wife, but the point remains that I’m stunning.”
With that, he got out of the car and sauntered off with his open shirt flapping behind him like twin mini capes.
“Get back here,” I hissed, not shouting only because we were still trying to be incognito.
Ian blew a kiss over his shoulder and kept walking, heading down the hill toward the parking garage. Bones stayed my hand when I would’ve yanked the car door open to go after him.
“Let him try, Kitten. Hooks work best when they’re baited.”
They did, but the female courier came off as too shrewd to bite into this particular piece of bait. I only hoped Ian didn’t blow our cover after his bare-chested sashaying failed to sweep her off her feet.
“For the record, I tried to stop this,” I said grimly. Then I turned my attention back to Ian.
The afternoon sun gave his copper-hued hair golden highlights and he made sure that the hard lines of his chest and abdomen were on full display as his pace kept his shirt billowing behind him. Grudgingly, I had to admit that several heads turned, and more than a few cars slowed down as female drivers gave him a second, third, and fourth look. Ian responded by flashing them a dazzling smile, making him appear almost angelic to anyone who didn’t know that he was a conscienceless slut.
As he crossed the street, a downward tug on his waistband had his jeans sitting even lower on his hips. Another couple inches, and he’d be flashing groin cleavage, and from the avid stares aimed his way, that could be met with spontaneous applause.
“Have some dignity, ladies,” I muttered.
Then Ian surprised me by grabbing the nearest bystander who wasn’t gawking at him and yanking the man close enough to kiss. For a second, I wondered what the hell he was doing, but Bones said, “She’s back,” and my gaze snapped to the parking garage elevator again.
The brunette got out on the street level and headed straight to the sidewalk where she’d parked. No surprise to see that the briefcase she’d arrived with was now gone. From her thoughts, she was less watchful since the drop had been successfully made, but she still gave her surroundings a thorough once-over as she walked toward her car.
Which meant she saw Ian the moment he staggered into her path, the stranger he’d accosted now shoving him and ripping at his pants. My brows went up, but then the man snatched Ian’s wallet out of his front pocket and, with a final shove that sent him sprawling, ran off.
“Blasted sod stole my wallet!” Ian shouted.
The brunette paused about a dozen feet away. I was focused on her thoughts, so I knew the moment when her natural—and correct!—wariness was trumped by something else. She stared at Ian, who was on his back with his legs splayed and head bent. Then he flipped his hair back, revealing his face as he sat up so slowly, you couldn’t help but notice the muscles rippling across his chest and abs.
Oh yeah, he was piling it on thick.
“Do you have a mobile?” he asked, his English accent more pronounced. “I should call the police. I’ve just been robbed.”
“Mobile? You mean cell phone?” she asked while Stop STARING, Barbara! flashed across her mind.
Barbara. Now we knew her real name. No one used an alias to talk to themselves.
“Yes,” he said. Then he looked down at his bare chest, as if he hadn’t ripped his shirt open himself.
“What a state I’m in,” Ian continued, actually managing to sound rueful and shaken at the same time. “Bloke near tore my clothes off trying to get my wallet. Drugs, I suspect.”
Caution urged Barbara to leave the gorgeous stranger alone, but she ignored that and came closer anyway. I was both glad and disgusted. Way to blow up Ian’s ego and deflate feminism at the same time, Barb!
Then a cluster of people blocked them from view. I tensed, ready to spring into action, but in the next moment, feminine choruses of “You poor thing!” “Are you okay?” and “Let me help you!” rang out.
Ian’s other admirers had descended on the scene.
“Unbelievable,” I breathed. By merely walking down the street shirtless, he’d managed to round up a harem.
“Ladies, thank you, but I’m well taken care of,” Ian said. Barbara’s thoughts split between logic telling her to leave and pleasure over the handsome man’s confidence in her. When Ian continued to rebuff the other women in favor of her, her indecisiveness crumpled.
“Are all of you deaf?” she snapped, her authoritative voice rising above the others. “Leave, before he calls the cops for harassment, too!”
With a few final grumbles, the would-be harem dispersed, allowing me to see the look of gratitude mixed with sensual promise that Ian bestowed on Barbara.
That did it. She closed the last few feet between them without hesitation, holding out her cell phone. When his fingers curled around hers as he took it, “Cold hands,” drifted through her mind before his gaze locked onto hers and lit up with bright, mesmerizing green.
Oh shit, was her last conscious thought.
“I told you this would be easy,” Ian said, and he wasn’t talking to her.
Bones started the car. I looked away, not needing to see Ian climb into Barbara’s to know that the two of them would soon be following us.
“There’ll be no living with him now,” I said under my breath.
Bones grunted in amusement. “As always, Kitten.”
***
December 5, 2013
Clean Sweep
Many of you know that I'm friends with Ilona Andrews. She's a #1 New York Times bestselling author and all-around great lady (plus, if you ever get the chance, ply her with Long Island iced tea! I promise that hilarity will ensure ;)).
A while ago, Ilona started releasing free bits of a new paranormal serial story online (I described it as "Men In Black" meets the UF genre). Readers, not surprisingly, clamored for more. Eventually, Ilona decided to have the story professionally edited, commissioned original digital artwork for the characters as well as the book cover, and re-released it in its entirety for purchase. As you can imagine, she had quite a few people tell her that she was putting too much time, effort, and money into something that wouldn't pay off because she'd previously posted the story for free.
CLEAN SWEEP, the first story in the Innkeeper Chronicles, released this week on Amazon and B&N, where it's currently rocking a 5-star review rating and a kick-ass sales ranking. Of course, I couldn't be happier for Ilona. I also think it's really cool that CLEAN SWEEP has character artwork pasted right into the story. Aside from comics or graphic novels, I can't remember seeing that in regular ebooks, but I wouldn't mind if it become a trend. Here's the info on CLEAN SWEEP, if you want to check it out:
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is…different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, “normal” is a bit of a stretch for Dina.
And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night… Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything. This is a short novel, about 60,000 words. Read an excerpt.
Amazon | BN | Amazon UK | Additional retailers will be added as the upload goes through.
A while ago, Ilona started releasing free bits of a new paranormal serial story online (I described it as "Men In Black" meets the UF genre). Readers, not surprisingly, clamored for more. Eventually, Ilona decided to have the story professionally edited, commissioned original digital artwork for the characters as well as the book cover, and re-released it in its entirety for purchase. As you can imagine, she had quite a few people tell her that she was putting too much time, effort, and money into something that wouldn't pay off because she'd previously posted the story for free.
CLEAN SWEEP, the first story in the Innkeeper Chronicles, released this week on Amazon and B&N, where it's currently rocking a 5-star review rating and a kick-ass sales ranking. Of course, I couldn't be happier for Ilona. I also think it's really cool that CLEAN SWEEP has character artwork pasted right into the story. Aside from comics or graphic novels, I can't remember seeing that in regular ebooks, but I wouldn't mind if it become a trend. Here's the info on CLEAN SWEEP, if you want to check it out:
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is…different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, “normal” is a bit of a stretch for Dina.And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night… Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything. This is a short novel, about 60,000 words. Read an excerpt.
Amazon | BN | Amazon UK | Additional retailers will be added as the upload goes through.
November 27, 2013
Giveaway winners and new series title name
Hi everyone! Back when I announced the new NA series that I'm writing, I mentioned that the series title of "Realmwalker" might change. Well, last week I heard from the peeps at HQN that it had indeed been kicked back and a new series title would need to be picked. (Side note: This isn't unusual. I'd initially called my Cat and Bones books the "Red Reaper" series, but Marketing/Publicity thought that was too horror-ish, so after some brainstorming, we came up with the "Night Huntress" series.)
Anyway, back to the NA series. After many ideas had been suggested and discarded, I took to Twitter to get some help. Lots of you Tweeted me with great suggestions (much better than mine had been! Lol) but of course, only one could be chosen. Bogo_lode from Twitter submitted the suggestion that me, my agent, my new editor, and the Marketing team at HQN loved, so now, my upcoming NA series will be called...
The "Broken Destiny" series. Book one, The Beautiful Ashes, releases September 2014.
I can't release the back cover description yet - and I SO want to! - but look for more information about this coming soon :).
And now, to the winners of last week's contest featuring a free digital audio book download of Once Burned. I said there would only be seven winners randomly selected, but HarperAudio graciously sent me more download cards, so I was able to select twelve winners instead. All winners have already been notified by email (check your email if you entered!) and here are their names:
Gecci73, Karyn S., Star H., Susan C.,Barbara B., Sue M., Marcia D., Valerie L., Krista D., Amanda M., Sarah M., and Kimberly J.
Congrats to the winners! If your name isn't there, sorry, but I WILL be holding several more contests between now and the end of the year, so check back! Arc contests for Up From The Grave will be among them.
That's it from me for now. Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Hanukkah, too!
Anyway, back to the NA series. After many ideas had been suggested and discarded, I took to Twitter to get some help. Lots of you Tweeted me with great suggestions (much better than mine had been! Lol) but of course, only one could be chosen. Bogo_lode from Twitter submitted the suggestion that me, my agent, my new editor, and the Marketing team at HQN loved, so now, my upcoming NA series will be called...
The "Broken Destiny" series. Book one, The Beautiful Ashes, releases September 2014.
I can't release the back cover description yet - and I SO want to! - but look for more information about this coming soon :).
And now, to the winners of last week's contest featuring a free digital audio book download of Once Burned. I said there would only be seven winners randomly selected, but HarperAudio graciously sent me more download cards, so I was able to select twelve winners instead. All winners have already been notified by email (check your email if you entered!) and here are their names:
Gecci73, Karyn S., Star H., Susan C.,Barbara B., Sue M., Marcia D., Valerie L., Krista D., Amanda M., Sarah M., and Kimberly J.
Congrats to the winners! If your name isn't there, sorry, but I WILL be holding several more contests between now and the end of the year, so check back! Arc contests for Up From The Grave will be among them.
That's it from me for now. Happy Thanksgiving, and Happy Hanukkah, too!
November 21, 2013
Giveaway and other "giveaways"
The holidays are almost upon us (how did that happen, you wonder?? Me, too!) and in addition to kicking off the first of several giveaways that I promised, I wanted to talk briefly about some other "giveaways" going on.
I'd never heard of Operation Christmas Child until the other weekend, when a young man named Alex came to speak at my church. His story started out as grim as you can get: He lived through the Rwandan genocide, but most of his family did not. When he was four, he watched as his grandmother, his primary caretaker after his mother died, was tortured and murdered by their neighbors. His aunt and uncle took him and his brother in, but then his uncle was murdered, and not long after, his aunt died. Alex was also targeted, and narrowly escaped death on several occasions (the genocide didn't spare children). Before she passed on, his aunt made arrangements for him and his brother to enter a local orphanage, and that's where they stayed until they were adopted by an American family several years later.
Alex talked about how one of the bright spots during those dark years was receiving a "shoe box" from Operation Christmas Child, which was filled with practical and fun gifts. He said getting the box made him feel like the world had not forgotten him, although he had every reason to believe it had. Now an adult, Alex is involved in Operation Christmas Child, and recently delivered shoe boxes to the orphanage in Rwanda where he used to live. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 100 million gift boxes to needy children all around the world (food and medical supplies are handled through Samaritan's Purse). To see a video of Alex telling his story, go here. If you are interested in knowing more about this charity, go here.
Doctors Without Borders is a charity I've been involved with for years now. If you're not familiar with them, Doctors Without Borders (or Médecins Sans Frontières) provides medical aid to countries most in need, whether by violence, epidemics, or natural disasters. In addition to medical treatment, vaccines, opening hospitals, water sanitation, and providing nutrition, they also are activists by bringing attention to often-overlooked humanitarian crisis's. To watch a video about DWB, go here.
Sometimes, the issues affecting our world seem so overwhelming that it feels like only the super-rich can do anything about them, but if everyone who wanted to help found a way to donate $5.00 this holiday season (and there are countless great charities, plus Charity Navigator can help you avoid the scam ones), it would make a difference. As Mother Teresa once said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
And now, to my giveaway, which pales in comparison to what these organizations are doing, but if it brings a smile to someone's face, that's a start :). Courtesy of HarperAudio, I have 7 (seven) free digital audiobook downloads of Once Burned up for grabs, narrated by the very talented Tavia Gilbert. Note: In order to get the free download, HarperAudio requires that you enter your email address for their mailing list (I can't make it avoid this step, sorry!) However, once you download the audiobook, you can cancel your subscription to their mailing list, if you choose.
If you’re interested in winning a digital audio download of Once Burned:
1. Send an email to jeanieneprizes AT gmail DOT com. (obviously replace the “AT” with an “@” and the “DOT” with a “.” in your email.)
2. Make sure to include your name and the email address you want to be contacted at if you win, if it’s not the email you’re sending your entry from.
3. You can only enter ONCE. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
Contest opens today and ends on Monday, November 25th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be contacted by email and announced on my blog. International entries are welcome. Good luck!
I'd never heard of Operation Christmas Child until the other weekend, when a young man named Alex came to speak at my church. His story started out as grim as you can get: He lived through the Rwandan genocide, but most of his family did not. When he was four, he watched as his grandmother, his primary caretaker after his mother died, was tortured and murdered by their neighbors. His aunt and uncle took him and his brother in, but then his uncle was murdered, and not long after, his aunt died. Alex was also targeted, and narrowly escaped death on several occasions (the genocide didn't spare children). Before she passed on, his aunt made arrangements for him and his brother to enter a local orphanage, and that's where they stayed until they were adopted by an American family several years later.
Alex talked about how one of the bright spots during those dark years was receiving a "shoe box" from Operation Christmas Child, which was filled with practical and fun gifts. He said getting the box made him feel like the world had not forgotten him, although he had every reason to believe it had. Now an adult, Alex is involved in Operation Christmas Child, and recently delivered shoe boxes to the orphanage in Rwanda where he used to live. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 100 million gift boxes to needy children all around the world (food and medical supplies are handled through Samaritan's Purse). To see a video of Alex telling his story, go here. If you are interested in knowing more about this charity, go here.
Doctors Without Borders is a charity I've been involved with for years now. If you're not familiar with them, Doctors Without Borders (or Médecins Sans Frontières) provides medical aid to countries most in need, whether by violence, epidemics, or natural disasters. In addition to medical treatment, vaccines, opening hospitals, water sanitation, and providing nutrition, they also are activists by bringing attention to often-overlooked humanitarian crisis's. To watch a video about DWB, go here.
Sometimes, the issues affecting our world seem so overwhelming that it feels like only the super-rich can do anything about them, but if everyone who wanted to help found a way to donate $5.00 this holiday season (and there are countless great charities, plus Charity Navigator can help you avoid the scam ones), it would make a difference. As Mother Teresa once said, "If you can't feed a hundred people, then feed just one."
And now, to my giveaway, which pales in comparison to what these organizations are doing, but if it brings a smile to someone's face, that's a start :). Courtesy of HarperAudio, I have 7 (seven) free digital audiobook downloads of Once Burned up for grabs, narrated by the very talented Tavia Gilbert. Note: In order to get the free download, HarperAudio requires that you enter your email address for their mailing list (I can't make it avoid this step, sorry!) However, once you download the audiobook, you can cancel your subscription to their mailing list, if you choose.
If you’re interested in winning a digital audio download of Once Burned:
1. Send an email to jeanieneprizes AT gmail DOT com. (obviously replace the “AT” with an “@” and the “DOT” with a “.” in your email.)
2. Make sure to include your name and the email address you want to be contacted at if you win, if it’s not the email you’re sending your entry from.
3. You can only enter ONCE. Duplicate entries will be deleted.
Contest opens today and ends on Monday, November 25th at 11:59pm EST. Winners will be contacted by email and announced on my blog. International entries are welcome. Good luck!
November 15, 2013
Topic salad
This post will be all over the place, as the subject line implies. To start, thanks so much to the reviewers at Romantic Times! Twice Tempted is one of the nominees for Best Vampire Romance. Last year, Vlad took home the trophy in this category for Once Burned, so it's extra flattering to see his second novel get a nominee nod. For the full list of categories and nominees, go here.
Next, my publisher is working on signing stops for Up From The Grave's release, and while several stores are still pending*, here are a few that have already confirmed:
January 28th, Malaprops , Asheville, NC. Time tbd.
February 1st or 2nd, Booksellers At Laurelwood, Memphis, TN. Specific date/time tbd.
February 15th, Turn The Page, Boonsboro, MD. Time tbd.
As mentioned, more stores and information to follow once I have it.
Switching gears, Ilona Andrews has an excellent post on her blog about NaNo, or National Novel Writing Month. I second Ilona's comments**, with an added admission that if I didn't give myself permission to write "crap" I wouldn't get anything written at all. My internal editor is a nasty bitch who tells me that nothing I write is good enough, and if I didn't gag that inner editor before I sat at my keyboard, I'd never be a published author (I do, however, un-gag her during revisions so she can tear the completed manuscript a new one ;)). The point is, just because NaNo advocates writing more than revising at this stage of the process, doesn't mean its purpose is to have writers query/self-publish first drafts that were written as fast as possible. To me, it's more a place where writers can get encouragement to keep plugging away at their story while knowing full well that edits, re-writes, and further work will come. To that I say, right there with you, NaNo-ers, and best of luck.
Next up, two*** different sites are doing read-alongs of the Night Huntress series in anticipation of Up From The Grave's release. All Things Urban Fantasy has already completed Halfway to the Grave and they're starting One Foot In The Grave next week, with some added behind-the-scenes commentary from me that I've never revealed in public before.
Also, Literary Escapism starts their Night Huntress re-read on December second. They even made a cool icon for it (I'm a sucker for pictures!) At the end of it in January, I'll be popping by their site for a Q&A.
Finally, here's a head's up that I'll be running giveaways soon on my blog, plus posting snippets from Up From The Grave, so be sure to check back if you don't want to miss those :). Now, back to writing. Happy Friday, everyone!
* Please don't ask "Are you coming to ______ city?" because I don't know yet. My publisher is setting up the schedule, and as soon as I know where/when I'm going, I promise to pass the information along.
**Although I don't write every day. On deadline, I write 5-6 days a week. If I'm not on deadline, I will happily take a couple weeks away from writing to clear my brain from the previous novel. Longer if possible.
***There may be more sites doing NH re-reads, but I don't know, and anyhow, I can't participate in every re-read because I'm on deadline.
Next, my publisher is working on signing stops for Up From The Grave's release, and while several stores are still pending*, here are a few that have already confirmed:
January 28th, Malaprops , Asheville, NC. Time tbd.
February 1st or 2nd, Booksellers At Laurelwood, Memphis, TN. Specific date/time tbd.
February 15th, Turn The Page, Boonsboro, MD. Time tbd.
As mentioned, more stores and information to follow once I have it.
Switching gears, Ilona Andrews has an excellent post on her blog about NaNo, or National Novel Writing Month. I second Ilona's comments**, with an added admission that if I didn't give myself permission to write "crap" I wouldn't get anything written at all. My internal editor is a nasty bitch who tells me that nothing I write is good enough, and if I didn't gag that inner editor before I sat at my keyboard, I'd never be a published author (I do, however, un-gag her during revisions so she can tear the completed manuscript a new one ;)). The point is, just because NaNo advocates writing more than revising at this stage of the process, doesn't mean its purpose is to have writers query/self-publish first drafts that were written as fast as possible. To me, it's more a place where writers can get encouragement to keep plugging away at their story while knowing full well that edits, re-writes, and further work will come. To that I say, right there with you, NaNo-ers, and best of luck.
Next up, two*** different sites are doing read-alongs of the Night Huntress series in anticipation of Up From The Grave's release. All Things Urban Fantasy has already completed Halfway to the Grave and they're starting One Foot In The Grave next week, with some added behind-the-scenes commentary from me that I've never revealed in public before.
Also, Literary Escapism starts their Night Huntress re-read on December second. They even made a cool icon for it (I'm a sucker for pictures!) At the end of it in January, I'll be popping by their site for a Q&A.Finally, here's a head's up that I'll be running giveaways soon on my blog, plus posting snippets from Up From The Grave, so be sure to check back if you don't want to miss those :). Now, back to writing. Happy Friday, everyone!
* Please don't ask "Are you coming to ______ city?" because I don't know yet. My publisher is setting up the schedule, and as soon as I know where/when I'm going, I promise to pass the information along.
**Although I don't write every day. On deadline, I write 5-6 days a week. If I'm not on deadline, I will happily take a couple weeks away from writing to clear my brain from the previous novel. Longer if possible.
***There may be more sites doing NH re-reads, but I don't know, and anyhow, I can't participate in every re-read because I'm on deadline.
November 11, 2013
If you think YOU'RE frustrated...
Among other things, November is when the online group NaNo (for National Novel Writing month) kicks off, with the goal of supporting writers who want to start and/or complete a novel during the month of November. If you're participating in NaNo and you could use an example of someone struggling with their art more than you*, I give you Angry Guitar Man. I saw clips of this video while watching World's Dumbest recently, and in between fits of laughing, I also felt a twisted sort of empathy. Although I've never kicked things, destroyed my creative instrument (a computer, since I'm a writer) or sworn quite so vehemently, this is a pretty good example of how frustrated I've felt on the inside when I'm working on a scene that just isn't coming together ;).
Warning: Not safe for work, children, or pretty much any place in public! Angry Guitar Player drops more F-bombs than my character Cat in her foulest mood, and no guitar is safe around him.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
*Or, like me, you're a writer on deadline and time seems to be moving at an accelerated pace although your word count isn't.
Happy Monday, everyone!
Warning: Not safe for work, children, or pretty much any place in public! Angry Guitar Player drops more F-bombs than my character Cat in her foulest mood, and no guitar is safe around him.
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
*Or, like me, you're a writer on deadline and time seems to be moving at an accelerated pace although your word count isn't.
Happy Monday, everyone!
