Jeaniene Frost's Blog, page 41
May 15, 2012
Eternal Kiss of Darkness sale & new contest
Link here: http://jeanienefrost.com/2012/05/eter...
Thanks!
Jeaniene
May 8, 2012
New Arc contest for Once Burned
http://vampirebookclub.net/jeaniene-f...
Good luck!
May 2, 2012
New ONCE BURNED snippet
***
“The firestarter?” I repeated. “He’s the one you want me to find through these objects?”
Are you out of your minds? I almost added, but didn’t because even if they were, I wasn’t.
“You can do it, right?” Jackal asked, all mirth wiping from his expression.
Sure I could, but I didn’t want to. I doubted the firestarter was a friend; Jackal calling him a bastard in that contemptuous tone plus wanting me to find where he was smacked of nefarious intentions. Anyone smart would avoid being on the same continent as that creature if they were at odds, yet Jackal and the others must be trying to ambush him. The memory of the firestarter’s charming smile right before he burned Raziel to a heap of smoldering ruins was something I wanted to forget. But if I refused to look for him, I wouldn’t live long enough to worry about forgetting anything.
Any way you cut it, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Or, more accurately, between a fang and a sharp place.
I reached for the silver knife. With that single touch, the grayish images from Neddy’s death invaded my consciousness as though everything were happening to me. No surprise that the firestarter was the one who killed Neddy, using the knife after some preliminary toasting. Also no shock was that he did it with the same sort of detached geniality he’d shown while executing Raziel. I pushed past the searing pain I felt, past the feeling of floating into whatever awaited people after death, and focused on the firestarter, trying to see him now instead of only then.
This part was harder. In highly emotional situations, everyone leaves a piece of their essence onto objects, but the firestarter hadn’t been worked up over killing Neddy, so only a smidgeon of his remained on the knife. Still, detached or not, nothing tied two people closer together than death. Something about the door to the other world cracking open made essences merge and imprint more strongly, so once I pushed past the seething remains of Neddy’s rage and fear, I felt the firestarter’s distinct essence. It was only as big as a thread, but I wrapped all my concentration around it and pulled.
Black and white images were replaced with full color clarity. Instead of the grimy riverfront setting where Neddy had met his end, I saw opulent drapes surrounding me. At first I thought I was in a small room, but then I realized the midnight green drapes hung around a large bed, cocooning it. The firestarter lay in the center, fully clothed, his eyes closed as though he were asleep.
Gotcha, I thought, torn between relief and dismay at finding him in what I knew was the present.
I’d only seen him before through the grayish tones of past memories, but spying on him in the present was different. No one else was in my head but me. Free from other people’s perspectives, I took my time studying the firestarter.
At first, he looked like a normal, well-built man in his thirties, but then hints of his uniqueness showed. His espresso-colored hair was past his shoulders – longer than most men dared, but on him it somehow looked supremely masculine. Black pants and an indigo shirt draped over muscles that appeared far harder than a gym membership usually accounted for, and though no flames clung to his hands, they were crisscrossed with scars that looked like former battle wounds. His high cheekbones were accented by stubble somewhere between five o’clock shadow and a beard, yet instead of coming across as unkempt, it was rugged and enticing. I hadn’t seen a man pull off that look so well since Aragorn in Lord of the Rings, and his eyes…
Opened, a rich copper shade encircled by rings of evergreen. I would have thought they were beautiful, but at the moment, they looked as though they were staring right into mine.
It unnerved me, but I reminded myself it was only coincidence. No one ever knew it when I used my abilities to establish a link. I could be the world’s biggest voyeur if I wanted, but my most fervent wish was to know less about people, not more –
“Who are you?”
I jumped. If I hadn’t seen his finely shaped lips move, I would’ve thought I’d imagined the words. Coincidence, I reminded myself again. Any second someone would come into my line of vision and I’d see who he was really talking to –
“I’ll ask a second time,” his deep, slightly accented voice said. “Who are you, and how the hell are you inside my head?”
***
April 27, 2012
C2E2 video snippets
Care of Magical Creatures: http://youtu.be/wrxKcXTlvHk
Damsels, Without Distress: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j853G4Fr3LM
Humor is No Joke: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uh93ABvjY8
Heroine Addiction: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6e65t98gNX0
Where on Earth: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PicvBda4yw8
Wrinkles in Time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gQvtc3lWMQ
Naming Names: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gwLy-W8Y4Q
April 24, 2012
Breaking my own rule
Note: If you’re the type of reader who doesn’t want to learn ANY plot details beyond what’s on a book’s back cover, then don’t click the links. While these reviews are free of any real spoilers, they do reveal more details than Once Burned’s back cover description.
And look for a new contest giving away more Arcs of Once Burned soon!
Review from Amy at Overstuffed Book Shelves: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review from Jaime at Fresh Fiction: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review from author Charlaine Harris: http://www.charlaineharris.com/bb/bb_...
Review from Tynga at Tynga’s Reviews: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review(ette) from Julie at Yummy Men and Kickass Chicks: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review(ette) from Mandi at SmexyBooks: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
Review(ette) from author Ilona Andrews: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
April 23, 2012
RT recap. Day 3
Yep, bracelets with a slogan on the back for each character are what I decided to get in lieu of the too-expensive-and-illegal-to-mail match books. I brought 400 to the book fair. By the time it was over, I had not one left. The author to my right, Shana Galen (who writes great historical romances, so check them out!) even helped me pass them out to readers, so big thanks to her for that. Thanks also to everyone who came to see me. It's wonderful to get a chance to chat in person!
After the signing, I had exactly forty minutes to each lunch, run to the bathroom and brush my teeth before leaving for the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, also known as C2E2. It took almost an hour to get to C2E2 because our driver got a little lost. To make up time, he sped as though he’d watched The Transporter too many times. I was in the back row of the van, and if the ride had been about ten minutes longer, I might have arrived covered in my own vomit. Thankfully, though, I got there without any upchucking.
All of us (authors Karina Cooper, Charlaine Harris, Christina Henry, Chloe Neill, Kerrelyn Sparks, Pamela Palmer and me, plus our intrepid escort and some Harper folks) converged in the tented waiting area outside where we were going to sign. Two men were already in that waiting area, but when we arrived, they got up, offered us their seats, wouldn’t take no for an answer and joked that they’d been keeping them warm for us. It was only after they left that I heard one of the authors say, “I can’t believe I spoke to Sean Astin!”
*facepalm* Yes, I was right next to Samwise from The Lord of the Rings – one of my favorite movies! – and I didn’t even know it. This is probably a good thing. If I’d blurted out, “I can’t carry the ring, but I can carry you!” that would have been embarrassing for everyone.
Next was the signing. We were all arranged in a line so readers passed by each of us before getting to the end where Charlaine was. We quickly ran out of books so then we all signed book marks for anyone who wanted one. Some readers brought my books with them to be signed, which was so flattering. By the time we had to leave for the panel, there were still a lot of readers in line. So sorry to everyone who waited but didn’t get anything!
On my way to the panel is where The Barrowman Incident happened. See, we were walking behind the curtains that served as a backdrop to the authors/actors/other personalities that were signing. The person next to me said, “Did you know John Barrowman is right behind that curtain over there?” Now, I am a big Captain Jack fan and part of me was still in Crazy Fangirl Mode after my Sean Astin encounter, so when said person (who shall remain nameless lest anyone think I’m blaming the following actions on him) continued with, “I snapped a pic of him through the curtain on my cell phone earlier,” I jumped into Full Fan Frenzy and thought, “I MUST get a picture, too!”
Here’s where my lack of technical skills come into play. See, it was only two years ago that a friend, out of sheer frustration, forced me to learn how to text. Even still, I don’t know how to use 80% of the features on my iPhone. Add all of that to me having the stealth of a drunken hippopotamus, and you can understand why, after I poked through the slots in the curtain while gawking at John Barrowman and simultaneously trying to figure out how to bring up the “camera” option on my cell phone, it only took seconds for one of his security guards to haul me back. I received a deserved chiding from said guard and then hurried off to rejoin the others, metaphorical tail tucked between my legs :).
Thankfully, I didn’t do anything to embarrass myself on the panel afterward (at least I think I didn't). The topics ranged from strong heroines to “Mary Sue’s” to whether immortals could make a relationship work and ended with my favorite question: What will your characters do to fight off the impending zombie apocalypse? I can't remember which author said that she – and her characters – would go to the nearest Costco because it had steel coverings for its windows plus all the food/drinks you would need. Brilliant! This is now my plan, too, so if the zombies attack, you will find me at Costco. For a write-up on our C2E2 panel, go here: http://thedailyheynow.com/post/21222100582/c2e2-day-2-the-leading-ladies-of-paranormal-urban .
After the panel, I was so quick to jump into the van that had a different driver than the one that brought us to C2E2 that I missed saying goodbye to my editor and a few other people. Oops! Once back at the hotel, I ordered my dinner via room service and watched the latest episode of Game of Thrones. Yes, not very sociable, but by this time I was tired…and mildly worried about what else I might do to embarrass myself if I ventured out in public again, heh. The next morning, I had breakfast with my friend Melissa Marr. Right after I checked out, I got to chat for a minute with friend Debi Murray, who gave me a necklace made of Once Burned’s cover. So cool! Then I began the twelve hour drive back to NC, which, as I said before, I broke into two days. Again, I know I’m leaving a lot of things out in this recap, but let me sum it up by saying I had a great time and I look forward to going back to RT next year.
April 19, 2012
RT recap, Days 1 and 2
Before I begin my recap, let me apologize to everyone I met/chatted with that I don’t mention in this post. 90% of the time, I see only my husband, dog, and a few family members so the explosion of people I see at a convention is a little overwhelming. I end up feeling like everything blurs together in a fun mass of activity so it’s hard to keep things straight when recapping (or my memory sucks, which is also true).
I arrived Thursday afternoon in time to change clothes, freshen up, and grab lunch with Shiloh Walker, Nalini Singh, and Ilona and Gordon Andrews. Or, more accurately, they took pity on me and let me crash their lunch (which I did because hunger makes me shameless!). Here’s a pic with me, Ilona, and Gordon:
Afterward, I was on the Paranormal Author Chat with Nalini and Charlaine Harris. I’m a big fan of both women’s books so it was great to hear what they had planned next as well as some tidbits about their characters (still hoping for a Bluebell book, Nalini! Another side note: Charlaine Harris is the soul of graciousness. I want to be half as warm and welcoming as she is). We also had so many people attending the chat that they ended up taking down the curtained wall to the other room to allow for more space. And at some point during the chat, I revealed one of my shameful secrets: I snort when I laugh hard. I swear, it sounds like I’m channeling a donkey, but Nalini and Charlaine were cracking me up past my ability to squelch the snorts. For a more detailed recap of the Author Chat, check out RT’s piece on it here: http://www.rtbookreviews.com/rt-daily...
After the chat, I had coffee with my editor and then went out to dinner with Ilona, Gordon, and reviewer Jill Smith. You didn’t think I’d go all the way to Chicago and fail to indulge in some authentic deep dish pizza, did you? As Ilona mentioned in her RT recap, yes, I took a few wrong turns getting us to the restaurant. In my defense, I did warn everyone in advance that this would probably happen, but we all got to Uno’s and back to the hotel in one piece. After a big meal combined with waking up at 5am to drive to RT, I was tired, so after a brief attempt to be social in the lobby bar, I went to bed.
The next morning, I chatted a little with my roommate, Rachel Vincent, before heading to my interview with Jackie from Literary Escapism. Jackie had some great questions and the interview was a blast, partly so because she kept teasing her two friends with the Once Burned Arc that she had (if one of them swiped it before the convention was over, I’d testify in court that Jackie had been asking for it!).
After that was the Vampire Panel captained by Caridad Pinero where the topic was sex and violence in modern vampire novels. Among many observations was the agreement that sex and violence should be a believable reflection of the plot and/or characters instead of gratuitous pandering to a perceived market. In other words, don’t make your characters do things, sensually or brutally, that is contrary to their personalities just because of literary successes like 50 Shades of Gray and The Hunger Games.
Immediately following that was the Urban Fantasy panel captained by Richelle Mead on addictive characters ranging from anti-heroes to star-crossed lovers. Since all the panelists were women, it shouldn’t be surprising that the importance of strong heroines was stressed. I can’t remember the exact way author Christina Henry illustrated how women in today’s world were already amazingly strong, but I know when she was done speaking, I wanted to applaud. Short attempt at a recap: Being a wife, mother, employee, boss, sister, daughter, friend, or all the above day in and day out means that strength isn’t an option for women: It’s a requirement. Battling demons in a supernatural world? That would be the easy part of a woman’s day ;-).
After that panel I had time to catch up with Kim Castillo before the Avon Mixer at 6:15. Picture a ballroom filled with free books, free champagne, and free appetizers for the taking. Yes, it was a madhouse, lol, but fun. I don’t know how many copies of Eternal Kiss of Darkness my publisher had to give away, but before the event was over, we’d run out. Thanks so much to Avon for throwing such a great party and to everyone who attended!
Later that evening, my publisher treated their authors and other publishing professionals to a lovely dinner at Nick’s Fish House. Now, whenever I attend a publishing dinner, I try to be extra mindful of my manners…which is why this next part still makes my face turn red when I remember it.
The Waiter Incident
We were all together in a room , seated at several round tables close to each other (this fact becomes pertinent soon). I’d eaten my salad and entrée without incident and was debating whether to be good and only pick at my dessert, or dive in until I scraped the bottom of the martini glass it was served in. While this was happening, waiters were making the rounds with trays filled with coffee. I don’t know what made me glance down at that exact moment, but I did…and realized that my purse strap was caught around a waiter’s ankle (here I can practically hear my husband saying, “That’s because you always leave your purse in the way! When will you learn to tuck in UNDER your chair instead of leaving it on the side where people can trip over it?!”)
Back to the imminent disaster. The base of my purse was trapped beneath my chair leg, so if the waiter took one more step forward, the strap would pull taunt, tripping him. If that wasn’t bad enough, the tray of coffee he carried would probably end up all over the people at the other table. Panicked, I had one thought in my head: Must stop waiter from moving! And so I cried, “Wait!” while grabbing the nearest part of him that I could reach.
He stopped, all right, and turned around with an expression that could only be described as, “Whoever this is better be a GREAT tipper!” That’s when I realized in my haste to stop him from tripping, I’d grabbed more than just the hem of his jacket. I also had my hand clenched around his left butt cheek.
I immediately dropped my hand and pointed at his feet, sputtering something like “Your foot, my purse, so sorry!” The waiter disengaged his foot while everyone at my table, once they realized I had a good reason for groping the poor man, laughed at my embarrassment. The food was wonderful, but I don’t think I’ll be going back to that restaurant if I return to Chicago :).
More on Day 3 soon, where, among other things, I explain why I got in trouble with John Barrowman’s security detail at C2E2.
April 11, 2012
Romantic Times and C2E2 appearances
I'm on the road again! This week/weekend, you can find me at the following places in Chicago, IL.
Romantic Times convention:
Thursday, April 12th
1:30pm – 2:30pm Paranormal Author Chat
Get up close and personal with these beloved authors of the paranormal genre with your back-stage pass to this exciting session. Come prepared with your most burning questions about the books, their series and some of the most beloved characters of the genre.
Guests: Nalini Singh, Charlaine Harris, Jeaniene Frost
Friday, April 13th
1:30-2:30pm Panel. Sex and violence, violence and sex. Where do readers and writers draw the line in today's modern vampire novels?
Captain: Caridad Pineiro. Panelists: Carole Nelson Douglas, Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, Lynda Hilburn, Jeri Smith-Ready, Jaye Wells
2:45-3:45pm Panel. Urban fantasy is often known for its fantastic elements and worldbuilding, but at the heart of each story are characters that readers can't get enough of. Listen as authors reveal what it takes to write the addictive characters that drive this genre, discussing everything from antiheroes and inner conflict to relationships and star-crossed lovers.
Captain: Richelle Mead. Panelists: Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, Christina Henry, Chloe Neill, Jeanne C. Stein
6:15 to 7:15 pm
Avon mixer. Come for free books, drinks, and more!
Saturday, April 14th
11:00am – 2:00pm
Giant Book Fair. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. You do not need to attend the convention to go to this.
Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo:
Saturday, April 14th
4:00-5:00PM Autographing
Authors: Charlaine Harris, Karina Cooper, Jeaniene Frost, Christina Henry, Chloe Neill, Pamela Palmer, Kerrelyn Sparks at Autographing Tables 1, 2 and 3.
5:15 PM – 6:15 PM Panel
WE'RE NO ANGELS: The Leading Ladies of Paranormal/Urban Fantasy
Authors: Karina Cooper, Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, Christina Henry, Chloe Neill, Pamela Palmer, Kerrelyn Sparks; Moderator: Gwen Reyes, Fresh Fiction
Location: N427bc
***
Hope to see some of you soon!
Mirrored from Frost Light.
April 9, 2012
Ebook news
Disclaimer: No, I’m not trying to force anyone to buy ebooks. I don’t read them myself because writing on a computer for hours every day means that I associate technology with work, so I avoid it when I’m trying to relax
. However, because digital books have less rights versus print books (readers can’t resell ebooks, lending is very restricted, retailer discounting is currently forbidden under Agency princing, and so on) I support lower prices for ebooks in comparison to their print counterparts...
Really long backstory behind this news: (skip if you’re not interested in the inner workings of the publishing business).
.
This reduction is the result of long process. Since Agency pricing was implemented back in April 2011, I had repeatedly requested that my ebook prices be lowered and that request was repeatedly denied. For those of you who aren’t aware, traditionally-published authors do not set the price of their own books. It is the publisher who determines a book’s print format, such as mass market paperback, hard cover, or trade paperback, and the publisher who sets the price for the ebook edition. Since the ebook boom is relatively new to the publishing world (ebooks accounted for less than 1% of my total sales in 2007, for example) there have been some growing pains as publishers – and authors – adjusted to this new market..First, let’s dispell a myth. Ebooks are not “free” to produce. They require the same amount of time to write if you’re the author and the same amount of editing, copyediting, and proof-reading if you’re the publisher. Also, because retailers have different formatting requirements, one ebook file does not fit all (I know this from self-publishing). So different templates have to be formatted, each with their own coding rules, and then sent to the various different ebook retailers. All that takes time and effort, and we haven’t even started on cover art, promotion, and other expenses that don’t go away just because a book is digital versus print.
However, as mentioned above, readers do have less rights with ebooks. Ebooks also don’t incur shipping costs, warehousing costs, pulping costs of unsold or returned merchandise, and other print-specific charges. This also leads me to believe that they should cost less than print books*. Even for those who don’t agree, in many cases, data shows that lower-priced ebooks sell better than their higher-priced counterparts. Whether that’s from readers who also believe ebooks should cost less for the above reasons, or competition from the influx of cheaply priced self-published new ebooks, or competition from the increasing amount of reduced-price ebooks from authors who are digitilizing their older backlist, or competition from other publishers lowering prices, or all the above, the results still seem to be the same across most studies. So, since I want my titles to be competitive in this booming digital market, I wanted the prices dropped for practical reasons, too.
Why the delay from my publisher on lowering the price, then? Well, because what a publisher does for one author may be brought up by another author, so from their perspective, my request was about more than me and my books. They also had a financial reason for holding off. Even at the same price as my mass market paperbacks, my ebooks sold very well, so there was a bit of a “If it’s not broken, why fix it?” mentality. Down-pricing my ebooks represents a gamble to my publisher. If they don’t sell enough copies to make up for the price reduction, then my publisher loses money compared to what they were making before. I take this risk as well since if my publisher makes less money, I make less money, too. However, I feel that this is not only the right thing to do, but also the best for long-term solvency. I don’t see the digital market going away any time soon. Instead, I see it increasing, perhaps not as rapidly, but even with steady growth it will tip the scales in favor of print purchases for many mass market authors.
I have to thank my publisher, Avon Books. They could’ve kept my ebooks the same price as my mass market paperbacks no matter how long, or how often, I requested otherwise. Bear that in mind before you think that an author with higher ebook prices = an author who hasn’t tried to get them lowered. Remember that it took me a year before my publisher dropped mine, and I know authors who’ve tried longer than that without any results from their respective publishers. So please, no one take this post as “If Jeaniene can get her ebook prices lowered, then Author X can, too!” It’s not that simple.
So, in summary, if you’re happy that my ebook prices are now lower, great! For many reasons, I’m happy, too
...*Not everyone will agree and there are valid reasons behind those arguments, too. I’m giving my opinion, but that doesn’t make me “right” and dissenting opinions “wrong.”.
** Apologies for the dots separating the paragraphs. WordPress is messing with formatting again.
Mirrored from Frost Light.
April 7, 2012
Arc winners from reviewer/blogger contest!
Wow, thanks so much for your enthusiasm with the blogger/reviewer contest! When I posted it, I thought I might get twenty, maybe thirty entries. Instead, around a hundred and forty of you entered. Again, a hearty thank you to everyone who participated! If you weren't eligible for this contest - or didn't win – please know that more Arc contests are forthcoming with no entering requirements aside from an interest in the book
.
Now, let's get to the contest results. As stated in the prior post, there were five Arcs of Once Burned up for grabs. Winners were chosen at random because I couldn't begin to pick among everyone. If you see your name and comment below, please reply to me at frostlight1 AT yahoo DOT com with your entry information, full name and mailing address. Don't leave that information in the comments because I don't want to be responsible for spam mail sent to your address.
The winning comments are…
Missie, The Unread Reader / April 4, 2012
I love this contest! Thank you for such an amazing opportunity.
A review link:
http://www.theunreadreader.com/2011/02/review-this-side-of-grave.html
Search tag on my blog:
http://www.theunreadreader.com/search/label/Night%20Huntress
http://www.theunreadreader.com/search/label/Jeaniene%20Frost
Thank you!!!!
***
Dulcy / March 29, 2012
Wow! A contest! That's awesome. I can't wait to get my hands on Vlad's book and would love to win this ARC. Thanks so much for hosting this contest.
Here's my review of One Grave At a Time:
http://mysummergirl16.blogspot.com/2011/09/one-grave-at-time-by-jeaniene-frost.html
***
Tarra R. / March 30, 2012
Love your books! It would be better than chocolate eggs at Easter to win an ARC. I was going to send you the link to my goodreads review on "One Foot in the Grave" but I basically said there was no time to review, re-reading chapter 32!
I love gushing about your books, so here's one of my reviews:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/120084166
***
Suzie / March 29, 2012
My name is Suzie though I use the moniker "Mistress of the Dark Path" for my reviews on Amazon and my blog. The following is one of the reviews I posted for the Night Huntress series, This Side of the Grave, on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3PZH6FLP71X16/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
The other is where I listed your series as my number one favorite for overall vampire series on my blog:
http://mistressofthedarkpath.wordpress.com/2012/01/04/lets-talk-vampires/
Thanks for doing this contest!
***
Julie / March 29, 2012
What a great giveaway. And the beginning of a new series to sink my teeth into, too.
Okay, here's the link to a review of Night Huntress 2: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/272688702
Thanks for the giveaway.
Mirrored from Frost Light.


