Why YA appeals to adults, my take...and OS teaser #42

So, here is my little girl graduating junior high school.

I'm still trying to figure out how that happened. She was a baby just last week. It's totally crazy how fast time goes. I sort of wonder if there's something to those time travel stories, cuz I feel like I must have jumped forward at least ten years. And, the thing about time is, once it's gone, you can't get it back. Makes me think that all the time I wasted waiting for things was...well...wasted.

I'm one of those people who are always looking forward. When I was little, I wanted to be bigger. When I was bigger, I wanted to be old enough to drive. Then I wanted to be old enough to drink. Then I wanted to be out on my own. Then I wanted my graduate degree. Then I wanted to travel. Then I wanted kids. And, with every new goal I forgot to pay attention to the moment. Instead, when I accomplished one goal, I'd just set another and keep looking forward.

I recently heard an young author friend of mine (who I love dearly and am not criticizing) say that she thought the reason that adults were drawn to YA literature is that their lives were boring and they wanted some excitement. I worked really hard not to burst out laughing. I see it totally the opposite. My life is so nuts most of the time with three jobs and two kids that I just want to go back to the simplicity of childhood, even if for a short time. Many young adult books deal with the coming of age issues we all remember from our youth (because, really, it wasn't that long ago). And, as much as most of us wouldn't want to go through all of that again, it's a nice diversion from our crazy existences to remember how it felt.

As a writer, I've taken it one step farther. I've found my escape from my crazy life in my characters. They take me for some wild rides. Maybe my friend had it a little backward, but she was right in that I get to relive some of my misspent youth through my characters.

So, if you're a "grown-up," why do you read YA? (If you do.) Is it for the characters? The kick-ass plots? What draws you to the genre.

And now, Original Sin teaser #42. Once again, here is Matt. And he's not happy. I'll leave it at that and let you figure out what's going on. ;p

#OriginalSin p113 Matt: Finally, I slip back through Luc’s wall. But the first thing I see—a flash of skin in the tangled sheets—feels like a punch to the gut. I push back into the hall and sit with my head in my hands again, forcing myself not to storm in there and pull him off her. It’s too late. I got distracted and forgot where the real danger was.

Don't forget to enter for a signed set of Personal Demons and Original Sin if you haven't already!

After Dark Tour, a chance to win PD and OS, and OS Teaser #41

It’s Memorial Day so, if you know someone who is or who has served our country in uniform, give them a big hug today. My daughter is on her 8^th grade trip to Washington DC this week and got to hear President Obama speak at Arlington National Cemetery this morning!

And in other news, the After Dark Tour with Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire), Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal), and me starts THIS WEEK!! Squee!

We’ll be in Cleveland, Ohio Wednesday night and Lansing, Michigan on Thursday, where Aimee Carter (The Godess Test) will be our special guest, so come out and see us!!!! Rumor is there will be a VERY LIMITED number of copies of ORIGINAL SIN that will be available in Cleveland. Check here for tour locations and times.

Also, there’s a fun poll going on over at Down The Rabbit Hole! Amber is taking votes on YA’s Most Eligible, and Luc is in the running. :p If you love Luc like I do, please go over and vote for him and all your other favorites!

It’s also five weeks until Original Sin’s release and I feel like giving stuff away, so starting today, from now until release, every week I’ll give away signed sets of Personal Demons and Original Sin! YAY!

Before I get to contest deets, however, here is today’s Original Sin teaser. Matt is pretty much a rookie in the guardian angel department. Here’s a scene from his perspective where he’s still trying to figure everything out.

#OriginalSin p108 Matt: Luc sidles over to the window and looks me up and down. “You’re nervous.”

“No, I’m not,” I say, suddenly sure that, stomach or not, I’m going to puke.

He scowls at me. “You’re glowing. Either you’re nervous or you swallowed a compact fluorescent. Either way, you need to turn it off.”

I realize he’s right. My self-awareness isn’t what it should be. I tone it down and try to keep a brain cell trained on the glow factor.

Okay…so the contest: If you want to win signed copies of these:

all you have to do is comment below by noon (PST) Friday 6/3! Your comment is worth one point, and if you’d like to accumulate more points, here’s how:

Old blog follower: +3 points
New blog follower: +2 points
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez) +2 points
Link to my contest post on your blog, Twitter or FB: +1 point
Add me to your blogroll: +2 points
Original Sin widget in your blog sidebar +2

Also on your entry, please remember to tell me how to find you (email address). And ADD UP YOUR POINTS because I can’t be trusted with math…just sayin’.

As always, the contest is open internationally. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The contest will close at noon on Friday, June 3^rd, so be sure to enter before then! The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here after noon on Friday.

And, there is a contest going on right now on Goodreads! 23 copies of Original Sin are up for grabs! Good luck!!!

Spanish PD Cover Reveal and In My Mailbox, the Italian Edition! Plus OS Teaser #40

I have to say, so far, I've really liked all my foreign covers. The Spanish translation of Personal Demons (Demonios Personales) is scheduled to release on June 10th and here's the cover...

What do you think? I really like the framing and the font. And, I have to say the angel and demon (Gabe and Luc) are very angelic and demonic ;p I think it's fun. And Frannie looks Frannieish to me.

And, in other fun news, look what was in my mailbox when I got home from BEA yesterday:

There are Italian words inside and everything!

Squee!!! If you've been around the blog, you know my love affair with Italy, and specifically Cinque Terre, where I totally plan to have a summer place someday. (I was there two years ago today, actually.)

So, this translation is really special to me. It's fun too, cuz they have L.J. Smith, Lili St. Crow and this page in the back:

It's hard to tell from the picture, but the lettering is shiny. They have all of my blurbs on the back cover.

Can you tell I'm excited? If you come over, I'll give you a tour of my Italian book :p

Okay, so now for the teaser. Taylor is pretty much as boy crazy as ever, and once she catches sight of Rhen, she's all over that.

#OriginalSin p105 Frannie: Taylor peers out the window. “So, if that guy is from where Luc used to live, it must not be too far away.”

“I guess,” I say, not knowing where she’s going with this, but sure it’s somewhere.

“So, where is it?”

I spread glue on the back of Angelina’s lips. “South.”

“Like Southie? Really? I thought everyone in South Boston was Irish. No way in hell Luc’s Irish.”

“No way in hell,” I repeat.

I didn't forget I promised you a contest. It's coming next week! Promise! =) Happy weekend! I'm going to go read my Italian book now!

BEA wrap up and Original Sin Teaser #39!

So, wow! No one told me BEA was a contact sport! My BEA is officially over. I'm on my way home this morning. I would love to share pictures of my three days in NYC, but I didn't take any. =(

But, my first event of BEA week was Teen Author Carnival on Monday night, which started out with the cab ride from Hell. I mean, is it just me, or is it a problem when the cabbie asks the passenger for directions? My cabbie COULD NOT find the library that TAC was being held at, and I sort of panicked and spam texted everyone I knew who would be there to help me figure out what to tell him. What I didn't know was that the event is like two floors underground in this really cool library, and there's no cell service down there. O_O

Anyway, we finally stumbled on the library just in the nick of time, because I was supposed to moderate the Kick-Ass Females panel at 4:10. Thankfully, I made it and a fun time was had by all. I met tons of bloggers and authors that I feel like I know really well, but have never actually met. Oh, the wonders of social networking.

After, a group from FinePrint/Nancy Coffee Literary Agencies went out for pizza and I got to hang out with my fab agent, Suzie Townsend, Joanna Volpe, Kody Keplinger, my agent sisters Hannah Moskowitz, Rebecca Behrens and Arlaina Tibensky, and assistants Brooks and Sara.

Tuesday morning I signed TONS of finished copies of Original Sin in the formal autographing area in the back corner of the BEA exibit floor. I couldn't believe all the people who stood in line for Kiki Hamilton (The Faerie Ring) and I. The line was so long we couldn't get through it in an hour, so they moved us to an overflow table where we signed until the books were gone (at least 100). It was so fun to see everyone! I was so happy Dawn Metcalf (Luminous) came to say hi, as well as Kristi (The Story Siren) Harmony (Team Luc Fangirl Captain and blogger extraordinaire) Darla and Sandy all the way from California, and Lynsey from the UK. My only regret: I didn't get a finished copy of OS for myself. It's the first time I've seen my finished copies and I wanted to scan through one. Thankfully my roomie, the fabulous Kody Keplinger (The Duff) stood in line for a copy, so I was able to look through hers.

Yesterday morning I was able to have breakfast with my critique partner, Andrea Cremer (Nightshade). It was so fun to have a chance to sit and relax and catch up on everything. She is a very busy lady, with lots of projects in the works, which I know makes all of you VERY happy =)  Then I was off to my Personal Demons signing at the RWA booth, where I signed like a crazy person and the books were gone in a flash. I hope you all enjoy your new books!

So, now I'm on my way home. My daughter graduates junior high tonight, so the excitement continues. =)

But...I know you want the teaser. This is a short one. You all remember Rhenorian, the head of Security in the Abyss, who's sent to bring Luc back. He's got his eye on Luc and he's just waiting for his chance:

#OriginalSin p101 Rhen: “My, my, Lucifer—all the pretty young things. Philandering is a sin, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Tomorrow I have a fun cover reveal for you...and maybe another contest. So don't forget to check back!

BEA madness and Original Sin Teaser #38

I am running from breakfast with the lovely Andrea Cremer to my Personal Demons signing on the BEA floor, but wanted to stop in with todays Original Sin teaser.

We all know by now how Matt feels about Luc. This is a continuation from yesterday's teaser.

#OriginalSin p91 Frannie: Luc smooths his fingers over my cheek. “Is Matt here?”

I nod, pretty sure it’s true, and then a rock flies through the air and hits Luc in the back of the head. He winces and shoots a look behind him—where, of course, nobody is.

“He’s here,” he says, disgusted.

I promise to have a BEA recap for you tomorrow!

BEA Update and OS teaser #37

Wow! The last two days have been a wild ride. It started Sunday night when I got to the airport hoping to get on a red-eye to Newark on standby. Good news, I did. Bad news: I can't sleep on airplanes, so I got here exhausted on Monday morning. The nice people at the hotel got a room ready for me by noon and I showered and changed before Teen Author Carnival. Sadly, I do not have any pictures to share with you, but it was an amazing event. I moderated a panel with so many fabulous authors, my head nearly exploded. I had Elizabeth Scott, Malinda Lo, Andrea Cremer, Courtney Allison Moulton, Michelle Hodkin, Kirsten Hubbard and Carole Estby Dagg. Very fun! I also met amazing authors, David Levithan, Karsten Knight, and zillions of others. And I fangirled Gayle Forman again, cuz...you know...I pretty much couldn't help myself. But the most fun was putting faces to all the blogger and Twitter friends I've made who stopped in to say hi. =)

Today was equally amazing. I signed in the autographing area with Kiki Hamilton, who's book, The Faerie Ring, comes out in September.

Thanks to everyone who came out! It was amazing. There were so many people that we couldn't get to everyone in an hour and they moved us to an overflow table where we signed until the books were gone.

(Pictures courtesy of my omnipotent uberagent, Suzie Townsend.)
I'm finally back at my hotel relaxing for a few hours, then dinner.

Tomorrow, I'm having breakfast with my incomparable critique parnter, Andrea Cremer, then signing Personal Demons in the RWA booth #3774.

Whew!

But after looking at those books, y'all want the teaser, yes? Okay...

#OriginalSin p90 Frannie: Being in Luc’s arms on the rocky edge of the quarry brings memories back. I glance over at the rope swing, remembering the night I brought Luc out here, under the stars. I shudder with the memory. It wasn’t our first kiss, but it was definitely the most romantic—and the most romantic night of my life up till that point. Something about the stars, maybe. But more than that, Luc let down his guard and showed me who he really was that night. I’m pretty sure that’s when I fell in love with him, though I never would have admitted it to myself at the time.

 

So, more from BEA tomorrow! Thanks again to everyone who stopped by to see me last night and today!

The BEA edition: Where you can find me! (Everywhere!) And...Original Sin Teaser #36

It's BEA week! This is my very first BEA and I'm soooo excited! As you read this, I am sitting in my hotel lobby in New York City waiting for them to have a room ready for me. (I flew all night and can't go anywhere till I shower :\) I’m hoping to be able to meet as many of you as possible, so if you’re going to be around, here’s where you can find me:

Monday (that’s tonight!): 4:00pm, Teen Author Carnival, Mulberry Street Library, 10 Jersey Street. I’ll be moderating the Kick Ass Females panel. Panelists include my amazing critique partner, Andrea Cremer (Nightshade), as well as Courtney Allison Multon (Angelfire), Malinda Lo (Ash, Huntress), Michelle Zink (Prophesy of the Sisters, Guardian of the Gate), Elizabeth Scott (Between Here and Forever), Carole Estby Dagg (The Year We Were Famous), and Michelle Hodkin (The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer) Admission is free and there are other panels going on as well, including amazing authors like Gayle Forman, David Levithan, Kody Keplinger, Leah Clifford and my lovely agent sister Hannah Moskowitz, so if you’re in town, you don’t want to miss this!

Tuesday: 2:30-3:30, I will be signing finished copies of Original Sin at Table #12 in the formal autographing area. This is your VERY FIRST chance to get your hands on a signed finished copy.

Wednesday: 1:00-1:30, I will be signing Personal Demons at the RWA booth (#3774). If you pick up a copy of Original Sin Tuesday, but haven’t read Personal Demons yet, DON’T OPEN IT! The first line of OS is a total spoiler for PD. But, if you stop by the RWA booth, you’ll have a matched set, so you can start from the beginning. =)

I’d be thrilled if y’all would stop in and see me at one, two, or all three events!

And now for our Original Sin teaser. I mentioned Friday that we meet some new characters in Original Sin. In our last teaser we met Chase. Today we meet Lili…and that’s all I have to say about that. ;p Once again, this scene takes place at the library, where Luc is working.

#OriginalSin p88 Luc: Lili nods. “So, you work here?” She scans the stacks before settling her gaze on me.

“As of today.”

Her eyes light up as she smiles for real. “So you’re not just a pretty face.”

I laugh out loud and Mavis scowls at me over the top of her glasses.

Lili’s eyes flick to Mavis. She cringes and lowers her lashes. “Sorry,” she whispers.

“My fault.” I give her another reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll see you later?”

She nods and slips through the door.

Hope to see some of you this week! Come find me and say hi!

Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason WINNER and OS teaser #35

Yeah...It's been one of those days. But, I didn't forget that we need a winner for my Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason. I also didn't forget the teaser. Both are coming...right nowish.

So, first the teaser, because I have that ready. This one takes place at Luc's first day on his new summer job at the library. He's working there with Chase, who we heard about but never met in Personal Demons. He's Frannie's sister, Kate's boyfriend. So, here are Luc and Chase:

#OriginalSin p87 Luc: Chase elbows me. “Then maybe we can head over to the Cavanaughs’ for our women.”

I almost can’t suppress laughter thinking about what Frannie’d do if she heard him refer to her as ‘my woman’. I picture her flipping Chase, head over heels, onto the ground. A smile breaks across my face. He misreads it and wiggles his eyebrows suggestively.

“Those Cavanaugh girls are something, huh?”

My smile widens. “Something, indeed.”

And now for the winner of signed copies of this:                            and this:

The winner, as chosen by the randomizer, is...

Nicole Zoltack!!!

Yay!! Congrats!

I will email you soon! (but maybe after BEA)

I survived the world's worst movie and Original Sin Teaser #34

I just watched what is quite possibly the worst movie ever made. I did it for the sake of research. It was never in theaters (straight to DVD) and to give you a clue just how bad it is, when I took it to the counter at one of the few Blockbusters still in existence, the guy at the register said, and I quote, “Don’t do this to yourself.” But I had to.

The thing about this movie is, it’s where the video footage for my Italian Il Bacio Maledetto (Personal Demons) trailer came from. So, of course, I had to watch it. What I found out is Angus Sutherland (yes, Donald’s son and Kiefer’s brother) can NOT act. OMG! It was embarrassing. But it was fun to pick out the scenes from the movie they used for the trailer.

I also found a funny clip on Youtube from the movie. So, to refresh your memory, here’s the trailer:

And here’s the Youtube clip:

LOL!

So, have you stopped laughing? Are you ready for another Original Sin teaser? Here’s Frannie:

#OriginalSin p84 Frannie: I trace the path of Luc’s lips with my hand, still feeling the tingle of my skin from his touch. Closing my eyes, I bring his T-shirt to my face, breathing my heart back to a normal rhythm.

I’m so glad to have Matt back, but who knew having a guardian angel would be such an epic buzzkill. He’s like my own personal chastity belt.

Remember, only one more day to enter to win a signed copy of Where She Went and a signed Original Sin ARC! Don’t miss out!

My total lack of style and Original Sin Teaser #33

I’m thinking about getting my hair cut. It’s almost always been long. I cut it short and permed it once. It was really low maintenance, and I liked it, but I’m one of those never-want-to-mess-with-my-hair people. I don’t even own a blow dryer. Anything that entails more than running a brush through my hair is too much work. Just going back every four to six months to have it touched up was too much of a hassle. Me, a mirror and a pair of scissors is how I roll.

But, I'm to where part of me wants something new. Problem is, a bigger part of me knows if it takes any effort at all to maintain it, I won’t do it. So…I’m putting it out to a vote. Should I cut my hair? Yea or nay? If yea, suggestions on easy to maintain styles? (Please don't say "shave your head." I'm seriously contemplating it already.)

And, now for the Original Sin teaser. In yesterday's and the day before’s teasers, there was Luc and Frannie hotness and even some nakedness. Today’s teaser is the fallout. This is Frannie and Matt:

#OriginalSin p83 Frannie: My face is on fire and I have to fight to keep my voice a whisper. “You were watching?”

Matt backs off a few steps. “I’m an angel, not a voyeur. I wasn’t watching. But it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that you aren’t dragging your boyfriend into your room in the middle of the night to talk.”

Between Matt and Luc, Frannie has her hands full. =)

Also! You guys really want a signed copy of Where She Went! Trust me! And you can win one here! So enter if you haven’t already!

Las Vegas Woes and Original Sin Teaser #32

The Great Blogger Meltdown resulted in my Thursday's post last week evaporating into the ether. It was full of hot boys, so I'm going to share my Las Vegas woes with you once again today. I was in Las Vegas last week on business and had a great time there. There are some amazing shows, like seven different Cirque du Soleils and Phantom of the Opera. There's also this:

and this:

but I went to see this because I'm a good stepdaughter. Oh, the things we sacrifice for family ;p

But, you're not here to listen to me lament the Las Vegas hotness I missed out on. You're here for today's teaser. More Luc and Frannie :p

#OriginalSin p80 Frannie: “Most guys wouldn’t need to be talked into sleeping with their girlfriends.”

“I would think you would know by now that I’m not ‘most guys.’” His finger traces the line of my eyebrow. “I’ve spent seven millennia doing the wrong thing. This is one thing I want to do right.”

Happy Tuesday!

Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason Redo and Original Sin Teaser #31

Okay…so here we go again! The Big Friday the 13^th Blogger meltdown toasted my Fifth of Many Contests for No Reason last week =( Almost all of the comments were erased. (evidence of just how f**ked up that was: eleven comments survived. Why not erase all???) Anyway, we’re starting over. No entries from last week will be carried over, so if you want to enter, here's your chance.

For your chance to win a signed copy of Gayle Forman’s Where She Went, which I am still obsessing over, and a signed Original Sin ARC, all you have to do is comment below! Your comment is worth one point, and if you’d like to accumulate more points, here’s how:

Old blog follower: +3 points
New blog follower: +2 points
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez) +2 points
Link to my contest post on your blog, Twitter or FB: +1 point
Add me to your blogroll: +2 points
Original Sin widget in your blog sidebar +2

Also on your entry, please remember to tell me how to find you (email address). And ADD UP YOUR POINTS because I can’t be trusted with math…just sayin’.

As always, the contest is open internationally. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The contest will close at noon on Friday, May 20^th, so be sure to enter before then! The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here after noon on Friday.

And, for those of you here for the Original Sin teaser, here we go. Get ready for some more Luc and Frannie hotness…and nakedness.

#OriginalSin p79 Frannie: I press into him and kiss him hard. “You have way too many clothes on,” I whisper into his lips. He props up on an elbow and I pull his T-shirt over his head, then my own. He just stares at my near nakedness for a minute, and I try not to let him see me shake.

“Frannie…” he whispers again, and I realize I’m not the only one who’s shaking.

*clears throat*

Okay…so don’t forget to comment below to enter to win Where She Went, cuz you reallyreallyreally want to read it if you haven’t already. Good luck!! =)

Contest Re-do due to #bloggerfail and Original Sin teaser #30

Okay, so Blogger just went totally Friday the 13th and screwed up my Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason. When I looked yesterday, before Blogger went down, there were nearly 70 entries. Today, yesterday's post about my Las Vegas woes and over 60 of those contest entries are gone. =(

So, since so few comments survived the Blogger meltdown, I'm going restart the contest, but, to avoid confusion, I'm going to wait until next week. To appease you in the meantime, all I have to offer is my meager Original Sin Teaser. Since yesterday's post is gone, I'll repost yesterday's, and then today's.

Yesterday's:

For those of you who have been dying to know the deal with Frannie's family/father, here it is...

#OriginalSin p78 Frannie to Luc: “There’s nothing weird about my dad…well, except that he actually likes Brussels sprouts.”

And, now for today's:

I know you all want more Luc and Frannie hotness, and I always aim to please ;p

#OriginalSin p79 Frannie: He shoots a glance to the door, then kicks off his boots and slides into my bed. I burrow into him, nuzzling into his neck.

“This is a really bad idea,” he whispers into my hair. But as I glide my hands along his chest, his stomach, lower, I can tell his body likes the idea just fine.

I nibble my way up to his ear. “I think it’s the best idea I’ve ever had.”

So, check back Monday for a re-do on the Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason for a signed copy of Where She Went (my obsession book) and Original Sin! =)

My Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason, Goodreads Original Sin Giveaway and OS teaser #28!

Attention!! Blogger went down and erased most of the comments, so this contest will start over Monday 5/16. Please come back and enter then!!

Hey! I just saw that my publisher has ten copies of Original Sin up for grabs on Goodreads! Here's the link! If you're not a Goodreads member, it only takes a second to sign up. And for another chance to win an OS galley and my obsession book, keep reading...

But first, our Original Sin teaser. Here's a little Luc and Frannie hotness to kick off your Wednesday =)

#OriginalSin p77 Frannie: I taste the coffee on Luc’s lips as I lean forward, twist my hand into his hair, and press my lips into his. His wired muscles don’t relax, but the tension changes. His attention shifts from out there to right here. To me. Which is where I want it. After a minute, he presses into me and cups the back of my neck with his hand, pulling me deeper into the kiss.

I head to Las Vegas tonight, so in the spirit of games of chance, I'm kicking off my Fifth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason today! And, to make someone's Friday the 13th just a little luckier, the winner will be drawn and posted that day =)

What's up for grabs, you ask. Signed copies of these:

If you have not read Gayle Forman's Where She Went, you must. It is the book that rocked my world. I read it over a month ago and still have not recovered. It is the sequel to If I Stay, which is also amazing.

So, to enter for a signed copy of Where She Went and a signed ARC of Original Sin, all you have to do is comment below before noon Friday, May 13th! So easy! In addition to commenting (for which you get one point) you can accumulate extra points as follows:

Old blog follower: +3 points
New blog follower: +2 points
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez) +2 points
Link to my contest post on your blog or twitter: +1 point
Dedicated post with link to my contest on your website/blog: +3 points
Add me to your blogroll: +2 points
Original Sin widget in your blog sidebar +2

Also on your entry, please remember to tell me how to find you (email address). And ADD UP YOUR POINTS because I can’t be trusted with math…just sayin’.

As always, the contest is open internationally. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted on the blog after noon on May 13^th. SQUEE!! Enter early and enter often! (Joking--one entry per person, please :p) Good luck!!

SQUEE moments! And Original Sin Teaser #27!

I'm on an airplane back to California right now. Thanks to all the amazing educators who hung out with us on the Science Fiction and Fantasy panel yesterday! It was great to meet all of you! So, while I'm heading back to CA, I thought I'd share my latest squee moment. There are not even words to describe how happy this makes me:

(Photo courtesy of Jade @DrawMe_jd)

This picture just makes my day. I am totally in love with Italy. This is where I'm going to retire:

It's Cinque Terre on the Mediteranian, and I've never been anywhere I loved so much. One of those houses on the cliff will me MINE! So the Italian release of Personal Demons, aka: Il Bacio Maledetto (The Damned Kiss) is super special to me. I know you've all seen this, but I love it, so here's the Italian trailer once again:


And, for those of you tuning in for the Original Sin teaser...Frannie's ex-boyfriend is back in Original Sin. Here's a scene at a party with Taylor's brother, Trevor.

#OriginalSin p68 Frannie: “Reefer’s on fire,” Trevor says in my ear, pulling me from my musing.

My heart leaps into my throat and my head jerks automatically to look at the bonfire, half expecting to see a flailing Reefer engulfed in flame.
Trevor rolls his blue eyes and points toward the house. “Over there,” he laughs, “with the guitar.”

I LOVE teachers and Original Sin teaser #26

I’m in Florida! I can’t tell you how excited I am to be here and part of the International Reading Association’s annual conference. I’m honored to be on a science fiction and fantasy panel with a slew of other talented authors. I love teachers and I know how instrumental they are in getting kids to read. The book choices they make for their classrooms can impact a child’s love of reading for their entire lives. So, I’d love to hear from you. Was there a teacher who inspired you to read? How did they do it? Was it a particular book they recommended, or classroom reading? If so, what was the book?

And now for our Original Sin teaser. Taylor, Riley and Trevor are back in Original Sin. Here’s a scene from with the crew:

#OriginalSin p68 Frannie: Taylor's fair skin flushes as she presses her tongue into the ring through the corner of her lip. She shoots a glare at her brother and spins, storming up the road toward the party. Riley shrugs and Trevor smiles at her, all tanned dimples, as they follow Taylor across the street.

Luc twines his fingers into mine. “There’s a project for you,” he says with a tip of his head toward my friends’ retreating backs.

I shove him. “Yeah, right. We’re talking about Taylor. Do you enjoy watching me fail?”

“I enjoy watching you do just about everything.”

Fourth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason Winner and OS Teaser #25

First, our daily Original Sin teaser. Matt is Frannie's guardian angel, and you can imagine he's having trouble coming to terms with Frannie's relationship with Luc. Here's a snippet from his POV.

#OriginalSin p62 Matt: I swear to God, I almost struck the demon with lightning when he grabbed Frannie. The judo lessons were her idea. Now that the demon’s vulnerable, she thought he should know how to defend himself. But the “judo” always seems to degenerate into something looking more like wrestling, except with a lot of kissing and giggling.

And, now...the reason you're all here!

The winner of my Fourth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason for a signed copy of these:

is...

Kristen-Seeing Night

Congrats! I will email you soon!

Thanks to everyone who entered! I'm sure you can guess, there are more contests to come! I loved If I Stay and am very excited to give a copy to Kristen, but the book that rocked my world is the sequel, Where She Went, and a signed copy will be up for grabs soon! =)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Party Day and Original Sin Teaser #24

So many things to celebrate today! Happy Cinco de Mayo to our neighbors to the south!

And, if you check that Original Sin ticker in the sidebar, you’ll see that it’s quickly approaching 60 days! Exactly two months from today, Original Sin will be out in the world! Squee!! As I mentioned yesterday when I previewed the playlist, Original Sin is much darker than Personal Demons. I'm a little nervous, but so far, the reviews have been very good, so thank you, thank you, thank you!!

And! One more thing to celebrate! Today is also the Italian birthday for Personal Demons (or should I say Il Bacio Maledetto—The Damned Kiss). Also a squee!


So, while we’re all celebrating, here’s another Original Sin Teaser!

Today, we get more Frannie and Luc. Frannie is still trying to figure out who she can trust. Read and you’ll see why:

#OriginalSin p61 Frannie: “There was this guy, Alexander Graham Bell. He invented this thing called the telephone. You really should get one. They’re all the rage.” A smirk pulls at Luc’s lips, making me want to kiss him even more.
I force my eyes away from him before he completely sucks me in. “Ha, ha,” I say, waggling my phone in his face. “Don’t tell me—you were his Muse too.”
Out of nowhere, Luc lunges and twists my outstretched arm into an arm-lock. Panic sends my heart racing. He leans in from where he stands behind me. “No. Just Dante,” he breathes in my ear.

Don’t forget! Only one more day to enter my Fourth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason! Tomorrow I'll be drawing the winner of a signed hardcover of If I Stay and a signed Original Sin ARC! Go! And HAPPY EVERYTHING!

Original Sin Music Preview and Teaser #23

My muse is a wannabe rockstar. All the emotional energy in my books comes from music. I find when I get stuck in my writing, it’s because I don’t have the proper musical inspiration. When I find the song that sparks just the right emotion in me, the scene flows.

With all of my novels, each character has an overriding musical inspiration. This is the one song that embodies them as a character in that particular novel. So today, to celebrate release two months from tomorrow, in addition to our next teaser, I’m going to give you a sneak peek at Original Sin through its music.

First, the teaser. As always, there are sparks between Frannie and Luc. Here’s a scene when he stops by her house.

#OriginalSin p60 Frannie: Luc looks crazy hot in a blue button-down, one tail untucked and laying over black jeans. “You look…” and I can’t finish. There’s not a word. “Nice shirt.”

“It’s the color of your eyes,” he says and stops my heart.

And now the music…

Personal Demons was on the dark side, but Original Sin is darker. The music that was running through my head while I wrote was very dark and angsty for all three main characters.

Gabe is my most conflicted character. He has never before found himself in the position of questioning his purpose. But, with Frannie, the lines between duty and desire blur, and he struggles with basic questions of love and loyalty. He vows to always be there for her, no matter what, but what if keeping that promise means risking everything? In Original Sin, the song that embodies this is Anthem of the Angels by Breaking Benjamin.

Luc is the character who goes through the most change. As Personal Demons ends, he’s pretty sure of what he wants, but getting it and figuring out how to keep it are two different things. And when outside forces intervene, things don’t go exactly how he planned. His song from Original Sin is World So Cold by Three Days Grace.

And, Frannie. She finds herself caught between two worlds. She’s trying to hold onto a normal life, but her life is anything but normal. Hell won’t give up and Heaven won’t give in, and some people dear to Frannie get caught in the middle. Her song from Original Sin is How to Save a Life by The Fray.

If you get a chance to read OS, you can tell me if you hear these songs in the story.

Original Sin Teaser #22 and waiting...

I’m reminded this week that writing is a waiting game. We write, we submit, we wait. Since Personal Demons sold a year ago December, I feel like everything has happened in a blur. PD was on an accelerated publication schedule, and getting it onto shelves in nine months meant everything happened fast. In addition to revisions, edits and first pass pages for PD, I was finishing up Original Sin, which was due to my editor last June. Then, I had to write The Novel Formerly Known as Hellbent.

So now, for the first time in a year and a half, I find myself waiting again. The Novel Formerly Known as Hellbent is in my seriously cool editor’s hands, and I’m eagerly waiting for her editorial letter. My next finished novel is in the hands of my truly fabulous agent, and I’m waiting for her feedback. And, a big chunk of my current pet project, which is a nearly finished first draft and very unconventional, is also in my truly fabulous agent’s hands, so she can tell me if it even works.

I’m waiting, and I’d forgotten how nerve wracking it is. It was only made worse when I read this post by the fabulosity that is agent Jen Laughran about what happens when your agent hates your masterpiece.

But, I’m lucky to have an amazing critique partner to keep me busy while I wait. And, I'm picking away at the WIP, hoping to have it finished this week =)

So, the question of the day: If you write, how do you deal with all the waiting?

And, now the Original Sin teaser! It is impossible to tease from a sequel without spoiling some of the fun from the previous book, so if you don’t want any PD spoilery, stop reading!

Okay…for those of you still here, we know Matt is Frannie’s guardian angel. He’s also her dead twin brother. Here’s an exchange between the two siblings about their younger sister, Maggie:

#OriginalSin p54 Frannie: “Do you remember when we tried to sell Maggie to the neighbors?” Matt says.

I laugh with the memory. “’Cause we wanted a puppy and Mom said to start saving our money.”

“And Mom made us go talk to Father Mahoney about it—”

“And he told us we weren’t asking enough for her,” I finish for him, cracking up.

If you haven’t entered to win an OS ARC and a signed If I Stay hardcover, you have until Friday! And—one more chance to win an OS ARC: My truly fabulous agent is giving a copy away on her blog, so check that out here! Good luck!

The Fourth of Many Contests-for-No-Reason and OS teaser # 21!

We'll kick off today's post with our Original Sin teaser du jour! In our last teaser, we met Rhenorian. His appearance at the pizza place Frannie works at has left her pretty shaken. Here's some of her thoughts:

#OriginalSin p43 Frannie: Nightmares of the ground opening up and swallowing Luc in some demonic earthquake kept me awake all night. I kept getting up and going to the window to be sure the Shelby was still there. When he pulled out this morning, I felt sick. I thought about telling Matt to go with him.

I always expected Hell would keep coming after me, but I never thought about Luc—that they’d want him back too. Acid churns in my tight stomach as I drive, too fast, to get to him.

And now, the fun stuff! I fangirled Gayle Forman for you yesterday so I could get you guys some signed books and share the If I Stay and Where She Went love.

You heard my OMG moment with Cassie Clare when I met her last month (she has Personal Demons on her Kindle!!!) and meeting Gayle was totally amazing too. It’s no wonder that such authentic characters flowed from her, because she seems a very genuine person. If you get a chance to catch her on the road, do it. =)

You all know how I feel about these books. I’ve raved all over If I Stay here, and you’ve heard how Where She Went totally rocked my world here. It’s the wave of inspiration from reading Where She Went that has me on the edge of finishing a 70K word novel in three weeks, which would be a record for me.

So…here’s your chance to win a signed copy of the first of these incredible books, If I Stay (Hardcover), and a signed Original Sin ARC. Squee!! All you have to do is comment below before noon PST on Friday May 6^th. So easy! In addition to commenting (for which you get one point) you can accumulate extra points as follows:

Old blog follower: +3 points
New blog follower: +2 points
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +2
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez) +2 points
Link to my contest post on your blog or twitter: +1 point
Dedicated post with link to my contest on your website/blog: +3 points
Add me to your blogroll: +2 points
Original Sin widget in your blog sidebar +2

Also on your entry, please remember to tell me how to find you (email address). And ADD UP YOUR POINTS because I can’t be trusted with math…just sayin’.

As always, the contest is open internationally. You must be at least 13 years old to enter. The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted on the blog after noon on May 6^th. SQUEE!! Enter early and enter often! (Joking--one entry per person, please :p) Good luck!!