Personal Demons

My too hot for YA WIP

2012-01-19T09:00:00.000-08:00

I have been Tweeting a lot recently about my WIP using hashtags such as #toohotforYA and #sexsexsex and #yummy. Today I'm giving you a peak at my YA WIP.

Here is my 18 year-old protag:

And here is his song. (The Youtube video is linked because the amazing artist who recorded it has asked that it not be embedded.)

With any luck, someday you might get to read him =)

What are y'all working on?

2012 Book Recs and stepping away

2012-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:00

There have to be a bazillion books coming in 2012 that I want to read. I won't get to all of them, unfortunately, but I've been lucky to get my hands of a few of them already. The ones I read and loved, I've listed below. You should definitely check them out.

RIFT by Andrea Cremer (cover not available)
My fabulous critique partner, Andrea Cremer's Bloodrose just released last week. If you haven't read the Nightshade series, you should do that pronto. And when you finish the trilogy, be sure to check out the prequel, Rift, coming out in August. It's about the origins of the witches war and features fabulous new characters that you're sure to fall in love with. I told Andrea it has a Fire feel about it, for those of you who love Kristen Cashore.

A Midsummer's Nightmare by Kody Keplinger (cover not available)
I love everything that Kody writes, and this is no exception. As a matter of fact, I think this is her best novel yet. Go get it when it comes out in June, and have tissues ready, cuz you'll need them.

False Memory by Dan Krokos

If you like a good thriller, pick this up when it releases in August. Action packed from the first few pages, it never lets up. You'll love trying to guess what's going to happen next.

Tempest by my drinking buddy, Julie Cross ;p

The release of Tempest is only a week away, and you'll want to read this book. Your heart will go out to Jackson as he travels back in time to save his girlfriend from being murdered. It's a wild ride, though, so you'll need to hang on to your seat.

Wings of the Wicked by my tour partner, Courtney Allison Moulton

Wow! That's pretty much all I have to say. You'll want this as soon as it comes out at the end of the month. Will...Caden. Wow. Get ready to dig deeper into the world of reapers. And just when you think you're safe...

A Touch Morbid by my other tour partner, Leah Clifford

Dark. Twisty. Dark...and dark. Oh yeah, and Kristin (who's twisty). Leah does a great job taking us deeper into the world of Siders and all their dark twistiness. If you liked A Touch Mortal, you'll want to snatch this one up when it releases in February.

And, on a personal note, many of you might have noticed I've been missing in action. I haven't posted here in over a month, which has never happened before. November and December were busy months for me both professionally and personally. Once again, I accidentally did NaNoWriMo and wrote a book, but also, my daughter had major surgery. Lately it seems many authors have stepped away from their blogs. Most have been gracious and posted to their readers that they were going to be on hiatus. I just took one. Mostly because it really wasn't planned. But the feeling from many authors in the blogosphere seems to be burnout. The immensely talented and scarily funny Kiersten White, the stupendously popular Nathan Bransford and my idol, Myra McEntire have all recently posted about stepping back. For me, it's a matter of sanity--and family. My daughter posted this fall on Facebook (when she thought I was too busy to notice) that her mom is so busy since she started writing that they aren't close anymore. (The mother in question would be me, in case you missed that.) So, in 2012, I'll be here when I have something to say, or when I have books to give away, cuz you guys know I'm addicted to giving things away, but not everyday, and maybe not even every week. We'll see.

I totally want to thank those of you who have hung in with me for the last few years. You've inspired me to keep plugging away at the blog and the writing. I'll be stalking you all out there on Twitter and Facebook. =)

Why novels are like children (aka: good-bye to Luc, Frannie and Gabe)

2011-12-07T10:27:00.000-08:00

So, I have officially (and probably unofficially) read Last Rite for the very last time. I finished reading through first pass pages (if you don't know what those are, you can find out here) this weekend and mailed back my last few corrections to my editor on Monday. But also, I just finished the first draft of a new project yesterday. I have two projects on totally different ends of the publishing spectrum and it made me think.

The Personal Demons trilogy started like any other project, as just an idea. Or, really just a character. (Hi Luc *waves* :p) So...that would be like an egg, if you're following my analogy here... And from that idea, grows the first draft of a whole novel, with a beginning, a middle and an end. (Think ten fingers and ten toes.)

But that novel is just a fledgling. It needs some guidance (critique input) and support (revisions) to grow into a book that can stand on its own. (This would be your toddler.)
As it starts to take its first steps into the world, we continue to support (revise) it and it slowly grows into the book we knew it could be. So, we send it into the world (high school...or, um...agents) knowing that not everyone will like it, but hoping it makes some friends.
Some may think it's not refined enough. Others won't connect with it on a personal level. It may feel misunderstood and lonely. But it will find a best friend (editor) who will encourage it to be even better (editorial feedback) and support it (revisions) so it can be strong and independent. But once it's out there (on shelves) it's subject to scrutiny (reviews) and it needs to stand on its own. And, as the author/parent, we need to stand back and let it go.

Which is what I'm doing with Frannie, Luc and Gabe. I'm at the place where my heart is still with them, and I still worry about them, but they're independent and strong and I have to find it inside myself to move on and let them have their life. It's hard, and a little sad, but it's part of the cycle.

But, I've got a toddler in my brand new project that needs nurturing, and I've got a few high schoolers who are on or ready for submission, and I've got a few eggs lying around. None of them will ever take the place of Personal Demons, but just like my kids, I love them all the same.

wOOt to NaNoers everywhere!

2011-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

Did you do NaNoWriMo?? Once again, I sort of accidentally did. I by accident wrote 57K words on the WIP, which just took a turn into the #toohotforYA realm last night. So...I'm thinking I will need to be revising some parts of this thing...cuz there's also the torture part... Yeah. Revision. A writer's best friend.

So, did you NaNoWriMo? How did you do? Cupcakes all around for everyone who hit their goal! My daughter's creative writing class did it as part of the Young Writers group and she passed her goal with over 30K words! Yay! But remember my NaNoWriMo advice at the beginning of the month!

Congrats and happy revising! =)

Achtung Baby!

2011-11-28T09:00:00.000-08:00

Since this just posted on German Amazon, I'm deciding it's okay to share it here.

Here is the German cover of Original Sin, or as they're titling it, Im Bann der Dunkelheit, which translates into The Curse of Darkness.

What do you think? In case you forgot, here's the German cover of Between Heaven and Hell, or Personal Demons.

I think they'll look really nice side by side on my bookshelf =)

Hope all you American readers had a happy Thanksgiving! Things here are settling down so I'll be around more. I've missed you! I think I have to give away more books to let you know how much. And, if you're still waiting on a book, I promise I'll get to the post office this week. =)

Lookie! Lookie!

2011-11-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

Guess what just posted on Barnes & Noble and Amazon! Yup!

This:

Now you can pre-order the VERY LAST of Frannie, Luc and Gabe. And, for you Team Gabe fans, yes, he gets a POV in this one. In fact, he nearly broke my heart. I loved writing from my boys' POVs, and I hope you love reading them. May's not too far away =)

Six months and counting...

2011-11-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

backwards, that is. I'm counting backwards, down to zero. Cuz that's the day Last Rite, the last of my Personal Demons babies, will be on shelves. I just found out the official release date is May 8th! It's not yet up for pre-order on B&N or Amazon, but I'm assured it will be soon, so keep checking.

I'm dying for it to be out in the world. So many of you have written really nice notes wanting to know how Frannie, Luc and Gabe's story wraps up, and you'll be able to find out on May 8th. It actually feels a little strange to me that it's not out there yet. I wrote it so long ago and I've written two and a half books since. But it's also a little sad too. I love my Personal Demons characters so much, and I miss writing them.

So, mark your calendars for May 8th, the day the Personal Demons trilogy ends. And thank you all for your support! <3 you guys. =)

Hold your NaNoWriMo horses!

2011-11-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

Today is the kickoff of NaNoWriMo! It's the actual birthday of many novels, some of which will sell to publishers and be on the shelves in another few years. I can almost feel all the creative juices flowing through the universe today, and I'm very excited that my daughter's high school creative writing class is participating!

I personally have never officially participated in NaNoWriMo, but unofficially, I've done it twice. The second time was two years ago when my agent was on submission with Personal Demons to editors. I wrote the sequel, Original Sin. But the first time was three years ago, just after I first started writing. I wrote a novel that is still one of my favorites called Dusty Lane. And then I did what many of you will do. I made the mistake of querying it on December 1st.

I queried a handful of agents and got five manuscript requests. I was in HEAVEN! My novel was the BEST and it was going to sell at auction to a fabulous publisher. But, here's the thing.

It didn't.

When you've written an actual novel, with a beginning, a middle, and an end, and it holds together and makes sense, there's this HUGE sense of accomplishment. You are (rightly) so proud of what you've done that you want to share it with the world. Like I said, I LOVED Dusty. I still hope that someday I might see it in a shiny cover on a shelf with other books. But, the day after I finished the first draft was really not the time to be sending it out into the world. Your novel is going to need some nurturing, some TLC, to become the novel it's capable of being.

As you might expect, the five agents who requested Dusty ended up passing. But the next novel I wrote did end up selling at auction because I gave it time to grow into the best novel it could be before querying it. So, here's my NaNoWriMo advice. Think of your pudgy pink baby novel at the end of NaNoWriMo as 250 pages of POTENTIAL. Give it the love and nurturing it needs to flourish and mature. When it's all grown up, then and only then, consider sending it out into the world.

Best of luck to all you brave souls participating!

Enter Uber-agent Suzie Townsend's Query Contest!

2011-10-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

You all remember a few weeks ago when my truly fabulous agent, Suzie Townsend, offered up a query or first chapter critique here as part of my two year signing anniversary with her? Well...she's doing it again! This time the contest is on her blog and it's to celebrate her move to the house of fabulocity that is Nancy Coffey Literary and Media Representation! This coming Tuesday, November 1st, everyone who queries Suzie between 9 and 10 am (EDT) will get a query critique! You can find complete details on how to enter here. Mark your calendars and spend you weekend sharpening your query! You DON'T want to miss this amazing opportunity!

Holly Black WINNER!

2011-10-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

No, you don't actually win Holly, but you win her books! Thanks to everyone who entered! I've tabulated you and put you all into the randomizer, and the winner of signed copies of all these:

is...

Book Love 101!!

Congrats! I will be emailing you soon! =)

Happy weekend, everybody!

Do you love Holly Black? Enter to win her books!

2011-10-20T11:00:00.000-07:00

Yup! Another giveaway! This time, I've got signed copies of both White Cat (PB) and Red Glove (HC) by Holly Black up for grabs! And, cuz I love you, I'll throw in a signed copy of Original Sin! Squee!

That's THREE BOOKS, and all you have to do to enter is comment below by noon PDT on Friday, Oct. 21. Easy as that! Be sure to leave your email or Twitter handle so I can notify you when you WIN! If you want extra entries, Tweet or Facebook a link to this contest.

A plethora of WINNERS!!

2011-10-14T16:20:00.000-07:00

Okay...contests. I had three that ended at noon today. I've counted entries and randomized them, and whew, there were a lot of you.

So, first the contest for signed copies of Cassie Clare's City of Glass and my Original Sin. (Both covers by Cliff Nielsen, btw :p)

The winner is...

Taking it One Book at a Time!!!

Next, the contest for an iPod Shuffle with the entire playlist for the Personal Demons Trilogy and a signed Last Rite galley (to be shipped as soon as I get them). There were a TON of entries for this and almost all of you unscrambled the phrase correctly. It was pretty easy, actually. It was the tagline for Last Rite:
What happens when you can't outrun Hell...or trust the ones you love.

Thanks so much for your enthusiasm!! :p

And, the winner is...

Lauren M!!!

And, last but not least, the contest for a query or first chapter critique by my truly fabulous agent, Suzie Townsend!! There were eleventy bajillion entries for this and y'all almost broke Google. Suzie is very popular :p The entries have been tabulated, scrambled, juggled, shuffled, and randomized and the winner is...

Kate (sithereandread)!!!

Congrats to all the lucky winners!

*throws virtual confetti* (cuz I don't want to clean the real stuff up)

I will be emailing you in the next few days with instructions.

Win a Query or First Chapter Critique by the Incomparable Suzie Townsend

2011-10-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Here it is, the contest I promised you!

Last month, I celebrated my two year anniversary with my truly fabulous agent, Suzie Townsend. (Original artwork by Realm Lovejoy.) She recently announced her move to the house of fabulousity that is Nancy Coffey Literary & Media Representation. And now she has graciously offered up either a query or first chapter critique (of the winner's choosing) for one of you luck readers! Squee!

So, here's the deal. As was the case in my contests, the critique is transferable, but unlike my contests, you'll need to submit your query or first chapter within 30 days of being notified of your win. Suzie is a very busy lady, after all. =)

To enter, all you have to do is fill out the form below by noon PDT on Friday 10/14. You can enter for yourself or for a friend. And if you spread the word by Tweeting or Facebooking a link to this contest, you get extra entries! The winner will be chosen by the randomizer after noon on Friday.

In case you didn't see, Friday will explode with contest winners. My contest for a Last Rite galley and an iPod Shuffle with the PD trilogy playlist and my other contest for signed copies of Cassie Clare's City of Glass and my Original Sin also end Friday at noon, so enter them all!

Good luck!!

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More FREE BOOKS!!!

2011-10-10T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who entered last week for signed copies of Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy and Original Sin. But, guess what? I've got more signed books for you!

Who wants a signed copy of Cassie Clare's City of Glass? Anyone?

Excellent, because I have one for you! And, because I love you, I'll throw in a signed copy of Original Sin again. =) All you have to do to enter is comment below by Friday, 10/14 at noon PDT. If you Tweet or Facebook a link to this contest that's a second entry.

And...I have a surprise for you! Remember last month when all y'all won first chapter and query critiques cuz I was celebrating my two year signing anniversary with my truly fabulous agent, the one and only Suzie Townsend? Well, the celebration continues! Tomorrow, and extra special contest will go up right here on the blog involving the fabulous Suzie and a first chapter or query critique! Don't forget to stop back in and check it out!

But, wait! There's more! Cuz you still have time to enter my (and several other) contests for a Last Rite galley and an iPod shuffle preloaded with the entire playlist for the trilogy!

Good luck!! :p

Winner of Sharks and Boys and Original Sin!

2011-10-07T16:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped in to enter for signed copies of Sharks and Boys by Kristen Tracy and Original Sin by moi! Y'all rock!

Names were thrown (okay, not really thrown, but entered) into the randomizer and I winner has been randomized.

The winner is...

The Happy Booker!

Congrats! *throws virtual confetti cuz I don't want to pick the real stuff up*

I will email you soon!

Win free BOOKS!! Two of them!

2011-10-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's October! How the heck did that happen?

But it did, and that means it's book festival season! For the last two weekends I've been book festivaling...or something. I was at the Somoma County Book Festival the weekend before last, and at the Orange County Children's Book Festival on Sunday. I met lots of y'all there, so thanks for coming out! I also met a ton of awesome authors and scored you guys some signed books! I think I gotta start giving some away...

So, here's your chance to win! For your shot at a signed copy of Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy (who is hysterical, btw) comment below by noon (PDT) on Friday, October 7th. Extra entry for Tweeting or Facebooking a link to this contest! And, because I love you, I'll throw in a signed copy of Original Sin =)

Also, don't forget you still have ten chances to win one of the only ARCs of Last Rite that will be given away before release day. Go here to check out all the ways to enter!

Breaking down the Last Rite cover, and the musical inspiration behind the book.

2011-09-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, yay! I had a blast reading all your cover comments on Twitter and all my blogger friends' blogs yesterday! For those of you who may have been under a rock, here's the Last Rite cover!

So, Frannie. She looks like she's getting ready to kick some butt, doesn't she? Because she is. What's that in her hand, you ask. Hmm... Guess you'll just have to read and find out. *insert evil laugh* And, what does it mean that Gabe and Luc look ready to rip each other's heads off? Well...it means that Gabe and Luc are ready to rip each other's heads off. There's tension, and some not so nice words, and actual punches thrown. But the cover alludes not only to the friction between Luc and Gabe, but the overarching struggle between good and evil. This is where it all comes to a head. This is where the final battle takes place.

I know that's a little sketchy, but you know I really want you to buy the book when it comes out in May, so that's all I can tell you without spoiling. But I can throw you a few bones that will give you a definite flavor for the novel. First, if you've read Personal Demons and Original Sin, you know all of my Personal Demons novels open with a Dante quote from Purgatorio, the middle section of his Divine Comedy. Here's the quote from Last Rite:

Here, one must leave behind all hesitation; here, every cowardice must meet its death.

Dante Alighieri, Purgatorio

And if you've been hanging out here for a while you also know that music is a huge influence on my writing. Each novel has an overarching musical theme. Here's the song that shaped Last Rite:

That is Disturbed: one of my obsession bands. Go buy this song!

If you're dying to get your hands on a galley, remember there are nine chances to win one up on these blogs:
Mundie Moms
The Naughty Book Kitties
Bookalicio.us
Books Over Boys
Call Me Crazy
Book Chic Club
A Good Addiction
Harmony's Radiant Reads
Bloggers [Heart] Books

And, my contest is not only for a Last Rite galley, but signed copies of Personal Demons and Original Sin, plus an iPod shuffle loaded with the song above and all the rest of the playlist for the trilogy! Enter all of them for your best chance, because this is it. There will only be one or two more galley giveaways before May.

Good luck!

Last Rite COVER! ...And Last Rite Galley GIVEAWAY!!

2011-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today is a Last Rite blitz! I have something shiny and new. It's very pretty. *stares absently*

Oh..yeah...hi...

So? You want to see it?

Sure you do.

Here it is...

Bwahahahaaaaa!!! I'm going to make you go looking for it. And while you're looking for it, you CAN WIN ONE OF NINE GALLEYS OF LAST RITE! Yes, I'm more than a little excited! But, here's the deal. The fabulous bloggers helping me with the reveal have nine of my precious galleys. There won't be many more until release in May. So these are nine of the only chances you'll have to win a Last Rite galley.

And BONUS!

Right here on my blog RIGHT NOW you can enter to win a signed set of all three books in the Personal Demons trilogy AND a iPod shuffle with the ENTIRE PERSONAL DEMONS TRILOGY PLAYLIST!!!! I have to tell you, I love these songs. There's music by Breaking Benjamin, Disturbed, Incubus, Three Days Grace, The Fray...all my favorite bands!

Ohh! My screen is sparkling with the shiny thing. ;p

*stares some more*

What...?

You want to know where can you find this shiny thing?

Okay...so...each of these bloggers have (or will sometime today) post the Last Rite cover. Each of them have their own contests for Last Rite galleys, so don't forget to enter while you're there. Also, while you're there, look for clues in their posts (a word or words that stand out somehow) and collect those words. Unscramble them into a Last Rite related phrase and enter it in the form below for your chance to win a signed set of Personal Demons books and the iPod!

Mundie Moms
The Naughty Book Kitties
Bookalicio.us
Books Over Boys
Call Me Crazy
Book Chic Club
A Good Addiction
Harmony's Radiant Reads
Bloggers [Heart] Books

That's ten different contests including mine! Ten chances to win a Last Rite galley! Enter below by noon (PDT) on Friday, October 14th! (my daughter's birthday :p) Good luck!!!

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Desperate times call for desperate measures? (aka: Advice for aspiring writers, Part 5)

2011-09-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've spent the last few weeks divulging all my publishing secrets and giving away a slew of first chapter and query critiques to get you all on your way. But there's something else I think needs to be said.

I remember how excruciating it was to have manuscripts out with agents. Here's me waiting. And here's me waiting some more. I was so excited when I got "the call," as evidenced here, here, and here. It was only two years ago, but things were different then. There were some basic questions I needed to ask the agents who offered rep: What was her submission plan for my book? What sort of revisions would she want? What was the agency's commission structure? Did the agency sign the author, or the project? What were the terms of the agency agreement?

What I didn't have to ask is if the agency was involved in self-e-publishing.

Here's the thing. Another literary agency has announced they're opening an e-publishing arm to "assist their clients who wish to self publish." This is the largest agency I'm aware of that has taken this step. It makes me sad.

I get that things are changing in the publishing world. They're changing faster than many people anticipated. But the one thing that should never change is that the purpose of a literary agent is to advocate for his/her client (which is the author, in case I lost you). The harsh reality is that not every novel will sell to a traditional publisher, and self-publishing is becoming a more viable option as that market expands. If a agent has exhausted all traditional avenues and a project hasn't sold, whether to self-publish or not is a personal decision that an author needs to make in consultation with his/her agent.

But, here's the rub.

If my agent's agency has a self-publishing arm, where they stand to make at least the same 15% commission (which is the standard commission most agents charge when they sell your project to a traditional publisher, and which seems to be what they're charging to self-publish your project in their self-publishing arm) then, when my agent comes to me and says, "We gave it the old college try and it just didn't sell. I think you should consider our self-publishing option," how do I know he/she actually gave my project 100%? How do I know he/she tried his/her hardest to sell it to a traditional publisher? They stand to make money either way, so why knock themselves out? It all comes down to how much you trust your agent, but, knowing myself, I'd always wonder.

The bigger problem is that there will always be issues that need to be resolved between an author and his/her publisher, whether it be a traditional publisher, or a self-e-publisher. Most of these issues are things a new author could never anticipate. Some are small and some are major. What's supposed to happen is that an author takes the issue to his/her agent, who acts as an intermediary between the author and the editor. You are paying your agent 15% of everything you make to be your advocate, and that is money well spent. But what happens if your agent is also your publisher? When your agent is the one you have an issue with, who's going to advocate for you? No one, that's who.

As a published author, I find this disturbing and alarming. As an aspiring writer, I'd find it downright terrifying.

So, a word of caution: To get an offer of representation is like hitting the jackpot for most aspiring writers. It's easy to get all, "SQUEE!" and "OMG! I'M GONNA BE THE NEXT STEPHENIE MEYER!" But don't get so excited that you forget to ask that perspective agent what happens if your book doesn't sell. And if, in the end, you decide to go the self publishing route, your agent's going to take their 15% either way, so I'd encourage you to seek out a publisher unaffiliated with your agent or his/her agency to avoid a serious conflict of interest. If they arm-twist you into staying in-house, I'd question whether they have your best interest at heart. You need your agent to be your agent and nothing else (except maybe your friend).

'Nuff said.

Good luck and happy writing!

Query and First Chapter Critique WINNER!! Again!!

2011-09-23T15:34:00.000-07:00

So, today is the big day! It's my two year agent signing anniversary!

For the last month, I've been having a Anniversary Bash, including divulging all my publishing secrets and helping a few of you along the path. Today is the fourth week I'm giving away a query and first chapter critique, and the luck winner is...

Julie Murphy!!

Congrats! I will email you soon! =)

Last query and first chapter critique up for grabs!

2011-09-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here it is--the last of four query and first chapter critiques to celebrate my two year agent signing anniversary.

I've divulged all my publishing secrets, and now you're ready to go, so if you'd like some feedback from yours truly on your query and first chapter, just fill out the form below by Friday, 9/23 at noon PDT. The first three critiques have already been claimed, so this is your last chance! Remember that this critique is fully transferable and never expires until I do. You can enter for yourself or a friend. And, remember, previous entries do not carry over, so please re-enter.

Good luck and happy writing! =)

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TV and me: a true story.

2011-09-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

It's confession day on the blog, so here goes: I haven't watched TV in years.

Okay, that's a little bit of a lie. I watch sports sometimes. Football and baseball, mostly. But, I've never seen an episode of Buffy, or True Blood, or The Vampire Diaries. Never.

My "no TV" policy started fifteen years ago and it stemmed from me realizing how much of my life I squandered in front of the boob tube. I would come home from work and watch TV until bedtime. That was my day. Work and TV. People would ask if I'd read some book that they liked and I'd say that I hadn't had time. But then I realized I'd had plenty of time, I'd just chosen to spend it vegetating on the couch in a TV stupor. So I went cold turkey. I just stopped watching. Our TV is still on in the evenings because my husband is still a TV addict, but I tune it out and write. I can tell you very little about the shows he watches.

The reason I bring this up here is because my amazing critique partner, Andrea Cremer (who, btw, is a genius) told me that my high school football playing man-whore in my new manuscript was missing the "Tim Riggins factor." So, of course, I had to google Tim Riggins.
He's a high school football playing man-whore on a series that just ended, Friday Night Lights. Whereas it's a series that, at least partially, is about football, and also had an actor (Kyle Chandler) who I'd loved in a series he was in before I stopped watching TV (Homefront), Friday Night Lights had always been a show I thought I might like when I saw the promos.

I'm in that waiting place. I'm waiting on copyedits for Last Rite among other things, so I'm just tweaking and tinkering in a few manuscripts. I have some TV time. We have Netflix. Netflix streams Friday Night Lights. Because I'd apparently written a Tim Riggins-esque character, I had to check it out. I am addicted. In three days, I'm almost through season 1, and now I'm sorry I only found this series after it had been cancelled. I don't drink, or smoke, or do anything illegal or elicit (well...except drive too fast), but I obsess over characters in books and movies. I'm finding out I also obsess over characters in TV shows. My addictive tendencies seem to be limited to fictional people. I don't know if this is good or bad.

So, I hope I can get through the rest of FNL before I'm not waiting anymore, and maybe I'll move onto Buffy. Netflix doesn't stream The Vampire Diaries or True Blood, unfortunately, so I'm not sure I'll get to those. =(

Plethora of contest winners!

2011-09-16T18:16:00.000-07:00

Okay...winners. I had two contests that ended today. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to enter over the last few days! =)

I have compiled results and plugged them into the randomizer, and I have WINNERS! So, winner of the Birthday Bash for a signed set of PD and OS is...

Ellen Elizabeth

And, the winner of the third of four first chapter and query critiques in my Agent Signing Anniversary Bash is...

Leah Miller

Congrats to both of you! I will email you soon!!!

And...if you didn't win, another query and first chapter critique will be up for grabs next week! =)

Happy Birthday Polish Personal Demons (and Polish cover)...oh and also, US Personal Demons!

2011-09-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

It's a double Personal Demons birthday celebration! I think I need to give some stuff away! Who wants a signed set of Personal Demons and Original Sin? If you do, just comment below by Friday 9/16 at noon (PDT). Leave a way to find you (email or Twitter handle). You can also earn and extra entry for Tweeting or Facebooking a link to this contest.

What, exactly, are we celebrating? One year ago today, my first book baby was born. Since then, Personal Demons has released in several other countries, and, this week, a new sister has joined the flock. My Polish publisher released Demony: Pokusa (Demons: Temptation) on Monday. And...here's the cover:

So, what do you think?

This is very exciting to me! I discovered I share a Polish publisher with Stephenie Meyer. I think this makes us BFFs. ;p

I also found out this summer that Personal Demons went to a second printing here in the U.S. I'm sending out a huge thanks to all of you who bought and read Personal Demons and Original Sin here and in all the various languages it's been translated into! You guys rock!

And, if you'd like me to read something you wrote, don't forget that I'm also celebrating my two year agent signing anniversary next week. That means you have a chance to win a query and first chapter critique! Enter by Friday!

Third query and first chapter critique up for grabs!

2011-09-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

Holy cannoli! It's almost the middle of September already. That means it's been a year tomorrow that Personal Demons hit shelves. And next week is my two year agent signing anniversary, so to celebrate, I'm giving away four first chapter and query critiques! The first two were already claimed by Lori M. Lee and Amber M, but there are two more still up for grabs. And RIGHT NOW is your chance to win one!

Remember that these critiques are fully transferable and NEVER expire until I do. To enter, all you have to do is fill out the form below by Friday 9/16 at noon (PDT). If you've entered the previous two contests, please reenter. Entries do not carry over.

So, here we go, and GOOD LUCK!

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Second query and first chapter critique WINNER!

2011-09-12T09:00:00.000-07:00

Hey folks. Sorry I didn't get this posted Friday afternoon. A tough day ended with a trip to the emergency room with my daughter, who tore all the ligaments on the outside of her ankle in volleyball and is now out for the season. =(

So, better late than never. Thanks for the enthusiastic response to these giveaways! So many of you entered that I think we broke the randomizer. But...we have a winner! Please remember that if it's not you, you'll have another chance to enter starting tomorrow, so don't forget to check back.

The winner of the second of four first chapter and query critiques is...

Amber M!!!

Congrats! I will be emailing you soon =)

9/11: The Gift

2011-09-11T09:45:00.000-07:00

Everyone remembers where they were ten years ago. We'd moved from Boston to California a few years earlier so, being on the west coast, I woke up to the horror. We knew people who worked in the World Trade Center, but, thankfully, the only thing we lost in the attacks was a birthday gift. My daughter's birthday is September 16th and my mother-in-law had mailed her birthday gift from Cape Cod on the 10th. It never arrived, and the post office confirmed that it would have been trucked up to Logan Airport (Boston) the evening of the 10th and put on the first commercial jet heading to California in the morning.

I can't even watch the video of the planes crashing into the towers and the towers falling. I still get that cold finger up my spine when I think about it. My heart goes out to everyone who lost someone that horrible day. In addition to all the brave first responders and the loved ones we lost, some of us lost our sense of security.

But then, something amazing happened. We all took comfort in each other. We band together with our neighbors and became stronger as individuals and a nation. In all the horror, that was the gift. In our, "me first" society, people seemed to remember that it's not all about "me." For a short time, all the selfish seemed to run out of people and compassion replaced it.

So, on this tenth anniversary of one of the worst days in our nation's history, I hope we can all remember what it felt like to care about others more than ourselves. If we can find a little of that in ourselves everyday, we can change the world.

The fine art of waiting. AND, your second chance for a first chapter and query critique!

2011-09-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

I ended my last post in my advice for aspiring writers series by telling you that waiting is the hardest part. But waiting is a huge part of publishing. You write a book. You query it. You wait. You get an agent. Your agent submits your manuscript to editors. You wait. An editor buys your book. You wait for your ed letter. You do your revisions. You wait for your copyedits. You do your copyedits. You wait for your ARCs. Then you wait another six months for your book. That's like eighteen months to two years of waiting just to get one book on the shelves. But then, guess what? You get to wait some more. If your book sold in a multiple book deal, everything but the agent bit applies with each new book. And then, if you write something new, it goes through the same submission process, and you get to wait some more to see if your editor wants your next project.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining, per se. The waiting is a necessary evil. There is a reason the process is slow, and that's because it takes time to get it right. Agents want to know they're taking on projects they can be passionate about and that have a good potential for placement with an editor. They work their butts off and only get paid when they sell something, so they're going to take their time and be uber-careful about what they take on. In addition, they're super busy with their existing clients: reading new manuscripts and their numerous revisions; meeting with editors and pitching their latest projects, submitting manuscripts to editors and following up. Likewise, editors have their existing projects, and then stacks of reading for potential new projects. Once your book is in the pipeline, there are revisions, copyedits, pass pages. There's cover art and typography. Then there's the fact that Sales meetings, both in-house and with booksellers, happen months before the book is scheduled to hit shelves. You want time for your book to build buzz before it's released so by the time it's on shelves, someone other than your mother has heard of it.

But, it's hard. To me, it's the hardest part. I'm an instant gratification type person. I don't do well with waiting. I need to know RIGHT NOW OR OMG I'LL DIE if my editor was okay with my sequel, or if my crit partner thinks my plot holds together, or if my agent thinks my shiny new idea has potential. But, in the words of the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want. So, while I'm waiting, I'm blathering on to you about all my publishing secrets, book piracy and, yes, waiting.

I'm also reading a lot. And, if you want me to read something YOU wrote, here's your chance! The second of four first chapter and query critiques celebrating my two year agent signing is officially up for grabs. The critique never expires (until I do), and it is fully transferable, so enter for yourself or a friend! All you have to do to enter is fill out the form below. Link this contest on Twitter or Facebook to earn bonus entries. =)

Go ahead! You know you want to! And you might actually WIN and feel like this:

Enter by noon (PDT) on Friday, September 9th. The winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here after noon. Good luck!!!

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Aye aye matey! Is book piracy a good thing or a bad thing?

2011-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here's my pirate. For those of you who have followed the blog for awhile, you know he's also my muse.

*drools*

*stares*

*drools some more*

What...? The post...

Oh, yeah. Sorry.

Okay, so book piracy. I saw an interesting discussion on one of the many “shared file” websites out there last week, and it got me thinking. (Always dangerous, I know.) The comment thread was about “sharing” books, and as I read through, I saw it had been initiated by someone who stated he/she wanted an open discussion to try to find a “solution” where authors would be happy to have their work uploaded onto the site and not keep asking to have illegal uploads taken down.

The discussion soon deteriorated into users trashing authors who had the gall to come on to the site with an "attitude" and state that the uploads were illegal, and tantamount to stealing. The upshot was that the users would never buy those authors’ books now because they were “greedy.” I contend that the fact they are regular users of a free file-sharing site means they probably wouldn’t have bought those authors’ books anyway, but what do I know…

So, in summary, these were the primary talking points I was able to glean from the discussion:

On the authors’ side—

1) It is illegal to upload copyrighted material without permission.

2) There are many legal means by which to get free books or sample books before you buy them. Amazon, Barnes & Noble and many publishers often have first chapters or several chapters available to read for free. And borrowing books, either from the library or a friend, has always been legal.

3) Most publishers will look to sales numbers when deciding whether to buy an author’s next project. Many of your favorite authors might never get another book published because of sales lost to piracy.

4) Stealing intellectual property is no different than walking into someone’s home and stealing physical property.

On the pirates’ side—

1) Authors are discovered by thousands of readers who never would have heard of them otherwise through piracy, so authors should be thankful. (this seems to be the most popular argument)

2) It is the author’s fault that material they choose to put on the internet gets stolen. If they don’t want their books stolen they should stick to paper copies.

3) Authors are greedy for expecting to get paid for every book. Some people can’t afford books.

4) Writing isn’t a real job and authors shouldn't get paid to do it.

5) A reader shouldn’t have to pay for a book they don’t know if they’re going to like or not.

6) In the internet age, everything on on-line will be free. It’s just a matter of time.

7) If an author’s sales numbers aren’t good enough for their publisher to want to buy more books [despite piracy], then they’re probably not very good writers.

8) Piracy has always been here, and it isn’t going away. Get used to it.

I’m an author whose books show up regularly on these sites, so I’m not objective, but I’d wager if a person can afford a $500 computer and internet service by which to illegally download books, they can probably afford a book or two. My policy is to send the links I find to my editor, who sends them on to the Legal department. Legal is then supposed to contact the site and have the uploads taken down. Because, it is illegal. No one on the pirate sites disputes that. These sites provide links to software to remove the DRM from legally purchased books so they can be uploaded and read by everyone for free, which everyone knows is illegal.

And, I do believe that these sites detract from my sales, which I also believe does impact my chances of selling another book to my publisher. Does that mean I'm not a very good writer? I don't know. Maybe. But it also means I might not be able to continue writing. So this is very personal to me. All that said, is it possible there are readers who "discovered" me on file-sharing sites? Yes. Have a few of them maybe bought my books? It's possible.

The thing you need to understand about me for any of this to make sense is that I’m the kind of person who feels guilty about enjoying free library books, and that's perfectly legal. If I find something I love in the library, I’ll go buy the book. Usually two, one for me and one to give away here on the blog. I want to support the author and I know buying their book is the way I can most effectively do that. (Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE to get the nice emails too!)

So, I’m curious how y’all feel about it. Do you agree that piracy is stealing? If so, how wrong is it, really? Going 30 MPH in a 25 speed zone wrong? Or, breaking into someone’s house and taking their stuff wrong? Have you ever downloaded a pirated book? Did you have any qualms about it, or is it just part of how things are now in the internet age? Do you agree that authors benefit from having their books illegally uploaded onto file-sharing websites? Have you ever found an author this way and then gone out and bought their books?

Whew, that's a lot of questions. But I really want to know what the rest of the world thinks about this.

And, for those of you who are looking to someday be lucky enough to have your books pirated too, tomorrow I will be posting the second giveaway for a query and first chapter critique. Stop in for your chance to win!

Query and First Chapter Critique WINNER!!

2011-09-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

A huge thanks to everyone who stopped by to read my advice for aspiring writers and enter for a query and first chapter critique. Remember, if you didn't win, there will be three more chances. Each week between now and September 23rd, I'll post a new drawing! The critique never expires (until I do) and is fully transferable, so don't be afraid to enter =)

So...the moment you're all waiting for.

The winner of the first of four query and first chapter critiques is...

Lori M. Lee

Congrats! I will be emailing you soon =)

One of the funnest parts of being published...

2011-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know funnest isn't a word, but I'm too excited to care :p

These just came on the boat from Germany today =) This is fun! #justsayin' There are words inside that I wrote, but can't read:

Squee! :p

Don't forget your last day to enter for a query and first chapter critique by yours truly ends tomorrow at noon. (PST) If you haven't entered yet, get over there. It never expires (unless I do) and it's fully transferable, so you have nothing to lose =)

Cyberstalking 101. (Advice for aspiring writers: Part 4)

2011-08-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today, we wrap up my series on advice for writers by talking about stalking agents and the querying process. But before I get to that, I promised you I’d give away one first chapter and query critique a week from now until my two year agent signing anniversary on September 23^rd. This prize is fully transferable and never expires, so even if you’re not quite ready for a critique, go ahead and enter. I give good critique. Just ask my crit partner, Andrea Cremer :p To enter, fill out the form at the end of this post by noon (PST) on Friday, September 2nd. You can earn one extra entry for Facebooking or Tweeting a link to this contest and more extra entries for following this blog and following me on Twitter (@LisaDez). One winner will be chosen and posted here after noon on September 2nd. And remember, if you don't win there will be more chances to enter in the coming weeks! =)

Now, back to our regularly scheduled broadcast...

This is the end of my four-part series on writing and querying for aspiring writers. If you missed any of the previous posts, just click on the link or the blog header above and scroll down to Thursday's post on how to know if you should even be writing.

So, you've written a kickass novel that's polished to a high shine (see Monday's post) and a killer query letter (see yesterday's post). Now you're ready to query. It’s not as easy as downloading a list of agents and sending a bulk email. There’s a lot more to the process. I had a fairly high request rate (12 manuscript requests of 21 queries sent) because I was very careful who I sent my query to. Here’s how to optimize your chances of getting read:

Do your research.

1) This is one time in your life where internet stalking (to a point) is acceptable. You want to find out everything you can about an agent. (Well…almost everything.) You want to be SURE that they are interesting in representing the genre you’ve written in. DO NOT query an agent with your middle grade project who only reps women’s romance. You are wasting everyone’s time and effort and it demonstrates a basic lack of motivation and professionalism on your part. After all, if you can’t be bothered to spend a reasonable amount of time searching out the right agent for your novel, how much effort did you really put into the novel to start with.

2) There are several places to find information on agents.

a. Agency websites will usually have basic information on all their agents, including what genres they rep and what they’ve sold. Also, there are often pictures of the agents, which is helpful if they have a gender neutral first name, such as Pat. You want to make sure your salutation is correct. Ms. for women is always safe. NEVER send a query to "Dear Agent," or "To Whom it May Concern." Ever. You’re totally getting off on the wrong foot.

b. Sites like querytracker.net, agentquery.com, writersdigest.com, and publishersmarketplace.com can be helpful in compiling a list of agents, but remember that these sites are not updated frequently and can sometimes contain erroneous information, so don’t rely on them exclusively.

c. Once you have your list (at least 20), stalk each agent. A google search is always a good place to start. Things you might not find on the agency website sometimes come up, such as blog interviews they’ve done describing what they’re looking for.

d. Some agents have blogs. Read them if you’re thinking of querying. This is where you’ll find the most updated submission guidelines, as well as get hints at what they're currently looking for.

e. Many agents also Twitter or Facebook.

3) Generally, agents don’t want to take on a project too close to something they already rep, so if you’ve written a YA novel about a girl named Stella, who moves to a remote town in, say, the Pacific northwest, and meets a sparkly vampire named Edmund, then maybe you shouldn’t query Jodi Reamer. #justsayin’.

4) Once you have your list of 20 or so agents, and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt they're looking for exactly what you wrote, you’re ready to query.

Do NOT sent out your queries in one big mass emailing.

1) You’ve done your due diligence and stalked these agents. Now show them you’re a Class A stalker by personalizing your query. A few cautions here:

a. If you found out on your stalkerish quest that they love chocolate covered espresso beans, restrain yourself. DO NOT sent ANYTHING with your query. That crosses the line from stalker to sociopath.

b. Do not mention that you think your book is similar to something they sold and gush all over the book unless you actually READ IT. This WILL come back to bite you on the butt. Start off your potential agent/client relationship with honesty and integrity, not just trying to get into their ~~pants~~…I mean inbox. If you don't have anything meaningful to say on a personal level, just keep it basic. The query I posted yesterday was my standard query. It went out this way to all but three agents, who I'd either met in person, or had spent extensive time on their blogs, which I mentioned.

2) So, you have this killer manuscript and an awesome list of agents and a totally kickass query letter. It’s soooo tempting to just click that send button over and over and over. Because, lets face it, they’re all going to want to represent you. You ROCK! But the thing is, so do a lot of other people, and these agents get more than 200 queries a week. That’s a lot of queries. So, here’s what I suggest. Pick five. And, honestly, you may not want it to be your top five. Send the query off to them and see what sort of response you get. If you get five manuscript requests, HAZZAH! You truly do have a kickass query. But if you don’t, you may want to consider revising your query (and your first however many pages you sent) before sending it to five more. In other words, if you shoot your wad all at once, you have nowhere to send your new kickasser query when you realize it’s not as kickass as it could have been.

3) Only send the number of manuscript pages they specify. NEVER send unsolicited manuscripts. Most agents ask for either five or ten manuscript pages to be pasted into your query. They will not open emails with attachments, so don’t attach ANYTHING. And, if they ask for five pages, it’s because that’s how long you have to hook a reader. If you don’t think your first five pages are strong enough to make them HAVE TO OR OH MY GOD I’LL DIE read the rest of your manuscript, you may need to rewrite those first five. (See Monday’s post for my writing advice.) If they don't ask for any pages in their guidelines, I doubt you'll make any enemies by pasting in the first two or so, which is what I did. More than two felt pushy, and honestly, you should really hook your reader in the first page of your mss, so two pages should be plenty.

Wait.

This is the hardest part. It’s also when you need to STOP stalking. Once you hit the send button on your first batch of queries, it’s out of your hands. But I can tell you a surefire way to get your query deleted, unread: Pester the agent. Please for the love of God, resist the urge to follow up your query with a query as to whether they received it. Some agents/agencies have the “no response is a no” policy, which truly sucks for the aspiring writer, but they’re super busy with their existing clients and they just don’t have time to respond to each of those 200+ queries they get every week. I haven’t queried in a few years, but I found at that time, most agents were still responding. When I sent my first bundle of five queries, I heard back from every one of them (four requests and a rejection—but I love you anyway, Nathan ;p) within four days. If after six weeks, you haven’t heard anything, revise your query letter and move on to the next group on your agent list. While you’re waiting, write something else, revise more tension into your first five pages, or research more agents. Stay busy.

And that’s it. Obviously, there are no guarantees. But, if you’ve written the best novel and query letter you can, and you query responsibly, you’ll know you’ve done everything in your power to make it happen.

So…who wants a first chapter (up to 20 double-spaced pages) and query critique from yours truly? If you or someone you know would like to have your work critiqued, fill out the form below. One winner will be drawn by randomizer.org at noon on Friday and posted here. Good luck!!! And, next week there will be another contest! To celebrate my two year signing anniversary I'm giving one critique away each week between now and September 23rd! :p

Don't forget to spread the word for bonus entries!

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How to hook an agent. (Advice for aspiring writers: Part 3)

2011-08-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, after yesterday's post, you know what it takes to make your novel totally kickass. Today, I'll give you my tips on the dreaded query letter. And, don't forget! Tomorrow, a query and first chapter critique will go up for grabs here on the blog. So, to get you ready, here are my pearls of wisdom.

There’s all the stuff on query letters you can find on awesome blogs such as Nathan Bransford's, agent turned author, which I couldn't say any better. Without Nathan, I never would have had the first clue about where to start, so I owe him everything. You can have my first born, Nathan. No, really. Take her. *clears throat* But I digress. Nathan has the basic anatomy of a good query in his sidebar with links to examples. Read as many examples of successful queries as you can find. The only bit of my personal wisdom I can impart here is that, if you’re finding it difficult to find “the hook” for your query letter, maybe your novel doesn't have a strong enough one.

Just like your novel has to hook readers in the first few pages, your query letter has to hook agents in the first few sentences. You want to pick the most intriguing part or parts of your novel to focus on, and write a one to two paragraph catchy description. A good hook needs to allude to the conflict and tension in your novel, BUT…remember the purpose of the query is to get them to read the sample pages, so you don’t need to give everything away. You want to tantalize with the letter. Give them a taste and make them want to read to find out what happens. You definitely need to hint at the outcome, but you don’t need to spell it out. Think of it as a slightly spoilery jacket copy. You pick up a book, turn it over, and read the jacket copy. Based on that, do you want to read the rest of the book? If your answer is yes, there was a hook—something that drew you in. Something you absolutely need to do is avoid getting bogged down in the minutia. This is NOT a synopsis of your novel.

I hemmed and hawed over whether to share my Personal Demons query with you and finally decided I would. I’ve removed one sentence that is major spoilery, but the rest is what I sent to agents. For those of you who have read Personal Demons, you will see that there are major plot points missing, as well as major characters. (Think: Gabe) Again, the query letter is not a synopsis. Only include the most intriguing parts/characters from your novel. So, here goes:

Dear Ms. (Name of Agent),

I hope I can interest you in my young adult novel, Personal Demons.

Lucifer Cain works in Acquisitions—for Hell. Frannie Cavanaugh is a good Catholic girl with a wicked streak and a unique skill set that has the king of Hell tingling with anticipation. Luc shouldn't have any trouble tempting her down the fiery path, except she makes him feel things. Things demons aren’t supposed to be able to feel. But, despite how much he wants her, what he feels most is an overwhelming need to protect her—from him.

With the whole of Heaven and Hell doing battle for her soul, the last thing Frannie needs is to be lusting on some demon. But she is. So the big question is: does the mere fact she’s fallen for a demon condemn her to Hell? If it does, is that a bad thing if Luc’s there? But he might not be, because he’s changing. He’s also falling down on the job and the higher-ups are noticing—which generally means dismemberment and the Fiery Pit—unless she can figure out how to save him. But, before she can save him, she needs to save herself.

Personal Demons is a sinfully edgy 80,000 word young adult novel told in alternating first person points of view. It’s got something for everyone: angels, demons, action, love, humor, danger, a sound track and a little hanky-panky. I already have this manuscript out with other agents, but if you’re tempted by Personal Demons, I’d love to forward sample chapters or the full manuscript at your request.

I want to sincerely thank you for your time and consideration. As requested, I have pasted the first (# of pages the agent asks for in submission guidelines) of my manuscript below. My contact information is also listed below.

Warm Regards,

(Side note: Personal Demons was 80K words when I queried agents, and I'm told that's a pretty reasonable YA word count. It grew to 84K after revisions for my agent before we submitted, and to 91K in revisions for my editor. This isn't unusual.)

(Side note #2: It's generally okay to paste a few manuscript pages into your query even if the agent doesn't ask for any in their submission guidelines. I generally pasted in the first two pages in this case. That gave them a flavor, but sending more than that felt pushy to me.)

So, there you have it. My request rate with that letter was over 50%. Once you catch the agents attention enough to ask for the manuscript, the manuscript has to sell itself, so be sure not to query before you've done everything in yesterday's post and you know your manuscript is as killer as it can possibly be.

There are resources online, such as the ~~lovely~~…I mean sharkly Janet Reid at Queryshark who will rip your query to shreds. Or, you can enter to win a query critique here tomorrow. I’ll also critique your first chapter (up to 20 pages). So, check back tomorrow for my advice on querying and to enter to win the first of four critiques.

How do you know if your novel sucks? (Advice for aspiring writers: Part 2)

2011-08-29T09:00:00.000-07:00

I promised to divulge all of my writing/querying secrets, and I am starting today. This advice post got SUPER long, so I’ve broken it down into writing advice, query letter writing advice, and querying advice. Today is the writing post. Tomorrow will be the querying letter post, Wednesday will be the querying post and, if you want to enter to win one of four first chapter and query critiques, the contest entry will be at the bottom of Wednesday’s post. :p

But…writing. Thursday I gave you my basic advice on how to know if you should even be writing at all. Today, I’ll fill you in on some of the things that helped me.

Coming up with the killer idea.

I stand in awe of writers who can outline. I can’t. I’ve tried and it’s a totally wasted effort, because once I start writing, my characters take the story where it needs to go, whether I like it or not. And it’s NEVER where I thought it was going. So, I won’t talk about outlining. But I will talk about the idea, because that’s important.

You have an idea. It might have come from the lyrics of a song, or from watching someone at the grocery store, or from a sign on the front of a building. Wherever it came from, it’s a totally AMAZING idea. What you need to ask yourself is, did the idea evolve organically, or was it something you came up with because you think it’s something agents/publishers want to see? Two things here.

1) If you’re writing to a current trend, you need to remember the books you see selling like hotcakes were acquired by their editors two years ago. Meaning, the book you’re writing now is, in a perfect world, two to three years from shelves. The trend will have passed and, very likely, editors aren’t going to be acquiring that type of book anymore. The caveat to that (always) is that if you can give that old trope a new twist, and it’s extremely well written, there’ll always be a market for it. Which segues into my next point.

2) It is easy to spot the story that’s authentic. If the story is coming from your heart and your soul, it will show in the writing. If it’s the story you were meant to tell, it will flow. If you’re forcing it, it won’t. Write for yourself, not for agents or editors. Don’t worry about what’s out there and what’s selling. Set the next trend.

So, you’re writing the book you were meant to write; setting the next trend. Now you need someone (or someones) to read your awesomeness.
It’s tempting to tell no one you’re writing if you’re a newbie (which is what I did) but the truth is, you need readers. If you don’t want your family/friend to know you’re writing, that’s actually okay, because they’d be about the worst readers you could find anyway. They’re not objective. What you need is:

1) Someone who enjoys reading in the genre you’ve written, but who has no emotional attachment to you and will therefore be brutally honest (in a supportive way) about your writing.

2) Someone who can see the overall issues and not just pick at the minutia. (ie: rewriting sentences) You want a critique, not a line edit.

There are numerous online groups and resources available these days. If you don’t have any other avenue to cultivate writing friends, use them. The one that comes to mind is verlakay.com where there are chat boards for writers. The thing about critiquing is that we as writers know what it is we’re trying to get across on the page. It makes perfect sense to us as we’re writing it. But the actual words that we’ve written may or may not be getting it across the way we think they are. You need someone objective to tell you the big things, like where your plot falls apart, or that your eighteen year old comes off as thirty, as well as the little things, like everyone in your book is blond/blue, or your dog barks too much.

If it’s your first novel, write it, then rewrite it.

We’ve all heard the stories of authors selling their very first novel for big bucks and going on to fame and fortune. They are the vast minority. Most authors will tell you that have one or ten practice or “trunk” novels. That’s not to say that your first novel doesn’t have a kickass plot and complex characters, but the chances that you totally nailed the writing the first time out are not good. So, if you love your characters and your plot:

1) Write the novel then close the file. Sit on it for a week or three while you read a whole bunch of other people’s novels, then start over without opening the original file. Or…better yet.

2) Write something totally different (not a sequel) then come back and write novel one again.

The more you practice, the better you get. #trufax

Revise the crap out of it.

1) Enlist your critique partner/group to help you see where things need to be fleshed out, where the characters need to be developed, where the transitions need to be smoothed out. Make their changes (if they ring true to you) and send it back for another round or two.

2) Read it out loud to yourself. This is a great way to catch all the wording/phrasing issues that you automatically smooth over in your head.

3) If it helps to see a hard copy, print it out and mark the spots you needed to read twice, or anywhere that didn’t flow the way you hoped it would.

I told you this post was getting long, and that’s just writing! Tune in tomorrow for query writing advice. I’m still deciding if I’ll post my actual query letter. I had a fairly high request rate (12 of 20) so I want to, but it’s full of Personal Demons spoilers, so…

Advice for aspiring writers, interrupted.

2011-08-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I promised you I'd divulge all my writing/querying secrets today. I lied. By accident. I'm still working on the post, but it's getting SUPER long, cuz there's a lot I've learned over that last three years since I started writing. So, I'm doing a series of posts next week on all my advice or aspiring writers.

AND...the first giveaway will post next week. If you want a chance at a first chapter and query critique from yours truly, I'll be giving one away each week between now and September 23rd, so check back! :p

Advice for aspiring writers: Part 1

2011-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

Rejection is a big part of publishing. The honest truth is that there are some really amazing books out there that never sell. I've read some of them. Being the innately lazy person that I am, the prospect of putting months of my life into a project that will probably never go anywhere is depressing at best. But I have two of them. I wrote them before I wrote Personal Demons and they taught me to write. The cold hard truth is, there's no way to know if a novel is good enough until it's completed, revised, revised again, and polished to a high shine. There are no guarantees.

So, does that mean you should give up? Yep! Because that's what every writer of every book you see on the shelves at your local bookstore did. (NOT!!)

The real answer: If you love to write, you should write. If you used to love to write, but don't anymore, then maybe you should stop. We've probably all read books by our favorite New York Times bestselling authors that we thought weren't quite up to par. When a writer isn't loving what they're doing anymore, it shows. It doesn't matter if they're published or not.

The inspiration for this post was a conversation I had with an aspiring writer who said she was so sick of rejection that she thought she might stop writing. The automatic response that sprung to my lips was, "Don't give up!" But when I thought about it, I realized that's not what I'd want to hear if I'd just said that to another author. So, what I told her was, "If you love to write, do it. If you don't, stop." It's the most honest thing I could think to say.

Tomorrow, I'll post my specific tips for aspiring writers, which includes everything from the writing process to querying agents. And, speaking of agents, I've had one for two years next month, so to celebrate, starting tomorrow, I'll be giving away one first chapter and query critique a week between now and September 23rd (my 2 year signing anniversary). So if you do love writing, and you're going to keep doing it, check back tomorrow for my pearls of wisdom and to enter for your chance at a critique by yours truly =)

Stick a fork in it already!

2011-08-22T11:16:00.000-07:00

So, I have a confession to make. I’m neurotic—sort of. I’m a perfectionist. I hate to make mistakes. Because of that, and the fact that the voices in my head never seem to shut up, I’m a compulsive reviser/editor of my manuscripts. I can pick at a manuscript forever and never be totally happy with it.

Even in Personal Demons and Original Sin, which are a done deal, there are some things I wish I could go back and change. I'll think of some witty line that would have fit perfectly and I'll kick myself. What I find is that the characters develop and flesh out this way for me, sort of one line at a time.

Because of that, I'm the kind of person who drives my lovely critique partner and truly fabulous agent nuts. I'll send them something, then like two days later, I'll send them a frantic, "Wait! I changed something!" email with a revised manuscript. If it takes my agent a week to get to something, she'll probably get at least four of those emails. She never complains (out loud) but I'm sure I'm her most annoying client.

Even when I was querying agents, I did this a few times, even though they warn you not to. The few I did it to were very gracious, and one even represents me now, so I guess it wasn't too big of a black mark =)

So, how do you decide something is good enough? When do you stick a fork in it and call it done?

And, YES! We have a WINNER!

2011-08-19T15:39:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to enter for Shut Out by the lovely Kody Keplinger and a signed copy of Original Sin!

The entries have been tallied and the randomizer has chosen!

And, the lucky winner is...

Liz. R

Congrats! I will be emailing you soon!

Chatting it up on Twitter with Kendare Blake and Kiki Hamilton

2011-08-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

So, I recently gave away an ARC of one of the coolest books I read this year, Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. She's an editor sister at Tor Teen. Kiki Hamilton is also a Tor sister and her debut, The Faerie Ring, releases on September 27. All three of us will be hanging out on Twitter today from 4-5 (EST) in the #TorChat room talking YA books and writing and anything else you want to chat about. Kendare's and my seriously cool editor, Melissa Frain, will be there moderating, so you could even ask her a question if you had one =)

You can click here for more information on today's #TorChat or for information on us or our books. So, if you're hanging out on Twitter this afternoon, come chat with us! Don't forget the #TorChat hashtag! See you there!

Hanging out with Kody Keplinger, and another book in my hot little hands that could be YOURS!

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's true. I have another amazing book in my hot little hands that you most definitely WANT. It releases September 5th, but it could be yours before that, because I'm giving away an ARC RIGHT NOW! It totally rocks socks and it is this:

Yep! Shut Out, by the fabulous Kody Keplinger! Whether you read The DUFF or not (and if not, WHY NOT?) you will love this book. It's all kinds of awesomesauce!

And, the fabulous Kody also answered some questions for me, so, if you want to know which of her characters she's crushing on, read on...

Okay, Kody. Wesley or Cash? (or Randy?)

In my dreams, Wesley. I like to imagine some super sexy bad boy would fall for me. But in reality, I think I'd be more attracted to Cash. Bad boys are great in theory, but in practice, a boy who reads a lot and is sweet is more my speed.

Who has a better poker face, Bianca or Lissa?

I'd say Lissa. She's pretty good at keeping things to herself. But Bianca has a killer poker face, too, so its a close race.

In a bar fight where should I put my money, Bianca or Lissa?

Oh, Bianca FOR SURE. She's short, but she'd be scrappy. Lissa's a little too nice to be a good fighter.

In a high school yearbook:

Lissa would be voted most likely to: Drive Her College Roommate Crazy.

Randy would be voted most likely to: Become an Underwear Model.

Cash would be voted most likely to: Be the Next David Beckham.

There is a strong sex-positive message in Shut Out. How has this been received?

So far, so good! Most reviews seem to be really positive, and everyone seems to approve of the message being presented. I'm hoping teens, librarians, and teachers will feel the same way when the book is out in September!

Had you read Lysistrata before starting Shut Out, or did Cash suggest it too you?

Sadly, Cash didn't recommend Lysistrata to me. I read it a Western Civilizations class my freshman year of college, and halfway into the play I turned to my roommate and said, "This would be a great high school comedy." Then I emailed my agent with the idea, and her exact response was "DO ITTTTTTT!!!!" So I did! And I will say, the adorable young professor with a French accent who made us read the play was pretty darn hot. So that's nice.

And, last, but not least, what is the title of the book we’re co-writing? ;p

Easy. It’s called SEXY BOYS, BADASS GIRLS, AND SOME ACTUAL PLOT MAYBE.

I was thinking SHIRTLESS SEXY BOYS, BADASS GIRLS, AND SOME ACTUAL PLOT MAYBE, but we can haggle over the details later ;p

Thanks Kody!

So, to enter, all you need to do is comment below by noon (PST) on Friday 7/19. And, because I'm always thinking of you, I'll throw in a signed copy of Original Sin! You must be 13 or older to enter. Open internationally. You also get an extra entry for Tweeting or Facebooking this contest, so spread the word! =)

Good luck!

Are you a book snob?

2011-08-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Something has happened to me. I think it stems from the pure insanity of my life, but I've become a book snob. Between the day job, the night job and the fam, I don’t have time to read nearly as much as I used to. I miss the days when I could read a book and let myself get totally lost in the story, oblivious to the writing.

I’m my previous life (before writing) I’d pick up a book, and even if I wasn’t in love with it, I’d always finish it. After all, I’d already invested time into it and it might get better, right? And, honestly, I can’t remember a single book that I didn’t get some enjoyment out of. After I started writing (3 years ago) I found myself becoming more critical of the books I was reading on a technical level. I even posted about how disappointed I was to discover my favorite author wasn’t nearly as good as I thought he was. It had to do with me noticing things in other manuscripts that I struggled so hard to avoid in my own because they were lazy, or crutches, or just plain bad writing.

Interestingly, I’ve found, for me anyway, it’s the characters the make or break the story. I can forgive small plot chinks if the characters are amazing. (but not visa versa so much) I want characters that sweep me off my feet. I pine for books that leave me thinking about (and caring about) the characters long after I’ve finished them. The books I’ve read in the last three years or so that did that for me are Dreamland by Sarah Dessen, Where She Went by Gayle Forman, Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson, Cracked Up To Be by Courtney Summers, both Graceling and Fire by Kristin Cashore, Ink Exchange by Melissa Marr,

and The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. This list is easy to make, because months, and in most cases, years later, I’m still pining for the characters. These are the books that stick with me.

Those are the standards to which I hold up everything I read. And, I’ve started putting books down that don’t measure up. After all, life is short and the TBR pile is tall.

So, do you finish every book you start? What would make you put a book down? What is it that makes a story unforgettable for you?

Who gets to be the star? (aka: How do you choose who narrates?)

2011-08-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

I recently interviewed another author for the blog and asked her a question about how she chose her POV character (in this case a male). It made me think about how anyone chooses a POV character, or if it’s even a choice.

For me, it’s never been a matter of choosing a narrator. I don’t outline. I don’t have any clue what my books are going to be about. They all start with a character. The character pops into my head and starts telling me a story, which I type in as fast as I can. So, in reality, I don’t choose a narrator. A narrator chooses me.

I know I just admitted to having voices in my head, which makes me sound like him -->

But I'm mostly not crazy. Really. However, I don’t set daily word counts because I can only write when my characters have something to say. The stories unfold as my characters live them, just as my life unfolds as I live it.

So…this all makes it sound like I don’t even really need to be there…which is almost true. Except my characters would never take the time to actually write their stories down, so that’s where I come in. =)

So now I’m curious. For those of you who outline: You have a cast of characters. You know where your story is going. How do you choose which of your characters takes it there? How do you choose your narrator?

Anna Dressed in Blood WINNER!

2011-08-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped by and entered to win Anna Dressed in Blood and Original Sin!

The entries have been tallied, randomized and I have the name of the winner right here on my fingertips...

Wait for it...

Destiny!

Congrats!

*blows virtual noisemakers* (cuz the real ones hurt my hears)

I will be emailing you SOON!

Hanging out with Kendare Blake and giving away a copy of Anna Dressed in Blood!

2011-08-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

I have a book in my hot little hands. Yes, I do. And, if you're lucky, even though this book doesn't release until August 30th, it could be in your hot little hands very soon, because I'm giving an ARC away RIGHT NOW! You seriously want this one. Seriously.

It's this:

and it's by my editor sister, Kendare Blake. This book is just bunches of WOW and OMG! You won't be able to put it down! Promise!

Here's the jacket copy:
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Kendare was kind enough to answer a few questions for me, so I thought I'd pass her answers along to you. Here goes...

Okay, so, first off, how much do you love your editor? (Hi Melissa :p *waves*)

I know! We got so lucky. Mel is always on the perfect wavelength editiorially. Her instinct on what to cut, what to soften, what to emphasize or blend is so spot on that whenever I read her notes it feels like I thought of it myself. A definite "Oh yeah. Of course" moment. Now if only she'd stop being such a slave-driver in my nightmares. Have you had those? Apparently me and at least one of her other authors have horrible Mel nightmares, in which she changes our covers and laughs maniacally, or forces us to write in German.

So, yeah...no. I've never had Mel nightmares. Now I sorta feel left out. All right then... Moving right along. What made you want to write from a (totally cool) male POV?

The book I'd just come off of had one male POV, and it was a lot of fun. Cas was the natural narrator, and it wasn't really that much of an adjustment, which I think stems from my 12 year bout of Tomboy-ism.

Tell the truth. Cas is your husband, right? Cuz I met him and he’s pretty cool too.

I may or may not tell him you said that. He gets so conceited! But truth...Cas isn't my husband. The only thing they really have in common is a ridiculous urge to climb rocks that are not safe for climbing. And an inherent fear of sushi. Cas is just...Cas. I have no idea where he came from, and I thought not a lick about his character before I wrote him. He just was.

If I was to try and hang out with Anna, what do you think she’d go after first? Maybe rip my still beating heart out? Or just tear off my head?

Hmm. Well, she really loves dismemberment. So maybe you'd just lose a limb? Hopefully not the arms because you need those for writing!

What’s with the ghosts? (Make of that what you will.)

The ghosts. Ah yes. Little bit of backstory...one of my best friends is obsessed with serial killers. She wrote her graduate thesis on Bundy and Dahmer. So I've heard a lot of nasty tales over the years. Police accounts of victims, that sort of thing. It's really terrible. Makes you want to live in a bubble. So when I wrote ANNA, and I needed horrible things...I just had to dig around in the back of my many, many repressed memories.

And, last but not least, I love the Wiccan theme of Anna Dressed in Blood. Fess up. You’re a witch, aren’t you?

Crap! The jig is up! Time to throw the cauldron in the back of the Volkswagen van and get out of here. But seriously, I enjoyed the Wiccan theme also. I've been familiar with the religion for most of my life, and though the Wiccan world in ANNA is fictionalized, I wanted it to stay grounded in reality.

Thanks for clearing that up, Kendare!

So, y'all want a copy, don't you? All you have to do to enter for an ARC of Anna Dressed in Blood is leave a comment below before noon on Friday (8/5/11). And, just because I love you, I'll throw in a signed copy of Original Sin. You can earn an additional entry for Tweeting or Facebooking the contest. Must be 13 to enter. Open internationally.

So comment away! And if you have any more questions for Kendare, I'll ask her to check in and we'll hopefully get them answered for you. =)

Wolfsbane Birthday WINNER!!

2011-08-02T12:48:00.000-07:00

All right... I think I've got this...

Thanks to all of you who stopped by to enter for a copy of my fab critique partner's Wolfsbane and a signed copy of Original Sin. I've finally finished revisions and had time to sort the entries into the randomizer and...WE HAVE A WINNER!

The winner of these:

is...

chelleyreads!!

Congrats!

Happy Birthday Angel Eyes!! (aka: German Personal Demons)

2011-08-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to go to Germany, but so far, I haven't made it.

But now my book has! The German edition of Personal Demons releases today! Germany was my very first foreign sale. As a matter of fact, when I got the call from my truly fabulous agent that Rowohlt had pre-empted the Personal Demons trilogy, I didn't even know we were on foreign submission, so it was a huge and very happy surprise. I'm thrilled that they've put my baby in such a pretty package!

Now I just need to find someone who speaks German to read it to me =) So, happy birthday Angel Eyes! Squeee!!! If any of you are in Germany and see it on the shelves, snap a shot for me!

Happy Birthday Wolfsbane CONTEST!

2011-07-26T14:41:00.000-07:00

I'm in the middle of an insane day, but I wanted to stop by and tell you all to go wish my fab critique partner, Andrea Cremer, a HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY! It's been over a year since I read Wolfsbane, and I'm still thinking about it! You NEED this book!

So, to help you out, I'm giving a copy away here on the blog! (You know I'd do anything for you guys, right? :p) Enter below by this Friday, July 29th (noon PST) to win a copy of Wolfsbane and a signed Original Sin! You know you want it! ;p

To enter, leave a comment below before noon Friday (PST). You must be at least 13 to enter. Open internationally. Also, don't forget to leave a way to find you in case you WIN!! One extra entry for Tweeting or Facebooking this contest. =)

Personal Demons Book Three Title Reveal!

2011-07-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

Sorry! I've been away. I was working in San Diego week before last, where my computer didn't get along with the internet server at the hotel I was at, and then I was at my cabin, WAYYYY up in the mountains, out of cell or internet range. Vacation was great, but I missed you all! But, I'm back! And I have a VERY special surprise for you.

Lots of you have been asking about a title for The Novel Formerly Known as Hellbent! Yes we have one. And...my fabulous critique partner, Andrea Cremer, gets the credit for coming up with it.

Do you want to know what it is???

Do you????

Well, even more fun. My Art guy, Seth, over at Tor Teen has sent along title art. It's not the cover, but it's what the title will look like on the cover.

Wanna see it???

Do you????

Okay...so...

Here it is...

I love it. Hellbent really fit this novel, but so does Last Rite. So...what do you think?

Brazilian Cover confusion. Here's the deal...

2011-07-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

After posting the Brazilian cover of Original Sin last week, I got several comments on Twitter etc. regarding the title. Here are the two covers side by side:

Apparently, the way it works is that this is the Personal Demons trilogy, so that gets top billing. The title of the U.S. Personal Demons was actually Amor Infernal (Infernal Love) and the title of the second is Pecado Original (Original Sin). What that all means is that the actual title of the book is in smaller print under the series name.

Got it?

So there you have it! I actually think it's kind of fun =) What do you think?

Original Sin EPIC Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-07-13T09:47:00.000-07:00

First...if you're in the San Diego area, I'll totally love you forever if you come out to Mysterious Galaxy to see me on Friday at 7pm. Yes, I know it's Harry Potter night, and honestly, I'd be at Harry Potter if I wasn't signing. But I am, and I already have my book, so I'd really love to sign some to other people too. So, here's the deal, you should go to the midnight show on Thurs night/Fri morning so you'll be free to come to Mysterious Galaxy at 7! Best of both worlds! ;p

Next...I have some AMAZING Personal Demons Book 3 (The Novel Formerly Known as Hellbent) news! We HAVE A TITLE!!!! But I'm not telling yet... You know me. I have to tease. It's in my blood. What I can tell you is that my stupendous critique partner, Andrea Cremer (Nightshade) gets the credit for coming up with it :p

And, I'm having a massive guilt attack. I've neglected my blog for a week--something I haven't done since its creation back in summer of 2009. But, I've had good reason. First, I'm wrapping up revisions on The Novel Formerly Known as Hellbent, and also, I was super busy meeting so many of you out on the road! Thanks to everyone who came out for the After Dark Tour! Leah, Courtney and I really appreciate it! Here's us at the Original Sin launch event at Books of Wonder in NYC!

FinePrint/Nancy Coffee Lit came out in force and so did Tor Teen! I couldn't have a better group of people in my corner!

On Wednesday we wrapped up the tour at the Barnes & Noble in Burlington, MA. I was totally impressed with the group that turned out at both events!

And...I sent out a challenge. I asked you for pictures of Original Sin in the wild, and you responded! Here are just a few:

Courtesy of @StormyWolf147 Courtesy of Jillian

(And can I just mention that I LOVE that my humble little book is shelved next to my fabulous critique partner's Nightshade :p)

Everyone who Tweeted or Facebooked their picture was entered in my EPIC giveaway for all this:

That's signed copies of both books, an iPod with the playlist for the entire trilogy, and swag!

And the winner, as chosen by the randomizer, with this picture:

is....

Brea!!!

Congrats! You'll be hearing from me very soon! =)

Thanks so much to everyone who's been here over the last few months! I love hearing from all of you. Please continue to send pictures of OS and PD in the wild if you see them! (Cuz it makes me all tingly inside to see them! :p)

Love you guys!

Brazilian Original Sin cover!

2011-07-06T07:03:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who Tweeted and stopped by here to wish Original Sin a happy birthday yesterday! I'm traveling between NYC and Boston today for the last stop on the After Dark tour with Leah Clifford and Courtney Allison Moulton. If you're in the Boston area, come see us at the Barnes & Noble in Burlington, MA (near the mall) at 7pm tonight!

There will be a release day rundown later this week, but it the mean time, here's something to look at: the Brazilian Original Sin cover.

Hope you all have a great Wednesday, and I hope to have some fun pictures up from release day and the After Dark tour soon!

Original Sin Birthday Bash and EPIC giveaway!

2011-07-05T05:39:00.000-07:00

It's here! Original Sin release day!!! Yay! Thanks to everyone who has been along for the ride with me. Y'all rock! Cupcakes all around!! =)

So, to celebrate, I'm doing a mega Original Sin giveaway! You can win a signed copy of this:

And all this!

Yep, that's an iPod Shuffle with the entire PD, OS and bk 3 playlists pre-loaded, a signed copy of Personal Demons, a PD tank top, PD & OS bookmarks, and Team Luc & Team Gabe temporary tattoos.

I'll give you all the deets on how to enter in a minute. But first, I want to thank a few people who deserve at least as much credit (if not way more) for getting Original Sin into the world as I do. Many of them are in my acknowledgements, and others, I've already thanked publicly here on the blog, but I feel the need to do it again, because I am SO grateful for all the support and encouragement I've gotten from this fabulous group of people.

First, always, is my family. Now that they know I'm writing, they've been incredibly supportive, helping to spread the word in all kinds of creative ways. My husband has been truly amazing. I work my day job, then come home and am on the computer all night. He's picked up the slack (shopping, cooking, cleaning, kids) without ever once commenting about it. Even though he doesn't "get" the whole YA teenage girl thing, he's read my work and been a source of encouragement and support. Without him, there's no way any of this would be possible. My girls are my greatest source of inspiration, and it was my oldest daughter's love of reading that inspired me to write in the first place. I have no doubt that the Personal Demons series would not exist if it weren't for her.

My truly fabulous agent, Suzie Townsend, is a rockstar. There's no way I can ever thank her enough for all her tireless work on my behalf and for believing in me. I'm sending this to her so she can send it back to me when I'm driving her crazy =)

I've already mentioned how nervous (read: terrified) I am about this book. My seriously cool editor, Melissa Frain, never flinched. She's always been right on my page creatively and I appreciate all her patience and guidance.

I've been blessed with an amazing critique partner. Andrea Cremer (Nightshade), who is an incredibly talented writer and just an overall great person, has helped me more than she'll ever know. She helped me shape this book into what it is.

In addition, I've made some amazing writer friends along the way. Kody Keplinger (The DUFF) is always a willing sounding board and I truly appreciate all her help and support. And my wild tour partners, Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal) and Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire) make me remember why we're all doing this when things in my life are CRAZY!

I get that this isn't like the academy awards or anything. It's just a book. But it's my book and, before I get the hook, I want to send my heartfelt thanks to every one of you who has supported me on this blog and followed me on Twitter and Facebook. I really love chatting with all of you. I'm looking forward to meeting some of you out on the road. You guys totally rock! I've got the bestest followers evah! :p

If you're around, come see me at Books of Wonder in NYC at 18 West 18th Street tonight at 6pm with Courtney and Leah! Wednesday (tomorrow) we'll be at the Barnes and Noble in Burlington, MA at 7pm. Check the appearances tab above for other stops =)

Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!

And now for the EPIC giveaway!!! I didn't forget! Here's the deal. To enter, all you need to do is take a picture of Original Sin in the wild. If you see it in your local bookstore, snap a shot and post a link on Twitter with the #OriginalSin hashtag, post it on your Facebook page and tag Personal Demons Books, or post it on your blog and comment below with the link so I find you! Yay!! Your picture will earn you five entries. You can earn an additional entry by posting a link to this contest on Twitter, Facebook or your blog!

To get us started, here's the first sighting of Original Sin in the wild. It's courtesy of Courtney Allison Moulton and is at the Barnes & Noble in Westlake, Ohio.

Am I the only one who finds this exciting? Probably, but enter anyway! =) The contest is open until noon PST on Monday, July 11th! Good luck!!!

And, in case you missed it, the Original Sin Trailer:

Original Sin Playlist!

2011-07-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

You guys want to know what inspired Original Sin? As with Personal Demons, it was music! I’m often asked if I have playlists for my books, and the truth is, my playlists turn into books. I start with the music. My playlist for each book is usually a couple of dozen songs, which I pare down to the 12-15 that were most instrumental and post them for all of you to enjoy. You can see the entire playlist for Personal Demons here. :p

If there’s a song that brings strong emotion to the surface for me, I often see it play out in the lives of my characters. In the Personal Demons series, you can see the evolution of the characters by the song that embodies them in each of the books.

For example, Frannie. In Original Sin, she’s coming to grips with her new powers, but she can’t protect everyone she loves, and someone will pay the ultimate price. Her song from Original Sin is How to Save a Life by the Fray.

Next we have my most conflicted character: Gabe. In Personal Demons, Gabe finds himself in a position he’s never been in before: questioning his purpose. But, with Frannie, the lines between duty and desire blur, and he struggles with basic questions of love and loyalty. Things for Gabe step up a notch in Original Sin. There’s a sub-current of desperation in everything he does. He vows to always be there for Frannie, no matter what, but what if keeping that promise means risking everything? His song from this book is Breaking Benjamin’s Anthem of the Angels.

And, then there’s Luc. He is the most “changed” character in Personal Demons. Things don’t go smoothly for Luc in Original Sin. That’s all I’m gonna say about that. Unfortunately for Luc, his experience in OS is perfectly summarized in the music and lyrics to World So Cold by Three Days Grace.

And, the official Original Sin Playlist...

As usual, if you love any of these songs, please visit your chosen mode of music purchase and buy them =)

Today on Original Sin Character Week, the new kids: Matt and Lili

2011-07-01T08:30:00.000-07:00

PD spoiler alert!! If you haven’t read Personal Demons, and you don’t want to spoil, skip this post and check in Monday for the full Original Sin playlist! :p

If you've followed the Original Sin Teasers for the last few months, you've met both Matt and Lili.

Matt is Frannie’s guardian angel. He’s also her dead twin brother. When Gabe assigns him as Frannie’s guardian, he can’t believe his luck. He isn’t proud of how he treated her in life, and being seven was no excuse. How many people get the opportunity to make amends with their twin from the other side? He takes his job very seriously. He knows what’s at stake and who’s after Frannie. He won’t let anything happen to her.

But, he finds things aren’t as simple as he might have hoped. When he sees what he’s missing—a pat on the back from Grandpa, a best friend to give him a hard time, his first kiss from his first girlfriend—he finds he hasn’t left human emotion behind.

And, there are temptations on Earth…

Lili is the new girl in Luc's apartment building. She’s painfully shy—a wounded soul—and Frannie takes her under her wing. She introduces her to Taylor and Riley hoping she’ll make friends and come out of her shell.

And does she ever…

Original Sin Character Week: Who wants to be Frannie!

2011-06-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

What can I say about Frannie? She learned a lot about herself in Personal Demons, and in Original Sin she continues to grow as a person. She finds out that things (and people) aren't always what they seem. And she starts to unravel some of her family secrets.

She’s still struggling with her feelings toward a certain two boys. Luc is her heart and soul, but Gabe is her anchor. But, she also knows she can't rely on the boys to save her. It's up to her to master her special power and protect herself, and all of humanity, from Hell.

What she finds out is that she underestimated how badly King Lucifer wants her. Hell will stop at nothing to get their hands on her. No one is safe. Everyone she loves is in danger...and not everyone is what they seem.

Things don't go smoothly for Frannie in Original Sin and, once again, she loses someone she loves. The song that inspired her character is How to Save a Life by The Fray. Once again, if you love it, please buy it.

Original Sin Book Trailer!

2011-06-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

Dudes! You want to see the Original Sin trailer???? Me too!

Here's a peek:

I know! Love that.

But I also want to show you this:

Those were waiting for me when I got home from ALA =) Contests are being had as we speak...or blog...or whatever. My Twitter contest is about to close. If you want to squeak in a last minute entry, just Tweet your favorite Personal Demons scene using the #OriginalSin hashtag. :p

But...the trailer. I haven't forgotten.

Without further ado, here it is:

Original Sin Character Week: No one told Gabe that angels aren't supposed to be hot!

2011-06-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

One week from today, Original Sin will be on shelves. I have to be honest at tell you that scares the snot out of me. Original Sin is very dark and twisty and I hope you love it. It's the story as Luc, Frannie, Gabe, Matt, Lili and Taylor gave it to me and there were times I was screaming at them. So far the reviews have been positive, so thank you all for your kind words.

Also, thanks to everyone who stopped by yesterday and got up close and personal with Luc. It's Original Sin Character Week, and today we get into Gabe's head.

Gabe has one goal: to keep Hell from getting their hands on Frannie. It's his only purpose, and he's willing to do whatever it takes. Because Frannie possesses a unique skill set that has King Lucifer tingling with anticipation, and, if Hell tags her, it would mean the end of Heaven—and therefore Earth—as we know it.

But, being around Frannie is tricky. Because, somewhere along the way, things changed. What was just a job turned personal. He finds himself being drawn in—wanting her in ways he shouldn’t. But if he goes too far—far enough to lose his wings—he can’t protect Frannie and he’s useless to her. So, the question is, how far is too far?

Gabe 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?

The song that most embodies Gabe's struggle in Original Sin is Anthem of the Angels by Breaking Benjamin. As always, if you love it, please visit your chosen mode of music purchase and buy it. Enjoy!

The Hotness that is Luc on Original Sin Character Week!

2011-06-27T12:36:00.000-07:00

We're one week and counting from Original Sin release! ONE WEEK!!! *faints* So, as promised, I'm kicking off Original Sin Character Week with my beautiful boys, starting with Luc.

Luc is a demon’s demon. He worked in Acquisitions for Hell and had spent five millennia using every tool at his disposal to tempt teenagers down the fiery path. Frannie was just one more soul. Nothing special. But, from nearly the moment they meet, she made him feel things. And she changed him in ways he never could have imagined.

Now, he's chosen sides, and King Lucifer isn't happy about his defection. Which means Frannie is in even more danger just for being with him. It also means "happily ever after" for Frannie and Luc is pretty much out of the question.

Unfortunately for Luc, the song that embodies his torment in this book is World So Cold by Three Days Grace. If you love it, please visit your chosen mode of music purchase and buy it.

The VERY LAST Original Sin Teaser and Original Sin Character Week!

2011-06-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

If you check the ticker in the sidebar, you'll see that it says the release of Original Sin is JUST AROUND THE CORNER! So, to celebrate, next week with be Original Sin Character Week! We'll get up close and personal with the characters, starting with the ones we know and love, my beautifully conflicted boys, Luc and Gabe. Then we'll check in with my seriously kick-ass, but very confused Frannie. We’ll also meet some new characters, Matt, Lili and the assortment of demons who are making it their mission to see that Frannie and Luc don't get their "happily ever after." We’ll get into the character's heads a little to see what motivates them—and what haunts them.

Here's the line up:
Monday: The Original Sin Book Trailer Debut!
Tuesday: Luc
Wednesday: Gabe
Thursday: Frannie
Friday: Matt and Lili
Monday: Rhenorian and Marchosias

Because I really want every reader to make my characters their own, I hadn't planned to include pictures. But then I was threatened with death by a certain few blog lurkers, who shall remain nameless, if I didn't. So...I have include pictures of what my characters look like (to me), their songs and their trailers.

And, because I love to interact with all my totally cool friends in the blogosphere, I'll also answer (spoiler free) questions about the characters in the comments section of their posts.

And, now for the VERY LAST Original Sin teaser! I'm not even going to tell you who's POV it's from, cuz I'm evil like that. I'm jsut going to let this one speak for itself...

#OriginalSin p357 I look down at the blood starting to pool on the ground at her side. She coughs and blood spews from her mouth.

Stay tuned for the debut of the Original Sin book trailer and Character week. =)

New Orleans, gator hunting and Original Sin Teaser #56

2011-06-23T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last night the fabulous Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal) Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire) and I pulled in to New Orleans and immediately hit the French Quarter for dinner. Today, we've been out and about southern Louisiana. We went to see Thibodaux, Louisiana, which some of my shiny new characters call home, and we went to a gator farm. Here's Courtney holding a gator!

Here's Leah with hers:

And here's me checking out a gator...

So much fun! =)

Tomorrow I'm hoping to hit one of New Orleans' amazing cemetaries. Maybe do some writing. And, then I'm having dinner with my truly fabulous agent and Julie Cross (Tempest, 2011) tomorrow night. On Saturday I'm signing finished copies of Original Sin at ALA, Tor Booth #1122 from 11-12. Come get your signed copy if you're around! =)

Okay. Only 2 more Original Sin Teasers, and tomorrow, the grand finale, is the teaser to end all teasers. Was that enough of a tease for you? ;p With that, here's today's:

#OriginalSin p295 Gabe to Luc: “I’m a Dominion. You know what happens if I lose my wings.”

More from ALA tomorrow, and next week....the Original Sin book trailer! :p

Original Sin Trailer Sneak Peek, Original Sin Reviews and Original Sin Teaser #55

2011-06-22T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, the first reviews of Original Sin are coming in. I'm going to be honest and tell you this book scared the snot out of me as I was writing it. When it was done and I looked at the stuff that was in there, it scared me even more. It is VERY dark and VERY sexy. The edginess made me more than a little nervous about how it would be received. So far, I'm happy to say, the reviews have been more than I could have hoped for. Thank you so much to the bloggers who have taken time to read and review Original Sin. Here's snippets of every blog review I could find with links to the original post.

Original Sin is a brave, unique, and unflinching novel. Desrochers didn't shy away from tough subjects, and no character is safe here. This novel is even better than its predecessor! YA Highway

"Desrochers is such a daring story teller. I love how I am always surprised by where she takes these characters." YA Addict

"Original Sin is sinfully delicious! A sexy, adventure jam-packed with tons of fun and excitement starring some of my favorite YA characters!" Teens Read and Write

The Personal Demons series is smokin’ hot and a must read for YA lovers! Original Sin is filled with steamy relationships, crazy twists, action, and shocking outcomes. The Bookworms

After reading Personal Demons, I knew Lisa Desrochers could be counted on to bring the smolder, but she amps it up even more in her sophomore novel. 365 Days of Reading

Yay!

And...the lovely Vania, aka: @reverieBR, aka: book trailer goddess, is working as we speak on the Original Sin trailer. You want a peek???

Yeah...I thought so...

Any guesses who they are? Hint: they're both new, but we've heard from them in the teasers.

Want another peek?

Bet you can guess who they are =)

And, here one of them is in today's teaser...

#OriginalSin p294 Luc to Gabe: I bark out a humorless laugh. “You pulled me out of Hell to run interference?”

Tomorrow, ALA!! Can't wait!

EPIC After Dark Winner! And Original Sin Teaser #54

2011-06-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to see us in Dallas last night! Y'all totally rock!

Can't wait for more Texas hospitality tonight in Houston. Courtney, Leah and I will be at the Barnes & Noble in The Woodlands, TX, 1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. at 5pm, with special guest, Sophie Jordan. Squee!

And, I promised a full set of signed After Dark books (Angelfire, A Touch Mortal, Personal Demons and Original Sin) to one of you who helped spread the word. A ton of you Tweeted, Facebooked and blogged about it and we love you for it. I've collected all your Twitter handles, Facebook and Blogger names and thrown you into the randomizer.

But, before I draw the Epic After Dark winner, today's Original Sin Teaser! Yesterday I mentioned that these last few teasers are deep into the book, so I'm keeping them short as not to spoil.

#OriginalSin p293 Gabe to Luc: “Imagine my surprise when I came looking for you and found you in Hell.”

And, now, the winner of a whole slew of books, as chosen by the randomizer is...

@odell92

Thanks for the RTs! Congratulation! I will DM you!

Check in tomorrow for some fun Original Sin book trailer news! (and maybe a sneak peek!)

More After Dark Tour and Original Sin Teaser #53

2011-06-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

I'm sooo excited for the second leg of the After Dark Tour! Don't forget you can enter to win a full set of signed After Dark books by Tweeting about the After Dark stops using the #AfterDark hashtag, or posting a link to the contest on Facebook!

Tonight Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal), Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire), and I will be in Fairview, Texas at A Real Bookstore, 113 Prairie Rd, 7pm. We would be totally pumped if you'd all come out and see us!

Tomorrow we'll be at the Woodlands, Texas Barnes and Noble, 1201 Lake Woodlands Dr. at 5pm and we'll have a very special guest, Sophie Jordan.

And then we head to ALA in New Orleans! So excited!!!

And now for today's teaser! This is the last week of Original Sin teasers. Only five more. This week's teasers are much deeper into the book, so they're short to avoid spoiling.

#OriginalSin p293 Luc to Gabe: “So you saved my sorry ass once again.” Gabe: “Not keeping score, dude.”

Hoping to see some of you tonight and tomorrow! Tomorrow I'll announce the winner of the set of After Dark books, so go forth and spread the word!!

Graveminder and Original Sin WINNER! And OS Teaser #53

2011-06-17T13:44:00.000-07:00

Another contest comes to an end. Thanks to everyone who entered! But I'm addicted to giving stuff away, so the EPIC After Dark Contest is already underway. Check here for deets.

Before I tell you who won all this stuff:

here's today's Original Sin teaser. Lili is Luc's new neighbor and you'll remember from our last teaser that she's stopped by for some milk...

#OriginalSin p166 Luc: “You should look into modeling. The big shops are in New York, but LA has some good agencies too.”

I look up at Lili and laugh.

“You think I’m joking?” she says with raised eyebrows.

I pull my eyes away from her. “Yes.”

“Well, I’m not. You’ve got a look the ladies drool over—dark and dangerous.”

Okay...you want to know if you won books, I know that. So, here goes. The winner of Graveminder and Original Sin as chosen by the randomizer is...

Wulfluva!!!

Congrats! An email is on the way =)

The After Dark Tour Continues and a CONTEST! And Original Sin Teaser #52

2011-06-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

The After Dark tour, with Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire), Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal) and, yes, me, starts it's second leg on Monday. Here's where we'll be:

Monday, June 20: Fairview, TX, A Real Bookstore, 113 Prairie Rd, 7pm.

Tuesday, June 21: The Woodlands, TX, Barnes and Noble, 1201 Lake Woodlands Dr., 5pm, with special guest, Sophie Jordan.

And, we'll also be at ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans! I'm so excited! I've never been to the Big Easy before, but, coencidentally, my newest novel is set in the bayou about and hour and a half from New Orleans. I'm planning a drive out to Thibodaux to see if I got it right =) If you want a signed copy of Original Sin, you can catch me on Saturday, June 25 at the Tor Booth (#1122) from 11-noon! Yay!!!

To help spread the word, for everywhere you link this post between now and Monday, you'll be entered to win a full set of signed After Dark books. (Angelfire, A Touch Mortal, Personal Demons and Original Sin)

That's one entry for each Tweet. One entry for each Facebook link. Get creative. On Twitter, use the #AfterDark hashtag so I find your Tweets. On Facebook, tag the Personal Demons Books page and I'll see it. If you use the hashtag on Twitter or tag me on Facebook you don't need to comment below. I'll see it. Anything else, tell me about it below so I count you. Multiple Tweets and Facebook post will all count, so go crazy! :p

And, here's our Original Sin Teaser. More Luc:

#OriginalSin p163 Luc: There’s a knock on my door, and I’m hoping maybe Frannie blew off church. But when I open it, Lili stands in the hall with a white cereal bowl.

“Hey. I ran out of milk and my Froot Loops aren’t happy about it. Can I borrow some?”

My love/hate relationship with technology and Original Sin Teaser #51

2011-06-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

Technology is great, except for when it isn't.

I just got a new phone. I was seriously overdue. So, this phone is supposed to do everything and I'm all execited about it, except that there's nothing I hate more than having to figure out how to use something new. I'm not one of those people who will play with all the functions of my new gadget. I know what I need it for, and I just want to be able to use it. I get very easily frustrated when things don't work how I think they should, or at least in a logical way. Take, for example, this new Blackberry. I was going to post this blog post from it to try it out...but ran into a snag.

To type in a symbol, such as the "@" or "." in an email address, I need to go to the symbol menu. This particular one has two pages. When I was typing in my IRL, both pages came up just fine. But, when I tried to sign in to my blog and it asked for my email address, the second page of the symbol menu, where both the @ and the . are, wouldn't come up. So...therefore, I could not sign into my Blogger account, and I could not post this from my fabulous new phone.

It's the stupid little things that drive me crazy. And this is why I hate technology. NOTHING'S EVER EASY! It should be, but it's just not. And I hate it. I don't have the patience to screw around with it and figure out why it won't do what I want it to. So I give up. Which sucks. So, here's what I want to do to my new phone:

But, enough of my lamenting my ineptitude with technology. Here's today's Original Sin Teaser. I know y'all have missed Luc, so here he is:

#OriginalSin p163 Luc: This morning I’m less worried. Frannie’s with her family at church, and the chance that Rhenorian—or any other demon—is going to follow her in there is pretty slim. Not that the whole religion thing is going to scare us off. It’s just too hard not to laugh out loud. Not a wise tactic when you’re trying to blend.

Now, excuse me while I go throw my phone against the wall.

Emotion on the page--when it's cheesy and when it works. And OS teaser #50

2011-06-14T09:00:00.000-07:00

I've been writing. That project I told you about in May that was writing itself is a complete first draft. I love it. It's very unconventional, and I'm not altogether sure that the structure works, but it's totally unique and I love the story and the characters.

This novel has had me in tears several times in the writing. That's only happened to me with one other book, a contemporary I wrote before Personal Demons. And it got me thinking.

I read a lot. A LOT. I've read some truly amazing books. Some of them stick with me for a very long time after I've finished. But almost never does a book make me cry. Same with movies. I'm just not an emotional person. But, I know a reader's emotional connection to the characters in a book is what makes those characters real for them, so I get how important it is to convey emotion on the page.

The most frequent revision comment I get from my agent is something along the lines of: "What is she feeling here?" I have to be honest and say that I really hate having to write what a character is feeling. I understand that sometimes it's necessary, but I really want my readers to get it from the situation, the dialogue. I want it to come through without me having to spell it out. I feel like, if I've done my job and gotten a reader into my characters' heads, then I shouldn't need to tell them that "cold dread snakes through her gut." The reader should know that. It goes to the whole principle of "showing, not telling." And, honestly, sometimes telling just comes off as cheesy and melodramatic.

As an experiment, I went back to the only book that's made me cry in the last few years, Where She Went by Gayle Foreman. I read the chapter that caused the leak in my plumbing. In that chapter, on average, once a page she say something like "...and I feel my stomach bottom out." That's once a page. Once in every 250 words, on average. On each of those pages, there's dialogue and exposition, but rarely any "telling" of what Adam is feeling. But believe me when I say we feel it--me to the point of tears. She's done her job.

I'd love to know what, if any, book has brought you to tears recently. And, if you have the chance, as an experiment, go back and do what I did. See how often that author "tells" you what the character is feeling, either by naming the emotion (confused, afraid) or by giving you a visceral description.

And, now for today's Original Sin Teaser. More from Matt:

#OriginalSin p152 Matt: She looks at me and, just for a second, it feels like she’s seeing the real me. Her eyes lock on mine and her mouth tilts up with the hint of a smile. She reaches for my hand and laces her fingers in mine, and my insides explode in a burst of ecstasy.

See! I did it. His insides are exploding in ecstasy! *headdesk*

If you're a Melissa Marr fan, don't forget to enter for a signed copy of Graveminder and swag, and a signed Original Sin galley here!

Melissa Marr GIVEAWAY!!! And OS teaser # 49!

2011-06-13T12:30:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not giving away Melissa Marr. If she was up for grabs, I'd be keeping her myself and tapping into that amazing creative well she seems to have. But I am giving away a signed copy of her newest release, Graveminder, plus signed Graveminder swag, and also a signed galley of Original Sin.

I'm totally buried in a new project, so I'm going to keep this short. All you have to do to enter is comment below by noon PST on Friday, June 17^th. In addition to commenting, for which you earn one entry, you can accumulate additional entries 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, 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 17th. One winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here after noon on Friday. Good luck!

And, now for today's teaser. Friday, we saw Matt start to lose his focus. This continues on from there. There are some new angels in Original Sin...but there are also some new demons...

#OriginalSin p150 Matt: Someone bumps me from behind, sending the beer in my hand sloshing over the rim. I turn slowly and a tall, skinny guy, maybe twentyish, stares me down, his solid black eyes telling me without a word that he knows exactly what I am.

And I know what he is too.

“Who invited you?”

Before I can answer, his eyes slide past me to Lili, who steps up next to me. “Was it you, my lady?” He holds his hand out to her. She takes his hand and he brings it to his mouth, kissing the back of her fingers. A lopsided smile blooms on his dark face “Because, if that’s true, I’ll forgive the indiscretion.”

BLOWOUT After Dark Winner, Spanish PD Birthday and OS Teaser #48

2011-06-10T18:53:00.000-07:00

Ahhh! We need a winner! But first, FUN news! Today is Personal Demons release day in SPAIN!!! Yay! Buenos noches, since it's gone by in Spain already =)

I can't wait to get my copies! Love Frannie on that cover =)

And...before we get to the winner, here's today's Original Sin Teaser. Here's Matt totally losing perspective on what it is he's supposed to be doing...

#OriginalSin p147 Matt: I feel all jittery inside, wild, out of control. And I like it. This is what it feels like to make my own decisions. To do what I want. It feels amazing—like maybe I can actually have a life.

And...now, what you've all been waiting for! Thanks to everyone who entered the BLOWOUT After Dark Giveaway! You guys rock! And one of you is about to win signed copies of all of these:

plus Original Sin!

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

StuckInBooks!!!

Congrats!

Throws virtual confetti! (cuz I don't want to clean the real stuff up)

I will email you soooooon! :p

Check back next week for another shot at a signed OS ARC and a signed copy of Melissa Marr's Graveminder! :p

Why I have a love/hate relationship with Spring, and OS Teaser #47

2011-06-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I showed you my To Be Read shelf and lamented that I didn't have time to get to all the really amazing books I have waiting for me. Today, I'm showing you my front yard.

I just took this picture. If I wanted to show you the true horror of it, I would have taken a closer up picture of the boarders. My yard is a weed-fest. We are the Clampets (in case you're too young to catch the reference, that's The Beverly Hillbillies) of our neighborhood.

I LOVE spring. The days are longer, the rain has stopped and it's warm outside. Everything is coming alive. Just last night, I cleaned off the table in the gazebo in the back yard and we'll eat dinner outside for the rest of the summer. I always feel refreshed in the spring. My creative juices get flowing and writing goes more smoothly. I have more energy to chase my kids around. And, usually, I'm out in the yard. I really enjoy being outside. I've done most of the landscaping in my yard on my own. I have a veritable orchard out back, and every year I plant a vegetable garden. I love having fresh fruit and vegetables, and I've shown you my bounty.

But this year, I didn't plant a thing. I didn't fertilize my trees, and, so far, my fruit has been rather anemic. I love my life. I really do. I have three jobs that I enjoy, two of which are my dream jobs. I wouldn't give any of it up. But...there's just not enough time in the day for everything.

So, my solution? Cloning. I've decided I need a maid clone, a gardener clone, and a reading clone. Then, all I have to worry about is parenting, spousing and my three jobs. =)

Even with the weeds taking over my yard, I'm a spring person. This is my favorite time of year. Which is your favorite season?

Today's Original Sin Teaser is from Matt's perspective, once again. Hell is not thrilled with Luc's defection, and Rhenorian, the head of Security, who we met briefly during Luc's trip to Hell in Personal Demons, is sent to bring Luc back.

#OriginalSin p136 Matt: The door swings open and Rhenorian’s head jerks up from where Tweedledumb and Tweedledumber have Luc pinned against the wall. He lowers his glowing fist and a wave of panic surges through me as I wonder how much Lili saw.

Lili. Crap.

She’s going to expect me to do something to help my “friend.”

Don't forget, just one more day to enter both my BLOWOUT After Dark contest, and also Goodreads' giveaway! Don't miss your chance at an OS ARC and other amazing books!

Why I don’t swag sweep at BEA (aka: My TBR Shelf) and OS Teaser #46

2011-06-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

I spent a fabulous three days at Book Expo America week before last. As a matter of fact, exactly two weeks ago right now, I was signing copies of Personal Demons on the BEA floor. On Tuesday, I was lucky enough to be able to sign finished copies of Original Sin with Kiki Hamilton, who was signing ARCs of her The Faerie Ring.

Kiki was smart enough to bring her camera (whereas, I wasn’t). Here is a picture of our signing line! That’s my adorable Team Luc Fangirl Captain, Harmony, right in front!

And here’s more line:

And more line:

The line was so long it wrapped around the ropes and behind the other lines! When our hour was up and we still had a line, they moved us to an overflow area so we could keep signing. :p

Thanks so much to everyone who came out! It was humbling and thrilling! (I know you were all there for Kiki, but just let me bask in it, ‘kay?) I have to honestly say that the whole BEA experience was a blur. A good blur…for me, at least. But…

I’ve heard the stories.

Before I even left, I was hearing stories of people cutting in signing lines and being bullied in lines for book giveaways. Last week, at the start of our After Dark Tour, I was able to hang out with other authors who had been at BEA and heard stories of people getting bit. On Friday, I was at a local signing for Melissa Marr and heard the same story from a group of bloggers.

I don’t know if the stories are true or not, and I’m not equipped to comment either way. What I do know is there were a lot of people angling for free books. I wasn’t one of them. The thing about books is, there are sooo many great ones and so little time. I don’t generally request ARCs because I know the likelihood that I’ll actually get the opportunity to read it prior to release is almost none. If I was to take an ARC, which is intended for pre-publication promotion, and not read it before publication, I’d feel horribly guilty. And honestly, if it’s a book I really want, I’m going to buy it at release anyway to support the author.

Just to give you an idea, here is my YA To Be Read shelf.

This is just the shelf I keep near my writing area. In my library, are more shelves with adult titles I haven’t gotten to yet. And, on my Nook are more, including my amazing agent sister, Hannah Moskowitz’s Invincible Summer, Malinda Lo’s Ash and Huntress, Kirstin Hubbard’s Like Mandarin, and more. Plus, on my hard drive are more books. Mostly sequels that writer friends have sent. Some of these amazing books have sat right there, on the shelf, Nook or hard drive, for the better part of a year. I want to read them. I really do. But I also have three jobs, including writing my own books, and reality is, there’s just not time to get to them all.

So…I don’t run around the BEA floor collecting new books to add to the stack. I’d just feel too guilty.

***Addendum, 7:15 pm: I started to post this as a comment, then decided it should be part of the post. I'm so very glad I was able to attend BEA. I hope to do it again on a regular basis. Meeting all the people I feel like I know so well from Twitter, FB and this blog in and of itself made the trip worth it in my eyes. I'm also not criticizing those who brought books home to read or for giveaways. It's just not something I felt compelled to do.

And, on that note, y’all want today’s Original Sin Teaser? I thought so! Here’s a glance inside Matt’s head:

#OriginalSin p135 Matt: Taylor was living dangerously for a while, but she seems to have come around. I was right on the edge of putting duck sauce down the front of her shirt until Angelique showed up.

But I have to say, staying out of the changing rooms while Lili was trying things on—especially at Victoria’s Secret—took all the angelic restraint I could muster.

Hmm…

And…if you want a glance into Luc’s don’t forget Teen Book Scene’s Original Sin Blog tour. Yesterday’s post, over at Lost for Words! was an interview with Luc. Today’s is an Original Sin review by the lovely Jamie over at YA Addict!

Original Sin Blog Tour and 15 chances to win signed ARCs! Plus OS Teaser #45

2011-06-07T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, the Original Sin Blog Tour, sponsored by Teen Book Scene, is under way!! This is where you get into the heads of my characters and maybe get a sneak peek at what's coming in Original Sin! Plus, each of the 15 bloggers will be running giveaways for a signed ARC! =) For the full tour schedule, go here!

Kicking off the tour yesterday was the lovely Lauren at 365 Days of Reading. Her post and giveaway is here. And today, Luc is hanging out with Corrine over at Lost for Words! Wednesday, the fabulous Jamie from YA Addict reviews Original Sin. (It's one of my first reviews and I'm very nervous *bites nails*) Thursday, check in with official Team Luc Fangirl Captain, Harmony, at Harmony's Radiant Reads for my list of the hottest YA couples, and, yep, you guessed it, another giveaway! And, on Friday, the fabulous Katie at Mundie Moms will be posting a Twitter convo she eavesdropped on between Frannie and the boys! Very fun! =)

Plus, don't forget my BLOWOUT AFTER DARK TOUR GIVEAWAY where, with just a comment, you can be entered to win a fabulous prize pack of signed copies of all the After Dark Tour books. That's FIVE books! Check it out!

And now for today's Original Sin teaser. This, from Luc's perspective =)

#OriginalSin p130 Luc: I arch an eyebrow at Frannie. “I like shopping.”

“Yeah, I can so totally see you and your demon shadow browsing the sale rack at Victoria’s Secret.”

I think about that for a second and a smile breaks across my face. “So can I.”

Blowout AFTER DARK TOUR CONTEST and OS teaser #44

2011-06-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Between touring, writing, and revising here is so much going on right now that I’m feeling a little overwhelmed. But the most exciting thing is that the release of Original Sin is only ONE MONTH away! Yay!

Y’all know I was just on the After Dark Tour with the fabulosity that is Leah Clifford (A Touch Mortal), Courtney Allison Moulton (Angelfire), and Aimee Carter (The Goddess Test).

So, to celebrate one month to Original Sin release, I’m throwing a BLOWOUT After Dark contest!!!! You have a chance to win signed copies of EVERYTHING from the tour! Yep! That’s everything listed above, plus Personal Demons and Original Sin! Squee!!!

But, before I get to the contest deets, how about another peek at Original Sin? ;p

Today’s teaser is from Frannie’s POV. The last few teasers have featured Luc and Frannie nakedness, and classic Luc cockiness. I decided Friday's teaser was totally lame, so I'm posting an expanded version of it today.

#OriginalSin p115 Frannie: He presses into me from behind and snakes his arms around my waist. I hate that my heart sputters at the feel of him there. And I hate even more that I can’t stop the tears that leak over my lashes.

“I’ve never said it,” he says, his voice low in my ear, “because it’s not enough…those words.”

I flip the last deadbolt and reach for the door handle before I process what he said. I stop and press my forehead into the door, trying to think, to breathe.

He spins me and his hand cups my face as he gazes down into my eyes. “God, I love you.” His eyes glisten. “I love you with everything that I am.”

*fans self* *clears throat*

Okay…so the contest. To enter to win signed copies of A Touch Mortal, Angelfire, The Goddess Test, Personal Demons and Original Sin, all you have to do is comment below by noon PST on Friday, June 10^th! In addition to commenting, for which you earn one entry, you can accumulate additional entries 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, 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 10th. One winner will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here after noon on Friday.

Good luck and SQUEE!!

Whew! And the winner of Personal Demons and Original Sin! AND Original Sin Teaser #43!

2011-06-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

I just got home from a whirl wind three days touring with Leah Clifford, Courtney Allison Moulton and Aimee Carter. I also got to hang out with the always entertaining Scott Tracey! (Witch Eyes, Flux 2011) And, the elusive Dan Krokos (False Memory, Hyperion 2012) also made an appearance. My truly fabulous agent, Suzie Townsend, send goodies to our first stop in Westlake, Ohio, which I should have taken a picture of, but didn't. They were yummy!

But...now I'm home and heading out to see the incomparable Melissa Marr tonight! Very excited!

What...? The winner? You guys are here to find out who won BOOKS? Hmm...okay. But first today's Original Sin Teaser.

Today's is another short one, and picks up not long after where yesterday's left off.

#OriginalSin p115 Luc to Frannie: “I’ve never said it,” he says, his voice low in my ear, “because it’s not enough…those words.”

And, now for the winner of signed copies of these!

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

Kristin @ Beneath Shining Stars!!!

Congrats!! I will email you after I take a nap =)

And, if you didn't win, don't despare! I have a totally amazing After Dark prize pack that will be up for grabs next week! Don't forget to check back!

Original Sin Teaser #43

2011-06-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Had an awesome night at Barnes & Noble in Westlake, Ohio last night! Thanks to everyone who came out! Got to hang out with my tour partners Leah Clifford and Courntey Allison Moulton, and awesome authors Scott Tracey (Witch Eyes, Flux 2011) and Dan Krokos (False Memory, Hyperion 2012). A fun time was had by all! =)

Do you see that stack of finished copies of Original Sin??? Squee!!

Tonight, catch the Dark Days Tour in Lansing Michigan at Schuler Books and Music, 2820 Towne Center Blvd at 6pm with uber-special guest, Aimee Carter (The Goddess Test)!

Also, if you want your very own signed copies of Personal Demons and Original Sin, don't forget to enter my contest! It ends tomorrow, so scoot on over there!

And, todays Original Sin Teaser! Luc still has his cocky demons ways. Here's a snippet from Frannie's perspective.

#OriginalSin p114 Frannie: I squeeze Luc tighter. “I love you.”
One corner of his perfect mouth curves up. “I know.”

Happy Thursday! The winner of my latest contest will post when I get home from tour tomorrow, so check back!

After Dark Tour with Leah Clifford, Courtney Allison Moulton and Moi! Plus OS Teaser #42

2011-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

I was on a plane at ugly o'clock this morning on my way to Cleveland, Ohio for the After Dark Tour! If you're in the Cleveland area, come out and see Leah, Courtney and me at the Westlake Barnes & Noble, 198 Crocker Park Blvd, at 6:30pm.

If Lansing, Michigan is closer, tomorrow (Thursday) we'll be at Schuler Books and Music, 2820 Towne Center Blvd at 6pm with uber-special guest, Aimee Carter!

SQUEE!!!

I'm so excited to meet some of you, as well as the amazing authors I'll be signing with! And there will be PRIZES!!! Yep, you heard me right! FREE STUFF!!

And, now for today's teaser. A little Luc and Frannie hotness to see you through the rest of the week :p

#OriginalSin p113 Frannie: Most of our clothes are on the floor and we move together on Luc’s big black bed to the rhythm of music playing softly from the stereo. A tiny part of me wishes he could still shift his essence into me the way he used to when he was a demon. My head swims at the memory of how it felt to have him that close. There’s something surreal about being possessed by the essence of the boy you’re crazy in love with—even if he is a demon.

*swallows hard* *clears throat*

So, we'll see you later today in Cleveland!!

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

2011-05-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

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!

2011-05-26T09:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-25T09:05:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

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!