Last Rite giveaways because I love you and I love Spring!

I LOVE this time of year. Everything's coming back to life. Here's my apricot tree:

Here's the almond orchard near my house:

Here's my daughter, who's graduating this spring:

And you know what else is coming alive this spring? Yep! Last Rite! The end of the Personal Demons trilogy is here. This makes me both very happy and a little sad. It's been over a year since I wrote this book and I miss Frannie, Luc and Gabe every day. I've written and fallen in love with many characters since writing them, but they'll always have a special place in my heart.

So, to celebrate Spring and the birth of my book baby, Last Rite, I'll be holding weekly contest in which you can win a signed copy (ARC or finished) between now and Last Rite's release on May 8th. Here's your first chance to win, and because I love you sooo much, I'm throwing in a prize for a runner up. The runner up will receive this poster, signed by all four authors (one of which happens to be my fab critique partner :p).

To enter, all you have to do is comment below and tell me what your favorite season is and why. You must be 13 or older to enter. Extra entries can be accumulated as follows:
Follow this blog: +1
Follow me on Twitter (@LisaDez): +1
Tweet or Facebook a link to this contest: +1
"Like" the Personal Demons Books Facebook page +1

Add up your points in your comment, please, because my math sucks. Also, leave me a way to contact you if you WIN! Contest closes Friday March 9th at 12 noon, PST. Winners will be chosen by the randomizer and posted here that afternoon. There will be a new contest for signed copies of Last Rite and other signed books (think Holly Black, Andrea Cremer, Beth Revis) every Monday between now and May 7th, so don't forget to check back every Monday to enter!

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

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!

Spring has sprung!

This, my dear people, is the view outside my window right now.

I love this time of year. All those blossoms mean I will have fruit this summer. Well, really, those are almond blossoms, so I’ll have nuts—or am nuts…or something.

Anywhooo, the peach blossoms will be next, and, last I looked, they were fruit, yes? So, it’s all good. We had some work done in our yard this winter and they killed my Bing cherry tree (murderers!), but I still have my Rainier cherry. I also have a peach tree, an apricot tree, a plum tree, a nectarine, a pear tree, a fig tree, and a walnut tree. The last of the oranges, lemons and grapefruits are ripening in my backyard as we speak…or blog…or whatever. And, in a few weeks, I’ll get my garden going.

So, like I said, I love this time of year. I promise to share. =)

If it’s still cold where you are, I think you should all move to California. To my house! I have a spare room! Come eat peaches! ;p

Spring has sprung!

I so totally love this time of year. The weather has been in the high 70s and sunny. Convertible weather for sure. And, it's also the beginning of the harvest year. I have two cherry trees, an apricot tree, a pear tree (no partridge), a fig tree, a blood orange tree, a pink grapefruit tree, a lemon tree, a walnut tree, and a tree with two types of peaches, a plum and a nectarine.

The cherries are always first. I spent part of my Sunday afternoon climbing through my trees in quest of my sweet little treasures. Here they are:

The red ones are Bings (yummy) and the white ones are Rainiers (my favorite). At the time of this posting, this bowl has been totally decimated by me (mostly) and my family. I'm looking at a mound of stems and pits (not such a pretty picture, so I'll spare you).

On this date last year, I was hiking the trails of Cinque Terre, Italy, which is a much prettier picture, so I'll share that one:

The reason this is appropriate to mention here (other than just generally bragging) is because, while I was looking at that, the birds were busy eating all my cherries, and I went cherriless last year. Not this year, though! I outsmarted the birds by staying home! So there! *looks longingly at Cinque Terre*

Next, the apricots! Can hardly wait!