Contest Extravaganza

I am happy to report that I have completed the edits for Book 4 and it has been shipped to my lovely editor. So, as I promised I have a contest for you. But this isn't just any contest, this is a CONTEST EXTRAVAGANZA. I'm not giving away just my books, I plan on giving away amazing autographed books from the likes of:

Rachel Vincent

Vicki Pettersson

Jeaniene Frost

Jenna Black

Tracey O'Hara

and

Kim Harrison

And there is still the potential for more writers to join in the fun. I currently have the next seven weeks planned out for contests and there will be more to come after. My plan is to announce the contests on Monday and close down the contest on Saturday. I'll announce the winner on Sunday. The winner will have one week to contact me. If I don't hear from the winner in a week, then the book goes back out for another contest.

Okay, enough rambling from me. You want to know who is up for the first contest.

Let's kick this contest off with a bang!

The first book up for grabs is a signed hardback copy of Kim Harrison's Dead Witch Walking. This is the first book in the Rachel Morgan series. If you're a lover of Kim Harrison's series, this is an excellent collector's item. If you haven't read the series yet, this is a great way to get started.

Book Description:

"All the creatures of the night gather in 'the Hollows' of Cincinnati, to hide, to prowl, to party ... and to feed.

Vampire rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining -- and it's Rachel Morgan's job to keep the world civilized.

A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead ... or undead."

Are you interested? I thought so.

Here are the rules:

Leave a comment in my blog.

Do not leave your email address.

This contest is open to both domestic and international contestants. I will ship anywhere on the planet.

You have until midnight Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, July 18 to enter the contest.

The winner will be announced on Sunday, July 19.

If the winner does not contact me by Sunday, July 26, then the book goes back out for another contest.

Good luck and have fun!

Deleted Scenes and Evil Schemes

So, I'm supposed to be working on the edits for Book 4. Have I gotten far? Not even close. Things started off strong this morning. I had started edits by 8:30 a.m., but took a break after an hour to go mow the lawn. Then it was a shower, lunch, and off to see Transformers 2, which I must say was pretty freaking awesome!

By the time I got home, it was emails, dinner, updating the Web site, and an evil scheme that currently needs my attention to get rolling. But my lovely readers are benefitting today from my many distractions. The Web site update not only included the cover blurb and cover for Dawnbreaker, but I have also released a previously unseen deleted scene from Dayhunter. Go check it out on my Web site on the Dayhunter page, as it fits nicely with what Mira is facing in Dawnbreaker.

On to my evil scheme...

I've been mentioning for the past couple weeks that I plan to give away a cool prize in an upcoming contest as soon as I finish the edits for Book 4. However, I started thinking today that I should make this contest bigger. I know a lot of cool authors. I know a lot of cool authors that would like to reach some new readers. I know some cool readers that would like some autographed books. Shouldn't I try to bring these lovely sets of people together like peanut butter and jelly? So a flurry of emails hit the Internet this evening and the responses are starting to slowly trickle in. We will have autographed books to be won over the next several weeks. I'm not going to start throwing out names until I get a few more confirmations, but this is going to be fun.

Be sure to check back frequently for updates, contests, and interviews. The summer is just starting to heat up.

Getting Ready for the Weekend

It's Friday evening and I'm looking ahead to a weekend filled with edits. I've got to get Book 4 done this weekend so I can ship it back to my editor on Monday (Tuesday at the latest). I'm past the halfway mark, which means that things start to pick up in pace. While I think this half needs the heaviest additions -- chunks added to every chapter -- I think the process will go relatively fast. At least, that's what I keep telling myself.

Earlier in the week, I found a way of procrastinating by completely updating my HarperCollins microsite with new information. Feel free to stop by and read my latest ramblings. I'm still behind on my emails. If I owe you an email, I'm sorry. It'll be the first thing I tackle when the edits are done.

However, it won't be all work for me this weekend. My Web site designer (AKA my brother) has promised to update my Web site this weekend. I will try to get the deleted scene added as well as update the Dawnbreaker page. I might also try to find the time to sneak in something else. Still thinking on that one.

My brother and I are also planning to go see Transformers 2 on Saturday. I know, I know. The reviews have been bad, but it still looks so damn cool. Come on, explosions, fighting, chase scene. It's just looks awesome. Besides, it's gonna be free. I won a pair of movie passes a couple months ago and I'm going to use them for this movie.

And then on Sunday, I've got a friend who is passing through town on her way to her vacation destination. I'm hoping that we will be able to sneak in dinner while she's in town. Fingers are crossed. It's been about a month since I last saw her and it may be another year before I see her again after that.

If you don't hear from me again, I got buried in work. Send in a cute guy with chocolate. I'm sure I'll find a way to dig myself out again. Have a great one!

Take Me As I Am

I come before you empty-handed this afternoon. I noticed that during the past couple blog entries, I've presented nifty images of book covers, but I've run out of covers to give you. I can't even begin to guess at what the cover for book 4 is going to look like. Heck, I don't even know the title yet. But at least I know how it's going to end...

Today has been a good writing day. Book 4 revisions have gone relatively smoothly. I think this one has had the most new chapters added so far. At the moment, chapters 1 and 20 are brand-spanking new, while the original chapters 1-3 were completely ripped out. I finished work on chapter 20 today and I'm very happy with it. It managed to develop two different characters, add a bit of action and tension, and further the plot. Not a bad accomplishment. In fact, I'm quite pleased with the performance of one character in particular. He's been pretty quiet so far, but he surprised me when he stepped it up a notch today. It's a direction that I wasn't necessarily planning for him, but I'm pleased with the direction that he's decided to take. He's taking control of his life and making some interesting choices. I wish him luck.

I know this all sounds a little odd, but I've had these characters rattling around in my head for so long, they're so like living, breathing people to me. When I'm working on a novel, I try to leave enough room within the plot of the story for the characters to make surprising breakouts and leaps forward, or sometimes backwards. Sure, somewhere in my brain I'm coming up with these ideas, but it doesn't feel like it sometimes. It's more like someone whispering in my ear.

On a happy note, I've found a new bit of music to work to on this novel. I've recently gotten hooked on the new Marilyn Manson album. I've written to his other work in the past, but I've noticed that I've recently been needing something fresh and most of my downloads during the past couple of months have been relatively mellow. Mellow does not help when it comes to writing fight scenes.

Looking ahead, I recently remembered that I've got a deleted scene lying around for Dawnbreaker. I will get with my Web site designer and try to get it posted during the next week. I'll post an update as to when it finally hits the site. Also, next week I'll try to hold a new contest. But first, I must finish the edits on Book 4.

A Good Weekend

It's been a good weekend. I have to admit that I think the Independence Day holiday is one of my all-time favorites. It seems less rushed and hectic than the other holidays. There's lots of good food, games, and the best of all, fireworks. My brothers, father, and myself are total pyromaniacs. We love anything that burns and explodes. A cascade of sparkles, a shower of burning embers, a thunderous explosion, the smell of burning sulfur. Ahh... that's what makes this holiday great.

So, I'm a little strange. Is it any wonder that Mira is the Fire Starter? Not really. I've been hypnotized by fire since I was very young.

We shot a video this year on the proper usage of bottle rockets. I promise to post a link here if it actually makes it to YouTube. I'm still debating on whether to allow its release. We'll see.

On the revision front, Friday and Saturday were not quite as productive as I would have hoped. However, I did make some very good progress today and there is a slim chance that I might actually finish the revisions by their due date -- the end of next weekend. Fingers are crossed.

For those that love cover art, I have posted a couple new covers over on my Facebook page recently, but haven't posted them here. Sorry for the delay.

Here is my cover for the German edition of Nightwalker.

In addition, here is the Science Fiction Book Club omnibus edition of Dark Days, which includes Nightwalker and Dayhunter.

I hope everyone had a great weekend.