Mark Your Calendar

I've got a lot of cool things for you today.  It's gonna be a great Friday! An interview, a new short short story, publication news, and even tour dates. So, let's not waste any time and get to it!

Interview

In an effort to help spread the word about my new Asylum Tales series and the upcoming release of Angel's Ink as well as the recent releases of the two novellas, Urban Fantasy Land has  posted an interview I participated in.  I talk about the new series, writing, and all the usual good stuff.  To read the interview, just click here.

School's In short story

Literary Escapism is running a series through the month of September to celebrate the start of another school year.  The book site has gathered together a large group of writers and gotten them to torture their characters into telling stories about their time school.  With a little work, I got my new main character Gage to talk about grade school.  To read the short story and to enter the giveaway, just click here.

Got a book you're trying to publish?

Have you been working on a science-fiction or fantasy novel that you've been trying to get published but haven't found an agent or publisher yet?  Well, you're in luck.  For two weeks in October, HarperCollins will be accepted unagented COMPLETED manuscripts for consideration for publication.  This is an extremely rare opportunity that you don't want to pass up. For more details, click here.

Tour Dates!!!

To celebrate the upcoming release of Angel's Ink, I will be doing a mini-book tour.  This will be your chance to get a signed copy of my books, ask me questions, and get all the behind-the-scenes dirty details.  These are the details on the appearances as I currently have them.  I will post more details as information comes in.

New York Comic Con
Saturday, October 13
I will be on one panel with some awesome authors (squee!). I will probably be signing books on Saturday as well. At the very least, I'll being hanging out at the HarperCollins booth and I can sign stuff then.  Saturday is the ONLY day I will be at NYCC.


Joseph-Beth Booksellers
Saturday, October 20
1pm
Are you in Kentucky or live in the Cincinnati, Ohio area? Well, I'll be passing through and signing books.  Stop by Joseph-Beth Bookseller in Crestview Hills, Kentucky to pick up a signed book or two as well as get your burning questions answered!
2785 Dixie Hwy
Crestview Hills, KY
859-912-7860

Books & Co.
Saturday, November 3
1pm
Are you in Ohio or live in Northern Kentucky? I'll be passing through Dayton, Ohio on Saturday, November 3. It's another chance to get a book signed and ask me a question!
The Greene Shopping Center
4453 Walnut Street
Dayton, OH 45440
937-429-2169

And we are trying to plan something for Lansing, Michigan, but we're trying to line up an event time with a flight schedule at the moment.  I'll give an update when I hear more.  Also for the Madison, Wisconsin readers, I don't currently have an event lined up for the release, but I promise to go sign some books the day Angel's Ink is released and I'll give an announcement when it happens.

Meet Trixie & Enter a Giveaway

I AM BACK!
Yes, I am officially living in Madison, Wisconsin now, leaving my Cincinnati digs behind.  Sure, I still have to get a new driver's license and update tons of random stuff, but I am now considering myself a Sconnie. :)

The important thing is that the internet has been turned on and I can keep up with my peeps again. Just in time since my newest novella just hit e-readers yesterday! Whoo-hoo!  With The Asylum Interviews: Bronx, you were able to meet the troll Bronx and learn how he came to be hired by Gage.  Now in The Asylum Interviews: Trixie, you get to meet the elf Trixie and learn how she came to work for Gage at Asylum.

If you're not sold on the idea of investing $2 in a new novella, let me direct you toward a couple of recent reviews:

Red Hot Books
All Things Urban Fantasy

Oh... I'm sorry. I misunderstood. You want to win yourself a free copy! Then you should go to these blogs here:

Red Hot Books
Literal Addiction

Wait... you want to learn more about the Asylum Tales and my writing process.  Well, I can help with that as well. You should read my interviews at:

Elyse Salpeter
Red Hot Books

There.  You've got plenty to read now and plenty of contests to enter.  Don't worry.  There are more interviews, contests, and stories coming over the next couple of months.  Stay tuned.

Oodles of News

The week is half over and I haven't been as productive as I would have liked, but hey! I just finished a book.  The brain needs a little down time before I start being insanely productive again.  I've been writing, but it's been mostly playing that could turn into something later.  We'll see.

I did, however, clean off my white board of all my Book 2 notes on Tuesday and I've slowly started making notes on what I would like to do next (in the hopes that my publisher is interested in a "next").  I've got several balls sort of sitting on the table next to me.  I am waiting for a couple of green lights before I start trying to juggle anything.  I hate to find myself juggling only to be forced to put it down later or risk dropping it altogether.

In the meantime, I do have a couple small announcements.  A few months ago, I participated in an 30-minute interview with the lovely Vicki Pettersson (of the Zodiac and Celestial Blues series) and the talented Kim Harrison (of the Hollows series).  We talked about ending our old series, starting a new series, and general urban fantasy goodness.  If you would like to listen to this awesome interview we did for XM Sirius Book Channel, please click this link.

 Elsewhere, I am happy to report that my new novellas are now available for pre-order.  Whoo-hoo!  Yes, we are one step closer to diving deep into the world of the Asylum Tales.  Since it's a crazy place, I thought it best to ease you in slowly and introduce you to some of the main characters.  The first novella being released is The Asylum Interviews: Bronx.

The Asylum Interviews: Bronx

The novella takes place about four years before the events of the first novel, Angel's Ink and is the story of how my main character Gage met and hired his first employee, Bronx.  With Gage involved, it will come as no surprise that it was a strange meeting as the troll Bronx quickly gets sucked into Gage's insane life when he was only trying to help the poor guy.

In Low Town, where humans walk and work side-by-side with elves, vampires, ogres, and all manner of creature, it's understandable that people occasionally need a little help in their lives.  Whether is love, work, or ... other, tattoo artists are there to try to help turn the odds into your favor.  When Gage's friend Parker needs help with his love life, tattoo artists Gage and Bronx are only too happy to help.  But the incubus ends up getting more than he bargained for with his new tattoo, and his friends are forced to scramble to fix the mess they've created before  someone gets hurt.

If you're interested in stepping into Low Town and Gage's world, I have the links listed for pre-order for your Nook and Kindle.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

To my knowledge, the story will also contain a preview of Angel's Ink in case you haven't read the opening yet from Bound To Me.  I don't know yet if they are going to do a print-on-demand version.  As more links become available, I will post them here. Bronx will be released on July 3 -- less than 48 days!

The second novella, The Asylum Interviews: Trixie, will be out on September 4 and I will giving out more details when we get closer to the release!

Interviews, Contest, & Excerpt

I feel like I'm running massively behind today and it ain't pretty. So this is more just a drive-by blogging, but I will give you plenty to do!

I've begun my blog tour to celebrate the upcoming release of Burn the Night, and you don't want to miss out on all the secrets, stories, and contests!

First, a new interview was posted on Monday with a GREAT read! I tell some tidbits behind all the goodness of Burn the Night and the Dark Days series. In addition, a GREAT read is hosting a contest as well. Head over and check it out!

Second, a new interview was posted today on Red Hot Books. The blogger caught me with some really excellent questions, and I really spill my guts on this one. Check out some of the behind-the-scenes stuff that was meant to go into the Dark Days series. Go to Red Hot Books.

And finally, what you've been waiting for: the massive excerpt for Burn the Night is available on my publisher's website. Click to read the first 74 pages of the book!

As a little P.S., I just heard that my publisher is aiming to release the novella about Mira and Valerio in the fall. I'll be posting updates on that as they become available.

Interviews: Where I've Been

The release of Pray for Dawn is only a couple of days away and I've been a busy little bee pulling together interviews and guest blogs. I am happy to report that one of my favorite guest blogs was just posted this weekend. Pray for Dawn is the first book to be told from the point of view of Danaus, so I thought it was only fitting that Danaus be permitted to completed one of the interviews for me. I mean, come on, I can't hog the spotlight constantly!

So, be sure to stop by Tynga's Reviews today to read the interview with Danaus. At the same time, leave a comment to enter her contest to win one of the books that she's giving away!

To catch some of the other goodness from earlier in the week, check out Larrisa's Bookish Life interview along with a contest.

I also appeared on Deadline Dames talking about my own personal bat cave.

Elsewhere, Book Lovers Inc. carried and interview and a giveaway that you don't want to miss out on.

And finally, Amberkatze's Book Blog carried a guest blog from me as well. I think her book contest has ended but two of her prize winners haven't claimed their prizes yet.

So, please take the time to check out all the fun and enter to win some of these books! And don't forget to pick up your copy on Tuesday!

In the meantime, I taking it easy this weekend. No crazy projects or heavy errands. I'm heading out to my cousin's graduation party and then I think I'm going to spend the rest of the weekend reading. I hope you have a wonderfully quiet weekend as well full of reading.

Interview with Jenna Black

Jenna was kind enough to stop by today and answer a few questions for me. Don't forget to enter the contest to win a signed copy of The Devil Inside. Just scroll down and leave a comment in Monday's blog entry.

1. What first inspired you to write a novel? Or what first got you interested in writing?

I've been a writer for as long as I can remember. When I was in fifth grade, I wrote my "autobiography." It was written in pencil in a lined notebook, illustrated with crayon and with a construction paper cover. This was my first book, and I've written pretty much continuously since then.

2. Do you see any particular character traits that are similar between you and your main character Morgan?

Definitely, although those traits wouldn't be obvious to an outside observer. The biggest trait the two of us share is our control-freak natures. I'm always amazed how many writers describe themselves as control freaks, because this business is all about things you can't control. Apparently, we're all masochists as well. Because I'm such a control freak myself, I find it very easy to put myself in Morgan's shoes when she's having issues with the way her life spiraled out of control once she became possessed.

3. What drew you to writing about an exorcist?

I love reading urban fantasy. At the time I came up with the idea for the Morgan Kingsley series, I was deeply immersed in Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake series. I loved how Hamilton gave Anita such serious personal issues, particularly in her relationship with Richard. I thought the complexities of their conflicts--especially the fact that there really was no solution for the conflict--was what made me keep reading long past the point when I'd ordinarily get tired of a series. Having determined that this conflict was what made the series so compelling for me, when I set out to write an urban fantasy of my own, I wanted to start with a huge, unresolvable (or at least nearly so) conflict and then built a story from there. That's how I came up with the concept of a possessed exorcist.

4. Of all the books that you’ve had published, which is your favorite and why?

Much as I love all my Morgan Kingsley books, my favorite of my books is SHADOWS ON THE SOUL, the third book in my Guardians of the Night series. I've always had a love of dark heroes, but with Gabriel, the hero of this book, I really pushed the envelope. I introduced him in the second book of the series, SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS, and he did some terrible things. But I fell in love with him from the moment I introduced him, and after much anxiety and "you can't do that" thoughts, I decided to tackle the challenge of redeeming him--without making him into a nice guy, which he can never be. I sweated over every word of that book, wondering if it was possible readers could accept a hero as dark as Gabriel. But it turned out to be the one book, to date, that my editor accepted without any revision requests. And it was my first Top Pick in Romantic Times Book Review. So I think I actually managed to pull it off.

5. If you couldn’t be an author, is there anything else you would be interested in giving a try?

Nope!

6. What part of the writing process do you dread the most? Or what part of the writing

process do you find to be the hardest?

The answer to both is: the waiting. And yes, this is part of the writing process, especially when I'm waiting for revisions from my editor. That's when my anxiety is at its highest, when I'm worried that my editor will hate it, or that I've got some terrible gaping plot hole I never even saw, or that my editor is going to ask me to change my favorite part of the story. I guess that wait time is important, because it gives me some much-needed time away from the book so that when I tackle revisions, I've got fresh eyes. I never allow myself to read the manuscript while I'm waiting for edits. But just because it's important doesn't mean I have to like it!

7. List 5 words that describe your main character.

Strong. Sarcastic. Brave. Insecure. Inflexible.

Thanks for stopping by, Jenna!

Interview with Vicki Pettersson

Vicki Pettersson was kind enough to answer a few annoying questions from me in an interview. Check out her answers below. What's more, don't forget to enter the contest to win a signed copy of The Scent of Shadows, the first book in the Zodiac series. To enter the contest, scroll down to Monday's blog entry and leave a comment. The contest ends on Saturday!

1. What first inspired you to write a novel? Or what first got you interested in writing?

Like most writers, I’ve always been an avid reader. I’d also daydream and make up stories in my head, but as far as knowing this is what I wanted to do? As far as believing I could make a living doing this? No. I didn’t think it was possible for some middle class girl from a dusty desert town to make a living as a writer. I had no example telling me otherwise. Other people — smarter people — wrote novels. And yet. I had an epiphanous moment when I was twenty-six where I vividly recall sitting down with my morning coffee and saying to myself, “Today I am going to write a novel.” Of course, it didn’t happen it a day. It took more like eight years. But I was obsessed from that day forward.

2. Do you see any particular character traits that are similar between you and your main character Joanna?

I can be a bit impulsive and hot-headed at times, though I like to think I control it a bit better than Joanna does. Unfortunately, I posses none of her superpowers … which p*sses me off. So there’s a bit of wish fulfillment going on there.

3. What’s your favorite thing about living in Las Vegas?

Having what I want, when I want it. It’s clearly THE place to be for those seeking immediate gratification. But I enjoy the duality of it. I raise my family here, and I think that side of Vegas would be shockingly normal (and boring) if people ever really saw it. Yet the Strip is within arm’s reach. It’s the best of both worlds.

4. Of all the book in the Zodiac series, which is your favorite book and why?

CITY OF SOULS seems to have replaced all others in the hearts of my long-time readers, but I might be more attuned to that because it was so recently released. I have to say I’ll always have a fond spot in my heart for Jo’s origin story, THE SCENT OF SHADOWS. I had so much fun building the world and letting my imagination run amuck that even though there are parts I’d write a bit differently today, I love the passion behind the prose, and Joanna’s raw spirit.

5. What kind of research do you do for your series?

I’ll research as needed for the book. If there’s a zodiac sign or some astrological elements that are taking up some series page space, I’ll research that more thoroughly. The great thing about writing fantasy though, is that you can make it all up. I took the idea of a doppelganger and made it my own. Ditto a tulpa. Ditto superheroes themselves. So generally I take popular culture and riff on it. If I research anything obsessively, it’s the craft of writing and story structure. I love to do the opposite of what’s expected, and twist the reader around until they don’t know what’s coming next. I also like the big “Boom.” Fight scenes rock.

6. What first drew you to the idea of writing about superheros and the zodiac?

Honestly, I was just playing around. I was using what I call my ‘kitchen sink method’ which is basically: throw it all in there. Save nothing. If something was interesting, or (to use speech from the Whedon-verse) “shiny” to me, I threw it in. A character popped up in the third chapter of SCENT and said he was a superhero. Who was I to argue? I just decided to follow him. The zodiac mythos provided me with structure for the troops and in my worldbuilding — plus it was a big concept, and I’m a fan of things that the reader can latch onto like that. It gives them a starting place, and firm ground, from which to launch themselves into the fantastical. The interweaving of truth and fiction is one of the things that makes this genre so powerful. It gets the reader to use their imagination, and once I have that? The sky is the limit.

7. List 5 words that describe your main character.

Strong, stubborn, powerful, vulnerable, scared.
Wow. Those don’t seem to match up at all!

Thanks, Vicki, for stopping by. Don't forget to enter the contest!

Happy Dawnbreaker Release Day!

It feels like it wasn’t so long ago that I was sending little Dayhunter out into the world on her own with nothing more than a lunchbox and a pack of matches. Now, the day has come to let my little Dawnbreaker out into the world with her lunchbox and pack of matches. I always have a mix of feeling fluttering on me on release days. I’m excited that the world is getting to see what I have been working on so diligently and I’m terrified that the world isn’t going to like my sweet children. I’m sad to see them go and I’m happy to watch them grow. I wish I could protect them from the negative review that inevitably come and I’m proud when they please their readers.

In the end, joy overcomes it all. My dear Dawnbreaker is finally out in the world, soaring high on her own. I wish her luck.

So, go out and pick up your copy today! You don’t want to miss out on the trouble Mira and Danaus get into. We’re on the move again. After a brief stint in Savannah, my little group is headed south to Peru and Machu Picchu where they are destined to take on Rowe and the naturi horde as they fight to free Aurora.

Also, if you’re living in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, this is a reminder that I will be signing books at the Crestview Hills, Kentucky Borders on Saturday, October 3. Stop by and visit. I’ll be giving away goodies!

Here's all the information:
Borders in Crestview Towne Center
2785 Dixie Hwy
Crestview Hills, KY
859-331-8200
Saturday, October 3
2pm -4pm

Finally, I’ve got a guest blog up today over at Book Reviews by Jess. She is also giving away two signed copies of Dawnbreaker! Stop by, read the blog about the History of the Dark Days series, and enter the contest!

Interviews and Contest

It's been a busy couple of weeks as I complete a round of interviews, guest blogs, and my work on Book 5 in the Dark Days series. I'm nearly finished with all the writing and I'm definitely looking forward to a well-deserved break. Of course, I'm already making plans for a Super Secret Project that I'm going to work on for a couple of months, so I guess it's not going to be much of a break.

In the meantime, I've got new contests and interviews to announced.

Pattepoilue, over at One Book Away From Heaven, was kind enough to let me post a guest blog that provides some writing tips that I've picked up over the past few years. In addition, she's giving away some of my books, including Dawnbreaker. Stop by, read the blog, and enter the contest.

In addition, SciFiGuy has posted an interview with me today. I will be popping by to answer questions throughout the day. He is also giving away three copies of Dawnbreaker! Stop by, read the interview, ask some questions, and enter the contest!

Also, don't forget that I'm giving away two copies of Dawnbreaker. Scroll down to Monday's blog entry and leave a comment!

Interview with Tracey O'Hara

I can't believe that the release date for Dawnbreaker is less than two weeks away. Have you reserved your copy? Better hurry!

In the meantime, I've got an interview with the fabulous Tracey O'Hara as she talks about writing and her new book, Night's Cold Kiss. I'm currently giving away a copy, so scroll down to Monday's posting and leave a comment to enter the contest!

1. What first got you interested in writing?

Long story really. About 15 years back I found out some information about my great-grandfather in WWI. To those of us downunder the, the epitome of the Aussie spirit is our involvement in the iconic Gallipoli Campaign fought on the shores of Turkey. Think the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan… with cliffs.

At 4.30am on April 25, 1915, the ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) landed on a hellish beach with shear cliffs under heavy enemy fire. The took the beach and held it for the next 8 months. There is a great movie called Gallipoli and starred a very young Mel Gibson. If you want to know what Aussie mateship is all about, see that movie.

My great-grandfather was in the first assault on the beach in the pre-dawn darkness. As he scrambled up the beach along with his brother, he was felled with a leg wound. When the beach had been secured, he was evacuated to England to recover where he met my great-grandmother. But that’s another story.

Now, I knew he’d been to war. And I knew he’d been wounded. But what I didn’t know was the facts of the landing and the fact he wasn’t alone. Six Keid boys joined the army, four served on Gallipoli and only two returned home from the war. The more I looked into the lives of these six men, the more fascinating their story became. So after 8 years of on again off again researching, I decided I wanted to write some of this history down. (You can read more about my Great grandfather here http://www.sandsofgallipoli.com.au/story.php?id=16&type=stories)

When a friend looked at some of what I wrote, she asked if I’d ever considered writing fiction. I hadn’t. I’d always read it, but never thought of writing.

That’s what led me to my love affair with words and storytelling. And I will write my great-grandfather’s book one day. I promise, Mum.

2. Do you see any particular character traits that are similar between you and your main character?

None. Well maybe her pig-headed stubbornness. Honestly, Antoinette can be one annoying chick. I guess the same way there is a little piece of me inside my children, there is also a little piece of me in each of my characters. They bear my mark, but they’re really their own people. Imaginary, true, but real to the story.

If you couldn’t be an author, is there anything else you would be interested in giving a try?
I find this an interesting question because for a long time I didn’t know I was an author. Apart from the fact I still work full time as a computer analyst/programmer, I spent years on what I call my creativity quest. I used to sketch a lot when I was younger. So I tried doing that. Nup. Didn’t satisfy my creativity urge. I tried craft, painting Warhammer figurines and wood working. I designed and started building a mega dollhouse palace. I was going to make the all the furniture and furnishings myself. I built my own wood working bench and everything. But I soon lost interest in that too. Nothing sated my creative appetite, nothing until I discover the hidden author buried deep within. So if I couldn’t be an author—then I have no idea at all.

3. What part of the writing process do you find to be the hardest?

I guess it’s the first draft. To try and get those story elements swimming around in my head down onto the page. I actually love the rewrite process, to hone those rough words into sparkling ones. I think the book I just handed in was particularly hard for me. Second book syndrome big time but I learned so much.

4. What first drew you to writing urban fantasy?

I have always been a fan of the supernatural. I’m a huge Stephen King fan and love Sci-fi and fantasy. So I started writing the story I wanted to write. When I first started Night’s Cold Kiss it was going to be a paranormal romance. I hadn’t heard the term urban fantasy at that time. As the story unfolded I kept getting people say you can’t do that in a romance, and I kept wanting to make it darker.

With urban fantasy, the world is my oyster. My world that is, not the real one. I have a chance to play “god” and mold creatures and situations with my twisted little mind.


Thanks, Tracey, for popping by and answering my questions!

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Night's Cold Kiss. Just scroll down to Monday's entry and leave a comment.

Interviewed

A quick update: The interviews and guest blog postings are starting to be released in anticipation of the release of Dawnbreaker on September 29. My first interview has been posted on Tynga's Urban Fantasy Reviews. Click on the link to catch my thoughts on the book, writing, and what's still to come! I will also be giving away copies of Dawnbreaker on several blogs as we get closer to the release date. Stay tuned!

Interview with Jeri Smith-Ready

To celebrate the Wicked Game giveaway, author Jeri Smith-Ready was kind enough to pop by and answer a few questions for me. Take a look at her great answers! And then, scroll down to Monday's blog entry and leave a comment so you can potentially win a signed copy of her book Wicked Game! Hurry, the contest closes on Saturday at midnight Eastern Standard Time.

1. What first inspired you to write a novel?

Caffeine! No, really. I went to a coffee house one night in 1995 where a friend’s band was playing. The music was too loud for conversation, so with a double espresso coursing through my brain, I came up with this funny scene about a guy sitting in a coffee bar in the middle of nowhere when a mysterious, exotically beautiful woman walks in.

I stayed up until 4am that night (lots of caffeine, remember?) writing the first five pages. It took me a few weeks to find a plot, but it took only a few minutes to find the addictive thrill of creating a world and a set of characters I wanted to spend time with. I was hooked forever.

(I did finish that novel fifteen months later, and it was excellent practice, which is to say you will never see it and never should.)

2. Do you see any particular character traits that are similar between you and your main character Ciara?

I wish! I’d love to have half of Ciara’s con artist’s ability to think on her feet. Also, I’m a terrible liar (unless I’m lying about that). I can’t pretend to be cool or glamorous or sophisticated or whatever else the situation calls for. I can pretty much only be myself.

But Ciara and I both love dogs, and we harbor a mad weakness for guys with guitars.

3. What drew you to writing about vampires at a radio station?

I was driving down the road and—okay, cutting to the chase? I had an idea for characters who were stuck in different eras, represented by the music from those times. We all know people who are stuck in the sixties, or the eighties, people who feel that nothing worthwhile was created after they turned thirty. I believe that the moment we stop changing and learning to love new experiences, the moment we start living in the past and rejecting the present, is the moment we start to die.

Vampires were the obvious choice to represent this phenomenon, since they’re the only paranormal creature who dies and then goes on living. So I didn’t set out to write a vampire novel, but rather, they fit the story I wanted to tell.

4. Of all the books that you’ve had published, which is your favorite and why?

Definitely WICKED GAME, maybe partly because I wrote it on spec (i.e., did not have a publishing contract for it ahead of time), so for a long time it was all mine with no outside expectations. I had a blast developing this idea of a bunch of obsessive-compulsive vamps stuck in various time periods.

Also, Ciara’s personality forms the spirit of the novel. Since she’s a basically happy person (with few moral qualms), I was a happy person writing it. I never wanted a book to sell as badly as this one. Sometimes I still pinch myself when I look at the cover!

I think there’s also a certain innocence and magic about that first book in any series. It’s a lot like falling in love.

5. Which was the hardest book to write?

Craftwise, the hardest was probably VOICE OF CROW, because it was my first attempt at writing multiple points-of-view (I used four in that book). It also dealt with some thorny issues like post-traumatic stress, disability, sexual assault, etc., and I wanted very much to do justice to what the characters were going through.

From a personal standpoint, BAD TO THE BONE was the hardest. I wrote the first draft after my cat/best friend died, and did the rewrite when my dog was suffering from a back injury, the pain from which we had trouble controlling (she eventually had surgery and made a great recovery). Despite all the angst surrounding its creation, BAD TO THE BONE probably has the most humor of all. Comedy is a wonderful solace and defense mechanism.

I wonder if there’s something about second books in a series that makes them inherently hellish. I used to worry that it was because I was easily bored and commitment-phobic (something Ciara and I have in common!). I worried that I would have to stop writing series. But then Book 3 in each series was much easier, so there goes that theory. Whew!

6. List 5 words that describe your main character.

Irrepressible
Practical
Charming
Compassionate
Loyal

One of these traits Ciara doesn’t even know she has until the end of WICKED GAME.

Thanks, Jeri, for stopping by. If you're interested in winning Wicked Game, scroll down to Monday's blog entry to leave a comment.

An Interview

I am such a bad blogger. I apologize for not being around more often. I wish I could blame it completely on the Book 3 edits, but they haven't been taking up ALL of my time, like they should.

I am happy to report that I completed two new kick-ass chapters over the weekend. They expand a subplot between Mira and Barrett, the Alpha of the Savannah lycanthrope pack. I think it worked out really well, added a smidge more action, and showed exactly how manipulative Mira can really be. She's not always a good girl, particularly when there's something that she wants.

In the meantime, I'm planning to delve back into my edits tonight after a break last night (exhaustion won out over the need to edit). If I'm lucky, I'll be able to get three chapters edited tonight, since I don't think the next three need a lot of heavy work.

One concern that my editor brought up is that she is worried that I am making Mira too powerful. I will admit that that is a constant concern for me for a couple reasons. The stronger Mira becomes, the stronger I have to make the villains, until the whole thing just becomes ridiculous -- which I'm trying to avoid. The other reason is that the stronger that Mira becomes, I think the more out of touch she becomes with her sense of humanity. And if Mira loses her humanity, then I think she truly does become the monster that she fears she is. While we might head down that road eventually, it's far too early in the series to create such havoc now.

What else am I forgetting? I have gotten the chance to see the cover for Book 3 and it is positively heavenly. Beautiful. Wonderful. Perfect. I really wish I could show it to you, but I can't. I wish I could show you the cover for Dayhunter, but I can't. Soon. I promise. I thinking sometime in February I will be allowed to show off the cover for Dayhunter, which is also very awesome.

Oh, if you're in the New York area in the beginning of February (6-8), I will be attending Comic-con. It will be my first Comic-con and I am very excited and nervous. I will be attending with Kim Harrison, Vicki Petterrson, and Jeaniene Frost to my knowledge. I'm such a lucky girl!

Don't forget that I'll also be attending the Romantic Times Convention in Orlando, Florida in April.

Finally, one extra little bonus for the day. I completed an interview with Harry Markov over on Urban Fantasy Land. I talk about me, writing, the series, and just the general everyday stuff that makes me special. Be sure to stop by and check it out. I thought it turned out really well.