Go Forth And Read

Thanks for the well wishes and I'm glad that you liked the videos.  I'm slowly climbing back into the saddle.  I think I'm going to be working this weekend as I try to play catch-up.  I'm not 100%, but I think I can get a little work done today.

Book update: We're moving forward.  The first book has been accepted by my editor and it has been passed along for copyediting.  When I get it back, I will be able to make changes.  Not too massive, but I can insert new pages if necessary.  For the most part, I'm just cleaning up language and double-checking facts at this stage.

In addition, we're thinking on cover and title.  I've sent some pictures along to help get the art department thinking.  I don't know what we're going for, but I want it to be pretty different from the Dark Days series.  I also don't know if I'm going to have the same artist  yet.  But I can't wait.  I love seeing the cover for a book!  I've been blessed with some fantastic covers so far and I have a lot of faith in my publisher.

It has also been decided that the original title has a somewhat soft feel, so my editor and I will be brainstorming next week when she gets back from New York Comic Con about new title ideas.  I'm hoping to compile a list this weekend to send her.  I am never any good at coming up with titles.  In six books, I have come up with one title that stuck.  My editor is the brilliant one when it comes to titles.

But... while you're waiting for me to come out with something new, there are a lot of great books out there waiting to be read.  Next week one of my favorite authors has a new book coming out.  Have you read the Sandman Slim series by Richard Kadrey?  No?  What?  Are you insane?  For shame!

Sandman Slim is deliciously dark, sharply sarcastic, and so gritty it'll rip your face off if you're not careful.  The mythology is intoxicating and the writing is spot on.  Sandman Slim and Kill the Dead are already on shelves.  Aloha From Hell comes out on Tuesday.  I wasn't able to score an ARC, so I've got this one pre-ordered and I'm trying to clear my plate so I can dive in as soon as it arrives.  His main character isn't someone that I'd want to personally know, but I wouldn't mind sitting near him at the bar while I watch him kick someone's ass.

Go forth my wonderful minions and get this series.  It's so perfectly sinful that it's practically orgasmic. 

The Edit Letter

Well, it has finally arrived. My edit letter for Book 3 was emailed to me today and ... it could have been worse. She likes the story, likes the plot, but the book still needs a lot of work. Sadly, I've only got until January 6 to get the book revised, so I probably won't be around much until after the holidays.

Wish me luck. I leave you with a Simon's Cat video because, darn it, I needed the pick-me-up.





Hope to talk to you again soon.

Is It Winter Already?

We've had snow flurries here in Cincinnati two days in a row. The leaves haven't finished falling from the trees yet and the snow had already begun to fall. The ground is still too warm for the snow to accumulate, but it feels too soon for the snow to begin. In the Cincinnati area, Fall is one of the shortest seasons. From here until the end of March, it will be gray skies and temperatures that barely break above freezing. I'm not a fan of winter. I hate the gray skies and driving in the snow. But the good thing about winter is that it tends to be my most productive season. So, here's to an early and long winter -- I've got some books to write.

Speaking of which, I am happy at announce the Eos, my publisher which is part of the HarperCollins family, has asked me to write three more Dark Days books! Yes, my friends and fans, that means that I am under contract for at least SIX Dark Days books! It seems so amazing to say when I've got only one of them actually out on the shelves, but so far, my publisher is pleased. We're excited about getting two books out next year along with a novella in the Unbound anthology. We're hoping to keep the releases fast and furious, with a spacing of less than a year between each book. The contract hasn't been completely drawn up, as we are looking at trying to establish the publication dates for each of the next three books. But needless to say, I'm going to be busy for a while.

So, everyone that loved Nightwalker, do a little jig of joy. There's more Mira and Danaus headed your way.

COVER ART!!!

I had this great post planned. I was going to talking about the sad conclusion of the great Russian mystery and then finally throw up my latest refrigerator poetry, but something happened to trump all my plans. And I'm not complaining. Not one bit.

During the past few weeks, I have been obsessively haunting Amazon.com, waiting for them to post my cover. And they did it! They finally did it! They posted my cover at long last.

So, with a drum roll.....

Come on, drum roll.....

Here is the cover for Nightwalker: The First Dark Days Novel.

Isn't it lovely? This isn't the clearest copy. Here is another version that might be a little clearer.

I love my cover. I love my editor. I love HarperCollins. I think my cover is positively to die for. I've had it since September and it's been killing me that I haven't been able to share it with the world. But now, everyone can see it.

And because I'm in such a good mood, I'm going to run my very first contest. I am going to give away 2 cover flats. If you are interested in getting your hands on one of my few cover flats, please leave a comment. After the contest closes, I'll drop all the names in a hat, close my eyes, and pick out 2 names.

• You're eligible if you're not related to me
  
• One entry per person
  
• Please sign your entry
  
• Please don't leave your email address in your comment. If you do, you will get spammed. (Not by me. I'm just saying that's a very real risk.)
  
• The giveaway closes at 11:59 pm eastern time on Sunday, May 4th. At that time, I will close the comment thread. A winner will be announced the following day.

Plans

A great weight feels as if it has been lifted off my shoulders. A complete draft of Book 2 has been finished. Prior to selling Nightwalker, I had actually completed a version of Book 2. However, due to changes that were made in Nightwalker and other changes made to the long-term plans for the series, the ending had to be completely re-written.

Now, don't get me wrong. Book 2 still needs some heavy editing, but the process never feels quite as painful as getting the rough draft done. For me, the hardest part is always writing the last couple of chapters. There's so much going on with the main plot, subplots, and balancing all the other characters, that tying it neatly together at the end is always stressful. I'm also very slow about writing that final fight scene.

In the meantime, I'm going to spend the next couple of days plotting out the short story that I have due for next Spring's anthology with Kim Harrison, Melissa Marr, Vicki Pettersson, and Jeaniene Frost. The short story is due to my editor in July, I believe. I know what the story is about, but I haven't completely plotted it out yet.

After the short story has been plotted, I head back in to complete my edits for Book 2. Those I will work on until May. After that, I write the short story. In early June, I hope to complete to the plot outline for Book 3. I have a very broad idea of what happens, what needs to happen, and where the majority of the third book will be set. Currently, Book 3 is due to my editor in mid-October. I imagine that I will finish out the year with work on Book 3 and (assuming I get another contract) Book 4.

Oh, and don't forget to add in the RomanticTimes Conference in April, the RWA Conference in July, the release of Nightwalker, updates to the blog, updates to Mira's MySpace page, and new additions to the web site. It's gonna be a busy year.

Speaking of updates, Mira posted a blog entry yesterday discussing the unique dynamic of the Savannah werewolf pack. Be sure to stop by and check it out.

The Ultimate Valentine’s Day Gift

It’s been a busy couple of days. On Friday, I went to the ballet to see Romeo and Juliet. It was absolutely fantastic. I don’t understand why more people don’t go to see the ballet. The music is phenomenal and the sheer athleticism of these dancers is amazing. The only thing that disappoints me is the fact that the season is so short.

Saturday was all about writing. I churned out a large chunk of book 2 and I’m taking a brief pause today to re-plot the ending of the book. The original ending that I had planned has been thrown out due to some changes that were made in Nightwalker along with changes that were made to the long-term plans for the series. My goal is to have the rough draft of the book done before the end of the month. I will then take a week off from it to plot out the anthology short story that is due in July before returning to complete the final drafts of the book. Once the book is sent off to my editor, I will be diving into writing the short story.

Jumping back to Valentine’s Day, I will admit that I have never actually celebrated the “holiday.” However, my wonderful editor gave me the perfect gift. I don’t know whether she planned it this way or if it just happened to work out, but I got my galleys on Thursday. Also known as Advanced Reader Copies (ARC). I couldn’t believe it. It was the first time that I was able to hold my manuscript it book format. They are beautiful. Simply beautiful. The cover of the ARC is slightly different from how the book will actually look when it is finished, but Harpers has done a fantastic job.

I am waiting to hear if I am allowed to give away a copy or two in a contest on my blog. I’ll keep you updated regarding the approval. If I am allowed, it will still be at least a month before I do so. I don’t want to give one away so far from the actual release date, which is July 29.

No More Edits!!

Well, that title isn't completely true.... no more edits, for now. Over the weekend, I finished what my editor assured me were my last edits of Nightwalker. These were the "Jocelynn, you must read the whole book again, but you can't change anything but the occasional typo, no matter how much you think this new wording with help give greater depth to your character" edits. Yeah, those kind of edits.

Many publishing houses are different in their revisions, but for my editor, who is with Eos, which is an imprint of HarperCollins, there were a few rounds. There is first the "final draft," which is such a funny name because it is no where near the "final" draft of the book. After that, I get the edit letter (known by many names as well), which lists all the things that need to be changed, and if I'm lucky, a few things I did right in the book. The letter can encompass everything from world development, plot, subplots, character development, and everything in between. After all the changes are made (and your editor agrees that it is a pretty damn good book), your book has now been officially Delivered and Accepted by the publisher. (Feel free to have a mini-celebration at this point, you've earned it.)

From there, it goes to a copyeditor, who looks at grammar, punctuation, double checks facts, and makes sure you are consistent throughout the whole book (ie. Mira's eyes remain shades of purple throughout the whole book and don't randomly change to brown on page 246). I then receive Copyedits, where I approve the changes, answer any questions, and fix strange bits. This is my LAST chance to make large changes -- such as paragraphs or even add a page or two. However, this is past the point for adding and deleting whole chapters.

The last stage for me is what my editor calls the "First Pass" edits, which are what I just completed. It is very painful to know that you can't change anything at this point. I know the book is great, but it is at this point that the obsessive-compulsive perfectionist comes out and wants to play and she just can't. (Once completed, have another mini-celebration, your nerves have earned it.)

From here, I believe the book will go through at least one more round of edits within the publisher before going to print.

So, now that the edits are done, I am once again up to my eyeballs in Book 2. I am making some very good progress and I'm currently working on a chapter that I'm not entirely sure where it is going to go, which is a little odd for me. I am very careful to outline my books completely before I write, but this chapter was not in the original plan. I've decided to just let this chapter go where it will for the first draft. It is between two characters who have not seen each other for a little while, and some interesting things have happened since the last meeting. I'm kind of curious as to where these two will take the scene. I'm also curious as to what information each will reveal and what he/she will keep silent about. (Yes, this sounds strange, but my characters have minds of their own.)

When I complete the final draft, I will heavily edit this chapter, making sure that it doesn't ramble and is tight as the others. But for now, I am content to let my characters run.

The Birth of a Story: More Thoughts on Mira

Stories are strange creatures in that I doubt that any one comes into the being in the same way. Sometime they were born with the initial intentionl of being a novel, or even the first novel in a longer series. And sometimes they were meant to only be a short story, but something magical happened alongs they way and they transformed and reached beyond their fate.

Nightwalker had a strange start. I was between projects at the time and I was looking for something to experiment with. I needed to strengthen a few writing techniques and the book was meant to only be a short story that was little more than a writing practice. Never intended for publication.

And oddly enough, the story started with Danaus. He is my other main character. I wanted to write a story where a male character was my lead, mainly because most of my stories don't center on male charaters and I sometimes worry that I can't convincingly write them. I believe that you most likely write the gender that you are the best simply because you've got an intimate knowledge of that gender. But Danaus was going to be an experiment. I wanted the story to be about Danaus and told from first person point of view, but the storyteller wasn't Danaus, though the story would be focused entirely on him. Yeah, I like to make things complicated for myself.

Danaus took a couple months to flesh out in my mind. I needed the time to figure out who he was, why he was that person, motives, history, personality, demeanor, etc.

However, something strange happened when the storyteller opened her mouth for the first time. I knew exactly who she was. She stepped forward fully formed, complete with attitude and psychoses. Mira turned out to be a composite of more than dozen short stories, writing prompts and practices that will never see the light of day. Each time this female character appeared in something I was working on, her personality would change just a little; her voice, her history, her mannerism would be tweaked. Until she finally rose up out of the foam like Venus on her clamshell, beautiful and deadly.

Yes, Mira is dark and can be gruff and cold at times. But then, she lives in a dark, cold world. Her species is brutal, heartless, and in many ways self-centered, but she sees something within her species worth protecting; a glimmer of something beautiful. At heart, Mira is a protector desperately searching for something worth protecting in a world that hates a hero.

An Interview with Mira

I promised that I would give some background information on my main character Mira from my upcoming book Nightwalker. I thought the easiest way for me to provide a little info on her was to post an interview that I wrote a couple years ago. It was a quick way for me to try to keep track of some of the basic information. I will try to give some more interesting details on the book later this month.

An interview with Mira:

Reporter: Let’s just begin with your name and how old you are.

Mira: My name is Mira and I am roughly 602 years old.

Reporter: No last name?

Mira: We have no need for them. When you become a nightwalker, you shed most of your mortal life, which includes last names. Many even change their first names.

R: Did you?

Mira: No, I liked mine.

R: Now is your age estimated from the day you became a vampire or when you were born?

M: I was born as a human 639 years ago. At the age of 27, my maker started the process of making me into a nightwalker. A nightwalker always estimates his or her age from the night they were reborn as a vampire. Before that nothing else matters.

R: After you are reborn, how long do you stay with your clan?

M: Clan? That’s a quaint term. Nightwalkers do not have clans. Generally, nightwalkers are solitary creatures. We don’t trust our own kind and we try to give each other some distance. There are some that live in something more like a family, but it’s rare. The head of the family has usually sired most of the nightwalkers within the family, though some others join.

R: Why do some live in families?

M: Protection. That is the only reason to live within a family. Protection from those that are stronger and more powerful than you. Without the protection of the family, most would not live to see the end of their first century.

R: I don’t understand. Protection from what?

M: Other nightwalkers. When you are born a nightwalker, you don’t have many special abilities. You have speed and strength, you even have some of the minor enchantments, but these are really only useful against humans. As a nightwalker, you really don’t gain any true strength or abilities until you’re more than three centuries. Until then, you’re just prey for anything that is stronger than you. There are exceptions, of course, but most nightwalkers don’t spend any real time or effort in making their sires.

R: Why would other nightwalkers attack the younger ones?

M: Sport. Entertainment. Unlike humans, vampires can endure a great deal more torture and pain; makes a fight more interesting. It also helps to thin out the ranks. Vampires don’t have any natural predators to keep our numbers down, so we do what we can to make sure that only the strongest survive.

R: It sounds so barbaric.

M: True, but is it really any different than your mass murders or your wars? Besides, we will never die of disease or old age.

R: So the weak ones join families for protection? What does the head of the family gain from this?

M: A slave. The head of the family owns the members of the family. You must obey any and all commands. From what I have seen, there is nothing enjoyable about being part of a family and there is no real guarantee that it will actually prolong your existence.

R: Were you ever a part of a family?

M: For a while, even before being reborn. I stayed with my sire for nearly a century before I left to be on my own. While most families are their own nightmare, there is something to be gained if a vampire is strong enough and smart. If you are in the good graces of your maker, he or she can teach you the secrets of being a nightwalker. She can teach you about your abilities and the history of your kind.

R: Is it hard to leave a family?

M: Sometimes, yes. Sometimes, it is impossible. And then sometimes, your sire lets you go.

R: Outside of the family, is there a hierarchy within the vampire world?

M: Yes, but it is not as rigid or visible as the power structure within the human world. A nightwalker could go almost his whole existence without personally encountering this select group.

R: What select group?

M: (a dark chuckle slips past Mira’s parted lips as her smile widens) I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.

R: Is there anything else about your world you can tell me?

M: The only position I can talked about is a Keeper. While most nightwalkers don’t settle in one place, there are some that will choose a specific region to call their own. This is usually only done by Ancients, though there are some exceptions. The Keeper is thought of as the ruler of the domain and deferred to by all other nightwalker that either live or pass through this area. The position is Keeper is claimed and maintained by fear, respect, and power. When another nightwalker enters the domain of a Keeper, he or she must ask permission to hunt and sleep within the domain.

R: How large is the domain?

M: Depends on the Keeper and how much territory the nightwalker can defend. For most, it is just a city and its surrounding area. There are a few that claim whole countries. There is one Elder that claims all of Northern Africa as his domain.

R: There are rumors that you are the Keeper of all of the United States. Is this true?

M: Hardly. I am a Keeper, but my domain is limited to Savannah and some of its surrounding cities. However, I am one of the oldest nightwalkers in the United States. As such, I have been asked on occasion to police the New World at the request of the Ancients. I also frequently travel around the country. This sometimes gives the illusion that I have claimed more territory than I truly have.

R: Thanks for your time, Mira.

Evil Author

I just finished writing what I think will be my favorite chapter in Book 2. Mwahahahahahha! I'm still perfecting my evil author laugh, but don't worry, I have several mentors helping me out along the way. I like this chapter for several reasons. It very clearly provides Mira's motives for the choices that she makes, as well as provides some background info on her past; it provides some crucial background information regarding Danaus; it provides a new twist to the plot that I think will catch readers off guard; and finally, the information revealed threatens to take away Mira's last support in a world that has largely turned against her. When I create a problem for a character, I like to make it very, very hard to solve it and survive.

Mwahahahahaha!

And now onto a fight scene. Actually, I've got a couple that occur back to back. I really don't like writing fight scenes. For me, they are some of the most difficult to keep sounding fresh and exciting.

In the meantime, I am making some slow progress on the Web site. I am currently waiting for my host to finish updating, which should be in a day or two.

A Hard Day's Night

...And I've been working like a dog...

Blame Scooby-Doo. The cartoon is on in the background and they made a Beetle's reference. I'm still in New York and it's cold. My day has been spent zipping around Midtown for a series of meetings. It's been a good trip and I've got one more meeting left before I can call it a day. I'm exhausted and I'm looking forward to heading home tomorrow afternoon. I've got a couple more pictures to show. The first is of a cool fountain not far from Radio City and the second is of my hotel room. I know it sounds sad, but curling up in bed to catch some Z's is really appealing right now.

I want to thank all the congrats I've received recently regarding the upcoming anthology. I am very excited. I even got the chance to talk to Kim Harrison for a few minutes today, who giggled excitedly with me. She's definitely looking forward to contributing a great story to this collection. She's been putting up with me for a few years now, as we've swapped writing woes and triumphs. I am very excited that we will be working together on a project.

For those curious about who I am and my work if you followed over from Jeaniene, Vicki, or Melissa, I am a new Urban Fantasy writer with HarperCollins under their Eos imprint. My books tend to be dark and violent, with a nice mix of sarcasm and irony. My first book, Nightwalker: A Dark Days Novel will be released at the end of July/beginning of August.

Below is the description that will be on the back cover of the novel:

For centuries Mira has been a nightwalker--an unstoppable enforcer for a mysterious organization that manipulates earth-shaking events from the darkest shadows. But elemental mastery over fire sets her apart from others of her night-prowling breed...and may be all that prevents her doom.

The foe she now faces is human: the vampire hunter called Danaus, who has already destroyed so many undead. For Mira, the time has come to hunt...or be hunted.

But in a dimension just beyond the world's boundaries, a banished race stirs dangerously, hungry for power, for domination, for vengeance. Already a protective seal has been breached: already blood flows like a river through the world's great cities.

And only the collaboration of two sworn enemies can save humankind...and its feral brethren.

Dude, Where's the Snow? -- UPDATE!!

I woke up this morning expecting snow. Lots of it. Did I find snow? No, just rain-washed streets. While I am partially relieved to know I won't be fighting the snow to find a cab, I am kind of disappointed that I won't get to see a snow-covered New York. Obviously, the weather forecasters were off their game yesterday.

Late-Night Addition -- Breaking News

No, it hasn't snowed in New York yet. That's not the news.

While I was away from my computer all day, Jeaniene Frost and Melissa Marr spilled the beans already, but I thought I would post the news here as well.

I have been invited to be a part of an anthology that will include such amazing writers as: (drum roll, please)

Jeaniene Frost
Melissa Marr
Vicki Pettersson
and Kim Harrison!

Can you believe it? I am somewhere between bubbling over with joy and stunned, speechless shock. This is an amazing opportunity and such a wonderful honor to be included with these fabulous writers.

If you would like the details of how it all got started, please check out Melissa's or Jeaniene's blogs. All I know is that I got a call from my agent shortly after the start of the year asking if I wanted to be included in this anthology. I laughed. I kept thinking "Why is she calling me? Yes, just tell them yes fast before someone comes to their senses!"

And for me, the news gets better -- I know, as if that were possible, but it is -- the editor for the anthology is my own beloved editor Diana Gill. (Happy Dance!) This gives me an added comfort zone, because she already knows my style and shortcomings. I will feel more secure that when the book is released, I have turned in the best damn story I am capable of, which is absolutely necessary when it comes to hanging with this crowd of authors.

Right now, the anthology has been tentatively set for release in May 2009. While the release date has not been set for my second book, I am kind of hoping that the anthology will fall between the releases of books 2 and 3, giving me a few more characters to play with for the anthology.

A Good, Productive Weekend

At last, I am enjoying a productive weekend. I am making some serious headway in Book 2. Of course, a large chunk of Book 2 has already been written, and the early chapters only need some light modification. I estimate that I probably have another 10,000 words to edit before I need to start making some of the larger changes. I am also avoiding writing a bit that needs to be added to beginning of the book. I usually write everything in order as if happens instead of jumping around to various scenes throughout the book. However, I have a feeling this one scene will be written last. It's a particularly dark scene regarding Mira's past. I don't know whether I am dragging my feet because the scene is so dark, or because Mira has no desire to relive the moment. Maybe a little of both.

I did sneak out to see I Am Legend at the theaters last night. It was very good and I enjoyed it. Will Smith is a fantastic actor. However, don't go see it because you loved the book. Go see the movie for what it is, judge it on its own merits and premise.

The book by Richard Matheson is beautiful, and daring, and brave in its presentation. It is a piece of brilliant fiction. But I will say that it is rare to find the same kind of boldness and bravery in mainstream Hollywood, which is a shame.

Go to the movie; feel horror and sadness. Matheson's book makes you feel those things as well, but it also makes you think and question your perception of the world. Now that is a gift from a great writer.

BAMM: Edits Are Done

I was visiting Rachel Vincent's blog today, and noticed she was also in mid-Happy Dance due to the fact that her second book, Rogue, is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com. Unlike me, she was also smart enough to check Barnes & Noble as well as Borders. While I shop at both brick-and-mortar locations, it didn't occur to me to check... I was overwhelmed with excitement to just have Amazon. However, B&N and Borders haven't picked up my book yet. On the bright side, Books-A-Million does have it listed. Rogue is slated for release on April 1, 2008, while Nightwalker: A Dark Days Novel isn't due out until the late July/early August.

In other news, the edits have been shipped back to my editor. For the first time in a while, I enjoyed reading my book. I loved writing it, but I could never remove myself enough from the process to really enjoy reading it. This time, there was no pressure to re-write scenes, tweak the plot, or worry about characterization. I was able to go through the book, check for grammar and inconsistencies, and just enjoy the roller-coaster ride I sent my beloved characters on.

I'm also starting to hear back from some other authors who have gotten their hands on my book, and they are saying some positive things. I've received one excellent cover quote and I have hoping for a few more.

But now it's back to the grind. With the plot and chaos I've created in Nightwalker still fresh in my mind, I am going to spend the rest of this week hammering out the plot and subplots of Book 2. The bulk of it has been written, but I want this book to be about the same length of Nightwalker, which means I've got somewhere between 20,000 to 30,000 more words I am free to add. WhooHoo! I love having room to develop my subplots. Sure, I'm generally digging a deeper hole for my characters to try to escape, but it's so much fun.

Also, before I forget, I posted over on Fangs, Fur, & Fey yesterday. Be sure to catch my thoughts over there, as well as hear from some other great writers in the Urban Fantasy genre.

Dipping a Toe in Amazon

I am up to my eyeballs in book edits, which are due back to my editor by Thursday. After I ship the book off, I start working on the plot outline for Book 2. The bulk of the book has been written, but it still needs some fine-tuning and I've got enough room to flesh out the subplots some more.

On a happy note, I was over at Amazon.com completing some Christmas shopping when I discovered something wonderful. My book is listed on Amazon.com!!!!! Can you believe it? This wonderful place where I have ordered more books and movies than I care to recall is now listing my book.

The cover hasn't been posted yet, and I am hoping to post that on my blog first before Amazon get hold of it. I did get to see the back cover copy, which describes the book. My editor wants to shorten it a little bit. When she sends me the final draft, I will post it on the blog.

Housekeeping

Time to play catch-up on a few minor details.

1. The author pic poll

I am happy to report that my favorite picture was chosen by the masses. And no, I didn't vote. I need to have my brother work a little photoshop magic on it before I post it to the blog. It was also be posted to the website --- whenever I get around to hiring someone design the thing. In the meantime, a version of the photo that was chosen by my editor has been added to the blog.

2. Book Update

Before leaving for Las Vegas, I completed the final chapter of the book, blowing past by target word count by roughly 2,000 words. Today, I am completing the final read through, which will take care of typos, minor wording issues, and any lingering inconsistencies. It will then be shipped off to my lovely editor, who is currently at a writer's conference.

3. After the Book?

My hope is to finally catch up on the house cleaning and reading. My editor just shipped me a stack of books and I can't wait to dive in. I don't get to read half as much as I would like and my to-be-read pile could crush me right now if it toppled over.

4. A couple more Vegas pictures.

I've gotten a couple complaints recently that I haven't posted enough pictures. Well, that might be because I didn't take that many pictures. I did do a lot of wandering and sight-seeing, but I really didn't think to take a lot of pictures. I guess I was just too overwhelmed by it all to think about my camera. However, the first picture is of the Paris hotel, which was just down the Strip from Caesar's and looked very cool. I went to Paris when I was in high school and they did a very good job of capturing the feel of Paris architecture. It definitely made me want to return to Paris for another visit.

The second picture is of the interior of the Venetian. I think what I liked most was the ceiling painted like the sky. There are several hotel/casinos that do this. Considering how enormous these places are, you end up spending a lot of time inside. The sky ceilings are not only beautiful, but they also give the illusion of being outside, of being in a much more wide-open space. We had lunch/dinner (the meals kind of blur together after a while) at an Italian restaurant called Trevi in the Forum, which is a huge shopping plaza connected to Caesar's. We ate "outside" under the sky ceiling next to a gigantic fountain filled with marble statues. It was beautiful and one of my favorite memories. The food was also very good, I suggest checking it out if you are ever in the area.

Book Update

So the approval came through a little faster than I was expecting, but I'm not complaining.

The first book in my urban fantasy series will be titled NIGHTWALKER. My lovely editor actually came up with the title (I personally hate writing titles and I'm not particularly good at it). I think we were both surprised that it hadn't been used yet as far as we could tell. I believe she said that it has appeared in YA and it is the name of a series, but not an individual adult urban fantasy novel, which works for me. Of course, there is a slight chance that it might change before publication, but at the moment it looks unlikely.

We have an idea for the title of book 2, but that's just way too far off at this point to start talking about. However, it will be on the backburner of my mind. I am hoping to have that book completely finished before the winter holiday season. I also need to come up with a title for the series. Ugh.

In other good news, my editor held the cover conference today. It is my understanding that this is when she meets with the art department and they brainstorm on what the cover is going to look like. I didn't have to many suggestions, but she reassured me that this is the same group that came up with cover concepts for Kim Harrison's lovely covers as well as Vicki Pettersson's. I am in safe hands. She also sent me some sample work from the artist that is going to be doing the cover.
One word: Whoa!
Or how about two: freaking awesome!

The artist is brilliant and I can't wait to see what he comes up with!