Yes, it's my turn to post at the Deadline Dames. I'm soliciting writing tips for struggling NaNoers, and offering up a copy of this just-released-book (by the fabulous Dame Lili):



Come and check it out! :)

It took them long enough to get it in, but look what I saw on the New Titles shelves of my favourite shop in London:


(Click the photo to enlarge)

It's kind of surreal to have my writing on the shelves of a store I've frequented since I was a child. And how cool is it that The Eternal Kiss is shelved right in between the latest releases from some of the other Deadline Dames?


(Click for bigger version)
From left to right, Keri Arthur's New York Times bestselling Bound to Shadows, Lili St. Crow's Betrayals, and on the other side of TEK we have the Immortal anthology, which includes a new story by the lovely Rachel Vincent.

Oh, and here's the book I actually bought (only one, because I am broke). I've been waiting for this ever since I first heard about it months ago:



Indigo Springs by A.M. Dellamonica. Here's the blurb:

Indigo Springs is a sleepy town where things seem pretty normal... until Astrid’s father dies and she moves into his house. She discovers that for many years her father had been accessing the magic that flowed, literally, in a blue stream beneath the earth, leaking into his house. When she starts to use the liquid "vitagua" to enchant everyday items, the results seem innocent enough: a “'chanted” watch becomes a charm that means you're always in the right place at the right time; a “’chanted” pendant enables the wearer to convince anyone of anything.

But as events in Indigo Springs unfold and the true potential of vitagua is revealed, Astrid and her friends unwittingly embark on a journey fraught with power, change, and a future too devastating to contemplate. Friends become enemies and enemies become friends as Astrid discovers secrets from her shrouded childhood that will lead her to a destiny stranger than she could have imagined...

Sounds wonderful and filled with magic!

...and I'm rambling on about that age-old question: Where Do You Get Your Ideas From?

Now, I return to my constant sneezing and nose-blowing. *sniff*

...is my latest post over at the Deadline Dames. Check it out and keep me company, would you? *smiles in a non-needy way*

...because it's my turn to post over at the Deadline Dames. Go forth and enter to win a copy of one of my favourite books of ALL TIME!

...at the Deadline Dames. If you're interested in seeing the agent query that helped me become a 'slush survivor', come by and check it out:


[click on the image...]

...but I did manage to put up a tiny post at the Deadline Dames today:


[click on the image to go there]

Thanks for all the well wishes I've received, and a very big thank you to the lovely reneesweet who posted on my behalf the other day. Yes, handing over the keys to your blog to someone else means only one thing: BFFs rule! Renee is a little under the weather herself right now, so send her some love.

Okay, I am exhausted and still not recovered; I may be kinda scarce for another day or two. I promise to put up the 3-2-1 contest winners SOON. I had so many entries that it's going to take a lot of organisation to figure out - not that I'm complaining, it was an awesome response! Oh, and I'm totally behind on email & replying to LJ comments, but I must take triciasullivan's wise advice: the world will wait. You hear that, World? I am busy resting, okay? heh.

I leave you with a mini-photo essay...

This is the reason I was sick for the past four days (brian_ohio, look!):

( Now hidden behind the cut to preserve my sanity... )

More soon...

Come on over and visit me at my other online home:



Click the picture to check out my post on endings at the Deadline Dames. Share your thoughts on how you feel about typing those two little words... ;)

Come by the Deadline Dames where I'm busy being excited about my first release, and also running a giveaway.

The catch? You have to confess your dream-Eternal Kiss to me... ;)

See you there!



ETA: You will all be sick of me by the end of the week, as on Wednesday I'll be guest-blogging at the brilliant Book Smugglers website. I am happy to be part of their Young Adult Appreciation Month. There are reviews, interviews, guest posts, contests, and a general love-fest of all things YA. Check it out (and don't forget to visit me there on Wednesday *g*):

...because I posted here:



Click the picture to check out my post on 'Outlines, or: The Horror! The Horror!' at the Deadline Dames.


Comments disabled on this entry, please comment over there. :)

The fabulous Jordan Summers is guest-blogging at the Deadline Dames today. Please drop by and comment - you could win a signed copy of her book, RED! :)

Jordan's 'Dead World' trilogy is definitely worth trying - it has a dark & gritty post-apocalyptic setting, with characters you can't help but love. I recently talked about how much I enjoyed SCARLET, and highly recommend her work.



(Comments disabled here just for this annoucement-only post.)

...including for a couple of the Deadline Dames and some good friends of mine.

*ahem* First of all, I give you:
(click all pictures for Amazon links)


Black and White
Jackie Kessler & Caitlin Kittredge

It's the ultimate battle of good versus good.

They were best friends at an elite academy for superheroes in training, but now Callie Bradford, code name Iridium, and Joannie Greene, code name Jet, are mortal enemies. Jet is a by-the-book hero, using her Shadow power to protect the citizens of New Chicago. Iridium, with her mastery of light, runs the city’s underworld. For the past five years the two have played an elaborate, and frustrating, game of cat and mouse. But now playtime’s over...

Srsly (tm), I know I am friends with both of these talented authors, but I absolutely LOVED this book. I love superheroes; I have done since I was 6 years old and watched Wonder Woman on TV & started buying the comics with my pocket money the following year. Superheroes are really difficult to do well in novels. Jackie and Caitlin have absolutely got it RIGHT here. I have no doubts about recommending this, and I can't wait for the next book in the series!! :) Also, Jackie will be posting today at the Dames to celebrate the launch of her and Caitlin's new project, so don't forget to visit her there.

And speaking of Ms. Kittredge, she has a SECOND book out today:


Street Magic
Caitlin Kittredge

Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete’s eyes — or so she thought.

Now a detective, Pete is investigating the case of a young girl kidnapped from the streets of London. A tipster’s chilling prediction has led police directly to the child... but when Pete meets the informant, she’s shocked to learn he is none other than Jack. Strung out on heroin, Jack a shadow of his former self. But he’s able to tell Pete exactly where Bridget’s kidnappers are hiding: in the supernatural shadow-world of the fey. Even though she’s spent years disavowing the supernatural, Pete follows Jack into the invisible fey underworld, where she hopes to discover the truth about what happened to Bridget—and what happened to Jack on that dark day so long ago...

I still can't believe I actually read this one so early (an earlier draft) and I ADORED it. I don't know whether Caitlin will mind me saying this, but imho it's her best individual work so far. Jack and Pete honestly feel like old friends to me already. The world is dark and delicious, London just comes beautifully alive, and the chemistry between the two main characters is fabulous. Do yourself and favour and pick up STREET MAGIC this week.


The Demon's Lexicon
Sarah Rees Brennan

Check out this review by the fabulous Book Smugglers to learn more about this stunning YA debut. I was lucky enough to be given an ARC of this by a friend earlier this year, and I can't recommend it enough. Whenever people ask me to suggest a new book/author to try, this is the one I talk about - I have a major author-crush on Sarah Rees Brennan and fully intend stalking her when she comes to London next week. ;) This book made me laugh, had me on the edge of my seat with honest-to-god tension & fear, and even made me shed a couple of tears. Highly, highly recommended.


Scarlet
Jordan Summers

Welcome to the near-future where prejudice is no longer tied to the color of your skin, but the purity of your blood. To be accused of taint is tantamount to a death sentence.

Thrust into a world of creatures Gina `Red' Santiago never knew existed, she does her best to come to grips with the fact that she's a werewolf. Sheriff Morgan Hunter tries to ease Red into her new life. She's only beginning to understand the `Others' and the power they yield. That's why Morgan hasn't mentioned he's claimed her as his mate. Well, that and the fact he's not exactly sure how Red will take the news. There are some things even an alpha werewolf fears.

Their newfound happiness is about to be shattered by a past Morgan thought was long buried. Someone doesn't want them to succeed at recruiting `Others' for a rival tactical team. They will do whatever it takes to prevent a team from forming, even if that means killing off the new recruits and tearing the couple apart...

This is Book 2 of the Dead World trilogy and, just as I enjoyed RED last year, I can't say enough good things about SCARLET. Whereas I liked RED and thought it set up an excellent world, this second book takes things to a whole new level - and the reader on a rollercoaster of excitement and emotion. I genuinely couldn't put it down, and had to email Jordan to tell her that she'd kept me up 'til something like 3am. *g* It's one of those (rare?) occasions when the second book is - so far - the best, rather than just a bridge to set up the final explosive chapter. Now I have to wait for CRIMSON, the last book of the trilogy, and am really glad I discovered this original world with its fascinating characters. Loved it!

Oh, and Jordan Summers is our Dame for a Day over at the Deadline Dames this Saturday. She will be giving away a signed copy of the first book in the series, in case anyone wants to catch up before buying SCARLET. ;)

Phew! And last, but by no means least, I can't sign off without reminding people that this book came out yesterday:


Cry Mercy
Toni Andrews

I just want a normal life…even if I'm not entirely sure I'm human.

My name is Mercy Hollings and I'm a successful hypnotherapist in Balboa, California. The problem is, my good fortune is dependent on a dark secret. I can make people do whatever I want using telepathy, a power I call "the press." And that ability has hurt some people I never wanted to hurt, so I try to keep it under wraps...

This is the third book in the Mercy Hollings series. I've read Book 1, BEG FOR MERCY, and this really is a different sort of urban fantasy world and setting. I have the second on my TBR shelf and will be getting my hands on this new one as soon as possible! Check out Toni's fun new take on the author tour: her virtual book tour is now well under way.

Solitude - from Yvette Inufio's Etsy store

So my current project, the YA novel focused on Moth (my teen vampire character from TIW and The Eternal Kiss) is eating my brain. In a good way. ;)

I mean, I still have a long way to go, but I'm enjoying it and know I have a great story here. And I love this character - I want to do her justice.

With that in mind, and because of a few things in Real Life (nothing bad, just...stuff, and the Day Job might get busier in the next few weeks anyway), I am going take a break from regular blogging until the first draft is done. I'll still be posting at the Deadline Dames and I will keep novel_in_90 updated of my writing progress. I also have a guest blog I've committed to in the near future - so I'll honour that. I might have to cut down on critiquing for the next month or two. Unless I've already agreed to read your MS, I'd like to focus on getting this book out before the summer kicks in.

I have a few giveaways in mind, so I'll just take those over to the Dames. I post every-other-Tuesday, alternating with the fabulous jackiekessler.

I expect I'll still be on Twitter occasionally... ;) We all know I'm an internet addict! LOL. But I am sincerely going to try not blogging until I've written the rest of BEAUTIFUL GHOSTS.

See you over here in a month or so!*

ETA:The winner of Suzanne McLeod's The Sweet Scent of Blood is: catie_james!! Congrats Catie! Email me with your full mailing address and I'll get Suzanne's awesome book out to you next week. :)

*I fully expect someone to start taking bets as to how long this 'blacation' will last...

...but I did post at the Deadline Dames before I went out. It's not my regular day - I swapped with Dame Devon last week when it was her Big Day for her new release. Check out my post 'A Room Of Your Own' and let me know what sort of writing space you have/aspire to. I've been visiting triciasullivan for the day, and not only does she (OMG!) exist in Real Life, we got on just as well in person as we do via email. Phew! *g* I'm pretty tired now - she lives way out in the middle of nowhere, but it was so beautiful to see actual countryside for a change.

More tomorrow, after I've met yet another online friend 'in person' (this meeting is much closer to home - poor miladyinsanity is travelling all the way to London to hang out with me and lilifae). I don't know if I can keep up this whole socialising thing at the current level. I think I'll be retreating back into my familiar hermit-mode very soon... ;)

I'm not posting at the Deadline Dames today (more on why later on in this entry), but I'm afraid there's no escape from my ramblings. I've been a bit quiet on here since my return from Orlando and all the fun I had at RT with reneesweet. Partly, that's probably just because it took me a week to get over the jetlag and feel halfway normal again.

But now my head feels like it's finally on straight, so I can think about writing and where I want to go with my projects over the next few months. The Eternal Kiss releases in a few months time, and I really want to have at least the first draft of a new novel-length manuscript done by then. That means I have to dig in and get on with the work. I have been writing lately, but it's been just a little bit here and there on various projects - I know that the thing I'm lacking is focus.

On the one hand, this is a good thing because I'm in the ideal position to play around with voice and style and different characters and worlds. I have an agent; we're on submission with a book I still love and believe in; one of the supporting characters from that novel is the 'star' of my short story, 'Falling to Ash' (the anthology piece). I have another novel with Agent M, almost ready to go, and a ton of ideas and new projects simmering. This is all Very Good. I know that. And it allows me some freedom to experiment before I have deadlines to keep on top of. But I also need to focus if I'm going to finish two complete novels this year (which has been my aim since 1st January).

So Black Neon Dreams isn't grabbing me in the way that it should do. And the adult novel (UOW) has a great premise, and I've written some scenes I like, but despite all the research I did I just don't think I've got the setting right yet. Which means I'm working on something new-but-not-so-new. It's a project that I've wanted to write for over a year, but have held off from committing to for various reasons. I have at least a few people who want me to write this book (I'm looking at you brian_ohio, Renee and my anthology editor, Trisha Telep). So even if it turns out not to have a market - which I think it does - it'll be one of those books I'm writing for myself because I have to write it. If I believed in writing 'The Book of Your Heart' and those kinds of things, then this might very well be mine.

This is the only book I'll be working on until the first draft is done, hopefully by the end of July. I can't wait! I wrote 1,200 words to start things off this morning, so I'm going to keep a word meter going here to make myself more accountable. It looks a little sad and pathetic right now, but despite the Day Job I hope to improve on it as quickly as possible...

Untitled YA urban fantasy:

1200 / 60000 words. 2% done!

--
So now that I've got that out of my system, today is fellow Dame - and the person who invited me to join that talented group of ladies - Devon Monk's (devonmonk) big day. Her second novel, the second book in the brilliant Allie Beckstrom series should be on shelves TODAY. I enjoyed the first book, Magic to the Bone, so much because of the orginal premise and worldbuilding. And Allie's a great protagonist - I really felt invested in her life and wanted everything to turn out okay for her. Check out the cover blurb and purchase info here. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy!



You should also check out the Deadline Dames website later as Devon will be posting to celebrate her new release. :)

First of all, the fabulous Dame Jackie has awesome news. She's sold her first YA book. Go read all about it - it sounds awesome! Yay, Jackie!! :)

The other great news was that Dame Keri's latest book made its debut at #6 on the NY Times Bestseller list! How cool is that?

Yesterday, Dame Rinda posted the next Readers On Deadline feature. Make sure you check out the brilliant artwork and join in! There will be prizes... ;)

And while you're over there, why not check out Dame Toni's latest post in her 'Confessions of a Contest Judge' series?

Over and out.

ETA: P.S. I am really behind on my emails - sorry if I am late replying to you. Um... that's quite a few people. *facepalm* Migraine of Doom(tm) has been threatening all day but hopefully a good night's sleep will sort it out, and then I have the long Easter weekend off from the Day Job. Lots of time to catch up with everyone. Yay! :)

Click the picture to read my post at the Deadline Dames, where I'm talking about the other F-word... ;)

Click on the cover to visit Amazon & read more...

SOME GIRLS BITE by Chloe Neill

They killed me. They healed me. They changed me.

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago's vampires announced theirexistence to the world-and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker... and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I've traded sweating over my thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four hundred year old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude-and servitude. Right...

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I'm surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan's attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone's still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival House? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war-and there will be blood...

So, when I first heard the premise for this debut novel I was intrigued: a grad student-turned vampire? Vampire houses that sort of reminded me of organised gangs with a bit of mafia-type intrigue thrown in? A main character called Merit? Could there really be a fresh take on vampires in urban fantasy (a resounding: YES, in answer to this question)? I had to know more, and was over the moon when Chloe arranged for me to recieve an ARC.

I read SOME GIRLS BITE over the course of three days and by the time I was done I already couldn't wait for book two (there's cover art up on Chloe's website). Merit's world is one very much like our own, and yet the differences are immediately apparent. Vampires came out of the closet just eight months ago, and the world is still in a state of shock - although some people are fascinated by the vamps and hang on their every word. They are iconic and fashionable, with hundreds of websites devoted to them. After Merit is attacked, Ethan Sullivan - the head of Chicago's Cadogan House - turns her into a vampire to save her life. She has to come to terms with the fact that, without Sullivan's intervention she surely would've died. However, now Merit is as good as immortal and her whole life has been changed against her will. Luckily for her, she has a best friend - the feisty Mallory, who has secrets of her own to discover throughout the course of the novel - to help her make the adjustment.

I think what I liked best about this debut, apart from the gorgeous Ethan (of course! *g*), is Merit's voice. Her voice carries the novel beautifully and is a lot of fun. There's an interesting combination of serious issues and moral questions, along with snappy one-liners, great worldbuilding and a satisfying plot. Sometimes I wished for a little more action, but this book presents the world - and Merit's place in it - in a thought-provoking way, and I was left impatient for more from these characters. Merit is tough, without being too kickass; funny, without being too impossibly witty; and yet is also filled with very human uncertainties and failings. I really liked her.

Highly recommended! Which is lucky, considering that Chloe Neill is guest-blogging over at the Deadline Dames today. :) Head on over for a chance to win a signed copy of SOME GIRLS BITE, and then come back here on Monday for an interview with Chloe and another chance to win her debut novel. :)

[ETA: Comments are closed here for today. To enter the contest, please check out Chloe's post at the Deadline Dames.]

I will be taking a break from posting on LJ between Friday and Monday, just in case anyone wonders where the heck I've disappeared to. Still around on email (of course!), but I have a super-busy day at the Day Job tomorrow followed by research, brainstorming & writing. And lots of it! I intend to make as much use of the weekend as I can, so I'll catch you all next week. :)

Oh, and I'll be checking in at the Deadline Dames, too. Dame Devon has just posted another call for reader/writer questions.

Please visit the Deadline Dames to read my ramblings about: The Book You Have To Write.

It's kind of a follow up to the last one when I talked about choosing the next project. What if you're not sure you're writing the right project? See you over there! :)