At long last a LiveJournal by Jeri Smith-Ready

Interview with League of Reluctant Adults

Sat, 17 May 2008 15:57:21 GMT

Mark Henry and Carrie the Book Girl dragged me into the League Lounge for a very special interview this morning.

Hey, what's that on the bottom of my shoes?

*sniffs*

Huh. Anton scat. Three, four days old.

Win a WVMP swag bag!

Fri, 16 May 2008 21:46:55 GMT

Just popping in real quick (before my carpal tunnel thingie wears out):

The Book Girl is holding a contest between now and Sunday midnight for a bag of WVMP Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll swag--buttons, bookmarks, a book and more.

All you have to do to enter is comment on her blog post and tell her your favorite rock 'n' roll song. Easy, huh?

Have a great weekend, and I hope to see my MD, WV, VA, and DC folks at Borders in Winchester, VA, tomorrow from 3-5 for the signing!

Blog Whore!

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:09:35 GMT

I mean, Blog Tour. If you're not already sick of reading my inane babblings, here are three more opportunities to have your brain cells coated with my thoughts (I recommend a nice vinegar rinse afterward). One of them has something in it for you.

Interview at Ann Aguirre's blog. Find out my secret celebrity boyfriend, my favorite drink, and whether a dolphin could take on a ninja. Or a pirate, I forget. Anyway, one lucky commenter will win a signed copy of Wicked Game.

Interview at Fangs, Fur & Fey. Rachel Vincent asks about my favorite scene from Wicked Game, how I researched the book, and why the hell I chose to write in first person present tense.

Big Idea at John Scalzi's Whatever blog. This is one of my favorite blogs going way back, so I'm tickled and terrified at being featured on it myself. The Big Idea is--well, just go look. It's pretty short.

Thanks to Ann, Rachel, and John for picking my brain!

Guest blog at Southern Fried Chicas

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:46:06 GMT

The blog tour makes its first post-publication stop today at Southern Fried Chicas, where I discuss the concept of "brainspace" (I think I made this word up). Basically, how do writers settle into "the zone," what interferes with it, and how to tell if distractions are getting the best of you.

I'm giving away a signed copy of Wicked Game to one commenter. You have until noon Eastern time tomorrow to comment, so let's hear your strategies for conquering the Enemies of Brainspace! How do you resist the internet, television, and other things that clutter up your mind?

Also, my final answers to the intriguing questions at Fallen Angels blog are up. Find out something shocking about me, where I got the idea for the playlists, and more!

Happy Release Day to You!

Tue, 13 May 2008 22:56:16 GMT

Not me. You.

When Wicked Game officially hits the shelves across North America today, my work is done (except for the small detail of handing in the sequel this Friday). Release days are about the reader, not the writer. The reader finally has a chance to form his or her own relationship with the book, outside of reviews and ads and endless blog posts stretching back to the day the contract was signed (eighteen months ago, in my case).

Getting ready for a book’s release is sort of like planning a big party or a wedding. Prepare as much as you can, handle the variables you can control (which, in publishing, isn’t much), then sit back and take the rest as it comes. And just like with a party, don’t let the stress get in the way of enjoying yourself. (I'm of course a total hypocrite--I've been on the verge of a nervous breakdown all day.)

If you're stopping by for the first time, here's a bit about the book. If you're sick of hearing about it, skip down to the "New news."

Late-night radio you can sink your teeth into

Recovering con artist Ciara Griffin is trying to live the straight life, even if it means finding a (shudder!) real job. She takes an internship at a local radio station, whose late-night time-warp format features 1940s blues, 60s psychedelia, 80s Goth, and more, all with an uncannily authentic flair. Ciara soon discovers how the DJs maintain their cred: they’re vampires, stuck forever in the eras in which they were turned.

Ciara’s first instinct, as always, is to cut and run. But communications giant Skywave wants to buy WMMP and turn it into just another hit-playing clone. Without the station—and the link it provides to their original Life Times—the vampires would “fade,” becoming little more than mindless ghosts of the past. Suddenly a routine corporate takeover becomes a matter of life and un-death.

To boost ratings and save the lives of her strange new friends, Ciara re-brands the station as “WVMP, the Lifeblood of Rock ’n’ Roll.” In the ultimate con, she hides the DJs’ vampire nature in plain sight, disguising the bloody truth as a marketing gimmick. WVMP becomes the hottest thing around—next to Ciara’s complicated affair with grunge vamp Shane McAllister. But the “gimmick” enrages a posse of ancient and powerful vampires who aren’t so eager to be brought into the light. Soon the stakes are higher-and the perils graver-than any con game Ciara’s ever played…

Smith-Ready’s musical references are spot on, as is her take on corporate radio’s creeping airwave hegemony. Add in the irrepressible Ciara, who grew up in a family of grifters, and the results rock. — Publisher’s Weekly

A colorful premise and engaging characters make the author’s (Aspect of Crow trilogy; Requiem for the Devil) latest a fun read. Recommended for all urban fantasy and paranormal romance collections. — Library Journal

WICKED GAME is an urban fantasy thrill ride. Not only is the story incredibly entertaining and exciting—even a little romantic—but it's also sexy as hell. — Simply Romance Reviews

New news:

— A sequel, Bad to the Bone, will be released May 1, 2009. That’s just fifty weeks away!

— The website for WVMP The Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll is now live! Visit WVMPradio.com to learn more about the DJs and hear their playlists, courtesy of the Playlist Project at Playlist.com. (Hat-tip to author Stephanie Kuehnert for telling me about the site.)

— WVMPradio.com also links to the station's official CafePress store, where you can now buy your own Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll merchandise.

— Our intrepid heroine Ciara Griffin is now on MySpace. Come friend her so she feels like a real person.

— Next signing: Borders Books in Winchester, VA--Saturday, May 17 from 3-5pm. Click here for directions, and check out my news page for more signings in the next few weeks.

And now, a humble request:

As with most series, the longevity of the WVMP vampires depends on reader enthusiasm, which is as it should be. So if you like Wicked Game, tell your friends, family, bookseller, librarian, and that guy/girl you’re always making eye contact with at the bus stop (no, not that one, the other one). That way, there'll be many more books to come.

Thanks to every one of you, whether you've known me since I was a wee bairn, or whether you've just heard of me for the first time this minute.

Now it's time for me to shut up and write. And let you read.

Order links:

Mysterious Galaxy

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Blog tour and erratum

Tue, 13 May 2008 05:54:31 GMT

There'll be a big sniffly Release Day post coming up after sunrise, but I wanted to cover some other important stuff.

First, the heroine of Wicked Game, Ciara Griffin, had a very special interview with Jezebel, the (ex-)demon star of Jackie Kessler's fabulous HELL ON EARTH urban fantasy series. Ciara was astonishingly frank about her job and her sex life. So check it out if you want the dirt about her and Shane and WVMP. Some of it might even be true.

Also, I posted my answers to the first slew of questions over at Fallen Angel Reviews. You have until noon to ask me a question, and then we'll be drawing a name to win a signed copy of Wicked Game. I'll answer the second batch of questions at that time. I'm getting some fascinating ones, so go check it out!

Finally, I must hang my head in shame. In yesterday's post about almost turning into Runway Pancake, I accused FTD of not delivering my mom's Mother's Day flowers. Heh. It turns out, they didn't deliver the flowers because I told them to send them this Friday instead of last Friday. D'oh! So mea culpa, Mom, and sorry, FTD. You're as awesome as always, and I'm as braindead as ever.

Christmas Eve

Tue, 13 May 2008 03:11:40 GMT

That's what it feels like, the night before WICKED GAME's release. I'll be up most of the night ~~wrapping gifts~~ writing my newsletter and several blog posts (interviews, guest blogs and my own posts). I'm trying to do most of that stuff tonight and tomorrow, since I'll be distracted and bouncing off the walls as it is. Then I'll turn hermit and spend the next 72 hours finishing BAD TO THE BONE, the sequel, which is due Friday.

I suck at compartmentalization. I'm either "out there" talking about my books or "in here" actually writing them. I find it hard to do both in one day.

52 minutes to go! I feel like a debut author all over again.

Join the Q&A at Fallen Angels

Mon, 12 May 2008 19:43:41 GMT

Ever wanted to ask me a weird question? Here's your chance!

Come visit me guest-blogging today at Fallen Angels Review. Everyone who asks me a question will be entered in a drawing for a signed copy of Wicked Game.

You have until noon Eastern time tomorrow to enter. I'll answer one question tonight and one tomorrow when we announce the winner.

HINT: The more original the question, the more likely I am to answer it.

Learning not to fly

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:12:51 GMT

NOTE: If you have a fear of flying, you might want to skip this post. But to lighten things up, I'll splice in some quotes from one of my favorite movies, Airplane.

7:30pm Central Time, Chicago's O'Hare Airport: The place is packed with frustrated travelers. Flights to the east coast are delayed and canceled due to "air traffic control," which means, "weather" (but they're not allowed to say 'weather,' for some reason). Gusty wind and heavy rain are forecast for our arrival in Baltimore. Anticipating turbulence, I skip dinner (this becomes important later).

---

Steve McCroskey: Johnny, what can you make out of this?
[Hands him the weather briefing]
Johnny: This? Why, I can make a hat or a brooch or a pterodactyl...

---

We're sitting on the runway, and a customer service agent comes on the intercom: "Ladies and gentlemen, we're ready to go, except we're waiting for the first officer and the captain to arrive." I quip to my rowmates, "I hope they're not in the bar."

---

[as the plane prepares to take off]
Hanging Lady: Nervous?
Ted Striker: Yes.
Hanging Lady: First time?
Ted Striker: No, I've been nervous lots of times.

---

Flight is fine out of Chicago. For the second time today, I watch an episode of Chuck without sound. Anticipating turbulence, I order a seltzer water.

With the spontaneity only afforded to those who sit on the aisle, I decide to use the restroom. The moment I lock the door, the plane starts to shimmy (the two events aren't connected, as far as I can tell). A sign over the sink lights up--a sign depicting a stick figure getting her ass back to her seat. I obey. (Commercial air travel is a good place to exercise respect for authority.)

---

Steve McCroskey: This fog is getting thicker.
Johnny: And Leon is getting laaaaarrrrrger.

---

The turbulence is fierce, the worst I've ever experienced. I bury myself in a book and successfully ignore it.

Suddenly, we lose altitude. A lot of altitude. A moment later, the pilot guns the engine and we're ascending again, fast and hard. Assuming he's avoiding a cloud or something, I look out the window--

--and see the airport buildings fading below us. We just almost landed but didn't. It was a touch-and-go, but without the touch.

---

Dr. Rumack: Elaine, you're a member of this crew. Can you face some unpleasant facts?
Elaine Dickinson: No.

---

A voice comes out of the speakers: "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your first officer. As you can tell, we're not on the ground yet. [burst of nervous laughter from the crowd] We caught a little bit of wind shear on approach, so our captain decided to take us around again."

It turns out, a sudden wind shear dumped us a few feet from the ground, but it happened to be a part of the ground that had no runway. Only the pilot's lightning-fast reflexes saved us from a Very Bad Touch. He was definitely NOT in the bar before we left Chicago.

Quick aviation lesson: This diagram depicts a commercial aircraft avoiding wind shear by increasing speed and altitude. However, if you look closely you'll notice that the avoidance occurs far up in the air. When wind shear hits close to the ground, as it did to us, the diagram depicts a red X next to the runway. SPLAT.

---

Jack Kirkpatrick: Shanna, they bought their tickets, they knew what they were getting into. I say, let 'em crash.

---

So we're circling the airport again, making another approach. The storm is worsening. The plane is pitching and rolling, fighting the wind. Passengers are puking (thankfully not the guy next to me, who somehow SLEPT through the whole thing).

I bury myself in the book again, but I know there's a small chance that on our next approach the wind shear will drop us into the ground--this time with no feet to spare. I don't pray, but I do consider a few consequences of my demise:

1. My book would become a posthumous bestseller.
2. But the sequel would never be published.
3. My mom would never know I sent her Mother's Day flowers, since stupid FTD didn't deliver them.

---

[reading newspaper headlines]
Rex Kramer: Passengers certain to die!
Steve McCroskey: Airline negligent.
Johnny: There's a sale at Penney's!

---

We approach again, battling the wind and rain, fighting to stay straight. The plane is bobbing and weaving like Muhammad Ali. The ground gets closer, and closer. I think of how I love the city of Baltimore, but I don't want to become a permanent part of it.

We're over the runway, still rolling and pitching, and then...we're wheels down! All of them! Permanently!

We break into spontaneous applause. We hoot and cheer when the captain says, "Welcome to Baltimore" (even though he left off the 'hon'). The guy behind me announces that as part of a new bargain with God, he'll never fly again. Some continue to puke. My hands are shaking so hard, I have trouble calling my husband to tell him I'm alive. He's currently on I-95 in the pouring rain, on his own survival mission, so I leave my story until pickup.

On our way out, we all thank the pilot for our lives.

Tonight I plan to watch Airplane while eating a box of Kraft Macaroni 'n' Cheese. I will also check to see if Amtrak goes to Tulsa.

---

Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been to a Turkish prison?

It's podcast-ic!

Sun, 11 May 2008 14:29:22 GMT

Happy Mother's Day, everyone (or at least, you know, mothers)!

I had a great time at Mysterious Galaxy's 15th Birthday Bash yesterday. Tomorrow I'll post more about it (including actual pictures, including one of giant monkeys).

Today I wanted to tell you about two interviews available online for your listening pleasure:

My friend Rob Usdin at Jersey Jamcast hooked me up with two wonderful podcasters. The first was Brian Noe of Studio C. Last week I had my very first phone-in (or Skype-in, technically) interview.

Here's a shot of me during the interview, thinking of wise and witty words. By the wet hair and lack of makeup, you can tell it was NOT my idea to have my picture taken. But at least I changed out of my jammies for the occasion.

One thing I like about the interview is that two of the tracks that I couldn't get for my playlist ("I'll Never Get Out of These Blues Alive" by John Lee Hooker and "Ciara" by Luka Bloom) made it onto the podcast, at least briefly.

Then later that week I did an interview with Zack "The Mothman" Daggy for his Shameless Plugcast. I really enjoyed this one as well. Zack told the world that if you love the humor and drama of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, you'll love my book. And that as a DJ, he really sympathized with the characters in Wicked Game.

I love their theme song. It's now stuck in my head ("Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeaaaaahhhh....")

NOTE: you don't need an iPod to listen to a podcast. You just need one of those thingies, what do you call them? Computers! That's it.

I'm now going to avail myself of the free continental breakfast. Such as it is.

Give a little, get a lotta books

Thu, 08 May 2008 12:48:43 GMT

In case you weren't aware, Ann Aguirre is awesome (wow, that's 4 'A' words in one sentence--let's go for 'B's in the next sentence. No let's not.).

Not only is she a fabulous writer, she does what she can to help others. Right now she's holding a drawing for $150 worth of free books.

How do you enter? Simple:

1) Donate money to an organization helping the Cyclone Nargis victims in Burma/Myanmar.
2) Tell Ann about your donation.

More details on her blog. If you have your own blog, please spread the word.

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Now playing: Little Milton - I Wouldn't Take Nothing For Your Love (live)
via FoxyTunes read the word.

Guest blog at Simply Romance

Wed, 07 May 2008 13:33:16 GMT

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday!

The Blog Tour rolls on, making a quick stop at Simply Romance Reviews*, where I talk about how I got the idea for Wicked Game. They're giving away a signed copy to one lucky commenter, but you only have today to get your name into the drawing.

Oh, and you have one more day to enter Rachel Vincent's chocolate-and-book-giveaway, featuring Wicked Game and Godiva.

You know what I like about Blog Tours? No jet lag.

*which by the way gave Wicked Game an A+ Outstanding Read!

Guest blog at Fresh Fiction

Tue, 06 May 2008 15:08:02 GMT

Today's stop on the Blog Tour is Fresh Fiction, where I discuss how a character's place and time of origin affect his or her personality. Whether it's an economically ravaged Youngstown, Ohio, or the segregated Deep South in the early 20th Century, or the corn fields of Saskatchewan, the characters in Wicked Game each have roots that make them who they are--or who they try not to be.

We all come from somewhere. So stop by and tell us how your background has affected who you are. Do you embrace it or rebel against it? Are your favorite characters a product of their hometowns? Or just come by and say hi to an awesome blog.

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Now playing: Brain Damage - Pink Floyd
via FoxyTunes

Interview with Jenna Black, author of Hungers of the Heart

Tue, 06 May 2008 13:25:44 GMT

Here are the winners of the Cynthia Eden books from last week's giveaway.

HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT: Cathy!

WHEN HE WAS BAD: Jackie!

Congrats to both of you. Please send your mailing address to jeri AT jerismithready DOT com, and I'll pass it on to Cynthia so you can receive your signed books. Thanks so much for commenting, everyone!

-----

Today's interview is with someone who is not only one of my favorite authors, but one of my favorite people: Jenna Black. I highly recommend her Guardian series, which began in November 2006 with Watchers in the Night. Black puts several fascinating twists on vampires, and I particularly like the seamless way she incorporates details from real modern-day cities. It gives her books a realistic flair, especially if you're familiar with the cities in question (Philadelphia, Baltimore, etc.).

Okay, I'll shut up and let Jenna tell you the rest.

Bio:

Jenna Black is your typical writer. Which means she's an "experience junkie." She got her BA in physical anthropology and French from Duke University.
Once upon a time, she dreamed she would be the next Jane Goodall, camping in the bush making fabulous discoveries about primate behavior. Then, during her senior year at Duke, she did some actual research in the field and made this shocking discovery: primates spend something like 80% of their time doing such exciting things as sleeping and eating.
Concluding that this discovery was her life's work in the field of primatology, she then moved on to such varied pastimes as grooming dogs and writing technical documentation. Among her other experiences . . .

Ballroom dancing.
Traveling all seven continents. Yes, even Antarctica.
Becoming a Life Master in Bridge.
Singing in a barbershop chorus.

What was your inspiration for writing HUNGERS OF THE HEART?

Since the first book of the Guardians of the Night series, I’ve always known I would eventually write Drake’s book. Many of my readers have also impatiently been awaiting his book since they first “met” him in WATCHERS IN THE NIGHT. As excited as I was to write his story, though, it turned out to be very hard to do. One of the most attractive things about Drake in WATCHERS was his self-confidence, the sense that he was comfortable in his own skin. Confident, comfortable characters, however, don’t make for interesting protagonists, so I had to shake him up. I found myself strangely reluctant to do so. That was the first time I had to struggle to make myself be mean to one of my characters. Usually authorial cruelty comes easily to me, as my readers no doubt know!

Which books and authors have most influenced your career?

I’d have to credit THOSE WHO HUNT THE NIGHT, by Barbara Hambly, as being the book that piqued my interest in vampires. The main vampire character in that book, Don Simon Ysidro, is absolutely fascinating to me. There’s no question he’s a bad guy—all her vampires are killers, and none of them seem to feel any remorse for their actions. However, Don Simon also has redeeming qualities, such as a sense of honor, that make him at least somewhat sympathetic to both the reader and the novel’s hero. (And from that description, you can no doubt see how much I was influenced by that particular book!)

For my urban fantasies, I’d have to credit the Anita Blake series, by Laurell K. Hamilton as having had the most influence. That was the first urban fantasy series I read, and I ended up absolutely hooked. After reading her books, I went on to “discover” such authors as Kelley Armstrong, Keri Arthur, Rachel Caine, and Patricia Briggs. It was because I loved all those books so much that I set out to write an urban fantasy myself.

What’s the best and the worst advice you’ve ever received?

The worst advice I ever received was to slavishly follow all publishers’ guidelines for submissions. (Note the word “slavishly.” I’m not saying to ignore guidelines.) For the 16 + years I was seriously trying—and failing—to get published, I dutifully submitted books one at a time, no simultaneous submissions. I can’t tell you how many times I had to wait a year or more to get a response. And during that waiting time, I refused to submit the book to another publisher, because most publishers say they won’t accept simultaneous submissions. It made for a painfully slow, agonizing, frustrating process. If I had it all to do over again, I’d probably go ahead and make simultaneous submissions despite the guidelines. I think it would have saved some of my sanity.

The best advice was for me to take responsibility for my own career. This meant always acting as though my career was under my control, even when sometimes it feels like I’m a victim in the winds of fate. This advice was crucial to my finally getting published. I had gotten to a point where I’d convinced myself I needed to get that lucky break to get my foot in the door. And that was a dismal prospect, because you can’t control luck. Then I went to a workshop where the teachers were adamant in their belief that luck has nothing to do with it, that if you write well enough and long enough, you’ll break in. It was a total change of attitude for me, and it changed the way I approached my career. When I began to believe that it was my own abilities, not the whims of luck, that would ultimately get me published, I started working much, much harder at my writing. I started treating it like a career, rather than a hobby. A year later, I had an agent. Two years later, I had my first contract. And now I have five books out with four more under contract. So it was by far the best advice I’ve ever received.

What (besides writing) do you do for fun?

Number one on my list is, naturally, reading. Like most writers, I’m a voracious reader. I’ve recently become addicted to doing jigsaw puzzles. My enjoyment of jigsaw puzzles has come and gone multiple times over the course of my life. I’ll go for years without doing one, then suddenly I’ll have an urge and I’ll do a whole bunch in a row. I’m finding them particularly fun right now because they’re something I can do that doesn’t involve sitting in front of a computer.

I also enjoy ballroom dancing, which I’ve just taken up again after several years’ hiatus. I think it’s important for me to find things to do outside the house now that I’ve quit my day job. It would be so easy for me to become a hermit. So that’s why I decided to start dancing again. (Though it’s also a lot of fun as well as being good exercise.)

What are you writing now?

Right now I’m working on the fourth book in my Morgan Kingsley series. I’ve just gotten started, so I’m still in those very uncertain “what the heck is going to happen in this book?” stage. It often takes me a few chapters before I start feeling like I’ve “really” started the book. I’ve also been playing around with an idea for a YA urban fantasy, but I have to put that aside now to work on the book that’s sold and on deadline.

Did you always want to write? Or did you stumble into it? How did you get where you are now?

I wrote my first book when I was in fifth grade. It was an autobiography. It’s written in pencil, with crayon illustrations and a construction paper cover. So I’ve pretty much been writing forever. I wrote my first novel my senior year of high school for my English class on creative writing. (Actually, it was really a novella, but I considered it a novel at that time.) I then wrote my first real, full-length novel in college. However, it took about 20 years and 17 more novels before I made my first sale.

In college, I majored in anthropology and French. My intention was to get a PhD in physical anthropology and become the next Jane Goodall. Obviously, my career and my ambitions ended up taking a different path.

What does a typical writing day look like for you? How long do you write, that sort of thing?

I start out by trudging up to my computer while guzzling coffee as I try to shake the sleep clouds from my head. (I’m not the best morning person in the world.) I usually read emails and look at some of my favorite Internet sites (like MySpace and Romance Divas) while I wait for my brain to be fully functional. Then I drag myself to a computer that has no Internet access and no games—nothing installed on it other than word processing software. And I write.

I tend to write in multiple short (45 minutes to an hour) spurts throughout the morning and early afternoon. Between spurts, I check email or do chores or work out. (Or goof off, but I try to keep that to a minimum.)

Where do you write?

I have a home-office-cum-library where I work. It’s a converted bonus room over our garage, and it’s decorated to help stimulate my imagination—and give me the illusion that I’ve actually left the house to write. The effect is like working in a medieval/gothic library, with faux-wood floors and faux-stone walls.

What is the best part of being a writer? The most frustrating?

The best part about being a writer for me is hearing from readers. I love knowing that people have read and enjoyed my books. I was especially moved when I got an email from a reader who was seriously ill and told me my books helped make the bad times better for her. Books have always been my escape during the worst times in my life, and one of the thoughts that kept me going while I was struggling to sell that first novel was the desire to provide that same kind of escape for others. Learning that I’d done so for at least one reader brought tears to my eyes.

The most frustrating part of being a writer is how many things about your career are not under your control. You can’t control the whims of the market, the editorial shifts in your publishing house, the closing of lines, the cover art, the marketing . . . You name it. (Some of those things you can control when you’re a mega star, but I’m not there yet!)

This isn't your first book; tell us a little bit about what else is out there?

There are three other books out in the Guardians of the Night series: WATCHERS IN THE NIGHT, SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS, and SHADOWS ON THE SOUL. There’s also THE DEVIL INSIDE, the first book in my Morgan Kingsley, Exorcist series. The second book in that series, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, will come out on July 29.

Where can we learn more about you and your books?

My website is www.JennaBlack.com. You can also find me on MySpace at www.MySpace.com/jennablackbooks.

----

Thanks, Jenna, for all your amazing books, and for giving me a bad case of office envy.

Library of Congress "What If" talk

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:26:25 GMT

So yeah, I was up on the Hill today, talkin' about my new book...

No, really! There I was, a stone's throw away from the Capitol (though I *don't* recommend throwing stones at federal buildings unless you like the taste of sidewalk), giving a talk at the Library of Congress. They have a "What If" science fiction/fantasy forum, to which they invite authors to read or discuss their books and stories.

It went pretty well, aside from a few technical difficulties. The iPod got tired of waiting for me to start, so it took a nap in its cozy little docking station, which meant the remote control wouldn't, you know, control it. I had to walk over and wake it up.

So embarrassing. They never perform when you want them to.

But it seemed to go well otherwise, judging by the audience reaction. They laughed, they cried (okay, they didn't cry, even when I chopped raw onions), they bought all my copies of Wicked Game. I'm told I was the first author ever to sell out at one of these talks, and they've had some pretty big-name authors (who, no doubt, brought bigger boxes of books, so I'm not congratulating myself too vigorously).

I wish I'd brought my camera, because it was a gorgeous day. Washington, DC, is lovely in the spring, until about Memorial Day, when it turns into the Ninth Circle of Hell.

But I did get to keep my parking permit, the thing that let me past the scary reinforced steel barrier that said STOP! in big red letters. It made me feel special, so I'll share it with you:

Yay. I am now officially Important. And in Washington, nothing else matters.

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Now playing: Radiohead - Idioteque
via FoxyTunes

LoC Talk and Wicked Game giveaway!

Mon, 05 May 2008 21:38:07 GMT

I'm giving a talk at the Library of Congress this afternoon, as part of their "What If" Science Fiction/Fantasy forum.

Scared, am I? Yes, quite a bit. I'm not used to having the entire stage to myself when I have to make stuff up.

The title of my talk is "Rock 'n' Roll Can Never Die." I'll be reading several snippets from Wicked Game, interspersed with a few appropriate songs and a discussion of how music has inspired my writing process. It might totally rock, or it might flop. I'll let you know.

On the Internetz, Werecat author Rachel Vincent is giving away a copy of Wicked Game AND a box of chocolates to one lucky commenter this week. Yes, chocolate. Which makes her officially today's Best...Person...in The World! Last week she discussed the book on her blog, which made me all pitter-pattery.

And don't forget, you have through the rest of the day today to enter the drawing for one of Cynthia Eden's fantastic new books.

Autographed copy reminder

Sun, 04 May 2008 02:12:21 GMT

I'm reposting March 18's notice, because it's almost time for me to hightail it to San Diego for my first official Wicked Game signing (not counting the pre-pub signing at New York Comic Con and the random walk-up-to-me-in-the-dealer's-room signings at RavenCon, both of which I enjoyed mightily).

There's important information for you in the second paragraph, so read on.

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I'm thrilled to announce that on Saturday, May 10, 3-4pm, I'll be a spotlight author at Mysterious Galaxy's 15th Birthday Bash! MG is one of the nation's premier science fiction/fantasy bookstores. Other authors at the Bash will include Charlaine Harris, Susan Hubbard, Jeff Mariotte, Savannah Russe, Samantha Sommersby, and Robert Tenenbaum.

Why should you care, if you're not a San Diegoan? Because if you pre-order your copy of Wicked Game from them, you can ask them to have me sign and personalize it for you while I'm there. Just put "Please have Jeri autograph (and personalize to NAME, if you want it personalized, otherwise I'll just sign my name)" in the comment box when you order online, or say it out loud when you call them at 858-268-4747 to order.

For the online orders, let's say you should do it by May 8 to be safe. Also, put your name instead of the word NAME. Unless that's really your name, in which case, I'm sorry, in both senses of the word.

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Ah, that was easy. I should repost more often. Heck, people watch reruns all the time on TV.

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Now playing: Scentless Apprentice (Rehearsal) - Nirvana
via FoxyTunes

Interview with Tate Hallaway

Sat, 03 May 2008 21:27:23 GMT

Please welcome Tate Hallaway, whose new book, ROMANCING THE DEAD, comes out Tuesday! Tate is one of my fellow authors on SF Novelists, which is where these questions hail from (as opposed to being part of my regular Author Interview series). After reading this interview, I'm dying to check out the Garney Lacey series myself.

I'll let Tate tell you the rest in her own words:

Tate's Bio:

Tate Hallaway is the best selling alias of the award-winning science fiction author Lyda Morehouse. Lyda wrote a four book trilogy about angels, computers and the end of the world all of which are currently out of print, though she still writes and publishes science fiction/fantasy/horror short stories. Tate's books are all in print with more in the Garnet Lacey series in the works. You can find both Lyda and Tate all blogging all over the internet including places like LiveJournal, Blogspot, MySpace, Facebook, and even YouTube. "They" live in Saint Paul, Minnesota with five cats, a five year old son, and many, many fresh water fish.

Romancing the Dead

..It's been one heck of a week for Garnet Lacey. The Vatican witch hunters finally think she's dead, the FBI has closed their file on her, she's co-founding a new coven—and the gorgeous vampire she loves has just asked her to marry him. How lucky can one girl get?

Then, her fiancé goes missing and Garnet's worried sick. Has he been kidnapped? Or could he have run off with that blonde from the coven? Now Garnet will have to seek the help of her future stepson—the same brat who turned her over to the witch hunters for a brand-new Jaguar. But there's more bad news: the Goddess Lilith, who camps out in her body, has been making embarrassing appearances. And on top of that, some killer's on her tail...

INTERVIEW

What was your inspiration for writing ROMANCING THE DEAD?

ROMANCING THE DEAD is the third book in my paranormal chick-lit Garnet Lacey series. People often ask me how I, as a writer, stay inspired when writing about the same characters. I think I could get pretty bored if I didn't allow my characters not only to be human (and thus full of flaws), but also to change and grow.

A lot of the romance I read when I first started reading romances were "first blush," as in the main point of the story was the excitement of meeting someone new. At the end of these novels, things faded very quickly into the nebulous (and unrealistic) happily, ever after. One of the things I'm trying to do in the Garnet Lacey series is promote the romance that can be found in a long-term relationship. I mean, Garnet is in love with a vampire, for goodness sake. You don't get more "ever after" than that. I, myself, have been together with my partner for more than twenty years, and I don't think those kinds of relationships get a lot of glory in romance novels, you know?

Plus, in every novel I like to take on one of the tropes in urban fantasy and do my own thing with it. In this book, I have Garnet meet someone who may or may not be a werewolf.

Who are your favorite authors and books now and when you were growing up?

Currently my favorite authors are writing graphic novels. I'm in to Brian Michael Bendis' NEW AVENGERS. I just finished reading NEW AVENGERS: ILLUMINATI in preparation of the up-coming Secret Invasion. I'm also a huge fan of Ed Brubaker's CAPTAIN AMERICA, particularly his WINTER SOLDIER stuff. Comic books haven't been this fresh for me since I first picked up Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's FANTASTIC FOUR when I was a kid.

For more traditional fare, my favorites are Rachel Caine, who writes the Weather Warden series, and Kristin Katheryn Rusch who writes the Disappeared series, which is a kind of futuristic a police procedural set on Mars. When I was growing up my favorite authors were Katherine Kurtz and Anne McCaffrey.

What is it about fantasy/science fiction that attracts you?

The explosions.

Seriously, I was talking to a friend about this at a bar the other night, and I confessed that one of my favorite things about writing paranormal romances/urban fantasy is that you get to have all the relationship/girly stuff married to the high-octane adventure/boy stuff. That's pretty near perfect for me.

Why did you decide to make Garnet a Witch?

Because I am.

And it can be very difficult to find realistic portrayals of Wiccan religion in novels. One of the things that drives me crazy in movies and TV shows like "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer" is when a complete novice reads a spell they find in a dusty book and they conjure a demon without breaking a sweat.

Of course, because the Garnet Lacey series is fantasy, I take liberties, too. Real-life witchcraft can be pretty dull. The scope of Garnet's power is a lot stronger than anything I've experienced in real life, but I try to show ritual as part of her daily practice as well. In other words, she doesn't just cast spells, but she also prays to a Goddess and observes the cycle of the seasons, like the real witches I know.

What (besides writing) do you do for fun?

I'm an aquarist. I have four fresh water fish tanks in my house and have had over the course of a year: powder blue dwarf gourami, neon tetra, bettas (a spawning pair), a white cloud minnow, yellow tuxedo guppies, and several goldfish (comet and shubunkin). I'm so into it I read fish magazines and occasionally write long, boring blogs about my fish triumphs and woes on my livejournal. My betta Johnny/Giant-Girl is even a YouTube star.

What sort of research did you do to write this book?

Well, because I'd decided to play around with the urban fantasy trope of werewolves and the story takes place in Madison, Wisconsin, I did a little research and discovered that Wisconsin has its own werewolf myth: "the Beast of Bray Road." There's a book about it by Linda S. Godfrey called BEAST OF BRAY ROAD: TAILING WISCONSIN'S WEREWOLF.

Garnet loves astrology. Is that your favorite thing too?

One of them. Just like Garnet I'm an amateur astrologer. Yeah, we're talking about predictions and horoscopes and stuff. No, I don't think the stars rule my destiny, but, yeah, I think it's all a very fascinating and entertaining way to look at life and relationships.

I love astronomy, too. My friend Rachel takes me and my four-year old out star-gazing on clear nights. The science fiction fan in me loves seeing the rings of Saturn and such.

What are you writing now?

There's more Garnet Lacey in the works. I'm currently putting the wraps on book four, DEAD IF I DO, which I like to describe as "The Wedding Planner" meets "Night of the Living Dead."

Did you always want to write? Or did you stumble into it? How did you get where you are now?

It took boredom to turn me into a writer.

True, I was an English major in college, but other than dabbling a little in fanfic as a teen I didn't really do a lot of creative writing. After college, I had a series of dead-end secretarial jobs and really didn't require a whole lot of my brain power. One of these jobs didn't even come with a computer, but when I incessantly bugged my boss for work she taught me the art of the slack. She said, "Sometimes it's important to LOOK busy." So, I started typing letters home to friends. The letters turned into little silly stories, limericks, and finally, the beginning of my first novel, Sidhe Promised, which has never been sold.

Someone either a friend or my partner talked me into taking a science fiction writing class at the Loft. I had an awesome teacher who taught us the art of critique and encouraged us to form writers' critique groups outside of class. The one I formed from that class with my friend and fellow writer H. Courrage LeBlanc, Wyrdsmiths is still going strong today, nearly twelve years later. If you want to check out the "life" of a writers' group, we have a blog.

Eventually, through a friend of a friend I got my second novel, Archangel Protocol, under the nose of an agent. The rest, as they say, is history.

What does a typical writing day look like for you? How long do you write, that sort of thing?

Well, I'm in crunch time now, so I write close to four hours a night, from about 8:00 pm to midnight. Normally, however, I tend to clock closer to only a couple of hours, if that. I have a full-time job as a mom, so my writing time doesn't start until everyone is fed and tucked in their beds. When not writing under a deadline, I also take weekends off.

Hm, which may explain why I'm in crunch time now, eh?

Where do you write??

Wherever my laptop is. I tend to write propped up in bed or on the couch in the TV room.

What is easiest/hardest for you as a writer?

I've always found dialogue the easiest to write. That's probably because it's the part I practice the most. Not only do I love to talk, but also when I'm falling asleep at night it's the fictional conversations that I play with in my head.

As for hard, that would be plot. If I had my druthers, no one would do anything. They'd all sit around in a coffee shop and argue.

This isn't your first book; tell us a little bit about what else is out there?

Though all of them are meant to stand more-or-less on their own, there are two previous Garnet Lacey books: TALL, DARK & DEAD and DEAD SEXY. Both follow the exploits of Garnet Lacey, a Witch who accidentally drew in the dark and murderous Goddess Lilith to protect her coven from attack by Vatican witch hunters. When the stories start, she's on the run and trying desperately to give up witchcraft, which Lilith (and, consequentially, she) crave like a drug. Tall, dark and dead Sebastian Von Traum comes into the bookstore the Garnet manages and, as they say, hilarity ensues.

And explosions…or at least zombies.

There's an excerpt of the first chapters of all three books available on Tate's website.

Amazon.com links to Tate's books:
Romancing the Dead
Dead Sexy (Garnet Lacey 2)
Tall, Dark & Dead (Garnet Lacey 1)

Places to find Tate on the Web:
Website
Blog
Wyrdsmiths group blog
Fangs, Fur & Fey (group blog for urban fantasy/paranormal romance writers)
MySpace

Interview at Darque Reviews

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:19:27 GMT

My Blog Tour continues today, with an interview at Darque Reviews.

Find out which character I'm most attached to, why I hate first drafts, and how much potential I have for becoming a crack addict.

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Beginning now, I'm taking a long weekend off to do some intensive work on Bad to the Bone. I'll fill in plot holes, untangle storylines, and oh, I don't know, maybe finally figure out what happens in the last chapter. And whatever happened to the disappearing journalist. And that other guy.

May your weekends be full of fun!

Playlist and Editor's Choice

Thu, 01 May 2008 13:01:16 GMT

Is that the sound of my dancing feet? Yes, those are my slippers shuffling and sliding across the linoleum.

Two reasons:

1) I created a Wicked Game playlist. For some reason, LJ is giving me hell about the code, so go check it out on the book's page (click and scroll down). This is a "soundtrack" of most of the songs mentioned in the novel (all the ones I could get legally through Playlist.com). More playlists coming soon!

If you'd like to post the playlist on your own website, MySpace or Facebook page, send me an e-mail and I'll give you the secret code. Or you can just grab the HTML yourself if you know how to do it.

2) Wicked Game is this month's Editor's Choice at Love Vampires: The Website Dedicated to Vampire Fiction.

In her review, Amanda made herself my favorite person always and forever. Here's a long excerpt (all emphasis mine):

I have read a lot of vampire novels, some romance, some horror, some urban fantasy and some of just about every flavour in between. Some books have been so good I’ve spent the next week pimping the book to everyone I speak to. Some have been so bad I’ve wanted to bang my head (hard) against my desk and induce unconsciousness so I won’t have to think about what I’ve just read. A lot have been average, neither bad nor fantastically good, but a pleasant and entertaining way to pass time reading.

However, every once in a while someone writes a book that surpasses genre conventions and expectations, turning established ideas into something fresh and new. Books that have done this for me include J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Robin McKinley’s SUNSHINE, Charlaine Harris’s Southern Vampire series and Laurell K. Hamilton’s early Anita Blake. All in their own way original or unique, some of them eventually being consumed and becoming part of the established framework for that genre. It is in this way that WICKED GAME strikes me as original and unique.

The words different, original, unusual and unique are used a lot in reviews but hopefully I have managed to give some context of what I mean when I use them. It is hard to draw comparisons between WICKED GAME and other vampire novels because nobody else is really writing like this at the moment.

Go read the rest if you like, or just admire her gorgeous website design. I'll be here dancin'.

The page 123 meme

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:59:38 GMT

When Jackie Kessler e-mailed me to announce she'd tagged me with a meme, I thought, she doesn't just write books about demons--she is a demon.

But then it turned out to be an easy one. So I'll spare Jackie the holy water Super Soaker.

Here are the rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag five people and post a comment to the person who tagged you once you’ve posted your three sentences.

So the nearest book is Jana Oliver's Virtual Evil, the second in her superb time travel/Jack the Ripper/shapeshifter mystery trilogy that started with Sojourn, which won approximately 10,435 awards last year. Here's the sample--which works most perfectly, as serendipity would have it:

"You did say that the perfect murder is one in which the blood is on someone else's hands," Satyr went on. "You have often stated that you felt he presented a threat to your future plans. This will remove the sergeant from our concerns."

Yikes! I haven't gotten to that part yet. Must go read...

But first...the tagging:

1. Ann Aguirre
2. Victoria Dahl
3. Stephanie Kuehnert
4. Jana Oliver
5. Cynthia Eden

Speaking of Cynthia, check out her interview yesterday, where you can win one of two free signed books, which both sound amazing. I'm jealous I can't win them.

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Now playing: Don't Drink the Water - Dave Matthews Band
via FoxyTunes

Interview with Cynthia Eden, author of HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:28:39 GMT

Welcome back to our Author Interview series! Wow, it's been a few weeks--are you thirsty for the dish on new authors, or craving the thrill of maybe winning a free book? (Hint: the correct answer starts with a "y.")

Today we have Cynthia Eden, whose paranormal romance suspense novel, Hotter After Midnight (Kensington), comes out today. Simply Romance Reviews gave it an A+ (an A+!!) and called it, "witty, suspenseful and steamy enough to fog up your windows." It features an empathic psychologist whose patient roster is made up of Others (vampires, demons, etc.); and a detective who's a Shifter, a being who can transform from a human into an animal.

Because she's twice as sweet as any other author, Cynthia will be giving away two prizes today, to two different commenters. A signed copy of Hotter Than Midnight, of course, and a signed copy of When He Was Bad, an anthology she shares with Shelley Laurenston. When He Was Bad doesn't even come out until May 27, so you can get a braggably early copy.

Q. At last count, you write for three different publishers: Kensington, Avon, and Red Sage. What's your secret to juggling all your deadlines and other obligations? Did you secretly clone yourself?

Cynthia: Oh, a clone would be awesome! I could get her to do all the housework. J Right now, things are pretty easy for me. The primary writing obligations that I have are for Kensington Brava. I was recently offered another three-book contract from them, so they’re keeping me busy for the time being. (And I love to be kept busy.) I will have another release from Red Sage later this year—and I’m really looking forward to that Secrets anthology.

For my writing schedule, I stick to my ten pages a day rule. Writing ten pages generally allows me to finish up a novel rough draft in about 40 days—then I can take a few weeks for re-reading and editing.

You recently gave a workshop at a writer's conference on "Keeping the 'Normal' in Your Paranormal Story." Care to share with us a tip or two on giving human flaws to non-human characters?

This was my first workshop, and I had a blast! Here’s a bit about redeeming the anti-hero in paranormal romances:

Redeeming the anti-hero. When the villain becomes the hero, you have to explain his past actions. Why did the vampire go on a brutal feeding spree? Was the transformation into a vampire so painful that he had no choice? You should help the reader understand his actions. Forgive them, to a certain extent. Readers won’t love a hero who is evil—show the goodness and the struggle, or the reasons for the dark behavior—and the readers will feel that sympathy and understanding for the anti-hero.

(If anyone is interested, I posted my workshop handouts on my website. Feel free to visit for all the tips you want!)

On your bio, you list Dracula, Lois Lane, Buffy and Wolverine as four of your favorite fictional characters. Which two would you like to see fight in a cage match? Who would win?

Dracula and Wolverine. I’d pay big money to see that one. And, as much as I love Dracula, in the end, I’m pretty sure Wolverine would take him down.

If you could inhabit the life of any of your characters, enter their world and deal with it as that person, which one would you choose?

Dr. Emily Drake from Hotter After Midnight. She’d be an easy choice for me. J I feel like Emily has an advantage in the paranormal world—since her empathic powers let her pick up on the feelings of the Other, she’s generally a step ahead of most paranormal beings. I’d sure like to be a step ahead.

Conversely, which of your characters would you most like to bring to life in our world (maybe as a best friend or much, much more ;-) ?

Another fast answer for me: Cain Lawson from “Wicked Ways” (in When He Was Bad). Sexy, protective, and loyal to the core—to me, he’s perfect hero material and I’d love to see him in the real world.

Same two questions, but use examples from another author's work (including television/movies/theatre)?

I’d love to be Buffy. Come on—she was strong, tough, and she had some fantastic friends. (Well, she did when Willow wasn’t going all evil on her.) And she also had the perk that was Spike. How could I not want to deal with the world as Buffy?

Now, if I had the chance to bring one character to life…I’d choose Brendan Fraser’s character (Rick O’Connell) from the Mummy movies. The guy was a fabulous hero—and he was always up for a little adventure.

Which author, living or dead, would you most love to collaborate with?

Edgar Allan Poe. I loved that man’s writing. I became hooked after "The Tell-Tale Heart. " Oh, but that beating of the old man’s heart. Late at night, I could almost hear that thumping. Because Poe was that good—his stories snuck under my skin and stayed with me for days after I’d read them.

If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the publishing industry, what would it be?

I’d create much, much faster response times. I hate waiting to hear back on a submission! Sure, generally, I’m a patient gal, but when it comes to my story—the patience disappears, fast.

What's the weirdest tidbit of research you've ever incorporated into a book?

Oh, yes, I remember this one…during mating, jaguars in the wild “can copulate up to 100 times a day.” Did you know that? I didn’t, until I started researching jaguars for my novella in When He Was Bad. Busy animals, those jaguars.

What's your earliest memory?

I remember my father carrying me outside of my house in the middle of Hurricane Fredrick. I was bundled in a blanket so the pelting rain wouldn’t hurt me. (Okay, in the interest of total honesty—not really the middle of the hurricane, but right before the storm came ashore.) My parents had decided we’d better had to my grandmother’s for better protection. My first storm, but certainly not the last. The howl of the wind has become a familiar sound for me.

Do you have any phobias?

I’m terrified of snakes. Terrified! Yet I’m also curiously drawn to them. If I have the opportunity to watch them on TV—yes, I’ll sit for hours watching. I’ll pet them at zoos. But, let me see one in the wild (AKA my backyard) and you’ll see a woman scream with a fury to rival Jamie Lee Curtis.

My husband hates when people use the word 'barometer' to mean 'measure.' Which word usage faux pas drives you berserkest?

Oh, I don’t usually go too berserk. I love it when folks misuse words—I write down those “mistakes” and use them later in books to make my characters seem a little more authentic.

Let's say there's a TV show, movie, or recording artist that has a cult of you. Which is it? (i.e., what do you like that no one else you know likes)?

Okay, this is sad but…I loved the movie The Scorpion King. I know, I know—it was cheesy as all hell—but I am a fan of the cheese. And of the Rock.

If you had a free day with no responsibilities and your only mission was to enjoy yourself, what would you do?

Take my son to the beach and build sandcastles. Around lunch time, we’d break for a chocolate ice cream treat (hmm—probably not sounding like the healthiest mother, huh?), and then we’d head back for kite-flying and wave-watching.

If you could ask your favorite author one question and they had to answer honestly, what would it be?

I’d ask Jayne Ann Krentz a question. Ms. Krentz, I’m dying to know…where did you get the inspiration for Shield’s Lady? (I love that book. She wrote it as Amanda Glass and I almost missed that story because of the name change.)

If you could write in a totally different genre than your current one, which would you choose?

Romantic suspense. Okay, that might not be “totally different” since my Kensington stories are pretty much paranormal suspense, but I do think I’d like to eventually try my hand at straight romantic suspense. And maybe even historicals. Back in the day…I taught history and I’ve always been tempted by that romance sub-genre.

What are you working on now, and what new releases can we expect to see from you down the road?

Right now, I’m working on another novel for Kensington—this one is about a demon, Niol. (Readers will be introduced to him in Hotter After Midnight). This is the last story in my “Midnight” series and then I’ll start on a new paranormal series—one about paranormal bounty hunters.

If you could tell a stranger just one thing about HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT (other than what it's about--no cheating by quoting synopses or back cover blurbs), what would it be?

Have you gotten your quota of psychics, wolf shifters, demons and vampires for the month? If you haven’t, then you should check out the world of the Monster Doctor (Dr. Emily Drake) in HOTTER AFTER MIDNIGHT.

(I realize the stranger in question would probably look at me like I was a crazy woman, but that’s okay.)

* * * *

Give Cynthia a comment or a question, or tell us which animal you wish you could "shift" into, in the comments on my home page blog before 5 p.m. EDT on Monday, May 5. I'll draw a name and announce the winner next Tuesday morning.

If you don't have a Blogger account, just sign in as anonymous and leave your name at the bottom of your comment so I can call your name.

***I recommend against putting your e-mail in the comments, since that brings on spam. HOWEVER, if you don't leave a way for me to find you, you must stay subscribed to the comments or come back next Tuesday to see if you won.***

Good luck!

Hit the Street!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:17:19 GMT

WVMP's real-life radio and musician counterparts have 'street teams' to spread the word about their awesomeness. They hand out CDs, bumper stickers, buttons, and flyers for the next concert/event. They tell all their friends and even their enemies.

If you're excited about Wicked Game (May 13!) and want to tell the world, then I love you. I love you so much that I want to invite you to join my inner circle, my very own Street Team.

You don't have to stand on a street corner and shout about the book (though you're welcome to--the weather in mid-May is generally very pleasant, after all). Here are some other options:

Offer bookmarks to your local booksellers and librarians
Post the book cover on your website or MySpace page
Blog about Wicked Game during release week
Write a review
Send a (non-spammy) e-mail to friends and family members you think would enjoy Wicked Game
Recruit subscribers to my newsletter
Any other fun ideas I come up with at 2:30 in the morning

IMPORTANT NOTE: There's no obligation to take part in any particular activity--just do whatever you find fun.

All Street Team members will get a special exclusive autographed Street Team bookplate (like the one shown here) for their copy of Wicked Game, as well as the warm feeling that comes from being part of something meaningful.

(Did I just say that last part with a straight face? You'll never know.)

ALSO, I'll show my appreciation to those who do the most each month by giving away extra goodies, like WVMP swag, free books by authors I adore, CDs (including a few limited edition "soundtracks" to Wicked Game), and very small ponies.

OK, maybe not the ponies. But wouldn't it be cool to have a pony the size of a kitten? They should work on that.

If you'd like to join this exclusive club, just drop me a line at jeri@jerismithready.com and say, 'Sign me up!'

See you on the Street!

Just you and me, ChickLitGurrl

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 04:00:33 GMT

I'm kicking off my Blog Tour with an interview at ChickLitGurrl's blog. Find out how I got the idea for Wicked Game, which three songs would be on the soundtrack to my life, and my single biggest piece of advice for writers.

Excuse me while I go follow that advice....

RavenCon this weekend

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 21:58:47 GMT

I'm heading out of town again tomorrow morning, this time for RavenCon 2008. This is the convention's third year, but it's been getting rave reviews from guests and attendees alike. The Author Guest of Honor this year is C.S. Friedman; the Artist Guest, Stephen Hickman; and Fan GoH is Filthy Pierre.

Here's where I'll be:

Friday, 6PM: REINVENTING THE PARANORMAL, with J. Jagi Lamplighter and Jean Marie Ward (moderator). The romance authors are doing it. Find out how they develop new stories for the same old ghost, werewolf, vampire, shape shifter or alien by blending genres.

Friday, 9PM: WRITING THE PERFECT BLURB, with Jana Oliver, David Coe (mod), and Edmund Schubert. How does one go about writing that perfect blurb for their book to that coveted editor or agent?

Saturday, 12 noon: BLOGGING FOR THE MODERN-DAY WRITER, with Mike Kabango, Larry Holderfield, Valerie Griswold-Ford, and Jean Marie Ward (mod). Do you blog? How do blogs help new or established writers? What do blogging authors write about and how does it affect their “regular” writing?

Saturday, 3PM: USING PODCASTING FOR PROMOTION, with Rich Sigfrit, Stephen Euin Cobb, Tom Rockwell, and Mur Lafferty (mod). Join our panelists as they discuss how they use podcasting to promote their works.

Saturday, 5PM: KOFFEEKLATSCH, with just me. I'll do a reading, and then sign books or chat with anyone about anything.

Saturday, 7-10PM: 'TIME AND TUNES' LAUNCH PARTY!!! with my roommates Jana Oliver and Jean Marie Ward. Music from every era, a WVMP Radio cake, and drinks aplenty! For the room number, look for flyers posted, well, everywhere.

Sunday, 9AM (good God, nine a.m.??!!): URBAN FANTASY 101, with Jana Oliver, CJ Henderson, L Jagi Lamplighter, Jean Marie Ward. (I'll be moderating, which means I can only ask and not answer questions, which is good, because did you see what time this thing is?) Find out why urban fantasy is hot these days and learn all about demon hunting and bashing. Why are there werewolves, vampires and ghosts in a world that should be primarily the fey?

So stop by the Crowne Plaza at 6531 Broad Street, in Richmond, VA this Friday through Sunday. I guarantee you won't leaving quothing, "Nevermore!"

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Now playing: Under The Milky Way - The Church
via FoxyTunes