At long last a LiveJournal by Jeri Smith-Ready

The month-long, mega-YA-author giveaway at my blog is almost at an end. But there are still six open drawings, plus five more to come, including Jennifer Echols (tomorrow), PC Cast (Thursday), me (Friday) and Rachel Vincent on Saturday.

And then--AND THEN, the grand prize, featuring over $300 worth of YA novels (i.e., the books the authors are giving away).

Yesterday's guest was Stephanie Kuehnert, the amazing author of gritty YA novels such as I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone and this year's Ballads of Suburbia, which she's giving away this week. Her blog post on what Halloween and Homecoming mean to her and her main character is touching and truthful.

Today's guest is Carrie Jones, author of the wonderful pixie novel Need. She's giving away an ARC of Need's sequel, Captivate.

For a full schedule and details, including entry rules, read the introductory post. Please stop by to say hi to these wonderful authors!

Today's Blogtoberguest is New York Times-bestselling author Nancy Holder, who is giving away five (5!) signed books, including her creepy new YA novel, Possessions.  Come join the party (but not late at night when you're alone, because even her post is spooky).

One of my favorite authors and persons, Norton Award-nominee Sarah Beth Durst, is blogging about the meaning of home and giving away a signed copy of her brand-new (as in TODAY) release of Ice, today at the Blogtoberfest.

Hey, that was a one sentence post. Until now.

Novelist and screenwriter Saundra Mitchell wrote a wonderful little extra from the world of her debut YA paranormal novel, Shadowed Summer, a signed copy of which she's giving away at my blog right now. Come join the party!

For our next installment in the Mostly Debut Author interview series, I'm thrilled to have Danielle Joseph (daniellejoseph), whose first novel, Shrinking Violet, came out last month.

Danielle and I first met in that decrepit old bar known as MySpace (just kidding--it wasn't decrepit back then). It turned out that we had the same editor, the lovely and brilliant Jennifer Heddle. Not only that, we each wrote about radio stations! How cool is that?

So of course I had to read her book, especially when I discovered that the main character, Tere Adams, is painfully shy. This may come as a surprise to those who have met me at a convention, but I could totally relate.

Like all shy people, Tere has an amazing imagination, and often dreams of being someone different, someone "better." Her secret fantasy alter ego is Sweet T, the hottest new DJ on Miami's SLAM-FM. She knows the new music scene inside and out, and senses in her heart that given the opportunity, she could be a fabulous disc jockey.

As an intern on her stepfather's radio station, she gets her chance. Of course she's terrified--millions of people hearing her voice? What if her classmates recognize her? What if the hot, sensitive guy from English class--the one who loves the same bands and who actually talks to her--finds out she's been living a double life?

Despite her fear, she goes on the air as Sweet T, and that's when her life changes.

I fell in love with Tere as she struggled to find her voice, both literally and figuratively. Her pain at being looked at and expected to speak--speak now, speak up, for crying out loud!--I could feel in my gut. I loved that she lived out her dream not because she wasn't afraid, but in spite of her overwhelming terror. That's true courage. I also loved that the Hot Dude in Question, Gavin Tam, appreciated her for everything she was--her real self and the Tere she knew she could be.

Though the book is ostensibly targeted at a teen audience, there's a lot here for us over-twenties, particularly music lovers and anyone who's had to overcome the fear of being oneself.


***BREAKING NEWS: THE DISNEY CHANNEL JUST BOUGHT THE FILM RIGHTS TO SHRINKING VIOLET!  WOO-HOO!!***

( If you don't click, you'll always wonder, won't you? )

To enter to win a copy of this sweet (in all senses) novel, just leave a comment or question for Danielle--or tell us the biggest fear you've ever overcome--in the comments below.

I'll draw a name Friday night at 11:59pm Eastern Daylight Time. Anyone is welcome to comment, but the prize will be limited to U.S. residents.

As they say in radio, thanks for listening!

Winner announced, and I'm back on the Island, this time with Shane McAllister doing my dirty work.

Also, you have one more day to enter to win a signed copy of Maria V. Snyder's Storm Glass.

That's all.  Off to write.  Bye!

Since I am guest-blogging elsewhere this week (details tomorrow), I'm even more excited than I would normally be to have as a special guest this week one of my favorite author friends--and favorite authors period--Maria V. Snyder!

Maria's brand-new release from Mira, Storm Glass, continues in the same world as her New York Times-bestselling Study series, but with a fascinating new protagonist. I'll let her tell you all about it below.

Oh, and she's giving away a signed copy of her new book to one lucky commenter, so check the rules (Rule 1: there are really no rules) at the bottom of the post.

( We don't need no stinkin' cut tags. Oh wait, yes we do. )

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Thanks so much for stopping by, Maria! Everyone who comments on this post will be entered to win a signed copy of Storm Glass. I've decided to redirect all comments to my regular blog to make it easier for Maria to see. (She's touring right now and will hopefully stop by to say hi.) You don't need a Blogger account to post a comment, just mark it anonymous and leave a name I can identify you with (e.g., "LJ username = 'pigweed'") if you win.

I'll draw a name at random at 11:59pm Wednesday evening Eastern time. Good luck!

Hooray, the Guest Blogging Karma has come back to me in the form of one of my favorite authors, who also happens to be a good friend. Ann Aguirre's blog is one of the few I still take the time to read on a regular basis, as she's consistently thoughtful, funny, and sharp. (Not that other bloggers aren't, mind you.)

( Clicking builds strong bones. )

Please leave a comment below to enter, a question for Ann, or a note about your favorite secondary characters. I'll draw a name at random at 11:59pm eastern Friday. So show some love, and win a book!

Last year's RavenCon in Richmond, VA was one of those cons so close to a deadline that I never had time to blog about it. But if I had, one of the things I would've mentioned was meeting David Coe. We did several panels together, and he even let me yak during his Koffeeklatsch. He was (presumably, still is) one of the nicest, funniest people I've ever met at a convention.

Back in the real world, we friended each other on LiveJournal, where David provided one of my favorite weekly blog features, the Buffoon of the Week (BOW) Award, which was particularly enjoyable during the election year.

Speaking of which, the results of that election made me totally forget to post this interview on Tuesday, when his new book, The Horseman's Gambit, was actually released.

Sorry David! I hope this is the last time your books are upstaged by Change^TM.

( Side effects of clicking include fascination, entertainment, and, in excessive amounts, sore fingers. )

David B. Coe's personal website can be found at www.davidbcoe.com. He blogs with some regularity on both LiveJournal and WordPress, and he is part of the MagicalWords.Net writing blog with fellow fantasy authors Faith Hunter, Misty Massey, and C.E. Murphy. The Horsemen's Gambit, book II of his Blood of the Southlands trilogy, can be purchased through Amazon.com. (Release date: January 20, 2009)

Welcome back, all you lazy sods relaxed folk who took off the entire holiday season. Here's what you've almost missed:

My latest Aspect of Crow tie-in short story is now live in its entirety! All eight weekly chapters are posted on my publisher's site, so grab a cup of cocoa and read all of "Storm Reaper" at once.

- The first in a series of booze-soaked mutual interviews between Dante Baptiste and Ciara Griffin, along with a chance to win a signed copy of Adrian Phoenix's fabulous new release, In the Blood (and possibly an Amazon gift certificate, too!) You can read my review and find out more about the subsequent giveaways in the previous post.

- On Friday, Justin Gustainis gave us an entertaining look at The Future of Urban Fantasy. Comment on his post and enter to win his newest Quincey Morris Supernatural Investigations release, Evil Ways.

Now, for my 2009 goals. They're pretty much a knockoff of my 2008 goals, which I reviewed last week. The only difference is they're a little bit more attainable.

( Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to click LJ cuts. )

Overall, more writing and less not-writing, which makes everyone happier. And of course, much of 7-10 depends on #2 coming to pass. Hopefully I'll know about that in the next couple of months, and I'll shout it from the virtual rooftops if it happens.

What are your goals for this year? Are they like mine, simply tweaks and updates from last year, or are you doing a major overhaul of priorities? How do you measure your progress? Do you see goals as a chance to stretch yourself, or as a way to set yourself up for failure? Or both?

Have a great 2009! I'll see you back here next year! (Just kidding. I think I'll be back tomorrow with another guest, but I have to check with them.)

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Now playing: The Newlydeads - Cities In Dust

Today's guest blogger (oh, we've got lots more coming, so stay tuned, or at least the blog version of 'staying tuned') is Justin Gustainis, who visited us last year to tell us about his Quincy Morris Supernatural Investigation urban fantasy series, beginning with Black Magic Woman. Read on to find out how you can win a copy of his latest release, Evil Ways.

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The Future of Urban Fantasy
by Justin Gustainis

The start of a new year is often the time for prognostications, and I have decided to join the parade, get on the bandwagon, go with the flow, and generally embrace every cliché I can think of. Since urban fantasy is something I know a little about (I read it voraciously, and even write it occasionally), and because I have a number of important contacts in the publishing industry (several of who make more than minimum wage), I offer here my predictions of what we can expect to see in the urban fantasy field, in 2009 and beyond.

1. New occupations. Let’s face it, if you’re an urban fantasy protagonist, (hereafter UFP) you’ve gotta do something for a living. Not only does it give you a pretext for messing around in the weird shit, it also helps pay the expenses that inevitably come with the territory (the rising price of precious metals, for instance, means that silver bullets are increasingly becoming a luxury item). We’ve already got UFPs who are wizards, witches, disc jockeys, bounty hunters, waitresses, private detectives, exorcists, cops, secret agents, and mechanics. The writer’s ongoing struggle to find a new hook, a fresh face, and a nice three-book deal, means that we can soon expect to find at our local Barnes & Noble such characters as: Biff Buttcrack, Supernatural Plumber (“No clog too small, no monster too large”), Suzanne Menskowitz, Publicist of the Preternatural (her PR releases have meant the end to more than one evil being’s career), Murray Michaels, Occult Accountant (Just one spreadsheet error, Creatures of the Night, and he’s got you!) and Krystal von Hellsting, Paranormal Porn Star (who can instantly drain any vamp or werewolf of his, er, bloodlust).

2. New lifestyles. Many UFPs are more than human. Some are witches or wizards, with the ability to work magic; others are dhampires, powerful as vampires but resistant to sunlight; still others are werewolves, who can shapeshift with the best of them. In order to build a fan base, new writers are going to have to avoid these well-trod literary paths and come up with their own dual-nature UFPs. In 2009 we can expect to see books featuring werehamsters (those cheek pouches can hold a lot of wolfsbane), occult comedians (while you’re laughing at “Stake my wife – please!” they’ll drench you with holy water) and ghoulgles (half human-half ghoul creatures whose breath can repel a whole horde of enraged elves).

3. New weapons. Fresh supernatural challenges demand advances in occult weapons technology. In the future, UFPs will have access to “smart” invisibility cloaks, which will automatically make them disappear in the presence of demons, goblins, and Mary Kay sales reps; magically unflattering pants, which will guarantee that they will never appear on a book cover with their rears facing the reader, and supernatural staffs which, when the proper spell is cast, turn into solid dark chocolate – because, sometimes, you’ve just gotta have chocolate.

Will these predictions come true in the New Year? Only time, the desperation of publishers, and the tolerance of the reading public, will tell.

Happy New Year, everybody!

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Leave a comment or a question for Justin, or tell us your predictions for the future of urban fantasy (or books in general) between now and 11:59pm EST next Friday (January 9) to be automatically entered to win an autographed copy of his new release, Evil Ways. For simplicity's sake, please comment at my home page blog (this LJ post will be closed to comments).

If you don't have a Blogger account, just sign your name and be sure to either check back next week to see if you won, or leave a way to get in touch with you (signing your e-mail address not recommended, due to spam issues).

Since Dante Baptiste (of Adrian Phoenix’s A Rush of Wings and In the Blood) and Ciara Griffin (of Jeri Smith-Ready’s Wicked Game and the upcoming Bad to the Bone) are from two different worlds, it seemed likely (and sad) that they’d never meet.

But then the dimensional fabric between their worlds thinned for a brief time, so that they could share a few (okay, make that a lot of) drinks at the Bar Between the Universes (not to be confused with the Restaurant at the End of the Universe—the Bar only serves basic pub grub) and got to talking:

( You can't handle the click! )

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Well, that was, um, interesting. Anyway, leave a comment or a question for Ciara and/or Dante between now and 11:59pm EST next Wednesday (January 7) to be automatically entered to win an autographed copy of In the Blood. For simplicity's sake, please comment at my home page blog. (This LJ post is purposely closed to comments for that reason.)

And since I'm still skeptical about the level of people's internet engagement over the holidays, I'll throw in a $10 Amazon gift certificate if we reach 50 individual commenters (not counting Adrian/Dante and me/Ciara, of course), so you can buy another copy of ITB for a friend. That way you won't have to lend it out and get it back with coffee stains and cat-chewed cover corners.

If you don't have a Blogger account, no worries! Just sign your name and be sure to either check back next week to see if you won, or leave a way to get in touch with you (leaving an e-mail address not recommended, due to spam issues). An LJ username would be great.

Get an extra chance to win by friending Ciara or Dante on MySpace. Be sure to let them know you're entering the contest and what name you've commented under, so I know which commenter to assign the extra chances to. Clear as mud?

Happy New Year!

Hey everyone, hope you're having a great holiday season.

Just a quick reminder on a couple of drawings:

Comment on Monday's interview by the end of the day Sunday for a signed copy of Carrie Jones's Need, an Amazon gift certificate, and a special secret bonus.

Comment on my guest blog post at Paranormal Romance by Monday to enter to win a signed copy of one Aspect of Crow novel (winner's choice).

Urban fantasy author Justin Gustainis will be here next Friday to tell us about his new Quincy Morris novel, Evil Ways.  You can check out an exclusive extended excerpt over at BookSpot Central.

Have a great weekend!

It's currently nine degrees Fahrenheit here at our house, with winds of tropical storm strength, which makes it...(checks weather.com)...approximately...(subtracts five degrees for being outside of town)...hang on, running some numbers...(subtracts another ten for living on a hill)...Greenland.

Which is the perfect setup for the book I want to talk about (and give away!) today. Need is a brand-new young adult contemporary fantasy from Carrie Jones, and it's guaranteed to make you shiver. Not just because it's set in Maine, but because its bogeymen are not vampires or werewolves (though there are a few of the latter), but pixies.

( Click or regret it the rest of your life. )

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Give Carrie a question or a comment, or share your secret or not-so-secret phobia, over at my main blog (it accepts anonymous comments so just leave your LJ name so I can contact you if you win), and be automatically entered to win a signed hardcover copy of Need, as well as a supah-secret bonus surprise goody! (I am curious about the latter, too.)

And as a special not-so-secret bonus, if we get at least 25 unique commenters (not counting Carrie), I'll throw in a $15 Amazon gift card for the winner, so you can buy another copy of Need for a friend.

So come on, people, prove that someone out there is still reading blogs this holiday week! Contest closes next Sunday night at 11:59 eastern. Have a great week!

Another of my fellow SFNovelists, Diana Pharaoh Francis, is having a big release this week. I've heard phenomenal things about her work, so take a gander at her newest. I can't wait to delve into this series as soon as the deadline trolls release their death grip from my throat.

*ducks back into cave*

( Clicking: it's what's for dinner. )

11) How do people find out more about you and your novels?

First, thanks everyone for hanging out with me. I appreciate it. To buy the books, head over here to Mysterious Galaxy, Barnes and Noble , or Amazon. For more about me, a taste of the books, or random useful information, go to my website. Here’s a link for my blog, Mad Libs.

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The Mostly Debut Author interview series is back! Today's guest is AJ Menden, whose exciting debut novel, Phenomenal Girl 5, came out this Tuesday from Dorchester's innovative new Shomi line. AJ has generously agreed to give away one signed copy of her new book to one lucky commenter!

ParaNormal Romance reviews called PG5 "A phenomenal superhero romance, a brilliant debut!" and Romantic Times gave it 4.5 stars (which in RT-speak, is the best rating, because they don't do 5-star reviews anymore, for some obscure reason) and said, "This action romance gives readers an independent and very witty heroine who's sure to please -- not to mention one unique love triangle."

Read an excerpt here.

( Click for interview and ultra-sweet cover art! )


Leave a comment or question for AJ, or tell us which superpower you either already possess or would like to have, down there in the comments. One name will be drawn at random at 11:59pm eastern time on Wednesday, November 5 and announced here on Thursday. US entries only, please.

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

Good luck!

Are you left-brained, right-brained, or whole-brained? How does it affect your writing and editing process? 

Come take a Cognitive Style quiz on my main blog, leave a comment and be automatically entered to win a free lecture packet (a $20 value) from psychologist/writing instructor/guest blogger Margie Lawson.  I've taken all of her classes--Defeating Self-Defeating Behaviors, Deep Edits, and Empowering Character Emotions--and they've helped my writing immeasurably.

Specifically, the latter two have helped my actual craft; the first one helped me sit my butt down and get things done, without which the craft couldn't happen.

I did one of the classes on my own, just using the lecture packet I purchased for $20 off Margie's website.  Since I'm really really bad at keeping up with online classes (my participation usually consists of my introduction to the group followed by a month of total silence), the lecture packet was a great way for me to get the information and complete the course at my own erratic and maverick-y pace.

So please stop by and leave a comment. You don't have to have a Blogger account to participate--just check Anonymous and mention your LJ username at the bottom of your comment so if you win I can get in touch with you.  Comments will be taken until Wednesday at 11:59pm eastern time.

Gotta go polish "Storm Reaper" so I can turn it in by 5.  See ya!

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Now playing: Remember Us - 300 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
via FoxyTunes   

Here's a series I've been wanting to get my hands on for a long time. I've never met Kat but I've heard from reliable sources that she's really sweet and gives great panel.

Quick reminder: I'll be at the Author Extravaganza in beautiful Cumberland, MD, tomorrow from 11-3 at the Country Club Mall. Click here for directions. Hope to see you there!


Kat Richardson is the author of the Greywalker paranormal detective series. UNDERGROUND, the third book in the series, will be out August 5--it's her first hardbound book and she's very excited about it. You can learn more about Kat and her books by visiting her website or blogs (katrich.wordpress.com or katatomic.livejournal.com).

( Clicking fights cavities! )

This week I'm featuring interviews with two authors from my SFNovelists group. The first is Gregory Frost, fantasy author extraordinaire. I loved his take on the Bluebeard legend, FITCHER'S BRIDE. It was fascinating and absolutely riveting, and I would tell you more if I could a) remember specifics about books years after I read them and b) write a coherent book review. Regardless, Frost is definitely an author to keep your eye on, even if he never writes a frickin' vampire story.

( Read more. )

The lucky winner of the signed copy of Jackie Kessler's Hotter Than Hell is...Lina! Yay! Lina, send your mailing address to jeri AT jerismithready DOT com, and I'll pass it on to Jackie.

Everyone else, go buy the book (you won't be sorry), and be sure to stop by at the beginning of next month for a chance to win Jackie's debut novel Hell's Belles, the first in the Hell on Earth series. EDITED TO ADD: Check out Jezebel's amusing interview with her former squeeze Daunaun on the Cat and Muse blog.

And now for something a wee bit different.

Backstory: I first met author Victoria Dahl on a comment thread on the Smart Bitches, um, literary discourse blog. She said something fascinating and witty, I replied in a comment, and she e-mailed me for further bitchery discussion on the topic. Or maybe it was the other way around. Anyway, it was Like Minds from the beginning. We finally met in person at last year's RWA Nationals--again, thanks to Smart Bitch Candy. Vicki and her awesome critique partner Jennifer Echols (who writes amazing and funny young adult novels) and I proceeded to close the bar. It was definitely one of the highlights of the conference for me.



If you could tell a stranger just one thing about A RAKE'S GUIDE TO PLEASURE (other than what it's about--no cheating by quoting synopses or back cover blurbs), what would it be?

It’s dirty. And sad. Is that two things? It’s porniliciously poignant. It’s porngnant.


Leave a comment or question for Vicki, or tell us one naughty thing you've done (or wish you'd done), down there in the comments to enter to win a signed copy of Rake's Guide. One name will be drawn at random at 11:59pm eastern time on Thursday, August 7 and announced here on Friday. US/Canada entries only, please.

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

Good luck!