At long last a LiveJournal by Jeri Smith-Ready

Great news for Kindle lovers: Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone are finally available for your cherished device!

Other electronic formats should be available shortly, and of course I'll let you know when that happens. Or you can let me know, if you see it first.

The third book in the WVMP Radio series, Bring on the Night, will be released on August 1, 2010. I know, it's a long time after Bad to the Bone, but the good news is that the fourth book, tentatively titled Lust for Life, will be released six months later, in Spring 2011. So your patience will be rewarded! They'll also all be in mass market paperback (and so will Bad to the Bone as of February 23, 2010), so your wallet will thank you, too.

The change in schedule is due to the release of my first young adult novel, Shade, on May 18, 2010. My publisher wants to space out the releases so they don't compete with each other and so I don't, you know, go insane.

Actually, you don't have to do one to do the other. That's why this is a great country.

Jocelynn Drake's fabulous ongoing book giveaway contest continues this week with Wicked Game. The contest runs through Saturday, then Sunday she'll announce the winner post an interview with me. All you have to do is comment at her contest post to enter.

Got that? OK, now you may see the kitten (click for larger, cuter version):

Sorry, not at the same time.

But today and tomorrow you can comment at the blog of phenomenal NY Times bestselling urban fantasy author Jocelynn Drake to win a signed copy of Bad to the Bone. Go forth!

Next Saturday I'll be at the Waldenbooks at the Lebanon Valley Mall in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Not just me, and not just signing (not that there's anything wrong with just me just signing): from 10-11am, I'll be on a discussion panel on How to Get Published with fellow authors Megan Hart, Mindy Klasky, Savannah Russe, and Maria V. Snyder.

Then from 11am to 4pm I'll be signing, along with the above four authors and many others who write for all ages in all genres (quick note: if you want to see Megan, come before noon).

EDITED TO ADD: Twenty percent of all the day's proceeds go to benefit the Lebanon Library.  How cool is that?

Hope to see you there!

I'm back! Bring on the Night is finished and turned in. Forks sticking out of it and everything. I am very happy with how it's turned out so far (realizing, of course, that I am in for the usual massive rewrite). For the second book in a row, I came up with an ending that changed almost everything I thought was true about its sequel. All part of the adventure, right?

Anyway, appearing today at Stephanie Kuehnert's blog, "Life, Words, & Rock 'n' Roll," is the hero of my WVMP Radio urban fantasy series, vampire DJ Shane McAllister (why I feel like I need to keep introducing him to you is beyond me. But you might be new, so hi!).

Shane is sharing his "ballad," a story of a pivotal point in his life and the music that formed the background, or, in his case, the foreground. It's all part of Stephanie's cyber-launch party celebrating the release of her amazing new novel, Ballads of Suburbia (which I talked about a few weeks ago).

Shane discusses how seeing Purple Rain changed his life, and not in the way he planned.  If you leave a comment at Stephanie's blog, you can be entered to win a choice of Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone (signed, of course), or $20 worth of WVMP merchandise (new stuff added recently, including dog T-shirts and "Feed the Need" baby bibs).

Only three weeks until my next deadline (revisions for Shade), and loads of e-mail, etc., to catch up on before I go all hermit again. We should be getting our first foster cat either this week or next, so I'll have fun stories about her. In the meantime, go visit Twinkle's page and say, "Aww!"

I think as of this morning, I'm finally caught up on sleep!  Yay!  I need the brain clarity, since Bring on the Night is due in a week (technically next Saturday), and I have a lot of plot work to do.  Little things, like what the hell does the villain want? 

Also, for the first time I am finding it a major inconvenience that the vampires can't go out during the day. The timeline for Bring on the Night is so tight, and events happen so quickly, it's hard to wait for sunset to get stuff done.  But I'll work it out eventually; somehow I always do. (Of course, with every book comes the fear that this time the plot will kick my ass instead of the other way around.)

Anyway, today two blogs are interviewing me (luckily with mostly different questions), and each of them are giving away a signed copy of any of my books.  Winner gets to choose from my vast library of published work. (OK, maybe not that vast.)

At the first one, Smexy Books asks you to answer the question, "Kick Ass Chick or TSTL?"  Since TSTL stands for Too Stupid to Live, it seems kinda like a "Cake or Death?" question to me.  But whatever.  Just go leave a comment to enter.

Then over at Star-Crossed Romance, you can find out Ciara's all-time favorite song (it might surprise you) and a little bit more about my YA series.  Leave a comment to enter to win any of my books, signed and personalized by me!

I might drop in next week if I have any major news (well, I have major news, but I'm sort of saving it for an awards round-up post next month), but otherwise I'll be trying to finish Bring on the Night.  Wish me luck and much caffeine!

At ALA now (actually, I'm writing this before I leave, but let's pretend). When I return home more than a week from now, I have ten days to finish the third WVMP book, which is now officially titled....


after the song by The Police.



I am very jazzed that they let me keep my original choice for the title, as it fits the storyline even better than the titles of my other books.

Bring on the Night still has no official release date. I only know for sure that it will be 2010 and definitely not May, because that's when my teen fiction debut, Shade, will be released. Since publishers like to space an author's books at least a couple of months apart, I expect BotN to come out somewhere between July and September of next year.

I know, it's cruel to make readers wait more than a year between installments, but the good news is, your patience will be rewarded, because Book 4 (tentatively titled Lust for Life) will be released in Spring 2011 (I'm guessing February or March), thus giving you two WVMP books in about six months. Happy times!

This ramped-up publishing schedule means my writing schedule has also gotten busier, but I promise I won't forget my loyal blog readers (both of you). I have a fun event planned for this September to celebrate my five-year blog-iversary.

Stay tuned!

Have a great weekend!

Ciara and Shane from Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone were interviewed over at Amberkatze's Book Blog, where Amber is generously giving away a copy of YOUR CHOICE of any of my books. I will send to the winner:

a) a signed bookplate--the next best thing to an autographed book
b) a signed coverflat of Bad to the Bone
c) a cool little metal bookmark engraved with a paw print and quote about dogs (or cats, if you prefer):

Because Bad to the Bone has animals and it's, you know, a book.

This is Shane and Ciara's first joint public appearance. The contest runs until July 3 (that's next Friday). Enjoy!

Quick reminder: I'll be at Constellation Books at 303 Main Street in Reisterstown, Maryland, tomorrow 3-5pm.  There'll be a reading, signing, discussion, and most important--cookies.

Last night I went to a book club meeting in Central PA where they were discussing Wicked Game.  I had a ton of fun (and pizza)--it was great hearing everyone's thoughts on the characters.  Really motivated me to keep writing!

If you have a book club in the mid-Atlantic area (within a reasonable drive of my house) and would like me to visit your book club, let me know.  I'm also available to talk to book clubs over the phone (within the U.S.) or Skype (anywhere in the world).

As an aside, on the way up I heard The Killers' "Read My Mind," which is one of the first songs on the Wicked Game playlist.  It made me "homesick" for the beginning of that book, when Shane and Ciara had just met. Things were so simple then.  I'm working on Book 3 now, which takes place three years after their story began in Wicked Game.  They're still together (and always will be), but their world has grown a lot more complicated.  Such is the nature of a series where characters change and grow and make bargains with paranormal paramilitary organizations.

Anyway, there's a fun interview of Shane from the WVMP books over at Jackie Kessler's Cat and Muse blog.  Our boy managed to keep out of the clutches of that former(ish) succubus Jezebel. A testament to his devotion to Ciara, or maybe Jez just isn't his type.  He'll never tell.

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Now playing: Kasabian - Reason Is Treason
via FoxyTunes   

Just a quick reminder that I'll be at Petsage, the wonderful holistic pet supply store in Alexandria, Virginia, tomorrow from 11:30am to 1pm.  We're starting with some refreshments and a social half hour, then I'll do a reading and Q&A about writing and dog rescue, and then the book signing.

Yes, a pet supply store, not a bookstore.  I did an event there a few years ago, after the manager read my Aspect of Crow  series and thought her friends and customers would enjoy the animal magic in those books. 

Now, of course, there's Dexter the vampire dog in Bad to the Bone. Ciara herself is involved in dog rescue as a sponsor (people who pay for shelter dogs to move to private kennels to get them out of the shelter and make room for other pets; and who often teach the dogs manners to make them more adoptable).

I know this is late notice, but I hope you can make it!

What could these possibly have in common? More than you think (unless you're thinking, "Quite a lot," in which case, it's not more than you think).

I wrote an essay about writers and workaholism over at SF Novelists. I think I've already made the First Step by acknowledging I have a problem (the other Eleven Steps are kinda yucky, so I'm stopping there).

At Patricia's Vampire Notes, I expound on vampires and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, which is so central to my WVMP Radio urban fantasy series, I can't believe I haven't blogged about it before. Duh. Comment to enter to win a signed copy of Bad to the Bone.

Don't forget, you have through Friday to enter to win a copy of Danielle Joseph's Shrinking Violet, the film rights for which were just bought by the Disney Channel. Big congrats to Danielle!

Starting to crawl out of my post-deadline cave (it's even messier than the deadline cave) and hope to start blogging again on a regular basis, at least for the next few weeks.

Today I'm guest-blogging at Silk & Shadows, the group blog of several wonderful paranormal romance/urban fantasy authors, including jessaslade. I was honored to read her upcoming debut novel Seduced by Shadows for a cover quote. I had great difficulty finding the words to describe how much I loved it without using the phrase "OMFG!!", but I managed:

SEDUCED BY SHADOWS blew me away! Sera and Archer won my heart at first glance. Slade creates a beyond-life-or-death struggle for love and redemption in a chilling, complex, and utterly believable world--one I can't wait to return to again and again.

It's coming out October 6, and you must Must MUST read it. It features demons and angels battling it out here on earth, but also a separate group in between, the humans possessed by teshuva, repentant demons who are attempting to escape eternal damnation by fighting the really bad demons (djinn, ferales, and malice, to name a few). It's freaking awesome.

So anyway, speaking of other people's books, today at Silk and Shadows I'm talking about my favorite childhood book (the blog's topic of the week). You won't be the least bit surprised what it is. Leave a comment and enter to win a signed copy of Bad to the Bone. If you already have your copy, give it as a gift!  Hope to see you there.

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Now playing: Cake - Haze Of Love
via FoxyTunes

Wicked Game made the finals for the 2009 PRISM award, given by the Fantasy, Futuristic, and Paranormal chapter (FF&P) of Romance Writers of America.

Wicked Game finaled in the Light Paranormal category. I am thrilled to be nominated with two very funny books, and because they are so good, I predict I shall bring home my third 3rd-place PRISM certificate (after Eyes of Crow and Voice of Crow in the Fantasy category).

And then...with three sets of 3, I shall achieve divinity. Or Nirvana. Or at least a free drink and some lovely hors d'oeuvres.

Here are all the 2009 PRISM finalists, in alphabetical order within each category. Giant happy congrats to everyone!:

( Begin official announcement: )

End official announcement. Commencing cartwheels.


*this gorgeous little pyramid, which yes, I totally covet

I'm guest-blogging over at Witchy Chicks today, about escapism in urban fantasy versus traditional fantasy, riffing off my world-building post from a few weeks ago.

Come comment to win a signed copy of that book that just came out. You know the one. (badtothebone) Even if you already have a copy, come comment so that my friends over there will think I'm cool.

Also, because I'm what in high school we used to call a dorkus maximus, I forgot to include the link to yesterday's Women Who Rock interview with Ciara. Ms. Griffin herself will be available to answer questions all week, and therein also lies a chance to win a signed copy of (badtothebone).

Hope to see you there, or at Balticon this weekend! If not, enjoy your long weekend (if you're American, and if not, enjoy your regular-size weekend).

There's a fun excerpt from Bad to the Bone over at Book Roast today, where you can enter to win a signed copy of said book by reading about how Ciara met Dexter the vampire dog and answering a fun question. It's a great site, with book giveaways most days of the week. The contest runs today only, so getcherself over there and say hi.

Speaking of the vivacious and loquacious Ciara Griffin, she was interviewed by one of my favorite authors and people, Stephanie Kuehnert (who wrote last year's I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone (click that link for my review) and whose upcoming novel, Ballads of Suburbia, I just started and it's somehow even BETTER than her first).

Stephanie has a regular feature called Women Who Rock Wednesday, where she interviews authors, musicians, and other fabulous females. I think Ciara is the first person she's interviewed who doesn't actually exist (not that you can tell by her Twitter account).

Anyway, go make Ciara feel special. Not that she doesn't already.

Today would have been the fifty-eighth birthday of Jeffrey Ross Hyman, better known as Joey Ramone, had the world not lost him to lymphoma in 2001. (By the way, if you're in New York City, there's a Birthday Bash for Joey tonight at the Filmore--click on that link for details.)

I bring up The Ramones to highlight an aspect of Bad to the Bone I haven't discussed much, what with all the attention on vampires and dogs and, well, vampire dogs.

The music.

Like Wicked Game, Bad to the Bone is steeped in rock 'n' roll. It plays an integral part, not only for the characters' internal wellness, but in the plot itself. Songs are used to send messages, including a life-saving one, when our heroine Ciara is in the worst jeopardy.

(Speaking of music, before I forget, Shane McAllister will be live-tweeting the rebroadcast of his "Whatever" radio show tonight from 6-9pm Eastern in honor of Bad to the Bone's release. Stop by if you want to see what he plays and what he says about it.)

( Click for playlists and ramblies on the past, present, future of punk. )

Enough musing. I hope you enjoy Bad to the Bone (which by the way comes out today). Drop me a line and let me know what you think, okay?

I'm doing the Freaky Friday feature this week at Bitten By Books. As you might imagine, things get a little odd:

The apocalypse must be nigh, because not only are dogs and cats living together, they’re now interviewing each other! Dexter, the canine vampire hero from Jeri Smith-Ready’s Bad to the Bone will sit down (or maybe lie down if he gets tired) with his feline friend Antoine. They’ll discuss what it’s like to live with adventure-prone humans (the living and the undead), the best ways to beg for supper, and which end of a dead rodent to save for last.

So hop on over and ask questions of Dexter, Antoine, or any of the human (living or undead) WVMP gang. One lucky winner will get an autographed set of Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone, and another commenter will win a $25.00 gift card to PetSmart or Petco (winner’s choice).

You gotta help me, baby
I can't do it all by myself.
--"Help Me," Sonny Boy Williamson

As I mentioned yesterday, I'm hard at work finishing the first in my young adult urban fantasy series (due June 1). This means I don't have as much time and energy as I'd like to promote the release of Bad to the Bone.

That's where you come in. I'm holding another Spread-the Word contest. The first one worked so well, the mass market of Wicked Game has gone back for a second printing, thus proving that you all rock!

( Clicking twice a day prevents cavities and guarantees fresh breath! )


Prizes:

1. A gift certificate to the bookstore of your choice. Amazon, B&N, Powell's, or the indie bookstore down the street (assuming they offer gift certificates).

The amount of the gift card depends on how many people enter. If 25 people enter, it'll be worth $25. If 100 people enter, it'll be worth $100. Like a raffle. So if you feel lucky, tell your friends to enter, too. Sweeten the pot! (The winner of the last Spread-the-Word contest got a $50 Amazon gift certificate. Let's see if we can beat that record!)

AND...

2. Any item from the WVMP Lifeblood of Rock 'n' Roll store, up to a $25 value. I am told that more items will be added by the end of the contest period, including plus-size shirts, doggie T-shirts, and Feed the Need baby bibs.

Deadline: May 31

Thanks a million for your support and enthusiasm. Now go be BAD!

I'm feeling strangely zen about the release of Bad to the Bone, maybe because I still don't know whether it officially comes out Saturday or next Tuesday. (Regardless, it's already shipping from Amazon and Barnes & Noble.)

Or maybe because I'm completely absorbed in writing the first in my YA series, more big news of which I'll have on Friday.

Or maybe I've matured to the point where I realize that I've done everything I can to write a good book, and the rest will just have to take care of itself. Shyeah, right.

A few tidbits on Bad to the Bone's release:

1. It was blurbed by the lovely Joyce Ann on Publishers Weekly's Beyond Her Book blog this morning.

2. I'll be signing copies of it for the first time at Borders in Winchester, VA, this Saturday, 2-4pm. All my other books should be on sale there as well.

3. I'm doing the Freaky Friday feature this week at Bitten By Books:

The apocalypse must be nigh, because not only are dogs and cats living together, they’re now interviewing each other! Dexter, the canine vampire hero from Jeri Smith-Ready’s Bad to the Bone will sit down (or maybe lie down if he gets tired) with his feline friend Antoine. They’ll discuss what it’s like to live with adventure-prone humans (the living and the undead), the best ways to beg for supper, and which end of a dead rodent to save for last.

As an added bonus Jeri is offering up a couple of great prizes! One Autographed set of Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone plus a 2nd prize for another lucky reader. A $25.00 gift card to PetSmart or Petco (winner’s choice). Contest is open to readers worldwide!

4. My quarterly newsletter will be going out this week, and two subscribers will win signed copies of guess which book? Signup boxes are on every page of my website.

5. I'll have another Spread-the-Word contest beginning tomorrow and running until the end of the month. The helpful person who won the last contest got a $50 Amazon gift certificate. Not bad, eh? I could definitely use some help getting the word out about Bad to the Bone, because my next book is due June 1. Ack!

And with that, it's back to work.

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!

I'll be at a book event most of the day today, but you can visit a version of me (the version who wrote my guest blog post last night) over at Desert Island Keepers.

Today I'm discussing Dexter, the canine hero of Bad to the Bone. Go learn some of his basic stats (hint: his batting average sucks) and enter to win a pair of signed WVMP Radio books (that would be Wicked Game and Bad to the Bone). Tell us about your pets!