Monday, September 13, 2010

A bulleted list of updates

•I have publication dates for all three books now:
HOUNDED, April 26, 2011
HEXED, May 24, 2011
HAMMERED, June 28, 2011

•In super-duper-happy-mega-big-jumbo news, I'm getting ultra-spiffy, full-color, finished-art ARE's (Advanced Reader Editions)! Normally ARE's are sent out with generic covers on them; they say the author's name, the title of the book, and then there's a nice houndstooth pattern or some diamonds or whatnot to look at, nothing more. Full-bore ARE's are supposed to indicate the publisher is really behind the book, thinks it will do well, etc. so I'm extremely grateful and lucky to have the coolest editor evah. But it also means I'll get to see some cover art a bit sooner than I thought! If you cannot feel my excitement pouring through the pixels at your eyeballs right now, then you are extraordinarily stable to the point of Stoicism! Squeeee! There. That did it. You're excited now too!

•Whoa! I got my first fan mail! A relative of my alpha reader wrote me a very nice note after he finished reading HEXED. Completely made my week. Here's a snippet:
The last fight scene was epic! I could picture it exactly--it was very easy to follow what was happening...I've read other books where I just get lost in the various battle sequences and I just end up skipping pages.  Boo to them.  You, sir, know what you're doing.  Kudos.
Wasn't that sweet? He said a lot of very nice things, but that bit made me all warm and fuzzy inside because fight scenes are extremely difficult for me to write. I count that as  high praise indeed. Thanks, Mike R!

•Possessed by whimsy, a couple of my friends are doing a parody of Beyonce's "Single Ladies" video with me. We are all giant men. We won't be wearing spandex or leotards because we're trying to induce laughter rather than vomiting. Can't wait to get it all shot and edited...we did the first part today, and it was quite a hoot!

•Getting into The Scarlet Letter with the kids at school. The Romantic writing style is a bear, but the story is first-class soap opera, man. And Roger Chillingworth is the most cold-blooded villain ever. Dude  creeps me out. I've had nightmares, because he just never gives up. And it's funny how some adults have heard we're reading it and they're instantly down on it. "HATED IT!" they say. Well, it's only because they're still having nightmares about Roger F-ing Chillingworth. I mean, if you give Darth Vader, Freddy Kreuger, and Roger Chillingworth each a planet of people to make miserable, first one to make 'em all go insane wins, Roger F-ing Chillingworth will win. He is a master of mental torture. Puritan Guilt: It's What's For Dinner!

7 comments:

  1. Fan mail! Awesome. Seeing your first ARE must also be fantastic. You are threatening to have the rest of your life never be able to measure up to this period right here!

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  2. Publication dates and pre-pub fan mail...how wonderful!

    I'm glossing over the Single Ladies remake because, honestly, that's freaking me out a little bit.

    But, I think that you need to do reviews of required reading classics, because your assessment of The Scarlet Letter is hysterical. I'm considering reading (or re-reading, I can't remember) based on your, shall we say, enthusiastic assessment.

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  3. Thanks you two! :)

    And I'm serious about Roger F-ing Chillingworth. Freddy and Darth, they're one-trick ponies with a special weapon. What's Freddy going to do? Slice you up. What's Darth going to do? Choke you or slice you up. But with Roger F-ing Chillingworth you DON'T KNOW what he's going to lay down on you, except it's going to drive you to such mental anguish that you'd wish he'd slice you up. Skip Chapter 1 and dive in with Chapter 2 is my advice. :)

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  4. EXCELLENT news about the Advanced Reader Editions! I am on the edge of my seat waiting to see what your covers look like! Any chance that you'll be hosting a contest or giveaway for some lucky followers? :)

    I think they're doing a pretend remake of the Scarlet Letter, teen movie style-- I can't be entirely sure because I've never read it, but since the trailer says they're reading the book in school, and the Leading Lady paints a red A on her clothes, I'm thinking that's probably a sign that hollywood is playing with the book. I think it's called EASY A, but I don't know when it's supposed to be out...

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  5. Yes, I have heard murmurs of this in my class as well. Think it's coming out soon...I will have to check it out. :)

    If I wind up having copies to give away, I will hold a contest for sure! But I haven't even asked if I get an ARE for myself or not. I know I'm supposed to get author copies of the final book, but I can't recall if I'm entitled to ARE's.

    And, um, guess what! Since my post, I've seen early drafts of my covers! They are in the process of tweaking little details, but they're going to look awesome! They've captured Atticus very well! Squee!

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  6. Oh man, what a tease if they don't give you a copy! I'll keep my fingers crossed that you do :) GREAT news about the cover! Sounds like you are in good hands with your publisher (possible ARE withholding aside :P).

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  7. I am in the very best of hands. They are completely awesome; they value my feedback and are hugely supportive. And I'm sure I'll get an ARE, I just don't know if I'll have extras to give away. If I only get one, I'm keeping it. ;)

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