ECHOES OF THE DEAD CONTEST...

One of the things I love about writing Violet’s ability is coming up with the echoes of the dead because I can let my imagination run wild. I literally have lists of ideas, and I’ll write them down on anything: scraps of paper, receipts, my hand, depending on where I am when inspiration strikes. The best part, they’re totally random!

Some are better than others, like: Brain-freeze

And others…maybe not so good, like: Cat breath

Usually, I just come across something in my everyday life that, for whatever reason, has an impact. Like the smell of sunscreen, which triggers these great childhood memories of hot summer days, Popsicles, and swimming pools with too much chlorine.

Will these “echoes” actually make it into the books? Who knows. (Okay, cat breath…probably not.) But I love the randomness of them.

So here’s what I want from you (you knew this was coming, didn’t you???), I want to know what echoes you can come up with. Be serious or be ridiculous. Be succinct or long-winded. I don’t care, just be creative!

The Echoes of the Dead Contest will run until Feb. 10th, when I will choose one random winner to receive a signed, FINISHED copy of Desires of the Dead along with this brand-spanking-new Desires of the Dead cinch bag!

AND! I may just use one of your “echoes” in an upcoming book!

C'mon, you know you wanna!!!!

Look What UPS Brought...

The very first DESIRES OF THE DEAD hardcover I've held!

And I think I'm in love...


FOR REALZ...


Pink is the new blue.

I'm just sayin'.

OMG! MY BOOKS HAVE THEIR OWN SONG!!!!!

I am excruciatingly jealous of those who are musically talented. If you can sing, play an instrument, write a song, create a beat, whatever, I’m a fan! I was the girl who spent countless hours of my childhood singing no-so-shamelessly into my hairbrush and desperately wishing that I could be “Hopelessly Devoted” to John Travolta.

Now, not only am I a hardcore Gleek, but my DVR is filling up with American Idol (despite the shake up at the judges table) just so I can watch as brilliant young singers are plucked from obscurity. Secretly, I imagine what it would be like if I were the one standing on the stage in front of millions.

So when my blogger friend DJ sent me this song that he composed, played, AND sang, I was beyond floored. Not only is it incredibly beautiful and haunting, but he wrote it for MY BOOK!!!

Seriously, I’m awed. Thank you, DJ!




Echo

Please hear me
I'm calling to you
I'm cold now
And oh, so broken

Help me...
Save me...

Please take me
Away from this place
Do you see me?
Do you feel me now?

Help me...
Save me...

These echoes
They'll live on forever
Please listen
We're calling to you

DESIRES OF THE DEAD T-shirts!

Remember those sweet TBF t-shirts that everyone wore at last year’s launch party??? Well this year, the company that did them for us is making the all-new DESIRES OF THE DEAD t-shirts available to the public!

Here they are (Pretend I hired a professional model instead of this 9-year-old amateur who doesn't know she should be hiding her hands and legs. That, or that I'm better at Photo Shop.) :






















And here are the deets:

$9.56 (including sales tax) for the black, short-sleeved shirts. Standard sizes are Youth S-XL; Women S-XL; Men S-XL (for larger sizes, just add $2.00 for each X beyond XL).

They also have these great cinch bags for $5.75 including tax. Super cute, aren’t they???















U.S. Shipping is $2.00. (If you’re international, you’ll need to contact the store to make arrangements with them.)

To order, you can either email (sportsconnection@comcast.net) or call (253-891-1677) the Sports Connection in Bonney Lake, WA.

UPDATE!

Also Available:

Women's Baby Doll tees are available in Junior sizes S-4XL and they're $15.00 (incl. tax) for S-XL. Add $2.00 for each additional X.

Black Hoodies are available Unisex S-XL for $23.50 (incl tax) and go up to 3XL, but each additional X is $2.00.

Let's Talk Books, Shall We???

I was sitting here thinking about all of the incredible books coming out this year--some that I’ve read and some that I haven’t--when I decided to put together a wish-list post!

So here are (just a few of) the books I’m most looking forward to in the next few months:

BOOKS I’VE ALREADY READ (AND WHY YOU SHOULD READ THEM):

GRAVEMINDER by Melissa Marr, May 17th (HarperCollins): Marr’s adult debut is a gothic horror that gives Stephen King (and we all know how much I loooooove Stephen King!) a run for his money. Its multi-layered, multi-dimensional story revolves around a small town bound by an age-old curse. I could NOT put this one down! And it’s written by Melissa Marr…need I say more???

A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL by Suzanne Young, June 21st (Balzer & Bray): A totally different twist on angel lore, Charlotte is one of the Forgotten, a kind of angel on earth. This uber-fast-paced thrill ride had me flipping the pages (or rather, scrolling down, since I read it on my computer) faster than I could keep up. Young’s writing—and Charlotte’s story—completely sucked me in. I’m still thinking about this one.

LIAR SOCIETY by Lisa and Laura Roecker, March 1st (Sourcebooks): These ladies can write! This was another page-turner. It has a private school with secret societies, a ginger-haired, conspiracy theorist neighbor, and a dead best friend sending emails from the grave! LOVELOVELOVED IT!

DESIRES OF THE DEAD by...well...me, February 15th (HarperCollins): Sorry…I just had to…




BOOKS I HAVE THAT ARE JUST BEGGING TO BE READ:

ANGELFIRE by Courtney Allison Moulton, February 15th (Katherine Tegan Books): This is next on my reading list. Tough girl, hot boys, sword fights, and demons…what more could I ask for???

THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES by Carrie Ryan, March 22nd (Delacorte): Because it’s the third book in The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy. And it’s Carrie Ryan. Doesn’t that say it all?

DIVERGENT by Veronica Roth, May 3rd (Katherine Tegan Books): I’m actually still waiting to get my copy back from a friend, but I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about this book. Apparently it’s dark and gritty and action-packed…just the way I like ‘em. Plus, Veronica’s totally adorable in real life. I can’t wait to read it!

BLOOD RED ROAD by Moira Young, June 7th (Simon & Schuster/Margaret K McElderry): Okay, so I don’t technically HAVE this one yet, but I’ve heard it’s on its way. (I really hope it’s on its way!!!!)




BOOKS THAT I DON’T HAVE BUT WOULD GIVE A KIDNEY FOR:

THE VESPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell, March 7th (Harcourt): Okay, maybe I’m a bit biased because I LOVED Mitchell’s debut, Shadowed Summer, and I can’t imagine she’ll let me down with this tale of grifters, prophecies, and forbidden romance. Plus, look at that GORGEOUS cover!!! *want*

THE DAY BEFORE by Lisa Schroeder, June 28th (Simon Pulse): Another of my fave authors and another HAWT cover! If you haven’t read Lisa’s books, you should totally remedy that. Now!

CRYER’S CROSS by Lisa McMann, February 8th (Simon Pulse): I mean, you know she wrote WAKE, right? A small town with deep, dark secrets, a missing girl, ghosts (!), and an OCD protag! How could you NOT want to read Cryer’s Cross???

POSSESSION by Elana Johnson, June 7th (Simon & Schuster): Another dystopic thriller that I’ve heard good early buzz about! Plus, do I have to say it…I adore that cover!!!



Can I just say that 2011 is going to be a kick-ass reading year??? And just so you know, there are about a gazillion other books that I’m looking forward to, these are just the ones my coffee-deprived mind could come up with this morning.

So, what upcoming books would you recommend? And what books are you most looking forward to?


Oh...and P.S. (Because it might not be freaking you out, but it is me…) Check out that countdown clock! Are you kidding me??? Only 21 days until Desires of the Dead hits stores**.

21 DAYS, people!!!

**Also, the paperback version of THE BODY FINDER, in case you’ve been waiting...

A Good Sport...

My kids got saddled with a mom who loves the whole dressing up thing, so when my daughter told me at breakfast (yeah, she gave me THAT MUCH notice!) that today was Sports Day at school, this is what she got:



Not sure exactly which sport she was supposed to be representin' but she rocked the look anyway!

PICTURE POST: HarperTeen's Dark Days of Winter, Seattle Stop!!!

Yesterday was HarperTeen's second stop in the Dark Days of Winter Tour, and HOLY SNAP! what an awesome turnout, Seattle!

Here's Cynthia Hand, me, and Ellen Schreiber introducing ourselves:



My daughter (our Staff Photog) kept taking pics of the backs of our heads, so Cynthia and I caught her in the act:


Our official photographer (aka. my nine-year-old daughter):


Ellen, Cynthia, Candace from Candace's Book Blog who came to the event to live Tweet, blog, and interview us for HarperTeen (Thanks, Candace!), and me:

And my new favorite fan (yes, I mean the puppy!):


Thanks so much to the folks at BORDERS in Redmond, the event was fantastic!

And, seriously, I can't wait see those of you in (or anywhere near!) Chicago, Minneapolis, and Miami in March for the rest of the Dark Days of Winter stops!!!

Do They Have To Grow Up???

My oldest daughter is graduating from college this year. She’s always been uber-practical, starting her 401K when she was 19 and then staying at the same company while going to school (because, of course, she wasn't fully vested yet). She works long hours after school and then stays up late so she can study. She’s that person who goes to work even when she’s sick. And, on top of all that, she still makes the Dean’s List.

Kinda the exact opposite of me at her age.

Last month, at just 23 years old, she bought her first house:


And yesterday, this was finally delivered:


(For some reason, the fridge makes it all feel so…official.)

Can you tell I’m excited for her? And proud???

Wait till you see her graduation post.

I’m sure it’ll be long...and gushy. And there will definitely be tears.

Bribes, News, and Friday Five...

First, I just want to remind you guys that I'll be at the Dark Days of Winter stop tomorrow with authors Cynthia Hand and Ellen Schreiber at the BORDERS in Redmond, WA at 2:00PM!!! I'm still trying to figure out a clever way to give away the extra ARC of DESIRES OF THE DEAD that I picked up at the ALA last weekend, but someone will definitely be getting it, so if you're in the area....

Also, I just learned that THE BODY FINDER made YALSA's 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults list. Can I just say: YAY libraries!!!!

And to round things out, my Friday Five:

1) My daughter asked me to autograph her bookmark from: "Mommy/Kimberly Derting" That was...weird.

2) On Monday, I got back from a writing retreat with some of my favorite YA authors, where we ate, drank, talked a lot, and brainstormed plots. Oh, yeah, we did some writing too. I'm so ready to do it again...

3) I'm reading Melissa Marr's upcoming adult debut GRAVEMINDER right now, and it is SO EFFING AWESOME!!! Seriously, she makes me feel like a hack.

4) Yesterday I was cleaning the hamster's cage so I let the hamster run around in his little ball. When my daughter came home from school she freaked out because I'd forgotten about him (it had only been an hour!), and she scolded me: "When I'm at school, he's YOUR responsibility!" (Duly noted.)

5) On Wednesday, my friend LK Madigan (Lisa) publicly shared the news of her Stage IV pancreatic cancer. I cried when I first heard the diagnosis, and I cried again when she posted about it publicly. I will probably be crying again and again as she struggles down this road. Right now, she can use all the good wishes you send her way.

THIS IS IT....

The official trailer for DESIRES OF THE DEAD...

...drumroll please...






The amazing Vania, who also produced The Body Finder trailer (along with about a zillion other fab trailers!), did this one too, and I LURVE IT!!!! I think she's outdone herself!

So? What do you guys think???????

DESIRES OF THE DEAD Launch Partaayyyyyy!!!!

So, it’s 2011 already and you know what that means, right?!?!? And no, I’m not talking New Year’s resolutions or football playoffs, I’m talking about another EPIC Launch Party for the release of Desires of the Dead!!!

For those of you who couldn’t make last year’s launch party for The Body Finder, I don't want to rub it in or anything but just look at what you missed!!!

Well, we’re at it again, and the folks at Barnes & Noble have told me that they plan on making this party MEGA EPIC!!!! (Fine, they didn’t use those exact words but still, it’s totally going to rock!)

Hopefully these pictures will entice you all to come join in the fun but if not, I’m all about the bribes, so there will be fabulous prizes to win, plus all kinds of goodies for everyone who shows up. AND...for those of you who wear pink, you will get extra entries to win the grand prize!!!!

So please join me at noon on Saturday, February 19^th at the Barnes & Noble in Federal Way, Washington. Who knows, I may even tell the pee on the couch story again…

(Note: I have never peed on a couch.)

Seriously, you won’t want to miss it!

MEGA. EPIC!

Holy Icicles! (And some contest winners!!!)

This morning, as we were packing up our things to leave our little mountain hideaway (and, yes, those of you who guessed that we were in Leavenworth, that was exactly where we were!), the temperature display in our car read one degree. One.

ONE!

I'm still defrosting.

But I'm home now. And I have internet! And I know you know what that means...

That's right! It's time to announce the winners in the BIG FRICKIN' HUGE GINORMOUS DESIRES OF THE DEAD WIDGET CONTEST!!!

So, after much tallying and counting and adding on my handy-dandy calculator, I've plugged the nearly 1000 points you all earned into random.org to generate some names, and here they are:


The FIRST PRIZE winner of the signed copies of DESIRES OF THE DEAD and THE BODY FINDER (and other swag-y goodness) is...

EMMA MICHAELS


The SECOND PRIZE winner of the UNEARTHLY prize pack is...

DEEA


And, finally, the THIRD PRIZE winner of the THROUGH HER EYES prize pack is...

RACHEL445



CONGRATS, you guys (I'm emailing you now for mailing info)!!!

As for the rest of you, thank you SO MUCH for entering, can you believe it's 2011 already?!?! I'm thinking I should do another DESIRES giveaway soon, what do you think????