The Road to Publication

Looking ON THE BRIGHT SIDE...

2012-01-31T07:16:00.000-08:00

Mega HUGE congrats to S.R. Johannes on the release of her super cute middle grade novel, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE! You all know how much I love-loved Johannes' book UNTRACEABLE...well, ON THE BRIGHT SIDE is just as clever, quirky, and hilarious!

You can find out more about it on Goodreads, or you can buy your own copy on Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

YAY, Shelli!!!

The No Right Way To Write Writer's Guide (Or: A Few Hints I've Put Together)...

2012-01-27T09:19:00.000-08:00

After going through the posts that Maggie Stiefvater linked onMonday, I got a chance to see the (vastly!) different ways that we writerswrite. I saw that some of the authors talkedabout how they write ”skeletal” first drafts (*cough*Brenna*cough), so much sothat their final versions hardly look anything like the finished draft. I know some authors who just plow throughtheir first drafts, never looking back until they cross the finish line andtype “THE END”. (You know you who are, thewriters who type “Write a kick-ass fight scene here” and move on to the nextchapter, leaving those pesky “details” for later.) Others makes these insanely thorough outlinesthat rival full-blown novellas, reaching 30,000 to 40,000 words, before ever startingthe actual book. Umm…wow!

And then there are those writers who make my head explode,those who write random scenes (a kissing scene that will go at the end todayand a fighting scene from the beginning tomorrow), and then somehow they piecethem all together into a real live manuscript at the end. Like making a giant patchwork quilt.And yet they do so brilliantly!

So, in keeping with yesterday’s post, I thought I’d talkabout which category I fit into.

Answer: None of the above.

Reason: There is no right way to write a book (other than to finish it, of course).

I know I’ve said before that I’m not an outliner, but I’mamending that now (kind of). With series books, you sorta have to outline...atleast a little. My “outlines”, however, are just scribbled notes on yellownotepads that look nothing like novellas, but would give Charles Manson a runfor his money. Sometimes my notes arejust questions: Will Violet find the killer? Will Violet and Jay break up?(Generally, I don’t even know the answers at this point!)

I also like to stop and tinker along the way. I process and revise what I’ve alreadywritten as I go, making the first half of my book much more polished than, say,the last half. I will tweak words, amendtimelines, alter relationships, insert new scenes...whatever I think needs tobe done to make the words I’ve already written better.

And I can’t do that piecing scenes together thing. I’m definitely an A to Z writer. I start atthe beginning and write every scene. In order. For me, it’s hard to imagine doing it anyother way.

Along the way, however, I have learned some great tips forrevising. For me, these are invaluable.

1. Don’t underestimate the value of changing media. What does that mean, you ask? Print your manuscript out. On paper. (Sorry trees!) (If it makes you feel better, I use recycled paper and use both sides.)

I know it sounds weird, but there’s something that changesthe way you see—and read—your words when they’re in print. (I even go as far aschanging the font.) Take a pen and gothrough your manuscript, page by page, marking the changes that need to bemade.

Personally, I do this twice...because:

2. I HIGHLY recommend reading your manuscript aloud, eitherto yourself or to a willing victim/friend.

Again, listening to the cadence of the words can change howyou want them to end up on paper. If it sounds strange when you say it, itsounds strange when your reader is reading it.

If nothing else (and I seriously recommend this for theentire manuscript), at least do it for your dialogue. There’s nothing worsethan reading stilted dialogue.

Okay, guys, I hope this was semi/quasi/sorta useful. I neverknow if it’s weird to give writing advice, but here’s the deal: All I’m tryingto do is give you a sense of what I’ve learned, through trial and error, worksfor me. And hopefully these tips willhelp you figure out what works best for you. Happy writing!

In Which I Bare My Soul (Or First vs. Final Draft)...

2012-01-23T06:10:00.000-08:00

When Maggie Stiefvater emailed me with a proposition: Either give up my large intestines or participate in a writing blog post where we would dissect a first draft of a scene vs. a finished draft, the choice was...well, not as easy as you’d think it would be.

As much as I like my large intestines (being that they help me digest my food and all), I really don’t like sharing my first drafts. Mostly because they’re messy. I much prefer everyone to believe that all of my drafts are as sparkly and error-free as the final version.

Kidding. (Kind of.)

But what really won me over was Maggie’s original post. How much would I have loved a post like this when I was scouring the interwebz for writing tips? It was like writer porn. And how could I NOT want to contribute a little writer porn of my own???

Not only do you get to see the differences between the first and final draft, but, following Maggie’s lead, I’m also going to explain why I made some of the decisions I made in this scene.

The “first draft” I’m showing you is the draft I sent to my agent before it went out on submission. I don’t have crit-partners who edit my work, only a husband with a red pen who’s willing to point out typos. I’ve chosen a scene from The Pledge that is meant to be spoiler-free, but gives you the gist of the story without ruining anything (in case you haven’t read it yet!).

Also, for those of you scrolling through this in a viewer, I apologize for the length of this post. Yeah, it’s a long one!

THE FIRST DRAFT (click on the pics to enlarge)

1. This is meant to set the scene. It’s important to ground the scene (in this case, a restaurant) so the reader isn’t left hanging. It also establishes what Charlie’s (Charlaina) role in the scene is.

2. Tells you something about people of the Counsel class.

3. Allows some of Charlie’s feelings for the upper class to shine through. Establishes that she has defiant thoughts, even if she keeps them under wraps.

4. Gives some of Brook’s backstory without being a total info dump. You get this background in fragments rather than all at once.

5. This is just a snippet to establish bond between the characters.

6. Setting up the tension and gives the reader a sense that something's about to happen.

7. This shows the reader what Charlie’s daily life is like in contrast to kids of the Counsel class. It also shows the class division in this society in general.

8. More of Charlie’s subversive thoughts...

9. ...countered by the fact that, in the end, she can’t help but be the obedient daughter.

10. A play on the fact that the Counsel woman’s smile (in paragraph 3) did reach her eyes. I like to play on words and phrases I’ve used in earlier passages.

11. Building tension as Charlie grows more uncomfortable with the girl’s presence.

12. I agonized over the swear here, mostly because I couldn’t decide if it fit. Ultimately, you’ll see I scratched it from the final version. I’m not opposed to swearing if it makes sense.

13. Establishes Charlie’s ability to understand the languages of the other classes (something that’s illegal in her world).

14.Again, she’s increasingly irritated, but you can’t just say that. Need to show rather than tell.

15. His occupation also sets his class apart from Charlie’s.

16. I chose italics as a visual cue to establish that another character is speaking in a language that Charlie isn’t “allowed” to understand. Clearly, we realize that she understands them all.

17. I also use a verbal cue so that if the reader misses the italics, they can still tell that another dialect is being spoken.

18. This is the appropriate response, and helps to establish the rules of her world.

19. Non-italicized speech means that she is permitted to comprehend them now, that they are speaking in an acceptable language for her. We also see in this section that the dad’s not a total D-Bag.

20. Charlie may be a tad dramatic, but this is more of her thought process for why she tries so hard to behave. It’s important to show motivations.

21. A good chance to show that Charlie is unique in her ability to understand all languages.

22. Okay, so now we now the girl is a total Be-otch! We should all hate her by now.

23. Charlie makes a fatal error by not looking away when the girl is speaking in italics.

24. Sometimes alliteration can work for descriptions. That said, sometimes it’s just plain cheesy. Be careful with it.

25. Uh-oh! Now Charlie realizes she’s in trouble. She tries to follow the rules...but is it too late?

26. Charlie has caused enough of a scene that her father (who she’s already expressed concern over) has realized what’s happening.

27. Need an emotional closing line to wrap a scene like this. The goal is to keep the reader wanting more.

THE FINAL VERSION

1. I like the words “tinny” and “clattered”, they are very succinct and hard to misinterpret.

2. I’ve changed the woman at the table to a man (because this is a female-centric society, I’ve opted to make the woman who joins him later the working parent).

3. In the process of editing, there were boys added to this scene. They’re necessary for what unfolds later and this was a good time to introduce them.

4. This also tells us a little something about Brooklynn, who may be a bit of an attention whore. And that boys generally like her. A lot.

5. Here we find out that there’s one boy who doesn’t seem to be interested in Brook.

6. Because I’d given her a name in an earlier scene, she gets a name here as well. Sydney is shaping up to be an actual character in this book ;)

7. Gave a little more info as to what a Counsel family might look like, while also getting a dig in at Sydney’s expense.

8. Changed from “I wasn’t nervous” to “I didn’t want to be nervous” because clearly she was a little nervous. Her actions tell us so.

9. Also, changed “shitty” to “arrogant” as it seemed to suit the feel of the scene better.

10. See how it’s her mother who’s the working woman now? Also added another distinction between classes—clothing color choice.

11. Decided, also, to give another clue that these were not words Charlie was supposed to be privy to.

12. I like shorter, choppier sentences for dramatic effect, but unlike in the first draft, I decided it wasn’t necessary here.

13. I thought “pouring” was a better word choice here, since “filling” could imply faucets and I’m trying to give an old-world feel. It’s not that modern conveniences don’t exist (I mention an electronic scanner, plastic, electricity, etc.), it’s just that I’ve made a decision to discuss them as infrequently as possible.

14. Got rid of the line “And I couldn’t.” because, frankly, the continuity of it didn’t work.

15. Just showing that Sydney’s a drama queen, in case there was any confusion.

16. Gives an explanation of what Charlie did wrong, exactly.

17. Again, role reversal, and now this is her father speaking. Also, in the previous version I simply said: “Her mother tried to calm her down...” This is showing how that played out, rather than leaving it to the reader’s imagination.

18. I love this line and was glad it made the final cut.

19. Now we see what Charlie is going through, and also get a glimpse at what’s going on in the restaurant around her.

20. Wait! Did they just share a mini-moment? I think they might have...

21. Her dad is now rushing out to see what’s happening, rather than just poking his head out the door. Makes more sense if your daughter just broke the law.

22. And this clarifies the consequence for her actions.

For more writer porn (aka. first versus final draft posts) from other authors, check out Maggie's blog...she's gonna put up a little linky action!

PORTLAND SIGNING CANCELLED!!!

2012-01-16T10:44:00.000-08:00

If you live in Portland, you may have noticed that it's snowing in the Northwest. And where I live (in the foothills) it's not only snowy, but it's crazy icy too. And yeah, there's that hill. And the drive home at midnight...on the ice...

Trust me, this decision wasn't easy. I've agonized over it. I've watched every weather report out there, so I've seen the cars spinning out on the ice and the trucks stranded in ditches. Ultimately, being the Northwest driver that I am, I've decided I have to cancel my appearance at tonight's event :(

I feel terrible, I really really do. I'm trying to reschedule now, and will let you know as soon as I have a date for you.

Until then, bundle up and drink lots (and lots) of hot cocoa!

Order Signed Copies of THE PLEDGE...

2012-01-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

I'll be at Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing Store in Beaverton, Oregon this Monday, the 16th at 7:00PM, and for those of you who can't make it (yeah, I'm talking to you...*gives you the shifty eyes*), they've set up a great way for you to order signed copies online!!! It's fast, it's easy, and it's fun. Okay, maybe not fun, but it's still awesome!

And for those of you in the Portland area, I'll see you there...right???

What's Better Than A Teaser???

2012-01-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

How about FIVE FULL CHAPTERS?!?!

That's right, HarperTeen's PitchDark is giving away the first five chapters of The Last Echo (along with some other really cool Harper titles)!

Kindle users, click here!

Nook users, here!

And for other download options, check this link.

Seriously, SO. COOL! I hope you guys like it!!!

The 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest (and a teaser from The Last Echo!)

2012-01-02T07:57:00.000-08:00

So in honor of the 3rd Annual No-Kiss Blogfest, I decided to share a little teaser from The Last Echo with y'all. It's spoiler-free, so no worries...just a good old-fashioned, no-kiss, tension-filled moment between Violet and Rafe:

“What took you so long? I’ve been here for half an hour. I’d’ve gone in without you, but I have no idea what I’m looking for.” Rafe scowled as she joined him outside The Mecca, his arms crossed impatiently.

The cloudless sky overhead gave the impression that the day should’ve been brighter, sunnier, but instead it just felt cold and empty. Like a vast gray wasteland.

Violet felt a twinge of satisfaction. She liked that she knew something he didn’t. “Sorry,” she tried, but didn’t sound nearly as repentant as she should have. “I ran into some friends.”

He looked at his watch. “Some of us still value other people’s time.”

She rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling like she had some idea why he wasn’t winning any charm contests. “Whatever. Don’t be such a baby. Besides, it’s not like you had anyplace better to be, or you wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to meet me in the first place.”

“Or,” Rafe said as he reached out to get the door for her, holding it so she could go in ahead of him, “I want to catch this sicko.”

Violet faltered. Of course that was it, she chided herself, embarrassed for thinking otherwise. Why else would he be wasting his Saturday with her?

She felt unsettled as she stepped inside and surveyed the art wall and the congested tables and chalk menu. That artsy appeal Violet had felt just a day earlier was lost on her now, tainted with what she thought she knew, what she hoped to confirm by being here today.

“So? This is it, huh?” Rafe asked, but his eyes were on Violet, not on the café.

“Why?” Violet stepped closer to him. “Do you sense something?”

He shot her an amused look. “Do I sense something? Really, that’s the best you can do? Do you want me to check for evil spirits while I’m at it?” He smirked. “I was only asking because you said this was the place.”

“Whatever. You don’t have to be such an ass,” Violet told him, her cheeks burning. “I was just thinking that maybe . . . you could,” she stammered. “Maybe you might feel something?”

Rafe tipped his head closer, until it was right next to hers, and suddenly she was far too aware of him. Of his lips and the blazing blue of his eyes. He quirked an eyebrow at her, just one. “I have to actually touch something to feel something. Just FYI.”

“Oh?” Violet said, nodding.

“Yeah. That’s pretty much how it works.”

“Do you want to?” she breathed. “I mean touch something?” Her heart was racing, slamming so violently it felt like a sledgehammer, and she worried it might actually crack a rib.

He inched the tiniest bit closer, his breath mingling with hers. “I do,” he said softly, his voice barely a whisper as his daring blue eyes held hers . . . longer than they should have.

I won't tell you what happens next, but I will say poor Violet gets put through the wringer in this book!

Serious Health Warning: MALE PATTERN BLINDNESS! (Redux)

2011-12-27T18:33:00.000-08:00

Today my husband came upstairs to ask me to help him look for his wallet because he'd "looked everywhere" and couldn't find it. When I came downstairs, it was sitting right on the counter. In plain sight. Right. On. The. Counter.

Yeah...

It made me think of a blog post I'd done a couple of years ago, so in honor of my husband's morning gaffe, I decided to re-post this serious health warning to all you women out there:

(Originally posted Sept. 20, 2009)

So something’s been happening around my house lately. Or rather, to my son.

I mean, I knew he was a boy. The doctor told me so on the day he was born. And I was thrilled. Ecstatic. A boy! My boy. And, boy, how this boy would be different. A sensitive, sweet boy. The kind who would listen to what women had to say, who would talk…actually *talk* when asked questions, engaging in, get this, conversation. He wouldn’t respond to questions with just one-word answers or, worse, grunts.

And he was. For years, my little angel told me precious things, like that he wanted to marry me and live with me forever. Okay, maybe not for years, maybe just when he was four, but it was still the sweetest thing ever. And when he hugged, it was different than when the girls did it. His hugs were softer, cuddlier. He melted into me. I wanted to eat him up.

And then it started, a few years ago…the change.

At first it was just the no-more-hand-holding in public. Okay, fine, he doesn’t want to be a sissy, I could live with that. I kept my own hands stuffed carefully inside my pockets, lest I forget the rule.

Then it was the transition into the one-word conversation.

Me: “How was your day?”
Him: “Fine.”
Me: “What’d you do?”
Him: “Nothin’.”
Me: “Really? Nothing?”
And, usually, I could coax him back into the world of multi-word dialogue.

But lately, it’s other things, too. Man things.

I honestly believed that this most recent affliction was restricted only to my husband, but as I’ve asked around, it seems that it’s more of a male species sort of thing.

MALE PATTERN BLINDNESS.

So how can you spot the warning signs of Male Pattern Blindness? Well, the answer is simple, conversations between you and the male in question will go a little something like this:

Potentially infected male: “Have you seen my [insert any item here: remote control/car keys/Coca Cola]?”

You: “Where have you looked?”

Him: “Everywhere.” (Note the one-word response)

You: “Did you look in the [insert most obvious location here: couch/pockets/fridge]?”

Him: “Uh-huh.” (This is very nearly a grunt)

You: *sigh* “Fine. Let me look.” You check and find said item in the *exact* location you just discussed. Sitting in plain sight. Or in the case of the remote, possibly wedged slightly between two cushions, which as you can imagine *would* be somewhat confusing.

Ladies, I’m begging you, this is serious! This is neither a joke nor a drill. We need to act quickly before our sons and brothers are poisoned by whatever is ailing or husbands and fathers.

I’m worried that I might already be too late for my sweet little boy, that hormones have already clouded his vision so badly that he can no longer see that bright red can of Coke staring at him from the shelf on the fridge.

Let’s not let it happen to your sons too.

Winter Wonderland (as performed by some of your favorite YA authors!)

2011-12-22T06:33:00.000-08:00

Hard to believe we decided to write instead of sing, isn't it???

It’s a Festivus Miracle! (And Giveaway!!!)

2011-12-15T06:35:00.001-08:00

Well, there I go again, really “connecting” with my younger readers by making a Seinfeld reference. Do young adults even know what Festivus is? Come on, the airing of grievances, the feats of strength, the Festivus pole? Really, nothing???

Oh well, I do have some great news. Look what I got on Tuesday (and, no, not for Festivus)…

Yes, you saw right, it’s my very first, shiny new ARC of THE LAST ECHO!!!

And because it’s the season for warm and fuzzy...and you know, giving...I’m thinking that means: GIVEAWAY!!!!

So here’s the deal: I’m going to give away not one, not two, but THREE of these brand-spanking new (and slightly petted), hot-off-the-presses ARCs just in time for the holidays. You can keep it, gift it, or swap it. It’s totally up to you. But first, you have to win it!

Here’s how...

From now until noon Pacific Time on Sunday, December 18th, you can earn points by:

2 points – Being or becoming a follower of the blog (this one, right here!)
2 points – For adding The Last Echo to your Goodreads "to-read" shelf
2 points – For being or becoming a follower on Goodreads (different from adding the book, mind you)
2 points – For being or becoming a Twitter follower (c’mon, all the cool kids are doing it!!!)
1 point – For Tweeting/Re-tweeting the contest (there’s a 1-point max here, so don’t send me your 20 points for tweeting ;)
1 point for telling me (in the comments) your favorite Body Finder moment (from any of the books...Enthralled included)
1 point for telling me (in the comments also) what you want for Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Festivus!

If you play your cards right, that’s a total of 11 (pretty darn easy!) points you can earn, folks! But remember, I need you to tally those points in your comment* for me and leave your email address so I know how to reach you if/when you win!!!

*I know this cross-posts all over the place, but leave your comment on the original Blogger post at www.kimberlyderting.blogspot.com (not on Goodreads, not on LiveJournal, not on Tumblr...you get the idea!)

Oh, and yes, international entries welcome!

Winners will be chosen using random.org on Sunday, December 18th!

And for those of you who don’t know what Festivus is, check this out:

(Psst...here's the link in case you can't see the video!)

UPDATE:

I emailed the winners yesterday but forgot to post them. So for those of you who were curious, here they are (and, yes, I did choose FIVE because I was feeling the holiday spirit!):

Jessy
Ashley @ Book Labyrinth
Nikki A
Jennifer K
Sara (Twitter name: @Olive_Pearl)

Congrats, you guys! And I promise to have another giveaway. SOON!!!

How To Buy A Book (Or: How Much Do I Love Lara Zielin Right Now???)

2011-12-13T09:22:00.000-08:00

So the awesomely funny and talented Lara Zielin is at it again. Not only was she the creator of The Bluggie, but last week she posted this fantabulous graphic aid for those in need of book-buying skills (and, trust me, in this confusing marketplace, it was much appreciated!).

Check it out:

You can read more on her post by clicking...here!

You're welcome!!!

Awesome(!!!) Book Trailer...

2011-12-12T06:52:00.000-08:00

Check out this reader-made video for The Body Finder...

Isn't that awesome?!? I sorta, kinda, totally love it!!!

Hey, did I mention...(Event News!)

2011-12-07T14:43:00.000-08:00

That I'll be in Portland, Oregon on Monday, January 16th at 7PM? No???

Well, I will be!

You can come hang with me at the Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing store, where I'll be reading, answering questions, and signing with author Janet Lee Carey.

I know...it's a Monday night and you have homework/Monday Night Football/cats to feed, but come on, I really wanna see you guys! So make up some lame excuse to your teacher, set your DVR, and put out a dish of Friskies. How often do we get the chance to chat? Am I right???

See you there!!!

HEAR Ye, HEAR Ye...

2011-12-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, that title is my little play on words to let you know that The Pledge is NOW AVAILABLE on audio!!! You can listen to a sample here. Or you can get it on Audible.com, Amazon, or iTunes. (And maybe some other places too, but those are the ones I know about.)

Join the YA Scavenger Hunt...

2011-12-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

So if you've made it this far, I probably don't need to tell you how cool the YA Scavenger Hunt is, right??? But in case you don't already know, this is a fabulous sneak peek into what’s coming up in YA literature that runs from Dec 1 - Dec 4th.

Each author on the hunt is hosting another author’s bonus material (mine is out there on someone else's blog!) AND a link to the next step of the hunt. Take a couple of hours and work your way through the entire circuit collecting the words in red and entering all of the different contests you will find along the way.

For this stop on the Scavenger Hunt, I’m hosting author Jessica Shirvington, author of the upcoming EMBRACE.

About Jessica:

How many of us can say we fell in love at seventeen? A lot of us. But how many of us stayed in love? Jessica Shirvington has been lucky enough to meet and marry the man she fell in love with at seventeen. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Jessica is married to former Olympic sprinter, five-time National 100m champion, and current sports personality with Australia’s Foxtel and Sky News, Matthew Shirvington.

Married for almost eleven years with two beautiful daughters, Sienna and Winter, Jessica believes her early age romance and its longevity has definitely contributed to how she tackles relationships in her YA novels.

At age nineteen, Jessica opened and managed her first restaurant in Sydney, and then, while she and Matt were living in London, founded a fine food import and distribution company, Stella Imports, in 2003.
Moving back to Australia and searching for a creative outlet after the birth of her second child, Jessica started on her path to writing. Although a long-time lover of creative writing and poetry, Jessica had never considered the possibility of making writing her career. But with some time away from work, she finally had an opportunity to explore her potential. The result is her debut novel, EMBRACE, which marks the start of Violet Eden’s story.

Jessica says: “Writing EMBRACE was an amazing journey for me. Discovering Violet and the other characters in the book has been my delight. The first draft just came together so quickly. I remember starting one day and then, six weeks later I was looking at something that had the makings of a book (I hoped). It took plenty of re-drafts but that, along with the copious amounts of research, the editing, proofing, all of it, has been such an awesome experience.”

When asked why she chose to write young adult fiction, Jessica says: “I never considered writing anything other than YA. The reason is simple — they’re the books I choose to and love to read myself. YA books have the amazing opportunity to be there for a character’s ultimate turning point — to be there for the moments that will shape their adult future. That makes them really special.”

About EMBRACE:

Violet Eden is dreading her seventeenth birthday dinner. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. The one bright spot is that Lincoln will be there. Sexy, mature and aloof, he is Violet’s idea of perfection. But why does he seem so reluctant to be anything more than a friend?

After he gives her the world’s most incredible kiss – and then abandons her on her front doorstep – Violet is determined to get some answers. But nothing could have prepared her for Lincoln’s explanation: he is Grigori – part angel and part human – and Violet is his eternal partner.

Without warning, Violet’s world is turned upside down. She never believed in God, let alone angels. But there’s no denying the strange changes in her body ... and her feelings for Lincoln. Suddenly, she can’t stand to be around him. Luckily, Phoenix, an exiled angel, has come into her life. He’s intense and enigmatic, but at least he never lied to her.

As Violet gets caught up in an ancient battle between dark and light, she must choose her path. The wrong choice could cost not only her life, but her eternity...

EMBRACE is now (or soon to be) available in the U.S., UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Brazil and Turkey.

To find out more about EMBRACE, check out the book's website. And to pre-order your copy of EMBRACE, click here or here!

Jessica's offering you a peek at a deleted scene from EMBRACE over on the EMBRACE Facebook page (where you can also enter an exclusive giveaway)!

YA Scavenger Hunt CONTEST

As an extra bonus we’ve put together a puzzle with one keyword found on each website. Complete it and you will be eligible for a fantastic GRAND PRIZE which will include signed editions of books, signed bookmarks, jewelry, and many more exclusive gifts with at least one gift from EVERY AUTHOR!

Directions: Search for the 37 keywords—one on each Scavenger Hunt website—that are highlighted in RED. When you are finished, go here to the puzzle form, where you will find a list of scrambled keywords. Put your keywords in the same order as the scrambled ones—from #1 to #37—and paste that list into the entry form.

Rules: To be eligible for the grand prize, you must submit the completed puzzle form before noon on Dec 4th Pacific Time. All the keywords must be included and you must include your full name and address. Entries sent in without name and address will not be considered! The contest is international.

Ready to go to the next website on the Scavenger Hunt?

Click HERE!

Happy Book Birthday to UNTRACEABLE...

2011-11-29T07:33:00.001-08:00

You can probably guess from the blurb on the cover (psst, it's from me!) that I loveloveloved this fabulous book!

Congrats to S.R. Johannes on the release of this super fun, fast paced, thrill ride!!!!

And starting today you can get your very own copy! (For more formats, check out this link.)

THE PLEDGE T-shirts and more...

2011-11-27T09:56:00.001-08:00

I’ve gotten several questions about how to order these awesome THE PLEDGE T-shirts, so here are the deets:

The T-shirts are $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).

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

They also have cinch bags similar to this one for DESIRES OF THE DEAD (except, you know, with THE PLEDGE logo on it) for just $5.75 including tax. They are super cute!!!

Also available, but not pictured: Women's Baby Doll tees in Junior sizes S-4XL and they're $15.00 (incl. tax) for S-XL. Add $2.00 for each additional X.

Orders can be placed by calling Sports Connection in Bonney Lake, WA (253) 891-1677. You can also contact them via email at sportsconnection@comcast.net.

**Youth sizes are also available, contact the store for pricing info.

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

Whew! I think I covered almost everything, if you have more questions, please get in touch with Sports Connection (not me!)...they really are awesome!

LAUNCH PARTY PICS!

2011-11-26T07:20:00.000-08:00

I wanted to thank those of you who came out to celebrate the launch of THE PLEDGE! For the rest of you, here are some pics of the awesome event B&N put together:

Why yes, they had a drink in honor of THE PLEDGE...and it was delish!

(My helpers!)

Apparently this was a very moving part of the book. Or I just make weird faces while I talk.

Look...they even had a "Kim Derting Recommends" end-cap! Even though they were missing several of the recs I sent them (Wicked Lovely, The Summoning, City of Bones, Possess, A Need So Beautiful...) it was still very, very cool!!! (Also, I like how I "recommended" my own books!)

THE PLEDGE Street Teamers Killed It...

2011-11-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

Let me just tell you that, wow, The Pledge Street Teamers pretty much blew me away with their enthusiasm and creativity! They enlisted their friends, family, adorable babies, and even a fabulous author (see below!) to help spread the word. There were tons of contests and giveaways for swag, and one street teamer even took her shiny copy of THE PLEDGE to a library that was...um...built in 117 A.D.!

Some of these projects included passing out hundreds of personalized THE PLEDGE candies, making 1000 bookmarks to distribute, photo shoots involving characters and scenes from the book with random readers, plastering hundreds of flyers around schools, and of course taking THE PLEDGE on a trans-continental trip (while still finding the time to spread the love all over NY!).

Of course, all of this means that choosing the Top Five was nearly impossible! So, I decided to put together a crack team of judges (my husband and ten-year-old included) to help make some very (and I’m mean very!) tough decisions. After some serious deliberating, we FINALLY narrowed it down to these five winners:

Karin (and Chelsea) Shearer
Cassidy (and Ally) Finn
Jennifer Sternberg (and the X-treme Readers)
Kristin Feliz
Ashly Ferguson

Here were just some of the pics they sent...

BUT!!! There were some Honorable Mentions, too:

Anna Pett
Amy Fournier
Supagurl (Heather)
Jaskirat
Rachel B.
Julie Wolfe
Lena Marsteller

Look...even Ally Condie got in on the action:

I’ll be contacting the Top Five winners so you can choose your prizes...and you Honorable Mentions can expect a little something too! ;)

Thanks again, Street Teamers!!! No matter what, I love you guys and totally appreciate your incredible support!!!

ATTENTION STREET TEAMERS...

2011-11-21T10:23:00.000-08:00

Okay, Street Teamers, you have just one more day to dazzle me with your creativity, wow me with your enthusiasm, and blow my mind with your awesomeness!

I’ll be choosing winners for the TOP FIVE tomorrow, and let me tell you, there have been some fan-freakin-tastic submissions!!! You guys totally rock!

So, be sure to send me your pictorial evidence to help be make my decision (and so I can post some of them on my blog!).

And even if I don’t choose you, I want you to know how much I appreciate your support...you guys have been the best!!!!!!!!!

The Spread-The-Word-And-Win-Some-Stuff Giveaway!!!

2011-11-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

A while back I promised you international folks a shot at a giveaway, and I am nothing if not honest, so here goes!

Here’s the deal, I got these super sweet WORDS ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS WEAPON OF ALL T-shirts for The Pledge yesterday and I kinda love them.

Which means...

I wanna share.

So I’m offering up my biggest swag pack yet, including one of these awesome T-shirts, along with a signed finished copy of THE PLEDGE (so shiny!), a Passport (which will mean something once you’ve read the book), stickers, and bookmarks!!!

In exchange, all you have to do is help me spread the word for my launch party, which is in just TWO DAYS (Sunday, Nov. 20th at noon!).

It doesn’t matter if you’re in Boston, somewhere in Europe, or if you’re reading this blog from the streets of Ludania …you ALL have the same chance to win!

Note: No entries allowed from Ludania because my post office doesn’t ship to countries I make up in my books. :)

All you have to do is post a quick message about my launch party (preferably with link) (even better with the pretty launch party poster!) on your:

Facebook
Blog
Twitter
Tumblr
Google Plus
Flarp

(Okay, yeah, I made that last one up! But you get the point...any social networking site will do!)

Just post here** in the comment section which site(s) you used and include the user name(s) you posted with...and VOILA you’re entered! Easy peasy.

But you only have two days. This giveaway is open to EVERYONE and ends at noon Pacific Time on Sunday, November 20th. You can earn one point for EACH social networking site you post to, so get out there and start Flarping!!!

**This message cross-posts, so be sure to post comments on the original blog post at www.kimberlyderting.blogspot.com!

UPDATE: Congrats to Petra @ Safari Poet! You won!!!

Waking Up To Good News!

2011-11-16T07:02:00.000-08:00

I’ve been traveling for the past week and I spent this morning catching up on emails, only to realize I had not one but TWO fabulous reviews of THE PLEDGE sitting in my inbox from my editor.

So now, not only has THE PLEDGE gotten mad love from KIRKUS and PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, but VOYA is calling it “fast-paced and engrossing”, while BOOKLIST says “Derting (Desires of the Dead, 2011) gives texture to Charlie’s future society, hinting at a not-so distant past when cities had names and people wanted democracy but became corrupt and turned to an all powerful Queen. Danger, dread, mystery, and romance are a potent combination for those that enjoy their dystopian-light fiction action packed.”

They say a lot of other nice stuff too, but you get the gist. And, yes, I’m over-the-moon excited that the reviewers are lovin’ this book...

I hope it’s a good sign!!!!

Finally...!!!!

2011-11-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that after what feels like F-O-R-E-V-E-R...

The Pledge is officially out today!!!!!

I'm excited, worried, and nail-bitingly freaked out!

Does anyone know if these release-day jitters ever go away?

Get Signed Copies of THE PLEDGE...delivered right to your door!

2011-11-06T11:58:00.000-08:00

Remember last year when the Barnes & Noble that hosted my Mega Epic Launch Party offered to take phone orders for signed copies? Well, guess what...they’re at it again!!!

Even in you don’t live in the Seattle area, you too can get a signed (and even personalized) copy of THE PLEDGE sent right to your home. I mean, yes, you miss out on the chance for sparkling conversation with me, but still...signed copies are pretty awesome, right?!?! (This offer also applies to copies of THE BODY FINDER and DESIRES OF THE DEAD!)

How can I get in on this sweet action, you ask?

Here are the deets: Be specific on the phone! If you want your book(s) personalized, be sure to give the correct name spelling. If you don’t want it personalized (just signed), be specific about that too! Shipping will be $3.99 for the first book, $.99 for each additional book. I’m assuming that’s US residents only...sorry international peeps! Call (253) 839-2535 to place your order.

(Yes, they already have THE PLEDGE available!!!)

AND...Speaking of launch parties, don’t forget: This one’s gonna be EPICALLY EPIC! If you like sparkling conversation (and if you live in the area), join me on Sunday, November 20th at noon. I’ve got GREAT prizes lined up, so you’ll totally wanna be there!!!

Get THE PLEDGE (A Little Early!)

2011-11-02T08:50:00.000-07:00

So the release is less than two weeks away now, but there are a couple of places where you can get early (and signed!) copies of THE PLEDGE!

I will be making an early appearance at Books & Books in Miami (one of the coolest bookstores I’ve been to) on Thursday, November 10^th at 7PM. If you’re anywhere in the Miami area I hope you’ll come and see me!!!! If not, call them, maybe they’ll make some over-the-phone arrangements (although I’m not promising anything!).

And then on Saturday, November 12^th, I’m at YALLFest in Charleston, South Carolina (sponsored by the fabulous Blue Bicycle Books)! This is gonna be a whole lotta pie-eating, author-lovin’ goodness. I’m doing panels (signings will be held at Blue Bicycle Books immediately following the panels!):

Noon

DEMONS & WITCHES & CASTERS OH MY! with Sarah Rees Brennan, Victoria Schwab, Caitlin Kittredge, Kami Garcia

Moderated by: Kimberly Derting (that’s me!)

4 pm DON’T DIS-TOPIAN with Beth Revis, Kimberly Derting, Diana Peterfreund, Eliot Schefer

And, of course the YA SMACKDOWN at 6 pm. There will be games, food, and a chance to make fun of your favorite YA authors! You SO don’t want to miss this!!!

Then, not to be outdone, if you’re in the Seattle/Tacoma area, there’s always the Epically EPIC Launch Party on Sunday, November 20^th. Maybe it’s not early, but it’ll definitely be epic ;)

WHY I LOVE HALLOWEEN...

2011-11-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

In my next life I totally want to be a makeup artist. Not the fancy kind that does the Kardashians or the Victoria’s Secret runway shows or anything. I want to work on the set of The Walking Dead:

(I even got tooth paint, for that authentic zombies-don't-brush look!)

But even better than turning daughters into zombies, my nephew went as Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates) from Misery.

(THE BODY FINDER’s #1 fan! I would NOT want to mess with him/her!!!)

Plus, who doesn't want 1600 pieces of candy???

My daughter was totally crossing her fingers that only three kids would show up at our house. No such luck...

Introducing Your Official THE PLEDGE Street Team...

2011-10-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, The Pledge Street Team registration is now officially closed! Can you feel the excitement???

Thanks to everyone who posted, you guys totally rock!!

For those of you who didn’t make it (and for those of you internationally), don’t worry I’ve got other things up my sleeve for you. (Okay, it’s a giveaway...and it’s coming soon!)

Here it is, my official list of The Founding Pledge Street Team members:

Kristin Feliz
Kari (Flamingo1325)
Kim (exception.liar)
Jennzah
yabooknerd
Sarah (SarahsShelf)
kaye (paper reader)
Jessica (Ireadtorelax)
danielle.
LiLi
The Erratic Blogger
Jade @ Chasing Empty Pavement
lostnthestacks
Jessy
Tamako
Amy (alf421)
Minas
Cassidy
DB Graves
DforDarla
Erika (readspect_reviews)
Shannon The Bookstalker
Teril
Kristina (Krissy724)
Lena Marstellar
Allison (acole1027)
X-treme Reader
Kristina (jayhawks22)
Mrs. Duff
Joely
Sarah (Escaping Through Books)
Audris
Rachel (Chicken0055)
SupaGurlbooks
Kelsi
Roshini
Orchid
Andrea (hersforthereading)
Anna (peachandblue2)
Julie (juliewolfe06)
Twin Momma
Pearl
andrea (adawnn1)
Mary Jo
Jessica (totalbookaholic)
KrysteyBelle
Jessirae
Chloe
lakeshearers
Tara
Ashley @ What's Your Story?
That GirlSam13
SeeItOReadIt

(Okay, yes, it's more than 50. I had a hard time counting...and I made an executive decision!)

Dear Pledge Street Team Members: I will be putting together your Pledge Street Team packages this week so please email me (kim@kimberlyderting.com) the following info:

Your Blog Name / Screen Name (so I know who you are in the list above!)
Your Actual Name
Your Mailing Address

(Oh, and the name you’d like on your personalized poster!)

And don’t forget, send me your best pics and try to WOW(!!!) me...I’ve got prizes to give away!!!

This is going to be so fun! Thankyouthankyouthankyou!!!

WANTED: Highly Motivated Street Teamers for THE PLEDGE!

2011-10-22T09:02:00.000-07:00

Do you LOVE free SWAG???

Are you passionate about YA books???

Do you want to be a member of an exclusive club???

Oh, and did I mention the free SWAG???

If you answered YES, then have I got an offer for you!! I’m on the lookout for FIFTY devoted YA enthusiasts to join my exclusive Street Team for the upcoming launch of THE PLEDGE on November 15th, 2011.

As the launch date gets closer and closer (OMG, it’s next month!), I’m looking for an elite group of Street Teamers to help me spread the word. And no, you don’t even need a BLOG to participate, just a love of free SWAG…and of course a willingness to hit the streets.

Here’s how it works:

First off, I will send you your official THE PLEDGE Street Team care package which will include all kinds of goody giveaways. Once you get your package, my hope is that you will pass out some of that SWAG to schools, libraries, and your favorite bookstores. See if they might be willing to hang a poster or, you know, walk around with a sticker on their foreheads for a month...or at least long enough for you to snap a picture for me.

The only other requirement would be to pass out some bookmarks and stickers to at least ten teens you know (and if you are a teen or know some teens, um hello, how easy would that be???). In general, you just have to be willing to say: “Check out this book, doesn’t it look good?” Or, better yet, if you’ve read it, how about something like: “This book totally rocked!” (THE PLEDGE haters need not apply.)

What’s in it for you, other than really cool stuff, you might ask???

First, not only do you get to call yourself an official Street Team Member (and who wouldn't want to be a "street teamer"?!?!), but I’ll also send you your very own signed THE PLEDGE Passport. Who knows, there may even be a few extra Passports in your care package so you can recruit some Street Teamers of your own.

Here's just some of the swag you'll get!

To make things more interesting (as if that’s even possible!), I’ve decided to add a BONUS for my TOP FIVE loyal Street Teamers. Whoever convinces me that they’ve done the most work, with photos to prove it, will win a prize! I’m not talking about a $5.00 Starbucks card. I’m talking really good prizes with on and off switches. So get creative, Street Teamers, and you can WIN!

Sound like something you’d want to do? Okay, so here’s the deal, if you’re interested, leave a comment WITH your email address. THIS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO THE FIRST FIFTY PEOPLE TO COMMENT** (Sorry, U.S. ONLY). I’ll also be Tweeting this too, so as soon as I reach my FIFTY Street Teamers, I’ll update the post.

P.S. This is all on the trust system so if you decide to just get your SWAG and roll around in it, that’s fine too because I’ll probably never even know.

Probably...

I’m excited! Are you excited????

And...GO!

** To be counted, comments must be left on the official blog at kimberlyderting.blogspot.com. (Don't leave them on Goodreads, Tumblr, Twitter, LiveJournal, or any other cross-posted site!)

UPDATE: WE HAVE OUR STREET TEAMERS! See the next post for details!!

The Pledge Countdown and a Teaser...

2011-10-11T09:05:00.001-07:00

It's getting close now...The Pledge comes out in just 34 days!!! So I thought I'd commemorate by sharing my own Tuesday Teaser:

Brooklynn’s voice drew my attention. “What kind of evidence did they find?” she asked Aron, her voice tight. News of Cheyenne’s imprisonment was making everyone edgy.

Unfortunately, however, Cheyenne wasn’t alone. Whispers of disloyalty to the crown had begun to take root, starting like a virus and spreading like a plague. It infected and corrupted ordinary citizens, as rewards were being offered to those willing to report anyone they suspected of subversion. People turned against one another, seeking information against friends, neighbors, even family members, in order to gain favor with the queen. Trust had become a commodity few could afford.

And real evidence—the kind that could be substantiated beyond petty gossip—was deadly.
“They found maps in her possession. Maps belonging to the resistance.”

Brook’s lips tightened and her head dropped. “Damn.”

But I wasn’t convinced. “How can they be certain they’re rebel maps? Who told you this?”

He looked up, and his sorrowful gold-flecked eyes stared back at me. “Her brother told me. It was her father who turned her in.”

An Epically Epic Launch Thang...

2011-10-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don’t know, the first book in my new series, The Pledge, is releasing on November 15th. When studying my calendar (in-between nervous eye twitches, of course), that translates to next month!!! And you know what that means????

PARTY!!!! As in huge, major, epically epic launch party for the release!!!

That’s right, I said it: EPICALLY EPIC. (That’s way better than just plain old epic!)

(You have to read this next part in your best Monster-Truck-Show-Announcer-Voice)

Sunday...

Sunday....

Sunday.....

(Okay, back to your normal voice)

We are having the launch party on Sunday, November 20th at noon at the Barnes and Noble in Federal Way, WA. (Back to Monster-Truck-Show-Announcer-Voice!) Bring your friends, bring your family, bring your friends’ families to this once-in-a-lifetime HUGE , MAJOR, EPICALLY EPIC launch party for THE PLEDGE!!!!

See? How much cooler was that in your announcer voice??? Okay, you can totally go back to your regular voice now.

Or not.

Actually, I might start writing all my future books in that voice.

Seriously, though, we’ll have prizes (really, really good ones with on and off buttons!), refreshments, and good old fashioned fun!!!!!

And just think about what a great gift a signed copy of The Pledge would make...for, um, Thanksgiving! ;)

And a Danish Cover Too!!!

2011-10-05T06:24:00.000-07:00

Translation: Echo from the Dead

LOVE IT!!!

P.S. Only 40 more days till THE PLEDGE hits stores!!!

Me, freaking out???

Um, yeah. Maybe just a little...

Thai Cover...

2011-09-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

This makes me smile :)

No More Lies...

2011-09-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

So…a lot of you have asked me whether THE PLEDGE would be a stand-alone book or part of a series. And of course I cleverly (or maybe not so cleverly) evaded your questions by using the Jedi mind trick, or just flat out playing dumb about it for far too long. Well, I’m happy to announce that I can finally answer this question!

Since I’d originally intended THE PLEDGE to be a trilogy, I’m super duper fab-tabulously excited to announce that’s it’s official: THE PLEDGE will, in fact, be the first book of a TRILOGY!!!!

See the announcement that was in Publisher's Marketplace this morning:

Kimberly Derting's THE PLEDGE series, books 2 and 3, in which a teen girl in an oppressive society, who has a secret ability to speak all languages, meets a mysterious and beautiful teen boy who speaks a language she's never heard, and discovers she is the key to her country's survival, to Ruta Rimas and Justin Chanda at McElderry Books, for publication in Fall 2012 and 2013, by Laura Rennert at Andrea Brown Literary Agency (NA).

Whew!!!! I’m so glad that’s FINALLY out there! I am the world’s worst secret keeper, and it kills me to have to hide things like that.

But...YAY!!!!

I’m excited. I hope you are too.

Eighteen Years Later...

2011-09-11T07:37:00.001-07:00

Several months ago, I mentioned that I’d like to find a cool, vintage typewriter.

This morning, on our 18th anniversary, I woke up to find this in place of my laptop…

Best. Husband. EVER!!!!

Kirkus Loved THE PLEDGE!!!!

2011-09-07T07:00:00.000-07:00

I just got my first really, really big review of THE PLEDGE...and IT WAS A GOOD ONE! Kirkus had all kinds of nice things to say:

THE PLEDGE
Author: Derting, Kimberly

A girl reluctantly faces her destiny in this gripping dystopian fantasy.

Seventeen-year-old “Charlie” knows she has unusual, even dangerous, powers. In the far future, in a land controlled by a brutal and ancient queen, the common language of Englaise may be spoken and understood freely, but all upper classes have their own languages. If a lower-class person even looks up when such languages are spoken they are subject to execution. Charlie can understand all languages, a fact she hides to protect her life. As war descends on her city, Charlie hides with handsome Max, a member of an upper class who pledges to protect her. But why? When Charlie discovers a vast underground rebel camp she also learns a highly guarded secret: She herself may be the cause of the rebellion. Derting (Desires of the Dead, 2011, etc.) keeps her story consistently engaging through vivid description and brisk pacing, propelling Charlie through her adventure. She throws enough romance into the mix to satisfy but keeps the main focus on suspense. Although some of the plot depends on the paranormal, turning the story more into a fantasy than a dystopia, the author keeps readers involved all the way by gradually increasing the emotional pressure on Charlie.

More great suspense from a prolific new writer with a vibrant imagination. (Dystopian fantasy. 12 & up)

YAY!!! Kinda makes me wanna kiss Kirkus on the lips!

And check this out, you can enter to win a signed advance copy of this "gripping dystopian fantasy" over on Goodreads.

Can I just say it again? YAY!!!!!

Who's Going to YALLFest...

2011-08-29T08:52:00.000-07:00

So I know you’ve heard of YALLFest, right? If you haven’t, it’s this seriously awesome YA book festival being held in Charleston, South Carolina on November 11th and 12th. So far, the lineup includes some of the most kick-butt YA authors around, for example:

Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, David Levithan, Melissa de la Cruz, Heather Brewer, Gayle Foreman, Kaleb Nation, Ellen Hopkins, Andrea Cremer, Beth Revis, Carrie Ryan, Sarah Rees Brennan, Isaac Marion, and…wait for it…

ME!!!!!

And the best part…there are more authors who are yet to be announced(!!!!). I know, right???

This is gonna be epic. Somewhere in the realm of ARE-YOU-FREAKING-KIDDING-ME epic!

You should totally be there. I know I will.

Do-Over Anyone???

2011-08-28T07:04:00.000-07:00

Recently, Ivy (of Ivy Reads) asked me to do a guest post about my 21st birthday for her month-long 21st birthday extravaganza. Okay…yeah. Here’s the thing, my 21st birthday was seriously unremarkable.

I thought about just lying, because, hey, I’m a fiction writer, it’s what I do. But then I decided it would be better to be brutally honest. The problem is that my 21st birthday was so unforgettable, that even I don’t remember it! So my response was something like, “Can I just do a post about how I wish I’d celebrated my 21st birthday? Kind of a do-over post???”

And after putting myself back into my 21-year-old mind (a somewhat frightening place to go, actually), I came up with this:

My 21-Year-Old Do-Over

Okay, so my 21st birthday was lame. Super lame.

How do I remember? Well, that’s just it. I don’t. I’m sure I didn’t do anything…you know, other than popping a bowl of popcorn in my ginormous 1989 microwave and watching a VHS tape of Back to the Future while the clock struck midnight without so much as a Woot Woot!

Yeah…I know.

So what would I have done differently, you ask? (Psst, pretend you just asked me.)

Just imagine it:

First, I’m totally decked out in my Madonna wear (head to toe). Okay, so yes, she’s recently changed up her look and now she’s all Blond Ambition, but I’m not buying into it just yet. I’m still the Like A Virgin Madonna with my bangles and headbands and leggings. And lace. Oh My God, lots and lots of lace!

I. Look. AWESOME!

My girls (this is before they were called peeps) and I hop into my sweet 1987 Nissan Pulsar, the white one with the plush maroon interior, and head out to the club. We blast a little Straight Up by Paula Abdul. (She’s no Madonna, but she is #1 on the charts, so she’ll do.)

The line at the club is long, but since we look so fly, the bouncer lets us right in. Posers and skanks are SO hatin’ on us, but we totally don’t care.

Inside, we beeline straight to the bar and order our first real drinks. (Okay, our first legal drinks.) I try a martini. Sure, it looks cool, but GRODY! I drink it anyway because I can’t afford to waste it. I only have ten bucks (I’m 21, what can I say?).

When we hear our song: Borderline, by who else? Madonna! We all squeal (cuz that’s what girls did…and still do!) and run to the dancefloor in a cluster. We look the part and dance the part. We ARE the part! For five short minutes, we are the closest to Madonna we will ever be.

By the end of the night, I’m sweaty, my feet hurt, my eyeliner is so smudged I look like a raccoon, and I’ve learned that my favorite drinks are Bartles & James wine coolers. (Okay, that last part I might have already known.)

Best 21st birthday do-over ever!!!

Man, even in my do-over I’m a dork…

So, what about you? What did you do for your 21st? (Or if you’re not 21 yet, what do you plan to do?)

Childhood Flashbacks...

2011-08-18T14:21:00.000-07:00

Do you ever wonder what happened to that weird girl who spent hours /days / weeks collecting and cataloging Star Wars trading cards and wishing she could incite interglactic war? (Or at least rock the double-bun?)

Or the girl who daydreamed of wearing one-piece, bellbottom jumpsuits and feathered hair, while brandishing a gun and big, shiny pearly whites…all while being a part of a covert, all female crime fighting trio?

Or the one who made na-na-na-na-na sounds when she ran in slow-motion to signify she was actually running at super-speed???

*guiltily raises hand* Well, here I am!

So was I cool? Maybe not as much as I’d hoped…but what little girl of the 70s didn’t want to be the kind of liberated woman who could give a smack down and still have all the “foxy” men drooling at her feet?

Plus, these ladies had the coolest hair. (Way cooler than that Dorothy Hamill chick!)

At least until the 80s came along, and Olivia Newton John taught me that disco roller skating was what all the cool kids were into…

So, who did you want to be, because I know I wasn’t alone???

And for all you teens out there who have no idea what I’m talking about, I have four words for you: Go. Ask. Your. Mom.

OOOH, Shiny....

2011-08-12T06:48:00.001-07:00

I haven’t had the chance to share these yet, but I have some cool foreign covers for THE BODY FINDER (in order: Italian*, Brazilian, German, Polish, and UK)....

...and THE PLEDGE (from Spain):

For those of you in other magical and faraway places, if you happen to catch a glimpse of a cover I haven’t posted, feel free to email it to me…I LOVE seeing them!!!

Also, I try to keep my blog sidebar ( → ) updated with all the countries/languages where my books will be available…you know, in case you were wondering how that world domination map is coming along.

*Is it just me, or does the Italian version look sort of like The Pledge??? Also, FYI, translation: "A Collection of Things".

I love the foreign markets!

WHAT I READ THIS SUMMER by Kimberly Derting

2011-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

Thankfully, this isn’t homework. And fortunately, the summer’s not over just yet. But so far my summer reads have been much more exciting than our gloomy Northwest weather, so I thought I share a few (or more) recommendations with you:

First up, CITY OF GLASS by Cassandra Clare. I’m intentionally taking my time reading Ms. Clare’s books, because I soooo do not want to rush through them. Let's just say Jace is a dish best enjoyed slowly. (Which makes me sound all-kinds-of-dirty-old-woman.)

Next, THE VESPERTINE by Saundra Mitchell. Damn, I love Saundra’s books. She does an authentic voice like nobody’s business. Plus, the whole psychic thing was awesome!

Also, I just finished listening to the audio version of WORLD WAR Z by Max Brooks. I totally recommend the audiobook to anyone considering this one. Each individual monologue is told by a different narrator, giving it such a cool vibe and making it feel…authentic. You know, for a book about the zombie apocalypse. (Note: Don’t listen to this one while the kids are in the car.) (Second Note: I learned this the hard way.)

POSSESS by Gretchen McNeil. This uber-fab debut had me flipping the pages while the snarky main character, Bridget, demon-hunted her way through San Francisco. Loved it!!

A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL by Suzanne Young. This was another super fast-paced read, with a character whose voice I couldn’t get enough of! Definitely pick this one up!!

Lastly (and only because don’t they say “save the best for last”?), WHITE CAT by Holly Black. Oh. My. God!!!! Probably one of the best-built worlds I’ve ever read, topped off with one of the most fabulously flawed characters that you just can’t help rooting for (and maybe falling a bit in love with). Damn, damn, damn, Ms. Black…I have a new author crush and she’s a feisty brunette!

And then there are the books that are jumping to the TOP of my TBR stack:

RED GLOVE by Holly Black. Because…you know. When I heard that the audio version was narrated by Jessie Eisenberg, I just had to listen to it. I’ve already started it and I’m SO not disappointed!!!! Not only am I loving the book, but I’ve also developed a new crush on Jessie Eisenberg.

DREAM DARK by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. I have so many books on my TBR pile that I almost never read series books…unless I love-love them. Well, the Beautiful Creatures books are definitely on that must-read-series list. Not only is Dream Dark told from Link’s POV, but I hear it has the first five chapters of Beautiful Chaos. This one’s out on Tuesday, so pre-order it NOW!

RIPPLE by Mandy Hubbard. Two words: Killer mermaid. Need I say more?

SILENCE by Becca Fitzpatrick. From the moment I first saw the cover of Hush, Hush I knew Patch would be something special, and, umm…WOW, was he ever! I can’t wait to get my hands on this final book in the series!

THE DAY BEFORE by Lisa Schroeder. I loved I Heart You, You Haunt Me, the first book I’d ever read in verse, and the storyline for this one looks even better: a girl and a boy drawn to each other for one perfect day. *swoons*

BLERGH!!!!

2011-07-28T07:00:00.000-07:00

Umm…remember that one time when I said THE PLEDGE would be available six weeks early for those attending Wordstock in Oregon? Yeah, well…not so much…

Apparently there was a scheduling snafu and they won’t be printed in time.

[Insert pic of me crying, snot bubbles and all.]

Okay, so there is no such pic, but you get my point. I feel like such a loser that I said it, and now I have to take it back.

But I have something almost as good:

Free advanced reader copies of THE PLEDGE!!!

That’s better than having to buy them anyway, right? I’m still working on the exact number of ARCs that will be available and how exactly they’ll be given out, but they will be there which means I’m not a total liar!

And because I reallyreallyreallyreally want you to come, I’ll also be giving out other super-cool prizes and swag.

So…forgive me???

Some EXCITING(!!!) Event News…

2011-07-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

First, I’m going to be at Oregon’s WORDSTOCK Festival in October! And while this alone is enough to get me really excited, I’ve also have a juicy secret that I can now share with everyone: The organizers at WORDSTOCK were able to convince/Jedi mind-trick Simon & Schuster into having THE PLEDGE available for sale at the event…way, way before the release date!!!

How early? Anyone at WORDSTOCK in October will be able to buy THE PLEDGE six weeks before anyone else!!!! SIX WEEKS!

**confetti cannons**

Also, just a reminder that if you don’t have plans this coming Sunday, or for that matter even if you do, you should totally drop everything and come to the Summer Reading Extravaganza at Third Place Books in Seattle! I’ll be there rubbing elbows with my rock star friends Mandy Hubbard, Suzanne Young, Lisa Schroeder, Cat Patrick, and Eileen Cook.

Trust me, it’s going to be a blast and you won’t want to miss it! And we may or may not have goodies for those who attend. I’m just saying it’s totally possible. ;)

**confetti cannons**

(Note to self: I really need to buy a confetti cannon.)

In Search of the Perfect Horror Film...

2011-07-24T17:24:00.000-07:00

A recent conversation I had on Twitter got me thinking about my ten-year-old’s horror kick lately. She’s been dying to be let loose on the R-rated vaults so she can have full access to some of the scariest and most vile horror flicks out there. Simply put, she wants to be terrified. And while I have to admit the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, the mom in me has to temper the urge to share my love of horror with the fact that she’s, well, ten. Oh and it doesn’t help my decision any that I’m sure she would tell every neighbor kid (and their parents) that “My mom let me watch [insert gory/inappropriate horror flick here] last night”.

In an effort to appease her zeal for things-that-go-bump-in-the-night, my husband and I have desperately been trying to find movies that are just scary enough to tide her over until she’s older, yet not so scary that she’ll end up in therapy…or worse, sleeping in our bed until she gets her driver’s license. (Believe me, it’s not as easy as it sounds with this kid.)

We started off slow with a little Signs by M. Night Shyamalan (you’d laugh if you heard me try to pronounce his name, by the way). Our thinking was that it’s freaky, but not really scary. Yeah…she practically yawned. Don’t get me wrong, she fashioned her tinfoil hat with the best of them, but the fright factor just wasn’t there for her. She needed more.

Next up, Poltergeist. We even watched while we were camping in the woods thinking this has got to scare her, right??? What I remembered about it: Scary clowns, a monstrous tree that attacks, and Carol Anne’s creepy voice as she announced, “They’re here.” What my daughter saw: Lame 1980’s special effects. Period. Let’s just say, she slept just fine.

Okay, so we break out the big guns. Well, big guns for a ten-year-old, and decide to let her watch The Sixth Sense. Ghosts, gruesome corpses, the whole nine yards.

Her take: It was cool. Kinda creepy. Not really scary, though.

Huh.

So the other day we’re walking up to the front door and she tells me that in order to kill a zombie you have to do a “double tap”.

Me: “What’s a double-tap?”

Her: “You know, you shoot ‘em once in the brain, and then you shoot ‘em again, just to be sure. A double-tap.”

Me: “Where did you learn that?”

Her: “I watched Zombieland at a sleepover.”

Me: (Okayyyy…) “Well…were you scared?”

Her: (shrugs) “Not really. It was kinda funny.”

So I haven’t seen Zombieland, but I’m thinking it’s a little worse than PG-rated Poltergeist. But it also got me to thinking about what my favorite horror movies of all time were (not that most of these are on the potential list for my daughter’s eyes…yet), and I decided to make a list.

Here’s what I came up with:

Rosemary’s Baby (scarier as a book, but a great classic too)
Nightmare on Elm Street (the original, of course) (probably not as cool if I watched it today)
Saw (because…ewww!)
When a Stranger Calls (“The calls are coming from INSIDE THE HOUSE.”!!!!!) (Another one that I’m sure would be disappointing if I were to watch it now)
Dawn of the Dead
The Silence of the Lambs
Alien (parts 1 and 2)
The Ring
The Sixth Sense
Seven
The Shining (the book and the movie)

And the two movies that are on my “I-can-NEVER-EVER-watch-them-because-I’m-too-chicken” list are:

Paranormal Activity
The Exorcism of Emily Rose

Without even seeing these ones, I already know that they’re the kind of movies that will have me worried about waking up in the middle of the night and finding someone (or something) in my bedroom. *shudders at the thought*

So, what do you guys think? Suggestions for my ten-year-old. Suggestions for me. What are some of your all time favorite horror flicks???

RWA Recap (and where you can order signed copies of TBF and DESIRES OF THE DEAD!)...

2011-07-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

So...whew! New York was awesome, exciting, and exhausting...pretty much in that order. And rather than bore you with the deets, I thought I'd share some pics of my whirlwind week, starting with the amazing view from my room:

While I LOVED this view, it was pointed out to me that it was somewhat dizzying for those with a fear of heights (*cough*LisaSchroeder*cough*).

I saw some sights, you know like St. Patrick's Cathederal...(okay, yes, this was from my cab...I did mention this was a whirlwind of a trip, right???)

The Central Park Boathouse:

And, of course...the Naked Cowboy:

(I was disheartened to realize that he isn't just one random lunatic standing around in his tighty-whities, but that there are several "Naked Cowboys" in the franchise. Sorta ruined him for me.)

Also, I ate. And ate. Lisa Schroeder convinced me, Sophie Jordan, and Inara Scott that the Shake Shack was worth the half hour wait in line. And lemme tell ya somethin'...OMG, those shakes...those disgusting looking shakes...SOOOOO GOOD!!!!

I ate until I felt sick, and then I ate some more. I finally resorted to stuffing my cup with trash so I'd stop eating (something I probably shouldn't admit out loud). Now that's a good shake.

Lastly, the signing at Books of Wonder was everything I'd hoped it would be.

Not only did I get to spend the evening hanging out with fab authors, but I got to chat it up with some of the best readers in the Northeast!!! I met one of my agent mates, Frankie Diane Mallis:

Later, while we were walking to Penn Station, Frankie and I were even invited by a random stranger to watch "naked lady wrestling". Man, I love NY!!!

And check out what one super-awesome reader made me:

(And that was just the envelope!!!)

The best part: Books of Wonder ordered extra books, which we signed and you can order. So if you've wanted signed copies of THE BODY FINDER or DESIRES OF THE DEAD, you can get them by calling BoW at (212) 989-3270!

ENTHRALLED: Review and A Sweet Giveaway...

2011-06-30T07:00:00.000-07:00

Book Love posted a great review of the entire ENTHRALLED anthology last week, check out what she had to say about my story, SKIN CONTACT:

Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting: Told from the mysterious Rafe's, from the Body Finder Series, POV and tells the story of his past, how he came to work for Agent Sara Priest, and how his powers work. This is a heart-breaking story, he has been through rough times and I couldn't help falling in love with him and his inner strength. I don't want to give too much away but it involves a love (different but as strong as Violet and Jay's), I'll leave it at that. This was the first story I read when I got this book and I was not disappointed. I can't wait to learn more about him in the third Body Finder book.

SWEET! I kinda love Rafe too. (Don’t start sending me hate mail…I still love Jay. I’m fickle like that.)

Of course she had stuff to say about the other stories too. Great stuff. And you can read the rest of her review here.

Anyhoo, because I’m crazy stoked about ENTHRALLED, I’ve decided to offer you a chance to read it early too!

But wait! Not only am I giving away this shiny ARC, but if you act now, I’ll also throw in this super awesome, never before available t-shirt signed by all of us from the Smart Chicks San Francisco stop. That’s right, you can have your very own, one-of-a-kind (and I mean that literally!), Hanes black T signed by Melissa Marr, Kelley Armstrong, Alyson Noel, Kami Garcia, Margaret Stohl, Melissa de la Cruz, and me!*

*Available in Men’s Large only (Umm…see the one-of-a-kind comment above.)

Seriously, a Smart Chicks book AND a sweet Smart Chicks t-shirt, where else are you gonna get free stuff like that?!?!

All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me either how much you want this book (and trust me, you totally want it!)...OR because the theme of the book is paranormal road trips, tell me about your best road trip you’ve ever taken. Either one works. That’s an automatic point!

+5 BONUS points if you mark ENTHRALLED as “to-read” on Goodreads. (If you already have, it counts, just let me know that too!)

AND another +5 BONUS points if you snag that ENTHRALLED countdown widget there in my sidebar and share it somewhere (your blog, Facebook, Tumblr…heck, share on that website you made for your pet hamster!). I don’t care where, just share it!

THE RULES:

Tally your points in your comment, and leave me your email address (otherwise I can’t reach you, can I???).

The giveaway will run until Wednesday, July 13th and is open to EVERYONE (not just you US peeps)!!!

Oh, and don’t forget your sunscreen. (What can I say? I’m a mom, and it’s summertime...this is my mantra.)

EDITED: I don't know what's wrong with the widget! I've tried and tried to reformat it but I can't seem to fix it, so it looks like there's a 6 point max. Sorry, folks!!!

TBF3 UNVEILED!!!!

2011-06-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

So I was thinking it was time to let you in on the whole secret title thing, since I’m sorta tired of calling the third Body Finder book the “third Body Finder." Or TBF3. (Those are both super lame titles, by the way.)

My editor, my husband, both my daughters, my son, and my friends and family spent FOREVER trying to come up with the right title for this book because I really wanted it to be meaningful to the story, a little creepy (of course), and also tie in with the other two books. Sounds easy, right? Wrong, it was so hard and I think we tossed around something like a million titles, or at least it felt that way. And then it happened...

We finally found THE ONE (and no, it’s not called The One, but hey, that’s not bad either…wait, never mind!). Anyway, I love, love my new title!! It really does capture the heart of this storyline and makes me...well, squee!

Are you ready???

Wait for it...

...

...

...

THE LAST ECHO

But get this, I have more to share!

Wanna know what it’s about? A little snippet from the cover???

All right, you asked for it:

Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet’s talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it’s Violet’s job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice. When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by “the girlfriend collector” she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new “relationship” and Violet may have caught his eye....

But I’ve saved the best for last, check this out…

My favorite part: the color of the flower has so much meaning in this book.

Sooooo.....

What do you guys think?

Packing, Signings, and...Extravangazas!

2011-06-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

I leave for New York in just two days, which means…well, it means I have a lot of packing to do. But it also means I’m just days away from my Books of Wonder signing on Thursday, June 30th with the uber-talented Lisa Schroeder, Adele Griffin, and Laurie Faria Stolarz! What the what?!? That’s right, if you haven’t already made plans to come see us, you’d better write it on your calendar now!!!

Not only that, but RWA has other opportunities to stop by and see me even if you’re not attending the conference! There’s a HUGE Literacy Signing on Tuesday night at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. You can meet a gazillion of your favorite authors (literally a gazillion...check out that list!). You can buy our books, get our autographs and pick up some cool swag, or just stare at us like monkeys in a zoo! Whatever it takes to get you there.

And if you’re in Seattle instead of New York, you can catch me at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park on Sunday, July 31st for their Summer Reading Extravaganza with Suzanne Young, Mandy Hubbard, Lisa Schroeder, Eileen Cook, and Cat Patrick! Did I mention it’s an EXTRAVANGAZA?! I know you don’t want to miss that!!!

How Much Do I Love This???

2011-06-22T09:17:00.001-07:00

In response to all the Random Acts of Kindness posts yesterday, The Pledge site posted an amazing example of Paying it Forward...and I just couldn't resist sharing it with you guys!

Not only did her story make me cry, but she's also offering prizes of her own. Trust me, you should totally check this out!

Celebrating A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL with Random Acts of Kindness...

2011-06-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

In honor of the release of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL (a book I loved!) a bunch of us are celebrating the random acts of kindness that touched our lives...and giving away some super awesome stuff!!!

For some reason, this act is the one that always stands out for me:

My best friend and I were out late one Saturday night, and while driving home we got lost in the warehouse district of Seattle. To top things off, we got a flat tire in the pouring rain—seriously the conditions were monsoon-like! It was nearly three in the morning and there was absolutely no one around. And I mean no one. There was really no reason for anyone (including us!) to be passing through that part of town at that hour.

Now, for those of you who don’t remember, this was back in the day…you know, before cell phones. (Gasp!) So here we were, two young girls who had no idea how to change a tire (honestly, I don’t even think we knew if we had a spare tire), stranded in the dark in the middle of nowhere. We got out and walked for a bit, looking for a payphone, but as far as we could see, there were none so we’d retreated back to the car where it was dry.

We finally decided to just wait it out till morning, knowing our parents would kill us. Knowing anyone could come along and do god-knows-what to us.

And then, from totally out of nowhere, we saw headlights cutting through the downpour and heading right for us (I know, this sounds like something straight out of THE BODY FINDER, right?). A car pulled up slowly, a man rolled down his window, and asked if we need help.

We nervously explained our situation to the stranger, and without hesitation he parked his car, got out, and began changing our tire. And remember, it was coming down in buckets, so he got completely SOAKED in the process! We couldn’t thank him enough, it had been almost too much to ask of a total stranger, and yet he’d offered.

He was like a superhero or a guardian angel or a…Good Samaritan or something.

Whatever he was, the world definitely needs more like him.

And guess what??? There's a contest to go with this Random Acts Celebration!!!

Check out the prizes:

Three lucky winners will get a signed copy of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL, in addition to one of the following (US Only for the signed copies). The remaining prizes from below will go to one winner each. And because every participant has a different story for who has changed their life, definitely be sure you check out every one's post, then be sure to spread the kindness.

*First Chapter Critique from Lisa and Laura Roecker
*Query Letter Critique from Shannon Messenger
*Signed copy of Invincible Summer from Hannah Moskowitz
*First Chapter Critique and a Skype Chat from Keri Mikulski
*Signed copy of Tell Me a Secret with signed art print from Holly Cupala
*Signed copy of Chasing Brooklyn from Lisa Schroeder
*The Pledge Swag Pack including ARC from Kimberly Derting
*First 3 chapter critique from Jessica at Confessions of a Bookaholic
*Hourglass by Myra McEntire from Corrine at Lost for Words
*ARC of Wolfsbane from Jessi at The Elliott Review
*2 Header/Button Packs from Jessica at Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
*First 3 chapters Critique from Cindy at Books Complete Me
*YA Lit Swag Bag from Sara at Novel Novice
*First 15 pages Critique from Kari at a Good Addiction
*Signed ARC of Hereafter (to a different winner) from Kari at a Good Addiction
*Daisy Whitney is also giving away five copies of the book on her facebook page and blog!

(Did you guys see that??? I'm giving away an ARC of THE PLEDGE, along with the very first swag pack!)

Here are the deets:

Earn one extra entry for each of the following:
Take a picture of any author's book in the wild and tweet it to Kari at a Good Addiction (@flamingo1325) and the author
Post a positive Amazon review for a book you loved
Donate a book to a library or classroom
Tweet a good deed you plan to do this week, using the #ANeedSoBeautiful hashtag

Earn 10 extra entries for each of the following:
Take a picture of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL in the wild and tweet it to Kari and Suzanne Young
Post an Amazon review for A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL
Donate a copy of A NEED SO BEAUTIFUL to a library or classroom

To enter, just fill out THIS form! Note: This is the same form no matter what blog you enter from, so please only enter once, and please wait until you have all your links, etc to enter.

Contest starts today, and ends June 28.

*Don't forget you MUST use the contest form to enter...comments left on this blog are much appreciated but won't be tallied!

**I would love to hear about random acts of kindness that affected your life!!!

What's Up???

2011-06-04T16:39:00.000-07:00

I posted some of our vacation photos on Facebook, but thought I’d share a couple of my favorites here too. One of my favorite things (besides having giraffes and zebras right outside our hotel room balcony!) was the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. (I’m sorry, did I just out myself as a Potter disciple?!?)

It. Was. Incredible! Like walking onto the set of one of the movies.

Maybe even better because there were rides. And food.

Okay, the rides I could’ve done without. Or at least The Forbidden Journey. It’s one of those virtual reality rides, where they strap you in and the screen plays this amazing special effects “journey” while the ride moves. Let’s just say I may have gotten a little motion sick on it.

Fine. A LOT motion sick.

Oh, and don’t ask me anything about the ride because my eyes were shut the entire time. Not because I was scared, I just didn’t want to puke on anyone. YAY.

One of the nights my husband surprised my daughter (and me) with reservations at the Medieval Times Dinner, which I totally thought would be cheesy. But Abby loved it so much it was hard not to fall under its charms. Her knight even bestowed his favor upon her (you know, gave her the little sash from the tip of his lance). She was positively glowing with her new knightly crush! Way cooler than I expected!

(I'm totally thinking I need a throne now.)

Also, this past weekend, we added a new kitten to the family line-up.

*cue the awwws*

I know. Adorable, isn’t she? So you totally understand why there was no way I could say no when we were at my nephew’s birthday party and they had kittens and my daughter asked if we could take her home, right???

The conversation went something like this:

Abby: “Please, mommy! She’ll be the last pet I ever get.”

Me: “Absolutely not.”

Abby: “Just look at her little face.”

Me (looking for a very long time, and then under my breath): “Fine.”

Abby: “Pleeeeaasseee…I…. Wait. What? Did you just say yes?”

My husband was pretty cool about it, especially considering we just showed up with her. No phone calls…no warning at all. I figured I was either getting a new cat or a lease on an apartment (for him, not me, since I need the space for all our cats!).

And now we have an adorable little kitten!

But my big news is that I went to the university this week and picked up our oldest daughter’s cap and gown for commencement. I can’t believe my baby is graduating college next week! When did she stop being this...???

I may be feeling a tad nostalgic.

What's up with you???

BEHOLD...

2011-06-03T13:46:00.000-07:00

The Italian cover for THE BODY FINDER...

Molto bella!!!

A Five Star Review of THE PLEDGE!!!!!

2011-05-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I promise not to bore you with every review…I mean, I haven’t before, have I? But come on, this is the first one I’ve seen pop up on Twitter. And it was uber-FAB. So I just had to, didn’t I???

Here’s just a snippet, but if you want, you can read the rest on Bibliopunkk’s site:

“Derting explodes onto the Dystopian field in high style. This book is gorgeous, vivid and imaginative. Derting uses her trademark style of narrative, switching back and forth between pro and antagonist as the story progresses. In this she makes a really smart choice though: not only does she switch narrators but she also plays with First and Third person for represent Charlie and Queen Sabara respectively. This adds a flair to the telling, and renders the two characters with very distinctive, different voices. I adore alternating narrators but some authors don't know how to pull it off. Derting does, and it makes for a superbly dynamic telling.”

YAY!!!

And can I just tell you how hard it is to Google “THE PLEDGE’”??? Yeah…that pesky Pledge of Allegiance gets all the prime Google real estate.

Not cool!

So I’ll be nervously Twitter-stalking instead. And trying not to chew my nails down to nubs.

I'm Coming to New York!

2011-05-27T09:07:00.001-07:00

Couldn’t quite hear that??? Let me say it again with a few more exclamation points!

I’M COMING TO NEW YORK!!!!

In case you can’t tell, I’m extremely excited for my upcoming trip to the Big Apple. Not only do I get to hang out in such a fabulous city with yummy food (need restaurant recommendations please!), I also get to visit the legendary BOOKS OF WONDER (yes, THAT Books of Wonder) where I’ll be signing with mega-superstar Lisa Schroeder on Thursday, June 30th at 6:00PM. (Her newest book, THE DAY BEFORE, comes out that week. Be the first get a signed copy!)

I know…I’m excited too!!! I hope you guys will come out and shower us with New York-style love!!!!

Or chocolate. You should totally shower us with chocolate.

See you then!

I'm Coming to New York!

2011-05-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Couldn’t quite hear that??? Let me say it again with a few more exclamation points!

I’M COMING TO NEW YORK!!!!

In case you can’t tell, I’m extremely excited for my upcoming trip to the Big Apple. Not only do I get to hang out in such a fabulous city with yummy food (need restaurant recommendations please), I also get to visit the legendary BOOKS OF WONDER (yes, THAT Books of Wonder) where I’ll be signing with mega-superstar Lisa Schroeder on Thursday, June 30th at 6:00PM. (Her newest book, THE DAY BEFORE, comes out that week. Be the first get a signed copy!)

I know…I’m excited too!!! I hope you guys will come out and shower us with New York-style love!!!!

Or chocolate. You should totally shower us with chocolate.

See you then!

iCLUE Winners and Indie Love!!!

2011-05-27T06:13:00.000-07:00

iClue was so much fun! Thanks to everyone who played along and helped us spread the word. And today we are SO excited to finally announce the winners!

Drumroll please...

The winner of the 6 autographed books is....

Melissa Wheelock!

Congrats, Melissa! You should be getting an email shortly.

And.....now for the GRAND PRIZE. The winner of an iPod Touch donated by The Reading Room, loaded with six AMAZING mysteries is...

Jasmine Miller!

Congratulations, Jasmine!!!! Someone will be in touch shortly to work out all the logistics.

And now, because Lisa and Laura (and the Elevensies) rock...

They have officially declared May 31st We <3 Indies Day. Want to help celebrate? Click here and they'll link to you. This is a good thing, you should totally do it!

Have a great weekend!

There’s an app for...well…my books!

2011-05-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

Check out the new Dark Days of Supernatural app!

Okay, so maybe the app isn’t totally all about my books, but what can I say, I’m easily impressed...and I’m pretty excited about it!!

Download the free app today and you can find out all about the Dark Days of Supernatural books (like Desires of the Dead!), upcoming Dark Days of Summer tour dates, keep up on all the latest Tweets, and other cool extras.

I just downloaded it.

You should too.

And now when someone asks about my books I can totally say: “There’s an app for that!” (Yes, I know. I’m hilarious!)

Giving Away an ARC of ENTHRALLED...

2011-05-23T10:35:00.000-07:00

...over at the Supernatural Underground.

Go! All you have to do is comment...and maybe you'll win!

FIRST CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNED ARC OF THE PLEDGE!!!!!!

2011-05-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Yep, you read it right! Starting today on Goodreads, you can enter to win a signed Advance Review Copy of THE PLEDGE! In fact, it's the very first one I’ll be signing to give away!!!!

You only have until June 1st, so you better hurry. Oh, and tell your friends!!!

FRIDAY FIVE (Or the I’m already checked out for vacation edition)

2011-05-13T12:43:00.000-07:00

1. I’m taking a vacation. A real one. An I-may-or-may-not-check-my-email vacation with my family. I’m super excited about it, and I’ve already checked out from pretty much everything. Except vacation-y related stuff, like checking the weather report.

2. Three days before leaving on said vacation, I got my edit letter for the third BODY FINDER. Awesome timing.

3. But speaking of the third BODY FINDER, I’ve also seen the cover for it, and it’s gorgeous! Like, I want to LICK it gorgeous! Which really doesn’t make it sound gorgeous at all, it makes it sound delicious.

4.

5. Did I mention I’m already checked out…???

Oh, and don’t forget to check back on Sunday, I have a little surprise for you guys!

I HAVE A BLURB!!!!

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

And from one of my favoritest people in the whole wide universe, the awesomely talented Carrie Ryan, author of THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH (which I frackin’ adored!!!).

So when she said this (about THE PLEDGE)…

“Kimberly Derting’s remarkably original and deliciously romantic dystopian, The Pledge, unfolds at a breakneck pace. I held my breath until the very last page and am already desperate for more!”

Umm, hold on a sec…let me just catch my breath…

…I said Holy! Freaking! WOW!!!!

Somebody pinch me.

Let The Countdown Begin...

2011-05-09T07:21:00.000-07:00

Check it out, I have a countdown widget for THE PLEDGE (see my sidebar) --->>>>

Pretty cool, huh???

Feel free to borrow it...

Spread the news...

Share!

MY VERSION OF A WRITERLY ADVICE(ish) POST...

2011-05-05T14:24:00.000-07:00

Last week I shared a little about what I went through in my publication journey and realized I actually have some great posts buried in my blog archives with some pretty useful info in them. You know, if you like writing...and stuff.

So I thought I'd dig them out, dust them off, and post them over there ( --> ) in my sidebar, so you can find them if you ever need 'em. Or if you just want to see how willing I am to share. (Hint: I am a classic over-sharer...always willing to embarrass myself just to make a point.)

Here's what you'll find in those links...

ACTUAL ADVICE AND OTHER USEFUL TIDBITS:

What Kind of Writer Are You???

The POV Debate Rages On

In My Day

The Not-So-Secret Agent Stuff

Demystifying the Publishing Process

Edits, Edits, and More Edits

The Six Stages of Revision Hell...

WRITERLY PEP TALKS:

Hang In There, Baby!

Nature vs. Nurture

AND FILED UNDER FUN (because, you know, I felt like it):

Titles (and why they're so damn hard)

Revision Mouth

Is Sell Out My Middle Name???

My Publishing Journey

I hope you find something useful in there. And if not, at least something entertaining.

YAPALOOZA Coming Soon!!!

2011-05-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

If you're in the Bellingham, WA area (and for those of you interested in today's geography lesson, that's just south of Vancouver, Canada), I'll be joining authors Teri Hall (THE LINE and AWAY), Denise Jaden (LOSING FAITH), and Alexa Martin (GIRL WONDER) this Friday night, May 6th, for Village Books' YApalooza!!! We'll be answering questions, giving away prizes, and what else? You guessed it, signing books! So come hang with us from 6:30 - 8:30PM!

Note: You should totally come see me, this is my first signing in Bellingham and I'm super excited!

DEAR WRITERS (Especially those of you on sub) (And most especially those of you who’ve gotten rejections):

2011-04-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

I just want you to know you’re not alone.

I know, I might sound like one of those kittens on a poster saying “Hang in there!” But trust me, I get it. I swear I feel your pain. I was once there too. Or maybe even twice…or even twenty times.

I remember obsessively refreshing my emails, and double and triple-checking my phone to make sure I hadn’t missed “the call”. I know what it’s like to swing between those manic highs (This is the day...I can smell an auction coming!) and those despondent lows (No one will want my book. It’s garbage. I might as well give up and become a bag lady.). I, too, wondered how time could have possibly slowed down to the point that I could actually HEAR the sun dragging across the sky…this phenomenon is known as “Submission Time” and it’s a whole new twist to the space-time continuum.

And the rejections. My god, the rejections! If only there was some consistency to them…am I right? If only they offered some tiny tidbit of information you could cling to, something useful you might be able to use so you could start thinking of revisions if, and when, this torturous round of submissions comes crashing to an untimely end. (Okay, people on submission are also prone to bouts of melodrama…just FYI.)

But they don’t. Your rejections are as varied as snowflakes, and sometimes just as cold.

One editor says “I just didn’t connect with voice,” which in your mind clearly translates to: “I hate you and wish you were dead.” The next explains that “I didn’t connect with the plot,” which obviously means: “I love crushing your hopes and dreams.”

And another just thanks your agent for the submission, saying “I loved it, but just didn’t love it enough” (Hello!!! Any chance a few revisions might change your mind????)

To show you what I mean, I’ve bravely dug out some of my rejections for THE BODY FINDER. (Remember when your parents told you this is gonna hurt me more than it’ll hurt you? Well, this might sting a little, and I’m not talking about you guys.)

Rejection #1:

Thanks so much for thinking of me for THE BODY FINDER. The premise is fantastic; I was excited to have a chance to review.

While I understand the appeal of this, I must admit I was disappointed by the character development. I wished the motivations and relationships were more compellingly drawn. For this reason, I feel I must pass.

Thanks again for sharing this with me, and best of luck finding the right home for it.

(Didn’t care for the characters and relationships. Check!)

Rejection #2:

I read this over the weekend -- it's such a great concept, but I'm afraid I'm going to pass. The prose didn't sparkle for me, and more than that, I was waiting for a huge plot twist I hoped the author was building up to -- and found that, for me, it never came.

I'm not much of a CSI person, and it could be I just don't have the right eye for this kind of thing. I so appreciate the opportunity to consider it, though, and wish you the best of luck! I'll be curious to see where it lands.

(Didn’t care for plot. Got it.)

Rejection #3:

I took THE BODY FINDER home over the weekend and can definitely see the potential here. Kimberly has a great concept and her protagonist is the kind of girl a reader can really get behind and connect with. Unfortunately, I have to be honest and say that I wasn’t as charmed by her writing. One of my pet peeves is repeated words and phrases throughout a manuscript, and on the first page alone she used the word “sound” eight times. It’s just one of those things that jumps out at me as a red flag.

Thanks for thinking of me with this, though.

(Ahahahaha! I counted, there were six “sounds,” not eight, in the first draft. But touché, dear editor. Touché! And check it out, she liked the character…remember Rejection #1?)

Okay, so you get my (painfully delivered) point, right? You see how subjective this business is? How different all the rejections were? Do you understand that it’s all about finding the right editor with the right manuscript at the right time???

I’m telling you, my fellow writers, don’t be discouraged, and don’t give up. Just…don’t!

And if you need an example of true perseverance, check out this post about author Kate DiCamillo. 397 rejections! Dude.

Things I’ve Learned From My Copyeditor (or why I’m too stupid to write without one)

2011-04-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

I finished First Pass Pages for THE PLEDGE yesterday and they’re off to my editor in that faraway, magical land of New York City, the place where enchanted publishing things happen. It’s also the place where copyeditors dwell. Copyeditors, as I see it, are these mystical creatures who live solely to remind authors that they are smarter, better educated, and generally have a greater grasp of the English language than we do. Or maybe it’s not all authors…maybe it’s just me. Either way, I’ve learned a thing or two about myself from my copyeditors:

1) I’m, a, comma, whore. Apparently, I throw them around like confetti. Or glitter. The title of my next book: WHY COMMAS RULE THE WORLD, AND STUFF.

2) When I’m writing, I don’t stop to look up the meaning of those pesky words I don't know. Dictionary-schmictionary! If it sounds right, I’ll just use it and forge ahead. The result: A list of words that seem like they should fit, but don’t—in fact—mean what I thought they did.

Words I’ve recently misused (and the accompanying notes from my copyeditor):

“Graphitize” means convert to graphite. Seems unlikely that this is what you meant here. Could you have wanted “graffitied” instead? (Note: Yes. Yes, I did.)

“Stringent” means constricted, rigorous, strict, severe (like stringent rules). What’s a better word you can use to describe the burn of liquor? (Note: I think I meant “astringent”, but ultimately used neither. Although I love the patronizing tone, don’t you?)

“Envoy” is an individual. Changed to “group of soldiers.” (Note: Thanks, copyeditor!)

Seriously, I should start a list. Or not. Maybe it would be too embarrassing to know how long it really is.

3) Continuity may not be my strong suit. Sometimes things just…happen, like my characters will just magically change positions, moving from one place to another with no explanation. It’s like teleportation or something. But the copyeditor calls me on these strange, inexplicable inconsistencies with notes like: How can it be snowing in the middle of July?

Okay, so THAT never actually happened, but you get the gist. She’s smart, and I’m…well, less smart. (Is it just me, or does it feel like these sentences need a few more commas???)

But there are things I have to remind myself sometimes.

1) Copyeditors are incredibly, and I mean incredibly literal.

Exhibit A: Eyes cannot be swollen, only the skin around the eyes can be swollen.

Exhibit B: You can’t claim that one individual is the most intimidating person in the entire world (how could you possibly know that?).

You see what I mean? L-I-T-E-R-A-L.

2) This is my book. If I want fragmented sentences, I can have them. If I want it to be blazing hot at the end of spring, I can do that. If I feel like intentionally misspelling the name of a character (to make it something, say, less than traditional), I can. My world, my rules!

Ultimately, though, you guys should be as grateful to my copyeditors as I am. They’ve saved you from reading my comma-riddled, continuity addled messes!

Sharing and a Teaser...

2011-04-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

I got my First Pass Pages this week for THE PLEDGE, and in the midst of petting and adoring them (See? How gorgeous are they?!) I almost forgot that you might want to take a peek too!

Look at that font...

Basically, FPPs are my last chance to go through and make any last minute tweaks and corrections. Or as I like to call it, another chance to read THE PLEDGE! It's made me excited about this book all over again...I totally can't wait to share it with you guys. In fact, I've decided to share a little teaser with you today.

I'm not gonna bother setting it up, other than to say, breaking the law in Charlie's world does NOT get you a slap on the hand!

He took a step closer, and my ribs crushed my heart, threatening to stop it from beating. I wanted it to be fear, and that’s what I told myself it was, I felt threatened by Max. But I knew better, I knew it was something more. And then he surprised me by softly asking, “Why did you leave so early that night?”

I was afraid to speak, but he just stood there, waiting. I tilted my head back, so I could meet his stare. I wavered, trying to decide how to answer him, and then I simply said, “I wasn’t feeling well.”

He gazed down at me, and I had the strangest feeling he knew I was lying. But he only sighed, a reluctant smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Will you walk with me?” he asked at last.

It would have been easier to answer if I could breathe, and if my pulse would stop fluttering so wildly. I shook my head, unable to stop staring. “No.” I finally trusted my voice. “I need to get inside. I have work to do.”

“What are you so afraid of?” He said it so tenderly, so gently, that I almost didn’t realize he hadn’t spoken in Englaise. Yet it wasn’t Parshon, either, which was the only other language I could have responded to.

I’d heard those sounds—that dialect—only one other time, that night at the club, when his friends had spoken about Brooklynn.

And the law was clear.

I blinked once, keeping his dark gaze in view for an instant too long, and then I dropped my head. This time my heart crashed within my chest for entirely the right reasons: fear, terror, dread.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

I prayed that he believed me. He reached across, inching my chin up so he could look at me.

There was a scowl on his face, or was it something else? I wished that I could decipher his expressions as easily as I’d translated his words.

THIS JUST IN: Cats Love Costumes…

2011-04-16T13:33:00.001-07:00

10-year-old designer rushes to fill the demand.

FRIDAY FIVE (The Everything’s Rosy Edition)

2011-04-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

1) OMG, you guys, The Body Finder 3 is finished!!! Can I just say halle-freakin-lujah?!?! When my husband finished reading it, he came into my office and high-fived me. I’m taking that as a good sign.

2) It’s also not called “The Body Finder 3” any longer. It has a name. A real, honest to goodness, official title. And, no, I’m not sharing that title yet.

3) I went to RT (Romantic Times) last week where I ate and drank and visited with some of my favorite people in the whole wide world. I also got a bunch of books and all of my baggage was overweight. I totally paid for it too…both in overage fees and sore shoulders. SO worth it!

Why, yes, that is Graveminder. And Sophie Jordan, Merrie Destefano, and Tara Lynn Childs.

(I sorta loved the giant sign!!!)

4) I also got to meet my longtime author crush Cassandra Clare. I somehow managed NOT to physically assault her with my kisses and hugs and puppy-like enthusiasm. But I thought about it. A lot.

5) And the best part of the trip??? The way-too-cool (how is she ALWAYS so put-together?!) Melissa de la Cruz hosted a fabtabulous author party at her house…AND since it was my birthday, she got me a cake. I totally thought about kissing and hugging her too. A lot. Thanks, Mel, you totally rock!!!!

Day Four: LAST iClue!

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have you been gathering your clues? Keeping up with the mystery featuring Violet from THE BODY FINDER? If not, start here to read the first clue, here to read the second one, and here to read the third.

This is your final clue! After this, you’ll have all the info you need to solve this week’s mystery and enter for a grand prize of an iPod Touch! To read the conclusion to the mystery, get the final clue, and outwit your friends, just click here!

Day Three: iClue!

2011-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Are you keeping up with the mystery featuring Violet from THE BODY FINDER? If not, click here to start and get Day Two’s clues here.

And to find the next clue, click here.

Day Two: iClue!

2011-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Did you read the opening to the mystery featuring Violet from THE BODY FINDER yet? If not, click here.

I know, I left you hanging, but that’s kinda the point. Don’t worry, the next bit of the story—and a very juicy clue—is ready for you today! Just head over to The Undercover Book Lover to find out what happens next (and to gather your next clue)…

iClue Mystery One: Violet’s Mystery

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi guys! So this is the second week of the iClue Extravaganza! If you don’t know what I’m talking about, click here for more info, but basically all this week, I’ll be posting a mystery with characters from THE BODY FINDER. If you solve the mystery, you’ll get a password that will enter you for a grand prize of an iPod Touch! I hope you enjoy this week’s mystery—and the mysteries from the other awesome authors throughout the month!

To read the story and get started on the mystery, visit the official iClue site, then click on my name (hint: it’s Kimberly Derting) to get started. Check back each day this week for links to the clues so you can solve the mystery and enter for the grand prize of an iPod Touch!

Best Weekend Ever!!!

2011-04-04T06:19:00.000-07:00

1. Since I’m flying out to LA (FOR RT!!!!) on my birthday, we decided to celebrate this weekend. Fortunately, my husband picked up on my not-so-subtle hints that I wanted a Keurig coffee maker, and can I just say: I LOVE IT!!!!!! And since getting it, I may be drinking quadruple my usual coffee intake. (Hence the exclamation marks!)

2. Also, because I was Tweeting about how much I wanted said Keurig, I got this awesome package (filled with K-cups for my new coffee maker!) from the ladies at The Body Finder Novels site.

Apparently, they were planning it all behind my back with my husband. Very sneaky!!! (BTW, I’m a sucker for a tiara, and I may have worn it for longer than just the photo op!)

3. AND…because they totally rock, they did this too! They designed this awesome…did I mention AWESOME…brand new The Pledge Fansite and Twitter page!!!!!!!!! (Go ahead, check it out…follow them…whatever. I’ll wait…) It’s gorgeous, right??? BEST! PRESENT! EVER!!!!!

4. Just so you know, this weekend was also uber-productive. You know that book I’ve been working on? The one without a title??? Yes, the third Body Finder book! Well, it officially has a title! And, no, I won’t tell you what it is yet. But I’m so happy it won’t actually be called TBF3, which is what I’VE been calling it.

5. Have I mentioned I’ll be in LA this week??? I’m wrapping up that newly titled book today, packing all day tomorrow, and flying out Wednesday for a weekend of panels, meeting, signings, and an epic TEEN DAY event at RT! Seriously, you should totally be there!!!!

First Day Of iClue...

2011-04-04T06:13:00.001-07:00

This is it! Now you can start collecting your iClues by reading Beth Revis' first iClue mystery here, then you'll be on your way to winning some fab prizes including an iPod Touch!!!!

So what are you waiting for? Let the iClueing commence!

iClue...

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do You iClue?

6 Authors

6 Mysteries

6 Chances to Win an iTouch

Six authors were talking one day and realized that even though their books ran the gamut from sci fi to romance, contemporary to ghostly, they all had one thing in common: a really good mystery. These authors--Lisa & Laura Roecker, Mandy Hubbard, Adele Griffin, Kimberly Derting, Lee Nichols & Beth Revis decided they wanted to give their readers a little more mystery...and if they solved that mystery, there needs to be a great prize, no?

The authors are working with The Reading Room (a book review site) and a slew of amazing book bloggers to bring you an exciting new contest that will be running over the next 6 weeks. For each mystery you solve, you get another entry into the contest. The grand prize is an iTouch loaded with 6 AMAZING eBooks from the participating authors.

Here's how it works:

Starting on April 4th a new author will be featured on the iClue Site each week.

The author will post their mystery on the site on Monday.

On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we will post links to The Reading Room and two book bloggers who will be posting a special clue to help you solve the mystery.

Once you've solved the mystery you send us the correct solution using a form on the website.

If you enter the correct solution you get one entry into the contest.

Solve all 6 mysteries you get 6 entries to win the iTouch.

iClue launches next week (April 4th) with my mystery, featuring some of the characters from ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. Solve the mystery, get the password, and you'll get an entry to win an iPod Touch! So make sure you check back next week for this!

Meanwhile...we want to make sure to get the word out on this exciting month-long event! And that's where you come in...you, and six autographed books...

Help us spread the word, and you'll be entered for a prize to win six autographed books, one from each of us! There are lots of ways to enter!

You can tweet!

You can blog!
(If you past the html code under the banner into your blog, it will automatically show up, all linked directly to the contest. If you put it into the post, be sure you're on the "edit html" tab of Blogger.)

You can spread the word however you like! And for every way you spread the word, we're going to enter you in a contest for a grand prize pack of all six of our books, signed! And don't forget to come back to the actual event for your chance to solve fun mysteries and win an iPod Touch!! (And yes--before you ask, the contest IS open internationally--both prizes!)

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

Wanna Know More About THE PLEDGE, Me, RT...

2011-03-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Check out my guest post on Dark Faerie Tales in which I do my best to describe THE PLEDGE...and explain how I'm going to try NOT to embarrass myself at RT!

But let's be honest, I'm probably going to embarrass myself.

The Dark Days of Winter Post-Tour Wrap-Up!!!!

2011-03-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

DAY ONE: MINNEAPOLIS (St. Patrick's Day!)

The Good: My first night on tour with Claudia Gray, Courtney Allison Moulton, and Leah Clifford! B&N put together an awesome night for us!!!!

The Bad: A four-hour flight delay, which meant racing straight from the airport to the signing.

The Ugly: Dressing in a cramped Minneapolis Airport bathroom, while trying NOT to touch the floor. Or the walls. Or the toilet. Eww!

Look at all the green! My socks were green...just ask airport security...

Courtney decided to become part of the decor. Yes, those are balloons tied to her hair...

DAY TWO: CHICAGO

The Good: It’s Chicago! We did a school visit, a library round-table discussion with some amazing librarians, picked up Ellen Schreiber, AND got to go to Anderson’s Bookstore in Naperville…YAY!!!

The Bad: We did all that on only about 4 hours sleep.

The Ugly: We hit turbulence on the way to Chicago and one of the authors (*cough*Courtney*cough*) gets airsick. Poor thing!!!

The crowd at Andersons...

OMG, look! She has pink AND blue in her hair for the TBF and DESIRES covers. I think I love her!!!

DAY THREE: MIAMI

The Good: What wasn’t good??? Books & Books may have been one of the coolest bookstores I’ve ever been in! They have a courtyard for live music, a full service café, art displays…and it was 80 degrees! Not to mention it was Super Moon that night.

The Bad: I tried to get a picture of the Super Moon from a moving vehicle. With the flash on. Through really dirty windows. Umm, yeah.

The Ugly: They asked us to do the Time Warp from Rocky Horror Picture Show. And they videotaped us. Said video has not surfaced yet, but I have a feeling it will. Someday…

Clearly, we thought we were hilarious!

Books & Books had great crowds too...

My attempt at shooting the Super Moon...

And, later, a power dinner...tortilla soup and chocolate cake. What else???

Yes, I'm Still Alive...and other stuff.

2011-03-23T07:49:00.000-07:00

Okay, guys, I’m back from tour, trying to catch up on emails/sleep. You know, the essentials. I promise I’ll post pics soon!

Just a couple of housekeeping items:

First, I’ve updated my EVENTS PAGE. You can see what I’ll be doing for the next couple of months. Beyond that, it’s anyone’s guess…although I may or may not be attending the Capitol Bookfest in Charleston, SC in November. (Hint: I’m totally attending!)

Second, I’ve been a little off-grid lately, and that’s because I’m working feverishly on the third Body Finder book (which still doesn’t have a freaking title, but that’s another matter altogether!). So if I don’t respond to your emails/Tweets/Facebook messages, forgive me. I promise it won’t last forever!

Also, if you haven’t seen it yet, Novel Novice posted a blooper reel of me trying to record a 10 second video for my UK publisher. Honestly, this is why I shouldn’t be allowed in front of a camera!

AND…because I love you guys, I thought I’d point out that you, too, can own one of these babies! Seriously, how much would I love for someone to walk into my house and see this?!?! And how long before we can order them custom with our own images on them?

BECAUSE I CAN’T BE EVERYWHERE. OR CAN I???

2011-03-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

I’m busy packing for HarperTeen’s Dark Days of Winter Tour, getting ready to head out to see everyone in Minneapolis, Chicago, and Miami. And I’m feeling terrible that I can’t be in New York/Toronto/Houston/Salt Lake City/Atlanta/Dallas…well, you get the idea. There are A LOT of great cities I won’t be visiting this tour. Maybe even this year.

If it were up to me, I’d totally invent a transporter (yes, I’m a Star Trek geek) and beam myself everywhere. But it’s not. So Harper’s doing the next best thing.

Livestreaming!

On both Friday, March 18th at 7PM Central time and Saturday, March 19th at 7PM Eastern time, you can watch the Chicago and Miami events live from the comfort of your own couches. Check out HarperTeen’s Pitch Dark Books Facebook Page for more details!

But…if you’re in Minneapolis, Chicago, or Miami, check out my Events Page for times and locations of the real-live signings…because, trust me, I’m WAY funnier in person!!!

How Gorgeous Is This???

2011-03-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

As if I don't have enough going on this year, I also have a short story coming out in the Smart Chicks' anthology, ENTHRALLED, in September. And because I like to share a little eye-candy now and then, check out our awesome new cover:

You guys, I'm "AND MORE"!!! See? Down there...at the bottom!!!!!

The stories in the collection are as follows:

Giovanni’s Farewell by Claudia Gray
Scenic Route by Carrie Ryan
IV League by Margaret Stohl
Red Run by Kami Garcia
Things About Love by Jackson Pearce
Niederwald by Rachel Vincent
--- by Melissa Marr
Facing Facts by Kelley Armstrong
Let’s Get This Undead Show on the Road by Sarah Rees Brennan
Bridge by Jeri Smith-Ready
Skin Contact by Kimberly Derting
Leaving by Ally Condie
At the Late Night, Double Feature, Picture Show by Jessica Verday
Gargouille by Mary E. Pearson
The Third Kind by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Automatic by Rachel Caine

Melissa Marr and Kelley Armstrong did an amazing job editing us. And, yes, I'm freaking the hell out that I'm even included among these ridiculously talented authors!

Freaking. Out.

Why yes that is DESIRES OF THE DEAD...

2011-03-07T10:01:00.000-08:00

...on Barnes & Nobles' BEST BOOKS OF MARCH LIST!!!!!

And did you see that company I'm in?!? OMG, I'm pretty sure everyone within a 5 miles radius just heard me screaming!

THE PLEDGE

2011-03-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is, the synopsis I promised for THE PLEDGE. It gives you a pretty darn good idea of what you can expect. THE PLEDGE is dark in a completely different way than THE BODY FINDER books; I think of it as a dystopic-fantasy since there are definitely elements of both in it.

But you know me, there’s also a fair amount of romance too...

Words are the most dangerous weapon of all.

In the violent country of Ludania, the classes are strictly divided by the language they speak. The smallest transgression, like looking a member of a higher class in the eye while they are speaking their native tongue, results in immediate execution. Seventeen-year-old Charlaina has always been able to understand the languages of all classes, and she’s spent her life trying to hide her secret. The only place she can really be free is the drug-fueled underground clubs where people go to shake off the oppressive rules of the world they live in. It's there that she meets a beautiful and mysterious boy named Max who speaks a language she's never heard before . . . and her secret is almost exposed.

Charlie is intensely attracted to Max, even though she can’t be sure where his real loyalties lie. As the emergency drills give way to real crisis and the violence escalates, it becomes clear that Charlie is the key to something much bigger: her country’s only chance for freedom from the terrible power of a deadly regime.

And because I’m super stoked about sharing, I thought I'd post a little teaser too:

There was a long pause, and I thought my heart might explode. Each beat was painful as I told myself that this wasn’t happening, that I hadn’t just made such a grievous misstep. Surely I couldn’t have forgotten. My parents had worked so hard to teach me, to instill the importance of never, ever mistaking one language for another. And to never, ever break the rules.

And yet, here I was. Waiting to see if I would die.

Just in case you want to see the cover again…because I know I do…

Well...???

MARCH MADNESS WINNERS...

2011-03-05T07:33:00.000-08:00

Congrats to:

Jessi E. (The Elliot Review)

Tere Kirkland

Julia :)

Jackie (from Goodreads)

Renee

Nely

and

dani_nguyen

who were the MARCH MADNESS giveaway winners!!!!

FRIDAY FIVE (Some Big Things)

2011-03-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

1. Today is my youngest daughter's birthday and she's in the double-digits now. She's my firecracker (that's my polite way of saying she's stubborn as hell), but I'm sooo not ready for her to grow up just yet.

2. In case you missed the news on Twitter, I'll be revealing the synopsis of The Pledge either tomorrow or once I reach 2500 Twitter followers...whichever comes first. Let's just call that tomorrow.

3. If you're in Portland, OR, I'm really hoping to see you on Sunday at Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing store in Beaverton. It's at 2:00PM, people, don't make me beg!

4. Today is also the last day to enter the MARCH MADNESS giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of one of seven fab March releases!!!

5. The Chicago Public Library named THE BODY FINDER as one of its 2011 BEST OF THE BEST Books for Teens. YAY, Chicago! I'll see you in a couple of weeks!!!!

SUPER DUPER COVER REVEAL: THE PLEDGE!!!

2011-03-01T17:13:00.000-08:00

So, since it’s already on Amazon, I guess it’s not a secret any longer…

Here’s my super-fabulous, mega-awesome, ridiculously-beyond-gorgeous cover for THE PLEDGE (November 15, 2011):

ZOMG, what do you guys think?!?!? Do you love it as much as I do???

I have to say, I have hearts floating out of my eyes…

It’s MARCH MADNESS (and not the basketball kind!!!)

2011-02-28T20:07:00.000-08:00

A LOT of my author friends have March 1st releases, so yesterday I woke up with this brilliant idea: I need to have a HUGE GIVEAWAY!!!!

So, I started sending harassing emails and tweeting like a madwoman...and VOILA, a giveaway is born.

And here they are, the fabulous books that are up for grabs:

Saundra Mitchell’s THE VESPERTINE (OMG, I loved Shadowed Summer SOOO much…I seriously cannot wait to read this one too!) (Okay, technically this is a March 7th release, but I just had to include it!)

Lisa and Laura Roecker’s THE LIAR SOCIETY (Why? 1. I blurbed it. 2. I made an ass out of myself in a video for them. Clearly, you already know I loved this one!)

Lindsey Leavitt’s SEAN GRISWOLD’S HEAD (She is SO not just about pink and princesses and bubbles, you guys. This one is about angsty first crushes and family drama! And how could you NOT love that cover?!?!) (I'll wait while you go look at the cover...)

Rachel Hawkins' DEMONGLASS, the sequel to HEX HALL (I just finished Hex Hall, and thank God I don't have to wait to read DEMONGLASS!!!)

Lee Nichols’ BETRAYAL (One word: Ghosts!) (Okay, more than one word: I love books about ghosts!!!!)

Kim Harrington’s CLARITY (Publisher’s Weekly gave CLARITY a starred review…that should make everyone want their own copy!) (I know I do.)

AND: Carrie Ryan's THE DARK AND HOLLOW PLACES, the final book in The Forest of Hands and Teeth trilogy. (The Forest of Hands and Teeth scared me in the best possible way!!!) (This is another cheat book, since it's not actually out until March 22nd. But, again, I just had to have it!)

Here’s your chance to win your VERY OWN SIGNED COPIES! I’m giving each of these books away, and all you have to do is leave a comment.

That’s it.

No really, that’s all.

Just a comment. Preferably something nice. And maybe something about one of their books...just sayin'.

And on Friday, I’ll choose SEVEN random winners to win one of these uber-fab books!

It’s March Madness, people. Get excited!

Sorry, international folks, this one’s for US entrants only.

MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY Recap...

2011-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

As promised, here is the slideshow I put together from last weekend's MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY.

I'm sure you can see it was awesome, and now you wish you were there, don't you???

There were actually a ton of pictures I couldn't fit...or it would have been like a 20 minute video! But I really, really want to thank everyone at B&N for putting together such a spectacular event!!!

A Trust Fund For Lisa's Son...

2011-02-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

This week the writing community lost an amazing writer, and I lost my friend and fellow Deb, L.K. Madigan, to pancreatic cancer.

While there are no plans for a memorial service at this time, if you'd like to do something nice for Lisa's family, a college trust fund has been set up for her son. You can send checks to:

Nathan Wolfson Trust
Becker Capital Management, Inc.
Attn: Sharon Gueck/John Becker
1211 SW Fifth Ave, Suite 2185
Portland, OR 97204

Donors will be sent acknowledgment letters. Feel free to repost this information in your own blogs, or tweet about it.

Thank you!

Is Pink My Color???

2011-02-25T06:01:00.000-08:00

And now it's MY turn...

I know, HAHAHAHAHAHA, right?!?! I'm the worst actress ever. But seriously, THE LIAR SOCIETY is a great book, and it's out next week, so get your orders in now!!!

Tune in tomorrow for a more natural me in front of the camera at the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY. We had an awesome time and got some great pics!

Someone Call THE ACADEMY...

2011-02-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

Author Suzanne Young deserves an Oscar for her performance...she's a natural!

Tomorrow, it's my turn (as I'm sure you guessed from Suzanne's frantic phone calls).

And Saturday, I'll be posting the pics and video clips from the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY!!!!

Glam Meets Funny...

2011-02-23T05:54:00.000-08:00

Check out Beth Revis, author of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, as a THE LIAR SOCIETY devotee. She looks uber-fancy in her pink wig…but even better, she’s hilarious:

Is it just me, or do these crack you up too?

I really hope it’s not just me ;)

More LIAR SOCIETY Love and One Hell of a Deal…

2011-02-22T06:26:00.000-08:00

Check out Shannon Messenger rockin’ the pink wig for THE LIAR SOCIETY:

Remember, my turn is coming on Friday. Tomorrow, it’s Beth Revis, author of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE…

And in case you were wondering who won the Grand Prize basket (with the awesomely awesome NOOK Color!) at the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY, it was...HAILEY:

She has the best story about buying THE BODY FINDER while she was on vacation in Hawaii, and only after she started reading it, did she realize it was set in the town right next door to where she lives! Seriously, how cool is that? Plus, she was super excited. Loved her!!!

Also, the BIG SALE on the NOOK and Kindle versions of THE BODY FINDER with BONUS content starts today, just $1.99. So if you haven’t read it yet, or if you have a friend who hasn’t read it, now’s the time to get it! That’s a pretty sweet deal, and I have no idea how long it’ll last!!!

Fan Girliness and Pink Wigs...

2011-02-21T08:18:00.000-08:00

What the heck is Elana Johnson, author of POSSESSION, up to? Check her out as she fangirls over THE LIAR SOCIETY (coming March 1st) by the uber-fab Lisa and Laura Roecker:

Stay tuned all week as other YA authors show THE LIAR SOCIETY some love. And on Friday, I may or may not make an appearance of my own in a pink wig…

Also, coming up: On Saturday I’m appearing at the FOR THE LOVE OF READING event at the Sumner Public Library with YA authors Lisa Schroeder, Mandy Hubbard, Holly Cupala, and Dia Reeves. We’ll be doing a Q&A panel and signing books…don’t miss it!

And…if you missed the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY, it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E!!!! The Starbucks in the bookstore even created a special pink drink just for the occasion…how cool is that? I’m going to try to have pics up this week. Of the event. And of the drink!

IN L.A.? Love YA? Check This Out???

2011-02-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, April 9th, it’s Teen Day at the Romantic Times Convention! Check out all the haps in the lower left-hand corner there:

Mingle with the superstars of YA. Oh, and I’ll be there too!

And…if you want to skip the all-day events (you know, like the SUPER COOL party!), you can just attend the signing from 11-2PM and it’s only $5.

For all the latest updates, follow RT Teen Day on Twitter

And Facebook

So if you’re in the area, I’ll totally see you there, right???

Can I get a WOO-HOO!?!?!?

PARTY REMINDER:

2011-02-16T16:48:00.000-08:00

In case you haven’t heard. Or accidentally forgot to write in on your calendar. Or, you know, have short-term memory loss...I’m reminding you now that this Saturday is the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY for Desires of the Dead!!!!!

And in case you were thinking of missing it, I have bribes:

Why yes, that IS a NOOK Color in that Grand Prize basket! And a giftcard for e-book downloads, and a DESIRES OF THE DEAD hoodie, and books, and all kinds of swag-y goodness! There are SEVEN chances in all to win.

Plus, there’s me! I might not be not a prize, but I’ll definitely be there signing books and being as charming as I can be.

It’s this Saturday, February 19th at noon, at the Barnes & Noble in Federal Way, WA.

Be there. Or be square. (People still say that, right???)

MY RELEASE DAY (Even Better Than Last Year!)…

2011-02-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Last year on release day, I glammed it up: I got a Tiffany bracelet, went to lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (so I could actually HAVE cheesecake for lunch), drove around to bookstores all over the city signing stock and taking pics of me in front of my book on displays.

This year, not so much with the glamorous. I spent most of the day working on copyedits for The Pledge. In my sweatpants.

But here’s what I did do…

My husband got me this as a launch-day gift:

OMG, a NOOK Color!!!! And, yes, I think it might actually be better than a Tiffany bracelet. You know, for a book-whore like me!

And look at the first thing I downloaded (well, after TBF and DESIRES, of course!).

Yeah, it’s US Weekly….cuz that’s how I roll. And seriously, I think I’m in love with this thing!!!

Then we ~~dragged~~ took the kids out for a nice family dinner. We’d planned to go to a place near our local bookstore, but when we were driving, our oldest daughter called and asked: “Hey, when was the last time you were here?”

Me: “I don’t know, why?”

Her: “Cause that restaurant you said to meet you at…it’s not really a restaurant anymore. It looks more like a bar.”

Me: “Hmm.”

That’s how often we get out, apparently. So we decided on the Outback Steakhouse, which was just down the street, I ordered a HUGE dessert, and then we went to sign stock at the local bookstore.

Of course, the kids love watching me sign stock. [end sarcasm font!]

But even better than the NOOK Color, was the fact that when I woke up this morning DESIRES OF THE DEAD was #9 on Barnes & Noble’s Teen Bestseller’s List! Hell yeah, baby!!!!

Seriously, this release day was WAY better than last year. Hands down!

Huge Huge HUGE News (x2)!!!!!

2011-02-14T06:30:00.000-08:00

If you’ve been paying attention the last couple of months, you may have noticed me dropping a few subtle hints around the blogosphere. You know, little comments about how I would LOVE to continue The Body Finder Series, plus little hints about a super-secret project I’ve been working on.

Fine, maybe I wasn’t SO subtle but whatever; I’ve never been the best secret-keeper anyway.

Well, after what seemed like an eternity, I can finally tell you my latest news, which was just announced in Publishers Weekly. But basically, the jist of the deal is: I HAVE MORE BOOKS COMING OUT!!!!

First, my super-secret project news (which I’ve been sitting on the longest!).

I have a new book called THE PLEDGE releasing November 15th, 2011 from McElderry (Simon & Schuster)! I can’t express how excited I am about this project! Oh, and the cover is so unbelievably beautiful! I can’t wait to share it with you soon!

Here's just a little teaser about THE PLEDGE:

A romantic fantasy set in a dystopic, war-torn world, in which a teenage girl realizes that she may be the key to saving her country.

(Really, there's so much more to it, but that's all you get for now!)

I’m also thrilled to be working with the fabulously-talented Gretchen Hirsch once more (she was one of my original editors for The Body Finder…YAY!!!).

Speaking of The Body Finder, there will also be at least TWO MORE BOOKS IN THE SERIES AFTER DESIRES OF THE DEAD…*happy dance*!!! I’m beyond excited to spend more time with Violet & Jay…and Farrin (my equally awesome editor at HarperCollins)! I can’t wait to see what the covers will look like for books 3 and 4! But before I get ahead of myself, I should probably get back to finishing book 3. And, well, naming it. :)

I have to thank you guys for making this possible! If none of you read my books, I’m pretty sure neither publisher would want more of them. So, thankyouthankyouthankyou!

Oh, and last but not certainly least, DESIRES OF THE DEAD comes out tomorrow!!!!!!

Commence.

Nervous.

Eye-twitching…

...Now.

Winners (yes, more than one!) of THE ECHOES OF THE DEAD CONTEST

2011-02-12T11:30:00.000-08:00

Remember last time when I said I’d never do a contest where I had to pick a favorite anything again??? Yeah…well, this is why…you guys are too clever. These echoes rocked!

First, I’m changing the rules a bit (unless anyone has any objections) and choosing THREE WINNERS...not just the one I’d originally posted!

So now there will be one random winner, one winner whose echo I’ve already used (although I won’t reveal what the exact echo is…I don’t want to be spoilery), and of course, the one winner whose echo I’d be most likely to use.

And in case you didn’t know, there were also entries on Goodreads, which you can check out here.

Note: Because ALL of these categories had multiple entries (even the favorite!), I used a super-fancy system in which I cut out each entry and dropped them into a hat. My daughter then chose the final winner. Yes, I know, how very high-tech of me!

So without further adieu, let’s do this thing:

First, the RANDOM WINNER, because that was the easiest to choose, is:

Jeanette (mrsjbruce at gmail dot com)

Congrats, Jeanette!!!!

Second, we’ll do the ECHO-I’VE-ALREADY-USED. There were five identical entries for this one, so again, the hat was employed, and the WINNER is:

Buster815

YAY!!!

And, last, but definitely not least (and certainly the most difficult to decide), the FAVORITE ECHO! And when I say favorite I mean that my crack team of panelists (myself and my family) narrowed it down and I chose the one that could most likely show up in a future book. I mean, if there is a future book, of course. *wink*

Again, there were two identical entries for this one (one from Blogger and one from Goodreads), but the echo I pulled from my fancy-dancy hat was:

Burnt Rubber (submitted by Sasha Switz) (Psst, Sasha, email me so I can get your mailing info!)

I mean, come on, burnt rubber is pretty distinctive...and gross. I kinda love it!

To the rest of you, I can’t thank you enough! And just because I didn’t list your echo here, DOES NOT mean it won’t show up in a book some day. I’ve added many of these to “the list”.

You all are the best!!!!!!!!

Whew! That's A Lot Of Stuff...

2011-02-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

I feel like all I talk about lately is “book stuff”.

Well, it is. I can’t help it. I mean, just look at that countdown clock…how am I supposed to think about anything else?

So I thought I’d do a quick round-up post, to get all my jumbled thoughts in order (and to let you know that I am doing OTHER THINGS too):

1) I spent nearly half an hour this morning surfing the interwebz in search of the best place to buy Nerds gumballs. I found thes e: 20 pounds of gumbally-goodness (that’s 850 pieces, you guys!) for just $59. True story.

2) I bought a NOOK Color this weekend to give away at my Mega Epic Launch Party!!!! I know, right? One lucky winner is gonna walk away with the coolest gift basket ever. I really hope it’s me!!!

(Note: I’m not eligible to win.)

(Second note: That first note totally sucks.)

3) While I was buying the NOOK, I did this:

It's Cassandra Clare. I had to.

4) I’m working to update my EVENTS PAGE (see sidebar), but I’m adding events faster than I can keep up. In the next few weeks we have: The Mega Epic Launch; For the Love of Reading Library Panel in Sumner, WA; a SIGNING in Portland, OR; and then the HUGE HUGE HUGE HarperTeen Dark Days of Winter Tour! There are also awesome things afoot at RT in Los Angeles that I will post about later!!!

5) Speaking of HarperTeen, they asked me to do a quick video “introducing Desires of the Dead”. Unfortunately for them, they gave me very few instructions, which meant I was free to be a total dork (which I was). Check out the results of me, a camera, too much caffeine, and too little sleep:

6) For those of you following the ECHOES OF THE DEAD Contest, tomorrow is the last day to enter. I lovelovelove your entries…and you’ve definitely helped me beef up my working list, so THANK YOU!!! Some of your echoes have already been used in DESIRES (I won’t say which ones, since that’s spoilery).

(Note: Used echoes are not disqualified echoes, it just means that great-minds-think-alike!)

Here are just a few that made me stop and go OOOH!:

Papercuts (I cringed when I read this one.)

The tinkling of a music box (I think this could be a great quasi-creepy echo. Or maybe it’s just me that’s creeped out by that sound.)

Lip/eye twitching (posted on Goodreads) (This one would be crazy-annoying!)

Seriously, keep ‘em coming. You guys are SO creative!!!!

7) And, lastly, the B&N in Federal Way, WA is currently taking phone orders for signed copies of Desires of the Dead and The Body Finder. Don’t miss your chance to pre-order them before the launch party! Did I mention it’s gonna be MEGA EPIC?!?!?

REALLY? The only non-book thing I did was search for gumballs???

I need to get a life.

Signed Copies of TBF and DESIRES OF THE DEAD (Limited Time)

2011-02-05T15:00:00.000-08:00

I'm assuming that if you can’t make it to my MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY it's because you're bedridden. Or extremely agoraphobic. Or, you know, don't live in the area. Whatever. But don’t fear, you can still get a signed copy of DESIRES OF THE DEAD or the upcoming paperback release of THE BODY FINDER.

How, you ask?

Well, get this! I’ve made arrangements with the Barnes & Noble hosting the MEGA EPIC LAUNCH PARTY to take phone orders for you. So now you, good readers, can pre-order your copy and have it shipped directly to your home. You know, since you're severely agoraphobic and all.

Note: Be specific on the phone! If you want your book(s) personalized, be sure to give the correct name spelling. If you don’t want it personalized (just signed), be specific about that too! Shipping will be $3.99 for the first book, $.99 for each additional book. I’m assuming that’s US residents only, sorry international peeps! Call (253) 839-2535 to place your order.

AND...Speaking of launch parties, don’t forget: It’s gonna be MEGA EPIC! If you're not bedridden or agoraphobic (and if you live in the area), join me on Saturday, February 19th. I’ve got GREAT prizes lined up, so you’ll totally wanna be there!!!