Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Silver Lining . . .

So, I have some news that some of you might not like very much . . . but don't worry, it has a big, shiny, silver lining.


I think I'll tell you the kinda bad news before the good stuff. Bad news should always come first. It's like eating your veggies before you get a brownie, right? I mean, nobody wants to eat broccoli after eating a brownie. Crap, now I really want brownies . . .

The Bad News:
The release date of THE SAVAGE GRACE has been rescheduled from December 27th, 2011 to March 13th, 2012.

Unfortunately, this means I have to wait an additional 2.5 months before I can tell you all what happens to Grace, Daniel, Talbot, and Jude. (And I may possibly die from the anticipation.)

The Silver Lining (a.k.a. The Brownies):

1. One of the reasons Egmont decided to push the release date is because they want to send me on tour (which has previously been hard to do during the Holiday season). Hopefully, this means I'll be visiting a town near you soon!

2. We are planning an exciting "Full Moon Campaign" starting this October. During the full moon of each month leading up to the release of TSG, exclusive Dark Divine related content or special offers will be released to readers (which will hopefully help tide us all over until TSG's release in March).

3. With the release of THE LOST SAINT in paperback this November 22nd, the book will include the prologue and first chapter of THE SAVAGE GRACE to also help ease the wait.

4. The extended lead time means that there will now be ARCs (advanced reader copies) of THE SAVAGE GRACE! If you are a book blogger or reviewer and would like to request an ARC, please send your info to readbree (at) gmail (dot) com and I will forward it along to my publicist.

[Please note: All requests will be forwarded to my publicist even if you don't receive a reply from me. I still have to actually finish edits of TSG and I sadly can't respond to all email. Also, my publicist has the final say on who will receive a review copy. Sending a request will not guarantee that you'll get one--but I really hope you do!]


That's all for now. If you know anyone , or have blog readers, who would appreciate knowing that THE SAVAGE GRACE will now be releasing on March 13th, 2012 please share this info with them.

Now off to go find some brownies with silver linings . . . .

Strangely enough, this is what I found when I googled images of "brownies with silver liner":

(David Tennant: Just as yummy as a brownie with a silver lining!)
I'll take it!

Friday, August 19, 2011

The blog post I almost didn't publish . . .

So normally I like this blog to be a place of positive thought and energy. There's just so much negativity out there that I strive to mostly talk about the good things in life, or at least about overcoming the bad, rather than wallowing in it or getting in a mud fight. But lately, there have been some things that have me feeling, well, GRRRRRRR!!! And I need to get a few things off my chest so I can move on and get back to working on my writing. I've debated publishing this post, but ultimately decided it needed to be said.

Every Wednesday, one of my fave radio programs creates a list of "things that must go" in order to vent about stuff they are currently finding irksome. Occasionally, they include "things that must go" contributed by their listeners.

I know it's Friday and not Wednesday, nor am I on the radio, but I decided to compile my own such list here.

(Side note: You may find this list more entertaining if you imagine it being explained in the voice of Jeffery Donovan - a.k.a. Michael Weston from BURN NOTICE. For an example of this, click here.)

MY LIST OF THINGS THAT MUST GO:

1. Authors who insist on mocking or belittling pretty much every book or genre that is not their own. We get it; you think you're the most awesome author on the face of the planet. NOW GET OVER YOURSELF.

2. Authors who find it necessary to belittle every other book in their own genre (similar to above, but still different enough to warrant its own number). We get it; your book is different and therefore better than every other book in your genre--making you the most awesome author on the planet. Again--GET OVER YOURSELF.

3. Authors who say definitively that if a story has X,Y, or Z in it, then that book is weak, or an example of bad writing.

Just because you might not care for dystopian or paranormal books (or whatever genre) does not mean that authors who like to write in these genres are weak writers, doing a disservice to YA fiction, nor does it make them bad people in general.

Just because you might not be a fan of love triangles, does not mean that a story with a love triangle in it is a sign of weak plotting or bad writing. Many readers and authors happen to have an affinity for love triangles. I, personally, happen to be a sucker for unrequited love--therefore often making me a sucker for a well-done love triangle (which sometimes actually looks more like a love "V"--but I digress). You guys know how much I love THE VAMPIRE DIARIES (TV show) and there is no way on earth you're going to convince me that show is an example of bad writing because it has a love triangle.

Just because something doesn't float your boat, doesn't mean it's weak writing, poor plotting, or bad. It's just not what you personally like. There are a few plot elements and writing styles out there that I am not a fan of-- but I'm not going to call every author who uses those things a bad writer. Everyone is welcome to their own opinion--and to each his/her own.

4. Authors (or people in general) who use cuteness and/or humor as a way to thinly veil rudeness when mocking or belittling everyone around them.

Just because you put a ;) [winky-smile] after saying something rude, does not make the rude comment okay or funny or oh-so-cute.

5. The idea that all stay-at-home-moms-turned-authors started writing because they were BORED. I started writing over 12 years ago--long before getting married and having children--and worked deliberately toward the goal of becoming a published author. Admittedly, one of the things that factored into my decision to try to become an author was because it was a career that would allow me to stay home with my future children, but I write because I love it. Boredom has never been a factor. And honestly, I don't remember the last time my brain wasn't whirring with ideas enough for me to be bored.

6. Authors with one book (or maybe even two or three) published who act like they are the authority on everything. I love when aspiring authors and other writers ask me for advice, because I feel like I've learned on a lot on my journey to being published. I love to help where I can. Dispensing advice is rewarding, and often helpful--but I realize that in the grand scheme of things, I'm no Judy Blume or Meg Cabot yet, and I'm relatively new to the game. Acting like the authority on all things writerly (or otherwise) just kind of makes you seem full of yourself--not really the best way to win friends and influence your peers.

7. Authors who write blog posts that are supposed to be "honest" or "heart felt" but are really just whine sessions geared toward manipulation and aggrandizing themselves. Or when their "honesty" is just another attempt to mock or belittle every book/genre that is not their own. (Yeah, the mocking thing has been bugging me a lot lately if you can't tell.)

Meanness, whining, and snobbery should not be confused with being "honest" and "heart felt."

Oh, wait a sec . . . I'm writing an "honest" post in which I'm whining about things that must go. I hope that doesn't fall into this category. Does it? Oh crap . . .

And that leads to my last thing that must go:

8. Hypocrites. ;) ;) -- (double winky-face. BAHM!)

And there you have it. My list of things that must go.

Please forgive my need to vent. I promise a return to positivity very soon. In the meantime, what's on your list of things that must go? Have you been watching BURN NOTICE? (Hubby and I just started season 3.) So . . . do you think you could win in a bar fight?

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Doing the Jammie Shuffle in LA

Hi guys,

I have to say, it has been once crazy summer. Unfortunately I don't mean I got to spend it with the always lovely 80's John Cusack and Demi Moore in beautiful Nantucket.



What I mean is that it has been one BUSY summer. The release date for THE SAVAGE GRACE is getting closer and I've been buried in writing and revisions. I apologize for not being as active on the blog as of late. But don't worry, there are lots of fun and exciting things to come. Speaking of which, the book cover for THE SAVAGE GRACE is really close to being released and I can't tell you how excited I am to share it. Patience. (That was as much for me as anyone else).

So I've just returned from the fabulous SCBWI LA conference with my lovely critique partners and best friends Brodi Ashton (EVERNEATH, Harper Collins Spring 2012) and Emily Wing Smith (BACK WHEN YOU WERE EASIER TO LOVE, Dutton - Available Now). It was an awesome trip full of fun, laughs, and surprises.

TOP TEN THINGS I learned from SCBWI LA:

1.) Lindsey Leavitt is a riot. Many of you may already know who Lindsey Leavitt is (author of THE PRINCESS FOR HIRE series and her latest book SEAN GRISWALD'S HEAD), but you may not know that she is exactly the kind of person you want to hang out with at a conference like this. She almost literally bounces of the walls with energy, and pushes you to make sure you are actually having a blast. Of course that also means when it is 3 am and your about to pass out from exhaustion and she's trying to order a pizza and chocolate cake from room service, it can be difficult to turn her off. GO TO BED LINDSEY!

2.) Guilt Tweeting works. Emily wasn't going to go with us this year for various reasons, but as soon as Brodi and I arrived at the airport without her, we both immediately missed her presence. In an effort to express our sadness at her not being there, both Brodi and I tweeted about how forlorn and despondent we were that she would not be attending with us. Next thing we know, we get a text from Emily, saying she'd booked a flight and was going to meet us in LA the next day. Woohoo!

3.) Gary Paulsen is crazy. . . but in an extremely entertaining way. Between his stories of being in a Mexican prison, dog sledding, and his *honest* opinions about publishing, this became very very clear.

4.) I GOT TO STAND THREE FEET AWAY FROM JUDY BLUME! Ok, I didn't actually learn anything from that, it was just really cool.


5.) If you put a whole bunch of writers in their pajamas, they turn it into a party! At first I was a little bummed that this year's ball was going to be a PJ party. Basically, that's what I wear to work nearly every day, and the ball at SCBWI is one of the few occasions that gives me an excuse to get a bit dressy. In the end, however, I think the pajamas made everyone a bit more relaxed and there was actually more people dancing. Lindsey can certainly bust a move in those PJs. The party went something like this...



6.) Brodi believes I must eat beef constantly, and insists this should be announced at regular intervals to everybody within a thirty foot radius.

7.) Apparently the only things I managed to take pictures of were Judy Blume and a book made out of chocolate. Obviously you can see where my priorities lie.


8.) I reaffirmed that I love Richard Peck. Seriously. What an awesome, sweet, and commanding speaker/writer/person.

9.) Gluten, dairy, egg free breakfast is nearly impossible to find in LA when you are in a hurry. I don't get it. I thought LA was all about catering to insane diet restrictions?

10.) On a related note, trail mix and water purchased from a hotel convenience store is as expensive as funding the next shuttle mission to Mars. But when you're allergic to everything else in the building and about to have a hypoglycemic attack… it'll do.

That's all for now. As I said, I've got a lot to share in the coming weeks and months as we get closer to THE LOST SAINT being released in paperback (this November) and THE SAVAGE GRACE in December.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Winners of the YA Scavenger Hunt Prizes


Wow! Such a fantastic response to the YA Scavenger Hunt. I hope you all had a great time and maybe found a few more books to add to your TBR pile! We're planning another Hunt for December, so stay tuned.

On to the important stuff--winners!

The winner of my own personal prize pack is: Jenny Herd

Jenny, please email me at readbree [at] gmail [dot] com with your shipping address so I can send you your prizes.

The winner of the Grand Prize is posted on Colleen Houck's blog HERE. Be sure to head over there to see if you won. And while you're there, be sure to give props to Colleen for being the Scavenger Hunt mastermind.

Thanks again for playing!!