Tuesday, December 4, 2012

How to get signed books for the holidays

Hey friends-

Just a quick note to let you all know that I will be attending The King's English Bookshop's annual Holiday Party this Thursday (December 6th, 2012) from 5-7pm.  I'll be mingling with customers and the plethora of other wonderful authors who will be in attendance--and of course signing books!

The event is free and open to the public, so come on down if you can!  (The best part is that you'll get 20% off your purchases during the party!)

However, if you can't make it, and would still like a signed copy of any of my books, just contact King's English before Thursday evening, and I will gladly sign (even personalize, if you want) books for you--and the bookstore will gladly ship them!

Here is TKE's contact information:
The King's English Bookshop
1511 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84105
Phone: 801-484-9100
Fax: 801-484-1595

Or you can order online at http://www.kingsenglish.com (just be sure to indicate in the comments that you want your copy signed).

FYI #1- This is my last signing for 2012 (and probably for a few months after that since I am busily working on my new series).

FYI #2- Haven't heard anything about my new series? Click HERE for the deets!

FYI #3-  I get asked by a lot of people how they can get signed copies of my books.  The King's English is your best source as they are my local indie bookstore.  I visit the shop often, so if you ever find yourself in need of a signed book by me, just give them ring (or order online) and I will find the time to go sign the book for you.


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

My Big News (a.k.a. What I've been up to the last few months)

Hi Friends!

So I know I've been pretty quiet in the blogosphere for quite some time, but I'm breaking my blog silence so I can share some big news.  In fact, it's news that I've been sitting on for MONTHS now.  And I am not a patient person.  Nor am I any good at keeping a secret. (Hence one of the reasons I've been so silent on this here blog.)  But the official announcement finally came out in Publisher's Weekly, which means I can FINALLY share it with you guys.

So here's what PW had to say:

Despain Goes Greek for Egmont
Greg Ferguson at Egmont U.S. bought North American rights to a trilogy called Into the Dark by Bree Despain. Ted Malawer at Upstart Crow Literary represented Despain (author of the Dark Divine series). This paranormal series is a reimagining of the Persephone myth, delivered in dueling narratives. In the myth, Persephone (daughter of Demeter, goddess of the harvest) is kidnapped by Hades; here, one thread follows a character named Daphne (based on Persephone), while the other narrative follows Haden (standing in for Hades). The first book in the series is scheduled for 2014.

And here are some things I have to say about it all:

1. I am thrilled that I can finally tell you about my new trilogy!

2. The PW description is kind of different than how I would have put it.  Here's the way I like to describe the book (in my head, at least): "It's kind of like PERCY JACKSON meets AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER meets BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER meets Bree Despain-style romance."  Does that make any sense outside of my head?  *Let's pretend it does.*  (Note: This is NOT the official synopsis for this book.)

4.  Fun fact: I actually started writing this story about seven years ago, after finishing an early draft of THE DARK DIVINE.  After TDD sold to my publisher, I had to put this book aside so I could work on THE LOST SAINT and THE SAVAGE GRACE.  I am so excited to get to work on this story once again--and bring to it all the things I've learned over the last few years.  I don't know that I could have done this story justice if I HADN'T put it aside for so long.

5. While I know there are other Persephone books out there, one of the reasons I've been dying to write a modern reimaging of this myth is because I wanted to explore a Hades-esque character's point of view.  Kind of a "his side of the story" take on it all.  But as PW said, I also get to follow Daphne's POV, too.  These are two very different characters who look at the world in very different ways.  It's kind of an exploration of destiny vs. choice, love vs. duty, and what it really means to have honor.

6. *snicker* *snicker* I just said "duty." *snicker*

7. This book has been a CHALLENGE.  I've never done a dueling POV narrative before, and writing from a guy's POV (especially a guy who knows nothing about girls or, you know, what it means to be human) is kinda HARD.  But I am hoping you guys will love Haden and Daphne as much as I do!

8.  Book one doesn't come out until early 2014.  Why so long?  Because I'm not done writing the first book yet!  (I know I've said previously that my next book was slated for Fall 2013, but things have changed.  But I really hope you all will think it's worth the wait!)

9. I can't tell you how happy I am that I will be working with my fabulous editor, Greg Ferguson, for three more books!  Six books together is kind of a big deal in this ever-changing publishing world.  And many thanks to my agent, Ted Malawer, for brokering the deal.

10.  Because I went to nine with this list and it felt weird not to go on to ten.

Hope you're all having a great week!  I, for one, am enjoying the fact that my kids are finally back in school after a month off-track.  As a reward for staying sane, I sneaked in a screening of SKYFALL in the middle of the day on Monday.  Has anyone else seen it?  What did you think?

Thursday, May 10, 2012

My answers to your frequently asked questions

Hey all-

I've been getting A LOT of questions lately via the blog, twitter, Facebook, and email.  Even though many different people from all over the world are doing the asking, most of the questions are the same.  Therefore, I thought I'd answer the most frequently asked ones in one tidy blog post, so everyone can have the answers.  If you've asked me a question recently, you will probably find the answer below.

FAQ 1:  Is THE SAVAGE GRACE the last book in the Dark Divine trilogy?  Will there be a fourth book?  Why does it end the way it does if there's no fourth book?

Answer:  Yes, TSG is the last book in the Dark Divine trilogy.  Right now there are no plans for a fourth book.  I once heard a famous fantasy author say that the ending of a series should feel like "just the beginning" to readers, so that way the characters and story can live on in their minds and hearts.  I ended TSG the way I did because I wanted the series to feel like "just the beginning" of an epic superhero tale.  I wanted to show you how the arch villian became the arch villain, and how the good guys became the super heroes.

That all being said, I am not opposed to the idea of there being MORE Dark Divine books--or possibly spin offs.  If there was enough reader demand, and you know, a publisher wanted to publish a fourth installment in Grace's story, I don't think I would say no to the project.  I've even thought of writing a few short stories for the blog.

The biggest issue with writing more TDD books, is that eventually the young adults in the story will no longer be young adults...and their cares and problems will no longer be of a young adult persuasion.  This is my most teen shows kind of start to suck once the characters enter college.  And I definitely want the Dark Divine series to go out with a bang, rather than a whimper.

So yeah, I'm not going to say that there will NEVER be more TDD books--but for now, I am content with how the story has played out, and I hope readers will use their own imaginations to come up with how the rest of Grace's adventures play out.

FAQ 2:  Are you working on a new book?  You're not DONE writing, are you?

Answer: Yes, I am working on a new book!!  And I have MANY more ideas in store for many more books to come.  I don't think I could stop writing even if y'all begged me to.  If you tied my hands behind my back, I would probably still find a way to write.  The new book doesn't have a title yet, and I don't even know if I'm allowed to talk about it yet--but I can say that the new book is slated for publication in Fall 2013 from Egmont USA.  Also, I am going to be working my butt off to get it finished by the end of the summer.

FAQ 3: Why hasn't THE SAVAGE GRACE been published yet in the UK or AU/NZ? I've been looking for it everywhere!

Answer:  Thank you so much for wanting to read TSG!  Unfortunately, my UK/AU/NZ publisher, Egmont UK, has not yet opted to purchase and publish THE SAVAGE GRACE.  I have absolutely no control over their decision, and I am so sorry that you are still waiting for TSG.  Hopefully, they will decide to bring the final installment of the Dark Divine trilogy to my UK/AU/NZ readers soon.

FAQ 4:  When do THE LOST SAINT and THE SAVAGE GRACE come out in my country?

Answer:  Honestly, authors pretty much know nothing about foreign release dates.  My guess is that TLS will come out one year after the first book did.  And TSG will (hopefully) come out a year after the second book.  It is always up to the foreign publisher as to whether they decide to publish the sequels to the first book--and my publisher in your country ma or may not opt to do so.  I hope they do!  I hate leaving readers hanging.  So just keep you eye out for the books in your bookstore, or you can always contact the publisher for your country and inquire with them.

FAQ 5:  Do you have more signings coming up? 

Answer:  Yes!  I have two more events (and possibly a third one) coming up soon:

May 24th, 7 pm
San Francisco, California
Books Inc
"A Very Steamy Evening" with me, Brodi Ashton, & Cynthia Hand
hosted by Not Your Mother's Book Club
Details:

June 2nd, 11am-3pm
The Dalles, Oregon
Klindt's Bookstore
"Got Books?" Event for Young Adults
Come see me, Colleen Houck, Brodi Ashton, M.T. Anderson, Cynthia Hand, Inara Scott, and MORE at this great celebration of YA fiction! 
For more info and to see the full line up, click HERE

Las Vegas, Nevada--We are working on rescheduling the event that got cancelled at the Rainbow B&N earlier this month.  Possibly near the end of May.  We shall see.


FAQ 6: What if I don't live near where you are doing signings? How can I still get a signed book from you?


Answer:  Good news!  My local indie bookstore, The King's English, can hook you up with a signed copy of any of my books.  You can even request to have it personalized.  Just say so in the comments when you checkout on their website.  To order signed copies, click HERE.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Upcoming Tour Events (with updated locations and corrections)

It's early in the morning and I haven't been able to sleep most of the night. Why? Because I'm leaving on a jet plane in a couple of hours . . . and hopefully coming to a town near you!

Yep, it's that time . . .

Tour time!

Here is where I will be in the next month. Check out the list of events to see if I am coming your way. If I'll be near you, please come see me. I'll sign your books, talk literary crushes, dissect the Hunger Games movie with you, whatever. I may even have bottles of TSG nail polish to give away at some of the events.

Upcoming Tour Events:

4/11-4/15
Chicago, IL
RT Booklovers Convention
I'll be a featured author at the YA SLUMBER PARTY, TEEN DAY PARTY,
and I will be signing books in YA Alley that Saturday.

4/17; 4 pm
(Please note the time change. I've been saying 7pm, but it is much earlier at 4pm.)
Jackson, MS
Lemuria Books
I'll be signing at Lemuria Books with Brodi Ashton!


4/18; 6 pm
(Please note the time change. I've been tweeting 7pm but it's actually 6pm)
Memphis, TN
Booksellers at Laurelwood
I'll be signing books. Please come see me!

5/3; 7 pm
Las Vegas, NV
Book singing at the Rainbow Barnes and Noble
with Brodi Ashton and Lindsey Leavitt!

5/5: time TBD (probably 11 am or noon)
San Diego, CA
Mysterious Galaxy
I'll be one of the featured authors at the bookstore's birthday bash


5/24; 7 pm
San Francisco, CA
Books Inc
"A Very Steamy Evening" with me, Brodi Ashton, & Cynthia Hand
hosted by Not Your Mother's Book Club
Details:

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Winners and TSG Launch Party Recap

First item of business: The winner of my Dark Divine prize pack in the YA Scavenger Hunt give-away is: Crystal A.!

Email me at readbreecontests(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your prize. You have 30 days to claim your prize or it becomes forfeit and I give it to somebody else.

Right, so now on to THE SAVAGE GRACE launch party recap. I've been meaning to do a post about the launch party for almost two weeks now, but that's just how crazy it has been lately. I was nervous going in because I honestly just didn't know if anyone was going to show up.

Why, you ask? Well let me tell you.

1.) By a rather unfortunate turn of events, TSG's launch was scheduled for the same night as another local author's launch party. But not just any other local author. Brandon Mull was launching his second book in the BEYONDERS series. And if you've ever been to, or heard about one of his launch parties, you know they are nothing short of epic.

2.) This was book 3. My boys are perfect barometers of the attitude I feared. At my first launch party they were climbing all over me because they were so excited and happy for me. Now when I tell them I have another book signing I get "Do we HAVE to go?" Of course, my neuroses was convincing me that everyone else in Salt Lake was feeling the same way.

3.) Did I mention that Brandon Mull was launching his book the same night, just 20 minutes away?

So, yeah. I was a little nervous the party was going to consist of me giving a presentation to just my hubby and my slightly put out kids. However, luckily and gratefully, people actually came and fun was had by all! (at least I hope it was fun... I had fun... you guys had fun, right?) So, you wanna see some pictures?

(Look! People actually showed up! Family, Friends, and Fans. The three best F words.)

(All the lovely people who waited in line)

(Of all the times to be allergic to gluten :( Raspberry Chocolate TSG Cake! Huge thanks to The King's English for providing the treats.)

(The Six showing their love and support in coral pink.)

(Signing books for some new blogger friends at TKE. Have I mentioned how cool of a book store The King's English is?)

(Hubby, Kid Z and Kid A)

(My best friend, and the talented photographer for the event, Michelle. Love you babe, and thank you for all the wonderful photos. I wish I could have shared them all. You guys should check out her work here: MichelleSallayPhotography.com)

Oh, and I almost forgot. We had a special celebrity guest appearance that evening by the one and only Brent Sallay - the inspiration for Brent the Werewolf.

(Brent showing his sarcastic scary powers)

Huge thanks you's go out to everyone who came, The Kings English (obviously), Michelle for the pictures, Brick for procuring a slide projector and screen at the last minute for me as well as being my roadie, and of course to all my family and friends.

Now that the fun has been had, it's time to get back to business. I've got a manuscript due soon and I gotta get my butt in gear. If only I could remember how to write a book...



Sunday, April 1, 2012

YA Scavenger Hunt--ended

Hey all!

If you came looking for the YA Scavenger Hunt, I am afraid to tell you that it is now closed. The winner of my personal giveaway will be announced some time in the next couple of days. Those who participated in the hunt, I hope you had a grand time. I hope you also enjoyed the alternate ending to THE LOST SAINT.

Have a nice April Fools Day! And I promise, no practical jokes here on the blog today.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

THE SAVAGE GRACE Release Day plus Talentmania and Door Prize Winners Announced

AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's here! It's here! The release day for THE SAVAGE GRACE is finally here!!!!!

I can not tell you how sad, scary, happy, awesome it is to give "the end" to readers. I want to cry and happy dance all at the same time. Heh. I just tried combining "cry" and "happy dance" in my head and came up with "crappy dance." That's pretty much how I dance all the time.

It looks something like this:



Anywho . . . I'm celebrating release day by getting ready for the big TSG Launch Party at the King's English Bookshop. It's tonight at 7.p.m. and I would love to see you if you're in the area.

The other way I'm celebrating is by announcing the winners of Dark Divine Fan Talentmania!! And also the winners of the door prizes!

The judges have turned in their votes. The numbers have been compiled. So here we go!

Drum roll please . . .

In the category of FAN ART, the winners are:

1st Place: Katie Dahlberg

2nd Place: Diana Gudayol

3rd Place: Amber Knighton AND Rudi May Hart



In the category of FAN FICTION, the winners are:

1st Place: LC Piper

2nd Place: Entity Carter

3rd Place: Whitney Gibbons AND Annie Boytim



Door Prize Winners are as follows:

Bwyatt wins: CINDER by Marrissa Meyer
Lexiegirl1222 wins: TIGER'S VOYAGE by Colleen Houck
Julianna Helms wins: EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton
Sacredm00n wins: HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
Julie Belnap wins: TRIS & IZZIE by Mette Ivie Harrison
Vivien wins: THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegen
Enna Isilee wins: EVERY OTHER DAY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Julie Eves wins: THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison

Chapter Chicks wins: THE SAVAGE GRACE by Bree Despain

Lucid Memory wins: Dark Divine Moonstone Necklace from Infinite Jewelry Company

Purplg8r wins: TSG nail polish*
dani_nguyen wins: TSG nail polish*
lollybees3 wins: TSG nail polish*
featherlyhearts wins: TSG nail polish*


Congratulations to all the Talentmania and door prize winners! Please email me at readbreecontests[at]gmail[dot]com to claim your prize. You have 30 days to do so, or I will assume you don't want it and the prize will be given to someone else.

*Since nail polish can not be shipped internationally, if you are outside the USA stickers and bookmarks will be sent instead of nail polish.

I hope you all have a wonderful TSG Launch Day! And I really hope you enjoy the book!

And I hope to see at least a few of you at the launch party tonight!

XOXO,

Bree

Monday, March 12, 2012

THE SAVAGE GRACE Soundtrack Round 5 and Holy Crap TSG releases tomorrow!

Can you believe that THE SAVAGE GRACE comes out tomorrow? I still can't quite wrap my head around it!

Here are the last three songs in THE SAVAGE GRACE Soundtrack. I have to admit that I got a little misty eyed putting this post together--mostly because I know what happens in the book at this point.


TSG Soundtrack Song #15: Wide Eyes by Local Natives
Description: Let's call this "the battle song."



TSG Soundtrack Song #16: Orange Sky by Alexi Murdoch
Description: Someone recently asked what I considered to be the theme song for the Dark Divine trilogy. At first I said there wasn't one, but then after I thought about it for awhile, I decided this song was it. (You may remember that this song was also on THE LOST SAINT Soundtrack--but I find it especially fitting for TSG. And I listened to it many times while writing this book.)



TSG Soundtrack Song #17: The Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine
Description: I told you in the first post that I listened to A LOT of Florence while writing this book. I wasn't kidding. I could put several more F+TM songs on this playlist, but narrowed it down to the most essential. I'm including this song because I can't help thinking "The Dog Days Are Over" when I think about the trilogy coming to an end. It's a thought that makes me happy in a gut-wrenching sort of way. Which is kind of what this song is about. Saying goodbye to these characters has been really hard, but I am thrilled to finally have their complete story out there in the world.



So tomorrow is the big day. I've still got a ton of things to finish before the launch party, so I had better get going. Be sure to come back tomorrow--I'll be announcing the winners of Talentmania, and all those nice door prizes!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

THE SAVAGE GRACE Soundtrack Round 4

As promised, here is today's second TSG sountrack post. I hope you like these songs as much as I do!

TSG Soundtrack Song #11: Welcome Home by Radical Face
Descrption: Love, love, love this song. It's about coming home. That's all you really need to know. Just listen, and enjoy. Because it's awesome.



TSG Soundtrack Song #12: Where The Kids Are by Blondfire
Description: You know that moment in a book where everything feels like it is as it should be? But you know this perfect moment can't last? And that any minute now the happiness is going to end and the shizz is going to hit the fan? Yeah. That moment.



TSG Soundtrack Song #13: Baby Says by The Kills
Description: The shizz has arrived. And somebody just turned on the fan . . .



TSG Soundtrack Song #14: Abandon by French Kicks
Descripiton: Somebody has got to take this shizz down! But first there are preparations that need to be made. This song is really good at showing the mixed emotions of the gang at this point. The music itself has a rhythm and speed that conveys the fear and anxiety felt as they prepare for battle, but then the juxtaposition of the slower, calmer voice and lyrics help show the sadness that is felt by Grace and her family, and their determination to keep their emotions in check in the face of the coming storm.





Okay, that's all for today. Be sure to some back tomorrow for the last TSG Soundtrack post. Can you believe that THE SAVAGE GRACE is only 2 sleeps away?! Or I guess only 1 sleep away if you buy it on eBook right after midnight. Eep!

THE SAVAGE GRACE Soundtrack Round 3

Sorry for missing yesterday's soundtrack post. I spent most of the day in a doctor's office dealing with a medical issue, and then decided I needed some time to relax before the big day this coming Tuesday. So I spent the evening staring at a shirtless Taylor Kitsch (a.k.a. Went to see John Carter with hubby) and didn't make it back early enough to put my post together before falling asleep.

Anyway, that just means you get 2 soundtrack posts today--and each 4 songs!

I hope you enjoy! And be sure to tell me what you think in the comments.

TSG Soundtrack Song #7: Unchained Melody by U2
Description: I discovered this beautiful version of this super old school song on the B-Sides of U2's WAR album back when I was in college--and promptly became obsessed with it. At the time, I was going to school in Utah and the boy I loved was an ocean apart, living in England. Once a week, I'd run to the mailbox just knowing there would be a new letter from him. To me, this song is the perfect encapsulation of what it feels like to be separated from someone you are in love with, and the incredible need to bring that person back to you. (And that boy who was living in England? He came home. And now he's my hubby.)



TSG Soundtrack Song #8: Howlin For You by The Black Keys
Description: This is a point in the book when the action of the story starts to pick up and Grace starts to embrace her "kick-A-ness" (as April would put it).



TSG Soundtrack Song #9: Mouthful of Diamonds by Phantogram
Description: This is pretty much the theme song for Talbot. He's got a "mouth full of diamonds" as in he's charming and has a smile that will sweep you off your feet, but he's also got a "pocket full of secrets." Grace wants to trust Talbot and accept his help--but she just doesn't quite know if she can "believe" in him.



TSG Soundtrack Song #10: We Are Young by Fun
Description: This is an amazing song that captures the feeling of just embracing the moment and being who you are meant to be right then and now. Crappy stuff has happened and more trials are yet to be faced, but for now, let yourself feel triumph and hope.



Be sure to check out today's second post for more awesome songs for your listening pleasure!

Friday, March 9, 2012

THE SAVAGE GRACE Soundtrack #2

Hey all,

It's day two of sharing songs from THE SAVAGE GRACE soundtrack. If you missed day one's songs, click HERE to listen to them. I'll be posting songs from the soundtrack everyday up through March 12th, so be sure to check back to find out what songs inspired TSG.

I've had a few people ask about the soundtracks for the first two books so I decided to link to those. For the soundtrack for THE DARK DIVINE click HERE. For the soundtrack to THE LOST SAINT click HERE.

Now on to today's songs. I hope you enjoy!

TSG Soundtrack Song #4: The New by Interpol

Description: As the story progresses so does the tension... all leading to the first crescendo leaving one of the characters in danger. This song follows a very similar pattern. Plus I just really like it.



TSG Soundtrack Song #5: 10 Mile Stereo by Beach House
Description: It is getting more and more difficult to explain why I chose the song without giving anything away. Grace has some very emotional scenes following the events that song #4 represents that she faces with strength and determination. I love how this song allows you to feel the weight of sorrow while still feeling empowered to press forward. I think this is exactly where Grace is emotionally at this point of the story.



TSG Soundtrack Song #6: When I'm Small by Phantogram
Description: I love this band--and I discovered them thanks to the recommendation of a blog reader. This is song represents a point in the story when Grace realizes that it is up to her to solve a big problem, whether she feels ready to or not. She has to muster up what power she has and run with it. Literally and figuratively.



Thanks for listening! Be sure to tell me what you think, and be sure to come back tomorrow.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Final Full Moon Extravaganza: The Savage Grace Soundtrack

It's time! The last full moon before the launch of THE SAVAGE GRACE is upon us, which means... it's time to share the TSG soundtrack!

I love this part. I love music-- A LOT-- and for me it is a huge inspiration for writing. Often I will find three or four songs I will listen to over and over again when I'm in the middle of a draft. But the soundtrack is more than that. It's not just a list of songs I listened to while writing TSG (though that is how a lot of the songs were chosen), it is meant as a companion to the book. A list of songs that follow the mood and scenes as the story flows.

For the next 5 days, leading up until the release of THE SAVAGE GRACE, I will be posting 3 songs a day with explanations of why I chose them. So let's get started shall we?

TSG Soundtrack Song 1: Florence and The Machine - Cosmic Love
Description: As many of you know, THE LOST SAINT ends on a bit of a cliff hanger and things are not as they should be. TSG starts shortly after TLS finishes with the characters trying to deal with their current situation. I really view this song as the theme song for chapter 1 (which you can read now here by the way), and it perfectly captures the yearning and passion and heartache that Grace is going through as TSG begins.



TSG Soundtrack Song 2: Florence and The Machine - Howl
Description: Ok, so basically I listened to this whole album over and over again while writing TSG. I love her voice and her incredible ability to convey such emotion with every single word. Soon after the book begins, we find Grace running through the woods feeling both the pull of the wolf and her love for Daniel... take a listen and this choice will make sense.




TSG Soundtrack Song 3: Wolf Gang - Back to Back
Description: Hopefully not giving too much away, let's just say that Grace misses Daniel and is exhausted... The song itself is has a very ethereal and disconnected sound that goes perfectly with the lyrics, creating a feeling of loss and longing for someone.



Ok. That's it for today. Come back tomorrow for more soundtrack songs. Lots more good stuff to come. But for now, what'dya think? Like the songs so far? Any guesses on what might be coming next? Are you as freaking excited for next Tuesday as I am? Because I'm actually shaking right now. Of course, that could be the nerves. Uh oh. It's the nerves. Oh Crap! Freak out coming on... where'd I put that chocolate?!

P.S. Don't forget that in anticipation of THE SAVAGE GRACE release, the eBooks of THE DARK DIVINE and THE LOST SAINT are on sale wherever eBooks are sold for only $1.99. Some places are selling them for as little as only $1.31! That's freaking insane!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

TDD Fan Talentmania Finalists Announced...and updated information about the eBook special price promotion

You guys, THE SAVAGE GRACE comes out ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!!!!

(Yes, that is me shouting at the top of my lungs about it! I can't wait for this book to be out in the world for all to share. Like seriously, is it March 13th, yet?!!)

To celebrate the upcoming release of TSG, the eBook versions of THE DARK DIVINE and THE LOST SAINT are currently on sale for only $1.99 each! You can find this special deal on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, or pretty much anywhere eBooks are sold. That way you can brush up on (or catch up with) Grace, Daniel, Jude, Talbot and the rest of the Divine gang before the launch of THE SAVAGE GRACE on March 13th. Or maybe even gift the eBooks (at a super cheap price) to a friend or family member who might enjoy the Dark Divine trilogy. But don't delay, this special offer is only good until March 19th!

{Note: the date was extended from the 16th to the 19th to make up for the delay in the price reduction that happened over this last weekend.}

In addition to this eBook sale, you can also snatch up THE LOST LETTERS OF BROTHER GABRIEL: A Dark Divine Original Story for $1.79. {And the author's proceeds (i.e. mine) go to the children's charity Kids Need To Read.}

For a list of other things going on here in ReadBree Land, and for details about upcoming signing and events, be sure to click HERE.


Okay, now on to the main event!

If you want to know the names of the finalists who will be moving on to the final round of Dark Divine Fan Talentmania, raise your hand!
















Now both hands!

















Okay, now put them down. That looks uncomfortable. Plus, you can't scroll with both hands in the air. Believe me, I've tried. It takes a very dexterous nose.

So here's the deal, I absolutely LOVED every single Talentmania entry. Seriously, loved them like burning. Every entry showed so much passion and love and talent, it made me want to burst. And it didn't help that the voting was so fierce on some of the entries! (You voters rock!) Because of this, I found it nearly impossible to narrow the entries down to only 5 finalists in each category. Therefore, I decided that the best thing to do was to choose the top FOUR most-voted-for entries (as opposed to only the top three entries like I had originally planned) along with two wild card entries in each category to advance on to the finals. That makes a total of SIX finalists instead of only five.

But don't worry, I have decided to award TWO third prizes in each category to compensate.

Before I list the finalists, please note that only legitimate votes that followed the voting rules were counted (i.e. completely anonymous votes were thrown out). I, along with the help of two other judges, selected the two wild card finalists out of the rest of the group.

So without further ado, I give you the Dark Divine Fan Talenmania Finalists (listed in no particular order) . . .

Fan Art Finalists:

Samantha Dussor
Rudi May Hart
Katie Dahlberg
Amber Knighton
Brina Cook
Diana Gudayol

Fan Fiction Finalists:

Annie Boytim
LC Piper
Stephanie Ehmann
Whitney Gibbons
Entity Carter
Malyza C.

Finalists, congratulations! Your entries will now be submitted to a panel of judges who will determine the final outcome. Winners will be announced here on the blog on March 13th.

To the other entraints, thank you so much for entering Talentmania! You have no idea just how much your participation means to me. I truly loved and appreciated every single entry and would have advanced everyone on to the final round if I could. (Which would totally negated the purpose of having finalists--which is why I brought in two additional judges to help me with the selection process.)

Voters, be sure to come back on March 13th to see if you won one of the door prizes!

For a list of door prizes and to see what the finalists are competing to win, please refer to THIS POST.

Looking for something to tide you over until the 13th? You can read the first chapter of THE SAVAGE GRACE by clicking HERE.

And be sure to come back on March 8th when I'll post my playlist/soundtrack for THE SAVAGE GRACE.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Upcoming Events, Promotions, and Happenings for March and April 2012

Hey all, just wanted to give you a quick list of places I'll be, and things I'll be doing for the next couple of months. I hope you'll be able to join me for some of them!

March 3rd - March 16th:
Special Price Promotion!









For 2 weeks only, the e-book versions of THE DARK DIVINE and THE LOST SAINT will both be marked all the way down to only $1.99 each! That way you can brush up (or catch up) on the storyline before THE SAVAGE GRACE releases on March 13th. (Or perhaps gift the e-books to someone who might enjoy the Dark Divine series.) But don't delay, the $1.99 price is only good from March 3rd to March 16th. I know Amazon and Barnes & Noble will be selling the books at the special discounted price, but you can also check other e-book retailers. {Edit: As of the morning of March 3rd, the price promotion hasn't started yet. I don't know why. I was told it would. I will try to get to the bottom of it, but in the meantime, check back with retailers on Sunday or Monday and hopefully it will have started by then.}

March 6th:
Finalists for the Dark Divine Fan Talentmania will be announced.

March 8th:
To celebrate the last full moon before the launch of THE SAVAGE GRACE, I will post my writing playlist for the book. Come find out what songs inspired TSG!

March 13th:
THE SAVAGE GRACE release day with fun stuff going on!
Winners of both the art and fiction portions of Dark Divine Fan Talentmania will be announced.
Winners of the door prizes for Talentmania will also be announced.

And later that evening . . .
Official THE SAVAGE GRACE Launch Party!!!
Where: The King's English Bookshop
When: 7pm on March 13th
What: I will be there to do a book talk, reading, games + prizes, and a book signing


March 17th:









Writing For Charity Conference at the Provo Library
Come celebrate Saint Patty's Day by learning about writing from a plethora of YA, Middle Grade, and Picture Book Authors--and help kids in need while your at it. This fantastic event that raises money for children's charities is going to be bigger and better than ever before. I'll be co-teaching a class with Brodi Ashton and Emily Wing Smith. Even if you've been to WFC before, you will want to check out their website to see just how much more awesome the conference is going to be this year. Click HERE for more details.


March 20th:
Book Signing at the West Jordan Barnes & Noble (in Jordan Landing)
Time: 7-9 p.m.
What: I will do a book talk and read from THE SAVAGE GRACE starting at 7 p.m. Then I will be on hand in the store until 9 p.m. to sign books.

March 27th:
Author Q&A at the Saratoga Springs Library
Join me and Brodi Ashton for a Q&A session at the library. Learn how we got published, and ask us whatever you want to know about writing, our books, or publishing. (More details to come.)

March 13th - Mid-April
Blog Tour
I'll be vising a number of blogs, answering interview questions and doing guests post. (More details to come.)

April 11th-15th
RT Booklovers Convention!
I'll be in Chicago for this fun-filled, book-loving event. I will be one of the participating authors in the YA Slumber Party and the Teen Day Party, plus I'll be signing books in YA Alley.


That's all the events I have scheduled for now, but I hope to be adding more for April and May. If you can't make it to one of my events, but would still love a signed book, you can order one from The King's English and I will sign it for you the night of my launch party. For info about ordering signed books, click HERE.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Dark Divine Fan Wrestlemania Talentmania FAN ART voting begins!

Are you ready for Round 2 of Dark Divine Fan Wrestlemania?! Oh wait, I mean TALENTMANIA! Because TDD Fans have got some artistic talent, and they're ready to duke it out in the FAN ART portion of the competition!

(Just remember, no hitting below the belt.)

Rules for voting for Fan Art is the same as voting for the Fan Fiction portion of the contest.

Here's how it works:

1. You can vote for up to 3 different Fan Art entries, but you can only vote once per entry. (So no voting multiple times for one entry. Got it?)

2. Vote by leaving a comment that says "Vote" on the post for the entry you wish to vote for.

3. When you leave a comment, be sure to "sign in" so we know who you are. If you do not have an account to sign in with and need to leave an anonymous comment, you must then leave a valid email address with your comment. (I need to know who you are to ensure people are voting fairly, AND so I can contact you if you win a door prize.) Anonymous comments that do not leave a valid email address will not be counted. You can use the name/url option, but you must either leave a valid URL or an email address.

4. Please, absolutely no flaming of entries is allowed. There are many different ages ans skill levels represented in this contest, and everyone has worked hard on their entries, so absolutely no rude or negative comments will be tolerated. If you don't like something then just don't say anything at all. This here is a kitten fight, not a cat fight.

5. 3 of Fan Art entries will be picked by popular vote to advance on the the finals. So be sure to vote for the entries you love! 2 additional entries will be selected (by me) as "wild card" entries to advance on to the final round as well.

These five finalists will then be submitted to a panel of judges (consisting of professional artists and nationally published authors) who will determine the winners of first, second, and third place. To remember what prizes the contestants will be vying to win, please refer to THIS post.

6. Each time you vote (up to 3 per person) you will be entered into a random drawing for some fabulous door prizes (listed below). These 3 votes are in addition to any votes you may/may have placed in the Fan Fiction portion of the contests. Contestants who have submitted fiction or art entries in the competition are allowed to vote. This contest is open internationally.

7. Voting for Fan Art entries is open until 11:59pm MST on February 28th. That gives you 1 week to get your votes in.

8. Winners of the competition, and winners of door prizes, will be announced on or before March 13th, 2012. (TSG release day!)

9. Contestants, yes, you are allowed to campaign for your entry. Tell your friends, family, social media followers, that boy you want to impress at school, whomever, to vote for you. Just remember, they can only vote one time for your entry. (And up to 2 additional entries to make 3 votes total.)

So what are these fabulous door prizes you can win just by voting?
DOOR PRIZES INCLUDE:


SIGNED books:
CINDER by Marrissa Meyer
TIGER'S VOYAGE by Colleen Houck
EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
TRIS & IZZIE by Mette Ivie Harrison
THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegen
EVERY OTHER DAY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison

THE SAVAGE GRACE by Bree Despain

Dark Divine Jewelry from Infinite Jewelry Company

TSG nail polish


Want to earn additional entries in the door prizes contest? You can by spreading the word about TDD Fan Talentmania.

You can earn up to 5 additional entries by doing the following:

A. Earn +1 entry each time you post about the contest on a social media site (such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr) up to 3 times for a total of +3 entries.

B. Earn +2 entries for posting about Talentmania on your blog or website.

C. Leave a comment on this post (with linkage) telling me what you did to spread the word.

(Note: These entries are in addition to the ones you may have earned by posting about the first phase of Talentmania a couple of weeks ago, and in addition to spreading the word about the Fiction portion of the contests, so you can go ahead and keep spreading the word to earn more entries now.)

Ready to start voting?

All 14 FAN ART entries have been posted below. Scroll down, see, enjoy, and vote for up to 3 of your favorite Art entries! (You will probably have to click on "older posts" a few times in order to see all the entries.) And then don't forget to spread the word about Talentmania so you can enter to win those door prizes.

Also, don't miss the FAN FICTION portion of Talentmania. To read and vote for Fan Fiction, go HERE.

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #1

Artist: Katie Dahlberg

Artist's Description: "I've had this scene in my head ever since I finished The Lost Saint last year - Grace, anguished and desperate, finds Daniel (who is, of course, in wolf form) resting in the middle of a forest and cuddles up next to him. For me, a scene like that will yank on my heartstrings and turn me into a blubbering mess, so I wanted to bring it to life."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #2

Artist: Emma

Artist's Description: "For my entry I decided to make a fan-art cover for Dark Devine."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #3

Artist: Katie Dahlberg

Artist's Description: "If the book was adapted into a movie, I'd assume the poster would look something like this. Dark, foggy and romantic. I'm also a big fan of Emma Roberts as Grace and Taylor Kitsch as Daniel so I wanted to incorporate them into it as well."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #4

Artist: Samantha Dussor

Artist's Description:
"I drew this picture as my idea of what a graphic novel cover for The Lost Saint might look like, if there were to be one. The picture features what i think Daniel and Grace, my two favorite characters, would look like. The wolf in the background is Daniel, and since there is more action in The Lost Saint (to me at least) i added some blood underneath the moon. The reason I chose The Lost Saint my medium was because it is, so far, my favorite book out of the series."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #5

Artist: Giada Mariani

Artist's Description:
"Here’s my colored pencil drawing of Grace.
I used a marker to color the dress and a micron pen for the wolf. I also used a silver colored ink pen for the leaves.
It took me three days to finish it (I cannot count how many hours)."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #6

Artist: Eileen

Artist's Description:
"In this picture, Grace and Daniel are making a heart with one of their hands and leaning in for a kiss. The title is "Grace and Daniel Forever" and each of the words, besides "and", is in a color of a book cover in the series. This scene was something that I envisioned would happen instead when Grace and Daniel were in the prison cell after being captured by Jude, and Daniel's dad."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #7

Artist: Rudi May Hart

Artist's Description: No description given, but I love how Jude is standing farther back from the others in the darkness.

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #8

Artist: Sophie

Artist's Description: "Grace and her world in watercolors"

Title: "Purple purple purple"

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #9

An interesting take--this artist made different cover options for his Fan Fiction entry that can be found HERE.

Artist: LC Piper

Artist's Description:

Cover #1
This story book cover is my favorite. It shows a black background that has been tore into (presumably) by a werewolf claws. The interior looks red, but not a particular bloody one. ;-) The title in this and the other two book covers is from my submitted short story. I tried to emulate the fonts and layouts to the book covers from your Dark Divine series. I used Dark Divine in the cover assuming that since this is a fan art contest it would be fine.

Cover #2
This story book cover draws from both my short story Savage Beginnings and from the first chapter in the Dark Devine where I connected my plot to yours. I really like the feeling of Angel, my character, seeing Grace through her perspective as she is introduced to Daniel for the first time. I think it's a bit of foreshadowing and stage setting. This image of a solitary isolated locker reflects Grace and how her struggle is hers alone to deal with. The locker is iconic to High Schools where she starts her story and on it's own looks odd, but is still instantly identifiable.

Cover #3
This final story book cover is similar to the first, but I took it to a closer perspective. The girls hand is drawing across the red locker. The claws drawn back have shaved small curls of metal off the locker face as told in my short story Savage Beginnings. The other two book covers kept a black background which I felt was important to keep a similar feel to your Dark Divine books, but I decided to do this one for fun, because the ripping of metal off an actual locker seemed to make more sense. So it's a big red monstrosity. ;-)

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #10

Artist: Amber Knighton

Artist's Description:
"I used white charcoal on black paper.
This is a picture of the forest behind Grace's house.
Not far from this scene, Grace and Daniel began their journey to find Baby James after he went missing in The Dark Divine."

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #11

An out of the ordinary entry--TDD earrings.

Artist: Grace Radford

Artist's Description:
"I made earrings...The backs have the letters T D D for "The Dark Divine" (The series title) and the front has the three covers."


Note: Grace has said that if anyone would like to purchase earrings from her, to email her at peachandblue2 [at] aol [dot] com

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #12

Artist: Diana Gudayol

Artist's Description: Star-lighted Grace and Daniel

Talentmania Fan Art Entry #13

Artist: Brina Cook

Artist's Description: "I love to draw so I drew a picture of Daniel Kalbi, his good wolf, and his bad wolf."


Talentmania Fan Fiction Entry #14


Artist: Marguerite Gibson

Artist's Description:

"The title is 'My Wolf'. It is a linocut, hand burnished with black graphic oil-based ink on Arches BFK 100% cotton paper."

Monday, February 20, 2012

Dark Divine Fan Wrestlemania Talentmania FAN FICTION voting begins!

The contestants are in their corners. The Fan Fiction entries have been posted below. Voters are going wild with anticipation. So let's get ready to rumble. . .


Here's how it works:

1. You can vote for up to 3 different Fan Fiction entries, but you can only vote once per entry. (So no voting multiple times for one entry. Got it?)

2. Vote by leaving a comment that says "Vote" on the post for the entry you wish to vote for.

3. When you leave a comment, be sure to "sign in" so we know who you are. If you do not have an account to sign in with and need to leave an anonymous comment, you must then leave a valid email address with your comment. (I need to know who you are to ensure people are voting fairly, AND so I can contact you if you win a door prize.) Anonymous comments that do not leave a valid email address will not be counted.

4. Please, absolutely no flaming of entries is allowed. Everyone has worked hard on their entries, so absolutely no rude or negative comments will be tolerated. If you don't like something then just don't say anything at all. This here is a kitten fight, not a cat fight.

5. 3 of Fan Fiction entries will be picked by popular vote to advance on the the finals. So be sure to vote for the entries you love! 2 additional entries will be selected (by me) as "wild card" entries to advance on to the final round as well.

These five finalists will then be submitted to a panel of judges (consisting of nationally published authors) who will determine the winners of first, second, and third place. To remember what prizes the contestants will be vying to win, please refer to THIS post.

6. Each time you vote (up to 3 per person) you will be entered into a random drawing for some fabulous door prizes (listed below). Contestants who have submitted fiction or art entries in the competition are allowed to vote. This contest is open internationally.

7. Voting for Fan Fiction entries is open until 11:59pm MST on February 27th. That gives you 1 week to get your votes in.

8. Winners of the competition, and winners of door prizes, will be announced on or before March 13th, 2012. (TSG release day!)

9. Contestants, yes, you are allowed to campaign for your entry. Tell your friends, family, social media followers, that boy you want to impress at school, whomever, to vote for you. Just remember, they can only vote one time for your entry. (And up to 2 additional entries to make 3 votes total.)

So what are these fabulous door prizes you can win just by voting?
DOOR PRIZES INCLUDE:


SIGNED books:
CINDER by Marrissa Meyer
TIGER'S VOYAGE by Colleen Houck
EVERNEATH by Brodi Ashton
HOURGLASS by Myra McEntire
TRIS & IZZIE by Mette Ivie Harrison
THE MEPHISTO COVENANT by Trinity Faegen
EVERY OTHER DAY by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
THE BUTTERFLY CLUES by Kate Ellison

THE SAVAGE GRACE by Bree Despain

Dark Divine Jewelry from Infinite Jewelry Company

TSG nail polish


Want to earn additional entries in the door prizes contest? You can by spreading the word about TDD Fan Talentmania.

You can earn up to 5 additional entries by doing the following:

A. Earn +1 entry each time you post about the contest on a social media site (such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr) up to 3 times for a total of +3 entries.

B. Earn +2 entries for posting about Talentmania on your blog or website.

C. Leave a comment on this post (with linkage) telling me what you did to spread the word.

(Note: These entries are in addition to the ones you may have earned by posting about the first phase of Talentmania a couple of weeks ago, so you can go ahead and keep spreading the word to earn more entries now.)

Ready to start voting? All 22 [EDIT 23 entries!] of the Fan Fiction entries have been posted below. Scroll down, read, enjoy, and vote for up to 3 of your favorite entries! (You will probably have to click on "older posts" a few times in order to see all the entries.) And then don't forget to spread the word about Talentmania so you can enter to win those door prizes.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for when the Fan Art portion of the competition goes live!

(Note to contestants: Apologies if there are any formatting problems with your post. Not all transferred over to the blog with their formatting intact. I tried to fix things the best I could, but not all the formatting changes would stick.)

Talentmania Fan Fiction Entry #1

By Tammy B

I opened my eyes to blackness.
Everything was hazy, memories escaping out of my reach. I went still and took a few deep breaths to clear my mind. Slowly, realization set in.
I was sitting in a very uncomfortable chair, hands tied behind my back. The darkness was actually a blindfold over my eyes.
They caught me.
The Shadow Kings.

It all began about a year ago. You see, I was turned into a werewolf by my boyfriend (ex-boyfriend). He kind of forgot to mention that small detail when we started dating. One evening things got out of control and I earned a scar just above my collarbone. The following day was the first time I Changed.
The pain was unbearable, coursing through my veins like a drug. Every limb and muscle, every bone screamed with agony. My thoughts through the Change were a real mess, not here nor there. It was almost impossible to focus on anything but the pain. I wanted it to stop.
There was one thought, though, that kept breaking through the pain.
I'm going to die.
At those moments, I wished I did.

Later, the Change would become easier and easier, and only a couple of months after, I was able to Change whenever I wanted. Which was good, very good. On the hundredth day of being a wolf, my seventeenth birthday, I ran away.
If you asked me how, I would have no idea, but I managed to successfully live in the wilderness. I would come across a pack, join them for a while, and then move on. I've made some friends and crashed in with them when it had been needed.
It was going well until two weeks ago, when I first noticed somebody was following me. At last, yesterday somebody knocked me out with a hit on the back of my head, and now I was here, in a cold, not so good-smelling room, anticipating my destiny.
Thanks to my inner wolf, I could see and hear abnormally good, and I was extraordinary fast and strong. I focused on the sounds around me, realizing that I was in the room alone, most likely underground. Then I focused on the sounds coming from outside. At fist nothing, but then...
One - no, two- pair of footsteps coming closer and closer...I didn't have the time to prepare.
The door burst open.

There was a sound of hard breathing, then someone's hands were on the ropes that bound my hands, untying them. My blindfold slid off.
In front of me stood a boy and girl, both around my age, by the looks, although the boy did look a bit older.
He was blonde and cute, and she definitely looked smart and like she was in charge of something, but not in a bad way, but in a way that she was born to be a leader.
Two things I noticed by the way they were standing.
One, they were an item.
Two, they were werewolves.

I was about to say something, but the room was suddenly filled with SKs, and before I knew it, we were in a battle.
Blows and hits were flying all over the place, and in the middle of the fight, I counted how many of them we were fighting.
Three of us against eight of them.
Well, dang it.

I prayed that those two were as good in fighting as they were in rescuing missions. Luckily, they were.
By the time I got one of the Shadow Kings, each of them took down two. Their movements were clean and precise, but also full of grace, where mine were somewhat sloppy and predictable.
I sensed an attack from my behind and spun around, connecting my foot with the stomach of a hooded man. He buckled a bit, but didn't go down. I was preparing for my next hit when he reached out and sent me flying backwards into a wall.
I saw stars for a second, but then regained my balance and stood up, just in time to see the girl finishing the poor bastard. I looked around.
Only the three of us were left standing.
Quickly I approached them and said: "Uh, thanks. I'm Emily."
The girl smiled and moved closer to the boy. "Glad to help. This", she hugged the blonde-haired boy, "is Daniel, and I'm Grace."
I smiled back. "Nice to meet you both."
Grace looked at the door, my path to freedom, and said, "Shall we?"

Talentmania Fan Fiction Entry #2

By Whitney Gibbons

“…and after she took the knife out of his chest there was only one heartbeat! We’ve been searching for a cure for hundreds of years and it shows up in Minnesota a week ago.”

Hope sighed in envy as she stared up into the afternoon sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. Fingering the moonstone beads on her bracelet she tried to ignore the proximity of her families’ mansion behind her, instead pretending that she was deep in the mountains that surrounded it. Far away from her pack and her curse, being alone with Chance was worth the isolation.

“Grace Divine.” Hope said. She caught the stone Chance had dropped to her and tossed it back up with a powerful flick of her wrist. “I bet she’s blonde.”

“I thought Brother Mooney said her hair was black?” Chance said from his perch high in the oak above her.

“She’s the Divine One, her hair is probably whatever color she wants.” Hope pointed out.

With a slight rush of wind Chance jumped out of the tree, the superhuman strength in his legs steadying him after his twenty-foot drop. Hope jumped to escape the burst of leaf litter heralding his decent.

“Do you know how long it takes to get this stuff out of my hair?” Hope said in mock indignation. Smiling, Chance delicately picked a leaf from her brown tresses.

“You look beautiful with or without leaves.” He said, taking her hand in his. A shivery warmth spread up Hope’s arm as she looked into his green eyes.

A snapping sound killed the moment. Chance’s head jerked up in the direction of the disturbance, away from the house.

“You hear that?” he whispered.

“Yeah, it’s coming from the edge of the property.” Hope said, reluctantly taking her eyes off Chance to listen as the shuffling noises grew closer.

“Want to check it out?” Chance asked, cocking an eyebrow playfully.

“We aren’t really supposed to, it’s probably just a deer.” Hope said hesitantly.

The noise suddenly resolved into human muttering, like a radio dial had been nudged. Chance’s playfulness disappeared and Hope’s muscles tensed.

“Still think it’s a deer?”

“No, let’s go.”

Yes, go punish the trespasser.

Hope gritted her teeth as she and Chance silently sprinted through the woods at an inhuman pace. Just shut up. She thought fiercely, this was no time for the wolf to distract her.

Hope saw the source of the noise and skidded to a halt, holding a hand out behind her to stop Chance as she realized what they were up against; a man with shockingly blonde hair, a cleft chin, and a perfectly malicious smile.

Hope desperately tried to back up but she just ran into Chance. The man looked up and his grin grew wider.

“A couple of Sirhan’s flea-bitten pups I presume?” he sneered.

Chance stepped in front of Hope, between her and the lunatic pack-reject. It had been a while since anyone had seen Caleb Kalbi, but his name was still spoken with disgust.

Kill him. Do it now! You and Chance together. The wolf screamed. Hope tried to stifle the furious indignation simmering in her chest, the fumes were drifting up and stifling her mind. She could practically see the hair on the back of Chance’s neck prickling with hostility.

“What are you doing on our land? This is private property!” Chance growled, taking a step forward.

“I don’t have to justify myself to you.” Caleb snarled back. Hope didn’t see a speck of moonstone on him, nothing to prevent him from going wolf and ripping them to shreds. She suspected the only thing keeping Chance from going ballistic was the moonstone stud in his ear, she hoped it would be enough.

Hope heard thundering footsteps from the house, others had heard Caleb too.

“Come and get me, or are you a Gabriel pacifist poodle? Are you wolf enough?” Caleb jeered.

Chance roared and leapt at Caleb, Hope screamed and vaulted against him, throwing him off-course and into a bush, she wasn’t going to lose him to the wolf! She heard crashing underbrush as the cavalry arrived, but she only had eyes for Chance.

“Are you okay?” she asked, checking to make sure his stud was in, his eyes were horrified.

“It was so easy to give in.”

“Not on my watch.” Hope said, helping him to his feet, Caleb was gone, the others in pursuit.

“Who needs Grace when I have you?” Chance smiled and pulled her into a hug.