THE LOST SAINT release day...and winners of the Countdown Contest

12/28/2010

It's here! It's here! THE LOST SAINT is finally here!!! TLS Day has finally arrived. Exactly this time last year I was coming down from the euphoria of the release of TDD and working feverishly on the first draft of TLS, and now I can't believe it's all packaged up in a fabulously-gorgeous-real-life-hold-in-your-hands-book.

I plan on spending the day dragging KidA and KidZ around to every local bookstore so I can snap pictures of them with copies of TLS in the wild (I am sure they will be so enthused) and getting ready for the official TLS launch party at The King's English tonight (What to wear? What to say? Hope I don't forget anyone's name!)

In the meantime, I wanted to take a minute to acknowledge and thank everyone who has been involved in THE LOST SAINT. This has been an amazing yet harrowing year, and I wouldn't be sane if it weren't for the many, many supportive people in my life.

I was going to write an open thank you letter for this blog post, but I realized I already did that when I wrote the acknowledgments for THE LOST SAINT and I'm not sure what I would have said differently...So I hope you don't mind if I repost those acknowledgments here (cuz I'm gonna do it anyway :D):

So many people deserve my immense gratitude for helping make this book a reality—and for keeping me from losing it during the process:

You, my awesome readers, because without your enthusiasm this book wouldn’t have had a chance to exist. Thank you for all the love.

The agents at Upstart Crow Literary, namely Ted Malawer and Michael Stearns. Thank you for believing in me and helping to share my books with the world.

The amazing folks at Egmont USA. I am often surprised by how many people think I’m responsible for everything that goes into creating my books, from the cover design, the editing, and even all the way down to the choice of the typeface. This couldn’t be further from the truth. I write the stories, but an entire team helps turn those stories into books: Doug Pocock, Elizabeth Law, Mary Albi, Regina Griffin, Nico Medina, Robert Guzman, Alison Weiss, Katie Halata. And especially my intrepid editor Greg Ferguson, who not only puts up with, but embraces, my crazy antics and the “Jimmy Olsen” nickname I’ve inflicted upon him. And who also isn’t afraid to push me until things are as great as they can be—or to whip out his super-editor cape and come to the rescue of a hopelessly stranded author on the streets of NYC. This one’s for you, Greg: Spunkgate! (Yep, I just worked that reference into a book.)

Joel Tippie at JDrift Designs. I didn’t know it was possible to create a cover even more beautiful than the one for THE DARK DIVINE. Wow, just, wow.

My enthusiastic publicist, Virginia Anagnos.

Noreen Gibbons for never failing to offer help—even when it’s completely inconvenient to her.

Whitney, for being an eager mother’s helper.

My mom, Nancy Biesinger, for bringing over bags of groceries on the deadline days, and for helping out in hundreds of other ways.

Sara Zarr, who gave me just the right advice at just the moment I needed to hear it.

Mathew J. Kirby, for his ongoing friendship and support—and free psychological guidance, of course.

The SIX—the best critique group and posse of friends an author could have: Brodi Ashton, Emily Wing Smith, Valynne Maetani Nagamatsu, Kimberly Webb Reid, and Sara Bolton. If it weren’t for the suggestion of adding a “bedazzled stake” to this book by Brodi Ashton at a hilarious lunch on an otherwise no good, very bad day—THE LOST SAINT may have never come together the way it did. And if it weren’t for the daily input and understanding of The SIX, I may have succumbed to the writer crazies a long time ago. (Or more so than I already have!)

The rest of my friends, siblings, nieces, nephews, in-laws, and dad, who help out in so many ways, from entertaining my boys, to just being a listening ear, or a shoulder to lean on. I feel way too lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.

My boys, who I couldn’t love more—even when they’re jumping on top of me and pretending to fire-bend lightning bolts at my laptop while I’m working. Nothing makes me prouder than when they ask if they can tell me a story. (Just you wait, publishing world, these boys have got it going on!)

And most especially Brick, who held on tight during the insane roller coaster that was this last year. Thank you for never letting go. You are my inspiration, my love, my saint. I know you’re not perfect, but you’re the perfect man for me. I.L.Y.R.U.T.T.M.A.B.A.

Thank you so much to everyone who shared this process with me. I hope you will all celebrate with me today (and pick up a copy of TLS if you can--heheh). I hope to see many of you at upcoming events.

And don't worry, I didn't forget about posting winners for the Countdown to TLS Contest. We had over 1200 entries into the contest, and compiling the entries was quite the task (for hubby). Winners were selected through Random.org and are as follows:

Grand Prize Winner: Vivien

2nd place winner: Danielle Nguyen

3rd place winner: Riv Re

Winners, please email me to claim your prizes at readbree(at)gmail(dot)com.

Okay, I'm off to make my bookstore rounds. Have a very happy TLS Day!

Lots of stuff happening & how you can read chapter two of THE LOST SAINT

One week from TLS launch day and there's a ton of stuff happening in the next few weeks, so I thought I'd give you a quick rundown. Hopefully, you'll be able to participate in some of the fun.

1. THE LOST SAINT may come out in a week from today, but a preview of the prologue, chapter one, and now chapter two are up on RT Book Reviews' blog. If you comment on the RT post about chapter two, and then come tell me about it here on my blog, you'll get an extra entry in the countdown contest. Go HERE to read chapter two and find links to the other chapters.

2. The Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest continues until midnight on December 26th. For rules and details, see THIS post. Winners will be announced in the morning on December 28th.

3. Mundie Moms will be hosting a pre-launch chat party on December 27th at 9pm EST. Everyone is invited to join us to chat about TDD and TLS. For details, click HERE.

4. THE LOST SAINT hits shelves on December 28th. Join us that night at 7pm at King's English Bookshop for a launch party. I'll be speaking, reading, and signing books. (Note: The book talk will be held in the 15th Street Gallery next-door to the bookstore, so there will be plenty of room for everyone.) Click HERE for more details on the event. Would love to see you there!

5. On January 8th at 2pm I'll be speaking and signing at the Jordan Landing Barnes & Noble in West Jordan. If you can't make it to the launch party, then this is another great opportunity to get a signed copy of TLS.

6. On January 13th (my birthday!) I'll be speaking and signing at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, CA. Come party with me on my b-day, and get signed copies of TDD and TLS while you're at it. For info on this event, click HERE.

7. On January 20th at 9pm EST Page Turner's Blog will be hosting a TLS spoiler chat. That gives everyone 3 weeks to read TLS and then join us to ask me all your spoiler-filled questions. I'll post more details about how you can join the chat as we get closer to the event.

8. On January 29th I'll be participating in an Authorpalooza at Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe, Arizona. There will be games and lots of authors signing books.

9. Remember that secret project I've been hinting about for the last few weeks?--Well, the date that I get to reveal it has been bumped a bit...but it is still coming soon. I think fans of TDD and TLS will enjoy it.

10. A lot more events and such are in works. I promise to keep you posted as I get more information. In the meantime, be sure to come back on the 28th to help celebrate the release of TLS.

Watch THE LOST SAINT Trailer AND Read The First Chapter of TLS

12/14/2010

***In case you've been wondering (because people have apparently been wondering) THE LOST SAINT releases on December 28th. The official launch party will be at The Kings English Bookshop on the 28th at 7pm. For a list of other upcoming events, please see THIS post or click News in the navigation above.***

Seriously, waiting for TLS to hit the shelves at this point is absolutely excruciating. But at least I (finally) get to share a couple of really fun things with you while I wait. Today is a great day here in ReadBree Land--I get to share THE LOST SAINT book trailer!!!

So without any further ado, I present THE LOST SAINT book trailer:



I don't know about you, but the first time (okay, more like the first TEN times) I watched the trailer I literally squeed with joy.

Huge kudos go to the crew at Kineto Pictures for the creating this fabulous trailer, along with Nathan Day (Daniel), Katya Feinstien (Grace), and AJ Walker (Jude) from Urban Talent for their enthusiastic work in the freezing cold. Despite the low temperatures, we had an absolute blast filming.

But that's not all! Now that you've watched the trailer (admit it, more than once, right? :D) you should head over to RT Book Reviews' blog and read the first chapter of TLS. That's right. The first chapter of THE LOST SAINT is up on RT Book Reviews! And in case you missed it, you can read the prologue first here.

Oh, but before you go:

Don't forget that the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest is still ongoing, and you can get additional entries by sharing the trailer and first chapter. 5 entries if you post the trailer on your blog/facebook page, and 2 entries for telling people about this contest. And you can get 1 entry for telling people about the first chapter preview on the RT blog, and an additional 1 entry for commenting on the RT blog post.

That's a total of 9 possible more entries in the contest. Just be sure to tell me what you did in the comments of this post (with proper linkage) in order to qualify for your entries. (Adding up your entries for me is always helpful, too.)

I've also decided to sweeten the deal by adding two signed first editions of MATCHED by Ally Condie.

So contest prizes are now as follows:

1st Place:
6" Kindle with WiFi.
$10 Amazon gift card (so you can buy an eBook version of THE LOST SAINT)
$20 gift card to iTunes (so you can buy the songs on THE LOST SAINT playlist :D).
Signed first edition of MATCHED by Ally Condie

2nd place:
Signed first editions of: MATCHED by Ally Condie, THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner, and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

3rd Place:
Signed first editions of: THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner, and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.

Remember, contest ends at midnight MST on Dec. 26th and contest winners will be announced the morning of Dec. 28th (TLS release day!)

For full contest rules and information, read THIS POST.

Okay, now go read the first chapter . . .

TLS Soundtrack: Song #19 and Upcoming Events

12/12/2010

***Upcoming Events:

1. A couple of good things will be hitting the blog this week, so be sure to check back often so you won't miss them.

2. I will be a guest on David Farland's Authors' Advisory Conference Call along with the rest of my critique group this Thursday, December 16th at 9pm EST. We'll be discussing critique groups and breaking into publishing. You can listen in on the conference call (and even ask questions). Go HERE for details on how to participate. Look for instructions in the right-hand sidebar.

3. TLS Day is almost upon us! Come join the fun at The King's English Bookshop on December 28th at 7:00 pm. I'll do a book talk at the 15th Street Gallery (right next-door to the bookshop--so there will be plenty of room for everyone) read a bit from TLS, answer questions, and then sign books back over in the bookstore. And I am sure that there will be plenty of yummy refreshments, too. Click HERE for more details on the event. Would love to see you there!

4. On January 8th, I will be speaking and signing at the Jordan Landing Barnes & Noble in West Jordan at 2 pm. Sure to be lots of fun.

5. On January 13th (my birthday!) I'll be speaking and signing at Kepler's Books in Menlo Park, CA. Come party with me on my b-day, and get signed copies of TDD and TLS while you're at it. For info on this event, click HERE.

6. More events are coming. I'll post info here on the blog and on my website when I have it. Hopefully, I'll be coming to your neck of the woods soon. ***


Okay, now that we have business out of the way, we can get to what we've all be waiting for: The last song in the TLS Soundtrack. Tonight's song is "Orange Sky" by Alexi Murdoch. It is only fitting that the last song on the TLS soundtrack is by Alexi, since the last song on the TDD soundtrack was also one of his.

"Orange Sky" is a beautiful song, and to me, it kind of encapsulates the entire story/theme of THE LOST SAINT. Actually, it kind of encapsulates the entire DARK DIVINE trilogy. Basically, I think Alexi Murdoch has been channeling me in his spare time--or the other way around.

These are my favorite lyrics in the song:

When I am alone
When I've thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I've lost all care for the things I own
That's when I miss you, that's when I miss you, that's when I miss you
You who are my home
You who are my home
And here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this
In your love, my salvation lies

But really, every line in the song is wonderful, so go ahead and listen:



This is the last TLS Soundtrack post, but remember that the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest is ongoing until December 26th. Come back to the blog often until then for more chances to enter to win. Plus, I may be adding some more more goodies to the prizes soon.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 18

Oh man, there's only two songs left in the playlist--and for some reason that makes me a little sad. But never fear, there are a couple of awesome TLS related treats happening in the coming week that will be even more fun for me to share than the playlist.

Tonight's song is another one by The Fleet Foxes: "Your Protector." Sometimes, its feels like certain musicians have looked right inside my head at what I'm writing and then put it to music...and then I listen to that music and put it in writing. *Heh*

The lyrics of this song are just so darn perfect that I figured I put them up here for you all:

She left a week to roam
Your protector's coming home
Keep your secrets with you
Safe from the outside

You walk along the stream
Your head caught in a waking dream
Your protector's coming home (coming home)

As you lay to die beside me, baby
On the morning that you came,
Would you wait for me,
the other one,
would you wait for me?

You run with the devil
You run with the devil

Ooh ooh ooh...

Tell your brother to be good
Tell your sister not to go
Tell your mother not to wait
Tell your father I was good

As you lay to die beside me, baby
I'm the one in the shootin' game
Would you wait for me,
the other one,
would you wait for me?

Ooh ooh ooh

I find that the Ooh ooh oohs are especially poignant, don't you? ;)

Okay now go ahead and have listen to this beautiful song. And don't forget to comment in order to get an additional entry in the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT contest.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 17

Ok, so I lied about there being two songs a night until the end. There are only three songs left and so we will finish up on Sunday with one song a day. Math never really was a strong point for me... as many of you already know. But don't worry. More Awesomeness is to follow next week.

This next song is very plot oriented. In fact, it is almost a soliloquy for one of the characters when things seem a bit dire. It is also a return to why I love The Notwist. Seriously. Those guys would be awesome on Twitter. They seem to be able to say so much with so few words (and an awesome groove).

Song 17: "This Room" by The Notwist.



Don't forget that the contest for the Kindle and a signed copy of THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner and a signed copy of BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Sthol is still going on. Don't forget to comment for another entry, or click here if you want more details on the contest.

TLS Soundtrack: Son 15 & 16

12/9/2010

We are getting close to the end of the soundtrack, as well as the end of the story time-line.

Tonight's songs start with song 15: Fleet Foxes' "Tiger Mountain Peasant Song." The regret in this song, and the pain of the singer, are really what I wanted to get at. The line "I don't know what I have done...I'm turning myself into a Demon" is of particular importance as well. (But I won't tell you why...Muwahaha.)

The next song is "Skinny Love" by Bon Iver. It ranks in my top 3 favorite songs on the playlist, and I listened to it a lot while writing TLS. It is such a beautiful song because it's so full of raw emotions. I think this song represents a lot of things that happen in the book--and it could be from several characters' points of view.

Take a listen. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. (BTW - the first song is only about 3 1/2 minutes long. Not sure why there is a two minute silence on this YouTube clip after the song...)





Don't forget to comment for to get another entry in the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 13 & 14

12/8/2010

In anticipation of something very awesome happening on December 14th, I've decided that I need to wrap up the playlist posts before then...which means I'm going to be sharing 2 songs a night from here on out. (Yay, for twice the music goodness!)

The first song (song 13) is "The String" by The Notwist. I'll be honest, I'm a huge fan of this band, but this song is not one of my favorites of theirs. However, the lyrics and harder, agressive feel of the song are just right for this point in the story.

Song 14 is "Dressed in Dresden" by The Hundred in the Hands. This song is different from most of my collection--but I totally love it. Basically (without spoiling anything) this song is perfect for this spot in the soundtrack because it's both aggressive and sexy.

TLS Soundtrack: Song #12 (And a chance to read the prologue to TLS)

***Attention: I added this tidbit to yesterday's post, but thought I'd reiterate it here in case anyone missed it...

Want to read the prologue to THE LOST SAINT? It just went live on The Romantic Times' blog. Check it out by clicking HERE. If you read the prologue and leave a comment on the RT blog, and then come back here and tell me that you did, I'll give you 5 BONUS ENTRIES in the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest. If you share the news about the prologue on the RT blog, I'll give you 2 BONUS ENTRIES. Just leave me a link to where you shared in the comments. That's up to 7 BONUS ENTRIES! And I may be adding some more goodies to the prizes soon.***

Glad you guys loved the VW song from yesterday since it is one of my absolute favorites...and the last one on soundtrack, I swear. Today I'm sharing a song that is relatively new to my music collection, but has quickly become one of my absolute favorites on the playlist (and in general).

Today's song is "Fires" by Band of Skulls. Again, this song has the perfect lyrics for TLS, and it has the perfect sound for this point in the book. Basically, for the purpose of the TLS soundtrack, just imagine two people slow dancing to this song. Better yet, find someone to slow dance to this song with you. Then listen to it again, and at least one more time. The more you listen to it, the more you will wonder where this song has been all your life.



Again, commenting on the song will earn you an additional entry in the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 11

***EDIT: Want to read the prologue to THE LOST SAINT? It just went live on The Romantic Times' blog. Check it out by clicking HERE. If you read the prologue and leave a comment on the RT blog, and then come back here and tell me that you did, I'll give you 5 BONUS ENTRIES in the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest. If you share the news about the prologue on the RT blog, I'll give you 2 BONUS ENTRIES. Just leave me a link to where you shared in the comments. That's up to 7 BONUS ENTRIES! And I may be adding some more goodies to the prizes soon.***

So if I had to pick my top 3 songs out of the 19 songs on the soundtrack (yes, there are 19 songs) the next 2 songs would be amongst those 3. I am therefore going to revert back to my one-song-a-day modus operandi, so as to allow you to fully appreciate the next two songs of their own accord.

Ok, remember how I said there was a third Vampire Weekend song coming soon? Well, I meant really soon. As in, tonight. Don't worry. It's the last VW song on the playlist. But this song has special meaning. It is the song I probably listened too the MOST as I was writing THE LOST SAINT. As in, on repeat, over and over again. And when this song is on, I can't help but dancing to it. So imagine me dancing and writing at the same time. Hard to do, but it's my special talent. Also, this song is kind of a character anthem for a new TLS principal character.

The song is "Giving Up The Gun" by Vampire Weekend. I recommend turning up your volume all the way--and I dare you not to start dancing. Go ahead, try it. Be sure to comment for your contest entry, and come back tomorrow for song 12 which also ranks among my top 3 faves on the list.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 9 & 10

12/5/2010

I hope I didn't scare too many off with the Menomena song. That particular song is perfect for what I needed in the soundtrack, but is definitely not my favorite of theirs. Before you give up on them, perhaps look up "The Late Great Libido" or "Twenty Cell Revolt" or another one of their songs from the Fun Blame album... but I digress.

I was pleased to hear from your comments that you all appreciated the inclusion of Vampire Weekend on the playlist. Mostly because, as I said last night, they are among one of my most favorite bands, but also because we get another Vampire Weekend song tonight, and there is a third on the soundtrack (coming soon) that was a huge influence on TLS.

Song 9 is "Run" by...you guessed it...Vampire Weekend. This song is a bit more literal than some of the others. In that it is about characters running. Sorry, not a lot of depth in my choice here. But it's also a great song, so enjoy.

Song 10 is "Tremendous Dynamite" by Eels. This song is kind quirky and different from my usual fare, but it was so spot on it sounds like it was practically written about Grace in TLS. Plus, you can't deny the words "I am el hombre lobo" aren't just perfect for the book, considering...you know. I also see the song as a replacement song for "Eye of The Tiger" in the following deleted rough draft of chapter 15 of TLS (which is actually chapter 17 in the real book now). And yes, sometimes my rough drafts include stick figure drawings when I'm in a pinch.

Song 9:


Song 10:


P.S. I know I keep saying this at the end of all these posts, but just in case you don't know what this is for because you are just getting here after a ReadBree hiatus or you are a new-comer, this is all part of our last Countdown to THE LOST SAINT contest as explained here.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 7 and 8

12/4/2010

As an announcement, for those of you who live in the Greater Salt Lake area (or round-abouts), I will be having my book launch party for THE LOST SAINT on Dec. 28th at 7pm at The King's English Bookshop. I'd love to see you all there!

So for at least the next couple of nights, I've decided to share 2 songs. Maybe we'll make it a weekend thing. We'll see. Also, I was hoping to share the TLS trailer with you all either tonight or tomorrow night, but unfortunately I've been asked to wait by the powers-that-be. I'm dying to post it! I'll keep you updated as I know more about when it will actually go live.

On with the music--

Song 7 is "Trigga Hiccup" by Menomena. This song represents Grace's desire/struggle to gain control of her new wolfy powers. I imagine her running to this song, trying to break through the barrier that's holding her back from embracing all the power coursing inside of her. To me this song just sounds like frustration.

Song 8 is "I think Ur a Contra" by Vampire Weekend (one of my most favorite bands). This song is so darn beautiful, and a little bit heartbreaking. I listened to this song A LOT while writing and revising TLS, and to me it encompasses one of the main emotions of the book--what it feels like when the trust in a relationship is being tested.

Take a listen to them, and let me know what you think for additional entries in the contest... or just because you love them as much as I do :D.





Thanks for stopping by. Come back tomorrow for song 9 and 10.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 6

Tonight, we have a slight departure from the emotional journey that previous songs represented. This song is more of a character anthem. It's also pretty good background music for a particular location that Grace finds herself in at this point in the story. I'm not going to give much more away than that. The song is "C'mere" by Interpol.

I'll be honest. I'm having a really hard time waiting a whole day between songs. There are still a lot to go and I'm really anxious to share them all with you. But at the same time, I want to make sure each song gets its just due. I'll just have to keep myself occupied by listening to the whole soundtrack over and over again in the meantime.

P.S. Don't forget about the contest. That Kindle is starting to look pretty sweet :D.

THE LOST SAINT Soundtrack: Song 5

12/2/2010

So before I share song 5, I have a picture to share with you. THEY CAME!!! THEY CAME!!! My author copies of THE LOST SAINT arrived today!


Unfortunately this picture totally doesn't do the book justice. Seriously. They are so beautiful and I am beside myself to see the finished product in my hands. *pets the copy in my hands gently.*

Ok, now that I'm done squealing for the evening, it's time to share the 5th addition to the TLS soundtrack. As mentioned last night, song 4 represents a specific event in the book. This next song is for the events immediately following that song. It is from one of my favorite bands (who occupy the first 2 slots on the TDD soundtrack as well) and an extremely beautiful song. The words, the emotion, the tone... you'll see what I mean once you listen to it. I think it really captures the idea of feeling paralyzed or helpless when faced with daunting circumstances. (Something everyone can relate to at some point in their lives... for example, right now, as I look over at the sink full of dishes, I'm feeling a bit paralyzed by the thought of having to do them. Of course, Grace's circumstances are little more dire than an overflowing sink.)

So, with that, I give you song 5: "Consequence" by The Notwist.

P.S. In case haven't been to the blog in a few days, this is all part of the Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest, as explained here.

Countdown Continues with TLS Soundtrack: Song 4

12/1/2010

Holy crap, it's December!!!! The Countdown Timer says it's only 26 days 3 1/2 hours left until it is officially December 28th here in Utah. And to top it off, I've just watched a preview of the new THE LOST SAINT book trailer that I will hopefully get to debut this weekend, and I literally squealed with excitement!! (Sorry. Too many exclamation marks. I'll tone it down.)

*Takes a few deep breaths--attempts to regain composure* Lets talk more about music, shall we?

Song 4 on THE LOST SAINT soundtrack is "AFK" by Pinback. As I've said before, these songs are more than just a playlist to go along with the book. Not only are a lot of them personal favorites, and songs that helped inspire me, they are also arranged in an order that helps reflect the growing mood and emotion of the story as it progresses. In that way, they almost become the score for the book... the soundtrack (which is why I call it that).

I wanted to explain that again because this next song is all about mood. After the event that song 3 represents, tension and action begin to build in the story. The things that are happening leave the characters with a growing sense of anxiety, fear, regret and even a little bit of anger. One of the things I like about this song is it's about something bigger than yourself moving forward and not being able to stop it. This song also represents a specific event that takes place. Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about that event because I don't want to get all spoilery.

Ok, so now that I've done all the explaining, take a listen and let me know what you think for your next entry in the countdown contest.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 3 + Countdown Contest Entry

11/30/2010

Ready for the next installment on THE LOST SAINT soundtrack? (I'm kind of hoping the answer is yes, because I'm going to post it anyway.)

Song 3 is "Cold Water" by The Reindeer Section. This was a tough choice. There is so much about the song that is right, but it still feels like it's not exactly right, you know?. In the end, the pros outweighed the cons. The mood of the song is a little sadder than what I was looking for, but the title is perfect, as are most of the words.

We just came from a perfect moment between two people deeply in love with track 2, and what happens next is like someone stopped and threw a bucket of cold water all over them, interrupting that moment. It changes everything. There is a line at the end of each verse that perfectly captures Grace's feelings when this happens: "I am not ready." Grace struggles with this feeling a lot in the book-- a feeling of not being ready for the challenges and dangers she will face.

So without further ado, I give you "Cold Water."


I have to say, this has been a fun project. I love these songs and I love sharing them with you. Hopefully they are getting you excited for THE LOST SAINT, because it is definitely getting me excited. I can't wait to share the rest of the songs. There are so many on the soundtrack that are favorites and absolutely beautiful songs. Don't forget to comment to get another entry in the countdown contest. Thanks for reading/listening and I'll see you guys back here tomorrow for song 4.

TLS Soundtrack: Song 2 & Countdown Contest Entry Opportunity

11/29/2010

I hope you enjoyed the first song in the TLS soundtrack. And from many of the comments, its seems as though you did. The Postal Service has long been a favorite band of mine and an inspiration for a lot of my writing. Ben Gibbard is an extremely talented poet and musician (Death Cab also rates among my favorites). Zooey Deschanel is definitely one lucky woman.

Tonight I'm sharing a relatively new favorite, which also happens to be track 2 on the soundtrack: The Temper Trap's "Sweet Disposition." To me this song really encapsulates that perfect moment that happens between two people in love, which is where the first chapter begins. The semi-eerie feel also helps allude to what is about to happen that changes everything.

Don't forget this is also part of the final Countdown to THE LOST SAINT Contest. Comment and let me know what you think of the song to get another entry in the Kindle give-away. Tomorrow, I'll post track 3 for your listening pleasure.

Laptop Memorial and Countdown to The Lost Saint - Final Contest!

11/28/2010

So this last week has been a bit harrowing and a little sad, but in the end it turned happy. Poor, poor Laptoppy has finally passed on. She gave a hard fought battle to the Virus O' Doom that was contracted sometime before Halloween. Laptoppy was a good laptop. A friend even. She gave me a good solid 4 years of shared memories and immeasurable service. It was with her that I spent so many months revising THE DARK DIVINE. It was with her that I first "penned" THE LOST SAINT. And it was with her that I drafted the outline to TDD3. She will live on in my heart forever. Rest in peace, dear Laptoppy. Rest in peace.

In Loving Memory...
But the good news that made it a happy week? Well, hubby had known for awhile that Laptoppy was fighting a losing battle, and in his infinite goodness and wisdom, was planning on purchasing me a new MacBook Pro for Christmas to replace Laptoppy due to her inevitable demise. Of course, she died a few weeks early, so unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective), I had to have Christmas a little early this year. But I'll get over it, and Macky is already making a great impression. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to my new best friend.

Macky, say hello to your awesome readers.


Hi!
Seriously. I love him. I didn't know if anyone could fill the void that Laptoppy left, but he's just so pretty (oh, and functional) it's hard not to love him right away.

Anyway, on to why you are likely really here. The COUNTDOWN CONTEST! Yes. It is that time of the month again. The 28th. Of November in point of fact. Which means... wait for it.... THE LOST SAINT COMES OUT IN 1 FREAKING MONTH!!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Sorry. I'm a little excited. And anxious. And panic stricken.

But don't worry fair readers. It may still be a whole month before THE LOST SAINT is released, but my publisher and I have plenty of fun stuff planned over the next month to keep you teased distracted. And that's where the contest comes in. Participation in each of this month's activities is an entry in the contest.

So lets go through the details shall we?

What's happening and what to do:
First, I will be posting my THE LOST SAINT soundtrack here on the blog-- one song a day for the next couple of weeks. The soundtrack consists of songs that helped inspire TLS, and help to convey the emotion of the story as it progresses. (Those that have been long time followers of the blog may remember I posted the soundtrack to THE DARK DIVINE as well, here.) Comment on each TLS song post and you'll get an entry per post.

Second, Starting December 7th, The Romantic Times will be doing a preview of the prologue, first chapter, and second chapter of THE LOST SAINT on their blog. Comment on the posts here to let me know you checked them out and you get an entry.

Third, THE LOST SAINT trailer is nearly complete. I hope to debut to you all right here on the blog next week. Comment on the post and... I think you're getting the idea.

Fourth, Remember how I've been teasing about a super Top Secret TLS project? Well, it's still Top Secret, but it's coming this month. Ditto on the getting an entry.

And as always- comment in the posts with links to your tweets, facebook posts, and blog posts spreading the word for each item and you'll get an additional entry (only one per medium).

If this is confusing, don't worry. I'll be posting a lot this month with everything and will give further details and instructions on how to get your entries as we go along. Basically, its a month long contest with tons of opportunities to enter.

What is it all for (i.e. what can you win):
Boo-ya! I will pick one random, lucky winner who will receive one of these bad boys-
Yes. That is a 6" Kindle with WiFi.

The first place winner will also get a $10 Amazon gift card (so you can buy an eBook version of THE LOST SAINT) and a $20 gift card to iTunes (so you can buy the songs on THE LOST SAINT playlist :D).

Second and third place winners will also be chosen, and each will get signed copies of both THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner and BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.


Contest Rules:
Only 1 comment per post counts as an entry.
Only 1 tweet, facebook post, etc. counts as an entry per activity.
Only US residents can win 1st place, but 2nd & 3rd place prizes are open internationally (Sorry, customs, you know?)
Contest ends at midnight MST on Dec. 26th
Contest winners will be announced the morning of Dec. 28th (TLS release day!).

Awesome, huh? So let's begin:

I give you the first song of the TLS soundtrack. This is one of my favorite Postal Service songs and was a big inspiration for the prologue of TLS (which you'll get to read on December 7th on the RT blog).

Don't forget to comment to get your first entry in the contest. Tomorrow I'll post song #2.

The Dark Divine paperback is out today!!!! . . . And the recipe for Grace Divine's Caramel Apple Pie

I can't believe that THE DARK DIVINE paperback is finally here! It is sitting out there on bookstore shelves everywhere with it's shiny black and purple cover, just waiting for someone to pick it up and give it a happy new home.

You know what would make a great, inexpensive, Christmas present? THE DARK DIVINE paperback! *hint, hint* (Okay, sorry, but a girl is allowed to be slightly obnoxious on her book's b-day, right?)

The craziest thing is that the fact that the TDD paperback has arrived, means that TDD itself has been out in the world for a whole 11 months . . . and what a whirlwind those 11 months have been! Or maybe a roller-coaster would be a better metaphor. Or perhaps one of those spinny thingies they strap wanna-be astronauts into to test how well their bodies can hold up to G-forces. (They're called G-forces, right? Or does that just have something to do with Guinea Pigs?)

Anyway, to celebrate TDD's paperback birthday, I decided to share a little treat with you by re-posting the much requested and much coveted recipe for Grace Divine's Infamous Caramel Apple Pie just in time for Thanksgiving.

Seriously, you will thank me later after you taste this award winning (I'm not kidding, it really has won awards) dessert.


Grace Divine's Caramel Apple Pie:

1 jar of Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel (You can find this in the aisle with the Hersey’s Syrup)

Pie:

Your favorite pie crust (Grace would make pie crust from scratch, but I use Pilsbury pre-made crust that you roll out into the dish. It saves a lot of time and tastes just as good as homemade, in my opinion.)

¼ cup sugar

3 Tbsp flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

5 ½ cups peeled apple, thinly sliced (I use Rome apples)

Mix apples with sugar, flour, and spices and fill pie crust

Topping:

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup flour

½ cup oats

½ cup butter

Mix topping ingredients. You can spoon out the topping onto the top of pie and smooth it out, or roll it out like a giant cookie onto wax paper and then transfer to the top of the pie.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, and then put foil around the crust edges and bake for another 20 minutes or until the top is crunchy and firm. (Grace would like me to remind you not to leave the pie in the oven while you run to the store to get last minute Thanksgiving supplies. Seriously, it's not a good idea.)

You can serve the pie hot or cold. Just before serving, warm a jar of Mrs. Richardson’s Butterscotch Caramel (with lid off) for 30-60 seconds in microwave and then pour desired amount (as in, A LOT) over the top crust of the pie.

Have a happy TDD paperback b-day, and happy Turkey Day, too!

Be sure to come back here on November 28th for a big Countdown to THE LOST SAINT giveaway.

Fantasy Casting Wrap-up and Winners

Sorry for the blog silence over the last couple of weeks. It has been a whirlwind of tasks and events, and I've obviously fallen behind in my regularly scheduled duties. I don't think I've replied to an email in almost a month. For shame.

But on the bright side, it's been a fun whirlwind. I got to go to the filming of the TLS book-trailer, spoke at a library, then at a Jr. High school, and am currently working on a TOP SECRET TLS related project that is so much fun, I can't wait to share it with you--oh and worked on TDD3 a bit, too.

Okay, enough excuses. On to some fun stuff. Like, for example, winners!

First, the landslide favorite for the fantasy casting of Daniel was Mitch Hewer.


Mitch captured 83 votes, giving him 55% of all votes. Alex Pettyfer and Thomas Felton nearly tied for 2nd place with 23 and 22 votes respectively.

That concludes our fantasy casting fun and contest. As an added treat, hubby quickly put together a video for you to summarize the choices you all made for each character. I've pasted it below for your viewing pleasure (winners to the contests are posted below as well).



I have randomly drawn 10 winners to receive a bottle of TLS nail polish for participating. I wish I had enough for everyone, especially as many of you participated through the whole thing. Oh, I have also chosen winners for the extra contest of helping to promote the eBook sale that was taking place this last month (only a day left to get a TDD ebook for only $2.99--the special price ends Nov. 22nd). Winners are as follows:

Fantasy Casting Winners
Jenni Elyse
Vivien
Aleksandra
Becky
Krissi Dallas
Jena
Tori [Book Faery]
Amanda Chenevert
Aubrey
Misha Fitt

eBook Promo Winners
Emily a.k.a WilowRaven
Meg
Melanie
BrittLit
Mundie Moms
Chloe

Winners, please email me at admin@breedespain.com with a mailing address and I'll do my best to get your nail polish out as soon as possible.

One last thing. It is almost November 23rd and that means the TDD paperback will be available this week! My publisher sent me an awesome e-card to announce the occasion and asked me to share with you all... so here you go.


Have any friends who still haven't read the book? You are more than welcome to do a click/save-as and share the e-card with whomever you like. Please feel free to post the card on your blog or facebook page, send a couple emails to those still not on the bandwagon, whatever. Oh, and did I mention that the TDD paperback also includes the first chapter of THE LOST SAINT?

That's all for now. Happy Thanksgiving and stay tuned for November's countdown to TLS contest that will be posted on Nov. 28th (fingers crossed of course).

Fantasy Casting THE DARK DIVINE movie: Daniel Kalbi

*** Business First:

1. I'll be speaking and signing at the Bingham Creek Library in West Jordan at 7 pm on the 15th of November. Attendees may get a chance to get their hands on THE DARK DIVINE paperback (with a TLS preview) before anyone else.

2. Speaking of the TDD paperback, it comes out November 23rd (just in time for Christmas gift shopping)!!! The pb includes a the prologue & first chapter of TLS.

3. Mark your calendars: THE LOST SAINT hits bookshelves on December 28th! We'll be celebrating the launch at The King's English Bookshop at 7 pm on December 28th. You are all invited, of course. ***

Yowza, Bridget Moynahan smashed the competition to play Meredith Divine with 61 votes out of 108 (56%). Kelly Preston came in second with 18 votes (16%). Talk about a landslide!






Now on to the event we've all been waiting for. . . casting:

DANIEL KALBI!!!!

Physical description: Age 18. Naturally very blond but sometimes dyes his hair black. Deep, dark brown eyes. Lean build, but tall and well-muscled. Devious smile. Sometimes described as being "wicked hot" but also sometimes he looks like an angel. (A hot angel, of course.)

This one was super hard to narrow down the votes for. Seriously, I'm very protective of my Daniel, plus there were so many hot guys nominated to choose from. This is a very important decision, so I couldn't just show one picture of each actor. And since Daniel needs to have a nice upper-body, it only made since to include a shirtless photo of each nominee for proper inspection.


Thomas Felton (Who knew Draco Malfoy could be so attractive in real life?)


Alex Pettyfer (So, so, so, so hot!)


Chace Crawford (Very cute, but I think he may be too old.)


Mitch Hewer (Can you say "hot angel"? There's a part in TLS where Daniel looks just like the photo of Mitch with his eyes closed.)


William Moseley (was actually nominated for Jude, but I thought he might be better for Daniel. Perhaps a little too fresh-faced?)


Now I give you all the arduous task of picking one of these beautiful boys to play the part of Daniel in our fantasy casting of a TDD movie.

Be sure to vote for your favorite choice up over in the SIDEBAR and LEAVE A COMMENT to get another entry to win 1 of 10 bottles of TLS nail-polish. The poll will be open until 11:59 pm MST on Tuesday, November 9th.

And be sure to keep spreading the word about the $2.99 special on the TDD ebook that runs until November 22nd. Let me know in the comments what you've done to spread the word and I'll enter you to win 1 of an additional 5 bottles of TLS nail-polish. I'll announce those winners when I announce the fantasy casting winners.

Fantasy Casting THE DARK DIVINE: Mrs. Divine

11/3/2010


It was close and hard fought race but super hotty Jensen Ackles came out on top in the last few hours to play Talbot in our fantasy cast with 32 votes out of 88 (36%). Matt Lanter came in second with 24 votes (27%).





We only have 2 characters left to fantasy cast, and since I'm really mean I'm keeping Daniel under wraps until the very end. That means our next character to cast is:

MRS. DIVINE

Physical description: Dark brown hair like Grace's. She's half Italian/half Jewish. In her early forties.

Bridget Moynahan (Looks a lot like the Meredith Divine in my head)


Idina Menzel (Wonder if we could write in a scene where Mrs. Divine breaks into song?--j/k)


Julia Roberts (Would be great to see Julia Roberts playing the mother of Emma Roberts as Grace)


Kelly Preston (Has a nice motherly look to her)


Lauren Graham (Would be fun watching her go all neurotic)


Be sure to vote up over in the SIDEBAR poll and LEAVE A COMMENT to receive an entry to win 1 of 10 bottles of TLS nail polish. (You know you want it!) This poll will be open until 3:00 pm MST on Friday 11/5/2010.

Halloween pics, Fantasy Casting THE DARK DIVINE movie: Talbot, plus an exclusive exerpt from TLS

10/31/2010

***Upcoming Event: I'll be speaking and signing at the Bingham Creek Library in West Jordan at 7 pm on November 15th. If you come, you may get a chance to get your hands on a paperback copy of TDD that includes the 1st chapter of TLS.***

Happy Halloween, friends! I hope you've had a great weekend. In honor of TLS, I donned a Little Red Riding Hood costume and went out on the town with my very own wolfman/woodsman and a couple of tiny Clone Troopers.


(Is hubs the woodsman who killed the wolf, or the wolf who killed the woodsman?--You decide.)


(Little Red, post kicking some wolf butt)


(KidA felt very empowered by that Clone Trooper gun. He blasted anything remotely scary away with it--including every sweet grandma who opened the door while we were trick or treating--in the pouring rain.)

I have to apologize for all silence and slowness on the blog lately. I got hit with an unexpected deadline this past week that totally took over my life. And I'm so ashamed that I missed October's Countdown to THE LOST SAINT contest. Since we haven't finished our Fantasy Casting fun, I've decided to wait until we're done with that before starting a new giveaway. (But I promise it'll be worth the wait!)






So Nathan Fillion won our poll for playing Pastor Divine with 46 votes (40%) and Tim Daly came in second with 36 votes (31%).





Our next contestant for our fantasy casting is a new one for most of you:

NATHAN TALBOT

Talbot is a new character in THE LOST SAINT and plenty tasty--and instead of just giving you a physical description, I thought I'd give you an exclusive excerpt from TLS (Eep!--at least that's how I feel about sharing it.)

So are you ready to meet Talbot?

I turned to dash from the scene, but I’d taken only a few
stumbling steps in my stupid heels when I ran straight into
what seemed to be a flannel-covered brick wall.

“Whoa, there. You okay?”

The brick wall speaks?

I took a slight step back and looked up to see that I’d
smacked right into the chest of a guy wearing a flannel
shirt. He looked down at me with wide green eyes.

“I’m sorry,” I said, and took another step back. “I
didn’t see you there.”

But really, I didn’t know how I hadn’t noticed this guy
before. I mean, if I thought I stood out here, how had I
not noticed someone like him in a place like this? While
the current fashion statement in the club involved ink
and an abundance of black, this guy wore a green flannel
shirt, light blue jeans, and a large bronze antiquey-looking
belt buckle that resembled a Texas marshal’s
star. He had wavy hair the color of milk chocolate that
stuck out from under the edges of his blue baseball cap,
and his tan face was completely free of weird markings
or bad facial hair, unlike most of the guys here. I looked
down, expecting him to be wearing cowboy boots, but
instead he had on a pair of gray Nike running shoes—
otherwise, he would have looked like he’d sauntered
right in here off a ranch or farm or something.

He gave me a friendly smile—making his tanned,
chiseled cheeks dimple—and he wrapped his warm fingers
around my elbow. “A pretty girl like you should be
more careful in a place like this,” he said, and pulled
me farther away from the fight that brewed behind me.

“Yeah. Um. I know. Sorry.”

His large, callused hand was still on my elbow. His
words—pretty girl like you—finally sank into my brain.
I bit my lip as heat rushed into my cheeks. I wanted to
excuse myself and run off to hide in the bathroom or
something.

The guy’s smile widened, and it struck me that there
was something about him—perhaps the shape of his
mouth, or the tone of his voice—that seemed inexplicably,
yet comfortingly, familiar. Like the first wafting
scent of warm caramel-apple pie on Thanksgiving Day
after a full year of not having tasted it. . .

(Oh, and also of note, Talbot is in his early 20s.)

Now are you ready to pick an actor to play our "tasty new treat" (as April calls him) in a TLS movie?


Kellan Lutz (Cute, and got the most nominations [8] but is he too Twilight famous?)


Matt Lanter (Yes, I know, Matt was the winner for Pete Bradshaw, but this pic of him looks so much like the Talbot in my head that I couldn't not include him.)


Channing Tatum (Nice jawline--may be a bit too old, though.)


Jared Padalecki (Looks hott! in plaid flannel)


Jensen Ackles (also hott!)


Now be sure to vote in the poll up over in the sidebar and leave comment on this post for another entry to win 1 of 10 bottles of TLS nail polish. The poll will be open until Tuesday (11/2/2010) at 6:30 pm.

Also, keep spreading the word about the $2.99 ebook promotion of THE DARK DIVINE and leave a comment telling me what you did in order to win 1 of 5 additional bottles of nail polish. (I'll announce winners for this sometime next week.)

Now go vote!

P.S. What did you dress up as for Halloween?