Happy Devil's Night! We're almost to Halloween, Samhain, Dia de los Muertos, or whatever dead-honoring holiday you like to celebrate. I can't blog long because I'm getting ready for some festivities, but we've got something cool here.

lolcatz found this delight out on the web today:





Yup, it's the French cover of Succubus Dreams, and I have to admit, that's a pretty nice shot of Tawny. Those who know the book might agree with me that it's hard to believe she's so inept when she looks like that!

Lastly, I want to thank everyone who voted for me at Bitten By Books' Favorite Paranormal Author poll earlier this week. I think I was in fourth when I mentioned it here, and then four hours later, I was in first. You guys rock the house. I'm kind of stunned. Thank you so much! If you still want to cast a vote over there, the poll is still going on through tomorrow.

My pal Mark Henry has also done a video blog at BBB today, so if you're going over there, leave a comment to his post because he's on a quest to break 1228. If you're not sure what to comment, I would recommend quizzing him on just how hawt he thinks Dimitri is. The videos represent Mark's usual, uh, adult sense of humor, so I can't endorse viewing them if you're at work, in your teens, or easily offended. That shouldn't stop you from commenting, though. And remember, if you haven't voted in the favorite author poll, it's over on the right side of the screen. Here's the link to vote for me (or whoever you want) and comment for him.

I'll do some kind of giveaway here in his honor if he manages to hit his goal today. Have a great night!

No coherent theme today, just a few updates. I realized that my Canadian adventure is coming up soon, so I thought I'd send out another reminder. I'm going to be a panelist at the Surrey International Writers Conference next weekend, and since I'll be in the Vancouver/Surrey, BC area, there are a couple of signings tacked on to the trip. Dates and times are here. If you're one of my neighbors to the north, I hope you'll come see me.

The other news is that I did indeed win through phase 2 of Bitten By Books' Favorite Paranormal Author contest. Thanks again for your support! BBB is doing a total of 4 (I think) rounds with different authors up for vote each time, and then the fifth round will take the winners of the previous rounds and put them up for an ultimate showdown. Two authors win each week. This week, a couple of friends of mine are up on the list: the awesome Michelle Rowen and Dakota Cassidy. Now, I don't like to tell people who to vote for, and if you've got a different favorite author up there this week, then I say: Hey! Vote for them. But, if you're undecided or don't know anyone, then I'll put in a plea here to go vote for Michelle and Dakota. You can vote for two authors at once, so that's pretty handy. And just to sweeten things up, I'll host a contest with hot prizes in honor of them if both Michelle and Dakota win through this round. Sure, that means we'd all be facing off in round 5, but that's a problem for later. So, regardless of your choice, get out there and vote!

Oh, and one more quick thing about the Immortal anthology mentioned in the last post. Immortal was released over a year ago, with a different cover (a flower). It didn't have very much exposure, which is why it's now being released again with a hot new cover and being put in a lot more stores. So, if you bought the old one, know that the stories are identical with one exception: a story by the lovely Rachel Vincent has been added to the new addition. I hope this helps with some of the questions that have been coming up.

Okay, back to work for this girl.

Okay, I didn't blog yesterday, so let's catch up on what's new and exciting in the world. First up, the poll is still going on to vote for my next tour cities. That link is right here. I cannot beg you enough: please, PLEASE don't re-post what you voted for here or post the city you wish was on the poll. I know people are excited and want to share what they voted for, but it fills up the comments like crazy and makes them hard to sift through. The poll will do the counting for us, and if your city's not there, there's nothing I can do this time--just hope for the future and a chance to weigh in then. Thanks so much for understanding!

In book news, yesterday was Tuesday, the big release day in publishing. Here are my friends who have hot stuff going on this week:

Demon Princess: Reign or Shine by Michelle Rowen

This is the first book in a new YA series by my pal Michelle Rowen. As the title suggests, it's about a teen who discovers she's actually half-demon (and royal to boot) and destined to inherit a kingdom. Plenty of people want to stop this from happening, but fortunately, she has friends--particularly some attractive guys--who want to help her. The book's full of the romance and humor that Michelle is so good at (and demons--don't forget the demons), and I think that cover is fantastic. And while it's hard to see, there's a little blurb at the top by this, ahem, vampire author I know, so it must be good.




Boneshaker by Cherie Priest

Seattle author Cherie Priest kicks things up by writing about the one thing our fair city has long been missing: zombies. This is also one of those new-fangled steampunk books that all the kids are talking about, so if you've been wondering what's going on, here's a way to try it out. It's got an alternate history setting and chronicles what happens when an accident triggers the release of noxious gas that turns a large part of Seattle's population into zombies, thus creating all sorts of mayhem and the need for a wall around the city (which we probably needed anyway). Good times.



So, check 'em out if you're looking for good reads!

My last news of the day is a bit overdue. Penguin Australia has posted some videos of my time there, if you want to see me in action. There are shots from the VA After Party, as well as the astonishing line we discovered at my mall signing. All that stuff is right here on their site.

My third day at DragonCon started out like any other con day, scrambling to find coffee and get to panels after too little sleep. My first one was on immortality and had pals Mark Henry and Jeanne Stein on it, which is always a good time.

After that, I went off-site to the Decatur Book Festival just outside of Atlanta. Decatur's a quaint little town, and the fest is a sprawling, outdoor fair-like event with lots of food and art vendors (in addition to the authors and panels). There, I had the infamous Vampire Werewolf Smackdown with Maggie Stiefvater. To be honest, I'm not sure how much smacking went on. Maggie and I are pals, and it was pretty amicable to the point of "Oh, yeah, I agree with you on that" and "I can concede that one." The audience proved more adamant than us on some points, and the participation was fantastic. We then signed books and met readers, and I was taken under the wing of the local Penguin Books rep, who made sure I got food and didn't get lost. The fest staff was really, really great and also helped me find my way around.

After that, it was back to downtown and DragonCon. My evening panel was on "demonology" and featured fun folks like Jackie Kessler, Mike Mignola, and Stacia Kane. I got to talk about Georgina, and afterward, a few people came up to get some books signed. Among them was Shae:





Look closely at what's in her hand.





A silver stake! She said she had a guardian outfit to go with it, but for the photo op, she mixed costumes for me. Pretty awesome. Speaking of fandom...Siobhan at Decatur brought me a picture she and her friend drew, but I haven't had a chance to photograph it yet. Thanks, guys!

Once panel duties were done for the night, I managed a con rarity: meeting up with almost all of my friends. I know over a dozen people here, but with so many schedules and locations, it's hard to see everyone at once. We did a good job this time, and fourteen of us went out to dinner. Here's me, Kat Richardson, Stacia Kane, and Caitlin Kittredge. Kat's hair looks very luxurious, methinks.





While at dinner, Caitlin and I realized we'd be in Boston on the same day, and she helpfully created this map of Massachusetts with silverware and her own two hands to illustrate the layout of her home state. I think it's pretty accurate, but then, geography's never been my strongest subject.





Also while at dinner, we had a most unexpected visit. "Ace and Gary" of the Ambiguously Gay Duo came wandering through the restaurant.





The AG Duo was a Saturday Night Live cartoon from several years ago, and these two guys were pretty funny (even though I don't recall Ace having a southern accent). They struck some poses for us and bantered before wandering off for other pictures.

Caitlin had acquired a CW bag earlier and proudly modeled her sultry self with it, producing what was almost the sexiest picture of the day.





Well, that was until the AG Duo came wandering back and asked me to take a picture with them.





I know, I know. Sexy probably isn't the right word. But what could I do? Here's the story. After their first visit to our table, they returned later to ask what my name was because they were "pretty sure" I was the favorite author of someone they knew. When they found out that I actually was that author, they asked me to pose with them. This shot is really pretty tame compared to what they made author Kelly Meding do. Later, I found out that the fan of mine they knew was actually Ace's 14-year-old daughter. So, I'm not sure if the coolness of them getting a pic with me will compensate for her dad wearing spandex, but only time will tell. Also, Ace and Gary said I was a hottie, which may or may not clear up the "ambiguous" part. I guess it depends on how you want to read it.

Tomorrow, I have one more panel at DragonCon before my duties are done. Of course, my con experience won't be truly wrapped up until I make another attempt to find Joe Flanigan (whom, according to a text from Caitlin, was spotted signing photos today--while I was away at Decatur). After that quest, I'll be flying off to Washington, DC, where I'll get Labor Day off and then have signings in Fairfax, VA and Baltimore, MD. Check the link for dates, times, and stores!

Well, it looks like lolcatz's post went over pretty well! In fact, I secretly think some of you like him better than me. But I'm cool with that because I've pretty negligent with this blog lately--so much so, in fact, that I'm passing my duties yet again.

If you're on Twitter, fellow paranormal author and pal Michelle Rowen will be live-blogging over there as she reads Blood Promise today. She promises no spoilers, so it may be a lot of "OMG! I can't believe Rose just did that in Chapter 3!" But, if you're still waiting patiently for Tuesday, go follow @michellerowen on Twitter for what I'm sure will be an amusing preview. If you don't want to know anything whatsoever, stay away on Twitter. :)

Me? I'm off to University Bookstore to sign all the BP mail orders that are going out next week. Expect pictures.

So, in the past, you guys have come to my aid in the various polls that Bitten By Books does for best series, best character, etc. I have been stunned at the response, and I'm so grateful that you guys always turn out to support me. Thank you so much!

Now, I have some friends in need over at Bitten By Books for this week's poll: Funniest Paranormal Authors. Only, I have a problem. I have six friends who are nominated. Clearly, I hang with funny people. But now, I don't know who I'm even going to vote for. And I can't even say to you, "Hey, please go help [X]!" Because how can I choose?

So, here's what I've decided to do. If you'd like to go over and cast a vote for one of my pals, I can't tell you who. Since some of you may not know their writing, I'm going to give quick bios of them. Then, you can choose who you think is the funniest, and hopefully someone I know will beat the competition.

UPDATE: As of Friday afternoon, my friends are still behind! I think all of them are worthy, but at this late hour (voting closes tonight), I might have to beg those who haven't voted to go endorse Mark Henry so that someone in my friends can represent. It's time for the Australian swing vote!

In alphabetical order:

Mario Acevedo
Mario writes books about vampire detective Felix Gomez. He gets funny points simply for having titles like The Nymphos of Rocky Flats and Jailbait Zombie. No publisher would let me do that. As a former military guy, I'm pretty sure Mario could kill you in ten different ways with his pinky finger. I think my favorite story with him was when we were at a bar, and he asked me if there was any article of clothing I'd never wear. I said spandex. Fifteen minutes later, out of nowhere, he says, "A crown." I was like, "What are you talking about?" I'd totally moved on from that topic. "A crown," he said. "I'd never wear a crown." Maybe you had to be there.

Michele Bardsley
When I first heard of Michele, I was told she wrote about soccer moms and vampires. Anyone who thought of putting those two things together is genius because let's face it, it was a concept long overdue. What's more, she sets her series in Oklahoma. I wouldn't have thought that's funny, yet it is. Or maybe that isn't a surprise? I've only driven through OK, so I can't say for sure. Anyway, Michele can put down margaritas like nobody's business, and she's a die-hard fan of Vampire Academy. So clearly, she's a woman of excellent taste.

Dakota Cassidy
Dakota is, without question, the most glamorous author in the paranormal realm and manages to make werewolves and demons glamorous too. Heck, she's glamorous even in the non-paranormal realm since she just sold a series about trophy wives. I'm trying to learn her beauty secrets, particularly the art of putting on false eyelashes. It's not easy. Mostly I glue my eyes shut, but Dakota makes it look like art. She offered to go to Australia with me and help me with my hair--but only if she could go first class. She skipped right over business class because that's how she rolls. As a former beauty queen, she appreciates rhinestones and tiaras--so unlike Mario, she will wear a crown. And wear it well.

Mark Henry
Mark Henry's a Seattle author and has inexplicably made zombies fashion-conscious. He also manages to make the gross and twisted...well, funny. He's one of the few authors you'll read and think "Ew!" while laughing at the same time. Mark is also famous for his dramatic readings of romance novels. You really can't appreciate a sex scene until you've heard Mark read it out loud. Those who witnessed his amazing poolside reading of [novel that must remain anonymous] would probably vote for him without hesitation. Mark watches shows like RuPaul's Drag Race and can summon flocks of hummingbirds. At the same time. But if he ever offers you a martini called Lava Lamp, DO NOT ACCEPT. I am not joking.

Jackie Kessler
Jackie Kessler is my long-time pal, so I'm not even sure where to start. Like me, she got her break into publishing with a book about a succubus. A succubus stripper, even, and Jackie had the nerve to do research at a strip club (which her husband generously took her to). This makes us succubus sisters, a bond which is strong and life-long. Like blood sisters but not as unsanitary. Jackie is also deceptively funny and snarky. No one suspects it because she's so small and adorable; she's even shorter than me. She helped me survive my first Romantic Times Convention and was one of the first to realize that a bar trip was a necessity at the Mr. Romance Competition--which may be why they had no bar at the competition in following years. Just sayin.

Michelle Rowen
Oh, Michelle. Michelle is Canadian, but you should in no way be fooled by that polite facade. She's got a sense of humor and snark to rival any black-souled American, and all of her books reflect that. I mean, her vampires' hang-out is a tanning salon. Michelle is also the one who saved my clothes when I left them in the closet at our RT Con hotel. She rescued them from housekeeping...and then held them hostage, threatening to put them on eBay unless I sent her an early copy of Blood Promise. Seeing as I didn't have one to give, I felt certain it was only a matter of time before my gold blouse was up for auction. She finally sent them back to me, but her package included some special souvenirs from RWA to punish me for my hold-out. I will not elaborate.

So there you have it. My friends, the funny authors. It's worth noting that another nominee, MaryJanice Davidson, is also an awesome pal of mine. Considering her readership blows us all away, I feel she doesn't need my pleas. :)

But I offer the rest of these ne'er-do-wells to you. Pick who you think deserves the Funniest title and go vote here! As always, the poll is on the lower right side of the screen, and voting closes Friday night (US Central Time). None of them are currently winning, which is UNACCEPTABLE. If in doubt, you can always check the results and vote for which of my friends has the highest score so far. Hey, we're on a mission here. ;) Thanks for your support!

Just a couple of quick announcements. First up, Brisbane residents can rejoice! Penguin Australia just confirmed your date for my tour. Here's where you guys can find me, and note that it's a ticketed event. But hey! Special gift!

Wednesday 16 September – 6pm – Brisbane
At: Brisbane State High
Entrance via Cnr Vulture and Edmonstone St, Brisbane South
Bookseller: Riverbend Books
Booking Tel: (07) 3899 8555
Talk & Signing – $10 tickets with special Vampire Academy gift on arrival
Please purchase tickets via Riverbend Books before event to avoid disappointment


In other news, my good pal Kat Richardson is celebrating the release of her fourth Harper Blaine novel today, Vanished. For those not familiar with the series, it's about a private investigator who finds she can see the world of ghosts after a near-death experience. This is one of my favorite series, and if you want to pick up the first one instead, it's Greywalker--which just came out in mass market format for those who like that size.

Kat'll be reading and signing tonight at University Bookstore in Seattle (4326 University Way NE) at 7pm. I'll be there, hanging out with some other authors, so come on by if you're in the area. I'll also be catching up on autographed orders of my own books, so if you're expecting one of those, they'll be shipping out soon.

Yeah, I know! Cool, huh? I'd been under the impression that Thorn Queen (book 2 of the Dark Swan series and the sequel to Storm Born) wasn't out until next week, but nope, here we are! It's official release day...which, for those who've read my posts on soft and hard drop dates, is a little nebulous since this had a soft drop. So, if you're a fan of Eugenie's adventures, grab a copy! I signed University Bookstore's orders recently, so if you ordered those, they're shipping out. TQ comes out in the UK on 8/13, and for the rest of the world...well, it's an import for you, so I can't say.

About a gazillion other books released today too, and I want to highlight particular pals of mine. One is Stacia Kane's Demon Inside, the follow-up to Personal Demons, about a psychologist who learns that people aren't being metaphorical when they talk about having demons! Stacia's a great writer and a fab person--and someone I'd want on my side in a fight. Just sayin'. She's also at Bitten By Books today.

Another book of note is The Eternal Kiss: 12 Vampire Tales of Blood and Desire, which has a mess o' my friends in it, including Rachel Caine, Karen Mahoney (best Tarot card reader ever!), Holly Black, Kelley Armstrong, Lili Saintcrow, and many others. So, it's like one-stop shopping for awesomeness.

Lastly, I can't remember if I mentioned this or not, but Australians: we have another date locked down on the tour. It's in Melbourne on September 14 at 5pm, and it's recommended you book a seat (even though there's no charge). The info is on the Penguin Australia site, the lovely folks who are organizing the tour. Keeping check back there for more dates and locations since it goes there first!

In my last post, I promised pics from Caitlin Kittredge's and Lisa Mantchev's respective signings this week. Unfortunately, I have none. I took them, but here's a fact: pictures of authors reading are generally not flattering. Our mouths make weird shapes, and I decided not to post what I have. Suffice to say: both ladies did an awesome job.

Here's what I did get from this week. Before going to Caitlin's, a group of us stopped by St. Mark's Cathedral, a very beautiful old church in Capitol Hill. There have been a lot of jokes about us entering a church, but here's proof (stolen from Mark Henry's blog) that no one burst into flames:





Mark also got this crazy shot of us looking into a font in the church. Since all of our reflections showed up in the water, I think it proves none of us are vampires. Jewelry maker Synde is a little faint though...





I also did some coffee shop writing with Kat Richardson and Mark that day, something that is not my usual thing--largely because it's distracting. But look, there I am working hard on the Spirit Bound outline. Kat seems dubious.





As a totally weird aside, while leaving one of the signings, we witnessed a sight that's been officially dubbed The Bush People. I'm not sure what the deal was, but these guys were enmeshed in the leaves, possibly trying to blend in with their surroundings. It didn't really work and was kind of surreal.





Anyway. After those signings, I had one of my own in Salem, OR on Saturday, along with the full Seattle gang (Mark, Kat, Caitlin Kittredge, and Cherie Priest) and Oregonian author Devon Monk. Us five Seattlites drove down on Friday night with Mark's wife Caroline and their adorable dog Yoda, who was a perfect passenger:





We actually spent that night in Portland, which is a little less than an hour from Salem. We did a bit of shopping and then found ourselves at Vault, a swank martini bar. It was crowded with hook-up seeking hipsters, but we scored a table outside, which was quiet and perfect in evening weather after a sweltering day.





I can't entirely explain how amazing this place's menu was. It was thicker than Shadow Kiss. Okay, maybe not. But it was big and had some crazy choices, like this habanero martini that Mark ordered. Cherie and Kat aren't so sure about it:





Me, I stuck to safer things, like martinis infused with dark chocolate liqueur. As always, whenever I post pics of drinking with my friends, I feel it's my civic duty to inform my younger readers not to drink until you're 21. It's much better to be of age and go to places like this than smuggle crap Franzia into your parents' basement. Just sayin'. Be responsible. And legal.





Since Yoda was in bed at the hotel, it was up to Mark and Caroline to be the adorable ones in the family.





We also made friends with the bouncer whose station was right by our table. He occasionally chatted with us but was always quick to jump back to his carding duty when new groups came in. He also immediately pulled off some creepy intoxicated guy who came over and struck up conversation with me about my necklace. Whether he was actually interested in my necklace or simply its location on my chest, I can't really say for sure. Not sure I really want to think about it either.





After that night of revelry, we headed on down to Salem the next day to earn our keep at Escape Fiction Bookstore. There, we were given a lovely outdoor set-up and were immediately plied with cheesecake by the generous owners. In fact, we weren't allowed to sign until having our cheesecake.





Mark doesn't look too happy in this picture. I suspect it's because our agency-mate Michelle Rowen wasn't there, thus meaning we couldn't send this to our agent for his refrigerator.





The day concluded when we were led into the depths of the labyrinthine bookstore and shown something I did not expect: a secret door. It was seriously a wall of books that swung open and was operated with a remote control.





I was hoping it led into a torture chamber. Or maybe a room with more cheesecake. Alas, it was simply for storage, but it was still pretty sweet.

After all those adventures, it was time for lunch, a quick outlet mall stop, and then off on the long road back to Seattle. Many thanks to the owners of Escape Fiction and my fab friends for making this such a fun weekend. Thanks also to the readers who came out to see us, both the local Salem folk and those who made the trek from Portland. It was great to meet everyone--and to get my first real-life glimpse of the new VA covers. Hope to see you all at another signing someday!

I realize I've been remiss in sharing something with everyone--something that might be of particular interest to those coming to the Salem, OR signing this Saturday. Some time ago, I was soliciting ideas for pens and pencils to stock up for the big fall tour. Well, I'm pleased to say the supplies are in, so here's what's up in the world of Richelle Mead writing technology:

First, the ego pens:





I feel a little funny having a pen that just touts me and my list status, but the clever caption I originally wanted wouldn't fit. So, I had to abbreviate because it was worth it to get these pens. They're probably the best quality I've ever had and were on sale too! Don't worry, gentlemen. They're not *quite* as pink in real life as they appear.

Next, my swag stash would not be complete without the famous color-changing pencils:





These say BLOOD PROMISE TOUR - 2009 on them and have my website etc. These change color with warm hands, as shown:





My hands are always cold, so I can't make them change very well. Those at my signings who have seen me attempt this and fail will appreciate that this is much better than usual, though.

Next up are the contest winners: sparkly pencils that say POCKET STAKE - FOR EMERGENCY USE ONLY (plus the website). Even without a flash, it's impossible to photograph that caption, so you'll have to take my word for it:





With the exception of the tour pencils (which will be given away on tour), I'll have these things along with me in Salem this weekend, which is fitting since I ran out of goodies in Portland back in May.

Oh, yeah. I also have these:





Oh my.

Your eyes do not deceive you. Those are molnija mark key chains. Yes, at long last, the mark I've been promising you, designed by my very talented friend Chad. Unlike the pens and pencils, which I give away freely, these are only going to be used for special occasions, I'm afraid. For Salem, I'll have a drawing and give away five of them. The Salem signing is a drop-in-whenever between 12-2 event, during which you can hang out casually to ask questions and get books signed. I'll do the drawing at 1pm.

ADDENDUM to key chain questions: they will indeed be given away as part of online contests and other signing locations. So not just Salem! At this time, they aren't for sale online because that's actually more complicated than it may seem. Maybe in the future.

And that's the loot! There are boxes and boxes of those writing utensils making a fire hazard in my office, so hopefully I won't run out in my 25 days of touring.

Last night was Caitlin Kittredge's signing at University Bookstore, and I'll put pictures of that along with Lisa Mantchev's signing (which I'll be at tonight) in one signing-tastic post tomorrow. And now, off to do that writing thing I do.

Just want to remind Oregonians that I'll be signing in Salem this coming weekend, with a whole posse of people: Mark Henry, Kat Richardson, Caitlin Kittredge, Cherie Priest, and Devon Monk. It's from 12-2pm on Saturday the 18th at Escape Fiction Bookstore, 3240 Triangle Dr SE. I'm told there will be snacks(!), and it's the kind of event you can hang out at. So, please come on by if you're in the area. Good times will be had by all. Bring any books you've got; I'll sign 'em all.

And, if you're in Seattle this week, looking for some good events to hit, I've got a couple suggestions. Caitlin Kittredge (whose latest releases were pimped over here) will be reading and signing with Kevin Radthorne on Wednesday at 7pm, at University Bookstore's main branch in the U District (4326 University Way NE). Come on down for more good times.

Also at University Bookstore, Lisa Mantchev will be signing for her debut book release, Eyes Like Stars, on Thursday at 7pm. Admit it: even if you knew nothing about the book, you'd want to read it for this gorgeous cover:





It's a YA book about a girl raised in a theatre where the worlds and characters come to life. Lisa's page can explain it better than me. A first book is always a scary thing--the signings doubly so! I was terrified no one would come to mine. So, come hear Lisa read and take a chance on finding something awesome.

Oh, and for those new to my blog (welcome!), here's where you can find the latest list of my signings and locations. Okay, that's it. Off to work for me. Happy Monday, all. (And Tuesday, for Australians).

I've been really exhausted this weekend, so this is going to be another short post with just a couple quick announcements. First, a signing announcement--but not for me. My friends Caitlin Kittredge and Vicki Pettersson will be doing a panel at the Clark County Library in Las Vegas (1401 E Flamingo Rd) tomorrow, July 6, at 7pm. They'll be talking about superheroes and signing books if you bring them. So, if you're fans of those ladies, go visit!

Second, thanks for all the feedback about the new site. For those who asked, I did do it myself, but like so many others, I used a program to help--Microsoft Web Expressions. I do have basic HTML skills, but a program likes that makes websites a lot easier (and nicer looking) than if I hand-coded--which I've done in the past! lolcatz served as a consultant on some of the aesthetics, as well as therapist/tech support when parts of the process frustrated me.

So, that's my weekend report. I hope my American readers had a nice Fourth of July! I spent mine on a 17th floor balcony of Expedia in downtown Bellevue, four blocks away from where the city's fireworks show was being shot off of a parking garage roof. It was pretty sweet. We got on the balcony courtesy of my friend who works at Expedia, so if you need to book travel plans, make sure you use them so that he can keep his job and let us come back next year.

Hello all! Lots of exciting things going on around here. The latest contest is getting some really good turnout. I already have over 100 entries! Again, though, make sure you read all the directions if you haven't entered yet. Some entries are going astray.

Today's been fun because I was filmed for an author video. My pals at Razorbill got a videographer to take me out in the woods and talk about my books. Hopefully I sound eloquent! It'll be a bit before it's ready for the public, but I'll let you know when it is. Tomorrow I'm getting new author photos done...so, yeah, kind of a media week for me.

It's also a week of new releases, and I must give shout-outs to all my fab author pals with new books out today.

First up:



Black and White is the love child of my girls Jackie Kessler and Caitlin Kittredge. They joined their awesome writing skills a la Wonder Twins style and created a very cool book that's actually about...superheroes! I've often lamented that it seems like the same kinds of books keep coming out, so I'm excited that they've embarked into new fantasy territory.

Next:



Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge. Yep, it's a double-header release day for Caitlin. This a brand new series for Caitlin, one I know she's really excited about. It's about a mage and a detective in London, investigating the dark and paranormal. The mage is one of those scoundrel-y sexy guys that we all secretly love. Caitlin reading aloud with her British accents is not to be missed.

And lastly:



Kiss and Hell by Dakota Cassidy. I'm pretty sure Dakota is the most glamorous author in this business, and sometimes, she even shares her secrets with me. But only sometimes. K and H, aside from having a fabulous name, is a funny and sexy book about a gal who can see the dead and the hot (no pun intended) demon that she gets mixed up with. Check it out and bring Dakota a tiara if you ever see her at a signing.

No, wait. One more:



I've pitched my good friend Kat Richardson's Greywalker long ago, but I wanted to report that it's now out in mass market. I adore the adventures of Kat's ghost-seeing P.I., Harper, so for those who are skittish about buying trade paperbacks or hardcovers, here's your chance to finally try out this fantastic series.

Wait--there's another new one! Okay, for real. I think this is it:



Shoot, there's so many to remember today! Carpe Corpus, book 6 in Rachel Caine's Morganville Vampires series, is out too. Rachel's a very good pal of mine and the best hostess ever. And those who have been to my signings know that this is the series I always recommend when I'm asked about what else to read in my genre. This is an amazing vampire series about a college town with uneasy relationships between humans and a vampire mafia-esque group. Good times. Also: Rachel's UK covers glow in the dark. Yeah, I'm jealous.


So, that's the news today. Stay tuned, as I think there's going to be some new info to report pretty soon.

The Romantic Times Con wound down today, ending with a traditional event: Psychic Sunday. Usually, I'm heading out on Sundays, so I've never been able to attend it. In my imagination, though, Psychic Sunday was always an elaborate extravaganza filled with crystal balls and incense, with tables and Tarot cards everywhere.

The reality was a little different, though. There were only a few workshops and a handful of fortune teller types. It was very quiet, probably because it felt like there were less than 50 people left at the con by this point. Several of my friends were among them, and rather than go wait in line for the con sanctioned Tarot reader, we all chipped in and bought a Tarot deck for reader extraordinaire, Karen Mahoney (aka kaz_mahoney), sitting there on the end while Caitlin shuffles cards.





Karen has read cards professionally in the past and had some eerily insightful readings for all of us. I got some good stuff about my personal life, but I'm keeping that to myself.

Eventually, most people had to leave to go catch flights. I, however, am staying in the Orlando area for two more days with Caitlin Kittredge, Mark and Caroline Henry, and Heather Osborn. So, Caitlin and I checked out of the con hotel and took a cab over to our new lodgings by downtown Disney. Our fellow travelers were off actually experiencing Disney World, but Caitlin and I stayed in the hotel and got work done--with the occasional foray into downtown Disney for food. (The Earl of Sandwich rocks the house, fyi). I know that sounds like a sad day, but if you want to read Thorn Queen...well, a work day was necessary. And kind of relaxing.

Somewhere in the midst of this, I realized I'd left a blouse and dress hanging in the closet of my other hotel. Since it would have cost me a $40 roundtrip taxi cab to go back, I did the only thing I could to rescue my clothing from the lost and found: call Michelle Rowen. She was the only person I knew still at the con hotel and had spent her Psychic Sunday learning she had a Regency Era past life. She rescued my clothes, though I'm not sure how I'll get them back since she lives in Toronto. At least I know they're safe, though. Well, maybe. She says if she doesn't get an early copy of Blood Promise, my clothes are going on eBay. I'm not sure if I can make that happen for her or not, so one of you may get to bid on a gold BCBG blouse. Get your checkbooks out.

When the clothing crisis was settled, Caitlin and I ate dinner at everyone's favorite animatronic animal jungle experience: Rain Forest Cafe. Getting to our table required a twisty path through aquariums and robot gorillas, as well as this cave...





Is it just me, or is this suspiciously similar to Candy Mountain?





Watch your kidneys at Rain Forest Cafe. That's all I'm saying.

Heather and the Henrys eventually surfaced from their 12-hour adventure at Disney World, with lots of stories to tell. They're going to Animal Kingdom tomorrow, and I'd wanted to go. Somewhere in this Floridian week, though, I've injured my left foot. It started as a muscle pain on the outer side and then spread into shooting pain through the top. Maybe it's just too much sandal-walking, but regardless, there'll be no theme-parking for me tomorrow--despite my friends' suggestions that I get a wheel chair or Lil Rascal scooter. Instead, I'm thinking poolside Thorn Queen proofs are in my future.

In closing, I give you a gem I found out about at RT this week. Reviewer Brooke Carleton got a shot of this written in a bathroom stall at Borders:





Wow. I've said it before and I'll say it again: I don't think Twilight and VA are competitors. They're apples and oranges. And yet...knowing some fan out there went to that trouble to defend my honor...well, I think it means I've truly made it big.

Today is my fourth day at RT, and everyone is starting to get this bleary-eyed look. We're all tired and worn out, and I fear I'm getting sick because that's what happens when I go four nights on six hours of sleep. Still, I'm behind on blogging two days of this extravaganza, so I'll risk more sleep-loss and get right to it.

When we last left off, I was actually doing serious things at RT and moderating panels. On Friday, I was doing semi-serious things. A few other authors and I hosted a cocktail party for booksellers here at the con. I met lots of people from bookstores all over the country (and world) and signed books that my publishers had kindly sent to the party. It was cool. It would be more cool if I had pictures of this, but I don't. So, moving right along...

I then attended the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards. These awards are notorious for people leaving early, particularly when they used to serve food. People would eat lunch and then take off before the end, which is really kind of sad for those getting the awards. So, the con stopped serving food and starting offering gift bags if people stayed the whole time. I can understand why people get restless...the awards ceremony is really long. But look who was receiving them! Pals Keri Arthur, Jeanne Stein, Michele Bardsley, and Ilona Andrews.





I stayed for them. And I got a gift bag! Here's me hanging with Michele in the afterglow of her Best Vampire Romance award:





My clique and I went to dinner after that to celebrate and to...well, eat. Dinner took so long that we missed the con's Friday night musical theatre party. So, we did the next best thing. We all sat around a table out by the pool and listened while Mark Henry did dramatic readings of "intimate" scenes from romance novels.





Yeah. We're immature. But obviously enraptured.

That pretty much wrapped Friday night up. Saturday (today) was the con's ginormous book fair, in which 100+ authors filled a room with their books for three hours. It gets pretty crazy.





I'd done some heavy advertising, so I hoped people would turn out to see me, but I was still a bit overwhelmed by the response. I was signing and talking to people non-stop for pretty much 3 hours straight. It was crazy. At my first RT in 2007, when Succubus Blues had only been out a few weeks, I'd sat there with about 40 copies of it, pathetically soliciting people as they walked by. Today, I had lines waiting for me and a fort of 150 books sitting around me.





I can't even explain how surreal it is. Thank you so much to all of you who came out to see me. I really, really appreciate it and had so much fun talking to everyone--even though I now have a sore throat from trying to shout over the noise! Meeting readers is one of my favorite things ever, and I'm so grateful to those of you who drove from far away and who are local. Thanks again.

I confess, I was really exhausted after that, but there's no rest for the wicked. I next went to an offsite party hosted by the Charlaine Harris Fan Club, Charlaine being the author of the Sookie Stackhouse series, which spawned the show True Blood. Charlaine wasn't able to come to RT this year (she's a fabulous lady, by the way), but her fan club did her proud with a great party--and lots of swag for the guests. I won a t-shirt! Here's Fan Club Queen Debi Murray drawing for other prizes.





After we got back to the con's hotel, it was time for one of RT's most legendary events: The Mr. Romance Pageant.

The Mr. Romance Pageant is exactly what it sounds like. It's a competition for male models. The winner gets a photo shoot and will be on the cover of a book. The men dress up like characters from romance novels and answer questions about what romance means to them. It's quite the experience, and this year was no exception, seeing as they've decided to add singing and dancing numbers (by others, not the contestants) throughout it. Here's a contestant reenacting a knight or somesuch. I can't remember.





What's really interesting to me about this con, though, is just how big a role texting and Twitter have played in it this year. You could not go to any event or party--like the awards or the pageant--and not see at least half the people there with phones out, lighting up the darkness and Twittering away every golden moment. Like so:






Yeah, I'm guilty too. But seriously. If you haven't been following Twitter, you can't understand how big this is. Just follow the #rt09 tag on Twitter, and you don't even need to attend the con.

You probably think that a signing, party, and pageant would be enough for one day. But it wasn't. Because we had to go see...





...PIRATES!

Those of you who read my Ireland recaps will recall that I'm a sucker for themed dinner shows and was crushed when I couldn't attend the Medieval banquet there. Well, Orlando has a lot of dinner shows. And not just Medieval ones. One of them is a 'Pirate Adventure Dinner,' and due in large part to my enthusiasm, I got a whole gang of people to go to it tonight: Caitlin Kittredge, Stacia Kane, Mark & Caroline Henry, Mario Acevedo, Jaye Wells & her friend Paige, Diana Rowland, Jeanne Stein, Heather Osborn, Miriam Kriss, and Michelle Rowen.





Seriously, who would have even let that group in the door? Particularly when the management seems intent on plying you with alcohol. They encourage everyone to come early and then make them wait in the bar, and no good comes of that. They also have the audacity to sell drinks in souvenir pirate-faced coconut holders (complete with eye patch) that double as change banks. No, really. It says on the lid 'also a change bank.' It's a silly marketing thing, and Heather Osborn fell prey to it.





So did I. It's sitting beside me.

Along with drinks, the pirate show had plenty of other merchandise to sell. Here Diana Rowland plays pirate wench and shows off her flashy skull-and-crossbones necklace. I think there's a joke about pirate booty in here somewhere, but be careful. Diana's an ex-cop and could totally beat you up.





The actual show takes place on a big pirate ship, and all of us diners sat around at stadium style seating tables. Food was so-so and a bit unnerving since I don't like eating in the dark. The performance itself was...well. Like being in a Disney movie. I'd had no idea there was going to be so much singing. Almost everything was a musical number. I also had no idea that pirates jumped around on trampolines (there was one on the ship used for a dance routine) or liked disco.

There was some swashbuckling and shooting too, and a lot of people got slapped around. One of the pirates backhanded a damsel to the ground, which is just something you really don't see very often in this politically correct age. Understandably, this much camp was too much for my group to handle. There were a lot of giggles and inappropriate remarks in our section. Most of the time the music and shooting was too loud for anyone to hear us, but a couple of times, during quiet and poignant scenes, our group could be heard echoing in the theatre. But no, we didn't get thrown out. This time.





After the performance finisihed, we discovered something astonishing. Apparently, children in the audience had been abducted and transformed into British soldiers during the show. They were brought out afterward and paraded around proudly. It was kind of creepy. And yes, Twitter fans, the pirate show can be relived through me and any of the above-mentioned people's tweets. We were a sea of cell phones.





And THAT wraps up today. I have a few things to do at RT tomorrow, and then I move switch hotels. Tomorrow is the con's official end, so I'm spending two more days in Orlando with the Henrys, Heather Osborn, and Caitlin Kittredge to relax and take in the sights--and in my case tomorrow, finish some proofs. Not sure what the internet situation and wackiness will be then, but stay tuned for more Floridian fun.

Before we get started, I want to remind locals again that I'll be signing here in Orlando tomorrow. You can stop by anytime between 11am and 3pm. The details are over here.

Okay. So, I'm still a day behind, so let me recap Thursday for you. Thursday was a 'working' day. Not that I didn't do a lot of socializing and hanging out, but I'd be doing a disservice if I didn't show how this con does have its serious side and delivers lots of good info. I have the illustrious title of captain of the urban fantasy track, which means I organized--and in this case--moderated the three core urban fantasy panels.

No work day is complete without a good breakfast, however. So, before going to my panels, I headed out with a group of people to an establishment that claims to be the world's biggest McDonalds. I'm not sure if that's true, but it was pretty big, and it certainly seemed to have the world's biggest amount of tour buses stopping in. The place was chaotic, but they inexplicably got our orders correct. We carried them back to the hotel, to escape the tourists in matching t-shirts. Here's me sitting with Lucienne Diver and Mario Acevedo, while we enjoy some delicious greasy sustenance.






But, then...yes. Time to work. What's it mean to be an urban fantasy moderator/captain? Well, it involves holding everyone's attention and saying lots of profound things.





For those not familiar with those ladies, they are (going down the table from me): Tor editor Heather Osborn and YA authors Caitlin Kittredge, Melissa Marr, Rachel Vincent, and Mari Mancusi. I'm kind of a hardcore micromanaging moderator, so this panel was very serious and proper. Now, you would have thought this panel...





...would not be well-behaved. After all, that's Jaye Wells, Mark Henry, and Jocelynn Drake up there...a rowdy group if ever there was one. Nope. They were serious too. It was this group that turned out to be saucy:





That's Jackie Kessler, Keri Arthur, and Jeanne Stein behaving badly and giggling at something. Jackie claims it was some cookies Keri brought her from Australia, but I'm thinking they were looking at dirty text messages under the table. After all, this was the panel about writing sex in urban fantasy, so there's no telling what could happen there.

All in all, the panels went well, though I was a very sleepy and possibly incoherent moderator by the end. Panel day was also Club RT day, in which several of my friends and I got together to meet and greet readers and give away hot prizes in drawings, where people could win an ebook reader or a collection of signed books. Here's Caitlin Kittredge and Stacia Kane, ready to meet and greet you--or cut you if you tried to sneak off with the ebook reader.





Finally, my responsible roles were done for the day. I then headed over to a cocktail party hosted by my Georgina and Eugenie publisher, Kensington Books. I went with fellow Kensington author Mark Henry and his wife Caroline. Kensington put on a very nice table of appetizers...and had an open bar. What's particularly notable about this one is that the bartender was very heavy-handed and generous with his liquor. What happens when you get a crowd of romance writers together with that much alcohol? Shenanigans, that's what. And Mario here wasn't even at that party.





It was awe-inspiring. No one wanted to leave, and we were finally asked to go by the hotel staff because they had another group coming. The generous bartender let everyone who wanted to get another free drink--even if they had one. So, there were a bunch of authors walking around with drinks in each hand...which really only furthers the sordid reputation some of us have. For what it's worth, I didn't leave the party two-fisted. It doesn't take much to make me sick, and really, anyone at this con can probably drink me under the table. So let that be a cautionary tale to all my teen readers out there.

After all, crazy things happen with alcohol. Author Sasha White (my second favorite Canadian) disappeared from the Fairy Ball Banquet following the party for like a half-hour. We were about to send out a search party, but then she surfaced with this:





Face painting! It's actually pretty sweet. But next time? Who knows what could happen.

We had a good time at the rest of the banquet, which had lots of people in elaborate fairy costumes, as you can kind of see in the back of this picture of me and the Henrys:





When that ended, there was more bar socializing to be found, but I was too worn out. The thing with cons like this is that you always have to be "on." I love talking to all the great people here, but there's a certain persona you have to put on in public that's a lot of work. Not that I'm mean in private (just a little passive-aggressive), but still...those who are out in public a lot know what I mean. You have to smile a lot. :)

Before going back to my room, I did get to say hello to uber bestselling author Barry Eisler.





Barry might be ex-CIA and write hardcore thriller novels, but underneath that action star image is a super nice guy. He told me I was easy to remember because of my hair, which made my night. And which also makes me fear for my career should my hair color ever change.

After my luggage experience and epic flight to the RT Convention, my con experience truly kicked off on Wednesday. It wasn't easy, though. Orlando, while beautiful and sunny, is also three hours ahead of Seattle's time zone, and I stayed up pretty late socializing on Tuesday. That made it kind of rough getting up at 8am the next day. Fortunately, I had a hearty breakfast to help me through the morning:





Oh, Perkins. I haven't seen one of these restaurants since the last time I was in Kalamazoo. Even after growing up among Midwest food, I was a little stunned by this "Gallery of Benedicts" menu, featuring such cholesterol-laden gems as the Chicken & Waffle Benedict (pictured in the corner of the menu there). And yes, that is gravy on top of it. Don't worry, guys. I didn't actually order that.

I had no panels or other obligations on Wednesday, so the day was mostly about getting my schedule for the rest of the week in order and taking care of meet-and-greet type business since there are tons of authors I know here. The con is being held at a sprawling resort, one that requires a lot of walking and maps to get from building to building. The resort also appears as though it may have some, um, other guests now and then:





Not cool, guys. Not cool.

Fortuantely, I saw no rats (knock on wood), but I did see a star-studded cast of paranormal and urban fantasy authors--like my pal, agency mate, and favorite Canadian: Michelle Rowen.





Authors are here from around the world, and it's really like one big family reunion, catching up with people you hardly ever see or have only really met online. Jenna Black, Jaye Wells, and Karen Mahoney were only a few of the many other awesome folks I've hung out with around here:





Most days at RT wind down with some sort of large banquet or party, and Wednesday's was the Ellora's Cave Jungle Party. As a former EC writer, my friend Stacia Kane got to be escorted across the stage at the banquet by a male cover model:





Of course, using good-looking men simply as arm candy would be sexist, and this is a progressive place. So, after the authors were escorted in, the models were promptly put to better use in a dance routine.





Yeah. I don't really know what to say here, except that I had to push and sneak through the crowd to get close to the stage and take this picture for you guys, so I hope you appreciate it.

Anyway, after the dancing and music, many people sought comfort in the only thing they could: the world's most unattractive shot of tequila, complete with a plastic cup and a grind-your-own salt shaker.





I'm not a tequila drinker, nor does that inspire me to become one. Besides, I had distraction of another sort. While several of us hung out in the bar, Mark Henry used his talents as a former therapist to analyze our personalities through drawings we did on our napkins. Here you can see him hard at work, writing up scientific psychological comments on our pictures.





Some of us--ahem, Mario Acevedo--seemed to be going out of their way to create drawings that would elicit alarming diagnoses:





I'm not sure I really bought into Mark's analyses. According to him, we're all keeping secrets, but come on, we're writers. Of course we're keeping secrets. Michele Bardsley and I will only reveal ours to people whose names rhyme with ours.





Finally, the night wound down with my gang of friends hanging out poolside. It wasn't quite as warm as you'd think for a Florida night, but believe me, we wouldn't have been hanging out like that at midnight in Seattle this time of year.





The days here are actually pretty nice--mid 80s and sunny. I'm not used to this much sun and kept thinking I could dart between buildings without ill effects. Nope. After one day, I started noticing a little burning, so now I have some gazillion spf sunscreen in my purse. Weirdly, I always forget to bring sunscreen when I travel and have to buy it on-site--which means this bottle gets to join the other five I have waiting at home from past trips. When will I learn?

Anyway, as you can tell, I'm a day behind in pictures but won't have time to blog and post Thursday pictures tonight. Hopefully I'll get those up midday Friday because I know you all totally want to be up-to-date on romance writer wacky mishaps.

Today finds me in beautiful, freezing, arctic Florida. Okay, actually, it's pretty nice outside. I'm referring to my hotel room. Man, I'd forgotten what it's like to be in places that rely heavily on air conditioning! COLD. But how did I get here? Let's back up.

This week is the Romantic Times Book Lovers Convention, a yearly con of epic proportions that changes location. I headed out here yesterday with Mark Henry and his wife Caroline. We flew out of Seattle on Continental, an airline I don't use very much, largely because they rarely fly where I need to go from Seattle. I hadn't realized they were one of the $15 per checked piece of luggage airlines either until the three of us were checking in. The Henrys did some clever swapping so that they only had to check one bag instead of two, but my 44-pounder (in your face 50 pound limit!) had to be checked.

Unlike normal, the Continental luggage lady only asked to see Caroline's ID and boarding pass. I guess she figured Mark and I looked trustworthy. Said lady then told us very ominously, "You'll see your bags again in Orlando." It wasn't quite ransom-note style, but the wording was amusing. Of course, we saw our bags right then...because she didn't do anything with them. Once tagged, she left them on the counter's scale and just...walked off. She didn't take the bags, didn't tell us to go to security, or anything. We finally left, taking it on faith we would indeed see the bags again.

Meanwhile, over at security, Seatac has instituted "Expert Traveler" lines, which I guess are for those of us savvy travelers who can assess in 10 seconds if we're going to need 3 trays or 4 that day. Why someone brought children in line ahead of us is therefore a mystery. Those kids didn't seem like experts. But then, I apparently didn't either, because the guy watching the trays go through said to me, "You look nervous." Whoa. Not what you want to hear TSA say to you. I told him I was tired and had only gotten 3 hours of sleep in getting ready for the trip. He told me I should have been partying instead. The metal detector lady proved friendly too--or was at least relieved to see a real expert traveler--and told me, "You're doing a great job!" Empowered by that affirmation, I finished the rest of the security procedures, bonded with another agent, and now feel a lot closer to Seatac's security.

Weird luggage procedures or not, I'll say this: Continental feeds you. We got sandwiches, muffins, and cereal throughout this journey (those of us not sleeping through meals, at least). One quick Xanaxed flight to Houston, then a turbulent one over the Gulf, and yay! We arrived in Orlando--as did our luggage. The con is being held on a resort with all the buildings spread around in a way not good for those of us with spatial challenges. Maps are everywhere--with good reason. Fortunately, guests can be ferried around by young, reasonably-attractive men driving golf carts. Clearly, these poor guys have no idea what's in store this weekend with a con that's 95% women.

And as you'd imagine, there's a star-studded cast of characters here. I hung out with a bunch last night, and the con's list of attendees is here. More reports to come.

I'm happy to say I survived my third Norwescon this last weekend. This was a low-key one, but like always, it had the usual assortment of characters, corsets, pro-parties, and rum getting smuggled into panels. And, if you're going to a con, it's always requisite to have a group of con buddies to hang out with before, during, and after panels. Mine this year were tried and true pals Mark Henry and Kat Richardson; potential Team Seattle pledges Lisa Mantchev and Mark Teppo; visiting author extraordinaire Tiffany Trent; and Nightshade Books publisher/suit aficionado Jeremy Lassen.

It was fun. Unsurprisingly, I found myself on a lot of Twilight/vampire panels. Surprisingly, despite similar topics, their moods were very different. One panel discussed the higher meanings and intrinsic romantic fantasy element of Twilight. Another panel had an audience who mostly seemed to be there to mock it--and I found myself on the defensive, despite never having read the book. I hate seeing Big Names targeted just because they're popular, and I don't really think author trashing is cool at all. And of course, it wouldn't be a con if I wasn't faced with the self-publishing vs. agented New York publisher debate. As someone with an agent and two New York publishers, you can guess my views on that one.

Part of the Norwescon experience is that we authors can do readings from our books. I feel kind of warm and fuzzy because my first year at Norwescon, when Succubus Blues had been out for a week, I had five people show up at my reading. This year? I didn't count, but it was a much bigger crowd than I'd expected, one that took up a nice chunk of the room (though FYI - it wasn't like it was an auditorium or anything). Most people there weren't even my close friends! Mark Henry also had a reading:





Do not be fooled by the dimmed lighting and cozy fireside chair. Mark is reading dirty, vile things, which I can say no more about due to the minors who read my blog.

Saturday was autographing day, and I had the awesome fortune to be sitting between Lisa Mantchev and Mark. As you can see, we crowded into my portion of the table, so that's all my swag set up in front of us:





Like always, I appear to be a foot shorter than everyone else I take a photograph with.

And, finally, imagine our surprise when someone showed up in a God costume.





Okay, that's pretty sacrilegious and I apologize right now to all of my friends of faith. I'm sure he wasn't dressed as God...but still, you have to wonder what the intent was here, particularly on Easter weekend.

And speaking of Easter, I had that day off from Norwescon and spent mine working. I'm so close to freedom, I can taste it, and I hope I never have two books with the same release month again. Makes for a lot of craziness! Still, the boyfriend and I had a nice Easter, and since I can't cook a ham to save my life, I made the next best thing: grilled ham and cheese sandwiches. I won't lie: they were fantastic. They were followed by an homage to our Ireland trip: sticky toffee pudding. It was my first attempt, and I made it from scratch! It came out pretty well.

In closing, I have to address something that I keep getting asked in Facebook, email, LJ comments, etc. Why isn't the Blood Promise description up? My publisher has asked that we wait on it. Usually, I post descriptions or covers the second I'm allowed to. So, if it's not up there, then I'm being asked to wait too. Sorry! No timeline on when you can see it, but when you can...you will. :)

This is just a quick post since I'm attempting the nigh impossible feat of getting some work done today and actually hanging out with a friend. I know, I know. Hubris, huh? When I get a bit more time, I intend to write up a post with overall reflections on Ireland--including how the Irish have developed all sorts of advanced technology that they aren't sharing with the rest of the world. I'm on to them, though.

For now, I just have a couple of pictures to share. The Seattle ComiCon--excuse me, Emerald City ComiCon--is going on right now, and one of the guests is Hellboy creator Mike Mignola.





I didn't attend the con but had the good fortune to go out with Mike, Caitlin Kittredge, Cherie Priest, and Mr. Cherie Priest. Mike Mignola is a super-nice guy who told us stories about how having movies made out of your work may actually result in you being trapped in scary Eastern European factories with men with scarred faces. Just a word to the wise.

The other pic I want to share is one we snapped in Ireland on our last night there. Now, I think I mentioned that all the Guinness stereotypes appeared to be true. Everyone everywhere seemed to be drinking it. Yet, inexplicably, we'd occasionally see Irish folk ordering American beers like Budweiser. I'm not sure if there was some "exotic" feel to it, but we were a bit surprised. Nonetheless, one pub we went to was not fooled and had this commentary about American beer in their beer menu:





If you can read it, it's pretty funny. Even as a non-beer drinker, I enjoyed this and the rest of their assorted notes about beers of the world.

Anyway, that's all I've got for today. It's off to work!