ze manuscript, she is finished

Yay! Three months and countless interruptions later, SHADOWSONG finally reaches THE END. I wrote 9,000 words in two days to finish it, which is a lot for me.

I've still got a few weeks before I need to give it in to my editor, so revisions are very much on the cards. But nothing serious. This story is on its way to being awesome, if I may say so myself. Most definitely on the Awesome Train. I love revenge stories. I love banshees. And I love the hero, who's just far too snaky for his own good :)

In the meantime, some party goodness. I'm doing (yes, another!) book giveaway at The Romantic Journey this week. Come along and pick your best urban fantasy/PR first lines.

There's an interview with me at author Christina Phillips' blog, where I harp on about call stories and light bulb moments and suchlike.

And, I'm at Bitten By Books on Wednesday 21 October, chatting about succubi and demons and other urban fantasy goodness:

And to bribe you all into turning up -- and because that's just the kind of generous soul I am -- I'm giving away a nice shiny prize. And it isn't a book. Though you might be able to read books on it. Get along and RSVP to find out what it is, and to get loads more entries to the contest.

And now, I get the day off :)

happy release day to me

 Well, it had to happen.

Today, my debut novel SHADOWFAE hits the shelves (crash!). I'm weird. I'm giggly. I'm kinda stoked.

And, I'm doing giveaways, of course. Drop a comment on my guest posts, maybe win a book. You know the drill. Here's a few quick links to this week's free book mayhem:

At Literary Escapism, I'm blogging about paranormal powers and why they're so cool.

At VampChix, it's evil vampires and why they're so cool.

SciFiGuy has a thoughtful review (thanks, Doug!) and my post on why I think my urban fantasy world is so cool.

And here's an interview with me by Angela at Dark Faerie Tales.

More to come later in the week.

I have had such a nice day :)

EDIT: Oh, I forgot Writers Gone Wild. Paranormal heroes, and why they're so cool. Or hot.

That's five free books, folks. Someone out there's gotta get lucky :)

let's have it out, then

It's come to my attention that some of you have just got it all wrong.

You know what I'm talking about, okay? Don't pretend you're innocent.

Apparently (can you believe it??) there are some Dean fans out there.

I mean, really? To all you poor deluded souls, I merely say this:

 

You wanna make something of it? Fine. Come on over to The Romantic Journey, where I'm blogging about the important stuff :) and we can duke it out.

Oh, and I'm also at Literary Escapism, where until October 13 they're giving away a copy of SHADOWFAE. Pop on over and tell me which paranormal power you'd take on for a day.

Sigh. I shake my head. Dean. Some people.

what are friends for?

 To alert you to free books, of course.

My buddy, New Zealand author Michelle Holman, has a fab interview up at Romantic Journey, and she's giving away copy of her romantic comedy KNOTTED (1 October, HarperCollins NZ) to one lucky visitor.

So pop on over and check it out!

Also, this month Aussie writer Eleni Konstantine is giving away Tracey O'Hara's debut urban fantasy NIGHT'S COLD KISS and Valerie Parv's excellent romance writing book HEART AND CRAFT. Check out Eleni-fest for details.

Don't say I don't love you :)

blog tour madness

 With only a week or two before my first book hits the shelves (BAM!) I'm working myself up a little blog tour to celebrate. As you do.

For instance, tomorrow (October 1) I'll be at Magical Musings, talking about conflict and surprising your characters and writerly stuff like that.

On October 6, I'm at Literary Escapism, chatting about cool paranormal powers and giving away a free book!

I'm also joining the All Hallows' Eve party at Book Chick City:

And Eleni-fest, an extravaganza of romance, fantasy and fun with Eleni Constantine on October 20.

And, I'm giving away some cool prizes at Bitten By Books on October 21.

Also, do check out a new blog, The Romantic Journey, launching October 1. It's me and some other fabulous writers, talking about writing and books and stuff we love and all manner of other pleasing things. Author Michelle Holman is launching her new romantic comedy Knotted, and giving away a free copy. And I'll be there next week with free books too. So check it out!

True Blood series 2: will it suck?

True Blood series 2 has finally made it to Australian television. I had mixed feelings about series one, but I'm willing to give series two a try. So here we go (minor spoilers, for the three people in the world who haven't already seen this):

Episode One.

Sookie: OMG, it's a dead body without a HEART!

Me: Sigh.

Bill: It wasn't me. And it wasn't my pet vampire girl, either.

Sookie: You've got a pet vampire girl? You don't spend every waking moment thinking about ME ME ME ME ME? OMG Bill you LIED to ME ME ME ME ME...

Uncle Kiddy-fiddler: {remember me? I died in the last series?}

Sookie: Hmm, what shall I do with this unwanted inheritance? Tear it up? Donate it to a worthy charity? No, I know. I'll give it to my idiotic but dead cute brother, who'll no doubt piss it away on booze and drugs. Naked. Good thing I don't realise he's in the clutches of the Vile Church of Vampire Hating, or this would be an even worse idea.

Jason: Oh, look. Kool-aid. {glug glug glug}

Sam: {angst}

Sookie: You know, Sam, I feel kinda bad about treating you like a sack of sh*t...

Sam: Get lost, Sookie.

Me: Yay!!!!

Sookie: Bill, did you kill Uncle Kiddie-fiddler?

Bill: {tortured silence}

Sookie: OMG Bill you are a MURDERWAH!!! My untarnished conscience is... well, tarnished. I can't bear the sight of you!!!

Bill: But Sookie, I WUV you.

Sookie: Oh. Okay, then. Let's shag. In fact, let's make a really UNSEXY sex scene.

Lafayette: I'm not dead! Surprise! Instead, I'm chained to a merry-go-round in a cellar with a redneck who secretly wants me to blow him. This really SUCKS.

Eric: {glower}

TO BE CONTINUED...

So there you have it. This show is strangely entertaining for all its faults -- well, it only really has one, heroine-shaped fault for me.

Sookie is still whining. Eric has foils in his hair. And Lafayette is still there. I'll be back next week :)

free readings!

Where have I been, since those fab conferences I posted such lovely pics about? The correct answer to that question, of course, is: writing.

And I have been, for the most part. I am a good girl. Working on my book #3, SHADOWSONG. Banshees and snakes. Oh. My.

I'm also a guest today with the fabulous Deadline Dames, talking about how, when you sell a book, everyone thinks you suddenly know something about writing that they don't. Boy, is everyone wrong.

It hasn't escaped my notice that today is the one month pre-anniversary (did I just make that up??) of my debut release. So, to celebrate, I'm offering a free short story as a download from my website! Yay! Free stuff!

It's called HELLCURSED, and it's about Jade, my succubus heroine from SHADOWFAE. Rest assured, you don't need to read it to understand the book. I am not one of those cruel authors who expects you to understand everything before you start :) and it is a story. With a beginning and an end. Not an excerpt. I promise.

Here's a little blurb:

It's 1863, and headstrong ex-convent girl Jade has renounced the church that tried to curb her independence.
Now, she travels the world seeking adventure and the pleasures of forbidden ritual.

But she's tricked by a treacherous sorcerer, and now she's forced into a darker kind of slavery.
She's a succubus, with a powerful demon lord her master for a thousand years.

At least, that's what he thinks.
Jade accepts no man's domination, least of all a demon's. She's determined to thwart her fate.

But she's yet to discover the true meaning of demon thrall...
 

So pop on over and check out HELLCURSED. It's dark. It's sexy. It's free. Hope you enjoy it.