Happy Monday, cookies!! Join me for blog party in honor of POP and my movie premiere (hee!) over at Red Room today and through Friday this week!! I'm giving away books and earrings, and I'll be hanging out at my blog there all week. They're featuring my video on their home page, so I thought it'd be fun to hold an event there. Come play with me! :) You have to register to comment, but it's quick and easy. See you there, hopefully!
Hey kittens -- so as an experimental little project (and with the loan of a Flip camera from Lauren Naefe at Avon), I made a movie!! LOL. It's a little, um, instructional film for authors and aspiring authors, if you will, about deadlines, and how authors can prepare for them. You might be a little surprised by a few of the things I pull from my Deadline Preparedness kit. LOL. I think my favorite part of this movie is where I part the Red Sea, though I'm also quite proud of the 15-minute car chase through the hills and streets of San Francisco. (Or maybe those were parts of other movies? It's all a blur now.) Later, I'll tell you about a couple of the things I left out of the movie (otherwise it would have been 15 minutes long). Enjoy! Feel free to laugh and point!! And spread it around if you want.
Hello, darlings. I thought I'd rise up from my swoon couch (ha! (you know, because that's where I landed right after I finished my revisions for LIKE NO OTHER LOVER, which my editor pronounced "wonderful," and that's where I've been, cool damp cloth over my forehead, shades drawn, tinkly New Age music playing, slave boys murmuring soothing, flattering things to me to help me regain my strength) to share something fun with you. As I've said before, one of the best parts of being an author is connecting with people all over the world via stories, and over there to the left is THE RUNAWAY DUKE -- translated into French!! Rebecca La Rebelle (that's the Amazon France link)-- Rebecca the Rebel -- good title, eh?? It's really a trip to flip through the foreign versions of my books. Connor is "Conrad" in this version, and instead of Roarke (which is Connor's real name in the English version—he was Roarke Edward Connor Riordan Blackburn) they've called him "Harry," for inscrutable French reasons. And because I'm really just a snickering teenager deep down, I paged to the love scenes to see if I could discover the French word for "erection." I do know some French (I read it better than I speak it), and I can usually guess the meaning of a French sentence pretty accurately if I have a few other sentences around it for context, or if I at least know one or two words in it. Anyway, I do believe the word—well, actually, it turned out to be wordS—are "membre dressé ." I'm sure you can guess the meaning of the first word, and the second one is descriptive of the first word's condition. :) So there's your Monday French lesson. LOL. You're quite welcome. :) I have to tell you though, when I read those particular kinds of scenes (say, pages 216-220 or so in THE RUNAWAY DUKE) aloud in French, they're sexy as all get out. I'm dying to hone my French by working my way through the whole story. And the French translation of TO LOVE A THIEF —Pickpocket en jupons—will be out in April in France, and a beautiful online French magazine called Les Romantiques featured an interview with me this month, too, if you haven't had a chance to check it out. The German translation of BEAUTY AND THE SPY, I'm told, will be out in September, and it will be called GARDEN OF DESIRE. Isn't this fun?? I'll post more foreign covers with you as I have them. I have the Polish version of Beauty and the Spy, and it's beautiful, but I have to scan it.
How is everyone?? I'm busy with various little projects, all of which I'll tell you about you if they turn out the way I want them to. :) Did you have a nice Easter? We're having beautiful weather—clear, sunny, very windy and ferociously cold if you're walking against the wind. Also, I wanted to point something out to you—in my list of blogs/websites over to the right is The Hunger Site, and if you visit it once a day and just click on the various tabs—just click, that's all you need to do—they'll donate a certain amount of money to Hunger, Rainforest, Animal Rescue, Breast Cancer, Child Health and Literacy causes. You'll see what I mean—there are different tabs. It's fast and easy and it feels good to do it!!
[Note: the link to RI's blog was wrong a little earlier; I just corrected it. It's right now!] Happy Tuesday, ladies, from the land of Spring!! At least that's how it feels here in San Francisco this week. Smells, looks, feels like spring, what with a bluejay scouting nest locations in the backyard, the lavender bush in such extravagant bloom that my cat was tempted to burrow into it and I had to dig him out and we both ended up disheveled and smelling fabulous, and the brilliant blue skies. Our friend Haven from Romantic Inks invited me for a blog interview today and asked some good questions (check 'em out and comment if you're game!), one of which prompted me to track down the following video—and Haven, darling, I have to thank you, because MAN, I'd forgotten how much I loved this song!! What led to this? She specifically asked about my band days, and which songs I enjoyed playing the most. This one suddenly popped into my head—we used to cover it. I should specify that this band isn't, um, actually us. But that might become apparent as you watch. LOL. You might sort of recognize them. This song is a rarity of theirs—I can't even remember how my band first got our hands on it—but man it's a great song, and it sounds even better when played very LOUD (live or recorded). These guys look like wee babies in this video! Who would have dreamed that the guy with the tiny heinie in the tight red pants would one day be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize?? These boys have come a long way. :)
Anyway: any day I get to sit in my ratty old hoody sweater and jeans working on revision for my next book while I chat with cool gals on my blog and the city of San Francisco goes about the business of looking beautiful outside my window is cause for a celebration. :) How's your week going??
Hello my darlings! With much, much gratitude and big hugs to everyone who contributed brainpower and creativity to the renaming of my next book, I'm delighted to announce we have a title for the book formerly known as The Dangers of Desire! I present to you....
So what do you think?? I quite love it, actually. Whew. What a process!! And you can preorder that baby, too -- the correct title will show up on Amazon in a few weeks, but that link takes you to it. We'll have a cover and back cover copy, soon, too, and I'll tell you about that when I have it.
All of this news actually makes me feel like dancing:
Hee! Thought you'd enjoy that. :) Is that surreal, or what? I like The Captain's sparkly lapels.
Also—I wanted to let you guys know that I did a very groovy guest blog over at the FAB Lux Magazine today—Bethany asked some great questions. . Find out how I know that 65-year-old men love Beauty and the Spy, whether I think there's a stigma associated with romance novels, and how to stay motivated to write! Stop by to check it out or just say hi!
And don't forget to join me and the Avon Romance group for a live chat about POP on Facebook—February 29th, 8 p.m. EST, 5 p.m. PST, and if you live between coasts, you do the math for the time, because math isn't my strength. LOL. You have to register for Facebook and join the Avon Romance group if you haven't yet, but that's easy and free and quick.
How is everyone?? It's sunny here! I'm up to my eyeballs in work! All is status quo, in short. :)
First: Check out my blog at 
Avon Romance this Valentine's day where I talk about POP, what's sexy to me, and wrap it all up by mentioning a nude Jude Law. :)
And yes -- note the seasonal nature of my greeting! There are indeed blossoms busting out all over here in San Francisco. What's it like in your neck of the woods?? The trees around here seem to think it's spring. I'm less certain, though it's definitely sunny, outrageously windy, and I'm sneezing a lot. A little bird was merrily and noisily splashing in the birdbath out in back of my house, too, and all of these things seem to be signs of spring.
Over there to the left is one of my readers, Bethany Hensel, who works for a hot new magazine in PA called Lux—here's their new blog. And that delicious man she's with is none other than Joshua Bell, violin
ist extraordinaire, who's on my hot guy list. :) She had an opportunity to meet him a few weeks ago and she shared these photos with me. His talent is superhuman—in his hands, a violin seems like a living thing, with a full range of emotions. And here's our theme song for the day, and my valentine to you: Ave Maria as played by him.
And yes...we're still working on the title thing!! LOL. I'll keep you posted! Meanwhile, hope you celebrate the day by doing a few of your favorite things with your favorite people. ;)...I had chocolate-covered strawberries to celebrate, in part, and mostly I'm celebrating today by writing something romantic. xo...julie
This is hilarious, and I have Harlan Coben (who posted this on his MySpace page) to thank for this: Ever see that Hugh Grant movie, "Music and Lyrics?"? Ever live through the 80's? I love Hugh Grant, I loved the 80's, and you might have noticed that I like the word "POP." Couldn't resist sharing this.
Thanks for the title brainstorming help, my darlings. I had a blast, and you made me laugh, and I sent a little list off to my editor this morning incorporating a lot of your words and a few of your suggestions. Status report? We (my editor and I) are still mulling titles. LOL. I tell you, sometimes coming up with a title takes almost as long as writing a book. (well, OK: that's a major exaggeration. But still.)
While we wait for the title, enjoy a little POP music. LOL. Happy Monday!!
Adding something new to this post at 9:45: ust for laughs, I'm adding something new to this post: a new widget!! If you're feeling nostalgic for the POP countdown widget, or just jonesing for a new toy, check this out. HarperCollins just provided this new "Browse Inside" widget, and with it you can browse POP in its entirety, and grab the code put it on your blogs and website, or pass it around to your friends via email or what have you. I'm hoping it goes viral, in the nicest possible way. LOL. So help yourselves!! Help me, I should say. LOL. Spread the word, if the spirit moves you.
I'm very demanding lately, aren't I?? :)
 |
  Browse Inside this bookGet this for your site |
 |
Hey kittens! I need your help (Ahem -- Lareign you've already made this something of a hobby, so you have a head start :) ): we're renaming THE DANGERS OF DESIRE, as another Avon book coming out this year has a title much too similar. So! Brainstorms, please! ASAP! Tell your friends! LOL. Spread the word!! And if you or someone you know suggests the title we use, you will be LAVISHLY thanked in the front of the book. LOL. And I"ll send you a signed ARC! (I don't know how many ARC's I get from Avon with this second book, but I figured i'd make this rash promise anyway.) We're looking for something alliterative (repetitive initial letters); it doesn't necessarily have to begin with "The." And very, very, very broadly stated: it's about reluctant but very hot and secret attraction between an aristocratic hero and a charming, penniless ambitious girl who had a glorious reign during the season and is suddenly made a social pariah by scandal. Pride is an issue. I realize that isn't much to go on, but hey -- go to town! LOL. And I just had some cough syrup, so I ought to be able to come up with a few wild titles. (Hmm....maybe something to do with "Wild." Or "fantasy." Or...) Throw anything out there, because one of your titles, even if we dont' use it, might inspire another idea. Go ahead and post them in the comments if you have ideas.
"The Dangers of Desire" worked very well, because risk really was involved and the danger of desire of course is that you might just fall in love. (Hey...maybe something with "Risk.") I liked the "The Art of..." (Lareign's suggestion in the blog below) but it's a trifle to soft for this particular book.
And also...Lareign alerted me to a wonderful review of POP, and AAR just sent it to me, and I had to share it. They made it a Desert Isle Keeper, and I love what the reviewer had to say -- it's a very thoughtful, detailed, wonderfully written review, and I'll cherish it.
I'm going to go lay on the couch and think of titles and try to recover from POPping til I drop.
It's POP day!! Pop the cork with me darlings!! Doubtless by now you've been inundated with bulletins from me -- LOL -- MySpace, my newsletter, etc. -- but thanks so much for all the enthusiasm, support, early feedback, help spreading the word, early sighting reports, and etc. Cross your fingers it does well, and buy lots of copies! LOL. So I just wanted to drop in and say -- Yay!!!!! -- hope you're doing great! And visit me today at Southern Sunshine. A signed book is up for grabs. We'll have a celebration of some sort after I turn DOD in!!
I also wanted to mention something else: Patry Francis's debut novel THE LIAR'S DIARY came out in hardcover from Dutton last spring. The trade paper release is today, but a few weeks ago, Patry was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. She's had several surgeries, and her prognosis is good. Buthat Patry won't have much energy for promoting, so authors all over are helping her to get the word out.
'THE LIAR'S DIARY blog day' is today—take a look at Patry's website. In support of Patry Francis, Penguin Group USA is offering 15% off the paperback edition of The Liar's Diary when purchased online from the the Penguin website until 2/15/2008. On the shopping cart page, enter PATRY in the 'coupon code' field and click 'update cart' to activate it. Let's all send our thoughts and prayers to her!
Tell me how you are here, too, if you can. Hope all is well for you! xo for now....julie
Hello darlings!! Happy New Year!! How are you!?! I''m here and alive. Just rather...well, "busy" is probably a slightly pale word for this moment in time. LOL. But I'm having fun! Truly! It's sunny and clear and cold, though whatever's blowing through on these gusty winds is making me sneeze a LOT (I can't decide whether it's allergies or a cold), and I'm down in the deadline submarine, polishing up DOD (The Dangers of Desire), which I'm really having fun with, and doing other mysterious author-y things (signing contracts, mailing things, making MySpace graphics, running on my mini-trampoline. You know.) And I have to submerge again in a moment, but I surfaced for a bathrobe dance (OK: I was wearing jeans, but still—I was in my bathrobe in spirit) when I learned POP was an Romantic Times Top Pick!! And what a review!! Not only do they consider it HOT, but RT reviewer Kathe Robin said this, bless her heart:
"Long's star continues to rise with each new emotionally powerful, wonderfully rich novel. Incorporating the perfect depth of emotion into a romance rich in passion and character, she creates memorable love stories. Even a tried-and-true captive/captor plot feels new in her capable hands."
Hoo boy, eh?? That's exactly the sort of energy boost I need to push me over the deadline finish line. :) Also, Cherokee Sanders at Coffee Time Romance said it's a "fast moving story that just engulfs the reader with every page...Colin and Madeleine are a dynamite duo and their interactions are fantastic." And Marilyn Heyman at Romance Reviews Today called it "Well paced, romantic and suspenseful, with underlying sexual tension...THE PERILS OF PLEASURE should go on your must-buy list."
If you guys stumble across any other good early reviews, send 'em my way. :) Sometimes reviewers send them to me, and other times I sort of happen upon them later, but I'd love to link to them in my newsletter, etc. if you find any. And if you stumble across any "eh" reviews, please keep them a deep, dark secret. LOL.
A few other completely random things:
1) Are you guys aware of the Jane Fest happening on Masterpiece Theater on PBS?? OH. MY. is all I can say. I heartily approve of this entire gallery of heroes. Good calls casting-wise, all the way across the board. I think Captain Wentworth might be my favorite. Or George Knightly. Or... Boy, this is hard. Pick your favorite out and report back. LOL.
2) Circe Designs, a Northern California jewelry designer, designed a collection of handcrafted jewelry inspired by POP!! It's gorgeous. (That image up there is the bracelet). Circe tells me they'll send a free pair of sterling silver and Chalcedony earrings to anyone who makes a purchase of anything directly from their site using the coupon code "POP." I can vouch for the beauty and quality of it all. It makes me feel pretty, and Lord knows, by the time the end of a deadline rolls around, I need all the help with "pretty" I can get.
3) I just splurged on a new teapot, and the first time I boiled water in it, it scared the bejesus out of me. It's a Chantal whistling teapot—but the whistle is apparently a Hohner harmonica mouthpiece. I had no idea. When the water first boils, the steam forced out of the spout plays this loud, rich like -- C note!!! And then an actual chord!! At first it was the world's most unearthly sound, and I whirled around and was like, "WHAT the—?" The hair practically stood up on the back of my neck. My cat literally ran out of the room in terror. But then the chord played. Man, I tell you, it's all I can do to not boil water all the live long day just to hear it. LOL. I'm totally enchanted by it. You know...It's the little things. :) (And the cat is used to it now.)
OK, I have to go make tea, eat soup, and other author-y t hings. :) Tell me how you are when you get a chance!
So my kittens, I was making toffee a short time ago, which requires lots of butter heated on high for a long time, and you have to stir it constantly and watch it like a hawk or it’ll burn. But my cell phone rang, and God only knew where it was (my coat pocket, as it turns out—and the coat was, of course, nowhere NEAR the kitchen). I thought I had time to run for it, but the butter began to burn, so I darted back to the butter. I missed the phone call, but saved the batch of toffee. And as I did I thought, “Huh. I kind of I like the smell of burning butter.” And soon, because I end up turning everything into a song—I really can’t help it—I started singing “The SMELL of burning but-ter…” to the tune of that (hilarious and prurient) old song by the Bay Area’s own The Tubes:
The smell of burning leather
As we hold each other tight
As our rivets rub together flashing sparks into the night
At this moment of surrender, darling, if you really care
Don’t touch me there!
“Don’t Touch me There,” is, of course, about the least Christmas-y song there is. But now it’s absolutely stuck in my head, and I’m trying desperately to dislodge it by listening to Johnny Mathis sung backed by a sort of celestial chorus. He’s singing about “raindrops on roses and whiskers on kid-dens.” I passionately love Johnny Mathis, especially at Christmas. He has the most aggressive enunciation of just about any singer I can think of.
To make up for the fact that I very likely got “Don’t Touch Me There” stuck in your head, here’s one of my top favorite Christmas songs. Vince Guaraldi is another San Francisco native, and all of his music is shot through with a sort of irresistible wistfulness. This song is beautiful, and I’m sure you’ve heard it three million times already this year, but click on these words and here it is.
Ah. Do we feel cleaner now?? LOL.
Are you going nuts, darlings, getting ready for the holidays? I’m writing (and writing and writing and writing), planning POP promotions, answering emails, baking, wrapping, attempting to coordinate holiday get-togethers, and trying to prevent my cat from printing endless test pages on my printer by planting his big furry orange butt on the test page button. I found five test pages yesterday, and solved the mystery today. I think the printer must be warm, hence its appeal. Also, it annoys me, which appeals to my cat, becuase he finds it hilarious when I'm annoyed.
Have I mentioned that I’ve seen my cover for The Dangers of Desire?? Do you remember the hyperbole I launched into when I saw the POP cover? Well, the DOD cover…I mean...holy cow. LOL. There are no words. Wait, maybe there are a few words: It’s incredibly beautiful. Soft and unbelievably sensual in warm reds and golds. A work of art. My heart about stopped. I’ll share it in due time -- when it's final. :) But I’m feeling really blessed, I’ll tell you that much. And I’m absolutely loving DOD, the story, too. I think the cover really, really fits it.
I feel blessed across the board right now: in covers, in my great publisher and editor and all talented staff at Avon, in my lovely agent and his great staff, in my wonderful friends and readers, in my fat orange cat. I'm thinking about you guys right now, and hoping your holiday is relaxing, safe, satiating, and occasionally hilarious. :) Wish me luck with the next batch of toffee. xo...julie
Are you guys shivering in your neck of the woods?? I was when I first rolled out of bed this morning—it's brrrrrrrr! here in the city!!— then I got to the computer and learned that Publishers Weekly Contributing Editor Barbara Vey posted about POP at her Beyond Her Book blog — and she loved it!! Check out the link to read what she has to say, because everything she had to say warmed me up quite nicely. Actually, it was probably the delighted little dance I did that warmed me up, but her blog caused the dance, so it's all the same. I think everyone should start the day with a bathrobe dance. :)
What else makes it a fab if freezing Friday?? I heard a rumor that Romantic Inks is giving away one of my books—Haven, if you're out there, can you substantiate, my dear?? [OK, I heard from Haven over at MySpace, and they're giving away THREE of my books this weekend. LOL. Thanks, Haven!!]
Also, Circe Designs, the jewelry designer that designs the hoop and charm collections I give away on my website contests, will be doing a special POP collection in January!! I've seen a preview of the stuff, and I think it's stunning. Can't wait to show you!! I think all their designs and materials are gorgeous, and their new website went live yesterday -- they're still tweaking a bit and adding items, stuff like that. The earring gemstone charm sets are really popular and adorable, but I have several of the necklaces, too, and love them. I think it has something to do with the materials and the handcraftsmanship -- just feels different. Anyway, I think it'll be a blast to have a whole POP collection.
Criminy -- I just realized I"m shivering again!! I better get up and dance a bit more, or at least put on a few more layers of clothing. On the Christmas list: woolly slippers that go up to my knees. :) How's your weather, everyone?? I like hearing from Kathy, because Canadians always make me feel like a big wuss, what with their 10 degree Farenheit temperatures. LOL. How's the shopping/baking going?? I have more baking to do, and I need to work on DOD (The Dangers of Desire, you see, which, given the scene I'm working on, also might warm me up nicely), so off I go for now...
So last night, in keeping with the journey through my past I seem to have undertaken lately (see the blog below about sorting, purging, and sneezing, etc.), I joined the singer for my first band and a few other guys, some I've known for years, others new to me (one of whom, in a pretty darn funny isn't-it-a-small world coincidence, is the son of my Junior High School Social Studies teacher), in a loud, messy, occasionally inspired, often hilarious (intentionally and otherwise) jam session on the mezzanine of a giant bicycle parts warehouse situated in an industrial part of the East Bay, near where I grew up. Now, if you've ever been in a band, I should tell you this is absolutely the dream rehearsal space. My second band rehearsed in a little honeycomb of mildewy spaces carved out of a decaying building which was apparently once the "Turko Persian Rug Factory" (if you went by the giant chipped and fading painted letters on the outside of the building). It was in the foggiest, foggiest part of San Francisco (and that's saying something), and we had to haul our heavy equipment up and down fetid cement steps, listen to bleed-through from the metal band in the space next to ours, and pay something like—$150? $300?— a month for the privilege. My amp smelled like the Turko Persian Rug Factory for years thereafter.
So to get to the bicycle warehouse mezzanine you had to go up a long ladder flush with the wall—seriously, about as perpendicular as any ladder can get—but I was equal to the challenge as Josh gallantly hauled my guitar up. It's a wonderland up there—cords and equipment everywhere. And there was like this laundry cart full of guitars. I mean—fabulous guitars. The world's best toybox for grownups. It took me back to music day in kindergarten, when we were allowed to poke through a box filled with triangles, sticks and blocks, jingle bells and tambourines. Picking one out always gave me a little thrill. LOL. I brought my '63 Epiphone Melody Maker with me, but I played one of Josh's guitars, a Gibson SG (see the guitar up in the left corner), perhaps most commonly known as the guitar preferred by Angus Young of AC/DC fame. :) And though I was tempted, no, I did not roll about on the carpet, bob my head frantically, or kick my legs about, a la Angus. I rocked with relative dignity. My preferred guitar sound is usually pretty clean and jangly—but last night, I confess, was primarily about crunch. Noise can be delicious.
I'm pretty bloody sedate these days. In fact, disappointing as this may seem, though I've had a lot of fun in my day, I've never been truly wild, band life notwithstanding. I mean someone had to be sober and organized to herd the hairy boys to the gigs, and that was usually me. Plus I usually had some sort of intense corporate-esque job. Last night, overcome by the heady rock n' roll atmosphere, I drank two whole Miller Lites, which constitutes debauchery for me—I'm all about the Green Tea and Earl Grey. Today I actually have kind of a hangover, for which I've been soundly mocked by Josh Morgon, my singer/friend.
Speaking of Josh: entertaining runs in Josh's family, for sure. His uncle Tim Morgon (yep, Morgon is spelled with an "o" in their case) was a famous folk singer in his day—people like Steve Martin, David Letterman and Lily Tomlin opened for him at Southern California clubs back in the day. Now, Steve Martin is on my (confusingly eclectic, or so I've been accused) hot guys list—he's handome, hilarious, cerebral, multi-talented and a wee bit tweaked in a pleasant and elegant way. And in Steve Martin's new book, Born Standing Up, he talks about his early days as a performer and mentions opening for a "charismatic, sandal-clad folk singer named Tim Morgon who was so popular that for several months in Southern California his record outsold The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night.” He's got a lovely voice—if you check out that link, you can hear a little of his music.
And Josh's cousin is the hunky Ted McGinley. If you've ever watched TV in your life, he's kind of hard to miss. You've doubtless seen him on something—Happy Days, Married with Children, The West Wing, Hope & Faith, etc.
Pretty interesting, eh? Says something about genetics. Or something. Josh is a great singer, and his bro Eric is, too, and both are good musicians. Well, we're all decent musicians...in the loosest sense of the word. :)
I'm not about to hit the road and play music with any regularity again, or anything. I rather love my writing career, particularly the sitting, writing and drinking tea part of it. But playing music is undeniably fun, and guitars are gorgeous (and they smell good! Did you know guitars have a smell?? As do the men who play them. Ha!) and we're thinking we might record some stuff en masse, and Josh might videotape us. If we do, and it's not too humiliating, I'll post it here and on MySpace, etc. I'm into spreading the joy. Stay tuned! (<---ha! musician pun!). And now it's back to writing The Dangers of Desire. I'm just about to lead my hero and heroine into temptation...and that's some serious fun.
So Happy Thanksgiving, my pumpkins! And yes, though I realize "pumpkins" might be a greeting more seasonally appropriate to say, October, what with Halloween and all, I just couldn't bring myself to say "Happy holiday, my turkeys!" or "Happy holidays, my pilgrims!" So "Pumpkins" it is. Plus, there's the whole pie thing, right?? I actually love pumpkin pie, provided it's more spicy than it is sweet. Well, if I'm being honest, I probably love nearly any kind of pie (excluding the cow variety). Key Lime, Pecan. Boysenberry, Coconut Custard, Strawberry Rhubarb, Apple, Peach—
Ahem. I better stop before that pie list evolves into a full-blown, day-wasting pie reverie. I think I might be ready for the feast, however.
And I know you lovely Canadian girls already had your feast, but please feel free to take this opportunity to eat until you might just burst if poked in the tummy in honor of us Yanks. :) Or at least toast us with sparkling cider, or with something so alcoholic holding it near an open flame would be perilous.
I've posted another excerpt from POP on my site, and smooching is involved. It's below the one I posted earlier. My little Thanksgiving present to you. :)
Hope you're all doing splendidly! I'm writing my brains out and purging and rearranging my flat so I don't have to do a sort of slalom around mounds of books and manuscripts in my office anymore. I keep the most random things, I've discovered. I'm not a pack rat, per se, but some of the things I do keep baffle me. I found a teeny tiny pine cone carefully packed away. I honestly can't remember why now. I seem to have an aversion to throwing away cords of any kind, even if the electronic equipment they were meant to plug in gave up the ghost decades ago. Yesterday I recklessly threw away about three hundred feet worth of cords. I just opened up a lovely red velvet box on the top of my closet shelf, and inside were three sponge hair rollers. Why the royal treatment for the hair rollers? I'm mystified. Given that my hair trends toward the enormous, I haven't used rollers in forever (but check out my graduation photo if you want to see the net results when I did use them.) I do keep cards and postcards for eons—I found one from a long-ago friend that says "You're Eight!" on the front and "That's Great!" inside. I won't tell you how long it's been since I've been eight. At least eight years. :)
Anyway, while I'm stirring up dust and memories and prodding the words from my brain which will eventually become The Dangers of Desire (next book!) and preparing to feast, I wanted to pause and wish you a happy, peaceful, satiating holiday surrounded by your favorite people and your furred or feathered loved ones. XO from me!
....which means, "Thank you very much!" in Japanese! (at least according to my Google sources.) Why am I expressing exuberant gratitude in Japanese?? Because I woke up this morning to the news that there was a bidding war among Japanese publishers for the rights to publish the Holt Sisters Trilogy (BATS, WTBW and TSTS) in Japanese, and we sold them for, shall we say, an extremely heart-warming sum. :) (Let's just say I briefly lost the feeling in my extremities when I was informed, and then I accidentally hung up on my agent's Foreign Rights Director, because my jaw dropped and pressed the "end" button on my phone.) So let's raise a toast to our Japanese friends, and to my lovely and gifted agent and his lovely and gifted staff. :) So this now means that my books will be published (or have been published) in Poland, Germany, France, Russia, The Czech Republic, China, Spain and Japan. This is one of the best parts of being an author, as far as I'm concerned—the possibility of connecting with people everywhere through stories.
In other fab news: We have a title for my next Pennyroyal Green book—The Dangers of Desire. How hot is that?? I love it! And the cover will be an appropriately dangerously sexy deep red, as sophisticated and sensual as POP's.
And speaking of POP: below is a very cool countdown widget the HarperCollins provides for authors. Studies show that it's much healthier to stare at the seconds ticking away on countdown widgets than at the Amazon rank. Hee! Just kidding. (Though it's probably only a matter of time before someone actually does a study like that.) But feel free to spread the POP widget around if you want!! Click on "get this widget" to grab the code or get it in some other format suitable for putting on your blog or website, etc. Because God only knows I don't want to be alone in my latest obsession. :)
Hope everyone is grand! We had a little rainstorm here, and now it's sunny and quite oddly warm. Not that I'm complaining in the least. :)
