Posts Tagged ‘girl of nightmares’

Dr. Evil, I used to think you were crazy, but now I can see your nuts. A-thank-u.

Sorry about the quote. Yes, it's from Goldmember. It was the only one I could think of with the phrase "thank you" in it. Which is the essence of this post. Say what you will about the Austin Powers movies, but the fact that they spoofed Oddjob by naming a henchman Random Task is just fantastic. Random Task. I love it.

So, GIRL OF NIGHTMARES is out today!!!! And so many people have wished it a happy book birthday, and said nice things, and I'm reading and appreciating every one! I fully planned on responding individually to everyone but my fingers would have fallen off mid-typing. You guys are excellent. Excellent.

Thank you. Thank you to everyone who read (or will read or is reading) any of the books, and thank you to everyone who pre-ordered (or will order or is ordering) or went to a bookstore (or will go or is there) to get a copy. Did you know that every copy comes with a side of my undying gratitude? Well it does.

Also, I hear that copies are really good at leveling uneven chairs and tables.

Lisa Desrochers and Marta Acosta and I will be out on tour next week, so I hope to have the opportunity to thank and flail on people in person.

I feel like I should be doing more on this release day…like standing on a street corner with a dog in a hat and possibly a vested monkey. We could hand out snow cones. Instead I'm going to hang here and be useless, and do a final pass on ANTIGODDESS edits.

A week ago, this was to be a post about my pilgrimage to Forks with my editor. But then I got busy (or lazy, what have you) and now that post must wait.

So in summary. THANK YOU. I await your backlash and thrown produce.

Girl of Nightmares Winners Emailed or Messaged

And so, this contest comes to a close. I had a bitchin time reading all of your entries (and looking at, and watching, and listening to recs) and I thank you for all of them. I also had a bitchin time tallying up everything. Geez. After all was said and done there were over 1600 individual points.

But the winners are:  Traci D!!! Mia T!!! and Disturbinglynic!!!! I've emailed Traci and Mia, and DMed Nic on Twitter.

Traci D had a junk ton of entries, having sent lots of varied art. Here's a recent piece from her I loved:


Creeeepy.
And Mia did a lovely video using American Horror Story and The Uninvited, which I totally can't find the link to right now. So here's some of her art:

Love it!!

There were a lot of other great videos and art, and funny penguin involved things, so I'm going to reserve them to showcase on the blog later on. Thanks so everyone who flexed creative muscle for this contest, and gave me great music/book recs, and oddly enough, new pick up lines. You guys are excellent.

Girl of Nightmares Contest Entries ie Badassness from you badasses.

When I opened this giveaway a few weeks ago, I didn't think I'd get any mega entries. I hoped for a few, because I love to see people's creativity, and I'm just a jerk who likes to be entertained. But I've gotten more than a few. Several pieces of excellent have flown to my inbox, and they range from the funny to the bloody, to the gorgeous and in-between.

I've also enjoyed your random facts. Hey girl who fell off the bed and "broke her nose" only to have a tape cast take her skin off…great story. Hey you crushing on your neighbor…I'm pulling for you.

The jokes are fantastic. (What kind of bees make milk? Boo bees! Ha ha ha! Dumb humor! I love it.) The music recs are also fantastic. I'm compiling a large list (and I do mean large) to turn into a playlist, so I can listen straight through. Some recs I've gotten before…people have been telling me to listen to The Cruxshadows for I don't know how long. So I will.

And whoever recommended Kit Harrington from Game of Thrones for Cas….excellent. Although in my head he's already cast as Odysseus from ANTIGODDESS 🙂

I wanted to showcase a few of these fine art entries:

From Leah at Much Ado About Books…this looks like one of the doodles I do in giveaway books.

Anime style Anna from Lena N!
Creepy oil from Tracy D!

And finally a gorgeous banner from Heather at Supagurl Books and Tours:

Thank you, everyone, for excellent entries. They've been so fantastic. If you don't see yours showcased here, I'm reserving it for a future post 🙂 Good luck, all! The giveaway is still open for entries. Submit artwork, photo or video as often as you want. I'll close this off on June 1st, and draw winners shortly after…sometime during the following week.

3 Girl of Nightmares ARCs up for grabs. But it isn’t easy…

Okay, so I promised to get the open ARC giveaway up and running, and then I promptly effed off to the LA Times Festival of Books and the International Reading Association conference. Which was fun, by the way. Here's a photo of Kristen Simmons (ARTICLE 5!!!), me, and Annette and Gina Cascone (DEADTIME STORIES).

I apologize for the delay. Chalk it up to me being a lazy d-bag. But here it is. The open ARC giveaway for GIRL OF NIGHTMARES. This giveaway is open to anyone and everyone, including international readers. But it isn't simple. Because I want to have a bit of fun with this. So here are the rules:

You can just comment to enter. That's one point. If you tweet or facebook the contest, that's another point each. (FYI, tally up these points people, and put it in your entry. I ain't good at the maths.)

However, for those of you who want extra entries, do something fun. This can be in your comment: Tell me a joke. A limerick. Give me a music recommendation (because I desperately need them.) Give me a book rec (even though my TBR pile is massive). Tell me something random, about yourself, or about anything. I love random crap. Tell me who you'd cast in the movie. ANY OF THESE WOULD BE WORTH 5 POINTS. But I'm not counting more than two. You can combine them with the tweeting, etc. Again, add up these points.

I may regret this system when I have to count this up.

Finally, for those of you who want SUPER MEGA entries, this is your creative chance to shine.

1. A photo of yourself, doing something ANNA related. Or of something ANNA related. Perhaps acting out scene from the book. Or do a doodle and take a picture of it. I like drawings of penguins. Or perhaps something like this:


This is a dress that a reader (hi Emma!) did for an Anna Halloween costume. Excellent.
Any photos can be sent to me at kendareblake@yahoo.com, please include permission to possibly post them on the blog. Photos will be worth 10 POINTS. Unless I can tell you really went crazy making something, then 20 POINTS.

2. Fan Art. I love fan art, it is in-fricken-credible. You guys are crazy talented, and I adore seeing it. This can also be sent to kendareblake@yahoo.com and will be worth 15 POINTS. Please include permission to possibly show them off on the blog.

3. Video of some sort. A dramatic reading. A re-enactment. A fan trailer you made in the past or now. An explanation of why cheesemaking is a lost art, and how Anna would have made a great cheesemaker if she'd been allowed to live. There aren't really any rules, except that it had to be made with Anna in mind or at least with the contest in mind. Any video, please don't send it directly to me, but send me a link where it's hosted. You can do this in the comments below, or via email. Any video is worth 25 POINTS.

Really, any entry related even slightly to the book, or to the love of reading, that your creative gourds can think of will be relished. Months ago on Twitter there were two reviewers who said they'd dress as minstrels and sing an Anna review for an ARC of Girl of Nightmares (which is where the idea for this contest came from.). Be as creative as you like. Though I will only accept one comment-type entry from everyone, I'll accept multiples of 1-3. Because if you took the time to be insanely creative, random and/or hilarious, that is the least I can do.

Obviously, anyone so inclined could really increase their odds in the random draw, but it's still a random draw. Anyone can win. So if you don't feel like doing mega entries, don't! I imagine most people won't!

Um, disclaimer to cover my butt…if anyone does get creative, don't break any laws more serious than jaywalking. Okay? And to clarify, ALL OTHER LAWS ARE MORE SERIOUS THAN JAYWALKING.

One last photo:


To prove I still have 3 to give, and am not just yanking your butts.
This contest is running through the end of the month. So, the end of May.

Girl of Nightmares Final Cover and some LA Festival of Books Stuff.

Might as well post this at the beginning:

Ooooh, she's gritty. And there's sparkage!

What do you think? Like? Dislike? I think there's more of a definite connection now between the cover of ANNA and the cover of GIRL. And the tortured baddies at the bottom pop more.

Anyway, I've been largely MIA, and for those of you waiting for the next ARC giveaway, I apologize. I'm going to run it as soon as I get back from Chicago, sometime next week. Where I will be at IRA. With the excellent Kristen Simmons (ARTICLE 5).

Last weekend, I was at the LA Times Festival of Books, which was excellent. They gave me a badge and everything, so I got to live my lifelong dream of Wayne Campbell-ing through the backstage area.


Is this cool? We're not mental or anything.

With it, I was able to get into the Anne Rice panel, and listened to her talk about The Wolf Gift (that I have yet to read) and her career and stuff, and it was excellent. She was all, in real life and stuff.

I was also on a panel with Robin LeFevers (GRAVE MERCY) and Josephine Angelini (STARCROSSED). Both very cool ladies. Cecil Castellucci moderated and if you haven't read her FIRST DAY ON EARTH, you should. It's short and poignant. I was tired as a mutt pretty much the whole time, because I get crazy airsick and have to OD on dramamine which basically dehydrates your soul. The only thing that sustained me were the lemon squares in the green room.

And now to return to work on ANTIGODDESS #2.

Blogger Love Giveaway: GIRL OF NIGHTMARES ARCs

So, GIRL OF NIGHTMARES ARCs. I've got some. Here they are:

Photo taken on my kitchen counter. You can see the diet soda syrup for my SodaStream in the background. Mmm. Sodastream.

But I digress. The point is, they're pretty. No, dammit. That's not the point either.

The point is, I love Bloggers. Not only have you guys done so much to champion ANNA over the past year, but more importantly, you love books. And that rules. If you could see me now, you'd see me fist-bumping my chest twice and then pointing a sideways peace sign in your direction. And you would tell me to stop it.

So I would like to do a giveaway of these three ARCs, to bloggers. After this giveaway closes, I'll run another giveaway, open to everyone. But just now, just this time, it's for Blogger Love. To enter, leave a comment, with the name of your blog. You can leave a link if you want, but it's not required. I'll draw the winners Monday, April 2nd. The giveaway officially closes at Midnight Pacific Time on April 1st. Which is Tybalt's birthday.

Disclaimer: I've never run a giveaway before. The livejournal goat might not like it. We'll see if he chews through my wires. Any problems though, email me or Twitter me (Twitter me? Twit me? Tweet? Twat? No, that's definitely not it.) and I'll figure it out and make sure you get entered.

And gear up for the open giveaway, because I'm going to try to have fun with it. And that means fun with you.

These ARCs are a little bit special, because I'm pretty sure it's the only time you'll be able to get the red cover. I'd love it if you'd spread the word of this giveaway, but there won't be any extra entries for Tweeting, etc. And I understand if you don't, because, duh, more entries, less chances. But come on, man. It's for the love.

This is my dance space. This is your dance space.

Dirty Dancing, I know. Didn't see that one coming. But it was on TV last night while I was writing, so, what the hell. It was weird to look at Patrick Swayze and think that he's been dead now, for years. It seems ridiculous. Impossible. Johnny Castle can't die.

To tie the quote in, doing revisions on ANTIGODDESS occasionally feels like being a dance instructor. For myself. You know the scene where Johnny says, "Don't put your heel down. Don't put your heel down." And dumb Baby keeps putting her heel down and angering The Swayze? Well, that's me. I'm dumb Baby. And I'm also The Swayze. Dumb Baby will write, and then The Swayze will go back over it and say things like, "Don't do that. Or that. And don't do that AGAIN. What are you, trying to kill me? Is this your idea of fun?"

Damn. I know that movie way better than I'd like to. The good news is, revision phase one is almost complete. Then I can stop living in a hole for about a week before I start in on Book 2.

Another little tidbit: there's a moment in these revisions where I have to reveal something. And it's always hard to reveal something, in a way that feels like it hasn't been done a million times before. I kept thinking of that scene in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, (Fincher's version) where a murderer is about to do the dastardly deed and cues up Enya on the old discman. When I saw it, I chuckled. But after a few moments of Sail Away digging into my eardrums, I thought, "Okay, we get it. American Psycho was a good movie."

But so what if it was a little derivative. It was probably a nod to the other film anyway. And it was done fairly well. That should be a writer's only concern. Do it well.

I've got to get back to the hole now. But first, some of GIRL OF NIGHTMARES news: It's going through a bit of cover redesign. I haven't seen it yet, but word is they want to tie it more closely to Anna's cover. As soon as I've got a final, I'll post it up somewhere.

I'm reading THE SCORPIO RACES. It's bringing out the meat-eating horse lover in me.

Interesting. Yes. Provocative.

If anyone knows where "Interesting. Yes. Provocative" comes from, I'll give you a cookie. But since nobody probably does, I'll just tell you. It's from Chris Farley and David Spade. They did it a few times on SNL, and I think once in either Tommy Boy or Black Sheep. Not sure which one, but who the hell cares, they're the same movie.

Speaking of SNL, did anyone see the Katy Perry episode? Was anyone else creepily impressed by her Florence and the Machine impression? Holy balls, lady. Not bad. But I still only know you as Mrs. Russell Brand.

Anyway, it's been a good day here at the house of serial killers and hair-pulling cats. How good a day? Well, very soon I should be able to share some news. And part of that news will allow me to use a title quote that I've really been wanting to use, also from SNL. It's been awhile since I've had news to sit on. Huh. It's sort of uncomfortable.

Anyway, it shouldn't be long. In the meantime, I've started to think about GIRL OF NIGHTMARES. Feels like ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD just came out, and I haven't wanted to talk about Girl of Nightmares much, but I suppose it's time. One thing that should probably be cleared up is that Anna Dressed in Blood was not the start of a series exactly. It was the start of a duology. So Girl of Nightmares is the end of Cas and Anna's story.

Another thing is that ARCs should be coming in a few months, and I want to do weird contests. Because I love it when people are weird. For example, there were a few cool chicks on Twitter who wrote a poem review about ANNA, and considered dressing as minstrels and singing it for early copies. Or making me sing it. I can't remember exactly, but it sounded awesome.

I finally reached the end of the Song of Ice and Fire series, and now shall suffer with most of the world waiting for THE WINDS OF WINTER. Now I'm diving back into Kristen Simmons' ARTICLE 5. And ooh! I got word from the fan-fricken-tastic Suzanne Young that I may be able to read A WANT SO WICKED early. Hee hee! Haw haw! WHEE! Ahem. Don't judge me. I'm getting a cold and I may have over Nyquil-ed.

No Entry Title today. Just the GIRL OF NIGHTMARES cover.

This showed up in my inbox unexpectedly.

There's no official release date yet, but I wasn't waiting! I love just about everything about this, and I hope you do too! It's from the same team as the first cover. Once again, their talent has boggled me. I'm boggled for the day. I was going to do an actual journal entry now, but you know, eff it. I'm too boggled. My brain is just reds and ghosts and bare feet.

The Greatest Trick the Devil Ever Pulled was Convincing the World He Didn’t Exist.

Title today is from The Usual Suspects, a lovely film in which Benicio Del Toro defies all rules of accents. Why am I using it? I don't know. Although admittedly, a week before a book comes out, there is a not so small urge to POOF! And disappear. Even if there's nothing wrong. I'd still like to spend the week slinking from bottom of rock to bottom of rock, only pausing to lift my head and squawk incoherently.

But I can't! Curses! Revisions of GIRL OF NIGHTMARES are past the halfway point, and if I'm lucky, will almost reach the wrap zone by the end of today. Hmm. I guess between revisions and release I have not a whole lot of use to say. Damn. I expected more from me. So, I'll finish this non-post with a brief list of places I (and Anna) are going to be.

INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATION- A few have asked whether Anna Dressed in Blood will be published anywhere besides the US and Canada. I still have basically no idea, but here is a short list of territories where I'm pretty sure it will release eventually:

The United Kingdom (2012)
Australia (2012)
New Zealand(2012)
Thailand (TBD)

PLACES YOU CAN THROW STUFF AT ME: But please make it soft things. Even if you say, "Hey, Kendare! Heads up!" I am still going to let it smack me in the face, and not attempt to catch it at all. Seriously. Who's got two thumbs and really slow reaction time? THIS GUY.

Scout & Morgan Booksellers, Cambridge, Minnesota (September 24, 11:30 to 1pm.)
West Hollywood Book Fair on some kind of panel, Los Angeles, California (October 2nd, time TBD)
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Trade Show, Portland, Oregon (October 14th, signing from 4:45-5:30)

Until then, I'll be underneath the nearest rock. The nearest chocolate rock.