Camera Hunt and John Green

Still looking for the camera, but in the mean time here's what I think might be the most apt, hilarious discussion of Twilight out there from the writing-whirlwind that is John Green, author of Looking for Alaska and An Abundance of Katherines.

Lament of the Lost Camera

Sigh.

I have two posts planned that I was oh-so-excited for.

But at some point over the holidays the digital camera went missing.

It has not been located.

Timing? Terrible.

What of our awesome tribute to evil genius, the Berk?

What of our new Monster Duo commentary feature?

What of our upcoming New York trip?

Camera, oh camera, return to us please!

Living Right?

Or at least writing right - the deities of blurbosity have been smiling on me. First the oh-so-wonderful Cyn Leitich Smith gave NIGHTSHADE a big writerly high five, and today the uber-awesome Becca Fitzpatrick offered a gold star. Squee!

Sexy and thrilling, NIGHTSHADE had more than enough suspense to keep me flipping pages all night. I was pulled into Andrea's seductive, twisted world where humans are pawns to a powerful pack of werewolves, and nothing is what it seems. I was left guessing until the very end.

Becca Fitzpatrick author of Hush, Hush

To celebrate: I iz going shopping in preparation for my New York voyage. I'll be hitting Manhattan in one week; will spend the rest of this week making key decisions about New York wardrobe...oh, and revising WOLFSBANE.

In honor of these wonderful words here's one of Calla's favorite songs.

It

I got tagged (thanks, Yvonne!). It was awhile ago, but I've been saving up for the new year to answer questions and welcome new followers (111 - whee!) Thanks to each of you for taking the time to hang around this blog. I'm delighted to read your comments and I'll be starting up a weekly Q&A post next week (Monday Q&A)!

Being tagged is a bit like Q&A as I have to answer a basket full of questions. The official tag is 26 questions, but that makes for an awfully long post so I'm going to pick my ten favorites for 2010.

Here we go:


1) Write poetry?

No. I cannot write poetry. Not a lick of it. The poetry section of my high school English class was an Epic Fail for me.

But I am lucky to have amazing poet friends like Kristin Naca.


2) Favorite genre of writing?

Fantasy (urban and high)


3) Most annoying character you've ever created?

WOLFSBANE has a know-it-all character that drives everyone batty, but I kinda love him


4) Coolest plot twist you've ever created?

Uh, hello, spoiler? Not gonna give that up. No way.



5) How often do you get writer's block?

Never *knocks on wood*


6) Do you type or write by hand?

I write really, really fast and my handwriting can't keep up with my thought process, so it's typing all the way. Though I keep a notebook by my bed for ideas/plot points that wake me up in the middle of the night. That happens to me a lot.

7) Do you ever go back to an idea after you've abandoned it?

Not yet, but I keep all my ideas on hand in case they do become recycle worthy.


8) How many writing projects are you working on right now?

Officially: 3

Honestly: 6, okay 7


9) Where do you get your ideas for your characters?

My characters sneak up on me. It's often when I'm driving or walking my dogs. A scene will appear in my head, or a snippet of dialogue that introduces a character to me and the stories unfold from there. I'm often startled when it happens.


10) Do you favor happy endings?

Again, spoiler. Not telling.

Start saving up questions for the first Monday Q&A next week. I'll answer questions posted in the comments or emailed to me.

2010 slogan contest winners: your books will be in the mail tomorrow. Congrats again!

And Lisa Desroches - you are officially tagged!

My Heart Aflutter!

I think one of the most thrilling moments for a writer is having another writer say nice things about one's book. *You like me! You really like me!*

When it is a phenomenal writer, like Cynthia Leitich Smith, the thrill quickly morphs into hyperventilation and fainting spells.

NIGHTSHADE just got its first blurb. From the amazing author of so many wonderful books, but most recently TANTALIZE and ETERNAL (raise your hand if you are so excited for BLESSED), and creator of the deep well of writing resources that is Cynsations.

“Filled with love, lust, action, suspense, and mayhem, NIGHTSHADE is a glittering dark gem. A finely-wrought, compelling tale of romance and treachery that artfully explores the relationship between loyalty and servitude.” -Cynthia Leitich Smith, author of TANTALIZE

Someone hand me the smelling salts. SWOON.

Winners!!

Once again, Happy New Year! I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beyond thrilled to be in the third day of 2010. And what great slogans you dreamed up to get us off on the right foot!

And I did reach 110 followers (WOOT!); however, #110 didn't sign up until January 2, so rather than giving 2 books each away, I'm compromising and adding a 4th winner to the contest. Happy for me, because I loved all the entries and picking winners was a challenge!

It was tough, but I've selected the four winners for the 2010 slogan contest:

Dani - "2010: The Year We Go Broke (from buying too many books)"

TeamMagnusBane - "2010, when the girls are obsessed with sparkly men, men try to be like Edward Cullen, and when the Nerds out shine them all."

SuzyHaze - 2010 "The Year The People Rediscovered The Book" In an odd turn of events humans and otherworldly things began flocking to bookstores and libraries, large and small, in order to sniff the glue binding and escape reality, only to find out that BOOKS ARE WONDERFUL and they escaped into the words (instead of the glue) by the billions

Krista Ashe - "2010,The book biz's best that's ever been The year authors are really gonna win Making all those readers heads spin With Tales of Zombies, Vamps, Angels, and furry kin First love, first lust, and MC's showing some skin. Ah, 2010, authors pick up those pens!"

Winners send an email to adrcremer (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address and your choice of 1 book from the top 9 o'nine list and I'll post it to you stat!

Thanks again for participating in my inaugural blog contest many more contests to come in 2010!!

10 for 2010

It's here, the first year of the new decade. And my novel's birthday! While I still have to wait until October (ack!) for NIGHTSHADE's release date, having the year 2010 on the calendar makes it all the more real.

I don't do New Year's Resolutions, but I do goals. So here are my 10 goals for 2010 (next year you can check in and see how I've done).

10. Have patience, enjoy the ride (this one is last on the list because I have no patience and thus expect to spectacularly fail at meeting this goal)

9. Find a title I love for Book 3, NIGHTSHADE and WOLFSBANE were easy. Book 3 is killing me. Not the book, just the title.

8. Speaking of Book 3, finish it.

7. Write Book 1 of new series. This book currently has a smattering of pieces that add up to a few thousand words (I don't write chronologically). My goal is to bring them together into a coherent whole, complete novel.

6. Prioritize WIPs. Other than said Book 1 of new series I have half a dozen, give or take, WIPs floating around my laptop - and in my head - that need some sorting out. Hoping my agents and editor will help out with this one.

5. Speaking of my fabulous NIGHTSHADE Pack at InkWell and Penguin: meet agents and editor. *coughs* Okay, this is kind of cheating because I've already booked my flight. Will be in NYC in January and again in May. Cannot wait (see above, no patience).
4. Learn to speak German. Okay, I'm talking beginner German here, not fluent German. But I really would like to be able to speak with NIGHTSHADE readers in languages other than English. I already speak Spanish (passable) and French (sort of), but not German and I want to fix that. Plus my husband, father-in-law, and brother all speak German. So in theory I should have help. In theory.

3. Move. I love my apartment, but it's too small. I've written before about how I'm a messy person, naturally inclined to clutter. But lack of storage really pushes clutter into tornadic-strewn piles of notes, books, etc. We need more space. The move will happen.

2. Read all The Tenners books. 2010 debuts rock!!!!

1. Get NIGHTSHADE into the hands of every person I know, meet, bump into on the street. I love this book, I love the characters, I can't wait to share it with the world!!! I would also like Bret and Jemaine (Flight of the Conchords) to help me with promotion. I'd even get them a new sign for their booth.