Winner of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE

Thank you to all who read the interview and entered the giveaway for a signed copy of Beth Revis's ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. As always, I used random.org to select the winner and the winner is:

Wanton Acts Of Writing

Congratulations! Please contact me with your mailing information, and I'll forward the info on to Beth. If you didn't win, I hope you'll pick up a copy of Beth's book next time you're at the store. You won't be sorry! Thanks again for entering and happy reading!

Interview With Beth Revis

Ever since I read the first chapter of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE sometime last fall, I've been anxiously waiting to get my hands on this book. And on the author. But in a totally appropriate way, of course. So, when I said something on Twitter in January and Beth Revis replied to me, I was momentarily stunned.

Um, Beth followed me? And wanted to talk to me? (I, of course, did NOT begin the conversation by saying I wanted to get my hands on her. I was far less suave and sophisticated. I believe I went so far as to try to bribe her with my hubby's pimp coat. She accepted.) To prove her mettle, she went right for the Were-llama as her interviewer. Brave soul.

Of course, this is the woman who writes about murder in space. Perhaps the Were-llama has met his match? Here's a peek at ACROSS THE UNIVERSE:

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.


Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awake on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into a brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone—one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship—tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn’t do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now, Amy must race to unlock Godspeed’s hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there’s only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.

Beth is giving away a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE to one lucky commenter. Yay! But I'm not giving any of you the pimp coat. You'll have to get your own. Before I reveal how you could win ATU, let me introduce today's guests.

Were-llama

Beth Revis

Beth asked for a koi fish cupcake since koi fish are an important symbol in the book. My hubby, apparently feeling his zombie chops haven't been challenged enough recently, suggested he make a zombie koi fish instead, but I nixed that idea only to come home from work to find an email from Beth saying "GO FOR IT." It was, however, too late. A non-zombified koi fish cupcake had already been created. But you may feel free to photoshop decay and putrescence onto it if you wish. Without further ado, I give you the cupcake and Beth's interview with the Were-llama!

Koi Fish Cupcake, Pre-Zombification

1. So, you’re a writer. I’m a super-scary shape-shifter who can command obedience with the awesome power of my glowing red eyes. What do we have in common?

We are both excellent spitters.

2. I do admire a woman who can expectorate with skill. I like to spit at my enemies from whichever end is closest to them. Do any of your characters have cool abilities like that?

Well, my characters live on a space ship, and one of them has the ability to throw his enemies out of the hatch and then watch them, you know, implode in the vacuum of space. So there’s that.

3. May I suggest, if he wants to be truly evil, he ought to spit at them as they implode? It could become his signature move. If I had a nickname, it would be The Awesome. You?

The Awesomer.

4. *is momentarily silenced by the sheer gall of that statement* Utter such blasphemy once more, and I shall be forced to raise my tail and deal with you as nature intended. I hang around this blog because I love stories. What’s your story about? Bonus points if it includes a llama.

Amy is cryogenically frozen in order to be with her family on an interstellar space mission. When she’s woken up fifty years too early, she has to figure out who’s pulling the plug on the frozens…before he unplugs her parents. Meanwhile, the crew of the ship has changed and evolved. INTO LLAMAS. Murderous llamas.

5. Excellent story. Though the phrase "murderous llamas" may be a tad redundant. You’re making me a cake worthy of my awesome Were-llama status and decorating it to represent your story. What does it look like?

You know that movie, THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE? Of course you do, it’s about llamas. So, I’d make you a cupcake that looks like Emperor Kuzco’s summer home, complete with water slide.

6. I graciously accept your offering as a sign of your undying fealty to ME. Any Were-llamas in your book?

SHHHH!!!! That’s who the killer is!!!!

7. Again with the redundancy. Anyone else who might be a Were-llama and you just haven’t figured it out yet?

If I told you that, then you’d know the end of the book.

8. You do realize I can command you to tell me the ending with the incredible power of my awesome red eyes, right? *LOOK, FRAIL HUMAN SPITTER, AND SPEAK* Llamas or camels and why? Think carefully.

Have you seen that show, AN IDIOT ABROAD? In it, the guy rides a camel in the desert…and the camel breaks down. They have get a pick-up truck to tow it away. Seriously. And that’s LAME. Obviously, no llama would ever break down and require a tow truck, so I’m going with llama ftw.

9. Lame is a common euphemism for camels, it's true. I give you a baby Were-llama as a companion. What do you name her?

The Awesomest.

10. Quite fitting. Except, of course, for the fact that THAT title is already taken. By moi. My favorite word is “awesome” because, yanno, look at me. What’s yours?

Aphasia

11. As a young Were-llama, I dreamt of taking over the eastern seaboard one face full of spit at a time. What did you dream of doing when you were young?

I wanted to be a writer, which is cool, because that’s what I am. I also wanted to have control over time, which is even cooler, because that’s what I do. Wait, did I say that part aloud? Ignore that. *hides timeturner*

12. You can keep your paltry control over time. I have control over YOU. Cake or cookies?

CUPCAKES ALL THE WAY. Unless it’s those peanut butter and chocolate Girl Scout Cookies.
13. Cupcakes are cruel in the same way mini candy bars are cruel. Do you share chocolate?

NEVER.

14. Unless I command you to do so. WHICH I HAVE. *takes your chocolate and eats it in one bite* The Zombie Goat invasion is upon us. How will you fight them off?

With an army of were-llamas.

Smart move. You will clearly be the winner. *wipes lips* Except in matters pertaining to chocolate.

Thank you, Beth, for such an entertaining interview! To learn more about Beth, visit her site. To purchase ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, go here.

Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Beth is giving away a signed copy of ACROSS THE UNIVERSE! Here's how to enter: (Giveaway is North America only)


1. Earn entries:

*Comment on this post = 1 entry

*Be a follower of this blog = 2 entries
*Tweet the link to this interview = 3 entries (Use @cjredwine or leave url to tweet in your comment so I can see it.)

*Post the contest on your blog or facebook= 3 entries (Include link in your comment.)

2. Tally it up:

Please tally up your entries and leave the total in your comment.

3. Check back:

The contest is open until 8 p.m. (central time) Sunday, March 20th. Please check back to see if you've won and to claim your prize!

Good luck to all, and happy reading!

Winner of DEMONGLASS!

Thank you to all who entered the contest for a signed copy of DEMONGLASS with a DG tote bag. As usual, I used random.org to choose the winner. And the winner is

Amy

Congratulations, Amy! (Your profile says you're the mom of 2 young boys and love Twilight, but gives me no way to contact you.) Please contact me with your shipping info so I can forward it on to Rachel. Thanks again, and happy reading!

Happy Birthday, Johanna!

Today is Johanna's first birthday. I'm so grateful to have this beautiful, sweet little girl in my arms. All week, I've been thinking about her birth mother. Wondering if she dreads today. If she aches. If she worries about her daughter. I wish I could tell her that Johanna is loved, cared for, and thriving. I hope, somehow, she knows.

From the first day we met her, we've seen Johanna's love of music. She wiggles and dances any time she hears a tune, and music is the way I finally broke through her crying on our first day together and got her attention.

Here, in honor of her first birthday, is a video of our precious daughter shaking her booty to the beat.

Interview With Rachel Hawkins

Many of you remember Rachel's (somewhat legendary) interview last year where she took on the Were-llama with style. You may also recall that I included Rachel's first book, HEX HALL, in my list of the best books I read in 2010. Rachel is hilarious, authentic, smart, and talented, and I couldn't wait to have her back on the blog!

DEMONGLASS, the sequel to HEX HALL, hit the shelves March 1st. As soon as I turn in my latest manuscript, I am going to be all over this book! Here's a peek:

WARNING: Spoiler alert for those of you who haven't read HEX HALL.

Sophie Mercer's first term at Hex Hall turned out to be quite eventful. First the ghost of her evil grandmother haunted her every move, then her best friend was accused of murder and of course there was the discovery that Archer Cross, aka the boy of her dreams, was actually an undercover demon hunter - which would probably be something she could have worked on, if she hadn't also discovered that she was actually the demon Archer was hunting...So, despite their issues, Sophie is actually relieved to be spending the summer in London with her father. But when your father is Head of The Council of Prodigium and your summer is being spent at the headquarters of everything magical, then a quiet holiday isn't really that likely. And, as Sophie struggles to come to terms with her new found demon powers, she finds herself thrust once again into a world of dark magic and conspiracies. The only thing that could possibly make things more complicated would be for Archer Cross to show up again, which of course he wouldn't, would he?

Since Rachel was interviewed by the Were-llama last time, I offered her the option to choose between the Spork of Doom and Captain Jack Sparrow. She chose Captain Jack. I believe her very words were, "It's HIGH TIME I got my hands on Captain Jack."

He had no objections.

I'm excited to announce that Rachel will be giving away a signed copy of DEMONGLASS and a super cool DEMONGLASS tote bag (!!) to one lucky commenter. More details on that later, but first, let me introduce today's guests.

Captain Jack Sparrow

Rachel Hawkins

Now that you know who's who, lets reveal the gorgeous cupcake my hubby made for Rachel and dive into the interview. In DEMONGLASS, Sophie is spending the summer in London. What represents London better than Big Ben? So, Rachel requested a Big Ben cupcake. The conversation went like this:

Hubby: What kind of cupcake does Rachel want?
Me: Big Ben
Hubby: As in London's Big Ben?
Me: Yes. Her book is set in London.
Hubby: Can I just put a watch on a cupcake?
Me: Rachel wants BIG BEN
Hubby: %$#@

But he came through and then some! So, without further ado, I give you Rachel with her hands on Captain Jack and the Big Ben cupcake.

1. Would you classify yourself as a pirate or a member of Her Majesty’s Royal navy? Why?


I wear a lot of scarves and once had scurvy, so I GUESS that makes me a pirate? (I’m kidding about the scurvy thing. I put enough limes in my vodka tonics to ward that shizz off.)

2. Pity. I rather like the idea of a woman who survived scurvy. What’s your favorite thing to do in Tortuga?

Start bar brawls, obvs. Oh, and say “Tortuuuuugaaaaaa” over and over again until it stops sounding like a word.

3. I feel your mind must be a wondrous strange place to be. I’m offering you free passage aboard my ship to anywhere in the world. Where shall we go, love?

Fiji. Or Bora-Bora. Or Tahiti. Wait, are those all the same places? I totally failed Geography.

4. It's alright, darling. Your prowess at bar brawls more than makes up for your stunning lack of geographical knowledge. With my compass and your right hook, who can stop us? Who is the hero of your story most like: me (savvy, debonair, and unquestionably smooth with the ladies), the insufferably honorable Will Turner, or that deceptive little minx Elizabeth?

The term ‘deceptive little minx” was practically invented for my heroine, Sophie. Although her love interest is definitely savvy, debonair, and unquestionably smooth with the ladies. Insufferably honorable people don’t do well in my books.

5. I find myself unaccountably intrigued by your heroine, although in my experience, deceptive little minxes generally result in one examining the inner digestive workings of a foul-smelling beast of myth and legend. Rum? Or more rum?

More rum. ALWAYS.

6. Darling, we must run away together. I appreciate a woman who knows how to hold her rum. Which leads me to the age old question: Why is the rum always gone?

Because I have made a bathtub full of Mojitos.

7. Marry me. What’s the most piratish thing you’ve ever done?

I got a tattoo when I was 18. And there was also a skinny-dipping incident in college. Oh, and I LITERALLY used to swab the deck on my Dad’s boat, so…yeah, my whole life has been filled with Piratish Things. Argh.

8. You can swab my deck any time you like. Are they rules? Or more like guidelines?

If I came up with them, they’re rules. If other people did, they’re guidelines.

9. It's like we share the same, rum-soaked mind. I understand you’re a story-teller. Any undead monkeys in your stories?

No, but now I have the plot for my new book, THE FOREST OF BANANAS AND POOP. Thanks!

10. Either you're brilliant, or you've emptied the bathtub full of mojitos. Any curses in your story? Heartless monsters? Irritating women who insist on taking matters into their own hands?

ALL OF THOSE THINGS AND MORE. Oh, and also fire and swords and hot make out sessions.

11. Darling, you forgot to mention you were writing my biography! Be sure to include the CAPTAIN in front of my name. One of my favorite words is “egregious.” Care to share one of yours, love?

Pamplemousse. French for grapefruit, most perfect word ever.

12. I believe I once knew a scurvy wench in Tortuga by the name of Pamplemousse. I don't think it's possible to overstate the scurvy in this instance. Parlay? Or draw your sword?

I would probably stab myself attempting to draw my sword, so due to General Physical Awkwardness, let’s go with parlay.

13. Leave the sword drawing to me, darling. You’ve got a crowd of cursed sailors and a nasty sea monster on your trail. How do you escape?

When in doubt, jet skis and flame throwers are always the answer.

14. I find myself grateful you haven't aligned yourself against me. Romantic night in? Or adventure on the high seas?

Romantic adventure on the high seas! What’s more romantical than swinging from ropes and dodging cannon balls? NOTHING.

15. Throw in a bathtub full of rum, and you've described my perfect evening. My personal motto is: Take what you want, give nothing back. What’s yours?

Sit back until you know who the a-holes are. Thanks for that one, Dad!

 
Thank you, Rachel, for such a fun interview! (Trust me. Her books are just as entertaining!) To learn more about Rachel, visit her site. To purchase DEMONGLASS, go here.
 
Of course, the fun isn't over yet! Rachel is giving away a signed copy of DEMONGLASS and an awesome DEMONGLASS tote bag! Here's how to enter: (Giveaway is North America only)
 
1. Earn entries:


*Comment on this post = 1 entry

*Be a follower of this blog = 2 entries

*Tweet the link to this interview = 3 entries (Use @cjredwine or leave url to tweet in your comment so I can see it.)

*Post the contest on your blog or facebook= 3 entries (Include link in your comment.)

2. Tally it up:

Please tally up your entries and leave the total in your comment.

3. Check back:

The contest is open until 8 p.m. (central time) Sunday, March 13th. Please check back to see if you've won and to claim your prize!

Good luck to all, and happy reading!

Whip It!

1. I am jealous of the cat pictured above.

2. I'd love to nap. Anywhere. Face first is definitely an option.

3. Most of my nights in the last week were a grand sum of 4 hours of sleep.

4. I feel like maybe I'm turning into a zombie. Though I doubt I'll be screaming BRAAAAIIINNNNZZZZ any time soon. That hardly seems a solution to my problem.

5. I might, however, scream MAAAAIIIIIDDDD, followed up by TIIIIIMMMMMEEEEE.

6. However, being busy also means I have things to blog about, so WIN for you, yes?

7. First, a writing update: I've reached the 1/2 point on my current project and am really loving it. I have three weeks to write the second half and am determined to do so.

8. Second, an embarrassing episodes update: None.

9. By my standards, anyway.

10. I went on a writer's retreat this past weekend with 24 other women and managed to not once snort liquid through my nose, walk into a bathroom door, or have the mother of all wardrobe malfunctions.

11. I did manage to lock myself IN my bedroom and had to spend five minutes jiggling the door handle and calling it all sorts of nasty names until I finally figured out the genius of a contractor who designed the place put the handle in upside down.

12. But I was alone when that happened, so there's no proof.

13. I wasn't alone when I tried karaoke for the first time.

14. Because I don't generally shy away from performing in front of others (be that public speaking, singing, or splitting the seam of my jeans while ice skating), I was the first to grab the mic.

15. Nobody else wanted it yet anyway because they hadn't had enough to drink.

16. I decided my opening number should be Bohemian Rhapsody.

17. And as you know, if I'm going to do something, I'm going to do it all the way.

18. Dear Reader, I killed it.

19. High note, headbanging (Oh, yes, I did), and all.

20. Freddy Mercury, eat your heart out.

21. The highlight of the evening, however, came after I'd already excused myself to go back into my room to write. My bedroom shared a wall with the living area. Twenty three women (many in various stages of DRINK) were on the other side of that wall. Singing. Regardless of who held the mic.

22. I had my iPod cranked to block them out, but in the second between one song ending and another beginning, I heard something that made me yank out my ear buds and check to be sure I had it right.

23. I did.

24. Twenty-three women all singing at the top of their lungs "Whip It! Whip It Good!"

25. I will never be the same.

26. And now, I'm off to see if anyone wants to trade me my kingdom for a nap.

Winner!

Thanks to all who entered the contest for a signed copy of Jill's book. (She'll be sending you book one in the series - GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI). As always, I used random.org to pick the winner. And the lucky winner is

Jemi Fraser

Congratulations, Jemi! Please email me with your shipping info, and I'll forward it on to Jill. Thanks again for entering and happy reading!