The official release date for For Want of a Fiend is almost upon us, and you know what that means…
It’s blog hopping time! Join me today at Women and Words for a post about sequels, ennui, and of course, glitter!
Hope to see ya there. And if you’d like me to hop on over to your blog for a guest post, give me a holler.
Sorry I’ve been away, campers. Things are getting crazy around her as I’m preparing for the release of For Want of a Fiend and trying to finish its sequel! I had to stop in and ask you to celebrate with me because…
You can get For Want of a Fiend today! If you order it from the BSB website as a paperback, it’ll ship today, and if you want an ebook, you can have it in your hot little hands right now!
BSB sells formats compatible with every tablet, smartphone, and eReader. For more information, check out their FAQ. Also, they offer a 10% discount on purchases over $25! So look around a bit! You can get a handful of ebooks for cheaper than from Amazon.
Here’s the skinny on FWoaF, just in case you missed it:
Princess Katya Nar Umbriel’s uncle Roland rose from the grave, kidnapped her cousin, and stripped her of her greatest weapon—her Fiendish power. Without her Fiend, Katya doubts her ability to weather the storm her uncle is brewing. When she lacks what even the children in her family possess, can she even call herself an Umbriel?
In only a short time, Starbride has become the princess consort, a pyradisté, and a member of a secret order in charge of protecting the crown. Even steeped in responsibility, she’s still an outsider. While wading through court intrigue and resisting schemes to break her bond with Katya, Starbride must prepare for a covert war. Roland is waiting, watching, ready for any chink in their armor, and he doesn’t care who knows their secrets.
If you haven’t read The Pyramid Waltz, you should definitely start there or you’ll be lost. Good thing is, you can get that from the BSB site too, both in paperback and ebook. That 10% discount is really calling to you now, isn’t it…
I hope everyone enjoys. I’ll keep you posted on where I’m going to be in the future!
Yeah, I know. I’ve been back for a week, but I had to put the finishing touches on For Want of a Fiend. We want it to come out on time, after all.
So Palm Springs is very gorgeous, as you might have guessed. And even though it’s in the desert, it didn’t get that hot while I was there.
The palms from the name
Mountains mountains everywhere
For some reason, I thought the event was going to be indoors, though, so I brought all the wrong clothes. If I had anyone taking pics of me, I’d be the one in slacks. (The primary reason I didn’t have anyone taking pics of me, btw.)
Here’s a shot from inside Casitas Laquita, where most of the festival was held:
See? Shorts and tank tops. Sigh.
It was one of the only times I’ve had to use a microphone to speak. Even then, I think I could have made myself heard without it. I’m loud, y’all.
The panels were wonderful. I made a lot of jokes, but because of the microphone, had to depend on people telling me later whether the jokes landed or not. With the mic, I couldn’t hear anything but my own voice. I heard some very interesting excerpts, too, books that went right to the top of my reading list.
We did a wonderful skit where I got to play Princess Katya and wear this paper bag mask. I hope it shows up online somewhere.
I’m keeping it forever and ever
And here’s the back
If ever it shows up, you’ll get a link. The artwork was by the fabulous Lisa Girolami.
I got to sign a few books, too, including this one that I spied waiting on someone’s lap:
Best of all, while waiting at another panel from the audience, a lady asked the organizer when MY next book was coming out. The organizer said, “Why don’t you ask her? She’s right behind you.” ^__^ I got a kick out of her surprise, even though my mouth was full of doughnut at the time. We spoke later and I got to meet her daughter and hear how much they liked The Pyramid Waltz. Sigh. A feather could have carried me away.
All of Palm Springs is very open, even the airport. The gates and security area are covered, but the concourse and hallways are open to the sky.
It looks like some street, but that’s inside the airport
Your way to the gates is all outside.
I’m guessing it doesn’t rain there so often that ducking into cover is much of a problem. It is the desert, after all. All the open air makes it a great place for blooming plants and for fauna to sneak into the gate areas, especially in the Sonny Bono concourse.
A little shelter from any rain, but not much.
My new bestie
All the sunshine and greenery made the employees of the Palm Springs airport the absolute friendliest airport employees I have ever met. They were kind and courteous and seemed to really enjoy their jobs. They weren’t suspicious or angry, didn’t seem overworked or snappish, like some airport employees I’ve encountered. And their good attitudes brightened the day of the passengers. I had no idea how quickly my irritation at the long lines and security would lighten just by being treated with friendliness from the employees. Unlike in many airports I’ve been in, these people weren’t afraid to smile.
And that’s my love letter to the Palm Springs airport.
All in all, it was a wonderful trip, except the part where I came home with a cold. 
I’m getting better, though, never fear, ready to get back to work on the third Pyramid novel and also a super secret short story, which you’ll be hearing more about shortly. Stay tuned to find out where you can find me next! Hint: It’s Aggiecon. Okay, that’s more than a hint. 
About Palm Springs!
You’ll be seeing me talk about other worlds, romance, and do a readings from The Pyramid Waltz and For Want of a Fiend. I might even give away some spoilers…
Like who this guy is ^_^
It’s gonna be a wild time.
PALM SPRINGS!!!!
So do come out and say hello. Seriously, do. I hate eating alone.
That’s probably me that brought that giant cheese.
Went to see Warm Bodies with the Ross today. It’s the perfect romantic movie for weirdos like us. Zombie meets girl but in the cutest, most humorous way possible. I highly recommend it, but if someone could tell me the reason why the military left the city, I’d appreciate it. That part had me a little lost, though I thought the rest was pretty perfect.
In just a week, I will be in Palm Springs for the Bold Strokes Books festival. Please come and see me for signings, readings, and panels on Other Worlds, the Art of Romance (which I’ll be moderating) and an author roundtable. I’ll go ahead and sweeten the pot by promising that the romance panel will probably degenerate into talking about porn. That’s the direction I’ll be steering it, anyway.
Now for the randomness:
Guaranteed drinks when Lady Gaga takes us out to eat.
A tough little plant I saw while out walking. It laughs at your man-made, mamby-pamby, roady-woadyness.
Apparently, Pinhead from Hellraiser has his own line of banana-nut muffins.
That’s it for now. Come and see me in Palm Springs or I’ll cry like the only My Little Pony without friends. *sniff*
Who else is hella busy right now?
Everyone getting excited about the Bold Strokes Books Festival in Palm Springs, Thursday, February 28, to Sunday, March 3, 2013 at Casitas Laquita and the Palm Springs Public library!
There are many great authors going, but it’s my blog, so I’m gonna tell you where you can find me.
On Friday, March 1st:
At 12:30 to 1:45, I’ll be on a panel called Other Worlds where we’ll probably be talking about creating fantasy or sci-fi settings
From 1:45 to 3:00, I’ll be moderating a panel called The Art of Romance. It’s my first time as a moderator, so I pretty sure we’ll be talking about writing romance. Well, the authors will be talking, and I’ll be making pithy comments.
From 6:00 to 7:30, I’ll be participating in an author roundtable where I’ll read and answer questions about my book!
I’ll also be doing signings and mingling and if I’m lucky, eating food. I wouldn’t mind company at any of these things, so if you show up to Palm Springs, please come say hello. I hate mingling by myself.
Is anyone reading this actually planning to be there? If not, what the hell do you have that’s so pressing you can’t go to Palm Springs in February/March?!?!?!
If you had told me I’d be speaking in front of people about my book years ago, I wouldn’t have believed you…and I might have thrown up a little.
And if I had committed to speak then, they would have had to drag me in like this:
Even though I did theater in high school, I’ll always had a hard time with crowds. It’s more than being an introvert, it’s an aversion about talking about myself, especially my work.
I’ve met a lot of women who resist talking themselves up, even when it’s appropriate. It’s a pretty hard skill to acquire, and I’m still flabbergasted when people ask me about my work. I still think someone has paid them to be interested.
I pictured my first Q&A would go like this:
Fortunately, my first talk went worlds better than that. WORLDS. However, if you do meet me and ask me about my work or compliment me, please forgive me if I stammer a bit. After years of practice, I can handle that hair question easier, at least. From airports to restaurants, all over the world, people have always wanted to know if this is my real hair.
Do you have to jump start your brain when someone asks about your work? How about if they ask you about your hair?
2013! We just know it’s gonna be awesome. First a recap of all the places you can find me later in the year:
February 28th-March 3rd Bold Strokes Books Festival
Casitas Laquita Resort
Palm Springs, California
March 22-24, 2013 Aggiecon 44
Hilton College Station & Conference Center
801 University Drive East, College Station, Texas, 77840-2116
April 5-6 Lone Star LesFic Festival
Crystal Auditorium at Nature’s Treasures
4103 North IH-35 Austin, Texas 78722
August 2-4 Space City Con
Houston Marriott Westchase
2900 Briarpark Dr. · Houston, Texas 77042
I might also be at freaking World Con in August/September.
And now for the big reveal! Here’s the cover for For Want of a Fiend, the sequel to The Pyramid Waltz (now also on Amazon for Kindle)!
Double squeeeeeeee
*SPOILER ALERT* IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK (And seriously, why haven’t you?!?!?), THE SYNOPSIS FOR THE SECOND CONTAINS SPOILERS
Here’s the synopsis:
Princess Katya Nar Umbriel’s uncle Roland rose from the grave, kidnapped her cousin, and stripped her of her greatest weapon—her Fiendish power. Without her Fiend, Katya doubts her ability to weather the storm her uncle is brewing. When she lacks what even the children in her family possess, can she even call herself an Umbriel?
In only a short time, Starbride has become the princess consort, a pyradisté, and a member of a secret order in charge of protecting the crown. Even steeped in responsibility, she’s still an outsider. While wading through court intrigue and resisting schemes to break her bond with Katya, Starbride must prepare for a covert war. Roland is waiting, watching, ready for any chink in their armor, and he doesn’t care who knows their secrets.
*END SPOILERS*
I’m so excited. And more books are coming! I’m working on them, I swear!
Thanks to everyone who made this year so wonderful for me. I feel so lucky right now, I might go play all the lotteries. And because of Christmas, I can now bring you the whole family!
From left to right: Maia, Brom, Reinholt, Einrich, Catirin, Averie, Katya, Dawnmother, Starbride. Up front: Pennynail
You can probably tell that so far, Pennynail is one of my most beloved characters. I’m glad people are enjoying him/her. Guess what? In For Want of a Fiend, I’ll tell you what that is under the mask!
Fancy a bit of crumpet?
I hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve and day and a safe holiday. If you had a terrible 2012, I hope your luck much improves this year. If you had a fabulous 2012, I hope it gets even better for you. Thank you for coming on this wonderful ride with me. Let’s see just how far we can go!
Okay, plans for 2013, let’s have ‘em. Tell them to me, tell me your secrets… (Nope, not creepy at all. Nailed it.)
Today I’m over at Terri Bruce’s blog, pimping it. As in, that’s what I’m doing there, not that her blog is about pimping it.
Though it kinda is….
Anyway, come on over and see what the hell I’m talking about before even I forget it.
Please read it, please, please, please!
I’ve been tagged by that cool kat, Melissa Brayden in the Next Big Thing Blog Hop! If you’ve never heard of this, it’s where people stalk you over the internets, weaving a web of blogs until they can find all your personal info and steal your credit card.
…um, okay, it’s not that.
It is a good way to find new blogs and read about awesome people, though, so I’m gonna give it a whirl.
Name of the book:
The Pyramid Waltz and For Want of a Fiend. Yeah, I’m doing two. I live to pimp.
Where did the idea for the book come from?
I’d say both came from the fact that I wanted to write a lesbian romance and that NaNoWriMo was coming. I knew that if I was going to be strong enough to write my dream book, I needed the support of the great Nano and all my fellow writers. Then I just sort of put my head down and went for it, running for the finish line.
What genre does your book fall under?
Several. Mostly fantasy. Then fantasy romance. And then lesbian fantasy romance. If asked what kind of fantasy, I usually say traditional as there are swords and magic and a made up kingdom.
Which actors would choose to play your characters in the movie rendition?
I’m gonna have to go with an assortment of Barbies and Kens.
What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?
The Pyramid Waltz: Princess Katya Nar Umbriel wants a perfect romance, but her Fiendish nature and duties to the crown mean she can never tell the truth – until she meets Starbride, a woman who gets to the heart of every secret, even if it’ll be the death of her.
(SPOILER ALERT!) IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE FIRST BOOK, THE SYNOPSIS FOR THE SECOND CONTAINS SPOILERAGE.
For Want of a Fiend: Without her Fiendish power, can Princess Katya and her consort Starbride stop a magic-wielding madman from sparking an uprising in the kingdom of Farraday?
(END SPOILER)
What is the longer synopsis of your book?
The Pyramid Waltz: To most, Princess Katya Nar Umbriel is a rogue and a layabout; she parties, she hunts and she breaks women’s hearts. But when the festival lights go down and the palace slumbers, Katya chases traitors to the crown and protects the kingdom’s greatest secret: the royal Umbriels are part Fiend. When Katya thwarts an attempt to expose the king’s monstrous side, she uncovers a plot to let the Fiends out to play.
Starbride has no interest in being a courtier. Ignoring her mother’s order to snare an influential spouse, she comes to court only to study law. But a flirtatious rake of a princess proves hard to resist, and Starbride is pulled into a world of secrets that leaves little room for honesty or love, a world neither woman may survive.
(SPOILER ALERT AGAIN.)
For Want of a Fiend: Princess Katya Nar Umbriel’s uncle Roland rose from the grave, kidnapped her cousin, and stripped her of her greatest weapon—her Fiendish power. Without her Fiend, Katya doubts her ability to weather the storm her uncle is brewing. When she lacks what even the children in her family possess, can she even call herself an Umbriel?
In only a short time, Starbride has become the princess consort, a pyradisté, and a member of a secret order in charge of protecting the crown. Even steeped in responsibility, she’s still an outsider. While wading through court intrigue and resisting schemes to break her bond with Katya, Starbride must prepare for a covert war. Roland is waiting, watching, ready for any chink in their armor, and he doesn’t care who knows their secrets.
(END SPOILER)
Will your book be self published or represented by an agency?
Both books are published by Bold Strokes Books. The Pyramid Waltz is available now. For Want of a Fiend will be available in May 2013.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
Since it was a Nano to start with, 30 days. But that was very very rough.
What inspired you to write this book?
I’ve written a lot of blogs dealing with this question. ^_^ Like this one. I’ll just sum up and say, I needed to write it.
What else about this book might pique the reader’s interest?
Swords, sorcery, and lesbians, baby! What else do you need?
Tag You’re It.
Two words: Jennifer Lavoie. Three other words: You are it!
