The Night Songs Collection is on SALE!

Today is:

• Peace Officers Memorial Day
• National Chocolate Chip Day
• National Nylon Stocking Day
• National Endangered Species Day
• National Defense Transportation Day
• National Pizza Party Day
• National Bike to Work Day
• NASCAR Day 

by Kristen

Happy Chocolate Chip Pizza Party Day!  Here’s where vampire month gets fun.  If you haven’t checked out my vampire books, now is the time!  Every title in The Night Songs Collection is 99 cents each through May 20.  Some of these have never been on sale before.

Because the Night: http://amzn.to/1H6H5WO

Sex, Blood And Rock n’ Roll 

Immortal Dilemma is the hottest band in the Las Vegas vampire rock scene. They draw insatiable fans from around the globe, thanks to a supernatural attraction called Bloodlust. Tristan craved such an opportunity to fill his empty mortal life, and now he has eternity to earn his place along the legends of rock n roll debauchery.

Callie always feared that Tristan’s excesses would get him into trouble, but she never thought they’d lead him to immortality. To reconnect with him, she must weave her way through a world not only she had no idea existed, but does not welcome her.

Blade turned down a spot in Immortal Dilemma after learning what he must sacrifice for that lifestyle. He finds Callie a refreshing change from the girls in the vampire rock scene. When Callie drags Blade back into the world of Immortal Dilemma, his resistance drives her into the waiting arms of Tristan, who shows her the true meaning of Bloodlust.

But the very things that Callie fights so hard to save are the very things that fight to destroy her.

Night Moves: http://amzn.to/1EKmS7A

We bonded in darkness, over darkness.

Melanie Vaughn’s job ruined everything. Her social life, nonexistent. Her relationship with her boyfriend, a hostile roommate situation. She resolves to fix everything one snowy afternoon, but instead comes home to discover her boyfriend is already exploring other options. Blonder, bustier options. Rage drives Melanie to do the unthinkable.

When Soul Divider was on the top of the world, so was Ryder Maddox. When the band faded into obscurity, Ryder’s luck plummeted with it. In a last ditch effort to rekindle the band’s heyday, Soul Divider teams up with powerful vampire clan leader, Talis de Rancourt. In return for her services, the band pays the ultimate price for never ending fame.

Now on the run, Melanie meets Ryder in a middle of nowhere hotel. She never expected her teenage rock star crush to be as lost and as in need of a companion as she is. Their connection is all consuming, even before they find they share another kinship: murder.

The newly turned vampires in Soul Divider still have a lot to learn. The police and public begin to connect the girls that go missing or die in sync with the band’s tour schedule. Back at home, clues are also adding up against Melanie as well. Between constant media coverage and unrelenting attention from the authorities, Melanie and Ryder find themselves in uncharted territory.
We Own the Night: http://amzn.to/1ICbnX7

The Ultimate Manipulation.
Callie Chabot would stop at nothing to save her ex-boyfriend Blade Bennett from the clutches of vampire clan leader Talis de Rancourt, even if means becoming immortal herself. What she doesn’t know is that Blade has already defeated Talis, and he’s waiting for Callie in the afterlife.
Now Callie only has her creator, Tristan Trevosier, to turn to for guidance. But he’s too wrapped up in the debauchery of the Las Vegas rock scene to give a damn about the particulars of being undead. That’s enough to drive Callie crazy on its own, but female vampires are automatic clan leaders.
Not only does Callie have no idea how to wrangle a vampire clan, but her would-be followers have more to gain from her failure. They instead choose to follow Blade—and he’s hell-bent on making Callie pay for her bad decisions. Since he took out the existing clan leader, that automatically puts him at the helm of what should be Callie’s new clan.
A Master of Deception.
That’s when seasoned rogue vampire, Cash Logan, shows up, shrouded in magic and mystery. No one is sure which side Cash is on, but Callie needs to take a chance on the one vampire who is willing to give her the answers she needs, no matter how dark and frightening they may be. Callie must trust her instincts and form alliances that may backfire. Cash shows Callie that playing nice is no longer an option, and that fixing her wrongs won’t always make everything right.
To take control of her clan, Callie must look to her rival to discover exactly what makes her a leader.
Silent Night: http://amzn.to/1PKnxfk

This Christmas isn’t about celebration for eighteen-year-old Kyndra, it’s about survival. Grieving the loss of her grandmother and struggling with the indifference of her family, Kyndra now splits her time between her dead-end mall job, her junkie ex-boyfriend’s bed, and the streets. Longing to be close to her grandmother one more time, she wanders into Christmas Eve mass and prays she’ll find the place she belongs. Home.

Aidan isn’t ready to let go of the past either, even though he’s had nearly three hundred years to do it. He chronicles the search for the reincarnation of his beloved wife as the vampire romance author Allison Duprois. Aidan knows the wife he mourns is out there, but fears writing their story is as close as he will get to her.

At Christmas Eve mass, he finally finds her. Alone, with no place to go.

Aidan brings Kyndra into his home, and gives her the safety, comfort and love she longs for. Though he gives her second chances she never thought she’d have, Kyndra still can’t get over Aidan’s mysterious past. Not to mention that he claims that he’s a vampire. Life alone on the streets is dangerous enough without handing her trust and love to the wrong person. Can Aidan break through the walls around Kyndra’s hardened heart to convince her that she belongs with him, forever?

Then and Now: The Evolution of the Synopsis

Today’s Brew: Iced Honey Vanilla Tea. The obsession continues.

by Kristen

For some reason, this blog post always gets a ton of hits. We get a lot of searches for “the hardest paragraph to write.” The hardest paragraph to write is actually the one I’ve been dicking around all day instead of really concentrating on what I’m supposed to be doing, but whatever. This particular post is about writing a synopsis.

Twelve books later, it still sucks. Twelve books! You guys. Anyway, I know there are a bunch of contests going on, and constant querying and book readying, so I thought you may enjoy a comparison of what our synopses were in 2012 for our first books and what they became.

JULIE::RUNNING HOME
Then–
Ellie Morgan is used to losing everything. She thought she was comfortable with her life as an advertising executive, until she and her best friend both became captivated with newcomers to their secluded New Hampshire town. When fate connects her to Nicholas French, she is enthralled by his supernatural allure and his belief that she is meant for so much more. Ellie struggles to reconcile falling in love with the vampire who gives her the home she longs for, while being forced to make impossible choices, and sacrifice the unthinkable.

Now–
Death hovers around Ellie Morgan like the friend nobody wants. She doesn’t belong in snow-swept Ossipee, New Hampshire, at a black tie party––but that is where she is, and where he is: Nicholas French, the man who mystifies her with a feeling of home she’s been missing, and the impossible knowledge of her troubled soul.

Nicholas followed an abomination that is one of his own, but finds that fate has driven him to New Hampshire. He is a being of the Shinigami, a heroic vampire order that save their victims from more tragic ends. And he knows why Ellie is human repellent… why physical agony grips them when apart.

KRISTEN::BECAUSE THE NIGHT
Then–(it was called Immortal Dilemma)
College freshman Callie can’t wait to leave the confines of her sheltered life on Martha’s Vineyard to reconnect with her first love, Tristan.  Finding him is easy–he is the face of the explosive Vegas vampire rock scene and the star of his own reality show.  Getting close to this larger than life rockstar is more of a challenge.  Callie must weave her way through a constant stream of insatiable groupies, security guards, paparazzi, and all the other complexitites of Tristan’s fame to try to save him from himself.  She finds herself drawn to him by some inexplicable force, and finds what she’s looking for where she least expects it.  What is she willing to do for her happily ever after?

Now–
Sex, Blood And Rock n’ Roll

Immortal Dilemma is the hottest band in the Las Vegas vampire rock scene. They draw insatiable fans from around the globe, thanks to a supernatural attraction called Bloodlust. Tristan craved such an opportunity to fill his empty mortal life, and now he has eternity to earn his place along the legends of rock n roll debauchery.

Callie always feared that Tristan’s excesses would get him into trouble, but she never thought they’d lead him to immortality. To reconnect with him, she must weave her way through a world not only she had no idea existed, but does not welcome her.

Blade turned down a spot in Immortal Dilemma after learning what he must sacrifice for that lifestyle. He finds Callie a refreshing change from the girls in the vampire rock scene. When Callie drags Blade back into the world of Immortal Dilemma, his resistance drives her into the waiting arms of Tristan, who shows her the true meaning of Bloodlust.

But the very things that Callie fights so hard to save are the very things that fight to destroy her.

The Night Songs Collection 1-3 Box Set is Now Available!

Today’s Brew: Hook up an IV of coffee and spike that bitch. Today’s my last day on the movie I’ve been working on, and from the looks of the scene list, it may be the longest day in movie making history. That’s fine, we’re having a party.

by Kristen

You know what is the gift that keeps on giving? Get your mind out of the gutters. It’s vampires. Who else can give you the gift of eternal life?  If you’re going to live forever, you’re going to need something to read. A lot of something. So I would love to offer you the first three books in The Night Songs Collection. It’s like a one way ticket to Las Vegas without the hangover, or the goons chasing after after you to collect on your gambling debts.  It’s debauchery in the comfort of your own home.

Because the Night, Night Moves, and We Own the Night all available in one pretty package!

It’s only 3.99 until 12.31.14! And you can get your very own copy here. Oh, and another thing, while we’re talking about gifts…you can buy an ebook as a gift on Kindle and have it delivered whenever you want. There’s eight days of Hanukkah, twelve days of Christmas…and at least a handful of days of Festivus.

This is what you get. Don’t say I never gave you anything.

Because the Night:
Immortal Dilemma is the hottest band in the Las Vegas vampire rock scene. They draw insatiable fans from around the globe, thanks to a supernatural attraction called Bloodlust. Tristan craved such an opportunity to fill his empty mortal life, and now he has eternity to earn his place along the legends of rock n roll debauchery.

Callie always feared that Tristan’s excesses would get him into trouble, but she never thought they’d lead him to immortality. To reconnect with him, she must weave her way through a world not only she had no idea existed, but does not welcome her.

Blade turned down a spot in Immortal Dilemma after learning what he must sacrifice for that lifestyle. He finds Callie a refreshing change from the girls in the vampire rock scene. When Callie drags Blade back into the world of Immortal Dilemma, his resistance drives her into the waiting arms of Tristan, who shows her the true meaning of Bloodlust.

But the very things that Callie fights so hard to save are the very things that fight to destroy her.

Night Moves:
Melanie Vaughn’s job ruined everything. Her social life, nonexistent. Her relationship with her boyfriend, a hostile roommate situation. She resolves to fix everything one snowy afternoon, but instead comes home to discover her boyfriend is already exploring other options. Blonder, bustier options. Rage drives Melanie to do the unthinkable.

When Soul Divider was on the top of the world, so was Ryder Maddox. When the band faded into obscurity, Ryder’s luck plummeted with it. In a last ditch effort to rekindle the band’s heyday, Soul Divider teams up with powerful vampire clan leader, Talis de Rancourt. In return for her services, the band pays the ultimate price for never ending fame.

Now on the run, Melanie meets Ryder in a middle of nowhere hotel. She never expected her teenage rock star crush to be as lost and as in need of a companion as she is. Their connection is all consuming, even before they find they share another kinship: murder.

The newly turned vampires in Soul Divider still have a lot to learn. The police and public begin to connect the girls that go missing or die in sync with the band’s tour schedule. Back at home, clues are also adding up against Melanie as well. Between constant media coverage and unrelenting attention from the authorities, Melanie and Ryder find themselves in uncharted territory.

We Own The Night:
Callie Chabot would stop at nothing to save her ex-boyfriend Blade Bennett from the clutches of vampire clan leader Talis de Rancourt, even if means becoming immortal herself. What she doesn’t know is that Blade has already defeated Talis, and he’s waiting for Callie in the afterlife.

Now Callie only has her creator, Tristan Trevosier, to turn to for guidance. But he’s too wrapped up in the debauchery of the Las Vegas rock scene to give a damn about the particulars of being undead. That’s enough to drive Callie crazy on its own, but female vampires are automatic clan leaders.

Not only does Callie have no idea how to wrangle a vampire clan, but her would-be followers have more to gain from her failure. They instead choose to follow Blade–and he’s hell-bent on making Callie pay for her bad decisions. Since he took out the existing clan leader, that automatically puts him at the helm of what should be Callie’s new clan.

That’s when seasoned rogue vampire, Cash Logan, shows up, shrouded in magic and mystery. No one is sure which side Cash is on, but Callie needs to take a chance on the one vampire who is willing to give her the answers she needs, no matter how dark and frightening they may be. Callie must trust her instincts and form alliances that may backfire. Cash shows Callie that playing nice is no longer an option, and that fixing her wrongs won’t always make everything right.

To take control of herr clan, Callie must look to her rival to see exactly what makes her a leader.

Getting Inside The Story

Today’s brew: All the water. It will all make sense in a minute.

by Kristen

(Just a piece of business before I get down to business…Because the Night is now available on Kindle Unlimited, so if you’re a subscriber, you can read it for free! Do this thing.)

Write what you know. It’s a great place to start.  We have enough to worry about when we start writing without bogging ourselves down with research. Pushing a plot forward with three dimensional characters is hard work, yo. Not to mention, once you get those characters all snuggled in, you have to throw a stick of dynamite into the works and make them put their lives back together. And live happily ever after, if you’re a romance writer.

I pulled from every single place I had. Las Vegas, going to eight million concerts, working in the entertainment industry…Secondhand Heart is set in my hometown of Plymouth, and I had a lot of fun making the town a character in the book. God knows we’ve got some quirks around here. In Silent Night, I laid it all out bare. That book is really about when I lost my mom, and there’s a lot more truth in that one than fiction. Even though it was therapeutic to write the story, it’s terrifying to offer something that will always be raw and painful to the world.

Eventually, we tap the well dry. I write a lot of books. Having to set stories in places I’m not familiar with, or give the characters jobs and interests I know nothing about, is more intimidating that I expected it to be. I might not be familiar with something, but my readers might know a lot about that subject. If I don’t get it right, people are going to call bullshit in a hurry.

The internet makes research easy. Kinda. Sort of. Not really. Anyone can put a website. I mean, they let me and Julie run this blog. They’ll really let anyone on the interwebs. You have to make sure you’re looking at credible information.  Wikipedia is a total crap shoot. I watched a video today, and then scrolled down to the comments where people ALL CAPPED that the technique demonstrated was extremely dangerous.  I’ve watched makeup videos where people use latex paint on people’s faces. (This can kill someone.) You still have to vet your resources, and make sure your information is spot on.

A story I completed recently was set in New Orleans. I’ve been to the city a couple times, and I have two great and beautiful resources named Angi Black and Sarah Guillory to help me with local flavor.  They made me feel a lot more comfortable writing from a remote location.  But the manuscript I’m currently working on is set in the Colorado mountains.

I’ve never been to Colorado. I’m not sure if Angi or Sarah have, either.

I love being outside, but I wouldn’t call myself an outdoorswoman. I have leopard print sneakers and do zumba, for crying out loud.

How the hell was I going to convey how it felt to be chased through a wooded mountainside?

Clearly, I had to climb a mountain.

Yesterday, I drove to the Blue Hills ski area. There’s no skiing this time of year, but plenty of hiking. Before you point and snicker at my loose interpretation of a mountain, it’s the best I could for a morning hike. I chose the red dot trail, basically because I parked near it. I didn’t bother to check if it was the most difficult trail until I got back to the parking lot (it was). But I climbed that bitch, all three quarters of a mile up to the top. It was exciting, terrifying, rocky as fuck, and exhausting.  I learned so many things about a mountain that I would have never figured out looking at a computer screen.  And, I liked it, so I might go back and climb that bitch again. Or find another bitch that needs climbing. (TWSS)

Uphill, both ways, over a rock. For real.

Now I’ve decided these characters rock climb. Wish me luck.

 

Get Ready For We Own The Night

Today’s brew: Water. Still kind of dehydrated from working outside

by Kristen

WE OWN THE NIGHT comes Monday, September 1!  You can preorder it now and it will be waiting  for you in your Kindle or iPad at midnight. Or wait til Monday, if you’re into that sort of thing.  You guys were good. I made you wait five months for the conclusion of this story. I want to make sure everyone’s all caught up and ready to GO.

• Because the Night is 99 cents.
• Night Moves is also 99 cents this week only. After August 31, it goes back to 2.99. Take advantage of this. I don’t know the next time I’ll put it on sale.

What can you expect from We Own the Night?

• Callie is back!  The story picks up where Because the Night left off. After teasing everyone for two books about what happened to Blade, everything is revealed. And he’s pissed about having to wait to tell his story.
• We’re back in Vegas. Mostly at the Alta Vista, but North Strip represent!  We made stops at the Riviera, Circus Circus, and the Stratosphere.
• Everyone who made it to the end of Because the Night and Night Moves alive and/or undead makes an appearance in We Own the Night.
• Lennon and Tony from BTN as well as Rachel from Night Moves play key roles.
• New characters!!  You’re going to meet Cash Logan, a mysterious circus leader, and Holly Octane, a performer in his show who bursts into flames every night.  You also get to meet Tristan’s dad.
• Tristan is….Tristan.
• We Own the Night wraps up this particular storyline, but doesn’t close The Night Songs Collection. The mythology will continue with characters that are new and familiar with you.
• But no more cliffhangers.
• I was actually able to end the story with a Happily Ever….Afterlife?

WE OWN THE NIGHT Cover Reveal PLUS the Re-release of BECAUSE THE NIGHT and NIGHT MOVES!

Today’s Brew: Champagne!!

by Kristen

YOU GUYS. I’m so excited to finally be able to share these with you.  I feel like I’ve been talking about this for-evah, and now it’s finally real.  I hope you all love these covers as much as I do. Cover designs by Hang Le.

First, the reveal of WE OWN THE NIGHT (The Night Songs Collection #3)

The Ultimate Manipulation. 

Callie Chabot would stop at nothing to save her ex-boyfriend Blade Bennett from the clutches of vampire clan leader Talis de Rancourt, even if means becoming immortal herself. What she doesn’t know is that Blade has already defeated Talis, and he’s waiting for Callie in the afterlife.

Now Callie only has her creator, Tristan Trevosier, to turn to for guidance. But he’s too wrapped up in the debauchery of the Las Vegas rock scene to give a damn about the particulars of being undead. That’s enough to drive Callie crazy on its own, but female vampires are automatic clan leaders.

Not only does Callie have no idea how to wrangle a vampire clan, but her would-be followers have more to gain from her failure. They instead choose to follow Blade—and he’s hell-bent on making Callie pay for her bad decisions. Since he took out the existing clan leader, that automatically puts him at the helm of what should be Callie’s new clan.

A Master of Deception.

That’s when seasoned rogue vampire, Cash Logan, shows up, shrouded in magic and mystery. No one is sure which side Cash is on, but Callie needs to take a chance on the one vampire who is willing to give her the answers she needs, no matter how dark and frightening they may be. Callie must trust her instincts and form alliances that may backfire. Cash shows Callie that playing nice is no longer an option, and that fixing her wrongs won’t always make everything right.

To take control of her clan, Callie must look to her rival to discover exactly what makes her a leader.

Available September 1, 2014.

Add to Goodreads     Preorder on Smashwords     Preorder Audible

BECAUSE THE NIGHT and NIGHT MOVES are coming to the party, too!  They’re available again, and check out their new covers.

BECAUSE THE NIGHT has been revamped, with a new edit!  It’s also 99 cents in celebration of the relaunch!

Because the Night (The Night Songs Collection Book 1) on Amazon     Smashwords

NIGHT MOVES–I don’t have a release date for the Audible version, but it is coming soon. It’s being recorded at the same time as WE OWN THE NIGHT

Night Moves (The Night Songs Collection Book 2)on Amazon       Smashwords

To celebrate today you can hear me at 5 PM EST on Lydia’s Literary Lowdown on Blog Talk Radio, and at 7 PM EST, I’ll be “taking over” the Author Reader Con Facebook page. Stop by and say hello! I’ll have prizes and fun stuff!

Meet the Main Character- A Little Blog Hopping Goodness with Callie

Today’s Brew: Anything I don’t have to chew.

by Kristen

I feel like a mad scientist lately. Skulking around in the dark recesses of the Deadly Ever After labs, creating new and improved things to bring to all of you. I’ve been quiet lately, because I have so much to say but I had to be patient and wait. My wait is almost over, Saturday is the cover reveal of WE OWN THE NIGHT, a book I feel like I’ve been telling you about for-evah. It’s also the reveal of the NEW covers of BECAUSE THE NIGHT and NIGHT MOVES.

Aaaah! So excited.

When Shonda Brock tagged me for the Meet the Main Characters blog hop, she had no idea how perfect her timing was.  With all the excitement brewing in Night Songs City this week, it’s the perfect time to reacquaint you with Callie. You may know her, you may love her, you may cringe every time she graces a page. But we can all agree, she’s never boring.  So without further ado…

 1. What is the name of your main character? Is she fictional or a historical person?

Callie Chabot is a fictional character. Without realizing it, I named her after the lyrical muse, Calliope.  Perfect coincidence. Callie definitely has a pull over musicians. Chabot is my grandmother’s maiden name.

2. When and where is the story set?

Because the Night and We Own the Night take place in present day Las Vegas. Instead of endless Cirque du Soleil shows, my fictional Las Vegas features many vampire rock bands in residence instead.  In the books, you meet several bands, but the main one is Immortal Dilemma. They’re in residence at the Alta Vista hotel, which is located where the former Sahara was and future SLS resort will be.  Callie winds up moving in with  Tristan, who lives at the Alta Vista.

3. What should we know about her?

Callie doesn’t look before she leaps.  She’s passionate and driven, but that doesn’t always lead her to the right place.  She might not always make the right decisions, but her heart is always in the right place.

4. What is the main conflict? What messes up her life?

Callie goes to Las Vegas to figure out what the hell is going on with Tristan, since he disappeared and reemerges as a member of a vampire rock star band on a “reality” show.  While she’s there, she finds Tristan still has a pull over her, even though he’s a hot mess and she’s met someone else.  When Blade, her new love interest, goes missing, she turns to the vampire underworld and Tristan for help finding him.  When she does find him in We Own the Night, it creates a whole new mess for Callie. They’re both vying for the same position, as clan leader, and only one of them can do it.

5. What is her personal goal?

Over everything else, Callie wants happiness for herself and everyone around her.  Even when she makes a mess of things.  She also wants respect.  Her good intentions mistakenly thrust her into a leadership role and she needs to get people to take her seriously, like yesterday.

 

6. Is there a working title for this novel and can we read more about it?

Because the Night will be rereleased July 12.  We Own the Night will be released September 1.

 

 

The Night Songs Collection: This Is The Remix

Today’s Brew: I’m off coffee for the rest of the day. I’ll be setting my alarm for 3 AM, because my job is just that glamorous.

by Kristen

I have a confession to make.

I’ve been keeping things from you.  Not bad things, I just wasn’t ready to spill it yet.  But now I am.

I separated from my agent. My decision. Nothing bad happened, we’re still on good terms.  I will always appreciate the fact that Pam gave me my writing wings, and I know I wouldn’t be in this place if I never had her as an agent. I just wanted to take things in a different direction. The more I explored writing and publishing, the more I realized that right now, indie publishing is best for me.  I’ve known this for a while, but when I really wanted to self-publish a book more than even try to shop it around to publishers, I knew I had my answer.

Will I try the traditional route again? Maybe someday, if it’s right. Will I want another agent?  Not right now, but again, I’m leaving all my options open.  It’s exciting.  I have a lot of news to tell you about.

• BECAUSE THE NIGHT and NIGHT MOVES are temporarily unavailable right now. BECAUSE THE NIGHT was re-edited and both books are getting new covers. Guys, they’re fucking awesome. I can’t wait to show them to you.  (Want to participate in the reveal?  Click here.)  Hang Le designed the covers and she knocked it out of the park. The books will rerelease July 12, and I’ll be doing a ton of fun promo that day.  I’ll tell you more about it that week.
• WE OWN THE NIGHT is still releasing September 1, to correlate with the Audible release.  The cover reveal is also July 12, and you know, you should really sign up to participate.  🙂  It’s on Goodreads now.
• Remember that book I said I wanted to self-publish?  Yeah, that’s happening.  It’s a contemporary romance, a new genre for me.  It’s called SECONDHAND HEART, and I’m looking to release it in October.  It features a 21-year-old military widow and a failed reality show star who’ve both come home (to my hometown) to start over.
• That doesn’t mean the end of The Night Songs Collection.  In November, SILENT NIGHT, a book with new characters in the Night Songs world, will be released.  My elevator pitch for this book is Pretty Woman meets Dracula at Christmas Eve Mass.

So like I said, I had some news. It’s going to be a busy few months and I can’t wait to share it all with you.

 

Because the Night has a voice!

Today’s Brew: Chances are, I will either be up in the air or in New Orleans by the time you read this. Headed to the RT convention.

by Kristen

Nothing happening this Tuesday at all. (Yes, I know I’m posting on Wednesday. But I wrote this on Monday. Let all of that sink in.)

Like I mentioned, I’m headed to the Romance Times Convention in New Orleans today.  If you’re there, make sure you come say hi to me!!  Everything I packed is black, so I’ll be the one who looks like the love child of Johnny Cash and Anna Nicole.

I’m also going on a New Orleans vampire tour tonight, which I think is bad ass. Someone let Lestat know I’m on my way, please.

And, most importantly, my book baby is all grown up today!  Today is the Audible release of BECAUSE THE NIGHT!!  It’s narrated by Jessica Almasy, who has narrated over 100 audio books, including some for Gena Showalter.

Be on the look out for the promotional tour this week, brought to you by Wordsmith Publicity. I love these quote graphics!

Cleaning Out The Closet (and a GIVEAWAY!)

Today’s Brew:  Good morning!  We’re back to Blueberry!

by Kristen

NEWS SCHTUFF FIRST:  To celebrate the Audible release of BECAUSE THE NIGHT, my very first book signing this weekend, and my brand spankin’ new Facebook page which you should totally go click like on, I’m giving away 3 ecopies of BECAUSE THE NIGHT!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now that you’ve entered to win, we can talk about stuff. Actual stuff.

I’m a slob. As much as I don’t want to admit it, it’s true. Sure, I keep the house presentable at all times for when people come over, but I’m not afraid to shut the bedroom doors so you can’t see my slobitude. My major malfunction? I drop stuff. Coats, bags, shoes, gym clothes, pjs, whatever. I put it down and that’s where it stays until I decide it’s time to do something about it.  I like to blame my closet, but I’ll let you in on a little secret: that’s total bullshit. I’ve had walk in closets and I do the same thing. I’m one person in a 900 sq ft apartment. There’s plenty of room for everything.

Stuff becomes clutter. Clutter sucks. My bedroom bears the brunt of it, and I’ve actually noticed that I sleep better on the days that I clean it all up. How does even matter? My eyes are closed. The lights are off. But I know.

Today, I had to put away laundry. There was no place to put it. It was time to do something about the stuff, which had now been downgraded to clutter. So I started going through my drawers, getting rid of the deadwood I didn’t even know I had. Things that were too gross to donate (pjs, old gym clothes) went straight in the trash. It always feel weird to do that, but I didn’t even remember I had some of that stuff. Or I hated the way it looked on me. I also rediscovered some former favorites, including the bad ass top I’m wearing today.

Even worse, there were clothes still in shopping bags. Really, Kristen, you needed this SO bad that you never even took it out of the bag? Of course, it just stayed where I dropped it. That stuff got put away so I can actually use it.

Getting rid of the clutter felt good. Really good. There’s something extremely satisfying for me to get rid of something. As I worked, I thought about what I was doing, and how I was going to spend the rest of the day.

I talked a few weeks ago about saying no, and it’s something we don’t do a lot in writing, or any facet of our working lives. We do things that we think are beneficial to us. I never bought those gray sweatpants thinking, ‘wow, I’m going to feel like a whale doing Zumba in these!’ I thought they’d just be workout pants. The problem I found is that as I had more responsibilities to my work, makeup and writing, I don’t often let go of the things I don’t need anymore. So often something that should make my life easier, is just taking up space and becomes clutter.

Look at your routine. What don’t you need anymore?

Everyone does too much. Slow down and enjoy the moment you’re in right now, because you’ll never be here again.

Speaking of slowing down a bit, Julie and I have decided to cut back a bit on our blog posting. We each do two posts a week, which we’ve both enjoyed, but now it’s a lot for our schedules. Julie’s getting ready for Penguicon, preparing Running Away for publication, and doing freelance editing. I am getting ready for NECRWA and RT, putting the finishing touches on two books, and relaunching Because the Night with the audio release. It’s also going into the busy production season.

Our new schedule will be:

Monday  Julie

Wednesday Kristen

Friday Sara

Of course, if something amazing happens like a book sale or release, or if you have a major book life event we are hosting, we will post as needed. I will be posting the results of the survey soon as well. You guys surprised us a bit!  Can’t wait to share!