Updates, travels, and various odds and ends
Sep 17, 2012 
Well, sorry for the radio silence from this corner of the internet! As some of you may know from my twitter feed, I’ve been traveling around with co-author extraordinaire Amie. (She just got her plane back to her side of the globe yesterday. I’m pretty inconsolable.)
We caught up with our agents at Adams Literary in Charlotte, then headed to Asheville where we met up with the local author ladies there for dinner and chocolate and discussions of serial killers (thanks for the nightmares, Steph). I managed to get my hands on ARCs of THROUGH THE EVER NIGHT and THE MADMAN’S DAUGHTER, and devoured them both. Seriously, they are amazing, folks. Normally I don’t feel the urge to brag about things when I read them before they hit the shelves, but I will be shouting about these two books for a good long time.
Then on to our writer’s retreat, where Amie and I met up with Sarah Maas, Susan Dennard, and Erin Bowman. We had a fabulous week in this big old lake house, talking craft and critiquing and novel structure. And by that, I mean multiple nights of Disney karaoke at the tops of our lungs. (Which is not to say there wasn’t also SOME writerly discussion. Just, you know. Only when the music wasn’t playing.) There’s something very restful about being immersed in the company of other writers who are approximately at the same stage in the publication journey as you are. No matter what you’re going through, there’s someone there who’s been there too, and you can just let yourself be.
We also had a fantastic signing at Malaprops Bookstore, where Sooz, Sarah and I joined forces with Beth Revis and Gwenda Bond for a panel on Unexpected (but totally kick-butt) Heroines. It’s so much fun to get to sit and talk about books, both our own and those that influenced us, with other folks who love reading as much as we do. I think the best question ended up being “What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever done in the name of writing research?” Oh, the stories that were told. It made me feel so uncharacteristically normal!
When you add in a foodie trip through New York City, multiple lunches and dinners with tons of amazing writers and agents and editors, meeting up with our own fabulous editors from Disney-Hyperion, and about a hundred (non-consecutive) miles of walking… it meant that Amie and I came back to DC a pair of extremely exhausted writers. That said, we got over 25k words written of TBS Book 2 in the midst of all the traveling, so despite the tired, we’re feeling pretty smug.
Still, it’s back to the grindstone now. More TBS #2 to write, plus revisions on Shadowlark. Mostly, I just wanted to throw an update up here in order to kill the rumors that I have A) become a hermit living somewhere in the foothills of the Appalachians, or B) died somewhere in Mexico under a fake name.
And finally, I wanted to let you guys know that you should stay tuned, because there’s awesomeness afoot. I’m going to be introducing a brand new recurring feature on the blog soon, one in which you will get to win tons of awesome books, and get to see a new side of your favorite authors to boot. So come back on Wednesday, for the launch of the new series, and my very first guest.
Hint: it will involve a puppy, a cute reading nook, and one free copy of a super sought-after summer title!
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The Madman’s Daughter O_O
Through the Ever Night O_O
Both on my to-de-read list. Good for you!
Sarah Maas, Susan Dennard, and Erin Bowman
O_O O_O O_O
Awesomeness afoot…
🙂
Through the Ever Night and The Madman’s Daughter – I am so jealous!
That writer’s retreat sounds awesome, and I really wish I could have gone to that book signing. Next time, you guys should come through Houston (please!!!). 🙂
Oh, I can’t wait for the awesomeness coming. With books to win! Yay!