Countdown Starting!
We have FIVE WEEKS until the release of SACRIFICIAL MAGIC in the US, can you believe it? It’s almost here!
And of course I’m starting the freak-out that will inevitably lead to me spending release day huddled up on the couch puking and crying and whatever else, terrified I’ll have let everyone down. But I’m trying to be optimistic.
Its helping that so far the advance readers seem to be enjoying the book very much. And I link to that page because, if you are a Goodreads member in the US, you can enter a drawing to win your very own copy!
Also lovely are the great reviews so far for HOME, the Heroes & Heartbreakers short. It is a *romance* story; I think it’s probably about as romantic and cheerful as a Downside story can be, really, and I’m thrilled and amazed by how enthusiastic everyone has been/is being about it. Remember, though, it’s only going to be available for a couple more days; after that it will be pulled, and will be “officially” released for sale in April (I believe it’s April), so read it now!
And of course, I’ll be posting some bits and pieces from SACRIFICIAL MAGIC here soon; the first chapter, and the songlist, and probably another excerpt or two (in fact, there’s one at the end of this post!). Deleted scenes etc. will go up one month after release.
I’m looking for someone to perhaps help design a few new t-shirts for the Downside Market (our desktop with the image program is in storage at the moment, so I can’t do them myself just now, which sucks). I can’t really pay money but I *can* promise a free t-shirt, so please let me know if you’re interested.
Additionally, for my artist pals out there…Suvudu is doing an art contest for the Supernatural Cage Match 2012! Details here. As I mention below, Chess will be “competing” in this, and I’d loooove to see not only your vision of her but see one of my readers get exposure like that; a lot of people read Suvudu and especially the Cage Match, and I’d be thrilled to see one or more of you get to participate. (Of course, you don’t just have to draw/create an image of Chess; there are sixty-four characters in the Match!)
AND…I’m thinking contest(s), and I have a couple of GREAT prize ideas, including one I’m really excited about that I can’t discuss quite yet but will be able to soon. But think merchandise you can wear that isn’t clothes. Hee.
So far I’m thinking I’ll run entries the way I did for the Name-a-Character contest I did for the release of CITY OF GHOSTS: you get two entries for pre-ordering the book, two for blogging about the books/series, one for tweeting about it (using, I’m thinking, #sacrificialmagic as a hashtag).
I didn’t do entries for reviewing on Goodreads/LibraryThing/Shelfari/Amazon/B&N for the last books and I’m still not sure how I feel regarding that, so I’m considering it and am open to your thoughts. See, the thing is, I’m very conscious of how it looks to ask for or encourage reviews on those sites and it bothers me personally to do so; I feel it’s unethical. But I also feel like anyone who spreads the word about the books and/or takes the time to write a review deserves some sort of entry for it and I hate to ignore people who don’t have blogs or Twitter or even accounts at various reader sites; if the only place you participate as a reader is Amazon, how is it right or okay for me to tell you that you don’t get to enter, you know? But at the same time, it *is* rewarding reviews on Amazon/B&N and I just think that’s kind of icky, so… Perhaps I’ll just leave it at Goodreads/LT/Shelfari and skip Amazon/B&N, which feels much better to me, because those sites aren’t actual stores where people go to buy books. (There will be a separate contest for the Downside Army, too, so members can enter both.) (Also, did you know you can “Like” books on Amazon? I just realized it, how long has that been going on?)
Speaking of Goodreads, I’m considering doing one of those Author Q&A groups, where you can ask questions and stuff for a set period of time; I was thinking of maybe March 26th-April 17th, which is about a month. Would anyone be interested in that? I’ll be doing a lot of interviews etc. elsewhere, as well; I’m already booked on several sites for the week before and week of release (and if you’re interested in having me as a guest on your site/blog, please do get in touch soon, because my calender is filling), so there will be other chances, but the Goodreads Q&A seems like fun and we can have a special section for spoilers that will ensure no one else is, well, spoiled by the questions/discussion.
Upcoming:
Chess will be “competing” in Suvudu’s big huge Supernatural Cage Match, which will take place throughout March. I know who she’s battling and can’t tell yet, but a big part of the Cage Match is reader participation, and we’re encouraged to urge our readers to go and vote. So look out for that; I’m really excited about this and very hopeful that Chess can advance to the next round!
I’ll be posting my Big Release event schedule soon; a lot of blogs are doing some really cool giveaways you won’t want to miss! And of course I’m trying to think of some more fun stuff to do as well. It’s just crazy that we’re so close!
A little excerpt:
She wasn’t going to run away. From what, a ghost? Some asshole who decided it would be fun to have a little tea party with a ghost? No fucking way.
She pulled her knife out of her pocket and snapped it open, used her left hand to grab a handful of asafetida and graveyard dirt. Let them fucking come. She was ready.
What she wasn’t ready for was the quick, fast whoosh of something flying through the air, or the heavy sharp pain in the back of her skull. The dirt and her knife flew from her hands; the floor flew up to greet her. Painfully.
She barely had a chance to realize what had happened before everything went dark.
Originally posted at Stacia Kane. You can comment here or there.