Since you’ve been waiting – and waiting! – for the 20% of Twice Tempted to be posted, before I get to anything else, here it is. Hope you enjoy it!
Now, a brief recap of last weekend. I’m talking about the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, of course. What a lovely event! First, the volunteers and staff were so on top of things that I didn’t even have a chance to get lost – and those of you who know me, know what a momentous statement that is. On Saturday, they had a staff member grab me almost as soon as I exited my car and they escorted me to the Hospitality area, then to my panel, and then to the signing. You could barely go ten feet without a helpful SWFR staffer asking if you needed anything. Major kudos to them for such a well-organized event!
I only have two photos from the event that aren’t too blurry to be posted. We left NC in a hurry and I didn’t take my camera, so my sister shot these from her cell phone. Here’s one of the back of my head while signing books and the other is the readers waiting for their books to be signed by me or Kim:
Friday night was the dinner at the Ft Myers Royal Palm Yacht Club, where festival attendees and presenters could mingle, eat, and drink while watching a lovely West Coast sunset. My sister came with me since hubby was back at the East Coast hotel keeping our dogs from misbehaving, and we had such a fun time. Then the next day was the “Vampires, Witches and Demons, oh my!” panel with Kim Harrison. We had a great crowd where people asked lots of questions, which is my favorite type of panel, and although this wasn’t my first panel with Kim, now I know that she and I approach writing in the exact opposite way. She writes detailed outlines for each book, even pre-writing the dialogue, and has sticky notes for scene order in chapters, character story boards, and more. I write in the “organic” way, which means when I start a book, I know the first scene, a couple major scenes in the middle, and how it will end, but everything in between comes to me as I write. I do have character story boards, but they’re all in my head instead of neatly written out. In fact, before I started writing Halfway to the Grave, I came across a writer who told me that sticky-note plotting, character boards, and complete outlines were absolutely necessary if I wanted to write a book. It scared me away from trying for years because I am not that organized with anything so I figured writing must not be for me.
Then, after I had that vivid dream that introduced me to Cat and Bones, I figured what the hell – I’d just sit down and write my way and see if I could finish a book. Not only did I finish that book, I finished three more before I even tried to get published.
The moral of this “Who’s writing the right way?” story that both Kim and I stressed at the panel: All of us. Do your best writing when you extensively outline and create character boards, plot notes, and more? Then do it. Not the organized type and plotting everything in advance makes you bored with a story before you’ve even written it? Good news: You, too, can become a published author because the only “right” way is the way that gets you to complete the best book you can. Now, if you find that one method isn’t working, then by all means, try the other (and since Kim is waaaay ahead on her deadlines, I might try a little more organization to see if it helps me to get ahead, too :)).
But enough about writing processes. Let’s get to more events and appearances. This weekend, I’ll be at the Virginia Festival of Books in Charlottesville, VA. I’m very excited to say that for this event (as they did with the SWFR Festival) my publisher is releasing Twice Tempted early, so if you’re in the area, you can get it before it’s officially out next Tuesday. Here’s where you can find me this weekend:
March 22nd 10:00am
Panel. Falling Headphones Over Heels: New York Times bestselling author Jeaniene Frost and audiobook narrators Shannon Parks, Elizabeth Wiley and Anne Flosnik discuss how actors prepare for a project, the research involved, and what it’s like to read steamy scenes aloud.
March 23rd 2:00pm
Panel. Strange Brew: Paranormal authors “spell” out their secrets. Pamela Palmer (A Blood Seduction), Kim Harrison (Into The Woods), Jeaniene Frost (Once Burned), and Vicki Pettersson (The Taken) discuss do’s and don’ts of writing paranormal genre fiction. Location: CitySpace–Charlottesville Community Design Center.
Charlottesville, VA
Hosted by Fountain Book Store.
March 24th, 2:00 pm
Supernatural Sunday Spectacular with Kim Harrison, Vicki Pettersson, Pamela Palmer, and Jeaniene Frost.
Event location: Sam Miller’s restaurant
1212 East Cary Street
Richmond, Va 23219
Oh, and if you’re not local to this event or the others on my schedule this month, I’m having a live Twitter chat with my audiobook narrator, Tavia Gilbert, on March 29th at 1pm Eastern time. Got a question/comment? Then please come out that day! You can find me on Twitter here and Tavia is here.
Okay, have to run now! Must say goodbye to family, pack, and get in one more good Italian meal while I’m in South Florida. I love my home in the NC mountains, but the Italian food there is not quite the same :).
We’re so lucky to have you at Festival of the Book, Jeaniene! Readers who come out to see might win a basket of paranormal books and CUPCAKES. If they like that kind of thing.
We’ll also give out a bag of books to one of your most enthusiastic fan.
I’m really looking forward to seeing you at the Festival of the Book!
The 20% preview is fantastic! Tears and cheers, and I can barely stand the wait for another week. I’m glad to have another audible book coming to send me to sleep at night, as well!
How does one get on the list to receive ‘the first 20%’ of your new novels? Cat and Bones took my urban vampire fantasy “virginity,” … wink, wink…. and I’ve been an impatient fan ever since. I pre-order all your novels with Amazon and would love to have a …. wait for it….. “taste” of what’s to come. (Sorry! Way too much tongue-in-cheek here!).
Also, have you read Tessa Dawn’s “Blood Curse” books? WDYT?
Thanks for sharing your imagination with us.
Leah, you click the link at the beginning of this post to read the first 20% of Twice Tempted. It’s not limited – anyone and everyone can read it. Hope you like it!
Re-the Blood Curse books. I haven’t read them, but I’m behind on my reading. Thanks for the recommendation!
Don’t want to read the 20% Im waiting for the whole thing. I like what you said about your writing process.
I was at the SW Florida Readers Festival – it was a wonderful time!! I was amazed at how different approaches to writing can still produce great works of fiction. You and Kim were simply a treat to listen to. Thank you so much for having Twice Tempted available early – I’m done already! It now goes in my “DO NOT TOUCH” shelf where I keep all my treasured signed novels. I too was very impressed my the level of organization at the event.
So glad you came out, and glad you liked the book, too! 🙂
I shouldn’t have read the 20%!!! Now I’m salivating for more:) Can’t wait until Tuesday!
I know, me too!!
Thank you for saying you are less than organized when it comes to writing. I thought I was the only one “winging” it in my head. I do have sticky notes, index cards and various other forms of outlining, plotting, etc. but I just can never organize them the way I want. My brain just keeps making detours as I write; so I end up trashing half of my sticky notes anyways.
As with all your books, I can’t wait to read more of Vlad. Next to Cat and Bones he has to be one of my all-time favorite characters. Although I seem to have a special perverted place in my heart for Ian.
OMG… I am so aww struck. I can’t believe the twist in the story so far and am really excited to see how the rest plays out. I have read all of the books at leats twice and the once burned more than five times. As I was reading twice tempted via the link I found that I lacked control and was sad it ended before I had my fill.. Now to wait a week is going to be tourture. Much luv to frost, she always pulls me in and knows how to make going to be at four am worth it.
Reading the 20%, I thought I was going to die with emotion! I can’t wait to finish the rest 🙂
Will there be another novel in the Night Huntress World Series?
I would love a novel about Ian and one about Tate. I love them both.
I’ve read the first four novels in the Night Huntress series in 3 days and today I’ll read the first novel in the Night Huntress World. I’m trying to read all your novels until Twice Tempted it’s released (I love Vlad and Leila).
No plans for a NHW novel at this time. I still have two more books to end the Cat and Bones series, then another book to end Vlad and Leila’s series, plus I’m writing an entirely new series unrelated to vampires that will release next year. Not shutting the door on the idea, though. It’s just I have to get through what’s already on my plate first :).
Thank you so much for answering my questions :). I’ve just finished reading Twice Tempted and I loved it (this last week was amazing because I read all your novels and I loved them all).
I can’t wait for the next novel in the Night Huntress series and for the first novel in the Realmwalker series.
I’m so happy to know someday we’ll read Tate’s and Ian’s story.
After getting to know Veritas I think many of us will love a novel about her too (she is great). The problem is that all your characters are amazing and I would love to read their stories too (Juan, Copper, Dave).
Can you please tell me if Up from the Grave will be published this year? Thank you so so much for your beautiful characters and breathtaking novels.
I CAN NOT WAIT for Tuesday to get here! Fantastic read can’t wait to read the rest. Any chance you might do a book tour in Toronto, Canada?
I would love to visit Canada but I don’t have any plans at this time. Maybe one day :).
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