Samaritan’s Purse. 4 Star rating on Charity Navigator. Website is here. Twitter is @SamaritansPurse . Donations also accepted via text: “SP” to 80888 for a $10 donation (US). Msg and data rates may apply.

If you prefer to donate to another charity, here is a link to Charity Navigator, which screens charities to weed out the scam ones.

And in the midst of all the heartbreaking stories coming out of Oklahoma, here was one that made me cry happy tears:

Woman finds dog in rubble on live TV.

DRACULA, starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Nonso Anozie and Jessica De Gouw. Do I really need to elaborate on why I’m looking forward to this show? . Link to trailer here.

SLEEPY HOLLOW, starring Tom Minson, Nicole Beharie, Richard Cetrone, John Cho, and Gordon Dillard Jr. I’ve been fascinated by the story of the Headless Horseman since I was a child, so I can’t wait to see this retelling setting Headless and Ichabod Crane (and a sexy Ichabod at that!) in modern times. In fact, I’m so sold on the story that I stopped watching the trailer halfway through so I wouldn’t be spoiled on any plot points. Can’t wait! Trailer link here.

ALMOST HUMAN, starring Karl Urban, Michael Ealy, and Lili Taylor. Did you see the part where it’s starring Karl Urban? That alone would’ve sold me. Add in the show being produced by J.J. Adams (who produced Fringe and directed the new Star Trek movies, to name a few) and the cool-looking scifi elements in the trailer and I’m marking this as must-see tv. Link to trailer.

Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., starring  Clark Gregg, Brett Dalton, Ming-Na Wen, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge and Chloe Bennet. Produced by Joss Whedon. I probably don’t need to say more to some of you, but as a superhero movie junkie and a big Whedon fan, I’m all over this one. Plus, it proves what I’ve hoped for since seeing The Avengers – agent Coulson isn’t dead! *throws confetti* Long live agent Coulson! Trailer link here.

So, that’s what I’m looking forward to in new shows. Am I missing any exciting debuts?

The official premise is this: “In the shadows of a rusted Pennsylvania steel town, the mangled body of a teenage girl is discovered. As they hunt for a monster among them, rumors mount and many of the eccentric residents become suspects, from the newly arrived gypsy family to the wealthy Godfrey clan. In the twisted world of Hemlock Grove, everyone hides a dark secret. From director Eli Roth comes a chilling supernatural series based on Brian McGreevy’s novel.”

More than werewolves lurk in Hemlock Grove. There are also “upirs” which we would call vampires and there’s an element of magic, too. None of this is unusual for a supernatural series, but where Hemlock Grove differs from other shows is that it’s truly a horror series. Between the explicit violence and equally explicit sex, it’s also very adult content even though most of the main characters are in high school. And despite it’s sometimes campy cinematography and slow start, the characters are what grabbed me. It’s easy to cheer for characters who are trying to do the right thing under horrible circumstances, but when I can be revolted by a character’s actions and yet still want that character to find redemption, the show’s worth watching for me. I really hope Netflix picks up Hemlock Grove for a second season.

So, if you’re looking for something that David Hiltbrand of the Philadelphia Inquirer called “lush, gross, frightening, and ridiculous–all at the same time” and you have Netflix, then I recommend Hemlock Grove. 

Main cast: Famke Janssen, Dougray Scott, Freya Tingley, Landon Liboiron, Penelope Mitchell, Bill Skarsgard (yes, True Blood fans, he’s Alexander Skarsgard’s younger brother) and Lily Taylor.

Me and Erika at RT13.

And now, to the recap that will leave out so much because my memory sucks as a general rule. Add in the constant whirl of people and events at a large convention and you’re probably only getting ten percent of what actually happened. However, thanks to my sister accompanying me and forcing me to pose, now I have pictures! (everyone say “Thank you, Jinger!” if you like pics).

Tina Reber, me, Jamie McGuire, and Raine Miller.

We arrived Wednesday afternoon after a two day drive and I had enough time to change clothes, put on fresh makeup, and hustle to two back-to-back panels. The first was Shifters, Weres, Vamps and Fae talking about worldbuilding, creatures, characters, and more. The second was Blood Lite where we chatted about the important aspect of humor in paranormal novels, a topic near and dear to my heart.

Thursday morning started with the A Man In A Woman’s World panel where we talked about writing from a male’s point of view. Probably the best audience laugh was when I quoted author/friend Ilona Andrews’ admonition of how not to write male pov: “Remember you are not just writing about chicks with dicks.” *grin* Take a bow, Ilona! After that was the New Adult panel, where I got to talk about my upcoming new series, tentative title Realmwalker, releasing fall 2014. I also learned from panelists that paranormals were rare in NA (not for long! ) and so was third person multiple pov. Panelists also agreed that the success of several self-published novels featuring older-than-YA-yet-younger-than-traditional-adult characters showed traditional publishers that NA had a market of avid readers, so way to go, indie trailblazers!

From left: Molly Harper, Pamela Palmer, Rachel Vincent, Gordon Andrews, Ilona Andrews, and Yours Truly (Jeaniene Frost).

Next up was the Fated To Be Mated or Catch Me If You Can panel about crafting couples in paranormal romance. I moderated this and learned an important lesson from panelist Alma Katsu: Always bring the audience bribes. Alma offered up four of her novels to readers who asked questions and let me tell you, hands went up like rockets! Since an engaged audience results in a better, more entertaining panel, I offered character bracelets as bribes in the next panel I moderated. That was on Friday morning panel titled The Long Kiss Goodnight, which discussed the how-to’s and why’s of writing a recurring hero/heroine in romance. Panelists Pam Palmer, Molly Harper and Rachel Vincent also offered up copies of their books, so we had a lively exchange with the audience. Oh, and if you get the chance to see authors Ilona and Gordon Andrews on a panel, trust me – do so. They are hilarious, especially when they disagree.

Me accepting the award & trying not to show how nervous I was.

After that was the Romantic Times awards ceremony, where author John Scalzi brought the giggles by having both male model attendants escort him arm-in-arm up to the podium. Then author Meljean Brook, winner of the overall 2012 best novel, made me tear up when she talked about how she wrote for her daughter so she’d know about happily ever afters (when she was old enough, of course). When it was time for me to accept the award for best vampire novel (Once Burned, thank you RT reviewers and readers!), I just wanted to cede my time to Meljean. She rocked it that hard. I was also delighted that friends Ilona and Gordon Andrews won two – two! – writing awards. Go team Andrews!

Later that evening was the Avon Red Slipper party, where readers were treated to free liquor, books, and chocolate fountains. Do I need to say how much of a happy crush that event was? My only regret is that I didn’t get to partake of the chocolate fountains. To those who were there, were they as yummy as they looked??

Me and my fabulous agent, Nancy Yost.

The next day, Saturday, was the official book fair. Unfortunately, I woke up with a headache that just kept getting worse. The book signing room was HUGE and I’m not a great navigator under normal circumstances, let alone with a migraine that makes me light and noise sensitive. RT reviewer Jill Smith saw me looking around in confusion and showed me to my seat, saving me from being late (thank you, Jill!). Halfway through the signing, I  had to take a second dose of my migraine meds, so if you came to the signing and thought I looked a little off, you’re right. I was. Needless to say, I spent a quiet evening in my hotel room that night.

Sunday morning, my migraine was gone, which was a good thing since it was time to start the long drive back to NC. We arrived home on Monday night and since then, I’ve been getting caught up on emails, snail mail, laundry, and other glamorous chores. Next up is writing, of course, and then Friday night from 7pm – 9m EST, I’m chatting again with the lovely people from Gotta Have Paranormal With A Kick. As you may remember, my live chat with them last month was cut short due to Goodreads having technical issues, so I’m glad they were able to reschedule me. If you want to come out for the chat, the link is here. Hope to see some of you there!

Wednesday, May 1^st

3:45 – 4:45pm

(Craft) Shifters, Weres, Vamps and Fae: Find out why urban fantasy and paranormal romance authors love writing nonhuman heroines and heroes. From revisiting old legends to creating new species, how do authors make their creatures both beloved and identifiable? Unlock some insider secrets about the authors’ favorite characters, and — for aspiring authors — tricks and tips on how to effectively make your supernatural beings all-too real.

Moderator: Andria Holley. Panelists: Jennifer L. Armentrout, Alyssa Day, Jeaniene Frost and Yasmine Galenorn.

Location: Ballroom Level. Room:  Chicago A

5:00pm – 6:00pm

(Vampire) Blood Lite: Humor can make the best of any bad situation, and being undead is no laughing matter — or is it? Come share a chuckle as bestselling vampire fiction authors discuss why humor is the best protection against the darkness of the undead.

Captain: Caridad Pinerio. Panelists: Cat Adams (C.T. Adams), Jeaniene Frost, Susan and Clay Griffith, Molly Harper, Jeri-Smith Ready and Elisabeth Staab. 

Location: Mezzanine Level; Room: Empire A

Thursday, May 2nd

10:00am – 11:00am

(Urban fantasy) A Man in a Woman’s World: Urban fantasy heroines aren’t the only ones kicking ass; their heroes are right by their sides. But how do you handle writing a male point of view when you’re a woman? Come talk with this panel of authoresses about getting inside the heads of the opposite sex. We’ll discuss how to decide on narration style, how to (gasp!) handle sex and romance, and — most importantly — how to make it all believable.

Captain: Richelle Mead. Moderator: Nicole Peeler. Panelists: Jeaniene Frost, Jackie Kessler (a.k.a. Jackie Morse Kessler, Caitlin Kittredge, and K.A. Stewart. 

Location: Mezzanine Level. Room: Empire A

11:15am – 12:15am

(New Adult) Coming of Age: New Adult Fiction. Remember frat parties? Your crappy first apartment — and your hot neighbor? Those were some drama-filled years. Yet publishing wisdom was, don’t write a book set in college or in the years just after, no one will buy it. But thanks to an ever-expanding young adult market and the self-publishing revolution, there’s a hot new genre: New Adult. Set in those drama-filled college and post-college years, New Adult  stars protagonists ages 18 to 25. Want to break into this hot new market? Come hear from these bestelling, New Adult authors. How hot is too hot? Which publishers are buying? What are the boundaries to breaking in? We’ll tell all.

Moderator: Elissa Petruzzi. Panelists: Jennifer L. Armentrout, Cora Carmack, Jeaniene Frost and Molly McAdams.

Location:  Mezzanine Level. Room:  Chouteau A

1:30pm – 2:30pm

(Paranormal) Fated To Be Mated or Catch Me If You Can: Writing believable, passionate couples set in paranormal worlds where the normal dating rules don’t always apply (or do they?).

Captain: Jeaniene Frost. Panelists: Kerrelyn Sparks, Yasmine Galenorn, Alma Katsu and Lara Adrian.

Location:  Mezzanine Level. Room:  Empire A

Friday, May 3^rd

10:00am – 11:00am

(Paranormal) The Long Kiss Goodnight: Benefits, drawbacks, and how-to’s of writing a recurring hero/heroine series in paranormal romance where the happily-ever-after doesn’t come in the first book.

Captain: Jeaniene Frost. Panelists: Pamela Palmer, Molly Harper, Rachel Vincent, Ilona Andrews.

Location:  Mezzanine Level. Room:  Empire A

1:00 – 2:30pm

Awards ceremony. Exhibit Hall B located on the Mezzanine Level. Accepting award for Best Vampire Romance for Once Burned.

6:00pm – 7:30pm

Avon Mixer and book giveaway (free books, drinks, and food!)

Location: Lobby Level. Room:  Gillham Hall

Saturday, May 4^th

11:00 am – 2:00pm

Giant Book Fair. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. I will sign anything you bring me (books from home, notepads, e-readers, e-reader covers, etc)

Location: Mezzanine Level. Room: Exhibit Hall A

Hope to see some of you there!

There’s always one more grave to dig.

“After you’re done with Cat and Bones and Vlad and Leila, will you continue to write about the Night Huntress World?”

“Has Maximus been cut off from Vlad’s line and is there any chance he can redeem himself to Vlad and Leila?”

“NH will be over soon (I am extremely sad about that). How do you feel about that and are you ending the series with a bang?”

“Are any of the characters in your books like yourself?”

“Do you listen to music when you write? Do you have a certain album that helps the writing process along?”

“How did you start? I mean, were you rejected by any agents?”

“Will we ever meet Timothy? (Where is he now? Etc?)”

“You’ve got such a fresh point of view on Dracula, and I love it! What made you think of this version of the Dark Prince?”

“I am very interested to know if we will have more interaction with the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau?”

“What gives with Don? He’s still secretive, even as a ghost.”

“I have a serious love/hate feeling about Vlad. During the writing process do you ever stop and think, ‘Wow, this guy can be a real jerk!’?”

“Could you please tell me when Cat And Bones book #7, which I believe is called Up From The Grave, will be available for pre-ordering?”

“Will you ever write a book about Ian?”

If any of these were questions you were wondering about, listen to my answers below . I answered them in the order that they appear here, and my apologies for how my voice doesn’t always match the movements of my mouth. The screen would freeze for a couple seconds and that messed things up a bit.

Direct link here.

Direct link here.

Direct link here.

If none of those were questions you were wondering about, here’s something that may interest you – a small scene snippet from Up from the Grave, Cat and Bones #7. Warning: If you haven’t read my story in The Bite Before Christmas anthology, there is a major spoiler about Bones and Ian at the bottom of this. Aside from that, I’ve kept it spoiler-free by replacing some words with “redacted.”

***

The RV smelled like an Italian restaurant that had been overrun by stoners. Needless to say, I didn’t want to speak to my uncle at the moment, so if Don had any intentions of traveling to [redacted], he was doing it by ley line. We had enough garlic and weed to hold off an ethereal army.

Tyler also wasn’t going with us to investigate [redacted]. The medium stated that he and Dexter were sitting this one out – a wise choice. It also gave me a trusted person to leave Helsing with. My cat had probably run through eight of his nine lives from the other battles he’d unwittingly been a part of. I wasn’t about to drag him along on what might turn out to be our most dangerous one ever.

We didn’t go straight from New Orleans to Charlottesville, though. We stopped by Savannah, Georgia first. Knowing the person we were picking up, I expected the address he gave us to end in either a grand house or a strip club, but we pulled up to a modest townhouse near Forsythe Park instead.

“The Nav system must’ve gotten lost,” I muttered.

Then the door opened, dispelling that notion. A tall, auburn haired vampire sauntered out, pausing to blow a kiss at the disheveled-looking blonde who lingered in the doorway despite only wearing a towel.

“Have that spatula ready when I return,” Ian sang out to her.

“I don’t even want to know what that means,” were my first words when he climbed into the RV.

Ian clucked his tongue as he settled into the chair behind us.

“You don’t already? Shame on you, Crispin. Married how long and you haven’t spanked your wife with a metal spatula yet?”

I’d gotten used to Ian’s casual assumption that everyone was as perverted as he was, so I didn’t miss a beat.

“We prefer blender beaters for our kitchen utensil kink,” I said with a straight face.

Bones hid his smile behind his hand, but Ian looked intrigued.

“I haven’t tried that…oh, you’re lying, aren’t you?”

“Ya think?” I asked with a snort.

Ian gave a sigh of exaggerated patience and glanced at Bones.

“Being related to her through you is a real trial.”

This time, Bones didn’t attempt to conceal his grin. “That’s why you can pick your friends but not your family, cousin.”

An emotion flashed across Ian’s face before he covered it with his usual I’m-a-pain-in-the-ass-and-proud-of-it smirk. If it were anyone else, I’d swear it was childlike joy at hearing Bones call him “cousin.” Recent events had revealed their long-lost human connection, making Ian both Bones’s vampire sire and his only living blood relative.

That meant I was never getting rid of him. Then again, considering what my blood relatives had done, Ian was almost a saint by comparison.

“You didn’t say much when you rang me, so what’s the crisis you need my help with this time?” Ian drawled, sounding bored.

***

Speaking of chats, I have a video chat scheduled for tonight with the lovely folks at Fresh Fiction. It’s not streaming live, but it will be recorded and then uploaded later. Once I have the link, I’ll be sure to post it.

I’m also having another video chat on the Goodreads Featured Author Group. Questions are already being posted, so you can add yours here if you want to. I’ll pick ten or fifteen out of the questions asked and answer them on the video blog, so check it out once it’s up to see if I answered yours .

And finally, people of Boston, please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you during this very difficult time.

Just in case the image didn’t work, the full web page is here: http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/1260503-author-q-a-jeaniene-frost-april-12-7-9-pm-est .

Hope to see some of you there!

# 8 on the USA Today list

# 8 on the New York Times Mass Market list

# 5 on the New York Times Combined Print and Ebook list

# 6 on the New York Times Ebook list

# 21 on the New York Times Combined Hardcover and Paperback list

# 9 on the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance list

It also appeared on the Audible.com Audio Books bestseller list, but I couldn’t find a number for that. Still, big yay for that, too! (and big thanks to narrator Tavia Gilbert, of course).

I’m supposed to know how to use words, but they really fail in light of this .