Just a reminder that BLACK DAWN is coming to the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand on May 1! Check out the preorder links on your local independent bookstore, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Walmart, Waterstones UK, WH Smith UK, Whitcoulls New Zealand ... and many more fine retailers.
Tell your friends! Spread the insanity ...
Now, on to the quote of the day!
-----------------------------------
Today's quote comes to you from Team Shane. You're welcome.
The pickup idled slow and deep, and the bed of the thing was approximately the size of a blue whale. The interior of the cab could hold a soccer team. It even had a handy— though empty— gun rack in the back window.
The bumper sticker read: you can have my guns when you pry them from my cold, dead hands. Some joker—possibly the owner of the truck—had added "UN" before "dead" with a black marker. Claire cast a glance at Naomi, who was focused on the same words. There was an odd, vaguely amused smile on her lips that was not just a little creepy.
Shane leaned out the window of the truck and said, “God, I love rednecks. Who wants to drive this bad boy?”
“Not me,” Claire immediately said, at the same time that Naomi said, “I do not know how.”
Shane jumped down from the cab, paused, and stared at the two of them with a blank expression. “Don’t want to?” he asked Claire, and then swung his attention to Naomi, looking even more stunned. “Can’t? Seriously, there’s something wrong with the two of you.”
---------------------
Yep. That's Shane.
-- Rachel
5 comments | post a comment
It's that time again ... the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and Morganville is in dire trouble. BLACK DAWN is coming to the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand on May 1! Check out the preorder links on your local independent bookstore, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Walmart, Waterstones UK, WH Smith UK, Whitcoulls New Zealand ... and many more fine retailers.
Now, on to the quote of the day!
-----------------------------------
This one comes to you courtesy of a scene between Myrnin, Michael, Shane, Eve and Claire ...
Myrnin led them down a maze of corridors into a storeroom, small and dark, that stank of chemicals. Claire remembered it. It seemed a whole lot smaller with the five of them packed inside, but Myrnin squirmed past her, shut the door, and flipped on the overhead bulb, which swung in true horror- movie fashion back and forth above their heads. Just barely above Shane’s, in fact; he hunched to avoid it.
“Great,” Shane said. “Look, I’d rather not be on janitorial duty. I have allergies to cleaners.”
“And to cleaning,” Michael said.
“Look who’s talking. Didn’t they do one of those Animal Planet documentaries about the roaches in your room?”
-----------------------
Back tomorrow with a brand new QUOTE OF THE DAY! Also, be on the lookout for print ads in SUPERNATURAL magazine, the comic LENORE, and television ads for Black Dawn in major markets, coming soon ...
3 comments | post a comment
FULL DISCLOSURE: I received an email (quite passionately worded) from someone who was concerned that my books were available to be purchased by ANYONE, no matter their age, and wasn't this dangerous for the children? The writer went on to say that books should have content warning labels in order to ensure that children didn't accidentally receive anything not "appropriate" -- and that purchases should be restricted by age.
Needless to say, this got me just a little fired up. So, here is the response (without the letter-writer's name or other details) that I sent on this topic.
( Click here to read my anti-warning-label letter! WARNING: May contain the words intellectually lazy ...Collapse )
I will leave you with a quote:
“We are willing enough to praise freedom when she is safely tucked away in the past and cannot be a nuisance. In the present, amidst dangers whose outcome we cannot foresee, we get nervous about her, and admit censorship.” – E.M. Forster, author of Howard’s End, A Room With a View, and A Passage to India
38 comments | post a comment
FIRST IN A NEW FEATURE!
I'm going to cut this for length, so you can skip this incredible tale of what kind of fear mongering gets marketed to the elderly. BUT DON'T BECAUSE IT'S AMAZING.
Let me 'splain.
My mother is turning 85 in the next few months, and like many 84+ year-olds, she has trouble staying abreast of current events (or indeed, any technology invented after the rotary phone). And she gets LOTS of mail. Ridiculous handfuls of mail daily, from all kinds of crazy sources, because she is so polite that she actually *writes back* to these bulk mail idiots to tell them she's sorry she can't help them, and explaining in torturous detail about her medical conditions.
I try to go through her mail when I'm at her apartment to help her keep up with what's real and what's bogus, and talk it through with her.
So this is what I found a couple of days ago that kicked off this new feature.
( Click for images and ranting! Not nearly all of the ranting is mine.Collapse )
I feel better now. Thank you. Oh, and yes, Secure America Alliance does have a website. Feel free to Google -- I don't want to give them link karma. But clearly, they aren't spending your $16.50 on nonsense like web development, since they haven't updated it in, like, forever.
-- R.
P.S. - Lest you think that I am harshing on this poor, idealistic man when CLEARLY THERE IS A PROBLEM, go to the official documentation and definition of the US/Mexico "Totalization" agreements. Totalization agreements have been in place since the 1970s, this one was voted in 2004, and we have similar agreements with Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Canada, the UK, Sweden, France, Chile, South Korea and Australia. Here's some additional info.
Not only that, check out the Snopes busting of this particular urban legend, which was an old chestnut in 2006.
For obvious reasons, I am screening comments. Because crazy people are crazy.
ETA:
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, STOP THE PRESSES ... I pulled up the full text version of H.R. 98 HERE and did a search for "totalization" (which came up empty), then skimmed the text itself. It appears to me that the much-lauded NO SOCIAL SECURITY CHECKS FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS resolution contains, in fact, not one word about any such thing. It concerns making Social Security cards more counterfeit-resistant, establishing employment eligibility databases, etc., but it doesn't say anything like what the letter leads you to believe.
ALSO EVEN MORE ETA
* I called the congressman's office. His staffers (three, including a senior staffer) didn't know about him being featured in the letter, and confirmed that in fact the bill mentioned is unrelated to the specific content of this fundraising letter.
** Even though the plea is, of course URGENT, this particular Apocalyptic hobby-horse has been ridden by Mr. Wilcox since .. you guessed it, 2006. That's just lazy, man. LAZY. We expect better from our cynical fearmongerers!
post a comment
Now available at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
LAST BREATH TOUR EVENTS!
November 1 - ONLINE video launch event - click to visit the Facebook Project Paranormal Books page, and choose the AUTHOR INTERVIEW tab!
Starts at: 3 PM Eastern Time
You can ask questions LIVE during the event, so be sure to get online and help us celebrate the release! We'll be having all kinds of fun.
November 2 - Houston - Murder By The Book
2342 Bissonett Street
Houston, TX 77005
Starts at: 6:30 PM Central Time
Reading, signing, loads of giveaways, raffles & prizes!
November 3 - Omaha - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill!
BARNES & NOBLE #2662
Oakview Mall
3333 Oakview Drive
Omaha, NE 68144
I'll be sharing this bash with the awesome Chloe Neill, author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels, so you MUST be there! It's going to be epic fun. Readings, signings, prizes!
November 5 - Las Vegas - Vegas Valley Book Festival - includes me plus Tera Lynn Childs, James Dashner, Bree Despain, Becca Fitzpatrick, Rachel Hawkins, Sophie Jordan and Veronica Wolff!
YA Paranormal Panel, plus Paranormal Ball
Historic Fifth Street School
401 S. 4th St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Our Paranormal Panel starts at 10:15 am, with a signing at 2 pm and the Paranormal Ball from 7 to 9 pm at the school's auditorium! Break out your fancy stuff! You know you don't want to miss this.
November 6 - Minneapolis/St. Paul - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill and Andrea Cremer!
2100 North Snelling Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
Starts at: 2:00 pm Central Time
I'm delighted to be sharing this event with Chloe, again, as well as the fantastic Andrea Cremer. We'll be having all kinds of crazy fun, so be there!
November 7 - Muskegon, Michigan - Barnes & Noble
5275 Harvey Street
Muskegon, MI 49444
Starts at: 7:00 Eastern Time
I'm on my own for this one, but I'll be reading, signing, holding raffles, and we'll have a total blast, so I look forward to seeing you there!
November 8 - Exton, Pennsylvania - Barnes & Noble
301 Main Street
Exton, PA 19341
Starts at: 6:00 Eastern Time
I really loved coming to Exton, and it was so great of the B&N folks to come to our rescue to host this event this time ... I look forward to having a real party with all of my Exton/Philly friends again! All of the craziness detailed above, too!
November 9 - Syracuse, New York - Barnes & Noble
3454 Erie Boulevard East
Dewitt, NY 13214
Starts at: 7:00 pm Eastern Time
My first official signing in New York! I'm very excited, and I'll be reading, signing, doing raffles, giving prizes, all kinds of great stuff. Please come see me on this next-to-last stop for the tour!
November 12 - Hurst, Texas - Barnes & Noble
BARNES & NOBLE #2344
861 NE Mall Blvd
Hurst, TX 76053
Starts at: 3:00 pm Central Time
This is the closing event of the tour, back in my hometown area, and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone! It will be a great party to close the LAST BREATH launch, so join me there!
10 comments | post a comment
LAST BREATH is coming on Tuesday, November 1! It's already available in the UK and Australia, so be on the lookout ... and it may be sneaking out early in some US locations as well!
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #20 and #21 ... Twice as nice!
Quote #20:
Myrnin's gun was out, and there would be no opportunity now to reload. Mine had two shells left. As Myrnin dragged Oliver for the exit, I fired them in rapid succession, dropped both weapons, and turned to go.
Magnus was in my way.
I grabbed for my knife, but he was faster. His hand went around my throat, and the singing, the singing ... it crawled inside my mind and ripped apart my fury, my will, my soul.
"Not you," he said. "You don't escape, Amelie. Not this time."
He was right. There was no escape. There was nothing now but darkness, and drowning, and despair.
But I had one thing left. Just one.
I couldn't reach my knife, but I could reach the glass vial in my pocket. I crushed it in my hand and let it fall into the water in a bright rush of silver.
The silver flecks spread, and where they touched, draug glittered, turned visible, and died.
My own people would die, too, from the poison, but at least they would be at peace.
"No!" Magnus flung me back, too late; it was done, and there was no undoing it. What I'd dropped into the pool was enough silver poison to kill everything in it. "No!"
He snarled and jumped for me, and I got my knife out, but in the end, his fangs sank deep enough in me to inject a cold, black poison, and I fell.
I heard shouts, and a confused clatter of a shotgun firing, and then ...
... Then it was gone, and my last thought was one of odd satisfaction.
At last, I have stopped running.
Cold comfort, but comfort nonetheless.
Quote #21
"Look, I've done my bit, but I'm not running roadblocks for you," Monica said, and slowed the convertible to an easy rumble.
"Try another route."
"Don't be stupid, they're all blocked. If you want to get in, you're going to have to get stealthy, and trust me, my shiny red four-wheeled baby is many things, but stealthy she is not."
That was true, and Monica wasn't exactly subtle, either. Claire nodded grudgingly. Monica pulled the convertible over to the curb, and the three of them unbuckled and got out.
"Here," Monica said, and reached under her driver's side seat. She pulled out some kind of designer bag -- Claire had no idea how to tell one from another -- and opened it up, and pulled out ...
... A handgun. Not an automatic, like the one Shane had held while sitting on her bedroom floor ... this was a classic revolver.
For a wild second, Claire thought that Monica might actually shoot her; she wouldn't have been all that surprised, actually. There was a lazy cruel pleasure in Monica's eyes as she held the gun, and one eyebrow went up ...
... And then she swung it around and held it butt out toward Claire.
Shane intercepted it, frowned, and said, "Okay, how come you're carrying around a thirty-eight?"
"It's Texas," Monica said. "I have rights. Oh, and check the bullets." She pressed a button on the dash with a slender, perfectly manicured finger, and checked her windblown hair as the black canvas top began to raise up with a whine. "Ciao, losers."
She pulled a U-turn and hit the gas.
LAST BREATH TOUR EVENTS!
November 1 - ONLINE video launch event - click to visit the Facebook Project Paranormal Books page, and choose the AUTHOR INTERVIEW tab!
Starts at: 3 PM Eastern Time
You can ask questions LIVE during the event, so be sure to get online and help us celebrate the release! We'll be having all kinds of fun.
November 2 - Houston - Murder By The Book
2342 Bissonett Street
Houston, TX 77005
Starts at: 6:30 PM Central Time
Reading, signing, loads of giveaways, raffles & prizes!
November 3 - Omaha - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill!
BARNES & NOBLE #2662
Oakview Mall
3333 Oakview Drive
Omaha, NE 68144
I'll be sharing this bash with the awesome Chloe Neill, author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels, so you MUST be there! It's going to be epic fun. Readings, signings, prizes!
November 5 - Las Vegas - Vegas Valley Book Festival - includes me plus Tera Lynn Childs, James Dashner, Bree Despain, Becca Fitzpatrick, Rachel Hawkins, Sophie Jordan and Veronica Wolff!
YA Paranormal Panel, plus Paranormal Ball
Historic Fifth Street School
401 S. 4th St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Our Paranormal Panel starts at 10:15 am, with a signing at 2 pm and the Paranormal Ball from 7 to 9 pm at the school's auditorium! Break out your fancy stuff! You know you don't want to miss this.
November 6 - Minneapolis/St. Paul - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill and Andrea Cremer!
2100 North Snelling Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
Starts at: 2:00 pm Central Time
I'm delighted to be sharing this event with Chloe, again, as well as the fantastic Andrea Cremer. We'll be having all kinds of crazy fun, so be there!
November 7 - Muskegon, Michigan - Barnes & Noble
5275 Harvey Street
Muskegon, MI 49444
Starts at: 7:00 Eastern Time
I'm on my own for this one, but I'll be reading, signing, holding raffles, and we'll have a total blast, so I look forward to seeing you there!
November 8 - Exton, Pennsylvania - Barnes & Noble
301 Main Street
Exton, PA 19341
Starts at: 6:00 Eastern Time
I really loved coming to Exton, and it was so great of the B&N folks to come to our rescue to host this event this time ... I look forward to having a real party with all of my Exton/Philly friends again! All of the craziness detailed above, too!
November 9 - Syracuse, New York - Barnes & Noble
3454 Erie Boulevard East
Dewitt, NY 13214
Starts at: 7:00 pm Eastern Time
My first official signing in New York! I'm very excited, and I'll be reading, signing, doing raffles, giving prizes, all kinds of great stuff. Please come see me on this next-to-last stop for the tour!
November 12 - Hurst, Texas - Barnes & Noble
BARNES & NOBLE #2344
861 NE Mall Blvd
Hurst, TX 76053
Starts at: 3:00 pm Central Time
This is the closing event of the tour, back in my hometown area, and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone! It will be a great party to close the LAST BREATH launch, so join me there!
7 comments | post a comment
Okay, I got way behind ... so I'm catching up!
UK PEEPS: Last Breath is *already out* - go go go!
Everybody else: Only a few days left to go! At the end of this I'm putting in my upcoming tour dates, so check it out, see if I'm coming close to you!
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #17, 18, 19 ... Enjoy!
#17: First, a little of Shane and Claire, with Shane being, well, Shane:
"You're kidding," Shane said. "Do you think I want to visit Crazy McTeeth in his lair of insanity?"
"No," Claire said, "but I'm pretty sure you won't like it if I go alone when I just kind of promised to be with you. So ...?"
"Right. I've been missing Nutty McFang anyway."
"Stop making up names for him."
"What about Count Crackula?"
"Just stop."
#18: Next, drama at the Glass House ...
The locks gave way, and the door swung open, and Michael and Shane came inside. Shane shut the door and locked it, shaking water off his coat and throwing back his hood.
Claire wanted to freeze him like this, in this one moment, where everything was still okay for him. Where he was smiling a little, and normal life was still normal.
Then from the living room, Eve screamed, "Help me!" There was a tortured panic in her voice, and the single instant of peace and normal life shattered, gone.
#19: Last, Myrnin! (from Eve's POV)
"Apparently I have not made myself clear," he said, speaking the way vampires did when they thought you were drunk, stupid, or just deeply worthy of a smack. "If I do not have the blood of someone attuned to this house, then all this is busywork and window dressing. So please, stop following your usual extremely useless agenda of jabbering questions and put the needle in your arm!"
"Are you high?" I blurted it out spontaneously, because the light had caught his eyes, and they looked seriously weird, in a medically-induced kind of way.
Myrnin blinked. "Amelie thought it best to calm me," he said. "Given my distress."
LAST BREATH TOUR EVENTS!
November 1 - ONLINE video launch event - click to visit the Facebook Project Paranormal Books page, and choose the AUTHOR INTERVIEW tab!
Starts at: 3 PM Eastern Time
You can ask questions LIVE during the event, so be sure to get online and help us celebrate the release! We'll be having all kinds of fun.
November 2 - Houston - Murder By The Book
2342 Bissonett Street
Houston, TX 77005
Starts at: 6:30 PM Central Time
Reading, signing, loads of giveaways, raffles & prizes!
November 3 - Omaha - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill!
BARNES & NOBLE #2662
Oakview Mall
3333 Oakview Drive
Omaha, NE 68144
I'll be sharing this bash with the awesome Chloe Neill, author of the Chicagoland Vampires novels, so you MUST be there! It's going to be epic fun. Readings, signings, prizes!
November 5 - Las Vegas - Vegas Valley Book Festival - includes me plus Tera Lynn Childs, James Dashner, Bree Despain, Becca Fitzpatrick, Rachel Hawkins, Sophie Jordan and Veronica Wolff!
YA Paranormal Panel, plus Paranormal Ball
Historic Fifth Street School
401 S. 4th St
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Our Paranormal Panel starts at 10:15 am, with a signing at 2 pm and the Paranormal Ball from 7 to 9 pm at the school's auditorium! Break out your fancy stuff! You know you don't want to miss this.
November 6 - Minneapolis/St. Paul - Barnes & Noble - with Chloe Neill and Andrea Cremer!
2100 North Snelling Ave
Roseville, MN 55113
Starts at: 2:00 pm Central Time
I'm delighted to be sharing this event with Chloe, again, as well as the fantastic Andrea Cremer. We'll be having all kinds of crazy fun, so be there!
November 7 - Muskegon, Michigan - Barnes & Noble
5275 Harvey Street
Muskegon, MI 49444
Starts at: 7:00 Eastern Time
I'm on my own for this one, but I'll be reading, signing, holding raffles, and we'll have a total blast, so I look forward to seeing you there!
November 8 - Exton, Pennsylvania - Barnes & Noble
301 Main Street
Exton, PA 19341
Starts at: 6:00 Eastern Time
I really loved coming to Exton, and it was so great of the B&N folks to come to our rescue to host this event this time ... I look forward to having a real party with all of my Exton/Philly friends again! All of the craziness detailed above, too!
November 9 - Syracuse, New York - Barnes & Noble
3454 Erie Boulevard East
Dewitt, NY 13214
Starts at: 7:00 pm Eastern Time
My first official signing in New York! I'm very excited, and I'll be reading, signing, doing raffles, giving prizes, all kinds of great stuff. Please come see me on this next-to-last stop for the tour!
November 12 - Hurst, Texas - Barnes & Noble
BARNES & NOBLE #2344
861 NE Mall Blvd
Hurst, TX 76053
Starts at: 3:00 pm Central Time
This is the closing event of the tour, back in my hometown area, and I'm really looking forward to seeing everyone! It will be a great party to close the LAST BREATH launch, so join me there!
Thanks, guys. I'll be repeating the tour info as we go along. If you're in New Orleans, I'll be appearing TOMORROW (Friday) at UndeadCon 2 on their paranormal panels!
-- Rachel
7 comments | post a comment
ATTN UK: Waterstones and Amazon UK have sneaked the book out EARLY. So go go go!
ATTN EVERYBODY ELSE: Sorry.
-----------------------------------------------------
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #16 ... A little Glass House discussion
Michael raised his eyebrows and glanced at Eve. "He doesn't sound crazy."
"Er," she clarified. "Crazier. He sounds like he's back to normal, which is baseline crazy."
"Says the girl dressed up in formal Goth mourning," Shane said. "Seriously, who buys a black lace veil? You keep that on hand for special occasions, like prom and kid's birthdays?"
7 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #15 ... Claire takes the lead
"What?" Eve asked anxiously. "What are you thinking? Why is it not good? Please, don't do anything not good, it's been a really awful day, Claire, and honestly, I don't think I can take one more trauma right now."
"I can try to find them," Claire said. "Look, what choice do we have? Amelie's not looking for Michael, or for any of them. She's going to pack up and run with however many of her people are left. If we just wait here, we're sitting ducks for the big Morganville apocalypse. If I can find out where they are, I can get Michael, and Oliver, and Oliver can stop this. He'd rather fight than retreat. He can convince Amelie."
"That's true," Eve said. "He's not really the giving-up type." She blinked back tears and grabbed Claire's hand. "Do you really think you can find Michael?"
"Think about it," Shane said. "Eve, that thing that almost got us -- that's probably what got Michael, if the vamps are so scared. You want Claire to go one on one with it?"
"I won't," Claire said. "All I'm going to do is try to find where they're keeping the ones they take. Then once I know where they are, we can get help. I can call -- "
Shane was shaking his head. "Phones are dead. Hell, for all I know, she's downed carrier pigeons, too. There's no way for us to find you if things go wrong, Claire, and I can't -- I won't let you take that risk."
She put her hands on his face. He looked so serious now, and she ached for him, really, but there was no way that she could hide here. Hiding would get them all killed.
Sometimes, you had to risk everything, and she knew, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that this was the time.
"You will," she told him, and kissed him. It was a gentle, sweet, wrenching kiss, and it made her want to cry at the thought of leaving him. "Shane, I'll come back. Be ready when I do, because this is going to get dangerous."
3 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #14 ... Monica, being Monica, pretty much
Monica Morrell didn't look like she was planning on getting out of town. In fact, she looked like she'd been pulled out of an after-hours club, and as she stalked up the sidewalk, stiletto heels tapping out an impatient rhythm, Claire had to give her style points. Everybody else had a mismatched refugee look, but not Monica. She had on a glittery, figure-hugging mini dress, one that showed off her long tanned legs and curves and cleavage. Even her long, straightened dark hair blew in the wind like a supermodel's.
She slowed down as she caught sight of them, and rolled her eyes. "Oh, perfect," she said. "You guys." She tried to go around them, but Eve stepped directly in her way. "Bitch, please!" Monica tried to shove her, but Shane's timing was perfect; he moved Eve out of the way, and Monica's flattened palm hit his chest instead. "Oh. Well, hello, delicious." She batted her eyes at him. "Looking for something a little less pasty and junior-sized?"
"Keys," he said, and looked down at her hand on his chest. "You're touching me, Monica. That's a bad thing."
"Keys," she repeated, and slowly stepped back. "What do you mean, keys?"
"Car keys. As in, give them up. Now." Shane had that look -- hard, and no bullshit. "We don't have time for your drama, Monica. Nobody does."
post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #13 ... Amelie brings the fight!
AMELIE'S POV!
Myrnin had shed all hint of madness, which was a blessing; he moved with the lithe grace and speed of any vampire, and we communicated through slight gestures and looks as we took the cracked, molding steps up to the building's door. I remembered when this had been built; it seemed like such a short time ago that I'd stood on these steps with the then-mayor, shaded by a black umbrella and waving in regal boredom to a crowd of gawkers. It had been one of the last times I had appeared in public to humans, because one of them had attempted to throw silver solution on me. One of my bodyguards had been badly scarred in the assassination attempt.
I remembered the inside of this place, but it was nothing like my memories. The ruin of the reception area was breathtaking; the carpets were mildewed and curling, the walls furred with thick, black fungus. Paint peeled from the sagging ceiling, but I could still see the lovely art deco designs beneath, like the straight bones of a rotten body.
The narrow hallway ahead was too small for us I to enter together, so with a tiny gesture I held Myrnin back, and plunged on ahead, into a waking nightmare.
At first glance, I thought there was only one figure in the room; we could not see them, not clearly, even concentrating on them directly.
But Magnus wanted me to see him. It pleased him to show me his mask, and behind that, his true nature. The mask was a rubbery caricature of humanity, exactly bland; the thing behind it was made of darkness and rot, and was only vaguely in a shape that mimicked our own.
4 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #12 ... Michael's doing WHAT?
MICHAEL'S POV:
I only made it as far as the end of the block before a police cruiser turned the corner, and its blue and red lights suddenly popped on and flashed. It nosed in to the curb, and a bright light focused on me.
"Hold up," called a familiar voice. I squinted against the light, and it was redirected to glow on my feet instead of my eyes.
Hannah Moses closed her car door and walked toward me, settling her nightstick in its loop on her belt. "Michael Glass," she said. "You planning on explaining to me why you're stealing a dead girl out of the mortuary?"
"To tell you the truth," I said, "I'm not exactly sure I know why I'm doing it."
3 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #11 ... A tea party ... ?
Crazy or not, Myrnin was trying.
For one thing, he'd cleaned up the lab, meaning that he'd moved the leaning stacks of books up against the walls instead of leaving them as trip hazards between the tables. He'd even uncovered the surface of one of the marble-topped tables, and had set up ... God, what was that? A genuine china tea service?
He was standing next to it, wearing his somewhat clean white lab coat with the patch on it that said EVIL GENIUS UNION LOCAL 101 on it, and there were goggles dangling around his neck. For a vampire, he was surprisingly versatile in his wardrobe, and often kind of on crack about it. From a purely objective viewpoint, Myrnin was a good looking guy -- frozen at the age of maybe his mid-twenties, with dark hair and a ready smile. A sharp but handsome face.
If only he didn't crazy it up all the time.
"Have you been watching Doctor Horrible again?" she asked him, as Myrnin poured tea into two delicate floral cups. "Not that I don't love it, but ..."
"Thank you for coming," Myrnin said, and offered the first serving to Shane, saucer and all. Shane blinked and took it, not quite sure what to do with it; the fragile porcelain looked particularly endangered in his large hands. "It's very nice to see you both. And how have you been? Please, sit down."
"Where?" Shane asked, looking around. Myrnin seemed momentarily panicked, and then just ... disappeared, in a vibrating flash. He was back before Claire could draw in a startled breath, and he was carrying two large armchairs, one in each hand, lifting them like they were made of Styrofoam. Myrnin thumped them down on the floor and indicated them with outstretched palms.
"There," he said.
Well, he'd gone to a lot of trouble, really. Shane sat, then jumped back up with a yelp, splashing tea in a pale brown wave.
"Oh, sorry," Myrnin said, and picked up something that looked like a surgical saw from the seat. "I wondered where that had got off to."
"Should I even ask?" Claire said.
"You know I do the occasional research," he said. "And in answer to your question, quite likely you should not. Milk?"
3 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #10 ... DRAMA with the boys!.
"I need to know you're going to stand with us if it comes to a fight," Shane said. "Us, meaning me and Claire and Eve. I need you to say it, right now, because my feeling is that this is going to go real bad, real fast. I can't be worrying about whether or not you've got our backs."
Michael stood up. It was a vampire move, sudden and shocking, and in the blink of an eye, he was looming over Shane, and he had Shane's tee shirt bunched in his fist, lifting him half out of the chair. "You've got to be kidding me! Have I ever not had your back? I had your back when you tried to kill me. I had your back when you were locked in a cage. I've had your back every single time. What do I have to do to make you believe I'm on your side, be an asshole like your dad? Well, I can do that. Maybe if I punch you a few times, you'll be convinced!"
He let Shane drop back down in his chair, and walked out, back stiff. Furious.
Shane sat with his hands clutching at the armrests. He exchanged a stunned look with Eve, and they both stood up at once. "No," Shane said. "I did it. Let me fix it."
He went off after Michael. Eve chewed her lip and said, "Well, we're either going to see half the house destroyed, or their bromance is going to go all the way."
Hugs to all my friends! Boarding the train for DFW!
Rachel
3 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #9 ... Mmmmmmm.
She wrapped herself more closely around Shane. He made a faint, pleased sound in the back of his throat and pulled her over on his lap. Their lips met gently at first, then more urgently. Shane's mouth tasted of rain and the bittersweet memory of coffee, and Claire found herself whimpering a little, wanting more than this, so much more, wanting to know he was alive and with her. The kiss strengthened, and Shane's hands stroked fire down her skin. Suddenly, she felt stifled by the damp clothes. She wanted them off.
"Hey," he whispered, and grabbed her hands as she reached for the hem of her shirt to yank it off. "Wait."
She stopped and stared at him, stricken. Maybe he didn't want her. Maybe all this had made him think she was dangerous. Too dangerous to touch, after all.
"Upstairs," he said. "Got to get you dried off and warmed up properly."
It sounded innocent, but oh, it wasn't. Not at all.
9 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #8 ... You asked for Shane, so I give you INDUSTRIAL STRENGTH!
Shane got up and grabbed the nightgown she'd left on the floor. She expected him to fold it up, maybe put it on the bed, but instead, he returned to the door, sank down in exactly the same spot, and held her nightgown in both hands.
He put it to his face and drew in a deep, shaking breath. "Help me. Please. I can't do this anymore. I can't. God, Claire, please." She'd never heard Shane like this before. He sounded ... broken. Worse than when his father had died, worse than when he'd discovered what use Myrnin had made of him for the lab.
It didn't sound like Shane at all.
12 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #7 ... Richard, Claire, Shane and Monica
Richard said, "You wanted to come, and you promised you'd be civil. If you're not, you go home. No arguments."
"Oh, try not to sound so much like mom, you don't have the ovaries," Monica said. She threw Claire a nasty smile as she strode past them, tossing the carnation to the floor and crushing it beneath her fancy stiletto-heeled shoes. "Isn't there supposed to be dancing? Knowing Eve it'll probably be that crappy death metal and emo ballads, but I came to dance."
"Shut up and put the gift on the table, Monica," Richard said. He handed her a nicely wrapped box, which she held at arm's length as if it held live cockroaches. Claire pointed her to the gift table, already loaded up with presents. Monica stalked over and dropped it on the pile, then turned a dazzling smile and hair-flip on the nearest man.
"God," Richard sighed. "I'd apologize, but you know by now that you can't expect anything else out of her."
"In a weird sort of way, it's comforting," Shane said. "Nice to know something never change. Plagues, death, taxes, Monica."
3 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #6 ... Michael!
MICHAEL'S POINT OF VIEW:
I tried not to show it too much around Shane, but I hated his father. Hated him, more than any human being or creature or whatever on the face of the planet. It wasn't from any one thing, although he'd done horrible stuff to me; I could get over that, bad as it was. No, it was what he'd put Shane through, day after day, all his life. It was bad enough when he was just a mean drunk, pushing his son to be a bully like him; it had gotten ten thousand times worse after Shane's sister and mother had died, and Frank's obsession with destroying the Morganville vampires had taken over whatever good he had left inside.
Shane had a big, dark streak inside him, but honestly, I'd always been surprised that he had anything but the dark, after what he'd been through.
Because of his dad.
So, without turning around, I said, "Back off, Frank, before I find your jar and smash your brain like a boiled tomato."
2 comments | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #6 ... a little taste of crazy.
Claire hadn't had any idea another vampire had been watching them, until Myrnin moved; he'd blended completely into the shadows, which was really odd, because he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt with surfers, a pair of ragged blue jeans, and flip flops.
And sunglasses. Shiny wraparound sunglasses.
"You've described the problem accurately enough," Myrnin said.
"And did you bring what I asked?"
"I'm insane, not forgetful." Myrnin took off the glasses and stuck them up on top of his head. "I thought you were leaving."
"I don't believe that I'm quite ready yet," Amelie replied. She was looking at him very oddly. "What, pray, are you wearing?"
"I thought I might go to the pool," he said. "And I thought I would wear something appropriate. What are you wearing?"
1 comment | post a comment
Now available for preorder at retailers like Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, Indiebound (independent booksellers), Books A Million, or retailers in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand!
QUOTE OF THE DAY #5 ... awwwwww.
"Michael?" Shane shook him, still hold holding him upright with an arm under his shoulders. "Hey, man, you with us?"
Michael nodded. He looked better. Not good, but not as statue-pale now. His eyes were fading back to blue again, slowly. "You had my back." He sounded surprised.
"Always," Shane said. "Thought you knew that."
Eve put her arms around Shane's neck and kissed him, on the lips. He did a funny little wiggle, trying to squirm away while not dumping Michael on his ass, but she kept it brief. "Sorry, but I had to do that," she said. "You rock."
"Yeah, well, you don't have to brand me with lipstick," Shane said, and wiped it off. "My girl's standing right there."
"Your girl doesn't mind," Claire said. She was still scared, but somehow, also elated. Free. Reborn. "I'd kiss you too if I was closer."
"I wouldn't," Michael said. "I don't love you that way."
"That's not what you said last time."
YES, SLASHERS, I AM TEASING YOU. Ha! Not to mention you few out there who are always asking me for Shane/Eve.
ETA: Thanks for the correction! I'm copying text from the uncorrected version. D'oh.
2 comments | post a comment
|
|
|
|
|
rachelcaine
artistic
frustrated
annoyed
excited
content
creative
energetic
crazy
devious
amused
cheerful