Just crossed 90k in the rough draft. Still have at least 3-5k to go. Longest first draft in forever. Sigh. But I'm almost there. ALMOST.
Hope everyone else had a good weekend. All I did was type. 
(And I'm STILL NOT DONE. AAAAH.)
Just the FAQs, ma’am
Posted by in Blog - Misc | Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries - (11 Comments)Hey everybody! It's Friday - WOOOO!
I think the majority of my blog tours are over for the moment - and I have to say that while it was fun, I'm glad to be able to give myself a little mental R&R for a few days! At least when it comes to blogging.
I did see a few of the same questions pop up repeatedly, so I thought I'd answer a few of them here so you don't have to fish for answers.
Q: When does book 2 come out?
A: It's out now! Honest! It's available on Amazon and at Borders and anywhere you can imagine! I've even heard it's at Kroger. Heck, I have SEEN it at Kroger. And it's a pretty, pretty cover.
Q: Who's on the cover of the first book? The 2nd?
A: Noah is on the cover of the first book - the hair's longer than I pictured for him, but the model is so pretty that I can't even be disappointed! Zane is on the second cover.
Q: This is a series, right?
A: Yes it is! Same characters, multiple books. Book 2 can be read without book 1, but it's a lot like watching a TV episode and missing the pilot. You'll catch on, but it might take a commercial break or two.
Q: When does book 3 come out?
A: Very very early 2011. I haven't heard the official month yet, but probably January 2011.
Q: Why so long?
A: Because my publisher releases two books a year for their authors and both of mine came out back to back! (btw, I <3 my publisher for the back to back)
Q: Why does your journal suck so much lately?
A: I know. 
Sadface! The thing is...I'm crazily busy. December was ridiculous, and January is turning out to not be much better. I have a day job and we've been at crunch-time and will be until March 1st. And that is also conveniently when book 3 is due to my editor.
Here's a peek into my writing process - I write the draft at night, after work. It comes out in a flurry of words that are usually crap words. Like, I don't give snippets a lot because they are WOAH BAD. I read a sentence aloud to my husband the other day to ask his opinion, and this is how the conversation went:
Me, reading sentence: Blah blah blah blah blah sentence stuff that I can't share because it is spoiler-iffic. So what do you think, honey?
Him: Erm.
Me: Erm?
Him: That's not...the finished sentence, is it?
Me: Well, it's staying in here for now. But this is a rough draft.
Him: But that's an awful sentence. Like, really bad.
Me: I KNOW BUT IT'S ROUGH DRAFT.
Him: You're going to rewrite it, right?
Me: I didn't ask your opinion about the sentence. I want to know about the PLOT.
Him: Is your whole book written like that?
Me: You know what? Nevermind.
Him: Do you need my help writing it?
Me: ... I'm done here.
Heh. So, first draft is badbadbad. But I never turn in a first draft! I go back through the book immediately after I finish it and begin to do a second draft of things I couldn't squeeze in to the first draft. Things like uh, plot points I forgot, personality for characters, etc. Then once that's done, I print the entire thing out and edit it again.
The book is due March 1. I am um....still not done with the rough draft. Normally the rough draft ends at about 80k, and after all clean ups, it ends at about 87k or so - a nice, sensible size for a book.
Book 3 (Which I am now calling THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT SUCCUBI because I am weird like that) is currently 85k. And I still have at least 10k to go. Which I really need to write this weekend.
So - deadline crunch for Jill! The good news is that if you're waiting on book 3, it's going to be meaty and chock full of story, and longer than the last two books. The bad news is that my brilliant journal will probably be less brilliant for the next few weeks while I try to squeeze all the brilliancy into my book.
So...I hope I hit everything pressing! If you have something else you want me to answer, leave a comment and it'll give me fodder for additional posts. 
Today is the release day for book 2, SUCCUBI LIKE IT HOT.
Here's the back blurb:
Nobody said Sucking was easy.
With a flirtatious new figure, her dream job as an archaeologist, and two gorgeous boyfriends to scratch her seductive Itch—an angel and a vampire—Jackie Brighton is totally getting the hang of life as a succubus.
Then her need for sex spirals out of control, and she accidentally knocks the pizza guy unconscious with her touch. Great, she’s cursed. Unfortunately, neither of her jealous lovers is exactly talking to her right now.
So after Jackie strikes a deal with a crafty demon, she and her best friend Remy take a cross-country road trip to deliver a cryptic message to the nation’s oldest succubus (who doesn’t look a day over eighteen.) Their journey gets weirder with every mile—demonic possession, a charming stalker, a deadly hotel room warning—but when they get to New Orleans, Jackie discovers a dangerous catch to her supernatural bargain. Someone wants her dead (again), but has she been sleeping with the enemy?
Or do the forces of evil think they’re some kind of match for a vixen in a miniskirt?
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I'm really excited about this one, as I think it's a smoother, faster-paced story than book 1 (and hey, I liked book 1 too). You should be able to buy a copy just about anywhere books are sold.
As for blog tours today, I'm over at Ilene Wong's journal today! We're talking more sex. What can I say? It's a fun topic.
Productive weekend is productive!
Posted by in Blog - Succubus Diaries | Blog - Writing - (3 Comments)I'm hard at work on Book 3 still (STILL!) and felt like I made some big progress this weekend, so that was nice. I'm in the midst of a big, important scene and my brain is starting to shut down, which means that it's time to let it go for the evening. Tomorrow, I'll tackle the rest of the scene again when my brain is a little fresher and feels less like beef jerky.
Where is my little counter thingie? I haven't used it in a few days. Here we go:
I've increased the word count for the book a little more because I do think it's going to run longer. I'm at the point in the book where I bullet-point out each plot point/scene that is left and assign an approximate word count so I can see how much more I have to write. My conservative outline shows I still have 26k left, but that will probably run a little long. We'll see!
Tiny snippet from tonight (ignore any punctuation foobars):
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I needed to find my friend. Then we could get out of here and leave this horrible place behind. I looked around the destroyed wreckage for any signs of life. "Where is Remy?"
As if on cue, the far end of the rubble surged. Like a massive, bronzed pillar, Ethan arose from the garbage, all hulking shoulders and messy dark hair. His shirt had torn and clung to his waist in mere strips, leaving his heaving torso bare.
Clinging to his leg like a damsel in some sort of Conan movie was my friend, Remy.
"Remy," I yelled, circling around the ruins to run back to her side. I dropped to my knees near her, relieved at the sight of her alive and in one piece. "Are you okay?"
She stared at me, uncomprehending, then stared up at Ethan in a daze. "Big."
I touched her cheek, turning her face to me. "We were so worried about you!"
She blinked, then looked up at Ethan again, and caressed his muscular leg. "So...biiiiiig." Her voice trailed off in a breathy sigh.
Erm. Now was not the time.
#
PS - I didn't forget about the re-giveaway. I'm going to hold both books and give them away on Goodreads (along with book 2! A set!) when I get my copies for book 2 in. At least in Goodreads I automatically get addresses and can send them out, right? Right. So be looking for that, and I'll be sure and let everyone know when you have a chance to win again.
Hi Everyone! It's here! It's finally here! The book AND the blog tour!
What is the blog tour all about, you ask? Well, hop on over to Gretchen McNeil's blog and hear all about it. Twenty brief interviews! Twenty days of madness! Twenty chances to enter!
What you need to know: It's all about me. And my books! And writing in general. Actually, mostly about writing.
What you want to know: You can win a query letter critique from my agent, Holly Root.
Check Gretchen's post for all the details first!
Then, the Official Blog Tour starts over here at Amy Bai's journal...
Just in time (well, not really) for the holidays!
Still not shipping from Amazon yet, but I imagine it will soon.
ETA -- Shows in stock from Amazon. So if you want to order it, you should be able to now.
Author copies! Win a free signed copy!
Posted by in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries | promo - (74 Comments)SO PRETTY! I'm so excited - it's beginning to feel real!
And before anyone asks - they're all pretty much spoken for (that didn't take long, eh?).
To celebrate getting in author copies, I'll give away two signed copies right here. I'll even throw in some matching bookmarks. Just comment either here on my website journal or on my LJ and you'll be entered to win a signed copy (continental US only please). You have between now and 12:00 noon on December 29th (release day!) to comment.
ETA -- I'm also going to give away two copies on Goodreads (what the hell, right?) so if you have a Goodreads account, sign up to enter over there too! The URL isn't up yet, but I'll post it when it is. Good luck!
There is a somewhat large, somewhat light box under the tree. I am optimistic that I have worn the husband down and he has relented to his "No Snuggie" rule. We shall see! *rubs hands gleefully*
In other news, I was having quite possibly one of the worst weeks I have had all year, but a few things made it better.
1) A tower of chocolate from Ilona Andrews. She is a freaking godsend. I definitely needed chocolate today.
2) My editor sent me a real, live, advanced copy of my book! I have to admit, I'm not the most sentimental person but I totally teared up at the sight of it. There were times that I thought this book would never make it onto the shelf, so to hold it in my hands, all pretty and with foil on the title...I choked up. Just a little.
3) Two amazing reviews on the Bitten by Books website. The whole thing is still new to me, y'all, so each review posted makes me giddy. Both books got a great rating, and even better than that, a really great review. Did I mention I'll be over there tomorrow, answering questions and chatting? There's still time to enter and win a free copy of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi!
(I know, I know, so much promo. Bear with me, though!)
After all that, my mood perked a little. And it perked even more when my husband framed my book covers and hung them on the wall for me. He's a good man.
SO. YOU GUYS. I know I have a lot of aspiring authors reading (still? i hope?) Starting at my book release, I'll be doing a blog tour. More deets as I go, but there will be a contest. The prize? My terribly wonderful and far-too-nice-for-her-own-good agent has offered to be a prize! That's right. If you follow the book tour, you can win a chance at feedback on your query letter from Holly Root.
Kind of nifty, right?
Wanna win a free book?
Posted by in Blog - Publishing Stuff | Blog - Succubus Diaries | promo - (0 Comments)Heads up! My publisher is giving away TEN copies of Gentlemen Prefer Succubi -- and will ship to anywhere in the world! That means if you are in Europe or Australia or Canada or wherever, you can play too.
Head over to Bitten By Books to RSVP & enter. I'll be doing an afternoon-long chat on Friday that gives you more chances to win. And you can ask me anything. ANYTHING. Well, almost anything.
Woohoo for free books!
My favorite time of year is nearly upon us! Next week, I have a birthday and Thanksgiving, which is pretty cool on its own, but I also have a week of vacation!
Throw in Nano and a book release in about 4 and a half weeks, and I will either emerge from the holidays as a testimony to fortitude, or a weeping, bitter wreck.
(Place your money on B, kids)
Oh! GENTLEMEN PREFER SUCCUBI had a really nice review in the Romantic Times Magazine that just released. They gave it 4 stars and said: Myles brings a great new voice to urban fantasy. Her first-person voice is funny and engaging, with clever, crisp dialogue.
(Pretty cool, huh? It's shelved in romance because it's a light tone and there is some hot sexxors, but the plot could easily be urban fantasy, so I'm oddly pleased to see them label it so. If you want a comparison, the closest thing I can think of is Katie Macalister's Aisling Grey series.)
Also, if you subscribe, I have been told there is a big full page ad on page 98 of the magazine (woot) and an author spotlight on me on the webpage (but you have to have access to the bonus content to see it). Good stuff!
/promotional neeping
I have sorely neglected my Nano this week - I think I'm still only at 21k. Luckily I have the next 8 or so days off, so it will not be ludicrous to think about getting 3k a day, which will almost bring me up to speed. It can happen! No one dissuade me!
But because of the holidays and time off, I cannot guarantee that I will blog like regular for the next week, because my writing cojones will be saving themselves for the book itself. Or something.
And if you don't check the Odd Shots blog, have you seen my pretty book trailer yet? So pretty, so pretty. My husband drew it and I love it. Because the books are kind of light and fun, I asked for something equally light and fun for the book trailer, and this is what my husband came up with. Best Birthday Present Ever!
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