I hope everyone is trying to stay sane and grounded in December, which has to be the craziest month of the year for many of us. I made the very very bad mistake of going to the mall today --on a Saturday -- with not quite 2 weeks left until Christmas. Bad, bad, mistake. On the bright side, I found new pillows and a gorgeous quilt set for my bed at a very good price and stocked up on the video games my kids are hoping to find under the tree. It only took me an hour to calm down from the crowd-induced hyperventilation. (whew!)
We are counting our blessings here, because my Navy Guy husband finally came home Thursday from a 6 1/2 month-long deployment. We are all so thrilled to have him home and our thoughts and prayers are with all of you whose military family members cannot be home with you for the holidays. We've been through that, on previous deployments, and know how hard it is. So extra hugs to you and please, everyone, give special love to your military family friends and loved ones.
I have some fun news of my own: Romantic Times BookClub magazine just nominated Atlantis Unleashed as a Reviewers' Choice finalist in the 2009 contemporary paranormal category! That book was my baby, for many reasons, so I'm thrilled to see it honored like that. And I'm with wonderful, wonderful, company: Ilona Andrews, Kresley Cole, Larissa Ione, Sherrilyn Kenyon, and Jennifer Lyon are all finalists in my category. What an honor!
Tuesday I'm going to New York for my annual "Happy holidays with my editor" trip. I'll be filming Project Paranormal (deets later) at Berkley and doing dinner and a show with my lovely editor and her darling assistant. Plus seeing wonderful friends. (I hope it snows!!) I'll try to blog and post pics from there - NYC at the holidays is gorgeous and wonderful.
Stay tuned, by the way, because my new website is in progress and I should be able to unveil it soon! Can't wait - the design is gorgeous.
So, much much much going on!! To celebrate the Reviewers' Choice nod, I'm giving away 5 autographed copies of Atlantis Unleashed to 5 randomly selected folks who tell me in the comments something special you're doing this month to celebrate the holidays.
hugs and may your shopping be crowd-free,
Alyssa
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Monday, November 23, 2009
A Thanksgiving feast . . . and really tiny chairs
I'm just home from the 5th grade Thanksgiving feast and boy, was it a feast. I brought my usual, since I am the Queen of Cupcakes, and a cooler full of juice boxes, and everybody else pitched in--woo hoo, it was awesome. We all sat around on very tiny chairs and ate a gracious plenty of yummy treats. I am full of turkey and mashed potatoes and pie (apple blueberry, yummy!) for what I plan to be only the first time this week, and feeling thankful.
So, here goes. I am thankful for:
1. My family, and especially that Navy Guy will be home from a 6.5 month deployment in 2.5 weeks. We are so grateful and SO looking forward to seeing him again. Our family's prayers and best wishes are for everyone else with a military family member away during the holidays.
2. Our health. Especially this year, with so many scares.
3. You. My readers. You make my dreams come true every time you buy my books.
4. My editor and my publisher and everyone at Berkley. They work so hard for me and I appreciate it more than I can say. (See you next month! NYC and West Side Story, yippee!)
5. So many, many more things, but I'll wrap this up by saying pie. I am very thankful for pie. : )
If you're in the U.S. and you celebrate, may you have a wonderfully happy Thanksgiving with much pie and happiness.
hugs,
Alyssa
So, here goes. I am thankful for:
1. My family, and especially that Navy Guy will be home from a 6.5 month deployment in 2.5 weeks. We are so grateful and SO looking forward to seeing him again. Our family's prayers and best wishes are for everyone else with a military family member away during the holidays.
2. Our health. Especially this year, with so many scares.
3. You. My readers. You make my dreams come true every time you buy my books.
4. My editor and my publisher and everyone at Berkley. They work so hard for me and I appreciate it more than I can say. (See you next month! NYC and West Side Story, yippee!)
5. So many, many more things, but I'll wrap this up by saying pie. I am very thankful for pie. : )
If you're in the U.S. and you celebrate, may you have a wonderfully happy Thanksgiving with much pie and happiness.
hugs,
Alyssa
Monday, October 19, 2009
Movie (and more) Monday
I had a couple of tween girls (one my own) here Saturday evening/night, so I took them to see Fame. Backstory: these 2 attended a long, grueling, but wonderful week of Broadway Camp in NYC last summer, which builds one heck of a bond, and they're both crazy dancing and singing divas. The movie? meh. Some fun dancing and not quite as fun singing, depressing and pointless ?plot?. Sure didn't have the impact of the first one, but then again, I wouldn't have taken tween girls to that one. Anybody see anything they loved this weekend?
In book news, I am working away at editing Brennan's book. Realized I need one more small scene near the end, and it somehow turned smoking, blazing hot. That Brennan! Give a man emotions after 2000 years and you'd better step back or prepare to get burned. My cheeks actually got a little warm as I read some of the things he said to Tiernan. Whew! *fans self*
Also, ran 7000 errands and got mailings out. Poor allergy-ridden dog back to vet. Fixed son's glasses. Etc. etc. Very hamster on wheel day.
Son said to me in car: I did a mind meld with the dogs, Mom. Precious's brain was elevator music & Buckeye's was a dial tone.
BWAH! Laughed so hard I missed my turn.
Working hard on Christophe, but the urban fantasy keeps sneaking in to poke at me. I've never gotten so far in a book without already *knowing* what the title should be. this one is still UNTITLED. Sigh. It will come to me.
OK, off to feed kids. They'll just eat and then grow and need new clothes, which is a vicious circle, but there are laws . . .
hugs,
Alyssa
In book news, I am working away at editing Brennan's book. Realized I need one more small scene near the end, and it somehow turned smoking, blazing hot. That Brennan! Give a man emotions after 2000 years and you'd better step back or prepare to get burned. My cheeks actually got a little warm as I read some of the things he said to Tiernan. Whew! *fans self*
Also, ran 7000 errands and got mailings out. Poor allergy-ridden dog back to vet. Fixed son's glasses. Etc. etc. Very hamster on wheel day.
Son said to me in car: I did a mind meld with the dogs, Mom. Precious's brain was elevator music & Buckeye's was a dial tone.
BWAH! Laughed so hard I missed my turn.
Working hard on Christophe, but the urban fantasy keeps sneaking in to poke at me. I've never gotten so far in a book without already *knowing* what the title should be. this one is still UNTITLED. Sigh. It will come to me.
OK, off to feed kids. They'll just eat and then grow and need new clothes, which is a vicious circle, but there are laws . . .
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, October 16, 2009
The prodigal author returns! Random ramblings
Yes, I know at least 3 or 4 of you missed me, LOL. It has been interesting around here. I deleted the past few posts about the Fire and Ice blog since we decided that, while a good idea, we were all too busy to really keep up with yet another group blog.
So here are a few updates:
1) The book!! The book, the book, the book! ATLANTIS REDEEMED is finally finished and my editor love, love, loves it!! Said it's her fave in the series yet, which is saying a lot! I'm so thrilled and can't wait for you all to read it. It will be out in March, 2010, and the lovely cover is newly posted on my website home page HERE.
2) The email address and reader mail. As many of you know, my computer blew up when I was on deadline. I had to finish the book on my son's computer. I took it to the super computer place to switch out the corrupted hard drive for the new one, and retrieve my data, but almost all of my AOL mail did not make the transfer. I am DEVASTATED that, among much else, I lost ALL of my saved reader mail. I am truly heartbroken that I've lost so many, many emails from everyone with your kind words about my books. Also, if you've written to me in the past month or so, I've lost that, too, which means I never wrote back to you. I apologize so much for that, but I have no way to retrieve those emails, so please write to me again if you still need (or want!) an answer.
My new email address is authoralyssaday@gmail.com. No more stupid AOL for me.
3. The new book! I'm writing Christophe's book, ATLANTIS BETRAYED, right now, and it's so much fun!! It's a heist book, which is a little different for this series. I just left Christophe hanging off the front of Big Ben in London. Can't wait to start showing you excerpts!
4. The website. I'm going to change things up a little, so if you have things you'd really like to see on the new site, please write to me and let me know or post a comment here at the blog.
5. The urban fantasy. Yes, it's still coming!! My publisher is focusing on the Atlantis books, but the first UF will be along soon, I promise. It's REALLY EXCITING and I'm having a blast writing it! Can't wait to share excerpts with you for this, too.
6. The thanks! Thanks, as always, for reading my books, sharing them with friends, and for being part of the reading community. Readers rock!
hugs,
Alyssa
So here are a few updates:
1) The book!! The book, the book, the book! ATLANTIS REDEEMED is finally finished and my editor love, love, loves it!! Said it's her fave in the series yet, which is saying a lot! I'm so thrilled and can't wait for you all to read it. It will be out in March, 2010, and the lovely cover is newly posted on my website home page HERE.
2) The email address and reader mail. As many of you know, my computer blew up when I was on deadline. I had to finish the book on my son's computer. I took it to the super computer place to switch out the corrupted hard drive for the new one, and retrieve my data, but almost all of my AOL mail did not make the transfer. I am DEVASTATED that, among much else, I lost ALL of my saved reader mail. I am truly heartbroken that I've lost so many, many emails from everyone with your kind words about my books. Also, if you've written to me in the past month or so, I've lost that, too, which means I never wrote back to you. I apologize so much for that, but I have no way to retrieve those emails, so please write to me again if you still need (or want!) an answer.
My new email address is authoralyssaday@gmail.com. No more stupid AOL for me.
3. The new book! I'm writing Christophe's book, ATLANTIS BETRAYED, right now, and it's so much fun!! It's a heist book, which is a little different for this series. I just left Christophe hanging off the front of Big Ben in London. Can't wait to start showing you excerpts!
4. The website. I'm going to change things up a little, so if you have things you'd really like to see on the new site, please write to me and let me know or post a comment here at the blog.
5. The urban fantasy. Yes, it's still coming!! My publisher is focusing on the Atlantis books, but the first UF will be along soon, I promise. It's REALLY EXCITING and I'm having a blast writing it! Can't wait to share excerpts with you for this, too.
6. The thanks! Thanks, as always, for reading my books, sharing them with friends, and for being part of the reading community. Readers rock!
hugs,
Alyssa
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Teasing on Tuesday
When Tiernan meets Brennan again, from ATLANTIS REDEEMED:
The fog coalesced into a sparkling, shimmering shape—a large and broad shape—the shape of a man. The golden light from the lamps reflected off of tiny particles in the water, projecting a cascade of mini-rainbows across every flat surface in a brilliant light show. Then the cloud of mist exploded outward as if triumphantly hailing the man who stepped from it.
The man. The man who, mere seconds before, had been nothing but a cloud. A fog.
The man who now stood in the center of her hotel room, breathing hard, staring at her with his ice-green eyes.
Except they weren’t as icy as she remembered. No, this man’s eyes were pure green fire, and every inch of her skin burned as the heat of his gaze swept her from head to toe and then back, lingering on her neck.
“Brennan?” His name came out in a whisper, but he snapped his head up and stared straight into her eyes when she spoke. A brief whisper of danger sent a chill down her spine, and her senses translated the deadly stillness in his pose as that of a feral animal crouching to leap.
Feral and primitive. Wild and beautiful. His silky black hair fell in waves around a face that would cause the highest paid male model to weep with jealousy. Pure masculine beauty, with dark brows over those amazing green eyes. The cheekbones and bone structure all the Atlanteans she’d met had shared, as if they alone had posed for the most sublime of the ancient Greek statues. And his mouth . . . oh, his mouth. How could a simple combination of lips and teeth make her wonder what it would be like to taste him?
As reality crumpled around her, some vestige of control snapped into place and Tiernan managed to force words from her suddenly dust-dry throat. “I’m guessing I missed a pretty spectacular entrance back in Boston when I was hiding behind that couch? I had wondered how you guys busted through that window so high off the ground, but I was more thinking ropes coming down from the roof.”
He took a single step toward her, then another, his large, muscled body leaning forward as if he were stalking her. “He dared to touch you,” he growled, the words nearly unintelligible. “He put his mouth on you. I will kill him.”
She backed away but the motion seemed to infuriate him even further, because he dove across the several feet separating them as if he really were that wild animal leaping for its prey.
“Brennan, stop! I don’t know what this is about, but you need to calm down so we can--" Memories of his crazed wildness the first time he’d seen her flashed into her mind, shutting down her powers of speech as he took the final step and slammed his hands flat against the wall on either side of her head, caging her against his body.
He wasn’t going to listen to her. She was in danger. Rick had been right, she should have listened, but no, she had to be tough and now for the second time in an hour she was facing a predator.
“I’ll be damned if I’m going to be prey for a vampire or anybody else,” she shouted, shoving at his chest as he leaned further toward her. It was like shoving a brick wall. A hot, hard, brick wall, that smelled like salt and sea and man.
He froze in place, then tilted his head to one side, pinning her with a long, considering stare. “Not his prey,” he finally said, his deep voice sizzling across her nerve endings.
She caught her breath, but before she could speak he lifted one hand from the wall to touch the side of her face.
“Not his prey,” he repeated, bending his face down to hers. “Mine.”
from ATLANTIS REDEEMED, coming February, 2010
The fog coalesced into a sparkling, shimmering shape—a large and broad shape—the shape of a man. The golden light from the lamps reflected off of tiny particles in the water, projecting a cascade of mini-rainbows across every flat surface in a brilliant light show. Then the cloud of mist exploded outward as if triumphantly hailing the man who stepped from it.
The man. The man who, mere seconds before, had been nothing but a cloud. A fog.
The man who now stood in the center of her hotel room, breathing hard, staring at her with his ice-green eyes.
Except they weren’t as icy as she remembered. No, this man’s eyes were pure green fire, and every inch of her skin burned as the heat of his gaze swept her from head to toe and then back, lingering on her neck.
“Brennan?” His name came out in a whisper, but he snapped his head up and stared straight into her eyes when she spoke. A brief whisper of danger sent a chill down her spine, and her senses translated the deadly stillness in his pose as that of a feral animal crouching to leap.
Feral and primitive. Wild and beautiful. His silky black hair fell in waves around a face that would cause the highest paid male model to weep with jealousy. Pure masculine beauty, with dark brows over those amazing green eyes. The cheekbones and bone structure all the Atlanteans she’d met had shared, as if they alone had posed for the most sublime of the ancient Greek statues. And his mouth . . . oh, his mouth. How could a simple combination of lips and teeth make her wonder what it would be like to taste him?
As reality crumpled around her, some vestige of control snapped into place and Tiernan managed to force words from her suddenly dust-dry throat. “I’m guessing I missed a pretty spectacular entrance back in Boston when I was hiding behind that couch? I had wondered how you guys busted through that window so high off the ground, but I was more thinking ropes coming down from the roof.”
He took a single step toward her, then another, his large, muscled body leaning forward as if he were stalking her. “He dared to touch you,” he growled, the words nearly unintelligible. “He put his mouth on you. I will kill him.”
She backed away but the motion seemed to infuriate him even further, because he dove across the several feet separating them as if he really were that wild animal leaping for its prey.
“Brennan, stop! I don’t know what this is about, but you need to calm down so we can--" Memories of his crazed wildness the first time he’d seen her flashed into her mind, shutting down her powers of speech as he took the final step and slammed his hands flat against the wall on either side of her head, caging her against his body.
He wasn’t going to listen to her. She was in danger. Rick had been right, she should have listened, but no, she had to be tough and now for the second time in an hour she was facing a predator.
“I’ll be damned if I’m going to be prey for a vampire or anybody else,” she shouted, shoving at his chest as he leaned further toward her. It was like shoving a brick wall. A hot, hard, brick wall, that smelled like salt and sea and man.
He froze in place, then tilted his head to one side, pinning her with a long, considering stare. “Not his prey,” he finally said, his deep voice sizzling across her nerve endings.
She caught her breath, but before she could speak he lifted one hand from the wall to touch the side of her face.
“Not his prey,” he repeated, bending his face down to hers. “Mine.”
from ATLANTIS REDEEMED, coming February, 2010
New cover!!
Wow! It's gorgeous! what do you think? This is my darling Brennan, who was cursed more than 2000 years ago to feel no emotion. But then he meets Tiernan . . .
Monday, August 17, 2009
Monday marvelousness with a side of guilt
I am feeling a little robber baron-ish right now. I finally hung up my cape and decided to stop being Super Woman. What that means in practical terms is that I hired a housekeeping service to clean my house. (It's The Cleaning Authority, if anybody is looking, and they're FREAKING FABULOUS). They came today for the first time (right after the landscaping team my daughter calls the Lawn Fairies) and spent 5 and a half hours doing a spring clean of my house.
It's amazing. My house looks like it's brand new. The pugs went to the dog resort this morning since we're heading to Sea World Orlando tomorrow, and I think there isn't a dog hair left in my entire house. It's astonishing. Base boards. Sinks. Floors. Blinds, my friend. Even my BLINDS sparkle.
Wow. It's wonderful beyond all reason, and yet, I feel . . . guilty. Inadequate.
The problem, of course, is that keeping a home clean is all tied up, for me, with notions of what a wife and mother should be able to accomplish, brilliantly; effortlessly; wearing pearls, even. My mother's much-talked-about "floors you could eat off" during my childhood must have made more of an impression than I thought. (Of course, Mom never held down a full-time job until I was 16, so she had more time to clean floors, do laundry, and be a Domestic Goddess. This is, after all, the woman who sniffed the interior of my refrigerator every time she came to visit for the first decade after I moved out of her house.)
I will have more time to write now, more time to plot and plan and create the worlds and characters I see so vividly in my mind, when I'm not worrying about mopping floors or dusting furniture or cleaning bathrooms. That was the goal, and I'm happy to have achieved it. So, tell me: why do I feel so guilty about it?
It's amazing. My house looks like it's brand new. The pugs went to the dog resort this morning since we're heading to Sea World Orlando tomorrow, and I think there isn't a dog hair left in my entire house. It's astonishing. Base boards. Sinks. Floors. Blinds, my friend. Even my BLINDS sparkle.
Wow. It's wonderful beyond all reason, and yet, I feel . . . guilty. Inadequate.
The problem, of course, is that keeping a home clean is all tied up, for me, with notions of what a wife and mother should be able to accomplish, brilliantly; effortlessly; wearing pearls, even. My mother's much-talked-about "floors you could eat off" during my childhood must have made more of an impression than I thought. (Of course, Mom never held down a full-time job until I was 16, so she had more time to clean floors, do laundry, and be a Domestic Goddess. This is, after all, the woman who sniffed the interior of my refrigerator every time she came to visit for the first decade after I moved out of her house.)
I will have more time to write now, more time to plot and plan and create the worlds and characters I see so vividly in my mind, when I'm not worrying about mopping floors or dusting furniture or cleaning bathrooms. That was the goal, and I'm happy to have achieved it. So, tell me: why do I feel so guilty about it?
Thursday, August 06, 2009
My computer is back!!! Yahoo!!!
So the Dell tech guy came to my house a couple of hours ago and replaced my entire screen and now I CAN SEE!! My screen is not a dim, flickering, or ENTIRELY BLACK nightmare of not working! Doing handsprings and cartwheels here!
AND since I can now access all of your lovely addresses, I'm going to spend the rest of the day getting out every single one of the books from my mailings that are sadly overdue!! I'm sorry and I promise these books are going to the post office first thing in the morning!
Yay! And my regularly scheduled blogging will resume, too. With pictures! And Ryan from The Proposal!
hugs,
Alyssa, having run out of exclamation points
AND since I can now access all of your lovely addresses, I'm going to spend the rest of the day getting out every single one of the books from my mailings that are sadly overdue!! I'm sorry and I promise these books are going to the post office first thing in the morning!
Yay! And my regularly scheduled blogging will resume, too. With pictures! And Ryan from The Proposal!
hugs,
Alyssa, having run out of exclamation points
Friday, July 24, 2009
Random thoughts
I'm a little sad. I know, I know, what do I have to be sad about? Career is going along wonderfully, I had the BEST time in DC at conference, life should be all roses and champagne (and red wine; Darling Agent sent another case of wine to congratulate me on this second book's awesome showing on the New York Times list).
But my husband and best friend in the world is still gone for 4 more months (at least; needs of the Navy) and I miss him dreadfully. It's harder than I can explain to go through deployment. The kids miss Daddy and I miss him; not just his presence and hugs but his calm efficiency -- I get to the be the creative person when he's here while he deals with the pest control guy and the lawn and the car repair and taking out the trash and etc. etc. etc. But when he's gone I get to be Mom and Dad and in charge of everything. It's tiring and frustrating, and believe me when I say that all the single parents out there have my total respect. But it's a little different for military spouses who are single-by-deployment. We live wherever the military stationed us, not necessarily near any family support. I have good friends, but it's not like I can say "please take the kids for a week, I'm on deadline."
Anyway, enough whining. I am so fortunate and grateful that we are all healthy and I know how lucky I am. I'm just . . . a little sad. Please do me a favor and hug a military spouse or single parent friend of yours. Take them to lunch, offer to watch the kids for an hour, or have a margarita evening. Something. It's kind of lonely sometimes, and friends mean everything to us.
OK, enough of that. What's new? I'm trying to get caught up after conference. We're in the middle of packing up all the books we're sending out to you, so if you were a winner from my newsletter contest, please be patient. This has been a crazy week. We'll get them out as soon as we can!
We saw Harry Potter - I'm not sure I loved it. It seemed to go on too long and yet not cover enough of the book. What do you all think?
Also strangest thing I've heard myself saying lately: "Do NOT unclog the toilet with that sword!"
Ah, yes. The glam life of the NYT bestselling author continues . . . ROFL.
Oh, and I'm going to get a tattoo. Hee.
So what's up with you?
hugs,
Alyssa
But my husband and best friend in the world is still gone for 4 more months (at least; needs of the Navy) and I miss him dreadfully. It's harder than I can explain to go through deployment. The kids miss Daddy and I miss him; not just his presence and hugs but his calm efficiency -- I get to the be the creative person when he's here while he deals with the pest control guy and the lawn and the car repair and taking out the trash and etc. etc. etc. But when he's gone I get to be Mom and Dad and in charge of everything. It's tiring and frustrating, and believe me when I say that all the single parents out there have my total respect. But it's a little different for military spouses who are single-by-deployment. We live wherever the military stationed us, not necessarily near any family support. I have good friends, but it's not like I can say "please take the kids for a week, I'm on deadline."
Anyway, enough whining. I am so fortunate and grateful that we are all healthy and I know how lucky I am. I'm just . . . a little sad. Please do me a favor and hug a military spouse or single parent friend of yours. Take them to lunch, offer to watch the kids for an hour, or have a margarita evening. Something. It's kind of lonely sometimes, and friends mean everything to us.
OK, enough of that. What's new? I'm trying to get caught up after conference. We're in the middle of packing up all the books we're sending out to you, so if you were a winner from my newsletter contest, please be patient. This has been a crazy week. We'll get them out as soon as we can!
We saw Harry Potter - I'm not sure I loved it. It seemed to go on too long and yet not cover enough of the book. What do you all think?
Also strangest thing I've heard myself saying lately: "Do NOT unclog the toilet with that sword!"
Ah, yes. The glam life of the NYT bestselling author continues . . . ROFL.
Oh, and I'm going to get a tattoo. Hee.
So what's up with you?
hugs,
Alyssa
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Life, it is surreal
Just keep staring at the New York Times list and having moment of shock to see the books I'm sandwiched between:
27 ANGELS AND DEMONS, by Dan Brown. (Pocket)
28 ATLANTIS UNMASKED, by Alyssa Day. (Berkley)
29 THE BOURNE SANCTION, by Eric Van Lustbader. (Grand Central)
Um, really??? Really???
Personal note to my readers: I want to make you all chocolate cake. Seriously. Everybody come to my house for cake and champagne. All week long. I adore you beyond all reason.
hugs,
Alyssa (Oh, and in the "real world" I'm unpacking from conference and doing mounds of laundry, ah the glam life. I bet Dan Brown and Eric Van Lustbader are NOT doing laundry. I'm just saying . . .)
27 ANGELS AND DEMONS, by Dan Brown. (Pocket)
28 ATLANTIS UNMASKED, by Alyssa Day. (Berkley)
29 THE BOURNE SANCTION, by Eric Van Lustbader. (Grand Central)
Um, really??? Really???
Personal note to my readers: I want to make you all chocolate cake. Seriously. Everybody come to my house for cake and champagne. All week long. I adore you beyond all reason.
hugs,
Alyssa (Oh, and in the "real world" I'm unpacking from conference and doing mounds of laundry, ah the glam life. I bet Dan Brown and Eric Van Lustbader are NOT doing laundry. I'm just saying . . .)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Washington D.C. RWA conference happiness!!
Wow! This week is crazy. I wasn't sure what bringing kids to conference would be like, but was determined to be low key about it and have a good time and not stress about what I was missing, and so far so good. They've been great and really helpful - all 3 of us helped set up the giant signing which raised money for literacy charities and they've been having a blast meeting so many of my friends and colleagues.
OK, I don't know how to begin to break this down unless I do it day by day so here goes:
Monday, flew in, cab to Marriott Wardman park - gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. I don't know what I expected from the largest conference hotel in DC but it wasn't this. Beautiful landscaping, feels almost like being in a country estate. flowers everywhere. Location is terrific, too, only blocks from the zoo and surrounded by many many places to eat and little shops too (already hit the CVS for the loaf of bread, jar of peanut butter, and jar of jelly. (did I mention kids? LOL)
Threw kids in wonderful outdoor pool Monday evening to burn off travel energy
and then hung out with friends. Even slept! In a hotel! which I can never do!
Tuesday: off to the spy museum first thing. This place is insanely wonderful. My son is still telling everyone we see that they MUST go - and I have to agree. He and Eileen Carr's sons went on a special interactive 1-hour program where they actually became spies, deactivated a nuclear bomb, and saved Canada. Or Kandar. I wasn't exactly sure. But they loved it! The rest of us toured the rest of the place, which is also hugely interactive and very very cool. Princess climbed through the overhead duct system spying on the crowds and felt very "spy-ish" she told me. Success!!
Lunch at a microbrewery and we were fueled up for an afternoon at the Smithsonian. Air and Space first, saw Amelia Earhart's plane and went to a show at the Planetarium. LOVED it! Rejoined the Smithsonian since there are good chances we'll move here next summer and then of course blew some more money in gift shops. A quick sweep through Natural History and then back to the hotel with our aching feet.
Dinner with Serena Robar, Cindy Holby, and Barb Ferrer, where I received a photo of my first-ever "dump" - a standalone cardboard case of only my books that gets prominent placement in the stores!! My friends and I were squeeing (embarrassed kids again; theme of the week. Heh.)
Will tell all about Wednesday later, including my 5-minutes before the booksigning news that I HIT THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER LIST AGAIN!!! Thank you again!!!
But for now, pictures!!
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
ATLANTIS UNMASKED in stores now!!!
Sightings in bookstores abound! And this time you only had to wait one short month! Yay!
I had so much fun writing Alexios's story - especially after he and Grace seemed to have such a strong connection in Unleashed. I couldn't wait to discover more about her - she is my first warrior heroine and I absolutely love her. Strong, funny, and totally in control - except when it comes to Alexios.
Of course, he's exactly the same way about her!! And the scene between Alexios and Alaric on the waterfront where they have a very uncomfortable conversation about "feelings" made me laugh so hard even as I was writing it. I hope you enjoy it as much.
I'm actually doing some booksignings, too! I'll be at my local Borders here in Jacksonville this Sunday the 12th with 10 other authors; then I'm with hundreds of authors at the giant literacy fundraiser booksigning at the RWA national conference next Wednesday, July 15, and I'm doing a signing with the wonderful Karen Rose in Altamonte Springs, near Orlando, Florida, on August 8th. All details are on my "About Alyssa" page of my website in the left column. I sure hope to see some of you there!
Please feel free to share and forward this post everywhere book lovers may gather and THANK YOU!!!
Thank you, as always, for reading my books. I appreciate it more than I can ever tell you.
Happy July!!
hugs,
Alyssa
I had so much fun writing Alexios's story - especially after he and Grace seemed to have such a strong connection in Unleashed. I couldn't wait to discover more about her - she is my first warrior heroine and I absolutely love her. Strong, funny, and totally in control - except when it comes to Alexios.
Of course, he's exactly the same way about her!! And the scene between Alexios and Alaric on the waterfront where they have a very uncomfortable conversation about "feelings" made me laugh so hard even as I was writing it. I hope you enjoy it as much.
I'm actually doing some booksignings, too! I'll be at my local Borders here in Jacksonville this Sunday the 12th with 10 other authors; then I'm with hundreds of authors at the giant literacy fundraiser booksigning at the RWA national conference next Wednesday, July 15, and I'm doing a signing with the wonderful Karen Rose in Altamonte Springs, near Orlando, Florida, on August 8th. All details are on my "About Alyssa" page of my website in the left column. I sure hope to see some of you there!
Please feel free to share and forward this post everywhere book lovers may gather and THANK YOU!!!
Thank you, as always, for reading my books. I appreciate it more than I can ever tell you.
Happy July!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Excerpt snippet time!!
Woohoo!! Atlantis Unmasked releases Tuesday (sightings are already pouring in) so here are some "get you in the mood" snippets:
***
“It’s almost impossible to shoot a bow while driving.”
Grace Havilland clenched her fingers around the steering wheel of the Jeep and waited for the Atlantean warrior riding shotgun to respond to what she thought had been her very reasonable point.
Waited. Waited a little longer.
She’d met Alexios months ago and seen him sporadically since, but she’d never been in such a small space with him. It felt like being trapped in a cage with a lion that’d just eaten a full meal. Deadly, dangerous, and exhilarating, but maybe—just maybe—you’d live through it.
Unless he suddenly felt like a snack.
***
Alexios looked around the crowded lobby, remembering the countless times he’d waited for one or another of his fellow warriors to be healed. Unlike the healing chambers in Atlantis, which were an oasis of serenity—all fresh air and sunlight, soft silken cushions, and masses of flowers from the palace gardens-- this room where desperate and injured humans waited smelled of sweat, blood, antiseptic, and despair.
Grace huddled in an orange plastic chair, strangely diminished without her many weapons strapped to her body. He stood across the room from her, leaning against a battered vending machine, and tried to think of a time he’d seen her without them, but came up empty. The bow, knives, and guns were part of her; oddly dissonant to her beauty and her name.
Grace. It suited her. She was Grace in motion, in and out of battle. Except now, when she hunched in that ugly chair, arms wrapped around her knees, waiting for the bleakest kind of bad news.
***
“Hello, Grace.”
She jumped a little at the sound of his voice; the sound she’d been waiting for—and dreading--all morning. Coffee splashed over the rim of the mug, stinging her fingers. “Ouch!”
“Not the greeting I would have expected, but you do have a history of surprising me.” The amusement colored his voice until it was as rich and dark as the coffee.
She told herself the shiver snaking down her neck was simply because of the cold. He couldn’t possibly be as formidable in reality as he was in her memories. Adrenaline-fueled attraction, that was all.
Pasting what she hoped was a friendly but neutral expression on her face, she put the mug down and swung around to face him. “Alexios. Welcome. We’re glad you’re here. Did you just get in through the magic doorway?”
It hadn’t been the adrenaline.
He was tall. Broad-shouldered and lean-hipped with the exact muscular body type she’d always found irresistible, but that wasn’t what she saw first. It wasn’t what anyone would see first.
In the bright afternoon sunlight that turned his mane of thick hair the color of molten gold, the sight of his scarred face was almost shocking. She’d seen him—seen his face—several times before, but always in the night time. Always in the dark. The merciless quality of the winter sunshine cast dark shadows along the jagged edges of the badly healed gouges. The left side of his face was scarred from temple to chin, leaving only his left eye and, oddly enough, his nose, whole and unmarked. But the right side was perfection; both counterpoint and mockery to the damage it mirrored.
The half-smile that had quirked at the edges of his lips faded under her perusal and she was suddenly desperately ashamed. How long had Alexios been forced to endure the stares and speculation? And, worse, what torture and unimaginable pain had he suffered that could have caused such scars?
His narrowed eyes, rapidly turning the deep, turbulent blue of a storm-tossed sea at dusk, gave her the answers: far too long and far too much.
“No," he replied, a grin quirking the edge of that sensual mouth. "I took the tram.”
More tomorrow! Whee!
hugs,
Alyssa
***
“It’s almost impossible to shoot a bow while driving.”
Grace Havilland clenched her fingers around the steering wheel of the Jeep and waited for the Atlantean warrior riding shotgun to respond to what she thought had been her very reasonable point.
Waited. Waited a little longer.
She’d met Alexios months ago and seen him sporadically since, but she’d never been in such a small space with him. It felt like being trapped in a cage with a lion that’d just eaten a full meal. Deadly, dangerous, and exhilarating, but maybe—just maybe—you’d live through it.
Unless he suddenly felt like a snack.
***
Alexios looked around the crowded lobby, remembering the countless times he’d waited for one or another of his fellow warriors to be healed. Unlike the healing chambers in Atlantis, which were an oasis of serenity—all fresh air and sunlight, soft silken cushions, and masses of flowers from the palace gardens-- this room where desperate and injured humans waited smelled of sweat, blood, antiseptic, and despair.
Grace huddled in an orange plastic chair, strangely diminished without her many weapons strapped to her body. He stood across the room from her, leaning against a battered vending machine, and tried to think of a time he’d seen her without them, but came up empty. The bow, knives, and guns were part of her; oddly dissonant to her beauty and her name.
Grace. It suited her. She was Grace in motion, in and out of battle. Except now, when she hunched in that ugly chair, arms wrapped around her knees, waiting for the bleakest kind of bad news.
***
“Hello, Grace.”
She jumped a little at the sound of his voice; the sound she’d been waiting for—and dreading--all morning. Coffee splashed over the rim of the mug, stinging her fingers. “Ouch!”
“Not the greeting I would have expected, but you do have a history of surprising me.” The amusement colored his voice until it was as rich and dark as the coffee.
She told herself the shiver snaking down her neck was simply because of the cold. He couldn’t possibly be as formidable in reality as he was in her memories. Adrenaline-fueled attraction, that was all.
Pasting what she hoped was a friendly but neutral expression on her face, she put the mug down and swung around to face him. “Alexios. Welcome. We’re glad you’re here. Did you just get in through the magic doorway?”
It hadn’t been the adrenaline.
He was tall. Broad-shouldered and lean-hipped with the exact muscular body type she’d always found irresistible, but that wasn’t what she saw first. It wasn’t what anyone would see first.
In the bright afternoon sunlight that turned his mane of thick hair the color of molten gold, the sight of his scarred face was almost shocking. She’d seen him—seen his face—several times before, but always in the night time. Always in the dark. The merciless quality of the winter sunshine cast dark shadows along the jagged edges of the badly healed gouges. The left side of his face was scarred from temple to chin, leaving only his left eye and, oddly enough, his nose, whole and unmarked. But the right side was perfection; both counterpoint and mockery to the damage it mirrored.
The half-smile that had quirked at the edges of his lips faded under her perusal and she was suddenly desperately ashamed. How long had Alexios been forced to endure the stares and speculation? And, worse, what torture and unimaginable pain had he suffered that could have caused such scars?
His narrowed eyes, rapidly turning the deep, turbulent blue of a storm-tossed sea at dusk, gave her the answers: far too long and far too much.
“No," he replied, a grin quirking the edge of that sensual mouth. "I took the tram.”
More tomorrow! Whee!
hugs,
Alyssa
Saturday, July 04, 2009
ABC Family channel: you FAIL. FAIL FAIL FAIL
Imagine my horror and disgust when we're freshly home from the pool and watching Scooby Doo (my 9 y.o. daughter, 12 y.o. son and I) and a commercial for upcoming ABC Family programming comes on. The girls in the spot are driving along listening to a tape from Dad, apparently, where he warns them about venereal diseases.
Explicitly.
When the fire quit coming out of my ears, I wrote this, using the contact information on the ABC Family site:
"I am absolutely furious that you're blasting commercials on your family-friendly programming that feature the words "gonorrhea, syphillis, and genital herpes" over and over. My nine-year old is trying to watch Scooby Doo, of all safe and family-friendly shows, and was subjected to this garbage. I expect better of you and am very disappointed that you are letting down your target demographic in such a huge and awful way."
Since when are venereal diseases funny? Or --and hey, ABC "Family" -- family-friendly topics?
Anyone who has read my books knows I'm no prude. But there's a huge difference between what adults choose to read and what young children have blasted at them on a channel touting itself as family friendly.
Change it, ABC Family. Change it, now.
Explicitly.
When the fire quit coming out of my ears, I wrote this, using the contact information on the ABC Family site:
"I am absolutely furious that you're blasting commercials on your family-friendly programming that feature the words "gonorrhea, syphillis, and genital herpes" over and over. My nine-year old is trying to watch Scooby Doo, of all safe and family-friendly shows, and was subjected to this garbage. I expect better of you and am very disappointed that you are letting down your target demographic in such a huge and awful way."
Since when are venereal diseases funny? Or --and hey, ABC "Family" -- family-friendly topics?
Anyone who has read my books knows I'm no prude. But there's a huge difference between what adults choose to read and what young children have blasted at them on a channel touting itself as family friendly.
Change it, ABC Family. Change it, now.
Monday, June 22, 2009
YAHOO!!! MORE BOOKS!!!
I'm thrilled to share that I have a new 3-book deal for more Atlantis
books!! Got surprised by the offer last Monday since I hadn't even turned
in a proposal yet; we worked out details during the week and yay!! More
books!! That plus the 2-book urban fantasy contract are going to keep me
pretty busy. I mailed my husband the "Alyssa Day's Trophy Husband" shirt
that my darling Toni McGee Causey made for him, ROFL. He promised to wear
it proudly. Love that man - I would have given up on this career a couple
of years ago without his support, but he believed in me all the way. I told
him I'd buy him a new truck to celebrate,
and Mr. Frugal says, "Nah, but how about a paint job for the one (150K
miles) I already have?"
Anyway, yay!! Thanks for letting me share!
HUGS,
Alyssa, quite dizzy from the roller coaster these past few weeks
PS: Here's a new review for ATLANTIS UMASKED, coming out in only 2 weeks!!
books!! Got surprised by the offer last Monday since I hadn't even turned
in a proposal yet; we worked out details during the week and yay!! More
books!! That plus the 2-book urban fantasy contract are going to keep me
pretty busy. I mailed my husband the "Alyssa Day's Trophy Husband" shirt
that my darling Toni McGee Causey made for him, ROFL. He promised to wear
it proudly. Love that man - I would have given up on this career a couple
of years ago without his support, but he believed in me all the way. I told
him I'd buy him a new truck to celebrate,
and Mr. Frugal says, "Nah, but how about a paint job for the one (150K
miles) I already have?"
Anyway, yay!! Thanks for letting me share!
HUGS,
Alyssa, quite dizzy from the roller coaster these past few weeks
PS: Here's a new review for ATLANTIS UMASKED, coming out in only 2 weeks!!
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
The first few days in the life of a brand-new New York Times bestseller
I originally posted this at the NovelThoughts blog at the request of the lovely and gracious Aztec Lady, but I had such great response to it, I had to share it again:
Wednesday, June 10th
6:30 a.m. Wake up, begin obsessively checking the bestseller lists. Is Bookscan out yet? Nope. USA Today? No chance.
7 a.m. Beg night-owl nine-year-old daughter to wake up for last day of school. Do the breakfast thing, remind her to brush her teeth, wear shoes (!) grab her backpack, and finally herd her into the car for drive to school.
8 a.m. Out to breakfast with dear friend– have champagne cocktails to celebrate release week (mine) and other good news (hers). Check Bookscan on iPhone and discover Atlantis Unleashed is 14th bestselling romance (all formats) in the nation! Cheers! Drink all champagne; too excited to eat much of lovely asparagus omelet.
9 a.m. Wander around bookstore in a happiness/champagne daze, admiring prominent store placement and comparing it to the placement of my last chick lit book, which was generally used to prop open bathroom doors in bookstores across the country.
10 a.m. Arrive home and receive frantic phone call from daughter who needs clean clothes since pajamas she wore for pajama day are now covered with fruit punch. Drive clothes to school. Wonder if other bestselling authors have nannies.
11 a.m. Talk to agent, who is thrilled with good news. Agent says: June competition really tough. Do not be disappointed if don’t make NYT list this time; you’ll make it eventually. I say, I won’t. He says, Can I write that down?
Afternoon: Blurry. Stuff happens. Obsessively check to see if USA Today list up yet. Child comes home. Clean clothes now also covered with fruit punch. More stuff happens. Made USA Today list again – all 3 books have done it! More happiness!
5:30 p.m. Talk to lovely editor, who is miserably sick but still in office. Tell lovely editor to go home, get rest, see doctor. Editor says: No, I’m waiting for NYT list – I think you might have made it. I say, I have no chance to make it. Summer beach read competition, etc. etc.
5:35 Other line rings. It’s agent. Heart rises into throat. Start stuttering. Editor yells at me to ANSWER PHONE. Click over to line with agent and say, Hello? Agent says, NUMBER 28!!!
5:37 Start laughing and make squee-ing sounds and fall out of chair. Say, Are you sure? Agent says, Yes. Start crying. Agent (who is a guy) hurriedly says, Talk to editor now!
5:38 Tell editor. Both of us are laughing and crying. Blurry. Said stuff. Thanked her for believing in me. She said words like, I told you so. More laughing and squeeing. Some shouting of happy words. Finally tell lovely (sick) editor to go home and take much Nyquil to celebrate.
5:40 Tell children. They shout out Yay and congratulations!! Then: She says, He touched me. He says, She stuck her tongue out at me. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors have nannies. Or Swiss boarding schools.
5:50 Call agent back. He is very happy for me. Thank him for believing in me. Say, I am NYT bestselling author now. He says, I always knew you’d get there one day. More tears (me only, see above re: guy) and laughing.
6 p.m. Out to celebratory steak dinner. Too excited to eat much. Announce news on Twitter and email with iPhone. Congratulations start pouring in from lovely, lovely friends. Husband calls from Japan. Tell him, You are now my trophy husband. He cheers for me, tells me he always knew I’d make it. More tears. More laughing. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors are so emotional. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors are tempted to get letters N Y T in a tasteful tattoo. Start laughing at self and realize am still crying. Waiter is a little freaked out, wonders if I am having psychotic break. Leave big tip.
7 p.m. Out for celebratory ice cream. Wonder if all NYT bestselling authors weigh 5 lbs more than the other kind. Realize Dairy Queen is not really special enough, go wild and add chocolate dip to ice cream cone order.
8 p.m. till ?? Email and answer email congrats in a daze. Call family. Call friends who have been there through all the ups and downs of the past five years in publishing. Stare at pile of laundry. Decide NYT bestselling authors do not have to do laundry until tomorrow.
3 a.m. Finally fall asleep, still smiling so huge face hurts.
7:30 a.m. Son wakes me up. Dog threw up in family room; I need to clean it up. Realize NYT bestselling author’s life not much different from other kind.
Thursday: more congrats via email and phone and Twitter. Many bouquets of flowers arrive. Lovely editor gives day off so spend afternoon at pool. Home again and doorbell rings: lovely agent sent case of champagne! Case is 12 bottles. That evening: Do a very good job of making case only 11 bottles. Some singing and dancing ensues.
Friday: Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors wake up with hangovers. Decide was totally worth it. Still feel like luckiest, happiest person in world, albeit with headache and upset stomach. Post heartfelt THANK YOU to readers on website. Get back to work on current story, just had a great idea for putting my characters in more trouble. Realize that nothing has really changed: I still have the best job in the world.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, June 10th
6:30 a.m. Wake up, begin obsessively checking the bestseller lists. Is Bookscan out yet? Nope. USA Today? No chance.
7 a.m. Beg night-owl nine-year-old daughter to wake up for last day of school. Do the breakfast thing, remind her to brush her teeth, wear shoes (!) grab her backpack, and finally herd her into the car for drive to school.
8 a.m. Out to breakfast with dear friend– have champagne cocktails to celebrate release week (mine) and other good news (hers). Check Bookscan on iPhone and discover Atlantis Unleashed is 14th bestselling romance (all formats) in the nation! Cheers! Drink all champagne; too excited to eat much of lovely asparagus omelet.
9 a.m. Wander around bookstore in a happiness/champagne daze, admiring prominent store placement and comparing it to the placement of my last chick lit book, which was generally used to prop open bathroom doors in bookstores across the country.
10 a.m. Arrive home and receive frantic phone call from daughter who needs clean clothes since pajamas she wore for pajama day are now covered with fruit punch. Drive clothes to school. Wonder if other bestselling authors have nannies.
11 a.m. Talk to agent, who is thrilled with good news. Agent says: June competition really tough. Do not be disappointed if don’t make NYT list this time; you’ll make it eventually. I say, I won’t. He says, Can I write that down?
Afternoon: Blurry. Stuff happens. Obsessively check to see if USA Today list up yet. Child comes home. Clean clothes now also covered with fruit punch. More stuff happens. Made USA Today list again – all 3 books have done it! More happiness!
5:30 p.m. Talk to lovely editor, who is miserably sick but still in office. Tell lovely editor to go home, get rest, see doctor. Editor says: No, I’m waiting for NYT list – I think you might have made it. I say, I have no chance to make it. Summer beach read competition, etc. etc.
5:35 Other line rings. It’s agent. Heart rises into throat. Start stuttering. Editor yells at me to ANSWER PHONE. Click over to line with agent and say, Hello? Agent says, NUMBER 28!!!
5:37 Start laughing and make squee-ing sounds and fall out of chair. Say, Are you sure? Agent says, Yes. Start crying. Agent (who is a guy) hurriedly says, Talk to editor now!
5:38 Tell editor. Both of us are laughing and crying. Blurry. Said stuff. Thanked her for believing in me. She said words like, I told you so. More laughing and squeeing. Some shouting of happy words. Finally tell lovely (sick) editor to go home and take much Nyquil to celebrate.
5:40 Tell children. They shout out Yay and congratulations!! Then: She says, He touched me. He says, She stuck her tongue out at me. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors have nannies. Or Swiss boarding schools.
5:50 Call agent back. He is very happy for me. Thank him for believing in me. Say, I am NYT bestselling author now. He says, I always knew you’d get there one day. More tears (me only, see above re: guy) and laughing.
6 p.m. Out to celebratory steak dinner. Too excited to eat much. Announce news on Twitter and email with iPhone. Congratulations start pouring in from lovely, lovely friends. Husband calls from Japan. Tell him, You are now my trophy husband. He cheers for me, tells me he always knew I’d make it. More tears. More laughing. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors are so emotional. Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors are tempted to get letters N Y T in a tasteful tattoo. Start laughing at self and realize am still crying. Waiter is a little freaked out, wonders if I am having psychotic break. Leave big tip.
7 p.m. Out for celebratory ice cream. Wonder if all NYT bestselling authors weigh 5 lbs more than the other kind. Realize Dairy Queen is not really special enough, go wild and add chocolate dip to ice cream cone order.
8 p.m. till ?? Email and answer email congrats in a daze. Call family. Call friends who have been there through all the ups and downs of the past five years in publishing. Stare at pile of laundry. Decide NYT bestselling authors do not have to do laundry until tomorrow.
3 a.m. Finally fall asleep, still smiling so huge face hurts.
7:30 a.m. Son wakes me up. Dog threw up in family room; I need to clean it up. Realize NYT bestselling author’s life not much different from other kind.
Thursday: more congrats via email and phone and Twitter. Many bouquets of flowers arrive. Lovely editor gives day off so spend afternoon at pool. Home again and doorbell rings: lovely agent sent case of champagne! Case is 12 bottles. That evening: Do a very good job of making case only 11 bottles. Some singing and dancing ensues.
Friday: Wonder if other NYT bestselling authors wake up with hangovers. Decide was totally worth it. Still feel like luckiest, happiest person in world, albeit with headache and upset stomach. Post heartfelt THANK YOU to readers on website. Get back to work on current story, just had a great idea for putting my characters in more trouble. Realize that nothing has really changed: I still have the best job in the world.
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!!!!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
I am a New York Times bestselling author!!
Thank you SO MUCH to all of you for supporting me and reading my books and hanging in there when Justice took a while to come out. I am laughing and crying and am going to drink champagne now. Just wanted to share how overwhelmingly happy and grateful I am to all of you!!!!
hugs,
Alyssa
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
IT'S HERE!! IT'S FINALLY HERE!!!
I am thrilled to finally announce that Atlantis Unleashed is now in a bookstore near you!!!
Today, June 2nd,is the day my new novel, Atlantis Unleashed, hits stores. I'm thrilled that everyone finally gets to discover what happened to Justice after he sacrificed himself for his family!
You can find deets here: !
And you can view the TV interview with me about being a military spouse and writer here:
I've been thrilled with a ton of good reviews, like:
"Day is back and better than ever. She doesn¹t skimp on the action, but
this story also delves into the psychological, giving the characters real depth. Power and passion unleashed make for outstanding reading!" - RT BookClub Top Pick
"an action-packed adventure filled with magic and romance. Alyssa Day does a superb job of world-building that will leave you stunned with the richness of detail. The characters of Atlantis are sexy, intelligent, and fascinating. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for more! – Romance Junkies Blue Ribbon review
"Ms. Day's world building is a beautifully crafted and the characters she has woven into it are edgy and believable. The scorching passion and spicy sexual tension add great complex weaves to an already smoking hot series. I am really looking forward to the surprises she has in store in the next books. I enthusiastically recommend this book as well as this series." – Night Owl Romance Top Pick!
And even the guys like it, in SPITE of the cover:
"what I discovered was an action romance that very much reminded me of Golden Age pulp fiction, bigger than life, full of alpha heroes and smart heroines, Gods and Goddesses, mystery, magic, and exotic locations. Think Saturday afternoon matinee Tarzan adventures or Doc Savage tempered with intelligent modern female protagonists." – SciFiGuy reviews
Thank you so much for hanging in there with me!! The loooong wait is over and I hope the fact that Alexios's book comes out next month, July 7th, will help make up for it!! Please spread the word wherever readers may gather and thank you again!
Hugs,
Alesia, who has used a lifetime's worth of exclamation points :)
Today, June 2nd,is the day my new novel, Atlantis Unleashed, hits stores. I'm thrilled that everyone finally gets to discover what happened to Justice after he sacrificed himself for his family!
You can find deets here: !
And you can view the TV interview with me about being a military spouse and writer here:
I've been thrilled with a ton of good reviews, like:
"Day is back and better than ever. She doesn¹t skimp on the action, but
this story also delves into the psychological, giving the characters real depth. Power and passion unleashed make for outstanding reading!" - RT BookClub Top Pick
"an action-packed adventure filled with magic and romance. Alyssa Day does a superb job of world-building that will leave you stunned with the richness of detail. The characters of Atlantis are sexy, intelligent, and fascinating. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait for more! – Romance Junkies Blue Ribbon review
"Ms. Day's world building is a beautifully crafted and the characters she has woven into it are edgy and believable. The scorching passion and spicy sexual tension add great complex weaves to an already smoking hot series. I am really looking forward to the surprises she has in store in the next books. I enthusiastically recommend this book as well as this series." – Night Owl Romance Top Pick!
And even the guys like it, in SPITE of the cover:
"what I discovered was an action romance that very much reminded me of Golden Age pulp fiction, bigger than life, full of alpha heroes and smart heroines, Gods and Goddesses, mystery, magic, and exotic locations. Think Saturday afternoon matinee Tarzan adventures or Doc Savage tempered with intelligent modern female protagonists." – SciFiGuy reviews
Thank you so much for hanging in there with me!! The loooong wait is over and I hope the fact that Alexios's book comes out next month, July 7th, will help make up for it!! Please spread the word wherever readers may gather and thank you again!
Hugs,
Alesia, who has used a lifetime's worth of exclamation points :)
Friday, May 29, 2009
Countdown continues!!
3 days!! Woohoo!!
OK, the news is flowing in fast and furious:
1. I'm at Running with Quills this weekend, talking about why Sundays are hard. Please stop by!
2. Doug Knipe, aka SciFiGuy, emailed me to say that Unleashed is different from any paranormal romance he has read in the past and guys will love it, too!! His review is HERE - and I especially LOVED this part:
what I discovered was an action romance that very much reminded me of Golden Age pulp fiction, bigger than life, full of alpha heroes and smart heroines, Gods and Goddesses, mystery, magic, and exotic locations. Think Saturday afternoon matinee Tarzan adventures or Doc Savage tempered with intelligent modern female protagonists.
3. Borders reports in that I'll be prominently displayed up front in the stores! LOVE Borders!!
4. The rest of the world discovers what WE already knew - reading romance is GOOD for you!!!
5. I'm the featured author at wonderful Australian bookstore EVER AFTER!!!
6. Dear friends Toni McGee Causey and Yasmine Galenorn have books out Tuesday, too!! I had the privilege of reading CHARMED AND DANGEROUS by Toni and Yasmine's DEMON MISTRESS in ARC format and they're both FABULOUS!!! June 2nd is super book shopping day!!!
7. Once I get Brennan and Tiernan out of trouble for the day in ATLANTIS REDEEMED, I'm off to take the kids to see UP!
Happy weekend, everyone!! I'll be posting more news Saturday and Sunday, so stay tuned!
hugs,
Alyssa
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Countdown is on!!!!!
According to the countdown clock, at the moment I'm writing this it's only:
4 days
or 107 hours
or 6475 minutes till ATLANTIS UNLEASHED is released!!!!
I've got exciting things happening every day so I'll be sure to post updates here!! For now, here's a sneak peek to a TV segment that will be appearing all over the country starting today! You can see it at BetterTV.com (click on Military Wife) or go direct to the clip on YouTube HERE.
In the meantime, the great reviews are pouring in!! I'm so thrilled and grateful that my readers were patient enough to wait for Justice's book. I love you all!!
hugs,
Alyssa
4 days
or 107 hours
or 6475 minutes till ATLANTIS UNLEASHED is released!!!!
I've got exciting things happening every day so I'll be sure to post updates here!! For now, here's a sneak peek to a TV segment that will be appearing all over the country starting today! You can see it at BetterTV.com (click on Military Wife) or go direct to the clip on YouTube HERE.
In the meantime, the great reviews are pouring in!! I'm so thrilled and grateful that my readers were patient enough to wait for Justice's book. I love you all!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Friday, May 15, 2009
Yippee!! I'm a Top Pick - again!
Night Owl Romance this time!! Reviewer Heather posted this rocking review - 5 out of 5 stars:
Alyssa Day’s much anticipated release; Atlantis Unleashed is a creative and deeply fascinating and a great continuation of her series. I have been waiting, and not patiently, and I wasn’t disappointed either.
* * *
Ms. Day’s world building is a beautifully crafted and the characters she has woven into it are edgy and believable. The scorching passion and spicy sexual tension add great complex weaves to an already smoking hot series. I am really looking forward to the surprises she has in store in the next books. I enthusiastically recommend this book as well as this series.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Great Reads Thursday
I have what my friends down here in the South call a "gracious plenty" of great reads to talk about in my first GRT! And many of them are friends, which makes it even more fun.
First off, the lovely and talented Jennifer St. Giles has two new releases for your reading pleasure: KISS OF DARKNESS and BRIDE OF THE WOLF. Her Shadowmen series is growing deeper and richer with every book.
And speaking of lovely and talented, my friend S.J. Day has begun a back to back release schedule of kick-ass urban fantasy!! I was lucky enough to read EVE OF DARKNESS in ARC format and loved it - now I'm holding my breath for book 2 (also on June 2nd, yet another release buddy). If you like urban fantasy, you should give the Eve series a try.
For tried and true, two of my favorite urban fantasy series had new releases lately - Charlaine Harris's DEAD AND GONE and Jim Butcher's TURN COAT. Both are long-running series, and it was interesting to me that both books gave their respective protagonists a kind of new beginning by culling some of the long-running characters and forcing Sookie and Harry to stand alone. Some interesting parallels there and both are great examples of how to keep a series fresh and exciting. Charlaine took Sookie to a very dark place and to a realization of just how very alone she is, even though she stands at an intersection of so many supernatural races. Fascinating stuff.
In the Dresden Files book, Harry has to stand for an implacable enemy, both for personal reasons and also just because, under his unique code of honor, it's the right thing to do. Personal relationships are destroyed for him, too, and lives are ended.
It's something I have to say when responding to reader mail, sometimes. If the stakes are high enough, sometimes characters will die. It's unreasonable to expect that only the bad guys will ever die in a battle to save the world. If every "good" character had a "get out of harm free" card, then there would be no real danger or suspense. The story has to control where the characters go, and sometimes, no matter how much I may love them, bad things happen to them.
But I always ALWAYS promise a happy ending for my heroes and heroines. After the torture I put them through, I think they deserve it, don't you?
hugs,
Alyssa
First off, the lovely and talented Jennifer St. Giles has two new releases for your reading pleasure: KISS OF DARKNESS and BRIDE OF THE WOLF. Her Shadowmen series is growing deeper and richer with every book.
And speaking of lovely and talented, my friend S.J. Day has begun a back to back release schedule of kick-ass urban fantasy!! I was lucky enough to read EVE OF DARKNESS in ARC format and loved it - now I'm holding my breath for book 2 (also on June 2nd, yet another release buddy). If you like urban fantasy, you should give the Eve series a try.
For tried and true, two of my favorite urban fantasy series had new releases lately - Charlaine Harris's DEAD AND GONE and Jim Butcher's TURN COAT. Both are long-running series, and it was interesting to me that both books gave their respective protagonists a kind of new beginning by culling some of the long-running characters and forcing Sookie and Harry to stand alone. Some interesting parallels there and both are great examples of how to keep a series fresh and exciting. Charlaine took Sookie to a very dark place and to a realization of just how very alone she is, even though she stands at an intersection of so many supernatural races. Fascinating stuff.
In the Dresden Files book, Harry has to stand for an implacable enemy, both for personal reasons and also just because, under his unique code of honor, it's the right thing to do. Personal relationships are destroyed for him, too, and lives are ended.
It's something I have to say when responding to reader mail, sometimes. If the stakes are high enough, sometimes characters will die. It's unreasonable to expect that only the bad guys will ever die in a battle to save the world. If every "good" character had a "get out of harm free" card, then there would be no real danger or suspense. The story has to control where the characters go, and sometimes, no matter how much I may love them, bad things happen to them.
But I always ALWAYS promise a happy ending for my heroes and heroines. After the torture I put them through, I think they deserve it, don't you?
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Writing Wednesdays
So another week seems to have gotten away from me. This time the culprits are obvious: deep in rewrites for Atlantis Redeemed, planning the release stuff for Atlantis Unleashed (only 2 weeks and 6 days, woohoo!!) and my darling Princess has strep throat. Yes, we're on baby Motrin and the dreaded pink stuff (Amoxycillin, for those of you without kids). But she's happily ensconced with her juice in front of some cartoons, fever down for now, so I can get in a good hour of writing.
I missed Movie Monday again and OMG all I can say is STAR TREK STAR TREK STAR TREK!!!!
It was FABULOUS!!! Saw it Friday and saw it again on IMAX Sunday (Mother's Day gift, yay me!). LOVED it!! I'm a confirmed Trekkie, so it was such a treat for me - all the callbacks to the original show were fun and the casting was brilliant. I'd been concerned about Urban as Bones - didn't seem like a fit - but he was absolutely terrific in the role. I hope he gets a bigger part in the future movies! How about you? Did you see it? Thoughts? Oh, and Spock and [SPOILER]??? ZOWIE!!!!
TV Tuesday continues the season finales and reminds me how much I hate the way network TV does season finales. Cliffhanger, cliffhanger, cliffhanger. Yawn. Do they realize that by the time the show comes back, we won't care? I'd like to have some of this stuff actually WRAPPED UP for a sense of closure. Don't give me spoilers about Fringe, though - it's safely on Tivo and I can't watch till little ones are in bed for the night. Too scary! Am thrilled about Leonard Nimoy casting there and that it has been renewed for next year.
OK, a little good news, I'm starting a Great Read Thursday on the blog - will talk about books I've read that I enjoyed (and why) and I hope you'll do the same in comments so we can intro each other to new authors.
But for now, the story is calling me, so here for WW is a snippet that nobody has seen yet for Atlantis Unleashed (out in less than three weeks!! You can preorder now!!) - a secret sneak peek just for you!! They've made it to the jungle . . .
Excerpt from Atlantis Unleashed, copyright Alesia Holliday, writing as Alyssa Day
Keely pushed her hair away from her face and tried to breathe, but the heat and dehydration, probably combined with the events of the past few days, had taken their toll. Justice released the energy sphere, lifted her into his arms and moved them both out of the chamber and back to the mouth of the cave, where the outside air was much fresher.
She leaned over, pulling in slow, steady breaths, until the dizziness and hyperventilation passed. “I’m fine,” she said finally. “Just really could use some water.”
Unexpectedly, he smiled. “Although the Nereid still hides from me, or is recovering from the use of so much power, I find that my Atlantean gifts are returning. If water is what you want, my Keely, then water you shall have.”
He strode outside to stand, legs braced apart and arms held up in the air. The sunlight shone down on him as if he were some primitive god, himself, returned to his people and ready to accept their worshipful homage. He was beautiful and stern and primal, and something deep inside her stirred, shaken and moved by the sight of him. Her breasts tingled and her nipples hardened, craving his touch, and her thighs tightened as liquid heat pooled in her center, readying her for him like some ancient virgin to be sacrificed to a lusty god.
Her face flamed at the thought and she tried to remind herself of the biological imperative that caused women to be attracted to powerful men in dangerous situations. She was a scientist. She of all women couldn’t fall prey to something so primal.
Even as she tried to resist the siren call of his intense sexuality, he lowered his gaze from the sky and stared straight into her eyes. His own had darkened to black with blue-green flames dancing in the exact centers of his pupils. “Poseidon, hear me,” he called out in a voice filled with tempest-tossed waves and gale-force winds, never taking his gaze from her. “Bring water to me that it may give life and health to my woman.”
“I’m not your woman,” she whispered, but this time even she didn’t believe it. At that moment, with winds circling Justice like a typhoon, whipping through the clearing to center on him, energy crackling around him like miniature lightning bolts in shades of silver, blue and green, she could deny him nothing.
“For Poseidon,” he roared, throwing back his head. Somehow his braid had loosened, and long strands of hair whipped around his face and shoulders; blues all the spectrum of possibility caught in the strands of his hair flew in the wind as it danced to his call.
She looked up, following his gaze, unable to doubt him for even an instant. He had called for water, so it would come. She knew it, and when the swirling, twirling coils of crystal clear water tumbled through the air toward him, she laughed with delighted joy.
“Come to me, Keely,” he said, and the heat in his eyes seared through her until she wanted to tear off her clothes and throw herself on the ground in front of him; a pagan offering to be taken right there in the downpour that he had created. But instead she stumbled forward, hands clenched at her sides, until she stood a mere breath away from him.
He laughed down at her and shouted out another word, a beautiful word, a word she did not know. The water turned into a spring shower, falling onto them and into their open mouths and down their necks and soaking into their filthy clothes.
From Atlantis Unleashed, in stores June 2nd!
I missed Movie Monday again and OMG all I can say is STAR TREK STAR TREK STAR TREK!!!!
It was FABULOUS!!! Saw it Friday and saw it again on IMAX Sunday (Mother's Day gift, yay me!). LOVED it!! I'm a confirmed Trekkie, so it was such a treat for me - all the callbacks to the original show were fun and the casting was brilliant. I'd been concerned about Urban as Bones - didn't seem like a fit - but he was absolutely terrific in the role. I hope he gets a bigger part in the future movies! How about you? Did you see it? Thoughts? Oh, and Spock and [SPOILER]??? ZOWIE!!!!
TV Tuesday continues the season finales and reminds me how much I hate the way network TV does season finales. Cliffhanger, cliffhanger, cliffhanger. Yawn. Do they realize that by the time the show comes back, we won't care? I'd like to have some of this stuff actually WRAPPED UP for a sense of closure. Don't give me spoilers about Fringe, though - it's safely on Tivo and I can't watch till little ones are in bed for the night. Too scary! Am thrilled about Leonard Nimoy casting there and that it has been renewed for next year.
OK, a little good news, I'm starting a Great Read Thursday on the blog - will talk about books I've read that I enjoyed (and why) and I hope you'll do the same in comments so we can intro each other to new authors.
But for now, the story is calling me, so here for WW is a snippet that nobody has seen yet for Atlantis Unleashed (out in less than three weeks!! You can preorder now!!
Excerpt from Atlantis Unleashed, copyright Alesia Holliday, writing as Alyssa Day
Keely pushed her hair away from her face and tried to breathe, but the heat and dehydration, probably combined with the events of the past few days, had taken their toll. Justice released the energy sphere, lifted her into his arms and moved them both out of the chamber and back to the mouth of the cave, where the outside air was much fresher.
She leaned over, pulling in slow, steady breaths, until the dizziness and hyperventilation passed. “I’m fine,” she said finally. “Just really could use some water.”
Unexpectedly, he smiled. “Although the Nereid still hides from me, or is recovering from the use of so much power, I find that my Atlantean gifts are returning. If water is what you want, my Keely, then water you shall have.”
He strode outside to stand, legs braced apart and arms held up in the air. The sunlight shone down on him as if he were some primitive god, himself, returned to his people and ready to accept their worshipful homage. He was beautiful and stern and primal, and something deep inside her stirred, shaken and moved by the sight of him. Her breasts tingled and her nipples hardened, craving his touch, and her thighs tightened as liquid heat pooled in her center, readying her for him like some ancient virgin to be sacrificed to a lusty god.
Her face flamed at the thought and she tried to remind herself of the biological imperative that caused women to be attracted to powerful men in dangerous situations. She was a scientist. She of all women couldn’t fall prey to something so primal.
Even as she tried to resist the siren call of his intense sexuality, he lowered his gaze from the sky and stared straight into her eyes. His own had darkened to black with blue-green flames dancing in the exact centers of his pupils. “Poseidon, hear me,” he called out in a voice filled with tempest-tossed waves and gale-force winds, never taking his gaze from her. “Bring water to me that it may give life and health to my woman.”
“I’m not your woman,” she whispered, but this time even she didn’t believe it. At that moment, with winds circling Justice like a typhoon, whipping through the clearing to center on him, energy crackling around him like miniature lightning bolts in shades of silver, blue and green, she could deny him nothing.
“For Poseidon,” he roared, throwing back his head. Somehow his braid had loosened, and long strands of hair whipped around his face and shoulders; blues all the spectrum of possibility caught in the strands of his hair flew in the wind as it danced to his call.
She looked up, following his gaze, unable to doubt him for even an instant. He had called for water, so it would come. She knew it, and when the swirling, twirling coils of crystal clear water tumbled through the air toward him, she laughed with delighted joy.
“Come to me, Keely,” he said, and the heat in his eyes seared through her until she wanted to tear off her clothes and throw herself on the ground in front of him; a pagan offering to be taken right there in the downpour that he had created. But instead she stumbled forward, hands clenched at her sides, until she stood a mere breath away from him.
He laughed down at her and shouted out another word, a beautiful word, a word she did not know. The water turned into a spring shower, falling onto them and into their open mouths and down their necks and soaking into their filthy clothes.
From Atlantis Unleashed, in stores June 2nd!
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Writing Wednesday
Oh, wow, the week has been getting away from me! Much kidlet stuff this week. I helped Princess's class work on their writing skills for the state test FCAT writes, and they all passed with flying colors! Much joy and I baked cupcakes to take into class today.
Also, Science Boy turns 12 Saturday (how did THAT happen???) He was JUST BORN! GAK! So there has been much secret and not-so-secret shopping as the new Nintendo DSi he's desperate for has made its way to my house. Just need to wrap it and hide it till Saturday . . .
So, in brief: Movie Monday - who saw Wolverine?? Thoughts? Love Hugh, love Gambit, a little disappointed. Not what I expected, no humor, too grim. Can't wait for Star Trek this weekend!
TV Tuesday, I admit to watching Biggest Loser and I cried when they finished that marathon. How affirming!! Anybody else a fan? Or did you catch American Idol? How was it?
Writing Wednesday: Have you checked out the excerpt for Atlantis Unleashed yet?? And I know, I need to put the back cover copy on the site. Doing that as soon as I finish my chapter of Redeemed today. have a great Wednesday!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Also, Science Boy turns 12 Saturday (how did THAT happen???) He was JUST BORN! GAK! So there has been much secret and not-so-secret shopping as the new Nintendo DSi he's desperate for has made its way to my house. Just need to wrap it and hide it till Saturday . . .
So, in brief: Movie Monday - who saw Wolverine?? Thoughts? Love Hugh, love Gambit, a little disappointed. Not what I expected, no humor, too grim. Can't wait for Star Trek this weekend!
TV Tuesday, I admit to watching Biggest Loser and I cried when they finished that marathon. How affirming!! Anybody else a fan? Or did you catch American Idol? How was it?
Writing Wednesday: Have you checked out the excerpt for Atlantis Unleashed yet?? And I know, I need to put the back cover copy on the site. Doing that as soon as I finish my chapter of Redeemed today. have a great Wednesday!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Writing Wednesday
Busy, busy days!! Only 33 days till Atlantis Unleashed is out and I'm so excited!! I'll be doing lots of guest blogging leading up to release, so I'll be sure to share where you can find me.
Today I'm hard at work rewriting a scene in Atlantis Redeemed, where Brennan first finds Tiernan again, in the heart of Yellowstone National Park, after he nearly lost his mind over her in Atlantis Unleashed (you'll see that scene soon, it's CRAZY!).
But for writing Wednesday, I'm sharing a different snippet from Atlantis Redeemed, where Tiernan first finds out that she may have more enemies than she expected at the science conference . . .
From Atlantis Redeemed:
Tiernan stilled at the mention of the Atlanteans. She’d never told Rick, or anybody else, the full story. That she’d passed out at that awful party in Boston and woken up under the dome of the lost continent itself.
Atlantis.
Brennan.
The image of his wild, almost feral, ocean blue eyes staring down at her, while his muscular arms held her to his hard, hot body, burned through her memory, making her shiver. That face that belonged on a magazine cover--beautifully sculpted masculine features framed by thick waves of long black hair. He’d been crazed, with power or passion or . . . something. He’d been crazed, and then he’d been gone.
She still wondered about that. About him.
Rick opened her car door, yanking her out of her reverie. “Now, maybe, Tracy?”
Tiernan nodded and grabbed her leather backpack and fake press credentials, put on her slightly ditzy “Tracy Baum” smile, and stepped out of the car. She took a deep breath and raised her mental shields as she straightened up to her full height, wobbling a little on the ridiculous heels.
The heels were part of her cover. The shields were part of her sanity. The last thing she needed was to be overwhelmed by crashing pain from a hotel full of lying neuroscientists. Her job was simple. All she had to do was work her way through one lying neuroscientist at a time.
All that could matter was the job. The mission. The paper that had to come out – the story that had to come out. The truth, as they said, would set her free.
Pulitzer.
Pulitzer.
Save the damn world, and get a Pulitzer.
If she repeated it often enough, like a litany, maybe the truth would be forced out. It had to come out.
As she smiled at the bellhop and pretended to listen to Rick’s conversation with the man, she tried to create a visual focus in her mind. The headline. Front page, above the fold:
SCIENTISTS’ EVIL PLOT FOILED: SHAPE-SHIFTERS AND HUMANS SAVED
But the image of her success kept fading. Wavering. Replaced by a pair of ocean blue eyes.
She teetered across the concrete drive, and then up the sidewalk alongside a row of dense hedge, following Rick and the bellman with their luggage, silently vowing that the damn shoes had to go the minute she escaped to her hotel room.
She never even saw the knife until it was taut against her throat.
Atlantis Redeemed, copyright Alesia Holliday writing as Alyssa Day
Today I'm hard at work rewriting a scene in Atlantis Redeemed, where Brennan first finds Tiernan again, in the heart of Yellowstone National Park, after he nearly lost his mind over her in Atlantis Unleashed (you'll see that scene soon, it's CRAZY!).
But for writing Wednesday, I'm sharing a different snippet from Atlantis Redeemed, where Tiernan first finds out that she may have more enemies than she expected at the science conference . . .
From Atlantis Redeemed:
Tiernan stilled at the mention of the Atlanteans. She’d never told Rick, or anybody else, the full story. That she’d passed out at that awful party in Boston and woken up under the dome of the lost continent itself.
Atlantis.
Brennan.
The image of his wild, almost feral, ocean blue eyes staring down at her, while his muscular arms held her to his hard, hot body, burned through her memory, making her shiver. That face that belonged on a magazine cover--beautifully sculpted masculine features framed by thick waves of long black hair. He’d been crazed, with power or passion or . . . something. He’d been crazed, and then he’d been gone.
She still wondered about that. About him.
Rick opened her car door, yanking her out of her reverie. “Now, maybe, Tracy?”
Tiernan nodded and grabbed her leather backpack and fake press credentials, put on her slightly ditzy “Tracy Baum” smile, and stepped out of the car. She took a deep breath and raised her mental shields as she straightened up to her full height, wobbling a little on the ridiculous heels.
The heels were part of her cover. The shields were part of her sanity. The last thing she needed was to be overwhelmed by crashing pain from a hotel full of lying neuroscientists. Her job was simple. All she had to do was work her way through one lying neuroscientist at a time.
All that could matter was the job. The mission. The paper that had to come out – the story that had to come out. The truth, as they said, would set her free.
Pulitzer.
Pulitzer.
Save the damn world, and get a Pulitzer.
If she repeated it often enough, like a litany, maybe the truth would be forced out. It had to come out.
As she smiled at the bellhop and pretended to listen to Rick’s conversation with the man, she tried to create a visual focus in her mind. The headline. Front page, above the fold:
SCIENTISTS’ EVIL PLOT FOILED: SHAPE-SHIFTERS AND HUMANS SAVED
But the image of her success kept fading. Wavering. Replaced by a pair of ocean blue eyes.
She teetered across the concrete drive, and then up the sidewalk alongside a row of dense hedge, following Rick and the bellman with their luggage, silently vowing that the damn shoes had to go the minute she escaped to her hotel room.
She never even saw the knife until it was taut against her throat.
Atlantis Redeemed, copyright Alesia Holliday writing as Alyssa Day
Friday, April 24, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
Ask the Author
Hey, I'm the featured author at RT Bookclub's Ask the Author till May 1 - please stop by and ask questions or chat!!
RT, the most prestigious review publication in romance fiction, gave Atlantis Unleashed a Top Pick review!!! They said:
Day is back and better than ever in the newest rousing installment
of her Warriors of Poseidon series. She doesn¹t skimp on the action, but this story also delves into the psychological, giving the characters real depth. Power and passion unleashed make for outstanding reading!
RT, the most prestigious review publication in romance fiction, gave Atlantis Unleashed a Top Pick review!!! They said:
Day is back and better than ever in the newest rousing installment
of her Warriors of Poseidon series. She doesn¹t skimp on the action, but this story also delves into the psychological, giving the characters real depth. Power and passion unleashed make for outstanding reading!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
computer gurus say prospect is good
that I recover my files!!! doing happy computer dance!!
SmartBitches who love Trashy Books have some bosom heaving going on!! Today is release day - they'll make you laugh so hard you pee. But in a good way. Seriously. Sarah and Candy ROCK the romance love.
Back to work recreating ending, just in case. Oh and be sure to check out the BRAND NEW WEBSITE DESIGN!! New forums!! New EXCERPTS!! Justin at Stonecreek Media is fantastic!
And as if 72 ways to find me weren't bad enough, I'm now at Twitter: It's a sickness.
SmartBitches who love Trashy Books have some bosom heaving going on!! Today is release day - they'll make you laugh so hard you pee. But in a good way. Seriously. Sarah and Candy ROCK the romance love.
Back to work recreating ending, just in case. Oh and be sure to check out the BRAND NEW WEBSITE DESIGN!! New forums!! New EXCERPTS!! Justin at Stonecreek Media is fantastic!
And as if 72 ways to find me weren't bad enough, I'm now at Twitter: It's a sickness.
Friday, April 10, 2009
well my computer blew up
And lightning fried my backup. Am frantically trying to recreate a book while I wait anxiously for the techs to tell me if they could recreate my files. For the whole awful story, go here: http://www.romancingtheblog.com/blog/2009/04/09/stress-perspective-and-the-romance-writer/
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sad pugs, their person is on deadline
Back soon to play, I promise!! And I saw the prototype of the new website layout and it's GORGEOUS!!! Can't wait to share!
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Writing Wednesdays
Hey! Two days in a row! Theme week continues with Writing Wednesdays. Here is a sneak peek at my short story,
The Princess and the Peas, in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance:
Excerpt from The Princess and the Peas, copyright Alyssa Day
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a princess in a tiny kingdom known as Elvania. The kingdom’s exact location is long lost in the mists of time; some say it became part of France, while others claim it for Switzerland. The Swiss claim has more merit, perhaps, as the precedent of impartial and wintry cold neutrality has sometimes been a guiding tenet of that people. All agree that the princess claimed a lovely view of the waters of what is now called Lake Geneva from her turret bedroom.
Not that she cared much for views. Or lakes. Or anything at all, in fact, other than her single-minded, unswerving quest for the perfect husband.
This is her story. (Except where it isn’t.)
***
“Lucinda!” The dulcet shrieks of her-royal-pain-in-the-nether-regions rang through Lucy’s skull like a trumpet blown by a particularly incompetent musician. She shot up out of her narrow bed, clutching the threadbare quilt to her chest, blinking stupidly, wondering what was on fire.
With any luck, she was. She being Princess Margarita Gloriana Dolores Tresor Montague, Glory to her friends, not that she had any. Lady, mistress, and hellspawn to Lucinda since the two of them had been ten years old.
When the cry didn’t repeat itself, Lucy closed her eyes and started to sink back into her lumpy mattress, hoping that it had been a nightmare. Maybe she could fall back into that inexplicably tingly dream, although it was curious that Ian, his dark eyes flashing, had been riding his horse through the main hall, coming to get her. Since when did she dream of Ian?
More to the point, since when did any dream leave her feeling quite so . . . breathless?
She repressed that line of inquiry and opened a single eye. The glimmers of pink light edging through her narrow window told her that it could be no more than an hour since the princess had finally, finally pronounced herself pleased enough with the preparations, so that Lucy could crawl off to her room--the tiny chamber adjacent to Glory’s own—and catch at least a few short hours of sleep before the guests arrived.
More stinking royalty.
If Lucy lived through the week, it would be a miracle. Why couldn’t she be a cook or a scullery maid or even a laundress? Surely slaving away in the hot kitchens or over the clothes boiling away in the pots must be a stroll in the gardens compared to dancing attendance on the spoiled brat of a princess.
Never mind. It didn’t matter. Sleep. Lovely, blessed sleep.
Just a few hours, and then a strong mug or three of hot tea, and---
“Lucinda! Get in here right this minute, you lazy girl! We forgot the peas!”
Lucy startled awake with a jerk and slammed her head so hard into the stone wall that she was sure to have a goose egg on her skull in a matter of hours. Not to mention the headache. She gritted her teeth, threw her legs over the side of the bed, and stood up, swaying a little with dizziness from the pain in her head.
“I. Am. Coming. You. Horrible. Monster,” she gritted out under her breath. Then, louder: “Coming, my lady.”
She didn’t bother to put a spritely tone in her voice. Glory wouldn’t have believed it anyway. The last time Lucy had sounded spritely, it had been the day she’d left a very wet and slimy toad in Glory’s bed. She grinned at the memory but then sighed.
Sad to live on the memory of a childish rebellion that had happened nearly eleven years ago.
Lucy stumbled into Glory’s room, taken aback as always at the virulent pinkness of it. Wall hangings, rugs, bed coverlets, and even Glory herself were all a vision in nauseating pink. And rose. And red-tinged violet. It was like walking into the inside of a sow’s stomach.
She rubbed her eyes again, hoping it would go away. It didn’t. It never did.
“What are you talking about, Glory? What peas?”
“That’s Your Highness,” Glory snapped. “Or Milady, at least while our guests are here. I can’t have it thought that I allow the serving wenches to address me with such familiarity.”
“Serving wenches? Serving wenches? Whose shoulder have you cried on more times than either of us can count? Whose bed did you climb into for safety and comfort whenever there was a thunderstorm—and that up until you were fifteen years old?” Lucy asked with—she thought—admirable calm. “Mayhap you should rethink that term, or I’ll find out if Magda can come help you this week.”
Glory gasped at the idea of the pig keeper as her personal servant. “Magda? She hasn’t bathed in months. You must be joking. Don’t forget that you owe me--"
“I owe you nothing,” Lucy said flatly. “I’ve spent the past eleven years working far and above the value of my keep, in spite of the promise your mother made to mine. I turn twenty-one in three days and am only staying this week as a favor to the Glory I once loved as a sister.”
Glory had the grace to look abashed, but only for a span of seconds. “You know you cannot leave me, twenty-one or no. There is no place for you to go.”
“There is the world, Glory. There is the world. Or do you forget?” Lucy waved her arm and the scattered pillows, clothes, and assorted frippery covering every inch of Glory’s floor flew gracefully to their assigned places in trunks and the wardrobe.
“Now. What peas?”
[For more, check out THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE, in stores now!]
The Princess and the Peas, in The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance:
Excerpt from The Princess and the Peas, copyright Alyssa Day
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a princess in a tiny kingdom known as Elvania. The kingdom’s exact location is long lost in the mists of time; some say it became part of France, while others claim it for Switzerland. The Swiss claim has more merit, perhaps, as the precedent of impartial and wintry cold neutrality has sometimes been a guiding tenet of that people. All agree that the princess claimed a lovely view of the waters of what is now called Lake Geneva from her turret bedroom.
Not that she cared much for views. Or lakes. Or anything at all, in fact, other than her single-minded, unswerving quest for the perfect husband.
This is her story. (Except where it isn’t.)
***
“Lucinda!” The dulcet shrieks of her-royal-pain-in-the-nether-regions rang through Lucy’s skull like a trumpet blown by a particularly incompetent musician. She shot up out of her narrow bed, clutching the threadbare quilt to her chest, blinking stupidly, wondering what was on fire.
With any luck, she was. She being Princess Margarita Gloriana Dolores Tresor Montague, Glory to her friends, not that she had any. Lady, mistress, and hellspawn to Lucinda since the two of them had been ten years old.
When the cry didn’t repeat itself, Lucy closed her eyes and started to sink back into her lumpy mattress, hoping that it had been a nightmare. Maybe she could fall back into that inexplicably tingly dream, although it was curious that Ian, his dark eyes flashing, had been riding his horse through the main hall, coming to get her. Since when did she dream of Ian?
More to the point, since when did any dream leave her feeling quite so . . . breathless?
She repressed that line of inquiry and opened a single eye. The glimmers of pink light edging through her narrow window told her that it could be no more than an hour since the princess had finally, finally pronounced herself pleased enough with the preparations, so that Lucy could crawl off to her room--the tiny chamber adjacent to Glory’s own—and catch at least a few short hours of sleep before the guests arrived.
More stinking royalty.
If Lucy lived through the week, it would be a miracle. Why couldn’t she be a cook or a scullery maid or even a laundress? Surely slaving away in the hot kitchens or over the clothes boiling away in the pots must be a stroll in the gardens compared to dancing attendance on the spoiled brat of a princess.
Never mind. It didn’t matter. Sleep. Lovely, blessed sleep.
Just a few hours, and then a strong mug or three of hot tea, and---
“Lucinda! Get in here right this minute, you lazy girl! We forgot the peas!”
Lucy startled awake with a jerk and slammed her head so hard into the stone wall that she was sure to have a goose egg on her skull in a matter of hours. Not to mention the headache. She gritted her teeth, threw her legs over the side of the bed, and stood up, swaying a little with dizziness from the pain in her head.
“I. Am. Coming. You. Horrible. Monster,” she gritted out under her breath. Then, louder: “Coming, my lady.”
She didn’t bother to put a spritely tone in her voice. Glory wouldn’t have believed it anyway. The last time Lucy had sounded spritely, it had been the day she’d left a very wet and slimy toad in Glory’s bed. She grinned at the memory but then sighed.
Sad to live on the memory of a childish rebellion that had happened nearly eleven years ago.
Lucy stumbled into Glory’s room, taken aback as always at the virulent pinkness of it. Wall hangings, rugs, bed coverlets, and even Glory herself were all a vision in nauseating pink. And rose. And red-tinged violet. It was like walking into the inside of a sow’s stomach.
She rubbed her eyes again, hoping it would go away. It didn’t. It never did.
“What are you talking about, Glory? What peas?”
“That’s Your Highness,” Glory snapped. “Or Milady, at least while our guests are here. I can’t have it thought that I allow the serving wenches to address me with such familiarity.”
“Serving wenches? Serving wenches? Whose shoulder have you cried on more times than either of us can count? Whose bed did you climb into for safety and comfort whenever there was a thunderstorm—and that up until you were fifteen years old?” Lucy asked with—she thought—admirable calm. “Mayhap you should rethink that term, or I’ll find out if Magda can come help you this week.”
Glory gasped at the idea of the pig keeper as her personal servant. “Magda? She hasn’t bathed in months. You must be joking. Don’t forget that you owe me--"
“I owe you nothing,” Lucy said flatly. “I’ve spent the past eleven years working far and above the value of my keep, in spite of the promise your mother made to mine. I turn twenty-one in three days and am only staying this week as a favor to the Glory I once loved as a sister.”
Glory had the grace to look abashed, but only for a span of seconds. “You know you cannot leave me, twenty-one or no. There is no place for you to go.”
“There is the world, Glory. There is the world. Or do you forget?” Lucy waved her arm and the scattered pillows, clothes, and assorted frippery covering every inch of Glory’s floor flew gracefully to their assigned places in trunks and the wardrobe.
“Now. What peas?”
[For more, check out THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE, in stores now!]
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
TV Tuesday
OK, I'm dreadful at blogging so am going with themes. THEMES, dammit, will keep me in line. So, TV Tuesday:
Anybody watch CASTLE with Nathan Fillion? I've loved him since Firefly and have been hoping he found a home in a TV show that lasts. There was the EXTREMELY short lived show about people in a bizarre road race, but that disappeared before it started, practically. Anyway, I had a blast with it! Love the daughter, love the Mom from Dharma and Greg, think the police detective is great (for those who think she's too tightly wound, HELLO, she needs to have a beginning point so she can have a character arc!), and love, love, love Nathan Fillion (HELLO, AGAIN, those who find him too over the top and annoying, he has to find his own character arc, give him a chance). And those of you (you know who you are) fizzing about teensy details like OH, NO, HE WOULDN'T TYPE IN SINGLE SPACE IF HE WERE A REAL AUTHOR, well, just hang up the crazy hat.
It's CAPTAIN MALCOLM REYNOLDS. Back on TV. And I'm in my happy place.
AND IN GREAT PERSONAL NEWS, just found out that THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF PARANORMAL ROMANCE
came out this week instead of next month! (Teensy glitch in communications, there). Check it out!! I've been sneaking a peek at all the wonderful stories and it looks like so much fun! Not to mention that the seriously hot high prince of the Fae, Rhys na Garanwyn, who I introduced in my story makes a very definite appearance in Atlantis in July . . . hugs,
Alyssa
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Happy Friday!!
Ran around like a fiend all day and now I’m getting ready for our excellent chapter meeting of the First Coast Romance Writers. We’re flying Marcela Landres, an editor from NY, in to speak to the chapter and we’re really looking forward to it!
Off to fold laundry, prepare for meeting, and watch ep 1 of Joss Whedon’s new Doll House. Can’t wait! Joss is the Master.
Hugs,
Alyssa
RITA award winning author
Atlantis Unleashed, Atlantis Unmasked, June & July '09!
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Random thoughts and Kryptonite
I'm guest blogging at Romancing the Blog on why I need Kryptonite. Stop by HERE if you get a chance!
10-second tale: Hole in roof! Boo! Water damage! Boo! Insurance adjustor comes right away! Yay! Contractor comes right away! Yay! Roofers and painters here all day tomorrow! Boo! But all done in one day! Yay!
Got darling son his first pair of contacts today. WHY is it fair for 11 y.o. boy to have 3-foot long eyelashes??
Lovely editor LOVED new ending for Alexios. Yay!
Off to play in Brennan's world for another chapter, since today went down the crazy hole of errands/roofing.
hugs,
Alyssa
ps Please send any healing thoughts and/or prayers to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of my personal heroes. She's facing cancer again. Her work for women's rights paved the way for so many things we take for granted today. She's a tiny woman with an enormous brain and tremendous talent and my thoughts and prayers are with her and her family as she takes on yet another challenge.
10-second tale: Hole in roof! Boo! Water damage! Boo! Insurance adjustor comes right away! Yay! Contractor comes right away! Yay! Roofers and painters here all day tomorrow! Boo! But all done in one day! Yay!
Got darling son his first pair of contacts today. WHY is it fair for 11 y.o. boy to have 3-foot long eyelashes??
Lovely editor LOVED new ending for Alexios. Yay!
Off to play in Brennan's world for another chapter, since today went down the crazy hole of errands/roofing.
hugs,
Alyssa
ps Please send any healing thoughts and/or prayers to Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, one of my personal heroes. She's facing cancer again. Her work for women's rights paved the way for so many things we take for granted today. She's a tiny woman with an enormous brain and tremendous talent and my thoughts and prayers are with her and her family as she takes on yet another challenge.
Monday, February 02, 2009
I say we call for a boycott
Worst commercial in the Super Bowl HERE.
Never, ever ordering from Teleflora. Ever. Because, REALLY???? No, I mean, REALLY???? Because we live in the 1950s again and women don't order flowers? Women who don't particularly want to be insulted in such a crude, sexist, misogynistic way??? Oh, and wait -- women who read ROMANCE NOVELS???? Screw 'em. Let's boycott the asshats.
Never, ever ordering from Teleflora. Ever. Because, REALLY???? No, I mean, REALLY???? Because we live in the 1950s again and women don't order flowers? Women who don't particularly want to be insulted in such a crude, sexist, misogynistic way??? Oh, and wait -- women who read ROMANCE NOVELS???? Screw 'em. Let's boycott the asshats.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Crazy week, back to Brennan
It was a catch-up week here; dogs to vet, son to eye doc, etc. etc. So I'm happily ignoring Mt. Laundry and ensconced in my office with Ghirardelli chocolate peanut butter squares and a fresh mug of coffee so I can dive back into Brennan's story. I've got so much swirling around in my mind on 3 different books that I wish I could write 18 hours a day!! Hope you're all having a lovely weekend. We're planning to watch the Super Bowl, but only for the commercials! LOL. We only care about college football (Go Buckeyes!)
May you have lovely half-time food while rocking out with Bruce.
hugs,
alyssa
May you have lovely half-time food while rocking out with Bruce.
hugs,
alyssa
Friday, January 23, 2009
Happy almost weekend!
I'm back into Brennan's book in a big way; the curse he's under is making life very very tricky for him (and for me, not that he cares!) and for his heroine Tiernan! (You'll meet her in Justice's book.) When I was finishing up copyedits for Alexios, the absolutely perfect ending scene came to me and it was so lovely that it made me choke up a little writing it. I hope you love it, too. You'll meet Grace in Justice's book, too, by the way. OH! And for a little teaser, I put the first chapter of Brennan in the end of Alexios! Yay!
I just realized I toss those terms around and it might be helpful if I actually explained, LOL: copyedits are the stage where the manuscript comes back to me with the copyeditor's grammar and punctuation corrections - evidently I have a semicolon problem, who knew? - and continuity issues like "Hey! this character had brown hair in chapter 2, why is it purple in chapter 4?" and it's my last chance to make any substantial changes to the book.
After that, the next thing I'll see are the galleys or page proofs, where the pages are actually typeset so they look like the actual printed pages in the book will look and I'm only allowed to make very minor corrections at that stage, like fixing a typo.
Well, in other news, my darling baby is turning 9 on Sunday (how did that happen??? she was just born!!!) so I'm off to buy ingredients for her cake and maybe a gift or two.
May you all have a lovely lovely weekend.
hugs,
Alyssa
I just realized I toss those terms around and it might be helpful if I actually explained, LOL: copyedits are the stage where the manuscript comes back to me with the copyeditor's grammar and punctuation corrections - evidently I have a semicolon problem, who knew? - and continuity issues like "Hey! this character had brown hair in chapter 2, why is it purple in chapter 4?" and it's my last chance to make any substantial changes to the book.
After that, the next thing I'll see are the galleys or page proofs, where the pages are actually typeset so they look like the actual printed pages in the book will look and I'm only allowed to make very minor corrections at that stage, like fixing a typo.
Well, in other news, my darling baby is turning 9 on Sunday (how did that happen??? she was just born!!!) so I'm off to buy ingredients for her cake and maybe a gift or two.
May you all have a lovely lovely weekend.
hugs,
Alyssa
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Busy, cold cold day
It's the coldest day of the year here so just drinking hot tea and trying not to go outside for any reason. Finishing copyedits on Alexios so those can go to UPS tonight and have been writing both Brennan and the first urban fantasy simultaneously. I have never written more than one book at once, but the UF won't leave me alone, so I'm still sneaking pages in at night. We'll see how it goes! So far, I'm loving it. I have a title, but need to be sure my editor approves before I can share. Oh! And I have cover art to share. Will try to get that uploaded in the next day or two.
If you're waiting on a mailing from me, I'm sorry but my assistant has been sick so we're behind. I promise to get all those books and totebags mailed out this weekend!!
And the website - I know, it's terrible. Trust me, it's just a placeholder. I've hired a wonderful new designer, but the new site won't launch until probably late April or May 1 at the latest. I'll try to keep loading stuff to this temporary site in the meantime. I have many cool excerpts! Be patient!
Hope you're having a wonderful day and staying warm!
hugs,
Alyssa
If you're waiting on a mailing from me, I'm sorry but my assistant has been sick so we're behind. I promise to get all those books and totebags mailed out this weekend!!
And the website - I know, it's terrible. Trust me, it's just a placeholder. I've hired a wonderful new designer, but the new site won't launch until probably late April or May 1 at the latest. I'll try to keep loading stuff to this temporary site in the meantime. I have many cool excerpts! Be patient!
Hope you're having a wonderful day and staying warm!
hugs,
Alyssa
Saturday, January 17, 2009
random snippets
This one is from ATLANTIS UNLEASHED. If you remember from ATLANTIS AWAKENING, we left poor Justice in a very bad place:
Present day; the Void created by Anubisa, goddess of Chaos and Night
Justice floated in a dark dimension composed entirely of pain, his mind cannibalizing his memories for some sense of himself.
Viscous as a thick, murky potion conjured by a dark sorceress, the pain surrounded him, taunted him, buffeted him and cradled him until he no longer existed other than as a supplicant; a slave; an unwilling participant in a twisted and torturous game.
His consciousness had dwindled down to the barest pinprick of flickering light. He knew his name, knew he was Justice in a vastness of injustice, knew that his sacrifice had saved Others whose names had long been torn from his mind. But nobility was as nothing against the pain; the pain ate nobility, consumed strength, devoured pride. Ate the Body until what was left of the Body burned in acid rebellion against the Mind. The Mind screamed and howled, silent shrieks of protest against an unyielding evil that licked his blood, feasted on his terror and laughed a dark, breathless humor of longing.
But the memories flashed; taunting him with their evanescence. First; a glimpse of the beginning. There was the cavern, and then there was after. After had been when the pain began. Of that, at least, he was sure.
Present day; the Void created by Anubisa, goddess of Chaos and Night
Justice floated in a dark dimension composed entirely of pain, his mind cannibalizing his memories for some sense of himself.
Viscous as a thick, murky potion conjured by a dark sorceress, the pain surrounded him, taunted him, buffeted him and cradled him until he no longer existed other than as a supplicant; a slave; an unwilling participant in a twisted and torturous game.
His consciousness had dwindled down to the barest pinprick of flickering light. He knew his name, knew he was Justice in a vastness of injustice, knew that his sacrifice had saved Others whose names had long been torn from his mind. But nobility was as nothing against the pain; the pain ate nobility, consumed strength, devoured pride. Ate the Body until what was left of the Body burned in acid rebellion against the Mind. The Mind screamed and howled, silent shrieks of protest against an unyielding evil that licked his blood, feasted on his terror and laughed a dark, breathless humor of longing.
But the memories flashed; taunting him with their evanescence. First; a glimpse of the beginning. There was the cavern, and then there was after. After had been when the pain began. Of that, at least, he was sure.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
It's an addiction
TV. Love great TV. Shows I'm having great fun with lately:
1. The Mentalist - Simon Baker. Yummy. Plus the writing is smart, funny, and with that hint of danger/madness that always intrigues me.
2. Leverage: Timothy Hutton is superb, but this really is an ensemble show. Just when I think I love Sophie best, Porter the little orphan-turned-thief will do something terrific. And the guys on the show are all funny and smart and sexy. What's not to like??
3. Of course, the old standby, the new season of American Idol. I actually like the new judge; she's a songwriter and makes actual sense when she has comments.
But I have a dirty little secret: I'm giving up most of my TV watching because I'm having so much fun with the books I'm writing that I keep ignoring the TV to write "just one more page." LOL!!
So tell me: what great shows are you watching now? What have you given up on, like I did on Heroes?
oh and P.S. if you're a teacher, I admire the HECK out of you!! Spent the day talking to three different 6th grade classes about being an author and it totally wore me out. How teachers manage to keep all those kids' attention all day long is far, far beyond me!!
hugs,
Alyssa
1. The Mentalist - Simon Baker. Yummy. Plus the writing is smart, funny, and with that hint of danger/madness that always intrigues me.
2. Leverage: Timothy Hutton is superb, but this really is an ensemble show. Just when I think I love Sophie best, Porter the little orphan-turned-thief will do something terrific. And the guys on the show are all funny and smart and sexy. What's not to like??
3. Of course, the old standby, the new season of American Idol. I actually like the new judge; she's a songwriter and makes actual sense when she has comments.
But I have a dirty little secret: I'm giving up most of my TV watching because I'm having so much fun with the books I'm writing that I keep ignoring the TV to write "just one more page." LOL!!
So tell me: what great shows are you watching now? What have you given up on, like I did on Heroes?
oh and P.S. if you're a teacher, I admire the HECK out of you!! Spent the day talking to three different 6th grade classes about being an author and it totally wore me out. How teachers manage to keep all those kids' attention all day long is far, far beyond me!!
hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
OK, if vampires ARE alive?
I'm betting they're not doing cheesy line dancing . . .
Video is work safe but definitely not good for your eardrums! Thanks (??) to my darling friend Barb and her 'net surfing addiction for the link.
Video is work safe but definitely not good for your eardrums! Thanks (??) to my darling friend Barb and her 'net surfing addiction for the link.
Giving good things to the universe
I was speaking at my local chapter of Romance Writers of America Saturday (First Coast Romance Writers here in Jacksonville, if you'd like to join us) on a panel and one speaker, the lovely and talented Tracy Montoya, said something that really resonated with me. If someone in the group said something negative about herself, Tracy would advise "giving it back to the universe" -- in other words, don't offer such negativity; don't allow it into your life.
I love this.
So many times during my life, I've fallen in with negative thinking and negative thinkers. Woe is me, life is terrible, this job sucks, my bosses are out to get me. Unfortunately, I tend to be somewhat like a sponge for negative energy, so I soak it up and reflect it back, to the universe, if you will. And though I firmly do *NOT* believe that "bad things happen to bad people" - I worked pro bono for abused and neglected children, enough said -- I do believe that it is possible to view life's events through a prism that can be distorted.
It certainly happens to those of us who have suffered through depression; it's hard to see the light from the bottom of the black pit.
So for 2009 and beyond I'm going to try to find, if not rose-colored glasses,
at least those without the shades of black and gray. I'll offer it back to the universe. I hope everybody can join me in this.
hugs,
Alyssa
I love this.
So many times during my life, I've fallen in with negative thinking and negative thinkers. Woe is me, life is terrible, this job sucks, my bosses are out to get me. Unfortunately, I tend to be somewhat like a sponge for negative energy, so I soak it up and reflect it back, to the universe, if you will. And though I firmly do *NOT* believe that "bad things happen to bad people" - I worked pro bono for abused and neglected children, enough said -- I do believe that it is possible to view life's events through a prism that can be distorted.
It certainly happens to those of us who have suffered through depression; it's hard to see the light from the bottom of the black pit.
So for 2009 and beyond I'm going to try to find, if not rose-colored glasses,
at least those without the shades of black and gray. I'll offer it back to the universe. I hope everybody can join me in this. hugs,
Alyssa
Tuesday, January 06, 2009
Guest blogging and more prizes!
I'm at Yankee Romance Reviewers today talking about goals, hopes, and wishes for 2009. Stop by if you have a chance!
WINNERS: My darling daughter picked random numbers, so JILL and ANONYMOUS who says her real name is Alyssa Day (hey! what fun!) are the winners. Please email me at authoralyssaday!aol.com with your mailing info for the book!
hugs,
Alyssa
WINNERS: My darling daughter picked random numbers, so JILL and ANONYMOUS who says her real name is Alyssa Day (hey! what fun!) are the winners. Please email me at authoralyssaday!aol.com with your mailing info for the book!
hugs,
Alyssa
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Don't dis the YA authors
OK, I never do this. I never respond to all the critical and media disparagement of genres in which I write. Romance takes it hard - you can almost never read any article about the romance genre without the outdated and ridiculous term "bodice rippers" coming up. It's outright insult at worst and sloppy journalism at best - like putting a discussion of steam engines in an article about modern physics. But I write romance and women's fiction, and I love writing emotionally satisfying stories about love and a woman's journey and all of the terrifically exciting adventures that can go along with those things.
I've also written a couple of young adult books, just for fun, and they were very light-hearted. But I'm now working on a very intense, lovely, dark and deep love story YA novel that has (of course!) a very paranormal vibe to it. So maybe YA is on my mind, and that's why this hit me so hard. But while eating breakfast today I was glancing through this week's Entertainment Weekly and there's a piece about their predictions for the Oscar noms. Under Best Adapted Screenplay, they have a "For Your Consideration" box that says this:
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist writer Lorene Scarfaria fashioned rounded characters from a young adult novel.
And, you know, this really ticked me off. The implication is glaringly obvious: the screenwriter MUST deserve an Oscar for MANAGING to turn characters from a YOUNG ADULT NOVEL into "rounded characters." WTF??????
Let me tell you, this EW writer hasn't read much in the way of YA novels. I have so many friends writing in the YA field right now, and their books are amazing, thought-provoking, and --surprise! -- their characters are definitely "rounded." Read Caridad Ferrer, or Niki Burnham, or Serena Robar, or Marianne Mancusi, or Simone Elkeles - and her new book, PERFECT CHEMISTRY, is out now and you MUST watch the hilarious rap video parody she did for the book - the music will stick in your mind AND make you want to buy the book AND tell you how to pronounce her last name, LOL.
So, please, media. Get over your outdated prejudices. We romance authors don't write "bodice rippers." We young adult authors DO write wonderfully rich and rounded characters who are experiencing all that life has to offer when you're on that thrilling cusp of adulthood and your future shimmers with endless possibilities.
OK, stepping off soapbox now. It's 2 days till WILD THING's release!! So in the comments tell me your favorite romance or young adult novel you've read recently and I'll randomly select two to win an autographed copy.
hugs,
Alyssa
I've also written a couple of young adult books, just for fun, and they were very light-hearted. But I'm now working on a very intense, lovely, dark and deep love story YA novel that has (of course!) a very paranormal vibe to it. So maybe YA is on my mind, and that's why this hit me so hard. But while eating breakfast today I was glancing through this week's Entertainment Weekly and there's a piece about their predictions for the Oscar noms. Under Best Adapted Screenplay, they have a "For Your Consideration" box that says this:
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist writer Lorene Scarfaria fashioned rounded characters from a young adult novel.
And, you know, this really ticked me off. The implication is glaringly obvious: the screenwriter MUST deserve an Oscar for MANAGING to turn characters from a YOUNG ADULT NOVEL into "rounded characters." WTF??????
Let me tell you, this EW writer hasn't read much in the way of YA novels. I have so many friends writing in the YA field right now, and their books are amazing, thought-provoking, and --surprise! -- their characters are definitely "rounded." Read Caridad Ferrer, or Niki Burnham, or Serena Robar, or Marianne Mancusi, or Simone Elkeles - and her new book, PERFECT CHEMISTRY, is out now and you MUST watch the hilarious rap video parody she did for the book - the music will stick in your mind AND make you want to buy the book AND tell you how to pronounce her last name, LOL.
So, please, media. Get over your outdated prejudices. We romance authors don't write "bodice rippers." We young adult authors DO write wonderfully rich and rounded characters who are experiencing all that life has to offer when you're on that thrilling cusp of adulthood and your future shimmers with endless possibilities.
OK, stepping off soapbox now. It's 2 days till WILD THING's release!! So in the comments tell me your favorite romance or young adult novel you've read recently and I'll randomly select two to win an autographed copy.
hugs,
Alyssa
Saturday, January 03, 2009
Happy New Year!!
May 2009 be wonderful for us all!! I UPS'd off the copyedits for Justice (and a batch of yummy cookies) to my lovely editor today for Monday, so am feeling very pleased with myself.
I'll probably start in on revising the very end of Alexios (ATLANTIS UNMASKED) tomorrow, because I'm sick that way and can't help myself.
OH! Did I mention I got cover art for Alexios? I'll post it as soon as I can get a better .jpg file. I'm not quite sure what I think and would appreciate opinions.
Also, Brennan's book is going GREAT!! I'm almost afraid to admit it without knocking on wood - but Brennan (ATLANTIS REDEEMED)is really REALLY fun to write!! You're going to be present in the very first scene waaaay back when Poseidon first cursed Brennan - it's a crazy, wicked curse and cruelly designed to cause the most pain . . . when Brennan can feel pain again, that is!!
I'm in the process of a new website design, so please be patient, but new excerpts are FINALLY going to be posted. Also, DON'T FORGET THAT WILD THING IS OUT TUESDAY!!! Sightings of it are in bookstores already. It's the anthology with Maggie Shayne, Marjorie Liu, and Meljean Brook, and it's Bastien's story with Kat the panther shifter. I love Bastien and I hope you enjoy his book. (This is a reissue for only $7.99 of the larger, $14 version from May, 2007 so if you bought that one don't pay for it again!)
Finally, in news that I'm not crazy about yet, they picked a new Doctor Who. Not only will I miss the wonderful and amazing David Tennant, but this guy?
he's sort of all hair. Weird hair. Sigh. But maybe with a haircut . . .The kids go back to school Monday!! Boo! But Yay! More time to write! Happy New Year, everyone - 2009 is going to be WONDERFUL!!
XOXO,
Alyssa
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