Sick sick sick sick

Pneumonia and bronchitis. Taking massive drugs. Please send all cyber chicken soup and "get healthy" thoughts my way. Thank you thank you.
Sneeze.
Cough.
Ugh.
Alyssa

Winner!!

We have a winner from Caridad Ferrer's fabulous giveaway!! She says: "Well, random.org gave me #4, Highland Hussy!"

So a very happy Thanksgiving indeed to you, Highland Hussy.

Alyssa

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I have two pumpkin pies, stuffing, cornbread muffins, and Navy Guy's green bean casserole all baked and on the cooling racks and ready to go when the turkey pops out, and I wanted to take a moment to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving (if you're in the U.S.) and--no matter where you are--tell you that when I give my own thanks today, my wonderful readers will be high on the list. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

hugs,
Alyssa

Welcome guest author Caridad Ferrer!! And prizes!

I’m thrilled to have my dear friend Caridad Ferrer, the fabulous author of terrific young adult novels, drop by to talk about her new release, WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE, which is in bookstores today!! OK, tomorrow morning is Tuesday for you in the U.S., but I wanted to get a jump on this since it’s already Tuesday over here.

Since you, my darling readers, always tell me you prefer to get to the “juice” instead of a lot of background, I have for your reading pleasure an EXCLUSIVE excerpt of Caridad’s new book!! Also a chance to win prizes!! One lucky winner will win a signed copy of WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE and another will win a special, limited edition t-shirt created especially for the book. So dig in, and for more of the deets about Caridad, please check out her website HERE!

WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE, copyright 2010 Caridad Ferrer

A dancer driven to succeed.

A musical prodigy attempting to escape his past.

The summer they share.

And the moment it all goes wrong.

Dance is Soledad Reyes’s life. About to graduate from Miami’s Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, she plans on spending her last summer at home teaching in a dance studio, saving money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in the form of fellow student Jonathan Crandall who has what sounds like an outrageous proposition: Forget teaching. Why not spend the summer performing in the intense environment of the competitive drum and bugle corps? The corps is going to be performing Carmen, and the opportunity to portray the character of the sultry gypsy proves too tempting for Soledad to pass up, as well as the opportunity to spend more time with Jonathan, who intrigues her in a way no boy ever has before.

But in an uncanny echo of the story they perform every evening, an unexpected competitor for Soledad's affections appears: Taz, a member of an all-star Spanish soccer team. One explosive encounter later Soledad finds not only her relationship with Jonathan threatened, but her entire future as a professional dancer.

* * EXCERPT * *

"Soledad, you ready?"

While Raj backed away with a whispered, "Break a leg," I ventured further out onto the floor, assuming my opening pose, breathing deep as I sank into my zone.

Okay, yeah, it had been tempting to choose something from Carmen, in a d'uh, sort of
way. Or, if I wanted to stay within the realm of classical ballet, Firebird, especially since it was polished to a diamond shine for the showcase.

But the last couple of days, weighing the pros and cons of everything I had in my repertoire, I'd kept coming back to this one piece—"El Tango de Roxanne" from Moulin Rouge—as being perfect. Dangerous, raw, sexy, angry, and above all, passionate. All of it building from a deceptively quiet and mysterious introduction. Only way to make it better would be chocolate.

While the piano and guitar traded delicate riffs, I prowled the expanse of the floor in a rough figure eight. At the strings' dramatic entrance, my footwork mimicked the sharp staccato precision, my upper body remaining taut as a wire. In contrast, my arms were fluid and sinuous, mirroring the vocals in telling the story of a professional seductress, paid for her favors, forced by circumstance to hold herself aloof until she meets the one man who's so different, who really wants her for who she is and who desperately tries to convince her she no longer has to sell herself. As the narrator's passion and fury grew, that fluidity traveled down my fingers, through my arms, into my body and legs, the precise, deliberate movements giving way to something more; something untamed and wild, as I veered between the security of a wealthy customer and the temptation of unconditional love.

During one quiet passage, I skirted the edges of thefloor, meeting all those eyes, weighing… deciding… finally extending a hand and pulling a smiling Raj—my chosen customer—up. Taking the cue, he fell into step with me, the two of us swaying together, perfectly matched for a few brief moments until the music crescendoed once again and I pushed him away, bursting free, covering the floor in a huge sweeping series of turning leaps. Soaring, feeling the familiar, glorious stretch and burn of my legs in full extension, lost in the beauty of the music, in the story, building toward that one moment—where the strings, the brass, the vocals all joined together in a brilliant cacophony, prompting one last series of rapid-fire steps before I began spinning on one leg, turning in the classic fouetté en tournant, my free leg whipping around and around, faster and faster, never touching the ground until the last, final crashing note where I dropped to both knees, head thrown back, both arms thrust up and out, imploring my lover to return.

My eyes closed, the only thing I heard was the sound of my own harsh breathing, whistling through my throat and nose. After a few seconds I managed to get my breathing under control, and still… nothing. My arms dropping to my sides, I blinked, the room fuzzy and gray for a second then, as it sharpened into focus, the first thing I saw was the owl convention in the bleachers all focused on a tight group that included Gray and Jonathan's dad, all of them whispering like a bunch of viejitas at one of my family's holiday barbeques. And clearly, they were whispering about me, since, well, they kept looking over at me and gesturing at me and then looking some more, the bleacher creatures following their every move.

"Um, hello?"

Did I suck?

Don't be a moron. You didn't suck.

I rocked back onto my heels and stood, fisting my hands on my hips and trying for bravado as all eyes turned my way. And really wishing I'd driven myself, 'cause if I had sucked, I wanted to eighty-six this joint in a hurry and there's no way that could happen, not with Jonathan having to play at Responsible Guy. I looked up at him and found that he seemed to be stuck staring at the small group of instructors with that intense gaze of his I'd first seen back in the dressing room at school.

Like he was trying to will them to make a decision. The right decision.

"Anyone?"

Finally. Gray broke away, leaving the others huddled together and whispering.

Handing me a towel and a bottle of water, he said, "You can quit looking like that darlin'. You did fine. Better than fine, actually. And I think you know that."

"Thank you," I replied, meaning the bottle as well as the compliment. I took a long drink of water and ran the cold bottle along my forehead. "And yeah, it felt great, actually, but what do I know from your standards for suckage? Could be that it wasn't at all what you had in mind."

"No, it wasn't," he admitted, which sent my heart doing a dive into my stomach.

Good— but not good enough. Or too different. Or something.

A part that should be mine, slipping away.

Again

Damn.

"But you know what it was?"

I couldn't look at him. Instead, I stared down, carefully pointing and flexing one foot against the floor. "What's that?"

"The missing piece."

Slowly, I lifted my head. "What?"

"Yeah. You've just changed the direction of the whole show."

My grip tightened on the water bottle, plastic giving beneath my fingers with a loud crack. "Say what?"

"Using 'El Tango' is a perfect way in which to bring in a contemporary twist yet still keep within the show stylistically speaking. It's exactly what we've been missing—keeping Carmen from being the same old, same old and it's brilliant because really, Roxanne, Carmen… both opportunistic characters—creates a beautiful symmetry." And no matter how slow and easy that drawl of his was, each word still sounded sharp and measured—this wasn't any kind of a whim. He knew exactly what he was saying. In the four minutes and forty-four seconds it had taken me to perform, he'd completely reformulated the corps' show. Wicked impressive, even if it left me feeling just this side of queasy.

"We'll have to get started on new arrangements rightaway and new drill and we'll need to start brainstorming your exact routine—and I can already see your costume."

I swear, even the palm trees on that butt-ugly shirt were perking up with every idea he kept throwing out. The other instructors who'd joined us looked as hyped as Gray—all except for one whose expression was going more granite and hardass with every word.

"Three weeks before tour?"

"Not like we haven't done it before, Marc," Gray replied mildly. "And what else are the first few weeks of tour for, other than tweaking? Come on, name me one corps that's ever come out of the gate with the final product? What we need to do right now is get this girl set up—get the forms filled out, arrange for the stipend—"

"Hel-lo, 'this girl' is still here and what is the matter with you people that none of you know how to actually ask any damned thing?" I glared up at Jonathan in the bleachers, looking like he was going to crack up—and felt the temper that Mamacita kept warning would one day be my downfall ratchet up another notch.

"I mean, I haven't exactly said I'd do this yet."

* * *

So go forth and buy this wonderful book for yourself or for the teenager in your life. The holidays are coming! Here's a little help from me:

You can find WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE at Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Borders
or Indiebound

For a chance to win a book or a t-shirt, please answer this question in the comments: Dancing With the Stars, American Idol, Survivor, or Amazing Race: which show would you be most likely to go on?

Rainy day here in Japan

Perfect for staying indoors and getting work done after the Migraine From Hell finally subsided. Had a *great* as in gave-me-shivers great idea for a new book this weekend and can't wait to get started. Also bought my turkey for Thanksgiving. I CANNOT believe it will be December next week!!!! Almost 2011! Wow. This has been one crazy year. I think I need to start on my goals for 2011 . . . hmm. How about WRITE MORE BOOKS? :)
hugs,
Alyssa

Trip to the bazaar

 

And bought a few gifts! Japanese Christmas ornaments on the right and a Kokeshi doll with scroll (the scroll unrolls so you can write things or have your friends write things to save for posterity) on the left with a jade elephant.

If I hadn't just moved here and vowed, after unpacking all those boxes, never EVER to buy things again, I think I could have gone a little crazy there. Beautiful beautiful traditional Japanese art and furniture and antiques. I may go back tomorrow (remembering my camera this time) so I can show you some of the amazing things.

Lovely, lovely new cover art!!

Oh, Daniel, how deliciously hot you are!!!!

Changes, ch ch ch changes

Sushi happiness at the local market

I have to remind myself that change can be great, sometimes, and open myself up to the possibilities. Right now I'm having a little bit of a stress meltdown from this move.

In other news, it's a glorious sunny day here and the kids just headed off for an adventure on their bikes, which it was too hot all summer long for them to do in Florida, so that's good news.

I'm hoping you're all enjoying your Novembers so far. The 9th was my birthday and Navy Guy went out of town for 3 days so I was feeling a little sorry for myself, but wallowing is over! Optimism is back! LOL. And the end of the book is finally in sight! One of my birthday promises to myself is to remember to chat and reconnect via the blog, at least with tiny snippets. I'm also going to highlight guest authors, because who wants to hear from me all the time? Stay tuned; all good news begins after I turn in this book next week.

hugs,
Alyssa

Typhoon on its way

Not sure if trick or treating will be a go or not. We have a LOT of candy, since the kids here on the Navy base plus the local Japanese kids all come by, so we've heard. Fingers crossed the weather holds off or your friendly neighborhood author will be marooned with 60 lbs of candy.

This would NOT be good.

Busy day - crazy happiness in writing and then to homecoming football game to see my son perform in the band at halftime (my first time to see him!). Hope you have a great weekend, dear readers!

hugs,
Alyssa

Travels with Alyssa: A brief expedition

So yesterday we had an expedition over to Camp Zama (the nearby Army post) where my son goes to middle school, and I took pics along the way. The route is 5 miles through town, town, and more town, so it's not the most scenic route, but I'm going to the tours office tomorrow to sign up for something much more "real" Japan. But for now, I thought I'd share my (admittedly jet-lagged) impressions of the trip.



Even stop signs look exotic to me.



And even more mundane notices look like art.

Road signs are very clear:


and my son is waiting for me to go on a walk so more later!!

Atlantis Betrayed is a New York Times bestseller!

#18 bestseller of all mass market fiction!! All I can say is thank you from the bottom of my heart to all my readers!! What wonderful news to arrive right in the middle of moving stress.

hugs,
Alyssa

ATLANTIS BETRAYED IS HERE!!

ATLANTIS BETRAYED is in stores now!! And at all your favorite e-book retailers! Rush out and buy the book that RT Book Reviews and Night Owl Romance both gave Top Pick reviews!

Hunky Atlantean warrior Christophe finally meets his match in the famous cat burglar known as the Scarlet Ninja – and sparks fly when they realize they're both trying to steal the same jewel!

See below for:
1) Excerpts
2) A link to the coolest music video in the world
3) Book release donation
4) More news

1. Excerpts!! We have excerpts! Go HERE for chapter 1 :

And here's the exciting teaser:

Poseidon's warriors have learned that the battle to protect humanity produces unexpected enemies--and alliances. And one of the most powerful of all Atlantean warriors will soon find both…in one daring beauty.

A warrior's mission, a woman's desire…

What could Christophe, powerful Warrior of Poseidon, have in common with Fiona Campbell, prim and proper Scottish illustrator of fairytales by day and notorious jewel thief known as the Scarlet Ninja by night? Answer: The Siren, a legendary Crown Jewel that Fiona has targeted for her next heist. It's said to be worth millions, but to Christophe it's invaluable. For the Siren also happens to be one of the missing jewels from Poseidon's trident.

And the unnatural evil that could destroy them both.

But breaking into the Tower of London is a two-person job, so Christophe and Fiona team up to commit the crime of the century. As newfound passions fire their motives--and cloud their judgment--they realize they aren't the only ones after the priceless gem. A dark force is shadowing their every move, and threatening to shatter their trust with revenge, betrayal, and a haunting revelation about the past.

2. The coolest music video in the world!
Radiator Music, a new and exciting music production company, contacted me because they loved my books and wanted to write an original song about them! Of course I said sure, and then they decided what's a song without a music video?? So I spent a few days living the glam life of a film producer (OK, without most of the hard work) on beaches in St. Augustine, the historical fort of Castillo de San Marcos, the lighthouse, and the haunted jail at Green Cove Springs. I think you'll LOVE the result!
HERE'S THE VIDEO!!

3. Book release donation: I have always done this informally, but this year I decided to formalize. I am so lucky and grateful to be able to do a job I love, and from now on, I will make a donation to a charity suggested by a reader with every book release. This time, since I didn't have a chance to get the request process in gear, I've donated to a cause near and dear to my heart, the Pug Rescue of Florida.

4. More news! They're packing my house today with the express shipment (important things that will go by plane) for my move to Japan. 2 more weeks and the ship-bound household things go. I'll be in touch from there, but be sure to keep in touch through Twitter and Facebook where I'll be posting interesting snippets and video from my travels.

As always, feel free to share this newsletter with any readers who may enjoy it, and thank you all again for reading my books. I appreciate it more than I can ever express.

Hugs,
Alyssa

Special excerpt day!!!

Go HERE on my website to read Chapter 1 of ATLANTIS BETRAYED. Go ahead, you know you wanna. :) OK, are you back? Great!!

Now just take a peek below at chapter 2 -- this is an exclusive excerpt never seen anywhere else1

Chapter 2

Christophe soared through the air in mist form, circling the Tower of London as he had many times before, but this time with the goal of finding a way inside, instead of admiring the exterior. He recognized the irony of planning to steal William the Conqueror’s sword, famously and prophetically named Vanquish, from the tower whose construction old Will had first begun. Technically, he didn’t need the sword, and Prince Conlan probably wouldn’t like it if he took it—interfering with sovereign possessions and so forth—but just taking the Siren from the sword’s jeweled hilt seemed like a waste of opportunity.

Not that he had much need for what rumor claimed was a ceremonial-only, badly balanced sword. His own, left in Atlantis this trip, was utilitarian, simple and deadly; undecorated except for the single emerald on its pommel. A line from an old nursery tale flitted through his mind, though perhaps in a different form than he’d heard as a child.

The better to fight evil with, my dear.

But, after all, why not? Calculating the ways and means of how he might remove the entire sword from one of the most fortified locations in the world made for an amusing way to pass the time. An endeavor that didn’t bore him.

Passing over the main gate and the long-unused moat, he floated over the bridge where millions of tourists crossed into the Tower grounds every year. He could have taken the easy route and made his way in as a tourist during the day, except first, he didn’t like crowds of smelly humans, and second, when had he ever done things the easy way? Not to mention that asking himself rhetorical questions was probably one of the unpaved steps on the road to insanity. Not far up from talking to pigeons.

The pale yellow brick glowed in the night air, resonating with the quiet dignity of walls that had stood sentinel, indifferent and stoic, as the tempests of humans had ebbed and flowed over the centuries. If walls could talk, as the old saying went, these would offer a history lesson on power—or a cautionary tale for those in search of it.

Somewhat like the ancient tales of Atlantis herself.

Floating over the spot where the Duke of Wellington’s statue had been before somebody decided to banish it to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich—ha, the fleeting nature of fame, Duke, old boy—he examined the exterior windows of the Waterloo Barracks, opposite to the scaffolding and white stone of the White Tower. A flicker of light glinted off a gargoyle as it . . . moved.

Damn.

Either imagination or adrenaline was working overtime, because Christophe was sure that the gargoyle had moved an inch or two. He approached it, still suspended as mist, only to find exactly what he should have expected: there was no way the gargoyle had moved since somebody put its butt-ugly self there in the first place.

He must be having hallucinations.

It was adrenaline. The excitement of doing something different for a change, instead of the same old same old. He’d had enough of killing vampires and smiting shape-shifters to last a lifetime. And Atlantis was no better. It was getting crowded in the palace, with all of his fellow warriors finding women. Not temporary women, either. No, these were keeper women, the long-term, asphyxiate-a-guy kind of women.

No, thank you. Not for him. He was going to steal the Siren, the enormous aquamarine that graced Vanquish’s hilt, and take it back to Atlantis so it could be reattached to Poseidon’s Trident, where it belonged. Hand that sucker straight over to Alaric. Or better yet, instead of to the high priest in person, to one of his minions, so there would be no repeat of Alaric’s most recent lecture: Why Christophe Was Wasting His Magical Abilities by Refusing to Join the Priesthood, Part 784.

He didn’t want to be a priest. He wanted some fun. Like this job. It was a heist, pure and simple. Fun.

The jewels were housed on the first floor, with nobody but the Tower Guard, various electronic devices, and the Yeomen Warders to protect them. Of the three, only the Yeomen Warders concerned him at all. The shape-shifters in that group were rumored to be pretty damn tough, and no few of them claimed to be descended from the shape-shifters who’d been among the original Warders back in 1485.

Of course, back then, shifters weren’t roaming around in broad daylight, with everybody knowing who and what they were. Vamps, either, for that matter, but the past decade-plus had brought big changes to the world.

Mostly for the worse.

The Tower Guard was part of the Queen’s Guard, according to the handy tour guide a tourist had conveniently left on a bench for Christophe to find. They didn’t live in the Tower, but the Warders still did, unfortunately. If only everybody trusted their electronics these days. Atlantean magic wreaked holy hells on electricity.

The thought of powerful Brennan, locked in that electric cage with Tiernan, flashed through his mind, and his mood soured. Sometimes the electricity won.

Christophe eyed a tiny crack in the casement of a third-floor window on the tower, just to the left of the main doors. Not even a large insect could fit through that crack.
Mist, however, could get in just fine.

* * *

Fiona had timed out the midnight-to-eight A.M. shift patterns of the Tower Guard and the Yeoman Warders on multiple occasions over the past several weeks. One thing was certain: the men and women, human and shifter alike, who guarded the Jewel House, were serious, dedicated professionals. No mere thief would get anywhere near those jewels.

Good thing she was no mere thief. She was world class.

Stealing onto the grounds had been child’s play, but breaching the Waterloo Barracks and the Jewel House would be a little trickier. She knew her . . . talent would keep them from seeing her, but shadowing only completely fooled living eyes and cameras. Motion detectors made for trickier adventures.

From her position leaning against a tree in the courtyard at an angle to the main doors, she saw the team of two stride around the corner of the building exactly on time. Two A.M. on the dot; one could set her clock on the punctuality of the guards. These were two enormous, burly men, probably shifters, having a lovely conversation about rugby or something else vital to England’s national stature.

She slowly leaned farther back into the rough bark of the tree, concentrating fiercely. Shifters were tougher to hide from than humans—she’d have to bend air as well as light, and the shifters’ minds were not as easily amenable to clouding.

Ribbons of silken moonlight danced through the air surrounding Fiona and the tree, circling her with nearly imperceptible shadings of dappled light. A spill of liquid darkness spread over her—through her—so gradually that only the keenest observer would have felt even a tingle of awareness. Light and the very air itself bent to her will as Fiona focused on dispersing her scent and disappearing from view.

The shorter of the guards stopped suddenly, his body tensing and leaning forward in the unmistakable sign of alert. He held up a hand, and his partner whirled to face the direction from which they’d come and settled into the same wary crouch. Precision back-to-back stance; these were no decorative guards put in place to amuse and delight tourists with their furry hats. These were the guardians of the dark hours between dusk and dawn, and their honor stood guard with them. For a shifter to lose face over the theft of a jewel under his care would be a gut-wrenching, soul-deadening failure.

For an instant sympathy encouraged hesitation in her mind, but she forced herself to visualize the rebuilding of Wolf Hall as a headquarters for the United Kingdom shifters. More than one hundred million euros of public money had been thrown into the project thus far, with much more to come. Now that the family of Jane Seymour, the third wife of Henry VIII, were rumored to have been shifters, the press were tantalized, and even Hollywood had come to call. Anyone who questioned the extravagant expenditure was drowned out in the usual British religion of celeb worship.

Shape-shifters with ties to royalty: the new rock stars.

Fiona clamped down on her mental wanderings when indignation made her focus waver for a split second. The taller guard lifted his nose into the wind and leaned forward, staring into the shadows around her tree. His sense of smell wouldn’t be nearly as keen in this form as when he was a wolf, but still better than that of any human.

Deeper. She sent her mental command arrowing ever more deeply into her own brain, until she felt the almost audible click that signaled total control of her Gift. Air and light bent to her will in the space surrounding her. The scent of her body dispersed into the vestigial odors of the millions of tourists who crossed this courtyard. Her image vanished, hidden by the shadows caressing her. Even the sound of her heartbeat and breath floated away, broken up and scattered with the obedient winds. To any of the guards’ five senses, she simply did not exist, so long as she didn’t get close enough to touch.

Damn the luck, though. Her Gift had no control over the sixth. Intuition. Hunches. The peripheral senses of shifters who trusted their own instincts—they’d come near to unveiling her more than once in the past. Her lips quirked at the idea of how unhappy Hopkins would be if her outrageous streak of good fortune chose now to desert her.

She caught her breath and tightened her hand on the grip of her tranq gun as the shifter took a step toward her. There was no possible way she could outrun a wolf, not even one in human guise. It was the matter of a moment, anyway, for the more powerful shifters to transform, and these looked anything but weak.

The guard with his back to her glanced over his shoulder at his partner. “What is it?”

“I don’t know,” the one with the nose said. “Nothing. Something. Maybe.”

The first one snorted out a laugh. “Thanks for clearing that up.”

“I don’t know. But whatever it is—”

The sharp sound of pebbles clattering to the ground interrupted him, and Fiona and the guards all turned their attention to the sky. Or, more specifically, to the roof of the building, from where the pebble shower had originated.

“Maybe a bird?”

“That was no bird.” The guard lowered his gaze and aimed one long last stare at the tree where Fiona stood—perfectly still, perfectly silent—with her gun at the ready. “But maybe what I thought I sensed over by the tree was.”

“Or maybe we’ve got vamps playing games,” the other one snarled, as he turned sharply on his heel and started running back the way they’d come. “I warned those freaks the last time they tried to hang out here—”

“Bloodsuckers don’t listen to warnings.”

Neither do ninjas, Fiona added silently, as the pair vanished behind the building, presumably making for the particular side door that was the guards’ preferred entrance. But with just a bit of luck, they’d call in for replacements who might choose a different door. The main entrance not thirty feet away from her, for example.

It took her fewer than ten seconds to make her way to the side of the double wooden doors and plaster her body up against the wall. Another ten seconds and the sound of pounding feet approached, and the doors swung open, spilling out a new pair of guards. This time, they were both human, but their reflexes were almost shifter-quick.

Fiona wasted no time in ducking under the arm of one guard to enter the building, seconds before he yanked the door closed. Still shadowed, she slowly stood, careful not to move until she’d scanned the area for further guards, either human or shifter. Glowing carriage lamps with modern bulbs lit up the dark hallway, their illumination dimmed for night but still bright enough for their light to pounce on any unwanted visitor.

It was a familiar sight and one she’d toured often enough, usually with guests from elsewhere. A left turn would take her to the Hall of Monarchs with its various and sundry thrones and coats of arms. Glorious, but not really what she was after tonight. Nor was the cinema room with its video of Elizabeth II’s coronation, or Processional Way, with its walls of shining maces, or even the Temporal Sword of Justice. No, Fiona wanted a jewel from a quite different sword and it was in the Treasury. The jewel part of the Crown Jewels.

One jewel in particular.

And all she had to do was liberate William the Conqueror’s sword to take it.

No worries.

[Excerpt of ATLANTIS BETRAYED, by Alyssa Day, out Sept. 7!]

The Music Video!!!!!

Here it is!! A sneak peek at my amazing music video by Radiator Music, complete with original song Every Time You Read My Mind, both based on my Warriors of Poseidon novels. It's absolutely breathtaking. This video is based mainly on the first book in my series, ATLANTIS RISING, and my newest, ATLANTIS BETRAYED, will be out next week. Go HERE to my website for all the deets and excerpts! Thanks!

Atlantis Alive Video Final from Radiator Music on Vimeo.

OH NOES I WAS WRONG!

The lovely folks at Fresh Fiction invited me to blog today -- please check them out HERE for a chance to win a signed copy of ATLANTIS BETRAYED!! (Out a week from today! Yay!)

But I gave them a snippet that I think was too hot for them to post! (That naughty warrior, Christophe.) [EDITED TO ADD - I was totally wrong, I think it was my browser. The whole snippet is up at Fresh Fiction. Yay, Fresh Fiction! But here is the end anyway, just cause I love it! hee!)

So pop over to Fresh Fiction and comment for a chance to win!

Here goes:

. . . She blushed to think her brother had heard the last part of what she'd said, but she forgot her embarrassment with Christophe's next words.

"Is that what I did, Princess? Be honest with yourself and with me. Which one of us cast the spell on the other? Because I can't seem to get through five minutes without wanting to kiss you. To strip you naked and taste your skin. Right now I'd bend you over that table and drive into your perfect body if I thought you would let me, so tell me, Fiona. Who is in control, here?"

Whew!! That man is HOT!! Only one more week!!
xoxo
Alyssa

[AlyssaDayNews] New excerpt posted, original music video, booksigning, & VAMPIRES IN ATLANTIS!

Here's my latest newsletter- be sure to sign up at my website if you'd like to receive my (infrequent) newsletters straight to your inbox.

Happy summer, everyone! I hope you're enjoying lovely weather and days at the beach or pool! I have some exciting news to share – things are hopping here in Warriors of Poseidon land! See below for news of an excerpt, the super cool music video, the big booksigning in Orlando, and what's up with Daniel and his book, VAMPIRES IN ATLANTIS. Thanks!!

First, ATLANTIS BETRAYED! Less than 2 short months until release on September 7th! I have posted the first chapter excerpt HERE!

And here's a little sneak peek from the back cover:

What could Christophe, powerful Warrior of Poseidon, have in common with Fiona Campbell, prim and proper Scottish illustrator of fairytales by day and notorious jewel thief known as the Scarlet Ninja by night? Answer: The Siren, a legendary Crown Jewel that Fiona has targeted for her next heist. It's said to be worth millions, but to Christophe it's invaluable. For the Siren also happens to be one of the missing jewels from Poseidon's trident.

But breaking into the Tower of London is a two-person job, so Christophe and Fiona team up to commit the crime of the century. As newfound passions fire their motives--and cloud their judgment--they realize they aren't the only ones after the priceless gem. A dark force is shadowing their every move, and threatening to shatter their trust with revenge, betrayal, and a haunting revelation about the past.

Second, an original music video based on my books!!

I spent most of the first half of this week, all day and all night for 3 days, with the film crew filming the MUSIC VIDEO of the ORIGINAL ROCK SONG based on my books!!! How cool is that? I have some pics of the film shoot up at my blog and will soon be able to share more. We expect the song to go up on iTunes within about 6 weeks, and the video will launch shortly thereafter, so I'll be sure to share more when those dates firm up. The song is called Every Time You Read My Mind, and it gives me chills every time I hear it!

You can see pics of the film shoot here (AT THE BLOG, BELOW).

Third, I'll be signing books with about a kajillion other authors in Orlando in just 2 short weeks! Here's the scoop, straight from RWA's website:

The "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing has become one of the most popular events at RWA's annual conference. More than 500 romance authors participate in this two-hour autographing event, and each year we raise thousands of dollars, which are donated to ProLiteracy Worldwide. Since 1990, RWA has donated more than $600,000 to literacy charities.

The 2010 "Readers for Life" Literacy Autographing takes place on Wednesday, July 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Walt Disney World® Dolphin Resort, Pacific Exhibit Hall, in Orlando, Florida. This event is open to the public; there is no admittance charge. Since the proceeds from this event are donated to charity, we ask that you purchase books at the event instead of bringing your own books. (RWA accepts cash, check, or credit/debit cards for book purchases at the event.) If you do bring books, please limit yourself to one or two books and consider making a cash donation to the cause.

Finally, yes, for all of those who have asked/pleaded/offered me chocolate, Daniel/Drakes/Devon DOES get a book . . . AND IT'S UP NEXT!!!

VAMPIRES IN ATLANTIS will be a spring release, exact date coming soon, and I love this book!! Daniel has long been one of my favorites.

As always, thanks for reading my books. I appreciate it so very much. Please feel free to share this newsletter with anybody who might be interested in hot warriors, strong heroines, and exciting sword fights. (Wait till you see Quinn wielding a sword in the video! Wow!). Oh—and I'm often on Twitter, if you tweet, and at Facebook. And the new website section with the gemstones of the Trident will be up soon at my website. Thanks for hanging in there to read this far!!

Hugs,
Alyssa

More pics from the filming

This is the scene that made me cry. It was the first image that came to my mind nearly 5 years ago when I first created the world of Atlantis in my mind - a prince in chains. Who was he? Why was he captive? When I saw this on set, it actually brought me to tears.

And here is the evil vampire goddess who held Prince Conlan in chains, Anubisa in the cold, cold flesh (photo courtesy of Johnny St. Ours):



I will never, ever be able to say enough wonderful things about video and song producers Radiator Music, director Johnny St. Ours, and DP/cinematographer Andy and his crew at Applebox.net. Plus of course the talented cast, led by Autumn Adele and Lee Dahlberg (Anubisa and Prince Conlan, above). Absolutely amazing and talented group of folks. I also must thank the wonderful folks at the Green Cove Springs historical jail, Fort Castillo de San Marcos, and the St. Augustine lighthouse. More pics later, including a full list of credits, when the pain from the whiplash subsides. (sigh)

hugs,
Alyssa

The glam life of an author (true for once!!)

OK, how much do you wish you were me this morning? I woke up at 5 a.m. so I could drive to the beach at St. Augustine, Florida, to take advantage of the sunrise, because we are filming my MUSIC VIDEO OVER THE NEXT THREE DAYS!!!!!! This is unbelievably exciting and fun and I can't wait to spill all the deets about Radiator Music and their exciting new venture and my original rock song about The Warriors of Poseidon!

But for now, a little sneak peek!

Here I am enjoying my morning very much, surrounded by the cast of actors who are playing my Warriors of Poseidon(this is the guys without their long hair) and High Princess Riley. Yes,that's me in the blue shirt with the HUGE grin - it's crazy fun to see my characters step out of my head and off of the page and into life.



Here is our awesome director John St. Ours (on the left, looking like he could be an Atlantean himself! and yes, I'm geeked out about the fact that, among other things, he has done videos for the Dave Matthews Band!) and our actor Lee Dahlberg (who will be in an upcoming TV show following The Bachelor) who plays High Prince Conlan on the right, talking about setting a shot:



And one of the shots of filming the warriors walking up out of the ocean from Atlantis:



OK, back to work before I head out for the next location - the atmospheric (and reportedly haunted!) Green Cove Springs jail. They got the aerial shots yesterday (from a helicopter!) and tomorrow we're filming at the Fort Castillo de San Marcos and then at the St. Augustine lighthouse. This is so much fun!! I'll spill all the deets as I can and share more pics and behind the scenes footage from the video, too,as soon as I can!

hugs,
Alyssa, who is having a total blast and loving this author gig

New cover art!!

Here is Christophe's cover: I absolutely LOVE the elements, not so sure about the color. (Also, they forgot to put New York Times bestselling and I'm kind of proud of that, but next book I'll REMIND them.)

My son said, "Mom, they're from Atlantis. They don't know about sunscreen."
BWAH HA HA! But this is it, there's no changing it, so please buy it in spite of the color. It's a wonderful story!!

Christophe meets Lady Fiona Campbell, children's book author by day and famous cat burglar and art thief known as the Scarlet Ninja by night, and his life will never, EVER be the same.

(COMING SEPTEMBER 7!!!)

Here's the dish from the back cover:

Poseidon’s warriors have learned that the battle to protect humanity produces unexpected enemies--and alliances. And one of the most powerful of all Atlantean warriors will soon find both…in one daring beauty.

A warrior’s mission, a woman’s desire…

What could Christophe, powerful Warrior of Poseidon, have in common with Fiona Campbell, prim and proper Scottish illustrator of fairytales by day and notorious jewel thief known as the Scarlet Ninja by night? Answer: The Siren, a legendary Crown Jewel that Fiona has targeted for her next heist. It’s said to be worth millions, but to Christophe it’s invaluable. For the Siren also happens to be one of the missing jewels from Poseidon’s trident.

And the unnatural evil that could destroy them both.

But breaking into the Tower of London is a two-person job, so Christophe and Fiona team up to commit the crime of the century. As newfound passions fire their motives--and cloud their judgment--they realize they aren’t the only ones after the priceless gem. A dark force is shadowing their every move, and threatening to shatter their trust with revenge, betrayal, and a haunting revelation about the past.

A Moment of Mommy Nostalgia

This is my baby at 4 weeks old. The most beautiful baby boy in the world will become a teenager tomorrow, on Mother's Day. I brought him home from the hospital on Mother's Day in 1997. It's making me quite teary. Hugs to all of the moms out there, especially mine, who gave me the "I hope you have a child just like you" blessing (curse? LOL) when I was little.

And I did. Two of them. The most wonderful, amazing, life-changing, challenging, blessings in the world. One of whom is now going to be a teenager. (help!)

Hugs and happy Mother's Day to everyone!!
Alyssa

I heart south Florida writers! and NEWS!!!

I spent Friday and Saturday in Fort Lauderdale, hanging out with the gang from Florida Romance Writers and the Mystery Writers of American chapter. Let me tell you, they are wonderful folks! So friendly and welcoming and gracious -- I had a total blast. Late dinner after my flight kept getting delayed after storms and we had so much fun that I absolutely couldn't believe it when I woke up at 4:30 a.m. in the hotel -- sick.

Miserably, head cold, sneezing and sore throat, kind of sick.

Thank goodness the Sheraton had a gift shop with Dayquil that opened early. I over-medicated to get through my talk and lunch and I think it went pretty well. I was talking about interjecting humor in dark fiction (romance or mystery/suspense) so it's a topic I know well enough to conquer the cold medicine-induced fuzziness. Then lunch was wonderful and I made it home all the way to my house before I collapsed for 3 days. Ah, those lovely spring colds. Still working my way out of it but actually up and about now, which is good.

So my news, if you haven't heard it around the 'net, is fabulous: ATLANTIS REDEEMED debuted Sunday at #22 on the prestigious New York Times bestseller list!!! Boy was there champagne last Wednesday evening when we found out! Thank you all SO much for buying the book and for recommending my books to your friends. My dreams could never have come true without you.

(non-contagious) hugs,
alyssa

Top 10 (tongue in cheek) reasons to buy Atlantis Redeemed!

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #10 hot & steamy is on FIRE when a warrior regains emotion after 2000 years.

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #9 Olympics are over (& Atlantis invented sports!)

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #8 my rescue pugs are almost out of dogfood! Royalties=bacon! :)

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #7 Save the world from another lawyer (old day job) :)

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #6 Sexy Atlanteans, shape-shifters, and vampires, Oh. My!

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #5 Yes, there's a Quinn & Alaric scene!

Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #4 Fresh Fiction calls it steamy and exemplary!!

Finally, Top 10 reasons to buy ATLANTIS REDEEMED #3, 2, & 1: Wonderfully sexy romantic loves story - with swordfights!

We're packing up the POD this week and I'm on tight deadline, but I promise the giveaways will begin soon! And I'll double up on books some days to make up for the delay.
hugs,
Alyssa

ATLANTIS REDEEMED is in stores now!!

Happy release day to the Warriors of Poseidon! Brennan's hotly anticipated story is in stores today! Check out an excerpt here!

And another excerpt here - when Brennan first re-encounters Tiernan (boy, is it steamy!)

I'm also thrilled to share news of a wonderful author (and dear friend) whose first urban fantasy releases today. Eileen Rendahl's DON'T KILL THE MESSENGER is action-packed fun! Check her out at http://www.eileenrendahl.com.



Thank you again for reading my books. You help make my dreams come true!
hugs,
Alyssa

When Brennan returns . . .

ONE WEEK TILL ATLANTIS REDEEMED!!!! WHEE!!! Here's a special sneak peek at the first time Brennan encounters Tiernan:

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 TV anchor 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 magnificent 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.”

“You are Tiernan?” he demanded, ignoring her nervous chatter. “Tell me. Now.”

“Yes, I’m Tiernan. You know me. We--"

She gasped a little and stopped talking as 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.”

ATLANTIS REDEEMED, copyright Alesia Holliday, releasing March 2, 2010

Prepare for book giveaway extravaganza!!

Beginning March 1st, in celebration of ATLANTIS REDEEMED, I'm going to be giving away TWO BOOKS A DAY!!!! But hold on - this gets even more exciting - they'll be books written by my friends!! Stay tuned for the deets.

Also, just because I can't resist, with all credit to the spectacular Onion.com:

Lots of book release wonderfabulousness!

ONLY TWO WEEKS FROM TODAY FOR ATLANTIS REDEEMED!! (Can you tell I'm excited? LOL)

For the first time ever, I'm a FEATURED SELECTION in the Rhapsody Book Club!! And that comes with a lovely 2-page spread in the catalog:



And Fresh Fiction just gave Atlantis Redeemed a wonderful review:

"THE SEXY WARRIORS OF POSEIDON ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER STEAMY STORY IN THIS EXEMPLARY SERIES."

I'm so excited for this release. Also very excited about going to Sacramento next week, so I need to get cracking and finish these revisions so you can all meet Christophe's heroine in September as planned! She is maybe my most fun heroine yet -definitely daring and outrageous! She gives that often-surly warrior a run for his money, let me tell you!!

Having used up her daily quota of exclamation points, the author is now going to make some hot tea and get back to the book . . . LOL.

But first a quick THANK YOU!! For reading my books and sharing the enthusiasm with others. I receive so many emails that begin "my friend said I MUST read your books . . . " and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Forget TV commercials or newspaper ads; the only REAL thing that helps an author succeed is word-of-mouth from happy readers. So thank you thank you thank you!!

hugs,
Alyssa

The last 12 years of my life, in cartoon

So my son had to do an autobiographical assignment and chose to do the comic strip. He storyboarded it, and in a feat of near-unbelievable sibling cooperation, his little sister made the art happen. So it's from Connor's POV, with Lauren's magic touches, and--considering she just turned 10 on 1/25, I think it's freaking amazing. I could never do it. (She did it on her Bamboo drawing pad, with MS Paint software). I'm particularly fond of: 1) how perky & lovely I am both times after giving birth (!!); 2) the black mourning baby blanket she put on her baby self; and 3) the terrifyingly toothy smile of "Shamoo" the whale. Yes, having a proud Mommy moment today:

New website! Excerpts & More!

Dashing in quickly to let you all know I have a Brand! New! Website! Filled with excerpts and fun stuff like video interviews of me talking about how I create the world of the Warriors of Poseidon and more. Also a FREE SHORT STORY!! Available to read on-screen or download to your e-reader of choice.

Random notes:

1. I'm not much for men in skirts, necessarily, but I make an exception for kilts and for Sam Worthington in warrior gear: Picture & article HERE.

2. AND I'm proud to announce I resisted the urge to put purple streaks in my hair and simply went with more coppery lowlights. (I know everybody totally cares about this news, LOL.)

3. A Nashville music producer contacted me -- he is creating original theme music for my books! Deets and a sample soon!

4. The Sacramento RWA chapter is touring me around in style in a limo on a winery jaunt when I arrive the end of this month - yay Sacramento! Yay wine! Yay RWA! I'm SO looking forward to it.

5. Pre-orders: For those of you who asked, yes, please do go ahead and pre-order Atlantis Redeemed! Healthy pre-orders cue the publisher and stores in to be sure and have plenty of stock on hand. Counting down!! which brings us to:

5.

WOOHOO!!! Please check out the new website and read the excerpts and sign up for my newsletter (newsletters only go out a few times a year and often include exclusive early excerpts and more!). Thanks!!

hugs,
Alyssa

Just for fun!

My sister-in-law developed an app for the iPhone! (Thrilled to be related to tech geniuses ) And guess what it does? Makes S'Mores!! LOL. Check it out here!

Alyssa Day's world tour

Boy do I have some major, MAJOR news. In August, right after the RWA national conference in Nashville, I'm packing up the kids and the dogs and joining my Navy Guy husband in Japan (Atsugi Naval Air Station, right outside of Tokyo) for THREE YEARS. Yep, that was THREE YEARS.

We're a little stunned here, too.

We're already planning the trips (hike Mt. Fuji, ride elephants in Thailand, go castle seeing all over the gorgeous and historic wonder that is Japan) and we've started learning the language and we're looking forward to this most excellent adventure!

Of course, we're a little nervous, too; worried about being homesick and so far out of our comfort zone. I, as a nearly 6 foot tall woman, am probably going to have a hard time buying clothes. LOL. But I lived in the Philippines for 2 years and in Turkey for 2 years when I was a kid, and am a big fan of my kids having the experience of living in another country and experiencing another culture.

Now, for the big question that you're probably wondering about: the books. I've had a long talk with my editor and there will be absolutely no problem at all with my publishing future. Everything is electronic these days; I submit my books via e-mail and get edits the same way. The time zone difference is just far enough that she can call me in the evening and it will be morning for me, so no worries. And I've already promised to come back in October since I'll be the opening speaker for the wonderful Seattle Emerald City Writers' Conference!

I plan to visit home and friends and family and NY at least 3 times a year, and come to conferences, and of course, the entire world is smaller and just one big happy community thanks to the internet.

So please wish me luck on this exciting new venture and I promise to give updates on the international move excitement and the world travels. I may just have to set one of my Warriors of Poseidon loose on Tokyo . . . Godzilla v. Atlantis . . . hmmmm. The world is full of possibilities!!!

hugs,
Alyssa

Winners!

Sorry this didn't get posted earlier! The 5 winners my random generator picked are: Rhonda, Linda Henderson, Id Brugler, Patrice, and LyndaH. Thanks for playing! Please email me your mailing address to authoralyssaday@gmail.com

It's gray and dreary here today and I'm playing the soundtrack from Glee to try to WAKE UP and GET CREATIVE!! What do you do when you need to get moving and just want to go back to bed? Any tips appreciated!
hugs,
Alyssa

January 20th?? Already??

This month - wow. It's crazy. I got some news that knocked me a little sideways, and then I got some great news, and I'm writing and tweaking the brand-new website that's going up soon . . . wow. Crazy! But stay tuned: the new site will be up in a few days, with brand-new excerpts, videos, and even a lovely fun short story FREE to my lovely fun readers!!!

May cold shivery January treat you well! Our insane low temps are finally gone and we're back to 70 degree Florida winter-just how I like it!
hugs,
Alyssa
PS. Will announce winners from the prize blog this week!

Happy New Year!!

We're very happy here after spending the holidays with our family all together again, after my husband's 6 1/2 month deployment. I have great news to share on Atlantis Redeemed and a new website that will be unveiled very soon -- can't wait to tell all!! But I'm going under for the deadline for the next 2 weeks. I'll try to pop in and say hi but it's going to be crazy!

May your 2010 bring you much joy and see all of your dreams come true!
hugs,
Alyssa