I recommended this book to my Warcraft guild.  My friend Julie then had this experience at a bookstore:

Julie: Umm, do you happen to have a book that’s, like, Pride and Prejudice, but with zombies in it?
Clerk: ………………uh, what?
Julie: Pride and Prejudice, but like, with zombies. I heard someone wrote it.
Clerk: Have you ever read Pride and Prejudice?
Julie: Nope.
Clerk: Do you even know what Pride and Prejudice is!?
Julie: Yeah, isn’t it like, a love story or something?
Clerk: ……… Zombies? …………
Julie: Yeah.
Clerk: I’m fairly certain there were no zombies in Pride and Prejudice.
Julie: No, I heard someone re-wrote the story, but with zombies in it. It’s a new book.
Clerk: And how did you hear about this “new book?”
Julie: The internet. Someone linked it in the forums. You can buy it on Amazon, I swear!
Clerk: ………….I don’t think we have that, but, uh, I could look it up for you.
Julie: Thanks! ^_^
Clerk: *typing in search field* “Pride and Prejudice. *tilts head, incredulous look* “…and Zombies.”
Julie: *hums while waiting*
Clerk: Well. “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.”
Julie: So I’m not crazy?
Clerk: Apparently not!
Julie: Yay!
Clerk: We don’t have any in stock, but I can order it in for you.
Julie: Sweet!
Clerk: I just need your name/number so I can let you know when it’s in. That’ll be $17.
Julie: M’kay! *pays*
Clerk: Make sure to hold on to your receipt. But… it’s not like you’ll need it. I doubt I’ll forget you. *shaking head in confusion*

I thought about something today from when I was 11, about these two girls at my church in Texas.  Shea and Emily.  They decided to stop being my friends without telling me.

One time, Shea’s mom asked if I wanted to go swimming with them next Sunday and I said yes and Shea gave her mom a “Are you crazy?!” look and her mom did that subtle stern face parents get when you’re being rude in public.

The next Sunday, I brought my best friend Becca to church with me.

Shea probably, to this day, thinks it was my way of showing her I didn’t care what she thought.  Her mom probably thinks that too.  But you want to know the lame truth?

I just forgot.

I freely admit I might have repressed it, but school was busy that week and when things are hectic I forget everything I haven’t written down.  I didn’t remember about the swimming until after church when I saw Shea and Emily getting into the same car, and it all came rushing back.  I told Becca, but I didn’t feel angry or upset, just resigned and relieved that I’d accidentally saved face.  I definitely hadn’t wanted to go, not if Shea didn’t want me there.

(more…)

I’m not going to say I’m “done” done — I still want to go over the story and check my wording and grammar one last time (mainly cutting, checking point of view, and fixing overlooked passive voice), but the final battle scene in Frostbite I had determined to change, along with the scenes leading up to it, have all been FINISHED.  I’ve been struggling with those scenes for a year now and last night I finally figured out how the fight should go down.

I worked all morning getting everything settled into the text.  I’m so happy, everyone gets a virtual cookie.

I think I deserve lunch now.  And some real cookies.

One of my biggest insecurities with being a writer is the thought that people outside my work zone (so . . . anyone but my husband and cat) assume that I’m a failure or slowpoke or doddering procrastinating moron.

I’m living what I consider my dream — no day job, plenty of books and video games, and a husband who supports my goals and tells me he’s happy with the way things are and believes in my ability to succeed in time.  A husband who shares my mode of working — heavily productive patches interspersed with slower patches — and doesn’t consider my methods to be drawbacks.

I’ve asked him multiple times, “Are you sure you don’t want me to get a day job?  You don’t resent my lack of income?”  And each time he’s shrugged, shifted his mouse, hit a few keys in rapid succession, said “Yeah,” and watched the monster he’s fighting die.  And then I kiss him on top of his head because he’s awesome.

And, since this is my dream existence, with my cat and my husband and my writing, I don’t insist on creating a problem where one doesn’t exist.  I don’t insist on getting a job if we don’t need the extra money or if Alex has no qualms about letting me focus on my writing.  I sat him down once and let him know that I’ll get a job if we have money problems or if his feelings about my work change, and he nodded as if that seemed sensible and touched my nose so that I said “Ping!” and I went back to playing Warcraft with perfect contentment.

(more…)

The Vampire Diaries quartet was one of LJ Smith’s most popular projects among fans, presenting a darkness and sensuality reminiscent of Anne Rice.  The sensuality is mainly due to unreformed vampire Damon Salvatore, who tops the fan charts alongside Ash Redfern (from her Night World series) for favorite LJS male.

The Return: Nightfall, the first novel of her new Vampire Diaries trilogy and her first new book since 1997 (Witchlight), picks up a week or two after the first quartet left off and is primarily a story for and about Damon.  LJ Smith claims on her website that he’s her favorite character and she’s having fun writing about him.

In the fandom, of which I used to be a semi-active part, Damon is popularly paired with Bonnie, and, though I never cared much about Vampire Diaries shipdom (probably because I first read them out of order) I do indeed hold out hope that the cute little redhead can take his mind off of silly perfect Elena, though I don’t know that she can or will.  I want this, though, because I like every character to have someone at the end of the story, and Damon was left out in the cold last time.  I also have hope because LJS often delivers on pairing everyone happily up.  It’s one of my favorite things about her.

My biggest concern when I read the back of this book was that Stefan was going to pull a New Moon Edward (running away for the girl’s own good) but didn’t have the reader affection to pull it off.  Stefan is probably one of LJ Smith’s weakest characters, along with Rob from her Dark Visions trilogy — both guys so good they’re boring, with the added detraction of being cast alongside sexy bad-boy counterparts that the fans gobble up.

Stefan seems to be less of a martyr this time around and I actually found myself liking him, when I didn’t before.  For that alone, I’m glad for this new trilogy.  I also enjoyed what the author did with Damon and think all of the characters seem to have a little more depth.

As usual, she manages to horrify and disturb without going over too many lines (some parts reminded me of “The Exorcist”).  The only overall complaint I’d have is when strange mystical powers are used out of the blue or have more to do with saving the day than the wit or cleverness of the characters.  I think it might have had more punch with a little less magic.

Still, mystical powers are kind of the point in a supernatural story, and I’m not about to look a gift book in the mouth after 12 years of waiting. I danced all the way to the register buying this one and I’ll dance all the way to the register for the next.