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Scholastic Author Video
Greetings, Minion Horde! Two quick things: 1. Apparently, several Minions have been receiving their Minion Bling SASE back ripped open and empty, so I'm halting all Minion Bling orders right now, until I figure out the best way to ensure that you all get the Bling that you've sent away for. It's frustrating, because this never used to be a problem before, but apparently, it is a problem now. As of a week ago, all Bling orders have been filled. The rest will have to wait until Auntie Heather can figure out a way to fix the issue. (The only way to fix it might be by having Minions send bubble envelopes and additional postage, but I'm hoping that's not the case) 2. Remember how I mentioned that Scholastic was coming out to film me for an author video? Well, it's on their site!!! I'm so, so jazzed about this. FYI, that handsome devil playing Vlad? That's my son, Jacob (also known as PRAVUS on the forums). He rocks! So...that's all for now. Auntie Heather is busy battling the horrendous combination of insomnia and tight deadlines. Blehhh...
Contest Winners Announced!
At long last, I'm proud to announce the winners of the big writing contest! First, my Minions, let me say that Auntie Heather was completely blown away, by both the over 300 (!!!) entries and the quality of stories that were submitted. Excellent stuff and this wasn't an easy one to judge. But after a lot of reading and rereading and rerereading, I finally have settled on what I think are the top three entries. So, without further ado...the winners! In third place (second prize), an autographed advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, is FANGS by Dominick Schlueter! Dominick's presentation was wonderful, but his story was just incredible. It was action-packed and full of vampy goodness - just the way I like 'em! In second place (first prize), winner of a TENTH GRADE BLEEDS mouse pad (featuring the cover of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS) and an autographed advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS...is BROKEN NIGHT by Sara Kellar! It was really the quality of writing that won me over here. The characters were very intriguing, but more than the plot, it was how beautifully Sara wove the words together that got me. I could tell that Sara absolutely has a love of language and it really showed through in her writing. And the winner of the Grand Prize (a Vladimir Tod hoodie -as pictured on the cover of EIGHTH GRADE BITES- and an autographed advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS) is PRE-TEEN SLAYER by Ethan Plouffe! WOW. What a great story! Ethan is immensely talented and kept me guessing until the very end. Such wonderful twists and a fast, exciting pace, all crammed into such a short story. Wonderful! Congrats to all the winners! Paul will email you today to tell you what you need to do to collect your prizes. FANGTASTIC job, Minions!!!
Happy Launch Day!
Okay, I know what you're here for, and I'll get to the winner of the zip-up Vlad hoodie and advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS in just a moment. But first... HAPPY BOOK LAUNCH DAY, NINTH GRADE SLAYS PAPERBACK!!! That's right, today NGS hits the stores as a sleek paperback. In fact, I was at Books-A-Million last night and there it was, live and in person. So, if you didn't pre-order NGS, you might want to get your butt to the store now and grab your copy. If you did pre-order it, you should have it soon (if you don't already - sometimes Amazon ships early)! Now let me explain how I chose the winner of the hoodie and TGB. See, there were almost 300 entries, and though I am deeply humbled by the wonderful things you all said (seriously, Auntie Heather is blushing and Auntie Heather NEVER blushes), I wanted it to be completely fair, so comments did not come into play in choosing the winner. I consulted my good friend, Random Number Generator, and had RNG choose one Minion from Bleeding Ink and one Minion from MySpace, then I flipped a coin to choose between them. So it really is totally random that this person won. I'd also like to ask you all to keep a sharp eye on my website and MySpace, because I do have more hoodies and I am totally gonna give them all away. Now...let's all be good sports and a supportive Horde and congratulate the winner of the zip-up Vlad hoodie and ARC of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS... Vlad Valentine!!! Vlad, please drop me an email with your mailing address and I shall bestow prize-y goodness on you. Congrats!!! Now...if you're just itching for a copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, stay tuned. Because Auntie Heather is in a giving sort of mood... Fangs for entering, Minions! :)=
Brr and Grr and a Spontaneous Mini-Contest!
 It's COLD today. Like -16 with the wind chill factor. Brrrr! So you can bet that Auntie Heather will be snuggling up under her evil Hello Kitty blankie today and wearing some of her fuzzy groovy neato socks to stay warm. And of course, repeatedly grumbling about how cold it is. Brr and Grr, Minions. Brr and Grr. In other news, I'm amazed at how many situations you Minions suggested in the last blog comments (both on Bleeding Ink and MySpace) that were right on track. I won't say which or how many, but a few were dead-on accurate as things that will come along in this series...which makes me wonder if my Minions are staring over my shoulder as I write. It also makes me feel like maybe I really do understand what my readers want, so that's pretty cool. And dude! Less than a week until the paperback of NINTH GRADE SLAYS debuts! In honor of that... I have a secret. Come closer. No, closer. Okay, guess what? I have a new hoodie. Actually, I have a few. They're zip-up hoodies. Black. On the front, left side in red is Vlad's Mark. On the back is the vampire smiley, surrounded by "Proud Member of the Minion Horde", all in red. My camera is broken, or I'd show you a pic. But trust me...it's awesome. What's that? You want one? Okay! I'll even give you an advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS! But you've gotta leave a comment to enter, okay? I'll randomly pick the winner on January 22nd. And no...you can't buy one of these either. ;)
ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS
 Two things, Minions: 1. The blog is about to get really quiet for about a week, as Auntie Heather is only SEVEN CHAPTERS away from writing "The End" on ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS. (EEEEEEEEEE!!!!) and 2. What is the one thing you would absolutely LOVE to see happen in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod?
Clearing Up Some Misconceptions
While I am flattered, my Minions, by the impression some of you have of me, I feel the need to clarify a few things that have been popping up in my inbox and mailbox as of late. 1. Auntie Heather does not have people who open her mail for her.You can look at my papercut fingertips to see that not only do I open all of my mail by myself...I'm also not smart enough to use an letter opener. Besides, I can't afford to hire people to open my mail. Plus, it would be way creepy to know someone was reading my mail before me. 2. Auntie Heather does not have people who run her MySpace for her.The hours that it takes to maintain and iteract via MySpace are all spent by yours truly. If you get a message from me on there - unless it's a hacker, it's really, truly me. 3. Auntie Heather does not hang out at lavish parties with all sorts of famous author people every weekend.And no, I don't know Stephanie Meyer personally. I do know lots of ultra cool, amazingly talented authors...but we rarely get together to party, as we're busy writing books. 4. Auntie Heather is 35 years old.Not 20. Not 16. Not 10. Thirty-five. And she's totally cool with that. After all, growing older is mandatory. Growing up is optional. 5. Auntie Heather cannot give free books to you, just because you ask her.If everyone got a free book...no one would buy my books and then my career would be over. That would make me sad. *insert frowny face here* Any other questions?
You've Gotta Have a Plan, Minions
Okay, so I've been giving some serious thought to the coming zombie apocalypse (Procrastinating? Who?? Moi?? why, I never...) and I believe I have a plan. First off, when zombies run amuck, there will be little warning, as the world's governments will either know and not tell us until it's too late or they'll be in denial. That lives little room for preparation, so it's a good thing my house is already stocked with lots of weaponry (mostly of the sword variety). It's also a good thing that I have all the right tools and materials to board myself (and my family) up inside (plus, my husband worked as a carpenter for several years). No mall for me, and no letting survivors camp out at my house. It's every person for themselves when the zombies attack. Now, just so you Minions are prepared...  65%Created by OnePlusYou - Free Dating Sites
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What People Are Saying About 'Eighth Grade Bites'
"A spooky mystery that's funny, gruesome, heartwarming, spellbinding,
sad, joyous, surprising and topped off with a tasty blend of blood and
chocolate. Yum. What more could you ask for?" ~D.J. MacHale,
New York Times-bestselling author of PENDRAGON: JOURNAL OF AN ADVENTURE
THROUGH TIME AND SPACE
"'Eighth grade Bites' had me on the edge of my seat. It's a
great piece of fiction. It drops you right into the action, grabs
you by the throat (pun intended), and won't let go. Vladimir Tod
is a truly sympathetic character cursed with an existence not of
his own doing, but doing his best to do the right thing. It's part
'Goosebumps' mixed with 'Harry Potter' and a dash – no, a heaping
tablespoon – of Stephen King. If you're in eighth grade, or
a vampire, or an eighth grade vampire, 'Eighth Grade Bites' is a
definite must read!"~Butch Hartman, creator of Nickelodeon's
THE FAIRLY ODD PARENTS and DANNY PHANTOM
"Eighth Grade Bites is a terrific vampire tale told with a
sharp, middle-school grin. It definitely does not bite!" ~Christopher
Moore, author of BLOODSUCKING FIENDS and A DIRTY JOB
"Eighth Grade Bites is a delightful novel filled with dark,
biting humor that will appeal to everyone who ever felt they were
different. A deft hand at depicting the angst of teen years, Heather
Brewer does a wonderful job blending vampire legend with the modern
day horror that strikes fear in the heart of so many: the eighth
grade."~Katie MacAlister, New York Times-bestselling author
of EVEN VAMPIRES GET THE BLUES
"Heather Brewer has invented the most endearing of vampires
in Vlad, an eighth grader juggling the woes of adolescence with the
decidedly unique difficulties of being a vampire. She perfectly captures
the humor and angst of eighth grade, mixed with a nail-biting adventure.
Utterly charming and irresistible!" ~Liza Conrad, author of
HIGH SCHOOL BITES: THE LUCY CHRONICLES
"This book will fool you. Just when you think you've identified
it as a story lit by the cheery glow of a slightly scary jack-o-lantern,
it becomes something else -- a tale told by the flickering light
of a dying campfire late at night. And the shadows are very dark
indeed. A surprising mix of humor and horror." ~Douglas
Rees, author of VAMPIRE HIGH
"Fresh and fast-paced, with just the right brew of chills and
laughs. I’m looking forward to finding out what happens when
Vlad hits Grade Nine." ~Nancy Baker, author of KISS OF THE
VAMPIRE
"A fabulous book from a gifted storyteller! I never wanted
it to end." ~Gena Showalter, author of OH MY GOTH |
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