Bleeding Ink

Party at Vlad's House!!!

2009-06-27T06:30:00.001-07:00

Okay, actually, it's not at Vlad's house (Nelly would probably kill him). It's at Borders in Fairview heights, Illinois. Today, from 3pm to 7pm.

There will be a vampire costume contest, games, drawings for cool stuff (like Vlad hoodies, a t-shirt, an iPod Nano engraved with Vlad's Mark, and MORE!), and ME! Plus, you can pick up your copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS. I'll autograph it to you. We can hang out, eat Vlad cookies, Vlad suckers, and Vlad cake! It's a PARTY, Minions!!!

So, if you can be there, be there. If you can't, gather a bunch of Minions or would-be Minions and hold your own party in Vlad's honor. And send Auntie Heather pics!

Also, for those Minions that have already read TENTH GRADE BLEEDS...thanks for keeping the secret and not divulging what happens to your fellow Minions. :)=

Testing testing 123

2009-06-24T13:59:00.001-07:00

Dear Blogger,

Please, please, please pull the bug outta your butt and let me post a blog. K? Thanks!

Yours in Eternity,
Auntie Heather

Staring into the Abyss

2009-06-16T15:37:00.000-07:00

And in this case, the abyss is actually my calendar.

I have been so busy, Minions, that I haven't had time to write much, blog, or even breathe. But that's about to change. The rest of June only brings me two evenst (phew!) and I'm not scheduling anything new til after March (and even with that, my schedule is full).

A new website is on the way!! My designer is brilliant, and we'll see that soon.

But for now...I'll see at least some of you at Borders in Fairview Heights, IL on June 27th!!!

Calling All Members of the Minion Horde!

2009-06-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, my Minions, is a very special day. It's your opportunity to snag a copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS before anyone else on the planet.

There's a Barnes & Noble on Miller Road in Flint, MI. I'll be there from 1pm to 5pm, signing books, giving away mad prizes, nomming on awesome Vlad munchies. Want a hoodie like the one on the cover of EIGHTH GRADE BITES? You'll have a chance to win one! Want a t-shirt like the one on the cover of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS? You'll have a chance to win one! Want a zip-up hoodie that proudly declares you to be a proud member of the Minion Horde? You'll have a chance to win one! And...you'll have a chance to win a purple iPod Nano, engraved with Vlad's Mark.

There will be cookies, cake, suckers, M&Ms (purple and black, of course), a trivia game, and lots more.

Bribe your parents to drive you. Bribe your friends to let you tag along. Because you don't want to miss this.

Be there.

Greetings, Minions!

2009-06-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

Auntie Heather is currently in the Catskills in New York, wrapping up a fangtastic writing retreat with some amazing friends (A.S. King, Jackie Kessler, Ty Drago, and Brian Howe). Today I'm headed into Manhattan for a few days to hang out with Uncle Paul and meet with my amazing team at Penguin, some incredible Barnes & Noble folks, my editor and agent--two of my favorite people EVER. Lots and lots of stuff, Minions, and I'm very excited.

BUT...

Not as excited as I am about my early-release party for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS on June 13th in Flint, Michigan (see my Appearances page for details!). I hope to see you all there!

Be safe, Minion Horde. Auntie Heather will write a bit more when she's done travelling.

What will the launch parties be like? And who won???

2009-06-01T09:14:00.001-07:00

I keep getting asked this, so I wanted to pop on and let you all know the fun that awaits you! First off, I have awesome purple iPod Nanos, hoodies (both pullover and zip-up), t-shirts and Bling to give away. There will be cookies, cake, cool decorations, games, and most importantly, yours truly, signing my new book: TENTH GRADE BLEEDS! Trust me, Minions, if you can make it to the Flint, Michigan Barnes & Noble on June 13th or the Fairview Heights, IL Borders on June 27th, you do NOT want to miss these parties! Grab all of your Minion and soon-to-be-Minion friends, because these are going to be Minion Horde gatherings like you have never seen before!

Now, on to who won the photo contest. Originally, I had planned on choosing a winner based on the photo sent...but I can't pick! So I chose randomly. And the winners are...

Grand Prize: Ricky Guerrero
1st prize: Jen Robles and LeiAnn Sweeney

Congratulations, Minions! I've already dropped you each an email. Please send me your address and I'll get your prize out to you soon!

The Whirlwind That is My Life (and also, important news)

2009-05-29T05:38:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know, my Minions, Auntie Heather just moved into a new house. WOOT! It's all sorts of awesome, but it's been rather taxing. Therefore, time has gotten away from dear Auntie. SO...I've extended the time you have to enter the Photo Contest (see Win Things for deets)!

A couple of quick things:

1. If you want a chance to grab a copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS two full weeks before anyone else, be at the Barnes & Noble in Flint, Michigan on June 13th between 1pm and 5pm. I'll be there, signing books, serving Vlad cake, and hanging out. It's a gathering of the Minion Horde!

2. Speaking of Minion Horde gatherings...there's also the official launch party for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS at Borders in Fairview Heights, Illinois! June 27th, from 3pm to 7pm. I'll be there! We'll have games and all sorts of fun...and cake! And if you can't be there, please join me online for a live webcast of the release party in Fairview Heights, only on BlogTV! (Many thanks to Stephen for setting this up!)

See you there, Minions!

Where's Waldo? Er, I mean, Auntie Heather...

2009-05-18T05:47:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Minions! Well, my trifecta of awesome tour dates has come to an end. Phoenix was phabulous, Independence was incredible, and Tennessee was terrific! A big shout-out to all my Minions that I visited - Auntie Heather misses you already! But now that I'm back, something else is demanding my attention. See, Auntie Heather is moving to a new house. So right now I'm sitting in the cardboard box castle that is my living room. I have to finish packing and then, this Saturday, is the big move. It's overwhelming, to say the least. In fact, right now I'm feeling a little AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! But this too shall pass. Soon life will return to whgat passes for normal around here and all will be well.

By the way, the date for the TENTH GRADE BLEEDS release party in Fairview Heights, IL is changing! I'll update you a bit later once all of the details have been hashed out. The date for the early-launch party in Flint, MI remains the same. I hope to see many of you at each!

pant, pant Sorry! Just pant so busy! pant

2009-05-06T04:47:00.000-07:00

HOLY BLOODBAG, BATMAN!!! Your Auntie Heather has been freaky crazy with the appearances lately! After an amazing evening the other night at Main Street Books in Saint Charles, MO (with some equally amazing teachers, librarians, and authors), yesterday I was a special guest at a Book Battle (which, fyi, is when a bunch of students from 33 different schools in the Saint Louis area get together and compete with book trivia) and met (and re-met) some fangtastic Minions. And today I'm leaving for the Kansas City area for two middle school visits tomorrow (along with a special lunch with some reading competition winners). I'm exhausted! But also having a blast, so don't cry for me, Argentina. :)=

Anyhoo, that's why the blog is sooooooooo quiet, and also why I haven't been on the forum. Life will shortly return to normal (or what passes for normal around here, anyway). Promise.

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS News!

2009-04-29T05:42:00.000-07:00

Guess what, Minions! The release date has been moved!

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS is now going to hit stores on June 25, 2009!

EVERYBODY LIMBO!!!

Attention: Arizona Minions!

2009-04-21T08:07:00.000-07:00

I'll be visiting six different schools in the Phoenix area this week! I leave tomorrow. If you go to one of the following schools, I'll see you there - and I can't wait to meet you in person!!!

- April 23rd

9am - Highland Junior High School
6915 Guadalupe Road - Mesa, AZ

11:30am - Desert Arroyo Middle School
33401 N 56th St - Cave Creek, AZ

1:20pm - Mesquite Junior High School
130 W. Mesquite Street - Gilbert, AZ

- April 24th

9am - Akimel A-Al Middle School
2720 E. Liberty Lane - Phoenix, AZ

11am - Aprende Middle School
777 N. Desert Breeze Blvd. E #2 - Chandler, AZ

1:45pm - Shepard Junior High School
1407 N. Alta Mesa Drive - Mesa, AZ

BLOODBOUND

2009-04-16T08:20:00.000-07:00

What do you all think of this post's title? Cool, right? Now, what would you think if I said that was the name of a new book I'm working on? You'd love it, yes?

Now...what would you say if I told you that Auntie Heather is happy to announce that I just sold the first three books of a new YA series??? That's right, starting with BLOODBOUND, the fabulous folks at Dutton/Penguin are going to publish my newest series. And this one isn't about vampires.

Only I haven't quite developed an elevator pitch for it. So it's a little difficult to describe.

Suffice it to say, there are monsters, swords, war, blood, and yes (for all you Twilight-lovers), romance. BLOODBOUND is about a girl named Kaya, who's forced to attend a school known as Shadow Academy. Kaya's a Healer...and Healer's aren't exactly treated as equals to the Barrons they're caring for. But, you'll learn more about that when it debuts in Spring 2011.

Now celebrate with me, Minions!!!

Also, my BFF and critique partner, Jackie Kessler, just sold a fabulous YA novel that you all need to watch out for - it's called HUNGER, and it's about a girl who becomes chosen as the next Famine (you know...of the four horsemen fame?). I've read it and absolutely LOVED it! So...you'll all love it too. Just trust me on this. Anyhoo, since this is Jackie's for YA book, she's developing a new YA page, and as a result, is having a contest that you should enter!

EDITED TO ADD: Here's a better description - many thanks to Jackie for her brilliant assistance!

What's worse than being blackmailed to attend a hidden school where you're treated like a second-class citizen? How about nearly getting eaten by a monster when you arrive? Or learning that your soulmate was killed in a centuries-old secret war? And then there's the evil king who's determined to rule the world unless you can stop him...

Meet Kaya, a young woman with the power to heal and the determination to fight. But struggle as she will, she remains tied to three very different men: a hero who has forsaken glory, a tyrannical ruler who wants to use Kaya, and a warrior who's stolen her heart. Kaya learns the hard way that some ties can't be broken...and blood is the strongest bond of all.

BLOODBOUND by Heather Brewer

Has it been a week already since I blogged??

2009-04-13T09:27:00.000-07:00

Time flies when you're sitting on some excellent news (and no, I can't say - my lips are sealed). How are my Minions? Auntie Heather is fangtastic! Most recently, I visited two amazing schools, with some really wonderful Minions - in Cape Girardeau, MO and Red Bud, IL. And next week, I'm off to the Phoenix area (if I get time today, I'll update my Appearances page to let you know where I'll be). Busy, busy, busy!

But I did find time enough to post a new contest...who wants a hoodie???

10 Things About TENTH GRADE BLEEDS

2009-04-06T07:50:00.001-07:00

1. The cover looks like this:The model for this fangtastic cover (created by the brilliant Christian Fuenfhausen) is Lawrence Prince.
2. There are 292 pages.
3. There are 28 chapters.
4. The last five pages contain everything that you need to read and write Elysian Code.
5. The first two pages will introduce you to an evil vampire named Ignatius.
6. Vlad is tormented by horrific, painful, bloody nightmares all through the book.
7. Vlad meets a new friend.
8. Henry says he doesn't want to be Vlad's drudge anymore.
9. Vlad's bloodthirst becomes a serious issue for him.
10. It comes out on July 9, 2009.

Are you ready, Minions??

And...I'm Back!

2009-03-30T07:35:00.000-07:00

Where did Auntie Heather go? Why, nowhere at all. I've been here at my desk this whole time. Writing. A lot. And stressing over this manuscript (11TH GRADE BURNS, of course). But now all is well. My critique partner and fabulous agent are on the case and, for now, I can relax a little.

Or...I can work on something else, which is what I'm planning to do.

But no worries, my Minion Horde! Auntie Heather is well and good. How are you all?

Amazon Weirdness

2009-03-17T07:32:00.000-07:00

Just FYI: a few Minions have shared with me now that Amazon has changed the listing of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS to reflect a June 25th release, instead of a July 9th release. I'm posting this here, so you'll all know. While Amazon does at times ship early, the release date for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS has not changed. It's still coming out on July 9th.

And also, you don't want to miss the fangtastic release party (see Appearances for details)!

Happy Friday the 13th!

2009-03-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

Greetings, Minions! It's yet again one of my favorite days of the year - how are you all celebrating? Me, I'm going to work...mostly on tweaking Chapter 13 of ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS. *cheeky grin*

Last night was awesome! I was on a fangtastic YA panel with two amazing authors, met sooooo many Minions, and then! Afterwards, some Minions, Uncle Paul and I took over a local coffee shop! Too, too much fun. I had a blast.

But today...it's back to work with me.

Have a fangtastic day, Minion Horde!

Want to be one of the first Minions to possess purple Minion Bling??

2009-03-12T08:23:00.000-07:00

Then you want to get your butt to the Saint Charles City-County Library (McClay Branch) tonight at 7pm!

(And no, I'm not above bribing...why do you ask?)

I'll be there with the fabulous Antony John and Susan McBride. We'll be talking about writing, publishing, and anything else you're lil black, evil hearts desire. So...come hang out with us! Bribe your parents, your neighbors, your friends! GET THERE however you can!

Because I have purple Bling...and it's awesome.

PLUS! Main Street Books will be there selling books! So, y'know...be there.

PURPLE!!!

2009-03-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Okay, so it's totally not styled today, but dude, it matches TENTH GRADE BLEEDS!

We Have Winners!

2009-03-07T18:38:00.000-08:00

Congrats to the latest fangtastic contest winners!

Grand Prize (a Vlad hoodie and ARC of either NINTH GRADE SLAYS or TENTH GRADE BLEEDS) - Dawn Wells

First Prize (a Vlad clip-on watch and ARC of either NINTH GRADE SLAYS or TENTH GRADE BLEEDS) - Kristen Carter

Second Prize (and ARC of either NINTH GRADE SLAYS or TENTH GRADE BLEEDS) - Mason Brady

Watch for a new contest to be posted soon!

Vlad Spotted in Nintendo Power Magazine!

2009-03-06T07:55:00.000-08:00

So, so, so cool - this ad just appeared in the April 2009 issue of Nintendo Power. (click on pic for more detail)Go, Vlad! (and thank you, Dutton, for the great exposure!)

Many, many fangs to SpaceKing800, Minion Extraordinaire for passing this on!

Will there be a Vladimir Tod movie?

2009-03-05T06:38:00.001-08:00

I thought that title might grab your attention. :)=

Lately, my Minions, I've been bombarded by all sorts of messages, emails, and letters, asking me if and when there will be a movie. The short answer is: maybe someday. The long answer is a bit more complicated.

Money, unfortunately, is what does the talking in business. When the people in charge (henceforth referred to as TPIC) see that a book or series is selling like crazy (like enough to hit bestseller lists), then it makes them open their minds a bit more on whether or not they should purchase the rights and turn a book into a movie. Right now, my sales are fangtastic...but not quite fangtastic enough to hit a bestseller list, not quite good enough to make TPIC really pay me some serious attention.

So what do we do? What can we do?

To be blunt, I need every one of you to do one of two things. Either: A) pre-order TENTH GRADE BLEEDS right now or B) walk into a bookstore the week of July 9, 2009 and buy the book. There's something else you can do: wrangle all of your friends, teachers, neighbors, family, and have them pre-order the book or buy the book in person that first week. If we can boost my numbers enough, we might just be able to make this happen. But if you want it, Minions, you've gotta work for it. And don't worry! Auntie Heather is doing her part too. Together, we can move mountains (and yes, even attract the attention of TPIC).

So, rally together, Minion Horde! We only have four months until TENTH GRADE BLEEDS debuts!

Mini-Contest Winner and a Word on Minion Bling

2009-03-02T07:11:00.000-08:00

It's happy mini-contest winner day! It's also Dr. Seuss's birthday. My fave Dr. Seuss quote: "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Okay, first, my Minion Horde, let's talk about the Bling. As you know (or should by now, if you read my blog), several Minions weren't receiving their Minion Bling because the envelopes were getting torn up in the machines at the post office. Machines that the postal folks repeatedly ensured me the envelopes would never be in. They SWORE to me again and again that due to the contents' size, all envelopes with Bling would be hand cancelled. In short, they lied. And ticked Auntie Heather off, because DUDE...nobody messes with my Minions. So, after much thought and agonizing over the idea of making it more expensive on your part to collect your free Bling, I've decided that I really have no choice but to change the way Bling is shipped. From now on, if you want Bling, you have two ways to get it:

1) (the best way) See Auntie Heather in person. It's very rare for me not to have Bling at my events, so have at it! 2) Mail a Self-Addressed Stamped bubble Envelope (no bigger than 6"x9") with at least $1.60 postage attached (address is on my Minion Bling page).

As you can imagine, my Minions, there are thousands of you, so Auntie Heather can't afford to mail Bling on her own. If you send a letter (yay, letters!) with no envelope, I can't send you Bling. If you send stamps with no bubble envelope, I can't send you Bling. If you don't send a SASbE, I can't send you Bling. If your SASbE is larger than 6"x9", I can't send you Bling. So work with me on this, okay? I realize that tons of Bling has been lost in the mail and I am just heartsick over it. I want you each to have your own Bling and wear it with pride. So...this is the only way I can see to make that happen. Eventually, I'll have these instructions up on my Miion Bling page, but for now, spread the word, 'kay?

And by the way...new purple Bling is on its way! Oh, and I added some appearances to my Appearances page.

Okay, something else. I've decided to give the winners of the mini-contest each an ARC of NINTH GRADE SLAYS and their choice of paperbacks: EIGHTH GRADE BITES or NINTH GRADE SLAYS. Cuz I'm cool like that. So without further ado...

Tabitha, you win! Drop me an email with your mailing address and which paperback you want along with your ARC - all will be autographed by yours truly. Congrats!

P.S. SpaceKing800, I was deeply touched too. No worries - I'm surprising kellie4inchey's son with a birthday gift. :)=

NINTH GRADE SLAYS Mini-Contest!!!

2009-02-26T12:24:00.000-08:00

Since the ARC Fairy has clearly bestowed his love on me today (in the form of a pile of Advaced Reading Copies I found hidden away in my closet), I've decided to hold a mini-contest. What's at stake? An autographed ARC of NINTH GRADE SLAYS. How do you enter? You simply leave a comment telling me why you want to read it. I'll draw a random winner on Monday morning.

P.S. TWO ARCs will be given away. One here and one on my MySpace. Feel free to enter both. Good luck!

It's Franken-Heather!!!

2009-02-25T08:29:00.001-08:00

She's got staples in her tummy and walks hunched over like an old man. She's Franken-Heather!!!
Hey Minions! I just thought I'd catch you all up on me. As you know, last Wednesday, I had some surgery done. Other than being a lil sore still (and Franken-Heather-ish), I'm feeling much more like my old self and I've actually been writing again! That and not spending time with my Minions (plus that whole have-my-tummy-sliced-open-and-my-insides-rearranged thing) was by far the worst part of being gone for a week. But I'm back now, for the most part. Still digging through hundreds of emails, though, so be patient!

So...catch me up on the Minion Horde! What's been happening on your side of the cemetery?

Greetings, Minion Horde!

2009-02-23T11:34:00.000-08:00

Auntie Heather here. Back home now, but still very sore and sleepy. Just wanted to touch base and thank you all so much for your well wishes!

Yours in Eternity,
Auntie Heather

Greetings, Minions!

2009-02-16T07:39:00.000-08:00

No real news to share, but I wanted to touch base with you all, as things have been really quiet around here. Thanks for all the emails! It's sweet of you to worry about my upcoming surgery, but it's pretty routine, so I'm not worried at all. You shouldn't be either. But keep in mind that the blog and my participation on the forum will likely be very minimal over the next couple of weeks.

Writing goes well! After a brief discussion on the forums, I've decided to include an extra chapter in ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, so that you can all see exactly what happened when Vlad and Henry were eight years old. :) All the tweaks I'm making to the manuscript now are going smoothly and before you know it, it'll be an actual book. But let's first focus on TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, which is seriously kick butt. It has something for everyone and I think you'll love it. Only five more months until it hits stores!

Now, for those Minions who seem to be having a difficult time finding my books...you can always ask a bookseller to order the book for you. Booksellers are cool like that.

I'm off to finish packing for my hospital stay, but I'll try to drop you all a line on Friday when I get home. Love you, Minions!

Yours in Eternity,
Auntie Heather

Happy Anti-Valentines Day!

2009-02-13T08:05:00.001-08:00

I don't celebrate Valentines Day (in fact, I view it to be a silly, Hallmark holiday), but for those of you who do, yay you! And for those of you who don't, happy Anti-Valentines Day!

Surgery

2009-02-12T07:55:00.000-08:00

I don't want to go in to a lot of detail, but basically, I'm having surgery on Wednesday, February 18, 2009. I'll be the the hospital until Friday and pretty busy until then, so if you could all cross your fingers for me that day, I'd really appreciate it. If you have any important questions, please feel free to contact Uncle Paul (you can email him at paul@heatherbrewer.com).

Love you, Minions!

Fabulous News, Minions!

2009-02-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my brilliant, fabulous agent (Michael Bourret of Dystel & Goderich), I just sold the fifth book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod to my publisher, Dutton (Penguin)!!! Everybody say "Thanks, Michael!" and for that matter, give a shout-out to my publisher for loving Vlad almost as much as you Minions do. :)

FYI: I think I've developed a better way to ship Bling, so watch for that announcement soon. It'll require a bit more work on your end, but at least you can be assured you'll receive your Bling intact...so that's good.

It's very strange to know that I've sold the fifth Vlad book. I'm elated, but a little sad. Vlad's very much a part of my life now and while I'm already working on some things to come after this series is done, it troubles me to know I'll be letting these characters go. I'm conflicted, which is something I totally didn't expect. Regardless, I know a certain half-human/half-vampire that deserves my eternal gratitude. Without him, I might not have my Minion Horde!

Stay Tuned

2009-02-02T09:45:00.000-08:00

Sorry I've been so quiet, Minions - Auntie Heather has reached that point in her manuscript (ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, if you're wondering), where all I can do is... *headdesk*

The manuscript is technically finished, but now it's time to have it make sense and be...y'know...good. So...blah. Work, work, work, mope, mope, whine, blah...

The blog will resume shortly.

Scholastic Author Video

2009-01-26T07:11:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-24T10:32:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-22T05:46:00.000-08:00

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!

2009-01-15T05:53:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-12T06:53:00.001-08:00

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

2009-01-06T12:22:00.000-08:00

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

2009-01-05T10:43:00.000-08:00

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...

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Happy New Year, Minion Horde!

2008-12-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

2008 has been a fangtastic year! NINTH GRADE SLAYS debuted, EIGHTH GRADE BITES was nominated for a Truman Readers Award, Scholastic Book Fairs not only started selling EIGHTH GRADE BITES, but also came out to film me for an author video, not to mention how many Minions I've had the pleasure of meeting and all the other amazing stuff that's happened to me this year. Oh yeah, 2008 was a goodie, for sure.

But I must say...I'm looking forward to 2009.

We have TENTH GRADE BLEEDS to look forward to, the paperback of NINTH GRADE SLAYS, 24 million of you will see my Scholastic author video, and countless more Minions will be added to the Horde. Not to mention the INCREDIBLE contests I have planned for the new year. And the fangtastic TENTH GRADE BLEEDS launch party.

2009 is looking like a good year.

So, my Minions, what happened in 2008 that you are grateful for? What do you hope will happen in 2009? Auntie Heather doesn't make resolutions. Do you? What are they?

Happy New Year, Minion Horde!

Happy Holidays, Minion Horde!

2008-12-21T08:09:00.000-08:00

Have you all started winter break yet? Or as I often liked to refer to it, sanity break? If not, hang in there - soon you'll be staying up late and sleeping in, sipping hot cocoa and ripping paper off of gifts! Auntie Heather will be (as usual) working through the holidays, but don't worry...she'll make sure to stop writing long enough to celebrate with her family.

As you might have noticed, Auntie Heather has been rather quiet lately. Well, that's because I have a lot going on right now. I'm busy, busy, busy with work, work, work. I'm writing ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, tweaking the Super Secret Project, reading a fabulous manuscript with an eye towards blurbing it (oh yeah, so giving this a blurb - I'm addicted), and tweaking this short story for an anthology that'll benefit RIF (comes out Fall 2010). Most of which is due in January...which has Auntie Heather a little crazy, but happy. Being incredibly busy is far better than having too much time on my hands.

I've received several requests for various items that can be used as holiday gifts: Minion Bling, autographs, ARCs, books, hoodies. And while I absolutely sympathize that you Minions know someone who ONLY wants whatever item you asked me for, the fact is that Auntie Heather can't fill every wish. Right now my schedule is so intensely tight that I just can't make any extra trips to the post office to ship things. Not to mention that if I fulfill one wish, I have to fulfill them all...and I can't hand out hoodies and ARCs to everyone...though I wish I could. I'm currently waiting on another order of Bling and that won't get here until after the holidays...and won't get shipped out to you Minions until after winter break. So bear with me, Minions. Auntie Heather feels enormously guilty for not helping you all with your holiday wishes, but...she is Auntie Heather, not Santa Heather, after all. (Though she really, really wishes she were!)

I've also received (as usual, yay!) many messages asking if I'll visit this place or that place. The short answer? Yes! The long answer? Please contact Uncle Paul for more info on how to make that happen: paul @ heatherbrewer dot com

That's all for now! HAPPY HOLIDAYS, MINIONS!

Hoodies on Zazzle!

2008-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Nope, none with the vampire smiley (I do have my reasons, so just stay tuned for more on that), but these are kinda awesome. Thought you Minions might be interested. Check out Top Picks for the hoodies.

145 Comments?!

2008-12-17T13:13:00.000-08:00

Wow, check out that last post - you Minions are so chatty!

Sorry I haven't blooged in forever. I've been battling a headache, working on ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS (as well as the SSP) and trying to keep a secret...and blogging doesn't make it easy to keep secrets.

Have you entered the contest yet?

Crazy Stupid Happy

2008-12-11T06:40:00.000-08:00

Minions, I am in a phenomenal mood today - was yesterday too, for some reason. Just sitting here at my desk, grinning my fool head off for no apparent reason. :)

*gasp* Maybe I've gone crazy. *shifty eyes*

So, of course, being in the good mood that I am, I feel the need to give an advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS away! Just post a comment here to enter (and if you know any Minions who want to win an ARC, you should let them know). I'll pick the winner Monday morning.

Have a fangtastic day!

EDITED TO ADD THIS: It turns out, my Minions, that EIGHTH GRADE BITES has been nominated for the Truman Reader Award here in Missouri!!! Needless to say, I am so friggin' excited that I'm jumping up and down in my stompy boots. So...if you are a student in the state of Missouri...it's up to you to help me win. Very soon, EIGHTH GRADE BITES will be made available to schools and students across the state of Missouri and it's up to you to vote by March 1, 2010. (I'm sure your teachers and librarians will know how) Please, please, please vote for Vlad. It would mean the world to me!

Fangs a lot!

Oh and also, just a few days left for you to win an ARC of DUST OF 100 DOGS by A.S. King!

Ice, Laughter, and Working While I Wait

2008-12-08T06:55:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning to the world covered in glare ice. Particularly the roads and sidewalks. And Auntie Heather has approximately zero balance, so walking my daughter to the bus stop was just dandy. But when I got back to the house, I had a negative review waiting, and that lifted my spirits.

What's that? Has Auntie Heather lost her ever-lovin' mind? Well, yes, but this isn't why. See, the reviewer absolutely didn't get EIGHTH GRADE BITES. They had several facts wrong and rambled on in such a ridiculous, venomous manner that I couldn't help but laugh. But what really made me lose it was that at the end - after all the negative things the reviewer had to say (which is totally fine; to each their own) - they said that they'd be reading the rest of the series.

Huh? Okaaaayy...

Why you would want to waste your time with a series you clearly despise is beyond me, but...whatever floats your boat, dude. And hey, I'm glad you'll be reading the rest of my series. New readers are always welcome.

So now Auntie Heather is sitting down with the Muse and working out a few minor details (okay, and a few major) for ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS. This book is proving to be the most complicated Vlad book yet. There's just so much going on. It's a challenge to fit all of the details in. But it's fun to write, so that makes the work go relatively smoothly.

I'm also waiting on my fabulous agent, who's reading what I like to call the Super Secret Project. SSP is near and dear to me and hopefully I'll be able to talk about it soon. But I'm waiting to give up details on that. Auntie Heather is superstitious, oh yes. About some things anyway...

What I Did This Weekend

2008-12-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

Besides stuffing myself with turkey and all the trimmings, besides writing until my eyeballs bled, besides doing all my shopping on Black Friday...this weekend, I did the bird tree.

What the heck is a bird tree? And how does one do it, exactly?

Well, Minions, the fam and I decided we wanted some family time together and we also completely adore the birds and squirrels that frequent our back patio. So we put up a tree back there with pretty lights and then commenced to stringing popcorn and cranberries, and pasting pinecones with peanut butter and rolling them in birdseed. The cranberries and popcorn became garland, and the pinecones became ornaments. And now...one particularly chunky lil squirrel is pigging out. The birds are sure to follow.

We had a blast.

But today...today it's back to writing, and the ever looming deadlines.

What did you do this weekend, Minions?

Happy Turkey Day, Minions!

2008-11-27T04:28:00.001-08:00

Catching Up

2008-11-24T07:43:00.000-08:00

Now that Auntie Heather's cold is finally clearing up (just a bit of a cough and sore throat left now), I thought I'd catch you all up with what's going on in my life. First, the Twilight movie: I haven't seen it yet. I'm going to. Definitely. But I'm really, really nervous about it. Of course, I'm always nervous to see a movie based on a book that I adore, but I keep hearing awful things about it, so I'm taking my time getting to the theater.

Second, I am in full-on holiday mode. Seriously. I want the lights up, the tree decorated, gifts shoved under the lowest branches, and Santa down the chimney while I blare Transiberian Orchestra's Carol of the Bells on the stereo. Black Friday is coming up and Auntie Heather and Uncle Paul go out every year at 3:30am. Turkey Day is almost upon us with the promise of cranberry sauce and family chatter. I'm ready for the holidays. Anxious, even. Bring it on, sleigh boy.

Third, writing. I have been super, super busy. Not only am I writing a creepy short story that will be included in an ITW anthology (proceeds go to RIF), but I'm also working on ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, which is a monster to write. so much is going on and so much that I didn't see before I started writing it. A lot of stuff comes to a head in this book, and Vlad's life will change forever. I can't believe I'm almost done writing this series! Just one more book after this: TWELFTH GRADE KILLS. When I'm not working on those projects, I'm working on something new. But I'm keeping my lips zipped on that one. What I will say is that I've not felt so drawn to a story since Vlad...so that has to mean something.

That's about it for me, Minions. What about you? Catch me up on your lives and tell me I'm not the only one ready for the big guy to squeeze down the chimney.

Happy Birthday, Vlad!

2008-11-21T10:06:00.000-08:00

It's Vlad's birthday! In honor of that, if you want to win an advanced copy of TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, check out Want My YA!

In other vampy news, the TWILIGHT movie is out, but I haven't seen it yet. Someone please tell me it's worth the money.

Have a Fangtastic Birthday, Jacob!

2008-11-18T06:42:00.001-08:00

A very happy 15th birthday to my son, Jacob, who has absolutely been inspiration for Vlad, and who has made my life worth living. Jacob is known as "Pravus" on the forums and you can find him here on MySpace, Minions. Stop by and wish him a fangtastic birthday!

Auntie Heather Has Been a Bit Under the Weather

2008-11-17T06:32:00.000-08:00

Sorry about the silence lately, Minions. First Auntie Heather had this weird cold-like bug, then a stomach virus, and now she has another cold/flu-like bug again. Sick for about a week now. And...I think I sprained my right pointer finger. Sucks to be me, right?

I did manage to get out to see a rather horrible rendition of Sweeney Todd, but other than that, I've been pretty much glued to the couch in the living room...or what is now referred to as the Den of Pestilence.

So, forgive your Auntie for her silence. She feels yucky.

Audiobooks Now Available!

2008-11-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who dig audiobooks, EIGHTH GRADE BITES and NINTH GRADE SLAYS are now available for download!

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS News!

2008-11-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

The big day has finally arrived! Go forth, my Minions, and pre-order the third book of the Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, TENTH GRADE BLEEDS!

To celebrate, I'll post the first chapter in the forum. :)=

Auntie Heather's Gift to her Minions

2008-11-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

Go forth, Minion Horde, and chat. You have a new forum!

My eyeballs are bleeding.

2008-11-04T08:50:00.000-08:00

Okay, not really, but they feel like they could at any moment.

I've been staring at this Word doc for hours now, and I can't seem to finish this story the right way. The story is for a YA Thriller anthology, thanks to ITW (which rocks!) and Penguin (which rocks even more!). The proceeds will go to RIF, which is definitely a cause I believe in. So I wanna make the story worth reading.

But my eyes could bleed at any moment.

Still, I trudge forward...

So that's why the blog is so quiet lately, Minions. Your pressie is on its way. Just give me time.

And the Winner of the Big Contest is...

2008-10-31T11:13:00.000-07:00

Let me just say, this has been a TOUGH contest to judge. Who knew I had such talented Minions??

Also, Merry Samhain/Happy Halloween!!! Be safe tonight. For those of you who are curious, I'm donning my wench garb tonight (any excuse to wear a corset in public). Have fun!

Huzzah! We have winners!!

In 1st place, for the Grand Prize, Em with one of my favorite scenes from NINTH GRADE SLAYS:

In 2nd place, 1st prize, Stephanie Vargo with a rendition of Otis driving off into the sunrise, like some kind of vampire cowboy at the end of EIGHTH GRADE BITES:

And in 3rd place, 2nd prize, Samantha Villa with a very tense scene from EIGHTH GRADE BITES:

Fangtastic congrats to the winners, and thank you all for entering - as I said, it was enormously hard to settle on just three. Great job, Minions!

Be Yourself

2008-10-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

I cannot express to you, my Minions, how important it is that you remember those two words. It doesn't matter if you're 9 or 90. It can be a daily struggle to remember who you are and to continue to be that wonderful person, to be yourself. I grew up in a very small town, and though I was told to be myself, I was shown something else - that it wasn't okay to dye my hair funky colors, that it wasn't okay to dress this way or that, or talk like this or like certain things. I was taught that standing out was bad, that I'd better get in line with the other ants and keep my mouth shut.

Only one problem: I didn't listen. And neither should any of you.

I'm blessed now to be surrounded by people who embrace my oddities, and so sometimes it can be jarring when I'm met with the same intolerance that I experienced growing up. It shocks me that people could find me so offending, especially when I work so hard to be a good childrens author, to produce books that are exciting, funny, quirky, and clean - cleaner than many books you'll find on the shelf. I work enormously hard to be a good person, so it really bothers me when people can't seem to get past what color my bangs are this week.

Why does it matter? Why does it matter if I look this way or that, if I talk this way or that? It's not like I'm intentionally being disrespectful. I don't swear in front of my Minions (though, when Auntie Heather drops something on her toe, oh, does she swear). I don't tell them they should go get tattoos that afternoon or rob a bank or jump off a bridge. I encourage them to read. I tell them to go to college. I talk to them, and ask them questions, because I care.

I'm just being myself - something that I urge my Minions to be.

Some days are harder than others. But I will never change. Because it takes a lot of strength to stand up and show the world that yes, you're weird, and proud of it.

I know I am.

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

2008-10-26T07:20:00.000-07:00

You'll all be happy to know that Auntie Heather has survived her trek across the midwest and is once again safe and sound at her spiderweb covered desk (yes, really), mulling over the mountain of work that awaits her. *le sigh*

But! I had a fangtastic time in Connersville, Indiana. What a cool little town! The Minions there rocked, and the town had so much delicious architecture and history...very cool. A few Minions tried to drag Auntie Heather into a pitch black haunted corn maze, but Auntie Hetaher resisted. You see, Minions, when you are ancient (as Auntie Heather is), often you need glasses and have no depth perception. I wasn't worried so much about Scary Things jumping out at me (Auntie Heather eats Scary Things for breakfast), but rather I was concerned that I might twist my ankle. So alas, no tromping around in dark, spooky (ultra cool) cornfields for me. I had a blast, though. That is one neat place.

I see you Minions were busy while I was gone! Well, I brought you a pressie. So...stay tuned to my blog this week, as I'm about to gift you with something bloody fangtastic. Promise.

Travelling with Auntie Heather

2008-10-22T05:50:00.000-07:00

It's kinda like this...

Anyhoo, I'll be leaving town tomorrow for another event! First, I'm visiting Connersville Middle School in Connersville, Indiana - and after that, there's a public event there that you won't want to miss! ON FRIDAY I'll be doing a bonfire book talk and signing at Ecklund's Crazy Acres. They have a SIX ACRE haunted corn maze! So come on out, grab some cider, take a wagon ride, go through that amazing maze, grab a pumpkin, and hang out with me. The time listed is technically 8pm, but I'll be there at 6pm and hang out for a few hours. Books, of course, will be available for purchase in the gift shop - but you don't have to buy a book to come see me. I just want to meet Minions. :)=

So...I'm packing today and out of here tomorrow. Behave, my Minion Horde...or at least don't do anything Auntie Heather wouldn't do.

Two Big Hunks of Bloody Good News

2008-10-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I've held off on blogging until I could share what I did today. But first...School Library Journal gave NINTH GRADE SLAYS a yummy lil review today!

School Library Journal

November 2008

BREWER, Heather. Ninth Grade Slays. Bk. 2. 278p. (The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod Series). Dutton. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-525-47892-8. LC number unavailable.

Gr 6-9 Vladimir Tod wants be popular like his friend Henry and cool and carefree like Henry's cousin Joss. He would so enjoy putting bullies Tom and Bill, who have been tormenting him for years, in their place. And, of course, he longs to tell Meredith about his feelings for her. All of this should really be a piece a cake for him. He is, after all, the only vampire "living" in Bathory, and he possesses extraordinary powers. Unfortunately, luck does not seem to run his way. What is working for him is the opportunity to go to Siberia with his Uncle Otis to be trained by Vikas, one of the oldest vampires around. Vikas sharpens Vlad's skills, especially in the area of mind control, and educates him on vampire history, language, and culture. Vlad also learns about the prophecy regarding the Pravus, a powerful vampire born from a human mother who will not only rule over all of vampirekind but also enslave the entire human race. Upon his return to Bathory, he is pursued by a vampire slayer and attacked by another one. Could Vlad, whom readers have come to love, possibly be this evil Pravus? Brewer does an excellent job keeping readers on their toes with an intense plot full of many twists and turns. Her writing style is original, witty, and on target. It has a different intensity than series like Stephenie Meyer's "Twilight" (Little, Brown) or Richelle Mead's "Vampire Academy" (Penguin), but teens will eat up this installment and be ready to sink their teeth into the sequel.
–Donna Rosenblum, Floral Park Memorial High School, NY

Yay! How fangtastic is that review?? Me likey. :)=

Okay, back to today. Today, my Minions, I spent all day (from roughly 10am to 3pm) with a film crew. Yes...a film crew. It seems that your Auntie Heather is going to be on the Scholastic Author Video for NINTH GRADE SLAYS! Watch for that looping at your book fairs starting in the Spring.

It was such a cool experience. The crew was made up of amazing, fun people. We shot footage at a cemetery, at a church, and yes, inside my home. And I can't wait for you to see it! It was a blast to do...but now I'm very, very tired. So off to couch with me. I must veg.

Edited to add: To find out more about Scholastic's Author Videos, check this out: http://www.scholastic.com/bookfairs/books/videos_all.asp

Things That Auntie Heather Has Witnessed in Texas So Far

2008-10-13T08:15:00.001-07:00

1. The pilot was the spitting image of that "Dude! You gotta get a Dell!" guy.
2. I saw a roadblock. Like an actual, cop cars blocking the road with lights on roadblock.
3. A church had a neon sign which read "REPENT!"
4. Y'know those signs on the highway that usually tell you when construction will be going on? I saw one that read "Needs New Batteries".

And so my TX adventure begins...

By the by, if you're in the area, come see me tonight.

NINTH GRADE SLAYS Paperback News!

2008-10-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

I have good news for all you Minions who are waiting for the paperback of NINTH GRADE SLAYS to be released. Up until today, the release date was March 5, 2009 - but I just got word from my editor that it's been moved up to January 21, 2009!!! Plus, Amazon is known for shipping early, so you might wanna pre-order it now.

As for Auntie Heather...I've got an appointment with a certain half-vampire/half-human...

The Ramblings of Auntie Heather -or- It's Quiet...Too Quiet

2008-10-09T07:02:00.000-07:00

Auntie Heather's house is sooooooooooo quiet today, Minions. It's not even that full kind of quiet, where you can hear birds chirping in the distance or a car drive by. It's just dead, dead quiet. And I'm kinda digging it. Normally, I'd crank up the stereo or (more likely) pop my iPod buds in. But today...I'm enjoying the silence, which has its own song.

I'm also returning emails, mulling over a scene I want to write today for ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS (ooooh, such a cool scene - full of jealousy, vengeance, and high school pettiness), and celebrating a bit, because I got word yesterday that my ARCs (Advanced Reading Copies) for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS shipped out on Tuesday, so I should have them any day now. I'll likely spend the majority of the day with my face pressed up against the window, watching for the FedEx truck. And if think I'm joking, just ask my FedEx guy. I suspect that's why he doesn't seem to like me much, because I creep him out (what's creepier than a woman with funky hair in her pajamas smashing her face against the glass every time you drive up?). The UPS guy likes me, though - he takes the time to chat and, how cool is this? His daughter is a Minion!!! So...a big shout-out to UPS guy's daughter. Whatever your name is. :)

Anyhoo, once I get ARCs I can start formulating cool contest plans for the future...

And yes, I said jammies. Auntie Heather is in writing mode, and I've found the best way to nudge my muse is to wear jammies all day. No worries - I don't leave the house in my jammies. That would be blasphemy.

Also yesterday, I got a peak at the cover for the paperback of NINTH GRADE SLAYS (which you should pre-order now - if not for yourself, as a gift for a friend...because what better way to show someone you care than by reminding them that their life can't possibly suck as bad as Vlad's?). Puffin is doing something neat to the back cover of NGS, so watch for it come March '09. As for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS...still no idea when it'll be available for pre-order.

Okay, I think I can sense my muse grumbling over a pot of coffee, so maybe it's time to begin my day...

I Found Him (also, come hang with me in Texas)

2008-10-07T06:38:00.000-07:00

DUDE. Minions. I found him.

I get asked all the time who I would like to portray Vlad if a movie is ever made, and until now, I've always said that I'd like an unknown. But today I found him. His name is Alex Evans, and he could so be Vlad.
Now if I can only line up Ryan Reynolds to play Otis and Gary Oldman to portray Vikas, I'll be in business...

In other news, Auntie Heather is going to Texas!!! You should come see me - I'll be at the Euless Public Library (which is a Dallas suburb) on October 13th at 6pm. Here's the contact info: 201 North Ector Drive, Euless, TX 76039 Phone: 817.685.1493 Barnes & Noble is going to be there with books for purchase and I'll have all sorts of goodies, so you don't wanna miss this. Mark your calendars!

Any Minions in Illinois?

2008-10-03T07:13:00.000-07:00

Come hang out with me tonight!!!

Friday - October 3, 2008 - 6pm
Appearance & Signing
Borders
6601 North Illinois Street
Fairview Heights, IL 62208
Phone: 888.812.7078

Haiku Winner Announced!!

2008-10-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

And the winner of the Haiku Contest here on Bleeding Ink is....

JewelKazacami!!!

Jewel, you can drop me a line with your mailing address and I'll get your prize to you. And now....the winning haiku....

Oh, Vladimir Tod,
How the bullies pick on you.
Why don't you bite them?

Fangs for entering, Minions!

Librarians and their Awesomeness

2008-09-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

It seems that many of you Minions want me to come hang out with you (if I'm wrong, just allow me my delusion, 'kay?). So I thought I'd tell you exactly how to make that happen. See, we authors are rarely rich, almost always busy, and at the mercy of the coolest people on the planet (next to Minions, of course). I like to call these people librarians.

Librarians rock. Seriously. They know what books we might like to read. They encourage us to read banned materials. And on the whole, they're really fun people. They also can help arrange author visits, which is what we're discussing today.

So, if you want me to visit, here's what you do: Pay a visit to your local librarian (and hey, bringing chocolate or flowers never hurts!). Make sure you've got reasons lined up for wanting me to visit ("it would rock", while a compliment, isn't a solid reason - try outlining how it would benefit library patrons). And ask if they would consider asking me to visit their library.

That's it.

Then it's out of your hands, as it's out of mine. Easy, right?

Unfortunately, I can't visit everyone, everywhere. I do need time to write (and I'm afraid my Muse just doesn't travel well). But we can always hang out online, and of course I'll answer any questions that you might have here. And if we do get to visit in person....well, that's kinda awesome, innit?

Speaking of librarians...if you're a teen librarian, drop me a line. I've got something for you.

EDITED TO ADD: By "teen librarian", Minions, I mean someone who works in the Teen section....not necesarrily someone who is a teen and works at the library.

Don't Forget!

2008-09-26T08:07:00.001-07:00

I'll be at Saint Louis Public Library's Schlafly's Branch (225 N. Euclid Ave. Saint Louis, MO 63108 - phone: (314) 367-4120) this coming Tuesday, September 30th at 6pm. I'll be giving out tons of Minion Bling, signing books (which will be available for purchase, thanks to Left Bank Books!). This is a totally free event - I'll be talking about my Vladimir Tod series, doing a t-shirt raffle, and even giving a few hints on TENTH GRADE BLEEDS, so this is something you don't want to miss!

If you can't come, but know someone in the Saint Louis area, please pass this info along - the more, the bloodier! Er...merrier. ;)

Mark Your Calendars, Minions...

2008-09-24T10:44:00.000-07:00

The date is set! You can all look for TENTH GRADE BLEEDS as of

July 9, 2009!

(and no, still no word on when you can pre-order it...stay tuned)

You Minions Rock!!!

2008-09-22T06:34:00.000-07:00

Thank you - all of you - for giving me more birthday happies (Hey...it could be a word!) than I have ever received. You guys are too cool!

A tiny reminder before I delve into a mountain of work (I've checked four things off of my huge to-do list, but still have six things left...and they're all biggies): HAIKU CONTEST! So far, the haikus are pretty amazing. Seriously, Auntie Heather will have a hard time choosing the winners. If you haven't entered, do so. Either here or here or both.

It's Auntie Heather's Birthday!!!

2008-09-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

Velcome to my e-party, Minions! I've got the room all decorated and ready, complete with black ballons a Tim Burton themed candy buffet spooky birthday cake and something Vlad insisted on...a type of sorbet (Which type? AB Negative)

Gerard Way has already shown up and he brought me a present I've wanted forever - a couch made out of an actual coffin!!!

This should be the most fangtastic birthday ever!

And every party should have prizes, so why don't you Minions head on over to Linda Gerber's blog to win some? Linda is having a party of her own - celebrating the launch of her newest book, DEATH BY LATTE!

Avast, Me Hearties! It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

2008-09-19T08:09:00.000-07:00

Have ye been buckling ye swash, me maties? I totally have. Cuz Auntie Heather loves her some pirates.

In honor of Talk Like a Pirate Day, I wanted to remind you Minions that you need to pre-order an incredible new book (due out February 1, 2009) by A.S. King (and if you can't pre-order it, then get your booty to the bookstore and demand a copy come February). The book is called THE DUST OF 100 DOGS and trust me, Minions, it is FABULOUS. I loved it so much that I gave A.S. a blurb and from what I hear, at least apart of my blurb will be featured on the cover! WOOT! Anyhoo, here's the book:
And here's what I and other fabulous people have said about it:

"Exciting, fascinating, spellbinding. A rich tale of a girl born with a compass firmly planted in her hand. A.S. King is a force to be reckoned with. I'd follow Saffron into the briny deep."
~Heather Brewer, author of The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod

"The Dust of 100 Dogs is a non-traditional pirate tale with a dangerously raw, mystical edge and a unique modern twist that will make you cringe, despair, despise and adore. Deliciously fresh and starkly unforgettable... for at least the next three hundred years."
~Lisa McMann, NYT bestselling author of Wake

"This is a quirky, mystical, exuberant, dangerous story about pirates, dogs, family, and what it really means to break free. It's about the true meaning of success and failure. Raw, tangible and brilliant, A.S. King creates a story that's more than memorable. Like the 300-year-old curse that has befallen Emer, this book lasts and it makes an impression. I adored it."
~Carrie Jones, author of Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend, Love (and Other Uses for Duct Tape), and Girl, Hero

"Sparkling original, A.S. King's The Dust of 100 Dogs features an intrepid heroine who is both swashbuckling and contemporary. This gripping adventure, wall to wall with assured storytelling, is sure to be devoured by both teens and adults."
~Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of Angel's Choice

GO PRE-ORDER IT NOW!

Spontaneous Mini-Contest!

2008-09-17T08:23:00.000-07:00

Auntie Heather is in a giving mood. Apart from the art contest, I think the Minion Horde needs a quickie contest here on the blog. Don't you, Minions?

So...do you know what a haiku is? Well, good (if you do...if not, go to that link and read - it's basically a poem with three lines, first line has five syllables, second has seven, third has five). Because we're going to hold a Vlad Tod haiku mini-contest!!!

I'll leave this open until September 30th and pick/announce the winner on October 1st. To enter, just post your Vlad-inspired (or any other character/whatnot from my books) haiku as a comment to this thread. If you post anonymously (which you can do if you don't have a Blogger account), make sure you post your name and then watch the blog on October 1st to see if you've won. You only get one shot, one entry, so make it a good one. I'll be holding two contests - one here and the other on MySpace. Feel free to enter both.

What will you win? Why, 100 of your very own Minion Horde business cards!

You can pass them out to non-Minion friends, use them as bookmarks, horde them away like an evil troll...whatever you want. They're yours.

Get crackin'!

Sexy Vampire

2008-09-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

Vlad Sleepy...Come Back Later

2008-09-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

Auntie Heather has a nasty habit of overextending herself, Minions. But fortunately, I work really well under pressure - in fact, it's when I'm not under pressure that I flail around, not knowing what to do next. So, pressure is good. It's just...stressful.

Take for instance, everything that is currently on my to-do list. I'm writing ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS, working on a new manuscript (it's a secret), rewriting a YA horror manuscript, developing a YA Thriller story for an upcoming anthology (more on this later), and writing two super-special short stories for my website - not to mention all my appearances and family stuff. Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

So if the blog gets a little quiet, shh! Vlad and I are sleepy.

Contest Clarification

2008-09-12T06:51:00.000-07:00

Okay, so many of you have commented and emailed (man, have you emailed), bemoaning the fact that you can't draw, and thus can't enter my contest.

Huh??

Since when are the visual arts limited to drawing?

Minions, you can draw, paint, sculpt, photograph, and multimedia your way into winning this thing. If it's a scene from my books and fits the other criteria (See Win Things for details), then you can enter it.

So go forth and kicketh much bootay. Auntie Heather commandeth.

I do. I really do.

2008-09-09T05:55:00.001-07:00

There's a new shirt up on Zazzle, Minions - if you love Otis, you might want to check it out.

Some Fangtastic News for Creative Minions

2008-09-08T08:15:00.000-07:00

Many members of the Minion Horde are creative types, and those of you who are are going to eat this news up and leave it for dead in some back alley somewhere. Those of you who aren't...well, now's your chance to try something new!

Auntie Heather is holding an art contest!!! Details on my Win Things page. Have fun with it, my Minions. I look forward to seeing your entries! (But I don't look forward to judging this contest, as so many of you are so richly talented, it ought to be an impossible task to pick my absolute faves...)

Vlad for President???

2008-09-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

He's got my vote!

Open Discussion: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series

2008-09-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Dying to talk about Vlad? Need somewhere to rant about D'Ablo? Looking for people who know what you're talking about when you mention Elysia? Join the chatter! Let's talk about the series - I'll answer questions, you can discuss any details you like, and we can hash what makes Vlad such a lovable little bloodsucker. :)=

Note: this discussion is also going on on MySpace.

My Happy Place

2008-08-27T09:21:00.000-07:00

As Maiku (Minion extraordinaire - friend him immediately) pointed out, I haven't blogged in FOREVER. Why? Because, my Minions, Auntie Heather has been dealing with a lot of crap...and when she hasn't been dealing with all the crap, she's been in her Happy Place.

My Happy Place is that moment when I'm so involved in the story that I'm writing that I am completely, blissfully unaware that I am Heather Brewer, Author Person. I am only the character that I'm writing about. I'm living their life, facing their challenges, not my own. And no matter how much their life sucks, it's always much more fun to face than my own challenges.

Sometimes I'm Vlad, facing down bullies and slurping down blood bags. But not always. And lately, I've been someone completely different. And I really dig this character, this situation. So I get lost leading other (imaginary) people's lives, and forget for a moment that I have one of my own.

But no worries, Minions...I always come back. :)= And soon...there will be new website changes and an all new message board on heatherbrewer.com, where my Minions can hang.

How's the Minion Horde anyway?

A Vlad Tod Message Board!!!

2008-08-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, a fabulous minion has created a place where you can all bond and chat, talk about the books, and all sorts of stuff. And I am totally joining. Who's with me?? It's HERE.

Perplexing...

2008-08-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

I found this quiz, obviously created by a Minion. But I only scored a 90.

Dude. I don't even know my own books!

(To be fair, a couple of the questions could go either way on a few answers)

Anyhoo, I thought you might enjoy it, my Minion Horde.

EDITED TO ADD: Oh hey, I forgot! Congrats to Feresha and Zyn!!!

BREAKING DAWN Discussion (Spoilers!)

2008-08-18T07:43:00.000-07:00

Okay, Minions, so I'm almost finished with BREAKING DAWN...and I will be amazed if I can choke down these last 100 pages. So many things have irritated me about this book that I don't even know where to begin. Such as:

1. Why is Jacob the only character who seems to be acting the way he did in previous books? The rest feel like strangers to me. I MISS them!

2. So Bella gets her wedding, A LOT of sex (both pre-vampire and post-vampire), Jacob as her friend (how helpful that those pesky romantic feelings just up and died when she did), Charlie, immortality, and a baby??

3. I am so SICK of everyone gazing in wonder at how perfect Bella is now. Everything comes way to easy to her, she's the most beautiful, etc. Ugh. Pass the bucket. I'm gonna be ill.

4. Where's the conflict?? It seems that every time an interesting problem arises, it's corrected quickly and painlessly.

5. I don't feel like I'm reading a book. I feel like I'm reading a diary.

Those are a few of my reactions. I keep waiting for the Volturi to swoop in and mangle someone important, just to shake things up. *sigh* What did you guys think?

What's TENTH GRADE BLEEDS About, Anyway...?

2008-08-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

CAUTION: If you have not read EIGHTH GRADE BITES and NINTH GRADE SLAYS, be forewarned that the following copy may reveal spoilers.

High school can be so draining when you're half-human, half-vampire

It's another sucky year at Bathory High for Vladimir Tod. The evil vampire D'Ablo is hunting for the ritual that could steal Vlad's powers. His best friend Henry doesn't want to be his drudge anymore. And as if all that weren't enough, it's getting harder for Vlad to resist feeding on the people around him. When months go by with no word from Uncle Otis and D'Ablo shows up demanding Vlad's father's journal, Vlad realizes that having a normal high school year is the least of his concerns. Vlad needs to act fast, and even his status as the Pravus won't save him this time...

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS Cover!!!

2008-08-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

The Coolest Thing EVER!

2008-08-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

EIGHTH GRADE BITES is a word search!!! It just doesn't get any better than that.

And, as if that wasn't cool enough, I'm happy to share that both EIGHTH GRADE BITES and NINTH GRADE SLAYS are going to be audiobooks!! They'll soon be available through Audible.com. I spoke to the voice actor who will be reading the books, and wow...he has a great voice. I think he'll do a fangtastic job.

Okay, Minions, Auntie Heather is off to New York for a few days (I'll be back on the 10th) for the Backspace Conference. Technically, I don't leave until the 6th, but I have all sorts of stuff to do first, so I likely won't be blogging much before then.

But after that (and well, Dragon*Con) I promise things will get back to normal around here...what passes for "normal" here, anyway. :)=

WOW!

2008-08-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

To all of you who came out and partied with me at the BREAKING DAWN event in Fairview Heights, IL, FANGS A LOT! I had an amazing time, and I hope that you did too. :)=

For Minions Who Are Excited About BREAKING DAWN...

2008-07-31T15:09:00.000-07:00

Are you excited about the release of Stephenie Meyer's BREAKING DAWN, Minions? I am! In fact, I'm speaking at a BREAKING DAWN release party on August 1st in Fairview Heights, IL. You should come out and say hi! There will be food, fun, prizes (can you say "Vlad's hoodie"?), and extensive discussions about both THE CHRONICLES OF VLADIMIR TOD and the TWILIGHT series. And the evening ends with you picking up your copy of BREAKING DAWN (and hey, if you take Vlad home too, it won't break my heart).

See you there!

Friday - August 1, 2008 - starts at 9pm!
"Breaking Dawn" Midnight Release Party
Borders
6601 North Illinois Street
Fairview Heights, IL 62208
For more info call Borders at (618) 397-6097

Nosbearatu Takes Over Disney World - part 3 (LOTS of pics!)

2008-07-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't been following our story, here's part one and part two. And now...

Nosbearatu quickly made friends with a cast member at the Haunted Mansion, by the name of Judy. Judy was kind enough to help him out with a great pic on the coach in front of the mansion. (She also gave us all a second ride right away - Judy rocks!)
But our trip couldn't be a peacfeul one, as Nosbearatu threatened to suck the life out of a cast member for Pirates of the Carribean and was promptly thrown in the slammer. Luckily, bail money in Disney World consists of an apology and pixie dust.

He made lots of new friends on his trip, but Pluto was by far his favorite (probably because when he said "Bow like a dog before your master!" Pluto obliged). Nosbearatu likes being obeyed.
He also likes being shot out of a cannon.
Nosbearatu insisted on the obligatory "in front of Cinderella's castle" pic.
He couldn't find any hidden Mickeys...
And at times he took things way too literally.
But all in all, he had a fabulous trip. And ended his eight days in Disney World the right way.

P.S. I had a great time too. :)=

Nosbearatu Takes Over Disney World - part 2

2008-07-23T19:27:00.000-07:00

As I was saying...

The next morning, Nosbearatu found something to drink that didn't come from an artery.

He decided to hop the monorail to Epcot, and while my family and I checked out Soarin', Nosbearatu hit the World Showcase.
While he was dissapointed not to find a Romania pavillion there, he did find terra-cotta soldiers in his size in China (he kept insisting that they were his Minions)...
...and a miniature village, just his size...
And you would not believe how difficult it was for Nosbearatu to ride the bus back to the resort.
Tomorrow, Nosbearatu visits the Haunted Mansion!

Nosbearatu Takes Over Disney World - part 1

2008-07-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

The day we (that is to say myself, my family, and Nosbearatu) left for Disney, it was rather gray and glum outside, so of course Nosbearatu decided that he should come out of his coffin and, after a bit of an argument (which he won - vampires always win...it's the fangs), it was decided that Nosbearatu would be the one giving you the lowdown of his vacation (with brief mention of how it affected me).

We woke up at 4:30am, and by 6am, we were at the airport. Nosbearatu demanded Starbucks (which he says is the next best thing to AB Negative).
Luckily, it wasn't much of a wait, as Nosbearatu was eyeing our fellow passengers and smacking his lips. Soon our plane pulled in and Nosbearatu asserted his dominance by declaring that all who boarded the winged vessel would be subject to much vampire bear munchiness.
But...they were okay with that. So we buckled up and were on our way.
We arrived in Orlando with hardly any bitemarks, and after a short bus ride (during which Nosbearatu proceeded to devour passengers en masse), we checked in at the Polynesian Resort.
After we got to our room, Nosbearatu squealed with non-vampire delight at the hidden Mickey made of towels on his bed.

Tomorrow, you'll see what awaited Nosbearatu in the Magic Kingdom...

By the way, to date, the Sugarloot contest has 1,213 entries and those entries have received 138,683 views! Have you entered yet??

EDITED TO ADD: By the way, it looks like the paperback of NINTH GRADE SLAYS is now available for pre-order!

No, Auntie Heather is Not Dead

2008-07-21T07:18:00.000-07:00

She's just recovering from a totally sweet vacation with the mouse. And she'll tell you all about it, starting tomorrow.

How are my Minions??

in which Auntie Heather stares blankly at her monitor, fumbling for something to say...

2008-07-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

*blinks* So....

Here we are. On my blog.

Only one problem. I can't think of anything to talk about, mostly because I'm leaving for Disney World this week. So...since you probably won't hear from me until after I return, I'll leave you with this.

Back on the evening of the 18th!

Fireworks & Spookiness

2008-07-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

HUZZAH!

I love fireworks. Venture out at night to see a flame setting forth a series of colorful explosions, a shower of lovely destruction...what's not to love?

So, of course, I'm happy to see Independence Day fast approaching. (Yay, fireworks!) And as such, I won't be blogging until next week at least. FYI.

Something else. I've recently met a fangtastic new author who (heart)s Vlad and you all need to support him, as he is gonna rock the socks off of many a young Minion. Any Minion brothers and sisters like the spookies? This is for them! His name is Tommy Donbavand, and here's what Darren Shan, author of Demonata and Cirque du Freak, had to say of his SCREAM STREET series: "Lightning-paced, blood-curdling fun. I wish I'd been able to visit Scream Street as a kid!" So...give him some love, Minions.

I'm off to write, and then to watch fiery explosions!!!

Hoodies -or- In Response to 50% of the Emails I Receive

2008-07-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

I get it. You like the hoodie Vlad's wearing on the cover of EIGHTH GRADE BITES. Like it? Oh heck no! You LOVE it! You want to know where you can get one for your very own. And you will stop at nothing until you have one.

Only, there's a problem. See, Auntie Heather only has two hoodies left. That's right. TWO. As in "one, two, buckle my shoe". TWO. And one goes to this contest. The other I'll be giving away at Borders in Fairview Heights, IL at the BREAKING DAWN midnight release party, along with many t-shirts (as featured on the cover of NINTH GRADE SLAYS). So what's a Minion to do??

Well, first, you enter the Sugarloot contest. It's easy. It's free. And you promote the heck outta your entry, because you could win all sorts of cool stuff, INCLUDING A HOODIE. Second, you get your butt to Borders in Fairview Heights, IL the evening of August 1st and grab a raffle ticket from Paul (don't worry--I'll point you in his general direction). It's free to enter. And there will be a ton of fun, free stuff going on. And you know you want to grab a copy of BREAKING DAWN anyway...

Third...well, third is where it gets a bit complicated. You have a choice. You either A) Let it go, and realize that you and Vlad's hoodie are not meant to be. -or- B) You become a patient individual and wait for Auntie Heather to announce that the new, zip-up hoodies are in stock (they AREN'T...but they will be soon). Your choice. I'd go with B.

And stop asking me where you can get a hoodie.

Okay, you can ask, but I'm pointing you to this blog entry.

OOOH! Wait! There's another option! Option C: you can make your own. And send Auntie Heather cool pics of it!

I like that option too. So does Vlad. :)=

Have a Drink on Me (and Vlad)

2008-06-30T06:21:00.001-07:00

Go on, take a sip. It's good stuff. A Positive. Vlad says it's nice.

Vlad says a lot of things, in fact. He's been telling me all about what faces him his junior year of high school (writing ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS now) and, of course, most of you know that he shared his experiences in tenth grade with me a while ago (TENTH GRADE BLEEDS has been written and is waiting for copy edits). But what you don't know is what happens in TGB. So...I've decided to give you a sneak peek at the first chapter.

CALM DOWN a second!! Don't get your fangs all tangled (Is that even possible? well, I suppose if they grew in wrong...). This will just be between you and I. I'm not posting it anywhere else on the website, and it has yet to be copy edited, so it's riddled with errors that I don't want to hear about. But...I thought it might be fun to share. SPOILER WARNING: IF YOU HAVE NOT READ NINTH GRADE SLAYS, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP THIS SNEAK-PEEK!

Without further ado, the first chapter of the third book in The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod:

CHAPTER ONE:
ENTER IGNATIUS

Ignatius drew the curved blade along the whetstone slowly, the gritty sound filling his ears. It had to be sharp, sharp enough to slice into bone if necessary. He didn't expect to kill the halfling boy, only to damage him, break him, before dragging his nearly-lifeless body before the Council, as he'd been hired to do. But if the boy gave him any trouble at all, Ignatius would take his bloody pleasures slowly, so that the boy felt every bruise, every cut.

He almost hoped the boy would fight back, give him an excuse to torture him. After all, he had it coming. His very existence was an abomination.

Small sparks flew from the blade and at last, Ignatius pulled metal from stone. He ran his thumb along the steel, splitting his pale skin open. Blood--rich, red--dripped from the cut before it healed closed again.

He was hungry. It was always better to hunt when he was hungry. He hadn't eaten in months, in eager anticipation of that insatiable need pushing him through the capture, and perhaps, the kill.

The Council had been clear: "Bring us Vladimir Tod and your reward will be immeasurable." They never mentioned in what condition to bring him, had only barely stressed that he should be living. Little did they know, Ignatius didn't require payment. Causing the boy's suffering--and perhaps even his death, he thought with a pleasant shiver--would be reward enough.

The boy who would be Pravus. The thought enraged Ignatius further and he returned his blade to the whetstone, working it slowly, smoothing the edge into a razor.

Soon. Once the final paperwork was signed, his hunt would begin.

And Vladimir Tod would be made to suffer.

Poll Results - or - Why Do You Hate Meredith So Much, Anyway?

2008-06-27T08:18:00.001-07:00

Okay, so not all of you hate Meredith, but it did give me pause to see that so many of you do. It's cool, though--I don't really have an opinion of Meredith just yet. And now...the results of my "What do you think of Meredith?" poll:

66 of you voted.

6.1% (4 votes) had no idea who Meredith was (which means you either haven't read my books--SHAME ON YOU!!!--or you felt Meredith comes off as a distant stranger.

10.6% (7 votes) thought Vlad should dump Meredith (which means you either dislike her, feel she's ill-matched with Vlad, or you'd rather it were YOU who were dating him...).

13.6% (9 votes) loathe Meredith with every fiber of your being. (Seriously, is it the pink obsession? Cuz that's totally not my fault...)

24.2% (16 votes) think that Meredith is the perfect girl for Vlad.

and 45.5% (30 votes) think that Meredith is okay...just okay, nothing special.

So...what this tells me is that I need to spend more time with Meredith, getting to know her as a character. I won't tell you what will happen between she and Vlad, or if anything will actually happen at all. But I will tell you that I absolutely appreciate your honesty as I charge forth with this manuscript. Fangs so much, Minions! :)=

The Many Woes of High School

2008-06-26T09:55:00.001-07:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging much, Minions. Vlad and I have been having a good, long talk about his junior year (TENTH GRADE BLEEDS has already been written and accepted by my editor, so I'm currently writing ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS). In short...it sucks. Not the story, but everything Vlad is facing. And here I thought 10th grade was bad...

What kills me is that I can share none of it with you, because anything I want to babble about will give away secrets that I'm not ready for you to know just yet....y'know? So bear with your Auntie Heather. I'm working hard not to disappoint you.

That being said, I've come to a point where I need input from my Minions. So, without further ado, a poll:

Ooooooh....Shiny!

2008-06-23T07:38:00.001-07:00

I've been stalking my grocery store magazine aisle for days now, waiting to catch a glimpse of the July 2008 issue of Nickelodeon Magazine. Why? Because I knew there would be an ad inside for Vlad...and for the cool new Vlad contest at Sugarloot. And then yesterday...

WHAMMO! KAPOW! KA-CHA!
There it was. My ad! Or rather, Vlad's. (Thank you, Penguin! You rock in all of your Penguin-y goodness!) Cool, huh? I thought so.

So...that's my good news for the day. What's up with my Minions? Are we enjoying summer break?

My Own Personal Crime Scene

2008-06-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

Wooooooooooow. Special Effects dye is soooooo stainy! Right now my bathroom looks like I committed a horrific crime with a hatchet (and maybe a pair of pliers *shifty eyes*). When the color on the bottle says "blood red", you've got to know these people did their research.

So yeah, I dyed my hair...AGAIN. This time is all "Starry Night" black with two bright, blood red, wide streaks in the front. Weeeeee! I'll have to snap some pics and share. I really like it. It just feels right on my head, y'know?

Anyhoo: three bits of info for the Minion Horde. One, NINTH GRADE SLAYS was given a kick butt review by Crystal of Crystal's book reviews. Two, I answered Robin Friedman's Question of the Week. And three, my son Jacob made a new YouTube video...in which he mocks his darling mother. (Stop by, give him stars and lots of comments!)

Bleeding Ink

Party at Vlad's House!!!

Testing testing 123

Staring into the Abyss

Calling All Members of the Minion Horde!

Greetings, Minions!

What will the launch parties be like? And who won???

The Whirlwind That is My Life (and also, important news)

Where's Waldo? Er, I mean, Auntie Heather...

*pant, pant* Sorry! Just *pant* so busy! *pant*

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS News!

Attention: Arizona Minions!

BLOODBOUND

Has it been a week already since I blogged??

10 Things About TENTH GRADE BLEEDS

And...I'm Back!

Amazon Weirdness

Happy Friday the 13th!

Want to be one of the first Minions to possess purple Minion Bling??

PURPLE!!!

We Have Winners!

Vlad Spotted in Nintendo Power Magazine!

Will there be a Vladimir Tod movie?

Mini-Contest Winner and a Word on Minion Bling

NINTH GRADE SLAYS Mini-Contest!!!

It's Franken-Heather!!!

Greetings, Minion Horde!

Greetings, Minions!

Happy Anti-Valentines Day!

Surgery

Fabulous News, Minions!

Stay Tuned

Scholastic Author Video

Contest Winners Announced!

Happy Launch Day!

Brr and Grr and a Spontaneous Mini-Contest!

ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS

Clearing Up Some Misconceptions

You've Gotta Have a Plan, Minions

Happy New Year, Minion Horde!

Happy Holidays, Minion Horde!

Hoodies on Zazzle!

145 Comments?!

Crazy Stupid Happy

Ice, Laughter, and Working While I Wait

What I Did This Weekend

Happy Turkey Day, Minions!

Catching Up

Happy Birthday, Vlad!

Have a Fangtastic Birthday, Jacob!

Auntie Heather Has Been a Bit Under the Weather

Audiobooks Now Available!

TENTH GRADE BLEEDS News!

Auntie Heather's Gift to her Minions

My eyeballs are bleeding.

And the Winner of the Big Contest is...

Be Yourself

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

Travelling with Auntie Heather

Two Big Hunks of Bloody Good News

Things That Auntie Heather Has Witnessed in Texas So Far

NINTH GRADE SLAYS Paperback News!

The Ramblings of Auntie Heather -or- It's Quiet...Too Quiet

I Found Him (also, come hang with me in Texas)

Any Minions in Illinois?

Haiku Winner Announced!!

Librarians and their Awesomeness

Don't Forget!

Mark Your Calendars, Minions...

You Minions Rock!!!

It's Auntie Heather's Birthday!!!

Avast, Me Hearties! It Be Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Spontaneous Mini-Contest!

Sexy Vampire

Vlad Sleepy...Come Back Later

Contest Clarification

I do. I really do.

Some Fangtastic News for Creative Minions

Vlad for President???

Open Discussion: The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series

pant, pant Sorry! Just pant so busy! pant