Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Soul Bound - SNEAK PEAK!!!!

You asked for it, so here you go! A never before released excerpt for my March release, SOUL BOUND! (Book 7 of the Blood Coven series) This book is from Rayne's point of view...

**NOTE***
CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS IF YOU HAVE NOT YET READ "BLOOD TIES!!"




CHAPTER THREE

“I need to see Jareth. Now!”


Marcia, Jareth’s secretary (who used to work for Magnus and is decidedly the most annoying vampire in the known universe) looks up at me over horn-rimmed glasses. (I assume she wears them in an effort to give off that whole “sexy secretary” vibe, seeing as even the most nearsighted human gets twenty-twenty vision once they become a vampire.) She frowns.

“The Master has asked not to be disturbed,” she announces snottily before turning back to her romance novel.

“Oh, he means by other people, I’m sure,” I say quickly. “Not me. He’ll be happy to see me, I promise.”

Marcia makes a big show of looking up from her book again, as if I’m some pesky fly she can’t manage to shoo away. “Ecstatic as any mortal or vampire might be at the announcement of your illustrious arrival, the fact remains, I was told not to disturb him. And, I can assure you, there were no ‘except that weirdo Goth chick I’m hooking up with’ caveats to that order.”

I roll my eyes. She is so ridiculous. Is this what poor Sunny had to go through every time she wanted to meet up with Magnus? Well, sadly for Marcia here, I’m not my sweet little sister, respectful of authority and proper procedure and all the rest.

I start toward the office exit. Then I make a big show of looking down the hallway to my right. “Oh wow. I didn’t realize Race Jameson was coming in today,” I remark casually.

“Wait, what? Race Jameson?” Marcia stammers, her face turning beet red at the name of everyone’s favorite vampire rock star. She scrambles from her seat to take a look for herself.

It’s all the opportunity I need—dashing past her desk and pushing open the door that leads to Jareth’s office. Behind me, I can hear the secretary screaming bloody murder as she realizes she fell for the oldest trick in the book. Seriously, they should probably start administering IQ tests before turning people into vampires.

“I’m sorry, Master!” she cries, bursting into the room behind me. “I tried to tell her—”

But Jareth waves her off. “It’s okay. Thank you Marcia.”

“You want me to drag her out on her ass?” the secretary asks hopefully.

Jareth chuckles. “I don’t think that will be necessary. But I appreciate the offer.”

Marcia scowls. I shoot her a big smile. “Can you get me a glass of O-negative?” I ask sweetly. “Extra sugar? I’m sooo parched!”

The secretary glowers at me and slams the door behind her. I plop down into the chair across from Jareth’s desk. He gives me an amused look. “She’ll probably spit in it, you know,” he says.

I shrug. “That’s okay. I’m not thirsty anyway. Just wanted to make sure she felt useful and valued in her current position.”

“As always, Rayne, your thoughtfulness to the well-being of others simply astounds.” Jareth replies drolly. Then he turns serious. “So to what do I owe this visit? Not that I don’t love seeing you, but I am a bit busy this afternoon.” He sighs, looking down at the mounds of paperwork on his desk. “Sadly, being Coven Master isn’t as glamorous a job as it might seem.”

“I bet,” I say sympathetically. “And this isn’t going to make your day any better, I’m afraid.” I toss the envelope with my assignment down onto his desk. He picks it up and pulls out the paperwork, his pale face growing pinker and pinker as he reads.

“Those bastards,” he growls, crumpling the paper in his hands and tossing it across the room. “I should have suspected something like this.” He groans loudly, then looks at me. “You turned down the assignment, of course.”

“Well, not exactly . . .” I hedge. “It’s complicated.”

He raises an eyebrow. “Turning down an assignment to slay your own sister is complicated?”

“Well, kind of. I mean, look, I know you’re not a fan of Slayer Inc., but . . .”

“Not a fan?” Jareth repeats incredulously. I wince, realizing my bad choice of words. “Not a fan? Rayne, they murdered my whole family in cold blood.” He scowls. “Or did you happen to conveniently forget that little trivial fact about your precious employer?”

I sigh. Here we go again. God, at this point I can’t even count on both hands the number of times we’ve had this argument. In his mind Slayer Inc. is evil incarnate, out to destroy the world. And maybe they were, once upon a time. Hundreds of years ago under completely different management. (Unlike vampire political organizations, which have no term limits and whose rulers can live a thousand years or more, mortal Slayer Inc. officials tend to take the cushy retirement plan when they hit sixty-five.)

But how can you argue semantics with someone whose own sister and brother were targeted for annihilation for no reason at all, except for the unfortunate fact that they’d been turned into vampires as children. (The vampire who turned them had only wanted to save them from the deadly plague that had consumed much of Europe. But to Slayer Inc., child vampirism was—and is—an abomination.)

“I’ll never forget that day,” Jareth says, staring down at his desk, looking miserable. “The day we were asked to vote on whether or not to let Slayer Inc. in as an official police force for the vampire community . . .”

He trails off, but it doesn’t matter. He’s told me the story a thousand times before. How the vote was split right down the middle. How he was forced to become the tie-breaker. How his vote effectively established Slayer Inc. into the role they still hold today.

Of course he could have never known the consequences of his actions . . .

“It didn’t take them long to come after us,” he says in a hoarse whisper and I wonder suddenly if he even remembers I’m still in the room. “We held out for days in our family’s castle—trying to outlast the siege. But the blood ran out and our hunger overtook our good senses. We tried to fight our way out. But they were too strong.”

I walk around his desk, trying to put a hand on his arm—in an effort to comfort him. But he shakes it off, rising to his feet, his body seething with anger.

“I will never forget the look on my sister’s face as that damned slayer struck her in the heart with his stake.” His voice cracks. “She looked straight into my eyes, condemning me for what I had done—blaming me for her death.”

He stands silent for a moment, fists clenched at his sides, in such agony I can’t bear it any longer. I grab him, holding him tight against me, fighting his attempts to shake me away. Finally, his body slumps, as if in defeat, crumbling against my own, soaking in the strength I so willingly try to give him.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I can’t imagine what that would have been like.”

Half of me still wants to argue my case. That the Slayer Inc. of today has introduced so much good into the world—keeping the peace and saving so many lives. With their donor program, for example—which allows humans to be compensated for donating blood to vampires, rather than murdered as twisted cattle to satisfy the beastly hunger we vampires share.

But I know in my heart Jareth cares little for the thousands of mortal lives saved by my employer. He thinks only of those lives they have ended. His sister’s and brother’s—for a crime they didn’t commit. His parents—for trying their best to protect them. I guess I can’t really blame him for feeling as he does.

He looks down at me with bloodstained eyes. “And now they want to take away your sister,” he says slowly. “Just as they once took mine.” His face twists with rage and he shakes free of my grasp. “I won’t let them do that. I won’t be responsible for another innocent death!”

I squeeze my eyes shut in frustration, then open them again, entreating him. “But Jareth, you don’t understand,” I try. “Things are different now. Slayer Inc. doesn’t want to slay Sunny. Or Magnus, for that matter. They know Pyrus is a tyrant and they want to bring him down as much as we do. They’re on our side this time.”

“I will never, ever be on the side of Slayer Inc.”

I give up, walking around and slumping back into my chair. How can I argue with a vampire who holds a 700-year-old grudge?

“Look, I’m not asking you to sit around the campfire with them, singing ‘Kumbaya,’” I remind him. “Just let me work with them for now. Let Pyrus think I’m on the job. And in the meantime, Slayer Inc. can work to build their own case against him and his reign of terror. I mean imagine if they were successful! We could get rid of him forever. Magnus and Sunny could come back home. The Consortium could return to a democracy. These are all things I know you want, Jareth. And Slayer Inc. is the only one right now that can give them to us.”

My boyfriend rakes a hand through his blond hair. Considering vampires never age, he’s suddenly looking kind of old. I guess stress can do that to you.

“I see what you’re saying,” he says at last. “I can’t make a move against Pyrus while still running the Blood Coven. If he suspected disloyalty, he’d have me removed from power—leaving the vampires in my protection in danger.”

“Exactly,” I say, rising from my chair, excited he’s finally seeing the point. “So why not let Slayer Inc. do the dirty work instead? After all, that’s what you hired them for in the beginning, right?” I hold my breath, waiting for his reply.

“Right,” he says at last. “But I still don’t like the idea of you involved in any of it. It’s dangerous. And don’t think for a moment Slayer Inc. won’t throw you under a bus if it allows them to keep their cover. Are you prepared to deal with that possibility?”

I nod my head resolutely. “Absolutely. If it means saving my sister and Magnus—not to mention the Blood Coven.”

He stares at me for a moment and I stare back, my shoulders squared and my chin held high. Sure, I’m scared as hell, but he doesn’t need to know that right now. He needs to see my dedication to the mission ahead. He needs to know I’ll do whatever it takes to save my family. Just as he once tried to save his own.

And then he’s on me in a movement so quick I can scarcely track it, pulling me into a hot embrace, burying his face into the top of my head. I find myself melting into his arms, rejoicing in the feel of his strong body, pressed against mine. God, I love this vampire so much, it hurts sometimes.

“You’re so brave,” he whispers in my ear, stroking my hair with trembling hands. “So fierce. I wish I were more like you. Maybe then I would have been able to save my family, too.”

I open my mouth to protest, but he places a finger to my lips. “I don’t want to talk any more about the past,” he whispers. “I just want you to listen to me now.”

I nod slowly, meeting his beautiful eyes with my own.

“I love you,” he says. “And I trust you more than anyone in the world. If you say Slayer Inc. can help us—well, then I will respect your judgment and not interfere.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, knowing how hard it must be for him to make such a promise.

“And I will do anything I can—within my limited capacity—to help you keep your sister safe.” He pauses, then adds, “No matter what it takes.”

A chill trips down my spine at his words and I throw my arms around him, not wanting to let go. “I love you, Jareth,” I murmur as I cover his face with kisses before finding his lips with my own. “And I won’t let you down.”

PREORDER SOUL BOUND (Paperback or eBook)

Amazon
Barnes and Noble




Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Get an eReader for Christmas???

Get an eReader for Christmas? Well, I hope you will check out all my books available on Kindle and Nook!

FOR 99 CENTS:

Karma Kitty Goes to Comic Con (paranormal comedy) -- KINDLE * NOOK
Zombiewood Confidential (zombie story) KINDLE * NOOK

FOR $3.99

Skater Boy (teen romance) KINDLE * NOOK
Razor Girl (zombie post-apocalypse) KINDLE * NOOK
Moongazer (dystopian) KINDLE * NOOK
News Blues (chick lit) KINDLE * NOOK

FOR $9.99 (price set by my publisher)


Boys that Bite     KINDLE * NOOK
Stake That          KINDLE * NOOK
Girls that Growl  KINDLE * NOOK
Bad Blood          KINDLE * NOOK  
Night School       KINDLE * NOOK  
Blood Ties          KINDLE * NOOK
Soul Bound (pre-order) KINDLE * NOOK
Blood Coven Vampires Volume 1 KINDLE * NOOK

LIST OF ALL BOOKS
KINDLE BOOKS

NOOK BOOKS

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Liked Gamer Girl? Give Skater Boy a try!


I'm excited to announce the first ever digital release of my young adult novel SKATER BOY. Originally published back in 2005 (as Sk8er Boy) it was my very first teen book and probably my most autobiographical. (Yes, I loved those skateboarders!!) It's a contemporary romance - think "Romeo and Juliet with text messaging" - and perfect for readers who loved GAMER GIRL.

The print version of the book has been out-of-print for a while and can be hard to find. But now, for the first time ever, I've been able to make the book available as an eBook. Right now on Kindle and Nook, but other formats will follow in the new year.

And best of all? It's only $3.99. So if you're still looking for a holiday gift for the Kindle or Nook reader in your life--or just need something to spend that B&N gift card your aunt sent you for Christmas on--I hope you will check out SKATER BOY!!

Here's what it's about!

Dawn Miller is sick of being good. Her parents have scheduled her to an inch of her life and her popular friends are boring her to tears. And the rich boy everyone wants her to date is more obnoxious then a five year old on a sugar high.


But then she meets Starr, the headmaster's punk rock daughter who refuses to play by the rules. Starr introduces Dawn to a whole new world of indy record stores, all night raves, and cute skateboarders who practice underneath a parking deck downtown.

Skateboarders like Sean, who's sweet and smart and utterly hot--everything Dawn's ever wanted in a boyfriend--and soon she finds herself head over heels. But deep down she knows her parents will never approve of this boy from the wrong side of town...and the lies she's been telling are starting to catch up to her. Will Dawn be forced to leave her newfound life behind...and lose her skater boy forever?
BUY FOR KINDLE

BUY FOR NOOK

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Win a Kindle!

Tomorrow I'll be hosting a book release party over at BITTEN BY BOOKS where I will be giving away a Kindle to a lucky attendee. If you go RSVP now for the party, you can gain extra entries to the contest! So what are you waiting for? :)

MARI

Thursday, September 29, 2011



For those of you who may still be thinking of starting the Blood Coven Vampires series or those of you who have read the series from the library and always wanted your own copy, this is a deal for you!

This Volume One edition contains the first two books in the Blood Coven series - Boys that Bite and Stake That. That's right - two books for the price of one! ($9.99.)

This also makes a great gift for the vampire fan in your life. :) I'll even autograph copies if you want to order by mail. Just email me (mari@marimancusi.com) for details!

I'm really excited about being able to offer up such a bargain to readers!! The official release date is Oct 4th!

xo
MARI

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Limited Time Offer


WHILE SUPPLIES LAST: Order an autographed copy of BLOOD TIES from me and I will throw in a young adult paranormal sampler, produced by my publisher at Penguin.

Cost is $9.99 for book, $2.50 for shipping. (Please inquire if international) Total of $12.49.

I buy the books from Barnes and Noble and then sign them, so your purchase will be going toward our mission to get Barnes and Noble to stock the Blood Coven books in their stores! I don't make a profit off of these - (besides my regular royalties) - I just want to make sure readers who want an autographed copy can get one - even if they don't live near where I am doing book signings.

Payment can be made by credit card, PayPal, check, or money order. Please email me: mari@marimancusi.com for details.

Thanks!
MARI

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Blood Ties Release Day!

Happy release day to me! Today is the official on-sale day for BLOOD TIES - book six of the Blood Coven Vampires series. I still can't believe, sometimes, how far the series has gone, considering at one time, I thought it would only be a three book series. But thanks to my amazing readers who demanded more and my agent, Kristin Nelson, who refused to give up, now we have a book six hitting store shelves!

And that's just the beginning. Book 7 - Soul Bound - will be out in March 2012 and I'm just starting to write book 8 - the final book in the series. (No title yet!) Also, there will be a special omnibus edition of Books 1 and 2 (Boys that Bite and Stake That) coming out in October. That's two books for the price of one. Yay!

I hope you will all get a chance to pick up Blood Ties and continue Sunny and Rayne's adventures. (This one is narrated by Sunny and features both Magnus and Jayden as well.) Remember, Barnes and Noble is not stocking the book as of right now, but they WILL take orders for it. So you can either buy it off their website at BarnesandNoble.com or go to one of their stores and ask them to order it (Just go to the information desk. You don't have to pay until it comes in a few days from now.)

It's also available as an e-book on all platforms.

Hope you enjoy the book and I'd love to know what you think!
xo
MARI

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Where in the world is Blood Ties?


In a perfect world, bookstores would stay in business forever and stock every book known to man. Unfortunately, we don't live in a perfect world - we live in one where the book business as we know it is in danger. And that makes it very difficult for authors to make their books available to readers.

For example, Borders was a true Blood Coven fan. They stocked ALL the books - not just the new release. They even had a big display when Bad Blood first came out. So cool. Unfortunately, now they're out of business and so all those readers who depended on Borders to get their Blood Coven fix are out of luck.

Barnes and Noble, for some reason unbeknownst to me, has not been supportive of the Blood Coven series. They have not stocked the books. Some local stores have - because they placed individual orders - but countrywide, they didn't stock Night School and they're not stocking Blood Ties either. Wal*Mart stocked Night School, but chose not to stock Blood Ties.

Sucks, right? And not in a good vampire kind of way!

So where in the world can you find Blood Ties? Well, here are a few ideas.

1) Barnes and Noble! I know, I just got through saying they aren't stocking it. However, if you go there and REQUEST it, they'll get a copy in, just for you. You don't even have to pay until it arrives in the store. That is the number one, best way to get the book (even though it's a pain!) because it shows the bookstore they are making a mistake not stocking it - because people want to read it!

2) Online - You can always order a copy from a mail-order bookstore like Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com. If you're international, you can get it with FREE SHIPPING on BookDepository.com

3) E-Books - It's available on all e-book formats - Kindle, iBook, Nook, Kobo, Sony, etc. Buy it and read it in seconds! This is a great option if you own an e-reader.

4) Other bookstores. Books-a-Million has always been a Blood Coven supporter. If you have one in your area, they may be stocking the book. Smaller bookstores may also get it in. Or, again, you can always order it.

For me, this is very frustrating because I worked hard on this book and I want people to be able to read it. So I hope you will make an effort to go out and find the book, even if it isn't as easy as just grabbing the latest bestseller off the shelf. Sometimes stores need to be told what readers want to read - or they're just going to stock the books that publishers pay them to stock. (Those displays you see? Those are bought placement!!) So I hope you will join me in letting bookstores know that Blood Coven is a series to watch!

Oh and lastly, if you want to order a copy straight from me - you can do so by emailing me at mari@marimancusi.com. For $9.99 plus $2.50 postage, I can send you an autographed copy. Email for details.

HUGS and thanks for the support!
xo
MARI

Saturday, June 04, 2011

German Cover for Blood Ties (Blood Coven #6)



For German readers out there, they've finally released the cover of Blood Coven #6 - Blood Ties. Unlike in the US, where my publisher gives me a copy of the cover about six-eight months in advance to use in promotion, in Germany they prefer to wait until they send it out to major retailers like Amazon.com. So I only stumbled across the cover this morning when looking on Amazon.de!

The book will be out in August, the same month as the American version. Originally they were going to have it come out in July, but there was some delay with the translator, I'm told. Actually this is better because now the German and English fans can read the book at the same time!

You can pre-order the book on Amazon.de here. Hope you enjoy it!

MARI

Friday, May 13, 2011

Moongazer

For those of you keeping track - I've now made three novels and two novellas available to Kindle and Nook readers. These are books that were once sold as paperbacks, but I now have the rights reverted.

Today I want to feature my dystopian romantic thriller - MOONGAZER. Moongazer is darker than most of my books, but I think it's one of my best. I actually first wrote it as a screenplay in college and then rewrote it as a novel a few years back. I had no idea at the time that dystopian novels would become so popular!

I hope some of you will check it out. This is my experiment - to try to offer books I've written that have gone out of print in an inexpensive e-format for those who want to read my backlist. If it's successful, I will upload some of the other out-of-print titles as well. As with the others, it is now available for download for just $2.99.



Here's a little sneak peak:



"An enthralling combination of The Matrix and Snow Crash with a bit of Blade Runner thrown into the mix." -- SF Scope


Imagine every night entering a nightmare world you can't escape and being told real life is a dream. Skye Brown has it all: the cool job, the hot boyfriend, the apartment on New York's Upper West Side. But lately she can't enjoy any of it. She's having dreams of a post-apocalyptic world. Of a bleak futuristic wasteland. Of a struggle against oppression. And she's been told she's a...

MOONGAZER.

But what is that? And what is reality? In her dreams, she's not Skye Brown at all, but Mariah Quinn. In her dreams there's Dawn, the beautiful yet haunted soldier, and Skye is but the empty shell of a girl he once loved. And there was a betrayal, a great betrayal. Ripped between Dark Siders and club kids, the mundane and the mystic, Skye must discover who she is, what she wants and who wants her. And why. But in the glow of the moon, it's not always easy to recognize the face in the mirror.

KINDLE VERSION
NOOK VERSION
SMASHWORDS (for all other e-versions)

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Booksigning this weekend!

For those of you in the San Antonio or Austin area - I'm part of the "Chills and Thrills Teen Book Tour" and will be signing this weekend in those two cities. The tour continues on to Houston, Dallas and some other stops after that, but I'll ONLY be in San Antonio and Austin.

Here's some more info for you, in case you want to come see us and get a book signed.

Authors signing are:


Tracy Deebs
Tera Lynn Childs
Sophie Jordan
Mari Mancusi
Lara Chapman
Jennifer Archer
Jordan Dane

and we'll be signing in:

Saturday, May 14th
La Cantera Barnes and Noble, San Antonio
12-2 p.m.
(Btw, Rick Riordan is signing right after us, in case any of you are interested!)

Sunday, May 15th
BookPeople, Austin
2-4 p.m.

For more info, check out our website at: http://chillsandthrillsteenbooktour.wordpress.com/ It's got all the info on our books and who we are, along with addresses, etc. for all our stops. Hope to see you at one of the stores!

Friday, May 06, 2011

Kindle Novellas - 99 cents

For those of you looking for funny, quick reads, I've posted two of my novellas on Kindle and Nook for 99 cents. They were originally part of anthologies put out by Dorchester, but now I've got the rights back and want everyone to have the chance to read them -- without having to buy an entire book!! So instead of paying $7.99, you can have them for 99 cents each! :)

Check them out below!




Comic book creator Hailey Hills has no idea what she's in for when she arrives at New York City's Comic Con for the first time. But when a pair of magical boots manages to turn her into a real life Karma Kitty--the superhero of her own creation--Hailey suddenly finds herself battling ninjas, pirates and a past love she's tried desperately to leave behind.

Full of geeky cool and humor, this novella was originally published in paperback as part of the "These Boots Were Made for Stomping" anthology.

Kindle Version

Nook Version




Take one low budget zombie film set, a young makeup artist and the Hollywood hearthrob she's been in love with since she was a teen. Add a couple hundred zombie extras--who've become a little too realistic for their own good--and you've got Zombiewood Confidential, a campy, zombie novella with action, humor, romance, and, of course, plenty of braaaaaains.

For those who like horror and humor combined. Originally published as part of the "My Zombie Valentine Anthology."

Kindle Version.
Nook Version

Thanks for letting me share! I'm so excited to be able to bring back these stories and make them available to readers through e-publishing!!

Mari

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Night School SALE on Amazon

Amazon has NIGHT SCHOOL on sale for $4.00! That's over half off the $9.99 cover price! I don't know how long the sale will last - but if you are still waiting to get your copy, now's the perfect time! :)

Mari

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Razor Girl


For those of you who don't know, I used to write adult books as well as teen books. This was one of them. It's called Razor Girl and it takes place in a zombie-infested, post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Anyway, it was originally published by Dorchester in mass-market (with a different cover), but they had some financial troubles and so I was able to get my rights back on this book - and then republish it in e-book format! I'm so excited to be able to have it available to readers again. I've put it up for $2.99 - much cheaper than it was in paperback or previous e-format. But I want readers to have a chance to experience the book!

Remember, it is not a YA, so it does have some adult content. :) You can buy at Smashwords for most e-book formats or on Amazon for Kindle.

Here's the summary:

THE WORLD HAS ENDED, MOLLY. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NOW?

Molly Anderson is not your average twenty-one-year-old. It's been six years since she and her family escaped into a bunker, led by her conspiracy theorist father and his foreknowledge of a plot to bring about the apocalypse. But her father's precautions didn't stop there. Molly is now built to survive.

Yes, Ian Anderson's favorite book gave him ideas on how to "improve" his daughter. Molly is faster, stronger, and her ocular implants and razor-tipped nails set her apart. Apart, when--venturing alone out of the bunker and into a plague ravaged, monster-ridden wilderness--what Molly needs most is togetherness. Chase Griffin, a friend from her past, is her best bet. But while he and others have miraculously survived, the kind boy has become a tormented man. Together, these remnants of humanity must struggle toward trusting each other and journey to the one place Molly's father believed all civilization would be reborn: The Magic Kingdom, where everyone knows it's a small world after all.

Hope you have a chance to check it out!
Mari

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Blood Coven Vampires Volume One Cover!


I'm so excited to be able to share this cover with you at last! This October, Penguin Books is releasing a two-in-one volume of the first two books in the Blood Coven Vampire series. So this book will contain Boys that Bite and Stake That in one volume for one low price. (I think it's $8.99!) What a deal! I'm so happy to be able give brand new readers a chance to start the Blood Coven books at a great introductory price. After all, there will be 8 books in the series all together! That's a lot to buy!

It also makes a GREAT holiday gift for the vampire lover on your list! :)
Mari

Tuesday, April 05, 2011

My schedule for the Romantic Times Convention

For those of you attending the Romantic Times Convention in LA this week, here is where you can find me:

Wednesday, 3:30-4:30pm -- YA Panel: Rebel Without a Cause: Is a Bad Boy Really Good For a Girl?
Holly Black, Simone Elkeles, Sarah Rees Brennan, Cassandra Clare, Mari Mancusi, Richelle Mead

Friday 9:30am -- Club RT - Come chat with me, one-on-one, get an autograph (autograph cards available) and a chance to win free books!


Saturday, 11am-2pm -- Giant Book Fair

This is open to the public, so if you live in the area, come by to meet me and get books signed! Details are on my website, so be sure and check out my signing policies. There's a $5 admission fee, but you can also see all these authors.

Saturday, 2:30-3:30pm -- Author Speed Dating - Teen Day Event! This is a meet and greet of YA authors, one-on-one - 5 minutes per author! Sign up if you want to participate.

Saturday 5:45-7pm— Teen Party!!! Come hang with me and celebrate YA fiction with food, drinks and giveaways!

Also, I'll be tweeting my location if you want to stop by and say HI. Or you can email me if you want to meet up somewhere. If I'm free, I'm happy to chat! I'd love to spend the conference hanging with readers! After all, that's why I'm attending in the first place! :)

MARI

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Mari Mancusi, Night School



Here's a video I shot with the lovely Kirkus reviews just before my book party at Book People in Austin. I talk about the Blood Coven Vampire series.

Monday, February 21, 2011

More Fan Art to share!

Round-up of the latest Fan Art of Gamer Girl and Blood Coven. I know I've said it a million times, but my readers rock! I wish I could still draw... :)



welcome to the fantasy world by ~foxy21a72 on deviantART


Allora "gamer girl" by ~sk8rmal on deviantART


Gamer Girl by ~Ree-Uh on deviantART


Rayne by ~lopez4 on deviantART


Jareth by ~vane18410 on deviantART


Stake that by ~Bibi2010 on deviantART


Rayne McDonald by ~ARIANNA-13 on deviantART

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

I love my readers!

So sweet! The Blood Coven roleplayers sent me a gift package in the mail today - filled with awesome stuff--including a handmade Twilight card. So adorbs!





If you're interested in joining them roleplaying - head over to Facebook and message "Magnus Coven". But you must be a fan of the series - they actually have a test, I'm told, to make sure you know your stuff before you join! :)

Thanks again guys! You made my day!!!

MARI

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Finding Night School

It makes me sad to hear that a lot of you are searching for Night School and are unable to find it at your local retailer. I thought I'd do a post to explain why this might be the case.

The book industry right now is in serious transition. Big stores like Borders and Barnes and Noble took over the marketplace some years ago - putting a lot of the indy stores out of business. I mean, who doesn't want to go to a big store with great coffee and a billion books? Problem is, evidently not enough people to keep all those stores open. Both big chains have struggled and now Borders is likely filing bankrupcy and closing 150 stores. (I'm praying for a last minute intervention, but it's not looking great.)

In order to deal with the trouble they're in, these stores have changed up their inventory. For example, they'll add a "Build a Bear" section or maybe sell CDs or DVDs. That limits the number of books they can stock. They also choose to stock books that are BIG bestsellers. So you'll see a whole wall of, let's say, Vampire Academy, but they won't stock some of the smaller titles, like Blood Coven, because they're not as much of a "sure thing."

I mean, think about it. If you had a business that was struggling, wouldn't you want to stock your shelves with what you KNOW people want, not take a chance on what they MIGHT want, if they saw it?

So they pack the stores with bestsellers and books that publishers pay to have promoted. (In other words, those front tables and new release shelves? Those are paid placement. So if an author's publisher won't or can't pay for placement, you get stuck on the shelves, spine out, if you're stocked at all.) And that leaves what they call "midlist series" like Blood Coven off the order list. They just don't know if enough people will want to read it - and in this economic climate, they can't take any chances.

The problem is - if you never expose readers to new books, they'll never know they exists, and then yes, they won't buy them. So it's a self-fulfilling prophesy.

I don't blame bookstores for trying to stay in business. I WANT them to stay in business - as a reader as well as a writer, I love bookstores. I love wandering through them, I love smelling the books. I love that coffee shop! But it's sad to hear when readers come and say they can't find my book in their favorite store.

Another specific problem with Borders right now - some publishers are afraid to send them books, in case they go out of business and can't pay for them. So even if a store like Borders - who has been awesome about supporting the Blood Coven series - wants to stock the books, they might not get to - unless they sort out their current financial situation. (Which I sooo hope they do!)

SO...what's a reader to do? I think we need to start changing the way we buy books. The bookstores, remember, are reacting to what they see on the cash register reciepts-nothing more. But there are ways to show them what books we want to read, beyond the bestsellers.

Here are some options:

1) Go to the store (or call) and order the book. They will get in ANY book in the world if you order it. It usually only takes a few days and you don't have to pay until it arrives--great for readers without credit cards. I believe you can also go online and order it to be shipped to a store.

2) Go to the store's website and order the book online. Takes a credit card or gift card, but they'll mail it right to your front door within a couple days.

Why this is good to do: It shows bookstores what books people want to read. If B&N got a flurry of orders for Night School, you'd better believe they'd start stocking it on their shelves. I know it's more of a pain and requires two trips instead of one, but if you believe in a series and want it to continue - you must work to support it.

Other options:

Buy Independent. You can find an indy bookstore and tell the bookseller you love the Blood Coven series and think he or she should stock it. Indy bookstores love to hear from their customers - they are not a big corporation and have more control over stocking books. So if they know you love it - they'll probably get at least a couple copies in. (Make sure you come back and buy one--to support their interest.)

Buy Online: There are tons of online bookstores (Amazon, etc.) that will sell you any book in the world. If you have a credit card, this is the easiest way to do things. It doesn't help on getting big chains to carry the book, necessarily, but it does help with Bookscan numbers, which is a way publishers keep track of sales. If everyone bought from Amazon, they could go to B&N and say "Look how popular this book is! Are you sure you don't want to stock it?"

Buy e-book: While I beg you not to pirate a free copy of the book, if you want to buy an e-copy, there are tons of ways to do it now. You can either read it on your e-reader or just download it to the computer and read it that way. Or even to your smart phone. This is probably the wave of the future of books, though I know not everyone likes it right now.

Email me: I don't know if every author would do this, but I will always accept direct orders from readers. Just send the money over PayPal and I can ship you out a book. (Autographed, of course!)

Ask your librarian: They have a budget to buy a certain amount of books each year. Let them know what you want to read! They're usually very open to suggestions and can help you get the book.

WHAT NOT TO DO - never just walk out of a store and accept the fact they don't have a book you want - thinking you'll just try somewhere else. Instead, march right up to the front desk and tell them what you want! How will the bookstores ever know we don't want a store just full of Twilight and James Patterson if we never tell them? Remember, they're in customer service, they want you to be happy! But sometimes you have to let them know what will make you happy! (Blood Coven books on the shelves - whoo hoo!)

And lastly - once you acquire and read the book - tell people about it! With diminishing shelf space, there is less and less chance of a reader accidentally picking up a Blood Coven book to read. I rely so much on people reading the books and then telling their friends. Or blogging about the books or talking about them on Facebook. That is the BEST BEST BEST way to overcome the bookstore distribution hurdle.

So there you have it. A billion ways to get Night School (or any other smaller series) in your hot little hands. Now you have no excuse! :)

But seriously - I want to close by thanking you all. You guys are so dedicated to the series - and have made writing it a tremendously awesome experience for me. I just feel fortunate to have the ability to share my stories with you -- not matter how you end up acquiring them!

xo
MARI

PS Lastly - for those who are international, I'd suggest a great website called Book Depository. They will ship FREE (yes free!) to anywhere in the world! You cannot beat that deal!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Blood Coven Continues...with Soul Bound!

I know you guys are still waiting for Book #6 - Blood Ties (and I know some of you have not yet read Night School (#5) since it just came out this month--so many books so little time!) but I did want to let you know there is more Blood Coven in the future!

There will be eight books in the series total and #7 - which I'm actually writing right now - will be out in MARCH 2012. It will be in Rayne's point of view and the title is SOUL BOUND.

Book #8 will be out in fall 2012. Not sure an exact date yet - probably October. We don't have a title as of yet.

So....good news all around! Thanks so much for supporting the series - they're a lot of fun to write and it makes me happy to know so many people are enjoying them.

As always, for the latest news, please refer to my Facebook page. I update there almost daily and hardly ever remember to write in the blog. :) Once I reach 2,000 followers on the page (which I think we're within 20 now!) I will be releasing a sneak peek of BLOOD TIES.

xo
MARI

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Austin Signing at HEB on Saturday

For those readers in the Austin, TX area, I will be signing all the Blood Coven books (including Night School) this Saturday (January 15th) at the Pflugerville, TX HEB

WHEN: Jan 15th from 12pm-2pm
ADDRESS: 1434 Wells Branch Pkwy, Pflugerville, TX

Please come and see me and say hi! I'll have free bookmarks to give away, too!!

Hope to see you there!
xo
MARI

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Night School Release Day!!

The wait is over! Today is the official release date of NIGHT SCHOOL - Book #5 in the Blood Coven series!!






So where do you get your copy? Well, here's the rundown so far:

* Borders - confirmed sightings - they've had them out a week early. They also have all the backlist if you need to catch up.

* Barnes and Noble - so far no confirmed sightings  got a couple of reader sightings!
* Books a Million - confirmed sightings from readers

* Wal*Mart - haven't had confirmed sightings yet, but I'm told they will stock the book. CONFIRMED SIGHTING FROM READER IN AUSTIN! :)

ORDERING ONLINE

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

Borders

IndieBound

Book Depository - FREE SHIPPING TO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!! (Great for international buyers!)

DOWNLOADING THE E-BOOK

Kindle

Nook (Barnes and Noble)

Sony

I assume iBooks has it too, but I can't give you a direct link. You'll have to download from the ap.

This will be updated once I start getting more confirmed sightings. But, in the meantime, go forth and find the book! :)

xo
Mari