Monday, April 21, 2008

Vamping it Up!

My friends and I, vamping it up at the Romantic Times Convention! :)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Stake That! Fan Video

Look what I came across on YouTube! :) I think this is the first time anyone did a video for one of my books. I love it!!! Watch, watch!

Monday, April 14, 2008

Rayne Avatar

I created a Yahoo avatar of Rayne. What do you think? :)


Yahoo! Avatars

Thursday, January 10, 2008

November 2008 Book

Check out the cover for my next teen book. It's called GAMER GIRL and will be out in November. It's not a vampire book, but I hope you'll like it all the same! :)



Tuesday, October 02, 2007

GIRLS THAT GROWL - OUT NOW!!

Hey all, I know I never get around to updating this blog. (You should go to my regular blog: www.mariannem.blogspot.com for more regular updates!) But I did want to post and say that book #3 in the Blood Coven series, GIRLS THAT GROWL, has been released!



She's a vampire. She's also a vampire slayer. (It's a long story, don't ask.) And now Rayne McDonald, Goth girl, has to carry out her most deviant mission yet: trying out for the cheerleading squad.

Rayne already has enough on her plate: her twin keeps whining about whether or not to go all the way; her mom's boyfriend is moving in; and her man, Jareth, who's now allowed out in the sun, has turned from a dark, brooding hottie vamp into a surfer dude.

But this vampire slayer is still on the clock, and she has a new assignment. A member of the football team has disappeared-and her bosses at Slayer Inc. think the cheerleaders had something to do with it. Now they want her to infiltrate the squad and get the dirt. But first, she'll need an extreme prep makeover. If only they'd let her wear fishnets under that revolting uniform...

Monday, May 14, 2007

Updated Video

I did another webcam video to talk about the future of (or lack of future of) the BOYS THAT BITE series. Watch and then join with me to help spread the word before it's too late!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

A Plea - Help Me Save the Series!!!

Hey all,

So I just wanted to post this to keep you updated on the series and where it's headed. As most of you know, Girls that Growl, book #3, will be out in October. That's the good news.

Here's the not so good news:

I've been talking to my editor about book #4 in the series- which is tenatively titled "See Jane Bite." And she says that they need to see a lot of sales from Stake That before they can commit to continuing the series. You see, it turns out that while Boys that Bite is still really popular (they even had to print more copies cause they ran out!) Stake That has not sold nearly as many books! (Poor Rayne!)

Sooo I wanted to let you guys know this is happening cause I feel if we band together we can make a fourth book happen! I want to write it - you want to read it, right??? So now all we have to do is convince the publisher to buy it and publish it - and that means we have to show them that there is a demand for the book.

So I never do this but I am pleading with you now. If you read and liked Stake That, go forth and spread the word!! Tell your classmates, put it on your blogs, tell your libraries to order it and get bookstores to stock it. Post on message boards, tell your teachers, create book clubs, give it as a gift. If you can't find it in a bookstore ask them to order it or buy it off Amazon.

It's amazing what people can accomplish when they all work together. And I truly believe if we harness all our power we can keep the series alive!

MARI

Thursday, January 04, 2007

Some questions answered

Hey all!

Hope you had a good holiday and new year. I did, though in a way I'm glad it's over because holidays are not so good when you're on book deadline like me. I've got less than a month now to finish my book "Moongazer" and get it turned in. I did get some cover art for the book and it looks really cool - like a dark manga novel. Will be able to post it soon, I'm sure.

Thanks to everyone who's written saying they liked Stake That! I'm so glad to hear it!! I get the same questions often so let me try to answer some of them here:

1) Who's the narrator of book 3?

Rayne returns as narrator of book #3, Girls that Growl. But don't worry Sunny fans! Sunny will be back narrating in book 4. (Working title is "See Jayne Bite")

2) When does Girls that Growl come out?

Girls that Growl comes out in October of this year. Just in time for Halloween!

3) How many books are going to be in the series?

Not sure. As many as my publisher will let me write! I have a plotline in my head for at least a book five...

4) Why do I have to wait so long between books?

Authors don't get to choose when their books come out. That's up to the publisher. Plus I also write adult romance books and I have a full time job. Sadly I can't write as fast as you guys read!

5) Can you come to my town for a booksigning?

Again, sadly, I have that pesky full time job so I can't travel very often. I will be going to Texas twice this year though (Houston and Dallas) - in April and July and will be signing books then.

6) How can I get your autograph if you can't come to my town?

If you send me a self-addressed stamped envelope, I can send you a special autographed sticker that can be stuck in the front of the book. And I will personalize the book to you if you include your name. :) Or you can send me your copy of the book and I'll mail it back signed.

Address to send to is: Marianne Mancusi PO Box 8003 Boston, MA 02113

7) Are the books ever going to be movies or books?

There's nothing in the works, but I definitely think it'd be cool if they were! So you never know!!

8) What other kinds of books do you write?

I write adult comedy romances - time travels and such - under the name Marianne Mancusi. I have another website for those: www.mariannemancusi.com

9) Do you like to read other vampire books?

Yes! I grew up reading Anne Rice and I now love lots of vampire authors including Laurell K. Hamilton, Christine Feehan, Katie MacAlister, Stephanie Meyer, Rachel Caine, etc. etc. I'm always looking for new authors to add to my to-be-read pile.

Okay, that's all I can think of for now! Hope this helps!

:)
MARI

Friday, December 29, 2006

Christmas Meme

:)

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Ummm can't I pick both? I love Egg Nog around Christmas time, but Hot Chocolate is my favorite drink year round.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree?
Wrapped, of course! If it's a present that's too big to be wrapped, it's hidden somewhere like behind the couch or outside.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
No house lights. Tree lights are colored.

4. Do you hang mistletoe?
Nope.

5. When do you put your decorations up?
I used to BEG my parents to put them up the day after Thanksgiving. But sadly, they usually waited until a couple weeks before Christmas. (Though they did let us take the stuff down from the attic - a one a year adventure! - and play with all the ornaments, read the books, etc. before they went on the actual tree.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish?
My dad's baked apple pancakes that he makes every Christmas morning. Mmmmm.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child:
We'd sit at the top of the stairs, waiting for eternally slow parents to be ready to go down. Then my dad would have to go down first and he'd stop at the bottom of the steps and go, "Uh, oh! I think Santa made a mistake! He left TOO MANY PRESENTS!" Only after that were we allowed to run downstairs and take a look for ourselves.

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
I demanded to know. Then I was mad once they told me. Parents just can't win.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
This was a tradition I lobbyed for for years as a child. Not until I was much older did the parents wear down and say okay to this. But once I have a family, I would DEFINITELY insist on this tradition.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree?
Lights first, then garland, then ornaments, then tinsel. Dad's in charge of the lights and garland. He's also quite a obsessive about perfecting the tinsel distribution. He's a "strand here and there" versus "globber."

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
It'd be nice to have a white Christmas. It's been a while.

12. Can you ice skate?
Yup. Not great, but enough that I don't fall on my butt too many times.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift?
There were so many over the years. I guess getting a Cabbage Patch kid the year they were impossible to get was a real good one. My Mom is an early shopper and simply went out and bought one before the rush, having no idea they would be valuable. My parents then debated selling it over giving it to me because they were going for sooo much. (We didn't have a lot of $$.) But they decided it would be better for me to have it!! :) I felt like the luckiest kid in the world. Her name was Constance Georgia and she was a ponytailed redhead. I still had her until last year when my house burned down.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Presents! :) (And you thought I was going to say family, lol!)

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Chocolate Cream Pie. Mmmmmmmm.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
It's sad cause my family is split up now, but for years we did the exact same thing every Christmas. Went downstairs, opened stockings, had apple pancakes for breakfast, went into living room and opened presents, relatives came over, ate dinner, showed everyone our presents, etc. etc. It was awesome. I have such happy memories of Christmas. Now I kind of hate the holiday because it's not the same with everyone apart. My brother is in Colorado and never comes home for Christmas. My mom is in Florida. My dad's stepfamily follows a lot of our old traditions, but it's a bit weird to do it with completely different people...

17. What tops your tree?
Usually we had an angel. I used to use her as a doll before the tree was set up.

18. Which do you prefer: giving or receiving?
Giving, for sure. I am an awesome present giver. :P I really take the time to figure out what a person would really like - something they may have no idea they wanted but would be absolutely perfect for them. Then I love seeing their faces when they open the gift. One person said to me once after receiving their gift, "Wow, you really listen to me." It made me quite happy.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song?
What Child is This?

20. Candy Canes?
I like 'em. I never crave them, but once I open one, I'm sucking on them nonstop. I like the cherry flavored best.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

I'm back from Florida. Okay, okay, I've been back a few days - have just been busy. I'm working a night shift this week at work so my schedule seems all out of whack. Plus I'm hard at work on my August novel "Moongazer." Sometimes when I'm writing a ton of book stuff, the last thing I want to do is blog on top of that.

I finished PRETTIES by Scott Westerfeled. I thought it was better than Uglies. I picked up a copy of Specials, the third book in the series, but it may be a while until I get to it. So many books, so little time to read. However, since my World of Warcraft videogame BFF left to go home for Xmas, I'll probably get some extra reading/tv time next week, lol. I promised not to level my latest toon (character) too much without him.

Luckily I have the second season of Veronica Mars to keep me company! In the last 24 hours I think I have watched 6-7 episodes. It's not my fault - they always end on a cliffhanger, forcing me to watch the next one. I like to say it's research for writing YA novels, but in reality it's just addiction.

If you're a dog lover like me, check out Daily Puppy. It's the best website ever for cute puppy pictures.

:)
MARI

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Off to Florida

I've been working the night shift all week and so I'm completely mixed up schedulewise. Also, I'm jetting off to Florida tomorrow AM for the weekend to visit my mom for a little pre-Christmas celebration. I'm FINALLy getting a handle on everyone's Christmas gifts. Thank goodness...one less thing to worry about.

Eargon is opening tomorrow. I think I want to see it. I didn't read the book because it was like 1431554364365437 pages long and I don't have the attention span for books like that, but the plot seems kind of cute and the guy playing Eargon is totally hot.

Charlotte's Web is also opening. Is it just me or does it look like a remake of BABE?

Hope you all are enjoying the holiday season. I'll be back on Monday if not sooner.

:)
MARI

Monday, December 11, 2006

Cute Guy (Random Day) or...I LOVE MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE!!

I always forget to do Cute Guy Friday on Friday. Oh well, as long as we can drool on SOME day of the week, right? Today's choice is a bit eclectic. I didn't use to think he was cute at all, but something about the new platinum haircut and sexy suits really does it for me. Or maybe it's just I'm absolutely in love with his new album "The Black Parade" and play it 24/7. :)

Anyway...I present to you: Gerard Way, singer of My Chemical Romance. He'd make SUCH a great vampire. Mmmmm....








Not sold? Watch and listen to their amazing single. If you don't like him for his platinum locks, you can always appreciate his amazing lyrical genius.





Friday, December 08, 2006

Are you Sunny or Rayne?

Now you can take this quiz to find out for sure! :)




MARI

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Blog Slacker Update

Sorry, I'm a blog slacker, I know, I know. But hey - you should be off reading Stake That! and not blogs anyway, right?? Of course, right!

Thanks to everyone who's already written in and said they loved the new book!!! You rock. But you read too quickly! Especially since Girls that Growl won't be out til October! Long wait!! Ah well, what can you do?

I, myself, just finished reading the book UGLIES by Scott Westerfeld. Great book. I highly recommend it if you like stories about post-apocalyptic worlds. (Which I can't get enough of, personally.) I have part 2 - PRETTIES - in my hot little hands and plan to start reading it soon.

Speaking of post-apocalyptic books - I'm currently hard at work on my own. My August book "Moongazer". I'm really having a great time writing it - I literally get to create a whole new world. How fun is that? This is my first non-comedy and actually it's pretty dark and sad. My hero is so very Emo. But I love him much.

Booksigning in Bellingham, Mass on Sunday 2-4pm. Don't forget!

:)
MARI

Sunday, December 03, 2006

Cute Guy Sunday

I forgot to post Friday's cute guy, so I'm making up for it now. Today we have Neptune's resident bad boy we love, Logan Echols. I don't know what it is about him, but gah! The tension between him and Veronica ignites the screen.





I'm on Season 2 of the DVDs now. It's become a true addiction.

Mar


Thursday, November 30, 2006

New Book Deal!! :)

I've been keeping this news under wraps while it was finalized, but my agent said I can finally announce it today.

I have a new book deal and a new publisher!

Here's the official info, as posted in Publisher's Lunch.

~~
FICTION: YOUNG ADULT
Mari Mancusi's YA novel THE CAMELOT CODE, in which Merlin sends a sophomore girl back in time to meet the teen once-and-future-pre-King Arthur and have him spend a week in the 21st century only to have him Google himself, discover his fate and refuse to return, to Sarah Shumway at Dutton Children's, in a very nice two-book deal, by Kristin Nelson at Nelson Literary Agency (World English). knelson@nelsonagency.com
Translation rights: wlee@fieldingagency.com
~~

Cool, huh? For those of you who read Sk8er Boy, the girl who stars in this book is Sophie Sawyer, a minor character from Sk8er Boy and the present day stuff takes place at the same high school, Sacred Mary's. So Dawn and Sean may make cameos as well and of course those mean girl Ashleys!

Of course the book won't be out 'til Fall 2008 - a LONG TIME from now! But in the meantime, there's always STAKE THAT! **grin**

:)
MARI

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Interview on TeensReadToo

BTW I was recently interviewed by the folks over at TeensReedToo.

Check it out if you have a sec! :)

MARI

Stake That! Booksigning

So the OFFICIAL release date for Stake That! is December 5th. I'm betting you may start seeing copies on the shelves any day now, though. Since I got my author copies at the beginning of the month to me it feels like it's been out forever.

On Sunday December 10th I'm doing a booksigning at the Barnes and Noble in Bellingham, Massachusetts. First and only December signing of Stake That!

Hope to see some of you there. :) Here are the details:

When: Dec 10th 2-4pm
Where: Barnes and Noble, 270 Hartford Ave, Bellingham, MA

MARI

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

Three things you need to know

Three things you need to know:

1) If you're a Buffy fan and have never read Jennifer Cruise's essay on "Dating Death" I highly recommend it.

2) My Veronica Mars obsession is out of control. I'll need a 12 step program for when I run out of episodes. What is it about that show that makes it so, so good?

3) Stake That! comes out ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!! (You knew I had to throw that in there, right?)

:)
MARI